“The true soldier fights not because he hates whats in front of him, but because he loves whats behind him” – GK Chesterton

“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” - Jim Rohn

Just discovered Tom Peters today thanks to my brilliant colleague and friend, Brett Tilford. Mr. Peters has a lot of wisdom and insight into what makes us tick as people. I watched about a dozen of his 2-3 minute videos. Each one drenched in the waters of the wise.

This particular video talks about being extraordinary vs being “ho-hum”. This is something that is a double-edged sword in my life — as I often allow the best to be the enemy of the better. I often stall out and fail to make progress because of my inability to meet an invisible standard.

However, this personal hangup is merely something that needs to be dealt with. There is no reason to stop pursuing the extraordinary. Ultimately, the journey  transforms us — and the journey, more than the results, makes all the difference.

Here is some wisdom from the ages that makes my heart beat a little faster, but more importantly, it moves me to action.

“The greatest danger for us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that our aim is too low and we reach it.”
- Michelangelo

It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
- Father Oscar Romero

There is enough wisdom in this one statement to sustain a man of God for a lifetime.  Absolutely profound and humbling. We are but His messengers.

“Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.”
– Steve Jobs

Whether we’re talking about computers, chairs, or websites — questions of design don’t begin with color or style. They are about purpose and desired outcome. Designers provide solutions, not mere decoration.

“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”
- Thomas Edison

“Fatigue is the price of leadership.  Mediocrity is the result of never getting tired.”
- Oswald Sanders

Improvement comes with a cost.  As does laziness.

“Too often we… enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
- John F. Kennedy