You Only Have Two Choices!
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Free PDF Download Stopping Workplace Drama: Navigating Tough Conversations (Tip #70) - By Karl Ruegg |
You Have Only Two Choices!
Jerry is the manager of a restaurant. He is always in a good mood.
When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would always reply,
"If I were any better, I would be twins!"
Many of the waiters at his restaurant quit their jobs when he changed jobs, so they could follow him around from restaurant to restaurant.
Why?
Because Jerry was a natural motivator.
If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was always there, telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Jerry and asked him:
"I don't get it! No one can be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
Jerry replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, I have two choices today. I can choose to be in a good mood or I can choose to be in a bad mood.
I always choose to be in a good mood.
Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be victim or I can choose to learn from it. I always choose to learn from it.
Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life.
I always choose the positive side of life."
"But it's not always that easy,“ I protested.
"Yes it is," Jerry said.
"Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk every situation is a choice.
You choose how you react to situations.
You choose how people will affect your mood.
You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood.
It's your choice how you live your life."
Several years later,I heard that Jerry accidentally did something you are never supposed to do in the restaurant business.
He left the back door of his restaurant open...
And then ???
In the morning, he was robbed by three armed men.
They want what?
#123*+!@$%&*~
While Jerry trying to open the safe box, his hand, shaking from nervousness, slipped off the combination.
The robbers panicked and shot him.
Luckily, Jerry was found quickly and rushed to the hospital.
After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Jerry was released from the hospital with fragments of the bullets still in his body.
I saw Jerry about six months after the accident.
When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Want to see my scars?"
I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the robbery took place.
"The first thing that went through my mind was that I should have locked the back door," Jerry replied.
"Then, after they shot me, as I lay on the floor, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared“ I asked?
Jerry continued, "The paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine.
But when they wheeled me into the Emergency Room and I saw the expression on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared.
In their eyes, I read 'He's a dead man.'
I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big nurse shouting questions at me," said Jerry. "She asked if I was allergic to anything."
'Yes,' I replied.
The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply.
I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Bullets!'
Over their laughter, I told them,
'I am choosing to live. Please operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'.
"Jerry lived thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude.
I learned from him that every day you have the choice to either enjoy your life or to hate it.
The only thing that is truly yours -- that no one can control or take from you -- is your attitude, so if you can take care of that, everything else in life becomes much easier.
Now you have two choices to make:
1. You can delete this message or
2. You can forward it to everyone you care about.
I hope you will choose #2.
I did.
Yours truly,
Coach Karl, MBA
www.CoachKarl.com
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Free PDF Download Stopping Workplace Drama: Navigating Tough Conversations (Tip #70) - By Karl Ruegg |
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About the Author: Karl Ruegg RSS for Karl's articles - Visit Karl's website Karl spent his childhood in the Los Angeles metro area. Then his family moved to Zurich, Switzerland and Karl lived in Europe before returning to Del Mar, San Diego, CA. After selling their home in Rancho Santa Fe, San Diego, CA and a one year long road trip with his wife, 3 teenagers and their puppy in a Motor-Home they settled down on Padre Island, Corpus Christi, TX on the Gulf of Mexico. After another long RV Trip Karl and his wife Ursula now live on their Ranch in Texas while their 3 grown children have left the nest to find fame and fortune in Austin, TX. Karl's 35+ years of business experience in many high-, low and bio-tech industries ranges from blue collar positions as machine shop operator, electronic engineer, and software developer; and white color positions in the corporate arenas of sales, marketing, consulting, management, and executive positions. He holds various degrees in Mechanics, Electronics, Business Technology, Software Engineering, Operations and Business Administration and has held positions in many industries including Electronics, Computer Manufacturing, Software Development, Business Technology, Retail, Bio-Tech & Pharmaceutical, High-Tech, Defense, Telecommunication, and RADAR. This unique blend of experience has helped him to develop an appreciation for work, projects and business "on both sides of the fence". After a long and very successful career in the corporate arena as a C-level executive Karl opened his professional coaching and consulting practice to live an authentic life with more time for his wife and children. Click here to visit Karl's website. Declare Your Independence Workplace Motivation 4 Unique Ways to Inspire Your Employees Tip 12 Thinking In Another Way About Problem Resolving How to Immediately Over Respond to Every Event Overcoming Challenges to Reach Your Goal |
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