Validation – A Powerful Strategy in Trying Times!

From time to time, I find myself blessed with an experience which inspires and enlightens me while renewing my faith in the human spirit. Just such an experience revealed itself to me this morning by way of a phone call from one of our clients.

I have his permission to share this unusual story as long as I don’t reveal the name of the organization … for obvious reasons.

Several months ago, I was asked to present a customized version of our often-requested “Productive Chaos” seminar. Over the years, we’ve presented various versions of this popular program to thousands of clients across a wide variety of industries from coast to coast. However, this request was rather unique.

The majority of previous presentations have been to those in leadership positions at various levels in the organizations we serve. This particular client requested that we share that same relevant content with his frontline staff! Here’s why he felt it was so important to do so.

  • These are challenging times which call for increased productivity from every level of the organization.
  • The majority of his frontline staff were not college-educated and had never attended an out-of-town conference of any kind. In fact, many had never received classroom training of any kind, even on the premises.
  • This group of key employees was very concerned about the state of the business and the deteriorating status of our U.S. economy. In short, morale was low and self-confidence and self-esteem were far from what they should be to inspire the performance needed from this critical support staff.
  • Our client felt they needed a boost and wanted them to know how important their performance was to the success of the company in these trying times.
  • Therefore, he scheduled the entire staff to attend this presentation of “Productive Chaos” over several days of continuous sessions.

It’s been a few months now so I was certainly happy to hear from him this morning. In short, he was ecstatic. He rambled on for quite some time sharing the results of his risky decision. When he scheduled the seminar, he was honest in saying he wasn’t certain if the cost burden of training at this point was a wise decision. However, after seeing the results, he no longer uses the terms “cost” nor “burden.” He claims it was one of the best “investments” he’s ever made.

Let me cut to the chase. This is NOT a commercial for employee training. Paraphrasing our client’s feedback, he noted the following:

  • In the days following the training, he observed an obvious increase in productivity by the majority of his employees.
  • He observed more and better communication among individuals and departments.
  • He saw daily evidence of greater morale, better attitude, and enhanced confidence and pride among his employees.

At this point, I would love to tell you that these key outcomes were a direct result of our powerful “Productive Chaos” program content and our unique method of delivery. Sadly, that wasn’t the case.

In further discussion with our client, we agreed on the obvious. His staff differed little from other employees all across the nation today. They were beaten down and frustrated by daily media reports of a nation in demise. They were constantly exposed to reports that the future looks bleak and prospects of a turnaround grow more dismal by the day. In short, they were running out of gas and had little or nothing to look forward to.

Then our client gambled. He sent a subliminal message to his staff that they were indeed important and a crucial key to the company’s future success. The message was clear. They were important. They were needed. They were going to receive training with the expectation that performance and increased productivity would soon follow because their potential excellence was recognized, appreciated and a key ingredient for future success.

They were validated!

Sounds too simple doesn’t it? The results speak for themselves. People today want and need validation. The majority may not even be aware of it. I’ve seen it time and time again. A simple “thank you” or “good job” can make a difference. Eye contact, a smile, or a handshake can and will do wonders. People want to know that they possess value and can contribute in some way. Don’t you DARE underestimate the value of validation.

I don’t care who it may be …. a parent, child, spouse, friend, significant other, neighbor, vendor, client, employee or team member …. the results are the same. You’ll see greater pride, enhanced self esteem, increased performance and productivity, higher morale …. and the list goes on.

I saw it in the faces of those attending the training. They suddenly realized they were important enough to their company to receive training, to spend a day in a classroom increasing their ability and worth, to warrant their boss to bring in an outside speaker just for them. Of course, there were the typical number who didn’t care and refused to take part. There always are … but you don’t focus on those folks. You focus on those who care and appreciate your efforts. And the results cannot be denied.

I recently saw a video which so impressed me that I shared it on our blog. At the time, I honestly thought it was somewhat “corny.” However, 30 seconds into the content, I couldn’t turn it off. In fact I can’t believe I watched it to the end. It shared a very powerful message which should bring a smile to your face, a tear to your eye and inspiration to your spirit. It should be shown to every parent, spouse, teacher, CEO, supervisor, manager, team leader, and team member everywhere. In addition, it should be shared in every classroom in the nation.

Today, with this call from our client, that video content was validated!

