Most people think that failure is bad and success is good. I want to help you change your thinking about that if you fall into that category. I will give you that failure isn’t fun and success is, but I think the following is true:
Both failure and success are good… if you know what their specific purpose is.
Of course we know that success is good, but why? Success is good because it confirms things for us.
Success confirms our plans.Success confirms our decisions.Success confirms our resources.Success confirms our strategies.Success confirms our hunches.Success confirms our teamwork.Success confirms our risks.Success confirms a lot of things!
So when you are successful, ask yourself the following question: What does this success confirm in my mind?
Now, what about failure? What is the role of failure and how in the world can it be GOOD?
Failure’s role is to teach us. We learn from failure.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our plans.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our decisions.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our resources.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our strategies.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our hunches.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our teamwork.
Failure teaches us that we need to change our risks.
Failure teaches us that we need to change a lot of things!
But at least now we know one more thing that won’t work! With every failure, we learn one more way we can abandon and focus in on what may be the correct way in the future! When we look at it that way, we set ourselves up for a powerfully successful future!
So when you fail, ask yourself this question: What does this failure teach me?
Remember, Success and Failure are both good. They can both be your friend… If you know what role they are to play in your life.
Learn From Failure and Confirm with Success.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
USING FAILURE TO FURTHER YOUR FUTURE
"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." Margaret Thatcher
Failure. Even the word sounds bad, doesn’t it? That is because since the time we were just young children we were taught that failure was bad. But is that true? Is failure bad? Let’s consider some things.
I like a baseball analogy. Do you know what the record is for a season batting average (That means how many times the batter successfully hit to get on base)? It is a gentleman by the name of Ted Williams and his season batting average was .406 one year. That means that out of 1000 times at bat he would get a hit 406 times. That is considered by baseball fans as one of the greatest records ever. There are players making millions of dollars who hit .280!
But what does that stat also tell us if we flip it around? It tells us that the best season any batter ever had in the major leagues was a FAILURE RATE of .589! Even the best fail on a regular basis!
What about the richest people on Wall Street? Do they fail? Of course they do. They pick the bad stocks sometimes, but they cut their loses and learn from their failure.
Did Michael Jordan miss shots? Over 50% of them!
So what about all this? What does this mean for us? The fact is, I think we can learn a lot about failure that will actually make us a great success. So here are some thoughts to help you use failure to further your future!
Failure is inevitable if you are trying for greatness. Failure is something we must accept as a part of the road we travel to success. This is a very important item and number one on the list because a lot of what stops people from pursuing success is their fear that they may fail and not reach their destination. When we embrace the fact that we will fail, and that is okay, then we have nothing to fear anymore. Instead, we keep our eyes open and pick ourselves up, adjust from the failure, and move on.
Failure is never failure unless you fail to learn something from it. That’s right, we ought to stop calling these bumps in the road “failures” and start calling them “Learning Experiences!” When you fail, the first thing you should think is “What can I learn from this?” If you can pull just one idea out of that question, then the experience was worth it.
Sometimes failure is a blessing in disguise. Just ask the 3M Company. They were looking for an incredible adhesive and actually got a sticky paste that held, but not permanently. What a failure! No, instead, they spread some on the back of little sheets of yellow paper and called them “Post-It Notes.” Have some? I’m sure you do. The 3M company thanks you for rewarding their “failure.”
People won’t think poorly of you if you fail. This is perhaps the biggest myth, and the one that causes us to never attempt our dreams. We don’t try because of what Aunt Martha may say about us at the family reunion. The truth is, however, that people will actually respect you for trying. The only thing I have found that people think poorly about you is if you handle yourself badly when you fail. Sore losers get the bad press, not people who attempt great things!
Failure isn’t the end but the beginning. One of our greatest fears is that our whole world will collapse if we fail. Or at least the project will. The truth is that that rarely happens! Most of the time we can pick back up again, make some adjustments and be on our way! This is a new beginning. Now there is no need to go down the road you have already taken, so there is one less option you have to try on your new journey.
Sometimes we miss out on success because we quit in the middle of a problem and it becomes a failure instead of an obstacle we could have persevered through.When people encounter trouble they have a tendency to quit. And then they see themselves as having failed. My question is this: What if they would have kept on going – persevered? Perhaps they would have struggled a bit and then broke free again. The failure happened only because they quit! So don’t give up – keep pushing – and perhaps you will see yourself through to victory!
The greatest thing to overcome is the fear of failure. Most of the battle is right between our ears. It has been said that “we have nothing to fear but fear itself,” and that is true because in most of our “failures,” the end result is usually much less than we feared it would be. Yet in giving into fear and not trying, we suffer the ultimate consequence – no success! So begin to tell yourself the good stuff! Change the direction of your thinking and begin to see the possibilities of success, not failure.
Remember, properly looked at, failure can help you further your future!
Bonus:
Questions to ask yourself when you “fail”:What can I learn from this?What did I do right in this?Where did this go wrong?How can I start again?What resources do I need to make sure this doesn’t happen again?
Then use the answers to these questions to plot your new course.
Failure. Even the word sounds bad, doesn’t it? That is because since the time we were just young children we were taught that failure was bad. But is that true? Is failure bad? Let’s consider some things.
I like a baseball analogy. Do you know what the record is for a season batting average (That means how many times the batter successfully hit to get on base)? It is a gentleman by the name of Ted Williams and his season batting average was .406 one year. That means that out of 1000 times at bat he would get a hit 406 times. That is considered by baseball fans as one of the greatest records ever. There are players making millions of dollars who hit .280!
But what does that stat also tell us if we flip it around? It tells us that the best season any batter ever had in the major leagues was a FAILURE RATE of .589! Even the best fail on a regular basis!
What about the richest people on Wall Street? Do they fail? Of course they do. They pick the bad stocks sometimes, but they cut their loses and learn from their failure.
Did Michael Jordan miss shots? Over 50% of them!
So what about all this? What does this mean for us? The fact is, I think we can learn a lot about failure that will actually make us a great success. So here are some thoughts to help you use failure to further your future!
Failure is inevitable if you are trying for greatness. Failure is something we must accept as a part of the road we travel to success. This is a very important item and number one on the list because a lot of what stops people from pursuing success is their fear that they may fail and not reach their destination. When we embrace the fact that we will fail, and that is okay, then we have nothing to fear anymore. Instead, we keep our eyes open and pick ourselves up, adjust from the failure, and move on.
Failure is never failure unless you fail to learn something from it. That’s right, we ought to stop calling these bumps in the road “failures” and start calling them “Learning Experiences!” When you fail, the first thing you should think is “What can I learn from this?” If you can pull just one idea out of that question, then the experience was worth it.
Sometimes failure is a blessing in disguise. Just ask the 3M Company. They were looking for an incredible adhesive and actually got a sticky paste that held, but not permanently. What a failure! No, instead, they spread some on the back of little sheets of yellow paper and called them “Post-It Notes.” Have some? I’m sure you do. The 3M company thanks you for rewarding their “failure.”
People won’t think poorly of you if you fail. This is perhaps the biggest myth, and the one that causes us to never attempt our dreams. We don’t try because of what Aunt Martha may say about us at the family reunion. The truth is, however, that people will actually respect you for trying. The only thing I have found that people think poorly about you is if you handle yourself badly when you fail. Sore losers get the bad press, not people who attempt great things!
Failure isn’t the end but the beginning. One of our greatest fears is that our whole world will collapse if we fail. Or at least the project will. The truth is that that rarely happens! Most of the time we can pick back up again, make some adjustments and be on our way! This is a new beginning. Now there is no need to go down the road you have already taken, so there is one less option you have to try on your new journey.
Sometimes we miss out on success because we quit in the middle of a problem and it becomes a failure instead of an obstacle we could have persevered through.When people encounter trouble they have a tendency to quit. And then they see themselves as having failed. My question is this: What if they would have kept on going – persevered? Perhaps they would have struggled a bit and then broke free again. The failure happened only because they quit! So don’t give up – keep pushing – and perhaps you will see yourself through to victory!
