QUOTESDon't tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.~ George S. Patton Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.~ Dwight Eisenhower Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.~ Sir Winston Churchill I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.~ General George S. Patton Eighty percent of success is showing up.~ Woody Allen I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.~ Bill Cosby

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.~ William James How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.~ William Shakespeare When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.~ Thomas Jefferson It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.~ Henry Ford An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory.~ Friedrich Engels Someone's sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.~ Warren Buffett A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.~ Confucius

Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.~ Alfred A. Montapert Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.~ Will Rogers My life has been filled with terrible misfortune; most of which never happened.~ Montaigne The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for.~ Maureen Dowd Somehow I can't believe that there are any heights that can't be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four Cs. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionably.~ Walt Disney Create and stir other people to create.~ Robert Frost Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.~ Mark Twain There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.~ Hindu Proverb The good life, as I conceive it, is a happy life. I do not mean that if you are good you will be happy; I mean that if you are happy you will be good.~ Bertrand Russell Most things which are urgent are not important, and most things which are important are not urgent.~ President Dwight Eisenhower Thought is action in rehearsal.~ Sigmund Freud Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others; it is the only means.~ Albert Einstein Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right!~ Henry Ford You see things; and you say 'Why?' But I dream things that never were; and I say 'Why not?'~ George Bernard Shaw

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.~ Jesse Jackson There is no use trying, said Alice; one can't believe impossible things. I dare say you haven't had much practice, said the Queen. When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.~ Lewis Carroll The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt

the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.~ George Bernard Shaw The journey is the reward.~ Chinese Proverb Always forgive your enemies -- Nothing annoys them so much.~ Oscar Wilde The power of accurate observation is commonly called cynicism by those who have not got it.~ George Bernard Shaw However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.~ Winston Churchill War does not determine who is right - only who is left.~ Bertrand Russell Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. ~ William Shakespeare Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.~ Albert Einstein I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.~ Albert Einstein Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them.~ Albert Einstein The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.~ Albert Einstein Put your hand on a hot stove for a minute, and it seems like an hour. Sit with a pretty girl for an

hour, and it seems like a minute. THAT'S relativity~ Albert Einstein Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever~ Gandhi

We must become the change we want to see.~ Gandhi You can have big plans, but it is the small choices that have the greatest power. They draw us toward the future we want to create.~ Robert Cooper The critical responsibility for the generation you are in is to help provide the shoulders, the direction, and the support for those generations who come behind.~ Gloria Dean Randle Scott Tap Your Wells: Just before the Great Depression, Ira Yates sold a profitable, but boring business to back to the life he knew, ranching. He bought a thousand acres of land in West Texas and life quickly became neither boring nor profitable.

Yates and his family endured years of drought and economic hardship on this land. When it was rumored West Texas might be sitting on oil reserves, the struggling rancher finally had hope that his financial woes would soon be history.

He contacted an oil company and offered to let them drill on his land. But they were too busy working with well-established fields in other parts of the state. So Yates continued to scratch out a meager existence on his large, failed ranch.Two more years went by before an oil company agreed to construct a test well on the Yates Ranch. Much to everyone’s surprise, Yates’s land sat atop one of the largest and richest oil fields in all of North America. And that is how Ira Yates finally made his fortune.

But are not we all a little like Ira? Do not we already possess the well of our own success? Your gifts, talents, and creativity are natural resources within us all and are just waiting to pour forth. The question is: Will you tap into those resources, or wait for someone else to tap them for you? You may fail a thousand times, but success may be hiding behind the next step. You never know how close the prize is unless you continue.~ Bob Tyler In playing ball, or in life, a person occasionally gets the opportunity to do something great. When that time comes, only two things matter: Being prepared to seize the moment and having the courage to take your best swing.~ Hank Aaron A great teacher never strives to explain his vision, he simply invites you to stand beside him and see for yourself. When you walk your talk, people listen.~ German Proverb The Difference is Effort: Dan and Jim started working at Starling Imports on the same day. Both men were trained as sales reps and were considered honest, hard-working employees. Within a year, however, Jim was promoted to an executive position while Dan was passed over.

Dan felt unappreciated by the company and soon became so resentful of Jim’s success that he drafted a letter of resignation and gave it to his boss.

“Dan this is a surprise to me,” said the boss.“Well, I was pretty surprised at the recent round of promotions,” snapped Dan.

“I see,” said the boss thoughtfully. “But I don’t think you do. Tell you what: Before I sign off on this, do me a favor and go across the street to the farmer’s market. Find out if anyone is selling oranges.”

“Uh, well. . . okay,” said Dan as he started off on what he considered a strange errand. Minutes later he returned and reported, “Yes, there are oranges for sale at the market today.”

Then the boss called Jim to the office and asked the same favor. About 15 minutes passed before Jim came back to the office and reported, “There is only one vendor with oranges today. His name is Gus. He sells Florida oranges at $5.00 for a 3-pound bag or a 5-pounder for $8.00. They are tree-ripened and sweet. And he will give you a volume discount for any order over 50 pounds. Was there anything else you needed?”

“No. Thanks,” said the boss as Jim walked away. He turned to Dan and said, “Did you still want to give me this resignation?”

“No.” Dan blushed with embarrassment. “I understand your decision now and I think I can be more like Jim. Do you think he would teach me how?”You can make your world so much larger simply by acknowledging everyone else’s.~ Jeanne Marie Laskas Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible.~ Frank Gaines Many a man never fails because he never tries.~ Norman Macewan The Key to Achievement: The secret of making something work in your life is first of all, the deep desire to make it work; then the faith and belief that it can work; then to hold that clear definite vision in your consciousness and see it working out step by step, without one thought of doubt or disbelief.~ Eileen Caddy Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch.~ Ivern Ball Living involves tearing up one rough draft after another. You have to be careful about being too careful.~ Marcelene Cox All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. Love is what we were born with. Fear is what we learn here.~ Marianne Williamson The best manner of avenging ourselves is by not resembling him who has injured us.~ Jane Porter No matter how small and unimportant what we are doing may seem, if we do it well, it may soon become the step that will lead us to better things.~ Channing Pollock

We must practice the skill of listening instead of speaking, of acknowledging and celebrating difference instead of recoiling from it, of putting ourselves, as squarely as we can, into the experience of others.~ Andre Carothers Building a Foundation: Kevin was the only outside consultant hired to join the company’s in-house think tank. After his first week on the job, he wasn’t sure how well he fit in with his peers. Everyone seemed pleasant enough. Yet two of his associates were reserved around him.

Kirk and Darrin were fraternity brothers who had been the team’s brightest stars until Kevin joined the crew. Kevin knew that if there was a chance to develop a partnership with these fellows, he’d have to find some middle ground.

