Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues

Have you ever tried to follow these?  Not easy!

Benjamin Franklin only focused on 1 per week; I think highly advisable.  Try it & you will find yourself truly becoming a better person.

If you need additional information about what an extraordinary person Ben Franklin really was, checkout “Benjamin Franklin: An American Life” by Walter Isaacson.

1. TEMPERANCE
Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. SILENCE
Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. ORDER
Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. RESOLUTION
Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY
Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. SINCERITY
Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE
Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. MODERATION
Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS
Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

11. TRANQUILLITY
Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY
Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

13. HUMILITY
Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

live for your Karma!

start up’s – success

What is the secret to success?

Leveraging four things:

1. your mind
2. your experience
3. your time
4. your money

In that order!

start up’s – quote

Warren Buffett once stated:

“Profit is KING…to get it requires these action steps:

1) knowledge and skill
2) timing
3) cost consciousness

knowledge and skill does not develop from repetition.  They develop from conquering diverse challenges”.

weekly affirmation

I release the past.

weekly affirmation

All the variety in this Universe Inspires Me!

weekly affirmation

I accept responsibility for how I prioritize my time.

never quit quote

“Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”
-Napoleon Hill

weekly affirmation

I act now!

just because it has always been this way…

A friend of mine recently told me this story, primarily due to our conversation being centered around, ”just because things have always been done this way, doesn’t mean it’s right”.

Sally was slaving away, cooking Thanksgiving dinner when her brother, Jim, soon approached and asked, “why do you cut both ends off the ham?”  Sally, stunned from such a simple question, states, “I am not sure; I believe it cooks best, but mainly because mom always cooked it this way.”

Sally quickly thinks, let’s go ask mom…”Mom, why did you always cut both ends off the ham prior to cooking it?”  Mom replies, “It cooks better; I think.”  ”We should ask your grandmother; Nana, why did you always cut both ends off the ham prior to cooking it?”  Nana in her grace, “It cooks best when they are cut and helps the heat get in.  However, I have never asked the question and since Granie’s here, let’s confirm that.”  ”Granie, why did you always cut both ends off the ham prior to cooking it?”

And Granie being the simple woman, “it wouldn’t fit in the pan, so I cut both ends off, shoved it in the pan & to the oven it went.”

What a great illustration of people following along like simple minded sheep.  Do you ask questions?  Do you challenge ideas that just don’t seem to jive?  Are you affraid of conflict?

The busy days of life, family, constant connections, work, social clicks, etc…can surely keep your brain stimulated. Questioning tradition or changing something that has always been done a certain way, may be challenging, but worth the short term research.

live for your Karma!

weekly affirmation

Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

weekly affirmation

All my relationships are filled with love.

the answers have changed

Have you ever looked back and wondered, “why in the heck did I make that decision?”

More than likely you asked yourself some simple pro & con style questions and then just went with your choice.  Next, your traveling down the road, life has changed, situations have altered & nowhere in sight is the reasoning you once had making that decision.

A most favorite & simple explanation is…”The answers have changed”.  Boy, isn’t that always the case. The questions rarely, if ever change, but the answers seem to be ever evolving with time & change.

Simply put, constantly evaluate your life situation and change to adapt with your surroundings.  I have never understood the comment, “man, I sure wish life would just slow down & stay constant.”  The only thing constant about that statement is the fact that people say it over & over.  I think it has yet to ever come true.

“We cannot solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them”
- Albert Einstein

live for your Karma!

weekly affirmation

Everything I need is already within me.

weekly affirmation

Argue for your limitations and they are yours!

weekly affirmation

All problems are learning situations in disguise.

live quote

“as long as you’re living, continue to learn to live”

insanity

Have you ever heard this definition of insanity?

“to do the same thing day in & day out, expecting different results”

I love it!  The ruts of life, golden hand cuffs, whatever you want to call it, we as humans love to beat a dead horse.  We will do things over & over because we “think” it is what people want us to do.  Are we stupid?  No, just lost.  Funniest part about it, is that if/when you make the change, all those people you thought wanted you to stay say, “it is about time!”

