Comments on: Be the Person You Are Capable of Being http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/ Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:57:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: ED http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-23300 ED Sun, 03 Jul 2011 14:46:54 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-23300 BE Do Have sounds like Scientology ! BE Do Have sounds like Scientology !

]]> By: Charles Martin http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-23195 Charles Martin Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:26:46 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-23195 Interesting story. Most of my high-school classmates were (expletive deleted). I could not wait to be free of them. Interesting story. Most of my high-school classmates were (expletive deleted). I could not wait to be free of them.

]]> By: Randy Troxel http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-23192 Randy Troxel Fri, 01 Jul 2011 13:10:11 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-23192 Excellent article, Mr. Barnes. Thanks especially for the M. Williamson quote. Excellent article, Mr. Barnes. Thanks especially for the M. Williamson quote.

]]> By: aromiwura adedamola http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-23161 aromiwura adedamola Fri, 01 Jul 2011 06:23:31 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-23161 I totally agree...this article inspires and also bring to everyone's knowledge that there's more bottled up in us than we think. All we need to do is look deep. I'm so geared up that right now no matter the environment, I'm totally willing to be the best I can be not minding the friends that might be left in the process. One thing I also know is that, when one aspires to be the best he can be, there would be people there to help and those there to bring one down. Ma God give us the strength to make the right decision.. I totally agree…this article inspires and also bring to everyone’s knowledge that there’s more bottled up in us than we think. All we need to do is look deep. I’m so geared up that right now no matter the environment, I’m totally willing to be the best I can be not minding the friends that might be left in the process. One thing I also know is that, when one aspires to be the best he can be, there would be people there to help and those there to bring one down. Ma God give us the strength to make the right decision..

]]> By: Joe http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-18250 Joe Mon, 18 Apr 2011 14:03:55 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-18250 First let me congratulate you on achieving a “level of success” and then let me tell you how I can relate to some of the things you have said, but not all. When I entered law school, I had already started a very “successful” business and sold it. I was married with two children, commuting 40 miles each way to a job that would allow me to attend law school at night in Chicago. My wife took the children and moved over 300 miles away after my first semester, telling me that I would never make it as an attorney and suggesting that I quit and take a job with her father to be able to be home every night. In the next three years, I remarried a woman with twins, was robbed, beaten, and nearly killed three times, bought two houses, paying cash for one, renting it before the closing, then selling both a profit before moving to Florida where the job I was promised was given to someone else three days earlier. I became licensed in Florida and was called to take that position a year later. My direct supervisor’s only question in the interview was “How are you at working with a..holes, because I have been known to be an a…hole at times.” My response was “I have worked for a..holes in the past and I am sure I will work for a…holes in the future, but as long as they treat me like a professional, I will treat them like a professional.” My pay doubled in six months and I stayed with them for 11 years. I developed quite an exceptional reputation as an expert in my field and thought I was “successful”, until my second wife took the kids and moved to Denver. I took time off to try to readjust, staying with them until asked to leave by a new younger CEO who stayed two years, blew the budget and was fired. Prominent businessmen who knew my abilities have kept me earning a decent living in my private solo practice for over 11 years now; I remarried, traveled the world, and invested in foreign real estate again. I thought I was “successful.” My third wife left after 7 years without any further explanation other than “I can’t do this any more.” We were friends before the marriage and remain friends to this day, but rarely speak. I know the notion of being “successful” is the potion that drives us in this profession, but I caution everyone I know who practices law to be careful what you ask for, because you might be “successful” at it. Too many attorneys find that it is difficult to achieve “success” because the definition keeps changing. Find happiness and cling to it, share it and make others happy with who you are. First let me congratulate you on achieving a “level of success” and then let me tell you how I can relate to some of the things you have said, but not all.
When I entered law school, I had already started a very “successful” business and sold it. I was married with two children, commuting 40 miles each way to a job that would allow me to attend law school at night in Chicago. My wife took the children and moved over 300 miles away after my first semester, telling me that I would never make it as an attorney and suggesting that I quit and take a job with her father to be able to be home every night. In the next three years, I remarried a woman with twins, was robbed, beaten, and nearly killed three times, bought two houses, paying cash for one, renting it before the closing, then selling both a profit before moving to Florida where the job I was promised was given to someone else three days earlier.
I became licensed in Florida and was called to take that position a year later. My direct supervisor’s only question in the interview was “How are you at working with a..holes, because I have been known to be an a…hole at times.” My response was “I have worked for a..holes in the past and I am sure I will work for a…holes in the future, but as long as they treat me like a professional, I will treat them like a professional.” My pay doubled in six months and I stayed with them for 11 years. I developed quite an exceptional reputation as an expert in my field and thought I was “successful”, until my second wife took the kids and moved to Denver. I took time off to try to readjust, staying with them until asked to leave by a new younger CEO who stayed two years, blew the budget and was fired. Prominent businessmen who knew my abilities have kept me earning a decent living in my private solo practice for over 11 years now; I remarried, traveled the world, and invested in foreign real estate again. I thought I was “successful.”
My third wife left after 7 years without any further explanation other than “I can’t do this any more.” We were friends before the marriage and remain friends to this day, but rarely speak.
I know the notion of being “successful” is the potion that drives us in this profession, but I caution everyone I know who practices law to be careful what you ask for, because you might be “successful” at it.
Too many attorneys find that it is difficult to achieve “success” because the definition keeps changing. Find happiness and cling to it, share it and make others happy with who you are.

