Character

From Minute Motivators for Leaders by Stan Toler:

"Reputation is made in a moment. Character is built in a lifetime."
   -  James Leggett

'Lots of people can get the job done. Industry, science, education - each profession has its stellar achievers. Personal competence is not a rare quality these days...But personal character is becoming rather elusive....

"If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right," the ancient leadership adage demands. But leaders of character are more concerned with doing the right thing than they are in doing things right. Right methods without right motives are shallow at best and evil at their worst. In the end, the great leader is not the person who can simply get the job done. It is the person who knows how to link motives with methods.

Leadership that makes a difference includes a personal willingness to do the right thing. It makes tough choices - moral choices, spiritual choices, ethical choices, right choices.'

Winners do the right things.

The Isolation Chamber

From the Oct. 26th Today God Is First devotional
(http://www.todaygodisfirst.com/):

'There is a time and place in our walk with God in which He sets us in a place of waiting. It is a place in which all past experiences are of no value. It is a time of such stillness that it can disturb the most faithful if we do not understand that He is the one who has brought us to this place for only a season. It is as if God has placed a wall around us. No new opportunities - simply inactivity.

During these times, God is calling us aside to fashion something new in us. It is an isolation chamber designed to call us to deeper roots of prayer and faith. It is not a comfortable place, especially for a task-driven workplace believer. Our nature cries out, "You must do something," while God is saying, "Be still and know that I am God."

You know the signs that you have been brought into this chamber when He has removed many things from your life and you can't seem to change anything. Perhaps you are unemployed. Perhaps you are laid up with an illness.

Most religious people live a very planned and orchestrated life where they know almost everything that will happen. But for people in whom God is performing a deeper work, He brings them into a time of quietness that seems almost eerie. They cannot say what God is doing. They just know that He is doing a work that cannot be explained to themselves or to others.

Has God brought you to a place of being still? Be still and know that He really is God. When this happens, the chamber will open soon after.'

Who Will Remember?

From the classic bestseller devotional God's Best for My Life by Lloyd John Ogilvie:

'It was time for the funeral to begin, but no one was there except for the lawyer, the funeral director, and me (Pastor Ogilvie). The lawyer stepped forward and handed me an envelope containing a check for my services. "But this is not necessary," I said. "I didn't even know the man." "What difference does that make?" came the tart reply. "Apparently no one else did either!"

The lawyer was doing his duty. The will called for a Christian burial, and the money had been left to pay the Pastor to contribute to his church.

This man had spent his life on himself. He had never married; he had lived alone. He had saved his money and died a wealthy man. He never knew the joy of sharing what he had earned with others.

A few weeks later I participated in another funeral. Hundreds of people came. The man had been a powerful industrialist. He had contributed to colleges and universities. His name is on costly buildings.

--------
But I had the same strange feeling that I had had in the other funeral. Though there were hundreds of people, there was really no one. The auspicious arrangements, the montage of Cadillacs, the expensive casket - all expressed that someone had planned ahead. But no one really knew the man. No one was close to him. No one confided in him, and he allowed no one close to him as a friend.

I see very little difference in those two men. Neither had cared about people, and in the end no one really cared about them.

But that leads us to a deeper question: What makes life significant? What are the things for which we will be remembered? 

Whose life is different, really enriched, because of you? The final results of our lives will be written in what we did for people.'

The first time I read this devotional I didn't expect it to take the turn it did for the second man - did you?

Winners - what are the things for which you will be remembered?

Excellence

From the book The Best of Success compiled by Wynn Davis:

Excellence  --  Going far beyond the call of duty, doing more than others expect...this is what excellence is all about. And it comes from striving, maintaining the highest standards, looking after the smallest detail, and going that extra mile. Excellence means doing your very best. In everything. In everyway.

"The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor."
   - Vincent T. Lombardi

"The kind of people I look for to fill top management spots are the eager beavers, the mavericks. These are the guys who try to do more than they're expected to do - they always reach."
   - Lee Iacocca

"There is an infinite difference between a little wrong and just right, between fairly good and the best, between mediocrity and superiority..."
   - Orison Swett Marden

Health and Strength

From the devotional God's Way Day by Day by Charles F. Stanley:

'The person who sees his life in the context of God's plan and purpose is going to be a person who values his time and seeks to make the most of every hour God gives him.

