LEADERS STAY AHEAD OF THE PACK

One of the most over-looked traits of a business leader is
that they. . .lead.
As I work with business owners and managers, one of the key
things I observe is the need for the leader to stay ahead
of the pack. There are a million things to do as the boss.
It is easy to get bogged down in day-to-day operations and
forget to learn, to plan, and to maintain a vision for the
business. And yet your employees, your customers and the
future of your business depend on your ability to set the
standards and lead the way.
Bill Gates takes time off every three months, for thinking.
I understand he maintains a retreat on Hood Canal and often
goes there alone to review and renew. Apparently, the
practice has worked well for him.
Benjamin Franklin treasured the time on his trips across
the Atlantic because they gave him perspective. C.S. Lewis
often took walks of up to 20 miles, in order to have time
to think. Hundreds of successful business leaders have
reported that their most productive time is the hour they
spend planning.
When I coach business leaders, I encourage them to divide
their planning and visioning time into two components:
Business Design and Personal Growth. Both are essential.
Plan the future of your business. Design the growth you
want to see. Choose the course, develop a strategy for the
future. And then, be sure your personal development program
prepares you to be the leader your company will need when
that future becomes the Present!
The most important single contribution you make to your
business is leadership! Know where you’re going! Foresee
problems before they come up and know the opportunities you
want to seize! Your staff and your customers depend on you
to lead the way. Do not get so bogged down in your daily
work that you forget to do your most important job.

THE A/B TEST: SEVEN STEPS TO SUCCESS

Discipline yourself to do what you know you need to do to be the very best in your field. What is self-discipline? Perhaps the best definition of self discipline is this: "Self discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not." It is easy to do something when you feel like it. It's when you don't feel like it and you force yourself to do it anyway that you move your life and career onto the fast track.

What decisions do you need to make today in order to start moving toward the top of your field? Whatever it is, either to get in or get out, make a decision today and then get started. This single act alone can change the whole direction of your life.

Seven Steps to Success

There is a powerful seven step formula that you can use to set and achieve your goals for the rest of your life. Every single successful person uses this formula or some variation of this formula to achieve vastly more than the average person. And so can you. Here it is:

Decide What You Want

Step number one, decide exactly what it is you want in each part of your life. Become a "meaningful specific" rather than a "wandering generality."

Write it Down

Second, write it down, clearly and in detail. Always think on paper. A goal that is not in writing is not a goal at all. It is merely a wish and it has no energy behind it.

Set a Deadline

Third, set a deadline for your goal. A deadline acts as a "forcing system" in your subconscious mind. It motivates you to do the things necessary to make your goal come true. If it is a big enough goal, set sub-deadlines as well. Don't leave this to chance.

Make a List

Fourth, make a list of everything that you can think of that you are going to have to do to achieve your goal. When you think of new tasks and activities, write them on your list until your list is complete.

Organize Your List

Fifth, organize your list into a plan. Decide what you will have to do first and what you will have to do second. Decide what is more important and what is less important. And then write out your plan on paper, the same way you would develop a blueprint to build your dream house.

Take Action

The sixth step is for you to take action on your plan. Do something. Do anything. But get busy. Get going.

Do Something Every Day

Do something every single day that moves you in the direction of your most important goal at the moment. Develop the discipline of doing something 365 days each year that is moving you forward. You will be absolutely astonished at how much you accomplish when you utilize this formula in your life every single day.

Action Exercises

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

First, decide exactly what you want, write it down with a deadline, make a plan and take action - on at least one goal - today!

Second, determine the price you will have to pay to achieve this goal and then get busy paying that price - whatever it is.

