That’s a tough choice. You want to win. If you lose, you have nothing to show for your trouble. But what are you going to do with the mediocre toy once you win it? It will probably be discarded in a week or so when you move on to more exciting diversions.
Your assignment today is to take a look at where you are aiming. Examine the targets you have set in your professional life and your personal life. Are you aiming too low? If you haven’t even set your goals, your assignment is to find a few targets and take aim. It is very difficult to achieve success without seeing a goal before you. Find your targets and aim high.
DAY
18
“A sense of humor is part of the art of leadership, of getting along with people, of getting things done.”
— Dwight D. Eisenhower
Cultivating a sense of humor is one of the best weapons in your arsenal of success. Humor is healing and unifying, and it can also lead to great accomplishments. Why is humor such an effective weapon? It might be because laughter is something to which everyone relates. It allows people to see their commonalities rather than their differences.
If you want to be a leader, you must not take yourself so seriously. Life is too important to be taken seriously! Poke a little fun at yourself. Admit it when you fail, laugh, and move on. You will gain more admiration by taking responsibility for your foibles than by trying to cover them up.
If you find yourself acting as a mediator between disparate parties, humor is also a handy tool. Use it to release tension and help each side get a glimpse of how the other side sees things. If you can get people who disagree with each other to laugh at their situation for a moment, they will relax and be more receptive to a mutually agreeable solution. Humor releases tension and loosens people up so that they are willing to work together toward a common goal. It takes the heat off for a moment so that parties can cool down and get back to being productive.