Tag: value

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Is your Character a special Character?

By: Carlin Day

What are your favorite characters in movies, television shows, or plays?

I could name a few of mine. I really enjoy funny and outgoing people. If you have seen my pinned tweet on twitter, you know I like Chris Farley. I also enjoy comedians and story tellers.  Tim Hawkins is a good comedian.  Jim Rohn is a story teller who makes things simple.

Now, the same question goes for real life. What characters do you enjoy most?

Positive:  Do you like the people who are fun and outgoing? How about the people who have something to say that is interesting, positive, and exciting. 

Negative: Do you like people who share something negative? Do you enjoy people who are critical? Do you enjoy people who are talking about the worst news story they have heard this week?  

Now, there is something that greatly distinguishes people you know vs people you see perform.  The big difference is their character.  The more you know someone, the more you know their character.  Their character includes things that other people far away from them may not see. This is more than if they are fun, entertaining, positive, or negative. There are real character traits. Are they liars? Are they hurtful? are they people that you can not trust?  Are they loving, caring, someone you can trust. The real character of a person will greatly affect the way you feel about them.  

Quotes about character:

Let us not say, Every man is the architect of his own fortune: but let us say, every man is the architect of his own character. – George Dana Boardman

A man’s character is like his shadow, which sometimes follows and sometimes precedes him, and which is occasionally longer, occasionally shorter, the he is.  – Madame de la Rochejuquelein

Question about Character for you to answer:

Who’s characters is most important? Is it your character or the character of others?

I believe that your character is the only one you can alter. You can change your character. You cannot change others unless they are willing to change their own character. 

Do I know the character of Chris Farley, Tim Hawkins or Jim Rohn? No, I do not. I only enjoy their work.  

Do you know your character? Is your character elevating value?

 

 

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The Chains of Events

I recently was reading a story in the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. The short story was called the Red Headed League. Once Sherlock Holmes had figured out a mystery, He was asked how he was able to figure out the case. He said something to the effect of – The chain was long but, as always, every link was connected.  This line made me think. Did you know that everything we have done, and the thoughts we have had are connected to our previous actions?

Each day is connected to the last

Each thought is connected to a previous thought

Everything you learn builds on your current chain of knowledge

If your actions are making a chain that is dependent on your thoughts and actions, it will be important to make sure each action and thought is as strong as possible. Also, you will have to realize that all the chains in your life were put together by you, and that you did not make all the links simultaneously. They have to be made, and put together, one link at a time.

Maybe a guy says, “I have been doing good things and thinking good thoughts but my results do not reflect my actions” This could be true, because there are so many variables in life. The main thing to know when things are not working out, is to make sure you are doing the things necessary for you to have the best opportunity to accomplish your goals. This way, you can be proud of the chain you are building. Someday, the chain will be called upon to do a big job. Proverbs has something to say about this.

Proverbs 18:16

A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.

Once you have went to the Bible for answers, the next place to look is fantasy football – lol

Pictured above is the current standings for my family’s fantasy football. My team, Prestige Worldwide, is currently in second. I would like to brag, but oddly enough, the last place team has scored more total points than the first place team. How can this be? If you would look at the entire chain of events, the last place team has scored a lot of points but the opponent just happens to score more in each individual game. The same thing happens in regular sports.

What does this tell us? The main thing about this example is that you have to know that what you have done is what you have done, and no matter what the actual results, you do not base your success or your value on the current standings. A person must see there value of what they actually are. 

What chains are you building that are worth keeping? What chains do you need to throw away and stop using?

Think about the chains in your life. You want to keep the ones that elevate the value of your life as well as the value of the people around you.  Some chains takes more links than other to finally be chains that are elevating value.

Thanks,

subscribe to the monthly newsletter here

email me at carlin@elevatingvalue.com

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The Ladder to Success

Ladder

by: Carlin Day

Ladders are created to take you places higher than you can reach on your own. I recently came across a ladder that can improve listening skills. John Maxwell uses the following ladder to increase the listening skills of a leader.

L -Look at the speaker

A– Ask questions

D – Don’t interrupt

D – Don’t change the subject

E – Check your emotions

R – Responsive listening

Not everyone is a great listener. This includes me. I am trying to be a better listener. At my house, we have kids who are not the best listeners. They prove to me that the LADDER acronym can improve listening skills.

L – Looking

When my kids do not want to listen, they always look away

A- Ask questions

 If they are listening, they always ask questions. Why, Why, Why, Why, Why, Why, Why, What, etc.

D – Don’t Interrupt

My kids always interrupt. It is really hard for them to not interrupt. If they do not interrupt soon, another kid will interrupt and steal their chance

D- Don’t change the subject

It is hard for kids to not change the subject because they really want to tell me about the latest episode of puppy dog pals. Bingo and Rolly are always up to something.

