Everybody wants to get to the top, whether it is the top of a career, a company, the earnings scale, or the many other ways that we as individuals can define the “top” in our own lives! But with so many people trying to get to the top, how come so many people aren’t moving up? I think there are some fundamental reasons why. Reasons that can be addressed and changed!
What are some things you can do to get to the top?
Here are some thoughts for you this week!
First of all, define what the “top” means for you.
This is extremely important because if you don’t know where you are going, you will never get there! Some people don’t want to be the CEO of the company. In fact, many think they are better off then the CEO even though they don’t make as much money. Instead, they think they are at the top because of less stress, weekends with their families, etc, and I see their point. It doesn’t matter what others think is the top, only what you do, since you are only gauging whether or not YOU get there! So where is it for you? That is the first question for you to answer.
Be passionate about your goal.
Passion is the energy that drives us, or, as Alexander Pope said, passions are the “gales of life.” Passion is the wind in the sales of work. Find some thing you love and you will find something you can get to the top of. If you don’t love it, you may still make it to the top, though highly unlikely. And even if you do, there will be no joy. Let your passion carry you, because it will carry you far! Thomas Fuller put it this way: A man with passion rides a horse that runs away with him.
The will to continue in the face of hardship.
Another reason most will not get to the top is because they simply refuse to scale the mountains of hardship that separate them from the top. If you want to get to the beautiful view from the top, you will have to climb over any obstacles. Instead, many choose to stay at base camp!
One would think that Bjorn Borg, one of the greatest tennis players to ever live, would consider his skill his greatest asset. Instead, this is what he says, "My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball. My list of matches shows that I have turned a great many so-called irretrievable defeats into victories."
Continue until you get to the top!
Love people and treat them right.
What? Love people? That’s right! Why? Because if you are going to get to the top, you are going to need other people. Be a jerk and you will find people dragging their feet on you. Treat them right and you will find them helping you and even cheering you on!
Master the appropriate skills.
Average skills will get you to the middle. Top skills will get you to the TOP! This is most assuredly true when combined with the points above. Are you achieving excellence in the skills you need? Are you growing day by day, month by month, year by year? You can always get better and getting better will take you closer to the top! Even if you only improve a little, you can keep improving that small amount and it will eventually become a big amount! Demand the best from yourself and you will get to the top. Remember the words of Jose Ortega y Gasset: "We distinguish the excellent man from the common man by saying that the former is the one who makes great demands on himself, and the latter who makes no demands on himself."
Define the Top
Be Passionate
Persevere
Love others
Skill Mastery!
These will take you to the top!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
MAKE GREATNESS YOUR GOAL!
If greatness is your goal, whether in your business life, your personal relationships or your own personal growth, here are some guidelines to get you on your way. Greatness is possible! You can achieve the goals you set for yourself and you can make a difference in your own life and those who live and work around you! Set greatness as your goal! Here’s how:
Identify greatness for yourself. While there are some basic generalities that most people would consider great, there are broader definitions of greatness, ones that each individual sets for him or herself. For example, most people would consider Mother Theresa great while only some would consider Donald Trump great. Helping humanity is a broad generality while building a real estate fortune isn’t. So what you need to first do is ask, “What does greatness look like for this company, organization, family or for myself?” From there you can develop values and a mission statement etc. But if you don’t first identify it, you’ll never reach it.
Maximize targeted end results. As Covey says, “begin with the end in mind.” What end results do you want. Be specific. Come up with all of them. Maximize them. Leave no stone uncovered. Set out for yourself all of the goals or end results you must hit in order to reach greatness. Write them down, memorize them and distribute them broadly (if doing this for a group). Maximize your targeted end results!
Make distinction your endeavor. What is the endeavor of the great? Usually it is to distinguish themselves from the average. They seek to rise above the rest by the quality of their product or service. Everything goes toward the goal of making themselves distinct from the run of the mill. That is their mission. And in doing so, they make themselves great!
Map your effort thoroughly. The three most important words in real estate are “location, location, location.” In reaching a goal, the three most important words are “plan, plan, plan.” Okay, “execute” and “persevere” work too, but go with me here! Too many people wish they would achieve something but never write down a plan for getting there. When I want to go on a long trip I don’t just wish to get there. I plan on how to get there. I get a map, I figure out distances, times etc. Map out your goal thoroughly. This will help you achieve greatness.
Regularly take time for regeneration. Achieving greatness is hard! You will care more, work harder, and take more lumps and setbacks than the rest. So you will need to take time to regenerate so you can fight again another day. Your body needs rest. Your mind needs rest. Your emotions need rest. Your spirit needs rest. I firmly believe that a person who rests well can do more in less time than the one works without setting aside time for regeneration. You may be able to reach goals without rest, but somewhere along the line, you will fall harder and longer if you aren’t regularly regenerating yourself. So take your vacation time this year!
Have a strict evaluation process. Every plan and goal needs an evaluation tool. And it should be a strict evaluation process. This is how you objectively decide whether or not you are proceeding toward your goal. If you have the right evaluation tool and you look six months into it and you aren’t hitting the goals, perhaps you need to change the goal or the way you are going after it. The evaluation process is not to be underestimated in its importance!
Take somebody else with you. True greatness is not individual. The one who becomes great spreads the reward of greatness around. Incorporate many people into the plan and let them eat of the fruit of success. I live in an area that has literally thousands of millionaires created by a company that had a vision of greatness. And while yes, they experience the reward, the rewards then go out many levels through the whole community, from businesses that support our community to non-profit groups, churches, and schools. True greatness blesses those many levels away.
Learn to party! Party? Yes! What good is greatness if you can’t enjoy it? And not just the final destination but also the entire journey. Be sure to stop along the way and relish in your movement. Celebrate small and large victories. This keeps the sprit high and the big mo rolling! Spend the money, buy the food and blow up the balloons – it’s time to celebrate!
Identify greatness for yourself. While there are some basic generalities that most people would consider great, there are broader definitions of greatness, ones that each individual sets for him or herself. For example, most people would consider Mother Theresa great while only some would consider Donald Trump great. Helping humanity is a broad generality while building a real estate fortune isn’t. So what you need to first do is ask, “What does greatness look like for this company, organization, family or for myself?” From there you can develop values and a mission statement etc. But if you don’t first identify it, you’ll never reach it.
Maximize targeted end results. As Covey says, “begin with the end in mind.” What end results do you want. Be specific. Come up with all of them. Maximize them. Leave no stone uncovered. Set out for yourself all of the goals or end results you must hit in order to reach greatness. Write them down, memorize them and distribute them broadly (if doing this for a group). Maximize your targeted end results!
Make distinction your endeavor. What is the endeavor of the great? Usually it is to distinguish themselves from the average. They seek to rise above the rest by the quality of their product or service. Everything goes toward the goal of making themselves distinct from the run of the mill. That is their mission. And in doing so, they make themselves great!
Map your effort thoroughly. The three most important words in real estate are “location, location, location.” In reaching a goal, the three most important words are “plan, plan, plan.” Okay, “execute” and “persevere” work too, but go with me here! Too many people wish they would achieve something but never write down a plan for getting there. When I want to go on a long trip I don’t just wish to get there. I plan on how to get there. I get a map, I figure out distances, times etc. Map out your goal thoroughly. This will help you achieve greatness.
Regularly take time for regeneration. Achieving greatness is hard! You will care more, work harder, and take more lumps and setbacks than the rest. So you will need to take time to regenerate so you can fight again another day. Your body needs rest. Your mind needs rest. Your emotions need rest. Your spirit needs rest. I firmly believe that a person who rests well can do more in less time than the one works without setting aside time for regeneration. You may be able to reach goals without rest, but somewhere along the line, you will fall harder and longer if you aren’t regularly regenerating yourself. So take your vacation time this year!