When you value your time on earth as a servant of God, you are going to want to take care of your body. You are going to seek out God's wisdom about how to eat, how to exercise, how to get sufficient sleep, and how to engage in relaxing activities.

You are going to get God's wisdom about how to defeat stress and live in contentment. You are going to fill your day with things that are fruitful and profitable. And as you put God's principles to work in your life, you are going to experience health and strength.'

Marvel at How Often Things Go Right

More from the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work by Richard Carlson:

* Forgive Yourself, You're Human - it is inevitable that you'll make mistakes

* Put Your Mind in Neutral - By clearing your mind of focused thinking, you become more responsive; your best work can be accomplished when your mind is in neutral

* Marvel at How Often Things Go Right - Instead of complaining why things always go wrong, stop and think about those times when everything went right

* Make Peace with Chaos - Chaos is everywhere; the best way to deal with chaos is to surrender and make peace with it; instead of trying to control your world, learn to work with chaos without being negatively affected

* Prevent Burnout - Strive to keep a balanced life; you should also be growth-oriented; make sure you have a life outside of work

* Experience a Magical Transformation - Transform your current way of thinking and behavior into a more positive alternative; review your negative habits and traits and try to conquer them

* Avoid "If Only, Then" Thinking - Stop wishing that things were different; it is destructive and even worse - you are putting your happiness on hold

* Eliminate the Worry Factor - When you worry less, you will experience more success; excessive worrying will only make it difficult for you to focus your efforts

* Ask for What You Want, But Don't Insist on Getting It - Do not be afraid to ask for what you want; however, do not be attached to the outcome

* Remember the Whole Story - Don't focus on the negative; in truth, things are not as bad as it seems

Speaking Through Sickness

From the Oct. 9th In Touch devotional (www.intouch.org):

'God would never make us sick for any reason - would He?

The answer, surprisingly, is yes. Affliction is one of the Lord's most powerful tools for getting our attention when we're not listening. If a period of illness is what it takes to refocus us on Him, then that's exactly what He will do.

Think about the apostle Paul. When we hear his name, we recall the Christ-minded missionary who spread the gospel during the first century. But this wasn't always the case. When we are first introduced to him, he is known as Saul, Christianity's most vicious enemy. So how did God get Saul's attention?

The Acts account explains that the Lord appeared in a brilliant flash of light that only Saul could see. After revealing Himself, Jesus left Saul completely blind. This enemy of the church was now brought low, having to be led into town by hand, completely at the mercy of others.

What went through Saul's mind during those three days of blindness? No doubt his thoughts were full of one thing: his encounter with Christ. By removing his sight, God took away all distractions during this vital time in the man's life.

God's primary goal is our ultimate good, not our comfort or short-term happiness - He wants what is best for us in light of eternity.

At times this means He'll lay us flat on our backs for a season. If you experience such hardship, do pray for healing, but also pray for His message to you in your sickness.'

Mutuality

From Minute Motivators for Leaders by Stan Toler:

"You can get everything you want if you help enough others get what they want."
   - Zig Ziglar

'Success is not a zero-sum enterprise. Good leaders know that their achievement doesn't require someone else's failure. There's more than enough success to go around.

The most effective leaders are those who believe their success can help others reach their goals also. They believe in the power of win-win.

Leaders ask, "What can I do for you?"

Service is an investment that pays in more than monetary ways. It pays in character development. It pays in influence and in relationships. Giving is a short-term investment that pays long-term dividends.

Leaders ask, "What can we do together?"

Teamwork is a win-win situation.

Leaders ask, "How can this benefit both of us?"'

Winners believe in win-win.

A Fine-Tuned Instrument

From the Oct. 4th Today God Is First devotional (http://www.todaygodisfirst.com/):

Steinway Pianos is a maker of some of the world's finest pianos. Each piano has always been made from scratch; it takes over a year to make one Steinway. An impressive scene in touring the manufacturing plant is the place where the soundboard is stretched to its maximum tolerance and allowed to sit for an extended period until it remains in the curved design. This was done in an off-to-the-corner part of the plant. If the wood were alive, it would be crying out for mercy.

