In preparation for the 4th of July tomorrow, I wanted to share some film clips that discuss some educational solutions to the array of issues that are currently threatening the leadership, greatness, prosperity, and freedom of our blessed country -- TheUnitedStatesofAmerica.
As we move deeper into the 21st Century, our nation faces profound challenges from both outside and inside of her borders. Her deepest troubles, however, lie inside the minds and hearts of her own citizens--including YOU and ME. Today's clips highlight what I, Dr. Jordan R. Jensen, and my company -- Freedom Focused -- are doing in an effort to become part of solutions rather than part of problems to the deep, complex, and perplexing issues of our time.
Dr. Jordan R. Jensen introduces a
Self-Help Theory of Everything
Fire, Ice, & Unity:
Successfully Confronting the Troubles of our Age
Freedom Focused's TWO Primary GOALS
Restoring American Patriotism & Greatness
Introducing Dr. Jordan R. Jensen:
Founder & CEO of Freedom Focused
A quick note to those who may have been expecting the next chapter of my book in today's blog post... Just when I thought I had shown all the video clips from my recent speech and seminar, I realized I had missed several of them.
The next two blogs, therefore, will be dedicated to these final clips, after which I will return to the serial publication of my book -- Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Personal & Professional Growth beginning in a couple of weeks. Next week's post will include one final film clip, after which, I will return again -- as promised -- to the online publication of the book.
The past few months, we have been posting video clips of Dr. Jordan Jensen's recent live seminar taught at Lone Star College of the Woodlands (Houston), Texas. Today's post features the final three clips that have not yet been highlighted on the Freedom Focused blog. The FIRST CLIP, Fire & Ice, offers a word or two on the precarious times in which we live.
Play clip to hear Dr. Jensen speak about Fire & Ice
The SECOND CLIP provides another preparatory message for the upcoming 4th of July. In it, Dr. Jensen describes the process of drafting a personal Declaration of Independence and Constitution -- an art he has adapted from the two awe-inspiring documents penned by our Founding Fathers.
What vices, bad habits, onerous genetic traits, and other undesirable inclinations and predilections trouble you in your life? Composing a Self-Declaration of Independence and Self-Constitution provides you with the opportunity to identify areas of change and then produce a plan to make change real in your life.
Play clip to hear Dr. Jensen speak about composing a Self-Declaration of Independence & Self-Constitution
The THIRD CLIP emphasizes the need to teach Self-Action Leadership--first to yourself, and then to families, neighborhoods, communities, schools, organizations, states, nations, and the world-at-large.
Self-Action Leadership MUST be TAUGHT
Note: If you are receiving this message via e-mail, the video clips will not show up below. Just click on the blue title -- Drafting Your Own Declaration of Independence & Constitution -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
Having come to the conclusion of the film clips from Dr. Jensen's February 21, 2015 live seminar, we will proceed -- beginning next week -- to continue publishing Jensen's book (Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Personal & Professional Freedom) one section or chapter at a time, beginning with Book the Third -- The Self-Action Leadership Model.
We recently submitted the SAL manuscript for publication. We are looking forward to launching the hard-copy version of the entire book later this summer. In the meantime, we will continue to provide serial installments of the book online via weekly blog posts.
I am perpetually inspired by the potential for growth and reproduction that lies within the tiniest of seeds. The largest living organisms on Earth -- the massive redwood trees of Northern California -- begin their lives as a minuscule seed weighing a mere fraction of an ounce.
The legendary English Oak starts out as an itty-bitty acorn. Similarly, the greatest men and women who ever lived began their physical lives as a seed and egg far too small for the naked eye to behold.
Self-Action Leadership is all about GROWTH -- holistic, existential growth that spans six vital areas of our lives (spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, social, & moral). In today's video message, Dr. Jordan Jensen touches on the power that exists in a seed. In so doing, he reminds us that we are all kings and queens in embryo.
English Oak near HobbleDown Surrey (Greater London), United Kingdom
PLAY clip to hear Dr. Jordan Jensen speaking about the Power in a Seed
If you are receiving this message via e-mail, the video clips will not show up below. Just click on the blue title -- The Power in a Seed -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
It is that time of year again. Yes, the clock and calendar are once again approaching the 4th of July. As you and your family, friends, neighbors, and communities begin making plans for this special holiday, we at Freedom Focused invite you to read the following article and reflect on the blessings you have been given as a citizen of the greatest nation in the history of the world.
