ABILITY is NOTHING without OPPORTUNITY

Today's Post is something of a Personal Journal Entry

Earlier this year, a colleague of mine pointed me to a job opening at a major university. The position was a Program Director of a character education initiative. 

Right up my alley, right?  

With my youngest son entering kindergarten this August, and having nothing to lose to try, I decided to apply for the position.

Soon after, my wife pointed me to a training opportunity at the Fortune 500 Company where she works. Again, I decided to go ahead and apply.  

Yesterday, I received a rejection notice for the corporate training job. And the university never got back with me about the program director position. 

In the words of Freddy Mercury: "Another one bites the dust!" (laughing)

I can laugh about this because I am incredibly blessed to have a wife whose successful career has made it possible for me to be a stay-at-home dad and freelance writer/entrepreneur and still pay the bills. I openly acknowledge the incalculable fortune that is mine in this regard.  

No matter how positive your attitude, you wouldn't be human
if rejection didn't smart a little (and sometimes a lot)

This does not change the fact, however, that rejection in any form always smarts at least a little bit (and sometimes a lot)—although I have grown so accustomed to it throughout my life and career that I've gotten pretty good at handling, processing, and moving on from each one that arises, and growing stronger and more capable, confident, and secure in the process. 

Today's blog post reflects on this subject of rejection—and shares some of the insights I've gained and thoughts I've had as I've passed through my own share of disappointment and frustration that inevitably accompanies rejection.   

I have worked very hard and been incredibly focused on my career the past 20 years, and INTERNALLY speaking—where it really counts most in the long run—I have grown enormously, accomplished a lot, and managed to match (and in some ways exceed) some of the loftiest expectations I have always held for myself.

EXTERNALLY speaking, however, let's face it: I am simply not very accustomed to things working out!

I am no stranger to personal & professional REJECTION

It's remarkable, really, how much rejection, disappointment, disillusionment, and temporary failure one is capable of enduring. I know because I have experienced enough of it for an entire village of human beings. If there was a contest held for the person who experienced the most of these negative events, surely I would be in the running for a Guinness Book record. 

Unless personally experienced, one cannot fully comprehend how hand-wringing and heart-wrenching it is to have so much going on internally and so little tangible opportunity to release it externally in any significant way. If such had been my experience for several months or even several years, it wouldn't have been much to write about. After all, everyone experiences fits-and-starts, ups-and-downs, and reversals of fortune along the circuitous journeys of life. But the burden I've faced has been unrelenting, multi-faceted, and most tellingly—has lasted for the better part of THIRTY (30) years!

It's challenging having a massive
storm brewing inside my heart and
brain with limited opportunity
for external outlet.  

Only the Savior of the world—and those who have trodden eerily similar pathways—can know what it is like to have such a hurricane of energy bottled up tightly in mind, heart, and soul for so many years with no significant opportunity for extended outlet. I openly confess that such experiential states—so many, varied, and concentrated in their potency over the past THREE (3) decades—have been a source of much angst and unhappiness in my life and career, notwithstanding the cornucopia of blessings and favors with which I have been so richly favored all along the way. Indeed, these "Tender Mercies" have been both adequate and generous compensation for these irritations, frustrations, and disappointments.  

The more I've considered this subject, the more it has dawned on me that there must be an irrevocable law of nature that requires one to pass through a series of trials commensurate to the measure of one's blessings and opportunities. I have been unusually endowed and blessed; and have therefore been unusually tested as a result. And as the tests continue to mount, I find myself increasingly eager to discover the extent of the blessings on the other side of those tests.

With faith in this law, I have come to expect the other side of the coin to always manifest itself eventually.

Few things are more motivating to me than being ignored, overlooked, or rejected—and few things fuel effort and ambition more fully than temporary failure. I like to precede any reference to failure with the vital adjective "temporary" because I firmly believe the only true failure is the failure to keep trying. If you haven't given up yet, then you haven't truly failed.

There are drawbacks to being
an elite soldier

There are times, of course, when it makes sense to change course and thereby abandon certain efforts which are no longer relevant to your long-term vision, mission, and goals—that's not quitting. But once a worthy and relevant goal has been set, you never really fail unless or until you QUIT.  

While failure, rejection, and being ignored or overlooked is never fun—and always hurts to varying degrees—the more it happens the more immune you become to it until eventually you start to laugh at it—while continuing to forge ahead in spite of the lack of help from others. If you can make it to that point without being completely broken, you ultimately rise up phoenix-like—triumphant over all your foes and fearful of nothing and no one.  

Most importantly, you discover increasingly over time that your lack of external results are less a result of your own inadequacy and more a function of the Boss's supernal timing. Consequently, you begin viewing so-called failures and rejections as Tender Mercies of the Boss, discerning that He's not holding you out of the game because He doesn't want you to play; He's holding you out of the game in order to keep you fresh and ready for a MUCH BIGGER GAME... the same way Napoleon would keep his elite soldiers of the Imperial Guard back and out of the fighting unless it was absolutely necessary to deploy them. In the absence of a major crisis, Bonaparte could not afford to put his best soldiers into harms way; they were simply too valuable to risk in a common skirmish or regular battle.

The men of the Imperial Guard often disliked this policy, for it ironically kept them out of the action despite the fact that they were the ones best suited to take action.

I can relate.

When you love to play the game, it's no fun to sit on the bench.

It's no fun to miss playing time in a game you so dearly love to play. And it is no fun to have the Coach leave you on the bench time-after-time-after-time—and not because you aren't good enough to play, but because the Coach has more important games for which He is holding you in reserve. 

This paradigm shift allows you to completely reframe temporary failures and rejections as a compliment, opportunity, or even a badge of honor—and more the loss of the rejector than your own personal loss. It also empowers you to develop a powerful shield of protection that makes you increasingly immune from the collateral emotional damage caused by rejection or temporary failure.

Most importantly, it empowers you to further develop the indispensable virtue of PATIENCE, which is as important a virtue as persistence when it comes to long-term success of any kind. And if you are a naturally proactive person, which I am, patience becomes even more important than persistence, because chances are it comes less naturally to you than persistence.  

