THE FIVE BIG PIECES OF HAPPINESS IN 2014

There's an old story about a motivational speaker's
illustration of life's priorities and the quest for
happiness. In front of a large audience, the speaker was
alone on stage with a table covered with a cloth. Promising
to show the audience the secret to success, fulfillment and
a great life, she pulled out an old-fashioned pickle jar,
set it on the table and said that the jar represents your
life.
She then pulled out a bucket with some fairly large rocks
and proceeded to fill the jar, and asked the audience if
the jar was full. Naturally, most responded that it was.
With a sly grin, she then asked if they were sure and
reached for a second bucket that had small pebbles in it.
With care, she managed to get a couple dozen pebbles to
drop down in the spaces between the larger rocks and again
asked if the jar was full. Again, most of the audience
agreed that it was, although with some hesitation.
She then pulled out a bucket of sand and carefully poured
several pounds of sand into the jar. Asked if the jar was
finally full, the audience was doubtful and cautiously
answered, "Probably not." The speaker then pulled out a
bucket of water and slowly poured most of the bucket into
the jar.
Finally, she stepped across the stage and asked what lesson
was to be learned, and a confident young man called out,
"That you can always squeeze more in!" The speaker agreed
that was good, but suggested there was a far more important
point.
She then said something I've never forgotten. "To get the
most out of life, you have to put the big pieces in first."
If you allow your life to be filled with water, sand and
pebbles, you'll never have room for the "big pieces." Never
allow your life to be consumed with the "small things."
Schedule and commit to your "BIG PIECES" in 2014. Put them
on the calendar. Mark them in red. Announce them publically
and let nothing stand in your way!
So, what are the Big Pieces?
Obviously, everyone has their own list, especially when it
comes to the specifics. But I've been saying for years
that, in a general way, there are five universal Big Pieces
that we all need to consider.
1.  Business and Career. What are you doing with your life,
your time, your talents and skills, your energy and your
resources? Are you playing big enough? Are you making a
difference? Aim high in 2014.
2. Money and Finance. At one level, money is one of the
"small pieces" in life. Never trade your life, or your
integrity, for money! But money is also the value the world
pays for your work. Money opens doors and creates
opportunity. And, conveniently, it's easy to track! Money
is a tangible representation of your contributions and your
creativity. Manage and use it wisely.
3.  Relationships and Community. The poet observed, "No man
is an island." Life is to be lived and shared with folks we
love. Family and friends, neighbors and colleagues are
truly the Big Piece that makes life worth living.
4.  Spirituality and Personal Growth. What is the upper
limit of human happiness? How alive could you possibly be?
I love the observation that, "You cannot learn less!" What
skills or talents will you develop in 2014? Who could you
become and what gifts lie just beneath the surface, waiting
for you?
5.  Adventure and Fun. "All work and no play makes Jack
(and everyone else) a dull person." Life is about mischief
and risk, about games and jokes and shared memories. It's
about trying new things, making mistakes and learning from
them. It's about getting outside your comfort zone to see
what else is possible.
As you plan for 2014, start with the Big Pieces. You'll
have your own list of specifics, but be sure to live the
life you truly want. Stretch and try things. Explore and
dare yourself to become the person you know you are meant
to be. There's always room for the small things, but the
Big Pieces depend on you and only you can make sure they
are put in place first.

HOW TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE IN SALES

Personal excellence is perhaps the most important of all invisible and intangible assets that you can acquire. Achieving personal excellence in your business or industry requires lifelong dedication. But once you get into the top 10% of your field, you will be one of the highest paid people in the country. You will enjoy the respect and esteem of the people around you. You will be able to live your life the way you want to live it. You will enjoy high levels of self-esteem, self-respect, and personal pride.

Build Your Intellectual Assets

Each person has or can acquire three forms of intellectual capital. These require an investment of study and hard work, but they pay off in higher income for the rest of your life. The first type of intellectual capital you can acquire consists of your core knowledge, skills, and abilities. These are the result of education, experience, and training. They determine how well you do your job and the value of your contribution to your business.

Build Your Internal Knowledge

The second form of intellectual capital that you posses is your knowledge of how your business operates internally, in comparison to that of your competitors or any other business. Each business develops a series of systems, procedures, methods, techniques, and strategies to market, sell, produce, deliver products and services, and satisfy customers. Each business has internal systems for accounting, administration, and financial controls. These systems take many years to develop and considerable time for a new person to learn. A person who knows and understands these systems intimately has a form of intellectual capital that is difficult for the company to replace.

Build Your Ability to Get Results

The third form of intellectual capital that you possess, and that is perhaps the key determinant of your earning ability, is your knowledge and understanding of how you can get financial results in a competitive market. This includes your knowledge of your products and services and how to sell them.
It includes your knowledge of customers and suppliers and how to deal with them. It embraces your familiarity with bankers, lawyers, accountants, and government officials and how to interact with them effectively. This form of intellectual capital may take years to build, and it is extremely valuable to your organization.
You first responsibility to yourself is to develop your earning ability to a high level. You do this by continually increasing your intellectual capital, by upgrading your ability to do your job, by becoming a valuable part of your organization, and by getting more and better financial results for your organization.

Action Exercise

Take time to get to know every component of your business. Get to know your customers and learn everything there is to know about your products and services.