NINE THINGS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CAPITAL

When starting any enterprise or business, whether it is full-time or part-time, we all know the value of having plenty of capital (money). But I bet we both know or at least have heard of people who started with no capital who went on to make fortunes. How? You may ask.
Well, I believe there are actually some things that are more valuable than capital that can lead to your entrepreneurial success. Let me give you the list.
1. Time.
Time is more valuable than capital. The time you set aside not to be wasted, not to be given away. Time you set aside to be invested in an enterprise that brings value to the marketplace with the hope of making a profit. Now we have capital time.
How valuable is time? Time properly invested is worth a fortune. Time wasted can be devastation. Time invested can perform miracles, so you invest your time.
2. Desperation.
I have a friend Lydia, whose first major investment in her new enterprise was desperation. She said, "My kids are hungry, I gotta make this work. If this doesn't work, what will I do?" So she invested $1 in her enterprise selling a product she believed in. The $1 was to buy a few fliers so she could make a sale at retail, collect the money and then buy the product wholesale to deliver back to the customer.
My friend Bill Bailey went to Chicago as a teenager after he got out of high school. And the first job he got was as a night janitor. Someone said, "Bill, why would you settle for night janitor?" He said, "Malnutrition." You work at whatever you can possibly get when you get hungry. You go to work somewhere -- night janitor, it doesn't matter where it is. Years later, now Bill is a recipient of the Horatio Alger award, rich and powerful and one of the great examples of lifestyle that I know. But, his first job -- night janitor. Desperation can be a powerful incentive. When you say - I must.
3. Determination.
Determination says I will. First Lydia said, "I must find a customer." Desperation. Second, she said, "I will find someone before this first day is over." Sure enough, she found someone. She said, "If it works once, it will work again." But then the next person said, "No." Now what must you invest?
4. Courage.
Courage is more valuable than capital. If you've only got $1 and a lot of courage, I'm telling you, you've got a good future ahead of you. Courage in spite of the circumstances. Humans can do the most incredible things no matter what happens. Haven't we heard the stories? There are some recent ones from Kosovo that are some of the most classic, unbelievable stories of being in the depths of hell and finally making it out. It's humans. You can't sell humans short. Courage in spite of, not because of, but in spite of. Now once Lydia has made 3 or 4 sales and gotten going, here's what now takes over.
5. Ambition.
"Wow! If I can sell 3, I can sell 33. If I can sell 33, I can sell 103." Wow. Lydia is now dazzled by her own dreams of the future.
6. Faith.
Now she begins to believe she's got a good product. This is probably a good company. And she then starts to believe in herself. Lydia, single mother, 2 kids, no job. "My gosh, I'm going to pull it off!" Her self-esteem starts to soar. These are investments that are unmatched. Money can't touch it. What if you had a million dollars and no faith? You'd be poor. You wouldn't be rich. Now here is the next one, the reason why she's a millionaire today.
7. Ingenuity.
Putting your brains to work. Probably up until now, you've put about 1/10 of your brainpower to work. What if you employed the other 9/10? You can't believe what can happen. Humans can come up with the most intriguing things to do. Ingenuity. What's ingenuity worth? A fortune. It is more valuable than money. All you need is a $1 and plenty of ingenuity. Figuring out a way to make it work, make it work, make it work.
8. Heart and Soul.
What is a substitute for heart and soul? It's not money. Money can't buy heart and soul. Heart and soul is more valuable than a million dollars. A million dollars without heart and soul, you have no life. You are ineffective. But, heart and soul is like the unseen magic that moves people, moves people to buy, moves people to make decisions, moves people to act, moves people to respond.
9. Personality.
You've just got to spruce up and sharpen up your own personality. You've got plenty of personality. Just get it developed to where it is effective every day, it's effective no matter who you talk to - whether it is a child or whether it is a business person - whether it is a rich person or a poor person. A unique personality that is at home anywhere. My mentor Bill Bailey taught me, "You've got to learn to be just as comfortable, Mr. Rohn, whether it is in a little shack in Kentucky having a beer and watching the fights with Winfred, my old friend or in a Georgian mansion in Washington, DC as the Senator's guest." Move with ease whether it is with the rich or whether it is with the poor. And it makes no difference to you who is rich or who is poor. A chance to have a unique relationship with whomever. The kind of personality that's comfortable. The kind of personality that's not bent out of shape.
And lastly, let's not forget charisma and sophistication. Charisma with a touch of humility. This entire list is more valuable than money. With one dollar and the list I just gave you, the world is yours. It belongs to you, whatever piece of it you desire whatever development you wish for your life. I've given you the secret. Capital. The kind of capital that is more valuable than money and that can secure your future and fortune. Remember that you lack not the resources.

