Daily Inspiration 5-3-14

"Men are anxious 

to improve their circumstances, 

but are unwilling 

to improve themselves." 

-- James Allen 

I used to hear this phrase when I was young: "I buy you books, send you to school, and all you do is eat the covers." It's sarcasm of course, but as with most sarcasm, there is certain truth weaved in.

It's been a little while, but I am back to doing commercial truck success training and consulting to help some people see another point of view, and perhaps a more profitable and productive path to grow that type of business. I have such a passion for it and am energized to be back at it with renewed joy.

James Allen's comment above is so darn true. It's true for the new sales people that are in my training class, the managers, owners, and I cannot forget to mention myself. We all want things to change, to improve without much in the way of focus or effort on our part, whether that be time, money, or both.

In one of my classes, I give out books that I think are powerful. I don't spend much time on this, but I wonder if they get read. I understand this. I'm not convinced that I ever read a book cover to cover until I was out of school. At age 21, I began reading and amassing a library, and through the most recent years, I've been giving a lot of them away and buying more to give away. Call me Johnny Appleseed. If only one read one of the books, it could be a life changing event, as it has been with me.

For sales people, or doctors, lawyers, machinists, engineers, and many others to continue to grow, we must continue to learn. I said something a day or two ago about a twenty year veteran who had one year's experience repeated twenty times. This is often the case and the thing that would change this is a desire to continue learning. These people, along with newbies are more often caught in the idea of being anxious to improve circumstances, and yet unwilling to improve themselves.

If you're a parent, look at or remember your kids when they were very young and how excited they were to learn, and how eager they were to experience things. If not a parent, try to remember that feeling within you when you were young. Somehow as we grow older, this enthusiasm for learning and growth seems to wane, as if being grown up was the objective and now being over, we now get to use the cruise control.

I cannot imagine wanting to go to a doctor who stopped learning with their college degree, or internship. I want a doctor who is constantly learning and growing, improving their skills and talents. I'm guessing that others would like that too. Yet, often many of us would not apply the same standard to ourselves and our own careers.

Or, maybe you do. I celebrate that with you because I know it is a challenge, yet such a worthy and ever so satisfying one.


My Desire To Learn Is Fanned By My Passion To Teach And As A Teacher, I Become A More Enlightened And Enthusiastic Student. 

Spread Some Joy Today--by sharing those things and ideas that you are passionate about.