Tag Archives: success

Quotes: motivation, success

Here are post-Labour Day quotes to focus your thoughts on the Fall agenda.

The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what is one’s destiny to do, and then do it. – Henry Ford
The starting point of all achievement is desire. – Napolean Hill
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success. – Swami Vivekananda
The reason most people never reach their goals is that they don’t define them, or ever seriously consider them as believable or achievable. Winners can tell you where they are going, what they plan to do along the way, and who will be sharing the adventure with them. – Denis Watiley
We become what we think about most of the time, and that’s the strangest secret. – Earl Nightingale
You must expect great things of yourself before you can do them. – Michael Jordan
All progress takes place outside the comfort zone. – Michael John Bobak
Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going. – Jim Ryun
Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out. – Robert Collier
The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same. – Colin R. Davis
Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. – Winston Churchill
A man can be as great as he wants to be. If you believe in yourself and have the courage, the determination, the dedication, the competitive drive and if you are willing to sacrifice the little things in life and pay the price for the things that are worthwhile, it can be done. – Vince Lombardi
People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily. – Zig Ziglar
If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work. – Thomas J. Watson
Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone. – Pablo Picasso

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? Call 613-983-0801 @CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

CG&A Communications Marks 25 Year Milestone

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January 7, 2019 – Today marks 25 years since Chris George and business partner Lisa Hingley (now Lisa George) opened the doors of their government and public relations firm. Today, the couple operates CG&A Communications, providing counsel and support services for advocacy campaigns, stakeholder relations, issue management and government affairs initiatives.

The firm – www.cgacommunications.com – is a full service company, offering discreet, reliable counsel and communications services to support clients’ advocacy and public relations efforts, and their government affairs objectives. Through the years, some clients included the Council of Ministers of Education Canada (CMEC), MADD Canada, and the Ottawa Transition Board (responsible for amalgamating the City of Ottawa). In the Niagara Region, it serviced West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, local Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Niagara Parks Commission. In the Ottawa Region, it serviced Hydro Ottawa, Commissionaires, Ottawa International Airport, and the Perley Rideau Veterans’ Health Centre.

“We’ve had great clients, rewarding work and a lot of fun along the way,” says company president Chris George. “We never imagined back in 1994 that this business would have resulted in a lasting career. Looking back we have to express our deep gratitude to a number of terrific clients, to our network of talented consultants, and to our supportive friends and family.”

Perhaps offering a hint of their enduring success, Chris says, “Our business approach and strong work ethic has carried us through. We’re proud of our efforts, happy with our working relationships and, to this day, enjoy sitting down at our desks in the morning.”

Lisa adds, “It’s our personalized service, our attention to detail, and sweating the small stuff that separates our business from others. We have always worked hard and smart to get the results required for our clients.”

To mark the milestone for their supporters, Chris and Lisa George have published a few lists of interesting facts:

CG&A Communications is offering a give-away of the By George Treasury (both Book I and Book 2) to those who wish to share comments on the company and its work through the years. Forward your comments to cgacomm@gmail.com with the subject line “Reflecting on CG&A Comm’s 25 years” and receive the complimentary e-book publications.

Through the month of January, CG&A Communications will be posting articles in the By George Journal celebrating the 25 year anniversary. To read more, follow this link: CG&A Comm 25 Years.

CONTACT:

Chris George – (613) 983-0801 / chrisg.george@gmail.com

Chris George provides reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? Call 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Peter Munk’s 34 Golden Rules

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In author Donald Rumball’s 1996 biography of Canadian business legend Peter Munk, “The Making of a Modern Tycoon,” Rumball enlists Peter Munk’s 34 Golden Rules about business success and a rewarding approach to life.

As we launch into implementing our Fall business plans, By George Journal offers these rules of Munk’s to not only guide you, but inspire you onward to a prosperous season.

Never raise money when you need it. Raise it when financial markets are buoyant; invest it when markets are depressed.
Always give away some of the upside to protect the downside.
Work with people whom you respect and who have characteristics you don’t have.
Time is short. If you want to achieve much, you’ve got to run.
Don’t give away your destiny. Don’t put control into the hands of a body that doesn’t have interests aligned with yours. Governments are a good example.
Play with the hand you’re dealt. It’s very frustrating to apply your mind to a different hand.
You don’t need to know the industry you’re going into. If you apply yourself, you can always find the experts.
Take your company public when its value is rising in order to raise more money on the stock market for diversification.
Always leave something on the table in a public issue. If you push for the last penny, it may hurt you the next time around.
If an acquisition is strategically right don’t worry about the price.
Look for partners who will argue with you, because it disciplines your thinking and enables you to pick up negatives that you yourself may overlook.
Life is about meeting objectives. Sometimes your objectives cross other people’s. Then you have to fight — and you fight to win. What’s the point of fighting if you don’t win?
If you focus, you win.
Don’t give up.
Leaders should compensate for other people’s weaknesses, and draw on their strengths.
People are motivated by much more than money. You just cannot be humdrum. There has to be a joy in achieving objectives, a joy in creating wealth, a joy in making properties better.
If the market discounts your shares, you can’t use the market to raise capital — so buy back your shares.
A successful partnership always has someone who ultimately can make a decision and take the responsibility.
Be prepared for trouble when bankers are optimistic about your industry — especially when the bankers are Swiss.
Never buy high, hoping it will go higher. Buy low and hope it will go higher.
When you’re young or when you’re old, failure should not be an impediment to trying again.
Don’t stop dreaming — and don’t stop dreaming big if you want to succeed.
It’s management’s job to do what’s right, not what’s easy or convenient.
Trust is the foundation. You cannot substitute for trust. Trust means you say the truth.
Always deal from a strong equity base. Dilute every time you can get equity for more than book value.
Be very aggressive operationally and very conservative financially.
Don’t ever confuse gambling with business. You take your chances but you hedge your bets.
Do deals only if they help your strategic objectives.
Listen to smart people.
If you want to dream big, expect big problems. Big dreams challenge the fates.
Don’t expect to buy at the best price. Expect to sell at the right price.
You cannot build a team without mutual confidence, mutual trust, mutual reliability. And there’s no team if you don’t have the strength. You need the strength when you go into battle. Whatever you tackle — and in business you’re always tackling things — the other party has to feel that there is total cohesiveness, there’s total awareness of the objectives, and there’s total support of each other.
If you have to worry about the consultants pay, you shouldn’t retain any.
Share the wealth.

