Mom

“Men are what their mothers made them.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Just recently we celebrated Mother’s Day.  Many of us devotedly honored our mothers – whether still with us or passed on.  Facebook and other popular social media sites were filled with tributes to mothers and grandmothers – perhaps you were among the grateful well-wishers. We were all engaged in honoring mothers near and dear to us. .

Can a mother’s  wisdom help  promote success for their children and family members? Yes! Absolutely!

Here are a few of the outstanding life principles my mother instilled in me:

• Tell the truth. It is the central element of any relationship.

• Get back up when knocked down.

• Love unconditionally.

• Pray always.

• Use common sense.

What significant lessons did you learn from  your mom, or from a significant mentor who had great influence?  What is on your list of truths that are now part of your life because of someone older and wiser who made a difference?

Such experiences are  powerful, making learning easy because it is personal. Often, the principle we embrace and work so hard to immerse into our own lives is connected to a significant story. And – stories are the gold in our lives.

Any life principle, representing timeless wisdom, that is illustrated by a personal story is the best way to learn, greatly increasing incorporation into our life journey.  This is a simple, yet powerful success strategy.  Combine a principle with a personal story and use this as a platform for action that leads to success.

Want to be a better leader? Discover the leadership stories that you experienced with your mom or another influential  person and combine with a leadership principle. You have a blueprint for becoming a more successful leader.

Want to be a better listener? Remember the times when your mom or a special person listened to you at a difficult or challenging moment in your life. Combine that powerful story with great listening principles and you have a formula for becoming a better listener.

Want to overcome adversity? Discover the best practices on how to succeed in difficult times, then combine with that one amazing story when someone helped you successfully recover from being knocked down – you now have a reliable strategy for overcoming inevitable life challenges.

Want to achieve goals? Discover the steps of successful goal achievement.  Combine your knowledge with a story when you attained an important objective that was difficult because of major obstacles. You now have a method for achieving future goals.

Principles combined with stories are a powerful platform for actions leading to success. If the story is one with your mom or a special mentor, where it is often personal and highly emotional, the probability of success is even greater.

Today, I remember my ‘mom stories’ and the important principles illustrated.

Thanks Mom!