"A man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who can’t read them." - Mark Twain, American writer Ouch. But true. In some respects, I could probably trace the outline of the last twenty years by the books I was reading at the time. Different books for different seasons. Learning new skills, fine-tuning others. Trying to expand my mental reach beyond just material necessary for my job. I believe a hunger for reading is one of the distinguishing marks of successful people. Moms read about how to be better moms. Coaches study how to motivate and inspire. Teachers look for new ways of teaching old material. It's been said many times before: Leaders are readers. Growing people take advantage of the opportunities to learn from others. A good book allows you to sit in the classroom of a Harvard professor or to get inside the…
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In his book, Invisible God, author Phillip Yancey uses an illustration from practicing piano to illustrate why it's important to pay attention to fundamentals: "I do not play the scales for their own sake, but in order to play the grander pieces I must build on the daily mastery of the ordinary." The daily mastery of the ordinary. This is important lesson across many facets of life. Athletes know that to compete at a high level they must operate from a strong foundation of basic habits. Though an accountant may use Excel and pivot tables, many decisions often return to a basic understanding of addition and subtraction. When it comes to maintaining momentum in your spiritual life, it requires building on a daily mastery of the ordinary. The most gifted athletes practice. The most skilled musicians practice. People who mature in their faith have learned to practice the fundamentals of their faith.…
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One of Newton's laws of physics states that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Granted, that's a great oversimplification but what do you expect from a guy from Peoria? Leaders would do well to pay attention to this law. Parents, too. And teachers and managers and coaches. Anyone in a position of influence should understand the law of action and reaction. If it's true that we lead by example, that raises an obvious question: What kind of example are we setting? Your example -- like it or not -- is setting off a reaction inside those who follow you. Where Newton's law breaks down when it comes to leadership influence is here: Not all reactions must be opposite in nature. In fact, good coaches bring out the best actions in their players. Positive parents inspire positive actions in their children. But don't dismiss the main point:…
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When faced with a decision, do you hear multiple voices? If not, you should be ... “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.” - Proverbs 12:15 A fool hears one voice: his own. If someone disagrees with a fool, the other voice must be wrong -- because the fool is always right in his own eyes. Wise people, on the other hand, listen to other voices. You don't to agree with them; just listen to them. Every once and a while (or more often than that), we see that the other voice is right. How many voices are you hearing?
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"Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I've got ahold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw I first read this quote in Bob Buford's book "Halftime." Buford raises the all-important question: What are you doing with your life? More specifically, what will you do with the second half of life -- should the good Lord give you a full four quarters? Will you go through life carrying a candle or a torch? Will you flicker or beam brightly? Will you put off just enough light to crack the darkness or chase the darkness or away? Eleven years ago I decided to be a torch. Rather, God called me to be a torch. Through a season of searching and prayer, God placed three…
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