The Price Of Winning

"There are some defeats more triumphant than victories."

Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

16th century French philosopher

Ever not get a job or contract you felt you really wanted or needed?

If so you know what this means.

If not you likely one day will.

Stagnant Thinking

"The man who never alters his opinion is like standing water, and breeds reptiles of the mind."

William Blake

18th century British poet/painter

Notice there is no qualification regarding which opinion.

All opinion.

If you don't believe that to be true, it's time to alter your opinion.

Neither Bad Nor Good

"Every moment of light and dark is a miracle."

Walt Whitman

19th century American poet

Yes, if you let them be so.

If you learn as much from the bad times as you enjoy the good.

Wicked Osmosis

"To see and listen to the wicked is already the beginning of wickedness."

Confucius

5th century BC Chinese philosopher

If at the beginning of your career you willingly work with people who compromise their ethics, chances are good you will as well in the future.

Be careful not to become what you didn't set out to be.

Rather Be Lucky Than Good?

"Substance is not enough, accident is also required."

Italian proverb

What role does luck play in your career?

Because This Is The Way We've Always Done It

"It is the very nature of things human that every act that has once made its appearance and has been recorded in the history of mankind, stays with mankind as a potentiality long after its actuality has become a thing of the past."

Hannah Arendt

20th century German born American political philosopher

That's just the way things are.

Six words that do more to impede progress than anything else.

As I See Things

"If the doors of perception were cleansed, everything would appear to man as it is.  For man has closed himself up till he sees things thru chinks in his cavern."

William Blake

18th century British poet/painter

How much of what you see would you guess is as it is as opposed to how you choose or would like to see it?

Temperamental Losses

"A person's fate is their own temper."

Benjamin Disraeli

19th century British politician/author

And how much, how often you lose it will determine how much else you lose.

What Else You Got?

"With coarse rice to eat, water to drink, and my bent arm for a pillow--I have still joy in the midst of all these things."

Confucius

5th century BC Chinese philosopher

I have to believe that positive attitude is a decided advantage when dealing with severe business problems.

What do you think?

The Ticking Clock

"I am what you will be, I was what you now are."

Unknown

For all our differences this does describe us all.

Time is the great leveler.

Use yours wisely.

Which Path Will You Take?

"The path is smooth that leadeth on to danger."

William Shakespeare

16th century British poet/playwright

There are two reasons this could be true.

One, because what's at the end of the path is not all that dangerous.

Two, because what's at the end of the path is dangerous and because it is few take that path.

Which do you think it is?

I Didn't Know That

"In the end knowledge is based on acknowledgment."

Ludwig Wittgenstein

20th century Austrian-British philosopher

Acknowledgement of what?

That there is much you don't know.

That's very hard for some to do.

You?

Being Up When You're Down

"The test of success is not what you do when you are on top.  It's how high you bounce when you hit bottom."

General George S. Patton

20th century US Army General

Suggested by Business Wisdom reader Ron Hixon

There are many variations of this all saying essentially the same thing.

It's easy to be positive when things are going well, tough when they're not.

How are you in both situations?

This Hobby Is Killing Me

"A hobby is hard work you wouldn't do for a living."

Unknown

I've been fortunate to (mostly) enjoy doing what makes me money, a lot of which is "hard work".

I'm also fortunate that I no longer have to do anything just to make money.

A hobby?

Let's Ask Bill

"Consult.  To seek another's approval of a course already decided on."

Ambrose Bierce

19th century American newspaperman

As a strategy/planning/"change" consultant, I can attest to this.

How much opinion do you ask for where the real intent is just to support what you've already decided to to do?

You Must Move On To Get To The Future

"Finite to fail but infinite to venture."

Emily Dickinson
19th century American poet

What didn't work no longer matters.

Only what might does.

Seeing Through You

"Outside show is a poor substitute for inner worth."

Aesop

6th century Greek fabulist

And sooner rather than later everyone will know which you are predominately.

Looking Beyond

"What you see, but can't see over, is as good as infinite."

Thomas Carlyle

19th century British historian

Is it?

What if believing you see what is beyond, causes you to stop looking?

That Worries Me!

"I am an old man and have known many troubles, most of which never happened."

Mark Twain

19th century American humorist/author

Talk about business wisdom.

He's telling us that most of what we worry about never amounts to much.

Now I'm worried about what I'm not worried about.

I'll Tell You What I Think

"Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance."

Plato

3rd century BC Greek philosopher

How appropriate towards the end of this political season where once again there is far too much of two of these, not nearly enough of the third.

And don't think this is just confined to politics.  It's not.

Every aspect of our lives is based more on opinion and ignorance than knowledge.

We just don't act as though that were true.

Enjoyable Misfortune

"It is remarkable how much a pinch of malice enhances the penetrating power of an idea or an opinion.  Our ears, it seems, are wonderfully attuned to sneers and evil reports about our fellow men."

Eric Hoffer

20th century American philosopher

Is it easier to believe bad as opposed to good?

Do we more enjoy hearing or imagining the worst than we do the best?