CENTER YOURSELF

"We must learn our limits. We are all something but none of us are everything."

Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) French mathematician, physicist and philosopher.

For some the problem is the opposite.

Those who believe they have little or no ability.

Both extremes are wrong.

Find your rational center between the two.

MY WAY OR . . .

"Extreme positions are not succeeded by moderate ones, but by contrary extreme positions."

Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) German-Swiss philosopher/writer

You've taken an extreme position at work, one you'll either totally win or lose.

Doing so you leave little choice to those not willing to accept your views.

Are you ready to completely lose or might some compromise serve you, and the other side, better?

UP TO THE LINE, ONLY SOMETIMES OVER

"Tact in audacity consists in knowing how far we may go too far."

Jean Cocteau

20th century French author/filmmaker

As with most every good thing, too much often is.

Generally the only time excessive is good is when it comes to moderation.

The Pendulum Swings

"He will always be a slave who does not know how to live upon a little."

Horace

1st century BC Latin poet

Prior to the beginning of the recession we are just now ever so slowly emerging from, far too many companies were slave to excess.

And now we have the opposite.

Do more with less, don't hire if you can avoid it.

An excess of opposite extremes, each as debilitating as the other.

The Role of Love in Business

"I love Mickey Mouse more than any woman I've ever known."

Walt Disney

Yesterday's quote had to do with hate and I've selected this one to make the opposite point.

I believe I understand Mr. Disney, given all that Mickey represented to his life's work, but what might his wife Lillian and his daughters Diane Marie and Sharon Mae have thought about that, not to mention Minnie Mouse?

As is true of hate, love is also a very strong word and we should be very careful when and how we use it, in our personal and business lives.

What do you think?

The Role of Hate in Business

"Hate is the consequence of fear. We fear something before we hate it."

Cyril Connolly
20th century English critic/author

A writer, particularly one who is also a critic, would recognize the role hate plays in our lives. And to this I would add envy.

So what about hate, fear and envy in business, and by that I don't mean that directed towards our competitors.

I'm talking about hate towards co-workers.