I was at a dinner party the other night when someone posed this question: Who has influenced your life the most? I thought for a moment and said what no one else said, “My mother.”
As I reflect back on my life, most of what I am today I learned from a tough as nails woman who went to work and busted her tail to get me ready for life. I realize now how many success principles she displayed while living out her life. The following success principles, though they can be and should be applied by all of us, are dedicated to all of those single moms out there. You are doing a tough job. Keep plugging away, be tenacious, and love your kids. They’ll see your life and turn out all right.
Don’t whine during tough times. You know, my mom got a bad deal, but as I look back on it, I cannot ever remember her complaining about her lot in life. That spoke volumes to me and has been a lesson ever since. Two people working, one whines, the other makes the most of the situation and works harder – who do you root for? Successful people don’t whine, they work harder and beat the odds.
Be creative. My mom immediately went to selling. She would hire the workers to help sell for her.I moved a lot, but you do what you have to when your back is against the wall. Successful people get creative when it comes to solving problems.
Sacrifice for others. I know we didn’t have much growing up but my mom always found ways to give me the extras. We would cut back here and there so that we could take the mandatory trip to father ChristmaS Grottos. Finding purpose by sacrificing for others is one of the highest calling in success. Successful people live not only for themselves but for those around them as well.
Be independent. My mom didn’t cut corners or get a leg up in anything. She worked hard for what she got. And she taught me to do the same. I can remember being taught to do things on my own that other parents were doing for their kids. Many of those kids still need their parents to get the job done. Successful people don’t rely on others to do for them what they can do themselves.
Believe in yourself. When I would say I wanted to do something but didn’t think I could, my mom would ask me, “Has anybody else ever done it?” I would say “Of course, lots of people.” Her reply? “Then you can too. You are smarter than them!” Well, I probably wasn’t smarter than them, but point well taken. If someone else has proven it can be done, then you have a chance! Successful people believe that they can do it!
Have a dream and pursue it – even if it takes years. My mom kept a dream alive and pursued it on the side as I grew up. The year I graduated from high school, my mom went for training. She kept her dream alive and worked at it bit by bit and finally it happened! Successful people dream big dreams and then complete them no matter how long it takes.
Stretch yourself. I can remember my mom taking me to business seminars when I was a twelve-year-old kid. Not because she couldn’t find babysitting, but because she wanted me to learn something! Most parents wouldn’t even think that their twelve- year-old could learn something there. Mine did. And I did learn a thing or two. Successful people stretch themselves.
Experience is the greatest teacher.My mom used to pull me out of school all the time and take me on these wild trips and journeys. I would say, “Uh, mom, shouldn’t I be in school.” She would always answer the same way, “Chris, we can’t let school get in the way of your education!” Successful people understand that going to school can get you some knowledge and a degree, but nothing beats actually doing it.
Some things are worth more than money. One of the greatest sacrifices my mother made for me was when I began high school. I did well in sports and played in the evenings, so my mom quit selling, which takes up a lot of evenings, and took a lower paying job as a Front desk slaes person at a supermarket. Successful people realize there are some things money can’t buy.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
HOW HARD SHOULD YOU WORK?
For years, there's been a drum-beat on the internet and among coaches that we "should" work less and make more. The theory is that by being smarter and more efficient, we should make more sales, and have more profit for every hour we work.I like the theory. I'm not sure it's that simple.The reality is that the those who work hardest often seem to make the most money. Beyond that, it seems to me that the world actually prefers LOW prices, and that Sam Walton (founder of Walmart) did alright by lowering prices and making a bit LESS on every sale.Now, obviously, we all want to be efficient, and we all think we're just a bit smarter than the next competitor.
We are all looking for an "edge" to get ahead, and I suspect that will never change. But I also think there is an obvious edge we tend to over-look.Customers actually LIKE businesses that go the extra mile! They PREFER companies that answer their phone. They do business with people who give SUPERIOR service, and who seem to care about customer satisfaction - actually, I like companies that refuse to "satisfy" me and seem determined to AMAZE me! And all of that requires hard, hard work.
Here's an old "law" of business: focus on the life-time value of a fanatically loyal customer. Focus on the value of a customer who sees him- or herself as your partner, rather than as just a "shopper." When your customers refuse to deal with anyone but you, your fortune is assured. How hard should you work? About that hard.
We are all looking for an "edge" to get ahead, and I suspect that will never change. But I also think there is an obvious edge we tend to over-look.Customers actually LIKE businesses that go the extra mile! They PREFER companies that answer their phone. They do business with people who give SUPERIOR service, and who seem to care about customer satisfaction - actually, I like companies that refuse to "satisfy" me and seem determined to AMAZE me! And all of that requires hard, hard work.
Here's an old "law" of business: focus on the life-time value of a fanatically loyal customer. Focus on the value of a customer who sees him- or herself as your partner, rather than as just a "shopper." When your customers refuse to deal with anyone but you, your fortune is assured. How hard should you work? About that hard.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS
What are the keys to success? How do we explain the fact that two equally talented people sometimes produce dramatically different results? Why is that? Some people believe success is a matter of luck. Others believe it is the result of talent or education, or "being in the right place at the right time." Some of us think it has to do with "who you know," or (let's be honest) that luck maybe does play a part.Well. I don't think "luck" has anything to do with it, except in the sense that some people have a knack for doing the right things, in the right way, at the right time, and attracting the things they want in life. If that's "luck", I want all I can get! And that kind of luck is not magical or supernatural. I think it's more accurate to describe success as a habit, as a set of behaviors and attitudes that are repeated every day until they become automatic.A few years ago, I read that the top sales people in a large insurance company earned 54 times more than the "average" salesperson made in commissions. Think of that--some people earned 54 times more than their colleagues who were selling the same products for the same company, with the same training. How could that be?
Were the top people 54 times smarter or 54 times more talented? Would you argue they were 54 times luckier? Of course not! It turns out, the differences in income were almost entirely the result of "small differences that made all the difference."Now, the top sales people did make a few more calls per day--but not 54 times more calls! The top people did return calls more promptly and had slightly better phone skills. The top people read more, and had a better understanding of their products, and were perhaps better at communicating with prospects.The essential piece, however, is that the top people were only slightly better, and the things that mattered were the ordinary, routine skills that everyone has to master. It was the "little things" that made all the difference!
If you watch the "March Madness" basketball tournament this week, you'll see this principle played out in every game. The winners are not necessarily more talented, younger, stronger or richer. Often the difference between winning and losing is a moment's lost concentration, or a small extra effort. The winners are not 54 times better, or even twice as good. I can safely predict that even in the national championships, the difference between winning and losing will be a tiny difference that makes all the difference!Winners practice for perfection. They pay more attention, they read more, they get up earlier and stay a bit later. They don't necessarily work harder, and the things they emphasize are not always big or dramatic, but they do work smarter! They focus on quality, on performance, on the "winning edge." So can you!The keys to success are not talent or wealth or luck or education. Someone once told me that winners are "ordinary people, doing ordinary things, extraordinarily well." I keep that truth visible on my desk every day. Today, do the ordinary tasks and routines of your life with extraordinary precision, with extraordinary energy, humor, warmth and passion. Those are the keys to long-term success!
