“We cannot control the parade of negative thoughts marching through our minds. But we can choose which ones we will give our attention to. Picture your thoughts as people passing by the front of your home. Just because they’re walking by doesn’t mean you have to invite them in.” Gladys Edmunds
Posts tagged: quote
Don’t Invite Them In
Rise From the Pain
“I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have – life itself.” – Walter Anderson
The Path of the Warrior
A warrior is a person experienced in or capable of engaging in combat or warfare, literally or figuratively. Most leaders are figurative warriors, those who show great vigor, courage, or aggressiveness in everyday challenges. Merely acting like a warrior is insufficient, a warrior leader must become one by consistently walking the path of:
1. Integrity - honest and sincere
2. Impeccability – faultless character
3. Outrageous – excessively bold
4. Personal Power – ability to act
The leader shows that style is not more important than substance, and that creating an impression is not more potent than acting from one’s center – Lao Tzu (500BC)
Your Finest Hour
To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a choice to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents; what a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour
- Sir Winston Churchill
A Daring Adventure or Nothing
Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure.
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.
Helen Keller
So You Want to be Famous?
I have to ask….Why?
As a father of two teenage daughters I frequently hear their friends and them state somthing akin to “I just want to do something to be famous..” I cringe every time I hear it because they envision a life of glitz, glamour, and glory….I see a life of discontent, decadence, and diversions.
Jesus was arguably the most famous person to live; almost 2000 years later his name is known throughout the world. We celebrate holidays dedicated to his life and death (and ressurection). Fame itself is not the problem, it’s how we get there lately that’s wrong.
Too many young people are striving for fame for fame’s sake alone. Fame for fame’s sake guaruntees one to never be content with enough fame. I’m convinced the famous will not be through seeking until they pass that one in front of them with more album sales, more money per movie, the most awards, wins….
Fame by the worlds standards, especially by United States standards is rooted in decadence. We have young ladies famous only for the devience they gained attention for. They’ve reached a goal, but at what cost? With the exception of very few who obtained fame through a narrow business or humanitarian niche the cost to the individual and our culture is just too high. Read more →
Truthfulness
Arrogant [Eloquent] lips are unsuited to a fool
how much worse lying lips to a ruler! Proverbs 17:5-7 (NIV)
Truthfulness is an elusive habit for leaders. We are assaulted daily by situations that beg for lies, half-truths, misinformation, deception, and withholding. These situations arise at work from difficult communication, positions of disadvantage to us, and fear of retribution. Within our families they arise from personal pride toward spouses, fear of children’s actions, and discomfort with admitting to wrong actions.
The mad boss asks, “Who made this decision?”
The Christian brother states, “I’m only flirting with her, I can control it.”
The inefficient employee asks, “Am I doing ok working for you?”
The spouse demands, “Where did all of our money go?”
Your child asks, “Where do babies come from?”
A Christian Leader’s response:
1. Just tell it. The benefits of truthfulness outweigh the costs in the long run as your boss learns to appreciates your trust and candor, your spouse loves the open communication, and your children model. Warning, blunt truthfulness will mark you as a jerk and harm your ability to influence. Use gentleness and patience to form your communication in a way that creates an environment of appreciation.
2. Demand it in return. My initial briefing to new employees has always included the requirement of truth. My nature I am a trusting person, tell me something and I take it to the bank until that something is proven false. Once you lose my trust it’s hard to get it back. My daughters were raised with the same requirement. I marvel at parents who severely discipline children based on honest disclosure. Since birth we have demanded truth and lessened discipline with it. The result, open communication… something seemingly rare in today’s youth.
To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; credible we must be truthful. Edward R. Murrow
Julius Erving Quotes
“Being a professional is doing the things you love on the days you don’t feel like doing them.”
“If you don’t do what’s best for your body, you’re the one who comes up on the short end.”
“The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life – mental, emotional, spiritual, as well as physical.”
“To be great we need to win games we aren’t supposed to win.”
“I firmly believe that respect is a lot more important, and a lot greater, than popularity.”
“Goals determine what you’re going to be.”
“I had to spend countless hours, above and beyond the basic time, to try and perfect the fundamentals.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Erving
Prepare for the Warrior
There comes a point in everyone’s life when they determine the veracity of their character. Some may think they know, but not until pressed by hardship, fear or heartache will they really know. All other times are spent in preparation. When the moment of trial comes will you be irrelevant, expendable, a fighter, or a warrior?
“Out of every 100 men, ten shouldn’t even be there, Eighty are just targets, Nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back.” – Hericletus, circa 500 BC
Prepare to be a fighter and the leader will become a warrior when most needed. Anything less is a wasted opportunity to matter.
You’re the Greatest
A man died and met Saint Peter at the gates of heaven. Recognizing the saint’s knowledge and wisdom, he wanted to ask him a question. “Saint Peter,” he said, “ I have been interested in military history for many years. Tell me, who was the greatest general of all times?”
Peter quickly responded, “O, that is a simple question. It’s that man right over there.”
The man looked where Peter was pointing and answered, “You must be mistaken. I knew that man on earth, and he was just a common laborer.”
“That’s right,” Peter remarked, “But he would have been the greatest general of all time- if he had been a general.”
- Mark Twain