Recent content from Harvey Mackay
Harvey MacKay: The simple factors behind high performance
Are you performing up to your potential? Are you afraid to jump to the next level? Are your habits pushing you forward or holding you…
Mackay: Why 'good enough' doesn't cut it
There's a good reason why Debbi Fields of cookie fame is so successful, and she summed it up in an aphorism I'll never forget: "Good enough never is."
Harvey Mackay: Making a first impression last
There are many things in life you can do multiple times. Making a first impression on someone isn't one of them.
Arrogance and pride are not the same
In a village long ago, there lived a young boy who loved nothing as much as competing in athletic contests. Because he was fit and…
Mackay: Successful sales rely on 'yes or yes' propositions
Whether you run your own business or work for a company in a sales-related role, you are always looking for sales techniques that work. I have developed and learned many over the years from readers providing great advice.
Mackay: Decide to be a real decisionmaker
Many people struggle with making decisions. Whether the issue is personal or professional, the inability to decide on a course of action can ruin relationships or careers.
Mackay: The two-minute drill will increase your network – and your net worth
I could fill volumes about chance meetings that have changed people's lives, led to jobs, business opportunities, partnerships, new ideas, etc. — all because people…
Everyone has to overcome procrastination at some point
When faced with a task that you just don't want to do, many of us simply put it off until tomorrow. That's why tomorrow is often the busiest day.
Mackay offers a tribute to the wisdom of parents
The Boy Scouts were at camp. In an inspection, the director found an umbrella neatly rolled inside the bedroll of a small scout. An umbrella…
Harvey Mackay: He shares a compendium of wisdom
But without question, the most frequent feedback I get is that the column-ending morals are a very useful summation of the message. Occasionally, I compile a list of my favorite morals from the past couple of years. Be my guest to share them!
Mackay: Friendships at work keep you anchored
Two friends were walking through a dense jungle. Knowing the dangers, they promised to stick together whatever happened. Suddenly, a tiger appeared in the bushes.…
Mackay: NBA champion Warriors provide template for life success
When you have a championship-caliber team and then you add another superstar like Kevin Durant to the mix, you can either implode or you can win a title. The team embraced its star newcomer with no jealousy. The team's sole goal was to win a championship, which it did by sharing the ball.
Know your limits with friends at work
With all the push, pull and tug that can go on in the workplace, you must develop your own support systems — and friends can be invaluable.
Mackay: Use these street-smart ideas to assist with personal growth
You learn to be book smart in school, but you better not forget that you need to also be street smart. As I like to say, knowledge does not become power until it is used!
Harvey Mackay: Failure doesn't have to be fatal
Failure can become a weight or it can give you wings. That is the message I hear every spring when I attend the Horatio Alger…
Harvey Mackay and the power of optimism
How you look at life can drastically affect how much you enjoy your life. Optimists expect the best out of life. Good news: It's an attitude that can be learned.
Mackay: Be careful when giving criticism
When you offer criticism, be aware of whom you are criticizing, how you are delivering it and how they might receive it.A number of years…
Mackay: The amazing potential of mentoring
"One Minute Mentoring" is a must-read for folks looking for some help and those who are prepared to offer it.
Harvey Mackay: Values mean the world to organizations
You can't see values, touch them, taste them or smell them. Yet they are critical, intangible essentials that bring continuity and meaning to life. And they are every bit as important for organizations as they are for individuals.
The importance of praise
Mark Twain once said, "I could live for two months on one good compliment."We all love to receive compliments. They make everyone feel better. It…
Workplace humor no joking matter – it eases tensions
Life is funny, the saying goes. And when it isn't funny, sometimes a sense of humor is what gets us through the tough periods.Humor plays…
Take measure of stress and find ways to curb it
Stress is a used, misused, abused and overused word in our daily conversation. But what is stress, clinically speaking?
How to keep employees working for you
Employee retention is a hot business topic today. No longer do people stay at the same company for 25 years and collect the gold watch…
Mackay: Life is easier when you are liked
No matter what business you think you are in, you are in the people business. And the more people like you, the better and easier…
Learning from losing is a discipline that pays off
UCLA football coach Red Sanders once said, "Winning isn't everything; it's the only thing." Like most kids growing up, for me the importance of finishing…
Mackay: Changing your mood can improve your life
Shaking a bad mood is important to functioning at your best. The worst thing you can do when you're in a bad mood is wallow in it, according to Psychology Today.
