Category Archives: Uncategorized

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An Excerpt from Kelly Croy’s New Book: A Call to Lead

red-white-lg-scan3“Give me your tired your poor,

your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these the homeless, the tempest to me.

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

By Emma Lazarus, from The New Colussus

These powerful words are inscribed on the pedestal on which the Statue of Liberty rests.  As our country begins yet another new chapter, these words are a refreshing reminder of the power and responsibility of being an American.  They also serve as a reminder to give thanks, even in times of hardship and personal challenge, for the opportunities that truly only America can offer.

The Statue of Liberty holds a special place in my heart as I am sure it does for many Americans. My grandmother and grandfather immigrated here from Ireland.  I grew up listening to my grandmother share stories about being aboard ship and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time. My grandmother immigrated here because of the American Dream. Being the youngest of a potato farming family during the Great Potato Famine, she was some way a part of that “wretched refuse” and the journey here definitely made her tempest-tossed.  She was by all means looking for opportunities.

These wise words penned by Emma Lazarus are indeed inscribed on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. While we all know that Lady Liberty was a gift from France, many do not know how the large pedestal on which the Statue rests was constructed.

Residents of Manhattan were asked to donate ten cents to help fund the construction of the pedestal. The pedestal would provide a base for the statue to rest and it would elevate it so it could be seen from great distances. The work would take months to complete and was very expensive.  Nearly all residents were eager to donate to this worthwhile cause, but there were some who saw this endeavor as a waste of time and money.

One such man complained about the fundraising for the pedestal.  Like an Ebenezer Scrooge, he refused to donate and found fault with everyone who gave money to the project or helped to organize fundraisers.

It is important to note that no one had seen the Statue of Liberty yet.  It was in a warehouse in pieces. They had read about it and seen pictures, but it had not yet been assembled in the United States. Everyone was anxious to donate and see this amazing work of art and beacon of freedom assembled.  It was quite difficult, however, for this stingy character to visualize the majesty of this ten story statue, and so he never donated to the fund for the pedestal, not one dime.

Some time after the construction of the pedestal and the assembling of the statue, the man’s grandson begged him to go and see the statue.  He tried to refuse, but couldn’t. Upon arriving at Ellis Island, the man was in complete awe of Lady Liberty.  He was literally speechless. The statue’s size and grandeur, as well as the sense of freedom it conveyed overwhelmed him. Eventually the man and his grandson ascended to the top of the observatory inside Lady Liberty’s crown.  With a tear of shame running down his cheek, the man took a silver dollar from his pocket and jammed it into a small opening  he discovered.  He could not stand knowing that he was not part of something so wonderful.  He was unable to visualize what could have been.

Do not be like this man in Arthur Miller’s wonderful story, Grandpa and the Statue.  Answer the call to lead and make a difference in the lives of others.  Our life is brief, but the contributions we make and the roles of leadership we choose are timeless.

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.  Please visit our website to book Kelly for your next event.  www.kellycroy.com  info@kellycroy.com 1-800-831-4825

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A New Baby in our Family

picture-1     I am pleased to announce the birth of my new baby girl, Jillyan Lorrain Croy.  She was born on October 16th at St. Charles Hospital in Toledo, Ohio.  She weighed in at seven pounds and was twenty inches long.  Jillyan and mom are doing great!  Our home has that ‘new baby’ feel to it and everyone is just excited that Jillyan is finally here.  

Our family and friends have shared in the excitement of our new arrival and we are very thankful for everyone’s generosity and help.  Our stay in the hospital was longer than expected but everyone is in great health and back at home.  The delivery, like most of the pregnancy, was full of surprises, but in the end everything worked out wonderfully.

Jillyan is my fourth little girl, yet the wonders and joy of a new baby do not fade.  I was as nervous, excited, and happy as I was with our first, second, and third.  Jillyan joins her sisters Allyson 12, Carolyne 9, and Jaclyn 4.  My wife, Lorrain, and I try to find some sleep when we can. Our older girls are great helpers.  I love being a dad. Our house is more than slightly off our normal schedule, but it is also full of laughs and smiles.  Lorrain and I are keeping strange hours fixing bottles, changing diapers, and maintaining our family and careers, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. This is just another exciting chapter in this wonderful adventure called life.

I am blessed to be surrounded by such an awesome family.  October provides us with many opportunities to strengthen our family ties and be together.  I hope you are able to set some quality time aside and enjoy your family.  I enjoyed setting aside several projects to spend some much needed time with mine.  (One of which was this newsletter.)

Thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement & congratulations!

~ Kelly

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.  Please visit our website to book Kelly for your next event.  www.kellycroy.com  info@kellycroy.com 1-800-831-4825

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Rediscovery: One of Life’s Many Treasures

Rediscovering forgotten experiences is one of life’s many treasures.  I have just rediscovered Fall.