Quotes of the Week
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa
"We are what we repeatedly do." -- Aristotle
"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things." -- Amelia Earhart
"The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." -- Dorothy Nevill
Were the top people 54 times smarter or 54 times more talented? Would you argue they were 54 times luckier? Of course not! It turns out, the differences in income were almost entirely the result of "small differences that made all the difference."Now, the top sales people did make a few more calls per day--but not 54 times more calls! The top people did return calls more promptly and had slightly better phone skills. The top people read more, and had a better understanding of their products, and were perhaps better at communicating with prospects.The essential piece, however, is that the top people were only slightly better, and the things that mattered were the ordinary, routine skills that everyone has to master. It was the "little things" that made all the difference!
If you watch the "March Madness" basketball tournament this week, you'll see this principle played out in every game. The winners are not necessarily more talented, younger, stronger or richer. Often the difference between winning and losing is a moment's lost concentration, or a small extra effort. The winners are not 54 times better, or even twice as good. I can safely predict that even in the national championships, the difference between winning and losing will be a tiny difference that makes all the difference!Winners practice for perfection. They pay more attention, they read more, they get up earlier and stay a bit later. They don't necessarily work harder, and the things they emphasize are not always big or dramatic, but they do work smarter! They focus on quality, on performance, on the "winning edge." So can you!The keys to success are not talent or wealth or luck or education. Someone once told me that winners are "ordinary people, doing ordinary things, extraordinarily well." I keep that truth visible on my desk every day. Today, do the ordinary tasks and routines of your life with extraordinary precision, with extraordinary energy, humor, warmth and passion. Those are the keys to long-term success!
Quotes of the Week
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa
"We are what we repeatedly do." -- Aristotle
"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things." -- Amelia Earhart
"The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment." -- Dorothy Nevill
Monday, March 23, 2009
TAKE A TURN AT TENACIOUS!
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." Calvin Coolidge
I have worked with many successful people; people who have achieved the kinds of lives they have dreamed about. I have also worked with many people who are not anywhere near where they want to be in life. Many times those who are not successful resent those who are and believe that somehow success was handed to those who have achieved much.
What I have found however is that actually the reverse is true. Those who have achieved much have worked much HARDER than those who are not successful. You wouldn’t believe the stories of struggle that I hear from those who now appear to on “top of the heap.” Yes, they are successful, but no, it wasn’t handed to them! And I find that most of the unsuccessful people who come to me actually haven’t been tenacious at all. I find that with many of the people I speak to who complain about their lack of success simply haven’t persevered and been tenacious. When I ask them questions I usually get excuses. Yes, there are exceptions on both sides, but I find this to be almost universally true.
If you are one who finds yourself dreaming of a better life, or looking at someone who “has it made,” I would ask you to take a long, deep look inward and at your life to find whether or not you have actually been tenacious in pursuit of your dreams. How long have you gone for it? Many people who achieve much go for YEARS before they achieve what their hearts long for? How hard have you gone for it? Most people who achieve much have given up much. They have sacrificed much. They strive valiantly for what it is that resides deep in their dreams. They just plain ol’ work hard!
So what are the principles of tenacity? What do you need to know in order to take your turn at the tenacious? Here are some thoughts to start your fire and get you going!
Sometimes you just have to outlast the others.
"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." William Feather
I have found that many people start on their dreams but most never finish. Then those who stop resent those who make it. The truth is that most people who become successful have simply mastered the art of keeping on keeping on! I myself can remember early on in my career when I would get discouraged and I literally said to myself, “One more week. Just give it one more week.” Quite frankly, this is what got me through a couple of years of my work early on. I hung on as others let go.
It is easy to get disheartened. Ask those who have achieved success if they ever got disheartened and you will find some of the most amazing stories you have ever heard. Give it a try: Go to the most successful person you know and ask them if they ever thought about quitting. Ask them how they kept on going. You will be amazed at what you hear.
Sometimes you just have to hold on at the end.
"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." Franklin Roosevelt
I wonder how many people have quit just as they would have begun their entrance into success? Sure there are many who quit at the first sign of hard work, but what about those who, after the tenth time of trial then give up, just as fate would have seen them go through one last hurdle and then into the promised land? How many people were on their last hurdle and decided not to jump? How many people had just one more mountain pass to go? Or just one more river to cross?
Of course we will never know, but certainly some of the people who quit are doing so on what would have been their last trial, right?
So what does this mean for you? For me it means I do not quit because I would hate to find out later that all I needed was just one last effort and I would have achieved my goal. What if it isn’t my last trial? That’s okay because as long as I keep going, eventually I will get to my last trial, I will overcome it, and I will enter the Winner’s Circle.
Sometimes the most beautiful results come from dull things under pressure.
"Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs." Malcolm Forbes
If coal wasn’t an inanimate object it would certainly scream, “Stop! I want out!” But that coal, when facing incredible pressure, is turned into one of earth’s most precious possessions. Ugly, dirty old coal is transformed into beautiful diamonds.
Instead of looking at pressure and trials as the reason to quit, get tenacious and see them as the very thing that will make your life the beautiful thing that you desire it to be. See it as your opportunity to learn, to grow, and to be transformed. See these trials as the very things that will enable you to have the life that dream of!
Trials will surely come. Life will get hard. You will want to quit.
Then you will have a choice: Will you give up? Or will you take your turn at tenacious. The choice you make will determine much of the rest of your life.
My advice? Take your turn at tenacious. You will become stronger, and you will end up living the life you dream of!
I have worked with many successful people; people who have achieved the kinds of lives they have dreamed about. I have also worked with many people who are not anywhere near where they want to be in life. Many times those who are not successful resent those who are and believe that somehow success was handed to those who have achieved much.
What I have found however is that actually the reverse is true. Those who have achieved much have worked much HARDER than those who are not successful. You wouldn’t believe the stories of struggle that I hear from those who now appear to on “top of the heap.” Yes, they are successful, but no, it wasn’t handed to them! And I find that most of the unsuccessful people who come to me actually haven’t been tenacious at all. I find that with many of the people I speak to who complain about their lack of success simply haven’t persevered and been tenacious. When I ask them questions I usually get excuses. Yes, there are exceptions on both sides, but I find this to be almost universally true.
If you are one who finds yourself dreaming of a better life, or looking at someone who “has it made,” I would ask you to take a long, deep look inward and at your life to find whether or not you have actually been tenacious in pursuit of your dreams. How long have you gone for it? Many people who achieve much go for YEARS before they achieve what their hearts long for? How hard have you gone for it? Most people who achieve much have given up much. They have sacrificed much. They strive valiantly for what it is that resides deep in their dreams. They just plain ol’ work hard!
So what are the principles of tenacity? What do you need to know in order to take your turn at the tenacious? Here are some thoughts to start your fire and get you going!
Sometimes you just have to outlast the others.
"Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go." William Feather
I have found that many people start on their dreams but most never finish. Then those who stop resent those who make it. The truth is that most people who become successful have simply mastered the art of keeping on keeping on! I myself can remember early on in my career when I would get discouraged and I literally said to myself, “One more week. Just give it one more week.” Quite frankly, this is what got me through a couple of years of my work early on. I hung on as others let go.
It is easy to get disheartened. Ask those who have achieved success if they ever got disheartened and you will find some of the most amazing stories you have ever heard. Give it a try: Go to the most successful person you know and ask them if they ever thought about quitting. Ask them how they kept on going. You will be amazed at what you hear.
Sometimes you just have to hold on at the end.
"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." Franklin Roosevelt
I wonder how many people have quit just as they would have begun their entrance into success? Sure there are many who quit at the first sign of hard work, but what about those who, after the tenth time of trial then give up, just as fate would have seen them go through one last hurdle and then into the promised land? How many people were on their last hurdle and decided not to jump? How many people had just one more mountain pass to go? Or just one more river to cross?
Of course we will never know, but certainly some of the people who quit are doing so on what would have been their last trial, right?
So what does this mean for you? For me it means I do not quit because I would hate to find out later that all I needed was just one last effort and I would have achieved my goal. What if it isn’t my last trial? That’s okay because as long as I keep going, eventually I will get to my last trial, I will overcome it, and I will enter the Winner’s Circle.
Sometimes the most beautiful results come from dull things under pressure.
"Diamonds are nothing more than chunks of coal that stuck to their jobs." Malcolm Forbes
If coal wasn’t an inanimate object it would certainly scream, “Stop! I want out!” But that coal, when facing incredible pressure, is turned into one of earth’s most precious possessions. Ugly, dirty old coal is transformed into beautiful diamonds.
Instead of looking at pressure and trials as the reason to quit, get tenacious and see them as the very thing that will make your life the beautiful thing that you desire it to be. See it as your opportunity to learn, to grow, and to be transformed. See these trials as the very things that will enable you to have the life that dream of!
Trials will surely come. Life will get hard. You will want to quit.
Then you will have a choice: Will you give up? Or will you take your turn at tenacious. The choice you make will determine much of the rest of your life.
My advice? Take your turn at tenacious. You will become stronger, and you will end up living the life you dream of!
Friday, March 20, 2009
SELF-IMAGE IN SELLING
Why Your Self-Image is a Key Part of Your Personality
Your self-image is the way you see yourself and think about yourself. It is often called your "inner mirror." You look into this mirror in every situation to see how you should perform on the outside. You always behave on the outside in a manner consistent with the picture you have of yourself on the inside.
How Do You See Yourself
For example, if you see yourself, as calm, confident and competent in any aspect of selling, when you are engaged in that activity, you will feel calm, confident and competent. You will be positive and happy. You will perform well and get excellent results. If, for any reason, it doesn't go well at that time, you will throw it off and dismiss it as a temporary situation. Your self-image is clear. In your mind's eye you see yourself as good and capable in that area, and nothing can interfere with your mental picture.
Change Your Self-Image
The most rapid improvements in sales results come from changing your self-image. The moment that you see yourself differently, you behave differently as well. And because you are behaving differently, you get different results.
My self-image was such that I could not bring myself to ask the prospect to make a buying decision. All day long, I would go from office to office giving my presentation and leaving a little book with descriptions to read. And as you might imagine, I was not making any sales. When I called people back after they had time to think about it, they would invariably say that they were not interested.
The Turning Point
I was getting desperate. I was living from hand to mouth at the time. Although I was seeing lots of prospects, I was making very few sales. Then I had a revelation which changed my career at the time. I realized that it was my fear of asking for the order that was causing all my problems. It was not my prospects. It was me. I needed to change my self-image and thereby change my behavior if I wanted results to improve.
Make A Decision
The very next morning, I made the decision that I would not call back on a prospect. The size of the purchase was small and, when I had completed my presentation, the prospect would know everything that he needed to know to make a decision. There was no benefit or advantage of leaving material behind or giving the prospect several days to think about it. At my very first call, and I still remember it, when I had finished my presentation, the prospect said, "Let me think it over." I smiled and told him that I did not make call backs because I was too busy, and then I said, "You know everything you need to know to make a decision right now. Why don't you just take it?" I remember him shrugging his shoulders and saying, "OK. I'll take it. How would you like to be paid?"
Double Your Earnings
I walked out of that office on a cloud. That very day I tripled my sales. That week, I sold more than anyone else in the company. By the end of the month, they had made me the sales manager with 42 people under me. I went from making one or two sales per week to making ten or fifteen sales per week. I went from worrying about money to a large salary with an override on the activities of all my salespeople. My sales life took off and, with few exceptions, it never stopped. And the turning point was that conscious choice to modify my self-image and make it more consistent with the results I wanted rather than the results that I was getting.
Action Exercises
Now, here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, begin to see yourself the way you want to be. See yourself as strong, confident, competent and professional in every way. The person you see is the person you will be.
Second, identify an area of selling where your own ideas about yourself and the situation are holding you back. You always perform on the outside the way you see yourself on the inside.
Your self-image is the way you see yourself and think about yourself. It is often called your "inner mirror." You look into this mirror in every situation to see how you should perform on the outside. You always behave on the outside in a manner consistent with the picture you have of yourself on the inside.
How Do You See Yourself
For example, if you see yourself, as calm, confident and competent in any aspect of selling, when you are engaged in that activity, you will feel calm, confident and competent. You will be positive and happy. You will perform well and get excellent results. If, for any reason, it doesn't go well at that time, you will throw it off and dismiss it as a temporary situation. Your self-image is clear. In your mind's eye you see yourself as good and capable in that area, and nothing can interfere with your mental picture.
Change Your Self-Image
The most rapid improvements in sales results come from changing your self-image. The moment that you see yourself differently, you behave differently as well. And because you are behaving differently, you get different results.
My self-image was such that I could not bring myself to ask the prospect to make a buying decision. All day long, I would go from office to office giving my presentation and leaving a little book with descriptions to read. And as you might imagine, I was not making any sales. When I called people back after they had time to think about it, they would invariably say that they were not interested.
The Turning Point
I was getting desperate. I was living from hand to mouth at the time. Although I was seeing lots of prospects, I was making very few sales. Then I had a revelation which changed my career at the time. I realized that it was my fear of asking for the order that was causing all my problems. It was not my prospects. It was me. I needed to change my self-image and thereby change my behavior if I wanted results to improve.
Make A Decision
The very next morning, I made the decision that I would not call back on a prospect. The size of the purchase was small and, when I had completed my presentation, the prospect would know everything that he needed to know to make a decision. There was no benefit or advantage of leaving material behind or giving the prospect several days to think about it. At my very first call, and I still remember it, when I had finished my presentation, the prospect said, "Let me think it over." I smiled and told him that I did not make call backs because I was too busy, and then I said, "You know everything you need to know to make a decision right now. Why don't you just take it?" I remember him shrugging his shoulders and saying, "OK. I'll take it. How would you like to be paid?"
