Analyzing Your Investment Portfolio

     Today will mark the end to year 2017. This evening people will celebrate and welcome in the new year of 2018 with excitement, encouragement, and more than likely even a certain level of anxiety. People around the world will reflect on their investments, both financial and life choices that they made in 2017, and then evaluate whether those investments paid off or whether they need to seek alternative options that will provide a larger return on their investment. 2018 signals a clean slate, a fresh start, a new chapter of life and today I want to challenge you to take a personal assessment of the investments you made in 2017. What kind of investment did you make in 2017? Did you invest time in others, or did you invest your time into things that have no real return potential? Did you invest your time into making more money, or did you invest in making more people better because they spent time with and around you? Finally when you self-assess your 2017 will you find that you wasted a great deal of time in things that have no direct correlation to making you a better person and ultimately making those around you better? Whatever your personal self-assessment looks like there is one thing for certain, you can make 2018 a better year. Each person has a portfolio of investments and you have the opportunity to choose where you will focus your attention in this new year and only you can make the decision to invest in the things that will provide the best return on your time invested.
      As we leave 2017 behind make a personal assessment about where you are in life. Are you stuck in the mud? Were you sitting on the sidelines? Or maybe you have been going around in circles making nothing but a rut in the ground where you live. If you feel like you have been driving in the slow lane of life this past year, my hope and prayers for you are that you fuel up your tank and set your course for success in 2018. To make this happen your 2018 investment portfolio is going to have to look a great deal more like one that invests in others more than self, and a portfolio that can best be measured by the time given in service instead of the time being served.
     If you are a teacher (obvious first choice for me) for heaven's sake don't stop teaching your standards, but introspectively reflect on how much time you actually invested into your students. Did you model a hard work ethic in your classroom? Did you teach the benefits of struggling to overcome challenges in their learning? Did you teach them the benefits of setting goals in their learning and then working diligently to achieve those goals? Most teachers invest their heart, minds, and time into the lives of their students education, make sure your investment includes a healthy contribution to the development of the whole student not just their ACT score or the rank of proficient or advanced on some standardized test. You have the opportunity to impact lives everyday, make your investment pay off in a positive manner.
     If you are a coach (obvious second choice for me) are you coaching with a "win, win, win at all costs" mentality, or are you investing in the lives of young men and women that will ultimately be our next generation of mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, and eventually the next leaders of our businesses and governments? Over 30 years of coaching has taught me many things, but I believe one of the most important lessons I have learned through coaching is that there are more lessons to be learned in the losses than there are are from any win on the scoreboard. Overcoming a loss, analyzing what went wrong in the game plan, and practicing to get better so that you are better prepared for the next challenge are all skills that coaches should be focusing their time and efforts. As coaches we all want to win, but think about it, what do you learn from a win, "yeah we worked hard, followed our plans, and it paid off", great that's what we practice and plan for anyway. But what do you coach when your team loses? "They were just better than us", "I coached them, but they just didn't play", or maybe " the referees stole that one from us" any of those sound familiar?  If you are coaching your teams to make excuses in the face of a loss, i.e. adversity, then you are failing your athletes regardless of how many championships you attain or what the final wins and losses record looks like. Coach/Teach them to overcome adversity by taking ownership for their losses and not looking at a loss as a failure, but more as an opportunity to learn, improve, and advance. Coach'em up!
     If you are the leader in your business, organization, or family are you investing in your people or are you just bossing people around? You should manage money, you should invest in people. What are you doing to move people up, make them better, providing them with opportunities to lead, and then sending them out to be positive, influential leaders themselves? Leaders don't just tell people what to do, they are actually the ones modeling what their people should be doing and how they should be doing it. Keep this in mind, you are leading every day, every minute. The question is this, are you leading people up? or are you leading people down? If you are in a position of leadership be sure you are investing in making the people you work with better because of the time they spend with you.
      If you are a member of the team don't think you get off the hook just because you don't wear the title of "boss". If you spent 2017 waiting on someone else to tell you every step to take, or how many moves to make then you need to reassess your purpose in life. Your contribution is essential to the success of the team you are a member. Commit to arrive at work earlier, volunteer to stay later to assist with a project or to help meet a deadline. Be the one that lends a hand to a coworker that needs a little extra support. Model the habits and skills you would want to see others on your team exhibit. Be the exception not the average, do more than is expected, and do it for the benefit of others not for self.
     If you are a person of faith did you live your faith or did you just judge others by your religion? It isn't our place to be a judge of others, but instead we should be the example that others want to judge their own faith. If you are living your faith out you won't have to tell anyone that you are a person of faith they will see it in your daily walk, your actions, and your efforts to help others. Don't just attend worship services, worship and praise! If you read scripture in 2017 did you apply it to your life? Did you love thy neighbor as thyself? (see Matthew 22:36-40) Did you honestly invest in others during 2017? Did you give more than you received? Did you honestly live a life in 2017 that others should desire to live?
        If you didn't like your answer to the questions above, or your self-assessment didn't reveal what you would like for it to reveal there is hope! Tomorrow starts a new year, a new chapter, a new page in your book of life. You get to make the choices about what 2018 will look like. You are the one that will decide what you do, who you impact, and how far your reach extends in 2018. Don't make New Year's resolutions, make commitments to make the lives of others better because you are a part of it. Dig in, read more, study more, share more, and give more. Look for guidance and then lead others to the light that has illuminated your pathway. Be a force of good and a voice for those that need someone to stand up for them. Live your faith and if you don't have a faith my friend, get one! There is a God, He is alive, and He is worthy to be served! Living by faith in 2018 may not provide all the answers you are looking for, but I am certain of this, living by faith in 2018 will provide all the answers you need! Trust and Believe!
Happy New Year 2018!!
Coach Carter

