Losing It! Behaviors and Mindsets that Ruin Careers: Lessons on Protecting Yourself from Avoidable Mistakes

Introduction

“Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”

—Bismarck

If this book ever sees the light of other eyes than mine, I can guarantee that someone will ask, “What made you write it?” As the nightmarish beast-villain in No Country for Old Men verbally smirked, “They all say that....”

I wrote it not only to satisfy a not-totally-justified, and never satisfied, ego, but to see if I could help people with observations gleaned from more than 30 years in government and industry on what accelerates personal success and what kills it.

I began this book with what I thought was a catchy and appropriate working title, Trainwrecks and Turnarounds, and set forth with a vision of doing good by painting ...