All posts by Keith Thompson

Live each day as though it was your last

Life

We have had friends and people we know that died early. Many were within our own age bracket and many were sudden with no time to plan. As I reflect on this, I wonder if they were ready and did they hurry through life’s most precious moments. Life is a very fragile thing and you can be called home at a moment’s notice. Therefore, I suggest to live each day as though it was your last.

Most times, the most perfect moments don’t cost anything. Usually, it is about being mentally where you are physically.

This past week, I was driving in the northern states and I didn’t have the radio on and was simply looking at the fall season happen before my eyes. I didn’t answer any emails, respond to any texts, answer any calls (except from my wife), and I choose to just live in that moment. It is really a simple thing to stop the racket and be in a moment.

I believe when you are on the one yard line of life, what will matter most is the relationship you have with God and the relationship you have with your family. I think the images that will come before your eyes are of your small children and grandchildren holding out their arms and telling you they love you. The joy of laughing with your wife and your children. It’s the look on your family’s faces on Christmas morning and the joy of knowing that all is well in the world. “Silent Night” was written about the peace of a moment.

Take a moment and really see what is around you. Choose the simple joys and choose to put the world on the shelf for a few hours. These will be the moments you will remember. KT

Who is your neighbor?

Life

There is a powerful passage of scripture that deals with how we should treat others. The Bible refers to others as our “neighbor.” The passage is Luke 10:30-37, and it is the story of a man who asked Jesus “who is my neighbor”? Jesus, as usual, answers the man with a parable about three men that see a person in need and only one of them stops to help. Not only does the man stop, but also he goes the extra mile to really help the man.

This past Sunday, our lesson was on this passage; the lesson was about when to get involved and when not to. There are times when people need help and not just prayer. There are some cities where you go downtown and there are young, strong men who will prey on people to give them money. Not every situation is the same, but I believe God will lead when to get involved and when not to.

I am about to tell you something that is personal, and please know I do not tell you this so you will think more highly of me. I am going to tell you this story because it represents what I am talking about. You will know it when you see people in need that need you to help them right then. In those situations, they don’t need you to add their name on the church prayer list or form a committee to come back in a week…. What they need is food, help, and lodging, and they need it now.

Last Sunday, God knew what the lesson was about and what would happen this week.

Brad Sinclair and I were in Richmond this past Tuesday night for a meeting we had on Wednesday. Our flight got in at 11:30pm Tuesday night, and we needed to run by a pharmacy to get a couple of things. We pulled up to the light and there was a CVS in front and a Walgreens to the right. We choose Walgreens, and when we pulled up, there was a homeless family with a young mom, dad, young son, and baby. They needed help right then. They were thrown out of wherever they were living and had no one to help them. The little baby did not have shoes and they were eating some snacks that I guess they were able to take with them. The little boy was probably 4 or 5 years old and the baby was maybe 6 months old.

It was not time to say church things about praying for them and go in peace. No, it was action time, and we were there because God put us there. Long story short, without getting into too many details that are private, we gave them enough money to cover the immediate needs, and we paid for them to stay for a couple of days in a hotel.

Sometimes, like that night, the only gospel some people will hear is your actions and we had better make sure we act appropriately.

Now listen close to me– if you are a young woman and you see someone who needs help, you simply cannot and should not put yourself in danger. You must know your surroundings and know the risk. I told my daughters when they were young to not roll down a window and stick their young arms out; rather, tell me where they were and I will go as their daddy and help that person. Again, I am not telling this story to tell you what you should do, rather I am telling this story because sometimes real people are in real need and they simply need a touch of kindness.

Many times, people see these situations and they look away or act like they don’t see the person and pass by. You cannot be all things to all people all the time, but sometimes you can make an impact on others and that is what the passage of scripture is talking about. So, read the passage of scripture above, and you will understand what I am talking about. KT

You cannot be all things to all people

Career, Life

We all need to understand that we cannot be all things to all people. You need to know when the answer “no” is the right one. People who sign up for everything end up doing a poor job on everything as compared to only saying “yes” to the opportunities that you know in your heart you can make an impact on.

In business, like personal life, you need to choose where you spend your time. At Hotel AG, we know what we are good at and we also know what we are not good at. I get calls all the time for hotel projects that involve complicated scenarios that I know our chances of success is very limited. I have learned to gracefully say “no” to those opportunities and to recommend someone else that may be better suited for what the client needs. I have found that by doing this, you preserve the client’s trust in you versus talking on the project and then failing. When you fail, you lose the client’s trust and that will cost you business down the road.

I have seen in churches where the chairman on multiple committees is the same person. In most cases, all committees will do less than expected because of the leadership. Each committee needs individual attention that is not spread over multiple committees.

In business, you need to spread the authority around and let others learn how to lead. Many company leaders feel they need to have the control in every department and every aspect. These are the leaders that seldom succeed long term with their companies. A company must grow leaders within because there is always talent available other than you. Yes, there will be mistakes and yes, there will be errors, but people will learn what works and doesn’t work if they are given an opportunity.

It is said that many army generals believe that you can win the war without having to win every battle. You as a leader simply need to choose the battles you must win and focus your attention on those. When your children were young, you instinctively did this same thing. You cannot not always say “stop” or “no.” Sometimes you need to let the child learn and experience things, which is the only way they will understand.

So, choose the things and the projects that are most important to you and learn to say “no” to the others. You will have more peace, be more focused, and have more joy in your life. KT

Babe Ruth and Arnold Palmer

Career, Life

Babe Ruth and Arnold Palmer probably had many things in common, but there is one thing that stands out: They both gave it all on every swing.

Babe Ruth had 714 home runs and 1,330 strikeouts. He failed twice as much as he succeeded. Every time he stepped up, he was swinging full and giving everything he had. He would sometimes swing so hard he would lose his shoes; many times he would almost fall down if he missed the ball.

Arnold Palmer won 95 professional tournaments with 7 of those being major championships. One day, Arnold hit his tee shot in the woods and the only way he could get the ball to the green in regulation was to hit a driver off of the dirt. You guessed it…he took out a driver and hit the ball clean off of the dirt.

Why am telling you about these two athletes? They are like us in many ways. Every time we get up to do a sales pitch, write a report, talk with a client, cook a burger, throw a newspaper, we have the opportunity to do the best we can. Will we always win? No, but I will tell you that if you swing fully every time in life, you will experience more success.

There are a lot of people that just don’t try. I believe if you show up and try, you will beat 95% of your competition. So, the next time you get up to the plate, stand over the tee box, or get ready to make a sales pitch, wind up and really take a swing not holding anything back. KT

Give it all you got

Career

“Give it all you got” is really a simple concept. It means whatever you are doing, give it your all. It means to really try at what you are doing.

I have known people that get paid by the hour at their work, and they seem to enjoy finding ways to still be on the clock without working. I have actually heard these people brag about this. The truth is they are actually showing their own character. Don’t be like that.

I believe when you give it all you got, you will have no regrets. You will sleep well at night. When you have done your best, there is nothing else left to do. You find yourself at peace.

This can be misconstrued to think that you have to work 14 hours a day. That is not at all what I am saying. You just have to be there mentally when you are there physically. When you are talking with someone, really listen. When you are writing a letter, do the best you can. When you are giving a report to your boss, prepare before you go in and do great. If you are a salesman, like I am, know what you are talking about and look them in the eye and be honest.

What I am saying is to do whatever you do, as though everyone will see it or hear you. Be proud of what you do and do it well. KT