YOU HAVE A CHOICE, CHOOSE WISELY.

For many of us, 2009 has been a difficult year and this afternoon seems to be a metaphor of that. In our business lives, the recession has taken a toll and new regulations, new taxes and new health care legislation (in the U.S.) create anxiety and uncertainty. In our personal lives, many are anxious about their investments and their retirement. Millions have lost their homes this year (that still seems incredible!) and millions more are unemployed.
It becomes easy to see this as a dark, cold, dreary time. Intellectually, we know the Solstice has come and in the Northern Hemisphere, the days will soon get longer, sunnier and warmer. We know that spring is scheduled in a few weeks. But today is dark. Depression threatens.
The contrast between the hope of our religious festivals and the anxiety we feel when we consider our balance sheets, our bank accounts or our checkbooks is palpable. Today, even more than most days, we have to make a choice, and the choice is very clear.
We can look at what “is” and worry. There are powerful, reasonable arguments to be afraid (be very afraid!) and to hunker down. From global warming to political uncertainty to economic difficulty, smart people all over the world are on the defensive. When the “best and the brightest” among us see doom and gloom and uncertainty, who wouldn’t worry? It’s a reasonable thing to do and I can’t blame anyone for focusing on the difficulties ahead.
But others see the coming of spring. Others see the start of a New Year with its endless possibilities. Our language is full of clichés that remind us it’s “always darkest before the dawn.” We know that the most successful investors have always been contrarians who sell when everyone else is euphoric at the top of the bubble, and buy when the world is full of pessimism.
Warren Buffett, perhaps the greatest investor ever, just made his biggest investment ever. He bought the Burlington-Northern railroad for 36 billion dollars! He’s betting that the future is bright and stuff is going to be shipped. Stuff is going to be manufactured. It will be bought and sold and we’re going to need a railroad to move it all.
Donald Trump has been buying real estate all year long, and he’s no dummy. At fire-sale prices, he figures the future holds great promise. He reminds me of a story about J. Paul Getty, once the richest man in the world. Getty said that the way to get rich was to “be real nice. When people want to sell, be a gentleman and take it off their hands. When they’re desperate to buy, be real nice and sell it to them!”
In the days and weeks ahead, you have a choice to make. You can believe your eyes and ears, and be worried. You can read the papers and listen to the news of gloom and doom. You can look outside and see only darkness and fog, and respond accordingly. That’s what most people do, and it makes sense. As I said, I can’t blame anyone for that.
But, you can also believe that after the darkness, the sun comes up almost every morning. You can believe that after the winter, spring arrives every April or May. You can choose to believe the fog will lift and things will be brighter in the morning.
My own suggestion is that this is a good time to buy sunglasses and stock up on sunscreen. My own preference is put on the snow tires, and buy skies and a warm jacket to enjoy the winter, while it lasts. Then, when warm weather, sunny skies and optimism return, I’ll be the first one on the beach!

Quotes of the Week
"Love is a passport to the impossible, so do not be disturbed if the seas are sometimes rough."
-- Lois Wyse
“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.” -- Linus Pauling
"What a wonderful life I've had! I only wish I'd realized it sooner." -- Colette
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." -- Sir Winston Churchill

WHO IS YOUR MENTOR?

Who is your mentor? Who shows you the ropes, teaches you the tricks and shows you the way?
This week I had several people contact me about coaching in 2010, which is a very good thing. But, I also had several conversations with people who "don't need a coach" and don't have any mentors. I noticed they didn't seem to make as much money or achieve as many of their goals in 2009. Is that you?
Over and over again, I'm struck that the real winners in life always learn from those who went before them. Winners ALWAYS have mentors! They learn from the experts and benefit from the success of others.
Sometimes they have a personal coach – and as a coach, I think that's a good thing! But often they have informal relationships with men and women who are willing to teach them. Often, the best mentoring comes from a MasterMind group or team.
Some of my most valuable resources are the seminars, workshops and lectures I attend every year. I remember hearing a colleague say he wouldn't attend anymore seminars "because they cut the budget and (his employer) won't pay for it anymore." How terribly short-sighted!
The cost of workshops is nothing! The cost of travel, tuition and hotels is NOTHING if you learn one new idea or avoid one mistake. The chance to rub shoulders with the best and brightest in your field is priceless! In 2010, "just do it!"
Double (or triple!) your budget for books and seminars, for coaching and teaching. Call the most successful people you know and buy them lunch. Take them to the best restaurant you can afford, and pick their brains. Hire a coach. Are there seminars you "might" attend this year? Register now! Make it a Christmas present or use any excuse you have to, but make sure you get the "helping hand" you need to make 2010 your best year EVER!

