Have you ever tried to throw a surprise party? Remember all the fibs you had to tell just to keep it a secret? Once you tell one lie, often another must be told to keep the story intact. That kind of “little white lie” is usually forgiven by everyone, but do we ever...
It’s been said that evil entered into the world through envy. William Shakespeare called it “the green eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds upon.” We feel envious because we perceive someone has something they don’t deserve. It creeps into our lives almost...
When Bear Bryant greeted his incoming freshman at the University of Alabama, he always delivered the same message first. It was written on a card he kept in his wallet and the coach referred to it often during their tenure there. Today, almost every man who plays...
You’ve no doubt heard the adage “Actions speak louder than words.” I like the way Ralph Waldo Emerson put it — “Your actions speak so loud, I can’t hear what you say.” Do you know someone whose only consistency is inconsistency? Worse, does that describe you? ...
"Delayed gratification." Have you ever heard that phrase? If you have, it’s probably because you practice a few of the principles we’ve discussed before. You know, qualities like patience, effort, focus...Interesting how those three things could work in tandem to...
Have you ever felt like not doing what you knew was the right thing to do? What’s the harm if there’s nobody around to see you? It’s not always easy or convenient to make the better choice. One’s character determines what we do even when no one is watching. Some...
C.S. Lewis said, “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man.” You’ve heard “pride comes before a fall.” The moment we begin to think we’re somehow better than others, for whatever the reason, is the moment the...
Filling in the cracks Do you regard your life as having been well lived? Do you feel fulfilled? While you think about the answer to that question, consider what might make you feel that way. Are you contemplating the family trip you wish you’d taken last year....
Have you ever made a mistake and continued digging the hole even deeper? Making it worse? It’s okay! Accidents happen! And they can happen anytime. You just need to realize that when you’re in too deep, the last thing you want to do is make a bad situation worse. If...
Have you ever thought of slashing something from your schedule...but only halfway? You know...backing off instead of cutting it out entirely? You’ve heard the phrase “A slice of life”? That seems preferable, doesn’t it, to eating the whole cake…? Moderation can mean...
Have you ever worked so hard at something that your behavior seemed to change? Almost like you caused a bond to form between your normal everyday actions and the work ethic you developed? That is called diligence. If you perform your responsibilities in a diligent...
Conventional thought might lead us to believe that resolutions or personal vows are too difficult to keep. A resolution or vow is a commitment (or promise) one has made to either engage in and maintain a new process or abstain from an old way of doing things. Many...