05.11.08
Carl Sanburg
Today's SuccessQuote:
""Fast is fine, but accuracy is everything." Wyatt Earp
Chris Widener's Action Point:
We live in a very fast paced world. Everything is needed NOW. I suppose there is a market for fast, and there will be some who are rewarded handsomely for it, but most success stories revolve around quality rather than speed. Someone may be doing it faster, but the successful do it better. The first go around may go to the fast, but when people realize there is lesser quality
there, they will look for, and stay with, the better quality from then on. I remember early on in my career when I was building an organization I had started, and an old friend sent me a card that said only these words, "Remember, you are growing an oak tree, not a squash." Good words for me. Good words for all of us. Action Point: Is there something you have been
pushing to get done at the expense of the quality? Take some time today to slow down, go over it again, improve the quality and readjust your schedule. Build something strong that lasts, though it takes longer, not something you can build fast that dies out soon thereafter.
ECHOES OF KIND WORDS
A little boy said to his father, "Let's play darts. I'll throw the darts and you say, 'Wonderful!'" Here is a boy who was not afraid to ask for the encouragement he needs. Maybe we all have something to learn from him!
Inspirational author and educator, Fr. Brian Cavanaugh, relates a story about the devastating effects of discouragement. Dante Gabriel Rossetti, the famous 19th Century poet and artist, was once approached by an elderly man who asked him to look at a few of his sketches and drawings. The gentleman wanted to know if the artist thought they were of any value.
As gently as possible, Rossetti told the man that the sketches were of no value and showed little talent. He apologized for the harsh assessment but said that he believed he should be honest.
The visitor was disappointed but asked the artist if he could take a look at just a few more, which were all done by a young art student. Rossetti looked over the second batch of sketches and immediately became enthusiastic over the talent they revealed. "These," he said, "oh, these are good." He went on to say that the young student shows much promise and should be given every help and encouragement, as he may have a great future if he will study and work hard.
The old man was deeply moved. Rossetti asked, "Who is this fine, young artist? Your son?"
"No," replied the visitor sadly. "It is I - 40 years ago. If only I had heard your praise then. For you see, I became discouraged and gave up too soon."
Mother Teresa wisely said, "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." Sometimes it may be enough to just say, "Wonderful!"
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR DAY!
by Paul J. Meyer
When was the last time you complained that you had too much time on your hands? You probably cannot remember that far back. The truth is that most of us cannot squeeze into a 24-hour period all the items written on our daily planners. A common mistake most people make is to attempt to find time instead of make time!
How do you MAKE time?
FIRST, define your most important goals:
A burning desire to reach a specific goal motivates you to make time to take the required actions.
Write down specifically how you will use extra time. Will you spend it making personal calls, three-way calls, attending training meetings, making new contacts?
SECOND, chart your time:
Note how you spend each hour. Most time is wasted, not in hours, but in minutes. A bucket with a small hole in the bottom becomes just as empty as the one that is deliberately kicked over.
THIRD, organize your time to plug the time leaks:
Assume the attitude that every minute that does not work for you, works against you.
To make the most of your time, try these proven time savers:
Examine the usual daily interruptions. See how many you can eliminate immediately, screen out, or delegate. Set aside a specific time for phoning people on your prospect list, making presentations, keeping up with the detail part of the job, attending training meetings, reading and sending emails and phone calls. These designated time blocks do not always work; emergencies occur, demanding flexibility in scheduling. But when you have a plan for organizing and investing your time, that extra hour of time each day will be available.
Analyze your energy cycle. Determine when you tend to be at your best physically and mentally. Schedule challenging tasks during those times of peak performance and you will accomplish more in less time. I have more energy in the morning hours than I do in the afternoon hours, so I have always made the majority of my phone calls for sales appointments first thing in the morning. For some people it is just the opposite. They are evening people and work better in the evenings.
Think about time the way you think about money. The more wisely you invest time, the greater the yield. Before you invest time in a given activity, ask yourself, "Is there something more profitable I could be doing?" And remember, making face-to-face contacts and presentations will ALWAYS be the most profitable thing you can do!!
Make the most of your life by making the most of every minute, every hour and every day!!
Today's Motivation:
"When you sow an action, you reap a habit; when you sow a habit, you reap a character; and when you sow a character, you reap a destiny."