Double Your Earnings
I walked out of that office on a cloud. That very day I tripled my sales. That week, I sold more than anyone else in the company. By the end of the month, they had made me the sales manager with 42 people under me. I went from making one or two sales per week to making ten or fifteen sales per week. I went from worrying about money to a large salary with an override on the activities of all my salespeople. My sales life took off and, with few exceptions, it never stopped. And the turning point was that conscious choice to modify my self-image and make it more consistent with the results I wanted rather than the results that I was getting.
Action Exercises
Now, here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, begin to see yourself the way you want to be. See yourself as strong, confident, competent and professional in every way. The person you see is the person you will be.
Second, identify an area of selling where your own ideas about yourself and the situation are holding you back. You always perform on the outside the way you see yourself on the inside.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
WHEN DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY OPENS
Anybody can achieve anything. Do you believe that?
I do. But there is a caveat that must be made. Those who succeed are those who walk through the door of opportunity when it swings open. That we know. But what is the secret to getting through the door of opportunity?
Being outside the door when it swings open. As the story goes, Frank Sinatra got his big break while working as a waiter. One day, as he was waiting tables, who does he see sitting in the restaurant, but one of the biggest names in the music industry. Old Blue Eyes did the unbelievable: He cleared off a table next to the gentleman and got up on it and sang! He knew he was done at the restaurant for doing so, but how many times would this door of opportunity open up? Needless to say, the rest is history.
You may remember my article about the stagehand for Kenny G who one day was in the auditorium with Kenny, just the two of them, when he started to play every song for him on the piano that was set up. Kenny didn't even know the guy could play the piano. Guess who is now the lead keyboardist for Kenny G?
You got it! You see, you never know when the door of opportunity is going to open wide. For some, the big break comes early in life and for others later on. But for all of those who become successful, there is one key similarity: They were ready. And for every one of those who were ready, there were thousands more who weren't.
So, the principle for us is: Be ready! Are you ready?
Here are some thoughts for you to consider. Are your skills as sharp as they could be?
Are they enough so when your shot comes you can perform?
Is your character deep enough to handle success? Let's face it; you don't want big success if your character won't be able to handle it.
Are you working hard to position yourself now? The job to do while waiting for the door to open is to develop your skills and your character, so as to position yourself to get through that door before it closes.
Your door will open someday. It opens for everyone. It may only open once or it may open many times. It is different for everyone and life just isn't fair that way. But everybody gets a shot. Will you be ready?
When that huge door of opportunity opens up, will you be able to walk boldly through it?
Do everything you can to be ready. Don't just sit and wish and dream. Be proactive and make sure that you are the most qualified when the door opens. Make sure that you are the hardest worker. Make sure you are the closest to the door.
When it opens - Be Ready!
I do. But there is a caveat that must be made. Those who succeed are those who walk through the door of opportunity when it swings open. That we know. But what is the secret to getting through the door of opportunity?
Being outside the door when it swings open. As the story goes, Frank Sinatra got his big break while working as a waiter. One day, as he was waiting tables, who does he see sitting in the restaurant, but one of the biggest names in the music industry. Old Blue Eyes did the unbelievable: He cleared off a table next to the gentleman and got up on it and sang! He knew he was done at the restaurant for doing so, but how many times would this door of opportunity open up? Needless to say, the rest is history.
You may remember my article about the stagehand for Kenny G who one day was in the auditorium with Kenny, just the two of them, when he started to play every song for him on the piano that was set up. Kenny didn't even know the guy could play the piano. Guess who is now the lead keyboardist for Kenny G?
You got it! You see, you never know when the door of opportunity is going to open wide. For some, the big break comes early in life and for others later on. But for all of those who become successful, there is one key similarity: They were ready. And for every one of those who were ready, there were thousands more who weren't.
So, the principle for us is: Be ready! Are you ready?
Here are some thoughts for you to consider. Are your skills as sharp as they could be?
Are they enough so when your shot comes you can perform?
Is your character deep enough to handle success? Let's face it; you don't want big success if your character won't be able to handle it.
Are you working hard to position yourself now? The job to do while waiting for the door to open is to develop your skills and your character, so as to position yourself to get through that door before it closes.
Your door will open someday. It opens for everyone. It may only open once or it may open many times. It is different for everyone and life just isn't fair that way. But everybody gets a shot. Will you be ready?
When that huge door of opportunity opens up, will you be able to walk boldly through it?
Do everything you can to be ready. Don't just sit and wish and dream. Be proactive and make sure that you are the most qualified when the door opens. Make sure that you are the hardest worker. Make sure you are the closest to the door.
When it opens - Be Ready!
Monday, March 16, 2009
THE MOST POWERFUL PERSON IN THE WORLD
Most of the world's truly great people will remain forever unknown. You and I will not hear of them and no one will write their biographies. Sure, I love reading about Oprah Winfrey and being inspired by her life story. It's fun to follow Donald Trump's financial ups and downs, or marvel at the movies of a Steven Spielberg. But most of us will never be famous, and that has little to do with greatness.I prefer the greatness Thomas Stanley and William Danko described in The Millionaire Next Door. I love the fact that even after the financial storms of recent months, there are millions of millionaires in world! Even better, I love that most of them started with nothing and created wealth with their own hands. Perhaps even more than that, I admire the great parents, teachers, artists, farmers and builders who have inspired me. The fascinating thing is that it's not hard to live a great life!Recently, we watched Walk the Line, the biography of Johnny Cash, and how close he came to wasting his talent. It made me think of Elvis Presley, John Belushi, Howard Hughes and the thousands of others who made small decisions that led them tragically astray. What's the difference between the sadness of Marilyn Monroe and the greatness of Mother Theresa?
We all have greatness within us. Every one of us is born to make a difference, to play our part, and transform our corner of the world. We may not become famous, but we can live with joy and gusto and greatness. Why do so many of us settle for small problems, and small lives?I think too many of us fail to seize and use our personal power.Because we are not "powerful" on the world stage, we forget that we have tremendous power in our choices. We may not be rich or famous, but we have the power to smile, and to persist. We have the power to live with dignity and integrity and ambition. We have the power to be loving, to be kind, to be generous. We have the power to create and live our own lives.
My sense is that it helps to have a big dream. My father always told us that if we were going to dream, we might as well dream BIG dreams. I am convinced that what we expect in life really does matter. I think it helps to expect the best and focus our thoughts, our attention and our intention on big dreams.But I also think it's vital that we not be distracted or get lost in our own dreams. It's nice to aim high, so long as we realize that even the biggest dreams happen one step at a time. Donald Trump's fancy skyscrapers are build one rivet at a time. Oprah built her empire one meeting, one interview, one decision at a time. "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step."Use your power! Hug someone, or call a friend. Spend an hour reading a good book or getting some exercise with your kids. Do it today, not tomorrow or "someday." Take action and use your power to skip desert or to make one more sales call. Take some action to move your life in the direction you want to go, and do it today.
