One of my favorite words in the dictionary is success. In each human being there are many possibilities. Success is finding out which of these will be right for you. You select your values, your work, the person you marry, how you raise your children, the church you attend, the food you eat and the hobbies you pursue. How you choose and what you do with your choices are the road signs of your journey.
When I read, I’m constantly looking for material that can impact the lives of others. Oftentimes, a simple story can be the spark that empowers you to improve. I’d like to share one today that I ran across in my files.
On March 30, 1858, the United States Patent and Trademark Office granted the first ever patent for a modern day pencil with an eraser attached to it. Hymen Lipman created the wooden pencil that we have become accustomed to using for writing and drawing. Interestingly, manufacturers decided to paint the first pencils yellow because the color was associated with royalty and honor. This led people to assume that yellow pencils were the best type. What a brilliant marketing strategy.