Monday, 26 December 2011

Stay Sharp

Stay Sharp

Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason,the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees. "Congratulations," the boss said. "keep up the great work" Very motivated by the boss's words, the woodcutter tried even harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. "I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. "When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees."

My Message

When was the last time you sharpened your axe, when was the last time you let go and really stopped? In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but a whole lot less happier. Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay "sharp"? There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to get close to our Creator, giving more time for our family, taking time to read and paying attention to people's needs. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don't take time to sharpen the "axe", we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. So as we move into 2012 start to think about the ways in which you could do your job more effectively and add a lot of value to it.

May you have an awesome week! If you holidaying please be safe and return sharp and ready to make a difference.
Darren Zwiers
 

The Quote:

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. - Abraham Lincoln

Monday, 12 December 2011

Get Your Positive Goggles

Get Your Positive Goggles

Last week I got the honour to learn this story from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin himself... There is a famous story of a 15yr old boy who got 50% on a test. The teacher called him over and he thought for sure that the teacher would reprimand him and tell him off on why he got such a bad mark. The teacher said “The reason you got 50% was because you only answered half the test, but lets have a look at the questions you did answer.. “Question 7, you answered that so beautifully, Question 13, wow such a concise and clear answer brilliantly done”. So the boy went away surprised, he felt good about it. Next week same thing again. He a got 50%. Teacher calls him over again and the boy now knows for sure the teacher is going to reprimand him, he’s really going to tell him off. The teacher said to him again “You only got 50% because you only answered half the questions, but what you did answer was brilliant, question 4 that was the hardest question and you answered it so well... Keep up the great work”. The boy left saying to himself “wow I see, I do understand this work” and he concentrated in class (he was a dreamy kid) he reviewed is work over and over again and worked hard. On his next test he got 100% and for four tests in a row after that he got 100%. This kid grew up to be extremely successful in all his studies and achievements, all because that teacher took a couple of minutes to point to him how well he did and not the opposite.

My Message

It’s so easy to reprimand someone, but you don’t realise that you could be damaging a part of them that they feel insecure about already. This can have a permanent effect on their lives. It’s so important to give people a positive sense of self and this isn’t flattery, its seeing the potential in every person. Seeing that they are destined to great and awesome things. Every person in this world no matter who they are or where they come from have the potential to do incredible things, there is the essence of beauty in every soul. Don’t be the one to shut it down by speaking horrible about or to someone. View people as they could be or they might be as every individual wants to be seen in a positive light, including you.

May you have an awesome week where you can exercise patience and gentle care to the people around you..
Darren Zwiers


The Quote:

“People underestimate their capacity for change. There is never a right time to do a difficult thing. A leader's job is to help people have vision of their potential.” John Porter

Monday, 5 December 2011

Who's The Dummie?

Who's The Dummie?
(Author Unknown)

A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his Customer, "This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you." The barber puts a five rupee coin in one hand and two one rupee coins (1+1=2) in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, "Which do you want, son?" The boy takes the two one rupee coins and leaves. "What did I tell you?" said the barber. "That kid never learns!" Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store. "Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take two one rupee coins instead of five rupee coin?" The boy licked his cone and replied, "BECAUSE THE DAY I TAKE THE FIVE RUPEE COIN, THE GAME IS OVER"

My Message

Think of this story the next time you interact with someone who you 'feel' isn't at the intellectual level that you are on. When you think another person is 'dumb', you are making a fool of yourself, because no matter how smart you think you are, you will never be able to fully evaluate another person's intellect. Never underestimate anyone, you will be surprised how much you can learn from people when you give them the chance to truly open up and express themselves. Don't block people off because you think you can't learn anything from them. Be inspired by others give them a chance and let the good people lead you to greatness.

May you have an awesome week full of patience and harmony with those around you.
Darren Zwiers


The Quote:

"To Handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart." - Donald Laird