“Pain prompts us to face who we are and where we are. What we do with that experience defines who we become.”

“People cannot perform in a way inconsistent with the way they see themselves.”

“The Cost and Expectation of Leadership Leviticus 7:33–35 Aaron, like many leaders throughout history, received a divine calling. God chose Aaron and his sons to serve as Israel’s priests and charged them with carrying out rituals and sacrifices on behalf of all Israelites. Scripture gives meticulous detail to their ordination and calling. Their conduct was to be beyond reproach—and God made it crystal clear that failure to uphold His established guidelines would result in death. Numerous accounts in the Book of Leviticus demonstrate the high cost and expectation that goes with a holy calling to leadership positions. As the high priest, Aaron was the only one authorized to enter the Most Holy Place and appear before the very presence of God. The Lord set Aaron apart for his holy work. Despite his high calling, Aaron struggled with his authority and later caved in to the depraved wishes of the people. He failed at a crucial juncture and led Israel in a pagan worship service, an abomination that led to the deaths of many Israelites. Aaron had been set apart for God’s service, but he chose to live and lead otherwise. The failure of a leader usually results in consequences far more grave than the fall of a non-leader. On the day Aaron failed, “about three thousand men of the people fell [died]” (Ex. 32:28). When leaders fail, followers pay the price.”

“Isn’t it strange how we must surrender being right in order to find what’s right, how humility enables us to be authentic, vulnerable, trustworthy, and intimate with others? People are open to those who are open to them.”

“One of the most striking scenes of the 1970s was Hubert Humphrey’s funeral. Seated next to Hubert’s beloved wife was former President Richard M. Nixon, a long-time political adversary of Humphrey, and a man disgraced by Watergate. Humphrey himself had asked Nixon to have that place of honor. Three days before Senator Humphrey died, Jesse Jackson visited him in the hospital. Humphrey told Jackson that he had just called Nixon. Reverend Jackson, knowing their past relationship, asked Humphrey why. Here is what Hubert Humphrey had to say, From this vantage point, with the sun setting in my life, all of the speeches, the political conventions, the crowds, and the great fights are behind me. At a time like this you are forced to deal with your irreducible essence, forced to grapple with that which is really important. And what I have concluded about life is that when all is said and done, we must forgive each other, redeem each other, and move on. Do”

“When leaders learn and live good values, they make themselves more valuable and lift the value of other people. That is the foundation of positive leadership.”

“The bottom line in leadership isn't how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others.”

“Learn to say 'no' to the good so you can say 'yes' to the best.”

“The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing in the right place, but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.”

“Four Unpardonable Sins of a Communicator”: being unprepared, uncommitted, uninteresting, or uncomfortable.”

“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

“Nobody on his death bed ever said, ‘I wish I had spent more time on my business.”

“En Harvard y otras universidades, estudiaron la importancia de la actitud en el éxito de las personas. Se descubrió que la actitud era mucho más importante que la inteligencia, la educación, el talento especial o la suerte. De hecho, se llegó a la conclusión de que hasta un 85% del éxito en la vida se debe a tener una actitud positiva y educable, mientras que sólo un 15% se debe a la capacidad.” 

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter—it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.”

“«El destino no es cuestión de suerte, es cuestión de decisión; no es algo que se espera, es algo que se logra».”