Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. To a great degree, civilization itself can be defined as the intelligent channeling of human emotion. Emotions are fuel and the mind is the pilot, which together propel the ship of civilized progress.
Which emotions cause people to act? There are four basic ones; each, or a combination of several, can trigger the most incredible activity. The day that you allow these emotions to fuel your desire is the day you'll turn your life around.
1) DISGUST
One does not usually equate the word "disgust" with positive action. And yet, properly channeled, disgust can change a person's life. The person who feels disgusted has reached a point of no return. He or she is ready to throw down the gauntlet at life and say, "I've had it!" That's what I said after many humiliating experiences at age 25. I said, "I don't want to live like this anymore. I've had it with being broke. I've had it with being embarrassed, and I've had it with lying."
Yes, productive feelings of disgust come when a person says, "Enough is enough."
The "guy" has finally had it with mediocrity. He's had it with those awful sick feelings of fear, pain and humiliation. He then decides he is “not going to live like this anymore." Look out! This could be the day that turns a life around. Call it what you will, the "I've had it" day, the "never again" day, the "enough's enough" day. Whatever you call it, it's powerful! There is nothing so life-changing as gut-wrenching disgust!
2) DECISION
Most of us need to be pushed to the wall to make decisions. And once we reach this point, we have to deal with the conflicting emotions that come with making them. We have reached a fork in the road. Now this fork can be a two-pronged, three-pronged, or even a four-pronged fork. No wonder decision-making can create knots in stomachs, keep us awake in the middle of the night, or make us break out in a cold sweat.
Making life-changing decisions can be likened to internal civil war. Conflicting armies of emotions, each with its own arsenal of reasons, battle each other for supremacy of our minds. And our resulting decisions, whether bold or timid, well-thought-out or impulsive, can either set the course of action or blind it. I don't have much advice to give you about decision-making except this:
Whatever you do, don't camp at the fork in the road. Decide. It's far better to make a wrong decision than to not make one at all. Each of us must confront our emotional turmoil and sort out our feelings.
3) DESIRE
How does one gain desire? I don't think I can answer this directly because there are many ways. But I do know two things about desire:
a. It comes from the inside, not the outside.
b. It can be triggered by outside forces.
Almost anything can trigger desire. It's a matter of timing as much as preparation. It might be a song that tugs at the heart. It might be a memorable sermon. It might be a movie, a conversation with a friend, a confrontation with the enemy, or a bitter experience. Even a book or an article such as this one can trigger the inner mechanism that will make some people say, "I want it now!"
Therefore, while searching for your "hot button" of pure, raw desire, welcome into your life each positive experience. Don't erect a wall to protect you from experiencing life. The same wall that keeps out your disappointment also keeps out the sunlight of enriching experiences. So let life touch you. The next touch could be the one that turns your life around.
4) RESOLVE
Resolve says, "I will." These two words are among the most potent in the English language. I WILL. Benjamin Disraeli, the great British statesman, once said, "Nothing can resist a human will that will stake even its existence on the extent of its purpose." In other words, when someone resolves to "do or die," nothing can stop him.
The mountain climber says, "I will climb the mountain. They've told me it's too high, it's too far, it's too steep, it's too rocky, it's too difficult. But it's my mountain. I will climb it. You'll soon see me waving from the top or you'll never see me, because unless I reach the peak, I'm not coming back." Who can argue with such resolve?
When confronted with such iron-willed determination, I can see Time, Fate and Circumstance calling a hasty conference and deciding, "We might as well let him have his dream. He's said he's going to get there or die trying."
The best definition for "resolve" I've ever heard came from a schoolgirl in Foster City, California. As is my custom, I was lecturing about success to a group of bright kids at a junior high school. I asked, "Who can tell me what ‘resolve’ means?" Several hands went up, and I did get some pretty good definitions. But the last was the best. A shy girl from the back of the room got up and said with quiet intensity, "I think resolve means promising yourself you will never give up." That's it! That's the best definition I've ever heard: PROMISE YOURSELF YOU'LL NEVER GIVE UP.
Think about it! How long should a baby try to learn how to walk? How long would you give the average baby before you say, "That's it, you've had your chance"? You say that's crazy? Of course it is. Any mother would say, "My baby is going to keep trying until he learns how to walk!" No wonder everyone walks.
There is a vital lesson in this. Ask yourself, "How long am I going to work to make my dreams come true?" I suggest you answer, "As long as it takes." That's what these four emotions are all about.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Leadership - Taking the Heat
There's a lot of fighting in the business world.
Especially in the home based business industry.
It's a lot like in the old days when you had sects warring against each other over the land and peoples not already established under a kingdom -- with lots of infighting, trickery and fraud.
In our industry it starts with badmouthing online.
Such as in forums or on blogs.
Someone will be in business A and want to take down business B, and will go forth and spew lies, accusations and other falsehoods that simply aren't true.
We see it ALL the time online.
Kind of pathetic of them, actually.
This is why I advise entrepreneurs to ignore the hate echo chambers.
Be the bigger person and just ignore it. People who have time to surf around from forum to forum spewing lies obviously are just not that successful at whatever they're doing, and they want you to roll around in the mud with them.
Don't.
Resist the urge.
And realize the more successful you get, the MORE this happens.
The more some people will hate you (for no reason).
And the more "heat" you'll take just for existing.
Being a success is extremely fun and exciting, can give you freedom and money, and it will change your life. But if you let others drag you down, it's all for nothing. This is one reason not everyone should be an entrepreneur. If you can't take a little heat you'll just end up sabotaging yourself until you're "comfortable" again.
Success can come very FAST, and it's not for the timid.
Especially in the home based business industry.
It's a lot like in the old days when you had sects warring against each other over the land and peoples not already established under a kingdom -- with lots of infighting, trickery and fraud.
In our industry it starts with badmouthing online.
Such as in forums or on blogs.
Someone will be in business A and want to take down business B, and will go forth and spew lies, accusations and other falsehoods that simply aren't true.
We see it ALL the time online.
Kind of pathetic of them, actually.
This is why I advise entrepreneurs to ignore the hate echo chambers.
Be the bigger person and just ignore it. People who have time to surf around from forum to forum spewing lies obviously are just not that successful at whatever they're doing, and they want you to roll around in the mud with them.
Don't.
Resist the urge.
And realize the more successful you get, the MORE this happens.
The more some people will hate you (for no reason).
And the more "heat" you'll take just for existing.
Being a success is extremely fun and exciting, can give you freedom and money, and it will change your life. But if you let others drag you down, it's all for nothing. This is one reason not everyone should be an entrepreneur. If you can't take a little heat you'll just end up sabotaging yourself until you're "comfortable" again.
Success can come very FAST, and it's not for the timid.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Gratitude is Contagious!
Thanksgiving
According to legend, a young man, while roaming the desert, came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey, he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly, and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: “Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?”
The teacher replied, “You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter. Heartfelt gifts deserve the return gift of gratitude.
You teach gratitude to others by living it – every moment, every hour, every day.
According to legend, a young man, while roaming the desert, came across a spring of delicious crystal-clear water. The water was so sweet he filled his leather canteen so he could bring some back to a tribal elder who had been his teacher. After a four-day journey, he presented the water to the old man who took a deep drink, smiled warmly, and thanked his student lavishly for the sweet water. The young man returned to his village with a happy heart.
Later, the teacher let another student taste the water. He spat it out, saying it was awful. It apparently had become stale because of the old leather container. The student challenged his teacher: “Master, the water was foul. Why did you pretend to like it?”
The teacher replied, “You only tasted the water. I tasted the gift. The water was simply the container for an act of loving-kindness and nothing could be sweeter. Heartfelt gifts deserve the return gift of gratitude.
You teach gratitude to others by living it – every moment, every hour, every day.
Friday, November 11, 2011
8 Musts for Leaders
The 8 Items on a Leader's To-Do List
John C. Maxwell says leadership is just as much about developing your team's talents as it is about nurturing your own leadership skills. The best-selling author of Talent Is Never Enough reminds us that growth is modeled after and expected from leaders. As a successful leader, you must do eight things.
1. Find your own personal strength zone.
A successful leader is a person who knows what they do well and does it, but they also know what their people know well and help them practice it.
2. Help others find their strength zone.
What is their special ability? You can't make others good at something you are bad at. You can only increase a person's giftedness by helping them answer important questions of themselves. What is their temperament? What is their passion? What choices are they making in their life? Help them with these things and there's no limit to how much someone can improve in these areas.
3. Help them define success.
Success is hugely subjective. Knowing your purpose in life, growing to your maximum potential or sowing seeds that benefit others are all great definitions of success.
4. Help them understand how to be successful.
The secret of our success is determined by our daily agenda. Decision-making is important and the management of the decision-making is even more important. Do the right thing today to be in a good place for tomorrow.
5. Teach and practice the four pillars of success.
• Relationships
• Attitude/Tenacity
• Leadership/Influencing people
• Equipping and developing other people
6. Teach your team the 20/80 principle, or the Pareto principle.
Within this, prioritize life. What is required of me? What gives the greatest return? What give me the greatest reward? When these three line up, then life becomes wonderful.
7. Provide resources for them.
There are only three times when people change. When they've heard enough that they have to change; they learn enough that they want to change; or receive enough that they are able to change. Put those resources of change in their hand.
8. Require them to reproduce themselves.
They have to teach someone else what they learn. Don't spend valuable time with people who want to consume but not share. Share the knowledge. Share the wealth.
John C. Maxwell says leadership is just as much about developing your team's talents as it is about nurturing your own leadership skills. The best-selling author of Talent Is Never Enough reminds us that growth is modeled after and expected from leaders. As a successful leader, you must do eight things.
1. Find your own personal strength zone.
A successful leader is a person who knows what they do well and does it, but they also know what their people know well and help them practice it.
2. Help others find their strength zone.
What is their special ability? You can't make others good at something you are bad at. You can only increase a person's giftedness by helping them answer important questions of themselves. What is their temperament? What is their passion? What choices are they making in their life? Help them with these things and there's no limit to how much someone can improve in these areas.
3. Help them define success.
Success is hugely subjective. Knowing your purpose in life, growing to your maximum potential or sowing seeds that benefit others are all great definitions of success.
4. Help them understand how to be successful.
The secret of our success is determined by our daily agenda. Decision-making is important and the management of the decision-making is even more important. Do the right thing today to be in a good place for tomorrow.
5. Teach and practice the four pillars of success.
• Relationships
• Attitude/Tenacity
• Leadership/Influencing people
• Equipping and developing other people
6. Teach your team the 20/80 principle, or the Pareto principle.
Within this, prioritize life. What is required of me? What gives the greatest return? What give me the greatest reward? When these three line up, then life becomes wonderful.
7. Provide resources for them.
There are only three times when people change. When they've heard enough that they have to change; they learn enough that they want to change; or receive enough that they are able to change. Put those resources of change in their hand.
8. Require them to reproduce themselves.
They have to teach someone else what they learn. Don't spend valuable time with people who want to consume but not share. Share the knowledge. Share the wealth.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Entrepreneurs Needed
I read this article by Guilda Joseph’s
The world NEEDS entrepreneurs now more than ever.
But... not everyone should be an entrepreneur.
In fact, there are some people who'd be miserable as entrepreneurs,
would probably not make much (if any) money, and would instead make
themselves (and everyone around them) miserable.
I've identified 10 such people below.
If you're one of these 10 people, PLEASE don't go into business.
It's nothing personal.
And I'm not saying you're a "bad person" or anything.
Anyway, here's the list:
1. Naysayers
2. Whiners
3. Complainers
4. Needy people
5. Berserkers (those who get really angry about nothing)
6. Nit-pickers
7. Freebie-seekers (there is no "free lunch", sorry)
8. Blamers
9. Tire-kickers
10. Spectators (i.e. people who go into business but never DO anything)
Okay, so that's the short list.
There are actually more we could add to it. And if you're someone
who's in one of those 10 categories, this is NOT personal -- but
please don't go into business.
The world NEEDS entrepreneurs now more than ever.
But... not everyone should be an entrepreneur.
In fact, there are some people who'd be miserable as entrepreneurs,
would probably not make much (if any) money, and would instead make
themselves (and everyone around them) miserable.
I've identified 10 such people below.
If you're one of these 10 people, PLEASE don't go into business.
It's nothing personal.
And I'm not saying you're a "bad person" or anything.
Anyway, here's the list:
1. Naysayers
2. Whiners
3. Complainers
4. Needy people
5. Berserkers (those who get really angry about nothing)
6. Nit-pickers
7. Freebie-seekers (there is no "free lunch", sorry)
8. Blamers
9. Tire-kickers
10. Spectators (i.e. people who go into business but never DO anything)
Okay, so that's the short list.
There are actually more we could add to it. And if you're someone
who's in one of those 10 categories, this is NOT personal -- but
please don't go into business.
