Conrad Hilton, the founder of the Hilton chain of hotels, said: “Success is made to order.” He was right. An achievement is a sum total of many things — talent, aptitude, knowledge and desire.
If you analyse each of your achievements, you will soon discover that it all started with the goal that you wanted to achieve.
Well-defined goals, tackled with competence and confidence through a proper plan of action, are the building blocks of achievements. They are our escalators to tomorrow, a vehicle that takes you to success.
What are some of the important points to remember when you go about setting goals and planning for them?
SET SMART GOALS
It is very important that your goals be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timebound.
PUT YOUR MIND TO IT
Swami Vivekananda, the influential Indian spiritual leader, is credited with introducing the philosophies of yoga and vedanta (quest for self-knowledge) to America and England.
Once when he was in America, he saw some kids standing on a bridge, shooting eggshells floating in the lake.
The children were always off target. Swami took a gun, stood still for few minutes and then fired 12 shots. Each time it hit an eggshell.
He turned around and told the awestruck boys: “Whatever you do, put your whole mind into it. If you’re shooting, your mind should be on the target. If you’re learning, think only of the lesson.”
BE ENTHUSIASTIC
The worst bankrupt is the person who has lost enthusiasm. Lose everything but enthusiasm and you will come through your trials and find success.
Of course there will be difficulties and obstacles in life. There are two possible attitudes to take at such times.
One is to let the difficulties discourage you, making you feel helpless and hopeless. That attitude is disastrous. The other way is to cultivate a positive attitude towards what you can do to solve the problem in the best manner possible.
TAKE EFFECTIVE DECISIONS
Most people have no idea how much stress they can create through indecision.
If you are the kind of person who cannot decide between two courses of action, afraid that the course you choose might turn out to be a mistake, bear in mind that indecision is expensive and nearly always the worst mistake you can make.
Some decisions require a great deal of thought and plenty of information. But once all the facts are available, the successful individual will reach a decision and stop thinking about the various pros and cons, so that he can devote all his energy and effort to making the decision work.
AVOID PROCRASTINATION
Procrastination is the greatest disease that afflicts mankind. Although the disease is widespread, it is important that you do not ignore it.
Successful people do not procrastinate, especially in matters they know are important to them.
As someone has rightly said, “People don’t fail because they intend to fail. They fail because they fail to do what they intend to do.”
Friday, January 23, 2009
What followers want
OVER the past 30 years, there has been increasing data to suggest that leadership has a lot more to do with inspiration and vision, rather than straightforward technical competence.
Leadership is now recognised as a transferable skill that can be developed by continued learning and development.
By contrast, the Great Man theories of leadership and cults of personality are now seen as largely irrelevant.
Research carried out by the Department of Trade and Industry in the United Kingdom confirms that today’s workforce is more diverse, informed and sophisticated than ever before.
Ultimately, people are still looking for something different and better in organisational leadership.
Managers demand inspirational and visionary leaders who win not only results, but also the trust and respect of their teams.
Followers will respond to leaders who tell them that what they do is important and that it makes a difference.
There exists, unfortunately, an inspirational gap.
Research suggests that over half of managers are working for organisations which have apparently not yet fully evolved to meet the needs of today’s high performing workplaces.
Too many experience excessive bureaucracy and command and control behaviours, which have a tendency to inhibit, rather than improve, individual and organisational performance.
INSPIRING OTHERS
For Malaysia to maintain its competitiveness, there is a growing need for companies to adopt strategies that will enable a greater level of innovation and deliver higher value goods and services.
Significant changes in what is required of good leaders have been observed over recent years.
High-performance, innovative organisations require “inspirational leadership” more than ever before if they are to survive and prosper in a world where the only certainty is uncertainty.
Inspirational leadership requires six essential elements. Such leaders:
● Genuinely care about their people,
● Involve everybody,
● Show lots of appreciation,
● Ensure work is fun,
● Show real trust, and
● Listen a lot.
To discover how these elements can be better realised in practice, a comprehensive research project was designed to look in more detail at the qualities of inspirational leaders.
A series of in-depth qualitative interviews with leaders who had been selected by peers for achieving exceptional results revealed common themes in terms of their most prevalent leadership characteristics.
They identified their own strengths as:
● Strong communication — storytelling and listening,
● Passion for learning and intense curiosity,
● Focus on developing people,
● Having fun and very energised,
● Strong self-belief, coupled with humanity and humility,
● Committed to giving something back and to making a significant difference,
● Clarity of vision and ability to share it with their people,
● Dogged determination, often “relentless”,
● Very strong focus on priorities,
● Not afraid to show some vulnerability,
● Regular use of reflective periods,
● Almost universal dislike of jargon, and
● Passion for and pride in what they do.
DESIRABLE TRAITS
Not surprisingly, many of the leadership qualities desired by the followers surveyed also reflected the views of both exceptional leaders and the findings from best practice case studies.
They valued leaders who showed:
● Genuine shared vision,
● Real confidence and trust in their teams,
● Respect for employees and customers,
● Commitment to developing people,
● Clear standards of ethics and integrity, and
● Willingness to take risks.
Managers confirmed that individuals and teams who were inspired and enthused would operate at a different level from the competition.
Around one-third of followers admitted that they had never worked for, or been motivated by, an exceptional leader in their lives.
Over 60 per cent of followers reported that their leaders were out of touch with how people were feeling. This remoteness and distance had a negative impact on morale and motivation levels.
Giving people space and responsibility, and recognising and believing in their abilities, remain the most effective and powerful ways to motivate followers.
Participative, rather than command and control cultures, tend to encourage these behaviours.
This finding is probably linked with another: that followers do not, on the whole, see their leaders creating a feeling of energy, fun and excitement in the organisation.
About 93 per cent identified this as a key leadership attribute, yet only 32 per cent experienced it. .
Leadership is now recognised as a transferable skill that can be developed by continued learning and development.
By contrast, the Great Man theories of leadership and cults of personality are now seen as largely irrelevant.
Research carried out by the Department of Trade and Industry in the United Kingdom confirms that today’s workforce is more diverse, informed and sophisticated than ever before.
Ultimately, people are still looking for something different and better in organisational leadership.
Managers demand inspirational and visionary leaders who win not only results, but also the trust and respect of their teams.
Followers will respond to leaders who tell them that what they do is important and that it makes a difference.
There exists, unfortunately, an inspirational gap.
Research suggests that over half of managers are working for organisations which have apparently not yet fully evolved to meet the needs of today’s high performing workplaces.
Too many experience excessive bureaucracy and command and control behaviours, which have a tendency to inhibit, rather than improve, individual and organisational performance.
INSPIRING OTHERS
For Malaysia to maintain its competitiveness, there is a growing need for companies to adopt strategies that will enable a greater level of innovation and deliver higher value goods and services.
Significant changes in what is required of good leaders have been observed over recent years.
High-performance, innovative organisations require “inspirational leadership” more than ever before if they are to survive and prosper in a world where the only certainty is uncertainty.
Inspirational leadership requires six essential elements. Such leaders:
● Genuinely care about their people,
● Involve everybody,
● Show lots of appreciation,
● Ensure work is fun,
● Show real trust, and
● Listen a lot.
To discover how these elements can be better realised in practice, a comprehensive research project was designed to look in more detail at the qualities of inspirational leaders.
A series of in-depth qualitative interviews with leaders who had been selected by peers for achieving exceptional results revealed common themes in terms of their most prevalent leadership characteristics.
They identified their own strengths as:
● Strong communication — storytelling and listening,
● Passion for learning and intense curiosity,
● Focus on developing people,
● Having fun and very energised,
● Strong self-belief, coupled with humanity and humility,
● Committed to giving something back and to making a significant difference,
● Clarity of vision and ability to share it with their people,
● Dogged determination, often “relentless”,
● Very strong focus on priorities,
● Not afraid to show some vulnerability,
● Regular use of reflective periods,
● Almost universal dislike of jargon, and
● Passion for and pride in what they do.
DESIRABLE TRAITS
Not surprisingly, many of the leadership qualities desired by the followers surveyed also reflected the views of both exceptional leaders and the findings from best practice case studies.
They valued leaders who showed:
● Genuine shared vision,
● Real confidence and trust in their teams,
● Respect for employees and customers,
● Commitment to developing people,
● Clear standards of ethics and integrity, and
● Willingness to take risks.
Managers confirmed that individuals and teams who were inspired and enthused would operate at a different level from the competition.
Around one-third of followers admitted that they had never worked for, or been motivated by, an exceptional leader in their lives.
Over 60 per cent of followers reported that their leaders were out of touch with how people were feeling. This remoteness and distance had a negative impact on morale and motivation levels.
Giving people space and responsibility, and recognising and believing in their abilities, remain the most effective and powerful ways to motivate followers.
Participative, rather than command and control cultures, tend to encourage these behaviours.
This finding is probably linked with another: that followers do not, on the whole, see their leaders creating a feeling of energy, fun and excitement in the organisation.
About 93 per cent identified this as a key leadership attribute, yet only 32 per cent experienced it. .
Stand up for yourself
Assertiveness, as we established yesterday, means standing up for yourself, without stepping on anyone else’s toes. Three ways to become more assertive are to:
ELIMINATE UNASSERTIVE BEHAVIOURS
The first step in becoming more assertive is to eliminate unassertive (both passive and aggressive) behaviours, gestures and speech patterns.
Passive behaviours such as avoiding eye contact, slouching, speaking too softly, being indecisive, or minimising the importance of your own needs and wants should be thrown out the window.
Weak gestures suggest a passive personality. Avoid fawning, scratching, fidgeting, preening and putting your hands in your pockets
Finally, avoid passive speech patterns such as rambling or uncertain statements, frequent justifications or apologies, and putting yourself down.
ACT AS IF YOU WERE ASSERTIVE
The best way to act assertively is to think of someone you know who is assertive, and do what he or she does.
Or you can imagine you already are assertive and act suitably. How would you stand? How would you move? How would you speak? What gestures would you use?
Adopt assertive behaviours such as maintaining good posture, looking people in the eye, moving with confidence and purpose, and being decisive.
Speak with confidence and at a relaxed pace, express your needs clearly and directly and be considerate of others.
CRAFT ASSERTIVE STATEMENTS
When someone says or does something that offends you, you can respond in any of three ways. You can choose to be passive about it, allowing the situation to continue because you are not comfortable confronting the other person, while building up resentment.
Or you can respond aggressively, by lashing out verbally or physically at the other person. This will cause the conflict to escalate and greatly reduce the chance of resolving it amicably.
Neither of these options is good for the relationship. You can also choose a third option: assertion. The assertive option allows for communication to solve the problem while maintaining the relationship.
A simple and effective way to assert yourself is by using this three-step formula:
● Offer a non-judgmental description of the offending behaviour,
● State your feelings,
● Describe the consequences of the behaviour.
Following this three-step formula is the easiest way to craft an assertive statement. With practice, you will be able to modify it so you sound more natural. After all, not everyone speaks the same way. The important thing is to cover all three steps.
Avoid describing behaviours and feelings in value-laden terms. Certain descriptions are more emotionally charged than others, and make logical discussion less likely.
For example: “When you smoke, I feel victimised because it impairs my breathing.”
This makes the smoker sound like a villain, when he may have intended no malice.
Compare this with: “When you smoke, it is annoying and inconsiderate because it impairs my breathing.”
Here, the speaker is not stating his feelings, but accusing the smoker of being annoying and inconsiderate.
This may be construed as a personal attack by the speaker. It would be quite natural for the smoker to get defensive, deny the speaker’s characterisation of him and respond with an attack of his own.
On the other hand, consider this example: “When you smoke, I feel upset because it impairs my breathing.”
The smoker is doing something objectionable, but he is not made to seem like a bad guy, and is less likely to be offended. You are simply stating your true feelings, without judging the smoker’s motives or values. No one can deny your feelings.
This gives the offending party a reason to change his behaviour. Most people are reasonable and will accommodate you once they are aware of the effect their behaviour is having on you.
Once you learn to craft assertive statements, you will be able to confidently handle situations you used to shrink from. People will respond to you favourably. You will be able to ask for what you want, and say no when you want to.
Best of all, you will get what you want out of life.
ELIMINATE UNASSERTIVE BEHAVIOURS
The first step in becoming more assertive is to eliminate unassertive (both passive and aggressive) behaviours, gestures and speech patterns.
Passive behaviours such as avoiding eye contact, slouching, speaking too softly, being indecisive, or minimising the importance of your own needs and wants should be thrown out the window.
Weak gestures suggest a passive personality. Avoid fawning, scratching, fidgeting, preening and putting your hands in your pockets
Finally, avoid passive speech patterns such as rambling or uncertain statements, frequent justifications or apologies, and putting yourself down.
ACT AS IF YOU WERE ASSERTIVE
The best way to act assertively is to think of someone you know who is assertive, and do what he or she does.
Or you can imagine you already are assertive and act suitably. How would you stand? How would you move? How would you speak? What gestures would you use?
Adopt assertive behaviours such as maintaining good posture, looking people in the eye, moving with confidence and purpose, and being decisive.
Speak with confidence and at a relaxed pace, express your needs clearly and directly and be considerate of others.
CRAFT ASSERTIVE STATEMENTS
When someone says or does something that offends you, you can respond in any of three ways. You can choose to be passive about it, allowing the situation to continue because you are not comfortable confronting the other person, while building up resentment.
Or you can respond aggressively, by lashing out verbally or physically at the other person. This will cause the conflict to escalate and greatly reduce the chance of resolving it amicably.
Neither of these options is good for the relationship. You can also choose a third option: assertion. The assertive option allows for communication to solve the problem while maintaining the relationship.
A simple and effective way to assert yourself is by using this three-step formula:
● Offer a non-judgmental description of the offending behaviour,
● State your feelings,
● Describe the consequences of the behaviour.
Following this three-step formula is the easiest way to craft an assertive statement. With practice, you will be able to modify it so you sound more natural. After all, not everyone speaks the same way. The important thing is to cover all three steps.
Avoid describing behaviours and feelings in value-laden terms. Certain descriptions are more emotionally charged than others, and make logical discussion less likely.
For example: “When you smoke, I feel victimised because it impairs my breathing.”
This makes the smoker sound like a villain, when he may have intended no malice.
Compare this with: “When you smoke, it is annoying and inconsiderate because it impairs my breathing.”
Here, the speaker is not stating his feelings, but accusing the smoker of being annoying and inconsiderate.
This may be construed as a personal attack by the speaker. It would be quite natural for the smoker to get defensive, deny the speaker’s characterisation of him and respond with an attack of his own.
