It's On YOU!

YOU are responsible for your own:

• Personal Development
• Knowledge
• Financial Situation
• Health
• Happiness
• Success
• Credibility
• Brand
• Your Children’s Upbringing

YOU are responsible... nobody else!

WHY?

• Why should I hire you?
• Why should I promote you?
• Why should I fire somebody other than you?
• Why should I buy from you?
• Why should I recommend you?
• Why should I join your organization?
• Why should I invest in you?

These simple questions challenge you to articulate your Value.

Are you prepared to give your BEST answers right now?

If you’re ‘lucky’, someone will actually ask you one of these questions. Most likely, however, people will just wait for you to prove it with your behavior.

Choices

Which is more important to you – to be entertained or to get paid?

Before you quickly give the obvious ‘right’ answer, first honestly reflect upon what you invest much of your Valuable time and focus doing day-in & day-out. Whether it is surfing the internet, listening to music, watching television or hanging out with friends (all of which are perfectly OK to do), those are conscious short-term investments of your time that could be devoted to achieving your long-term dreams & desires.

Here is a simple challenge for you: On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the highest), rate everything that you do for the next month as it relates to whether or not it is helping you achieve your long-term personal & financial goals.

EVERYTHING that you do is a CHOICE… What are you CHOOSING to do?

Good-bye 'friends... Hello Friends!

Imagine that you are at a professional networking event. A smiling stranger walks up to you and says, “Hi, my name is John. I’d like to be your friend!” While you might be a little skeptical, since it is a networking event… and this person seems to be normal, you would probably answer, “Sure, John!” And, the relationship begins…

So far, so good, right? Suddenly, and for the rest of eternity, John does nothing but sell, Sell, SELL! And you quickly realize that John never wanted to be your Friend. He just wanted a prospect to SPAM. What a waste! Today’s world of social media connectivity is no different. So many people ask for your Friendship only to treat you like an anonymous name in a phone book.

I will soon begin a systematic purging of the worst offenders from my ‘friends’ network… because I am searching for Real connections, Real relationships, Real Friends.

Good-bye ‘friends’… Hello Friends!

Taking the Shorter Line

I called a good Friend/client today to wish him a “Happy Anniversary!” On the surface, that does not seem extraordinary, but it is. It is because today is his 12^th anniversary of getting a kidney transplant. He just happened to mention the date in passing many months ago, and (me being me) I wrote that date in my calendar. I wrote it down because he is my Friend… and because I know that today is an important day in his Life.

I did not do that for selfish reasons… even though I realize now that I will benefit greatly from my 'simple' phone call. How many other people even know about today’s significance? How many other people will remember? How many other people will take the time to call to wish him a “Happy 12^th Kidney Transplant Anniversary!”? I’m guessing not very many.

That’s what I call ‘Taking the Shorter Line”. Doing what everybody else is NOT doing… SHOWING that I Care and that I am Different… by proving it with my actions. Every day, I get bombarded by junk from so many people lined up who say (and maybe even believe) that they care about me. Unfortunately, I don’t have time for most of them… because I’m always in the Shorter Line.

Dare To Be Bad

Ask young children the following question, “Are you artists?” They will confidently answer, “Yes, we are!” They will have had little or no training, and their creations will be far from masterful… but they believe that doesn’t matter. They believe that creating art… makes you an artist… regardless of how good you are. They instinctively understand that they must first be bad at something if they ever wants to become good at it.

Ask an adult the same question, “Are you an artist?” Most will quickly answer, “No, I am not!” That’s because he did not hear the question. He thought that you asked, “Are you a good artist?” or “Are you a professional artist” or “Are you a successful artist?”… all of which have nothing to do with your original question or the point.

Stop setting imaginary thresholds of competency before you admit to doing something… or (much worse) before you even try doing something. Think like you did when you were a child: Confidently… Fearlessly… Happily, and your perspective on Life will change for the better.

Be what you want to be… in order to become what you want to become.

The Definition of 'Friend'

For thousands of years, the definition of the word “friend” was universal:

-noun- “a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard"

Thanks to the Wonders of Technology, today’s definition has changed slightly. Now, for many people it’s more like this:

-noun- “a person who clicked “Confirm” on the request from a stranger who “added him as a friend”

Every single day, we have amazing opportunities to BUILD meaningful relationships with more people than ever. Don’t be lazy. Don’t skip the pleasantries.

Utilize social media to create REAL Friends… not virtual ones.

Experts Wanted!

The world has too few experts… and there is only one reason why: Choice!

I have learned from more than one source that the ‘average’ American (after finishing whatever level of education they’ve completed) will never read another non-fiction book as long as they live. Let that thought sink in for a minute… Instead of looking at this as a tragedy, I choose to see this as an amazing opportunity.

You could read several books on any subject (for FREE), and immediately become a relative expert in that field… someone with Valuable, contemporary knowledge that could help others and yourself. Therefore, I challenge you to do the following simple steps:

1) Pick a topic on which you want to become an expert (preferably something that could help people.

2) Go to the bookstore or library and read at least three non-fiction books on that subject.

3) Help and share your knowledge with others to make this world a Better Place.

4) Repeat

You could become a relative expert on a meaningful topic of your choice by this time next week... What are you going to do?

"Yes or No?"

If given the choice of hearing “No” or “Maybe” from a prospect, which answer would you prefer? By their behavior, it appears that many sales professionals choose “Maybe”. However, most successful people would much prefer to hear a definite “No”.

A “No” can be removed from your ‘active’ pipeline… no longer wasting time, resources and focus chasing this ‘opportunity’. A “Maybe” lingers around forever providing you false hope and distraction.

What’s the best way to change a “Maybe” into a “No” or even a “Yes”? Ask!