One day, the body and its parts began to criticize the belly for enjoying a life of idleness and luxury, while they spent all their time working to feed it. So they entered into a conspiracy to cut off the belly's supplies in the future.

The hands would no longer carry food to the mouth, nor would the mouth receive the food, nor would the teeth chew it. Not long after following this plan, the parts began to fail, and the whole body began to waste away.

Then the members realized that the belly, which seemed cumbersome and useless, had an important function of its own. They could no more do without it than it could do without them. If they wanted to keep the body in a healthy state, they must work together, each in his proper sphere, for the common good of all.

The moral of this Aesop's Fable: Only by working together can the greatest good for all be achieved.

In a word, teamwork. You have to work together.

Everyone wants to be the star. Unfortunately, stars rarely win anything by themselves. For any star to shine, a team is needed to back him or her up.

Ask Babe Ruth if he could have won a single baseball game all by himself. Ask Henry Ford if he could have built a car company all by himself. Ask Thomas Edison if he could have made all his inventions all by himself.

No matter how good you are, you can be better when you work with the right team. In the business world, you need to provide an atmosphere where teamwork is not only encouraged but expected.

More importantly, everyone on the team not only has to pursue the same goal, but must also feel that his or her role is crucial to the team's success.

To illustrate the importance of assembling a team, consider these questions:

Do you need more than one person? Maybe the work calls for different skill sets or different perspectives. Or maybe it's just too much work for one person to handle. For example, a chef alone can't run a restaurant; waiters, busboys, dishwashers and other people are required. Form a team when you really need a concerted effort.

Will the project create a common purpose? Sometimes forming a team is useful when you want to build a sense of teamwork in your department. If the project will pull people together and give them a common goal, a team can strengthen bonds and have a positive effect long after the task is completed.

Can you depend on the team members to support each other? If the team consists of members who don't get along or respect the others' contributions, the work will suffer. Promote team-building exercises and activities to enhance the group's dynamics. Provide opportunities for each team member to showcase their contribution.

Finally, does the project truly require a team to accomplish the goal? If a project can be completed successfully by one person, why waste the skills and talents of otherwise busy workers? Use teams wisely to maximize productivity.

Don't underestimate the value of creating teamwork opportunities outside the normal business arena. Company ball teams, choirs, volunteer projects and outings allow people to get to know each other on a different level, which can translate into better cooperation in the work place.

Mackay's Moral: Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the success.

A few weeks ago, daredevil Nik Wallenda walked untethered atop Orlando's 400-foot-high Ferris wheel -- as it was spinning. This is the same guy who traversed a tightrope stretched across the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls and between two Chicago skyscrapers.

In an interview, he said he wants to be an inspiration for others. People don't need to risk their lives, he clarified, but they should push themselves to do better and be greater.

One of the reasons we admire people who take risks is that most of us are scared stiff at the prospect of taking risks ourselves. "I could never do something like that," we say. Sometimes it seems that the only people who can take risks successfully are the people who have nothing to lose.

Fortunately, most of us will never have to worry about taking monumental risks. Of course, we use that to downplay the importance of the risks we do face. If it's not something that involves real, measurable danger -- skydiving, for example -- it's clearly not important as far as risks go. What you really mean is that you think the fear you feel about your "small" risk is misplaced -- an overreaction.

The same fear that keeps you from taking a tangible risk like skydiving can also keep you from seeking a promotion. It keeps you from going back to school to get your master's degree, or taking a vacation without checking messages every 45 minutes.

You don't call it fear, of course, but that's what it is. It's amazing how the human brain can be so effective at using circular reasoning and rationalization as a way to avoid taking action.

In short, playing it safe isn't the way to get ahead. You've got to go out on a limb sometimes -- but not so far that you fall off. Intelligent risk-taking involves these steps:

-- Know your motivations. What do you really want to achieve? Why? Don't take major chances on something you're not enthusiastic about. You'll work harder on goals that are important to you. Failure at something trivial may make you reluctant to try something really important to you.

-- Define success at the start. Figure out what you want to achieve in specific, measurable terms. You don't have to account for every variable, but you should have a solid idea of the results you're looking for.

-- Look at the best and worst outcomes. To evaluate risks and rewards, try to determine what the worst-case scenario would look like, whether the payoff is worth that risk and how you could prevent it from happening. Consider the best-case scenario as well: How will you recognize success? What will you do next? This helps you prepare for contingencies.

