HOW MUCH SHOULD YOU SPEND?

In business, we always want to pay the lowest price we can,
while charging as much as possible for what we sell. The
difference, or "margin" is the profit that make business
possible.
So the question is, how much should we pay?
There’s a wonderful quote from Jeremy Rifkin that addresses
this. He noted that paying too much always means we've
wasted a portion of what we spent. If we over-pay by a
dollar, we’ve wasted that dollar. On the other hand, if we
under-pay and purchase a sub-standard product, there is the
risk that we'll have wasted the entire purchase.
My bias is always to pay slightly more and get the best
quality the market has to offer.
Currently, the U.S. Congress is debating raising our
minimum wage to help the poorest among us make more money.
Part of the debate is over how much it may help the poor,
verses how much it may harm business or the economy. In
many ways, I see it as a silly and irrelevant argument.
Never pay the minimum! For me, it’s a simple rule: If you
want the best people, the best products, the best service
and the best results, buy the best. There may be times when
"good enough" will do (buying commodities, for instance),
but most of the time we are looking for excellent results,
and that means investing in superior products and superior
people.
To build your business, look for the highest quality in
everything you purchase. Hire (and pay for) the best
people. Buy the highest quality raw materials. Hire the
best contractors, the best designers and engineers. When we
skimp, it eventually shows up. Don't let that happen to
you, or your customers!

DOES THE MARKET NEED YOU?

About ten years ago, a friend of mine built one of the best
photography studios in our area. They had a magnificent
facility, the best equipment and back office I have ever
seen, along with talented photographers. They did at least
one cover for a national magazine and business looked
great. And yet within a few years they closed their doors.
Why?
Two words: Digital photography. As my friend said, "We had
the best typewriter factory in town." They were doing
amazing work, and yet the market left them in the dust.
Given their investment and their business model, they
couldn't adjust so they folded their tent and quit.
This week I talked with a talented and passionate medical
professional who’s working harder than ever, and making
less and less. Changes in the economic realities of
medicine are forcing her out of business.
Over the years of interacting with business owners and
leaders, I've been startled at how many fail to ask the
question: Will the market buy what I'm selling?
Obviously marketing, service and pricing play a huge role
in the success of any business. Talent and passion are
vital. Efficient systems and top quality are a must, but
before any of that, there is the fundamental question, Who
will buy what I'm selling?
Are there enough potential customers out there? Can you
reach them? Can they afford to buy? Will they pay enough to
cover your costs of doing business and generate a profit?
Many business leaders focus on what I call, "arranging the
deck chairs on the Titanic." They focus on the internal
workings of their business, while ignoring the macro-
economic forces around them. Will the market buy what
you're selling? That’s an essential question and it must be
faced realistically.
Successful entrepreneurs monitor both the internal
operations of their business, and the external environment
around them.

BE REALISTIC: THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT YOU CAN DO

