Just Continue That Thought...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from his book, The Difference Maker (p. 47). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Not outside but inside! John says, “Singer Roberta Flack recalls, ‘My mother had only gone as far as the tenth grade, and my father had a third-grade education, but they both were very literate. They spoke well, and their values were high. They drummed into our heads that the situation you live in doesn’t have to live in you.’ Our attitudes don’t come from our circumstances or personal history. Attitude does not come from outside ourselves. It comes from within.” John goes on, “The first rule of winning is don’t beat yourself. If your attitude isn’t as good as it could be, and you fail to take personal responsibility for it, then you are beating yourself. However, if you look in the mirror and can with honesty say, ‘The attitude I possess is my responsibility and no one else’s,’ then you’re ...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from his book, The Difference Maker (p. 41). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) That is a very good question, isn’t it? John says, “When does it make the greatest difference? It’s not during a sporting event or when business gets tough. It’s when life itself is on the line. And in those instances, it truly is the difference maker. “When I was a pastor, I spent much time with people dealing with tragedies. I’ve visited with a lot of patients before surgery, and the ones who did the best afterward and recovered the most quickly were the people with the best attitudes. I’ve visited many nursing homes. The elderly people who thrive are the ones who are still positive about themselves and their situation. I heard from a nursing home official that the new patients who feel like they were forced into nursing homes and had no other options tended to give up and die sooner than ...

A thought by John C. Maxwell, from his book, The Difference Maker (p. 39). HarperCollins Leadership. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) And that is so true, isn't it? John then asks, “How are you going to handle them? Will you give up? Will you allow circumstances to make you miserable? Or are you going to try to make the best of things? Which path you choose depends on your attitude. Good questions.   He then says, “I once heard a lecturer say that no society has ever developed tough men during times of peace. The old adage is true: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Think back to the times in your life when you have grown the most. I’m willing to bet that you grew as the result of overcoming difficulties. The better your attitude, the more likely you will be to overcome difficulties, grow, and move forward.” He later says, “I’ve been told that in the Chinese language two words are often combined to create a...