There is a quote by author Jeremy Schwartz which goes "Live every day as if it were your last, because one of these days, it will be" which I like for a number of reasons. The main one being that if you had a good ethical and spiritual foundation, you would be the best that you could every day, in every way.
Most of us don't bother to do that, because we foolishly believe that we will really behave differently when it counts. Even though we don't bother during our normal day-to-day activity, we will rise to the occasion when it is important. The reality is that what we practice every day is what you will do even when it really counts.
The most graphic example of this is a Canadian policeman who was an avid martial artist. He learned to disarm a firearm from an attacker and practiced long and hard, becoming very skilled in disarm techniques. However, in practice, they would disarm the firearm and then hand it back to the attacker so they could practice it again. They thought that in a real situation, they would behave differently.
The unfortunate policeman was confronted by a firearm wielding attacker in real life and his training paid off - he disarmed his attacker, taking the gun cleanly from the man. But then just as he had practiced in training, he handed the gun back. He was shot on the second disarm attempt.
Practice being the best you can be every day, in every way - because every day is your training for the real situation, when being your best will be essential. Imagine the difference that would make!
“The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems”
Mahatma Gandhi
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Life Would Be Easy if It Weren’t for Difficult People
Go on, it’s okay. Admit it! We all know that life would be a whole lot easier if we didn’t have to deal with those few (or many) difficult people we just can’t seem to avoid. I think you know who I’m talking about.
What’s not okay is to give up something you need, want or deserve because of their rude, obnoxious, sullen, and apathetic habits. Yes, I do mean “habits.” If you’re tired of playing their game, take charge of your life by taking a good look at yourself! You cannot change them, but you can change what you do and how you act around them—and ultimately how they affect your life.
The Good News... and the Bad News
Difficult people have been trained and taught to act the way they do since they were children. In fact, they have been rewarded for their negative behavior throughout their entire lives. Difficult behavior worked for them as children—and, more important, it continues to work for them as adults.
I believe that most of us are born with the capacity and desire to love and be loved. As we grow, we learn to respond to verbal and visual cues and we begin to adjust our behavior to obtain the positive responses we want. Children who can manipulate their parents soon learn to enjoy feelings of power and control over others.
The game of life is basically about “getting our needs met.” And you certainly do play a part! We reward difficult people by giving in to their needs. Think about it. If someone’s behavior is consistently inappropriate or unacceptable toward you, ask yourself if in any way you are rewarding their negative behavior.
For example, Helen gets upset every time Harry mentions that he wants to play golf. Rather than face a two-hour lecture, he usually finds it easier to just stay home. One day, however, he gets angry and accuses her of being a nag who never understands him. Instead of answering back, Helen gets her feelings hurt, stomps off and gives him the silent treatment. Harry takes advantage of her “cold shoulder” and plays a few holes of golf!
Jennifer wins the same “reward” at her new school. Few of the kids would talk to her and some were even making fun of her. She asked to stay in during recess, but the teacher said no. Eventually she gets into a fight and pushes another girl down. The teacher tells Jennifer that fighting is against the rules and she will have to stay inside. What did Jennifer learn? Ask the teacher respectfully and you will not get what you want. Push someone and you can avoid recess!
We have three choices each time we respond to another person: 1. Be positive; 2. Be negative; and 3. Avoid or ignore them. Difficult people see avoidance as a positive response. When we ignore unacceptable, inappropriate behavior, it will usually happen again because our avoidance tells the difficult person that we are willing to accept their behavior.
What do they really want?
Difficult people want to do their own thing, in their own time, in their own way, without interference. In addition, they expect everyone around them to cooperate—even work extra hard—to ensure that this happens. And they do not see anything unreasonable about these expectations. There is little in their experience to signal them that their actions are inappropriate. They also have little (if any) desire or motivation to change their habits.
What can I do about it?
We learn a lot from difficult people. We tolerate their behavior and attitudes as “part of life.” We hold back our feelings and swallow our words. We make concessions even when we do not receive anything in return. We compromise even when it is 90/10 instead of 50/50. We may even question our own ability to relate and communicate with others, reasoning that “Maybe it’s me.”
Since we cannot change difficult people, we can only change ourselves and our reactions to their behavior. They need our cooperation and our permission to intimidate, control and repeatedly manipulate us to get their way. In most relationships, we are treated exactly the way we allow ourselves to be treated.
