The Bond Brain - Dr. No

Fifty years ago this was the first film for Bond, so in honor of a half century of cinematic 007 we will turn the Bond Brain to Dr. No, but by the book, not the film, for our purposes.

“Bond was impressed. He was always impressed by professionalism.” So writes Fleming.

So is everybody else, which is why, no matter what you do for a living, be it a physician or a fisherman, be professional. The right clothes, the right equipment, the right environment, and the right dedication to being the best you can be at what you do. Bond was never an also ran, and neither should you be. You can’t catch marlin with a bent nail dangled in a puddle. Go long and go deep to score your touchdowns in life.

Now let’s say yes, to the wisdom of Doctor No, whose heart was definitely in the wrong place. (Read the book). He offers up many precious pearls to Bond, that can enrich us too.

“If you fail at the large things it means you have not large ambitions. Concentration, focus, that is all. The aptitudes come, the tools forge themselves.”

Many people want to be doctors, lawyers, engineers, writers, artists, but relatively few get their feet in the hallway, and fewer get invited to sit down in the living room of their goals. Desire without concentrated action, without continuing focus equals failure. You can pump gas for Exxon, or you can be their geologist searching for oil. Many times, the difference between carrying a lunch pail, and carrying a briefcase to work is concentration, focus and large ambition. Few people put them all together.

Be one of them, if you would be Bond.

“All the greatest men are maniacs. They are possessed by a mania which drives them forward to their goal.”

Once again, the Doctor is in the right. How many of you have studied for years to obtain your career goals? How many have worked for years to build a successful business or investment portfolio or both? How many have quit before achieving your goals, and lowered your expectations, and frankly, your sense of self worth?

You must in a sense be a monomaniac to achieve large goals, significant accomplishments. There is no choice. Persistence pays off, provided you are persisting in the right direction and with the right method. (Of course you don’t have to raise guano and kill people like Dr. No, but if you choose to, be the best at it.)

“Dissipation of energy, fragmentation of vision, loss of momentum, lack of follow through, these are the vices of the herd.”

Want to see the herd? Look at all the obese people wallowing in the shopping mall. Dissipation of energy, fragmentation of vision and loss of momentum. The masses--working mediocre jobs, with their largest accomplishment being their waistline.

Want to avoid that kind of life of noisy desperation? Don’t be the dog that chases two rabbits and is called hungry. Focus on one thing at a time, master that thing, then go on to your next accomplishment. You can’t wish to be a cowboy, a cook, and a cardiologist at the same time, do not fragment your vision of what you want to be. And whatever you want to be, keep your progress moving no matter what.

There’s less than a month until Skyfall comes out, but if you keep to the words of wisdom above, for you the sky will be the limit.

This is the fourth novel examined in the Bond Brain: read also Casino Royale, From Russia With Love and Live and Let Die.

© 2012 W. Adam Mandelbaum Esq. - justiceneversleeps.net

Author of The Born Again Bachelor's Bible - Great tips for divorced or divorcing men
Member Association For Intelligence Officers
Former operative at NSA
Present New York Attorney

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