START SMART: DIRECTION, DISCIPLINE AND DESIRE

Some weeks ago, I wrote about the power of "starting smart."
I think it was Goethe who noted that, "Well begun is half-
done." As we begin a New Year, I want to encourage you to
make it better, richer, more fun and more fulfilling than
ever before--your Best Year Ever! But I also want you to be
smart and effective about it. Remember, the poet suggest
"Well BEGUN is half-done." Let's Start Smart!
Too often we begin a new project, or a New Year, with lots
of enthusiasm but with little thought or organization.
There are actually two unfortunate patterns I see fairly
often. The first are the folks who launch with passion and
excitement but with little or no actual preparation. They
are full of energy and excitement (but little planning),
and they really believe their passion will create the
results they hope for. There's a kind of Pollyanna naivet�
that can be fun to watch. But it rarely lasts and seldom
generates the hoped-for results.
The other strategy are the "wise old owls" who no longer
expect the New Year will really make much difference. They
know that life goes on and the future pretty much, most of
the time, sort of looks like the past. "Nothing really
changes." That's not uncommon, but it is incredibly
pessimistic. (And wrong!)
Life does change! We change! We learn and grow. We get
smarter. In large and small ways, we are new every day!
In the New Year, think of what you can achieve! You could
move or change jobs, get married, or divorced. You could
learn a language, travel the world, volunteer, or hike the
Appalachian Trail! The possibilities are endless. And yet
some folks say, "things never change." For things to
change, only one thing is necessary: YOU MUST CHANGE!
You must change your DIRECTION. This can be a "big deal" or
the smallest of mid-course corrections. But it is entirely
up to you and only you can do it.
You can set a new DIRECTION to start a business, learn a
skill, improve your health or any of the other "big" things
in life. Or you could read a little more, spend less time
online, or do any of the thousands of "little" things that
ultimately change our lives. In the end, we usually "get
where we are going" in life. Choose your DIRECTION
carefully and wisely, and stay on course.
The second necessity to change our lives is to change our
level of SELF-DISCIPLINE. Most folks tend to enjoy comfort
and ease. We enjoy good food, convenience and familiarity.
We are, in short, rather lazy! But that is not the path to
transforming our lives and achieving our goals.
SELF-DISCIPLINE is about doing the right thing, in the
right way, at the right time, whether we feel like it or
not. For some, that means getting up earlier or going to
bed at a more structured time. For some it means eating
less (or differently), or staying later at work, making one
more call or volunteering for the difficult assignment.
Confident SELF-DIRECTION, combined with tons of SELF-
DISCIPLINE, will change everything in 2014!
Add one just more ingredient and miracles happen. When
human beings are clear about what they DESIRE, they become
unstoppable! Ask the teenager who wants a driver's license,
the one who has decided she "must" make the team or get the
part in a school play. Kids go nuts with DESIRE! (If you
doubt this, ask their parents.) Ask the mother who's child
needs medical attention or the father who "absolutely MUST"
solve a problem for his family.
When we are clear about what we passionately DESIRE, things
change!
Intelligent Self-Direction.
Consistent Self-Discipline
Powerful Desire
These are the things that will transform your life in the
next 52 weeks. How you harness and utilize them is, of
course, entirely up to you. You may set goals that amaze
the entire world, or goals that other people may view as
small or even silly. But if they are your goals and if they
reflect your personal Self-Direction, your daily Self-
Discipline and your heart-felt Desire, your life will
change.
"Well begun is half-done." Design your system for success
in 2014. Clarify your goals. Make sure they are your own,
not someone else's, and commit to doing the things that
need to be done. "Inch by inch, anything's a cinch." In 365
days, your can climb any Mt Everest you set for yourself.
Go for it!

THE FRIENDSHIP FACTOR

The ancient Greeks taught that all conversation involved three ingredients: Ethos, or the character of the speaker; Pathos, connecting with the emotions; and Logos. The logos refers to the factual content of a message, the words used. It refers to the argument that you present on behalf of your point of view. (However, we know that the facts themselves, although they are important, are not as powerful or as influential as the emotions are.)

The Selling Process

In selling, we know that there are three parts to the process. These are, first, establishing rapport with the prospective customer, second, identifying the problem or need that the prospective customer has and, third, presenting the solution. These are the ethos, the pathos and the logos of selling to someone.

Build Good Relationships

Your success in every area of life will be based largely on the quality and quantity of relationships that you can initiate and develop over time. In the world of business and sales today, relationships are everything. We often call this the "friendship factor." We have discovered that a person will not do business with you until he or she is convinced that you are his or her friend and are acting in his or her best interest. In other words, you cannot influence someone unless he or she likes you in some way. Of course, it's often possible for you to influence a person if he fears you, but that type of influence lasts only until the person can rearrange his situation and escape from the circumstances that enable you to have control over him.

How to Influence and Persuade Others

The way to influence people, then, is to earn their liking and respect, to appeal to the friendship factor. This requires spending time with him, caring for him and respecting him. The more time that you are willing to spend with the person, the greater will be his tendency to trust you and to feel that you are acting in his best interest. The more obvious it is that you care about the person, about what he really needs, the more likely it is that he will be open to your influence. This is even more important in your personal relationships, with your family and friends. The more that people feel you care about them, the more open they will be to your influence.

7 REASONS WHY YOU ARE NOT A MILLIONAIRE

1. You’re Not Your Own Boss

Although there’s no guarantee that self-employment will earn you a million dollars, it’s really unlikely that working for someone else will get you there either. There are very few jobs that pay million dollar salaries.

Don’t quit your day job tomorrow to launch a business, however. Instead, consider keeping your day job while you start a business on the side. You’ll have the security of your current salary along with an opportunity to create a business where you can earn extra cash.

2. You Avoid Taking Risks

People don’t become millionaires without taking any risks. Taking a risk doesn’t mean you need to invest all your money into a single investment or that you need to gamble earnings foolishly.