On the other hand, consider this example: “When you smoke, I feel upset because it impairs my breathing.”
The smoker is doing something objectionable, but he is not made to seem like a bad guy, and is less likely to be offended. You are simply stating your true feelings, without judging the smoker’s motives or values. No one can deny your feelings.
This gives the offending party a reason to change his behaviour. Most people are reasonable and will accommodate you once they are aware of the effect their behaviour is having on you.
Once you learn to craft assertive statements, you will be able to confidently handle situations you used to shrink from. People will respond to you favourably. You will be able to ask for what you want, and say no when you want to.
Best of all, you will get what you want out of life.
Assert yourself
HOW many times have you walked away from a negotiation table without achieving what you originally intended? Perhaps you agreed to take on additional work or responsibility because you were unable to say “no”. Perhaps you felt unworthy of fi ghting for your interests. Or maybe you were unable to bring yourself to ask for what you want.
Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to get what they want while others rarely do? Well, you are not alone. Most of us feel we deserve more than we get at some time or other.
But we cannot deny that some people consistently get their fair share or more. How do they do it? The answer is they know how to assert themselves.
What is assertiveness?
Assertiveness is one of the most important life skills you could have. Think of all the extraordinary people you know or have heard of, whether in business or government. Think of all the top CEOs, the most successful entrepreneurs and the greatest political leaders. Think Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Lee Kuan Yew. Just about anyone who achieves any signifi - cant level of success or greatness is assertive — you simply do not rise to the top if you are not assertive.
Mother Teresa was one of the most caring people of the last century. But she was no pushover. In fact, she was very bold in asking for charitable contributions and political assistance. Beneath her kind and saintly exterior was an assertive spirit.
What about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr? Both men were all the more remarkable for their explicit rejection of violence. They were assertive, and did not hesitate to demand what they and their people clearly deserved. They stood up for themselves and for countless others, and made a difference to the world.
Assertiveness is the ability to stand up for yourself, without stepping on anyone else’s toes. It is the ability to express yourself in a manner that is clear, direct, specifi c and considerate. It means saying what you mean and meaning what you say, confi dently.
It is the happy medium between passive and aggressive. Passive people are often reluctant to express their interests. On the other hand, aggressive people do not have this problem because they are usually inconsiderate towards others.
Why it matters
Assertiveness allows you to ask for what you want, say “no” when you want, and get more out of life. It will help you on the job — you get more raises, promotions, and good assignments.
It will help you socially as people respond more positively to you. It will help you communicate more effectively with family and friends. It will also help you manage and resolve confl ict situations before they escalate, both on and off the job.
Assertive people have positive self-esteem. They like and value themselves. They are in control of their lives. They have fulfi lling relationships based on open communication and mutual respect.
Assertive people express their feelings honestly and without guilt. They take responsibility for their feelings; they do not blame others or make excuses. They stand up for themselves and exercise their rights while respecting others.
Assertive people are able to look a person in the eye and speak in a fi rm yet non-threatening tone. They do not allow others to take advantage of them.
Assertiveness, not passivity or aggression, leads to win-win outcomes.
Nature versus nurture
The above characteristics are signs of a healthy, confi dent, and well-adjusted personality but assertive people are a rare breed. Studies show that only fi ve to 20 per cent of the population is assertive.
People are not born assertive. Like any other critical life skill, assertiveness is a strategy that can be learned. Some people learn it early. By the time they are in pre-school, they have already learned how to get the toys they want to play with.
As they grow up, they use the same strategies to get the jobs they want, the pay raises and promotions, and opportunities they desire. On the other hand, there are others who never get what they want. But anyone can learn to be assertive.
Article by David Goldwich, the author of “Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? Lessons in Effective Communication."
Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to get what they want while others rarely do? Well, you are not alone. Most of us feel we deserve more than we get at some time or other.
But we cannot deny that some people consistently get their fair share or more. How do they do it? The answer is they know how to assert themselves.
What is assertiveness?
Assertiveness is one of the most important life skills you could have. Think of all the extraordinary people you know or have heard of, whether in business or government. Think of all the top CEOs, the most successful entrepreneurs and the greatest political leaders. Think Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Lee Kuan Yew. Just about anyone who achieves any signifi - cant level of success or greatness is assertive — you simply do not rise to the top if you are not assertive.
Mother Teresa was one of the most caring people of the last century. But she was no pushover. In fact, she was very bold in asking for charitable contributions and political assistance. Beneath her kind and saintly exterior was an assertive spirit.
What about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr? Both men were all the more remarkable for their explicit rejection of violence. They were assertive, and did not hesitate to demand what they and their people clearly deserved. They stood up for themselves and for countless others, and made a difference to the world.
Assertiveness is the ability to stand up for yourself, without stepping on anyone else’s toes. It is the ability to express yourself in a manner that is clear, direct, specifi c and considerate. It means saying what you mean and meaning what you say, confi dently.
It is the happy medium between passive and aggressive. Passive people are often reluctant to express their interests. On the other hand, aggressive people do not have this problem because they are usually inconsiderate towards others.
Why it matters
Assertiveness allows you to ask for what you want, say “no” when you want, and get more out of life. It will help you on the job — you get more raises, promotions, and good assignments.
It will help you socially as people respond more positively to you. It will help you communicate more effectively with family and friends. It will also help you manage and resolve confl ict situations before they escalate, both on and off the job.
Assertive people have positive self-esteem. They like and value themselves. They are in control of their lives. They have fulfi lling relationships based on open communication and mutual respect.
Assertive people express their feelings honestly and without guilt. They take responsibility for their feelings; they do not blame others or make excuses. They stand up for themselves and exercise their rights while respecting others.
Assertive people are able to look a person in the eye and speak in a fi rm yet non-threatening tone. They do not allow others to take advantage of them.
Assertiveness, not passivity or aggression, leads to win-win outcomes.
Nature versus nurture
The above characteristics are signs of a healthy, confi dent, and well-adjusted personality but assertive people are a rare breed. Studies show that only fi ve to 20 per cent of the population is assertive.
People are not born assertive. Like any other critical life skill, assertiveness is a strategy that can be learned. Some people learn it early. By the time they are in pre-school, they have already learned how to get the toys they want to play with.
As they grow up, they use the same strategies to get the jobs they want, the pay raises and promotions, and opportunities they desire. On the other hand, there are others who never get what they want. But anyone can learn to be assertive.
Article by David Goldwich, the author of “Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? Lessons in Effective Communication."
Give good employees their due
WILLIAM came back from vacation. He walked into the office and was told that there was an envelope and a silver coloured cardboard box on the safe for him.
He opened the envelope. It was a form letter congratulating him on 30 years of service. In the box was an award pin in honour of his 30 years.
William’s supervisor just dropped everything off on his way through town, while William was on vacation. No personal effort was ever made to thank William for his dedication. No handshake. No phone call. Not even an e-mail.
William took the envelope and box and threw them in the trunk of his car where they remain. I asked him why he didn’t take them out. He responded: “I don’t even want to touch them. They make me feel dirty.”
William is not a problem employee. He knows his job and has never been counselled. Each day he comes to work and does his job without supervision. His supervisor works in an office over 100 miles away.
Most companies would be thrilled to have employees who need no supervision. Many companies recognise that motivated employees are an important part of the work team. Some companies show care and concern for their employees. Some have too many cracks that let recognition opportunities slip through.
The company William works for is not a small company. It is a national company. You would recognise the name. Recognition can be one of the easiest things to accomplish. It lets people know that their work is appreciated. Lack of appreciation is a slap in the face.
William said: “Just when I think I can’t think any less of the company and management, they come up with something new and my opinion is lowered again.”
William didn’t have long to wait — just a couple of months.
On a Wednesday, William reported to work and was told to call about a large luncheon in a nearby city to honour all employees with 30 years of service. The president of the company was flying in to speak and honour those dedicated employees. People were coming from hundreds and thousands of miles away. Nice. Right?
The event obviously took planning and coordination.The luncheon was on Friday. William was given less than two days’ notice.
William tried to act as if the events didn’t bother him and that he wouldn’t have gone even with more notice. In reality, he was depressed. “In my mind I saw the silver package in my trunk and just kept thinking about wasting 30 years of my life,” he confessed.
There is no happy ending to this story. As a matter of fact, it got worse. Adding insult to injury, later that day William didn’t collect enough from a sale and finished up with a shortage at the till . . . which he had to pay.
In a USA Today article, writer Maggie Fox says: “A snub really does feel like a kick in the gut. The feeling is familiar to anyone who has been passed over in picking teams or snubbed at a party – a sickening, almost painful feeling in the stomach.”
Ms Fox was writing about social distress. A study has been done with functional magnetic imaging that proves that the brain reacts to rejection and snubbing in the same way it reacts to physical pain. The study was published in the October 2003 issue of Science.
“A social snub and a big-toe stub can generate a similar response in the brain, suggesting emotional and physical pain are more closely related than was previously thought,” says Anna Salleh of ABC Science Online.
While no one in today’s business world condones physical violence, it’s amazing what stress and pain can be inflicted by managers who are ill-equipped, ill-advised and ill-prepared to deal with social interactions and situations in the workplace.
William should have been recognised for his 30 years of service. He wasn’t. He should have received positive reinforcement for his dedicated work. He didn’t. A few kind words could have soothed hurt feelings. Kind words never came. Recognition motivates. Thoughtlessness produces just the opposite affect.
He opened the envelope. It was a form letter congratulating him on 30 years of service. In the box was an award pin in honour of his 30 years.
William’s supervisor just dropped everything off on his way through town, while William was on vacation. No personal effort was ever made to thank William for his dedication. No handshake. No phone call. Not even an e-mail.
William took the envelope and box and threw them in the trunk of his car where they remain. I asked him why he didn’t take them out. He responded: “I don’t even want to touch them. They make me feel dirty.”
William is not a problem employee. He knows his job and has never been counselled. Each day he comes to work and does his job without supervision. His supervisor works in an office over 100 miles away.
Most companies would be thrilled to have employees who need no supervision. Many companies recognise that motivated employees are an important part of the work team. Some companies show care and concern for their employees. Some have too many cracks that let recognition opportunities slip through.
The company William works for is not a small company. It is a national company. You would recognise the name. Recognition can be one of the easiest things to accomplish. It lets people know that their work is appreciated. Lack of appreciation is a slap in the face.
William said: “Just when I think I can’t think any less of the company and management, they come up with something new and my opinion is lowered again.”
William didn’t have long to wait — just a couple of months.
On a Wednesday, William reported to work and was told to call about a large luncheon in a nearby city to honour all employees with 30 years of service. The president of the company was flying in to speak and honour those dedicated employees. People were coming from hundreds and thousands of miles away. Nice. Right?
The event obviously took planning and coordination.The luncheon was on Friday. William was given less than two days’ notice.
William tried to act as if the events didn’t bother him and that he wouldn’t have gone even with more notice. In reality, he was depressed. “In my mind I saw the silver package in my trunk and just kept thinking about wasting 30 years of my life,” he confessed.
There is no happy ending to this story. As a matter of fact, it got worse. Adding insult to injury, later that day William didn’t collect enough from a sale and finished up with a shortage at the till . . . which he had to pay.
In a USA Today article, writer Maggie Fox says: “A snub really does feel like a kick in the gut. The feeling is familiar to anyone who has been passed over in picking teams or snubbed at a party – a sickening, almost painful feeling in the stomach.”
Ms Fox was writing about social distress. A study has been done with functional magnetic imaging that proves that the brain reacts to rejection and snubbing in the same way it reacts to physical pain. The study was published in the October 2003 issue of Science.
“A social snub and a big-toe stub can generate a similar response in the brain, suggesting emotional and physical pain are more closely related than was previously thought,” says Anna Salleh of ABC Science Online.
While no one in today’s business world condones physical violence, it’s amazing what stress and pain can be inflicted by managers who are ill-equipped, ill-advised and ill-prepared to deal with social interactions and situations in the workplace.
William should have been recognised for his 30 years of service. He wasn’t. He should have received positive reinforcement for his dedicated work. He didn’t. A few kind words could have soothed hurt feelings. Kind words never came. Recognition motivates. Thoughtlessness produces just the opposite affect.
Quitters can win, if...
HAVE you been conditioned into thinking that quitting equates to failing?
American football coach Vince Lombardi famously remarked: “Quitters never win and winners never quit.” During the Second World War, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill uttered: “Never, never, never quit.”
This is not always true. Quitting at the right time benefits your career and business. This contrarian fact remains: Winners do quit and quitters do win.
Your bosses often admonish you not to quit. “Put in more effort, work harder, burn the midnight oil, try harder, persist” … these are the barking orders of the day.
Most who fail in quitting are emotional, reactive or serial quitters. Successful quitters know the secrets of quitting strategically.
Many of you quit, but the tiny minority who quit successfully reap enormous benefits. They belong to the unique fighters who have the guts to quit early and channel their resources into a new market.
When you first start your new job or business, you will find it fun and challenging. But after a time, if you don’t have further opportunities to grow, it eventually becomes routine.
It is the period where your “busyness” gets you nowhere. You are drained, demotivated and feel you are at a dead end.
Once your job hits this wall, it is time to quit and move on to greener pastures. The opportunity cost of remaining at status quo is costly. Your biggest challenge is to quit and explore undiscovered territory.
Quitting is difficult for many people who are bored with their jobs but are in a comfort zone. They prefer mediocrity and suffer in silence. Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow, remarked: “We fail when we get distracted by tasks we don’t have the guts to quit.”
Make a smart move to quit strategically. Strategic quitting is based on making the correct choice of alternatives available to you. Create choices. In neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), if you have one choice, you have no choice.
Before you quit, plan in advance before panic sets in at the critical period. Marathon runner Dick Collins advises: “Talk yourself into quitting. If you are making a decision based on how you feel at that moment, you will probably make the wrong decision.”
The best quitters plan in advance before they quit. Ask yourself two questions before you take the plunge:
■ Are you panicking? If you are, you will not be able to think rationally and you may quit for the wrong reason.
■ Are you stuck in a rut? If you are, you must quit and do something else. Quitting paves the way for you to venture into something new.
Be proactive instead of reactive. Paint the scenarios that will motivate you to quit for the right reasons. Brainstorm the alternatives available to you and make an informed choice.
"Calling it quits” hall of fame
■ Electric dreams
Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric for 20 years, made a courageous decision to sell one of his profitable billion-dollar divisions that was ranked number four by market share.
Many questioned his wisdom. His reasons? The division was at a dead end, and his executives were distracted by how to deal with it.
Welch decided to free the division’s resources and energy. Across the board, he fixed, sold or closed each business unit and retrenched more than 100,000 workers.
His commandment was: If you cannot be number one or two in the industry, you must quit.
In the unpopular process of calling it quits for some business units, Welch catapulted General Electric to number one with a market cap of US$450 billion (S$612 billion) and was voted the world’s top CEO.
■ Prescription for success
After graduating from Harvard Medical School, Michael Crichton completed a postdoctoral fellowship. His lucrative career as a medical doctor was almost guaranteed. But he followed his heart and quit medicine to become an author.
Instead of curing sick people every day, he crafted words to entertain millions of readers through his works of fiction. He became a best-selling author of novels like Jurassic Park and Coma.
by Michael Lum, a certified NLP coach
American football coach Vince Lombardi famously remarked: “Quitters never win and winners never quit.” During the Second World War, British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill uttered: “Never, never, never quit.”
This is not always true. Quitting at the right time benefits your career and business. This contrarian fact remains: Winners do quit and quitters do win.
Your bosses often admonish you not to quit. “Put in more effort, work harder, burn the midnight oil, try harder, persist” … these are the barking orders of the day.
Most who fail in quitting are emotional, reactive or serial quitters. Successful quitters know the secrets of quitting strategically.
Many of you quit, but the tiny minority who quit successfully reap enormous benefits. They belong to the unique fighters who have the guts to quit early and channel their resources into a new market.
When you first start your new job or business, you will find it fun and challenging. But after a time, if you don’t have further opportunities to grow, it eventually becomes routine.
It is the period where your “busyness” gets you nowhere. You are drained, demotivated and feel you are at a dead end.
Once your job hits this wall, it is time to quit and move on to greener pastures. The opportunity cost of remaining at status quo is costly. Your biggest challenge is to quit and explore undiscovered territory.
Quitting is difficult for many people who are bored with their jobs but are in a comfort zone. They prefer mediocrity and suffer in silence. Seth Godin, author of Purple Cow, remarked: “We fail when we get distracted by tasks we don’t have the guts to quit.”
Make a smart move to quit strategically. Strategic quitting is based on making the correct choice of alternatives available to you. Create choices. In neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), if you have one choice, you have no choice.
Before you quit, plan in advance before panic sets in at the critical period. Marathon runner Dick Collins advises: “Talk yourself into quitting. If you are making a decision based on how you feel at that moment, you will probably make the wrong decision.”
The best quitters plan in advance before they quit. Ask yourself two questions before you take the plunge:
■ Are you panicking? If you are, you will not be able to think rationally and you may quit for the wrong reason.
■ Are you stuck in a rut? If you are, you must quit and do something else. Quitting paves the way for you to venture into something new.
Be proactive instead of reactive. Paint the scenarios that will motivate you to quit for the right reasons. Brainstorm the alternatives available to you and make an informed choice.
"Calling it quits” hall of fame
■ Electric dreams
Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric for 20 years, made a courageous decision to sell one of his profitable billion-dollar divisions that was ranked number four by market share.
Many questioned his wisdom. His reasons? The division was at a dead end, and his executives were distracted by how to deal with it.
Welch decided to free the division’s resources and energy. Across the board, he fixed, sold or closed each business unit and retrenched more than 100,000 workers.
His commandment was: If you cannot be number one or two in the industry, you must quit.
In the unpopular process of calling it quits for some business units, Welch catapulted General Electric to number one with a market cap of US$450 billion (S$612 billion) and was voted the world’s top CEO.
■ Prescription for success
After graduating from Harvard Medical School, Michael Crichton completed a postdoctoral fellowship. His lucrative career as a medical doctor was almost guaranteed. But he followed his heart and quit medicine to become an author.
Instead of curing sick people every day, he crafted words to entertain millions of readers through his works of fiction. He became a best-selling author of novels like Jurassic Park and Coma.
by Michael Lum, a certified NLP coach
Seven mistakes to avoid
WHEN you step into your office, you are supposed to leave everything else behind and put on a professional face.
Here are seven things that you need to avoid at the workplace. These will not only help you make a good impression, but will also assist you in advancing your career.
1 Extended breaks
One of the most annoying things for other employees or for managers and supervisors is employees taking extended breaks.
So what if you have a smoking habit and you need to take a break to indulge in it? What about those who do not smoke? They will not appreciate it if you take long breaks to smoke.
Also avoid taking extended lunch breaks. More often than not, people use their lunch hour to do personal work; but if you cannot finish a task within this hour, do it on your own time. Never extend your breaks.
2 Tardiness
Being late to work once in a while may be excused. But what is not tolerated is coming in late every day and leaving early. This is unfair to those people who come on time and leave on time. Do not misuse work hours, unless you have a genuine reason for doing so and one that can be excused.
3 Loud behaviour
People around you are trying to work. They do not need disturbances like loud talking or completely irrelevant discussions. You are not only affecting their ability to work, you are not showing them respect.
4 Being untidy
You need to keep your workstation clean and also the other areas such as the cafeteria and conference rooms.
Would you like it if someone left used tissue or scraps of food on the table in the cafeteria you usually sit at? Extend the same courtesy to other people and clean up after yourself.
5 Personal issues
Everyone has family and commitments, but when you come to work, you need to leave those behind.
There are going to be times when an emergency arises, but those can be dealt with. If you have children or friends who need to contact you at work, try to keep this to a minimum.
Don’t keep taking personal calls at work — it will look like you are not paying enough attention to your job.
6 Speaking your mind
You have heard the saying “think before you speak”. You will have to bear the consequences of the things you say. So think before you speak at all times.
7 Do not be emotional
Do not express anger too vividly. This is true for younger employees who may have an ego issue. Do not let your emotions affect your career moves.
Here are seven things that you need to avoid at the workplace. These will not only help you make a good impression, but will also assist you in advancing your career.
1 Extended breaks
One of the most annoying things for other employees or for managers and supervisors is employees taking extended breaks.
So what if you have a smoking habit and you need to take a break to indulge in it? What about those who do not smoke? They will not appreciate it if you take long breaks to smoke.
Also avoid taking extended lunch breaks. More often than not, people use their lunch hour to do personal work; but if you cannot finish a task within this hour, do it on your own time. Never extend your breaks.
2 Tardiness
Being late to work once in a while may be excused. But what is not tolerated is coming in late every day and leaving early. This is unfair to those people who come on time and leave on time. Do not misuse work hours, unless you have a genuine reason for doing so and one that can be excused.
3 Loud behaviour
People around you are trying to work. They do not need disturbances like loud talking or completely irrelevant discussions. You are not only affecting their ability to work, you are not showing them respect.
4 Being untidy
You need to keep your workstation clean and also the other areas such as the cafeteria and conference rooms.
Would you like it if someone left used tissue or scraps of food on the table in the cafeteria you usually sit at? Extend the same courtesy to other people and clean up after yourself.
5 Personal issues
Everyone has family and commitments, but when you come to work, you need to leave those behind.
There are going to be times when an emergency arises, but those can be dealt with. If you have children or friends who need to contact you at work, try to keep this to a minimum.
Don’t keep taking personal calls at work — it will look like you are not paying enough attention to your job.
6 Speaking your mind
You have heard the saying “think before you speak”. You will have to bear the consequences of the things you say. So think before you speak at all times.
7 Do not be emotional
Do not express anger too vividly. This is true for younger employees who may have an ego issue. Do not let your emotions affect your career moves.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Dividing The Financial Pie_Jim Rohn
I believe real-life economics must be one of the most glaring omissions in our educational system...
I say this because in my travels to lecture throughout the world, I constantly run into otherwise well-educated people -- doctors, lawyers, top corporate personnel, even entrepreneurs -- who haven't the vaguest idea as to how to manage their finances.
So if you will indulge me, I would like to share a simple formula of how money should be allocated for the creation of wealth.
Taxes -
Yes, I did say taxes. I realize that the topic of taxes may seem like a strange place to begin the discussion of creating wealth. And yet throughout our lives, whether young or old, we must learn the necessity of paying taxes.
And as soon as they have any money at all, our children, too, must learn that when they spend money they immediately become consumers. And all consumers of goods and services, no matter how young, must pay taxes. Why?
Because we have all agreed to live as a society, and for that society to function properly, there are some things we cannot do for ourselves alone.
For example, we cannot each build a piece of the street. The machinery would be too expensive, and it would take too long to learn how to use it. So we have a government.
And a government is made up of people who do things for us that we cannot or do not want to do ourselves. Because the streets, the sidewalks, the police, and the fire department must all be paid for, we've agreed to add some money each time we buy something and give it to the government.
We then move on to federal taxes. Here is a good way to explain federal taxes. I call it "The Care and Feeding of the Goose that Lays the Golden Eggs." It's so important to feed the goose -- not to abuse the goose or tear off its wings -- but to feed and care for it.
What's that you say? The goose eats too much? That's probably true. But then, don't we all eat too much? If so, let not one appetite accuse another.
If you step on the scales and you're ten pounds too heavy, you've got to say, "Yes, the government and I are each about ten pounds too heavy. Looks like we both eat too much." No question about it.
Every appetite must be disciplined -- yours, mine, and the government's. Hey, we could all go on a diet!
My mentor, Mr. Shoaff urged me early on to become a happy taxpayer. Now, I must admit it took a while, but I finally did become a happy taxpayer. Part of this transformation occurred when I began to understand the function of taxes and that it is right for everyone to pay his or her fair share.
I finally decided I didn't mind picking up my share of the tab for defense. It's so necessary for our safety as a country to keep the international bullies away.
Some people say, "Why bother with all that expensive equipment? They won't come over here." Obviously, those people haven't been reading their history books.
Others say, "We're not about to pick up the tab for defense." Well then, I suggest they go to a place which doesn't offer defense as part of the package. If one is going to enjoy the benefits, one should pay a share.
Now, let me add this: Don't pay more than you should. By all means take advantage of the incentives. They were given to you as a reward for channeling your money into areas the government thinks help the economy.
All I'm saying is that when everything has been computed, all legitimate deductions have been taken, and you reach that last line on your income tax form, whatever the amount, pay it.
And pay with happiness, knowing that you're feeding the goose that lays the golden eggs - the golden eggs of freedom, safety, justice, and free enterprise. Some goose! Some eggs!
The 70/30 Rule -
After you pay your fair share of taxes, you must learn to live on seventy percent of your after-tax income. This is important because of the way you'll allocate your remaining thirty percent.
The seventy percent you will spend on necessities and luxuries. The thirty percent? Let's allocate it in the following ways:
1) Charity
Of the thirty percent not spent, one-third should go to charity. Charity is the act of giving back to the community that which you have received in order to help those who need assistance.
I believe that contributing ten percent of your after-tax income is a good amount to strive for. (You may choose a larger or smaller amount -- it's your plan.)
The act of giving should be taught early in life. The best time to teach a child the act of charity is when he gets his first dollar. Take him on a visual tour. Take him on a tour of a place where people are truly helpless so that he learns compassion.
If a child understands, he won't have any trouble parting with a dime. Children have big hearts.
There is another reason why the act of giving should be taught early and when the amounts are small: It's pretty easy to take a dime out of a dollar. But it's considerably harder to give away a hundred thousand dollars out of a million.
You say, "Oh, if I had a million I'd have no trouble giving a hundred thousand." I'm not so sure. A hundred thousand is a lot of money. We'd better start you early so you'll develop the habit before the big money comes your way.
2) Capital Investment
With your next ten percent of your after-tax income you're going to create wealth. This is money you'll use to buy, fix, manufacture, or sell. The key is to engage in commerce, even if only on a part-time basis.
So how do you go about creating wealth with the ten percent of your income you set aside for that purpose? There are lots of ways. Let your imagination roam. Take a close look at those skills you developed at work or through your hobbies; you may be able to convert these into a profitable enterprise.
In addition, you can also learn to buy a product at wholesale and sell it for retail. Or you can purchase a piece of property and improve it.
And if you're fortunate enough to work at a place where you're rewarded for additional productivity, you can work for more income and use this income to invest in an ownership position through the purchase of stocks.
Use this ten percent to purchase your equipment, products, or equity -- and get started. There is no telling what genius lies sleeping inside you waiting to be awakened by the spark of opportunity.
Here is an exciting thought! Why not work full time on your job and part time on your fortune? Why not, indeed? And what a feeling you'll have when you can honestly say, "I'm working to become wealthy. I'm not just working to pay my bills."
When you have a wealth plan, you'll be so motivated that you'll have a hard time going to bed at night.
3) Savings
The last ten percent should be allotted to savings. I consider this to be one of the most exciting parts of your wealth plan because it can offer you peace of mind by preparing you for the "winters" of life.
And through the magic of compounding interest, greatly aided by the new tax-free retirement programs available to every working person in this country, you can accumulate a princely sum over the years.
Let me give you the definition of "rich" and "poor." Poor people spend their money and save what's left. Rich people save their money and spend what's left.
Twenty years ago, two people each earned a thousand dollars a month and they each earned the same increases over the years.
One had the philosophy of spending money and saving what's left; the other had the philosophy of saving first and spending what's left.
Today, if you knew both, you'd call one poor and the other wealthy.
So, I'm asking you to not only be a happy taxpayer, but to also remember that giving, investing and saving, like any form of discipline, has a subtle effect. At the end of the day, a week, a month, the results are hardly noticeable.
But let five years lapse, and the differences become pronounced. At the end of ten years, the differences are dramatic.
And It all starts with the same amount of money -- just a different philosophy.
I say this because in my travels to lecture throughout the world, I constantly run into otherwise well-educated people -- doctors, lawyers, top corporate personnel, even entrepreneurs -- who haven't the vaguest idea as to how to manage their finances.
So if you will indulge me, I would like to share a simple formula of how money should be allocated for the creation of wealth.
Taxes -
Yes, I did say taxes. I realize that the topic of taxes may seem like a strange place to begin the discussion of creating wealth. And yet throughout our lives, whether young or old, we must learn the necessity of paying taxes.
And as soon as they have any money at all, our children, too, must learn that when they spend money they immediately become consumers. And all consumers of goods and services, no matter how young, must pay taxes. Why?
Because we have all agreed to live as a society, and for that society to function properly, there are some things we cannot do for ourselves alone.
For example, we cannot each build a piece of the street. The machinery would be too expensive, and it would take too long to learn how to use it. So we have a government.
And a government is made up of people who do things for us that we cannot or do not want to do ourselves. Because the streets, the sidewalks, the police, and the fire department must all be paid for, we've agreed to add some money each time we buy something and give it to the government.
We then move on to federal taxes. Here is a good way to explain federal taxes. I call it "The Care and Feeding of the Goose that Lays the Golden Eggs." It's so important to feed the goose -- not to abuse the goose or tear off its wings -- but to feed and care for it.
What's that you say? The goose eats too much? That's probably true. But then, don't we all eat too much? If so, let not one appetite accuse another.
If you step on the scales and you're ten pounds too heavy, you've got to say, "Yes, the government and I are each about ten pounds too heavy. Looks like we both eat too much." No question about it.
Every appetite must be disciplined -- yours, mine, and the government's. Hey, we could all go on a diet!
My mentor, Mr. Shoaff urged me early on to become a happy taxpayer. Now, I must admit it took a while, but I finally did become a happy taxpayer. Part of this transformation occurred when I began to understand the function of taxes and that it is right for everyone to pay his or her fair share.
I finally decided I didn't mind picking up my share of the tab for defense. It's so necessary for our safety as a country to keep the international bullies away.
Some people say, "Why bother with all that expensive equipment? They won't come over here." Obviously, those people haven't been reading their history books.
Others say, "We're not about to pick up the tab for defense." Well then, I suggest they go to a place which doesn't offer defense as part of the package. If one is going to enjoy the benefits, one should pay a share.
Now, let me add this: Don't pay more than you should. By all means take advantage of the incentives. They were given to you as a reward for channeling your money into areas the government thinks help the economy.
All I'm saying is that when everything has been computed, all legitimate deductions have been taken, and you reach that last line on your income tax form, whatever the amount, pay it.
And pay with happiness, knowing that you're feeding the goose that lays the golden eggs - the golden eggs of freedom, safety, justice, and free enterprise. Some goose! Some eggs!
The 70/30 Rule -
After you pay your fair share of taxes, you must learn to live on seventy percent of your after-tax income. This is important because of the way you'll allocate your remaining thirty percent.
The seventy percent you will spend on necessities and luxuries. The thirty percent? Let's allocate it in the following ways:
1) Charity
Of the thirty percent not spent, one-third should go to charity. Charity is the act of giving back to the community that which you have received in order to help those who need assistance.
I believe that contributing ten percent of your after-tax income is a good amount to strive for. (You may choose a larger or smaller amount -- it's your plan.)
The act of giving should be taught early in life. The best time to teach a child the act of charity is when he gets his first dollar. Take him on a visual tour. Take him on a tour of a place where people are truly helpless so that he learns compassion.
If a child understands, he won't have any trouble parting with a dime. Children have big hearts.
There is another reason why the act of giving should be taught early and when the amounts are small: It's pretty easy to take a dime out of a dollar. But it's considerably harder to give away a hundred thousand dollars out of a million.
You say, "Oh, if I had a million I'd have no trouble giving a hundred thousand." I'm not so sure. A hundred thousand is a lot of money. We'd better start you early so you'll develop the habit before the big money comes your way.
2) Capital Investment
With your next ten percent of your after-tax income you're going to create wealth. This is money you'll use to buy, fix, manufacture, or sell. The key is to engage in commerce, even if only on a part-time basis.
So how do you go about creating wealth with the ten percent of your income you set aside for that purpose? There are lots of ways. Let your imagination roam. Take a close look at those skills you developed at work or through your hobbies; you may be able to convert these into a profitable enterprise.
In addition, you can also learn to buy a product at wholesale and sell it for retail. Or you can purchase a piece of property and improve it.
And if you're fortunate enough to work at a place where you're rewarded for additional productivity, you can work for more income and use this income to invest in an ownership position through the purchase of stocks.
Use this ten percent to purchase your equipment, products, or equity -- and get started. There is no telling what genius lies sleeping inside you waiting to be awakened by the spark of opportunity.
Here is an exciting thought! Why not work full time on your job and part time on your fortune? Why not, indeed? And what a feeling you'll have when you can honestly say, "I'm working to become wealthy. I'm not just working to pay my bills."
When you have a wealth plan, you'll be so motivated that you'll have a hard time going to bed at night.
3) Savings
The last ten percent should be allotted to savings. I consider this to be one of the most exciting parts of your wealth plan because it can offer you peace of mind by preparing you for the "winters" of life.
And through the magic of compounding interest, greatly aided by the new tax-free retirement programs available to every working person in this country, you can accumulate a princely sum over the years.
Let me give you the definition of "rich" and "poor." Poor people spend their money and save what's left. Rich people save their money and spend what's left.
Twenty years ago, two people each earned a thousand dollars a month and they each earned the same increases over the years.
One had the philosophy of spending money and saving what's left; the other had the philosophy of saving first and spending what's left.
Today, if you knew both, you'd call one poor and the other wealthy.
So, I'm asking you to not only be a happy taxpayer, but to also remember that giving, investing and saving, like any form of discipline, has a subtle effect. At the end of the day, a week, a month, the results are hardly noticeable.
But let five years lapse, and the differences become pronounced. At the end of ten years, the differences are dramatic.
And It all starts with the same amount of money -- just a different philosophy.
STEP BACK To Succeed In Decision Making
All of the greatest leaders in the world are man-managers. Without exception, they command respect from those who work with them and for them.
Some managers may rule with a rod of iron, others with a softer approach, but the key trait consistent in all great leaders is their charisma.
Charisma is defined as “A personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others”.
If you observe how the best managers you have worked for operate, you will undoubtedly find that they have a calmness about them, when others are at panic stations.
Whether they realise it or not, they are operating in a fashion that mimics most (if not all) of the greatest leaders of our time.
This trait can be learned, but for some people it is easier to master than others. First, you must remember that all stress is a state of mind. I think I’ll repeat it, just so you get it –
All stress is a state of mind.
If you think that you can’t cope – you won’t. It seems that very few people (and very few managers) have mastered the ability of detachment. The way to stay calm while others panic is as easy as this:
S top what you are doing
T hink logically through each option
E stimate the likely outcomes of each option
P lay the probability game – what is the likely option?
B e sure that you have all of the facts
A ccept that you've made the best choice based on the facts
C heck with your instinct – does it feel right?
K eep calm and make the decision
The best managers follow this framework and make a decision in seconds.
It is like driving a car. Once you have learnt how to, and practiced enough, your subconscious takes over and does the work without you having to consciously go through the routine.
You can practice this process on minor decisions, the outcomes of which do not affect you or your company either way.
As a supervisor or manager, there will undoubtedly be a time when you will have to make more important, and sometimes instantaneous, decisions. That’s when all of the practicing will pay off.
In a former role, I personally applied this structure to an instant decision that could have cost the bank I was working for $750,000, if I was wrong. Based on the facts I had – I made the right decision.
If I had panicked, I probably would have made the wrong decision, which, in retrospect, would have been easier to make and implement.
One of the key elements to stepping back is to use your instinct. I have seen many people make decisions based upon data that they KNOW is false or incomplete. They felt pressured to come up with the ‘right’ answer.
In many cases the perceived right answer is not always the correct one. If your instinct is telling you something is not right – listen to it, ask it questions, that’s what it is there for.
If you don’t feel that the decision is the right one, then you may be missing something. Your instinct will never let you assume anything without giving you some form of warning.
The Internet and email has speeded up response times – customers no longer accept more than 24 hours between their query and its solution.
All businesses are constantly evolving. If the company you work for is standing still, it is really going backwards, and it probably won’t be around in five or ten years’ time.
When (not if) a big reorganisation of your company takes place, however many months, or years in the future, the workers who will be in demand are those who can stay calm and make decisions, while others around them scream and shout.
Managers and supervisors are always looking for people who can accept responsibility.
Make sure that one of them is you.
by Gary Vurnum
Some managers may rule with a rod of iron, others with a softer approach, but the key trait consistent in all great leaders is their charisma.
Charisma is defined as “A personal attractiveness that enables you to influence others”.
If you observe how the best managers you have worked for operate, you will undoubtedly find that they have a calmness about them, when others are at panic stations.
Whether they realise it or not, they are operating in a fashion that mimics most (if not all) of the greatest leaders of our time.
This trait can be learned, but for some people it is easier to master than others. First, you must remember that all stress is a state of mind. I think I’ll repeat it, just so you get it –
All stress is a state of mind.
If you think that you can’t cope – you won’t. It seems that very few people (and very few managers) have mastered the ability of detachment. The way to stay calm while others panic is as easy as this:
S top what you are doing
T hink logically through each option
E stimate the likely outcomes of each option
P lay the probability game – what is the likely option?
B e sure that you have all of the facts
A ccept that you've made the best choice based on the facts
C heck with your instinct – does it feel right?
K eep calm and make the decision
The best managers follow this framework and make a decision in seconds.
It is like driving a car. Once you have learnt how to, and practiced enough, your subconscious takes over and does the work without you having to consciously go through the routine.
You can practice this process on minor decisions, the outcomes of which do not affect you or your company either way.
As a supervisor or manager, there will undoubtedly be a time when you will have to make more important, and sometimes instantaneous, decisions. That’s when all of the practicing will pay off.
In a former role, I personally applied this structure to an instant decision that could have cost the bank I was working for $750,000, if I was wrong. Based on the facts I had – I made the right decision.
If I had panicked, I probably would have made the wrong decision, which, in retrospect, would have been easier to make and implement.
One of the key elements to stepping back is to use your instinct. I have seen many people make decisions based upon data that they KNOW is false or incomplete. They felt pressured to come up with the ‘right’ answer.
In many cases the perceived right answer is not always the correct one. If your instinct is telling you something is not right – listen to it, ask it questions, that’s what it is there for.
If you don’t feel that the decision is the right one, then you may be missing something. Your instinct will never let you assume anything without giving you some form of warning.
The Internet and email has speeded up response times – customers no longer accept more than 24 hours between their query and its solution.
All businesses are constantly evolving. If the company you work for is standing still, it is really going backwards, and it probably won’t be around in five or ten years’ time.
When (not if) a big reorganisation of your company takes place, however many months, or years in the future, the workers who will be in demand are those who can stay calm and make decisions, while others around them scream and shout.
Managers and supervisors are always looking for people who can accept responsibility.
Make sure that one of them is you.
by Gary Vurnum
Winning The Fight Between You And The Clock
put out the fire. Your whole day goes up in smoke and you don't realize that somebody's guilty of arson.
To be successful in today's highly-competitive world you must be focused. You must have long and short-term goals.
When you know where you want to go, it's easy to determine whether or not the work, tasks, and projects you're working on will take you there.
Here are three strategies you can use to leverage your time:
1. Block out time for yourself. Close the door. Turn off the phone. And give yourself an hour of uninterrupted time each day.
2. Work on your most important work, tasks and projects. Only do the things that have value. Eliminate everything else.
3. Use your Prime Time. There's a time of day when you do your best work. When you've the most energy and enthusiasm. Tackle your most important work at the time of day you're at your best.
Set your goals. Leverage your time. And you'll become more successful than you ever dreamed.
By Jeffrey Mayer
To be successful in today's highly-competitive world you must be focused. You must have long and short-term goals.
When you know where you want to go, it's easy to determine whether or not the work, tasks, and projects you're working on will take you there.
Here are three strategies you can use to leverage your time:
1. Block out time for yourself. Close the door. Turn off the phone. And give yourself an hour of uninterrupted time each day.
2. Work on your most important work, tasks and projects. Only do the things that have value. Eliminate everything else.
3. Use your Prime Time. There's a time of day when you do your best work. When you've the most energy and enthusiasm. Tackle your most important work at the time of day you're at your best.
Set your goals. Leverage your time. And you'll become more successful than you ever dreamed.
By Jeffrey Mayer
Obtain Maximum Results For Your Small Business Through Better Time Management
Most small business owners are faced with so many responsibilities and an unbelievable workload throughout the day. Mainly because of the many different roles that we have to play. On any given day a small business owner must be a customer service representative, collections specialist, marketing specialist, public relations representative, and the list continues. It's enough to drive the average person crazy. But we small business owners are made of a different stock yet still we succumb to normal, everyday pitfalls caused by poor time management. Poor time management can severely negatively impact your business through lost sales and disgruntled customers. A small business owner can't afford either.
First, whatever you are using as an organizer stick to it. A pocketsize organizer or palm pilot can do wonders. But they don't work on their own. They are only of use if you regularly enter your data and continuously review what you've entered.
Once you've decided which type of organizer will work best for you, begin the habit of entering tasks on a regular basis. For example, each Monday you could enter all new tasks that you know of for the upcoming few weeks. As the week progresses you may would add new tasks and remove completed ones. To truly make this system effective, you should begin and each day with a review of your tasks. This helps to keep you on schedule and minimizes the chances that you'll become overwhelmed with all you have to do as a small business owner.
Here are some steps you may want to take when creating and reviewing your weekly schedule:
Prioritize: Determine which tasks require your immediate attention and schedule your days accordingly.
Break down tasks: To ensure you reach your due dates, break down larger tasks. Breaking down tasks also works for any responsibilities that you may not be looking forward to such as collection or sales calls.
Reevaluate start and finish dates (keep them realistic): Enter realistic finish and start dates and work on completing your tasks a little each day.
Reward yourself: Rewarding yourself with a break or some other personal incentive can keep you motivated throughout the week.
Set limits: Determine how many hours per day you can devote to your small business. Schedule your daily task list accordingly.
Avoid negative thinking: If you miss a due date, it's not the end of the world nor is it a reason to succumb to frustration. Simply, use tips two and three of this list to begin the process again. Also, try to determine what prevented you from reaching your due date so you can avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Remember, with any plan, the key is consistency. Your success solely depends on you. Unlike most people, you don't have a nagging boss telling you what to do and when (one of the many benefits of small business ownership) but it could also cause problems if you haven't learned to manage your time well. So maintain your positive outlook in order to reach your daily goals
First, whatever you are using as an organizer stick to it. A pocketsize organizer or palm pilot can do wonders. But they don't work on their own. They are only of use if you regularly enter your data and continuously review what you've entered.
Once you've decided which type of organizer will work best for you, begin the habit of entering tasks on a regular basis. For example, each Monday you could enter all new tasks that you know of for the upcoming few weeks. As the week progresses you may would add new tasks and remove completed ones. To truly make this system effective, you should begin and each day with a review of your tasks. This helps to keep you on schedule and minimizes the chances that you'll become overwhelmed with all you have to do as a small business owner.
Here are some steps you may want to take when creating and reviewing your weekly schedule:
Prioritize: Determine which tasks require your immediate attention and schedule your days accordingly.
Break down tasks: To ensure you reach your due dates, break down larger tasks. Breaking down tasks also works for any responsibilities that you may not be looking forward to such as collection or sales calls.
Reevaluate start and finish dates (keep them realistic): Enter realistic finish and start dates and work on completing your tasks a little each day.
Reward yourself: Rewarding yourself with a break or some other personal incentive can keep you motivated throughout the week.
Set limits: Determine how many hours per day you can devote to your small business. Schedule your daily task list accordingly.
Avoid negative thinking: If you miss a due date, it's not the end of the world nor is it a reason to succumb to frustration. Simply, use tips two and three of this list to begin the process again. Also, try to determine what prevented you from reaching your due date so you can avoid similar mistakes in the future.
Remember, with any plan, the key is consistency. Your success solely depends on you. Unlike most people, you don't have a nagging boss telling you what to do and when (one of the many benefits of small business ownership) but it could also cause problems if you haven't learned to manage your time well. So maintain your positive outlook in order to reach your daily goals
Could you use a “Stop Doing” list?
One of the tried and true organization and time-management tools is the trusty old “to do” list. I was trained to diligently put one together at the end of the day for the following day, and whatever tasks I failed to complete, to carry it forward. This system has worked well in helping me prioritize and focus. But I have also heard many of my colleagues complain about having too much on their list, and feeling very discouraged and overwhelmed by the sheer number of items on their “To Do” list. To help ease the overwhelm, I want to introduce the concept of the “Stop Doing” list.
I first read about the “Stop Doing” list in “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. He stated that one of the commonalities of the companies who were able to propel themselves from being just good to being great is that they all looked at what they were currently doing that they needed to Stop Doing. I am implementing this idea in a slightly different way, but I think a “Stop Doing” list can actually help your productivity and effectiveness.
So how do you decide what goes on your “Stop Doing” list? Here’s what I suggest you do.
For the next week or two, each time you work on your “to do” list (and if you are not using one currently, I strongly recommend you start), or blocking off time for specific tasks in you planner, ask yourself this question: “does this task add value or generate positive results for me and my organization?” If the answer is no, it should go right on top of your “Stop Doing” list.
If the answer is “yes”, ask yourself a second question: “am I the best person to do this task?” The first question tells you whether you can eliminate a task. This question tells you whether you can delegate a task. I know for solo-business people, you automatically think that you have no one to delegate any tasks to. But actually, that might not necessarily be true. Today, there is a whole network of virtual assistants who can handle a myriad of administrative work for you. Some accept work by the hour, and some accept work by the project. If you are interested in this resource, check out www.assistu.com
For some people, you may have to then overcome your resistance to delegating. I’ve heard many of the reasons. Do these sound familiar?
• “By the time I explain it to someone else, I could have done it myself.”
• “I can’t trust somebody else to do it right.”
• “It costs too much money.”
Some of these are completely legitimate concerns. However, before you dismiss the idea, consider the following:
• Is the task repetitive so that the up-front time investment to train someone is actually worth it 3 months down the road?
• Are you the most qualified person to complete the task, or could someone else do it in less time with less effort for better results?
• If you didn’t have to do the task, what would you choose to spend that time on, and what impact will that have on your business, or your life?
So, after considering these tough questions, add your delegated task to your “Stop Doing” list as well and send them elsewhere, and I guarantee you will feel better. Even though I wrote this article for people struggling with overload at work, the same approach can be applied to create a “Stop Doing” list for home. Think of the possibilities – you can delegate laundry, and cooking, and yard work, and cleaning, and what else?
Seriously, the current state of our lives is that there is generally too much to do and not enough time. So, go through this exercise at least once and see what you can shed from your “to do” list. If you like the results, then establish a routine and do this every 6 months or a year. The point is that you want to spend your time on high impact tasks, and work that you enjoy.
I first read about the “Stop Doing” list in “Good to Great” by Jim Collins. He stated that one of the commonalities of the companies who were able to propel themselves from being just good to being great is that they all looked at what they were currently doing that they needed to Stop Doing. I am implementing this idea in a slightly different way, but I think a “Stop Doing” list can actually help your productivity and effectiveness.
So how do you decide what goes on your “Stop Doing” list? Here’s what I suggest you do.
For the next week or two, each time you work on your “to do” list (and if you are not using one currently, I strongly recommend you start), or blocking off time for specific tasks in you planner, ask yourself this question: “does this task add value or generate positive results for me and my organization?” If the answer is no, it should go right on top of your “Stop Doing” list.
If the answer is “yes”, ask yourself a second question: “am I the best person to do this task?” The first question tells you whether you can eliminate a task. This question tells you whether you can delegate a task. I know for solo-business people, you automatically think that you have no one to delegate any tasks to. But actually, that might not necessarily be true. Today, there is a whole network of virtual assistants who can handle a myriad of administrative work for you. Some accept work by the hour, and some accept work by the project. If you are interested in this resource, check out www.assistu.com
For some people, you may have to then overcome your resistance to delegating. I’ve heard many of the reasons. Do these sound familiar?
• “By the time I explain it to someone else, I could have done it myself.”
• “I can’t trust somebody else to do it right.”
• “It costs too much money.”
Some of these are completely legitimate concerns. However, before you dismiss the idea, consider the following:
• Is the task repetitive so that the up-front time investment to train someone is actually worth it 3 months down the road?
• Are you the most qualified person to complete the task, or could someone else do it in less time with less effort for better results?
• If you didn’t have to do the task, what would you choose to spend that time on, and what impact will that have on your business, or your life?
So, after considering these tough questions, add your delegated task to your “Stop Doing” list as well and send them elsewhere, and I guarantee you will feel better. Even though I wrote this article for people struggling with overload at work, the same approach can be applied to create a “Stop Doing” list for home. Think of the possibilities – you can delegate laundry, and cooking, and yard work, and cleaning, and what else?
Seriously, the current state of our lives is that there is generally too much to do and not enough time. So, go through this exercise at least once and see what you can shed from your “to do” list. If you like the results, then establish a routine and do this every 6 months or a year. The point is that you want to spend your time on high impact tasks, and work that you enjoy.
Self-Limiting Beliefs: The Inner Enemies of Progress
By Oma Edoja
What are they?
Self-limiting beliefs are those things you believe about yourself that place limitations on your abilities. They may be conscious or unconscious. They may be founded or unfounded eg:
I am fat so no one will marry me, or
I am not lucky; I won’t get the job.
That you are fat may well be true. That no one will marry you as a result definitely isn’t. Some people prefer fat partners, and it’s the person inside that really matters. And luck isn’t the criterion for getting a job. You get jobs based on merit.
Limitations are actually a thing of the mind. In reality we have none. You can do anything if you make up your mind to do it. Determination always finds a way around obstacles. Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can…. or if you think you can’t…you’re right!” It all depends on what you believe about yourself.
How do they work?
Our thoughts and beliefs colour our vision and perception of the world. They determine our actions or inactions. Thoughts affect feelings. Feelings affect behaviour. Behaviour produces results (or the lack of them). It all begins with our thoughts, since we have to accept a thought for it to become a belief.
It’s been said that whatever you believe becomes your reality. You do not believe what you see; rather you see what you already believe. For this reason, two people facing the same situation may interpret it differently, act according to their different beliefs and experience different outcomes.
Self-limiting beliefs act like brakes on our progress. They leave us acting forward, but believing backward. They have been described as a malicious thermostat; you can take all the action you want, and in the right direction too. But anytime you make progress, the thermostat pulls you back to conform to your inner negative programming.
Attempting to move forward when you have backward programming is like expecting a photocopy to be different from the original. You’ve got to work on the original copy first, change the blue print, modify the DNA.
Your thoughts and beliefs are your programming. You cannot move beyond them. To get out of the vicious cycle of acting forward but believing backward you’ve got to identify these malicious thermostats, and eliminate them, consciously and continuously. Sometimes it’s a lifelong battle, but one that you can win each time.
What can I do about them?
Fortunately, you can get rid of self-limiting beliefs. But first you have to identify them. They could be lurking in the recesses of our minds without our awareness. Talking with a friend or consulting with a coach could give you more objective feedback as to their existence.
Once you have identified them, these limiting beliefs must be challenged every time they rear their heads. You must consciously reject any thought or suggestion that you are limited in any way. There is nothing you cannot do. You simply need to find the way and follow it to conclusion.
When self-limiting thoughts are starved of attention, they wither and die. Whatever you give attention to magnifies: whatever you do not attend to shrivels up and dies. Jim Rohn says it aptly: “You cannot take the mild approach to the weeds in your mental garden. You have got to hate weeds enough to kill them. Weeds are not something you handle; weeds are something you devastate.”
No one is better than you are. If others do better, it is simply because they have had more practise, more experience, and/or they know something that you don’t. And all this can be remedied. God made us equal. It’s what we build upon His initial investment that makes the difference.
Read what the experts have said about our beliefs:
• Belief always precedes action. -James Allen
(We won’t even attempt something unless we first believe we can accomplish it. No belief, no action, i.e. procrastination.)
• Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs. -Maxwell Maltz
• Once your thoughts reflect what you genuinely want to be, the appropriate emotions and the consequent behaviour will flow automatically. Believe it and you will see it. -Wayne Dyer
In a nut shell, you must control the thoughts that play around in your mind. Admit and nurture only those that enhance your positive programming and move you to your goals.
Possible sources
Limiting beliefs could come from the things people said to us and about us while we grew up. Now is the time to devastate these weeds. They could also come from listening to negative people, watching/listening to negative TV and radio programs, reading negative books and magazines, and repeatedly hearing negative song lyrics. Always be on the look-out for possible sources, not fearfully, but with the view to detect and devastate them.
A proactive approach
A better way to deal with self-limiting thoughts is to prevent them in the first place. Examining the list of sources above will give you an idea of where their opposites (self-empowering beliefs) can be found – in the opposite directions! If you spend time with wholesome people and material, this will build healthy, wholesome thought patterns. A mind that is girded with strong, empowering thoughts is in fit enough condition to resist invasion by these malicious, illegal aliens.
Invest in inspirational books, seminars, CDs etc. Engage in positive self-talk or affirmations. And just in case self-limiting thoughts slip through unnoticed, perform periodic “mind-sanitation exercises” where you do some self-evaluation. Sometimes a seminar attendance or listening to an audio program is what will alert you of this incursion.
I wish you all the best as you build a strong and healthy mind. Go forward and do all the things you thought you could not do, because now you know that you can.
What are they?
Self-limiting beliefs are those things you believe about yourself that place limitations on your abilities. They may be conscious or unconscious. They may be founded or unfounded eg:
I am fat so no one will marry me, or
I am not lucky; I won’t get the job.
That you are fat may well be true. That no one will marry you as a result definitely isn’t. Some people prefer fat partners, and it’s the person inside that really matters. And luck isn’t the criterion for getting a job. You get jobs based on merit.
Limitations are actually a thing of the mind. In reality we have none. You can do anything if you make up your mind to do it. Determination always finds a way around obstacles. Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can…. or if you think you can’t…you’re right!” It all depends on what you believe about yourself.
How do they work?
Our thoughts and beliefs colour our vision and perception of the world. They determine our actions or inactions. Thoughts affect feelings. Feelings affect behaviour. Behaviour produces results (or the lack of them). It all begins with our thoughts, since we have to accept a thought for it to become a belief.
It’s been said that whatever you believe becomes your reality. You do not believe what you see; rather you see what you already believe. For this reason, two people facing the same situation may interpret it differently, act according to their different beliefs and experience different outcomes.
Self-limiting beliefs act like brakes on our progress. They leave us acting forward, but believing backward. They have been described as a malicious thermostat; you can take all the action you want, and in the right direction too. But anytime you make progress, the thermostat pulls you back to conform to your inner negative programming.
Attempting to move forward when you have backward programming is like expecting a photocopy to be different from the original. You’ve got to work on the original copy first, change the blue print, modify the DNA.
Your thoughts and beliefs are your programming. You cannot move beyond them. To get out of the vicious cycle of acting forward but believing backward you’ve got to identify these malicious thermostats, and eliminate them, consciously and continuously. Sometimes it’s a lifelong battle, but one that you can win each time.
What can I do about them?
Fortunately, you can get rid of self-limiting beliefs. But first you have to identify them. They could be lurking in the recesses of our minds without our awareness. Talking with a friend or consulting with a coach could give you more objective feedback as to their existence.
Once you have identified them, these limiting beliefs must be challenged every time they rear their heads. You must consciously reject any thought or suggestion that you are limited in any way. There is nothing you cannot do. You simply need to find the way and follow it to conclusion.
When self-limiting thoughts are starved of attention, they wither and die. Whatever you give attention to magnifies: whatever you do not attend to shrivels up and dies. Jim Rohn says it aptly: “You cannot take the mild approach to the weeds in your mental garden. You have got to hate weeds enough to kill them. Weeds are not something you handle; weeds are something you devastate.”
No one is better than you are. If others do better, it is simply because they have had more practise, more experience, and/or they know something that you don’t. And all this can be remedied. God made us equal. It’s what we build upon His initial investment that makes the difference.
Read what the experts have said about our beliefs:
• Belief always precedes action. -James Allen
(We won’t even attempt something unless we first believe we can accomplish it. No belief, no action, i.e. procrastination.)
• Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs. -Maxwell Maltz
• Once your thoughts reflect what you genuinely want to be, the appropriate emotions and the consequent behaviour will flow automatically. Believe it and you will see it. -Wayne Dyer
In a nut shell, you must control the thoughts that play around in your mind. Admit and nurture only those that enhance your positive programming and move you to your goals.
Possible sources
Limiting beliefs could come from the things people said to us and about us while we grew up. Now is the time to devastate these weeds. They could also come from listening to negative people, watching/listening to negative TV and radio programs, reading negative books and magazines, and repeatedly hearing negative song lyrics. Always be on the look-out for possible sources, not fearfully, but with the view to detect and devastate them.
A proactive approach
A better way to deal with self-limiting thoughts is to prevent them in the first place. Examining the list of sources above will give you an idea of where their opposites (self-empowering beliefs) can be found – in the opposite directions! If you spend time with wholesome people and material, this will build healthy, wholesome thought patterns. A mind that is girded with strong, empowering thoughts is in fit enough condition to resist invasion by these malicious, illegal aliens.
Invest in inspirational books, seminars, CDs etc. Engage in positive self-talk or affirmations. And just in case self-limiting thoughts slip through unnoticed, perform periodic “mind-sanitation exercises” where you do some self-evaluation. Sometimes a seminar attendance or listening to an audio program is what will alert you of this incursion.
I wish you all the best as you build a strong and healthy mind. Go forward and do all the things you thought you could not do, because now you know that you can.
Saturday, January 03, 2009
The Formula For Failure And Success by Jim Rohn
Failure is not a single, cataclysmic event.
We do not fail overnight...
Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.
Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think that it matters.
On their own, our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn't result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.
If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past ninety days, this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives.
And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first ninety days, we repeat this error in judgment for another ninety days, and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn't seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!
Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter.
Those who smoke too much or drink too much go on making these poor choices year after year after year... because it doesn't seem to matter. But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time.
Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices - choices that didn't seem to matter.
Failure's most dangerous attribute is its subtlety. In the short term those little errors don't seem to make any difference. We do not seem to be failing.
In fact, sometimes these accumulated errors in judgment occur throughout a period of great joy and prosperity in our lives.
Since nothing terrible happens to us, since there are no instant consequences to capture our attention, we simply drift from one day to the next, repeating the errors, thinking the wrong thoughts, listening to the wrong voices and making the wrong choices.
The sky did not fall in on us yesterday; therefore the act was probably harmless. Since it seemed to have no measurable consequence, it is probably safe to repeat.
But we must become better educated than that!
If at the end of the day when we made our first error in judgment the sky had fallen in on us, we undoubtedly would have taken immediate steps to ensure that the act would never be repeated again.
Like the child who places his hand on a hot burner despite his parents' warnings, we would have had an instantaneous experience accompanying our error in judgment.
Unfortunately, failure does not shout out its warnings as our parents once did. This is why it is imperative to refine our philosophy in order to be able to make better choices.
With a powerful, personal philosophy guiding our every step, we become more aware of our errors in judgment and more aware that each error really does matter.
Now here is the great news. Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow: It's a few simple disciplines practiced every day.
Now here is an interesting question worth pondering: How can we change the errors in the formula for failure into the disciplines required in the formula for success? The answer is by making the future an important part of our current philosophy.
Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. If this is true, why don't more people take time to ponder the future?
The answer is simple: They are so caught up in the current moment that it doesn't seem to matter. The problems and the rewards of today are so absorbing to some human beings that they never pause long enough to think about tomorrow.
But what if we did develop a new discipline to take just a few minutes every day to look a little further down the road? We would then be able to foresee the impending consequences of our current conduct.
Armed with that valuable information, we would be able to take the necessary action to change our errors into new success- oriented disciplines.
In other words, by disciplining ourselves to see the future in advance, we would be able to change our thinking, amend our errors and develop new habits to replace the old.
One of the exciting things about the formula for success- A few simple disciplines practiced every day - is that the results are almost immediate.
As we voluntarily change daily errors into daily disciplines, we experience positive results in a very short period of time. When we change our diet, our health improves noticeably in just a few weeks.
When we start exercising, we feel a new vitality almost immediately. When we begin reading, we experience a growing awareness and a new level of self-confidence.
Whatever new discipline we begin to practice daily will produce exciting results that will drive us to become even better at developing new disciplines.
The real magic of new disciplines is that they will cause us to amend our thinking. If we were to start today to read the books, keep a journal, attend the classes, listen more and observe more, then today would be the first day of a new life leading to a better future.
If we were to start today to try harder, and in every way make a conscious and consistent effort to change subtle and deadly errors into constructive and rewarding disciplines, we would never again settle for a life of existence – not once we have tasted the fruits of a life of substance!
We do not fail overnight...
Failure is the inevitable result of an accumulation of poor thinking and poor choices. To put it more simply, failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day.
Now why would someone make an error in judgment and then be so foolish as to repeat it every day? The answer is because he or she does not think that it matters.
On their own, our daily acts do not seem that important. A minor oversight, a poor decision, or a wasted hour generally doesn't result in an instant and measurable impact. More often than not, we escape from any immediate consequences of our deeds.
If we have not bothered to read a single book in the past ninety days, this lack of discipline does not seem to have any immediate impact on our lives.
And since nothing drastic happened to us after the first ninety days, we repeat this error in judgment for another ninety days, and on and on it goes. Why? Because it doesn't seem to matter. And herein lies the great danger. Far worse than not reading the books is not even realizing that it matters!
Those who eat too many of the wrong foods are contributing to a future health problem, but the joy of the moment overshadows the consequence of the future. It does not seem to matter.
Those who smoke too much or drink too much go on making these poor choices year after year after year... because it doesn't seem to matter. But the pain and regret of these errors in judgment have only been delayed for a future time.
Consequences are seldom instant; instead, they accumulate until the inevitable day of reckoning finally arrives and the price must be paid for our poor choices - choices that didn't seem to matter.
Failure's most dangerous attribute is its subtlety. In the short term those little errors don't seem to make any difference. We do not seem to be failing.
In fact, sometimes these accumulated errors in judgment occur throughout a period of great joy and prosperity in our lives.
Since nothing terrible happens to us, since there are no instant consequences to capture our attention, we simply drift from one day to the next, repeating the errors, thinking the wrong thoughts, listening to the wrong voices and making the wrong choices.
The sky did not fall in on us yesterday; therefore the act was probably harmless. Since it seemed to have no measurable consequence, it is probably safe to repeat.
But we must become better educated than that!
If at the end of the day when we made our first error in judgment the sky had fallen in on us, we undoubtedly would have taken immediate steps to ensure that the act would never be repeated again.
Like the child who places his hand on a hot burner despite his parents' warnings, we would have had an instantaneous experience accompanying our error in judgment.
Unfortunately, failure does not shout out its warnings as our parents once did. This is why it is imperative to refine our philosophy in order to be able to make better choices.
With a powerful, personal philosophy guiding our every step, we become more aware of our errors in judgment and more aware that each error really does matter.
Now here is the great news. Just like the formula for failure, the formula for success is easy to follow: It's a few simple disciplines practiced every day.
Now here is an interesting question worth pondering: How can we change the errors in the formula for failure into the disciplines required in the formula for success? The answer is by making the future an important part of our current philosophy.
Both success and failure involve future consequences, namely the inevitable rewards or unavoidable regrets resulting from past activities. If this is true, why don't more people take time to ponder the future?
The answer is simple: They are so caught up in the current moment that it doesn't seem to matter. The problems and the rewards of today are so absorbing to some human beings that they never pause long enough to think about tomorrow.
But what if we did develop a new discipline to take just a few minutes every day to look a little further down the road? We would then be able to foresee the impending consequences of our current conduct.
Armed with that valuable information, we would be able to take the necessary action to change our errors into new success- oriented disciplines.
In other words, by disciplining ourselves to see the future in advance, we would be able to change our thinking, amend our errors and develop new habits to replace the old.
One of the exciting things about the formula for success- A few simple disciplines practiced every day - is that the results are almost immediate.
As we voluntarily change daily errors into daily disciplines, we experience positive results in a very short period of time. When we change our diet, our health improves noticeably in just a few weeks.
When we start exercising, we feel a new vitality almost immediately. When we begin reading, we experience a growing awareness and a new level of self-confidence.
Whatever new discipline we begin to practice daily will produce exciting results that will drive us to become even better at developing new disciplines.
The real magic of new disciplines is that they will cause us to amend our thinking. If we were to start today to read the books, keep a journal, attend the classes, listen more and observe more, then today would be the first day of a new life leading to a better future.
If we were to start today to try harder, and in every way make a conscious and consistent effort to change subtle and deadly errors into constructive and rewarding disciplines, we would never again settle for a life of existence – not once we have tasted the fruits of a life of substance!
Transforming Bad Habits
by Brain Tracy
Your habits have been developed from early childhood as the result of things that you have chosen to do, or not to do.
Your entire life is the result of your past choices and decisions.
And like all of us, you probably have some bad habits that have held you back from your true potential.
But here’s the good news: Since you are always free to choose, you can make new choices and decisions today that will determine what happens to you in the future.
One of your main objectives in life is to develop new habits and make them your masters, while at the same time overriding and setting aside old habits that may be interfering with your progress.
You have two major types of habits. You have habits that revolve around your desires and you have habits that revolve around your fears.
The habits that revolve around your desires for health, happiness, financial independence, and success are life-enhancing. They are the habits that have brought you the success you enjoy today.
The habits that revolve around your fears, on the other hand, act as brakes on your potential. They hold you back. They interfere with your success. They trip you up on a regular basis. They cause you to sell yourself short and settle for far less than your potential.
Dr. Martin Seligman, in his book, Learned Optimism, wrote about the chief psychological phenomenon of modern life. He called it “learned helplessness.”
Based on his 25 years of research, he discovered that virtually every person has one or more areas where they feel helpless and unable to do something that they really want to do.
Seligman’s research demonstrated how animals can be trained to feel that they are helpless. In one example, he put a dog into a cage with a glass wall in the middle that separated the dog from a bowl of food.
The dog was hungry and tried to get at the food but kept banging his nose on the glass. After several hours, Seligman removed the glass. And what happened then? The dog, who was still hungry, sat only a few inches away from the food and never even attempted to eat it.
The dog had learned to feel helpless. The dog had become so convinced that he was incapable of getting to the food that even when the obstacles were removed, he just sat there with his stomach growling.
There are dozens of experiments like this. In every case, it is clear that animals, and human beings for that matter, learn to feel helpless. They develop habits of thought that hold them back from reaching their full potential.
If someone were to tell you that you could learn to type 30, 40, or 50 words per minute by taking a typing course and practicing an hour each day for the next few months, you would shrug your shoulders and say, “Of course!”
Everybody knows that you can acquire a particular physical skill by learning how it is done and then repeating it over and over again until it becomes automatic.
But when it comes to mental habit patterns, most people are a little baffled. They don’t realize that you can learn mental habit patterns by following exactly the same process that you would use to learn physical habit patterns.
And mental habit patterns will have a far greater impact on your life and happiness than any physical habit pattern ever could.
Once you have recognized the old, negative habit patterns that do not serve your purposes, you can determine what new habit patterns you would like to adopt. Begin this process by looking around and determining the people that you admire the most, both living and dead.
Ask yourself: What qualities do they have? Which of their characteristics do you most wish to have for yourself? Then make a plan to incorporate those ideal habits into your own character and personality.
You know that you can shape a piece of clay into any desired form. You can also shape your own character and personality by simply deciding to do so. I won’t say that it is easy.
Changing your beliefs and attitudes about yourself is one of the most difficult undertakings you will ever face. But it is definitely possible and achievable if you dedicate the necessary time and effort.
How long does it take to develop a new habit pattern? It depends on how complex the habit pattern is. You can develop a simple habit pattern in 14 to 21 days.
For example, if you want to begin getting up half an hour earlier so that you can plan and organize your day, it might take just two to three weeks to develop the habit.
If you want to develop a new habit pattern of behavior that does deeper into your character, it might take several months or even a year or more.
The most important point is that, no matter how long it takes, the end result is achievable if you are really determined.
The habits of success have been studied by the great thinkers and philosophers for at least 2,500 years. After personally studying the subject for more than 30 years, I have found that the very best people have the very best habits.
Based on these findings, I have identified seven habits that you need to develop if you want to perform at your very maximum in everything you do.
The first is goal orientation. You need to become a habitual goal setter, and dedicate yourself to working from clear, written goals every day of your life.
The second habit you need to develop for success is result orientation. Result orientation is made up of two practices.
The first is the practice of continuously learning so that you become better at what you do.
The second practice is that of time management, which means setting very clear priorities on what you do and then concentrating single-mindedly on the most valuable use of your time.
The third major habit you need to develop is that of action orientation. This is really the most important habit for material success. It is the ability to get on with the job and get it done fast.
Fast tempo in whatever you do is essential to your success. You need to overcome procrastination, push aside your fears and launch 100% toward the achievement of your most important goals.
The fourth habit you need is people orientation. This is your decision to cultivate within yourself the habits of patience, kindness, compassion, and understanding.
Virtually all of your happiness in life will come from your ability to get along well with other people. And getting along well with other people is based on a set of habits that you have learned, or failed to learn, from childhood.
But it is never too late to become a wonderful human being in your relationships with other. The more you practice being a truly excellent person in your relationship with others, the more you will internalize those qualities and actually become that person.
The fifth habit you need for great success is health orientation. This means that you must make a conscious effort to eat the right foods in the right proportions. You must exercise on a regular basis, continually using every muscle and joint of your body to keep it young and fit.
And finally, you must have regular habits of rest and recreation that will enable you, in combination with diet and exercise, to live a long, full life.
Remember, your health is the single most important thing you have, and it is completely dependent upon the habits you develop with regard to the way you live.
The sixth habit is an orientation toward honesty and integrity. In the final analysis, the character you develop as you go through life is more important than virtually anything else.
Honesty means that you practice the “reality principle” in everything you do. You are completely objective with yourself and with the world around you. You set very clear values for yourself and you organize your life around your values.
You develop a vision for yourself and then you life your life consistent with your highest ideals. You never compromise your integrity or peace of mind for anyone or anything. This attitude of honesty will enable you to enjoy all of the other success habits that you are developing.
The seventh habit, the one habit that guarantees all the others, is that of self-discipline. Your ability to discipline yourself, to master yourself, to control yourself, goes hand in hand with success in every area of life.
My favorite definition of self-discipline comes from Elbert Hubbard. He said, “Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”
Every one of these habits, goal orientation, result orientation, action orientation, people orientation, health orientation, honesty, and self-discipline can be developed.
The following is a seven step method you can use to internalize any habit or group of habits that you want to make a permanent part of your character and personality.
1. Decide clearly on the new habit. Write it down as a goal in the form of a present tense, personal, positive affirmation.
For example, if you want to develop the habit of self-discipline, you write, “I am an extremely well-disciplined individual in everything I do.”
2. Repeat your affirmation as often as possible, and with as much enthusiasm and conviction as possible.
The more times you repeat this command, the more likely it is that your subconscious mind will ultimately accept it and begin to adjust your thoughts, words, and behaviors to be consistent with it.
3. Visualize yourself as if you already had the new habit pattern. Imagine yourself as already being exactly the person that you want to become in the future.
Remember, your subconscious mind is activated and programmed by mental pictures. All improvement in your life and character begin with an improvement in your mental pictures. Use visualization on a regular basis in conjunction with your positive affirmations.
4. Emotionalize the affirmation and the visualization. Take a few minutes each day to actually experience the feeling of being the excellent, outstanding human being that you have decided to become.
5. Launch into your new habit with conviction. Assume the role, acting as if you had been hired to perform this role in a movie or play. The more you behave exactly as if you already had the habit, the more you actually become the person that you desire to be.
6. Tell others that you have decided to develop this habit. When you tell others, you motivate and encourage yourself. You also force yourself to consistently act in accordance with your new resolutions because you know that others are watching.
7. Continually review your progress on a day-to-day basis. When Benjamin Franklin developed his own process for character formation, he would review his behavior every single day to see if he was living consistent with the values that he had determined were important.
