April 28, 2014 Focus Point

4 Things that will Increase your Daily Performance

"An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises." ~Mae West

"The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." ~John Wooden

"The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day…you will never be stuck." ~Ernest Hemingway

I recently read an article that gave great ideas of how to be more productive each day. I believe this information has just as much value for the student in high school as it does for a business owner. Just as much value for a mother in the home as it does for the corporate America fast track guy or gal running to complete that next big project.

1. Rework your to-do list.

Limit how many things you put on your to-do list and put two or three things at the very top that are the most important, and then do the most important items with the most productive part of your day. Identify when you start to become distracted and move from task to task and begin to waste time. This kind of discipline helps you to do the most important items regardless of how you feel at the moment. 

2. Measure your results, not your time.

The concept behind this is to help you work smarter rather than harder. Putting in more hours does not mean you will get more results. Successful people are able to learn how to develop habits and methods of getting more done in less time thus becoming more productive and working at a higher level of performance. This particular article also suggests keeping a done list. Once something is done, put it on the done list and you will be amazed how that will motivate and energize you.

3. Build habits to help you start working.

To start building successful habits and remove procrastination from your life you may find it very helpful to build routines for your work during different times of the day. A routine is a good way to stay on track and remind your mind and body when it is time to go to work. Adding physical exercise to your routine can certainly increase blood flow to the brain and help you to feel more engaged. Routines are a sign of people who have goals and are serious about accomplishing them.

4. Build habits to help you stop working.

Some people do not like to start working while others can't seem to ever stop working. If you are like me and you are so in love with your work that you could do it all day long, then it is important to learn how to stop. In order to not steal precious time that should be allocated to family, friends, community, and proper rest, etc., be sure to set a firm cut off time for work. Sometimes we tend to think that if we work longer hours we will get more done, when really we simply need to become more effective and prioritized with our time.

The Model of Human Behavior

A Powerful Way to Understand People

 

 

 

An introduction of the DISC concept

By Robert A. Rohm, Ph.D.

“If I understand you, and you understand me, doesn’t it make sense that we can work more effectively together?”

Each Person has a Unique Personality

Each person's perspective is built in to who they are. Some people call it personality. Some refer to it as temperament. I am sure that some of your family and friends are VERY different from you. If you are like me, you have often asked yourself, "Why did they do that?" or "What were they thinking?" or "What were they NOT thinking?"

The starting point of understanding people is to realize and accept the fact:

Everyone is not like you!

Have you ever said something to one person, and received a certain response, then said exactly the same thing to another person, and received a totally different response? The basic reason they respond differently is that people have different personality styles! You said the same thing, but what they "heard" was not the same. Wow, can that be confusing!

Different is not bad, it's just different! A lack of understanding of ourselves and others can lead to real problems such as tension, disappointment, hurt feelings, unmet expectations and poor communication. As you know, it is hard to work with a problem, especially if you do not understand what is going on inside the mind of another person.

Here is the Good News

There IS a way to understand people – if you know the model of human behavior! There is a simple key to understanding how people behave and how they are motivated. This key will allow you to unlock the mystery of motivation. It will teach you the power of good relationships! It will also show you how to reduce conflict, improve productivity and relate with others in ways that are more effective.

A Little Background

Twenty-four hundred years ago, scientists and philosophers, most notably Hippocrates, began to recognize differences in behavior that seemed to follow a pattern. Many psychologists and scientists have explored behavioral patterns over the years. In 1928 Dr. William Marston wrote The Emotions of Normal People after earning his doctorate from Harvard University. Marston theorized that people are motivated by four intrinsic drives that direct behavioral patterns. He then used four descriptive characteristics represented by four letters to describe a person's behavioral tendencies. The letters he used were D, I, S and C. Since that time, the "DISC" concept has been used and applied in many ways.

Building on a "Wellness" Model

Many behavioral models focus on what is wrong with a person to identify "disorders." The DISC model is based on normal behavior, not abnormal behavior. DISC is a "wellness model" that is objective and descriptive rather than subjective and judgmental.

The DISC wellness model is a good starting point for understanding people, but, as you might guess, DISC can easily be used inappropriately to label someone or point out another person's "weaknesses." We approach the DISC model with two perspectives that allow it to be used appropriately as an effective and encouraging tool for understanding others:

We use a POSITIVE approach to highlight STRENGTHS.

(we believe your strengths should "carry you")

We use a POSITIVE approach to address BLIND-SPOTS.

