Vince Lombardi’s Inspirational Speech

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For my podcast today, I am reblogging a post I wrote several months ago, Vince Lombardi’s inspirational speech.

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Vince Lombardi was a great leader who knew how to motivate men. He was an American football coach, winning many championships. He was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers when they won the first Super Bowl, and The Super Bowl trophy is named after him. Lombardi was famous for his inspirational speeches. One of his most famous speeches is “What It Takes to Be Number One.”

Lombardi was known for his drive and determination, but he is remembered for his leadership. Lombardi was driven to be the best and demanded the same from his players. “What It Takes to Be Number One” was first given in the locker room at halftime. Since then, Lombardi gave this speech many times to businesses and at political conventions.

I have always admired Vince Lombardi. You could say, he is my “go-to” guy for inspiration. Vince Lombardi’s inspirational speech is one of my favorites. I have it on a card hanging up in my office. Now and then, I take it down and read it. Vince Lombardi has been such an inspiration to me I even married a girl named Lombardi.

Lombardi’s Inspirational Speech, “What It Takes To Be Number One”

“Winning is not a sometimes thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.”

By doing the right things all the time you will find yourself winning more often than not. Develop the habit of winning in everything that you do

“There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that’s first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don’t ever want to finish second again. There is a second-place ballgame, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.”

You won’t win every time, nobody does. When you don’t win it should drive you to come in first the next time. Only one team is having fun at the end of a championship game. The winning team.

All In

“Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he’s got to play from the ground up, from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That’s O.K. You’ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you’ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.”

Giving it everything you’ve got is how you win. You cannot do things halfway.

Vince-Lombardi's-inspirational-speech-stadium-green-bay

Win

“Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization, an army, a political party, or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win and to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don’t think it is.”

The objective of any business is all the same. It is to make a profit. If you are not making money in your business, you have a hobby.

Compete

“It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That’s why they are there, to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules, but to win.”

Competition makes everyone better. It doesn’t have to be nasty and you don’t have to cheat. Do your best and win fairly.

Grind

“And in truth, I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head-to-head combat.”

Embrace the grind and everyday challenges. Learn to love the daily routine of making yourself better. Championship teams put more emphasis on practice. They embrace the difficulties of the daily grind. Championships are won during these times.

Read

The final paragraph of his speech is the most important part for me. It sums up what it takes to be number one. Read it many times and let his words take hold of you.

“I don’t say these things because I believe in the “brute” nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear, is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he’s exhausted on the field of battle, victorious.”

I love Vince Lombardi’s inspirational speech and hope it helps those still sitting on the sidelines. Get in the game and go after what you want. Thanks for reading and listening.

Cites

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Leadership Qualities

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Some people follow others get in the way, but leaders lead. No mission gets accomplished without good leaders and leadership. Being a good leader is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. Good leaders are few and far between. Many people are referred to as leaders yet exhibit no leadership qualities.

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5 Qualities Of Leadership

You can be called a leader, but holding a title does not necessarily make you a good leader. A good leader is someone people will follow. They will perform above their abilities for that leader. Good leaders get subordinates to be better than their skill level. They build belief in people. If the subordinates believe in their leader, they will believe in themselves. Below are five qualities of a good leader.

  1. Humility
  2. Integrity
  3. Intelligence
  4. Innovation
  5. Decisiveness

Be Humble

One of the first things I was taught, when I was training to be a military officer was to be humble. You have to take care of the troops. A good leader ensures that they take care of their subordinates. When addressing subordinates outside, the leader should always face the sun. A good leader is always first to arrive and the last to leave. They make sure all the subordinates’ needs are taken care of. Then they can take care of themselves.

Tell It Like It Is

Another quality of a good leader is honesty and integrity. Lead by example and always do the right thing. Good leaders stand up for what they believe. Telling the truth is paramount, no matter how dire the situation is. I had a great leader tell me once, “Bad news never gets better with age.”

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Read

All good leaders are intelligent. They continue to read and educate themselves. Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders. A good leader develops his/her subordinates. They make sure the subordinates are prepared for the job, mission, etc. Even though it might be easier to perform a task themselves, they will delegate parts of the tasks to others. The delegation of tasks will develop leadership in others.

Think

Good leaders are innovative; they think outside the box. They keep an open mind and are always welcome to new ideas. The old ways of accomplishing the mission are not necessarily the best. They understand this concept. Leaders actively listen to everyone on their team.

Make A Decision

A good leader is always decisive. They never want to leave their team in limbo. They always make a decision even if it’s not a popular choice. Leaders listen to different ideas from their team and then make the final decision. The decision is always based on what is best for the group as a whole. Not all decisions are the right ones. If their decision was wrong, they take responsibility. They regroup, reevaluate, and make another decision. They always learn from their failures.

