Letters To My Son

Humility is a huge part of the equation. It is one of the cornerstones of the process. The only way we can get better is by acknowledging our limitations and owning it.

When a habit has become so ingrained, that actions begin to flow from you without conscious thought, or effort, then you have changed your character.

The only relationship between work and chatter is that one kills the other. Let the others slap each other on the back while you’re back in the lab or the gym or pounding the pavement.

You assemble your rifle with a blindfold on, you workout with a weighted vest on. You do it 1000 times, and then 1000 times more while there is no pressure so that when there is, you’ll know exactly what to do.

Old wounds, that don’t get treated, aren’t really old, they remain fresh. They are still open sores that eat away at your friendship, relationship, or your marriage from the inside, without you even knowing it.

In the years to come, Churchill and King would witness some of the most hellish torments that man could invent. Yet they, along with many of our ancestors, endured that pain as well. As horrible as it was, eventually all would be well again.

A legacy project of any scale does not just appear. If you have a big enough WHY, you’ll find and do the HOW.

It quickly became my legacy project that I would leave to him. My words, messages, lessons, encouragement, advice, inspiration, and unconditional love. My voice and time in a bottle.

“I have more fun, and enjoy more financial success, when I stop trying to get what I want and start helping other people get what they want.“

“The day before she made the decision to withdraw, Biles felt off. Her takeoffs felt off. Her Aerials felt off. Her landings felt off. And she knew if she were to perform the way she was performing, she would’ve cost her teammates a medal.”

Expect to be driven off course, but not worry because we’ve plotted a way back. We can resist going to pieces if things didn’t go as planned. With anticipation, we can endure. We are prepared for failure and ready for success.

Perhaps people don’t take you seriously. Or you think you’re too old. Or you lack support or enough resources. Maybe laws or regulations restrict your options. Or your obligations do. Or false goals and self-doubt. Whatever it is, here you are. Here we all are.

What makes his actions so special is the sincerity of his giving and his unbridled compassion. Every handshake is a bond of friendship. Every hug is a promise of support. Every smile is genuine.

“A blazing fire takes whatever you throw on it and consumes it, and rises higher because of it.”

Forgetting he moved his marker, Tiger put his ball down and was about to putt from the wrong spot. If he did, he’d automatically lose the hole and the tournament.

Think about the areas of your life where you are under duress or weighed down by obligation. What are the choices available to you, day after day? You might be surprised at how many there actually are. Are you taking advantage? Are you finding the positives?

His captors deprived him. They tortured him. They beat him. They stripped him of his possessions. But they could not break him.

“He was one jump from a certain victory for the gold medal when he felt his horse go lame. He chose to stop and dismount, sparing his horse’s life, rather than complete the race and win.”

2000 years ago, to the Stoics, Stoicism is something you DO. They were most concerned with how one lived, the choices you made, the causes you served, the principles you adhered to in the face of adversity.

Learning to live in the present moment is vital, because it’s the only thing you have any control over. The only thing you can do to rectify the past or influence the future is to take action now, in the present moment.

If you don’t find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. In life, to achieve your goals, to complete the night swim, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.

Angela Merkel is the antithesis of nearly every assumption we make about a head of State - especially a German one. She is plain. She is modest. She cares little for presentation or flash. She gives no fiery speeches.

That fighter who has seen her own blood, who has felt her teeth rattle beneath her opponents fist, who has been downed in body but not in spirit, will they know what they can take.

A critical turning point. The moment of truth. Will you be brave? Will you put yourself out there? What will you reveal your character to be?

“So ask now, right now, while you have the courage. Before it’s too late. We are in this mission together. Ask for help. It’s not just brave, it’s the right thing to do.”