WE KNOW BETTER THAN WE DO

I've noticed that whenever life wants to teach me a lesson,
it sends repeated reminders until I finally "get it."
Strange coincidences start happening. Articles show up.
Friends are suddenly talking about a principle or emailing
me until I pay attention and take action.
This week, it happened again. Recently, I re-read Jack
Canfield's book, The Success Principles. I was nearly done
when I came across this sentence: "The key to success is to
take what you have learned (or re-learned)…and put it into
action" (p. 427). That hit me like the proverbial ton of
bricks. The challenge to actually "do what we know!" What a
concept!
After years of studying success and achievement, I
know a lot! I've coached thousands of people. I've set and
achieved hundred of goals. I've been blessed and I've been
"lucky." I have much to be grateful for, and yet like most
people, too often, "I know more than I do." I forget, and I
procrastinate. I write things down and lose the note. I
ignore basic principles, or promise I'll get to it
"someday." I know this is foolishness! And yet it happens,
over and over.
This week, after being struck by the sentence in Canfield's
book, the lesson came home a second time, in a dramatic
way.
Philip Humbert shared, "A friend of mine owns a sporting goods store. He sells
hunting and fishing supplies, tents, sleeping bags, pretty
much everything you might need for a trip to the
wilderness, including a selection of firearms. I don't know
the details, but apparently his firearm license strictly
limits him to traditional, ordinary rifles and shotguns for
hunting, and he's very careful with them.
Then, carelessness or that old devil, hurry, raised its
head. He was invited to buy a collection of firearms from
the estate of a collector. He placed a bid, wrote a check
for the entire collection, and moved the lot to his store.
Where disaster struck. In his rush or distraction he had
not noticed that the collection included a gun that the
Federal Government considers a "Class III." I don't know
exactly what that means, but my friend suddenly had an
illegal gun in his store, and it was a big deal.
He called the ATF, reported the problem, and within a hour
they sent an agent to collect the offending weapon and
begin an investigation. My friend called his lawyer,
worried all day, and finally learned that the ATF
acknowledged an honest mistake and would take no further
action.
Long story to make this point: My friend knows the law and
he is an honest person. He knows to how appraise a
collection and to be careful about what he buys. In this
case, he knows better than to buy a Class III firearm.
We've all done similar things. We know the importance of
reading a contract before we sign it. We know the
importance of written goals. We know how to provide
superior customer service, and we know how to save for
retirement. But that old devil, hurry, gets in the way.
We over-look the obvious. We allow self-discipline, even
common sense, to fall by the wayside. We get distracted, or
we're tired. Our actual behavior fails to live up to our
values, or our priorities.
And unfortunately, most of the time, we get away with it.
Tragically, we don't have to call the ATF, confess our
errors and correct them. Most of the time, we ignore the
gap between what we know and what we do, or at most we are
mildly annoyed with ourselves, promise we'll do better, and
promptly forget the lesson.
So here's your reminder: Do what you know!
You know the daily tasks that create success. You know your
values, your priorities and your ideals. Live by them!
Take a few moments to review your behavior over the past
few days. Ask where you've let yourself down, where you've
taken a short-cut or violated your principles. Acknowledge
the gap between your actions and your ideals.
Then, commit to making appropriate changes. Maybe you need
to get up earlier, read more, spend more time with your
spouse, take better care of your customers, or catch up on
your bookkeeping. Wherever you find a gap between what
you're doing and what you know, fix it!
One of the essential keys to a great life is being who you
truly are. That's called integrity and it requires that we
live with few or no gaps between what we know and what we
do.

