Plans #1 The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. (Robert Burns, 18th century Scottish poet) This oft-repeated axiom was no doubt inspired by the poet’s having experienced or witnessed the truth he writes about. Careful and strategic planning is important,...
Attitude Attitude is the ‘little’ thing that makes a big difference. (Winston Churchill, late British prime minister) Your attitude determines how you respond when the boss gives you a new assignment. Do you jump at it heartily because you like the assigned task? Or...
Life Time and time again I find myself talking to people whose lives appear to be lived purely on the surface. (Gordon MacDonald, 19th century Scottish author) He further describes such people as having “no idea about what is happening at all.” If that was true in his...
Value Knowledge isn’t free. You have to pay attention. (David Heymann, American doctor) Education is expensive. Whether it’s public schools financed by taxes or private education with tuition, it’s all very costly. But Heymann wasn’t referring to financial cost. He...
Light I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars. (Og Mandino, American author) Light was an early part of God’s creation (Genesis 1), and it is difficult to imagine what life would be like without it....
For Others Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another. (Kristin Adair, former elementary teacher) We live in a hurting world—whether it’s war overseas or neighborhood lawlessness. We all have...
Sharing A problem shared is a problem halved. (Chris Suitt, pastor) Suitt goes on to say, “This is NOT a sign of weakness, but of strength.” Sharing a problem with a close friend may not immediately solve the difficulty, but your burden will likely seem a little less...
Failure #2 Failure is a part of life. It’s what you do with the failure that matters. (Daniel Marquez, Investment advisor) We’ve all had our failures—from failing grades to blowing lines in a play; from losing a big contract to letting our friends down—we've all been...
Failure #1 Failure isn’t final. It’s necessary. It’s the fuel that allows you to advance, to succeed. (Tim Kennedy, military author) Kennedy was a success in many arenas, as a soldier, professional fighter, and in heroic rescue attempts in the Middle East. In Stars...
Investment #2 An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest. (Benjamin Franklin) The opening bell at the NY Stock Exchange gives the daily indication of how well one’s stocks are doing, what the return on investment is (ROI). Franklin suggests that there is...
Investment #1 Goodness is the only investment that never fails. (Henry David Thoreau, 19th century American philosopher) Goodness, like kindness and generosity, is a character trait. We’ve not usually thought of them as investments, but the idea is helpful. When we...
Dreams All dreams contain a wishbone. But what they really require is a backbone. (Kary Oberbrunner, motivational author and speaker) Dreams are not just the wishes of children. All of us have hopes and wishes for the future, but most of them end like our dreams while...