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…
READ MOREThe 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…
READ MOREA 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…
READ MORE“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…
READ MORESpeak 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…
READ MOREHow 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…
READ MOREA 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…
READ MORETwo 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…
READ MOREHow To Find Ideas: The Secret of “Creative Emulation”
“Had Shakespeare listened to the news of Duncan’s death in a tavern …?” – Graham Greene (Our Man in Havana, 1958) Creative emulation, as I define it, is the highly leveraged art of studying and observing all sorts of effective and successful marking techniques and concepts that companies totally outside…
READ MOREHow To Become A Great Thinker
“There never was an idea started that woke up men out of their stupid indifference but its originator was spoken of as a crank.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (Over the Teacups, 1891) So you want to be smart? Think great thoughts? Change the world with your ideas? Then you’ll…
READ MOREWhat’s Holding You Back?
“Let’s talk sense to the American people. Let’s tell them the truth, that there are no gains without pains.” – Adlai Stevenson (acceptance speech, Democratic National Convention, July 26, 1952) How are you doing with your dreams? Are you happy with your progress? Well on your way? Or are you…
READ MOREPeripatetic Managing: Does It Really Work?
Do you walk around the office? Some management experts think doing so is a critically important business skill. Others warn against it. In “Seven Habits of Highly Successful Executives,” Steven Covey makes suggestions for limiting and avoiding casual chats around the office. In Covey’s view, these are unnecessary and often…
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