The Season of Giving

     Regardless of which holiday you are celebrating this month whether it is Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other joyous occasion there will definitely be celebrating and gift giving taking place. We call this the season of giving and boy how we live up to that title! This morning as I checked my phone, I had an email from a store reminding me that I can still purchase something online today until 6:00 and pick it up in the store! Millions and billions of dollars have been spent over the past several weeks and apparently that spending spree is going to continue right up until the last minute tonight or at least until 6:00!
     Often times we hear the advice of "Don't forget the reason for the season", reminding us that the purchases we make at Walmart, Costco, Target, a mall, or online with Amazon are not the main purpose for celebrating this holiday season. The message is to not put the emphasis on giving gifts so much, but instead to put more thought into why are we celebrating and giving gifts in the first place. I fully agree with the idea of placing more emphasis on the "why" of Christmas, but I also think we should place more emphasis on the "giving" aspect of this miraculous season. Now wait a minute before you hang me out on the materialistic clothesline, I didn't say anything about going out and buying presents to give, I just said I believe we need to place more emphasis on the basic concept of giving. If we truly want to celebrate Christmas or any other holiday you might be enjoying this season, giving is going to be a basic principle connected to your celebration. Although it is all about giving,  I would contend that it isn't a gift in a bag, box, or package that we are charged to give, but instead we should be giving of ourselves just as the original gift was given to each of us.
      As our world spends it time swiping their debit cards, I suggest we "spend" more time giving of ourselves and show the world you live in that love is found in giving and that it doesn't cost a penny to give the most important gifts available. If you want to give a gift to someone and you don't know what to give them try one of the following gifts, you can't go wrong, one size fits all guaranteed!
     Give HOPE! We live in a world where too many people have no hope for tomorrow. Drugs, depression, and desolation are rampant. In our own families, in our neighborhoods, our schools, and throughout our communities hopelessness abounds. In your own life be a voice for hope. Don't give up on that loved one that is lost in a spiraling trap of addiction, don't give up on our sense of right and wrong when the world seems upside down, and do not let anyone tell you that there isn't hope for a brighter day tomorrow! Be the light that shines, be that city that sits upon the hill and can't be hidden, Matthew 5:14-16.
      Give PEACE! Wars are being battled around the world as I write this post today. Lives are being lost as you read this post. We must pray for peace, but peace actually starts in our daily choices and actions. Embrace diversity, practice empathy, and place a premium on peace. Work towards it in your own family, put yourself in the shoes of others, and just remember that everyone has an opinion, that's what makes the world go around. Your opinion is yours, but their opinion is theirs. You think yours is the best and I am certain that they think theirs is the best. Who has the right to judge and make the decision that your way is the only way? Be at peace with your neighbor and allow them to have their opinion, their belief, or their custom and try to learn from them instead of closing your door to see the good in a man's heart instead of way he looks or believes.
     Give JOY! People around you are lost in a world that pounds down on them, and if you don't show them the joy you have in your heart then where will they see it? If you have faith in God, if you believe that there is more to life than just living, or if you have a song in your heart on Sundays, you need to share it everyday! Knowing what we know to be true, knowing that their is eternal life which is available to anyone that wants it, and knowing that He lives inside of our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls, why would we not share it? That is joy and I want others to see it, experience it, and desire it in their own life.
     Give LOVE! Christmas began with a gift of love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son" John 3:16. His son, Jesus, gave us the gift of love when he lived among us, taught us how to love, showed us how to love, and then died for us to demonstrate an unconditional love for each of us. Love from your heart, teach your children how to love and what true love is. It isn't found in a box, it won't be on display at Macy's, and you honestly can't buy it in a store or online. Love is found in time spent together (without cell phones), love is giving of yourself without expecting to get anything in return, and love is a sacrifice. At times it hurts, sometimes it may seem unfair, or even one sided, but love is given because you care not because you want anything in return. Jesus gave His life for each of us not because we loved Him, but because He first loved us! (Read I Corinthians 13 for more on how we can share love.)
   As I close today's Flat Tire Ministry Thought for this week I want to wish each of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday whichever holiday that may be. My gift to each of you is the gift of HOPE! My hope is that your holidays are filled with PEACE, JOY, and LOVE! There is no credit limit on these and there is no end to the true happiness they will deliver to those that receive your gift given in love! My hope for everyone around the world is that PEACE will be achieved. Peace in our hearts, minds, and spirits. Wars may rage in the streets, but peace can reign in our hearts knowing that God is in control and He has a plan. I wish to give each of you the gift of JOY. Joy found in the knowledge that He lives and regardless of what is happening around us He is able to live within us forever and ever! And finally I want to give to each of you the gift of LOVE! Love for all mankind, love for the world we have been given to live on, and love for the one that first loved us and loves us unconditionally. Share these gifts and you will enjoy the true meaning of giving this holiday season!
Coach Carter