Have a strict evaluation process. Every plan and goal needs an evaluation tool. And it should be a strict evaluation process. This is how you objectively decide whether or not you are proceeding toward your goal. If you have the right evaluation tool and you look six months into it and you aren’t hitting the goals, perhaps you need to change the goal or the way you are going after it. The evaluation process is not to be underestimated in its importance!
Take somebody else with you. True greatness is not individual. The one who becomes great spreads the reward of greatness around. Incorporate many people into the plan and let them eat of the fruit of success. I live in an area that has literally thousands of millionaires created by a company that had a vision of greatness. And while yes, they experience the reward, the rewards then go out many levels through the whole community, from businesses that support our community to non-profit groups, churches, and schools. True greatness blesses those many levels away.
Learn to party! Party? Yes! What good is greatness if you can’t enjoy it? And not just the final destination but also the entire journey. Be sure to stop along the way and relish in your movement. Celebrate small and large victories. This keeps the sprit high and the big mo rolling! Spend the money, buy the food and blow up the balloons – it’s time to celebrate!
Friday, April 25, 2008
THE ACID TEST OF LISTENING
Paraphrase Your Customer's Words
The customer is only sure that you have been listening when you paraphrase what the prospect has said and feed it back in your own words. This is where the rubber meets the road in effective listening. This is where you demonstrate in no uncertain terms to the prospect that your listening has been real and sincere. This is where you show the prospect that you were paying complete attention to what he or she was saying. Paraphrasing is how you prove it.
Question for Clarification
When the prospect has finished explaining his or her situation to you, and you have paused, and then questioned for clarification, you paraphrase the prospects primary thoughts and concerns, and feed them back to him or her in your own words.
Use the Right Words
For example, you might say, "Let me make sure I understand exactly what you are saying. It sounds to me like you are concerned about two things more than anything else, and that in the past you have had a couple of experiences that have made you very careful in approaching a decision of this kind."
Feed it Back Accurately
You then go on to feed back to the prospect exactly what he or she has told you, pausing and questioning for clarification as you go, until the customer says words to the effect of, "Yes, that's it! You've got it exactly."
Earn the Right to Sell
Only when you and the customer completed a thorough "examination" and have mutually agreed on the "diagnosis" you are in a position to begin talking to the customer about your product or service. In general terms, this means that you can not pull out your brochures and price lists and begin telling the customer how your product or service can solve his problems or achieve his goals until about seventy percent of the way through the sales conversation. Until then, you have not yet earned the right. Until then, you don't even know enough to begin an intelligent presentation without embarrassing yourself.
Be a Good Listener
The more and better you listen, the more and better people will like you, trust you and want to do business with you. The more they will want to get involved with you as a person and the more popular you will be with them. Excellent listeners are welcome everywhere, in every walk of life, and they eventually and ultimately arrive at the top of their fields.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, remember that your first job in the sale is to get the customer to like you and believe that you understand his situation. Paraphrasing is the way you accomplish this.
Second, be sure that the customer agrees with you completely when you feed back his concerns to him. Only then can you really start selling.
"Learn how to build loyal customers who buy from you over and over - and tell their friends!"A satisfied customer is 10x easier to sell to than a new customer. A referral from a satisfied customer is 15x easier to sell to than a cold call. Now you can develop a customer service strategy that will get people to buy from you over and over again, increasing your sales, income and profitability.
Customers for Life
The highest paid salespeople and the most profitable companies have the best reputation for customer service. You learn a series of low-cost, no-cost ways to get customers to buy from you, buy again, and tell their friends.
The customer is only sure that you have been listening when you paraphrase what the prospect has said and feed it back in your own words. This is where the rubber meets the road in effective listening. This is where you demonstrate in no uncertain terms to the prospect that your listening has been real and sincere. This is where you show the prospect that you were paying complete attention to what he or she was saying. Paraphrasing is how you prove it.
Question for Clarification
When the prospect has finished explaining his or her situation to you, and you have paused, and then questioned for clarification, you paraphrase the prospects primary thoughts and concerns, and feed them back to him or her in your own words.
Use the Right Words
For example, you might say, "Let me make sure I understand exactly what you are saying. It sounds to me like you are concerned about two things more than anything else, and that in the past you have had a couple of experiences that have made you very careful in approaching a decision of this kind."
Feed it Back Accurately
You then go on to feed back to the prospect exactly what he or she has told you, pausing and questioning for clarification as you go, until the customer says words to the effect of, "Yes, that's it! You've got it exactly."
Earn the Right to Sell
Only when you and the customer completed a thorough "examination" and have mutually agreed on the "diagnosis" you are in a position to begin talking to the customer about your product or service. In general terms, this means that you can not pull out your brochures and price lists and begin telling the customer how your product or service can solve his problems or achieve his goals until about seventy percent of the way through the sales conversation. Until then, you have not yet earned the right. Until then, you don't even know enough to begin an intelligent presentation without embarrassing yourself.
Be a Good Listener
The more and better you listen, the more and better people will like you, trust you and want to do business with you. The more they will want to get involved with you as a person and the more popular you will be with them. Excellent listeners are welcome everywhere, in every walk of life, and they eventually and ultimately arrive at the top of their fields.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, remember that your first job in the sale is to get the customer to like you and believe that you understand his situation. Paraphrasing is the way you accomplish this.
Second, be sure that the customer agrees with you completely when you feed back his concerns to him. Only then can you really start selling.
"Learn how to build loyal customers who buy from you over and over - and tell their friends!"A satisfied customer is 10x easier to sell to than a new customer. A referral from a satisfied customer is 15x easier to sell to than a cold call. Now you can develop a customer service strategy that will get people to buy from you over and over again, increasing your sales, income and profitability.
Customers for Life
The highest paid salespeople and the most profitable companies have the best reputation for customer service. You learn a series of low-cost, no-cost ways to get customers to buy from you, buy again, and tell their friends.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
THE CHALLENGER TO LEAD
What would I say if given just one more chance to give a short speech that would challenge people to step forward and lead? Here it is:
The topic of leadership has been and continues to be one of the most vital topics in human history. From ancient civilizations to modern day multi-national corporations, men and women of passion, fervor and zeal have sought to discover the secrets of moving others beyond the gray of their mundane reality to the rich array of colors that embody the palate of the extraordinary life.
Every organization or collection of people, from large to small, requires ardent and skilled leaders. It has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership, and it is true. Every group – families, cities, churches, associations and yes, even nations – fulfills its purposes and potential based on the leadership it is shown.
As leaders we are given the charge, the responsibility, and the privilege to see grand visions, to dream lofty dreams, to forge new ground, and to challenge and encourage those who would follow our leadership to ascend the heights with us. We beckon them to come. We implore them. All for their own good. This is to lead them toward their possibilities.
Be assured that there will be a leader of every group. There will be those who influence others, even if you don’t. There may even be unscrupulous people who use their abilities to lead others astray. The quote “All it takes for evil to prevail is for the good man to do nothing,” remains true today, as it has through the annals of time. This is the compelling motive for you to rise up and lead the way for others.
Our families depend on it.
Our community groups depend on it.
Our nations depend on it.
People will follow you for two reasons: They follow you because of your character, for who you are. They also follow you for your skills, for what you can do. Make it your every effort to impart skillful and honorable leadership for them that would look to you for your wisdom, your guidance and your belief in the promise of the human spirit.
Someone will lead. Will it be you? If not you, then who will lead? If you will not lead now, then when?
