I just found out my #twitter account is worth $26.33. I'm rich!
— Merrill Hartman (@merphman) October 11, 2012

Re-Directing Thought

I have learned a lot since I have been in Dubai about thought processes per culture. Some go by "book smarts" some go by internal thought. Internal thought is the key that makes things hum if you will. Since most of the culture here within the UAE isn't really Arabic but Indian, it gives a harmonious feel about how business runs from the outside. It all has to do with adapting to oneself rather than the surroundings. I have found out that I don't necessarily need to adapt to their lifestyle in order to get respect but adapt to myself.
A lot can be seen how they are from the inside in this part of the world. On the Western side, you are given the first 10 seconds of the first impression by how you look on the outside. Since this part of the world has language and cultural barriers, it isn't necessarily how you look by what you wear but how you look on the inside if they want to do business.
Since this is the case, in order to survive, it is a must to re-think yourself and re-invent yourself. As Yoda would say in the Star Wars saga, "Unlearn what you have learned."

Breaking the Rope for Success

I am reminded of a story that my father once told behind the pulpit in the summer of 1984:
My children and I were going through the Toledo Zoo and spotted an enormous African elephant. The only thing keeping this huge animal of God from going outside of its area was a thin rope around the ankle. So, I asked the Zookeeper how is this tiny rope around the rear ankle able to constrain this magnificent creature?
The Zookeeper replied, “He has been here since he was a baby and has had the same size of rope around his ankle since he was 2 weeks old. He tried and tried to break it during that time but couldn’t. He simply gave up. Even to this day, 30 years later, he still thinks he can’t break the rope.”
This past week I broke my rope.

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