10 SECRETS TO EXPRESSING YOURSELF WITH CONFIDENCE

 

For too many years I suffered from a bad case of "approval-seeking." I was desperate for validation from others. I never wanted to risk stating how I felt about things for fear that it would rock the boat and cause conflict.

As a result, I saw myself as a victim of others' mistreatment or neglect, when the truth was that I was really just a victim of my own fear: I WAS AFRAID TO BE ME. Living my life dependent on the opinion of others was my prescription for inner turmoil, depression, addiction, and chaos.

Learning to value my own opinions and desires has had a ripple effect through every area of my life: I am free to be myself, and in turn I can allow others to be whomever and however they choose to be.

Here are some important lessons to remember as you learn to find and express your own inner voice:

1. How you feel and what you need are just as important as the feelings and needs of others. Instead of always dismissing your ideas and feelings as "not that important," you need to value them and see that you are equal to all others. WHAT YOU FEEL AND THINK IS WORTHY OF BEING HEARD.

2. You will not die from saying how you feel. At one time I believed that either I would die, or others would die from hearing my honest feelings and opinions (I am not talking about being hurtful.) Only by practicing speaking up have I learned that this is not the case at all. Not only did I not die, I have become empowered.

3. You will not die if someone disagrees with your decisions. I thought I would crumble without the approval of others, but when I was willing to feel the initial uncomfortable feelings I experienced when others did not agree with or like my decisions, I got stronger and the fear of such feelings got weaker.

4. When you follow your own heart, people around you may at first be uncomfortable, but THEY ADJUST! It amazed me that no matter how threatened others were with the "new me," when I persisted in doing what was right for me, they eventually settled down and got used to my new ways; in fact, they even respected me for them!

5. By being true to yourself, and thriving on account of it, you are setting an example that will inspire others to step out and make changes. Your gift to yourself of changing is also a gift to others.

6. It is no one's responsibility to read you mind. YOU MUST SPEAK UP! You can't blame others for not doing it "your way" when you are not even willing to express yourself and what you want! Change means letting go of the games of pouting and making others feel bad for not reading your mind. I no longer feel "misunderstood," because I speak up and give others an opportunity to understand me!

7. Resentments come from not speaking up and being heard. Resentments erode your soul and your health. Discuss your feelings until you feel resolved and then MOVE ON.

8. Practice listening to others. I was so busy obsessing about my own feelings, what I wanted to say, and how others would receive me that I did not pay close attention to the ideas and feelings of others. When I put aside thoughts about me, and truly listened to others, I found that others began to truly listen to me!

9. "Say what you mean, mean what you say, but don't say it mean." The tendency for people who are afraid of being honest and forthright is to build up so much fear and resentment, that they blurt out their feelings, often offending others with the force of their delivery. Practice saying what you mean in a direct way, with kindness and respect.

10. Give yourself permission to be awkward as you begin to speak up. This is not an easy transition to make. Know that at first you may stumble over your words, you may not get your point across, and that others may not like your speaking up. Just because others may not agree with what you say does not mean that your beliefs are wrong. Don't apologize for your opinion: "This may be a stupid thing to say, but..." Or, after they express a difference of opinion, don't backpedal by saying, "You're right, I'm wrong; I don't know what I was thinking." HOLD YOUR HEAD HIGH! Everyone respects people who risk being the minority voice. And you will be surprised to find that often others will join you and you will become the majority voice.

Self-esteem comes from taking risks and being YOU, not from the approval of others. So speak up, and notice how many people begin to listen up!       