It’s worth your time to view it. Who knows, it may lead to the successful outcomes experienced by our courageous client who sent a special message to his staff. Can you spare a few minutes? What are you possibly doing that could be more important. Enjoy and prosper!

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.

Never Underestimate the Power of the Human Spirit!

I love to come across examples of what people can accomplish when they put their minds to it! I want to share a video with you, but I have to set it up first. I came across this video at a time when I was in need of a little spiritual boost. Knowing the back story, I was into the video for just a few seconds before breaking into a smile, sensing a heartbeat increase and wanting to sing along with the song. Again, it wasn’t so much the video alone … the back story made the difference.

This video is what they call a LipDup and, by the way, this one set a new world record. A LipDup is a type of video that combines lip synching and audio dubbing to make a music video. It is made by filming individuals or a group of people lip synching while listening to a song or any recorded audio then dubbing over it in post editing with the original audio of the song.

This particular video evolved from simple pride. Newsweek magazine printed a story in January which listed Grand Rapids, Michigan, as No. 10 on a list of America’s “dying” cities. This didn’t sit well with the sassy citizens of the “Furniture City” so they decided to prove their town is very much alive. They did so via a massively multi-performer, lip-sync video done in an epic, single shot, unedited take lasting almost 10 minutes.

The video is set to a live recording of Don McLean’s “American Pie” so you WILL find yourself singing along. They shut down a good portion of downtown Grand Rapids as they coordinated more than 3,000 people, marching bands, parades, weddings, motorcades, bridges on fire, and a helicopter takeoff. The entertaining, up-beat LipDub included entertainers, political figures, and local media celebrities surrounded by hundreds of football players, musicians, cheerleaders, police and firefighters, swing dancers, kayakers and more. Watch closely for the impeccably-timed pyrotechnics!

This unique project shows a sense of kinship that is endearing to everyone because it gets at the heart of who we are, and gives us a sense of what we can do together with determination, pride, focus, communication and a keen desire to succeed.

If only more of us would do something like this without waiting until we’re pushed into a corner being forced to respond in desperation! The Human Spirit is a powerful force to be reckoned with. Let’s harness it today to face the challenges confronting us!

Enjoy this video as you recall how a so-called “dying” America city spanked a statistically-dying magazine and entertained the Internet to the tune of 2,754,494 hits

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.

Revelations Surround Us

Let me begin by defining the word “revelation”: Webster says it is “something revealed or disclosed, especially a striking disclosure, as of something not before realized.

Now … do revelations actually surround us? I may have contested that fact at one point—until recently. I now totally believe it and have added a very unique, crucial element to my daily existence as a result of that belief.

I certainly can’t speak for others, but I believe those revelations have always surrounded me. I simply didn’t acknowledge them for several reasons:

  1. too busy
  2. lack of proper focus
  3. chaos
  4. lack of awareness
  5. and probably others that I’m unaware of!

My turning point? A simple 2:49 video clip brought to my attention by a long-time client. This short clip left me dumbfounded! It made me consider so many things I had never given thought to over the decades.

It made me think about how many people I come into contact with on any given day and the thought that every single one of them has their own story. All these years, I’ve never even seen these people I come into contact with. They come. They go. Just a blur. A single second in my long, challenging day. Until I saw this video.

Now, through a single re-frame, my day has decelerated—yet I’ve lost no time or production. I now look closer at those around me. I make more eye contact. I talk less and listen more. I wonder about their story. I even strive to learn some of them. It’s made a difference in how I view people, actions and situations. It’s affected outcomes. It’s been an asset I wish had discovered many years ago. I’m sure it would have made a difference in so many ways.

Invest two minutes and forty-nine seconds of your time to watch this short video. It’s self-explanatory! It may be the best investment you ever made! If you like it, share it. You’ll be glad you did. I am.

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.

Ray Charles and Winston Churchill Shared a Powerful Philosophy

If you were to ask the average person what they knew about Winston Churchill, they would more than likely mention his famous speech in which he said, “Never give up.”

Here’s a brief bio and an interesting fact about that famous speech.

  • Winston Churchill was a British politician, statesman and orator known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the WWII. He is widely regarded as one of the great wartime leaders. He also served as Prime Minister twice 1940-45 and 1951-55. He passed away in 1965 at the age of 91.
  • Concerning his speech … it was reported that he delivered his inspiring message to the boys of his old school, Harrow, in 1941 and the entire text of his speech consisted of five short sentences built around his advice that you should “never give up.” It was commonly reported that he supposedly spoke for less than a minute and immediately sat down.