Today, more than ever, you are needed. Your strong character is needed. Your finely honed skills are needed. I know you will rise to the challenge.
Lead boldly. Lead with faith. Lead others to the pinnacle of the human existence. This is the highest calling and the reward is of the utmost kind.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." - Niccolo Machiavelli
The topic of leadership has been and continues to be one of the most vital topics in human history. From ancient civilizations to modern day multi-national corporations, men and women of passion, fervor and zeal have sought to discover the secrets of moving others beyond the gray of their mundane reality to the rich array of colors that embody the palate of the extraordinary life.
Every organization or collection of people, from large to small, requires ardent and skilled leaders. It has been said that everything rises and falls on leadership, and it is true. Every group – families, cities, churches, associations and yes, even nations – fulfills its purposes and potential based on the leadership it is shown.
As leaders we are given the charge, the responsibility, and the privilege to see grand visions, to dream lofty dreams, to forge new ground, and to challenge and encourage those who would follow our leadership to ascend the heights with us. We beckon them to come. We implore them. All for their own good. This is to lead them toward their possibilities.
Be assured that there will be a leader of every group. There will be those who influence others, even if you don’t. There may even be unscrupulous people who use their abilities to lead others astray. The quote “All it takes for evil to prevail is for the good man to do nothing,” remains true today, as it has through the annals of time. This is the compelling motive for you to rise up and lead the way for others.
Our families depend on it.
Our community groups depend on it.
Our nations depend on it.
People will follow you for two reasons: They follow you because of your character, for who you are. They also follow you for your skills, for what you can do. Make it your every effort to impart skillful and honorable leadership for them that would look to you for your wisdom, your guidance and your belief in the promise of the human spirit.
Someone will lead. Will it be you? If not you, then who will lead? If you will not lead now, then when?
Today, more than ever, you are needed. Your strong character is needed. Your finely honed skills are needed. I know you will rise to the challenge.
Lead boldly. Lead with faith. Lead others to the pinnacle of the human existence. This is the highest calling and the reward is of the utmost kind.
QUOTE FOR TODAY
"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." - Niccolo Machiavelli
Monday, April 21, 2008
THE SEVEN C's OF SUCCESS
Get ready to sail the Seven C’s – the Seven C’s of Success that is. Get on board and ride this ship to your destiny! There are Seven C’s you must sail if you want to be a total success. Here they are, in alphabetical order:
Caring – I believe that to be a true success in this world we must have a bigger vision than simply accomplishing a goal for ourselves or simply lining our own pockets. I believe that successful people have a deep care for others. Yes, they are aggressive, but they are not aggressive to the point that they run roughshod over others. Question:What is your care factor? Have you placed people in their proper place, as people worthy of dignity, respect, and proper treatment? Or have you begun to treat others as a means to an end for yourself?
Character – Becoming a success is more than increasing the digits in your bank account. In fact, I believe ANYONE can increase his or her bank account with a simple plan. Financial development is the easy part. Character development is the hard part, letting each and every experience shape and mold us as we experience them, always moving toward our goal and never allowing negative circumstances to destroy us but make us better people. This is what true success is about! Question:How is your character? Are you becoming a better person with each passing experience? Are you becoming a rock of wisdom and experience, deepening your foundation of character?
Choice – Eisenhower reminded us that our histories are written by choice, not by chance. Every movement you make toward your ultimate success and destiny will be because you choose to move toward it. The actions that you choose, each and every day will add up, over the long-term, to your final destination. The power we have as humans to choose is one of the greatest gifts known to mankind. Question: Do you choose success with each and every choice you make? Each choice you make either moves you toward your goal or away from it. Which do you choose?
Concentration – Often those who fail do so because they lose their concentration. Something else comes along and becomes their newfound fancy. They move from whim to whim, tossed to and fro by the strong blowing winds. The successful person however, stands firm, with their eyes transfixed on the goal. One of my favorite posters as a boy was of George Brett of the Kansas City Royals Baseball Team. They picture was taken just as the bat was hitting the ball. Where were George’s eyes? Straight down the barrel of the bat, looking at the point where the ball and bat came together. Now that is concentration! Question:How is your concentration? Do you stick to your goal and focus firmly on it, or do you let your mind and heart wander from whim to whim?
Confidence – Success comes to those who have the confidence to try, and more than that, the confidence to win. Confidence is something that you can grow in your mind and heart. Each passing victory that you achieve builds more and more confidence in you to draw from the next time you go to fight another battle on your journey to success. Do what you can to build confidence inside of yourself so you will be able to dip deeply into that well when you need it! Question:How is your confidence? Do you believe that you can achieve what you conceive? Are you winning victories that you can then draw on later?
Consistency – People who become a success realize that to a great degree, success is a formula. At the very least it is sticking to doing the right things for a long enough period of time for them to create their destiny. This is consistency. They consistently do the things that will bring them their success. Tiger Woods hits hundreds of practice balls each and every day. He doesn’t do 100 one day, then two days off, then 500 balls, then a day off, then 300 balls, then three days off. No, he knows the power of consistency and has achieved a level of success that that consistency formulated for him. Question: How is your consistency? Are you consistent? Are you doing the things you need to do each and every day that will bring your goal to you?
Courage – Successful people are brave people. They know that even success has its challenges, yet they face them head on and move forward anyway. No mountain is too high, nor river too wide, nor foe too large for the person who will choose to live out their dreams! They are courageous people who continue on even when others have quit. And for that they receive their reward! Question:How about you? Are you courageous? Are you willing to face the obstacles and move forward in spite of the fear that may try to well up within you? Be courageous and you will succeed!
There they are, the Seven C’s of Success. Set sail today!
Caring,Character,Choice,Concentration,Confidence,Consistency and Courage.
Caring – I believe that to be a true success in this world we must have a bigger vision than simply accomplishing a goal for ourselves or simply lining our own pockets. I believe that successful people have a deep care for others. Yes, they are aggressive, but they are not aggressive to the point that they run roughshod over others. Question:What is your care factor? Have you placed people in their proper place, as people worthy of dignity, respect, and proper treatment? Or have you begun to treat others as a means to an end for yourself?
Character – Becoming a success is more than increasing the digits in your bank account. In fact, I believe ANYONE can increase his or her bank account with a simple plan. Financial development is the easy part. Character development is the hard part, letting each and every experience shape and mold us as we experience them, always moving toward our goal and never allowing negative circumstances to destroy us but make us better people. This is what true success is about! Question:How is your character? Are you becoming a better person with each passing experience? Are you becoming a rock of wisdom and experience, deepening your foundation of character?
Choice – Eisenhower reminded us that our histories are written by choice, not by chance. Every movement you make toward your ultimate success and destiny will be because you choose to move toward it. The actions that you choose, each and every day will add up, over the long-term, to your final destination. The power we have as humans to choose is one of the greatest gifts known to mankind. Question: Do you choose success with each and every choice you make? Each choice you make either moves you toward your goal or away from it. Which do you choose?
Concentration – Often those who fail do so because they lose their concentration. Something else comes along and becomes their newfound fancy. They move from whim to whim, tossed to and fro by the strong blowing winds. The successful person however, stands firm, with their eyes transfixed on the goal. One of my favorite posters as a boy was of George Brett of the Kansas City Royals Baseball Team. They picture was taken just as the bat was hitting the ball. Where were George’s eyes? Straight down the barrel of the bat, looking at the point where the ball and bat came together. Now that is concentration! Question:How is your concentration? Do you stick to your goal and focus firmly on it, or do you let your mind and heart wander from whim to whim?