Have you ever thought about what you could do, if you really decided to?
I’m not merely talking about what your skills, education and talents are capable of. I’m talking about what is really possible for you.
There is a very real possibility that you can do virtually anything. Not alone, not with out new information, but certainly within your ultimate grasp.
Now many people would say to me, be realistic. Some things are just not possible.” To them I say, a realist is simply a pessimist who doesn’t want to admit it. I’ve never heard a “realist” take an optimistic posture on any topic. They always say, “Let’s be realistic.” and then go on to explain why your idea can’t be done.
Imagine a realist saying, “Realistically, we don’t yet know what the possibilities are. This could be easier than we think!” Better, eh?
 One thing I have learned over the years is that luck really does come to those who commit to a goal. Scientists and philosophers call it “synchronicity.” It is when things come together in an unexplainable way to help you reach your destination. Sometimes you just happen to meet someone who has the answer you need or shares your interests. At other times it is written off as “timing” or blind luck.
I don’t see it that way. I believe that there are some universal principles at work which most people miss. There have been references to this phenomenon in philosophical and religious literature throughout history. Without waxing poetic, here is what goes on.
When any person makes a decision to bring about a certain outcome, the entire universe starts the process of making it happen. As long as the person persists in the belief that they are creating the desired result, the process continues. When doubt, hatred, or fear dominate the person, the process stops and other forces direct the world’s energies in other positive directions. This is why there is “power” in positive thinking.
 Sometimes we express a strong desire and the result occurs immediately. We call this a miracle. At other times we strive long and hard without visible progress. The operative word there is “visible”. There are too many elements in the world for us to be conscious of how they all interact. But the moment we decide to do what it takes to create a result, the universe bends toward us to assist. This continues unless we do something to stop the process.
That is why I say there is nothing you can’t do. There are things that might not be worth doing but almost anything can be done somehow. To do such things requires a certain state of mind. It requires optimism, determination, clarity, love for all mankind and humility. Optimism is the only productive way to think. Not pollyanna blind faith in spite of the facts, just the continuing belief that there is a way and that you will ultimately find it. Determination is to do what is necessary even if it is not convenient, if you are not in the mood, if it takes more than you expected, and if it is not fair, meaning that you have to contribute more than others.
Clarity of focus is essential in order to activate things in your favor. So goal setting in writing is essential to get things going. The clearer your focus, the more compelling your influence becomes. When you believe unflinchingly in your cause, others will be drawn to you.
Love of all humanity means respect for the dignity of and sensitivity to the needs of others. Contrary to Gordon Gekko’s line in the movie Wall Street, greed does not work, because it separates you from others. Only love and respect will connect you to all who might ultimately help.
And finally, humility. The biblical way of expressing this thought is, “Not my will, but Thine, be done.” If we realize how little we know, we will be a lot more humble. Emerson said, “Desire is possibility seeking expression.” If you truly want something, the possibility of it surely exists. That does not mean that it is a good idea for you. It just means that it could happen. But if you are dedicated to achieving something deeply and sincerely, then it is incumbent upon you to pursue it.
Where the problems arise is when we decide that we already know what it will take to do the job. Far too many variables exist for us to really “know” what it takes in any instance. So we must move forward based on what we know, while listening to the messages the world is sending us. We sometimes find that an even better outcome is available to us through a simple change in direction. At other times we simply need to learn the lesson life has to teach us at a given point and then move on in a new direction. We never know how valuable that life lesson will be later on as we pursue a greater goal.
So I encourage you to be realistic, there is no limit to what you can do.

