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The ladder of success begins on the ground
published: Wednesday | February 7, 2007
Tony Williamson
"We're like bicycles, which stand upright as long as we have forward motion towards a goal. But we, like bicycles, fall when we no longer have direction in our lives."
- Lewis Timberlake
We are dealing with the acronym DOME - diagnosis, objectives, methods, evaluation. DOME is a proven formula for success. Today we continue our thoughts on methods (work). We will not achieve our goals by wishing and dreaming. Goals will only be achieved by intelligent, self-directed goals, driven by 'blood sweat and tears'.
Successful people work hard, very hard, 10-16 hours per day towards specific objectives. An eight-hour workday, especially for a person just starting professional life, is only flattering to deceive. If you work for a salary or fixed wages for eight hours per day, you are treading water.
Life's Compensations
Nearly 40 years ago when I married, I placed a plaque over the section of the kitchen where I knew my wife would see it. It was intended to be funny, but it carried an element of humorous truth. It said (to my wife):
"How to act like a lady.
How to look like a girl and ...
How to WORK LIKE A DOG!"
An affable, even-tempered, unruffled lady, she never moved that plaque and I kept seeing, 'How to work like a dog' every time I opened the refrigerator (which I did frequently). That repetition entered my subconscious and it was I who ended up working like a dog! Now here is a beautiful compensation about life. Where work is concerned, this is true: 'DO MORE THAN YOU ARE PAID FOR, AND YOU WILL BE PAID FOR MORE THAN YOU DO.'
An inviolable law is this: Whatever you sow in work, you reap in success. Over the past 38 years, I have had the pleasure of working with, training and developing life insurance agents. I have always made the point to them that no great achievement is ever made without hard, indefatigable, persistent work. Most agents fail, not because of ability, but because of laziness, lack of focus, lack of planning, believing that four hours a day will make them super sales people.
Many fell into the trap of pushing paper in the office, running quotations, not realising that seeing the people was the key to their success. But those who went beyond the boundaries of mediocrity in hours of intelligent work made it.
That Extra Effort
Life is no man's debtor. Life pays you exactly what you bargain for. If you bargain with life for a penny, life will pay you no more. Young people make one huge mistake; they first concern themselves with high income. So many people come to me seeking help, and they start with, "My salary is so small. I need another job." But this is putting the cart before the horse, balancing the triangle on its apex rather than on its base. My response to them is usually this, "Fine. But what will you exchange for this high income?"
People will not simply pay you a high income because you think you deserve it, or have several degrees at the end of your name. Degrees do not do the work. It is you who must do the work. It's not the MBA that's important. It's what services, goods or products you are prepared to exchange for your income. Young people ought not to be first preoccupied with a high income. They should be preoccupied with hard work, long hours, gaining experience, thrifty living and great goals. In their early years, income might be small; but as they put in the hard work, income comes in torrents as they make a name for themselves later in life.
Get into the habit of making that extra effort, of rising early, studying your line of business, working hard and expecting greatness. If you are in sales, remember the three rules of success: See the people. See the people. See the people.
In the beginning, we make our habits, in the end our habits make us. Do not expect to walk into
published: Wednesday | February 7, 2007
Tony Williamson
"We're like bicycles, which stand upright as long as we have forward motion towards a goal. But we, like bicycles, fall when we no longer have direction in our lives."
- Lewis Timberlake
We are dealing with the acronym DOME - diagnosis, objectives, methods, evaluation. DOME is a proven formula for success. Today we continue our thoughts on methods (work). We will not achieve our goals by wishing and dreaming. Goals will only be achieved by intelligent, self-directed goals, driven by 'blood sweat and tears'.
Successful people work hard, very hard, 10-16 hours per day towards specific objectives. An eight-hour workday, especially for a person just starting professional life, is only flattering to deceive. If you work for a salary or fixed wages for eight hours per day, you are treading water.
Life's Compensations
Nearly 40 years ago when I married, I placed a plaque over the section of the kitchen where I knew my wife would see it. It was intended to be funny, but it carried an element of humorous truth. It said (to my wife):
"How to act like a lady.
How to look like a girl and ...
How to WORK LIKE A DOG!"
An affable, even-tempered, unruffled lady, she never moved that plaque and I kept seeing, 'How to work like a dog' every time I opened the refrigerator (which I did frequently). That repetition entered my subconscious and it was I who ended up working like a dog! Now here is a beautiful compensation about life. Where work is concerned, this is true: 'DO MORE THAN YOU ARE PAID FOR, AND YOU WILL BE PAID FOR MORE THAN YOU DO.'
An inviolable law is this: Whatever you sow in work, you reap in success. Over the past 38 years, I have had the pleasure of working with, training and developing life insurance agents. I have always made the point to them that no great achievement is ever made without hard, indefatigable, persistent work. Most agents fail, not because of ability, but because of laziness, lack of focus, lack of planning, believing that four hours a day will make them super sales people.
Many fell into the trap of pushing paper in the office, running quotations, not realising that seeing the people was the key to their success. But those who went beyond the boundaries of mediocrity in hours of intelligent work made it.
That Extra Effort
Life is no man's debtor. Life pays you exactly what you bargain for. If you bargain with life for a penny, life will pay you no more. Young people make one huge mistake; they first concern themselves with high income. So many people come to me seeking help, and they start with, "My salary is so small. I need another job." But this is putting the cart before the horse, balancing the triangle on its apex rather than on its base. My response to them is usually this, "Fine. But what will you exchange for this high income?"
People will not simply pay you a high income because you think you deserve it, or have several degrees at the end of your name. Degrees do not do the work. It is you who must do the work. It's not the MBA that's important. It's what services, goods or products you are prepared to exchange for your income. Young people ought not to be first preoccupied with a high income. They should be preoccupied with hard work, long hours, gaining experience, thrifty living and great goals. In their early years, income might be small; but as they put in the hard work, income comes in torrents as they make a name for themselves later in life.
Get into the habit of making that extra effort, of rising early, studying your line of business, working hard and expecting greatness. If you are in sales, remember the three rules of success: See the people. See the people. See the people.
In the beginning, we make our habits, in the end our habits make us. Do not expect to walk into