Staying in bad jobs, relationships, ventures that simply are toxic & do nothing but bring us down will kill your sole quicker than a head on collision.

I heard this story not too long ago…

“A rat was placed into a maze, he continually bumped along until he found his prize, the cheese.  A day later, the same rat was placed in the maze & this time he bumped a little less & found the cheese a bit quicker.  This continued until he was no longer bumping along & could streamline directly to the cheese every time.  Next, the cheese was not replaced, but the rat was still sent to race for his prize; only to discover it was no longer there.  After 3-4 times of the “no cheese” disappointment, the rat simply stopped running the maze.”

That is the difference between rats & humans, they will stop running when the hope is gone.  We don’t…at least not always.  We will stop, change, alter our direction only when forced, i.e. – heart attack, job loss, partner split, etc…

Don’t wait for your cheese to be moved, listen to your heart & find what your purpose is.  Then & only then will you be able live, laugh & love without fear.

live for you Karma

weekly affirmation

As I create thoughts with purpose, I create a life with purpose.

wisdom is power

I have never really been interested in “philosophy”, mainly in terms of debating others (this is probably driven from my monotoned college professor).  I love life and personally, don’t really care what people think.  I have a wonderful family, business that is picking up traction and friends that you couldn’t ask for better.

However, I stumbled across this guys book some time ago, “The Science of Success” by James Arthur Ray; interesting and highly inspirational.  If you need a JOLT of life or just something to PUMP you up, get this book!  There is one part I remember, my favorite, which he sums up very well with these few paragraphs…

We’re told that “knowledge is power” or “information is power.” These statements aren’t entirely true. Our world is full of knowledge. Between the internet and other exploding communication technologies, the information available to us doubles approximately every 1.5 years. Yet people don’t feel very powerful in the world or even in their own lives.

Information is not power. It is nothing more than unorganized data. Knowledge is nothing more than organized information. Neither brings us true power or true success. To succeed today, we need more than information or knowledge. We need wisdom.

People who are truly successful are wise. Wisdom is the true power! I define wisdom as “information and knowledge that is organized, aligned and acted upon in accordance with universal principles and laws.” Whenever we act in a way that is organized, aligned and in accordance with universal laws, we act wisely.

Wisdom is about how to think, rather than what to think. Truly wise people know how to gather pertinent knowledge about a subject and then listen to and apply the power of their intuition. They realize that the intuition, that “still, small voice” within, is our higher self asking to be manifest.

When we combine information, knowledge and experience with our intuition and then fuel it with massive action, we discover our own wisdom… a personal truth that synthesizes the head and the heart and puts us in touch with our higher self.

In short, we as humans drink from the fire hose of information every day.  We must organize our information and understand that we will not know everything.  Then, will clarity of life manifest.

live for your Karma

ryan & her pimp hat

Kids are absolutely the most fun thing in life!

Here is a great shot of my daughter doing what she does best…being herself!  Now, that is something I hope she never looses!

We as adults sure can learn a lot from watching our kids.  Especially before life & society has beaten all the crap into their brains, they deep heartily believe anything is possible; that I work to keep alive, in me, my family & will for her!

live for your Karma

jimmy’s taking over the world

What an awesome thing to be living in Miami…the Dolphins stadium is now LandShark Stadium.

Looks like Jimmy may not be taking over the world, but surly south Florida.

I guess you know you have truly made it when you are asked to be partners with a major league stadium. Now, I guess if you have to foot the bill because they are out of money, that might suck…but he could probably do it.

I sure can’t wait till my next JB concert!

Let all your drinks be boat drinks!

simple food done great

What a great night last night. chef Richard sure knows how to take standard, simple ingredients & turn them into something pretty damn good.

We catered for a local Austin IT company that was hosting a small “thank you” for their customers at Ballet Austin. A nice Pinot Noir & Pouilly Fume were poured as all the guests munched on smoked salmon crostini’s, caramelized onion topped baked Brie & a mediteranean bruchetta…to name a few.