THE FOUR PATHS TO WEALTH

I've concluded there are only four ways to make money and
accumulate significant wealth in this world.
1.  Make an unusually valuable contribution. This is the
easiest and most successful path wealth, but since it
usually comes disguised as hard work, it's also the path
most resisted. The world pays for our expertise, our
effort, our ideas and our inventions, and it pays extremely
well if make unusually valuable contributions. 
2.  Save and invest. This, too, is a reliable and nearly
fool-proof road to wealth, but since it takes time,
personal discipline and has absolutely no sex appeal, it is
largely ignored. Spend less than you make, save the
difference, let time and compound interest make you rich.
3.  Inherit money. I've read that in the next few years
twenty trillion dollars of accumulated wealth will be
transferred from the passing generation to the younger one.
Nothing like that has ever happened before! It pays to
select the right parents!
4.  Be lucky. Be in the right place at the right time. Know
the right people or win the lottery. While this one is
unpredictable and fickle (and gives rise to a sense that
life isn't "fair"), it happens often enough to give us
hope. Unfortunately, the statistics are against you. But
who knows? Luck happens.
Unfortunately, I didn't know these rules before I was born
and so chose wonderful but poor parents, and the statistics
have proven entirely reliable--I've won no lotteries. So,
from personal experience I can only recommend paths one and
two. 
Get good at what you do. Love it enough to get VERY good at
it, and the world will pay accordingly. Then, save and
invest, and let time be your friend.

IDENTIFYING TOP SALES PEOPLE

Salespeople are different based on their values. A higher order value always takes precedence over a lower order value. If you place one value higher than another, and you have to choose between doing one thing or doing another, you will always select the action that is consistent with your higher value. Once you are clear about your order of values, decision making becomes much easier. Think about it. What are your real values?

But more importantly, how can you determine what your values really are? Simple. Just observe your behaviors, especially the things you do when you are under pressure. Your values are always expressed in your actions. It is not what you say, or wish, or hope, or intend that expresses your true values. It is only what you do.

If you want to know what your values are at this moment, you can examine your recent past and notice the choices you made when you could have gone one way or another. Your choices, and your subsequent actions, demonstrated to yourself and others what was of greatest value and importance to you.

Compare Different People

Here is an example. Imagine you have two people who have the same three values. The values are family, health and career success. The only difference between these two people is the order of importance that they placed on these values, their priorities. The first person, Bill, says that, "My family comes first, my health is second and career success is third."

Tom, on the other hand, has the same values, but he says, "Career success comes first for me, then my family, and then my health."

Determine the Difference

Would there be a difference in character and personality between these two people? Would there be a small difference or a large difference? Which of these two people would you like to get to know and become friends with? Would you be able to tell these two people apart in conversation? Which one do you think you would like and trust more?

Values Set People Apart

The answers to these questions are clear. The person with the higher values in a better order of priority will invariably be a better person than the person whose values are in a different order. Your choice of values determines the quality of your character. When you select values such as integrity, love, courage, honesty, excellence or responsibility, and you live your life consistent with those values, every hour of every day, you actually become a superior person. It is your values that determine the kind of person you really are.

Action Exercises

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

First, think about how you behave, how you choose, whenever you are under pressure. Remember, it is only what you do, your actions, that tell who you really are.

Second, observe how other people around you behave when they are forced to choose. You will only be compatible with people whose values are similar to yours. What are they?

