This year, Tremendous Leadership celebrates its 60th anniversary—six decades of igniting lives with wisdom, wit, and the written word. As I reflect on this milestone, I am reminded of one of my father’s timeless writings from the 1980s, “A Sense of Urgency.”
In it, Charlie “Tremendous” Jones wrote:
“A sense of urgency is that feeling that lets you know yesterday is gone forever, and tomorrow never comes. TODAY is in your hands. Shirking today adds to wasted yesterdays, and postponing today’s work adds to tomorrow’s burden.”
His words ring as true now as they did then. He reminded us that urgency isn’t about anxiety—it’s about living with purpose. It’s the fuel that keeps us growing, stretching, and shining. Without it, we drift into mediocrity. With it, even the most ordinary day becomes extraordinary.
You’re Never Too Young for Urgency
My father believed urgency wasn’t reserved for CEOs or seasoned leaders—it was for everyone, at every stage of life. You’re never too young to grasp the importance of seizing the moment.
That’s why I’m so excited about the SPARK series of books. They are the modern-day extension of my father’s call to urgency, written for the next generation and those guiding them.
-
SPARK for Emerging Leaders, by Arthur C. Woods is written directly to teens and young adults, showing them how to discover their singular purpose, persist through challenges, find advocates, steward resources, and keep learning.
- SPARK: Keeper of the Flame for Emerging Leaders, my companion volume, equips parents, mentors, and guardians to nurture that spark, guarding and guiding the next generation with wisdom and faith.
Together, these books ensure the torch of urgency and greatness doesn’t just flicker for one generation—it blazes forward into the next.
From Urgency to SPARK
What struck me in rereading my father’s article is how seamlessly it aligns with the SPARK framework:
- Urgency fuels Singularity, focusing on what matters most.
- Urgency drives Persistence, choosing not to quit when it gets hard.
- Urgency calls for Advocates, because there’s no time to go at it alone.
- Urgency sharpens our use of Resources, recognizing what’s already in our hands.
- Urgency compels us to grow in Knowledge because we can’t afford to stop learning.
Urgency and SPARK are two sides of the same coin: one lit in the 1980s by Charlie Tremendous, the other carried forward today for emerging leaders and their keepers.
Carrying the Flame Forward
As we celebrate 60 years of Tremendous Leadership, I invite you to join me in carrying this flame forward. My father often said, “You’ll be the same person five years from now as you are today except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read.”
Friends, these SPARK books are exactly that—books that can change lives. They are resources designed to ignite greatness in teens and equip the adults who guide them. They are discipleship tools, leadership manuals, and inspirational companions all in one.
Tremendous Truth for Today
Whether you’re sixteen or sixty, urgency matters. Whether you’re leading a boardroom, raising a teenager, or finding your own way, the time is always now.
Celebrate Tremendous Leadership’s 60th with us by living and sharing this truth:
- You’re never too young to grasp the importance of a sense of urgency.
- You’re never too old to light a spark that changes everything.
Let’s keep the flame burning bright—for the next 60 years and beyond.
