Month: July 2021

I am not at all sure that George Washington was really the author of this quote, but it apparently was written in his handwriting when he was aged 12. So maybe he was copying something at school. At any rate, without conscience to guide us, our actions are little more than following our appetites. Tempted… Continue reading Conscience

The real test of learning is not so much what we know, as what we put into practise in our lives. I can learn Spanish, for example, but unless I either read, or think, or speak (or some combination of the three) in that language, it is just idle curiosity and empty knowledge. Back to… Continue reading Learning

Service  is the action of helping someone, or doing work for a cause. Often, this will involve being paid to give this service. Certainly, doing a job, and doing it well, is a reward unto itself. But when we offer service to others with no expectation of monetary recompense, we feel a much greater sense… Continue reading Service

This quote seems relevant, regardless of whether you aspire to be a great leader. The fact is that to be a successful gardener, you have to select plants, water them, get rid of weeds, and harvest at the right season. Success, whether in our personal or professional life, requires that kind of discipline. Back to… Continue reading Discipline

This is a quote from a book he was working on at the time of his death. I almost didn’t include this because of the obvious political implications, and I didn’t want anybody commenting along the lines of “That clearly applies to Soandso.” Nonetheless, I think it is clear that in our personal lives, if… Continue reading Integrity

In life, as in business, we always want to be right, to make the right decision, but sometimes, bold decision-making is the way to go. Now, don’t get me wrong. We shouldn’t be rash, but making a quick decision based on available facts is preferable to deliberating over-long and making the right decision, but too… Continue reading Bold Decisions

Listening, along with many other positive character traits, needs to become a habit. The fact that you can do something, and even know and understand the mechanics of the thing, does not lead to doing it habitually. That is something that only you can control. The more practice you have of doing something, not only… Continue reading Desire To Listen

The difference between needs and wants is somewhat blurred, and is not always perceived by those aspiring to leadership. Too often, a leader thinks he is doing well when those around him tell him what he wants to hear. But true leadership involves a certain amount of introspection, and the ability to receive constructive criticism.… Continue reading Good Leaders

It is fair to say that for every situation that we have to face in this life there are both encouraging and discouraging aspects. Thus, we all live under the same sky, and see the same sun there. But some will look towards the horizon in a positive way, while others will be unmoved and… Continue reading Horizons

Nothing in life, if it comes without any effort on our part, will lead to true happiness. That only comes when we have to put forward energy and effort. We may not see any change between one day and the next. Farmers know that it takes time to plant, and then nurture, a seed to… Continue reading Effort