Two of the most inspiring maxims of the past two decades of my life have involved PATIENCE. They are:

"He who can have patience

can have what he will."

~ Benjamin Franklin

"In your patience possess ye your souls."

 ~ Luke 21:19

With all my heart, I believe in the truthful essence contained in these two stirring quotes. 

......................................................................................... 

As a recent blog post reiterated, I LOVE studying HISTORY.  

Click HERE to read: The Blessings and Joys of Studying History

Lately, I've been studying the life and times of Napoleon Bonaparte and the era spanning the French Revolution and subsequent Napoleonic Wars (1793-1815)—one of the most tumultuous ages of intrigue, unrest, violence, war, and progress in human history. That period was a little like our own times, except people back then were a lot less inhibited about chopping off the heads of their political opponents and declaring all-out "HOT" wars when it placated their fears or otherwise suited their personal ambitions or political aims. 

Napoleon Bonaparte
1769-1821

Napoleon was a megalomaniac who sowed the seeds of his (and his Empire's) undoing all along his colorful, eventful, and remarkable journey. But he was also a military, administrative, political, cultural, and social genius who successfully (and concurrently) took on the mighty British Empire along with the rest of Europe for over 20 years. 

It was no small achievement!

Bonaparte, assisted by the mightiest land force Europe had ever seen—the "Grand Armée"—left a wake of military death and destruction in his path—and their well-traveled pathway criss-crossed the European continent many times over! But Napoleon and his colleagues also initiated new (and in some ways positive) practices and reforms in military matters, civil administration, and education that continue to bear the imprint of his long historical shadow even today.

Some like to compare Napoleon to Hitler, and in some ways that comparison is merited. After all, both men were endlessly ambitious, short-tempered, and willing to sacrifice legions of their soldiers to satisfy their own, vain, unquenchable war aims. But in a variety of other ways, this comparison is imprecise—to say the least. 

With Napoleon, France deposed an autocratic
monarchy and replaced it with an autocratic dictator. 

Unlike Hitler, Napoleon was not guilty of genocide, nor were all of his military campaigns and exploits unprovoked. Quite to the contrary, all of Europe's monarchies (the British Crown included) were fearful of French Republican fervor spilling beyond French borders and into their own capitols and countrysides. Indeed, the French Revolution spelled potential doom for Kings and Queens all over the Continent if the old establishment failed to defeat (or at least contain) the brash, brilliant, mercurial, and unpredictable Bonaparte.

Consequently, the Great Powers of Europe were more-or-less united in their desire and commitment to subdue Napoleon and halt the progress of his rapidly expanding French Empire. And to their embarrassment and chagrin, it took 20 years and SEVEN (7) different European military coalitions to finally cage the lion-emperor Bonaparte, diminish his dominions, and bring the French Empire to its knees. Only a genius of extraordinary capacity and energy could have fended off such a massive continental front of mostly united opposition for so long. Alas, one can argue that Napoleon's overall legacy bears the vestiges of some redeeming qualities—something that is virtually impossible in Hitler's case.  

Freedom Focused is a Meritocracy
built on the meritocratic principle that you
get what you are willing to work for (earn).

One of the most enlightened and inspiring developments of Napoleon's reign was the institution of MERITOCRATIC PRINCIPLES in both government and the military. This idea was novel for the time, yet still lacks the traction it ought to have in our post-postmodern world. Freedom Focused is, of course, doing everything in our power to influence positive change in support of meritocratic ideals.  

In today's culture of presentism, progressive culture warriors are quick to toss the proverbial baby out with the bathwater when it comes to judging history by more or less condemning everyone and everything in the past as savage and barbaric worthy only of their contempt—at least in comparison with their highly enlightened and essentially perfect selves, who, they self-righteously purport, are cultural and political saints and saviors capable of ushering in a long-awaited utopia forged in their own ideal image... if only those modern barbarians (their political and cultural opponents) would shut up and fall into line according to their austere and inflexible marching orders.  

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill
1874-1965

It is not, of course, that simple or black and white, and Winston Churchill's sage caveat is worth its weight in gold here: If the present tries to sit in judgment of the past, it will lose the future.  

"If the present tries to sit in judgment of the past, it will lose the future."

—Winston Churchill

Ever an ardent, eager, and enthusiastic student of history, I agree with Sir Winston, and prefer to study history rather than judge it... in a never-ending effort and quest to LEARN as much as I can from both the good and bad sides of its endlessly fascinating actors.  

Napoleon once observed that: Ability is nothing without Opportunity.

Napoleon Bonaparte
Emperor of the French
(1804-1815)

"Ability is nothing without Opportunity."

—Napoleon Bonaparte

Bonaparte makes an interesting point. After all, even Napoleon was once just an insignificant little nobody from the Franco-Italian backwaters of Corsica. But then, in 1793, at the age of just 24, he orchestrated a masterstroke on the battlefield to lift the Siege of Toulon for the fledgling French Republic; and the rest is, as they say, HISTORY!

Sadly, Napoleon was more interested in reinstalling the French Monarchy by another name, with himself donning the crown, than he was in bolstering the long-term potential of the French Republic. And it was that selfishness, egotism, and narcissism that ultimately led to his (and his Empire's) downfall. But there is no question that at Toulon, he was at his energetic, intelligent, and inspirational best—and a grateful Republican Directory rewarded him according to his MERIT by promoting him to the military rank of Brigadier General, something that never would have happened to a 24-year old under monarchial rule.

Unfortunately—or fortunately, depending on how you look at it—at age 43, my "Toulon moment" has still not arrived. My big chance to outwork, outsmart, outflank, and outfight the Royalists and their Anglo-Spanish allies to liberate Toulon remains in my future—but rest assured, I am not going to let the opportunity slip through my fingers and go to waste once it arrives!

The fact that I am 43 sans my own Toulon opportunity makes me feel more like Edmond Dantès—still stuck in chains at the Château Díf after 14 years of captivity—than Napoleon. 

Click HERE to read about one of my favorite movies: The Count of Monte Cristo, starring Jim Caviezel and Guy Pearce.

