Audio Tidbits

Most people are more comfortable with old problems than with new solutions. - Author unknown

All the mischiefs in the world may be put down to the general, indiscriminate veneration of old laws, old customs, and old religion. - Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Stubbornness does have its helpful features. You always know what you are going to be thinking tomorrow. - Glen Beaman

The relationship between trial and suffering is a common theme in the success and motivation literature, although "failure" usually replaces "trial and suffering" in the equation. For example, Benjamin Disraeli said, "All my successes have been built on my failures." The famous Anon. said, "Failure is a better teacher than success, but she seldom finds an apple on her desk;" and Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, said, "Most success springs from an obstacle or failure." Maury Povich joined in too when he said, "There's got to be a glitch along the way, or else you lose touch with reality." Robert Louis Stevenson took the concept to the extreme, "Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits;" and Winston Churchill echoed the theme, "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."

Now isn't that just dandy. It's enough to make one get out there and fail just to get firmly on the path to success; and the bigger the failure, the better. "Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success," according to Napoleon Hill. Perhaps a good measure of trial and suffering would also be a terrific addition to one's optimal success strategy.

Interestingly, simply failing is, by itself, not sufficient. One must develop the right attitude toward failure. Reggie Jackson suggested, "I feel the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it." Dexter Yager said, "A winner is one who accepts his failures and mistakes, picks up the pieces, and continues striving to reach his goals." It's a get back on the horse kind of thing. Denis Waitley puts it this way, "Forget about the consequences of failure. Failure is only a temporary change in direction to set you straight for your next success."

At least Norman Vincent Peale didn't buy into the negative approach to success, "We've all heard that we have to learn from our mistakes, but I think it is more important to learn from our successes. If you learn only from your mistakes, you are inclined to learn only errors." The conclusion here is simple. Fail if you absolutely can't avoid it. If you fail, don't quit. You can't succeed if you don't try. Having said that, success is always more fun than failing and there is never any shame in having fun. The key is to do the right things right, the first time, on time, every time. With that as your personal standard, you won't always have fun but the odds will definitely favor your proactive approach to success.

Now you know so there you go.

Most people are more comfortable with old problems than with new solutions. - Author unknown

All the mischiefs in the world may be put down to the general, indiscriminate veneration of old laws, old customs, and old religion. - Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

Stubbornness does have its helpful features. You always know what you are going to be thinking tomorrow. - Glen Beaman

The relationship between trial and suffering is a common theme in the success and motivation literature, although "failure" usually replaces "trial and suffering" in the equation. For example, Benjamin Disraeli said, "All my successes have been built on my failures." The famous Anon. said, "Failure is a better teacher than success, but she seldom finds an apple on her desk;" and Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, said, "Most success springs from an obstacle or failure." Maury Povich joined in too when he said, "There's got to be a glitch along the way, or else you lose touch with reality." Robert Louis Stevenson took the concept to the extreme, "Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits;" and Winston Churchill echoed the theme, "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."

Now isn't that just dandy. It's enough to make one get out there and fail just to get firmly on the path to success; and the bigger the failure, the better. "Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success," according to Napoleon Hill. Perhaps a good measure of trial and suffering would also be a terrific addition to one's optimal success strategy.

Interestingly, simply failing is, by itself, not sufficient. One must develop the right attitude toward failure. Reggie Jackson suggested, "I feel the most important requirement in success is learning to overcome failure. You must learn to tolerate it, but never accept it." Dexter Yager said, "A winner is one who accepts his failures and mistakes, picks up the pieces, and continues striving to reach his goals." It's a get back on the horse kind of thing. Denis Waitley puts it this way, "Forget about the consequences of failure. Failure is only a temporary change in direction to set you straight for your next success."

At least Norman Vincent Peale didn't buy into the negative approach to success, "We've all heard that we have to learn from our mistakes, but I think it is more important to learn from our successes. If you learn only from your mistakes, you are inclined to learn only errors." The conclusion here is simple. Fail if you absolutely can't avoid it. If you fail, don't quit. You can't succeed if you don't try. Having said that, success is always more fun than failing and there is never any shame in having fun. The key is to do the right things right, the first time, on time, every time. With that as your personal standard, you won't always have fun but the odds will definitely favor your proactive approach to success.

Now you know so there you go.

Conformity: Every society honors its live conformists, and its dead troublemakers. - Mignon McLaughlin || Don't think you're on the right road just because it's a well-beaten path. - Author unknown

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." -- Edward Everett Hale

A similar sentiment was expressed by William Penn "I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." Your best strategy over the long-haul is to understand where people want to go and help them get there. You do this by talking with them about what aid and support they need from you and being sure they get it. It may seem more expedient to charge full-speed-ahead and others be damned; but being too self-serving ends up, in the long run, serving no one. Your success is best served by helping others succeed.

