Sound Wisdom Blog
Controlling the Creep by Jim Stovall
You may have heard it said that something imagined in one generation can be considered possible in the next generation and can become a reality in the third generation. I would define this as culture creep, and it can be either good or bad. My late, great friend and colleague Paul Harvey often said, “Not all that we call progress is progress.” Everything that is new is not necessarily new and improved. We need to be aware of and control this type of creep in our own personal and professional lives.
The Art of Entrepreneurship by Jim Stovall
In The Art of Entrepreneurship, readers will discover who should be an entrepreneur and who should not, the truth about myths entrepreneurship, and the quickest and most reliable ways to succeed while avoiding the pitfalls that sidetrack many would-be entrepreneurs. The Art of Entrepreneurship offers real-world experience coupled with Dr. Schneider’s cutting-edge research.
Reframing Your Memories by Jim Stovall
Very few things in life are either all good or all bad. Even in the worst of times and during the most difficult of circumstances, there are lessons to be learned that can impact who we are and what we do for the rest of our lives.
The Myth of Not Deciding by Jim Stovall
We succeed or fail in virtually every area of our lives based on the decisions we make. Decisions often make us nervous because we realize there could be unfavorable consequences if we make the wrong choice. The potential outcome causes many people to rush, delay, or avoid a decision. With every decision we face, there is an optimal window of time to both make and implement the decision. This optimal time comes when we have had an opportunity to gather as much information and input as possible while all of our options are still open.
Delayed Gratification by Jim Stovall
There is not one simple overriding key to success. Instead, there are a number of keys that make success possible. However, one of the most significant concepts among the keys to success is that of delayed gratification. Olympian Peter Vidmar said, “Don’t sacrifice what you want most for what you want now.” Few things in life that are worthwhile come easily or are attained quickly.
Patience and Procrastination by Jim Stovall
Patience is a significant element of success, and procrastination is a significant element of failure.
To an outside observer, patience and procrastination can look the same. The difference between patience and procrastination can be determined by whether you’re waiting on something or something is waiting on you.
Small Details and Big Results by Jim Stovall
Rarely do we ever make a 100% improvement. We, instead, make one hundred 1% improvements. It’s the small details that produce tiny margins that can make all the difference. If you think about why you do business with the companies and individuals you choose to spend your money with, many times you will realize that their products and services may be no different than their competitors, but you chose them because of some small gesture or minor convenience they offer that made all the difference to you.
Just Say “No” by Jim Stovall
Unless we learn how to say “no” to the things that are wrong for us in our personal and professional lives, we won’t be able to say “yes” to the right things. Our lives are a constant struggle between the elements of time and money. Typically, we start out as young adults and have very little money but a lot of flexible time. Then, based on our efforts, later in life we often find ourselves with a lot of money and far less free time.
Freedom and Success by Jim Stovall
Freedom is an often-misunderstood word. We all grasp the concept of being able to do what we want to do and when we want to do it, but our ideas of freedom often get confused when we think of other people’s liberty, particularly when it relates to those with whom we disagree. The great American patriot Thomas Paine, said, “He who would make his own liberty secure must guard even his own enemy from oppression.”
The Miraculous Mirror by Jim Stovall
We spend far too much time in our lives worrying about what everyone thinks of us when in reality, it is far more important what we think of ourselves. While a mirror can only give us a basic reflection of ourselves as we are viewed by the world, it can be the beginning of a deeper assessment of who we are and who we can become. As a blind person, I’ve always been troubled to hear people say, “I’ll believe it when I can see it.” Then one day, I realized the fallacy of that statement, and I discovered the divine paradox that, “We have to believe it first, then we will see it later.” Therefore, seeing is not believing, but believing is the first step in seeing on a far deeper level.
Pre-crastination by Jim Stovall
Our lives are the accumulated total of the things we do, not the things we thought about doing, meant to do, wanted to do, or were going to do when we got time. Procrastination kills dreams, success, and goals. For years, I thought the ideal would be to do everything on time and when I had it scheduled. Then, I discovered pre-crastination. Expert sources tell me that there are over 300,000 words in the English language. Regular readers of these columns in newspapers, magazines, and online publications around the world know that there are occasions when the supply of words in the English language is not sufficient for me, so I create a new word.
Ideas, Improvements, and Innovations by Jim Stovall
You may have heard the old saying, “There’s nothing new under the sun.” Whether or not this is true, I would at least have to agree that there is very little new under the sun. Most of what we think of as brand-new or cutting-edge is little more than something that has been remolded or reworked. In the world of breakthrough ideas, concepts, or technologies, virtually everything will fall into one of three categories. There are the rare and precious original ideas. These are few and far between, and should be celebrated for the genius they represent. The vast majority of new things are either innovations or improvements on old things.
Responsible for Your Response by Jim Stovall
We live in a world that is growing more contentious every day. There are huge social and political divides between people, and social media highlights and magnifies these glaring conflicts. I believe that we should all be responsible for our own rhetoric and demeanor. While I understand it is difficult to respond with kindness, logic, or reason when you feel as if you’re being attacked, in the final analysis, we all have to be responsible for our response.
A Cup of Retirement by Jim Stovall
There are many factors in 21st-century life that we must plan for. We should have car insurance to cover us while we’re on the road as well as homeowners or renters insurance to cover our possessions at home. Everyone should have a will whether they are wealthy or not. Many people who do not have significant assets believe there is no need for them to have a will. However, if you have children and die without a will, your state government is going to decide who raises your children. If you’re incapacitated, the state government will decide who handles your money and health care needs. While each of these eventualities can be covered, and may or may not occur, all of us will eventually retire if we live long enough.
Predicting the Future by Jim Stovall
We go to school to learn history and become conversant in things that happened in the past. We read newspapers and get online newscasts that inform us about everything going on in the present. Potentially, the most valuable time-sensitive information would be what is going to happen in the future. Each year, as the calendar turns over, pundits make their predications for the coming twelve months. It is fascinating to look back in retrospect to see what these self-proclaimed experts predicted a year ago and how badly they missed the mark. Abraham Lincoln said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
The Mystery of Life by Jim Stovall
In psychological studies of happiness and satisfaction, researchers found that people with predictable and mundane lives were unhappy, but, ironically, people with some of the most adventurous and unpredictable lives were also unhappy. As in most things, the researchers found that people with a moderate amount of adventure combined with periods of stability were found to be the happiest and most fulfilled.
Value and Price by Jim Stovall
People who succeed at the highest level over a long period of time create value in the lives of others. Warren Buffett said, “People know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” Among the people and organizations with whom I consult, I always caution everyone about the risks of getting in a price war. If the main selling point of your product or service is that it is cheaper than anything else, you will either have short-term success or always be struggling to keep your costs down.
Paycheck to Paycheck by Jim Stovall
Recent government and industry statistics show that 70 percent of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. This means that these individuals are literally less than a month from going into default on their obligations, and bankruptcy is not far behind. When you study the individuals who make up this 70 percent segment of our population, there are some interesting factors that I believe can teach us all some valuable lessons.
Urgent vs. Important by Jim Stovall
Success in our personal and professional lives is not just a matter of doing things right but also doing the right things. It is very easy to get caught up in activity as opposed to engaging in productivity. There are so many thoughts, ideas, messages, and tasks competing for our attention that we must have a system to filter out the noise and focus on the true path to our destiny.
The Gift of Giving by Jim Stovall
During these difficult times, we need to re-evaluate and reset our lives. In a post-pandemic world, there will be many people and causes that need your time, talent, and resources. Determine to become a giver and you will never regret it.