The good news is that because we are partly responsible there is something we can do to create and maintain relationships where we are treated respectfully. That’s great news! By focusing on ourselves and the changes we can make in our own behaviors and reactions, we can begin to take control of how other people treat us—today!
Take Action!
Think about two difficult people in your life. Identify the behaviors of these difficult people. Ask yourself if you could possibly be rewarding these difficult people.
Would they describe you as the difficult person? If so, what would they say?
By Connie Podesta
What’s not okay is to give up something you need, want or deserve because of their rude, obnoxious, sullen, and apathetic habits. Yes, I do mean “habits.” If you’re tired of playing their game, take charge of your life by taking a good look at yourself! You cannot change them, but you can change what you do and how you act around them—and ultimately how they affect your life.
The Good News... and the Bad News
Difficult people have been trained and taught to act the way they do since they were children. In fact, they have been rewarded for their negative behavior throughout their entire lives. Difficult behavior worked for them as children—and, more important, it continues to work for them as adults.
I believe that most of us are born with the capacity and desire to love and be loved. As we grow, we learn to respond to verbal and visual cues and we begin to adjust our behavior to obtain the positive responses we want. Children who can manipulate their parents soon learn to enjoy feelings of power and control over others.
The game of life is basically about “getting our needs met.” And you certainly do play a part! We reward difficult people by giving in to their needs. Think about it. If someone’s behavior is consistently inappropriate or unacceptable toward you, ask yourself if in any way you are rewarding their negative behavior.
For example, Helen gets upset every time Harry mentions that he wants to play golf. Rather than face a two-hour lecture, he usually finds it easier to just stay home. One day, however, he gets angry and accuses her of being a nag who never understands him. Instead of answering back, Helen gets her feelings hurt, stomps off and gives him the silent treatment. Harry takes advantage of her “cold shoulder” and plays a few holes of golf!
Jennifer wins the same “reward” at her new school. Few of the kids would talk to her and some were even making fun of her. She asked to stay in during recess, but the teacher said no. Eventually she gets into a fight and pushes another girl down. The teacher tells Jennifer that fighting is against the rules and she will have to stay inside. What did Jennifer learn? Ask the teacher respectfully and you will not get what you want. Push someone and you can avoid recess!
We have three choices each time we respond to another person: 1. Be positive; 2. Be negative; and 3. Avoid or ignore them. Difficult people see avoidance as a positive response. When we ignore unacceptable, inappropriate behavior, it will usually happen again because our avoidance tells the difficult person that we are willing to accept their behavior.
What do they really want?
Difficult people want to do their own thing, in their own time, in their own way, without interference. In addition, they expect everyone around them to cooperate—even work extra hard—to ensure that this happens. And they do not see anything unreasonable about these expectations. There is little in their experience to signal them that their actions are inappropriate. They also have little (if any) desire or motivation to change their habits.
What can I do about it?
We learn a lot from difficult people. We tolerate their behavior and attitudes as “part of life.” We hold back our feelings and swallow our words. We make concessions even when we do not receive anything in return. We compromise even when it is 90/10 instead of 50/50. We may even question our own ability to relate and communicate with others, reasoning that “Maybe it’s me.”
Since we cannot change difficult people, we can only change ourselves and our reactions to their behavior. They need our cooperation and our permission to intimidate, control and repeatedly manipulate us to get their way. In most relationships, we are treated exactly the way we allow ourselves to be treated.
The good news is that because we are partly responsible there is something we can do to create and maintain relationships where we are treated respectfully. That’s great news! By focusing on ourselves and the changes we can make in our own behaviors and reactions, we can begin to take control of how other people treat us—today!
Take Action!
Think about two difficult people in your life. Identify the behaviors of these difficult people. Ask yourself if you could possibly be rewarding these difficult people.
Would they describe you as the difficult person? If so, what would they say?
By Connie Podesta
Attitude Is Everything
Got Attitude? By Jim Rohn
The process of human change begins within us. We all have tremendous potential. We all desire good results from our efforts. Most of us are willing to work hard and to pay the price that success and happiness demand.
Each of us has the ability to put our unique human potential into action and to acquire a desired result. But the one thing that determines the level of our potential, produces the intensity of our activity and predicts the quality of the result we receive, is our attitude.
Attitude determines how much of the future we are allowed to see. It decides the size of our dreams and influences our determination when we are faced with new challenges. No other person on earth has dominion over our attitude. People can affect our attitude by teaching us poor thinking habits or unintentionally misinforming us or providing us with negative sources of influence, but no one can control our attitude unless we voluntarily surrender that control.
