There’s Only ONE Thing that Matters

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for success advice from the greats. Today we’re going to talk about dieing for what you believe in… literally.

As many of you know, today is St. George’s Day, the feast in celebration of the man who’s patron saint of more countries and cities than I’m willing to list (England, Georgia and Malta are on there, though). And though he’s most famous for a debatable story about killing a dragon to save a princess, St. George was a real man.

Now, I’ve done a couple of these saint posts (check them out, if you haven’t already: St. Patrick, St. David) but this fella might be one of the harder ones to find information on. He was supposedly a Greek born in Palestine to nobility who ended up as a tribune (second-in-command of the basic Roman military unit, the legion) for Emperor Diocletion after George’s father, also a military officer, and mother passed away.

Everything was looking like lollipops and bubblebaths for George. But there was a problem − Diocletion issued an edict saying all Christian Roman soldiers were to be arrested.

And George was Christian.

Diocletion didn’t want to get George in trouble so he offered gifts to George in the hopes he’d convert.

He didn’t.

Left with no other options, Diocletion had George tortured and decapitated. But, in recognition of his faith and loyalty, fellow Christians made George a martyr.

Now, I’m not suggesting you go out there, contradict people and get yourself executed (yes, I know it’s not too likely anyways). But, what I am saying is bear in mind George’s strength. He couldn’t be tempted by anything, including the promise of life, to do something he didn’t want to do − leave his religion.

Everybody’s unique in some way. And, especially as we get older, most confident people believe their way’s right, even when they don’t really know enough to state an opinion. And, sometimes worse, they want you to change to their way of thinking.

Now, writing this on a self-development blog might seem a bit crazy but you need to realize you’re all that matters! There’s only one person you have to live with and that’s the guy in the mirror. Everyone else, however painful it may be, can be slap-shotted aside.

Though you should seek to learn and be reasonable with others, and while acknowledging there are things you’re ignorant of (keep cool… we all are of something), you need to know what’s important to you, deep down, and stick with it no matter what. George didn’t want to live life without Christianity and was willing to sacrifice himself for that. There are things just as important to you − maybe your family, your work, your business − and you’ve gotta be that loyal to them.

Just because others tell you it’s wrong doesn’t mean a thing.

It is your life you’re living.

Talk to you later!

Alex H.

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The Little Things

How’s it going, Ladies and Gentlemen?

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for learning lessons from the greats. Today, I’m going to be talking about “doing the little things” − you’d be surprised at how big they really are.

So, as you may be aware, today is St. David’s Day, named after the patron saint of Wales. But even if you aren’t Welsh, there’s always a thing or two you can pick up from a saint (I don’t know about you − I think anyone who earns that title’s been very successful!)

We know a couple things about St. David: one, he existed; two, he lived about 1500 years ago; and three, he spread Christianity amongst the pagan tribes in old Wales. He gave St. David’s, the place of his shrine, such a reputation that four visits there were considered equal to two trips to Rome or one to Jerusalem. That’s what I call creating a brand!

St. David advocated a hard life for his monks; he believed in drinking just water and would only allow his monks the benefit of milk on top of this. He was against eating meat and believed that monks should pull their own plough in place of animals.

But he will always be remembered most for a quote from his last sermon "do the little things, the small things you've seen me doing".

Powerful, huh?

And as timely in modern business and our current world as it was in the ancient one. When you embark on your journey in life, whether it be in an artistic stream, leading a company or rising through the corporate steel mill, not everything you do will be noted. Sometimes, your greatest achievements will be looked over. And it can be easy to be disheartened and say “screw this! I don’t have to work this hard if it’s never going to amount to anything!”

You stop doing “the little things” and just expect that you’ll rise to the occasion when it comes along. But, as Tony Robbins says, “people are rewarded in public for what they practice for years in private”. You need to work hard at home, in your office, wherever, even if no one’s watching. Your little rituals − brushing your teeth, answering emails in a timely fashion, being nice and friendly to coworkers and friends − all come back to aid you when you do well. And destroy you when you don’t.

Would you give your money to someone you didn’t trust? Didn’t think so. To succeed in business and life, people need to believe in you as a reliable and responsible person. You don’t get that kind of reputation (or ability to live up to one) over night. You need to consistently practice being at your best to achieve that, even if your boss isn’t over your shoulder or you’re up for review the day after next. Those who keep doing “the little things” are the ones who achieve the big things in the end. Why? Because they earned it, one small action at a time.

Have a great St. David’s Day, remember the old fella’s advice and talk to you soon!

Alex H.

 

Thanks to the BBC for the information on St. David. You can check out more on the Welsh legend here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/saints/david_1.shtml

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