So he made small talk with them when he could, asked their advice when it seemed appropriate, and inquired about them through other co-workers. But nothing he did seemed to break the ice with these guys.

Then he invited them to lunch at a place he heard they liked to frequent. And this proved to be the ice breaker that Kevin needed. In the comfort of a familiar place, Kirk and Darrin became more communicative and began to loosen up. The three men ate, laughed, and even talked a little business.

Kevin knew it would take a while to prove himself to his team members. But he felt confident that his lunch meeting helped establish a foundation from which he could build solid working relationships.~ Cyndi Maxey and Jill Bremer A thoroughbred horse never looks at the other horses. It just concentrates on running the fastest race it can.~ Henry Fonda Without Effort: Wanting to have more time to himself, aging composer Johannes Brahms is said to have shocked his friends and colleagues with the announcement that he would no longer write music.

“Why shouldn’t I enjoy my old age?” he explained to those saddened by his news. “I’ll not write another note.”

And so it was: Brahms retired and seemed comfortable with his new freedom. Yet, several months later he debuted a new work!

“I thought you weren’t going to write any more music?” asked a friend.“I wasn’t, but after a few days’ leisure I was so happy at the thought of not writing, the

music just came to me without effort!”The next time you’re ready to throw in the towel, take a breather instead. You may find

that clearing your mind makes room for new ideas and energy to come your way. And like, Brahms, you’ll return to the game more motivated and productive than before.~ Jacob M. Braude Never look down to test the ground before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eyes fixed on the far horizon will find his right road.~ Dag Hammarskjold Never measure the height of a mountain, until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was.~ Dag Hammarskjold

The light died in the low clouds. Falling snow drank in the dusk. Shrouded in silence, the branches wrapped me in their peace. When the boundaries were erased, once again the wonder; that I exist.~ Dag Hammarskjold I am driven forward into an unknown land. The pass grows steeper, the air colder and sharper. A wind from my unknown goal stirs the strings of expectation. Still the question: Shall I ever get there? There where life resounds, a clear pure note in the silence.~ Dag Hammarskjold It’s not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out where the strong man stumbled or where the doer of great deeds could have done them better.The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena. Whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood. Who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again.And who, while daring greatly, spends himself in a worthy cause so that his place may never be among those could and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.~ Theodore Roosevelt Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.~ Theodore Roosevelt Only on the summit can we straighten our bodies that lean always uphill.~ Gaston Reoutfat Climbing is not a battle with the elements, nor against the law of gravity. It’s a battle against oneself.I love the mountains passionately. I have signed a sort of contract with them, and in them I will live my life. I love other things too, but the mountains are where nature offers her most beautiful contrasts. Nature offers the mountains to me, and I have consecrated my life to them. Without them I would feel condemned to death. A man may fail and fail many times, but he isn’t a failure until he blames somebody else for pushing him.~ John Burroughs Fine minds, like fine steel, are forged with hard knocks. Play for more than you can afford to lose, and you will learn the game.~ Winston Churchill The lives of truest heroism are those in which there are no great deeds to look back upon. It is the little things well done that go to make up a truly successful and good life.~ Theodore Roosevelt He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of little children; who has fulfilled his niche and accomplished his task; who has left the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty or failed to express it; who has always looked for the best in others and given the best he had; whose life was an inspiration; whose memory is a benediction. ~ A.J. Stanley

A Leader: A leader is best when people barely know he exist. Not so good when people obey and acclaim him. Worse when people despise him. Fail to honor people, they fail to honor you. But of a good leader, who talks little, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, the people will say, “We did this ourselves.”~ Lao Tse What is a friend? I’ll tell you. It is a person with whom you dare to be yourself. Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s documents. So shall you come easily by what others have labored hard for.~ Socrates Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writing an exact man.~ Francis Bacon Books are the treasured wealth of the world and the fit inheritance of generations and nations.~ Henry David Thoreau It is chiefly through books that we enjoy intercourse with superior minds, and these invaluable means of communication are in the reach of all.~ William Ellery Channing The quiet, calm, and patient trees can teach us things if we let them. We cannot learn these things in traffic jams, in crowded elevators, or in the midst of whirring machinery. A forest is a good place to achieve balance, to put things in our minds in their proper importance. All about us is ruled by reason. This tree cannot grow well for the soil is shallow; this tree is weak for it is in the shade of another; in this wet spot is a little spring and in the saturated soil only aquatic plants can develop. There is a reason for everything one can see and this order corrects the disorders that the hurries and jangles of civilization have crowded into our minds.~ E.R. Jackman What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others is immortal.~ Albert Pike If your reach does not exceed your grasp, what is a heaven for?~ Browning When legends die, the dreams end. When the dreams end, there is no more greatness.~ Hal Borland They are never alone who are accompanied by noble thoughts.~ Philip Sidney This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day thou canst not then be false to any man.~ William Shakespeare (Hamlet) The great use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.~ William James

Does the day belong to you or do you belong to the day? If you let your past control your present, then you will never have future. As you pursue your destiny you are creating a legacy. Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, and faith looks up. If wisdom’s ways you wisely seek,Five things observe with care,To whom you speak,Of whom you speak,And how, and when, and where The truth is what it is, but life is what you make of it. We will only save what we love. We will only love what we understand. We will only understand what we are taught.”~ Chief Seattle Reputation means nothing if you can’t get the job done. If you want to create a lasting masterpiece, you have to use quality materials. There are no menial jobs; anything that needs to be done is important. We are our own worst enemies in matters big and small. Therefore, he who can conquer himself and rule his own destiny is the greatest warrior of them all. Worry is like a rocking chair, you can rock all day and get nowhere.

The value of something is not determined by how much it appreciates, but by how much it is appreciated. A smart man learns for his experiences, but a wise man learns from others’ experiences.

It is never too late to start doing the right thing.

Life is not full of freedoms. Life is a privilege full of responsibilities.

If you really want to do something, you will find a way; if you don’t you will find an excuse. Great leaders do not tell people how to do their jobs, they give them goals and objectives and measure their results. You do not lead people by pointing a finger and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case.~Ken Kesey

One passionate person is better than forty interested people.

You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.~Oliver Goldsmith Man’s biggest mistake is to believe that he is working for someone else.

No matter what the level of your ability, you have more potential than you can ever develop in a lifetime. I would rather have one person working with me than three merely working for me.~F.W. Woolworth The Way to Success: A young man left his village determined to find his way in life. After traveling many miles, he came to a fork in the road where he encountered the elderly sage of a neighboring village. “Tell me old man, which road leads to success?”

The old man didn’t say a word, but pointed down one of the roads. The young man took heed and headed down the road eagerly. But no sooner had he departed, he returned bruised and somewhat weary.

