From Chad

Thomas Mapother faced a setback when a football injury prevented him from wrestling his senior year. This unexpected turn of events led him to audition for the school play, where he was discovered by theatrical ancient and launched his acting career. This story serves as a reminder that obstacles can be opportunities, and that bummers can lead to unexpected blessings.

Gene Kelly did it. You can too. Don’t allow your feelings to be the scapegoat that keeps you from doing what you need to do.

This is the greatest mystery in the world. If you can solve this mystery, you will achieve whatever goals you set.

Something a little different today on a day that is a little different. This is a poem by Wendell Berry titled “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front,” which encourages resisting conformity and embracing a different way of life. The poem suggest doing things that don’t compute, loving the world, and practicing resurrection.

Today’s message, dedicated to Bella Smith, reflects on how problems can be transformed into positives, using the analogy of an oyster creating a pearl. Just as an oyster coats irritants with nacre to form a pearl, we can view life‘s irritants as prompts for positive habits. This mindset shift can help us navigate life‘s challenges with greater ease and resilience.

Chad suggests imagining starting fresh, like on the first day of a new job, to enhance creativity and problem-solving. This mindset, inspired by Jeff Bezos’s “day one“ philosophy, can help overcome assumptions and foster a beginners mind.

Satchel Paige, the oldest MLB rookie, approached his career with a beginners mindset, ignoring his age and past limitations. A professor used a teacup metaphor to illustrate how preconceived notions can hinder learning, emphasizing the importance of a beginners mindset for wisdom.

The Japanese concept of “kaizen”, or small changes, leads to big results. Jeff Olson, author of The Slight Edge, says this mindset is the difference between the successful and unsuccessful.

A young Toyota worker, Hiroshi, halted production by pulling the Andon cord after noticing misaligned door hinges. This small action prevented potential car recalls and customer complaints, highlighting the importance of addressing issues promptly.

My daughter was hit with goose poop, prompting advice from Martin Luther about controlling negative thoughts. Luther compared unwanted thoughts to birds flying overhead, suggesting we can’t prevent them from flying, but can prevent them from nesting in our minds.