The glitch is that, no matter how well-intentioned, your offer to help is usually turned down or the response is, "I will let you know." If you sincerely want to help, do not ask what you can do to help or wait to be asked. Think about what the person's problem is or what they want to accomplish and then do something helpful. Proactively helping is most always much more helpful than help that is merely offered though it does take a little more time, a little more thought, and a little more effort. "Did that help?" is often the best question you can ask. As Sunshine Magazine pointed out, "He who gives when he is asked has waited too long."

The famous Anon. had a particularly pithy way of emphasizing the importance of being proactive with others, "Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful." Albert Schweitzer and William James respectively joined the help when you can, wherever you can chorus. "Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him;" and "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." Perhaps the last word on it should go to George Bernard Shaw who said, "This is the true joy in life - being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

Now you know so there you go.

Conformity: Every society honors its live conformists, and its dead troublemakers. - Mignon McLaughlin || Don't think you're on the right road just because it's a well-beaten path. - Author unknown

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." -- Edward Everett Hale

A similar sentiment was expressed by William Penn "I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." Your best strategy over the long-haul is to understand where people want to go and help them get there. You do this by talking with them about what aid and support they need from you and being sure they get it. It may seem more expedient to charge full-speed-ahead and others be damned; but being too self-serving ends up, in the long run, serving no one. Your success is best served by helping others succeed.

The glitch is that, no matter how well-intentioned, your offer to help is usually turned down or the response is, "I will let you know." If you sincerely want to help, do not ask what you can do to help or wait to be asked. Think about what the person's problem is or what they want to accomplish and then do something helpful. Proactively helping is most always much more helpful than help that is merely offered though it does take a little more time, a little more thought, and a little more effort. "Did that help?" is often the best question you can ask. As Sunshine Magazine pointed out, "He who gives when he is asked has waited too long."

The famous Anon. had a particularly pithy way of emphasizing the importance of being proactive with others, "Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful." Albert Schweitzer and William James respectively joined the help when you can, wherever you can chorus. "Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him;" and "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." Perhaps the last word on it should go to George Bernard Shaw who said, "This is the true joy in life - being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

Now you know so there you go.

Conformity: Every society honors its live conformists, and its dead troublemakers. - Mignon McLaughlin || Don't think you're on the right road just because it's a well-beaten path. - Author unknown

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." -- Edward Everett Hale

A similar sentiment was expressed by William Penn "I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." Your best strategy over the long-haul is to understand where people want to go and help them get there. You do this by talking with them about what aid and support they need from you and being sure they get it. It may seem more expedient to charge full-speed-ahead and others be damned; but being too self-serving ends up, in the long run, serving no one. Your success is best served by helping others succeed.

The glitch is that, no matter how well-intentioned, your offer to help is usually turned down or the response is, "I will let you know." If you sincerely want to help, do not ask what you can do to help or wait to be asked. Think about what the person's problem is or what they want to accomplish and then do something helpful. Proactively helping is most always much more helpful than help that is merely offered though it does take a little more time, a little more thought, and a little more effort. "Did that help?" is often the best question you can ask. As Sunshine Magazine pointed out, "He who gives when he is asked has waited too long."

The famous Anon. had a particularly pithy way of emphasizing the importance of being proactive with others, "Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful." Albert Schweitzer and William James respectively joined the help when you can, wherever you can chorus. "Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him;" and "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." Perhaps the last word on it should go to George Bernard Shaw who said, "This is the true joy in life - being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

Now you know so there you go.

Conformity: Every society honors its live conformists, and its dead troublemakers. - Mignon McLaughlin || Don't think you're on the right road just because it's a well-beaten path. - Author unknown

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." -- Edward Everett Hale

A similar sentiment was expressed by William Penn "I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be any kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again." Your best strategy over the long-haul is to understand where people want to go and help them get there. You do this by talking with them about what aid and support they need from you and being sure they get it. It may seem more expedient to charge full-speed-ahead and others be damned; but being too self-serving ends up, in the long run, serving no one. Your success is best served by helping others succeed.

The glitch is that, no matter how well-intentioned, your offer to help is usually turned down or the response is, "I will let you know." If you sincerely want to help, do not ask what you can do to help or wait to be asked. Think about what the person's problem is or what they want to accomplish and then do something helpful. Proactively helping is most always much more helpful than help that is merely offered though it does take a little more time, a little more thought, and a little more effort. "Did that help?" is often the best question you can ask. As Sunshine Magazine pointed out, "He who gives when he is asked has waited too long."

