QUOTATIONS

Teddy Roosevelt ascended to the highest office in the land as the youngest man to ever do so.  He didn't achieve such heights by accident.  He achieved them through strength of character.  Character is what allowed him to take on Standard Oil's monopoly and win.  It drove him to establish the National Park system which we all enjoy today.  And it kept his compass correctly oriented in the face of unending special interests.  

It is for this reason that Roosevelt said, so accurately, that above all others attributes is character.

Lieutenant Commander Kenny Brown is a husband, father, Naval Officer, and my friend. He brings a fascinating world view and experiences dating back to our days in college together. In this episode, we discuss a fascinating speech given during a classic film and branch off down a number of trails in search of greater meaning and better selves.

J.K. Rowling (pronounced “rolling”) is best known for her wildly famous Harry Potter series of books and movies. She was asked to speak at Harvard during their 2008 commencement ceremony, joining the ranks of Winston Churchill, JFK, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates.

In her speech, she offered many wise words, wrapped as authors often do, in touching anecdotes. You can read and watch the full speech online (and you should!)

William Daniels, better known to most of us millennials as Mr. Feeny from the hit show, Boy Meets World, delivered many words of wisdom to Cory Matthews, his family, friends, and, by extension, us, the viewers over the years.

As the sage, worldly professor, guiding his students through myriad life challenges, he left an indelible mark on each of them. In today’s quote, delivered early in the very first season of the show, he reminds us of what’s important in education…the process. Ever since I heard these words, they’ve stuck with me and I hope they resonate with you in the same way.

Who said it? That’s the question around today’s quote. I…don’t know. I tried, dear listener, to determine the provenance and came up short. Perhaps you know? I don’t think a quick internet search will do it.

Regardless, the lesson here is too good to not share, even if the origins are murky. It is not about others that we behave our best, it is about us. As with so many of our quotes, how much better a place the world would be were we all to internalize this one.

General Peter Pace was a man of many firsts. He was the first Marine General to hold three different 4-star commands. The first at US Southern Command, then he became the first Marine appointed Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and then the first Marine appointed Chairman.

It’s only fitting, then, that following his final moments on active duty, that he returned to a different set of firsts. The first Marines to perish under his command in Vietnam. The card below and the topic of today’s episode show that even after many firsts of their kind, the leader, imperfect as he was, never forgot the firsts of most import.

James Dyson, or, more accurately, Sir James Dyson is an inventor, designer, engineer, and entrepreneur all rolled into one. You’ve doubtlessly seen his creations and may very well have one or more in your home right now. That’s right, he’s the “vacuum guy!” Obviously, he’s much more than that, and today’s quote is about how to get there. How to achieve success in the face of mounting or seemingly insurmountable odds. The answer? Accelerate. Don’t tell this knighted fellow about why you’re giving up. This is the same guy who went through more than 5,000 iterations to get his first prototype correct. 5,000! That’s incredible, not just as an accomplishment, but also as a model for us. If you want success, never stop pursuing it.

Tyler Cowen is an economist, author, and long-term habitual blogger.  His Marginal Revolution blog (www.marginalrevolution.com) is home to many a wonderful and enlightening post.  Today's quote is no exception.  It comes to us from 6 years in the past and boy oh boy do ALL of us need to hear it.  

Economists see the world a little differently and when they let us inside their head on a daily basis, as Cowen does, we can gain some outstanding insights into the world around us.

Wallace Stegner is a name not many have heard, but certainly should.  He was an American writer, naturalist, and activist.  He's one of the rare people who could, at the time of his death, say he was instrumental in preserving a pristine tract of land which millions have enjoyed and continue to enjoy.  That place is called Dinosaur National Monument and if you have not seen it, I encourage you to search for photos.  It...is...breathtaking.  And it was nearly lost to development as the nation grew and attempted to bring the mighty Colorado River under control.  

He is a fascinating man, with a fascinating story, and his words are as true today, when it is so easy to be cynical, as they were nearly 40 years ago when he spoke them.

James Spader, a diverse and talented actor, with a resume a mile long, embodies his characters with skill and precision.  What I find most interesting is his ability to expertly weave in and deliver poignant and relevant lines.  Today's quote is no exception.  In the hit show, The Blacklist, his character, Raymond Reddington, delivers this shot to the heart AND the mind amid all the madness.  

In short, the answer to his questions....is "no one."