(we believe your blind-spots should "concern you")

The bottom line is that healthy, positive relationships come from having an accurate, healthy, constructive view of yourself and others. So, now that you know where the DISC concept came from and the importance of having a positive, realistic approach, let's take a look at the Model of Human Behavior using the DISC overview.

The Model of Human Behavior

The model of human behavior is based on 2 foundational observations about how people normally behave:

Observation #1: Some people are more outgoing, while others are more reserved.

You can think of this as each person's "internal motor." Some people always seem ready to "go" and "dive in." They engage their motor quickly. Others tend to engage their motor more slowly or more cautiously.

Observation # 2: Some people are more task-oriented, while others are more people-oriented.

You can think of this as each person's compass that guides them. Some people are focused on getting something done; others are more tuned-in to the people around them and their feelings. With both observations, we want to emphasize that these behavioral tendencies are neither right or wrong or good or bad. They are just different. We are simply identifying normal behavior styles. People have different styles, and that is okay. We represent these 2 observations in the diagrams below.

Thus, we have 4 behavioral tendencies to help us characterize people:

• Outgoing

• Reserved

• Task-oriented

• People-oriented

Everyone has some of all 4 of these tendencies at different times and in different situations. However, most people typically have 1 or 2 of these tendencies that seem to fit them well in their everyday behavior. And, on the other hand, 1 or 2 of these tendencies usually do not fit them well, and these tendencies may even seem "foreign" to their approach to life. The balance of these 4 tendencies shapes the way each person "sees" life and those around them.

Describing Each Personality Style

(4 Different Types - 4 Different Priorities)

The Dominant "D" type - An outgoing, task-oriented individual will be focused on getting things done, accomplishing tasks, getting to the bottom line as quickly as possible and MAKING IT HAPPEN! (The key insight in developing a relationship with this type person is RESPECT and RESULTS.)

The Inspiring "I" type - An outgoing, people-oriented individual loves to interact, socialize and have fun. This person is focused on what others may think of him or her. (The key insight in developing a relationship with this type person is ADMIRATION and RECOGNITION.)

The Supportive "S" type - A reserved, people-oriented individual will enjoy relationships, helping or supporting other people and working together as a team. (The key insight in developing a relationship with this person is FRIENDLINESS and SINCERE APPRECIATION.)

The Cautious "C" type - A reserved, task-oriented individual will seek value, consistency and quality information. This person focuses on being correct and accurate. (The key insight in developing a relationship with this individual is TRUST and INTEGRITY.) To summarize the DISC Model of Human Behavior (in clockwise order) :

D stands for the DOMINANT Type which is OUTGOING and TASK-ORIENTED.

I stands for the INSPIRING Type which is OUTGOING and PEOPLE-ORIENTED.

S stands for the SUPPORTIVE Type which is RESERVED and PEOPLE-ORIENTED.

C stands for the CAUTIOUS Type which is RESERVED and TASK-ORIENTED.

What Is Your PQ?

We spend years in school developing our intelligence to effectively use our mind. Developing our unique personality to effectively use our behavior is just as vital to successful living. Your Intelligence Quotient, or IQ, measures your intelligence. Your Personality Quotient, or PQ, refers to your ability to understand yourself and others for effective communication and teamwork. Studies have shown that technical skill, beginning with intelligence and developed through education and experience, accounts for only 15% of success in the workplace. The other 85% of workplace success comes from people skills! These skills are developed through learning better ways to behave and interact.

The Elevator Test: Which Type Are You?

The elevator doors are about to close on an eager rider who is trying to get on the elevator. Four people are already inside the elevator. One of the people in the crowded box is in a hurry and does not want to wait (outgoing and task-oriented). There is also a bubbly, energetic passenger who holds the door open while greeting the newcomer (outgoing and people-oriented). A third rider is happy either way and smiles while waiting patiently (reserved and people-oriented). The final passenger is concerned as she calculates the weight to see if the elevator can handle another person (reserved and task-oriented). While not perfectly scientific, this scenario depicts in broad brush strokes the Dominant (outgoing/task-oriented) person who is focused on getting somewhere fast; the Inspiring (outgoing and people-oriented) person who is energized by all the interaction; the Supportive (reserved/people-oriented) person who reacts calmly and tries to get along regardless; and the Cautious (reserved/task-oriented) person who wants to make sure the added person doesn’t exceed the weight limit! As you can see, there were four different people who responded to the same event in four very different ways!