Both Nelson Mandela and Marianne Williamson have been credited with the insight that our greatest fear is not that we are powerless, but that (in fact!) we are powerful beyond measure. Whoever said it first, I think it's true.You are powerful beyond measure! You have the power to change your world any time you wish. Use your power! Give a smile to someone who needs one. Get up a bit earlier, or work a bit longer. Put legs under your dreams and make them happen.
Quotes of the Week
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -- Helen Keller
"If you really want something you can figure out how to make it happen." -- Cher
"A year from now you may wish you had started today." -- Karen Lamb
"In each of us are places where we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them." -- Dr. Joyce Brothers
We all have greatness within us. Every one of us is born to make a difference, to play our part, and transform our corner of the world. We may not become famous, but we can live with joy and gusto and greatness. Why do so many of us settle for small problems, and small lives?I think too many of us fail to seize and use our personal power.Because we are not "powerful" on the world stage, we forget that we have tremendous power in our choices. We may not be rich or famous, but we have the power to smile, and to persist. We have the power to live with dignity and integrity and ambition. We have the power to be loving, to be kind, to be generous. We have the power to create and live our own lives.
My sense is that it helps to have a big dream. My father always told us that if we were going to dream, we might as well dream BIG dreams. I am convinced that what we expect in life really does matter. I think it helps to expect the best and focus our thoughts, our attention and our intention on big dreams.But I also think it's vital that we not be distracted or get lost in our own dreams. It's nice to aim high, so long as we realize that even the biggest dreams happen one step at a time. Donald Trump's fancy skyscrapers are build one rivet at a time. Oprah built her empire one meeting, one interview, one decision at a time. "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step."Use your power! Hug someone, or call a friend. Spend an hour reading a good book or getting some exercise with your kids. Do it today, not tomorrow or "someday." Take action and use your power to skip desert or to make one more sales call. Take some action to move your life in the direction you want to go, and do it today.
Both Nelson Mandela and Marianne Williamson have been credited with the insight that our greatest fear is not that we are powerless, but that (in fact!) we are powerful beyond measure. Whoever said it first, I think it's true.You are powerful beyond measure! You have the power to change your world any time you wish. Use your power! Give a smile to someone who needs one. Get up a bit earlier, or work a bit longer. Put legs under your dreams and make them happen.
Quotes of the Week
"I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. I will not refuse to do the something I can do." -- Helen Keller
"If you really want something you can figure out how to make it happen." -- Cher
"A year from now you may wish you had started today." -- Karen Lamb
"In each of us are places where we have never gone. Only by pressing the limits do you ever find them." -- Dr. Joyce Brothers
Friday, March 13, 2009
YOUR TEAM FOR ACHIEVEMENT
The poet wrote that "no man is an island' and that is certainly true for business people. By definition, business flourishes in the "market-place," with vendors and suppliers, staff and customers all swirling around! It's how business gets done.At the same time, however, too many business people feel alone. In some micro-businesses, one person is quite literally the owner, the manager, the staff, the janitor and the bookkeeper. That can be lonely and inefficient. Trying to work from home, or from a one-person office can be distracting and (at times) depressing. Even if you work with other people, however, too often the feeling or sense is still that we are "all alone," especially if you are in a position of leadership. One of the most valuable resources any entrepreneur, professional or small business leader can have is a Master Mind team of trusted colleagues who will listen and advise you.
Having a TEAM of people who will be honest with you, who understand your challenges and will share their wisdom can be a HUGE advantage!If you don't have a "kitchen cabinet" or unofficial "board of directors," get one! That may sound strong or even arrogant, but John Donne was right - none of us functions at our best when we have to do it all ourselves. Get a support team. Get advisors you trust, people who know and understand your situation, people who do not compete with you and who will not play games. Meet with them once a week to take care of business, and help each other to be your BEST.
Having a TEAM of people who will be honest with you, who understand your challenges and will share their wisdom can be a HUGE advantage!If you don't have a "kitchen cabinet" or unofficial "board of directors," get one! That may sound strong or even arrogant, but John Donne was right - none of us functions at our best when we have to do it all ourselves. Get a support team. Get advisors you trust, people who know and understand your situation, people who do not compete with you and who will not play games. Meet with them once a week to take care of business, and help each other to be your BEST.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
YOUR MOST IMPORTANT (& PROFITABLE!) INVESTMENT
Here's a vital question: What is your most important investment? What's the most important thing in your life? Or to put it another way, what is the one thing you absolutely, positively must achieve during your brief time on this small planet?This is not a trick question! But it does have a "tricky" answer.Most people answer with things like their spirituality, their children or family, their career or health. If those are your answers, you may want to think again.
All of those things are important! But I'm indebted to one of my mentors, Thomas Leonard, for helping me dig deeper on this one. Thomas argued that the most important thing in life is "self-ishness."Ordinarily, we associate selfishness with spoiled kids fighting over toys in a sandbox, and it's not a pretty picture. Fortunately, that's not at all what Thomas had in mind.
He pointed out that our first obligation is to figure out who we are, what we want, and where we're going in life. Until we discover our "Self," we are in a sense living someone else's life! And, here's a critical point. Figuring out who we are and what we'll do with our life doesn't happen by accident! Carl Jung said that most people don't figure this out until after age forty. It takes a long time to grow up and take care of life's essentials. As young adults most of us are busy with school and work, starting and raising a family, launching a career, and a thousand other things.
Fortunately, as adults we can pause, step back and ask the big questions. I find it incredibly sad that so many people never face this essential responsibility. It's no good living by someone else's rules or following someone else's dream. Life is a gift, but to make the most of it we must accept that "some assembly is required" and make the effort to find our own way in this world.
Thomas was right about the importance of being "self-ish." But he was wrong about how we do it.Thomas developed a theory he called "personal evolution" and speculated that we could create a process of "automatically" evolving into the person we want to become. Frankly, as much as I admired him (he passed away several years ago), I think he was wrong about this.I think some of us virtually "paint by the numbers" or "go through the motions" of living our lives! Existence is (relatively) easy, but growth requires hard work, and a plan. I think the term "personal development" is a more accurate description of how we earn the right to a "life of one's own." I think responsible adults take control of their own lives because life expects us to learn and stretch. It expects us to make choices, set a course, develop skills and work hard. Life asks us to try things, make mistakes, and commit to a path of growth and maturity. Anyone can get old, but growth only comes with effort and commitment.So here's the challenge: Who are you striving to become? Do you have a plan? Are you making the daily investment?I don't think this has to be "hard" or expensive. In many ways, it's very easy! Think about this--would you rather live a life of distractions, obeying other people's rules, and following someone else's script, or a life focused on your own most important priorities? I think in many ways, living a GREAT life is much easier than living an ordinary life. Sure, it requires a few basic disciplines. It requires hard choices and the integrity to stick with them. But in many ways, a GREAT life is actually much easier and infinitely more satisfying!Here are four simple--not always easy, but simple--steps:
1. Get clear about who you are, what you value and where you're going in life. Be very "self-ish" about this!
2. Develop a plan. What do you need to change? What do you need to learn? Who will you be five years from now, and how will you make that happen? Take notes and write this stuff down.
