Commitment to Change
A Quote from Ralph Ellison
Listen to the audio version.
Commentary
Change and growth require commitment. People dream of changing their lives but usually they lack the deep commitment to do so. Change takes hard work and follow through. Nothing changes overnight.
Many people expect instant change. If you are not happy with your body weight, take a pill or have surgery. If you are not happy with how you look, have plastic surgery.
Successful change does not happen overnight. It takes commitment and patience.
Becoming a creative leader doesn’t happen overnight. It may take years. People often are labeled overnight successes — even though the success took ten or fifteen years.
Harrison Ford, the actor, spent 15 years in Hollywood before he got the break in Star Wars that made him famous.
Paulo Coehlo spent 15 years waiting for his best selling book, The Alchemist, to become a hit in the United States.
Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting in his lifetime and died broke.
Creative leadership is a lifetime commitment. Don’t give up.
Have a fantastic week and be sure to plant seeds of hope in the hearts of others.
Ralph Ellison
Born on March 1, 1914 in Oklahoma City.
Second of three sons. Grandson of slaves.
Father died when he was three. Raised by his mother.
Loved music from a young age.
Attended Tuskegee Institute as a music major. Did not graduate.
Met Langston Hughes and Richard Wright in New York during Great Depression.
Took a job writing for the New York Federal Writers program.
During World War II, joined the U.S. Merchant Marine as a cook.
Published first novel, Invisible Man, in 1952. The novel spent 16 weeks on the best seller list. Won the National Book Award in 1953.
Taught at several colleges including Bard College, Rutgers University and Yale University.
Published 2 collections of essays.
Married twice. Had no children.
Received 12 honorary doctorate degrees from several universities including the University of Michigan, Harvard University, and Rutgers University.
Died on April 16, 1994 at the age of 80 of pancreatic cancer.
2nd novel: Juneteeth, published in 1999 after his death.
“It takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment to grow.”
— Ralph Ellison
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“Creative leadership is a lifetime commitment.” Beautifully put, Harley.
I like this format: some lines of positive/affirmative personal thoughts followed by a bullet-point biography of an inspirational writer or speaker. Keep at it!