Dictionary.com had this to say about the word “Independence”

Independence  ;  In`de*pend”ence\, n. [Cf. F. ind[’e]pendance.]

1. The state or quality of being independent; freedom from dependence; exemption from reliance on, or control by, others; self-subsistence or maintenance; direction of one’s own affairs without interference.

2. Sufficient means for a comfortable livelihood.

Much has been said about Independence Day by some pretty wonderful people and I hardly think I could add to their words but here goes.

 For most of American it seems “Independence Day” is about time off from work and fireworks rather than a reflections of gratitude that they can work and choose what type of work they want to do.  It’s more about drinking than thinking, more about eating than honoring, more about freedom from responsibility than freedom to seek responsibility. 

For a seemingly ever shrinking minority though it is about something more… something that reaches back into the founding of our nation… and the defending of it …and the cost of keeping it.  Many will gather on this holiday and do something more.  Amidst the swimming and parades and fireworks they will stop, and they will take a moment to tell stories, show pictures, thank veterans.  Some with grandkids on their laps will quietly sing the national anthems, recite the pledge, and talk about what freedom means to them.  For some Independece Day will be a sacred day, a holy day and a holiday.   God has blessed America… may he continue to do so.

Have a most wonderul and Happy “Independence Day” and make it a day of remembering that’s worth remembering.

Kirk out

  The children’s blog sites are coming along.  I invite you visit one or each of their for blogs at the following URL’s.

1 Thing i Love http://1thingilove.wordpress.com/ - this is their favorite blog where they talk about 1 thing they love

Human Becomings - http://humanbecomings.wordpress.com/ - celebrating the power of growth and learning

Quotes My Kids Like - http://quotesmykidslike.wordpress.com/ find a quote you like and tell why you like it

Dates With Dad - http://dateswithdad.wordpress.com/ promoting the power of one on one time with parents and kids.

If you do have a chance to visit these sites… I ask that you would leave a comment for them… they would love that.

Thank you and …

Kirk Out

   I have been waiting for my kids blogs to be “perfect” or at least “better” before I really promoted them.  Last night as I was laying in bed I realized that they were in fact more than “Good Enough” or as we used to say in the rangers… “Good to GO”.

An old CEO of mine and dear friend, was fond of saying, actually paraphrasing, General Patton with these words. ” A Good plan executed violently, is better than a perfect plan that is executed too late, or poorly executed.”

He didn’t want to see the senior management team sitting around until we had the ”perfect plan”… but instead to trust our instincts.  When we knew we had a “Good” idea/plan to “Get Moving” and “get it done” .

In the extreme passion and enthusiasm of our execution we would do more ensure the success of achieving our desired results. So much the better if the “Good” plan continued to evolve and grow during implementation… we should all be doing that. But to sit around and discuss the issue in a series of meetings, in the vain hope of removing all risk while the
“enemy” was on the move was folly. 

So if your plan is “Good Enough”… Execute it Violently or if you prefer….”With Passion!”

  With regard to my children’s websites…. they are wonderful, inspiring and are focused on the celebration of what’s good  in the world, or at least in their world.  I am inspired by much of what they have written and believe that you and even your kids will be too.  As good as they are now - I know that they will get even better.  Heck they already have improved so much in the month they have been doing it.  I invite you visit one or each of their for blogs at the following URL’s.

1 Thing i Love http://1thingilove.wordpress.com/ - this is their favorite blog where they talk about 1 thing they love

Human Becomings - http://humanbecomings.wordpress.com/ - celebrating the power of growth and learning

Quotes My Kids Like - http://quotesmykidslike.wordpress.com/ find a quote you like and tell why you like it

Dates With Dad - http://dateswithdad.wordpress.com/ promoting the power of one on one time with parents and kids.

If you do have a chance to visit these sites… I ask that you would leave a comment for them… they would love that.

Thank you and …

Kirk Out

During a trip to St Louis, I picked a book called the Little Zen Companion…..from it comes this.

“If you cannot find truth right where you are, where else do you expect to find it?” - Dogen

“When you are deluded and full of doubt, even a thousand books of scripture are not enough.  When you have realized understanding, even one word is too much.” Fen-Yang

This reminds of a quote that says in effect  “Some are ever learning, but never coming to a knowledge of the truth”  Pursuing knowledge without purpose is most often foolishness.  But the purposeful pursuit of knowledge for the person seeking peace, understanding and most importantly truth ….this is wisdom.  Truth sought, understood and received invites us to consider ourselves, our behavior and our beliefs and to refine them and clarify them, and most importantly to live them more fully.  In short, the acquisition of truth… invites us and inspires us to change.