“Maybe I misunderstood you, sir,” said the young man. “I am seeking success.”The old man nodded his head and pointed down the same road as before.Again, the young man set off on his journey only to return, this time more battered than

before. “I asked the way to success, you old fool! But that road is full of steep hills and jagged rocks that are impossible to climb. Look, I am bruised up and scarred. You don’t know the path to success.”

But the wise old man just sat there and continued to nod his head and point toward the road. “Success is that way,” he said. “It is just beyond the hills, rocks and bruises and pain.” The optimist sees the scar over the wound; the pessimist sees the wound underneath the scar. Greatness is not standing above our fellows and ordering them around; it is standing with them and helping them to be all that they can be.~G. Arthur Keough I consider my ability to arouse enthusiasm among my people the greatest asset I possess, and the way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.~Charles Schwab No endeavor that is worthwhile is simple in prospect; if it is right, it will be simple in retrospect.~Edward Teller If you are successful remember that somewhere, sometime, someone gave you a lift or an idea that started you in the right direction. Remember, also, that you are indebted until you help some less fortunate person, just as you were helped. Happiness is a butterfly, which, when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.~Nathaniel Hawthorne

It is not who is right, but what is right, that is important~Thomas Huxley Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous mind.~Samuel Johnson Best Pals: Bill had always attended private school. For kids like himself who were hearing impaired. But, when his family moved to a new town, Bill suddenly found himself thrust into a new world at public school.

When he learned that he would be the only deaf student at school, he knew his life had just become more difficult. But, then he met Leonard.

From the first day of class, Leonard volunteered his assistance to Bill. Leonard acted as a liaison, tour guide, and big brother. And, even though he lived in the opposite direction, Leonard always walked Bill home from school.

As their friendship developed, Bill taught Leonard some basic sign language. In return, Leonard taught Bill how to play football. When it came to after-school activities, Leonard would always include Bill in the plans.

At the end of the school year, though, Leonard’s family moved away suddenly. Rumors as to why popped up everywhere, including one that made Leonard’s parents out to be fugitives on the lam.

Most of the other students appeared to be relieved that Leonard was gone. That’s when Bill learned of Leonard’s reputation as the school bully. Prior to Bill’s arrival, Leonard had stolen money from students, “compelled” classmates to help him cheat on exams, and was suspected of vandalizing the boys’ locker room after he failed to make the football team.

Bill was overcome with emotion. It was hard for him to imagine Leonard as anything but helpful and kind. Bill wouldn’t have been able to adjust to his new environment were it not for his friendship with Leonard.

Maybe the kindness that Leonard showed to Bill was the kindness Leonard craved in his own life. Bill didn’t know what to think, but he grew to believe that the right set of circumstances is all that is ever needed to spotlight the true character of someone.~Thomas Russell We become what we expect to become. Greatness can be achieved only if we expect it from ourselves and from others.~James D. Ericson I will say this about being an optimist – even when things don’t turn out well, you are certain they will get better.~Frank Hughes A Legacy of concern: The summer Richard graduated from college he rewarded himself with a trip to Europe. Armed with a journal, a backpack, and a camera, he explored the rural villages of the countryside.

One day on a hike from one village to the next, he passed through a stretch of barren land. There he encountered an old man who carried a spade in his hand and a sack of acorns on his back. Every few feet he stopped and dug a small hole in which he deposited an acorn.

Richard and the man exchanged pleasantries and began a brief dialogue. “How many will you plant?” Richard asked.

“As many as will grow,” said the villager. “I will leave this world a little better than it was left for me.”

Years later Richard retraced his footsteps of his earlier journey. This time, he brought along his son who had just graduated from high school. They hiked all of the mountain villages

that Richard had visited as a young man. He was amazed to discover how much the landscape had changed between the two villages where he had encountered the old man.

The once-barren land was now heavily forested. Richard pulled out a photo of the old man in the empty field and showed it to his son. “Twenty-five years ago none of these trees were here.”

“Wow!” his son cried. “All of this grew from a few acorns?”“No,” Richard corrected. “All of this grew because one man cared.”

~Brian Cavanaugh Man masters nature not by force, but by understanding.~Jacob Bronowsky Always live your life with one dream to fulfill. No matter how many of your dreams you have realized in the past, always have a dream to go. Because when you stop dreaming, life becomes a mundane existence.~Sara Henderson The best thing to do with a red hot idea is build a fire under it. Success in this game depends less on strength of body than strength of mind and character.~Arnold Palmer The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry own.~Walter Lippmann Attitude: It is our best friend or our worst enemy.~John C. Maxwell Challenge Yourself: “I want to see a show of hands,” said the teacher. “How many of you are here in this class because it is a requirement?” Most of the students raised their hands.

“How many of you think this class is going to be tough?” Again, almost all of the hands went into the air.

“How many of you are excited about that?”No hands shot up.The teacher walked to the chalkboard and drew a circle. Inside the circle he drew a

house, a dollar sign, and a few stick-figure people. “Anyone want to take a guess as to what this is?” asked the teacher.

“Our life?” questioned one of the students.“Sort of,” replied the teacher. “Inside the circle are the things we come to expect out of

life. Things that make us feel secure and successful. But what do you think is outside of the circle/”

“The unknown,” shouted one student. “Failure,” shouted another. “Risk,” offered a third.

“Yes, all those things are just outside the circle, but so is possibility,” the teacher said as he drew an even bigger circle around the first one.

He erased the line of the inner circle. He drew a boat, a jet, a second house overlooking the ocean, and more stick figures in the empty space of the new larger circle. “When you take a chance and step outside of your inner circle, exciting things can happen. You will grow, your world will broaden, and so will your sphere of influence.”

“I want you to get it into your minds right now that your education in this lifetime is as vast as the universe. And I want you to challenge yourself to expand that little bubble you call your life. Now, who is ready to embark on a journey?”

All of the students raised their hands.~Megan Gebhardt The biggest liar in the world is: “They”~Douglas Malloch Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today, because if you enjoy it today, you can do it again tomorrow.~James Michener. Enemies should be chosen as carefully as friends Tact is the art of recognizing when to be big and when not to belittle.~Bill Copeland If you see need, do not ask why doesn’t somebody do something, ask why don’t I do something. Hard work, persistence and initiative are still the non-magic carpets to success.~Marian Wright Edelman Judge Later: Author Kent Nerburn once took a train ride across Canada. On his journey, Nerburn encountered a man whom other passengers avoided. This fellow was assumed to be a drunkard because of his slurred speech and unstable gait.

