6 Thoughts to Live By
My buddy, Matt Murphy, who has started a new chapter in his business life, recently gave me a compilation of inspiring thoughts and quotes. From his list I selected 6 that I think are particularly powerful. They cluster on two topics that I think are key to success in business and life, focus and effort.
Here they are:
1. If you have more than 3 priorities you don’t have any
I love this one particularly since I embrace it. Focus is key to success in my mind. Trying to do too much on too many fronts always leads to diminished results on your real priorities. In the end the “somewhat important” are the enemy of the really important.
2. Your daily behaviors are a mirror of your commitment to your priorities
Said another way, “Talk is cheap”. “Actions speak louder than words” Actions come in daily doses towards your priorities. You should ask yourself, what have you done today to advance your priorities.
3. “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts”, Winston Churchill
I am a planner and also a plodder. I don’t discourage easily. And like a dog with a bone I don’t give up easily. I am not sure I am courageous, but merely tenacious. In any event that Churchill fellow was pretty smart.
4. “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all”, Peter Drucker
If you are going to be a dog with a bone, tenaciously hanging onto it, better be sure it is the right bone, or right “forest”. It starts with having priorities and a smart strategy. Drucker’s advise is wise—better make sure you are spending time/effort on things that matter.
5. Leaders think and talk about solutions. Followers think and talk about problems.
I don’t like whiners. Life is not easy. The key is to drive forward and not whine and not nay say without solutions. Don’t be the person who only has problems, but no solutions.
6. “Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the mouth”, Mike Tyson
That great philosopher Mike Tyson was onto something. While his academic training was limited, he had significant learning in the ring, where he was once the “baddest man on the planet” (until Buster Douglas beat him). But his quote is true in life as well as the ring. Plans are great until you have a setback, a/k/a getting punched in the mouth. It’s how you recover and persevere that counts.
Additional thoughts/quotes of wisdom from Strumings readers are appreciated.
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“No excuses. Just results.”