Monday, October 3, 2011
# 2 Instrument of Death
Darren Hardy
What do you think causes more deaths in the United States each year? Car crashes, drug overdoses, alcoholism or firearm accidents? All of those combined don't total a third of this insidious instrument of death: food. We are literally eating our way into the grave. Obesity (caused by bad diet and lack of exercise) kills some 400,000 people in this country every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Only smoking-related diseases account for more deaths, with a total of 435,000 annually, the CDC reports. A staggering 129.6 million Americans are overweight or obese—that's two out of every three people in this country. Think about it. While our ancestors battled disease, famine and other deprivations, we are killing ourselves—with excess.
On top of that, we no longer have to chase down and kill our own food. Instead, we chase the world while sitting in front of a computer screen all day, every day, often neglecting to schedule in some form of physical activity. A recent article in The New York Times cited several studies showing that sitting for extended periods—at a desk, in front of the TV, etc.—leads to weight gain and increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and early death. Author Olivia Judson, an evolutionary biologist, detailed how the body shuts down following prolonged periods of sitting, causing a metabolic disaster of such proportions that even getting a full hour of exercise each day can't offset the impact. We do have a healthcare problem, and most of it is self-inflicted. We aren't taking proper care of our own health. We need a new healthcare policy, and I don't mean one enacted by Washington—but one enacted by you. You are the only one responsible for what you put into your mouth and how often you move your body.
What do you think causes more deaths in the United States each year? Car crashes, drug overdoses, alcoholism or firearm accidents? All of those combined don't total a third of this insidious instrument of death: food. We are literally eating our way into the grave. Obesity (caused by bad diet and lack of exercise) kills some 400,000 people in this country every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Only smoking-related diseases account for more deaths, with a total of 435,000 annually, the CDC reports. A staggering 129.6 million Americans are overweight or obese—that's two out of every three people in this country. Think about it. While our ancestors battled disease, famine and other deprivations, we are killing ourselves—with excess.
On top of that, we no longer have to chase down and kill our own food. Instead, we chase the world while sitting in front of a computer screen all day, every day, often neglecting to schedule in some form of physical activity. A recent article in The New York Times cited several studies showing that sitting for extended periods—at a desk, in front of the TV, etc.—leads to weight gain and increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, a variety of cancers and early death. Author Olivia Judson, an evolutionary biologist, detailed how the body shuts down following prolonged periods of sitting, causing a metabolic disaster of such proportions that even getting a full hour of exercise each day can't offset the impact. We do have a healthcare problem, and most of it is self-inflicted. We aren't taking proper care of our own health. We need a new healthcare policy, and I don't mean one enacted by Washington—but one enacted by you. You are the only one responsible for what you put into your mouth and how often you move your body.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Labor Day
Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
Founder of Labor Day
More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.
Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."
But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.
The First Labor Day
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
I hope you have a blessed and safe Labor Day!
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.
Founder of Labor Day
More than 100 years after the first Labor Day observance, there is still some doubt as to who first proposed the holiday for workers.
Some records show that Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a cofounder of the American Federation of Labor, was first in suggesting a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."
But Peter McGuire's place in Labor Day history has not gone unchallenged. Many believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter McGuire, founded the holiday. Recent research seems to support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, N.J., proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. What is clear is that the Central Labor Union adopted a Labor Day proposal and appointed a committee to plan a demonstration and picnic.
The First Labor Day
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. The Central Labor Union held its second Labor Day holiday just a year later, on September 5, 1883.
In 1884 the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, as originally proposed, and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.
I hope you have a blessed and safe Labor Day!
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Top 5 Questions Asked to Brian Tracy
Question # 2
You Asked…I answered
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 2: How do you beat procrastination and execute your own potential to perform at your best?
Answer: In my book Eat That Frog! I explain how to overcome procrastination and get more things done faster.
In its simplest terms, the way to overcome procrastination is for you to make a list of everything that you have to do in the coming day and then set priorities on that list.
Identify the one activity or task that is more valuable and important than any other. You then discipline yourself to start on that task first thing, and concentrate on that task until it is 100% complete.
When you develop the habit of starting on your most important task and completing it at the beginning of each day, you will double, triple and increase your productivity as much as four or five times. You will get more things done faster and move ahead more rapidly in your life than with any other single technique.
You Asked…I answered
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 2: How do you beat procrastination and execute your own potential to perform at your best?
Answer: In my book Eat That Frog! I explain how to overcome procrastination and get more things done faster.
In its simplest terms, the way to overcome procrastination is for you to make a list of everything that you have to do in the coming day and then set priorities on that list.
Identify the one activity or task that is more valuable and important than any other. You then discipline yourself to start on that task first thing, and concentrate on that task until it is 100% complete.
When you develop the habit of starting on your most important task and completing it at the beginning of each day, you will double, triple and increase your productivity as much as four or five times. You will get more things done faster and move ahead more rapidly in your life than with any other single technique.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Top 5 Questions Asked to Brian Tracy
Question # 3
You Asked…I answered
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 3: How important is my “mindset” on the path to success?
Answer: Earl Nightingale once wrote that “Attitude” is the most important word in the language. Your attitude is the way you approach any situation or problem, either positive or negative.
The most profound truth in human history is that “You will become what you think about – most of the time.”
What is it that you think about most of the time? If you think of something positive, constructive, uplifting or happy, you will be a positive and focused person.
Top people think about what they want, and how to get it, most of the time. If one thing doesn’t work, they try something else.
More than anything else, the busier you are working in the pursuit of your goals, the more energy and imagination you will have, you will be more positive and focused. You will feel in complete control of yourself and your life as you get so busy every day working on achieving your most important goals.
You Asked…I answered
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 3: How important is my “mindset” on the path to success?
Answer: Earl Nightingale once wrote that “Attitude” is the most important word in the language. Your attitude is the way you approach any situation or problem, either positive or negative.
The most profound truth in human history is that “You will become what you think about – most of the time.”
What is it that you think about most of the time? If you think of something positive, constructive, uplifting or happy, you will be a positive and focused person.
Top people think about what they want, and how to get it, most of the time. If one thing doesn’t work, they try something else.
More than anything else, the busier you are working in the pursuit of your goals, the more energy and imagination you will have, you will be more positive and focused. You will feel in complete control of yourself and your life as you get so busy every day working on achieving your most important goals.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Success Habits
Zig Ziglar's Success Habits: Your Journey to the Top
Personal development icon Zig Ziglar told SUCCESS Magazine, "I'm a constant learner. You need to be a constant student because things change and you have to change and grow. And I emphasize the word grow," he says. Here are Zig Ziglar's five habits for your journey to the top:
1. Be a constant leader.
2. Seek out information that you can learn and teach to others.
3. Encourage others and help them get what they want.
4. Express gratitude. "Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions," Ziglar says. "The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for."
5. Recognize the value of relationships and their role in creating balanced success.
Be consistent in your words and actions. "When you make a promise, keep it."
Personal development icon Zig Ziglar told SUCCESS Magazine, "I'm a constant learner. You need to be a constant student because things change and you have to change and grow. And I emphasize the word grow," he says. Here are Zig Ziglar's five habits for your journey to the top:
1. Be a constant leader.
2. Seek out information that you can learn and teach to others.
3. Encourage others and help them get what they want.
4. Express gratitude. "Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions," Ziglar says. "The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for."
5. Recognize the value of relationships and their role in creating balanced success.
Be consistent in your words and actions. "When you make a promise, keep it."
Monday, July 25, 2011
Discipline
by Jim Rohn
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.
All disciplines affect each other. Mistakenly the man says, “This is the only area where I let down.” Not true. Every let down affects the rest. Not to think so is naive.
Discipline is the foundation upon which all success is built. Lack of discipline inevitably leads to failure.
Discipline has within it the potential for creating future miracles.
The best time to set up a new discipline is when the idea is strong.
One discipline always leads to another discipline.
Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.
You don’t have to change that much for it to make a great deal of difference. A few simple disciplines can have a major impact on how your life works out in the next 90 days, let alone in the next 12 months or the next 3 years.
The least lack of discipline starts to erode our self-esteem.
Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.
We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.
All disciplines affect each other. Mistakenly the man says, “This is the only area where I let down.” Not true. Every let down affects the rest. Not to think so is naive.
Discipline is the foundation upon which all success is built. Lack of discipline inevitably leads to failure.
Discipline has within it the potential for creating future miracles.
The best time to set up a new discipline is when the idea is strong.
One discipline always leads to another discipline.
Affirmation without discipline is the beginning of delusion.
You don’t have to change that much for it to make a great deal of difference. A few simple disciplines can have a major impact on how your life works out in the next 90 days, let alone in the next 12 months or the next 3 years.
The least lack of discipline starts to erode our self-esteem.
Monday, July 18, 2011
"Rattle Some Cages Today!"
"Rattle Some Cages Today!"
Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish..."Bill Purvis
If your vision isn't big enough to irritate your enemies it probably isn't big enough to motivate your friends.
Whatever happened to thinking the sky's the limit? We tell our children they can be whoever they want to be or do whatever they want to do if they put their mind to it. Yet for some reason that advice is only good for so long. Once we reach a certain age or stage in life those words of wisdom aren't applicable anymore.
We're forced to settle for fourth or fifth tier and become comfortable. We let the world around us convince us that we've reached our full potential. That vision we had once upon a time has now taken a back seat. I don't know what's worse not having a vision at all or having a small one. Both might as well be deemed equal.
Our thought process is what has changed. Maybe between meeting too many naysayers along the path, associating with negative people, or incurring a few obstacles, we've pulled back and slowed our pursuit.
Don't let your mind, your fears or those around you stop your spirit from dreaming and pursuing them. God created you for a higher purpose and bigger impact than you realize. He gets glory in taking those with little potential and countless disadvantages to places that show His power. There's a difference between those who never achieve their dreams and those who do. The achievers haven't let their own minds or the world around them convince them that they cannot obtain their dreams.
It's time to rattle some cages! Start dreaming again! Start believing in a bigger vision for your life today.
Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish..."Bill Purvis
If your vision isn't big enough to irritate your enemies it probably isn't big enough to motivate your friends.
Whatever happened to thinking the sky's the limit? We tell our children they can be whoever they want to be or do whatever they want to do if they put their mind to it. Yet for some reason that advice is only good for so long. Once we reach a certain age or stage in life those words of wisdom aren't applicable anymore.
We're forced to settle for fourth or fifth tier and become comfortable. We let the world around us convince us that we've reached our full potential. That vision we had once upon a time has now taken a back seat. I don't know what's worse not having a vision at all or having a small one. Both might as well be deemed equal.
Our thought process is what has changed. Maybe between meeting too many naysayers along the path, associating with negative people, or incurring a few obstacles, we've pulled back and slowed our pursuit.
Don't let your mind, your fears or those around you stop your spirit from dreaming and pursuing them. God created you for a higher purpose and bigger impact than you realize. He gets glory in taking those with little potential and countless disadvantages to places that show His power. There's a difference between those who never achieve their dreams and those who do. The achievers haven't let their own minds or the world around them convince them that they cannot obtain their dreams.
It's time to rattle some cages! Start dreaming again! Start believing in a bigger vision for your life today.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Success Is Easy
Maybe this will encourage you in your success journey :)
Success Is Easy, But So Is Neglect by Jim Rohn
People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to do. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking and my ideas. They found that easy not to do. I found it easy to attend the classes and the seminars, and to get around other successful people. They said it probably really wouldn’t matter. If I had to sum it up, I would say what I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. Six years later, I’m a millionaire and they are all still blaming the economy, the government, and company policies, yet they neglected to do the basic, easy things.
In fact, the primary reason most people are not doing as well as they could and should, can be summed up in a single word: neglect.
It is not the lack of money—banks are full of money. It is not the lack of opportunity—America, and much of the Free World, continues to offer the most unprecedented and abundant opportunities in the last six thousand years of recorded history. It is not the lack of books—libraries are full of books and they are free! It is not the schools—the classrooms are full of good teachers. We have plenty of ministers, leaders, counselors and advisors.
Everything we would ever need to become rich and powerful and sophisticated is within our reach. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is simply neglect.
Neglect is like an infection. Left unchecked it will spread throughout our entire system of disciplines and eventually lead to a complete breakdown of a potentially joy-filled and prosperous human life.
Not doing the things we know we should do causes us to feel guilty and guilt leads to an erosion of self-confidence. As our self-confidence diminishes, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity diminishes, our results inevitably decline. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins the slow shift from positive to negative, our self-confidence diminishes even more... and on and on it goes.
So my suggestion is that when giving the choice of “easy to” and “easy not to” that you do not neglect to do the simple, basic, “easy,” but potentially life-changing activities and disciplines.
Success Is Easy, But So Is Neglect by Jim Rohn
People often ask me how I became successful in that six-year period of time while many of the people I knew did not. The answer is simple: The things I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. I found it easy to set the goals that could change my life. They found it easy not to do. I found it easy to read the books that could affect my thinking and my ideas. They found that easy not to do. I found it easy to attend the classes and the seminars, and to get around other successful people. They said it probably really wouldn’t matter. If I had to sum it up, I would say what I found to be easy to do, they found to be easy not to do. Six years later, I’m a millionaire and they are all still blaming the economy, the government, and company policies, yet they neglected to do the basic, easy things.