No one else “makes us angry.” We make ourselves angry when we surrender control of our attitude. What someone else may have done is irrelevant. We choose, not they. They merely put our attitude to a test. If we select a volatile attitude by becoming hostile, angry, jealous or suspicious, then we have failed the test. If we condemn ourselves by believing that we are unworthy, then again, we have failed the test.
If we care at all about ourselves, then we must accept full responsibility for our own feelings. We must learn to guard against those feelings that have the capacity to lead our attitude down the wrong path and to strengthen those feelings that can lead us confidently into a better future.
If we want to receive the rewards the future holds in trust for us, then we must exercise the most important choice given to us as members of the human race by maintaining total dominion over our attitude. Our attitude is an asset, a treasure of great value, which must be protected accordingly. Beware of the vandals and thieves among us who would injure our positive attitude or seek to steal it away.
Having the right attitude is one of the basics that success requires. The combination of a sound personal philosophy and a positive attitude about ourselves and the world around us gives us an inner strength and a firm resolve that influences all the other areas of our existence.
The process of human change begins within us. We all have tremendous potential. We all desire good results from our efforts. Most of us are willing to work hard and to pay the price that success and happiness demand.
Each of us has the ability to put our unique human potential into action and to acquire a desired result. But the one thing that determines the level of our potential, produces the intensity of our activity and predicts the quality of the result we receive, is our attitude.
Attitude determines how much of the future we are allowed to see. It decides the size of our dreams and influences our determination when we are faced with new challenges. No other person on earth has dominion over our attitude. People can affect our attitude by teaching us poor thinking habits or unintentionally misinforming us or providing us with negative sources of influence, but no one can control our attitude unless we voluntarily surrender that control.
No one else “makes us angry.” We make ourselves angry when we surrender control of our attitude. What someone else may have done is irrelevant. We choose, not they. They merely put our attitude to a test. If we select a volatile attitude by becoming hostile, angry, jealous or suspicious, then we have failed the test. If we condemn ourselves by believing that we are unworthy, then again, we have failed the test.
If we care at all about ourselves, then we must accept full responsibility for our own feelings. We must learn to guard against those feelings that have the capacity to lead our attitude down the wrong path and to strengthen those feelings that can lead us confidently into a better future.
If we want to receive the rewards the future holds in trust for us, then we must exercise the most important choice given to us as members of the human race by maintaining total dominion over our attitude. Our attitude is an asset, a treasure of great value, which must be protected accordingly. Beware of the vandals and thieves among us who would injure our positive attitude or seek to steal it away.
Having the right attitude is one of the basics that success requires. The combination of a sound personal philosophy and a positive attitude about ourselves and the world around us gives us an inner strength and a firm resolve that influences all the other areas of our existence.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
How to Avoid Failure!
Avoiding Failure
What could a business owner have do to avoid this problem? A few ideas include:
1. Seeking business advice from an independent party before embarking upon expansion to determine feasibility of the new venture;
2. Before injecting personal cash into a business, test the business on a professional financier.
If they won’t lend to you, you have to ask why. They usually know more about risk than anyone and their disinterest is a powerful signal that a business represents lots of risk.
3. Check the existing, parent, business was running properly before growth:
a. Make sure you have an organisational chart prepared to ensure everything is done properly;
b. Prepare proper job descriptions for all staff to ensure no gaps or overlaps, and you have the right people in the right jobs.
c. Check profit sustainability before, during and after growth.
4. Ensure those managing/acquiring credit have training or experience;
5. Create budgets for those in charge of divisions to ensure each is profitable and contributes to overall profit rather than dragging down the rest of the business;
6. Ensure reporting and accountability for those in charge of each revenue/profit producing area of the business;
7. Ensure someone with experience is managing the cash and not keeping management in the dark;
8. Listen to your instincts and get help/advice quickly if you feel uncomfortable about a financial position.
Help and advice is not as hard to get as you might think. Many finance professionals are happy to have a no obligation discussion about your situation and advise if your worries are well founded or not. The head in the sand approach can be very costly for all concerned.
What could a business owner have do to avoid this problem? A few ideas include:
1. Seeking business advice from an independent party before embarking upon expansion to determine feasibility of the new venture;
2. Before injecting personal cash into a business, test the business on a professional financier.
If they won’t lend to you, you have to ask why. They usually know more about risk than anyone and their disinterest is a powerful signal that a business represents lots of risk.
