Used with permission of Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born into wealth and prestige, and as a young Harvard graduate, he seemed destined for success. By the age of 30 he was elected as a state senator, and a few years later he was appointed as Assistant Secretary of the Navy. However, shortly…

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As they circle the globe on their 360° Tour, U2 have grounds to boast. The Irish rock band has sold nearly 150 millions albums, has won 22 Grammy awards, and has been inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Yet, for all of their accolades perhaps the most impressive achievement is that U2…

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A train travelling 55 mph on a railroad track can crash through a 5-foot thick steel-reinforced concrete wall without stopping. That same train, starting from a stationary position, won’t be able to go through an inch-thick block in front of the driving wheel. It is never the size of your problem that is the problem.…

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I’m in Atlanta this week, preparing for the Chick-fil-A Leadercast on Friday. This event will be broadcast to venues all over the world, and you still have time to find a location near you. Just visit the website for more information. One of the things I’ll be talking about on Friday is the different levels…

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Back in December, I wrote about the importance of starting well. In the comments, many people agreed with me, but they also pointed out the critical nature of continuing after you start. They were right. Like I said at the time, starting and finishing are the two covers of the book. The main part –…

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Accepting a position as pastor of a local church is like getting married. It’s a huge commitment. People on both sides are often a little unsure and maybe even nervous. It is a profound relational covenant. It’s about trust and respect and hope for the future. It’s a calling not a job. This may now…

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“Excellence” may bring to mind unmatched performance, unusual expertise, or consistent high-quality performance. In our minds, we often associate excellence with talent. To be the best, surely you   have to be gifted, right? Experience has taught me that talent, while important, in no way explains excellence. In fact, the primary pathway to excellence has three…

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It’s hard to imagine a time when Samuel L. Jackson wasn’t an A -List celebrity, but twenty years  ago  he  was  a  frustrated,  little-known  actor  who  couldn’t  seem  to breakthrough. Despite his prodigious talents, as of his 41st birthday Jackson could claim nothing more notable than a few minor cameos. Intensely discouraged, he turned to…

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I’m still traveling this week, but like everyone else, I was horrified to learn of the tragic devastation that occurred in Japan. I lived in California for many years, where earthquakes were a fact of life. But I never experienced anything like the quake that hit Japan last week. And of course, the tsunami took…

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I’ve mentioned before that I love to collect quotes; in fact, I’ve been doing it since I was a young man. Today I went to my files and pulled out a sampling of my favorite quotes on Thinking, which I’m sharing with you here. Feel free to collect and file them yourself. Or pin one…

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