HOW TO BUILD A CAR IN THREE HOURS!

Totally amazing! My daughter and me (with the help of my wife) built a car that propels itself! We did it in about three hours! OK, so the thing can't carry people or anything at all, but it still runs...for about 20 feet!

We built a mousetrap car!! I'm sure many of you have had to build one of these, but this is the first mousetrap car effort for this family. Not sure how our oldest daughter missed this drill, but she didn't have to do one in her 8th grade year.

Now here is the reason this is significant: I'm really not good at this stuff and my wife is. She is like her dad: can do just about anything by thinking about it and drawing it out....sometimes only in her head. She is very talented and makes me look like, well, a real loser!!!

So, given that my wife had quite a few things to get done yesterday, it fell upon me to assist the youngest with her project. As the child received the news that mom was busy, I could hear her mutter to her mother "Oh, brother!"

Fortunately, mom and daughter had started the project and it was underway with enough prior planning so that I could come waltzing in and claim the victory! We finished the car. It works! And now I'm ready for MIT!

Kudos to mom and daughter for a job well done!!!!

TAKE A STEP BACK

In our hyper competitive society, when faced with an insurmountable challenge, we typically put the pedal to the metal and push on ahead. It doesn't matter if it is athletics or sales or the corporate board room arena, the challenge always come from somebody that we have to give more, push harder, give a better effort!

But what happens when we are already at peak capacity and giving more is not an option?

Engines red line. Muscles fatigue. Brains go numb.

Seth Godin talks about instead of trying harder, try different.

How true it is.

Take a different angle. Relax. Let the game come to you. Work on a different muscle group.

Tony Horton talks about 'muscle confusion'. By changing things up we get more out of our muscles than if we get stuck in one routine.

Sometimes when we think we need to try harder and are already at max capacity, take a step back and try different!

WHEN AVAILABILITY AND ABILITY COLLIDE

I was thinking the other day how some people have the ability to do something, but are unavailable to do it. Then there are those who are available, but don't have the ability.

Ability + Availability = Great Success.

He played football at a small university. Not very fast. Not very big. Had some ability.

Turned down by one NFL team, but was available to drive, yes drive nearly 2000 miles and try out for another.

He made the team!

During his career, Steve Largent, out-performed people with great abilities, and he turned a very humble start in the NFL into a Hall of Fame career.

How?

Ability + Availability = Great Success.

There are people all around us that have the ability to make a difference and they do not. Why? They think they are unavailable.

Others end up making a huge impact because they recognize their abilities and make themselves available! Those kind of people are HUGELY successful!!!

If you have the ability, then become available and watch the great things happen!!