However, taking calculated risks is often part of good money management. No one gets rich on the interest they earn from the bank. Instead, millionaires know how to invest their money wisely.

3. You Never Act on Your Good Ideas

It’s one thing to come up with million dollar ideas, but a completely different thing to act on them. If you are more a dreamer who never puts his money where his mouth is, you’ll never get rich. Millionaires don’t sit around and watch others advance in life. They take action to help them reach their goals.

4. You Don’t Manage Your Money Wisely

The average person has the potential to become a millionaire in today’s world. Sound investments, a solid budget, and clear goals can mean that a person who earns an average salary can become a millionaire by retirement.

If you don’t manage your money wisely now, however, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to handle a million dollars with good sense. Establish a budget and create goals for yourself to help you save money now.

5. You Don’t Set Clear Goals for Yourself

People who don’t have clear goals aren’t going to make smart money decisions. You need goals to help you save money and invest wisely.

Create goals, such as getting out of debt or saving up for a vacation home. Creating goals will help you determine whether or not you should spend your money on other things that come up in the meantime. If you’re saving with a specific goal in mind, it’s much easier to say no to tempting opportunities to spend money.

6. You Don’t Put in Enough Time, Effort, and Energy

No one makes a million dollars by watching TV or sleeping 12 hours a night. Unless you’re lucky enough to win the lottery or inherit a windfall, becoming a millionaire takes hard work.

Millionaires consider the time and energy they put into a project to be an investment. They understand they won’t get immediate results but are willing to put in the hard work it takes to see the fruits of their labour. Learn how to manage your time wisely so you can become more productive with your efforts.

7.  You Aren’t Networking with the Right People

You won’t become successful in life if you spend time with lazy people who aren’t interested in managing their money wisely. However, if you surround yourself with energetic, successful people, it will rub off on you.

Develop relationships with successful people in your community. Look for people who can mentor you in your efforts to manage your finances, invest wisely, or build a business. Spending time with others who share your goals can help fuel your passion and efforts to become a successful millionaire.

 

THE GREATEST LESSON OF 2013

We are nearing the end of the year and one of the 
most important (and profitable) investments you can make is 
to review the past few months very, very carefully. 
Humans are creatures of habit. We are great examples of 
Newton's law that, "a body in motion tends to remain in 
motion." We tend to plunge ahead, repeating yesterday's 
mistakes and failing to learn from experience. We take 
great pride in the fact that we "can" learn, but my 
observation is that we rarely do. 
We tend to assume that what worked last year will continue 
to work next year. We know that we should be innovative, 
creative and original, but in our daily work it's easy to 
get trapped in old habits, whether they still work or not. 
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 to review the following questions: 
1. What worked best this year? What surprised me, inspired 
me or taught me something new for my work or my life? 
2. What did not work, or is working less and less well? 
What was less profitable or effective than I expected? What 
should I drop 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 BEST things any professional, business owner or 
manager can do is invest in seminars and conferences. The 
chance to "see the forest for the trees" is incredibly 
valuable. Conferences generate new perspectives, and new 
ideas create vast new opportunities! Invest in yourself!

10 HABITS OF THE RICHEST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD

1. They are goal setters

Rich people set goals that make them rich. People don’t become rich by accident. Rich people are very deliberate: they set goals to become rich and they eventually achieve those goals. The act of goal setting itself is a very rewarding exercise because it helps you to see and feel the money you want to have even before you get it.

2. They focus on one thing at a time

A laser beam can cut through very hard objects—it can cut through almost anything, in fact—and this is because of its unusual ability to concentrate all its power on a particular spot on the object until it begins to melt. Rich people are usually like laser beams. They set outrageous goals, but they stay focused on that one goal, directing all their activities and efforts towards achieving that goal until they accomplish it. Average Joes, on the other hand, often have no focus; they just tend to do whatever comes their way and take whatever life hands them. If you want to be rich, be goal oriented and stay focused.

3. They have great respect for time

Brian Tracy said that rich people think in terms of what they earn hourly rather than monthly or annually. Because they think hourly, whenever they are spending time on unproductive activities, they think about how much they are losing with every passing moment. Rich people don’t spend too much time on social media or watching TV. They work around the clock and cannot afford to waste any minute of their day.

4. They spend less than they earn

As simple as this may seem, it is the secret to getting wealthy: always spend less than you earn. The problem with poor-thinking people is they increase their expenses as their income increases. They buy better cars, bigger houses and they remain poor or average. Think about this in terms of percentage; if you want to be rich then follow the motto, “Save 10% of whatever you earn.” But be smart about it. As Warren Buffet said: “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.” I also advise that you work with a budget and that you keep an income and expenditure statement.

5. They work very hard

Except for people who inherited great riches, I have not seen any lazy rich person. Rich people work very hard and they also work constantly. People that work hard can’t be behind, they are always on top of their profession whether they are business people, self-employed, or even employees. They always do things that ordinary people cannot do.

6. They continually learn and grow

The more you know is the more you earn. Your learning power determines your earning power. As much as it is important to work hard, hard work alone will not make you rich. Before money can be earned, value must be given in return, and the only way to add more value to your clients is by first adding more value to yourself. This can only be done through continuous learning. Make up your mind to develop new skills and gain more experience every day.

7. They keep rich company

Rich people don’t have poor friends. As the old saying goes, “Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are.” Let me tell you something: you may not have so much money right now, but as long as you keep walking with rich people or those with the potential to become rich, you will someday become very rich yourself.

