As a father of a boy nearly five, this poem really touched me. I must confess that I have found myself at times doing the things that the author of the poem regrets. I have found myself measuring my son’s action against those of an adult. Truly, this is sad and unfortunate; because my son is the joy of my life. His smile, his laughter and his joyousness melts my heart every time. My little boy is the true center of my life. I know that without him, I would be only have the man who I am today. His birth,  his very being in my life has help me grow into a much more responsible, caring and understanding human being.

I am posting this video, as a constant reminder to myself and to whomever should read this site, how important it is to “bite my tongue when impatient words come”.  Because any fool can criticize, condemn, complain and find fault (as most fools do), but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving”.

I shall pass this way but once:

Any good therefore that I can do

Or, any kindness that I can show to any human being,

Let me do it now;

Let me neither defer nor neglect it,

for I shall not pass this way again.

[Let me do it now];

Dale Carnegie- How to Win Friends and Influence People

I have always wondered why there are many of us, who either are unwilling or unable to achieve the seemingly impossible. Yet, there are a few, who despite the circumstances of their existence, despite the obstacles put before them, despite the problems faced, despite the tragedies suffered, despite the odds against them, they not only dream the impossible, but also achieve it.

What is it that this individuals have that far too many of us lack? Are they somehow inherently superior to us in mind, body or character? Do they somehow have some magic powers that permit them to transcend it all; or, do they simply have the faith and belief in themselves and incorporate the characteristics of resolve and grit into the very fiber of their being, that no matter what, no matter who, no matter where, no matter when, or no matter how, the impossible is possible?

The lyrics to this song is so moving and so inspiring to me, I wanted to share it with others. So, below is a copy of the Lyrics by Joe Darion and Music by Mitch Leigh. I do hope that it inspires someone, somewhere to dream the impossible dream.

To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star.

This is my quest,
To follow that star –
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far.

To fight for the right
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march
Into hell for a heavenly cause.

And I know if I’ll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart will be peaceful and calm
when I’m laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this,
that one man scorned and covered with scars
still strove with his last ounce of courage.
To reach the unreachable star.

Photo Credit:

In both the Law of Success and Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill writes about the power of decision. From my study and understanding of both text, Hill teaches that regardless of the size and scope of the matter, be it large ( involving life altering circumstances) or be it small ( involving day-to-day things like at what time to get up in the morning, or what clothes to wear) , one should reach decisions promptly and put those decisions into action quickly.  If one is to achieve the aim of his/her desires,  if one is to be an effective leader, if one is to achieve any kind of success, it is imperative that one simply not procrastinate in either making the decision, nor in carrying the decision through via action. People that are truly successful in whatever they do, have developed the habit of making decisions quickly. Those who are not vacillate.

Below are three practical steps in developing the “Habit of Making Decisions”.

1. Reach decisions promptly;
2. Put your decision into action swiftly;
3. Stand Firmly behind those decision once made;  be slow to change;

Many people fail to reach decisions quickly because they feel/think that they do not have all the information, absolute information, about what they are making the decision about;  it is a fact that you may never have all the information; it is also true that waiting for all the information may take forever.  Whatever be the case, if you fail to reach decisions quickly because you don’t have absolute information, you will undoubtedly miss many invaluable opportunities.

So instead of waiting for all the facts, ask yourself do I have the necessary facts to make a sound decision.  If so, then make the decision. If not, ask yourself do I have enough information  in hand to move forward. If it is not a life or death decision, you can decide anyway and move forward. Sure you might make a mistake;  but you also may discover opportunities that would not have been available had you not reach that decision.  If you do make a mistake, learn from it and move on.  Through movement comes unexpected opportunities.  Napoleon Hill argued that you can not always make the right move, but if  you make enough moves, you can benefit from the law of averages.

According to Napoleon Hill, Andrew Carnegie once told Hill, that a man who cannot reach a decision promptly once he has all the necessary facts, cannot be depended upon to carry through any decision he may make.  Hill believes that the person of  decision and action gets what he/she wants,  gets what he/she goes after no matter how long it takes or how difficult the task. In other words, the person of decision cannot be stopped.