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Investment insight from Warren Buffett

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Here is investment insight from the infamous “oracle of Omaha”, Warren Buffett.

Rule No. 1: never lose money; rule No. 2: don’t forget rule No. 1.
You don’t need to be a rocket scientist. Investing is not a game where the guy with the 160 IQ beats the guy with 130 IQ.
Long ago, Sir Isaac Newton gave us three laws of motion, which were the work of genius. But Sir Isaac’s talents didn’t extend to investing: He lost a bundle in the South Sea Bubble, explaining later, “I can calculate the movement of the stars, but not the madness of men.” If he had not been traumatized by this loss, Sir Isaac might well have gone on to discover the Fourth Law of Motion: For investors as a whole, returns decrease as motion increases.
Time is the friend of the wonderful business, the enemy of the mediocre.
After all, you only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out.
Investors should remember that excitement and expenses are their enemies. And if they insist on trying to time their participation in equities, they should try to be fearful when others are greedy and greedy only when others are fearful.
When we own portions of outstanding businesses with outstanding managements, our favorite holding period is forever.
You can sell it to Berkshire, and we’ll put it in the Metropolitan Museum; it’ll have a wing all by itself; it’ll be there forever. Or you can sell it to some porn shop operator, and he’ll take the painting and he’ll make the boobs a little bigger and he’ll stick it up in the window, and some other guy will come along in a raincoat, and he’ll buy it.
It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.
The stock market is a no-called-strike game. You don’t have to swing at everything–you can wait for your pitch. The problem when you’re a money manager is that your fans keep yelling, ‘Swing, you bum!’
Long ago, Ben Graham taught me that ‘Price is what you pay; value is what you get.’ Whether we’re talking about socks or stocks, I like buying quality merchandise when it is marked down.
Our approach is very much profiting from lack of change rather than from change. With Wrigley chewing gum, it’s the lack of change that appeals to me. I don’t think it is going to be hurt by the Internet. That’s the kind of business I like.
The best thing that happens to us is when a great company gets into temporary trouble…We want to buy them when they’re on the operating table.
I have pledged – to you, the rating agencies and myself – to always run Berkshire with more than ample cash. We never want to count on the kindness of strangers in order to meet tomorrow’s obligations. When forced to choose, I will not trade even a night’s sleep for the chance of extra profits.
I am a better investor because I am a businessman, and a better businessman because I am no investor.

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Answering That Question about What You Do

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“So what is it that you do?”

How often do you get asked that question? Do you have a rehearsed answer that gets people attention? Or do you find yourself struggling each time to find the right expressions to explain what “you do”?

When someone asks what your organization does, do you have a concise explanation? What of your colleagues? Would their description of what your organization does be similar?

The best thing an individual or organization can do for themselves is to think through and develop a script to answer the most basic of human exchanges; particularly the obvious questions about one’s identity and purpose. Here’s our suggestion: take the time and craft an “elevator chat” script.

The elevator chat will serve you (and your colleagues) as a concise description of who you are, what you do and why it matters. It can be developed to sound informal; however, a good script will be precise and capture the essence and significance of your work. Because you take the time to refine the key message(s), this script will be clear and accurate.

An effective elevator chat will be intriguing and leave your audience curious and wanting to learn more of what you do.

In order to help you craft a sound and engaging elevator chat, here are four questions to prompt your creative process and hone your core message(s).

1. Answer the question “Why do I care?” Why should someone care and take notice of what you do? Talk about the significance of your work and/or organization – rather than its structure and your duties. In this way, you may establish an emotional connection between you and the person standing before you..
2. Answer the question “What sets you apart?” You should highlight what makes you unique, distinctive – what sets you apart. It may be that you are the first or only one to be doing your work in the area – or perhaps you approach your work in a certain manner from others.
3. Answer the basics. Include relevant details of the what? where? how? when? In order to showcase the explanation of the why? All details should accentuate the why? – the significance of your work.
4. Anticipate the “So what?” question. Your chat should have a strong closing that provides the audience with a way to learn more, become involved, enter into a longer conversation. If you have made an emotional connection in the 30 – 40 seconds of your chat, there is a perfect opportunity to engage your enquirer in another level of discussion.

