"INTENT IS NOT A THOUGHT, OR AN OBJECT, OR A WISH. INTENT IS WHAT CAN MAKE A MAN SUCCEED WHEN HIS THOUGHTS TELL HIM HE IS DEFEATED."
-Carlos Castaneda

What someone hopes for, dreams of, visualizes, plans is a much more valid picture of their soul, worth, substance than the initial outcome. After all:

"DEFEAT THAT LEAVES INCREASED RESOLVE IN ITS WAKE IS SUPERIOR TO MANY HOLLOW VICTORIES."
-T.L.T

Isn't winning, victory, success the bottom line, we ask? A story:

"A PROMISING JUNIOR EXECUTIVE AT I.B.M. INSTITUTED A RISKY, BUT POTENTIALLY EXTREMELY REWARDING BUSINESS VENTURE THAT MANAGED TO LOSE THE COMPANY $10 MILLION. WHEN TOM WATSON SR. CALLED HIM IN, THE YOUNG MAN BLURTED, "I GUESS YOU WANT MY RESIGNATION." WATSON REPLIED, "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS. WE JUST SPENT $10 MILLION EDUCATING YOU!"

Watson liked the spunk, creativity, risk-taking INTENT of the young executive and was thinking of the future.

"I MUST DO SOMETHING" WILL ALWAYS SOLVE MORE PROBLEMS THAN "SOMETHING MUST BE DONE."
-Anon

We sometimes only look at the finished product and forget that:

"WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE IN A PRUNE AND A PLUM? - EXPERIENCE"
-T.L.T.

I know that as far as I am concerned:

"MY ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT I BE IN ON THE TAKEOFF IF YOU EXPECT ME TO BE AROUND FOR THE CRASH."
-T.L.T.

If the strategy is sound, the tactics are fixable. Whether it is our personal or professional lives, what a person is TRYING to do should be given great value. The easiest way to lose the support of those around us is to constantly alter our goals:

"WE SHOULD SELDOM CHANGE OUR DESTINATION OVERNIGHT, BUT WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE READY TO CHANGE OUR TACTICS TO GET THERE AT A MOMENT'S NOTICE."
-T.L.T.

So what is a person's worth? It depends on who we allow them to be. How much are we willing to teach, guide, coach, believe, care - will we wait or must we expect instant gratification? An example:

WHAT'S A HORSESHOE WORTH:
$4.80 RAW
$12.75 HORSESHOE
$2500.00 SURGICAL NEEDLES
$250,000 BALANCE WHEELS FOR WATCHES
-Anon

So if we know that someone has good intentions and possesses potential, let's ease up and give them a break when their plans don't work out perfectly. Remember:

"THE GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT WAS AT FIRST AND FOR A TIME A DREAM. THE OAK SLEEPS IN THE ACORN; THE BIRD WAITS IN THE EGG; AND IN THE HIGHEST VISION OF THE SOUL A WAKING ANGEL STIRS. DREAMS ARE THE SEEDLINGS OF REALITIES."
-James Allen