I grew up hearing a number of phrases that today’s generation might find strange … probably based on the fact that they haven’t heard them at all. Some of those phrases might be “corny” by today’s standards and some are certainly outdated in our current chaotic environment.

However, there are a few classic phrases that I think we should resurrect, use regularly, and encourage today’s generation to do the same. One that comes to mind a great deal these days is: “Respect Your Elders.”

I was introduced to those words of wisdom at a very young age and practiced them all my life. Let me define the word “elders” as it was explained to me. An “elder” was anyone older than myself … be it a year older or decades older. There are a number of reasons for respecting elders.

1. They are full of hard-earned wisdom. Listen to them and learn. They may not be computer-literate or very interested in technical gadgets, but they certainly did not make it to old age without picking up a little wisdom along the way.
2. In most cases, life has given the elderly a broad scope of knowledge that they are more than willing to share. They have already experienced most things that the middle and younger generations are going through right now and could give valuable advice if only they were asked.
3. Talk to the elderly; tap into that wisdom. Talk about love, life, human nature, children, finances, politics, dreams and family. They will be glad to impart some of their wisdom they worked so hard to obtain.

Many young people today scornfully tell the elderly that they don’t know anything or that their time has passed. People are heard talking down to the elderly as if their age has taken away their intelligence. Others are seen yelling out their car windows at older drivers who choose to drive at the speed limit rather than over the speed limit. Some folks even take advantage of older people financially by scamming them out of their life savings … a far cry from showing respect.

It is so sad that this is a world where a simple thing like respect is fading away.

Starting within, families should learn to say again “Respect your elders” and demand compliance until it becomes a part of who they are, and until showing respect is as natural as blinking or breathing. Respect or honor for elders is a value that should be passed on from generation to generation. It should be taught to all children beginning at an early age, and those children should be told to teach their children.

If given the time and opportunity, I could produce volumes sharing the wisdom my elders have provided to me over the years. I’m sure most everyone could do the same. While what we have learned may differ, the value certainly does not.

If YOU are an elder, please continue to share. We need your experience and wisdom more today than at any other time in our history. If YOU have exposure to elders, do yourself a favor — dedicate time, listen and learn, and benefit far beyond your wildest expectations.

View this short video for one of many examples of the wisdom we can garner from our elders.

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

We hear a lot today about “Thinking out of the Box,” “Re-framing,” and “Creative Innovation” and yet, when we seem to need it the most, we see very few examples of it. Our nation’s Capital seems to be a perfect example of a barren wasteland when it comes to creative thinking that can solve our current problems and deal with our growing challenges.

That’s interesting when they seem to be so well-versed in creating new ways to spend our money, increase our debt, and tax our citizens.

We’re fast approaching a point that will require RADICAL THINKING to achieve the necessary turn-around that can return this great nation to the success, respect, and peace of mind we once enjoyed.

Those who are there now, on both sides of the aisle, obviously need some practice in this new way of thinking. They actually need to consider reversing their current thinking patterns. Maybe the following exercise may be of assistance to them.

Reverse Thinking

Let’s start with an exercise that examines the way we currently live our lives!

Life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time, all your weekends, and what do you get at the end of it? … Death … a great reward!

I think the life cycle is all backwards. You should die first, get that out of the way, then you live 20 years in an old-age home.

You get kicked out when you’re too young, you retire, and then go to work. You work 40 years until you’re too young to enjoy your retirement.

Then you go to college, you do drugs, you do alcohol and you party every night until you’re ready for high school.

You go to high school, you go to grade school, you become a child, you play, you have no responsibilities, you become a baby, you return to your mother’s womb, you spend your last 9 months floating around in the comfort of darkness and silence and you finish off as a gleam in someone’s eye!

Sounds better, doesn’t it?

Now maybe they can begin to consider how they’re currently governing and the necessary changes which need to occur, Let’s hope so — before it’s too late!

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

I remember, with great fondness, so many life lessons learned at the knee of my cherished grandfather. It seems like only yesterday … and yet, today I find myself sharing that valuable wisdom with my own grandchildren. In addition, I’ve been able to add some personal insight of my own.