I have been directly involved in organized football for the past twenty-nine years. I started playing when I was eleven, and continued on with some success through high school and college, and took up coaching my first year out of school. I decided last year that the 2008 season would be my last.  While I miss the interaction with athletes and coaches, as well as the excitement of the games, I must confess that having more time to spend with my family has been a truly amazing experience. Football has been very kind to me and has certainly opened many doors. Everywhere I go people still call me coach, and when I try to correct them they tell me I will always be “coach” to them.  I smile.

The idea to retire from coaching wasn’t  easy to make, and was even more difficult to announce.  How do you let go of something that has been such a dominant factor in your life?  How do you walk away from a part of something that has become your identity?  My father’s health, preparing for a new baby, and my dream of sharing my art and words with the world made the decision a lot easier.

Change does not always come easily, but we must be willing to open ourselves to new experiences, new identities, and new responsibilities. I had no idea of all that went on while I was at football,  let alone all the work my wife did while I was away at practice.  I’m finding out that there were a lot of fun activities going on, even some family traditions, that I had no idea about.  I’m cherishing my time with my father, rededicating myself as a dad and a husband, and pursuing my dream as an artist with even greater vigor.

I hope you take a few minutes to think about some of your daily routines and evaluate how they may be affecting other areas in your life. Is there anyone that could benefit from a few extra minutes with you each day?  Are there any identities that you wear that are keeping your from following your dream?  Are there any family traditions that you might want to renew or begin this Fall?

~ Kelly

(Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker, author, and performing artist.  Visit our website to invite Kelly to perform at your next event.)

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Recognition of Others: A Key to Leadership

As a teacher and a coach I have always been privileged to see firsthand the power of recognition. No book, in my opinion, captures this concept better than Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton’s international phenomenon The 24-Carrot Manager.

This amazing little book (and it is a very quick read) powerfully delivers the incredible gains that can be made in homes, organizations, classrooms, and in business by providing meaningful recognition for someone’s hard work and achievements.

The 24-Carrot manager shows how successful managers use recognition to engage people, accelerate performance, and retain talent.  Using recognition leaders can truly unleash the power of human potential in ways far greater than can be achieved in increased salary and benefits. This book cites surveys in which workers repeatedly place greater desires for recognition over salaries. This is difficult for many to believe. Recognition, as the book points out, is the true driving force of all people.  We want to feel as if our work makes a difference.  We like to be appreciated for what we do.  We want to feel significant.  Recognition fills these needs!  Employees leave organizations for lack of recognition in greater numbers than for bigger pay checks.

This book will inspire you to develop a meaningful method to recognize family members, friends, co-workers, and anyone you wish to have a meaningful relationship.  Recognition will become your new buzzword and emphasis, and more importantly —it will deliver the results!

If you want to encourage commitment, results, high standards, and retain quality—make it part of your recognition program.  (This book will show you how. It is a fun read.)

I have been fortunate to work with some amazing coaches that utilized the concept of recognition to its full potential. I learned a lot from them and have applied it in my life with great success. These men were able to make our football players feel an inch taller and run three steps faster.  In the classroom you see a student’s eyes light up when you reward their hard work by hanging up a paper or offering authentic praise. And I personally know that the kind words from another about my own work is the greatest paycheck I will ever receive.

Recognition tip: Don’t just recognize the individual for his or her hard work; recognize them in the audience of their peers.  Any small token presented with genuine praise and sincerity will be remembered for a long time, but the most expensive of awards given hastily or without sincerity will be forgotten and might even possibly backfire. Be sincere and do your homework.

Who will you recognize today?

The people you recognize today will remember you tomorrow.

(Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker, author, and performing artist.  Visit our website to invite Kelly to perform at your next event.)

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Step Up and Take Action

Last week I received an unexpected call to genuinely help someone in need.  I was meeting my family for lunch in a nearby town when I noticed a small group of people looking and pointing at an elderly man who had tripped and fallen on the blacktop.  

The onlookers were at least ten feet from the victim and as I approached I asked what had happened.  They told me they had watched him fall and that they had called 911. None of the five people standing there took another step closer nor did anyone communicate with the injured man.

I was perplexed as I knelt next to the man and placed napkins on his bleeding arms and forehead.  Why didn’t anyone put direct pressure on the wounds?  I could see he was bleeding heavily and the blood looked very thin.  (While I am not a medical attendant I do take First Aid and CPR classes regularly. Coaching has provided me with more than my share of assisting injured people.) As I spoke with the man I learned he was on a heavy blood thinner.  I could see my words and action comforted him. 

Soon an ambulance arrived and the man thanked me as he was hauled away.  I was so happy I helped him.  I am sure he would have been fine without me, but I am glad I was there.

To be honest, I am more concerned about the people who stood and watched than the injured man.  No one seemed to want to be involved.  I thought about this for the rest of the afternoon.  Was it because they didn’t know what to do?  Fear of getting some blood borne disease?  Afraid of a lawsuit? Apathy?  I will never know.

I was involved in the Boy Scouts growing up and became an Eagle Scout, and later a teacher, and a coach. I have always been taught to respond to the needs of others and I guess I expect that from others.

