WHAT IS DOESN'T HAVE TO BE

"No one is worse, for knowing the worst of themselves."

Proverb

Because in knowing yourself you see what you might want to change.

MAKING HAY, SUN SHINING, ETC.

"I have known many who could not when they would, for they had not done it when they could."

François Rabelais (1495-1553) French writer/priest

Less poetically, get it done while you have the chance.

THE REMEMBERED OFFENSE

"Acts of kindness may soon be forgotten, but the memory of an offense remains."

Proverb

So think carefully before you speak or act; those you offend will long after you hope they'd forget.

IT COULDA' BEEN WORSE!

"When any calamity has been suffered, the first thing to be remembered is how much has been escaped."

Samuel Johnson (1709-1784) British author

And once you've (briefly) acknowledged how fortunate you are, get on with addressing whatever misfortune you've suffered.

At the core of every setback is a potential comeback.

KNOW WHEN TO BRACE, WHEN TO BEND

"Rigid, the skeleton of habit alone upholds the human frame."

Virginia Woolf (1882-1941) British novelist/essayist

We do need rigidity, however complete inflexibility leaves no room for growth.

Flexible and rigid.

Simultaneously ready to be the other while being the one.

THE REAL PROBLEM WITH MONEY

"Money without brains is always dangerous."

Napoleon Hill (1883-1970) American speaker/motivational writer

Kinda cold; I'll take a softer tact.

Without a well thought out plan to spend it, there almost can't be too much money to do what must be done.

HERE'S WHAT YOU SHOULDA' DONE

"After the ship has sunk, everyone knows how she might have been saved."

Italian proverb

The big bucks go to those who know how to keep it from sinking.

MAYBE NOT

"Trust your instinct to the end, though you can render no reason."

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) U.S. poet/essayist/lecturer

The fact that your instinct tells you to do/not do, say/not say something, may be reason enough to do the opposite.

Look to the past.

If your instinct guided decision making has too often led you down the wrong path, you may want to rethink what you initially think is the right course of action.

TRUST BUT VERIFY

"Denial ain't just a river in Egypt."

Mark Twain 19th century American writer/humorist

And accepting something as true without any consideration for whether or not it is, is a form of denial.

That can get you in trouble.

THE KEY TO SALES SUCCESS

"One joy scatters a hundred grieves."

Chinese proverb

Any real salesperson knows this.

Sales is a numbers game and for most sales attempts most of the time, making a sale is the least likely outcome.

Don't focus on the rejections; that's just part of the job.

Celebrate the wins!

I THOUGHT I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS

"Far more numerous are those as such; who think too little and talk too much."

John Dryden (1631-1700) British poet/dramatist/critic

A nice thing to say to someone who has much to say while not saying very much.

I'VE GOT THIS IDEA

"It is always brave to say what everyone thinks."

Georges Duhamel (1884-1966) French writer

And with the reverse being true, much more challenging to say what no one thinks.

But that is the burden of innovation.

LESSON ONE: LEARN ALL THE OTHER LESSONS

"Genius without education is like silver in the mine."

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman/scientist/philosopher

To all those with great ideas now contemplating leaving school to pursue them, without an education, succeed or fail, you fail.

GEORGE AND BOB KNOW WHAT THEY'RE TALKIN' ABOUT

"I tell you that as long as I can conceive something better than myself I cannot be easy unless I am striving to bring it into existence or clearing the way for it."

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish writer

About as good a description of the path to self improvement as I can imagine.

Strive to become, or make way for, what will be better.

And if you can't do either, as Bob Dylan suggested, take heed: 

"Your old road is rapidly agin', please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand for the times they are a-changin'."

THE HARDEST JOB OF ALL: DOING NOTHING

"The secret of being miserable is to have leisure to bother about whether you are happy or not. The cure for it is occupation."

George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish writer

Give thought to what you will do when you no longer work.

"Nothing" wears thin pretty quick and too much leisure . . . is.

MORE THAN WANT IT, YOU GOTTA WORK FOR IT

"All excellent things are as difficult as they are rare."

Benedict de Spinoza (1632-1677) Dutch Jewish philosopher

It is that way because while "things" are plentiful "excellence" is not.

You have to work hard to achieve it.

A KING IS IT?

"The courts of kings are full of people, but empty of friends."

Seneca (4 BC-65) Roman philosopher/playwright

If as manager you think yourself a king, you might consider the possibility of your "subjects" seeing things differently.

I KNOW YOUR KIND

"Oh worse than everything, is kindness counterfeiting absent love."

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) British poet/critic/philosopher

Substitute any number of adjectives for love, for example, respect, admiration, gratitude, and this applies equally well in business.

Acts of kindness are not always intended to demonstrate kindness.  

WHO DO YOU TRUST?

"Self-trust is the essence of heroism."

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) U.S. poet/essayist/lecturer

Because most of us know our true limitations and add to that list many more we assume to be true.

Simply trusting ourselves as much as we willingly trust others, would elevate us in the eyes of the one person whose opinion of us matters the most.

Ourselves.

WHAT, WHY, WHAT NOW?

"Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why."

Bernard M. Baruch (1870-1965) American financier/political consultant

Questions beginning with "what" are, as Mr. Baruch implied, asked by all of us.

They concern the mundane to interesting events that make up life, some of which hold value far beyond just what they are.

For when we also ask "why?" followed by "what now?", we begin to see beyond what is to what might be.

I WOULD HAVE EXCEPT THAT . . .

"He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else."

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American statesman/scientist/philosopher

We get paid for what we do, not for excuses explaining why we haven't done what we get paid to do.