These are only five qualities of a good leader. There are many more qualities of true leadership. If you would like to add a quality you admire please do so in the comments section. If you enjoyed this post don’t forget to like and follow my blog. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my articles and listen to my podcast.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@brookelark

https://unsplash.com/@nataliepedigo

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What It Takes to Be Number One

Vince Lombardi was a great leader who knew how to motivate men. He was an American football coach, winning many championships. He was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers when they won the first Super Bowl. In fact, the Super Bowl trophy is named after him. Lombardi was famous for his inspirational speeches. One of his most famous speeches is “What It Takes to Be Number One.”

Lombardi was known for his drive and determination, but he is remembered for his leadership. Lombardi was driven to be the best and demanded the same from his players. “What It Takes to Be Number One” was first given in the locker room at halftime. Since then, Lombardi gave this speech many times to businesses and at political conventions.

I have always admired Vince Lombardi. You could say, he is my “go-to” guy for inspiration. “What It Takes to Be Number One” is one of my favorite Lombardi speeches. I have it on a card hanging up in my office. Every now and then, I take it down and read it. Vince Lombardi has been such an inspiration to me I even married a girl named Lombardi. That’s Sofia’s maiden name.

The Speech “What It Takes To Be Number One”

“Winning is not a sometimes thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.”

By doing the right things all the time you will find yourself winning more often than not. Develop the habit of winning in everything that you do

“There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that’s first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don’t ever want to finish second again. There is a second-place ballgame, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.”

You won’t win every time, nobody does. When you don’t win it should drive you to come in first the next time. Only one team is having fun at the end of a championship game. The winning team.

All In

“Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he’s got to play from the ground up, from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That’s O.K. You’ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you’ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.”

Giving it everything you’ve got is how you win. You cannot do things halfway.

Win

“Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization, an army, a political party, or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win and to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don’t think it is.”

The objective of any business is all the same. It is to make a profit. If you are not making money in your business, you have a hobby.

Compete

“It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That’s why they are there, to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules, but to win.”

Competition makes everyone better. It doesn’t have to be nasty and you don’t have to cheat. Do your best and win fairly.

Grind

“And in truth, I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head-to-head combat.”

Embrace the grind and everyday challenges. Learn to love the daily routine of making yourself better. Championship teams put more emphasis on practice. They embrace the difficulties of the daily grind. Championships are won during these times.

Read

The final paragraph of his speech is the most important part for me. It sums up what it takes to be number one. Read it many times and let his words take hold of you.

“I don’t say these things because I believe in the “brute” nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear, is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he’s exhausted on the field of battle, victorious.”

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@sgc908

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Making A Decision Will Defeat Procrastination

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I am continuing to talk about the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Today I will discuss the seventh step, Decision, The Mastery of Procrastination. I am sure that you, like me, have faced that evil known as procrastination. To be successful and to build wealth, procrastination is an enemy you must conquer. Making a decision will defeat procrastination.

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A Decision Defeats Procrastination

If you’re looking for self-improvement, you will need to change some of the habits that you are currently doing. You will have to decide to change. Congratulations, you are halfway to success! You see, making the right decision is 50% of the solution. The other 50% is commitment. You have to commit to your decision to change.

Back in the 1930s when Hill was writing his book, a study was undertaken with 25,000 men and women who had experienced failure. They came up with a list of 30 major causes of failure. Lack of decision was near the head of the list. Indecision causes procrastination and making a decision will defeat procrastination. Conversely, each of several hundred people who had accumulated fortunes had the habit of reaching a decision promptly. Also, successful people would take their time in changing their decision.

Don’t Be Influenced When Making Decisions

The majority of people who fail are easily influenced by the opinion of others. They permit the media and other people to do their thinking for them. Opinions are the most abundant thing on earth. Everyone has one and, they can be as different as night and day. You will not succeed if you take into account the opinion of others.

Your mind is yours and only yours; reach your own decisions. Keep them to yourself and discuss them with only like-minded individuals, such as your Master Mind group. When researching to gather information for your decision, do so without disclosing your purpose.

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How Do You Know?

How do you know when the decision you made is the right decision? That is a difficult question to answer because you won’t know the answer until you have succeeded or failed. You have to listen to those inner voices. If your decision makes you feel happy and it is the right decision. On the other hand, if you feel cautious or negative, you should reconsider your decision.