8. They are persistent

Rich people don’t give up. About 90% of rich people today did not become rich the way they originally thought or intended. They tried, they failed, and they rose up again many times before they eventually succeeded. You may lose a lot of money in the process, but you’ll keep getting better by learning from your mistakes and experiences until you get the financial independence you desire.

 

9. They take calculated risks

Rich people are fond of taking risks. Once they decide they want to get something, they will give whatever it takes to get it, even if it means risking their lives sometimes. If you want to become rich, don’t be afraid of taking risks. Be bold and courageous, but also be calculative. Know what each decision will cost you and never put all your eggs in one basket.

10. They are generous

Rich people are very generous. If you look at the lives of the richest people in modern history, you will discover that a lot of them are great philanthropists: people like Rockefeller, Andrew Carnegie, Bill Gates, Carlos Slim, to name a few. Make giving one of your habits today and you will become very rich someday, too.

 

GREAT SERVICE, BIG SALES

Dan Hinson has been my computer guru for years and this
week we installed some new machines and up-graded our
network, and he was fantastic! Dan has been around
computers for a long, long time and I suspect he could
easily charge more than he does.
Every time we call, he shows up on time, works very hard,
and always does more than we ask--he answers all my, "Oh,
and what about?" requests without hesitation and usually,
without charge.
What makes this noteworthy is that Dan has never done a
lick of advertising. He is a member of the Chamber of
Commerce and attends their breakfast on Friday mornings,
but that's all the marketing he’s ever done. A weekly
breakfast with friends, strong word of mouth, and great
service have built his business.
In contrast, too often I see people showing up a day late
or being a little bit greedy about price, and they wonder
why their sales don't grow.
Dan cares about people. When he attends a Chamber meeting,
he remembers people's names, he says hello, and he
contributes to the organization. He greets people at the
door, volunteers for committees and does the little extras
like setting up chairs or starting the coffee. People
appreciate these things, and when they need computer
services, guess who they call?
There is no mystery here. This is not rocket science! It's
about "putting in before you take out." How does Dan's
commitment to service work out? Here’s part of the answer:
He tells me he’s not taking new customers because he has
all the work he can handle, and he won’t let work distract
him from time with his bride of 37 years! Way to go, Dan!

IN 2014: START SMART TO FINISH STRONG

There's truth in the old saying that, "Well begun is half-
done!" How we start a project determines, to a large
degree, how well we finish. Whether it's fear, confusion,
hesitation, a lack of resources or whatever, starting badly
robs us of momentum and excitement and undermines us all
along the way. Even if we eventually reach our goal, too
often it's with a reduced level of satisfaction and poor
over-all performance.
"Well begun is half-done!"
Today, I'm writing with specific reference to your goals
for the New Year. Even if that's a new idea for you,

I encourage you to "try it on"
and see if it works for you! Take the next few weeks to
review your successes and failures for 2013. Notice what
worked and what didn't. List the opportunities, challenges
and changes you want to make in 2014. Ponder them! Talk
them over with your partners and loved ones.
And by January 1st, have a clear list, a calendar and a
budget for 2014.
"Well begun is half-done!"
I encourage you to consider your priorities and
plans in these five areas:
1.  Start Smart: Income and Spending
Review your income and expenses this year. Any surprises?
Any frustrations? Any changes you want to make for next
year? What do want to earn in 2014 and how does that break
down by quarter, by month or even (in some cases) by the
week? What will you do with the money you earn? Will your
spending reflect your values and priorities?
2.  Start Smart: Business and Career
How did you do this year? Did you hit your goals, grow you
business or advance your career? What did you learn? What
do you need to learn next year? What will you expand or
duplicate? What needs to be changed or cancelled? What are
your Top 3 Opportunities in 2014? List them.
3.  Start Smart: Community and Relationships
Were your most important relationships rich and satisfying
in 2013? If so, how will you keep that momentum going in
2014? Or, if you are not satisfied, what will you change
(what will you Do Different!) in the new year? How about
your friends and extended family? Your community
involvement, circle of influence, and other contacts? What
do you want in 2014?
4.  Start Smart: Fitness, Health and Wellness
How well did you care for yourself in 2013? Are there
changes you should make in your weight, fitness, sleep or
nutritional habits? I'm not talking about fad diets or 30-
day make-overs. I'm asking if you are healthier now than 12
months ago. Your health and fitness are key assets for
achieving all your other goals. What do you want to see
when you step on the scale or visit your doctor a year from
now? Start Smart and finish stronger than you are today.
5  Start Smart: Spirituality and Personal Growth
This is a broad area, but who do you want to become and how
will you grow as a person in 2014? What do you believe
about the Big Questions in life, and how are your beliefs
expressed in daily life? What skills or habits do you want
to adopt in 2014? What do you want to eliminate or over-
come? What books should you read? What classes or
conferences will you attend? Start Smart to create a Brand
New You in 2014.
I've listed five broad areas to consider as you plan for
2014. You may have other areas, or you might want to break
some of them into your own sub-points. But whatever you
dream or desire, the new year gives you unlimited
opportunity to "make it so." Fifty-two weeks is a long
time. Three hundred and sixty-five brand new mornings is an
astonishing resource. Don't blow it!
Focus on the truth that "Well begun is half-done." What
will you achieve in 2014? Who will you become? What
miracles will you and your loved ones create in the New
Year? Define your outcomes, develop clear and measurable
plans, and Start Smart! Habits and routines are powerful
things. They are so powerful that without concrete,
specific action the future tends to look an awful lot like
the past, only more so. Do not let that happen!
Decide now that in 2014 you will Start Smart and Finish
Strong.

