It is the cla.s.sic touch that gives the winning edge.

It works wonders.

It accomplishes miracles.

It is easy to recognize, hard to define.

It is accepting responsibility.

It is humility.

It is graciousness in victory and defeat.

It is not fame and fortune.

It is not a plaque.

It is permanent.

It is intangible.

It is being courteous and polite without being subservient.

It is being cla.s.sy without being corky.

It is self-discipline and knowledge.

It is self-contained.

It is a gracious winner and an understanding loser.

More difficult than success itself is; how we handle success. Many people know how to become successful but after they become successful, they don't know how to handle it That is why ability and character go hand in hand. Ability will get you success, character will keep you successful.

We don't unfold or discover ourselves , we create and build ourselves into the kind of person we want to be.

Character building starts from infancy and goes on until death. Character does not need success. It is success. Just like a gardener has to keep weeding to prevent weeds from eating the life of the garden, we need to keep building and developing our character by weeding out our faults.

Adversity Builds and/or Reveals Character

Under adverse circ.u.mstances, some people break records and others break down. A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor can you get the finest steel without putting it through fire. Similarly, adversity reveals a person's character and introduces it to himself.

There is a saying that came from Russia: "A hammer shatters gla.s.s but forges steel."

There is a lot of truth in it. Are we made of gla.s.s or steel? It is the same hammer. Just like carbon determines the quality of steel, character determines the quality of man.

6. Positive Believing

What is the difference between positive thinking and positive believing? What if you could actually listen to your thoughts? Are they positive or negative? How are you programming your mind, for success or failure? How you think has a profound effect on your performance.

Having a positive att.i.tude and being motivated is a choice we make every morning.

Living a positive life is not easy; but then neither is negative living. Given a choice, I would go for positive living.

Positive thinking is better than negative thinking and it will help us use our abilities to the fullest.

44*Positive believing is a lot more than positive thinking. It is having a reason to believe that positive thinking will work. Positive believing is an att.i.tude of confidence that comes with preparation. Having a positive att.i.tude without making the effort is nothing more than having a wishful dream. The following ill.u.s.trates positive believing.

Does Lockheed organization have a reason to believe positively? You bet.

Several years ago Lockheed introduced the L-1011 Tristar plane. In order to ensure safety and test the strength of the jetliner, Lockheed exposed the plane to the roughest treatment for 18 months, costing $1.5 billion. Hydraulic jacks, electronic sensors and a computer put the airplane through its paces for more than 36,000 simulated flights, amounting to 100 years of airline service, without one single malfunction. Finally after hundreds of tests the aircraft was given the seal of approval. *

There is every reason to believe that this plane would be safe to fly, because of all the effort put into preparation.

7. Give More Than You Get

It is easy to succeed today. We have no compet.i.tion. If you want to get ahead in life, go the extra mile. There is no compet.i.tion on the extra mile. Are you willing to do a little more than you get paid for ? How many people you know are willing to do a little bit more than what they get paid for? Hardly any. Most people don't want to do what they get paid for and there is a second category of people who only want to do what they can get by with. They fulfill their quota just to keep their jobs. There is a small fraction who are willing to do a little bit more than what they get paid for. Why do they do more? If you fall into the last category, then where is your compet.i.tion?

The advantages of doing more than you get paid for are :

You make yourself more valuable, regardless of what you do and where you work.

It gives you more confidence.

People start looking at you as a leader.

Others start trusting you.

Superiors start respecting you.

It breeds loyalty from both your subordinates and your superiors.

It generates cooperation.

If you work for a man for heaven's sake work for him.

--Kim Hubbard

These people are always wanted everywhere regardless of age, experience or academic qualifications: hardworking people who can work without supervision; people who are punctual and considerate; people who listen carefully and carry out instructions accurately; people who tell the truth; people who don't sulk when called upon to pitch in at the time of an emergency; people who are result rather than task oriented; people who are cheerful and courteous.

Always think in terms of giving value added whether to customers, friends, your spouse, parents or children. Whenever you do anything, ask yourself, "How can I add value to what I am doing?" or "How can I give added value to others?"

45*The key to success can be summed up in four words: "and then some more." Winners do what they are supposed to and then some more. Winners do their duty and then some more. Winners are courteous and generous and then some more. Winners can be counted on and then some more. Winners put in 100% and then some more.

Ability without dependability, responsibility and flexibility is a liability.

8. Adapted from Daily Motivations for African American Success by Dennis Kimbro, June 29,1993, Fawcett Press, New York.

Why are some highly intelligent people, with impressive academic qualifications living failures, or at best practicing mediocrity? Because they become experts at why things won't work and build a reserve of negative energy. They don't want to do what they get paid for or they only want to do what they can get by with. No wonder they are living failures. When we give or do more than what we get paid for, we eliminate our compet.i.tion. In fact, we become the compet.i.tion. This att.i.tude is much more important than intelligence or a degree.

8. The Power of Persistence

Nothing will take the place of persistence. Talent will not : Nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent . Genius will not : Unrewarded genius is a proverb.

Education will not: The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

--Calvin Coolidge

The journey to being your best is not easy. It is full of setbacks. Winners have the ability to overcome and bounce back with even greater resolve.

DON'T QUIT.

When things go wrong, As they sometimes will, When the road you're trudging seems all uphill, When the funds are low and the debts are high, And you want to smile, but you have to sigh, When care is pressing you down a bit Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns, As every one of us sometimes learns, And many a failure turns about When he might have won had he stuck it out.

Don't give up though the pace seems slow You may succeed with another blow.