Newsletter for February 2008: Second Pillar of Success: Integrity
 

I value your privacy and will never rent, sell, or share your email address with anyone. To unsubscribe click on the Unsubscribe above. 

This Months Thought

Lots of people can achieve some level of fame or wealth, or even political power, without Personal Integrity, but it won't last. It's not truly satisfying or fulfilling because at some level, they know they are being false. True success is built on a foundation of Self-Awareness and stands on the pillars of Personal Passion and Personal Integrity. Don't leave home without it!

Second Pillar of Success: Integrity

Leonardo DiCaprio was on the Oprah Winfrey show a few years back plugging his new movie, but he also told a story about his grandmother, describing her as "old school," a woman who told it as she saw it.

He described a private tour of the Pablo Picasso museum, personally guided by Picasso's grandson. As they looked at the paintings, it was obvious his grandmother didn't approve of Picasso's style and when the grandson asked what she thought, she told him! Everyone in the audience laughed at the story, but then Leonardo added the real punch-line: Later he received a letter from Picasso's grandson saying how much he loved the old woman's honesty and integrity!

Everyone wants to be told the truth. We recognize integrity, and we also sense the lack of it.

Here's another great story, variously credited to both Winston Churchill and George Bernard Shaw. It seems one of them was seated next to a wealthy, aristocratic woman at a formal dinner. During the dinner, a slightly inebriated Churchill (or Shaw) turned to the woman and asked if she'd sleep with him for a million pounds. After recovering from her outrage, it's said the woman pondered the question and reluctantly agreed that for a million pounds she would do it.

Churchill then asked if she'd sleep with him for five pounds, to which she angrily replied, "Certainly not! What kind of woman do you think I am?!" Churchill's answer is classic: "That, my dear woman, has already been established. Now we are haggling over the price."

Integrity is priceless and essential to greatness.

This is the third in a series on the Pillars of Achievement. Over the past 5 years, I've had the privilege of working with numerous high achievers and I've looked for the common factors, the "keys" that made them so successful. Obviously, there are a variety of skills (and we'll look at them in March), but underneath it all, I found a common foundation of "Self-Awareness" and four "Pillars" that support their achievements. (You can see the earlier articles in my archive at: http://www.rodgerblaker.com/business-life-coach-newsletters.htm

Last month we looked at the Pillar of Passion. It's the reservoir of energy and drive that high achievers use to reach their goals. They have a personal belief and passion to achieve their purposes!

The second pillar is an absolute, relentless sense of Integrity. Self-Awareness tells them exactly who they are, and their sense of Integrity keeps them focused straight ahead. With high achievers, what you see is exactly what you get. They are who they seem to be, they know their values, and they stick to them.

I think of John F. Kennedy's remarkable book, "Profiles in Courage," and the impact those models had on his own life. Kennedy can be faulted for many things, but as Robert Dallek's new biography makes clear, Kennedy new who he was and through his pain and limitations, he stuck to his priorities.

The great golfer, Bobby Jones, was once complimented for calling a penalty stroke on himself when no one else was around to see. He was disgusted by the compliment and replied, "You might as well compliment a man for not robbing a bank!"

Lots of people can achieve some level of fame or wealth, or even political power, without personal Integrity, but it won't last. It's not truly satisfying or fulfilling because at some level, they know they are being false.

True success is built on a foundation of Self-Awareness and stands on the pillars of Passion and Integrity. Don't leave home without it!

Quotes of the Month

"Don't be afraid your life will end; be afraid that it will never begin." -- Grace Hansen

"We don't know who we are until we see what we can do." -- Martha Grimes

"The starting point of all achievement is desire. Weak desire brings weak results." -- Napoleon Hill

"When you follow your bliss, doors will open where you would not have thought there would be doors; and where there wouldn't be a door for anyone else." -- Joseph Campbell

Strictly Business: Have You Backed Up Today?

I have written about this before, but I believe it's really important so I want to remind you again that every business person MUST have systems to "back-up" their most important files, procedures and operations. Recently, I heard a personal example of that.

My web master set my system up for automatic back up last year, but recently he gave a testimony of his own personal experience for the importance of having your files backed up. He stated that while he was working on a project his computer crashed, including his hard drive. All of his business related data was completely lost. There had been no warning, nothing to indicate a problem. He tried to re-start his computer several times and nothing happened. Uh-oh!

His hard drive was completely gone, and with it all of his files, programs and records for the past several years. A disaster!

Fortunately, he had a solution to his problem because he implemented the same back up procedures for his files as he had set up for my files:

1. He had back-ups of all his personal work. All his customer files, articles, personal data and his financial records were backed up on another hard drive (at a separate location). The good news was that his data would live again!

2. He also had another computer with copies of his most important software. While checking email and running his business were less convenient, he could still function.

3. He was able to run the restore program to down load the remote backup files to his new computer and he accomplished this in a matter of minutes.

While it cost him some time and money, he is back with only minor disruptions. Lessons learned?

- Have systems that automatically backs-up ALL your key files! Don't count on remembering to do it. Get software that does it automatically.

- Maintain your software so when (not "if" but "when") you have to re-install it, everything is in one place and you can find it.

- Find a tech person you trust and get to know them NOW. Don't wait for a rainy day to start looking for a roofer, and don't wait until your computer crashes to find someone to fix it. 

You may have a qualified tech support person that will install an automatic remote backup for you. But if you don’t, I recommend you contact my tech, Michael Glanton at G2web. He provides quality service and you may reach him at or by phone at 214-256-4893.

Humor: Warning - Major Groaners Ahead!

I found this collection of bad, bad puns and in the midst of stress and chaos, they were good enough (bad enough) to make me laugh out loud. I wish I had included a note about who sent them to me, but alas I didn't. Whoever it was, thank you! On a bad day, these were great pick-me-ups!

How do crazy people go through the forest?
They take the psycho path.

What did the fish say when it hit a concrete wall?
"Dam!"

What do Eskimos get from sitting on the ice too long?
Polaroids.

What do prisoners use to call each other?
Cell phones.

What do you call a boomerang that doesn't work?
A stick.

What do you call cheese that isn't yours?
Nacho Cheese.

What do you call Santa's helpers?
Subordinate Clauses.

What do you call four bullfighters in quicksand?
Quatro sinko.

What has four legs, is big, green, fuzzy, and would kill you if it fell out of a tree?
A pool table.

 Why do bagpipers walk when they play?
They're trying to get away from the noise.

Why do gorillas have big nostrils?
Because they have big fingers.

What kind of coffee was served on the Titanic?
Sanka.

Rodger Blaker works with executives, small business owners and professionals who want to grow in their business and create an extraordinary life! 

For info on resources for your success, visit: http://www.rodgerblaker.com or call me at 214-485-2238. 

Please forward this copy to your friends and colleagues! That's how I grow!