What is Greatness

Laws control the lesser man . . . . Right conduct controls the greater one. – Mark Twain Someone with a strong character needs no external guide or precepts to determine behavior. Where do you look for guidance? Do you consult “laws” to see what’s acceptable? Or do you consult your ethics to see what’s…

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds. It is something one creates. – Thomas Szasz Saying one must “find themself” is such a mind-fudge. As if who you are is out there, waiting under some rock or behind a tree. Who…

You can do anything once you stop trying to do everything. – Eric Barker Why would anyone try to everything anyways? One possibility: to please. Trying to please others. Trying to please the idea we have in our heads about what people want from us. Trying to do enough and make people happy. Why? Because…

I have long held humans are meaning-seeking and meaning-creating creatures. Language is our primary tool of meaning creation and transmission. The words we use create our lives, both individually and organizationally. If you work in an organization (of any sort, or size) the words that are chosen, and repeated, make a huge difference. Take a…

“If people knew how hard I worked to gain my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful.” – Michelangelo By now its the rare person who hasn’t heard that to be expert at something, to be a “master,” one must practice 10,000 hours. Take heart though, you can be pretty damn good after a couple thousand hours….

I really like the show Hard Knocks (HK) on HBO. I enjoy watching (American) football on Sundays, but HK gives a level of access and insight that is very interesting. I take a number of lessons from my interests (I’ve learned a lot about life from the lyrics of Neil Peart and John Hiatt… )…