Did They Really Make Their Point?

It is amazing how some parents have tried to make a point … teach … correct … educate their children when they were growing up. These parents felt that just one phrase, said the right way, with the right voice inflection, at the right moment … could solve a problem or stop one from happening and at the same time, be a teaching moment. A friend of mine sent me examples of these “teaching moment phrases” that I thought were so good (humorous) I just had to share them with you. These parents taught their children about Religion, Logic, Compromise, Irony, Stamina, Weather, Circle of Life, Hypocrisy, Anticipation, Receiving, Wisdom, and Time Travel.

Baffled, Perplexed, Puzzled

TO ALL MY INTELLIGENT FRIENDS out there, I have an exercise below that I think will surely challenge your problem-solving capabilities. I didn’t figure it out. I was baffled, perplexed, puzzled, and totally stumped. With that being said, I wish you luck in trying to figure it out, and if you do, BIG KUDOS to you. Here is the exercise/question. See if you can figure out what these seven words all have in common!

Some Good Ideas at First Failed Miserably

John Joseph Merlin was a very successful maker of clocks and precision instruments. He also designed weighing machines and wheelchairs, improved musical instruments and even spent much of his time trying to develop a perpetual motion machine. This highly intelligent man was also a talented musician who enjoyed playing both the harpsichord and violin. With this background, you might find it surprising that he is remembered for the man who invented the “Roller-Skate.”

Only 8% Make It

It is a new year with new opportunities and new challenges. According to Forbes magazine, over 40% of Americans prepare a New Year’s Resolutions list. Self-improvement (48%) is the top category for resolutions; weight (38%), money (34%), and relationships (31%) round out the top four “Resolution Types.” Age seems to play a huge role in the success rate of achieving your New Year’s Resolution. 39% of the people in their twenties achieve their resolution, while only 14% of people over fifty do so.

What are You Promising Them?

When I was getting towards the end of finishing writing my last book, one of the publishing houses I was considering working with asked that we set-up at face-to-face meeting to discuss it in detail. In the meeting I encountered an excellent question from their senior editor. We were discussing the book title, chapter arrangement, and final content when she asked, “Rob, what are you promising the reader your book will do for them?” She went on to say that, “Every page you write should deliver on that promise, therefore, everything should be predicated around what you are promising the reader.”

Get Ready for 2021

I shared over 200 posts on LinkedIn in 2020. I thought I would share a few thoughts from my most popular posts; posts that struck a chord, received lots of replies and sparked the interest from those who follow me on LinkedIn. I am just showing one key phrase I pulled from the post, but I think each one has a powerful message. I hope you will find them helpful as you begin your journey into 2021.