This weekend I cleaned my chimney.
I knew it needed cleaning for the past few weeks.
Starting a fire was becoming more and more difficult.
The air vent had to be opened to the maximum just to keep a fire burning.
When the fire-box door was opened, smoke would billow into the room.
It was plenty clear that the chimney needed to be cleaned.
So, why the dread and the postponement for a few weeks?
Stories of Gumption is a regular column that profiles individuals who admirably demonstrate Gumption as we define it. These are the stories of real people who exhibit gumption in overcoming personal challenges, and validate the spirit of Gumption during their journey. Let?s take inspiration from those who seize 100% personal responsibility and show us how to live a life that exhibits Gump-like character traits worthy of applause!
This past weekend, I had the pleasure to speak to 1200+ of Montana’s finest students representing more than eighty high schools across the state. The annual conference of the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Montana Associationmet in Billings March 10-12, 2013.
BPA is a national organizationwith 43,000 members in over 2,300 chapters in 23 states. Their tagline is: “Today’s Students. Tomorrow’s Business Professionals.” The mission of Business Professionals of America is to contribute to the preparation of a world-class workforce through the advancement of leadership, citizenship, academic, and technological skills.
If life is a journey, then a mindset of continuous learning makes sense.
And if life is a journey, then regularly taking action to adjust one’s course, based on the new knowledge, seems beneficial.
If the goal isn’t necessarily to get somewhere, but rather to enjoy the road being traveled, then all new learning becomes welcome, joyous, and extremely valuable.
If each life chapter is its own mini-journey along the bigger road of one’s life journey, then learning today prepares you for the next fork in the road … or the next new opportunity.
All learning today prepares you for tomorrow.
All learning today establishes a foundation for what you’ll learn and use tomorrow.
All learning today is a down payment for a knowledge-filled future.
It seems smarter to be a lifelong learner, rather than someone who already knows it all.
Are you a lifelong learner?
How many different shoes have you worn during your lifetime?
How many different shoes have you worn during your lifetime?
How many different shoes are you currently wearing?
Is it time to throw away those shoes that no longer support the life you want to live?
I’m not talking about actual pairs of shoes … I’m referring to the different roles you’ve played in your life. And the different roles you’re currently living.
“Momma always says there’s an awful lot you could tell about a person by their shoes. Where they’re going. Where they’ve been … I’ve worn lots of shoes. I bet if I think about it real hard, I could remember my first pair of shoes … Momma said they’d take me anywhere.”
Forrest certainly did wear many different shoes. This chartshows some of those different shoes. Forrest’s shoes included football cleats, soldier boots, ping-pong tennis shoes, shrimp boat rubber boots, father loafers, and husband shoes. Plus the running shoes that took him across America –four times! Forrest wore lots of shoes.
Here’s the deal …
You too wear lots of shoes.
You too get to decide where your shoes will take you.
Here’s why …
[Read more…] about Life Chapters and ?I?ve Worn Lots Of Shoes?
