Winning Words 12/15/09
“The truth is that many people set rules to keep from making decisions.” (Coach K) Black or White Rules protect people from having to make Gray Decisions. Some folks are comfortable with that, but I think that we grow when we have to make decisions that cause us to consider options. I’d like to know the context of Krzyzewski’s quote. Could it concern basketball, or maybe religion? ;-) Jack

FROM DRPL IN MICHIGAN: you always amaze me!

FROM AP IN MICHIGAN: Good morning. Long ago my life lesson was that most of Life's decisions lie in the gray range. The black and white parts are easy(er). FROM JACK: I enjoy challenging people to explore the gray...and some of them don't like that. They want a black or white answer.

FROM PRBG IN MICHIGAN: Didn’t know Coach K had such wisdom about life within him! FROM JACK: He's had to work with a variety of young people to mold them into a team.

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: This WW is really making me ponder this morning. God wants us to say "yes" to Him, to love our neighbor as ourselves. When we make black and white decisions, when we make gray decisions, is the qualitative difference in our own security, actually thinking about ourselves instead of our "yes" to God, our love for our neighbor, the main issue that rises to the top priority? Security, striving in a wrong way for security can keep people apart and make everyone even more anxious and insecure. FROM JACK: Some say that everything we do is for selfish reasons. Gray question: Is that true?

FROM WJM IN MICHIGAN: A greater truth has not been said! Thanks Jack for this word & all your Winning words.

FROM S IN MICHIGAN: Ive always thought the same thing, makes you think FROM JACK: WWs is usually designed to cause brain action.

FROM CJL IN OHIO: You need to have blacks & whites but you need to live in the gray. Living in the b & w isn't living; it's just existing. FROM JACK: That's just the way God answers prayer: YES, NO and MAYBE.

FROM LG IN MICHIGAN: Wow! I really like this one, Jack! Those who live w/addiction become rigid in their rule making and adherence as a coping defense. Unfortunately, their rigidity usually doesn't give them the control and stability they seek--for every rigid rulemaker, there's usually a pathological rulebreaker nearby!! I will definitely make use of this quote in the future. FROM JACK: The quote seems to fit in several cases.

FROM MOLINER JT: I believe it applies to "life" in general.