Confidence – Success comes to those who have the confidence to try, and more than that, the confidence to win. Confidence is something that you can grow in your mind and heart. Each passing victory that you achieve builds more and more confidence in you to draw from the next time you go to fight another battle on your journey to success. Do what you can to build confidence inside of yourself so you will be able to dip deeply into that well when you need it! Question:How is your confidence? Do you believe that you can achieve what you conceive? Are you winning victories that you can then draw on later?
Consistency – People who become a success realize that to a great degree, success is a formula. At the very least it is sticking to doing the right things for a long enough period of time for them to create their destiny. This is consistency. They consistently do the things that will bring them their success. Tiger Woods hits hundreds of practice balls each and every day. He doesn’t do 100 one day, then two days off, then 500 balls, then a day off, then 300 balls, then three days off. No, he knows the power of consistency and has achieved a level of success that that consistency formulated for him. Question: How is your consistency? Are you consistent? Are you doing the things you need to do each and every day that will bring your goal to you?
Courage – Successful people are brave people. They know that even success has its challenges, yet they face them head on and move forward anyway. No mountain is too high, nor river too wide, nor foe too large for the person who will choose to live out their dreams! They are courageous people who continue on even when others have quit. And for that they receive their reward! Question:How about you? Are you courageous? Are you willing to face the obstacles and move forward in spite of the fear that may try to well up within you? Be courageous and you will succeed!
There they are, the Seven C’s of Success. Set sail today!
Caring,Character,Choice,Concentration,Confidence,Consistency and Courage.
Friday, April 18, 2008
ACCELERATE YOUR ABILITIES
In today’s fast-paced life, the wins usually go to those with exceptional skills and abilities. The old quote is true, “The race is not always won by the swift and the strong, but that is the way to bet.”
With this in mind, and with your desire to become increasingly successful, here are some ways to accelerate your abilities, thus enabling you to achieve greater and greater things.
Become dissatisfied with your current state.
Growth for growth’s sake is good. Those who will achieve much are those who say to themselves, “I want to grow. I want to be better. And I am willing to do what it takes to get there. This current state is not enough!” This dissatisfaction will create for you an insatiable drive to do what it takes to get your abilities to the next level.
Visualize the benefits of increased abilities.
Put them at the forefront of your mind. This will saturate your mind with the motivation that it will take for you to do what it takes to increase your abilities. What good will come out of my increased ability? How will I be better off as well as the others around me? The answers to these questions act as the carrot before the horse, moving you forward.
Understand your weaknesses.
If you want to improve, one of the best ways is to start with some area that you aren’t particularly good at. This is the “shoring up method.” Sometimes it is easier to improve something you aren’t good at that something you are. And the gains will still look great for your overall situation! Take some time to consider what areas you are weakest in and focus in on them for a while. The results will obviously be much more pronounced than getting better at something you have already somewhat mastered.
Attempt greater levels of what you are already good at.
Another tact to take would be to stretch yourself in an area that you already have some skill and ability in. What areas do you excel in? Now understand that when you leave the weaker areas weak and make extraordinary gains in one area, then you will be moving more toward “specialist” rather than “generalist.” That is okay, but needs to fit in with your overall goals.
Commit time each day to improvement.
Steady improvement is the way to go. In fact, you may not see improvement for days or weeks. You may feel like you are failing each time. But alas, eventually you will get it and your skill will increase to the next level. The key is day in, day out, spending time working on improving. Even five minutes a day equals a half hour a week, 2 hours a month. That adds up! Remember, Practice, practice, practice.
Seek out and spend time with someone who has greater ability than you.
One of the best things to do to increase your ability is hang out with people who are already more skilled than you. Watching, them, studying them, interacting with them, even competing with them will make you better. As in sports, to improve, you play with people better than you, not worse. They will raise you to a new level. Who around you can you get involved with who will help you with your ability?
Take a class or hire a coach.
Go to school my friend. Take a course at a local college or vocational institute. Take a class online. Hire one of the many coaches available today. Pick a specific skill you would like to improve upon and find someone who is a specialist in that area. At the very least, pick up some audio or videotapes to help you grow.
Be the tortoise, not the hare.
Slow but sure. Take your time, do it right. Keep going in the right direction. Learn your craft correctly. Don’t give up quality for speed. The whole idea of acceleration is this way: Slow start, work up to high speeds, go the distance. Luckily life isn’t a sprint but a marathon!
Hope these ideas help you as you commit to accelerating your abilities!
With this in mind, and with your desire to become increasingly successful, here are some ways to accelerate your abilities, thus enabling you to achieve greater and greater things.
Become dissatisfied with your current state.
Growth for growth’s sake is good. Those who will achieve much are those who say to themselves, “I want to grow. I want to be better. And I am willing to do what it takes to get there. This current state is not enough!” This dissatisfaction will create for you an insatiable drive to do what it takes to get your abilities to the next level.
Visualize the benefits of increased abilities.
Put them at the forefront of your mind. This will saturate your mind with the motivation that it will take for you to do what it takes to increase your abilities. What good will come out of my increased ability? How will I be better off as well as the others around me? The answers to these questions act as the carrot before the horse, moving you forward.
Understand your weaknesses.
If you want to improve, one of the best ways is to start with some area that you aren’t particularly good at. This is the “shoring up method.” Sometimes it is easier to improve something you aren’t good at that something you are. And the gains will still look great for your overall situation! Take some time to consider what areas you are weakest in and focus in on them for a while. The results will obviously be much more pronounced than getting better at something you have already somewhat mastered.
Attempt greater levels of what you are already good at.
Another tact to take would be to stretch yourself in an area that you already have some skill and ability in. What areas do you excel in? Now understand that when you leave the weaker areas weak and make extraordinary gains in one area, then you will be moving more toward “specialist” rather than “generalist.” That is okay, but needs to fit in with your overall goals.
Commit time each day to improvement.
Steady improvement is the way to go. In fact, you may not see improvement for days or weeks. You may feel like you are failing each time. But alas, eventually you will get it and your skill will increase to the next level. The key is day in, day out, spending time working on improving. Even five minutes a day equals a half hour a week, 2 hours a month. That adds up! Remember, Practice, practice, practice.
Seek out and spend time with someone who has greater ability than you.
One of the best things to do to increase your ability is hang out with people who are already more skilled than you. Watching, them, studying them, interacting with them, even competing with them will make you better. As in sports, to improve, you play with people better than you, not worse. They will raise you to a new level. Who around you can you get involved with who will help you with your ability?
Take a class or hire a coach.
Go to school my friend. Take a course at a local college or vocational institute. Take a class online. Hire one of the many coaches available today. Pick a specific skill you would like to improve upon and find someone who is a specialist in that area. At the very least, pick up some audio or videotapes to help you grow.
Be the tortoise, not the hare.
Slow but sure. Take your time, do it right. Keep going in the right direction. Learn your craft correctly. Don’t give up quality for speed. The whole idea of acceleration is this way: Slow start, work up to high speeds, go the distance. Luckily life isn’t a sprint but a marathon!
Hope these ideas help you as you commit to accelerating your abilities!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
HOW TO BE MONEY-WISE
Have you ever noticed that no matter how much money you seem to make there is never enough? Do you wonder why you never seem to get ahead financially? Have you ever taken an assessment of your relationship with money? This will determine where the problem might be. Then together, we can diagnose your financial disease and develop a plan of care to treat it and cure it.
