Wisdom-Trek ©

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 334 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Living Life with Purpose

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 334 of our trek. Yesterday we explored how integrity is built over time by the choices that we make each day and why integrity matters. Today we will extend our trail of integrity and learn how important it is to be living life with purpose.

Thank you so much for coming along with me on our daily trek through life as we learn to live a life with purpose by growing in our wisdom, insight, and understanding. While some of our daily treks are multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeart Radio, and Google Play, so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. There are several loose ends of projects that I am attempting to bring to completion. Even with discipline and focus, at times I find it difficult to finish that last little bit. They are all important and somewhat interdependent with each other, which makes it even more difficult. When we have these competing priorities, it is important to understand and know your life values and what is really important so that you can create and live your legacy. That is why we are focusing our trek today on the trail of…

Living Life with Purpose

Some people measure success by the wealth they’ve accumulated, the power they’ve attained, or the status they’ve achieved. Yet, even though they’ve reached success beyond their wildest dreams, they still have an empty feeling, something is missing from their life, which is purpose.

In order to fill that void and be completely fulfilled in life, they are in a relentless pursuit but their soul is searching for something more. This type of person will be inflicted with at least some of these scenarios:

It’s lonely at the top. – They spent so much time clawing their way to the top that they did not make time for family and friends.

Enough is never enough. – There was always something bigger and shinier to obtain.

Sold their soul. – Their integrity was pushed aside in lieu of…

All work and no play. – They were always the first people in the office and the last to leave. Work consumed them.

Lived in the future rather than the present. – They spent much of their life thinking about what they were going to do tomorrow and not enjoying the present. They did not realize that all we have is today.

If any of these scenarios sound familiar to you, it may be time for a course correction.

· Living Life with a Purpose

For me as a Christ follower, I would never be complete without my primary focus on a life of faith. Although I have other purposes for life, the ultimate purpose is to bring honor and glory to God through my positive impact on the lives of others. Although everyone is different, there are seven common threads that bind a life with purpose.

Live by your beliefs and values

People who live a life of purpose have core beliefs and values that influence their decisions, shape their day-to-day actions, and determine their short-term and long-term priorities. They place significant value on being a person of high integrity and in earning the trust and respect of others. The result is that they live with a clear conscience and invest more time listening to their inner voice than being influenced by others. For me,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 333 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Why Integrity Matters

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 333 of our trek. The past two days we traveled on a trail that presented us many choices as we consider the topic of why you always have a choice. Today we continue on a similar trail as we explore Why Integrity Matters. Of course, integrity is built over time by the choices that we make each day.

Thank you so much for coming along with me on our daily trek through life as we learn how to build integrity by growing in our wisdom, insight, and understanding. While some of our daily treks are multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We have certainly been enjoying our pair of hawks this past week as they fly in and out of the nest with additional nesting materials and food. They are beautiful to watch, and we are blessed to have such a close-up view. Inside the house, we continue to make slow, but steady progress on the woodwork in the parlor, but the end results are worth the effort. As I work on renovating the various parts of the house, I am thankful for the integrity used when building The Big House. In the same way, our lives should be known for being built on integrity as we hike our trail for today…

Why Integrity Matters

It’s not always easy to admit a mistake, persevere during tough times, or follow through on every promise made. It is not always easy to be mature, maintain your composure and not get angry when another person treats you unfairly. It’s not always comfortable to convey the hard truth or stand up for your beliefs. In a business situation, especially if you are a manager or owner, it may not be beneficial in the short-term to do right by your clients, to put people before profits, to distance yourself from a questionable relationship, and to maintain exceptional business practices. Without exception, though, in the long run, doing the right thing is the clear path to build and keep your reputation both personally and professionally. It is also the only path to long-term success and happiness. Your integrity always matters.  Here are nine foundation principles, or stepping stones as to why integrity really does matter.

1. Achieve peace of mind

People with good character and integrity can sleep well at night. They take great pride in knowing that their intentions and actions are honorable. People with integrity also stay true to their beliefs, do right by others, and always take the high ground. They would rather suffer temporary loss, if needed, in order to maintain long-term integrity. They realize that life is a marathon and finishing well requires that you run the entire race well.

