Love
Don’t just tell people you love them; show them.
A transaction is ideally an even exchange of value between two parties. Sometimes, you benefit without providing value in exchange. During those times, remember that by making a contribution elsewhere, you’re able to balance the transaction made for your personal benefit. Practice finding these opportunities in advance and give early.
Let’s remember that the only security that exists is that which exists in being comfortable without it.
Want something from someone or some thing in your life?
Ask for it–and be amazed at how often you get what you asked for.
When the big ideas materialize in the mind most people wait, process and think it through. Often they get distracted and soon the thought dissipates like a vapor.
Do not let this happen to you. When a big idea comes to mind, you can feel it. It completely takes over your thoughts, emotions and focus. It is then that you must act! You must fully take hold of the big idea and start making it real immediately. Act right then and take the first step, whether that means writing out the idea clearly or taking the first step in carrying it out. This is what differentiates those who think about ideas and those who become successful because of them.
When your big idea comes, move forward quickly and you’ll be amazed where it takes you.
Attention, leaders!
Good evening. I am deeply concerned that there has been a shift in the value of leadership in our oh-so-social society.
Have we lost our minds? We seem to be voluntarily granting leadership to those who haven’t earned it and then wonder why we’re sad, depressed and even angry.
Let’s think about this. Not long ago, there was a contrasting difference in who we considered worthy of leadership. We were careful about who we listened to. We took in that which would benefit our next move onward and upward. Today, we sit in Starbucks and yammer on about who did what or said something about who on Facebook. We start conversations with “I follow, _______ on Twitter.” Follow. We follow? Since when?
What happened to being a leader? What are you going to do about it?
“A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.”
-Napoleon Hill
When you want something enough, you must want it with intensity and desire to have it enough to do anything legal, moral and ethical to obtain it. If you can’t see a picture of it in your mind, then you must instead resolve to place a physical image of it in front of you at all times, wherever you may be. If you do this and focus positively on the object’s attainment, you will surely acquire it in short time.
I was reading an article featuring Kevin Griffin, of Better Than Ezra–one of my all time favorite bands. In the interview, he talked about two songs, which made me flash back to when my younger daughter, Ellie was born.
Ellie was born premature and was in the neonatal intensive care unit for two weeks after she was born. It absolutely broke my heart to see her in an incubator, so small and defenseless. I remember having to leave the hospital after visiting hours and deeply missing this little person I hardly knew. Every morning, I would go back to the hospital and wait to see her and invariably on the way there the song, Our Last Night would play from the CD in the car stereo. It became a very helpful part of getting through this difficult time for me. And somehow, because of the timing of the music and the trip, I would hear the song, Daylight on the way home. Both Songs come from Better Than Ezra’s Before the Robots album. Daylight became my song of hope after leaving the hospital and Our Last Night was the song that centered me enough to see the little girl in the hospital.
Music can be very powerful. One of my former sales managers related to me one of the secrets behind her ability to stay focused on running on her treadmill every day. She said she would turn up the volume of her iPod for certain upbeat songs that inspired her and then scream “bad things” at the treadmill until the run was over. She conditioned herself to be bigger than the task at hand with the power of music. Much like at major sporting events, concerts and other events, music has the power to put us into a certain state of mind. It can remind us of a certain feeling or remind us what we should be focused on. I am a big Pandora user and use multiple stations, depending on what mood I’m in. The same goes for my iTunes library. I have several segmented playlists for specific situations. I don’t feel I could be as effective without music in my life. What about you? Is there a song that can motivate you into any action? What is it? Please share your thoughts on this in the comments below!
About two years ago, I purchased computer with a large glossy flat screen display and I gradually started watching more movies on it than I did on my TV. Suddenly the moment of truth arrived: my cable TV contract expired. It followed me to my current home when I moved. I called the cable provider and canceled the TV and phone services. The customer service representative, of course manufactured the most surprised tone I’ve heard in a while and asked me why I would want to do that. My answer was the truth-”I simply don’t watch TV or talk on the phone.” Now, of course I do talk on the phone, but I use my cell phone exclusively. And all of my entertainment and information consumption happens via my computer and my cell phone.
I was then given instructions on where to drop off my cable box and remote control. When I showed up to the stripped out storefront the cable provider maintains exclusively for this purpose, I saw the whole picture come full circle. The gentleman behind the counter checked a number on the bottom of the box, verified who I was and asked, “So you’re keeping the Internet service, right?” I said, “Of course.” He conceded, “Yeah, you really don’t need cable anymore, but you’ve got to have the Internet, right?” “Absolutely.” He shook his head, put the cable box in a bag and threw it under the counter.
This is how we are going to make way for the future. Simple, unexpected and gradual changes to our habits will literally pave the way for what’s next.
Now, does anyone want a free TV? I’m trying to make way for the future.