Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Be Like Brent!

In the early 90's, everyone was in awe of Michael Jordan, the charismatic basketball player for the Chicago Bulls. Every kid wanted to be him, and more than a few adults, too! He did product endorsements for Gatorade, and one commercial harnessed the admiration people had for Michael Jordan. The commercial jingle was "I wanna be like Mike!", and it was a big hit because everyone identified with it. I can't think of a greater compliment than for someone to say you want to be like them. 

My friend, Brent, is the cowboy teacher that all the kids at school want to be. We are talking a real, bonafide cowboy who lives by the Code of the West  and everything! It's always fun to see the kids try to emulate Brent in character and dress. Some even try to imitate him right down to his strut...er, walk!  Each day a new cowboy hat pops up on some little head, and about a month into school, Brent leads a line of little bobbing cowboy hats to lunch. When I see them, I always think of the Michael Jordan commercials. It's easy for me to see why the kids "wanna be like [Brent]", because he makes everyone around him want to be and do better, including myself.

Brent started a blog at the beginning of the school year with a goal of posting at least 1 blog every school day. In August, I thought that was a challenging goal, knowing how busy he is...but if anyone would do it, he would. Brent has a way of making goals and huge projects look like a breeze because he naturally breaks them down into steps. It is really a talent he has...one of many. I've been trying to do that my whole life and that skill has eluded me, as I think it does most of us! As easy as he makes it look, Brent set his goal knowing it was going to be a challenge. (I guess it's not much of a goal if it isn't a challenge!) We have 23 days left of school and he has not missed one day! He has an incredible heritage, and he's introduced us to his ancestors and people who have contributed so much to New Harmony and Southern Utah. I look forward to them each day, and Brent has many followers that do, too!

A couple of weeks ago, Brent decided to print off his blogs. When the blog was about two-thirds of the way printed, he had 2 large binders filled to the popping point. It was such an eye opener! I knew he had done a lot of work, but it really struck me that I've been "working" on a scrapbook for over 12 years now...I want my scrapbook to show how great my life has been and the incredible family that I have. So far, I haven't filled one binder! I'm so perfectionistic that I overwhelm myself with how much there is do. It's never-ending, and I'm set in an "all or nothing" mind frame. As a result, I've kept myself very busy flitting from one thing to the next and never finishing anything. So, now I'm looking back at all the time gone by and what I have to show for it. Not much in this respect! In contrast, Brent has worked bit by bit and created something in 8 months that has more information and history in it than most people box up in a lifetime (saying they'll get to it later!).

I've learned a lot by observing the way Brent goes about things, and maybe someone else can too. Here are a few things Brent does that have made him so successful with his blog, and everything else he does:
1. He sets a goal and keeps the big picture in mind.
2. He takes it day by day and doesn't focus on everything at one time.
3. He knows when to set limits. On a few of his busiest days, he's posted a brief news article and a couple of pictures instead of a whole history. It's all new and interesting information to us and they all contribute to the whole!
4. When he has a lot of stuff to share on one person or subject, Brent breaks it down into several posts. He doesn't try to get the story told all in one sitting.
5. Sometimes, he posts things that aren't necessarily finished--by his terms, at least.
6. He adds new information as he finds it.
7. He lets others help him now and then.
8. He has a passion for it and stays excited about all the things he is finding.
9. He's grateful for his ancestors and has a strong sense of his purpose in blogging.
10. He's CONSISTENT.
11. He just DOES it!
12. He keeps a sense of humor.
13. He stops to smell the roses.

I feel like there is much more to add, but since I really am trying to be more like Brent, I'm going to post this unfinished, by my own terms...and try not to think about it. Between Brent and all the people he writes about (and a few others I admire a LOT) I'm starting to realize just how much can be accomplished in one day when you don't let it pass you by. One day, one post, one anything isn't what makes a life or feat to be remembered. It's the one...plus one...plus one more that leaves an impression not to be forgotten.

Take a look at Brent's blog at brentprince.blogspot.com and take a minute to look through older post, too. There's something there for everyone in reading the histories, the fantastic pictures, and stories he tells!

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