Keep Calm and Carry On

The poster was initially produced in 1939 during the beginning of World War II, and was intended as a "last case scenario" to be used only should the Nazis succeed in invading Great Britain, in order to stiffen resolve. Two-and-a-half million copies were printed, although the poster was distributed but never used. The poster was third in a series of three. The previous two posters from the series, "Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will Bring Us Victory" (800,000 printed) and "Freedom is in Peril" (400,000 printed) were issued and used across the country for motivational purposes, as the Government assumed that the nerves of the public would be shot to pieces (they soon changed tack). The posters were designed to have a uniform device, be a design associated with the Ministry of Information, have a unique and recognizable typography, with a message from the King to his people (whereas it later notoriously became "the People's War"). The slogans were created by civil servants, with Waterfield coming up with "Your Courage" as "a rallying war-cry that will bring out the best in everyone of us and put us in an offensive mood at once". These particular posters were designed as "a statement of the duty of the individual citizen", un-pictorial, to be accompanied by more colloquial designs. The "Your Courage" poster was much more famous during the war, as it was the first to go up, very large, and was the first of the Ministry of Information's posters. The posters remained in storage during the war but the simple five-word message is the very model of British restraint and stiff upper lip. Keep calm and carry on.

Your Courage, Your Cheerfulness, Your Resolution Will bring us Victory so Keep Calm and Carry On. Life is good. Challenges are growth. We will succeed.

10 Commandments of Attitude:

Your attitude is an amazing thing. It is like the steering wheel of our lives. We can turn it, therefore controlling where we go. Our Attitude dictates our destination every time. I received this list in a training class years ago. It is a concise and comprehensive list about attitude. I want to share this list with you to help you always remember that in sales, the sale has already been made inside you before you ever ask for someone’s business. It is attitude that drives your success with Aflac.

10 Commandments of Attitude:

1. It is attitude, not aptitude that governs success.

2. The purpose of existence is not to make a living, but to make a life.

3. A negative thought is the first step to failure.

4. You will seldom experience regret for anything you have done. It is what you do not do that will torment you.

5. Complaining is the refuge of those who have no self-reliance.

6. The ultimate cost of something is that amount of life that you will exchange for it.

7. Anything the mind of a man or woman can conceive and believe, he or she can achieve.

8. A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.

9. The worst bankruptcy is the person who has lost enthusiasm.

10. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.

IT’S ATTITUDE, NOT APTITUDE THAT GOVERNS SUCCESS

Over the last several weeks I have had several conversations on the concept of attitude. I wanted to share my thoughts with you on this subject and then share with you a list I have that has helped me always keep a positive outlook in everything I do. (list is in the motivational page) We all know stories of individuals that have achieved great things with no formal schooling or by overcoming huge physical barriers. How did they do it? It was their attitude. They had no doubts in their minds that what they were trying to accomplish, they would accomplish. Sometimes we know so much that we let outside factors in and paralyze our selves. We live in an information age and more often than naught, we let information affect our attitude by telling ourselves we can’t do things. Be passionate about what you are doing. Believe in yourself and outside factors will not affect you. Passion can overcome the largest obstacles and help you reach the furthest of destinations.I feel I have accomplished great things (to me, you may think they weren’t so great) in my life but I also know that I am just beginning to realize my potential. I have come to understand that how I perceive a challenge has more bearing on whether I will overcome it rather than the size or complexity of the challenge itself. My focus is not on the challenge, but on the outcome. This is the secret. If you focus on the challenge, it can overwhelm you. If you focus on the outcome, you will overcome whatever the challenge is to reach that outcome. Do you need knowledge? Of course. But don’t let the pursuit of knowledge about the challenge become the outcome. The “outcome” is the completion of the challenge. The amazing thing is that attitude is the one part of a challenge that we have 100% control of. You can set your thoughts to success or failure. It is all up to you. This is where visualization can play a huge part in your success.
How do you “see” the outcome of a challenge? Do you see the final outcome as successful? If not, you must. This is another key to your success in anything. Picture in your mind your successful outcome. Picture it EXACTLY as you want it to be. Nothing less. The Law of Attraction states that you will attract to you what you focus on. Focus on a picture that is anything less than what you want to achieve and that is exactly what you will get. Focus on the outcome in its best form, and that is what you will achieve.
What is attitude, exactly? It is your overall perception of a situation. How you perceive it and how you see its resolution or outcome. Again, it’s up to you how this looks to you, good or bad. My challenge to you, make it good!
What is my attitude? Life is good. Business is great. I know you all will have a great week.

Judd Law

Grahamtastic

Our prayers have been answered baby Graham is out of the NICU and home with his family. There are a few more tests and check ups tomorrow for mommy and baby but we are grateful and relieved to be home.

