COMPASSION: SOMETHING TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT

"I haven't lost faith in human nature and I haven't decided to be less compassionate to strangers."

Armistead Jones Maupin, Jr., 20th/21st century American writer.

Something we should all strive to be as long as our level of compassion for others was significant in the first place.

If not, work to make it so.

ETERNALLY ACCOUNTABLE

"The people I respect most behave as if they were immortal and as if society was eternal."

E. M. Forster, 20th century English novelist.

They behave as though they would eternally be held accountable for what they say and do.

If only that were true for all of us all the time.

MOVING ON

"Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore."

André Paul Guillaume Gide, late 19th/early 20th century French author/Nobel prize winner.

If you sometimes don't let go of what is you will never find what might be.

DREAM, PLAN, ACT!

"Man is a genius when he is dreaming."

Akira Kurosawa, 20th century Japanese film maker.

Kurosawa-san was right describing our dreams, both those while we sleep and those awake, as an indication of human genius.

However, a dream not realized is only a dream.

To actually be genius we must evolve what we dream to reality.

Dream, plan, act!

THERE IS TIME NOW. TAKE IT!

"And when is there time to remember, to sift, to weigh, to estimate, to total?"

Tillie Olsen, 20th century American writer.

Time to consider where you've been, where you are and where you'd like to go in the time left to you.

Your time.

It is finite, don't waste it.

I AM SO JEALOUS OF THOSE WHO ARE NOT SO JEALOUS

"The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves."

William Penn, 17th century English entrepreneur.

While there is no cure for jealousy we can be aware when we are.

You'll be jealous but at least fight like hell not to show you are.

TRY, TRY AGAIN, JUST NOT THE SAME WAY

"We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used to create them."

Albert Einstein, 20th century German born theoretical physicist.

Here it is.

You tried something, things didn't work out as you hoped.

Try again but not the same thing the same way.

It didn't work the first time and it likely won't the second time.

THE MAGIC IS IN THE PEOPLE

"You can design, create, and build the most wonderful place in the world but it takes people to make the dream a reality."

Walt Disney, 20th century American entrepreneur.

Something to remember the next time you are part of a discussion of how to reduce or eliminate the need for human intervention.

THINKING OF SOMETHING ELSE AS YOU READ THIS?

"Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun's rays do not burn until brought to a focus."

Alexander Graham Bell, late 19th/early 20th century inventor.

Pretty proud of that multi-tasking you do are you?

Maybe too proud??

ONE THING YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE

"Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding."

Mahatma Gandhi, 20th century leader of Indian independence.

Losing your temper while arguing will be the second thing you lose.

The first is the argument.

WHAT YOU'LL NEVER KNOW

"No man is ever old enough to know better."

Holbrook Jackson, late 19th/early 20th century British journalist.

(You too ladies.)

But at least I'm old enough to know this is true.

MOM WAS RIGHT

"It is my feeling that Time ripens all things; with Time all things are revealed; Time is the father of truth."

François Rabelais, 15th century French writer.

Whenever I impatiently wanted something to happen my mom would say, "In due time."

Initially I didn't understand what she meant, however, in due time, I did.

Thanks mom!

JUST IN CASE . . .

"I've got all the money I'll ever need, if I die by four o'clock."

Henny Youngman, 20th century American comedian.

I suspect Mr. Youngman passed with money enough to last well beyond the afternoon referenced in his joke.

Unfortunately that's not true for many and for them this is no joke.

No matter how well off you feel today there is good reason to plan for a day you're not.

Make all the money you can, saving more than you think you'll ever need.

DIFFICULT, NOT IMPOSSIBLE

"It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome."

William James, 19th century American philosopher/psychologist.

It can be so difficult to adopt a positive attitude when we don't feel good about what lays ahead. At times, nearly impossible.

Try anyway.

You have so much to gain or lose depending on how you face the things you'd rather not.

SO MUCH MORE THAN IQ

"We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect. The judgement of the intellect is only part of the truth."

Carl Jung, 20th century Swiss psychiatrist.

We're all born with some level of intelligence but what we do or don't do with it is another matter.

And understanding that is itself a sign of high intelligence.

THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF ALL?

"Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again."

Franklin P. Jones, 20th century American reporter/humorist.

While the goal is to not repeat past mistakes no one has or ever will completely achieve that.

Don't make the mistake of thinking you will.

Making new mistakes, ok, we all do, just strive to minimize past mistakes.

WHAT-- YOU WORRY?

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrows, but only empties today of its strength."

Charles Spurgeon, 19th century British preacher.

There are things which may happen tomorrow that you should worry about today.

But only worrying, not taking action to eliminate what you're worrying about, doesn't help.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS WITHOUT WORK? THERE ISN'T ONE!

"Nothing will work unless you do."

Maya Angelou, 20th century American poet/civil rights activist.

Not your plans to succeed, should you even bother to make any.

Not getting the right job only to do as little work as possible after you're hired.

Nothing.

It all comes down to what you do as well as what you don't.

ALONG WITH LOTTERY TICKETS AS A WAY TO GET AHEAD IN LIFE . . .

"Hope is not a strategy."

Rudy Giuliani, former NYC mayor.

Hope is a good thing; hope all you want for whatever in life is important to you.

You can even hope that hope will be all you need to succeed.

But when done hoping, get to work to make happen what you need and want to happen.

REAL COMMUNICATION DOESN'T REQUIRE A BATTERY

"Computers are magnificent tools for the realization of our dreams, but no machine can replace the human spark of spirit, compassion, love, and understanding."

Louis Gerstner, retired CEO/chairman IBM

Allow me to broaden this a bit.

Computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc., in short, technology, is no replacement for humans and their interaction with each other.

Our texts, emails, phone calls, (this blog) do little to tell you and me who each of us are, what each of us wants the other to know about the other.

Use technology when you must but never when only face-to-face interaction will do what you need and want done.

And while I'm at it, don't text and drive.

THE FIRST THING YOU MUST LEARN

"The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet."

Aristotle, 4th century Greek philosopher.

Most anyone who has made their way through an education program (high school, college, post graduate, trade school, etc.) will agree.

Difficult at times but well worth the effort.

Feeling like giving up or never even starting is normal, as are the rewards for having overcome those feelings and accomplishing your education goal.

Don't give up!