Top Ten Words by Gandhi

These ten words are enough text for today and this week. Enjoy the journey. 

Thoughts for Improving

Whatever Needs Improving!

P Michael Biggs

Words of Encouragement

Words of Inspiration

A Fresh Word on Courage

(This is a post dealing with skill development, whether you are a musician, sports participant, business owner or budding artist.  The logo implies music, yet these ideas are transferable to all endeavors.  Thanks for reading.)

Courage has been described as many things, and they all have a ring of truth in them.  Let’s consider one more version of courage.

 It takes courage just to show up and be seen.  A thousand thoughts enter my mind in situations like this, and perhaps you recognize some of these.

Will they like me?

 Will I embarrass myself?

  Will they laugh at me?

   Will they talk about me behind my back?

    Will they accept me?

     Will I say something stupid?

You see, we show great courage when we just show up.  We stick our collective necks out; we dare to show that we have enough bravery, enough courage to at least try.  And in the trying, who knows what will happen?  

Sometimes we win. 

The huge thing is this – we prove to ourselves that we can survive the experience.  We aim for a goal and we show up and take a whack at it.

I faced such a dilemma at work this week.  A customer called and wanted to talk about a product with which I had little experience.  I talked the situation over with my partner, and with his coaching we came up with a remarkable plan and my customer is interested.  I had to confront my lack of knowledge.  I had to jump into the pool of learning and become teachable, and I’m still alive.  I even have a chance of landing this client.  It took courage and I faced it. 

Imagine the boost this experience has been to my sense of facing a fear and coming out on the other side of courage as a winner. 

For what do you need to show up? 

As the song goes in Beauty and the Beast –

“Screw your courage to the sticking place.”

Show up.

Have courage!

Michael Biggs

Steps and Skips

Tips for the Developing Student

One Solitary Life

(In the spirit of Christmas, we are taking seven days to focus on the Christian perspective of Christmas.  And in the spirit of Steps and Skips, this fits perfectly, for it speaks of power, influence and great role modeling.  Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas.)

(Based on a Sermon by Dr. James Allen Francis)

He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman.  He grew up in another village.  He worked in a carpenter’s shop until he was thirty years old, and for three years he was an itinerant preacher.

He never owned a home. 

He never wrote a book. 

He never held an office. 

He never had a family. 

He never went to college. 

He never put his foot inside a big city. 

He never traveled more than two-hundred miles from his birthplace.

He never did any of the things that usually accompany greatness.

He had no credentials but himself.

While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him.  His friends ran away. 

One of them denied Him. 

He was turned over to His enemies. 

He went through the mockery of a trial. 

He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. 

While he was dying His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth – His coat. 

When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today He is still the centerpiece of the human race.

I am far within the mark when I say this:

All the armies that have ever marched

All the navies that ever set sail

All the parliaments that ever sat in rule

All the kings that ever reigned

All put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has this one solitary life.

Based on

~Dr. James Allan Francis

The Real Jesus and Other Sermons

© 1926 Judson Press

Merry Christmas!

P Michael Biggs

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Character and Talent

Possessing natural ability is important.  It can jump-start a career, a professional bent or a sports icon.  However, without character, that talent soon fades. 

John Wooden, legendary coach of the UCLA basketball program and the only coach in history able to boast of 88 consecutive wins knows a bit about character and talent. 

How did John Wooden become John Wooden?  He had a profound sense of integrity – or character, as is our focus today.

“I believe ability can get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.  It is easy to begin thinking you can just turn it on automatically, without proper preparation.  It takes real character to keep working as hard or even harder once you’re there.  When you read about an athlete or team that wins over and over, remember - More than ability, they have character.”

~John Wooden

Character gets a person out of bed and into the practice room.

Character helps one focus on the immediate job at hand – a difficult passage, a messy measure.

Character drives one to perfect practice principles. 

And that, parents of the people I have grown to love, is one more reason to guide your child into habits and skill-set development that will launch their ability to realize dreams and goals regardless of the path they pursue.

Carolyn Biggs

Steps and Skips

Tips for the Developing Student