In fact, the primary reason most people are not doing as well as they could and should, can be summed up in a single word: neglect.
It is not the lack of money—banks are full of money. It is not the lack of opportunity—America, and much of the Free World, continues to offer the most unprecedented and abundant opportunities in the last six thousand years of recorded history. It is not the lack of books—libraries are full of books and they are free! It is not the schools—the classrooms are full of good teachers. We have plenty of ministers, leaders, counselors and advisors.
Everything we would ever need to become rich and powerful and sophisticated is within our reach. The major reason that so few take advantage of all that we have is simply neglect.
Neglect is like an infection. Left unchecked it will spread throughout our entire system of disciplines and eventually lead to a complete breakdown of a potentially joy-filled and prosperous human life.
Not doing the things we know we should do causes us to feel guilty and guilt leads to an erosion of self-confidence. As our self-confidence diminishes, so does the level of our activity. And as our activity diminishes, our results inevitably decline. And as our results suffer, our attitude begins to weaken. And as our attitude begins the slow shift from positive to negative, our self-confidence diminishes even more... and on and on it goes.
So my suggestion is that when giving the choice of “easy to” and “easy not to” that you do not neglect to do the simple, basic, “easy,” but potentially life-changing activities and disciplines.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Happy Birthday America!
I hope you are planning some good times with your family and friends for the July 4th Celebration! Listed below are the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. I want to spend the next few weeks sharing with you some insights to their lives.
1. Josiah Bartlett 2. William Whipple
3. Matthew Thornton 4. John Hancock
5. John Adams 6. Sam Adams
7. Robert Treat Paine 8. Elbridge Gerry
9. Stephen Hopkins 10. William Ellery
11. Roger Sherman 12. Samuel Huntington
13. William Williams 14. Oliver Wolcott
15. William Floyd 16. Philip Livingston
17. Francis Lewis 18. Lewis Morris
19. Richard Stockton 20. John Witherspoon
21. Francis Hopkinson 22. John Hart
23. Abraham Clark 24. Robert Morris
25. Doctor Benjamin Rush 26. Benjamin Franklin
27. John Morton 28. George Clymer
29. James Smith 30. George Taylor
31. James Wilson 32. George Ross
33. Caesar Rodney 34. George Read
35. Thomas M’Kean 36. Samuel Chase
37. Thomas Stone 38. William Paca
39. Charles Carroll of Carrollton
40. Georgy Wythe 41. Richard Henry Lee
42. Thomas Jefferson 43. Benjamin Harrison
44. Thomas Nelson, Jr. 45. Francis Lightfoot Lee
46. Carter Braxton 47. William Hooper
48. Joseph Hewes 49. John Penn
50. Edward Rutledge 51. Thomas Hayward
52. Thomas Lynch, Jr. 53. Author Middleton
54. Button Gwinnett 55. Lyman Hall
56. George Walton
Within 1 year (1782) battle of Yorktown, English Bible printed – funds provided by Congress
1st public school law – 320 years the Bible was in public schools. Established w/10 articles – Treaty
Of the 56 men who signed Declaration…29 of them had seminary degrees!
John Witherspoon – Published 1st American Family Bible
Benjamin Rush – signer of Constitution started the Sunday School movement in America
For some good insight into American history from the Christian perspective check out David Barton with Wall Builders online - www.wallbuilders.com
I hope you are planning some good times with your family and friends for the July 4th Celebration! Listed below are the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence. I want to spend the next few weeks sharing with you some insights to their lives.
1. Josiah Bartlett 2. William Whipple
3. Matthew Thornton 4. John Hancock
5. John Adams 6. Sam Adams
7. Robert Treat Paine 8. Elbridge Gerry
9. Stephen Hopkins 10. William Ellery
11. Roger Sherman 12. Samuel Huntington
13. William Williams 14. Oliver Wolcott
15. William Floyd 16. Philip Livingston
17. Francis Lewis 18. Lewis Morris
19. Richard Stockton 20. John Witherspoon
21. Francis Hopkinson 22. John Hart
23. Abraham Clark 24. Robert Morris
25. Doctor Benjamin Rush 26. Benjamin Franklin
27. John Morton 28. George Clymer
29. James Smith 30. George Taylor
31. James Wilson 32. George Ross
33. Caesar Rodney 34. George Read
35. Thomas M’Kean 36. Samuel Chase
37. Thomas Stone 38. William Paca
39. Charles Carroll of Carrollton
40. Georgy Wythe 41. Richard Henry Lee
42. Thomas Jefferson 43. Benjamin Harrison
44. Thomas Nelson, Jr. 45. Francis Lightfoot Lee
46. Carter Braxton 47. William Hooper
48. Joseph Hewes 49. John Penn
50. Edward Rutledge 51. Thomas Hayward
52. Thomas Lynch, Jr. 53. Author Middleton
54. Button Gwinnett 55. Lyman Hall
56. George Walton
Within 1 year (1782) battle of Yorktown, English Bible printed – funds provided by Congress
1st public school law – 320 years the Bible was in public schools. Established w/10 articles – Treaty
Of the 56 men who signed Declaration…29 of them had seminary degrees!
John Witherspoon – Published 1st American Family Bible
Benjamin Rush – signer of Constitution started the Sunday School movement in America
For some good insight into American history from the Christian perspective check out David Barton with Wall Builders online - www.wallbuilders.com
Monday, June 27, 2011
Top 5 Questions Asked to Brian Tracy
You Asked…I answered
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 4: What differentiates successful people from unsuccessful people?
Answer: This answer has filled thousands of books and articles over the years. When you use the 80/20 rule and apply it to people, you will find that the top 20% of people in any society, those who enjoy 80% of the rewards, have certain characteristics in common:
1. They know who they are – their values, talents, abilities, desires, strengths and weaknesses, and they are very honest with themselves;
2. They know what they want – they have clear, written goals with plans for their accomplishment that they work on every day;
3. They accept 100% responsibility for themselves and their lives, and for everything that happens to them. They refuse to make excuses, complain or blame other people for problems in their lives. Instead of making excuses, they make progress;
4. Top people are continuous learners – they read, listen to audio programs, watch educational videos, and never stop getting better at what they do;
5. Top people are optimists – they look for the good in every situation. They look for the lesson in every problem or setback. They take a constructive approach to life;
6. Top people are persistent. They make a decision, in advance, that they will never give up, no matter what happens.
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 4: What differentiates successful people from unsuccessful people?
Answer: This answer has filled thousands of books and articles over the years. When you use the 80/20 rule and apply it to people, you will find that the top 20% of people in any society, those who enjoy 80% of the rewards, have certain characteristics in common:
1. They know who they are – their values, talents, abilities, desires, strengths and weaknesses, and they are very honest with themselves;
2. They know what they want – they have clear, written goals with plans for their accomplishment that they work on every day;
3. They accept 100% responsibility for themselves and their lives, and for everything that happens to them. They refuse to make excuses, complain or blame other people for problems in their lives. Instead of making excuses, they make progress;
4. Top people are continuous learners – they read, listen to audio programs, watch educational videos, and never stop getting better at what they do;
5. Top people are optimists – they look for the good in every situation. They look for the lesson in every problem or setback. They take a constructive approach to life;
6. Top people are persistent. They make a decision, in advance, that they will never give up, no matter what happens.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Top 5 Questions Asked to Brian Tracy
You Asked…I answered
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 5: How do you stay motivated and succeed in our economic state and in the face of adversity?
Answer: There are several keys to self-motivation.
First, you must have clear, specific, written goals with plans or lists of activities to accomplish them.
Second, you must make a “To-Do List” each day, preferably made up the night before.
Third, you must review your list and ask, “If I could only accomplish one activity on this list before I was called out of town for a month, which one activity would I want to be sure to complete?”
You then begin on your most important task and discipline yourself to concentrate on it single-mindedly until it is complete.
The way to stay motivated is for you to keep busy working at the most important things you can do each day to accomplish your most important goals.
You cannot control external factors or the future, but you can control yourself. When you take full control of your own mind and activities, you will naturally feel positive, focused and self-motivated.
Brian Tracy -
“What is the single biggest question that you want to ask Brian Tracy?”… here are the first 5 top questions asked…
Question # 5: How do you stay motivated and succeed in our economic state and in the face of adversity?
Answer: There are several keys to self-motivation.
First, you must have clear, specific, written goals with plans or lists of activities to accomplish them.
Second, you must make a “To-Do List” each day, preferably made up the night before.
Third, you must review your list and ask, “If I could only accomplish one activity on this list before I was called out of town for a month, which one activity would I want to be sure to complete?”
You then begin on your most important task and discipline yourself to concentrate on it single-mindedly until it is complete.
The way to stay motivated is for you to keep busy working at the most important things you can do each day to accomplish your most important goals.
You cannot control external factors or the future, but you can control yourself. When you take full control of your own mind and activities, you will naturally feel positive, focused and self-motivated.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Thinking Like A Farmer
Thinking Like a Farmer
Jim Rohn
One of the difficulties we face in our industrialized age is the fact we’ve lost our sense of seasons. Unlike the farmer whose priorities change with the seasons, we have become impervious to the natural rhythm of life. As a result, we have our priorities out of balance. Let me illustrate what I mean:
For a farmer, springtime is his most active time. It’s then when he must work around the clock, up before the sun and still toiling at the stroke of midnight. He must keep his equipment running at full capacity because he has but a small window of time for the planting of his crop. Eventually winter comes when there is less for him to do to keep him busy.
There is a lesson here. Learn to use the seasons of life. Decide when to pour it on and when to ease back, when to take advantage and when to let things ride. It’s easy to keep going from nine to five year in and year out and lose a natural sense of priorities and cycles. Don’t let one year blend into another in a seemingly endless parade of tasks and responsibilities. Keep your eye on your own seasons, lest you lose sight of value and substance.
Jim Rohn
One of the difficulties we face in our industrialized age is the fact we’ve lost our sense of seasons. Unlike the farmer whose priorities change with the seasons, we have become impervious to the natural rhythm of life. As a result, we have our priorities out of balance. Let me illustrate what I mean:
For a farmer, springtime is his most active time. It’s then when he must work around the clock, up before the sun and still toiling at the stroke of midnight. He must keep his equipment running at full capacity because he has but a small window of time for the planting of his crop. Eventually winter comes when there is less for him to do to keep him busy.
There is a lesson here. Learn to use the seasons of life. Decide when to pour it on and when to ease back, when to take advantage and when to let things ride. It’s easy to keep going from nine to five year in and year out and lose a natural sense of priorities and cycles. Don’t let one year blend into another in a seemingly endless parade of tasks and responsibilities. Keep your eye on your own seasons, lest you lose sight of value and substance.
Monday, May 16, 2011
5 Myths about Goal Setting
Setting Goals and Objectives: 5 Myths
Brian Tracy
Only 3% of adults have clear, written, specific, measurable, time-bounded goals, and by every statistic, they accomplish ten times as much as people with no goals at all. Why is it then that most people have no goals?
Myth One: “I already have goals; I don’t need to set any.” People who say this also say that their goals are to be rich, thin, happy, successful, and live their dreams. Buy these are not goals, they are wishes and fantasies common to all mankind. A goal is like a beautiful home, carefully designed, revised continually, upgraded regularly, and worked on constantly. If it is not in writing, it is merely a dream or a wish, a vague objective with no energy behind it.
Myth Two: “I don’t need goals; I’m doing fine.” Living your life without goals and objectives is setting off across unknown territory with no road signs and no road map. You have no choice but to make it up as you go along, reacting and responding to whatever happens, and hoping for the best. If you are doing well today without written goals and plans, you could probably be doing many times better in the future if you had clear targets to aim at and the ability to measure your progress as you go along.
Myth Three: “I don’t need written goals; I have them all in my mind.” The average stream of consciousness includes about 1,500 thoughts a minute. If your goals are only in your mind, they are invariably jumbled up, vague, confused, contradictory and deficient in many ways. They offer no clarity and give you no motive power. You become like a ship without a rudder, drifting with the tides, crashing into the rocks inevitably and never really fulfilling your true potential.
Myth Four: “I don’t know how to set goals.” No wonder. You can take a Masters degree at a leading university and never receive a single hour of instruction on goal setting and achieving. Fortunately, setting a goal is a skill, like time management, teaching, selling, managing, or anything else that you need to become a highly productive and effective person. And all skills are learnable. You can learn the skill of goal-setting by practice and repetition until it becomes as easy and as automatic as breathing. And from the very first day that you begin setting goals, the progress you will make and the successes you will enjoy will astonish you.
Myth Five: “Goals don’t work; life is too unpredictable.” When a plane takes off for a distant city, it will be off course 99% of the time. The complexity of the avionics and the skill of the pilots are focused on continual course corrections. It is the same in life. But when you have a clear, long-term goal, with specific plans to achieve it, you may have to change course many times, but you will eventually arrive at your destination of health, wealth and great success.
