When I was just starting out in the early days of my career, I faced numerous rejections. During job interviews, sales pitches and attempts to secure funding, rejection was a constant companion. It was during this period that I met a mentor, a seasoned entrepreneur with decades of experience. He shared a story from his early days that I have never forgotten.

He was on the verge of bankruptcy. His company was failing, and he couldn’t see a way out. Creditors were knocking, and it seemed like every door was closing on him. One evening, feeling particularly low, he took a walk by a river, trying to clear his head. There, he saw a group of children playing with a makeshift boat. They would place the boat in the water, watch it capsize, retrieve it, fix it and try again. No matter how many times the boat capsized, the children’s enthusiasm and hope never waned. They were determined to see their boat sail.

This simple scene struck a chord with him. He realized that his approach had been all wrong. He had been focusing on the failures -- the capsized boats -- without considering that each failure was an opportunity to learn, to fix what was wrong and to try again with renewed hope and determination. Inspired by the children’s perseverance, he went back to the drawing board. He analyzed his business, identified the flaws and started fixing them, one by one. It wasn’t easy, and it took time, but eventually his business not only recovered but thrived.

This story taught me an invaluable lesson about hope. It is not just about naively wishing for things to get better. It is about learning from your failures, making the necessary adjustments and approaching your challenges with a renewed sense of purpose and optimism.

My dear friend Lou Holtz always says you need four things in your life, otherwise you are going to have a tremendous void. Number one, everyone needs something to do. Number two, everyone needs someone to love. Number three, everyone needs someone to believe in. And number four, everyone needs something in their life to hope for.

What do you want to do? You have to have hope, ambition and dreams.

My wish, dream and hope, aside from being a professional golfer, was to own my own factory. I didn’t know what I would manufacture, but I always hoped to be able to walk the factory floor and be able to have my employees look up to me.

But I didn’t wait for it to fall in my lap. I acted on that hope and made my dreams come true.

Hope is what gets many of us through our worst days. Hope is believing that every cloud has a silver lining, and when that cloud rains, it makes things grow. A perfect partner is faith, for without faith, hope is meaningless.

Hope also plays a crucial role in economic decisions. Entrepreneurs start new businesses with the hope that they will succeed and contribute to the community’s prosperity. Consumers make purchases, hoping that their choices will lead to satisfaction and well-being.

Overall, hope is the undercurrent that propels society forward. It is the belief that despite current challenges, there are possibilities for a brighter future that can be realized through collective effort and perseverance.

A leader is a dealer of hope. But if you don’t have it, you can’t share it. It starts with you. What gives you hope? What do you hope for?

In Greek mythology, Pandora opened her fabled box and let out all evils except for hope, which Greeks considered to be as dangerous as the world’s other evils. Soon they discovered that without hope to offset their troubles, humanity was filled with despair. So Pandora let out hope as well. In the myth, hope was more potent than any of the other major evils.

In modern times, we consider hope to be anything but evil. It’s what gets many of us through our worst days. Inflation, credit card debt, foreclosure, dwindling retirement funds, businesses folding -- any of these could make a person lose hope.

In my observation, hope is a powerful motivator that drives communities and individuals to strive for better outcomes, even in the face of adversity. When people have hope, they are more likely to engage in actions that can lead to positive change.

Mackay’s Moral: Hope is the compass that guides us through the darkest nights, fueled by the lessons learned in the light of day.

A 4-year-old actress was appearing in a movie with an aging, crotchety star. One day, the star came on the set made up to the nines, and the little girl said to her, “Gee, you look so nice.”

The actress made a pouty face and replied, “What am I supposed to say to that?”

The little girl politely remarked, “You could say ‘thank you’.”

Never pass up an opportunity to express gratitude! It is better to say “Thank you” and mean it, than to mean it and never say it.

Years ago, I was at temple for the High Holy Days, and there was a young family in front of us. I told the mother how well-behaved her children were. A short time later, I received a letter from the woman thanking me for my comments. It obviously meant a lot to the parents.

I thought to myself how many times over the years I observed something similar that deserved a compliment and didn’t say a word. Unexpressed gratitude is useless.

Motivational author Glenn Van Ekeren said: “Never underestimate the value of a kind word, appreciation, encouragement or a compliment ... no matter how small it might seem. You have five minutes to make a call, send an email, write a note or personally impact someone’s life. What are you waiting for? Go do it.”

Thanksgiving is a duty before it’s a feeling. Thanksgiving is good, but “thanksliving” is better. Gratitude shouldn’t be an occasional incident but a continuous attitude. Thanksgiving is a college from which we never graduate.