Have a business card to hand out; a website URL to share; a promise to follow-up in the days ahead. Be sure to follow-up with your enquirer. Take a few minutes each day to write thank you and follow-up notes.

So, the next time someone asks, “What is it that you do?” – there will be no grimacing, no fishing for the right phrase. Each elevator chat is an opportunity to share what is significant and, perhaps, to make a new connection.

(ed. – This is a repost, picked as one of our favourite three posts of 2011, taken from the earlier posts on the By George Journal. The original post is here.)

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

A life lesson at home plate

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This is making the rounds – a great story with a remarkable life lesson.

In Nashville, Tennessee, during the first week of January, 1996, more than 4,000 baseball coaches descended upon the Opryland Hotel for the 52nd annual ABCA convention. While I waited in line to register with the hotel staff, I heard other more veteran coaches rumbling about the lineup of speakers scheduled to present during the weekend. One name, in particular, kept resurfacing, always with the same sentiment — “John Scolinos is here? Oh man, worth every penny of my airfare.” Who the hell is John Scolinos, I wondered. No matter, I was just happy to be there.

In 1996, Coach Scolinos was 78 years old and five years retired from a college coaching career that began in 1948. He shuffled to the stage to an impressive standing ovation, wearing dark polyester pants, a light blue shirt, and a string around his neck from which home plate hung — a full-sized, stark-white home plate. Seriously, I wondered, who in the hell is this guy?

After speaking for twenty-five minutes, not once mentioning the prop hanging around his neck, Coach Scolinos appeared to notice the snickering among some of the coaches. Even those who knew Coach Scolinos had to wonder exactly where he was going with this, or if he had simply forgotten about home plate since he’d gotten on stage.

Then, finally … “You’re probably all wondering why I’m wearing home plate around my neck. Or maybe you think I escaped from Camarillo State Hospital,” he said, his voice growing irascible. I laughed along with the others, acknowledging the possibility. “No,” he continued, “I may be old, but I’m not crazy. The reason I stand before you today is to share with you baseball people what I’ve learned in my life, what I’ve learned about home plate in my 78 years.”

Several hands went up when Scolinos asked how many Little League coaches were in the room. “Do you know how wide home plate is in Little League?” After a pause, someone offered, “Seventeen inches,” more question than answer.
“That’s right,” he said. “How about in Babe Ruth’s time? Any Babe Ruth coaches in the house?”
Another long pause.
“Seventeen inches?” came a guess from another reluctant coach.
“That’s right,” said Scolinos. “Now, how many high school coaches do we have in the room?” Hundreds of hands shot up, as the pattern began to appear. “How wide is home plate in high school baseball?”
“Seventeen inches,” they said, sounding more confident.
“You’re right!” Scolinos barked. “And you college coaches, how wide is home plate in college?”
“Seventeen inches!” we said, in unison.
“Any Minor League coaches here? How wide is home plate in pro ball?”
“Seventeen inches!”
“RIGHT! And in the Major Leagues, how wide home plate is in the Major Leagues?”
“Seventeen inches!”
“SEV-EN-TEEN INCHES!” he confirmed, his voice bellowing off the walls. “And what do they do with a Big League pitcher who can’t throw the ball over seventeen inches?” Pause. “They send him to Pocatello!” he hollered, drawing raucous laughter.

“What they don’t do is this: they don’t say, ‘Ah, that’s okay, Jimmy. You can’t hit a seventeen-inch target? We’ll make it eighteen inches, or nineteen inches. We’ll make it twenty inches so you have a better chance of hitting it. If you can’t hit that, let us know so we can make it wider still, say twenty-five inches.’”
Pause.
“Coaches …”
Pause.
” … what do we do when our best player shows up late to practice? When our team rules forbid facial hair and a guy shows up unshaven? What if he gets caught drinking? Do we hold him accountable? Or do we change the rules to fit him, do we widen home plate?”

The chuckles gradually faded as four thousand coaches grew quiet, the fog lifting as the old coach’s message began to unfold. He turned the plate toward himself and, using a Sharpie, began to draw something. When he turned it toward the crowd, point up, a house was revealed, complete with a freshly drawn door and two windows. “This is the problem in our homes today. With our marriages, with the way we parent our kids. With our discipline. We don’t teach accountability to our kids, and there is no consequence for failing to meet standards. We widen the plate!”
Pause. Then, to the point at the top of the house he added a small American flag.
“This is the problem in our schools today. The quality of our education is going downhill fast and teachers have been stripped of the tools they need to be successful, and to educate and discipline our young people. We are allowing others to widen home plate! Where is that getting us?” Silence. He replaced the flag with a Cross.
“And this is the problem in the Church, where powerful people in positions of authority have taken advantage of young children, only to have such an atrocity swept under the rug for years. Our church leaders are widening home plate!”

