Prospering Through Tough Times Both Personally and Professionally
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by: Richard S. Gunther
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Los Angeles, CA- One of Dick Gunther's first lessons in philanthropy came at an age before he was able to understand what he had witnessed.
"One of my only memories of the Great Depression was when I was five years old" Gunther, a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist recalled. "I remember a nicely dressed man coming to our door and politely asking my mother if she could give him something to eat, as he was hungry and had no money. She asked him to come around to the kitchen and she fixed him some food. I remember being very upset and wondering how it could be that this nice man who looked prosperous could be hungry. I was young and lacked the form of reference to understand that the economy had tanked, and that even the rich had become the poor practically overnight.”
Gunther's recollections are collected in his memoir, How High Is Up: the Tale of a Restless Spirit (Greenleaf Publishing, 2009), (www.dickgunther.com), written to share his lessons in life with his three sons. His message is simple---times are tough now, but they have been tough before, and if we can manage to keep our eyes and our hearts focused on things that truly matter, we can reduce and sometimes defeat fear and anxiety. More importantly, the key to a fulfilling life lies within our ability to think and be of service to others.
In Gunther's 83 years he had made millions in real estate and other businesses, helped untold thousands through charitable organizations and programs he either founded, steered or participated in and raised family along the way.
His tips for living a rich, fulfilling life apply to business as well as your personal life.
Remember That Life is an Adventure – "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a ride’” is what author Dean Karnazes says about life. Embracing that philosophy and living life with high energy embodies Gunther's path for the good life.
Take Reasonable Risks in Life – In living his life as an adventure, Gunther learned that if we are to get the most out of life, we have to take risks. Not crazy risks, but 'push the envelope' to understand our own capacities.
Ignore Failure and Learn From Mistakes –"One thing to remember is that there is no such thing as failure, unless we define the experience that way,” Gunther said. “If we attempt something in life or business and it doesn't work, we don't have to consider it a failure. If we do, it is a crime of ego. We either feel diminished as a person, or assume that we failed because of some deficiency within ourselves. Better to leave out the ego from the equation and simply say ‘That didn't work, so what have I learned from it?’”
Solve Problems – “I learned a big lesson from my children,” he said. “With children, just as in business, it’s not always as important to be right as it is to solve problems. You can be right, but it may not always help the situation. Today’s economy is fraught with injustice, and many feel they are in the right to take punitive action against those who have caused it. But that doesn’t always solve the problem. My children taught me that being right isn’t always of real importance. Solving problems is.”
At 83, Gunther shows no signs of slowing down in his philanthropic work, which is based on one of his most important messages. “Always have something to do that involves helping others,” he said. “One of the secrets of a happy and serene life is that enriching the lives of others also enriches you.”
About the Author
A successful entrepreneur who made a fortune by age 34, Dick Gunther is an investor, writer, husband, father and grandfather; he is a man who learned to give. His charitable efforts have earned many awards and much recognition – to name a few: Founder AARP Legacy Award, Chairman of Operation Exodus, Co-President, Americans for Peace Now, Member California Governor’s Council on Wellness and Fitness and California State Commission on Aging, and he was a delegate to the infamous 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and honored by being named on President Richard M. Nixon’s Enemy List. He was given the UCLA award for Community Services and also serves on the Board, the Executive and other Committees of the Grameen Foundation USA, supporting major micro-enterprise loan programs, which are involved in millions of small loans around the world.(www.dickgunther.com)
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