Weekly Thought Archives > Holding a Taut Line

Holding a Taut Line

Successful leaders have learned to appreciate tension. I am convinced that positive stress is a wonderful thing. Where else would we get the energy to carry out our responsibilities?

Botanists teach us about the importance of turgor -- that normal fullness that comes from the tension produced by fluid flowing through veins of plants. Lack of proper tension makes plants droop. We are no different. Without a healthy degree of stress and tension, we wilt.

Certainly we must control stress, but we must not eliminate it. One of the finest ways to control it is by learning to appreciate it, rather than fearing it. If you didn’t have tension, you wouldn’t have enough ambition to become successful.

We had a young man who, when asked the question, "How long have you been working for the company?" responded, "Ever since the boss threatened to fire me!" This young man didn’t have the eye of the tiger, nor the fire in the belly that true leaders need. Successful men and women have an intense rhythm and energetic pace.

I sometimes hear wives complain about how tired their husbands are at night. I think this is part of the price of being a leader. You can’t have the placidity of a mule and the winnings of a racehorse!

A psychiatrist friend of mine was sent to Guadalcanal following the bloody battles with the Japanese in 1942 to talk with both the cowards and the heroes to see why each reacted as he did. My friend told me that both were motivated by the same great fear, but the heroes ran forward and the cowards ran backward.

The same thing is true in life. We either face problems as challenges or withdraw into the shell of inertia. We can choose to see obstacles or opportunities.

This week think carefully about: 1) How am I using stress to my advantage? 2) Where am I causing stress for others? 3) What is my biggest current challenge and am I running forward or backward?

Words of Wisdom: "We either face problems as challenges or withdraw into the shell of inertia."

Wisdom from the Word: "Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong." (I Corinthians 16:13 NET Bible)