The greatest thing to overcome is the fear of failure. Most of the battle is right between our ears. It has been said that “we have nothing to fear but fear itself,” and that is true because in most of our “failures,” the end result is usually much less than we feared it would be. Yet in giving into fear and not trying, we suffer the ultimate consequence – no success! So begin to tell yourself the good stuff! Change the direction of your thinking and begin to see the possibilities of success, not failure.
Remember, properly looked at, failure can help you further your future!
Bonus:
Questions to ask yourself when you “fail”:What can I learn from this?What did I do right in this?Where did this go wrong?How can I start again?What resources do I need to make sure this doesn’t happen again?
Then use the answers to these questions to plot your new course.
Monday, May 26, 2008
BAD LUCK, BAD CHOICES AND BAD HABITS
We were at some friend’s house the other day and the wife mentioned some other acquaintances of ours. “It sure is too bad, all the bad luck they have,” She said.
My first thought was, “Bad habits, not bad luck.”
My second thought was, “Or is it bad choices?”
You see, there is a difference. What we many times call bad luck is merely bad choices.
Let me explain:
If you work hard, buy a new car, keep it up with regular maintenance and blow a tire driving down the road, that is bad luck.
However, if you drive on your tires until they are almost bald and drive at speeds higher than they are recommended for, and keep them at the wrong inflation level, and then the tire blows, that is not bad luck but bad choices. The tire blew because you chose not to buy new ones. The tire blew because you chose not to take the time to check your tire inflation level the last time you filled up the tank.
It is bad luck to leave your house on vacation and while you are away the gas line breaks and the house blows up.
It is bad habits to not tend to taking care of your house, replacing the roof, painting, etc until it is a junk pile.
It is bad luck to be let go from a company that goes into meltdown because the CEO acted unethically and the stock tanks, forcing layoffs.
It is both bad choices and bad habits to be late to work everyday, display shoddy workmanship and have a bad attitude to the point that the boss fires you.
If you choose to frequent shady parts of town or risky establishments, and you get mugged, is that bad luck or bad choices?
You get the point.
How often do we call something bad luck when it is really the result of bad habits or bad choices?
This really boils down to a matter of ownership of our lives and actions. Do we take full responsibility for our lives or not?
I know of a gentleman who was recently passed over for a job. It would have paid him $13,000 for a week’s worth of work. The person who passed him over told me why. Knowing this gentleman, I said, “It is too bad, because with a few good choices, that guy could be living in a nice house, driving nice cars, and having very few financial problems.”
What about you? Do you experience bad luck? Or bad habits? Or bad choices?
The next time you hear someone say, “He’s down on his luck,” perhaps you ought to ask, “Or is he down on his choices?”
I have found that those who have good habits and make good choices tend to experience the best luck!
So, if you want a little good luck, make some good choices and develop some good habits.
My first thought was, “Bad habits, not bad luck.”
My second thought was, “Or is it bad choices?”
You see, there is a difference. What we many times call bad luck is merely bad choices.
Let me explain:
If you work hard, buy a new car, keep it up with regular maintenance and blow a tire driving down the road, that is bad luck.
However, if you drive on your tires until they are almost bald and drive at speeds higher than they are recommended for, and keep them at the wrong inflation level, and then the tire blows, that is not bad luck but bad choices. The tire blew because you chose not to buy new ones. The tire blew because you chose not to take the time to check your tire inflation level the last time you filled up the tank.
It is bad luck to leave your house on vacation and while you are away the gas line breaks and the house blows up.
It is bad habits to not tend to taking care of your house, replacing the roof, painting, etc until it is a junk pile.
It is bad luck to be let go from a company that goes into meltdown because the CEO acted unethically and the stock tanks, forcing layoffs.
It is both bad choices and bad habits to be late to work everyday, display shoddy workmanship and have a bad attitude to the point that the boss fires you.
If you choose to frequent shady parts of town or risky establishments, and you get mugged, is that bad luck or bad choices?
You get the point.
How often do we call something bad luck when it is really the result of bad habits or bad choices?
This really boils down to a matter of ownership of our lives and actions. Do we take full responsibility for our lives or not?
I know of a gentleman who was recently passed over for a job. It would have paid him $13,000 for a week’s worth of work. The person who passed him over told me why. Knowing this gentleman, I said, “It is too bad, because with a few good choices, that guy could be living in a nice house, driving nice cars, and having very few financial problems.”
What about you? Do you experience bad luck? Or bad habits? Or bad choices?
The next time you hear someone say, “He’s down on his luck,” perhaps you ought to ask, “Or is he down on his choices?”
I have found that those who have good habits and make good choices tend to experience the best luck!
So, if you want a little good luck, make some good choices and develop some good habits.
Friday, May 23, 2008
CHOICE: PRIVILEDGE, OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSIBILITY
One of my absolute favorite quotes is from Dwight D. Eisenhower. If you have been a subscriber for long you may have heard me use it before. Eisenhower said that, “The history of free men is never written by chance, but by choice – their choice.”
What a powerful truth. We can, and do, write our own history. That is, when our life is nearing the end, we can look back and see that the history we leave behind, the legacy that we leave for our children, is the accumulation of the choices we made all along the way.
As I think about this, I realize that some may view it from the back end and it may seem hopeless, but we can be proactive about it and decide now that we will begin to make choices that will bring us to our desired end.
Before I talk about privilege, opportunity, and responsibility, I want to make something perfectly clear, and it is something that you must embrace if you are going to see your life continually improve and change for the better. I believe that…
Anyone can have as much money as they choose to.Anyone can weigh what they choose to. Anyone can have the job they choose to have.Anyone can have the level of peace that they choose to have.Anyone can do anything they choose to do.
They ability for us humans to choose is incredible, but it also brings with it philosophical truths as well. Primarily the power to choose brings with it privilege, opportunity and responsibility. When we see how all three of these play out in our lives, and when we discipline ourselves to make the choices that will bring us to our desired outcome – watch out – because you will be UNLEASHED!
The Ability to choose is a Privilege. Dogs don’t have it. Cows don’t have it. Trees and flowers don’t have it. The only living creatures that have the ability to choose are humans. All of the rest of living creatures live by instinct, or in the case of trees, flowers etc, they live wherever they are planted (I guess they must have to develop a great deal of contentment!).
Have you ever viewed your ability to choose as a privilege that you have been given? That is one of the more motivating factors in my life for being disciplined and making choices. Exercise your privilege today. Make choices today that will make you, your family and your community better off!
The Ability to choose is an Opportunity. Every one of us has the opportunity to improve ourselves. There are too many stories of people who have lost 200 pounds, left behind fortunes while only earning $20,000 a year and multitudes of other success stories for me to believe otherwise. In fact, I myself have seen it in my own life. What an opportunity! Yet many believe that it is impossible – that they don’t even have the opportunity. Not true at all. Take advantage of the opportunity you have every single day of your life to change – because you can!! Make choices today that will make you, your family and your community better off!
The Ability to choose is a Responsibility. We do not live our lives in a vacuum. We live them in the context of our families, our communities, our businesses and the organizations we belong to. We have a responsibility to make right choices that will positively impact all of those around us!
I have four children. The choices I make each day, maybe even every moment, will affect them for the rest of their lives. Do I have a responsibility to them? You bet! I want to discipline my life in such a way that they become all that they can be and that our family and eventually the families that they will start, will become great!
When I think of choices that changed history, I think of Rosa Parks who made a choice that would bring her into the forefront of America’s news of the day and eventually the history books. One day, Parks, an African-American, decided that she would not give up her seat on the bus to a white person. She made a choice. It was undoubtedly one she had thought of for sometime. It was her privilege as a human to make this choice, regardless of what others thought and regardless of what the outcome would be. It was an opportunity to make a statement and to stand up for what was right. It was her responsibility to generations of minorities who would come after her to make this choice. She did, and America changed.
Like Rosa Parks, and countless others who daily make choices that produce change, it is those who will dare to dream of a better life, those who will risk failure, those who will make the right choices who will change themselves, their families, their businesses and organizations and yes, even their world! The ability to choose is an incredible privilege, an outstanding opportunity, and an awesome responsibility! Use it!
