Keep Your Eyes On The Horizon - Life's Lessons Learned At Sea

So what draws people to the sea? I am not referring to those sunny weather sailors, but those sailors who truly head out to sea. Slip the lines and head off into the blue yonder. Sailing can be liberating on many fronts. It's just you, the crew and the deep blue sea. Many of today's sailboats have auxiliary engines to power you home when the wind stops blowing or is against you. Should you look at the engine as " Plan B". Perhaps so, but is the engine a way to keep "Plan A" alive? Life is that way too.
When you are sailing you have a destination. Perhaps we shall call it a short term goal. It may be a navigational mark you go to before you set course to the next mark. For all the GPS junkies out there we would call it a way point. My point being here, is that you have to get to that position before you can head on the next leg of the journey. There are steps you have to take in order for you to achieve that goal.
Taking this one step further. If the wind is in your favor the passage will be relatively easy. But if the wind is against you the trip will take longer and the seas will be rougher. However you can still get there with good planning and execution. The trick is to keep your eyes on the destination. If you focus on the waves the journey will most certainly be rougher. When you can see or visualize the end or destination you are more certain to achieve it. Achieving success in any endeavor is the same. You need to know where you are going and you need to have the tools to get there. Both physical and mental.
Having personally been at sea during several serious storms, I have learned not to fear the ocean. I have learned instead to respect the ocean. This respect has been obtained through preparation and the knowledge I gained through experience from my many years at sea. Life is also the same. If you never leave port you will never get to see and appreciate the horizon. You will never really test yourself and know what heights you can reach. That's OK if a safe harbor is all you want in life. However you would not be reading the article if you were so disposed to stay at anchor. Set sail. Take flight. What every you want to call it. If you are in search of new horizons, your life will become enriched.
The horizon is endless just like life's possibilities. To be truly successful in life we must slip the lines and head to sea. We must hike to the other side of the mountain. By doing these things we have the opportunity to grow as humans. The thirst for adventure is a catalyst in achieving your success. It is a right of passage to have your visualizations and dreams become tomorrows reality. The object after all, is to be living your dream.

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Bring In 2012 With A Positive Attitude

We have heard all our lives that if we focus on something we will be able to accomplish that desire. To focus is to zero in on our desires through intense thought. Speaking to the title of my article it is positive thoughts that we need to concentrate on. I have been a positive thinker most of my life. In looking back on my life the rough years were the ones that I allowed negative thoughts to get a hold of me. I wish I understood the power of thought back in those years. It has given me a wonderful appreciation on how older people gain wisdom.

So how do you get to this space that you are able to stay in this positive frame of mind? There are so many external pressures in our lives. Perhaps you do not like your job. The kids need your attention. It seems there is not enough time left for you. Your whole life has become about reacting to external forces. You feel like you have lost control of your day to day life. No wonder there are so many divorces in today's society. There are so many pressures coming at you from many sources. You often become bitter because you do not have enough "me time". You become very defensive of what little personal time you have to yourself. Can you be number one in your life yet be a loving caring husband and father? The answer is without question, yes. You can accomplish this by getting control over the "me time" so you can better enjoy the "we time". Once you have the "me time" figured out you now have the opportunity to gain control your thoughts. So how do you get to this space. The way there is very simple. Things will not change if you keep doing things the same old way. What it will take is for you to create a couple of new habits. Ready? Approach these suggestions with an open and positive attitude.

• Go to bed earlier. Insure you get the sleep that you need. Starting the next day from an exhausted state is unproductive and unhealthy. Using the TV to decompress is OK however it robs you of your precious "me time". Much needed time for you to think and look after yourself.
• Much of the news on television is about catastrophic events. I recommend you control the intake of this information. You can be a compassionate person however focus on how things will get better. Not on what has just happened.
• Become an early riser. Approach the day on your terms. Enjoy a cup of coffee and perhaps a little reading. The phone does not ring. No need to stand in line for the shower. Start the day tending to you and your needs. This is the time to be grateful for all you have Personally I get up at 5 am most mornings. I look out over the night ocean from our living room watching the navigation buoy lights flickering in the distance. Very soothing. In summer time I get to watch the sun rise. What a way to bring in the day. I keep a note pad beside me and jot down what I need to accomplish today and then I organize them.
• Start a gratitude journal. Yes a book that you will write in every day expressing your gratitude for all that you have. When you know and appreciate what you already have you can focus on gaining more.
• Never ever allow yourself to leave the house mad or upset. You will carry that baggage with you all day. Head out the door ready to embrace the day.

I know this all seems simple. But if you are not aware of your thoughts the negative thoughts and images can creep into your mind. Misery does like company. These are not the kind of friends you want. Stop them dead in their tracks. With this formula you will look forward to each day. A "Happy You" will be an inspiration for a happy family. A "Happy You" will be a creative contributor at work. Make it your plan to get control of your life and your mind. The first step is with a positive attitude.

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Can You Simplify Your Life And Be Successful?

