No. 10 - AND THEN SOMEÉ

No. 10

Jim Davidson...NEWSPAPER COLUMN

AND THEN SOME ....

In our modern day society, we hear a great deal these days about the "secrets of success." In reality there are really no secrets, as this is simply a marketing gimmick used to sell many of the success motivation programs that are around today. True success can be summed up by these words of former President Harry S. Truman: "I studied the lives of great men and famous women, and I found that the men and women who got to the top were those who did the jobs they had in hand - with everything they had of energy, enthusiasm and hard work."

Some time ago I had a wonderful, unique experience that brought this truth home to me in a very special way. During a "How To Plan Your Life" seminar at one of the many high schools where I've been privileged to work, I met a young man by the name of Danny Sanders. Danny was a member of the senior class, and a few weeks after my seminar, to my surprise I received a three page hand written letter from him. Just the fact that a high school senior had taken the time to write was very gratifying, but he shared something in his letter that may be of value to you.

In his letter Danny told me about a young man who had become very successful at a young age. When someone asked him how he did it, he said, "And then some." When asked what he meant, he replied, "When I was in school and my teachers asked me to do something, I did it -- and then some. Later, when I got a job and my employer told me to

do something, I did it -- and then some. (You will notice we have gone from "asking" to "telling".) Finally, when I started a business of my own, I did what my customers expected -- and then some."

You see, this successful young man had been applying the universal natural law of cause and effect. This law, simply stated, means that for every cause there must be an effect, and for every effect there must be a cause. By rendering more service than was actually required, he was using this universal law to get more rewards in return.

When it comes to achieving success, one of the biggest mistakes many people make is wanting the rewards before they render the service. This could be compared to a man standing in front of a cold, wood burning stove and saying, "Give me some heat and then I will put in the wood."

A real understanding and application of this universal law which has been stated as "And then some", will give you everything on earth you desire. If you are having trouble making ends meet, or having trouble in school or on your job, pause here and ask yourself this question: "Am I doing everything that is expected of me with the right attitude -- and then some?" If you're not, then you are needlessly holding yourself back.

When you apply this principle to the success of a business, that little extra -- and then some -- is the profit, and without earning a profit, you won't be around very long. Until next time, here is something to think about that may be of great value to you. When a person concentrates all available energies on one specific task, the possibility of success is greatly increased. When time and talent are divided between several enterprises, chances of success are proportionally reduced. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Jim Davidson is a motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. You may contact him at 2 Bentley Drive, Conway, AR 72034.)