Love or Fear, no other options!

Many years ago I read that there were really just two emotions and those were Love and Fear.   It was an interesting notion for me that I quickly challenged intellectually!

I considered other emotions like "pissed off", jealousy, envy, sadness, and slowly understood that all were versions of fear and could not fit into the description of Love.

  

Fear is the emotion of being uninformed or unplugged.  It can exhibit frustration and lead to lots of other emotions however its roots are always pointed at fear.   Overall I would tie fear to anxiety.  I often get anxious when I don’t prepare or get caught in a situation that I have yet to figure out a solution to.  It is all rooted in fear!

Now let’s consider love, an emotion with endless possibilities and meanings.  When true love exists there in a sense of tranquility whether or not it is dealing with a person or a state of existing. 

My friend John Koehler talks of "agape love" which is often translated as “unconditional love.”  This is “no holds barred” love and awesome to witness.   It truly demonstrates an unrestricted emotion that triumphs every day!

I don't think this is an easy world to live in for anyone.  I am constantly bombarded by new challenges and right and left turns.  Understanding this simple nugget of wisdom is powerful for me.   I continue to challenge its authenticity and to date it still rings as a foundational truth. 

Controlling my emotions and understanding how my world works is priceless.  So much time can be wasted pursuing senseless emotions and a misunderstanding of messages sent from countless sources.

Sharing what I have learned helps me fill back up my cup.  There is a time for learning and a time for practicing what you learn.  As your skills increase they become a part of who you are.

Great wisdom can be learned simply by studying water.  When new opportunities are present water can envelope them or go around.  It can also be one of the most powerful energies in our world. 

When you encounter new opportunities in your life consider your reactions.  Love the fact that you have new choices and don’t be fearful of new paths to explore! 

NobleOne

A Smile! What a great return on investment!

My biggest “smile” generator!  

 M&M "Marlin and Matt" 

When I think about my assets and the things I treasure, a smile ranks right up there near the top! 

Consider how you feel during a big smile experience.  Not much matches that feeling and…guess what?  If you practice it you will get better at it!

It cost you nothing however it is priceless when given to others!

Lately I have been watching people smile and catching myself in those moments and asking why!

I have decided that the best use of my time is working on things that make me and others smile! 

For me, a smile offers a confirmation that life is on the right track for a moment.  For some, those moments are rare and wonderful and offer a peak at one’s soul.

Consider a life that focuses on the end results of a smile.  Chance encounters on the street can change to opportunities when the offering of a smile is introduced!

Recently I have been in the presence of great smiles and they have lifted me to a higher vibration of existing.  This young man Reginald Land can light up any room with his authentic grin!  

As a provider for my family I am constantly considering the effects of my actions and investments.  A smile on my son or wife’s face is priceless to me and worthy of continuous pursuit. 

If you think about it smiles come in all shapes, sizes and reasons.  Recently I overheard a parent talking about me.  She was telling her friend that her daughter (a NobleTeen) enjoyed being around me because I was always upbeat and keep a smile on my face!  That comment made my day! 

My father, A. B. Midgett, could take away the darkness with his smile.  If I lost my father in a crowd I could simply wait for a moment and I would hear his laughter.  Of all the characteristics to inherit from your parents I was fortunate to get a small piece of my Dad’s smile. 

Leading The Noblemen allowed me to take part in generating a smile that was "priceless" and changed the life of a young lady named Amber.  From a disfiguring and horrific accident at age 3 to a beautiful smile as a young adult and a bright future! 

As I live my life I will surround myself with folks and things that make me smile and do my best to return the favor whenever possible!

NobleOne

Are there Leaders Among Us?

Are people born to be leaders or are they simply created because it is time for someone to be one?

Certainly some are thrust into leadership because of who they are, who they know or whose son or daughter they are!  Time in the saddle can create a great leader!  

I am a big fan of the leaders that emerge because it was their time designated by circumstances.  It gets down to a decision at that point!  

Perhaps it happens like this…What just happened?...Do I?...Should I?...Hell yes I’m doing it!...and from that point on you are venturing down a whole new path with a different rule-book!

In my opinion there is a tremendous waste of resources going on right here in my hometown.  A place I love, Virginia Beach, Va.  I have lived here all of my life and it is my intention to be planted here when I die. 

