Embracing Dreams, Conquering Chaos, and Living with Gratitude – Your Champions Brew

The world’s largest coffee mug holds 1.6 gallons.

According to the website Mugs.coffee, the world’s largest commercially-produced ceramic coffee mug holds about the same as 20 regular mugs, which comes out to 200 fluid ounces or a little less than 1.6 gallons, roughly as much coffee as a person should drink in a week or half as much as a typical Brew Nation reader drinks in a day!

Happy Friday, Brew Nation! 

Grab your favorite, biggest coffee cup, sit back, relax, and get ready to sip on some enriching and thought-provoking content that will equip you to thrive in all areas of your life:

  • Uncommon Leader Insights –  In a recent episode of The Uncommon Leader Podcast, I had the opportunity to interview Gary Harpst, a seasoned CEO and author, who shared profound insights on leadership, biblical wisdom, and the quest for impactful living. From our conversation, there were three insights that stood out to me:
  1. Embrace Chaos: Drawing inspiration from Genesis, Harpst posits that chaos isn’t our nemesis but a raw material from which order can be crafted. This perspective shifts the paradigm from viewing chaos as a hurdle to seeing it as an opportunity for leadership to organize and create impactful change. Leaders should recognize chaos as the setting within which they can exercise their God-given dominion to bring structure and clarity.
  2. Be a Student of Desire: Gary explains that effective leadership transcends mere actions; it requires delving into the roots of human desires. By becoming ‘students of desire,’ leaders can better understand the motivations that drive themselves and their teams. This approach not only helps in aligning organizational goals with personal passions but also fosters an environment where genuine aspirations are nurtured, leading to sustained collective growth.
  3. Achieve Lasting Impact: Gary challenges leaders to not only run businesses that excel but also weave their faith into their leadership fabric. This integration prompts leaders to consider how their enterprises can function as platforms for deeper, transformative impacts, aligning business practices that ultimately are profitable, but also contribute to the greater good.

Each of these takeaways invites readers to reflect and reevaluate their approach to leadership and life. The pursuit of transforming leadership from a static skill into a dynamic journey that intertwines with personal faith and desires can lead to a more fulfilling and impactful existence.

To gain further insights from Gary Harpst and his book, Built to Beat Chaos,  I invite you to listen to the entire episode here.

  • Practice Gratitude – Gratitude is a powerful practice that can transform our mindset and bring joy into our lives. Implementing a gratitude journal has become a habit  of mine over the past few months. However, I often find myself expressing gratitude for the same things. Recently, I came across an encouraging suggestion by Rory Vaden that enriched my gratitude practice

While it’s important to be grateful for major things like family, job, house, and friends, I often overlook the smaller details that enhance our daily lives. Rory Vaden’s suggestion to imagine what we didn’t express gratitude for today not being available tomorrow serves as a powerful reminder. It prompts us to appreciate the seemingly insignificant aspects that we often take for granted, like remote controls.  I must admit I really would have no interest in going back to the day where my dad had me walk over to the console television to turn the channel!  By recognizing the little things we didn’t appreciate, we open our hearts and minds to the benefit of simplicity. This shift in mindset allows us to discover new things to be grateful for, fostering a continuous sense of appreciation.

Practicing gratitude sets a positive tone for the day, as it is difficult or impossible to remain angry or in a bad mood while also being grateful.

Try it out. Appreciating the small, often overlooked aspects of our lives expands our scope of gratitude, allowing us to find joy in the simplicity of everyday experiences. Now… where is that remote control!

Read More Here we go.  We are traveling together on a journey with an inspiring speaker, and author, Ed Mylett, and his book “The Power of One More – The Ultimate Guide to Success and Happiness”.  As an avid listener of Mylett’s podcast, I’m thrilled to revisit this great book that holds a special place in my Top Ten influential reads. Join me as we uncover wisdom within its pages. Got your copy yet? Let’s dive in!

Chapter Five  – “One More Dream”

In Chapter 5  Mylett highlights the transformative power of operating from our imaginations and dreams rather than being restricted by our pasts.   Imagine your past as a glass of water that, when filled to the brim, leaves no room for new experiences, growth, and the realization of dreams.  The happiest individuals in life consciously choose to pour out some of their histories and free up space for the potential of their dreams.  Here are a few of my takeaways from the chapter.

Minimize the Past:

Awareness serves as kryptonite to negative thought patterns. By being aware of the impact our past has on our present, we can consciously shift our focus towards our dreams. Deepak Chopra’s quote, “I use memories, but I will not allow memories to use me,” resonates deeply, reminding us of our ability to create a future free of bad  past experiences.

Maximize the Future:

John F. Kennedy’s insight on history emphasizes the importance of looking forward rather than dwelling on the past. He once said, “”History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside.”  The future holds immense potential and opportunities for growth. Just as a car’s windshield is larger than its rearview mirror, we should keep our focus on what lies ahead.

Don’t Stop:

Thomas Edison’s relentless pursuit of invention demonstrates the significance of persistence in pursuing our dreams. He understood that progress and innovation require a vivid imagination and the willingness to explore uncharted territories. Edison’s journey of inventing the light bulb, with over a thousand attempts, showcases the resilience and unwavering belief in his dreams.  He didn’t stop there.  He was credited with 1,093 U.S. Patents in his lifetime.

By operating from our dreams, we can free ourselves from the weight of our pasts and open up a world of possibilities. Consciously choose to let go of negative past thoughts, focus on the future, and run the race to the finish.

Next week: One More Question to Ask Ourselves

Quote of the week:   “For the person expecting to become a multimillionaire, the promise and blessing of the future far outweigh the pain of the present.  How you experience the present is dictated by your belief about the future.”- Taken from Fighting Shadows – Overcoming 7 Lies that Keep Men from Becoming Fully Alive by Jefferson Bethke and Jon Tyson.

Call to Action:  Do you practice gratitude?  Take a few minutes before starting your day to write down three things you are grateful for… big or small!  See how powerful it can be to get your mindset prepared for an Uncommon Day.

It’s an honor to be your trusted “Friday Coffee Guy”.  Each week, I’m excited to provide yet another round of curated content that I’ve been reading, listening to, watching, or thinking over. The purpose of the Champions Brew is to inspire, equip and encourage you to become the uncommon leader you were designed to be. I am so grateful for your decision to invest a few moments with me! I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Champions Brew. If you did, I would appreciate it if you would share it with someone who might enjoy it as well and ask them to subscribe! I will make sure they automatically get this email every week.

Until next time, Go and Grow Champions!

P.S. – Are you a podcast fan?  Maybe the Uncommon Leader podcast is for you.    Are you interested in being a guest on the Uncommon Leader Podcast?  Do you have a story to tell?  Email me [email protected] and let’s have a chat and set something up!!

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To become Champion leader, we have to be on a continuous improvement journey for ourselves and others.  We have to be able to take advantage of the precious seconds that we have each day.  
 
There are things that I come across each week that help me, inspire me, relax me, motivate me, and are sometimes are just funny that I want to share with you so that you can smile more, build faith, think positively, network well, exercise often, eat healthy, and grow daily.
 

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