The Decisive Element

I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. – Goethe

Owner vs. Victim

It’s a powerful distinction that I first heard from Steve Chandler.

You either own your life; your actions, your feelings and your results or you’re subject to them – i.e., a victim.

It’s really quite simple.

It’s up to you to decide which you’re going to be.

You are the decisive element.

Similar Posts

  • Be Where You Are: Live

    May you live all the days of your life. – Jonathan Swift I sometimes say that the past is good as a textbook, and the future a place to dream into, but the only place anything actually happens is right now. Now is when you live. Imagine the smallest unit of time/experience. That’s “now.” That…

  • How To Accomplish More

    Who begins too much accomplishes little. – German Proverb Scattered. Harried. Stressed. Frantic. . . . *  *  * These are the words that describe the day-to-day lives of so many people. It’s what happens when you try to do too much. When you don’t know how to say “No” to the things that match…

  • Look Forward, Mostly

    Never look back unless you are planning to go that way. – Henry David Thoreau There’s a reason why the windshield is so much larger than the rear-view mirror. Ever think about why the rear-view mirror isn’t larger in a car? Probably not, because it’s just about the right size. We can learn a lot…

  • The First Step

    Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you, because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it. – Roald Dahl You must believe, first. And, to the extent you believe, you will have energy, purpose and staying power. But…