2020-01 - 21 Words...

In the spring of 1871, a young medical student picked up a book and read twenty-one words that had a profound effect on his future. These words not only helped him to become the most famous physician of his generation, but when he died, two huge volumes were required to tell the story of his life.

His name was Sir William Osler. Here are the twenty-one words that he read: _Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand._

The future is today; there is no tomorrow... 

Waste of energy, mental distress, nervous worries, all dog the steps of a person who is anxious about the future. The best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, all your enthusiasm, on doing today's work, superbly, today. 

This is the only possible way you can prepare for the future.

~ Author Unknown

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By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

~ Benjamin Franklin

2019-50 - Blind Ambition...

Blind Ambition...

Charlie Boswell was blinded during World War II while rescuing his friend from a tank that was under fire.

He was a great athlete before his accident and in a testimony to his talent and determination he decided to try a brand new sport, a sport he never imagined playing, even with his eyesight... golf! Through determination and a deep love for the game he became the National Blind Golf Champion and even won the Ben Hogan Award in 1958.

Upon meeting Ben Hogan, Charlie was awestruck and stated that he had one wish and it was to have one round of golf with the great Ben Hogan.

Mr. Hogan agreed that playing a round together would be an honor for him as well, as he had heard about all of Charlie's accomplishments and truly admired his skills.
"Would you like to play for 1,000 per hole!"

"I can't, what would people think of me, taking advantage of you and your circumstance," replied the sighted golfer.

"Chicken, Mr. Hogan?"

"Okay," blurted a frustrated Hogan, "but I am going to play my best!"

"I wouldn’t expect anything else," said the confident Boswell.

"You’re on Mr. Boswell, you name the time and the place!"

A very self-assured Boswell responded "10 o’clock… tonight!"

~ John Kanary

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Ambition is the path to success.

~ Bill Bradley

2019-49 - Just like marriage...

Nasrudin spent the entire autumn working his garden. The flowers had blossomed in the spring - and Nasrudin noticed a few dandelions appearing, which he hadn't planted.

Nasrudin tore them up. But the pollen had already spread and others began to grow. He tried to find a weed killer which only killed dandelions. A specialist told him any type of poison would end up killing all the other flowers. In despair, he went to ask a gardener for help.

"It is like a marriage" said the gardener. "Along with the good things, a few little inconveniences always appear."

"What can I do?" insisted Nasrudin.

"Learn how to love them. Although they are flowers you did not count on, they are still part of the garden."

~ Paulo Coelho

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"Truly loving another means letting go of all expectations. It means full acceptance, even celebration of another's personhood."

~ Author Unknown

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2019-47 - What, How, Who...

A little boy playing in his sandbox discovered a large rock. The lad managed to dislodge it from the dirt.

With a little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged but found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall. Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.

At the moment the tears fell, a large shadow moved across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"

Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!"

"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me."

With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox.

~ Rohan Matthew

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To solve any problem ask yourself; What could I do? How could I do it? and, Who could I ask?

~ Rohan Matthew

2019-45 - Choose One Chair...

The world-renowned opera tenor Luciano Pavarotti recalls...

When I was a boy, my father, a baker, introduced me to the wonders of song. He urged me to work very hard to develop my voice. Arrigo Pola, a professional tenor in my hometown, took me on as a student. I also enrolled in a teacher's college.

As graduation was nearing I asked my father, "Shall I be a teacher or a singer?"

"Luciano," my father replied, "if you try to sit on two chairs, you will fall between them. For life, you must choose, you can only sit in one chair."

Pavarotti continues... I chose one. It took seven years of study and frustration before I made my first professional appearance. It took another seven years to reach the Metropolitan Opera.

And now I think, whether it's laying bricks, writing a book - whatever we choose - we should give ourselves completely to it. Commitment that's the key. Choose one chair."

 

~ Luciano Pavarotti

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Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.

~ Peter F Drucker