Thursday, September 18, 2008

Have you chosen by choice or by default?

I’ve been a student of people for many years. One thing I’ve learned is that most people don’t make active decisions.

It is easy to ponder an item until it no longer needs action.
The sale ends so you don’t have to worry about buying the car.

Someone else got the job, so I don’t have to write my resume.
It started to rain, so I can’t cut the grass. “There is a lion without, I shall be slain…” (Prov. 22:13).

More appropriately, it may be better stated by saying, I can’t apply for that job because:

“I’m too old”
“I’m too fat”
“I’m too young”
“I don’t have a college degree.”
“I‘m not a man”
“I’m too…”

You’ve heard them.
For that matter, you’ve said them. Truth be told, these reasons really don’t cut it.


I had a cousin that was a quadriplegic for 41 years. The only reason he didn’t get a job was that he couldn’t see his way to let loose of his state provided benefits.

Now, I’m not judging him, don’t jump to that conclusion.
He may have made the best decision available, but that is not the point. The point is, even a quadriplegic can do a job.

So will you make the choice?
Will you step up and do what you know needs to be done? Can be done? You want to do?

“Someone ought to ___________”, you fill in the blank.
How about you?

A number of years ago, I noticed that a friend of mine had a resume that would choke a horse.
Later, I made another friend, which had a resume that would impress almost anyone. Yet another friend inspired me to step forward and do what I could.

These 3 people, 2 women and 1 man, did one key thing.
They choose to step forward and do what they saw could be done. I decided to join them.

To make a long story short, the VP of the local Habitat for Humanity told me I was going to be the next President.
I said, “Oh no, you’ll be the next President.” That conversation took place 4 to 5 months after I had joined the group. Well, he was correct, and I was wrong. It just took 2 years to happen.

The bottom line is, you can do far more than you thought, if you will choose to step forward and do what you can.

By the way, the best way to get ahead is to do whatever it is that needs to be done.
I have seen many people get offers or promotions because “they can be counted on.”

Stand up, step up, and speak up.
Watching it on TV will not get it done, action will.

Blessings, Joe Crawford

11 comments:

Coach Maxim said...

Great post Joe!I truly enjoy your insight.Keep on "bloggin" brother!
Blessings,
Ron M

Mike Vestal said...

Excellent post Joe, Thanks for adding me as a friend on Facebook. I look forward to networking with you and sharing ideas.

Anonymous said...

There are threee kinds of people in the world.

1. People who make things happen.
2. People who watch things happen. and,
3. People who wonder WHAT HAPPENED?

Plan your work. Work your plan and make things happen.

MistrTim said...

No question about it Joe, we make our own reality. I choose to be happy today despite my challenges, thus I am happy today..and that's MY reality.
I choose to lead a charmed life, things tend to go my way, I don't have tons of negative things happen to me. That's MY CHOICE, and thus it is my reality.
I chose to enter a challenging niche of Blog Awards, with some stiff competition, but I chose that because of the competition and I choose to do things better than they do.
In the first month and because of choices, we are a PR2 and our Alexa drops every day..I can't even keep up with it. We're under 350,000 Alexa now. 1 month!
Default is not an option for me. I have made positive choices that are bringing me positive results.
Check it out! http://blognetawards.com
Choose to WIN! :-)

Anonymous said...

Joe,
I enjoyed your blog. You and I think a lot alike. I believe everything in life is a choice. Even if you don't make a choice, you choose to do nothing, which was still a choice. LOL

I teach on making choices, procrastination, motivation and action.

Keep up the good work!!!

Terri Marshall

Anonymous said...

"I LIKE IT!!! Actively living!!!!"

Karleta Wobus

Anonymous said...

Very inspiring post, Joe. Oftentimes we don't realize our true abilities and that's why we may not act.

Keep it up!

Ilka ;o)

Michael Lindsay said...

Excellent post. I had a similar post on my blog several weeks ago. Yours however is MUCH more elegant. Thanks for giving back to our community!

Michael
http://endurefort.com/blog

Anonymous said...

Fantastic blog Joe. I do believe that you have to step up to the plate when trying to move ahead in life. Though it does not mean that you will always get what you want and something may stand in the way, but it means you aren't standing on the sidelines just staring blankly at the world!

Ramia said...

I stumbled upon this today.
It was what I needed to hear at a critical junction.
Many thanks and blessinigs.
G.

Willie said...

Excellent post!