A little girl visited a farm one day and wanted to buy a large watermelon.

The farmer said, “That will be $3.”

“But I’ve only got 30 cents,” said the young girl.

The farmer pointed to a very small watermelon in the field and said, “How about that one?”

“OK, I’ll take it,” said the little girl. “But leave it on the vine. I’ll be back for it in a month.”

Now there’s a young girl who is destined to succeed.

Children teach us many lessons. For example, kids are more creative and imaginative. Children don’t know what is and isn’t possible. To them, everything is doable. They don’t have the mental blocks that many adults have, and haven’t been curtailed by rules and regulations.

Similarly, kids also dream more and dream bigger. If they can dream it, children believe they can do it. They are more ambitious and enthusiastic.

When I speak to business audiences, one of my messages is to believe in yourself, even when no one else does. No one does this better than children. They believe they can do anything and everything.

Children are fearless. They don’t fear rejection or what people think of them. They don’t think about the future. They are carefree. Tomorrow is simply another day.

Children start every day anew. They are not afraid to try new things. They don’t worry and, possibly most important, are happy. And they strive to do what makes them happy. Shouldn’t we do the same as adults? You can be as happy as you decide to be. It also helps that kids laugh a lot.

Children forgive and forget. If they get upset, they typically move on to something else soon and forget what was troubling them. They don’t hold grudges. It is far better to forgive and forget than to resent and remember.

Children make friends easily. They understand that the best vitamin for developing friends is "B1."

Someone else is telling kids when to eat, sleep and go to school. They can’t choose their living arrangements, make their own vacation plans or set their own rules. They are essentially powerless. And yet, they manage to survive and thrive. What are we adults doing wrong?

Perhaps we have set aside the childlike qualities that keep us excited about getting up every morning. Remedy that problem pronto. If enthusiasm and creativity are lacking, it might be time to reread some Dr. Seuss.

Children are incredibly perceptive. They can spot a phony with dizzying speed, and while tact isn’t always among their strongest attributes, their blunt honesty is hard to argue with.

Let me tell you the story about the father of a very wealthy family who took his son on a trip to the country with the purpose of showing his son how poor people live. They stayed with a very poor family. When they returned, the father asked the son what he thought of their trip.

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yeah,” said the son.

“So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered: “I saw that we have one dog and they had four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night. Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon. We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight. We have servants who serve us, but they serve others. We buy our food, but they grow theirs. We have walls around our property to protect us; they have friends to protect them.”

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, “Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are.”

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Through the eyes of a child, the father learned wisdom beyond the ages.

Mackay’s Moral: Kids will be kids, but they can be terrific teachers too.

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city and attached the following message to his windshield: “I have circled this block 10 times. I have an appointment to keep. Forgive us our trespasses.”

When he returned to his car he found this reply attached to his own note, along with a parking ticket: “I’ve circled this block for 10 years. If I don’t give you a ticket, I lose my job. Lead us not into temptation.”

We are all tempted in many ways. We want to purchase something, but don’t have the funds. We know we should exercise, but it’s easier to sit at home and binge-watch last season’s episodes. We want that dessert, but know it’s better if we don’t eat it.

"Temptation is a desire to engage in short-term urges for enjoyment that threatens long-term goals," according to Wikipedia. Simply put, the human desire for the instant or the pleasurable can have negative consequences in the long run.

Temptation is all around us. For businesses, it might be bad-mouthing your competition. I can’t tell you how many salespeople I’ve come across who do this, but it’s a dangerous turn-off for customers.

For example, a co-worker was recently in the market for a new hot tub. He chose not to go with a specific manufacturer because the sales rep kept bad-mouthing his rivals.

Another temptation is to toot your own horn. I learned many years ago that if you can get someone else to broadcast your accomplishments, the message will go a lot further. No one likes a shameless self-promoter.

Similarly, I see many companies and individuals putting personal needs ahead of business needs. Be careful not to overspend, because nothing sinks a ship faster than people and companies overspending.

Another huge temptation for companies is expanding too fast. It’s helpful -- perhaps critical -- to have a seasoned veteran or two check your lavish plans. This can also apply to new executives coming into companies and doing too much, too soon, too fast. It’s better to listen and educate yourself before you shake things up too much.

I came across the book “The Five Temptations of a CEO” by Patrick Lencioni. He lists the most common pitfalls faced by leaders. The No. 1 temptation is choosing status over results. Many leaders are more interested in protecting their career status than focusing on company results. Achievement, not ego, should be the driving force.

