Richard G. Capen, Jr., was publisher of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Miami Herald, and took advantage of a golden opportunity to solicit responses to a wide variety of notable people to questions about their accomplishments, the values they'd want to be remembered for, what they learned from their mentors and an unsung hero whose values they admired. This book is a culmination of wisdom from many lives about the importance of defining and living by personal values. In short, its focus is inspiring us to living according to our values.Improvements in Defining Personal Values Finish Strong by Richard G. Capen, Jr. The substance of Capen's inspirational book can best be described by viewing the Table of Contents, which in and of itself is a list of value-renewing principles. Perhaps the best way to quickly view the qualitative content of the book is to look at the quotes Capen has provided at the beginning of each chapter:
Meaning: Shaping your legacy. A quote by John Gardner:
Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you.Authenticity: No waffles, please. A quote by Ted KoppelThere's harmony and inner peace to be found in following a moral compass that points in the same direction regardless of fashion or trend.Character: What will your child inherit? A quote by Max DepreeLeaders can decide to be primarily concerned with leaving assets to their institutionaheris or they can go beyond that and capitalize on the opportunity to9 leave a legacy, a legacy that takes into account the more difficult, qualitative side of life, one which provides greater meaning, more challenge, and more joy in the lives of those who leaders enable.Self-Esteem: You're the best you've got. A quote by EpictetusGod hath entrusted me with myself.Excellence: Reach for the stars. A quote by General Daniel "Chappie" James, USAFThe power of excellence is overwhelming. It is always in demand and nobody cares about its color.Trustworthiness: Can I bank on your words? A quote by Rabbi Wayne DosickThe reality is, if we tell the truth, we only have to tell the truth once. If you lie, you have to keep lying forever.Humility: Watch out for pride. A quote by Junipero SerraI am no longer your professor,Perseverence: "Quit" is a four-letter word. A quote by Winston Churchill
I am your humble servant.We shall go to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,\we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender.Optimism: "Attitude Counts more than talent. A quote by Charles SwindollAttitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do . . . .Self-Renewal: Freshen up your life. A quote by President Gerald FordThe remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past; we cannot change the fact that peoplewill act in a certain way. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me, and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you. We are in charge of our attitudes.
A man can hold high office, command great powers, and be hailed as the leader of the world, but when his time in office is over he must be prepared mentally, emotionally, spiritually, to relinquish the power, the prestige and the public acclaim that came with the office.Agelessness: Drink from the fountain of youthfulness. A quote by George Bernard ShawHe must retain the quiet confidence that he has been the same man all along and that whatever he contributed as President he can still contribute in other ways.
This is not an easy transition to make, but with the help of one's family and one's friends, and with the conviction that God works his own purposes in each of our lives, it is easier to see that leaving the White House is not the end of the world, but simply the beginning of a new chapter in one's life.
I want to be thoroughly used up when I die,Compassion: Gaining from giving. A quote by Leah de Roulet
For the harder I work, the more I live.
Life is a sort of splendid torch,
Which I hold for a moment.
AnI want to make it burn brightly,
Before I hand it off to future generations.When I talk to elderly people who are dying, I find they don't worry about material gain or about having too little success in life. Theyworry about what they should have done with the people they loved.Commitment: Nothing gets done by accident. A quote by Phillips BrooksWhen you are so devoted to doing what is right that you press straight on and disregard what men are saying about you, there is the triumph of moral courage.Family: "Parent" is a verb. A quote by Arthur SulzbergerMy mother negver lost faith in me. She taught me right from wrong, and she encouraged me to think and act with an open mind and, hopefully, with regard to the feelings and beliefs of others.Community: Venture out of the cocoon. A quote by General Colin Powell.All values are important, everyone who has ever touched my life in some way was a mentor for good or bad. Life is a blend, and a person is a blend of all the influences that have touched their lives.Faith: From your beliefs come values. A quote by Secretary of State James BakerHaving a position of power does not bring inner security and fulfillment. That comes only by developing a personal relationship with God, which for me is personified by Jesus Christ. Inner security and fulfillment comes by faith -- not by wielding power in the town where power is king.Links that relate to Capen's Work:When I look back on my own journey of faith I can see that real growth began when I started reading God's word as a young man. I really do believe that those of us who are put in positions of public trust really shouldn't be hesitant to speak about spiritual values. In fact, I happen to believe that spiritual values are important in the pursuit of peace.
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