In most cases, making the right decision is not that difficult. Deciding to solve a challenge in your life is personal. These are decisions for your self-improvement. A personal decision affects you and the people close to you. Some decisions not only affect the person making the decision but also have an impact on many others.

Great Decisions In History

Throughout history, people have been tasked with making decisions that changed history. Abraham Lincoln decided to issue the Proclamation of Emancipation. General Dwight Eisenhower decided to launch the D-Day invasion. Last July, I wrote an article about 56 men who made one of the greatest decisions of all time. They signed the Declaration of Independence knowing that it could potentially cost them their lives.

Making the right decision always takes courage, some more than others. It may not cost you your life but, it could cost you your health or financial independence. Making the right decision to improve your income or health comes with a price. You never get anything without giving up something. As long as you’re willing to pay the price, your decision for self-improvement could be the greatest decision you make.

Decide Today

Speaking of great decisions, decide today what you are worth. Now that you know your value go out and get what you are worth. Never settle for anything less. Lock that number in your mind and think about it every day. Don’t stop until you reach your value. Too many people today settle for what they are given and not what they’re worth.

Be quick in your decisions and slow in changing them. Don’t be influenced by the opinion of others or the media. Have the courage to make your decision for self-improvement. Decide what you are worth and get it. Remember, making a decision will defeat procrastination.

Do you find yourself procrastinating? Are you influenced by the opinion of others? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. As always, I appreciate your likes, comments, and follows. Let me know if there is a  topic you would like me to cover in future articles.

Cites

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Qualities Of A Good Leader

Some people follow, others just get in the way, but leaders lead. No mission is accomplished without good leaders and leadership. Being a good leader is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. Good leaders are few and far between. Many people are referred to as leaders yet exhibit no qualities of a good leader.

The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.
~ Dwight D. Eisenhower

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Don’t follow the crowd. Let the crowd follow you.
~ Margaret Thatcher

Leadership is a choice, not a position.
~ Stephen Covey

Good Leader Qualities

You can be called a leader, but holding a title does not necessarily make you a good leader. A good leader is someone people will follow. They will perform above their abilities for that leader. Good leaders get subordinates to be better than their skill level. They build belief in people. If subordinates believe in their leader, they will begin to believe in their selves. Below are five qualities of a good leader.

  1. Humility
  2. Integrity
  3. Intelligence
  4. Innovation
  5. Decisive

The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.
~ Ronald Reagan

Good Leaders Are Humble

One of the first things I was taught, when I was training to be a military officer was to be humble. You have to take care of the troops. A good leader ensures that they take care of their subordinates. When addressing subordinates outside, the leader should always face the sun. A good leader is always first to arrive and the last to leave. They make sure all the subordinates’ needs are taken care of. Then they can take care of themselves.

Being a good listener is absolutely critical to being a good leader; you have to listen to the people who are on the front line.
~ Richard Branson

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right thing.
~ Peter F. Drucker

Honesty

Another quality of a good leader is honesty and integrity. Lead by example and always do the right thing. The good leader stands up for what they believe. Telling the truth, no matter how dire the situation is, is paramount. I had a great leader tell me once, “Bad news never gets better with age.”

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https://unsplash.com/@brookelark

Leadership is solving problems. The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or conclude you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.
~ Colin Powell

Educate

All good leaders are intelligent. They continue to read and educate themselves. Leaders are readers, and readers are leaders. A good leader develops his/her subordinates. They make sure the subordinates are prepared for the job, mission, etc. Even though it might be easier to perform a task themselves, they will delegate parts of the task to others. The delegation of tasks will develop leadership in others.

If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself, and the organization gets pulled up with you.
~ Indra Nooyi

Thinkers

Good leaders are innovative; they think outside the box. They keep an open mind and are always welcome to new ideas. The old ways of accomplishing the mission are not necessarily the best. They understand this concept. Leaders actively listen to everyone on their team.

Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.
~ Jack Welch

Never Waver

A good leader is always decisive. They never want to leave their team in limbo. They always make a decision even if it’s not a popular choice. Leaders listen to different ideas from their team and then make the final decision. The decision is always based on what is best for the group as a whole. Not all decisions are the right ones. If their decision was wrong and they take responsibility. They regroup, reevaluate, and make another decision. They always learn from their failures.

Great leaders can see the greatness in others when they can’t see it themselves and lead them to their highest potential they don’t even know.
~ Roy T. Bennett

These are only five qualities of a good leader. There are many more qualities of true leadership. If you would like to add a quality you admire, please do so in the comments section. If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to like and follow my blog. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my articles.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@capturedby_kiana

https://unsplash.com/@brookelark

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Leadership Qualities Of Abraham Lincoln

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In episode 38 of my podcast/blog, I want to discuss the leadership qualities of Abraham Lincoln. He overcame obstacles and was a great leader. I have learned great lessons from him. His leadership qualities have set excellent and inspirational examples for me to follow.

