Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it’s stupid.” – Albert Einstein
Don’t Follow your Heart
Why not?
Should you just “follow your heart” as you date, in your marriage, while you work, as you socialize? No. At least not most of the time. That’s because when most people say, “follow your heart,” they’re really just saying, “follow your feelings.” And yes, feelings by themselves can sometimes lead you down a smooth road, but more often than not, they’ll lead you on a road full of potholes and maybe even a fatal crash.
Think about it
How many times have you heard about husbands divorcing their wives of many years to get that “loving feeling” with a new “trophy wife?” How many women have said to you, “I just don’t feel in love anymore.” They’re leaving their husbands for a man who “really listens, understands and cares.” And how many have left their job on a whim because they “felt” like it in order to start a new business that quickly went out of business?
The Problem
We live in a culture where people make major decisions solely in response to their feelings, regardless of who they hurt or what promises they break. Authors Stephen and Alex Kendrick in their book, The Love Dare, say the problem with “following your heart”, as most people define it, is that you are just chasing whatever feels right at the moment, even though it may not be right. It means throwing caution to the wind and pursuing your latest whim, even though it may not be logical. The Kendricks further note that, “People forget that feelings and emotions are shallow, fickle, and unreliable.” Emotions can fluctuate depending upon circumstances. The Kendricks further suggest that instead of following your heart, lead your heart.
via markmerrill.com
Follow the ‘via’ link if you want to connect with author Mark Merrill…
The Battle of Monongahela
Prior to the Revolution, British troops were marching toward Fort Duquesne when they were ambushed, July 9, 1755, by the French and Indians. Not accustomed to fighting unless in an open field, the British soldiers were annihilated. 23-year-old Colonel George Washington rode back and forth during the battle delivering orders for General Edward Braddock. Eventually, Braddock was killed and every officer on horseback was shot, except Washington. From Fort Cumberland, George Washington wrote of the Battle of Monongahela to his younger brother, John Augustine Washington, JULY 18, 1755: “As I have heard, since my arrival at this place, a circumstantial account of my death and dying speech, I take this early opportunity of contradicting the first, and of assuring you, that I have not as yet composed the latter. But by the All-Powerful Dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me!” An Indian warrior later declared: “Washington was never born to be killed by a bullet! I had seventeen fair fires at him with my rifle and after all could not bring him to the ground!”
via amerisearch.net
Related articles
- George Washington On The Indispensable Supports Of Free Government (via Samuel at Gilgal) (wdednh.wordpress.com)
- When the fight started between Indians and British (wiki.answers.com)
- Who was George Washington’s body guard (wiki.answers.com)
Those were different days…
September 11, 1777, the Chaplain of Congress, Patrick Allison, brought to the attention of the Continental Congress that Revolutionary War had interrupted trade with the King’s authorized printers in England, thereby causing a shortage of the King James Authorized Version of the Bible, commonly used in education. A Continental Congress committee passed the motion: “The use of the Bible is so universal and its importance so great that your committee refers the above to the consideration of Congress…The Committee recommends that Congress will order the Committee of Commerce to import 20,000 Bibles from Holland, Scotland, or elsewhere, into the different parts of the States of the Union. Whereupon it was resolved accordingly to direct said Committee of Commerce to import 20,000 copies of the Bible.” That same day, the British won the Battle of Brandywine, forcing Washington’s troops to retreat to Valley Forge. In a panic, the Continental Congress evacuated Philadelphia before action could be taken on the resolution. Five years later, the Continental Congress again responded to the shortage of Bibles by authorizing the printing of America’s first English language Bible, which had been described in a petition as: “a neat edition of the Holy Scriptures for the use of schools.” Congress, on September 10, 1782, selected the publisher of The Pennsylvania Magazine, Robert Aitken, who died JULY 15, 1802, for the printing: “Resolved, That the United States in Congress assembled highly approve the pious and laudable undertaking of Mr. Aitken, as subservient to the interest of religion, as well as an influence in the progress of arts in this country, and being satisfied from the above report of his care and accuracy in the execution of the work, they recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States, and hereby authorize him to publish this recommendation. – Charles Thomson, Secretary.” Copies of this Bible are with the American Bible Society’s Museum of Biblical Art in New York, and Houston Baptist University’s Dunham Bible Museum.
via amerisearch.net
Jefferson on Character
“The steady character of our countrymen is a rock to which we may safely moor; and notwithstanding the efforts of the papers to disseminate early discontents, I expect that a just, dispassionate and steady conduct, will at length rally to a proper system the great body of our country. Unequivocal in principle, reasonable in manner, we shall be able I hope to do a great deal of good to the cause of freedom & harmony.” True today?
Hamilton on power
“A fondness for power is implanted, in most men, and it is natural to abuse it, when acquired.” –Alexander Hamilton, The Farmer Refuted, 1775
Need a vacation?
Take a 134-hour cruise from Bergen to Kirkenes in 5 minutes…
Now get back to work!
