WHAT'S IN THIS ISSUE?
  QUOTABLE QUOTES
  LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM HISTORY
  LINCOLN RETURNS TO THE CARTER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM
  LINCOLN'S LOG
  BOOK NOTES "Take Your Best Shot"
  TRAVEL NOTES FROM A ROAD WARRIOR--St. Louis, Orlando
  VALUABLE RESOURCES FOR YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH
  FEEDBACK

QUOTABLE QUOTES
"In-depth knowledge of a subject can reveal opportunities invisible to the uninitiated."
--Ken Futch, "Take Your Best Shot"

"Four things come not back: the spoken word, the sped arrow; time past; the neglected opportunity."
--Omar Ibn Al-Harif

"Thoughts unexpressed may sometimes fall back dead
But God himself can't kill them when they're said."
  --Will Carlton

"There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success." --George Matthew Adams

"One of your few gifts is your willingness to humiliate yourself."
--The movie, "As Good As It Gets"

BUMPER STICKERS

"Don't Believe Everything You Think"

"Playtime Is Never Over"

WHO SAID SENIORS DON'T HAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR? TAKE A PEEK AT SOME ACTUAL PERSONAL ADS GLEANED FROM FLORIDA NEWSPAPERS:

MEMORIES: I can usually remember Monday through Thursday. If you can remember Friday, Saturday and Sunday, let's put our two heads together.

MINT CONDITION: Male, 1929, high mileage, good condition, some hair, many new parts including hip, knee, cornea, valves. Isn't in running condition, but walks well.

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM HISTORY

***Success almost never comes in a straight line. There are many dips, and usually more valleys than peaks.

Inventor Thomas Edison and horticulturist Luther Burbank had successes that made them famous and the world a better place in which to live. Both were experimentalists who relied on trial-and-error to reach their objectives. But both had more failures than successes--by wide margins.

DNA testing is widely accepted today, but when Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, presented a paper on his experiments in 1865, it had no impact for over four decades. Mendel died in 1884, long before his breakthrough work was recognized for its significance.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, who founded the women's suffrage movement, died long before the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920.

Ken Futch is one of the funniest people I know. Ken can tell every joke that's ever been told. He also possesses an endless stock of personal stories that he tells in a folksy manner reminiscent of Will Rogers. This book of his captures the flavor of his life and demonstrates his ability to see to the heart of a matter in a no-nonsense manner. He talks a lot about his hometown of Burgaw, North Carolina and Futch's Esso, where he worked for his father.

Before becoming a professional speaker, Futch served as an officer in Viet Nam and came back to become an award-winning salesman for AT&T. Futch has a great ability to find learning points in his misfortunes, which he seems to attract like a magnet.

After one near-fatal blunder in Viet Nam caused by his inability to read a map, he accidentally overheard his first sergeant telling a group of enlisted men, "I'm glad we finally got a lieutenant in here who knows what the hell he's doing. This one's got a little age on him (Futch had reached the grand old age of twenty-three); it's about time they sent us someone who knows how to read a map."

Futch was astonished. Up to this time Futch had been terrified that his men would find out that he couldn't read a map. At that moment he decided he was capable of doing it. He writes: "From that time on I never made another mistake in map reading." Then he adds, "Frequently we need other people to believe in us first before we can believe in ourselves. Their belief in us is critical to our self-confidence. Taking your best shot starts with believing you are capable of shooting."

ABRAHAM LINCOLN RETURNS TO THE JIMMY CARTER LIBRARY AND MUSEUM ON FEBRUARY 12
***THE performance of “Lincoln Live” at the Jimmy Carter Library and Museum this past Thanksgiving drew standing-room-only crowds and has been booked again--twice on Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12.
       Admission to the performance is free with the purchase of a ticket to the museum. Seating is limited and is on a first-come basis. Mark your calendars, and come early. For directions call 404/865-7101 or use Mapquest for directions--441 Freedom Parkway, Atlanta, GA 30507

LINCOLN'S LOG
There are hundreds of Presidential sites in the U.S.--from birthplaces and homes to libraries and museums. Most are well-worth visiting, either for their setting and architecture, or for the historical perspectives that they provide. Some of these spots may be in your backyard, or you can arrange to stop and visit them on one of your trips.