I was blessed to grow up in a family, community, and church that understood the need for and value of patriotism. The best way we can make the world a better place is to make America -- or whatever land in which you live -- a better place, and we begin making America a better place by loving, serving, and rooting for our own country.
A [person] must be a good patriot before he can be … a good citizen of the world. Experience teaches us that the average man who protests that his international feeling swamps his national feeling, that he does not care for his country because he cares so much for mankind, in actual practice proves himself the foe of mankind. …
Now, this does not mean in the least that a man should not wish to do good outside his native land. On the contrary, just as I think that the man who loves his family is more apt to be a good neighbor than the man who does not, so I think that the most useful member of the family of nations is normally a strongly patriotic nation. [1]
Let us not fear, my fellow Americans, to shower upon our homeland all the authentic love and patriotism we can muster, and let us not aspire toward the mean or mediocre out of a concern for offending other nations. Should LeBron James lower his level of play for fear of offending other NBA players with his greatness on the basketball court? Should Steven Spielberg lower his cinematic standards for fear of appearing superior to other Hollywood directors and producers? Should Meryl Streep tone her talent down a tad so as to give a fighting chance to other female actresses? The answer is nay, Nay, and NAY! Collective greatness is the result of individual greatness, and individuals become great because they first see and are inspired by other individuals who were great in days gone by.
The patriotism principle posits that larger groups and organizations are most likely to be successful when individuals patriotically take pride in smaller units and teams of which they are a part. Individuals should strive to be the very best they can possibly be. Families, organizations, schools, and yes, countries should do no less.
Self-action leaders should take great pride in every group of which they ever play a part, as long as the group is not evil. For example, I am not just proud to be an American, I am also proud to be a native Utahn and an adopted Texan. Moreover, when I lived in Arizona, Georgia, and Washington, I was proud to be a citizen of those States. When I lived in Alberta and Newfoundland, I was a proud to be a visitor to those Provinces, and to this day, I am proud of the great country of Canada, and grateful for her loyal friendship to my country. As a result, when I hear the stirring words of “O Canada” being sung, though it is not really “my home and native land,” I nonetheless proudly sing out the words of our northern neighbor’s anthem – whose words I have memorized – in honor of the four years in which I was privileged to live in that beautiful and impressive country.
I am also proud of my Danish—and especially of my British—ancestry and heritage (while my surname is Danish, the majority of my ancestry is English and Scottish). My forbearers, while not perfect, were, in my estimation, some of the best people who ever lived. And while no other anthem or flag in the world can touch The Star Spangled Banner and the Stars and Stripes for this proud Southern Yankee, I also know the words to God Save the King/Queen, and have a special place in my heart for the Union Jack—the anthem and flag that signaled “home” to most of my distant forefathers and mothers.
I am proud to be a citizen of Conroe and Greater Houston, and I am proud of my neighborhood. I am proud to be a member of the “Jensen” family. I am proud to be a Mormon (a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) and I am proud of the ward and stake organizations within my Church to which I belong.
I am proud to be an alumnus of the various schools I’ve attended over the years (ten in all). I’m even proud to be an English (undergraduate) and Education (graduate) major.
I am proud to root for Urban Meyer and the Ohio State Buckeyes’ football team. I am proud of my fantasy baseball team and the fact that I was the champion of my league last year (2014). Most importantly, I am proud of who I am as a human being and self-action leader.
I do not proclaim these feelings of pride because “my” groups possess any superiority to any other groups, or because I think you should feel patriotically for, or become involved in, the same groups as me. I merely say it but because they are my groups—the organizations and entities to which my life and work inevitably becomes a reflection.
The issue at hand is not exclusively American patriotism and greatness, or pride for any one group over another, but the spirit of patriotism and excellence for which self-action leaders must embrace if they are to be successful. Would to God that all persons from all countries loved, supported, and worked hard to ensure the excellence of their own land. Frenchmen ought to be patriots of France. Brits ought to be patriots of the UK. Brazilians ought to be patriots of Brazil. Kenyans ought to be patriots of Kenya, and so forth. And it doesn’t stop there. Everyone everywhere would do well to take pride in whatever groups of which they associate—as long as those groups stand for goodness and truth. While it is true that no group, just like no individual, is perfect, it is also true that improvement is a by-product of focusing on an individual’s or group’s strengths and potentialities, not on their weaknesses and past sins.