Actually, that was a myth that has been recorded in many history books over the years. In reality, his speech was much longer than reported, and his actual phrase was “never give in” as opposed to “never give up.”

Regardless, it was excellent advice which has been heeded by many over the decades.

In the midst of today’s chaotic turmoil, no one has to be told that times are tough. On the other hand, everyone should be encouraged to “never give in.” We, as parents, grandparents, leaders, etc., have a responsibility to educate, encourage, support and even model this classic message.

Let me tell you about another legendary gentleman who shares this critical philosophy of “never give in.”

This celebrated musician lost his sight at the tender age of six years old. This tragedy left him devastated … feeling lost, alone and totally abandoned. He could visualize no future at all. His mother did her best to support, encourage and console him. However, his fear of the unknown kept him in a constant state of terror.

Watching her son waste away led his mother to make a statement that inspired the young boy and eventually change his life forever. She said, “Son, you have lost your sight and nothing can change that. There are things you can’t do. But there are lots of things you can do. You have a creative mind. Find something you enjoy and stick with it, no matter what.”

Following his mother’s advice, he thought about what he really wanted to do with his life. He had always dreamed of becoming a recording star so he would practice playing the piano and singing every day.

Sadly, he was discouraged at every turn. Friends, neighbors, teachers, and even other family members discouraged him and suggested that he find another way to support himself. They made it clear that he would never play the piano or sing well enough to earn a living.

However, he remembered his mother’s words and refused to quit. He remained focused on his goal and practiced different techniques, different styles and different melodies that would fit him. Many times he cried himself to sleep as a result of the rude remarks which haunted him. However, his mother was always there reminding him that he must never give up.

Ultimately his perseverance paid off.

Later in his life, he received countless awards for his music, including 12 Grammies. He performed before millions of people including Presidents and heads of state. His unique musical style has made a lasting imprint on all forms of popular music over the past 50 years. He credited his success to his mother’s words which remained in the back of his mind until the day he died. He wouldn’t listen to the negative influences in his life and refused to quit. His name: Ray Charles.

The next time someone tells you to forget your dream, remember this young boy’s mother who wouldn’t let him “give in” and the Prime Minister who inspired an entire country with the same message. Is there someone in your life that would benefit from hearing that message from you? It could very well make a crucial difference in their lives.

If your dream is something that you REALLY want, don’t let anything stop you until you achieve it!

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.

Start Now to Prepare for 2011

I know it may seem early for this advice, but everything else has been early this year. We saw Santa arrive at our local mall two weeks before Thanksgiving this year. In addition, Black Friday lost its impact as so many stores began offering their holiday specials even earlier by staying open all day Thanksgiving Day.

If that’s any indication of things to come, we should probably be giving serious thought to our New Year’s resolutions. Your list for the coming year will more than likely include something that will assist you in your efforts to cope with the many challenges which will appear in 2011.

Everywhere you look today there are problems. Turn on your TV or computer, pick up a magazine or paper, and what do you see? Problems! Talk to your family, co-workers, clients or friends, and within minutes someone will bring up a challenge they’re current facing … or two or three. Problems seem to be out of control as we approach the end of another year. We see them with products, services, health care, retirement plans, sales, marketing, budgets, IT, personnel, politics, customer service … a growing list that is indeed vast.

One strategy which seems to have proven very successful for many individuals and organizations is almost too simplistic to believe. That’s probably why so many have chosen to overlook it. In today’s trying times, it may very well be wise to give it a second look.

It’s called “Pink Bat Thinking,” and it emphasizes the importance of looking at things from a completely different angle. In essence, learn to use your imagination to look at a problem as an opportunity in order to create a solution.

You probably remember this strategy as something you’ve heard many times: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!”

In essence, the lesson of the Pink Bat comes down to the following: “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” In other words, use your imagination to look at a problem as an opportunity to create a solution.

History provides us with example after example of this strategy proving to be successful. Consider: Charles Schultz of Peanuts fame, Barbara Walters, Grandma Moses, Walt Disney, Abe Lincoln, Thomas Monaghan (Dominos), Ray Kroc (McDonalds), Fred Smith (FedEx), Wilma Rudolph (athlete), Sylvester Stallone (Rocky), J.K. Rowlings (Harry Potter) and Helen Keller. The list goes on and on.

