Saturday, January 31, 2009
Nice visit to Mount Vernon
We're in Virginia for a wedding, just outside of washington DC. Flew in yesterday and had a bit of time to go visit Mt Vernon, the home of George and Martha Washington. We were among the only people there and ended having a virtually private tour. Very nice! Although Washington was not perfect (he owned slaves for example), he must have been a remarkable man, especially not letting power go to his head. We need more people like that today.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO TEACH CHILDREN
I was recently asked the question:
What would you consider THE TEN MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO TEACH CHILDREN
NOT ONLY TO SUCCEED FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES
BUT TO CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING A BETTER WORLD?
Tough one. Lots of different choices. Below is my attempt at it based on about 60 minutes worth of reflection. Will post this now, and will do follow up posts if I change my mind. I've also put the question out to my network on LinkedIn and on Facebook, so may have reflections based on what others have to say as well.
1. Self-esteem and confidence. Learn to love yourself for who you are and whatever your abilities. This is critical for true happiness, but also to truly love others as well. When we look at all the people in history this earth would have been better without, many of them lacked in this area.
2. Respect yourself. Treat yourself right. Eat well, exercise, cherish your health. Don't let others take advantage of you either.
3. Responsibility and leadership. Gandhi's words, 'Be the change you want to see in the world', are so inspiring. Take responsibility for yourself, your actions, your family, your community, etc... Lead by example. Behave in a way that inspires others to do the same (in a good way!).
4. Be kind to others. Reject intolerance and bigotry in all their forms. Embrace others for who they are, trust in their good intentions, believe that most people are fundamentally good. But don't forget some aren't and know how to deal with that.
5. Learn from the past. Study world history, ancient and recent. Consider multiple points of view, and form your own opinions along the way. The 'truth' is often quite subjective.
6. Travel. Experience other cultures. Appreciate and accept them for their differences, even if they don't all appeal to you. Live in multiple places if you have the chance.
7. Be flexible and embrace change. Whether in work, in life, in technology, change is a constant. Don't be afraid of change. Prepare for its inevitability and don't let it destabilize you. Look for the opportunities it creates and capitalize on them.
8. Be solution-oriented. Don't act like a victim or look for someone to blame. When faced with adversity, focus on what you can do to overcome it, and reflect on what you can learn from it in the process. This is a critical skill to be successful professionally but also in general.
9. Live within or below your means. Don't define your success in financial or material terms. Enjoy nice things, meals, trips if you can afford them. Share with others as much as you can.
10. Respect the earth. Be kind to animals and the environment. Use natural resources wisely.
What would you consider THE TEN MOST IMPORTANT THINGS TO TEACH CHILDREN
NOT ONLY TO SUCCEED FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES
BUT TO CONTRIBUTE TO BUILDING A BETTER WORLD?
Tough one. Lots of different choices. Below is my attempt at it based on about 60 minutes worth of reflection. Will post this now, and will do follow up posts if I change my mind. I've also put the question out to my network on LinkedIn and on Facebook, so may have reflections based on what others have to say as well.
1. Self-esteem and confidence. Learn to love yourself for who you are and whatever your abilities. This is critical for true happiness, but also to truly love others as well. When we look at all the people in history this earth would have been better without, many of them lacked in this area.
2. Respect yourself. Treat yourself right. Eat well, exercise, cherish your health. Don't let others take advantage of you either.
3. Responsibility and leadership. Gandhi's words, 'Be the change you want to see in the world', are so inspiring. Take responsibility for yourself, your actions, your family, your community, etc... Lead by example. Behave in a way that inspires others to do the same (in a good way!).
4. Be kind to others. Reject intolerance and bigotry in all their forms. Embrace others for who they are, trust in their good intentions, believe that most people are fundamentally good. But don't forget some aren't and know how to deal with that.
5. Learn from the past. Study world history, ancient and recent. Consider multiple points of view, and form your own opinions along the way. The 'truth' is often quite subjective.
6. Travel. Experience other cultures. Appreciate and accept them for their differences, even if they don't all appeal to you. Live in multiple places if you have the chance.
7. Be flexible and embrace change. Whether in work, in life, in technology, change is a constant. Don't be afraid of change. Prepare for its inevitability and don't let it destabilize you. Look for the opportunities it creates and capitalize on them.
8. Be solution-oriented. Don't act like a victim or look for someone to blame. When faced with adversity, focus on what you can do to overcome it, and reflect on what you can learn from it in the process. This is a critical skill to be successful professionally but also in general.
9. Live within or below your means. Don't define your success in financial or material terms. Enjoy nice things, meals, trips if you can afford them. Share with others as much as you can.
10. Respect the earth. Be kind to animals and the environment. Use natural resources wisely.
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