In the spirit of individual and collective excellence, let us, as self-action leaders, never shrink from taking pride in being the best at something either individually or collectively. For it is the best that inspires others to also become great. And it is the humility to admit one’s past failures and study those who are more successful than you are that leads to future success. I have never achieved anything of significance in my life or career from being jealous or hateful toward someone who was bigger, stronger, faster, smarter, wealthier, harder working, or more successful than I was. My success is a direct result of admiring, and then learning from those who were better than I was so that I could, in turn, improve myself and better align my behavior and develop new habits to someday achieve success of my own.
The best opportunity the rest of the world has to realize its potential is for the United States to continue its 228-year legacy of excellence by seeking to maintain its status as the greatest country in the world. Indeed, other nations are great in large measure because the United States was first great, and many nations are presently floundering in part because of the moral entropy and atrophy of leadership that, like a malignant tumor, is eating away at the roots of American exceptionalism on multiple levels.
May we take great pride in the unique exceptionalism of our august nation—not an arrogant pride borne of an erroneous sense of pseudo existential superiority, but a humble pride that will make us ever cognizant of the duties and obligations that come with being high achievers and exemplary leaders. In the process, may we do all in our power to maintain the greatness of our land, which, like erstwhile superpowers, has unfortunately begun its slide down the slippery slopes of moral entropy. If not reversed, such slipping always lands its slider in a wasteland of either mediocrity or utter destruction. Maintaining the highest standards of education, leadership, and moral and ethical living is the quickest and surest way to restore American greatness at home and abroad. It is also the best way to further empower other nations to rise to their potential. After all, would the NBA have a LeBron James or Kobe Bryant today if it didn’t have a Michael Jordan in the last generation?
Listen to Dr. Jordan Jensen speak about restoring American Patriotism & Greatness
[1] From Roosevelt’s speech, Citizens in a Republic, delivered at the Sorbonne in Paris, France on April 23, 1910.
In today's video post, Dr. Jordan Jensen talks about conscience, or the light within each of us that prompts us to think, speak, and act in ways that lead to Existential Growth.
The goal of Freedom Focused is not to start a new religion; nor is its aim to provide specific direction regarding moral behavior. Rather, its design is to remind self-leaders of the reality of a REAL right and wrong as well as the existence of an innate light within, or conscience, with which every human being possesses upon entrance into this world. By tuning into your own conscience, YOU can become better at making wise decisions all on your own. This light inevitably grows either brighter or dimmer with time--depending on the heed, or lack thereof, you pay it.
If you are receiving this message via e-mail, the video clips will not show up below. Just click on the blue title -- The Light Within -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
You've heard of IQ; you've heard of EQ; but have you heard of XQ, or Existential Intelligence? If not, you are missing not only an important piece of the "Intelligence Pie," but the essence of the pie itself. In today's video clip, Dr. Jordan Jensen explains what Existential Intelligence is, and why an understanding of this important term and concept is essential to Self-Action Leadership.
If you are receiving this message via e-mail, the video clips will not show up below. Just click on the blue title -- EXISTENTIAL Intelligence -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
Remember the classic line of Vizinni (Wallace Shawn) from the Princess Bride: "Ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates? Morons!"
Despite the brilliant comedic value of this classic line, there remains much for us to learn from the Great Greeks of yesteryear.
In today's post, I share two video clips that discuss one of Aristotle's most famous philosophical premises, which has since become known as the GOLDEN MEAN. Clip one explains what the Golden Mean is. Clip two expands upon the principle and relates it back to Self-Action Leadership.
If you are receiving this message via e-mail, the video clips will not show up below. Just click on the blue title -- Aristotle's GOLDEN MEAN -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
In last week's post, I shared the video clip on Postmodernism. Today, I follow up that video clip by providing two additional clips that provide the answer to the troubled age of postmodernism that has dominated American Society in post-World War II generations. The answer can only come in a whole new age that is destined to eclipse postmodernism. The name of this age is: The AGE of AUTHENTICISM.
