Tools You Use

Isn't it strange
That princes and kings,
And clowns that caper
In sawdust rings,
And common people
Like you and me
Are builders for eternity?

Each is given a bag of tools,
A shapeless mass,
A book of rules;
And each must make--
Ere life if flown--
A stumbling block
Or a steppingstone.

-R.L.Sharpe

Impossible or Not

Everything that was impossible.

"Man will never reach the moon regardless of all future scientific advances." -Dr. Lee DeForest, "Father of Radio & Grandfather of Television"

"There is no likelihood man can ever tap the power of the atom." -Robert Millikan, Nobel Prize in Physics, 1923

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers." -Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"640K of memory ought to be enough for anybody." -Bill Gates, 1981

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication. The device is inherently of no value to us." -Western Union internal memo, 1876

"The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a 'C,' the idea must be feasible." -Yale University management professor in response to Fred Smith's paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service. (Smith went on to found Federal Express Corp.)

"We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out." -Decca Recording Co. rejecting the Beatles, 1962

"Drill for oil? You mean drill into the ground to try and find oil? You're crazy." -Drillers who Edwin L. Drake tried to enlist to his project to drill for oil in 1859

"Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value." -Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre, France

"Everything that can be invented has been invented." -Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, US Office of Patents, 1899.

"I don't know what use any one could find for a machine that would make copies of documents. It certainly couldn't be a feasible business by itself." -Head of IBM, refusing to back the idea, forcing the inventor to found Xerox.

"Louis Pasteur's theory of germs is ridiculous fiction." -Pierre Pachet, Professor of Physiology at Toulouse, 1872

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home." -Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp, 1977

Did someone tell you that your dream or goal was impossible?

Don't believe them. Even the smartest people in the world have failed to see that the impossible is possible. Stay inspired my friends.

Your Vision - Your Goals

"If you want to make your dreams come true, the first thing you have to do is wake up." -J.M. Power

Being goal-oriented means never leaving home without knowing where you are going. It means being visionary about what you want to do with your life. You look for possibilities and figure out how to turn them into actualities.

Being goal-oriented means having a plan and a result in mind. It means being prepared for the journey and enjoying the trip along the way. Ultimately, it means having a view as to what lay at the end of the trail.

I will admit that I have never been the best at being goal-oriented. That isn't all that true because I do establish goals. My success has come from having a vision in mind and then simply moving upon it. I make changes and adjustments along the way as I journey towards that vision. Over the years, this process has taught me that it works to establish a vision even though the path is full of twists and turns.

If you want to bring your vision to fruition, establish goals for that vision. Two things to help you do this are;

- Write down your vision
- Write down three goals that will set a course towards your vision

By writing down your vision and goals, it will make your vision much more real, much more attainable. Setting goals will move you towards your vision and give you check points along the way. Once you have completed the steps above, now do the following;

- Make several copies of the vision and goals you just wrote down.
- Put one in your billfold or purse.
- Place one on your desk at work, at school and at home.
- Tape one to your bathroom or bedroom mirror.
- Put one in places where you will see it during the normal things you do through out your day.

Repeat your vision and goals to yourself when you can. Keep reminding yourself of how and where you will be. Tell your story to others when the opportunity presents itself. Allow your family and friends to be your touchstone; allow them to hold you accountable. More importantly, stay focused on your goals.

Your vision will grow and shine brighter within you and become much clearer as you get closer to realizing it.

What Kind of Success

"Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it. There is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more a man has, the more he wants. Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one." -Benjamin Franklin

There is a section of London I stay in when visiting on business. The area is quite near to Kensington Palace, a bit west of Buckingham Palace. This area is a very well-to-do area if gauged by the expensive flats and cars parked out front. There are a number of Porsche, BMW, Mercedes and the sight of a Bentley or two that make me realize my older Chrysler Concorde would be out of place among them.

As you walk through this area you can certainly feel the presence of money. The imagination begins to run wild with thoughts of wondering how these people living in these nices homes make that money. I can imagine that many of the people living in this area are involved in finance, insurance, the arts or possibly politics. My mother would have said, "yes, but you don't know what their credit card bills are like." There is probably a bit of truth to that. My guess is that they can afford the credit card bills.

Yet wealth comes in many fashions. My wife had reminded me of the story in which two people who liked to gossip. This couple had seen a new expensive car that another couple in their church were driving. Of course they came to a conclusion that this couple could not have obtained it through legal means. The rumors they passed on became more cruel and outrageous. The couple with the new car became deeply hurt when they heard the stories. They had simply inherited a great sum of money from a relative that had passed on. In this particular story, the saddened couple left the church.

So tell me, would you begrudge someone that had obtained a certain level of financial success?

Why do people gossip and think hurtful thoughts in this manner about the success of others?

I can only believe most of it has to do with jealousy. Jealous of what others have. When we don't have what others do, we allow envy to enter our hearts and minds. It can become a very devastating way to view others. It is my contention that we should choose to be happy for those that have achieved. A greater share of these people have worked hard and truly earned their success.

Most certainly there are those that have obtained success in a not so reputable fashion. But choose to believe in the majority that have honestly earned it. We should be proud of them because doing so is a step in getting out of your old attitudes and into new ones. Dream and believe that you will have that level of success as well.

Petty jealousy is what keeps you down. Be a bigger person and throw away those thoughts. Revel in others success as it can be yours one day. And remember, success is not only financial. Success is a feeling you achieve inside. You will know it when you feel it deep inside.

For me, I'm already a successful man with the family and friends that I have. I have a job that I enjoy immensely and allows me to travel. I get to meet others from all around the world. I get to experience their kindness and pass it on to others. Success is a feeling inside and no one can take that from you.

Stay inspired my friends.