But I take heart in the realization that, like Dantès, I still have a lot of productive living left in me. And as I've said before—and I'll say it again—the best revenge is not hampering, hindering, or hurting your opponent; the best revenge is simply to become successful yourself!

"Success is the greatest revenge."

— Dr. JJ

Furthermore, if I've metaphorically been in prison these past twenty years, it's the nicest prison in human history! So there is really no need to complain. Besides, my big break is still coming; it just remains in the future. As long as I remain patient, all scores will be fairly settled in the end.

I still possess the vigor, vim, energy, enthusiasm, and youthful vitality to embrace my big break when it does come, and I will finally lift the two-decades long siege on my career progress and get the ball rolling into "Italy" and beyond... or wherever the Boss directs me from here. And speaking of energy, I've run nearly 800 miles and lost 8 pounds the past 14 weeks, which is helping to boost that still-youthful energy. I've got hundreds of more miles and 14 pounds (minimum) left to shed and will publish a blog article on my progress and results once I've earned enough of both.   

ACRES of DIAMONDS
Many have traveled the world over in search of gold
and diamonds only to discover in the end that their greatest
riches were right in their own mind, heart, home, or backyard.

It's important to note here that when it comes to my "Big Break," I think chances are good it's already come and I'm presently pursuing it.

What do I mean? 

If you've ever read Acres of Diamonds by Russell Conwell, you know exactly what I am talking about. And if you haven't yet read Acres of Diamonds by Conwell, I highly recommend you do so. 

Click HERE to buy ACRES of DIAMONDS by Russell Conwell.  

This point about Acres of Diamonds is significant because the truth is that I received my BIG BREAK nearly 20 years ago when I first set out to build Freedom Focused... and I've had the privilege, pleasure, satisfaction, and joy of living that big break ever since. While my work has yet to achieve what the world would term a "Big Break" in terms of monetary success, popular influence, or organizational authority, the fact remains that for twenty (20) years, I have received opportunity after opportunity to travel, write, publish, learn, grow, and otherwise build a firm foundation for all that is to come in the 2020s, 30s, and 40s, etc.

Thus, I really don't need any more opportunity than I already have. I merely need to continue to conscientiously follow the course I have pursued diligently and faithfully for twenty (20) years now—seizing every opportunity along the way. 

As long as I do that, the rest will take care of itself. In the gloriously concise and and cogent parlance of the Boss: "You just be the best Jordan you can be, and I'll take care of the rest!"

I believed him 19 years ago when He first told me this; and I believe Him even more now after beholding what He has accomplished through me the past two decades.    

This relationship I have with the Boss, and the way in which I prioritize and value it, is the biggest single difference between Bonaparte and myself.

Unlike Napoleon, my movements and ambition have been, are, and continually will be checked and bridled by a hundred different horse bits of the Boss, willingly applied by myself and my own faith and principle-centered conscience. I believe that is the key to avoiding my own Leipzig, Paris, Elba, Waterloo, and St. Helena. I pray continually and earnestly that I might prove TRUE and FAITHFUL in all things according to His divine direction and restraints. If I succeed in doing so, I cannot ultimately fail. If I fail to do so, I cannot ultimately succeed.  And in the end, the choice is mine and mine alone to make—just like it is yours and yours alone to make. Thus it is that our destinies are determined by the individual CHOICES we make over time.  

I've always considered myself to be an ignorant fool compared to the Boss's infinite wisdom. As such, my number one priority in life and career has always been to hearken to the Boss's direction to the best of my imperfect ability. That's why I jumped at the opportunity to teach school for a year back in 2009. It is also why I applied to West Point and all those other colleges and universities back in 2016.

With the Boss as my Guide & Protector
I will always ultimately succeed.

I'm always trying to figure out the Boss's will in my life.

     Sometimes doing so is tricky.

As a wise man once prophetically cautioned me back in 1995: "In many instances your life will not be easy. There will be difficult decisions and challenging circumstances present themselves in your life; perhaps challenges to your health and well being—certainly challenges to your happiness."

Oh, how TRUE those words have proven to be over the last three decades!

As mentioned above, nearly 20 years ago the Boss instructed me very explicitly that if I would simply be the best Jordan I could be, He would, and I quote: "take care of the rest." He has certainly kept His word on that promise these past 19 years, albeit sometimes in very different ways than I had originally envisioned for myself. 

In the short run, it can be devilishly difficult to figure out exactly what He is up to in His continual molding processes. And I've come to the conclusion that it's not my job to know every precise detail. It's simply my job to do the best I can and keep moving forward in faith. Thus, while I haven't figured out the entire picture yet, I nevertheless have a simple and abiding faith that allowing His will to prevail in my life is unquestionably the best, happiest, and wisest course of action in the long run. After all, I've seen this reality play out time-and-time again throughout my life and career.  

In my pursuit of freelance writing and other entrepreneurial endeavors over the years, and knowing of the Boss's absolute omniscience and omnipotence in the affairs of men (as scripture puts it: All Flesh is in My Hands), I have often been surprised that He has not directed me elsewhere more often along the way. There are, after all, so many different potential places and positions I could have ended up in terms of both marriage and career.

I would have readily submitted to His will whenever and wherever had He directed me somewhere other than the path I have thus far trodden. Yet, with the exceptions of that ONE YEAR of high school teaching in Houston back in 2009-2010, the pursuit of my doctoral degree in education from 2009-2013, and my sporadic contract training career spanning 2007-2016, the Boss has been perpetually content with allowing me full FREEDOM to pursue my own career pathway according to the nudging of my own best instincts working continually in concert with His gentle and ongoing direction throughout the process. Along the way, He's helped me to learn some lessons the only way I seemingly could learn them—through the hard knocks of real life experience. As painful as many of those lessons were, I'm so grateful for His patient permission to find my own path in the singular ways that I uniquely needed.

Knowing He could have easily pointed me in a dozen-or-more different directions at any given moment or juncture along the way, I have often been surprised at how long of a leash He has afforded me.

Ahhhhh, the Glory of individual liberty and personal FREEDOM!