Corporate culture can make all the difference
Maybe this is why corporate culture is one of the hottest topics in business today. People want to work for businesses that focus on terrific employee culture.
Mackay: Sales is everyone's job, no matter the business
Everyone is in sales. To me, job titles don't matter; every employee must think about sales. It's the only way any company can stay in…
Mackay: Coach Bill Belichick has solid off-the-field advice, too
Belichick recovered so steadily from his setback in Cleveland, I'm convinced, partly because of the tremendous depth of his personal background.
Harvey Mackay: Be sure not to confuse vision with goals
A railroad crew was making repairs to a section of track when a train rolled up on a parallel track. Several men in suits disembarked…
Harvey Mackay: Like Tom Brady, you have to be mentally tough to succeed
After the New England Patriots defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers to advance to the Super Bowl, star Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was asked what makes his…
Mackay: Hope is the American product
The most important product that America has managed to produce is not the automobile, television or computer. It is hope — not only for ourselves,…
Harvey Mackay: Do not give up on pursuing your dreams
Awards season has started in Hollywood, and it serves as a perfect metaphor for following your dreams. While few of us dream of becoming big…
Mackay: Make the new year your best year
For many, the New Year is a chance for a new beginning, perhaps best represented by the baby and the old man, symbols of the…
Basketball coach has good game plan for business
My definition of success is having a plan, successfully carrying it out over a long period of time and having a good time doing it.That's…
Harvey Mackay: How you use your voice can speak volumes
When I was embarking on my "second career," public speaking, I had a little experience under my belt — member of Toastmasters, Dale Carnegie graduate…
Harvey Mackay: Try following Coach Cal's rules of the game
My definition of success is having a plan, successfully carrying it out over a long period of time and having a good time doing it.That's…
Simple rules can spark big-time changes
Hewlett-Packard was famously founded in a one-car garage by William Hewlett and Dave Packard. It has become one of the world's most innovative and successful…
Innovative thinking can be hindered by business culture
Somewhere between necessity being the mother of invention and pure creative genius, all kinds of useful products have come into our lives. Were their creators inspired by a desire to get rich? Did they have years of schooling or technical training? Were they part of huge corporations with unlimited budgets?
Mackay: Don't give up your dreams, big or small
December 6 is a historic day for dreamers. On this day in 1877, Thomas Edison recited "Mary Had a Little Lamb" into his phonograph invention…
Mackay: Make your attitude one of gladitude, not saditude
Ten-year-old Billy stumbled while boarding the school bus one morning and bruised his cheek on the stair. But he got up, brushed himself off, looked…
Mackay: The men and women who earned us desks
I want to share the story of a remarkable teacher who taught her students an unforgettable lesson. On the first day of school in 2005,…
Harvey Mackay: Being broke isn't the same as being broken
A lot of people believe you only have one shot at success. But that's just not true. What is true is that many people don't…
Harvey Mackay: Band-Aid solution is actually the best
This story is often told about Harry Houdini, the master magician whose proudest claim was that he could escape from anything. During a tour of…
Harvey Mackay: The most important things in life are not things
But one of my closest friends recently forwarded an e-mail that took a more serious view of life. It said: "Available for a limited time…
The power of persistence in business
A poor boy named Harlan with only a sixth-grade education wouldn't have made anyone's list of the most likely to succeed. His first major success…
Gossip can only cause problems in a workspace
Four psychiatrists shared a hotel suite at a convention. One night one of them said, "You know, people are always telling us their troubles, but…
Mackay: Dream it to achieve it – if you believe in yourself
There's an old saying that goes: If you can dream it, you can achieve it. That's a good start, but I think that statement needs…
The importance of constructive criticism
Lucy, the constant critic of Charlie Brown in the comic strip "Peanuts," is one of my favorite characters because she always says exactly what is…
Helpful hints to enjoy a life full of success
When a lesson can be summed up in a few well-chosen words, the message often stays with the student. A little tool to jog the…
Mackey: Find a way to fascinate your customers
"You can't stand out if you're trying to blend in." That's the message Sally Hogshead drives home in the updated edition of "Fascinate," her how-to…
