Our chief want (need) in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803 – 1882 When I was in school, I dreaded and feared deadlines: the term paper due in two weeks, the book report due Monday. Most of us probably felt that … [ Continue Reading ]
Weekly Lessons
Controlling foul moods
Things themselves don’t hurt or hinder us. It is our attitudes and reactions that give us trouble. Epictetus 55 – 135 A.D. Have you ever had one of those days when it seems like anyone or anything can get under your skin and put you in a foul mood? Recently, … [ Continue Reading ]
Smart bombs
Our plans miscarry because they have no aim. When a man does not know what harbor he is making for, no wind is the right wind. Seneca 4 B.C. – 65 A.D. Smart bombs, as the military calls them, are bombs that can self-correct in the middle of a mission. … [ Continue Reading ]
Keeping perspective
Perspective gives us the ability to accurately contrast the large with the small, and the important with the less important. Without it we are lost in a world where all ideas, news, and information look the same. We cannot differentiate, we cannot prioritize, and we cannot make good choices. John … [ Continue Reading ]
Where are you?
Wherever you are, be there. Jim Rohn 1930 – 2009 If you’re going to enjoy more happiness in your life, you need to eliminate things that create unhappiness in your life. One significant source of unhappiness is the inability to “be where we are”. It seems that humans have a … [ Continue Reading ]
What are you excellent at?
And oftentimes excusing a fault doth make the fault worse by the excuse. William Shakespeare 1564 – 1616 Take a moment and think about this question: what are you excellent at doing? While it might not be pleasant to acknowledge, if you’re like most people, I can predict one thing … [ Continue Reading ]
Are you too independent for success?
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. Helen Keller 1880 – 1968 I quit watching most TV long ago, but I can distinctly remember catching part of the Oscar Awards a few years back. In particular, I found one actor a bit boring as he … [ Continue Reading ]
What’s your dream?
Nothing is to be clung to as in I, me or mine. Buddha 563 B.C. – 483 B.C. Most people have a secret dream, one they aren’t willing to share with many people. I want you to think about your secret dream. It could be a big home in the … [ Continue Reading ]
Flying a kite
The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind. William James 1894 – 1963 One day, I was in a park watching a young boy fly a kite. His father had helped him get the kite airborne and had … [ Continue Reading ]
The paradox of shortcuts
It always looks so easy to solve problems by taking the path of least resistance. What looks like the easy road turns out to be the hardest and most cruel. Winston Churchill 1874 – 1965 In high school, math was one of my easier subjects; I just had a knack … [ Continue Reading ]