One last point. Goal setting has been called the master skill of success. You have two choices in life: You can either work on your own goals, or you can work for someone else, and work on achieving their goals. When you learn the master skill, you take complete control of your life and jump to the front of the line in your potential for great achievement.
Brian Tracy
Only 3% of adults have clear, written, specific, measurable, time-bounded goals, and by every statistic, they accomplish ten times as much as people with no goals at all. Why is it then that most people have no goals?
Myth One: “I already have goals; I don’t need to set any.” People who say this also say that their goals are to be rich, thin, happy, successful, and live their dreams. Buy these are not goals, they are wishes and fantasies common to all mankind. A goal is like a beautiful home, carefully designed, revised continually, upgraded regularly, and worked on constantly. If it is not in writing, it is merely a dream or a wish, a vague objective with no energy behind it.
Myth Two: “I don’t need goals; I’m doing fine.” Living your life without goals and objectives is setting off across unknown territory with no road signs and no road map. You have no choice but to make it up as you go along, reacting and responding to whatever happens, and hoping for the best. If you are doing well today without written goals and plans, you could probably be doing many times better in the future if you had clear targets to aim at and the ability to measure your progress as you go along.
Myth Three: “I don’t need written goals; I have them all in my mind.” The average stream of consciousness includes about 1,500 thoughts a minute. If your goals are only in your mind, they are invariably jumbled up, vague, confused, contradictory and deficient in many ways. They offer no clarity and give you no motive power. You become like a ship without a rudder, drifting with the tides, crashing into the rocks inevitably and never really fulfilling your true potential.
Myth Four: “I don’t know how to set goals.” No wonder. You can take a Masters degree at a leading university and never receive a single hour of instruction on goal setting and achieving. Fortunately, setting a goal is a skill, like time management, teaching, selling, managing, or anything else that you need to become a highly productive and effective person. And all skills are learnable. You can learn the skill of goal-setting by practice and repetition until it becomes as easy and as automatic as breathing. And from the very first day that you begin setting goals, the progress you will make and the successes you will enjoy will astonish you.
Myth Five: “Goals don’t work; life is too unpredictable.” When a plane takes off for a distant city, it will be off course 99% of the time. The complexity of the avionics and the skill of the pilots are focused on continual course corrections. It is the same in life. But when you have a clear, long-term goal, with specific plans to achieve it, you may have to change course many times, but you will eventually arrive at your destination of health, wealth and great success.
One last point. Goal setting has been called the master skill of success. You have two choices in life: You can either work on your own goals, or you can work for someone else, and work on achieving their goals. When you learn the master skill, you take complete control of your life and jump to the front of the line in your potential for great achievement.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Top Ideas for Your Journal
What to Write in a Journal
By Darren Hardy
"If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual—keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down." As such, a journal can be many things to many people. Here are a few ideas for how to use a journal:
1. Keep a tally of your daily 'wins' or accomplishments.
2. Keep notes on an ongoing problem you're facing.
3. Write down ideas. The Magic of Thinking Big author David J. Schwartz writes, "Every day, lots of good ideas are born only to die quickly because they aren't nailed to paper."
4. Maintain your lifelong goal file. Writing down your aspirations in a journal helps build a file so that you can review your ideas over and over.
5. Keep a to-do list for big projects. Day-to-day tasks can be scheduled in Outlook, but larger-scale projects are perfect for recording in a journal.
6. Jot down inspirational quotes and why they impact you.
7. Keep a dream journal bedside.
8. Handwrite important facts, statistics or phone numbers to help cement them in your mind.
9. Tear out a page and write a note to someone important in your life.
By Darren Hardy
"If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual—keep a journal. Don't trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down." As such, a journal can be many things to many people. Here are a few ideas for how to use a journal:
1. Keep a tally of your daily 'wins' or accomplishments.
2. Keep notes on an ongoing problem you're facing.
3. Write down ideas. The Magic of Thinking Big author David J. Schwartz writes, "Every day, lots of good ideas are born only to die quickly because they aren't nailed to paper."
4. Maintain your lifelong goal file. Writing down your aspirations in a journal helps build a file so that you can review your ideas over and over.
5. Keep a to-do list for big projects. Day-to-day tasks can be scheduled in Outlook, but larger-scale projects are perfect for recording in a journal.
6. Jot down inspirational quotes and why they impact you.
7. Keep a dream journal bedside.
8. Handwrite important facts, statistics or phone numbers to help cement them in your mind.
9. Tear out a page and write a note to someone important in your life.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Dealing with Fear!
Pauline Victoria
I was recently exploring the fear factor. Fear is inevitable. But, I realized there are different kinds of fears. Some fears paralyze us and some fears push us to our potential. In looking at my own fear, I discovered that the fears I had actually pushed me to reach my full potential in embracing life.
The fear of being left on the sidelines of life was bigger than my fear of stretching out of my comfort zone. Up until I was 12 years old, I spent the summer on the steps of a swimming pool as my friends played in the deep end. I had it. I was tired of being left in the shallow end. So I was faced with a choice: do I play it safe and stay on the side steps of the shallow end or do I risk drowning as I learn to swim? I was more afraid of not being able to participate fully than I was of drowning. And so that fear of not being able to be free pushed me toward taking the risks. Day after day, gulp after gulp, I forged ahead and finally figured out how to swim and become free to play fully.
People face their fear of the unknown in order to put to rest their other fears. People leave their house not knowing what could happen rather than be isolated, people fly in planes trusting strangers with multiple lives rather than not experience adventure, people drive not knowing whether or not they could get in an accident rather than not have the freedom to go when and where they please, people allow themselves to fall in love whether or not they know if their heart will be broken rather than be alone.
Congratulations on facing your fears!
In every situation when you are faced with being paralyzed or pushed, ask yourself which fear is stronger: the fear of playing it safe to merely survive or the fear of taking some risks to truly live?
You may wonder why I posted this article. Pauline was born with no arms and no legs. Check out your website… it is inspirational!
www.paulinevictoria.com
I was recently exploring the fear factor. Fear is inevitable. But, I realized there are different kinds of fears. Some fears paralyze us and some fears push us to our potential. In looking at my own fear, I discovered that the fears I had actually pushed me to reach my full potential in embracing life.
The fear of being left on the sidelines of life was bigger than my fear of stretching out of my comfort zone. Up until I was 12 years old, I spent the summer on the steps of a swimming pool as my friends played in the deep end. I had it. I was tired of being left in the shallow end. So I was faced with a choice: do I play it safe and stay on the side steps of the shallow end or do I risk drowning as I learn to swim? I was more afraid of not being able to participate fully than I was of drowning. And so that fear of not being able to be free pushed me toward taking the risks. Day after day, gulp after gulp, I forged ahead and finally figured out how to swim and become free to play fully.
People face their fear of the unknown in order to put to rest their other fears. People leave their house not knowing what could happen rather than be isolated, people fly in planes trusting strangers with multiple lives rather than not experience adventure, people drive not knowing whether or not they could get in an accident rather than not have the freedom to go when and where they please, people allow themselves to fall in love whether or not they know if their heart will be broken rather than be alone.
Congratulations on facing your fears!
In every situation when you are faced with being paralyzed or pushed, ask yourself which fear is stronger: the fear of playing it safe to merely survive or the fear of taking some risks to truly live?
You may wonder why I posted this article. Pauline was born with no arms and no legs. Check out your website… it is inspirational!
www.paulinevictoria.com
Friday, April 22, 2011
Connecting or Just Communicating?
I read this article by Darren Hardy
Are You Connecting or Just Communicating?
It seems the networking series really seemed to connect with many of you. To continue the discussion and to introduce you to our May issue of SUCCESS with the social network star Mark Zuckerberg on the cover, below is my Publisher’s Letter from the issue. They key point is, you don’t need 1,000 ‘friends’ or even 100–see how many below…
I communicate a lot—on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. I also process around 300-400 emails a day and who knows how many text messages.
But recently I spent some time sorting and categorizing my database of more than 10,000 “contacts,” and I had a startling realization. While I might be communicating with tens of thousands of people every day, outside of encounters with my immediate family and business team, I am not really connecting or fostering very many real relationships at all. I’m what’s called a mile wide and an inch deep, and that’s not how you strike oil! I’ve been mistaking communication for connection.
Since having this epiphany, I’ve noticed how many other people suffer from this same affliction, mistaking the time they spend transmitting and receiving information with time spent making meaningful connections. Don’t get me wrong—both communication and connection are essential today, but one simply does not equate to the other.
With the pace of business and life today, it’s so easy to fall victim to this way of thinking; we must move quickly and convey as much information as quickly as possible to stay competitive, or so we think. With all the opportunities technology provides—enabling us to work from just about anywhere and to expand our reach, quite literally, around the globe—it also has become a crutch in some ways.
I think true connection happens face to face, heart to heart, live and in person. Sharing the same physical space. Sharing an experience together. Even in a business context, I’m sure you’ve experienced the difference between having a meeting in person versus a conference call or the great limitations of communicating over email—not to mention the shallow experience of simply reading a Facebook update or a tweet.
A wise person once said: there are only a dozen or two relationships that will take you to any level of success you desire.
Think about that. Not 10,000, 1,000 or even 100. Ask Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Richard Branson or Oprah Winfrey, and each of them will tell you that no more than two dozen relationships contributed to their extraordinary achievements today.
But you can’t just communicate with people in those two dozen relationships; you have to connect with them. These connections can only result from your continued efforts to nurture deep and meaningful relationships.
Are You Connecting or Just Communicating?
It seems the networking series really seemed to connect with many of you. To continue the discussion and to introduce you to our May issue of SUCCESS with the social network star Mark Zuckerberg on the cover, below is my Publisher’s Letter from the issue. They key point is, you don’t need 1,000 ‘friends’ or even 100–see how many below…
I communicate a lot—on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. I also process around 300-400 emails a day and who knows how many text messages.
But recently I spent some time sorting and categorizing my database of more than 10,000 “contacts,” and I had a startling realization. While I might be communicating with tens of thousands of people every day, outside of encounters with my immediate family and business team, I am not really connecting or fostering very many real relationships at all. I’m what’s called a mile wide and an inch deep, and that’s not how you strike oil! I’ve been mistaking communication for connection.
Since having this epiphany, I’ve noticed how many other people suffer from this same affliction, mistaking the time they spend transmitting and receiving information with time spent making meaningful connections. Don’t get me wrong—both communication and connection are essential today, but one simply does not equate to the other.
With the pace of business and life today, it’s so easy to fall victim to this way of thinking; we must move quickly and convey as much information as quickly as possible to stay competitive, or so we think. With all the opportunities technology provides—enabling us to work from just about anywhere and to expand our reach, quite literally, around the globe—it also has become a crutch in some ways.
I think true connection happens face to face, heart to heart, live and in person. Sharing the same physical space. Sharing an experience together. Even in a business context, I’m sure you’ve experienced the difference between having a meeting in person versus a conference call or the great limitations of communicating over email—not to mention the shallow experience of simply reading a Facebook update or a tweet.
A wise person once said: there are only a dozen or two relationships that will take you to any level of success you desire.
Think about that. Not 10,000, 1,000 or even 100. Ask Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, Richard Branson or Oprah Winfrey, and each of them will tell you that no more than two dozen relationships contributed to their extraordinary achievements today.
But you can’t just communicate with people in those two dozen relationships; you have to connect with them. These connections can only result from your continued efforts to nurture deep and meaningful relationships.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Employee Praise
Easy Ways to Give Employee or Co-Worker Recognition
Employees' happiness is often the most important non-financial vital sign for a small business to monitor, says Jennifer Openshaw, author of The Millionaire Zone and other books for entrepreneurs and investors. "If they're not happy, it's going to impact your bottom line."
While conducting formal employee surveys is one way to measure employee morale, less-formal surveillance can produce useful results. "Just look on their faces and body language."
To infuse more life into your company, here are some unique ways to give employee recognition:
* Use the corporate intranet as a way to spread praise.
* A low-tech way to reward others is writing on whiteboards with dry erase markers. Author Tim Sanders points to a "Recognition Whiteboard" he observed at the British Columbia Lottery System. Anyone could scribble notes of recognition for other team members. Introverted types found the whiteboard a great way to thank each other for contributions to a project's success.
* Recognize employees' work anniversaries as a way to let them know how they've made a difference in the company.
* When inquiring about completed projects, managers should ask their project managers, "Who else helped you accomplish this?" It's a great way to broaden praise beyond the "face" of the project.
Employees' happiness is often the most important non-financial vital sign for a small business to monitor, says Jennifer Openshaw, author of The Millionaire Zone and other books for entrepreneurs and investors. "If they're not happy, it's going to impact your bottom line."
While conducting formal employee surveys is one way to measure employee morale, less-formal surveillance can produce useful results. "Just look on their faces and body language."
To infuse more life into your company, here are some unique ways to give employee recognition:
* Use the corporate intranet as a way to spread praise.
* A low-tech way to reward others is writing on whiteboards with dry erase markers. Author Tim Sanders points to a "Recognition Whiteboard" he observed at the British Columbia Lottery System. Anyone could scribble notes of recognition for other team members. Introverted types found the whiteboard a great way to thank each other for contributions to a project's success.