Identify your Needs
You need many things in life including food, shelter, clothing and education. Needs are those things that you cannot live without or thatliving without would cause hardship and distress. Knowing whether something is a need or a want is important since your perception will determine whether you spend your money on it or not.There was a time – not so long ago - when there were no cellular phones or E-mail – and we managed, just the same. New technology is created to make things easier and enhance the quality of your life. But technology doesn't eat a hole in your wallet or put you into debt– you do that when you choose to purchase things you cannot afford. Many people feel they deserve to "treat" themselves to expensive items or spend money they don't have on living a lifestyle they have yet to earn. They charge these "rewards" on borrowing. But there are costs for borrowing money, besides the fees and the interest, you experience the stress of being in debt and you are living a lie. And yes, you still need to pay the money back for those expensive things that you purchased. As you know, companies use advertising to market their products. The role of advertising is to create "needs" for the things that you"want" which influences purchasing behavior. It's your job to decide whether each new product is something you really need, something that will make your life easier or add to the quality of your life or, whether it's something you can continue to live without. The amount of money you have to spend is finite; everything in life is a trade off. If you are going to spend your money on one thing today then this becomes money that is not available for saving or for purchasing more important items in the future. Just as you prioritize your time, learn to prioritize your spending. Before you make a purchase, ask yourself whether the item is a need or a want and decide accordingly.
Use Cash Only
Accept responsibility for your financial situation and change your spending patterns. Reward yourself by purchasing items with good old cash and developing a savings plan. A couple of things will happen.You will think twice before you spend your cash and you will start building a reserve of money to support you for a "rainy day". Not to mention, you will have the ability to save more for your retirement. Identify your spending habits by writing down every naira you spend for a week or two. Identify how much you're spending, on what and where your money is going. Eliminate all unnecessary spending such as unnecessary phone calls, unneeded gadgets, and wasteful purchases.Return items you will never use. Examine every bill you pay; is there any way to lower your bills – perhaps eliminating a luxury item? Put money back in your pocket by identifying areas to cut back. My clients have found hundreds of naira that they were able to cut back –a week! Make a game of it and include those in your family.
Owe No Man!
Eliminating debt is an important part of the process. Debt is created from many sources: a spending addiction, living a lifestyle beyond your means, being driven by wants, impulse buying and a lack of respect for your money.
Save For A Rainy Day
Open a savings account and start saving 10-20 percent of your earnings. If you can, have the money deducted automatically out ofyour pay cheque. Take pride in saving your money; after all, you are working hard to earn it.Imagine your bright financial future with plenty of extra money and no longer living hands-to-mouth. Imagine having #1,000,000 in the bank. How would that feel? What about #5,000,000 or #10,000,000? You might think it's impossible, but all it takes is learning to make better choices. It's about learning to exercise the proper respect for your money. It's not the big-ticket items that are the problem; you carefully plan for those purchases. It's the small, day-to-daypurchases that are stealing your financial freedom away. What is#100,000 anyway? It's one hundred thousand of those little one-naira bills!
Identify your Needs
You need many things in life including food, shelter, clothing and education. Needs are those things that you cannot live without or thatliving without would cause hardship and distress. Knowing whether something is a need or a want is important since your perception will determine whether you spend your money on it or not.There was a time – not so long ago - when there were no cellular phones or E-mail – and we managed, just the same. New technology is created to make things easier and enhance the quality of your life. But technology doesn't eat a hole in your wallet or put you into debt– you do that when you choose to purchase things you cannot afford. Many people feel they deserve to "treat" themselves to expensive items or spend money they don't have on living a lifestyle they have yet to earn. They charge these "rewards" on borrowing. But there are costs for borrowing money, besides the fees and the interest, you experience the stress of being in debt and you are living a lie. And yes, you still need to pay the money back for those expensive things that you purchased. As you know, companies use advertising to market their products. The role of advertising is to create "needs" for the things that you"want" which influences purchasing behavior. It's your job to decide whether each new product is something you really need, something that will make your life easier or add to the quality of your life or, whether it's something you can continue to live without. The amount of money you have to spend is finite; everything in life is a trade off. If you are going to spend your money on one thing today then this becomes money that is not available for saving or for purchasing more important items in the future. Just as you prioritize your time, learn to prioritize your spending. Before you make a purchase, ask yourself whether the item is a need or a want and decide accordingly.
Use Cash Only
Accept responsibility for your financial situation and change your spending patterns. Reward yourself by purchasing items with good old cash and developing a savings plan. A couple of things will happen.You will think twice before you spend your cash and you will start building a reserve of money to support you for a "rainy day". Not to mention, you will have the ability to save more for your retirement. Identify your spending habits by writing down every naira you spend for a week or two. Identify how much you're spending, on what and where your money is going. Eliminate all unnecessary spending such as unnecessary phone calls, unneeded gadgets, and wasteful purchases.Return items you will never use. Examine every bill you pay; is there any way to lower your bills – perhaps eliminating a luxury item? Put money back in your pocket by identifying areas to cut back. My clients have found hundreds of naira that they were able to cut back –a week! Make a game of it and include those in your family.
Owe No Man!
Eliminating debt is an important part of the process. Debt is created from many sources: a spending addiction, living a lifestyle beyond your means, being driven by wants, impulse buying and a lack of respect for your money.
Save For A Rainy Day
Open a savings account and start saving 10-20 percent of your earnings. If you can, have the money deducted automatically out ofyour pay cheque. Take pride in saving your money; after all, you are working hard to earn it.Imagine your bright financial future with plenty of extra money and no longer living hands-to-mouth. Imagine having #1,000,000 in the bank. How would that feel? What about #5,000,000 or #10,000,000? You might think it's impossible, but all it takes is learning to make better choices. It's about learning to exercise the proper respect for your money. It's not the big-ticket items that are the problem; you carefully plan for those purchases. It's the small, day-to-daypurchases that are stealing your financial freedom away. What is#100,000 anyway? It's one hundred thousand of those little one-naira bills!
Friday, April 11, 2008
COURAGE THAT CHANGES YOUR LIFE
"The scars you acquire while exercising courage will never make you feel inferior." - D.A. Battista
Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought no to be feared. David Ben-Gurion
Courage is fear that has said its prayers. Dorothy Bernard
Courage.
It is a word that conjures up images of great and dramatic actions. And yet I realize that we all have the opportunity to be courageous every day, in small and large ways. And it is when we choose to be courageous that we change our lives and the lives of those around us.
Can you name anything of any significance that did not emanate from some sort of courageous decision? I can’t. Think of the changes that we have experienced in the last few decades and trace them back to their initial decision. Chances are, someone exhibited courage.
So what is courage? It is simply acting on what we want to do, regardless of any fear we may have. It is the choice to disregard worry. It is the choice to do right, to pursue our dreams, to be successful people, to lead the way for others.
Courage changes lives. Yes, it changes lives.
First, the day you begin to stare down your fears and worries, and instead act courageously, your life will change. You will be set free to fly like you never have before. You will accomplish things you once only dreamed of. You will experience things you thought were only for others – the courageous ones. You will realize that your fears were baseless and just paper tigers, a mirage. You will begin to live your dreams. You will become a person of character!
You will also change the lives of others. Simply put, courageous people pull others along with them. Everybody benefits from courageous people. I have a friend who I admire greatly. A little over a year ago he decided to leave a lucrative career and pursue a dream. All obstacles were thrown his way. The day he left his company, he found out that his wife had cancer. He went into a great deal of debt to finance his dream. He raised millions of dollars, putting his name and reputation on the line. He acted courageously. A year later, he has over fifty employees and growing monthly. Those employees are reaping the benefit of his courage! And his wife, who beat cancer, is acting courageously with him!
Here are some quick tips for acting courageously:
Know what you want.
Courage is about choice. If you are to act courageously, you need to know what the right choice is. Be clear about your dream and vision.
