In case you think this is a modern idea, here's a quote from Herodotus, the father of history: “If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it.” Herodotus (485-425 B.C), Book I
To order your copy of "Time Tactics of Very Successful People," click (http://www.achievementdigest.com/ProductOrderForm.html)

***CHOOSING A GATEKEEPER

Many of our readers have gatekeepers, and some of you who don't should have one. Gatekeepers control access to you, do the first cut on your emails and other correspondence, screen in-coming phone calls, manage your calendar.

A talented gatekeeper can be enormously valuable for a busy executive or celebrity. Norman Vincent Peale, author of "The Power of Positive Thinking," told me that he was a poor time manager, but his wife and his secretary helped keep him on track. The alternative? Some talented executives who don't have effective gatekeepers and aren't disciplined themselves create enormous frustration, anger, and resentment because they are always off schedule or they waste time with the wrong people.

If you're in the market for a gatekeeper, use this checklist:

1. Your gatekeeper must be well-organized. Scatterbrains and trophy assistants need not apply . Gatekeepers shouldn't be hired just because they're cute, handsome, or because they'll convey the image that you're successful. They must know where important papers are, who's meeting you at two o'clock, and when you have to leave for your next appointment.

2. Your gatekeeper must be utterly dependable. If he or she is frequently absent or tardy--no matter how good the reason--don't consider that person for this position. And you must be able to have complete confidence that after you've delegated a task to them that it will be done. You shouldn't have to double-check on a gatekeeper. It's time-consuming and stressful. If they say they will do something, you have to know that it will be done right and on time.

3. Your gatekeeper must be unfailingly courteous. Look for this skill going in, and check on it periodically afterwards. I know some gatekeepers who are, as they say, sweet as pie to their bosses, but they are quick-tempered and rude to others. They lose customers and create enemies, and their bosses apparently don't know.

4. Your gatekeeper must be loyal and discreet. Gatekeepers are in a position to learn privileged information, and they get an up close and personal look at you and your values. You must be able to trust your gatekeeper.

5. Your gatekeeper should celebrate you. Look for someone who admires you and helps you feel good about yourself. Don't tolerate someone who creates a negative environment. One of my friends says, "find someone who celebrates you, and doesn't just tolerate you." (This is good advice to follow with all your relationships, not just gatekeepers.)

6. Continuing education is required after the hire. Consider your gatekeeper a direct report. All your direct reports should be able to get uninterrupted one-on-one time with you. Make it your business to indoctrinate the gatekeeper with your values. Your gatekeeper must know what and who you consider important, and what and who you don't. Otherwise you will never see people you would have wanted to see. Messages you would have read will not be acted on because your gatekeeper didn't consider them important.

II. LEADERSHIP
***HOW TO HANDLE A SETBACK OR DEFEAT

Here's what Dustin Hoffman did when he was struggling as an actor in New York. After returning to his tiny apartment from several auditions where he had been rejected, he walked around the room saying over and over, "I am a great actor, I am a great f….. actor, and nobody knows it."
I asked Aaron Copland what he did when the critics or the audience didn't like his new composition. Quiet, gentle Copland told me, "I told myself they are fools for not recognizing how good it is."

One of the tactics I use to get over a setback is to read what has happened to individuals of high achievement. Here's one of my favorites:
Gene Hackman was still a struggling actor in the 1960s when Mike Nichols cast him as Mrs. Robinson's husband in "The Graduate." This was a huge break, but Nichols fired Hackman after a few rehearsals. Hackman was thus available when "Bonnie and Clyde" was cast. His performance in that film won Hackman an Oscar nomination. (For accounts of early failures of future stars, read "Before They Were Kings" by Richard Meryman in the March 2004 issue of "Vanity Fair.")

OK, so you know about the early failures of rising stars, but what about the failures that occur after you're mature and have some successes under your belt? Read "The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin" by H.W. Brands to learn about the failures of one of the most successful men of all time--after he became rich and famous.

If you have found a successful way to deal with your setbacks or defeat, share it with us. Send me an email--abe@mindspring.com.

III. LINCOLN'S LOG
After Lincoln became a well-known lawyer, he sometimes received inquiries from people who aspired to become lawyers. Here’s what he told one young man: “Get books, sit yourself down anywhere, and go to reading them yourself.”
To another he wrote: “Get the books and read and study them till you understand them in their principal features; and that is the main thing….It is of no consequence to be in a large town while you are reading. I read at New Salem, which never had three hundred people living in it. The books, and your capacity for understanding them, are just the same in all places.”

