If I was playing the celebrity Dead or Alive game, I would have lost the bet. Chubby Checker, really? I’m embarrassed to say I thought he had long ago twisted his way into heaven. Apparently not. And I’m glad, because paying attention to his inspiration led me to a blog post.
Today marks seven months since this blog was born, with a sincere focus on becoming more and helping others to do the same through sharing what I’m learning and through paying attention to the special moments of life, some big, some small that matter and inspire us all. And as we cross over 14,000 views, Chubby Checker’s new song, Changes, seems a great fit. This blog is just a piece of the changes I am attempting to make in my life and in the lives of others.
There’ll be some changes
They’re long overdue
They’ll be some changes
Of what I need to do
I know I mention music a good deal in this blog, and with good reason. As I have explained before music easily weaves its way into the fabric of our lives, and if you let it, so many times it speaks to your heart. This blog, and other daily activities, are part of the disciplines I am doing to truly make a change and create growth in my life. If you want things to change, you have to change. If you want things to get better, you have to get better. No matter what your purpose, the journey to a better you has to involve some changes and a focus on today, to create growth for tomorrow. Maybe you’re already there, if so, way to go. If not, today matters.
That’s actually the title of a book I am currently reading, Today Matters, by John C. Maxwell. The book is all about growth, and making changes daily. He preaches that the secret to success is in your daily agenda. Maxwell said he keeps a sign on his desk that reads, “Yesterday ended last night”. Today is what matters, focus on change, change something you do daily, a few key decisions in your daily agenda and change your life. Do what you need to do today and tomorrow will get better.
Maxwell goes on to say something I didn’t always pay attention to, but now have come to believe, “Unfortunately many people approach their lives very passively. They take a reactive approach to living instead of a proactive one. It’s as if they’re waiting for something. But life is not a dress rehearsal. You won’t get a second chance to relive today! I believe that everyone chooses how to approach life. If you’re proactive, you focus on preparing. If you’re reactive, you end up focusing on repairing”.
So if we know the challenge ahead, how about some inspiration from Maxwell’s book: “I believe that everyone has the power to impact the outcome of his life. The way to do it is to focus on today. Benjamin Franklin rightly observed, “One today is worth two tomorrows; what I am to be, I am now becoming.” You can make today a good day. In fact, you can make today a masterpiece”.
A masterpiece, who wouldn’t want to strive for that in your life? String together enough strong todays over months and over years and Maxwell says you will be blown away by the results.
Look at Chubby Checker. Whether you like him or not, whether you like the new song or not, doesn’t really matter. I know you know his name. The realization I had when I heard his name again and learned he had a new song was, he is still living for today. The very fact I know his name is a testament to the life he created and then shared with others. What has blown me away is we are talking about someone, who five decades after staring a career in music, still matters. He didn’t get there by accident. It is not just a twist of fate.
I want to do the same. I want someone to think about me fifty years, one-hundred years from now and know who I am, because whatever talents I brought to the world made a difference in the lives of other people. The way I can do that is to make changes focused on growth every day, however small, to get there and make sure I pay attention to what matters today. Not tomorrow, not yesterday, today.
There’ll be some changes, some changes… in my life.
Until next time, thanks for taking the time.
Mark
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