Real Talk with Judge
Dawson
If we want to
improve our situation, find employment, get a better job or stay out of jail we
have to grow up. So many of us are
living and operating below our potential.
Though I am in the business of justice I don’t believe that jail and
court should be a regular part of life for everyday people. To help us move into our greatest potential I
offer these suggestions about growing up!
GROWTH -
To become a better human being, you need to grow in character. To advance in
your career, you need to grow in your skills. To be a better spouse or parent,
you need to grow in relationships. To reach your financial goals, you need to
grow in your knowledge about how money works. To enrich your soul, you need to
grow spiritually.
So what is the
primary step to growing up? You have to
use the power of intention. To reach
your potential and grow beyond your current state of existence you have to make
the decision to grow. I mean that you
have to be really intentional about growth.
It has to be an everyday focus.
In Judge Dawson’s
world of being a Cycle Breaker, being intentional is a very high form of
commitment. Being intentional means that
you are dedicated to a particular cause or outcome. To be successful, to make sure you avoid
negative interaction with the legal system, you
have to be intentional about it. Here
are the steps to being intentional: 1.
Set specific goals. It’s not enough to say “I want to live stress free,” you
have to say “I want to live stress free and never end up in jail.” It’s that specific part of your goal that
will give you direction when you are faced with questionable situations. 2. Keep that goal in the forefront of your
mind. Every day and in everything you
do, remember what your goals are. If you
want to loose weight never eat dinner after 8:00pm. When I say never, I mean under no
circumstances or temptation. It sounds
easy and, if your goal is important enough, it is easy. 3. Work hard toward achieving your goals
everyday. Don’t take any days off. Keeping your goals on your mind will guide
your daily decisions. Daily actions in
the direction in your goals will ensure your success.
I
plan a life of continuos growth. To
execute this plan I make sure my mind, body and spirit is being stretched and
challenged. Most people think that when
a “person” becomes a Judge they are no longer open to growth or criticism. That is not the type of Judge I am. In fact,
the title of Judge does not overshadow the person or the “who I am.” Accordingly, I will continue to surround
myself with inspiring people who can help me expand my mind. These are the
people who I refer to as my “power group.”
I suggest that each of us can use some type of power group. You don’t need a specific number of people
and the members of your group can change as your life changes. However, your power group should be the
people who are able to inspire and challenge you. They are the group of people with whom you
can be yourself. When you decide to
start growing again, know that it will be challenging. You cannot change your life until you change
you thoughts and then your actions. Keep learning and growing and just watch
how far life will take you.
East Cleveland Municipal Court’s Judge William L. Dawson is on a
mission is to use every ounce of his body to help people to Finish First, live
their best lives and be Cycle Breakers!
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