Just Continue That Thought...

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.) And to really make a difference, we will need courage. John says, “Being inactive and never leaving what is familiar may mean that you are comfortable but having the willingness to continually let go of the familiar means that you are courageous. American historian James Harvey Robinson asserted, ‘Greatness, in the last analysis, is largely due to bravery—courage in escaping from old ideas and old standards and respectable ways of doing things.’” John goes on, “Our situation doesn’t make us; we make our situation. Our circumstances don’t have to define us; we can redefine our circumstances by our actions. At any given time, we must be willing to give up all we have in order to become all we can be. If we do that, if we are willing to leave our comfort zone and bravely keep striving, w

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 137). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Ok, so what does that mean? John says, “Harvard professor of psychiatry George E. Vaillant, in his book Aging Well , identifies resiliency as a significant characteristic of people who navigate the many transitions of life from birth to old age. He writes, “Resilience reflects individuals who metaphorically resemble a twig with a fresh, green living core. When twisted out of shape, such a twig bends, but it does not break; instead, it springs back and continues growing. ’ “That’s an excellent description of how we must be if we desire to persevere through adversity and make the most of the talent we have. We must not become dry, brittle, and inflexible. And we must endeavor to bounce back, no matter how we may feel. We would be wise to remember the words of former NBA player, coach, and

A thought by John C. Maxwell from his book, Beyond Talent (p. 134). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) We're back to this matter of perseverance.   Somebody must need this. Keep at it! John says, “Author Frank Tyger observed, ‘In every triumph, there is a lot of try.’ But perseverance means more than trying. It means more than working hard. Perseverance is an investment. It is a willingness to bind oneself emotionally, intellectually, physically, and spiritually to an idea or task until it has been completed. Perseverance demands a lot, but here’s the good news: everything you give is an investment in yourself.” He goes on, “A little boy had been promised an ice-cream cone if he was good while accompanying his grandfather on some errands. The longer they were gone, the more difficult the boy was finding it to be good. ‘How much longer will it be?’ the boy asked. “‘Not too long,’ replied