Today is a national holiday here in the US. It’s a day with many different traditions today, from big meals with family, turkey, pumpkin pie, to parades and Detroit Lions football.

Interestingly the Thanksgiving tradition goes back much further than the 1924 inception of the Macy’s parade in New York. In fact, it predates our young country by more than 150 years.

Early Thanksgiving

The first recorded Thanksgiving in North America was actually held up in Canada in 1587 in celebration of surviving an abortive attempt to find a Northwest passage to the orient. Chalk one up to our neighbors to the North.

In the US, the first formal community wide Thanksgiving celebration was held 32 years later in 1619 on the banks of the James River in Virginia to celebrate the completion of an arduous sea passage.

Interestingly, the early Thanksgiving celebration that is most often looked to as the example didn’t happen until nearly two years later.

The folks that came over on the Mayflower and settled in Plymouth Massachusetts had a rough first year. They landed off Cape Cod in November so they didn’t have much time to prepare for the severe New England winter that they were faced with. It’s likely they didn’t understand how bad it would get.

Nearly half the 102 people who made the voyage across the Atlantic were dead within 6 months after disembarking in 1620 including their first leader John Carver. Most died from starvation and disease, although there were many hazards which could kill a person. Carver apparently died from sunstroke.

By the time the survivors got to their first harvest, they were fired up that they looked to have enough to make it through the second winter. So the 53 Europeans who were left had a big old celebration. It went on for days.

They invited some of their Indian friends who had shown them how to grow some of the crops that did so well. And the Native Americans were so impressed with the feast that they sent some of their hunters into the woods to get some venison for the settlers.

Economic Challenges

Since SuccessCREEations is about business, let me share with you this lesson I learned today from those early settlements.

Reading though a bunch of stuff out there on the early settlements I found it interesting that those early settlers in Massachusetts and Virginia survived those early years in spite of the economic system they started with. Both Plymouth and Jamestown started with a communal system.

It seems to make sense on the face of it. No one owns anything because all is shared. Everything is done for the common good to ensure the maximum possibility of survival for all. The idea is that everyone puts in maximum effort and only takes out what they need for themselves.

Trouble is it didn’t work. In fact that system was literally killing people in both communities.

In Jamestown the overwhelming majority of the men wanted to spend their time looking for gold rather than doing the work needed to survive. It got so bad that John Smith had to formally issue a proclamation that anyone who did not work would not eat.

It sounds harsh. Interestingly enough the idea comes straight from the New Testament of the Bible. And the change made a difference too and the settlement which was in danger of collapse survived.

Even the devout people of Plymouth, who weren’t obsessed with gold had problems with the communal system they were first under. They were stealing from each other. Single men didn’t feel they should work to support other men’s wives and children. Men didn’t like their wives doing laundry and stuff for other men. It wasn’t going so well.

So, after much debate, John Carver’s replacement William Bradford and the leaders of Plymouth changed things around. They divided up the common farm land into parcels and gave them to each family based on family size.

The difference was dramatic. In Governor Bradford’s own words:

By this time harvest was come, and in stead of famine now God gave them plenty, and ye face of things was changed, to ye rejoicing of ye hearts of many, for which they blessed God. And ye effect of their particular planting was well seen, for all had, one way & other, pretty well to bring ye year about, and some of ye abler sort and more industrious had to spare, and sell to others, so as any general want or famine had not been amongst them since to this day.

So instead of not quite having enough under the communal system, the privatized system produced enough excess that folks were able to sell some to those who needed more and everyone had more than enough.

It wasn’t long before the folks in and around Plymouth were sending enough profits back to Europe to attract more settlers.

The American Tradition

Ultimately Thanksgiving is about expressing gratitude to a Divine Creator for giving us more than we need and allowing us the privilege of passing that blessing on to others.

Looking to our Creator for continued blessing is not a popular idea in our culture today. There is a strong movement to remove all references to anything remotely religious from our public discourse, especially where our government is concerned. The myth that the establishment clause of the first amendment prohibits any acknowledgment of the Divine that is taking hold today is totally at odds with what the founders of our nation believed and expressed in their public lives.

A great many of the men who suffered the most to bring our nation into being were deeply religious. The writings they left behind are full of references to the Almighty.

From the opening sentence of the Declaration of Independence on our nation’s leaders have long acknowledged and thanked God for the continued blessing and protection of our country.

