Sometimes The New Is The Old

The ideas, all six of them, seem like they were taken from today’s top-selling motivational books. They are simple. Associate only with people who uplift you, cease worrying about the uncontrollable, listen more than you speak and your reaction is what counts.  But these aren’t the words of John C. Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Jim Rohn or Jon Gordon.

These gems of wisdom date back almost 2,000 years and are attributed to the great Greek philosopher, Epictetus, who began life with a handicap—he was born a slave. If you are looking for an example of someone who started at the bottom and became a success, look no further.

Epictetus died in A.D. 135 but his wisdom lives on in the writings of today’s self-help and motivational authors and speakers. Epictetus’ ideas and thoughts have been rewritten, combined, separated, and repackaged. But, no matter the spin, the Greek philosopher’s wisdom is true, timeless and universal.

Truth is truth.

• “The key is to keep company with only people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”

• “There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.”

• “We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.”

• “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”

• “Difficulties are things that show a person what they are.”

• “The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.”

A key to success is to do activities that add to your value.  Reading “The Art of Living by Epictetus,” is an activity that will add to your success. While book is only 113 pages long, it is filled with practical and realistic counsel: stay focused on your own business, see things for what they really are, focus on your main duty, avoid adopting other people’s negative views, happiness can only be found within and emulate worthy role models.

In the beginning of the book, Epictetus asks: “How do I live a happy, fulfilling life?” The answer is found in the last sentence of the book: “Give your best and always be kind.”

If you only read one book this month, consider, “The Art of Living by Epictetus,” a new interpretation by Sharon Lebell.

It might be the second best book you ever read.

Three Point Success Summary

SUCCESS THOUGHT: Successful people can tolerate almost anything, but not ignorance. People who arrive have spent time reading and they continue to read. They read and learn from the master of the past and they seek information and wisdom from today’s leaders via books, magazines, internet, CDs and seminars. Real knowledge is never dated. Sometimes the new is the old.

SUCCESS QUOTE: “One that desires to excel should endeavor in those things that are in themselves most excellent.” —Epictetus

SUCCESS ACTION: Commit to reading for 30 minutes every day to stay current in your field.

 

Check out my book on personal success, "Mentor In The Mirror" at www.mentorinthemirror.com

 

 

To Succeed, Read! #76 062711

In a tight job market, like the current one, there are a lot of people looking for jobs and not a lot of jobs looking for people. You don't have to be a mathematician to know that the higher the unemployment rate the larger the number of people who are chasing the limited job opportunities.

With so many people unemployed today, you would think that there would be a lot of highly-qualified people looking for work in every industry. But that has not been my experience.

During the last 45 years I have interviewed hundreds of candidates seeking employment in positions ranging from sales and marketing to administration and purchasing, to human resources and operations. From these interviews I have drawn several conclusions.

First, many candidates are unprepared for the interview, knowing little more than my company has a job opening. They do little homework. Their lack of preparation quickly reveals the candidate is not knowledgeable of my company (it's products or services), the industry or, the competition. There is really no excuse for this ignorance. A wealth of company information is a click away via my company's web site.

Second, the focus of many candidates is on what they expect to get from the company. They have not considered what they can provide the company in exchange for a job or position. In reality, job interviewing is bartering. The candidates offers something—talent, education, experience, enthusiasm, problem solving ability—for something the potential employer has—a challenge, paycheck, prestige, opportunity, training, security. For success in the employment game , there cannot be one winner; there must be two: the employer and the employee.

In my interviews with candidates, I find it informative, educational, and useful to ask potential employees two questions: Question 1. What individual has had the most influence on your life and why? Question 2. What is the title of the last book you read?

For most people, the answer to "Who has had the most influence on your life?" is easy. The answers most often given are: my mother, my father, a grandparent, teacher or, a close relative. Answers as to why often provide an insight into the values of the candidate. "My grandfather taught me the value of hard work." Or, "My 10th. grade history teacher taught me that what goes around, comes around."

Once I know who had the big impact on the candidates life, I follow up with another question: "Why were they so influential?" The answer to why reveals a lot about the candidate and gives insight into their values. People often say, "My mother taught me to care for others and to be polite." "My father taught me discipline and to finish each job I start. His motto was, if it is to be, it is up to me. He taught me self-reliance." "Mrs. Johnson, my 10 grade history teacher, opened the world to me. Moreover, she taught me to apply the knowledge I was learning to my everyday life. Places, empires, and events came alive and relevant as she spoke."

The answer to my second question, "What is the last book you read?," is especially revealing. For many people, the longer they have been out of a formal education program—high school, trade school, college or graduate school—the more likely they won't have a book title to tell you. I think of this as, the inverse relationship between formal education and reading. The longer the person has been out of school, the less likely they are to have read a book recently.

I find it distressing, but for many people the last book they read was a text book that was required reading. Now, that they are out of a formal learning program, they don't feel the need to read and, they don't!

It's not surprising that today many book stores are going out of business. There are several reasons for this. The primary reason being, if people don't read, they aren't buying books. As someone said, the person who doesn't read is no better off than the person who can't read.

It takes discipline to read. And you must make an investment in time and energy. But the payoff is big if after reading you apply the principles that resonate with you.

Without execution, information is only potential power. It is application of information that transforms the potential power (information) into kinetic energy (the results). People find achieving their goals easier and quicker when they apply what they have learned.

If you want to become more successful, then become a better reader.

HOG THOUGHT: Often, success is just an action step away. To be successful in any field, you have to take action. Employers are looking for people who are prepared for success and willing to work for it. Don't talk to a potential employer about how valuable you are. Provide evidence that you will continually add value to their organization.

HOG QUOTE: "Employ your time in improving yourself by other men's writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for."—Socrates

HOG ACTION: Assume the responsibility for your own success: read books, magazines, attend seminars listen to tapes and CDs, ask questions and seek advice of experts in your field.