Winning Words 8/15/11
“Dreams will get you nowhere; a good kick in the pants will take you a long way.” (Baltasar Gracian) I was surprised to discover that this is a quote from 400 years ago. It also surprised me that it’s attributed to a Jesuit priest who preached out-of-the-ordinary sermons…once reading “A letter from Hell” from the pulpit. Today’s WWs might have been in that sermon. I heard them as I was growing up. ;-) Jack

FROM SH IN MICHIGAN: Ha ha. This means something to us women today too. 400 years ago we wouldn't have been wearing pants. This WW tickles my funny bone, they sound like they come from someone fed up that someone else they know is not doing anything except fantasizing. I hear them, hope to accomplish at least some one thing worthwhile today. Thanks for the WW.//// FROM JACK: When I was growing up, instead of "a kick in the pants," we used "a kick in the...behind, bixer, ta-hinton, etc." It was the same message.

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE: I disagree. I tell people to "Live the Dream." In other words, pursue what you really want to do in this life.////FROM JACK: I'm sure that you, as one who has developed a business, came across an employee that needed to stop "dreaming" and get to work. My son once said, "Dad needs a boss." People who don't have someone to "crack the whip" can neglect to "live" the dream. ////MORE FROM HG: Those kinds of dreamers I would call lazy, and they would disqualify themselves from their job by not meeting the standards the business set for them. This is covered in my book that I hope to have out for the Xmas season. Self discipline is part of the dream. Without that, it will only be wishful thinking. ////FROM JACK: So, there are different kinds of dreamers?

FROM JS IN MICHIGAN: I coached the EM summer tennis program and the Augie Debate team....had pretty good success at both....found that a little bit of honey and a kick in the pants can both be effective....you ought to know your people before you use either....////FROM JACK: Does it work with pastors....and with church members?

FROM CS IN WISCONSIN: See, even Jesuit priests are human…nice to know that even they can speak/think like ‘the rest of the world’ – not up on some lofty pedestal.////FROM JACK: Much of the time the priests wear robes, but when they wear pants, they put them on, one leg at a time.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY: Good thing that Baltasar wasn't living in the Old Testament days! God talked to his followers through dreams all the time. Dreams can keep you going when funds can't. But I do understand his thoughts. Dreamers usually don't get much work done. I'll have to look up that sermon if I can find it.//// FROM JACK: God was (is) not shy about giving people a kick in the pants once in a while.

FROM BLAZING OAKS: I am amazed that that saying goes back 400 yrs! My twin sister used this quote, when an outcome was O.K. but not excellent...she tickled our kids when playing games, by saying, "Well, it's better than a kick in the pants...I've had both, and this is better!" Or sometimes on the golf course...:-) In our many years, we've all seen folk who need a good kick in the rear to wake them up, or get them going in the right direction...maybe a heavy foot, administered in a loving way? Is that possible?! I'm sure its been tried. //// FROM JACK: There's some good in doing away with corporal punishment, but I must say that my father got my attention in some ways that might be questionable today.

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER: Then why do they say, "Follow your dream?"////FROM JACK: Who are they? the VanPatten family? You have to be more specific.

FROM LG IN MICHIGAN: This is a funny one! I might revise the first sentence to read, "...will take you only so far..." instead of "nowhere," but otherwise, I wholeheartedly agree!! Have a great day!////FROM JACK: You will have to jump into your time machine and go back 400 years to discuss that change with Gracian. But, I agree with you.

FROM MY FLORIST: I like it////FROM JACK: Sometimes, a nice bouquet of flowers will do the job better than a kick in the pants.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL: Sometimes you need both a dream and a kick in the pants to get you moving. Growing up it seems that we were always busy and that there was always something to do. At least that is how I remember it. And we had to walk almost every place, which took up a lot of time versus being driven in the car like most of the modern children in the suburbs today. It kept us pretty healthy, too.////FROM JACK: I never ever had a ride to school, and I usually walked home for lunch. On my first date, we took the bus. I got my driver's license when I was 21.

FROM MS IN MICHIGAN: Unfortunate, but probably true.////FROM JACK: Yes. It would be nice if it were a perfect world. I feel fortunate to have received a few "nudges" to get a move on.