What's one thing you would like to do better?

COL Mikel J. Burroughs — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 12:48:02 -0500

There is a time of day that creativity strikes me. I am suddenly ready to write or share a link, provide an update, or ask a provocative question. I open up my mind and trust that the words are solid and good enough. For me, It’s typically some time very early in the morning.

However, if I don’t open up a blank Word doc. and tune out the indefinite to-do list yelling at my anxiety-proned brain, the moment slips away and I’m off working that to-do list!

The creative thoughts just spread their wings and they fly away and they are lost forever.

I believe that if we want to put our God-given talents to use, we must be emotionally present and intentional with our time each day.

Did I say emotionally stable? No. I said present and intentional.

You are all talented at something. You are good at a lot of things. Though, you will be just okay at things that don’t really matter at the end of the road if you do not intentionally set time aside to answer the real desire in your heart to do something different. And the longer you wait, the desire will be lost forever, drowned out by the distracting world around you. What are you being called to do?

“The longer you wait, the desire will be lost forever, drowned out by the distracting world around you. What are you being called to do?”

Is it writing? Is it a business idea? Is it a phone call you need to make? Is it a lifestyle change? Is it helping veterans?

Take one tiny step toward that today.

Stop what you’re doing and do something better, even if it’s only for 15 minutes. Write down one thing you could do different today!

Share it with the RallyPoint Nation! That’s all.

Response by SFC George Smith made Dec 13 at 2016 12:52 PM

SFC George Smith — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 12:52:47 -0500

I wish I could Spell and present a better explanation of what I am trying to get across...
I'de like to be able to see better ... these glasses are getting old...

Response by SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth made Dec 13 at 2016 12:53 PM

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 12:53:54 -0500

Now that you got my mind working, I do need to change how our parts stock is handled.

Response by PFC Jessi West made Dec 13 at 2016 12:57 PM

PFC Jessi West — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 12:57:13 -0500

I would like to be able to communicate better. That would be helpful.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Dec 13 at 2016 1:02 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:02:21 -0500

I would like to more clearly both listen to and obey what God tells me each day COL Mikel J. Burroughs. I have learned to listen to HIM much better than I did decades ago. yet I know I need to be more responsive to HIM.

Response by LTC Greg Henning made Dec 13 at 2016 1:07 PM

LTC Greg Henning — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:07:49 -0500

Strong message of action! There is so much more we can achieve if we bring it into focus. Thanks for this post! COL Mikel J. Burroughs

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Dec 13 at 2016 1:13 PM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:13:27 -0500

COL Mikel J. Burroughs My brain goes in different directions all at once. My social circle calls it the squirrel effect. I really need to work on slaying the squirrel. Patience. In the immortal words of Master Yoda, You must learn patience.

Response by Lynda Key made Dec 13 at 2016 1:17 PM

Lynda Key — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:17:44 -0500

I would like to write more letters to my family and the military I support on their deployments. I want to be clear-headed and articulate, which is difficult when I let the day and the inevitable anxiety take over.

Response by MAJ Alan Reiter M.A. made Dec 13 at 2016 1:20 PM

MAJ Alan Reiter M.A. — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:20:05 -0500

I wish I was more patient and attentive, especially with my family.

Response by SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2016 1:57 PM

SPC(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:57:14 -0500

Reading comprehension and translating thoughts to communication

Response by MCPO Mark Durland made Dec 13 at 2016 2:12 PM

MCPO Mark Durland — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 14:12:49 -0500

The list gets smaller as I age...either I've gotten better at things OR they've become less important to me. That said...

Pray. I'd like to pray better. Meaning just use my heart. I was Catholic early on, then Protestant for a long time before returning to Catholicism about 4 years ago. So I tend to "think" my prayers rather than feel them in order to conform to different dogmas and situations. I need to "park" that mentality and just use my heart. And the Catholic Book of Prayer. ;-)

BTW, COL Mikel J. Burroughs ...will this yield a call to New Year's Resolutions?

Response by SPC Margaret Higgins made Dec 13 at 2016 2:42 PM

SPC Margaret Higgins — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 14:42:08 -0500

I would like to thank people-especially service members and veterans-more often; I would like to cheer more people up; and I would like to help more people out.
A Very Merry Christmas to you, Mikel!!