What a powerful truth. We can, and do, write our own history. That is, when our life is nearing the end, we can look back and see that the history we leave behind, the legacy that we leave for our children, is the accumulation of the choices we made all along the way.
As I think about this, I realize that some may view it from the back end and it may seem hopeless, but we can be proactive about it and decide now that we will begin to make choices that will bring us to our desired end.
Before I talk about privilege, opportunity, and responsibility, I want to make something perfectly clear, and it is something that you must embrace if you are going to see your life continually improve and change for the better. I believe that…
Anyone can have as much money as they choose to.Anyone can weigh what they choose to. Anyone can have the job they choose to have.Anyone can have the level of peace that they choose to have.Anyone can do anything they choose to do.
They ability for us humans to choose is incredible, but it also brings with it philosophical truths as well. Primarily the power to choose brings with it privilege, opportunity and responsibility. When we see how all three of these play out in our lives, and when we discipline ourselves to make the choices that will bring us to our desired outcome – watch out – because you will be UNLEASHED!
The Ability to choose is a Privilege. Dogs don’t have it. Cows don’t have it. Trees and flowers don’t have it. The only living creatures that have the ability to choose are humans. All of the rest of living creatures live by instinct, or in the case of trees, flowers etc, they live wherever they are planted (I guess they must have to develop a great deal of contentment!).
Have you ever viewed your ability to choose as a privilege that you have been given? That is one of the more motivating factors in my life for being disciplined and making choices. Exercise your privilege today. Make choices today that will make you, your family and your community better off!
The Ability to choose is an Opportunity. Every one of us has the opportunity to improve ourselves. There are too many stories of people who have lost 200 pounds, left behind fortunes while only earning $20,000 a year and multitudes of other success stories for me to believe otherwise. In fact, I myself have seen it in my own life. What an opportunity! Yet many believe that it is impossible – that they don’t even have the opportunity. Not true at all. Take advantage of the opportunity you have every single day of your life to change – because you can!! Make choices today that will make you, your family and your community better off!
The Ability to choose is a Responsibility. We do not live our lives in a vacuum. We live them in the context of our families, our communities, our businesses and the organizations we belong to. We have a responsibility to make right choices that will positively impact all of those around us!
I have four children. The choices I make each day, maybe even every moment, will affect them for the rest of their lives. Do I have a responsibility to them? You bet! I want to discipline my life in such a way that they become all that they can be and that our family and eventually the families that they will start, will become great!
When I think of choices that changed history, I think of Rosa Parks who made a choice that would bring her into the forefront of America’s news of the day and eventually the history books. One day, Parks, an African-American, decided that she would not give up her seat on the bus to a white person. She made a choice. It was undoubtedly one she had thought of for sometime. It was her privilege as a human to make this choice, regardless of what others thought and regardless of what the outcome would be. It was an opportunity to make a statement and to stand up for what was right. It was her responsibility to generations of minorities who would come after her to make this choice. She did, and America changed.
Like Rosa Parks, and countless others who daily make choices that produce change, it is those who will dare to dream of a better life, those who will risk failure, those who will make the right choices who will change themselves, their families, their businesses and organizations and yes, even their world! The ability to choose is an incredible privilege, an outstanding opportunity, and an awesome responsibility! Use it!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
THE 14 MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES FROM HENRI FAYOL (1841-1925)
The 14 Management Principles from Henri Fayol (1841-1925) are:
1. Division of Work. Specialization allows the individual to build up experience, and to continuously improve his skills. Thereby he can be more productive.
2. Authority. The right to issue commands, along with which must go the balanced responsibility for its function.
3. Discipline. Employees must obey, but this is two-sided: employees will only obey orders if management play their part by providing good leadership.
4. Unity of Command. Each worker should have only one boss with no other conflicting lines of command.
5. Unity of Direction. People engaged in the same kind of activities must have the same objectives in a single plan. This is essential to ensure unity and coordination in the enterprise. Unity of command does not exist without unity of direction but does not necessarily flows from it.
6. Subordination of individual interest (to the general interest). Management must see that the goals of the firms are always paramount.
7. Remuneration. Payment is an important motivator although by analyzing a number of possibilities, Fayol points out that there is no such thing as a perfect system.
8. Centralization (or Decentralization) . This is a matter of degree depending on the condition of the business and the quality of its personnel.
9. Scalar chain (Line of Authority). A hierarchy is necessary for unity of direction. But lateral communication is also fundamental, as long as superiors know that such communication is taking place. Scalar chain refers to the number of levels in the hierarchy from the ultimate authority to the lowest level in the organization. It should not be over-stretched and consist of too-many levels.
10. Order. Both material order and social order are necessary. The former minimizes lost time and useless handling of materials. The latter is achieved through organization and selection.
11. Equity. In running a business a 'combination of kindliness and justice' is needed. Treating employees well is important to achieve equity.
12. Stability of Tenure of Personnel. Employees work better if job security and career progress are assured to them. An insecure tenure and a high rate of employee turnover will affect the organization adversely.
13. Initiative. Allowing all personnel to show their initiative in some way is a source of strength for the organization. Even though it may well involve a sacrifice of `personal vanity' on the part of many managers.
14. Esprit de Corps. Management must foster the morale of its employees. He further suggests that: "real talent is needed to coordinate effort, encourage keenness, use each person's abilities,and reward each one's merit without arousing possible jealousies and disturbing harmonious relations."
WHAT IS MANAGEMENT?
FIVE ELEMENTS
Fayol's definition of management roles and actions distinguishes between Five Elements:
1. Prevoyance. (Forecast & Plan). Examining the future and drawing up a plan of action. The elements of strategy.
2. To organize. Build up the structure, both material and human, of the undertaking.
3. To command. Maintain the activity among the personnel.
4. To coordinate. Binding together, unifying and harmonizing allactivity and effort.
5. To control. Seeing that everything occurs in conformity with established rule and expressed command.
ORIGIN OF THE 14 PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT. HISTORY
Henri Fayol (1841-1925) was a French management theorist whose theories in management and organization of labor were widely influential in the beginning of 20th century. He was a mining engineer who worked for a French mining company Commentry-Fourchamb oult-Decazeville , first as an engineer. Then he moved into general management and became Managing Director from 1888to 1918. During his tenure as Managing Director he wrote various articles on 'administration' and in 1916 the Bulletin de la Société del' Industrie Minérale, printed his "Administration, Industrielle etGénérale – Prévoyance, Organisation, Commandement, Coordination,Contrôle". In 1949 the first English translation appeared: `Generaland Industrial Management' by Constance Storrs.
USAGE OF THE 14 MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES. APPLICATIONS
• Change and Organization.
• Decision-making.
• Skills. Can be used to improve the basic effectiveness of a manager.
• Understand that management can be seen as a variety of activities, which can be listed and grouped.
1. Division of Work. Specialization allows the individual to build up experience, and to continuously improve his skills. Thereby he can be more productive.
2. Authority. The right to issue commands, along with which must go the balanced responsibility for its function.
3. Discipline. Employees must obey, but this is two-sided: employees will only obey orders if management play their part by providing good leadership.
4. Unity of Command. Each worker should have only one boss with no other conflicting lines of command.
5. Unity of Direction. People engaged in the same kind of activities must have the same objectives in a single plan. This is essential to ensure unity and coordination in the enterprise. Unity of command does not exist without unity of direction but does not necessarily flows from it.
6. Subordination of individual interest (to the general interest). Management must see that the goals of the firms are always paramount.
7. Remuneration. Payment is an important motivator although by analyzing a number of possibilities, Fayol points out that there is no such thing as a perfect system.
8. Centralization (or Decentralization) . This is a matter of degree depending on the condition of the business and the quality of its personnel.
9. Scalar chain (Line of Authority). A hierarchy is necessary for unity of direction. But lateral communication is also fundamental, as long as superiors know that such communication is taking place. Scalar chain refers to the number of levels in the hierarchy from the ultimate authority to the lowest level in the organization. It should not be over-stretched and consist of too-many levels.