I was amazed. At a baseball convention where I expected to learn something about curveballs and bunting and how to run better practices, I had learned something far more valuable. From an old man with home plate strung around his neck, I had learned something about life, about myself, about my own weaknesses and about my responsibilities as a leader. I had to hold myself and others accountable to that which I knew to be right, lest our families, our faith, and our society continue down an undesirable path.

“If I am lucky,” Coach Scolinos concluded, “you will remember one thing from this old coach today. It is this: if we fail to hold ourselves to a higher standard, a standard of what we know to be right; if we fail to hold our spouses and our children to the same standards, if we are unwilling or unable to provide a consequence when they do not meet the standard; and if our schools and churches and our government fail to hold themselves accountable to those they serve, there is but one thing to look forward to …” With that, he held home plate in front of his chest, turned it around, and revealed its dark black backside. “… dark days ahead.”

Coach Scolinos died in 2009 at the age of 91, but not before touching the lives of hundreds of players and coaches, including mine. Meeting him at my first ABCA convention kept me returning year after year, looking for similar wisdom and inspiration from other coaches. He is the best clinic speaker the ABCA has ever known because he was so much more than a baseball coach.

His message was clear: “Coaches, keep your players — no matter how good they are — your own children, and most of all, keep yourself at seventeen inches.

(ed. – Thank you to Dick Inwood and Claude Bennett who forwarded this poignant story to us.)

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? Call 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Workplace Tip: How to Listen

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In a LinkedIn article, By George recently saw Dr. Travis Bradberry’s “7 Things Fabulous Listeners Do Differently”

Bradberry rightly points out that listening is a skill you want to be great at. He cites a recent study conducted at George Washington University showed that listening can influence up to 40% of a leader’s job performance.

Effective listening is something that can absolutely be learned and mastered. There are straightforward strategies that can make you a better listener. Here are Bradberry’s 7 tips:

Focus — The biggest mistake most people make when it comes to listening is they’re so focused on what they’re going to say next or how what the other person is saying is going to affect them that they fail to hear what’s being said.

Put away your phone — When you commit to a conversation, focus all your energy on the conversation.

Ask good questions — People like to know you’re listening, and something as simple as a clarification question shows not only that you are listening but that you also care about what they’re saying.

Practice reflective listening – Psychologist Carl Rogers used the term “reflective listening” to describe the listening strategy of paraphrasing the meaning of what’s being said in order to make certain you’ve interpreted the speaker’s words correctly.

Use positive body language – Become cognizant of your gestures, expressions, and tone of voice (and making certain they’re positive).

Don’t pass judgment — If you want to be a good listener, you must be open-minded. Being open-minded makes you approachable and interesting to others.

Keep your mouth shut – If you’re not checking for understanding or asking a probing question, you shouldn’t be talking. Not only does thinking about what you’re going to say next take your attention away from the speaker, hijacking the conversation shows that you think you have something more important to say.

This post comprises of excerpts from the original. Read Dr. Bradberry’s full article here…

Source: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-things-fabulous-listeners-do-differently-dr-travis-bradberry

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer or experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Workplace Tip: How to Talk

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In a great Inc.com article, Bill Murphey Jr. reveals “17 Verbal Habits of Highly Likeable People”

It starts with what you say–and what you know not to say. Murphey contends that how you listen to people will add (or take away from) your charisma. Here are some of the most important things highly likeable people do every day.

They are polite when then can be — Words like “please” and “thank you” might be technically unnecessary but they’re invaluable if you want to be more charismatic.

They acknowledge small favors — “You’re welcome.” These two short words communicate much more than “no problem” (or, of course, “yup”) when someone thanks you for something.

They offer meaningful praise — The key word here is “meaningful.” Charismatic people give sincere compliments–never bashful, never obsequious. When someone merits praise, they say so.

They express sincere empathy — They use phrases like, “That must have made you feel proud,” or “I can imagine you must feel angry,” thus both exploring and validating other people’s feelings. Everybody wants to be understood.

They share useful information — Some people like to hoard information because they think it makes them more powerful. Don’t be that person.

They offer to help — The most charismatic people among us start simply by looking for chances to help–in their families, in their communities, and in the small moments of their day-to-day lives.

They speak with justifiable confidence — They don’t boast or brag. But when faced with challenging situations–especially things that affect other people–they’re the ones who approach the problem with an air of calmness, curiosity, and confidence.

They use names and titles that connote respect — Charismatic people remember other people’s names, and use their titles in circumstances when it makes those people feel good.

They express their faith in others — Four simple words: “I believe in you.”

They remember that they’re part of a team — A sense of camaraderie makes tough situations bearable. Having a sense of humor can even make them fun.

They make introductions — Want to know five of the nicest words anyone can ever say to two people at the same time? “I’d like you to meet….” .

They take their turn — Likable people aren’t afraid to step up when it’s their turn to do something enjoyable, or even to bear the burden of something that isn’t so great.

They let others make their own decisions — Truly charismatic people have confidence in their opinions–but they also recognize that other people may legitimately see things differently.

They listen–and they want to hear more — Highly likable people are active and sincere listeners. You can tell them your opinion or a story or ask for their advice, and they respond with questions and verbal cues that suggest they’re present in the moment.

