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June 15, 2007
I BELIEVE by Brian Tracy
I believe every person has within themselves inexhaustible reserves of potential they have never even come close to realizing.
I believe each person has far more intelligence than they have ever used.
I believe each person is more creative than he or she has ever imagined.
I believe the greatest achievements of your life lie ahead of you.
I believe the happiest moments of your life are yet to come.
I believe the greatest successes you will ever attain are still waiting for you on the road ahead.
And, I believe through learning and application of what you learn, you can solve any problem, overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal that you can set for yourself.
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine
June 14, 2007
FIVE STEPS TO EFFECTIVE FOLLOW-UP by Omar Periu
For years, the experts have been saying that effective follow-up can increase your sales ratios by as much as 30 percent or more. If this is true, why is it that less than 10 percent of the salespeople follow up? Well, we could blame it on their lack of time or desire, and for some that might be the casebut only for some. The simple fact is, most salespeople have never been taught how to effectively follow up. Theyve weighed the benefits and see no real reward to following up. So, would it be worth it to you if you could make one more sale a week? Would it be worth it to you if you could obtain one qualified referral a week? Would it be worth it if that statement was true and you really could increase your income by 30 percent?
If youre saying YES, YES, YES, then let me show you five easy steps to effective follow up. Theres no magical follow-up formula, but rather a commitment to proven systems that bring consistently positive results. Lets take a look at the five steps.
1. Ask investigative questions that give you a reason to follow up. Make a commitment to ask at least three questions that will let you know what will move your potential customer to make a decision.
2. Find something you have in common with the customer, making your follow-up contact memorable. It could be hobbies, likes, philosophies, principles, etc. Just something that will let them know you can relate to them on their level.
3. Make a friend of the customer; nobody minds being contacted by a friend. This doesnt mean you must invite them to your daughters wedding. It might be something as simple as smiling, enjoying their sense of humor, sharing a flaw or weakness, etc.
4. Speak to your customers dreams; send them pictures and information that help them to imagine themselves as more successful and happy people for using your product or service. Find out what your customers dream about then become a player in their dreams. For example, a customers dreams is to own a speedboat, send them a subscription to a speedboat trade magazine and a reminder of how your product or service could give them more time or money to be doing what they dream of.
5. Practice at least five different methods of follow-up. Call, write, fax, email or drop by. It can be that simple. Just make a commitment to follow up at least five times before you move on.
And finally, just to prove how beneficial effective follow up can be, start tracking the results of your follow up strategies and then simply continue to do what brings you the greatest success. Start today! Focus on the Five Steps to Effective Follow-up and find success.
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine
June 13, 2007
PROVERBS FOR ABUNDANT LIVING by Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, TOR
In life we are to encourage and build up each other;
not to discourage and tear down one another.
In life we are to add, not subtract;
to multiply, not divide.
In life we are to leave an enduring impression;
not a careless dent.
In life we are to smooth out the rough roads along the journey;
not create new potholes.
In life we are to sing a joyful song;
not just drone a groan.
In life we are to add our harmonious strains to life's symphony;
not strain the symphony with clatter and clang.
In life we are to soar on eagles' wings.
not to peck and cluck with our beaks in the dirt like chickens.
In life we are to radiate light into unseen places;
not permit unknown fears to dim our radiance.
In life we are to leap in faith;
not to limp with doubt.
In life we are to give freely of our time, our love, our resources;
not to cling on to them greedily.
In life we are to lift up others;
not push them down.
In life we are to open our hands to those in need;
not to clutch our hands in fists of distrust.
In life we are to lend a helping hand to make loads lighter;
not use heavy hands to hold others back.
In life we are to be messengers of peace, signs of joy;
not Chicken Little portents of gloom-n-doom.
In life we are to enjoy, to savor, to remember, to reflect;
not to overlook, to forget, to ignore, to reject.
In life we are to seek conscious awareness;
not doze in the doldrums of half-awake.
In life we are to dare mighty things;
not to fear things gravely.
In life we are to show up, stand up, step forward and speak up;
not to cringe in fear, choosing to sit down,
to step back, allowing the voices of silence to speak so loudly.
In life we are to exercise proper stewardship of earth's resources;
not pillage the heritage of future generations.
In life we are to move forward through forgiveness;
not grind to a halt mired in bitterness and resentment.
