Lead the Field Part 1 of 4: The Magic Word
October 29, 2009 by dr. lam
Earl Nightingale’s seminal work, Lead the Field, was recommended to me by a friend and colleague, Jeff Vitt, who said that not only did this book change his life but that he gives it away to all of those individuals for whom he wants to change their life. I am now hopefully going to change yours as well as the book has accomplished that for me.
Nightingale opens with the concept of “the magic word” that can be the defining element of any successful life, namely attitude. Sound familiar? That is probably because we have directly and indirectly covered this very important topic in numerous blogs. As most of my faithful readers know, repeating a topic is not redundant but necessary almost like a mantra. We can never get enough good medicine at least that is what I believe.
He tells a story of a couple that moved into his neighborhood and then shortly thereafter was surprised to notice that they were about to move again. Nightingale approached the husband and asked, “Didn’t you just move here?” The husband replies, “Yes, but my wife is unhappy here and wants to leave so we’re moving.” Upon further query, the man reveals, “My wife has not been accepted into this community. No one has extended a welcome to her so she feels unwelcome.” Nightingale then asks, “Did your wife ever leave her home to say that she was interested in making friends?” “Well, no,” the man replied and got the point immediately. The man admitted now, “I think I see that the other women felt that she was being reclusive when that was not her intention.” Should the women have come to greet her? Sure, yes. But when our attitude is closed, and we expect others to do something first we may not truly advance in life.
Nightingale contends that those who succeed in life (no matter what arena, personal and/or professional) do so because of their attitude. It is not that those who are successful just so happen to have a good attitude. It is their attitude that can offer them the chance for success. It is a prerequisite. He empowers this sense of attitude with two key thought processes: gratitude and expectation. He says that with gratitude he is always thankful for where he is, and expectation is simply that he always expects to succeed rather than waiting to fail.
He does not attribute anything to blind luck. Or more accurately, he says that luck is in short a combination of preparedness meeting opportunity. With an open heart, opportunity abounds everywhere. We just might not see it because we are not prepared and we are not open to those opportunities. We need to see those opportunities because we are prepared when they happen. As Viktor Frankl has said, when all freedoms are taken from you, you only have your attitude. That is what saved him during the days imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp, and that is what can save you.
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5 Responses to “Lead the Field Part 1 of 4: The Magic Word”
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I look at repeated topics as adding a new level to the foundation of the concept. Thanks, Dr. Lam, for covering these topics so deeply!!
I really liked your point about attitude and that the two components to that are gratitude and expectation. Excellent! I also liked the point that luck is a combination of preparedness meeting opportunity, and that opportunities are everywhere with an open heart. Very good point! Also, excellent point about when all freedoms are taken, that attitude is the only thing we have left and that is what can save someone. All profound concepts that I’ll have to meditate on!! I was reading about Elisabeth Smart the other day and how she has such an amazing attitude about the whole thing. Truly amazing and she is an excellent example of someone that when in extreme trial chose to have a positive attitude. She just came to mind here.
Thanks again, Dr. Lam, for your awesome blogs!
appreciate your appreciating it! hey, at least you’ll be able to sleep since you know tomorrow is just part 2 of the same blog series. lol!
lol I plan on not being able to sleep one night a week from not knowing what the next blog topic is going to be! Must I be so tortured! lol
don’t worry the next one will be a 10 part series so you will have a 1.5 week break.
Ahh! That’s refreshing to know! But what will that series be on? Oh man, now I’m curious!
I won’t be able to sleep all weekend! Man!