31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 15 – Look for the Blessing

Look for the blessingPhoto (2)

We are conditioned to complain when things do not go according to plan. We fall into a woe is me or calamity consciousness, only focusing on the bad. This forms a weight around our necks and makes it difficult to swim upstream. We lose our objectivity and dwell on the reasons for our dissatisfaction. Imagine a radical approach. What if we had a shift in perspective and searched for tangible benefits from our disappointments?

Looking for the blessings is counter intuitive and awkward the first few times you do it. It is helpful to ask yourself a series of questions. What value can I get from this mishap? How can this ordeal make me stronger? Where is the silver lining? Is God trying to get my attention and teach me something? Is this a chance to model behavior that could help someone else through a difficult season?

Looking for the blessing will open you to the possibilities of coping better, seizing opportunities, influencing others and personal growth. How will you use this mindset to enrich your day?

Look for the Blessing

In life’s adventures and catastrophes,
When bad things happened magnetically,
I spent considerable energy
In anger, unhappy, impatiently
Driven, then it occurred to me
That it could help me
Become stress free,
If I just looked for the blessing.

When leaving my house late
And the traffic was delayed,
Once frustrated, I never displayed
A sense of reverence,
I never prayed
Or took the time,
To look for the blessing.

I’ve learned there is a purpose in events.
I may have been spared pain and accidents
Or met new challenges that God presents
When He wants me to look for the blessing.

Things happen for His reason
According to God’s plan.
We are too busy to seize them
And take the time to scan
Our surroundings to handle
What we can
Or in essence,
To look for the blessing.

Lord what must I do in this pain?
You want more of me than to complain.
I know in the circumstances
A blessing is contained,
And I should look for the blessing.

There have been setbacks
But I have found,
That if I take the focus off of me
And look around,
There’s a message in a bottle,
Directions to higher ground
If I look for the blessing.

I should seek the opportunity to grow
To render kindness or to bestow
A gift to a stranger,
Or meet someone I need to know
As I look for the blessing.

Copyright © 2001 Orlando Ceaser

Reprinted from the book “Look for the Blessing” by Orlando Ceaser

Personal Reflections

  1. Tell yourself that you will go through the day searching for opportunities to re-frame your thinking to gain benefits from your calamities.

  2. What challenges have you faced, that help you cope with your current situation?

  3. How can you taken the focus off you, to help others?

  4. Who will you target as individuals you can help with your advice?

  5. Who was able to share their wisdom with you, as they considered the blessings in their lives?

  6. What Scripture has been helpful to keep you focused on God’s goodness?

  7. Practice changing your thinking to look for the gift in the moment.

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

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31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 14 – Storytelling

storytelling-word-cloud (2)

Field training is a process where someone works in the field (ride a long) with a Sales representatives during a typical workday. They would spend the entire day in the car and in offices evaluating the salesperson’s performance. The Field Trainer or Manager would provide feedback on sales planning and execution, business skills and customer service. Consequently, there is a lot of time in the car driving between sales calls. Field training also provides opportunities to share war stories or sales stories with the sales representative.

My District manager was a master storyteller. He would tell detailed stories about people and the company. An analysis of his possible motives for telling stories in those teachable scenarios led me to surmise the following about him:

  1. Enjoyed telling stories to impress us with his expertise

  2. Wanted to increase our knowledge by sharing his experiences

  3. Distributed selling techniques and information from our peers

  4. Shared company history to give us a sense of belonging and healing

  5. Provided examples of consequences of what happened to people who violated company policies (a policy reinforcement strategy)

  6. A model of behavior, we could use if we were promoted

  7. A model to use in developing our own stories

  8. Provided an environment to improve our storytelling by sharing stories with him

  9. Encouraged us to use stories with our client

When we became managers, the art of storytelling was found to be pervasive throughout the leadership culture. It was used at manager meetings to entertain, build relationships, pass along company and leadership information and help develop the younger managers. I swore that when I became a manager, I would never use stories. But I have passed on this time-honored tradition with many more stories of my own.

Whenever we gather, we influence the world through our stories.

Stories

YouTube Narration Set to Music

https://youtu.be/JI0q9QUvWjE

At corporate campfires

And watering holes,
The people gather.