There are a whole bunch of "leaders" I would like to inspire!!!!!!

In 2005/2006 I participated in the “Lead” program of Hampton Roads, a division of the Chamber of Commerce.   50 participants are selected every year to spend time together each month learning, visiting, and experiencing our region.  Each class is always diverse and a unique representation of our community.

Over the course of 25 years LEAD has graduated over 1200 folks that truly give a damn about this community.  Why else would you go through this program? 

The assets for me go way beyond the things and places I learned about.  For me it was the people I got to know.  Truly amazing dynamic people that I wanted to get to know better.

Every year each class has a project that hopefully will last into perpetuity.  The class of 2013’s project is LEADers Among US.   Its purpose is to create a living history of our region’s leaders.   A collection of videos capturing the essence of lives well-lived in the service of others.   The project’s goal is to provide inspiration and a road map to success for generations to come. 

I am honored to be the first recipient and can’t wait to share my story as well as my views on leadership. 

On Tuesday, April 22^nd I invite you to join me and a couple hundred local leaders that will come together and see the first video and talk about LEADership. 

The event will be @ MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) 2200 Parks Ave in Va. Beach.  The gathering is free and The Noblemen will provide a cash bar and some good food. 

Festivities will start @ 5:30 PM and will end @ 7:30 PM

The LEAD class of 2013 will host the evening with us and I am confident you will be glad you came.

Join me in a night of discovery and let’s give all this Leadership something to do!  

You can RSVP to me @ al@thenoblemen.org or call Noble HQ @ 757-340-7900

NobleOne

Closed Doors!

At 56 I now see the opportunities that I lost were really obstacles I needed to avoid in order to stay on the path that was right for me.

There is so much wisdom offered in the passage of time.  Choices and decisions that were made decades ago, some painful, some regretful are now seen in a different light.  At the time it was so easy to judge harshly the reality of a painful new lesson.

There have been three instances in my life that at the time I labeled as 1. Hurtful 2. Painful 3. Regretful.

My family was part owner in a cool local business where I had worked growing up in Virginia Beach.  My father and his brother were majority shareholders.  I had always felt that this would be my legacy and could envision my future there until I learned that my father had sold his shares.  I was devastated and upset that his decision did not involve my counsel. 

After working for some time at Ferguson Enterprises I was offered what I perceived was the opportunity of a lifetime.  A successful business man was retiring and called me to discuss taking over his company.   He shared with me just how great of an opportunity it was and how he was looking forward to talking with me about it.  Then silence!  I later found out he hired my brother and offered the business to him.  I felt rejected, betrayed and pissed off!

After attending Ferrum College and graduating successfully I developed an attitude of regret and felt that perhaps the path that I had chosen was not fit for me!  I had enjoyed the experience however did not feel the desire to promote or be thankful for the gift of education that I had received.

Today I am confident all things happen for a reason and help to construct the fabric of your life.  I harbor not one ounce of regret for the outcomes of my decisions and now know I was simply following a path that I was destined to travel.

I recently returned to Ferrum College as an Executive in Residence.  For a day I met with students, professors, and trustees of the institution.  I was offered the opportunity to share my life with the campus as well as live streaming for an expanded audience.  Preparation for the day led me to the wisdom of my third door. 

Ferrum College opened that door for me again and invited me back to finish my education.  It became clear to me that this day was special and I look forward to my next lesson.

I choose to celebrate my life’s path and share my found wisdom with others that are seekers like me.  

Together we will build a future worth teaching about!

Be Noble my friends!

NobleOne

Living after death?

When I was writing my book Normal to Noble in 2012 I constructed a timeline of my life.  I listed all of the things that I felt were significant and placed a date beside it along with the duration of that event.  What a great exercise it was then and now I am using it once again.

This week I have the honor of addressing my alma mater Ferrum College at what’s called the Executive in Residence program.  I have been asked to prepare a 30/45 minute key note address.  The topic of the address is basically my life and how I got to be at this podium.   

While researching for my speech I had remembered my timeline and reviewed it once again with different objectives.  I realized that five significant events help to create the person I am today.

Those events were attending college, meeting Dick Dearing, Dad dying, creating the Men’s Breakfast, and my son Matt’s birth.

At college I faced challenges, made my own decisions, exercised independence and became resourceful.  Clearly a different person from the young man that entered as a freshman. 

