When you wake up every day, you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It's all a matter of perspective.
Harvey Mackay
Positive thinking is more than just a tagline. It changes the way we behave. And I firmly believe that when I am positive, it not only makes me better, but it also makes those around me better.
The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your relationships. The quality of your business is no different.
None of us got to where we are alone. Whether the assistance we received was obvious or subtle, acknowledging someone's help is a big part of understanding the importance of saying thank you.
Learn from the past, but don't live there. Build on what you know so that you don't repeat mistakes. Resolve to learn something new every day. Because every 24 hours, you have the opportunity to have the best day of your company's life.
Employee loyalty begins with employer loyalty. Your employees should know that if they do the job they were hired to do with a reasonable amount of competence and efficiency, you will support them.
A great accomplishment shouldn't be the end of the road, just the starting point for the next leap forward.
Talent is God-given; be humble. Fame is man-given; be thankful. Conceit is self-given; be careful.
When you have a dream that you can't let go of, trust your instincts and pursue it. But remember: Real dreams take work, They take patience, and sometimes they require you to dig down very deep. Be sure you're willing to do that.
Every morning brings new potential, but if you dwell on the misfortunes of the day before, you tend to overlook tremendous opportunities.
No business can stay in business without customers. How you treat - or mistreat - them determines how long your doors stay open.
Your workforce is your most valuable asset. The knowledge and skills they have represent the fuel that drives the engine of business - and you can leverage that knowledge.
Amateurs wait for inspiration. The real pros get up and go to work.
You can't buy a good reputation; you must earn it.
An optimist understands that life can be a bumpy road, but at least it is leading somewhere. They learn from mistakes and failures, and are not afraid to fail again.
It's only lonely at the top if you forget all the people you met along the way and fail to acknowledge their contributions to your success.
You can win more friends with your ears than with your mouth. People who feel like they're being listened to feel accepted and appreciated. They feel like they're being taken seriously and what they say really matters.
Remember you're not entitled to anything. You have to earn your success every day, and you will make mistakes like everyone else.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.
To me, job titles don't matter. Everyone is in sales. It's the only way we stay in business.
Life isn't fair. It's true, and you still have to deal with it. Whining about it rarely levels the playing field, but learning to rise above it is the ultimate reward.
Pale ink is better than the most retentive memory.
Ethical decisions ensure that everyone's best interests are protected. When in doubt, don't.
A student of life considers the world a classroom.
Deadlines aren't bad. They help you organize your time. They help you set priorities. They make you get going when you might not feel like it.
The sooner you accept the fact that you will have both successes and failures, the easier it will be to get your business and personal life headed in the right direction.
You do not get what you want. You get what you negotiate.
Most fears of rejection rest on the desire for approval from other people. Don't base your self-esteem on their opinions.
When advice is freely given, the receiver is free to use it as he or she sees fit.
To be a champion, you have to learn to handle stress and pressure. But if you've prepared mentally and physically, you don't have to worry.
I believe that visualization is one of the most powerful means of achieving personal goals.
It doesn't matter whether you are pursuing success in business, sports, the arts, or life in general: The bridge between wishing and accomplishing is discipline.
Fatigue makes fools of us all. It robs you of your skills and your judgment, and it blinds you to creative solutions. It's the best-conditioned athlete, not the most talented, who generally wins when the going gets tough.
The life of a startup is full of ups and downs, an emotional roller coaster ride that you can't quite imagine if you've spent your whole career in a corporation.
A smart manager will establish a culture of gratitude. Expand the appreciative attitude to suppliers, vendors, delivery people, and of course, customers.
In a litigation-happy society, clear agreements often prevent small disagreements from becoming big ones.
Worrying about the past or the future isn't productive. When you start chastising yourself for past mistakes, or seeing disaster around every corner, stop and take a breath and ask yourself what you can do right now to succeed.
It's nice to be important, but more important to be nice. You don't know who your top customers will be five years from now or where you will be in 10 years. You may have a fancy title, but you will always need help from the people around you.
Southwest Airlines is successful because the company understands it's a customer service company. It also happens to be an airline.
Pay attention to those employees who respectfully ask why. They are demonstrating an interest in their jobs and exhibiting a curiosity that could eventually translate into leadership ability.
You don't need a big close, as many sales reps believe. You risk losing your customer when you save all the good stuff for the end. Keep the customer actively involved throughout your presentation, and watch your results improve.
My Golden Rule of Networking is simple: Don't keep score.
There is no shame in taking pride in achievements or position. But nobody gets to the top alone.
When an employee asks why the company does things a certain way, and you can explain the logical reason, then the employee knows what she's doing is valid.
Give your subconscious a chance to work by turning your brain off from time to time. Don't focus on work or solving problems constantly.
You learn how to be book smart in school, but you better not forget that you also need to be street smart.
As you schedule individual tasks, give yourself a cushion. Mark the due date a few days ahead of the actual deadline so you have time to deal with changes or last-minute emergencies.
If you want people to know how much you care, show them how much you remember. Learn their names and use them often. It's an important skill to develop.
Direct your energy toward achieving a goal, and tackle the problems with an emphasis on edging closer to a successful result.
Expect to make some mistakes when you try new and different approaches. Sometimes colossal failures lead to spectacular successes.
