If..

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream -- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think -- and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings -- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run --
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And -- which is more -- you'll be a Man, my son!

~Rudyard Kipling

Listen

Listen... it is no accident that the letters in the word "listen" can be rearranged to create the word "silent".  At times, one must be silent to listen to another.

~Author unknown but greatly appreciated

An Educated Mind

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.

~Aristotle

Communication

The most important thing in communication is to hear what isn't being said.

~ Peter Drucker

Comfort Zone

I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I couldn’t fail.

The same four walls and busy work were more like a jail.

I longed so much to do the things I’d never done before,

but I stayed in my comfort zone and paced the same old floor.

I said it didn’t matter that I wasn’t doing much,

I said I didn’t care for diamond rings and such.

I claimed to be so busy within my comfort zone,

but deep inside I longed for something special all my own.

I couldn’t let my life go by just watching others win,

I held my breath and stepped outside to let the change begin.

I took a step and with new strength I’d never felt before,

I kissed my comfort zone good-bye and closed and locked the door.

If your in a comfort zone afraid to venture out,

remember that all winners were at one time filled with doubt.

A step or two and words of praise can make your dreams come true,

Greet your future with a smile, success is there for you!

~Rena Tarbot

Service

Don't worry about profits, worry about service.

~Thomas Watson, Sr.

How They Make Us Feel

People love others not for who they are but for how they make us feel.

~Irwin Federman

Big Shots

Big shots are only little shots who keep shooting.

~Christopher Morley

Success and Achievement

Success and achievement are more important than one's financial statement. Life's measurement is not only quantitative but qualitative.

~Bill Byrne

Look For More Troubles

Be thankful for the troubles of your job.  They provide about half your income.  Because if it were not for the things that go wrong, the difficult people you have to deal with, and the problems and unpleasantness of your working day, someone could be found to handle your job for half of what you are being paid.

It takes intelligence, resourcefulness, patience, tact and courage to meet the troubles of any job.  That is why you hold your present job.  And it may be the reason you aren’t holding down and even bigger one.

If all of us would start to look for more troubles, and learn to handle them cheerfully and with good judgment, as opportunities rather than irritations, we would find ourselves getting ahead at a surprising rate.  For it is a fact that there are plenty of big jobs waiting for men and women who aren’t afraid of the troubles connected with them. 

~Robert Updegraff

Leaders and Bosses

The Boss drives his men;

The Leader coaches them.

The Boss depends on authority;

The Leader on good will.

The Boss inspires fear;

The Leader inspires enthusiasm.

The Boss says “I”;

The Leader says “We”.

The Boss assigns the tasks;

The Leader sets the pace.

The Boss says ”Get here on time”;

The Leader gets there ahead of time.

The Boss knows how it is done;

The Leader shows how it is done.

The Boss makes work a drudgery;

The Leader makes it a game.

The Boss says “Go”;

The Leader says “Lets go!”.

The world needs LEADERS,

but nobody wants a boss!

~Dora Dodge

Words of Self Talk

Did is a word of achievement,

Won’t is a word of retreat,

Might is a word of bereavement,

Can’t is a word of defeat.

Ought is a word of duty,

Try is a word each hour,

Will is a word of beauty,

Can is a word of power.

~Author unknown but greatly appreciated

You Are The Person

You are the person who has to decide

Whether to do it or toss it aside.

You are the person who makes up your mind

Whether you’ll lead or linger behind.

Whether you’ll try for a goal that is far

Or be contented to stay where you are.

Take it or leave it, there’s something to do

Just think it over - It’s all up to you!

What do you wish?  To be known as a shirk,

Known as a person who’s willing to work, 
Scorned as a loafer or praised by your chief

Rich or poor or beggar or thief?

Eager or Earnest or dull through the day,

Honest or crooked?  It’s you who must say!

You must decide in the face of the test

Whether you’ll shirk or give it your best.

~Author unknown but greatly appreciated

Words of Wisdom

I've learned -

that you cannot make someone love you.

All you can do is

be someone who can be loved.

The rest is up to them.

I've learned -

that no matter how much I care,

some people just don't care back.

I've learned -

that it takes years to build up trust,

and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned -

that it's not what you have in your life

but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned -

that you can get by on charm

for about fifteen minutes.

