Tuesdays with Morrie

Another great book to read, Tuesdays with Morrie is along the same lines as The Fred Factor in some ways...wisdom from an old man to a young man (Mitch Albom) about life's greatest lessons. This is a true story about the discussions between an old professor and his favorite student, the former dying from Lou Gehrig's disease.

Thirteen discussions about the social issues of the world: money, greed, cultural self-serving, etc... but also some of the best things in life: family, love, hope, change etc... and mixing them all together in serious discussion with real-life humor also thrown in.

I would encourage everyone to read it. The end almost made me cry! You get to know Morrie and Mitch both, and discover how much human contact and love are important in any relationship and, if you're willing, what you can learn from the previous generation about how to live your life to find true happiness.

The Fred Factor

Now, here is a book that I would recommend to everyone who wants to do better in their business and make their relationships more meaningful (and that should be everyone)--read The Fred Factor.

It's a small book about a mail carrier who does an extraordinary job at what he does. The author, Mark Sanborn, knows this mail carrier personally, Fred Shea, and uses his example to teach us how to be like Fred. The best thing about the book is that he's an ordinary, real-life example of how to be extraordinary in every sphere of life.

How, do you ask, can we be like Fred? Well, here's the major points I got from the book:

Service: One act of kindness a day, rather than random acts of kindness now and then, will make your life better and better the lives of those you serve. It doesn't have to be something huge--it can be baking cookies for someone, paying a bus fare for someone who forgot their wallet, going the extra mile at work, complementing someone or whatever. Seek out those who need help and be the one to answer the call.

Attitude: Your attitude can change the entire course of your day. If you find yourself getting depressed, start naming things you are grateful for...Look for the things that make you happiest and enjoy them. Love whatever situation your in. If you are going thorough tough times, work hard to solve the problem and think outside the box--You may find that something you never thought you would do might be the answer to your problem.

Love: Love the people you work with, thank the people who inspire you, cherish friendships and family members, and for those who are hardest to love, often they are the ones that need love the most. Include, not exclude. Find something good in everyone, not just in those who are easiest to love.

Value: Add value to your work and relationships--remember birthdays, be creative in every sphere, solve problems that at first might not have an answer, remember to be grateful and say so, improve yourself rather than compare yourself to others...Do everything you can to do your best and it will be best for you in the end.

These, among other things, are what I learned from The Fred Factor. I would definitely encourage anyone who wants to improve their workspace and relationships to read this book!

I am grateful for....

Today I decided that rather than linger on the increasingly awkward and headache-inducing goings on of my day, I would say at least one thing I am grateful for--bus drivers.

Now, for those of us who do not drive in this world--and there are very few of us--bus drivers are an integral part of our day (This also includes train and subway conductors and electric operators, for those of us on the other side of the hemisphere or in very large cities that use the metro more.). They probably get up earlier than most of us and spend all day transporting other people around. Some drivers I know have just come to the five year mark of their bus driving, while others have been doing it longer than I have lived--and that could be considered a while.

So, to those of you who drive day in and day out--bus drivers, taxi drivers, metro controllers and train conductors--I thank you! You make my life a little bit easier with your job. The next time you see one of these guys, make sure to thank them for all their hard work and give them a round of applause.