How To Turn Your Esoteric Knowledge Into Big Bucks
One of the most interesting things about Bruce Pandolfini — apart from the fact that he was the expert commentator on the world’s most famous chess match (the 1972 Fischer-Spassky match on PBS) and that he was the inspiration for the movie “Searching for Bobby Fischer” (as the teacher, not…
READ MOREPlan To Persuade
“Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” – Thomas EdisonEvery time you have a business meeting — and this applies equally to informal lunch meetings and conferences in the boardroom — you have a chance to advance your business and moneymaking…
READ MOREBecome a Marketing Genius By Asking Flattering Questions
“Mountains of gold would not seduce some men, yet flattery would break them down.” – Henry Ward Beecher (Proverbs From Plymouth Pulpit, 1887) There is a businessman I know, SP, who is considered by some to be occasionally bombastic, if not arrogant. And even from my braggadocian perspective, he sometimes…
READ MOREThe Secret Shared By Tiger Woods And Michael Jordan
“The sweat of hard work is not to be displayed. It is much more graceful to be favored by the gods.” – Maxine Hong Kingston Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan are good friends. They have a number of things in common. They are rich, black, good-looking, well-known, and well-liked. They…
READ MOREHow To Work From Anywhere In The World, Part I
Yesterday, we talked about the possibility of working — at least for part of the year — in a place you’d normally go only for vacation. I said I believed that if you played it right, you could have your cake and eat it too — live in a paradise…
READ MOREWhy A Successful Career Is Like Being A Winning Racehorse
“To win without risk is to triumph without glory.” – Corneille (Le Cid, 1636) EN, a recent AWAI graduate who has written several successful nonprofit promotions, e-mails me every once in a while with news of her career, questions about copywriting, and suggestions for ETR. Today, I got a message…
READ MORENeither A Borrower Nor A Lender Be
“Have a horse of your own and you may borrow another’s.” – Welsh proverb When it comes to making personal loans, don’t. Don’t borrow. Don’t lend. As Shakespeare said in Hamlet, “A loan oft loses both itself and friend.” Borrowing from friends and/or family members sends a message of weakness:…
READ MOREHow To Solve America’s Educational Problems: Two Solutions
“Was putting a man on the moon actually easier than improving education in our public schools?” – B.F. Skinner (Beyond Freedom and Dignity, 1971) Warning: The following piece may contain irony, sarcasm, or exaggeration. Please read with caution. I’m not much for businesses with pompous mission statements that call for…
READ MOREIncrease Your Power By Powering Up Your Speaking
“All words are pegs to hang ideas on.” – Henry Ward Beecher (Proverb from Plymouth Pulpit, 1887) If you’ve been reading Word to the Wise every day, you’ve been enriching your vocabulary. You know the meaning of “gestalt,” “feckless,” and “avuncular” — but are you actually using these words? Having…
READ MORESometimes Success Is A Matter Of Numbers
“The thing I am most aware of is my limits. And this is natural; for I never, or almost never, occupy the middle of my cage; my whole being surges toward the bars.” – Andre Gide (Journals, August 4, 1930) For some very good reasons, there are optimal numbers for…
READ MOREStop Wasting Your Time!
“Dost thou love life, then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.” – Benjamin Franklin (The Way to Wealth, 1757) To paraphrase the words of Ben Franklin, mentor emeritus of ETR, the one currency of our lives is our time — and how we spend…
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