But Nerburn began a conversation with the man and soon learned he was recovering from a stroke. This man was once an engineer and operated trains along the very tracks that they were riding now. For the next several hours, he told Nerburn tales of the land they traveled through and legends of the people who once lived there. He also offered insight into some of the characters who worked for the railroad.

At the end of their conversation, the man thanked Nerburn for speaking with him. But, it was Nerburn who was grateful for the experience.

Everyday we make uninformed assessments of people and things in our environment, the accuracy of which we sometimes never discover. SO the next time you’re faced with choosing between avoiding and exchange with someone or embracing it, think of Kent Nerburn, who says: “Take a chance. Like people first, ask questions later. See if it doesn’t open the world to you in a new way. See if the light you shine on others isn’t reflected back on you a hundred-fold.”~Kent Nerburn If someone listens, or stretches out a hand or whispers a word of encouragement, or attempts to understand a lonely person, extraordinary things begin to happen.~Loretta Fitzaris The difficult we do immediately. The impossible takes a little longer.~U.S. Army Corps of Engineers People who live well are experts at giving. They give their money and they give their time. They share their wisdom and their skills. They quickly say yes when asked to help. For them to give is to love and to love is to live. It is a formula for a successful life.~Steve Goodier

Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure.~Edward Eggleston A Lesson in Respect: During his sophomore year of high school, Steve Farrar and his family moved to a new town. He loved basketball and hoped to play on the school’s team. But there was one problem – his father.

Although, Steve’s grades were good, they were not good enough by his father’s standards. And, until they were, Steve would not be allowed to play basketball.

Upon seeing Steve play basketball in gym class, the varsity coach asked him to try out for the team. Steve was flattered, of course, but told the coach about his father. The coach reviewed Steve’s grades and informed him that they met the school’s standards for getting on the team. Would it help if the coach called Steve’s father to discuss the situation?

That night, Steve’s father explained that the coach had called. Though both men really wanted Steve to play on the team, Steve’s father still felt his son had a responsibility to step up in his schoolwork before taking on extra activities.

The next day when the coach saw Steve, he said, “I talked to your dad yesterday afternoon and he wouldn’t budge. I explained the school eligibility rules, but he wouldn’t change his mind. I don’t have very much respect for your father.”

Steve was crushed: Basketball meant everything to him. Yet he could never play for a coach who didn’t respect a man who was simply doing what he thought was best for his son.

At that moment, Steve understood that his dad was a man of character and the coach was a man of compromise. The coach needed Steve in order to have a winning team. But, Steve knew his father’s rules of accountability would help him win in life.~H. Jackson Brown & Rochelle Pennington There is no such thing on earth as an uninteresting subject; the only thing that can exist is an uninterested person.~G. K. Chesterton We can’t take any credit for our talents. It is how we use them that counts.~Madeleine L’Engle All’s well in the end, if you’ve only the patience to wait.~Francois Rabelais Much unhappiness results from our inability to remember the nice things that happen to us.~W. N. Rieger Some day people will learn that material things do not bring happiness and are of little use in making people creative and powerful.~Charles Steinmetz Conduct is more convincing than language.~John Woolman The Right Thing Makes a Difference: I lost my wallet one afternoon. And you know the feeling of total helplessness. I had just been to the bank so my wallet was full of cash and other important items.

I was in a panic mode.I drove back to all the places I had been that day; bank, grocery store, cleaners, gas

station. I retraced all my steps. Nothing.

At 8:15 that night, my doorbell rang. A nice young man stood there smiling with my wallet in his hand. He found it o n the ground in the gas station parking lot sandwiched between the pumps. . . right where I had reached to pump my gas.

I could not speak. He said it was an “easy decision.” He saw my address on my drivers’ license (there was no phone number), looked on a city map and drove over 30 miles to my house. He lived in a different county.

His only explanation was that was how he was brought up.I thanked him many times and offered him money in gratitude. He politely refused. He

said the look on your face was worth the trip.He restored my faith in mankind; and it lasts to this day.

~Larry Lipman Goodness is the only investment that never fails.~Henry David Thoreau There is one thing alone that stands the brunt of life throughout its length: a quiet conscience.~Euripides The brain has muscles for thinking as the legs have muscles for walking.~Julien Offroy De La Mettrie Leadership is action, not position.~Walter Cronkite Real friends are those who, when you’ve made a fool of yourself, don’t feel you’ve done a permanent job.~Unknown Something Negative That’s Positive: Many years ago, researchers at a state university conducted a study. They created resumes and references for two job candidates who did not exist.

“David” and “John” had the exact same credentials on their resumes. Their personal references were very much alike with one exception. One of John’s recommendation letters contained the sentence: “Sometimes, John can be difficult to get along with.”

The resumes and letters were then shown to a group of personnel directors. John was clearly the favorite for the job.

The blemish on his letter did not weigh against him. In fact, the researchers concluded that the negative criticism paired with the positive accomplishments created a more believable assessment of John.

The key to being accepted for who you are is being who you are, good qualities and flaws alike. After all, there is always room for improvement, and things that sound too good just might not be true. The flower that follows the sun does so even on cloudy days.~Robert Leighton The goodness of a person and of the society he or she lives in often comes down to very simple things and words found in the Scout Law. Every society depends on trust and loyalty, on courtesy and kindness, on bravery and reverence. These are the values of Scouting, and these are the values of Americans.~George W. Bush

In the 30 years that I've been doing this for a living, I've never had a parent say to me, “I regretted the time I spent with my son or child in Scouting.”~Roy L. Williams The generation now being shaped by Scouting will be strengthened by deserved self-confidence and molded with its own history of kindness, bravery, honesty, and its all-out pursuit of excellence.~Earl G. Graves Boy Scouts does very well in making Scouts aware of character and integrity and ... virtues and incorporate [them] in their lives so that they carry themselves as [those] kind of [people] for the rest of their [lives].~Steve Fossett Scouting reinforces values you brought from home. It gave us an opportunity to share them with others whose values were not as strong.~Jose Nino Following the Scout Law sounds like a game plan that would give us all a better chance for success in life—and I mean every area of life.~Zig Ziglar I think that American leadership is vital to peace and prosperity and the advancement of democracy in the world, and that requires having strong leaders. And I don't think there's any organization in the world, certainly not in the United States, that better prepares young men for leadership in this country than the Boy Scouts of America--in teaching leadership skills, in teaching values, in teaching importance of standing up for what's right.~Bob Gates The Scouting program fosters development in youth and helps them become good citizens of their communities and loyal adherents to their religious heritage.~Binyamin Walfish The Boy Scouts of America has something going for it that all the government welfare programs in America can't match: success. Besides families and religion, Scouting is probably this country's single best program for building character in boys, and has been for nearly a century. The American people recognize that Scouting today is one of the few organizations that has retained its basic values from its origin, and that is our best hope for future leadership of America. It is the only organization that completely endorses family values, which are being recognized belatedly by the American people as one of the real strengths and hopes for the future of our country.~H.E. Bovay Jr. The Boy Scouts of America stands for a set of principles. These principles have a lot of staying power. The values you learn as a Scout are like a compass. They can help you find your way through difficult and sometimes unchartered terrain. The principles of Scouting give you a sense of what's important. I feel I owe the Boy Scouts a great deal, both personally and professionally.~Bill Bradley