This will be part 2 of this series. Several years ago, I read a book titled Lincoln on Leadership by Donald T. Phillips. This is one of the best books on leadership that I have ever read. As I mentioned in Part 1, Ernest Shackleton, the author of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill had an imaginary mastermind group. Because of his incredible leadership qualities, Abraham Lincoln was part of that group.

Napoleon Hill created his mastermind group out of people who had the characteristics he admired. They all have characteristics that I would like to emulate in my life. They are great leaders, overcame enormous obstacles, and set great examples. I always learn something by reading about them.

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Abraham Lincoln’s Leadership Qualities

Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, and grew up in poverty. He was self-educated and eventually became a lawyer. There are many tales of Lincoln and his successes and failures before he became the 16th President of the United States.

He inherited the nightmare of a Union which was severely divided from President James Buchanan. Before he took the oath of office, seven states had already succeeded from the union to form the Confederate States of America. Buchanan had already given up hope of holding the country together. He did nothing at the end of his term to try to repair the division that was happening in this country. Congress also did nothing to defeat the growing rebellion.

Lincoln was the country’s first Republican President and he was elected by a minority vote. He was disliked in Washington because he was an outsider. The media and the people saw him as a second-rate country lawyer. They thought he was ill-equipped and unable to handle the presidency. No one could predict the unparalleled strength of leadership he possessed.

The Leadership Qualities Of Abraham Lincoln:

He would get out and circulate among the troops.
Compassion.
Honesty and integrity are the best policies.
Courage to handle unjust criticism.
Consistency.
Decisiveness.
Being open-minded and flexible.
Setting goals and being results-oriented.
He believed that the organization takes on the personality of its top leader.

leadership-qualities-lincoln-statue-night

Leadership Traits

Lincoln believed in leading from the front. He was hardly ever in the oval office. If you wanted to find him you should start in the War Department. That’s where he spent most of his time. He would go to the field and circulate among the troops. He wanted to know what they were going through. This gave him first-hand knowledge to make accurate decisions. He went to the field to observe or take charge of several battle situations and even came under fire at least once.

Compassion

To Lincoln, a leader shows compassion. The leader knows the job of his lowest subordinates and treats everyone the same. Lincoln spent many days visiting the hospitals and talking to the wounded. He spoke no differently to a private than he did to one of his generals.

Honesty

Lincoln believed that the best way to lead is with honesty and integrity. The government exists to elevate the condition of man. It is there to level the playing field and allow man to climb the ladder of success. He was not kind to politicians taking kickbacks. Many of his appointed cabinet members were fired for lack of honesty and integrity.

Courage

Lincoln showed an amazing amount of courage over an extended time. He survived defeats in his life and also at the beginning of the Civil War. He took risks and never played it safe. The faith he had in himself was unmatched. He knew his decisions were the right ones and didn’t need to be told by others.

Impervious To Criticism

Great leaders will be subjected to severe criticism from all sides just because of their position. They will suffer attacks on their honor and character. Lincoln was no different. He was slandered and criticized by the media, the public, and the Union he was trying to save. Southern sympathizers, members of Congress, and even some from within his own Republican Party verbally attacked him.

Lincoln didn’t allow the attacks to deter him from his definite purpose of saving the Union. He overcame all his critics to secure victory in the war. Not only did he preserve the nation but he also reorganized the military and renewed the spirit of patriotism in America. He is best known for the Emancipation Proclamation, abolishing slavery in the United States.

Consistent

Lincoln led with consistency in how he treated people and his interactions with cabinet members. He was very consistent with how he administered and managed the government. He did whatever it took to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.

Decisive

Lincoln was decisive and bold in his decisions. Many of the decisions he made were not popular but he knew they were necessary for victory. At the beginning of the war, the Union was undermanned. President Buchanan had decimated the military by cutting the budget. Lincoln knew that he would need a call for troops and enacted conscription.

His bold decision to direct a blockade of the Confederate states was necessary to cut off supplies. Probably his most unpopular decision was declaring martial law. In addition, he also suspended the writ of habeas corpus, giving the military the power to arrest without charges. Lincoln would not waiver on this decision. He felt it was necessary to protect against spies and traitors.

Open-Minded

Lincoln was open-minded and flexible. He always listened to his subordinates. If their decisions were not what he had in mind, he would explain the shortcomings. But, if their ideas matched his, he would let them proceed as if it was their idea.

