Life of Meaning

My Single Greatest Obstacle to Success!

March 25, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

TODAY there is one single greatest obstacle to my success in lifeI CAN GET STUCK IN A LAZY RUT!!!

Before I semi-retired in 2010, or so, I was way too busy to be lazy. I had too much to do: my job (25 hrs per wk), coaching baseball (25 hrs per wk), volunteering at church, cooking for the family, devoting time to my wife and son (other than baseball)… the list goes on.

Then I slowed down… a lot: very little work, no baseball, my wife was working 50-60 hours per week, my son lived out of state… I had nothing to do. Worse, I was just too “stuck in a lazy rut” to find something to do. I didn’t even read. Get this: I stopped painting because I was too lazy to change my clothes. LOL!!!

I think I felt that if I wasn’t doing something really productive it wasn’t worth doing at all. Nothing was worth doing! I’m not sure what filled my days. I just didn’t feel like doing anything, except going to movies. I saw almost every movie that was out in those days.

So I sat around and whined about not having anything to do. I know, wah, wah, wah.
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I’m Not Sure… Thank God

March 20, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

I was sitting with a friend in a Mexican restaurant in Peoria, AZ-where the Padres and Mariners play Spring Baseball. He was experiencing one of those oh-so healthy periods of questioning the legitimacy of his faith tradition. He asked me directly, “Charlie, do you believe in God and what you’ve been taught about the Bible with 100% assurance?”

Such an easy question to answer; I responded, “Of course not!” I might believe 100%, but I can’t be 100% sure that my belief is “for sure.”

A bishop once told me, “Charlie, we confidently believe in our faith, but with modesty and humility, always knowing that we could be wrong.” There are indeed certain genuine universal truths but we, as finite humans, are incapable of grasping all the mysteries of God.

“Almost” Sure


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Authentic People Are Hypocrites

February 26, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Christians are hypocrites.

But then so are Democrats and Republicans, Muslims and Buddhists and Jews, Green Peace and PITA, and yes, probably even the Dali Lama and Gandhi.

True Believers are always hypocrites. They can’t help it. It comes with the territory. There are only 2 ways to escape hypocritical behavior: (1) Be a perfect adherent to your belief system, or (2) be a bland, boring and mostly cowardly person that is really not committed to any philosophy, person, religion, or politic.
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The Unexpected Magic of a Morning Routine

February 19, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

I have a big thing about “time.”

Some people spend time to buy money. They’re the dealers of the world–always in search for “the deal.” They search the Internet endlessly for the best price, use coupons, shop on Black Fridays, drive miles to Outlet malls to get deals, and return items after it has gone on sale to get a lower price. All this takes time—a lot of it.

Others spend money to buy time. They know what they want and where it is sold. They buy it and go home. I’m one of those. Don’t get me wrong. On big items (cars and houses) I know the right deal, and will only spend time to save a lot.


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Never Do Today What You Can Put Off Til Tomorrow!

February 12, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

You’re right. Ben Franklin (or whoever) didn’t put it quite like that. For some, this title may seem like the Procrastinator’s Dream. But for highly productive people it’s a lifestyle mantra that drives all they do.

You should only do today what you can only do today. Huh? In other words, some things are more important (not more urgent) than others. DO THE IMPORTANT THINGS! And don’t waste your time with the small stuff until you absolutely have to.

My goal here is to help you make room to discover and reinforce your personal authenticity. That requires concentrated reflection. When you are so busy with small stuff then you never have time to reflect. You really do need some time every day to simply be quiet, rest and reflect. And… if you don’t MAKE TIME you’ll never HAVE TIME to do it.
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Your Heart is Where Your Home Is

February 5, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Oops? Did I write it backward? I mean, isn’t it supposed to be, “Home is Where the Heart Is?” Well, yes… and no. The point here is something entirely different. The point is, your heart is the home, the seat, and the resting place of all that you are and all that you are intended to be. In other words, your heart is the true home of all your desires, passions, beliefs and needs. 
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Curiosity: The Heartbeat of the Dreamer

January 29, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Did curiosity kill the cat? Hell no. Curiosity gave that furball nine lives!

Oddly, curiosity rarely (if ever) makes the list of Top 10 Attributes of Happy and Successful People. I don’t understand. When you think about it, curiosity alone could probably take credit for where we are today, personally and collectively.

It was curiosity that drove cave men out of caves; curiosity led to the great and dangerous high seas explorations; curiosity sent mankind to the moon, and it is curiosity that will drive Elon Musk at SpaceX to colonize Mars—in his lifetime!!!

What about YOU? Do you consider yourself a curious person? Well, you are, whether you think so or not. How many times each day do you silently say to yourself, “I wonder…” or “What if…” or “Maybe if I…” You can’t “not be curious” because you are, by nature, hard-wired to be so. It’s obviously human nature. 
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Your Big Ole Fat Crazy Dream: How to Make It So!

January 22, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Last week, after writing Dream Big or Live Small, I promised to “get into more details of what it takes to Dream Big.” Here we go. Allow me a couple paragraphs to set it up.

Your world of family and friends (in fact most Americans) love dreamers… unless the dreamer is you. Then all you hear is “be more realistic,” “that’s crazy,” or “you’ll never do that.” I don’t know about you, but the minute someone tells me I can’t do something is when that “something” becomes one of my goals in life. I feel honored when I’m called weird or crazy because what I’m really hearing is simply that “I don’t think like the rest of them.”

Damn right! I don’t think like everyone else and I don’t want to. And neither do you. That’s why you read my posts. You will change your world; you will be a difference-maker. The world will be a better place because you are willing to take a chance, willing to be laughed at. Most important, you are willing to fail because you understand that failure is only another step on your route to success.
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Dream Big or Live Small

January 15, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 0 Comments

Society mocks dreamers… until they accomplish something amazing. Then suddenly they’re heroes.

But dreaming big is dangerous. I mean… what if you fail? Or what if people laugh at your dream? Well, take it from me, they will. They will laugh their heads off because they themselves are too scared to take a chance. “Naw. Let’s play it safe,” they’ll say. “Let’s not risk our reputation.” And I respond, “What reputation?” “You mean the reputation you have for sitting on your tukus and doin nothin?”
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Why Be Happy When You Can Be Significant

January 8, 2015 by Charlie Hedges − 1 Comments

We Americans are obsessed with happiness. Dozens of books are written on it. I even took an online assessment grading my “Happiness Quotient.” I was ultra depressed when I took the little test and scored a very happy person. Weird!

A few years ago I was on a flight when the person next to me asked the normal inane question, “So, tell me, what do you do?” (Ugh!) After very briefly explaining my career at the time, she then asked, “But are you happy?”

Huh? Am I happy? First, what business is it of hers? But even more important, I’m not even sure what she wants to know. Happy. What is it?

Maybe I’m confused because I don’t think happiness is our real issue. Sure, happiness is nice, but… 


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