DATA-MINING FOR FUN & PROFIT

I'm often called in to consult with business
leaders who are confused, even terrified by what they
perceive to be a difficult business situation. Maybe sales
are down even though they've added more sales people.
Perhaps production costs are up and profits are plummeting.
Sometimes key people are leaving, and they don't know why.
Granted, sometimes the answers are hard to find and we have
work to do, but often the answers are readily available.
Often the answers are sitting right on their desk in the
form of numbers they haven't bothered to analyze.
Every business has a small number of critical
"measurables." For a therapist, these include the number of
clients, the average length of treatment, and the number of
new referrals per month. With just those three numbers, you
can pretty accurately predict the future of any clinical
practice. Obviously, the cost of rent, staffing and many
other numbers are also helpful, but those three tell you
most of what you need to know.
In other businesses, the variables will be different, but
they ALL need to be studied.
I once worked with a large, regional landscaping company.
For them, the key variable was the ratio of total monthly
revenue divided by total payroll. That single number said
volumes about the over-all health of the company.
Whatever your key variables, study them! Too often managers
and CEO's get so caught up in planning for the future and
putting out daily "fires" that they forget to crunch the
numbers. I believe in numbers! Study them. You can learn a
lot from a few key numbers, and make adjustments
accordingly.

6 POWERFUL REASON TO REFUSE TO GIVE UP

When life pushes you over, it’s easy to give up and let the situation ruin your entire life. When you refuse to give up, though, you stay focused on your goals and are not afraid to tackle the hardest challenges. Strong willpower is a powerful tool that you need to overcome tough times. You can’t live a successful life with a weak willpower.

At some point or another, life can tear the strongest people apart, but they do anything possible to stand up and push back even harder. This is an effective approach that we tend to dismiss because of how difficult and impractical it is. Now it’s a high time to become stronger for whatever or no reason. Your strength can be immense, so don’t stop increasing it. Here’s why you should refuse to give up regardless of the situation you are in.

1. Show your strength

Be it emotional, physical or spiritual – you have worked hard and long for your strength. Showing your strength despite feeling lost or depressed is a trait of strong people. Strong people, just like we, have days of confusion and depression, but they don’t allow themselves to give up and accept the situation. They can spend the whole day thinking and overthinking and finally find the right solution, while weak people just spend days and months lying in bed, crying, drinking or watching TV.

2. Become better

It’s easier to wish other people changed and became better. Why not start with yourself? You have no power to improve others, but you can become the best version of yourself you can be. You can’t force anyone to like you, but you can fall in love with you and become your own best friend. You spend most of the time with yourself, which is why it’s highly important to never give up on yourself. Making the first change is hard. But with every little try, you will build a stronger willpower and become a bit better.

3. Show your bravery

No matter what fears you have inside, don’t allow them to prevent you from becoming the person you want to be. Dwelling on your fears will wear you out for good if you don’t stop it. There’s always someone who wants to cut you down and make you feel lost and miserable. Show your bravery instead of fear. Once they see how confident you are, they will start valuing you or at least stop bullying you. Plus, your confidence will help you get through the difficult times without damaging your inner world as well as your health.

4. Show your independence

When seeking approval from others, you destroy your independence and diminish the power of your own thoughts and opinions. Learn to take your own decisions, solve your own problems and better your life without anyone’s help. Of course, there’s nothing wrong in accepting someone’s help once in a while, but don’t make it a habit. Stop relying on your parents, friends, partners and coworkers. Show your independence and prove that you are able to tackle any difficult task on your own. Show them that you will never give up, even if you fail.

5. Become a role model

People adore and follow strong and successful personalities. By overcoming your fears and becoming stronger than ever, you can become a great role model for someone. You may not know about it, but is it important? The most important thing is to inspire others to move forward, reach their goals and enjoy their lives despite having tons of life problems.

6. You’re too busy to worry about failures

What is a failure? Nothing, except the opportunity to learn a new lesson. We need failures to become more experienced, wiser, stronger and, as strange as it may sound, happier. Dreading a failure is like dreading to go out of the house because of a car accident or anything that may happen to you. Keep trying, commit mistakes, learn from them and never give up. Winston Churchill said, “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.” So make sure you are always busy reaching your goals and making your dreams come true.

Bring more courage and confidence into your life. Life is unpredictable. Learn to stay strong and never give up even when it seems your life is totally falling apart. Believe in your strength and your faith will help you find inner peace and live in a complete harmony with yourself and others. Are you ready to boost your willpower?

