Wisdom Gleaned

Those people who know me well will know that I write things down that I find to be interesting.  This includes articles or books I am reading, sermons I hear, speakers at events I attend, and so on.   They will also know that, while I prefer to write in a journal (I have several on the go), I will write on whatever is available including scraps of paper, paper napkins, or even my hand.  Just so you don’t think this is a bit quirky, repeated studies indicate that we recall things better if we read them on paper, rather than screen, and also if we write them down somewhere. 

I thought this month that I would share some bits of knowledge and wisdom that I picked up in a few places, and then wrote down.  

I will begin with a breakfast event I attended where Dennis Jones, founder of Devereaux Homes/Property Management, was speaking.  Mr. Jones was a doctor in Regina, who held some senior positions in this field before transitioning into home and apartment building.  This company currently owns three billion dollars in assets.  Here are some of the points he made, which he applied in business, but most of which we can all apply in life.

            - Continue to strive for improvement, don’t be satisfied with the status quo

            - Make the best decision you can earlier rather than later

            - If possible, get wise counsel from others (he has two mentors at the age of 60)

            - Always have a plan “B”

            - Develop a sound culture within your business

            - Embrace the community/communities you are a part of

            (I wrote my notes on a paper napkin)

A month earlier, I listened to Murad Al-Katib, President and CEO of AGT Foods.  You can see part of his business adjacent to the east Regina Bypass.  Mr. Al-Katib started his business in his basement in Davidson.  He was fortunate enough to have had connections in Turkey who lent him some money which he used to build a business empire with offices or facilities in 45 countries and which grosses three billion dollars annually.  Here is some of the advice he passed along.

            - Be faithful to your community.  Stay there and give back.

            - Invest time and energy into young people.  

Mr. Al-Katib described young men especially today as being lost and hopeless.  Accordingly, he has invested time and money in programs like the Regina Thunder football team, as well as other programs and events with a view to building “leaders” within this demographic.

Next, Shauna Archer, a pastor at the church I attend – Living Hope Alliance Church - in her sermon made three key points as a summary of what she talked about.

            - Live at peace with everyone, as far as it is possible.

            - Be kind and compassionate to others.

            - Be peacemakers; offer forgiveness to others who have done wrong to you.

            All of these depend on you!

Brit Hume, senior correspondent on Fox:

            - Give other people a pass sometimes. Remember, everyone has at least one major issue in their life they are dealing with, no matter how they look, act, or talk.

            (I wrote this in a journal where I write out quotes I like from things I have heard or read.)

C.S. Lewis:  from books of his that I have read –

- The only people who achieve much are those who want something so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavourable.  Favourable conditions never come.

- The simple rule is “I’ve got to stay here and do so-and-so.  The start of cowardice is to create a series of lifelines so that you don’t follow the simple rule.”

  (again, written in a journal.  These observations can apply to us at RCAAN)

From Mohanda (Mahatma) Gandhi (who was actually a lawyer.  I tried to apply this wisdom in what I did as a lawyer.  He wrote this out after settling a case.)

            - “I have learned to find out the better side of human nature and to enter men’s hearts.  I realized that the true function of a lawyer was to unite parties riven asunder.”

And finally, let me end with some things that I concluded and put to paper in a journal.  Some of these I apply to myself, but I also use or have used these in providing advice and mentorship to certain clients. 

            - Think better, live better (based on a Bible verse expressing that we will act as we think)

            - It is difficult, if not impossible to change most people, so look at changing  yourself, provided there is no compromise morally or ethically.

            - Leave room for others not to be perfect.

            - Based on Solomon in Proverbs 18 – The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will reap its fruit.  There is great power in your words, so try to compliment rather than criticize.

I have two personal rules on this and they are:  

1)  5 deposits, 1 withdrawal – 5 compliments or encouragement to every criticism

2) The sandwich – Begin with a positive, follow with instruction, end with a positive.

Also, I believe that words can be prophetic in a sense.  If you tell a person he/she is hopeless, that is what they will become.  Rather, speak what you desire to see in that person, and experience the fruit of those words come into play.

Let me end with a piece of wisdom from Andy Stanley.  This thought, or insight, has helped me in some ways to try to do what I can, wherever I am, to fulfill my purpose in life.  Some of us think that we should wait to do these things, or change what we are doing, or where we are at any moment in time.  Andy reminds us that “wherever you go, there you are.”  Don’t put important things off.  If you can do it now, do it now.

By Wayne Bernakevitch
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the writer, and are not necessarily those of RCAAN.