Title and author: Bradford, you’re fired! By William W. Woodbridge
Content Synopsis:
First published in the early 1900s, this little book is the story of a young salesman who is lazy, unmotivated, selfish, and blames others for his misfortune. He is fired by his boss for his lack of a good work ethic. At first, Bradford is angry and surly. He drinks himself into a stupor.
But after a day of reflection, he comes to understand that his failure and his dismissal are not his boss’s fault, nor is it anyone’s fault but himself. He comes to realize that he must change himself to be successful. He then “fires” himself. That is, he dismisses the old self and creates a new, positive man who accepts responsibility for his own destiny.
Over time, this change leads to tremendous success.
This little book was ahead of its time in many ways. The author recognized more than a century ago that we actually work for ourselves and not for others even though we have an employer.
The Foreword was written by Paul J. Meyer. Paul J. Meyer is a renowned author and pioneer in the modern self-improvement industry.
Readability/Writing Quality:
Woodbridge writes in the somewhat archaic style of the early 20th century. The modern reader may find the style a bit naive, but it is nonetheless an enjoyable and worthwhile read. He teaches a universal truth about the importance of accepting full and sole responsibility for our own destiny. It is not written in the heavier style of early 19th century books.
Notes on the author:
William Witherspoon Woodbridge was the author of several classic self-improvement short books in the early 20th century. he also wrote That something, something else and skyward scooter. His writings were endorsed by Thomas Edison, among others. These little books and others like them were popular in the pre-World War I era as they appealed to the common man and were simply written.
Three great ideas you can use:
1. Before we can change our circumstances and turn failure into success, we must fully accept the fact that our success or failure is entirely our responsibility. It is natural and very common for people to blame circumstances and other people for their problems. You must change yourself before you can change your destiny.
2. Applying the fundamental principles of patience, hard work, integrity, and commitment is the surest path to success. Asking yourself what you can do and how you can contribute is the key to success.
3. We don’t just work for a company, we work for ourselves. In this Woodbridge was a century ahead of his time. He recognized that one cannot depend on or blame the company for their lot in life. He taught a hundred years ago that our personal success must come from our understanding that, ultimately, we work for ourselves first and foremost—it’s the one job we can’t get fired from, and we can’t lose. You can only quit.
Release information:
Bradford, you’re fired! by William W. Woodbridge.
Copyright: 2004 by Executive Books.
General rating: Good