"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"~Mary Oliver
Your life is not a dress rehearsal. Are you living the life that YOU want or are you living the life others want for you? Why do we allow others to dictate to us how we can live?
Think for a minute about your plan for your one wild and precious life. What? You don't have a plan? When you don't have a plan, you fall into other people's plans for you. And do you know what they have planned for you, NOT MUCH! They will try to hold you down. They will try to make you do what they want, instead of what you want. They will try to keep you from succeeding so they can feel good about themselves.
Create a plan right now, what YOU want to do! And then go out and do it. We all have one wild and precious life but few of us are really living it wildly or looking at life as precious.
Start living your wild and precious life, NOW!
"What is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
What Are You Asking For?
"You get in life what you have the courage to ask for."~Oprah Winfrey
Do you have the courage to ask for what you really want? Really? Why have you settled for less than the best? Sometimes we believe that we are not worthy of the best that is possible...WRONG!!!
"The place for the thing you want is currently being occupied by what you've settled for."
Think about that for a minute. Want new clothes? Empty out your closet. Want a new car in the garage? Get rid of your old clunker...too late for cash for clunkers...
Stop settelling for less than the best. Have the courage to ask for what you want.
And ask for the best!
"You get in life what you have the courage to ask for."
Do you have the courage to ask for what you really want? Really? Why have you settled for less than the best? Sometimes we believe that we are not worthy of the best that is possible...WRONG!!!
"The place for the thing you want is currently being occupied by what you've settled for."
Think about that for a minute. Want new clothes? Empty out your closet. Want a new car in the garage? Get rid of your old clunker...too late for cash for clunkers...
Stop settelling for less than the best. Have the courage to ask for what you want.
And ask for the best!
"You get in life what you have the courage to ask for."
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Who Are You?
"Always be a first-rate version of yourself."~Audrey Hepburn
Who are you? Really, who are you? Not what you do but what makes up who you are? In business are you authentic or are you playing the "business game?" Are you a second rate version of someone else? Why?
In this new economy, authenticity will be key to growing your business. So I ask again, Who are you? When I ask this question at networking events, people give me a blank stare and start to tell me what they do. We've been trained to say what we do, but nobody asks about the person.
People buy from people. They don't buy from companies, stores, online...they buy from people. People that they know, like and trust.
Think about the question again...Who are you? When you come up with a good answer, start telling everybody who you are. You will find that business will come flocking to you when you are authentic and you let everyone else see that authenticity.
"Always be a first-rate version of yourself."
Who are you? Really, who are you? Not what you do but what makes up who you are? In business are you authentic or are you playing the "business game?" Are you a second rate version of someone else? Why?
In this new economy, authenticity will be key to growing your business. So I ask again, Who are you? When I ask this question at networking events, people give me a blank stare and start to tell me what they do. We've been trained to say what we do, but nobody asks about the person.
People buy from people. They don't buy from companies, stores, online...they buy from people. People that they know, like and trust.
Think about the question again...Who are you? When you come up with a good answer, start telling everybody who you are. You will find that business will come flocking to you when you are authentic and you let everyone else see that authenticity.
"Always be a first-rate version of yourself."
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Have to or Want to
"It's always so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to."~Annie Gottlier
What a great quote. Do you realize when you struggle, most of the time it's because you believe that you HAVE to? It may not be there case, but you believe it. Think back to your last struggle. Was it because your didn't want to do it?
How can you change your mind about how you feel? Do you ever think about that? The best way I feel is to have an internal conversation with you nattering nabob of negativity. As you have this conversation, when the negative comes up again, say "Thank you for sharing, but I reject that idea." That's all. the more you tell your subconscious that you acknowledge the feeling but reject the belief, it will become less powerful over you until one day, it will be gone.
What a great thought, all I have to do to make it easy is to want to do it!
"It's always so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to."
What a great quote. Do you realize when you struggle, most of the time it's because you believe that you HAVE to? It may not be there case, but you believe it. Think back to your last struggle. Was it because your didn't want to do it?
How can you change your mind about how you feel? Do you ever think about that? The best way I feel is to have an internal conversation with you nattering nabob of negativity. As you have this conversation, when the negative comes up again, say "Thank you for sharing, but I reject that idea." That's all. the more you tell your subconscious that you acknowledge the feeling but reject the belief, it will become less powerful over you until one day, it will be gone.
What a great thought, all I have to do to make it easy is to want to do it!
"It's always so hard when I have to, and so easy when I want to."
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Unwilling Service
"Unwilling service earns no thanks."
Are you providing 'unwilling service'? Why, because you get a paycheck? Stop providing unwilling service to anyone. It does them no good and it really doesn't do you any good.
If you don't have your clients bests interests at heart, you're providing unwilling service. Are you providing them with something they don't need anymore? Is there something else that you could provide them with?
Make sure that the service you provide to your clients is what they want. How do you know what they want? ASK THEM! Yes, ask them if what you are providing is doing the job for you. They will tell you and who knows, you might even get a testimonial or two out of it. That way, you don't need to tell other people how great you are, you just let the testimonials do that for you.
