"Character is formed in the stormy billows of the world." Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Someone once explained to me that we can act like anyone we wish when everything is going okay and we're feeling pretty good. I'd say that's true enough. For most of us, when we don't feel unduly… read more
"Moral certitude isn’t the exclusive posture of the young. But it is an easier one to hold when life hasn’t yet given you sufficient time to leaven idealism with experience, second-guess yourself and learn that the things you once thought were most true aren’t quite so." From This Decade of… read more
"If you want something you never had then you've got to do something you've never done" Anonymous
I love this quote and I love it in the context of career success. The people who are evaluating your progress and likelihood for promotion are not only looking for what you have accomplished… read more
"Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored." Aldous Huxley
If I currently were a CEO, I would put this quote on the wall in every meeting room in the building. Blind allegiance to a preconceived notion, something someone told you, or something you read on social media, can… read more
“The secret to success is having the ability to maintain enthusiasm between failures.” Winston Churchill
This quote definitely belongs on my all-time favorites list. Churchill knew all too well the real-world manifestation of these words. Few have experienced the profound failures that… read more
"The man who says he is willing to meet you halfway is usually a poor judge of distance." Laurence J. Peter
I have a lot of fun with this quote in my work, especially with young professionals. The reason I like using it is because the common-sense truth, wit and humor make it so… read more
“To break the rules you must first master them.” Audemars Piguet
For me, the mark of a truly memorable aphorism, is its ability to touch a truth so profoundly that it causes one to pause. This is a wonderful example of that criterion, because it clearly separates the dedicated… read more
“An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.” Mahatma Gandhi
What a wonderful reminder of the senselessness of retribution. We see this on an increasing scale in governments around the world as warring factions, intent on getting even, just create more polarity. But, let’s… read more
“It’s hard to feed someone else when you’re hungry.” Anonymous
I first heard this quote when I was working with a leader in the Netherlands and we were talking about creating an environment that would nurture a motivated, cohesive team and take them to the next level of accomplishment.… read more
"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist." Indira Gandhi
What wonderful visual imagery there is in this common-sense quote, but let’s take it a little further and see if we can make use of its wisdom in another context. If we were to equate the clenched fist with an attitude, it… read more
