303. Responsible Speech

It follows from the rule "Say and do nothing unnecessary and be usefully occupied at all times." that you should take responsibility for those things that you do say. Never promise that which you cannot deliver, never say anything that you don't mean. Always think of the consequences for the other person of what you are about to say. Never be flippant in your speech. Never speak without thinking. You must never, by your speech, plant in anyone's mind a thought that could be harmful to them or to those they care about. Refrain from useless chatter.

Words have effects. The meaning of a word is what it does. The effects of some words can last for centuries or millenia.

"Words change how people behave. Words are the most powerful drugs that we have." - Mark Twain.

A wrong lecture I once received from someone who didn't know what they were talking about changed my behaviour and limited my behaviour for nearly 26 years. I was told to separate my professional fuction (testing in the consulting room) from the selling function in the dispensing room. This meant that during the test I was not sewing the seeds for the sale of value added items and so making it easier for the patient to go for the cheapest items.

302. "Luck"

Luck always favours the mind that is prepared. And when I look at it, the harder I work, the luckier I get.

This means that before every event, every test, job interview, exam or encounter of any sort, you should prepare, do your homework, check, double check and check again everything connected with it.

Luck is defined as that which happens when opportunity meets preparation. Learn to recognise it whenever it happens.

301. Training in the Martial Arts

When you train in a martial art, you will be on average, 30% faster than an untrained combatant. No matter how much bigger, hairier, uglier or smellier than you your opponent is, all that he has is a pair of arms and a pair of legs that are no different from your own. There is a limited number of ways these can be used against you. When you contact them, remember that and stick to them and destroy them rapidly.

There are 3 aspects of training in the Martial Arts. You should strive to develop each aspect evenly. These are 1. Strength. 2. Skill (Technique). and 3. Speed. If you have any 2 of these aspects you will beat an opponent who has only the other one. e.g. speed + skill will always overcome strength on its own.

300. Total Committment

Develop and cultivate within yourself the habit of total committment. This means there will be no idling, loafing off, standing around, sneaking away or calling in sick. This is a decision, cut away all other possibilities, excuses and rationalisations. Begin to give 100% for 100% of the time. Let there be nothing else going on.

299. Know Thyself

Find out who you are, what you stand for, what your values are, what your strengths and weaknesses are. Do the exercise where you list your values and re-order them by which you put first. Do this prioritising exercise at least once a year. Once you know, just carry on being yourself. Never try to be someone else.

298. The Light of Others

Whenever someone succeeds, it is often because there is someone else to show the way. The light does not have to be in your family, it often comes from your teachers.

297. Education and Freedom.

Education is the door to freedom. Without it, your choices become very limited indeed.

296. On Vegetarianism and Imposing your Views

Vegitarianism like everything else is a choice. If there are moral reasons then there are. The problem is when those that take certain choices seek to impose their views on others. This is called fascism !

295. How to Deal With Criticism

When you are being criticised, learn to listen to it as if you are simply hearing an alternative way of looking at yourself (as indeed you are). Judge it honestly and see if there is any truth in it. If there is, accept what truth there may be and work to improve on that aspect of yourself with the attitude that it is simply another piece of stone that needs to be chipped away from your magnificent sculpture.

If you find that there is no truth in it, waste no more time on it; do not give ear to untruth; simply state that it is untrue and do not get involved in arguing about it. Sound "iti" in mind and allow your mind to move on gently to the next item on your agenda.

294. Support

Always have a number of support groups to help you out. Things are much easier when you are surrounded by like-minded people. Join Mastermind Groups, think tanks, chambers of commerce, referral networks, professional associations etc.

293. Multiple Streams of Income

Always keep multiple streams of income. If you have a job, start a part-time business. If you have a business, take a part-time job. Invest in the stock exchange. Keep rental properties both residential and commercial. Keep building your asset base and generating new streams of income. Develop passive income streams.

292. Look After Your Own Customers

Don't worry about the competition, look after your customers instead.

291. There are no Days Off !

When you have a career, even if you are an employee, you are working for yourself. When you work for yourself there are no days off. If business is slow, clean out your files, make phone calls, do things that will drive your business forwards. If you are out and about, and headed for an appointment, call on an old friend for directions, it often generates extra business. Produce new business every day. Talk to everyone who rings up, you never know where each contact may lead.