"Unwilling service earns no thanks."
Are you providing 'unwilling service'? Why, because you get a paycheck? Stop providing unwilling service to anyone. It does them no good and it really doesn't do you any good.
If you don't have your clients bests interests at heart, you're providing unwilling service. Are you providing them with something they don't need anymore? Is there something else that you could provide them with?
Make sure that the service you provide to your clients is what they want. How do you know what they want? ASK THEM! Yes, ask them if what you are providing is doing the job for you. They will tell you and who knows, you might even get a testimonial or two out of it. That way, you don't need to tell other people how great you are, you just let the testimonials do that for you.
"Unwilling service earns no thanks."
Monday, August 24, 2009
Experience All of Life
"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser."
~John W. Gardner
What are you trying to erase from your life? Why? We need to learn to experience ALL of life and not just the good times. Why? Because when you experience the bad times, it makes the good times that much sweeter. As silly as this sounds, I'm just re-learning this again.
There were certain things in my life that I tried to erase. But you really can't erase them, you just try to hide them so deep that they would never see the light of day. I tried to remember only the good but without the bad, the good didn't seem as good as I remember it. Why? Because I was taking the easy way out and not experiencing ALL of life. I thought that if I just remembered the good, everything would be alright...WRONG!!
The reason we haven't been given an eraser is that Life is a series of Moments. Live in the present moment and let go of the past. Let go any labels you've assigned to yourself or others and be present. Have fun and make this moment, your best moment.
One of my favorite quotes is "Wherever you are, BE THERE!" Learn from the past and let it go. Be in the moment, this moment. That is something worth striving for and remembering...
"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser."
~John W. Gardner
What are you trying to erase from your life? Why? We need to learn to experience ALL of life and not just the good times. Why? Because when you experience the bad times, it makes the good times that much sweeter. As silly as this sounds, I'm just re-learning this again.
There were certain things in my life that I tried to erase. But you really can't erase them, you just try to hide them so deep that they would never see the light of day. I tried to remember only the good but without the bad, the good didn't seem as good as I remember it. Why? Because I was taking the easy way out and not experiencing ALL of life. I thought that if I just remembered the good, everything would be alright...WRONG!!
The reason we haven't been given an eraser is that Life is a series of Moments. Live in the present moment and let go of the past. Let go any labels you've assigned to yourself or others and be present. Have fun and make this moment, your best moment.
One of my favorite quotes is "Wherever you are, BE THERE!" Learn from the past and let it go. Be in the moment, this moment. That is something worth striving for and remembering...
"Life is the art of drawing without an eraser."
Sunday, August 23, 2009
How to Win
"Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail."~Aesop
Force and bluster are the hallmarks of the 90's, but they no longer work. Have you found this to be true? They worked as little as 9 months ago, but no longer. People are re-awakening to their real selves and are finding that they don't like force and bluster...for the most part.
How are you treating your customers, potential clients and others. (See previous post) Are you finding that bluster doesn't work anymore? How have you adapted to this? What have you done differently? What have you learned through this?
Challenge yourself to think this through. Even if you think that you weren't forceful or blustery, see how you may have been, even without your conscious knowledge.
Gentleness and kind persuasion win. How have you been gentle with your clients? Have you used kind persuasion or hard persuasion. I irritate some people but it is with kindness that I do it. If they take it wrong, who's challenge is that? Most people will not change unless they are irritated, at least a little. Experience the irritation. Expand your thinking. Grow!
"Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail."
Force and bluster are the hallmarks of the 90's, but they no longer work. Have you found this to be true? They worked as little as 9 months ago, but no longer. People are re-awakening to their real selves and are finding that they don't like force and bluster...for the most part.
How are you treating your customers, potential clients and others. (See previous post) Are you finding that bluster doesn't work anymore? How have you adapted to this? What have you done differently? What have you learned through this?
Challenge yourself to think this through. Even if you think that you weren't forceful or blustery, see how you may have been, even without your conscious knowledge.
Gentleness and kind persuasion win. How have you been gentle with your clients? Have you used kind persuasion or hard persuasion. I irritate some people but it is with kindness that I do it. If they take it wrong, who's challenge is that? Most people will not change unless they are irritated, at least a little. Experience the irritation. Expand your thinking. Grow!
"Gentleness and kind persuasion win where force and bluster fail."
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Treating Others Better
"Look to be treated by others, as you have treated others."~Publius Syrus
How are you treating others? The people you work with? The people you network with? Your family and friends? If they are treating you bad, you might want to look and see how you treat them...
Are you a "Go-Giver?" Or are you a Go-Taker? Don't just dismiss the question, but really think about it. How are you giving instead of taking? Our society has lost it's way. In our quest for more and more things,we have taken to treating people like things that we use and then throw away...
Be a Go-Giver! Give more value than you expect in return for the compensation that you are getting. Let people see how you are treating others with more value and they will treat you with more value. And the funny part is that when you give more value than you get in compensation, your compensation grows from other sources!
When you treat people fairly, they will treat you fairly.
