Yesterday I had the good fortune to see three of my Army Ranger leaders inducted into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Ga. COL Ret. Shawn Daniel, CSM Ret. Chris Hardy (pictured below) and SGM Joe Clark were both leaders in the same infantry rifle company at the 3rd Ranger Battalion, which greatly impacted my development in the profession of arms and as a young adult.
I sat in the auditorium with a Ranger buddy to my right as I watched three active duty Ranger mentors of mine place the Ranger Hall of Fame medallion around the necks of Shawn, Chris, and Joe. It did not take long for me to ask myself – how the heck did I get here as a friend to warriors who are also my heroes?
I believe in two concepts with the entirety of my heart and mind.
1. No man is an island.
2. You are who you hang out with.
Daily choices to engage with and find encouragement from positive people are just that – a choice. Routine choices – good or bad – become habits. And, habits – well, they are tough to break regardless of their intended and unintended outcomes.
So, one of the most important choices we can make is who to hang out with. If no man is an island, we are either influencing or being influenced by others. That is why one’s physical environment plays such a crucial role in the development or destruction of character and values. Not all of us have immediate access to the same quality of servant leaders based on our zip codes.
If you are looking to make a change for yourself or another, remember “no man is an island.” If you think you got it figured out, go visit a zip code where you might be part of a solution for someone you do not know.
Surround yourself with those who you aspire to be like and you will know how the heck you got here.
Build Your House on the Rock.
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