ATTRACTING RICHES (AND MONEY)

Making money is an interesting hobby. There is lots of
money in the world and the world is awash with it. There is
more money floating around, changing hands and making
people wealthy than ever before. And yet, most of us work
very hard trying to find a way to attract more of it.
Here's a simple rule: Making money is hard; being of
service is easy.
And here's the brilliant corollary: If you can serve enough
people, they will give you money out of gratitude.
Too many business people go directly for the money and find
it awfully hard to get ahead. Money does not want to be
trapped or tricked or corralled. Money is a reward for the
service we provide to others and in some strange way, it
flows to those who serve.
Do you need a good business plan, good people and good
products? Of course! But the primary focus must be on
providing value and serving your customer. If you do that,
and do it with honesty, with style and enthusiasm, the
money will follow. It always has and always will.
We all prefer doing business with people we like and trust.
We prefer doing business with people who make things easy,
who serve us well, and who stand behind their product and
do it with an easy smile and lots of grace.
Only rarely is a deal based primarily on price. I routinely
drive past businesses (grocery stores, lawyers, repair
shops) who might offer a lower price in order to do
business where I have confidence in the value I'll receive.
I bet you're the same way and in business, you want to use
that to your advantage.
Find a way to provide extraordinary service and the money
will follow. That's been my experience and I trust it. I
think it'll work for you, too.

RECIPE FOR HEALTH, WEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Success is so much easier, and a whole lot more fun than
failure!
For some reason, this week I had a series of conversations
with unhappy folks. A few were phone calls from people
looking for "coaching," by which they meant, "Rescue me!"
One was a conversation with an acquaintance, another was
with a distant relative. In one way or another, each wanted
me to know how hard they tried and how unfair it was that
they were miserable.
While it may be hard-hearted, even callous, what I got from
listening to them is that when we ignore the "basic rules,"
life becomes really, really hard. But when we cooperate
with the "rules of the road," life is (generally speaking)
pretty logical, comparatively easy, and a whole lot more
fun.
Failure is hard, painful and often, lonely. In contrast,
success is fun, rewarding, fulfilling, and almost never
lonely. I'd rather be successful! The question is, "How can
we guarantee success?"
Obviously, there can be no actual guarantees in life. Bad
things happen to good people. But we can dramatically
impact our chances and put the odds in our favor. Here are
a few of the "basics" that come to mind.
1.  The Law of Cause and Effect. We live in a logical world
with predictable outcomes. Those who exercise will be
healthier than those who don't. Being kind, generous and
likeable usually works better than being mean, greedy or 
cranky. You have to "put in" before you can "take out."
These old cliche seem to be true over time and apply to
pretty much everyone.
2.  Planning beats Chaos. Goals and organization beat
random chance every time. Those with a vision and a plan
will be more productive than those who are reactive and
live by impulse or confusion. Almost no one consciously
chooses chaos, but lots of folks unintentionally choose it
when they complain that discipline, organization and focus
are "too boring" or lack spontaneity. Of course they do!
Long-lasting success rarely happens by accident.
3.  Discipline beats Drama. Some people crave drama,
anxiety and adrenaline much like drug addicts crave heroin.
But successful people tend to live very organized,
structured, predictable lives. They abhor chaos and are
rarely surprised. They get up and go to work. They pay
their bills, spend time with family and loved ones, get
enough sleep, and live within their means. Eventually, we
call them "over-night successes!" It works every time it's
tried.
4.  "You are the average of the five people you spend the
most time with," and I think that applies to those we
actually hang out with, and figuratively in terms of who we
admire, read about, and emulate. Most of us had mothers who
warned us to choose our friends carefully. It's true! Hang
out with the best and the brightest. Hang out with focused,
productive, successful people. Read biographies of great
people. It makes a difference.
5.  Choose your dreams carefully. Words influence us and
Socrates observed that, "We become what we think about all
day long." Our dreams and desires make a difference. When
we think about our problems, they get bigger and more
troubling. When we look for solutions, we tend to find
them. Emphasize "I can" rather than "I can't." Focus on "I
will" rather than, "I'll try." Imagine the future you
prefer more vividly than the one you fear. Over time, our
actions always reflect our dominate expectations, so expect
a positive, productive future.
You can undoubtedly think of other truisms about life. Eat
well, laugh often, and love much are a few that come
immediately to mind. The secrets to a great life are not
really secrets! They are always on display for the
discerning observer. Copy the best that is around you! Some
folks manage their time, money and energy unusually well.
Learn from them! Some folks solve problems; others complain
about them. Choose wisely!
Happiness, success and fulfillment are not all that
difficult, especially in our free and prosperous society.
Sure, having more money, more education or being "lucky"
helps, but no one has an excuse for a miserable life. Learn
from the best, copy things that work, and live well. You'll
be glad you did.

