Drive

Drive: an urgent, basic, or instinctual need ;  a motivating physiological condition. Most of us have it in many areas of our lives. Many of us wish we had more of it. An abundance of it is what identifies those we say have a "Type A" personality. 

I have a friend who has more of it than I think I have ever seen in any of my acquaintances. He is constantly involved in so many diverse efforts that one would wonder at the source of his energy! To be honest, he has made me wonder what happened to that drive that I had when I was a soldier and, later, a manager. Much of my obsessive-compulsive drive seems to have vanished in many areas of my life. Is it something we lose as we age, or is it something that must be ignited in us by ideas, idealism, and recognized need?

There was a time when our nation was filled with drive. It created businesses, industry, wealth, opportunity, and made our nation a lighthouse to all, leading the world. Our inherent drive was part of what our Founders believed gave us God given rights to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Now there is a creeping malaise that is infecting our nation at so many levels that our once great nation is withering before our eyes. It is killing drive in individuals, groups, businesses, communities, states, and our governments. It is fed by sloth, greed, corruption, and an opposing drive others have to control our lives down to our very thoughts, actions, employments, and loyalties. It is helped along by the many distractions in our lives. It is fed by philosophies pushed on us that we "deserve" or are "owed" things without any effort on our part. Can anything kill personal drive and determination more than hearing that what you do makes no difference? Does it really make sense that you (or others) are owed or entitled to what you want or need for your daily life. This is the tripe that is driving our welfare system! It is what is killing businesses and individual achievement. It is what our government is pushing on almost half of our population, while it guts the incomes and savings of those in the other half of our country who still exhibit drive in their daily lives.

We need to sit back and reassess what is important. My friend made that very clear to me last night. He impressed upon me that I must expend significant effort if I want to still achieve anything in my life and see the rewards that sustained effort  would produce.  I know I need to find the drive that once sustained my daily life.  Our nation needs to again find the drive that made us great. If we don't find our drive and determination again, we are doomed to mediocrity and an increasingly rapid spiral into darkness.


Stand strong, Patriots!  No Compromise, No Surrender!