BUY YOUR 2014 CALENDARS

Have you scheduled your 2014 vacation yet? How about your
continuing education, or the up-grade for your computer?
How about your tax planning or that trip you’ve always
wanted, or opening the new office?
It’s time to get your new calendar up on the wall and
prepare your budgets, goals and targets for the new year.
I put up our 2014 year-at-a-glance wall calendars last
weekend. I encourage you to do the same!
I know it may sound early, but Halloween is over, the
leaves have fallen (and "down under" spring is sprung!) and
the New Year will be here before you know it. NOW is the
time to plan and prepare.
I am a huge believer in large, year-at-a-glance wall
calendars to keep us focused and make things happen. Of
course, there is nothing magical about wall calendars! But
they do create a visual reminder of our most important
priorities and we have used them for many years.
We use a simple color-code system, with vacations and
holidays in green (a life-affirming color), major business
events and deadlines in red, blue for travel, and other
colors for specific conferences and miscellaneous events.
Every day, my assistant, my wife and I see the calendar,
note the color-codes and are reminded to stay on track,
keep our promises and finish our projects.
NOW is the time to plan your most prosperous, most exciting
year ever. NOW is the time to review your performance for
2013 and set new goals for the year ahead. Sure, your goals
be refined and perhaps even changed as you finalize plans
in the coming weeks, but begin the process now.
Get your 2014 calendars, schedule your most important
personal and professional dates, and mark them down. Decide
NOW that 2014 will be your best year ever!

TROUBLE AND TRIUMPH

The biggest difference between winners and losers is their
ability to cope with adversity.
Life will throw problems in your path. Sometimes the
challenges will be physical, other times they will be
financial. Sometimes they will be difficult people, or a
natural disaster like a fire or earthquake, but sooner or
later, life challenges each of us. And here's a key point:
Our response to small daily challenges is a much better
predictor of our long-term success than our response to the
few real disasters in life.
Disasters are big! We can't deny or avoid them; we MUST
deal with them. When our home burns down or an accident
puts us in the hospital, everyone understands that we MUST
deal with these things.
It is no accident that Winston Churchill described the
Battle of Britain as "their finest hour." When emergencies
strike, we drop everything and rise to the occasion.
The real test in terms of life success is how we deal with
the "termites," the little things that are easy to ignore.
Things like living within our means. Things like managing
our weight and staying fit. Things like time for loved
ones, time for rest and for renewal.
These things are not dramatic and they are not urgent. We
can delay taking time for our kids. We can neglect our
health for a long time before obvious problems occur.
Recently I saw a biography of Donald Rumsfield, and one of
the points they made is that he "moves toward problems; he
never turns his back or walks away." That is a sound
strategy!
High achievers expect challenges. They know that as they
move forward, problems will occur. Unexpected things will
happen, and they maintain an attitude of optimism, humor,
strength and resolve in the face of difficulties. They know
that as they become ever more successful, the size and
complexity of their problems will only grow. How could it
be any other way?
So, here are a couple of keys to solving problems:
1. Expect difficulty! This is no surprise, it is not unfair
or unusual. Life is complicated. Get good at it.
2. Keep a buffer around the edges of your life. Maintain a
reserve of extra time, savings in the bank, and a bit of
energy to handle the unexpected.
3. Attitudes of optimism and enthusiasm are essential.
4. View difficulties as challenges or learning
opportunities rather than as problems. How we talk about
our difficulties makes a huge difference in how we handle
them. Words matter!
5. "We get by with a little help from our friends." Have a
team of cheerleaders, experts and colleagues on stand-by to
help you over-come any challenge.
6. Be proactive. Take care of difficulties while they are
small. Preventive maintenance is good for your car, your
relationships and your heart.
7. Learn from every experience and (try) not to have the
same problem twice. Learn from difficulties, make changes,
and move on. Never repeat the same life-lesson!
The key is understanding that challenges are how we learn
and grow. Life is about what we learn and what we learn to
do. Expect interesting situations! Taking them in stride
builds your confidence. Never fear trouble; learn to
triumph over it!

BE A DOCTOR OF SELLING

Did you know that there are three keys to building relationships? Top sales professionals see themselves as "Doctors of Selling." They see themselves as professionals, well educated, acting in their "patient's" best interest, and bound by a high code of ethics.

The medical process is the same everywhere. Whenever you go to any doctor, of any kind, for any condition, he will follow the three part sequence of examination, diagnosis and prescription.

Begin With a Thorough Examination

Just as a medical professional would never think of treating you without following these three steps in order, you as a doctor of selling, would never allow a customer to force you to sell without your going through your three stages as well. This is as applicable to selling magazines door-to-door as it is to selling oil tankers to Exxon.

In the examination phase, you ask excellent questions, carefully prepared, in sequence, which are geared to give you a thorough knowledge of the patient's condition, or the customer's situation.

Diagnose the Customer's Need Accurately

The second phase is that of diagnosis. In the diagnosis phase with a customer, you would repeat back the results of your examination and double check to be sure that the symptoms that you had detected were the real symptoms being experienced by the patient. You would ask additional questions to confirm and corroborate. You and the patient would mutually agree that this diagnosis seems to be an accurate description of the condition or problem.

Make the Right Prescription

Once this mutual agreement has been reached, that a treatable condition exists and that you have identified it accurately, you can move on to phase three. This is the prescription phase, where you show the patient (customer) that your product or service is the best available treatment, taking all the factors of the patient's situation into consideration for the ailment that you have diagnosed. You show that, on balance, what you are suggesting is the best of all possible solutions.