DECEMBER 25TH

“ And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison, And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon, And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life. And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life”. - Jeremiah 52:31-34.

To all readers and visitors to this web site I want to share with you the significance of the Christmas day, it is a special day Jesus Christ was born into this world to deliver mankind from his sinful way. I have studied the weather pattern over the years of that particular day the firmaments bear witness to this unique day across all countries and tribes. There is a glory over the surface of the earth while some are having snow, others fog, or harmattan haze.
In the text above King Jehoiachin of Judah was delivered on a Christmas day (in the twelfth month in the five and twentieth day of the month) hundred of years before Jesus was born. Seven significant events will happen in your life on this particular glorious day.
1. Your head will be lifted. You may have been experiencing downward trend in your life, marriage, business and workplace, you will no longer be the tail but the head. God is about changing your situation for the better because Jesus came into the world this same day to deliver you. Everyone that sees you as nobody will begin to see you as somebody very special your head will no longer be bowed but be lifted high.
2. You will be brought out of prison. Some people have been bounded without freedom under bondage of their task masters for quite sometime, you will be set free now just like those that set up Daniel into the lion’s pit, your prisoners will replace you in the prison while you will be set free, Jesus will liberate you and grant you permanent freedom.
3. You will be spoken kindly of. People have used their tongue to describe you negative. God will change their tongue and they will begin to speak well of you, they have said you are useless, good for nothing, cannot make it, never do well, under achiever all this negative qualities they describe you with they will no longer see you that way any more. A change for the better in you they will begin to see and speak of.
4. Your throne above the throne of the kings. You are meant to be a king because the son of a king is also a king, but you reign like a slave, God will dethrone everyone sitting on your throne and enthrone where you belong, to rule and reign in Christ Jesus.
5. Your garment will be changed. The garment you put on which has become a filthy rag casting aspersions at you. The way you dress is the way you will be addressed, you were addressed badly everywhere you turn to, today your garment or robe will change and as a king a sign of royalty is the kings garment. God is removing your present garment and replacing it with a new one.
6. You will continually eat bread. You may be lacking a daily bread but the great provider is already here to provide the bread you will eat all the days of your life. Every lack will be turned to abundance in your life because Jesus was born on this day like no other day.
7. You will be given a continual diet all the days until death. A diet is a food with all essential ingredients needed for growth and development. You might having lacking the essential nutrients needed for you to succeed and become great God is going to provide to you this day those nourishments needed by you for life.

HAVE YOU NOTICED THE CHOAS IN COPENHAGEN?

During the past two weeks, 193 nations from around the world have spent a fortune, published tons of documents, burned thousands of gallons of jet fuel, and crowded the news (and the hotels) with meetings in Copenhagen. The goal was to save the planet. But the major achievement, as far as I can tell, has been to create chaos in the streets and turmoil in the meetings.

What happened?

I'm sure there are lots of reasons, perspectives and points of view on this, but for me as a coach, one of the HUGE LESSONS of Copenhagen is the importance of planning and clarity.

Any really worthwhile undertaking, from reducing greenhouse gases to running a business, raising a family or building a career, is going to involve slippage or friction. Misunderstandings and conflict are part of life.

I'm often struck by how casually people set out to achieve really important, valuable projects with far too little planning. They have a vision, and (if they have a coach!) they put time into clarifying the vision so it becomes a real goal. They define their outcomes. They picture their results in advance. They get excited! Then, without further planning, they launch.

Remember the old song, "fools rush in where angels fear to tread?" I think we're seeing something like that in Copenhagen, and I want to use it (and them, "those people over there") as a relatively safe illustration of what we too often do in our own lives.

During this time of year, we set goals for the coming twelve months. We start with a wish list of things that excite and motivate us. That part is so much fun! It's wonderful to think about what we will achieve in one short year! Our juices start flowing, we feel the adrenalin. We find ourselves smiling and laughing and dreaming of things to come! We just know that 2010 will be THE YEAR! This year we'll finally build the new house, start a new business, increase our income, improve our health, or whatever our goal is. This is good!

And, it truly is good! Always start with the end in mind! Always clarify your dream. Setting big, dramatic, audacious goals is necessary and vital to achieving anything worthwhile. Go for it!

But there are two additional pieces that are also essential, and I suspect someone forgot this in Copenhagen.

