Dream Big

Think About This: "All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them."- Walt Disney
"Walt Disney was truly the dreamer of all dreamers, but he was no different than you or me. We're dreamers. I would say we are really big dreamers. He believed enough in his dreams to make sure they became reality. He got out and pursued them. Can you imagine a world without Disneyland? Me neither.
Think about a boat sitting in the harbor. Although it's a safe place to be, is that what it was built to do? Just sit there in the harbor. No, it was made to get out there and see the world, carry its cargo from one place to another to fulfill its purpose. Just like you.
So many people sit and dream and that's as far as they go. They play it safe; afraid of what might be out there if they really accomplished their dream. But there is a price that is paid when we do not fulfill our dreams. We cheat the world out of what could have been. We cheat ourselves out who we could have been. We cheat others whose lives we could have changed.
We make a difference when we pursue our dreams. We change people's lives and our own. We affect the world in a positive way by putting out the energy of doing, of dreaming! We inspire others to do the same. How exciting to think of an empty harbor and a packed ocean.
Be more than a dreamer; be courageous and turn your dreams into reality!"
Contributing writer: Director Julia Johnson, Lake Forest, California.

People Development

Think About This: Developing Your Most Appreciable Asset: PEOPLE
"No one will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or to get all the credit for doing it." Dale Carnegie
Before we share five principles for people development I want to share with you the definition of the word, "develop." Meditate on it and then read the principles below.
develop: a: to set forth or make clear by degrees or in detail; b: to make visible or manifest to subject (exposed photograph material) especially to chemicals in order to produce a visible image; also: to make visible by such a method; c: to elaborate (a musical idea) by the working out of rhythmic and harmonic changes in the theme; d: to work out the possibilities of; e: to create or produce especially by deliberate effort over time; f: to make active or promote the growth of.
FIVE Principles for People Development Your success in developing others will depend on your...
1) Value of people. This is an issue of your attitude.
2) Commitment to people. This is an issue of your time.
3) Integrity with people. This is an issue of your character.
4) Standard for people. This is an issue of your vision.
5) Influence of people. This is an issue of your leadership.
People tend to become what the most important people in their lives think they will become.
From: "Developing the Leader Within You," by John Maxwell. Contributing writer: YTB VP and Chief Operating Officer Duane Vancil.

Who Packs Your Parachute?

Think About This: Captain Charles Plumb, after 74 successful combat missions over North Vietnam, was shot down. He parachuted to safety, but was captured, tortured and spent 2,103 days in a small cell. After surviving the ordeal, Plumb received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, and two Purple Hearts. He returned home and spoke to many groups about his experience and how it compared to the challenges of everyday life. After coming home, while Charlie and his wife were sitting in a restaurant a man walked over and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!" Charlie responded, "How in the world did you know that?" The man replied, "I packed your parachute." The man shook his hand, gave a thumbs-up and said, "I guess it worked!" Charlie assured him, "It most certainly did work. If it had not worked, I would not be here today." Charlie continued thinking about the man. He thought of the hours the sailor had spent bending over a long wooden table in the bottom of the ship, folding the silks and weaving the chute, each time holding in his hands the fate of someone he didn't know. Plumb realized that along with the physical parachute, he needed mental, emotional and spiritual parachutes. He called on all these supports during his ordeal. How many times each day do we have the opportunity to thank those people around us: family, friends, and teammates who are "packing our parachutes?" Contributing writers, Don and Judy Kay Avera, Missouri City, Texas, from Aim For the Heart, by Tom Mathews.