April 29, 1945 - The Nazi death camp, Dachau, was liberated.

April 29, 1990 - The destruction of the Berlin Wall began.

Two historic events occurred today. First the liberation of the Nazi death camp Dachau. The liberation of the death camps revealed to the world horrors that had never been seen before. The level of cruel brutality that hate and prejudice had caused is almost incomprehensible. Today there are people who do not believe these death camps ever existed. Perhaps it is because what occurred there was so unbelievable.

In 1990 the Berlin wall fell. The icon of the cold war for decades was being torn down. Suddenly there was just Berlin; not East Berlin and West Berlin, just Berlin.

It seems to me this is a good day to remember that nothing bad or evil lasts forever. The horrors of one of the concentration camps of World War II and the wall built to create a divide ended on this date.

It is also important to remember that these events didn’t just happen. They occurred because of hard work, sacrifice, and persistence. Too often the ultimate sacrifice of life itself was made. But in the end, there was an end.

For what its worth, this day is not about focusing on hate, cruelty, or prejudice. This is a day to focus on what makes days like this possible - hope, faith, and persistence.

“Don’t let the opinions of the average man sway you. Dream, and he thinks you’re crazy. Succeed, and he thinks you’re lucky. Acquire wealth, and he thinks you’re greedy. Pay no attention. He simply doesn’t understand.” – Robert G. Allen

Why is it that when you share your dreams with someone they feel obligated to twist your dream a fantasy that could never possibly be fulfilled? Why is it that when I push myself a little harder towards something I really want people declare that I am crazy? Why is it that when I take a second job I am greedy?

Could it be that when I talk about my dreams I am reminding them of the dreams they don’t have, or worse, have given up on? Could it be that by not having something that drives them, makes them push harder, they feel a little less alive? Could it be that I’m taking a second job not just for the income, but for the opportunities, for the experiences it offers, growth opportunities, and for increased knowledge to make me a better person?

Personally, I find that I prefer to be around the people the average person considers crazy, lucky, and greedy. They are more alive. They tend to be a lot more fun to be around than those who by comparison seem dead. They encourage me to dream bigger dreams, to keep going when I’m tired, to try become more than I am. And each time I become a little more alive.

For what its worth, let me leave you with a line from one of my favorite songs

“In a sky full of people only some want to fly, isn’t that crazy?” – Seal

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
– Confucious

Its always easy to tell the people who really love their work. Regardless of the occupation, they are always easy to spot. They smile, they take real pride in their work and in doing a good job. Even more importantly, its enjoyable to interact with them.

I’ve seen so-called ‘professionals’ who have, apparently, chosen their profession because of the income it generates. I say this because they do not act like professionals; and they obviously and most definitely didn’t love their work. And yet, I’ve received outstanding service from the person taking my order at a local fast food restaurant. Its pretty easy to see who loves their work and who doesn’t.

Just think how much pleasant this world would be if more people decided to choose a job they love.

For what its worth, maybe the Beatles were right – love is all you need.

“Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan.”
- Norman Vincent Peale

Of all the school assemblies I attended in school, I can only remember one. The guest speaker for this particular assembly was an astronaut.

After his presentation, the astronaut began to answer questions from the audience. Someone asked, “If you only had ten minutes before your spacecraft was going to blow up, what would you do?”

His answer was almost instantaneous, “I would think about what I was going to do for nine minutes, and do it in one.”

That answer made quite an impression on me. At the time, the concept of sitting still and just thinking for nine minutes made no sense. As a young boy in junior high school the idea of not getting busy and doing something simply escaped me.

However, as time passes, the wisdom of his answer continues to impress me. Basically, this astronaut was saying thing as Norman Vincent Peale, “he would plan work, and then work his plan.”

For what its worth, if this rule applies to an astronaut in a life or death situation, it could probably apply to anything you or I are currently working on also.

“You don’t win an Olympic gold medal with a few weeks of intensive training.”
- Seth Godin

Do I really need to elaborate on the amount of time, effort, energy, persistence, and dedication required to compete in the Olympics? The daily routine of practice, practice, practice. I once heard Mary Lou Retton (the Olympic gymnast) speak. She said the gymnasts knew when the coaches said, “Great! Let’s do it one more time,” that really meant practice was only about half way over.

Compare the “Olympic” mentality to what I call the “McDonald’s” mentality. We live in a society where we want everything right now with no waiting involved. We want our food instantly, our packages delivered overnight. Oh yes, and we want all of our excess weight off in a week too!

I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but it doesn’t work that way. The best wines are still aged. In fact, I recently watched a show on the Food network that explained how chocolate has to be aged, or it doesn’t taste “quite right.”

