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Need a Lift? Harry K. Jones on 08 Feb 2008

“TRUE GRIT” — A Winning Philosophy

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wondered why every newspaper, magazine, and news cast contains only negative content. Think about it. No matter what you read, see or hear under the guise of NEWS, 99.9% of it refers to murder, death, crime, war, disease, scandal, etc. I’ve heard the universal answer many times: “Good news doesn’t sell. People simply aren’t interested in good news.” However, I’ve always doubted that observation and held out a little hope that others enjoyed good news as much as I did.

When I was a youngster, about 100 years ago, you could buy a colorful comic book for a mere 10¢. Today they cost anywhere from three to four dollars each. Almost every comic book contained want ads offering anything from ant farms and sea monkeys to job opportunities in the form of Christmas card sales and paper routes.

One of those ads resulted in my first “real job” other than mowing lawns at the ripe old age of 8. I considered myself a newspaper man of sorts by signing up to deliver a weekly newspaper door to door. I had to recruit my own customers from scratch using a sales pitch I developed myself. Little did I know at the time that I was one of approximately 30,000 boys collecting dimes from more than 700,000 American small town homes from coast to coast. I made 5¢ on every copy I sold, won a variety of “swell” prizes and built my route to include well over a hundred customers and several commercial partners who resold my papers in their establishment. I had no idea that what I thought was a little weekly newspaper was actually a national institution. The name of the paper was Grit and it was known as “America’s Greatest Family Newspaper.”

Grit I share this fond learning experience as a result of a pleasant shock I received during a recent visit to my local Barnes and Noble. While browsing the magazine rack, I was astounded to discover a colorful publication with the bold title of Grit adorning its cover. My initial impulse was coincidence as cherished memories flooded my mind. However, upon close and immediate scrutiny, I discovered that this magazine was indeed the descendant of the weekly classic I delivered to so many loyal readers. I immediately purchased a copy, hurried home and thoroughly perused the content before researching Google for a refreshing update of this new found treasure.

I discovered that Grit was a pioneer in the introduction of offset printing and was one of the first newspapers in the U.S. to run color photographs. At its peak in 1969, Grit had a total circulation of 1.5 million weekly copies! In September of 2006, it converted to an all-glossy, perfect-bound magazine format and a bi-monthly schedule. It is now displayed and sold at general newsstand outlets, bookstores and specialty farm feed and supply stores.

Founded in 1882, Grit is one of the longest running publications in the country and is still enjoying popularity 126 years later. What’s really ironic about that is the fact that Grit publishes only “good news,” substantiating my initial observation that there are obviously many of us who do, in fact, enjoy a positive slant on recent events.

My research also reminded me why Grit achieved classic status on a national level. I came across the age-old philosophy that might very well explain the “magic” behind this treasured piece of American tapestry. Simplistic? No doubt. Successful? No question.

Always keep Grit from being pessimistic.
Avoid printing those things which distort the minds of readers or make them feel at odds with the world.
Avoid showing the wrong side of things, or making people feel discontented.
Do nothing that will encourage fear, worry, or temptation.
Whenever possible, suggest peace and good will toward men.
Give readers courage and strength for their daily tasks.
Put happy thoughts, cheer and contentment into their hearts.

Sounds almost corny by today’s standards, doesn’t it? On the other hand, corn is a money crop today. Maybe other publications should follow suit. I’m certain that philosophy contributes greatly to the longevity of this historic publication.

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

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Need a Lift? Harry K. Jones on 26 Nov 2007

Take Time to Appreciate

Need a Lift? Last week, I spoke to you about perspective and how seldom we take the time to really think about it.

We all have our ups and downs. It’s the nature of the beast. Some days we feel as though absolutely nothing else could possibly go wrong. Who else on earth could possibly be having as bad a day? Well, the next time you find yourself entertaining such thoughts, consider the following facts, and you just might be a little more appreciative of the life you’re leading.

