Make Important and Powerful People Want to Be Your Friend
“A mighty flame followeth a tiny spark.” – Dante (“Paradiso,” The Divine Comedy, c. 1300-21) There are two things almost all people like to do: 1. talk about themselves 2. talk about something they know a lot about You can put these facts of life to work for you in…
What To Do When You Can’t Do What You Want To Do
A new client that agreed to sign up with you suddenly cancels. A promised promotion evaporates. The deadline your plumber swore to passes without anything’s having being done. When something you are counting on doesn’t happen, it can be such a drag. But it doesn’t have to be. The trick…
Interesting Trend in the Advertising World
Dear Early to Rise Reader, Last Monday, The USA Today reported on an interesting trend in the advertising world. Many of the world’s biggest and most successful companies, the paper reported, are now turning to direct-marketing (which they call the “ugly step-child” of the advertising world), instead of traditional, glitzy,…
A Basic Success Secret That Many Self-Help Gurus Just Don’t Get
In a recent e-mail article titled “Attitude is a very important word,” Earl Nightingale says that “of all the words in all the languages of the world … ‘attitude’ is the most important.” “More than any other single thing,” he says, “your attitude will determine … what happens to you.”…
15-Minute-a-Day Program
“‘Tis not knowing much, but what is useful, that makes a wise man.” – Thomas Fuller, M.D. (Gnomologia, 1732) If you want to be really good at what you do, you must do more than just work hard. You must stay au courant with your competition. If you are a…
The Traits of Leadership: Let’s Call It Like It Is
“There are men, who, by their sympathetic attractions, carry nations with them, and lead the activity of the human race.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson (“Power,” The Conduct of Life, 1860) To command the respect of your subordinates, you must lead with self-awareness, honesty, authenticity, and humility. So say Larry Bossidy…
A Mistake To Avoid
“The perplexity of life arises from there being too many interesting things in it for us to be interested properly in any of them.” – G.K. Chesterton (“The Secret of a Train,” Tremendous Trifles, 1901) I am unwinding a complication as I write this. It has involved (a) firing one…
“A Psalm of Life”: How To Make Your Life Sublime
“A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past; he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future.” Sydney J. Harris (On the Contrary, 1962) The mayor of Baltimore thinks I’m a cynic. He pretty much said so when we met. During the lunch conversation…
Speak Only Good Phrases
“Measure a thousand times and cut once.” – Turkish proverb Imagine the power you would have if you could say brave things when courage is called for, wise things when wisdom is needed, and sensible things when lunacy prevails. Consider the influence you would enjoy if you could find the…
How Good Is Your Next Big Idea?
“Without everyone embracing what we want to do, we haven’t got a prayer.” – Jack Welch The Big Idea is your strategy for growing and improving your business. It’s your particular take on how to do something faster/quicker/smarter/cheaper/better. Is your Big Idea clear to you? Or are you a little…
A Profitable “Job” Most People Have Never Heard Of
Dear Early to Rise Reader, I’d like to share with you a valuable secret I learned about the direct marketing industry recently. Over the next few years, I think it will allow me to boost my income by as much as 25% per year. It can probably do the same…
Two Secrets Of Success
“I have found that the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it.” – Harry S. Truman (television interview, May 27, 1955) BB, in his daily e-mail advisory Daily Reckoning, recounted the following conversation with his…