In life we are to be wacky, weird, and wonderful
in our own unique God-given way;
not to be staid-n-proper lemmings, stuck on life's treadmill.
In life we are to reach, to stretch, and to soar;
not to slink in fear, held back by mistrust and doubt.
In life we are to realize: "I am a remarkable Somebody!";
not listen to other's jabs: "You're a Nobody, an Everybody, an Anybody."
In life we are to comprehend, "I am worthwhile";
not tremble with feelings of worthlessness.
In life we are to create, to laugh, and to live life nobly;
not to despair, to moan, or to live life less.
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine
June 12, 2007
ACHIEVING SUCCESS BY EXPECTING SUCCESS by Zig Ziglar
When you plan and prepare carefully, you can legitimately expect to have success in your efforts. When you recognize and develop the winning qualities that you were born with, the winner you were born to be emerges. When you plan and prepare to make a sale, for example, you can legitimately expect to make a sale. Although not all your expectations are going to come to pass, you give yourself an infinitely better chance of succeeding by taking the proper steps. Regardless of your goal--losing weight, making more sales, furthering your education, earning a promotion, saving money for a new home or an exotic vacation--you can expect to achieve your goal if you plan and prepare for it.
Also understand that the path from where you are to where you want to be is not always smooth and straight. The reason for the twists and bumps is simple, and it has nothing to do with you. It has more to do with the fact that not everyone is as interested in your success as you are. Some people may accidentally hinder your efforts; others who are in competition with you and have little or no integrity may try to sabotage your efforts.
Keep in mind, though, that when you hit those roadblocks your character, commitment, and attitude are the determining factors in your success. . . Carefully review your plan of action, seek wise counsel, and be particularly careful to feed your mind good information. An optimistic, positive mind is far more likely to come up with creative solutions than a mind that dwells on setbacks and difficulties.
Bottom line: expect success and you can achieve it!
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine
June 11, 2007
THE MAJOR KEY TO YOUR BETTER FUTURE IS YOU by Jim Rohn
Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth. Its really the open door to it all. In fact Id like to have you memorize a most important phrase. Here it is, The major key to your better future is YOU.
Let me repeat that. The major key to your better future is YOU. Put that someplace you can see it everyday, in the bathroom, in the kitchen, at the office, anywhere where you can see it everyday. The major key to your better future is YOU. Try to remember that every day you live and think about it. The major key is YOU.
Now, there are many things that will help your better future. If you belong to a strong, dynamic and progressive company, that would help. If the company has good products, good services that you are proud of, that would certainly help. If there were good sales aids, that would help, good training would certainly help. If there is strong leadership that will certainly help. All of these things will help, and of course, if it doesnt storm, that will help. If your car doesnt break down, that will help. If the kids dont get sick, that will help. If the neighbors stay half way civil, that will help. If your relatives dont bug you, that will help. If it isnt too cold, if it isnt too hot, all those things will help your better future. And if prices dont go much higher and if taxes dont get much heavier, that will help. And if the economy stays stable, those things will all help. We could go on and on with the list; but remember this, the list of things that Ive just covered and many more - all put together - play a minor role in your better future.
The major key to your better future is you. Lock your mind onto that. This is a super important point to remember. The major key is you. Mr. Shoaff always answered when asked, How do you develop an above average income? by saying Simple, become an above average person. Work on you. Mr. Shoaff would say, Develop an above average handshake. He would say, A lot of people want to be successful, and they dont even work on their handshake. As easy as that would be to start, they let it slide. They dont understand. Mr. Shoaff would say, Develop an above average smile. Develop an above average excitement. Develop an above average dedication. Develop an above average interest in other people. He would say, To have more, become more. Remember; work harder on yourself than you do on your job. For a long time in my life, I didnt have this figured out.
Strangely enough, with two different people in the same company one may earn an extra $100 a month, and the other may earn a $1,000. What could possibly be the difference? If the products were the same, if the training was the same, if they both had the same literature, the same tools. If they both had the same teacher, the same compensation plan, if they both attended the same meetings, why would one person earn the $100 per month and the other person earn the $1000? Remember here is the difference...the difference is personal, inside, not outside, inside.
You see the real difference is inside you. In fact, the difference IS you. Someone once said, The magic is not in the products. The magic is not in the literature. The magic is not in the film. There isnt a magic meeting, but the magic that makes things better is inside you, and personal growth makes this magic work for you.
