Lessons from Professor History!

While our grade school, middle school, high school and college education is so rewarding and critically important to our growth, development and, ultimately, our success in life, it’s also crucial that we recognize the many crucial lessons to be gleaned from history.

Unfortunately, few of us find the time to do this and suffer greatly as a result. However, by the time we do reach a point in our lives where we can pause and reflect on those many priceless lessons which history contributes to us, it’s often too late.

For instance, in 1923, who was …

  1. president of the largest steel company?
  2. president of the largest gas company?
  3. president of the New York Stock Exchange?
  4. the greatest wheat speculator?
  5. president of the Bank of International Settlement?
  6. the Great Bear of Wall Street?

These men were considered some of the world’s most successful of their days.

Now, 87 years later, history tells us what ultimately became of them.

The answers:

  1. The president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper.
  2. The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane.
  3. The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home.
  4. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless.
  5. The president of the Bank of International Settlement, shot himself.
  6. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, also committed suicide.

However, in that same year, 1923, the PGA Champion and the winner of the most important golf tournament, the US Open, was Gene Sarazen.

So, what became of him?

He played golf until he was 92 and died in 1999 at the ripe old age of 95! He was very financially secure at the time of his death.

The moral here:

While work can be rewarding, refreshing, productive and profitable, it need not be all consuming and, in the end, isn’t as rewarding as the obvious benefits provided by achieving true balance in your life. Sadly, far too many of us don’t realize this until it’s too late. Many never realize it at all. Take a hint from this very popular hit song. I wish I had heard it … really listened to the words … years before I actually did!

About Harry K. Jones

Harry K. Jones is a motivational speaker and consultant for AchieveMax®, Inc., a company of professional speakers who provide custom-designed seminars, keynote presentations, and consulting services. Harry's top requested topics include change management, customer service, creativity, employee retention, goal setting, leadership, stress management, teamwork, and time management. For more information on Harry's presentations, please call 800-886-2629 or fill out our contact form.

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