As an example of this, let me leave you on this holiday with the words of the proclamation our first President George Washington issued in 1789 instructing our new nation why and how to celebrate the holiday that has become our Thanksgiving. Imagine how these same words might be received from a President today.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

Please listen to Washington. Take a moment in reflection today and be genuinely grateful.

Enjoy!

We’re going to shift gears for a moment here at SuccessCREEations because Christmas is one of those holidays when many folks travel to see family. Generosity is a little more acceptable during the Christmas season than at other times during the year. All kinds of interesting things can happen to folks along the way.

New stories are happening to folks all over the globe. And I’m not just talking about one of my favorite Christmas movies either.

Even though I looked a little like Ralphie as a kid with my blond hair and glasses, let the record show that I never actually wanted an Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. Probably only because I didn’t know such a thing existed. If I had, I’m sure I would have wanted it.

Christmas today is seen as a Christian holiday. But the truth is Christians kinda annexed a pagan holiday, changed the name, flavored it to taste, and made it their own. We really don’t have any idea when Jesus was born. Sure the experts and Bible scholars have their theories and opinions. But in the final analysis we can’t be sure of the exact birthday.

In spite of our lack of precise knowledge on the subject of when, we do know a great deal about what happened that first Christmas season.

You hear people talk about the Christmas story. They may even read some words out of the Bible and tell you that’s what happened.

But they often leave some parts out.

Did you know that the Christmas story is really many little stories all playing out at the same time some 2,000 or so years ago in that little backwater corner of the Roman Empire and woven into the tapestry of the greater story?

That first Christmas is not just one story but many. Here are a few you might be less familiar with.

It’s a story of teen pregnancy with one young woman unsure of what the future held but pressing through doing the best she knew how.

It’s a story of difficult choices as a man had to figure out what to do when his fiancé told him she was pregnant and he knew the child wasn’t his.

It’s a story of crushing government bureaucracy that required the entire western civilization to travel back to the home town of their ancestors so they could be counted for the census and properly taxed (no e-filing there.)

It’s a story of remarkable poverty for a couple that couldn’t afford proper shelter and was only allowed to sleep in a barn because she was nine months pregnant.

It’s a story of overwhelming fear as a group of night security guards were suddenly joined by a huge spirit army that told them not to be afraid but to look for a king born in a barn.

It’s a story of complete amazement as those security guards found that king in that barn just as the spirit army told them they would.

It’s a story of incredible wealth that was hand delivered by some highly educated foreigners who came to that barn with gifts fit for that king they sought because they found his birth predicted in books written eons earlier.

It’s a story of a ruthless ruler who didn’t want any challengers to the throne so he had his secret police kill every boy 2 years old and under who was born in the entire region just to be sure he got ‘em.

It’s a story of political asylum as the father of that boy born in a barn ran with his family to another country just ahead of the ruler’s butchers.

It’s a story of overcoming odds to have that child survive at all despite the poverty, being born in rustic surroundings, and running from a ruthless hunter.

It’s a story that changed the world by starting one life that was so different, and had such a significant impact, that it ultimately became the pivot point for a whole globe’s calendar.

And those are just some of the stories that happened in people’s lives that first Christmas. Life is often a little messier and more complicated than a simple story that can be told by kids in bathrobes. But you don’t have to take my word for it. You can read all about it for yourself if you like.

Just like the rest of us have complicated lives, so did Jesus, the one whose birth is celebrated at Christmas.

As much as we focus on success here at SuccessCREEations, I know first hand how complicated life can be at times. Most of us don’t feel all that successful all the time. And sometimes it’s good to know we aren’t alone.

What’s your Christmas story?

The year was 1863. America was in the middle of an incredibly bloody civil war.

It was a war where the old style massed formations of men marched into the fields with the new repeating rifles to create death on an incredibly large scale.

That year included the battles of Chancelorsville, Vicksburg, Brandy Station, Gettysburg, Secessionville, Chickamaunga, and Chattanooga.

The outcome of the war was very far from certain.

And it was into this uncertainty that the Union President Abraham Lincoln issued his Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day. Here’s an excerpt:

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things.  They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people.  I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.

So in line with what Lincoln had in mind I thought I’d share a smattering of things I’m thankful for today.