-- Consider your timetable. Do you have to take this risk right now? How quickly do you need results? Don't rush if you don't have to. Breaking your plan down into individual segments can help you minimize risks and learn what's needed to succeed.

-- Focus on benefits, not dangers. Keep the hazards in mind, but don't let them overwhelm you. Think about the potential outcome, and you'll be able to stay the course even when the road gets rocky.

-- Get started. You can make all the plans you want, but ultimately you have to take the leap. Don't turn preparation into a full-time activity. Determine what you need to begin, and then do it. You'll feel more energized when you're in the midst of the struggle than when you're just getting ready.

-- Do what matters to you. Taking a risk to please or impress someone else will not produce the gratification or results that you had hoped for. What is important to Nik Wallenda is most likely not on your to-do list.

Mackay's Moral: No risk, no success. Know risk, know success.

A soldier in an ill-equipped revolutionary army lost his rifle, so he went to his group's leader for a replacement.

"What am I going to do?" asked the soldier. "We are going to have a big battle tomorrow and I don't have a rifle."

"Don't worry," said his leader. "The other side doesn't have very good weapons either, and they are so brainwashed that they believe anything they hear. Just pretend you are pointing a rifle at them and say, 'Bang! Bang!' It will have the same effect as if you fired a real rifle at them."

"OK," said the soldier skeptically. "But I lost my bayonet too."

"Do the same thing," said his leader. "When the hand-to-hand combat begins, just point your fingers like this and say, 'Stab! Stab! Stab!' You'll see it has the same effect as using a bayonet."

The soldier was even more skeptical of this advice, but there wasn't anything he could do about it. As the sun came up, the enemy came charging over the hill right at him. And he held out his imaginary rifle, saying loudly, "Bang! Bang! Bang!" To his amazement one of them dropped, then another and then another.

But suddenly he saw a particularly fierce, huge enemy soldier coming right at him. Despite his best imaginary efforts, the enemy soldier kept coming right at him until he was just a few feet away.

"Stab! Stab! Stab!" said the frightened soldier, waving his fingers right at his adversary.

But nothing worked. The enemy soldier rolled right over him, kicking him in the stomach and stepping on his face. As he went by, the enemy soldier grunted, "TANK! TANK! TANK!"

Self-confidence alone won't help you succeed, but it's hard to get started or push through the inevitable obstacles without believing in yourself first. Do you struggle with self-confidence? Almost everyone does at some point.

And while you won't likely come up against any real tanks, the obstacles can set you back if you let them. Before that happens, you need to do a few things.

-- Review your accomplishments. You've already achieved some successes in your life, right? List them, on paper if necessary, and identify the skills and strengths you've used to succeed. Consult your list whenever you feel doubt coming on.

-- Seek new knowledge. If you're lacking any of the skills you need to achieve your goals, focus on learning them. The process will remind you that you're capable of growth, and mastering the skills will give you a mental boost.

-- Face your fears. Too often, we sabotage our self-confidence by hiding from what frightens us. Identify and examine your fears so you can take action against potential setbacks. You are more powerful than what you're trying to avoid.

-- Adjust your thought patterns. Negative thinking never yields positive results. Reboot immediately if you catch yourself doing any of these: all-or-nothing thoughts ("If I don't get this job, I'll be a total failure"), seeing only the downside ("I finished the project, but what if people see how tough it was for me?"), jumping to conclusions ("Bob didn't reply to my email -- he dislikes me"), or putting yourself down. Look for the positives in every situation. You can find them if you try.

-- Pay attention to your appearance. You don't have to buy a lot of expensive clothes, but devoting some time to your wardrobe and overall grooming can make you feel better about how you present yourself. A neat, professional look inspires confidence from others, and helps you put your best foot forward.

-- Know what you want. Specific goals inspire your best efforts. You'll feel more confident and capable with a clear idea of what you want to achieve in your life and career, not someone else's idea of what's important.

My friend Norman Vincent Peale, who wrote one of my all-time favorite books, "The Power of Positive Thinking," offered this advice: "Believe in yourself. Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers, you cannot be successful or happy."

Mackay's Moral: You can't buy confidence, but you can sell it!