The New Kid on the Block. Savs holding baby Graham and J.T. kicking it old school. The Law Trio is a beauty of a bunch.

Graham Crackers

Hello Friends,

After a very long induction day Graham Murdock Law made his earthly debut Thursday Night, April 23rd, at 6:32pm. Tipping the scale at a beefy 7lbs 1oz. and an NBAesque 19 inches tall Graham entered this wonderful world giving us all quite a fright.

His first breaths were tense as he struggled to begin breathing. Chest x-rays confirmed a small hole in his lung calling it a pneumothorax (went to wikipedia for that one). A gaggle of doctors, 4 to be exact, tell us it is a semi-common ordeal for new babies transitioning from breathing through a tube to using their tiny new lungs to go through and that it will clear up quickly. The hospital, erring on the side of caution, admitted him to the NICU and are keeping him in an oxygen hood for observation until Sunday and has him on an IV for food.

Everything is great they just want to keep him close for observation. Graham is a healthy boy and we have faith he will be fine but we are impatient because we have not been able to hold him yet (TODAY WE GOT TO HOLD HIM FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES BEFORE HE WENT BACK INTO HIS BUBBLE). Kerilee was amazing and is resting nicely, Savannah can’t get over the idea that baby Graham was in mom’s tummy yesterday and now he is not (this is a conversation for another day), JT can’t stop pointing at Graham and shouting “baybeee”, and dad is still a ball of emotion We want to thank all of you for your kind thoughts and prayers. We are very blessed to have this beautiful little baby in our family and are looking forward to bringing him home to meet his brother and sister in a couple of days.

Life is good,

Welcome Graham we are glad you are finally here.

Living Mormon Ads

I happenstanced onto this youtube clip that moved me in ways that I haven't been moved in a while (and if you now what I look like you would know how hard the said moving would be).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhLlnq5yY7kv=RhLlnq5yY7k

After watching the video by elder Uchtdorf I saw you could subcribe to these messages and followed the link below to *gasp* a thing of greatness.

Mormon Messages:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MormonMessages

I was shock-ed and amaz-ed to see the church has an official you tube channel...copy and pasted from the site...Mormon Messages is an official channel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Each week, Mormon Messages provides short video segments about the Church's basic beliefs, as well as inspiring stories and messages of hope. Watch these gospel-centered videos and then share them with family, friends and those of other faiths.Subscribing to this channel (using the "Subscribe" button above) will allow you to receive email updates when new videos are added.

I may be a little behind the (signs) of the times and you may already know of this fantastic goodness but I thought I would share.

Taking a Swim In Lake You

One of the young men I work with in the Teacher's Quorum asked for my help with a school project this week. He needed to write an essay on a very handsome and successful public figure. I was a natural fit and of course I said yes. It was a question and answer exercise. He probably stole this from Facebook and I will be tagged 1700 times by the time I log in tomorrow but I post this for anyone reading to feel free to copy the questions and answer them yourself. It was good introspection.

Mark (said teacher from paragraph above) here is my ramblings…

1: What are your hopes for the future? That if anyone ever wrote a book about my life I would want it too include more that one chapter. Also, to find true success, keep lasting happiness and I hope that this country won’t be in so much debt my grandchildren will be living in the United States of Canada.

2: What is one thing that you deeply fear? Taxes, death and death from taxes...Not living up to my self expectations.

3:What is the on thing (possession, person, etc.) that you treasure the most? I value more than anything in this world my life, my wife, and my children (not in that order).

4: If you could have just one wish what would it be? A Happy, Happy Birthday to you from me (what primary song is that from Mark?) To know that I am raising my children the right way.

5:What is the one thing that you like most about yourself? Why? My rugged good looks, incredibly above average IQ and my ability to laugh at myself.

6:If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? Why? My inner and outer image. I am a lump of clay left out in the sun way to long and I have started to melt into a soft gooey mess. I would like to tone myself up.

7:Describe the man/woman of your dreams? I have been married to her for 6 years. She is the most beautiful creature inside and out, compassionate, strong, and loving to me and my children.
8:what are your political views? Conservative/Republican. I believe in free agency. I believe in self empowerment. I believe that no one owes me anything and that just because I live in this great country I don’t believe I deserve a handout (bailout) from the Government.

9:What are your religious views? LDS, Mormon, Christian. I believe that Jesus is my Savior and that I will live again eternally with my family. I believe this life is a test to develop faith, keep commandments, and to do everything I can to help my fellow man. I believe in ancient and modern day prophets. I believe in scripture that can motivate me to do the things that are right. I believe that we are all God’s children and he wants us to be happy.

