“A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.”

This story teaches two lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.

Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words… it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things…

They push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius -

Because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

Apple – Think Different from Carlos Varela on Vimeo.

Congratulations to America!

“All things are possible”

“Yes WE can”

“Obama calls on Americans”

Listen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycFQDydwG7Y

Tom is the founder of “The Ultimate Black Belt Test“

“The most innovative and revolutionary black belt test / teacher training / curriculum development program in the martial arts world. The program is for serious practitioners and career martial artists who are willing to take their martial arts “out of the dojo – and into the world.”

Inspiration

“A sense of mission, beyond profit, beyond image, beyond “agenda,” and beyond anything but a call to duty is, I believe, THE factor to search for if you want to work (in a martial arts school, red.) and feel like you’re doing something important – and for the world.“