One of the tips I mention in "Time Tactics of Very Successful People" is what I call "piggybacking." Piggybacking is a great way to achieve balance between business and social needs. To piggyback, go early to a business location or stay late, and enjoy something near the location such as a museum or historic site.

One of my very favorite Lincoln sites is in Washington, D.C. and the other is in Indiana.

***Ford’s Theater National Historic Site, Washington, D.C.

Famously the site where actor John Wilkes Booth fatally shot President Lincoln, Ford’s Theater was an office building for many years. In 1968 the theater was re-opened as a living memorial to the former President. Take a tour of the museum to learn more about the history surrounding the Civil-War era assassination, and book tickets for a play in the theater which is furnished to look as it did in 1865. Many have told me that visiting this spot has been an adventure of the spirit.

***Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial, Lincoln City, Indiana 47552 812-937-4541

Getting to this great location will require some driving, but is well worth the trip. Indiana gets relatively little attention for its connection with Lincoln, but it certainly should because this is where the 16th President spent his formative years. He and his family lived here in a pioneer community from 1816 to 1830. His mother, Nancy Hanks Lincoln, who died when Lincoln was nine, is buried here. The Baptist church where he and his family attended is still in existence and the woods where he entertained his boyhood chums by doing his own rendition of the preacher's sermons still surround the church.

TRAVEL NOTES FROM A ROAD WARRIOR--St. Louis, Orlando

***St. Louis   Trattoria Marcella
  This recommendation comes from the great sales trainer Austin McGonigle. "The very best calamari I have ever tasted." Austin was referring to one of their specialties: calamari on crispy spinach. Another specialty: The carpaccio di crostini--a first course of rare beef tenderloin sliced thin and layered with arugula, tart artichoke-onion relish and shaved Asiago cheese, served on slices of toasted bread. It's a family owned establishment located just off The Hill, where baseball legends Yogi Berra and Joe Garagiola grew up. A favorite of in-the-know locals. Loud, lively, and moderately priced. 3600 Watson Rd. St. Louis, MO 63109, 314-352-7706.

***Orlando area   Positano
It's located in an unpretentious shopping center and contains a pizzeria as well as a dining area, which usually isn't chic, but if you turn up your nose, you'll miss some really excellent food, plus friendly, fast service. My Shrimp Portofino was superb--jumbo shrimp sautéed in a rich porchini mushroom sauce with a touch of cream. Served with seasonal mixed vegetables, cooked just right, and a potato. ($20.95) 8995 West Colonial Drive, Ocoee, FL 34761 West Orlando off #438, #441 and #413 not far from the Country Club of Orlando. 407-291-2277

RESOURCES FOR YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH

***99 WAYS TO GET MORE OUT OF EVERY DAY: WORKBOOK-JOURNAL, DOWNLOAD, CD

AUDIOBOOK "THE INSPIRATIONAL WORDS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN" AUDIOBOOK

FEEDBACK

***"I cannot tell you how very much I have enjoyed your "99 Ways" audio CD and journal! Many, many thanks! I especially appreciate the wonderful way you weave each thought together on the CD. I learned a great deal from your presentation and delivery. It's relaxed but very powerful and compelling. An excellent role model!
      Your journal has made me rethink the wire bound 8 1/2 by 11 format. It's very well done, I really like it! It's clearly both the punchy writing and the professional layout. I'm really enjoying your journal, I like the way it lays flat.
      Hearing the material echoed in the audio CD really reinforces the message." --Michelle Moore (Creator of "Sound Like A Million")

***"I no longer have to wonder about what it was like in Abe Lincoln's day. I sat in Ford's Theatre and watched Gene take me there in every way! What Hal Holbrook is to Mark Twain, Gene Griessman is to Lincoln." T. Bubba Bechtol, CSP. Comedian, Grand Ole Opry

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 Live" "Lincoln The CEO"

___Personal Productivity-Time Management "How To Get More Out Of Every Day"

___Keynote Presentation ("Lessons From Legends" "Success and Failure: Nine Secrets That Make The Difference")

___How To Do Business With Americans (This is a new presentation based on a new book and a keynote that I'll be delivering to a four-nation conference in Lima, Peru later this year. For overseas businesspeople and for organizations with a multi-national workforce. Let us know if you're interested.)