ADVICE I SUGGEST YOU NOT TAKE

"Advice in old age is foolish; for what can be more absurd than to increase our provisions for the road the nearer we approach to our journey's end."

Marcus Tullius Cicero, 1st century BC Roman politician.

Were you to do as Cicero suggests you would indeed be at the end of your journey.

No animal stops doing what they do until the moment they die; why should humans?

We are put on this earth to learn and there is no legitimate reason to stop learning until, like all animals, we die.

YOU HAVE A CHOICE, THIS IS IT

"To be happy, we must be true to nature, and carry our age along with us."

William Hazlitt (1778-1830) British essayist.

You can fight aging (ageing if you prefer), many do, all unsuccessfully.

Or you can embrace the process taking advantage of the good that comes each year you live.

What'll it be for you?

THE CERTAINTY OF YOUTH AND OLD AGE

"What Youth deemed crystal, Age finds out was dew."

Robert Browning (1812 -1889) British poet.

You are young if you are certain this is untrue, or true, regardless of your chronological age.

Only those uncertain are somewhere in between youth and old age.

ANSWERING TO OURSELVES

"Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late."

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

For all of us, the latter.

For many, not enough of and sometimes never the former.

Of them I wonder, at the end, do they ever wonder, "What have I done?"

GENERATIONAL ARROGANCE

"The distinction between the past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."

Albert Einstein

20th century German-Swiss-U.S. scientist

The next time you feel your generation is unique, consider what Mr. Einstein might have said about that.

At Some Point You Just Have To Laugh

"I can imagine no more comfortable frame of mind for the conduct of life than a humorous resignation."

W. Somerset Maugham

20th century British playwright/author

Did you ever notice how happy and accepting many elderly seem to be?

They appear to have accepted this quote as true and a goal worthy of achieving.

Now, how to do this before we get old, particularly in our business lives.

Youth: A Means To An End

"Youth itself is a talent, a perishable talent."

Eric Hoffer

20th century American philosopher

One replaced by "experience" resulting from the mistakes we all make when young.

That is if we learn from our mistakes.

I Hope You (Yawn) Buy My Product

"None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm."

Henry David Thoreau

19th century American naturalist/philosopher

As is true of many of the Business Wisdom quotes, this was intended for individuals, not companies.

But it applies don't you think?

At the heart of every business is a customer and if you can't be enthusiastic about what you want to sell them, how can you expect them to be?

Management: The Trade-Off Between Youth and Experience

"Forty is the old age of youth, 50 the youth of old age."

Victor Hugo
19th century French poet/novelist

And what about now?

At least in business today, a time when many older workers want and need to continue to work, I'm betting (too many) feel these numbers should be 35 and 45.

What do you think?

Employees: The Balance Between Experience and Strength

"If youth only knew; if age only could."

Henri Estienne
Late 15th century French printer

Can you think of a better quote to summarize younger and older workers?

Particularly in these times with many either forced to stay in the work force longer than they had planned, or who are now coming back to rebuild retirement accounts.

Employers want the best of both.

How to get it?