Free your heart from hatred - forgive.
Free your mind from worries - most never happen.
Live simply and appreciate what you have.
Give more.
Expect less.
Writing distills, crystallizes, and clarifies thought.
There are only two lasting bequests we can give our children... one is roots, the other wings.
I believe the most important attribute for a leader is being principle-centered. Centering on principles that are universal and timeless provides a foundation and compass to guide every decision and every act. I’ve based my life’s work on promoting principles and teaching the power that resides in principle-centered leadership. Principles are not my invention; they are self-evident and are found throughout the world. If you look at all enduring philosophies, religions and thoughts, you will find principles such as integrity, compassion, trust, honesty, accountability and others at their core. I simply translated these principles into a framework of habits, which when followed with consistency and frequency transforms one’s character and allows one to earn the moral authority necessary for enduring leadership.
He who has a why can deal with any what or how.
Most people define greatness through wealth and popularity and position in the corner office. But what I call everyday greatness comes from character and contribution.
I have also found that by making four simple assumptions in our lives we can immediately begin leading a more balanced, integrated, powerful life. They are simple–one for each part of our nature–but I promise you that if you do them consistently, you will find a new wellspring of strength and integrity to draw on when you need it most.
1) For the body–assume you've had a heart attack; now live accordingly.
2) For the mind–assume the half-life of your profession is two years; now prepare accordingly.
3) For the heart–assume everything you say about another, they can overhear; now speak accordingly.
4) For the spirit–assume you have a one-on-one visit with your Creator every quarter; now live accordingly.
...be a light, not a judge; ...be a model, not a critic.
There's a common misconception that a person's skill is their talent. Skills, however, are not talents. Talents, on the other hand, require skills. People can have skills and knowledge in areas where their talents do not lie. If they have a job that requires their skills but not their talents, organizations will never tap into their passion or voice. They'll go through the motions, but this will only make them appear to need external supervision and motivation.
If you can hire people whose passion intersects with the job, they won't require any supervision at all. They will manage themselves better than anyone could ever manage them. Their fire comes from within, not from without. Their motivation is internal, not external.