Now, the results of your prompt decision and swift action may not be quick to manifest themselves. After all it takes some time before you can see the harvest/fruits of your labors.  So, be patient and stick by your decision until you know that your decision was a mistake.  If and when that times come, accept it, learn from it and move on.

While researching on the internet for information on the Law of Attraction, I came across this video that is quite good.  I do not know what your definite chief aim in life is (As Napoleon Hill would say). Neither do I know what inspires you to new heights and motivates you to do what you know you need to do to achieve that target. What I do know, however, that without constant sources of inspirations and motivations few of us would have the internal strength to continue when the road seems too long, when the hill seem too steep, when the path is filled with pot-holes, obstacles, when the sun just does not seem to want to shine on us.  It is in these times when outside sources may help us find that strength to do what we know is within us to do.

I hope that you profit somehow,  in someway from this video.  While I did not create it myself, I am sure that the creator of it would agree with my thoughts.

May you be victorious in your quest to master life.

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The other day I was listening to Dr. Norman Vincent Peale’s CD entitled “You Can If You Think You Can”.  In his motivational presentation on the values of and how-to think positively, he quoted Dr. Sigmund Freud as saying the man’s quest was to endure life.  Dr. Peale, then went on to argue that life would be utterly meaningless if that was the sum total of man’s quest. He instead posited that man’s quest; his ultimate aim in life was to Master Life.  That got me to thinking about what I thought man’s or even my chief aim in life was.

Upon reflecting profoundly and with much time, I think that I would have to agree with Dr. Peale in his statement. All life, be it the nanobes,   which are thought by some to be the smallest known organism, to us humans, the highest form of life known to exist, struggle to survive against the harsh, brutal and violent forces of nature. However, in the words of Dr. Peale life would be meaningless if that was the sum total of it all.  In my view, man/human must also thrive. That is, man has to live a life that is also one of quality.  This would include such things as wealth, employment,  environmental adaptation, physical and mental health, education, recreation and leisure time, and social belonging.

If this is true, then maybe we can say that Mastering Life is a matter of both surviving and thriving in the harsh realities that we call life.  Just a thought…

I am currently reading Napoleon Hill’s masterpiece work, Law of Success. I am only about 251 pages into the book of 1035 pages. From what I have read, the book is truly profound in its effect and straightforward in its message. The book is based upon 17 principles that Mr. Hill has identified over the course of 20 plus years of research and of interviewing some 16,000 people on the subject of personal achievement and success.

These principles include:

1. Mastermind
2. Definite Chief Aim
3. Self-Confidence
4. Habit of Saving
5. Initiative and Leadership
6. Enthusiasm
7. Imagination
8. Self-Control
9. Habit of Doing More than What You are Paid For
10. Pleasing Personality
11. Accurate Thinking
12. Concentration
13. Cooperation
14. Tolerance
15. Profiting By Failure
16. Golden Rule
17. Universal Law

These principles are said to constitute the foundation of his philosophy on success. Each one plays a very important role, and each must be present in substantial degrees in the individual to ensure a high level of success.

Mr. Hill defines success as the development of the power with which to get whatever one wants in life without interfering with the rights of others. I currently look at success as the results of achievement.  That is, we general say that a person is a success after we see that the person has achieved something as a result of their efforts. For example, if I strive to be the mayor of my city, and if I never achieve that position, despite my hard work and intelligent efforts, no one would call me a success. In fact, most people would say that I failed to achieve my objective.  Now, most would call this success with a small “s”.

Success with a big “S” is quite possible much different. This success is not situational related; instead it is looks to the subject or the object of people’s lives.  Let’s say that my life goal is to fulfill my fullest potential by following my passions and developing the abilities, knowledge, skills and qualities need to master life. Now, reviewing the previous example of not reaching my goals to be city mayor, it can be truly stated that I failed in that attempt. But what if in the process of aspiring and striving to be city major, I developed those abilities, knowledge, skills and qualities need to master life. It is possible to say that while being unsuccessful in the small “s” sense, that I am successful in the big “S” sense?