Zig Ziglar
Logic is a swell tool, but it will never eliminate negativity. Action, on the other hand, will.
If procrastination is your problem, make a resolution to arrive at work tomorrow determined -- and enthusiastic! -- about tackling all the assignments you've let pile up on your desk.
Follow this resolution every day and you'll build a habit of being energetic, resolute, and productive at work.
So remember, the way to develop good habits, a positive character, and a successful destiny is to action -- now!
Today's SuccessQuote:
"Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are
unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound."
James Allen
Chris Widener's Action Point:
This reminds me of my Uncle Paul's old saying, "Wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which one fills first." Okay, so my Uncle Paul wasn't a polished guy, but he knew one thing: Wishing for something doesn't get it for you. Being anxious about things won't change your circumstances either. Successful people realize that you can't just want your circumstances to improve; you have to make them improve. And the best way to make your circumstances improve is to improve yourself. When you get better, your situations and circumstances get better. Action Point: Do something TODAY to get better. Read something, listen to something, or try something. Take action on improving yourself in any way that you can. Put yourself into growth mode and you will begin to change your life!
TIME VS. MONEY by James Ray
"There are only two things you can do with your time.spend
it...or invest it."
Think about it, you and I can spend our money and we will always get more. However, if you spend your time...it is gone forever. Consequently, time is more valuable than money.
Entrepreneurial thinkers value their time - they know what they are worth and are continuously cautious about how they utilize this precious asset.
One of the most common downfalls I observe with would-be achievers is that they want to be 6 figure income earners but they are constantly SPENDING their time on low-leveraged activities. This kind of behavior is putting them on hot rails to failure and disappointment. In other words.their goals are never going to be achieved.
You must know what you are worth and continually ask yourself, "Is the activity I am involved in going to give me a return on my time, equal to or greater than, my hourly worth?"
Here is an exercise that I have my personal coaching clients complete:
Take your annual financial goal and divide it by the number of months that you work per year. This may not necessarily be what you ARE working now, if you have a flexible schedule it may be what you WANT to be working.
Now divide that figure by the number of weeks you work per month - the number of days you work per week - and finally the number of hours you want to work per day. You now have your hourly worth per hour based upon where you are headed versus where you are. The key to success in this exercise is to set a financial goal and work back from there.
"Success comes from taking action based upon where you are going versus where you are."
Let's assume that after this exercise you are worth $100 per hour based on your goal. From this day forward you must ask yourself, "Is what I am doing right now worth $100 per hour? Is it going to give me a $100 return or better on my time investment?"
If the answer to either of the questions above is "no" then you should not be involved in the task or activity. This does not mean that it should not be done - just that it should not be completed by YOU - or at minimum it should not be done during business generating hours.
How can you delegate, reschedule, off-load, rearrange or otherwise deal effectively with your "low-leverage" activities? How can you complete them without SPENDING your time to complete them?
Answer these questions, put them to action, and you will see your business and your results skyrocket. You will find yourself involved only with the key activities that will move you in quantum leaps toward your goal!
Invest your time...and make your life magnificent!
Today's Motivation:
"When all men think alike, no one thinks very much."
Walter Lippmann
The fastest way to blight creativity is to run with the herd. Sure, it takes guts to break away, look at things from a fresh point of view, and suggest new ideas and new solutions that go against conventional wisdom. But every great endeavor began with someone who indulged in a little independent thinking.
Today's SuccessQuote:
"Review your goals twice every day in order to be focused on achieving them."
Les Brown
Chris Widener's Action Point: Okay, so I don't know about twice a day (though it couldn't hurt), but the point is well taken: You should review your goals very regularly. At least three times a week is what I would recommend. If you can put them on a sheet of paper or on the computer where you will see them all of the time, all the better. The first point would be that you have to have your goals written down. Do you? If not, get to it. If you do, then print them out where you can get to them on a regular basis. This will program your mind to focus in on these priorities of yours and you will function more along the lines that you want to. Action Point: Take some time today to figure out your goals in at least five major categories. Now write them down. Now put them in a spot where you will be able to review them regularly. Set your computer to remind you to do it if you can program it that way. Enjoy your growth!
Just Say Yes by Fran Capo
I'm a standup comic. I was working at a radio station in New York, doing the weather as this character called June East (Mae West's long-lost sister). One day, a woman from "The Daily News" called and said she wanted to do an article on me. When she had finished interviewing me for the article, she asked, "What are you planning to do next?"