290. On Being Professional

1. Always call people back. (It shows you care)
2. Always keep your promises.

289. Why We Set Goals

The reason you set a goal is for what it will make of you once you have achieved it.

288. Keep the Aim Clearly in View

Always have a clear vision of where you are going. Start with the end in mind. This is one of Stephen Covey's Habits of Highly Effective People. Know in advance where you are going and what you are building will look like once it is complete.

287. Choose a Job You Love

"When you choose a job you love, you will never have to work a day in your life." -Confucius

It is very important to be passionate about your work. If you are not in a business you can be passionate about, then it will soon become just a bad job with a high economic risk. If you choose a job you love you will be content in your work. Remember, though that what you love to do can and does change over time.

286. On Finding Yourself in a Fight

If you find yourself in a fight, be happy. The only 3 possible outcomes are Win, Lose or Draw. Either you have enough training, speed and strength to win or you don't. So smile at your enemy. At the very least it will unnerve him and throw him off balance !

285. Mastery and the Rough Zone

Everyone applies their knowledge daily and so should you. We don't always have enough knowledge, practice or skill to be perfect. We will often encounter rough patches. Only by getting into these rough zones and getting out again do we learn and grow and thereby achieve mastery. Embrace, therefore, the rough patches. This is more than simply "taking the rough with the smooth". It is pro-actively and consciously taking on the challenges and learning, always learning from them.

In this regard, a good discipline is to commit to practicing at least one difficut thing each day.

When you find yourself in a rough situation you must do 3 things. First find out how you got there and learn how to never make that mistake again. Second, figure out how to get out of the situation and what you need to do. Then do it !

284. Choice of Life Path

In choosing your life path, learn to distinguish those things you do best from all the things you simply enjoy. Then select a course or courses that will give you the best opportunities to make the most of your abilities.

283. Booklist (Experience)

Add to your list "Take it from Me, Life is a struggle but You Can Win." -Erin Brokovich & M.Elliot. Mc Graw-Hill 2000.

282. The Secret of Kindness

The secret of kindness is what it does to us. When we are kind to others, it lights them up, but we are the ones who are carrying the light.

281. Career

Whatever your career, lesrn well and respect your craft. Do not fear failure. Be Kind and Respectful. Work hard and with integrity. Be easy to be around.

280. Technology

Master all the technology you find around you. (Start with Lego and Meccano). Tecnology is Leverage

279. Booklist (Laws)

Add the book "The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success" by Brian Tracy, (Bennett Kobbe 2000) to your reading list.

278. Kill Procrastination

Never put off your plans until tomorrow. "Tomorrow" never comes. Practice the habit of doing things immediately. Learn to recognise the euphemisms that people use when they don't want you to spot that they are procrastinating or trying to avoid doing what you ask. Words such as "deferred", "pending" or "withheld" imply that they are going to do it SOME day, just not right now. Euphemisms are a form of lying. Don't be fooled by this; take the action that is appropriate NOW.

277. Laws - The Law of Cause and Effect

The Law of Cause and Effect states that everything happens for a reason. For every effect there is a cause or a series of causes (chain-reaction).  In a chain reaction, the last effect becomes the cause of the next effect and so on until the end of the chain. Sometimes a cause will have secondary effects and form sub chains, spreading out in ripples to effect peple, things and events that are not connected directly to the original cause.

Things do not happen by chance. We live in a world governed by laws. The clearer your understanding of these and of the effects you want to achieve, the better your chances of reaching your goals.

The thoughts that you have create the effects in your life.

It is not the world outside you that creates or dictates your circumstances; it is the world of thought (within) that determines the conditions of your life.

Ultimately, no-one forces you to feel, think or act the way you do. It is entirely your own choice.

Once a month you should take time out to examine the following areas of your life :

* Family
* Health
* Work
* Money.

Investigate the cause-and-effect relationships between what you think say do and feel and the results you are achieving. Ask what changes you could make to your thinking to improve the quality of some part of your life and insert the answer into your plan for the following month.


Remember that this law can be expressed as a cycle diagram.

276. Work on Yourself First.

Whatever you do or achieve, your success comes from within. Work, therefore on yourself first. You have just achieved your second Martial Arts Blue Belt. You did well on the night of your grading but the real work was done in class and at training. This was the work on yourself, learning the technique, doing the pad-work, practicing for speed and fluidity, doing the press-ups and sit ups to give you the strength and flexibility to be competent. This is work on yourself.