An Important Secret of Success

There is a great quote from the comedian Bill Cosby that I really like:

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”

~ Bill Cosby ~

I want to share a story with you to better illustrate the quote above. The story is part of Aesop’s fables series. However the story as it is written below is an excerpt of a great book entitled: Self-Discipline in 10 Days: How to Go from Thinking to Doing ~ by Theodore Bryant

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A Story

Once upon a bright, sunny morning a man and his young son left their farm to make a trip into town. The boy rode atop their donkey as the father walked alongside. Along the road they encountered a fellow from the nearby village. “You should be ashamed of yourself!” the fellow said, admonishing the boy. “You ride comfortably while your poor, old father has to walk. You have no respect!”

The boy and his father first sheepishly exchanged glances, then exchanged places. As the two continued their journey, they chanced upon another fellow. “You selfish old man!” he said. “You take the easy ride while your poor son wears himself out trying to keep up. You should at least let the boy ride also.”

Not wishing to offend, the old man helped his son climb aboard. The pair then continued their journey. Before long, they came upon a woman coming from the opposite direction. She, too, found fault with their arrangement. “I’ve never seen such cruelty! You two lazy louts are too heavy for that poor donkey. It would be more fitting for the two of you to be carrying the animal.”

Not wishing to fall from favor with the woman, the man directed his son to bind the donkey’s front hooves together, then back hooves together. Meanwhile, the man himself cut a long, sturdy pole from a nearby tree. The pair laid the animal down, slid the pole through his bound hooves, then lifted the pole to their shoulders-the father on one end, the boy on the other, the donkey hanging upside- down on the pole between them.

Carrying the donkey, the pair trudged along. As they crossed the bridge that lead into town, the upside-down donkey saw his reflection in the water below from an angle that he had never before seen. The animal became frightened and suddenly thrashed about violently, causing the pair to lose their grips on the pole. Before they could grab him, the donkey fell off the narrow bridge into the water below. Still bound, the donkey was unable to swim. From the bridge, the father and son helplessly watched as their donkey sank out of sight, into the deep water below.

Moral of the story: After a moment of silent reflection, the father turned to the boy and spoke: “Son, we learned a valuable lesson today. We learned that when you try to satisfy everyone you end up losing you’re ass.”

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“Please all, and you will please none.”

Having said all that, here is one secret of success. You can’t please everybody. So stop trying to. Whatever you do, someone will be dissatisfied with the results.

If you cook some food for a group of people, some will love it, others will complain.

If you write a blog post, some will benefit from it, others will criticize it.

If you attempt to teach someone something, some will learn from you and others will disapprove of your point of view.

Do you see a pattern here?

Stop trying to be perfect and stop trying to fit into everyone’s mold of how you should be.

Of course if someone offers you advice or constructive feedback, go ahead and take it. Learn from it and move forward.

But never allow someone’s opinion of you or your actions stop you from taking steps towards your goals.

Before I go here is the book again that I mentioned. I am reading it now. It is eye opening. It talks about overcoming procrastination. I am learning so much about myself.  Check it out:

Self-Discipline in 10 Days: How to Go from Thinking to Doing ~ by Theodore Bryant

Peace,

Koorosh Vahabi

Photo Coutesy of Roya Barrette:

http://picasaweb.google.com/royabarrette/IranNature#5186995479898135234

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