At the Movies Pt. 1

Good people.  My dear readers.  How are you?!  Doing well and feelin' fine?  Yes.  No.  Kind of?  Well, my aim today is to make you feel better, feel good, think better, think good, know better and know good.  Shoot, y'all might even want to do some good by the time I'm through!  Note: You should already be doing good all over the place.  Y'all know that.  Right?  Right.  Y'all also know that I love movies too.  Don't you?  Yep.  I thought so.  They're entertaining and fun.  They're thrilling.  Encouraging and uplifting.  Even sad.  They're also inspiring and have great messages.  Sometimes, God will use a movie or movie line to speak to you.  Can I get an amen?!  Thank you to my blonde-haired sista in the back!  Testify, my sista!  Oh, I didn't mean right now.  No, really.  Will you...  Yes.  I promise you can testify later.  I know.  It's tough to hold it in when you think about all that He's done for you.  I need you to try though.  Just for now.  Ok?  Cool.  Where were we, y'all?  Ahhh, that's right.  At the Movies.  Today's post will be a bit different than what you've read in the past.  I'm going to take a few of my favorite movie lines and expound on them and tell you what they mean to me.  I pray that they'll be a source of encouragement for you.

Note: Because so many folk love movies and movie quotes, and they're easy to digest and fun teaching tools, this is going to be a fun and awesome series! Let's get it, y'all!

First up..."What we do in life echoes in eternity." - Maximus Decimus Meridius

Y'all know this one.  No?  Who's got the answer?  You.  Yes, ma'am.  I'm talking to you.  That's right!  The movie we're looking for is Gladiator.  I could do an entire series about the leadership lessons from that movie, let alone examining this one line.  In fact...  I'll say this much.  Keep the eyes of your inboxes peeled!  What?  You didn't know your inbox could see?  Yep.  Sure can.  Mmm hmm.  Now, back to Maximus.  He's right, ya know.  Do you ever really, truly consider what you do?  Or do you just do anything?  Taking no regard for the impact of what you do.  Y'all know that what we do has lasting impacts on things, right?  On people.  I won't beat this one into the ground.  Just know a few things:

1. Do good.  When you do good or do good things, you will receive good/good things in return.  Doing good is it's own reward.  Don't believe me?  Try it.  Then come back and tell me how you felt after you did your good things.  No, I didn't say come and tell me the person or folk didn't say thank you.  Because if that's what you were in it for, you were doing good for all the wrong reasons.  And don't hit me with, "Well, folk should say thank you."  We know that.  Sometimes, they don't.  Sometimes, we don't.  Get over it.  All you can do is be your best.  You say thank you.  There are far more folk who appreciate it and will acknowledge it than those who don't and won't.

2. Be good.  At something.  You've got a skill.  A talent.  A gift.  Find out what those things are.  Explore.  Search.  Remember, you're a search engine.  And behind the scenes of you are algorithms.  Therefore, when you search yourself for your skills, talents, and gifts, there's going to be a return or returns on what's in you, what's put in you, and what you've put and allowed to enter into you.  So, be sure that only the right and good things enter into you.  Be vigilant about guarding your eyes, ears, and mind.  I know.   You can't keep thoughts from entering your mind, but here's what you can do.  Defenestrate them!  Evict them!  Choose not to allow them to linger in your mind or overpower you.

Also, and most importantly, be good to people.  Do I have to tell you why?  Good.  But y'all know I'm still going to give you something to chew on anyway.  

God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right.  That's Matthew 5.10

Give and it will be given to you.  That's Luke 6.38.

A man reaps what he sows.  That's Galatians 6.7.

And know this.  You should be good to people just because.  So, don't think I'm saying that you should be good to people, because you expect to have good done unto you.  Nope.  Because if you know like I know, it doesn't quite happen like that all the time.  And that's all the more reason that we need to be good to each other.  Yep.  I know.  Deep.  Uh huh.  I just said something there.

3. Do more good.  Why?  Why not?  Stevie, tell 'em.

If love and peace you treasure...Oh, sorry y'all.  You caught me jammin'!

I'm back now.  I thought I was going to be able to wrap this up in just a few posts (and I may), but I feel a series comin' on.  A series, comin' on.  If you can name the song I just referenced (no, not the Stevie song), you win the grand prize!  Huh?  What is it?  It's reading the forthcoming posts, maaaan!  But...there may be an opportunity to win things in the future.  What kinds of things?  Good question.
Things like:

- Exclusive invites to groundbreaking webinars about leadership!  

- Special access to the exclusive recordings!

- Life-enriching, insider leadership tips and more!

What's that?  Another question?  Oh, a comment.  Sure.  Go ahead.  "YEEEEESSS!  Eric, I knew I liked you, bud!  That is some waaaaaaaayyy cool stuff!  And who doesn't like waaaaaaaayyy cool stuff?!  Eric, you are allllllriiiight!"  Well, thank ya kindly.