The Bounce Back Factor

      Take two objects, a brick and a rubber ball, and then position yourself near a drop off where below you there would be a solid surface. Simultaneously drop both objects and then watch to see what happens next. Now this isn't rocket science, I mean it's pretty obvious that the brick is going to hit the ground and either make a thud or bust into pieces, while the rubber ball on the other hand will bounce, possibly right back to whence it first came. By no means would I label myself a scientist, yet being a fixer of flat tires extraordinaire I have gained an insight into what makes us be more like the rubber ball in the face of adversity or affliction and it is all about the composition of that little rubber ball.
     Rubber is elastic, it gives, it "bounces" back, and that makes it durable enough to withstand the impact of being dropped off the side of a building. That elasticity makes it a strong, durable substance both beneficial and desirable traits for a little rubber ball and also in desirable in life. The brick doesn't fair quite so well. Stoic and sturdy are desirable traits, but when you're headed for a fall the best chance the brick has is that it won't lay busted and broken upon impact. That bounce back factor is what we must have in life to overcome the challenges and the difficulties we encounter each day. 
     Life's challenges are unending. That is a simple statement that we understand, some of us may feel like we know it much better than others, but be assured everyone has their own list of problems. I have always heard it said that you are either coming out of a problem, currently dealing with a problem, or headed right into a new problem. Trust me that is not being pessimistic, just realistic. Many people look at these difficulties in life and think "What am I being punished for?" or better yet, "Why me?" I know, I get it, I'm getting ready to tell you that all of life's challenges and difficulties only make you stronger, and you're thinking "That's easy for you to say you don't know what I'm going through and if you did you would understand that nothing good can possibly come out of this problem."
     On the one hand you would be exactly right, I do not know what you are going through or what you have gone through, or what you will possibly be faced with tomorrow. On the other hand, I would say to you that once you stop looking at your problems as unique to your life, you might just see that there are others out there that have more problems, many of which are of a much greater magnitude than your own issues, and they are thriving. Winston Churchill summed it up nicely with this quote, " A pessimist sees the difficulties in every opportunity in life, while the optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty in life." It's all about perspective. I complained about my eye sight dimming, until I met the man with no eyes to see. That is the bounce back factor you have to develop in your life.      
     Not to say that your problems aren't rough, maybe almost unbearable, but you have to take ownership of them and just keep bouncing back, and bouncing back, and bouncing back until you come to terms with the situation or you reach a resolution to the problem. I say come to terms with a problem because it is possible that you won't reach a resolution. You may have to resolve to the fact that some things aren't going to change and you have to learn to bounce back from that as well.
     I'm going to conclude today's message with a story about a gentleman I heard speak a couple of weeks ago at a conference I attended. Isaac Lidsky was a childhood TV star on the series "Saved by the Bell the New Class". Isaac lost his sight to a retinal disease while he was still a teenager. Talk about being dropped off the side of a ledge, I mean he was living the dream. Television star, fame, fortune I'm sure he was feeling like he had it made, then to lose his sight right at the peak of his adolescent years. I'm certain the phrase "why me?" crossed his mind a number of times. Yet as his life progressed Mr. Lidsky didn't only come to terms with his blindness, but by all measures he has gone on to build a very successful career and life. Issac Lidsky is the only blind person to serve as a law clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court and currently serves as the CEO of a thriving concrete business in Florida. Not to mention he has a loving wife an four beautiful children. Keep in mind he accomplished all of this after going "blind". Lidsky is also an author and the topic of his talk to the audience was on the topic of "eyes wide open" which is also the title of his book. To Issac Lidsky losing his sight enabled him to see. The opportunities he has gained were byproducts of what most people would have described as a potential life destroying event. That my dear friends is the bounce back factor in action. Taking the fall and bouncing right back up, again and again regardless of how many times you hit the floor.
      As mentioned before I do not know your situation or status in life. I don't know how many problems you are facing or how many problems have you face down. All I do know is that there is a way to persevere, a way to overcome, and a way to see the adversity in your life as a step towards "what's next in your life". I have found the key to unlock that door. It is found in my faith. In Psalm 121:1-2 the psalmist writes "I will look unto the mountains, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, Creator of Heaven and earth." and Philippians 4:13 says "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me". Life is tough at times, sometimes it feels like all the time, but if you have a faith that keeps bouncing back, and you place your trust in that faith your life may not change, but your perspective will, and that will make all the difference needed in your life!
Carry on and keep bouncing!

