The Value of Freedom

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

What does freedom mean to you?

What freedoms you value the most in your life?

Where there is freedom there is prosperity. It is so easy to take for granted what we grew up with. Freedoms must be protected if we are to pass them to the next generation. It is easy to lose what we don’t even know we have. 

The best way to value our freedoms is to travel to places where certain freedoms are not present. It is our responsibility to pass onto the next generation the freedoms we received from those that came before us. Is that the case in our nations today? Why is government size, controls, legislations, taxation, etc. increasing? 

Have we taken full responsibility for our lives so we can enjoy, protect, and propagate our freedoms?

I don’t know what freedom means to you. Spend some time thinking about what freedoms you value most. As for me, here are words that come to mind when I think of my freedoms.

1.    Read. Write. Speech. Education. Leadership.

2.    Religion. Worship.

3.    Property. Use of property.

4.    Association. Assembly. Family. Friends.

5.    Choice. Work. Investment of time and money. Health.

6.    Travel. Hobbies. Fun.

7.    Pursue dreams. Help others.

What freedoms do you value the most? Remember that with each freedom comes a corresponding responsibility.

Leave your thoughts, comments.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)

Living Life

The Life of Your Dreams

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Are you living the life you thought you would as a kid? Have you ever thought of why you are not living a better life? Something happened along the journey you may not even realize. You are trapped and you don’t even know. Here are 7 reasons why you may not be where you wanted to be.

1.    Define. We don’t define what we want. How can you hit a target you don’t have? Yet the majority of people go through life without writing down what they expect to accomplish in their lifetime. Find you purpose and live it. Most people don’t love what they do because they did not take the time to define what they want. Some people know what they want but don’t want to change or sacrifice to become better to deserve what they want. Find your mission, your cause and pursue it. Are you working just to live or to create the life of your dreams?

2.    Anchors. We don’t let go of the anchors holding us back. The heaviest anchor is the one we drag on ourselves, our past. Cut the chain and let it go. Are people in your life holding you hostage? You can escape by letting them go.

3.    Dream. We stopped dreaming. We created mental blocks to dreaming. It takes courage to dream again. It is scary to dream as adults; that is why it is less painful not to dream. The day we stop dreaming is the day we start dying. Dream again and date your dreams. When we were kids we were dreamers. Then, we grew up and the world, the education system killed our dreams. It is never too late to dream again. Dream big, dream deep, dream wide, and dream long. You got the point, start dreaming again.

4.    Learn and do. We stopped learning what really matters in life. We don’t even apply the little that we know. We stop reading early in life. We don’t even know what is holding us back. We don’t take time to reflect on what is happening to us. We become numb to life and live day by day. Knowing and not doing is not knowing. Knowing how to read and not reading or reading trash is no different than not knowing how to read.

5.    Associations. We choose or fall with the wrong associations. We choose pleasures and entertainment over purpose and service to others. Most people live for weekends, paycheck to paycheck. Listening to the wrong people is a formula for disaster. Do the people you get your advice from have the results that you want in life? If not, why follow their advice or even spend time with them?

6.    Finances. We mismanage our finances. Most people don’t understand the basics of money. They become slaves of money. Money is a tool and it can be a great slave. Good people do good things with their money. Do you know the principles of money? How well do you play the money game? Are you better at the defense or the offense of money?

7.    Help. We don’t ask for help. We don’t help others. It takes humility to ask for help. Our egos come in the way. We live in a very complex world where the interconnectedness is greater than ever before. We must borrow the wisdom of others. We don’t have enough time to learn from our experiences. We must learn from the experiences of others.

Success comes to those that find love in their life, generate enough energy to live the life of their dreams, audaciously inspire others to follow their footsteps, and above all leave proof that a life lived to serve others is the only life worth living.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)

The 7 Traps on the Way to Success

The 7 Traps on the Way to Success

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Why some people are successful while other intelligent people are not?

What are the traps we ought to watch so we don’t fall prey to the enemy?

Here are 7 common traps for you to ponder and reflect:

1.    Impatience. Delayed gratification is a key principle for lasting success. Patience is a virtue. All great things are worth waiting for.

2.    Laziness. Laziness is taking the law of least resistance to the extreme. Leaving to nature we all choose to do the least. Combating laziness requires a deliberate attack on status quo until inertia takes over. A body at rest tends to stay at rest. Once momentum takes hold it is easier to keep going.

  

3.    Pride and personal ego. Living without pride and ego is easy to say but hard to do. Kill your personal ego. Shift the pride and ego towards your cause and the teams working to realize your vision.

4.    Lack of understanding of wealth. Successful people are wealthy. Wealth is a lot more than money. Wealth includes plenty of free time, money, health, and great relationships. Wealth is a way of thinking. We attract and become what we think.

  

5.    Lack of love. Love for what one does is the key to success. Loving what we do generates energy so we can audaciously pursue our dreams proving to the world that love is the most powerful force.

6.    Envy. Never compare yourself with others. We are all on different journeys. Become a better you. Envy corrodes and slowly eats your insides.

  

7.    Lack of focus. Focus on our dreams and goals leads to lasting success. The world of full of distractions leading to nasty ditches difficult to get out. Find your purpose and chase it like a lion chases a gazelle. How bad do you want what you want? Are you willing to sacrifice certain things short term so you can have them long term?

No one can become truly successful without helping others to be successful. 

