July 26, 2007
“Persistence is the direct results of habit. The mind absorbs and becomes a part of the daily experience upon which is feeds. Fear, the worst of all enemies, can be effectively cured by forced repetition of acts of courage”
~ Napolean Hill, Think and Grow Rich
All of us have tasks or things we fear. Often, the successful resolution includes making yourself do the task repetitively until it becomes habit. The key to overcoming the fear is persistence. If you don’t like making client contacts, you need to be persistently do the task until it becomes habit and the fear is gone. How do you develop this persistence? According to Hill:
“The necessary steps are:
- A definite purpose backed by a burning desire for its fulfillment.
- A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.
- A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions or relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
- A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.“
So … focused, stay positive, and find those who will encourage you.
July 16, 2007
[paraphrasing]
“The purpose of our existence is to seek happiness. Our moment to moment happiness is largely determined by our outlook. In fact, whether we are feeling happy or unhappy at any given moment often has very little to do with our absolute conditions but, rather it is a function of how we percieve our situation, how satisfied we are with what we have. Happy people are generally found to be more sociable, flexible, and creative and are able to tolerate life’s daily frustrations more easily than unhappy people. And, most important, they are found to be more loving and forgiving than unhappy people.” ~ Howard C. Cutler, M.D. and The Dalai Lama
This one goes back to attitude. Your situation is what you make of it. And, of course … “Don’t worry, be happy” ~ Bobby McFerrin (originally Meher Baba).
July 9, 2007
Hear what Seth Godin, world maketing guru extraordinaire, has to say about expectations:
“Word of mouth comes directly from expectations.Low expectations are a terrific shortcut, because when you exceed them, people are so amazed that they can’t help but talk about it.But low expectations are dangerous, because if you fly too low, you’re invisible. Worse, when people expect little of you, they often don’t bother listening at all.
So most of the time, you’re challenged with this: high expectations that must be beat.
Broadway shows. Apple products. Expensive consulting services. Promise big and deliver bigger seems to be the only reliable strategy.”
Hear that. Promise big and deliver bigger. Promise big and deliver bigger. Deliver bigger. Deliver bigger. That’s the key to word of mouth. And, word of mouth is the key to success — whether your clients are external or internal.
As I’ve been reading books, I’ve run across many quotes in which I find motivation, inspiration, understanding, revelation, etc. I’m going to begin passing these quotes along weekly. Here’s the first - it’s from David Allen, guru of GTD (Getting Things Done).
“There is seldom enough time and energy to do what you want to do, when you focus only from the level of physical doing. You must constantly let go, relax, and refocus. If you’re in a hurry, your vision can become myopic and your energy can be prematurely exhausted. With your clear intention inserted into the universe, trust that the method and the process and the resources for its manifestation will unfold in the grander scheme, in the best timing. Chill a bit, and allow yourself to play your bigger game.” - David Allen
In short, don’t wait until your family vacation at the beach to take a moment to relax. Relax even with very brief moments by relaxing your thoughts from your chores and refocus, reinvigorate.
July 4, 2007
Check it out. Civil Engineering student Joey Chestnut has brought the world hot dog eating championship back to the United States. Chestnut beat 6 time champion Takeru Kobayashi by downing 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Kobayashi ate 63 dogs and couldn’t hang with the Civil Engineer. So, do you think he used a little Engineering Dynamics to figure out how to shove those dogs down his gullet, or maybe calculus to figure the volume of his stomach?
Gotta love an American 4th of July. So, how did you spend your 4th? Hot dog anyone?
July 2, 2007
Do you always seem to feel tired? Just plain lethargic? Not able to keep up like you used to?
Over at WebMD they’ve posted an article on 22 ways to tackle life’s biggest energy zappers. Your Guide to Never Feeling Tired Again. Among their tips to maintain your energy:
- Have breakfast … every day;
- Eat smaller meals, more often (every 3-4 hours);
- Eat more fiber;
- Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate (drink plenty of water);
- Turn on some tunes;
- Let go of grudges;
- Do some good - acts of altruism can lend a little pep to your step;
- Get your exercise;
- and many more.
If you’re seemingly always feeling tired and run down, give these tips a try. Oh, and go to bed! (earlier). Good night all.