Professionals who sell in the way that doctors treat patients find that their sales activities proceed far more smoothly and result in better sales in less time.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.

First, take the time to do a thorough examination by asking excellent questions and by listening carefully to the answers.

Second, repeat back and check your diagnosis with the customer so that you both agree on the need or problem - before you recommend a solution.

THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FORMULA

Did you know that the key to long term success is for you to dedicate yourself to continuous improvement?

There are many things you can do to put your career onto the fast track. You can set clear, specific goals for each area of your life and then make plans to accomplish them. You can plan your work and work your plan.

Ask For Greater Responsibility

You can accept 100% responsibility for everything you are and everything you become. You can refuse to make excuses or to blame others. You can tell your boss that you want greater responsibilities and then when you get them, put your whole heart into doing an excellent job.

Utilize Your Inborn Talents

In the parable of the talents in the New Testament, Jesus says, "Oh good and faithful servant, you have been faithful over small things. I will make you master over large things."

If you too will carry out every assignment to the very best of your ability, you will be given larger and more important things to do and you'll be paid more as a result.

Dedicate Yourself to Continuous Improvement

The key to long term success is for you to dedicate yourself to continuous improvement. If you become one tenth of one percent more productive each day, that amounts to 1/1000th improvement per working day. Is that possible? Of course it is!

Improve A Little At a Time

If you become one tenth of one percent more productive each day, that amounts to one half of one percent more productive each week. One half of one percent more productive each week amounts to two percent more productive each month and 26% more productive each year.

The cumulative effect if becoming a tiny bit better at your field and more productive amounts to a tremendous increase in your value and your output over time.
How to Double Your Productivity

Twenty-six percent more productive each year, with compounding, amounts to doubling your overall productivity and performance every 2.7 years. If you become 26% more productive each year, with compounding, times 10 years, you will be 1004% more productive over the next decade. That is an increase of ten times over ten years.

The Reason for All Great Successes

This is called the Law of Accumulation, or the Principle of Incremental Improvement. It is the primary reason for all great success stories. By the yard, it’s hard. But inch by inch, anything’s a cinch!

Become A 1000% Person

Make a decision, right now, to be a 1000% person. Commit yourself to continuous personal and professional development. Read, listen to audio programs and take additional courses. This process will completely transform your life.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do to put these ideas into action immediately.

First, make a plan to become a little bit better every single day. Learn and apply one new idea each day to help you to become more productive and effective at your work. The incremental effect will amaze you.

Second, be patient. Don't expect overnight changes or instant results. Remember the story of the tortoise and the hare. Become a little bit better each day and your future will take care of itself.

5 TIPS TO HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR SOCIAL SKILLS

There are many different social skills and the impact they have on other people varies. Acting on two or three "easy" skills isn't enough. The best results are achieved when several skills are used in combination with one another. The expression "the total is greater than the sum of its parts" resonates loudly with respect to social skills. When individuals combine various skills such as listening, making small talk, giving compliments, maintaining eye contact, greeting others warmly, and many others, they will experience more social success in many different situations.
Strong social skills include (among others):
- active listening
- knowing how to greet others
- conversing and making small talk
- building a friendly rapport
- complimenting others
- offering praise and encouragement
- showing support and understanding
- acknowledging others
- saying 'thank you'
Techniques and methods are available to develop all social skills. Knowing what to say and how to act are basic social skills that anyone can learn. Here are five tips for improving social skills:
1. Start with the skills that feel the most comfortable to you.
There is such a wide variety of social skills to learn that you can begin with the skills with which you feel the most comfortable.
It can be as simple as constructing a meaningful "thank-you," a compliment or using a technique to remember names. Practicing these skills in situations where a comfort level already exists builds confidence and, as more skills are added, begins to establish good interpersonal relationships.
2. Work on your social skills before you're in a situation where you really need them.
When you're using skills such as giving quality feedback or negotiating, it's better to have established a rapport, whenever possible, with the individuals involved prior to beginning these discussions. These kinds of situations have the potential to be difficult and intimidating, so having positive interactions before these situations come up will make them much easier to approach.
Constant maintenance of good relationships builds a strong foundation so there's a better chance of weathering challenging times. These interactions can be very simple - from greeting colleagues in the elevator to acknowledging others on the workshop floor to making small talk at staff meetings. Over time, these small interactions make a big difference in your relationships and ongoing success.
3. Make a point of interacting with others in familiar situations.
When you've learned some techniques, start practicing your new social skills in your daily life. This could be at a work meeting where you speak to someone you haven't talked to before or to someone with whom you've never had any significant conversation. You could be at your vet's office talking to another pet owner about their pet or picking up your child from daycare and beginning a conversation with another parent.
These situations are based on common ground so a topic for discussion already exists and you're not trying to establish one. As well, you'll meet up with most of these people again - at work, in another meeting, the next day at daycare - so you can start to establish a friendly rapport with them.
4. Attend Events, Accept Invitations and Join Clubs or Associations
Once you have learned a few social skills techniques, challenge yourself by attending events or social gatherings to try out your new skills.
It's probably easier and less stressful for the beginner to go to an event where there is a main attraction - such as a keynote speaker, panel discussion or performance - so that the pressure to interact is lessened, but the opportunity to meet people and to interact is still there. If the occasion focuses solely on the interaction between guests, such as a dinner party, it may put more pressure on the beginner to be "on" for the entire evening.
Alternatively, if you're already comfortable in the company of others, a dinner party would be ideal to practice your social skills and reunite with friends and acquaintances, make new friends, have good conversations and simply have a good time with everyone else.
Membership in clubs and associations brings together individuals who share common interests and is a basis for mutually satisfying conversation and ongoing interaction. Implementing social skills in these situations is easier than having to discover areas of interest or expertise from scratch - although this is easy to do when you have the skills.
When working on your skills, it's very important to put yourself in situations where you can act on them - even if it makes you uncomfortable. Keep the techniques in mind, knowing that with practice the skills become easier and easier to use.
5. Practice
The more frequently you interact with others and put yourself in situations where you're meeting, working or getting to know someone, the more your skills will develop and the easier they become. Continual practice as you go about your daily activities is never time wasted - you're building and strengthening your interpersonal relationships as you improve your skills.
Social skills are, and will always be, an important part of ongoing, daily interactions. They're not something learned one day and forgotten the next. They require a continuous, conscious awareness of the various skills. Fortunately, it doesn't take a long time nor a lot of effort to develop good social skills; the rewards are certainly worth it.