3. Check the existing, parent, business was running properly before growth:
a. Make sure you have an organisational chart prepared to ensure everything is done properly;
b. Prepare proper job descriptions for all staff to ensure no gaps or overlaps, and you have the right people in the right jobs.
c. Check profit sustainability before, during and after growth.
4. Ensure those managing/acquiring credit have training or experience;
5. Create budgets for those in charge of divisions to ensure each is profitable and contributes to overall profit rather than dragging down the rest of the business;
6. Ensure reporting and accountability for those in charge of each revenue/profit producing area of the business;
7. Ensure someone with experience is managing the cash and not keeping management in the dark;
8. Listen to your instincts and get help/advice quickly if you feel uncomfortable about a financial position.
Help and advice is not as hard to get as you might think. Many finance professionals are happy to have a no obligation discussion about your situation and advise if your worries are well founded or not. The head in the sand approach can be very costly for all concerned.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Hurricane
What is a Hurricane?
A hurricane is a big storm that forms over the ocean. Hurricanes form over warm parts of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. They form near the equator in the Tropical Zone.
Causes Effects
• Warm wet mass of air over the sea that begin to evaporate
• Water has to be 79 degrees or warmer
• Combined actions of air, water, and heat produce a huge spinning system of clouds rain and wind
• Rain causes floods
• Thunderstorms are produced
• Wind smashes everything in its path
• The most dangerous part of a hurricane is the storm surge
• Wind causes ocean waves to rise over the land these waves can reach 30 feet in height
TYPES OF HURRICANES
Category 1 Minimal Wind speeds of 74 - 95 MPH
Category 2 Moderate Wind speeds of 96 - 110 MPH
Category 3 Extensive Wind speeds of 111 - 130 MPH
Category 4 Extreme Wind speeds of 131 - 155 MPH
Category 5 Catastrophic Wind speeds of over 155 MPH
Safety Tips...
• Listen to TV or radio for weather bulletins
• Board up garage and porch doors and stay away from windows
• Leave home if you might be affected by storm tide or flooding
• Follow evacuation routes to nearest shelter
• Turn off electricity and water
• Fill containers, including bathtub, with several days of drinking water
• Turn up refrigerator to maximum cold but don't open if not necessary
• Use phone only for emergencies
Facts About Hurricanes
• Diameter of the eye can be 12 to 125 meters across
• Other names for a hurricane are cyclone and typhoon
• Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30
• Names are chosen from an alphabetical list of alternating male and female names
• The National Weather Service started using men's names in 1979
A hurricane is a big storm that forms over the ocean. Hurricanes form over warm parts of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean. They form near the equator in the Tropical Zone.
Causes Effects
• Warm wet mass of air over the sea that begin to evaporate
• Water has to be 79 degrees or warmer
• Combined actions of air, water, and heat produce a huge spinning system of clouds rain and wind
• Rain causes floods
• Thunderstorms are produced
• Wind smashes everything in its path
• The most dangerous part of a hurricane is the storm surge
• Wind causes ocean waves to rise over the land these waves can reach 30 feet in height
TYPES OF HURRICANES
Category 1 Minimal Wind speeds of 74 - 95 MPH
Category 2 Moderate Wind speeds of 96 - 110 MPH
Category 3 Extensive Wind speeds of 111 - 130 MPH
Category 4 Extreme Wind speeds of 131 - 155 MPH
Category 5 Catastrophic Wind speeds of over 155 MPH
Safety Tips...
• Listen to TV or radio for weather bulletins
• Board up garage and porch doors and stay away from windows
• Leave home if you might be affected by storm tide or flooding
• Follow evacuation routes to nearest shelter
• Turn off electricity and water
• Fill containers, including bathtub, with several days of drinking water
• Turn up refrigerator to maximum cold but don't open if not necessary
• Use phone only for emergencies
Facts About Hurricanes
• Diameter of the eye can be 12 to 125 meters across
• Other names for a hurricane are cyclone and typhoon
• Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30
• Names are chosen from an alphabetical list of alternating male and female names
• The National Weather Service started using men's names in 1979
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Top Seven Reasons Why Businesses Succeed
1. A clear and concise vision and mission which is communicated to and understood by all the stakeholders (owners, management, employees, customers and suppliers) in the company.