You can do the same thing. At the end of every day, do a brief recap of your behavior during the day relative to the values and habits you are trying to develop. Give yourself points when you are strong, and be patient with yourself when you slip from time to time.
The most important keys to developing new habit patterns are patience, determination, and persistence. When you begin to change yourself, you will find that it is not particularly easy. But it is possible if you continue to work at it.
You can take complete control over the shaping of your character and personality, and everything that happens to you in the future, by making the decision, right now, to define and develop the habits that will lead you to great success.
And when you develop the habits possessed by other successful people, you will enjoy an equal, if not greater, level of success.
Your habits have been developed from early childhood as the result of things that you have chosen to do, or not to do.
Your entire life is the result of your past choices and decisions.
And like all of us, you probably have some bad habits that have held you back from your true potential.
But here’s the good news: Since you are always free to choose, you can make new choices and decisions today that will determine what happens to you in the future.
One of your main objectives in life is to develop new habits and make them your masters, while at the same time overriding and setting aside old habits that may be interfering with your progress.
You have two major types of habits. You have habits that revolve around your desires and you have habits that revolve around your fears.
The habits that revolve around your desires for health, happiness, financial independence, and success are life-enhancing. They are the habits that have brought you the success you enjoy today.
The habits that revolve around your fears, on the other hand, act as brakes on your potential. They hold you back. They interfere with your success. They trip you up on a regular basis. They cause you to sell yourself short and settle for far less than your potential.
Dr. Martin Seligman, in his book, Learned Optimism, wrote about the chief psychological phenomenon of modern life. He called it “learned helplessness.”
Based on his 25 years of research, he discovered that virtually every person has one or more areas where they feel helpless and unable to do something that they really want to do.
Seligman’s research demonstrated how animals can be trained to feel that they are helpless. In one example, he put a dog into a cage with a glass wall in the middle that separated the dog from a bowl of food.
The dog was hungry and tried to get at the food but kept banging his nose on the glass. After several hours, Seligman removed the glass. And what happened then? The dog, who was still hungry, sat only a few inches away from the food and never even attempted to eat it.
The dog had learned to feel helpless. The dog had become so convinced that he was incapable of getting to the food that even when the obstacles were removed, he just sat there with his stomach growling.
There are dozens of experiments like this. In every case, it is clear that animals, and human beings for that matter, learn to feel helpless. They develop habits of thought that hold them back from reaching their full potential.
If someone were to tell you that you could learn to type 30, 40, or 50 words per minute by taking a typing course and practicing an hour each day for the next few months, you would shrug your shoulders and say, “Of course!”
Everybody knows that you can acquire a particular physical skill by learning how it is done and then repeating it over and over again until it becomes automatic.
But when it comes to mental habit patterns, most people are a little baffled. They don’t realize that you can learn mental habit patterns by following exactly the same process that you would use to learn physical habit patterns.
And mental habit patterns will have a far greater impact on your life and happiness than any physical habit pattern ever could.
Once you have recognized the old, negative habit patterns that do not serve your purposes, you can determine what new habit patterns you would like to adopt. Begin this process by looking around and determining the people that you admire the most, both living and dead.
Ask yourself: What qualities do they have? Which of their characteristics do you most wish to have for yourself? Then make a plan to incorporate those ideal habits into your own character and personality.
You know that you can shape a piece of clay into any desired form. You can also shape your own character and personality by simply deciding to do so. I won’t say that it is easy.
Changing your beliefs and attitudes about yourself is one of the most difficult undertakings you will ever face. But it is definitely possible and achievable if you dedicate the necessary time and effort.
How long does it take to develop a new habit pattern? It depends on how complex the habit pattern is. You can develop a simple habit pattern in 14 to 21 days.
For example, if you want to begin getting up half an hour earlier so that you can plan and organize your day, it might take just two to three weeks to develop the habit.
If you want to develop a new habit pattern of behavior that does deeper into your character, it might take several months or even a year or more.
The most important point is that, no matter how long it takes, the end result is achievable if you are really determined.
The habits of success have been studied by the great thinkers and philosophers for at least 2,500 years. After personally studying the subject for more than 30 years, I have found that the very best people have the very best habits.
Based on these findings, I have identified seven habits that you need to develop if you want to perform at your very maximum in everything you do.
The first is goal orientation. You need to become a habitual goal setter, and dedicate yourself to working from clear, written goals every day of your life.
The second habit you need to develop for success is result orientation. Result orientation is made up of two practices.
The first is the practice of continuously learning so that you become better at what you do.
The second practice is that of time management, which means setting very clear priorities on what you do and then concentrating single-mindedly on the most valuable use of your time.
The third major habit you need to develop is that of action orientation. This is really the most important habit for material success. It is the ability to get on with the job and get it done fast.
Fast tempo in whatever you do is essential to your success. You need to overcome procrastination, push aside your fears and launch 100% toward the achievement of your most important goals.
The fourth habit you need is people orientation. This is your decision to cultivate within yourself the habits of patience, kindness, compassion, and understanding.
Virtually all of your happiness in life will come from your ability to get along well with other people. And getting along well with other people is based on a set of habits that you have learned, or failed to learn, from childhood.
But it is never too late to become a wonderful human being in your relationships with other. The more you practice being a truly excellent person in your relationship with others, the more you will internalize those qualities and actually become that person.
The fifth habit you need for great success is health orientation. This means that you must make a conscious effort to eat the right foods in the right proportions. You must exercise on a regular basis, continually using every muscle and joint of your body to keep it young and fit.
And finally, you must have regular habits of rest and recreation that will enable you, in combination with diet and exercise, to live a long, full life.
Remember, your health is the single most important thing you have, and it is completely dependent upon the habits you develop with regard to the way you live.
The sixth habit is an orientation toward honesty and integrity. In the final analysis, the character you develop as you go through life is more important than virtually anything else.
Honesty means that you practice the “reality principle” in everything you do. You are completely objective with yourself and with the world around you. You set very clear values for yourself and you organize your life around your values.
You develop a vision for yourself and then you life your life consistent with your highest ideals. You never compromise your integrity or peace of mind for anyone or anything. This attitude of honesty will enable you to enjoy all of the other success habits that you are developing.
The seventh habit, the one habit that guarantees all the others, is that of self-discipline. Your ability to discipline yourself, to master yourself, to control yourself, goes hand in hand with success in every area of life.
My favorite definition of self-discipline comes from Elbert Hubbard. He said, “Self-discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not.”
Every one of these habits, goal orientation, result orientation, action orientation, people orientation, health orientation, honesty, and self-discipline can be developed.
The following is a seven step method you can use to internalize any habit or group of habits that you want to make a permanent part of your character and personality.
1. Decide clearly on the new habit. Write it down as a goal in the form of a present tense, personal, positive affirmation.
For example, if you want to develop the habit of self-discipline, you write, “I am an extremely well-disciplined individual in everything I do.”
2. Repeat your affirmation as often as possible, and with as much enthusiasm and conviction as possible.
The more times you repeat this command, the more likely it is that your subconscious mind will ultimately accept it and begin to adjust your thoughts, words, and behaviors to be consistent with it.
3. Visualize yourself as if you already had the new habit pattern. Imagine yourself as already being exactly the person that you want to become in the future.
Remember, your subconscious mind is activated and programmed by mental pictures. All improvement in your life and character begin with an improvement in your mental pictures. Use visualization on a regular basis in conjunction with your positive affirmations.
4. Emotionalize the affirmation and the visualization. Take a few minutes each day to actually experience the feeling of being the excellent, outstanding human being that you have decided to become.
5. Launch into your new habit with conviction. Assume the role, acting as if you had been hired to perform this role in a movie or play. The more you behave exactly as if you already had the habit, the more you actually become the person that you desire to be.
6. Tell others that you have decided to develop this habit. When you tell others, you motivate and encourage yourself. You also force yourself to consistently act in accordance with your new resolutions because you know that others are watching.
7. Continually review your progress on a day-to-day basis. When Benjamin Franklin developed his own process for character formation, he would review his behavior every single day to see if he was living consistent with the values that he had determined were important.
You can do the same thing. At the end of every day, do a brief recap of your behavior during the day relative to the values and habits you are trying to develop. Give yourself points when you are strong, and be patient with yourself when you slip from time to time.
The most important keys to developing new habit patterns are patience, determination, and persistence. When you begin to change yourself, you will find that it is not particularly easy. But it is possible if you continue to work at it.
You can take complete control over the shaping of your character and personality, and everything that happens to you in the future, by making the decision, right now, to define and develop the habits that will lead you to great success.
And when you develop the habits possessed by other successful people, you will enjoy an equal, if not greater, level of success.
Principles of Personal Growth
If you ask the average person what they want to change about themselves or their lifestyle, they can no doubt give you a long list of things that jump out in their mind. But what happens next? What do people do with that list of things they want to change or modify? Do they continue to carry that list around in their heads, weighing them down, keeping them stuck in a rut where nothing is happening or changing?
A self-assessment of our life and who we are is certainly necessary for personal growth and development, but the process doesn't stop there. Once we have identified the areas in our life that need improvement, we have to become not only very intentional about seeking change, but we must have a plan on how we will obtain that change or achieve that goal.
I have created the DIVINE Principles of Personal Growth. These elements reflect what I believe to be the core of achieving success in your life and will help you become unstuck in your life. The six principles of personal growth are derived from the word 'Divine,' which I have created into an acronym.
Principle #1: Determination - One of the surest ways to become unstuck in your life is to be determined to achieve the things you desire. If you're hungry for success, hungry for change, that determination will help fuel your motivation to see the results you desire. If you want something bad enough, you will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.
Principle #2: Inspiration - Why do you want what you want? What is inspiring you to seek the growth you desire? If you are seeking something because someone has told you to do so, then you might want to re-evaluate that to determine if that is truly what you want. If it is not what you want, you need to decide where your own inspiration comes from and move in that direction for your real inspiration.
Principle #3: Vision - You must have vision. If you have no vision, how will you know what you are trying to accomplish in your life? Vision gives you a picture or blueprint of what you are striving for, your intended destination. Vision keeps you focused and on task by providing you some sense of direction.
Principle #4: Initiative - As much as we would like things to just happen or fall from the sky, the reality is that life doesn't work that way. No amount of determination, inspiration or vision is going to produce any results in your life UNLESS you take some initiative in your life. If that means asking for help, doing some research or whatever it is that you need to do in order to move forward, you have to take action. Even if it is only one small step or action, it's a start.
Principle #5: Network - Every successful person did not obtain success on their own. They networked and connected with other successful people and people who could assist them in their endeavors. If you don't tell people what you are doing or what you are trying to accomplish in your life, you might not discover the human resources available to you. Network! Create strategic partnerships. Create a support system for yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance.
Principle #6: Edify - This principle is by far one of the most important principles of personal growth. You must learn how to edify yourself by reaffirming your value and importance, by ridding yourself of your negative and limiting beliefs. While it is certainly great to have others edify you, there may be a time when that is not happening. When that occurs, rather than give up or lose sight, you must be able to strengthen and affirm yourself.
Personal growth is a continuous journey in life, filled with endless self-discoveries and experiences. Never hesitate or be afraid to change what is not working in your life. If you establish core principles in your life that will keep you on the right track of your life, you will not allow yourself to become stuck!
A self-assessment of our life and who we are is certainly necessary for personal growth and development, but the process doesn't stop there. Once we have identified the areas in our life that need improvement, we have to become not only very intentional about seeking change, but we must have a plan on how we will obtain that change or achieve that goal.
I have created the DIVINE Principles of Personal Growth. These elements reflect what I believe to be the core of achieving success in your life and will help you become unstuck in your life. The six principles of personal growth are derived from the word 'Divine,' which I have created into an acronym.
Principle #1: Determination - One of the surest ways to become unstuck in your life is to be determined to achieve the things you desire. If you're hungry for success, hungry for change, that determination will help fuel your motivation to see the results you desire. If you want something bad enough, you will stop at nothing to achieve that goal.
Principle #2: Inspiration - Why do you want what you want? What is inspiring you to seek the growth you desire? If you are seeking something because someone has told you to do so, then you might want to re-evaluate that to determine if that is truly what you want. If it is not what you want, you need to decide where your own inspiration comes from and move in that direction for your real inspiration.
Principle #3: Vision - You must have vision. If you have no vision, how will you know what you are trying to accomplish in your life? Vision gives you a picture or blueprint of what you are striving for, your intended destination. Vision keeps you focused and on task by providing you some sense of direction.
Principle #4: Initiative - As much as we would like things to just happen or fall from the sky, the reality is that life doesn't work that way. No amount of determination, inspiration or vision is going to produce any results in your life UNLESS you take some initiative in your life. If that means asking for help, doing some research or whatever it is that you need to do in order to move forward, you have to take action. Even if it is only one small step or action, it's a start.
Principle #5: Network - Every successful person did not obtain success on their own. They networked and connected with other successful people and people who could assist them in their endeavors. If you don't tell people what you are doing or what you are trying to accomplish in your life, you might not discover the human resources available to you. Network! Create strategic partnerships. Create a support system for yourself. Don't be afraid to ask for assistance.
Principle #6: Edify - This principle is by far one of the most important principles of personal growth. You must learn how to edify yourself by reaffirming your value and importance, by ridding yourself of your negative and limiting beliefs. While it is certainly great to have others edify you, there may be a time when that is not happening. When that occurs, rather than give up or lose sight, you must be able to strengthen and affirm yourself.
Personal growth is a continuous journey in life, filled with endless self-discoveries and experiences. Never hesitate or be afraid to change what is not working in your life. If you establish core principles in your life that will keep you on the right track of your life, you will not allow yourself to become stuck!
Strategies For Improving Your Relationships, Health, and Productivity in 2009
As we quickly approach a new year we are all reflecting on the past and our goals for the future.
Many thoughts and questions come to mind.
How can you become more efficient? How can you save time on one task to gain more time, and money? What do I need to do to get that nice new car? What do you need to do to look better or lose more weight?
How can you improve your relationships and make your spouse love you more? How can you be more like the Jones family down the street who seem to have their act together.
We all are guilty of judging our own success by comparing ourselves to others. Friends, there is not a single person out there better than you, as a human being, if you are not hurting people, or involved in criminal activity and doing the best that you can at what you do.
The most important goals we can set for ourselves are those that help us achieve satisfaction with life.
Take the time, as you write down your resolutions for the new year, to see if the following thoughts fit into your game plan for the coming year.
1. Visualize How You Want Your Life To Be - take the time every day to relax and think about what you want. Visualize how you see yourself. What you are doing, what you are wearing, who you hang out with. Change how you dress if that makes you feel better about yourself. See yourself as someone with endless energy and ready to conquer the world or at least your next task. Feel good about yourself.
