Self motivation, articles and advice

To have arrived here, the reader has already begun the search for self esteem and motivation by starting on the journey. A good place to start this journey is in the present. A famous South African entrepreneur by the name of Donald Gordon was knighted in 2005. Starting with a humble beginning here in South Africa he established the largest life assurance business in the country. After expanding to the United Kingdom he created the massive Liberty Life International Group which is now one of the biggest property owning groups in that country. I tell this story, not because Donny Gordon came from a very poor or disadvantaged background or that he failed his way to the status of billionaire and knighthood. His achievement has been predicated on principles which have governed his life.

Donald Gordon has been an icon of achievement and an example to emulate. Leaders in finance and industry consider his achievements in financial services as legendary. He has stumbled at times along the road to the pinnacle of financial achievement but has never lost faith in the principles he set as his standards. At the opening of the Donald Gordon Business School in Johannesburg, South Africa on 14/3/2000, he delivered an address in which he detailed the principles that have governed his life.

Success is not a destination but a journey that must be continually renewed. You can start right now on the voyage to your future success by adopting the same principles:

Become the most positive and enthusiastic person that you know. Passion in business is everything.
In business and in family relationships, remember that the most important thing is trust.
Remember that overnight success takes about 15 years.
Never accept that existing business practices cannot be improved upon - there will always be a better or an alternative way of doing things. If you identify one, see it through to the end with meticulous care.
Strive for excellence not perfection.
Demand excellence from yourself and your colleagues and be willing to pay for it.
Take care of your reputation; it's your most valuable asset.
Learn to listen, opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.
Watch for big problems, they disguise big opportunities.
Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.
When starting out don't worry about having enough money. Limited funds are a blessing in disguise, not a curse. Nothing encourages creative thinking in quite the same way.
Be tough minded but tender hearted.
Don't waste time responding to your critics.
Never give up on what you really want to do.
The person with big dreams is more powerful than the one with all the facts.
Be bold and courageous.

What better way to start on the journey than to be guided by a set of principles. They provide the beacon to navigate through in the turbulent times that always lie ahead. My own faith in principles and standards I set myself to achieve were often the only reason I continued to survive in an entrepreneurial lifetime of calculated risk-taking.

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