WHEN FORTUNES FIND YOU, WILL YOU BE READY?

There are many styles of Leadership, as any glance at a Google search will tell you. Try typing the term “Leadership Styles” into your browser and see what comes up. You’ll find close to a million results.

That means the experts have a lot to say about Leadership, as well they should. The topic is as ancient as tribal warfare, and requires as much cunning to effect as a slick Silicon Valley tycoon. Leadership is fundamental to us as individuals, as family members, as a society.

Yet no other topic is quite as individual as your own personal Leadership style. The way you comport yourself on a daily basis and the way you lead groups of people is a direct expression of who you are as a unique human being. The choices you make express your own brand of integrity, your values and goals, your opinions and beliefs.

Is your legacy coming across clearly? Do people understand what you’re about? And if so, is your message as captivating as it could be? Sharing your own unique vision – communicating it clearly and concisely – is one of the most important things you can do as a leader. Making sure your message is credible is also crucial for your effectiveness.

Whether your personal style of Leadership is laid back Laissez-Faire, or your regularly scheduled meetings take on a more Autocratic tone, there is one thing you can count on. Opportunity will find you. The real question is: when it comes, will you be ready?

The answer to this question can be debated in the context of whether or not the premise is actually true – whether Fortune really will find you, or if Fortune only favors a few. In my decade of service as a trainer in the Personal Development industry, my response is as simple as the words found inside a Chinese fortune cookie: “Fortune will find you. It is certain.”

They say that luck is merely the condition created when preparation meets opportunity. If you’re pursuing any goal with focused, consistent application, you will indeed meet your opportunity. So how can you be prepared when opportunity truly does come your way? The answer is more simple than you might think.

In my line of work, I’m privileged to know an assortment of society’s most thought-provoking leaders. They range from Olympic gold medalists to former Navy Seals, and from successful business owners to single moms who tell inspiring stories of their fresh start.

All of them are Leaders. But not all of them are successful in getting the rest of the world to view them as they’d like. Some of them have the light of brilliance shining inside them, but they have a tough time gaining the credibility they so richly deserve. What I see is that a simple choice to meet opportunity with preparation will bring them all the luck they need.

What I’ve discovered is that there are basically two types of professionals. There are those who are prepared for opportunity; and those who aren’t.

Are you ready?

3 Steps to Positioning Success as a Leader

Anyone can use a simple 3-step process to crystallize their unique perspective and position themselves as a leader in their field.

1. Define: Take some time to get clear about what it is you stand for. What expertise do you have in your field? If you had just one hour to share your most valuable information with someone starting out in your field today, what would you tell them? Get your thoughts together on this, and give yourself the gift of clarity in this area.

2. Execute: Write your thoughts in a well-organized, carefully crafted form. it can be anything from a a series of blog posts, to a longer form such as a white paper, or even a full-length book. Whatever form it takes, get your thoughts into a format that will give you both leverage and credibility.

3. Publicize: Once you’ve gotten your ideas into print form, get the word out. Tell the world just what you believe and how people can go deeper on your topic. Share links to your good works, and don’t be afraid to promote your ideas through multiple exposures.

It’s not that complicated to prepare for your big opportunity, but it does require some focused effort. It takes a willingness to invest the time to get clear on the things you stand for as a leader in your own particular field. Whatever you have to say, you can be sure that someone is waiting right now for your own brand of expertise.

 Why not get started today?