YOU Should Do This 😊, But I Bet YOU Won’t ☹️
Paul White's nationally distributed syndicated column, “YOU Should Do This 😊, But I Bet YOU Won’t ☹️” is published in 22 publications across seven states. This includes the following newspapers and digital publications: Midland Daily News (MI), SFGate (CA), Seattle PI (WA), Connecticut Post (CT), Laredo Morning Times (TX), Huron Daily Tribune (MI), The Telegraph (IL), and more. In this week's article, Paul encourages readers to explore the positive impact of creating a personal Philosophy of Life.
Why? Two reasons: It takes time and it’s not easy. Think about it, pretty much everything you do each day is fast and easy. Life controlled by our use of the internet every minute of every day has demanded ever-increasing speed of experience brought about through a minimal effort. Fast and easy is the expectation. When was the last time you had a conversation about the value of patience and the value of attempting something difficult…said no one ever (well, maybe just since we went from dial-up internet to instant access to everything internet).
Fact is, I’ve already lost some people for not identifying in the very first sentence what the “This” is in the title of the article. For the people I’ve lost, how can I communicate that their lack of patience created a great loss of a valuable life tool that could immediately improve their life? If you’re still reading, hang with me here. Remember, YOUR LIFE IS IMPORTANT! It’s best that I explain the meaning of the “This” I’m asking you to do in the title through a very short story. That way, you’re more likely to remember it and take action that forces me to lose my bet that you won’t (I’m hoping I lose).
A few months ago, I met a man who was about to have a powerful positive impact on my life. His name? Jack Krasula. Jack has a weekly radio show on “WJR-AM-Newstalk 760… The Great Voice of the Great Lakes” (wjr.com) and had requested to interview me on his show regarding my recently published book. Since the request, we’ve spent some quality time together getting to know each other so the interview can be of great value to Jack’s audience.
While Jack may be famous in a lot of different circles from business to sports to faith to social and more, there’s one area of his life that fascinates me more than all the others combined. Jack has a collection of single sheets of paper that contain individuals’ “Philosophy of Life.”
This collection includes Presidents Ford, Carter, G. Bush, and G.W. Bush. It includes Lou Holtz, Jack Nicklaus, Dick Vitale, Mario Andretti, Ernie Harwell, and Merlin Olsen. Also, Mary Kay, Zig Ziglar, Gale Sayers, Norman Vincent Peale, Edsel Ford II, Dr. Ben Carson, Chuck Colson, Pope Francis, Nick Vujicic, and many more. It’s worth the time to look up any names you may not immediately recognize. I was given the privilege of reading each of the above-named individual’s PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE. I was blown away by the insight and wisdom each person offered on a single sheet of paper.
Here's where things get interesting. Jack has requested that I take a single sheet of paper and write my own “Philosophy of Life” on it. Why? Because it’s one of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves and the people we love. Granted, it’s taking me a lot of time to think deeply about what I’m willing to commit to and it’s not as easy as I would have hoped. Why? Because I feel like the next ten generations related to me are going to utilize what I commit to on that single sheet of paper. And they should. After all, it’s My Personal Philosophy of Life. It defines who I am, what I believe in, how I treat others, what’s most important to me, and where I spend my time. And remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression (especially after we join the departed).
This can truly be a profound moment in my life. Fact is, I’m enjoying taking my time going through the deep thought process of this exercise. I can’t wait for the finished product. As soon as I finish it, I can begin to figure out how best to provide evidence each day that I LIVE BY MY PHILOSOPHY! If I can’t prove it every day, I’ve wasted a sheet of paper and the time I invested. Get it? The reason it takes so much time and effort is that it’s SOOO worthwhile in helping us lead a better life each and every day. Having a Philosophy of Life provides a simplistic process designed to bring us joy, hope, love, and gratitude. It’s a roadmap offering a path of compassion, caring for others ahead of ourself, and aiding others whenever an opportunity arises.
So how about it? Ready to commit to writing down your own Philosophy of Life on a single sheet of paper? A friend of mine recently gave me a saying that I’m including on my own. Maybe it will help you get a jump-start on yours. The saying is: Do as much good as you can, for as many as you can, for as long as you can. That’s a saying any of us should be glad to pass on to the next ten generations related to us, wouldn’t you agree? So, give yourself a very special gift. One that won’t be fast and easy, but WILL be so worthwhile. It will be one that will provide joy, hope, love, and gratitude along with a pathway to living a wonderful life, which is what we all truly want. And please don’t read this and tell me you’ll do it later. Do it right now! You deserve to give yourself this gift right now. Ignore the title of this article…I’m actually betting you WILL write your own Philosophy of Life on a single sheet of paper! Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!
PS…You can hear my interview with Jack Krasula’s show “Anything is Possible” on Sunday, November 12th from 6:05p-7:00p by listening live to wjr.com. You won’t want to miss it!
In addition to being a nationally syndicated columnist, Paul White is an author, motivational and inspirational speaker, entrepreneur, podcaster, and life coach located in Midland, Michigan. His new book, “The Answer Discovery – How to Change the World by Helping Others…and Ourselves,” is available to purchase today. If you’re interested in getting in touch with Paul, please submit an inquiry via our Contact Page.