Leading Narratives

A friend once told Abraham Lincoln he was concerned about Cabinet Officer Salmon Chase's ambition for the presidency, and he thought Lincoln should ask Chase to resign. Lincoln had observed that Chase's department was functioning very well, and as long as it continued to do so he would not worry about Chase's presidential aspirations.  To drive the point home he told of a time when he and his step-brother were plowing a cornfield in Indiana, he was driving the horse and his step-brother guiding the plow. The horse, naturally lazy and slow, suddenly rushed across the field so fast the boys could hardly keep pace with him. On reaching the end of the furrow, Lincoln discovered an enormous horse-fly fastened to the horse and knocked it off. His step-brother asked why he did that; whereupon Lincoln explained that he didn't want the horse bitten.  "But," protested his step-brother, "that's all that made him go!" "Now," said Lin

Put five people in a lifeboat and they will get along splendidly. Put those same five people on a luxury yacht and they’ll fight over who has to serve the drinks. Even Jesus had trouble with twelve guys. In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock.– Thomas Jefferson Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.– Louis L’Amour A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.– John Lubbock Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.– St. Francis of Assisi It is easier to fight for one’s principles than to live up to them.– Alfred Adler If you spend your whole life waiting for the storm, you’ll never enjoy the sunshine.– Morris Wesley You can’t get much done in life if you only work when you feel good.–Jerry West Did you know that the term “Blue Chip” comes from the color of the poker chip with the highest valu

In the 1740s, Lord Chesterfield offered the following advice to his son: “There is time enough for everything in the course of the day if you do but one thing at once, but there is not time enough in the year if you will do two things at a time. Here are a few things that bear out Chesterfield may have been right: Numerous studies have shown the sometimes fatal danger of using phones and other electronic devices while driving. A 2005 British study found that workers distracted by email and phone calls suffer a fall in IQ more than twice that found in marijuana smokers. A Vanderbilt University found that task-switching leads to time lost as the brain determines which task to perform. A UCLA study found thru the use of brain scans that multitasking adversely affects learning. “Even if you learn while multitasking, that learning is less flexible so you cannot retrieve the information as easily,” it says. “People who have achieved great things often credit a finely honed skill f

Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.  Why fit in when you were born to stand out? You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go. Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not. A person’s a person, no matter how small. The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go. Everything stinks till it’s finished. Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple. I’ve heard there are troubles of more than one kind; some come from ahead, and some come from behind. But I’ve brought a big bat. I’m all ready, you see; now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end o

Every wolf has its own voice. Every wolf respects the voice of every other wolf. There is not a more eerie, mournful, frightening or beautiful sound at night than the musical extravaganza of a howling wolf pack. Campers and hunters who have heard this chorus are filled with wonder but are also usually immobilized by fear. Because of the melody of voices, it often sounds like they are surrounded by scores of wolves. In truth, there are usually no more than five to eight wolves howling in a pack. The secret is that the wolves are always careful not to duplicate each other. Each wolf assumes a unique pitch, respecting the distinctiveness of the other members of the pack. While the notes may change, as in any beautiful song, one wolf will not copy the pitch of another. Interestingly, this respect for the individual only emphasizes the true unity of the group. They are one, but they are individuals, each contributing to the organization in their own unique way. Every wolf has his o