Weakness or Strength

This is the story of a 10-year-old boy who decided to study Judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in an accident.The boy began lessons with an old Japanese Judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.

“Master,” the boy finally said, “Shouldn't I be learning more moves?”

“This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you’ll ever need to know.” – The Master replied.
The boy was not able to understand the logic behind it, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the Master took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy skilfully used his one move to win the match. Still astonished by his success, the boy was now in the finals of the championship.

This time, his rival was bigger, stronger, and more veteran. For a while, the boy appeared to be over matched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the Master intervened.

“No,” the Master insisted, “Let him continue.”

Soon after the match resumed, his rival made a vital mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.

On the way home, the boy and the Master reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.

“Master, how did I win the tournament with only one move?”

“Dear son, you won for two reasons,” the Master answered. “First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defence for that move is for your opponent to grip your left arm.”

Sometimes we have some weakness but we think it’s an end of the road. But true Master (God) knows what we can do with that. The only thing we should trust our Master and follow his instructions.

As boy’s biggest weakness had become his biggest strength. Sometimes our biggest weakness can become our biggest strength.

A glass of Milk, paid in Full by

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.

Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water. She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk.

He drank it slowly, and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness.”

He said, “Then I thank you from my heart.”

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit.

Year’s later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room.

Dressed in his doctor’s gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge and the bill was sent to her room.

She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She began to read the following words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk.

Signed, Dr. Howard Kelly.”

Author Unknown

Reorganizational strategies for work and life

Do you know someone juggling a million different projects, yet looks fit, healthy, happy and is somehow reliably there to tuck their kids into bed? They have day jobs, yet they’re always looking to the next thing. They go on vacations, or run successful businesses on the side, or have heavily demanding jobs that they love.

I want to be one of like those people.

But how do they do it? Of course, the key is no big secret once you dig in, they’re still living to the same clock as you or I; we all have he exact same hours and minutes in a day. These people simply have amazing time management skills and are focused on the things they want to accomplish. I've learned in studying 1000's of successful entrepreneurs that most of this success comes from being extremely organized.

Here are a few things I'm working on in my life to have a healthier and more organized life:

1. Organize with a realistic goal in mind.

People who try to make a significant change in their lives with only an abstract idea of their goal find themselves falling back to their old habits. There are thousands of reasons why people may want to organize or re-organize their lives. Perhaps you want to be a better boss or just have a little bit more time at night with your kids. Whatever your goal, it should be fully visualized and attainable with small, actionable, day-to-day steps.

2. Refocus your schedule on your most important daily priorities.

Your schedule reflect your goals. Right now, my goal is to be more fit. I mark everyday from 11-12 to go to the gym. I have to schedule this time so that I go. It's the same with dinner time at home or going out with your spouse. If you don't prioritize it, it generally doesn't happen.

Cal Newport, who runs the Study Hacks Blog, recommends scheduling every minute of the day the night before (what he calls Time Blocking) to maximize your productivity by avoiding time wasted time between tasks. That puts you in control of the time you dedicate to creative endeavors.

3. Automate whatever possible.

Some things some of us do daily or weekly don’t deserve our time. Updating your computer, planning meals and even household shopping can be automated, depending on how much you’re able and willing to pay for the convenience. Setting up an automated payment plan for your bills is a no-brainer, and you’ll save money by never paying late fees!

4. The KonMari method is a huge overhaul and a new frame of mind.

For an organizational overhaul there’s no better guide than The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Japanese “organizing consultant” Marie Kondo. The has swept over the world with a wave of joy-sparking decluttering ideas.

The KonMari method is elegantly simple: get rid of anything you own that no longer sparks joy in your life, from items in your wardrobe to kitchen gadgets. Once that's out of the way, reorganize your items to fit your most practical life. The KonMari method includes respecting your belongings by teaching you to properly thank the items to be discarded for their service and giving more respectful treatment to the items you keep (“Never, ever ball up your socks… They take a brutal beating in their daily work”).

Regardless if it sounds a little dippy, those who have committed to the Konmari treatment are overwhelmingly supportive about its results.

5. Pursue one ambitious organizational goal at a time.

After applying the method above, give yourself a little break. I recommend a day. This allows you to settle into your new decluttered environment, get familiar with your newly re-empowered items, and learn to live with a cleaner home and office. Then, try to implement organizational goals one at a time.

It takes at least 21 days for a new habit to form, whether it’s as small as making your bed every morning to working out every day, so go slowly and don't overwhelm yourself.

6. Don't interrupt important work looking at your smartphone.

Anyone, even the most organized, laser-focused worker bee is susceptible to FOMO (fear of missing out), Internet addiction, and mobile rabbit holes. The insidious nature of smartphones befall all who bow at the altars of the Android and Apple gods, which is why the key to a focused workday is a hard and fast rule: put away your phone.

Don’t even look at it. Nothing that can be transmitted in a pop-up notification can’t be checked later, and you risk derailing ten minutes to checking it, checking your feeds, clicking on a catchy headline, commenting on it, then waiting for a response. Stay socially active by scheduling time to check your Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram. Keep a timer running -- in the next room, if you have to.

7. Talking remains the most efficient way to communicate.

The fewer emails you send out, the fewer emails you have to check! It’s much more efficient to pick up the phone or walk down the hall to talk with coworkers and clients whenever practical. By getting the answer you need on the spot, you waste less time waiting for a response.

JOHN RAMPTON
Entrepreneur