10. Order. Both material order and social order are necessary. The former minimizes lost time and useless handling of materials. The latter is achieved through organization and selection.
11. Equity. In running a business a 'combination of kindliness and justice' is needed. Treating employees well is important to achieve equity.
12. Stability of Tenure of Personnel. Employees work better if job security and career progress are assured to them. An insecure tenure and a high rate of employee turnover will affect the organization adversely.
13. Initiative. Allowing all personnel to show their initiative in some way is a source of strength for the organization. Even though it may well involve a sacrifice of `personal vanity' on the part of many managers.
14. Esprit de Corps. Management must foster the morale of its employees. He further suggests that: "real talent is needed to coordinate effort, encourage keenness, use each person's abilities,and reward each one's merit without arousing possible jealousies and disturbing harmonious relations."
WHAT IS MANAGEMENT?
FIVE ELEMENTS
Fayol's definition of management roles and actions distinguishes between Five Elements:
1. Prevoyance. (Forecast & Plan). Examining the future and drawing up a plan of action. The elements of strategy.
2. To organize. Build up the structure, both material and human, of the undertaking.
3. To command. Maintain the activity among the personnel.
4. To coordinate. Binding together, unifying and harmonizing allactivity and effort.
5. To control. Seeing that everything occurs in conformity with established rule and expressed command.
ORIGIN OF THE 14 PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT. HISTORY
Henri Fayol (1841-1925) was a French management theorist whose theories in management and organization of labor were widely influential in the beginning of 20th century. He was a mining engineer who worked for a French mining company Commentry-Fourchamb oult-Decazeville , first as an engineer. Then he moved into general management and became Managing Director from 1888to 1918. During his tenure as Managing Director he wrote various articles on 'administration' and in 1916 the Bulletin de la Société del' Industrie Minérale, printed his "Administration, Industrielle etGénérale – Prévoyance, Organisation, Commandement, Coordination,Contrôle". In 1949 the first English translation appeared: `Generaland Industrial Management' by Constance Storrs.
USAGE OF THE 14 MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES. APPLICATIONS
• Change and Organization.
• Decision-making.
• Skills. Can be used to improve the basic effectiveness of a manager.
• Understand that management can be seen as a variety of activities, which can be listed and grouped.
Monday, May 19, 2008
EIGHT CHOICES YOU CAN MAKE TODAY WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER
The direction of our lives is determined by the choices we make every day. They accumulate and add up to our ultimate destiny. Here are eight choices you can make - choices that will create for you a life of abundance and prosperity in all areas of your life.
Choose to grow personally. This sounds simple but many people only wish to grow personally. They never choose to grow by taking action, such as actually exercising, saving more money etc. Make a decision today to be a person who is on the never ending journey of personal growth.
Choose to always treat others right. We come across all sorts of people, many of whom will treat us poorly. We can choose to treat them right, no matter how they treat us. When the lie, we will tell the truth. When the cheat, we will play by the rules. We may get the short end of the stick some times, but in the long-run we will win. And most importantly, we will be able to sleep at night.
Choose to break a bad habit. Take the biggie first. Tackle it head on. If you don’t know what it is, ask a friend. Then spend every effort you can to break that habit. Forget about the others, as you will get to them later. Stop smoking, get out of debt, lose your excess weight. Exercise the power to choose!
Choose to work smarter. Many people I work with feel like they are out of balance. One of the first things I do is try to find out how much time they are wasting at work, which makes them work longer, which throws the rest of their life into chaos. Getting your work done by diligently working in the time you have will free your life up extraordinarily.
Choose to see your work as a way to help others, and not a way to make money. If you put your heart into helping others, the money will most assuredly come. Spend time helping others grow and your finances will grow with it.
Choose to become balanced spiritually, emotionally and physically. Our lives are best when we have these three major areas in balance. Spend some time cultivating your spirituality, becoming emotionally healthy, and physically fit.
Choose to sow more than you reap. There are many takers in this world, but our lives will be better as we become givers. The world will become better as we become givers. Give away your time, give away your money, give away your love.
Choose to get home for dinner more often. The family is the most important group of people you will ever belong to. Make a decision today to grow in your relationship with your parents, siblings, spouse and children. This one choice you will never regret.
One of my favorite quotes:
"The history of free men is never written by chance,but by choice - their choice." Dwight D. Eisenhower
Choose to grow personally. This sounds simple but many people only wish to grow personally. They never choose to grow by taking action, such as actually exercising, saving more money etc. Make a decision today to be a person who is on the never ending journey of personal growth.
Choose to always treat others right. We come across all sorts of people, many of whom will treat us poorly. We can choose to treat them right, no matter how they treat us. When the lie, we will tell the truth. When the cheat, we will play by the rules. We may get the short end of the stick some times, but in the long-run we will win. And most importantly, we will be able to sleep at night.
Choose to break a bad habit. Take the biggie first. Tackle it head on. If you don’t know what it is, ask a friend. Then spend every effort you can to break that habit. Forget about the others, as you will get to them later. Stop smoking, get out of debt, lose your excess weight. Exercise the power to choose!
Choose to work smarter. Many people I work with feel like they are out of balance. One of the first things I do is try to find out how much time they are wasting at work, which makes them work longer, which throws the rest of their life into chaos. Getting your work done by diligently working in the time you have will free your life up extraordinarily.
Choose to see your work as a way to help others, and not a way to make money. If you put your heart into helping others, the money will most assuredly come. Spend time helping others grow and your finances will grow with it.
Choose to become balanced spiritually, emotionally and physically. Our lives are best when we have these three major areas in balance. Spend some time cultivating your spirituality, becoming emotionally healthy, and physically fit.
Choose to sow more than you reap. There are many takers in this world, but our lives will be better as we become givers. The world will become better as we become givers. Give away your time, give away your money, give away your love.
Choose to get home for dinner more often. The family is the most important group of people you will ever belong to. Make a decision today to grow in your relationship with your parents, siblings, spouse and children. This one choice you will never regret.
One of my favorite quotes:
"The history of free men is never written by chance,but by choice - their choice." Dwight D. Eisenhower
Friday, May 16, 2008
ELEMENTS OF CHANGE
The key to achieving more than you currently are, no matter which area of your life or work you are focusing in on now, is change. The old saying rings true: If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you’ve already got. If you keep eating and exercising the way you currently are, you will weigh the same a year from now. If you continue to sell to the same people on the same schedule, you will make the same amount of money next year. In order to move forward, we must change.
As I have worked with people, both in a professional setting and on a personal basis, I have found two things to be true about change. One, it is simple. Two, it is not easy. That is, the concept of change is simple to grasp. People or organizations are quick to say, “Oh, I know we need to change.” Simple.
But where the problem starts, and why most people and organizations do not change, is because it is not easy to change. But, I believe, if the process is well thought out, and if we have the guts and determination to carry it out, change can happen, and we can move on to more fulfilled lives.
With that said, let me give you what I consider the elements of change.
Discontentment with your current state. The first step in the process of change is to not want to be where you currently are. You must be discontent with it. If you are overweight, you must say, “I will not accept this anymore.” If you are in debt, you must say, “I cannot tolerate this any longer.” If you have broken relationships, you must say, “I will not live with this.” This is a decision to change and not accept the status-quo.
The picture of your preferred outcome. What is it that you want to change to? It absolutely is not enough to say “I need to change.” It must be: “I am going to change to…” This becomes the goal. I would encourage you to get a mental picture of it formulated in your mind. Get a real picture of it if it is that tangible. Perhaps write yourself a short essay, extolling the virtues of what life will be like when you get to the changed state.
New associations with the two states. You must begin to associate your current state you are in with pain, and the state you want to be in with pleasure. Let’s take weight for example. We tend to think of ice cream, mounds of it, with pleasure. I know that I do. Especially chocolate chip mint. Last night we went to some friend’s house and we had some ice cream. Normal portions. I don’t like to eat normal portions. I like huge portions of ice cream. There is an association of pleasure there. But what I did to overcome the urge to eat scoop after scoop was to associate huge portions to being overweight, not the pleasure of the taste. I also associated not eating the ice cream with feeling better about myself. Then when it comes to exercise, I work on associating the exercise and weight-lifting with the pleasure of fitting into my clothes rather than the pain my muscles feel every time I do it. This help me win the battle of the mind.