What a distinct HONOR and magnificent BLESSING it has been to have been granted such enormous FREEDOM!

Being "Freedom Focused" as I always am, I cannot fully express the gratitude I feel for such liberty, which has allowed me to travel widely, study vigorously, and explore extensively in an ongoing effort to learn, develop, organize, and articulate my thoughts and beliefs on certain vital topics dear to my heart, mind, and soul, and which I so earnestly desire to share with others.

This long leash has afforded me the opportunity to publish FOUR (4) seminal academic journal articles and a 2-Volume Textbook on Self-Action Leadership. All of this material stands ready for rapid dissemination to students anywhere and everywhere jut as soon as the Boss determines it is time to utilize the material on a broader scale.  

Meanwhile, I have published 320 blog articles with no intention of stopping any time soon. I absolutely LOVE to blog; few things come more naturally or spontaneously to me. It is such a joy and satisfaction to publish a new article each week. I am pleased to report that I am on schedule to hit the 100,000 mark for readership "hits" since beginning this blog 10 years ago. Hopefully I won't have to wait 10 more years for the next hundred thousand hits, and the next, and the next, etc. But even if I do... it doesn't really matter because I love doing it so much that the biggest reward is not the attention I get; the greatest payment is the satisfaction and joy accrued from the activity itself in conjunction with the wonderful sense of accomplishment that comes with each newly published article.

I am so looking forward to where the Boss will take this work next as I continue to blog and plant seeds and write...

     And teach...

          And teach...

               And write!  

Despite this unique adversity and unrelenting difficulty—something I would be loath to ever repeat (Thank God I don't ever have to repeat it)—it has, in the aggregate, been a wonderful journey, highly favored, and unquestionably worth it, and I bow before my Maker in humble gratitude, faithful reverence, and heartfelt worship for the experience, growth, satisfaction, joy, and wonder of it all. Indeed, it never ceases to AMAZE me the broad extent and endless array of God's Tender Graces and Mercies which continually serve as compensating favors for whatever crosses I am called upon to bear. And it seems the heavier the burden, the more tender and extensive the Grace and Mercy. At least that has been my ongoing experience. Thus, my implicit and unwavering faith in Jesus Christ and His infinite and omnipotent atoning power just gets stronger with each new obstacle He helps me to transcend.  

Life is a wonderful ADVENTURE!

LIFE is such a grand ADVENTURE. Yet it is nothing compared to what comes afterwards for the faithful. I pray earnestly for the strength and endurance to live TRUE and FAITHFUL to my covenants during my adventure here so that I might qualify fully for the far greater adventures there.

I love, admire, and respect all those who have supported me over the years as I have battled mental, emotional, relational, spiritual, and career struggles in conjunction with wending my way through a two-decades' long career that, despite its adventures and accomplishments, has also been filled with an endless array of fits-and-starts mingled with a perpetual uncertainty that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy!

Next to life itself, our greatest gifts are 
liberty and FREEDOM.  

But that's just how it goes... there are always two sides to everything in this world. The greater a blessing and opportunity is, the greater the challenges, difficulties, and struggles will be that accompany it. That just seems to be the way things work in this world. We cannot change the consequences of our decisions; we are powerless to alter the "other side" of the sticks or coins we choose to pick up in our lives. But we are always FREE to strive to go after the very best coins and sticks we can possibly discover, earn, and receive; and therein lies potentially immense power to shape our ultimate destinies. I accept this great TRUTH and REALITY, and aim to go forth with faith, determination, persistence, vision, and hope until the end—and beyond!

Know this: that ev'ry soul is free.
To choose his life and what he'll be.
For this eternal truth is giv'n.
That God will force no man to heav'n.

He'll call, persuade, direct aright,
And bless with wisdom, love, and light,
In nameless ways be good and kind,
But never force the human mind.

Freedom and reason make us men;
Take these away, what are we then?
Mere animals, and just as well
The beasts may think of heav'n or hell.

May we no more our pow'rs abuse,
But ways of truth and goodness choose
Our God is pleased when we improve
His grace and seek His perfect love.

~ Anonymous

To YOU, my family, friends, colleagues, associates, and readers: I wish you all holistic health and wealth and wonderful happiness, satisfaction, and success in your own beautiful families and exciting careers moving forward. Thank you for your support of me and your fine examples of determination, persistence, and excellence; it is one of the many things that inspires me to always be my imperfect BEST.

With Love, Respect, and Best Wishes,

—Dr. JJ

May 9, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 320th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 146th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 319 FF Blog Articles 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS   

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

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SAL is Attractive

Lina M. Jensen, PMP

Do you have a desire to be an attractive person both inside and out? If so, then SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP is something to be seriously sought out, studied, and applied.

Why?

Because self-action leaders are committed to the principles and practices that lead themselves to become ATTRACTIVE in a variety of ways. 

To illustrate this phenomenon, I would like to share some relevant bits and pieces from the life story of one of the greatest self-action leaders I have ever had the privilege and pleasure of knowing; namely, my wife, Lina Marie Jensen.

Obviously, I am biased on what is, for me, the Subject of subjects! I openly acknowledge this glaring partiality. Lina is, after all, the most attractive person in the entire world to me; and not merely because I admire and respect her self-confidence, fun personality, and gorgeous physical appearance. But in a much larger sense, Lina is a self-action leader in every area of her life; and that makes her incredibly beautiful on the inside as well. Thus, I think enough factual and objective data exists on Lina's resume to highlight her as an exemplary self-action leader in this article—regardless of my personal predilections in her favor.  

Little Lina with four of her eventual five siblings.

Lina has always been a natural self-action leader. To quote her mother, Vaylene Tucker: "Lina pretty much raised herself." Such a comment modestly belies the extraordinary woman that Lina's mother was and is; but it also speaks volumes about the nature of her daughter's innate and developed personality, character, capacity, and intelligence—all of which were and are enormously attractive to me.   