Zen & Kirk Out

“Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a Secret.”  ~  Mary Kay Ash

Harold Sherman’s Code of Persistence

 I will never give up so long as I know I am right. 

 I will believe that all things will work out for me if I hang on to the end.

 I will be courageous and undismayed in the face of poor odds.

 I will not permit anyone to intimidate or deter me from my goals.

 I will fight to overcome all physical handicaps and setbacks.

 I will try again and again and yet again to accomplish what I desire.

 I will take new faith and resolution from the knowledge that all successful men and women have had to fight defeat and adversity.

I will never surrender to discouragement or despair no matter what seeming obstacles may confront me.

Enjoy!  Be Persistent!!!      

Kirk Out

  The people with whom you work reflect your own attitude. If you are suspicious, unfriendly and condescending, you will find these unlovely traits echoed all about you. But if you are on your best behavior, you will bring out the best in the persons with whom you are going to spend most of your waking hours.   — Beatrice Vincent

I have long maintained that attitudes can be highly contagious… the question we might ask ourselves is this… “If people caught what I had, would that be a good thing?”

Don’t just be contagious…be POSITIVELY CONTAGIOUS!  

Go ahead and get sick with the GOOD STUFF!!  And if someone doesn’t like it… well you can stick it their ear.

  Kirk out and Achoo!

All of us carry excess baggage around from time to time, but the wisest ones among us don’t carry it around for very long.  They get rid of it.   Some of it you have to get rid of without really solving the problem.  Some things that ought to be put in order are not put in order because you can’t control them.  Often, however, the things we carry are petty, even stupid.  If you are still mad after all these years because Aunt Clara didn’t come to your wedding reception, why don’t you grow up?  Forget it. ~ Boyd K. Packer  

So don’t carry for yourself and don’t carry it for others!  ~ Kirk Out

  Nothing lowers the level of conversation more than raising the voice.  — Stanley Horowitz

   Sometimes the rolling of the eyes can be the loudest way to yell.  In fact, I think non-verbal yelling kills more conversations and relationships than verbal yelling by far.  ~Kirk

  Bought a cool little mini-book the other day when I was traveling called “HOW TO BE TOTALLY MISERABLE”  author John Bytheway  I grabbed it because I am thinking about doing another illustrated book on the same subject and thought it would be great research - it was!  Here are a couple quotes from it.  

Fear is that little dark room where negatives are developed. - Michael Pritchard  

Everyone can be discontented if they ignore their blessings and look only at their burdens. ~ Thomas S. Monson

Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others…By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.  - Gordon B. Hinkley

WARNING - what follows could be considered promotional!  

For the cost of sending just 2 people away to training you could have Kirk Weisler come and spend an entire day training your entire staff!  WOW, now that just makes CENT$!  But would he be any good?  Would he have lasting impact? Well just read what people are saying - By reading below or clicking HERE - or - HERE.  

 Kirk, I intrduced myself to you at the Big Ten Rec Sports Conference, but felt    compelled to send you a note of thanks for your wonderful speaking on leadership. I sincerely believe that your words and suggestions for books will make me a better person with my co-workers, but most importantly with my own wife and family.  Your message came at a very unique time for me, and it hit home in many areas.  Again, thank you for what you do. 

John Horn ` Director, Recreational Programs and Facilities ` UW-Madison

Don’t Delay Book Kirk Today…. he has only 20 open training dates remaing for 2009.

 A person could twitter away their life watching entertaining and even possibly educational youtube clips.  Then the next day you have all of the recall of watching an evening of television.  Someone may even ask you … “Hey, what did you watch last night?”  You get a far away look in your eye… mutter something profound like “ummm” for a few seconds as you furrow your brow and then finally admit, “I don’t remember.”

Well I watched a clip 7 months ago that I can’t stop thinking about… called “The Story of Stuff”  or http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html

Then last night as I was looking at a book on Amazon titled - (Scroll down and watch the video interview with the author–it’s fantastic)  The story of what happened after he was mugged and how we got there as a society is so telling.  It’s also intersting tome how these two pieces speak to a singular core issue.  If I said more it would be a spoiler.

Life Inc.: How the World Became a Corporation and How to Take It Back  http://www.amazon.com/Life-Inc-World-Became-Corporation/dp/1400066891

I know these are going to be hard to watch at work…but they are worthwhile for home and family viewing.  I know we are gong to watch them as a family and discuss what they imply.  I invite you to do the same.

Kirk Out