2. Strengthen trust

People with character enjoy meaningful relationships based on openness, honesty, and mutual respect. When you have high integrity, people know that your behavior is reliable, your heart is in the right place, and your word is good as gold.

3. Build a solid reputation

People with integrity command a rock-solid reputation. This helps them attract exciting opportunities “like a magnet.” People will follow someone who has integrity. Remember, though, reputation is how others see you, integrity is what you really are. A person of integrity will do what is right, even if no one sees them.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 332 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

You Always Have Choice #2

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 332 of our trek. Yesterday and today we are traveling on a trail that presents us with many choices as we consider the topic of why you always have a choice.

Thank you so much for coming along with me on our daily trek through life as we choose to grow in our wisdom, insight, and understanding. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on.  If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal.  You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. On Monday, we were able to attend the funeral for my Aunt Mary. She was always special to us kids as she and Uncle Bill were at many of our recitals, birthdays, and graduations. They always made time for us and treated us special.  Aunt Mary continued to send us birthday cards every year, and with thirteen nieces, nephews, and spouses that was quite a feat. The choices that she made impacted our lives, and the choices that you make not only impact your own life, but also the lives of many others. If you desire to make an impact and live your legacy each day, it will be based on the choices that you make.

This is the 2nd day of our hike. Let us reflect on the subject of choices as we consider the topic…

You Always Have a Choice #2

Let’s continue our narrative from yesterday’s hike. If you have not listened to day 331, I would encourage you to do so before continuing on today. At the end of yesterday, I went through the 8 choices that I make every morning before I arrive at my desk, ready to work each day. What if I change choice #2 from getting up at 5:30 am to start my morning routine, and instead, I choose to sleep in until 7:30 am? I would have to grab a quick shower, eat a donut or cereal for breakfast, and then still be at my desk at or around 8 am. But, how would that choice, made on a regular basis, impact my life?

Physically, I would be less fit because I would not be getting a regular routine of exercise.

Spiritually, I would be less fit because I would be missing my daily Bible readings and devotional materials.

Mentally, I would be less fit because I would not be preparing my mind with new and wholesome information each day.

Nutritionally, I would be less fit, and I would probably gain weight and become less healthy because I am not eating a wholesome breakfast.

Emotionally, I would be less fit because my body, mind, and soul, which are all integrated, are not receiving their proper nutrients that are needed daily.

This one simple choice to get up at 5:30 am each day and follow through with my morning routine sets the entire day on a proper trail for me. It also allows all other choices, large or small, that I need to make for the day to be done with the proper mindset because I have taken care of myself physically, spiritually, mentally, nutritionally, and emotionally.

Through this simple exercise, you can see that there really are no small choices because the accumulation of small choices adds up to very big consequences, both good and bad.

· Taking Ownership of Your Actions

Sometimes, you may not recognize that you do have a choice because the circumstances are daunting. They overpower you to a state where life looks like it is just a series of constraints,...

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 331 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

You Always Have  Choice #1

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 331 of our trek. Yesterday we reflected back on life a bit and shared advice for a younger generation. Today and tomorrow we will travel on a trail that presents us with many choices as we consider the topic of why you always have a choice.

Thank you so much for coming along with me on our daily trek through life as we choose to grow in our wisdom, insight, and understanding. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play, so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This past weekend was filled with activities both enjoyable and sad. On Saturday, I was able to get some work completed on the woodwork in the parlor as I am preparing it for polyurethane. The afternoon and evening we invested our time celebrating our oldest grandchild Paul’s eighth birthday party. It was a blessed time with two of our kids, their spouses, and five of our six grandchildren. On Sunday morning, we worshiped at church with Elizabeth, Nat, and their four children. In the afternoon, I was able to mow the entire lawn for the first time this season. In the evening, we attended the viewing of our Aunt Mary, who died this past Thursday.