When I achieved my CPCU designation I received a certificate (suitable for framing) and a free trip for my wife and I to go to the national convention – held at Disney World in Orlando Florida. Of course, we took the kids along with us and had a grand time. (I have over 250 pictures to prove it!)

I had achieved my goal of getting the designation. I had “won the prize”. But I wasn’t a very gracious winner. I was often very abrupt to the people who told me I was “lucky.” I always wanted to correct these people – It wasn’t “luck”.

It was hours and hours of studying. Evenings spent reading about insurance contract analysis, studying insurance forms and reviewing case studies. I didn’t watch “the game”. I stayed up until eleven o’clock taking notes. Day after day, week after week, for several years I read and studied. I had to take ten rigorous essay exams on all aspects of the insurance industry before I achieved my goal. One day it was all over. I had passed the last examination.

If there was any luck involved it was directly related to the kind of luck Thomas Jefferson referred to when he said, “I’m a great believer in luck, I find the harder I work the more I have of it.”

For what its worth, it wasn’t instantaneous, but it was worth it.

“Kindness can build on itself as well as violence.”
- Anne Herbert

Both kindness and violence are reinforced by repetition. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. It’s very similar to exercising a muscle. The more you exercise a muscle the stronger it becomes and the easier the exercise becomes.

The part that is easy to overlook about all of this is to be careful about which action you choose. Whether you choose kindness or violence, it will become easier each time you repeat it. What I’m talking about here is something called a precedent.

Once you set a precedent, it is very difficult to change it. The best way to learn this lesson is to have a dog. All dogs are basically the same when it comes to setting a precedent. If you do something the dog really likes, it immediately becomes a habit. It doesn’t matter what the activity is, if a dog likes it, it just became habit. The only problem is you are often the last to know!

One morning while eating breakfast I started rubbing my dog’s head. Now I have only one hand to use when I eat breakfast. One hand is needed to rub the dog! As soon as I sit down to eat breakfast, the dog magically appears at my side, head within reach, waiting.

You never know when your next activity will start a precedent. Look at me, several years ago I started saying, “for what its worth.”

“Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.”
- Abraham Lincoln

A good friend of mine in college used to bus tables in a restaurant. He told me the secret to being a successful bus boy.

Never stop moving and always have something in your hands.

The first part of his secret just made sense to me. Never just stand around – especially in a restaurant – unless you want to get run over. Always be moving, always be going somewhere to do something.

The other half of his secret needed a little more of an explanation. He said it didn’t matter if you were carrying an empty dish tub, or a full one. Just never be caught with nothing in your hands.

You see, my friend learned this by observing the best bus boys at the restaurant where he worked. He applied their methods and hustled every day. He routinely received tips from the customers of the restaurant. Sometimes, he earned more in tips than the waiters and waitresses. The owner scheduled him to work for as many hours as he could handle while going to high school. He was invited to return to work during breaks from college.

For what its worth, I bet Abe Lincoln would have made a great bus boy!

“A man too busy to take care of his health
is like a mechanic too busy to care for his tools”

We all get busy. We don’t have time for a “decent” meal and end up eating fast food – often while in transit from one event to the next!

Unless you have been living in a cave most of your life, you know that exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Even so, how many times have you skipped a workout, or put off an exercise routine completely because:
-I’m too busy
-There just isn’t time
-There’s just too much I need to get done

There is too much to do, so we stay up a little later in hopes of getting caught up. In the process, we sacrifice much needed sleep. The next day you are dragging and our production and attention suffers. Generally, you end up moving slower the day after often causing yourself to get further behind than you would have been had you just gone to bed!

In fact a recent study indicates that “Lack of sleep may be a heart attack or premature aging waiting to happen.” Read the story yourself:
www.suntimes.com/output/lifestyles/cst-ftr-sleep07.html

In the often quoted book, “The Richest Man in Babylon” the author explains the way to get rich is to pay yourself first. That may be the best way to take care of your health also. What if you hit the exercise bike or stepper instead of the snooze button? You could get in a brief workout before your day went crazy and you got too busy and had no time.

Or you could just wait for your heart attack to happen...for what its worth

“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would astound ourselves.”
– Thomas Alva Edison

In Edison’s laboratory there was a very large cabinet. This cabinet contained all of the various chemicals that Edison and his assistants used in their research. All types of chemicals were in that cabinet. Many chemicals could be found in different strengths or concentrations. There were over 300 bottles in all.

Only one person was allowed into the cabinet. Out of a lab of several people, only one person was allowed to take anything out, or put anything into the cabinet. That person was Thomas Edison.

Why?

Not one of the over 300 bottles were labeled. Thomas Edison just “knew” what was in each bottle. He didn’t need to label the bottles because he was able to keep track of the contents of all those bottles. Keep in mind that in addition, he patented more inventions than anyone else in history.

I think that’s pretty astounding…
for what its worth