Develop a plan of short, simple steps. “I am going to lose fifty pounds in two months.” “I will sell 500% more next month.” These are examples of change that are good goals to have long term, but too big for the time allotted – and this is havoc on change! If your goals are too big in too short of time, you will fail and become discouraged. Then you will quit and decide change can’t be accomplished. Instead, you must have short, workable, attainable goals if you are going to see real change happen and stay. “I am going to lose five pounds a month for ten months.” “We are going to sell 6% more each month this year (That would double your business each year)” These are the size steps you need to take. Then you will build victory after victory.
Discipline yourself. Sorry but this is where it is up to you. At the heart of change is the ability to discipline ourselves. I cannot lose your weight. Your mom cannot go out and make sales calls for you. The only real obstacle standing between your current state and your desired outcome is you! So do everything you can to get yourself motivated to change! Force yourself to get out of bed and get to work on your goals! Discipline yourself. Choose to make the right decision.
Reward yourself when you have made the change. That’s right: reward yourself. You have worked hard and exerted a lot of self-discipline to get there! You deserve it!
As I have worked with people, both in a professional setting and on a personal basis, I have found two things to be true about change. One, it is simple. Two, it is not easy. That is, the concept of change is simple to grasp. People or organizations are quick to say, “Oh, I know we need to change.” Simple.
But where the problem starts, and why most people and organizations do not change, is because it is not easy to change. But, I believe, if the process is well thought out, and if we have the guts and determination to carry it out, change can happen, and we can move on to more fulfilled lives.
With that said, let me give you what I consider the elements of change.
Discontentment with your current state. The first step in the process of change is to not want to be where you currently are. You must be discontent with it. If you are overweight, you must say, “I will not accept this anymore.” If you are in debt, you must say, “I cannot tolerate this any longer.” If you have broken relationships, you must say, “I will not live with this.” This is a decision to change and not accept the status-quo.
The picture of your preferred outcome. What is it that you want to change to? It absolutely is not enough to say “I need to change.” It must be: “I am going to change to…” This becomes the goal. I would encourage you to get a mental picture of it formulated in your mind. Get a real picture of it if it is that tangible. Perhaps write yourself a short essay, extolling the virtues of what life will be like when you get to the changed state.
New associations with the two states. You must begin to associate your current state you are in with pain, and the state you want to be in with pleasure. Let’s take weight for example. We tend to think of ice cream, mounds of it, with pleasure. I know that I do. Especially chocolate chip mint. Last night we went to some friend’s house and we had some ice cream. Normal portions. I don’t like to eat normal portions. I like huge portions of ice cream. There is an association of pleasure there. But what I did to overcome the urge to eat scoop after scoop was to associate huge portions to being overweight, not the pleasure of the taste. I also associated not eating the ice cream with feeling better about myself. Then when it comes to exercise, I work on associating the exercise and weight-lifting with the pleasure of fitting into my clothes rather than the pain my muscles feel every time I do it. This help me win the battle of the mind.
Develop a plan of short, simple steps. “I am going to lose fifty pounds in two months.” “I will sell 500% more next month.” These are examples of change that are good goals to have long term, but too big for the time allotted – and this is havoc on change! If your goals are too big in too short of time, you will fail and become discouraged. Then you will quit and decide change can’t be accomplished. Instead, you must have short, workable, attainable goals if you are going to see real change happen and stay. “I am going to lose five pounds a month for ten months.” “We are going to sell 6% more each month this year (That would double your business each year)” These are the size steps you need to take. Then you will build victory after victory.
Discipline yourself. Sorry but this is where it is up to you. At the heart of change is the ability to discipline ourselves. I cannot lose your weight. Your mom cannot go out and make sales calls for you. The only real obstacle standing between your current state and your desired outcome is you! So do everything you can to get yourself motivated to change! Force yourself to get out of bed and get to work on your goals! Discipline yourself. Choose to make the right decision.
Reward yourself when you have made the change. That’s right: reward yourself. You have worked hard and exerted a lot of self-discipline to get there! You deserve it!
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU THINK AND ACT BIG
There are a lot of people out there who wish big things would happen to them. They want the big career, they want the big sales, they want the big deals. For most of them however, these things will never be more than a wish. You know, you have heard them, “I wish that I would…” And that is exactly what it is - a wish.
Then there are those who do big things. What is the difference? What makes them doers rather than wishers?
Is it thinking big? I have heard that before. That is part of it. But there is more.
Is it acting big - that is, taking big bold actions? That too is a component.
In fact, the key is to combine thinking big and acting big. And when you do, you will see all sorts of big things happen. Here are just a few of the big things that take place when you think and act big.
Big Possibilities Arrive. When you think big, big possibilities arrive on your doorstep. You begin to see all of the potential and possibilities that you can live out. First, they do come to people who think big and take big actions. Secondly, you are able to see the possibilities better when you think big because now you are looking for them. When you were a small thinker you didn’t even see the big possibilities that walked up and hit you on the head. Are you a big thinker and doer? If you are, you will get more possibilities!
Big People Help. I have found firsthand that when you step up to the plate, big people help. You see, heavy hitters don’t waste their time with people who are trying small things. They work with people who want to play in the big leagues. I have seen so many big name people step up to help me, just as big name people helped them when they were just starting out - and have opened doors for me I never imagined. Are you thinking big and willing to act on it? If you are, you will see big people step up to help. For another article on how others can boost your career, read my article “Bring On the Boosters” at:
Big Things Happen. Big things don’t happen to small thinkers. When we become people who think big and take big actions we see big things take place in our lives. I have found that the bigger I think and the bigger bites I take, the more big things come along. For example, 10 months ago, I didn’t even know the NY Times Best-selling author who is now writing the foreword to my new book. I thought big, and acted big and when one of the biggest publishers in the world called me to write a book, I stepped through that door. Then weeks later, I got a call saying that one of the foremost experts in the world in leadership and motivation would write the foreword to my book - all unsolicited. I didn’t ask the publisher and I didn’t ask the author. Believe me, big things just happen when you are thinking big!
Big Dollars Come. In the end, the dollars come to those who do big things. I am having meetings now talking about dollar figures that I only used to dream about. What would have happened had I thought small? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Instead, by thinking big, and taking big actions, I have seen big dollars start rolling my way, with more to come. Do you want big dollars? Then think big - and act big - then they will come your way.
Big Contributions Are Made. Ultimately, my biggest goal is to make a contribution to others. The fact is that I can’t take any money with me when I die, but I can leave a legacy behind. Big thinkers and doers are the ones who make big contributions to those around them and leave lasting legacies. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream all right, and he made a significant lasting contribution for millions of people. What would have happened had he not thought big? All of the major contributions that are made in our world are made by big thinkers. No one ever accidentally made a huge contribution to society. They thought big, acted big, and delivered!
I want to challenge you to think big - but first I want to challenge you to start by thinking “bigger.” Just start at a bigger place than you are right now. You don’t have to change the world right now - you can get to that later. But make it your commitment to think bigger starting right now. What is a dream of yours? Now think bigger.
And I want to challenge you to act bigger. What are you doing right now? Now act bigger. No matter what you are doing now, do more!
Think bigger, and act bigger - and you will unlock the door to big things in your life!
Then there are those who do big things. What is the difference? What makes them doers rather than wishers?
Is it thinking big? I have heard that before. That is part of it. But there is more.
Is it acting big - that is, taking big bold actions? That too is a component.
In fact, the key is to combine thinking big and acting big. And when you do, you will see all sorts of big things happen. Here are just a few of the big things that take place when you think and act big.
Big Possibilities Arrive. When you think big, big possibilities arrive on your doorstep. You begin to see all of the potential and possibilities that you can live out. First, they do come to people who think big and take big actions. Secondly, you are able to see the possibilities better when you think big because now you are looking for them. When you were a small thinker you didn’t even see the big possibilities that walked up and hit you on the head. Are you a big thinker and doer? If you are, you will get more possibilities!
