All rising to great place is by a winding stair

“All rising to great place is by a winding stair.”

—Sir Francis Bacon, 16th Century Lord Chancellor of England

Image of a winding staircase

Image from MTM

When I was a young boy, my family took a trip to New York City to see some sights and take in a show at Radio City Music Hall. We also had a fancy meal that included chocolate mousse in an edible chocolate shell. This was a very big deal even though we lived nearby in Philadelphia.

A highlight of our visit was walking up the winding staircase to the crown of the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island, to view the harbor and the New York City skyline.

I distinctly remember the aching and burning in my legs as we climbed to this extraordinary vantage point.

EXERCISE:

What current or future staircases are you climbing – or will you climb – to reach the great places you intend to go? What will make the considerable effort worth the winding journey?

#114: “Success is a journey, not a destination.”

– Arthur Ashe, professional tennis player

To reach the end of our lives, at the very least, is to leave our physical world and perhaps enter a new level of existence. To some, the end of our lives is a more definitive end – death, with nothing beyond.

Life is one game I am not in a big hurry to finish. Taking pleasure in each step along this journey seems like a very good strategy.

How many people do you know who wish their lives away, by skipping steps in their journeys, by looking forward to the end of the work week, the end of the school year, or the opportunity to retire from a dead-end job?

Exercise:

How can you either change the game of your life, or shift your perspective, to make the most of each moment?

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#109: “There are no shortcuts to anyplace worth going.”

– Beverly Sills, opera singer

I tend to believe in the quote by Gary Player, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

Look at how we celebrate the great achievements of individuals and groups in sports and business: these people have put in the work to reach places worth going. How do you get to Carnegie hall? Practice, practice, practice.

Exercise:

Where do you intend to go in this world that will make the journey worth all the effort?

What will be your long and winding road to success that will be worth the trip?

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#61: “The longest journey is the journey inward.”

– Dag Hammarskjold, diplomat, economist and author

I have just finished driving 845 miles over two days through Canada, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire. My journey included stops in Niagara Falls, the Finger Lakes, a winery, and a very cool hole-in-the-wall diner with the best all-you-can-eat fish and chips I’ve ever had!

Most people I know like going on such adventures. This quote, however, is about our ability to journey within our own minds. Think about it: you can instantly go anywhere at any time without 15 hours in the car and two and a half tanks of gas.

Exercise:

Where have you already gone on this inner journey so far?

What new and expanded adventures are possible for each day, week, month, and year ahead?

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