Driven To Try

Robert later recalled that he still had 'very great misgivings about myself on all fronts, but I clearly was going to do theoretical physics if I could...I felt completely relieved of the responsibility to go back into a laboratory. I hadn't been good; I hadn't done anybody any good, and I hadn't had any fun whatever; and here was something I felt just driven to try.'

Kai Bird & Martin J. Sherwin, American Prometheus, (New York: Vintage Books, 2005), 55.

Robert Oppenheimer had an interesting life. He seemed to be destined for a life in the sciences - in particular with the study of physics. In his pursuit of knowledge & career he came across a dilemma when he realized that laboratory research (experimental physics) was not as fun as theoretical physics. His life hit a major wall at this point, and he suffered from depression, frustration, and high anxiety over where it was heading. As a result, he decided upon a path in pursuit of that which filled his cup as opposed to the standard one of working in a lab and doing that pro-typical "fit" for work in physics in his era. There were no guarantees in this choice - in fact he realized there were serious potential pitfalls to it. However, the alternative was to do something which wasn't fun, he did not feel particularly good at, and wasn't really beneficial to anyone in his mind. Even a crash & burn seemed a better option than simply sticking with the standard route. He was simply 'driven to try' that which excited him most.

How many people take a serious look at their lives and ask the questions of how much fun they are having, how good they are at what they are doing, and how beneficial it is to those around them? I truly believe people need to get more self-focused when choosing a job and vocation. To what benefit is it to give up dreams to simply choose the easiest, most comfortable, or most standard path? What has happened to our 'driven to try' mentality in this country?

I resonate so deeply with Oppenheimer's thoughts as I faced a similar crisis in my own life. I had hit a wall working for the church in which I found myself not having fun, not succeeding (at least on the definition of the leadership - which quite frankly is the only definition that matters in a job), and really not helping anyone. The option was to do something new - even though that meant a year of living with my inlaws & the real potential of not landing a job (one job opening had over 50 highly qualified people submit applications). Talk about having misgivings!! The funny thing is when I told my boss I was done - I felt completely relieved. I walked away from security to pursue that which was personally most exciting. And the reward on all 3 fronts (fun, performance, and giving to others) has been clearly seen, felt, and heard.

So what are we waiting on? Its time for a self-examination to see what we should do from here. Because the world is not bettered by people simply doing jobs for the sake of work. The world needs people that are driven to try in order to pursue their own self-interest that then rewards the environments around them.

Does Being "Nice, Gentle & Kind" Still Count?

"He is the nicest, gentlest, kindest guy you will ever meet … to everything except the baseball, he still hits that really hard." -Michael Cuddyer on Jim Thome

Jim Thome (see articles by Tim Kurkjian and Jayson Stark) hit his 600th homerun last night. Only 7 guys have done it besides him and 3 of those (Bonds, Sosa, and Rodriguez) have all been linked to steroid usage. He is one of the greatest power hitters of all time, and certainly deserves to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Remarkably he has not received a lot of press, more than likely because of his temperament and the fact that Cleveland and now Minnesota are not exactly big markets. But what seems to be most incredible about the guy is how other professional baseball players view him.

How many people are genuinely known to be nice, kind and gentle? To be more blunt, how many men are known for those characteristics? Today's American culture desires strong men, powerful men, and men who have "it" - whatever it might be. Rarely do you hear people seeking a nice guy. In fact the nice guy is at an all time low in terms of desirability. And yet here you have a prominent major league slugger who is known for his gentleness in personality if not his ability to hit a ball 500 feet. Teammates, opponents, coaches, members of the media, clubhouse workers, and the casual fan all encounter a guy who is so genuine and caring they are left deeply impressed. It might not get him front page press, but in the end he is the type of guy you want to be around, you want to emulate and you hope your kids turn out like. Perhaps its time we start re-evaluating our priorities and tastes in America. We need more men like Jim Thome - who recognize that being nice, gentle and kind is a helluva lot better than being an asshole...even if you lose out on publicity.

Aaron Rodgers

"I think if you're depressed about the current state of athletes - their greed, their ego, their selfishness - spend some time around Aaron Rodgers. He's what's right about sports."

-Peter King

(P.S. I loved his "People who live in Wisconsin and Minnesota must have a mandatory high school class in Pleasantness" comment as well!)

