I haven’t heard much talk about the 2008 motto so I thought I would give you the story. Maybe you know it maybe you don’t. But here it is anyway. It is one of my favorites and I have a poster up in my office with Yoda and I typed out the statement “Try not, there is no try, you either do or do not” It has been up there since before you all were in the seventh grade. 

 

Luke Skywalker had landed his space craft in a swamp on some world deep in the galaxy when looking for Yoda. He finds Yoda and gets him to teach him more about the force. Yoda is teaching Luke about how to use the force and Luke wants to get his space craft out of the swamp. So he begins lifting it up out of the swamp with the force. But he is unsuccessful on several tries. Yoda gives him some words of wisdom in using the force and Luke responds with OK, I’ll try again. Yoda gets mad and says No, No, try not, there is no try, you either do or do not.

 

The following are more winning thoughts, habits and ramblings from me.

Enjoy, George Ligon

 

Study the habits of winners and successful people

 

Hang around with winners and study their habits

 

Don’t drink and drive, in fact don’t drink-I’ve probably had enough for both of us and it got me nowhere-it’s a dead end habit and wouldn’t leave you with any real memories of value, probably will leave you with less of a memory.

 

If you want to be respected and liked by others:

ð Make other people feel good about themselves

ð Don’t ever put other people down, if you don’t like someone just keep your mouth shut, you take the higher road

 

When talking to someone; look the other person in the eye. Don’t look at passerby’s, make the person you are talking to the center of your attention.

 

Do what you know to be right, just because it’s the right thing to do

 

Drinking and Driving-just plain don’t do it or allow yourself to get into a car with someone that has been drinking. Call me I’ll come and give you a ride home.

 

Sex-think, think, and think before you get caught in this circle. If you have sex too early in a relationship then the relationship centers around sex and not about each other; one reason there is so much divorce today. Couples never really get to know who the other person is. Sex is good, but is the other person someone you really want to spend a lot of time with. Find that out first.

          Don’t do it because everyone else is. Not a good reason to do anything.

         

          A lesson for girls everywhere when it comes to men:

         

Speeding-speeding on the highways and byways is not fair to other people. If you really want to drive fast then build a racecar and do it with others that understand the risk and are all driving in the same direction. It takes money and hard work but that is where it should be done. Do what is right.

Stopping at stop signs and lights-this is a pet peeve of mine as more and more people are slipping through stop sign without stopping. My daughter had a very serious accident due to someone driving through a stop sign. Her car was totaled and it took many years to get past her neck pain.

          Remember habit and remember I said it is strong. The more you rationalize going through stop signs where it is easy and safe to do the habit begins to be developed. Then you find yourself in a hurry somewhere and it’s not an easy intersection to run the stop sign and the habit takes over. Do what is  right. How much time do you really save: 5 maybe 10 seconds. Wow! It’s not worth it.

 

 

At work, put in more time than you are being paid for. You will eventually reap the benefits in the future. Advancement, higher pay sooner than co-workers and in hard times your employer will want to keep you and not another that pushed the time limits at work.

 

Shaking hands-I’ve taught more than one student how to shake hands. Give a firm but not overpowering grip. Never, never give the other person a limp fish. It is an indication about how you feel about yourself. Are you positive about yourself, show confidence with a firm grip.

In regards to shaking hands with women I wait for the women to take the lead as some may not want to shake hands. It has always been a man thing until the last 10 or 20 years as we find more women in the work place with men. When shaking with a women I then shake with a firm but not overpowering grip that is less than I would with a man. I find that women that have confidence in themselves do take the lead and shake. But that is not always the rule. Yes it is a bit confusing.

 

In schools if we don’t let students fail they are not going to learn the humiliation of defeat and will not try to avoid that feeling in the future.

 

Financial Success  

 

Not all of us will make large amounts of money in their life time but with a little knowledge you can become financially successful. It may be the farthest thing from your mind but it will happen to you. You will get old. One day you will find yourself wanting to retire. Will you be able to?

 

          Rule #1 Do not define yourself with your car, clothes or house. Define yourself instead with family, accomplishments and what  you do for others. Read The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas J. Stanley

          Rule #2 Save a minimum of 10% of everything you make and never spend it.  Never, never spend it. Only when you are in retirement do you  then live off the income from the savings. But never spend the principle: save it for your kids or grandkids. The power of compounding is great. And it really works the longer you have your money invested. So start early in your life. No one ever told me this, you have no excuse. Start now.

           

I could go on but I have spend the last month preparing for the speech I gave to you yesterday and the ramblings here. I have enjoyed the journey. This talk became a passion, but it is time to leave it behind and move on.

I do hope I have had a positive impact on your future successes in life

Keep in touch, George Ligon

Check back in a few days because there is more I want to add to this