Just this week I was going through some boxes in the garage. Not looking for anything in particular. I came across some old photographs of when I had hair on the top of my head. Plaques acknowledging all the boards I used to sit on. Great memories. Then I came upon a box that had some books I had read years ago. One of then a little gem. "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff" by Dr. Richard Carleson. So I pulled the book out of the box and brought it in from the garage.

What a wonderful and light thinking book this is. Each chapter is just two or three pages with a little nugget in each chapter. I felt it would be fun to read just a couple of chapters a day. I smiled to myself thinking this would be a great way to help me really concentrate on slowing down. My life too can be hectic with all the community service work I do. Yes I do over commit. I surrender. But I get so much back from all the giving I do.

One of the little nuggets I read this morning was this. "There will still be things on your to do list the day you die". The to do list is a working document. It lives and has a life all it's own. That's why there is always things on it to do. Weather or not the screen on the patio door gets repaired today or next week is not life altering. The lesson from this is slow down and enjoy your life. Many things in our lives can indeed, wait until tomorrow.

So the question remains can you slow down and still achieve success? Absolutely. So how do we approach this? It's always a great time to plan for the coming year. So lets not leave it until December 28th or 29th or make them News Year's Resolutions. These changes in the way we lead our lives will take some reflection and some planning. So let's have some fun. If you have the ability to laugh at yourself this exercise will be easy. Why you ask? Because we all know we have these little quirks. Quirks about ourselves that we know we should change. Are you are a list completer? Having lists are good. Having them control our day in and day out lives is tragic.

So here we go.

1. Pull out your to do list and see what lays there.
2. Next is to start a new list but put the items in order of importance.
3. Now is a good time to add or delete items with the emphasis being on delete.
4. The next step is to put completion dates on them and makes sure you have left lots of time to complete them.
5. You may not add new items on the to do list unless it something like the garage door stopped working. Only "have to" things can be added to the list until you have mastered management of your list.
6. The second last step is to schedule these "to do" things in your diary. Yes, the day on which you will do them.
7. The last and most important step is to schedule free time in your diary. Time to read, sleep, go hiking. Go to a movie with your kids. Schedule time you are not doing task related activities.

Here in lies the prize. I expect your saying this is to simple an approach. That's the purpose of this exercise. Simplification. Why should we choose to live life the hard way? I personally believe we can achieve our goals and stay on track and enjoy your down time. Going slow from time to time will allow you to better enjoy the journey. Going slow will allow you time to reflect and to make better decisions because you thought them through. I suggest you learn to embrace your to do list. Once you take this approach you will take ownership of the list instead of the list taking ownership of you. Your family and state of mind will thank you.

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Personal Growth Is Key In Building Your Success

Most people get up in the morning and work on improving their position at work or on their companies. It is only natural that we get caught up in what has to be done to move a project forward. Activities I call working in your business instead of on your business. These activities have you working in your job and not on your job. Activities that are task related and will keep you in a worker bee mode. Who really has time to do more?

We as humans also need to work on what makes us efficient and happy. I can not over emphasize how important it is to do a personal check-in on a regular basis. When you do not book or scheduling ME TIME you can soon lose track of your dreams and goals. When you are submerged in task related activities you lose the ability to look around the corner. Successful business people often employ personal coaches. They know the importance of personal performance. You may think successful leaders are already at their pinnacle, but intelligent leaders know they need to be constantly improving. When you are the front-runner and innovator you set the standard for all others to follow. When you set the standard it is not about price. Your competitors and followers will have to compare themselves to you to market their products.

In one of my favorite books "The Science Of Getting Rich", Wallace Wattles the author insists that to become truly rich you must live life on the creative plane and not the competitive plane. For if you earned it on the competitive plane you can also lose it on the competitive plane. When you create you have the opportunity to improve the life of others without the haggle of price. Wattles expresses the importance that the purchaser's life has been enhanced by more than the price of the product or service you sold them.

The importance of personal growth will do the following things for your life.

• Personal growth will create an ability for you to be unique. You are creating the opportunity to stand out. If you walk and talk like the rest of the world you will have to earn your way in what I call "Hand To Hand Combat". That is the competitive plane. Your life will ebb and flow as does the market you do business in.
• When you take the time to make yourself better you will start to work smarter. Yes the early bird gets the worm. Be cautious not to be just doing just more of what you are doing for burnout will soon follow.
• Through personal growth you will get to know your strengths and weaknesses. You can improve on the weaknesses you have or find someone to work with who has strengths in that area.
• When you take the time to study and improve on yourself you will become a thinker. When we think, we are creating opportunities that become indelible on your mind. Opportunities that will set you apart from the field.

When you take the time to work on you, the picture becomes clear. You now have in your mind the way to move forward in a positive manner. Those thoughts of second guessing your decisions will vanish. You will create a confidence in yourself that will be visible by all you interact with. When you express yourself in that manner it removes question of your knowledge and capabilities. Things will begin to flow your way. Invest the time to make yourself better. By doing so you will be in control of your life instead of life being in control of you. Book an appointment with yourself today. You will be thankful you did.