Harvey MacKay: Conquering fear: Turn a negative into a positive
A small village by the sea depended on fishing to survive. Each year, the village boats had to go farther and farther from shore to…
Harvey Mackay: Never apologize for doing your best
The great Greek sculptor Phidias had high standards when he was carving the statue of Athena for the Parthenon about 2,400 years ago. According to…
Talk to yourself to talk yourself up
There once was a strange storekeeper who talked to himself. He talked to himself while he rang up groceries. He talked to himself whenever he…
Another resource for being successful in business
While I was browsing the business section in a bookstore recently, I was immediately attracted to one with "shark" in the title. I am referring…
Mackay: Keeping perspective is good for business
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYThomas Watson Jr., former chairman of IBM, liked to tell anecdotes about his father, Thomas Watson Sr., who built up…
Success means being in it for the long haul
Watching the Olympic trials for long-distance-running events, I was again struck by how little margin there is for error in making the U.S. team. Athletes…
Mackay: Leaders need coaching just like everyone else
Athletes and actors have long hired coaches to help prepare for a specific competition or role. But they aren’t the only ones who can benefit…
MacKay: The importance of coaching
Athletes and actors have long hired coaches to help prepare for a specific competition or role. But they aren't the only ones who can benefit from expert advice.
Mackay: Get to the root of your problems
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYA rancher left 17 horses in his will for his three children.The will stated that the eldest child should get…
Harvey Mackay: Make kindness a habit
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYOne rainy night many years ago, a gentleman and his wife entered the lobby of a small hotel in Philadelphia.…
Harvey Mackay: Muhammad Ali's advice on life and work still packs a big punch
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYMUHAMMAD ALI: THE GREATEST ADVICE OF ALL TIME!I will never forget the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta when Muhammad…
Mackay: Creativity doesn't have to be difficult
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYJ.M. Haggar was fascinated with Henry Ford's idea of the production line and mass production. He thought if cars can…
Harvey Mackay: Learn, don't run, from your mistakes
HARVEY MACKAYTry to remember the last time you uttered the words "I made a mistake." Was it painful? Expensive? Career-changing? Or therapeutic?When my kids…
Leaders can strive to let curiosity be your guide
HARVEY MACKAYA father and his young son were out walking one afternoon, when the boy asked how the electricity went through the wires stretched…
Harvey Mackay: Better living through intentionality
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYThere are motivational writers and motivational speakers, and then there's John Maxwell. Maxwell has been called America's No. 1 leadership…
Harvey Mackay: In business and in life, trust is a must
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYI am convinced that "trust" is the most important five-letter word in business — not "sales" or "money." Trust can…
Harvey Mackay: Clear communication is key to productivity
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYA construction worker walked up to the reception desk at a doctor's office and was asked why he was there."I…
Harvey Mackay: Train your memory to work for you
Outswimmingthe sharks | HARVEY MACKAYA man had gone to a circus as a small boy and decided to return years later. He was sitting…
Harvey Mackay: Consistency is foundation for good business
Everyone wants consistency, whether it is in running a business, investing, supervising employees, dieting, exercising or parenting. Consistency develops routines and builds momentum. It forms habits that become almost second nature.
Harvey Mackay: Volunteer your way to success
HARVEY MACKAYYears ago, my father sat me down and gave me what was some of the best advice I have ever received. It had…
Baseball advice for outside the park
HARVEY MACKAY Ah, the joys of spring: longer daylight, budding flowers, farm babies and, of course, opening day of our national pastime, baseball. What…
In business and life, a sense of humor helps
HARVEY MACKAY There is an Apache legend that the creator gave humans the ability to talk, to run and to look at things. But…
Harvey Mackay: Discipline is critical to success
Long-haul winners listen to their built-in drill sergeant all the way to the finish line.
'Sales' should not be a dirty word
Over my decades in business, I’ve noticed a baffling trend: “Sales” has become a dirty word. I’m on a lifelong campaign to change that. In…
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