Well, at the time, there was absolutely nothing I was planning on doing next, so I asked her what she meant, stalling for time. She said she really wanted to follow my career. Here was a woman from "The Daily News" telling me she was interested in me! So I thought I'd better tell her something. What came out was, "I'm thinking about breaking the Guinness Book of World Records for Fastest-Talking Female."
The newspaper article came out the next day, and the writer had included my parting remarks about trying to break the world's Fastest-Talking Female record. At about 5:00 P.M. that afternoon, I got a call from "Larry King Live" asking me to go on the show. They wanted me to try to break the record, and they told me they would pick me up at 8:00 - because they wanted me to do it that night!
Now, I had never heard of "Larry King Live," and when I heard the women say she was from the Manhattan Channel, I thought, 'Hmmmm, that's a porn channel, right?' But she patiently assured me that it was a national television show and that this was a one-time offer and opportunity - it was either that night or not at all.
I stared at the phone. I had a gig that night in New Jersey, but it wasn't hard to figure out which of the two engagements I'd prefer to do. I had to find a replacement for my 7:00 show, and I started calling every comic I knew. By the grace of God, I finally found one who would fill in for me, and five minutes before the deadline, I told "Larry King Live" I could make it.
Then I sat down to figure out what on earth I was going to do on the show. I called Guinness to find out how to break a fast-talking record. They told me I would have to recite something from either Shakespeare or the Bible.
Suddenly I started saying the ninety-first Psalm, a prayer of protection my mother had taught me. Shakespeare and I had never really gotten along, so I figured the Bible was my only hope. I began practicing and practicing, over and over again. I was both nervous and excited at the same time.
At 8:00, the limousine picked me up. I practiced the whole way there, and by the time I reached the New York studio, I was tongue-tied. I asked the woman in charge, "What if I don't break the record?"
"Larry doesn't care if you break it or not," she said. "He just cares that you try it on his show first." So I asked myself, 'What's the worst that can happen? I'll look like a fool on national television! A minor thing,' I told myself, thinking I could live through that. And what if I broke the record?
So I decided just to give it my best shot, and I did. I broke the record, becoming the World's Fastest-Talking Female by speaking 585 words in one minute in front of a national television audience. (I broke it again two years later, with 603 words in a minute.) My career took off.
People often ask me how I did that. Or how I've managed to do many of the things I've done, like lecturing for the first time, or going on stage for the first time, or bungee jumping for the first time. I tell them I live my life by this simple philosophy: I always say yes first; then I ask, 'Now, what do I have to do to accomplish that?'
Then I ask myself, 'What is the worst thing that can happen if I don't succeed?' The answer is, I simply don't succeed! And what's the best thing that can happen? I succeed!
What more can life ask of you? Be yourself, and have a good time!
WHAT IF...by Jerry "Drhino" Clark
What if we are not Joyful today because we were not Thankful yesterday? And what if we are Blessed tomorrow because we are Grateful today?
What if we are not Inspired and Motivated today because we were not Committed and Disciplined yesterday? And what if we are Inspired and Motivated tomorrow because we are Committed and Disciplined today?
What if we were never able to see a Rainbow because we were too busy complaining about the Rain? And what if today we couldn't experience the warmth of the Sun because we focused on the coldness of the Shadow?
What if there were no more books tomorrow because we didn't take the time to read today? And What if there were no life changing tapes today because we didn't take the time to record our experiences yesterday?
What if our Prayers were not answered tomorrow because we didn't listen to our heart today? And what if we did not follow our true "calling" today because we did not "hear" the phone ring yesterday?
What if life does not give you what you want today because you didn't ask for it yesterday? And What if life will give you anything you want tomorrow if you would simply ask for it today?
What if you have GOTTEN today 10 times what you GAVE yesterday? And What if you GET tomorrow 10 times what you GIVE today?
What if you are not getting the Message today because you didn't listen to the Messenger yesterday? And What if you don't get the Message tomorrow because you didn't listen to the Messenger today?
What if your life today is a reflection of your Thoughts yesterday? And what if your Thoughts today are a reflection of your Life tomorrow?
Things that make you say hummmmm. Until next time . . . . Go, Go, Go!
