From the desk of Earl Nightingale  

Much has been written about this word “success” and what it means, how to achieve it. I looked up what some of the great minds of the past had to say about this interesting condition.  

Regarding success, Albert Einstein said: “A successful man is he who receives a great deal from his fellow men, usually incomparably more than corresponds to his service to them. The value of a man, however, should be seen in what he gives and not what he is able to receive”.  

Here’s one I like, written by Sir Henry Bulwer, English diplomat of the nineteenth century: “The man who succeeds above his fellows is the one who, early in life, clearly discerns his object and towards that object habitually directs his powers. Even genius itself is but fine observation strengthened by fixity of purpose. Every man who observes vigilantly and resolves steadfastly grows unconsciously into genius.”  

Montesquieu put it this way: “In most things, success depends on knowing how long it takes to succeed.”  

I believe Helen Keller put it most simply of all. She said: “We can do anything we want to do if we stick to it long enough.”  

I think it’s interesting to see what others have said about a condition desired by every man and woman on earth. Everyone wants to be successful at that which he has chosen to do or become.  

I have always believed that the big problem with people is not in succeeding at something, but in deciding what they feel is worth devoting their lives to. The problem is not one of ability, but of making the decision, once and for all, on which point of the compass we wish to chart our course.  

The other big problem is in our blindness, brought on by association and familiarity. There isn’t a job in the country, which isn’t loaded with opportunity, if we could only see the opportunity under our feet, in the job we now have.  

It seems to be a natural tendency of man to think there is more opportunity in someone else’s business than in our own, while the other fellow may be thinking the same thing about ours. Each day, in our own line of work, we walk by great opportunities - - simply because we can’t see them. The landscape has become so familiar to us; we no longer see its beauty and unlimited possibilities.  

This is why so many great inventions and developments have come from outside the industry in which they were used. This is why a man will come into our town and do something successful, which we could have done years ago but did not see. This is also why immigrants often amaze us with their rapid and lasting success in our country. We take our freedom and opportunity for granted. We don’t see the forest for the trees. The same thing applies to the jobs we now have. They’re loaded with possibilities, but we must look at them with new eyes; with the eyes of creation.  

As Horace Mann once wrote: “Habit is a cable; we weave a thread of it every day, and at last we can not break it.”  

Try doing things in new and better ways, and you’ll avoid becoming a victim of habit.

+++++++

Earl’s little gem: 
“There isn’t a job in the country which isn’t loaded with opportunity, if we could only see the opportunity under our feet, in the job we now have.”

+++++++++++++++

From the desk of Diana Nightingale  

Here I am. I have either found or replaced the missing parts to my computer which were lost in my massive move from the East to the West coast, and over these past months, I have had numerous opportunities to interact with people in the service industry and have drawn my own conclusion about attributes I believe to be necessary in order to be truly “successful”. Time and time again, the number one requirement in order to be truly successful is, integrity.  

Earl’s definition of integrity is: “What you do when no one is looking.” I might add that integrity is also what you choose, “not to do when no one is looking.”  

I have been deeply saddened to learn that often my trust is misplaced in those I employ to perform certain tasks, believing that they will do exactly what they have promised to do in exchange for payment. Then, when I am told that the job is complete, payment made, and the workers gone, find that much was left undone; hidden or in some instances damaged.  

Earl would have called them, “thieves” having taken money without performing the services promised. I am just deeply saddened to know that these people haven’t a clue that they have sold their integrity for a few dollars. Their names and the companies they represent are shared with friends and neighbors as those they shouldn’t do business with.  

Successful people do their jobs with integrity – they make honest decisions about what they will or will not do, when no one sees – when no one is looking – just because it’s, the right thing, to do, right things.  

There are universal laws, and “the one who knows” is always watching, and every deed that is done in the dark, will be revealed in the light.  

Success is measured, by my standards, by how honestly one does whatever one does. Good intentioned work usually gets good results. Work done without integrity, lacks the integrity to withstand the test of time.  

May the path of your journey be blessed.