Super Moon

      During this past week those of us living in the southeastern portion of North America have had the opportunity to view what has been labeled by the scientific community as a "super moon". Full moons tend to keep me awake at night as it is, but boy this super moon stuff really lit up the night! Marvelous to look at if you had the opportunity and took the time to really take advantage of this "super" bright sphere almost shouting out "Hey here I am, look at me!" The moon's story is a funny one to explain to younger kids and sometimes it's even hard for me to grasp the concept of what makes the moon shine so brightly in the first place.
     You see the moon is nothing more than a dead, lifeless rock hanging in an orbit around our planet. Lifeless, meaning no energy, no source of life, equaling no power to create the light that it shines so brightly. (Tell that to a five year old and see how far you get with that one.) We know that the moon's light is a direct reflection of how much light it receives from the sun and depending on it's position in relation to the sun we may see a quarter moon, half moon, new moon, full moon or in the case as it was this past week it might even be a super moon. The "Super Moon" phenomenon is the rare occurrence when the moon is closer to the sun in distance than any other normal full moon instance, coupled with the perfect alignment of the two spheres in our region of the world thus creating the super bright effect on what we saw in the night sky a few days ago. The brightness of the Super Moon was eye-catching at least and spectacularly illuminating at best.
       Funny how nature provides visual models of how God intends us to live our life out for Him. The whole concept of shining the light, being a reflection of His light, and providing light where there is none is talked about by Paul in Ephesians 5:8-13 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)  and find out what pleases the Lord.  Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.  It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light." We must realize that we are His light to this world. Paul explains it clearly I believe. Before you made the decision to follow Christ you were in the dark, but now you are His light to the world. The question is are you reflecting His light? 
     Each day, each of us has an opportunity to shine His light to the world we live in, and to illuminate the life of the people we meet along our life's journey. But how will they see that light if we aren't displaying it? What is different about your life that allows others to see your illumination. We can go to church on Sunday, we can give our tithes in the offering plate, read our Bible, say our prayers, and a whole list of "things" we can do, but the question still lingers, "How will someone see His light reflecting off of your life?" There has to be something different about your life, something that doesn't look like what the world portrays as the accepted norm. I'm not suggesting that you have to stand on a street corner carrying a "believe or burn" sign, all I'm saying is if your life isn't distinctly different how can it reflect the light that God has intended for you to share? 
     Going back to the scripture in Ephesians Paul shares that the fruits of our light are grounded in goodness, righteousness, and truth. Those are great starting points for you to be a reflection of God's light. Do the right thing when presented with a choice. Choose to live life as Christ did helping others that are in need, giving more than you are receiving, and never judging a person by their mistakes or by their status in life. Forgive because you were forgiven and love because He first loved you. As our time together today comes to an end, let me suggest a song for you to listen to that shares this message in music. Micah Tyler's song "Different" resonates well for all of us that want to be a shining light for our Lord and Savior. Look it up,  listen to the words, and then apply the message to your own life. If you feel that your life hasn't been a light then my prayer for you today is that you will make the personal decision to become a true reflection of the light that He wants to reflect through you. For those in our audience that have made that decision already, be a "Super Moon" shine bright and light up your world and the world of those that you live with, work with, and love.
Have an amazing week, mine has already begun! Thank you for sharing in it with me! 
Coach Carter