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Finding Success - How to Conquer Fear of Failure

Overcoming the fear of failure is one of the toughest things we will have to do in life. It will come in many forms and at different times. It's the biggest cause of call reluctance with sales people and the biggest obstacle in employee performance. What if they say no? What if I mess up? What will my friends think of me if I screw up?

Lets be honest. We all want to succeed. We all want the admiration of our colleagues and our friends. However this validation and admiration we desire must be earned. There is no silver bullet. It's easier for some than others but everyone must at some point push through what they do not want to do. If it was easy we would all be doing it. There is no single recipe for success.

I was fortunate to learn about dealing with failure at an early age. Failure to me was not winning. It was not until later in life that I came to understand that being around the top was good too. Having been a competitive ski racer and sailor I was motivated by winning. I learned that when we went to the results board at the end of the day every one looked to see where they placed. The second place you looked was to see who won. No one looked at who was at the bottom first, or in fact at all. Headlines on the sports page of the news paper don't read. "John Doe Came in Last." If you were on the bottom, odds are you were the only one who noticed. Yes it hurts but there is only one way to move up the leader board. That's through hard work, practice and persistence.

I will pass along these few steps that should help you get past the fear of failure. 

• The first part of getting past the fear of what will happen if the potential customer says no. Well it's part of the job. Everybody does not say yes. It's about the product or service you are selling or promoting and not about you. Can you increase your performance with practice and good coaching. Yes. Simply put. Get it in your head that what is happening to you happens to everyone. Others don't share or broadcast their losses either. They learn from them.
• What will happen if we didn't quite get it right at work. Well, if we have a nurturing and mentoring boss they will likely help you though what has happened. Lets remember that their success is somewhat tied to yours. The key here is to ask for help. Asking for help is a sign of strength and not of weakness. Express to them that you want to be better. Who in their right mind is going to say no?
• If you are unable to get to the space of having self-confidence I suggest you find a coach who will help you get there. I have used a coach numerous times in my life. Many of my readers know I have a had a few hits in my life. I got through them all and some times I needed help. There is no sin in that. They helped make me stronger.

Take action now to get past these feelings of fear. Anxiety can do all kings of crazy things with your mind. To move forward in achieving your goals you need to have a clear mind. Focus is not a buzz word. It is for real. You can only reach for what is clear in your mind. What happens in the process of getting there is just that. A process. Don't beat yourself up. You have what it takes. Being your own biggest cheerleader is a good place to start.

Becoming Successful in Life - The Importance of Listening

Before you say, "come on Paul. I know the importance of listening. I suggest you stop and really take notice of the time you're talking instead of listening. I can tell you from experience as a sales leader and manager, the best sales people are listeners. They listen for the clues and what we call buying signals. The same can be said in life outside of sales.

It takes more than being a good listener to be successful. It's very important you ask the right questions. One of my favorite sayings is. "Answers rarely appear on their own. Answers only come after you have asked a question". One tip I use when I ask questions is to wait until the individual has finished what they were saying and count to three. This will seem like an eternity but you will get better at it with time. The purpose for this is, the individual spoke about what first came to their mind. It is after this dead air that the individual will come out with more information after they had a chance to think about it deeper. This is when the real good stuff comes out. We provided them with the courtesy to finish their thought. When we listen we project trust. When there is trust, they will tell us more.

How many times in your life have you heard someone say. I can never remember names. I believe the issue is that these people are not listening. What is taking place is they are thinking about what they are going to say next. Well guess what! When your thinking about what you will say next, your not listening effectively. If you start to listen intently you will remember their name. If you listen intently you project that you really care what they have to say. If you listen intently they will tell you more than they would otherwise have said.

What does all this have to do with being successful you ask? When we are talking we are expressing what we already know. When we are listening we have the opportunity to gain knowledge. Knowledge is power. Knowledge helps us with making sound decisions in life and business.

In my opinion there are four ways to gain knowledge.

1. To be an apprentice and gain experience working beside a master.
2. Go to school. Guess what happens in school? 80 to 90 percent of the time is spent listening.
3. Read about things that will expand our knowledge and provide you with expertise. Because you want to!!
4. Listen intently from those who have knowledge and most importantly take notes when you have a chance following the conversation. Writing helps us to retain what we have heard. Think of the things we have written on napkins during a lunch meeting. Do you get my point?

In many of my recent articles I have been writing about maintaining a positive attitude. To have a positive attitude you need to be conscious of your thoughts. The same applies to listening. Slow it down and be conscious of the questions you ask and how you listen. You will find it amazing what you will learn. To be successful in life you need to be forever learning and expanding your knowledge. Being thirsty for knowledge will water the seeds of success.

3 Tips for Sharing Your Positive Energy With Others

This week has been an extra special positive attitude week for me. Every where I went people were saying, "Paul you always have a positive attitude." So why has this come to be so obvious to those I meet. This past weekend I bumped into an old school friend I had not seen in possibly 20 years. He asked me how things were going. I told him that, "I am a very fortunate man and that good things always seem to come my way". He responded, "Paul I have known you for over 40 years and you have always had a positive attitude." So why do I have this attitude and why do I project this frame of mind? It starts with I truly believe I am fortunate.