"The Words Lincoln Lived By" is the only Lincoln quote book I know that is limited to quotations that are motivational and inspirational. If you'd like to order a copy, click here: (http://www.achievementdigest.com/ProductOrderForm.html). One of our readers ordered 200 copies to give to customers and prospects. Quantity and bundled prices are available.

IV. QUOTABLE QUOTES
“Envy is a pain of mind that successful men cause their neighbors.” Onasander (A.D. 49) "The General"

“For the whole earth is the sepulcher of famous men; and their story is not graven only on stone over their native earth, but lives on far away, without visible symbol, woven into the stuff of other men’s lives.” Thucydides (460-400 B.C.), "The History of the Peloponnesian War"

“The life which is unexamined is not worth living.” Plato ( 428-348 B.C.), "Dialogues"

“When the tyrant has disposed of foreign enemies by conquest or treaty, and there is nothing to fear from them, then he is always stirring up some war or other, in order that the people may require a leader.” Plato ( 428-348 B.C.), "The Republic"

"Someday is not a day of the week." Giovanni Livera. "Live A Thousand Years."

Bumper Stickers: (Send me your favorite.) "My Child Surfs Better Than Your Honor Roll Student."
"Stupidity Should Be Painful."

Murphy's Wisdom: "The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement."

V. TRAVEL

***A MEMORABLE DINING EXPERIENCE IN PHILADELPHIA
City Tavern does business in a three-story reconstructed building located near the center of town in the historic district. Meals here recreate the dining experiences of the members of the First Continental Congress who used it as a gathering place. The Constitutional Convention held its closing banquet here.
I liked the salmon stuffed with spinach and boursin with sherry cream sauce. Salmon once traveled as far up the Delaware River as Philadelphia, which explains why it was prepared so many ways at the original City Tavern. The fresh fruit strudel is excellent. They use a recipe that was brought by German settlers to Pennsylvania. (138 South 2nd Street at Walnut Street; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106; 215-413-1443 )

***GOOD FOOD IN ATLANTA
For its size, Atlanta is one of the best restaurant towns in the U.S. Food 101 is one of the good ones. It's good but not fussy. The prices are reasonable. Here's one of my favorites. Crawford's butternut squash soup with a dollop of dried cranberry relish. (The blend of cranberries and butternut squash is a lovely surprise.) Tom's North Georgia trout with sweet potato hash and root vegetable jus is the best version of mountain trout I know about. 4969 Roswell Rd., 404-497-9700.

***AN ENTERTAINING MUSEUM EXPERIENCE
Kennesaw, Georgia is the home of the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History. The "General"--the Civil War locomotive made famous in the movie "The Great Train Chase"--is on permanent display. But the museum displays more than the "General." It partners with the Smithsonian to mount some impressive exhibits. Located a just a few miles off I75 between Chattanooga and Atlanta, it's worth the time it takes to find it. 770-427-2117 www.southernmuseum.org. The Kennesaw National Battlefield, located nearby, is also worth a visit.

FEEDBACK
From time to time I receive an evaluation or a letter that tells me that one of my programs or books fulfilled my hopes for it. Here's one of the most gratifying messages I've ever received about the Lincoln presentation:
"Gene Griessman visited TEC 246 this week with his presentation Lessons Learned From Abraham Lincoln and Other Great Leaders. He received the highest ratings--consistent 5s--our members have ever given a speaker. He is spectacular. His opening one-man play is better than any evening at the theatre, and the following two-hour discussion on leadership is filled with wisdom, energy, and inspiration.
Bill Peterson, chair, TEC 246 Saskatoon, Canada

IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN PLANNING AN UPCOMING MEETING, SALES CONFERENCE, CUSTOMER-APPRECIATION EVENT OR SEMINAR, PLEASE TYPE "YES" BESIDE THE ITEM/S BELOW AND RETURN THIS EMAIL IN ORDER TO RECEIVE MORE ABOUT THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:
___Lincoln-Leadership
___Personal Productivity-Time Management
___Macroforces and Trends in American Society
___Keynote Presentation (Powerful stories from interview with famous high achievers)
___Executive Coaching
YOU MAY ALSO CONTACT ME BY CALLING 800-749-4625 OR CLICKING HERE: http://www.theamericans.us/ContactGene.html
Gene Griessman, Ph.D. Editor and Publisher

Quantity discounts are available on the following items: The Words Lincoln Lived By, Time Tactics of Very Successful People, “The Inspirational Words of Abraham Lincoln,” “Lessons Learned From High Achievers,” and “An Evening With Abraham Lincoln.”  Call 800-749-4625 to learn how a quantity purchase can bring your organization a complimentary keynote, seminar, or Lincoln portrayal by Gene Griessman.
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