Are you using your gifts to make the world a better place?…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"article":"Some asked me where I get my ideas for this part of the newsletter.\u00a0 Most times something happens during the week that inspires me, other times I just have an idea I want to share, and other times I read something that makes me think.\u00a0 Yesterday at church I was reading a magazine article and part of the article asked, \u201cWill you have left the earth in better condition than before you lived on it?\u201d \u00a0Think about what this world would be like if everyone did, in fact, do that.\r\n\r\nDecades ago at work, a friend of mine borrowed a small cement mixer from another friend and he told me that before he returned it, he fixed the on\/off switch that was on the blink.\u00a0 I asked him why he spent that time on someone else\u2019s issue when the owner clearly knew it was an issue.\u00a0 It was the first time I heard someone tell me that we should return borrowed items in BETTER condition than what it was delivered to us.\u00a0 Until that point in my life, I made the point to ensure I returned borrowed items in the same condition in which I received it.\u00a0 Not only is that a wonderful, selfless gesture, but think about how much more willing people will be to lend you items and work with you in the future.\u00a0 While this individual did not do that as a transactional expectation for a future favor, he did it out of his own principles, the result is still going to impact the lenders comfort in working with him in the future.\u00a0 He left his friend better off than before he borrowed the mixer.\r\n\r\nWhat are your talents?\u00a0 What are you doing that can make the world a better place?\u00a0 If you look back over your life and feel that you have taken more than you have given, maybe now is a good time to make a change.\u00a0 If you feel you haven\u2019t left the world in a better place, there is still time to change that as well.\r\n\r\nBefore I opened up a business, I listed out all the talents that God instilled in me.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t try to determine what I might like to do, I simply detected the things I loved doing over the past 40 years of my life, then looked at what type of business could best utilize those talents.\u00a0 I enjoy teaching and leading.\u00a0 I enjoy public speaking.\u00a0 I enjoy athletics.\u00a0 I love competition.\u00a0 I like working with kids.\u00a0 I\u2019ve always been fascinated with how our bodies work.\u00a0 I know there are plenty more items on my list I have forgotten, but the Venn diagram of my talents was just one circle with the words \u201cMartial Arts Gym\u201d in the middle.\r\n\r\nI certainly hope at the end of my life that the people around me, and especially God, feel that I made the world a better place.\u00a0 In my time in this business, there have probably been close to 1000 people that have walked through the doors that I have impacted. \u00a0Sadly, about 50% I\u2019ve only interacted with for 1 hour.\u00a0 But even in that one hour, I hope they learned something that can positively impact their life later on.\r\n\r\nYears ago, I told God to use every talent He as given me for as long as is physically and mentally possible.\u00a0 At the end of my life, I want my tank to be empty.\u00a0 Anything less is disrespectful to the One that created me. \u00a0Embrace your talents.\u00a0 Share them with as many people as you can.\u00a0 Empty your tank and leave your little corner of the world better than what it was before you were here.","featured_image":"","featured_image_id":"","featured_article":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-416","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n