Gladwell on The Secret

 

“The people at the very top don’t work just harder or even much harder than everyone else. They work much, much harder.

- Malcolm Gladwell (1963 – )
Canadian journalist

Are you sitting on some kind of wonderful (waiting for a better day, week, month, year, time to make the call)?

Be careful to invest your money hours wisely. Time is the only thing you can never get back.

Sure… There are lottery winners. But that’s not the way to bet.

Gladwell’s bestseller “Outliers: The Story of Success” is a favorite read of mine (well worth the time) – some great insights on what it takes to succeed.

The hard work piece you already know (hopefully). It’s the impact of luck and culture that are pretty fascinating.

 

Lions and Gazelles on The Work Ethic

 

“Every morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle – when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.

– Unknown

“Diligence is the mother of good luck.”

- Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)

American statesman, scientist, and printer

luck: noun: a force that makes things happen

You want more luck? Be the force that makes it happen…

  1. Prepare. Work hard to be ready for the opportunities that are important to you. Research. Practice. Perfect.
  2. Be awake. Pay attention to the people, events, and things around you. Evaluate logically and trust your gut instinct.
  3. Take action. Put yourself out there. Explore. Be vulnerable. Make contact with people. Take risks.
  4. Expect positive results. Optimism improves your chances. If (when) you fail, embrace the lesson and continue on, smarter.

That’s it. Now go be lucky!

Federer on Pushing It

 

“One thing for sure you can do is push the luck on your side.”

–Roger Federer (1981 – )
Swiss tennis champion

“Diligence is the mother of good luck.”

– Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)
American statesman, scientist, and printer

luck: noun: a force that makes things happen

You want more luck? Be the force that makes it happen…

  1. Prepare. Work hard to be ready for the opportunities that are important to you. Research. Practice. Perfect.
  2. Be awake. Pay attention to the people, events, and things around you. Evaluate logically and trust your gut instinct.
  3. Take action. Put yourself out there. Explore. Be vulnerable. Make contact with people. Take risks.
  4. Expect positive results. Optimism improves your chances. If (when) you fail, embrace the lesson and continue on, smarter.

That’s it. Now go be lucky (and sell something).

______________________________

Springsteen on Fire and Worry

 

“You can’t start a fire worrying about your little world falling apart.”

–Bruce Springsteen (1949 – )

American music artist

What you expect to happen – what you believe in your mind – can have a tremendous impact on what actually does happen.

If you’re going to try to accomplish something – if you make the decision to make the attempt – the best thing you can do for yourself (and your colleagues) is to expect a positive outcome. Anything else can only inhibit your efforts.

Worst-case: If you fail, you get an education for your future efforts.

 

Remember…

We earn more challenges by dealing with and overcoming more challenges.

Embrace your experience. Enjoy the weather.

___________________________

King on The Greatest Challenge

“One of the great tragedies of life is that men seldom bridge the gulf between practice and profession, between doing and saying.”

–Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–1968)
American civil rights leader
Nobel Peace Prize winner

Do your actions…

  1. create a positive buzz about you and your work?
  2. make others want you as a part of their team?
  3. make your employer cringe at the thought of losing you to a competitor?
  4. make your customers excited about referring you to their colleagues?

You want your actions to scream value without the need for you to say a word. This is where you want to be – with those in your company and industry – and with those to whom you’re selling.
 


 
This is what creates true economic and job security – the value you and your team create for others.

This is care (what it’s all about).

When you have the opportunity over the next few days, set a reminder to review these four questions at the end of each month. Then, give yourself a little (objective) attention by reviewing them and creating an action plan to improve in each area where you feel you should.

Easier said than done… still needs to be done.

__________________________________