If you make listening and observation your occupation you will gain much more than you can by talk. – Robert Baden Powell, a former member of the British army who wrote the book Aid to Scouting, which spurred the growth of the scout movement for boys and girls.
If you flip through the channels in your cable television line up, you are bound to stumble upon a series called the Dog Whisperer starring Cesar Millan. You might also recall a movie named the Horse Whisperer starring and directed by Robert Redford. So what’s all the whispering about with all these Dr. Doolittle wannabes? Well I got sucked in one night and actually watched Millan do his thing…and what I noticed was that he was not really whispering anything, rather he was watching and more importantly listening to everything. I found it fascinating as he took a dog for a walk, traumatized owners in tow, to assess why this animal had such a high level of anxiety while taking a simple walk in the neighborhood. For most observers, it may have seemed like a chaotic dance as the dog would rip back and forth while the whisperer would laser focus in on the slightest of movements and sounds all the while interpreting in seconds what the dog was saying! It might seem like hocus pocus but the results were undeniable…within an hour’s worth of work, Millan had the dog running freely and excitedly like it had been freed from a self imposed prison…pulling Millan down the street on his roller blades!!
Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. – Leo Buscaglia, a teacher at the University of Southern California and New York Times best selling author, who worked actively to overcome social and mental barriers that inhibited the expression of love between people, from family to acquaintances, disabled, institutionalized, elderly and complete strangers.
There are times when you witness an image so powerful that it moves you somewhere deep inside and very emotionally. Those moments when other people display a core emotion so freely and openly that it seems to awaken our own suppressed or unrealized feelings. That very thing happened to me this weekend as I was walking through an open air shopping mall. Headed back to my car I noticed a family walking towards me; a mother, father and a son in a wheelchair. At first glance the most obvious trait was the beaming smiles on all of them, just like they didn’t have a care in the world! I’m talking about that look that says, “we’re milking the day for all it’s worth leaving nothing undone!” No question a wonderful site…but there was a detail even more compelling that had me riveted as they seemed to pass by me in super slow motion…
The reason a lot of people don’t recognize opportunity is because it usually goes around wearing overalls looking like hard work. – Thomas Edison, considered one of the most prolific inventors in history, holding 1,093 U.S. patents, as well as many patents in the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
In 1908 during an interview with steel baron Andrew Carnegie, reporter Napoleon Hill, was challenged to study the greatest minds of the time and develop a course that could be passed on to future generations. The culmination of 20 years of intense work was his hallmark book entitled Law of Success. Today he is certainly well known as the author of Think and Grow Rich, a much shorter and easier read that offers the message: what the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Capitalizing on this in modern times, the creators of “The Secret” simply titled this concept “The Law of Attraction.” Even though it’s well done, The Secret leaves you far from a ‘how to’ practical application or set of directions on how to really achieve your goals.
Efficiency is doing better what is already being done. – Peter Drucker, a writer and management consultant widely considered the father of modern management. He predicted the emergence of the information society with its necessity of lifelong learning.
We are only days away from the start of the Beijing Olympics and the headlines are covered with the stories and predictions of what’s to come. The greatest part of this event is when the amazing stories of the athletes’ arduous journey to the top emerge. For me this time, there is none more compelling than that of Dara Torres, a member of the United States women’s swimming team. Walking into my office one day, I noticed the cover of the new Time magazine graced with the picture of this 41 year old phenom. When I tell you this woman is a physical specimen, I would be doing this picture an injustice. Dara gives the term “six pack abs” a whole new meaning. If you have ever endeavored to get into great physical condition, you can appreciate how difficult it is to even find your abs beneath the layers of several ice cream parties gone wild! So at 41 years old, where the world scoffs at the ability of an athlete to even get into the game, Dara, also the mother of a two year old, has already made us sit up and take notice. By the way guys…this is not for the ladies, it’s for all of us, so pay close attention.