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Goal Oriented

Arguably his greatest leadership trait was setting goals and being results-oriented. Lincoln had always persevered and used his failures as lessons to learn from. He had the ability to turn certain defeat into a decisive victory. At the beginning of his presidency, Lincoln had one ultimate goal, preserving the United States of America.

The leadership qualities of Abraham Lincoln are best summed up with one trait. Like all great leaders, Lincoln knew that the organization takes on the personality of its top leader. Lincoln displayed all of the traits listed above to determine his personality. By setting the example of a great leader, Lincoln led the Union to persevere and overcome great odds, and securing victory.

In conclusion, the leadership qualities of Abraham Lincoln are unmatched. He was a great man and remarkable leader. I hope you enjoyed this post. If so, here is some homework for you. First, like this post. Second, leave a comment. I enjoy reading your comments. Third, Follow my blog. Fourth, subscribe to my email list. Fifth, Check out my courses. The button is above. Lastly, subscribe to my podcast. It is on many platforms. You can find them below the player above.

All the best! Scott

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Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration

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Episode 34: The Inspiring Sir Ernest Shackleton

I hope you enjoy episode 34 of my podcast, Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration. A few weeks ago I was reading the book, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. It is one of my favorite books and I read it over and over. (You can purchase it from Amazon by clicking on the icon, hint hint, wink wink). In chapter 14, The Sixth Sense is about using your creative imagination. Hill created a mastermind group in his imagination. These were people that he admired, some alive and others long gone. They were people like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Abraham Lincoln. This got me thinking about people who inspire us.

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Hill was inspired by his mastermind group and would even have roundtable council meetings in his mind. During these meetings, he would have imaginary conversations with the members. Each one had a different quality that he admired. By doing this, he opened up his creative mind and came up with ideas on things he could accomplish. I began thinking about different people who I admired and who have inspired me throughout my life. So I decided to write about these inspirational people. They are people who overcame obstacles and were great leaders. I have learned great lessons from them. They have set excellent and inspirational examples for me to follow.

An Inspirational Leader

I will begin with an incredible leader, Sir Ernest Shackleton. Shackleton was born in 1874 in Kildare, Ireland. He was an Antarctic explorer who attempted to reach the South Pole. He joined Robert Scott’s expedition in 1901 and took part in the sledge journey across the Ross Ice Shelf. In January 1908, he led an expedition to Antarctica but was prevented from reaching their intended based site by the ice. On that expedition, he later led a sledging party to within 112 miles (180 km) of the South Pole. Due to their success in claiming the Victoria Land plateau for Britain, he was knighted on his return.

I first heard of Ernest Shackleton when I was given a book titled Endurance. You can also get this book by clicking on the icon to the right. (Another wink). The book, written by Alfred Lansing, is well written and inspirational. It entails the 1914 ill-fated expedition to Antarctica led by Shackleton. They proceeded from England aboard the ship, Endurance. The expedition had planned to make the first crossing of Antarctica. They would travel via the South Pole from the Weddell Sea to McMurdo Sound.

Sir-Ernest-Shackleton-An- Inspiration-Ship-trapped-ice
Endurance

Trapped

The Endurance became trapped in the ice and drifted for 10 months. Eventually, the ice crushed the powerful ship. Shackleton and his men then drifted for another five months on ice floes. Running low on food and supplies, they escaped in boats to uninhabited Elephant Island.

Knowing their only hope for survival was a dangerous journey across the sea, Shackleton and five men set out in a whaleboat. Their destination was the tiny island of South Georgia. There was a whaling station where they could find help. South Georgia was 800 miles from Elephant Island. The journey took 16 days across a rough and dangerous ocean. Through expert navigation, they landed on the south side of South Georgia.

An Arduous Journey

Although elated to have reached their destination, Shackleton knew their ordeal was not over. The whaling station was on the north side of the island. They would have to cross rugged terrain to reach it. It had been 16 months since the Endurance had become trapped in the ice. The six men set out and eventually reached the whaling station. The whalers couldn’t believe their eyes when these six ragged men walked into their station.

Shackleton never forgot about the men they left behind on Elephant Island. He worried about them every day. Despite his lack of strength he wanted to set sail and rescue them right away. The weather wouldn’t allow for a return trip at that time. Shackleton never gave up. He made four unsuccessful attempts at rescuing his men.

Rescue!

Four months later Shackleton’s perseverance paid off and they successfully arrived at Elephant Island. Shackleton couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw that all his men were alive. They survived despite the lack of food sources and water on this barren island. All his men were loaded onto the ship and they embarked to Chile.