After an extended time of stretching, the wood will never spring back to its original state. It is permanently changed. The piano is becoming a fine-tuned instrument. After this process takes place, the next step requires another point of stress. It takes 11 tons of pressure on a piano to tune it. Each step in the process moves the piano closer to a finished product that will ultimately be played by the world's finest musicians. These musicians desire a particular sound that only a piano like this can make.

God looks at each of us as a fine-tuned instrument. However, we begin as rough wood that He desires to transform into gold. Tuning us requires certain experiences that will stretch our faith, our frame, and our very life. If we can stand the strain of this intense process, we will come forth as gold.

When we are in the midst of these times, it feels like fire. It is painful to be stretched beyond our perceived limits, but the Lord knows this is necessary for us to become an instrument that can play a beautiful song that others will seek after.

Let the master Craftsman have His way in your life today. You will be pleased with the instrument He fashions.

Under Direction or Off in all Directions?

From the classic bestseller devotional God's Best for My Life by Lloyd John Ogilvie:

'There is always enough time in any one day to do the things Christ wants us to do!

If we are about to go under from pressure, it is probably because we are off in all directions without His direction. He has called us to be faithful, not frantic. We play God by trying to handle more than He has willed for us.

A Christian can have extraordinary power for life's demands if he is open to the peace of Christ in the midst of the demands. He has not expended his energies on anxious fretting about alternatives.

How much of what we are doing is an extension of God's will for us?

If this were your last year to live, what would you do with it? What would you continue doing? What would you delete?'

Belief

From the book The Best of Success, compiled by Wynn Davis:

Belief - Belief is the knowledge that we can do something. It's the inner feeling that what we undertake, we can accomplish. For the most part, all of us have the ability to look at something and know whether or not we can do it. So, in belief there is power: our eyes are opened; our opportunities become plain; our visions become realities.

"The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible."
   - Richard M. Devos

"Whether you think you can or think you can't - you are right."
   - Henry Ford

"The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something, you can do it - as long as you really believe 100 percent."
   - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Be Your Best

From the devotional God's Way Day by Day by Charles F. Stanley:

'God expects us to change whatever it takes to be our best at all that we do.

He wants us to look our best, dress our best, speak our best, act our best, try our best, give our best, and work to the best of our ability and energy.

It is important to understand that the term "best" is related to your own potential, not a term of comparison with others. Your best has nothing to do with another person's best.

Furthermore, your best today is not likely to be your best tomorrow. We all can improve certain aspects of our lives, and continue to improve them every day for the rest of our lives.'

Winners always strive for the best!

Spend 10 Minutes a Day Doing Absolutely Nothing

More from the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work by Richard Carlson:

* Complete as Many Tasks as Possible - Never turn in unfinished work; it is best to finish a project before moving on to another

* Before Becoming Defensive, Take Note of What is Being Said - Before reacting defensively to something someone has said, breathe, relax and genuinely listen; it might not be the personal attack you are seeing it to be

* Spend Ten Minutes a Day Doing Absolutely Nothing - You are regaining your perspective and allowing your wisdom and common sense to thrive

* Learn to Delegate - Focus on the tasks that you are most qualified to do and delegate the rest

* Strengthen Your Presence - Be charismatic and magnanimous; people will be drawn to your energy; stop your mind from wandering and choose to really be with the people you are with

* Learn to Say No Without Guilt

* Take Your Next Vacation at Home - Sometimes, the most relaxing, rejuvenating and energizing vacations are the ones spent at home

* Don't Let Negative Coworkers Get You Down - Learn how to deal with negativity; if you don't, you will end up discouraged, frustrated and depressed yourself

* Make the Best of a "Noncreative" Position - Make the best of the job you have now; approach your job in a positive manner and you will find that you will enjoy it more

* Stay Close to Your Center - When you feel calm and inspired, you are close to your center; therefore, you'll be able to get work done more effectively and efficiently

Thinking Our Way to Success

From the Oct. 16th In Touch devotional (http://www.intouch.org/):

'Healthy thinking is a key contributor to godly success.

