I am a big believer in setting goals. As they say, if you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there. But I also believe that these goals should excite you. I understand the concept of SMART goals, but if you don't have a goal that excites you, you probably will not ultimately change your behavior.
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Ultimately, if you want to break through a ceiling, you need to set goals that force you to re-evaluate how your are doing things now...so you can get where you want to be!
Monday, January 21, 2013
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Reading Mindset...
I am reading a book called Mindset...The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dwek and it's been very fascinating. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081W0DQA
The basic concept is there are two mindsets in humans, and the mindset you have, helps to determine your success. The fixed mindset is held by those that believe you are "as smart as you will be" and you cannot get smarter. You are a "good student." You are a "great dancer." You have these abilities (or lack thereof) and that is that.
The growth mindset, on the other hand, believes that you are a work in progress. You can get better (at nearly anything) with effort.
Dwek does a great job explaining why having either mindset changes ALL decisions you make without you even knowing it! Check it out if you want to become a better student, parent, teacher, leader, person, etc. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081W0DQA. And who doesn't?
The basic concept is there are two mindsets in humans, and the mindset you have, helps to determine your success. The fixed mindset is held by those that believe you are "as smart as you will be" and you cannot get smarter. You are a "good student." You are a "great dancer." You have these abilities (or lack thereof) and that is that.
The growth mindset, on the other hand, believes that you are a work in progress. You can get better (at nearly anything) with effort.
Dwek does a great job explaining why having either mindset changes ALL decisions you make without you even knowing it! Check it out if you want to become a better student, parent, teacher, leader, person, etc. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081W0DQA. And who doesn't?
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Fighting the Business Blahs
If you have a sales team, then at some point or another, you are sure to have a lull in activity. It sometimes comes in the summertime for me, but your organization might be different. But my guess is, regardless of the time of year, this shows up as the a few things coincide:
1) Lack of preparation (maybe you have been busy with business and have not done the prep work for new business).
2) Lack of desire (everyone gets tired of putting their foot to the floor ALL the time)
3) Lack of effort
This isn't me throwing stones. It happens. So far this July it has been the case with me. I was busy in the 2nd quarter so I was not doing the work to get ready for a busy summer (yes that would be number 1). I want to enjoy the summer and relax (number 2). And if I am honest, I have not been putting in the hours (number 3). I told someone yesterday, I blame summer being slow on the fact that everyone is on vacation. But the fact is I have been on a mental vacation. So the problem is...me.
The great news is, I have control over that. So this week I choose to show up differently. It's time to get rid of Business Blahs. It should be as easy as 1, 2, 3.
1) Lack of preparation (maybe you have been busy with business and have not done the prep work for new business).
2) Lack of desire (everyone gets tired of putting their foot to the floor ALL the time)
3) Lack of effort
This isn't me throwing stones. It happens. So far this July it has been the case with me. I was busy in the 2nd quarter so I was not doing the work to get ready for a busy summer (yes that would be number 1). I want to enjoy the summer and relax (number 2). And if I am honest, I have not been putting in the hours (number 3). I told someone yesterday, I blame summer being slow on the fact that everyone is on vacation. But the fact is I have been on a mental vacation. So the problem is...me.
The great news is, I have control over that. So this week I choose to show up differently. It's time to get rid of Business Blahs. It should be as easy as 1, 2, 3.
Friday, July 13, 2012
A Great Lesson on the Chapters of Our Life
I was listening to a CD in the car today of Wayne Dyer. As you may know, Dr. Dyer is a best selling author, speaker, teacher on the Power of Manifesting what you want in your life. I highly recommend his teachings for those that want to take control of their thoughts...and therefore, their life.
Today he told the story of a seminar where participants were given 5 3 x 5 index cards. They were told to write the 5 chapters of the "story of their life" on them. With a small index card you can only be so detailed. Here is what one person wrote:
Chapter 1: I am walking down a street. There is a big hole. I don't see it. I fall in the hole. It's not my fault. It takes a LONG time to get out.
Chapter 2: I am walking down the same street. There is a big hole. I see it. I fall in it anyway! It's not my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3: I am walking down the same street. There is a big hole. I see it again! I fall in it again anway! It's my fault. I get out right away.
Chapter 4: I am walking down the same street. There is a big hole. I see it. I walk around it.
Chapter 5: I walk down a different street.
This message really struck me today. We all make mistakes in our lives. The key (as this illustrates) is to recognize them, take responsibility for them, and then "take a different street."
Have a great day!
Today he told the story of a seminar where participants were given 5 3 x 5 index cards. They were told to write the 5 chapters of the "story of their life" on them. With a small index card you can only be so detailed. Here is what one person wrote:
Chapter 1: I am walking down a street. There is a big hole. I don't see it. I fall in the hole. It's not my fault. It takes a LONG time to get out.
Chapter 2: I am walking down the same street. There is a big hole. I see it. I fall in it anyway! It's not my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.
