I once heard Debbie Fields, when talking about success, state 'Good enough, never is.'
The idea here of course is that it's not good to settle for 'good enough', and that's not the way to success. I respectfully disagree and I'd like to ask Ms. Fields, 'Debbie, at what point did you decide to start selling your cookies?'
We all know that 'perfection' by definition is unattainable. Therefore anything less than perfect can always be improved. And in the case of a cookie, one person's perfect will be different than another person's. Therefore if you were trying to create the perfect cookie, you would be chasing an unattainable goal.
This leads to my premise that at some point Debbie had to actually utter those words, whether out loud or in her head, 'This is good enough.' Had she not done so, she would still be working on her recipe in her kitchen.
So from a success standpoint, and making the most of your ideas, be sure to get 'out there' even before your product or idea is perfect.
General Colin Powell said he makes decisions after getting 80% of the facts. If you wait for 100%, you'll never make a decision.
Avoid the paralysis of analysis, and just do it. You can perfect it as you go. It's o.k. to have something be a work in progress. A nearly perfect idea making you money is better than a perfect idea sitting in your desk drawer.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Politically Correct
In this country we all have the right to our opinion. That, however, does not make all our opinions right.
While I have no problem with people being sensitive to each other's situations, we may want to examine the extent to which so many seem to go just to make sure we don't offend.
It seems as if so many people are letting others get away with doing the wrong thing, simply because they are afraid to stand up for what is right and wrong.
We all see things on a daily basis that we know are wrong, yet we fail to speak out simply so we don't offend the other person.
Well the truth is, we can't be all things to all people. I don't advocate going out of our way to be sure we offend, but if we don't offend someone, we really aren't doing much with our lives.
If we take a look back in history, even the greatest people we can think of had someone opposed to them. It is the people who live a life of quiet, that also lead a life of quiet desperation.
Stand up for what you believe. You will offend somebody, but it's better than being a nobody.
Stand for something. Be passionate about what you do. These two things often lead to great success!
While I have no problem with people being sensitive to each other's situations, we may want to examine the extent to which so many seem to go just to make sure we don't offend.
It seems as if so many people are letting others get away with doing the wrong thing, simply because they are afraid to stand up for what is right and wrong.
We all see things on a daily basis that we know are wrong, yet we fail to speak out simply so we don't offend the other person.
Well the truth is, we can't be all things to all people. I don't advocate going out of our way to be sure we offend, but if we don't offend someone, we really aren't doing much with our lives.
If we take a look back in history, even the greatest people we can think of had someone opposed to them. It is the people who live a life of quiet, that also lead a life of quiet desperation.
Stand up for what you believe. You will offend somebody, but it's better than being a nobody.
Stand for something. Be passionate about what you do. These two things often lead to great success!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
President Bush's Oprah Appearance
Again, not to get political, but this just happens to be a good example.
I just saw former President Bush's appearance on Oprah yesterday. While I'm not a big daytime (nor night time) tv watcher, I couldn't help but pay attention as I was eating dinner.
One of the things that struck me was how good of a person he really seems to be, largely because of what I often refer to as someone's 'character'. Character as I describe it is when someone has conviction in what they are doing, and does what they believe in, and does what they say they will, never allowing popular opinion to blow you off course, no matter what others may think.
It was obvious during the interview, and by looking at his presidency, that he is a man of character. He could have done a lot of things differently and been more popular, yet he stuck to what he believed in the face of adversity, and public criticism.
As a result his popularity diminished, but you can tell he feels good about holding his ground about his core values and what he believes.
I'd much rather follow a man who tells you what he believes and lets you know where he is going, and does what he says, even if it is opposite of what I believe, than a man who is only in it for popularity. Popularity holds no substance, is fleeting, and eventually means nothing.
By contrast, if you look at the current administration, who campaigned on getting the troops out of Iraq, closing Guantanamo Bay, and has done neither. Sure it was popular and useful to get elected, but how does it look now, knowing the person making those promises didn't keep them?
I'm not making a political example here, it's just a good, current example of the difference in character. I know we can find other poor examples of both political parties and I'm not saying one is better than the other. I'm just getting to the important point that it is much better to be unpopular and have great character, than it is to be popular and have a poor character.
In the long run, you will eventually be judged, based on your character.
I just saw former President Bush's appearance on Oprah yesterday. While I'm not a big daytime (nor night time) tv watcher, I couldn't help but pay attention as I was eating dinner.
One of the things that struck me was how good of a person he really seems to be, largely because of what I often refer to as someone's 'character'. Character as I describe it is when someone has conviction in what they are doing, and does what they believe in, and does what they say they will, never allowing popular opinion to blow you off course, no matter what others may think.
It was obvious during the interview, and by looking at his presidency, that he is a man of character. He could have done a lot of things differently and been more popular, yet he stuck to what he believed in the face of adversity, and public criticism.