This morning, if you woke up healthy, then you are happier than the 1 million people that will not survive next week.
If you never suffered a war, the loneliness of the jail cell, the agony of torture, or hunger, you are happier than 500 million people in the world.
If you can enter into a church (mosque) without fear of jail or death, you are happier then 3 million people in the world.
If there is food in your fridge, you have shoes and clothes, you have a bed and a roof, you are richer then 75% of the people in the world.
If you have a bank account, money in your wallet and some coins in the money-box, you belong to the 8% of the people on the world, who are well-to-do.
If you read this, you are twice blessed because:
- you aren’t one of the 200 million people that cannot read, and
- you have a computer!

As somebody once said:
- work as if you don’t need money,
- love as if you’ve never been hurt,
- dance, as if nobody can see you,
- sing, as if no one can hear,
- and live, as if the Earth was a heaven.

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

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Need a Lift? Harry K. Jones on 14 Sep 2007

I Quit!

It’s funny how things happen sometimes. A friend recently sent me one of those cute “smile makers” that seem to manage to get you though your day.

The unique thing about this one was the timing. It was waiting for me upon my return from an unbelievably tough three days on the road! I won’t bore you with the details — just knowing it involved airplanes pretty much sums things up. It involved mechanical problems, weather delays, worthless food/hotel/taxi vouchers, three major airlines, and “no room at the inn” — all resulting in 17 of us having to spend the night sleeping in tremendously uncomfortable chairs or on the floor in the Dulles International airport in Washington D.C.

When I finally dropped my luggage just inside my door at home, I collapsed into an unconscious state feeling pain from head to toe. In awakening several hours later, a hot shower and a change of clothes brought me back to reality. I checked my current newspapers, magazines, and e-mail to find the usual growing level of CHAOS. However, I also found the following commentary, which really made a lot of sense. I had to smile as I thought how nice it would be, if only for a week or two, to be able to return to the uncomplicated life of a 6 year old. Take a minute and see if you don’t agree.

“My Resignation as an Adult”

I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of a 6 year-old again.

I want to go to McDonald’s and think that it’s a four-star restaurant and then be able to afford a movie afterwards.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks and bask in the sun.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree with a drippy ice cream cone and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer’s day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn’t bother you, because you didn’t know what you didn’t know and you didn’t care. All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset. I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again. I don’t want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So … here’s my checkbook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my 401K statements. I am officially resigning from adulthood.

And if you want to discuss this further, you’ll have to catch me first, cause … TAG, YOU’RE IT!!

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

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Need a Lift? Harry K. Jones on 07 Sep 2007

What Goes Around, Comes Around

Apparently, we can all use a lift now and then. I’ve been getting some very favorable feedback concerning our new “Need A Lift” blog category. I guess it’s nice to have a resource we know we can always count on to find a little inspiration when we’re having a tough week, a long day or even a challenging moment now and then. So here’s another little story, based partially on fact, that we hope may bring a smile to your face or at least a moment of inspiration into your busy life. If it works for you, please pass it on.

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to work his way through school found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he requested a drink of water.

She thought he looked hungry so she brought him a large, cool glass of milk. He drank it slowly and then asked, “How much do I owe you?”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she replied. “Mother has taught us never to accept pay for kindness.”

He said, “Thank you from my heart!” As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in a greater power and his fellow man was strong as well. He had been just about ready to give up and quit.

Years later that young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes. Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor’s gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day on, he gave special attention to the case.

After a long struggle, the battle was won. Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was certain it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all.

Finally, she gathered enough nerve to open the envelope and something immediately caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words:

“Paid in full with one glass of milk.”
Dr. Howard Kelly

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

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Need a Lift? Harry K. Jones on 13 Aug 2007

What Happened to “Americans”?

The “AMERICAN” I grew up with has disappeared. As a military serviceman, I was an “AMERICAN,” serving and protecting other “AMERICANS.” I took great pride in doing so. Today, I’m sad to report the demise of those “AMERICANS.” They have become an endangered species moving rapidly toward a state of total extinction. WE can reverse that dangerously negative trend, and I’m suggesting we begin doing so immediately. Let me explain.