"Look to be treated by others, as you have treated others."
How are you treating others? The people you work with? The people you network with? Your family and friends? If they are treating you bad, you might want to look and see how you treat them...
Are you a "Go-Giver?" Or are you a Go-Taker? Don't just dismiss the question, but really think about it. How are you giving instead of taking? Our society has lost it's way. In our quest for more and more things,we have taken to treating people like things that we use and then throw away...
Be a Go-Giver! Give more value than you expect in return for the compensation that you are getting. Let people see how you are treating others with more value and they will treat you with more value. And the funny part is that when you give more value than you get in compensation, your compensation grows from other sources!
When you treat people fairly, they will treat you fairly.
"Look to be treated by others, as you have treated others."
Friday, August 21, 2009
The Quality of Your Day
"To affect the quality of the day, that is the greatest of the arts."~Henry David Thoreau
How do you affect the quality of your day? Do you pray, meditate, exercise, sing, say affirmations? What works best for you? How do you know that it is working best? Have you ever measured it?
It is my desire that The Mastermind Roundtable meetings affect the quality of the days for the people that attend. If you haven't attended, we would love to see you there. We meet every Tuesday morning from 7:30-9:oo at The Village Inn, located at 40th Street and Bell Road.
How do you deal with getting up on the wrong side of the bed? Do you just resign yourself to having a bad day or do you strenuously try to change that attitude? What if you're having a "bad hair day?" Maybe you should just stay home, right? Wear a hat??
Do you realize that how you feel is entirely up to you? Even if you got out of bed on the wrong side, your hair wouldn't do what it is supposed to do and the dog peed on the carpet. How you respond to those issues will determine your attitude. And also realize that none of these things have any control over how you decide to respond to them.
"To affect the quality of the day, that is the greatest of the arts."
How do you affect the quality of your day? Do you pray, meditate, exercise, sing, say affirmations? What works best for you? How do you know that it is working best? Have you ever measured it?
It is my desire that The Mastermind Roundtable meetings affect the quality of the days for the people that attend. If you haven't attended, we would love to see you there. We meet every Tuesday morning from 7:30-9:oo at The Village Inn, located at 40th Street and Bell Road.
How do you deal with getting up on the wrong side of the bed? Do you just resign yourself to having a bad day or do you strenuously try to change that attitude? What if you're having a "bad hair day?" Maybe you should just stay home, right? Wear a hat??
Do you realize that how you feel is entirely up to you? Even if you got out of bed on the wrong side, your hair wouldn't do what it is supposed to do and the dog peed on the carpet. How you respond to those issues will determine your attitude. And also realize that none of these things have any control over how you decide to respond to them.
"To affect the quality of the day, that is the greatest of the arts."
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Never Too Old
"You are never too old to dream a new dream."
~C.S. Lewis
How cool is that??? We are led to believe that once we decide on a job, that's it for our whole life.
WRONG!! You can dream new dreams anytime you want. Age has nothing to do with your imagination.
Grandma Moses starting painting when she was 85. Colonel Sanders didn't get his recipe going until he was over 60. Have you bought into the lie that you can't have new dreams? Why?
Technology is telling us that soon enough there will be a pill that will be able to extend our lives another 25 years. If you're 50 right now, what are you doing to do with the next 75 years of life???
Even when you are in the most lowest point of your life, your dreams can sustain you. Let you imagination run wild and find you a new dream. Take 5 minutes today and just dream about all the things that you wanted to do as a kid when you grew up. How many did you do? Well, it's not too late!!!
"You are never too old to dream a new dream."
~C.S. Lewis
How cool is that??? We are led to believe that once we decide on a job, that's it for our whole life.
WRONG!! You can dream new dreams anytime you want. Age has nothing to do with your imagination.
Grandma Moses starting painting when she was 85. Colonel Sanders didn't get his recipe going until he was over 60. Have you bought into the lie that you can't have new dreams? Why?
Technology is telling us that soon enough there will be a pill that will be able to extend our lives another 25 years. If you're 50 right now, what are you doing to do with the next 75 years of life???
Even when you are in the most lowest point of your life, your dreams can sustain you. Let you imagination run wild and find you a new dream. Take 5 minutes today and just dream about all the things that you wanted to do as a kid when you grew up. How many did you do? Well, it's not too late!!!
"You are never too old to dream a new dream."
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
What Do You See?
"One never sees what has been done, one only sees what needs to be done."~Marie Curie
How often do you look and admire, respect, glow about what you have accomplished? We are so busy trying to do all that needs to be done, we don't take the time to enjoy what we have done already!
It's not vainglorious to admire what we have done, in fact, it should inspire us to do even more. I know that when I do something well, I look to see what else I can do to the same level. We need to Claim what we have done as our own.
Where is your vision, both your eyesight and your mental vision? What are you focusing on? Does that focus allow you to enjoy what you've done? Why not? We don't reward ourselves enough for what we do. We are always trying to do more.
Thoreau had it right when he went to Walden Pond and asked himself if he was the richest man in New England because of what surrounded him, or if it was because he had so little need for anything else...