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You can see why I titled this podcast Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration. Sir Ernest Shackleton displayed extraordinary leadership in saving all his men. He is an inspirational figure in which I admire greatly. His unmatched perseverance is a lesson that we should all learn. Persevering and overcoming all obstacles is the key to success. Shackleton had a definitive purpose, rescuing his men, and nothing was going to stop him. He was dedicated to his men and put their needs before his. This is the definition of a leader.

I hope you enjoyed Sir Ernest Shackleton: An Inspiration. Do you have any particular person who inspires you? Are there people that you admire and help you on your journey? If so, leave a comment below and let me know. Always enjoy reading your comments.

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A Tribute To My Friend

This is a very hard post for me to write, but I wanted to write a tribute to my friend. I’ve been absent from WordPress for the last couple of weeks for a few different reasons. Normally I’ll spend a couple of hours a day reading and commenting on different blog posts. Recently, several things have happened that have gotten in the way of my normal day-to-day activities.

Firstly, one of my other businesses has become busy and I’ve had to write some rush reports and meet some quick deadlines. Secondly, I’ve been dealing with a torn meniscus and arthritis in my left knee. It is very painful and has limited my activities. I’ve had to stop my morning walks which gives me the energy and inspiration for the rest of the day.

The main reason is, I’m dealing with the unexpected death of a friend. Last month, I wrote about how he was in the hospital fighting for his life. He recovered, was released from the hospital, and seemed to be back to his old self. On Thanksgiving afternoon, he was rushed back to the hospital and we were told Friday afternoon he was gone.

A Tribute To My Friend

Tom Keller was a great man. Everyone should strive to live their life like Tom lived his. I write a series about inspiring people whom I admire and Tom would definitely make that list. During his Celebration of Life Service, the pastor spoke about how God wants us all to live a life of abundance. Tom was the perfect example of living an abundant life. Tom had an abundance of love, an abundance of compassion, an abundance of unselfishness, an abundance of leadership, and an abundance of joy.

I met Tom 13 years ago when we moved to South Florida. Our daughters were in the same second-grade class. One evening I took my family to the soccer field to watch Tom’s daughter, Chrissy play. I was introduced to Tom and instantly liked him. This will tell you a lot about Tom because at that time in my life I didn’t like many people, especially when I first met them.

Even though we didn’t see each other much, I still considered him a friend. I always enjoyed the times when I would run into him. That’s how Tom was, everyone enjoyed seeing him because he always made you feel welcome. I never saw him when he wasn’t smiling.

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A Tribute

A Godsend

About four years ago, Tom and his wife Livi asked my wife to join their business. I then got to spend more time with Tom and get to know him better. Whenever we were together, Tom asked a lot of questions and was always interested in my opinion on different topics. I always came out of our discussions much smarter than when I went in.

One story that sums up the type of man Tom Keller was, happened about two years ago. I was getting ready to move my two daughters to college. One was moving into an apartment in Orlando and the other into a dorm in Alabama. One day, Tom asked me how I was going to move all their things. I told him that I was going to have to rent a truck because they each had a lot of stuff.

Immediately, Tom offered to let me use his Ford Expedition. I knew he had just recently purchased the vehicle and I turned him down. Tom wouldn’t take no for an answer and over the next few weeks continued to insist I take the truck. As Sofia and I were driving Tom’s Expedition to drop the girls off at college, I looked at my wife and asked, “Who else do you know that would just give you the keys to their vehicle?” My wife responded, “Nobody except Tom Keller.”

Abundance

Like I said before, Tom lived a life of abundance and had so many quality traits. These are a few of Tom’s traits that I’m going to try to emulate in my life.

  • Leadership – Tom was a great leader and was looked up to by many people. He worked diligently with the youth in his church. He always led by example and didn’t mind getting his hands dirty.
  • A Provider – Tom was an intelligent businessman and worked hard to build a profitable business with his wife. He provided for his family and passed on his knowledge to his children.
  • Unselfishness – Tom was the most unselfish man I have ever met. He would help anyone at any time. It didn’t matter where, what, or when, Tom would be there. The story above about Tom giving me his vehicle is just the tip of the iceberg of his unselfish acts.
  • Joy for Life – Tom was always smiling even when I knew he was going through stressful situations. I never had a conversation with him that wasn’t positive. If things weren’t going well, a minute with Tom would brighten your day. Tom loved his family and enjoyed getting the most out of life on family vacations.