Be sure to join me next week when we talk about endurance!

In the meantime, visit my website and keep tuning in for more upcoming details about...

- Wisdom-filled webinars!
- Down-to-earth trainings!
- Real world coaching!

All with immediately applicable and usable takeaways!  And of course, waaaaaaaayyy cool stuff!!!

I appreciate you!  Thanks for reading!

That Is Why It Must Be You!

Ok, y'all.  Watch this clip.  Then we'll get started.  I'll wait...  All done?  No?  Ok...  Ready?  Cool.  Let's go.  "Maximus, that is why it must be you!"  That's a powerful scene.  Imagine if you were General Maximus.  You haven't been home to see your family in years.  You're weary and worn.  You're also sworn to duty.  To honor and defend.  You've also got the ear of the most powerful man in the world.  Trade-offs.  There's some lessons in that phrase alone.  Hmmm...  We'll get to those, but for now, I want you to focus on what Marcus Aurelius says to Maximus after Maximus tells him that he does not accept Caesar's charge of becoming the protector of Rome after he dies.  He says, "Maximus.  That is why it must be you!"

That is why it must be you.

Just like Maximus, you've been charged.  You've got a charge to keep.  Whether you know it or not, you do.  See, you think no one wants to hear you.  False!  Not only do they want to hear you, but they also need to hear you.  You think, "Well, everything's been said."  Maybe.  But know this.  Your message is unique because it's yours and it's coming from you.  And there's not a single other person on this planet that can bring that message across like you.  There's a group of folk you've been called to that need your message.  They need you.  

That is why it must be you!

You think you don't have a voice.  Wrong!  It may have been squelched.  It may have been on pause.  Maybe for years.  But I assure you, dear reader, you have a voice.  It needs to be heard.  Your unique and special voice.  Called and sent for a specific group of folk.

That is why it must be you.

You think it's over.  They told you it was.  You know them.  That stuff.  Those things.  Them folk.  Flag on the play!  It ain't over, maaaaan!  It's only just begun.  Yes, I just went all Karen Carpenter on y'all!  It's only over when you quit.  As long as you're here, you've got a shot.  At whatever it is.  You hear me?!  You've got a shot!

That is why it must be you!

You still have a lil' belief left.  A lil' faith.  It might even be the size of a mustard seed.  Come close.  I've got a secret to tell you.  Closer.  Closer.  Can you hear me?  Are you listening?  Good.  All you need is a lil' faith to spark a blaze!  To spark the fire that burns within you.  To ignite the night with your passion.

That is why it must be you!

You've been told that you can't.  Why?  Because they couldn't?  Because they wouldn't?  Because they can't?  Chil' please!  Later for them.  You need to run as fast as you can in the opposite direction from them folk!  Here's the thing: You can!  Can what?  Can whatever!  Sure, you'll need some help.  You'll ask for it.  You'll get it.  You'll have to get a few PhDs, but you're ready, willing, and able to put in the work.  You're hungry!  Baby, you've got what it takes!

That is why it must be you!

You've been told that you'll never be anything.  That's cool.  Folk are entitled to their opinions.  No matter how wrong they are.  Don't you fight those tears.  Let 'em flow.  Let 'em fuel you.  That statement is a lie!  You'll be and become exactly who you're destined to be.  It's already in you.  Growing up, I'd see these posters that said, "I know I'm somebody, 'cause God don't make no junk!"  That's what I'm saying to you today.  You are something and somebody, 'cause God don't make no junk.

That is why it must be you!

You've been told that nothing good comes from (insert your city, town, school, neighborhood, family name here).  Funny.  I seem to remember something similar being said before.  That seemed to turn out pretty well.  And it will for you too.

That is why it must be you!

You've been called a failure.  To that I say two things.  The first is something we'd say as kids.  "Takes one to know one and I know you."  The second thing is this.  You are a failure.  Yep.  I said it.  'Cause you're about to Fail Ur way to victory!

That is why it must be you!

I don't know where you are.  I don't know why you're reading this.  I don't know how you stumbled upon my blog.  I don't know what's going on in your life.  I probably don't even know you.  And none of it matters.  Here's what does matter.  I know there's more for you.  I know there's more in you.  I know that you've been called to do great things!  I know there's greatness in you!  I know that it's time for what you've got to shine!  I know that it's time for you to move on up like George and Weezie!  I know that it's time for you to soar!  I know that you were made for this!  I know that you are built for this!

That is why it must be you!

I believe in you!  I know that you're ready to get in the car.  As the fire burns away the dross.  As the cleansing and healing rain washes away the miry clay.  As you strut past death and dead bones.  As you ascend unto and beyond the heights that you thought were impossible.  As you take your throne and restore your kingdom.  As you breathe new life.  I need you to know something.  You need to know that it is time.

That is why it must be you!