BE MANY THINGS, JUST NOT APATHETIC

"Science may have found a cure for most evils but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all - the apathy of human beings."

Helen Keller, first deaf/blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree.

The world you must live in demands your engagement.

Don't and you abdicate your right to complain.

BEFORE THEY THROW DIRT ON YOU . . .

"Many people die at twenty five and aren't buried until they are seventy five."

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

You can be pulled along through life, rarely if ever initiating something yourself.

Don't be that person.

The Wonder Of It All

"No wonder lasts over three days."

Proverb

This is one I'm glad isn't true.

I'm still in wonder of the fact that we went from man's first flight to man on the moon in less than 70 years.

That as imperfect as it is the human body works as well as it does.

That seemingly insurmountable grief will ultimately be bearable in most although unfortunately not all cases.

Because of this and much more my problems, business ones in particular, suddenly diminish in importance.

Overly Enthusiastic?

"Opposition always enflames the enthusiast, never converts him."

Friedrich Schiller

18th century German dramatist/historian

And yet enthusiasm is very important, particularly in business for new ideas.

How do you channel such a positive so that it does not become a negative?

How Sad Is That?

"There is nothing sadder than a young pessimist."

Mark Twain

19th century American humorist

I don't know about that.

There's not much joyful about an old one either.

Passionate Turmoil

"Passions are the gales of life."

Alexander Pope

17/18th century English poet

Management talks of being "passionate" about what they do.

Wonderful, but in passion there is uncertainty and turmoil along with whatever good you expect.

Be prepared for all three.

The Passionate Choice

"Do what you love.  Know your own bone; gnaw at it, bury it, unearth it, and gnaw at it still."

Henry David Thoreau

18th century American naturalist

Because doing what you don't love is difficult at best, if not impossible for long.

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?

Go For It, Reasonably

"Earnestness is enthusiasm tempered by reason."

Blaise Pascal

17th century French mathematician/philosopher

Pretty astute observation, particularly coming from one who is both a mathematician and a philosopher (talk about the potential for internal conflict.)

The goal is well reasoned enthusiasm.

Ketchup And Other Passionate Stuff

"He only employs his passion who can make no use of his reason."

Marcus Tulius Cicero

1st century BC Roman writer/orator

Personally I think passion in business is a little overrated and certainly applied far too easily to way too many things.

"Passionate" about ketchup?

No doubt there is somewhere a ketchup brand manager who claims to be.

Wanting To Achieve Is Not Enough

"Zeal without knowledge is fire without light."

Thomas Fuller

17th century British author

Most children have a lot of energy and enthusiasm but sometimes, without thought, direction and planning, that does not translate into achievement.

Fun maybe but not achievement.

When it comes to business, it would be nice to have fun but regardless it is essential that we achieve.

Joyless Passion

"The worst sin - perhaps the only sin passion can commit - is to be joyless."

Dorothy L. Sayers

20th century English author

Ever notice how many company vision statements include things like, "We are passionate about what the company does"? 

How many of those who do then appeared to you to actually be passionate?

Joyless passion?

Don't say it if you can't be it.

Reaching Only For What You Can Already Touch?

"Don't let your will roar when you power only whispers."

Thomas Fuller

17th century British clergy/author

I have mixed feelings about this.

It might be telling us to temper our aspirations when we are not in a position to achieve them, or does it go even further, suggesting we should never reach beyond what we can already grasp?

If it is the second, how would we ever get beyond the starting point?

Few I know, and certainly not me, began from a position of power.

Enthusiasm: Staying in the Game

"The worst bankruptcy in the world is the person who has lost his enthusiasm."

H.W. Arnold

Unfortunately that happens to a lot of people who go through a personal, financial bankruptcy, but it is not limited to them nor to only those undergoing problems, financial or otherwise.

We all have low points but our business lives assume we will always be able to manage our way through them just as we must manage all the responsibilities of our position. Sometimes easier said than done.

How (do?) you keep your enthusiasm level as high as it needs to be?

Motivation: What Role Does Management Play?

"Nobody motivates today's workers. If it doesn't come from within, it doesn't come."

Herman Cain
Commentator

Few will question the benefit, possibly even the need to have motivated employees particularly in sales but I wonder if Cain is right when he says they must be that way on their own.

Can management create motivation and enthusiasm and if they can is it true by corollary they can take it away?