A new week, a new chance...

"Be not the slave of your own past. Plunge into the sublime seas, dive deep and swim far, so you shall come back with self-respect, with new power, with an advanced experience, that shall explain and overlook the old."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today is the beginning of a new week full of promise and opportunities better than the last.

Last week ended with Chrysler making headlines around the world by announcing it is laying off 12,000 people. You can imagine why the news is all over the place.


The news plays on people's own fear and uncertainty. Twelve thousand people are going to be out of work. That could be me. Twelve thousand people are going to have less money. Money is tight. Twelve thousand people are agonizing, wringing their hands and wondering just what in the world are they going to do with their lives. What will I do if my company does the same?


Not exactly a happy thought for anybody -- especially if you work at Chrysler. Still the Chrysler 12 are not alone. On the same day of the Chrysler announcement, the news also reported....

• 12,000 people sought charity medical service... http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/10/27/state_boosts_effort_to_reach_the_uninsured/


• 12,000 people fled their homes in a tropical storm... http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20071031T200000-0500_128872_OBS_TROPICAL_STORM_NOEL_GROWS_AFTER_LEAVING_CUBA.asp


• 12,000 people got ready to walk off their jobs in Hollywood... http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1573241/20071101/da_brat.jhtml

The mighty 12,000 rolls on from storms to strikes. Twelve thousand captures our attention. Twelve thousand is huge. It's big. That is why its news.

But really it is nothing compared to the number one.

"Be not a slave to your own past."

When that one is you, the power to change in a sea of common circumstance is in your hands. See the power of one as...

• One paraplegic man competes and finishes a 1400k iron man contest... http://www.cyclingnews.com/mtb/2007/oct07/croctrophy07/?id=results/croctrophy0710


• One inner city, high school dropout, earns his MBA and makes people like Kayne West, Mariah Carey and Melissa Etheridge stars... http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071008/ENT03/710080383/1086/LIFE

There are hundreds of examples citing the ability of one person to make a difference. Companies and organizations have adopted this belief as seen here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOXOImxK0NA

"Plunge into the sublime seas...

We can break free of the past by changing the way we think about the present.

I will do better. Today.

Say it to yourself.

I will do better. Today.

Now decide what that one thing is that you will do better today.

No matter how big or small you make the one thing you will be better at today, it is important that you believe it.

Be optimistic about it.

Be happy about it. Be really happy about it.

Now do it.

The week is already better.