False limitations...

"I'm looking for a lot of men with an infinite capacity for not knowing what cannot be done."

                                                                                                                                -Henry Ford


Henry Ford gave this world the V8 engine. He did not have much formal education. In fact, he did not go to school beyond the age of 14. He was intelligent enough to know there had to be a V8 engine but he was ignorant and didn't know how to build it. So he asked all his highly qualified, educated people to build one. But they told him what could be done and what couldn't. According to them, a V8 was an impossibility. But Henry Ford insisted on having his V8. A few months later he asked his people if they had the V8 and they replied, "We know what can be done and we also know what cannot be done and V8 is an impossibility." This went on for many months and still Henry Ford said, "I want my V8." And shortly thereafter the same people produced his V8 engine. How come? They let their imagination run beyond academic limitation. Education teaches us what can be done and sometimes also teaches us false limitations.

Wilma Rudolph's story...

Wilma Rudolph was born into a poor home in Tennessee. At age four, she had double pneumonia with scarlet fever, a deadly combination which left her paralyzed with polio. She had to wear a brace and the doctor said she would never put her foot on the earth. But her mother encouraged her; she told Wilma that with God-given ability, persistence and faith she could do anything she wanted. Wilma said, "I want to be the fastest woman on the track on this earth." At the age of nine, against the advice of the doctors, she removed the brace and took the first step the doctors had said she never would. At the age of 13, she entered her first race and came way, way last. And then she entered her second, and third and fourth and came way, way last until a day came when she came in first. At the age of 15 she went to Tennessee State University where she met a coach by the name of Ed Temple. She told him, "I want to be the fastest woman on the track on this earth." Temple said, "With your spirit nobody can stop you and besides, I will help you." The day came when she was at the Olympics and at the Olympics you are matched with the best of the best. Wilma was matched against a woman named Jutta Heine who had never been beaten. The first event was the 100-meter race. Wilma beat Jutta Heine and won her first gold medal. The second event was the 200-meter race and Wilma beat Jutta a second time and won her second gold medal. The third event was the 400-meter relay and she was racing against Jutta one more time. In the relay, the fastest person always runs the last lap and they both anchored their teams. The first three people ran and changed the baton easily. When it came to Wilma's turn, she dropped the baton. But Wilma saw Jutta shoot up at the other end; she picked the baton, ran like a machine, beat Jutta a third time and won her third gold medal. It became history: That a paralytic woman became the fastest woman on this earth at the 1960 Olympics.

Discipline...an act of love...

Discipline is an act of love. Sometimes you have to be unkind to be kind: Not all medicine is sweet, not all surgery is painless, but we have to take it. We need to learn from nature. We are all familiar with that big animal, the giraffe. A mama giraffe gives birth to a baby giraffe, standing. All of a sudden, the baby falls on a hard surface from the cushion of mama's womb, and sits on the ground. The first thing mama does is to get behind the baby and give him a hard kick. The baby gets up, but his legs are weak and wobbly and the baby falls down. Mama goes behind again and gives him one more kick. The baby gets up but sits down again. Mama keeps kicking till the baby gets on its feet and starts moving. Why? Because mama knows that the only chance of survival for the baby in the jungle is to get on its feet. Otherwise it will be eaten up by wildcats and become dead meat.

Is this an act of love? You bet it is.

A child learns from life...

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns tonight.

If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.

If a child lives with shame, he learns to feel guilty.

If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.

If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.

If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship,

he learns to find love in the world.

Self-esteem matters...

High Self-Esteem                                               Low Self-Esteem

Talk about ideas                                                                      Talk about people

Caring attitude                                                                         Critical attitude

Humility                                                                                   Arrogance

Respects authority                                                                    Rebels against authority

Courage of conviction                                                               Goes along to get along

Confidence                                                                              Confusion

Concerned about character                                                       Concerned about reputation

Assertive                                                                                  Aggressive

Accepts responsibility                                                               Blames the whole world

Self-interest                                                                              Selfish

Optimistic                                                                                 Fatalistic

Understanding                                                                          Greedy

Willing to learn                                                                          Know it all

Sensitive                                                                                   Touchy

Solitude                                                                                     Lonely

Discuss                                                                                     Argue

Believes in self-worth                                                                 Believes in net worth only

Guided                                                                                      Misguided

Discipline                                                                                  Distorted sense of freedom

Internally driven                                                                         Externally driven

Respects others                                                                         Looks down on others

Enjoys decency                                                                         Enjoys vulgarity

Knows limit                                                                               Everything goes

Giver                                                                                         Taker