Upside Quote of the Week
Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better. - Unknown
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November 28, 2008
November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving!
I give thanks daily, not for mere riches, but for wisdom with which to recognize, embrace, and properly use the great abundance of riches I now have at my command. I have no enemies because I injure no man for any cause, but I try to benefit all with whom I come in contact, by teaching them the way to enduring riches. I have more material wealth than I need because I am free from greed and covet only the material things I can use while I live.
- Napoleon Hill
November 26, 2008
Self First!
One of the foundational principles of being an upside thinker is to put your health first, family second, and work third. As we approach the holidays and everyone’s schedule seems that much tighter, I’d like to remind you of the importance of self.
Taking care of your self is about properly meeting your basic needs. Are you taking care of your body inside and out? Are you getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, eating well (which includes taking the time to feed your body, not force-feed yourself in marathon pace and preparing your food with care), and are you getting adequate exercise? And, more importantly, are you doing all of this without taking a guilt trip?
Being an upside thinker means caring for your self because YOU are your most cherished possession.
November 25, 2008
Inspiration from Dear Abby
I recently read a Dear Abby column that shared a story about a man whose wife had died. You could feel his pain as you read the letter and felt his sense of loss. He wrote to the columnist not because he wanted to share his story, but more as a forewarning to others to treat each day as precious.
While I don’t spend any time on regrets in life, I’m sure I could create a list of all of the opportunities that I waited too long to respond to or too many doors that closed due to my inaction.
The problem with waiting until tomorrow is that when it finally arrives, it is called Today. And, today only stops by for a limited time. When she’s gone, she never comes back for a visit.
Since my company is Upside Thinking, I try to live every moment on the upside and stay away from negativity. I liken it to having created a force-field like a superhero where when I feel it from yards away, I begin running in the opposite direction. However, I do believe that it is important for each one of us to pause long enough to remind ourselves that we get only so long to live our lives. There are only so many moments from the day of our birth to the day that we stop breathing.
Time stops for no one and is the great equalizer of mankind – young, old, rich, poor, we all get the same 24 hours a day to create our own greatness, making it imperative that we cherish each moment. She doesn’t care about our dreams or big vision, our projects or gonna-do lists. And, she doesn’t stop for our great excuses or creative reasons why. She just keeps on ticking.
There are countless opportunities that present themselves to us each and every day. We all have them. My challenge to you is for you to take an inventory and at the end of each day, stop and ask yourself, “What did I do with the last sixteen, eighteen, or twenty hours? Did I seize every opportunity that was presented to me? How can I be more present tomorrow?”
November 21, 2008
Upside Quote of the Week
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love;
there's only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.
- Wayne Dyer
November 19, 2008
A Big Life or a Comfortable Life? Part II
In my last blog, I talked about the importance of thinking big. But that’s only one part of the process. The second part is to feel it.
You have to close the deal with yourself by daring to change your thinking and allowing yourself to feel the accomplishment before you have it completed.
When I work with my coaching clients and we discuss their financial goals, I ask them to visualize their number and then multiply it by two. Then, I have them sit with that for a while and tell me what they’re feeling. Excitement? Discomfort? Are they planning all they could do with their money, or are they physically sick to their stomach?
After ten minutes, I have them go back to their original financial goal - number they gave me in the beginning of the exercise - and tell me how it looks now. My clients always tell me small, achievable, and not big enough!
We then re-visit the bigger number and I ask them to visualize what it would feel like to achieve this. As they tell me all that would be possible, I ask what is holding them back. And the response is usually the same – their thinking.
To have a BIG life, thinking and feeling must team up and work together. And, to stay on track, you must write it down and review it often to ensure that you don’t stray on your journey.
And, while a BIG life may be met with a little discomfort along the way, in the long run, it beats being comfortable and missing out on the BIG life you were meant to live.
November 17, 2008
A Big Life or a Comfortable Life?
As I set up my office in Miami, I envision all of the opportunities that will be coming my way. From the new clients, to the new events I am attending, I picture how all of the pieces will come together. Then I stop, pause, and wonder, Am I thinking BIG enough?
Six months ago, I attended a seminar where the speaker said the #1 reason why businesses are unsuccessful is because the leader(s) lack vision and fail to think big enough. At that moment, I thought, “Yes, but I’m different. I know this. I preach vision and planning.”
However, if I’m honest with myself, the answer is I’m never thinking big enough. I’m not visualizing beyond what I think is really possible. And, you probably aren’t either.
Having a BIG life versus a comfortable life means looking at a set of circumstances and saying "Is that it? Is that all I can really do?" rather than "That’s it. That’s all that is possible with my current situation."
November 14, 2008
Upside Quote of the Week
The glory of human nature lies in our capacity to exercise conscious control of our own destiny.
– Winston Churchill
November 13, 2008
R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Find Out What It Means To Me
When it comes to fostering leadership, the best resource you have is you. The behavior you model, the goals and expectations you set, and the feedback you deliver all set the tone in the office.
Last month, I delivered a presentation at the office of one of my regular clients. The topic was Communication Dynamics which is important to leadership or the art of influence. One of the components of the presentation was communicating with integrity. Or, as Aretha Franklin said, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me, R-E-S-P-E-C-T...” And, a lot of what we discussed kept coming back to Aretha's message. Everyone wants to be valued, appreciated, and respected.
Here are a few of the basics in our discussion.
• Treat others with courtesy. Greet people with a smile when you see them for the first time each day.
(Often accused of being Mary "F---in" Sunshine when I worked for the Federal govvernment but I figured that was better than being known as Missy Grumpy Pants.)
• Actively listen. When a co-worker comes to you with a problem or a question, put your work aside and focus on them.
o Make eye contact to demonstrate that you are paying attention to what they’re saying.
o Do not glance at email, answer the phone, or allow other interruptions to distract you.
o If this isn’t a convenient time to talk, let them know and schedule a time to meet later.
(Ooh, a tough one. I used to be the glancer who only paid attention to half of what was being said. After a few misunderstandings on the job and in my personal life, I mastered the art of active listening through much practice.)
• Be timely. Showing up for meetings early demonstrates that you recognize that everyone’s time is valuable, not just your own.
(This also falls under - People don't care how much you know. They want to know how much you care. Valuing people's time is often as important as caring for their finances.)
• Refrain from gossip. Talking negatively about your boss, co-workers, or customers shows that you condone this kind of behavior.
(And, is guaranteed to generate morale problems. This is the mortal sin of them all. NEVER, ever gossip!)
If you model these behaviors, in and out of work, everyone will follow you. You’ll be the king or queen of influence!
Come on! Sing it with me, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me…”
November 11, 2008
Helping Others Find the Possibilities in Life
Consciously or not, we tip people off to what we think they are or think they can be. If we focus on what was and not on what could be, we create limits to the future. Because our words create our individual worlds, our own self-awareness is critical to helping others grow beyond themselves.
In the words of Jimmy Johnson, former professional football coach of my beloved Dallas Cowboys, “Treat a person as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat him as he could be, and he will become what he should be.”
November 07, 2008
Upside Quote of the Week
If you don't know what you want, you won't recognize it when you get it.
-Unknown
November 04, 2008
Election Day
Use your power to influence today and get out and vote. By casting your ballot, you choose interest versus indifference.
As Lyndon B. Johnson said, "Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose."
November 03, 2008
Project Vote Smart
Only one day left to educate yourself on the issues! One day! Here is the best resource I've found on finding more about your state and Presidential candiates voting record and background.
Project Vote Smart. It's a free resource where 90% of the organization is run by volunteers. They have no agenda other than to educate the American people about those running for office.
Check them out at www.votesmart.org.