How to win every argument

MacLeod has trained me
to agree with her always

Do you and the people you love often disagree?
Relax. Most of us do. Or we would be spineless.
My wife is a woman with strong convictions.
It's natural that we sometimes disagree.
It’s not the end of the world.
It may even clear the air.
The secret is to find ways for both of you to win.
Here are nine tips to help you make that happen.
1. Don’t ignore an issue.
Face up to it and discuss it.
2. Timing is critical.
Discuss it when neither of you are angry.
3. Choose words carefully.
You can’t take them back.
4. Make no assumptions.
Ask why the other person feels that way.
5. Listen to their reasoning.
You might learn something important.
6. Be willing to see their side.
They have a side of the story, too.
7. Agree to disagree.
That’s a real sign of respect.
8. Be flexible.
That’s a sign of maturity.
9. Find a solution you both can accept.
That’s a win-win for both of you.
Share these nine tips with your loved ones.
Practice them together the next time you disagree.
Strong-willed people have minds of their own.
Believe me, there will be a next time.

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For more on your purpose in life, please click here.

Your work is important

Dave Evans believes
God gave us our work

We are all born with great purposes.
We come with no instruction manual.
We have to figure out our purposes.
Electronics engineer Dave Evans says your work is truly holy.
Genesis says all of us are created in God’s image.
That can make all that we do holy.
Remember that when you’re tempted to stray.
Evans says we are called to be God’s co-creators.
Our mission is to create a florishing life on earth.
This is a powerful concept to take to work.
Evans calls work “a profound act”.
Practicing faith at work means being ethical.
It means valuing your work for its own sake.
Seeing it as a higher calling, not just a job.
We spend a third of our lives or more at work.
Work should be fulfilling and satisfying.
It should give us joy and a sense of mission.
It should make us feel closer to our Maker.
We should see it as a service to our higher calling.
It is the work God has given us.
Make the most of it today - and into the future.
You can discover more on your purpose in life.
My book “Your Life’s Great Purpose” will help you.
Click here for your own autographed copy

Your great purposes in life

Two kids from Illinois found
each other and the White House

I’ve been reading a little book on President Reagan.
It arrived from Tremendous Life Books the other day.
The timing was great as it was Reagan’s 100th birthday.
It’s “The Great Communicator” by Greg Rothman.
Reagan had a firm belief that God had a plan for him.
He missed out on a job in a sporting goods department.
That led to a chance to broadcast Chicago Cubs games.
That took him to California for spring training.
An agent arranged a screen test and 7-year contract.
He became The Gipper in “Knute Rockne, All American”. His first wife’s public affair ended their marriage.
She also won custody of their two children.
He felt like the two-time loser of all time.
Then he met Nancy Davis, another kid from Illinois.
Both were interested in politics - and each other.
He made three runs for the Presidency.
He didn’t give up. The third time was the charm.
Four years of double digit everything paved the way.
Reagan brought new hope to Americans.
Without him, we might still be in a Cold War.
Like you, he had his share of disappointments in life.
He did not let them stop him. God had a plan for him.
God has a plan for all of us. Listen and watch.
That plan is working right now, wherever you are.
You, too, have great purposes in life.

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What sacrifices will you make?

Dave Brubeck paid his dues
as a modern jazz innovator

Paying your dues means being willing to endure hardship.
Hardship separates the passionate from the also-rans.
Jazz pianst and composer Dave Brubeck is an example.
Brubeck grew up on a California cattle ranch.
But Army service convinced him music was his calling.
His father tried to convince him to live the ranch life.
Not Brubeck. Music was his drive and his passion.
He studied with composor Darius Milhaud.
Milhaud convinced him to keep pursuing his music.
He picked up what money he could in jazz bookings.
Jazz musicians do what they do for love, not money.
He and his wife Iola made do with very little.
His butcher gave him beef bones to make soup.
He picked up discarded fruit and vegetables at a market.
He made two of the most popular jazz albums of all time.
They are “Take Five” and “Time Out”.
Now at age 90, Brubeck is widely respected for his music.
He lives the comfortable life of one who paid his dues.
He feels his father would be happy with how he turned out.
Paying your dues is an important early test in life.
Don’t be discouraged by hardship.
Don’t be tempted by easy ways out.
Are you are willing to sacrifice for your calling in life?
If you aren’t, it probably isn’t much of a calling.
You are a person of character and intelligence.
Your gut instinct should tell you which it is.

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Setting your 2011 priorities

From here you can see
the forest and the trees

My friend Steve Prinsen wrote the other day.
Our friend Ken Blum had visited his newspaper.
Ken coaches newspaper owners.
Steve felt overwhelmed.

He wondered where to start.
So much good stuff to do but when can I do it all?

The answer: Maybe never.
But setting priorities is the first big step.

Mark Twain said eat a big frog each morning.
He meant to tackle the Big Payoff project first.
Don’t let the little busy stuff get in your way.
Set your priorities on the Big Frogs on your list.
Don’t worry about getting caught up this year.

You ought to see the goals on my 2011 list.
But I’ve broken them down by quarter.
I’ve plugged them into my calendar.
Will I finish them all in 2011? Probably not.
But I'll make sure the Big Payoff ones get done.

Setting priorities helps us focus on two things:
1. Our vision - the Big Picture in our minds.
2. All the steps we need to take to get there.
You might call that seeing the forest and the trees.
Priorities carry you through the forest.
Priorities are the bread crumbs to guide you.
Want a copy of my Big Project Planning Guide?
Email me at JerryBellune@yahoo.com.

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