10:Where do you see yourself in ten years? Twenty years (family, career, etc)? 10 years, wealthy, healthy and wise. 20 years, extremely wealthy healthy and wise.

10 years…to have reached the pinnacle of the Aflac management hierarchy (only one more step to go). We want to have 6 children (only 3.5 more to go)
20 years…retired and watching our children grow and develop into self sustaining, community contributing people who DO NOT LIVE under my roof.

Hope this helps Mark. It was fun to do. This is A plus material let me know if you need anything else.

Today I will Make a Difference

Quotes and daily affirmations from Max Lucado’s Form the Anvil

Today I will make a difference.

I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts.

I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful.

I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters.

I will avoid negativism and gossip.

Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark.

Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom.

I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant.

I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here I will use it for loving and giving.

Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It's OK to stumble...I will get up. It's OK to fail...I will rise again.

Today I will make a difference.

I will spend time with those I love. My significant other, my children, my family.

A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships.

Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my friends.

Today I will make a difference.

Feathers A Flyin'

The boys are fixin' to go racin' and the Sacred #99 car is ready for the left turn marathon that is the Daytona 500. I can not believe the popularity of NASCAR and the excitement that the marriage between Carl Edwards and the Duck has generated.

Enjoy the newest commercials debuting this weekend.

http://wms6.streamhoster.com/pebennett/Video/AflacCommercials_020509.wmv

Putting Your Best Foot Forward

I am going to begin posting excerpts from my weekly newsletter to my sales teams on this blog. I hope you likey, comments and contributions are welcomed and potentially will be plagiarized. Thank you in advance.

As I get older, more things make sense to me. Mark Twain said, “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.” A funny take on perspective. I am hearing more and more each day the troubles of our economy. I hear of job market woes. I hear of people’s budgets growing while their income is shrinking. I interview people daily who feel beaten and tired. However, I also see hope. I see positive attitudes. I see people succeeding. Like Mark Twain as he grew older, I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE. I believe your attitude attracts a similar outcome. I know that was a heavy statement (I had to read in nine times to make sure it made sense). What I mean if you think you will fail then you will. If you believe, you will make that sale YOU WILL. Your confidence is a silent indicator to those around you, and potential customers can read any sign of doubt. Growing up I participated in the Boy Scouts. I am proud to say I achieved the Eagle Scout award. During my Eagle “Court of Honor”, my scoutmaster gave a speech that to this day has influenced my life. He stood and showed dozens of photographs from the troop as we participated in camp outs, merit badge work, and fun activities. He paused on several that showed me in “scouting” action and in every picture, I had one foot in from of the other. This became the theme of his message, “Living life with your best foot forward.” Doing everything, you can with your very best effort. Leading with your best and expecting the greatest outcome.
I believe with the right perspective we are great. In sales and with Aflac I want this team to be leading with their best foot forward. My perspective is positive. I see great people winning. I see a team that reaches their goals. I see confident sales people helping others in an economy that is begging for our policies.

We are confident salespeople and we need to have an attitude of success. We need to put our best foot forward and AP will be a product of our efforts.
Have a great week with your best foot forward.

-Judd Law

Did You Know?

We live in truly exciting times and I am grateful to be a part of it. I have often wondered what technology my grandchildren will experience in their lifetimes. After viewing this clip I will now wonder what my children will experience in their lifetimes. Change is good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL9Wu2kWwSY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMcfrLYDm2U&feature=related

This is an ironic post. I gush and marvel about change and technology yet I have not figured out how to post a clip of this type. Until my feeble brain figures it out please copy and paste link for the viewing goodness.

Motivating the masses.

I was sent this from my corporate HQ with tag line of, "Team Motivation: The 40 greatest speeches for making an impact". Enjoy!

Are you going to finish strong?

As I toddled into work this brisk Spokanian morn, I found myself squinting through my shoddily scraped icy windshield into a sea of morning fog that has seemed to envelop this valley every a.m. for the last week or so. My thoughts were floating between the sports talk radio I was listening to, and my sales teams performance this month. It was any other wintry day. As I enter my office my routine is the same, call to life my Dell beast, log into my Aflac websites to see my weekly sales numbers, then turn to my baby, my little nugget of hope, my cyber mattress where our money is hid, my glorious stock portfolio. I have always secretly dreamed of rising to the semi lofty realm of day trader. Wielding my financial muscle as I stock pile millions into my various bank accounts dotting this great land. Alas, my dream is unfulfilled, other priorities keep creeping in (like life).

Being a west coast baby now when I awoke this morn the markets had been open for hours and - gasp - the damage had been done. Nooooo, I screeched as my real time stock ticker looked like a kamikaze nose diver heading for the ground. I know the market has been shifty the last several months and I know everyone has lost at least something. But in my genius head, I thought I was resistant. Several strong investments here or there and my baby had been able to withstand the beating the market has been taking recently. This morning it caught up, a 36% loss and a two day total of 46%.