PRACTICE MOTIVATION, ENDLESS AND ABUNDANT

Of all the questions I get from readers, the two that come
up the most are about "procrastination" and the desire for
"motivation." What strikes me is how goal-oriented and
ambitious TIPS subscribers are!
But, from your emails about procrastination and motivation,
I'm also struck by how quick some of you are to be critical
of your own performance! That seems like such a waste!
Observe what is real, of course! Learn from your own
behavior, obviously. If you see things you want to change,
take action! But to be harsh with yourself for
procrastination or lack of motivation? I don't see the
advantage in that. It seems like wasted energy.
Especially since I see procrastination and motivation as
opposite sides of the same coin. When I lack motivation for
a project, I tend to procrastinate. But when I'm full of
enthusiasm, energy and determination, procrastination
rarely even occurs to me. And my clients seem to be the
same way.
And motivation is entirely a "do it to yourself" project.
One of the best things I've ever heard about motivation
came from the late Zig Ziglar. Zig was a genius and was
deeply loved by millions of people. His words and ideas
transformed thousands of lives. And truer words have never
been uttered than his famous quip that, "People say
motivation doesn't last. Well neither do showers. That's
why I recommend both every day!"
Motivation comes from knowing exactly what we're trying to
accomplish, and why. When we are absolutely clear about the
results we want to achieve and have a precise, detailed
list of the advantages that will come to us and our loved
ones from achieving them, procrastination doesn't stand a
chance!
Ask any kid who wants to stay up past her bedtime. Ask any
teenager eager to get their driver's license. Ask a young
man hoping to impress the love of his life, or a young
mother how much "interest" she has in being the best mother
she can be! Procrastination is NOT a problem! Their goal is
clear, and their reasons are powerful!
When you are clear about exactly what you want to learn or
do, and are also clear about your reasons, motivation will
keep you up all night long. Ask the college student
cramming for finals!
One of my personal mentors, Jim Rohn, often observed that
"when you have enough reasons, you can achieve any goal."
The key is clarity about the outcome, and precision about
the "why." And those two things are entirely, and only, up
to you.
What are your goals for this summer? What, exactly, will
you learn or build, buy or sell, read, do, or achieve by
September? How will you measure success? Who are your
cheerleaders? Who's on your MasterMind team?
Answering those questions tells you WHAT you are striving
for and who will help you along the way. They give you a
clear picture of success, and benchmarks to measure your
progress.
The next steps to building motivation and eliminating
procrastination are your REASONS for achieving your goal.
And reasons are intensely personal. One person wants to hit
a sales record to win the prize, while someone else needs
the income, and the "new guy" just wants to keep her job.
Whatever your REASONS, they are the drivers behind
motivation. With enough, and big enough REASONS, motivation
will never be a problem!
Here are some practical suggestions:
1.  Re-write, and then re-read, your goals every single
day. Be specific. Keep them measurable. Every single
morning!
2.  List your REASONS for achieving your goals, every
single day. This is essential. Vague reasons ("it would be
nice") kill motivation! How will you and your family
benefit? How will success fulfill your values, and your
life? Write it all down.
3.  Value your "cheerleaders." We all need enthusiastic
people who love us and care about our results. Family,
friends, co-workers, coaches and even folks you've never
met will benefit from your achievement. Let them know how
to hold you accountable and cheer you forward!
4.  Read and listen to inspirational stories, every single
day. Buy and listen to the classic talks by Ziglar and
Rohn. They are timeless and never get old. Read
biographies--if others have done it, so can you!
The dog days of summer can make us lazy and rob us of
motivation. Don't let that happen! This is your life! You
will never have a second chance to make today, this week,
or this summer absolutely fantastic! Get up early, start
strong, focus on your goals and keep going all day long.
There is no substitute.

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DO BEST

This week the old adage to focus on what you do best and
hire someone to do everything else came home loud and
clear. 
I have a client who’s business requires extensive
bookkeeping and accounting functions. He used to have a
full-time bookkeeper to support his real-estate and
investment interests, but then he decided "it cost too
much, and I thought I could do it cheaper on my own." Well.
As you might guess, by now his books are a mess. The truth
is that he’s not a detail person. He does not enjoy data
entry on the computer, and he kept "putting it off until
later. I always thought I’d catch up on the weekend, or
next week." Unfortunately, that never happened.
My client is extremely good at investing, and his passion,
talents and interests are in the creative, entrepreneurial
side of his business. Ironically, he is very good at
reading financial statements to evaluate a possible
investment. But as a bookkeeper, he needs to fire himself!
We all have our areas of expertise and passion. In our
areas of strength, we are geniuses. Outside those areas,
however, we are doomed to frustration, and sometimes
outright failure.
Do what you love. Do what you do best. Emphasize your
talents and give your customers the extras that only you
can give them. But for goodness sake, hire someone else to
do the things you can't do, won’t do, or do badly. You
can't afford to spend your life being inefficient, wearing
yourself out, and spending the rest of the day being
cranky.
Go with your strengths! You’ll make more money, have more
fun, and be much more successful!

THE OPEN PLAN OFFICE SURVIVAL GUIDE

Open plan work environments are the norm in most organizations. Some are even going further, introducing 'hotdesking' where your workstation is allocated fresh daily.

Open plan environments are flexible, positively encouraging conversation, and for many an enjoyable part of working life. But inevitably, noise levels increase, particularly when combined with distractions such as impromptu meetings, distribution of birthday cakes and background clatter of printers/photocopiers in use.