You Are Off To A Good Start!

One of the dangers of learning about DISC is that you may think you already understand all there is to know about it now. Did you know there are not just 4 personality styles? We identify 41 specific personality blends that they are all very different. Even within the 41 blends, there can be a wide variety of nuances.

The Next Step Is …

There are 4 basic steps in learning how to work with other people. Learn about the

1. Learn about the Model of Human Behavior

2. Take a personality profile assessment to learn about yourself.

3. Study material that teaches you how to read the personality of another person

4. Study material that teaches you how to adapt YOURSELF to work better with others.

April 21, 2014 Focus Point

Perception Drives Reality!

"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change." ~Wayne Dyer

"Whatever you focus on expands. Don't focus on what is. Focus on what will be." ~C.S. Hughes

"Once you say you're going to settle for second, that's what happens to you in life." ~John F. Kennedy

"The book ends of success are on the front end initiative, the ability to start something. The back end, the ability to close or finish. In the middle is the discipline of consistency." ~John Maxwell

The brain is powerfully equipped with the ability to imagine things that could be, as well as remember things that have been. The brain and the power of thought is possibly the most powerful thing we possess and can be used to lead to a life of happiness and success, or on the other hand a life of doubt, worry, confusion, and a path that is unknown. And it all happens by what we choose to hold on to. If we choose past memories and future possibilities that are negative in nature, that is what we will get more of. On the other hand, when we select positive memories and positive future possibilities then we will begin to develop ideas to act upon to bring those things into reality as well.

Therefore, what we think about and focus on, positive or negative, fact or fiction, and if we perceive it to be true, it becomes true for us. It may not be true for somebody else but it becomes the truth for us, to lead to a positive situation or a negative one. Henry Ford said "Whether you think you can or you can't. Either way you're right." Napoleon Hill in his all time famous book Think and Grow Rich "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve."

Our minds, our perceptions, and our belief systems that we embrace literally create our future lives, and affect the environment around us. Let's you and I be the change that we desire to see in our lives, schools, communities, and in the world.

April 14, 2014 Focus Point

Don't Settle for Mediocrity!

"Excellence matters." ~Chris Rollins

"In a sea of mediocrity, just knowing what you want to do and then making an effort to pursue it distinguishes you from almost everybody." ~John C. Maxwell

"Do what you know, not what you feel, no excuses." ~Les Brown

"Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit." ~Napoleon Hill

I was at a leadership training this past week and one of the speakers asked the question: How many of you would like to have an exceptional life? As you can imagine everyone raised their hands. Then he asked how many of you would like to achieve simply mediocre results and have an average life? Of course, no one responded.

I have never met a person who does not desire a better life with more purpose and direction. Teenagers desire to get better grades in school, to qualify for scholarships and college opportunities that will eventually lead to a solid career. Parents desire better results and response from their children. Business owners want to see the results of more customers, clients, and profits. CEOs and executives desire more productive employees and so forth. You get the idea.

To settle for the average requires no talent and no goal setting. But to rise above and become more accomplished is what separates average people from those who practice excellence. And the more you practice, the more you become. Set yourself apart from the rest. Think big, work hard, become more excellent, get clear on what it is you desire. Do these things and certainly you will rise above mediocrity, achieve greater success in your life, and influence those around you as you go.

April 7, 2014 Focus Point

Motivation! Your Source of Energy and Movement 

"You can focus on all kinds of techniques, strategies, and learn things by the book, but it comes down to HOW YOU SHOW UP." ~Anthony Robbins

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. ~Dr. Seuss

"Success itself is not some big mystery, it's already been figured out." Brendon Burchard (visit How Successful People Think)

"If the majority of your days are not days where you are ready to disturb the world in pursuit of whatever it is you want (your goals) then you are settling for mediocrity." ~ Unknown

"I don't think that the prize of success goes to the fastest or most brilliant, but the person who consistently day by day keeps on keeping on." ~John Maxwell

Everyone likes to listen to something, see something, or be around someone that motivates them. I have never met a person who wants to be de-motivated, have you?

The question is, what is it that motivates you into action and progress and are you able to stay motivated? Successful people are able to maintain a balance of the thinking part of success along with the action part, whereas most people overdose on one or the other and do not keep a balance. The quote by Dr. Seuss is a great reminder that we need to use the "brains in our head" (the thinking part) along with the "feet in our shoes" (the action part).

