Happy Birthday...

My brother Benjamin turns 27 today (May 13), and though my family did a tribute for him on another blog I wanted to let him know just how awesome he is right here on the blog of Lions. Big Dog Ben Hog is truly one of a kind, and a Lion if I've ever seen one. He likes to think of himself as "Commander 2", but nothing could be farther from the truth.

Benjamin, as my present to you, I've posted everyday this week, so I hope you've enjoyed them. Thanks for bringing me back into the flow of posting, and I leave you with more of the great memories that we share; those of watching Lance Armstrong dominate the Tour de France. Music on this clip gets annoying, but couldn't resist the pure stare down he gives Ulrich before absolutely destorying him to pretty much seal the overall victory for himself in 2001. Lance is certainly an inspiration, and may this clip give you the power to dominate this weekend as well. Good luck as you set out to conquer your first triathlon, and may it be the first of many!

Happy Birthday Benjamin!

Phony "King" James

Last night brought us yet another perfect example of what we’ve been discussing the past two weeks. Lebron James is undoubtedly one of the most gifted basketball players ever to grace the earth, and arguably one of the most talented all-around athletes as well; however, talent doesn’t equate to greatness.

Not sure how many of you follow basketball (I myself must admit that I’ve yet to even watch a full half of NBA basketball this season,) but last night the Celtics and Cavaliers met for game 5 in a best of 7 playoff match-up tied 2 games apiece. Cleveland is the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this post-season and on paper should be able to route an aging Boston squad; however, this stage of the season truly separates and defines greatness, and last night the self-proclaimed “King” James was anything but. Every player, no matter how talented, is certainly allowed a bad game here or there, but it is the player’s attitude toward the poor performance that truly defines who he is and where his place is in the pantheons of basketball lore. Lebron’s play isn’t necessarily what I want to point out, but rather his attitude following it. Here’s his post-game press conference:

“I put a lot of pressure on myself to go out and be great and the best player on the court… When I don’t, I feel bad for myself.” What?! Lebron’s apparent arrogance throughout the 2 plus minutes shown here is more than appalling to me, and is exactly why I find it so difficult to watch the NBA anymore. Here sits a man with the talent to be compared to the upper-echelon of the greats (Russell, Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic, etc.) instead we see a spoiled kid without the slightest idea of what’s at stake. He has concerned himself more with running a business, and becoming a “mogul” (Warren Buffet and Jay-Z are amongst those he considers peers) then actually becoming the “King” he truly could become. Worse still is the fact that Lebron doesn’t realize that championships and his play now, in the trenches of battle during the playoffs, define his legacy, and actually prop up the other side of his persona he continually seems to care more about.

I do not mean to “hate” on King James here or even declare that I am not a fan; however, it is my desire to show yet again that the power of thought is real. With the proper focus and mental toughness, the “King” could very well receive the crown he feels is already his to claim. Sadly, his lack of focus and willingness to carry the team on his shoulders and take on the responsibility that is his to bear could very well mean an early exit for him and his teammates yet again; once again showing that thoughts can truly change the environment in which we find ourselves. As is the case with all of us, Lebron may never get this opportunity again (you never know what life has in store for you), so the real truth is to make the most out of every opportunity you’re given. Now that's living like a Lion!

Ironman...

May 1, some ten days ago, Saint George hosted their first official Ironman race. For those who are unfamiliar with what this entails, it is an event that takes an athlete through a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride only to finish it off with a full 26.2 mile marathon run. It is a true test in pushing the limits of what a human body can physically do and accomplish. Regardless of whether or not you would consider yourself a sports fan, it is hard not to appreciate the sheer will and determination these participants possess. It is on this topic I continue my thoughts from last week.

Last Thursday I discussed the power that a mere memory can contain inside each of us. That by remembering who we are, and what potential we hold, we can in fact change destinies. As part of that post I said, “Our minds are such wonderful and powerful tools,” and this is something that I truly believe full-heartedly. Today I turn to a book that I’ve read many times by James Allen entitled As a Man Thinketh. There are many nuggets of knowledge and wisdom in this book, but today I specifically wish to address the power our thoughts have on our circumstances.

Now, I can easily understand someone questioning our thoughts (an inward action) being able to control and modify the environment in which we find ourselves (outward influences), but I promise you it is true. James states –

Thought and character are one…the outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. The outer world of circumstance shapes itself to the inner world of thought…Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself…Man, therefore, as the lord and master of thought, is the maker of himself, the shaper and author of environment.

To illustrate this very concept let me introduce you to Ironman Scott Goodfellow. This is a video that my brother Benjamin shared with me (thanks friend), and I felt compelled to share with you. No one picks this guy off the ground but himself, and you literally watch how his mental toughness (his very thoughts) alter his physical circumstances and allow him to continue and finish the race when moments before he could barely drink water.



Life and accomplishment doesn’t necessarily have to revolve around completing an Ironman, but the truths learned through a competition of this magnitude certainly apply to all facets of life; that as masters of thought, we are therefore makers of ourselves, and as makers of ourselves we can literally shape the environments in which we live. Remember, and keep close to your heart, the mantra from the video, “I know I can,” and we can all truly live like Lions no matter what our aspirations in life.