LEADERSHIP IS JOB ONE!

There's a saying that you can manage things, but you must
lead people, and it is absolutely critical for leaders to
profoundly "get" that distinction.
In the companies I've led, we have never used the title of
"Manager" because I felt it was essential for every member
of the organization, from myself and members of the Board,
down to the newest hire, to know they were hired and paid
to be leaders. If you want to build your business, there is
no alternative.
Many years ago I worked in our County Mental Health
department and (to avoid any hurt feelings) I want to say
that I worked for and with great people. But the system
encouraged us to be "worker bees," and the managers were
primarily paper-shufflers. They were trained to manage the
budget, manage the staff and manage the clients. They were
good at those things, but they were not LEADERS, and morale
and productivity suffered accordingly.
Achievement comes from leaders. Leadership sets the
direction and the pace. Leaders model appropriate
attitudes, behaviors, and values. Great leaders never have
to refer to the company policy manual or explain the
mission statement because from a new employee's first day
they see, taste, smell and "get" what the company is all
about.
Ford Motor Company used to have a slogan that "Quality is
job one", and it's a great slogan, but here's an even
better slogan when it comes to selecting, promoting and
rewarding people in executive and decision-making roles.
I recommend: Leadership is Job One!
To grow your business, select, train, support and empower
leaders. They'll take you places!

YOUR 3 TOUGHEST COMPETITORS IN EVERY SALE

Customers have more choices than ever before in what they buy, how they buy and from whom they buy. Most salespeople worry about selling against their direct counterpart or a competing company.
That’s not always your biggest competition.
 Let’s take a look at it from the customer’s perspective. In their eyes, the top choice for solving the challenge at hand may not be between you and a rival vendor. In every sale, customers will consider at least one of these options:

1. The customer decides to solve the challenge internally. This is also the “I can do it myself, cheaper” solution. After seeking bids and evaluating various vendors, the customer does a cost-benefit analysis on outsourcing and decides they can do it as well – or well enough – internally, usually for less money.
2. The customer decides not to buy at all. This “do nothing” option is ever present – and sometimes the toughest competition to overcome. It can be based on  various factors, including:
   • The customer may have perceived a real need for change but shifts in internal or external circumstances cause them to pause or cancel the entire initiative.  
   • The customer may have been “kicking tires” all along, which means they never really intended to buy an outside solution, but felt compelled to research possible products or services as a way of confirming their own concept.
3. The customer defunds the initiative. Basically, the challenge your solution addressed falls down, or off, the priority list.

What you can do
 Factor these competitors into your strategy from the start. As you meet with customers and begin to discuss the issues they are trying to address, consider whether the customer could resolve the situation one of these ways.
 You can ask your Coach on the opportunity if the customer is considering these options. If they are, you may consider changing the conversation with the customer by:

• Directly asking the customer about these options
• Highlighting specific strengths your solution offers vs. the above options
• Evaluating the cost/benefits of continuing to pursue this opportunity
•   ooking for other types of opportunities to pursue

SELF IMAGE IN SELLING

Did you know that your self-image in selling is a key part of your personality? Your self-image is the way you think about yourself and 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, do you see yourself, as calm, confident and competent in any aspect of selling? If you do, 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 Own Story - Brian Tracy

Some years ago, when I was selling club memberships from office to office, I would end my presentation by giving the prospect a booklet outlining the membership benefits and encourage him to "think about it." 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 behaviour 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.

THE WORLD'S BEST TOOLS

This week I was talking with a colleague about technology
and computers, and told her about my policy of replacing
our office computers every 18 months, or sooner. She
exclaimed that she couldn't afford that, and my comment was
that I couldn't afford not to.
The rule is that the most productive workers, and
ultimately the most successful people, always have the best
tools. Period.
To earn more, you must know and produce more, and that
requires better tools. For most of us, our key tools are
our knowledge, our computers, and the colleagues we
associate with every day.
1. That means you must learn more. Continuous learning is a
must. Brian Tracy points out that if you read one book per
week, in ten years you will have read 500 books, and then
he asks this question: "Would reading 500 books give you an
edge over your competitors, knowing that most people never
read at all?" I think the answer is obvious.
2. It means investing in the best equipment. I replace our
computers because I do not want "down time." I replace them
as insurance against failed hard drives and burned out
chips. I replace them (and up-grade our software) because I
trust Murphy's Law that if systems can fail, they will
fail, and at the worst possible moment. I want our office
to be a "problem-free zone" where we work without
frustration or distraction. Get good equipment.
3. Expand your network. There is great truth that "it's who
you know that counts". My network of amazing people have
the answers to almost any question, they assist me, and
they support my clients. It's the network that provides me
with what I need, when I need it, virtually every time.
To earn more, get better tools.

