Focus

"Do one thing, and do it very well." - Jack Nicklaus

"Jack Nicklaus, known as the "Golden Bear"—the professional golfer whose twenty championship titles set the record for the most major golf tournament victories in a career—began playing golf at the age of ten and won his first major tournament, the Ohio Open, at the age of sixteen. Between 1959 and 1961, when he turned professional, Nicklaus won all but one of the thirty amateur matches he entered. Nicklaus won his first professional tournament at the 1962 United States Open. During his professional career, he also won six Masters tournaments, five PGA championships, three more U.S. Open titles, and three British Open titles. He won the United States Senior Open in 1991 and 1993." (From You the Leader)

God blew and they were scattered

While the Spaniards relied on power, the English depended on God's providence, as led by Queen Elizabeth I in 1588. When the Spanish Armada attacked the British fleet, Elizabeth, the warrior queen, committed her life and country to God as she spoke to her troops and inspected her soldiers before battle.

During battle, a storm rose and destroyed 65 of the armada's 130 ships but none of the English ships were destroyed. After the victory, the English government inscribed a victory medal saying "God blew and they were scattered."

Need for leaders

Nobel Peace Prize winner Bishop Desmond Tutu once said, "I am a leader by default only because nature does not allow a vacuum." Illustrates that leaders are always in demand.

Man is designed to provide leadership, but also to need leadership. As strong as the desire to lead might burn in the hearts of some men and women, the desire to be led burns even stronger in the hearts of all people.

Ready to lead

Winston Churchill was made War Minister at an age when others are about to retire. He proclaimed to his wife, "I believe I was born for this hour!"

The power of confession

Reverent Stanley Jones: well-known missionary in India, positive man. Had a stroke at 89 which left him bedridden and unable to speak. He asked nurses to claim, "In the name of Jesus, you shall walk," day and night and he would do his best to respond "amen!" Before he was fully healed, he made a trip to the Himalayas for some rest and similarly asked the nurses there to confess and proclaim. After some time, he was completely healed!

Words build atmosphere

Once Leonardo da Vinci was working on an important painting, when some young children ran into his studio to play. They spilled some paint on the floor and da Vinci yelled out in anger. The children were so shocked that they left crying. Afterwards, da Vinci couldn't find himself painting anymore no matter what he did.

Eventually, he realised what the problem was. He got hold of the children and apologised to them. After seein them smile, he could continue painting.

Charles Schwab: from odd-job worker to owner

The successor to the famous American steel giant, Andrew Carnegie of Carnegie Steel, was Charles Schwab. Had only an elementary education, began his career with the company as an odd-job worker. He worked hard, gave his best even to the most mundane of tasks (e.g. cleaned every corner of the company as if it were his own), and always kept his hopes up. In fact, he began to see himself as the owner of the company, and he handled everything from that point of view.

As he continued working hard, Schwab was eventually promoted to full-time work with the company. Even after promotion, he never lost his strong work ethic. He kept his owner-like attitude and continued to work diligently. It wasn't long before he became the "talk of the town."

President Carnegie was deeply touched by what he heard about Charles, and he recruited him to become his personal secretary. Charles was loyal to the president. He constantly reminded himself of his personal motto,"I shall work like the owner of this company and take on the right attitude. If I'm told to go five miles, I shall go ten; if someone asks for my shirt, I shall give him my jacket as well." President Carnegie even offered Charles $100,000 in bonus money at a time when the young man was making only $2000-3000 annually.

As President Carnegie's retirement grew near, everyone wondered who would be his successor. To everyone's surprise, President Carnegie nominated Charles Schwab for the position, a man who had climbed up the ladder from odd jobs to becoming a personal secretary. Actually, the news shocked the whole world. President Carnegie stressed that the successor would be someone not of an educated or intelligent background, but someone who has on an owner-like attitude in all he does and dreams for the company. In short, President Carnegie thought such a person would be his best successor.

Bible

“The Bible at times became a bed to lie on, a torch in times of darkness, a tool when I was working, a musical instrument when I praised God, a teacher when I was ignorant and a rock of foundation when I took false steps.” – Dwight L. Moody

Century of Wars

20th century: century of wars. Death tolls from war casualties and massacres then number somewhere between 120mil and 180mil people. From 1945 until the 1990's only three weeks have gone by without war taking place somewhere on earth.

Four-minute mile

Running a mile in less than 4min. Previously, athletes believed they couldn’t run a mile in <4min – “the four-minute jinx”, until Roger Bannister broke through it in 1954. Immediately after, many athletes broke through the 4min barrier.

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.