Chris Widener said it this way on motivation: "I'm sure you have heard the quote, 'where there is no vision, people perish.' We need a vision! Something that drives us forward. In fact, I always say that successful people are willing to do the things that unsuccessful people aren't. I believe, just like companies have a vision statement, successful people need a personal vision statement."

Four things that will motivate and move you forward:

1. Set goals and write them down for your own well being that include areas of physical health, social, mental, spiritual, and finance.

2. Think about them in the quiet of morning and evening. Visualize having met your goal.

3. Develop a desire to accomplish them. If you lack desire, you may need to adjust the goal.

4. Control your environment and only let books, music, events, and people into your life that motivate and encourage you towards your goals.

Motivation gets you going. Personal discipline keeps you going! What is your next step in the direction of your own success?

March 31, 2014 Focus Point

Reflection Done Right, Will Change Your Life Forever!

"Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action." ~Peter F. Drucker

"Reflection is the pause that gives a person perspective and renewed energy." ~John Maxwell

"To sharpen the saw means having a balanced program for self-renewal in the four areas of your life: physical, social/emotional, mental, and spiritual." ~Stephen R. Covey

"Are the changes that are happening in your life bringing grief or growth?" ~John Maxwell

There is a certain uplift and power that comes into our life when we take the opportunity to sit back and reflect upon the ordinary experiences of the day. In fact, reflection moves ordinary experiences into extraordinary and gives us something to build upon for the future. It is the silent teacher that helps us gain perspective and direction. It is how we turn everyday experience into uncommon insight. We always hear the expression "experience is the best teacher", but evaluated experience is what really moves us to the next level. Experience all by itself is nothing more than just living another day, and the moments that could have been captured evaporate away and become nothing more than the forgotten past.

Mistakes help us to make corrective action so that we do not repeat them. Success's fuel us to determine what action to do more of. In both the good times and the bad times, to be a powerful and successful person always take the time to reflect, and if you do enough of it and in the right way you will be off and running to a better life.

March 24, 2014 Focus Point

Live Life With Intention!

"Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out." ~Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

"Positive thinkers get positive results because they appreciate the inestimable value of a day, this day, not the next day, but this day, and every day. Today offers at least sixteen waking hours that may be crammed full of opportunity, joy, excitement, and achievement." ~Norman Vincent Peale

"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal" ~Earl Nightingale

"The opposite of courage is conformity." ~Rollo May

Potential is one of the most powerful words in any language. It implies possibilities. It energizes the soul. It is filled with hope and optimism. What about unfulfilled potential? That phrase takes away all of the energy and is just as equal in negative energy as the word potential is full of positive energy.

In order for us to fulfill our potential in life I believe that we must be highly intentional about setting and achieving goals. In 1956 Earl Nightingale delivered a powerful message called The Strangest Secret. In this message he explains that the reason some people succeed in life and others struggle simple to survive day to day or "die with their music still in them" is that successful people have goals and unsuccessful people do not.

Being intentional implies taking action each day with purpose and on purpose. Intentional people lead their life rather than let life lead them. They do not let circumstances take them away from their purpose, they make their own circumstances, they take control. Intentional people are not only content with activity but with improvement. Because the truth of it is, hard work alone does not guarantee success and having a hopeful heart is not a strategy for success. Don't go to work every day just because that's what people do. Go to work with purpose and motivation to achieve your goals, and to move into the next step in the direction of your success. Don't work aimlessly, work with intention for improvement.

A few questions to ask yourself:

Do you have a plan for personal growth?

Do you have goals for your life and something to work toward?

What are the two or three things that you know if you did them would bring you closer to your goals?

March 17, 2014 Focus Point

If You Get Them On Price, You'll Lose Them On Price

"When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but creatures of emotion." ~Dale Carnegie

"Never get tired of doing the little things for others. Sometimes those little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts." ~Unknown

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." ~John Wooden

I recently sat with a successful business man and we discussed different ideas that successful companies implement to help employees create the environment that their customers will enjoy the most, and what customers expect when they come into the establishment. Every customer has unique and different needs and therefore, one size does not fit all. We need several "tools in the shed" so to speak in order to connect with every customer in their own unique way and to make certain they have a fabulous experience.

