When you blame others, you give up your power to change. – Robert Anthony

This quote has profound questions implied in it. Does power only come from ownership, or is it the recognition of our power in situations that leads us to understand our impact? Does our view of power lead to different behavior? Do we blame others for success? Does blame represent fear? Is blame always inaccurate? Does blame always have to be negative, and if not how do we flip it into a building block?

“The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius

Some questions to consider: Do we need to force ourselves to think deeply about topics that do not initially interest us? Should we be fearful of our thoughts, or do we balance our thinking by gathering more information and countering ideas? Which comes first our souls or the ideas we focus on? How do we train ourselves and those we care about to think both deeply and broadly? Is it our duty to be caring about everyone to some extent?

“Discipline = Freedom” – Jocko Willink

The idea that discipline equals freedom has been stated in different ways I think. The phrase “There are no rights without responsibility ” comes to mind, but “discipline equals freedom” is a stronger statement that casts a wider net. Everyone I know loves to eat, but most of us know that if you don’t balance meals with activity there will be problems. The same balance (or discipline) applies to everything we enjoy….too much of it is a bad thing. The quote applies to what we want, what we look like, how we interact with others, and where we want to go in life – without discipline we cannot make things happen for ourselves. Implied in the quote is that we own our experience of life. The quote is profound.

” Let go of certainty. The opposite isn’t uncertainty. It’s openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox, rather than choose up sides. The ultimate challenge is to accept ourselves exactly as we are, but never stop trying to learn and grow.” ― Tony Schwartz
Questions to ponder: Is this a description of what we call balance? What causes us to want to take a side before thoughtful consideration? Does fear, or ego (or both) cause us to act hastily?

He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.”― Michel de Montaigne

Questions to consider: What is the fear useful for? Why are we afraid? What actions can be taken, or knowledge gained to eliminate the fear? Are our actions or plans a valid cause for fear?