1. You Need a Plan. Someone once said, "A goal without a plan is just a pipe-dream." You need a budget and a schedule. You need benchmarks or intermediate projects to get you there. You need a map, a blueprint…a plan. Call it what you like but without a calendar and a sequence of baby-steps along the way, most goals end in frustration. As you set your goals, take lots (lots!) of time to develop elegant, detail plans.

2. You Need Partners. And not just hired consultants or staff but enthusiastic partners who are deeply committed to your success. You'll need colleagues who have "been there, done that" to show you the way. You'll need experts with skills you don't have. You'll need cheerleaders when the going gets tough. And you'll need support people who will passionately use their strengths to supplement your weaknesses and blind-spots.

Here's an example that has become painfully common in my work as a coach. Every business needs a website and there are thousands of web designers out there. Too many people hire a friend or neighbor, maybe even a student who will work cheap, and generally these people can do the technical work. But, rarely do they truly understand and get excited about YOUR VISION! Too many people end up with a website that is technically well-done but which totally fails to meet the needs of the business.

Don't do that! Hire someone who is competent (obviously!) but even more important, interview until you find a partner who "gets" what you're trying to do! You'll save time, money, disappointment and tons of heart-ache.

To achieve your goals in 2010, I encourage you to start with (1) a clear vision, which is (2) converted into definite goals. But you'll also need specific, do-able plans and committed partners. When you have all four components, your success if assured! "Don’t leave home with it"—meaning all four vital and necessary components.

USE EDUCATIONAL SELLING WITH EVERY CUSTOMER

A major reason that prospects do not buy is because they do not fully understand what you are selling and how they can use and benefit from it. Many salespeople assume that after one sales presentation, the prospect is familiar with the details of the product or service as they are. This can be a big mistake. In educational selling, you take a low-pressure/no-pressure approach. You do not try to influence or persuade the customer in any way.
Show the Customer
In the "show" part of the presentation, explain or demonstrate how your product or service works to achieve a particular result or benefit. Get the prospect involved. Ask him or her to do something, try something out personally, or make calculations to prove your points.
Tell the Customer
In the "tell" part of the educational selling process, explain the features and benefits of your product or service, using stories, statistics, research results, and anecdotes from other satisfied customers. Like a lawyer, "build a case" for what you are selling, presenting evidence in the form of visual aids or written materials that "prove" the quality and usefulness of your product.
Ask the Customer
In the "ask questions" phase, pause regularly to ask questions and invite feedback on what you have presented so far. One mark of top salespeople is that they keep their prospects involved in the sales conversation by continually requesting comments and opinions as they go along. When you "show, tell, and ask questions," you position yourself as an educator rather than a salesperson.
Learn your Prospects Needs
The more competent you become at learning your prospect's real needs, and the better you teach your customer how to get the very most out of what you sell, the more the customer will like you, trust you, and want to do business with you, over and over again.
Action Exercise
Take out a sheet of paper and draw three lines down the page, creating three equal columns. At the top of each column, write the words "Product Feature," "Product Benefit," or "Customer Benefit." List each positive sales feature of your product or service in the first column. In the second column, write the product benefit attached to each product feature. In the third column, define the customer benefit, the answer to the question, What's in it for me? Practice positioning yourself as a "teacher" with your prospects. Focus your presentation on helping your prospects to understand how helpful your product or service can be, trusting fully that if he or she understands completely, the sale will take place automatically.

DREAM BIGGER,AIM HIGHER, GO FARTHER

This is the time when millions of us set goals for the year ahead. If we do it "right" – the way the books tell us to – we review our numbers for 2009, evaluate our performance, and make adjustments for 2010. That's the normal" way of doing it, the way governments, large corporations and most

individuals do it.

There's nothing wrong with it, except that it doesn't work. Often, "raising the bar" is not what we truly want. It's not "enough."

Too many of us set our goals by merely adding 10% to what we've done before. The major exception is our health and fitness, when we promise that we'll finally take action and do something about it…this year for sure! Now, there's nothing wrong with using the past as your starting point. Institutions do that all the time. But who wants to be an institution?

This is your LIFE we're talking about! If a few adjustments are all you really want, go for it! If a minor tweak is all you need, then don’t make a fuss. Adjust your budget, set your goal, and be done with it.

But I'm challenging you to think bigger and aim higher.

As you look at 2010 and beyond, what do you really WANT for your life? What's the REAL story? What's your DREAM? What are you doing with your life? That's the question I want you to consider in the days ahead.