After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned -

that you shouldn't compare

yourself to the best others can do

but to the best you can do.

I've learned -

that it's not what happens to people

that's important. It's what they do about it.

I've learned -

that you can do something in an instant

that will give you heartache for life.

I've learned -

that no matter how thin you slice it,

there are always two sides.

I've learned -

that it's taking me a long time

to become the person I want to be.

I've learned -

that it's a lot easier

to react than it is to think.

I've learned -

that you should always leave

loved ones with loving words.

It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned -

that you can keep going

long after you think you can't.

I've learned -

that we are responsible for what we do,

no matter how we feel.

I've learned -

that either you control your attitude

or it controls you.

I've learned -

that regardless of how hot and steamy

a relationship is at first,

the passion fades and there had better be

something else to take its place.

I've learned -

that heroes are the people

who do what has to be done

when it needs to be done,

regardless of the consequences.

I've learned -

that learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned -

that there are people who love you dearly,

but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned -

that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned -

that my best friend and I can do anything

or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned -

that sometimes the people you expect

to kick you when you're down

will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned -

that sometimes when I'm angry

I have the right to be angry,

but that doesn't give me

the right to be cruel.

I've learned -

that true friendship continues to grow,

even over the longest distance.

Same goes for true love

I've learned -

that just because someone doesn't love you

the way you want them to doesn't mean

they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned -

that maturity has more to do with

what types of experiences you've had

and what you've learned from them

and less to do with how many

birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned -

that you should never tell a child

their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.

Few things are more humiliating, and

what a tragedy it would be

if they believed it.

I've learned -

that your family won't always

be there for you. It may seem funny,

but people you aren't related to

can take care of you and love you

and teach you to trust people again.

Families aren't biological.

I've learned -

that no matter how good a friend is,

they're going to hurt you

every once in a while

and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned -

that it isn't always enough

to be forgiven by others.

Sometimes you have to learn

to forgive yourself.

I've learned -

that no matter how bad

your heart is broken

the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned -

that our background and circumstances

may have influenced who we are,

but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned -

that sometimes when my friends fight,

I'm forced to choose sides

even when I don't want to.

I've learned -

that just because two people argue,

it doesn't mean they don't love each other

And just because they don't argue,

it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned -

that sometimes you have to put

the individual ahead of their actions.

I've learned -

that we don't have to change friends

if we understand that friends change.

I've learned -

that you shouldn't be so

eager to find out a secret.

It could change your life forever.

I've learned -

that two people can look

at the exact same thing

and see something totally different.

I've learned -

that no matter how you try to protect

your children, they will eventually get hurt

and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned -

that there are many ways of falling

and staying in love.

I've learned -

that no matter the consequences,

those who are honest with themselves

get farther in life.

I've learned -

that no matter how many friends you have,

if you are their pillar you will feel lonely

and lost at the times you need them most.

I've learned -

that your life can be changed

in a matter of hours

by people who don't even know you.

I've learned -

that even when you think

you have no more to give,

when a friend cries out to you,

you will find the strength to help.

I've learned -

that writing, as well as talking,

can ease emotional pains.

I've learned -

that the paradigm we live in

is not all that is offered to us.

I've learned -

that credentials on the wall

do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned -

that the people you care most about in life

are taken from you too soon.

I've learned -

that although the word "love"

can have many different meanings,

it loses value when overly used.

I've learned -

that it's hard to determine

where to draw the line

between being nice and

not hurting people's feelings

and standing up for what you believe.

~Author unknown but greatly appreciated

Lightly

It’s dark because you are trying too hard.
Lightly child, lightly.
Learn to do everything lightly…
Even though you’re feeling deeply…
Lightly let things happen
and lightly cope with them…
On tiptoes and with no luggage...
Completely unencumbered. 

~Aldous  Huxley

Perspective

The man who views the world at fifty the same as he did at twenty wasted thirty years of his life.

~Muhammad Ali

Minds

Great minds discuss ideas.
Average minds discuss events
Small minds discuss people.

~Admiral Hyman Rickover

What You Find...

If you really want to do something you'll find a way; if you don't, you'll find an excuse. 


~Author unknown but greatly appreciated

Happiest People

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything. 

~Author unknown but greatly appreciated

Motion VS Progress

Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.

~Alfred A. Montapert