WISH: Wishing Is So Hollow

My grandfather always had a way of teaching me to think hard about whatever

he wanted me to think about. Like the time I said to him, as we were watching sports on

television, “I wish I could do that.” To which he replied, “Do me a favor, I want you to

wish in one hand and spit in the other and tell me which hand you get more in.” He was

obviously teaching me the difference between wishing and working.

Several years later, I read an old proverb that is both profound, and absolutely

true. The proverb reads, “In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

Given my grandfather’s training, and from the words of the proverb, I created one of my

first personal leadership rules (filters if you will) called a “Thomsen-ism.” It reads, “When

it comes to success, wishing is not a method, work is!” No one has ever “wished”

something into existence, not even Disney, but Disney certainly “worked” hard to bring

things into existence and his legacy tells the tale.

People who “wish” for success, throw their limited resources away by taking

precious time to walk to a “wishing well” and pitch their hard-earned money into that

well. People who “work” for success, build the well. So, what is the difference between

leaders and great leaders? Work! Great leaders work at getting better by developing a

leadership filtering system to improve the quality of their leadership practices that will

remove those impurities that hurt or hinder quality leadership.

Always remember, to wish is to waste, to work is to win! So, are you wishing or

working?