Big People Help. I have found firsthand that when you step up to the plate, big people help. You see, heavy hitters don’t waste their time with people who are trying small things. They work with people who want to play in the big leagues. I have seen so many big name people step up to help me, just as big name people helped them when they were just starting out - and have opened doors for me I never imagined. Are you thinking big and willing to act on it? If you are, you will see big people step up to help. For another article on how others can boost your career, read my article “Bring On the Boosters” at:
Big Things Happen. Big things don’t happen to small thinkers. When we become people who think big and take big actions we see big things take place in our lives. I have found that the bigger I think and the bigger bites I take, the more big things come along. For example, 10 months ago, I didn’t even know the NY Times Best-selling author who is now writing the foreword to my new book. I thought big, and acted big and when one of the biggest publishers in the world called me to write a book, I stepped through that door. Then weeks later, I got a call saying that one of the foremost experts in the world in leadership and motivation would write the foreword to my book - all unsolicited. I didn’t ask the publisher and I didn’t ask the author. Believe me, big things just happen when you are thinking big!
Big Dollars Come. In the end, the dollars come to those who do big things. I am having meetings now talking about dollar figures that I only used to dream about. What would have happened had I thought small? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Instead, by thinking big, and taking big actions, I have seen big dollars start rolling my way, with more to come. Do you want big dollars? Then think big - and act big - then they will come your way.
Big Contributions Are Made. Ultimately, my biggest goal is to make a contribution to others. The fact is that I can’t take any money with me when I die, but I can leave a legacy behind. Big thinkers and doers are the ones who make big contributions to those around them and leave lasting legacies. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream all right, and he made a significant lasting contribution for millions of people. What would have happened had he not thought big? All of the major contributions that are made in our world are made by big thinkers. No one ever accidentally made a huge contribution to society. They thought big, acted big, and delivered!
I want to challenge you to think big - but first I want to challenge you to start by thinking “bigger.” Just start at a bigger place than you are right now. You don’t have to change the world right now - you can get to that later. But make it your commitment to think bigger starting right now. What is a dream of yours? Now think bigger.
And I want to challenge you to act bigger. What are you doing right now? Now act bigger. No matter what you are doing now, do more!
Think bigger, and act bigger - and you will unlock the door to big things in your life!
Friday, May 9, 2008
FIVE ATTITUDES THAT WILL MAKE YOU SOAR!
Understand this: Much of your world, and your experience in it, will be a direct result of the attitude you choose to have. Let me break that statement down a bit:
One, it is MUCH of your world.Yes, there are some things that just happen and there is nothing we can do about it, but much of our world is not by happenstance, but determined by the attitudes we take.
Two, your attitude is one that you choose.You do not have to have a chip on your shoulder. You do not have to be sad or angry. You do not have to believe that you are incapable of achieving success. We can choose at any moment how we will believe and how we will interact with the world.
Third, our experience is a direct result of our attitude.For example, if we have a bad attitude toward someone, what kind of attitude do you think we are going to get back? That’s just the people side, but that makes up most of our world right there!
So, if our attitudes determine to a great degree what kind of life we will have, shouldn’t we focus in on the best attitudes to have and then make them ours? Absolutely! If we want to soar with the eagles in this life, and if there are attitudes that will make us soar, shouldn’t we pursue them with all our hearts? By all means! So here we go!
Five attitudes that will make you soar!
“I can.” This is the most basic of all attitudes. We simply must choose to believe that we can. In our house we are not allowed to say, “I can’t.” We can say, “I’ll try,” or “I tried and failed,” but not “I can’t.” Telling yourself that you can’t will in effect make it so you can’t. But telling yourself that you can will in effect enable you to achieve much more. Even if you actually only achieve 50% of what you tell yourself you can achieve, you will achieve at least that much more than if you told yourself you couldn’t.
I actually have a standard way of going about getting myself off of the starting block: I simply say if somebody else has, then I can too. And if many others have, then surely I can too! I have to be smarter than at least one of those who has already done it. I have to be able to work harder than at least one other. There has to be at least one other person who has come from more difficult circumstances than me. And if they can do it then certainly, “I can!”
“I will be generous.” Another attitude that will make you soar is to be a generous person. The attitude (and discipline) of generosity increases your likelihood of success for two main reasons: One, you are happier about yourself and that puts you in a state of mind that is prepared for successful living. Two, people pay back people who are generous. Generous people receive in kind and that will raise you to levels yet unseen.
“I will make a difference in the lives of those around me.” People who soar are generally people who have the attitude of helping other people. Yes, they may do it for monetary gain, but they are others-focused. They want to change the way people live and experience life for the better. They are difference makers all around.
I live in a town that is very affluent. Most of the people I know, work with, and have as friends are very successful in this world. One thing I can say, as almost a universal truth, is that to a person, they are people who are not self-consumed but genuinely care about others and will do what they can to help others. This is what I know to be true about the attitudes of the genuinely successful.
“Not much will make me angry.” Whether or not we get angry is a choice of attitude. We determine whether or not we will be angry. I have found that often I will meet with someone who is struggling with achieving something and in many cases I find that they are angry people. They have held onto an attitude that is at its root angry. When we take on an attitude that raise the bar on what will make us angry, we are positioning ourselves to be in a state of mind that is better able to live and work in this world in such a way as to achieve success.
“I will look for the good in every situation.” This is basic optimism. Successful people who soar through life are those who are optimistic about life. They see the good, think the best and strive for greatness, believing all the while that they will achieve it because it is possible!
I suppose there are a few other attitudes that would make you achieve all that you dream of, but these are the basics and ones that we would do well to master first.
Where do you see yourself? Do you need an attitude adjustment? Take a look again:
I can. I will be generous. I will make a difference in the lives of those around me.Not much will make me angry. I will look for the good in every situation.
Make these attitudes your goal and as you get them you will watch yourself soar!
Have a nice flight!
One, it is MUCH of your world.Yes, there are some things that just happen and there is nothing we can do about it, but much of our world is not by happenstance, but determined by the attitudes we take.
Two, your attitude is one that you choose.You do not have to have a chip on your shoulder. You do not have to be sad or angry. You do not have to believe that you are incapable of achieving success. We can choose at any moment how we will believe and how we will interact with the world.
Third, our experience is a direct result of our attitude.For example, if we have a bad attitude toward someone, what kind of attitude do you think we are going to get back? That’s just the people side, but that makes up most of our world right there!
So, if our attitudes determine to a great degree what kind of life we will have, shouldn’t we focus in on the best attitudes to have and then make them ours? Absolutely! If we want to soar with the eagles in this life, and if there are attitudes that will make us soar, shouldn’t we pursue them with all our hearts? By all means! So here we go!
Five attitudes that will make you soar!
“I can.” This is the most basic of all attitudes. We simply must choose to believe that we can. In our house we are not allowed to say, “I can’t.” We can say, “I’ll try,” or “I tried and failed,” but not “I can’t.” Telling yourself that you can’t will in effect make it so you can’t. But telling yourself that you can will in effect enable you to achieve much more. Even if you actually only achieve 50% of what you tell yourself you can achieve, you will achieve at least that much more than if you told yourself you couldn’t.
I actually have a standard way of going about getting myself off of the starting block: I simply say if somebody else has, then I can too. And if many others have, then surely I can too! I have to be smarter than at least one of those who has already done it. I have to be able to work harder than at least one other. There has to be at least one other person who has come from more difficult circumstances than me. And if they can do it then certainly, “I can!”
“I will be generous.” Another attitude that will make you soar is to be a generous person. The attitude (and discipline) of generosity increases your likelihood of success for two main reasons: One, you are happier about yourself and that puts you in a state of mind that is prepared for successful living. Two, people pay back people who are generous. Generous people receive in kind and that will raise you to levels yet unseen.
“I will make a difference in the lives of those around me.” People who soar are generally people who have the attitude of helping other people. Yes, they may do it for monetary gain, but they are others-focused. They want to change the way people live and experience life for the better. They are difference makers all around.