3. Take action every day. It doesn't have to be dramatic action, but every day, stick with it. Read. Talk with smart people. Eliminate one or two distractions. Spend time on things that make you proud, that stretch and strengthen you.
4. Invest time (and a few dollars) in your self! Get away for perspective. Get away to learn. Get away to THINK! Get away to organize, plan and grow. Get away so you can return home clear-headed, focused and energized.And here's the kicker: Right now, this very moment, you're being invited to take action. I am inviting you to join me in Wisconsin this May. Invest in yourself! Come make plans and develop elegant strategies to be the person you CHOOSE to be and to create the life you truly DESIRE. I hope you'll accept the invitation. I hope you'll make the commitment. I hope we'll see you there!
Quotes of the Week
"Every man (person) dies. Not every (person) truly lives." -- Braveheart
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment to improve the orld." -- Anne Frank
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." -- Albert Einstein
All of those things are important! But I'm indebted to one of my mentors, Thomas Leonard, for helping me dig deeper on this one. Thomas argued that the most important thing in life is "self-ishness."Ordinarily, we associate selfishness with spoiled kids fighting over toys in a sandbox, and it's not a pretty picture. Fortunately, that's not at all what Thomas had in mind.
He pointed out that our first obligation is to figure out who we are, what we want, and where we're going in life. Until we discover our "Self," we are in a sense living someone else's life! And, here's a critical point. Figuring out who we are and what we'll do with our life doesn't happen by accident! Carl Jung said that most people don't figure this out until after age forty. It takes a long time to grow up and take care of life's essentials. As young adults most of us are busy with school and work, starting and raising a family, launching a career, and a thousand other things.
Fortunately, as adults we can pause, step back and ask the big questions. I find it incredibly sad that so many people never face this essential responsibility. It's no good living by someone else's rules or following someone else's dream. Life is a gift, but to make the most of it we must accept that "some assembly is required" and make the effort to find our own way in this world.
Thomas was right about the importance of being "self-ish." But he was wrong about how we do it.Thomas developed a theory he called "personal evolution" and speculated that we could create a process of "automatically" evolving into the person we want to become. Frankly, as much as I admired him (he passed away several years ago), I think he was wrong about this.I think some of us virtually "paint by the numbers" or "go through the motions" of living our lives! Existence is (relatively) easy, but growth requires hard work, and a plan. I think the term "personal development" is a more accurate description of how we earn the right to a "life of one's own." I think responsible adults take control of their own lives because life expects us to learn and stretch. It expects us to make choices, set a course, develop skills and work hard. Life asks us to try things, make mistakes, and commit to a path of growth and maturity. Anyone can get old, but growth only comes with effort and commitment.So here's the challenge: Who are you striving to become? Do you have a plan? Are you making the daily investment?I don't think this has to be "hard" or expensive. In many ways, it's very easy! Think about this--would you rather live a life of distractions, obeying other people's rules, and following someone else's script, or a life focused on your own most important priorities? I think in many ways, living a GREAT life is much easier than living an ordinary life. Sure, it requires a few basic disciplines. It requires hard choices and the integrity to stick with them. But in many ways, a GREAT life is actually much easier and infinitely more satisfying!Here are four simple--not always easy, but simple--steps:
1. Get clear about who you are, what you value and where you're going in life. Be very "self-ish" about this!
2. Develop a plan. What do you need to change? What do you need to learn? Who will you be five years from now, and how will you make that happen? Take notes and write this stuff down.
3. Take action every day. It doesn't have to be dramatic action, but every day, stick with it. Read. Talk with smart people. Eliminate one or two distractions. Spend time on things that make you proud, that stretch and strengthen you.
4. Invest time (and a few dollars) in your self! Get away for perspective. Get away to learn. Get away to THINK! Get away to organize, plan and grow. Get away so you can return home clear-headed, focused and energized.And here's the kicker: Right now, this very moment, you're being invited to take action. I am inviting you to join me in Wisconsin this May. Invest in yourself! Come make plans and develop elegant strategies to be the person you CHOOSE to be and to create the life you truly DESIRE. I hope you'll accept the invitation. I hope you'll make the commitment. I hope we'll see you there!
Quotes of the Week
"Every man (person) dies. Not every (person) truly lives." -- Braveheart
"Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies." -- Mother Teresa
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment to improve the orld." -- Anne Frank
"The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." -- Albert Einstein
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
SLAYING YOUR OWN GIANTS
I read an old story the other day. It is one that almost everyone is familiar with, and as I read it, I realized that it is filled with a strategy for successfully defeating giants. Yes, giants. We all have them in our lives: Self-doubt, bad habits, financial difficulty, bad relationships etc, can all be giants in our lives.
The story? David and Goliath. Take a journey back in time with me and see if there isn’t a great deal of truth in this story that we can apply to our own lives today.
Here are the timeless principles I see in this story of the little guy beating the giant:
Expect giants to block the way to the Promised Land.
Too many times we go for our dreams expecting that it will be like a cakewalk at the county fair. Not true! If you want to get to something as great as the promise land you imagine for your life, realize that the world isn’t just going to roll over and die. No, competitors will do anything they can to keep you out. Naysayers will stand before you and tell you it can’t be done. Giants will appear and you will have to go through them to get where you want to go. Don’t go into your journey with your eyes closed. Expect to battle a giant or two!
Attack your giant for a reason bigger than your own victory.
For David, his reason was to defend the honor of God, since the giant was taunting God. Yes, he heard that he would get a wife out of the deal, but his biggest reason wasn’t personal. The same is true with us. Yes, we will gain a lot from our successes but I have found that personal gain is usually fleeting in regard to long-term joy and happiness. Those things that bring a deep sense of personal satisfaction come from accomplishing something positive for an altruistic reason, or for some cause that transcends us!
Recognize your own strengths.
When asked if he thought if he could really defeat the giant, David reflected on his past successes. He thought about all those times that he was guarding his father’s sheep and had to ward off animal attackers. Surely if he had killed both a lion and a bear, this human – even if he was nine feet tall! – wouldn’t be much to do a way with. David knew his strengths. He knew what he could do, and he would do it again and again until he reached his goal.
Don’t use someone else’s armor.
Okay, the king was convinced: David could go ahead, but first, the king put his armor on David. Like a 10 year old in his father’s suit, David walked around in the armor. “No thanks,” said David. He knew what he needed and it wasn’t what worked for someone else. Yes, we need to take advice, but what works for one doesn’t always work for everyone else. There is no cookie cutter path to success. There is more than one way to skin a cat (By the way, who came up with that disgusting analogy? But I digress…). “Dance with the one that brung ya,” they say. So on your way to success, stick with what works, not someone else’s plan or strategy. David knew a slingshot would work just fine thank you.
Take five weapons, though you may only need one.