It was good to see my cousin Rick and Uncle Bill. We are praying for their loss. My sister Rebecca and one of her sons Adam came up for the funeral, and it was nice to be able to invest Sunday evening visiting with them and my brother Jack and his wife Ann. Times of bereavement are usually times of reflection about the choices that we have made in life. On our hike today and tomorrow, let us reflect on the subject of choices as we consider the topic…

You Always Have a Choice #1

Have you ever looked at a difficult and unfavorable life situation and thought you are undergoing this because you “don’t have a choice”?

Have you ever said, “I have to do this,” or “I need to do that,” or “I have no other option,” or “I have no choice.” This can apply to anything in life, from your reactions to being in a predicament and solutions to small problems. The most common context I hear this phrase being used in is when people are doing work they dislike. As an example, they remain in the job because they need the stable income to support their expenditures and their family.

While you may think you have “no choice,” I think we would be wise to rethink this phrase when we are prone to use it. All of us always have choices, and we are making them every day, every minute, and every second.

1. You Always Have A Choice

I agree that you no longer have any choice or influence over what has already happened in the past. Those choices have already been made. However, you always have a choice in how you think, what you say, and what you do from this point forward. To use a gaming analogy, you can’t change the cards you are dealt with, but you can change how you play them. Some of the cards that we currently have in our hand may also be the results of how we played them in the past.

Let’s look at an example. Say, you are in an accounting job you dislike. You want to pursue your passion in starting your own business. However, you have financial needs and responsibilities to fulfill to your family,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 330 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Advice for a Younger Generation

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 330 of our trek. Yesterday we hiked the trail of accountability and learned why it is so important to take personal responsibility for all the decisions and actions that we make. Today we will reflect back on life a bit and share advice for a younger generation.

Thank you so much for coming along with me on our daily trek through life as we grow in our wisdom, insight, and understanding. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We found out on Saturday that my mom’s sister, my Aunt Mary passed away on Thursday of last week. She was the last of the three girls born to my Grandma and Grandpa Burkhart. This did change some of our plans for the weekend, as we went to the visitation on Sunday night and will attend the funeral on Monday. Since we were already in Marietta, where she lived, it did not involve any additional travel for us, which we were thankful for.

Times like this give us time to pause and reflect on how short life really is and how important it is to live our positive legacy each day. Since I will be 60 this summer, I am reaching the age where I have gained enough experience and wisdom to be able to understand certain truths about life. If you learn these truths early, they will help you to live the rich and satisfying life that we are designed to live at every age.

So whether you are 5 or 105 here is...

Advice for a Younger Generation

When you are in your 20s through 50s, you won’t feel like you are that age. – Adults are just older children. When you get older, you won’t feel as old as you imagine you will. For the most part, you still feel exactly the way you feel right now, just a little wiser and more confident. I certainly find this to be very true. Don’t fear growing up. Look forward to it. It’s awesome.

Bad things will happen to you and your friends. – Part of living and growing up is experiencing unexpected troubles in life. People lose jobs, get in car accidents, and sometimes die. The smartest and often hardest thing you can do in these kinds of situations is to be at peace and be filled with compassion. When bad things happen, you may feel like becoming angry but choose to be wiser and more disciplined. Remember that emotional rage only makes matters worse. Also, remember that tragedies are rarely as bad as they seem, and even when they are, they give us an opportunity to grow stronger.

Everyone can make a huge difference. – Making one person smile can change the world. Maybe not the whole world, but at least that person’s world. So, start small and start now.

First impressions aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. – Everyone and everything seems normal from a distance or at a glance. The 10th, 20th, or even the 50th impression is when you start to truly understand someone else for who that person truly is.

Big results come when you narrow your focus. – Concentrate your efforts on smaller and smaller areas. In other words, niche down. When your efforts are diffused over a wide area, they won’t have much of an impact. So, focus on smaller areas, and your efforts will be felt more fully.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 329 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The Buck Stops Here!

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 329 of our trek. During the last two days, we hiked on a difficult trail that is precarious to navigate as we learned how to become comfortable with discomfort. Today we will extend that trail as we seek out what it means to have personal responsibility.