The magic is in believing. The magic is in daring. The magic is in trying. The real magic is in persevering. The magic is in accepting. Its in working. The magic is in thinking. There is magic in a handshake. There is magic in a smile. There is magic in excitement and determination. There is real magic in compassion and caring and sharing. There is unusual magic in strong feeling and you see, all that comes from inside, not outside. So, the difference is inside you. The real difference is you. You are the major key to your better future.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine
June 10, 2007
Put Some Z.I.P. Into Your Relationships By Chris Widener
Relationships are really what make the world go 'round, aren't they? I mean, good, positive, healthy and meaningful relationships provide us with the richest experiences we have here on this old earth of ours. Your loving spouse who shares everything with you; that best friend who connects with you like few others do; the people at work who appreciate you and help you to become the best that you can be; This is what brings joy to life!
But... relationships can also be the bane of our existence! What really brings more pain in this life than a broken relationship, especially when it isn't just broken but downright ugly!
So, it behooves us to do all that we can to keep our relationships zipping right along, doesn't it? If we put our very best into our relationships we can almost guarantee getting the very best out of our relationships!
Through the years I have spent hundreds of hours working with people in their relationships: Marriages, friendships, working relationships and social relationships. Through it all I have seen some wonderful things and some terrible things. It truly is the good, the bad and the ugly!
But I have been able to find three core elements of successful relationships. These are things that, when done over time, begin to create for you the kinds of relationships that you truly desire. They are the kinds of relationships you have always dreamed of.
The key to remembering these three items is the acronym Z.I.P. Z.I.P. stands for three things you can do - and begin to do immediately - to improve any and all of your relationships. They are:
Put some ZEST into your relationships.
Cultivate more INTIMACY in your relationships.
Develop a PURPOSE in your relationships.
Let's take a closer look at each of these three:
Put some ZEST into your relationships.
By Zest, I primarily mean fun. Relationships were meant to be fun! We wouldn't have been made with the capacity to have fun if relationships weren't supposed to have a little zest in them!
Think about it: Don't you usually start out most healthy relationships with a lot of fun times. Whether it is going out to dinner or a ballgame, or spending time playing a game or even just a lively talk, you usually have fun as a major part of the relationship. Fun is some of the glue that bonds the relationship.
But as life goes on, specifically in a marriage, but in all relationships really, the fun starts to go by the wayside. More and more it is about getting the job done, whatever the job may be.
To restore the relationship, to put a little zip into it, we need to reintroduce the idea of "zest."
What about you? Have you lost the zest? What can you do to get it back? Think of a specific relationship you have: What were the fun things you did at the beginning of the relationship that acted as the glue that bonded you together? Now, commit to doing those again and see if your relationship doesn't begin to soar again! If you can, develop new fun things to do together so you can both start an adventure of fun together!
Cultivate more INTIMACY in your relationships.
First a couple of clarifications: One, I don't just mean intimacy in the currently common understanding, that is, sexual intimacy. I mean for all intents and purposes, taking your relationship to a deeper level. Second, I don't mean that you have to start doing group hugs with your workmates or having revelation sessions where the tissue flows freely.
What I do mean is that every relationship that is mutually satisfying has a level of depth to it that provides meaning. This is really what the search is for in our relationships: meaning.
Remember when you first started your relationship, whether with your spouse or friend. All of that time was spent opening up, telling who you are, where you were from, what your likes and dislikes are. There was a deep sense of satisfaction with the relationship - that is why it continued. You liked who they were and you enjoyed being known by them.
But then something happens. We get to a certain level and the pursuit of depth ends. We stop sharing feeling, likes, and dislikes. We stop sharing joys and dreams and fears. Instead, we settle into routine. The daily grind takes over and we stop knowing one another and we simply exist together. Now don't get me wrong, every time you get together doesn't have to be deep. Remember, I am the one who advocates in the previous paragraphs just having plain old fun sometimes. But there is a need for regular times of intimate connection where we go deeper with others.
This is particularly hard for many of the male species like myself but it is not only possible but healthy and needed! If we want to have the kinds of relationship we were made to have, we have to open ourselves up to having others know us and for us to know others.
True meaningful relationships come when we are loved and accepted for whom we are at our core, not simply for acting the right way in our relationships so as to keep the other person in it.