I also believe that the last thing people want to hear is people whining about how life is just the pits. This is like traveling around without deodorant on. It smells. It repels people. Spreading doom and gloom is the worst possible way to bring attention to yourself. Misery loves company is just a bunch of bunk. Even your attempts at seeking pity will drive people away. Forget the cup is half full and the cup is half empty story. People want to deal with and hang out with positive minded winners. Keep in mind you can't fluff this. It has to come from your gut.

I feel these 3 tips will get you started toward sharing your positive energy with others.

1. Speak to your victories and the success you are having. Feel good about telling people how much fun you are having growing your business or the success you are having at work. The key thing is not to make it sound like your bragging. A simple smile and saying " I love the way it is all coming together." Now that's quiet confidence.
2. Be openly thankful of the opportunity you have to do what you are doing and the people you work with that make all this possible. I believe the collective carries so much more than it's all about me. Never under estimate the power of "we".
3. Smile, smile, smile. Damn, I have goofy caps on my front teeth and I still love to smile. I have had these darn things for over 40 years and they are part of who I am. You have front teeth like those and your still smiling. Things must be really good. All kidding aside. I say this to make a point. Smiles are like laughter. They are infectious.

Make it a point of going to bed happy and content. Odds are you will wake up happy. Before you put your feet on the floor, tell yourself this is going to be an amazing day. Embrace the opportunities the day ahead will bring you. The world is a land of abundance and opportunity. A positive attitude is like a magnet. The energy it produces will bring good things toward you. I'm living proof.

The Importance of a Positive Environment in Achieving Success

We all know that we can not just turn on our success with a switch. It takes planning and hard work. One way to speed up the level of your success is to put yourself into an environment that will foster positive relationships and put our minds in the place that says we are already there. That can be easier for some than others. However, make no mistake. We all have access to a positive environment that will propel us upward.

Before you say there is nothing new to what you are saying, I will agree. The key is to do something about it. You will need to be conscious of where you physically want to put yourself today to increase the likely hood you will be at least one step closer to your success. Placing yourself in these places can be more cost effective that you think. Networking Clubs, Business Associations and organizations like Rotary International are good places to start. I have been a huge giver to my time and money to Rotary and I have received so more in return. As the old saying goes "you can't pick your family, but you can pick your friends".

The following steps will help you put to top of mind the importance of going through this exercise.

• You need to visualize your success. You need to know what is looks like.
• If you want to be recognized you need to been seen
• You need to determine where it is best to be seen. The people you want to meet are part of this exercise.
• Now that you have determined where you need to be, research when it is best to be there.
• It's one thing to look the part but now you need to act the part. Put yourself out there.
• Before you can receive you must first reach out. Remember you can not will this to happen. You must take action.

I ask that you stop and think that we are all products of our environment. Think of the experiment of the flea in the jar. We must first make sure the lid is on. We all watch as the flea jumps and jumps and keeps hitting the lid. After a while the flea no longer jumps. We then take off the lid but to our surprise the flea does not jump. Are you living in a jar similar to the flea? Are you uncomfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone and placing yourself in an environment of success? If this is the case, success will only be a dream for you. As cruel as it may seem, you may need to change your friends. This is really the true test to your level of commitment towards success. We are all products of our environment. Choosing the proper environment is just one of the important steps that will propel you in finding your success. Come on. Go for it.

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Is There A Eureka Moment When Searching For Success?

So, when does the light come in our pursuit of success? I for one believe that eureka moments do occur. That flash when you say to yourself. Now I get it. But first you need to understand what it is your after. If you're flying down the highway at night without the headlights on your in big trouble. Life is like that to. There is no waiting around to get inspired. It's like paying for your kids to go to university. Many will just lumber along and not know what they want. Change the situation to they are paying for their education and they will figure it out pretty fast what it is they want to do with their life. If it's your dream your success rate is much higher than if it's mom and dad's dream transferred to you.
It was the Roman Philosopher Seneca that said" Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" This is not what I would call the eureka moment but an important step. You should put yourself in that position to be ready. Take those steps in the direction to seize the moment when it occurs. I feel that success lives in the top few percent of the population. The difference is that success does not appear in getting the job or project 90 percent done. It appears when we get it completed. It's the last bit that's so hard to obtain, yet it's so close.
These following steps will help prepare you for seeing the eureka moment when it appears. And it will...

• Knowing what you want is paramount. When you know what it is you are after, your mind is always on the hunt towards that end.
• Turn over all the rocks is a favorite saying of mine. You never know what underneath.
• Search for someone who as excelled in your field of passion. They will be happy to share their defining moment.
• Write down some goals. Your success rate will take a huge jump.
• Accept the advise of others with open arms and see how you can adapt their eureka moment to make it yours.
• Most importantly believe their will be a sign. That flash when you go, Oh My God. There it is right before me.