I am Truly Blessed

I didn’t know Tom as long as others but I feel blessed and honored to have known him these few years. Even though his body is gone, his energy remains and you can see it in his children. Ryan has his leadership qualities, Lauren has his unselfishness, and Chrissy has his joy for life and determination to succeed. On the program printed for his Celebration of Life Service, it shows his date of birth and date of death separated by a dash. The two dates aren’t nearly as important as the dash which represents what he did with his life. Tom Keller made the most of his dash and will be missed.

He is now with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is home and has earned his wings. I believe that there are angels that walk among us here on earth, Tom Keller was one of them.

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inspiring-people-I-admire-sophie-scholl

Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part V

This is another installment in my series Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part V. A few weeks ago I wrote about the inspirational story of Irene Sendler. Today I want to continue that theme of inspiring women in the World War II era and tell you the story of Sophie Scholl.

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Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part V

Sophie Scholl was born on May 9, 1921, in Germany. At the age of 12, she joined the League of German Girls as did most of her classmates. This displeased her father who was an ardent Nazi critic. Initially, she was very enthusiastic but eventually also became critical of the Nazis. Her brother Hans, at one time, eagerly participated in the Hitler Youth program became disillusioned as well. Hans was even arrested in 1937 for participating in the German Youth Movement. Seeing her brother arrested affected her deeply.

Disillusioned

After graduating from secondary school, she became a kindergarten teacher. She had hoped this would be recognized as an alternative service to the National Labor Service. Unfortunately for Sophie, it wasn’t. National Labor Service was a prerequisite to be admitted to the University. Therefore, Sophie served six months of auxiliary war service. The military-like regimen of the Labor Service caused her to change her initial views of National Socialism. She would eventually begin to practice passive resistance.

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Sophie Scholl

In 1942 she enrolled at the University of Munich and attended with her brother Hans. During the summer, Sophie, Hans, and their friends began to question and resist the principles and policies of the Nazi regime. They adopted passive resistance strategies that were being used by students in the United States fighting racial discrimination.

White Rose

The group called themselves, White Rose, and co-authored six Anti-Nazi Third Reich political resistance leaflets. These leaflets instructed Germans to passively resist the Nazis. During school breaks, Hans and some of his friends were conscripted into the military and sent to the eastern front. There, some of the group witnessed a group of naked Jews shot in a pit. They were horrified and it emboldened their efforts when they returned to school.

Sophie was an invaluable member of White Rose. As a female, her chances of being randomly stopped by the SS were much less. Between June 1942 and February 1943 they prepared and distributed the six leaflets. In January 1943, the White Rose, using hand-operated duplicating machines, produced, and distributed between 6000 to 9000 copies of their 5th leaflet, “Appeal to All Germans.”

Resist

Readers of the leaflets were urged to support the resistance movement in their struggle for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and protection of individuals from the arbitrary action of the criminal dictator state. The leaflets caused a sensation and the Gestapo initiated an intensive search for the publishers.

Arrest

On February 18, 1943, Hans and Sophie brought a suitcase full of leaflets to the University. They dropped stacks of leaflets in the hallways for the students to find when class let out. After dropping off the leaflets they discovered that some copies remained in the suitcase. Not wanting to waste a single leaflet Sophie grabbed the copies and ran up the stairs to the top floor of the building. There she flung the copies into the air over the railing.

Unfortunately, Sophie was observed by a custodian who supported the Nazis and notified the police. Hans and Sophie were taken into Gestapo custody. Eventually, the rest of the group was arrested, interrogated, and charged with treason. Sophie assumed full responsibility in an attempt to protect the other members of the White Rose.

Mock Trial

In the People’s Court on February 21, 1943, Sophie was recorded as saying:

“Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also believed by many others. They just do not dare express themselves as we did.”

No testimony was allowed for the defendants; this was their only defense. Sophie and Han’s defiance, in the face of certain death, gained them the admiration of many people.

Last Day

On February 22, 1943, Sophie, and Hans, along with their friend Christopher Probst, were adjudged guilty of treason and condemned to death by guillotine. A few hours later as she walked to her execution, still brave and defiant, she uttered her last words:

“Such a fine, sunny day, and I have to go… What does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action?”

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Legacy

After her death, a copy of the sixth leaflet was smuggled out of Germany to the UK, where it was used by the Allied Forces. In mid-1943, they dropped millions of propaganda copies over Germany. The leaflet was now retitled, The Manifesto of the Students of Munich.

I admire Sophie, her brother, and their friends for having the courage to stand up for what is right. Knowing that if they were caught it would mean certain death, they were still willing to make the sacrifice. Their small part in resisting the tyranny of Hitler and his National Socialist Party contributed to Germany’s defeat. The symbolic value of what Sophie and the White Rose accomplished cannot be measured. It is because of her courage and sacrifice that I’m proud to include Sophie Scholl in this series of Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part V.