Give yourself a 5 minute party today and celebrate your achievements and then go back to doing what needs to be done. I guarantee you that it will make your day and you will have a different outlook on doing the things that need to be done!
"One never sees what has been done, one only sees what needs to be done."
How often do you look and admire, respect, glow about what you have accomplished? We are so busy trying to do all that needs to be done, we don't take the time to enjoy what we have done already!
It's not vainglorious to admire what we have done, in fact, it should inspire us to do even more. I know that when I do something well, I look to see what else I can do to the same level. We need to Claim what we have done as our own.
Where is your vision, both your eyesight and your mental vision? What are you focusing on? Does that focus allow you to enjoy what you've done? Why not? We don't reward ourselves enough for what we do. We are always trying to do more.
Thoreau had it right when he went to Walden Pond and asked himself if he was the richest man in New England because of what surrounded him, or if it was because he had so little need for anything else...
Give yourself a 5 minute party today and celebrate your achievements and then go back to doing what needs to be done. I guarantee you that it will make your day and you will have a different outlook on doing the things that need to be done!
"One never sees what has been done, one only sees what needs to be done."
Monday, August 17, 2009
True Optimism
"I am an optimist. It doesn't seem to be much use to be anything else."~Winston Churchill
How appropriate! Anything else is of no use. Many people say that they are optimists, but then they like to call themselves "realists." A realist is just a pessimist in disguise. Don't be a realist. You've heard them talk about your dream, 'oh, come on now, be realistic.'
Why would you want your dream to be "realistic?" If it was real, then it wouldn't be a dream, but ever since childhood, we've been taught to 'be realistic" in our dreams and goals...and what has that gotten us? It has gotten us to where we are now, how's that working for you???
Anything other than optimism will lead to ruin, lack and a defeated spirit.
Why is it that the optimist see the light at the end of the tunnel and the pessimist runs down and blows it out? Don't be a pessimist, don't be a realist. Oh, they're the same thing...
Think about it.
"I am an optimist. It doesn't seem to be much use to be anything else."
How appropriate! Anything else is of no use. Many people say that they are optimists, but then they like to call themselves "realists." A realist is just a pessimist in disguise. Don't be a realist. You've heard them talk about your dream, 'oh, come on now, be realistic.'
Why would you want your dream to be "realistic?" If it was real, then it wouldn't be a dream, but ever since childhood, we've been taught to 'be realistic" in our dreams and goals...and what has that gotten us? It has gotten us to where we are now, how's that working for you???
Anything other than optimism will lead to ruin, lack and a defeated spirit.
Why is it that the optimist see the light at the end of the tunnel and the pessimist runs down and blows it out? Don't be a pessimist, don't be a realist. Oh, they're the same thing...
Think about it.
"I am an optimist. It doesn't seem to be much use to be anything else."
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Opportunities
Opportunities multiply when they are seized, they die when neglected."~John Wicker
Do you allow opportunities to multiply by grabbing them when they come along? Or do you let them die because of neglect. You realize that this is the Law of Attraction working? The more opportunities you see, the more that will come to you!
How many times have you had a great idea and when you failed to act on it, it went away or was no longer the idea that you thought about? Even when you're not sure of the action to take to seize the opportunity, the key is to grab it and figure it out. Rather than just think about it TAKE ACTION!
What happens with that neglected idea? Sometimes it goes to someone else who is ready for it, sometimes it languishes a slow death because it knows that the idea is for you, but you won't act on it. Either way, without acting on it, it no longer works for you.
Think about how many times you've let those ideas go...Depressing isn't in? Don't let that continue...
Opportunities multiply when they are seized, they die when neglected."
Do you allow opportunities to multiply by grabbing them when they come along? Or do you let them die because of neglect. You realize that this is the Law of Attraction working? The more opportunities you see, the more that will come to you!
How many times have you had a great idea and when you failed to act on it, it went away or was no longer the idea that you thought about? Even when you're not sure of the action to take to seize the opportunity, the key is to grab it and figure it out. Rather than just think about it TAKE ACTION!
What happens with that neglected idea? Sometimes it goes to someone else who is ready for it, sometimes it languishes a slow death because it knows that the idea is for you, but you won't act on it. Either way, without acting on it, it no longer works for you.
Think about how many times you've let those ideas go...Depressing isn't in? Don't let that continue...
Opportunities multiply when they are seized, they die when neglected."
Saturday, August 15, 2009
False Knowledge
"Beware of false knowledge, it is more dangerous than ignorance."
George Bernard Shaw
How do you KNOW that what you KNOW is TRUE? Experience? Someone you trust tells you? You read it in some book, magazine or blog?
Shaw says that "it is more dangerous than ignorance." Now, there's a statement to think about. False knowledge is worse than NO knowledge!! To me that means that we better know what we know and we better KNOW it to be true.
Deep down inside all of us, there's something that tells us what is true and what is not. Many people today have turned off that ability. If that is you, turn it back on. You KNOW when something is right and you also feel it when it is wrong.
In this New Economy, more and more people are going back to using that ability to decide who to hang around with, who to do business with and who to trust. We got away from that for a few decades, but people intuitively know that they need to use that ability more and more.
Here's the key: Be Authentic! Be who you were meant to be. When you are being authentic, you can tell someone that you don't know the answer. It's ok to not know. In fact, it's better than saying that you have the answer and making something up...
"Beware of false knowledge, it is more dangerous than ignorance."
George Bernard Shaw
How do you KNOW that what you KNOW is TRUE? Experience? Someone you trust tells you? You read it in some book, magazine or blog?
Shaw says that "it is more dangerous than ignorance." Now, there's a statement to think about. False knowledge is worse than NO knowledge!! To me that means that we better know what we know and we better KNOW it to be true.
Deep down inside all of us, there's something that tells us what is true and what is not. Many people today have turned off that ability. If that is you, turn it back on. You KNOW when something is right and you also feel it when it is wrong.
In this New Economy, more and more people are going back to using that ability to decide who to hang around with, who to do business with and who to trust. We got away from that for a few decades, but people intuitively know that they need to use that ability more and more.
Here's the key: Be Authentic! Be who you were meant to be. When you are being authentic, you can tell someone that you don't know the answer. It's ok to not know. In fact, it's better than saying that you have the answer and making something up...
"Beware of false knowledge, it is more dangerous than ignorance."
Friday, August 14, 2009
Keep Your Power
"When we blame, we give our power away."
~Greg Anderson
Are you giving your power away by blaming? Take responsibility and take back your power!! See how it feels to be in control. Even when things go bad, if you take responsibility and not blame others, the economy, your boss, you will come out on top!
When we blame others, we give our power to whatever or whoever we blame. Why would you do that? We need to realize that people will always look for someone or something to blame when things go wrong. What would happen to all that drama if we just said, "sorry, my fault" and moved on? Think of all the time that would be saved and all the stories that wouldn't have to be told.
When we blame, we are shirking our responsibility. If you want to grow and create your vision, you need to take responsibility by the horns and say "I take responsibility for my own life."
Here's a thought, instead of blaming, why don't you just come up with a solution to whatever problem you were going to blame someone for...Hmmm
"When we blame, we give our power away."
~Greg Anderson
Are you giving your power away by blaming? Take responsibility and take back your power!! See how it feels to be in control. Even when things go bad, if you take responsibility and not blame others, the economy, your boss, you will come out on top!
When we blame others, we give our power to whatever or whoever we blame. Why would you do that? We need to realize that people will always look for someone or something to blame when things go wrong. What would happen to all that drama if we just said, "sorry, my fault" and moved on? Think of all the time that would be saved and all the stories that wouldn't have to be told.
When we blame, we are shirking our responsibility. If you want to grow and create your vision, you need to take responsibility by the horns and say "I take responsibility for my own life."
Here's a thought, instead of blaming, why don't you just come up with a solution to whatever problem you were going to blame someone for...Hmmm
"When we blame, we give our power away."
Thursday, August 13, 2009
NO LIMITS
"In imagination, there's no limits."~Wayne Dyer
Are you limiting yourself by your thoughts? Are you telling yourself that you can't do something that if your tried, you really could do? Why? Why allow those negative thoughts to cloud your mind?
Our imagination is LIMITLESS! We don't often allow ourselves to think limitless thoughts, and that's not a good thing. Once the mind is stretched to a new place, it never goes back to the same old form. Stretch you mind, allow your imagination to indeed be limitless.
How can you use your imagination to do your work better, easier?
"In imagination, there's no limits."
Are you limiting yourself by your thoughts? Are you telling yourself that you can't do something that if your tried, you really could do? Why? Why allow those negative thoughts to cloud your mind?
Our imagination is LIMITLESS! We don't often allow ourselves to think limitless thoughts, and that's not a good thing. Once the mind is stretched to a new place, it never goes back to the same old form. Stretch you mind, allow your imagination to indeed be limitless.
How can you use your imagination to do your work better, easier?
"In imagination, there's no limits."
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Leaving Tracks
"He who walks in another's tracks leaves no footprints."~Joan Brannon
Are you leaving tracks or are you just following another's footsteps? Would you like to leave a legacy? Why or why not?
People who are authentic are the people that are blazing new trails, walking the "road less traveled." Are you authentic with your clients, prospects, friends, and family or are you just "playing" the roles dictated to you by society?
In this "New Economy," authenticity will be what wins the day and make life better for you. Look at every aspect of your life, are you being authentic?
It's real easy to follow someone, but it takes courage and a positive attitude to blaze your own trail. Can you do that or are you stuck into the mentality that says I must do what everyone else does?
Challenge yourself to blaze a new trail - today!
"He who walks in another's tracks leaves no footprints."
Are you leaving tracks or are you just following another's footsteps? Would you like to leave a legacy? Why or why not?
People who are authentic are the people that are blazing new trails, walking the "road less traveled." Are you authentic with your clients, prospects, friends, and family or are you just "playing" the roles dictated to you by society?
