Trying to Please Everyone

Trying to Please Everyone: I like this quote by Colin Powell, which says "Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity". You’re never going to be able to control what others think, so don’t spend too much time sweating over it and stress yourself. Instead, work on the things you have control over –– yourself, your emotions, your thoughts, your actions and feel happy about it. Spend your energy in the creation process, and on people who do deserve your attention and love. Try it for a week –– You’ll find it’s a lot more rewarding this way.

A Lesson In Life

During my second year of nursing school our professor gave us a quiz. I breezed through the questions until I read the last one:

"What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?"

Surely this was a joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Before the class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our grade. "Absolutely," the professor said. "In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello." I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

Joann C. Jones