This answers the question, “Why are we in business?”
2. A culture which meets the needs of the owners, the employees, customers and suppliers of the company.
This definition of culture answers the question, “How will we conduct ourselves as we do business?”
3. A uniqueness that separates the company from its competition
Thereby answering the question, “Why should our customers buy from us?”
4. Financial reserves such as ownership capital and outside lending resources, but most importantly, capital accumulated from a healthy stream of profits.
The healthy stream of profits will attract ever increasing amounts of ownership capital and lending resources to help the company grow.
5. The ability to attract top performing people to accomplish the vision and mission.
The really successful businesses do not depend on the charisma of any single individual, including that of the founder.
6. Dedication to the principle embodied by the Japanese word kaizen (never ending improvement)
Which means that even when things are going very well, successful companies strive almost obsessively to improve their product or service.
7. A focus on things that the company does well
and the sense to recognize that doing some things well does not mean that the company does everything well.
Sam
This answers the question, “Why are we in business?”
2. A culture which meets the needs of the owners, the employees, customers and suppliers of the company.
This definition of culture answers the question, “How will we conduct ourselves as we do business?”
3. A uniqueness that separates the company from its competition
Thereby answering the question, “Why should our customers buy from us?”
4. Financial reserves such as ownership capital and outside lending resources, but most importantly, capital accumulated from a healthy stream of profits.
The healthy stream of profits will attract ever increasing amounts of ownership capital and lending resources to help the company grow.
5. The ability to attract top performing people to accomplish the vision and mission.
The really successful businesses do not depend on the charisma of any single individual, including that of the founder.
6. Dedication to the principle embodied by the Japanese word kaizen (never ending improvement)
Which means that even when things are going very well, successful companies strive almost obsessively to improve their product or service.
7. A focus on things that the company does well
and the sense to recognize that doing some things well does not mean that the company does everything well.
Sam
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Sales: Attitudes of Top Achievers
If you think the same way as the top achievers think, you can begin to get the same results they do. Here are 10 psychological and practical ways to mirror the attitudes of top achievers.
1. See yourself as a consultant rather than a salesperson. Believe that you are a problem-solver with regard to your product and how the client can best use it.
2. Become a doctor of selling. Act in the best interests of your “patients” and have a high code of ethics.
3. See yourself as the president of your own sales corporation. Accept 100 percent responsibility for your results.
4. Commit yourself to being the best in your field. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning.
5. Be ambitious, hungry, and determined to use selling as a steppingstone to the success you want in life.
6. Have integrity. Be honest with yourself and others.
7. Engage in thorough preparation prior to every call.
8. Be an excellent listener; be extremely customer-focused.
9. Have tremendous courage. Be willing to face your fears of rejection and failure, and overcome them.
10. Be highly persistent. Start your workday earlier, work harder, and stay longer.
To make these changes work you must walk, talk and behave consistently with them every hour of every day. By Brian Tracy
Things To Ponder:
Your attitude is either the lock on or key to your door of success.
It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you’re not.
A smile is the light in your window that lets others know there is a caring person inside.
The most important three words you can say to yourself: “Yes, I can!”
If you believe you can… you probably can.
If you believe you won’t… you most assuredly won’t.
Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.
1. See yourself as a consultant rather than a salesperson. Believe that you are a problem-solver with regard to your product and how the client can best use it.
2. Become a doctor of selling. Act in the best interests of your “patients” and have a high code of ethics.
3. See yourself as the president of your own sales corporation. Accept 100 percent responsibility for your results.
4. Commit yourself to being the best in your field. Dedicate yourself to lifelong learning.
5. Be ambitious, hungry, and determined to use selling as a steppingstone to the success you want in life.
6. Have integrity. Be honest with yourself and others.
7. Engage in thorough preparation prior to every call.
8. Be an excellent listener; be extremely customer-focused.
9. Have tremendous courage. Be willing to face your fears of rejection and failure, and overcome them.
10. Be highly persistent. Start your workday earlier, work harder, and stay longer.
To make these changes work you must walk, talk and behave consistently with them every hour of every day. By Brian Tracy
Things To Ponder:
Your attitude is either the lock on or key to your door of success.
It’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s what you think you’re not.
A smile is the light in your window that lets others know there is a caring person inside.
The most important three words you can say to yourself: “Yes, I can!”
If you believe you can… you probably can.
If you believe you won’t… you most assuredly won’t.
Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.
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