Their hearts are stirred

By the leaders,

The keepers of the scrolls,
Whose words

Speak the curriculum

Of what occurred.

The leaders through language
Interpret and present:
Through parables and scenarios
Values are infused;
And in a lighter forum
They package events
So people are instructed,

Encouraged and amused.

At family gatherings
Enrichment of the soul
Occurs when the elders,
The keepers of the scrolls,
Assemble the generations
And dispense discipline
Through stories sprinkled

With wisdom and wit,

In moderation.

The elders portray

Passion and progress,
Pride and principles

And honor in the family name.

They tell tales of obstacles

And human failings,

Of being human,

And being sensible,

For invincibility

Is not a trait we can claim.

The stories form a bond
That is not bondage.
They chronicle ambition,
Growth and attrition
And forge connections
Of substance and relevance
That add alignment
And purpose to our lives

And gives us the strength

To continue the expedition.

At work and in families,
The keepers of the scrolls,
Through stories give us context
And texture.
For within these tales,
We identify with the roles
And through this revelation
We take our places
And become storytellers,
And add our voices
To the conversations.

Copyright © 2003 Orlando Ceaser

Reprinted from Leadership above the rim by Orlando Ceaser

www.watchwellinc.com

Personal Reflections

  1. How are you using stories in your day-to-day operations?

  2. Develop the art of telling to use strategically and family, social and work situations.

  3. Where can you find your best stories?

  4. How can you develop your story telling technique?

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

YouTube:

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31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 13 – Intimidation

Hindre

The next station on the gauntlet is intimidation. There are people or systems in place that wish to thwart your development. They will stand in front of you in order to block your path. They may be openly hostile or work behind the scene to be a barrier. Their peace of mind cannot exist if you are a candidate competing for the accolades of the spotlight. Therefore, intimidation is a tool of the insecure.

Intimidation may be experienced from a competitor on the job, a competitor in the marketplace or an individual acquaintance whose actions brazenly attempt to block your progress. You may be perceived as a threat. You may be unassuming, beaming with humility, but nonetheless, you are a force that needs to be suppressed.

The Hindre™ will be used as an all-purpose image of the resistance and intimidation. It was created to exemplify people and forces that hinder your performance. In my introductory blog post, the Hindre™ was described as follows;  “The Hindre™ is a person or spirit whose purpose is to keep you down, drain your confidence, stunt your growth, hold you back, and prevent you from moving forward, realizing potential and living up to your expectations. They are positioned in households and organizations to thwart success, to discourage siblings and offspring and to disillusion those who have the ability and talent to achieve their dreams.”

You may not wish to think negatively. It is not healthy to walk around paranoid, but the doctrine of survival wants you to be observant. You must be observant, even if you see yourself as a servant to do good and help others. Survival and success, encourages you to face intimidation, anticipate intimidation and derive a strategy to handle it effectively.

How will you face intimidation today?

If Someone Perceives You as a Threat

If someone perceives you as a threat,

It’s hard to encourage you and to let

Your potential grow and be objective

And fathom the world from your perspective.

If someone perceives you as a threat,

They will intentionally try to bet

Against you and hope you do the same;

For they want to remove you from the game.

They tamper with confident people’s minds;

Let you in the race, but place you behind,

And pamper you with condescension,

To hamper you by creating tension.

They want to own you like property;

Subconsciously, treat you improperly;

Deny your physical and civil rights;

Bombard with pernicious and subtle slights.

They will attack your self-esteem;

Think it’s a waste of time for you to dream;

Make you second guess your own existence,

So that you concede without resistance.

If someone perceives you as a threat.

Unconscious and conscious biases beget

Micro-inequities and aggression;

Micro-messages are an obsession.

If someone perceives you as a threat;

They want you entirely in their debt.

They are treacherous and will use power,

To wring hope out of every hour.

Mislabeled, while mistreated and misled.

They will try and get inside your head;

Provoking you with their skills to incite

Confrontation and blame you for the fight.

If someone perceives you as a threat,

What tactics will you use to make them sweat?

