Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 161). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But we love easy and fast, don’t we? John says, “Florence Nightingale observed, ‘Courage is . . . the universal virtue of all those who choose to do the right thing over the expedient thing. It is the common currency of all those who do what they are supposed to do in a time of conflict, crisis, and confusion.’ The acquisition of courage can often be an internal battle. We often desire to do what is most expedient. The problem is that what is easy and expedient is frequently not what is right. Thus the battle. But psychotherapist and author Sheldon Kopp stated, ‘All the significant battles are waged within self.’ “As you strive to do what you know to be right, you must know yourself and make sure you are acting in integrity with your core values. There’s a saying that inside every indiv...

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 159). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) I know, I know, that thought will not draw many to it, but if I want to really make a difference, I need to come to grips with the reality of it. John says, “Advice columnist Ann Landers wrote, ‘If I were asked to give what I consider the single most useful bit of advice for all humanity, it would be this: Expect trouble as an inevitable part of life and when it comes, hold your head high, look it squarely in the eye and say, ‘“I will be bigger than you. You cannot defeat me.’” “Adversity is always the partner of progress. Anytime we want to move forward, obstacles, difficulties, problems, and predicaments are going to get in the way. We should expect nothing less. And we should even welcome such things. Novelist H. G. Wells asked, ‘What on earth would a man do with himself if something...

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 154). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Here is the whole statement.   John says, “Learning and growing always require action, and action takes courage—especially in the weak areas of our lives.” He goes on, “That is where fear most often comes into play. It’s easy to be brave in an area of strength; it’s much more difficult in an area of weakness. That is why we need courage most. General Omar Bradley remarked, ‘Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.’ ” John says, “When I am striving to learn and grow in an area of weakness and I am afraid of failing or looking foolish, I encourage myself with these quotations: • ‘Courage is fear holding on a minute longer.’—George S. Patton • ‘The difference between a hero and a coward is one step sideways.’—Gene Hackman • ‘Courage is f...