some thots

"Always look for opportunities to challenge your best people because many of them are like sticks of dynamite; the power's on the inside, but nothing happens until the fuse gets lit."
~Mac Anderson
You Can't Send a Duck to Eagle School

"Have you ever wondered why so many people work so hard and honestly without ever achieving anything in particular, and others don't seem to work hard, yet seem to get everything? They seem to have the magic touch. You've heard people say, 'Everything he touches turns to gold.' And have you ever noticed that a person who becomes successful tends to continue to become more successful - and, on the other hand, have you noticed how someone who's a failure tends to continue to fail? Well, it's because of goals. People with goals succeed because they know where they're going. It's that simple."
~Earl Nightingale
The Strangest Secret
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
With each decision, we should be convinced that we're
doing the best we can under the circumstances -- best
for ourselves, best for our family, best for our loved
ones, and, possibly, best for society as well.
--Alexandra Stoddard
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the Art of Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place to practice peace.
--Morihei Ueshiba
INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION
The mind is its own place, and in itself
can make a heaven of Hell,
and a hell of Heaven.
--John Milton


Do not make assumptions

Just because you failed many times, do not assume that you will never succeed.
Just because there is so much wrong in the world, do not assume that nothing is right here.
Just because someone has a different accent than yours, do not assume that he or she is ignorant.
Just because you cannot see God, do not assume that God does not exist.
Just because a man or woman is overweight, do not assume that he or she is lazy.
Just because a young man has long hair, do not assume that he is into drugs.
Just because a child is difficult to teach, do not assume that she will never learn.
Just because you have not yet realized your dream, do not assume that you never will.
Just because you do not how to do banking, do not assume that you cannot learn.
Just because the road ahead is difficult, do not assume that you will never reach the destination.


Change is Good...You Go First
by Mac Anderson and Tom Feltenstein
As a leader, however, deciding to make changes is the easy part. Getting your people on board is much more difficult. Why is that? Quite simply, change is an emotional process. We are all creatures of habit who usually resist it, and welcome routine. Uncharted waters are scary!
In the long run, however, sameness is the fast tract to mediocrity. And, mediocre companies won't survive. Tuli Kupferburg said it best..."When patterns are broken, new worlds emerge." And, that is your challenge...to convince your team that the new world you are trying to create is better than the one you're in. Is it easy? Of course not. It takes planning, commitment, patience and courage.
The truth, of course, is that change can be a wonderful gift. In fact, it is the key that unlocks the doors to growth and excitement in any organization. And, most importantly, without it...your competition will pass you by. A big part of success, as a leader, will be your ability to inspire your team to get out of their comfort zones; to assure them that even though they are on a new path, it's the right path, for the right reasons.

Learn From Old Warwick- THE SPIRIT OF TEAM WORK
Fostering a spirit of teamwork is critical in times of change. The key element is trust. Trust for the leader and trust for each other.
There is a wonderful story from the play, Some Folks Feel the Rain; Others Just Get Wet; and I think it's worth sharing again to shed some light on how people think about teamwork...
A man was lost while driving through the country. As he tried to reach for the map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he wasn't injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help.
"Warwick can get you out of that ditch," said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the decrepit old mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating.
"Yep, old Warwick can do the job." The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted,
"Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!"
And the mule pulled that car right out of the ditch.
The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked, "Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?"
The farmer grinned and said, "Old Warwick is just about blind. As long as he believes he's part of a team, he doesn't mind pulling."


The biggest enemies we have to overcome on the road to success are not a lack of ability and a lack of opportunity but fears of failure and rejection and the doubts that they trigger."
~Brian Tracy
Eat That Frog

"Habits are those actions that get us through our day without a whole lot of conscious thought on our part. It's our habits, those actions that flow from our thoughts, beliefs and words that distinguish winners from everyone else."
~Vince Lombardi Jr.
What it Takes to be Number One

LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt. --Max Lerner
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
It's easy to make a buck. It's a lot tougher to make a difference.
--Tom Brokaw
INSPIRATION & MOTIVATION
Like what you do, if you don't like it, do something else.
--Paul Harvey

"Wolves do not aimlessly run around their intended victims, yipping and yapping. They have a strategic plan and execute it through constant communication. When the moment of truth arrives, each understands his role and understands exactly what the pack expects of him."
~Twyman Towery
Wisdom of Wolves

The more you see yourself as a valuable and important person, the more positive and optimistic you will be. When you consider yourself to be important, you will treat other people as if they are important as well."
~Brian Tracy
The Power of Discipline

"We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about."
~Charles Kingsley
Motivational Quote

"Gratitude is not a fair weather virtue. True gratitude means appreciating your life no matter what the storms may bring. Is simply being alive gift enough for you to feel grateful?"
~Mac Anderson
Learning to Dance in the Rain