Lina grew up the third of six children in a middle-class home in Homestead, Florida, one of the last communities one passes through before entering the Florida Keys. As one of three older siblings, she spent a great deal of time and energy caring for and otherwise helping to raise her three younger siblings. These experiences—and others like them—led her to become unusually mature for her age. There are reasons, after all, that I didn't meet her until I was 27. Simply stated, it took a 27-year-old Jordan Jensen to be sufficiently mature and worthy of the interest and affection of a much younger, but equally (if not more) mature 19-year old Lina Tucker.  

Lina's Senior picture and Salutatorian Award

As a teenager, Lina excelled academically, partly because she was very smart and partly because she worked very hard and was an ambitious, competitive, disciplined, and focused student. Her efforts paid off, earning her near-perfect college entrance exam scores, a better-than-perfect GPA (thanks to academically weighted courses), the honor of Salutatorian (2nd overall) of her graduating class, and full-tuition scholarships to Brigham Young University and the University of Florida—both of which she turned down to enroll instead at the prestigious Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech)—a Top 5 school—as an engineering student.

Lina's college planner, in which
she charted a daily course for success.

I'm so glad she made this particular life decision the way that she did because I did not reside in Provo or Gainesville in 2006; I was in Atlanta!   

I met Lina at the beginning of her sophomore year at Georgia Tech. I originally had no connections to Georgia Tech, but we were members of the same church and met each other at a church-hosted party one Saturday evening in September in the northeastern suburbs of Atlanta.

One of the things that immediately attracted me to Lina was her intellectual capacity, academic prowess, and remarkable work ethic. I also loved her fun-loving, happy, and cheerful personality. But even more attractive than all of that was the circumspection of her character and the genuine goodness of her heart. Lina is a woman of wonderful integrity who always treats others with kindness and respect. She has always been one of the sincerest and most thoughtful human beings I have ever had the privilege of knowing.

Lina ascending the indoor rock wall
Atlanta, GA area; 2007

The size of her heart was illuminated for me most saliently during one of the brief periods of our 12-month courtship during which we had temporarily "broken up." The occasion was an ice skating party with church friends. Unlike some girls, who may have been apt to rush off into the arms of other boys to show off or make me feel jealous on the heels of our break-up, Lina did the exact opposite: she sought out other girls to befriend—girls who were less popular and largely ignored by the boys. There she was, in the midst of her own grief over our break-up, striving to lift others up. Observing kind, thoughtful, and selfless actions like that made me fall even deeper in love with Lina and I soon found myself yearning more earnestly than ever to get back together and never, ever, ever say or do anything that might jeopardize my chances with this angel of a woman.  

And then there was the day I got to watch Lina ascend an indoor rock-climbing wall...

One Saturday afternoon during our courtship in Atlanta, we joined some friends from our church at an indoor rock-climbing facility. I'll never forget Lina's ascent up that rock-wall face. After climbing most of the way to the top with relative ease, Lina's arms and legs began to ache with exhaustion as she neared the top. After struggling for several seconds, it was apparent she was having difficulty completing the final section of her journey. 

A very skinny JJ, prior to his "Dr. Days"
Admiring his future Bride persist
until she succeeds.

There would have been no social shame had she simply quit where she was, descended the wall, and called it a day. After all, she had given it a genuine effort, making it almost to the top in the process. 

However, it quickly became evident to me—and everyone else on the ground who was watching her—that almost achieving a goal was not good enough for Lina, even for a goal as relatively unimportant as making it to the top of an indoor rock wall. Consequently, she had no intention of giving up—no matter how long it took her to make it to the top.  

Rather than quit and slide easily back down, Lina rested a while and then tried again... and again... and again... and again... and again to summit the last few feet of that wall. Yet time-after-time, she continued to fail. But no matter how tired she felt, or how many times she fell short in realizing her objective, or how shaky her arms and legs became, she absolutely refused to give up her quest of making it to the top of that wall.

As I stood there at the bottom of the wall in awe at her determination and resolve, it became increasingly evident that she simply was not going to quit until she made it to the top—no matter how difficult it might be or how long it might take.

After several minutes of failure near the top of the wall—and several minutes is a very long time when you are hanging against a vertical wall trying to make it the last few feet to the top—Lina rested again for what seemed like a considerable amount of time before giving it one more go. With every ounce of strength she could possibly muster, she stretched and clamored upward until finally—FINALLY—she conquered the wall. Able to now rest atop the obstacle that had proven so difficult a challenge for her to surmount, she smiled widely and triumphantly down at me and our friends who had been watching and cheering her on throughout her ordeal.  

Lina and I a-courtin' in Georgia in 2007
near the time of Lina's rock wall climb

There were many moments throughout our courtship where it became obvious that if I could only convince Lina to marry me, then this gal was unquestionably a "KEEPER." Among the more prominent of these moments was that afternoon at the indoor rock-climbing facility. After observing her dogged determination and unrelenting pursuit of a relatively unimportant goal, I realized that Lina was the kind of person that I could always rely on to persist and never give up on important goals and other vital objectives that mattered most in life. Moreover, I realized that if she committed to me, she would never give up on us—just like she refused to give up on the rock wall that memorable day back in 2007.  

Can there be anything or anyone more attractive than that?  

Lina is now 35 years old. In adulthood, she has continued to practice the same SAL habits that brought her happiness, success, and inner peace throughout her youth and young adulthood. Such hard work and focus helped her graduate with a degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, earn her PMP (Project Management Professional) certificate, and work for two Fortune 500 Companies in three different states and one province of Canada over the past 14 years. She presently works for NextEra Energy in South Florida as a Director in charge of solar projects in Missouri and Kentucky.

Lina's bachelor's degree
in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech

Lina's professional work is often challenging and stressful. There are great expectations to meet, difficult people to deal with, and unending obstacles that pop up and challenge her determination and resolve—just like that rock wall. But as self-action leaders are wont to do, Lina continually finds a way to navigate each new challenge with poise, panache, and persistence despite the difficulties. And the results are the same as that day on the indoor rock wall; eventually she finds a way to conquer whatever obstacles lie in her path as she gradually wends her way to the top—no matter how many attempts (or how much time and effort) it might take to get there.  