At this stage of my thinking, I am inclined to say yes. So, maybe this is what Mr. Hill means when is defines success as the development of the power with which to get whatever one wants in life without interfering with the rights of others.

I have not really been someone who expresses his emotions fully.  But being human requires that I have some form of healthy emotional expression in order to live fully and completely. Thus, songs have served that purpose for me. When I find a song that truly expresses what I may be feeling or wanting to feel, when I discover a song that speaks to my heart, to the life beat of my existence, it is something that I now must share.

The above song was a collaboration between Bebe Winans and Dave Koz and was inspired by the Will Smith movie “The Pursuit of Happyness”. This was based on the true life-story of Chris Gardner, who aspired, struggled and ultimately achieved the America Dream of Success.

It is truly an inspirational and moving song. I have posted the lyrics to the song, just in case you feel the need to sing along.

I CAN

What do you do when the world says you’re through
you’re standing in the dark
What do you say when hope fades away
you’re left with a broken heart
Tell me where do you find the strength you need
to answer the call
The place to begin, is when you fall

Where do you go when there’s nowhere to go
wondering how you’re gonna leave
What do you feel when it all seem so real
and there’s nothing more to give
Tell me who do you call when the ships are down
and you face your fears alone
That’s when you reach down inside and become strong

Chorus:

I can
I can achieve what seems impossible
I can, cause I’m a believer
And I can, giving a chance I’ll seize the opportunity
I’m someone who believes
that I can

Why do you try and continue to try
no matter what the outcome is
Over again you’re looking ahead
and finding answer to the quiz
Tell me why do you get back up again
in spite of how hard you fall
You’ll find out who you are
through it all

Chorus:

I can
I can achieve what seems impossible
Yes I can, cause I’m a believer
You know I can, if giving a chance I’ll seize the opportunity
I’m someone who believes
Believes that I can

I can rise above the clouds and reach beyond the sky
I can sort it if I believe
Just spread my wings and fly
Spread my wings and fly

I can
You know I can if giving a chance I’ll seize the opportunity
‘Cause I’m someone who believes
I can

Source of lyrics:

Photo Credit

I am currently reading a book by John C. Maxwell entitled “ 21 Indispensable Qualites of a Leader”. This is essentially a book about “becoming the person others will want to follow”.  In it Mr. Maxwell lays out what his teaching and research have shown him about the qualities that leaders have. While this posting is not about discussing the why’s nor how’s of leadership, it is essentially about me sharing my understanding of how I process and internalize this message.

In his book, John Maxwell, lists 21 traits that he describes as being indispensable to a leader.  These include:

1. Character
2. Charisma
3. Commitment
4. Communication
5. Competence
6. Courage
7. Discernment
8. Focus
9. Generosity

10.  Initiative

11.  Listening

12.  Passion

13.  Positive attitude

14.  Problem-Solving

15.  Relationship

16.  Responsibility

17.  Security

18.  Self-Confidence

19.  Servant Hood

20.  Teachability

21.  Vision

In my quest to process and understand these traits, I have grouped them together  as either Personal Leadership Traits or Social Leadership Traits.  As leadership is inherently about  people and about influence, it might not make much sense initially to think about Personal vs. Social Leadership Traits. But, if you read further, this distinction might make sense.

In my mind, I see 5 core qualities that are developed in connection with others. These would be

1. Charisma
2. Communication
3. Generosity
4. Listening
5. Relationship
6. Servanthood

I grouped these leadership traits as Social Leadership traits again as they come about only because we interact and relate with others in a social environment. For example, according to Mr. Maxwell,  charisma is the ability to to draw people to you (page. 10).  It is making yourself the kind of person who attracts others to him/her.  So, this essentially is a social trait. The same can be argued for the other 5 traits.

The  remaining  16 traits are those that are essentially developed and can be developed without direct inaction with others.  For example, character is a personal trait that is developed through choices and revealed during hard, challenging, tempting and crisis times. While a leader needs to be one who has good, strong character, and while it does might him/her a much better leader, the trait itself is a personal trait.  If one never interacted with another people,  the developed of some kind of character would emerge as a result of the choices and decisions made. The same can be said of the other 15 traits that I have grouped as Personal Leadership Traits.