Have you ever tried to jostle for position with a donkey or mule?

They can be pretty stubborn. I’ve always found a gentle spirit or a kind word softens their opposition. This practice also works well with people, something I would do well to remember more often.

We find such instruction in Proverbs 15:1 –

A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

I try to remember the advice of “Horse Whisperer” Buck Brannaman: “[Be] gentle in what you do, firm in how you do it.”

“The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” ~ Vince Lombardi

Climbing to the Top

It’s not about the rat race or maddening crowd. It’s not about looking behind you to see who’s catching up. It really has little to do with others.

It’s about becoming the best you possible. Growth. Perseverance.

The climb, at times, is hard and grueling. The view from the top, the feeling of victory in overcoming, is exhilarating.

Keep climbing.

“The oak sleeps in the acorn; the bird waits in the egg; and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.”

– James Allen

 is just the beginning.

The biggest accomplishments begin with a small thing – whether that’s by a preparation, a practice, or by perseverance.

“It doesn’t take talent to run hard or play hard, it just takes ‘want to,’ in a sense.” ~ Joe Maddon

Some folks just seem to be going through the motions. They get to school on time. They show up for work each day. They even smile on occasion.

But, something is missing. A spark. A drive. To help rekindle their fire, we remember how they felt when they first got started in their studies or work. We talk about their desires, maybe to make an impact, or to be world-changing, or simply to be happy with a healthy family.

It’s easy to recognize it when I see it in their eyes or hear it in their voice. And we build off that. Their ‘want to’.