With My Love in Him, Your Sister- Margaret

Response by Sgt Ian Richmond made Dec 13 at 2016 3:27 PM

Sgt Ian Richmond — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:27:48 -0500

I would like be better at networking. I can communicate pretty well, however, that next step of creating and holding onto contacts can be difficult. I want to be able to cultivate those work relationships better.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 13 at 2016 3:33 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 15:33:55 -0500

I would like to make life more of a priority. Like traveling with my kids, meeting new people and trying new things. Like wine and beer hahaha

Response by Sgt Kelli Mays made Dec 13 at 2016 4:32 PM

Sgt Kelli Mays — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 16:32:21 -0500

COL Mikel J. Burroughs Stay on my diet. LOL...Not like food as much as I do or cook so well. lol

oh, and not spend so much money...be more frugal.

Response by PO1 John Johnson made Dec 13 at 2016 4:46 PM

PO1 John Johnson — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 16:46:40 -0500

Patience. I left a civilian Port Security job 1-1/2 years ago when I moved to Florida, where I had to deal with a glacially-slow moving Senior Management (SM) cadre in the Port's Administration Office on one hand, and a ILWU-backed cadre of maintenance personnel (MP) whose job it was to accomplish tasks on the other. You had to wait hours or sometimes days, after recognizing a problem or being tasked, before SM could make a decision, or MP "got around" to performing their part of the tasking. I was working as the #2 for the retired E-8 who ran the Security Dept, and I can't tell you how many times we felt like we were beating our heads against the wall. We both wished we had approx. 20 junior enlisted (E2's & 3's) with a hard charging E-4 leading them, in order to move the world. A lot of times, it was much easier for us to do the job ourselves rather than wait for the others, and take the fallout later.

Response by LCpl Cody Collins made Dec 13 at 2016 5:12 PM

LCpl Cody Collins — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 17:12:47 -0500

There was a time , about 15 years ago, I would like to go back and spend more time with my Son, I always wanted to teach him, how to play baseball. And he grew up really fast, now he's in Art school.

Response by SGT Robert George made Dec 13 at 2016 7:42 PM

SGT Robert George — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 19:42:39 -0500

Thanks Col. for a second I thought it was Doc. writing this !!! LOL !!!

Response by Cpl Rebecca Nicholson made Dec 13 at 2016 9:01 PM

Cpl Rebecca Nicholson — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 21:01:55 -0500

Try to be more positive and joyful, even in the presence of negative and discouraged influences.

Response by Jenn Moynihan made Dec 14 at 2016 5:41 AM

Jenn Moynihan — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 05:41:49 -0500

"...the longer you wait..." is exactly what I need to change. I procrastinate only to frustrate myself in the end mainly in writing papers.

This was my second semester in Grad School and it "waits for no one and it wont wait for me..."

Response by MSG Roboam Felix made Dec 14 at 2016 6:07 AM

MSG Roboam Felix — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 06:07:14 -0500

I would like to improve on how I treat others. War has the ability to change us; some for good, and some for not so good. Found me to be insensitive at times, not always.

Response by SP5 Mark Kuzinski made Dec 14 at 2016 7:34 AM

SP5 Mark Kuzinski — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 07:34:53 -0500

I need to get in touch with people that I have neglected for such a long time.

Response by PFC James Craft made Dec 14 at 2016 9:15 AM

PFC James Craft — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 09:15:45 -0500

I would have loved to be able to reconnect with my family and friends. They saw me as the monster I thought I was.

Response by SSG David Eure made Dec 14 at 2016 9:46 AM

SSG David Eure — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 09:46:50 -0500

I would like to be better at public speaking. I'm not much of a talker when I meet new people, and not exactly trained in etiquette. In social situations, I just have no words.

Response by SMSgt Keith Klug made Dec 14 at 2016 2:17 PM

SMSgt Keith Klug — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 14:17:21 -0500

Write Fiction/Science Fiction(Faction) Novels. I have a lot of ideas that I have run by friends that are really fleshed out, just can't seem to sit down and put them into form.

Response by SSG Mark Franzen made Dec 14 at 2016 6:05 PM

SSG Mark Franzen — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 18:05:29 -0500

I am very much talented with working on old cars and Old Motorcycles the new ones have too much stuff sensors and MAF sensor oxygen sensor when too much stuff to fix when it breaks down.