RE-EVALUATING YEARLY GOALS

Note: This article was originally written at mid year so it is good reminder around June but the principles are applicable anytime even at this month of November.
In a sporting event, the players are given a break at the half in order to refresh themselves, look at how they played in the first half, and set strategy for the second half. So as you approach halftime, here are some thoughts. Do you have a vacation planned in the next two months that will give you the needed break and refreshment? If not, schedule one this week! How did you “play” in the first half of this year? Have you met your goals that you established at the beginning of the year? Here are a few ideas to evaluate where you are at with your goals as you approach the halfway mark.
Take some time to sit down alone and review your goals. How many are you on mark to make? How many have you not even begun on? How many have you achieved?
For those you haven’t even begun, my suggestion would be to reset your goal at 10 percent of the original goal. Obviously this goal hasn’t been a priority, for whatever reason, and most likely won’t suddenly become so. But you can make some ground. Set a small increase for the remaining six months and get ahead a little in these areas.
For the goals you are on pace to achieve, try to stretch about 10 percent. So, to give it a numerical value, if your original goal was 10 and you have already reached 5 after halfway, stretch yourself to try to achieve 11 by the end of the year. This will give you a good reason to kick into high gear as the year progresses.
For those goals you are on pace to break strongly through, try an increase of 50 percent.
And finally, for the goals you have already reached, try to set the new goal at 100 percent of the original goal.
In all of these remember that it is better to try hard, and even fail at a higher goal, than to take the easy route and attain nothing at all!
Best of luck as you re-evaluate your goals!

THE GREATEST DISCOVERY OF 2013

We are nearing the end of 2013 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 the best 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
seldom do.
We tend to assume that what worked yesterday is still the
way to go. Of course we know we shouldn't do that! We all
know that, "Those who fail to learn from the past are
doomed to repeat it." We know we should examine our
records. We know we should be thoughtful, creative and
innovative. 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? His
focus was always on innovation because he understood that
yesterday's methods would never work in tomorrow's world.
Take time--several hours, perhaps more--to carefully review
the following questions:
1. What worked best in 2013? What surprised me or taught me
something unexpected 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?
Is it time to drop it altogether?
3. What's new in my field? What are the best and smartest
people doing that I should start doing in 2014?
One of the best things any professional, business owner or
manager can do is invest in seminars and conferences. The
chance to get away and rub shoulders with smart people is
incredibly valuable. Conferences generate new perspectives,
and new ideas create vast new opportunities! Invest in
yourself! Schedule at least one conference in 2014 right
now, while you're thinking about it. Send the deposit. Make
the commitment.
Most of us would prefer that 2014 not be a repeat of 2013.
We're better than that! Review and learn from the past to
create the future you truly want.

THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS

My clients and people in the audiences where I speak often
want the "secret" of success. They want to know how to
build the life they truly want, the one they imagine and
long for, and I often compare the secrets of success to the
ingredients of a recipe, or the tools in a toolbox. Most of
the key ingredients are familiar to all of us. The only
difference is that successful people use them more
effectively. 
In the next couple of months, we will be distracted with
holidays and end-of-year projects. And that's good! We want
some parties and we want some fun. We want to finish this
year strong and "on fire!" And, we want to start the New
Year with momentum, clear plans and specific goals.
The truth is that we pretty much get what we expect and
plan for in life. In 2014, I want you to expect and plan
for the very best. I want you to achieve more than ever
before and to have more fun doing it! That requires some
focus, some thought, some planning and some concentration.
So, let's get to work. What are the foundations for
success? Reduced to a single phrase, the foundation for
extraordinary achievement is this:
      Top Achievers Have Unusual Self-Awareness.

1.  Top Achievers are Unusually Selfish

They know themselves and their values. They know what they
want, where they are going and what they will DO with their
lives. They have taken time to "get over" themselves. They
tend to be humble because they are not confused or grasping
or complaining. They are not particularly worried about
pleasing others because they have learned to please
themselves.
Sure, many people have become rich or powerful without this
extraordinary level of self-awareness (think of Elvis
Presley, Judy Garland, perhaps the neighborhood bully or
some professional athletes of recent notoriety), but the
real winners in life have figured out who they are and
where they are going in life. They have integrity and
consistency. They are them-SELVES in all situations. They
are unusually self-aware.

2.  Top Achievers have Unusual Self-Acceptance

They know their strengths and weaknesses, they can laugh at
themselves and stand tall. They can stand alone when needed
and they can forgive their own mistakes or foolishness.
Because they are comfortable in their own skin, they have
the  confidence to make clear decisions and walk boldly
forward. They accept those around them, as well. They know
that since no one is perfect, their parents, friends,
partners and neighbors have also made mistakes, and that is
"ok." Forgiveness is part of life. They have an unusual
ability to be realistic, to accept life as it is and move
boldly forward.

3.  Top Achievers have Unusual Self-Projection

Top achievers are willing to speak out and they expect to
make a difference. They volunteer, they try stuff, they
learn and they take risks. They are the "movers and
shakers," the ones who put themselves in the game. They
stir things up. Sometimes they make trouble. They ask hard
questions. They can be politically incorrect and may come
across as insensitive because they put themselves on the
line for what they believe. (Fortunately, they are also the
most sensitive, helpful and thoughtful people because they
are willing to reach out. They CARE!)
Because top achievers are unusually aware of themselves and
others, they are comfortable with their own power and can
use it to make a difference.
In the words of the ancient poet, the foundation for
achievement is to, "first know thyself and (then) to thine
own self be true."