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Good Evening. Here is a great thought for the day: THE ROAD TO SUCCESS IS NOT ALWAYS A ROAD One of my favorite books is Paper Airplane written by my good friend, Michael McMillan, whom I consider a creative genius... and I rarely use the "G word." Michael has the unique ability to bring simple ideas to life in an unforgettable way. The subtitle, "A Lesson for Flying Outside the Box," is something very difficult for most leaders to do. However, history proves that creative breakthroughs in science, technology, and business only occur when people challenge the accepted norm and take action. Innovation comes from leaving the "proven" map behind to explore new territories. In Paper Airplane, Michael shares how his sixth grade teacher, Mrs. Hackett, spent the entire week teaching the class aerodynamics. To complete the lesson, she organized a paper airplane contest. The kids were given a sheet of construction paper and 15 minutes to build the "winning" plane. They all went to work carefully folding the paper... hoping to create a winning plane that would travel the farthest. Before long, everyone was ready to go outside to start the contest... nearly everyone. Jeff, a unique young man who marched to the beat of a different drummer, hadn't made one fold in his paper. He was staring out the window... thinking. To give a little more time, Mrs. Hackett told Jeff he could go last. The contest was interesting on many levels. Some of the planes barely flew five feet while others did surprisingly well. One thing was certain — the line was thinning down and Jeff was still holding a flat piece of construction paper. Before long, Jeff was the only remaining contestant. With great anticipation, the class watched as Jeff approached with his craft well hidden behind his back. Then he stepped to the line and exposed his masterpiece... a flat sheet of paper. But as the class started to snicker, Jeff confidently wadded up the paper into a ball, and threw it farther than the leading plane had flown. THE CROWD WENT WILD!!! Michael explains that Jeff demonstrated a new way of interpreting a problem and had the courage to act on his vision. One of my favorite quotes that hangs on my office wall is... "You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."
"Each morning is the beginning of a new day. You have been given this day to use as you will. You can waste it or use it for good. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. When the sun rises tomorrow this day will be gone forever, in its place will be something you have left — may it be something good. Follow your heart, it knows what to do." London Delicious stories are distributed weekly by email. If you'd like to be sure not to miss our next story, sign up for a free subscription here:
P.S. We hope our stories add as much to your life as they have ours.
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