This gentleman told me about his own experience as a customer at a clothing store, The Buckle. He and his wife were treated so well that they ended up going back several times, and over the course of a few months spent several hundred and even a couple thousand dollars on clothing. If price is your only focus you may get them in the door, but you will lose them again because price alone is not a strong enough factor to keep them as a customer. Remember the personal touch that every person desires. Remember their name, remember they have their own unique expectations, hold the door for them. All in all, they want to feel important, be noticed, and have a wonderful experience. Like John Maxwell says: "Make them feel like a million bucks".

March, 2014 Leadership Connect

What Are You Doing To Improve Yourself And Others?

"A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval." -- Mark Twain

"Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself." ~James Allen

"Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God." ~Leo Buscaglia

"Greatness is: Intentional, Consistant, Incremental, Improvement." ~Josh Shipp

I was recently on an airplane, and as they were preparing for take off the attendants gave all of the simple instructions that they normally do. As they gave instruction about the oxygen mask, they always instruct to put it on yourself first and then help the person next to you. I was reminded of a life principle that we really cannot give what we do not have. Our experience and knowledge cannot draw from an empty well. As we grow in knowledge and experience then it can be applied into wisdom which is the proper use of knowledge. The more you grow, the more you are worth because the more you can do. If a tree is alive, it is growing. Leaders will get more out of their people when they see more in their people. 

To lead effectively we must work with people in their strengths and by motivating them properly and avoiding manipulation. Manipulation is moving someone for personal advantage, where as motivation is moving someone for mutual advantage. Motivate people outside of their comfort zone but not outside of their strength zone.

You can always do more with and through others if you have first taken the time to improve yourself or in other words sharpen the saw. Whatever your leadership roles, become more effective by growing yourself and then by gaining trust from, and growing others.

March 10, 2014 Focus Point

Become SHARP In Your Communication

"You can always teach a hungry person how to become sharp, but you can never teach a sharp person how to become hungry." ~Les Brown

"The pen is mightier than the sword, if the sword is very short, and the pen is very sharp." ~Terry Pratchett

"The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism." ~Norman Vincent Peale

"There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept." ~Ansel Adams

Many years ago, well known motivational speaker Les Brown, gave a message on being hungry and sharp. He explained that being hungry is the desire to learn and grow. It describes commitment to develop and use the tools that you have been given in life to make your life more meaningful and worthwhile. People who have this desire are much more likely to fulfill their potential and experience greatness. But, he said that "Desire on it's own is not enough, we also need to be sharp."

Below are specifics that we can practice to become sharp in all our communication.

Share a story and make a point

Humor
Analogies or illustrations
References
Pictures - both verbal and written

Excellent communicators are effective in Sharing a story and making a point. They involve Humor in their communication. Humor possibly more than anything else keeps us young at heart. When we laugh, endorphins flood our body and cause us to be and feel healthier. Laughter is indeed like a medicine. Analogies and illustrations help people to form a better visual in their minds and remember what has been said for a longer period of time. References bring credibility to your communication. Pictures always stay with people longer than words. Like the old saying, "A picture is worth a thousand words." Pictures can offer a bit of a road map for people to follow.

When is the next time you will communicate direction, instruction, or specific detail to someone?

March 3, 2014 Focus Point

What Are You Creating?

"You are a creator, the question is what are you creating?" ~C.S. Hughs

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." ~George Bernard Shaw

"True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail." ~Napoleon Hill

Do you love life? I love life! It is so wonderful and full of blessedness. Sometimes you really never know what to expect next. But one thing we know for certain is that we can shape, mold, and create the life we choose, and it starts with our thoughts.

In fact one thing that great leaders and teachers of all time have always agreed upon is quite simply that the power to change life rests upon our thinking. It has been said that whatever we think about and thank about, we bring about. Our thoughts lead to action, our action to habit, and habit to being or becoming, and eventually actuality. We can begin to shape our life's experiences and circumstances.

The power is within us and it all starts with our thoughts. What will we create this week?

February 24, 2014 Focus Point

The Right Idea Will Change Your Life. If You Let It!

"Live fully, love openly, and make a difference today!" ~Brendon Burchard

"The best ideas can hit you at anytime, keep a pen handy." ~Robert Rohm

"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

"You ask me if I keep a notebook to record my great ideas. I've only ever had one." ~Albert Einstein

Have you noticed that an idea can come to you out of nowhere? Maybe at the most unusual time and when you least expect it? This concept has been quite amazing to me in my life. There have been times when ideas have come and I was able to write them down, capture the right kind of thoughts, and have benefited a great deal by doing so. And yet other times when I have missed the opportunity altogether.

