Basics

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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Wally the cab driver

Wally… the cab driver

Harvey Mackay tells the story of Wally…
Harvey was in line for a cab at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey. He handed Harvey a laminated card and said:
“I’m Wally, your driver. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk, I’d like you to read my mission statement.” Harvey was taken back. The card said:
Wally’s Mission Statement:
To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.
This blew Harvey away. Then he noticed the inside of the cab was as clean as the outside. Spotless!

Wally slid behind the wheel and said, “Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.” Harvey jokingly said, “No, I’d prefer a soft drink.” “No problem” said Wally, I have a cooler with Coke, diet Coke, water, and orange juice. Stuttering Harvey said, “I’d… I’d like a diet Coke.”

Handing him the diet Coke, Wally said, “If you’d like something to read, I have the Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.”

Pulling out from the curb, Wally handed Harvey another laminated card. It read: “These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.”

As if that were not enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air-conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him. Then Wally advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. “I will be happy to chat” Wally said, “or if you prefer I will leave you to your own thoughts.”

Then Harvey asked, “Wally, have you always served customers like this?” “Not always,” Wally said as he smiled. “in fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You’ll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. Then Dyer said, “Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. BE an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.”

“That hit me right between the eyes,” Wally said. “Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.”

Harvey asked, “Has this paid off for you?”

“It sure has” Wally said. “My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.”

Wally was phenomenal. He became an eagle!

Monday, January 2, 2012

GOALS

Happy New Year!

What are your dreams and goals? This isn't what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there.
So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts.

Let's take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on hearing from our hearts what our dreams are:

Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don't do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush, and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet "dream time" this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts.

Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you LOVE to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel great and you will be in the "dream zone." It is only when we get to this point that we experience what our dreams are!

Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don't think of any as too outlandish or foolish—remember, you're dreaming! Let the thoughts fly and take careful record.

Now, prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.

Here is the big picture: Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backward. You can reflect with joy or regret. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams, are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well, for themselves and for their families.

Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family's life into congruence with what you want it to be.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Emotions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.