Why July 4th, America's Independence Day, Is Of The Highest Magnitude To Me

Ever attended — or played in — a championship baseball game in which your team won?  (Or football… or basketball… or hockey… or soccer… or you name the sport.)

Remember that exhilarating feeling when the last pitch was thrown… the game-winning run was scored… the go-ahead touchdown pass was launched and caught with time running out… the winning basket swished through the hoop… the goal buzzer blared as the puck or ball rocketed into the net…

 …and you suddenly realized victory was in the bag and the league trophy was yours?

Remember that rush of cool adrenaline shooting through your veins.  Tingles up your spine.  Goose bumps on your arms.  

 …remember all that?

THAT… is what it feels like, to me, during a fireworks show on the 4th of July.

And a rush of gratitude consumes every fiber of my being.

Yes, this coming Sunday is a most meaningful day to me.  And it gets more significant with each passing year.

July 4th is Independence Day in America.

For lots of kids, it’s just a zany day to twirl sparklers, shoot bottle rockets, and blow off cherry bombs, then impress all the other kids at school with how much trouble they got into.

For many adults, it’s not much more than a fun day for a backyard barbecue with family and friends.

Some take it a bit farther and perch their young ‘uns on their shoulders to watch an afternoon parade march by… and a dazzling fireworks show come twilight.

Still others take it even further, and lay a wreath of flowers at the gravesite of a fallen family member who gave his or her life in defense of our nation’s cause.

All those are the sights and sounds… the fun and frivolity… the pain and purgatory… of July 4th in America.

When I was a kid, I remember having all the typical fun described above, and thankfully, didn’t visit any cemeteries, because though our family produced many brave soldiers, we were lucky enough not to have lost any in war.  

So like many, I enjoyed the celebration of the day, but lost the real meaning.

If advancing in age serves no other purpose, at the very least, it forces us to take stock of three things:  who we are, how we got here, and where we’re going.

And connecting those three threads to the magnitude of July 4th… is my theme for today.

Who I Am…

Before I can even begin living my exhilarating life mission that electrifies me every morning when I awake, I must realize something very important precedes even that…

…that I wouldn’t be here to enjoy one nanosecond of my life if not for patriotic men and women of high valor who fought tooth and nail… on land, at sea, in the air… on foreign lands and our own soil… away from their family and friends… with fear of death, wounding and pain ever-present…

… since 1776…

…to provide freedom to me and millions like me…

… who they never met!

THAT… is unselfish bravery and servant leadership.

And for that, I am grateful beyond measure.  That’s who I am.

How I Got Here…

I am lucky to be born an American citizen.  My parents, also both American born, are similarly lucky.  As are my kids and their kids.  

This, too, would not have happened had it not been for the bravery of those same men and women, who for 234 years, have risked all their tomorrows so we could have ours.

That’s how I got here.  And I am grateful to them for it.

Where I’m Going…
 
Wherever I choose to go — and frankly I’m pretty clear on that in terms of life mission and goals — I pledge to remember that life is a team sport.  And most of my teammates are people I never met, who are already deceased, who for over two centuries have had my back.

They — not I — built the greatest industrialized nation on earth.  With opportunities abounding daily.  With challenging, invigorating, and fun choices around every bend.

All there for the taking.  And I just get to pick and choose… and enjoy it.  And with each choice I make, I honor those who provided it.  

That’s where I’m going.  

LESSONS & ACTIONS FOR YOU.

Today’s lesson is not complicated.  

I’m suggesting that your Independence Day ‘leader project’ is three-fold…

Take stock of those three questions for yourself.  Jot yourself some notes and re-read them every morning for the next 30 days.

Take time to be grateful for those who have sacrificed (and continue to)… some of whom gave, as Lincoln said, “the last full measure of devotion”, so you could enjoy your life unoppressed.

Declare the entire month of July as “Freedom Month” at your office, with your team, and to your family.  Challenge others to research one actual event in U.S. history that exemplifies unselfish bravery… and that brought freedom… to our land.

Personally, I’m guilty of spending way too many Independence Days without paying due homage and gratefulness to its real meaning.  And to the noble warriors who selflessly defended — and still do — my personal freedom.

I hope you won’t make the same mistake.  Freedom is a privilege, not a right.  Few on our planet truly have it.  

…but we do.

Let the true meaning of July 4th be your moral compass.  You’ll be a better leader for it.

Helping Ambitious Forward-Thinkers Soar To Success…

By Rick Houcek, President
Soar With Eagles, Inc.

ATTENTION ENTREPRENEURS AND CEOs:  Rick Houcek facilitates off-site strategic planning retreats, helping CEOs and Leadership Teams create high-impact plans that overcome the crippling effects of lousy execution (the single biggest cause of plan failure) - and get successfully implemented!  His dynamic Power PlanningTM strategic process drives action through his Escape-Proof AccountabilityTM system.  It’s ideal for small and mid-size businesses.  To bring this potent weapon to your team, contact Rick by phone, email or fax.  Visit his web site at www.SoarWithEagles.com.   And ask about his 100% No-Risk Guarantee.