And That Deserves Respect

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for learning from the greats! Today, we’re going to be talking about loyalty to an ideal; we're going to be talking about integrity.

As most of you know, it’s the Easter weekend, when the Christian churches remember Christ’s death and resurrection from the grave. You may not be a Christian - I’m not a strong one myself - but that doesn’t make him any the less an exceptional man that should be learned from. Anyone who’s inspired and influenced the world as much as he has possesses something we can learn from, even if we don’t agree with their message or actions.

Betrayed by the thirteenth apostle, Judas, Christ was put to trial by the Romans. Even when Pontius Pilate, the Roman commander, found him not quilty, the Jewish elders demanded his execution. Christ was crucified on a cross − nailed to a piece of wood to suffocate and dehydrate to death.

But, famously, Christ prays to God in the Bible, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" (Luke 23:34).

Christ was dedicated to teaching peace, to improving people’s lives. His teachings were intended to revolutionize the life of the people of the time to a better way. Simply because he was sentenced to death by his own people doesn’t mean he hated them. Perhaps he felt them mislead, wrong, maybe even foolish, but he wouldn't hate them. Whatever they’d shown themselves capable of, he had integrity. His teachings proclaimed forgiveness and peace, simply because others went against that didn’t mean he would - even at the end. His integrity, amongst his other exceptinial character traits, was perhaps the strongest. He always kept to what he taught. Whatever, whenever.

That deserves respect.

Sometimes people will do dumb things. God knows why − they just have this sudden urge to make themselves look foolish. They default on their dreams, eat recklessly and spend without caution. And sometimes, they pull you down with them. Sometimes they'll even condemn what you believe deepest in.

But you must remember that you, as an individual, have a choice. You can choose to throw away all your learning, all your progress, and regress to the level of an animal, angry and seeking revenge. Or you can stand tall and take it. I’m not saying it’s easy − I’m sure it wasn’t for Christ either, getting nails wrought through the flesh of his palms − but you notice something? All these millennia later, people remember the way Christ died. They remember the stand he made, despite his terrifying situation.

And, in keeping to his teachings to the last, in holding his integrity, it makes him and his message all the more worthy and well-respected in legacy as they were in life − perhaps more so.

Have a great Easter, if you celebrate, and otherwise enjoy your weekend!

Alex H.

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Step in the Fresh Snow

 

How’s it going 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 being a leader.

Now I don’t know how it is on your side of the world, but in Canada, where I live anyways, it’s pretty white − you know, a “Winter Wonderland”?

Anyways, one of the cool things about snow is that you can see the footprints of every person who’s stepped in it (providing the wind hasn’t blown it, it’s melted, or more snow’s fallen on top of it). For the continued quality of the footprints imprinted in it, few ground-covers can compete − I mean, grass certainly can’t, mud gets too messy and sand gets disgruntled too easily.

Well, there’s something else you can tell about snow − a lot of people walk in the same steps of those before them.

Why?

Well, my theory is it’s easier, and doesn’t get your shoes as snowed up. You see, with snow being so capable of keeping an impression it also makes it harder to make the impression − you know, you get what you step for, or something along those lines.

So sometimes there’re areas of sidewalk that turn into ice so much snow has been compounded while other areas are untouched.

Now, before you have me set as nature-obsessed, here’s my point: true leaders are the ones who step in the snowy areas. They know it might take more effort but they also know they get the benefit of seeing only their print in the snow (the more specialized your knowledge or skill is, the more people are willing to recognise and pay you). As Arnold Schwarzenegger says (in that awesome Austrian accent), “high risk, high gain”. And, as a plus, leaders avoid the ice, those areas that look well-worn and safe but hide heartbreak (a boring lifestyle, high debt, an unsatisfying relationship).

Take the jump, step in the fresh snow!

Alex H.

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Check out my latest writing project at inspirehalton.blogspot.com

The Brilliance of St. Patrick

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 St. Patrick’s Day and the brilliance of the metaphor.

So, today, as you probably know, is St. Patrick’s Day. Even in Canada everyone has a great time, partying and drinking far more than they should.

But there’s more than that and green ribbons to the legend of ol’ St. Pat.

St. Patrick was born in Roman Britain but kidnapped to Ireland where he supposedly escaped through the instructions of God through a dream. He studied to be a priest in Gaul and returned to convert the mainly polytheistic Irish to Christianity. After some years in practice, he passed on.

But his teachings never did.

Originally the colour of St. Patrick (and generally of Ireland) was blue but, even as early as the seventeenth century, that turned to green because of the shamrock, St. Pat’s foremost choice to teach with.

You see, he’d find a three leaf clover to explain the holy trinity. The clover was green, so became the colour of the day.