METRIC FOR SUCCESS IN 2014

So, here's my solution: Assuming you'd like to achieve more
in 2014, you will have to do something differently.
That's it, really. Hopefully doing things "differently"
means doing things smarter, or faster, or more skillfully.
It might mean using your time differently, or working on
your personality, or your daily habits. It may mean
changing your priorities or your focus. It could mean
learning new skills, or abandoning some things that are not
working.
Without talking with you personally (without being your
coach), I can't know WHAT you'll need to do differently,
but simply working "more" or working "harder" probably
won't produce the joy and satisfaction, the results and
fulfillment you desire. We all work hard! But not everyone
achieves the results they desire.
Let's try to be as specific as we can in a general
newsletter.
First, "Time management" is a waste of time. No one
"manages" time! Time just flows, whether we use it well or
badly. We all have the same 24-hours in a day. The
distinction is how we USE our time. No one manages time;
high achievers manage their activities! (BIG distinction!)
High achievers focus on productive, results-oriented
activities. The majority of "average" folks spend an awful
lot of time working hard, being busy, or relaxing. They do
a lot of "have-to's" and routine maintenance activities. At
the end of the day, most people focus on relaxing or having
fun. But winners are not "most people" and they use their
time very differently!
Here's my suggestion: Begin by carefully monitoring your
time usage. Keep a log! Write down when you are productive
and when you do other things. Make notes of your most
productive actions, and the time you spend doing low-
priority paperwork or cleaning or filing. Note the time you
spend shopping, cooking, eating and cleaning-up. And the
time you spend sleeping. Then analyze your logs.
What can you eliminate or delegate? Where can you be more
efficient or more skilled? In the next week, where can you
increase your productivity, even if only slightly? The
winners in life are relentless about this!
Second, use the 80/20 Rule to your advantage. This is known
as the "Pareto Principle" after an Italian economist, and
it says that a very small number of the things we do
account for a huge percentage of our positive results.
About 80% of our time and work is largely squandered. It's
focused on busy-work and repetitious activity, while about
20% of our work accounts for most of our profits and
satisfaction.
Pareto says that, as a parent, about 80% of parenting is
focused on getting the kids to school on time, getting them
to bed, getting them fed or whatever. (All of these things
are important, but they do not create memories or mold
character!) Only about 20% of parenting involves really
talking with our children, teaching them skills, or
answering their questions. Focus on your most productive
20%! This applies to parenting. And to your career.
As those other newsletter suggested, I join them in wishing
you a productive and profitable 2014! May this be your best
year ever! But that will only happen if you change who you
are, what you do and how much you contribute. Look at what
you do with that precious 24-hours every day. Look at your
skill-set and your choices. The more productive you are,
the less you'll have to "work" and the more you'll be
rewarded in life.

KEEPING YOUR MIND TUNED FOR SUCCESS

Absolutely no one can overestimate the power of the mind and its role in our success! It is imperative to keep our minds right and on the right track if we are to achieve balanced success in our career, finances, health, emotions, relationships and spiritual lives.

The analogy I would like to use here is one of a radio station. For example, there may be a "Success" station. But the only way you can hear a radio station is to be tuned into it. Even a little off and you can't get the full effect.

The same is true with our mind and success. If our minds and our thoughts get sidetracked, our success will get sidetracked. As our minds stay tuned to "success" our bodies will then carry out our success and we will begin to experience abundance!

So here are some ways to keep tuned into success!

Use your innate ability to decide and choose.

One of the things that separates us from the animals is that we live not by instinct, but by choice. Constantly flexing that muscle of choice builds it up and keeps us on track for success. It is like working out. They more we do, the stronger we get. The more "fit" we get. Want to keep your mind tuned for success? Keep it healthy by making good choices and decisions on a regular basis. For example, do you have a bad habit? Then flex your mind muscle and choose to change - today. If you choose to stay the same way (and those are the only two alternatives) you will have just chosen to tune your mind to a different station than "success."

Put good stuff into your brain. 

There are lots of things that want to work their way into our minds (and eventually work themselves out again in our actions). There will be lots that we just get from walking around all day. But what about what we put in on purpose? We can choose to put good stuff in on a regular basis. Do you take time each day to put good things into your mind, to tune into success? Here are two things to consider when you are choosing what to put into your mind: First, is it positive? Will it build you up or tear you down? Will it make you a better person, or lesser? Will you grow from it or not? Will it tune you to success or not? Secondly, Will it move you toward your goals in the areas of your life that you want to see success and abundance in?

Keep the junk out.

REMEMBER THAT PROSPECT WHO TURNED YOU DOWN?

 

Major changes can happen at your prospect's company without notice. Management turnovers, new offerings, and disruptions in the marketplace can all open up new opportunities for you that might not have been present the last time you were told no.
 Find out what's changed in your prospect's world since you last talked. See if there are changes that shook up the status quo that could push your contact to rethink his position about what you can do for his organization.
 If you haven't already, nurture a coach from within the prospect's organization who can give you a sense of what's changing internally. Keep asking, exploring, and searching for a good fit between a need and what you can offer.
 What you're doing is developing a strategic plan to go back to that old prospect. Use the new information you gathered to create a compelling case why it would be a good idea to talk to you again. Doing so proves to your contact that you've given some thought to his current challenges and that you have a solution that could help his organization alleviate a potential threat or use a market trend to its advantage. You're positioning yourself as a partner rather than just a vendor who was shown the door some time ago.
 Just because a prospect said no the first time doesn't mean all is lost with that potential customer. Pay attention to your prospect's environment so you don't miss out on the tides that might turn in your favor.

