Patience Has An Effect

The American 6th U.S. President, John Quincy Adams, said “patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.” A phrase that was true in the early 1800s and is true early on in the 2000s.

Our lives are busy and little things can test even our best days. Someone said that you admire patience of the person behind you, but not necessarily of the person in front of you.

A short one day trip recently was a test for me. When I travel by plane, my belief is accept the inevitability of delays, crowds and other foibles or air travel. This recent trip had all of the earmarks of things to go wrong. The flight was delayed by three hours due to the usual reasons, traffic, weather or something.

So I settled in with patience and awaited our boarding time. A spark of encouragement came when the flight delay was decreased by half an hour. All boarded and nearing the take-off runway, we pull to the side. A mechanical problem with an engine and back to the gate. Further delays and now dealing with a flight crew that was nearing the end of a regulated shift.

There was a lot of gnashing teeth, people getting upset and general displeasure. Yet what would you do, leave the plane and try to start all over. We stuck it out and left finally, arriving at our destination at 1:30am. Certainly not a 'magical effect' but effective none the less.

Patience in life is not always easy, but it certainly can have a calming effect and a lasting effect. Life is full of irritation, but it is also full of great things. Be patient and let the "magical effect take place and allow your difficulties to disappear and the obstacles vanish."

Stories of Success

Tell me your stories of success - send a comment and we'll see what great stories of success and change in life brings to each of you.

Keep Moving Forward

“To me, if life boils down to one thing, it's movement. To live is to keep moving.” -Jerry Seinfeld

As you start on your path to greater things; as the pressure builds and the nay-sayers get in the way, keep moving forward. One step in front of the other, keep moving.

The first step is difficult but each one can be met with resistance. Keep your focus on what you can achieve, the goal or dream you have for yourself.

Enduring Life's Problems

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.” -Marie Curie

There are stories that abound of facing all odds and persevering through even the worst of times. There is a story I've heard many times and came upon once again on Glenn Gleason's website. It is the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton and how he vowed and succeeded in saving all of his men when they became trapped in the Antarctic waters in 1914.

In repeating Glenn's words, "Shackleton and his crew formulated common goals, and made sure that every choice they made and every action they undertook specifically moved them closer to those goals. They drew upon their strengths to survive throughout enormous hardship. Shackleton’s core belief in a single, powerful dream guided them."

"This story of courage and survival teaches so many lessons. What circumstances are crushing you? Are you making concrete plans to overcome them? Are you reaching out to your “crew” for encouragement? Are you wiling to do whatever it takes to make it back alive?"

"One of the most telling parts of Shackleton’s story is his family motto, “By Endurance We Conquer.” Too many people simply give up. Take courage, persevere, and never be afraid to follow your dream."

What story do you have to tell? It may not be the dramatic story of being trapped at sea, but to you the story is real. Will you give up or will you push forward and realize your dream?