Do not worry.
I heard recently that worry is the wrong use of the imagination. That is perhaps the best definition I have ever heard. Worry is just thinking about all of the bad possibilities, isn’t it? Well, courage is just thinking about all the great possibilities and then acting upon them!
Do your homework.
It helps to get the facts. It helps because then you can make an informed decision that will put your heart and mind to rest. There will probably be a downside but we understand it, choose alternatives, and act decisively instead of those.
Act.
There is no substitute for the first step. Do you know what you want? Have you thought of the possibilities? Have you done your homework? Then what are you waiting for? The next step is to take the first step, and ACT!
Courage is a special kind of knowledge: the knowledge of how to fear what ought to be feared and how not to fear what ought no to be feared. David Ben-Gurion
Courage is fear that has said its prayers. Dorothy Bernard
Courage.
It is a word that conjures up images of great and dramatic actions. And yet I realize that we all have the opportunity to be courageous every day, in small and large ways. And it is when we choose to be courageous that we change our lives and the lives of those around us.
Can you name anything of any significance that did not emanate from some sort of courageous decision? I can’t. Think of the changes that we have experienced in the last few decades and trace them back to their initial decision. Chances are, someone exhibited courage.
So what is courage? It is simply acting on what we want to do, regardless of any fear we may have. It is the choice to disregard worry. It is the choice to do right, to pursue our dreams, to be successful people, to lead the way for others.
Courage changes lives. Yes, it changes lives.
First, the day you begin to stare down your fears and worries, and instead act courageously, your life will change. You will be set free to fly like you never have before. You will accomplish things you once only dreamed of. You will experience things you thought were only for others – the courageous ones. You will realize that your fears were baseless and just paper tigers, a mirage. You will begin to live your dreams. You will become a person of character!
You will also change the lives of others. Simply put, courageous people pull others along with them. Everybody benefits from courageous people. I have a friend who I admire greatly. A little over a year ago he decided to leave a lucrative career and pursue a dream. All obstacles were thrown his way. The day he left his company, he found out that his wife had cancer. He went into a great deal of debt to finance his dream. He raised millions of dollars, putting his name and reputation on the line. He acted courageously. A year later, he has over fifty employees and growing monthly. Those employees are reaping the benefit of his courage! And his wife, who beat cancer, is acting courageously with him!
Here are some quick tips for acting courageously:
Know what you want.
Courage is about choice. If you are to act courageously, you need to know what the right choice is. Be clear about your dream and vision.
Do not worry.
I heard recently that worry is the wrong use of the imagination. That is perhaps the best definition I have ever heard. Worry is just thinking about all of the bad possibilities, isn’t it? Well, courage is just thinking about all the great possibilities and then acting upon them!
Do your homework.
It helps to get the facts. It helps because then you can make an informed decision that will put your heart and mind to rest. There will probably be a downside but we understand it, choose alternatives, and act decisively instead of those.
Act.
There is no substitute for the first step. Do you know what you want? Have you thought of the possibilities? Have you done your homework? Then what are you waiting for? The next step is to take the first step, and ACT!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
PUT SOME FIRE IN YOUR DESIRE
One of the keys to success is staying motivated because it is being motivated that keeps us going out the door every day to change the world and reach our destiny! It is our desire for a better life, for change in ourselves and others, and for personal growth and fulfillment that moves our mountains! Desire!
Desire sure is a word with much more richness to it than the word “want” though they are essentially the same. “Want,” though, sounds like you could take it or leave it. “Desire” says, “I have to have it!” Desire, is “want” with a fire under it!
Unfortunately, we tend to ebb and flow from want to desire, even with the same goal! One day we may be passionate about building our business or growing our relationships and then, the next day, we find ourselves simply in the “want” camp again. The key to keeping on is to re-light the fire under want so it roars into a raging fire of desire! Then, and only then, will we see the passion needed to be tenacious pursuers of our dreams! Keeping the fire lit is what will see you through the mountains and valleys of life and the journey you are on to your success!
So what do we do? We light the fire! Here are a few thoughts to help you build the fire of your desire!
The wood:
Keep a clear mental picture of the goal. This is imperative. The picture of the goal is like the wood in a fire. It is the raw material. Know what your goal is and what it looks like.
The fuel:
Keep a list, if simply just a mental one, of all of the benefits of pursuing and reaching your goal. Make them as “sense” oriented as possible. “See” the benefits. “Hear” them. “Touch” them. This is like the fuel that we add to a fire to get it going. Now all we need is a match.
The match:
Keep yourself active! This is the match: Action! Even when you don’t feel like it, get yourself to act and soon you will see the fire burning because you have again ignited the dream! The more desire you have the more the fire burns.
Eventually the fire will begin to die out. Here is where you throw the wood on again, pour on some fuel, and if need be, strike another match. I would encourage you to not let the fire go out though, because it is easier to continually throw wood and fuel on an already burning fire than it is to start one up again!
Desire sure is a word with much more richness to it than the word “want” though they are essentially the same. “Want,” though, sounds like you could take it or leave it. “Desire” says, “I have to have it!” Desire, is “want” with a fire under it!
Unfortunately, we tend to ebb and flow from want to desire, even with the same goal! One day we may be passionate about building our business or growing our relationships and then, the next day, we find ourselves simply in the “want” camp again. The key to keeping on is to re-light the fire under want so it roars into a raging fire of desire! Then, and only then, will we see the passion needed to be tenacious pursuers of our dreams! Keeping the fire lit is what will see you through the mountains and valleys of life and the journey you are on to your success!
So what do we do? We light the fire! Here are a few thoughts to help you build the fire of your desire!
The wood:
Keep a clear mental picture of the goal. This is imperative. The picture of the goal is like the wood in a fire. It is the raw material. Know what your goal is and what it looks like.
The fuel:
Keep a list, if simply just a mental one, of all of the benefits of pursuing and reaching your goal. Make them as “sense” oriented as possible. “See” the benefits. “Hear” them. “Touch” them. This is like the fuel that we add to a fire to get it going. Now all we need is a match.
The match:
Keep yourself active! This is the match: Action! Even when you don’t feel like it, get yourself to act and soon you will see the fire burning because you have again ignited the dream! The more desire you have the more the fire burns.
Eventually the fire will begin to die out. Here is where you throw the wood on again, pour on some fuel, and if need be, strike another match. I would encourage you to not let the fire go out though, because it is easier to continually throw wood and fuel on an already burning fire than it is to start one up again!
Monday, April 7, 2008
DARE TO DREAM AGAIN.
Do you remember when you were a child and no dream seemed too big? Some of us thought we would walk on the moon; some dreamed of riding with Roy Rogers; others imagined stepping to the plate in a big-league game. Every one of us, when we were young, had a common trait - we were dreamers. The world hadn't gotten to us yet to show us that we couldn't possibly achieve what our hearts longed for. And we were yet still years from realizing that in some cases we weren't built for achieving our dream (I realized about my junior year of high school that I was too short and to slow to play professional basketball. The dreamer is always the last to know).
Eventually we started to let our dreams die. People began to tell us that we couldn't do the things we wanted. It was impossible. Responsible people don't pursue their dreams. Settle down, get a job, be dependable. Take care of business, live the mundane, be content.
Do you know what I say to that? Hooey!
It is time to dream again!
Why? Here are just a few reasons:
Avoiding regret. The facts are in, and someday we will all lie on our deathbed looking back through the history of our lives. We will undoubtedly think about what we wished we had done or accomplished. I for one don't want to regret what could have been, what should have been. So I am deciding today to pursue my dreams.