]]> By: thanks http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-12530 thanks Fri, 28 May 2010 07:28:32 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-12530 this is nice! this is nice!

]]> By: Rachael Sutton http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-11535 Rachael Sutton Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:03:38 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-11535 Mr. Barnes, this is an awesome, powerful, much-needed message. In this, you acknowledge having broken the law you now work to uphold. It also opens doors for further reflection. When you returned those signs, did you also repay the damages to minimize your cost to society? I noticed that the motivation to improve, for you, was external: your step-father made you return the signs, you had to change your behavior abroad because of peer pressure and society intolerance. What about internal change: feelings of remorse, realizing the risk to others lives by removing signs and by operating a motorized machine under the influence? While you are encouraging people, to be all they can be, and you extoll success, you haven't acknowledged that it's definition differs from person to person. You are very critical of people who have chosen to live simple lives. Have you considered that if a person chooses to be a boat washer, and every day, they wake up happy, are good to wife and children, are a responsible citizen, and do the best job of washing boats ever, they are a success? I have to take time to appreciate the garbage collectors, the housekeeping services at the hotels, and every person who chooses to do honest work for honest pay. There contribution is often more significant than most, just less glamorous, and only noticed when lacking. You have frequently repeated that you have never lost a case. Winning doesn't always mean getting or keeping the most money for your client. It also means upholding the law, making sure that justice was served, and working to minimize everyone's loss. A truly great lawyer also considers what is in the best interest of the other side. What I sense is that your true motivators today, just as they were back when you were that wild kid, are the adrenaline rush, and doing something that people don't think can be done. You like feeling the accomplishment. I just hope you take time for reflection on the big picture of how those wins affect other people's lives. Just because a door opens doesn't mean you have to enter. In the best interest of your clients, they also need to be held accountable. If we want a great society, then each of us has a responsibility not only to uphold the law, but to also consider the affect of our actions beyond just ourselves. Thank you for this inspiring piece. Mr. Barnes, this is an awesome, powerful, much-needed message. In this, you acknowledge having broken the law you now work to uphold. It also opens doors for further reflection. When you returned those signs, did you also repay the damages to minimize your cost to society? I noticed that the motivation to improve, for you, was external: your step-father made you return the signs, you had to change your behavior abroad because of peer pressure and society intolerance. What about internal change: feelings of remorse, realizing the risk to others lives by removing signs and by operating a motorized machine under the influence?

While you are encouraging people, to be all they can be, and you extoll success, you haven’t acknowledged that it’s definition differs from person to person. You are very critical of people who have chosen to live simple lives. Have you considered that if a person chooses to be a boat washer, and every day, they wake up happy, are good to wife and children, are a responsible citizen, and do the best job of washing boats ever, they are a success? I have to take time to appreciate the garbage collectors, the housekeeping services at the hotels, and every person who chooses to do honest work for honest pay. There contribution is often more significant than most, just less glamorous, and only noticed when lacking.

You have frequently repeated that you have never lost a case. Winning doesn’t always mean getting or keeping the most money for your client. It also means upholding the law, making sure that justice was served, and working to minimize everyone’s loss. A truly great lawyer also considers what is in the best interest of the other side.

What I sense is that your true motivators today, just as they were back when you were that wild kid, are the adrenaline rush, and doing something that people don’t think can be done. You like feeling the accomplishment. I just hope you take time for reflection on the big picture of how those wins affect other people’s lives. Just because a door opens doesn’t mean you have to enter. In the best interest of your clients, they also need to be held accountable. If we want a great society, then each of us has a responsibility not only to uphold the law, but to also consider the affect of our actions beyond just ourselves.

Thank you for this inspiring piece.

]]> By: shoumen http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-11058 shoumen Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:12:32 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-11058 Harrison believes that the best stories typically revolve around the employee being very motivated to do a good job and continually wanting to improve in his or her employment. Harrison believes that the best stories typically revolve around the employee being very motivated to do a good job and continually wanting to improve in his or her employment.

]]> By: Omar http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-11053 Omar Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:11:52 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-11053 Powerful Powerful

]]> By: Divya http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/be-the-person-you-are-capable-of/#comment-11046 Divya Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:30:45 +0000 http://www.aharrisonbarnes.com/?p=791#comment-11046 A motivating and inspirational article. People can certainly derive immense benefit from the advice given by the writer citing the events of his own life. A motivating and inspirational article. People can certainly derive immense benefit from the advice given by the writer citing the events of his own life.

]]>