Weekly Thought – August 29, 2017
Fred was born September 1, 1915. His was a childhood marked by economic depression, physical disability, and many moves. But he was also exposed to ideas, dreams, and goals which helped define his adult life. As he writes to this young man asking about ways to live successfully, Fred adds several “Don’ts” to the list of “Do”s. We will look at several in the next few weeks.
Persevere
Don’t give up. Once I was working with the great lawyer J. Mack Swigert on a difficult labor relations case. It was more than difficult – it looked impossible to me. Feeling the need for a mattress to fall on in the event we lost, I started listing the good reasons we might not win. He stopped he cold and quickly.
“Fred, it’s better to win – you don’t have to explain a win, and you can’t explain a loss.” He added, smiling “And the fees are better and paid more quickly for a win.” Yes, we won.
Don’t spend time giving up on thinking of reasons you should give up. Did you ever wonder why the follow-through in golf is so important? The “high finish” is what every great pro promotes. It doesn’t have anything to do with hitting the ball. It comes after the ball is struck. Then why worry about the follow-through? Simple. Follow-through shows you didn’t start stopping before making contact with the ball. Most casual golfers stop (or at least start stopping) the club before it hits the ball. When you finish high you know you accelerated through the ball as you should. The follow-through evidences not quitting. Just so, it is important to develop winning habits that won’t quit at the crucial moment, not even subconsciously.
You need to file this principle in your mental motivational muscles.
I once held a seminar for young men who had lost heavily in a serious economic downturn. For most, it was their first time to lose. Up until now they experienced upward progress with little or no losses. Many were confused and shaky. For this reason we billed the seminar “for losers, not quitters.” Losing is a temporary fact; quitting is an attitude. The film mogul Mike Todd once said, “I have been broke many times, but never poor.” Broke is in the pocket; poor is in the mind.
I have gained a reputation as a problem solver. Do you know what is the key? I assume there is a solution. Thinking there is no answer leads to almost certain death of creativity. It dulls the mental juices. When you operate from the position of knowing there is a solution – you just have to find it, your creativity kicks in. Now, it doesn’t mean the answer is always easy, or even the one you originally sought, but it does free you up to consider all alternatives. Keep on keeping on – it is a great habit.
This week think about: 1) How creative am I in solving problems? 2) Who has influenced my ability to persevere? 3) What would help me develop my “stick-to-it”?
Words of Wisdom: “Broke is in the pocket; poor is in the mind.”
Wisdom from the Word: “As a result we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and afflictions you are enduring.” (2 Thessalonians 1:4 NET Bible)