Ted Tuesdays: This All Started with Stories

I need your ideas!

But before I ask, I need to tell you a story. About 10 years ago I began making speeches frequently and I had the pleasure of speaking all over the US and Internationally. And in those speeches, I would usually use a baseball story to illustrate some key point. Late in 2016, a man who is a well-known business leader told me that I was a very good speaker but that I should really consider putting my stories in a book. Well, I continued to write stories about life and do speeches; I just didn't publish the stories.

About three years ago I decided to study something different—just for entertainment after my merger of my companies. So, I signed up for coach training. I had spent decades consulting with businesses, but never really crossed over into coaching. And during that training, my coach suggested that I publish my stories. So, "Ted Tuesdays" was born just for my friends. Since then, many friends have requested that I put my stories in a book.

 A couple weekends ago, there was a huge baseball tournament in this area. My oldest grandson (age 11) and his team came down from the Minneapolis area. The tournament seemed to be a mix of Minnesota and Iowa teams with a few other teams from other states. I was playing catch with my seven-year-old grandson, and I threw the ball just over his head and it went about 50 feet behind him. I declared, "Bad throw”. He said, "Well it wasn’t that bad, Grampa." Then he turned around and took about three steps toward the ball and stopped—turning back to me he said, "Is that how I am polite to someone?’’

It reminded me of the Baseball Life lessons that I taught when I coached baseball for over twenty years. So, I decided to share them with him—I thought that he was ready based on his concern of being polite.

Here they are:

Always be ready—anticipate; don’t react.

You’ve got what it takes, but it will take everything you got.

Be humble when you are victorious.

Your character is more important than how good you are.

Communication is crucial to succeed.

You play how you practice.

Celebrate the wins but learn from the losses.

Being disciplined pays off.

You are part of something bigger than yourself.

Believe in yourself.

It takes no talent to hustle.

Teamwork is the best work.

As I thought about how these life lessons apply in baseball, life and in business, I looked at my grandson. He looked at me and said, “I think you are releasing the ball too early—you might try holding on to it longer."

I might be releasing this book too early, and I might want to hold on to it longer, but it is being edited right now, and I need your help to develop a title.

Here are some suggestions from the advisor and editor:

The Long Way Around: Stories of Faith Found in Ordinary Moments

The Steady Things: Stories of Faith that Anchor Work, Family, and Every Season In-Between

Grace in the Margins: Stories of Faith that Show Up in Work, Family, and the In-Between.

Faithfully Yours: Stories of a Life Anchored In What Matters Most

Been There, Done That: Stories of Faith In Action

The Steady Things: Stories of Faith that Anchor Family and Work

Grace in the Margins: Anchored in What Matters Most

Tuesday Faith: Stories of Faith That Show Up In Work, Family, and the In-Between

Please let me know your thoughts!