On The Fly

In this episode – The Power of Habit . . . Habit is a powerful connection between goals and accomplishments. Did you know it takes 21 days to establish a habit? According to the How Stuff Works website , “Habits are patterns of behavior that become “worn into” our brains.” Do you wake up every morning, pour a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice, in that order . . . every morning? If so, that pattern is locked into your brain through well-worn synaptic pathways. Knowing this tidbit of information, with courage, conviction, and composure, you can inspire yourself daily through this power of habit. No one is entirely sure where the 21-day rule originated, but it seems to have first appeared in the book Psycho-Cybernetics , by Maxwell Maltz. One habit of mine is to share a “Thought for the Day” via the web, on Twitter, @ pball001 . (This has since morphed into my podcast).  These are meaningful quotes that I’ve ferreted from books, Google search, and listen...

Podcast - Boots on the Trail . . .  “The present is who I am, just the way I am right now. And it is precious.” Spencer Johnson, The Precious Present . This Memorial Day weekend, with boots on the trail, we experienced the precious present. For the first time, during this COVID-19 quarantine we were allowed to hike the local parks. In Carlsbad, CA. we’re fortunate, we have a 110-acre, picturesque hiking spot, Calavera Hills Nature Preserve. The morning was crisp and cool; the sky blue with patches of fluffy white clouds overhead. Once we hit the trail, a quiet solitude came over me: my mind began to wander, and my senses took flight. Sounds - sights, and smells. The rhythm of my hiking poles tapping the rocks, the plodding of my boots against the good earth, the whistling of the birds, the trickle of running water, and the sweet smells of the grass. My mind recalling bits and pieces of words that expressed my gratitude for the experience. I wanted desperately to write them down bu...

In this episode - Open the Box. . . When you receive a gift that’s beautifully boxed what’s your first impulse.  My guess is you would enthusiastically open the box. Let me ask you this, what if, in a flash of insight, you realized that you’ve had in your possession the most precious gift on earth yet you’ve never taken the time to open the box? I’m referring to the power of your creative imagination. Earl Nightingale summarized it best, “We become what we think about, but the thinking is up to us.” Let’s examine our daily thoughts, what do you think about? Are your thoughts dependent on your reaction to situations and others? If so that special gift we’re talking about is not being used at all. And if we’re not careful our imagination can lead us into confusing complications. So let’s strive for simplicity.   It's been said the brain has four powers, think of them as switches you can turn on and off.   Switch number: The power to absorb information...

Podcast - Change in Behavior . . . Hard to believe it ’ s been over nine months already, my work at Cenergy Power has energized me now more than ever.  To paraphrase Earl Nightingale, when you engage your mind with work you enjoy, in the service of others, you will thrive. In January 2019 I recognized that it was time, once again, to continue the lifelong journey of self-evaluation and personal expression. Like many, I needed a change in behavior. But what to do about it?  Then it hit me, stretch yourself. “ Re-Fire! ” Don’t retire. And what better way to do that than go back and revisit old friends. Books . . . Books that made a powerful impact on my thinking and my professional behavior.  “ Of course, the parables co-authored by Ken Blanchard.” But this time, re-read those books with the intention of put ting the learning into action. In the book,  Know Can Do! “ Learning is a journey from knowing too doing.” Learning involves a change in behavior in order to be v...

Podcast - Light This Candle . . .  “Man must rise above the Earth - to the top of the atmosphere and beyond - for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.” - Socrates 500 B.C. Have you ever caught yourself pondering,  “I wonder what historical event happened on this day?” Well, just last week, I noticed my brother's birthday was approaching, he was born May 5, 1962. This got me thinking. With Google at my beck and call, I’m curious, what other events, on May 5th, in my lifetime, have shaped our future? It was a day for the history books, May 5, 1961. The entire world was watching. A moment in time that shaped the future of NASA, the Apollo program, advances in science, and the direction of America. Commander Alan B. Shepard, Jr. became the first American in space aboard Freedom 7. This prompted me to pull a book from my office shelf,  Light This Candle , by Neal Thompson copyright 2004. It's storytelling at its bes...

Podcast - News for Kids . . .  Kids do say the darnedest things. If my memory serves me correctly . . . who’s kidding who here, who relies on memory these days. According to Google, the Art Linkletter Show which aired from September 1952 -September 1969 may have been one of the first to feature the innocent humor and light-hearted questions and comments that children provide. Do you know of other programs? I’d love to hear from you. A new twist, on this time-honored entertainment you might enjoy, is the NBC News: Kids Edition hosted by news anchor, Lester Holt on YouTube. This is a cheerful yet serious examination of issues that parents may have trouble explaining from nightly news broadcasts. Or for that matter the barrage of dreadful news we receive daily over social media, online sessions, and friends and neighbors. Out of curiosity, what questions have you sidestepped today? Let’s face it kids do ask the best questions. Pure unadulterated optimist...