THE POWER OF O.P.E.
I clip and save interesting articles; blogs; blurbs and advertising all the time. I particularly like those that deal with personal and business growth and those that describe lessons from Other Peoples Experiences (OPE). While rifling through my files of these clipped and save items I came across a short article from one of my favorites, famed businessman and author Harvey Mackay.
He wrote about Gordon Dean. I had no idea who this gentleman was, but it was explained that at one time he was a very distinguished American lawyer and prosecutor and more importantly, an original member and chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission. Mr. Dean died in a plane crash in 1958. Very little was recovered from the crash, but it’s said that among Gordon Deans personal effects was an envelope with nine life lessons scribbled on the back. In the Harvey Mackay article, he points out that these lessons weren’t about the law or about atomic energy. They were wisdom about Gordon Deans philosophy of life.
His nine observations were;
- Never lose your capacity of enthusiasm.
- Never lose your capacity of indignation.
- Never judge people, don’t type them too quickly. But in a pinch never first assume that a man is bad; first assume that he is good and that, at worst, he is in the gray area between bad and good.
- Never be impressed by wealth alone or thrown by poverty.
- If you can’t be generous when it’s hard to be, you won’t be when it’s easy.
- The greatest builder of confidence is the ability to do something-almost anything-well.
- When confidence comes, then strive for humility; you aren’t as good as all that.
- The way to become truly useful is to seek the best that other brains have to offer. Use them to supplement your own, and be prepared to give credit to them when they have helped.
- The greatest tragedies in the world and personal events stem from misunderstandings. So communicate!
While you still have time become more aware of what others have observed and learned through trial and error and success. Life is a classroom if you allow it to me and what you learn could make life quite a lot easier.
Let me know if you would like to talk about your issues and challenges. You never know how much and how easy your life and business might change. Call or write me, this is what I do and I’m open for business.
Be GREAT!
Coach Dan