Last night at the University of Minnesota Men’s Basketball game, Coach Tubby Smith presented senior guard Lawrence Westbrook with a commemorative basketball in honor of Westbrook joining the “1,000 Point Club.” This occurred at center court prior to the game with much applause and many photos. I commented to my wife that, “He will cherish that ball and the photograph for the rest of his life.”

Westbrook earned the ball not for anything he did yesterday, but for what happened over the last three and a half years. The photograph merely captured a moment of glory, which represented many hours of hard work leading up to the resulting achievement and subsequent honor. However, that photo becomes a touchstone for Westbrook that will always remind him of his achievement, and the dedication, choices, and actions that led to this moment in time.

Consider this question:

“Will you cherish the photograph of what you did today for the rest of your life?””

The things we do are a reflection of what we think about. So what did you think about today, and what did you do about it? Some additional questions are in order:

• “Did I work for the best interest of my clients?”
• “Did I treat them with respect, while seeking to help them make good decisions?”
• “Did I treat my colleagues and staff with respect and did I help them serve our clients while bettering themselves?”
• “Did I tell my story to new relationships to allow them the benefit of my services?”
• “Did I do these things without sacrificing my integrity or my family values?

Make certain that the photograph this day of your life includes you with a smile upon your face, for you did the things you needed to do today to serve those who depend upon you.

To Lawrence Westbrook: Never forget that night, not because of the destination, but because of the journey that led you there. The lessons you learned will help you continue to achieve, no matter what dreams and goals you pursue.

To You: What do YOU choose to do TODAY?

Good selling!

In Thomas Merton’s autobiography, The Seven Storey Mountain, Merton is pondering his life’s work. At some point in their lives, successful people struggle with their purpose, goals, and direction. In a conversation with his friend and mentor, Robert Lax, Merton is confronted by Lax, who suggests Merton should aim higher with his ambitions than being a writer:

“’What you should say’- [Lax] told me-“what you should say is that you want to be a saint.’”

“’By wanting to,’ said Lax.”

If you are to do great things, you must first choose to do great things. This is not always easy, not always fun. However it is simple. In his famous speech titled, “The Common Denominator of Success,” first delivered in 1940 at the NALU Convention in Philadelphia, Albert E. N. Gray uttered a timeless truth:

“The common denominator of success — the secret of success of every [person] who has ever been successful — lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things that failures don’t like to do.”

So what do you choose? Will it be to aim higher? You must first decide, then gather your resources, develop a strategy, put it into a plan, then do it. As I said, a decision for greatness is not always easy, but very simple.

It’s time. Make the decision. Choose.

On my way home one day, I stopped to watch a Little League base ball game that was being played in a park near my home. As I sat down behind the bench on the first-base line, I asked one of the boys what the score was. “We’re behind 14 to nothing,” he answered with a smile. “Really,” I said. “I have to say you don’t look very discouraged.” “Discouraged?”, the boy asked with a puzzled look on his face. “Why should we be discouraged? We haven’t been up to bat yet.”
Never quit. Never give up.