Leigh St John

What is an ‘expert’ these days?

leighstjohn — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 05:48:28 +0000

It used to be that an “expert” was someone at the top of their field, someone you could turn to for advice because they had the knowledge and experience to provide such advice…

If you are in the arena of life coaching, personal development or internet marketing, you would have been bombarded for the past couple of years with the catch-phrase “you need to brand yourself as the expert!”

I came across one of these “experts” – a student I had taught years ago. She was in her 30s, had never had a job, never been married, nor had children, still lived at home with her parents and was on welfare. When we ran into each other, she proudly told me about her new ‘business’ and gave me her card – under her name it read “Expert Life Coach”.

This woman had completed a weekend training course and was now calling herself an ‘expert life coach’.

There are people like John Ramsey who hold the bar high in this field – there are people like the well-known names in the personal development arena who have devoted their life to becoming an expert in that field – and the same goes for some internet marketers who have been in the industry long enough to earn their stripes.

I guess I’m just a little baffled and perhaps a little disappointed that collectively we have lowered our standards so far…

Here’s to true ‘experts’ who have done their time, learned their lessons and have the courage and determination to continue to do more time, and learn more lessons, all so they can pass their hard-earned knowledge on to the rest of us.

PS: I do wish the woman I mentioned every happiness and success – and perhaps she will learn to become an expert…

Until next time…

Leigh St John

…small ‘acts of kindness and love’…

leighstjohn — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 02:36:10 +0000

“That best portion of a good man’s life – His little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love.” William Wordsworth

This week I’m making it a point of doing many small ‘acts of kindness and love’…

It may not mean much, but it’s one small thing I can do to bring a smile to someone’s face.

…Try it! You never know what joy you may bring…

Until next time…

Leigh St John

“…what’s a heaven for?”

leighstjohn — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 02:06:21 +0000

“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?” Robert Browning

I’m in the middle of crafting a new “Life List” aka bucket list – and there are several things on the list that to many would seem far-fetched.

My response is the Robert Browning quote…

Read it, look at your own list, and judge for yourself…

Until next time…

Leigh St John

…I managed to get the first part right…

leighstjohn — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 01:26:43 +0000

I’m in the process of updating my list of things I would like to do in my life – and it’s interesting to see how many that were on my previous list that I’ve already achieved! (mind you, a list that I haven’t looked at in a very long time)…

I know that Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins and others tell us to not only write down our goals, but also to review them daily, weekly, monthly and yearly…

Well, I managed to get the first part right… So, since this is my “year of no excuses”, I’m going to complete my new list this week and then review daily the ones about which I’m most passionate, and weekly for the rest…

What about you? Have you written down your dreams and aspirations? …and if you have, how often do you review them?

Until next time…

Leigh St John

Happiness…

leighstjohn — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 01:38:38 +0000

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” ~ Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

Think about the times in your life when you have been totally, completely, utterly happy… Chances are they were times when you were completely congruent and authentic… thinking, saying and doing things in perfect harmony.

When you next find yourself UN-happy, consider what is out of alignment and correct it.

It’s incredible how uplifted and energized you feel when you do…

Until next time…

Leigh St John

Father’s Day…

leighstjohn — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 01:00:46 +0000

Mark Twain: “When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years.”

Here’s to all wonderful fathers on this Father’s Day… They’ve put up with a lot! LOL!

The TRUE story behind ‘Cheaper by the Dozen’

leighstjohn — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 20:24:31 +0000

I’m watching the Steve Martin “Cheaper By The Dozen” (2003) movie for the first time.

It’s interesting that very few people know the original movie, made in 1950, was a true story.

It chronicled the lives of the Gilbreth family. Frank Gilbreth, Sr., was a pioneer in the field of motion study, and often used his family as guinea pigs (with amusing and sometimes embarrassing results).

Lillian Gilbreth (mother of the clan) was a founding partner of Gilbreth Inc., a consulting firm that worked with countless American industries between 1910 and 1924, took over her husband’s work after his passing, and was named American “Woman of the Year” in 1948.

Here’s to men and women like the Gilbreths who, despite overwhelming odds, create a loving home for their children and become role models for us all.

When will enough be enough?

leighstjohn — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:50:07 +0000

DuPont Label Says "Do Not Compost" Grass Clippings

DuPont & Scotts (makers of Miracle Gro) have put on their labels that grass clippings fertilized by their product are not safe to be used in compost.

[http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/002374.html]

Seriously???

When will enough be enough?

When will we finally learn that chemicals are not the way forward – and producing even more resilient chemicals is not progress…

If this doesn’t prompt us to make other choices, I don’t know what will:

“Do not use grass clippings from treated areas for mulching or compost, or allow for collection to compost facilities. Grass clippings must either be left on the treated area, or, if allowed by local yard waste regulations, disposed of in the trash. Applicators must give verbal or written notice to property owners/property managers/residents not to use grass clippings from treated turf for mulch or compost.”

In honor of full disclosure, I am a co-owner of an fully ORGANIC fertilizer company, however the fact still remains, we need to make more sustainable choices.

When will enough be enough?

Multiple dimensions…

leighstjohn — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 03:05:04 +0000

What are your thoughts?

What if both teams in the Superbowl today were able to win, just that one team won in one universe & the other split off into another universe where they won..?

There is enough science to support at least the discussion.

There is also a lot of discussion around what it takes to make something happen in your life…

If you look at the work of people like Napoleon Hill, he talks about total focus on your ‘definiteness of purpose’…

Those who believe on God talk about unwavering faith…

What are your thoughts?

Until next time…

Leigh

Being still…

leighstjohn — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 03:54:33 +0000

“Learning how to be still, to really be still and let life happen – that stillness becomes a radiance.”
Morgan Freeman

Sometimes the answers come only when we become still enough to allow them & actually hear them…

Until next time…

Leigh