Strategy is the science and art of the fluid troop leader. Dwight D. Eisenhower once said that “[i]n preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable.”

“Strategy is about attaining and maintaining a position of advantage over adversaries through the successive exploitation of known or emergent possibilities rather than committing to any specific fixed plan designed at the outset.” (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strategy)

Henry Mintzberg refers to strategy as “a pattern in a stream of decisions” to contrast with a view of strategy as rigid, static plans. Max McKeown argues that “strategy is about shaping the future” and is the human attempt to get to “desirable ends with available means.”

If I were to summarize and define “strategy” in one sentence, I would say that “strategy” is the stewardship of “means” (people, resources, functions, capacities, skills, opportunities, capital, time) towards accomplishment of “ends” (goals, desired outcomes, visions, purposes).

Strategy deals with macro level thinking. It pertains to finding and employing necessary and available means towards reaching desired ends. How do you effectively and efficiently get from point A to point B?

When I asked what inspired him to start a gratitude list, he said, “I realized I had a lot to be thankful for.”

We all have a lot to be thankful for. In the busyness of life, it’s easy to take for granted the many and priceless things most of us enjoy. Shelter, family, education, nutritious food and clean water can sometimes be taken for granted.

I’m learning to value every good thing in life, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. As I do, I hope my expressions of gratitude will rise. There is much to be thankful for.

Written by Justin Stephens. Edited by Andrei Duta. This note first appeared on Andrei’s LinkedIn profile.

We know, however, this saying isn’t true; Christmas is about much more than a tree. But when someone forgets to set up the tree, or its needles fall off prematurely, we’re tempted to buy another one before the relatives arrive. Christmas trees are important and today, during the holidays, there’s one for sale on every corner. But this wasn’t always true.

It all started when a businessman, Mark Carr, saw an opportunity to serve his community.

Before 1851 the United States was a rural society. Most Americans could easily cut down and carry home their own trees. But, for those who lived in New York City, it was nearly impossible to access trees of any kind. Carr realized this and travelled by sled to the Catskill Mountains nearby and collected several bunches of evergreens. He hauled them back into the city and sold every single tree from a vacant lot. The Christmas tree market was born. Today in the U.S. nearly 40 million are bought and sold each year.

During this holiday season remember, sometimes it only takes one creative idea to launch a new industry. Always be looking for new opportunities. There are people to serve, problems to solve, and profits to make.

Money really can grow on trees. Even on evergreens.

Written by Justin Stephens. Edited by Andrei Duta. This article first appeared in Andrei’s Newsletter.

In the early part of the clip, the viewers can see clearly that before the promising, upward leap, the hero tries unsuccessfully to create more slack in the rope that was to spare his life a few seconds later. Unfortunately, and painfully, the safety rope is too tight. The rope, literally and metaphorically, while saving Batman’s life, it also impedes our hero from reaching the ledge in the wall of the cave. This painful experience repeats several times.

However, Bruce Wayne finally manages to break free from the hellish prison. How? By breaking free from the mental and physical obstructions of the safety rope. He is counseled by an old, wise fellow prisoner to follow the example of the antagonist who decades earlier escaped the same pit as a humble child unaided and, especially, unhindered by mental and physical ropes.

What are the applications and life lessons to be extracted from this movie segment?

What safety ropes do we need to get rid of? What are the fake securities that impede our progress towards reaching LIGHT, embracing TRUTH, experiencing FREEDOM, and living LIFE to the fullest?

Is it a familiar and comfortable relationship that needs to end or at least be re-formulated on different terms? Is is a cogitative hang up that can only be eliminated through sincere repentance in the most classical sense of the word (repentance as change of mind)? Is it the secure “9 to 5” job that prevents entrepreneurial expressions? Is it a deeply ingrained habit or routine? Is it a man-made, religious tradition that provide a false sense of stability while fostering hellish pits of idolatry and false humility? What is your safety rope?

Whatever the answers, may I recommend? Leave it behind. Climb the wall out of the dark pit. Take the leap. Move forward. Without the rope. In FAITH.

Instead of the Americans, the Russians came and brought with them Communism. For five decades, my grandfather continued to pray and hope that the Americans would someday come. My grandfather persevered against much hardship. Much of his land and property were confiscated. My grandfather waited patiently year after year, decade after decade.

Finally, in 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe. The winds of change swept the country of Romania and brought with them the first American missionaries. Some of them had the chance to meet my grandfather who welcomed them with tears of joy and gratitude. Fifty years later, my grandfather’s perseverant and patient prayers were finally answered. The Americans did come. Constantin Marinescu’s dreams came true.

Here I am 20 years later, living in America, practicing the virtues that I learned from my grandfather. You might ask, what is the difference between “patience” and “perseverance?”

Read the rest of the story here

The more I experience life, the more I understand the truth behind the Bard of Avon’s words. I am learning to expect less and less of people and more and more of God. As a matter of fact, when it comes to people, I replace expectation with preference. I prefer this and that as opposed to expecting this or that.

My sagacious friend in West Texas, Homer, has been applying this discursive strategy in his interactions with, and sense making of, people for decades. He perpetually has a smile on his face. When most would take offense or be disappointed by a failed “expectation,” Homer chuckles, brushes things off, and caries on with peace in his heart.