Thank you so much for coming along with me daily as we grow in our wisdom, insight, and understanding. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. We have a lot of projects in and around the house for this weekend, so hopefully we will make good progress. One special event is the birthday celebration on Saturday of our oldest grandchild Paul as he turns 8 on the 25th. It is amazing how quickly the years rush by.

The whole space/time continuum really makes my head spin sometimes. What seems like a few days ends up being years, and the opposite is also true. That is why it is so important to make sure that we are accountable for investing our time wisely to have the greatest positive impact as we are living our legacy each day. One trend though that appears to be growing in our modern world is the lack of accountability, especially when it comes to personal responsibility. Maybe it has always been an issue, but it seems that fewer and fewer people are willing to be responsible for their own actions in life.

That is why today on our trek we will explore what it means when we hear the phrase…

The Buck Stops Here!

"The buck stops here" is a phrase that was popularized by U.S. President Harry S. Truman, who kept a sign with that phrase on his desk in the Oval Office. The phrase refers to the fact that the President has to make the decisions and accept the ultimate responsibility for those decisions.

It should be no different for each of us. We are ultimately responsible for our decisions. In other words, if you’re a parent, it’s time to act like a parent. If you’re a leader, then lead. If you want to be treated as an adult, then act your age. If you’re a politician, remember you weren’t elected to merely show up; you have a job to do. And if you’re not happy with your standing in life, don’t fault others. Success and happiness begin and end with personal responsibility.

· Take Charge of Your Life

Personal responsibility puts you in the driver’s seat to make the most out of your life. You have the freedom to choose the direction that you want to take, determine the choices that you’ll make, and decide how hard you’re willing to work to achieve your goals. The key is to personally “own” your life, rather than abdicating the responsibility to others. The fruits of your efforts are yours as well, to keep or share, to invest or spend.

Personal responsibility shouldn’t be a burden. It’s a blessing when you assume complete responsibility for your life’s successes and failures. We will all have our share of both. Hard work and commitment are required. If you want to lose weight, start with diet and exercise. If you want money for retirement, begin with a getting out of debt and committing to saving. If you want to be successful, you must possess the knowledge, integrity, work ethic,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 328 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Learning to be Comfortable with Discomfort #2

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 328 of our trek. Yesterday and today, we are hiking on a difficult trail that is precarious to navigate as we learn how to be comfortable with discomfort.

Thank you so much for coming along with me daily as we add to our wisdom. Discomfort is a part of our lives on a daily basis. We are faced with decisions or circumstances that we would prefer not to deal with. Ignoring those times is not a real solution, so we need to acknowledge that it is part of life and make the conscious choice to being prepared. Learning how to be comfortable with the inevitable discomforts of life will help us to gain wisdom, insight, and understanding in our lives.

Every day presents us a new opportunity to learn, to laugh, to love, and to make an impact in the lives of others that will last for eternity. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. It has been a steady week of work for us, as we are staying focused on the most crucial task while realizing that what we can’t complete today, if it is important, it will still be here tomorrow. This may bring us some discomfort, which is why we are continuing on our trail today as we explore…

Learning to be Comfortable with Discomfort #2

Yesterday we focused on how many times we try to avoid discomfort. We came to the conclusion that if you avoid it long-term, the discomfort will be even greater. You may also miss the opportunity of making an impact on the lives of others. So, today let us move on and explore mastering discomfort.

· Mastering Discomfort

The way to master discomfort is to do it comfortably. That might sound contradictory, but it’s not. If you are afraid of discomfort, and you try to beat discomfort with a really grueling activity, you will probably give up and fail and go back to your comfort zone.

Here are five ways to slowly become comfortable with discomfort.

1. Pick something that’s not hard.

Take a time for daily prayer and meditation as an example. It’s not really that hard. You will need to set the time aside where you are not interrupted. Relax and allow this to be a time of reflection. Try to be conscious of your thoughts and don’t allow them to wander. This may bring some discomfort initially, but give it time.

