Words to the Wise

Abraham Lincoln on the Importance of Reading in a Gentleman’s Life

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

“Sorry, I’m just not a reader”. I can remember myself saying that line on many occasions growing up. I’d bet at least a handful of you can remember yourself saying it too. And while maybe for some of you it was a clever way to get out of extra reading at home, for me it […]

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What Bonsai Trees Teach Us About Being a Gentleman

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

Patience. It is one of the very first things we are taught to practice in our lives. “Wait for your brother to be done playing with that toy”, our moms instructed. “Be patient, the storm will pass”, our dads told us after our first heartbreak. “Persevere longer than your opponent, and you will be the […]

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Service – The Disposition of a Gentleman’s Heart

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

What does it mean to be a servant leader? It’s a great “turn of phrase” we all love to use when we discuss how to lead in our workplaces, in our families, or in our relationships. But what does it truly mean to lead by serving others? The thought is quite counterintuitive. In fact, the […]

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The Simplest Thing – What History’s Most Influential Men Have In Common

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

Ludwig van Beethoven: A brilliant German composer in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. Aristotle: A Greek philosopher and scientist who lived hundreds of years before Christ. Charles Dickens: One of history’s greatest writers. Lived and worked during the Victorian Era. What do these men have in common? These men share a pastime with many […]

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John Wayne, and the Pancakes That Followed

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"I have great faith in fools; self-confidence my friends call it." - Poe
Mr. Rafal
Latest posts by Mr. Rafal (see all)

In an attempt to get the New Year started off well, we have been rather serious with our posts as of late. Please do not misunderstand, I rather enjoy the quality posts that we have been putting up but I also think a bit of a change is pace and direction can refresh us and […]

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Learning from Loneliness

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

Welcome back, gentlemen! Last week we dove into a topic that is critical for any man’s understanding of how he is to lead others and himself well. We discussed the importance of loneliness and self-reflection. We looked at why intentional, quiet time set aside for the purpose of looking inward is both challenging and infinitely […]

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Embracing Loneliness

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

When was the last time you set aside an evening to be alone? Depending on your life’s circumstances, chances are you can look back in the last month or two and remember at least one evening that you spent without others around. But with that said, I want to dig one level deeper. When was […]

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What Learning an Instrument Can Teach Us About Being a Gentleman

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” - Ernest Hemingway
Mr. South

I’m a guitarist. I’m definitely not advanced in skill level, but I am proficient…on good days. Recently, I was introduced to an advanced guitarist by the name of Todd Pritchard. He has an incredible Instagram account filled with clips of him nailing various original and cover songs. I was inspired by Mr. Pritchard to dabble […]

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5 Oaths All Gentlemen Should Be Making This New Year

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

It’s a new year, gentlemen! With its fresh perspective and renewed focus, 2016 also brings with it a massive amount of information begging for our attention. We are marketed to for everything from advertisements for gym memberships, to books on how to live stress-free lifestyles. We talk about this barrage of information and overstimulation quite […]

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Mentors; A Gentleman’s Guide

Founding Member at The Distinguished Society of Fine Gentlemen
"Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy." - Norman Schwarzkopf
Brandon Reed

Parents. Coaches. Teachers. Pastors. Old friends. All of the above have something very important in common. They all have the potential to serve as mentors in the lives of others. A mentor can serve many roles in the life of a gentleman. Some mentors serve to teach, some to guide, others still to discipline. Some […]

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