Meaningful Mondays - Arrows Out

Who's your Larry? A Front Seat Moment.

"You don’t become great in spite of failure. You become great through it." ... just ask Larry’s little brother.”

“I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
- Michael Jordan

“Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened.”
- Helen Keller

“Trials are an evidence of God’s trust in you. He gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion, which polish you for your everlasting benefit.”
- Elder Richard G. Scott

Get your boost of serotonin and strengthen your immune system today!

"WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT, YOU BRING ABOUT. WHAT YOU BROUGHT ABOUT, YOU THOUGHT ABOUT."

“Acts of kindness create a ripple effect of neurochemical uplift—benefiting the giver, receiver, and even the silent witness.”

RECEIVING kindness can:

• Increase oxytocin, which helps regulate serotonin and dopamine.
• Reduce cortisol (the stress hormone), which helps rebalance neurotransmitters like serotonin. Lead to feelings of social connection, safety, and worth, which are correlated with serotonin boosts and immune function.

GIVING kindness releases:

• Dopamine (pleasure/reward)
• Oxytocin (connection/love hormone)
• Serotonin (well-being, mood)

These positive neurochemicals reduce inflammation and boost immune cell production.

WITNESSING kindness can cause a release of oxytocin, leading to downstream effects on serotonin and immune function.

The observer experiences what's called 'moral elevation'--which includes a sense of warmth and inspiration. This is associated with Heart rate variability improvements, cortisol reductions, and positive neurochemistry shifts (dopamine, serotonin).

Who's In Your Car - Part III

"...everybody is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." Even though he said it - he proved it wrong-- because he didn't believe it.

"Struggles are stop signs -- they are stepping stones."
- Lee Brower

"Our response to struggle determines our future."

This week's Empowering Question: How can I see today's struggles as stepping stones rather than roadblocks?

Who's in Your Car (Part II -Can You Walk Your Talk?)

Too many people live their lives hoping Einstein is in the room when the tough questions come. “The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing.”
— Socrates

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
— John F. Kennedy

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
— Mahatma Gandhi

“Once you stop learning, you start dying.”
— Albert Einstein

Who's in my car?

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
— Jim Rohn

“Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.”

"We tend to become like those whom we admire."
— Thomas S. Monson

Are You Walking in Circles?

How do you measure your success? By chasing the next achievement?

"If you are paddling only for yourself, don't be surprised when no one else wants to get in your boat."

"You don't see rivers measuring themselves by the size of their banks. They measure themselves by the lives they nourish."

"Your horizon should move as you move. That's how you know you are growing."

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
— Winston Churchill

Desires, Priorities, CHOICES...

"Every man has a defining point in his character where success or failure begins. It is the moment he makes a firm choice and never looks back."
- William George Jordan.

Don't let your ESSENTIAL be at the mercy of the important. Knowing your 'ESSENTIAL' gives you the power to say "no" to even the very important.

Go BIG this week, and Prioritize with Purpose

Desires dictate Priorities. Priorities structure our Choices. Choices determine the course of our lives. "The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities."
– Stephen R. Covey

• Step 1: Review your list of desires.
• Step 2: Choose ONE thing from each of these four quadrants. Select the one thing that, when accomplished, will have the greatest effect on your other listed desires:
  - Core (Faith, Family, Health, Well-being) – If prioritized, what one desire would strengthen everything else in this area?
  - Experience (Learning, Competencies, Alliances) – What experience, learning, or association will create the most significant long-term impact?
  - Contribution (Arrows Out, Compassion, Impact on Others) – What act of service or generosity will amplify your influence?
  - Financial (Dynamic Value, Nurturing Connections) – What financial priority, when accomplished, will support everything else?
• Step 3: Reflect on these four priorities. When you achieve your top 4 priorities, what is the likelihood that almost everything on your list will also be achieved?

The Merchant of Death has Died!

We all have an “Obituary Moment” waiting for us.
A moment when we suddenly see clearly the ripples of our choices. But do we have to wait for an accident, tragedy, or mistake to have it?

What if we created our own Obituary Moment—right now?

The 'What do I Really Want" exercise to expand your authentic desires and creativity. Use paper and a pen - set timer for 10 min.- write without judgment, let it flow... everything you really want.
Look at it through the lenses of:

• Core Assets: Faith, Family, Health, Character
• Experience Assets: Moments, Growth, Learning, Alliances, Competencies
• Contribution Assets: Arrows Out™ (about others), Impact, Compassion, Giving
• Financial Assets: Value Creation, Resources, Stability, Security - Enduring Wealth™ not only the wealth you accumulate - but the wealth you circulate.

Do this exercise several times. Start over each time and see what your mind does. It only takes 10 minutes.

What Do You Really Want? A Quick Exercise to Gain Clarity

“Clarity isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about knowing what we value and what we’re working toward."

"Clarity of vision drives the courage to make bold choices."

"When we’re clear about our priorities, decisions become simpler. Without clarity, even small choices can feel overwhelming."