"Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away." ~Antoine de Saint Exupery
Wow, what a different way to look at things. We are so used to adding more and more things to make it work, but according to Exupery, he says that perfection is achieved when there is nothing left to take away.
Michelangelo always said that his famous "David" was inside the marble all the time and all he needed to do was take away the excess. What are you adding vs. what can you take away to make things perfect? Think about that, take away the excess and you will be left with the most important stuff. Too often we add and add rather than take away.
Action:
Look at everything that you do. Stop adding to what you do. What can you take away? Look for your perfection in the taking away rather than the adding.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Make Things Happen, Today!
"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened." ~John M. Richardson Jr.
Which one are you??? I know, you are one of those who make it happen, right? But really, do you make it happen or do you just say that you do? It's real easy to say, but much harder to do and when things get hard, we tend to not do them. Because it's too hard or will take too long or we are not committed to doing it, so we don't. Then we just let life happen to us.
Here's the thing about letting things happen to you. If you don't have a plan, you will have to be a part of someone elses plan. And guess what, their plan doesn't have much for you. I hope that you aren't one of the ones who just wonder what happened. Everything happens for a reason.
Action:
Go about today and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! Don't go through this day just letting it happen to you. Create the life that you've always wanted.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."
Which one are you??? I know, you are one of those who make it happen, right? But really, do you make it happen or do you just say that you do? It's real easy to say, but much harder to do and when things get hard, we tend to not do them. Because it's too hard or will take too long or we are not committed to doing it, so we don't. Then we just let life happen to us.
Here's the thing about letting things happen to you. If you don't have a plan, you will have to be a part of someone elses plan. And guess what, their plan doesn't have much for you. I hope that you aren't one of the ones who just wonder what happened. Everything happens for a reason.
Action:
Go about today and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! Don't go through this day just letting it happen to you. Create the life that you've always wanted.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Your Dreams and "Someday"
"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away." ~ Tom Clancy
How real is your dream? Do you allow yourself to dream or do you put it on the back burner so that you can deal with your responsibilities? Are you more concerned with your duties than your dream? Now, don't get me wrong, your duties are important, but not as important as your dream! Are you putting off your dream until "someday?" Here's a little secret...someday never comes!
Only you can take your dream away from you. No one else can. Do you realize that or have you let others take your dream away? I sure hope not, but if you have, you can reclaim your dream right now. Just do it! Right now! Your dream is your choice. Make sure that you choose well.
Action:
Take one step toward your dream today. That's all it takes, is one step a day. Soon you will so close to your dream that you will be able to touch it and feel it! Remember, someday never comes!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away."
How real is your dream? Do you allow yourself to dream or do you put it on the back burner so that you can deal with your responsibilities? Are you more concerned with your duties than your dream? Now, don't get me wrong, your duties are important, but not as important as your dream! Are you putting off your dream until "someday?" Here's a little secret...someday never comes!
Only you can take your dream away from you. No one else can. Do you realize that or have you let others take your dream away? I sure hope not, but if you have, you can reclaim your dream right now. Just do it! Right now! Your dream is your choice. Make sure that you choose well.
Action:
Take one step toward your dream today. That's all it takes, is one step a day. Soon you will so close to your dream that you will be able to touch it and feel it! Remember, someday never comes!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Nothing is as real as a dream. The world can change around you, but your dream will not. Responsibilities need not erase it. Duties need not obscure it. Because the dream is within you, no one can take it away."
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Stop Listening to Your Negative Self
“Want to overcome discouragement? Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself.”
Are you listening to yourself and not talking to yourself? It's a real easy trap to fall into. And we often listen ourselves out of opportunities, don't we. Have you name your little voice? Mine is Ziggy, for Sigmund Freud and the comic Ziggy. That make it easy to talk to and make it either stop or at least tone down the noise.
Your brain is NOT your friend. It is designed to keep you safe and to challenge anything new or different. How can you grow unless you try new or different things? You need to constantly ask questions and challenge how you think. Can you do that? It is difficult, but I believe that you can.
Action:
Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself. You will be in a better frame of mind and even more productive!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
“Want to overcome discouragement? Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself.”
Are you listening to yourself and not talking to yourself? It's a real easy trap to fall into. And we often listen ourselves out of opportunities, don't we. Have you name your little voice? Mine is Ziggy, for Sigmund Freud and the comic Ziggy. That make it easy to talk to and make it either stop or at least tone down the noise.