In addition to her career advancement and success, Lina has given birth to our three children. She also serves faithfully in our local church—wherever she may be called. And while she is no more a perfect wife and mother than I am a perfect husband and father, I count myself incredibly blessed to be Lina's man, and my kids are ineffably fortunate to call her "Mama."  

Speaking of imperfections... Lina and I are both far from being perfect, either as individuals or a couple. One of the things I am most grateful about Lina is that she is aware of her shortcomings and strives to work on them. This involves being a good listener and demonstrating patience and tolerance with my weaknesses and inadequacies, of which I have many. Nevertheless, by consistently investing our imperfect best efforts into our lives, careers, and marriage, we have ultimately enjoyed lives, careers, and a marriage that is mostly positive, productive, and rewarding—certainly good enough to keep working at diligently for the rest of our lives and beyond—and continually enjoying along the way.   

Lina with our three children in the LaSal
Mountains in Grand County, Utah; summer 2022

As I have done many times in the past, I pay sincere and heartfelt tribute to Lina. She is an AMAZING woman, a wonderful wife and mother, and a remarkable example of Self-Action Leadership in all of its finest qualities. Indeed, I find it incredibly inspiring to wend and work my way though life side-by-side a self-action leader as attractive—both inside and out—as Lina is.  

I likewise pay tribute to the many other steller self-action leaders all over the world who are similarly attractive because of their attitude, character, integrity, perspective, and vision. While such extraordinary persons may sometimes seem to be the exception rather than the rule amidst humanity's thronging and ever-increasing crowds of men and women, boys and girls, it doesn't have to be that way. Nay... all of us are free to make choices each day of our lives, and every day we are faced with new choices in our lives and careers and relationships—the consequences of which will either lead us upward toward Existential Growth or downward toward existential atrophy. 

What choices are YOU making TODAY and what direction are you headed tomorrow as a result? Put another way: what "Rock Walls" are you currently climbing and how committed are YOU to reaching the top, come what may?"  

I invite you to ponder these questions and then invest in a change or two that will begin to increase your own ATTRACTIVENESS in coming days, weeks, months, and years.    

—Dr. JJ

March 1, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 310th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 136th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 309 FF Blog Articles. 

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES.  

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS.   

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

RULES for LIFE: Other EXAMPLES

As promised, this week's blog post recognizes some RULES for LIFE from other people.

I was pleased by the response I received to my invitation for others to contribute to this blog post. I express my heartfelt gratitude to those who took time out of their busy schedules and hectic lives to share some of their own life and career philosophies with readers of the SAL Blog.

I hope YOU find the diversity and sincerity of these voices to be as enlightening, inspiring, and uplifting as I did. More importantly, I hope these additional examples motivate YOU to identify and compose your own RULES for LIFE. After all, your LIFE RULES are not primarily for anyone other than YOU. As such, I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity to engage in this meaningful Self-Action Leadership exercise. More importantly, I hope you glean as much benefit from doing so as I (and others) have.   — Dr. JJ

 

Kari Henderson Ginn
Champion Athlete & Entrepreneur

Kari Ginn's 8 Rules for Living

Age 44. Former semi-professional distance athlete.  Entrepreneur and business builder.  Wife and mother of two daughters and a son.  Lives in Austin, Texas. 

1.  Never let others keep you from effortful goal-seeking.  We all think everyone knows more or would be better off if we just got out of the way.  It's just not true!

2.  Know your strengths and start there.  Put your best foot forward.  We've all been given different gifts.  Learn what they are, and then utilize them.  

3.  It takes hard work but your efforts will be consecrated and magnified when you are uplifting and serving those around you.  Don't be afraid to sweat a little.

4.  There will always be obstacles in the way and they will likely slow you down, but don't ever let them make you stop or slip back.

5.  Whether you know it or not, you are an example and people are watching.  You are a leader.  Sometimes you're leading the charge and you don't even know it.  Understand and respect that responsibility.  

6.  Be humble enough to accept help from others.  We all need it. 

7.  Sweat the small stuff.  Details matter.  

8.  Always have Christ as your partner and example.  Lean on Him.  He is the only way to truly see your ultimate potential.  

Kari Ginn's Athletic Resume:

• Transplant Games of America: 6-time gold medalist & two-time American Record Holder (20K bike and 100 meter sprint)
• 2006 South Central Regional Champ (XTERRA Triathlon)
• Completed
• 20 XTERRA triathlons
• Three 70.1 Ironman Triathlons
• 5 marathons
• 10+ half marathons
• 10+ Olympic-distance triathlons
• 5 sprint triathlons
• Countless 5k and 10k road races

Nathaniel J. Williams

LSW, DSW, Ed.D., MBA, MPA, MHS 

Dr. Nathaniel J. Williams' 10 Rules for Success

Age 57. President and CEO. Husband, Father of eight (8) and grandfather of three (3). Lives in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

1.  Communicate with others as often as you can.  Let them know what they mean to you.

2.  Time is never re-earned.  Use it wisely.

3.  Use your recreation time to re-create yourself.  Do something new.

4.  Show that you care and care to show up.

5.  Develop a map of your life as a guide — but be ready to go off course — you will find your way again.

6.  Accept a helping hand — especially if they are holding what you want.

7.  Mental wellness is essential.  Get help if you need it.  You will be better for having done it.

8.  Be the best you can.  Believe you can be your best.

9.  You are on your own — but you are not alone!

10.  Enjoy the dash that is your life!  Let the world know you were here and had an impact!

Nat Williams incredibly inspiring Personal Story was chronicled in a previous FF Blog Article.  Click HERE to access this post, entitled: "From Orphan to Executive: Self-Action Leadership in Real Life." 

Dr. Nathaniel J. Williams has earned an amazing SIX (6) advanced academic degrees (LSW, DSW, Ed.D., MBA, MPA, and MHS).  He has served in founding and/or presiding roles in the following organizations:

HumanWorks Affiliates, Inc. (HWA)

Spectrum Community Services, Inc. (SCS)

ChildFirst Services, Inc. (CFS)

ChildPromise, Inc. (CPI)

Funworks, Inc. (FWI)

Spectrum Social Services, Inc. (SSS)

Phoenix Services, Inc. (PSI)

LifeKnow, Inc. (LKI)

Mom's make the world go round—and keep it sane.
They do it almost entirely out of the spotlight, and
oftentimes that's just the way they like it.