We have all had the should of, could of, would of, times in our lives. Those are in the past. I ask you this. Would you jump at the same opportunity if it came along tomorrow? If not. File it away as it will be just back ground noise that will cloud your judgement. Know what you what. You are in the launch position. When that eureka moment comes you are ready for lift off.

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Positive Attitude Leads To Clear Thinking And Visible Results

Clearing ones mind of all the clutter is a task onto itself. It seems that we are faced with decisions in everything we do. When we are unhappy or stressed the decisions become even tougher as we fear we will make the wrong decision. I believe that we must shake off the fear of making the wrong decision. Most of the decisions we make in our daily lives are not life altering. In fact we spend much of our lives worrying about things that will never happen. I ask, how unproductive is that? Imagine what would happen to our lives if we shifted from all those thoughts of failure and self-doubt to thoughts of success and happiness. So lets break this down into three steps.

Obtain a Positive Attitude.

The world of limiting beliefs can be said in one word. Defeat. Obtaining a positive attitude will involve your being conscious of your thoughts. Concentrate on things that bring you happiness. You have to convince yourself that you have what it takes. Think about the joy of achieving your goal or project that you are working on. Start to use the language of success. Words like, achieve,accomplish,win and move forward to name a few. Your self-confidence will become more prevalent with a positive attitude. Take a hard look at what you are good at. I expect there is little self-doubt there. Now, take a look at what you are not so go at and transfer that self-confidence into that space.

Concentrate on Clear Thinking

You will need to push back negative thoughts when they appear. These negative thoughts will put your mind in a place of worrying about the worst outcome. Generally in life, what we thing about, comes about. If we are going to have a self-fulfilling prophecy it best be about success. You must look at everything you do as having a good outcome. Otherwise it's not worth doing. I will use this analogy to simplify the point. Lets say you are single and looking for a mate. Do you make a list of all the things you do not want in a person or a list of all the good this you want in a person? Exactly. You focus and look for the good qualities. I also suggest you take a tip from NLP and look to the upper left when you are thinking. This is where you should look when you are thinking about the future. This is the part of your brain that is stimulated when you are in the thinking process. Looking down and to the right produces negative thoughts. Don't believe me? Try and smile while looking down and to the right. Closer to a frown isn't it? Up and to the left will get you in the positive attitude zone.

Picture Visible Results

So now is the time to look at yourself having achieved your goal or intention. Picture the smile on your face with the sense of accomplishment. I bet your smiling now just reading this. I am smiling just writing it. It's infectious. I find what works for me is that I write down how I will feel once I have achieved the desired result. If you can get to this frame of mind you are already halfway there.

This is not all bunk. Yes there are some people who have this natural ability as they seem to always get it right. Most of us have to work at being positive. Yes, I used the term "us". The only way we can achieve this positive frame of mind is being conscious of our thoughts. If we are conscious of our thoughts we can control what we think. Once we have achieved the ability to fill our minds with positive images the results will be amazing.

Three Steps To Understanding And Achieving Prosperity

Many of the things we want in life are finite. Homes, cars and boats are all material things and are measurable. But it's not just material things that make our lives complete. What is it that gives us piece of mind? What is it that brings us happiness and joy?

Abundance and prosperity is really a state of mind because it comes as a collective feeling of emotional well being and material things. I believe abundance and prosperity to be personal and it can mean different things to each of us. In the most simple of terms there is no score card for abundance and prosperity. We just need to appreciate there is more than enough abundance and prosperity for all to enjoy.

So how do you obtain abundance and prosperity? Here are what I believe to be the three steps that will help you understand where you are and where you want to be.

1. The first step is believing you already have abundance. I suggest you take stock of what you already have. Good health would be number one in my book. Family and good friends help us to stay grounded. Having a good home would rank up there too. If your health is fair you can always work towards a healthier life. You can seek out good friends. It's fine to want a nicer home. The exercise is to improve on what we already have. The world has more abundance than we could ever have. It is an endless supply. The very financially wealthy understand this. They could not get to where they are without a limitless mindset.
2. The second step is to be grateful for all that you currently have. You have so much more than you think. Having gratitude and being thankful for what you already have is so important in appreciating and understanding prosperity. I am not a deeply religious person but I consider myself to be spiritual. I believe there is a greater being who will bring us what we ask for. The key is to be a partner in this exercise. Thinking and praying for it is not enough. It's a team effort.
3. The third step is to make a list of things that will bring you joy that are both emotional and material. Plant these feelings and material things firmly in your mind. Think of them often and I suggest at least twice a day. Imagine you already have them. I have used this technique over the years to unbelievable success. The many riches I have in life both material and emotional have come to me in many ways. Some have come as a result of my direct efforts and are purely earned financially while other gifts of prosperity have come to me from others who have wanted to share what they have with me. In effect my thoughts attracted these gifts of abundance. Accept these visions manifested into reality with grace and gratitude no matter the origin.

Abundance and prosperity is what we all strive for in life. It will have a different meaning for every person on this planet. Appreciating that you already have abundance is a great place to start. This whole exercise will cost you nothing financially. Opening your mind to accepting an even more abundant life is really very simple. Prosperity will follow soon after you have that vision firmly planted in your mind.