And it has to be said, open plan working isn't universally popular. The chatter, people walking past and increased interruptions sometimes causes loss of concentration, frustration and reduced productivity for some.

But since most of us don't choose where we're going to work on our first day in a new job, we adapt to the environment quickly. These 'Open Plan Working Etiquette' tips can help make this easier, and ensure you don't finish each day with a raging headache.

Telephones

Almost certainly the worst offender in any open plan environment, as a phone left ringing is difficult to ignore.

- One simple thing we could all do today to make a big difference to overall noise level would be to lower the volume of our telephone ring. Most of us forget to adjust it, and it usually doesn't need to be so loud when we're sitting close by.

When at work, switch your personal mobile phone to silent or vibrate mode to avoid distracting personal calls. Better still, switch off unless expecting a very urgent call.
Some ring tones are irritating so think about the impact on colleagues when choosing your 'signature tune'

- When away from your desk for any length of time, switch your phone through to voicemail or arrange with a colleague to pick it up and take messages

Assuming somebody else will do it (particularly if it always ends up being the same kindhearted person) can cause resentment in a team. This is particularly important at lunchtime when the pool of available people is reduced.
And of course, take your turn answering your team members phones too.

Visitors

Colleagues just dropping by for a chat, perhaps to ask questions or even the visiting new baby, can disturb others.
As few have a dedicated office, and meeting rooms are often at a premium, impromptu meetings can quickly develop within a work area. This open communication is great, really speeding up decisions for those involved. But it can be a major distraction for those not directly involved in the conversation.

- Minimize disturbances by politely asking visitor(s) to get to the point quickly if they're interrupting you

- Don't hold mini-meetings at your desk - move to an area where it's possible to talk freely without disturbing others

- Reduce interruptions by getting back to people quickly. This minimizes their need to chase you up repeatedly

Voice Volume

We're often unaware of our own voice volume, or how far sound carries, particularly on the telephone. Overhearing a colleagues' one-sided conversation is hugely distracting, even though we're not remotely interested in the content.
And the banter surrounding a colleague's new haircut or contents of their shopping bags after their lunch time trip - well, even the most dedicated can't help get drawn into the conversation.
- If we all used our 'library voice' the overall noise level would reduce

- Never use speakerphones in an open plan area - it's almost impossible to block out the noise, and really gets on people's nerves

- You know this, of course, but as I still hear it happening, here's the reminder; please don't just shout across the office when you want a quick answer. Walk across and ask quietly, or send an e-mail if non-urgent

- If you're easily distracted, try a 2-piece headset to block out sound. These block out much more background noise, so it's easier to hear your own telephone caller over the 'buzz'

- Use headsets in moderation. They're a great aid when you must concentrate. But used too much when you're not on the phone and colleagues may consider you aloof and inaccessible.

These simple tips can help make the most of the positive communication benefits of working in open plan environments, and minimize any negative impact on your productivity.   

ACCELERATE YOUR ABILITIES

In today’s fast-paced life, the wins usually go to those with exceptional skills and abilities. The old quote is true, “The race is not always won by the swift and the strong, but that is the way to bet.”

