Well, I know it's not Father's Day yet, but I did stumble over this in my inbox and didn't want to hold onto it any longer. I think it is good, no matter what the day. And good for both boys & girls.
So many times we lose sight of how powerful our words and actions are. We lose sight of how important people are in our lives. We lose sight that life is not just about what we can cross off the list at the end of the day. We lose sight that it should be more about what we ADD to the day.
ADD a smile
ADD a laugh
ADD a touch
ADD a kind word
ADD a minute with your children/loved one
ADD something beautiful
Fatherly
advice as we celebrate dads by Harvey Mackay
There
was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told
him that every time he lost his temper, to hammer a nail in the back fence. The
first week the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. It gradually dwindled
down as he discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails
into the fence.
Finally
the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. His father suggested
that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his
temper until all the nails were gone.
Then
the father led him to the fence and said, "You have done well, my son, but
look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say
things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. A verbal wound is as bad
as a physical one."
With
Father's Day coming up Sunday, June 16, I'd like to share some of the fatherly
advice I received while growing up and especially getting my start in business.
Jack
Mackay taught me about time management. I still remember him telling me if you
want to go fishing tomorrow, be on the dock at 2 p.m. sharp. There I was at
2:05 p.m., waving bon voyage to my dad who was driving away in the boat without
his fishing buddy. Tough love, lesson learned.
My dad
insisted that 25 percent of my time should be spent on volunteering, advice
I've continued to follow. In addition to the benefit to the organization, you
have an unusual opportunity to hone your selling skills, learn how to run
meetings, prepare reports, serve on committees, supervise others, handle
rejection and many other skills that can help you in your career, all while
serving your community.
One of
the most powerful things you can do to influence others is to smile at them, my
dad said. Not to be outdone, my mother used to tell me that a smile is an
inexpensive way to improve my looks, "If you're happy, tell your
face."
About
reputation, my dad quoted the adage, "You spend your whole lifetime
building a good name and reputation, and one foolish act can destroy it."
Dad was a big believer in aphorisms, which is why I end every column with a
Mackay's Moral.
Most
importantly, Jack Mackay taught me about networking. When I was 18, he told me
that everyone I meet should go in a Rolodex file along with a little
information about that person and then creatively keep in touch. You never know
when your paths might cross again.
Greg
Hague, an Arizona attorney and businessman, has come up with a website which he
calls Savvy Dad (savvydad.com). Every day, he features a new story from a son
or daughter on some special experience with their dad and how it positively
impacted their life. His readership is nearing 40,000. His book,
"How Fathers Change Lives," is now available at
HowFathersChangeLives.com.
Greg
shared a lesson from his father, "People focus on role models, but it's
more effective to find anti-models - people you don't want to resemble when you
grow up."
Lise
Johnson told the story of her father's devotion to her mom who became
terminally ill. When she was moved to hospice, he stayed with her around the
clock. He helped feed and bathe her. One nurse told Lise that she was engaged
when she started her mom's care, but no longer. "I didn't know devotion
like that existed in this world. I will find a man like your dad."
Our
mutual friend Randy Garn, a Utah businessman, remembered how as a 16-year-old
he asked his dad if he could borrow the car on a Friday night. His dad said
yes, but be home by 11 p.m., or the upcoming prom was at stake. Well, Randy
lost track of the time and got home after 1 a.m. He tiptoed upstairs to his
room and thought he was safe until he slid into bed and discovered be wasn't
alone! His dad was lying there waiting for him.
"I'm
not mad, but the prom is now gone," he said without anger. "Randy, I
love you so much, but unlike what you did tonight, I do what I say.
Mackay's Moral: It's
funny about fatherly advice: The better it is, the harder it is to take.
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