• A morning when I could wake up after the sun rose without an alarm clock.
• A place to call home that is warm and dry
• A wife who loves me, has strengths where I’m weak, and is the ideal partner for my life
• More than ten years of freedom from the prison of alcohol addiction
• A friend who cared enough about me to introduce me to the person of Jesus Christ more than ten years ago
• Technology which allows me to build new friendships in far away places
• A couple of cats who are especially cuddly when it gets cold out
• Meaningful work to do that adds value to others
• More friends than I can count that I get to share this journey of life with

So my question to you is this. What are you thankful for today?

If you are here in the States I hope you have a wonderful and thankful holiday. And if you are somewhere else in the world I hope that you are able to take a moment and catalog some of the things that are worthy of your thankfulness.

Enjoy!

You’ve probably heard a motivational speaker say something along the lines of

If it is to be it’s up to me.

They’ll tell you that you and you alone are responsible for your success. And that is true as far as it goes.

But it isn’t enough. If you start looking at biographies of successful people you will find that remarkably few (if any) of them achieved their greatness in a vacuum. There were invariably other people around them who filled critical roles in their paths to success.

Take, for example the inspiring story of Wilma Rudolph. You may never have heard of her, but her story is incredible. As a child she contracted polio and was told by the doctors and medical experts that she’d never walk again. Yet by the time she was 16 she won a medal in the Olympics – running! And four years later she won three gold medals and earned the title of “Fastest Woman Alive.”

How does one go from being crippled with polio to three time Olympic gold medalist in a little over 10 years? With lots of help. Every one from Wilma’s parents to her coaches helped her along her path to gold.

Was she an exceptional person in her own right? Absolutely.

But she didn’t achieve her greatness in a vacuum. She had a lot of help along the way.

So what’s the point here?

People skills are critical to our own success. If we want to achieve our best and reach our highest potential we need to be aware that there will be folks who help us along the way.

It is interesting that nearly all the world’s major religions have some form of what is called the Golden Rule. Personally, I’m biased and I like the way Jesus said it best

Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you.

But the point is that all of these major religions recognize that we need to get along with other folks. And something that is nearly universally recognized as important to our spiritual well being probably has significant implications to our personal success as well.

If we are ever going to step out from the masses of mediocrity out there and see the success that is apart of our potential, than even the most introverted among us is going to have to learn to become a people person. The reason is simple, other people are critical to our success.

Everyone is afraid of something. And most of us have bunches of little fears, worries and apprehensions that we walk around with every day. Some are bigger than others. And some are more rational than others.

One of the things that separates successful people from the wallowing masses trapped in mediocrity out there is their ability to overcome their fears and move beyond them. For so many of us fear paralyzes our potential. It keeps us from moving forward and achieving the success that is calling to us.

I know fear has held me back for years.

The Source of Fear

Fear is hardwired into each of us. It is a natural phenomenon that can be critical to our survival. That fight-or-flight instinct which kicks in dumping adrenalin into our system to gives us the power we need to escape when we are in danger. There is healthy fear that can keep us alive.

Someone trapped in a burning building will be more likely to escape with a healthy level of fear of the flames. In my case, I am totally OK with my fear of snakes because it helps keep me from getting bitten. (And no, I have no plans to go see Snakes on a Plane!)

When I was in flight school a guy I knew washed out because of what the Navy termed “NAFOD.” It was an acronym which stood for “No Apparent Fear Of Death.” The Navy knew that some level of fear was required for safety. They had no use for reckless pilots who would endanger lives and expensive pieces of hardware. Some level of fear is required for good decision making.

When we recklessly ignore our fears, or when healthy fear is absent, tragedy often results. Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter, tragically demonstrated that this weekend when he got too close to a stingray which killed him. While it is true that Steve was successful because he overcame any fear of dangerous creatures, unfortunately for him the very source of his success became his undoing. We lay aside healthy fear at our own peril.

The experts say that we are born with only two fears. They say that all of our other fears are learned by one means or another. Apparently newborns only fear being dropped and loud noises. Now I don’t know how they determined that, but it does seem to make sense. Kids generally are far more willing to try new things than adults are. And it is a good thing too. Because to children pretty much everything is new!

Children are inherently more willing to accept the unknown than adults are. We want to know the outcome before we move forward.

Ultimately our fears come down to a control issue. We so much want to be sure that everything will work out in our favor that when we face uncertainty of outcomes we fear moving forward. If we were certain that we could control the outcome, we would not be afraid.

