Baseball Thoughts

It's designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything is new again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops, and leaves you to face the fall alone.
- A. Bartlett Giamatti -

Baseball is a lot like life. The line drives are caught, and the squibbles go for base hits. It's an unfair game.
- Rod Kanehl -

Thoughts For The Day

Never insult seven men when all you're packing is a six-shooter.
- Zane Grey -

You can lead a boy to college, but you can't make him think.
- Elbert Hubbard -

Thought For The Day

Why in the world
Would anybody put chains on me?
I've paid my dues to make it.
Everbody wants me to be
What they want me to be.
I'm not happy when I try to fake it!

- Lionel Richie and the Commodores from "Easy Like Sunday Morning" -

Thought For The Day

"Illegitimis non carborundum."

Lat., "Don't let the bastards grind you down."

- Gen. Joseph Stilwell -

The 10,000 Hour Rule

Malcolm Gladwell’s new book, Outliers: The Story of Success, is #1 on the Wall Street Journal's list of business books.

In Outliers, the premise is simple: Why do some people succeed far more than others?

Gladwell dedicates an entire chapter to what he calls the “10,000 Hour Rule.” In that chapter he asks a very simple question: is there such a thing as innate talent? Which is to say, are there some people out there who are just naturally gifted and just float by effortlessly to the top of their chosen field? The obvious answer is, yes. However, in typical Gladwell fashion, he digs a little deeper.

Gladwell points out that the problem with this view (natural talent) is that the closer psychologists look at the careers of the gifted, the smaller the role innate talent seems to play and the bigger role preparation seems to play.

What separates elite violinists from “good” violinists to those who only end up music teachers? Practice. 10,000 hours to be exact. Why is Bill Gates able to take baths in hundred dollar bills? He spent hours upon hours (hello, 10,000) honing is computer programming skills as a high school student.

The point is, if you want to be great in anything, you’re not just going to get by with talent alone. You have to attend seminars, network, and read more than two books. The common denominator is time (10,000 hours). Which begs the question, what have I spent 10,000 hours doing that would label me an expert? Lets see, hmmmm…..

Thought For The Day

Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn't blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won't cheat, then you know he never will.

- John D. MacDonald -

Thought For The Day

The purpose of life is a life of purpose.

- Robert Byrne, chess master and newspaper columnist -

submitted by Julie McKeon