-
Listen up if you want to be successful
Two friends were walking down a busy street one evening when one paused and said, “Listen to those crickets chirping.” “What crickets?” said the other man. “I don’t hear any crickets. Hey, you!” He waved down a woman passing by. “Do you hear crickets around here?” “No,” the woman said, and went on her way.…
-
Success is not about your lack of resources, it’s about being resourceful with what you have
Do you remember the TV show “MacGyver”? He was the epitome of resourcefulness. He would get trapped, usually in a building that contained a ticking time bomb, but he was able to free himself by being resourceful and using what was available to him, like duct tape or chewing gum. I was always intrigued –…
-
Failure isn’t fatal
In 1860 a thirty-eight-year old man was working as a handyman for his father, a leather merchant. He kept books, drove wagons and handled hides for about $66 a month. Prior to this menial job the man had failed as a soldier, a farmer and a real estate agent. Most of the people who knew…
-
Life is what you make it
One of my favorite “Peanuts” cartoons by Charles Schultz has Charlie Brown saying, “I learned something in school today. I signed up for folk guitar, computer programming, stained glass, art, shoemaking, and a natural foods workshop.” “Instead,” he said, “I got spelling, history, arithmetic, and two study periods.” The last panel has Charlie’s companion asking,…
-
Keep your funny side up
Life is funny – or at least, I think it should be. Finding humor in everyday things is a gift. Our very serious world can be depressing and overwhelming. Problems at work can seem insurmountable. Your car is making a disturbing noise, and the kids’ school just called to let you know your daughter,…
-
Lessons From Santa
No matter how you celebrate the holidays, or even which holidays you celebrate, chances are you know about Santa Claus. The jolly old elf brings merriment to the season, but he also teaches us many valuable lessons. Of course, the first is the value of giving. Aside from milk and cookies, Santa doesn’t get anything…
-
Stand out at work
There’s an old joke about farmers: They are “outstanding” in their fields. Or is it “out, standing” in their fields? If you want to be outstanding in your field, you probably don’t have acres of land to make the anecdote amusing. But there is nothing funny about being a standout at work. In fact,…
-
Be accountable if you want to count
The recent political silly season is over – finally – and once again, I was listening for one particular word in the endless ads that peppered the airwaves: accountability. It seems like the only time you hear that word is in the context of blaming one’s opponent for lack of it. I suspect that the…
-
A successful person is an average person, focused
I love golf – both playing and watching the pros – so you can imagine my delight when my wife Carol Ann surprised me for my birthday with a trip to watch the Ryder Cup in Glasgow, Scotland, in late September. What a memorable experience, one that’s been on my bucket list for a long…
-
Make a commitment to succeed
If you want to excel at anything in life you need to be committed. If you only want to be good enough to get by, then a commitment to excellence is not necessary. If you are committed to a cause, you don’t need to tell anyone. They can tell from your actions. I often wonder…