Chapter 3: I am walking down the same street. There is a big hole. I see it again! I fall in it again anway! It's my fault. I get out right away.
Chapter 4: I am walking down the same street. There is a big hole. I see it. I walk around it.
Chapter 5: I walk down a different street.
This message really struck me today. We all make mistakes in our lives. The key (as this illustrates) is to recognize them, take responsibility for them, and then "take a different street."
Have a great day!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
You Get What You Focus On
Yesterday I had the opportunity to walk around my community with a great group of concerned citizens looking to improve our area. We split up into groups and walked around looking for things to improve. This was a great exercise to do in this group because we were able to see things walking around that we miss while driving by in a car. We were able to see many things that could be done to improve our community...some without spending much money.
The challenge with an activity like this is that when you look for the bad, you will get it. Just like anything else in life, you get what you focus on. So by the end of the exercise I found myself in a bit of down mood. I spent the whole time looking for things to improve, so it became hard to see the things that are great! And just like any community, we have both.
We have a group coming soon as a part of the First Impressions group to give us their take on our town. I am anxious to see if they see all that we see...or if they see the good stuff too!
Remember...we get what we focus on. So make an effort to focus on good things in your life today.
If you have been following this blog, you know I have been working on the short eBook "Give Your Way To Success for a while. I am excited to announce that it is available on Amazon now! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081W0DQA
This is a good thing in my life...so I intend to focus on it!
The challenge with an activity like this is that when you look for the bad, you will get it. Just like anything else in life, you get what you focus on. So by the end of the exercise I found myself in a bit of down mood. I spent the whole time looking for things to improve, so it became hard to see the things that are great! And just like any community, we have both.
We have a group coming soon as a part of the First Impressions group to give us their take on our town. I am anxious to see if they see all that we see...or if they see the good stuff too!
Remember...we get what we focus on. So make an effort to focus on good things in your life today.
If you have been following this blog, you know I have been working on the short eBook "Give Your Way To Success for a while. I am excited to announce that it is available on Amazon now! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0081W0DQA
This is a good thing in my life...so I intend to focus on it!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Want To Be Important? Make Others Feel Important
There are very few things that will increase your stature in other people's eyes than to simply make them feel important.
How do you do that? It's easy. Take that extra second to notice them. Call them by name. Send them a note to thank them for their effort. Give them a sincere compliment.
That simple act of kindness will raise your stature in that person's eyes immediately. Now...repeat.
How do you do that? It's easy. Take that extra second to notice them. Call them by name. Send them a note to thank them for their effort. Give them a sincere compliment.
That simple act of kindness will raise your stature in that person's eyes immediately. Now...repeat.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Be Nice...It's Free!
Sometimes, when times are tight, it's harder to act on our "promptings" to reach out in kindness to others. Though I think most of the time, this is just an excuse, there are times when I understand that folks legitimately need to be frugal.
But really there is no excuse to not send out joy because there are lots of low cost--and no cost--ways to do it!
First off, how expensive is it really to send a card? Done right...not very much. And this simple, low cost gesture can go a LONG way toward making someone else's day. And if we are really being honest with ourselves, there are hundreds of other things you can do to make others feel special that don't cost very much at all. I challenge you to give this 10 minutes thought and you will come up with a lot of your own.
But do you know what doesn't cost a thing? Smiling. Giving sincere compliments. Giving a hug.
You know it really does not cost a thing to be nice. And it's a funny thing, when you are nice, others are nice back. When you smile, most others smile back.
It's not rocket science folks. And you know what? You can actually convince yourself that you are in a better mood by smiling. In the book "The Power of Thinking Big" author David Schwartz challenges his readers to give a big toothy grin. Really get into it! If you do it, you will notice not only a change in the muscles in your face, it will actually give your spirit a lift too!
So the next time you are feeling down or without a lot of positive to give the world, smile. You will be surprised the powerful effect it will have on your life...and the lives of others!
But really there is no excuse to not send out joy because there are lots of low cost--and no cost--ways to do it!
First off, how expensive is it really to send a card? Done right...not very much. And this simple, low cost gesture can go a LONG way toward making someone else's day. And if we are really being honest with ourselves, there are hundreds of other things you can do to make others feel special that don't cost very much at all. I challenge you to give this 10 minutes thought and you will come up with a lot of your own.
But do you know what doesn't cost a thing? Smiling. Giving sincere compliments. Giving a hug.
You know it really does not cost a thing to be nice. And it's a funny thing, when you are nice, others are nice back. When you smile, most others smile back.
It's not rocket science folks. And you know what? You can actually convince yourself that you are in a better mood by smiling. In the book "The Power of Thinking Big" author David Schwartz challenges his readers to give a big toothy grin. Really get into it! If you do it, you will notice not only a change in the muscles in your face, it will actually give your spirit a lift too!
So the next time you are feeling down or without a lot of positive to give the world, smile. You will be surprised the powerful effect it will have on your life...and the lives of others!
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