I live in a town that is very affluent. Most of the people I know, work with, and have as friends are very successful in this world. One thing I can say, as almost a universal truth, is that to a person, they are people who are not self-consumed but genuinely care about others and will do what they can to help others. This is what I know to be true about the attitudes of the genuinely successful.
“Not much will make me angry.” Whether or not we get angry is a choice of attitude. We determine whether or not we will be angry. I have found that often I will meet with someone who is struggling with achieving something and in many cases I find that they are angry people. They have held onto an attitude that is at its root angry. When we take on an attitude that raise the bar on what will make us angry, we are positioning ourselves to be in a state of mind that is better able to live and work in this world in such a way as to achieve success.
“I will look for the good in every situation.” This is basic optimism. Successful people who soar through life are those who are optimistic about life. They see the good, think the best and strive for greatness, believing all the while that they will achieve it because it is possible!
I suppose there are a few other attitudes that would make you achieve all that you dream of, but these are the basics and ones that we would do well to master first.
Where do you see yourself? Do you need an attitude adjustment? Take a look again:
I can. I will be generous. I will make a difference in the lives of those around me.Not much will make me angry. I will look for the good in every situation.
Make these attitudes your goal and as you get them you will watch yourself soar!
Have a nice flight!
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
EMBRACING ADVERSITY FOR ACHIEVEMENT
"Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I'll show you someone who has overcome adversity." Lou Holtz
Success in life depends upon being strong people with clear goals and indomitable spirits. Unfortunately most of us aren’t born that way. We grow that way. And that growth can either come from us entering willfully into situations that will cause us to grow, like subscribing to Made for Success, or from the way we react when circumstances come upon us without our consent. The latter is what we call adversity.
Most of us spend our lives trying to avoid adversity, and I guess that is just as well. We shouldn’t pursue adversity, but when she arrives, we should welcome her as a foe who, though our interaction with her, will make us into better people. Every contact we have with adversity gives us again the opportunity to grow personally and professionally and to forge our character into one that will achieve much later on.
With that in mind, here are some thoughts on adversity, and how it can help you to succeed in every area of your life and achieve your dreams.
Adversity brings out our resources. Horace said “Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.” When everything is going well, we coast. There isn’t a lot of stress, and we don’t have to draw too much on the resources that reside within us. But when adversity comes we begin to draw upon each and every resource that we have in order to conquer the circumstances at hand. Adversity then, keeps us sharp. It keeps us using our personal muscle, if you will. That is a good thing because we grow through the use of our resources.
Adversity brings us together with others. Sure a team can have their problems with each other, but when they step on the court, when they experience the adversity of facing another obstacle, they pull together. One for all and all for one, as they say. The next time you experience adversity of some kind, keep your eyes open for how it can bring you together with your family, your co-workers or your team. Then when you are through it, you will find a bond that was created that wasn’t there before. Adversity makes us better people with stronger characters. Never underestimate the power of adversity to shape us inwardly. How will courage, discipline and perseverance ever flourish if we are never tested? After adversity, we come out stronger people and able then to use our character and influence in an even greater way to lead those around us and to improve their lives as well as our own.
Adversity makes life interesting. John Amatt said, “Without adversity, without change, life is boring.” How true. Have you noticed that while we are in the middle of adversity we only long to get out of it, but we then spend a lifetime recounting it to anyone who will listen? This is because it spices life up a little. Imagine how boring life would be if everything always went well, when there was never a mountain to be climbed.
Here are some questions for you to reflect upon before I close:
Q. If you are in the middle of some adversity right now, what resources are you drawing on? Who are you drawing closer to and working with? What part of your character is being tested, and built up? What can you do to view this adversity as one who will be better for it on the other side?
"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit" – Napoleon Hill
Success in life depends upon being strong people with clear goals and indomitable spirits. Unfortunately most of us aren’t born that way. We grow that way. And that growth can either come from us entering willfully into situations that will cause us to grow, like subscribing to Made for Success, or from the way we react when circumstances come upon us without our consent. The latter is what we call adversity.
Most of us spend our lives trying to avoid adversity, and I guess that is just as well. We shouldn’t pursue adversity, but when she arrives, we should welcome her as a foe who, though our interaction with her, will make us into better people. Every contact we have with adversity gives us again the opportunity to grow personally and professionally and to forge our character into one that will achieve much later on.
With that in mind, here are some thoughts on adversity, and how it can help you to succeed in every area of your life and achieve your dreams.
Adversity brings out our resources. Horace said “Adversity reveals genius, prosperity conceals it.” When everything is going well, we coast. There isn’t a lot of stress, and we don’t have to draw too much on the resources that reside within us. But when adversity comes we begin to draw upon each and every resource that we have in order to conquer the circumstances at hand. Adversity then, keeps us sharp. It keeps us using our personal muscle, if you will. That is a good thing because we grow through the use of our resources.
Adversity brings us together with others. Sure a team can have their problems with each other, but when they step on the court, when they experience the adversity of facing another obstacle, they pull together. One for all and all for one, as they say. The next time you experience adversity of some kind, keep your eyes open for how it can bring you together with your family, your co-workers or your team. Then when you are through it, you will find a bond that was created that wasn’t there before. Adversity makes us better people with stronger characters. Never underestimate the power of adversity to shape us inwardly. How will courage, discipline and perseverance ever flourish if we are never tested? After adversity, we come out stronger people and able then to use our character and influence in an even greater way to lead those around us and to improve their lives as well as our own.
Adversity makes life interesting. John Amatt said, “Without adversity, without change, life is boring.” How true. Have you noticed that while we are in the middle of adversity we only long to get out of it, but we then spend a lifetime recounting it to anyone who will listen? This is because it spices life up a little. Imagine how boring life would be if everything always went well, when there was never a mountain to be climbed.
Here are some questions for you to reflect upon before I close:
Q. If you are in the middle of some adversity right now, what resources are you drawing on? Who are you drawing closer to and working with? What part of your character is being tested, and built up? What can you do to view this adversity as one who will be better for it on the other side?
"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit" – Napoleon Hill
Monday, May 5, 2008
SEVEN STEPS TO ACHIEVING YOUR DREAM
“Vision is the spectacular that inspires us to carry out the mundane.” Chris Widener
Can achievement be broken down into steps? Well, it isn’t always that clean and easy, but I do know that those who achieve great things usually go through much of the same process, with many of the items listed below as part of that process. So if you have been struggling with achievement, look through the following and internalize the thoughts presented. Then begin to apply them. You will be on the road to achieving your dream!
Dream it. Everything begins in the heart and mind. Every great achievement began in the mind of one person. They dared to dream, to believe that it was possible. Take some time to allow yourself to ask "What if?" Think big. Don't let negative thinking discourage you. You want to be a "dreamer." Dream of the possibilities for yourself, your family, and for others. If you had a dream that you let grow cold, re-ignite the dream! Fan the flames. Life is to short to let it go. (Also, check out my article “Dare to Dream Again,” Which has been read by close to a million people in the last 4 months alone. You can see it at the website.)
Believe it. Yes, your dream needs to be big. It needs to be something that is seemingly beyond your capabilities. But it also must be believable. You must be able to say that if certain things take place, if others help, if you work hard enough, though it is a big dream, it can still be done. Good example: A person with no college education can dream that he will build a 50 million-dollar a year company. That is big, but believable. Bad example: That a 90 year-old woman with arthritis will someday run a marathon in under 3 hours. It is big alright, but also impossible. She should instead focus on building a 50 million-dollar a year business! And she better get a move on!
See it. The great achievers have a habit. They "see" things. They picture themselves walking around their CEO office in their new 25 million-dollar corporate headquarters, even while they are sitting on a folding chair in their garage "headquarters." Great free-throw shooters in the NBA picture the ball going through the basket. PGA golfers picture the ball going straight down the fairway. World-class speakers picture themselves speaking with energy and emotion. All of this grooms the mind to control the body to carry out the dream.