I've never forgotten my days as an Eagle Scout. I didn't know it at the time, but what really came out of my Scouting experience was learning how to lead and serve the community. It has come in handy in my career in government.~Lloyd Bentsen Scouting is an enormously important and useful discipline for young people, particularly young boys. It can build character and can awaken an appetite for learning.~Raul Yzaguirre I admire the Boy Scouts of America because the BSA has meant finding real solutions to some of the problems plaguing our country and has kept the faith in what America is and must mean to the world. You show that character comes from one small act at a time, caring for each child as if he or she were our own.~George H. Bush Scouting has always reflected the expectations of the American family. That so many American parents have chosen to involve their children in Scouting is a powerful testament to Scouting's effectiveness in building character in American youth.~John W. Creighton Jr. Parents and troop leaders, you are succeeding in your mission, our nation's mission, and also the Boy Scout mission to perpetuate the fundamental values that made our nation great, and to ensure that our young people become productive adults and responsible citizens.~Elizabeth "Betsy" McCaughey Ross I assure you of my own personal appreciation of Scouting as a magnificent experience and form of social and religious commitment.~Pope John Paul II I think the character that you learn in Scouting—working together, being honest with each other, being close knit ... and depending on one another, on our camping trips and doing things—all these things build character in a young man that he takes with him into adulthood and makes him a much better citizen. And that's why Scouting to me has always been an organization I've always wanted to help. I think it's one of the best youth organizations that we ... have in this country.~James A. Lovell Jr. Scouting exposes young men to people and experiences that encourage and nurture positive moral values. But we mustn't take Scouting for granted. You can do nothing more important for young people today than to continue, or begin, your support of Scouting. I have never met anyone with devoted Scouting experience who was not a solid citizen, a loyal friend, and a patriot. We need more of them.~Wallace G. Wilkinson There's no question that character counts. Character counts today, it counted a century ago and it will count a century from now. It's absolutely critical because you're reflecting some basic beliefs of honor, integrity, and those different elements of life that will aid you in progressing and frankly, [you'll get] in trouble if you don't believe in 'em.~Milton Ward The happiest people don’t necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything they have.

When you come to a fork in the road take it.~Yogi Berra Can you imagine a major league baseball player leading the league in making the most errors, being struck out the most times, in hitting the most double plays and still being voted the most valuable player for that year?

It happened. In 1942 Joe Gordon did all those things yet still won the MVP award for the American League.

Joe Gordon’s experience shows that even though you have faults you can overcome them and be recognized for your good points. If you really want to do something, you will find a way; if you don’t, you will find an excuse. The true test of a first-rate mind is the ability to hold two contradictory ideas at the same time.~F. Scott Fitzgerald When someone gets something for nothing, someone else gets nothing for something. The thing I hate most about an argument is that it always interrupts a discussion.~G.K. Chesterton Mountains appear more lofty the nearer they are approached, but great leaders resemble them not in this particular. The two hardest things to handle in life are failure and success. The pessimist may be right in the long run, but the optimist has a better time during the trip. Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You cannot cross a chasm in two small jumps.~David Lloyd George Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.~Admiral Hyman Rickover The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits. Questions are never indiscreet. Answers sometimes are.~Oscar Wilde There is only one thing about which I am certain, and that is that there is very little about which one can be certain.~Somerset Maugham The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention.~Duguet What we must decide is perhaps how we are valuable, rather than how valuable we are.~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Every life has its dark and cheerful hours. Happiness comes from choosing which to remember. Strong lives are motivated by dynamic purposes.~Kenneth Hildebrand Like all blessings, leisure is a bad thing unless it is well used.~James A. Garfield Genius is the ability to reduce the complicated to the simple.~C. W. Ceram Find Your Courage: Living fearlessly is not the same things as never being afraid. It is good to be afraid occasionally. Fear is a great teacher. What is not good is living in fear, allowing fear to define who you are. Living fearlessly means standing up to fear, taking its measure, refusing to let it shape and define your life.~Michael Ignatieff We can’t do everything for everyone everywhere, but we can do something for someone somewhere.~Richard L. Evans The future always holds something for the man who keeps faith in it.~H. L. Hollis Getting an idea should be like sitting on a pin; it should make you jump up and do something.~E. L. Simpson Trouble can always be borne when it is shared.~Katherine Patterson My friends are my estate.~Emily Dickinson Forgiveness is as valuable to the one forgiven as to the one who forgives.~Amish Proverb I don’t believe in just ordering people to do things. You have to sort of grab an oar and row with them.~Harold Geneen A pessimist sees only the dark side of the clouds, and mopes; a philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn’t see the clouds at all – he is walking on them.~Sam Levinson Strong people are made by opposition like kites that go up against the wind.~Frank Harris The Big Blunder: “Your resume is quite impressive,” said Mr. Jones to the job candidate seated in his office. “What value could you bring to the Jones and Associates team?”

“I have years of experience in this industry,” said the prospective employee. “I’m a hard worker and I never make mistakes.”

“Hmm,” said Mr. Jones. “I have about 50 employees, each one a specialist in their field. At least once a day , every last one of them makes a mistake. In fact, just a week ago, one of our guys made a real doozy that cost the company $3,000 to fix.”

“If I were on your team that sort of thing would never happen.” Said the interviewee with a smirk.