You must use your excellence to confirm,

You are here for the moment and long term.

If someone perceives you as a threat;

They fear they haven’t seen anything yet;

For there is determination in your eyes;

On the way to fully actualize.

They try negativity to define,

The image that they want people to see;

But, don’t let their efforts to undermine,

Discourage your purpose and destiny.

Copyright © 2017 Orlando Ceaser

OrlandoCeaser.com

Personal Reflections

  1. Who are the intimidating people or circumstances in your world?

  2. What can you do to minimize their impact?

  3. Who can you go to for help?

  4. Can you schedule a meeting with verse to discuss their actions in your discomfort?

  5. What situations do you find particularly threatening?

  6. How can you invent the intimidation from affecting your performance?

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

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31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 3 – Follow through

Continuation plays an important role in our development. It is the ability to start something and stay with it until it is finished. In sports, there is a motion initiated, whether it is a swing a golf club, a baseball bat, the stroke in basketball or a strike in soccer, follow through is essential. Follow through is a crucial obligation to excellent performance.

Dr. Larry Van Such, DC, BE in his book Baseball Swing Mechanics lists five categories of a successful swing. They are, The Stance, The Loading Phase, The Timing Mechanism, The Launching Phase and The Follow Through. “The follow through takes us from the contact point the ball to the natural ending of the swing.”

The initiation of a motion or a project is apparent in many areas of life. Your commitment to start anything of value must have a follow through element attached to it. Your success in the art of the follow through will have an enormous impact on your relationships, results and reputation.

Follow through

You find excitement and satisfaction,

With passion and focus that is intense;

Performing actions, despite distractions.

Shouldering the standard of excellence,

You concentrate fully on what is new;

The fault is not focus,

But follow through.

A multitude of items on your plate,

Activities to plan and organize.

You are invigorated and relate,

And pollinate, while you prioritize;

There are many tasks under your purview.

The fault is not focus,

But follow through.

A flurry of interests will flood your mind.

Accelerated thinking speeds produce

Amazing energy that is designed

To be harnessed for its maximum use.

The fact you are misunderstood is true,

The fault is not focus,

But follow through

Time spent on numerous obligations,

Run the risk of compromising results.

You must streamline daily operations,

And use self-discipline, so each impulse

Will finalize projects, so revenue

Increases attention

To follow through.

Patience and stamina along with grit,

Are critical in solving equations

But one value is a prerequisite;

A staple for every occasion;

The secret substance strategy

That is the glue

To holds things together,

Is follow through.

Copyright © 2015 Orlando Ceaser

Excerpt from the poem Follow through from the book Leadership Greatness Through High Performance Poetry

Performance Reflections

  1. What are your priorities?

  2. Are you spreading yourself too thin?

  3. How do you ensure that all projects are on schedule to reach the end objective?

  4. What tracking mechanism do you have in place?

  5. What receives our attention is what gets done. Are we emphasizing the correct things?

 

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

Youtube:

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31 Day Leadership Gauntlet – Day 1 – Gargantuan Goals

Minimalism is the concept of small. To live in a state of not wanting to rock the boat, make waves, or bringing attention to yourself. You want to go through life unnoticed. The minimalist leader does not want to grab anything large, unwieldy, which would require maximum effort. Contrast this to a gargantuan state of mind. Gargantuan refers to being large, enormous, headline grabbing, of significant size.

You have probably heard about the book Good to Great by Jim Collins. He talks about the BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal). They are large and intimidating. They are not for the squeamish or faint of heart. They attracted attention but required enormous cooperation and focus. The BHAG became the rallying cry for many organizations on their way to greatness. The gargantuan goal is a goal of this variety. It is monumental, motivating with the power to establish momentum, as a snowball that starts an avalanche.

Think about your purpose, vision and mission in life. Which gargantuan goals identify to help propel you to your destination?                                                                                                                                                         Gargantuan goals can be defined as enormous objectives that may ultimately have a profound impact. The challenge we face is to avoid timidity and reach for goals that will have a profound impact on the world. It is necessary to set a timeline, a deadline by which we plan to reach or exceed these results.