This was one of the really fascinating parts of the story. David obviously knew that he was good with a slingshot. Good enough to kill a giant, at least. So there was some assurance and self-confidence there. But he also knew that sometimes things go awry. He knew that sometimes it takes a few shots to kill the giants. So, even though eventually he only needed one smooth stone to do the job, he had four others for backup! What about you? Are you five deep in the resource pocket? If not, find a few more stones to do battle with your giant with.
Run toward the giant, not away from it.
Here was another interesting point. The story is sure to mention that David ran toward the giant. Why? To get a good shot! So many of us run away from our giants, hoping that if we do we will be able to avoid giants all together. Not true. We will just have to do battle with another giant somewhere else, and all we have chosen to do is go the circuitous route rather than the direct one. Move in close to your giant, and let him have it!
Make sure it is dead after it falls.
One shot and David’s giant took a tumble. Did David party? Nope, he went and made sure that Giant wouldn’t rise to haunt him another day. He went in close and with a big swipe of his sword, took the giant’s head off! Giants have way of coming back to life, so be sure that you have really conquered your giant before you move on!
Just like David, you CAN conquer your giants! You CAN move past them into your own promised land! Just stick with these age-old guidelines and you will be well on your way!
Here they are again!
1. Expect giants to block the way to the Promised Land.
2. Attack your giant for a reason bigger than your own victory.
3. Recognize your own strengths.
4. Don’t use someone else’s armor.
5. Take five weapons, though you may only need one.
6. Run toward the giant, not away from it.
7. Make sure it is dead after it falls.
Take up your slingshot and take a few throws at your giant today!
The story? David and Goliath. Take a journey back in time with me and see if there isn’t a great deal of truth in this story that we can apply to our own lives today.
Here are the timeless principles I see in this story of the little guy beating the giant:
Expect giants to block the way to the Promised Land.
Too many times we go for our dreams expecting that it will be like a cakewalk at the county fair. Not true! If you want to get to something as great as the promise land you imagine for your life, realize that the world isn’t just going to roll over and die. No, competitors will do anything they can to keep you out. Naysayers will stand before you and tell you it can’t be done. Giants will appear and you will have to go through them to get where you want to go. Don’t go into your journey with your eyes closed. Expect to battle a giant or two!
Attack your giant for a reason bigger than your own victory.
For David, his reason was to defend the honor of God, since the giant was taunting God. Yes, he heard that he would get a wife out of the deal, but his biggest reason wasn’t personal. The same is true with us. Yes, we will gain a lot from our successes but I have found that personal gain is usually fleeting in regard to long-term joy and happiness. Those things that bring a deep sense of personal satisfaction come from accomplishing something positive for an altruistic reason, or for some cause that transcends us!
Recognize your own strengths.
When asked if he thought if he could really defeat the giant, David reflected on his past successes. He thought about all those times that he was guarding his father’s sheep and had to ward off animal attackers. Surely if he had killed both a lion and a bear, this human – even if he was nine feet tall! – wouldn’t be much to do a way with. David knew his strengths. He knew what he could do, and he would do it again and again until he reached his goal.
Don’t use someone else’s armor.
Okay, the king was convinced: David could go ahead, but first, the king put his armor on David. Like a 10 year old in his father’s suit, David walked around in the armor. “No thanks,” said David. He knew what he needed and it wasn’t what worked for someone else. Yes, we need to take advice, but what works for one doesn’t always work for everyone else. There is no cookie cutter path to success. There is more than one way to skin a cat (By the way, who came up with that disgusting analogy? But I digress…). “Dance with the one that brung ya,” they say. So on your way to success, stick with what works, not someone else’s plan or strategy. David knew a slingshot would work just fine thank you.
Take five weapons, though you may only need one.
This was one of the really fascinating parts of the story. David obviously knew that he was good with a slingshot. Good enough to kill a giant, at least. So there was some assurance and self-confidence there. But he also knew that sometimes things go awry. He knew that sometimes it takes a few shots to kill the giants. So, even though eventually he only needed one smooth stone to do the job, he had four others for backup! What about you? Are you five deep in the resource pocket? If not, find a few more stones to do battle with your giant with.
Run toward the giant, not away from it.
Here was another interesting point. The story is sure to mention that David ran toward the giant. Why? To get a good shot! So many of us run away from our giants, hoping that if we do we will be able to avoid giants all together. Not true. We will just have to do battle with another giant somewhere else, and all we have chosen to do is go the circuitous route rather than the direct one. Move in close to your giant, and let him have it!
Make sure it is dead after it falls.
One shot and David’s giant took a tumble. Did David party? Nope, he went and made sure that Giant wouldn’t rise to haunt him another day. He went in close and with a big swipe of his sword, took the giant’s head off! Giants have way of coming back to life, so be sure that you have really conquered your giant before you move on!
Just like David, you CAN conquer your giants! You CAN move past them into your own promised land! Just stick with these age-old guidelines and you will be well on your way!
Here they are again!
1. Expect giants to block the way to the Promised Land.
2. Attack your giant for a reason bigger than your own victory.
3. Recognize your own strengths.
4. Don’t use someone else’s armor.
5. Take five weapons, though you may only need one.
6. Run toward the giant, not away from it.
7. Make sure it is dead after it falls.
Take up your slingshot and take a few throws at your giant today!
Friday, March 6, 2009
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.
Imagine 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, “Chris. 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 firsthand 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!
Imagine 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, “Chris. 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 firsthand 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, March 4, 2009
PROGRAMMING YOURSELF FOR SUCCESS
Your mission statement is always written in the present tense, as though you have already become the person that you have described. It is always positive rather than negative. And it is always personal.
Program Yourself Correctly
Your subconscious mind can only accept your mission statement as a set of commands when you phrase it in the present, positive and personal tenses. "I am an exceptional salesperson," is a perfect example. After every sales call, you should quickly reread your mission statement and ask yourself if your recent behavior was more like the person you want to be, or less? As a top sales performer, you are always comparing your sales activities against a high standard and adjusting your activities upward. You're continually striving to be better. Every day in every way, you are deliberately working to become more like the ideal person you have envisioned.
Determine Your Mission Statement
Your goal is that, a year from today, when one of your customers has lunch with one of your prospects, and your prospect asks your customer to describe you in detail as a salesperson, your customer will recite your business mission statement voluntarily. The way you have treated your customer will have been so exemplary that your customer will describe you in the most glowing of terms.
Compare Yourself Against Yourself
Once you have developed a mission statement like this, you can read it, review it, edit it, and upgrade it regularly. You can add additional qualities to it and more clearly define the qualities you've already listed. It becomes your personal credo, your philosophy of life, your statement of beliefs and a guide to your behavior in all your interactions with others. Each day, you can evaluate your behaviors and compare them against the standard that you have set in this statement.
Shape Your Own Personality
Over time, a remarkable thing will happen. As you read and review your personal mission statement, you will find yourself, almost unconsciously, shaping your words and conforming your behaviors so that you are more and more like the ideal person you have defined. People will notice the change in you almost immediately. Over time, you will find that you are actually creating within yourself the kind of character and personality that you most admire in others. You will have become the molder and the shaper of your own personal destiny. After you have applied the ABC Method to your list, you will now be completely organized and ready to get more important things done faster.
