Frederick Van Rensselaer Dey, author.
From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
“… Ask of no man permission to perform. Learn that the consciousness of dominant power within you is the possession of all things attainable.”
Frederick Van Rensselaer Dey, author. From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com
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Life is often made easier by “going along with the crowd” in an attempt to “fit in” and become popular. Wear the same clothes and shoes and hats as the popular people. Eat and drink and consume the same products as the popular people. Watch the same programs, listen to the same music, talk about the same things. Express the same opinions. Act the same. If it works for them, it’s got to be the best way!
Soon, the line between you and everyone else becomes blurred and indistinct. You lose your sense of purpose and your mission in life; you do and say many things in opposition to your true character; the guilt and anger about your weakness and malleability accumulate and stress you to the breaking point. Acquiesce enough, and you become nothing more than an apathetic lemming who swims with the tide toward the slaughter of your identity. You become indistinguishable from anyone else and your unique qualities remain hidden, untapped, and unused, to the detriment of yourself and others. It takes much courage, much effort, and much energy to break free from the masses in an effort to forge your own path and be true to your soul. A wonderful example of the ultimate bliss and joy that results from remaining yourself is captured in the (ostensible) children’s book Ferdinand. The short, easy to read book by author Munro Leaf tells the story of Ferdinand the bull, who refuses to think the same or to act the same as the other bulls. The illustrated book has entertained children for decades - and its underlying message is timeless. Be yourself. Follow your heart. You may not be popular; you will be great! From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com Augustin Ramos was a Taramuhari Indian medicine man, a shaman, who provided healing, comfort and spiritual teachings to his people. He reportedly lived to an age in excess of 100; he taught and healed until the day he died. He was the undisputed leader of his community. One of his primary teachings was the concept that each young person in his tribe possessed a special component within which was indicative of future greatness. Ramos taught that it was a primary function of all tribal elders to nurture and bring this special possession to full fruition, no matter the labor, time or inconvenience involved.
Often, this component of greatness was exposed through harsh physical labor and remarkable feats of endurance. The challenge of a task many times brought unknown and untapped talents to the surface. Other youth displayed their greatness in the form of enhanced spirituality or superior intellect or remarkable communication skills or breathtaking musical talent. Whatever the outlet, Ramos made it his mission to reveal and extract the talent. He believed that young people could “… sense a secret greatness in themselves that seeks expression.” This discovery of greatness, and the quest for its full development, is not confined to the Taramuhari Indians, nor to mystical and mysterious shamans nor to irrepressible youth. Every person, regardless of race, creed, sex, age, occupation or interest, is in possession of at least one special talent. Make it your mission to discover yours, and to help others discover theirs. Ramos considered this quest a key to his longevity, and essential to his life-long productivity. Accept nothing less from yourself, either. From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com If you attend a religious service this Holiday and Christmas season, chances are favorable that you will hear or sing the beloved hymn “Amazing Grace.” The words are recognizable to most; the opening stanza:
“Amazing grace! / How sweet the sound / That saved a wretch like me / I once was lost, but now am found / Was blind, but now I see.” Strong words made even stronger by the fact that they are autobiographical. The British author, John Newton, grew up in a seafaring family in the early 1700s. He was at sea, performing the backbreaking work of a yeoman crew member, when he was 11-years-old. He took a succession of jobs on various ships and then was impressed into mandatory service on a war ship. By his late teens he grew tired of the intolerable living conditions and the rigor of service and deserted his ship. He was captured, flogged, and in order to make a legal exit from his commitment, he volunteered to serve on a slave ship. He’d found his niche. He rose to the rank of steersman. He and his crewmates made many voyages, picking up and delivering slaves, to and from many ports. Newton was a typical ship’s mate of the time, fierce and foreboding at times and profane, disrespectful and rebellious most of the time. He displayed little if any compassion toward the human cargo, the slaves, whom he considered little more than sub-human savages. These views, again, were typical of the time. During one fateful voyage, though, Newton had an epiphany that changed his life. His ship sailed into a terrible and violent storm and was tossed about like a leaf in the wind, near to capsizing with every wave. Newton was certain that he, the crew, and his freight-load of slaves would soon meet their death. In a last-gasp effort for survival, Newton met with the captain and prayed for mercy. He was not a religious or spiritual man, and this act was out of character. Somehow, someway, Newton and his ship survived. Newton contemplated what had happened, and upon reaching the shore of his destination, was a changed man. Newton described it as a miracle, and called it his “great deliverance.” Thereafter, Newton treated slaves with compassion and concern. He became a captain on a non-slave ship for a time, then abandoned his trade, his ship, and his acceptance of slavery in lieu of tolerance and a role as a minister. He studied theology and wrote many songs, foremost among them “Amazing Grace.” It is estimated that “Amazing Grace” is performed 10 million times each year, and the words resonate every time they’re sung. Newton was a wretch and a scoundrel who thought himself beyond redemption - he learned that, no matter the past transgressions, it is possible to change and become a man of greatness. Change if you must, and fulfill your destiny, like John Newton. From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com Author Victor Hugo said, “One can resist the invasion of an army but one cannot resist the invasion of ideas.” Train and strengthen your mind - fill your brain with ideas that overwhelm your enemy of mediocrity. Think, then act, then think again. If you encounter an obstacle, develop another idea. Your ideas act as does a drip of water onto a boulder. At first, the action of the water seems inconsequential and ineffective. Drop by drop, though, the boulder is bored into by the unceasing, concentrated action. The water flows, however slow and steady, and the boulder is worn away. Be relentless with your ideas. Keep them flowing from the inexhaustible tap within your mind, and any resistance against is futile.