They take responsibility — When it’s their job or their fault, they step up. They take control of the things they’re supposed to have control over.

They voice their support — We all appreciate people who stand by us and who let us know that they’re there.

They ask, “Why not?” — Likable people are often dreamers, optimists, and doers. RFK put it best: “There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why? I dream of things that never were, and ask why not?”

This post comprises of excerpts from the original. Read the full article here…

SOURCE: https://www.inc.com/bill-murphy-jr/want-to-be-more-charismatic-17-verbal-habits-of-highly-likable-people.html

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer or experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

10 sage quotes on success from Benjamin Franklin

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Thankfully, Benjamin Franklin left behind volumes of writings, from which we have gained invaluable knowledge of his thoughts on life, work and success. Here are 10 gems on success that ring as true today as they did in Franklin’s era.

Well done is better than well said.
Never confuse motion with action.
Diligence is the mother of good luck.
By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.
To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.
Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out.
When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.
Energy and persistence conquer all things.
Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today.
All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.

For more wisdom from this American intellect, read “14 Lessons From Benjamin Franklin About Getting What You Want In Life.”

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

8 Things You Should Do After 8 P.M.

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Here are some great tips on how to unplug and recharge. These suggestions are from a column written by Elle Kaplan in Thrive Global of LinkedIn: “8 Things You Should Do After 8 P.M. If You Want to Be Happy and Successful — Wake up on the right side of the bed tomorrow.”

Elle Kaplan tells you hows you how to set yourself up to have a more productive day.

Strolls by the moonlight

Adopt a routine of nighttime walks to decompress.

Unplug. Literally.

Unplug everything besides your alarm clock, and watch the tension recede. Unplugging is also a key to a good night’s sleep.

Sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is about more than just making your bed. Give yourself at least an hour to unwind before you actually doze off.

Read up

Bill Gates found great success by reading for one hour every night, no matter what.

Prioritize

You can avoid the morning scramble by laying out clear goals and priorities for tomorrow. You’ll reduce your anxiety, and you’ll rest easy knowing you already have your ducks in a row.

Stop mid-sentence

“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next,” Ernst Hemmingway once said. “If you do that every day… you will never be stuck.”

School’s in

One of the best times to learn is after a long and exhausting day. Learn something new while winding down.

Write your stress away

Writing down our problems reduces open “loops” of bad thoughts, and washes away anxiety.

FULL ARTICLE: “8 Things You Should Do After 8 P.M. If You Want to Be Happy and Successful — Wake up on the right side of the bed tomorrow.”

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Harold S. Geneen sharing good business sense

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Here are a dozen quotes on a decent approach to the world of business from the legendary, American corporate leader Harold S. Geneen.

The worst disease which can afflict executives in their work is not, as popularly supposed, alcoholism; it’s egotism.
You can’t run a business or anything else on a theory.
In business, words are words; explanations are explanations, promises are promises, but only performance is reality.
Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.
Leadership cannot really be taught, it can only be learned.
Better a good decision quickly than the best decision too late.
A true leader has to have a genuine open-door policy so that his people are not afraid to approach him for any reason.
I don’t believe in just ordering people to do things. You have to sort of grab an oar and row with them.
The best way to inspire people to superior performance is to convince them by everything you do and by your everyday attitude that you are wholeheartedly supporting them.
The only unforgivable sin in business is to run out of cash.
Telephones, hotels, insurance—it’s all the same. If you know the numbers inside out, you know the company inside out.
In the business world, everyone is paid in two coins: Cash and Experience. Take the experience first. The cash will come later.

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Henry Ford on work and life

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Here are wonderfully insightful quotes on work and life from American business tycoon Henry Ford.

You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.
There is no man living that can not do more than he thinks he can.
Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young.
As we advance in life we learn the limits of our abilities.
I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite capacity to not know what can’t be done.
Don’t find fault, find a remedy.
Thinking is the hardest work there is, which is probably the reason why so few engage in it.
The only real security that a man can have in this world is a reserve of knowledge, experience and ability.
It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste.
Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.
There are no big problems, there are just a lot of little problems.
Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.
Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.
A business absolutely devoted to service will have only one worry about profits. They will be embarrassingly large.
It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.
A bore is a person who opens his mouth and puts his feats in it.
Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.
You will find men who want to be carried on the shoulders of others, who think that the world owes them a living. They don’t seem to see that we must all lift together and pull together.
Life is a series of experiences, each one of which makes us bigger, even though sometimes it is hard to realize this. For the world was built to develop character, and we must learn that the setbacks and grieves which we endure help us in our marching onward.

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

30 Behaviors That Will Make You Unstoppable

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This is an excerpt from blogger and writer Benjamin Hardy’s list of suggestions for “what it takes to succeed.” It was first posted in Thrive Global on LinkedIn.

Don’t think — know and act.

“Don’t think. You already know what you have to do, and you know how to do it. What’s stopping you?” — Tim Grover

Rather than analyzing and thinking, act.

Always be prepared so you have the freedom to act on instinct.

Become a master of your craft. Learn the left-brained rules in and out so your right brain can have limitless freedom to break the rules and create.

