HOW HIGH WILL YOU THINK?

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."

Benjamin Disraeli (1804-1881) British politician/author.

But there are no limits on how high you can think, just what you think.

Fail for reasons other than you never had the thought, or never acted on the thought you did have.

THE BETTER FUTURE

"The ''good old times'' -- all times, when old, are good."

Lord Byron (1788-1824) British poet.

It is easy to believe that what was is better than what is, what might be.

Easy, but nevertheless a trap to be avoided.

Humans are meant to change, to grow, to become something better, a fact to be celebrated, not avoided.

ONLY IF IT FITS

"The shoe that fits one person pinches another; there is no recipe for living that suits all cases."

Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) Swiss psychologist/psychiatrist.

We'd all like to find the "silver bullet" for self improvement, which thankfully doesn't exist.

We are individuals for a reason.

Our way is there to be found.

GROWING OUT OF BUSINESS SALE

"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell."

Edward Abbey (1927-1989) U.S. writer/environmentalist.

Cancer survives until it ultimately kills its host body, and there is parallel to that in business as well.

Almost any management team can create growth; the trick is to do so profitably. 

JUST WHEN I WAS GETTING REALLY GOOD

"Man arrives as a novice at each age of his life."

Nicolas Chamfort (1741-1794) French writer

Very true.

Just when we've (hopefully) learned how to function well at one age we grow into another.

Never completely with all the wisdom we need to live our best.

That will only (if ever) come at a time just prior to the time we must move on to the next stage of our lives.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

"He never chooses an opinion, he just wears whatever happens to be in style."

Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) Russian writer

"Never", which means "he" is always following the flavor of the day opinions of others.

We should all be influenced by a multitude of opinions, including our own, always changing.

v2.0 YOU

"One of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea."

Walter Bagehot (1826-1877) British economist

And not just when it comes to innovation leading to new things.

This applies equally well to personal innovation, and lack thereof.

When was the last time you did something to improve you?

Making Progress?

"There is safety in reserve, but no attraction."

Jane Austen

18th century English novelist

And in business as well.

You won't have an accident going zero miles per hour.

You also won't get anywhere.

From Nothing To Something

"Our strength grows out of our weakness."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

19th century US poet, lecturer

I don't know if I believe that additional strength can also grow from our existing strength, but I completely understand the potential for growth from weakness.

At least potentially.  

Without effort on our part, beginning with recognizing what our weaknesses are, nothing will change.

Good Enough . . . Isn't

"He who stops being better stops being good."

Oliver Cromwell
17th century English Political and Military Leader

Not to mention great.

Once again an indication that minds much wiser than mine, believe the need to evolve and grow is at the top of the list of things necessary to succeed.

Well at least that's how I see it; what about you?

Investment: Talking to Angels

"Angels are like messengers, but sometimes we misunderstand their language."

Linda Solegato
Author

Linda was likely referring to the heavenly type but the thought applies equally well to the investment version as well.

If you are looking for non institutional money to start or grow your business, learn the language of "angel" investors. If you do you will find it is as much if not more about what you will do for them as it is what they will do for you.

As it should be.

Getting There, Staying There

"Nobody's a natural. You have to work hard to get good and then work to get better. It's hard to stay on top."

Paul Coffey
Retired NHL Hall of Fame Player

No one is born "on top"; everyone must evolve and develop to achieve whatever they wish to do.

You stop, you die.

Does your company help you grow? Do you help others?

Standing Still: Not an Option

"He not busy being born is busy dying."

"It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)"
Bob Dylan

While Bob was referring to a person dying, the same holds true for companies, which, when all is said and done, are nothing more than the people who work in them.

Is yours busy being born (continually renewing) or dying (stagnant)?

What about you?

Innovation: The Silver Lining in Failure

"Create some tolerance for failure."

Tom Koulopoulos
Founder/CEO Delphi Group

There is opportunity in failure but your culture has to be open to it.

Are you?

What Now?: Questions Are the Answers!

"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions."

Naguib Mahfouz
Egyptian born author
1988 Nobel Prize for Literature

This reminds me of Peter Drucker's quote featured in an earlier post. Wisdom is knowing that you don't know more than you do and that asking (the right) questions is the first step to gaining wisdom.

Both Drucker and Mahfouz are suggesting if not saying that asking questions is a sign of courage because so many of us are afraid to admit all that we don't know.

What do you need to know?

Answering Unasked Questions: The Key to Success

"My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions."

Peter Drucker

Once again a quote from Drucker; one that illustrates not only why so many of his quotes are on this site but as well why he was so successful as both an educator and a consultant. He understood that it was his students and clients who would answer the questions that often only he knew to ask.

Note to management: First thing Monday morning get your team to list the questions they need to answer in order to improve business. If they can't do it to your satisfaction get outside help.