Influences

Influences

Just today I rediscovered my childhood drum hero from the group called The Ventures.  His name was Mel Wilson.  As I listened to their songs it took me back to Lewisburg, Tennessee and my early drumming days.  I’d sit and listen to Mel play Wipeout and then emulate his drum licks.  Oh my, that is better than steak and eggs.  He influenced me and my drumming style.

A few years ago, I watched a YouTube clip of Joe Morello and the Dave Brubeck quartet playing Take Five.  Again, the same.  I lived on that song as a teen drummer for a long while.  It influenced me, my drumming and my musicianship.

Consider the power of influences.  They are a

strong force, my friend.  They can lead us to the dark side or the light side.  (Thank you, Star Wars.)

Makes me think of my own ability to influence.  I had a man write me a letter a few years ago.  He wrote in part, “Of all the good influences in my life, you were the first.” 

This man, when a teenager, was in my youth group in Albuquerque.  I never knew at that time the power of whatever influence I might have been exerting.  I am so thankful some good came of those times. 

I have my influencers in my life.  Two Jim’s, a Ronn, Bob, and a dozen others.  I bear the marks of their great and good influence down through the years. 

People watch us, and they pick up ‘things’ from us – habits, character traits, consistency, weaknesses, out-of-character moments; we leave impressions. 

I want to be a good, yea, great influence wherever I go, with every word I write and speak.

Be careful … your influence is showing.

P Michael Biggs

It's All About People Blog Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement

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Fill Their Bucket with Appreciation

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Fill Their Bucket with Appreciation

Three of the most affirming words we could ever want to hear are these:

"I appreciate you!"

These words fill your bucket.  They fill your mind with positive endorphins.  They speak volumes to your soul, if you allow it.

Do you know the #1 reason why people leave their job?

They don’t feel appreciated.

(Discovered by Donald O. Clifton and Tom Rath 

– How Full Is Your Bucket)

This is such an easy fix – simply and sincerely stating to an employee that they are appreciated, yet time and again managers fail to give the one thing that could make a difference.

And if we think employees are the only ones needing appreciation, think again.  Spouses, children, parents and grandparents, people in your church, the waitress serving your morning coffee, the grocery store checker, the meat market man, the manicurist, and everyone else you meet in your daily living needs appreciation.

Mary Kay Ash so vividly reminds us …

This is an act I am trying to major in at this point in my life.

This is what is on my mind today.

P Michael Biggs

It's All About People Blog Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration

I Am Somebody-Who Are You?

I Am Somebody – Who Are You?

Yes, I am somebody.  I have significance.  I am a person of worth and I am a contributing member of society.

I may not sing like Pavarotti, or act like George Clooney.  I flunked mechanical drawing, so I can’t design houses like Frank Lloyd Write, and even though I do speak, my style pales in comparison to Billy Graham.

But I am somebody and I have significance.

I’m not young any more.  I have grey hair for what is left of it.  I’m not as slim as I should be.  I sing, but have, on occasion, sung a flat note or missed my intro cue completely and had to start again.  As a drummer, I’ve dropped a few drum sticks, and as a conductor, I once dropped/threw my baton at a viola player named Hershel three times during rehearsal.  But I still can sing, drum and conduct. 

You see, I’ve made mistakes along the way.  I’ve fumbled, fallen down, broken a bone, tripped up, said the wrong thing at the wrong time, even spoken when I should have kept quiet, and yet, YET I am a person of worth. 

I have gotten back up after a fall, I’ve healed from my broken bone, I’ve picked up the drum sticks and baton after dropping them and kept playing and conducting, and I’ve learned from all the other accidents and incidents in life.

And today … I am somebody.  I am someone of worth.  I approve of myself, for I am not my mistakes. 

And so are you, whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, wherever you live, and regardless of life’s blunders and fails.

YOU ARE SOMEBODY TOO!

P Michael Biggs

It's All About People Blog Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement

Inspiration