Don’t be motivated by money or anything external.

Never be satisfied.

“The drive to close the gap between near-perfect and perfect is the difference between great and unstoppable.” — Tim Grover… Even after you achieve a goal, you’re not content. For you, it’s not even about the goal. It’s about the climb to see how far you can push yourself.

Always be in control.

Act based on instinct, not impulse.

Be true to yourself.

Unstoppable people purge everything from their life they hate. Have the self-respect and confidence to live life on your terms.

Never let off the pressure.

“Pressure can bust pipes, but it also can make diamonds.” — Robert Horry… Pressure is what keeps you alert and active.

Don’t be afraid of the consequences of failure.

It’s all in your head. If something goes wrong — if you “fail” — you adjust and keep going.

Don’t compete with others. Make them compete with you.

Competing with others makes absolutely zero sense to you. It pulls you from your authentic zone. So you zone out all the external noise and instead zone in to your internal pressure to produce.

Never stop learning.

When you’re relentless, success only increases the pressure to do more. Immediately following the achievement of a goal, you’re focused on your next challenge.

Don’t get crushed by success.

“Success can become a catalyst for failure.” — Greg McKeown… But for you, no external noise can push harder than your own internal pressure. It’s not about this achievement, but the one after, and the one after that. There is no destination. Only when you’re finished.

Completely own it when you screw up.

No blame. No deception or illusion. Just the cold hard truth. When you mess up, you own it.

Let your work speak for itself.

“Well done, is well said.” — Anthony Liccione

Always work on your mental strength.

The better you can be under pressure, the further you’ll go than anyone else. The best training you will ever do is mental training.

Confidence is your greatest asset.

You’ve heard it before: Running a marathon is far more mental than physical. A person’s ability to run a marathon — or do anything hard — is more a reflection of their level of confidence than their actual ability.

Surround yourself with people who remind you of the future, not the past.

Surrounding yourself with people who you want to be like allows you a fresh slate. You’re no longer defined by your past, only the future you are creating.

Let things go, but never forget.

Have clear goals.

Respond immediately, rather than analyzing or stalling.

“He who hesitates is lost.” — Cato… Just do it. Train yourself to respond immediately when you feel you should do something. Stop questioning yourself. Don’t analyze it. Don’t question if it came from God or from yourself. Just act.

Choose simplicity over complication.

“If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” — Albert Einstein…

Cutting to the core and hitting the truth is hard, because it’s simple. As Leonardo da Vinci has said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.”

Never be jealous or envious of someone else’s accomplishments.

Take the shot every time.

You miss every shot you don’t take. The only way you can become unstoppable is if you stop thinking about it. Just take the shot.

Don’t get caught up in the results of your success. Always remain focused on what got you those results: the work.

It can get easy to “ride the wave” of your previous work. Keep practicing. Perfect your craft. Never forget what got you here.

Think and act 10X.

“When 10X is your measuring stick, you immediately see how you can bypass what everyone else is doing.” — Dan Sullivan… When you take your goal of earning $100,000 this year and change it to $1,000,000, you’re forced to operate at a different level. The logical and traditional approach doesn’t work with 10X.

Set goals that far exceed your current capabilities.

If your goals are logical, they won’t force you to create luck. Being unstoppable means your goals challenge you to be someone more than you currently are. As Jim Rohn has said, “Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better.”

Make time for recovery and rejuvenation.

“Wherever you are, make sure you’re there.” — Dan Sullivan… Recovering from my work generally consists of writing in my journal, listening to music, spending time with my wife and kids, preparing and eating delicious food, or serving other people. These things rejuvenate me. They make my work possible, but also meaningful.

Start before you’re ready.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” — Chinese Proverb

If you need permission, you probably shouldn’t do it.

No one will ever give you permission to live your dreams.

Don’t make exceptions.

Read the full article here: 30 behaviors that will make you unstoppable

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

10 Simple Truths Smart People Will Forget

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#1 – Education and intelligence accomplish nothing without action. There’s a huge difference between knowing how to do something and actually doing it. Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action.

#2 – Happiness and success are two different things. “What will make me happy?” and “What will make me successful?” are two of the most important questions you can ask yourself. But they are two different questions.

#3 – Everyone runs their own business. No matter how you make a living or who you think you work for, you only work for one person, yourself. The big question is: What are you selling, and to whom?

#4 – Having too many choices interferes with decision making. If you’re trying to make a decision about something in your life, don’t waste all your time evaluating every last detail of every possible option. Choose something that you think will work and give it a shot. If it doesn’t work out, choose something else and keep pressing forward.

#5 – All people possess dimensions of success and dimensions of failure. Trying to be perfect is a waste of time and energy. Perfection is an illusion. Our successful dimensions usually encompass the things we spend the most time doing. But behind whichever polished storyline we publically promote, there lies a multi-dimensional human being with a long list of unprofessed failures.

#6 – Every mistake you make is progress. Mistakes teach you important lessons. Every time you make one, you’re one step closer to your goal. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-Win.

#7 – People can be great at doing things they don’t like to do. If someone dedicates enough time and attention to perfecting a skill or trade, they can be insanely good at doing something they don’t like to do.