* Recognize employees' work anniversaries as a way to let them know how they've made a difference in the company.
* When inquiring about completed projects, managers should ask their project managers, "Who else helped you accomplish this?" It's a great way to broaden praise beyond the "face" of the project.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Discover Your Strengths
Discover Your Strengths
Love it or loathe it, that's how author Marcus Buckingham suggests finding your strengths. To help you identify your best traits and weaknesses, Buckingham suggests taking a blank sheet of paper and drawing a line down the middle. Label one side "Love it!" and the other side "Loathe it!"
During a typical week, carry the paper around with you and separate your activities into the two categories. In the love column are things you look forward to doing, tasks that seem to make the time fly by or activities that make you feel fulfilled after you've completed them. Tasks that are difficult to concentrate on and things you hope you never have to do again belong in the loathe column.
At the end of the week, you'll have a clear picture of your strengths and where your passion lies. Specifically identifying the activities that strengthen you will help you purposely gravitate toward them, as well as help you neutralize the ones you hate. You'll be able to avoid some of the activities that weaken you. For those you can't, by having your week so filled with activities that invigorate you, you'll have the strength to power through those activities that drain you.
Love it or loathe it, that's how author Marcus Buckingham suggests finding your strengths. To help you identify your best traits and weaknesses, Buckingham suggests taking a blank sheet of paper and drawing a line down the middle. Label one side "Love it!" and the other side "Loathe it!"
During a typical week, carry the paper around with you and separate your activities into the two categories. In the love column are things you look forward to doing, tasks that seem to make the time fly by or activities that make you feel fulfilled after you've completed them. Tasks that are difficult to concentrate on and things you hope you never have to do again belong in the loathe column.
At the end of the week, you'll have a clear picture of your strengths and where your passion lies. Specifically identifying the activities that strengthen you will help you purposely gravitate toward them, as well as help you neutralize the ones you hate. You'll be able to avoid some of the activities that weaken you. For those you can't, by having your week so filled with activities that invigorate you, you'll have the strength to power through those activities that drain you.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Networking
Networking is a tool that can provide a great opportunity to build your business, at the same time it is a skill that does not come naturally to everyone. Have you ever been at a function and felt nervous or uncomfortable talking with others? Have you ever collected contact information, but never reached out to that person after the event was over? Today, we will discuss how to use networking effectively and how to get the most out of it.
Looking for events? Try volunteering. Getting involved with a place of worship or a charitable organization is a great way to meet new people and establish contacts. Another way is to join your local Chamber of Commerce, just make sure you follow your company’s rules about doing so.
Prepare for the event. Make sure that you arrive at the event with a large supply of business cards and any flyers you have on hand. Have a plan in your mind, what is your goal for this event? Bring any business builder tools you may have such as CDs and DVDs, workbooks, etc.
Be Genuine. Just as you know in social situations when someone is mingling for personal gain, others will know if you do it. Be honest, respectful and genuine in your conversations. Listen to others and show them the same respect they show you.
Educate, don’t sell. When talking about yourself and your business, make sure to inform and educate your audience rather than trying to sell your opportunity. This provides you with the chance to build relationships and to gain interest without hard selling.
Connect. Listen to others for common ground ¬¬¬and common interests. These common interests provide a great basis on which to build relationships.
Be happy, be useful. Always be positive and happy when networking. Provide useful information and introduction whenever possible. As you establish yourself as the person to know at events, you can connect better with individuals.
Deal with Rejection. An introduction doesn’t always go the way you would like, some people aren’t interested. Don’t get discouraged, just move on. Remember the Golden Rule “One should treat others, as one would like others to treat oneself.”
Ask to be introduced. If you are new to a situation ask to be introduced. This allows you to establish contacts quickly and get a third person’s perspective on who is important to know. ¬¬¬
Be Brief. People will remember your information better if it is shorter. The longer you talk, the more difficult it is to maintain focus. Prepare a short synopsis about yourself and your business ahead of time.
Follow up. Make sure that once the event is over and you have collected the business cards of the people you have met, reach out to them, either with a phone call or a personally written note.
Looking for events? Try volunteering. Getting involved with a place of worship or a charitable organization is a great way to meet new people and establish contacts. Another way is to join your local Chamber of Commerce, just make sure you follow your company’s rules about doing so.
Prepare for the event. Make sure that you arrive at the event with a large supply of business cards and any flyers you have on hand. Have a plan in your mind, what is your goal for this event? Bring any business builder tools you may have such as CDs and DVDs, workbooks, etc.
Be Genuine. Just as you know in social situations when someone is mingling for personal gain, others will know if you do it. Be honest, respectful and genuine in your conversations. Listen to others and show them the same respect they show you.
Educate, don’t sell. When talking about yourself and your business, make sure to inform and educate your audience rather than trying to sell your opportunity. This provides you with the chance to build relationships and to gain interest without hard selling.
Connect. Listen to others for common ground ¬¬¬and common interests. These common interests provide a great basis on which to build relationships.
Be happy, be useful. Always be positive and happy when networking. Provide useful information and introduction whenever possible. As you establish yourself as the person to know at events, you can connect better with individuals.
Deal with Rejection. An introduction doesn’t always go the way you would like, some people aren’t interested. Don’t get discouraged, just move on. Remember the Golden Rule “One should treat others, as one would like others to treat oneself.”
Ask to be introduced. If you are new to a situation ask to be introduced. This allows you to establish contacts quickly and get a third person’s perspective on who is important to know. ¬¬¬
Be Brief. People will remember your information better if it is shorter. The longer you talk, the more difficult it is to maintain focus. Prepare a short synopsis about yourself and your business ahead of time.
Follow up. Make sure that once the event is over and you have collected the business cards of the people you have met, reach out to them, either with a phone call or a personally written note.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
J-O-B is a four-letter word
See what you think about this article I read:
When J-O-B Is a Four-Letter Word and How to Change That
In his bestselling book The Three Signs of a Miserable Job, Patrick Lencioni quotes a Gallup poll finding that 70 percent of American workers don’t like their jobs. According to Lencioni, “The primary source of job misery and the potential cure for that misery resides in the hands of one individual—the direct manager.”
Three conditions that create a miserable job:
1. Anonymity or “the feeling that employees get when they realize their manager has little interest in them as a human being.”
2. Irrelevance, which takes root when employees cannot see how their job makes a difference in the lives of others.
3. “Immeasurement” which is the inability of employees to assess for themselves their contribution or success.
Three ways to avoid job burnout and make yourself happy at work:
1. Use Trapped Downtime. If you’re at risk of burnout from boredom, find ways to fill trapped downtime with something enriching or uplifting. Fill your MP3 player with a good book or advice from a personal-development expert for when you’re stuck in traffic on the way to work. Read about trends in your industry and examples of how your job, your company and your industry are making a real difference in others’ lives. And we know you’re guilty of it because we are too, but don’t eat lunch at your desk. Get out to exercise, socialize, attend a brown-bag seminar or other way to enrich yourself.
2. Start Saying No. (But Do It Politely.) You know your workload and capacity best, so when you’re in danger of burnout from overwork, start saying no. Determine your highest priorities and make progress on those first. Achieving checkmarks on your priority list will give you something measurable to appreciate and invigorate you for new projects down the road.
3. Show Your Human Side. You’re not a robot, so quit trying to be. When something seems unethical, speak up. When something seems counterproductive, offer a solution. When something whole-heartedly tanks your job morale, share your concerns. When managers see your more personable side, they may break past seeing you as just another employee and view you as a conscientious, dedicated professional.
Blessings!
When J-O-B Is a Four-Letter Word and How to Change That
In his bestselling book The Three Signs of a Miserable Job, Patrick Lencioni quotes a Gallup poll finding that 70 percent of American workers don’t like their jobs. According to Lencioni, “The primary source of job misery and the potential cure for that misery resides in the hands of one individual—the direct manager.”
Three conditions that create a miserable job:
1. Anonymity or “the feeling that employees get when they realize their manager has little interest in them as a human being.”
2. Irrelevance, which takes root when employees cannot see how their job makes a difference in the lives of others.
3. “Immeasurement” which is the inability of employees to assess for themselves their contribution or success.
Three ways to avoid job burnout and make yourself happy at work:
1. Use Trapped Downtime. If you’re at risk of burnout from boredom, find ways to fill trapped downtime with something enriching or uplifting. Fill your MP3 player with a good book or advice from a personal-development expert for when you’re stuck in traffic on the way to work. Read about trends in your industry and examples of how your job, your company and your industry are making a real difference in others’ lives. And we know you’re guilty of it because we are too, but don’t eat lunch at your desk. Get out to exercise, socialize, attend a brown-bag seminar or other way to enrich yourself.
2. Start Saying No. (But Do It Politely.) You know your workload and capacity best, so when you’re in danger of burnout from overwork, start saying no. Determine your highest priorities and make progress on those first. Achieving checkmarks on your priority list will give you something measurable to appreciate and invigorate you for new projects down the road.
3. Show Your Human Side. You’re not a robot, so quit trying to be. When something seems unethical, speak up. When something seems counterproductive, offer a solution. When something whole-heartedly tanks your job morale, share your concerns. When managers see your more personable side, they may break past seeing you as just another employee and view you as a conscientious, dedicated professional.
Blessings!
Monday, March 7, 2011
5 Simple Steps to Squash Your Stress
5 Simple Steps to Squash Your Stress
by Noah St. John
Stress is caused by a lack of perceived control. The more control we perceive we have in our lives, the less stress we feel.
That's one reason that the major life changes bring about the most stress. For example: getting married, buying a new home...
Wow, I'm doing both of those in the next 65 days. No wonder this is on my mind :)
With any life change, we often feel a loss of perceived control. The bigger the change, the more loss of perceived control, the greater the stress.
So here are 5 simple steps to squash your stress:
1. Use AFFORMATIONS.
Afformations are empowering questions you can use to lower your stress immediately.
For example, Afformations like:
"Why am I so calm?"
"Why am I so confident?"
"Why did everything work out better than I thought?"
These empowering questions cause your mind to search for answers - which effectively switches on your internal stress-relief button.
2. Install your Introspection System.
Like your house and your body, your life and business are made up of SYSTEMS that must operate effectively for you to lower your stress. Installing your Introspection System means you make the time to do things like meditate, journal, walk in nature every day. You want to make sure that the ladder of success you're climbing is leaning against the right wall.
3. Rate yourself from 1-10.
Let's say a really stressful event would be a 10 on a 10 scale - things like the major life changes I listed above. The problem is, we often act as if getting dinner ready were a 10! Next time you feel stressed, ask yourself, "What am I right now?" Rate yourself from 1-10, 10 being "Stressed out of my gourd." Then, ask yourself if the situation really warrants that kind of reaction. The BEST way to do this with a spouse or accountability partner.
4. Find Your No.
A lot of stress comes from over-committing. Remember that time you said yes when you really wanted to say no? That's called added stress. Next time someone asks you to do something you don't really want to do, just notice it. Then learn to say no with a smile. Saying no is like a muscle. You can build it with time and practice.
5. Finally... Breathe!
This sounds so simple, and it is. Sometimes we forget to breathe!
The healthiest way to breathe to lower stress is:
1. Breathe in through your nose.
2. Hold for 3-5 seconds.
3. Blow out through your mouth.
Try it right now. You will feel better instantly.
The health benefits of proper breathing are well-documented: better respiratory function, more balanced nervous system, healthier digestive system, even younger-looking skin. And of course, just think of the alternative :-)
by Noah St. John
Stress is caused by a lack of perceived control. The more control we perceive we have in our lives, the less stress we feel.
That's one reason that the major life changes bring about the most stress. For example: getting married, buying a new home...
Wow, I'm doing both of those in the next 65 days. No wonder this is on my mind :)
With any life change, we often feel a loss of perceived control. The bigger the change, the more loss of perceived control, the greater the stress.
So here are 5 simple steps to squash your stress:
1. Use AFFORMATIONS.
Afformations are empowering questions you can use to lower your stress immediately.
For example, Afformations like:
"Why am I so calm?"
"Why am I so confident?"
"Why did everything work out better than I thought?"
These empowering questions cause your mind to search for answers - which effectively switches on your internal stress-relief button.
2. Install your Introspection System.
Like your house and your body, your life and business are made up of SYSTEMS that must operate effectively for you to lower your stress. Installing your Introspection System means you make the time to do things like meditate, journal, walk in nature every day. You want to make sure that the ladder of success you're climbing is leaning against the right wall.
3. Rate yourself from 1-10.
Let's say a really stressful event would be a 10 on a 10 scale - things like the major life changes I listed above. The problem is, we often act as if getting dinner ready were a 10! Next time you feel stressed, ask yourself, "What am I right now?" Rate yourself from 1-10, 10 being "Stressed out of my gourd." Then, ask yourself if the situation really warrants that kind of reaction. The BEST way to do this with a spouse or accountability partner.