It would be magnificent to have a vision that encompasses these gargantuan goals in our lifetime. When we speak and act with such boldness, the ripple, chain reaction effect will embolden others to work with us to make this world a better place. These are not just nice to have goals but necessary for our survival.

In Our Lifetime*  https://youtu.be/DiMCh_R8c2U

To stem the flow of violence;

In our lifetime,

Let us pledge

To have courage to stand on the edge

Of fear and shout through the silence

Of apathy and turn the tide

On racism, poverty and genocide.

In our lifetime,

Let us commit to heal

The division among the races

And issue a universal appeal

To love as a spirit that replaces

Selfishness, to release

Old information as new interactions

Help form a foundation for peace,

And heighten our sense of obligation

To change the world,

Through an imperfect nation.

In our lifetime,

We should be known

As contributors, as well as consumers;

And millennials should bond with baby boomers

On major issues whatever they may be,

Freedom, justice and equality;

And serve as activist and catalyst,

Advocate and protagonist,

To diminish, devices of division;

To challenge consensus for the best decision.

In our lifetime,

An enormous task lies before us;

To consciously congeal

Around a greater purpose;

To be strategic as we invest

And endure the chorus

Of special interests;

To build coalitions in our zeal;

To stoke the fires of innovation

For the evolution of new ideas,

To suspend competition,

And collaborate on solutions,

To make our world a better place

For the environment and the human race.

*An excerpt from In Our Lifetime, reprinted from the book FREE by Orlando Ceaser, copyright © Watchwell Communications, Inc.

Personal Reflections

  1. Observe your world and situations in the outside world and decide where you would like to influence.

  2. What bold gargantuan goal can you create to incrementally make the world a better place?

  3. Who will be your partner to discuss your progress?

More leadership information at OrlandoCeaser.com.

The ‘O’ Zone Blog: myozonelayer.com

Youtube:

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Adverse City

Adverse City is a place we pass through
On the highway to Being Great;
Where storm clouds hover as a residue,
Reminding us that fortunes fluctuate.

The Motel Misery on the town square
Near “Woe Is Me” Hotel, is over booked
With occupants chanting life is not fair
To the downtrodden who are overlooked.

Adverse City has a Welcome Center,
And millions visit and wander its streets;
Through equal opportunity enter
The masses who find life is bittersweet.

Children of this town are known to excel
When love through compassion inspires dreams
And possibilities exist to quell
The stereotypes and negative themes.

Some hospitals convey hope with their names
And patients vary in their will to live.
On corners like Finger Pointing and Blame
Are angry victims and those who forgive.

Adverse City extracts enormous tolls
And develops or deteriorates
Based on acceptance that we can’t control
All things, and even strife can educate.

Adverse City should not be faced alone
On the highway to Being Great;
Each crisis, a detour, a chance to atone,
A chance to invite God to navigate.

Copyright © 2003 Orlando Ceaser
Reprinted from Leadership Above the Rim

God’s Plan for Your Life https://youtu.be/at7lNa60tjk

MADENeverIgnore2
There is a purpose and plan for our lives, but we are often influenced and distracted by people and circumstances that distract us from focusing on our journey. This piece was written to supplement instruction delivered to individuals participating in a career seminar. You may see yourself in these words and hopefully it is a resource that can benefit your spirit and your well being.

God’s Plan for Your Life

Once you desired to be,
Who you were wired to be,
But you satisfied friends instead.
Though blessed with talent and skill,
You lacked the courage and will;
To follow the dreams in your head.

Your parents hinted at times,
Since they were reaching their prime,
You should let them plan your success.
Therefore, achievements were built
On a foundation of guilt,
Which was geared to their happiness.

You were not strong enough then
To use self-discipline when
You heard the voice of the divine.
In whispers to intervene,
He said he placed in your genes
The elements of your design.

Once you conspired to be,
Who you were wired to be,
To match the image of your trade.
You sought the power and fame,
The money, title and name,
In service to the masquerade.

Unplanned events played a role,
You flowed away from your goal,
Imprisoned by the undertow.
You gave into their appeal,
Although the look and the feel,
Was not what you needed to grow.