What does this mean? Absolutely nothing. Life is still good. the market will rebound. Two months from now business will be back to normal. A small hiccup. It is all temporary.

But somethings in life are not temporary. I don't mean this to be a weird of unsympathetic segue (I dig the random parable) but as I was experiencing this silly moment of me losing a little money in the market I was sent this message and video that showed me again what life is all about and what true happiness is and where it comes from.

See Nick Vujicic.

What do you do when you fall down? You get back up. Sometimes in life when you fall down you don’t feel like you don’t have the strength to get back up…

Do you feel like you have hope?
I will try 100 times to get up and if I fail 100 times do think I am ever going to give up?

It is not the end it matters how you are going to finish.

Are you going to finish strong? If you have hope you will find the strength to get back up.

Next time you feel bad, lose hope or want to quit, remember this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0JqQeSNjsw&feature=related

You know that insurance...

For 6 years now I have been working for a little company called Aflac. It has been a very rewarding career. It has taken my family across this country, developed an incredible book of business, a life changing income and allowed us to have flexibility in our lives.

Before I found the duck my career search was built upon a set of core values I developed from past jobs, schooling, and future goals. I desired to find a position that would fit these values. My values where very specific and almost overwhelming.

I wanted a career that would be the means to provide me a very comfortable living and not be the end of my life. I wanted to represent a company that had a great reputation. I wanted to fulfill a promise. I wanted to represent a company that people were passionate about. I wanted to truly help people. I wanted to become a better person through the work I was doing. I wanted to get paid what I was worth. I did not want to punch a time clock or have a ceiling above my head limiting my potential. I wanted my family, my church, and myself to come first. I have an entrepreneurial spirit that I wanted to cultivate yet still have the opportunity to have the support from a major organization. As you can read they are very specific that fall, sometime, into the personal aspects of my family life. I looked at these core values and was concerned that I was too demanding and that my search would be in vain. Fortunately through a good friend I was introduced to Aflac and before my first interview was over I asked when do I begin. This job compliments, perfectly, every value I was looking for in my life. It has been a dream come true to work for this company and as I have developed my career I have had the fortunate opportunity to give this dream to others. Aflac products save lives, The Aflac job changes lives, and it gives those looking for a something different a new life.

Long live the Duck.

Whoa...that was a heavy post. I simply started this post to share with you Aflac's newest commercials but it turned into a recruiting pitch. Forgive me and enjoy the duck doing crazy things.

Shake it off and step up.

A neat little ditty I heard at a sales conference.

A parable is told of a farmer who owned an old mule. The mule fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule 'braying' - or - whatever mules do when they fall into wells. After carefully assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the mule, but decided that neither the mule nor the well was worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened...and enlisted them to help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and put him out of his misery.

Initially, the old mule was hysterical! But as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back...a thought struck him. It suddenly dawned on him that every time a shovel load of dirt landed on his back...HE SHOULD SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP! This he did, blow after blow.

"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up!" he repeated to encourage himself. No matter how painful the blows, or distressing the situation seemed the old mule fought "panic" and just kept right on SHAKING IT OFF AND STEPPING UP!

You're right! It wasn't long before the old mule, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of that well! What seemed like it would bury him, actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.

THAT'S LIFE! If we face our problems and respond to them positively, and refuse to give in to them...THE ADVERSITIES THAT COME ALONG TO BURY US USUALLY HAVE WITHIN THEM THE POTENTIAL TO BENEFIT AND BLESS US!

"SHAKE IT OFF AND STEP UP" out of the wells in which we find ourselves!

- Author Unknown

The Rapture Gopher Sez!

I just finished watching an historic moment in my country's history. The inauguration of it's 44th president, Barack Obama.

A sense of pride fills me as I witness freedom and democracy in action but a nervousness creeps in as a man with little experience and questionable allies becomes commander in chief of the United States of America. I have heard many an opinion on this man and what kind of leader he will be. Is it too early to decide if it was a good/bad choice? Yes! It is OK to question his politics? Yes! that is what makes America great. Is it time to throw our hands into the air like my new friend the Rapture Gopher, and think all is lost? No! Change is good. Cautiously moving forward I look to see the next chapter of American History written beginning today.

He is already ahead in the popularity race because the nation is craving change. Any new face would instantly boost the morale of this country. Obama looks like a champion today because of the doom and gloom perception that has been painted in this country.

I will support his office, I will support the Constitution and pray that this nation will continue to give me the privilege to live, work, and worship, how where and what I may.

He gave a good speech today.