“The tiny, insignificant postage stamp is a good example of what it is possible to achieve if you stick with the job until it is finished. Inconspicuously stuck on the corner of the envelope, it provides the impetus to keep moving until the entire packet reaches its ultimate destination. The influence you may have upon your company, your church, your family, or any organization is incalculable if you have the persistence to pursue your goal until you achieve it. It is an absolute certainty that you will encounter obstacles in any worthwhile endeavor. When you do, remember the inconsequential little postage stamp and stick with the job until it is finished.”
“You must give an equivalent value for the object of your desire. Anything you happen to acquire through sharp practices will have no enduring value for you.”
“You are the world’s greatest expert on your job, and you can make it into what you choose. You may have a job description, but there are few jobs in the world that come with detailed instructions. A job description simply provides a foundation upon which you may build the perfect job for yourself. When you give generously to it, a job responds with a full measure of satisfaction, personal growth, financial rewards, and promise for the future. If you are in a job you absolutely hate, and you have considered all the alternatives and decided that you will never like your job, find something else. But if you, like most people, dislike a few things about your work, but on balance believe you have a pretty good position, get busy making it the greatest job in the world. In your career, as in life, you get in direct proportion to what you give.”
“Just as the physical body becomes strong through regular exercise, so does the mind require regular use to remain strong. Make sure that your personal development plan includes plenty of mental stimulation. One of the best ways to develop your imagination and visualization skills is through reading. As you read, your mind translates the words into images that help you better understand the concepts about which you are reading. Become a voracious reader. Read newspapers, trade magazines, self-help books, and novels; all will contribute to your store of knowledge and to your ability to visualize and more effectively use your imagination.”
“We human beings are the only creatures on earth who have the capacity for belief. That capacity, combined with our almost innate capability to distinguish right from wrong, provides us with a formidable power in our quest for a richer, more rewarding life. When you set goals for yourself, make sure they are based on doing the right thing for your family, your friends, your employees, and yourself. When others see that you are fair and just in your dealings with them and that you are a generous, principled person, they will move heaven and earth for you.”
“One of the keys to success is Personal Initiative. Most people — including those who will play a key role in the level of success you achieve in your life — will not give you their full assistance and support unless you first take the initiative. If you see something that needs to be done, just do it. Wendy’s founder, Dave Thomas, says, “A little initiative will improve your luck nine days out of ten.” “
“We have just begun to explore the inner workings of the mind, but we have long been aware of the effects of our thoughts. When you focus on not missing the target instead of on hitting the bull’s-eye, the results are often disastrous, for it is impossible to think negative thoughts in a positive way. Ask any golfer who has tried not to miss a putt or a bowler who has struggled not to miss a strike. Make sure your goals are specific and precise. “Making a lot of money” or “earning regular promotions” are wishes, not goals. State exactly how much money you expect to earn and when, and the specific promotion you want, how you plan to earn it, and when you expect to do so. As Carlson Companies chairman Curt Carlson once noted, “Obstacles are those frightening things you see when you take your eye off the target.” “