Reestablishing the principles that most of us learned either from our parents, church, grade school, or perhaps were inherently born with is not an easy task. Sure we all think, feel and act responsibly and ethically as we meander our way through the day-to-day reality of life but how then is there so much dishonesty, remorse and unethical measures being perpetrated upon us or by us?

The content that you will see here may or may not be profound in nature or for that matter be easy to swallow. Like everything else in life, your interpretation/perception is your reality. One of the key elements that I discuss when working with business colleagues, CEO’s or groups that I speak for is bringing things back to their basic elements from which all other aspects are built upon. Only then can you plan, direct, lead and succeed in the proper manner. All too often things start off on the right road but by the time you have arrived, the intended outcome does not match the original goal. Sure we have to adapt and be willing to reevaluate the plan but how far off the path did we go? For that matter, what was sacrificed for the solution that isn’t what was expected?

Authenticity, Reality and Accountability are core elements that each of us need in order to personally succeed when we feel that life has chewed us up and spit us out in the gutter. It is going back to the basics and fundamentals that we need to engrain and embody in our day-to-day living in order to maintain the sanity of dealing with a self-involved politically correct world.

First of all, it isn’t everybody else’s fault. It is what you do with what comes your way whether it is a boss that is an incompetent idiot (or so you think), a spouse that is belligerent and demeaning, a friend that has betrayed you or a business colleague that has stabbed you in the back a hundred times over. You must understand the fundamentals of what makes you authentic, real and accountable to yourself. These are core traits that move you beyond the pettiness of those that will derail your world for the sake of their own.

I don’t have all the answers. What I do have are the core questions and directions from which to start and move forward. What you will see here are posts that are direct, real and challenging. They are designed to make you think, act and take ownership of situations and your life. If you want lovey, touchy feely, this ain’t the place for you. Posts may be brash or have “colorful” language in them from time to time as the message dictates. Life isn’t pretty all the time and you will need to have your “big boy” and “big girl” pants on in order to swallow some hard aspects talked about here and live your life to the fullest.

Finally, the one word that ties into accountability is ownership. They go hand-in-hand like peanut butter and jelly, or as Forrest Gump would say, “Like peas and carrots.” If you are not willing to “own up” to where and what you are right now in life then you are wasting your time and living an excuse for a life. It is time to be real and get real.

Tebow Time

Well the inevitable happened. Two powerhouse college football teams in the SEC, LSU and the University of Alabama, played and only one would win. Unfortunately, it was not the team that I was routing for. An overtime loss in a defensive struggle is nothing to be ashamed of yet, there was no win for my team. I am not the coach or the players just merely a parent of a student tied to the university that came up a little short in overtime. I am not the one that will carry the weight or feel the pain of the loss that could have lead to the national championship.

What I do know is that being in that position takes strength, courage and months of planning and achieving success in order to have that opportunity. The old saying that what does not kill you will make you stronger is certainly felt for all members associated with the University of Alabama and their football team.

As I sit here on the morning after I always wonder why second place is such a horrible thing. In a world obsessed by only being number one there is never a place for “almost.” We teach our children, employees, friends and everyone else that second place is for losers and anything less than first is a lack of complete success. “Winning isn’t everything, it is the only thing,” was quoted by Coach Henry Russell Sanders of UCLA and later used by Vince Lombardi on a regular basis. It implores the true depth and passion that must be felt in order to compete and succeed at the highest level of anything attempted. So what happens when you finish second? Does anything else matter? Is the world a total loss and life as we know it ceases to exist? What happens is that too much is placed on the loss and not the success and preparation that got you to that point. Why should anyone continually have to state and restate the reasons for the one opportunity that winning did not happen?

I realize that when you win you expect to keep on winning as it becomes a part of you. We put or hope and desires into others through affiliation or shared values and allow this to control our emotions and outcomes. All of this tied to a simply principle, winning is everything. Does it hurt too much to come in second? If so why bother trying to win?

Someone will have to answer for this and be accountable! I believe the best way that this can happen is to refocus your team, constituents or employees and move them back into a winning mindset and environment. Answer for what was done by creating new opportunities for success with what will be done going forward.

Tomorrow Starts Today