In this "New Economy," authenticity will be what wins the day and make life better for you. Look at every aspect of your life, are you being authentic?
It's real easy to follow someone, but it takes courage and a positive attitude to blaze your own trail. Can you do that or are you stuck into the mentality that says I must do what everyone else does?
Challenge yourself to blaze a new trail - today!
"He who walks in another's tracks leaves no footprints."
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Time
"It is time to make time."~Henry Dumas
We are all TOO BUSY. But do you realize that you make time for the things that you want to do? MAKE TIME. Think about that, you can make time!! You are not a slave to the clock anymore.
Realize that time is YOUR resource, not anybody elses, but YOURS. It is yours to spend the way that you want. Understand the tricky nature of time. Nothing is easier than being busy, while nothing is harder than actually accomplishing something. (See previous post on Activity)
You need to avoid the hamster's plight. You've all seen them, running as hard as they can and getting nowhere. Are you that hamster? Are you working real hard and getting nowhere?
Think about what you want out of life, not just what you can get done. If it adds to your life, keep it. If it doesn't add to your life, get rid of it, or at least stop doing it
"It is time to make time."
We are all TOO BUSY. But do you realize that you make time for the things that you want to do? MAKE TIME. Think about that, you can make time!! You are not a slave to the clock anymore.
Realize that time is YOUR resource, not anybody elses, but YOURS. It is yours to spend the way that you want. Understand the tricky nature of time. Nothing is easier than being busy, while nothing is harder than actually accomplishing something. (See previous post on Activity)
You need to avoid the hamster's plight. You've all seen them, running as hard as they can and getting nowhere. Are you that hamster? Are you working real hard and getting nowhere?
Think about what you want out of life, not just what you can get done. If it adds to your life, keep it. If it doesn't add to your life, get rid of it, or at least stop doing it
"It is time to make time."
Monday, August 10, 2009
Discovery
"The only way to discover new things is to open your mind."~Allen Steble
This quote is kind of a DUH! quote, but think about it before you dismiss it.
Everyone says that they have an open mind, but do they really? Are you really open to hearing about why the other side believes the way they do, or have you shut your mind? In the US today, we are divided in half by people's political thoughts. In fact, if you disagree with this President, they will harass and demonize you and then ask your neighbors to let the White House know about it.
Our higher learning institutions are supposed to be about the free exchange of ideas, yet how many campuses have "Speech codes" and other such nonsense? "When everybody is thinking the same, nobody is thinking." Allow yourself to break out of that kind of group-think and learn to THINK FOR YOURSELF!
Another way that we close off our mind to new discoveries is to use the 3 most dreadful words in the English language, "I know that." How many times to day did you say that? Each time, you shut down the process for discovery and you lose!
A long time ago, one of my first mentors said to me, "You may have heard it 99 times, but the 100th time you hear something, then you get it." It might be a matter of not being ready to hear that yet, or not being open to something, but never use those dreadful words!
"The only way to discover new things is to open your mind."
This quote is kind of a DUH! quote, but think about it before you dismiss it.
Everyone says that they have an open mind, but do they really? Are you really open to hearing about why the other side believes the way they do, or have you shut your mind? In the US today, we are divided in half by people's political thoughts. In fact, if you disagree with this President, they will harass and demonize you and then ask your neighbors to let the White House know about it.
Our higher learning institutions are supposed to be about the free exchange of ideas, yet how many campuses have "Speech codes" and other such nonsense? "When everybody is thinking the same, nobody is thinking." Allow yourself to break out of that kind of group-think and learn to THINK FOR YOURSELF!
Another way that we close off our mind to new discoveries is to use the 3 most dreadful words in the English language, "I know that." How many times to day did you say that? Each time, you shut down the process for discovery and you lose!
A long time ago, one of my first mentors said to me, "You may have heard it 99 times, but the 100th time you hear something, then you get it." It might be a matter of not being ready to hear that yet, or not being open to something, but never use those dreadful words!
"The only way to discover new things is to open your mind."
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Activity of Achievement?
"Don't mistake activity for achievement."
~John Wooden
What a great quote! How often and the end of a busy day can we say that we achieved something or that we were just active, just busy?
Most people are just activity professionals, not achievement professionals. Where are you?
Most people get up, go to work and then go home without any achievement, only activity. Are you an achiever or an activity junkie? Are you multi-taksing 4 different jobs and doing none of them 100%?
The key to achievement is "Where ever you are, Be there." Make sure that what you're working on is tied to achievement of your goals. If it is not, get rid of it or allow someone else to do it for you!
Are your activities helping you achieve?
"Don't mistake activity for achievement."
~John Wooden
What a great quote! How often and the end of a busy day can we say that we achieved something or that we were just active, just busy?
Most people are just activity professionals, not achievement professionals. Where are you?
Most people get up, go to work and then go home without any achievement, only activity. Are you an achiever or an activity junkie? Are you multi-taksing 4 different jobs and doing none of them 100%?
The key to achievement is "Where ever you are, Be there." Make sure that what you're working on is tied to achievement of your goals. If it is not, get rid of it or allow someone else to do it for you!
Are your activities helping you achieve?
"Don't mistake activity for achievement."
Friday, August 7, 2009
Where are you Going?
"If you don't know where you are going, you'll wind up somewhere else."
~Yogi Berra
Do you know where you are going? No, do you really know or are you just headed to where ever life takes you? You need to be specific because otherwise you could be headed to Los Angeles and end up in San Francisco (Boy, wouldn't that freak you out)
Most people don't plan their future at all, they just take it as it comes. That's too bad, because we can create the life that we want if we just PLAN IT.
Spend a little time each day making sure that you are headed in the direction that you want to go, not just following life as it takes you here and there.
It takes a YOGI to remind us that:
"If you don't know where you are going, you'll wind up somewhere else."
~Yogi Berra
Do you know where you are going? No, do you really know or are you just headed to where ever life takes you? You need to be specific because otherwise you could be headed to Los Angeles and end up in San Francisco (Boy, wouldn't that freak you out)
Most people don't plan their future at all, they just take it as it comes. That's too bad, because we can create the life that we want if we just PLAN IT.
Spend a little time each day making sure that you are headed in the direction that you want to go, not just following life as it takes you here and there.
It takes a YOGI to remind us that:
"If you don't know where you are going, you'll wind up somewhere else."
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Opportunities
"You create opportunities by asking for them."
~Shakti Gawain
Are you asking for opportunities or are you just waiting for them to jump into your lap? Or maybe you are out there looking for opportunities?
But are you ASKING for them?
When you ask for opportunities your brain starts looking for them. You start to see new things where old things were. Why does this work that way? AWARENESS. By asking for opportunities, you become more aware of what it is that you want. Most people don't know what they want but when you ask, you become more aware.
Your Reticular Activating System (RAS) wants to know what to look for and what to be aware of. By asking for opportunities, your RAS starts the process of looking for what you want and helps you find it.
"You create opportunities by asking for them."
~Shakti Gawain
Are you asking for opportunities or are you just waiting for them to jump into your lap? Or maybe you are out there looking for opportunities?
But are you ASKING for them?
When you ask for opportunities your brain starts looking for them. You start to see new things where old things were. Why does this work that way? AWARENESS. By asking for opportunities, you become more aware of what it is that you want. Most people don't know what they want but when you ask, you become more aware.
Your Reticular Activating System (RAS) wants to know what to look for and what to be aware of. By asking for opportunities, your RAS starts the process of looking for what you want and helps you find it.
"You create opportunities by asking for them."
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
A New Look at Defeat
"Defeat should never be a source of discouragement, but rather a fresh stimulus." ~Robert South
How do you view defeat? How do you react? Are you discouraged or revived with a feeling of "I can do it better next time?"
What would happen if everyone looked at defeat as "a learning experience?" How much further would we be in our businesses, our relationships, our life?
The challenge here is to get away from the thought patterns that defeat means that we can't do what we attempted? Thomas Edison was defeated 10,000 time in trying to make a light bulb work but he viewed it as 10,000 ways that it wouldn't work, not as he was defeated.
When you suffer a defeat, give yourself 5 minutes to "hash, re-hash, and bitch." Then take the time to see what went wrong so the next time you will do it better.
Remember that there is no defeat until you give up. That is defeat. But just as there is no failure, only feed back, there is no defeat, only learning experiences.
"Defeat should never be a source of discouragement, but rather a fresh stimulus."
How do you view defeat? How do you react? Are you discouraged or revived with a feeling of "I can do it better next time?"
What would happen if everyone looked at defeat as "a learning experience?" How much further would we be in our businesses, our relationships, our life?
The challenge here is to get away from the thought patterns that defeat means that we can't do what we attempted? Thomas Edison was defeated 10,000 time in trying to make a light bulb work but he viewed it as 10,000 ways that it wouldn't work, not as he was defeated.
When you suffer a defeat, give yourself 5 minutes to "hash, re-hash, and bitch." Then take the time to see what went wrong so the next time you will do it better.
Remember that there is no defeat until you give up. That is defeat. But just as there is no failure, only feed back, there is no defeat, only learning experiences.
"Defeat should never be a source of discouragement, but rather a fresh stimulus."
Monday, August 3, 2009
Thinking and Acting
"Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought."~Henri Bergson
Do you think like a man/woman of action or do you allow your brain to think what it wants? Do you act like a man/woman of thought? Your actions are always in line with your thinking, so just what were you thinking??? Really, because your actions didn't show that you were thinking that way...
Thinking is the beginning of the process, then you have to take action. Without action, nothing happens except good discussion, and sometimes not even that.
Most people never even bother to think, but act based on history and habits. Is your history explicit enough to allow you to just act without thinking? For most of us, that's a NO.
We are judged by our actions - not our intentions, so act yourself into feeling because you can't feel yourself into action.
You know what you need to do, but most people don't do it anyway and come up with all kinds of reasons that they can't. Why is that? Ask me, and I will tell you...
"Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought."