Merriam-Webster defines “American” as ”a native or inhabitant of North America or South America.” It is also defined as “a citizen of the United States,” which is the definition used in this article.

Due to my extensive travel schedule, I find myself doing a lot of my computer work very late at night. In doing so, I usually keep the television on, tuned into one of the many news channels, as a multi-tasking effort to keep me awake as I compute and keep up to date on what’s going on in the world. I learn a lot by listening to, watching, and reading the news. I’m growing tired of what I’ve learned the past few years. For instance, I have learned that we have lost trillions of dollars in Iraq, and I learned who’s at fault. A conservative television station clarified exactly why the liberals are totally at fault. It made sense to me. Then I turned to a liberal station and learned how the conservatives engineered the entire operation. That, too, made sense to me. The list goes on and on. Who’s responsible for the poor and/or lack of response to Katrina? Gas prices? Immigration? Global warming? Lack of health care? Infrastructure collapse? Growing taxes? Rising prices? Poor quality? Trade imbalance? Who’s truly at fault? Republicans or Democrats? Conservatives or Liberals? Bulls or Bears? Pro-life or Pro-choice? Hawks or Doves? Male or Female? Rich or Poor? Boomers or Busters? Catholic or Protestants? I obviously have no clue.

I do know this. “AMERICANS” die in wars. “AMERICANS” suffered from Katrina. “AMERICANS” are paying higher prices for everything. And, as I look back over the years, it’s so very obvious that our greatest accomplishments occurred when we came together as “AMERICANS.” We cured diseases, we won wars, we landed on the moon, we overcame tremendous odds, we solved problems, we created the world’s greatest products and services, we won the respect of the world, and we did it as “AMERICANS.” We didn’t accomplish any of these things as members of the many categories listed above. We’ve always been at our best when we came together as “AMERICANS.” Have we forgotten this valuable lesson? Can we afford to forget it? It’s time we returned to the valued status of “AMERICANS.”

I recently received the following piece from a friend. It was written by my all-time favorite author, “Anonymous,” and it reminded me that those serving our country all over the world, defending our way of life, and doing it proudly are doing so as “AMERICANS.” This is a fact that we should be thankful for, should be appreciating daily, and should be explaining to our children and grandchildren as we strive to regain that treasured status as “AMERICANS.”

Here’s another thought. If you know any of these true “AMERICANS,” take a moment out of your busy day and send them a note of thanks and appreciation. If you don’t know anyone serving our country abroad, contact any one of the following sites to learn more about sending e-mails, letters, gifts, etc. to members of the military all over the world. What a fantastic family project! What a great tradition to pass on to future generations. A few moments out of your busy day can make all the difference in the world to a brave, lonely “AMERICAN” on the other side of the world. No politics, no issues … just thanks and appreciation from one “AMERICAN” to another. Do it today and urge others to do the same.

For those who fight on distant shore,
Who give without a word;
Defending us with honor,
So gallantly they serve.

For every boy who leaves his home,
Returning here a man;
And every woman who made a choice,
To make serving part of her plan.

For every fallen soldier,
Who gave all they could give;
To guarantee our liberty,
And the freedom that we live.

Each one who served with honor,
The brave, the tried, the true;
America gives its thanks today,
For we see a hero in you.

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

For more information on our seminars, keynote presentations, or consulting services, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

Need a Lift? Harry K. Jones on 27 Jul 2007

Today’s Inspirational Youth Sparks Hope for a Positive Tomorrow

The AchieveMax® team takes great pride in the fact that we strive to keep our material current and relevant in our effort to assist our clients in their journey to “Achieve the Maximum®.” In my personal role as a communicator, keynote speaker, and trainer, it is imperative that I read a great deal of material daily in the form of books, magazines, newspapers, and web sites. I also watch a lot of TV and listen to the radio whenever possible.