4. Find Your No.
A lot of stress comes from over-committing. Remember that time you said yes when you really wanted to say no? That's called added stress. Next time someone asks you to do something you don't really want to do, just notice it. Then learn to say no with a smile. Saying no is like a muscle. You can build it with time and practice.
5. Finally... Breathe!
This sounds so simple, and it is. Sometimes we forget to breathe!
The healthiest way to breathe to lower stress is:
1. Breathe in through your nose.
2. Hold for 3-5 seconds.
3. Blow out through your mouth.
Try it right now. You will feel better instantly.
The health benefits of proper breathing are well-documented: better respiratory function, more balanced nervous system, healthier digestive system, even younger-looking skin. And of course, just think of the alternative :-)
Monday, February 28, 2011
The Wonder of Gratitude
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. Colossians 3:6
The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings! Henry Ward Beecher
We need a strong immune system to keep our bodies healthy. And we need a strong spiritual immune system to keep our lives on the right track. So how do we keep ourselves spiritually strong? One of the most formidable elements in a spiritual immune system is gratitude.
When we choose a thankful attitude, our spirits resist the cynicism, discouragement, and pessimism that weigh us down. We're better able to thrive and survive no matter what life throws at us. And our love for God blooms.
Needing a fresh burst of spiritual stamina? Remember the wonder of gratitude.
The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings! Henry Ward Beecher
We need a strong immune system to keep our bodies healthy. And we need a strong spiritual immune system to keep our lives on the right track. So how do we keep ourselves spiritually strong? One of the most formidable elements in a spiritual immune system is gratitude.
When we choose a thankful attitude, our spirits resist the cynicism, discouragement, and pessimism that weigh us down. We're better able to thrive and survive no matter what life throws at us. And our love for God blooms.
Needing a fresh burst of spiritual stamina? Remember the wonder of gratitude.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Charting Your Course
I read this article about successful people. See if you like it –
One of the first things successful people realize is the old adage, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” That is, for you, the fact that your success and your course is up to you. This doesn’t mean that you do it all alone. It simply means that you take responsibility for your life and your career.
Too many people today look at opportunity and figure it is up to someone else to make sure they get it. They look at financial security and hope that the government will make sure they live safely in retirement or in case of disability. They wait and wait, figuring that it is up to someone else. And then the wait is over, and it is too late to do anything. Their life is over and they are filled with regret.
This isn’t true for you however. You know that you must take responsibility for your life. It is up to you.
The fact is that nobody else is going to do it for you—you must do it yourself.
Now, some people may say, “that’s a lot of responsibility.” Friends, that is the best news you can ever hear. You get to choose your life. Hundreds of millions of people all around this world would give anything to live in the situation you do—just for the chance to have the opportunity to take control of their destiny. “It is up to you” is a great blessing!
Here’s why:
1. You get to chart your own destiny. Maybe you want to start a small business and stay there. That’s great because you can choose that. Maybe you want to create a small chain of stores. Maybe you want to have a net worth of $100 million. That’s okay too. The idea is that you get to choose. You can do whatever you like. Different people have different dreams and they should live them accordingly.
2. You reap what you sow. Sleep in and go to work late and reap the return. Or get up early and outwork the others and earn a greater return. Place your capital at risk and earn a return—or place it at greater risk and perhaps reap a greater return. You decide what you will sow and thus what you will reap.
3. No one else can stop you from getting your dream. Yes, there will always be things that come up and people who may not like what you are doing, but you can just move on and chart your own course. There is great freedom in that.
4. You experience the joy of self-determination. There is no greater pride than knowing you set your mind on something and accomplished it. Those who live with a victim mentality never get to experience the joy of accomplishment because they are always waiting for someone else to come to the rescue. Those who take responsibility get to live the joy of seeing a job well done.
Let me ask you a question: Where will you be in five years? Ten years? Or 25 years? Do you know? Do you have an idea? Have you ever dreamed about it or set a goal for it? Are you willing to take responsibility and recognize that, “It is up to you?”
You will be wherever you decide to be in those timeframes. You decide. It is up to you.
And that is very exciting!
One of the first things successful people realize is the old adage, “If it is to be, it is up to me.” That is, for you, the fact that your success and your course is up to you. This doesn’t mean that you do it all alone. It simply means that you take responsibility for your life and your career.
Too many people today look at opportunity and figure it is up to someone else to make sure they get it. They look at financial security and hope that the government will make sure they live safely in retirement or in case of disability. They wait and wait, figuring that it is up to someone else. And then the wait is over, and it is too late to do anything. Their life is over and they are filled with regret.
This isn’t true for you however. You know that you must take responsibility for your life. It is up to you.
The fact is that nobody else is going to do it for you—you must do it yourself.
Now, some people may say, “that’s a lot of responsibility.” Friends, that is the best news you can ever hear. You get to choose your life. Hundreds of millions of people all around this world would give anything to live in the situation you do—just for the chance to have the opportunity to take control of their destiny. “It is up to you” is a great blessing!
Here’s why:
1. You get to chart your own destiny. Maybe you want to start a small business and stay there. That’s great because you can choose that. Maybe you want to create a small chain of stores. Maybe you want to have a net worth of $100 million. That’s okay too. The idea is that you get to choose. You can do whatever you like. Different people have different dreams and they should live them accordingly.
2. You reap what you sow. Sleep in and go to work late and reap the return. Or get up early and outwork the others and earn a greater return. Place your capital at risk and earn a return—or place it at greater risk and perhaps reap a greater return. You decide what you will sow and thus what you will reap.
3. No one else can stop you from getting your dream. Yes, there will always be things that come up and people who may not like what you are doing, but you can just move on and chart your own course. There is great freedom in that.
4. You experience the joy of self-determination. There is no greater pride than knowing you set your mind on something and accomplished it. Those who live with a victim mentality never get to experience the joy of accomplishment because they are always waiting for someone else to come to the rescue. Those who take responsibility get to live the joy of seeing a job well done.
Let me ask you a question: Where will you be in five years? Ten years? Or 25 years? Do you know? Do you have an idea? Have you ever dreamed about it or set a goal for it? Are you willing to take responsibility and recognize that, “It is up to you?”
You will be wherever you decide to be in those timeframes. You decide. It is up to you.
And that is very exciting!
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Successful Entrepreneurs
I read this article, see if you like it too...
What Qualities Are the True Tokens of Successful Entrepreneurs?
You've probably seen the bumper stickers that say "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way." While the bumper sticker may be directed at the dreamer doing 10 miles less than the speed limit in the left lane, it also applies to everyone's life. Most people are followers, but others are leaders. They want to be at the helm of their own ship, charting the course that their lives will take.
They are most likely ENTREPRENEURS - people who have what it takes to start and succeed at their own businesses.
What qualities are the true tokens of successful entrepreneurs? Thousands of books and articles have been written on the subject. There is even a Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneur's Soul and an annual event called "Entrepalooza" at the University of Michigan, where successful business owners relate their secrets. It turns out, though, that just about everyone who takes on the challenge of owning their own business has certain qualities.
1. They have a dream. It can be anything from wanting to make a living from a hobby to wanting to find a way to spend more time with their families. Along with their dreams comes the foresight to see a need for something or a problem that needs solving, and finding a way to supply that need or solve that problem. Instead of saying, "Someone will probably invent a way to make a profit from that," the entrepreneur says, "I'M going to be the one who finds a way to make a profit from that."
2. They visualize success. Lots of us have thoughts and ideas of how we'd like our lives to change. We say, "If only I could find a decent job," or "If only I could lose 20 pounds." Entrepreneurs don't just think about it. They see it. They spend a great deal of time "seeing success." If the goal is to spend more time with family, the entrepreneur sees himself or herself working at home, hears one of the children say "Mom, I'm so glad you don't go away to work anymore," and feels what reaching the goal is like. This "positive thinking" technique has been around for a long time-and it still works. It helps create faith in yourself, and that is a prerequisite for anyone even thinking about starting a business. They never stop using this visualization process: It keeps goals shining brightly, and for the entrepreneur, there are always new goals to reach for.
3. They're good listeners and observers. Aki Morita, who founded Sony, got the idea for the infamous Sony Walkman when he got tired of listening to teenagers blasting music from their boom-boxes. He knew he wasn't the only one bothered by the noise. By listening to what people are saying and observing what they're doing (or not doing), the entrepreneur identifies what people want. Lots of people.
They also listen to advice. While it's great to have people cheering you on, entrepreneurs find a wealth of knowledge in the doom-and-gloomers. They present the possible downsides, providing the business owner with some new ideas to think about as they develop their business plan. They read books and listen to motivational CDs. They stay psyched up for success by learning new skills and staying on top of technology.
4. They're good organizers. Once a new entrepreneur develops an idea and begins visualizing a goal, he or she makes a plan. They know they can't just plunge in and hope for the best. They do research, find out what others in similar businesses are doing, and find mentors who can help them figure out what steps they need to take to begin reaching for their goals and dreams. They find out how much money they need, what kind of equipment is essential, and if they will need to hire people or can go it alone. Ultimately, they consider all of the information and advice they've gathered and make their own decisions, taking the best ideas from each source.
5. They're focused. Once the course is charted, the work begins. There will be phone calls, e-mails, and paperwork. There will be days when nothing goes right, and when obstacles seem insurmountable. But because entrepreneurs are, above all, problem solvers who love a challenge, they have the courage and perseverance to keep going. They bounce back from failure like super-balls hitting the sidewalk. They keep their organizational plans in mind, and keep striving to achieve each step, one at a time.
6. They don't believe failure is an option. To be successful in your own business, you must believe 100% that you will succeed at what you are doing. You must have faith in your own ability to make things happen. You must believe that your idea is really a good one that will help other people or make the world better in some way. Sometimes, it simply takes guts-like the quarterback who decides to run the ball and, against all odds, scrambles over the pileup and scores a touchdown.
7. They have self-discipline. Running your own business doesn't mean that you can mosey down to your home office at 10 AM, go to lunch at noon, and take the afternoon off. Just like at a regular job, entrepreneurs work hard. In fact, many put in more hours and work harder than they did when they were someone's employee. But it's easier to put in the extra hour or two when you have a passion for what you are doing, a roadmap for where you're going, and the confidence that you will achieve success.
Does being in charge motivate you? Are you tired of working for someone else? Do YOU have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?
I am offering some “Tax Strategies” from former IRS attorney Sandy Botkin in my next “Leadership Luncheon” on March 2, 2011 for the entrepreneur. Come and see how to save some money on your taxes.
What Qualities Are the True Tokens of Successful Entrepreneurs?
You've probably seen the bumper stickers that say "Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way." While the bumper sticker may be directed at the dreamer doing 10 miles less than the speed limit in the left lane, it also applies to everyone's life. Most people are followers, but others are leaders. They want to be at the helm of their own ship, charting the course that their lives will take.
They are most likely ENTREPRENEURS - people who have what it takes to start and succeed at their own businesses.
What qualities are the true tokens of successful entrepreneurs? Thousands of books and articles have been written on the subject. There is even a Chicken Soup for the Entrepreneur's Soul and an annual event called "Entrepalooza" at the University of Michigan, where successful business owners relate their secrets. It turns out, though, that just about everyone who takes on the challenge of owning their own business has certain qualities.
1. They have a dream. It can be anything from wanting to make a living from a hobby to wanting to find a way to spend more time with their families. Along with their dreams comes the foresight to see a need for something or a problem that needs solving, and finding a way to supply that need or solve that problem. Instead of saying, "Someone will probably invent a way to make a profit from that," the entrepreneur says, "I'M going to be the one who finds a way to make a profit from that."
2. They visualize success. Lots of us have thoughts and ideas of how we'd like our lives to change. We say, "If only I could find a decent job," or "If only I could lose 20 pounds." Entrepreneurs don't just think about it. They see it. They spend a great deal of time "seeing success." If the goal is to spend more time with family, the entrepreneur sees himself or herself working at home, hears one of the children say "Mom, I'm so glad you don't go away to work anymore," and feels what reaching the goal is like. This "positive thinking" technique has been around for a long time-and it still works. It helps create faith in yourself, and that is a prerequisite for anyone even thinking about starting a business. They never stop using this visualization process: It keeps goals shining brightly, and for the entrepreneur, there are always new goals to reach for.
3. They're good listeners and observers. Aki Morita, who founded Sony, got the idea for the infamous Sony Walkman when he got tired of listening to teenagers blasting music from their boom-boxes. He knew he wasn't the only one bothered by the noise. By listening to what people are saying and observing what they're doing (or not doing), the entrepreneur identifies what people want. Lots of people.
They also listen to advice. While it's great to have people cheering you on, entrepreneurs find a wealth of knowledge in the doom-and-gloomers. They present the possible downsides, providing the business owner with some new ideas to think about as they develop their business plan. They read books and listen to motivational CDs. They stay psyched up for success by learning new skills and staying on top of technology.
