 POLLINATE: How to clean your rose-colored glasses. As we gorge ourselves on social media telling us the right way to do this, that, or the other, including the five quick steps to do this, and the top three things to do that, we are often left unsatisfied with our progress, our prognosis, and the probability of success. We seek; we find. But what did we leave behind? We reap; we sow. But where did we really go? Amidst this ever-evolving worldwide web of communities, is the world better off today than, say, 10, 15, or 20 years ago? Perhaps we are in a better place… if for no other reason than owning a wider aperture of understanding. I use the phrase “wider aperture” because I firmly believe “understanding” is NOT the path to betterment, in and of itself. In fact, like you, I am often disenchanted with politicians, religious leaders, and folks on the other side of the street. And though I’ve heard the admonishment “seek first to understand,” I’ll never understand serial killers, corrupt politicians, or perpetually pessimistic people. I see the world through a different lens. Accordingly, having rose-colored glasses is actually a good thing. Just remember: windshields, thoughts, and even rose-colored glasses eventually need cleaning. These last 10 Dares are essentially a step-by-step guide to proactively clean your rose-colored glasses throughout the day and week. Start, maintain, and end your day with these 10 practical steps to Clean Your Glasses:
Instead of seeking first to understand, I believe a much better approach is to “embrace our lack of understanding.” Why? …because understanding implies an ideological alignment of sorts... not quite an agreement, but not a total disagreement either. And some things are best left “not understood.” As an optimistic realist, I am often questioned about my religion, my favorite philosopher, and my pet peeves. Understandably, people want to know what makes me tick, and what ticks me off. Obviously, serial killers and corrupt politicians are high up on my personal no-fly list. But cynics, pessimists, and naysayers have a very special place in my heart. Why? ...because they are the forbearers and, ironically, the precursors to optimism. Indeed, if you scratch the surface of a cynic, you can usually find an idealist. And idealism is just a quick hop, and a small hope from optimism. The big question is, “How do we get from Here to There?” The answer: Pollination. You, your shared opinions, and your everyday interactions are far more important than you might think. And despite the massive change that manifests itself every second of every single day, there is a very delicate balance within this unbelievably simple world in which we live. Accordingly, like the busy bees constantly going about their daily routine while simultaneously, inadvertently changing the entire world through cross-pollination… you and everyone we meet literally create causes and subsequent effects that literally change the world. (In a previous draft of this blog posting, I used the phrase, “CAN change the world.” However, in reality, everything we do DOES change the world. E V E R Y T H I N G !) With your help, your energy, and your energetic self… we can plant, pollinate, and fertilize the seeds of a world where people understand the true meaning of prosperity, which is from the Old Latin phrase pro spere, which means "according to expectation." Thus, I ask you to do just one thing today: HOPE. Set your expectations high. Hope is not a solution, but it’s definitely a good start. If you are hopeful, you are already plenty prosperous. And if you don’t believe this far-reaching fact, consider what your life would be like if you were truly hopeless. Keep in mind: things and situations are rarely hopeless… people often are. And now that you KNOW how prosperous you can be, I challenge you to help somebody, somewhere, somehow, some way to see that our vast wealth sits not in the Bank of XYZ, but rather in the corners of our mind, at the quaint intersection of Choice and Hope. One leads to the other. And without one or the other, we flail aimlessly along the highway of life, fretting about each approaching horizon. Like you, I am in the perpetual pursuit of happiness. And after years of planning, doubting, rerouting, and backtracking on my particular journey, I was treated to a mental miracle…. a wonderful map presented itself into my expecting hands. Amazingly, I found easy-to-follow instructions to the destination I was seeking. Today, I present the map to you for careful consideration and evaluation… In the final analysis, if you give happiness wherever you go, you will find it there, too. Just don’t spend all of your time looking for it. ********** Indeed… It’s all about YOU. But tell me: What’s your role in your soul, your goal, and for whom the bell tolls? Today, I dare you: POLLINATE our world with hope! Remember: Some people cause happiness WHEREVER they go. Others cause happiness WHENEVER they LEAVE. Which one are you? READ MORE…  John H. Clark III is an optimistic realist. He believes better development of leaders is what we (all) need. And to be better organizations, we need more good leaders, not followers. To build better leaders, we must start with the individual (you, she, he, and me). Described as “an innovative leader,” John teaches leaders, organizations, and individuals how to inspire each other. With a bold goal to inspire a worldwide community of optimistic realists who continuously accept, adapt to, and achieve the bold and beautiful concept of The Ideal Life, John is leading a movement to inspire people to apply his trademarked mantra {Accept. Adapt. Achieve! ®}. An innovative business manager and retired naval officer, John is fascinated by leaders and organizations that make the greatest impact within their organizational culture and within the “real” world — people who “get it.” Over the course of his life as a military leader, corporate mentor, and innovative content creator, John has discovered a wealth of insight about how we think, act and communicate within our respective work/life environments. As a career naval officer, mentor, educator, and optimistic realist, he has devoted his life to sharing insights to assist in our quests to become better at what we all do – live @ work! An optimist with a penchant for writing about realistic solutions to the challenges of everyday life, John is the author of 3 books: a leadership-development insider, "The Ideal: Your guide to An Ideal Life," a teen-focused guide, "Getting Out: Expert Advice for Today’s Teens," and the Christian-based book, "God’s Heartbeat: A Powerful Premise for Leading a Christian Life." He delivers a unique and refreshing point of view to life's seemingly overwhelming situations. Through books, blogs, and everyday conversation, John's message resonates with an empowering blend of ideals that enrich, uplift, and “authorize” people to set and achieve goals far beyond current mindsets. His trademarked phrase is a winner:  |
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