"You can quit and they won't care, but you will always know."

Europe's Contagion...

I’m sure most of you have now heard about the near $1 trillion bailout package the European Union has put together to help solve the financial issues that have been plaguing Greece, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Ireland. Greece especially has been hit hard by economic woes, and the fact that people have died due to riots in the streets caused by these troubles certainly brings the struggles to the forefront. The media would have you believe that the EU’s actions over the weekend were in response to Greece, and that Greece is in fact the problem; therefore, the size of this plan is to send down a nuclear bomb which wipes out any potential flare ups in the other struggling member-nations of the Union. My good friend Jim Cramer (ha-ha) in fact has an article out this morning spinning this very story line for the masses to devour and commit to heart; however, my contention is that this situation should look and feel very familiar to all of us.

Social mood and risk appetites shape financial markets. One of the greatest misperceptions of all time was that The Crash caused The Great Depression when The Great Depression actually caused The Crash. Jim’s story isn’t necessarily all false, but it falls short of telling the “whole” truth. Greece’s struggles and riots aren’t the problem, but rather the symptom. What if Greece (and other Eastern European countries for that matter) was the very same type of sub-prime borrower that helped bring down our own financial system in 2008? What if Greece is Fannie Mae, Portugal is Freddie Mac, Spain is AIG and Ireland is Lehman Brothers? That would of course mean that this cross-border solution (or nuclear bomb as Jim Cramer labeled it) is nothing more than the masked nationalization of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac which only pushed risk out on the time continuum.

In all reality, Europe is nothing more than a house of mirrors at this point. Last week the New York Times ran a wonderful story discussing this very fact, and I’ve copied a graphic they put together showing the volume of debt that European nations owe one another. Upon full examination of the circumstances you will see that one country’s asset is really just another’s liability, and should one member fail the rest would surely follow. Greece, therefore, is merely the first domino to fall. Without action by the European Union, all the mirrors would fall and we would be left staring at a small candle which in reality is all that is being used to illuminate what they would have us believe is the “strength” of the economies of the union. As such, the EU’s actions over the weekend are not a proactive strike against degrading economies in their member-nations, but rather a reactive measure forced upon them by lack of action previously.

To those of you who argue that Greece, Portugal or Ireland have little to no bearing on the global financial markets let me again remind you that today’s announcement is more “band-aid” solutions, and does little to actually address the real issues causing the symptoms. A contagion, as defined by Mr. Webster, is a disease or influence that spreads rapidly. Though the intent of the bailout package is to contain this poison before it spreads too far around the globe, the real truth is that it may in fact be too little too late.

While the markets in America today are rallying on the news, one real risk is flight to quality. The dollar has rallied 10% since its December lows, and a strengthening dollar isn’t necessarily good news in certain sectors. Hedge Funds have made large bets on various asset classes rising on the back of the dollar devaluing further. Should the greenback continue to strengthen, due to the flight to quality argument, the risk of those bets unwinding rises in equal fashion, and we’re all very familiar now with the consequences of large holdings being forced to be undone hastily. In addition, we have the continued risk of abatement in risk appetites around the globe, and continued increases in geopolitical risks as well.

When you live in a glass house the rule of thumb is that you can’t throw rocks; hence the reason you won’t ever hear the facts told in their entirety. We’re rather expected to believe that Europe’s “nuclear bomb” has solved the problem, and that there is nothing more to fear. America was first in line to “react” and prop up their house of mirrors, and today we see Europe having to take their turn. Don’t be fooled into thinking that this actually solves the real issues at hand any more than our own government’s actions erased our financial problems back in 2008. My vote is that we all look to get out of the house of mirrors and head home to put some plywood on the windows!

Remember...

It has been far too long since my last post, and I appreciate the gentle prod from my brother Benjamin to get me back in the saddle. Got my mind to thinking about things, which sparked a thought that I’ve always loved; that thought is the power of remembrance. Our minds are such wonderful and powerful tools, and it never ceases to amaze me at what you’re able to do and accomplish with the right frame of mind and focus. The Old Horse himself always taught us this truth, “Whatever the mind of man can conceive, and believe, it can achieve.”

I understand that a clip from a child’s cartoon may not be known to invoke the spirit or portray the concept I’m talking about, but I can’t help but admit how much I love this movie and scene specifically. Many years ago it was something I watched and thought a lot about, and it wasn’t until my kids discovered it that I was able to reconnect with it. Today’s post is short, but I hope the inspiration is there none the same. We can truly become whoever we want to be, and it all starts with a simple thought. Let us all remember that we are more than mere mortals, and that our potential knows no bounds. It is in this very thought, and “remembrance”, that the true strength of the lion shows itself. Let me hear your roar!

"You have forgotten who you are, and so forgotten me. Look inside yourself Simba. You are more than what you have become. Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are....Remember....Remember....Remember."