Every choice we make, every word we speak, and every action we take begins as a thought. So we really need to have our heads on straight, so to speak.

We are to lay aside attitudes like anger, jealousy, and self-pity. Negativity held in the head and heart can work its way outward like spreading poison, tainting conduct, conversation, and character.

Setting our minds on heavenly things is a choice. Consider Paul. He was often impoverished and friendless. And yet, during one of his many prison terms, Paul wrote of his joy, contentment, and unshakeable faith in God. He was a man committed to thinking godly thoughts whether his life was marked by blessing or adversity.

Proverbs 23:7 sums up the profound effect of our thought life: "For as [a man] thinks within himself, so he is." '

Winners claim the healthy, fulfilling thought life.

Openness

From the book Minute Motivators for Leaders by Stan Toler:

'Success in any area requires constantly readjusting your behavior as a result of feedback.

Leaders understand the difference between helpful feedback and spiteful criticism. They welcome the former and ignore the latter....

They are always seeking ways to have an impact upon their "market."

The helpful suggestions of their associates are the building blocks of success, not stumbling blocks of negativism....

Constructive criticism doesn't roll off their backs like water off a duck. They gather and sort it to see if it has the potential to grow into excellence.

Leaders are more interested in fixing problems than in passing blame.'

Winners accept good feedback.

Divine Discontent

From the classic bestseller devotional God's Best for My Life by Lloyd John Ogilvie:

'Tell me what makes you discontent and I will tell you what drives you. Show me your indignations and I will show you the imperatives by which you live. Tell me what stirs you up enough to want to change things, and I will tell you whether you are living while you are alive.

Jesus affirms a creative discontent as a major characteristic of discipleship. This is a part of life as it was meant to be. A driving dissatisfaction with ourselves, our relationship with God, and the world in which we live is evidence that we are in touch with the Holy Spirit.

If a dominant desire is in us to grow, to live more fully, to heal the wounds of the world, to bring justice to the dispossessed and suffering, then the Lord is at work in us. Too few of us have a fermentive unrest, disturbed with the inconsistency in ourselves and society....

When our dissatisfactions are in harmony with Christ's, then we know that we can depend on His power to find an answer.'

This is a deep one to ponder. Winners have a divine discontent.

The Pitfall of Being Entrepreneurial

From the Sept. 20th Today God Is First devotional (http://www.todaygodisfirst.com/):

'There are good things we can do, but only God-things we should do.

What seems good in our eyes may be an abomination in God's eyes. For instance, if you decide to build an orphanage but God has never directed you to do so, then God will not see that work as good; it was born out of your own strength, even though it was a "good work."

The most difficult challenge a Christian workplace believer will ever have is to know what things to be involved in and what things not to be involved in. Many workplace believers have a great ability to see opportunity. What appears to be a "slam dunk" may come back to haunt us if God never ordains us to enter that arena. There are many good things we can be involved with. However, there are God-things we are supposed to be involved with.

God's ways are not our ways. The most important quality God desires to develop in us is our dependence on Him and Him alone. When we begin to make decisions based on reason and analysis instead of the leading and prompting of the Holy Spirit, we get into trouble with God.'

Winners learn the difference between "good things" and "God-things."

God Moves in Mystery

What I consider to be one of the key devotionals from the book God's Way Day by Day by Charles F. Stanley:

'Earthly wisdom is rooted in the belief that all life can be understood, rationalized, and proved scientifically. But God moves in ways that are still a mystery to man.

Science can never prove what causes a person to fall in love. It can never prove what happens to a person after death. It can never measure the breadth or depth of God's love and mercy....

None of the world's information we have acquired or the tangible skills we have developed in order to acquire, maintain, and advance our lives on this earth will be useful in eternity.

The wisdom of this world has no capability to carry a person from this life into the next.'

"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways." 
   --  Isaiah 55:9

The Next Generation Leader

From the book The Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley:

'The essentials for next generation leaders:

1. Competence - Leaders must channel their energies toward those arenas of leadership in which they are most likely to excel

2. Courage - The leader is the one who has the courage to initiate, to set things in motion, to move ahead

3. Clarity - A next generation leader must learn to be clear even when he is not certain

4. Coaching - Without a coach you will never be as good as you could be

5. Character - Character provides next generation leaders with the moral authority necessary to bring together the people and resources needed to further an enterprise

If God has gifted you to lead, then lead you will. There's no stopping you.

