Learning from the ones who went before: Earl Nightingale

In The Words of Earl Nightingale

Today I’m drawing on the works of Earl Nightingale, a radio broadcaster and author who rose to his calling in the 1940’s and 50’s.

Nightingale’s story is one of rags to riches. He spent his childhood in the Tent City district in California, joined the US Marine Corps at the age of 17, and after WWII developed into a talented speaker, author and broadcaster.

Nightingale’s work is prolific. He wrote more than 7,000 essays and recorded over 10,000 radio shows in his lifetime.

So here are a few quotes from his works which I hope you will find inspiring, insightful or maybe even a little challenging!

It’s What You Think About

The mind moves in the direction of our currently dominant thoughts.

What do you think most about? Do you worry and stress over the things you haven’t got, letting your mind wander and catastrophise? Creating mental scenarios where life always feels like a struggle and you’re constantly running to catch up?

Or do you mostly spend your time thinking about how things could be better and how you can make the adjustments to your life now so that, in time, the better life imagined will emerge?

The former scenario will disempower you whilst the latter will empower you and allow you to come up with ideas and plans to help your improved future life come into existence.

How Often Do You Forget Your Best Ideas?

Ideas are elusive, slippery things. Best to keep a pad of paper and a pencil at your bedside, so you can stab them during the night before they get away.

Oh my goodness, I know this so well. I am forever telling people I can’t remember anything and need to write it down!

Maybe not so much in the night as I don’t think I come up with anything worthwhile in the small hours, but, the number of times I’ve had ideas whilst in the shower (no paper to hand!) or when I’m driving (dangerous to stop!) or even when I’m chatting to someone (would it be rude to just pull my phone out and make a quick note?!).

Of course, 20 seconds later that brilliant idea is lost to the wind and I’m left frustrated with myself!

So can you do anything about this?

I’ve set up my phone so that I can quickly take a voicemail. That’s useful, but only if my phone is to hand. But, it’s also important to check your notes regularly.

I’m reminded of the TV detective who always had scraps of paper in his pocket who would rustle through them trying to find important notes…I think it was Columbo?

I guess as writers and creatives we probably need to be a bit more organised than that.

How Many Hours?

Get into a line that you will find to be a deep personal interest, something you really enjoy spending twelve to fifteen hours a day working at, and the rest of the time thinking about.

This reminds me of another quote which goes something like if you love what you do then you’ll never work another day in your life.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to be able to get paid for doing something that you loved so much that you’d happily do it for free?

I guess there are two ways this can be achieved — either by gaining financial independence or by finding a way to make the thing you’re passionate about a paying gig…hello Medium?!

Both of these might seem like something that you can only dream about right now, but there are ways to achieve what you want. We know this to be true simply because there are already people living their dream lives.

And if they can do it, so can you…

The Inside Comes Out

What’s going on in the inside shows on the outside.

Do you believe this? My opinion is that there are degrees of what shows up outwardly and, furthermore, whatever is showing up outside needs to be witnessed by those around. This will often come down to their perception and world view.

For example, there’s the old adage of “tidy mind, tidy home” or something similar, the opposite being “messy mind, messy home”.

I wonder about this sometimes when I think of how my husband and myself operate around the home. He has a much lower tolerance for “mess” than I have, which means that he’s be quicker to tidy up than me (wink!).

Or maybe it’s that we see “mess” differently.

He sees the physical mess — a kitchen that needs cleaning or washing the car. I’m more inclined to see “invisible mess” such as bills that need paying or telephone calls that need making.

I think it can be a bit challenging to see ‘into’ other people unless you’re particularly close to them, however, I have noticed that when under pressure or feeling stressed, someone’s ability to tolerate their usual foibles changes.

So, someone who likes things to be orderly will become even more inclined to tidy up and conversely someone like myself who has a higher tolerance for mess can let more things slide when under pressure elsewhere!

I think what I’m trying to say here is that if you want to see what’s going on on the inside for someone, then take a careful look at their external world. How have their usual routine behaviours changed? What can they now no longer tolerate or what are they ignoring more frequently?

It’s All About The Choices You Make

People are where they are because that is exactly where they really want to be — whether they will admit that or not.

How comfortable do you feel with this quote? Is it true for you?

We’re all living with the results of the choices we’ve made in the past. Choices due to our reactions to circumstances that were thrust upon us as well as choices that we made which were completely within our control.

In either case, we’ve either decided to live with the results (good or bad) or have decided to make changes so that life resembles a set of circumstances that we desire. In other words, if we’re putting up with our current circumstances, then that’s a choice.

I find Earl Nightingale’s works interesting and fascinating. I hope you’ve enjoyed this whistle-stop tour through some of his work.