Daily Thought: The Rocket

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."

- Dale Carnegie, author


"You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

- Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady


"Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish."

- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor

Alex

Born on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean Sea, Alex's childhood was far from ideal. A child of divorced parents, Alex's father left his family penniless when he was ten years old. His mother died the next year, leaving Alex and his brother alone. He was eleven.

Because of his parent's divorce, an education was not offered to Alex. Instead, he was forced to work to help support himself and his brother. Alex worked days as a clerk in an island import store and spent his nights giving himself an education - mainly derived from the thirty-four books that he had in his possession. The books intriqued Alex, challenging him to think while at the same time taking him off the island and away to a whole new world. A world completely different from the life of disappointment that he currently lived.

After years of working as a clerk, Alex decided to leave the island and travel to America - a true land of opportunity. Using the money he had saved, Alex took a boat into the port of Boston and joined the United States Military.

Where can you find little Alex now?

The ten dollar bill is a good place to start.






"There are strong minds in every walk of life that will rise superior to the disadvantages of situation, and will command the tribute due to their merit...."

- Alexander Hamilton, First Secretary of the Treasury

Daily Thought: The Monument

"Greatness does not approach him who is forever looking down."

- Hitopadesha, collection of Sanskrit fables


"To achieve great things we must live as if we were never going to die."

- Marquis de Vauvenargues, French essayist


"You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand."

- Woodrow Wilson, former United States President


"Excellence is not a destination; it is a continuous journey that never ends."

- Brian Tracy, author

Air Jordan "Failure" Commercial

Michael Jordan, the NBA great, time and time again serves as a motivational icon.

Daily Thought: The Runner

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

- Aristotle, Greek philosopher


"Discipline is remembering what you want."

- David Campbell, American composer


"Hard work is the brick of success. Persistency is the mortar."

- Anonymous


"The secret of success is constancy of purpose."

- Benjamin Disraeli, former British Prime Minister

5 Rules to Live By from...Zig Ziglar

"Expect the best. Prepare for the worst. Capitalize on what comes. "


"Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street. "


"If you don't see yourself as a winner, then you cannot perform as a winner."


"You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win. "


"When you are tough on yourself, life is going to be infinitely easier on you. "

Daily Thought: The Key

.

"Unless you're willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won't happen."

.

- Phillip Adams, Australian broadcaster

.

.

"Would you like me to give you a formula for success? It’s quite simple, really. Double your rate of failure. You are thinking of failure as the enemy of success. But it isn’t at all. You can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it. So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can. Because remember that’s where you will find success."

.

- Thomas J. Watson, former president of IBM

.

.

"A stumble may prevent a fall."

.

- English proverb

.

.

"The man who tries and fails is one step closer to success than the man who never tries."

.

- Anonymous

Life

So often, people wonder how they ought to live their life. Every so often, we will try and point you in the right direction using the thoughts of others.




"The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it."

- William James, American psychologist


"Only a life lived for others is worthwhile."

- Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist


"Love the moment. Flowers grow out of dark moments. Therefore, each moment is vital. It affects the whole. Life is a succession of such moments and to live each, is to succeed."

- Corita Kent, artist

Daily Thought: The Monkey

"Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads on to actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny."

- Tryon Edwards, American theologian


"No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking."

- Voltaire, French Enlightenment philosopher


"What we think, we become."

- Prince Siddharta, founder of Buddhism


"The 'how' thinker gets problems solved effectively because he wastes no time with the futile 'ifs'."

- Norman Vincent Peale, Protestant preacher

A Cup of Dreams

Howard was a salesman - and a good salesman at that. After only three years of working at Hammarplast, he had risen to be their manager of U.S. Operations. Howard had a good job, a loving wife, and a great life in New York City.

But one aroma changed it all.

Howard noticed that a small company on the west coast was buying a relatively large quantity of Hammarplast's Swedish drip coffeemakers. His curiosity eventually got the best of him, and in 1981, Howard traveled to Seattle to find this company - a small coffee bean retailer called Starbucks.

After meeting the owners, exploring the company, and tasting their product, Howard fell in love with Starbucks. He begged their owners to allow him to come on-board.

They respectfully declined.

Howard flew back to New York City and his job at Hammarplast - but Starbucks never really left his mind. Over the course of the next year, Howard spoke on occasion with the owners of Starbucks, making it clear of his interest in the firm. In 1982, they offered him a spot.

Howard and his wife left everything in NYC behind. Grabbing a hold of Howard's hunch, they relocated their family to Seattle. For the next several years, Howard worked just about every position at Starbucks that he could - behind the counter, in the roasting plant, in management, and on the floor. Some nights, his life and job back in New York City called to him. He had given up so much. Was following his instincts the wrong decision? Had he messed up? It seemed as if he'd never know.

Then, in the late 80's the owners of Starbucks decided to sell. And there, eager to buy, was a man that understood through experience every facet of the Starbucks operation - Howard. In 1987, Howard Schultz bought Starbucks for $3.8 million.

As CEO, he turned it in to what it is today.

Daily Thought: The Megaphone

"Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes."

.

- Eleanor Roosevelt, First Lady

.

.

"Assertiveness is not what you do, it's who you are!"

.

- Cal LeMon, former Harvard chaplain and television producer

.

.

"Back of ninety-nine out of one-hundred assertions that a thing cannot be done is nothing, but the unwillingness to do it."

.

- William Feather, American Author

Daily Thought: Ancient Difficulty

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

- Seneca, Roman Philosopher


"Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish."

- Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor


"Difficulties show men what they are."

- Epictetus, Greek Philosopher