Abraham Lincoln truly inspired me. It wasn't just the freeing of the slaves, he kept the Union together. Some people even forget that today. What I think inspired me was the fact that in spite of being the President of the United States he retained a certain down-to-earth quality. He never got to be a big shot, and he cared about people. Was there a book that inspired you?
Was there an experience that changed your life?
I think the major event that shaped my life was being a Naval aviator. I got my commission and wings at 18 years old, and then I went into combat at 19. And I think, as I look back on it, that whole experience probably shaped my life more than any incident, or any event. Although...
And it made me feel close to my family, and to God, and to life, and I was scared.
Then we lost a child, there was that incident, a four year-old little girl. It had a profound effect on me and on Barbara. You know,
There's a common wisdom that the loss of a loved one for parents divides them later on. People cite divorce statistics. In our case it was just the other way around. And our family has been close, close, close. And Barbara and I have been married for over 50 years, and I think that horrible incident drew us even closer together.
Family and friends and faith are what are really matters in life. And I know that. I see it so clearly now. And so, as they climb the ladder of achievement, I'd simply say, remember what Barbara Bush told those girls at Wellesley:
And it's true. It's so 100 percent true. And that means we -- each of these achievers -- must find some way, not only stay in touch with family, but to help others who might not be blessed with family. To strengthen the American family.
What does the American Dream to you?
The American Dream means giving it your all, trying your hardest, accomplishing something. And then I'd add to that, giving something back. No definition of a successful life can do anything but include serving others. How important is passion to achievement?
Passion is terribly important. You've got to feel something strongly.
You're not going to go the extra mile. Passion is important in relationships. It's important in a man/woman relationship. Letting the other person know that you really love her and that you care. And so, it's a power word, but without passion, without really believing something, it's hard to achieve. How does vision affect performance, particularly in public service work?
Vision is an interesting word.
And we did something to say to a totalitarian dictator in Iraq, you're not going to take over your neighboring country. There's a vision there, which was peace. So, I'm a little defensive in the use of the word. Because I think the pundits had it down that I had no vision, but I did. You need a vision, you need a central core. You need to say, "Here's what I'm going to try to do to make life better for others."
My vision is to stay the hell out of the press and to be a good father and a good grandfather. That's a good vision, because there are families under great stress these days. How do you see the importance of preparation for high achievement?
Preparation is an important word. I guess what I'd say if I had to sum it up is:
Get out there and do enough homework, have enough background, understand enough history so that you're prepared for what you face today, and prepared to achieve your objectives. So, preparation is important. And it could be erudition, studying, so that you're bright. It could be being schooled in values, so you can be kind and gentle, it could be a lot things. But preparation - particularly for the younger people who haven't really experienced the real business of living -- it means work and it means broadening yourself so that you can better perform, better achieve objectives.
Courage is a terribly important value. It means you don't run away when things are tough. It means you don't turn away from a friend when he or she is in trouble. It means standing up against the majority opinion. In a fundamental sense it means: are you willing to give your life so somebody else can save his or hers? Courage is terribly important. There's a lot of people who won't wear it on their sleeve, or display it through some heroic act. But courage is having the strength to do what's honorable and decent.
The word integrity to me means being honest. It means that your word is good for something. I was in business years ago out in west Texas in the late '40s, and early '50s. You didn't need escrow agreements and 25 lawyers. Your word was your bond. You shook hands with a person and the deal was kept, it was made. Nobody would run away from a handshake. Integrity is having your word of honor so sacrosanct that others trust you.
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