As a result his popularity diminished, but you can tell he feels good about holding his ground about his core values and what he believes.
I'd much rather follow a man who tells you what he believes and lets you know where he is going, and does what he says, even if it is opposite of what I believe, than a man who is only in it for popularity. Popularity holds no substance, is fleeting, and eventually means nothing.
By contrast, if you look at the current administration, who campaigned on getting the troops out of Iraq, closing Guantanamo Bay, and has done neither. Sure it was popular and useful to get elected, but how does it look now, knowing the person making those promises didn't keep them?
I'm not making a political example here, it's just a good, current example of the difference in character. I know we can find other poor examples of both political parties and I'm not saying one is better than the other. I'm just getting to the important point that it is much better to be unpopular and have great character, than it is to be popular and have a poor character.
In the long run, you will eventually be judged, based on your character.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wiconsin Democrats and Accountability
Rarely do I go on political rants. Most people know that I'm fiscally conservative, and socially liberal with a few minor tweaks for the most part. I don't hide it, I don't waffle, I believe what I believe, and I stick to it. I don't change what I think based on a whim. I don't blow in the wind, as this is one of the surest ways to failure in life.
This current topic, based in the political arena however, relates to another very important success principle that has recently been changing the face of our nation - accountability.
As most people around the country know by now, the democrats in the Wisconsin Senate have recently come across legislation they disagree with. Instead of doing what adults do, and what they're paid for - debating and settling the issue on the floor - they ran away. Like children who don't get their way.
Sure they knew they didn't have enough of them to get their way with a vote. They knew they couldn't win a vote and block the passage of Governor Walker's proposal. So what do you do in that case? Apparently turn tail and run.
Screenwriters in Hollywood know that people tend to not be themselves when times are good. The characters have to be put in dire situations before their true character shows. Want to see if a man believes in family over friends? Hang the man's friend and the man's brother over a cliff, and see who he chooses.
What are we learning in Wisconsin? The true nature of the Democrats in the Senate - when times are tough, when you don't get your way, become a coward and run away. Is this the type of person you want working for you?
What is this teaching our children? If you don't get your way, run away and hide. You don't have to face your problems. Push them off on someone else to take care of. Well like it or not that's become the American way. The adults who sanction this incompetence by their actions and words are completely at fault. This breed of losers is showing the children the most unacceptable way to handle problems - stick your head in the sand like an ostrich, or just whine and cry until you get your way.
If I had my way I'd be proposing new legislation making it mandatory to stop pay for any legislator going AWOL during the time they should be working.
It's time we man-and-women-up and take accountability for our actions, and teach the same to the children and young adults of this country. If we don't we will soon be a nation of losers, just like the Democratic runaways in Wisconsin.
This current topic, based in the political arena however, relates to another very important success principle that has recently been changing the face of our nation - accountability.
As most people around the country know by now, the democrats in the Wisconsin Senate have recently come across legislation they disagree with. Instead of doing what adults do, and what they're paid for - debating and settling the issue on the floor - they ran away. Like children who don't get their way.
Sure they knew they didn't have enough of them to get their way with a vote. They knew they couldn't win a vote and block the passage of Governor Walker's proposal. So what do you do in that case? Apparently turn tail and run.
Screenwriters in Hollywood know that people tend to not be themselves when times are good. The characters have to be put in dire situations before their true character shows. Want to see if a man believes in family over friends? Hang the man's friend and the man's brother over a cliff, and see who he chooses.
What are we learning in Wisconsin? The true nature of the Democrats in the Senate - when times are tough, when you don't get your way, become a coward and run away. Is this the type of person you want working for you?
What is this teaching our children? If you don't get your way, run away and hide. You don't have to face your problems. Push them off on someone else to take care of. Well like it or not that's become the American way. The adults who sanction this incompetence by their actions and words are completely at fault. This breed of losers is showing the children the most unacceptable way to handle problems - stick your head in the sand like an ostrich, or just whine and cry until you get your way.
If I had my way I'd be proposing new legislation making it mandatory to stop pay for any legislator going AWOL during the time they should be working.
It's time we man-and-women-up and take accountability for our actions, and teach the same to the children and young adults of this country. If we don't we will soon be a nation of losers, just like the Democratic runaways in Wisconsin.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Poscast News
Just had a chance to preview the format of the new, upcoming Poscasts.
Matt has been doing an awesome job of production and I think you're going to love them!
I'll let you know as soon as they are available!
Matt has been doing an awesome job of production and I think you're going to love them!
I'll let you know as soon as they are available!
Goal Setting
New article by Positive G published. Check out the website 'StartUp Growth Expert', at:
http://www.startupgrowthexpert.com/2010/09/the-secret-to-goal-setting/ to see the most current article by Positive G.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Gold Nugget for the week
Never confuse 'almost done' with 'done'. They are not the same, and the seemingly small difference, can often be a huge difference!
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