From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians, chapter 4, verse 18. From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com Brian Oldfield was a shotputter and Highland Games competitor known for his freakish athleticism and unconventional ways. He was at or near world-record levels for over a decade and popularized the spinning method of putting a shot. At his peak, he was the most explosive and dynamic thrower in the world, capable of a 9.6 100-yard dash and a jumping snap kick as high as a basketball rim.
It was said that he personified mankind’s tenuous grip on civility and that he displayed every potential trait from savage to barbarian. He was often loud, obnoxious, aggressive, and overpowering. He lived his life, and competed, with the same mindset. It was all-or-nothing, all the time, pure non-stop craziness. Uninhibited mayhem ruled the day. He approached his sport with a level of seriousness within the competition circle that was off-set by the care-free whimsical approach he adopted outside the field of competition. All-out, simultaneous pursuit of both serious sport and frivolous fun means a life of balance and moderation, achieved through excess and imbalance. Unique, but it worked for Oldfield. He is now a respected coach and imparts his wisdom of experience to many throwers (shotput, hammer and discus). In spite of his wild image and his life of extremes, Oldfield was a dedicated and diligent compiler and documenter of his athletic training regimen. He believes that his passion for pushing boundaries, combined with his attention to detail, transmute his mastery of sport into a science that is duplicable. He’s searching for athletes who want to break barriers and assail records untouched since his heyday. He wants to train legends, and create heroes. If becoming a hero and a legend is not your intent, it should be. From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com A great athlete, surrounded by peers of equal ability, may at times forget his way. He may lose his sense of purpose and begin to doubt his capability. His confident and attacking mindset may atrophy and disappear under the weight of hesitancy and doubt. In an effort to be a great teammate, he may forget to first be a great individual. He may drift back into the pool of sameness and lose the unique style that propelled him to success. This is not uncommon in the ebb and flow of an elite athlete’s career.
It takes significant energy and wherewithal to restore what is lost. Although difficult, it is possible. Mike Conley of the Memphis Grizzlies has returned to his aggressive ways in this, his 4th season in the NBA. In his brief college days at Ohio State, the lightning-quick point guard was known for his attacking, penetrating style. He had excellent court awareness and was adroit at distributing the ball to open teammates; teammates that were often open as a result of Conley’s slicing forays into the paint. When the defense adjusted, Conley hit an open teammate. When the defense hesitated, Conley nailed an assortment of running floaters and driving lay-ins. His performance in the NCAA Tournament his freshman year impressed most observers so much, he became the 4th overall pick in that year’s draft. Once he got to the Grizzlies, even if on a subconscious level, Conley acquiesced and deferred to his (mostly veteran) teammates. He became content with drifting around the perimeter on both offense and defense. Only on rare occasions did he demonstrate the same verve, fire, and scintillating dynamism so prevalent when he was a Buckeye. He lost confidence in his shot, which made him even less aggressive, which made him more hesitant to shoot, which made him uncomfortable on the court. It was a vicious downward spiral that was akin to being caught in a whirlpool of sticky tar: why resist? He was going to fail anyway, so he rarely shot. Conley is intelligent and saw his diminishing results and determined their cause. During the off-season he studied tapes of games in which he was at his most aggressive, and conversations with his coaches assured him that he could afford to be more selfish with the basketball. The most effective point guard is always a threat to score, as well as pass, so Conley upped his looks at the basket and his shot attempts. This season, he’s played some of the best basketball of his life and has led his resurgent team to a solid spot in the standings. When in doubt, attack! If uncertain, attack! It is far easier to decrease aggression than to increase aggression - stay at maximum aggressiveness until your coach tells you to dial back. Chances are, he never will. From November 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com “Incandescent” is a word often associated with the bright, glowing, brilliant light produced from a light bulb. A figurative description of incandescent is applicable to the man who works himself into a white-hot lather of energy in his pursuit of excellence. The incandescent man is aglow with a clear, overpowering purpose and pursues its achievement with a burning ardor and a flaming intensity. His efforts shine with brilliance and his results are masterful. The vitality of his pursuit sheds new light on circumstance, information and ways of acting that light the path for others to achieve in a similar way. An incandescent man is inexhaustible and his source of power never-ending. He illuminates and inspires. To be incandescent is to be extraordinary!
Light up your world and be great! From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com The Civil War was not going well for the Union. General William Rosecrans was a blunt, outspoken and quarrelsome man albeit a respected civil engineer and a capable military strategist. He was in command of a large portion of the Union Army, and had acquitted himself well, although he had let a large enemy force escape from the grasp of his troops. Rosecrans met in private with his supervising officer, the formidable and aggressive Ulysses S “U.S.” Grant, soon to become Commanding General of all Union forces.
Rosecrans spoke with eloquence and knowledge during the long and detailed strategic session. He made several astute, applicable and acceptable suggestions and anticipated Grant’s approval. Instead, Grant responded with vehemence and dismissed him with a curse comment. Within a short time, Rosecrans was replaced as a commander and re-assigned to a position of far less responsibility. Later, Grant spoke of his reasoning. He indicated his pleasure with Rosecrans’ well-thought presentation and high-level plans. “My only wonder was that he had not carried them out,” said Grant. He needed a man of action at the helm, not a man of excessive contemplation and delay. Be a man of action. Plan well and acknowledge that no plan is ever perfect or fool-proof. Arrive at a decision then proceed with its execution. In most cases, understand that it is better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission. Grant, and an aggressive command group of Generals, preserved the Union and won the Civil war in large part because they had a bias for swift action. Be as decisive as Grant, in matters large and small, and you will win your fair share of battles, too. From October 2010, http://raising-a-man.tumblr.com |
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