We are very influenced by completely automatic things that we have no control over, and we don’t know we’re doing it. Daniel Kahneman 1934 – A week or two ago, I was thinking about a fad that went around when I was in high school. A classmate would be out … [ Continue Reading ]
People see only what they are prepared to see. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803 – 1852 Every now and then, the daily comic strips offer some wonderful insights about life. A few years ago, the strip “For Better or Worse” contained a very good lesson. “For Better or Worse” is about … [ Continue Reading ]
Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them. Dion Boucicault 1820 – 1890 These days, everyone seems to be short on time. So many people here in America are constantly multitasking and sacrificing sleep, but they can’t seem to catch up. There just aren’t enough hours in the … [ Continue Reading ]
If anything can go wrong, it will. Murphy’s Law I was working with a businessman some time ago as he prepared a six-month plan for his company. We went over it and it looked good. Then I asked him this question: “What’s your back-up plan?” His reply was, “What do … [ Continue Reading ]
People only see what they are prepared to see. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803 – 1852 Recently, I was on a conference call where business people discuss their ideas, situations and problems, with the goal of receiving feedback from other participants. One member, “Bill,” had just offered up his problem, and … [ Continue Reading ]
You always do what you want to do. This is true with every act. You may say that you had to do something, or that you were forced to, but actually, whatever you do, you do by choice. Only you have the power to choose for yourself. W. Clement Stone … [ Continue Reading ]
What you do not want done to yourself, do not to others. Confucius 551 – 479 BC Many years ago, I was at a birthday party for one of the younger children in our extended family. There were a couple of young girls, probably about five years old, and apparently … [ Continue Reading ]
Everything can be taken from a man or a woman but one thing: the last of human freedoms to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. Viktor Frankl 1905 – 1997 Today in America, we celebrate Independence Day, which commemorates our independence from … [ Continue Reading ]
No one should be judge in his own case. Publilius Syrus 1st century B.C. When we see the words ‘judge’ and ‘case’ in the same sentence, our thoughts naturally turn to the legal system. In that context, it seems obvious that you shouldn’t be the judge for your own case. … [ Continue Reading ]
Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses. George Washington Carver 1864 – 1943 Most of us know that the D-Day invasion was a pivotal turning point in World War II. It occurred on June 6, 1944 and involved nearly 4,000 ships, 11,000 … [ Continue Reading ]