Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 128). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) It seems that perseverance is a key besides talent in a person’s success. John says, “World War I flying ace Eddie Rickenbacker said, ‘I can give you a six-word formula for success: Think things through—then follow through.’ Many people like to think things through; few follow through. John goes on, “Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi said, ‘The difference between a successful person and others is not lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of determination.’ The greatest achievers don’t sit back and wait for success because they think they deserve it. They keep moving forward and persevering because they are determined to achieve it.” He says, “You can see this determination in successful people in every walk of life and in every age. Hannibal, the Carthaginian genera...

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 121). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) For some that would be a discouraging thought but not for others.   Maybe it is for you. John says, “Let’s face it. Most people are resistant to change. They desire improvement, but they resist changing their everyday routine. That’s a problem because, as leadership expert Max DePree says, ‘We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.’ To sharpen your talent through practice, you need to do more than just be open to change. You need to pursue change—and you need to do it a little bit more than other achievers. Here’s what to look for and how to focus your energy to get the kinds of changes that will change you for the better: • Don’t change just enough to get away from your problems—change enough to solve them. • Don’t change your circumstances to improve your...

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 96). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) So, the key is to be prepared, to be ready. John says, “There’s an old saying: ‘You can claim to be surprised once; after that, you’re unprepared.’ If you want to take advantage of opportunities to use your talent, then you must be prepared when the opportunities arise. Once the opportunity presents itself, it’s too late to get ready.’ He goes on, “If you study the lives of dynamic men and women, you will find that preparation for opportunity is a common theme. President Abraham Lincoln said, ‘I will prepare and some day my chance will come.’ Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli of England remarked, ‘The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his time when it comes.’ Oprah Winfrey asserted, ‘Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity.’ And President John F. Kennedy o...