It Is Not Because Things Are Difficult That We Do

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. "

-"The credit belongs to those who are already in the arena...who know the great enthusiasms, the great devotions to a worthy cause; who at best, know the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, fail while daring greatly...so that their place shall never be among those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat -"I am no longer good through deliberate intent but by long habit have reached a point where I am not only able to do right but am unable to do anything but what is right"

All men , if they work not as in the great taskmaster’s eye, will work wrong, and work unhappily for themselves and for you. Every human being has a work to perform within, duties to perform abroad, influences to exert, which are peculiarly his, and which no conscience but his own can teach. Much misconstruction and bitterness are spared to him who thinks naturally upon what he owes to others rather than what he ought to expect from them. Responsibility walks hand in hand with capacity and power. Responsibility is measured not by the amount of injury resulting from wrong action, but by the distinctness with which conscience has he right opportunity of distinguishing between the right and the wrong. Let us endeavor so to live so that when we come to die, even the executioner shall be sorry. It is our choices more than our abilities that show who we truly are. It is not given to us to decide what time shall be given to us. But it is given to us to decide what to do in that time given to us.-J.R.R.Tolkien The reward of one duty done responsibly faithfully is the power to fulfill another. This the feeling that gives a man true courage- the feeling that he has a work to do at all costs; the sense of responsibility. This span of life was lent to us for lofty duties not for selfishness; not to be whiled away in aimless dreams, but to improve ourselves and serve mankind. Who has not served cannot command Leaders search others for their virtue, and themselves for your vices.

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit. Those who can command themselves command others. The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. Skill in the art of communication is crucial to a leader's success. He can accomplish nothing unless he can communicate effectively. A leader is a person you will follow to a place you wouldn't go by yourself. The first task of a leader is to keep hope alive Leaders don't inflict pain -- they share pain. Justice is the first virtue of those who command, and stops the complaints of those who obey. Leaders create an environment which everyone has the opportunity to do work which matches his potential capability and for which an equitable differential reward is provided. It is time for a new generation of leadership, to cope with new problems and new opportunities. For there is a new world to be won. The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been. A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. But of a good leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: We did it ourselves. A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done. The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. The genius of a good leader is to leave behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully. A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. Show me the leader and I will know his men. Show me the men and I will know their leader. A great leader never sets himself above his followers except in carrying responsibilities.

Successful leaders have the courage to take action where others hesitate.. Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish. You don't have to hold a position in order to be a leader. Love and respect do not automatically accompany a position of leadership. They must be earned. The secret of a leader lies in the tests he has faced over the whole course of his life and the habit of action he develops in meeting those tests. A good leader is not the person who does things right, but the person who finds the right things to do. Leadership has a harder job to do than just choosing sides, it must bring sides together.