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Do You Fix A Problem Or Create A Solution?

This past week I attended the National Convention for Call Centers in Montreal. The name of the organization is CAMX. I have met over the years at these conventions some amazing people who have become very successful in our industry. My article this week is about a comment made by John Ratliff, the CEO of Appletree during a presentation he made to the convention attendees. John asked this question during his presentation. "Do you fix a problem or create a solution"?

To me the answer was easy however I also needed to ask the question why to fully appreciate its intention. It's understanding the question where the solution lies. There are loads of problem solvers out there who love to fix things. It's human nature. Very gratifying. To John's point though getting something fixed is not permanent. It can break or go wrong again tomorrow. Creating a solution to the problem brings you closer to making the problem go away indefinitely. Here in lies the game changer.

John really got my attention when he threw this out. What an interesting perspective. My interpretation from a success point of view is it brings us all closer to removing things that repeatedly get in the way of our personal success. At the most simple level when we fix a problem we are reacting to an event or thing that went wrong. When we create a solution we are both fixing the problem and insuring that the problem does not keep returning. Problem solvers are working in their business and solutions driven individuals are working on their business. Simply put. When you work in your business you are just a cog in the wheel. When you are working on your business you are the one who tunes the engine.

I my opinion the most difficult part of making the change to the solution approach is to schedule the time to fully understand why the problem occurred. We must also understand that creating a long-term solution takes planning. Once we find the solution we must prepare a policy or instruction manual on how do deal with the issue should it arise again. The purpose being that someone else can deal with the problem and not just one person. In business, if there is more than one person who can address the problem then we have removed the weakest link. Mr. Ratliff had insisted that one must ask the "why" question five times to really start to understand why this happened. Asking the question why is the first part to creating the solution.

When we create a solution to personal problems and issues we are better able to focus on things that will take us to greater heights. What we want in our pursuit of overall success is to remove the things that keep us in a state of limiting beliefs. Our lives can be easily controlled by reacting to obstacles. If we remove the reoccurring obstacles we have created a solution. This will allow us to spend more of our time doing proactive activities that will bring us success. Success lives in the activities we do toward making us grow.

Success Takes Discipline - How to Achieve Self Discipline

Imagine getting to the stage that you do the tough things in life on auto pilot. How wonderful would that be? It takes perseverance to get to that stage. The mind does some strange things that has an impact on our decision- making process. The Sandler Sales System calls all this negative stuff floating around in our minds "Head Trash". How true is that? The self-improvement industry is chalk full of books, Cd's and online support websites of some of the biggest names in the business. All this support is directed at a never ending supply of people who want to make an improvement in their lives. Heck, I have been a supporter of the business for decades. I love it to the point that I now write about my experiences and things that I have learned along the way. As successful as I have become I still keep searching for ways to make myself better. So what does all this have to do with self discipline? Everything.

To have self discipline does not mean that you are a boring person. It does not mean that you have your life planned minute by minute. To the contrary. When you have self discipline you have a tendency to get the hard stuff done first. This affords you the time to be spontaneous. More importantly you will make decisions on what you do in your free time based on your over all goals. I believe this to be true. One of my wife's and my common goals was to own a vacation property on the ocean. Thanks to my wife's business acumen and my ability to prepare and market the property was a real team effort. It worked so well we now own two vacation properties. Too make this happen we made a huge time commitment in the form of sweat equity. All our spare time for a year was dedicated to making our dream happen. We also made the decision to rent the properties when we are not using them. We have created an income stream to pay for the properties. We use the properties as a place for us to decompress,relax and have friends by for weekends when the properties are not rented. We are building a nest egg that will help ensure we have a retirement where we chose what we can do. The reason I use this example is simple. Each property took every spare moment of our time and effort to get them to the stage we are now at. Half doing it was not an option. How good is having someone else pay for our future and present day relaxation. It all boils down to how bad you want your dreams and goals.

So how do we achieve or improve our self discipline? Here are some tips that have worked for me.

The first step is to write down a few goals that emotionally charge you. I believe when you have goals that will make you feel good, the emotional attachment will drive you to succeed. Success is imminent when you are passionate about what you want.

The second step is to enter in your diary when you are going to work toward these goals. Yes. Make an appointment with yourself. This will give you a reason to say no when something else comes along. You simply say I am working on a project right now that needs my attention. Just imagine how liberating it is when you have a commitment this strong. Success is now in your grasp.

The third step is to find an accountability partner. This will take some effort on your behalf but it will be the reinforcement of steps one and two. An accountability partner is someone who you share your goals with. I personally have one. We have an appointment at the same time each week and we discuss our progress toward our goals. So how do you feel about telling your accountability partner that you did not work toward your goal this week. Exactly. It feels awful. I have learned from experience that having the right person as an accountability partner is key. Someone who is simply a cheerleader will not do. Your accountability partner must also have realistic goals. Both of you have important things at stake. It works.

