1.Offer results, not alibis.
There are many people who — perhaps with the best of intentions — make promises they somehow never get around to keeping. These folks have usually developed a number of perfectly plausible explanations for not meeting their commitments; they have become experts at explaining away their failures. Successful people, though, are those who accept responsibility for their lives. They know that talk is cheap; actions are all that really matter. The world is waiting for men and women who seek the opportunity to render real service — the kind of service that lightens the burdens of their neighbors, the kind of service that 95 percent of people do not render because they do not understand it. When you provide a truly useful service, enthusiastically and in a spirit of genuine helpfulness, success will automatically follow. The world seeks out such individuals and rewards them accordingly.
2.Do your job precisely as if you were your own boss, and sooner or later you will be.
The American system of free enterprise is based upon the premise that every individual may profit in proportion to his or her labors. In today’s hectic, highly competitive, global environment, however, you may feel that you are not adequately recognized and compensated for the contribution you make. The next time you feel overworked, underpaid, and unappreciated, remind yourself that you really are in business for yourself. Your product is you. Are you the kind of employee you would like to have if you were the boss? When you are considering a difficult decision or when you are thinking about how to avoid an unpleasant assignment, ask yourself, “If this were my company, how would I handle this situation?” When your answer is that you would take precisely the same action you are considering as an employee, you are headed for bigger and better things. You will soon be the boss.
3.Bankers often lend money on character, but seldom on reputation alone, for they have learned that not all reputations are deserved.
When considering a loan, a banker attaches great importance to three things: the borrower’s ability to repay the loan, the borrower’s credit history, and the borrower’s character. The first two considerations can be calculated mathematically; the third requires judgment and experience. Prudent bankers have learned that persons of character are always a good risk because they take their obligations seriously while those who spend their resources on the trappings of success should be avoided at all costs. Protect your good reputation as you would protect your home, your investments, and your life. Once shattered, a good reputation can only be regained by those who have developed the courage and willpower to persevere in the face of great odds.