Action Exercises
First, imagine that one of your customers was going to meet with one of your prospects. What would you want him to say about you? How could you behave with your customer to assure that he says these things?
Second, talk to yourself positively all the time. Feed your mind with positive messages that describe your goals and the person you want to be.
Program Yourself Correctly
Your subconscious mind can only accept your mission statement as a set of commands when you phrase it in the present, positive and personal tenses. "I am an exceptional salesperson," is a perfect example. After every sales call, you should quickly reread your mission statement and ask yourself if your recent behavior was more like the person you want to be, or less? As a top sales performer, you are always comparing your sales activities against a high standard and adjusting your activities upward. You're continually striving to be better. Every day in every way, you are deliberately working to become more like the ideal person you have envisioned.
Determine Your Mission Statement
Your goal is that, a year from today, when one of your customers has lunch with one of your prospects, and your prospect asks your customer to describe you in detail as a salesperson, your customer will recite your business mission statement voluntarily. The way you have treated your customer will have been so exemplary that your customer will describe you in the most glowing of terms.
Compare Yourself Against Yourself
Once you have developed a mission statement like this, you can read it, review it, edit it, and upgrade it regularly. You can add additional qualities to it and more clearly define the qualities you've already listed. It becomes your personal credo, your philosophy of life, your statement of beliefs and a guide to your behavior in all your interactions with others. Each day, you can evaluate your behaviors and compare them against the standard that you have set in this statement.
Shape Your Own Personality
Over time, a remarkable thing will happen. As you read and review your personal mission statement, you will find yourself, almost unconsciously, shaping your words and conforming your behaviors so that you are more and more like the ideal person you have defined. People will notice the change in you almost immediately. Over time, you will find that you are actually creating within yourself the kind of character and personality that you most admire in others. You will have become the molder and the shaper of your own personal destiny. After you have applied the ABC Method to your list, you will now be completely organized and ready to get more important things done faster.
Action Exercises
First, imagine that one of your customers was going to meet with one of your prospects. What would you want him to say about you? How could you behave with your customer to assure that he says these things?
Second, talk to yourself positively all the time. Feed your mind with positive messages that describe your goals and the person you want to be.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
THE POWER OF THE TONGUE
There is an old proverb with a lot of wisdom. It says, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and whoever loves it will eat its fruit.”
It is so true. What we say has the ability to create situations, emotions, and thoughts in others. A kind word helps people, negative words hurt – sometimes for a very long time.
Most of the time we think of this concept in relation to how we treat others and that is good. In fact, I wrote an article in the last month or so called “The Power of Praising People.” If you missed it, you can get it at the website.
But here I want to talk about this concept in relation to ourselves. How does what we say affect us? Tremendously. There is a simple principle here. Only say things that will create in you positive emotions, thoughts, feelings, and ultimately, actions.
Let me give you a good example. We do not allow the words “I can’t” in our house. Why? Because we CAN! The very minimum is “I’ll try.” We ask our kids to say “I’ll try.” If we allow our kids, or ourselves, to fall into the trap of saying “I can’t,” guess what? We won’t! And that’s not good, is it?
Do you tell yourself negative thoughts during the day? Most of us can fall into that temptation, can’t we? I was working the other day and I was brewing over something bad that had happened and I was just getting bent out of shape. So I stopped, realized I had the power to choose what I was saying to myself and began to think about and tell myself good things. And my day changed for the better.
Have you ever been in your backswing on the golf course and said to yourself, “I am going to shank this one.” What happens? You shank it. This actually happens to me. So what do I do? I stop my backswing, reset myself, and tell myself I am going to hit it straight down the fairway. What happens? About half the time I hit it straight, the other half, I shank it, but increasing your ability is a future article! At the very least I increase my chances of performing better. Bad thoughts almost guarantee my failure, while good thoughts increase my chances for success dramatically.
A salesman may see someone walk through his door and say to himself, “I’m not going to be able to make this sale.” I can’t. I won’t.
Some of us aren’t even aware that we talk negatively to ourselves. Take some time today to think about what you say to yourself. Maybe ask a close friend if you have this habit. If you find yourself doing this, it is time to change!
Now, don’t get me wrong. Self-talk is not a substitute for effort and ability, but it is a strong helping factor. Find some simple phrases that will help you get through the day with more success. Whatever your situation or work is, I am sure there are specific things you can say that will build you up and stick you on the road to success!
The words that you use and the conversations you have with yourself create things in you. They can create positive things or negative things. It is our choice. The tongue has the power of life and death. This is why it is so important to be diligent in using the power of the tongue to create a positive force in our lives.
Remember, your tongue has power. Use it!
It is so true. What we say has the ability to create situations, emotions, and thoughts in others. A kind word helps people, negative words hurt – sometimes for a very long time.
Most of the time we think of this concept in relation to how we treat others and that is good. In fact, I wrote an article in the last month or so called “The Power of Praising People.” If you missed it, you can get it at the website.
But here I want to talk about this concept in relation to ourselves. How does what we say affect us? Tremendously. There is a simple principle here. Only say things that will create in you positive emotions, thoughts, feelings, and ultimately, actions.
Let me give you a good example. We do not allow the words “I can’t” in our house. Why? Because we CAN! The very minimum is “I’ll try.” We ask our kids to say “I’ll try.” If we allow our kids, or ourselves, to fall into the trap of saying “I can’t,” guess what? We won’t! And that’s not good, is it?
Do you tell yourself negative thoughts during the day? Most of us can fall into that temptation, can’t we? I was working the other day and I was brewing over something bad that had happened and I was just getting bent out of shape. So I stopped, realized I had the power to choose what I was saying to myself and began to think about and tell myself good things. And my day changed for the better.
Have you ever been in your backswing on the golf course and said to yourself, “I am going to shank this one.” What happens? You shank it. This actually happens to me. So what do I do? I stop my backswing, reset myself, and tell myself I am going to hit it straight down the fairway. What happens? About half the time I hit it straight, the other half, I shank it, but increasing your ability is a future article! At the very least I increase my chances of performing better. Bad thoughts almost guarantee my failure, while good thoughts increase my chances for success dramatically.
A salesman may see someone walk through his door and say to himself, “I’m not going to be able to make this sale.” I can’t. I won’t.
Some of us aren’t even aware that we talk negatively to ourselves. Take some time today to think about what you say to yourself. Maybe ask a close friend if you have this habit. If you find yourself doing this, it is time to change!
Now, don’t get me wrong. Self-talk is not a substitute for effort and ability, but it is a strong helping factor. Find some simple phrases that will help you get through the day with more success. Whatever your situation or work is, I am sure there are specific things you can say that will build you up and stick you on the road to success!
The words that you use and the conversations you have with yourself create things in you. They can create positive things or negative things. It is our choice. The tongue has the power of life and death. This is why it is so important to be diligent in using the power of the tongue to create a positive force in our lives.
Remember, your tongue has power. Use it!
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