This is true across the board. It doesn’t matter what your particular fear is: heights, spiders, asking your boss for a raise, standing in front of a group to give that presentation, talking to people you don’t know, flying, getting audited, going to the doctor or dentist, or even clowns. Whatever your fear, somewhere at its root is an uncertainty of outcome that is in conflict with your desire to be in control of the situation.

That is the reason fear is so paralyzing. And that is the reason why so many of our fears are completely irrational. Our intense desire for control of our lives can overwhelm any rational thought when we are faced with a situation where the outcome is totally unpredictable.

Avalanch of Fear

Have you ever experienced a time when you found yourself all worked up in a tizzy about something and then caught yourself, said, “Hold on. This is nuts. Let’s get a grip here.”

We can sometimes find ourselves trapped in the cascading “what if” thoughts and run through imaginary scenarios that can totally paralyze us. Know anyone who has an unhealthy fear of confrontation? Their thought process might go something like this.

“Jones keeps screwing up. He needs to get on the stick because he is bringing the whole organization down. It’s my job to deal with it. I’ll go talk to him. But what if he doesn’t receive it well? What if he gets angry? He could cause bigger problems. Our sales might drop. I could lose my job. Then we wouldn’t be able to pay our mortgage. We’d lose the house. We’d be out on the street. Starving. Everyone would hate me. My kids would end up on drugs or as prostitutes.

“I’ll talk to him later.”

Meanwhile Jones keeps screwing up and the organization is dragged down. Neither is the organization nor anyone in it as successful as they have the potential to be.

And none of those thoughts are true.

How did we get to that place where our thoughts spun so far out of control?

Did you know that the three most common fears are death, loneliness, and failure? And while we can exert some influence over each of these areas in our lives there is no way for us to totally control any of them.

So what can we do?

Overcoming Fear

The truth is that we cannot overcome fear simply by saying, “I will not be afraid.”

The problem with our fears is that we latch onto things that are not true. We believe negative possibilities instead of the truth. If instead we would cling to the truth, the truth would set us free. We would overcome our fear and move on to success.

I can’t remember which movie John Wayne said,

“Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Courage is being afraid and still doing what you know needs to be done anyway.”

Most of us know the story of David and Goliath from the Bible. The entire nation trembled at the thought of facing the giant, Goliath. Not only was Goliath big and scary, but did you know he was also a darn good speaker? For forty days he strutted in front of the battle lines twice a day and gave a speech tormenting David’s people.

Most of us who heard the story as kids in Sunday School heard how David was just a boy but was braver than his entire nation. David wasn’t afraid, we were told. He marched straight out there and killed Goliath. The lesson was that we should be fearless like David.

Well if that is the version of the story you heard I hate to break the news to you. But David was scared too. You can read the story in 1 Samuel chapter 17. I’m not making this up.

Actually there are two reasons I know David was afraid. The first comes straight from the story. Check out verses 23 and 24:

As [David] was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.

David ran away too!

But David did something to overcome his fear. If you read through the story you find that after running away David twice asks the question what will happen to the one who kills Goliath. The answer he got both times was that the hero would get to marry the king’s daughter and be exempt from paying taxes for the rest of his life. (For some reason they skipped the talk about tax exemptions in Sunday School!)

David replaced his fear with the truth. In this case the truth was a big reward. Once David had that truth firmly established, he was able to overcome his fear, face the giant, and prevail.

I said there are two reasons I know David was afraid. The other comes from one of the most often quoted passages of scripture. Scholars say that the 23 Psalm was written by David about his encounter with Goliath. Read again what David had to say about that day when he’d had a little while to reflect on it:

The LORD is my shepherd; I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death,
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.
You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD forever.

David describes that march out to face Goliath as a walk through the dark Valley of Death. Yet David was able to find courage in that desolate discouraging place. Not only did David replace the fear with the truth of what would happen, but he also turned to God for the spiritual strength to overcome his fear.

Unhealthy fear comes with a spiritual component. And the only way we can truly overcome those fears after finding the truth needed to replace the fear is by addressing that spiritual element.

We will never be truly successful until we do.

If you are looking for some quick, pop a pill, stick it in the microwave, pay at the pump, drive through, instant messaging, Blackberry, magic ingredient for success, then let me save you some time. Hit the back button on your browser now. It doesn’t exist.

