Any successful entrepreneur can tell you that starting a new business is an exciting adventure. The adventure generally begins with a dream. Dreams turn into plans and plans then feather into reality. It sounds so mundane but the process is quite dramatic, especially when the rubber begins to hit the road. One thing is certain: …
Tag: gregg hake
Self-righteousness: A Destructive Force
One of the most destructive forces on earth is self-righteousness. I daresay that self-righteousness has turned more people away from righteousness than any other vice. You've no doubt encountered it along the way: the holier-than-thou, hypocritically pious and smug expression of someone who feels that his beliefs, actions or affiliations are of greater virtue than those of the average …
The Greatest Virtue
Of all the virtues, righteousness is the greatest. No amount of patience, generosity, earnestness, friendliness, diligence, kindness or humility will provide the counterweight necessary to overcome the gravitational pull of vice. Of all the virtues, righteousness is greatest. Righteousness is the quality that inspires to greatness, when nothing less will do. Righteousness is the quality …
A Father’s Gift to Humanity
I read a lovely tribute in the New York Times yesterday to Ladis Kristof by his son, columnist Nicholas Kristof, in celebration of Father's Day (http://tinyurl.com/249f2qq). Nicholas recalled a profound statement his father, a Slavic immigrant and concentration camp survivor, had written that impacted him for years: War, want and concentration camps, exile from home …
A Breath of Fresh Air
A friend and I were walking around Mackinac Island in northern Michigan yesterday morning and we both noticed something worth repeating. The island, if you've never been, is free of motor vehicles. To move about the island you have three choices: (1) walk, (2) bicycle and (3) horse drawn carriage. It is a piece of heaven, geographically …
The Rube Goldberg Machine
According to Wikipedia, "A Rube Goldberg machine is a deliberately over-engineered machine that performs a very simple task in a very complex fashion, usually including a chain reaction. If you have seen the 1968 classic "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," you may recall the scene in which Caractacus Potts (Dick van Dyke) was cooking breakfast for his children using …
Our Fascinating Universe
There is nothing like a short course in astronomy to put things into perspective. All human activity in the course of human history, apart from several short forays by a select few just outside of the earth's upper atmosphere, has taken place on this tiny planet in a small corner of our galaxy, amidst billions …
This Time is Different
I read an interested op-ed piece in the New York Times today written by Thomas Friedman, called "This Time is Different." (full article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/13/opinion/13friedman.html?src=me&ref=homepage) Friedman began with a letter from a friend of his who works in the Pentagon. The letter is reprinted below: I’d like to join in on the blame game that has …
Unconditional Forgiveness: Amish Grace
A good friend of mine grew up in Amish country. She isn't Amish, but I always enjoy hearing stories of her childhood. While I know very little about the Amish, I feel I know a bit more after watching a Lifetime movie called Amish Grace Saturday evening. If you haven't seen it, here is the synopsis, provided …
The Logic of Failure
How well do you adapt to adversity? When you face complex situations in life do you tend to rise up or crumble under the pressure? If you feel that you have room for improvement I would encourage you to look into Dietrich Dorner's book, The Logic of Failure: Recognizing and Avoiding Error in Complex Situations. If you …
Gregory Hake 