Self discipline will bring control into your decision-making process. Self discipline will remove some of the second guessing we are all guilty of. Self discipline will help you focus on what you want to accomplish. Being in control of our emotions and working toward what makes us happy is a good thing for all of us. The work can be fun too when the end result will bring you so much happiness and joy.

Stop Making Excuses - Take Ownership Of Your Actions

When you make excuses it can say so many things about you. Things I would say are not enduring, It tells me you are not committed to what you said you would do. There was something more important that came along so you decided to do that instead. Perhaps you are faced with the fear of failure or you do not want to feel the rejection. In short you are living in the blame game. You chose to externalize your actions. You foolishly believe it's somebody else's fault.

In a real life experience, I was in a meeting with a Head Hunter where I was asked why I was recently fired from the high level position I held with a large corporation. I told the interviewer that I blew it. I said I had made the wrong political move. The interviewer looked at me puzzled and said" How interesting. Most people would have blamed someone else or externalized the situation." That's the way that I saw the situation. We all make wrong decisions and mistakes in our lives. For heavens sake own up to it. Find out what you learned from this? The best thing to do is create a clean slate and move on.

I believe that answers do not appear on their own. Answers only come after you ask a question. This is true even if you are problem solving on our own. When you have made an excuse you better have a real good reason because somewhere along the line, someone is going to ask you the question. Why? What happened? Some of my most favorite sayings and quotes come from Mark Twain. This one pretty much sums it up. " If you tell the truth you do not have to remember anything." Consider the notion that being dishonest is hard work. You constantly have to remember what you said. Channel your energies to something positive. As odd as this may sound, I believe that owning up to the truth, as hard as it may seem will bring your respect.

Excuses hang out with procrastinators. Procrastinators always seem to have a reason not to get it done. If your procrastinating, I recommend you search for the reason why. Procrastination is predicated on fear of the unknown and the inability to deliver on what you said you could do. For many of you and especially sales people, it's the fear of rejection. The easy stuff and the fun stuff seem to get scratched off the to do list with ease. I recommend you do the hard stuff first. You will find the balance of the day will breeze by with ease. I suggest you plan your day this way and there be no need for excuses.

To be truly successful in any aspect of life, we must have sound plans to move forward. When you take ownership of your actions you have removed guilt from the situation. Making excuses is easy. Success can be easy to if you are committed to your master plan and goals. Mistakes just become bumps in the road. No need to blame anyone else when you hit a bump because you are the one with your hands firmly on the wheel. When you make excuses you are not in control of your situation. To be fully in control is when we take ownership of your actions.

Do You Like To Win Or Do You Hate To Lose?

Everyone likes to win. That is a given. The reality is not all of you will win because you have not prepared yourselves to create the opportunity to win. When you hate to lose it brings up the level of commitment because the outcome of loosing is not acceptable to you. This leads to the question. Can you be successful without being competitive?

I was once asked this win or lose question in a job interview about ten years ago. The interviewer who was the owner of a fast paced growing company only wanted those people who had the burning desire to win. I knew in my mind the correct answer was "I hate to lose". It was for this instance the correct answer. It was not until after the interview and I was working with the company that I came to fully understand to true meaning of the question.

Winning is comfortable. It is good for our ego. Everyone wants to deal with a winner. It speaks volumes to your ability. We all know that to win we have to train and prepare ourselves for the match be it in business or on the sports field. In sports, it's a blend of physical and mental preparedness. In business it's about mental preparedness, the right product or service and the personality to win the deal. In many cases with business, losing is not an option. Your lively hood depends on it. I believe in the business environment one must adopt to the hate to lose side of the question. Losing is not an option.

I believe that many top athletes do well in business and especially in sales because they have the competitive attitude. Both my sons attended a boarding school and it was compulsory they play a competitive sport. The school knew it was important to have its students being very good on and off the field. The schools attitude reinforced what I personally knew to be true. Participants will win the day over spectators every time.

So how can you achieve that competitive edge? How can you obtain that burning desire to get to the top? I believe the following tips will get you started.

• Create and write down a goal related to you being the best in your field. Remember to make sure that your goal is matched with an action plan of steps to obtain that goal.
• Spend some time with a competitive winner. Ask some questions. Learn what it is that drives them.
• Write down how you would feel if you were the top in your field. This should put a smile on your face and have you pointed in that direction.
• Do some research on being competitive. Remember that being competitive is not always about beating someone else. It can just easily be about performing better than you every have before.

Everyone has the desire to win. Those with the burning desire to win are those who hate to lose. Success as we know comes in many forms. In the business world it's about relationships and the numbers. In the personal world it's about meeting milestones and personal achievements. To win we need passion and persistence. When you have those two elements, losing is not an option.

Ways to Get Your Life Back on Track Using Positive Thinking

Getting back on track after a setback can be an emotional roller coaster. One can seem to be surrounded by negative feelings that just won't let go. It's not as easy as turning a light switch on and off. We struggle to suppress these past events that cause us to over analyze what went wrong. Knowing what went wrong is important but focusing on it just delays our ability to get back to a positive frame of mind. Staying positive consumes allot of energy. Keeping our mind fueled with positive thoughts is a good thing. So how do we move on and regain a positive frame of mind.

