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I recently saw the movie Yes Man starring Jim Carrey. Without giving away too much, I would like to say that I found the movie very entertaining and, actually, quite thought provoking. I included the trailer to give you the premise of the movie, watch it here:

As you just saw, Jim Carrey's character, Carl Allen, is a chronic "no man". Almost every request that he gets- whether it is for a bank loan, an invitation out with his friends, a sales opportunity- he turns down. He almost seems to enjoy saying no, and he therefore feels disappointed with where he is at in life. However, at a conference Carl accepts the challenge to become a "yes man". Every request that comes his way he must respond, "yes". You can imagine all of the situations, good and bad, he gets himself into with that promise!

I think that, for some, we get into that mindset when everything is "no", and we need something to shake us out of that complacency. On the other hand, some of us have a chronic "yes man/woman" attitude... when someone asks us to do something, we cannot help but say "yes". As I am sure you can agree, sometimes that attitude can really take away from the things that we are supposed to do. Brian Tracy, author of Eat That Frog, has this to say about that special word:

One of the most powerful of all words in time management is the word no! Say it politely. Say it clearly so that there are no misunderstandings. Say it regularly as a normal part of your time management vocabulary. Say no to anything that is not a high-value use of your time and your life. Say no graciously but firmly to avoid disagreeing to something against your will. Say it early and say it often. Remember that you have no spare time. As we say, "Your dance card is full." For you to do something new, you must complete or stop doing something old. Getting in requires getting out. Picking up means putting down. Creative procrastination is the act of thoughtfully and deliberately deciding upon the exact things you are not going to do right now, if ever.

So, I think what we can take away is to say "yes" to new and exciting experiences that will stretch you... and "no" to those tasks that take away from your priorities. What should you be saying "no" to today?

Tom Peters gets it. He said...

"I've spent a good part of my life studying economic successes and failures. Above all, I've learned that everything takes a back seat to innovation."

Tomorrow comes at us with lightning speed, and your competitive advantage is a fleeting thing. As leaders, we must create an environment that puts innovation front and center. Your people must know it is the key to your company's survival. You must create a climate that rewards risk and creative effort. Your people must not fear mistakes, but understand that honest mistakes can be life's main source for learning. SO TEACH THEM TO FAIL QUICKLY, AND OFTEN, TO ENABLE THEM TO REACH THE NEXT PLATEAU.

That was an excerpt from our book Paper Airplane: A Lesson for Flying Outside the Box. Back by popular demand, we have reprinted it for your enjoyment.

Innovations drive this world... and one innovation I could not live without is Social Media! In a world that seems to be increasingly global and friends move thousands of miles away, it is nice to stay in touch as well as friends can. What innovation do you need in your life?

"Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value in your life." -Christiane Northrup, M. D.

I don't know where you are in the world, but as I look out my window, all I see are storm clouds that threaten to downpour on my bike ride today! While I am dealing with the literal rain, I am sure that you, or someone you know, is dealing with the metaphorical rain. Those times in life when things are just not going well... and the storm does not seem to be moving. That is exactly why I wanted to share this movie with you, because as Vivian Greene said, "Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... it's about learning how to dance in the rain!" Have a happy Tuesday today, rain or shine!

Congratulations to Bill Thomas! Bill submitted a personal story of his, and we have selected it to publish on our blog. For his contribution, he received a free copy of Finish Strong as it fits the accomplishments about which he wrote. You can submit your story too!

I asked Bill, author of the "fictional autobiography" Telly's Torch, to talk a bit about himself:

I'm nearly 86, in fair health. We have three grown children and seven grandchildren; all wonderful achievers in their own lives. I'm a Veteran of WW II, having fought in North Africa, Italy, France, Germany and Austria. I was a forward observer in an artillery battalion. We made amphibious landings in Anzio, Italy, and in Southern France. I am Commander in two Veterans organizations, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. I am a writer and published author. I've written five nonfiction workbooks. My passion is in writing. I'm currently endeavoring to start a blog featuring interviews with people who have had a great "15 minutes of fame." The blog will be interesting, inspirational and motivational. I have been a successful salesman for over 60 years. I'm planning to live to 104. My motivation was your offer to publish one of my stories and what better selection could I have made than to write about a great wife, mother, grandmother, and a winning champion. Thank you for the recognition and acceptance of Soula's triumph.

Without any more delay, here is Bill's story:

Soula Thomas, 85, Rossmoor, WV resident, won a bronze medal in race-walking on Tuesday July 28th at the World's Masters International Track and Field Competition held in the city of Lahti, Finland.

The full event ran from July 28th to August 8th, 2009. Approximately 5,300 athletes participated in various competitions. This event is a bi-annual phenomenon which attracts athletes 35 years of age or older worldwide. Many of these elder athletes are current or former Olympians or world record holders. It may seem strange to see men and women ages 35 to 100 throw javelins, heave shot puts, fly over hurdles, run and do long jumps or run in 100 meter to 800 meter races.

Race-walking is a somewhat tricky heel, toe, and knee movements race and, if not done correctly, athletes can easily be disqualified by any of the many judges situated around the course. Soula, a petite race-walker, competed against four women in her age class. She walked the 5,000 meters (3.1 miles) in 44.22 minutes to win her bronze medal. The first place winner's time was 41 minutes.

Soula also won a bronze medal in Australia in 2001, and has competed in England and Spain. She was delighted to see so many of her local American friends in Finland and so many other athletes from previous competitions

abroad. The next event will be in July of 2011.

The most remarkable aspect of this event is that these senior athletes are all so amazing. Individually and collectively, they are most impressive. They are agile, strong, powerful, full of energy, ready to compete, and striving to win. Up close, in their street clothes, you may notice their gray hair, face wrinkles, and varicose veins... but once they are on the field, they transform into dynamic challengers and winners. From a distance, it is difficult to distinguish the more elderly from the younger competitors. The camaraderie with all athletes is strong, but even the most famous, current champions are in awe of these senior athletes. Many swept away tears of joy.

The mixture of languages is like a jolly melody, and the laughter is constant but if anyone ever needs proof that age doesn't matter so much, these older athletes prove that it is never too late to accept challenges.

It is the time of year when the days become shorter, the leaves start turning shades of yellow, red, and orange, and the air smells of bonfires at night. It also happens to be the time that children start heading back to school. I can remember the excitement the first few days of a new school year... new school supplies, new friends, and that feeling of being one grade higher and (hopefully!) a little wiser.

I also looked forward to meeting those people that I would spend every day with for the rest of the year: my teachers. I can remember a few key teachers that truly shaped the way I see the world, and so that is exactly what I owe them... the world! To celebrate those very special people in our lives, we present Heart of a Teacher by Paula Fox. Here are some quotes from the book:

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn." -Ignacio Estrada "To the loved, a word of affection is a morsel, but to the love-starved, a word of affection can be a feast." -Max Lucado "If you must raise your voice, do it to cheer your students on." -Author unknown "If kids come to us (educators/teachers) from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come to us from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job more important." -Barbara Color "More people fail for lack of encouragement, than for any other reason." -Ruth Bell Graham "A hundred years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the car I drove. But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child." -Forest E. Witcraft

How have teachers influenced your life? Share this post with those teachers in your life, and encourage those who encouraged you!