Back Off When You Don't Know What To Do

More from the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work by Richard Carlson:

* Stop Procrastinating - Don't put off things until the last minute; start tasks a little earlier

* Confront Gently - Sooner or later you'll have to confront someone; do so in a gentle and yet firm way; assume that you will be able to work things out

* Remember the Three R's - Be responsive, receptive, and reasonable

* Get Out of the Grumble Mode - Get a sense of humor; you shouldn't take things too seriously

* Get It Over With - Don't save the worst for last

* Don't Live in an Imagined Future - Refrain from dwelling on how much better your life would be in the future; also, do not worry about how terrible it is going to be for you a few days from now; you are giving up the present for events and situations that might not even happen

* Make Someone Else Feel Good

* Compete from the Heart - Competition is not a bad thing; you should compete hard and yet be able to enjoy yourself and give back to society; compete because you love what you do

* Back Off When You Don't Know What to Do - Don't force the issue; if you don't have a ready solution to a problem, back off and extend less effort; this way, you will not obstruct your wisdom and more ideas will come

* Admit that It's Your Choice - Remember that your career and the problems that come with it are your choice; you are in charge of your life.

How to Reach Your Goals

From the October 5th In Touch devotional (www.intouch.org):

'Establish goals with God's guidance, rather than devising them on our own and expecting Him to bless our efforts. Our success will be determined by our dependence upon the Lord. If we set out to accomplish anything in our own strength - even a godly task - we will fail.

Other factors can also help us achieve an objective. A consuming passion, for example, can provide motivation and prevent discouragement. In addition, we should have confidence to reach the goal, knowing that the Lord will equip us for every task He assigns.

Planning a step-by-step course of action will also help us to be successful. And two more things we need are courage and consistency. Fear of failure and the opinion of others can be paralyzing. But courage comes from reading God's Word, praying, and turning a deaf ear to negativism. Then, consistency will keep our eye on the goal so we will not deviate from it.

You can continue to live as before, or you can find out what God plans to do in your life. Is He leading you toward a specific goal? Remember, the Lord is all-powerful.'

Winners determine goals from God and accomplish His divine objectives for their lives.

Celebration

From the book Minute Motivators for Leaders by Stan Toler:

'A leader will pick just about any reason to throw a party. He or she knows that nothing builds morale like a celebration, no matter how small....leaders understand the motivating force of publicly acknowledging a job well done.

Leaders celebrate a good performance by the team, the completion of a goal, or even the completion of one objective. They take delight in honoring the corporate achievements of those who have worked together in achieving a common goal.

Leaders delight in honoring individual achievements as well. They recognize the hard work of an individual by a public and tangible commemoration of the effort.

Leaders love personal celebrations too. They affirm people at every opportunity by celebrating birthdays, extracurricular achievements, or family milestones. They write, call or send a gift.'

Winners love to celebrate, and have a heart for honoring others.

Let Go!

From the classic bestseller devotional God's Best for My Life by Lloyd John Ogilvie:

'Freedom in pressure is to be found in the sure knowledge that God is at work in the people and circumstances of life. When we lose that firm conviction, we become grim.

If we live with the feeling that everything depends on us, that if we don't do everything it won't get done, or that the only things that are happening are what we can see and account for ourselves, we will be defeated by life's pressure.

The life Christ lived He now seeks to live in us. His confidence in pressure was that God was in control. This is what we need to know.

He is there, be sure of that!

Beyond our expectations or fondest hopes, He gives us insight, strength, an answer, a new chance, or power - when we least expect it....His delight is to surprise us with His innovations on human mistakes.'

Winners let go and let God!

