1 01:00:01,250 --> 01:00:02,000 Good morning. 2 01:00:03,958 --> 01:00:06,041 And welcome to morning cereal 3 01:00:12,166 --> 01:00:13,666 Okay, good morning and 4 01:00:13,666 --> 01:00:14,416 welcome to Wednesday. 5 01:00:15,083 --> 01:00:16,750 Now I know it's hard to believe that 6 01:00:16,750 --> 01:00:17,750 we're already to the 7 01:00:17,750 --> 01:00:19,000 middle of the work week and 8 01:00:19,375 --> 01:00:20,708 I think it's even harder to believe, 9 01:00:20,708 --> 01:00:21,625 however, that we are at 10 01:00:21,625 --> 01:00:22,583 the end of April already. 11 01:00:23,166 --> 01:00:24,291 I mean, what a great month. 12 01:00:24,291 --> 01:00:25,958 We've been moving into spring and now 13 01:00:25,958 --> 01:00:27,458 we're just around the corner from summer. 14 01:00:28,083 --> 01:00:28,583 Good times. 15 01:00:29,375 --> 01:00:32,083 But maybe even harder to believe is the 16 01:00:32,083 --> 01:00:34,291 fact that there is a national denim day. 17 01:00:34,791 --> 01:00:35,250 And there is. 18 01:00:35,625 --> 01:00:37,083 And it happens to be today. 19 01:00:37,583 --> 01:00:39,250 So good news for those of us that grew up 20 01:00:39,250 --> 01:00:40,458 in the 80s and the 90s 21 01:00:40,458 --> 01:00:41,541 because we can go get 22 01:00:41,583 --> 01:00:43,916 out our old jean jacket that was acid 23 01:00:43,916 --> 01:00:45,708 washed or favorite pair 24 01:00:45,708 --> 01:00:47,083 of blue jeans from the 80s 25 01:00:47,083 --> 01:00:48,583 that were acid washed too, maybe. 26 01:00:49,125 --> 01:00:49,458 I don't know. 27 01:00:49,666 --> 01:00:50,750 But let me just say this. 28 01:00:50,750 --> 01:00:52,041 There is no cheating allowed. 29 01:00:52,541 --> 01:00:54,083 Those jeggings do not 30 01:00:54,083 --> 01:00:56,250 qualify for national denim day. 31 01:00:57,291 --> 01:00:59,208 And today is also national 32 01:00:59,208 --> 01:01:00,875 hairstyle appreciation day. 33 01:01:01,208 --> 01:01:03,833 And if your neighbor has a bad hairstyle, 34 01:01:03,833 --> 01:01:04,958 it's okay to tell them 35 01:01:04,958 --> 01:01:06,583 because today is also 36 01:01:06,583 --> 01:01:08,083 national honesty day. 37 01:01:08,625 --> 01:01:09,791 So the universe continues 38 01:01:09,791 --> 01:01:11,291 just to bring it all together. 39 01:01:11,916 --> 01:01:14,333 And lastly, I learned how to play mahjong 40 01:01:14,333 --> 01:01:15,583 this last weekend at 41 01:01:15,583 --> 01:01:16,791 a soccer showcase that 42 01:01:16,791 --> 01:01:18,541 we're at with our team down in Austin. 43 01:01:18,958 --> 01:01:20,625 So I want to say happy national mahjong 44 01:01:20,625 --> 01:01:21,875 day to the mahjong moms. 45 01:01:22,375 --> 01:01:23,833 That was a bit of a tongue twister there. 46 01:01:24,250 --> 01:01:25,958 But I also want to say thank you to that 47 01:01:25,958 --> 01:01:27,083 group of moms for letting 48 01:01:27,083 --> 01:01:28,583 me into your group, sharing 49 01:01:28,583 --> 01:01:30,708 some wine with me and having some laughs. 50 01:01:30,708 --> 01:01:31,291 It was a lot of fun. 51 01:01:32,041 --> 01:01:33,458 Well our quote today is not one of the 52 01:01:33,458 --> 01:01:34,916 mahjong moms, but Amy 53 01:01:34,916 --> 01:01:36,500 Grant is a mom and her quote 54 01:01:36,625 --> 01:01:39,083 is about positivity and resilience. 55 01:01:39,625 --> 01:01:42,083 And Amy Grant said quote, "More important 56 01:01:42,083 --> 01:01:44,125 than talent, strength or knowledge is the 57 01:01:44,125 --> 01:01:46,625 ability to laugh at yourself and enjoy 58 01:01:46,625 --> 01:01:48,208 the pursuit of your dreams." 59 01:01:48,625 --> 01:01:48,958 End quote. 60 01:01:50,333 --> 01:01:50,833 All right. 