Maybe I am completely wrong here, maybe not, but I think we have moral and civic responsibilities to help one another, and I would rather err while trying to do something to help than do nothing at all.

I’m calling you to action: If you have not been trained in First Aid, Sports Medicine, CPR or some other emergency response training, please find a few hours and take a class.  I hope you never have to use what you learn, but I know you will be thankful you did when a situation arises and no one else steps up.

(Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker, author, and performing artist.  Visit our website to invite Kelly to perform at your next event.)

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A Tribute to Dr. Randy Pausch: The Last Lecture

I was saddened to learn of the passing of Randy Pausch last Friday even though I knew it would be soon.

If you are not familar with Randy Pausch please watch the short video below.  He was an amazing teacher and an amazing man.  I truly believe watching this short segment will positively affect the way you live your live.

In Randy’s words, “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand.”

If you are having trouble viewing the video please click here.

I keep a copy of this video on my iPhone and watch it every now and then to keep the world in perspective.

If you are interested in watching the original lecture Dr. Pausch gave at Carnegie Mellon University please click here.

(Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker, author, and performing artist.  Visit our website to invite Kelly to perform at your next event.)

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The Power of Birthdays: Goal Setting and Goal Measurement

I will be celebrating my thirty-ninth birthday next Monday.  We use the word “celebrating” in conjunction with birthdays but do we really mean it?  Most often, I find my family and friends do not “celebrate” their birthdays but rather mark them off as notches in the side of a casket or rings on a tree stump. 

Too much emphasis I fear is placed on the marking of time of that last year and not enough on what was accomplished over those last 365 days. Birthdays can serve as a wonderful opportunity to set goals or measure progress.  Lots of people set goals on New Year’s Eve, why not your birthday?  I decided just the other day that I would like to complete an Olympic Triathlon by my fortieth birthday.  It has been five years since I last did a triathlon, but I know I have a year to train.  I am smiling now, knowing that I will be in better shape this time next year.

Don’t get hung up on numbers and aging.  Live your life.  We honestly don’t know if we have one more day, one more year, or one hundred.  I believe we should take care of ourselves and really try to live a long life, but don’t build up anxiety and regret.  I believe the best way to live a long life and a memorable one is to be active.  Set goals and go after them.  The completion of a goal is a wonderful feeling, but the journey getting there is what really enriches our lives.  Savor the journey.  

One more activity I like to do on my birthday is to take time to appreciate those who have helped me along the way.  Birthdays are an excellent opportunity to reflect and give thanks to our blessings.  We didn’t get this far on our own.  Continue that attitude of gratitude and remember your friends and family.

Don’t wait until your birthday, start now.  Compete this sentence: By my next birthday I would like to__________________________________________________. Now go after it.

Happy Birthday.

—Kelly

(Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker, author, and performing artist.  Visit our website to invite Kelly to perform at your next event.)

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Everyone Needs Encouragement!

Every now and then my cellphone rings and as I check the caller ID I put a huge smile on my face.  I see that it is my friend, Frank Shelton.  Frank makes me laugh, reflect, and prioritize my life.  It is always a pleasure to talk with Frank Shelton.  He is a great encourager and motivator.

Not long ago, Frank sent me a copy of his latest book, Final Approach: Career vs. Calling. I made the mistake of not reading it immediately.  At the time, I was focused on my father’s health and keeping up with the tasks of the day. I wish I had known then the peace and comfort his book would bring.

His book is a reminder to chase our dreams, put God first, and to serve others.  Each chapter renews the very concepts our great country was founded upon.  His untarnished patriotism and respect for the working class creates a genuine nostalgia.

Each chapter contains inspirational stories, footnotes on American history, memorable quotes by great leaders, and many brushes with fame.  His story will help you confront your struggles as you follow Frank overcoming his.  Like his childhood hero, Rocky Balboa, Frank Shelton keeps rising off the mat to face a new challenge as he follows his quest to impact lives and help shape the world in which he lives.

The book is uniquely formatted and styled, and dusted with Frank’s hallmark use of alliteration.

In a day when the media sensationalizes every aspect of the news, it is refreshing to read Frank’s words and know that it is still okay to be patriotic, faithful, and kind.

Reading this book allowed me to be reunited with my friend over the weekend. I am already looking forward to his next work. Meet him once and you will have a friend for life.

I hope you will contact Frank and order your copy today, or invite Frank to speak at your event. Perhaps you or someone you know is need of some encouragement. Frank can be reached at:

Frank Shelton Ministries & Motivational Presentations
P.O. Box 742
Waldorf, Maryland 2060
301.503.4440
FrankMotiv8s@aol.com
www.frankshelton.com

A wise saying on friendship reminds us that, “ a friend is one of the nicest things you can have and one of the best things you can be.”

—Kelly

(Kelly Croy is an inspirational speaker, author, and performing artist.  Visit our website to invite Kelly to perform at your next event.)