Take a closer look at this “Pink Bat Thinking” … it may very well make a major difference for you in the coming year. Michael McMillan’s video will give you an overview in a very unusual, but artistic, performance.

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.

The Truth Behind Thanksgiving

Well, it’s Thanksgiving once again. How time flies! When this season rolls around annually, I find myself often reflecting back on Thanksgivings past … back to the smells, the sounds, and the memories that will last forever.

I remember, as a grade-schooler, standing in the gymnasium … half of us dressed in headbands and feathers and the other half wearing pilgrim hats and collars made of heavy construction paper held together with our favorite edible paste. My classmates and I did our best to warble the sweet sounds of our annual favorite hymn, “We Gather Together.” It always brought tears to my eyes. It wasn’t really a religious hymn, but it certainly felt like it. To this day, I remember every word.

“We Gather Together”

We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to His name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining His kingdom divine
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

Back in those days, I was under the impression that we, as Americans, had been celebrating Thanksgiving since the first meeting between our Pilgrims and Native Americans. Like so many others, I commonly believed that the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and has continued to our present celebrations.

In the meantime, from all of us at the AchieveMax® company of speakers to all of you and your families … have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration and enjoy each and every minute of it!

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.

You Can’t Imagine Your Own Potential!

I have the unique opportunity to travel to New York City quite frequently. I’ve been doing it for some time now. In fact, I once lived in the heart of the city so I’m used to the substantial numbers of people who work there daily. As I walk among the masses on those animated sidewalks, I often marvel at the potential converged in such close quarters.

The mental capacity found on one street in the Big Apple, or any major city for that fact, could resolve most of the problems we’re currently experiencing across this country. The sad fact emerges when you realize that most of those people have no idea of their own potential! My work has allowed me to witness some extraordinary creativity and innovation evolve from people who had no idea they were capable of such thinking!

Did you realize that you have the capacity between your ears to store more information that can be stored in dozen’s of man’s most sophisticated computers? In fact, you can store more data than you will find in the millions of volumes in the Library of Congress!

Scientists claim that if man were to attempt to create a human brain, it would cost billions of dollars, would be larger than the Empire State Building and would require more electricity than a city of tens of thousands!

Its construction would involve the most brilliant men in the world and yet with all of this size, cost, and power requirements, this man-made brain couldn’t originate a single thought, which YOU can do in the flash of an eye! Your remarkable mind brings 72 muscles into perfect coordination each time you utter a single word!

Review what I’ve shared in the last three paragraphs and realize that I’ve been describing YOU. Now consider the number of people working and living around you who possess that same potential. You and those around you are each remarkable with more than enough capability to attain the success you desire!

Our major challenge lies in the need to recognize, accept, and harness the valuable potential we each possess. It’s the age old matter of closing the knowing-doing gap. Education, experience, and networking mean little if not focused on an action plan to achieve the success you desire. The world is filled with those possessing tremendous potential while tapping so little, if any, of it. Are you focused on closing that critical gap. If not, do something about it … and soon!

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.

How Do You See Life?

I’ve always been amazed at how many things I learned years ago continue to manifest themselves again and again. Universal truths, sometimes regardless of their simplicity, have a tendency to do just that.

Early in my career, I was fortunate to discover the wisdom of authors and speakers such as Earl Nightingale, Zig Ziglar, Denis Waitley, Wayne Dyer, Robert Schuller and so many others who contributed to my foundational beliefs. Basic wisdom and truths I learned at that time are still being practiced and proven to this day. The lessons have been passed on by a new generation of messengers … but the messages have passed the test of time.

For instance, I remember learning that “The way you see life will largely determine what you get out of it.” The example used to illustrate this truth was a simple bar of iron. Use it as a door stop, and it’s worth a couple of dollars. If used in the production of horseshoes, the value of that same bar increases to about $50. Remove the impurities, refine it into fine steel and create mainsprings for precision watches, and it’s worth a quarter of a million dollars!

It all depends on how you view that simple bar of iron. The same theory holds true in how you view yourself and your future. It’s critical that we establish major goals accompanied by deadlines. This requires preparation and a plan which leads to action. This formula is necessary regardless of your personal choices in life.

Sadly, goal setting is seldom taught in school, and in the few instances that it is shared, it’s done so sparingly! On a more positive note, we’ve been receiving increased interest from the business community in our goal-setting seminar, “On Your Mark, Get Set, Goal!” Apparently more and more leaders understand the importance of every employee knowing the critical steps of setting goals.

