“If you are so inclined, you can always find dozens of reasons why something can’t or shouldn’t be done — and precious few why it should or could. It is far easier to rationalize that it’s too difficult, too expensive, or too time-consuming than to accept the idea that if we are willing to work hard enough, smart enough, and long enough we can accomplish anything. Instead of making a commitment, we make up an alibi. If you find that you frequently invent excuses for why you didn’t do something or have a million reasons why something didn’t work out as planned, it’s time for a reality check. Stop explaining and start doing!”
“What a better world this would be if we worked together in harmony toward the achievement of our shared goals instead of engaging in petty disputes and turf battles. When you allow yourself to be dragged into personality conflicts, game playing, arguments about who gets the credit, and disagreements about trivial issues, they only drain your energy and sour your attitude. Plus you waste valuable time that could be spent on far more important matters. When you make an effort to understand others’ motivations, you may well discover that your opponents have far more in common with you than you think. When you cage your ego and look at the situation from the other person’s point of view, you can almost always find a way to work together for your mutual advantage.”
“We all have short memories. We become preoccupied with our own interests and daily cares, and it’s easy to lose track of friends. There will always be times when you must choose between what you wish to do and what you must do. When you are faced with such decisions, make sure you always remember those true and loyal friends who were there when you needed them, and never, under any circumstances, abandon them. When you let down a friend who helped you when you needed it most, you will not only adversely affect the friendship; you will seriously damage your own self-respect. When you fail a friend, regardless of how heavy your own burdens may be, you also fail yourself. If you absolutely cannot do what good friends would like, find another way to make it up to them.”
“Some setbacks are so severe that to give in to them means losing the whole ball game. When he assumed command of the Korean War, Gen. Matthew Ridgeway found his forces pushed far to the south, hard pressed by the invaders. Only a determined decision to hold the lines allowed the American forces to keep from being swept into the sea and to eventually regain all the territory they had lost. When a defeat strikes, you may not have the time to withdraw and contemplate your mistakes without risking further setbacks. Don’t succumb to paralysis. It is important to know at that moment what it is you truly desire and to act to preserve your resources and your hope. If you crumble utterly, you will take a blow to your self-esteem that will be hard to repair. Instead, stick to your principles, and you will know, at the very least, that you have protected the most important thing you have. Your successes in life will far outnumber your failures.”
“Horses are massive, gentle creatures who are by far larger and stronger than the men and women who handle them, yet they docilely obey the commands they are given. It doesn’t seem logical that a large, powerful animal would allow itself to be mastered by a human being, yet we have been able to use our intelligence to dominate the animal kingdom. You can use these same forces to allow the positive side of yourself to dominate the negative. A Positive Mental Attitude allows you to tap the source of great power that resides within you, enabling you to accomplish things you never before believed were possible.”
“You may spend your time and your energy — both physical and mental — in pursuits that yield the greatest return on your investment, or you may fritter it away on activities that will never bear fruit. Since your mind is entirely your own domain, you may choose to use it to constructive ends, or you can waste mind power and time on useless arguments that go nowhere. There is a vast difference between a spirited intellectual debate and a petty argument. When you discuss concepts, your own knowledge is expanded through the interaction with another thinking person. When you allow yourself to be dragged into arguments about insignificant things, the result will be a dulling of both the mind and the spirit.”