“The individual can attain self-control in great things only through self-control in little things. He must study himself to discover what is the weak point in his armor, what is the element within him that ever keeps him from his fullest success. This is the characteristic upon which he should begin his exercise in self-control. …
Tag: responsibility
Throwing Away Our Happiness II
"Happiness does not consist of what we have but what we are; not in our possessions but in our attitude towards them. It is the serenity of the soul in the presence of a present joy. It is not absolute, requiring certain fixed conditions; it is relative. What would be a fast for one might …
The Crown of Individuality VI
A clear cut sense of purpose is the key to effectiveness in living. Childhood is meant to be the time where purpose comes to light. Purpose, as I have mentioned before, is not something that another can give you. Others may serve as guides, pointing to your purpose in a general sense, but it is …
Charting your Course
"You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was." ~ Abraham Lincoln There comes a point in your life when it becomes clear that you are responsible for charting your own course. Circumstance may require that this comes sooner than ideal, but in most cases the moment is lost upon …
Arms Crossed but Open Hearted
A conscious mind correctly functioning is a guardian for the heart. A weak and permeable conscious mind makes no distinction between that which should or should not be allowed into the heart, much like a border crossing guard asleep at his post. The world is full of dubious and nefarious agents. Anyone who interfaces with …
Hit hard by life? Keep moving forward!
You may have seen a "Rocky" movie or two in your life and if so, you may recall Rocky's inspirational speech to his son in the 6th movie of the series, "Rocky Balboa." Rocky's son was feeling the pressure of growing up in his father's shadow in a life full of challenges. Rather than taking …
The Middle Part: Lessons from South Park
I had the opportunity several years ago to watch an episode of the sophisticated and intelligent animated show called "South Park." It was a linguistic smorgasbord and I learned several phrases that I cannot repeat in polite company. The story line, however, tickled me. The main characters of the show are foul-mouthed children who go …
Personal Association – Your Inner Child
"We are always too busy for our children; we never give them the time or interest they deserve. We lavish gifts upon them; but the most precious gift, our personal association, which means so much to them, we give grudgingly." ~Mark Twain Having just departed on a business trip I find myself thinking constantly of …
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 …
Parenthood, Character and You
"Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands." - Anne Frank There is nothing like parenthood. It is an opportunity to distill your central values and beliefs in preparation for passing the baton. Parenthood forces the question: …
Gregory Hake 