On Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Abigail Adams

"Learning is not attained by chance.
It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence."

Lincoln on Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donald T. Phillips, p. 3

     Abraham Lincoln "grew up in poverty and had a binding link to the common people. He was innovative at a time when the age of discoveries and inventions was just beginning. He was compassionate and caring yet, when necessary, could put his foot down firmly and be decisive beyond question. He was patient, persistent, consistent, and persuasive rather than dictatorial. But, without a doubt, the foundation of Abraham Lincoln’s leadership style was an unshakeable commitment to the rights of the individual."

Attitude of Mind . . . . . . . . Douglas Hyde, Dedication and Leadership

     "The task of making leaders is really one of creating an attitude of mind. When some new situation arises, the reaction of most people is to ask, "When is someone going to do something about it." The spontaneous reaction of the trained leader is at once to ask, "What do I do in this situation?"

Great Pillars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . George Washington

     "Of all the habits that lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would men claim the tributes of patriotism who would work to destroy these great pillars of human happiness."

Excellence is for You . . . . . . Ted W. Engstrom, The Pursuit of Excellence

     "Every truly worthwhile achievement of excellence has a price tag. The question you must answer for yourself is, ‘How much am I willing to pay in hard work, patience, sacrifice and endurance to be a person of excellence?’ Your answer is important, because the cost is great. But if you are willing to be the person you were meant to be, I think you will discover that for you the sky is the limit, because each one of us is called by God to become personally involved in an act of creation...This means a life of excellence is for you."

3 Things Never Return . . . . . . . . . . . Bits & Pieces

     "Spiritual reading is the discipline through which we enter the company of the saints in order to glean their wisdom and to receive their guidance toward spiritual maturity. Yet spiritual reading of scripture or other texts does not follow the ‘strip-mining method’ we so often apply to written material. The aim in spiritual reading is not to scour the pages for valuable nuggets of insight with which we can turn a spiritual profit. Rather, spiritual reading is a form of dwelling in the words, listening attentively for what God is saying to us in the unique circumstances of our life."

Dare to Act . . . . . . . . Robert B. Tucker, "The Risk Takers," Insight # 69

     "Everybody has dreams, everybody hopes for a better future, and everybody has a good idea now and then. But not everybody dares to act on one’s ideas."

Societies are Renewed . . . . . . . . . John W. Gardner

    "Societies are renewed — if they are renewed at all — by people who believe in something, care about something, stand for something."

Be Uncommon . . . . . . . . . . Coach Lou Holtz

     "Success is obtained by uncommon people. An uncommon person is willing to do the things that a common person won’t do because a common person is basically lazy."

Words Unsaid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winston Churchill

"By swallowing evil words unsaid
no one has ever harmed his stomach."

Guilt . . . . . . . . . . . Leo Missinne, Priest, 12/84

     "Guilt is a valuable and uniquely human feeling that is essential to moral behavior, social interaction, and may even be the survival of the human species.

     We need to make a distinction between ‘guilty fear’ and ‘guilt.’ Guilty fear is primarily fear of being caught and punished. Guilty fear could be the beginning or a part of guilt but it is not the essence of what guilt is all about.

     Guilt is more an internalized sense of having done something which is becoming a part of our personality.…Sidney Jouard says that guilt itself is a desirable human emotion, in the sense that it enables us to recognize that we have done wrong and invites us to correct it."

You are Capable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zig Ziglar

"You are capable of accomplishing much more than you often do."

Silence is Golden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Anonymous

     "Silence is never more golden than when you hold it long enough to get all the facts before you speak."

     "It has been said that it is often easier to act yourself into a new way of thinking than to think yourself into a new way of acting. When we begin to act on a new insight, the hardest steps are the first ones."

Genuine Enthusiasm . . . . . Cliff C. Jones, Possibilities, 3/1986

     "Genuine enthusiasm is one of the most uncommon personality traits…Those who display zest and eagerness in their life have a definite leg up on others. Our attitudes are probably the critical determinant in what we do with our lives. And enthusiasm may well be the very best foundation upon which to build such a winning attitude."

     "Once there was a civilized rule about speech making among some African tribes. When a person rose to speak, he had to stand on one foot while delivering his oration. The moment his other foot touched the ground, the speech had to end, or the speaker was forcibly silenced."

     Might this be an applicable lesson for politics and preaching?