“A person does not have to be an angel in order to be a saint.” - Albert Schweitzer
 
Are your daily actions saintly in nature?

“Every man’s life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another.” Ernest Hemingway
 
What will the details of your life say about you?

I was in grade school during the Vietnam War. I remember I had a class assignment to interview someone connected with the war. Our neighbor was the wife of a B-52 bomber pilot stationed in Vietnam. I asked her if I could interview her for my project. She took me up on my interview, but the only thing I remember was how many times she cried when I asked her questions about her husband and his role in the war. She lived in a constant state of fear that he would be killed or captured. Even as a child, I remember thinking what a horrible way to live! To all those who served in the Vietnam War, and all those who supported them on the home front, THANK YOU for your service to our country. To all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in Southeast Asia, may you eternally rest in the loving arms of our Creator.  

Those were the words constantly spoken by the world's most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes. Sherlock Holmes (and his friend and sometimes roommate, Dr. Watson) were created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887. Here are a collection of leadership wisdom from the master sleuth himself:
 - "Work is the best antidote for sorrow."
 - "It is stupidity rather than courage to refuse to recognize danger when it is close upon you."
 - "Nothing clears up a case so much as stating it to another person."
 - "There is nothing so unnatural as the commonplace."
 - "To let the brain work without sufficient material is like racing an engine. It racks itself to pieces."
 - "Life is infinitely stranger than anything the mind of a man could invent."
 - "You do occasionally find a carrion crow among the eagles."
 - "Everything comes in circles. The old wheel turns, and the same spokes come up. It's all been done before."
 - "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact."
 - "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."
​ - "Let us see in the future how high you can rise." 

 “Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” - William Butler Yeats
 
Why are you waiting to strike your best self?

“You are what you repeatedly do. Excellence is not an event – it is a habit.” - Aristotle
 
What one habit could you change that would immediately improve your life?

“Circumstances are the rulers of the weak; they are but the instruments of the wise.” - Samuel Lover
 
Can you use your present circumstance to improve your future condition?

“Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid.” - Gilbert K. Chesterton
 
Are your thoughts and ideas nourishing or starving your mind? 

Ten Phrases Leaders Drop from Their Vocabulary
 
 Number 1: “I’m confused,” or “I don’t get it.” Instead of putting all the responsibility on the other person, take co-ownership. Say, “Help me understand your position.”
 
Number 2: “You know what I mean?” and “Does that make sense?” Asking for constant validation chips away at your command.
 
Number 3: “I was like…” or “She was like…” The word “like” is an unsophisticated setup that gets in the way of your clarity and credibility.
 
Number 4: “Um, ah, uh, you know.” Watch out for overuse of filler words and practice pausing to counteract the clutter.  
 
Number 5: “I’ve been too busy” or “I started writing an email and forgot to send it.” Excuses are unattractive. Say, “I apologize for the inconvenience. You will have it by tomorrow.”
 
Number 6: “Out-of-the-box thinking” …should be retired. We can’t escape all the buzzword phrases, but ones like this have become boring. 
 
Number 7: “You always…” Sweeping generalizations lack insight and get in the way of healthy dialogue.
 
Number 8: “I think we should kind of do it this way.” Tentative language waters down your presence as a confident communicator. Make a solid recommendation and own it.
 
Number 9: “I hate to say this, but…” and “John is a good person, but…” Don’t try to disguise criticism with a layer of caring or say things that offer zero value. 
 
Number 10: “Really?” It’s an all-purpose complaint that sounds like whining. 
 
 
From the article: 10 Phrases to Drop from Your Vocabulary by Lou Solomon – January 3, 2018 – SUCCESS Magazine

“There are two kinds of failures: The person who will do nothing they are told, and the person who will do nothing else.” - Dr. Perle Thompson
 
Are you a person who can think for themselves and use discretion in the proper place and at the proper time?

“Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe.” - St. Augustine
 
What do you believe in that is bigger than yourself?

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain – and most fools do.” - Dale Carnegie
 
Are you someone who points out problems but is ready with a solution to solve them?