Let’s explore the importance of showing gratitude in both personal and professional contexts. For starters, on a personal level, expressing gratitude to family and friends can deepen your connections. When you show appreciation, it reinforces bonds and fosters a sense of belonging and trust.

Gratitude has been linked to improved mental health. It can reduce stress, increase happiness and even improve sleep. A simple “thank you” can go a long way in uplifting both the giver and the receiver.

Practicing gratitude shifts your focus from what's lacking to what you have, promoting a more positive outlook on life. This can enhance your overall quality of life and make you more resilient in the face of challenges.

On the professional side, acknowledging colleagues’ efforts in the workplace can lead to a more motivated and engaged team. Employees who feel appreciated are more likely to be productive and committed to their work. Sincere appreciation and praise are the lubrication that makes life more enjoyable.

A culture of gratitude can transform the work environment, making it more collaborative and supportive. This can lead to higher employee retention and satisfaction.

Showing gratitude to clients and partners can strengthen business relationships. It demonstrates professionalism and can lead to increased loyalty and referrals.

In both personal and professional contexts, gratitude is a powerful tool that can transform relationships and environments. It's not just about saying “thank you,” but about genuinely appreciating the people and opportunities around you. Gratitude is the glue that binds relationships together.

A teacher once asked her students to list what they thought were the Seven Wonders of the World. Most students wrote down the usual suspects: the Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the Grand Canyon and so on. However, one student had a different list. She wrote: “To see, to hear, to touch, to taste, to feel, to laugh and to love.”

The teacher was taken aback by the student's perspective and realized that sometimes, the most wondrous things in life are the simplest ones we often take for granted. This story reminds us that gratitude is not just for the grand gestures or monumental achievements, but also for the everyday wonders that enrich our lives.

Sometimes, the greatest wonders are not built by human hands but felt by the human heart.

On a personal note, I am grateful for all my readers. Happy Thanksgiving!

Mackay’s Moral: If we pause to think, we’ll have cause to thank.

In my favorite comic strip, “Peanuts,” Charlie Brown is walking off the baseball field with Lucy, his head down and totally dejected. Charlie says, “Another ball game lost! Good grief! I get tired of losing. Everything I do, I lose!”

Lucy replies: “Look at it this way, Charlie Brown. We learn more from losing than we do from winning.”

To which Charlie replies, “That makes me the smartest person in the world!”

Always the philosopher, Charlie Brown makes a great point. Now his charge is to use some of that knowledge to find a way to win, at least some of the time.

Avid sports fans will remember the legendary Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who said, “Winning isn’t everything, but it beats anything that comes in second.”

Winners always have an idea and look for a way to do it, while losers always have an excuse and look for a way to get out of it. Winners say, “I’ll do it!” and “I can.” Losers always say, “It’s not my job” and “I can’t.” Winners see an answer to every problem. Losers see a problem for every answer.

That attitude goes beyond sports. It applies through all phases of life.

Winning in business is certainly important, but it's crucial to understand what "winning" truly means. Winning in business doesn't always mean being the biggest or the most profitable. Success can be defined by achieving specific goals, such as customer satisfaction, innovation, market share or employee well-being.

Winning should be about creating long-term value rather than short-term gains. Sustainable growth involves building a solid foundation that ensures continued success over time, rather than just focusing on immediate victories.

In a rapidly changing business environment, adaptability is key. Winning businesses are those that can innovate and adapt to new challenges and opportunities, staying ahead of the competition.

A business that prioritizes its customers is more likely to succeed. Winning in business often means delivering exceptional value and service to customers, which leads to loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.

How you win is as important as winning itself. Upholding ethical standards and integrity can enhance a company's reputation and ensure long-term success.

“Winning doesn’t always mean being first,” said Bonnie Blair, five-time gold medal American speed skater. “Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done before.”

Strange as it sounds, losing can be part of winning. Businesses that learn from their failures and use them as steppingstones to improve processes and strategies are often the ones that ultimately succeed.

I love to win, whether it’s a business success, completing a volunteer project, landing my golf drive on the green, hitting a fundraising goal or even crossing another item off my bucket list.

And I find that just because I win at something, it doesn’t have to mean that someone else loses. One business achievement can inspire those around you to aim higher. When winning becomes part of the culture, the company wins, employees win, customers win and the community wins. In other words, winning can be contagious.

A football coach, speaking at his college’s booster club fundraiser, was having a difficult time avoiding the subject of his team’s losing season. He finally decided to make light of his predicament and said, “As you all know, we’re not doing too well in our conference. We’re not winning any ball games, but you must admit, we are exciting to watch.”

With that he proceeded to expound on the virtues of playing the game with enthusiasm versus the need to win. At the program’s conclusion, a faithful supporter approached the coach and offered this suggestion: “Why don’t you play with a little less hype and win a few games.”