Even Jesus Christ himself, whose followers believe was the person of God come down to earth, took 30 years to prepare for his mission. And if God took 30 years getting ready is it reasonable for you to think you can somehow stand under someone’s magic wand and get success in an instant?

Of course not.

Shortcutting Success

There are millions of people out there trying to somehow shortcut the success process. And yes, it is a process. It takes time to learn the principles and habits that will lead to success. The process hasn’t changed since we were children and were learning all sorts of new things. But somehow when we get to be adults we forget the way things work and expect to be be exempt from the rules. We want to lose 40 pounds by next month, make our first million dollars by the end of this year, or master the art of influence so that we can set the sales record in our department this quarter.

And here’s the trap: Someone has done those things. Then they stand up and say how easy it is. Just buy my diet book, attend my sales seminar, or get my book of real estate secrets (It’s only $29.99! But wait, there’s more!)

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not knocking diet books or even books on real estate secrets. I applaud folks who are kind enough to share how they achieved their success. They deserve to be rewarded.

What I am knocking is our expectations going into purchasing these self improvement aids. Books, seminars, exercise tapes by their nature have a tendency to leave out all the long periods of staying with the program in spite of the appearance of a lack of progress. That part is boring. It would lose the reader. The editors cut it out. And frankly we don’t want to hear about it anyway.

Ever watch a cooking show? The spend all that time chatting, mixing up the ingredients. It’s fun. Entertaining. Then they put their concoction in the oven and cut to a commercial. A minute or two later they are back pulling the finished creation out. It baked in no time at all.

Life isn’t like that. We all need time to bake if we are going to achieve success. That baking process can be hard and even painful. It is much easier to give up on our dreams of success.

And that is where most folks do cash it in. They go back into the masses of mediocrity and try to fool themselves that they are really OK with that choice. But deep down, in the place they don’t acknowledge except sometimes maybe late at night when they are having trouble falling asleep, they still have a longing which they try to ignore.

How do we endure?

The key to enduring through the growth period when we don’t seem to be making any progress is to keep our spirits fed.

We are all spiritual beings. We were designed that way. We can’t help it. We all have things that lift us up, make us want to shout for joy, cause a catch in our throat, or bring a tear to our eye. These reactions seem to come naturally to us from time to time. And they reveal our passions.

We can tap into those passions to keep ourselves on track during the dry desert times. They fill our spirit and keep us charged up to make it through.

But here’s the rub: So many of our passions get out of whack and then get us into trouble.

Did you ever wonder why so many times people who achieve great success in one area of their lives fail so miserably in other areas?

Think about the corporate executive who’s alienated from his kids because he works all the time, or the rock star who makes millions only to blow his brains out. And then there’s the pastor who leads a church through tremendous growth only to end up in divorce court.

What do all of these out of balance folks have in common?

Healthy Spiritual Food

The common denominator is that each of these folks were feeding their spirits food that wasn’t healthy for them.

Do you remember the movie Morgan Spurlock made a couple years back, Super Size Me? In it he ate nothing but McDonald’s food for 30 days. The results were not pretty. Why? Because the food he was eating was not healthy for his body.

He got himself on a fast track toward disaster. And the same thing happens when we feed our spirit the junk food of unhealthy passions.

Ultimately, if we are going have the endurance to achieve success without experiencing the negative side affects that lead to disaster in other areas of our lives we have to have a healthy spirit which can only result from healthy spiritual food. So, what can fuel our passions in a healthy way?

Here’s where it gets sticky.

In order to get into it we have to explore abstract ideas like faith and belief. The good news is we don’t have to check our brains at the door.

Ultimately we have to find some sort of connection with God or our spirits will not be equipped to support us either during the baking process or once we finally achieve the success we are working toward.

Now, as a follower of Jesus, I have my views on how to find that connection. You can take them or leave them. Jesus taught that he was the only way to really connect with God. He said that all other paths fall short in the end.

You can say what you want about that. You can say it is exclusive. And you have a point. He didn’t leave any other options to successfully connect with God. But at the same time he said that connection is available to everyone who would receive it. So from that perspective it is remarkably inclusive.

The bottom line is this: We can achieve success for the moment, or in one area of our lives at the expense of others. Or we can feed our spirit healthy food by connecting with God.

Me. I choose option number two.