61 01:01:50,916 --> 01:01:53,291 Well, let's move on to today's news facts 62 01:01:53,291 --> 01:01:55,875 and birthdays and they're for April 30th. 63 01:01:55,875 --> 01:01:57,791 And we're going to start back in 1859. 64 01:01:57,791 --> 01:02:00,041 And that's when Charles Dickens, a tale 65 01:02:00,041 --> 01:02:01,541 of two cities, his 66 01:02:01,541 --> 01:02:03,000 story was first published 67 01:02:03,208 --> 01:02:05,541 in weekly installments that ran from 68 01:02:05,541 --> 01:02:07,125 today through the end of 69 01:02:07,125 --> 01:02:08,708 November in a periodical 70 01:02:08,708 --> 01:02:10,541 called All the Year Round. 71 01:02:10,958 --> 01:02:11,666 It's a great book. 72 01:02:12,250 --> 01:02:16,166 And now moving to a great toy, on 1952, 73 01:02:17,083 --> 01:02:18,666 the Mr. Potato Head toy 74 01:02:18,666 --> 01:02:20,500 became the first toy advertised 75 01:02:20,750 --> 01:02:22,166 on television on this date. 76 01:02:23,333 --> 01:02:26,125 Then lastly on this date in 2009, you 77 01:02:26,125 --> 01:02:27,166 might remember that 78 01:02:27,166 --> 01:02:28,208 during the Great Recession, 79 01:02:28,583 --> 01:02:30,375 the Chrysler Automobile Company, they 80 01:02:30,375 --> 01:02:31,541 filed for Chapter 11 81 01:02:31,541 --> 01:02:32,791 bankruptcy on this date. 82 01:02:33,375 --> 01:02:35,500 Eventually they combined with Fiat so 83 01:02:35,500 --> 01:02:36,291 that they could stay in 84 01:02:36,291 --> 01:02:37,250 business so that we could 85 01:02:37,250 --> 01:02:39,125 all buy our favorite Chrysler's. 86 01:02:39,583 --> 01:02:41,125 Well, happy birthday to you 87 01:02:41,125 --> 01:02:42,333 if today is your birthday. 88 01:02:42,750 --> 01:02:43,666 You share a birthday 89 01:02:43,666 --> 01:02:45,416 with actress Kirsten Dunst. 90 01:02:45,416 --> 01:02:46,541 She's 43 today. 91 01:02:47,541 --> 01:02:49,458 Actor from Christmas Vacation and the Big 92 01:02:49,458 --> 01:02:50,916 Bang Theory, Johnny Galecki. 93 01:02:50,916 --> 01:02:51,958 He's 50 today. 94 01:02:52,833 --> 01:02:56,041 And NBA great and a member of the Detroit 95 01:02:56,041 --> 01:02:57,375 Piston Bad Boys that 96 01:02:57,375 --> 01:02:58,083 gave my Michael Jordan 97 01:02:58,125 --> 01:02:58,916 such a hard time in 98 01:02:58,916 --> 01:03:00,708 the 90s, Isaiah Thomas. 99 01:03:00,958 --> 01:03:02,208 He turned 64 today. 100 01:03:03,416 --> 01:03:05,291 And the number one song on this date back 101 01:03:05,291 --> 01:03:08,875 in 1991 was Baby, Baby by Amy Grant. 102 01:03:09,458 --> 01:03:11,666 Now this song, which is a love song, it 103 01:03:11,666 --> 01:03:14,291 just has an air of innocence and fun. 104 01:03:14,291 --> 01:03:15,791 And it really takes me back to those 105 01:03:15,791 --> 01:03:17,166 innocent years of youth. 106 01:03:17,833 --> 01:03:20,125 But for Amy, it was her second number one 107 01:03:20,125 --> 01:03:21,208 hit following her 108 01:03:21,208 --> 01:03:22,958 duet with Peter Satera on 109 01:03:22,958 --> 01:03:24,541 the song The Next Time I Fall. 110 01:03:25,250 --> 01:03:26,833 And this song, Baby, Baby, 111 01:03:26,833 --> 01:03:28,458 it received three Grammy nods. 112 01:03:29,833 --> 01:03:31,666 Well, let's give a nod to some 113 01:03:31,666 --> 01:03:32,833 self-improvement here. 114 01:03:33,166 --> 01:03:35,041 We are reading through Stephen R. Covey's 115 01:03:35,041 --> 01:03:36,125 The Seven Habits of 116 01:03:36,125 --> 01:03:37,583 Highly Effective People. 117 01:03:38,333 --> 01:03:39,916 And we are in Covey's second chapter of 118 01:03:39,916 --> 01:03:41,041 The Seven Habits, an 119 01:03:41,041 --> 01:03:42,958 overview, where Covey discussed 120 01:03:43,166 --> 01:03:45,083 how important and influential habits are 121 01:03:45,083 --> 01:03:45,916 in our lives with 122 01:03:45,916 --> 01:03:47,125 habits being defined as the 123 01:03:47,125 --> 01:03:47,750 intersection of 124 01:03:47,750 --> 01:03:48,958 knowledge, skills, and desire. 