Popular Vs Important

Just because something is popular doesn't make it important.  We live in a ratings society.  If a book makes it on the New York Times Best Seller list that automatically assures that it will be read by the masses.  If Oprah promoted a product on her show you can expect that product to zoom to the top in sales. 

That may be the syndrome of “awareness” but is it important?  And to whom is it important.

I’ve read many fine books that never made it to the top of the heap.  I wear shirts every day that never get near a fashion show runway.  Yet I like them, they are good quality, they are stylish for my tastes and they look great.  Just ask my wife

The question is this:  What is important to you and your world? 

Popular is good.

Important is better.

  

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Do Dragons Exist

The world of make-believe is full of dragons, beautiful princesses, handsome princes, rich kings and knights in shining armor. 

Are they true?

Here is what Mr. Chesterton says about that.

Consider these dragons of our past:

Polio runs rampant in our world

Whale blubber shortage –what will we do

The world will end in 1984

Stock Market Crash of 1929

Recession of 2007-2009 – what are we to do?

These dragons were real, and yet we found ways to kill them and eliminate them. 

And today … our dragons are

Cure for cancer

Cure for aids

Global hunger

World peace

Global warming

And a few thousand other dragons

The good news is this: 

Dragons can be beaten.

We can find cures.

We can remedy life threatening situations

We can restore relationships

We can work in unity and fight the dragons of our day.

That is pretty amazing good news, wouldn't you say?

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Wonder

Do you like to wonder?  I do.  Everything we see and touch in our world today is because someone allowed “wonder” to enter their minds.  Wonder is the launching pad for dreams, and dreams turn into goals and reality when planted and nurtured. 

Our world is a wonder.  Something new is bursting forth moment by moment.  Look for wonder in the next ten minutes and tonight before you sleep, and tomorrow morning when you awaken.

When we wonder, we often ask “how come”, “what if”, and “why not”.  It is fun sometimes to wonder for the sake of wondering.

Wonder leads us places.  Things happen when we wonder.  We sometimes leave the bounds of earth and soar through space, or delve deep into the oceans.  We explore caves and foreign lands and climb tall peaks when we wonder.

And sometimes we actually leave our easy chair and experience these wonders first hand.

Now that is the real discovery of wondering.

Possibilities come forth when we wonder.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

The Reverse Doesn't Work

I learned his principle a long time ago after listening to a Denis Waitley audio recording.  It is a great reminder for us still.

The principle:  “You can’t concentrate on the reverse of an idea.”

If I were to say to you, “Don’t forget to do such and such,”  that would not be the best way to help you remember whatever it is that I wanted you to remember. 

Instead say, “Remember to do such and such.”

What you want is for the person to whom you are speaking to remember to do or go or bring or whatever action verb you may wish to add.  By simply stating the request in the positive framework you reinforce the action that is needed.

Denis reminds us that it takes the brain 47% longer to process the reverse of an idea than it does to state it in a positive framework.

Just a small idea that pays huge dividends when used consistently.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

No Open Door Policy

The concept of the “open door policy” is used by more than a few companies and institutions these days.  While it speaks of “all are welcome” I think this is a bad policy for me as a human being.

I do not have an open door policy when it comes to entertaining every ideology, every political persuasion and every doctrine or belief that is available today.  I have a filter and I use it freely. 

If you and I accept every idea that comes along, at best we will be confused, two-faced, and will probably never make any worthwhile decisions in governing our lives.  I fear we would live in constant conflict within ourselves and never know truth from lies. 

The word at play here is “CHOICES”.  We get to choose what we believe, and what we allow into our lives to influence our decisions.

Choose wisely!

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

A Brilliant Strategy

Got strategy?  What is it?  Is it a secret formula, a special tool, a dazzling logo? 

I doubt that any of those gadget-ideas are going to hold you in good stead for long.

But this one will. 

Ready?

Sit down.  You may need to do a bit of pondering.

“BELIEF is a brilliant strategy.”

~Seth Godin

When you believe enough in whatever it is you do, then you start to connect the dots, solve the problems and obstacles, and find the ways and means of being significant.

Believe!!!

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

What Do You Offer

I bought a drill recently, not because I wanted a drill.  I wanted holes.  I wanted what a drill does.  It makes holes.

Revlon doesn't sell perfume.  They sell fantasies.

Disney doesn't sell rides.  They sell magic, and they sell happiness.

What do you sell?

If you sell insurance, you really sell peace of mind.

If you sell mattresses, you really sell a better night’s sleep.

If you sell real estate you really sell home ownership.  The house and land just happen to be located on that particular spot.

For whatever it is we do, we must understand the end benefit of ownership, or of using our services or reading our books and blogs. 

“What will my blogs do for you” is the ultimate question.  We seriously don’t need one more volume of anything to read.  We do need ideas, fresh ways of viewing life, and a road that leads to better, more, and happy.  And we need hope and inspiration.  That is the “why” of my writing.

What is your benefit? 

What do you offer?

What do people gain from your gadget or from knowing you?

Figure that one out and you skip through life with a happy heart and a satisfied soul.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Explore Dream Discover

Do you have the spirit of an explorer?

Are you a dreamer?

Do you long to discover the yet undiscoverable?

All it takes is courage.  All it takes is to plant one foot in front of the other, make the phone call, plan the plan, and then execute.

An elderly man lay dying in the hospital.  His daughter leaned down close to ask him an important question.  Her question was this – do you have any regret?

The father sighed heavily, breathed deeply and replied, “I wish I would have taken more chances.”

Even on his death bed he longed for one more adventure, one more dream to chase.

While we have the strength, perhaps it is time to explore our dreams and discover what is on the other side of them.

We can live a life of regrets – or we can go and do, explore and dream, and in the process we will discover a life of extreme satisfaction and fulfillment.

Become an explorer.

Discover all that your world can become.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did.  So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, and catch the trade winds in your sails.  Explore.  Dream.  Discover.”

~Mark Twain.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Courage to Stumble

Wayne Gretzky is recognized as the greatest ice hockey player of all time.  He is famous for his stumble/bumble antics in practice on the ice.  He would intentionally lean over to the extreme just to see where his boundaries were, and try with all his might to pull himself out of those falls.  He dared to look foolish in practice so that he could hone his skills for game time.

Wayne knew this – You are not your mistakes.  We all have limits to our abilities.  It is our job to explore those limits and keep pushing the boundaries further away.  That is the path to success and skill building.

So what – you fell down today.  Tomorrow is another day with new opportunities to get it right.  Stand up, brush yourself off, and start all over again.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time