I was thumbing through the remarkable observations set down by Nicolaus Copernicus in his book On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres in the 1400s. You may recall that Copernicus abandoned the long-held Ptolemaic system, where the Earth was seen as being fixed in the center of the universe (geocentric) in favor of his mathematical proof that it in fact moved around the sun (heliocentric). …
Continue reading On the Revolutions of Heavenly Spheres by Nicolaus Copernicus
Having spent my high school and university years in Michigan, I grew up surrounded by the automotive industry and its lore, its history and those who made it possible. One particular founding father of the automobile industry stood out to me for his ingenuity, his determination and his way with words: Henry Ford. Henry Ford founded …
The key to change is to let go of fear. Far too often people will recognize the need for change and then sooner or later, fail to take the steps necessary to let the change manifest in its fulness. Some scupper change right at the "get-go," either out of a fear of failure or even of success, preferring instead the …
Continue reading The Fear of Change: Lessons from FDR and Benji
One value of recounting the great achievements wrought by our fellows throughout history is that their stories help to put our current worries, fears or concerns into perspective. Did you really let traffic "ruin your day," the wrong item in your take-out order "piss you off" or an unfriendly glare or comment "cause you to blow up?" Try dealing with being stranded in the middle of nowhere for two years, incommunicado and with 27 people you've only just met.
If you were able to take snapshot of every aspect of your life - your work, personal situation, home, family, friends, finances and your sense of self - and look at them like flashcards, what words would you use to describe them? Some aspects of your life may appear more promising than others, but no matter what the factors are, you can always stand to improve your outlook and consequently your approach to handling your life. Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once said: "In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility."
Whatever your core beliefs, your life will tend to take shape according to their outline. The envelope of possiblity for your life is established by your convictions. You can't think you're way into a great life, but your fundamental beliefs do provide the platform upon which your character is built of from which your life expression proceeds. Never underestimate the value of a solid foundation.
"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.”
Though "...arriving at moral Perfection" is a heck of a BHAG (big, hairy audacious goal), our great nation is in great need of those who set a new standard devoid of the typical excuses such as "nobody's perfect(!)," "what can one man do(?)" or "I'm just too busy to take on another project."
Gregory Hake 