“Really?” said Mr. Jones. “Well, in the process of fixing that problem though, we discovered a way to save the company $10,000 a month. Would that happen if you were on the team?” Our children may learn about heroes of the past. Our task is to make ourselves architects of the future.~Jomo Mzee Kenyatta The very essence of leadership is that you have to have a vision. It’s got to be a vision you articulate clearly and forcefully on every occasion. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.~Theodore Hesburgh Responsibilities gravitate to the person who can shoulder them.~Elbert Hubbard The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you.~Max De Free It is the job that’s never started as takes longest to finish.~J.R.R. Tolkien You don’t understand anything until you learn it more than one way.~Marvin Minsky Education is the best provision for old age.~Aristotle The most beautiful thing in the world is the conjunction of learning and inspiration.~James Truslow Adams Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely.~Auguste Rodin One of the things I learned early in life was to ask for help.~Michelle Obama The worst thing you can do is to try to cling to something that’s gone, or to recreate it.~Johnette Napolitano Don’t believe that winning is really everything. It’s more important to stand for something. If you don’t stand for something, what do you win?~Joseph Lane Kirkland To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you are not, pretend you are.~Muhammad Ali

Expect to lose sometimes, but a loss can be a stepping stone to victory if it is utilized in the right way.~Jake Gaither When comedian Dave Chappelle decided to pursue a career in the entertainment industry his father offered this sage advice: “Name your price before you get there. And if you ever find it is more expensive than what you are prepared to give, then get out.” What does it take to be the best? Everything. And everything is up to you.~Emmitt Smith Success is often an idea away.~Frank Tyger Who supplies another with a constructive thought has enriched him forever.~Alfred A. Montapert The difference between perseverance and obstinacy is that one often comes form a strong will, and the other from a strong won’t.~Henry Ward Beecher A man’s greatest battles are the ones he fights within himself.~Ben Okri Advertising genius Alex Osborn integrated creativity with everything he did, everyday. Considered the “father of brainstorming” a term he helped coin in 1939, Osborn devoted his life to promoting and teaching creative thinking. And the fiercest enemy of creativity, he believed, was criticism: “Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud. Any of us will put out more and better ideas if our efforts are appreciated.~Alex Osborn We are the echo of the future.~William Stanley Merwin One half of life is luck; the other half is discipline, and that’s the most important half, for without discipline you wouldn’t know what to do with your luck.~Carl Zuckmayer The body travels more easily than the mind, and until we have limbered up our imagination we continue to think as though we had stayed home. We have not really budged a step until we take up residence in someone else’s point of view.~John Erskine Doing what is right isn’t the problem. It’s knowing what is right.~Lyndon B. Johnson To forgive heals the wound, to forget heals the scar. Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action.~Brendan Francis

When the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence, it may be that they take better care of it there.~Cecil Selig The Cab Ride: Jim walked out of the airport after a long business trip. All he wanted was to get home. “Sir, may I give you a lift somewhere?” asked a driver standing in front of an open passenger door of a taxi.

“Sure,” Jim said as the man took his luggage and stowed it in the trunk. He reached in and offered Jim a folded copy of the evening newspaper.

“Where can I take you this evening?”“Uptown.” Jim answered.“No problem,” the cabbie asked Jim if he wanted to listen to the radio or choose from a

selection of CDs.“I’m really impressed,” said Jim as he looked around the inside of the car. “This is the

cleanest and nicest taxi that I’ve ever been in.”“Thank you very much,” said the cabbie.“You seem to take a real interest in your work. How long have you been doing this?”“Just a year.”“A year. Well what did you do before that?”“Before that I was an executive in one of those high-rise offices downtown.”“What made you leave?”“I wasn’t happy being pigeon-holed in an office all day. I was bored with my job and

needed a change. And it occurred to me how much I liked driving. I know the city like the back of my hand and I know all the shortcuts, too. So here I am.”

“That’s an amazing story,” said Jim.“No, what’s amazing is how happy I am doing something I enjoy. And because I love

what I do, the ideas on how I can do it better just keep coming. The pay isn’t bad either.”And as Jim handed over his fare, which included a sizable tip, he thought that maybe this

driver was on to something.~Petey Parker The true measure of a career is to be able to be content, even proud, that you succeeded through your own endeavors without leaving a trail of casualties in your wake.~Alan Greenspan Confidence Makes the Difference: My big break into the business world was given to me by a fine man named Douglas Welker. I was very excited when I interviewed with Doug and more so a week later when he called and offered me the position. The money and benefits were superb, plus the company was well respected. My prospects looked excellent.

However, the job was more involved than I realized. I was expected to set-up a new operation, find office space and furnishings, hire employees, and basically run a new business by myself with a large dynamic company depending on me.

I went from thrilled to overwhelmed in about 24 hours. At age 27, I felt that I could not handle so much responsibility. I struggled through my duties for two more days. Ultimately, I decided the only thing I could do was to quit.

The next morning, I phoned Doug and requested to meet with him. He graciously agreed and I went to his office later that morning. I explained my feelings of inadequacy to Doug. I apologized for not being able to live up to his expectations of me and handed him my resignation. He simply smiled.

I turned to leave feeling sick and worthless, but before I reached the door Doug began to laugh. When I turned around, Doug asked me to sit down. He calmly explained how all new jobs are stressful and difficult at first. He told me he knew I could handle the position and that

he had other much bigger plans for me. He said he believed in me and tore my resignation letter into pieces and threw it away. Then Doug said, “Now, enough of this, go get to work,” and smiled as he escorted me to the door.

After that day, I knew I could handle anything. I held many positions in the organization and eventually became the president of a subsidiary, all with Doug’s help and support. Doug gave me a very special gift, confidence; the confidence to succeed because he believed in me and my ability.~Andrew E. Howard I have had more trouble with myself than with any other person I have ever met.~Dwight L. Moody There is no wrong without remedy. If someone listens, or stretches out a hand, or whispers a kind word of encouragement, or attempts to understand a lonely person, extraordinary things begin to happen.~Loretta Girzartis The essence of courage is not that your heart should not quake, but that nobody else knows that it does.~E.B. Benson Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.~Billy Graham All the statistics in the world can’t measure the warmth of a smile.~Chris Hart Complacency is the enemy of progress.~Dave Stutman If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over? Everything Happens for a Reason: Carla was thrilled to be going on vacation. With no job prospects in her immediate future, she planned her trip to start the week after her college graduation. She created an itinerary to ensure she made the most of her time away and figured she’d start looking for a job as soon as she returned.

Much to her dismay, she arrived at the airport to find that her flight was overbooked and that she had been bumped from her seat. The representatives from the airline were apologetic and issued Carla and the other would-be travelers vouchers toward future travel.

Carla flagged a cab in front of the airport to take her home. “Why such a long face?” the driver asked.

“I got bumped off my flight.” Carla pouted.“Look on the bright side,” the cabbie said. “Everything happens for a reason.”Carla could think of no good reason why she shouldn’t be on her vacation and sulked all

the way back to her apartment. Once inside, she opened her suitcase and began to unpack. The doorbell rang. It was a courier with an express letter she needed to sign for.

Inside the envelope was a job offer from a company she’d been hoping to work for. A reply was required within the next 48 hours. And she could report to the office a few days after that. “Now this is a good reason to stay home,” Carla thought.