If you are receiving this message via e-mail, the video clips will not show up below. Just click on the blue title -- The AGE of AUTHENTICISM -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
Self-Action Leadership Seminar clip
Dr. Jensen's Education Speech clip
New Self-Action Leadership Book Coming Soon!
You may have noticed that I have published blogs more sporadically the past few weeks. This is because I have been busy at work completing the manuscript of my new book: Self-Action Leadership: The Key to Personal & Professional Freedom. I will be submitting the manuscript to the publisher on Friday, May 1st. I hope to have hard copies available within the next 4-6 weeks.
Now that the book is finally done, I will return to a posting blog articles on a consistent schedule. With the book nearing its completion, the plan moving forward is to post a blog once a week. Tentatively, blogs will be published on Tuesday, although it may occasionally come on a later day of the week. I intend to continue publishing a weekly blog post for the rest of my career with Freedom Focused. I hope you will choose to remain a subscriber indefinitely as well. Thank you for your interest in and support of this material! Without you, the reader, my work would have little meaning.
In today's post, Dr. Jensen discusses the period of postmodernism, and describes some of its perils as well as the negative consequences it has had on our society since World War II. This video is a prelude to the introduction of the AGE of AUTHENTICISM, which Jensen predicts will eventually eclipse postmodernism as the dominant cultural idea in the United States and throughout the world.
In today's post, we follow up on last week's self-leadership video with two videos that introduce Self-Action Leadership, including how it differs from regular self-leadership.
If you are receiving this message via e-mail, the video clips will not show up below. Just click on the blue title -- Self-Action Leadership -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
Self-Action Leadership defined from the SAL Seminar
Self-Action Leadership defined from Dr. Jensen's Speech on Education
Today's post shares a video segment on self-leadership from Dr. Jensen's recent live SAL seminar. Before defining, explaining, and highlighting what Self-Action Leadership (SAL) is, it helpful to first be clear on what self-leadership is. In next Tuesday's post, we will share two follow-up video segments that address Self-Action Leadership, and explain specifically how it differs from self-leadership.
If you are receiving this message via e-mail and the video clip does not show up below, just click on the blue title -- Self-Leadership -- at the top of your screen to access the video clip by visiting the actual blog site.
Dr. Jordan Jensen defines & explains self-leadership
Click on video below to listen to Dr. Jensen introduce his groundbreaking theory of self-leadership. If the video does not show up on your e-mail screen, click on the blue title above to access the actual blog site.
In this video speech, A 21st Century Vision of Education in America, Dr. Jordan R. Jensen introduces Self-Action Leadership with its focus of self-reliance, personal responsibility, and character development as the foundation of a holistic EDUCATION capable of restoring American Greatness and reanimating the American Dream for a whole new generation of U.S. citizens.
This speech was delivered on February 21, 2015 at Lone Star College of the Woodlands, Texas (Houston).
In this video seminar, Self-Action Leadership (SAL), Dr. Jensen unveils the SAL theory & model and its aims to fundamentally transform American EDUCATIONAL paradigms in the 21st Century.
This seminar was taught at Lone Star College of the Woodlands, TX (Houston on February 21, 2015.
Today's post shares the next two sections of the SAL seminar video. Section 3 provides biographical information about Dr. Jensen. Section 4 provides an overview of self-leadership -- not to be confused with Self-Action Leadership, which will be covered later this week. SAL has deep roots in the self-leadership field, so it is appropriate to cover self-leadership in some depth before providing more information about SAL.
Also... I have noticed that links to the video clips don't show up in the e-mailed versions of the blog. If you are receiving this post via e-mail and the video links do not show up, just click on the blue title link at the top of the page and you will be redirected to the actual blog post where you can access the videos.
The following video is the full Self-Action Leadership seminar presented February 21, 2015. It details the background, theory, and model of this groundbreaking new self-leadership field.
Our next several blog posts contain video footage of Dr. Jordan Jensen's new Self-Action Leadership seminar, as well as his groundbreaking speech on Education entitled: A 21st Century Vision of Education in America, delivered at Lone Star College in The Woodlands, Texas on February 21, 2015
SAL Seminar Section 2: "A Self-Help Theory of Everything"