E- check your emotions

If you are crying about something off subject, it needs to be checked. My kids have a hard time not crying about snacks or drinks!

R- Responsive listening 

My kids will show excitement if I am sharing some great news. Otherwise their response is usually negative because it is something they do not want to hear. It is much more fun to share news to kids who are excited. Example: (Hey guys, remember in Puppy Dog Pals when Bob lost his favorite shirt at the dry cleaners?)

The LADDER acronym will help anyone get better at the habit of listening. Lets all become better listeners. Listening is a skill and skills are necessary in Elevating value.

Important info from post:

Puppy Dog Pals is a show that my boys like

Great post sent to me by a friend about habits. check it out here:

The Guide to Making Good Daily Habits and Breaking Bad Ones

 

 

 

 

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Farming Without the Farm

Are you a Farmer? If so, you know how to farm with a farm. What you may not know is that all people, farmers and non farmers, need to know how to farm without the farm.

If you will look up the definition of farming, you will find a definition that says farming is the agricultural activity of producing an agriculture product. By definition, it would appear that you would not be able to farm without a farm.

I grew up on a farm but transitioned to a businessman lifestyle. In my study of business practices and principals, farming is always flowing through my mind. That is where farming without the farm exists. It exists in the mind. Just as experienced farmers work and act, so must we all think. If a person can learn to think like the farm works, you can farm without the farm.

Two simple and familiar farming practices are planting and harvesting. You may have heard this called sowing and reaping. These two things are the most important practices in farming. Both are needed to produce a crop. I work with a client who is a farmer. He said that if he could always be planting, he could be sure he would have something to harvest. If you are farming without the farm using your mind, make sure to understand the idea of planting and harvesting in your mind.

Planting:

Whatever goes into the mind is a seed. A seed will always take root. It may not be favorable for growing but it is there. It cannot go away. Whatever seeds received water and nutrients grow. It does not matter if the seed is a fruit or a poisonous plant, the seed will grow if it receives what it needs. If the ground(your mind) is open, it will receive anything that comes in and the seed(thought) will be begin to work towards its purpose(harvest).

Harvesting:

What comes out of the mind is the harvest. The thoughts that started as seed are now expressed in thoughts, choices, actions, etc. It is important to understand that one seed can produce a crop of 100 times the amount of seed that was planted. Farming is a very powerful process. The harvest, is always happening in the mind. For some, it is strategic. For others, it can be almost a default kind of process. I think everyone would agree the most beautiful farm does not happen by default. The most valuable farming operation exists because of strategic farming principals in action.

Farming In your Mind:

I believe we can all begin elevating value by using farming principals in the way that we think. If your farm(your mind) was examined, would the crops be abundant? Or, would the farm(your mind) be grown up in weeds. The farm(your mind) is always at work. You are always farming, with or without, the farm.

Carlin,

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Is it too cold? Use Cybernetics

by Carlin Day:

Is it too cold in your house? who is in control of the thermostat? If it is you, change the thermostat. The simple thing about a thermostat is that it will keep your house at the temperature it is set at. It will guide or govern the temperature using a principle called Cybernetics

Definition of Cybernetics:

: the science of communication and control theory that is concerned especially with the comparative study of automatic control systems (such as the nervous system and brain and mechanical-electrical communication systems)

Cybernetics comes from a Greek word meaning – to steer- The word comes from a famous mathematician Norbert Weiner. Norbert Weiner used the term while working with automated missile guidance during World War II. He was working with how missile systems worked together with a network of information. A missile with guidance needs to react with factors from the outside to make changes on the inside.

How Cybernetics is Used

One of the simple uses of Cybernetics is a thermostat. One thermostat that most of us use is a heating and air thermostat. Changing the thermostat allows it to react with the current temperature and keep it at the desired temperature all on auto pilot. No matter whate changes happen at the house, the thermostat will react to its current conditions

Kid leaves front door open – dog gets out, lets outside air in

Fridge door left open – minimal affect on home temperature(adults seem to get angry – kids not so much)

112 degrees – Air conditioner runs a lot!

Elevating Value

Now that Cybernetics is the answer to changing the temperature, how do you use it to elevate value? The way cybernetics will elevate your value is buy using it in your own mind. If you can practice discipline of thinking, you can set your own temperature. The mind is your control center. It is currently working off all the temperatures that have been set from the beginning of your life until today.

Examples of current Cybernetic controls:

Your weight – if you identify as fat, you are not becoming thin and in shape

Your Finances – People who do not see themselves as a millionaire rarely become multimillionaires or billionaires

Attitude – The choice to be positive or negative.