#8 – The problems we have with others are typically more about us. Quite often, the problems we have with others – our spouse, parents, siblings, etc. – don’t really have much to do with them at all. Because many of the problems we think we have with them we subconsciously created in our own mind. All we need is the willingness to look at things a little differently – letting go of ‘what was’ and ‘what should have been,’ and instead focusing our energy on ‘what is’ and ‘what could be possible.’

#9 – Emotional decisions are rarely good decisions. Decisions driven by heavy emotion are typically misguided reactions rather than educated judgments. Don’t let your emotions trump your intelligence. Slow down and think things through…

#10 – You will never feel 100% ready when an opportunity arises. One of the greatest things holding smart people back is their own reluctance to accept an opportunity simply because they don’t think they’re ready. They believe they require additional knowledge, skill, experience, etc. before they can aptly partake in the opportunity. Sadly, this is the kind of thinking that stifles personal growth. The truth is nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises – because most great opportunities in life force us to grow emotionally and intellectually.

(ed. – This post is abbreviated from a very thoughtful piece “10 Simple Truths Smart People Forget” first posted in a blog Marc and Angel. Source Link )

Chris George, providing reliable PR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Albert Einstein: 10 Life Lessons

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More of Einstein’s thoughtful quotes are found in an earlier By George Journal post, entitled “The empowering wisdom of Albert Einstein.”

Chris George, providing reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

8 Things Every Person Should Do Before 8 A.M.

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Benjamin Hardy has nailed what might be every productive person’s perfect morning routine.

He states that although life is busy, You are the designer of your destiny. You are responsible.

You get to decide. You must decide — because if you don’t, someone else will. Indecision is a bad decision.

Hardy has provided his insights into a short morning routine that has the potential to quickly change your life.

Wake up

Get in the zone

Get moving

Put the right food in your body

Get ready

Get inspired

Get perspective

Do something to move you forward

Here is a Readers Digest version of his thoughts…

Get A Healthy 7+ Hours of Sleep

Getting a healthy amount of sleep is linked to:

Increased memory
Longer life
Decreased inflammation
Increased creativity
Increased attention and focus
Decreased fat and increased muscle mass with exercise
Lower stress
Decreased dependence on stimulants like caffeine
Decreased risk of getting into accidents
Decreased risk of depression
And tons more… google it.

Prayer and Meditation to Facilitate Clarity and Abundance

After waking from a healthy and restful sleep session, prayer and meditation are crucial for orienting yourself toward the positive. What you focus on expands… Prayer and meditation facilitate intense gratitude for all that you have. Gratitude is having an abundance mindset. When you think abundantly, the world is your oyster. There is limitless opportunity and possibility for you.

Hard Physical Activity

If you want to be among the healthy, happy, and productive people in the world, get in the habit of regular exercise.

Consume 30 Grams of Protein

Protein-rich foods keep you full longer than other foods because they take longer to leave the stomach. Also, protein keeps blood-sugar levels steady, which prevents spikes in hunger. So, eat at least 40% of your breakfast calories as protein.

Do it with two or three whole eggs (each egg has about 6g protein)
If you don’t like eggs, use something like turkey bacon, organic pork bacon or sausage, or cottage cheese
Or, you could always do a protein shake with water
For people who avoid dairy, meat, and eggs, there are several plant-based proteins. Legumes, greens, nuts, and seeds all are rich in protein.

Take A Cold Shower

Cold water immersion radically facilitates physical and mental wellness.When practiced regularly, it provides long-lasting changes to your body’s immune, lymphatic, circulatory and digestive systems that improve the quality of your life. It can also increase weight-loss because it boosts your metabolism.

Listen to/Read Uplifting Content

Ordinary people seek entertainment. Extraordinary people seek education and learning. It is common for the world’s most successful people to read at least one book per week. They are constantly learning. Taking even 15–30 minutes every morning to read uplifting and instructive information changes you. It puts you in the zone to perform at your highest.

Review Your Life Vision

Your goals should be written down — short term and long term. Taking just a few minutes to read your life vision puts your day into perspective. If you read your long term goals every day you will think about them every day. If you think about them every day, and spend your days working toward them, they’ll manifest.

Do At Least One Thing Towards Long-Term Goals

So your mantra becomes: The worst comes first. Do that thing you’ve been needing to do. Then do it again tomorrow. If you take just one step toward you big goals every day, you’ll realize those goals weren’t really far away.

