Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit. — Aristotle
I saw this cartoon earlier this week and, despite its simplicity, it truly spoke to me. As Christians, we need to remember that the Bible is our predominant tool in life. Can God speak to us in ways outside the Bible? Sure! However, the Bible is His foundation for us. The Bible is essentially our starting point, our “go-to” solution when we feel lost.
Do not fret if you have ever found yourself aimlessly turning through pages of the Bible not knowing where to start. It is okay if you have ever closed your Bible and still felt unmoved or not spoken to.
We have all been there. Just don’t give up, and know that God sees you trying and His promises will not fail!
On a similar note, when you feel like you do not know where to start, I recommend always going back to the book of John. It may be repetitive, but it is a wonderful starting point for everybody to truly understand God’s love for us.
I hope you are blessed by this posting, and never forget to love one another everyday!
The Applied Journal of Cognitive Psychology conducted a 2009 study that has shed a new light on the habit of doodling. As part of the study, researcher Jackie Andrade played a lengthy voicemail to the group of volunteers. The first group was asked to doodle during the course of the message, while the second group was instructed to simply listen to the recording. Interestingly, the group of doodlers remembered 29% more details than the other group.
City University of New York psychology professor Jesse Prinz claims “doodling isn’t just a distraction from boredom- it may actually keep us from daydreaming and zoning out altogether. Mindless drawing [is]…a way to take all those things that distract you, all those subjects that you ruminate on, and clear them away [to] open this space where information can get in”.
So the next time you find yourself stuck in a long meeting or watching a lengthy informational video, embrace your creative side and doodle away!
Click the link below to be redirected to the original cbs news article on the study:
One of my favorite life mantras has always been “Always be kinder than necessary. Everyone is fighting some sort of battle”.
This is a great secular statement, but does it correlate with the Bible? I have great news for you: for once, an awesome expression actually does align up with the Bible! That’s right ladies and gentlemen, this one’s got God written all over it. Let’s see what the Bible says about kindness:
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”. Ephesians 4:32
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great” Luke 6:35
In short, we all know that people who are unkind to us are the ones who need Christ the most. We become true mature Christians, once we have had the time to regroup and sympathize with the person’s pain.
It still doesn’t make the action okay, and the offender might not warrant a spot back in your life, but are we remembering to pray for this person, too?
One of my favorite life mantras has always been “Always be kinder than necessary. Everyone is fighting some sort of battle”.
This is a great secular statement, but does it correlate with the Bible? I have great news for you: for once, an awesome expression actually does align up with the Bible! That’s right ladies and gentlemen, this one’s got God written all over it. Let’s see what the Bible says about kindness:
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you”. Ephesians 4:32
“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great” Luke 6:35
In short, we all know that people who are unkind to us are the ones who need Christ the most. We become true mature Christians, once we have had the time to regroup and sympathize with the person’s pain.
It still doesn’t make the action okay, and the offender might not warrant a spot back in your life, but are we remembering to pray for this person, too?
Kennesaw- Peter Drucker emphasized simplicity for decades. Part of his genius was the ability to take complex problems and break them down into simple observations that can be analyzed. “A turnaround requires abandoning whatever does not perform and doing more of what does perform”. Post-Capitalist Society
His message to us is to improve effectiveness by concentrating more on what works. Can’t get much simpler than that.
Encourage excellence by helping others focus on improving their strengths.
Click the link below to be redirected to a video segment of an interview with Drucker on his philosophies:
Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin, Ph.D., teaches individuals and businesses how to use color to help them achieve their goals. Whether you’re a supervisor looking to renovate your store, or a manager deciding what color to paint the office, color psychology can help us in our pursuits for success.
According to Augustin, the color of a wall can actually influence the way a person perceives temperature. For instance, cool colors like blue, green, and light purple have a tendency to make us believe it is colder, while warmer colors such as yellow, red, and orange can cause us to think it is warmer. Business owners can use this philosophy to their advantage by saving on heating and cooling costs. If you are based in a colder environment, painting a waiting room a warm color might cause others to think it is a few degrees warmer than it really is. While you should always keep your thermostat at a reasonable and safe temperature, it may still allow you to keep the temperature a few degrees lower.
The color green has been linked to broader thinking and creativity! I LOVE creative writing, so maybe this is one of the reasons I love this color? According to Augustin, “There is a positive association between nature and regrowth” when it comes to the color green. Likewise, Augustin argues that painting a work area green could help your employees be more productive.
Did you know that red sports cost more to insure? Forbes.com contributor Amy Morin writes, “When humans see the color red, their reactions become faster and more forceful”. Yet, this burst of energy, though powerful, is only momentary and red ultimately reduces our analytic thinking.
University of Rochester psychology professor Andrew Elliot maintains that “athletes are more likely to lose when they compete against an opponent wearing red, and students exposed to red before a test are likely to perform worse”.
Red has long been connected with concentration difficulties and feelings of defeat due to our memories of teachers using red pen to mark up our papers and tests.
While yellow usually isn’t a popular color, research surveys have shown the color blue to be the most preferred color among large groups. Historically, when our ancestors saw the color blue like a clear blue sky or a watering hole, it was a good sign. Painting an office building blue, therefore, is “likely to satisfy the majority of the people”.
What colors can you incorporate in your office to encourage excellence in others?
Click the link below to be redirected to the webpage for Sally Augustin’s business, Design with Science:
Kennesaw- Who says that Liberal Arts is dead? One day in 1637, a lawyer and amateur mathematician named Pierre de Fermat scribbled a curious note in his journal: “The equation xn+ yn = zn, where x, y, and z are positive integers, has no solution if n is greater than 2… I have discovered a most remarkable proof, but this margin is too narrow to contain it.”
In his spare time, Fermat studied languages, classical literature and natural science. He also discovered the fundamental principle of analytic geometry. His methods for finding tangents to curves and their maximum and minimum points led him to be regarded as the inventor of the differential calculus. Through his correspondence with Blaise Pascal he was a co-founder of the theory of probability.
It took mankind over 350 years to prove Fermat’s last theorem.
Spend time today encouraging excellence with someone you come in contact. You may be encouraging the next Pierre de Fermat of our generation.
Alexa Von Tobel’s recent publication, Financially Fearless, explores the financial philosophy of how to create a realistic budget and take control of your money. Financially Fearless includes a section of questionnaires geared to filter through common misconceptions about planning a budget. Many of Von Tobel’s readers have greatly benefited from the financial tools that come with the book, such as budget worksheets and income calculation guides.
As the CEO of LearnVest, Inc., Von Tobel’s mission is to inform and educate financial literacy to not just white collar workers, but to anyone who has ever lived under a budget. When LearnVest was launched in 2009, it did just that by offering financial advice through certified financial planners, along with a multitude of resources from experts.
Click the link below for direct access to Von Tobel’s website:
Click below to be redirected to a video segment of an interview with Von Tobel, where she discusses her career and the motivations behind Financially Fearless. Enjoy this resource and remember to encourage excellence today:
I saw this cartoon earlier this week and, despite its simplicity, it truly spoke to me. As Christians, we need to remember that the Bible is our predominant tool in life. Can God speak to us in ways outside the Bible? Sure! However, the Bible is His foundation for us. The Bible is essentially our starting point, our “go-to” solution when we feel lost.
Bryan E. Wilson 