Think about the relationships you would like to see improvement in. Take some time in the coming weeks and months to spend time just talking and getting to a deeper level in your relationship. Specifically, let the other person deeper into your world. You can't force the other person to be more intimate and you certainly can't say, "Let's get together and have an intimate conversation," because that would be too contrived. But you can make a decision for yourself that you will let others into your world. Perhaps this will be the catalyst for them doing the same.
You can guard yourself from intimacy but then you won't go much deeper and you will feel a longing in your heart for more, or you can begin the deepening process and see your relationships change for the better.
Develop a PURPOSE in your relationships.
The most meaningful relationships we have are those that are held together by a common purpose and vision for what the relationship can accomplish, not only for those involved but also for a greater good.
Let's face it, when people have a common purpose they feel like they are part of a team and they feel bound together in that relationship. Even when people may be disappointed in the people they are in relationship with, if they have a purpose, such as raising the children, they are much more likely to stick it out. Purpose creates bonds.
So what happens if we are proactively involved in seeking out a common purpose with those who we want to have a relationship with or those who we already have a relationship with but we would like to see it go deeper with? Well, it gets better and stronger.
Think about your strongest relationships. Aren't they centered around at least one area of purpose or a common goal?
What about a relationship that has cooled? Think back and see if perhaps you used to have a common purpose but it has gone by the wayside.
And what of your desire to see a relationship grow? Take some time to begin to cultivate a common purpose. Sit down with that person and tell them that you would like to have some common goals, some purposes that you pursue together. As you develop these, you will see your relationship strengthen in ways you never imagined!
Let's recap: You want your relationships to show a little "zip?" Then put a little Z.I.P. in them:
Put some ZEST into your relationships.
Cultivate more INTIMACY in your relationships.
Develop a PURPOSE in your relationships.
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn Ezine
June 9, 2007
Problem Solving by Zig Ziglar
Fortunately, problems are an everyday part of our life. Consider this: If there were no problems, most of us would be unemployed. Realistically, the more problems we have and the larger they are, the greater our value to our employer.
Of course, some problems are small, like opening a ketchup bottle. Others are monumental like a seriously ill or injured child or mate, which present ongoing, daily complications. Successful living comes when we learn to handle those business and personal problems with as little fanfare as possible.
The successful business executive can handle challenges and solve problems at a remarkable clip. He/she makes quick and final decisions as a result of years of experience. The homemaker with small children at home handles many "catastrophes" each hour with the same dispatch.
Many people use counter-productive methods to deal with problems: They refuse to recognize them, deny responsibility for them, pretend they will go away if they ignore them, or are just flat insensitive to them.
The first step in solving a problem is to recognize that it does exist. Next, we determine whether the problem is our responsibility. If the answer is yes, we must determine how serious and/or urgent it is. When that last determination is made, we either take immediate action if the problem is simple and quickly solvable or develop a plan of action and prioritize it if the solution is more difficult and time-consuming.
Problem solving becomes a very important part of our makeup as we grow into maturity or move up the corporate ladder. I encourage you to take the time to define the problem correctly, learn the skill of quick analysis and remember, if it weren't for problems in your life, your position might not be necessary in the first place. Ironing out the wrinkles and solving the problems is what most jobs are about. Think about it, and I'll See You At The Top!
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn E-zine
June 8, 2007
Formula for Success by Vic Johnson
"He conceives of, mentally builds up, an ideal condition of life; the vision of a wider liberty and a larger scope take possession of him; unrest urges him to action, and he utilizes all his spare time and means, small though they are, to the development of his latent powers and resources." - As A Man Thinketh
Read carefully these 52 words and you will find the keys to success in any endeavor.
Allen is describing a young person who is unschooled, mired in poverty and working in unhealthy conditions. He goes on to write that the young person follows the formula above and becomes a person of "world-wide influence and almost unequaled power." He finishes the story noting that, "He has realized the Vision of his youth. He has become one with his Ideal."
It's a formula for success that's so simple that most people might overlook or discount its effectiveness. And it's built around one guiding principle - what Napoleon Hill called, "a definiteness of purpose." That's what creates the unrest that moves us to action. That's what gives us the energy and drive to spend our spare time and means in developing ourselves to achieve at levels we've never reached before.
