Their Greatest Lessons
Fast Company has a great article asking 12 very successful businesspeople what their greatest lesson has been. Some choice selections I like:
Scott Adams
Cartoonist
‘You don’t have to be a “person of influence” to be influential…Realize that in some way you influence everyone you come in contact with.’
Katherine Hudson
President and CEO
W.H. Brady Co.
‘When someone offers you a challenge, don’t think of all the reasons why you can’t do it. Instead, say, “Yes!” Then figure out how you’ll get it done.’
Anthony Robbins
President and CEO
Robbins Research International
‘With simple steps, and a little understanding, every challenge can become an opportunity for personal growth.’
Jim Hackett
President and CEO
Steelcase Inc.
‘We all have tremendous potential, and there are a lot of areas in which we can be effective. And whether or not we reach our potential, our value remains the same – because it comes from “being human.”‘
John Peterman
Chairman and CEO
J. Peterman Co.
‘You’ve got to keep your successes and failures in perspective. Don’t let bad experiences debilitate or demotivate you. Many people berate themselves when they fail. This is the worst thing to do. If you beat yourself up all the time, it’s hard to get back in the game…If you let failure bother you, you’ll never succeed. Don’t fear failure. Learn from it.’
Check out what all 12 have to say in detail: My Greatest Lesson
I agree that a key to self management is self esteem. I would offer that true life inspiration happens when you find something you love to do and make it a part of your everyday experience. Here’s an exercise:
1. Write down 10 things you love to do or that bring you the most joy. I call this the “You List”
2. Then record how many times a day you do one of the things on your list
3. Give each day of the week a rating from 1-10
4. Your best day usually comes out to be the day you do the most things on your “You List”
I can easily relate to the first part of the story, in the past I was one of those people pretending you have done something and then be very uncomfortable when someone asks more detailed questions.
It is not a good feeling and being upfront from the beginning really saves you the embarassment later.