But the brilliance comes through his use of metaphor. Clearly a shamrock has nothing to do with the holy trinity, but associating something as common as it with what he wanted to persuade people towards, Catholicism, made it easier for his teachings to pierce the old Irish. Even more brilliantly, the shamrock had been used in the prior circulating religions and so was already a religious symbol. You see, people are less likely to fight something they know, like a shamrock in ancient Ireland, than they are a new concept, like an unheard of religion. Instead of coming out with the old “you’re all sinners destined to burn in hell!” line, he gently persuaded them through things they knew. And now, for centuries past, people’ve broken the lent fast to feast in St. Pat’s name.

Learn from St. Pat: there’re plenty of things people know, use all the time, and trust that can be likened to your idea. There are things they’ll understand when you talk to them long before they’ll get your dream. Now the idea is not to lose your dream, it’s just to turn it into a metaphor, like the shamrock to the cross, to get people to understand something easier. You don’t have a very long time to get a point across in a pitch. The quicker you get them to understand it through metaphors and similar events or ideas, the more likely you’ll win their support.

Have a fantastic St. Patrick’s Day and good luck persuading!

Alex H.

 

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The Ides of Success

Helloo0O Ladies and Gentlemen!

Welcome back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for success advice from the greats. Since today is the legendary Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar, general and dictator, was murdered by the Roman Senate, we’re going to do a post in his favour all about having faith.

Back in 50 BC, Caesar, a Roman war hero and conqueror of Gaul, had made a couple enemies in the Senate, including his once ally and fellow general, Pompeii. Caesar was ordered to disband his legion and come back to Rome by himself to meet his fate.

But Caesar wasn’t a huge fan of people choosing his fate for him. Against the odds, he went with his Thirteenth Legion, crossed the Rubicon River and headed towards Rome, completely outnumbered.

But Pompeii and the Senate didn’t want to fight the illustrious Caesar. And, against all probabilities, Caesar went from fugitive to dictator of Rome.

Now, there were still political issues − you don’t get assassinated when there aren’t any. But, the point remains, Caesar had faith.

You see, he didn’t care that the chances were against him. He knew if he went back by himself, gave up without a fight, chances are he would’ve been killed. His actions to the contrary won him control of one of the most powerful civilization’s in our history.

More, it bought him years of life he wouldn’t have had, despite his unfortunate demise.

Be like Caesar (well, don’t get murdered). Even when the odds are cast against you, even when the situation looks bleak, if there’s a chance your pushing a little harder for a little longer will bring victory, any possibility, give it a try. Have faith, even when the situation is moving against you.

Who knows, you might win out and become next dictator of "Rome", wherever that may be for you, now and in the future.

Talk to you next week!

Alex H.

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Earned Respect

 

 

How’s it going Ladies and Gentlemen?

Thanks for coming back to Graceland Ontario, your one stop location for success advice from the greats. Today we’re going to talk about standing for your principles.

Another sad post… As you probably know if you’re Canadian (and probably don’t if you’re not ), the great Stompin’ Tom Conners, local singer and legend, passed away a couple days ago at the age of 77 (which is far too young these days). The man who was named for the way he kept time with his left foot wrote classics like “Sudbury Saturday Night” and, most popularly, “The Good Ol’ Hockey Game”, not to mention about 298 others.

But what he might be remembered most by was his pride in being Canadian. It was only a couple months ago on Canada Day that I compared the man to Elvis in the U.S. for the patriotism he was synonymous with in my country. I mean, he openly spoke out against Canadian artists who sought fame in the larger United States who with a population ten times ours have about as many extra opportunities. He fought to keep a Canadian identity in music, even as more and more American recordings crossed the border.

Now, I’m not against American music − as you probably know from this blog, I’m a HUGE Elvis fan. But someone needs to stand up for something if it’s going to live, and Stompin’ Tom was the man to do it for us Canadians and our music. Proud to the end, a true patriot.

Stompin’ Tom’s death signals an end to an age in Canadian music. But even though he only sold nearly four million records (compared to Elvis’s over One Billion), his music will live on to all those who remember him for standing what he believed in, even when it wasn’t popular.

What does this mean for you? Stand for something you believe in and don’t stop, even if it doesn’t look like it’s going your way, even if others think you’re crazy for it. They’ll respect you in the end. At the Toronto Maple Leaf’s hockey game the night Tom’s name was called, most of the fans stood up during the playing of “The Good Ol’ Hockey Game” in respect of him.

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t mind a tribute like that when I pass on.

Stand for what you believe in and I'll talk to you next week!

Alex H.

In tribute of Stompin’ Tom, here’s a Youtube link to his hit, “The Good Ol’ Hockey Game”, his most famous song.

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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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