4. They're good organizers. Once a new entrepreneur develops an idea and begins visualizing a goal, he or she makes a plan. They know they can't just plunge in and hope for the best. They do research, find out what others in similar businesses are doing, and find mentors who can help them figure out what steps they need to take to begin reaching for their goals and dreams. They find out how much money they need, what kind of equipment is essential, and if they will need to hire people or can go it alone. Ultimately, they consider all of the information and advice they've gathered and make their own decisions, taking the best ideas from each source.
5. They're focused. Once the course is charted, the work begins. There will be phone calls, e-mails, and paperwork. There will be days when nothing goes right, and when obstacles seem insurmountable. But because entrepreneurs are, above all, problem solvers who love a challenge, they have the courage and perseverance to keep going. They bounce back from failure like super-balls hitting the sidewalk. They keep their organizational plans in mind, and keep striving to achieve each step, one at a time.
6. They don't believe failure is an option. To be successful in your own business, you must believe 100% that you will succeed at what you are doing. You must have faith in your own ability to make things happen. You must believe that your idea is really a good one that will help other people or make the world better in some way. Sometimes, it simply takes guts-like the quarterback who decides to run the ball and, against all odds, scrambles over the pileup and scores a touchdown.
7. They have self-discipline. Running your own business doesn't mean that you can mosey down to your home office at 10 AM, go to lunch at noon, and take the afternoon off. Just like at a regular job, entrepreneurs work hard. In fact, many put in more hours and work harder than they did when they were someone's employee. But it's easier to put in the extra hour or two when you have a passion for what you are doing, a roadmap for where you're going, and the confidence that you will achieve success.
Does being in charge motivate you? Are you tired of working for someone else? Do YOU have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?
I am offering some “Tax Strategies” from former IRS attorney Sandy Botkin in my next “Leadership Luncheon” on March 2, 2011 for the entrepreneur. Come and see how to save some money on your taxes.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Brain Colors
I read this article and liked it…see what you think
What Color Is Your Brain?
In her book What Color Is Your Brain? personality-type expert, author and speaker Sheila N. Glazov simplifies the traditional Myers-Briggs personality indicator into a four-color-based, easy-to-use assessment model. “Misunderstandings between people often are the result of not appreciating another individual’s unique personality traits,” she says. Getting to know the color of your brain and of those whom you are dealing with in business can increase your likelihood of success.
Glazov’s assessment shakes out as such:
Yellow Brain: Rule-abiding critical thinkers, who need to be “right.”
Attitude: “I like to be in control.”
Blue Brain: Intuitive and creative people, who think “the sky’s the limit.”
Attitude: “I’ve got a great idea.”
Green Brain: Problem solving, contemplative loners, who thrive on innovation.
Attitude: “I want to be alone to think.”
Orange Brain: Creative, risk-taking instigators of change, who get results.
Attitude: “I can do it all.”
Short of handing out a personality quiz at a meeting, how can you assess your prospect’s brain color? Start with the cold call. Include key information like the name of the person who referred you and listen for the clues.
Yellow immediately refers to an appointment calendar.
Blue waxes on about their relationship with the person who referred you and happily helps you out.
Green usually won’t answer the phone, but on the off chance he picks up he’ll want the facts and only the facts.
Orange is eager and spontaneous and wants to know how quickly you can get there.
Modifying social behaviors based on brain color keeps you from missteps that can set relationships back years. It can also win you sales. Don’t dare be late if you’re meeting with a Yellow Brain. It’s better to reschedule. Blue loves the chitchat before a meeting and doesn’t really get comfortable until you connect with them personally. Try that same tack with Green and you’re wasting their time. Fill them up with data and let them sell you with their knowledge. Get to the point quickly with Orange, but forget the facts and figures. They’re just looking for results and a spontaneous conversation about their Caribbean cruise.
What Color Is Your Brain?
In her book What Color Is Your Brain? personality-type expert, author and speaker Sheila N. Glazov simplifies the traditional Myers-Briggs personality indicator into a four-color-based, easy-to-use assessment model. “Misunderstandings between people often are the result of not appreciating another individual’s unique personality traits,” she says. Getting to know the color of your brain and of those whom you are dealing with in business can increase your likelihood of success.
Glazov’s assessment shakes out as such:
Yellow Brain: Rule-abiding critical thinkers, who need to be “right.”
Attitude: “I like to be in control.”
Blue Brain: Intuitive and creative people, who think “the sky’s the limit.”
Attitude: “I’ve got a great idea.”
Green Brain: Problem solving, contemplative loners, who thrive on innovation.
Attitude: “I want to be alone to think.”
Orange Brain: Creative, risk-taking instigators of change, who get results.
Attitude: “I can do it all.”
Short of handing out a personality quiz at a meeting, how can you assess your prospect’s brain color? Start with the cold call. Include key information like the name of the person who referred you and listen for the clues.
Yellow immediately refers to an appointment calendar.
Blue waxes on about their relationship with the person who referred you and happily helps you out.
Green usually won’t answer the phone, but on the off chance he picks up he’ll want the facts and only the facts.
Orange is eager and spontaneous and wants to know how quickly you can get there.
Modifying social behaviors based on brain color keeps you from missteps that can set relationships back years. It can also win you sales. Don’t dare be late if you’re meeting with a Yellow Brain. It’s better to reschedule. Blue loves the chitchat before a meeting and doesn’t really get comfortable until you connect with them personally. Try that same tack with Green and you’re wasting their time. Fill them up with data and let them sell you with their knowledge. Get to the point quickly with Orange, but forget the facts and figures. They’re just looking for results and a spontaneous conversation about their Caribbean cruise.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
3D Way to Explode Your Productivity
The 3D Way to Explode Your Productivity
By Noah St. John, Ph.D.
"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out."
— Ronald Reagan
There are three things you can do with the Activities that come across your desk every day: you can DO them, DELETE them or DELEGATE them.
Those are the three D’s — Do, Delete, or Delegate — that we can do with anything that comes into our lives.
When you ask, "What Activities can I DO from my 'want to do LESS' pile (just get them over with)?”, these are what you want to do less of, but that HAVE to be done.
This might include bookkeeping, accounting, your newsletter or any number of other tedious-to-you Activities.
Like swallowing your medicine or going to the dentist, sometimes we just have to DO them and get them over with.
Then: "What Activities can I DELETE my 'want to do LESS' pile (just get rid of them)?" These may be things you've been telling yourself you "have to do". But upon closer inspection, maybe you don't. These are the things you can Delete.
Then: "What Activities can I DELEGATE from my 'want to do LESS' pile - and to whom?"
If you want to truly, dramatically explode your productivity - and your profits - the most important D is to Delegate.
Why? Because it's where you start to multiply your effectiveness and gain LEVERAGE in your life.
This is what happy, rich people do. Happy, rich people gain great leverage by delegating.
Do you think Donald Trump goes around building all those big buildings? Uh, no.
He goes around telling people, "Do this, this, and this," in that weird New York accent. I'm not saying we should act like Donald Trump; maybe for you, you need to delegate the laundry.
Another great question to install your Activities System is: "Who will I be ACCOUNTABLE to for reporting how I use my time, money and energy?"
You may be accountable to your whole group, or just to one other person.
You might say to your spouse or someone on your team: "Starting now, I'm going to Do, Delete and Delegate at higher levels. If you catch me NOT doing this, I want you to call me on it."
Give your Loving Mirrors PERMISSION to hold you accountable for your actions.
This is positive peer pressure: telling everybody that you're going to do something positive. If you fall short, everyone will see that, and you'll be embarrassed.
Since no one wants to be embarrassed (that's one of the world's biggest Why-Not-To), you will FORCE YOURSELF to take action.
By Noah St. John, Ph.D.
"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don't interfere as long as the policy you've decided upon is being carried out."
— Ronald Reagan
There are three things you can do with the Activities that come across your desk every day: you can DO them, DELETE them or DELEGATE them.
Those are the three D’s — Do, Delete, or Delegate — that we can do with anything that comes into our lives.
When you ask, "What Activities can I DO from my 'want to do LESS' pile (just get them over with)?”, these are what you want to do less of, but that HAVE to be done.
This might include bookkeeping, accounting, your newsletter or any number of other tedious-to-you Activities.
Like swallowing your medicine or going to the dentist, sometimes we just have to DO them and get them over with.
Then: "What Activities can I DELETE my 'want to do LESS' pile (just get rid of them)?" These may be things you've been telling yourself you "have to do". But upon closer inspection, maybe you don't. These are the things you can Delete.
Then: "What Activities can I DELEGATE from my 'want to do LESS' pile - and to whom?"
If you want to truly, dramatically explode your productivity - and your profits - the most important D is to Delegate.
Why? Because it's where you start to multiply your effectiveness and gain LEVERAGE in your life.
This is what happy, rich people do. Happy, rich people gain great leverage by delegating.
Do you think Donald Trump goes around building all those big buildings? Uh, no.
He goes around telling people, "Do this, this, and this," in that weird New York accent. I'm not saying we should act like Donald Trump; maybe for you, you need to delegate the laundry.
Another great question to install your Activities System is: "Who will I be ACCOUNTABLE to for reporting how I use my time, money and energy?"
You may be accountable to your whole group, or just to one other person.
You might say to your spouse or someone on your team: "Starting now, I'm going to Do, Delete and Delegate at higher levels. If you catch me NOT doing this, I want you to call me on it."
Give your Loving Mirrors PERMISSION to hold you accountable for your actions.
This is positive peer pressure: telling everybody that you're going to do something positive. If you fall short, everyone will see that, and you'll be embarrassed.
Since no one wants to be embarrassed (that's one of the world's biggest Why-Not-To), you will FORCE YOURSELF to take action.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Leadership
I read this and it made sense to me :)
You’re NOwhere ready for leadership if…
1. You're nowhere ready for leadership if you can't stand the heat.
2. You're nowhere ready for leadership if at the first sign of controversy you play the victim.
3. You're nowhere ready for leadership if you don't have a core passion for some important, world-changing mission that you're willing to sacrifice your comfort and even your well-being for.
4. You're nowhere ready for leadership if your primary motivator is money. Yeah, it is true that by and large leaders get paid more than followers. But I don't know one significant leader who does it for the money. What I've found is, when you find something you're passionate about that matters and do it with excellence, the money always seems to follow.
5. You're nowhere ready for leadership if you're not a reader.
I heard someone say many years ago that leaders are readers. I've heard men and women proudly proclaim, "I haven't read a book in years." The sad truth is, they didn't have to say it. Everyone around them knew it.
So before you lust after a head-coaching job, a CEO's position, or anything that will require personal responsibility and accountability, ask yourself, "Am I ready for leadership?"
You’re NOwhere ready for leadership if…
1. You're nowhere ready for leadership if you can't stand the heat.
2. You're nowhere ready for leadership if at the first sign of controversy you play the victim.
3. You're nowhere ready for leadership if you don't have a core passion for some important, world-changing mission that you're willing to sacrifice your comfort and even your well-being for.
4. You're nowhere ready for leadership if your primary motivator is money. Yeah, it is true that by and large leaders get paid more than followers. But I don't know one significant leader who does it for the money. What I've found is, when you find something you're passionate about that matters and do it with excellence, the money always seems to follow.
5. You're nowhere ready for leadership if you're not a reader.
I heard someone say many years ago that leaders are readers. I've heard men and women proudly proclaim, "I haven't read a book in years." The sad truth is, they didn't have to say it. Everyone around them knew it.
So before you lust after a head-coaching job, a CEO's position, or anything that will require personal responsibility and accountability, ask yourself, "Am I ready for leadership?"
Monday, January 17, 2011
Leaving a Legacy
The Importance of Leaving a Legacy by Jim Rohn
There are four areas concerning Leaving a Legacy that I consider to be fundamental: a Life Well-Lived, Principles to Live By, The Importance of a Spiritual Legacy and an Impact Legacy and a Financial Legacy. Today, I would like to share on a Life Well-Lived.
You know, I have had an amazing life. I have traveled the world. I have shared my heart with so many wonderful people. I have been fortunate enough to make a great living and enjoy the fruit of my work. I have met thousands of people who are dedicated to personal development and self-growth. I have made it my life's pursuit to teach others the philosophies and actions that would help them achieve greatness and personal fulfillment in their own lives. Forty years ago, it felt like it would never end. Today, I still imagine I have many years left, but I also am more aware than ever that there is much less time left than before.
Leaving a legacy for others to follow is part of what drives me. I followed others who had gone before me. They left a legacy for me. Now I am making sure that those who come after me will have a trail to follow as well. You see, leaving a legacy is important.
Think about those who left a legacy for us to follow and for you specifically:
Your parents
Your grandparents
Your aunts and uncles
Your schoolteachers
Your coaches
Your neighbors where you grew up
The Founding Fathers of the United States, who had a dream of a place of self-determination
Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves
FDR, who saw us through the Great Depression
The many men and women who defended our liberties through the wars of the 20th century so we could live in freedom
JFK, who called us to space exploration and set us on course to have a man walk on the moon
Martin Luther King Jr., who left us a legacy to pursue the dream of racial equality
There are literally thousands of men and women who lived in ways that affect our lives today.