To insure future success … research, read, or attend a seminar to learn exactly how goal setting can and will impact your future in a more positive way.

This short video may inspire you to enhance your efforts to set the goals that will provide your desired success.

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.

When You Least Expect It …

There are times when negativity descends upon us like the evening dew and consistently bad news weighs heavily on all of us. Then, unexpectedly, something happens that quickly and quietly restores your faith in the world we live in.

That happened to me last week. It was Veterans Day, and I couldn’t help but
notice that everyone seemed to be well aware of it—much more so than
in years past.

You could see it and hear it everywhere … radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, billboards, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Everyone seemed to be showing support and appreciation to our military “Heroes and She-roes” … both past and present.

That day I received an unexpected phone call from an old friend I haven’t heard from in years. We chatted for a while, and he suggested that we meet at one of our local Applebee’s Restaurants as they were providing free meals for Veterans in honor of the holiday.

I seldom get the opportunity to do something “spur-of-the-moment” like that, and I hadn’t seen my friend for ages so I agreed to meet him.

Walking into that restaurant was like entering the “Twilight Zone.” I’ve never seen anything quite like it. The free meal was nice, of course, as Applebee’s provides a terrific offering and the ambiance is uniquely ‘hometown.”

However, today was different. The place was packed, and I recognized no one other than my old friend. However, I felt as though I actually knew everyone in the restaurant. My friend and I quickly caught up on old times and suddenly found ourselves totally immersed in our surroundings.

What we witnessed was heartwarming and almost indescribable. Veterans were getting up from their seats to introduce themselves to other Veterans. Some in uniform … most in civies. They were shaking hands, hugging, and chatting as though they had known one another forever … even though they had just met.

Civilians were approaching Veterans and shaking their hands as they thanked them for their service … some even hugged the Veterans with tears in their eyes.

The waiters, waitresses, and bartenders were hurriedly seating and serving everyone and yet took the time to treat customers as though this was a very special day to honor very special people … and it was just that!

I must admit that this was one of those rare “lump in the throat,” “tears in the eyes,” “warmth in the heart” moments that so quickly changes your entire outlook on life.

We were there less than an hour, but the memory will last forever. I shared some quality time with a fellow Veteran I haven’t seen for far too long … I watched a community of strangers come together as a family obviously blinded to prejudice of any kind … I saw warm smiles and heard friendly laughter as everyone seemed to easily forget negative thoughts of the economy, politics, joblessness, and the many other aspects of our current distress.

For a few precious moments, there was no age difference, no skin color, no religion, no politics, no ethnicity … just proud Americans sharing respect, support and appreciation … and loving every minute of it!

I shared a final hug with my friend, promised him we’d do this again soon, and, as we walked to our cars, wondered why every day couldn’t be like Veterans Day, 2010. My thanks to Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar for accomplishing something in one afternoon that our government hasn’t been able to accomplish in quite some time.

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.

Intelligent Ignorance

Oxymoronic? Not in the least. I’ve accomplished a great deal as a result of my intelligent ignorance, and I’ve witnessed many others do the same time and time again.

Driven by desire, intelligent ignorance is the characteristic or capability of not knowing what you can’t do, and doing it anyway.

Mary Kay Ash probably explained it best in her classic explanation of the fact that the bumblebee can’t fly. Scientific evidence states that the bumblebee’s body is far too heavy and his wings are far too light. Aerodynamically, it is an impossibility for the bumblebee to fly. However, the bumblebee doesn’t read and therefore does fly!

Some may equate these shortcomings to that of a lemon, but the bumblebee certainly transformed them into lemonade!

Historically, Charles Kettering had a rather unusual lemon in the form of a broken arm. Many years ago he was cranking his car and it “kicked” him unexpectedly. For the younger generation, that means the crank on his car didn’t disengage, jerked sharply as a cylinder began firing and turned the crank rather than the crank turning the engine. The sudden lurch broke Kettering’s arm.

What did he do? First, he grabbed his arm in pain. However, he then immediately thought: “This is a dangerous thing to happen while you’re cranking your car. An easier, better, safer way to start engines must be developed or the masses simply won’t want to own an automobile.”

As a result, he invented the “self-starter.” The rest is history. His lemon, a broken arm, became our lemonade.

Don’t let anyone tell you something can’t be done. Anyone can do that. You be the one to show that it can be done.

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.