In those areas where a small step is all you need, that's fine. Buy a new car, lose the weight, make a little more and spend a bit less. These are the small adjustments that make life easier and I support them. As many of you know, I’m a huge fan of “baby steps.” Keep things simple and if that’s all you need, be proud of it!

Unfortunately, however, small adjustments can also be the things that keep us trapped. As we hit our goals and increase our income, these small victories become the "golden handcuffs" that trap us in our routine. They keep us "playing small" so that while we're winning the battles, we end up frustrated or confused because our lives don't have the meaning we hoped for.

This year, dream bigger. Ask the fundamental questions about who you are, what you want, and how you want to live. Where are you going? What's the point? Think bigger, aim higher, go further. You may not get "there" in one year, perhaps not in a lifetime, but make sure you're headed in the right direction. Make sure you're on a path that is worth walking.

THE FICKLE FINGER OF FAME

Several people have sent me the following list, usually crediting them to Charles Schulz, the creator of the wonderful “Peanuts” comics. Wherever this quiz came from, it’s worth pondering. I hope you enjoy it! Take a moment to answer each of the questions, and r ead all the way through. I think you’ll find it well worth a moment of your time.
1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4. Name five people who have won the Nobel Peace Prize.
5. Name last year’s Academy Award winner for Best Actor or Actress.
The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.
Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List three teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. List three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Name someone who made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
Easier?
The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

THE LAW OF RECIPROCITY

People have a deep subconscious need to reciprocate for anything that is done to or for them. The Law of Reciprocity is one of the most powerful of all determinants of human behavior. This is because nobody likes to feel that he or she is obligated to someone else. When someone does something nice for us, we want to repay that person, to reciprocate. We want to be even. Because of this, we seek an opportunity to do something nice in return. This law is the basis of the law of contract, as well as the glue that hold most human relationships together.
Concessions
The first party to make a concession is the party who wants the deal the most. You must therefore avoid being the first one to make a concession, even a small concession. Instead, be friendly and interested, but remain silent. The first person to make a concession will usually be the person who makes additional concessions, even without reciprocal concessions. Most purchasers and sellers are aware of this. They recognize that early concessions are a sign of eagerness and are prepared to take advantage of it. Be careful.
Equal or Greater
Every concession you make in a negotiation should be matched by an equal or greater concession from the other party. If the other party asks for a concession, you may give it, but never without asking for something else in return. If you don't request a reciprocal concession, the concession that you give will be considered to have no value and will not help as the negotiation proceeds. If a person asks for a better price, suggest that it might be possible but you will have to either decrease the quantity or lengthen the delivery dates. Even if the concession is of no cost or value to you, you must make it appear valuable and important to the other party or it will not help you in the negotiation.
Small Concessions lead to Large Concessions
Small concessions on small issues enable you to ask for large concessions on large issues. One of the very best negotiating strategies is to be willing to give something in order to get something. When you make every effort to appear reasonable by conceding on issues that are unimportant to you, you put yourself in an excellent position to request an equal or greater concession later.
Use Reciprocity to your Advantage
Use the reciprocity principle to your advantage. Before negotiating make a list of the things the other party might want and decide upon what concessions you are willing to give to get what you want. This preparation strengthens your negotiating ability considerably.
Action Exercise
Prepare your best price or offer before you begin. Then, think through your first "fallback" position and how far you are willing to go to make a deal. Prepare your final fallback position as well, along with the maximum you are willing to concede. This exercise of thinking through these issues in advance will make you a much better negotiator.

YOUR PARTNER WILL BUY YOU STUFF

Every December, I remind business owners and CFO's (financial officers) to review their business de ductions for the year. If you use the calendar year as your fiscal or tax year, December 31st is a very important date.
Here are two important facts:
1. Depending on your tax rate, about 40% of everything you make will go to the Government, and the final accounting for most businesses comes on December 31st. The more you make, the more your "partner" will take in taxes.
2. Conversely, any legitimate business expenses you incur in the next three weeks come right off that tax bill. In the U.S., that means "Uncle Sam" is willing to chip in and pay for about 40% of whatever you buy for business purposes! Take advantage of that!
If you need new office equipment, a new computer, or routine office supplies, take action! For the next three weeks, they are "40% off!" If you can pre-pay some regular business expenses (insurance, rent, supplies or fees) by the end of the month, they come directly off your "bottom line" which means lower taxes in April.
Now, obviously, the expenses must be for legitimate business purposes. No cheating! And obviously you should check with your accountant or tax advisor for specific advice in your particular situation. But keep in mind that a few months from now you will pay taxes on every dollar of profit you make in 2009 and if you can legally reduce that amount by stocking up now, that's to your advantage. Think about it!

