“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.” - Confucius
How do you prepare for your success?
0 Comments
“In a controversy, the instant we feel anger, we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.” - Buddha
How do you avoid striving for yourself and strive for the truth? “The greatest gift you can give, is a portion of yourself.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson
What portion of yourself do you give to others?
“Experience is not what happens to a person. It is what a person does with what happens to them.” - Aldous Huxley
How have your experiences shaped you into the person you are? “But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.” - William Butler Yeats
How do you avoid treading on others dreams? The Train Story
I was travelling by train from Circular Quay to Central (in Sydney, Australia) one morning some years ago. Quietly sitting there reading, I found myself suddenly listening to the train conductor's announcements. Now train travelers reading this will readily testify that when the conductor makes an announcement, rather than the recorded message, it's often quite dull or hard to understand. Whether it's the recorded message or the conductor's message, few people (apart from tourists) listen to these messages. This one was different. As I looked up from my paper, I noticed that other passengers (previously engrossed in their smartphones or tablets) were also looking up and appeared to be listening. Not only that, everyone was smiling! Why was so much attention being paid to this message? As best I can recall, the conductor said something along these lines, 'Good Morning Ladies, Gentlemen and Children, this is the 7.35am from Penrith to Central and you'll be pleased to know that we are right on time. This means that we'll get you to where you're going in plenty of time. And what a lovely morning it is in Sydney today. The sun is shining, temperature is about 21 degrees, birds are singing, and all's right with the world. I trust you have a great day wherever you're going. Thanks for catching my train this morning and I hope to see you again soon. Have a great day.' Wow! Have you ever heard an announcement like that? I certainly hadn't. And how contagious was it? As well as getting everyone smiling, there were quite a few people (previously strangers) who started talking to one another. They were all talking about the conductor's fabulous message and how good it had made everyone feel. I started thinking about this and as I exited the train at Central, I approached the Conductor's cabin and started to thank him, to which he replied 'Don't know what you're talking about mate, I've just come on'. So, I asked where the other guard had gone and he pointed to the exit stairs. I raced down the stairs, taking them two at a time, and caught the young guard at the bottom. He had obviously finished his shift and was on his way home. I tapped him on the shoulder and said 'Were you the guard on the 7.35 from Penrith?' The guard seemed a bit stunned at first replying, 'Yes’ (In hindsight I think I too would have been a bit stunned if someone had approached me like that). Pressing on I said 'Well, I just wanted to thank you for your fabulous message this morning on the way from Circular Quay to Central. The message was so upbeat and pleasant. Most importantly, it got everyone's attention and had everyone smiling. Thank you so much for giving me and the other passengers such a good start to the day. Please keep doing it.' There are two messages for me in what happened that day. Firstly, when people are happy in their work it shows in what they do and say. Secondly, the story highlights the benefits that can accrue from thanking people for something they've done, particularly when it's not expected. Can you imagine the conversation that conductor would have when he got home? 'Guess what happened to me today - a customer actually thanked me!' Written by: Bob Selden “Wealth is not only what you have but it is also what you are.” - Sterling W. Sill
What is the difference between money and wealth? “The soul that sees beauty may sometimes walk alone.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
What beautiful things in your life cause you to walk alone? "There are rules of courteous behavior to be learned, fixed methods of procedure tested by long experience, and handed down by tradition to make life more pleasant. Manners improve with practice. Don't be polite today, impatient and uncivil tomorrow; morose and sulky at home, affable at the office; obliging toward your friends and unfriendly toward strangers. Don't reserve your best behavior for special occasions. You can't have two sets of manners, two social codes - one for those you admire and want to impress, another for those whom you consider unimportant. You must be the same to all people." - Lillian Eichler Watson
From: Leadership...with a human touch, February 8, 2000, Page 2 “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.
What prevents you from continuing to move toward fulfilling your dreams? |
Author & SpeakerTerry is a sought after speaker who believes in the power of a story to motivate, inspire, and help others lead their uncommon and extraordinary lives. By combining his twelve-year cancer journey with his diverse business, athletic coaching, and hostage negotiating expertise, he delivers compelling yet relatable presentations for conferences, on-line events, panels, meetings, and seminars. Archives
April 2024
|