Move, Know, Live, Hear, Grow

In his book Body for Life, Bill Phillips talks about the process of transforming our physical bodies as well as our entire lives for the better. Here are 5 of the 11 four-letter words he uses:

'MOVE - Get up and move your body; motion generates emotion and motivation

KNOW - Doubt itself is a symptom of disease; replace doubt with faith

LIVE - Embrace life; take risks; don't live under a rock

HEAR - Tune into your intuition; heed your inner voice; if you're following the masses, you're on the wrong path; the world is very noisy, and that chatter won't help you; quiet down and listen with your heart, not your ears

GROW - growth involves growing pains, but suffering that bears fruit is beautiful; accept the pain of transformation instead of resisting it'

Failure and Success

From the daily devotional God's Way Day by Day by Charles F. Stanley:

'The difference between those who have succeeded in spite of their failures and those who have allowed their failures to create low self-worth is this: those who have succeeded have not internalized their failures.

They have not thought less of themselves personally for having failed. They have refused to think of themselves as failures or worthless.

Failure is something they have done but not something they are. This is a huge difference.

In some cases, failures have spurred them on to try harder or to explore new avenues. Those who allow failure to be internalized often give up in their failures and refuse to take the risk of failing again.'

Winners learn the important lesson that failure is something you DO, not something you ARE.

I saw a news segment yesterday that stated that beer contains a cancer-fighting compound called xanthohumol.

Scientists have found xanthohumol to be toxic to several kinds of human cancer -including prostate, ovarian, breast, and colon. Further, it inhibits enzymes that can activate the development of cancer, and also helps detoxify carcinogens. It even seems to slow down tumor growth in the early stages.

So have a beer - Cheers! :)

Take Advice If You Solicit It

More from the book Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at Work by Richard Carlson:

* When You Solicit Advice, Consider Taking It - When seeking counsel, do not dismiss the advice you are given. Listen carefully and if it's good advice, consider taking it

* Take Advantage of Your Commute - If you spend a lot of time commuting, make sure you spend the time wisely. Listen to audio tapes

* Let Go of Battles that Cannot Be Won - Fighting battles that cannot be won will only give you stress, waste your time, and expend your energy. Learn to differentiate between the battles worth fighting for and the ones that you should let go

* Think of Stress and Frustration as Distractions to Your Success - You do not need stress to be successful. On the contrary, stress is an obstacle that can inhibit your ability to stay focused and to think clearly. Rather, remind yourself that stressful feelings will not help you

* Accept the Fact that There's Almost Always Going to Be Someone Mad at You - You can't please everyone. Accept this fact of life and you will find peace

* Don't Let Your Own Thoughts Stress You Out - Don't allow your thoughts to overcome you and make you lose sense of reality. It is best not to take some of your thoughts too seriously

* Make Allowances for Incompetence - Face it. Some people are incompetent. Don't take it personally and don't allow this fact to get you down. Don't allow yourself to lose your cool

* Don't Be Too Quick to Comment - Think before you speak. Refrain from giving unnecessary and counterproductive comments.

* Let Go of "Personality Clashes" - Learn to accept that most of the time, you won't be able to choose the people you work with. You must respect other people's differences and not allow other people's personalities to affect you negatively

* Don't Get Stressed by the Predictable - Learn to deal with predictable stressful situations. Make allowances for the inevitable and you will eliminate a lot of stress

Faith That Conquers

From the October In Touch publication (the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley, www.intouch.org):

'...a prescription for dealing with difficult circumstances....

* Respond in faith

* Rely on God's strength

* Fight the battle mentally before you step onto the battlefield

* Reaffirm that the battle is not yours, but God's

* Reckon the victory even before you see it coming

* Finally, wait for God's timing'

Winners choose to let God handle their toughest challenges.

Excellence

From the book Minute Motivators for Leaders by Stan Toler:

'Leaders are never willing to settle for second best. They always believe that something worth doing is worth doing well. They start a task thoughtfully, continue it diligently, and finish it thoroughly. Each step from the inception to the benediction is a commitment to excellence.

Leaders know that excellence is learned.

Leaders also understand that excellence is a quality rather than a quantity. It's a state of mind. It reaches as far as it can and accomplishes as much as possible.

Leaders aren't content to go for the silver. They like the feel of real gold.'

Winners aim for excellence.

Barrie, Napolean, Iacocca

Three motivational quotes by winners for winners:

"We never understand how little we need in this world until we know the loss of it."
- J.M. Barrie (creator of Peter Pan)

"Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

"So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don't sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we've satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late."
- Lee Iacocca