A Better Self Image

Examples of your weight, finance/career, attitude are just the beginning. This is actually a total representation of your spiritual and physical self image. Your self image is the thermostat that controls your current “temperature”. Jim Rohn has a great quote about change. He said. “When you change, everything will change”. This idea is key to elevating value. If you will set your controls and live by them, you will be using Cybernetics instead of letting your current Cybernetics control you. If your told cold, change the thermostat.

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Definition of Cybernetics

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cybernetics

Great Piece on Cybernetics

https://lucian.uchicago.edu/blogs/mediatheory/keywords/cybernetics/

Great Video on Cybernetics

Search Youtube video on Cybernetics and Self image by Bob Proctor

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Win a Free Cruise!

Win a free Cruise!

by Carlin Day

Have you ever got the call about a free cruise? You’ve won a free cruise! What a great day! I have never met someone who actually won a free cruise, but yet the calls go out everyday announcing to people that they have been selected to win.

You have not won a free cruise. Although it is sad, I do have something better to offer than a free cruise. How about a better life? Did you know we can all make our lives better. The way we can do this is by improving ourselves and the lives of others. It can be done by elevating value.

Something that has changed my life over the last couple of years is the thinking of how you change the course of a big ship. A cruise ship would be a good example of a big ship. If you are going to change course, it must be done slowly. A turn will take time and eventually you will have changed course.

If you think of your life as a giant ship, the ship is made up of all the habits you have formed over all the years of your life. If you are to make changes, they will be slow. If you make changes slowly and with a planned course of action, you actually can make changes.  The key is starting to turn and making sure you have the discipline to start the small changes. Following small changes will eventually turn into big changes.  Here is a quote about making changes.

“The secret to Momentum in life can be found in the word Momentum….you create it Moment by Moment…”
-– Doug Firebaugh

If you want to change anything about your life, you can do it. Make a plan for where you would like to be in 5 years. Slowly, start making the changes that will get you where you want to be. At first, the changes will not be noticeable. After a period of self discipline success, the changes start to accumulate, and eventually expand exponentially.  If you were going to change your life, here are some obvious but powerful areas to start.

  • Health – better eating, better activity
  • Spiritual – increase prayer, increase reading, increase activity
  • Money – improve money habits, improve financial literacy, talk to professionals
  • Time – Improve time management. Do you know how much time you have in a day?  Answer

This list does not require money. It requires self discipline.  As the quote says, “moment by moment”, the changes can be made. No one wins a free cruise, but if you understand how to change, you can get your life on the course you desire.

Questions:

Has anyone won a free cruise?

If you had to give a speech or performance two weeks from now, what area of your life would work on the most?

Is there a better way to make a plan than on paper or journal?

Carlin can be contacted at carlin@elevatingvalue.com

 

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How do you build?

How do you build?
by Carlin Day

There are all kinds of things to build. You can build a business. You can build a house. You can build a fortune. You can even build muscle.  A person will use all kinds of different tools and an assortment of different materials, yet the process of what is happening is the same. Something is being built. Two questions come to mind when I think about something being built. Do you know what materials you are using? Do you know how to build?

What materials are you using?

Believe it or not, a person is always building something. They are using one day after another and stacking all the days up. The finished process is the life that has been built. During those days, they are also building other things (actual individual projects).  Everything that you think, listen to, and talk about, is building you! These are the materials that you are using.

How to build?

My kids can build incredible things out of legos and blocks. What’s funny is that sometimes they decide what it is after it has been built. This would never happen when a builder builds a house. The builder looks at the completed house and says “Well, not really what I was going for.” No, the builder has exact plans. There will be small changes, but the finished project will be very close to the original plan. When a person builds a sand castle, there is usually not a plan. One bucket of sand goes here. One bucket of sand goes there. In the end, you may add a flag or a lookout tower. A person then steps back and says, “It looks pretty good”. I always say “I sure am awesome. Kids, this is how you build a sand castle” Even though I can build a great sandcastle, very rarely is it incredible.  I also never use plans. When there is a big sandcastle contest, the winner most definitely had a plan. Going back to the question on how to build – the answer is that if you want it to matter, and if you want it to be of value, you use a plan. If it is something that does not matter, you probably do not need a plan.  You can just have fun and understand it is just a sandcastle or a block tower. The ocean tide or some playful kids will destroy it.

Take Away

If you are always building, you are always using some kind of planning. Valuable things require planning and things that are of little value require no planning. Start planning and start doing things that matter. Do you want to be a better friend? Start planning ways to do it. Do you want to start a business? Start a real business plan. Here is a question to leave you with.

What is something small you can build, that will create enormous value?