William Hutchinson Murray (1913-1996), from his 1951 book The Scottish Himalayan Expedition (often mistakenly attributed to Goethe):

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”

(from Harrison Owen: Open Space World: Spirit Shows Up):

“Although I have written much on the subject of Spirit, I have never been able to define it. Then again, I have never felt any particular need to. My experience, shared by many I believe, has been that we know Spirit when we meet, and no precise definition is necessary, or even particularly useful. We know that when Spirit is present in a group of people, wonderful things can happen. We also know that when Spirit is somehow absent or flagging, no amount of money in the bank, technology in the backroom, or executive talent on the roster makes much difference - nothing really seems to go right.

Of course there are times when precise statements about the quality and nature of Spirit are important, but in the work-a-day world, it is usually sufficient to acknowledge the presence of Spirit, by whatever name. Call it what you like - team spirit, esprit de corps, Great Spirit of the Cosmos - sooner or later they all connect. I think. But the critical thing is to acknowledge Spirit when we meet, and somehow summon it again when it is absent.

For me, quite simply, Spirit is the most important thing in my life, my work, and in the organizations I serve. When it is present, I experience power, flow, and endless possibilities. When Spirit goes on a holiday, it is a dull day indeed. I do not think I am alone. So allowing (inviting, encouraging) Spirit to show up is not an incidental consideration.”