You Can If You Think You Can

From Dan Bird's morning meeting on The Winning Mentality:

You Can If You Think You Can
A poem by C. W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don't
If you like to win, but you think you can't,
If you think you'll lose, you're lost,
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You've got to think high to rise,
You've got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But soon or late the man who wins,
Is the man who thinks he can.

The Underestimated Foundation

Often times as we look to improve our businesses, we tend to focus on the skills necessary to do it. We discuss the mentality that is necessary to carry a heavy load and persevere; we talk about the planning and preparation required to execute a game plan. One thing that is frequently overlooked is the importance of character. In order to excel in anything, we must be constantly looking to improve our character and live our lives with the utmost integrity. Here are some points regarding character that we can use to reflect on and remind us of the foundation of successful people. This is from a California based radio segment called “Character Counts.”

A person of character values honesty and integrity and pays whatever price is needed to be worthy of trust, earning self-respect and the pride of family and friends.

A person of character plays fair even when others don’t and values no achievement unless it is attained with honor.

A person of character has strong convictions, yet avoids self-righteousness.

A person of character believes in the inherent dignity of all people and treats everyone with respect, even those whose ideas and ideologies evoke strong disagreement.

A person of character deals with criticism constructively and is self-confident enough to take good advice, admit and learn from mistakes, feel and express genuine remorse, and apologize graciously.

A person of character knows what’s important, sacrifices now for later, is in control of attitudes and actions, overcomes negative impulses, and makes the best of every situation.

A person of character willingly faces fears and tackles unpleasant tasks.

A person of character is consistently and self-consciously kind and empathetic, giving generously without concern for reward.

A person of character feels and expresses gratitude freely and frequently.

A person of character is not defeated by failure or dissuaded by disappointment.

A person of character seeks true happiness in living a life of purpose and meaning, placing a higher value on significance than success.