Have you extended a hand to someone else today?

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)

The 7 Cancers of Organizations

The 7 Cancers of Organizations

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Are you infected with one or more of the following cancers? 

Are you seeking proper treatment? 

Cancers grow until they kill you and/or the organization you are part of. 

All forms can be caught. Since we are all born sinners, the propensity is already in us to create the environment for these forms of cancer to grow. Awareness is the best antidote.

1.    Gossip. If someone is talking about others in front of you, they will likely talk about you in front of others. Ask the gossiper if you can quote him to the gossipee.

2.    Envy. Subtle but easy to diagnose and catch by the remarks and looks. This one, like all the other ones,  is rooted in evil.

  

3.    Jealousy. A very widespread form of organization cancer. This one leads people to seek the wrong treatment. Be careful, this form can be contagious.

4.    Hatred. Widespread in words and deeds around the world. The word hate should be removed from the dictionary. Hate spreads widely and deeply. The root cause is inadequacy from a feeling of being a victim.

  

5.    Complaining. As common as common cold. Complainers seem to be born just to complain. Remedy is to ask the complainer to bring at least one solution for each complaint. Read the book The No Complaining Rule.

6.    Criticizing. This is a mind case of hatred but with deep negative impact to organizations. Again, some people seem to be born with the gene that causes them to complain no matter what. Nothing seems to satisfy them. The rolling eye is an effective way to diagnose this form of cancer.

  

7.    Condemning. Pay attention to the words being used to diagnose this one. The words are definite placing the condemnee in its electric chair. God alone can judge the heart of man. Leave to Him.

All the above cancers represent time and money theft. Protect yourself from catching these cancers by refusing to participate in the losing game of passing the blame onto others. Take responsibility for your life!!!

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)

The Power of Leadership

The Power of Leadership

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

                                                    

Where there is leadership you will find freedom and progress. What signs does one look for to find leadership? Here are 7 signs:

1.    Progress. Where there is leadership there is progress. Where you find progress you find a leader.

2.    Learning. Where there is learning there is a leader. Where there is leadership there is continuous learning.

3.    Failure. Where there is leadership there are failures. Failure is an integral part of a leader’s journey to realize her vision.

4.    Service. Where there is leadership there are servants. Servant hood is part of leadership.

5.    Character. Where there is leadership character is being demonstrated. Leadership is character in motion. Leaders have integrity and demonstrate courage.

6.    Vision. Where there is no vision people perish either due to fear or chaos. Leadership is required to align the forces for change and progress to happen.

7.    Love. Where there is leadership love flows through the individuals providing the energy required for progress.

Leadership is a choice. Everyone at some point is called to lead. The question is: Are you going to be ready when the time comes? Success occurs when opportunity and preparedness meet. Prepare and your chance will come.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)

Brazil - The Waking Giant

Wonders of Brazil

The purpose of the 7 Daily Nuggets is to teach us what we need to know to live a prosperous life; the things that we may not have learned or are not currently learning in church, school, home or at work. Let’s apply what we learn here and share these nuggets with others. We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

The nuggets are back after four weeks. The vacation was wonderful and educational. This was the second month-long visit this year to the country I was born and raised.

Brazil is an amazing country full of contrasts. The country is in the spotlight as the holder of the 2014 World Cup Soccer and 2016 Olympics.

Here are 7 wonders one can benefit from visiting and doing business in the 6^th largest economy in the world. Today we take a peek into this waking giant.

 
 

 

 

 

 

1.    Nature. The natural beauty is simply indescribable. From Iguacu Falls, The Amazon forest, the Pantanal, Rio’s Corcovado, Copacabana beach and the thousands of beaches along the 8,400 km of Atlantic Ocean coastline makes Brazil an amazing country. The country of the future is finally living up to its name.

2.    Economy. Healthy economy built upon strong agricultural, industrial, and financial sectors. Brazilians love technology and jumped into the information age. It is no surprise that the youth is interested in the entrepreneurial age. With only 12 percent of the population involved in agriculture Brazil is not only feeding itself but feeding the world. The emphasis on energy led the country to self-sufficiency and energy exports. The emphasis is now in education. The country is now becoming an entrepreneurial nation.

3.    People. Brazil is made up of just about all races. With strong European, African, and Indigenous influence Brazilians love who they are. Be wealthy or poor Brazilians are happy people.

  

4.    Weather. Except for some floods and droughts Brazilian weather has seasons for everyone one. A general warm climate except for the winters in the southern region, may explain why Brazilians are so outgoing and friendly. As of late some weather patterns have emerged with temperature swings, something similar to what is happening around the world from time to time since man has kept track of weather.

5.    Food. The Brazilian cuisine is truly something to dive in. With strong cultural influences and the Brazilian touch one can find something to suit the palate, from Churrasco to Feijoada or from Vatapa to all the ethnical foods.

6.    Fun. The rich music, folklore, and traditional dances blend themselves during the Brazilian Carnaval. For one week the country stop for people to play, laugh, and dance in a show of beauty, colors, and creativity. Brazilians love to spend their weekends on the beach, in a club’s pool, or in a park. Being the soccer wonderland Brazilians are fanatics about their soccer clubs.

7.    Culture.  As the young nation matures Brazilian music, dances literature, art, and women’s beauty are becoming known to the world.

You have not fully lived yet until you have visited Brazil. Give me a shout if you want to learn more about Brazil.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy)