 |
|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|
|
October 31, 2008 I'll never forget an important time management lesson I learned in a seminar many years ago . . . especially how the instructor illustrated the point. "Okay, time for a quiz," he said, as he pulled out a one-gallon wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on the desk in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, "Is the jar full?" Everyone in the seminar said, "Yes." Then he said, "Really?" He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar. This caused pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Then he asked the group again, "Is the jar full?" By this time the class was onto him. "Probably not," we answered. "Good!" he replied as he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once more he asked the question, "Is this jar full?" "No!" the class shouted. Once again he said, "Good!" Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. Then he looked up at the class and asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you really try hard, you can always fit some things into it." "No," the instructor replied. "The point is if you don't put the big rocks in first, you'll never get them in at all." So, today, tonight, or in the morning when you are reflecting on this story, ask yourself: What are the 'big rocks' in my life or business? Then, be sure to put those in your jar first. And by the way, you get the same size jar as everyone else. No exceptions. What changes from person to person is the size of each rock. I've got a couple boulders in my jar: family first, always. Things like friends, my company, my speaking/writing "hobby," maintaining my network, my volunteer commitments, my health, and my religion all take up a lot of space. The gravel is all the stuff that takes up more than a few minutes but doesn't necessarily happen every day, like a committee assignment, a vacation, learning new software... you get the idea. And now, the sand. You can decide whether to be that 98-pound weakling who gets sand kicked at him, or the creator of a spectacular sand castle. The sand is the yes/no stuff that absolutely has to fit around everything else after it's in the jar. A little piece of sand in your eye is a big pain, and those are the ones that get the no-thank-you right off the bat. A little sand on an icy street is one of life's little pleasures when you live in snow country as I do. You choose the sand. It's your jar. In other words, it's your time. Change the rocks, gravel and sand into hours, minutes and seconds. Then decide what your priorities are and how much time you'll spend on them. If you don't, someone else will decide for you and you'll end up with a jar full of heavy, jagged, nasty shards that nobody could touch without getting stabbed by another rock. Do you really want to spend your time working on other people's priorities? As Benjamin Franklin said, "If we take care of the minutes, the years will take care of themselves." Good time management is taking care of the things that matter most to us first and keeping that jar of rocks in sight all the time. My friend Lou Holtz has a great formula: W.I.N. -- What's Important Now? Use some of your precious time to figure out what's important in your life and you will win. -- Harvey Mackay Reproduced with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine October 30, 2008 Let me pass on to you these four simple steps to success: Number one is good ideas. Be a collector of good ideas. My mentor taught me to keep a journal when I was twenty five years old. I've been doing it now all these years. They will be passed on to my children and my grandchildren. If you hear a good health idea, capture it, write it down. Don't trust your memory. Then on a cold wintry evening, go back through your journal, the ideas that changed your life, the ideas that saved your marriage, the ideas that bailed you out of bankruptcy, the ideas that helped you become successful, the ideas that made you millions. What a good review. Going back over the collection of ideas that you gathered over the years. So be a collector of good ideas for your business, for your relationships, for your future. The next step to success is to have good plans. A good plan for the day, a good plan for the future, a good health plan, a good plan for your marriage. Building anything is like building a house, you need to have a plan. Now here is a good time management question: When should you start the day? Answer: As soon as you have it finished. It is like building a house, building a life. What if you just started laying bricks and somebody asks, "What are you building?" And you say, "I have no idea." See they would come and take you away to a safe place. So, don't start the house until you finish it. Now, is it possible to finish the house before you start it? Yes, but it would be foolish to start before you had it finished. Not a bad time management idea. Don't start the day until it is pretty well finished -- at least the outline of the day. Leave some room to improvise. Leave some room for extra strategies, but finish it before you start it. And here is the next piece that is a little more challenging: Do not start the week until you have it finished. Lay it out, structure it, then put it to work. Then the next one is a little tougher yet; do not start the month until you have it finished. And finally the big one, don't start the year until it is finished on paper. It's not a bad idea, toward the end of the year, to sit down with your family for the family structure plans, sit down in your business for the business plans, sit down with your financial advisor for your investments and map out the year... properties to buy, properties to sell, places to go with your family, lay out the year. I finally learned to do that. It was also helpful for my family to show them where they appeared on my calendar. You know I used to have my business things on there and I used to have my lectures and my seminars all laid out on my calendar, and guess what the children said, "Where are we on the game plan, please show us our names on the game plan." So you need to do it for your children, for your spouse, for your friends. Now, here is the third step to success, and it can be really challenging. Learning to handle the passing of time. It takes time to build a career, it takes time to make changes, so give your project time, give your people time. If you're working with people, give them time to learn, grow, change, develop, produce. And here is the big one, give yourself time. It takes time to master something new. It takes time to make altered changes and refinement in philosophy as well as activity. Give yourself time to learn, time to get it, time to start some momentum, time to finally achieve. It is easy to be impatient with yourself. I remember when I first tried to learn to tie my shoes. The shoe strings, it seemed like it would take me forever. Finally I got it and it didn't take forever, but it seemed like for a while I'd never learn, I'd get it backwards; the bow goes up and down instead of across. How do I straighten that out? Finally I got it, it just took time. Mama taught me a little bit about playing the piano. "Here is the left hand scale", she'd say. I got that, it was easy. Then she said, "Here is the right hand scale." I got that, that was easy. Now she said, "We are going to play both hands at the same time." I said, "Well, how can you do that?" Now one at a time was easy... but at the same time? Looking at this hand and looking at that hand, finally I got it. Finally I got where I could play the scales with both hands. Then I remember the day she said, "Now we are going to read the music and play with both hands." I thought, "You can't do all that." But you know, sure enough I'm looking at the music, looking at each hand, a little confused at first, but finally I mastered it. It took a little time to read the music and play with both hands. Then I remember the day she said, "Now we are going to watch the audience, read the music and play with both hands. I thought, "Now that is going too far!" How could you possibly do that? But see adding them one at a time and giving myself time to master one before we went to the next one; sure enough I got to where I could watch the audience, read the music and play with both hands. So the lesson here is: Give yourself time, you can become a better pro, you can better master the art of parenting, you can better master the art of managing time, conserving resources, working together as a partner. Give yourself time. And here's the last one; learning to solve problems. Business problems, family problems, financial problems, emotional problems, etc. -- challenges for us all. Here's the best way to treat a problem: As an opportunity to grow. Change if you have to, modify if you must, discard an old philosophy that wasn't working well for a new one. The best phrase my mentor ever gave me was when he said, "Mr. Rohn if you will change, everything will change for you." Wow, I took that to heart, and sure enough the more I changed the more everything changed for me. So learn to master good ideas, have good plans, handle the passing of time and solve problems, and you will be on your way to more success than you could ever imagine! To Your Success, Reproduced with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine October 29, 2008 Some time ago, my friends and I were having dinner. The topic of success came up and I remained silent. I wanted to hear what they had to say. Someone who had been my friend for over 20 years spoke to the group; however, I knew his words were meant for me. He boldly proclaimed, 'Success is all luck....luck...that is all it is!' He then looked at me as if to say, 'You are a lucky man and that is it.' I didn't say a word, however, I confess that it hurt. He was one of my best friends and although it wasn't a direct quote-he was telling me that he didn't respect my success because it was all luck. In other words, he could have done the same if he was just as lucky. I mulled this over for a few days and then let it go. What could I do? Then about two weeks after that dinner, my truck window broke and I parked in his garage for the day to stay out of the rain. I was stuck at his home for six hours. During this six hours, I watched five of his friends come over and they all watched the comedy channel and consumed adult beverages for 5 hours. It was driving me up a wall! I wanted to go for a run, write, read a book, goal set, strategize or spend time with someone that I loved. Instead, I wasted 6 hours watching the comedy channel. I am not suggesting that watching television or the comedy channel is a waste of time. Most certainly not. However, it was obvious that this was their daily routine. Then it hit me! Success is not a result of luck. It is a result of how you spend your free time! He and I both work hard, the difference is when my work day is done my free time is productive and his is not. My 6 CD Memory in a Month program was created five years ago in my free time. Every month I get checks in the mail because of this program and I will never have to do a single bit of work again for it. Five years ago I did the work in my free time. Five years ago my friend was watching the comedy channel and today his mailbox is empty. Success is a result of luck?...No, success is a result of how you spend your free time. Ron White Reproduced with permission from The Ron White Ezine October 28, 2008 It is so important to be living in prime time, rather than watching TV in prime time. On your way to success make certain you grow friendships, not just bank and mutual fund accounts. Life is a collection of memories, not of material things. The Egyptian pharaohs were buried with all their treasures, and were mummified in hopes that they could enjoy their bounty in the next life. But we are only caretakers of possessions. There is a big difference between standard of living and quality of life. Standard of living is based on income earned. Quality of life is the enjoyment of the millions of minutes in between accomplishments. Having money is only one aspect of wealth. To the sick person, wealth is health. To the lonely person, wealth is someone to talk to and share with. To the estranged person, wealth is hearing words of love and forgiveness. Borrowing the free verse style from Brother Jeremiah's classic poem, I'd Pick More Daisies, here are a few things I'd do, the second time around. I'd laugh at my misfortunes more. Spend more time counting my blessings than my blemishes. Spend more time playing with my children and grandchildren and less time watching performers in the arena. More time enjoying what I have, less time thinking about the things I don't have. If I could live my life again, I'd walk in the rain more without an umbrella and listen less to weather reports. I'd spend more time looking at trees and climbing them, less time flipping through magazines made from dead trees. I'd spend more time fully involved in the present moment, less time remembering and anticipating. I'd smile more, frown less. And most of all I'd be more spontaneous and active, less hesitant and subdued. When some spur of the moment idea came up to go hiking, playing Frisbee, coloring Easter eggs, singing in a chorus, going kayaking, or watching an eclipse, I'd be less likely to sit in my chair objecting, “It's not in our plan.’ I'd be inclined to jump up and run out the door next time and say, “Yes, we can!’ Although I can't live my life again, I'm still going to live the new way every day any way. I'll never have all the moments I've missed, but I do have all the time remaining. Action Idea – Choose one activity this month that you really want to engage in, but that you have been putting off because it isn't a priority. Schedule that activity in your planner, as if it were a “must do’ business or financial commitment. When you have done it, while you are still feeling good, schedule one for next month, and do it as long as you live. -- Denis Waitley Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine October 27, 2008 Here are seven Self-Motivator reminders for you to review on a regular basis. #1 - Get Serious. Make a decision to go all the way to the top. Up to now you've thought about it. Up to now, it's passed your mind. Many of you made the decision, and you've made up your mind to go all the way to the top, and your lives have taken off. It's the most extraordinary thing. Your life is one, like in the shadow going up the dark side of the hill until the moment you decide that "By gum, I'm gong to be the best at what I do. I'm going to be in the top 10 percent." And suddenly you rose into the sunshine, and your life is forever after different - wonderful. Get serious. Don't fool around anymore. #2 - Identify Your Limiting Step to Sales Success. What's your limiting step? What's the one skill area that's holding you back? What's the skill? What's the quality? What's the action? Ask other people. Find out what you need to become good at. Sometimes it may be only one skill. If you became really, really good on the telephone, you could maybe double your prospecting effectiveness and double your sales. If you became very, very good at getting the order at the end from qualified prospects, you could double your sales. If you became very, very good at managing your time to really, really manage your time well, you may be able to double your face time and double your income. Find out what's holding you back. What is the critical limiting step that's determining your success today? #3 - Get Around the Right People. Who are the right people? The right people are the people in this room. Get around winners. Get around positive people. Get around people with goals and plans, people who are going somewhere with their lives and have high aspirations. Get around eagles. As Zig says, "You can't scratch with the turkeys if you want to fly with the eagles." And get away from negative people. Get away from toxic people that complain and whine and moan all the time. Who needs them? Life is too short. #4 - Take Excellent Care of Your Health. Take excellent care of your physical health. That means good diet, good exercise. Everybody knows they should eat better foods, get regular exercise and especially lots of rest. That's very important. If you're going to work hard 5 days a week, go to bed early 5 days a week. Get a good night's sleep. Be fully rested, and tonight get really rested. You don't have to watch the Letterman Show... #5 - Positive Visualization. See yourself as the very best in your field. Remember, all improvement in your life begins with an improvement in your mental pictures. Visualize yourself, see yourself as the best continually. You are the best. Isn't that right? So therefore, see yourself as the best. #6 - Positive Self-Talk. Talk to yourself positively all the time. Control your inner dialogue. And what do you say to yourself? Say, "I'm the best." Say it. Say I'm the best. I like myself. I can do it. I love my work. Yes, that's how you talk to yourself. And the more you say it to yourself...someone may say, "Well, what if you say those things to yourself and you don't believe them. Isn't that lying to yourself?" No, that's not lying to yourself. It's telling the truth in advance. Because it doesn't matter where you're coming from - all that matters is where you're going. Talk to yourself the way you want to be, not the way you just happen to be at this moment. Remember, you may have gotten where you are today largely by accident. But where you're going in the future is purely by design. #7 - Positive Action. Get going. Move fast. Develop a sense of urgency. A sense of urgency is the one thing that you can develop that will separate you from everyone else in your field. Develop a bias for action. When you get a good idea, do it now. Only 2% of people in our society have a bias for action. And if you're already in the top 10%, you can move yourself in the top 2% by resolving that whenever you have an idea or something, do it now. And the faster you move, the better you get. And the better you get, the more you like yourself. And the more you like yourself, the higher your self-esteem is. And the higher your self-esteem is, the greater your self-discipline. And the more you persist, then you ultimately become unstoppable. Remember, You're the Best! Brian Tracy Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine October 26, 2008 Finding coaches and mentors is an important mission, and you will no doubt have several over the course of your life. It is critical that you choose them wisely. Your mentor is someone to whom you'll be committing a great deal of time and attention, and who ideally will take a very focused interest in you as well. The process of selecting a mentor begins, first of all, with a clear-sighted view of what your life's goals are, both for your career and your personal life. If you're just starting out as an associate in a large law firm, you might choose one of the senior partners as your mentor, or perhaps a partner in another firm you're familiar with. If you're just starting a family, and you're facing the lifestyle adjustments that kids require, your mentor could very likely be someone who is reaching the other end of this very exciting, but demanding, process. In any case, your mentors should be people whose experience can serve as a model for reaching your most significant goals in the most important areas of your life. Selecting a mentor is not just a matter of finding someone you like or feel comfortable identifying with. Make sure that the mentors you choose have a genuine history of success. I'm continually amazed by the number of people who look to only superficially successful people as role models for achievement. Even experts can make conspicuous mistakes of judgment in this area. The next time you're in a bookstore or library, take a look at the bestselling books on business and management from four or five years ago. There's an excellent chance that some of the companies cited as models of efficiency are now out of business. I don't bring this up to disparage anyone's business expertise, but simply to point out the need for great care in selecting a coach whose success will stand the test of time. In addition to selecting your coaches based on their ability to achieve goals similar to your own, choose mentors who in the process have overcome some of the same obstacles you're facing. Ideally, a mentor really represents both what you want to become in a particular area of life and what you want to do. Seeing your mentors today is like seeing what you intend to be. The coach has arrived at or been to places similar to where you want to go. Choosing a celebrity or public figure as a mentor is a very questionable decision. If at all possible, select a mentor with whom you can actually spend time and with whom you enjoy having conversations and exploring ideas. Of course, you can have admired historical personages, authors, educators, or artists as role models. If you discover someone with whom you feel a special affinity, make an effort to obtain everything that person has written or said. Really become a student of the person's work and life. Don't just admire him or her, genuinely learn from him or her, as I have learned from the life and wisdom of Benjamin Franklin. One of the most interesting aspects of selecting a mentor is the fact that one can rarely separate people's tangible achievements from the qualities of their character. More than their bank accounts or their real estate holdings, role models prove by the conduct of their lives that they're worth emulating. Reproduced with permission from The Denis Waitley Ezine
October 25, 2008 If you ask most people whether they would like to be considered a winner or a loser in life, they would most assuredly reply that they would like to be a winner. But this begs the question, "What does it mean to win at life?" In some things it's easy to define a clear winner. In a basketball game, whoever has the most points at the end of the game is the winner. In a game of hearts, my favorite card game, whoever has the least amount of points when one of the players reaches 100 points is the winner. But it isn't quite as easy to decide what it means to win in the game of life, is it? And that is because people define winning in different ways. For many, winning is through the accumulation of money or material possessions. "He's a success, a real winner," they say. Others think winning means living the longest. Still others say that it is to have their body in tip-top shape. Some say it is to have a happy family. Some say it is to regularly enjoy their hobbies. All of these are fine, in and of themselves. But... I would like to encourage us to think about winning or success in a different way. Generally, people think of winning as the over-achievement in a particular, chosen area. I like to believe, however, that to truly win at life is not to overachieve in one area but to succeed in maintaining balanced achievement in numerous areas. Let me repeat that: To truly win; to be a success, is not to overachieve in one area, but to maintain balanced achievement in all areas of our lives. For instance, is a person of success if they earn millions of dollars but lose their family? Is a person a success if they garner national fame but have no friends? Of course not. In fact, they may live the most pitiful of all lives. First, Define The body is that which has actual connection with the physical world and would encompass physical health, financial health, family, work, and relationships. How is your health? How are your finances? Are your relationships, both with your family and others all that they could be? Is work fulfilling? How would you define winning in these areas? The next area, the soul, is that which deals with the emotions, will, and intellect. It is our thoughts, ideas, and attitudes. How are you emotionally? Are you able to exercise your will? Are you growing intellectually? Have you done an attitude check lately? How would you define winning in these areas? And the spirit is the part of us that transcends this life, the part of us that communes with God. Zig Ziglar said, "Money will buy me a house, but not a home, a bed, but not a good night's sleep." So true. Inner peace comes from something much deeper. Have you thought about going back to your spiritual roots? Are you able to spend time in quiet, solitude, and prayer from time to time? This is an extremely important area and all too often neglected. What would you like to achieve in this area? How would you define winning in these areas? As we experience balance in these areas, we will find ourselves much more at peace with ourselves than if we were to experience tremendous success in one area but loss or failure in the other areas. We were designed to work as congruent, balanced people. This is how we get to the end of our lives and say, "I won." Second, Prioritize When we manage our time and schedule, we are simply making choices in regard to our priorities. For most, their priority is to take action on whatever is screaming the loudest at the moment. For those who become winners, they reflect on what they desire to achieve, make a plan and decide to eliminate the rest. Last, Do it As we do this over time, and balance our lives out, we will begin to finally feel like we are winning at life. That will be exciting, as will the process! Reproduced with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine October 24, 2008 We live in an abundant universe in which there is sufficient money for all who really want it and are willing obey the laws governing its acquisition. There is plenty of money available to you. There is no real shortage. You can have virtually all you really want and need. We live in a generous universe and we are surrounded on all sides by blessings and opportunities to acquire all we truly desire. Your attitude, of either abundance or scarcity toward money, will have a major impact on whether you become rich or not. The first corollary of the Law of Abundance says that, "People become wealthy because they decide to become wealthy." They become wealthy because they believe they have the ability to become wealthy. Because they believe this completely, they act accordingly. They consistently take the necessary actions that turn their beliefs into realities. And you can always tell what your beliefs really are by looking at your actions. There is no other way. This is an important question to ask yourself. However you answer this question will reveal a lot about yourself. Your answers will expose your self-limiting beliefs, your doubts, your fears, your excuses, your rationalizations and your justifications. Why aren't you rich already? Write down all the reasons you can think of. Go over your answers one by one with someone who knows you well and ask them for their opinion. You may be surprised to find that your reasons are mostly excuses that you have fallen in love with. Whatever your reasons or excuses, you can now get rid of them. The world is full of hundreds and thousands of people who have had far more difficulties to overcome than you could ever imagine, and they've gone on to be successful anyway. So can you. Now, here are two things you can do to apply this law immediately: First, imagine that every experience you have ever had with money contained a special lesson that was designed just for you to help you to ultimately become financially independent. What are the most important lessons you have learned so far? Second, analyze yourself honestly and determine your biggest block, your major self-limiting belief that holds you back from becoming more successful financially. Resolve to act from now on as if this block no longer exists. Reproduced with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine
October 23, 2008 Three key words to remember: weigh, count and measure. Now why weigh, count and measure? To see what your results are from your activity, your attitude and your philosophy. If you find that the results are not to your liking there are only three places to look. Your philosophy needs to be fine-tuned; your attitude needs to be strengthened or your disciplines need extra skill. But that's it. Activity, attitude and philosophy create results. Now on results I teach that life expects you to make measurable progress in reasonable time. But, you must be reasonable with time. You can't say to someone every five minutes, how are you doing now? That's too soon to ask for a count. Guy says, "I haven't left the building yet, give me a break!" Now you can't wait five years - that's too long. Too many things can go wrong waiting too long for a count to see how you're doing. Here are some good time frames: Number one - at the end of the day. You can't let more than a day go by without looking at some things and making progress. New Testament says - if you are angry, try to solve it before the sun goes down. Don't carry anger for another day. It may be too heavy to carry. If you try to carry it for a week, it may drop you to your knees. So some things you must get done in a day. Here's the next one - a week. We ask for an accounting of the week so we can issue the pay. And whatever you've got coming that's what you get; when the week is over. Now in business there are two things to check in the course of the week. Your activity count and your productivity count. Because activity leads to productivity we need to count both to see how we're doing. My mentor taught me that success is a numbers game and very early he started asking me my numbers. He asked, "How many books have you read in the last ninety days?" I said, "Zero"; he said, "Not a good number." He said, "How many classes have you attended in the last six months to improve your skills?" And I said, "Zero." He said, "Not a good number." Then he said, "In the last six years that you've been working, how much money have you saved and invested?" I said, "Zero" and he said, "Not a good number." Then here's what he said, "Mr. Rohn, if these numbers don't change your life won't change. But" he said, "If you'll start improving these numbers then perhaps you'll start to see everything change for you." Success and results are a numbers game. John joins this little sales company. He's supposed to make 10 calls the first week just to get acquainted with the territory. So on Friday we call him in and say what? "How many calls?" He says, "Well." You say, "John, 'well' won't fit in the little box here. I need a number." Now he starts with a story. And you say, "John, the reason I made this little box so small is so a story won't fit. All I need is a number because if you give us the number we're so brilliant around here we could guess the story." It's the numbers that count. Making measurable progress in reasonable time. Here's the best accounting. The accounting you make of yourself. Don't wait for the government to do it, don't wait for the company to do it. But you've got to add up some of your own numbers and ask, "Am I making the progress I want and will it take me where I want to go now and in the future?" You be the judge! To Your Success, Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine October 22, 2008 Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote a poem on success. One of his measures of success in that poem was to, 'Leave the world a bit better.' That line has always stuck in my head. Emerson said you have succeeded if you leave the world a bit better. I have made that line part of my life philosophy. When the tide goes out there is a watermark where the water was. When the waters of life recede from the shore of my being and my heart pumps for the last time, my desire is that there will be a mark where I stood. My aim is that the mark will say, 'For some decades a man occupied this space who saw others more important than himself and made the effort to leave the world a better place for them and those yet to come.' Our society tells us that success is measured by bank accounts, power, beauty and wealth. These are often the result of hard work, luck or birth. They are not evil and I strive for some of them daily. However, they are not the mark I will measure the success of my life with. So how do you do it? How do you 'leave the world a bit better?': Or you can amass as much wealth as you can, spend it as fast as you can on the fading desires of your heart and seek to please you first. Our culture might tell you that this is success. Emerson tells us that it is not. I encourage you to realize that the waters of your life will eventually withdraw from the shore. When it does, will there be a watermark? Ron White Reproduced with permission from The Ron White Ezine
October 21, 2008 Every office conference, lunch, exercise, and recreation room should be filled with personal enrichment materials including videos, audios, books, magazines, newsletters, software, TV and internet programming. Convert a special area of your home into a learning center, especially if you have children. The trend globally is to combine a coffee house like Starbucks, with bookstores like Barnes and Noble, to create a relaxing learning environment. In the twenty-first century, gaining knowledge will blend into our lives as part of our leisure time. There are several ways to create more of an ongoing learning environment at your place of business. Many companies are providing TV and internet access to personal development programming, asking employees to volunteer to read a specific trade or business magazine and clip or scan articles relevant to the organization. Regular e-mail dispersals are also popular. In today's fast-forward, knowledge-based world, if you're not moving ahead you are falling behind. Action Idea: Make two files in your computer: one for personal development and one for professional development. Download MP3 files, articles and e-mails that educate and inspire you in these files. You also can scan articles from magazines into these files. Look at these files at least once per week. Also subscribe to internet based or TV based personal development programming, purchase CDs, DVDs and books for your personal and professional development library. Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine
October 20, 2008 William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli were two of the fiercest political rivals of the 19th century. Their epic battles for control of the British Empire were marked by intense animosity that spilled over from the public arena into their personal lives. Ambitious, powerful, and politically astute, both men were spirited competitors and masterful politicians. Though each man achieved impressive accomplishments for Britain, the quality that separated them as leaders was their approach to people. The difference is best illustrated by the account of a young woman who dined with the men on consecutive nights. When asked about her impression of the rival statesmen, she said, "When I left the dining room after sitting next to Mr. Gladstone, I thought he was the cleverest man in England. But after sitting next to Mr. Disraeli, I thought I was the cleverest woman in England." What distinguished Disraeli from Gladstone was charisma. Disraeli possessed a personal charm sorely lacking in the leadership style of his rival. His personal appeal attracted friends and created favorable impressions among acquaintances. Throughout his career, Disraeli's charisma gave him an edge over Gladstone. UNDERSTANDING CHARISMA I believe charisma is both explainable and learnable. I also believe charisma helps to boost a leader's influence. That's why I included it in my book, The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. In this lesson, I'd like to examine the causes of charisma and teach you how to increase the charisma you display as a leader. THE QUALITIES OF A CHARISMATIC LEADER 1) They Love Life Leaders who attract a following are passionate about life. They are celebrators, not complainers. They're characterized by joy and warmth. Look no further than the smile to illustrate the power of charisma. When people see a smile, they respond with a smile. If you're skeptical, try it. Smile at cashiers, waiters, co-workers, etc. You'll find your smile earns a reciprocate smile almost every time. We are hardwired to take on the energy of those around us. Leaders who love life have charisma because they fill the room with positive energy. 2) They Value the Potential in People To become an attractive leader, expect the best from your people. I describe this behavior as "putting a 10 on everyone's head." Leaders see people, not as they are, but as they could be. From this vantage point, they help others to build a bridge from the present to a preferred future. Benjamin Disraeli understood and practiced this concept, and it was one of the secrets to his charisma. He once said, "The greatest good you can do for another is not to share your riches but to reveal to him his own." When you invest in people and lift them toward their potential, they will love you for it. 3) They Give Hope People have an inner longing to improve their future and their fortunes. Napoleon Bonaparte once said, "Leaders are dealers in hope." They infuse optimism into the culture around them, and they boost morale. While attentive to the current reality, they do not resign themselves to present circumstance. 4) They Share Themselves Leaders with charisma add value to people by sharing wisdom, resources, and even special occasions. They embrace the power of inclusion, inviting others to join them for learning experiences, brainstorming sessions, or simply a cup of coffee. Such leaders embrace team spirit and value togetherness. As a result, charismatic leaders are not lonely at the top. When it comes to charisma, the bottom line is other mindedness. For leaders, the greatest satisfaction is found by serving. They find great pleasure celebrating the successes of those around them, and the victory they enjoy the most is a team triumph. SUMMARY Furthermore, charisma compounds a leader's influence. Without it, leaders have trouble inspiring passion and energizing their teams. With it, leaders draw out the best in their people, give the best of themselves, and find the greatest fulfillment. -- John C. Maxwell Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine October 19, 2008 After having struggled for so long, it took a shift in attitude for my family and me when success started to happen. When I started making a little extra money at age 25, Shoaff taught me to also let it serve as a new inspiration for lifestyle. To take my family to dinner after I'd had 2 or 3 pretty good weeks and it looked like it was going to continue. I would say, "Today we get to order from only the left hand side of the menu, we don't have to look at the right hand side". Didn't cost much, just a little extra. But you can't believe the effect on the family, wow, that these are new days. It's called changing your life as well as changing your skills and earning more money. It's best to invest some of that early money in lifestyle. Go to the movies. Take two vacations instead of one. Just some little extra things that now the family gets inspired by this new commitment to earning more and becoming more and learning more, taking some night classes, whatever you have to do. Now you make it more worthwhile for the family by thinking of lifestyle changes that now become very exciting. Go to the concerts. My parents said don't miss anything. Don't miss the play, the music, the songs, the performances, the movie - whatever is happening. When I started making some extra money I opened up an account for my wife and I called it the "No Questions Asked Account". I said, "here is the checkbook for a new account and it's called no questions asked". I'll just keep putting money in there and you spend it for whatever you wish. It was life changing. It wasn't a fortune. But she didn't have to ask for money any more. I could sense that it was a little embarrassing at times when she had to ask me for money. I thought, that's not good, so the first time I get a chance, here's what I'm going to do. And sure enough, I did it. The "No Questions Asked Account". You can't believe what that did. It was absolutely amazing. With that little extra money, work at creating lifestyle. Social friendships, church, community, country. All those things that make a composite of our overall life. Start furnishing that with new vigor, vitality, money, whatever it takes to expand your life into what I call the good life as well as economics. And it doesn't always take a lot of money. How much is a movie? Even for a person of modest means. $8 or $10? It might cost $60 million to make it and it only costs $8 to see it. When I discovered those kinds of concepts at age 25 you can imagine it was hard for me to sleep nights that first year. I got so excited about changing everything. And one discipline leads to another. One change leads to another. Feeling good about yourself and starting to make the turn to do something you've never done before, then it starts to work, wow, and then you get excited about changing other areas of your life as well. Now after you have made your fortune, the money and extravagance might not seem as big a deal. And fortunately you can then create even more powerful opportunities, in particular, opportunities for benevolence, philanthropy and giving. Now I'm certainly not saying to focus only on external pleasures and rewards. Your relationships, health and spirituality are all of more consequence. But in the beginning, when the rewards of your hard work begin paying off, make sure and treat yourself and those closest to you to a new world of lifestyle and celebrations. To Your Success, Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine
October 18, 2008 Two true stories from the travels of a weary sales trainer. Several years ago, flew to Hawaii last spring. 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-knacks 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. ---------------------------------------------------- Again, several years ago, 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? -- Jeffrey Gitomer
October 17, 2008 As president of Ford Motor Co., Robert McNamara once briefly pondered a decision made by one of his executives and then asked him, "What did you decide not to do?" It wasn't that McNamara thought the executive had made a poor decision - but how could he know for sure if he didn't know what options had been rejected? McNamara, as a wise and successful leader, wanted to be satisfied that multiple options had been considered. He didn't settle for the obvious decision, even if it looked good on the surface. He wanted the best decision. Why is it important to consider multiple options during the decision making process? Here are three reasons: 1. With options come possibilities. Driving in Atlanta traffic has trained me to become a student of the routes and time because they help define my options. When I arrive somewhere early, sometimes I double back and look for new ways to make the same trip. I want to know my options. That way, when the obvious route slows to a crawl, I know my options and I often come up with a creative solution. If we don't have options or if we don't know our options, we're stuck. We have little choice but to stay in the traffic jam. In decision making, if we do not have options, we only have one decision. And that decision may be the wrong decision, or it may not be the best decision. 2. With options come insights. Successful people engage that creative part of their minds and ask, "Well, I wonder how else I can look at this problem? I wonder how else I could deal with this decision? I wonder what other possibilities I have there?" 3. With options come options. Fred Smith, a businessman in Texas who has been one of my mentors, has a sign on his desk that says, "But on the other hand..." He's an optional thinker, and he's taught me to be an optional thinker, too. So when somebody asks me to make a decision about a situation, I don't offer a solution, I ask a question: What are our options? Give me the good, give me the bad, give me the pretty, give me the ugly, give me the impossible, give me the possible, give me the convenient, give me the inconvenient. Give me the options. All I want are options. And once I have all the options before me, then I comfortably and confidently make my decision. It is by no accident that John Maxwell has come to be known as a leader of leaders and mentor to thousands - his path and his purpose have been a single, straight thread since childhood. From the pulpit to the boardroom, his focus has always been to equip and inspire leaders at all levels. Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine
October 16, 2008 The young boy, the young girl, says, "Someday when I get out of school, move away from home and start to college, I'm really going to have fun, I'll be happy and life will be great." The college student says, "Someday when I graduate, get my degree, get a job, my own apartment, I'll be happy and am really gonna' live!" The young couple says, "When we get moved into our new home, get that promotion and join the Country Club, we'll really be happy and life will be so good." Mother and father say, "Someday, when those kids get out of school and we get this place paid off, we're really gonna' be happy and truly enjoy life." The accountant says, "When tax season's over…"; the teacher says, "When school's out…"; the farmer says, "When the crops are in…"; the technician says, "When this program's completed…"; the engineer says, "When this job's done…"; the speaker/entertainer says, "When this tour's finished…"; the candidate says, "When I'm elected…"; the coach/player says, "When the season's over…"; the statistician says, "When all the numbers are in…"; the health minister says, "When I see what the others are gonna' do…"; … ad infinitum. The older couple says, "Someday when we retire, we're really gonna' enjoy life, do all those things we've been wanting to do but never seemed to take time to do…we're gonna' be happy 'n have a good time then!" On the way out, they look back longingly and say, "Wow! If only I had it to do over again, I'd have gone barefooted to school in the spring like Billy Bob did… 'n slipped off to the creek with Ralph Raymond and Joe Day to go swimming after school like they did. If only I hadn't gotten married so young, I'd have gone to Alaska with Ed, Kendall and Pete… what fun that would have been! If only I'd borrowed the money, taken the chance, and developed that idea of mine into a business like Ed did instead of taking a job with the Grist Mill because of the security they offered, two weeks vacation with pay each year… a company car and expense account… an insurance program… retirement, social security, 'n a gold watch. If only I could do it over again, I'd smile more, worry less… I'd take chances, I'd travel to exotic places, meeting interesting people, ride motorcycles, fly airplanes and hot air balloons… I'd hike mountain trails, zip across the desert, camp out, canoe, portage, fish, hunt, laugh, love and live! Oh, if only I could live it all over, I'd take better care of myself, exercise more often, drink less booze 'n more juice… eat less fat 'n more veggies. I'd treasure every day, love everybody, thank God for my blessings and lessons, my successes and my setbacks…" if only…", I'd be happy and truly live every day!" There's an old fable...and the title of a recent great book by Mark L. Feldman and Michael F. Spratt that goes, "There were five frogs on a log… four of 'em decided to jump. How many frogs are left on the log? The most common answer is one. The second most popular answer is none… because, they reason, if four decided to jump, the remaining frog probably went along with the majority. The right answer is five! Deciding to do something and taking the action to do it, are two entirely different things! My Daddy used to say, "Aiming to, don't pick no cotton!" The leaders… the real winners in life are the ones who evaluate the situation, make a decision and take action! Got something that's bothering you? Write out in a clear, complete statement, not a question, the challenge you are facing. Ask yourself, "What are the causes of this situation?" Often you resolve it there… if not… then ask yourself, "What are all the possible answers to this challenge?" Write out all the possible answers… brainstorm, don't evaluate. Then review all the possible answers… decide on the best possible answer… then ACT… do it now! Get rid of the "Someday I'm gonna'…" and the "If only…" syndrome, and get on with LIFE! Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine
October 15, 2008 Abraham Lincoln, truly one of our greatest presidents, had a rather unique approach in trying a case when he was a practicing attorney. He went to great lengths to learn everything he could about what the attorney for the "other side" would say... Then, in his arguments, Lincoln would do a superb job of presenting the case from his opponent's side of the table... On occasion, the attorney for the other side would make the observation that Lincoln had presented the opposition's case better than he could have. Reprinted with permission from Your Achievement Ezine October 14, 2008 Wouldn't it be great if your love relationship could be a bed of roses all the time? Imagine being magically transported to a land of brilliant sunrises and sunsets where there were no misunderstandings or hurt feelings, no sideways glares, no slammed doors, and no arguing. As much as any couple may avoid fighting, the truth is, one minute you may feel great passion, and the next you're contemplating divorce! Too many times we justify this shift in attitude by thinking that our partner's behavior needs an overhaul. Funny thing though, it's usually not about them! So what's next? How can couples open the communication again and put an argument behind them? Read on as we take a look at the six steps to leaving a fight in the dust and getting back on the road to lasting romance. 1. Take the Edge Off - Get a Little Space 2. Ease Into It After Some Downtime 3. Nothing Too Serious 4. Women Need to Talk 5. Men Need to Be Forgiven 6. Both Parties Need to Take Personal Responsibility Learning to communicate with each other through stormy times is essential to the success of a long-lasting relationship. While the best advice we have for couples is to avoid arguments, the stresses of ordinary life can get in the way of even the happiest Martian and Venusian collaboration. Again, forgiveness really is key for both sides. None of us will ever find a mate who is perfect all of the time; however, we can be the best for the one who is most perfect for us. Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine October 13, 2008 When your eyes are open, you see the world that lies outside yourself. You see the items of the room you're in, the people, and the view of the landscape through the window. You take for granted that the objects are real and separate from yourself. However, successful individuals see the act of achieving in advance -- vivid, multi-dimensional, clear. Champions know that "What you see, is who you'll be." When you close your eyes, images and thoughts flow through your mind. You may review memories of past events, or preview future possibilities. You can daydream about what may be or what might have been, and your imagination will take you beyond the limits of space and time. Most people attach little importance to these inner visions. They may seem pleasantly irrelevant, or uncomfortably at odds with the accepted external reality. If you're like most people, you grew up with the idea that "Seeing is Believing." In other words, you need to physically see something with your own eyes to believe that it's real. I know many successful individuals who live this way. But there's an attitude that suggests, "Before you can see it, you have to believe it." This premise holds that our belief system is so powerful that thoughts can actually cause things to happen in the physical world. I also know many successful individuals who live according to this notion of reality. So which concept is nearer the truth? Do you have to see it before you believe it, or believe before you can see it? The answer is: both are basically true. If you can see something in your mind's eye, and you imagine it over and over again, you will begin to believe it is really there in substance. As a result, your actions, both physical and mental, will move to bring about in reality the image you are visualizing. During my university years at the U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, I underwent training in aircraft recognition. All of us midshipmen sat at one end of a hall while silhouettes of American and foreign military aircraft were flashed on a screen at speeds similar to combat situations. We were supposed to write down the numerical designations and names of the planes, such as A-4, F-ll-F, F-4, MIG-21, and so forth. But the task became more difficult each week, because they kept adding more planes, scrambling the order, and speeding up the projection. Finally, it got ridiculous, because the images were going by faster than an MTV music video so that most of us saw only a blur, and some didn't see anything. I began to see planes that weren't even invented yet. When it came time for the final exam, I didn't know for certain which planes I was seeing. I wrote down hunches, intuitions, and reflex responses. But when the test results were announced, virtually everyone had scored a perfect 100 percent. We had seen the planes, even if we didn't necessarily believe it. For me, that test proved that images can be stored and retained, unconsciously, at incredible speeds. And those stored images, when recalled, can enhance performance. What about the thousands of flickering images we see on a TV, computer or movie screen? What about commercials? Do we have to believe the products really do all those amazing things before we buy them? Do viewers have to think that violent scenes in movies and TV are actually occurring in real life for there to be a negative effect on their behavior? Many people believe that violent fantasy has no impact on their lives whatsoever, because they think they're too intelligent to be swayed by it. Well, I've got news for them. Whatever you see or experience, real or imagined, consciously or subliminally, when repeated vividly over and over, does affect your behavior, and definitely can influence you to buy a product or buy into a lifestyle, good or bad. Your attitude and beliefs are, quite simply, functions of what you see day in and day out. Information can be taken in almost unnoticed. You won't react to it until later, and you still won't be aware of what lies behind your response. In other words, what you see really is what you get, regardless of whether you know it or not. You don't need to be watching slides of airplanes, or TV shows, or music videos, video games, or commercials. You can be just lying down, or commuting to work, or walking through a park, and by seeing from within, in your mind's eye, you can change your life. By rehashing fears and problems, you can make yourself depressed. As a result you can botch a business deal, hurt a relationship, or lower your performance. By forecasting a gloomy outcome in your mind's eye, you can act as your own witch doctor and practice a modern-day kind of voodoo that will fulfill your negative prediction with uncanny accuracy. On the other hand, by replaying in your mind's eye the best game you ever played, you can repeat that best game again, when the stakes are even higher and the pressure is on. And by mentally pre-playing the best game you've ever imagined, you can set the stage for a world-class performance. This "instant replay" and "instant pre-play" applies to anything from a successful sales call or athletic event to the effective motivation of your teammates and children. Choose your role models and inputs carefully. Your attitudes and beliefs are the software programs driving you every day on life's journey. Denis Waitley Reprinted with permission from The Denis Waitley Ezine October 12, 2008 "Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose -- as he must until weakness is overcome -- the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph." – As A Man Thinketh When most young children are given a puzzle to solve or put together that is especially challenging, most will make a good effort at solving it, but if unsuccessful will soon lose interest and abandon it. Some will even become angry at their failure to solve it and may throw a tantrum. Contrast that with the experienced puzzle player who proceeds to put the puzzle together with an air of certain confidence that they will complete it. They know that they have all of the pieces of the puzzle before them so it is only a matter of finding out which pieces work where and once that's done the puzzle will be complete. Putting a piece in the wrong place is not a cause for concern; it's simply another step toward putting all of the pieces in their proper place. I think of all the times in my life when I acted like a young child in dealing with the current puzzle in my life. Instead of turning over and trying the next piece, I got angry and walked away from the puzzle, seeing the puzzle as a problem instead of as an opportunity. Napoleon Hill, author of the classic Think and Grow Rich, knew Thomas Edison and Henry Ford personally. He said of both men that the ONLY thing that was different about them from everyone else was their persistence. Which gives rise to an interesting thought. Where would our civilization be today if either man had treated his puzzles like the impatient young child? If you don't have all of the pieces of your puzzle on the table, then stop, identify them and get them on the table before proceeding. If, however, you've got them on the table, then take the approach of the experienced puzzle player. When they don't fit -- don't quit -- try another piece or move them to another place. While you're at it, learn another valuable lesson from great puzzle players. They don't just enjoy completing the puzzle; they delight in putting it together. Napoleon Hill thought Persistence was a pretty important key to success -- he used the word 97 times in Think and Grow Rich and he devoted an entire chapter to it. Some of his wisdom includes, "The majority of people are ready to throw their aims and purposes overboard, and give up at the first sign of opposition or misfortune. A few carry on DESPITE all opposition, until they attain their goal. These few are the Fords, Carnegies, Rockefellers, and Edisons. There may be no heroic connotation to the word "persistence," but the quality is to the character of man what carbon is to steel." And that's worth thinking about. Vic Johnson Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine October 11, 2008 If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills, and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. What's important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here are some specifics: Learn to be strong but not impolite. It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It's not even a good substitute. Next, learn to be kind but not weak. We must not mistake weakness for kindness. Kindness isn't weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell someone the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion. Next, learn to be bold but not a bully. It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble. Like the farmer, if you want any rewards at harvest time, you have got to be bold and face the weeds and the rain and the bugs straight on. You've got to seize the moment. Here's the next step. You've got to learn to be humble but not timid. You can't get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. But humility is a virtue; timidity is a disease. It's an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem. Humility is almost a God-like word. A sense of awe. A sense of wonder. An awareness of the human soul and spirit. An understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we're part of the stars. Here's a good tip: Learn to be proud but not arrogant. It takes pride to build your ambitions. It takes pride in your community. It takes pride in a cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is to be proud without being arrogant. Do you know the worst kind of arrogance? Arrogance from ignorance. It's intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that's just too much to take. The next step is learning to develop humor without folly. In leadership, we learn that it's okay to be witty but not silly; fun but not foolish. Next, deal in realities. Deal in truth. Save yourself the agony of delusion. Just accept life as it is. Life is unique. The whole drama of life is unique. It's fascinating. Life is unique. Leadership is unique. The skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. However, the fundamental skills of leadership can be adopted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community, and at home. To Your Success, Reprinted with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine October 10, 2008 Here is a good question to ask yourself. Ten years from now you will surely arrive. The question is, where? We don't want to kid ourselves about where; we don't want to kid ourselves about the road we're walking. At age 25, I had a day shortly after I met Mr. Shoaff called "do not kid myself anymore" day. I didn't want to be disillusioned anymore. Up until then, I had been using the crossed-finger theory. But after meeting Mr. Shoaff, I finally decided that the crossed-finger theory was not going to get me what I wanted. That it wasn't where the treasure lies. That I was going to have to make sure which way I was headed Then, with the help of Mr. Shoaff, I found with a few reading disciplines, and a few disciplines of mind, and a few disciplines of activity, that when exercised, can begin making all the difference in the world as to where you will arrive. Just a few changes. Sometimes we get the idea that we're doing about 10% and there's about 90% more that we need in order to make the difference for our fortune but probably the opposite is true. We're doing enough things to have bought and shared in the good life so far. And maybe all we need is that extra 5% or 10% of intellectual change. Activity change. A refinement of discipline. A refinement of thought. And all we need is the ideas to make those simple changes and the equity starts gathering in one year, three years, five years, ten years. I have a good comment for you: Now's the time to fix the next 10 years. Now, you may have to come to grips with reality and with truth; that's what was good for me when I met Mr. Shoaff, I was 25 years old, he was 44 years old. And he brought me a wealth of experience and he started asking me the tough questions. "Big question", he said, "Are you reading the books that are going to take you where you want to go in the next 5 years?" Excellent question. See, you want to make sure. I would assume for all of you, to get to where you want to be in the next 5 years, you are either reading the right books or you're not. You're either engaged in the disciplines or you're not. But, here's what we don't want to engage in: disillusion. Hoping without acting. Wishing without doing. The key is to take a look and say, "Where am I? What could I do to make the changes to make sure that I can take more certain daily steps toward the treasure I want, the mental treasure, the personal treasure, the spiritual treasure, the financial treasure? I don't want to make any more errors, now's the time to adjust my daily program to take me where I want to go." In lecturing the last 40+ years, I've gotten letters and personal testimonies of people that have done such remarkable things with just a few suggestions. And that is why seminars, tapes and books can be so valuable. Here's a key idea for us all to remember: We could all use a little coaching. When you're playing the game, it's sometimes hard to see it all. But the key is to start right now making these changes to walk this new road. And here's what's exciting to me, just a few daily disciplines makes a great deal of difference in one year, three years, five years. And before you know it, you will be walking a brand new road. To Your Success, Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine
October 9, 2008 Reproduced with permission from the Chris Widener Ezine.
October 8, 2008 Once you've set a goal for yourself as a leader-whether it is to create your own enterprise, energize your organization, build a church, or excel in sports - the challenge is to find good people to help you accomplish that goal. Gathering a successful team of people is not only helpful, it's necessary. So to guide you in this daunting task of picking the right people, I'm going to share with you a four-part checklist. Number One: Check each candidate's history. Seek out available information regarding the individual's qualifications to do the job. That's the most obvious step. Number Two: Check the person's interest level. If they are interested, they are probably a good prospect. Sometimes people can fake their interest, but if you've been a leader for a while, you will be a capable judge of whether somebody is merely pretending. Arrange face-to-face conversation, and try to gauge his or her sincerity to the best of your ability. You won't hit the bull's-eye every time, but you can get pretty good at spotting what I call true interest. Number Three: Check the prospect's responses. A response tells you a lot about someone's integrity, character, and skills. Listen for responses like these: "You want me to get there that early?" "You want me to stay that late?" "The break is only ten minutes?" "I'll have to work two evenings a week and Saturdays?" You can't ignore these clues. A person's responses are a good indication of his or her character and of how hard he or she will work. Our attitudes reflect our inner selves, so even if we can fool others for a while, eventually, our true selves will emerge. And Number Four: Check results. The name of the game is results. How else can we effectively judge an individual's performance? The final judge must be results. There are two types of results to look for. The first is activity results. Specific results are a reflection of an individual's productivity. Sometimes we don't ask for this type of result right away, but it's pretty easy to check activity. If you work for a sales organization and you've asked your new salesman, John, to make ten calls in the first week, it's simple to check his results on Friday. You say, "John, how many calls did you make?" John says, "Well..." and starts telling a story, making an excuse. You respond, "John, I just need a number from one to ten." If his results that first week are not good, it is a definite sign. You might try another week, but if that lack of precise activity continues, you'll soon realize that John isn't capable of becoming a member of your team. The second area you need to monitor is productivity. The ultimate test of a quality team is measurable progress in a reasonable amount of time. And here's one of the skills of leadership: be up front with your team as to what you expect them to produce. Don't let the surprises come later. When you're following this four-part checklist, your instincts obviously play a major role. And your instincts will improve every time you go through the process. Remember, building a good team will be one of your most challenging tasks as a leader. It will reap you multiple rewards for a long time to come. To Your Success, Reproduced with permission from The Jim Rohn Ezine
October 7, 2008 I've told people thousands of times that they've just go to ask for what they want. And I find that most people only have one problem with this directive . . . They don't KNOW what they want! You can't ask for what you want unless you know what it is! In this exercise, I'm going to start you on a wonderful path of painting your dreams into reality. I'm going to teach you the secrets behind setting – and achieving – your greatest ambitions. Before we set off on this path together, let me make one thing very clear: The word "goals" can be intimidating – it can feel so overbearing that it keeps people from even beginning the process. So, let's instead think of goals as a "To Do List With Deadlines." Do the deadlines have to be tomorrow? Next week? Of course not. This is your To Do List for the rest of your life. Goals can be added to, subtracted from and – most importantly – scratched off the list – as you move through your life. Here's a checklist to ensure you're using a successful framework to set your To Do List: • Your most important goals must be yours. Not your spouse's. Not your child's. Not your employer's. Yours. When you let other people determine your definition of success, you're sabotaging your own future. Go For the Gusto – 101 Goals! Open your mind to ALL the possibilities. Start each goal with "I am" or "I will." Don´t even THINK about restricting yourself! To help you with this process, here are some key questions to ask yourself: What do I want to do? This process may take two hours. It may take two weeks. Don't stop until you have 101 goals. Remember, you're building your better life here – it's the only life you have. Mark Victor Hansen Reproduced with permission from Your Achievement Ezine
October 6, 2008 |