Government Connections - Winter 2009 - (Page 27) The Main Ingredient You gotta believe to succeed By Robert Evans Wilson Jr. IN 1907, DURING a major league baseball game, second base was stolen 13 times by the winning team. The catcher for the losing team, Branch Rickey, was unable to pick off even a single runner. That record stands to this day. It also spelled the end of Rickey’s career as a baseball player after just two short seasons. With nothing else to do, he went to college and law school. Six years later, he returned to major league baseball. This time as a manager—and what a manager he turned out to be! He created the modern baseball farm system, which enables major league teams to nurture and develop future stars through their minor league teams. He was the first to establish a permanent spring training facility in Florida. He also changed the way statistical analysis is used in baseball by proving that on-base percentage is more important than batting average. Rickey is best known, however, for breaking the color barrier by bringing African-American Jackie Robinson into the major leagues. It earned him a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rickey offers this as his recipe for success, “Success is where preparation meets opportunity.” A simple formula that reminds me of the old joke: “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer: “Practice. Practice. Practice.” Obviously, you cannot take advantage of an opportunity if you do not have the skills. It is a good recipe for success, but it does not reveal the secret, main ingredient. A funny old song from Frank Sinatra gets us a little closer to the answer. Do you remember these lyrics from High Hopes? Just what makes that little old ant Think he’ll move that rubber tree plant Anyone knows an ant, can’t Move a rubber tree plant! That song is great because a stanza later we learn the ant can: “Oops there goes another rubber tree plant.” Is having “high hopes” the secret ingredient? No, but it gets us closer to it. You see, the ant succeeds because he doesn’t know that he can fail. Think about some of the people you know who are successful. What is it that makes them big achievers? What traits do you associate with them? Is it courage, perseverance, enthusiasm, discipline, confidence, decisiveness, self-reliance, responsibility, focus, ambition, or optimism? All of these are certainly traits of successful people, but which one is the overriding characteristic? Which one is the main ingredient? None of the above! That’s right—none! Yes, they all are important, but there is one ingredient that makes the cake, and that is simply your belief that you will succeed. It’s called self-efficacy. Your belief in your ability to achieve what you seek is the biggest part of actually getting there. The best part is that self-efficacy is a trait that can be acquired at any age. We acquire a sense of self-efficacy in four ways. The first way is cumulative. With each success we achieve, we add a new layer of confidence in ourselves. The second way is through observation. When we see someone similar to ourselves succeed, we realize that we can too. The third way is controlled by our attitude. A positive attitude enhances our belief in our abilities, whereas a negative one destroys it. The fourth way is from the encouragement of others who believe in our ability to succeed. This is where effective managers can help their people succeed. Tell them that you believe they can meet their goals, and you will help them believe it too. G Robert Evans Wilson Jr., is a motivational speaker and humorist. © 2009, Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. All rights reserved. Used with permission. www.sgmp.org http://www.sgmp.org Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Government Connections - Winter 2009 Government Connections - Winter 2009 Contents President’s Letter Editor’s Letter Going Places Education Edge That’s Technology Travel Tips & Trends Supplier Strategy Plan Green Good to Know Dieting on a Per Diem Fit Travel Slicing and Dicing Your Conference Reimbursement for Food Can Government Money and Meetings Save the Day? Protect Personal Safety The Main Ingredient SGMP Nation Membership News Go Figure! Conference Connection Advertisers’ Index The Meeting Minute Government Connections - Winter 2009 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0412 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0312 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0212 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0112 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0411 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0311 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0211 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0111 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0410 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0310 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0210 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0110 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0409 http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/naylor/SGMQ0309 http://www.nxtbookMEDIA.com
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