125 01:03:48,958 --> 01:03:49,791 We all know that now. 126 01:03:50,250 --> 01:03:51,791 And these habits we all know are a 127 01:03:51,791 --> 01:03:53,333 maturity continuum, right? 128 01:03:53,458 --> 01:03:56,333 It takes us from growing, from dependence 129 01:03:56,333 --> 01:03:57,458 to independence to 130 01:03:57,458 --> 01:03:58,833 interdependence, right? 131 01:03:59,541 --> 01:04:02,041 And these habits we learned yesterday can 132 01:04:02,041 --> 01:04:03,208 be highly effective 133 01:04:03,208 --> 01:04:04,916 when properly implemented 134 01:04:05,125 --> 01:04:06,958 in our lives and properly balanced. 135 01:04:07,958 --> 01:04:10,666 So today, Covey's next sub-chapter here 136 01:04:10,666 --> 01:04:13,708 in chapter two is three kinds of assets. 137 01:04:14,583 --> 01:04:15,416 And he doesn't keep 138 01:04:15,416 --> 01:04:16,416 them a secret from us. 139 01:04:16,750 --> 01:04:18,625 The three assets Covey describes are 140 01:04:18,625 --> 01:04:20,541 physical, financial, and human. 141 01:04:21,625 --> 01:04:24,125 And the first asset Covey discusses is 142 01:04:24,125 --> 01:04:25,166 physical, and he 143 01:04:25,166 --> 01:04:26,791 compares it to a lawnmower. 144 01:04:27,583 --> 01:04:29,208 Remember yesterday, we talked about the 145 01:04:29,208 --> 01:04:31,541 need to take care of both or 146 01:04:31,541 --> 01:04:33,208 balance both the production 147 01:04:33,333 --> 01:04:34,666 and the production capability. 148 01:04:35,375 --> 01:04:37,000 Well, Covey did not take care 149 01:04:37,000 --> 01:04:39,125 or maintain of his lawnmower. 150 01:04:39,666 --> 01:04:41,333 This would be his production capability. 151 01:04:42,125 --> 01:04:44,791 And therefore, the lawnmower did not cut 152 01:04:44,791 --> 01:04:45,791 the grass well anymore. 153 01:04:46,291 --> 01:04:47,458 This would be the desired 154 01:04:47,458 --> 01:04:48,916 result or the production. 155 01:04:49,958 --> 01:04:51,416 And Covey says if he would have 156 01:04:51,416 --> 01:04:52,708 maintained the lawnmower 157 01:04:52,708 --> 01:04:54,333 along the way, it would have 158 01:04:54,333 --> 01:04:55,625 continued to work and 159 01:04:55,625 --> 01:04:57,250 produce its best results. 160 01:04:58,416 --> 01:05:00,500 But since Covey had let it go without 161 01:05:00,500 --> 01:05:01,458 maintenance, it was 162 01:05:01,458 --> 01:05:03,375 basically not effective anymore. 163 01:05:03,750 --> 01:05:06,125 And it would now cost far more to bring 164 01:05:06,125 --> 01:05:07,208 the lawnmower, the 165 01:05:07,208 --> 01:05:09,375 physical asset, back into its 166 01:05:09,375 --> 01:05:10,083 peak performance. 167 01:05:11,000 --> 01:05:13,416 So Covey's point here is if we ignore the 168 01:05:13,416 --> 01:05:14,250 maintenance on 169 01:05:14,250 --> 01:05:15,625 physical assets, whether they 170 01:05:15,625 --> 01:05:19,166 be a lawnmower, a car, a computer, our 171 01:05:19,166 --> 01:05:21,333 furnaces, our body, or 172 01:05:21,333 --> 01:05:23,166 even our environment, it can 173 01:05:23,166 --> 01:05:25,458 have a tremendous negative effect on the 174 01:05:25,458 --> 01:05:28,333 effectiveness of those physical assets. 175 01:05:29,166 --> 01:05:30,875 And you'll find that this is similar to 176 01:05:30,875 --> 01:05:33,083 the second asset, financial assets. 177 01:05:33,541 --> 01:05:35,791 Covey says, "Our most important financial 178 01:05:35,791 --> 01:05:36,958 asset is our own 179 01:05:36,958 --> 01:05:40,041 capacity to earn," and that 180 01:05:40,041 --> 01:05:42,500 we must "continually invest in improving 181 01:05:42,500 --> 01:05:44,375 our own production capability." 