Getters generally don’t get happiness; givers get it. You simply give to others a bit of yourself: a thoughtful act, a helpful idea, a word of appreciation, a lift over a rough spot, a sense of understanding, a timely suggestion. You take something out of your mind, garnished in kindness out of your heart, and put it into the other fellow’s mind and heart.~Charles H. Burr Be yourself. Who is better qualified?~Frank J. Giblin, II As small as it may seem a good deed is always worth doing.~Spark Matsunaga We live in a world where it often seems that our fears outweigh our hope that things can get better. And, yes, there are many concerns worth worrying about. Yet, rather than running from the problems we must embrace a powerful tool that will help us to overcome what is wrong – INSPIRATION.~Lance Secretan Hiring new employees usually focuses on finding the most capable person who fits well into your organization. But sometimes, managers are forced to change their criteria.

An accountant interviewed for a job with a large company. Most of the questions were technical and required him to solve math problems in his head before answering. “Just one more question as we wrap things up,” said the interviewer. “What is 9 times 8?”

“73,” said the accountant.“Okay, we’ll call you in a couple of days.”After the accountant left the room, he thought about the answer he had just given and

cringed. “73!” he gasped. “I can’t believe I made such a blunder.”He sulked for days, berating himself for his senseless mistake. But to his surprise, the

interviewer phoned him a few days later and offered him the job. “Sure, I’d love to work in your company. I’m relieved to find out that my mistake on the last question did not count against me.”

“On the contrary,” said the interviewer. “Out of everyone we interviewed, you were the one who came closest.” People nearly always know the right answers, they just like someone else to tell them.~Caroline Rush Nowadays, we think of a philanthropist as someone who donates big sums of money, yet the word is derived from tow Greek words, philos (loving) and anthropos (man): loving man. All of us are capable of being philanthropists. We can give of ourselves. The mistakes we aren’t allowed to make in our youth, we make later in life – at greater cost and with less benefit. Great men are said to have four things in common: They speak softly, have a capacity for handwork, a deep conviction for their cause, and a consuming belief in their ability to do it.~John D. Hess Giving Back to Those in Need: I made a colossal mistake when I was 19 years old, I committed a burglary and stole $2,500. That is how I met now-retired Detective Joseph Leary of the Amesbury, Mass. Police Department. Detective Leary arrested me for burglary.

I was petrified about the prospect of going to jail. But on the day I was to be indicted Detective Leary stopped by my house on his way to court. He told me that he was going to go to bat for me because he saw something in me.

His actions provided me with an opportunity to straighten myself out and a chance to prove myself. I did, and eventually became a police officer and later a police chief.

Now, as a motivational speaker I am able to reach out to others the way Detective Leary reached out to me. Thank you, Detective Leary. Though our encounter was brief, you made an enormous impact on my life.~Richard A. Labell Bad is never good until worse happens.~Danish Proverb Winning isn’t getting ahead of others. It’s getting ahead of yourself.~Roger Staubach A professional is someone who can do his best work when he doesn’t feel like it.~Alistair Cooke It is better to be wise than to seem wise.~Origen Leadership is convincing people they can do something they shouldn’t be able to do.~Al Roberts Own Up to Your Mistakes: Just days after mailing some documents to a client, Donald noticed a few typos in the letter. He wondered what to do. If he was lucky, the client might skim right over the misspelled words hardly noticing them. But soon Donald learned from his colleagues that Mr. Luke was one of the firm’s longest-standing clients and a real stickler for details.

After weighing his options, Donald decided to courier Mr. Luke a note of apology along with the correct papers.

A short time after that, Donald received a phone call. “Donald, this is Mr. Luke. I want to speak with you about those documents you sent over.”

Donald froze, “Yes?”“Most people wouldn’t have bothered to do what you did. That shows confidence and

character,” Mr. Luke said. “It also shows me that you are concerned with the quality of the work you do. I like that and hope that I will learn to like more things about you as you handle my affairs.”

“Thank you, sir,” Donald replied.“No, thank you,” said Mr. Luke. “It’s always refreshing to know that there are still

people out there willing to own up to their mistakes.”~Terrie Williams There are two reasons why people fail. One is irresponsibility. The second is fear.~Wally Amos If. . . you can’t be a good example, then you’ll just have to be a horrible warning.~Catherine Aird When pessimists think they’re taking a chance, optimists feel they’re grasping a great opportunity.

Before you throw in the towel and admit defeat, remember the words of the great inventor Thomas Edison (1847-1931), who said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Anyone who stops learning is old, whether this happens at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps on learning not only remains young, but becomes constantly more valuable regardless of physical capacity.~Harvey Ullman Whatever creativity is, it is in part a solution to a problem.~Brian Aldiss In one hand I have a dream, and in the other I have an obstacle. Tell me, which one grabs your attention?~Henry Parks It is better to be approximately right than precisely wrong.~Warren Buffet Chance is a part of reality: we are continually shaped by the forces of coincidence, the unexpected occurs with almost numbing regularity in our lives.~Paul Auster Soap, water and common sense are the best disinfectants.~William Osler Life is not measured by the breathes you take, but rather the moments that take your breath away. It is wrong to coerce people into opinions, but it is our duty to impel them into experience.~Kurt Hahn Only those who risk going too far will ever know how far they can go. A smile is contagious; be a carrier. The best thing to do behind a friend's back is pat it.~Ruth Brillhart If you think you're too small to make a difference, you haven't been in bed with a mosquito.~Anita Roddick Courage is contagious. When a brave person takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.~Billy Graham You are the only person on this earth who can use your ability. Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it will elude you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes softly and sits on your shoulder. The best way to forget your on problems is to help someone else solve theirs.

~Dr. Patch Adams If there is no wind, row. Forgiveness is the sweetest revenge. You can't base your life on other people's expectations. Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.~Muriel Strode On the first day of school, a teacher was glancing over the roll when she noticed a number after each student's name, such as 154, 136 and 142.

"Wow! Look at these IQs," she said to herself. "What a terrific class." The teacher promptly determined to work harder with this class than any other she ever had.

Throughout the year, she came up with innovative lessons that she thought would challenge the students, because she did not want them to get bored with work that was too easy.

Her plan worked! The class outperformed all the other classes that she taught in the usual way.

Then during the last quarter of the year, she discovered what those numbers after the students' name really were: their locker numbers. One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks.~Jack Penn Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.~Mark Twain Courage is very important. Like a muscle, it is strengthened by use.~Ruth Gordon You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try.~Beverly Sills Tell me, and I'll forget. Show me, and I may not remember, involve me, and I'll understand.~Native American Proverb Pride is tasteless, colorless and sizeless. Yet it is the hardest thing to swallow.~August B. Black Nathaniel Hawthorne went home to tell his wife that he had just been fired from his job. "Good," she said. "Now you can write your book." "What do we live on meanwhile?" Hawthorne asked.