It recently dawned on me that this challenge is actually a great responsibility. I happen to possess a number of pieces which can be used to complete the “legacy puzzle” for my 9 grandchildren.

And yet I wonder if my words might fall on deaf ears. After all, I am a “Senior Citizen” these days … even though I can’t remember much of the rapid journey which brought me to this stage of my life.

Senior Citizens are constantly being criticized for every conceivable deficiency of the modern world, real or imaginary. I know we take responsibility for all we have done and do not blame others. However, upon reflection, I would like to point out that it was NOT Senior Citizens who took:

• The melody out of music,
• The pride out of appearance,
• The courtesy out of driving,
• The romance out of love,
• The commitment out of marriage,
• The responsibility out of parenthood,
• The togetherness out of the family,
• The learning out of education,
• The service out of patriotism,
• The Golden Rule from rulers,
• The nativity scene out of cities,
• The civility out of behavior,
• The refinement out of language,
• The dedication out of employment,
• The prudence out of spending,
• The ambition out of achievement or
• God out of government and school.

And we certainly are NOT the ones who eliminated patience and tolerance from personal relationships and interactions with others!

In addition, we do understand the meaning of patriotism and remember those who have fought and died for our country. Does anyone under the age of 50 know the lyrics to the “Star Spangled Banner”? Just look at the Seniors with tears in their eyes and pride in their hearts as they stand at attention with their hand over their hearts!

Remember… Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what in the world happened.

YES, I’M A SENIOR CITIZEN!

I’m the life of the party … even if it lasts until 8 p.m.

I’m very good at opening childproof caps … with a hammer.

I’m awake many hours before my body allows me to get up.

I’m smiling all the time because I can’t hear a thing you’re saying.

I’m sure everything I can’t find is in a safe secure place, somewhere.

I’m wrinkled, saggy, lumpy, and that’s just my left leg.

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

I’m very much aware that other people’s grandchildren aren’t as cute or smart as mine.

I’m not really grouchy … I just don’t like traffic, waiting, crowds, lawyers, loud music, unruly kids, stupid commercials, barking dogs, politicians and a few other things I can’t seem to remember right now.

I’m having trouble remembering simple words like …

I’m beginning to realize that aging is NOT for wimps.

I’m sure they are making adults much younger these days, and when did they let kids become policemen and doctors?

I often wonder, if you’re only as old as you feel, how could I be alive at 150?

I’m a walking storeroom of facts … I’ve just lost the key to the storeroom door.

Yes, I’m a SENIOR CITIZEN, and I’m having the time of my life.

I simply pray that I can impart a fraction of the wisdom to my grandchildren that my grandfather shared with me. That challenge tops my Bucket List.

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

What if you discovered something that could possibly affect most every aspect of your life in a very positive way? Would you act on it? Apparently NOT!

There is something that meets that description, and you’re probably already aware of it. You simply don’t believe it! And that’s your choice.

As a professional speaker, I’ve been exposed to videos, audio tapes, books, magazines, and some of the greatest speakers in the business singing the praises of a “Positive Attitude.” I’ve spoken to tens of thousands of people on the subject myself over the years.

I’ve lost count of the stories of actual accounts where “attitude,” good or bad, made a decisive difference in the lives of people from all walks of life.

And most of us have heard the many platitudes which have been passed down from generation to generation:

“Two men looked out through prison bars; one saw mud, the other, stars.”
~ James Allen

“Life is 10% what you make it, and 90% how you take it.”
~ Irving Berlin

“Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure.”
~ Norman Vincent Peale

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
~ Zig Ziglar

And the list goes on and on. Millions of dollars have been generated spreading this message, and numerous studies have proven that your attitude can and does affect your:

• Behavior
• Relationships
• Communication
• Will to Live
• Mental Health
• Aging Process
• Physical Health
• Career Advancement
• Emotional Health
• Academic Advancement

If that’s true, why do we see so many people demonstrating negative attitudes today? Think about it. Visualize a typical day in your life. As you experience that day, from the time you get up until the time you go to bed, do you witness more people with positive attitudes or negative attitudes?

