When I was asked to write an article on humility, my first thought was, “They absolutely chose the right person to write this article.” Obviously, I’m joking. I’ll never forget a conversation I had with my mother years ago when I was just entering my teenage years. Our family was heavily involved...
This month’s character trait is ENTHUSIASM. As part of ongoing discussions of character, the department directors are asked to volunteer to present the traits for discussion in our weekly meetings. It may come as a surprise that I volunteered to present enthusiasm. I chose to present this...
The character trait of Enthusiasm may bring to mind someone you know, that person who is always full of energy and excitement. Or it may bring to mind someone who is extremely passionate about their interest, whether it is a sport, a hobby, or a pet. However, not everyone has a high-energy...
Enthusiasm is defined as expressing joy in each task as we give it our best effort. Finding joy in what we do and giving our best efforts are intertwined, and both are intensely personal journeys. The fruits of enthusiasm may or may not always be seen by others. Many people in history have...
As I was listening to an instructor in a common area of our school this week, I saw a student that I have been trying to catch for days. I stopped listening to the instructor, turned toward the student, had a brief conversation about scheduling a time to meet, then turned back to the instructor to...
Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as “to grant free pardon and to give up all claim on account of an offense or debt”. Forgiveness is important for a number of reasons. Four that came to mind are: We are not powerful enough to right the wrongs done to us; We may have...
Endurance. The inner strength to withstand stress and do my best. Endurance is often associated with athletics and physical stamina, climbing mountains, or running marathons. But endurance is more than physical. The character trait of endurance is what moves each of us forward when things get...
The word respect is so prevalent in our American culture that its meaning can get watered down. Respect has been both popularized and trivialized, respectively, by pop icons Aretha Franklin and Rodney Dangerfield. Who could possibly forget the late, great singer belting out R-E-S-P-E-C-T or the...
When our son, Kyle, returned from his first deployment to Iraq I overheard a conversation with his dad. Kyle shared that it was interesting watching the soldiers take care of – or not take care of – their weapons in a combat zone. He explained that each soldier had been properly...
Strata Leadership materials define patience as taking the time necessary to work through a difficult situation. Google defines patience as the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset. Wikipedia goes more in-depth and describes patience as the...
If intelligence is the ability to know things, wisdom knows what to do with what you know. For example… Intelligent people know the rules of poker. Wise people, “Know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” Intelligent people know that OSU plays...
Dr. Edwin Louis Cole states that “Maturity doesn’t come with age; it comes with acceptance of responsibility”. Responsibility is about our ability to respond to circumstances and to choose the attitudes, actions and reactions that shape our lives. An infant enters this world responsible for...