His wife opened a drawer filled with money. "I have always known that you are a man of genius," she said. "So I saved a little each week, and now I have enough to last for a year." Hawthorne used the time to write The Scarlet Letter, one of the great masterpieces of American literature. God gave us two ears but only one mouth. Some people say that's because he wanted us to spend twice as much time listening as talking. Others claim it's because he knew that listening was twice as hard.

A ship in a safe harbor is safe, but that is not what a ship is built for.~William Shedd

There was a little boy with a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him to hammer a nail in the back fence every time he lost control.

The first day the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. Then it gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally, the day came when the boy did not lose his temper at all. His father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father led his son to the fence.

"You have done well, but look at the holes in the fence," he said. "When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like the nail holes. You can put a knife in a person and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say 'I'm sorry,' the wound is still there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one." If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door. The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.~William James Fall seven times, stand up eight. Be kind. Every person you meet is fighting a hard battle. The manner in which it is given is worth more than the gift.~Pierre Corneille You can either complain that rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice that thorn bushes have rose. Smart is when you believe only half of what you hear. Brilliant is when you know which half to believe. Not failure, but low aim is a crime.~Ernest Holmes Enthusiasm is the greatest asset in the world. It beats money, power and influence.~Henry Chester Holding onto anger is like holding onto a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you're the one who gets burned.~Buddha If you have knowledge, let other light their candles at it. Initiative: The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball. They fight no fights. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in the arena are the doers. They male many mistakes because they attempt many things.

Ford forgot to put a reverse gear on his first automobile and then went on to revolutionize the automobile industry with his Model T.

The man who makes no mistakes lacks boldness and the spirit of adventure. He never tries anything new. He is a brake on the wheels of progress.

~Graham Striving for success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted.~David Bly A rich man once asked a friend, "Why am I criticized for being miserable? Everyone knows I will leave everything to charity when I die."

"Well," said the friend, "let me tell you about the pig and the cow. The pig was lamenting to the cow one day about how unpopular he was."

"People are always talking about your gentleness and your kind eyes," said the pig. "Sure you give milk and cream, but I give more, I give bacon, ham, bristles. They even pickle my feet! Still nobody likes me, why is this?"

The cow thought for a minute, then replied, "Well, maybe it's because I give while I'm still living." Simple solutions seldom are. Victory is won not in miles, but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground and will a little more later.~Louis L'Amour There are no shortcuts to the top. There is one thing worse than not getting to where you want to go and this is not being equipped once you get there. Winners make goals; losers make excuses. Experience is a wonderful thing. It enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it. A vision is not a vision unless it says yes to some ideas and no to others, inspires people and is a reason to get out of bed in the morning and come to work.~Gifford Pinchot Those who make the worst use of their time are the first to complain of its shortness.~Jean de la Bruyere The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the stairs. . . one step at a time. The great dividing line between success and failure can be expressed in five words: "I did not have time." Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.~Bill Bradley It is amazing how much people can get done if they do not worry about who gets the credit.~Sandra Swinney It is never too late to be what you might have been.~George Elliot Success is more of consistent common sense than it is of genius. Hoping is active and wishing is passive. Hoping means seeing that the outcome you want is possible and then working for it. Wishing means just sitting there, waiting for a miracle t happen out of the blue.

~Bernie S. Siegel To be persuasive, we must be believable. To be believable, we must be credible. To be credible we must be truthful. Reputation is what you are perceived to be. Character is what you are.~John Wooden Experience is what you get by not having it when you need it. Yiddish folklore offers a telling tale about gossipers. One such rumor-monger had told so many untruths about the local rabbi that, overcome by remorse, he begged the rabbi to forgive him. "Tell me how I can make amends."

"Take two pillows, go to the public square and there cut the pillows open. Wave them in the air. Then come back."

The rumor-monger quickly went home, got two pillows and a knife, hastened to the square, cut the pillows open, waved them in the air and hastened back to the rabbi's chambers.

"I did just what you said," he reported to the rabbi."Good," the rabbi replied. "Now to realize how much harm is done by gossip go back to

the square and collect all the feathers."~Leo Rosten We cannot hold a torch to light another's path without brightening our own.~Ben Sweetland If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then hit it a third time with a tremendous wheck.~Winston Churchill No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks, It is not doing what you like, but liking what you do that is the secret of happiness.~James Barrie Our prayers are answered not when we are given what we ask, but when we are challenged to be what we can be.~Morris Adler Laziness grows on people. It begins in cobwebs and ends in chains. The more one has to do the more he is able to accomplish~Thomas Buxton There is no exercise better for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up.~John Holmes Only God is in a position to look down on anyone~Red O'Donnell One problem with gazing too frequently into the past is that we may turn around to find the future has run out on us.~Michael Cibenko

As a physician who has been deeply privileged to share the most profound moments of people's lives, including their final moments, let me tell you a secret.

People facing death don't think about what degrees they have earned, what positions they have held or how much wealth they have accumulated.

At the end, what really matters and is a good measure of a past life is who you loved and who loved you. The circle of love is everything.~Dr. Bernadine Healy There are three things extremely hard: steel, diamond and to know one's self.~Benjamin Franklin It took me a long time not to judge myself through someone else's eyes.~Sally Field Einstein's three rules of work: 1) Out of clutter, find simplicity; 2) From discord, find harmony; 3) In difficulty, find opportunity. The greatest pleasure I know is to do a good action by stealth and to have it found out by accident.~Charles Lamb Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused. A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful, than a life spent doing nothing. ~George Bernard Shaw Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense.~Gertrude Stein Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of one's values.~Ayn Rand Opportunities are often things you haven't noticed the first time around.~Catherine Deneuve Change is created by those whose imaginations are bigger than their circumstances. You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren't happy in one place, chances are you won't be happy anyplace.~Ernie Banks Our opinion of people depends less upon what we see in them than upon what they make us see in ourselves.~Sarah Grand Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.~Peter Drucker It is easy to fool yourself. It is possible to fool the people you work for. It is more difficult to fool the people you work with. But it is almost impossible to fool the people who work under you.

~Harry Thayer The important thing is not being afraid to take a chance. Remember, the greatest failure is not to try. Once you find something you love to do, be the best at doing it.~Debbi Fields Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.~Michael Landon It is discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deciet.~Noel Coward Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.~Franklin D. Roosevelt The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.~Thomas Jefferson One of the secrets of life is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks. It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help.~Judith Martin The Chinese call luck opportunity, and they say it knocks everyday at your door. Some people hear it; some do not. It's not enough to hear opportunity knock. You must let him in, greet him, make friends and work together.~Bernard Gittelson The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man's foot long enough to put the other somewhat higher.~Thomas Huxley