Snippets, Tips and Inspirational Stories

Do you remember the nickname of Abraham Lincoln? It was Honest Abe. When he was a young man, working in a general store, he walked several miles to return a couple of pennies that he had overcharged a woman. People heard about this and told the story to others. Overtime, he developed a reputation for complete honesty. He was so highly respected for his character that he was nominated to be the presidential candidate of the new Republican Party at the convention in Chicago in 1860, even though he never left Springfield, Illinois. His name and reputation carried the delegates. The qualities of his character made him one of America’s most revered and respected Presidents . The more you dwell on a virtue like integrity, the more you will behave consistently with it. The more you turn it over in your mind, as you would turn over a precious piece of artwork in your hands, the more the practices of that virtue will be programmed into your subconscious mind. The more you imprint this ...

At the age of 44, with no job, two kids in college and a third about to start, Jim had fallen on rough times. Dismissed by his employer in a major cutback, Jim had talked with nearly 200 people in search of another management position. As he arrived for his first interview with a large glass company, however, he was smiling and confident. This time, he felt, he had a job-winning strategy. In preparation, Jim had listed questions that kept coming up in earlier, unsuccessful interviews. Then he had a friend ask him the questions in front of a home video camera. Would I hire this person? Jim wondered as he watched himself on playback. No, he decided. "I sat sternly with arms folded - like a kid called to the principal's office. I scrambled. What I thought was self confidence came across as arrogance.” After more practice, Jim knew he was ready. And sure enough, the glass company hired him as a regional vice President. The same approach that helped Jim triu...

A 10-year-old boy decided to study Judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese Judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the Sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his master, the boy kept training. Several months later, the Sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, a...

Once upon a time a daughter complained to her father that her life was miserable and that she didn't know how she was going to make it. She was tired of fighting and struggling all the time. It seemed just as one problem was solved, another one soon followed. Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen. He filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Once the three pots began to boil, he placed potatoes in one pot, eggs in the second pot and coffee beans in the third pot. He then let them sit and boil, without saying a word to his daughter. The daughter, moaned and impatiently waited, wondering what he was doing. After twenty minutes he turned off the burners. He took the potatoes out of the pot and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He then ladled the coffee out and placed it in a cup. Turning to her he asked. "Daughter, what do you see?" "Potatoes, eggs, and coffee," she hastily replied. ...

Every four years, the world's attention turns to summer Olympic Games. For a few days, men and women from around the globe gather to compete against the best. Watching the summer games nowadays, it's almost difficult to remember that only a few decades ago, track and field experts declared that no runner could break the four-minute-mile barrier. Experts conducted all sorts of profound studies to show it was impossible to beat the four-minute barrier. And for years they were right. Nobody ever ran a mile in less than four minutes. But one day a young man came along who didn't believe the expert's opinions. He didn't dwell on the impossibilities. He began to train, believing he was going to break that record. Sure enough, he went out one day and broke the four minute-mile barrier. He did what the experts said couldn't be done. His name was Roger Bannister, and he made sports history. But the most interesting fact about this story is within ten years of the record,...

Sometimes the simplest of techniques gives a greater result. Most of us struggle to manage time and this tried and tested technique may be of use to you. You can try this today wherever you are and if it does work, pass it on to others. Charles Schwab, when he was president of Bethlehem Steel many years ago, called in Ivy Lee, a consultant, and said to him, ‘Show me a way to get more things done with my time, and I’ll pay you any fee within reason.’ Lee replied, ‘Fine. I’ll give you something in 20 minutes that will step up your output at least 50%.' With that, Lee handed Schwab a blank piece of paper and said, ‘Write down the six most important things you have to do tomorrow and number them in order of importance. Now put the piece of paper in your pocket. First thing tomorrow morning look at item one and start working on it until you finish it; then do item two, and so on; do this until quitting time and don’t be concerned if you have only finished one or two. You’ll be work...

Stan came home from work one evening to find his youngest son, Tim, kicking and screaming in the living room floor. He was to start kindergarten the next day and was protesting that he would not go. Stan’s normal reaction would have been to banish the child to his room and tell him he’d just better make up his mind to go. He had no choice. But tonight, recognizing that this would really not help Tim start kindergarten in the best frame of mind, Stan sat down and thought, “If I were Tim, why would I be excited about going to kindergarten?” He and his wife made a list of all the fun things Tim would do such as finger painting, singing songs, making new friends. Then they put them into action. They all started finger painting on the kitchen table – Stan, his wife Lif and his older son Bob, all having fun. Soon Tim started peeping around the corner. Next he was begging to participate. “Oh, no! You have to go to kindergarten first to learn how to finger paint” said Stan. With all the e...