With this in mind, and with your desire to become increasingly successful, here are some ways to accelerate your abilities, thus enabling you to achieve greater and greater things.
Become dissatisfied with your current state.
Growth for growth’s sake is good. Those who will achieve much are those who say to themselves, “I want to grow. I want to be better. And I am willing to do what it takes to get there. This current state is not enough!” This dissatisfaction will create for you an insatiable drive to do what it takes to get your abilities to the next level.
Visualize the benefits of increased abilities.
Put them at the forefront of your mind. This will saturate your mind with the motivation that it will take for you to do what it takes to increase your abilities. What good will come out of my increased ability? How will I be better off as well as the others around me? The answers to these questions act as the carrot before the horse, moving you forward.
Understand your weaknesses.
If you want to improve, one of the best ways is to start with some area that you aren’t particularly good at. This is the “shoring up method.” Sometimes it is easier to improve something you aren’t good at that something you are. And the gains will still look great for your overall situation! Take some time to consider what areas you are weakest in and focus in on them for a while. The results will obviously be much more pronounced than getting better at something you have already somewhat mastered.
Attempt greater levels of what you are already good at.
Another tact to take would be to stretch yourself in an area that you already have some skill and ability in. What areas do you excel in? Now understand that when you leave the weaker areas weak and make extraordinary gains in one area, then you will be moving more toward “specialist” rather than “generalist.” That is okay, but needs to fit in with your overall goals.
Commit time each day to improvement.
Steady improvement is the way to go. In fact, you may not see improvement for days or weeks. You may feel like you are failing each time. But alas, eventually you will get it and your skill will increase to the next level. The key is day in, day out, spending time working on improving. Even five minutes a day equals a half hour a week, 2 hours a month. That adds up! Remember, Practice, practice, practice.
Seek out and spend time with someone who has greater ability than you.
One of the best things to do to increase your ability is hang out with people who are already more skilled than you. Watching, them, studying them, interacting with them, even competing with them will make you better. As in sports, to improve, you play with people better than you, not worse. They will raise you to a new level. Who around you can you get involved with who will help you with your ability?
Take a class or hire a coach.
Go to school my friend. Take a course at a local college or vocational institute. Take a class online. Hire one of the many coaches available today. Pick a specific skill you would like to improve upon and find someone who is a specialist in that area. At the very least, pick up some audio or videotapes to help you grow.
Be the tortoise, not the hare.
Slow but sure. Take your time, do it right. Keep going in the right direction. Learn your craft correctly. Don’t give up quality for speed. The whole idea of acceleration is this way: Slow start, work up to high speeds, go the distance. Luckily life isn’t a sprint but a marathon!
Hope these ideas help you as you commit to accelerating your abilities!

THE SUMMER OF DREAMS

Summer is the time for baseball, beaches, sun and fun. It's
a time to slow down, to rest, relax and vacation, right?
Isn't that what everyone does?
Well, not exactly. In my opinion, summer (and particularly
this long holiday weekend) is the time to design your
strategy and develop your plans for 2014.
Most of us do our year-end and new-year planning in
December, to coincide with the calendar. That seems
logical, but in fact it’s an "amateur mistake." The end of
the year is full of holidays. It's full of year-end tax
planning, distractions, busy-ness and stress, and under
those conditions, planning becomes a haphazard, hurried
thing.
In contrast, summer is a time for dreams. It's a time for
lazy afternoons, for watching the kids play at the beach
and taking long country drives. It's the perfect time to
design and plan your future.
In my opinion, now is the time to create the year you want
in 2014.  Everyone else is lazing away, but not you!  Use
these long summer days to plan your next conquest, to
detail your next project. Focus on the future you really
want and let the "lazy, hazy days of summer" motivate you
to dream bigger, go further and reach higher than ever
before.
Just be sure you don't let your summer day dreams end
there. As you dream, take notes! Get a calendar and set
some targets. Use your checkbook, profit and loss
statements, and sales data to develop a budget. Talk with
colleagues and share your dreams. Develop action strategies
and implementation plans.
This year, use summer to create the life you truly want.
Life will rush at you in the months and years ahead,
whether you are ready or not. Be ready! Have a plan. Take
action. Create the life you truly want and what better time
to prepare than after Independence Day, during the glorious
days of summer?

DECLARE YOUR INDEPENDENCE

Have you ever considered starting your own business as a way to declare your independence from the bondage of relying on another person to create your income? I love the fact as a new business owner you are declaring your independence! So in the spirit of celebrating Independence Day, the 4th of July this article will explore the top 10 reasons to declare your independence today!

Reason #1: You have the FREEDOM to create your own income!
You determine how much you want to make and go after the ways/means to make the money, no one tells you that you will make only $12.00 an hour and yet give me $25.00 an hour worth of work.

Reason #2: You have the FREEDOM to determine how many days, hours you will work each week
You do not have to ask to go to lunch, take the day off or call in sick.

Reason #3: You have the Liberty to make changes as needed
If things are not working out and there is a better way to go, change it without the red tape.

Reason #4: You get to do something you love or are passionate about
Imagine waking up and wanting to work, not feeling forced to.

Reason #5: Eliminate the long commutes
Many have to look for jobs outside their community and face long drives on congested freeways. Eliminate the commute by starting a business from home.

