The Profit Prophet

In 1887 Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinborough, had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years prior: "A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover that they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse over loose fiscal policy, (which is) always followed by a dictatorship." "The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years. During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From li...

I have been thinking a lot about business and partnerships, and how sometimes people whom you thought you could trust no longer capable of the trust you bestowed them. So, what do you do? Do you get even, or try to rectify things legally, or just walk away? For each person and situation that is a personal decision, but I have found that a very old story told to me some time ago actually makes a great deal of sense when dealing with issues out of your control. It is a Cherokee tale of Two Wolves. An old Cherokee Grandfather was counseling his grandson who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice.  "Let me tell you a story,” he began. “I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if ther...