Tag Archives: preparation

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There’s Still Luck

Sometimes you stumble upon the right thing

There’s a phrase a lot of people like to toss around. I’ve even tossed around the phrase. That phrase is: Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. This phrase on luck is attributed to the Roman philosopher Seneca.

Don't give up on luck

Photo by Markus Spiske

While I agree with this phrase for the most part, I’m beginning to think it’s not only about preparation and opportunity. Luck is something much more.

Sitting With My Childhood

I had the experience of my life in early November. My wife and I had chosen to invest in a local Comic Con, Grand Rapids Comic-Con. Because of the loan, we were given special access to the convention. We were also able to attend a VIP party.

This is where the fun really began.  Read more...

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Quotes And Leadership Lessons From Skyscraper

When I first saw the trailer for Skyscraper with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, I was hooked. The trailer for Skyscraper looked like a cross between my favorite Christmas movie Die Hard and Liam Neeson’s Taken. With those two movies combined, it had to be good.

Dwayne The Rock Johnson in Skyscraper movie

Skyscraper tells the story of Will Sawyer. Will is a former FBI agent with a prosthetic leg after a botched hostage negotiation. He goes on to build a security consulting agency and is tasked with assessing the security and safety of the world’s largest skyscraper, The Pearl, in Hong Kong.

Things begin to go bad and the skyscraper goes up in flames. While this would be issue enough, Will soon discovers his wife Sarah Sawyer (Neve Campbell) and their twin children, Georgia Sawyer (McKenna Roberts) and Henry Sawyer (Noah Cottrell). Will knows he must go to extreme lengths to save the ones he loves.  Read more...

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Are You Ready To Lead?

Leadership is rarely a position that you’re ready for when you walk into the role. Many times, young leaders are thrust into the role of leadership well before they’ve had time to prepare.

That’s a scary proposition. And many leaders bow out before their time is done.

Being in a position you’re not ready for can wear you down. It can break you. You will want to quit.

But that’s because you’re not prepared. It doesn’t mean you can’t become prepared.

We have to be prepared to lead

Abraham Lincoln is often credited with saying:

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

Did good old Abe Lincoln really say this? I’m not sure.

What I am sure about is that the quote is still valid. And preparation is something we must do regularly.  Read more...

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Using Obstacles To Become Great

There are days I stumble through life, cursing the obstacles I face. The truck not starting, trouble fixing a computer, or a struggling friendship.

They seem like they’re an obstacle in my way that I could do without.

I’m learning instead of seeing these situations as trouble, I need to use these obstacles to become great. And so do you.

Michael Phelps recently made history by winning the most medals in the Olympics. He, as of 2012, is the most decorated Olympian in history.

He achieved this through hard work and overcoming obstacles. Some of those obstacles were intentionally placed by his swim coach Bob Bowman.

Bob would intentionally put obstacles in the way of Michael Phelps.

Could you imagine this happening to you as a swimmer?  Read more...

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Preparing For My First 5K

I’m excited. In just over three weeks I’ll be running my first 5K. The run I’m participating in is called Run Thru The Rapids in Grand Rapids, MI. This race takes you through a beautiful park and along the Grand River.  The scenery along the course can be breathtaking.

I’ll be honest, I never thought this would be a possibility. Running always came off as painful and exhausting. It has been a long road but I’ve reached the point where I can run more than a 5K. Here are three challenges I had to overcome and how I managed to accomplish it.

 

Overcoming Shin Splints: When I began, this was a major issue. Five seconds out and my shins felt like that were shattering. After a few days I decided to change what I ran on. I went from running on pavement to trail running. Almost immediately the shin splints stopped and I got to enjoy the beautify of the woods and the enjoyment of a great run.  Read more...