One prominent study found that 94% of the 3,000 people interviewed had no definite purpose for their lives. Is it any wonder then that so many people reach their twilight years feeling like life has passed them by?
We have the choice to live our live on purpose or without a purpose. Life doesn't make the distinction, it simply rewards our choice. And the rewards may not always be what we had hoped, as this old poem from, "Think and Grow Rich" illustrates:
"I bargained with Life for a penny
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store.
For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial's hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid."
And that's worth thinking about.
Vic Johnson
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn E-zine
June 6, 2007
Multiple Skills for the 21st Century by Jim Rohn
I believe that in the 21st Century it is so important to have multiple skills. But what I also find is that if you are already in sales, network marketing or have an entrepreneurial business (or plan to in the future); you can gain the needed skills for the future while you create your income now.
Here's my short list for on the job training, so that you can learn while you earn.
1) Sales
I began my journey with sales, which of course dynamically changed my life back at age 25. The first year I multiplied my income by five. I was raised in farm country. I knew how to milk cows, but it didn't pay well. But sales altered the course of my life, learning to present a valid product in the marketplace, talk about its virtues and get somebody to say "yes." And then give them good service.
2) Recruiting
Then came recruiting, how to expand my business, build an organization. We have all heard the question, is it better to have one person selling a $1000 or have 100 people selling $10? If you ask me, I'll take the 100 at $10. Recruiting, the ability to multiply your efforts, once mastered, is one of life and leadership's greatest time management resources.
3) Organizing
Then I learned organizing. Keeping your own schedule can be difficult at times, but now you are having to balance multiple tasks and people to get maximum results. But you will find that the payoff is massive once you have tapped into the synergy and momentum of group dynamics and teamwork.
4) Promotion
Next is promotion. First it's the spring campaign and then the fall campaign, and then it's this month's objective's campaign. You never know when it's going to click for someone to want or need to buy from you or be a part of what you are doing, so having the offer or the special or the contest going when they're ready can make all the difference.
5) Recognition
Then it's the recognition. Some people work harder for recognition than they do for money. It's the chance to belong. Getting people to do something that ordinarily on their own, they wouldn't think of doing. They could, but they don't think of it. You come along with a little promotion for this month or this quarter and everything changes for them, and I found that paid big money.
6) Communication
Then I learned communication. How to do the training, how to do the teaching, and probably the greatest gift of all is learning how to inspire with words. Inspire people to see themselves better than they are; all of those gifts, all of those skills. Being the voice that tells them they have made a wise decision and here's why.
Now, I believe with just this little short list I've given you, you'll be equipped. We've all watched what has happened the last 15 years. The guy had one skill - the company downsizes. His division is eliminated and since he only had one skill, now he is vulnerable. He's wandering around saying, "Oh my, the last few years I should have taken some classes that would have taught me a couple of more things and I wouldn't be here in this vulnerable position."
So my admonition -- learn some multiple skills, or should we say, back-up skills for the 21st Century and no better place to learn them than in what your already doing now.
To Your Success,
Jim Rohn
Reprinted with permission from the Jim Rohn E-zine
June 5, 2007
The "Ben Franklin Method" For Winning People Over by Bob Burg
So often in using Winning Without Intimidation we talk about giving before getting, and that is certainly a very important aspect of helping a person to feel comfortable with you, and want to do for you. Whether in social relationships or sales, being the first to reach out is an extremely effective human relations strategy, as well as just a generally nice way to be. But we learn from one of America's more well-known founders, Benjamin Franklin, how taking the opposite approach can have excellent results as well.
In his book, "Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin and Other Writings" the inventor, statesman, and diplomat tells of an incident with a man who opposed his being re-chosen as Clerk of the General Assembly of the Pennsylvania House. Although he did manage to keep the office, Ben knew that this person, whom he described as "a gentleman of fortune and education with talents that were likely to give him, in time, great influence in the House," could be trouble later on. He aimed to insure that didn't happen by making, of an enemy, a friend.
Let's let Ben tell us how he did it:
"I did not, however, aim at gaining his favour by paying any servile respect to him, but after some time took this other method. Having heard that he had in his library a certain very scarce and curious book, I wrote a note to him expressing my desire of perusing that book and requesting he would do me the favour of lending it to me for a few days. He sent it immediately - and I returned it in about a week with another note expressing strongly my sense of the favour. When we next met in the House, he spoke to me (which he had never done before), and with great civility. And he ever afterwards manifested a readiness to serve me on all occasions, so that we became great friends, and our friendship continued to his death.
