It is probable that many of you who read these words have been told from time to time by people who, in most cases, were well-meaning that you would never amount to anything, could not do something or had no talent in a particular field.

If you overcame those negative comments and did something with your life, you smile at the memory of the satisfaction you gained by proving them wrong. It's obvious that you did not listen to what they had to say and succeeded in spite of — or because of — the negative comments of others and despite some problems you might have had early on in life.

Going back a few years, Benjamin Franklin, Alfred Adler and Carl Jung were poor mathematicians. Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 3 years old and was considered to be mentally slow. James Watt was declared dull and inept, and Walt Disney was fired from his first job because he had no imagination. Thomas Edison was asked to leave school because, at age 9, he was at the bottom of his class. Edgar Allen Poe, Percy Bysshe Shelley and James Whistler all were expelled from school. Grandma Moses wasn't exactly a child prodigy, having achieved all of her fame, success and the development of her talent after age 80. Abraham Lincoln had the equivalent of three months of school and was ridiculed for his appearance.

This says that the "experts" or well-meaning other people are misguided in their efforts and just plain wrong in their thinking. Factually, we can measure your intelligence quotient, but not your "desire quotient." We can measure the size of your head, but not the size of your heart. I encourage you to listen carefully to what people say and then follow your heart as you use your head to develop the skills and talents you have. Take that approach, and I'll see you at the top!

Idleness or Leisure?

My trusty 1828 Noah Webster dictionary says that idleness is "abstinence from labor or employment; the state of doing nothing; aversion to labor; reluctance to be employed or to exertion, either of body or mind; sloth; sluggishness." Idleness is often the effect of laziness, and sometimes, this word may be used for it.

Leisure is "freedom from occupation or business; vacant time; time free from employment or convenience of time." There are few people today who would disagree with the fact that all of us need some leisure or time for ourselves to relax, enjoy life and literally do nothing.

However, we need to explore carefully what the implications of too much leisure or idleness itself might bring.

An anonymous writer makes this observation: No one has a right to live in idleness and expect to live long and be happy. The ship anchored in the harbor rots faster than the ship crossing the ocean. A still pool of water stagnates more rapidly than a running stream. Our unused muscles are subjected to atrophy much more rapidly than those in use. The unused cells in our brains deteriorate much faster than those that are continually exercised. Hence, to remain young, we must remain active.

Insurance statistics clearly reveal that when a person retires, unless he has new activities that will keep him busy doing something of value, that person's life span is shortened substantially, so enjoy some leisure time, but be careful about idleness. It can kill you. That doesn't mean you have to be busy all the time, but those who are involved in church activities, visit the residents in nursing homes, run errands for shut-ins or baby-sit occasionally for single mothers will be happier, healthier and live longer. So actively make a contribution, and I'll see you at the top!

To find out more about Zig Ziglar and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. Subscribe to Zig Ziglar's free e-mail newsletter through info@zigziglar.com.

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