The famous Anon. had a particularly pithy way of emphasizing the importance of being proactive with others, "Being good is commendable, but only when it is combined with doing good is it useful." Albert Schweitzer and William James respectively joined the help when you can, wherever you can chorus. "Wherever a man turns he can find someone who needs him;" and "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." Perhaps the last word on it should go to George Bernard Shaw who said, "This is the true joy in life - being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; being a force of nature instead of a feverish selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy."

Now you know so there you go.

I have made what may be one of the world’s seventeen greatest discoveries. It is this: “Always keep it short and to the point.” You may disagree, citing Robert Southey who said, “It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn,” or Shakespeare who promised in Hamlet, “Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, and tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief.”

Of course you are not questioning my point, just my assertion that I personally made the discovery. Naturally, I know that Baltasar Gracián said that “Good things, when short, are twice as good.,” in The Art of Worldly Wisdom; and Thomas Jefferson said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

These great minds along with many others counsel us to be concise and not impose on the patience of anyone when we can avoid it. They have mostly intended their advice for the written word. For example, Lord Sandwich advised, “If any man will draw up his case, and put his name at the foot of the first page, I will give him an immediate reply. Where he compels me to turn over

the sheet, he must wait my leisure.”

Or even more expansively and intending his point for every-day conversation, Mozart reported this, “My great-grandfather used to say to his wife, my great-grandmother, who in turn told her daughter, my grandmother, who repeated it to her daughter, my

mother, who used to remind her daughter, my own sister, that to talk well and eloquently was a very great art, but that an equally great one was to know

the right moment to stop.”

Dennis Roth made the same point but even briefer, “If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought;” and David Belasco was even more pithy, “If you can't write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don't have a clear idea.” The point is whether writing or talking, don’t be who Rabelais was talking about when he said, “He replies nothing but monosyllables. I believe he would make three bites of a cherry.” William Strunk Jr.cut to the chace for us, “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” Just omit whatever is not necessarily necessary.

That brings me back to my great discovery. Yes, I am still saying that it is my discovery, even though others have argued for brevity and conciseness long before I ever had a useful thought. Here is the discovery part of my discovery.

Whenever anyone starts to argue with whatever you have said or done, always keep it short and to the point. You will be tempted to reciprocate with a counter-argument, further explanation or justification, but there is seldom any point to the effort. Winning arguments is most always a futile hope. Instead, calmly wait until the other person has stopped pressing their argument – and they will stop sooner or later. At that point, simply say, “Thanks for sharing your perspective.” If the other person picks back up with arguing, wait and repeat.

You may not think this is one of the seventeen greatest discoveries ever, but don’t reject it until you’ve tried it.

Now you know so there you go.

I have made what may be one of the world’s seventeen greatest discoveries. It is this: “Always keep it short and to the point.” You may disagree, citing Robert Southey who said, “It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn,” or Shakespeare who promised in Hamlet, “Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, and tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief.”

Of course you are not questioning my point, just my assertion that I personally made the discovery. Naturally, I know that Baltasar Gracián said that “Good things, when short, are twice as good.,” in The Art of Worldly Wisdom; and Thomas Jefferson said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

These great minds along with many others counsel us to be concise and not impose on the patience of anyone when we can avoid it. They have mostly intended their advice for the written word. For example, Lord Sandwich advised, “If any man will draw up his case, and put his name at the foot of the first page, I will give him an immediate reply. Where he compels me to turn over

the sheet, he must wait my leisure.”

Or even more expansively and intending his point for every-day conversation, Mozart reported this, “My great-grandfather used to say to his wife, my great-grandmother, who in turn told her daughter, my grandmother, who repeated it to her daughter, my

mother, who used to remind her daughter, my own sister, that to talk well and eloquently was a very great art, but that an equally great one was to know

the right moment to stop.”

Dennis Roth made the same point but even briefer, “If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought;” and David Belasco was even more pithy, “If you can't write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don't have a clear idea.” The point is whether writing or talking, don’t be who Rabelais was talking about when he said, “He replies nothing but monosyllables. I believe he would make three bites of a cherry.” William Strunk Jr.cut to the chace for us, “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” Just omit whatever is not necessarily necessary.

That brings me back to my great discovery. Yes, I am still saying that it is my discovery, even though others have argued for brevity and conciseness long before I ever had a useful thought. Here is the discovery part of my discovery.

Whenever anyone starts to argue with whatever you have said or done, always keep it short and to the point. You will be tempted to reciprocate with a counter-argument, further explanation or justification, but there is seldom any point to the effort. Winning arguments is most always a futile hope. Instead, calmly wait until the other person has stopped pressing their argument – and they will stop sooner or later. At that point, simply say, “Thanks for sharing your perspective.” If the other person picks back up with arguing, wait and repeat.