ANONYMOUS Submission from a Stay-at-Home MOM

Dear Dr. JJ,

I've read all of your emails regarding the upcoming "LIFE RULES" blog post and really enjoyed hearing what others have come up with.  It's made me think a bit on what, if any, are my own rules in life.  To be honest, I'm not sure I have a really solid list.  I think I used to maybe, but I feel like my own experiences have shifted my perspective on so many things that I'm taking life one day at a time and just trying to do the best I can to be a good person (wife, mother, human being) and to raise good, kind people.

I guess I've found that "RULES" are little harsh for me in my life right now.  I'm hard enough on myself without them.  So I'm keeping it simple.  I avoid attention and the spotlight like the plague, so I have no desire for my words or thoughts to ever be published.  However, knowing there may be others out there like me who feel similarly, you are welcome to publish these thoughts anonymously.  I think what I am trying to say is that sometimes a "set list" of rules may actually prove counterproductive, at least for personalities like mine.  The principle of "LIFE RULES" is definitely written in my mind, heart, and soul, but in the end, my guiding directive works less like a "List" and more like an inner COMPASS.

Sincerely,

— A Busy Mom just doing her best

Nedra Bunker
Multi-generational educator standing in front of a bench
honoring 80-some years of teaching schoolchildren
by her mother, herself, and her daughter.

Nedra Bunker's 13 Rules for Life

Age 72.  Retired elementary school teacher (39 years).  Wife and mother of three sons and two daughters.  Grandmother of 17.  Great-Grandmother of one.  Lives in Monticello, Utah. 

Rule 1:  Implement THE GOLDEN RULE—

Rule 2:  Stay positive and be grateful—it promotes forward progress.

Rule 3:  Stay healthy to better serve others.

Rule 4:  Pause before purchasing—is it essential or excessive?

Rule 5:  Keep learning by reading, studying, observing, solving and completing.

Rule 6:  Be honest with self and others—bypass the snares.

Rule 7:  Stay focused—on family, friends, Christ, and eternity*

Rule 8:  Don't dwell on the past, ENJOY TODAY, and anticipate each tomorrow as they may be limited.

Rule 9:  Use time wisely—savor spare minutes and cherish spare hours.

Rule 10:  Be an attentive listener and a thoughtful speaker.

Rule 11:  Try my best and be happy with the outcome—view mistakes as a chance to try harder.

Rule 12:  Never allow people and situations to determine my happiness—choose it for myself.

Rule 13:  Allow for a good night's sleep—to enjoy happy and productive "awake hours."

* As I jotted down my rules for life, I found it interesting that #7 happens to fall in the center of my life's rules.  After 72 years of living (50 years of marriage, 49 years of motherhood, 39 years of teaching, and 5 years of retirement) I really feel that by staying centered on that one rule, everything else has fallen into place.  It hasn't always been easy, but definitely worth it!  (#1 and #13 rank high also).

Jim Clawson, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus
Prolific Author on Leadership & other topics

DR. JAMES G.S. ("JIM") CLAWSON'S  FAMILY  PRINCIPLES

Age 74.  Professor Emeritus of Management at the Darden Graduate School of Business, The University of Virginia.  Husband, Father of three daughters and a son, and Grandfather of three.  Author of "Level 3 Leadership: Getting Below the Surface" and "A Song of Humanity: A Science-Based Alternative to the World's Scriptures."  Lives in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

PRINCIPLES FOR EFFECTIVE, HAPPY LIVING

1.  Work for what you want.

There is no free lunch; no short cuts.  Do the work, expect the reward.  Do your best at everything you do.

2. Clean as you go. 

Leave your "campsite" better than you found it.  Don't plan to come back later and clean it up; do it as you go.  Make your bed, hang up your clothes, dispose of your own trash, and take care of your environment.  Show some pride in your place and person. 

3.  Save and Invest 10%.

No matter your bills, put aside ten percent right from the start and invest in stock.  Live within your means.  Don't borrow; pay from your savings.  Spend less than you make.  You'll be glad you did.

4.  Respect the Rights and Views of Others.

You don't have to accept what they say or ask, but you should listen to, understand, and respect others.

5.  Be Reverent.

Show respect for nature, for beauty in the world.  You have a right to be here, and we all play a small role in the world.  Be modest.

6.  Contribute to your Community.  

Fight collective entropy.  Be a net contributor to your neighborhood; give a little more than you take.  

7.  Read.

If you don't read, you won't have anything to say.  

8.  Find your Resonance. 

This is the purpose of life: To find your resonance, invest in your capacity to recreate it, to enjoy it, and to help others find their resonance.

9. Be Honest with Yourself and Others.

If you can't keep your word, don't give it.  Don't make promises you cannot keep.

10.  Exercise every day.

Healthy body, healthy mind, healthy spirit.

11.  Things change—acknowledge and adapt.  

Nothing stays the same; expect it! 

NOTE: These principles were developed for teaching the four Clawson children: Rudger, Carrie, Caitlin, and Caleigh Su.  

For more information about Dr. Clawson and his work, please visit www.nadobimakoba.com

To see and buy Dr. Clawson's book, Level 3 Leadership: Getting Below the Surface, click HERE

To see and buy Dr. Clawson's book, Song of Humanity: A Science-Based Alternative to the World's Scriptures, click HERE 

Dr. Chris P. Neck
Associate Professor and Distance Runner

Chris Neck's 20 Rules to Live By

Age 57.  Associate Professor of Management at Arizona State University.  Husband and Father of a son and daughter.  Lives in Paradise Valley, Arizona.  

Rule 1:  Put the shopping cart in the parking lot corral.

Rule 2:  Open the door for others.

Rule 3: Send hand-written thank you notes. Emails or texts are less authentic and sincere. 