The No. 2 temptation is choosing popularity over accountability. Leaders need to hold themselves and everyone around them accountable and communicate what is expected of them. If leaders do this successfully, they will be respected.

Coming in at No. 3 is choosing certainty over clarity. Leaders don’t have the luxury of waiting until they are absolutely certain before making a decision. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “I was wrong.” Clarity is usually more important than accuracy.

Choosing harmony over conflict is temptation No. 4. Most people don’t want to rock the boat, so they seek harmony. However, establishing productive conflict is important, and that usually only happens in passionate conversations where people challenge each other.

Finally, the No. 5 temptation is choosing invulnerability over trust. T-R-U-S-T is the most important five-letter word in business. Without trust, you have nothing. And to trust your employees, you must put your careers in the hands of others and be vulnerable.

Face it: It’s hard to resist temptation. Sometimes the difference between wanting something and having it is too great. Sure, once you give in to temptation, you feel better. But that feeling usually doesn’t last.

We live in an instant-gratification world. But studies show that people who delay their gratification have more success when it comes to finances, relationships and achievements.

A number of years ago, I had the opportunity to become an owner in an emerging European basketball league. It was an enormous temptation. I love basketball, and to be a team owner would have been a dream come true.

But when it was my turn to commit, I passed. The other owners were shocked, to say the least. Sadly, the league folded a year later, and the owners lost millions. Temptation avoided. No regrets.

Mackay’s Moral: When you meet temptation, turn to the right.

A man attending a seminar on interpersonal relationships became convinced of the need for him to begin showing appreciation to people. His family seemed like an appropriate place to start. So, on his way home, he picked up a dozen long-stem roses and a box of chocolates. This was going to be a real surprise, and he was excited to begin showing his wife how much he appreciated her.

Arriving home, he walked up to the front door with his hands full, rang the doorbell and waited for his wife to answer. Immediately upon seeing him, she began to cry.

“What’s the matter, honey?” asked the confused husband.

“Oh, it’s been a terrible day,” she responded. “First, Tommy tried to flush a stuffed animal down the toilet, then the dishwasher quit working, Sally came home from school sick, and now ... now, you come home drunk.”

Oops.

Maybe this husband had bad timing or he should have shown more appreciation in the past. Or maybe he was suffering from the taking-things-for-granted syndrome. Many of us are comfortable with our lives, and we often fail to appreciate our loved ones, friends, people we work with, our health, and on and on.

Whether spoken by you or to you, two words are among the most meaningful in the language. We teach them to tots learning to talk, to get them in the habit of showing gratitude. We write them when we receive a gift or a special favor. We say them when we remember to, which is often not enough.

“There are two words that, when spoken, have the most unfathomable power to completely change your life,” wrote Rhonda Byrne, author of “The Secret.” "The only thing standing between you, happiness, and the life of your dreams is two words ... THANK YOU!”

William James, psychologist and philosopher, said, “The deepest principle of human nature is a craving to be appreciated.”

Studies by other experts reflect this as well. Psychologists Michael E. McCullough and Robert A. Emmons performed several studies in which participants were asked to practice exercises of “counting their blessings” either on a weekly basis for 10 weeks or on a daily basis for a couple weeks. Participants were asked to record their moods, coping behaviors, health behaviors, physical symptoms and overall life appraisals. Their research is one reason many people believe appreciation is the most essential and powerful component of well-being.

The cost of praising someone is nil -- but a recent study has found that the payoff can be huge. Employees want to be seen as competent, hardworking members of the team. Good managers want satisfied, motivated and productive staff members. What better motivation than thanking employees for their contributions to the company’s success?

Showing appreciation also generates respect and builds relationships. The keys are to be sincere and specific. Whether it’s in person or in writing, it’s always good to praise others in public, which raises morale. Just keep it genuine -- going overboard can have the reverse effect.

Fortunately ,there are many simple ways to show appreciation to people at work:

-- Take note of a talent or skill they have and compliment them.

-- Ask co-workers about their lives outside of work. Show a genuine interest. Everything doesn’t have to be about business.

-- Give recognition for a job well done.

-- Offer to help if you know a co-worker is in a bind.

-- Buy lunch.

-- Tell their boss what a good job they did on a project.

Little things mean a lot -- not true. Little things mean everything.

Just remember: You get what you give. When you give appreciation and acknowledgement, you are showing that you value the people around you. You might be just one person, but hearing a simple “thank you” may be all it takes to turn someone’s day around. I guarantee that you will get something in return -- the satisfaction of knowing that you have made a difference for someone. And that’s all the thanks you need.

Mackay’s Moral: “Thank you” is always a welcome message.