Today's SuccessQuote:
"The only certain means of success is to render more and better service than is expected of you,
no matter what your task may be." Og Mandino
Chris Widener's Action Point:
We all have the tendency to settle into ruts. Some settle into a poor level, some into mediocrity. That is the nature of settling. You don't settle into excellence. You strive for excellence. You choose to stretch into excellence. And the only way to assure success in this life is to choose excellence. The terms "more" and "better" symbolize this choice. Do more. Be better. Stretch yourself and your organization. Let your competitors settle - you stretch for what you know can be yours - total success through more and better excellence! Action Point: What areas do you need to do more in to achieve success? Do it! What area do you need to do better in? Do it! And when you do, you will be on your way to victory!
PROFITS ARE BETTER THAN WAGES by Jim Rohn
My mentor, when I was 25 years old, dropped a phrase on me that changed my life forever when he said, "profits are better than wages. Wages will make you a living, profits can make you a fortune." You know it is a bit difficult to get rich on wages, but anybody can get rich on profits. Profits change your whole attitude, even if you start part- time. Whether it's part time on your entrepreneurial business, network marketing company or service business.
It can be a landscape business in the summer or hanging Christmas lights in the winter. It can be training, consulting or tutoring. It can be your hobby such as painting, writing, crafts, woodworking, computers or cooking. But once you start investing even part time effort into your own business, you will find how much more exciting it is to get up in the morning and go to work on your fortune, even if you're only spending a few hours a week doing it.
How empowering it is to be able to go to work on your fortune every day rather than going to work to pay the rent. Now - it is noble to go to work to pay the rent, but if you could also parcel out part of your time - go to work to make your fortune. Your whole attitude changes; your spirit changes. It is in your voice. It is in your face. It is in your gestures. And then you can say, "I am now working full-time on my job and part-time on my fortune because I found a way to make profits." Wow!
And I will know what you mean.
THE POWER OF OUR DREAMS by Dr. Philip E. Humbert
Our heroes have always understood the power of dreams, even when their dreams were delayed or frustrated for long periods of time. They never gave up!
Henry Ford went bankrupt before creating the Model T. Peekaboo Street fell and failed and even broke bones before winning Olympic medals. Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before fulfilling his dream of an electric light, and Abraham Lincoln failed too many times to count before becoming the greatest President America has known.
Imagine Helen Keller without her unrealistic dream! Pop culture would be very different if Tina Turner had lost her dream when she was slapped down, or if Oprah had given up along the way.
Martin Luther King, Jr. is remembered for many things, but none has been more lasting or more powerful than his proclamation that, "I have a dream!"
Never, ever stop dreaming! Some dreams will prove elusive, and some will prove disappointing. Some may seem misguided and need to be revised, revamped and revisited. But it is our ability to dream of new and better worlds that makes us human. Our dreams empower us! Our leaders and heroes have always been pulled by their visions, their dreams of possibilities that lie around the corner, just out of sight, but not out of reach. Dream big dreams!
"You are beaten to Earth,
Well, well, what's that?
Come up with a smiling face.
It's nothing against you to fall down flat,
but to lie there, that's disgrace.
The harder you're thrown,
why the higher you'll bounce.
Be proud of your blackened eye.
It isn't the fact that you're licked, that counts,
It's how did you fight and why.
Daily action point:
The future is a whole new world.Too many of us are hampered by the events of our pasts. Things that happened months or years ago continue to reverberate through our lives like the vibrations of a giant bell. These 'ghost events' may no longer have the power to hurt us physically, but the surely do have the means to damage us mentally.
If we let them.
If you want to be an explorer in life, discover new and exciting things, truly believe that you can do anything - then you have to let go of the baggage that is holding you back.
All those ghosts that tell you that you can't do it, that you aren't up to it, that you are frightened, that you are less able, that you shouldn't expect better - they are all wrong. They are talking about a different person, one who lives in the past.
They are not talking about the future you - the you who is embarking on a wonderful voyage of discovery.
Those past ghosts are separated from your future by a powerful barrier: NOW! Now is the time that you can quiet the voices and expel the ghosts. Now is the time that you can make the decision to move forward.
Now is the time that you can drop the heavy baggage and
move onwards and upwards.
Today's SuccessQuote:
"Articulate your dream to others and the power of it
will draw them to help you accomplish it."