You may not think this is one of the seventeen greatest discoveries ever, but don’t reject it until you’ve tried it.

Now you know so there you go.

I have made what may be one of the world’s seventeen greatest discoveries. It is this: “Always keep it short and to the point.” You may disagree, citing Robert Southey who said, “It is with words as with sunbeams. The more they are condensed, the deeper they burn,” or Shakespeare who promised in Hamlet, “Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit, and tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes, I will be brief.”

Of course you are not questioning my point, just my assertion that I personally made the discovery. Naturally, I know that Baltasar Gracián said that “Good things, when short, are twice as good.,” in The Art of Worldly Wisdom; and Thomas Jefferson said, “The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.”

These great minds along with many others counsel us to be concise and not impose on the patience of anyone when we can avoid it. They have mostly intended their advice for the written word. For example, Lord Sandwich advised, “If any man will draw up his case, and put his name at the foot of the first page, I will give him an immediate reply. Where he compels me to turn over

the sheet, he must wait my leisure.”

Or even more expansively and intending his point for every-day conversation, Mozart reported this, “My great-grandfather used to say to his wife, my great-grandmother, who in turn told her daughter, my grandmother, who repeated it to her daughter, my

mother, who used to remind her daughter, my own sister, that to talk well and eloquently was a very great art, but that an equally great one was to know

the right moment to stop.”

Dennis Roth made the same point but even briefer, “If it takes a lot of words to say what you have in mind, give it more thought;” and David Belasco was even more pithy, “If you can't write your idea on the back of my calling card, you don't have a clear idea.” The point is whether writing or talking, don’t be who Rabelais was talking about when he said, “He replies nothing but monosyllables. I believe he would make three bites of a cherry.” William Strunk Jr.cut to the chace for us, “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.” Just omit whatever is not necessarily necessary.

That brings me back to my great discovery. Yes, I am still saying that it is my discovery, even though others have argued for brevity and conciseness long before I ever had a useful thought. Here is the discovery part of my discovery.

Whenever anyone starts to argue with whatever you have said or done, always keep it short and to the point. You will be tempted to reciprocate with a counter-argument, further explanation or justification, but there is seldom any point to the effort. Winning arguments is most always a futile hope. Instead, calmly wait until the other person has stopped pressing their argument – and they will stop sooner or later. At that point, simply say, “Thanks for sharing your perspective.” If the other person picks back up with arguing, wait and repeat.

You may not think this is one of the seventeen greatest discoveries ever, but don’t reject it until you’ve tried it.

Now you know so there you go.

"We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done." Although Longfellow's pronouncement has superficial plausibility, it's merely an example of polar logic. One pole is what you feel capable of doing and the other is what you have already done. The judgment reduces to can and did. You judge yourself based on "can" and others judge you based on "did." The reality is that such judgments rarely reduce to either can or did, for you or for others who judge you.

Look first at "can." If this is a judgment you make about yourself, is it reasonable to make it without considering "did?" Relying exclusively on what you think you can do, without considering what you have done, places no value on prior experience. It also acknowledges an inability to learn. Alternatively, if you consider did to the exclusion of can, your behavior is simply repetitive; and you will need to take Albert Einstein's observation to heart, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Look next at "did." If others are expecting change, improvement, innovation, or new approaches and strategies, you aren't the person they need. They can only expect you to do again what you did before. Unless "can" is considered, nothing new or different ever happens. The conclusion is that can and did aren't separable. They are the head and tail of the coin of progress.

How then should one approach success? What is the best strategy for blending did and can? Arthur Schopenhauer pointed out, "a man can do as he will, but not will as he will." The message is that you can't simply "will" things to happen. You have a wide range of options for doing but no magical powers. Alexander Graham Bell said, "The most successful men in the end are those whose success is the result of steady accretion … It is the man who carefully advances step by step, with his mind becoming wider and wider - and progressively better able to grasp any theme or situation - persevering in what he knows to be practical, and concentrating his thought upon it, who is bound to succeed in the greatest degree."

The basis for judgment is now clearer. You and those who judge you focus on both did and can. Success is a blending of the two sides of the coin; and if your goal is to get a thumbs-up from you and from others, you need to get high marks on this short quiz. – Good luck!

1. Are you carefully advancing, step by step?

2. Is your mind becoming wider and wider?

3. Are you persevering in what you know to be practical?

4. Are you concentrating on succeeding?

Sure, it's simply a variation on the old story, "Nothing succeeds like success."

Now you know so there you go.