The Golden Rule Revisited

This just in –

If you want people to act right 

toward you, act right toward them.

It is another way of expressing an age old saying – Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

This is a basic people skill factor.  We don’t put others in their place.  We put ourselves in someone else’s place instead.  Feel what they feel. Try to imagine what their life is like and then respond accordingly.

John C Maxwell offers us these tips.

Six Ways Everyone wants to be Treated

Give credit for suggestions

Correct grievances

Encourage often

Praise in public – criticize in private

Ask others for their opinion

Never show favoritism

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

A Word about Creativity

In a copy-cat world where we try and imitate and emulate iconic role models, I cast my vote for creativity.  I vote for uniqueness.

I vote for the creative spark that is inside each of us.  When I cook, I loosely follow the recipe.  I’m cooking chicken enchiladas tonight.  I have a vague idea of what I’m going to do and have bought all my ingredients and I’m going to do a bit of experimenting.  Carolyn is open to this so here we go.  We’ll know in two hours if I was successful or not.  By the way, I’m not using any recipe at all.

In the early days of my writing I had to learn how to create my own voice so I borrowed from others.  I borrowed that idea from Daniel Coyle in The Little Book of Talent.  He suggests that is perfectly acceptable to steal from others until you can make it with your own flair.  He quotes Pablo Picasso in this:  “Good artists borrow.  Great artists steal.”

And Daniel continues:  “Look at every single performer better than you and see what they've got that you can use.  Then make it your own.”

When we create we let go of comparison.  We don’t care if others compare us to some lesser or greater talent.  What we care about is creating something that we call our own. 

We cultivate creativity. 

CULTIVATE CREATIVITY!  I rather like that.

Borrow till it becomes your own. 

Then create –create – create!

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Dreams

Do you believe in dreams?  Do you sometimes engage in a full-fledge fantasy?  I hope so.  Dreams are good for you.

Let me say that again – Dreams are good for you.

Consider this:

“People think dreams aren't real just because they aren't made of matter, of particles.  Dreams are real.  But they are made of viewpoints, of images, of memories and puns and lost hopes.”

~Neil Gaiman

I am a huge believer in dreams and dreaming.  Dreams are the stuff of our futures.  Where would we be without dreams? 

We wouldn't have …

  Airplanes and spaceflight

   Medicines for cures

    Computers and iGadgets

     Sushi and lobster

      Fried chicken and enchiladas

       eBooks and tablets

        Amazon and Wi-Fi

         Animation and Disney

          Water parks and bungee jumping

My viewpoints shape my writing just as much as something I read or hear in conversation or watch on TV. 

I've taken a few lost hopes and refashioned them into bigger and better dreams, and some of those dreams are holding me in good stead today.

My wish for you – dream!  Dream big and expansive.  Dream in color.  Dream out loud, and above all, dream outside whatever box you have created for yourself. 

Listen to your own viewpoints, opinions, wishes and longings and DREAM – DREAM – DREAM!

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Self-Image Revisited

What is the big deal with self image? 

It is a major aspect for a continually developing individual.  The self-image speaks during every moment of our waking hours.  To dive deeper in this important topic, let me borrow from Maxwell Maltz’s classic Psycho Cybernetics.

He says “Self-image is a complex picture of whom you are, what you deserve, and what you think you can become.”

The key word above is “picture”.  You can change your self- image by the use of imagery.  Picture the outcome you desire, hold tenaciously to that and expect that outcome.  Another name for this is mental imagery.  Astronauts use this technique; Olympic athletes use it, as well as executives, physicians as they prepare for a difficult surgery and so many other professional aspirers.  I used it two weeks ago in preparing for a speech.

When you use mental imagery you are using a form of re-programming.  Dr. Maltz refers to the self image as “the programmer of your servo mechanism.”

Your self image can be reworked if it is weak.  It can be brought into sharper focus, and it can move you from a wanna-be to the one standing in the winner’s circle. 

How hard are you willing to work?

How strongly do you believe in self?

Think about that!

  

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Give a Dog a Good Name

When growing up in Tennessee I can recall three dogs we had.

Pete (a mixed breed hound)

Pluto (half Great Dane-half Boxer)

Tiger (German Shepherd)

We loved those dogs and think of them often at family reunions with great fondness.

In the grand scheme of things, however, those are so-so names as dogs go. 

My grand-kids – Adia and Eliot – just got a Labrador puppy.  They named her Quinn.  Now that is a great name.

I heard a parent once talking in front of her seven-year-old daughter and she was saying in effect, “Sarah is the clumsy one.”

Ouch.  I felt for that small girl.  She did not need to hear her mother refer to her in those terms.  She just named her daughter “clumsy”.

When I lived in Albuquerque, it was once said of me, “You’re an accident waiting to happen.”  That hurt.  And I still wince every time I recall that comment.

A month ago I was in a meeting with my publisher and three new members of our team.  Bryan was going around the table introducing each of us and as he came to me he said, “Michael is a writer’s writer.’

Oh my goodness.  He built me up in front of my peers.  He gave me a reputation to which to live up.  I've wanted to be a “writer” for over thirty years, and now that I've published three books I’m coming to accept that handle.  On this day Bryan put wind in my sails.  He saw me as a writer, and helped me embrace the reality of achieving my life’s dream.

Can you see the value of giving someone a destiny of value and worth to embrace?  Any fool can tell you what is wrong with you.  A builder of people will forecast your possibilities and remind you often of your own great potential.

Do you want better kids, a better spouse, and better employees?  Dale Carnegie reminds us of this:

Give the other person 

a fine reputation 

to live up to.

~How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dale Carnegie

Always remember this:

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

One Key to Adding Value

The phrase “adding value” gets tossed about in a variety of business circles these days.  We want to “add value” to products such as software, or beds, even autos.

And some leaders/managers/life coaches love to toss this phrase out when speaking of their followers or mentees.  This is a worthy pursuit and I heartily endorse the concept of “adding value” to another person and here is a critical part of that desire.

“You cannot add value to someone 

if you don’t first value them.”

~John C. Maxwell

How do you view your charge?  Do you see them as an already valued individual, or do you see them as someone in desperate need of your management skill and they will probably drown in the misery of life without the amazing life-line you are capable of giving out?

I have encountered a few managers in my day who felt they had an upper hand and were determined to instill their “great wisdom” to me, a lowly grasshopper of a wee little man.  As far as they were concerned I was of no value – yet – and they were going to be the great miracle working in my life.

That attitude makes me want to throw up, and in the direction of their shoes.

People can tell whether you care or not.  Always remember that.

Value the worth of the individual and you always win with people.

Class dismissed.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Make Art

I am attempting to live out loud in these days.  That means, for me, letting my voice be heard, exploring, experiencing, and stepping out of my neat little box that I’ve fashioned for myself for all these years.  I want to make my art. 

And I encourage you to make your art also.  Here are just a few ways of making art.  Try some of these.

Read some great books

Write

Draw or paint

Sing your song

Play your instrument or learn another

Build that dream home

Do poetry

Learn to bake or sew

Go to your dream city or country

Be bold-kiss someone who thinks you're pretty wonderful

Fill your world with the dreams of your youth. 

You know, make art.

Be surprised.

(Thanks to Neil Gaiman for the seeds for this blog.  You inspire me Neil.)

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time