Good morning and
welcome to Morning Serial.
Okay, good morning
and welcome to Thursday.
Well, you've made it. You survived hump
day and made it to Friday Eve.
So, go ahead, treat yourself with a
little extra cream in
your coffee this morning.
Well, you've earned it.
Today is Constitution Day in Denmark.
And today is the day to raise a toast
democracy, democracy everywhere.
Especially here in the good old US of A.
It's also National Gingerbread Day,
which invites you to indulge some of
those sweet, spice treats.
You know, I actually like gingerbread,
but I didn't realize how split the
country is on this tasty little cookie or
bread, I guess, too.
Well, here's a good one for you.
If you're late to work this morning, just
blame it on National.
Sorry, I was on a boat day.
It's the perfect excuse for
any tardiness this morning.
Lastly, it's thank you day.
And that's a nice reminder to express
gratitude to those deserving it.
And I'll start it off. Thank you for
tuning in this morning.
Well, as a token of my
gratitude and appreciation,
I'm going to give you a hard-hitting
quote this morning from Mark Wahlberg,
who said, "If I succeed,
it's because I was lucky.
But if I fail, it's because
I didn't work hard enough."
So some perspective here from Mark,
and a nice reminder to
focus on effort and ownership.
No excuses, people.
Well, today's news, facts,
and birthdays are for June 5th,
and we're going to start back in 1883,
when on this date, the first Orient
Express departed Paris for Istanbul,
offering luxurious
train travel across Europe.
Then in 1944, over 1,000 British bombers
dropped 5,000 tons of bombs
on German gun batteries in Normandy.
That was preparing us for D-Day.
Then on this date in 1956, Elvis Presley,
he performed Hound Dog
live on TV for the first time.
And as we all know, it caused quite the
sensation with his
little hip dance moves.
Then we're going to move
all the way up to 1981,
when on this date, the CDC reported the
first recognized cases of AIDS
in the United States, marking the
beginning of the epidemic.
Then lastly, in 2004, on this date,
former U.S. President Ronald Reagan,
he passed away at the age of 93 after a
long battle with Alzheimer's.
Well, happy birthday to you
if today is your birthday.
You share a birthday
with quite a few musicians.
But first, we're going to start with,
well, I guess he is a musician,
too. You remember his songs?
Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, Mark
Wahlberg, he's 53 today.
Then Brian McKnight, one of my favorite
R&B singers and songwriters,
he has songs like One Last
Cry, well, he's 55 today.
Then definitely my favorite, Smooth Jazz
Saxophonist, probably yours too,
Kenny G, he's 68 today.
And then lastly, Financial
Advisor and Television Host,
you might remember from the 80s and 90s,
Susie Orman, she's 74 today.
Well, the number one song on this date
back in 1986 was The Crossroads
by Bone Thugs and Harmony.
Well, this song was a tribute to lost
loved ones in their lives,
including their mentor, Eazy-E, which in
a weird twist of irony for today's show,
Eazy-E did pass away from AIDS.
But that little factoid
aside, this is a great song.
And I had to listen to it about a
thousand times so I
could memorize the lyrics
because of how fast these guys rap. If
you haven't heard it, look it up.
Well, the song's success solidified their
place in hip hop history.
It won a Grammy for them in 1997, and it
definitely resonated with fans worldwide.
All right, well, let's cross the road
into our book review segment
as we continue our journey through
Stephen R. Covey's The Seven Habits of
Highly Effective People.
And today we're still in part two, habit
two, in the
sub-chapter, a principal center.
Now, here Covey explores what it means to
build our lives around principals
rather than fleeting external influences,
things that we've been talking about over
the last couple of days.
Now, Covey begins by contrasting how most
people live reactively,
driven by circumstances,
moods, or other people's expectations.
Covey writes, "Principles are deep,
fundamental truths, classic truths,
generic common denominators."
And those are unlike social trends or the
latest self-help fads, right?
Principles like integrity, honesty, and
fairness, they endure
across time and across cultures.
They're universal standards that we can
rely on when
everything else feels uncertain.
So this chapter challenges us to look at
what's really at our center,
the driving force behind our decisions
and how we see our worlds.
Here, Covey talks again about some of
these alternative centers, right?
If we're centered on a job, we might feel
lost if that job disappears.
If we're centered on friends or family,
we might feel shaken when those
relationships change.
But if we're centered on principals, we
find a stability that doesn't rely on
external circumstances.
Now, Covey explains that when we live a
principal-centered life, we gain four
invaluable life support factors.
Remember these? Security,
guidance, wisdom, and power.
Now, security, he says, comes from
knowing we're aligned with
what's true and unchanging.
Guidance comes from principles that act
like a compass, helping us to see clearly
and make better decisions.
Wisdom flows from understanding how those
principles apply in
every area of our lives.
And lastly, power, not the power to
control others, but the
power to live with purpose.
That emerges naturally
from this solid foundation.
Okay, to help us recognize our current
center, Covey gives practical examples.
If you're family-centered, you might find
it hard to make decisions
that don't please everyone.
If you're money-centered, you might feel
constant anxiety and unstable economies.
And Covey's message is that these centers
can leave us reactive, forever chasing
that security in the wrong places.
Okay, so here's your takeaway. A
principal-centered life isn't just about
doing the right thing.
It's about building a foundation that
can't be shaken by the
ups and the downs of life.
It's about anchoring yourself to timeless
truths, those "deep fundamental truths"
that Covey calls "principals."
And letting those guide your actions,
shape your choices, and give you the
quiet confidence to face
whatever comes your way.
Alright, well as we wrap up today's
episode, remember to embrace the spirit
of Constitution Day by reflecting on the
principles that guide your life.
And don't forget to express gratitude on
this thank you day. A simple thank you
can brighten someone's day.
Again, thank you for joining us today on
Morning Serial. We'll see you back here
tomorrow with more insights
and stories to start your day.
Now get out there and
have a fantastic day.
This is the Morning Serial podcast on the
One Life Live It channel.
You can find more episodes and videos by
visiting our YouTube channel and the
website at seanenglish.com,
where you can also follow our other
podcast, the Mr. and Mrs. English podcast
and the Life Happens podcast.
And these other podcasts will dive deeper
into everyday issues, self-improvement
and well-being, business and finance, and
we welcome special guests too.
Yes, it'll be a good time, I promise.
Thanks again for listening. Have a
fantastic day and we'll see you tomorrow.