The cure to all heartache: expect everything from/of God and nothing from/of people. There will be no more disappointment. God will always meet and exceed all expectations. And, hopefully more often than not, people will serendipitously surprise when preferences are satisfied. This way, people will never disappoint for there is nothing expected from or of them. If a preference is not met, we can chuckle and smile with peace in our hearts.

“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from Him.” (Psalm 62:5)

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.” (Psalm 20:7)

“Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
He remains faithful forever.” (Psalm 146:3-6)

Perseverance is the forward or upward motion of a subject in the face of resistance. Perseverance pertains to motion and resistance. Imagine a seed that falls in a sidewalk crack. It takes time and perseverance, so to speak, for the seed to sprout and fight its way up towards light. A certain level of “tenacity” is required to squeeze the tiny, but ever growing, leaves through the small sidewalk fissure. Perseverance pertains to overcoming resistance. Tenacity describes the seed that shoots its leaves through the small cracks in the hardened cement.

Patience is related to, yet different than, perseverance. Patience is the subject waiting against the backdrop of time. Patience is about enduring time. Patience pertains to stillness. Patience relates to clock or calendar. Patience complements perseverance. Patience can be viewed as perseverance in terms of temporal resistance. Patience and perseverance are two sides of the same coin.

Perseverance is about breaking through obstacles. A persevering character is a powerful one. Patience is about waiting for the right moment when the right sand grain drops in the hourglass of time. A patient character is a refined one.  Two beautiful virtues worth embracing and cultivating.

Patience and perseverance. Perseverance and patience.

The ancient text wisely reminds us: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). Also, we read: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (I Peter 5:6).

As Reverend Lawrence Goshorn once told me: “Andrei, embrace humility. For humility turns to grace. And grace becomes the wind beneath your wings.”

The key to achievement is found in one word: humility.

Perseverance, patience, and purpose are key ingredients to development.

It starts with an acorn. Protect it. Plant it. Pour life into it. And persevere. Patiently stay the course. Keep eyes fixed on your purpose. This will ensure that a solid and supporting network of roots has been established. It takes a solid foundation to support a strong trunk and a splendid crown. 

Greatness takes time. Be patient. Persevere. Keep your eyes  fixed on your purpose. It is worth it.

Johnny, a young man, is hired for a sales job. Mark, his sales manager, educates and informs Johnny that he needs to make ten calls a day, average one sale a day, and have as a goal at least five sales a week. Johnny says “I got it. Ten calls a day, one sale a day, fifty calls a weeks, five sales a week. I can do it.”

Unfortunately, first day, Johnny gets a little shy. He doesn’t even touch the phone. Second day, he calls in sick. Third day, he engages in any other activity but sales calling. Next day, he spends the day chatting for hours at the water cooler in the break-room and surfing the web, you know, Facebook stuff. Before you know it, it is Friday, 4:45 pm.

Mark calls in Johnny for a debriefing and leads with one simple question: “Johnny, how many sales have you made this week?”

“Aah, Mr. Mark, let me tell you what happened,” responds timidly Johnny. “Ugh, you see on Monday, it was the first day… and… aah…”

“Johnny, I am asking simple questions,” interrupts Mark. “How many calls a day? How many sales this week?”

“I see, Mr. Mark, I understand,” says Johnny. “Let me tell you what happened on Tuesday. I can share what happened. Or, or, or what happened yesterday. My computer connection, you know. And the cell phone network connection. ”

“Well, Johnny, Johnny,” interjects Mark. “I don’t need your story. All I am asking for is a number. That’s all I want. A number.”

“You see, Johnny,” continues Mark. “I have in my pocket a little box. A tiny box. And this box can fit only a number. So, when I leave this meeting, all I can take with me in my little box is a number. You are trying to tell me a story. But you see, Johnny, your story doesn’t fit in my box. All I can fit in this box is a number. But guess what? The number you give me, the number that I fit in my little box, that number will tell the whole story.”

This is where this story ends. But here is where ours starts. So, here are a few questions for you. And for me too.

Life is  simple. It is all about a few supporting disciplines.

When we look at health and fitness. There are only a few disciplines to support health and fitness. Remember, the box corresponding to every discipline is small. It can only take a number. So, here are a few simple questions. No stories. Just numbers.

1. How many push-ups have you done this morning? (Some numbers need to be as high as possible. 5? Hey, you’ve got to start somewhere. 25? That’s more like it. 50 or 100? Why not? These are good numbers and fit nicely in my little box.)
2. How many apples have you eaten today? (Some numbers need to be consistently constant. 1 or 2 apples a day.  Either/or, a nice number.)
3. How many glasses of water? (Same thing here. 8-10 fits well in the little box.)
4. How many hours of sleep? (Ditto. 6-8 sounds good to me.)
5. How many donuts today? (Some numbers need to be zero.)
6. What’s your cholesterol level? Your triglycerides? Your weight? (Some numbers need to be low.)

You get the idea. The same thing applies to all other areas of our lives. Relational, emotional, financial, spiritual, intellectual. You got it.

1. How many words of encouragement have you shared today?
2. How much have you saved last month?
3. How many books have you read last quarter?
4. How much time have you spent in quiet time, reflection, prayer?
5. How many contracts? How many proposals? How many meetings?
6. How many calls today?

How many? How much? What’s your number?

Life is not complicated. It is all about a handful of supporting disciplines. Just remember, my little box, your little box, is just like that… little. All it can accommodate is a number. But, I tell you what, that number will tell the whole story.

I will close by reminding ourselves to always take the right action that will translate into the right number. It is always about the little box and a number.