Life Rules
1. Get and stay out of your comfort zone. I believe that not much
happens of any significance when we're in our comfort zone. I hear
people say, "But I'm concerned about security." My response to
that is simple: "Security is for cadavers."
2. Never give up. Almost nothing works the first time it's attempted.
Just because what you're doing does not seem to be working, doesn't
mean it won't work. It just means that it might not work the way
you're doing it. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it, and
you wouldn't have an opportunity.
3. When you're ready to quit, you're closer than you think. There's
an old Chinese saying that I just love, and I believe it is so true.
It goes like this: "The temptation to quit will be greatest just
before you are about to succeed."
4. With regard to whatever worries you, not only accept the worst
thing that could happen, but make it a point to quantify what the
worst thing could be. Very seldom will the worst consequence be
anywhere near as bad as a cloud of "undefined consequences." My
father would tell me early on, when I was struggling and losing
my shirt trying to get Parsons Technology going, "Well, Robert,
if it doesn't work, they can't eat you."
5. Focus on what you want to have happen. Remember that old saying,
"As you think, so shall you be."
6. Take things a day at a time. No matter how difficult your
situation is, you can get through it if you don't look too far
into the future, and focus on the present moment. You can get
through anything one day at a time.
7. Always be moving forward. Never stop investing. Never stop
improving. Never stop doing something new. The moment you stop
improving your organization, it starts to die. Make it your goal
to be better each and every day, in some small way. Remember the
Japanese concept of Kaizen. Small daily improvements eventually
result in huge advantages.
8. Be quick to decide. Remember what the Union Civil War general,
Tecumseh Sherman said: "A good plan violently executed today is
far and away better than a perfect plan tomorrow."
9. Measure everything of significance. I swear this is true.
Anything that is measured and watched, improves.
10. Anything that is not managed will deteriorate. If you want to
uncover problems you don't know about, take a few moments and look
closely at the areas you haven't examined for a while. I guarantee
you problems will be there.
11. Pay attention to your competitors, but pay more attention to
what you're doing. When you look at your competitors, remember that
everything looks perfect at a distance. Even the planet Earth, if
you get far enough into space, looks like a peaceful place.
12. Never let anybody push you around. In our society, with our
laws and even playing field, you have just as much right to what
you're doing as anyone else, provided that what you're doing is
legal.
13. Never expect life to be fair. Life isn't fair. You make your
own breaks. You'll be doing good if the only meaning fair has to
you, is something that you pay when you get on a bus (i.e., fare).
14. Solve your own problems. You'll find that by coming up with your
own solutions, you'll develop a competitive edge. Masura Ibuka,
the co-founder of SONY, said it best: "You never succeed in
technology, business, or anything by following the others." There's
also an old Asian saying that I remind myself of frequently. It goes
like this: "A wise man keeps his own counsel."
15. Don't take yourself too seriously. Lighten up. Often, at least
half of what we accomplish is due to luck. None of us are in control
as much as we like to think we are.
16. There's always a reason to smile. Find it. After all, you're
really lucky just to be alive. Life is short. More and more, I agree
with my little brother. He always reminds me: "We're not here for
a long time; we're here for a good time."
|
