April 16, 2025

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BG’s Positively Speaking

Inspiration and Motivation

A reader asked me to write about this topic. They probably think that I forgot all about it—it’s been a while. The truth is that these two words have multiple related derivations. They are also closely connected while still retaining their separate meaning. I have researched what others have written about these two words and their ‘connectedness.’ My research has led me to the conclusion that, when used together, they can have a much more significant impact.

“INSPIRATION” is what you want to do, want to do, or could do ….. Your dream

“MOTIVATION” is what you can do or what you are willing to do …. Your actions

You can have all the inspiration in the world, but your dream will go nowhere without motivation. You can have the most inspired concept, but you will be spinning your wheels without motivation.

INSPIRATION without MOTIVATION = NO RESULTS

MOTIVATION without INSPIRATION = NO RESULTS

Individually, the two words have a distinct and separate role in the success of an endeavour. However, they are also entwined, like the strands of a rope. Bringing together these two elements of success creates the strength that will help attain the desired outcome. There are many other elements to success, but without these two, there is no focus, drive, direction, or action. There is only confusion and frustration.

Inspiration is the idea, the dream of what we want to achieve.

Motivation is the engine that drives us into action to realize our inspiration.

Inspiration + Motivation = Achievement

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Customer Complaint

A man in a fast food outlet complained to the manager when he discovered a twig in his burger. The manager viewed the offensive twig and said, “That’s not surprising.” “What do you mean?” asked the annoyed man. “Well, we do have branches all over town!” said the manager.

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Sampling The Pie

“I took this recipe right out of my cookery book,” she said to her husband as he tasted her freshly baked pie. You did the right thing,” said the husband, “but it should never have been in the book in the first place.”

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Black Eye

One night, a man stumbled into the police station with a black eye. He claimed he had heard a noise in his backyard and went to check. The next he knew, he was hit in the eye and knocked out cold. An officer was sent to his house to investigate, and he returned 1 1/2 hours later, also with a black eye. “Did you get hit by the same person?” his captain asked. “No,” he replied. “I stepped on the same rake.”

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Editors Quote Book

“Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise.”

— Victor Hugo

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Trivia Quiz

(Click Question For Answer)

 

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Silent Letter Day

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Your Horoscope

For Amusement Only

Aries March 21 – April 19: You need to take a risk if you are to realize your dream. Plan your work, and work your plan.

Taurus April 20 – May 20: Your relationships require more give than take. Make the extra effort and reap the benefits that await you.

Gemini May 21 – June 20: Be alert. An unexpected challenge emerges from nowhere. It will fall to you to find the solution to it.

Cancer June 21 – July 22: Money matters are front and centre this week. Take a long, hard look at your finances and take the appropriate action.

Leo July 23 – August 22: Family is more important than you realize. Siblings will still be there when others have given up on you.

Virgo: August 23 – September 22: Hard work and long hours are in store. A short break toward the end of the week may help relieve the pressure.

Libra September 23 – October 22: Try a positive approach to a domestic problem. You have an opportunity to create a new beginning in your life.

Scorpio October 23- November 21: Lines of communication have broken down. Your relationship could suffer, open up, and do some damage control.

Sagittarius: November 22- December 21: Don’t allow one bad experience from the past to stop you from moving toward a better future. Look ahead.

Capricorn: Dec.22 – January 19: Take the weekend and change scenery. The change will help you clear your head and think straight.

Aquarius January 20 – February 18: A romantic encounter leaves you puzzled and a little curious. Relationships are not superficial. You need to work on them.

Pisces: February 19- March 20: Show others that you are of sterner stuff. Don’t allow hurt feelings to spoil the day. You have broad shoulders.

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Sundae Sunday

In the Midwestern parts of the United States, laws prohibited selling soda water on Sundays. As an alternative, local soda fountains started selling ice cream sodas minus the soda, leaving only the ice cream and syrup. That may have become the recipe for today’s Ice Cream Sundae. There is much disagreement over who originated the Sundae. The following are two of the most popular explanations.

Soda fountain owner Ed Berners of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, is reputed to have invented the first ice cream sundae in 1881. Berners’s customer, George Hallauer, requested that Berners serve him ice cream topped with soda’ syrup. Berner liked the recipe and added it to his regular menu, charging a nickel.

George Giffy, a competing soda fountain owner from nearby Manitowoc, Wisconsin, felt he had to serve the same syrupy concoction as Ed Berners. However, Giffy thought the nickel price was too low, charged a quarter, and offered the dish only on Sundays. This soon became the recipe’s name, “Ice Cream Sunday.” Once Giffy realized he could profit from the dish, he changed the name to the “Ice Cream Sundae.” Getting around some local religious leaders’ objections, I started serving it daily.

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The Blind Date

After being with her all evening, the man couldn’t take another minute with his blind date. Earlier, he had secretly arranged to have a friend call him on the phone so he would have an excuse to leave if something like this happened. When his phone rang, he excused himself and stepped away to take the call. On his return to the table, he lowered his eyes, put on a grim expression and said, “I have some bad news. My grandfather just died.” “Thank heavens,” his date replied. “If yours hadn’t, mine would have had to!”

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Hot Horseradish

A minister, fond of pure, hot horseradish, always kept a bottle on his dining room table. Once, he offered some at dinner to a guest, who took a big spoonful. The guest let out a huge gasp. When he finally spoke, he choked out, “I’ve heard many ministers preach hellfire, but you are the first one I’ve met who passes out a sample of it.”

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The Last Word

If we shouldn’t eat at night, why do they put a light in the fridge?

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