2. Just do a little.

You don’t have to start by doing 30 minutes of something you’re not used to doing. Just do a few minutes. Just start.

3. Push out of your comfort zone, a little.

Let’s use the example of exercising. If you are not used to walking, start with walking around one block each day for a week. The next week, walk around one block and additional 100 yards. Each week, push yourself just a little bit more than you are comfortable with. Soon you will become comfortable with the discomfort. Push yourself a little bit more each week.

4. Watch for discomfort.

Watch yourself as you get a bit uncomfortable — are you starting to complain – even if it just to yourself. Are you looking for ways to avoid it? Are you coming up with excuses? That is when you need to push yourself just a little bit more.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 327 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Learning to be Comfortable with Discomfort #1

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 327 of our trek. Yesterday on our trek, we covered the 10 laws of a living legacy. Today and tomorrow we will hike on a difficult trail that is precarious as we learn how to be comfortable with discomfort.

Thank you so much for coming along with me daily as we add to our wisdom. All of us will experience times of discomfort in our lives which actually will help us to gain wisdom, insight, and understanding in our lives. Every day presents us a new opportunity to learn, to laugh, to love, and to make an impact in the lives of others that will last for eternity. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play, so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Paula was able to get outside today and thin out some of the daffodil bulbs that have really multiplied over the past few years. There is still a lot more to thin, so she will probably invest several days on it. We plan on spreading the bulbs to new areas, and also passing them out at the Chamberlain reunion in July. Many of the daffodils were originally planted by my Granny and possibly extend back as far as my great-grandmother who we called GG.

Thinking about being outside, we should get focused on our trek for today as we explore…

Learning to be Comfortable with Discomfort #1

If you learn this skill, you can master pretty much anything. You can beat procrastination, start exercising, make your diet healthier, learn a new language, make it through challenges and physically grueling events, explore new things, speak on a stage,  and let go of all that holds you back.

Unfortunately, most people avoid discomfort. I mean, they really avoid it — at the first sign of discomfort, they’ll run as fast as possible in the other direction. This is perhaps the biggest limiting factor for most people, and it’s why you can’t change your habits.

Think about this…Many people don’t eat vegetables or wholesome foods because they have convinced themselves they don’t like the taste. We’re not talking about soul-wrenching pain here. No one is torturing you. It’s just a taste that’s just not something you’re used to. So instead you eat what you already like, which is sweets and fried stuff and processed meats, cheeses, salty things, and lots of boxed foods that are highly processed with little or no nutritional content. The simple act of learning to get used to something that tastes different is not really that hard in the grand scheme of life. Yet, by not being a bit uncomfortable, it makes people unhealthy and usually overweight.

Somehow in our minds we convince ourselves that we are avoiding discomfort when all the while we are creating a lifestyle of long-term discomfort that can have major significance on our quality of life and ability to live a vibrant legacy each day.

The beautiful thing is I learned through the years that a little discomfort isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it can be something you enjoy with a little training and consistent persistence. When you learn this, you will gain the skills needed to change any area of your life that needs to be changed. Master your fear of discomfort,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 326 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

The 10 Laws of a Living Legacy

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 326 of our trek. Yesterday, we explored 5 essential elements on our hike that will lead us to success. Today on our trek, we will cover the 10 law of a living legacy.

Thank you so much for coming along with me daily as we add to our wisdom. No one becomes wise quickly. It takes years of life experiences and a desire to be wise before wisdom becomes part of our living legacy. Every day presents us a new opportunity to learn, to laugh, to love, and to make an impact in the lives of others that will last for eternity. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play, so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Within The Big House, we were able to get the repainted beds set up in the upstairs back bedroom and are making progress restocking the bookshelves in the library.  I am also refinishing the sign that is at the end of our driveway, as it is well worn from the weather. We are also making good progress with our client work and other related projects. We are slowly building our legacy each day as we take life one day at a time. There are certain character traits, or you might say laws, that we should build into our lives so that we are living our legacy each day.

