Dancing to Life

Dancing to Life

The Teachers

Another item in the bucket list is crossed; took a dancing lesson last night. It was pure educational fun. In one lesson, we learned the basics common to forró, vaneira, and bolero and we were able to dance all three at the end of the lesson. The experience was such to bring us back again to the dancing floor soon!

The Students

Here are the 7 lessons from the lesson.

1.       The fundamentals. The understanding and the practice of simple steps led to the understanding. Mastering the fundamentals is the key to any endeavor we attempt in life.

2.       The incremental. Repetition of simple steps leads to incremental learning. Learning occurs when we don’t even know we are learning.

3.       The teachers. Having great teachers to demo the moves is the key to success. Show me and I will understand; encourage me to do it and I will learn. Thank you Mônica Rosa Zeni and Peterson Silva Souza for a great experience.

4.       The action. Nothing replaces the doing, the action of doing is liberating. Dancing is meditation in action. Dancing is expressive meditation.

5.       The progress. Incremental progress leads to success. Progress boosts our self-esteem.

6.       The art and the science. He leads and focuses on the science, the techniques; she follows and focuses on the art, the beauty. Science and art go hand in hand, connected by hands.

7.       The results. The results come from following the basics, the fundamentals. Results feed our belief system.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to 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.

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

Homen por Escolha

Masculino pelo nascimento, homem pela escolha

Deus criou os homens para se tornarem homens. Quais são as funções de um homem?

Aqui estão sete para refletir:

1. Amar sua mulher. Você já criou filhos responsáveis ​​com a mulher que você ama?
2. Preservar e desfrutar da natureza. Você já plantou sua floresta?
3. Para ajudar o seu semelhante. Você já ajudou os necessitados?
4. Amar a Deus acima de tudo. Já fez a parceria com Ele?
5. Para documentar suas licoes de vida. Você já abençoou os outros com suas impressões?
6. Para construir confiança em seus relacionamentos. Você está levando outros a terem uma vida melhor?
7. Para deixar um legado. Você está deixando os lugares que você esta passando melhor do que você encontrou?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to 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.

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

Man by Choice

Male by Birth, Man by Choice

God created males to become men. What are the roles of a man?

Here are 7 to ponder:

1.      To love his woman. Have you raised responsible children with the woman you love?

2.      To preserve and enjoy nature. Have you planted your forest?

3.      To help his fellow man. Have you helped those in need?

4.      To love God above all else. Have you partnered with Him?

5.      To document your lessons. Have you blessed others with your imprints?

6.      To build trust in his relationships. Are you leading others to live better lives?

7.      To leave a legacy. Are you leaving the places you go better than you found them?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to 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.

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

How to Wow

How to Wow an Audience

This advice given to a college freshman student on how to give a winning 5 minute presentation

1.      Be yourself. Use your gifts (smile and spontaneity). Be bright, be brief, and be gone. Focus on the moment, on the subject matter at hand.

2.      Practice. Practice, practice, and practice the delivery. Communicate the key messages via simple phrases. “Applied knowledge produces wisdom.”

3.      Educate. Educate audience on the subject. Tell the audience the key message with a few different phrases. Remember that communication is mostly nonverbal. Connect with them.

4.      Illustrate. Use a brief story to drive the message home. Show them by using words that create impactful images.

5.      Entertain. Make it fun. Poke fun on yourself so they can remember the message.

6.      Inspire. Use your passion, enthusiasm, and imagination to connect with them. Get them thinking. Make it memorable.

7.      Outcome. Generate action from your presentation. The whole purpose of the presentation is to generate action to produce results.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to 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.

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

Great by Design

Zest of Greatness

Are you living a life with a zest of greatness? The spark is in you. Go ahead and ignite it!

1.      Listen to those with the results in life you want. If you don’t like the results you are getting in life it is time to stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself.

2.      Stay humble doing what you love to do. Eventually you will master your craft.

3.      Find your calling and fulfill it. Keep asking the question, what have I been called to do?

4.      Dreaming big is a skill like any other. Think bigger of yourself if you want to have bigger dreams.

5.      Put energy, passion, and enthusiasm into whatever you do. Whatever you decide to do in life, do it with zest.

6.      Tragedy normally means a wakeup call for us to change our ways. Never waste a tragedy. Use your tragedies to find your greatness.

7.      Have then give grace. Can action eventually lead you to grace? What do you think?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to 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.

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

Authority and obedience

Authority and obedience

1.      People who encourage and enable others exercise compassionate authority.

2.      Compassionate authority comes from spiritual authority.

3.      We give authority to those who are willing and able to walk with us.

4.      The leader exercising true spiritual authority is located on top of an upside down pyramid. Imagine authority without obedience.

5.      Authority and obedience must go together (Vince Lombardi was a great example).

6.      Those with authority and no obedience are outright dangerous; the same is true for the person with obedience and no authority.

7.      We can all develop enough faith to overcome our fears.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to 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.

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

Warrior or Worrier

Warrior or Worrier

Today's nuggets are brought to you from Brazil, the land of fun, friendliness, soccer, music, food, nature, beauty, youth, and as of late, a strong economy. 

1.      Grudges destroy the heart. Forgiveness enlarges the future of a warrior.

2.      Warriors can’t stand losing. Never underestimate the power of associating with warriors.

3.      We can only be defeated from within. Be careful to buy your own excuses, you get to keep them.

4.      Warriors don’t accept keeping on losing. Let go of all the baggage and break the cycle of dependency.

5.      Figure out ways to turn your disadvantages into assets. It’s in our handicaps we find our greatness.

6.      No wounds, no glory. Most men are bruised warriors needing mending of their wounds.

7.      Become a master of your rarity. Our purpose is usually found in our uniqueness, our rarity.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to 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.

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