You may not have heard of Harlow Curtice, because he wasn’t a graduate from a prestigious university but a country boy with only an equivalent to a New Zealand high-school certificate.

But he had big dreams. He started out as a bookkeeper in General Motors and rose to become a company president by the age of 35.

By the time he was 40, he was the general manager of General Motors’ esteemed Buick division. He worked his way to the top of his profession with a talent for new ideas and action.

He bravely designed new styles and models. And he personally travelled throughout the United States to inspire dealers and instil in them a renewed enthusiasm about their Buick products.

And guess when he did it? In the middle of the Great Depression! Under his leadership, the sale of Buick cars quadrupled; his division became the second biggest money maker in General Motors’ history.

When he was asked what he attributed his success to, Curtice cited these three things:

(1) He set goals for himself and required the people around him to do likewise.

(2) He took pride in confronting and overcoming obstacles.

(3) He was willing to take risks and do the things talented but fearful people around him refused to do. As a result, winning became a habit and a lifestyle.

The three principles Curtice lived by are solidly scriptural and time tested, and they will lead you to success in whatever you put your hand to. So, Word for Today is – ‘Arise, it is your task…Be strong and do it’ (Ezra 10:4 ESV).