WRITING THE HISTORY OF 2014

Six days ago, you began writing the history of 2014. What
kind of year has it been so far? Has it been filled with
clarity, enthusiasm and purpose, or are you "easing into
it"? Are you the sort that jumps in with both feet, making
a splash and starting strong? Or do you prefer to test the
waters one toe at a time?
Either style is absolutely fine! I have no reason to
believe one personality style or preference is better than
any other, but I do observe that highly successful people
have a bias for action and a preference for clarity. They
usually know what they want, where they're going, and how
they plan to get there. And they prefer movement and action
to dreams and wishes. How about you?
This is Monday, January 6th. By my count there are
359 days left this year. Multiply that by 24 and my
calculator says we have 8,616 hours. Now, speaking for
myself, I plan to spend about a third of those hours
sleeping, and at least 350 hours (15 days!) eating. Then I
have to subtract birthdays and holidays and anniversaries,
which don't count. And beyond that, I'll take some time off
and flat-out "waste" an astonishing amount of time, all of
which still leaves a pretty big block of time that I will
use precisely and exactly the way I choose.
The problem, of course, is that most of the time, most of
us quibble with that last word. We resist the idea that
some three or four thousand hours of 2014 will be used
exactly the way we "choose."
We prefer to argue that we'll "have to" shop or clean
house. We "must" attend the kids' soccer games and music
recitals. And, clearly there's "no choice" but to have
dinner with the in-laws and deal with a thousand other
"necessities." And I sympathize with all of that. I live
with the same pressures and obligations and paperwork as
everyone else.
And yet there is that philosophical conundrum of Free Will.
This is my life and in large measure, I am both blessed and
cursed with the ability to live it as I choose.
Sometimes freedom is a horrible responsibility!
Which brings me back to my opening paragraph, above. For
the past six days, have you lived with clarity and
purpose, with energy, excitement, passion and direction, or
not? There's an old saying that "If we keep on keeping on,
we're likely to end up exactly where we're headed." So,
where exactly are you headed in 2014?
 Every moment of every day, we are "at choice."
We decide to do one thing instead of another. Every
morning, we decide what sort of day we want to have. We
decide where to focus our time, our energy, and our
enthusiasm.
What are your words and phrases for 2014? As you make your
choices and use your time, as you write your personal
history of 2014, what words and images will guide you? What
phrase or image will keep you on-track and on-task through
the dark days of winter and the warm, tempting days of
summer?
At the start of a New Year, I'm always humbled at the huge
gift a year represents. In 52 weeks, you can re-invent
yourself. You can learn a language, start a business,
transform a family, make (or squander) a fortune! Twelve
months is an enormous opportunity! Who will you be next
December?
Decide now the kind of year 2014 will be. Decide now to
write a history that is worth reading, a history that will
go down as the stuff of legends and inspire awe in those
around you. You can do this!
In the next 359 days, you'll make thousands (millions?) of
choices. You'll choose "this" but not "that." You'll spend
time in old, familiar ways and generate old, familiar
results. But, miracle of miracles (!) you'll also make
thousands of new, daring, unfamiliar choices and create new
and previously unimagined results. As you explore the
unknown territory of this new year, I wish for you an
extraordinary and rewarding adventure. This year, determine
to write an incredible history for yourself!