Needless to say, that means I come into contact with an enormous number of very negative news stories. I fully understand that. Negativity sells. However, being exposed to it in heavy doses can take its toll. It can cause you to become a cynic, lose your enthusiasm and positive attitude, and cause you to soon expect the worst of any situation. Exposure to the daily news, in any form, can be extremely damaging to your mental and emotional health. For instance, today alone I discovered the following:

Al-Qaeda grows in Iraq
No dominant leaders emerge from either political party
Britney, Paris, Lindsey, and Nicole continue wicked ways
Baseball icon: steroids and home runs
NBA referee fixes games
NFL star faces jail for dog fighting
MySpace deletes 29,000 sex offenders
Gas prices expected to climb again
Coffee lovers prepare to pay more

The list goes on and on, but I think I’ve proven my point. Regardless of the subject matter: No good news!

Then it happened! The clouds opened. The sun illuminated the landscape. I swear I heard the soft, throaty strains of Diana Krall in the background, supported by gentle wind chimes and the sounds of flowing fountain waters. All was well in the western world as I discovered a shocking news story hidden in the middle of my local paper! The shock emerged in the fact that the story was a good news story!

I truly believe this report would fall into a category that anyone would enjoy … a category which would definitely uplift and inspire any reader, brighten your day, and restore your faith in the human race. It makes you appreciate the fact that our future generations are currently in training and responding beautifully in their efforts to some day make this a better world than what we see today. Let me quickly summarize the article and see if you agree.

Visualize, if you will, a petite 4-year girl selling lemonade in her driveway as her parents conducted a garage sale. Cute, but nothing unusual at first glance. Now let’s examine motive. Little Sierra Bellingar was selling lemonade to raise money to purchase a wig for her 5-year-old leukemia-afflicted cousin Kayli who lives in a neighboring community. The loving cousins were constant playmates until Kayli, in and out of the hospital, grew weaker and weaker and found her capacity to fight off infections greatly diminished.

Sierra was informed that her favorite cousin would soon lose her hair and longed for a wig like the one worn by her favorite TV star Hannah Montana. This inspired Kayli to get creative and develop a plan of action. She’s 4 years old! She made signs and, with her parents’ help, built herself a colorful stand. Over a very warm, sunny, and love-filled weekend this diminutive entrepreneur raised $1,300!

Hard work pays off: Sierra Bellingar (right) sold enough lemonade during the weekend to buy her cousin, Kayli Bellingar (left), a wig.

Sierra wasn’t the only hero in this story. Many times over the weekend the line for lemonade was 10-people deep. And while the price was more than reasonable, many people paid as much as $20 a cup to support Sierra in her heroic quest. Neighborhood children emptied their piggy banks to contribute to this wonderful cause. There was a constant flow of friends, neighbors and complete strangers as word of the crusade for a wig spread like wild-fire.

Stories were shared throughout the weekend by those who have lost loved ones, cancer survivors, and those currently living with cancer. Sierra missed many of the stories as she was busy pouring lemonade, collecting donations, and offering hugs of reassurance to those who couldn’t hold back the tears. Final result … she raised enough to buy the Hannah Montana wig in addition to a more practical wig for everyday use. The additional funds will go toward medical expenses not covered by the health insurance. Kayli even mustered enough strength to stop by for a while which thrilled everyone in attendance.

What a weekend … two terrific youngsters, supportive parents, a caring community, compassionate strangers, a cooperative weatherman, delicious lemonade, and a fairy-tale ending. What more can you ask for … maybe a few more inspirational stories like this in our future news mix. By the way, I think our future is in pretty good hands.

Note: The original story was reported very eloquently and in more greater depth by John Schneider in the Lansing State Journal.

Harry K. Jones is a professional speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of motivational speakers who provide custom-designed keynote presentations, seminars, and consulting services. Harry has appeared all over North America addressing topics such as change, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork and time management for a number of industries, including education, financial, government, healthcare, hospitality, and manufacturing. For more information, please call 800-886-2MAX or fill out our contact form.

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AchieveMax® Blog

“TRUE GRIT” — A Winning Philosophy

Take Time to Appreciate

I Quit!

What Goes Around, Comes Around

What Happened to “Americans”?

Today’s Inspirational Youth Sparks Hope for a Positive Tomorrow

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