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Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part IV

This is a continuation of the series, Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part IV. I want to create a group of people who have different traits that I admire. Within this imaginary group, I would love to sit down and talk to each one of them. I added the inspirational Kalpana Chawla to this group in my post, Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part III.

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I began researching people from the World War II era. There are a lot of stories of heroic men but the heroic women of World War II are commonly forgotten. I did find stories about a few women and was going to include all of them in one post. Then I ran across a story about Irena Sendler and her story was so compelling that I want to dedicate this post to her memory.

Inspiring People Whom I Admire Part IV – Irena Sendler

She was born Irena Krzyzanowska on 2/15/1910 in Warsaw, Poland, and grew up in the town of Otwock, Poland. When the Nazis invaded Warsaw in 1939, she began feeding and sheltering Jews. After the Warsaw Ghetto was erected in 1940, she could no longer help the Jews that were isolated inside. The Warsaw Ghetto was the size of New York City’s Central Park and 450,000 Jewish people were forced into the area. Irena then began saving orphan children.

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Irena Sendler

Zegota

In order to enter the Warsaw Ghetto, Irena used papers as a Polish social worker she had gotten from a member of Zegota. Zegota was a Polish underground group that assisted Jewish people. Additionally, She also had papers from a worker of the Contagious Disease Department.

Irena and helpers made over 3000 false documents to help Jewish families before she joined Zegota. After joining, She eventually became in charge of the children’s division of Zegota. During the Nazi occupation, she rescued 2500 Jewish children in Poland. She made sure that every family she placed a child with, had to agree that they would return the child to their family after the war.

Methods Used

Irena and 10 others would enter the Warsaw Ghetto and smuggle out children using the following methods:

1. Using an ambulance and hiding a child underneath the stretcher.

2. Escaping through the Courthouse.

3. Using sewer pipes or other secret underground passages.

4. A trolley could carry a child in a sack, trunk, or suitcase.

5. They would have the child pretend to be sick or sometimes would actually be sick and it was legal to remove them via ambulance.

Sentenced To Death

Irena was arrested on October 20, 1943. She was taken to the notorious Piawiak Prison where she was questioned and tortured. Consequently, her legs and feet were fractured during these torture sessions. The Nazis sentenced her to death and she was to be shot.

Unbeknownst to her, Zegota had bribed the German executioner who helped her escape. After she escaped, the Germans loudly proclaimed her execution and put up posters all around Warsaw stating that she had been shot. Irena actually saw and read the posters. For the remainder of the war, she remained hidden.

Finding The Children

Irena was the only one who knew the location of the children she had saved. She had written down their names and locations on tissue paper and buried them in jars. After the war, she located and dug up each one. Afterward, she began the arduous task of finding the children and locating a living parent. Unfortunately, almost all the parents died while being interned at the Treblinka death camp.

Life In A Jar

In 1999, four students began looking for information on Irena Sendler as a National History Day Project. They wrote a play titled, “Life in a Jar,” and began performing it wherever they could. From this play sprung, “Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project” to get the word out of her heroic efforts. Her story was virtually unknown worldwide until they started performing the play. Even in her own country of Poland communism had buried her story.

On May 12, 2008, Irena Sendler died at the age of 98 in Warsaw Poland. Many of the children she rescued continue to tell her story. Her story was immortalized in the book, “Life in a Jar” by Jack Mayer. The book has been made into a film and the play continues to be performed today. There is even an Irena Sendler Exhibit in Fort Scott, Kansas. You can find more information on irenasendler.org.

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File – In this Monday, May 30, 2005 photo, Irena Sendler, right, a Polish woman who saved the lives of hundreds of Jewish children during World War II, meets with American students who created a play about her life, in Warsaw, Poland. The students’ teacher, Norman Conard, is being honored by the Polish government and San Francisco based Taube Philanthropies in Warsaw on Monday, June 11, 2018, for his role in making Sendler’s story known to the world. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

A Special Person

I am always moved by these courageous actions of people who lived during times of adversity. Their bravery and unselfish deeds by willingly risking their lives to save others are admirable. Irena Sendler was a special person.

Final Thoughts

Irena Sendler is an inspirational person. We should all have her bravery and compassion for others. I hope you enjoyed reading Inspiring People Whom I Admire – Part IV as much as I did writing it. If you did, click the like button. Leave a comment below, I love reading your comments. If you would like to join my team, click the subscribe button above and leave your email address. Don’t forget to follow my blog.

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Works Cited

“Facts about Irena.” Life in a Jar, 14 Jan. 2020, irenasendler.org/facts-about-irena/.

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