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VIEWING 1 - 2 OUT OF 2 STORIES.
"A Museum Day Morning"
DATE: 01/25/2008 20:26:50 / MOOD: full of life
There is no such thing as ‘goodbye', only the opportunity to say ‘hello' again!- Author Unknown Today was a "good museum day morning." Church school was interesting and engaging, as we discussed being inspired by prayer. And that lively discussion spilled over into the morning worship service. It was full of spirit and left us all upbeat as we prepared to leave the church and continue on with our day's activities. It continued to be a "good museum day" as I enjoyed my meal from Meta's, prepared for an upcoming Dale Carnegie class, watched the football playoffs and finished reading "The Big Five For Life, Leadership's Greatest Secret" by John Strelecky. He is the author of two other books I have enjoyed, "The Why Café" and "Life Safari." If you are like me, you are probably asking, "What is a ‘good museum day morning'?" That's a reasonable question and one I wondered about too as I read Strelecky's book about the impact of the life of Thomas Derale, a fictional character, who many people, especially his employees, thought was the greatest leader in the world. Derale had determined some time ago what his "purpose for existing" (PFE) in life was and what the wanted to do, see and experience in life (his big five for life), that at the end of life, for him, it would be a success. He also asked good questions. Earlier one morning, Joe, later to become one of Derale's best friends, met him while waiting to catch the train to work. That's when Derale pops the surprising question: "Is it a good museum day morning?" It turned out to be a "good museum day morning" for Joe, even though he didn't know it then, because he met Derale. Joe, unable to follow up on what Derale meant by the question at the time, due to being separated on the train, thought about that question until he saw him again, a week later. I was just getting into the book, page 13, and Strelecky already had my attention. Like Joe, I was asking the same question. "What the heck was a ‘museum day morning?" Derale would later explain an interesting concept. According to Derale, the average life span of a person in the United States is around 75 years or 28, 200 days. Some people live longer, others not as long. While visiting a museum one day, on a business trip, Derale noticed the history of the town through the pictures of the people, with stories of what they had done, and the important events in their history. That's when the thought struck him. "What if every day of our life was cataloged? The way we felt, the people we saw, how we spent our time. And at the end of our life a museum was built. It was built to show exactly how we lived our life." Isn't that an interesting idea? I thought so. I explained the concept to a friend and he liked it too. "What would my museum look like," I thought. What do you think? How would people remember you by the pictures, sounds and events in your museum that represented your life? For example, if you spent most of your time in a job you didn't like, most of your space in the museum would depict your unhappiness. Derale describes to Joe that "There would be pictures and quotes and little video moments where people could pick scenes of different unhappy moments." Of course if you were friendly, or angry most of the time, your scenes would reflect those moments. Your legacy and how people viewed it would all depend on how you lived day to day. Imagine being a tour guide in your museum, taking people around to listen to the audio, view the videos and see the pictures that captured how you lived. How would you feel about how you are being remembered? I've been thinking about that question and how every day can be a good museum day. It depends on how we live. I have also been thinking about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and what he would be thinking today, if he were leading people through his museum of life, listening to his voice, reading books about his life, watching video clips of past marches, and demonstrations and looking at his pictures. Maybe, he too, would like to know if we had a "good museum day morning."
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My Big Five For Life
DATE: 11/29/2007 09:51:00 / MOOD: full of life
Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.– Archbishop Desmond Tutu “Why are you here?” I asked a diverse group of college students from all over the country. Their responses were as interesting and varied as responses are to another question I like and ask often as well — “What are your Big Five for Life?” “Do you mean, ‘Why am I here?’” more than one student asked, trying to narrow the question down to make it less ambiguous. I repeated the question, as I looked around the room at the faces looking back at me, without additional information – “Why are you here?” That’s a simple question, isn’t it? The responses ranged from the specific, “I am enrolled in this summer program to gain knowledge about business”, to something much larger, a major purpose or calling in life. One student, for example, from Nepal, had a specific reason for being in the class and it was related to her major purpose in life, that of helping students in Nepal get a quality education. And that is the heart of the matter, the essence of the question “Why are you here?” What is your purpose in life? And, what are the things you want to do, see and experience in life, that at the end of it, you – by your definition – would say it was a success? I had the same response as the students when I first read the question in a thought-provoking book by John Strelecky, the “Why Café”. In it, the main character is seeking to determine what he wants to do with his life. He realizes there is more to his life than what he is doing, yet, he can’t seem to figure it out. He can’t put his finger on the pulse of what motivates him. So, he starts out on a journey to seek the answer, and stumbles upon The Why Are You Here Café in the middle of nowhere. He notices three unusual questions printed on the back of the menu that help him find his way: Why are you here? Do you fear death? Are you fulfilled?Strelecky writes inspiring, motivating books with big questions that stimulate you to act. After his first book, he and his wife visited Africa and experienced a Safari, which led to his second book, "Life Safari,” and another intriguing question: “What are your big five for life?” Strelecky writes inspiring, motivating books with big questions that stimulate you to act. After his first book, he and his wife visited Africa and experienced a Safari, which led to his second book, and another intriguing question: “What are your big five for life?” “What do you mean my big five for life?” you are probably saying. Well, Strelecky learned about the African Big Five on an African Safari. The big five are the rhinoceros, leopard, elephant, water buffalo and the lion. The measure of a successful safari is based on the number of the big five you see on your trip; the more, the better. That experience led Strelecky to focus on the “big five in life” in addition to helping people discover their purpose in life. “Imagine if everything you did was focused on helping you do, see, or experience five things,” says Strelecky. “Five things so powerful, that if you did, saw, or experienced them, then you could say your life was a success – as you defined success for yourself. Those things are called your Big Five for Life.” It is a gauge for success, as you define it. My Big Five for Life, today, include a national syndicated radio talk show, Conversations with Nigel Alston. Others include this column being syndicated, traveling the world, spiritual depth and understanding and publishing another book. I don’t know all the answers, which is why Strelecky asks a follow up question — “What can I do to help you?” Part of the reason for identifying your Big Five is to share them with others and find help along the way to facilitate your success. That’s why he has created a new community – “My Big Five For Life”. I think I have identified and understand my purpose, mission for life. I have spent some time thinking about why I am here and what I want to do, see and experience in life to feel that it has been a success. What about you? Why are you here? No, I don’t mean wherever you are reading this column. Really, why are you here? I believe that the most important thing any of us can do is determine our purpose in life and plant ourselves in the environment where we can grow and flourish. I didn’t forget the second question either: “What are your Big Five for Life?” The two questions are connected. PS: Read these books by John Strelecky: The Why Café and Life Safari. Nigel Alston is a radio talk-show host, columnist and motivational speaker. He is the chairman of the Winston-Salem State University Board of Trustees. Visit his Web site at www.motivationalmoments.com.
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