Here are a couple of more excerpts from my latest book, Simple Realities (The pathway to happiness and success), which is now available at Amazon.com and on Kindle.
MOTIVATION
Mabel O’Brien was a teacher in the little rural school that I attended. Other than her friends, relatives and former students, probably no one would recognize her name. Yet, she was one of the greatest teachers of all time. Just ask any of her former students. How can I say this with such certainty? Because she made us want to learn, not because she intimidated us, but because she motivated us.
Better results are achieved by praising strengths than by criticizing weaknesses.
If you can’t instill confidence at least inspire hope.
People do things for their reasons, not yours; motivation must be tailored to individual needs.
Sometimes all you need to succeed is one competent, tireless enemy.
We all need to find something bigger than ourselves to believe in.
Encouragement after a failure is worth more than a medal after success.
Praise loudly and blame quietly.
OPPORTUNITY
Ed, who had recently moved to Toronto from Winnipeg, asked me what the population of Toronto was. At that time it was about two million, which was what I told him. “Good,” he smiled, “I only have to get fifty cents from each of them.”
Opportunities aren’t just in your surroundings; they’re also in you.
Opportunities are never lost; the ones you miss will be taken advantage of by others.
One reason opportunities get missed is because they’re often disguised as problems.
It’s better to be ready without an opportunity than to be presented with an opportunity and not be ready; Lincoln said, “I will study and get ready, perhaps my chance will come.”
When you kill time, be sure you’re not murdering an opportunity.