"This is another instance of the truth of an old maxim I had learned, which says, 'He that has once done you a kindness will be more ready to do you another than he whom you yourself have obliged.' And it shows how much more profitable it is prudently to remove, than to resent, return, and continue inimical proceedings."
Understand that both ways work (giving first, and getting first); it's just a matter of judging the method that will work best depending upon both the situation and the other person involved. Either way, what Ben said in his final sentence makes a whole lot of sense. To paraphrase: We're better off making a friend than keeping an enemy.
Bob Burg
Reprinted from permission of the Jim Rohn Ezine
June 4, 2007
Memorable Customer Service...Where's the Washcloth? by Jeffrey Gitomer
Two true stories from the travels of a weary sales trainer.
I flew to Hawaii some time ago. First time. Seven hours in the plane makes a person a weary traveler. I was met at the airport by my host, and given the traditional lea (necklace of flowers). Fantasy fulfilled.
Gritty from the plane ride, I enter the lobby of the Hawaii Prince Hotel -- walk over to the desk -- someone smiles at me -- says "aloha!", and gives me a hot steamed, moist washcloth -- ah! Just the refreshment and revitalization I needed. WOW, what a great way to greet a customer, what a welcome!
How do you greet your customer?
Other than the price of the room, the lobby, and a few nick-nacks in the room -- very little separates hotel rooms. A hot washcloth stopped me in my tracks. It was a surprise -- an unexpected moment of pleasure -- something small that separated the Hawaii Prince from all other (hundreds of) hotels I stayed in.
What separates you from your competition?
What made it memorable? It was such a small thing. But every time I check into a hotel I'm looking for the washcloth -- and disappointed when it doesn't show up.
Where's the washcloth in your business?
What standards are you setting? what makes people talk about you?
What makes people look forward to doing business with you?
What makes people tell others about your business? -- like I'm telling you about the Hawaii Prince Hotel.
The British Air flight from Budapest was delayed two hours -- fog in London. We're already locked on the plane on the runway. Trapped like rats. Usually I'm so mad I can't see straight. But today was different. The crew was not American -- It was British.
The cabin crew supervisor (in Britain the title is "Cabin Service Director") Tony Adams grabbed the microphone and says -- there's nothing we can do about the fog -- but we can eat!
The crew was delightful. Serving everyone real food with fresh brewed coffee and tea. Everyone is full and we finally take off. About an hour into the flight, Tony Adams, announces "A bit more bad news, I'm afraid -- It seems the fog has lifted, but the air traffic has backed things up another hour. For those of you making transfers -- don't worry too much -- this plane was supposed to take off for Sweden two minutes ago. The entire cabin laughed.
Five minutes later, Adams is on the loud speaker again. "To pass the time, we're going to have a contest. Guess the collective age of the cabin crew -- and win a prize. And there's an additional prize if you guess my age exactly" I was shocked and amused -- so were the rest of the 150+ passengers. Fun on the airlines -- imagine that. Everyone was talking -- having a good time. The crew came through the cabin collecting scraps of paper from the passengers with their calculated guesses. The winner was announced over the loud speaker. WOW -- I was one of three winners who guessed his age "spot on" -- 46. Cool. My prize was nice, but not as nice as the feeling.
"Are we strapped in and ready for landing, Sir?" The delightful flight attendant said in a jovial voice with her classic British accent. "It's about that time." She said happily. For the first time in 500 flights I couldn't wait to get my belt on.
Tony comes on the microphone as we fly over London and says. "Below us is the House of Parliament where John Major is temporarily in power." The entire plane roared.
They took a negative (obstacle) 3-hour delay, and turned it into a positive (opportunity) by making everyone extra happy.
The good part when you do something out of the ordinary -- is that it not only creates a memory, it sets a standard. How do you follow it?
The better part when you do something out of the ordinary -- is that it keeps you challenged to improve it each day.
The best part when you do something out of the ordinary -- is that your competition is woefully lacking by comparison.