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The most underrated, yet most powerful tool, you can use…
The most underrated skill in the world is listening. So few people actually listen to each other deeply. They’re too busy thinking about what they’re going to say next or how to get other people to listen to them. They are self-centered when they should be people-centered.
What a loss. Because there is so much to gain from using your ears for their intended purpose: listening – not waiting for a pause to talk. When you develop a listening ear, you gain insights into what makes people tick, what they need, and how to compel them to action. You develop profound connections. The most successful people in the world are all great listeners. Their own voice is not their focus. They’re so good at hearing, they don’t just listen to the words being said by others, they also grasp the meaning beneath those utterances. They therefore understand what people want, and they build great companies, amazing nonprofits and terrific agencies based on that knowledge.
Some people listen at first, but then stop. That’s not good either. People cease listening when they think they know the answers they’re going to get—or when they think they have better answers. This is dangerous. We have to keep listening, because few people stay the same or lock into one thought forever.
I have been learning deep lessons in this area and Katya has a great perspective that I think is worthy of your attention. Follow the ‘via’ link if you want to expand your skillset…
Thanks to all my family and friends…
…for the many expressions of love and appreciation on my birthday. When I reflect on my life, I think of these immortal pleas from ‘Private Ryan’; “Tell me I’ve lived a good life” “Tell me I’m a good man”. I pray that I live my life in such a way that my wife, my family, my friends and everyone I work with would be able to honestly answer yes…
Get some Bloglovin’!
<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/3847885/my-perspective-on-loving-living-learn?claim=5gxm678nd4f”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>
via gizmodo.com
My declaration of independence
Click the icon below for the audio version…
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.” via en.wikipedia.org
This independence day, I declare independence from…
- Trying to manage the unmanageable…
- Anger and resentment related to the first item…
- Substances that stimulate or depress…
- Anything that’s keeping me from being a more authentic me…
I’ll give myself 30 days and I’ve entered these issues into Habitforge to help keep me on track. July is going to be a hell of a month — you may want to wait until August to talk to me…
Lost
Just because I’m losing
Doesn’t mean I’m lost
Doesn’t mean I’ll stop
Doesn’t mean I will cross
Just because I’m hurting
Doesn’t mean I’m hurt
Doesn’t mean I didn’t get what I deserve
No better and no worse
I just got lost
Every river that I’ve tried to cross
And every door I ever tried was locked
Ooh-Oh, And I’m just waiting till the shine wears off…
You might be a big fish
In a little pond
Doesn’t mean you’ve won
‘Cause along may come
A bigger one
And you’ll be lost
Every river that you tried to cross
Every gun you ever held went off
Ooh-Oh, And I’m just waiting till the firing stops
Ooh-Oh, And I’m just waiting till the shine wears off
Ooh-Oh, And I’m just waiting till the shine wears off
Ooh-Oh, And I’m just waiting till the shine wears off
via sing365.com
With or without you
See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side
I wait for youSleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without youWith or without you
With or without youThrough the storm we reach the shore
You give it all but I want more
And I’m waiting for youWith or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without youAnd you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself awayMy hands are tied
My body bruised, she’s got me with
Nothing to win and
Nothing left to loseAnd you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give
And you give
And you give yourself awayWith or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without youWith or without you
With or without you
I can’t live
With or without you
With or without you
via elyrics.net
I don’t care anymore
Well you can tell ev’ryone I’m a down disgrace
Drag my name all over the place.
I don’t care anymore.
You can tell ev’rybody ’bout the state I’m in
You won’t catch me crying ‘cos I just can’t win.
I don’t care anymore I don’t care anymoreI don’t care what you say
I don’t play the same games you play.‘Cos I’ve been talking to the people that you call your friends
And it seems to me there’s a means to and end.
They don’t care anymore.
And as for me I can sit here and bide my time
I got nothing to lose if I speak my mind.
I don’t care anymore I don’t care no moreI don’t care what you say
We never played by the same rules anyway.I won’t be there anymore
Get out of my way
Let me by
I got better things to do with my time
I don’t care anymore I don’t care anymore
I don’t care anymore I don’t care anymore
Well, I don’t care now what you say
‘Cos ev’ry day I’m feeling fine with myself
And I don’t care now what you say
Hey I’ll do alright by myself
‘Cos I know.‘Cos I remember all the times I tried so hard
And you laughed in my face ‘cos you held all the cards.
I don’t care anymore.
And I really ain’t bothered what you think of me
‘Cos all I want of you is just a let me be.
I don’t care anymore D’you hear? I don’t care no moreI don’t care what you say
I never did believe you much anyway.I won’t be there no more
So get out of my way.
Let me by
I got better things to do with my time
I don’t care anymore
D’you hear? I don’t care anymore
I don’t care no more
You listening? I don’t care no more
No more!You know I don’t care no more!
via sing365.com
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http://www.xtranormal.com/site_media/swf/flvplayer.swf
via xtranormal.com
Dana VanDen Heuvel shared this with me as something we need to show at our social media bootcamp today. Had to share it here! btw, there’s still time to sign up. You can get more info here…
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Bright, shiny objects! 
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