Miki’s Rules to Live By: Protection
by Miki Saxon
“Change is the only constant” is an oft-quoted idea first uttered around 500 BC by Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher (those Greeks really knew what they were talking about).
The only difference between then and now is that change happens a whole lot faster.
In these days of fast change I try to keep two rules firmly in my conscious mind.
The first is something I heard many years ago, although don’t remember where.
The only thing free is the cheese in the mouse trap.
For whatever reason it really sank in and proved to be protection, preventing me from falling for the lure of free as social media, Google and other services rose to overwhelming prominence.
It kept me from being parsed, productized, and sold.
The second isn’t new and has been said many ways over the decades. This is how I’ve thought about it for decades.
Personality reaps more acclaim than talent or accomplishments.
I find it especially true in these days of personal branding and self promotion.
I’m grateful I absorbed both ideas; they’ve made my life much simpler, safer and easier these days.
And I’m not missing a thing.
Image credit: Cambodia4kids.org Beth Kanter
