Encouragement

Today, we have a guest post from, Lisa Hammond! Lisa is best known by her blogger alias, The Barefoot CEO®. Lisa also co-authored one of our newest titles, Oh Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me! with BJ Gallagher.

In Nevada we don't have the lottery, we have Mega Bucks—a progressive slot machine game—it may not be 300 million dollars, but it is certainly enough to change your life.

I am not a real gambler but whenever we go to the movies we walk right past the Mega Bucks machines and I like to put in a few bucks and fantasize about winning.

So every now and then I like to do what I call my "Mega Bucks Litmus Test". It goes a little something like this…I ponder what I would do if I actually won Mega Bucks.

Over the years there have been times I wouldn't change a thing. There have been times I would make radical changes. And there have been times I would only make slight modifications to my life. But what I have learned about myself is that this somewhat silly Mega Bucks Litmus Test actually has merit.

Life is too short to wait for our 10 million dollar ship to come in!

Whenever I mull over my Mega Bucks Litmus Test I inevitably end up course correcting and adjusting the sails on the ship of my life.

So what would YOU do if you won Mega Bucks?

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can achieve greatly." ~Robert F. Kennedy

On our Facebook page, I shared a video about some famous failures. After some research, I found some other very interesting facts about people who failed on their way to success:

Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive." As an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps."

An expert said of Vince Lombardi: "He possesses minimal football knowledge and lacks motivation." Lombardi would later write, "It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up."

The first time Jerry Seinfeld walked on-stage at a comedy club as a professional comic, he looked out at the audience, froze, and forgot the English language. He stumbled through "a minute-and a half" of material and was jeered offstage. He returned the following night and closed his set to wild applause.

In 1947, one year into her contract, Marilyn Monroe was dropped by 20th Century-Fox because her producer thought she was unattractive and cannot act.

JK Rowling lived on welfare for years. A failing author, she went on to write the Harry Potter series, and today has an estimated worth over $1B. Among many recent notable successes, she performed Harvard's commencement speech.

After his first audition, Sidney Poitier was told by the casting director, "Why don't you stop wasting people's time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?" Poitier vowed to show him that he could make it, going on to win an Oscar and become one of the most well-regarded actors in the business.

The billion-dollar business that is Honda began with a series of failures and fortunate turns of luck. Soichiro Honda was turned down by Toyota Motor Corporation for a job after interviewing for a job as an engineer, leaving him jobless for quite some time. He started making scooters of his own at home, and spurred on by his neighbors, finally started his own business.

What is your failure to success story?

Exciting News! Simple Truths author BJ Gallagher has been featured on the San Francisco ABC morning show, and she was generous enough to share the clip. BJ has written three books for us, including The Best Way Out is Always Through, Learning to Dance in the Rain, and A Peacock in the Land of Penguins. BJ just released a new book called It's Never Too Late to Be What You Might Have Been. Check it out on her website.

What BJ had to say in this short clip rang true for me. I have a neighbor and a couple family members that are struggling with unemployment right now. They can vouch for the fact that it's hard in any economy to find a job. While introducing them to potential recruiters is the most tangible way that I can help them, I also notice that a quick prayer, an encouraging word, or a "how are you holding up?" seems to be equally as helpful. I sent them this video clip, because I think that confidence during the job interview is just as important as the interview itself.

So, when you have been job searching, what has been the most encouraging thing that you have heard? What helped you finally get the job? How have you helped others?

In preparation for Mother's Day this weekend, I'd like to share a few quotes with you to remind you of the mothers in your life.

A man loves his sweetheart the most, his wife the best, but his mother the longest.

~Irish Proverb

Who ran to help me when I fell,

And would some pretty story tell,

Or kiss the place to make it well?

My mother.

~Ann Taylor

Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.

~Elizabeth Stone

There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.

~Chinese Proverb

Sweater, n.: garment worn by child when its mother is feeling chilly.

~Ambrose Bierce

On Mother's Day I have written a poem for you. In the interest of poetic economy and truth, I have succeeded in concentrating my deepest feelings and beliefs into two perfectly crafted lines: You're my mother, I would have no other!

~Forest Houtenschil

I hope you enjoyed those quotes! What plans do you have this Mother's Day? How can you appreciate your mother?

Teacher Appreciation Day is Tuesday, May 4th. Whether you're 6 years old or 60, I'm sure you remember a teacher or two whom have inspired you.

I remember when I was a sophomore, I was asked to fill in for another actor in the Spring high school musical, Cole Porter's Anything Goes. The practices were long and hard: I was quite shy as a teenager, so it unnerved me to speak on stage. After the last performance of the musical I went up to my director and said, "I never thought I would have enough courage to speak on stage!" Mr. Ruelas encouraged me with a phrase I'll never forget: "Don't you ever limit yourself!" Since then, whenever I think, "I can't do this!" I remember him telling me that phrase.

Which teachers have inspired you? How have they inspired you? What quotes from them remind you to persevere?

A Parent's Note to a Teacher Anonymous ?I'm the voice of a grateful parent whose child was in your class... the one who needed help to find his way You've been a special blessing as you helped my child succeed and I'm thankful for the part you had to play You gave him so much more than just the lessons in the books you gave him wings... so he could learn to fly You ignited a flame within his soul a passion to learn and grow... to never give up and always be willing to try Your encouragement inspired him and your kindness was so real but the thing that thrills my heart the most is this... By building his self-confidence you changed his life this year he believes in himself... and a brighter future is his!