Making the world a better place. All of the great accomplishments that have ever happened began with a person who had a dream. Somebody rebuffed the nay-sayers and said to himself or herself, "This can be done, and I am the one who will do it." And in many instances they changed the world for the better. It isn't just the Martin Luther King's and the J.F.K's either. Think of all the people we have never heard of who have started things large and small that help people world-wide every day.
The world needs people like you to dream of something great and then to pursue it will all of your heart. Maybe you belong to a business, school, or organization that started out with good intentions but has settled into the same ol' same ol'. Shake them up and remind them of how they could really help people if only they would dream!
Personal and family fulfillment. One of the things that happens when we stop pursuing our dreams is that a little piece of us dies and we become disheartened, if only in that area of our lives. Stepping up and pursuing your dream rekindles that passion and zeal that everyone has the capacity for and lets us experience fulfillment. Having a purpose puts the zip in our step and the zing in our emotions!
Leaving a legacy. How will your children remember you? As one who sought all that life had to offer, using your gifts and talents to their fullest extent, leading the family with a zest for life, or as an overweight couch potato who could have been? Our children need to see that we dream; that we search for something better. They in turn will do the same!
So where do we start? Here are some ideas:
Reconnect with your dream.Set aside some time to let yourself dream. What have you placed on the backburner in order to live the status quo? Settle on one or two dreams that you can and will pursue. Don't come up with too many. That will only deter you further.
Decide that you will do it.This may seem elementary but many people never decide and commit fully to their dream. They simply keep "thinking" about it.
Tell others that you are going to do it.This puts you on the record as to what you are dreaming about. It makes you accountable. It will help you do it if for no other reason than to avoid embarrassment!
Develop a step-by-step plan.This is absolutely essential. You must sit down and write out a few things:
A timeline.How long will it take to the end?
Action steps.Point-by-point what you will do and when you will do them.
Resources you will need to draw from.What will it take? Who will need to be involved for help or advice?
An evaluation tool.You need to evaluate from time to time whether you are progressing or not.
A celebration.Yep, when you are done you should already have planned what you will do to celebrate. Make it big!
I have found that there is no better time than now. So, set aside some time today to get started on your dream. Follow the action plan and set your sights for the top of the mountain! You will be glad you did!
QUOTE FOR TODAY
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." - Teddy Roosevelt
Eventually we started to let our dreams die. People began to tell us that we couldn't do the things we wanted. It was impossible. Responsible people don't pursue their dreams. Settle down, get a job, be dependable. Take care of business, live the mundane, be content.
Do you know what I say to that? Hooey!
It is time to dream again!
Why? Here are just a few reasons:
Avoiding regret. The facts are in, and someday we will all lie on our deathbed looking back through the history of our lives. We will undoubtedly think about what we wished we had done or accomplished. I for one don't want to regret what could have been, what should have been. So I am deciding today to pursue my dreams.
Making the world a better place. All of the great accomplishments that have ever happened began with a person who had a dream. Somebody rebuffed the nay-sayers and said to himself or herself, "This can be done, and I am the one who will do it." And in many instances they changed the world for the better. It isn't just the Martin Luther King's and the J.F.K's either. Think of all the people we have never heard of who have started things large and small that help people world-wide every day.
The world needs people like you to dream of something great and then to pursue it will all of your heart. Maybe you belong to a business, school, or organization that started out with good intentions but has settled into the same ol' same ol'. Shake them up and remind them of how they could really help people if only they would dream!
Personal and family fulfillment. One of the things that happens when we stop pursuing our dreams is that a little piece of us dies and we become disheartened, if only in that area of our lives. Stepping up and pursuing your dream rekindles that passion and zeal that everyone has the capacity for and lets us experience fulfillment. Having a purpose puts the zip in our step and the zing in our emotions!
Leaving a legacy. How will your children remember you? As one who sought all that life had to offer, using your gifts and talents to their fullest extent, leading the family with a zest for life, or as an overweight couch potato who could have been? Our children need to see that we dream; that we search for something better. They in turn will do the same!
So where do we start? Here are some ideas:
Reconnect with your dream.Set aside some time to let yourself dream. What have you placed on the backburner in order to live the status quo? Settle on one or two dreams that you can and will pursue. Don't come up with too many. That will only deter you further.
Decide that you will do it.This may seem elementary but many people never decide and commit fully to their dream. They simply keep "thinking" about it.
Tell others that you are going to do it.This puts you on the record as to what you are dreaming about. It makes you accountable. It will help you do it if for no other reason than to avoid embarrassment!
Develop a step-by-step plan.This is absolutely essential. You must sit down and write out a few things:
A timeline.How long will it take to the end?
Action steps.Point-by-point what you will do and when you will do them.
Resources you will need to draw from.What will it take? Who will need to be involved for help or advice?
An evaluation tool.You need to evaluate from time to time whether you are progressing or not.
A celebration.Yep, when you are done you should already have planned what you will do to celebrate. Make it big!
I have found that there is no better time than now. So, set aside some time today to get started on your dream. Follow the action plan and set your sights for the top of the mountain! You will be glad you did!
QUOTE FOR TODAY
"Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat." - Teddy Roosevelt
Friday, April 4, 2008
SENTENCED TO SUCCESS
I once heard a speaker use the statement, “I have been sentenced to success!” I heard that almost twenty years ago, yet it still sticks in my head.
I magine that. What if we had been given a life sentence to serve, say 75 years, and the sentence was to do time in a place called “Success”? The truth is that we have.
Let me back up. We have been given a life sentence. But, unlike a sentencing in a real life courtroom, we get to actually choose where we will “do our time.”
Here are some of the choices people make:
The prison of poverty. Poor people are no better or kinder or anything else than people with money. People are people regardless of how much money they have. Frankly, I have had little and I have had a lot, and yes, I will choose having a lot! When you choose to live in poverty you are in a prison that does not allow you the freedoms we were intended to experience. We are unable to help others as we desire. My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of poverty.
The prison of depression. Depression is like a blanket that overwhelms you and eventually smothers you. Now before you go accusing me with, “You just don’t understand.” Yes I do. I have had a history of depression. Depression is rampant in my family of origin. I know first hand what a prison depression is. When you are locked up in depression you cannot live life as it was intended. But you can get out! My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of depression.
The prison of the lack of health. Lacking health is a real pain! The freedom we lose when we choose to live in a state of a lack of health is terrible – and unnecessary! We don’t have to live in that prison. We can choose a different sentence! We can choose health! My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of the lack of health.
The prison of doubt, worry, and fear. This is a dark, dark prison. It is one that haunts you the whole time you reside there. It makes you believe that the surroundings are worse than the really are. It keeps you from enjoying life and becoming the kind of person you were intended to become! My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of poverty. My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of doubt, worry and fear.
There is another option. You can choose to be sentenced to success! You can choose to actually be set free! You can choose to walk out of that courtroom and live the life that you choose!
What can you experience when you are sentenced to success. How about these:
Good health
Financial abundance
Emotional freedom
Positive relationships
A career you love
Spiritual liberty
And how will you experience these? By choice. Your choice. You choose exactly what kind of life you will live. You choose the sentence you will serve here on earth and the experience that you have.
Will you languish in a dark prison or in the open freedom that comes from the sentence of success? That depends on the choices you make.
I challenge you to choose this day to:
Pursue financial independence
Develop yourself spiritually
Make a change so you are in a career you love
Re-commit yourself to loving relationships
Achieve emotional health
Make a choice TODAY. Do not spend another day in a prison where you do not belong!
Where will you serve your sentence? You get to decide.
As for me?
I have been sentenced to success!