Through the influence of peers
You alternated careers,
And thus, fulfillment was delayed.
You showed an absence of nerve
And therefore, did not deserve
To prosper from poor choices made.

Now you aspire to be,
Who you were wired to be,
To do all you can with your life.
Committed to seek His will
And use your talents and skill,
To embrace God’s Plan for your life.

Copyright © 2001 Orlando Ceaser
Watchwellinc.com

We Were Created To Evolve

We were created to evolve;
From stardust imbued with life giving breath;
Upright beings with cognitive mystique;
Inspiring the fittest, with natural selection
As a survival technique.

We were created to resolve
Differences and use the distinctions
To steer us from extinction;
To cooperate as more than an initiative;
To be inquisitive;
We are the derivative
Of a life force that has instilled in us
The agility to dance
And the ability to reason and advance
The human species.

We were created to evolve;
To gregariously collaborate
And vicariously liberate
Our consciousness,
To connect with a higher power;
To select, perfect and recognize
That we should live in community
And use our similarities
To strive toward unity;
To preserve life,
To conserve life,
To deserve life,
And reserve the right to bond
To a cause greater than ourselves;
To extract from our differences
A positive impact,
To decipher the patterns,
Frequencies and mysteries
Of the puzzle
For a greater good.

We were created to evolve;
To consciousness on a higher plane;
To mesh with the universe;
To become flesh and maintain
A constant drive to grow and survive;
To know and to thrive;
To rehearse and immerse ourselves
In a cosmic equation of evolution;
To find the answers and seek the solutions;
To connect with our Creator
On Earth, in the ether and atmosphere;
To answer the question
Why are we here?

We were created to evolve;
To ascend beyond the primitive state
Where fear and selfishness
Fuel envy and hate;
To keep alive the rational
And emotional debate
Between good and evil,
Between faith and fate;
To denounce barbaric atrocities
And grow beyond wars to a new reality
Where conflicts and animosities
Are self defeating maladies.

Violence is a flagrant violation;
A suppression of our moral code;
If it persists we will implode.
This primal obsession
Requires repentance and confession.
There is value in moving toward inclusion
And uniting our assets
To eliminate the confusion
That exists when we focus only on self
And ignore the residual benefits
Of working for the entire race.

There is a trajectory to this existence.
An angle of flight instilled in humanity;
To live a life beyond mere subsistence;
To have a purpose beyond vanity
That animates us to get involved
With a myriad of problems
That need to be solved.

We were created to evolve;
To scour the regions of the universe
For information to improve our surroundings;
To develop hypotheses to rehearse;
To mine the treasures stored from
The infinitesimal, to infinity;
To study each side of the decimal,
And ultimately connect us to divinity;

As we grow together we have
So much to discuss.
The Eternal God communicates
And connects with us,
As we discover the secrets of this universe vast
In size and complexity;
In every manner and dimension
He unfolds the future as the past
And the temporary lasts
Forever and then returns
In a continuous loop for us to learn.

As we branch outwardly to explore
The atmosphere to the ocean floor.
When we demonstrate our readiness
And understand more,
He will increase our ability
To comprehend our cosmic quest;
As the earth derives energy
From its molten core;
As a sunflower stretches
Toward its solar source
We will connect with the universe
And this vital force
Will place us on a course
That will lead us to love.

We have unlimited capacity zones.
We are not to be ruled by pleasure alone.
We should not be driven by senseless
And selfish acts.
We are not to become ancient relics
And artifacts,
But beings that rejuvenate,
Evolving to love,
Receding from hate.

It’s not survival of the one most fit,
But the one who progresses and will not quit;
Incorporating each enhancement,
As we move steadily to advancement
At different altitudes and rates of speed,
We challenge the limits and ascend
To where we need to be.
We are always striving for a winning hand,
Curiosity driven, surviving to understand
The mysteries stored within us;
To unleash those powers that implore us
To seek a higher level.

We were created to evolve,
To journey toward perfection;
Through growth that is incremental,
In the direction of our purpose;
To be used;
To engage in a metamorphosis;
To transform repeatedly
Through purposeful interactions;
To stretch for lofty objectives;
To lunge softly toward love and peace;
To extend and stretch our intelligence
And expand our heart and pursue matters
The Creator feels has relevance,
To love our neighbor;
To participate in thinking,
To serve through targeted labor
To improve man’s existence,
As we grow, our commitment and desire
Are like a homing device compelling us
To travel to meet our Maker.

