Doing What Others Will Not

I have an acquaintance through the social media tool called Twitter. His Twitter name is @indiemoviemaker and is a filmmaker and actor. I'd recommend reading his blog to learn more about what he went through a couple of years ago. Also, do that thing I talk about so much; encourage, support, tell others.

Now even though we know each other through Twitter, I would not be bold enough to use the word friends. I really like the guy for as much as I know him through Twitter. Yet all we know of each other are our brief conversations and reading each others blogs and websites. Besides, I wouldn't presume to be known as a 'friend' simply because I follow his updates.

One day maybe we will have the opportunity to have a beer together, in person. At that point, maybe we will become good friends. But in following David, I sense his commitment to success, doing what he has to do in the pursuit of his dream. He reminds me of a quote from Albert E.N. Gray, that reads “The common denominator of success --- the secret of success of every man who has ever been successful --- lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing things that failures don't like to do.”

Each of us will determine our level of success by what we are willing to do. I'm not talking about the moral or ethical choices because I believe you should always take the high road on those two subjects. What I am talking about is the hard work that is required. The hard choices one must make to continue on their chosen path. It could mean taking a job you don't want in order to support short term your goals. It could mean giving up certain comforts such as a nice car or expensive living arrangements.

As the quote reads, it is in doing those things necessary that failures would rather not do. We build ourselves and what may seem like two steps back is actually going to push us ahead even further.

There is no way I can predict @indiemovemaker...excuse me, David's success. I can only encourage and wish him great success. I feel he will achieve it, but it takes the hard work from him, the hard choices and sustained belief in himself that will actually propel him to greatness.

Be willing to do what others will not. Then you will find yourself on a path to success.

Operation Make A Difference

This is a heart warming story that I hope will move you to make a small contribution. The story comes from 11Alive here in the greater Atlanta area. So read the story, watch the video and then go to Operation Gracyn and make a difference.

LOGANVILLE, Ga. -- In the town of Loganville, so many in the community have reached out to help a four-year-old girl with cerebral palsy.

The girl is Gracyn Rhodes, and she was born at just 2 lbs., 6 oz. eleven weeks ahead of schedule. Her mother, Brandi, says doctors told her that night Gracyn would be "lucky to make it through the night."

Gracyn made it through the night, but she was developmentally slow and two years later diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The two years since have been filled with therapy, injections, and braces -- even though Gracyn has learned to walk relatively well without them.

But she still struggles and falls frequently. Her family believes they have found the answer in a rare surgery called SDR; it helps with the spasticity and only applies a few CP patients.

But Gracyn falls into that group.

The surgery costs $40,000 and is best done in St. Louis; insurance won't cover out-of-state surgery, so the family has turned to the community in Loganville.

And the community has responded.

In less than a month, the people of Loganville have contributed roughly $14,000 to Gracyn. But, of course, that's not nearly enough, and Gracyn's parents are hoping to have raised the full $40,000 before their daughter's surgery in October.

Please go to www.operationgracyn.com to find out more and donate to the cause.

(Click to play the add...then click play again to see the news story)

Sick

Apologies, had a stomach virus that put me down for the day. But I'm back on Friday for certain.

The Good Life

Do we already have what we want or need in life?



It is a great day, enjoy a good life.
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