FedEx Corporation headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee and founded by Frederick W. Smith is an American global courier delivery services company and started with just an idea. In fact in the beginning the name "FedEx" was a noun. But after more than 40 years and because of the exceptional service that it provides as a part of daily life, it has actually become an action word and a verb. And it all started with an idea. Whether on your smart phone or a pen and small notebook, I am a firm believer that recording ideas will pay huge dividends.

Keep a pen handy, you never know when that next great idea will hit you.

February 17, 2014 Focus Point

I Love America!

"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone." ~Ronald Reagan

"If you want to make enemies, try to change something." ~Woodrow Wilson

"It is better to be alone than in bad company." ~George Washington

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." ~Theodore Roosevelt 

"Promising too much can be as cruel as caring too little." ~William J. Clinton

I love America, how about you? I love that there have been so many tremendous leaders who have helped build people as well as build the most free of all countries in the world. Now regardless of your or my political view point, I am certain of one thing. We can learn something from everyone. No matter who it is, or what the situation, I believe this statement is true. There is a popular saying: "Experience is the best teacher." But I maintain that: "Someone else's experience is the best teacher, our own experience is the next best teacher." If we take opportunity to learn from people who have gone before us, I think that we can save an amazing amount of frustration in the area of mistakes and pitfalls. And the bookshelves in America are loaded with this grand information.

What can you learn from who this week?

February 2014 Leadership Connect

Reclaim Lost Margin and Restore Your Sanity

"The fear of being left out or missing an opportunity sometimes drives us to do more than we should." ~Michael Hyatt

"Margin is the space between our load and our limits, the gap between rest and exhaustion, breathing freely and suffocation." ~Richard Swenson

"The calendar was made for man, and not man for the calendar." ~Michael Hyatt

“We all yearn for what we have lost. But sometimes, we forget what we have.” ~Mitch Albom, The Time Keeper

Do you feel you are running low on Margin? If so what do you do about it? Is Your current work load sustainable? Do you enjoy what you do everyday?

This is not a message about doing less in life and saying no to great opportunities. It is a message about making the highest priorities the ones that actually get priority and get done first. It's about taking care of yourself so that you can live a longer and happier life, and at the end of the day do more and be more productive. 

We are in a microwave society, but life works best from a bit of careful planning and choosing the very best things to pursue. What do you enjoy? What are you good at? Do you have the chance to do what you're good at everyday?

Be proactive and take control of your life. Take inventory of external causes, but remember that if you ever feel overwhelmed or over committed, it comes from within. It is difficult to say no to someone or something, but the choice is yours which really means it is an inside job. There is great power in saying NO.

Keep within your proper and healthy margins, live life with an abundance mindset and control how much you take on at once. If you are overwhelmed and overworked you will not be as effective. It is better to do less and be more productive and efficient with less, than to do so much it can't possibly get done.

Take responsibility, take control and start today!

February 10, 2014 Focus Point

Just Do The Next Thing!

"Stop focusing on what you can't be and start celebrating who you are." ~Denise Ryan

"Remember, no one can make you feel inferior without your consent." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

"If you don't change the direction you are going, then you're likely to end up where you are heading." ~John C. Maxwell

"I cannot trust a man to control others who cannot control himself." ~Robert E. Lee

Of all things, take action. It is in the doing that you will accomplish your desires in life. It is knowing who you are when you look in the mirror and adding value to that person to become the more accomplished person you know you can be. It's ignoring the negative pressures in life and giving attention only to the positive.

Successful people don't accept their life, they choose the life they want and lead their life in that direction. They are able to see a bigger picture of who they can become. To me, success is really knowing who you are and working to become that. And leadership of self is the very foundation of leading anyone else.

February 3, 2014 Focus Point

Your Environment Can Make or Break You!

"Choice is your greatest power." ~Caroline Myss

"Take an honest inventory of your friends.  Identify who makes you happy and spend more time with them." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"The environment is everything that isn't me." ~Albert Einstein

"The man who has no inner-life is a slave to his surroundings." ~Henri Frederic Amiel

Circumstance is what happens to us. It is life. Most people however accept their circumstances as their life story. "I have to" "they made me" and so forth. What we can control however, is our attitude and what we will do with the circumstances in front of us, for positive or for negative. Then we can begin to make our own circumstances, working towards changing them and being in control of our environment. Determine your priorities and lead your life. It is not so much how life treats you, it is how you respond to it that makes the difference. This week live on the higher level, control your environment, shape your own circumstances, and do something big and important.

