”The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength,
not a lack of knowledge,
but rather a lack of will.”
– Vince Lombardi
toughness
Thinking Out Loud ~ Doubt the Doubters
No Doubt, No Fear, Never Look Back
James Allen in his book, As a Man Thinketh, writes, “Thoughts of doubt and fear never accomplished anything, and never can. They always lead to failure. Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts cease when doubt and fear creep in. The will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step.” P. 36
As a Man Thinketh is available online at gutenberg.org under the Harvard Classics.
NOTE: When we have a great and legitimate purpose in mind we have the power within to cast away any thoughts of doubt and fear. When we surround ourselves with like-minded people we create an atmosphere that sustains us in times of greatest challenge. I recall a time early on in my career where I was newly hired. A subordinate came to me and said, ‘Ray you’ll never succeed here. You may as well quit before this place kills you.’ This man was pouring doubt and fear into my mind. After he left my office, I called my wife and told her about the conversation. She said, don’t listen to him you will succeed. I did do it and i was highly successful. Don’t listen to the doubters and the naysayers they’re only projecting their fears upon you
Poem for Today
Keep A-Pluggin’ Away
Paul Laurence Dunbar
I’ve a humble little motto
That is homely, though it’s true,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
It’s a thing when I’ve an object
That I always try to do,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
When you’ve rising storms to quell,
When opposing waters swell,
It will never fail to tell,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
If the hills are high before
And the paths are hard to climb,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
And remember that successes
Come to him who bides his time,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
From the greatest to the least,
None are from the rule released.
Be thou toiler, poet, priest,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
Delve away beneath the surface,
There is treasure farther down,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
Let the rain come down in torrents,
Let the threat’ning heavens frown,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
When the clouds have rolled away,
There will come a brighter day
All your labor to repay,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
There ‘ll be lots of sneers to swallow.
There’ll be lots of pain to bear,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
If you’ve got your eye on heaven,
Some bright day you’ll wake up there,
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
Perseverance still is king;
Time its sure reward will bring;
Work and wait unwearying,—
Keep a-pluggin’ away.
Thinking Out Loud ~ You Are Tougher than the Challenge
Joseph Campbell says in Reflections on the Art of Living, “Opportunities to find deeper powers within ourselves, when life seems most challenging. . . . Negativism to the pain and ferocity of life is negativism to life. . . . We are not there until we can say yes to it all. P. 20
Note: The saying, used by many who exercise, “no pain no gain” is also true in other aspects of life. Our greatest life lessons come from the moments of great challenges. We will be challenged. Challenges are unavoidable. The best way to deal with challenges is to go through them. When we face our challenges head on, we come out, stronger, more resilient, and wiser.
Something to Think About ~ We Can Choose How We Respond
Victor Frankl in Man’s Search for Meaning challenges us to think about life in a way that is far different from what we read and watch in the media. He says, “We had to learn ourselves, and, furthermore, we had to reach the despairing men, that it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. . . . Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answers to its problems, and to fulfill the task, which it constantly sets for each individual. Pp 85
NOTE: Our lives are not identical but they are similar. We each face moments of challenge. Some face burdens that make me marvel at their inner toughness and how they managed. I think of my grandmother (nonna), widowed with eleven children still at home. There was no welfare in those days. Yet, she knew her responsibility was to serve and protect her eleven children. To her credit, all eleven grew up to be productive citizens. We can’t choose what happens to us, we can choose how we respond to it. Stay strong.
Feel Good Tip for Today ~ A Fig Tree’s Lesson
Four years ago I planted a fig tree. My fig tree withstood the brutal freeze that hit south Texas two years ago. It withstood an ice storm this year. It lost some branches in the process, but it bounced back. Right now it is loaded with an abundant crop of figs. I picked my first figs yesterday and savored every bite. My fig tree is a good example for us. It handles the tough times, it bounces back, and it continues to produce abundant fruit. Never quit. Never give up.
Positive Thought of the Day ~ Embrace the Challenges
“If the path before you is clear, you’re probably on someone else’s.” Joseph Campbell
NOTE: I was out of town this past week. I took an early morning walk. A woman, walking in front of me, wore a t-shirt with the following message printed on the back of her shirt: “If it’s not challenging, you’re not changing.” Wow, there is truth in that statement. Easy may be nice, but it doesn’t give us the opportunities to grow, to discover the stuff we’re made of. Embrace the challenges. You’ll discover your stronger and tougher than any challenge that comes your way.
