“Advice is free: The right answer will cost plenty.” –Unknown
Going by the above dictum, we can all relate to the growing prevalence of advisors, well-wishers, soothsayers and fear-mongers that have nothing better to do in their own lives. These dime-a-dozen advisors are nothing short of wolves in the garb of sheep that act as confidence-tricksters on the gullible, with impunity. You need not agree with me because such an experience is waiting for you just around the corner, on your favorite Search Engine on the World Wide Web.
When you want to play it safe, seek advice from those you know through a verifiable reference you could trust. No doubt, your immediate relations and/or close friends have nothing but the best of wishes for you in their hearts. What you need to know is how far you can trust their advice in matters of career choice, life partner, study options, financial matters, health issues and so much more.
It is not my intention to deviate you from the path of building string relationships by reposing faith in others. On the contrary, knowing beforehand which one of your trusted contacts has necessary expertise in a given field can help avert an emergency from arising in the first place.
Just one wrong piece of advice could result in unforeseen hardships and/or financial loss that no one will ever come forward to compensate. Be your own judge and act accordingly, without my advice, of course!
“I’m selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best.” -Marilyn Monroe
Some of the most common traits of human character find such a pronounced mention in the above quote from an icon that ruled over the hearts of millions of her devoted fans for a decade. Even over half a century since her death, she remains a popular cultural icon of her time. Without going into the negativity of her troubled life, it shall be safe to address the above quote in a much relevant context per today’s demanding social norms and values.
“It is in general more profitable to reckon up our defects than to boast of our attainments.”
Coming from Thomas Carlyle, the 18th century Scottish philosopher, essayist, historian and teacher, the above statement could be a game-changer in the followers’ lives. You may not pay attention to the advice but try to make peace with the fact that overcoming our shortcomings is dependent upon our willingness to identify the same. Until and unless we recognize our defects, there is no way we can ever make an honest effort in eradicating the same. As such, you are free to overlook the advice and chose introspection instead.
“By seeing the seed of failure in every success, we remain humble. By seeing the seed of success in every failure we remain hopeful.” –Unknown
One of the most valuable lessons I learned from my Mentor, my maternal grandfather, at an early age, the above quote has stuck with me in all pursuits. It continues to keep my fresh, alive and ticking when I am down and gives me the strength to stay grounded upon achieving success. There have been times in my life when money was hard, painfully hard, to come by but the above lesson kept me toiling harder and smarter. When the tide turned in my favor, the same teaching gave me the wisdom to share some of those gains with those less fortunate. It continues to bring me much needed cheer and positive energy through thick and thin, across ups-and-downs, and against any negativity in life, at all times.
Yet another example of very valuable lessons I was fortunate enough to learn goes like this: “A man’s greatest glory doesn’t consist in never falling, but in rising every time he falls.” Honestly, I have absolutely no idea about its author. However, the intrinsic value has sunk deep enough within me to last a lifetime. I believe in this statement due to the sheer fact of personal tests of this theory in my own life, more than once. As such, I consider it my life’s ‘Mantra!’
It is my sincere hope and belief that readers would find some value in the above submission rather than an unsolicited piece of advice. The detractors may as well hide themselves in their own self-imposed cocoons and let nature take its own course.
Our life is a collage of images. Some are beautiful, some disturbing and some inspiring. On our journey in life we collect A scrapbook of images and in the autumn of our life we sit together by the fire and turn the pages. I would be pleased if some say I was brave courageous I would be blessed if one person said I was Kind. Great article my dear friend.
My point of view is condensed in these principles:
Never lose the desire to learn, to have a competitive advantage compared to others.
Compare yourself with others and with their skills when you have to take a “big” decision but, in the end, decide for yourself.
Do not make decisions on the pressures by those rush and perhaps has a partial view of the things as well. Analyze an overall view and fix the real priorities.
Always put yourself into question, make it clear to others that you are willing to accept a different viewpoint that leads to argue, discuss and maybe to give birth to new ideas.
About friends or colleagues, try to associate with some original person, people who bring new ideas, create a suitable physical environment for creativity.
Above all, simply be human, recognizing vulnerability to experiences as the shame, judgment, reprimand. Admit your own limitations is the key to everything, is a sign of courage and ability to coexist and collaborate with others.
I humbly salute you, Aldo Sir, for your high-value principles. It takes deep self-introspection to set one
s principles and then a lot more courage to stand up to them against the daily challenges and rigors.Yes, it is true, we may not always satisfy everyone on everything but what matters most in life is how contented we can be upon fulfillment of a desire to benefit others without causing undue harm.
At times, it becomes essential to step on someone elses toes to make the person realize his or her folly. In the end, what counts is how we conducted ourselves vis-a-vis our own principles.
Warm Regards
BM
Thank you for showing interest in my comment and for feedback.
There is no doubt that we must listen to everyone with attention also because they can come up with new ideas but above all to show interest and give meaning to the work of others.
Personally I have always immersed myself in the team, giving the example but assuming the responsibility if then someone was wrong. Unfortunately, among my “human and democratic” vision of leadership and practice on the field, I have also discovered that, sometimes, the problem is not between the command and not command, but how to command. As well as, put the alternative between being authoritarian and be a motivator, is not always correct or possible. The second behavior is not substitutive of the first, but only part of the first: if the leader cannot motivate or have employees not willing to be motivated them he must anyway lead to the goals. We are afraid of this conclusion? The turbulence of the system in which we live authorizes us to do it and make it acceptable.
Thank you for meeting on this issue.
I am eternally grateful to you, Aldo Sir, for your real-life rendition of each statement. Your wide level of experience resonates with mine on more fronts than one. Perhaps, that is the reason we can always engage in some valuable discussion here. Yes, you are right about those employees not willing to be motivated and they are much easier to find, almost dime a dozen. However, true leadership is the art of mending fences where objections melt away with justifiable persuasion.
When it comes to employees, thankfully the field of choices is much restricted. It is either my way or the highway, simple!
Warm Regards
BM
Absolutely agree.
In reality, the leadership has among its tasks that, hard enough, to persuade, the ability to convince our interlocutors of the real value of our ideas, our positions and our work. In short, it is not persuading to convince who’s in front of what is false, but rather to make it clear and obvious what is true.
And therein lies the test of True Leadership!
Thanks a lot, Sir!