Response by PVT Mark Brown made Dec 14 at 2016 9:44 PM

PVT Mark Brown — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 21:44:14 -0500

From the very first day in the Army in 1968 in the rain at Ft Lewis I was chosen as a squad leader then later on in basic was changed to platoon leader - all of which did not mean a thing to me, I did not understand the significance of those movements. When I arrived at AIT (31M) at Ft Gordon I was made platoon leader (felt arm band with E5 stripes.) Near the end of AIT we were shown yet another movie about OCS and at that time I volunteered. They told us there were a ew Signal OCS slots still open. A few of us actually made it through all the written and PT test and were accept, signed contract and all. Since Signal OCS was also at Ft. Gordon we were just loaded on a bus with all the other guys from other areas that had been accepted to OCS. This was late, long after dark. The E7 that was in charge of our group went through all the checking us in as we boarded the bus, and all that other Army stuff they do. As we were about to pull our drill instructor who was taking us to OCS boarded the bus with bad new - Signal OCS is close effective immediately and we wished to continue on to OCS it would be Infantry OCS with the possibility of branch transfer to Signal. This was right at the tail end of Tet 1968, which I am sure was the reason for the sudden need for a bunch of Infantry butter bars. If any one of us wanted to get off the bus and not go to Infantry OCS then they Army would let us out of our contract. For many years, even now, I regret that decision and wish I would have followed my qualifications. But.........

Response by Capt Hansel Bumgarner made Dec 14 at 2016 10:21 PM

Capt Hansel Bumgarner — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 22:21:29 -0500

Sing.

Response by CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2016 1:51 PM

CWO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 15 Dec 2016 13:51:12 -0500

Remember things. Stuff like names, places, terms and everyday speech used to be automatic. Now I have to think about it and thank goodness for the internet. I just can't remember like I used to. I went through it with Mom in her last year at age 83. She'd always say she couldn't remember things. That can sometimes be a blessing, but also a curse. I'd laugh about it and tell her not to worry about it, but was beginning to notice it myself. I guess brain cells are like a hard drive. We can only defrag and reformat so many times before the drive finally fails. Luckily we can store things like pictures and documents elsewhere, but the good memories will eventually be gone. As a teenager we joked about it with phrases like "Life's a bitch and then you die" but they're not so funny anymore. Such is life.

Response by SGT(P) Eric L. made Dec 19 at 2016 2:22 AM

SGT(P) Eric L. — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 02:22:02 -0500

To to refocus on my group of combat veterans, which has been hard considering the holidays and we just moved.

Response by 1SG Dennis Jones made Dec 19 at 2016 1:09 PM

1SG Dennis Jones — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 13:09:37 -0500

I wish I could recover faster after hip replacement surgery, so I could continue on with my life without the pain I know that I will just saying wish it would go faster

Response by GySgt Melissa Gravila made Dec 19 at 2016 8:22 PM

GySgt Melissa Gravila — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 20:22:09 -0500

I have to keep reminding myself to slow down and stop over-loading my schedule. I have a BAD habit of trying to cram 28 hours into 24.

Response by SGT John Wesley made Dec 19 at 2016 11:34 PM

SGT John Wesley — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 23:34:09 -0500

Listen better.

Seems we all go through our day talking. I hear what people are saying, but invariably, I can tune out pretty quick. Especially in the last two years. This whole political thing has made me listen less.

Response by SPC Michael Stedman made Dec 23 at 2016 2:12 PM

SPC Michael Stedman — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 14:12:30 -0500

The one thing I would like to do better is take better care of myself. I am working on that.

Response by SPC Douglas Bolton made Dec 23 at 2016 2:48 PM

SPC Douglas Bolton — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 14:48:19 -0500

I have decided to will be doing whatever I can to support the many veterans who are suffering with PTSD, depression, etc. There are 22 suicide every day, and that is not acceptable. I became a board member of a new Nonprofit that will be directly involved in what I just said I wanted to do. Check it out at http://www.victoryofveterans.org. I write the blog for them. Check that out as well.

