Reasons and results

“Every business guru worth his salt studies his works.”  

Those were the words of the Rock Star of Modern-Day Management himself, the Dutchman, Peter Drucker. He passed away many years ago, but his thoughts were so provocative and relevant, they still ring true today. Drucker also classified people into two: “One kind of people are into results, the other kind are into reasons. Reasons why they cannot produce results.” So true isn’t it? Those with plenty of results have the results to show and explain everything. Those who do not have results have to come up with every flimsy reason and excuse to explain why they cannot produce results. 

The world lost another great business philosopher late last year. His name is Jim Rohn. Jim Rohn wrote a very beautiful, thought-provoking article entitled, “THE TWO CHOICES WE FACE.” Allow me to share it with you:

Each of us has two distinct choices to make about what we will do with our lives. The first choice we can make is to be less than we have the capacity to be. To earn less. To have less. To read less and think less. To try less and discipline ourselves less. These are the choices that lead to an empty life. These are the choices that, once made, lead to a life of constant apprehension instead of a life of wondrous anticipation.

And the second choice? To do it all! To become all that we can possibly be. To read every book that we possibly can. To earn as much as we possibly can. To give and share as much as we possibly can. To strive and produce and accomplish as much as we possibly can. All of us have the choice. To do or not to do. To be or not to be. To be all or to be less or to be nothing at-all. 

Like the tree, it would be a worthy challenge for us all to stretch upward and outward to the full measure of our capabilities. Why not do all that we can, every moment that we can, the best that we can, for as long as we can? Our ultimate life objective should be to create as much as our talent and ability and desire will permit. To settle for doing less than we could do is to fail in this worthiest of undertakings.

Results are the best measurement of human progress. Not conversation. 

Not explanation. Not justification. Results! And if our results are less than our potential suggests they should be, then we must strive to become more today than we were the day before. The greatest rewards are always reserved for those who bring great value to themselves and the world around them as a result of whom and what they have become. End of article.

So true and so beautifully written. 

And now here is the question. Are you into reasons or are you into results? 

Are you getting your hands on every possible book and actually reading it, or are you just using your gift of gab to pretend you know, when you actually don’t? 

My father taught me a lesson I will never forget. He said, “Son, there are three things you can never pretend to have if you do not have it: 

1. Strength. If the maximum weight you can lift when doing bench press is 50 pounds, even just an additional one gram to the weight will render you unable to lift it. 

2. Money. Trying to impress someone when you do not have money? You can steal, borrow, scheme or deceive – but surely, you will be found out. 

3. Knowledge. Listen to how a person holds a conversation, and you will know whether the person is all talk and no substance, or actually a wise man you ought to learn from. 

The world is made up of many pretentious people. They pretend to be scholarly but are intellectual lightweights. They pretend be caring but are vicious wolves, snakes and lions ready to devour. They pretend to be but they are not. 

Results are the best measure of accomplishments and never reasons. 

Guess what Jesus has to say? “By their fruits you shall know them.” Now that is as straight as they can go.   

(Francis Kong will do a repeat of his highly successful “Culture of Personal Excellence on March 3, 2010 at the SMX Convention Center. For further inquiries contact Inspire Leadership Consultancy Inc. 632-6872614 or 09178511115)