Do you think like a man/woman of action or do you allow your brain to think what it wants? Do you act like a man/woman of thought? Your actions are always in line with your thinking, so just what were you thinking??? Really, because your actions didn't show that you were thinking that way...
Thinking is the beginning of the process, then you have to take action. Without action, nothing happens except good discussion, and sometimes not even that.
Most people never even bother to think, but act based on history and habits. Is your history explicit enough to allow you to just act without thinking? For most of us, that's a NO.
We are judged by our actions - not our intentions, so act yourself into feeling because you can't feel yourself into action.
You know what you need to do, but most people don't do it anyway and come up with all kinds of reasons that they can't. Why is that? Ask me, and I will tell you...
"Think like a man of action, act like a man of thought."
Mission Planning
"Outstanding people all have one thing in common, a absolute sense of mission." ~Zig Ziglar
What is your absolute sense of mission? How did you get it? Oh, you don't have one yet? How come? What is holding you back from creating the life that you want? Do you believe that you CAN create it, or do you just believe that you have to take what is dealt to you by the game of life?
Become outstanding, find your mission NOW! Are you still waiting to decide what you want to be when you grow up? What is it about NOW that is holding you back? Waiting...waiting...waiting. Guess what? Your mission WILL NOT jump into your lap and say "Here I am." You have to search for it, but when you find it, you will say, "I knew it all along!"
Trust yourself to know what is best for you. Are you living your own life or are you living the life that your parents, or your teachers or your family want/wanted you to live? Don't allow the pain of change to keep you where you don't want to be.
"Outstanding people all have one thing in common, a absolute sense of mission."
What is your absolute sense of mission? How did you get it? Oh, you don't have one yet? How come? What is holding you back from creating the life that you want? Do you believe that you CAN create it, or do you just believe that you have to take what is dealt to you by the game of life?
Become outstanding, find your mission NOW! Are you still waiting to decide what you want to be when you grow up? What is it about NOW that is holding you back? Waiting...waiting...waiting. Guess what? Your mission WILL NOT jump into your lap and say "Here I am." You have to search for it, but when you find it, you will say, "I knew it all along!"
Trust yourself to know what is best for you. Are you living your own life or are you living the life that your parents, or your teachers or your family want/wanted you to live? Don't allow the pain of change to keep you where you don't want to be.
"Outstanding people all have one thing in common, a absolute sense of mission."
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Plan Your Future
"We all have a future. Some people plan theirs."
Why is it that some people spend more time planning their vacations rather than their life? Who sold them that bill of goods that said you just have to deal with life and that you couldn't create your life just the way you create your vacations? Why have they bought into the "Life's hard, then you die" mindset?
Have YOU bought into that mindset?
Why or why not. Think about that and then see how it affects your day, your week, your month.
Spend some time every day creating your future. If you don't, then you are going to have to live with the reasons. In life, there are only Results and Reasons. Wouldn't you rather live with the results than the reasons?
"We all have a future. Some people plan theirs."
Why is it that some people spend more time planning their vacations rather than their life? Who sold them that bill of goods that said you just have to deal with life and that you couldn't create your life just the way you create your vacations? Why have they bought into the "Life's hard, then you die" mindset?
Have YOU bought into that mindset?
Why or why not. Think about that and then see how it affects your day, your week, your month.
Spend some time every day creating your future. If you don't, then you are going to have to live with the reasons. In life, there are only Results and Reasons. Wouldn't you rather live with the results than the reasons?
"We all have a future. Some people plan theirs."
Saturday, August 1, 2009
How Happy Are You?
"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
~Abraham Lincoln
How happy are you? It really is your choice to be happy or not. Why are you unhappy? Did you give someone else the power to make you unhappy? Why? When you realize that EVERYTHING in life is a choice, and YOU get to choose how to react to it, life becomes easier.
Eleanor Roosevelt said that "Nobody can make you feel anything without YOUR permission."
We often forget that WE have to power to react or act any way we desire. Just because someone flips you off for driving slow doesn't mean that you need to react the same way. In fact, we should bless them because they are so important...
Aristotle said that "Nothing is good or bad, except our thinking makes it so."
Think about that for a while. We get to decide what is good and bad. We decide, not someone else, not your boss, your teachers, your mom, not me. YOU GET TO DECIDE!
"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
DECIDE today to make up YOUR mind to be happy!
~Abraham Lincoln
How happy are you? It really is your choice to be happy or not. Why are you unhappy? Did you give someone else the power to make you unhappy? Why? When you realize that EVERYTHING in life is a choice, and YOU get to choose how to react to it, life becomes easier.
Eleanor Roosevelt said that "Nobody can make you feel anything without YOUR permission."
We often forget that WE have to power to react or act any way we desire. Just because someone flips you off for driving slow doesn't mean that you need to react the same way. In fact, we should bless them because they are so important...
Aristotle said that "Nothing is good or bad, except our thinking makes it so."
Think about that for a while. We get to decide what is good and bad. We decide, not someone else, not your boss, your teachers, your mom, not me. YOU GET TO DECIDE!
"Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."
DECIDE today to make up YOUR mind to be happy!
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