Every so often you meet someone who embodies the warrior spirit. You know the type. They are rugged, dogged and intrepid, and they possess a remarkable capacity to overcome obstacles and move through difficulties that would crush the ordinary man. Such men are rarely bellicose in nature, in fact, they tend to be pacifists at …
Author: Gregory Hake
Son. Husband. Father. Thinker. Doer.
The Martial Virtues
"Vigilance in watching opportunity; tact and daring in seizing upon opportunity; force and persistence in crowding opportunity to its utmost of possible achievement - these are the martial virtues which must command success." ~ Austin Phelps You cannot be vigilant if you are upset by your immediate circumstances or worried about what might happen in …
The Spirit of Ownership
In my professional career I have noticed that there are two types of people: those who approach everything as owners and those who face their life’s work as hirelings. The former develop habits that make them ideal candidates for actual ownership and they also tend to position themselves in relation to the opportunities that come …
The Service Culture
My uncle and I went on a consulting trip in Thailand several years ago and I had two particularly memorable moments that epitomized to me the spirit of outstanding service. Both occurred at the Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok, which I recall at the time was rated the #1 luxury hotel not just in Thailand but …
Gracious Living
One of the hallmarks of an effective parent, manager or leader is the attitude of graciousness. Gracious living is much more than a technique, in fact, it is a general approach to living that gives evidence of a refined relationship to life itself. What is life, anyway? Is it something that you have or something …
Order out of Chaos
Where you place your emphasis determines in large measure the quality and impact of your life. Consider this for a moment. Every situation that comes your way will contain a mixture of orderly and chaotic elements. Fear or react to the chaos and you will tend to perpetuate the chaos, if not add to it. …
Known to Unknown
I had two conversations yesterday that carried a common thread. While I was the common denominator in both, the principle outlined came from my riding coach and a new business associate, not from me. I couldn’t help but notice the coincidence and I am compelled to share it with you this morning. When you understand …
Infinite Possibility
"Man must realize that he was not placed in the world, as a finality, something fixed, limited, restricted and unchangeable. He was entrusted with himself as infinite possibility, as mere raw material to fashion as he will for better or for worse as he may determine. It is part of his glorious gift of freedom, …
Vision
"The great men of the world have ever been its men of vision, men of imagination, of ideals and of inspiration. They ever hold their heads high, and see above, through, and beyond the limitations of their time and environment. They will see with the poet’s imagination, the prophet’s intuition, the philosopher’s reasoning. Vision sees …
Lost in a Busy World
There is a game called by many different names that is played around the world. Where I grew up we called it "Operator." The game is simple, but revealing. One person whispers a message to another and the message is passed through the entire group until it reaches the last player, who then announces the …
Gregory Hake 