Attitude is defined as a way of looking at life; a way of thinking, feeling, or behaving.

Of course, there are numerous situations in today’s chaotic environment that can easily lead to a negative attitude. However, it’s also obvious that possessing a positive attitude creates much better outcomes in those situations.

Then why don’t more of us try that approach?

Did you hear about the importance of maintaining a positive attitude while in grade school? … middle school? … high school? … or college? Most of us didn’t, and why not if it affects every aspect of your life? Did you learn about it in Sunday School or from your parents or grandparents? Or did you learn it on your own through trial and error?

Here’s a better question. How are your children and/or grandchildren learning this very valuable lesson? That’s a powerful responsibility for each of us. If you haven’t started as yet, here’s a short, inspiring video that provides you with 7 Simple Rules for Staying Positive.

Try them yourself for a week or two and then pass them on to a member of today’s younger generation. Let’s see if we can make an impact!

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

How many times have we heard that bit of wisdom about slowing down to smell the roses? It’s been around a very long time. Many songs and articles have been written on the subject. Books have been based on the fundamental message, and the advice has been passed on from generation to generation.

Most everyone has heard it, but how many have truly heeded the advice to avoid procrastination before it’s too late? How many people, in the last days of their lives, have looked back and said, “I wish I would have spent more time at work and less time involved with my children, parents, loved ones and friends?”

This is another perfect example of the failure to close the knowing-doing gap! We know exactly what we should be doing but actually fail to do it — time and time again.

Some of us don’t learn until very late in our lives and some never learn this valuable lesson at all. Read the following true story and give some serious thought to the moral of the story. Hopefully it will cause you to re-evaluate your philosophy of what’s really important in your life.

Discuss the story with a friend and/or family member and then pass it on to others. It’s certainly a message worth sharing.

What are YOU Missing?

A man sat at a metro station … in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.

Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.

A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.

A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.

The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.

In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.

Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.

This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?

One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:

If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

As we approach another election year, we’re hearing from the current administration and all of the current candidates that they can and will engineer a recovery. I’m not certain the average American is buying this recovery rhetoric … and I certainly can’t blame them. We’ve all been there and heard those promises far too often.

Stocks and corporate profits may be rising and the economy may be expanding a bit. However, far too many Americans feel left behind. The problems remain frustrating … joblessness, home foreclosures, and the growing ranks of the long-term unemployed.

8.7 million people lost their jobs during the recession … think about that number! Sadly, more than 7.3 million are still without work. There are still nearly five job seekers for every job opening.

Washington politicians tell us that it will be years before the economy puts all those folks back to work. That’s probably true if we depend on them to make it happen.

Many, however, have decided to avoid reliance upon empty promises and instead have chosen to engineer their own comeback.

The rules are somewhat simple … the execution a bit more challenging. However, chances for successful outcomes are greater than waiting for others to do the job for you. Take a look …

Comeback Rule #1:

Refuse to die. Those with the character to triumph in the end tend not to allow the indignity of failure to force them down. Those who come back accept disaster, laugh in its face, and crawl to their feet again.

Comeback Rule #2:

Decide to fight. Those who come back have an inner sense of justice that refuses to be violated. They manage their emotions, reminding themselves of where they’ve been and why they’re here, and resolve that nothing will stop them.

Comeback Rule #3:

Get clever. Savvy fighters won’t make the same mistake twice. They accept the hard rules of the real world, analyze how they wound up on their back, and chart a course around the problem. Often as not, they turn trouble to their advantage.

Comeback Rule #4:

Focus, focus, focus! Once you’re on your way, don’t look up and don’t look back. A hundred distractions, doubts, and setbacks will haunt someone recovering from disaster. The true champion rolls with the punches and keeps coming back for more.

Comeback Rule #5:

Enjoy the ride. The reward for those making a comeback is to see their vision come to life in the real world. And they enjoy the deep confidence of one who had fought his way through hell and emerged to see the stars.

Begin your journey today!

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management.  For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.