On our trek today let’s study the...

10 Laws of a Living Legacy

If you want to achieve your true potential in creating and living your legacy that you were called to, you must start by being aware of who you are. Living your legacy is an internal change that will manifest itself externally.

Here are 10 guidelines or laws to help you, whether you're just beginning your legacy trek or are far up the trail. These laws may not have been handed down on stone tablets, but if you follow them, you'll find that indeed you are living a positive legacy each day.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation.

Your reputation is just what other people think; your character is what you really are. To live your legacy, you will face challenges that require a choice between character and compromise; every time you choose character, you gain positive ground. Character is the core of a living legacy.

Be committed in all that you do

To effectively live your legacy you have to be committed, and true commitment starts in the heart. It inspires and impacts others; it shows them you have convictions. They will believe in you because you take responsibility, and you are committed to living your legacy.

Listen more than you speak

Communication is critical in order to positively impact others. People want to emulate someone they can understand, or someone who listens. As you live your legacy, you should listen far more than you speak, and when you do speak, make sure your words are consistent with your actions and character. 

Always show the best of who you are into everything you do.

It's easy to admire those who are highly competent, but most of us will never be considered superstars. To live your legacy by having integrity in all that you do is crucial. Cultivate the competence you need to show up every day, to keep improving,

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 325 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

5 Essential Elements of Success

Thank you for joining us for our 7 days a week, 7 minutes of wisdom podcast. This is Day 325 of our trek. Yesterday on our trek, we were challenged with some crucial questions of why life is not a dress rehearsal. Today we will explore 5 essential elements on our hike that will lead us to success.

Thank you so much for coming along with me as we learn from the wisdom of the ages on our daily trek of life. Every day presents us a new opportunity to learn, to laugh, to love, and to make an impact in the lives of others that will last for eternity. While some of our daily treks are a multi-part series, you can join us at any time and start along with us from that point on. If you would like to listen to any of the past episodes, please go to Wisdom-Trek.com to listen to them and read the daily journal. You can also subscribe to Wisdom-Trek on iTunes, Spreaker, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and Google Play, so each day’s trek will be downloaded to you automatically.

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. This week so far has been a beautiful spring week. The hawks are very active although we have not seen any signs of young ones yet, so we are not sure if they have hatched. We continue to make slow and steady progress on our client work and related projects as well as our projects in and around The Big House. There is always much to do, so sometimes it is a bit difficult to measure our level of success from day to day. Success can take many forms in all areas of our lives. We should have a purpose for life that all successes direct us to. At the end of my life, it is my hope that after fulfilling God’s purpose I can say what the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.”  There are some key essentials involved in success regardless of what success looks like to you, though.

That is why today we will investigate the…

5 Essential Elements of Success

1. Passion

Bill Gates was able to build Microsoft and became the richest man in the world because he was passionate about his vision of putting “a computer on every desk in every home.”  Passion, defined as intense emotional excitement, goes beyond mere enthusiasm.

· How Passion Is an Element of Success

A person with passion is a person who can set goals. Without them, you’ll have no clear direction and will drift along the road of circumstances. Another technology visionary, Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computer, abandoned his studies at Reed College to pursue more lucrative goals. Once he identified his passion, he was impatient with a slow path to carrying it out.  You, too, can recognize your passions. When you share your goals with others, however, don’t be surprised to hear things like, “Yes, but that’s not realistic,” or “That’s not practical.”

“You see things and say ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say ‘Why not?’” - George Bernard Shaw

2. Determination

We recently watched a Dolly Parton TV special called A Coat of Many Colors. It was touching and inspiring. When it was Dolly’s turn at her high school graduation to announce her plans, she said, “I’m going to Nashville to become a star.” The entire place erupted in laughter. She was stunned, but that laughter instilled in her an even greater determination to realize her dream. Dolly went on to write over 3,000 songs. Today she holds the record for the number of awards for a female artist – including seven Grammy Awards and an Emmy. The first year her theme park Dollywood opened, in 1986, gross business revenues for the city of Pigeon Forge,