2. Learn Something New Everyday- keep reading, researching, and brainstorming. Just reading something of interest may turn on a light that gives you an idea or answer to an issue you have been pondering.
3. Interact With Positive People- if your friends are negative they will bring you down. There are people who find something wrong with any experience, or idea that comes their way. These people may be members of your own family. Make it a goal to network and make friends with positive people that have similar interest to your own. Those are the people that will keep you motivated when things do not seem to be going as planned.
4. Enjoy The Simple Things- take the time to enjoy the things you like to do. What kind of life is it to only focus on what you think others expect from you. Take the time to smell the roses.
5. Laugh A lot- this is the cheapest, safest form of therapy anyone can have. Laughing helps you forget your troubles, decreases stress, and stimulates the release of endorphins, which are the bodies natural pain killers.
6. Make Fitness A Part Of Your Life- if you do not focus and take care of yourself what good will you be to others? Exercising decreases stress, helps clear mental cloudiness, relaxes you, improves your morale, and helps you be more productive. You will enjoy life, your work, be more pleasant to be around and increase your chances of living a longer and healthier life.
7. Stay Healthy- you should make educating yourself on what is considered optimal health a life long goal. Take the time to learn what your ideal weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol should be. Know and understand what illness you may be at risk for based upon your life style, family history, and habits. You may think that is your doctors problem, but in reality you are ultimately responsible for your own health. The most important thing you can do for yourself and loved ones is doing your part to understand your health so that you can live a longer and more productive life. If there are health problems that need addressed, approach them one at a time, unless it is something potentially life threatening.
8. Be Happy- if you are unhappy you must look inside to determine what keeps you in that state of mind. There is no question that financial, health, relationship, and others problems can weigh so heavily on you that it is hard to see the joy in any aspect of your life. Life and the issues that go with it can be overwhelming. If you are having trouble seeing light at the end of the tunnel talk to someone about your problems. Sometimes just hearing another person's perspective on something will improve your outlook and give you direction. Do not hesitate to seek professional counseling if things do not seem to be turning around. Some of the brightest and most successful people have a therapist to help them keep things in check. Try to look inside yourself and find what you need to bring you happiness. Try to find inside yourself what would make you happy if you were never being able to change your current relationships, financial situation, or social status. I am sure there are others that would agree that having more than enough money, the biggest house, the nicest car, etc. does not ultimately bring more happiness. These things all come with there own set of headaches. Financial security does provide you with more opportunities, but not true happiness. This is not intended to give you an excuse for not trying to make changes, but to encourage you to look deeper for what you need in life to make you feel content and happy.
9. Manage Your Stress- we are all unique in how we respond to stressful situations in life. You must find ways to help relieve stress even if you only allow yourself 5 minutes per day. Failure to manage your stress will impact all aspects of your life in a negative way. Offer to help someone out, so that they can take a stress relieving break. They will more than likely be happy to return the favor.
10. Take A Worry Break- constantly worrying about all of life's issues can paralyze you. It can lead to procrastination in all aspects of your life. If you are constantly worrying about things take the time to write them all down. Then look at each one and determine if there is something or someone that could help remove that worry. Letting someone else help you deal with issues that are overwhelming will allow you to focus on more important things in your life in a more productive way. It could be something as simple as letting someone else deal with phone calls from bill collectors that you find yourself avoiding. It may be hard to do and require some practice, but give yourself 5 or 10 minutes per day, to just worry about the things that are on your mind.Then get back to focusing on more important task that will help bring back the joy in your life.
11. Teach Something- we all have unique experiences, knowledge, and wisdom that will benefit another. Keep learning then pass it on. The best way to keep feeling young is to feel useful. Make it your goal, for the new year, to pass along something useful to someone that expresses an interest in your interest.
No matter what your game, if you are doing the best that you can, then that should be good enough. If you want to find contentment and happiness you must not allow your satisfaction in life to revolve around how someone else is living or doing things. If you are making a living, taking care of your family, and being a good parent then no one can or has the right to say they are better than you.
If you are not happy with your performance then look at how others are doing something similar to what you are currently focusing your time on. Study their methods and then modify your system until you feel things are good enough. Watching and learning how others perform certain task or conduct their lives does not make them a better person, they may be just performing a similar thing differently or more efficiently.
This could be applied to anyone. It doesn't matter if your game is being a parent, teaching second grade, a physician, nurse, pumping gas, or running the most powerful country in the world. There will always be someone that does it a little better or different than you do. That makes them an opportunity for you to learn from and fine tune your skills.
I speculate that future wealth will not be reflected by our checking account balance, but in the value we provide to others through networking and just being a good person.
No matter how small or unbelievable your goals may be for 2009, make it your mission to share something of value with another. Those things that you consider trivial may be just what is needed to change your world and the world of those around you.
by Curtis Mcelroy - an internal medicine physician with an interest in health and wellness, anti-aging, fitness, weight loss, self improvement, and motivation.
Many thoughts and questions come to mind.
How can you become more efficient? How can you save time on one task to gain more time, and money? What do I need to do to get that nice new car? What do you need to do to look better or lose more weight?
How can you improve your relationships and make your spouse love you more? How can you be more like the Jones family down the street who seem to have their act together.
We all are guilty of judging our own success by comparing ourselves to others. Friends, there is not a single person out there better than you, as a human being, if you are not hurting people, or involved in criminal activity and doing the best that you can at what you do.
The most important goals we can set for ourselves are those that help us achieve satisfaction with life.
Take the time, as you write down your resolutions for the new year, to see if the following thoughts fit into your game plan for the coming year.
1. Visualize How You Want Your Life To Be - take the time every day to relax and think about what you want. Visualize how you see yourself. What you are doing, what you are wearing, who you hang out with. Change how you dress if that makes you feel better about yourself. See yourself as someone with endless energy and ready to conquer the world or at least your next task. Feel good about yourself.
2. Learn Something New Everyday- keep reading, researching, and brainstorming. Just reading something of interest may turn on a light that gives you an idea or answer to an issue you have been pondering.
3. Interact With Positive People- if your friends are negative they will bring you down. There are people who find something wrong with any experience, or idea that comes their way. These people may be members of your own family. Make it a goal to network and make friends with positive people that have similar interest to your own. Those are the people that will keep you motivated when things do not seem to be going as planned.
4. Enjoy The Simple Things- take the time to enjoy the things you like to do. What kind of life is it to only focus on what you think others expect from you. Take the time to smell the roses.
5. Laugh A lot- this is the cheapest, safest form of therapy anyone can have. Laughing helps you forget your troubles, decreases stress, and stimulates the release of endorphins, which are the bodies natural pain killers.
6. Make Fitness A Part Of Your Life- if you do not focus and take care of yourself what good will you be to others? Exercising decreases stress, helps clear mental cloudiness, relaxes you, improves your morale, and helps you be more productive. You will enjoy life, your work, be more pleasant to be around and increase your chances of living a longer and healthier life.
7. Stay Healthy- you should make educating yourself on what is considered optimal health a life long goal. Take the time to learn what your ideal weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol should be. Know and understand what illness you may be at risk for based upon your life style, family history, and habits. You may think that is your doctors problem, but in reality you are ultimately responsible for your own health. The most important thing you can do for yourself and loved ones is doing your part to understand your health so that you can live a longer and more productive life. If there are health problems that need addressed, approach them one at a time, unless it is something potentially life threatening.
8. Be Happy- if you are unhappy you must look inside to determine what keeps you in that state of mind. There is no question that financial, health, relationship, and others problems can weigh so heavily on you that it is hard to see the joy in any aspect of your life. Life and the issues that go with it can be overwhelming. If you are having trouble seeing light at the end of the tunnel talk to someone about your problems. Sometimes just hearing another person's perspective on something will improve your outlook and give you direction. Do not hesitate to seek professional counseling if things do not seem to be turning around. Some of the brightest and most successful people have a therapist to help them keep things in check. Try to look inside yourself and find what you need to bring you happiness. Try to find inside yourself what would make you happy if you were never being able to change your current relationships, financial situation, or social status. I am sure there are others that would agree that having more than enough money, the biggest house, the nicest car, etc. does not ultimately bring more happiness. These things all come with there own set of headaches. Financial security does provide you with more opportunities, but not true happiness. This is not intended to give you an excuse for not trying to make changes, but to encourage you to look deeper for what you need in life to make you feel content and happy.
9. Manage Your Stress- we are all unique in how we respond to stressful situations in life. You must find ways to help relieve stress even if you only allow yourself 5 minutes per day. Failure to manage your stress will impact all aspects of your life in a negative way. Offer to help someone out, so that they can take a stress relieving break. They will more than likely be happy to return the favor.
10. Take A Worry Break- constantly worrying about all of life's issues can paralyze you. It can lead to procrastination in all aspects of your life. If you are constantly worrying about things take the time to write them all down. Then look at each one and determine if there is something or someone that could help remove that worry. Letting someone else help you deal with issues that are overwhelming will allow you to focus on more important things in your life in a more productive way. It could be something as simple as letting someone else deal with phone calls from bill collectors that you find yourself avoiding. It may be hard to do and require some practice, but give yourself 5 or 10 minutes per day, to just worry about the things that are on your mind.Then get back to focusing on more important task that will help bring back the joy in your life.
11. Teach Something- we all have unique experiences, knowledge, and wisdom that will benefit another. Keep learning then pass it on. The best way to keep feeling young is to feel useful. Make it your goal, for the new year, to pass along something useful to someone that expresses an interest in your interest.
No matter what your game, if you are doing the best that you can, then that should be good enough. If you want to find contentment and happiness you must not allow your satisfaction in life to revolve around how someone else is living or doing things. If you are making a living, taking care of your family, and being a good parent then no one can or has the right to say they are better than you.
If you are not happy with your performance then look at how others are doing something similar to what you are currently focusing your time on. Study their methods and then modify your system until you feel things are good enough. Watching and learning how others perform certain task or conduct their lives does not make them a better person, they may be just performing a similar thing differently or more efficiently.
This could be applied to anyone. It doesn't matter if your game is being a parent, teaching second grade, a physician, nurse, pumping gas, or running the most powerful country in the world. There will always be someone that does it a little better or different than you do. That makes them an opportunity for you to learn from and fine tune your skills.
I speculate that future wealth will not be reflected by our checking account balance, but in the value we provide to others through networking and just being a good person.
No matter how small or unbelievable your goals may be for 2009, make it your mission to share something of value with another. Those things that you consider trivial may be just what is needed to change your world and the world of those around you.
by Curtis Mcelroy - an internal medicine physician with an interest in health and wellness, anti-aging, fitness, weight loss, self improvement, and motivation.
Daily Affirmations to Empower Yourself
If you want to change your life in a positive way, you have to start by repenting -- by literally changing your mind, changing the way you think. And one of the best tried and true methods for doing this is by using daily affirmations. Affirmations are amazingly powerful if they are done and used in the right way. Affirmations will help you to feel strong in mind, spirit, and even body. Affirmations can reprogram your subconscious mind to be positive and help you get the confidence you need to change your life.
How to make effective use of affirmations:
The best way to use affirmations is to write them down. Writing them down is stronger than just saying them aloud because writing is audio-visual and it has the physical component of pushing a pen across the paper. Also, if you write down your affirmations, you can go back and read them over later on, making the impression upon your subconscious mind even stronger.
This is not to say that there are not times to just say an affirmation aloud, such as when you have gone to bed for the night and you're lying there waiting to drift off to sleep. But throughout your waking day you must write down the affirmations to make them solid to your mind.
Take a piece of paper and use a straight-edge and your pen, or a fold, to divide the paper into two columns. In the left hand column write down your affirmation, while doing so if a negative thought comes into your mind, write that down in your right hand column.
This enables you to divide off your negative, self-defeating thoughts from your affirmations of positive things--separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. You should write down your affirmations at least 20 times a day. This sounds like a lot but you can write them down four times each at five different times per day, or something like that, if that would be easier for your schedule. Repetition is important, though, to get the affirmations flowing like a river through your subconscious mind.
There are other affirmation techniques like singing them, recording yourself speaking them and then playing back the recording, and looking in the mirror and finding great things to say about yourself, but I have found that the best way to make use of them is truly to write them down.
Here are some affirmations that you might want to use on a daily basis. Select one or more that seem to really grab you emotionally, and write it or them down 20 times a day, every day, for at least four weeks straight:
I am worthy and deserving of all the good things that come my way
I choose to feel confident
I choose to feel that I am lovable just the way I am
I deserve to have a joyful life and do, be, or have what is important to me
These are just some examples of affirmations. You can adapt them to your personal circumstances and you can research or think up more of them as you need. You will need perseverance and discipline in order for your affirmations work. They have to become your new reality and a whole new way of thinking. Give yourself the chance to improve your life and have joy.
How to make effective use of affirmations:
The best way to use affirmations is to write them down. Writing them down is stronger than just saying them aloud because writing is audio-visual and it has the physical component of pushing a pen across the paper. Also, if you write down your affirmations, you can go back and read them over later on, making the impression upon your subconscious mind even stronger.
This is not to say that there are not times to just say an affirmation aloud, such as when you have gone to bed for the night and you're lying there waiting to drift off to sleep. But throughout your waking day you must write down the affirmations to make them solid to your mind.
Take a piece of paper and use a straight-edge and your pen, or a fold, to divide the paper into two columns. In the left hand column write down your affirmation, while doing so if a negative thought comes into your mind, write that down in your right hand column.
This enables you to divide off your negative, self-defeating thoughts from your affirmations of positive things--separate the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. You should write down your affirmations at least 20 times a day. This sounds like a lot but you can write them down four times each at five different times per day, or something like that, if that would be easier for your schedule. Repetition is important, though, to get the affirmations flowing like a river through your subconscious mind.
There are other affirmation techniques like singing them, recording yourself speaking them and then playing back the recording, and looking in the mirror and finding great things to say about yourself, but I have found that the best way to make use of them is truly to write them down.
Here are some affirmations that you might want to use on a daily basis. Select one or more that seem to really grab you emotionally, and write it or them down 20 times a day, every day, for at least four weeks straight:
I am worthy and deserving of all the good things that come my way
I choose to feel confident
I choose to feel that I am lovable just the way I am
I deserve to have a joyful life and do, be, or have what is important to me
These are just some examples of affirmations. You can adapt them to your personal circumstances and you can research or think up more of them as you need. You will need perseverance and discipline in order for your affirmations work. They have to become your new reality and a whole new way of thinking. Give yourself the chance to improve your life and have joy.
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