On another British Air Flight, I'm getting ready to get off the plane -- waiting for the typical insincere, robotic message -- "have a nice day and thanks for flying ________ (plug in the airline's name)." Instead -- the lively first officer grabs the mike and says -- "Welcome to Paris -- If you're here for a business meeting -- I hope it's a successful one. If your here on holiday -- I hope it's a happy one. If you're making a transfer -- I hope its a smooth one. And when you're flying again -- I hope it's a British Air one." The people on the plane started to applaud. An unbelievable moment in customer service -- the customer clapping for the vendor. When's the last time your customer's applauded you?
Reprinted with permission from the Ron Whit E-Zine
June 3, 2007
Become A Student of Change by Dr. Denis Waitley
As the world becomes more interconnected, events outside your industry and career have an impact on your business, your family and your pocketbook. Whatever your daily routine, it takes place in a larger context of social, technological, political, economic and cultural change. To be successful today, you must understand that world. Without that you won't be prepared to innovate; you'll only be able to react and to avoid.
Many people will tell you it doesn't matter how well-informed you are. "You can't do anything about it anyway," goes the refrain, "so why bother to find out about things?" Here's a newspaper editorial that sums up this attitude:
"The world is too big for us. Too much going on, too much crime, violence and change. Try as you will, you get behind in the race. It's an incessant strain to keep pace and still you lose ground. Science empties its discoveries on you so fast that you stagger beneath them in hopeless bewilderment. Everything in business and life is high pressure. Human nature can't endure much more!"
This newspaper editorial reads as if it were written last week. But it actually appeared more than 168 years ago on June 16, 1833 in The Atlantic Journal back in the "good old days!"
How can you avoid becoming a casualty of the "bad new days?" Take the offensive. Instead of "stewing," start "doing." Pay attention to the early warning signs of change. Look for changes in your industry, your family life and your region. You cannot innovate if your understanding of change is misinformed, incomplete or outdated.
Success in the new era is heavily dependent upon innovation, creativity and solving problems for which there are no precedents. While new technology is often the driver of economic and social change, the real opportunities are created by individuals who apply technology in new ways. Fred Smith, operating outside of the airline industry, created Federal Express because he saw the trend of speed in delivery of goods and services.
Your success depends on how well you think. You are not paid to collect, sort, store or retrieve information, although you do these things every day. You are paid to interpret that information and create and implement new ideas. Ask yourself:
What can I offer that "they" aren't offering? Where's the niche that hasn't been developed? How can I add value to the service or products I promote?
Where is the market inefficiency? What would make this process more convenient? How can I do this less expensively?
What would people pay for that isn't available now? Which consumer groups and Internet communities are the most likely prospects who want what I provide? What trends will change my and their assumptions about the quality of life?
Breakthrough ideas often occur when you are calmly searching for opportunities. They rarely occur when you are anxious and frustrated. Close your eyes and dream!
-- Denis Waitley
Reprinted with permission from Denis Waitley Ezine
June 2, 2007
Keys to Finding Your Genius by Jim Rohn
This month we focus on the learning that comes through the power of the mind. Take care to feed and stimulate your brain, and you will expand your mind. But first, what do we mean by "learning?"
Here are how some dictionaries define it:
--the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skill
--knowledge or skill gained through schooling or study
--behavioral modification especially through experience or conditioning
--to gain knowledge, comprehension, or mastery through experience or study
Keep this in mind as we go through the month. Learning is gaining knowledge through various means. So what are some of the practical ways we can learn and increase our knowledge base?
Change Your Beliefs.
It is up to you to do the work of changing your beliefs. And when you do you will be opening up new worlds - literally! This month Chris is going to talk about winning the thought battle, which will help you keep negative beliefs out and positive beliefs and thoughts in. Feed your mind with information that will change your belief. By taking part in this One-Year Plan, you are doing just that. But also ask yourself if you are doing that with belief. The truth is that you have an amazing mind with a capacity for learning that is beyond your comprehension. You must believe this. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind!
Get the Right Knowledge.
Words--if they are not true--are meaningless. I hear children say, "I read it in a book." But is it true? Just because someone says it or writes it, doesn't mean it is true. As learners, we want to get the right knowledge, not just information or opinions. It is our job to seek out information and knowledge and then test it and run it through our minds to see if it is true, and if it can be rightfully applied to our lives in order to make them better and help us succeed. We need to weigh and measure what we learn in order to gain the right knowledge. And when we do, we will be unlocking the potential of our mind!