January 27, 2014 Focus Point

Are You On Track With Your New Year's Resolutions?

"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." ~Nido Qubein

"You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. That's what makes you a winner." ~Venus Williams

"Don't wait for the perfect moment. Take the moment and make it perfect!" ~Unknown

"Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You were born to win, but to be a winner you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win." ~Zig Ziglar

You have got to love those new years goals and resolutions. I recently read an excellent article by Michael Hyatt. The gist of the article as follows: 25% of people abandon their New Year's resolution after one week believe it or not. 60% abandon them within six months and the average person makes the same resolution 10 separate times without success. Only 5% of those who lose weight on a diet keep it off; 95% regain not only the same amount of weight but even more. Even after a heart attack only 14% of patients makes lasting changes around eating or exercise.

Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, did a study on goal-setting with 267 participants. She found that you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down.

So what is the secret to success in resolutions and goal setting? Write them down. And I will add, look at them often. Keep them fresh in your mind and even affirm them to yourself out loud twice per day as a part of your positive speech. Don't ask for tasks equal to your strength, ask for strength equal to your tasks. Many times we fear setting a goal for the simple fact that: "What if we don't reach it?" I know this however. We are much more likely to accomplish a thing if we first set out to do it. For more on daily affirmations click - Lead Your Life - Affirmations

January 20, 2014 Focus Point

Read Great Books

"Don't just read the easy stuff.  You may be entertained by it, but you will never grow from it." ~Jim Rohn

"We over estimate what we can do in a day, and we underestimate what we can do in a lifetime." ~John Maxwell

"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them." ~Joseph Brodsky

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much." ~Jim Rohn

Reading good books is such a powerful way to feed your mind and heart. From the words on a page we can gain knowledge as well as understanding from the great minds of men and women who have written it all down. The right books will lead you to a better life, give you ideas, and fuel success. Hyrum Smith was doing a seminar and asked the question, "How many of you feel that books are important?" Most every hand went up. And then he asked, "How many of you are reading a book right now?" Only just a few hands went up. "Why do so many believe and know it's value and so few actually read?" Someone shouted, "Because books don't ring."

The fact that books do not ring and call for our immediate attention makes reading a bit of a lost art. I challenge anyone who is serious about gaining insight and greater perspective in life to read a great book daily. Find the time, make the time, and you will thank yourself. Even if it requires putting away the electronics or turning them off and moving away from all distractions it is a very worthwhile choice.

January 13, 2014 Focus Point

Growth & Continuous Improvement 

"Learn and apply one new idea each day to help you to become more productive and effective at your work. The incremental effect will amaze you." ~Brian Tracy

"There is a choice you have to make in everything you do so in the end keep in mind that the choice you make, makes you." ~John Wooden

"Most people want more and believe less." ~Paul Martinelli

"Life without progress becomes unendurable, and the person who ceases from growth must either become an imbecile or insane.  The greater and more harmonious and well rounded your growth is, the happier you will be." ~Wallace D. Wattles

Can you imagine not taking a bath or a shower for a few days and eventually a few weeks and even months? Would you agree there would be some social concerns and roadblocks with this kind of behavior? I suppose that someone who loves you and cares about you would pull you aside and say: "What are you thinking? You have got to fix this situation."

Yet many people go for days, weeks, months, eventually years without feeding or giving proper nourishment to their minds. Brian Tracy teaches: " If you become one tenth of one percent more productive each day, that amounts to one half of one percent more productive each week. One half of one percent more productive each week amounts to two percent more productive each month and 26% more productive each year. The cumulative effect if becoming a tiny bit better at your field and more productive amounts to a tremendous increase in your value and your output over time."

I believe the key to self improvement is two fold. First, commit to doing something every single day that will edify, inspire, and increase your knowledge, vision, and possibilities. A good book or audio recording for instance. Something to feed your mind. Secondly, be patient in taking small steps. Isn't it amazing every morning as dawn approaches how slowly it starts to become light? At first there is just a glimpse of daylight and before you know it there is enough light to see quite well and soon the sun is up and a new day is born, but it is very difficult to determine at which exact moment it all happened. Growth in life happens much the same way. Slowly, gradually, and over time. And for the person who is consistent and determined the rewards are tremendous.