Lacking

Few men are lacking in capacity;  they fail because they are lacking in application.
—    Calvin Coolidge
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On This Day In:
2021	Seeking Emergence
	Walking Alone
2020	51 Days Until The Moron (#45) Is Out Of Office
	Tearing The Roof Off It
2019	#Impeach45: Once A Buffoon, Now A Bad Joke
2018	Good Sense
2017	E Pluribus Unum
2016	Lacking
2015	Chip, Chip, Chip
2014	nom de plume
2013	The Real Reason
	From The Book
2012	When Young
2011	14 Ways To A Better Judgement

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Why Not?

There are many legitimate reasons for failure, but negligence is not one of them.
—    Nikolai Gogol
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On This Day In:
2022	Republican Ambling
2021	I’d Argue Wealth, Then Income
	Knock Him Off His Feet
2020	Steppin’…
2019	Every Vote Counts
2018	Or A President
2017	Pleasures
2016	Why Not?
2015	Je Suis Charlie
2014	To The Nines
2013	Higher And Truer
2012	Life’s Last Question
2011	A Single Heartbeat
	A Little Male Humor – WHY MEN SHOULDN’T RETIRE

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One View Of Failure

The man who lives for himself is a failure.  Even if he gains much wealth, position or fortune, he is still a failure.
—    Norman Vincent Peale
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On This Day In:
2022	Particularly Peaceful Neighbors
2021	Thoughts
	It’s A Rich Man’s World
2020	Pax Et Justitia
2019	And Unlawful Orders From A President
2018	Instinct For Presence
2017	Hard Enough
2016	Jumps
2015	One View Of Failure
2014	We Speak For Earth
2013	Inward Urgency
2012	Delayed Reviews
	Fulfilling My Duty
2011	Interference

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Adolescent Opinion

I am glad if I have been a comfort to you and mama and only wish that I had also been a comfort to my self; but I haven’t.  I have lived 19 years yet it seems to me that I have wasted them.  I amount to very little more than when I was a baby.  Even in games I have never been a great success.  I am fare in every thing but good in nothing.  It seems to me that for a person to amount to some thing they should be good at least in one thing.  Other boys appear to make successes but though [I] want to I don’t succeed.  Perhaps it is just that I lack that small fraction of courage, will power, or what ever it is which makes them succeed.  Or perhaps I don’t fail any worse than any one else only my jealousy makes me think I do.  Still when I look at even my class mates I don’t feel that sense of superiority which it seems to me should be felt by a (not great) but by a successful man.  I some times fear that I am one of these darned dreamers with a willing spirit but a weak flesh a man who is always going to succeed but who never does.  Should I be such a one it would have been far more merciful had I died ten years ago for I at least can imaging no more infernal hell than to be forced to live — a failure.
—    Cadet George S. Patton, Jr.
From a letter to his father, dated 12 November 1904
Originally found in the book:  “The Patton Papers“
Compiled and Edited by:  Martin Blumenson
[How critical youth can be of itself…  It should be noted that General George S. Patton, Jr. ended up being one of the most accomplished American combat generals of World War II.   —    kmab]
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On This Day In:
2021	More New Year’s Exercises
	7 Done, 12 Down
2021	Another Public Service Message
	Greetin’ The Sun
2020	From The Mountains To The Shores
2019	Watering The Trees And Seeds
	1221
2018	Take Care Of Me…
2017	Make Some Difference
2016	Still 99%
2015	Adolescent Opinion
2014	In A Big World
2013	Vacancy For God
2012	Sweat Equity
	Try It… You’ll Like It
2011	Still Incomplete
2010	Happy New Year – 2010

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Making People

The common idea that success spoils people by making them vain, egotistic, and self-complacent is erroneous;  on the contrary, it makes them, for the most part, humble, tolerant, and kind.  Failure makes people cruel and bitter.
—   W.  Somerset Maugham
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On This Day In:
2021	First Ask For Courage
	Shadows And Darkness
2020	My 2 Cents
	You Do It
	Must Be Why I Like Dreamin’
2019	The Opening Step
	Day 17/18: That Didn’t Take Long
2018	I’ll Trade You…
2017	Luv Me Some Meat Loaf
2016	Unless Your Name Is #AmnestyDon
2015	A Tentative First Step
2014	Making People
2013	On Reading Books
2012	On America
2011	Shiver, Me Timbers!
2010	Fiduciary Breakdown

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Fundamentals

Many people fail because they conclude that fundamentals simply do not apply in their case.
—    M. L. Cichon
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On This Day In:
2013	Proof – ing
2012	Deluge, n.
2011	Hail, Caesar!
	Why Were You Sent?

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