Chris Widener
Chris Widener's Action Point:
There are only a few speeches in our country that we listen to regularly and are almost universally aware of. One of them is Martin Luther King's speech, "I have a dream." Did other people have that dream? Many. But what is so powerful is that we remember that Martin Luther King so eloquently articulated that dream. Because of this, many followed and the course of a nation was altered forever. This is a lesson that we could learn and apply in our daily lives. If you have a dream and only you know about it, it is really just a wish. When you begin to tell others about your dream you will be putting it into action and drawing them to help you achieve it. The fact is that most people don't have a dream and when someone does, they get on board (Yes, some will be naysayers, but many will want you to succeed!). Action Point: First, get in touch with your life dream if you don't have one. Second, begin to tell others your dream. One good way to do this is to ask others what their dream is. Worst case scenario is they tell you they don't have one but ask what yours is. Best case, you both share your dream and encourage one another to accomplish your dreams! Have at least one conversation today about your dream!
When You Thought I Wasn't Looking - Author Unknown
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you make my favorite cake for me,
and I knew that little things are special things.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I heard you say a prayer,
and I believed there is a God I could always talk to.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I felt you kiss me good night,
and I felt loved.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw tears come from your eyes,
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw that you cared
and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked...
and wanted to say thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.
IMPORTANT VS. URGENT by Tony Jeary
Priorities refer to those things that are important. Many are still in the habit of "reacting" to the urgent rather than "responding" to the important. Think about this statement. Important activities should be of high priority because they are the things that contribute significantly to our objectives. They have more "long-term" impact. They should help us the most in reaching our goals. Don't prioritize based on who gave you the work; fit it based on its importance and urgency and who should be handling it based on responsibilities, skills, and capacity.
Urgent activities usually are more "short-term" in nature and may or may not relate to our objectives. They usually do not make significant contributions. They make endless demands on our time and pressure us daily. There is a constant tension that develops between the urgent and the important. Because the important things seldom need to be done today, and the urgent almost always do, there is a critical need for learning to set proper priorities so that our visions, goals, and desires can be met more effectively.
Most people don't take the time to prioritize. They are usually reactive. We recommend you be proactive. Here is a list of time-gaining events to help you more effectively prioritize. Enter the approximate amount of time you feel you will gain each day by successfully performing the selected events, changing your habits and using your tools.
1. Setting priorities during your daily planning, eliminating unproductive tasks gains valuable time.
2. Having a written agenda, and following it, for every meeting with no more than three objectives gains valuable wasted time from long, ineffective, rambling meetings.
3. Learning to "say no" to demands that don't benefit you, or sending the request to the appropriate person, helps you to "double" the time gained by not reacting to the demand, and by freeing you up to do what DOES benefit you.
4. Learning when your high-energy time is and scheduling your priority work for this time gains minutes through more effective and empowering work.
5. Prioritize your reading by learning to skim articles, memos, books etc. Then read only what really gives you value. This will gain you crucial daily time every time you read.
6. Request that people that send you e-mails, prioritizing and spelling out the actions they are asking of you with clear bullet points, not long narratives.
7. Write down what your objectives are before you return phone calls to gain time through quicker, more effective communication.
8. Early in the day, sorting mail and placing each piece appropriately (now, future, trash) gains valuable time throughout the day as each piece is addressed only once.
9. Asking the originator of a document to send you ONLY the relevant information that pertains to you gains time by not wasting it on reading information that is irrelevant to you.
10. Create lists often. This helps with focus and multi-tasking.
11. Prioritize and review the list of tasks you have given a subordinate. Clarity and merging of the minds often uncover shortcuts.
12. Gain time by having visitors screened and only meet with those visitors whom you must. Stand when you greet drop-ins, sit only if YOU want to.
13. Use a Daytimer(TM) or electronic datebook to help prioritize daily events.
After going through this list of 13 activities, add up the approximate time you believe you would save on a weekly basis - and then start doing it!
Today's Motivation
"Develop the skin of a rhino and the soul of an angel."
Robert K. Cooper
It's tough to be on the receiving end of harsh, sometimes unfair, criticism. When a colleague, a friend, or a member of your family has just let you have it both barrels, resist the temptation to sulk and let the cutting remark pass.
In your own dealings with other people, however, strive to be "an angel" in the sense of being kind, generous, and inspiring. You can't solve everyone's problems, but you may be able to nudge them in a new, more productive direction.
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