I magine that. What if we had been given a life sentence to serve, say 75 years, and the sentence was to do time in a place called “Success”? The truth is that we have.
Let me back up. We have been given a life sentence. But, unlike a sentencing in a real life courtroom, we get to actually choose where we will “do our time.”
Here are some of the choices people make:
The prison of poverty. Poor people are no better or kinder or anything else than people with money. People are people regardless of how much money they have. Frankly, I have had little and I have had a lot, and yes, I will choose having a lot! When you choose to live in poverty you are in a prison that does not allow you the freedoms we were intended to experience. We are unable to help others as we desire. My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of poverty.
The prison of depression. Depression is like a blanket that overwhelms you and eventually smothers you. Now before you go accusing me with, “You just don’t understand.” Yes I do. I have had a history of depression. Depression is rampant in my family of origin. I know first hand what a prison depression is. When you are locked up in depression you cannot live life as it was intended. But you can get out! My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of depression.
The prison of the lack of health. Lacking health is a real pain! The freedom we lose when we choose to live in a state of a lack of health is terrible – and unnecessary! We don’t have to live in that prison. We can choose a different sentence! We can choose health! My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of the lack of health.
The prison of doubt, worry, and fear. This is a dark, dark prison. It is one that haunts you the whole time you reside there. It makes you believe that the surroundings are worse than the really are. It keeps you from enjoying life and becoming the kind of person you were intended to become! My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of poverty. My advice? Don’t choose a sentence to the prison of doubt, worry and fear.
There is another option. You can choose to be sentenced to success! You can choose to actually be set free! You can choose to walk out of that courtroom and live the life that you choose!
What can you experience when you are sentenced to success. How about these:
Good health
Financial abundance
Emotional freedom
Positive relationships
A career you love
Spiritual liberty
And how will you experience these? By choice. Your choice. You choose exactly what kind of life you will live. You choose the sentence you will serve here on earth and the experience that you have.
Will you languish in a dark prison or in the open freedom that comes from the sentence of success? That depends on the choices you make.
I challenge you to choose this day to:
Pursue financial independence
Develop yourself spiritually
Make a change so you are in a career you love
Re-commit yourself to loving relationships
Achieve emotional health
Make a choice TODAY. Do not spend another day in a prison where you do not belong!
Where will you serve your sentence? You get to decide.
As for me?
I have been sentenced to success!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING A SUCCESS AND A SUCCESSFUL LIFE
I was reading an article the other day about a famous athlete and one of his teammates made a comment that I found interesting. He said, off the record of course, that his famous teammate would have a funeral so small that it could be held in a fitting room.
Now, most people would consider this athlete “successful.” He is rich beyond anyone’s imagination. He has and will set world records. He will undoubtedly be elected into his Hall of Fame, most likely on the first ballot.
But he is not a successful human being. It is common knowledge that he is universally disliked.
This got me to thinking. I am attending two funerals this week. One is the funeral of a man who was “successful” in the eyes of the world. That is, he made a lot of money. But he wasn’t a terribly successful human being. He was estranged from his oldest son and hadn’t spoken with him in years. He was a borderline alcoholic. There were other storms in his life. About 50 people will attend.
The other funeral is for a man who was not “successful” in the eyes of the world. You would have never given him a second look had you seen him in the store. He wasn’t wealthy. He was not high-profile. Yet he was quite a successful human being. People were encouraged and built up by this man. People were better because he graced their lives, even in small ways. His funeral will have about 200 people there, paying their last respects. He would have never guessed there would be that many, yet after he died, people came out of the woodwork to speak highly of him.
So what is the difference? And can we be both “successful” and a successful human being. I believe that we can have both. I do believe it is hard because the accumulation of wealth takes time and time at work, which usually takes away from time doing things that foster human relationships. But it is possible.
It can be done by those who understand balanced living and are aggressive time and priority managers. Give yourself time to make your fortune or pursue your dreams, but give yourself time to make yourself a successful life as well.
Here are some tips for being a successful human being who has a successful life:
Love People, Use Things. People who become “successful” and miss a successful life are those who love things and use people. Be sure to put people as a priority for your life.
Take time off. Life isn’t just about work. There is so much else to experience here in this life, and unfortunately, too little time to enjoy it.
Be a giver. Be someone who gives more than takes. Yes, we all have to take from time to time, but we should take only when we need to and give every time we have a chance to!
Be a life-long learner.I truly believe that we become better people as we learn. Take time throughout your life to grow and learn and become a better person.
Keep a sense of humor.People who laugh are a gift to the world. Don’t take yourself or your circumstances to seriously. Learn to look on the bright side and see the humor in situations.
Honor your commitments.This is a key to a successful life. We live this life based on commitments we make toward one another. Those who honor those commitments are those who will be respected and trusted by others.
Mentor someone. Always take the time to mentor someone. I know this firsthand because of the energy a few people put into my life, sometimes just letting me know that they believed in me. This goes a long way and makes the world a better place!
I am sure there are other aspects of a successful life, but these are the simple ones that you can begin to apply today. Remember, you can work and become a success, and I encourage you to do so, but don’t forget to live a successful life as well!
Now, most people would consider this athlete “successful.” He is rich beyond anyone’s imagination. He has and will set world records. He will undoubtedly be elected into his Hall of Fame, most likely on the first ballot.
But he is not a successful human being. It is common knowledge that he is universally disliked.
This got me to thinking. I am attending two funerals this week. One is the funeral of a man who was “successful” in the eyes of the world. That is, he made a lot of money. But he wasn’t a terribly successful human being. He was estranged from his oldest son and hadn’t spoken with him in years. He was a borderline alcoholic. There were other storms in his life. About 50 people will attend.
The other funeral is for a man who was not “successful” in the eyes of the world. You would have never given him a second look had you seen him in the store. He wasn’t wealthy. He was not high-profile. Yet he was quite a successful human being. People were encouraged and built up by this man. People were better because he graced their lives, even in small ways. His funeral will have about 200 people there, paying their last respects. He would have never guessed there would be that many, yet after he died, people came out of the woodwork to speak highly of him.
So what is the difference? And can we be both “successful” and a successful human being. I believe that we can have both. I do believe it is hard because the accumulation of wealth takes time and time at work, which usually takes away from time doing things that foster human relationships. But it is possible.
It can be done by those who understand balanced living and are aggressive time and priority managers. Give yourself time to make your fortune or pursue your dreams, but give yourself time to make yourself a successful life as well.
Here are some tips for being a successful human being who has a successful life:
Love People, Use Things. People who become “successful” and miss a successful life are those who love things and use people. Be sure to put people as a priority for your life.
Take time off. Life isn’t just about work. There is so much else to experience here in this life, and unfortunately, too little time to enjoy it.
Be a giver. Be someone who gives more than takes. Yes, we all have to take from time to time, but we should take only when we need to and give every time we have a chance to!
Be a life-long learner.I truly believe that we become better people as we learn. Take time throughout your life to grow and learn and become a better person.
Keep a sense of humor.People who laugh are a gift to the world. Don’t take yourself or your circumstances to seriously. Learn to look on the bright side and see the humor in situations.
Honor your commitments.This is a key to a successful life. We live this life based on commitments we make toward one another. Those who honor those commitments are those who will be respected and trusted by others.
Mentor someone. Always take the time to mentor someone. I know this firsthand because of the energy a few people put into my life, sometimes just letting me know that they believed in me. This goes a long way and makes the world a better place!
I am sure there are other aspects of a successful life, but these are the simple ones that you can begin to apply today. Remember, you can work and become a success, and I encourage you to do so, but don’t forget to live a successful life as well!
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