By George recommends that you read the whole of this great Benjamin Hardy column – right here:

https://www.thriveglobal.com/stories/2280-8-things-every-person-should-do-before-8-a-m

Chris George provides reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? Call 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Modern Business Wisdom

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“In today’s business environment, a company’s website is the key to their entire business.” – Marcus Sheridan

“In the digital space, attention is a currency. We earn it. We spend it.” – Brian Solis

“Content is fire; social media is gasoline.” – Jay Baer

“Mass marketing is turning into a mass of niches.” – Chris Anderson

“The customer’s perception is your reality.” – Kate Zabriskie

“Content marketing is no longer a numbers game. It’s a game of relevance.” – Jason Miller

“Content is the fuel for your lead generation efforts.” – Dayna Rothman

“Marketing is telling the world you’re a rock star. Content marketing is showing the world you are one.” – Robert Rose

“The key is, no matter what story you tell, make your buyer the hero.” – Chris Brogan

“Every email is an opportunity to test a different benefit or angle.” – Heather Morgan

“There is no sale without the story; no knockout without the setup.” – Gary Vavnerchuk

“We need to stop interrupting what people are interested in and be what people are interested in.” – Craig Davis

“Listening is not about skills or techniques or calculated movements or gestures. Listening is not about what you do. Listening is about what you intend, what you feel, who you are.” – Gavin Ingham

“When reps take the role of a curious student rather than an informed expert, buyers are much more inclined to engage.” – Jeff Hoffman

“People buy emotionally, and they justify their decisions intellectually.” – David Sandler

“Pretend that every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Not only will you succeed in sales, you will succeed in life.” – Mary Kay Ash

“Prospects are making their purchase decision based on whether they think you understand their problems and you have the knowledge, resources and commitment to solve them.” – Trish Bertuzzi

“If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will.” – Bob Hooey

“Don’t find customers for your products. Find products for your customers.” – Seth Godin

“A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do hard things well.” – Jeff Bezos

“You are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort and money into training.” – Tom Hopkins

“For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.” – Zig Ziglar

“A mediocre person tells. A good person explains. A superior person demonstrates. A great person inspires others to see for themselves.” – Harvey Mackay

Chris George provides reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? Call 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

Colin Powell: 13 Rules

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In his memoir It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership, Colin Powell provided a valuable list of life lessons accompanied by a collection of personal anecdotes. For this great man, there are 13 Rules to how to live life.

Rule 1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. Keep all things in perspective when having to make a tough decision. Give the matter the perspective of some time.

Rule 2. Get mad, then get over it. Do not carry anger for any time. Instead of letting anger destroy you, use it to make constructive change.

Rule 3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. Whatever position you hold, check your ego at the door when you are making major decisions. Foremost, consider the good of the organization and people in the organization. Then, should the action fail, your intentions never do.

Rule 4. It can be done! Exude optimist. Be positive. Leaders are about making things happen.

Rule 5. Be careful what you choose. Consider wisely your choices. Project ahead and assess the best developments for your objective(s).

Rule 6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. Solid leadership is often a matter of superb instinct. Leaders often stand alone on what they know to be the right decision.

Rule 7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. While good leaders listen and consider all perspectives, they ultimately make their own decisions. Ultimate responsibility is yours.

Rule 8. Check small things. Mind the details. Small details often ensure the success of your big decisions.

Rule 9. Share credit. Share the credit, take the blame, and quietly find out and fix things that went wrong. Success is very much a team effort.

Rule 10. Remain calm. Be kind. The difference between a good leader and a great leader is their degree of kindness. Kindness, like calmness, reassures loyalty and galvanizes respect and confidence.

Rule 11. Have a vision. Be demanding. Your vision must inspire – incite and enthuse. Your purpose is the fuel for the vision. It energizes – drives it. Be compelling and excite those around you.

Rule 12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Fear is a normal human emotion that has the potential to be a paralyzing force. So, acknowledge your fears, stare them down, but don’t let them guide your decisions.

Rule 13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Perpetual optimism, believing in yourself, believing in your purpose, believing you will prevail, and demonstrating passion and confidence will have an amazingly beneficial impact on those around you. There is something to be said for the leader who refuses to accept defeat but continues to adapt until he is successful.

Chris George provides reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? Call 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.

More of Napoleon’s bons mots

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More insight from Napoleon Bonaparte:

He who fears being conquered is sure of defeat.
A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights.
The torment of precautions often exceeds the dangers to be avoided. It is sometimes better to abandon one’s self to destiny.
Men take only their needs into consideration, never their abilities.
To do all that one is able to do is to be a man; to do all that one would like to do is to be a god.
Courage is like love, it must have hope for nourishment.
As to moral courage, I have very rarely met with the two o’clock in the morning kind. I mean unprepared courage, that which is necessary on an unexpected occasion, and which, in spite of the most unforeseen events, leaves full freedom of judgement and decision.
The first virtue in a soldier is endurance of fatigue; courage is only the second virtue.
How many really capable men are children more than once during the day?
All the scholastic scaffolding falls, as a ruined edifice, before a single word: faith.
If they want peace, nations should avoid the pinpricks that precede cannon shots.
10 persons who speak make more noise than 10,000 who are silent.
Riches do not consist in the possession of treasures, but in the use made of them.
You may ask me for anything you like except time.
Time is one kind of robber whom the law does not strike at, and who steals what is most precious to men.
If you start to take Vienna – take Vienna.
Circumstances-what are circumstances? I make circumstances.
One must change one’s tactics every ten years if one wishes to maintain one’s superiority.
This man Wellington is so stupid he does not know when he is beaten, and goes on fighting.
The greatest general is he who makes the fewest mistakes.
My downfall raises me to infinite heights.
Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.

Chris George provides reliable PR & GR counsel and effective advocacy. Need a go-to writer and experienced communicator? Call 613-983-0801 @ CG&A COMMUNICATIONS.