182 01:05:45,625 --> 01:05:47,375 If we ignore this maintenance or this 183 01:05:47,375 --> 01:05:48,666 growth of ours, then we 184 01:05:48,666 --> 01:05:50,000 expose ourselves to being 185 01:05:50,000 --> 01:05:52,500 "locked into our present situation, 186 01:05:53,041 --> 01:05:54,125 running scared of our 187 01:05:54,125 --> 01:05:56,250 corporation or our boss's opinion 188 01:05:56,250 --> 01:05:58,750 of us, economically dependent and 189 01:05:58,750 --> 01:06:00,750 defensive, and again, it 190 01:06:00,750 --> 01:06:02,125 simply isn't effective." 191 01:06:03,750 --> 01:06:05,750 Lastly, Covey talks about human assets. 192 01:06:05,750 --> 01:06:07,416 And the way human assets fit into this 193 01:06:07,416 --> 01:06:10,375 P-slash-PC balance is 194 01:06:10,375 --> 01:06:11,500 just as fundamental. 195 01:06:12,166 --> 01:06:13,833 And Covey believes more important, 196 01:06:13,833 --> 01:06:15,208 "because people control 197 01:06:15,208 --> 01:06:17,583 physical and financial assets." 198 01:06:18,750 --> 01:06:21,166 Covey covers his human assets subject a 199 01:06:21,166 --> 01:06:22,166 bit more in depth 200 01:06:22,166 --> 01:06:23,583 before he finishes out this 201 01:06:23,583 --> 01:06:24,000 sub-chapter. 202 01:06:24,291 --> 01:06:24,916 So we're going to 203 01:06:24,916 --> 01:06:26,083 finish that out tomorrow. 204 01:06:26,333 --> 01:06:28,375 So come back for that as we dive into it 205 01:06:28,375 --> 01:06:29,708 a little bit more, and 206 01:06:29,708 --> 01:06:30,541 then we're going to finish 207 01:06:30,541 --> 01:06:32,666 up that sub-chapter, which brings us, I 208 01:06:32,666 --> 01:06:33,625 think, one or two 209 01:06:33,625 --> 01:06:35,958 sub-chapters away from part two 210 01:06:36,125 --> 01:06:36,666 of the book. 211 01:06:37,000 --> 01:06:38,333 So we're making really good progress. 212 01:06:38,708 --> 01:06:39,041 Well done. 213 01:06:40,250 --> 01:06:42,166 Okay, if you're feeling extra frisky 214 01:06:42,166 --> 01:06:43,125 today with your denim, 215 01:06:43,625 --> 01:06:45,083 give those pant legs a little 216 01:06:45,083 --> 01:06:46,125 tight roll at the bottom. 217 01:06:46,625 --> 01:06:47,666 Hey, thanks for joining us today. 218 01:06:48,041 --> 01:06:49,083 Come back tomorrow and 219 01:06:49,083 --> 01:06:50,083 have a fantastic day. 220 01:06:52,208 --> 01:06:53,958 Don't forget to follow and subscribe to 221 01:06:53,958 --> 01:06:54,583 the Morning Serial 222 01:06:54,583 --> 01:06:56,208 podcast on the One Life 223 01:06:56,375 --> 01:06:57,208 Live It channel. 224 01:06:57,750 --> 01:06:59,666 You can find more episodes and videos by 225 01:06:59,666 --> 01:07:01,333 visiting our YouTube channel and the 226 01:07:01,333 --> 01:07:02,958 website at seaningless 227 01:07:03,291 --> 01:07:05,458 and at seaningless.com, where you can 228 01:07:05,458 --> 01:07:06,791 also follow our other 229 01:07:06,791 --> 01:07:08,333 podcast, the Mr. and Mrs. 230 01:07:08,333 --> 01:07:09,500 Inglis podcast and the 231 01:07:09,500 --> 01:07:10,500 Life Happens podcast. 232 01:07:11,333 --> 01:07:13,000 In these other podcasts, we'll dive 233 01:07:13,000 --> 01:07:14,375 deeper into everyday issues, 234 01:07:14,666 --> 01:07:15,416 self-improvement and 235 01:07:15,416 --> 01:07:17,916 well-being, business and finance, and we 236 01:07:17,916 --> 01:07:19,166 welcome special guests too. 237 01:07:19,666 --> 01:07:20,416 So join us. 238 01:07:20,416 --> 01:07:21,750 It'll be a good time, I promise. 239 01:07:22,458 --> 01:07:23,333 Thanks again for listening. 240 01:07:23,541 --> 01:07:25,083 Have a fantastic day and 241 01:07:25,083 --> 01:07:25,708 we'll see you tomorrow.