THE BEST TOOLS FOR THE JOB

A critical distinction that determines the future of almost
any business is your willingness to invest in equipment and
training.
I cringe when I hear a professional talk about the "cost"
of new equipment, hiring or training better staff, or
attending a conference or training. These things almost
NEVER "cost," they pay!
We live in a world of immediate cost and quality
comparisons. Trust me, whether you own a restaurant, run a
law office, or manufacture widgets, your customers talk to
each other! There are no secrets and the truth about your
quality, your level of innovation, and your performance is
known to every one of your customers, and to virtually
every potential customer.
Whether you invest in new software, new furniture, or
training, if it makes even a slight difference in your
performance, it can make a HUGE difference in your bottom
line. It's called leverage!
Attending a training or conference to meet the best people
in your profession, or to learn new skills, or to review
the best "old tricks," can be worth a fortune. Customers
want it done right the first time, and they will pay a
premium for the confidence that you know what you're doing.
Even buying a new laptop can pay for itself almost
instantly if it makes you slightly faster, slightly more
creative or more productive. You only need a slight edge to
enormously increase your results.
Invest in the right tools for the job. Invest in your
future.

THREE STEPS TO WIN IN LIFE IN 2014

Step One: Planning to Win
There are lots of steps and sub-steps you have to put together when you begin to plan your success, but a few things are foundational. Planning has to be based on getting a clear vision of what you want, because without a vision you don’t know which goals to set. Without goals you have no targets, and without targets you have nothing to measure how you’re doing. So you can see how important a vision is. Getting a clear vision for your future is also important because it plays a huge role in the creation of desire! Did you know that desire is the mother of motivation? Desire is the “want to” and the motor that fuels and powers sustained success.
Desire is important and vision is critical, but there are some personal qualities you must have or acquire to get the best possible results. As a matter of fact, there are six qualities: honesty, character, faith, integrity, love, and loyalty. I have called these qualities the foundation stones to any lasting success. You can develop each of these qualities in your life as you prepare to become the winner you were born to be.
Step Two: Preparing to Win
At first glance, you might think planning and preparing mean the same thing. I admit they might look like they are first cousins, but I see preparation as much different from planning. Preparation is a matter of equipping yourself to win with the right tools, knowledge, and support it will take to turn your dreams into plans that will make your vision into reality. So, you must equip yourself in the best possible way to insure your planning efforts will be successful.
Equipping and preparing yourself to win requires five things:
• You need the right knowledge to win.
• You must continually raise your personal performance bar.
• You must acquire tools that help you work better and faster.
• You have to practice your skills.
• You have to surround yourself with positive influences and people.
In summary, you have to train yourself to become a twenty-four-hour champion. Winning involves planning and preparing. Both are a constant-improvement, never-ending process. When you stop planning and preparing . . . you stop winning. Twenty-four-hour champions continually equip themselves to win!
Step Three: Expecting to Win
I’ve always said that when you have planned and prepared to win, you then have the right to expect to win. The ultimate fruit of positive expectation is hope, and it is hope that pulls you forward in all you attempt to do. I’m always hopeful and I never worry. I can say that because I expect the best possible result in all that I do. I expect the best because I planned my success, prepared myself to execute my plans, and earned the right to expect the best.
Desire is the mother of motivation, because that is where your motivation is born. Properly planning and preparing heightens your expectations, which fuels your desire and drives you to become even more motivated. Through the years I’ve continually heard from individuals from all walks of life whose lives were in a downward spiral—until they heard something in my audio products or read something in my books that gave them the will and the skills they needed to change their circumstances and transform their lives. They testify that by putting my simple suggestions into practice their lives were transformed. Sometimes the transformation was mental, sometimes it was spiritual, and other times it was material. Whatever the transformation, there was a commonality to the core changes they made. These people changed the way they viewed themselves. They became willing to make significant changes, and they came to believe they were born to win! What they really did is develop the skills and take the necessary actions they needed to plan, prepare, and expect to win!
You were born to win. But to be the winner you were born to be you have to plan to win, prepare to win, and only then can you expect to win. Go out and be the winner you were meant to be today!