Keeping it simple & bold was last night. Quite an awesome evening; life just doesn’t get simpler or better than that.

live for your Karma

april quotes

“Know that “but” is an argument for our limitations and when we argue for our limitations we get to keep them”
- Jim Smith, Jr.

“Life is too important to take too seriously”

“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity”
- Brian Tracy

“What you are seeking, is also seeking you”
- James Arthur Ray

“Make a habit in your life of doing the things your fear”
- Emerson

bruce & his E street band

On an unusually cold Austin evening, here we sit enjoying the boss, Bruce Springsteen. What a concert.

I have never been a huge fan, but having the opportunity to see his following up close & personal was too funny. This had to truly bring back glory days for many. People dancing & screaming the entire evening; a true event where “dance like nobody is watching” was in full. It did have the makings of a “geritol” style evening, but I figured most would be feeling it in the morning. And the bathrooms had a wonderous intoxication of some freshly hit ganja.

When the lights dimmed and anticipation grew high; suddenly his band begins to jam, the lights raise & there’s Bruce…singing his heart out. Boy, the energy was awesome.

My best bud & I had some beers, enjoyed the music & were probably some of the first to depart. It was fun seeing the boss & his followers get one heck of a show.

Personally, I thought Max Wineberg was great…what a sight, I use to watch him on Conan most nights.

Here is the best picture I could get with my phone.

a lot to drink about

First…if you couldn’t tell, I am quite the Parrot Head.  Now, I think the biggest reason I became such a Buffett fan was simply the lyrics of his music & his entertainment style.  He sure is heck ain’t the best singer & probably wouldn’t make it past the 1st round of American Idol, but man…a crappy day sure can come to a great close with a few of his songs. i.e. – Lucky Stars, Little Miss Magic, School Boy Heart, Banana Republics, Kick It Into Second Wind, Great Heart, Lovely Cruise, Blue Guitar, Jamaican Farewell, Take The Weather With You, Nothin’ But A Breeze, Bama Breeze, etc, etc, etc…

Living true to his heart & following his dreams has what has made him the super star he is today. Basically, because he did what everyone in their wildest dreams has wanted to do; have a dream, follow it, make a ton of money & continue to do it for as long as you want.

So back in February I heard this song listening to Radio Margaritaville and just new I had to post it for anyone else living in this crazy economical climate.

Enjoy…

 

 

A Lot to Drink About 

Written by: Jimmy Buffett
Performed by: Jimmy Buffett

Up on the East side of Manhattan,
They’re still dancing with the stars.
While over in sub prime city,
It’s getting angry in the local bars
Watching the news only gives me the blues
There’s too much going wrong.
It takes the likes of me to hit the reboot key
and write a high speed drinking song.

Millionaires losing everything.
Hey, welcome to the other side of life!
There goes the yacht, there goes the Rolls,
But, you get to keep your wife!
And don’t forget the automakers
swimming up stream like a trout.
They let the shi* hit the fan
and then they made a plan
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

It’s the price of oil,
the war of the spoils.
Where’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

Now, Madoff made off with all the money.
Now his clients are down to skunk weed.
Repeat after me, it’s so easy to see
We’re only talking simple greed.
And those Somalian pirates are counting all the gold.
While Bush and Cheney ain’t around
and all the good lookers seem to be Czech hookers
from Key West to London town.

It’s the price of oil,
the war of the spoils.
Where’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

So pour me some Tennessee whiskey,
pour me a fine Jamaican rum.
That loud mouth soup
gets me kind of looped
Tequila, of course I’ll have some!

Now the family devalues
and little children count their net worth
and the truth wherever it’s hiding,
can be found on Google Earth.
Citibank’s buying jets with our money.
I wanna flog ‘em with a buggy whip.
I hope Obama and Joe won’t let the volcano blow
and patch the hole in our sinking ship.

It’s the price of oil,
the war of the spoils.
Here’s your bucket for the big bailout?
Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan,
We’ve got a lot to drink about.

Recession, Depression, the question good God
CNN keeps bumming me out.
I can’t take another doomsday moment.
We got a lot to drink, a lot to think,
a lot to drink about.

 

live for your Karma!

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