Response by PO2 Robert M. made Dec 23 at 2016 9:18 PM

PO2 Robert M. — Fri, 23 Dec 2016 21:18:03 -0500

Well, that is a loaded question!
I wish I could accept my Medical Retirement from the Navy better. It has been over 20 some years, but I am still ANGRY and disappointed in myself that I could not "RETIRE NATURALLY" from the Navy. I was in line for a brilliant career, then it was all ripped away from me! Even my shrink is attempting to help me "let go" of my anger and disappointment. ........ Oh well, some things are left to a HIGHER POWER!
To everyone - MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR - TO A GREAT 2017! ! ! ! ! !

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 25 at 2016 3:34 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 25 Dec 2016 15:34:25 -0500

This is a topic that roams around in my mind daily. Why am I afraid of sharing my intermost ideas and views. I know that my lengthy Army career speaks for it self, but how better to help future Soldiers then spread our thoughts and knowledge. So I ask for the strength to communicate my thoughts in multiple ways.

Response by Cpl Joshua Caldwell made Dec 30 at 2016 2:27 PM

Cpl Joshua Caldwell — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 14:27:31 -0500

I am super ADD, I would love to be able to focus on a single task for more time than it takes for me to find the next shinny object.

Response by SPC Douglas Bolton made Jan 24 at 2017 9:09 PM

SPC Douglas Bolton — Tue, 24 Jan 2017 21:09:52 -0500

I want to have more compassion for others. I want to reach out more to the fallen. I want to help more people who can't help themselves. Then if I really do these things I have accomplished what all of us should have done.

Response by PVT Richard May made Mar 5 at 2017 3:04 PM

PVT Richard May — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 15:04:15 -0500

If the military really wants to do one things better - hell I can name a few.

STOP THE DAMN RAPES - it's disgusting that soldiers are raping each other.

If a female wants to join the battle, let 'em - hell, there are men that can't even fight.

Response by SPC Saundra Teater made Mar 12 at 2017 8:08 AM

SPC Saundra Teater — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 08:08:56 -0400

Not listening to my inner demons and getting more things done that I know need done

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Mar 12 at 2017 8:11 AM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 08:11:42 -0400

40yrs ago I would have liked to have apprenticed as a farrier, maybe my forging skills, and every day work would be so much better.

Response by SPC Jerry Addis made Mar 12 at 2017 8:21 AM

SPC Jerry Addis — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 08:21:27 -0400

I want to complete my goal of becoming a cinematographer.

Response by SMSgt Roger Horton made Mar 12 at 2017 9:21 AM

SMSgt Roger Horton — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 09:21:18 -0400

My oldest brother passed 2 years ago at the age of 71. I was too busy at the time to see him much. I regret not taking the time to spend more time with him. What I want to do more of is be more sensitive to my family and what I can do to help them as we are all getting along in years and I have 12 siblings left.

Response by SPC Saundra Teater made Mar 12 at 2017 10:51 PM

SPC Saundra Teater — Sun, 12 Mar 2017 22:51:48 -0400

To not assume I understand something before I have all the facts

Response by COL Charles Williams made Mar 13 at 2017 12:36 AM

COL Charles Williams — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 00:36:04 -0400

COL Mikel J. Burroughs Exercise regularly...

Response by SFC Jim Ruether made Mar 13 at 2017 12:14 PM

SFC Jim Ruether — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 12:14:21 -0400

Convince Democrats to come over into the light of day. Convince them they can come out of the cave they have been kept in by their party and think for themselves instead of listening to their hierarchy.

Response by PO2 Gerry Tandberg made Mar 13 at 2017 1:10 PM

PO2 Gerry Tandberg — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 13:10:16 -0400

I'd like to be able to express my thoughts better as I write, and do it within a reasonable time of proof-:reading, instead of days; and often weeks.

Response by SSgt Zac Ruttman made May 2 at 2017 11:01 AM

SSgt Zac Ruttman — Tue, 02 May 2017 11:01:28 -0400

You're a wise man, Colonel. I hope to do well at my new venture. Utilizing my strengths.

Response by PO3 Yvonne Biehl made May 3 at 2017 11:20 PM

PO3 Yvonne Biehl — Wed, 03 May 2017 23:20:36 -0400

I want to become a better listener. Sometimes I hear what's said, but I don't really listen