Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Axiom 73: Don't Burn Bridges


"Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
-Unknown

At some point someone will do you wrong. The urge to burn a bridge will enter your mind. Should you or shouldn't you? That is the question....

You must never let your emotions get the best of you. Burning a bridge will almost always do more harm than good. It might make you feel better momentarily to express your true feelings but in the long run you will probably regret it.

For one, you might need to cross that bridge again. This is a small world and you'd be surprised how you may need the same people again for some reason.

Secondly, by burning a bridge you are really admitting "losing" not "winning". You are admitting defeat in a very classless and crude way. The best way to exact revenge is by going out and proving things wrong by your own success.

Thirdly, the people at the receiving end of your bridge burning rant could really give a shit less about you. You think you're poetically putting people in their place and showing them the error of their ways. In reality they could probably care less and are just happy now you are gone.

Use that fuel that you would burn a bridge as motivation for success. Instead of burning that bridge, write down those negative thoughts on paper. Hold onto them for a few days a then revisit them. You will then probably realized how immature and useless burning a bridge can be.



Saturday, January 9, 2016

Axiom 72: Silent but Deadly


The unseen enemy is always the most fearsome.” 
-George R.R. Martin

Be where your enemy is not.” -Sun Tzu

I was recently at a industry dinner and ran into the upper management from a competing company to the one I work for. Even though we had never met I already knew a lot about them but they had no clue who I was. Considering I've been in my industry for over 16 years now most people in my position might have taken offense that they had no idea who I was. However, I didn't take offense at all, I was actually happy they didn't know anything about me.

As long as your customers, coworkers, and managers know who you are that is all the recognition you need. Don't fall for the urge to make a name for yourself in the eyes of your competition. It may make your ego feel better temporarily, but it will cause you heartache in the long run. Once your competitors know who you are you'll have a target on your back.

It is hard to fight an enemy that remains unseen. Try to stay under the radar as long as possible with your competition. Once they know who you are they will start to study you. They will learn your strengths and weaknesses. They will make each success in business a battle to the end. They will exploit your weaknesses and defeat you more often. They will learn how to defend their prized accounts and will be a step ahead of you.

If you want to win against your competition more in business make sure they know as little about you as possible.