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Carolyn Smagalski
Strategies for Success
Founder - Editor - Host
"Indiana Rubber Man" coach John Wooden said it right: "Do not
let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."
Wooden is considered the most successful coach in college
basketball history, having secured a stunning record of
victories with the UCLA teams he led.
Focus on your assets, taking care not to force yourself into
inaction due to the shortcomings you imagine. When you are
faced with the challenge of a novel leadership role, embrace
it with enthusiasm! Your apparent self-confidence will be the
iron that gives you strength through the rough spots.
I have a friend who is a successful business owner. His
father died when he was quite young, leaving his mother to
raise the children on her own. Due to their meager
circumstances, my friend was in a Home for Boys for
several years, until his mom could establish herself in the
business world of men, who were in the majority at the time.
This lady became a "tower-of-strength" role model for her
family. She led a crusade to change her little city street
into a "one-way" thoroughfare, in order to make it safer for
the residents. She began working for a government agency and,
before long, was writing government contracts for the
military. She trained the lieutenants and generals who came
into the department. She was bestowed with a Distinguished
Civilian Service Medal upon her retirement from service.
This is an outstanding achievement for a woman who had no
experience and little formal education at a time in history
when business and government were almost entirely ruled by
men.
"Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and
suddenly you are doing the impossible," wrote St. Francis of
Assisi. It appears that my friend's mother is the premier
illustration for Assisi's words.
Here's the formula: Begin by organizing your thoughts into a
somewhat tangible form. Add the necessity to succeed - some
circumstance that would result in an unbearable situation.
Sprinkle with determination and tenacity. This forces you to
acquire the skills you lack and to develop the self-confidence
you realize is necessary to succeed. Go for the golden ring!
Of course, as Barbara Sher said, "Doing is a quantum leap from
imagining. Thinking about swimming isn't much like actually
getting in the water." This is a valid point. However, when
you understand the full power that total commitment imparts
when forging toward a particular result, you will trudge
onward with continuous effort until you reach the summit.
Content copyright © 2003-2008 by Carolyn
Smagalski. All rights reserved. This content was written
by Carolyn Smagalski. If you wish to use this content in any
manner, you need written permission.
Contact Carolyn Smagalski
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