Your brain is NOT your friend. It is designed to keep you safe and to challenge anything new or different. How can you grow unless you try new or different things? You need to constantly ask questions and challenge how you think. Can you do that? It is difficult, but I believe that you can.
Action:
Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself. You will be in a better frame of mind and even more productive!
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
“Want to overcome discouragement? Stop listening to yourself and start talking to yourself.”
Monday, September 26, 2011
Say YES to Your Adventure!
“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.” ~Joseph Campbell
Are you ready to say a hearty YES to your adventure? Really? Then, what are you waiting for? Permission? OK, I give you permission to say a hearty YES to your adventure. Now, what are you waiting for?
Oh, you need to let go of yesterday, right? The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday. You may not have known it, but you need to let go of the past if you are every going to move forward. Are you ready to let go of the past and live in the present?
Action:
Start leaving the past in the past so you can live in the present and move into your future. The future that you create. The future of your dreams. "It's never too late to be who you were meant to be."
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.”
Are you ready to say a hearty YES to your adventure? Really? Then, what are you waiting for? Permission? OK, I give you permission to say a hearty YES to your adventure. Now, what are you waiting for?
Oh, you need to let go of yesterday, right? The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday. You may not have known it, but you need to let go of the past if you are every going to move forward. Are you ready to let go of the past and live in the present?
Action:
Start leaving the past in the past so you can live in the present and move into your future. The future that you create. The future of your dreams. "It's never too late to be who you were meant to be."
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.”
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thnking of You...NOT!
"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do."~Eleanor Roosevelt
I just love this quote! Read it again. Now, think about how many times you didn't do something because of what other people thought about what you were going to do Guess what? They weren't thinking about you!
Think about when you meet someone and tell them what you do for business. Guess what? They don't care about what you do for business. What they care about is what you can do for THEM!! That is the only time people really think about you...when you can show them how you can help them! It's all about them. Never forget that.
A favorite quote of mine is "It's none of my business what you think of me." See, because when I care about what you think about me, I change who I am to fit what you think about me.
Action:
Realize that most people are NOT thinking about you. What they do care about is what you can do for them! So don't run your life based on other people's thoughts.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do."
I just love this quote! Read it again. Now, think about how many times you didn't do something because of what other people thought about what you were going to do Guess what? They weren't thinking about you!
Think about when you meet someone and tell them what you do for business. Guess what? They don't care about what you do for business. What they care about is what you can do for THEM!! That is the only time people really think about you...when you can show them how you can help them! It's all about them. Never forget that.
A favorite quote of mine is "It's none of my business what you think of me." See, because when I care about what you think about me, I change who I am to fit what you think about me.
Action:
Realize that most people are NOT thinking about you. What they do care about is what you can do for them! So don't run your life based on other people's thoughts.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"You wouldn't worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do."
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Turn A Problem Into A Opportunity
"Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."~Joseph Sugarman
This is so true...the problem is that we focus so much on the problem that we can't see the opportunity. A long time ago, one of my first mentors told me, "don't come to me with a problem unless you also have a solution." That's always stayed with me. Do you think like that? What would happen to you if you did?
Why do people do business with you? Because you solve a problem for them, that's why. We are all looking for our problems to be solved for us. Those who can solve the problems are rewarded, not those who can't or only see the problem.
Action:
Stop focusing on the problem and start focusing on solutions! Analyze the problem but then search for opportunities. Don't stay focused on the problem, only the opportunities.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."
This is so true...the problem is that we focus so much on the problem that we can't see the opportunity. A long time ago, one of my first mentors told me, "don't come to me with a problem unless you also have a solution." That's always stayed with me. Do you think like that? What would happen to you if you did?
Why do people do business with you? Because you solve a problem for them, that's why. We are all looking for our problems to be solved for us. Those who can solve the problems are rewarded, not those who can't or only see the problem.
Action:
Stop focusing on the problem and start focusing on solutions! Analyze the problem but then search for opportunities. Don't stay focused on the problem, only the opportunities.
Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!
"Each problem has hidden in it an opportunity so powerful that it literally dwarfs the problem. The greatest success stories were created by people who recognized a problem and turned it into an opportunity."
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