When I was a young teenager I was self-conscious about my height and as most people do, I tried to compensate for it by making fun of someone who was shorter than myself.  That plan backfired one day when I tried to use it on the wrong person.  We all increase our stature in life by the Commitments we have made and the Risks taken to build a better world, inch by inch.

Stanley Diaz

It is a common weakness among people to assume after some early success that they are indeed experts at the art of business.  This leads them to take excessively large Risks that endanger the whole operation and sometimes their own health and wellbeing.  Slow and Steady wins the race.  When you decide to take a Risk ask yourself how much Commitment are you able to put behind it safely and consistently.  

Stanley Diaz

There are many times in life when the thought of trying to achieve against insurmountable odds keeps us from trying at all.  We are intimidated by the thought of trying to win at a quest that is way out of our league.  So we don't enter the competition.  We don't ask for the promotion or start our own business.  We are intimidated by the prospects of failure and don't even try.  But when there is much to be be gained by trying and only some hurt pride if you fail, Never give in to INTIMIDATION.

Stanley Diaz

The old saying "never judge a book by it's cover" is especially true with people.  I have learned many times that you never can truly tell what value someone may provide to you now or in the future.  You must ALWAYS treat everyone you meet as the most important person you know.  Even if it seems obvious that they are not of any great value to you.  Paying them respect is like planting seeds.  You never know what fruits they may produce many years from now.  

Stanley Diaz

All people are in business for themselves.  No matter who you are you still have a product or service that you want to sell to someone else.  If you are an artist then your product is competing against all other forms of art that consume the public attention.  Even if you are giving away money to charity there is still a need to seek out the best cause to support and convince that cause that accepting your money is in line with their values.  Education is the key to accomplishing your objectives most effectively with the fewest setbacks or "hard Knocks".  So when education is pouring down from the sky like soup, be sure you are ready to get some for yourself.

Acquiring a lot of money or fame is not success.  These are only tools you can use to build a successful life.  Having more tools without the skill or vision of how to use them will not make you a better craftsman.  The tools will come naturally to the person who is best able to use them.  I give examples of people I have known and try to judge how successful they seem to be to me.