Grit, Resiliency, & Perseverance

     We all love a story about an over-comer. The underdog who despite having all the odds stacked up against him, hunkers down and in the end perseveres through to an ultimate victory. (Big shout out to Rocky Balboa! Thanks Sly for the inspiration!) Life throws each of us our own set of adversities and afflictions, yet many times our own personal battles feel like something that no one has ever been through, something more than anyone could endure. Our heavy burdens can leave us feeling hopeless and alone, but there is always hope. As long as we hold on to hope there is always a chance, a glimmer, that one in a million possibility that things will work out and in today's FTM I want to share how we can see it all through to fruition.
     One of the best places to learn about over-comers is the Bible. Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, but overcame that devastating blow as he was placed in charge of his master Potiphar's  house because of his hard work and dedication. From there Joseph was falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and imprisoned, only to overcome yet another potentially life ending event, ultimately becoming second only to Pharaoh in command of  Egypt and beyond. In the end Joseph actually forgave his brothers for what they did to him as a child with this proclamation in Genesis 50:20 "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people's lives." (See Genesis 39-50 for the whole story)
      Then there's Paul in the New Testament. After Paul's conversion on the Damascus road, Paul became a devoted and resilient Christian that was persecuted, threatened, and even imprisoned for his faith. To complicate matters Paul also suffered from some type of affliction that caused him great pain and discomfort throughout his life. Paul pleaded in his prayers to have the pain relieved, but the response Paul received was: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9. From there Paul gained strength to endure and continue forward as he proclaimed in verse 10 of the same chapter, "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
     Joseph and Paul are just two examples out of a multitude of examples provided in the Bible that give us encouragement and strength to carry on and to never quit through our own challenges in life.  Whatever we go through in life we have to develop that same mindset. There has been extensive research completed by giants in the field of grit and resiliency such as Angela Duckworth, Carol Dweck, and Paul Tough that speak to the undeniable impact on one's life by persevering through adversity and sticking it out to resolution. We either bend and eventually succumb to our afflictions, or we hold tight (grit), we never give up (resiliency), and we never quit regardless of our situation or state of being (perseverance). Will we always win? Will things always work out the way we envision? Do we have to personally overcome to experience victory? 
     The answer to the aforementioned questions will serve as the end of our time together today. Referring back to the Bible look at the life of Jesus. Jesus lived a sinless life, yet He knew what was getting ready to happen to him as He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus knew He was about to be tortured and eventually crucified to the point that He pleaded in Matthew 26:39 “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will”. That cup did not pass Jesus by and to those that are lost in hopelessness the story ends there. But, even as Jesus hung on the cross struggling for what would be His last breath on this earth he cried out "Father forgive them for they know not what they do!" Luke 23:34. With that final prayer victory was sealed and Jesus won and so did mankind. Jesus persevered! We know the rest of the story, three days later Jesus rose from the grave and sits at the right hand of His Father in Heaven today. Whatever you are facing in life be it physical in nature, attacks on your family or other relationships, financial matters, or whether it is an attack on your own faith hold tight, never give up, and never quit!
     My prayer for you today:
"Dear Lord try us and test us, deepen our resolve through the trials and afflictions of this life. Teach us to wait, open the eyes of our hearts, give us peace and understanding and where those do not exist build trust and resolve in our hearts and souls. Let our faith be our strength and may the resiliency that you build in us be an encouragement to others in our lives. Father I pray for those that are going through adversity in their lives and I pray that the tribulations of this life may be bearable because of their complete reliance on You and the words of life that You share. Father God let us look up unto You the Mountain of our faith, from where our strength comes from. Surely the Creator of Heaven and earth can and will see us through our valleys and give us the strength to see our own dilemma resolved. Lord remind us of those in our own lives and also those from history's lens that have gone before us and persevered through adversity, only for us to benefit from their suffering. Keep us mindful that our lives are not for us, bur are actually lived for the benefit of all that we can touch through the life we have lived for You. Thank you Father for the opportunity to serve You each day. For not our will, but Thy will be done. Amen"
Coach Carter