139. Defeatism

Never TALK defeat because it is perfectly possible to talk yourself into defeat, snatching it from the jaws of victory as it were, when you do. Always say the good word.

138. Lord Chesterfield's Advice to His Son

This piece of writing was the original inspiration for me to write this work. It is a little dated now but the advice is still sound. Here is what he has to say :

Talk often but never long.
Adapt your conversation to the people with whom you are conversing.
Tell stories seldom, and absolutely never but where they are very apt and vert short. Never hold anybody by the button or by the hand in order to be heard out.
Avoid in mixed companies argumentative conversation.
Avoid speaking of yourself.
Always look people in the face when you speak to them.
Mimicry, neither practice it yourself nor applaud it in others.
Swearing is as silly and as illiberal as it is wicked.
Have a frank open and ingenious exterior with a prudent and reserved interior.

http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/l/lord_chesterfield.html
http://www.basicfamouspeople.com/index.php?aid=88

137. Stickability

Whatever you take up, stick with it long enough to allow it to work. Stay in the game; dont quit too soon. Do know, however when it is time to quit.

136. Crises

You cannot avoid crises but you can prevent them from completely diverting your attention from your work by accepting each one as a stepping-stone to both personal and business excellence. The Chinese ideogram for "crisis" also means "opportunity".

135. The True Tradegy of Life

"The true tragedy of life is not the death of the body, but that which dies within us while we are still living." - Norman Cousins. Fight for the important things; do not let anything good inside you ever die.

134. Distinguish between Limits and Limitations

There is nothing to hold you back but the limitations set by your own mind-set. The good news is that you are in charge of that. There are such things as physical limits. Recognising them is what realists do. Devising ways to transcend them is what geniuses do. The human body is not designed for flight, yet we fly every day. The invention of the aircraft allows us to transcend the physical limits of the body. The thought that we cannot fly was the limitation that prevented flight before the age of the aircraft. Distinguish between your limits and your limitations and you are on the road to useful work.

133. Winning the Right Way

Win, truly win through integrity (even if it means losing the race) not through exaggeration or bluff. Exaggeration is sham.

132. Life and the 90:10 Rule

In truth, Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond. It often seems the other way around but that's just because the 10% shouts louder. You and you alone are in charge of your attitudes.

131. Discipline and Freedon

Only the disciplined are truly free. The undisciplined are slaves to their moods, desires, aversions, appetites and passions. The disciplined ones rise above and control them.

130. Duty of the Manager

The first duty of the manager is to define reality.

129.What are the 3 Things that Rule the World ?

1. Vision
2. Discipline
3. Passion

In Hindu teachings, it is said that the 3 things that rule the world are the 3 Gunaa - Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. These may be said to correspond to the first 3 listed here. Sattva = Vision. Rajas = Passion and Tamas = Discipline !