Tell it. One reason many dreams never go anywhere is because the dreamer keeps it all to himself. It is a quiet dream that only lives inside of his mind. The one who wants to achieve their dream must tell that dream to many people. One reason: As we continually say it, we begin to believe it more and more. If we are talking about it then it must be possible. Another reason: It holds us accountable. When we have told others, it spurs us on to actually do it so we don't look foolish.
Plan it. Every dream must take the form of a plan. The old saying that you "get what you plan for" is so true. Your dream won't just happen. You need to sit down, on a regular basis, and plan out your strategy for achieving the dream. Think through all of the details. Break the whole plan down into small, workable parts. Then set a time frame for accomplishing each task on your "dream plan."
Work it. Boy, wouldn't life be grand if we could quit before this one! Unfortunately the successful are usually the hardest workers. While the rest of the world is sitting on their couch watching re-runs of Gilligan's Island, achievers are working on their goal - achieving their dream. I have an equation that I work with: Your short-term tasks, multiplied by time, equal your long-term accomplishments. If you work on it each day, eventually you will achieve your dream. War and Peace was written, in longhand, page by page.
Enjoy it. When you have reached your goal and you are living your dream, be sure to enjoy it. In fact, enjoy the trip too. Give yourself some rewards along the way. Give yourself a huge reward when you get there. Help others enjoy it. Be gracious and generous. Use your dream to better others. Then go back to number 1. And dream a little bigger this time!
Can achievement be broken down into steps? Well, it isn’t always that clean and easy, but I do know that those who achieve great things usually go through much of the same process, with many of the items listed below as part of that process. So if you have been struggling with achievement, look through the following and internalize the thoughts presented. Then begin to apply them. You will be on the road to achieving your dream!
Dream it. Everything begins in the heart and mind. Every great achievement began in the mind of one person. They dared to dream, to believe that it was possible. Take some time to allow yourself to ask "What if?" Think big. Don't let negative thinking discourage you. You want to be a "dreamer." Dream of the possibilities for yourself, your family, and for others. If you had a dream that you let grow cold, re-ignite the dream! Fan the flames. Life is to short to let it go. (Also, check out my article “Dare to Dream Again,” Which has been read by close to a million people in the last 4 months alone. You can see it at the website.)
Believe it. Yes, your dream needs to be big. It needs to be something that is seemingly beyond your capabilities. But it also must be believable. You must be able to say that if certain things take place, if others help, if you work hard enough, though it is a big dream, it can still be done. Good example: A person with no college education can dream that he will build a 50 million-dollar a year company. That is big, but believable. Bad example: That a 90 year-old woman with arthritis will someday run a marathon in under 3 hours. It is big alright, but also impossible. She should instead focus on building a 50 million-dollar a year business! And she better get a move on!
See it. The great achievers have a habit. They "see" things. They picture themselves walking around their CEO office in their new 25 million-dollar corporate headquarters, even while they are sitting on a folding chair in their garage "headquarters." Great free-throw shooters in the NBA picture the ball going through the basket. PGA golfers picture the ball going straight down the fairway. World-class speakers picture themselves speaking with energy and emotion. All of this grooms the mind to control the body to carry out the dream.
Tell it. One reason many dreams never go anywhere is because the dreamer keeps it all to himself. It is a quiet dream that only lives inside of his mind. The one who wants to achieve their dream must tell that dream to many people. One reason: As we continually say it, we begin to believe it more and more. If we are talking about it then it must be possible. Another reason: It holds us accountable. When we have told others, it spurs us on to actually do it so we don't look foolish.
Plan it. Every dream must take the form of a plan. The old saying that you "get what you plan for" is so true. Your dream won't just happen. You need to sit down, on a regular basis, and plan out your strategy for achieving the dream. Think through all of the details. Break the whole plan down into small, workable parts. Then set a time frame for accomplishing each task on your "dream plan."
Work it. Boy, wouldn't life be grand if we could quit before this one! Unfortunately the successful are usually the hardest workers. While the rest of the world is sitting on their couch watching re-runs of Gilligan's Island, achievers are working on their goal - achieving their dream. I have an equation that I work with: Your short-term tasks, multiplied by time, equal your long-term accomplishments. If you work on it each day, eventually you will achieve your dream. War and Peace was written, in longhand, page by page.
Enjoy it. When you have reached your goal and you are living your dream, be sure to enjoy it. In fact, enjoy the trip too. Give yourself some rewards along the way. Give yourself a huge reward when you get there. Help others enjoy it. Be gracious and generous. Use your dream to better others. Then go back to number 1. And dream a little bigger this time!
Friday, May 2, 2008
YOU CAN ACHIEVE WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO!
I have one firm belief that was drilled into my head by my mother: You can achieve whatever you choose to! It is true. Here are some facts:
Wherever you are right now, is because you chose to be there (even if situations went sour on you and you feel like a victim of circumstances, go back far enough and you will see that choices brought you to where you were).
Whatever you choose to do, you can do. Even if you are far down a road you don’t want to be on, you can make choices, though they may be hard, to change direction.
With that in mind, let’s talk about the coming years of your life. Are you where you want to be? If so, great. If not, then understand this: Your choices got you to where you are and they can take you to where you want to be! That is powerful if we look at it in the positive!
Here are a couple of examples:
You earn what you choose to. Don’t like your pay? Choose a different profession! I have long said that anybody can make $150,000 a year guaranteed, if they want to. They can quit their job, finish college and go to medical school. “But that would take years,” you say? I never said your choice would be easy – just possible! The point is, you CAN do it. You no longer have to be the victim!
You spend your time the way you choose to. “But I have no time,” you say? No, you have as much time as any sports hero, business leader or president of a country – 24 hours a day! Imagine that, you have as much time as those people who shape the world. What is the difference? It is in how we choose to spend and prioritize our time. You can do whatever you choose to, and live whatever kind of life you desire, if you choose to reprioritize your time and how you spend it! That is so freeing!
There are many more examples I could give but I want to give you the key principle and then some questions to spur you on to make powerful choices that will shape your life. Take some time to go through these and begin to make the choices you need to to live the kind of life you want to!
Key Principle: We must take responsibility for our life and understand that we can, and will, achieve whatever we ourselves choose to.
Q. What kind of income will you choose to have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What career will you have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of family life will you have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of emotional and intellectual state will you be in for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of spiritual state will you be in for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What will be your physical state of being for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Remember, you can achieve whatever you choose to – and you do!
Wherever you are right now, is because you chose to be there (even if situations went sour on you and you feel like a victim of circumstances, go back far enough and you will see that choices brought you to where you were).
Whatever you choose to do, you can do. Even if you are far down a road you don’t want to be on, you can make choices, though they may be hard, to change direction.
With that in mind, let’s talk about the coming years of your life. Are you where you want to be? If so, great. If not, then understand this: Your choices got you to where you are and they can take you to where you want to be! That is powerful if we look at it in the positive!
Here are a couple of examples:
You earn what you choose to. Don’t like your pay? Choose a different profession! I have long said that anybody can make $150,000 a year guaranteed, if they want to. They can quit their job, finish college and go to medical school. “But that would take years,” you say? I never said your choice would be easy – just possible! The point is, you CAN do it. You no longer have to be the victim!
You spend your time the way you choose to. “But I have no time,” you say? No, you have as much time as any sports hero, business leader or president of a country – 24 hours a day! Imagine that, you have as much time as those people who shape the world. What is the difference? It is in how we choose to spend and prioritize our time. You can do whatever you choose to, and live whatever kind of life you desire, if you choose to reprioritize your time and how you spend it! That is so freeing!
There are many more examples I could give but I want to give you the key principle and then some questions to spur you on to make powerful choices that will shape your life. Take some time to go through these and begin to make the choices you need to to live the kind of life you want to!
Key Principle: We must take responsibility for our life and understand that we can, and will, achieve whatever we ourselves choose to.
Q. What kind of income will you choose to have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What career will you have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of family life will you have in the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of emotional and intellectual state will you be in for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What kind of spiritual state will you be in for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Q. What will be your physical state of being for the next 5 years? What will you do, what specific action will you take, to make that choice?
Remember, you can achieve whatever you choose to – and you do!
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