My friend Joe McBreen the Change Monster (post by Kirk Weisler)

I have known CIO Joe McBreen for nearly 10 years.  Professionally I have watched him lead, learn, grow …take on challenges, try new things and lead and inspire cultural change.  It’s the kind of stuff I admire and the kind of stuff that inspires me.  I have also over the past years shared some of the thoughts he sends our weekly to his team members here on the T4D blog.

Yesterday I went to visit his new blog and got to reading around.   While I certainly invite you to do the same… I would like to direct you to two completely different posts that really captured me yesterday.

The first is titled “I Just Want My Kids to Be Happy is the WRONG ANSWER”

http://joemcbreen.com/i-just-want-my-kids-to-be-happy-is-the-wrong-answer/

The next is 46 @ 46 basically listing 46 things Joe has figured out so far about life at age 46.  I am now working on my 50@50 and invite you to do the same.  But start with Joes…it’s really good. http://joemcbreen.com/46-46-things-i-have-learned-on-my-journey-so-far/

here is a sample from it..

• You either give light or drain light. You either add or detract.
• If you are nervous or scared about taking an action then you are probably on the right path.
• You’ll never change someone with a different opinion; seek to understand them and quit wasting your energy trying to change them.
• If you do not design your life then you are choosing mediocrity at best and unhappiness almost certainly.
• The truth is often in the middle. Life is not always black and white.
• Become a change monster – get used to change, THRIVE on change, lead change but, for God’s sake, don’t sit around and wait or resist change because you are uncomfortable.

Thanksgiving is UPON us… I am thankful for each of you, for your support of the “Thought 4 the Day” -for your feedback, encouragement and shared wisdom.  I am thankful for Joe and people like Joe who are out there working hard to help people realize more of their potential than they would otherwise and to live better and more meaningful lives in the process.  I am thankful for the choice and opportunity I had to become a father and a husband.  I realize not everyone gets to do this… and am grateful that I have been able too.  I am thankful for a loving spouse, six healthy children and all the challenges and problems we have faced, have overcome, now face and will yet overcome.  It’s life and I am thankful for it… ups, downs and all the rest.

I am thankful that by the time most of you read this I will most likely already be through with a surgical procedure to remove a M&M sized kidney stone.  Something done so commonly these days that they say I will be walking around by tomorrow afternoon and eating turkey by Thursday.  How cool is life.

Those readers in the US celebrating it… HAPPY THANKSGIVING  and to those readers elsewhere around the world.  Just make a happy day for yourself and others by being grateful!

Kirk Out