I met Dick Dearing during my third career with WaterFurnace International.  I was working a trade show and Dick needed help on a large home he was building in Roanoke, Va.  We spoke for hours and became friends.  He shared with me his philosophy on tithing and how it was working in his life.  My views on giving were forever changed that day. 

My father died in 1984 and rocked my world.  Reviewing my life after 1984, it looks as if I really started living after my father died.  Reflecting on it now, it took my dad to die for me to understand how to live better in this world.  From that point on I solved things internally as opposed to externally. 

Afterwards I discovered my “voice” as I call it.  Listening to my internal compass has led me on some significant adventures, the first was the creation of the Men’s Breakfast at First Presbyterian Church in 1987.   That stint lasted every week for 14 years and significantly impacted my life!  It was simply something that I was "called" to do.  

After my son’s miracle birth in 1993 the “voice” returned and led me to create The Robin Hoods of Virginia Beach and eventually The Noblemen.

When someone close to you dies; it can actually create or destroy your own life.  For me, the death of my Father allowed me to live a fuller and more robust life. 

Saving my son’s life instead of aborting him at 22.5 weeks was the right decision that allowed me the life I enjoy now. 

I encourage those of you that are seekers to review your timeline so you better understand how your life changes as significant instances occur in your life.  

How you respond to the death of loved ones and your actions afterwards are up to you!  

Do your best not to die a little bit but to live a little bit better and honor those that came before us! 

NobleOne

That One Thing!

Who doesn't remember that line by Jack Palance in the movie City Slickers?   

Sometimes "one thing" can prevent you from doing great things.  Facing your "one thing" and doing something about it can really change your life in an awesome way!  

I think for most of it we hope that someone else or something else will fix our "one thing."  

For others that "one thing" might be something that they cannot change!  In that case it really depends on how you allow it to affect your life! 

I am facing my "one thing" right now!  

For most of my adult life I have struggled with this "one thing!"  Consumption...and I am not talking about pulmonary tuberculosis!  

I love to consume almost everything!  

My "one thing" is my lack of ability to match my consumption with depletion. 

This week I have made the decision to take on my "one thing" with a “reboot.”   I will not consume any solid foods for 30 days.  My only consumption will be juiced fruits and vegetables. 

I discovered this two years ago and it simply works.  One pound a day will go away.  Depletion that is healthy and doable for me!

Now if my “one thing” goes away what will be my next "one thing?" 

I don’t think I will mention it in this blog!  

However know this!  When it comes along...

I will be ready!  

How about you? 

NobleOne

Uncharitable!

I just got back from the Outerbanks of NC spending time with my board and a couple more local heroes! 

We dined and shared libations together and told stories of who we are.  One after another people stood up at dinner and talked about their passion for what we do.  There were no other agendas discussed, we simply basked in Nobility!

The next day we talked about how we pay for all of this?  These are tough conversations for a nonprofit.  Our paradigm is changing and we all are adjusting to new realities.

Dan Palotta wrote a book titled Uncharitable and I encourage anyone engaged in any way with the nonprofit sector to listen or read about this man’s observation of how things are and why they need to change.  It opened up my eyes to the way most observe the business of philanthropy and offers fresh perspectives for change. 

My goals are to find common ground using for-profit business standards and applying them to the nonprofit business model. 

Where is our Girl Scout Cookie?  Consider how much of the resources of the Girls Scouts worldwide are dedicated to the selling, marketing, promotion, branding, volunteering, meetings and parental involvement of selling a cookie?  I know this is sacred cow but come on!  Think about it!!!!!!

Tomorrow is a new day for our organization and I plan to think differently about matching our resources to our mission!  Our passion lies in what we do and the impact it has in all of our lives and in those of whom we help. 

We plan to connect our revenue resources to our philanthropy and celebrate it!  We will search out partners that will invest with all of us to change lives in our community!

Our goal is to generate the assets that you don’t find on a balance sheet!

 

All of our great stories (and there are many) seem to have a common element.  They involve a lot of folks focusing on what they know is the right thing to do at that time. 

It is our job as an organization to uncover the opportunities and change them into possibilities utilizing resources that we have all invested in.

I am excited about the future of The Noblemen and I look forward to changing the perspective of our community and the way they consider investing in a local nonprofit, especially ours!

NobleOne