Reason #6: You have the FREEDOM to choose who you work with
You pick your clients, your staff, etc. If it is not a good fit you choose to replace the staff or not work with the client.

Reason #7: FREEDOM from stress
Eliminate the stress of finding a job or the possibility getting a pink slip by being proactive and plan now for your independence.

Reason #8: FREEDOM to choose when you get up & when you get out of your PJ's
In some cases you can work from home in your PJ's and bunny slippers.

Reason #9: The cost to start a business today is minimal
What used to cost thousands and require a brick & mortar, now costs in many cases under $1,000.00 to get up and running.

Reason #10: The Tax Benefits
As an entrepreneur there are many advantages for you in the tax return arena. If you keep accurate records the benefits may surprise you. Check with a CTEC or CPA for full benefits.

These are just 10 of the numerous reasons to Declare Your Independence this July and start your own business. So what is holding you back today? There are so many options in launching a business whether it is as an entrepreneur or as part of a MLM or direct sales group, explore your options!

What a perfect time to launch this journey in your life as our country celebrates its Independence this weekend.   

THE SINGLE, BIGGEST MISTAKE SALESPEOPLE MAKE.

The multi-step process of building a winning proposal starts and ends with the customer’s input. The biggest mistake salespeople can make is not listening to customers. The more you listen to their issues, the deeper you will understand both their challenge and their vision of a solution. As you lay the foundation of each customer relationship and begin to tailor your presentation to suit each potential buying opportunity, remember these three imperatives for getting better information to tailor your solution:
Create a conversation – This should be a two-way dialog. Salespeople often unwittingly overwhelm clients by animatedly describing features of products and services. Unfortunately, clients may view this as a “data dump” of information. A better strategy: Ask questions that encourage customers to share details about their challenge and what they want the solution to achieve. Even if you think you already understand their issues, some facts may have changed since the meeting was arranged. Salespeople who master the art of listening – and really hearing what the customer says – consistently win more business.
Confirm – As you begin to develop the unique proposal designed to address this customer’s current challenge, check back in with the key Buying Influences on the details. Asking good questions to confirm each step of the process builds your credibility and shows the customer that you really want to understand their world and the challenges they face day today. Plus, it can help you the gain incremental commitments that build mutual understanding. As a result, you’re more likely to be aligned with the customer’s vision and your credibility increases as you show you care about the details.
Collaborate – Delivering a comprehensive solution involves numerous functions within your company – from products to shipping to customer support. Draw on resources within your own organization to ensure your proposal is as rich and well rounded as possible – and to ensure that key departments can deliver on each element of your proposal, before you present the final proposal to the customer. Selling your own people on your solution can be just as important – and just as challenging – as selling the customer on it.

Successfully addressing these three areas can be the key differentiator that elevates your solution from a proposal to a Win.

WHAT GET MEASURED GETS DONE

One of my favorite quotes is from Edward Deming, the famous
business consultant who revolutionized management theory.
He observed that in the end, what we measure and hold
ourselves accountable for, gets done.
Nobody likes being embarrassed by failing to complete a
task, and for most of us, the personal integrity issue is
even more potent than any embarrassment from "failure."
Once we’ve committed ourselves to complete a task or reach
an objective, we HATE falling short. I think that actually
explains a lot of failure, both in business and in our
personal lives.
We hate failing so much we refuse to set objective,
measurable expectations. We have dreams or wishes or
fantasies (call them what you will) but we hesitate to set
hard, measurable performance goals.
I see this in talking with people about coaching. When we
interview each other they tell me they are "ready" or want
to achieve more than they have in the past. When I ask them
to be specific, they often hesitate and then give me a
nice, vague statement about being "successful."
But success, my friends, is not a thing to be achieved!
Success is the result, almost a side-benefit of achieving
specific, measurable results. Success is the popular
acclaim or recognition we enjoy after we complete a series
of far more specific (and usually less spectacular) tasks.
If you want success, make more sales than anyone in your
company. If you want success, climb a mountain or publish a
best-seller. If you want success, do the things that get
the results you desire. I guarantee that success will
follow, but only AFTER you’ve achieved those more mundane,
measurable results.