The Inspiration of Trenton

His 2,400 Americans, having been on their feet all night, wet, cold, their weapons soaked, went into the fight as if everything depended on them. Each man "seemed to vie with the other in pressing forward," Washington wrote.

"The troops behaved like men contending for everything that was dear and valuable," Knox wrote to Lucy.

John Hancock said that the victory at Trenton was all the more "extraordinary" given that it had been achieved by men "broken by fatigue and ill-fortune." [He continued with] "But troops properly inspired, and animated by a just confidence in their leader will often exceed expectation, or the limits of probability."

David McCullough, 1776, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2005), 280, 282, 284.

The story of Washington & his troops crossing the Delaware River on Christmas 1776 has always been riveting to me. George Washington is a near mythical being in American history and the story has many legendary & fanciful elements to it. That a group of soldiers near death with nothing more than inspiration to live on could surprise and defeat a group of 1500 trained mercenaries is incredible. Though small in stature, the skirmish would be a catalyst for belief in the movement of independence. McCullough does an excellent job at creating the culture of fear & disappointment that dominated America in light of the power the British showed throughout most of 1776. One small victory (two if you count Princeton) would foster growth & trust in the American vision. What is critical for us today is to take historical events and not only remember their great significance to the shaping of today's world but how we can profit from their lessons as well. Here are a few things I am pondering in light of my recent reading of the battle.

The American soldiers were in a dreadful state. They were without hope & utterly destitute in their belongings and physical state. Yet despite their awful state - they pushed forward as if they could make a difference. They believed in rest on their shoulders to win and so stopped at nothing to make it happen. Do I believe this of myself? Do I push forward in my own role in the mission carved out for my life as if it depends completely upon me to make it work? If I do - then it doesn't matter how bad things get, I will push forward because I believe it is absolutely necessary for me to do so.

Next, the soldiers were fighting for the "dear and valuable" in their minds, lives, and world. The incredible lengths they went to were done without thought because it would have been insane not to. Quitting is not an option when you are fighting for what you believe in. I need to reorder my priorities to make sure I am constantly focused on the dear & valuable. It is when those goals are my focus that I will find the fight within me to put it all on the line. It is not possible to give it all when you don't believe in the end result. If I find myself not giving my all, I must question whether my intended goal is either not dear and valuable or whether I have lost my priorities.

Finally, the troops "exceeded expectation, or the limits of probability" because of inspiration. This has two parts to it in importance. The first deals with the ability to exceed expectation. It is easy to set limits on what can happen based upon the probability of such happenings. The problem is when we allow those limits to then set the bar upon which we will not seek to climb higher. In other words, once we have hit the target we stop pushing beyond. I must not allow myself to simply hit the finish line - I must desire to move beyond. Goals are great - but we need to believe we can continuously accomplish so much more than we believe. The second part deals with finding the inspiration to encourage. This either comes from the cause we are fighting for itself or the leaders we choose to follow. Mentors play such a huge role in life. The more inspiring the mentor, the more likely they will help us move beyond the finish line. Therefore it is absolutely important to pick & find causes and leaders that constantly get us to stretch ourselves beyond what we think we are capable of doing. When we have confidence in that which is biding us to push forward, we will not limit ourselves even when, like the American soldiers, we lack the "necessary tools & abilities" to do so.

Meet the Packers Mr. President

One of the perks of winning the Super Bowl is getting a tour of the White House & meeting with the President. What makes it even better is having the Bears fan President Obama having to congratulate the Packers. Looking forward to another football season. Go Pack Go!

What is the role of Congress?

When it comes to the government, I think the President often gets more blame & more credit than he (some day she) ever deserves. The real questions for me center on the role of Congress. A lot of our issues with the ineffectiveness of Washington center on the Senate & House. With that in mind, its critical we understand a particular passage of the Constitution. Over the course of the next few weeks I will be examining a few parts of Article 1, Section 8 dealing with the powers of Congress. For now, here's a look at what exactly Congress is "expected" to do...

• The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imports and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
• To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
• To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;
• To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;
• To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;
• To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;
• To establish Post Offices and Post Roads;
• To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;
• To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;
• To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offenses against the Law of Nations;
• To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;
• To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;
• To provide and maintain a Navy;
• To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;
• To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;
• To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
• To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; And
• To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Military-Industrial Complex

"A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction...

This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every statehouse, every office of the federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society. In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals so that security and liberty may prosper together." -Dwight D. Eisenhower, January 17, 1961-