In this political climate we current have in America, I find it increasingly hard to trust the opinions of politicians (except our military) that have only ever signed a paycheck on the back. Like most of the people in office today and the media, they have only signed a paycheck on the back and most of them have been on the government payroll all of their adult lives. Signing a paycheck on the front is what employers do and signing a paycheck on the back is what employees do.

Most of our political leaders have never employed one person and have spent their adult life feeding off a government job for decades. They have never had to meet a payroll on Friday when they didn’t have the money. They have never had people with families depending on them. All they know is to criticize and cast blame and tear the other person down.

I think it is important to choose who you listen to. I loved the movie with Robin Williams when he ran for President and he said that every politician should be like a NASCAR driver and have to wear a jacket that shows who all their sponsors are. Wouldn’t that be a hoot to really see who is contributing large dollars to their election campaigns and receiving in exchange promises that the American public would not agree to?

So if you ask me, the ones I want to really hear from are the ones who have actually done something, accomplished something and actually have been in the arena and not just the stands.

I think the following quote from Teddy Roosevelt could be one of the greatest of all time.

Theodore Roosevelt said the following quote, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” KT

This has been my simple prayer for 25 years before I go into a business meeting. If you know me and know how I talk, you know I need all the help I can get. Ha

What this little prayer means to me is that I don’t need a Harvard education, an MBA in finance, a big title, a 5,000 suit and a pedigree. It says to me, that all I need is Jesus, his anointing and his favor. That’s it. That is all I need. In my prayer when I ask Jesus to rise big within me, I am asking that he be my everything in that moment. I am asking that he give me his words, his thoughts, his ideas and his wisdom.

For me in that moment, I don’t need anything else. All I need is him. KT

We all have at least one thing that sets us apart from everyone else. At least one relatable, identifiable and memorable characteristic. This is important. In business and in life, this should not be taken lightly and never overlooked. In a time when many people wished they were like someone else or tried to imitate someone else, they are missing one of the most important aspects of their life. It is the thing that makes you different.

It could be the way you smile, the look of and in your eyes, your mannerisms, the cadence of your speech, the tone of your voice, the way you walk, the way you focus when spoken to, the spirit that resides in you, the ability to gain trust, your height, your hair or no hair, your handshake and the list could go many pages long. In my case there is so much to choose from. Ha, but it is probably my speech. I stutter. Years ago I used to think it was a detriment to my life but I later realized that it very well could be the thing that makes people listen harder (ha) and even possibly remember me. I have often thought that if I spoke like everyone else, there would not be a differentiating characteristic about me and I could have very well failed in business. It could be the one gift that God put in me as a child. Many times it didn’t seem like a gift but sometimes the very thing that you think is holding you back, could be the very thing that sets you apart.

Think of people you know, like and trust and really ask yourself, what is it that makes them different and makes me like them? What you will realize is that there are nuances about that person that you could never copy or duplicate even if you tried. By trying to copy that person, you would lose the uniqueness of your gift. That thing that you and only you have. I believe God gave us all a uniqueness that no one in the world has, except you. I have seen identical twins that may look alike but even then, they each have nuances about themselves that clearly sets them apart from their twin.

There are many slogans that include the words, be yourself. As simple as that statement is, it could be one of the smartest statements ever made. KT