"What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose."
In her usual way of simplifying things, Margaret Thatcher said here what success - especially business success - is all about.
The first idea concerning "having a flair for the thing your are doing," is referring to competence at your chosen task. No matter what type a person we are, we do have to be experts at our chosen field. It's another way of saying a good person without skill is useless as far as work goes. At the same time, having skill without having integrity can even be worse.
This is why it's always better to hire for a quality person and then train them in what they need to do, then hire for skill only. You can't train integrity into someone, they either have it or they don't. Nonetheless, skill must be included in our pursuit of excellence and success.
Next she talks about hard work, something many people that envision great things aren't willing to do. A great vision is
fine, but an illusion if we aren't willing to do whatever it takes to bring it into practical reality.
Finally she talks about the need to have a sense of purpose. That talks to knowing where you're going and why. Having
competence, skill, integrity and a good work ethic won't get you anywhere if you don't have a destination in mind. That destination is what creates your sense of purpose.
With Margaret Thatcher, there was no misunderstanding what she stood for and where she wanted to go. And she wouldn't leave that destination even if it cost her everything, which as far as politics goes, it eventually did.
When these things are transferred to the business world, they are essential to the success of any endeavor: competence, hard work and purpose. Without them nothing can be accomplished, with them anything can come to pass.
Find people willing to work together in this way and you'll be able to accomplish an enormous amount of success in whatever you choose to do.
Margaret Thatcher Resources:
The Best Quotes From Margaret Thatcher's 'Statecraft'
Margaret Thatcher & the Revival of the West
Interview with Margaret Thatcher
Magaret Thatcher's Life in the Shadows
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Long time reader - first time poster.
Oh my gosh you guys I don't know if you've heard of ""conversations with miollionaires"" but I just found out Jason Oman who did that book is going to be doing a new one for female entrepreneurs like us. Here's the page I came across so you can get updates about it too.
conversationswithfemalemillionaires.com
I can't wait for it because I loved his first book. I hear he's gonna have Martha Stewart, Ray Rachel, Kim Kiyosaki the wife of the guy from rich dad poor dad.
You can obtain more info at http://www.conversationswithfemalemillionaires.com
Posted by: Tera Leaman | August 30, 2007 2:12 AM | Permalink to Comment