Become Passionate about Learning.
This will take some work, but the only way to do it is to begin learning about things that have an immediate impact in your life. When you learn about a new financial concept that helps you earn money or get out of debt, that will get you fired up. When you learn about a way to communicate that helps you sell more product, that will energize you. When you learn about how to interact with your family in a healthy way and your relationships get better, that will inspire you! Become passionate about learning. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind!
Discipline Yourself Through the Hard Work of Study.
Learning will take work. Until someone comes up with modules that can plug into your mind and give you instant access to knowledge, you are on your own, and that takes work. The process of learning is a long one. Yes, we can speed it up, but it is still a process of reading, listening, reviewing, repetition, applying the knowledge, experiencing the outcomes, readjusting, etc. Simply put, that takes time. Slowly but surely, when you discipline yourself, you gain knowledge and learn. And when you do, you will be unlocking the potential of your mind!
Learning is possible, no matter what your age. You are never too young or too old. Your mind was created to learn and has a huge capacity to do so. This week, make a commitment to unlock the potential of your mind!
Until next week, let's do something remarkable!,
Jim Rohn
Reprinted with permission from Jim Rohns Ezine
June 1, 2007
The All Joe Team by Ron White
The "All Joe Team", that is the team I want to be on. Forget the rest if I make this team, my heart is happy. The "All Joe Team" was created by Larry Weisman a sports writer for USA Today. It is named in honor of Joe Phillips, a defensive tackle for 14 years for the San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings before his retirement in 1999. When Larry explained the "All Joe Team" he wrote:
"They asked Phillips to tie up blockers and let the linebackers flow to the ball, which he did. That's classic grunt work at one of football's truly thankless positions, where the results don't show up in individual statistics. Phillips didn't make a lot of tackles, and he didn't have to. He fought off double-team blocks, refused to be moved from the hole and made the guys around him better, inspiring the creation of the All-Joe team.
The NFL's stars wouldn't succeed without the All-Joes around them. They'd never make the Pro Bowl absent the guys who willingly attack the game's grittier tasks. Hence the All-Joe motto: If you work hard, good things will happen. To someone else."
The football players on the "All Joe Team" won't make it to the pro-bowl in Honolulu but without their plays the players in Honolulu wouldn't be there. When Emmit Smith won his rushing title he bought his entire offensive line Rolex watches. He knew that without them he wouldn't be basking in the glory of end zone celebrations. It was an All Joe Team that made the holes for his runs.
In business, do you shoot for the All Joe Team or the All Star Team? I am not going to suggest to you that it is wrong to be dancing in the end zone and getting the glory. I will never imply that it is wrong to be on the All Star Team. But, in life and in business it seems that most shoot for the glory and the credit and only a few strive to do the work. I recently was the guest speaker for a group professional speakers. The reason that they asked me to speak is that I speak more than the average professional speaker. This group has thousands of members who sit around and hope someone will book them to speak.
When they asked me how to fill up their calendar with speeches and I told them to pick up the phone and make phone calls, it was comparable to me telling them to walk across shattered glass. Not one got excited and said, "Yes! I am going to do that. I think I am going to work!" Instead, they said, "You don't understand how good a speaker I am. You don't understand how good a writer I am. Will you book me?" Not only did I not book meetings for them. I lost respect for them. I want to be friends with the All Joes.
With that said, if you work hard day after day and strive to become an All Joe I assure you that you will eventually become an All Star. Then, after your hard work and dedication the spot light will feel so incredibly sweet. At that time, enjoy the spot light but never forget it was the All Joe attitude and that got you there. If for some reason, you never make the All Star Team you can rest in your knowledge that you were on All Joe Team and that is an honorable place.
The life of Albert Einstein is one that would have fit perfectly in the All Joe Team. He never wanted the spotlight. When offered the Presidency of Israel, he turned it down! Why? He was an All Joe. He wanted to make a difference in the field of science and did not need the spotlight to satisfy his ego.
Make the effort to become an All Joe work hard and understand that this means others will get the spotlight because you will be one less person competing for it. But, don't be surprised if one day your work is noticed and you are asked to join the All Star Team. If so, I look forward to cheering for you as you strut in your end zone dance in the midst of the well deserved spotlight.
-- Ron White
Reprinted with permission from Ron Whites Ezine
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