Stop 'Just' Doing Things!

I hear and read it every day... from sales professionals & non-professionals alike.   They are trying to initiate a conversation with someone, and they stumble out of the gate by saying something like, "I just called to..." or "I just want wanted to..."

Why do they do that?  Why do they diminish the Value and Importance of whatever they are about to say by using the word "just"?  "Just" serves few purposes other than to let the world know that the next words that you hear... will not be very important.

So, the next time that you have something to say, the easiest way to strengthen your messages is to remove the word "just" from your vocabulary.  (Note: You don't even have to replace it with another word... all you have to do... is skip it!)  

Give it a try and see how it works!

Permission to Dream Again!

As I continue to travel the world training business professionals & students of all ages, I have noticed a self-inflicted barrier that makes it impossible for most of the underachievers to reach their potential... even before they get started.

Low expectations! 

People hear so many times (from others & from themselves) about what's 'possible' and what's not... about what's 'realistic' and what's not... that they have literally lost the ability to Dream.  When I ask people these days about their goal for the rest of 2009, a large percentage actually respond, "I just want to survive!"... 

If I help you build a plan to grow 50%, and for some reason, the plan misses a little... you might have to 'settle' for only achieving 10 - 20% growth.  However, if your goal is "to survive" (which is right up there with those other stretch goals... like breathing), you'll be in BIG trouble if something goes wrong.  (Note: Something always goes wrong!)  

It is a proven fact that higher expectations produce better results.  Let's give ourselves a chance to do more than just survive.  I challenge you to Dream again... to make & execute a plan for the year... job... career... relationship... Life that you want to have (not that you think you'll have).

You'll do better... and have much more Fun!

A Truer Meaning of 'Winning'

I learned a valuable lesson about winning last night… attending a prestigious competition.  The Best of the Best were set to compete… and the ‘winner’ was to be determined not by quantifiable facts… but by the subjective observation of anonymous judges…

The crowded room was silent with anticipation… “And, the ‘winner’ is…”

The name of the proclaimed ‘winner’ was announced, and then a split-second of awkward silence followed as the audience realized that their anticipated ‘winner’ had not been selected...  Jubilation!.. shock… Celebration!.. confusion filled the room as the silent debate began regarding what just happened.  As a certified (objective) judge and as a close (biased) friend of one of the contestants, I had my own strong opinion regarding who should have received the 1^st Place trophy.  But, my vote didn’t count last night… and my guy didn’t win… Or, did he?

I’m not talking about whether he would’ve, could’ve or should’ve been selected as the designated ‘winner’… I’m talking about a truer meaning of winning… because I was there from the beginning.  The early written outline of his creation… the first times that he presented it to a group… the evolution of drafts, presentations and improvements… resulting in the final Masterpiece that was presented last night.

My guy did win… as did every single other contestant… because they did their absolute Best… in the planning and practice and execution of their craft.  None of us need the validation of a title or a trophy at the end of the day.  It is the Journey that gives us a truer meaning of ‘Winning’.  Congratulations everyone!

Who Are YOU?

You are what you do… not what you say or think...  

Leaders lead… Winners win… Quitters quit… Teachers teach… 

Learners learn… Dreamers dream… Singers sing… Preachers preach… 

Fighters fight… Writers write… Readers read… Watchers watch... 

Players play… Dancers dance… Lovers love… Haters hate… 

Givers give… Takers take... Doubters doubt... Believers believe...

Who are YOU?

Lessons From The Cube

I carry my Rubik’s Cube around with me when I travel and when I teach. It serves many purposes: It’s a great stress reliever. It exercises my hands. It’s an attention getter. It makes me appear smart. Most importantly, it is a metaphor for countless things in Life.

Every time that I quietly start solving my cube in public, someone always needs to tell me, “I used to be able to do that!” Their story always ends with the same defeated declaration: “...But, I could never learn that now!”

Lessons from The Cube:
• We already have all of the pieces of ‘The Puzzle’… we just need to properly put them together
• Most of us already know how to solve ‘The Puzzle’ (because we’ve done it before or seen it done before)
• Lack of practice has resulted in us forgetting important lessons
• Some people’s first instinct when confronted with ‘The Puzzle’… is to cheat
• Your belief in whether or not you can solve ‘The Puzzle’… is the biggest determining factor of success

30 years after forgetting how to solve The Cube, I challenged myself to learn it again. After dedicated hours of study and practice… I am back to where I was at age 17… I have a ‘newly’ learned skill… and the proof again that I can do anything!  What 'old' skills from the past do you need to re-learn to be successful today?

'Individual' Success

'Individual' Success is a myth!...  Countless people throughout history can be found who have achieved great accomplishments or skills.  Yet, even though only one person might get the credit, not a single example has ever been found when it was done alone.  Despite whatever hard work, drive, dedication or sacrifice a person or organization invested to achieve  a particular goal, unsung individuals and circumstances always existed to make it possible.

By understanding that fact, maybe we can be more humble in our fame... and show more appreciation to those who helped us along the way.  Maybe we will also search for opportunities to fulfill our obligation to Give Back as much as we can.

Who and what should you be thanking for your 'Individual' Success?

The Positivity Challenge

What if you could win $10,000,000 on the condition that (starting right now) you had to be 100% Positive for the next 24 hours?  Could you do it?

Before you automatically answer "Yes!" and start dreaming of how you'd spend that money, here is a clarification of the rules:

• You are held 100% responsible for the positivity of your environment (internal and external... outgoing and incoming)
  
• Every action must be positive
  
• Every conversation must be positive
  
• Every question must be positive
  
• Every song, TV program, website, article, book must be positive
  
• Every person in your surrounding 'world' must be positive
  
• Every thought must be positive
  

Most people say that they want the world to be a better, more positive place...  Don't you?  With all of the negativity we initiate and allow in our lives... what are we doing to make the world a better, more positive place?  

While you nor I will probably be collecting our $10,000,000 any time soon...  let's try anyway and commit to take the Positivity Challenge every day?