Copyright © 2015 Orlando Ceaser
Reprinted with permission from Daily Resurrections
by Orlando Ceaser
Available through amazon.com and OrlandoCeaser.com

Awaken Your Superpowers – Power Share Your Way to Greatness

Awaken Your Superpowers;
Speak truth to your subconscious mind;
Your determination
Is a confirmation
Of what ancestor’s left behind.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
The shackles from your mind will fall;
Reach and claim your birthright
With wisdom and new sight,
A hero, role model for all.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
The dynasty has been concealed.
Deliver a command,
Be proud and take a stand,
As your heritage is revealed.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
For you are extraordinary.
You’ve been asleep too long,
Arise, stand up and be strong,
By any means necessary.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
Remove the cobwebs from your eyes;
Shed the interference,
Behold the appearance,
Of potential to realize.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
Snap your fingers to break the trance;
Seize your former glory;
Learn the complete story
Without fear, push hard and advance.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
Awoke with the strength to be bold;
Disregard the whispers,
Strong brothers and sisters;
To make sure the story is told.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
Ubuntu gives us energy;
“I am because, we are;”
Each person shines, a star,
Loving self and community.

Awaken Your Superpowers;
Live life as a choice to be free;
The destiny instilled
Within you is fulfilled,
When you’re who God meant you to be.

Copyright © 2018 Orlando Ceaser

Structure

The beauty and simplicity of the right structure can add balance and effectiveness to our lives. A system of routines, people and resources can inspire us and hold us accountable to complete important tasks and enable us to maximize our potential and provide greater value to others.

In Nature, all of life is organized;
The body systems’ elegant design
Rivals a universe categorized
As millions of stars in the night sky shine,
As planets in order orbit in space,
As structure keeps each object in its place.

We need structure and a firm foundation;
To set boundaries in our routines,
So we concentrate in conversations
On short term and long term and in between;
To keep us on schedule and on track,
To manage a structured plan of attack.

We have a purpose, as we run this race,
Programmed with a sequence for us to win;
There is a pattern that we must embrace;
A series of actions we must begin.
We set goals and methods to reinforce
Each goal with a checklist to stay on course.

There’s structure with diet and exercise;
Willpower and demonstrating constraint;
The flexibility to improvise;
To be creative and resolve complaints;
We need discipline, so we can abstain;
From actions that will later cause us pain.

Structure is a gift that we should enjoy.
When structure appears confining,
A well tuned strategy we should employ;
When our performance is declining.
It has a formula like a lecture,
With strength in content and architecture.

We need structure that is clearly defined;
That includes respect for authority;
To help develop our heart and mind
With excellence as the priority;
The structure will hold us accountable,
So obstacles aren’t insurmountable.

Structure will lead us to the right decisions;
Those consistent with what we want to be,
To excel and thrive with supervision,
To channel our time and energy;
Its skeletal framework will ease the threat
Of reckless actions that place us in debt.

To live comfortably within our means,
We have standards and a choice to say no;
We are not just for self, but for the team,
Interdependence is the status quo.
We use ambition as a strategy;
For the good of group and community.

We need structure in order to advance;
To study harder and perform the tasks;
Learn fundamentals before we freelance,
And give the assignment all that it asks
And know structure’s role in all we do,
As it gives us guidance to follow through.

Structure trains us to allocate the time,
So life is far less complicated,
And puts us on a path away from crime,
That’s choreographed and orchestrated;
To be on the field not on the sidelines
And functioning according to guidelines.

Structure can be seen as stimulation;
Keeping the mind engaged and occupied
Through a number of planned simulations
To grant experiences that provide
The guard rails to sustain us in our lanes;
And to fully utilize our brains.

When we master how structure should be used;
We will not easily be distracted;
Temptations will be ignored or refused
And we will no longer be attracted
To positions of mediocrity,
When it is excellence that makes us free.

Copyright © 2016 Orlando Ceaser