Tebow, Garth, Attitude and Life

Something to Think About.

'When you have the ability to do what you love, love what you do and have the ability to impact people… that’s having a life of success. That’s what having a life of meaning is.' -Tim Tebow

It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome. -William James

Attitude is everything - a positive attitude can invigorate you and revitalize the team. A negative attitude is a major energy drain that can lead to ruin. Remember - the leader sets the tone. The sun is always shining on some part of your life – focus on the bright spots!

Failures are temporary situations that teach us necessary lessons. As long as you learn from your mistakes, you’re not wasting time – most experience comes the hard way (from our mistakes). But wise people learn from the mistakes of others. Everybody fails sometime…the key is to get back up again and get in the game

Joy is not in things, it is in us and it is best when shared with others. Celebrate your successes and recognize the accomplishments of team members. Relish those happy moments in your life (and the lives of those close to you) and be thankful for them – they are what keep us going when the times get tough . And we all face tough times at some point in our life; that is what helps shape our character.

Success comes from having meaning in your life, a purpose. If you truly want to be successful, help those around you succeed. It is easier to achieve success when you are passionate about what you do.

Not getting what you want can be a blessing. – Garth Brooks said it well in his song, Unanswered Prayers. ‘Remember when you’re talking to the man upstairs, just because He doesn’t answer doesn’t mean He don’t care...' We are lucky we don’t get everything we wish or ask for – people who do generally turn into spoiled brats with a sense of entitlements.

Everyone is a ‘work in progress’ which is a great place to be as long as you’re focused on improvement. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. The world is full of unrealized potential – but nobody is going to hand you something if you do not apply yourself. It is truly amazing what one can achieve by working at it. Work hard is good but working smart is better.

Life isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. – Nothing worthwhile is easy! Understand we all have to make some tough choices and sacrifices along the way. So, develop a game plan with clearly identified goals and then work toward those goals. Keep the playbook handy to deal with the hurdles along the way.

You cannot change what you refuse to acknowledge. – You can learn great things from your failures and mistakes when you aren’t busy denying them. If you’ve been asking the same questions for months or even years, yet are still stuck, it’s probably not that you haven’t been given the answers, but that you don’t like the answers you were given.
It takes a lot of courage to admit that something needs to change, and a lot more courage still, to accept the responsibility for actually changing it. The most important step forward is taking the first step. The simple act of getting started and doing something will give you the momentum you need, and soon you’ll find yourself in a positive spiral of positive changes – one building on the other.

Change is inevitable so embrace it!  Remember if you're not improving, you're losing! Life is about continuous improvement.  It doesn’t really matter how good you were! Today is a new day and what matters is what you choose to do today.

Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own.

Found this on the web-- too good not to share


Burnt Buscuits

When I was a kid, my Mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my Mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed!


Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my Mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that ugly burned biscuit. He ate every bite of that thing - never made a face nor uttered a word about it!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my Mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits every now and then."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms he said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides, a little burned biscuit never hurt anyone!"

As I've grown older, I've thought about that many times. Life is full of imperfect things and imperfect people. I'm hardly the best at anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each other's faults - and choosing to celebrate each other's differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

That's my prayer for you today: that you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker! We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!


Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own.

So, please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burned one will do just fine.



Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Changing the Safety Culture - It begins with YOU!

If you want to change the culture you have to start with yourself and a firm commitment to Safety.  Safety must be a personal value.  We must first hold ourselves accountable and then each other.  We will never get there without commitment and accountability.

Here are ten things you can do to help change the culture.
Make Safety Personal - Start every meeting with a Safety Share - take a couple minutes to set the focus . Explain to them how important working safe is to you and your crew members. Stop at-risk behavior immediately, but do it constructively -- educate the offender
Be a Positive Part of the Safety Team - Willingly accept and follow safety policies and procedures, and encourage others to do so. Your attitude toward safety can play a major role in the prevention of accidents and injuries.
Know the Policies and/or Procedures - and follow them! Policies and procedures are written to reduce the potential for incidents and injury. If you have questions, ask your supervisor to clarify any gray areas.  Then, make sure crew members understand and follow these company policy and procedures.

Understand the Risk associated with the Task - Follow the written Job Safety Analysis but don't be afraid to challenge a JSA if something is missing. Be sure you understand the risks and take appropriate measures to mitigate them.  Confused - STOP, THINK and ASK!
Make Sure You can Perform the Task Safely - Supervisors are human and they may make bad assumptions. You are responsible to notify your supervisor of your capabilities. If you are not capable of performing a task safely (because you lack the training, experience or tools) tell your supervisor.
Know the Process Hazards – Review and understand the process, before signing on to a Safe Work permit. The overview must take place on the job site in order to make sure all process conditions are stable, and the area is safe to perform the work prior to performing the task.
Get Comfortable With the Job - If you are unsure of something ask questions before proceeding. Avoid making assumptions and don't accept vague answers. You and your crew members must feel confident before proceeding.
Follow Proper Lifting Techniques - Most muscle and spinal injuries are from strains and spraing. Lift with your legs not your back. Use the ‘50lb or less’ rule when sizing up a job before lifting. Keep the object close to your body and check your path prior to picking the object up.
Alway Practice Good Housekeeping- Too many injuries due to slips, trips, and falls. Maintain safe access/egress by controlling clutter.  A stray tool or cord on the ground can cause a person to slip, trip or fall.
GIve Machinery the Respect it Deserves - Stay out of the line of fire, and pay close attention to all moving machinery and equipment. Get in the way of a machine and it could be over.  Machines pinch, crush, shred, cut and move whatever comes in their path. Ensure pull cords and guards are maintained in good condition and always follow LOTO procedures prior to working on machinery or equipment. 
Safety Always!