Quotes of the Week
"People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success." -- Norman Vincent Peale
"Success is neither magical or mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals.” -- Jim Rohn
"Everything's in the mind. That's where it all starts. Knowing what you want is the first step toward getting it."
-- Mae West
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” -- Helen Keller

THE GREAT BUSINESS DISCOVERY OF 2009

We are nearing the end of 2009 and one of the most important (and profitable) investments you can make is to review the past few months very, very carefully.
To an amazing degree, we humans are creatures of habit. We are great examples of Newton's law that, "a body set in motion tends to remain in motion." We tend to plunge blindly ahead, repeating yesterday's mistakes and failing to learn from experience. Yes, we take great pride in the fact that we "can" learn, but my observation is that we rarely do.
We assume that what worked last year will be the best way forward next year. Now, of course, we all know we should be innovative, creative and original. We know that, but do we do it?
When Jack Welch was the head of General Electric, he insisted that half the company's profits come from products and services that were less than five years old. Why? Because he knew that yesterday's methods won’t fit tomorrow's world.
Take time - several hours, perhaps more - to carefully review the following questions:
1. What worked best last year? What surprised me, inspired me or taught me something new for my work or business?
2. What did not work, or is working less and less well? What was less profitable or less effective than I expected? What should I drop altogether in the new year?
3. What's new in my field? What are my colleagues doing that I should apply to my business?
One of the absolute BEST things any professional, business owner or manager can do is invest i n seminars and conferences. The chance to get away and "see the forest for the trees" is incredibly valuable. Conferences generate new perspectives, and new ideas create vast new opportunities! Invest in yourself!

THE LAW OF TIMING

Timing is everything in negotiation. A negotiation can be made or unmade by the time at which it takes place. There is a "too soon" and a "too late" in every situation. Whenever possible, you must plan strategically and use the timing of the negotiation to your advantage. There is a better time to buy and a better time to sell in almost every case. And when your timing is right, you will always get a better deal than when it is not.
The More Urgent the Need, the Less Effective the Negotiator
If you are in a hurry to close a deal, your ability to negotiate well on your own behalf diminishes dramatically. If the other person is eager to make the deal, he or she is functioning under a disadvantage that you can exploit to your advantage. For example, every company has sales targets for each month, each quarter, and each year. Sales managers are tasked with hitting incomes, and their bonuses. Therefore when you are buying any large ticket item, you will almost always get the best deal if you wait until the end of the month when the pressure is on to hit the targets.
Don't Rush
The person who allows himself or herself to be rushed will get the worst of the bargain. Rushing or using time pressure is a common tactic in negotiation, and you must be alert to other people trying to use it on you. People will often tell you that you have to make up your mind quickly or it will be too late. Whenever you hear this, you should take a deep breath and patiently ask questions to find out just how urgent the situation really is. If someone insists that he or she needs an immediate decision, you can reply by saying, "If you must have an answer now, then the answer is no. But if I can take some time to think about it, the answer may be different."
Allocate your Time
You resolve 80 percent of the vital issues of any negotiation in the last 20 percent of the time allocated for the negotiation. Probably because of the prevalence of Parkinson's Law, which says, "Work expands to fill the time allotted for it," most of the key issues in a negotiation get jammed into the final phase of the discussions. Up to this part of the negotiation, there seems to be a natural human tendency to procrastinate on the resolution of the most important issues. What this means for you is that you must be patient in a negotiation. You must be prepared for the key issues to be resolved at the last minute.
Final Point
A final point with regard to timing. Whenever possible, you should delay making an important decision. At the very least, don't allow the other person or persons to rush you into a decision by suggesting that if you don't act now, it will be too late. Whenever the item under negotiation involves a great deal of money, a long life of a product, or long duration of the decision, or it is the first time that you negotiated in this area, buy time for yourself. Take at least twenty-four hours, if not an entire weekend, to think over your decision before acting. Use time as a weapon to strengthen your position and to improve your ability to make better decisions.
Action Exercise
Avoid deadlines for yourself whenever possible. Tell the other party that you are not going to make a decision today, no matter what is agreed to. Give yourself at least twenty-four hours to think it over before deciding. Sleep on it as a matter of course. You will be amazed at how much better you think when you have put some time between yourself and the decision.