The-Slight-Edge
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98 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Slight</strong> <strong>Edge</strong><br />
people understand that time is their friend. In every choice I make, every course<br />
of action I take, I always have time in mind: time is my ally. That, too, is a choice<br />
based on a philosophy.<br />
Time will be your friend or your enemy; it will promote you or expose you.<br />
It depends purely upon which side of this curve you decide to ride. It’s entirely<br />
up to you.<br />
If you’re doing the simple disciplines, time will promote you. If you’re<br />
doing the few simple errors in judgment, time will<br />
expose you—no matter how well you appear to be<br />
doing right now. Time is the great equalizer.<br />
Why People Don’t Fly<br />
If God had meant man to fly, he would have<br />
given him wings.<br />
— Bishop Milton Wright<br />
Have you ever wondered why people can’t fly? We have a phrase we use when<br />
something difficult, painful or tragic happens; we say, “Whoa: that’s heavy.”<br />
And indeed, it is. Life is heavy. <strong>The</strong> predominant force on Earth is gravity, and<br />
gravity is always pulling you down.<br />
Just ask Bishop Milton Wright, the founder of Huntingdon College in<br />
Huntingdon, Indiana, who is reputed to have pointed out the self-evident truth<br />
in the quote above during a sermon he delivered in 1890.<br />
Some people, though, just can’t seem to accept self-evident truths. Like<br />
two of Bishop Wright’s sons, who thirteen years later built and flew the first<br />
successful, man-powered, heavier-than-air flying machine. <strong>The</strong>ir names were<br />
Wilbur and Orville.<br />
Social science research says that as a child, you heard the word “No” about<br />
40,000 times by the age of five—before you even started first grade. How many<br />
times had you heard the word “Yes”? About 5,000. That’s eight times as many<br />
no’s as yes’s. Eight times the force holding you down, compared to the force<br />
lifting you up. Eight times the gravity against your desire to soar.<br />
Don’t do that! Don’t say that to your grandmother! Don’t slouch! Don’t touch<br />
that, it’s hot! Don’t talk to strangers! Don’t cross the street! No ... No ... No ...<br />
Mind you, most of these no’s are well intended; like the police force motto,<br />
their purpose is only to protect and serve. So I’m not criticizing the no’s. But<br />
where are the yes’s?
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