Rule 4:  Smile even if you don't feel like it. You trick your mind into thinking you are happy.

Rule 5:  Only eat when you are hungry. Don't eat because the clock says it's time to eat or because others are eating. Don't eat to celebrate or to mourn. 

Rule 6:  The five-minute rule to exercising: If you don't feel like exercising, do it for at least five minutes. The momentum you gain in those five minutes might change how you feel.  

Rule 7:  Be humble. Always give the credit to others. Caution: this one is hard!

Rule 8:  Tell your kids you love them everyday... whether they are 3 or 33.

Rule 9:  Tell your spouse you love them everyday. 

Rule 10:  Treat a public bathroom as you would your bathroom at your parent's house.

Rule 11:  Flip flops are for the beach. Don't drive with flip flops or board a plane wearing flip flops.

Rule 12:  Be Nice. You never know what is going on in another person's life. 

Rule 13:  Take Responsibility for your Health. Be informed. Don't just take a doctor's word for it. Remember, there is a reason they call a doctor's office a "Practice."

Rule 14:  If you are talking to someone and you notice they have something in their teeth, let them know it.

Rule 15:  Don't talk in a movie theater during previews or during the movie. Don't just turn off your cell phone; turn off your mouth!

Rule 16:  Never ask a woman if she is pregnant no matter how big her belly may look.

Rule 17:  Always root for the LSU Tigers or anyone who is playing against the Alabama Crimson tide.

Rule 18:  Ignore the critics. Everyone has an opinion and the only one that counts is yours.

Rule 19:  Take Control of your Mind. Remember a situation does not cause stress; your reaction to the situation causes stress.

Rule 20:  Be kind to yourself. You talk to yourself more than any other person in the world, so Be Nice!

David Kibler, MBA
Senior Finance Manager

David Kibler's 3 Basic Life Principles

Age 40.  Senior Finance Manager at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE).  MBA.  Husband and Father of two daughters and a son.  Lives in Houston, Texas.

Principle 1:  Be HELPFUL

To be truly helpful means helping others without expecting anything in return. This virtue is incredibly underrated in today's world. Most seem to be focused on "what's in it for me" instead of genuinely caring about someone else or their needs. Being genuinely helpful enables me to focus on something (and someone) other than myself, which makes me more humble and appreciative of what I do have.

Principle 2:  Be KIND

Being truly kind to others is a heightened level of love. Kindness is something that can be difficult, especially if you've been wronged. I think the greatest example of kindness is Jesus Christ. While I'm not always the best at it myself, I actively strive to be kind to better show my love to both God and my fellowmen.  

Principle 3:  Do MY BEST 

Doing my best, especially on something I don't really want to do, is hard, but worth it! This simple, but important, personal mantra has helped me both personally, professionally, and as a parent and parishioner. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right and well!  

Lina Jensen's 10 Life Rules

Lina M. Jensen, PMP
Project Director and Engineer

Age 34.  Project Director at NextEra Energy.  Wife and Mother of two sons and a daughter.  Lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Rule 1:  See a need, fill a need.

Rule 2:  Details matter.

Rule 3:  Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.

Rule 4:  Take care of those around you and they will take care of you.

Rule 5:  If you see it, you own it.

Rule 6:  Persistence usually Prevails.

Rule 7:  Be Assertive and Brave

Rule 8:  Why not ME?

Rule 9:  Turn all the way... a lesson I learned from a minor car accident I was in as a teenager.  

Rule 10:  Be generous with your time and resources.  Don't hold back because you are afraid of being taken advantage of -- that's on them!

..............................

RULES for LIFE can also correspond directly to RULES for WORK.  Consider our own Corporate Rules at Freedom Focused

Freedom Focused's 8 Corporate Rules

Age 16 (Incorporated in 2005).  Personal Leadership & Character Development Training Organization.  Founded by Dr. Jordan R. Jensen.  Headquartered in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Rule 1:  I am always Responsible.

It may not always be my fault, but if it is my problem, it is my responsibility to take ownership of the situation and create solutions.  

Rule 2:  Integrity is Everything.

I am continually honest with — and true to — others; just as importantly, I am continually honest with — and true to — myself.

Rule 3:  I Want to Be Here.

I work at Freedom Focused because it is where I want to work.  If I ever lose that desire, I am at complete liberty to work elsewhere. 

Rule 4:  I Animate and Personify Self-Action Leadership.

Both inside and outside of the organization, I animate the essence of the SAL Theory, Model, and Philosophy in my appearance, attitude, conduct, and relations.  The SAL Textbook is my secular guide to living and working.  Freedom Focused is a synergistic sum of its parts, and I am a vital part of that sum.   

Rule 5 Elite Followership precedes elite Leadership.

As a FF Agent, I have a deep respect for authority and continually seek to promote, support, honor, and learn from my supervisors at every level of the organization.

Rule 6:  Elite Leadership is Servant Leadership.

FF is a T.E.A.M. of teams.  As a FF Supervisor, I appreciate and recognize the vital contributions and worth of my subordinates.  I promote open dialogue in an effort to seek the input and feedback of subordinates in making wise decisions that benefit everyone involved.

Rule 7:  The Gold Standard is my Standard.

At every level and in every endeavor, my standard is EXCELLENCE and my planning, preparation, patience, and performance is ELITE. In setting expectations, I never overpromise and underdeliver; I always underpromise and overdeliver.

Rule 8:  I am Proud to Be a FF Agent, and I live to Build, Serve, and Teach.

As a FF Agent, my primary motivator is not money or personal aggrandizement.  I value being part of an organization that cares about me and the world-at-large. I take positive pride in my affiliation with FF. As an active expression of my gratitude for the opportunity to be part of this unique company, I live and work to make a positive difference in the lives of those I serve both inside and outside of the organization.  My family, community, nation, and world are better places because I live and work at Freedom Focused.

NOTE: This article is the 17th in a series of 22 articles on the subject of LIFE RULES.

Click HERE to access quick links to the other 21 articles.   

—Dr. JJ

March 2, 2022

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 254th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013. 

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 253 FF Blog Articles.  

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks