Last week, I shared the video of Harry Chapin singing his song that has touched millions of parents worldwide — “Cat’s in the Cradle.” In that song, he ponders, with regret, decisions he made early in his days as a parent and how they have impacted the relation with his child years later.

I also mentioned that I heard this particular song, I believe by design, during a midnight drive home from the airport after one of my many speaking trips. It so touched me at the time that I pulled my car into a rest area, grabbed a legal pad from my carry-on, and jotted down some personal thoughts in the form of a poem. I certainly don’t claim to be a poet but that exercise was very cathartic for me at that time and led me to make a few much-needed life-changing decisions. You might want to do the same.

“Life on a Lake”

I was born and raised on the shore of a lake …
With memories abundant and fond.
It’s a wonderful place to live your life …
And, oh, so easy to bond—

With the sun and the water,
The sky and the breeze …
It provides you a life
Of contentment and ease.

As the stress of my work-a-day life would increase,
I’d just head for home where I could release
The stress and the strain and the burdens of life
At home by the lake where there’s simply no strife!

Now my kids have all grown
And moved on as they must …
I just hope that some day
They’ll develop the lust …
To live on an ocean, a river, or lake
And appreciate life and all that’s at stake.

They come back to visit whenever they can
But usually can’t stay too long.
They must return to their now busy lives
Of which I’m just a small part—right or wrong.

I can’t critique—I’ve been there, done that,
I modeled that life for them.
So I can’t complain, I must let them gain
The knowledge, experience, and whim.

That will lead them to know, it’s okay to go slow
And enjoy the pleasures they share
With children, spouses, family and friends …
Life’s joys which are truly so rare!

Dad – 1999

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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It’s somewhat ironic that I seem busier today than I have been at any time in my life … and yet I find more time for reflection than ever before. I guess it’s because I make the time to do so, realizing its importance at this point in my life.

I was a DeeJay very early in my career and had the privilege to be exposed to some fantastic artists and unforgettable music as a result. One of the great artists of our times is seldom recognized by name today but his classic tale of parental regret is known and appreciated by millions.

Harry Chapin shared the kind of songs that forced listeners to stop, reflect on their past, and ponder their early decisions in life. He did just that with his classic “Taxi” and again with his story of “W.O.L.D.” However, he’s best known for his 1974 folk rock masterpiece we know as “Cats in the Cradle.” Many of us felt he wrote that song with us in mind because it so vividly reflects our lives and emotions.

This Boomer favorite impacts most every generation today in our chaotic journey to survive and thrive in a very challenging society. The touching and heartfelt lyrics are certainly open to interpretation as many hear them through the ears of their childhood remembering their parents, others through the ears of a parent regretting earlier decisions to chose career over family as there appeared to be no choice, and others, ironically find themselves in the present … praying their children won’t make the same mistakes.

Listen to the lyrics below and pause for a moment to reflect. You may want to share this classic ballad with family or friends in hopes of gaining some valuable insights to the challenges we face throughout our lives. I hope it does for you what it did for me and many others I’m sure.

I personally did just that back in 1999 after hearing this song on the radio coming home alone from the airport. Circumstances were such at that time that I needed to hear that message. I was so impacted by those haunting words that I pulled my car into a rest stop, grabbed my legal pad out of my carry-on and wrote a poem — 8 verses in fact. And I am the farthest thing in this world from a poet. But that exercise was very cathartic for me and led me to make a few much-needed life-changing decisions. I’ll share that poem in my next blog article.

One can only speculate how many other classics may have emerged from the heart and soul of Harry Chapin had he not perished in a tragic car accident at the young age of 38 on the way to perform a free concert in New York.

This song will live on as long as there are parents and children.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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I have a very close friend who is devoted to animal rescue. I have several others who are strongly supportive of this growing movement. Funny thing about these people … can’t really put my finger on it but you can’t help but notice a certain glow about them … a zest for life, a desire to support, a willingness to go the extra mile while already dealing with busy lives and challenges of their own. They have a unique gift of understanding, and the world is better for it.

It reminds me of a touching story of a farmer, a young boy and a dog.

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the four pups and nailed it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a wide-eyed little boy.

“Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.”

“Well,” the farmer said, “these pups come from fine parents and cost a great deal of money.”

The little boy dropped his head for a moment … then, reaching deep into his pocket, pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. “I’ve got 39 cents. Is that enough to take a look?”

“Sure,” said the farmer, and with that he let out a whistle. “Here Dolly!” he called. Out from the dog house and down the ramp ran Dolly, followed by four little balls of fur.

The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence, his eyes dancing with delight. He suddenly noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly, another little ball of fur appeared, this one noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then, in a somewhat awkward manner, the little puppy began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up.

“I want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to the runt.

The farmer knelt down to the boy’s side and said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He’ll never be able to run and play with you like the other puppies would.” With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so, he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg, attaching itself to a specially made shoe.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see, sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.”

With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup and holding it carefully, he handed it to the little boy. “How much?” the excited young man asked.

“No charge,” said the farmer. “There’s no charge for love!”

The world is full of people and animals who need someone who understands. Be that someone.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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I love and appreciate the responsibility and opportunity of mentoring today’s young people. However, I often find examples that so many of today’s younger generations are setting examples that we, as their seniors, should certainly emulate.

Two years ago I wrote an article for our blog that embodies the elements of a great example. Just recently, a new video has been produced to tell the story of true sportsmanship as illustrated by two girls’ Division II softball teams from the state of Washington.

It’s an inspirational story that should be required viewing for ANYONE and EVERYONE taking parts in ANY sport today … as a player, official, coach, fan or parent. It should be shown in every school from coast to coast at the start of every school year. It earned an ESPY Award for individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performances.

You and I can do little, if anything, to orchestrate such a required viewing on such a large scale. However, if you have a child, grandchild, nephew or niece, neighbor or friend who loves sports, they NEED to see this video and hear this message. That you can and should influence. Better yet, invite the entire family to watch it together and then discuss it afterwards. You’ll be glad you did … for those you gathered as well as yourself! You’ll also feel better about life itself … which is a real accomplishment in these times.

The blog article I wrote will provide you with all of the details and background for this very unusual story should you desire to read it or pass it on. However this new 6-minute video will reveal the entire episode from start to finish leaving you in tears and filled with hope and appreciation for the young people of this great country. Please view it and pass it on… maybe even to a local coach or school administrator. We all need to see more messages like this one.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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Over the weekend, I heard an “Oldie-But-Goodie” that I had entirely forgotten about. Paul Anka spoke the lyrics along with Johnny Nash and George Hamilton IV, and hearing them again brought a smile to my face as I thought about the wisdom in those words.

Paul Anka is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor with a very impressive list of accomplishments. He first became famous as a teen idol in the late 1950s and 1960s with hit songs like “Diana,” “Lonely Boy,” and “Put Your Head on My Shoulder.” He went on to write such well-known music as the theme for The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson and one of Tom Jones’s biggest hits, “She’s a Lady,” and the lyrics for Frank Sinatra’s signature song, “My Way.”

However, Paul also wrote another song in 1958 that you may not be aware of. It was only 1:45 in length, but it packed a very powerful message for teenagers everywhere.It never really reached the “big hit status” of his other classics, but it was an anthem for teens at that time. Today, 52 years later, we look at the lyrics and are somewhat surprised that this advice still holds true today. Much of yesteryear’s wisdom should be revisited.

1. Stop and think before you drink.
2. Don’t let your parents down; they brought you up.
3. Be humble enough to obey. You will be giving orders yourself someday.
4. At the first moment, turn away from unclean thinking—at the first moment.
5. Don’t show off driving. If you want to race, go to Indianapolis.
6. Choose a date who would make a good mate.
7. Go to church faithfully. The Creator gives you the week; give Him back an hour.
8. Choose your companions carefully. You are what they are.
9. Avoid following the crowd. Be an engine, not a caboose.
10. Or even better—keep the original Ten Commandments.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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Over the past decade, it appears that the ability to multitask, doing more than one thing at a time, has become a “national badge of honor” in the business world. Many seem to take great pride in the fact that they can juggle e-mails, text messages, phone calls, meetings, a major project, and pleasing the boss … all while having lunch at their desk because of a tight schedule. And that’s just at work.

When they arrive home, it starts all over again … yard work, house repairs, car maintenance, grocery shopping, TV, and all of the activities involving the children. By the end of the day, total exhaustion has set in as plans for the following day ensue.

There seems to be a concern that if one can’t handle this kind of daily schedule, you’re just not working effectively.

However, several studies at major universities indicate that many productive workers credit the fact that they are returning to the fine art of FOCUS … deliberately concentrating on one thing at a time until completed before moving on to the rest of that challenging “to-do” list. This approach seems to be providing a greater flow and, therefore, increased productivity.

Further research continues to indicate that focusing on more than one task at a time actually decreases productivity and may jeopardize the fundamental quality of our work and communication.

The key of course is to maintain the proper balance of monotasking AND multitasking. In today’s workplace, and even just in our day-to-day lives in the information age, a certain amount of multitasking is unavoidable. So it seems the skill to develop is knowing when, where, and what to multitask.

So how do you know when you should “multitask” and when you should “monotask”? And how do you manage to do the latter? Some things lend themselves brilliantly to multitasking. These tend to be activities which are purely physical, or which by their nature take a set amount of time to complete—however well you focus.

It seems that we have moved from an extreme focus of concentrating on one task at a time to the other extreme of trying to do everything at once. Strive for the balance in your everyday activities. However, don’t forget why you’re working so hard at accomplishing so much so quickly. When it comes to long-term plans, you’d better be focusing on “that ONE THING” which is key to your existence. Many have lost sight of that target and others have never identified it at all.

In this 33-second video, Jack Palance explains “the Secret of Life” to Billy Crystal in City Slickers. So much wisdom in just 33 seconds!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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No, this isn’t a joke. As a parent of three adult children and a grandparent of nine cherished grandchildren, I’d like to publicly offer a deep-felt note of appreciation to one of our country’s most beloved cartoon characters. And for good reason.

Prior to condemning me as having finally lost “it”… consider this true news report. A young five-year-old boy, Andrew Gentile, stepped into a New Jersey lake that his mom thought was shallow. Actually, it was over six-feet deep, and Andrew couldn’t swim. His neighbor, boy hero Reese Ronceray, 8, jumped into the water, swam out to Andrew, latched onto him, situated him in the crook of his arm and quickly swam them both to safety.

Reese said he had simply imitated something he had seen on the popular cartoon show, SpongeBob Squarepants. He remembered the lifesaving strokes he had seen on the episode “SpongeGuard on Duty.”

I often read and hear comments about the evils of television and the horrendous impact it has on today’s younger generation. I’m afraid I have to agree. However, there’s always an exception to the rule, and this certainly appears to qualify as one of those wonderful exceptions. I’m sure you’d agree if either of these young men were beloved members of your Circle of Life.

If you’ve never heard of SpongeBob Squarepants, you might be interested in revisiting a blog article I wrote last year about this loveable character, explaining how his vast empire was created and how it was impacting children worldwide.

SpongeBob is currently Nickelodeon’s highest-rated show, the most distributed property of MTV Networks, and among Nicktoons Network’s most-watched shows. SpongeBob is now broadcast around the world and millions of fans know him as a sea sponge, but in shape and color his body more closely resembles a kitchen sponge and, of course, he lives in a pineapple under the sea!

Laugh if you will, ignore if you must, but realize that this cherished cartoon character changed the lives of these two young men and those who love them.

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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These are trying times for everyone. We all have our ups and downs and neither appear to be consistent. To succeed today, we must all resign ourselves to hang in there for the long haul. Easily said … a little more difficult to accomplish. Maybe this classic parable written by my all-time favorite author, Anonymous, will better explain the big picture.

By the way, this is a great story to share with your children or grandchildren the next time things aren’t going just the way they’d like them to.

SEASONS

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn to not judge things too quickly … so he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and returned, he called them together to describe what they had seen. The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said it was covered with green buds and full of promise. The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful he had ever seen. The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The father then explained to his sons that they were all correct, because they had each seen only one season in the tree’s life. He told them they could not judge a tree, or a person, by only one season. That the essence of who they are, and the pleasure, joy, and love that come from that life, can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons have passed.

If you give up when it’s winter, you’ll miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, and the fulfillment of your fall. Don’t let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest. Don’t judge life by one difficult season.

Persevere through difficult times, and better times are sure to come.

Aspire to inspire … before you expire!

Happiness keeps you sweet,
Trials keep you strong,
Sorrows keep you human,
Failures keep you humble, and
Success keep you growing!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for lighthouses. I have a large, personal collection of lighthouse replicas in my nautically-themed home. I’ve had the opportunity to visit a great number of lighthouses all over the U.S. and Canada, and my home state of Michigan is the proud home of 247 beautiful structures.

I have several coffee table books providing beautiful photos and interesting data about these unique creations which offer an isolated and mysterious lure to so many. I have a number of large paintings and photographs of lighthouses standing proud as they protect. I’ve even had the unusual pleasure of spending a weekend in a lighthouse.

It’s been my experience that a lighthouse can provide a soothing calm which allows us to focus on some of the oft-forgotten, time-tested truths which surround us in today’s chaotic world. These truths differ from person to person but certainly assist us as we attempt to navigate our lives.

If we observe them, we tend to enjoy secure passage. Ignore them and we face the danger of crashing against the ragged rocks of reality.

The wise captain shifts the direction of his craft according to the signal of the lighthouse. A wise person does the same.

Here are just a few of the numerous lights I look for and the signals I heed. Obviously, you may not agree but I certainly urge you to seek out and acknowledge your own.

• Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
• When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
• Don’t spend tomorrow’s money today.
• Pray twice as much as you fret.
• Listen twice as much as you speak.
• Never outgrow your love of sunsets, moonlit evenings, lakes, rivers, and oceans.
• Seek out your Acres of Diamonds where you might least expect to find them … in your own backyard!
• Treat people like angels; you will meet some and help make some.
• ‘Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
• The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
• Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.
• Mentor at every opportunity.

To sum it all up:

Approach life like a voyage on a schooner. Enjoy the view. Explore the vessel. Make friends with the Captain. Fish a little. And only get off the boat when you are safely home!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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Over the 4th of July holiday, I did something totally unexpected … something I haven’t done in decades. I attended a 4th of July parade. I took one of my grandsons in hopes of exposing him to an exciting age-old tradition that’s been part of our American culture forever. I thought it would be a real education. And it was. For me.

This parade was supposed to be a major event as it was held downtown in our Capital City, just a few miles from a major Big Ten University, in a long-time home of General Motors. One might assume that the combination of those three elements would result in a well-produced, highly attended spectacle! One should never assume—for all the obvious reasons.

Lesson #1 …

Parades have gone the way of the circus, magicians, and clowns. No more mystery, no more allure, no more excitement! There are far too many other things to distract us today and far too much technology to compete with a costumed character on a unicycle or a high school marching band. Parades have become a political stage for hopeful candidates to ride in fancy cars while handing out fliers. The once colorful, disciplined, enthusiastic marching band has been relegated to 15 senior citizens riding on the back of a flatbed truck trying to stay on key. No animated floats, no costumed characters mingling with the children in the crowd, and no striking military units proudly marching behind the flag of our country as they are cheered and respected by the crowd.

Lesson #2 …

Some things change … some never will. As a group of eight obviously senior war veterans marched by hoisting a single, very large American Flag, a scratchy recording of the National Anthem blasted over the loudspeakers lining the parade route. My grandson had been sitting on the curb taking in the lack of action at that point. When the music started, he immediately stood up, removed his baseball hat, and put his hand on his heart. He stood proud and sang along with the words of the recording. He knew them. He knew them!

The profound enormity of that moment brought a tear to my eye, produced a lump in my throat, and caused my heart to swell with pride. This very special moment easily made the entire day worthwhile. At the end of the recording, my grandson replaced his baseball cap, put his hand in mind, and stood there watching a group of approaching karate students jumping all over the street.

Three or four minutes passed, and he turned to me and asked, “Grandpa, why did so many of the kids on both sides of the street not stand up for the National Anthem?” Very few removed their hats, and you had to strain to find anyone with their hand on their hearts. I was so proud of his question and even more proud of his observation. At that point, I asked him if he was ready to leave and he said, “Sure.” It was obvious that he had once again tolerated another of “Grandpa’s feeble attempts to return to the thrilling days of yesteryear.” He’s used to them by now and never complains.

As we walked back to the car, I explained that so many other kids had not been taught the importance of our flag, our military, and the National Anthem. His parents loved him enough to share that respect from an early age. I told him how proud I was of how he responded and how I hoped he would always do so and teach his children to do the same. He responded simply, “I will!” I know he meant it. I know he will.

We survived the parade fiasco and spent the rest of the day at a giant pet store, bought some delicious peanuts and licorice at the Peanut Castle and walked the boardwalk along the river front discussing the many mysteries of life. Oh, to be 10 years again!

I made a mental note to hug his Mom and Dad when I took him home!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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