19. Attitude

As you go through life, it is easy to fall in to the trap of always feeling you never get what you deserve. Instead, try to feel that you actually get more than you deserve and life takes on a completely different meaning. Negotiate, but always be happy about what you get. If you accept a deal do not think about it again accept it as a fact. Practice the attitude of gratitude. What else is there?

To not expect anything from life is the secret to reach true satisfaction and the reason you will always get pleasantly surprised instead of being constantly disappointed.

Too much of a good thing is just right

-Mae West-

The good life is about living large, about expressing the joy and love of life. Act as if it is impossible to fail. It's about living, exuberance, taking calculated chances and "going for it”. In general, I believe, people are about as happy as they have decided to be. Life’s web is the same – you either wears it out with laughter or with tears.

I was seated at the aile seat on an American Arline flight from Dallas and was getting comfortable but my numb fingertip on my indexfinger was annoying me. I still had not got my feeling back from nearly cutting of my fingertip in a kitchen accident a couple of month ago.

So I felt a little sorry for my self when the flighthostess came by and asked me to move to the window seat. I asked why and she said that a man in a wheel chair was to have my seat. So I did move and down the aile rolls a man severely burned in face and hands. He had to crawl in to his seat from the wheelchair and called someone with his mobile using what was left of his fingers. As he finished his call he looked att me with his eyes without eyelids and said; -Do you want a Gin and Tonic?

We started to talk and he told me how he had been in a motorcycle accident where he crached and burned and when he finaly got well enough to leave the hospital he was able to get back to flying his private plan only to crached a couple of years later and brake his back. So that’s why he also was in a wheel chair.

“Shit happens” he said with a laugh while moistened his eyes with a small plastic bottle and continued to tell me about his new girlfriend he got in Thailand an that he had just bought a house on the Gold Cost south of Brisbaine Australia. He was now on his way home to Maui Hawaii.

.... I thought for a second I should tell him about my kitchen accident and my hurting finger, but did not.

There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

-Albert Einstein-

Do not let yourself be a victim of circumstances, be a master of choices and remember that life does not ‘owe’ you anything – it is fast changing and your race, gender, nationality or if you are handicaped or not doesn't mean shit – it’s about how hard you work and the quality of your ideas. Your competitors are not your local Swedish peers – they are Chinese and Indian entrepreneurs and professionals – and they are better educated and harder working than most – for fraction of the money… get busy if you want to compete.

Do not be a victim of circumstances. Be a master of choices.

                                          - William Blake -

As we where taking Synectics AB, a medical device company public back in 1995 we got a problem as we had our office in the former office of Fermenta AB that had been a catastrofy on the stockexchange a few years earlier and the auditor we now got to qualify us for the Stock Exchange had also been their auditer. He got vivid memories of this and started to shake as he stept in the door and he did not want us to pass his audit.

He worked long and hard and finaly gave us the most uncomplete report the afternoon the day before we where to get approval for our filing. We got upset but channeled our effort in completing the audit over night and just before deadline 9.00 0’clock the next day we handed in a fully reviced report with answer on all open questions with supporting data. We passed and got our IPO (Initial Puplic Offer). It is not the size of the dog in the fight; it is the size of the fight in the dog! So, remember, you should never, never, never give up.

.After all, impossible is not a fact - it is just a matter of opinion.

Everything in life happens for a reason, or you will anyhow create the reason afterwards, so just accept it and get on with your life. Where?

If you ask people if they have positive or negative ground values all will most likely answer “I have positive ground values” But if you ask them “Do you consider yourself lucky? You might get a better clue if they are positive or negative people. I am using this question all the time in employment interviews.

”Are you lucky?” I asked, ”I am the luckiest SOB alive,” he answered.

If you are still not sure then have them to read the sentence below and maybe you will get more clues to the true personality of the person:

Opportunityisnowhere

.... if they read "Opportunity is now here" then it might be a greater chance I would like to work with them then if they answer "Opportunity is nowhere"

I believe people with positive values are easier to be around

Anyhow my sons, have goals, work hard, make absolutely sure you are doing what you love to do, stay true to yourself, believe in yourself, follow your dreams, dream and act big, think positive, laugh a lot, enjoy your friends, dare to be different, think and think different, care for others, reach your full potential and be part of making the world a better place. You can be anything that you want to be. Be best in the world in something. Try and help people who are less fortunate. Set time aside to make a difference in the lives of people who otherwise can’t help them selves.  See everyone you meet as a potential good friend.