Why is leaving a legacy important? Here are a few reasons:
The legacy we leave is part of the ongoing foundations of life. Those who came before leave us the world we live in. Those who will come after will have only what we leave them. We are stewards of this world, and we have a calling to leave it better than how we found it, even if it seems like such a small part.
Legacies have raw power for good and for bad. There are people who have changed the world for good, people who have opened up new worlds for millions of others, people who have spurred others on to new heights. And there are people who have caused massive destruction for countless millions, people who left a wake of pain behind them wherever they went.
There are parents who have blessed their children with greatness and other parents who have ruined their children's fragile minds and hearts. What we do affects others. Our lives have the power to create good or to purvey evil. It is important that we choose to do good.
It is an act of responsibility to leave a legacy. Because of the power of our lives and the legacies we leave, it is a great responsibility to choose to leave a positive legacy. All good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine. I truly believe that part of what makes us good and honorable people is to have a foundational part of our lives based on the goal of leaving a legacy.
Purposefully leaving a legacy for others breaks the downward pull of selfishness that can be inherent in us. When we strive to leave a legacy, we are acting with a selflessness that can only be good for us. Yes, I suppose someone could work hard to earn money so that when he or she dies, a building is named after them, but that is not the kind of legacy we are talking about. We are talking about legacies that make life better for those who come after us, not about our own fame or recognition, but about helping others. After all, we won't be around to watch our legacy. To build that which will last beyond us is selfless, and living with that in mind breaks the power of selfishness that tries so desperately to engrain itself in our lives.
It also keeps us focused on the big picture. Legacy building is "big picture." It keeps us focused on the long term and gives us values by which we can judge our actions. When we act based on selfishness, personal expediency and the like, we are "small picture"—whatever is pragmatic right now. When we build a life that will give for many years, we are "big picture." Ask yourself: How does this action affect my overall goals? How will this affect people in the years to come?
Yes, your legacy is very important. Reflect today on how you are going to build a life that leaves a tremendous legacy!
There are four areas concerning Leaving a Legacy that I consider to be fundamental: a Life Well-Lived, Principles to Live By, The Importance of a Spiritual Legacy and an Impact Legacy and a Financial Legacy. Today, I would like to share on a Life Well-Lived.
You know, I have had an amazing life. I have traveled the world. I have shared my heart with so many wonderful people. I have been fortunate enough to make a great living and enjoy the fruit of my work. I have met thousands of people who are dedicated to personal development and self-growth. I have made it my life's pursuit to teach others the philosophies and actions that would help them achieve greatness and personal fulfillment in their own lives. Forty years ago, it felt like it would never end. Today, I still imagine I have many years left, but I also am more aware than ever that there is much less time left than before.
Leaving a legacy for others to follow is part of what drives me. I followed others who had gone before me. They left a legacy for me. Now I am making sure that those who come after me will have a trail to follow as well. You see, leaving a legacy is important.
Think about those who left a legacy for us to follow and for you specifically:
Your parents
Your grandparents
Your aunts and uncles
Your schoolteachers
Your coaches
Your neighbors where you grew up
The Founding Fathers of the United States, who had a dream of a place of self-determination
Abraham Lincoln, who freed the slaves
FDR, who saw us through the Great Depression
The many men and women who defended our liberties through the wars of the 20th century so we could live in freedom
JFK, who called us to space exploration and set us on course to have a man walk on the moon
Martin Luther King Jr., who left us a legacy to pursue the dream of racial equality
There are literally thousands of men and women who lived in ways that affect our lives today.
Why is leaving a legacy important? Here are a few reasons:
The legacy we leave is part of the ongoing foundations of life. Those who came before leave us the world we live in. Those who will come after will have only what we leave them. We are stewards of this world, and we have a calling to leave it better than how we found it, even if it seems like such a small part.
Legacies have raw power for good and for bad. There are people who have changed the world for good, people who have opened up new worlds for millions of others, people who have spurred others on to new heights. And there are people who have caused massive destruction for countless millions, people who left a wake of pain behind them wherever they went.
There are parents who have blessed their children with greatness and other parents who have ruined their children's fragile minds and hearts. What we do affects others. Our lives have the power to create good or to purvey evil. It is important that we choose to do good.
It is an act of responsibility to leave a legacy. Because of the power of our lives and the legacies we leave, it is a great responsibility to choose to leave a positive legacy. All good men and women must take responsibility to create legacies that will take the next generation to a level we could only imagine. I truly believe that part of what makes us good and honorable people is to have a foundational part of our lives based on the goal of leaving a legacy.
Purposefully leaving a legacy for others breaks the downward pull of selfishness that can be inherent in us. When we strive to leave a legacy, we are acting with a selflessness that can only be good for us. Yes, I suppose someone could work hard to earn money so that when he or she dies, a building is named after them, but that is not the kind of legacy we are talking about. We are talking about legacies that make life better for those who come after us, not about our own fame or recognition, but about helping others. After all, we won't be around to watch our legacy. To build that which will last beyond us is selfless, and living with that in mind breaks the power of selfishness that tries so desperately to engrain itself in our lives.
It also keeps us focused on the big picture. Legacy building is "big picture." It keeps us focused on the long term and gives us values by which we can judge our actions. When we act based on selfishness, personal expediency and the like, we are "small picture"—whatever is pragmatic right now. When we build a life that will give for many years, we are "big picture." Ask yourself: How does this action affect my overall goals? How will this affect people in the years to come?
Yes, your legacy is very important. Reflect today on how you are going to build a life that leaves a tremendous legacy!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Earning More Money
I read this article from Success Magazine publisher Darren Hardy.
Money, Money, Money… We want more of it; we love it and all that it affords. Yet it can be the root of some of life’s most devastating experiences—divorce, bankruptcy, foreclosure and destitution.
However, money isn’t the problem.
Just like guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people, the same misplaced blame is applied to money. Money isn’t your problem; your relationship with money and what you do (or don’t do) with it is the problem.
Your relationship with money and what you do (or don’t do) with it is the problem.
Last month I showed you how you can take something that scares you and fear it no more by simply changing your perspective about it. Just in case you don’t recall, the subject was selling, and I had you take the four letter word S-E-L-L, cross it out and replace it with H-E-L-P. Focusing on helping rather than selling not only makes the entire experience far more comfortable and enjoyable, but it’s actually the key to being successful at it.
This month, I want to alter your mindset about this all-important force in our lives, now formerly known as M-O-N-E-Y. Take this five letter word money and cross it out. Now replace it with V-A-L-U-E. Stop thinking about money as money, and start understanding it as value.
That’s all money is: paper that denotes value. How do you get more money? Create more value. Period. That’s it.
If you are employed, why does the company you work for pay you money? Mistakenly, most people say, “for my time.” That’s incorrect. If that were true, you could just come in and sleep. No, they pay you for the value you deliver during the time you are working. If you deliver lots more value than is expected during that time, they will want to pay you even more money—in bonuses, raises and promotions—to keep you and the value you bring. If you deliver less value during the time you are working for them, they will stop paying you money. Or as our friend Donald Trump likes to say, “You’re fired!”
This is not simply a semantics issue; this is a completely different philosophy, mindset and way of operating in the world in relationship to money.
Instead of asking… How can we increase our revenue? Ask, How can we create and deliver more value? Instead of asking, How can we expand our business? Ask, How can we expand our value? Rather than asking, How can I become wealthier? Ask instead, How can I become more valuable?
Therein lies the secret to money. Money is just a tool to exchange value. The only way to obtain tons of money is to create tons of value.
And tons of value is what we have in store for you in this issue of SUCCESS Magazine. While the cover price might read $5.95, the information and advice you will discover to further increase your value (thus, your wealth) is, well, priceless.
Money, Money, Money… We want more of it; we love it and all that it affords. Yet it can be the root of some of life’s most devastating experiences—divorce, bankruptcy, foreclosure and destitution.
However, money isn’t the problem.
Just like guns don’t kill people, people with guns kill people, the same misplaced blame is applied to money. Money isn’t your problem; your relationship with money and what you do (or don’t do) with it is the problem.
Your relationship with money and what you do (or don’t do) with it is the problem.
Last month I showed you how you can take something that scares you and fear it no more by simply changing your perspective about it. Just in case you don’t recall, the subject was selling, and I had you take the four letter word S-E-L-L, cross it out and replace it with H-E-L-P. Focusing on helping rather than selling not only makes the entire experience far more comfortable and enjoyable, but it’s actually the key to being successful at it.
This month, I want to alter your mindset about this all-important force in our lives, now formerly known as M-O-N-E-Y. Take this five letter word money and cross it out. Now replace it with V-A-L-U-E. Stop thinking about money as money, and start understanding it as value.
That’s all money is: paper that denotes value. How do you get more money? Create more value. Period. That’s it.
If you are employed, why does the company you work for pay you money? Mistakenly, most people say, “for my time.” That’s incorrect. If that were true, you could just come in and sleep. No, they pay you for the value you deliver during the time you are working. If you deliver lots more value than is expected during that time, they will want to pay you even more money—in bonuses, raises and promotions—to keep you and the value you bring. If you deliver less value during the time you are working for them, they will stop paying you money. Or as our friend Donald Trump likes to say, “You’re fired!”
This is not simply a semantics issue; this is a completely different philosophy, mindset and way of operating in the world in relationship to money.
Instead of asking… How can we increase our revenue? Ask, How can we create and deliver more value? Instead of asking, How can we expand our business? Ask, How can we expand our value? Rather than asking, How can I become wealthier? Ask instead, How can I become more valuable?
Therein lies the secret to money. Money is just a tool to exchange value. The only way to obtain tons of money is to create tons of value.
And tons of value is what we have in store for you in this issue of SUCCESS Magazine. While the cover price might read $5.95, the information and advice you will discover to further increase your value (thus, your wealth) is, well, priceless.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Watch What You Say!
Watch what you say!
By Angela Sontheimer
I’d like to have you think about words.
No matter what language you speak, words are one of the many ways we communicate our thoughts, ideas, biases, and beliefs. They help us get our point across, help us express our emotions and, ultimately, help us get our way.
It’s probably not a surprise that men and women communicate very differently. Research shows that the average man utters about 14,000 words a day, while the average woman speaks between 21,000 and 24,000 words per day. That’s a lot of words.
But the quality of one’s words is what differentiates a leader from someone who is just talking a lot.
I think back to November 19, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and delivered some of the most powerful words ever spoken.
In just 272 words, he gave us one of the most precious public documents that I know of—the Gettysburg Address.
Lincoln chose his words carefully, and revised and finished his seminal speech here in the Wills House, where I am privileged to work each day.
Working internationally
What fascinates me is that even if someone communicates in English, their thoughts, ideas, and cultures are often quite different from ours. This makes me take a step back and think even more intently about the power of my words.
Am I communicating effectively? Am I offending without knowing it? Am I being thoughtful and purposeful? Am I being respectful?
As someone who works daily with leaders, I understand the importance of taking the time to consider what we say—before we say it. After all, communicating clearly is the goal of anyone in a leadership position.
Do you choose your words carefully?
Do you rewrite and revise—even if it is just an email message? Do you think about what you mean before you say it? Do you consider the impact of your words—or do you just blurt out whatever is on your mind without considering how it will be heard, understood, and responded to by others?
I suggest that we all follow Lincoln’s example and try to create concise, powerful documents. I encourage you to revise and refine until you have created a statement that truly gets your point across.
Try it. It’s harder to do than you may think. But if you want to be an effective leader it is critical.
By Angela Sontheimer
I’d like to have you think about words.
No matter what language you speak, words are one of the many ways we communicate our thoughts, ideas, biases, and beliefs. They help us get our point across, help us express our emotions and, ultimately, help us get our way.
It’s probably not a surprise that men and women communicate very differently. Research shows that the average man utters about 14,000 words a day, while the average woman speaks between 21,000 and 24,000 words per day. That’s a lot of words.
But the quality of one’s words is what differentiates a leader from someone who is just talking a lot.
I think back to November 19, 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln came to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and delivered some of the most powerful words ever spoken.
In just 272 words, he gave us one of the most precious public documents that I know of—the Gettysburg Address.
Lincoln chose his words carefully, and revised and finished his seminal speech here in the Wills House, where I am privileged to work each day.
Working internationally
What fascinates me is that even if someone communicates in English, their thoughts, ideas, and cultures are often quite different from ours. This makes me take a step back and think even more intently about the power of my words.
Am I communicating effectively? Am I offending without knowing it? Am I being thoughtful and purposeful? Am I being respectful?
As someone who works daily with leaders, I understand the importance of taking the time to consider what we say—before we say it. After all, communicating clearly is the goal of anyone in a leadership position.
Do you choose your words carefully?
Do you rewrite and revise—even if it is just an email message? Do you think about what you mean before you say it? Do you consider the impact of your words—or do you just blurt out whatever is on your mind without considering how it will be heard, understood, and responded to by others?
I suggest that we all follow Lincoln’s example and try to create concise, powerful documents. I encourage you to revise and refine until you have created a statement that truly gets your point across.
Try it. It’s harder to do than you may think. But if you want to be an effective leader it is critical.
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