Strive, Seek, Find, and Do Not Yield Published Dec. 24, 2013 By Col. Harold Linnean 908th Airlift Wing MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE -- A s you walk your path of life, it is important to frequently pause and assess your direction. During this past year, were your steps straight and true? The start of a new year is a good time to conduct both personal and professional inventories. What if your biggest enemy is the same person who brushes your teeth every morning? In other words, are you self-inflicting pain or problems into your own life. Were you happy with your performance or behavior this past year? Start by asking yourself simple questions. What are you doing well that you should continue doing? What are you not doing that you should start doing? Finally, what are you doing that you should stop doing? Keep probing your inventories. The objective is to reflect on your personal and professional lives. Do you have good habits? Do you need to improve your method of influence? Are you willing to accept some problems and learn to live with them? Another technique is to read a wide-range of subjects, which stimulates new insights and spawns fresh ideas. I recently read five literary works that helped me reflect. Check out the following works and see what you think; Google them. Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving. Do not fall asleep on your life or career. What Constitutes Success by Bessie Stanley. In 1904, she answered the question, "what is success" and won first prize. Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson. There is always time to grow and learn, "to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield." The Busy Man by Anonymous. A perspective of working hard for yourself and for others. Your Mission by Ellen Gates. There is always a role for you, "you can find it anywhere." Stay focused, keep charging, and thanks for doing your job. Let us have a great 2014!