Tag Archives: success

The wacky wisdom of Dr. Seuss

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We all can learn something from Horton (who stars in Horton Hears a Who), from The Lorax (starring in a new animated tree-loving movie)  - and from the silliness and fantastical creativity found in so many Dr. Seuss books.

“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells.  Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living, it’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of a telescope.  Which is what I do, and that enables you to laugh at life’s realities,” said Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

In honor of his birthday, I present three quotes and three questions about the amazing and astounding author of The Circus McGurkus, Green Eggs and Ham and of course, The Cat in the Hat.

“And will you succeed? Yes indeed! Yes indeed. Yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three quarters percent guaranteed.”  – Dr. Seuss in O The Places You’ll Go!

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself Any direction you choose.” – Ibid.

“From there to here from here to there funny things are everywhere.” -One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish Blue Fish


  1. So where did Theodore Seuss Geisel get his fascination with rhymes? His mother helped  him to sleep with “chanting rhymes” recalled from her childhood – and he has credited her for her influence, according to his biographers on an official site.
  2. How did he get his start?  Though his father hoped he would become a university professor, he became a cartoonist . Geisel drew cartoons for the Saturday Evening Post, and other magazines, and advertisements for Standard Oil Co. During World War II, he helped create animated military training movies with a character called Private Snafu. 
  3.  Which of his books seems to spring from his childhood in Springfield, Mass.?  His first children’s book, And To Think That I Saw It On Mulberry Street ,  is riddled with it, from the look-alike of one of its mayors to police officers riding red motorcycles.

Now here’s one for you to answer: What’s your favorite Dr. Seuss book and what does it say to you?

I’ll leave you with this great quote from the dear doctor in Happy Birthday to You: “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

If you’re looking for a Dr. Seuss story of redemption and hope, the animated move The Lorax debuts this weekend.

For more Dr. Seuss quotes for business and workplace, read Tracy Schutz’s post on 12Most. 

For still more Geisel quotes, check out these on GoodReads (source of one or two shared here).

 

 

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Book it: Give inspiration and ideas this holiday season

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As someone who seriously considered a career as a librarian or book shop owner, I adore books  – and their ability to inspire, uplift and inform.  So when I consider Christmas and Chanukah gift ideas, books are always on my mind.

This year with the jobless rate at 8.6 percent, career books seem like a good bet.  So I asked some exceptional career experts to recommend the best books for work, job search and leadership.  Many of their suggestions appear in my Glassdoor.com blog (out on Monday). The rest are offered up here, with the understanding that any book selection must be tailored to the recipient, their personality and situation.

Margaret Dikel created The Riley Guide to help university professionals and students with career information. It has grown exponentially since then. Here’s her book suggestions:

  • Well Connected: An Unconventional Approach to Building Genuine, Effective Business Relationships by Gordon S. Curtis with Greg Lewis.  It is true – who you know makes a huge difference in your career.  Gordon explores a variety of ways to tap a network for introductions and opportunities to present your credentials to decision-makers will move your job search or career ahead at a much faster rate than you ever thought possible.
  •  Knock ‘em Dead: Secrets & Strategies for Success in an Uncertain World by Martin Yate (2011, Adams Media).   A great alternative to “Parachute” by another well-regarded expert on job search and career planning.  His writing style is more casual, so it may be an easier read, but you still are pushed into much effort in your search.
  •  The Twitter Job Search Guide by Susan Britton Whitcomb, Chandlee Bryan, and Deb Dib (2010, Jist).  Yes, there are opportunities in the world of 140 characters, and not just job postings. A network awaits if you know how to tap into it, and this is your guide to doing it the right way (and avoiding potential problems).

Kate Wendleton is president of the Five O’Clock Club in New York, a membership group that helps professionals and executives with career transitions. Her advice and insights are always first-rate, whether I’m interviewing her for Fortune or for a blog post. Her book picks include:

  • Your Great Business Idea:: the Truth About Making It Happen.  by Kate Wendleton. Make sure your business idea works – for your personality and with success in mind. Contains dozens of case studies showing how people made their decisions. Offers business strategies  for start-ups including the “One-Hour Business Plan” technique to help your test your ideas.
  • The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women by Elaine Meryl Brown,  Marsha Haygood, Rhonda Joy McLean and Angela Burt-Murray. Said Wendleton: “It’s really for everyone – black, white and other, male and female. Extremely well written and full of nuggets for everyone.”

Phyllis Mufson, a career coach for 25 years, works from Philadelphia, is also an artist who makes and sells jewelry. She recommends:

  •  Leadership and Self Deception. Getting Out of the Box by Arbinger Institute. The Arbinger Institute offers seminars, videos and books to help organizations and individuals with problems springing from self-deception. Mufson calls this “a wonderful book on how people get in their own way, at work and in their personal lives. It is very clear about the mechanics of self-justification, the consequences, and how to set yourself free.”
  • Social Networking for Career Success: Using Online Tools to Create a Personal Brand by Miriam Salpeter – Social media is profoundly changing how people get and keep jobs, influence others, and build businesses and Mufson considers this book “very accessible and well-presented how to information.” It also was recommended by Riley in the Glassdoor.com post (link coming Monday afternoon).

I recommend these books:

  •  Better by Mistake, The Unexpected Benefits of Being Wrong by Alina Tugend.  This book, by a New York Times contributor, explores all the ways mistakes can trip us up or build our intelligence and resilience, Technically this is not a career book, but its findings could be useful to your career and your ability to bounce back from a setback or big screw up.
  • The Adventures of Johnny Bunko / The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need by Daniel Pink. This book, told comic book style, is great for the 18- to 25-year old who’s just starting out. It offers advice including “make excellent mistakes” and “it’s not about you” and it’s one of only a handful of career books I wish I had written!
  • Today We Are Rich by Tim Sanders. Sanders, who’s the author of one of my all-time favorite books Love Is the Killer App, writes about the wit and wisdom his grandma, Billye, gave him and how it guided him through his career at Yahoo and as a motivational speaker and consultant. This book may work especially well for anyone facing hard times or who needs some folksy encouragement and guidance.

To be sure there are many other great books available this year. If you’re looking for something more focused on spirituality, personal finances or wellness, check out the finalists in the Books for a Better Life award.  And if you’re finding too many books to give for the December holidays, consider offering some as a Valentine’s gift, including perhaps The Start-Up of You by Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, and Ben Casnocha.

 

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