I can tell you from personal experience it's hard work. Being an ADHD has made it even tougher on me as ADHD's become so emotionally involved in what they do. It's tough for us to say. "It's just business" or "that's just the way it is". For those of us who have this disorder we often look for new and exciting things to pull us away and bring us pleasure. This technique is often used at the expense of not seeing through what we were previously engaged in. It's a double edge sword. I am certain you too have had events in your life that just seem to grab hold and not let go. Here are some ideas that have helped me to move on to new and happier times.

• Planning is the first step and this will help put your mind into the future. It may start as a thought or dream but that's OK. Dreams can and often do become reality. Oh yes. Remember to write it down.
• Put behind you what is holding you back. If it has effected other people, call them and explain how you feel. Say your sorry. Let them know you are anxious to move on. Thank them for their understanding. For heavens sake don't make the same mistake again.
• Find a friend or a coach who you can talk this through with. Accept the help of others. Going it alone is what we call in Canada, "Skating On Thin Ice".
• Read something up lifting. As goofy as it sounds it really does work.
• Play some music that makes you feel good. Good mood and positive attitude are room mates.
• Get some exercise. Exercise actually gives you more energy. It will also help clear the mind.
• Schedule some time in your diary for you. This will enable you to work on your plan. One of the worst things that can happen as you begin to feel better and as the stress lessens, you stop moving forward with your new plan.

Positive thinking is often associated with optimism. I feel they are closely related. Optimism is fantastic if we connect it with sound reasoning. Staying positive needs some reinforcement cementing that we are heading in the right direction. An accountability partner or coach will keep you on track. I believe the above tips will help bring some clarity and purpose to your pursuit of success. Do it for yourself. Your worth it.

Overcoming Defeat - The Best Revenge Is Success

Overcoming defeat is one of the toughest things we will ever have to do in life. I have been whipped out financially twice in my life and I believe there is only one option. Get up. Dust yourself off and get on with it. But it's not easy. The only revenge you should be looking for is to prove to yourself and the world that you have what it takes to be successful.

We have to deal with the embarrassment of the loss. We have to deal with the feelings of limiting beliefs that creep back into our lives. There are often financial implications that impact others. These affected people are usually family members. Times like these are when our self-esteem is at the lowest.

We can not sit back and blame others for our problem. Nothing can be gained by this. We created it and we need to take some ownership for our actions. Yes, we all have runs of back luck but we also put ourselves in the position to be at risk. Often we hear of the risk reward scenario. The bigger the risk, the bigger reward. The financially successful people in life are good at managing risk. They work hard at getting to a point where they only risk what they can afford to loose. We all know it does not start out that way.

So how can we get on with life and re-establish ourselves. How can we find a way we can move forward? The following tips worked for me are what I believe to be a good place to start.

• Take ownership for what has happened. This will help bring closure and you will be able to focus on a new opportunity.
• Take the time to understand why you failed to insure you do not make the same mistakes.
• You will obviously need the help of others at a time of loss. Often these people will appear out of nowhere and offer to help. Accept this help. The fastest way out of the hole is with the help of others. I strongly suggest you do not look at this as charity. These people have come to help because they care about you. They feel and understand your grief.
• Find a mentor and or a coach. They will help bring clarity. It's very possible they have gone through what you are going through too. They will help you see there is a life after a defeat in business or you have lost a job.
• Have a long meaningful conversation with your spouse or partner. Make sure you listen. It's not always about you. They to are feeling your pain. They to have a stake in your future success.

I can tell you from experience that we are tougher than you think. I have been called a survivor many times. It's not a term that I find enduring. However, we must look at it as a complement to our personal metal. We have what it takes. There will always be obstacles in life. Having the ability to deal with them and move on is a key component in success. The other trait is persistence. Never give up. The best revenge after defeat is in fact, your future success.

Inspiration Leads to Success - How to Find Inspiration

Inspiration is key to staying on track toward your success. Inspiration is the fuel that will power you through the lows that come your way more often than you want. We are after all human and our brains have a safety mechanism called doubt that will tell us to stop when we are challenged to push past our comfort zone. Doubt leads to limiting beliefs. Even going deeper than doubt is the fear of rejection and ultimately, failure.

I have in my own life been caught in the tramp of becoming risk adverse. I have been through a business failure early in my life. I was publicly fired from a CEO Position just two years later. For the record I sued for wrongful dismissal and won. That is a very liberating experience but the strain of going through that process is not for the faint of heart. I then bought in to another business, that like the office products business was in decline. My timing was awful. I was able to get out of that deal with some wounds but still above ground. I have been involved in three other business since and two have had happy endings. What did I learn from these experiences?

• I learned just how much the human mind and body can take when facing adversity.
• I learned we do become wiser as we grow older.
• I came to realize that some times we give up on a goal before we should.
• I learned that some times we need to move on and cut the losses.
• I have come to learn that value of patience.

What does all this have to do with inspiration? Well it's a part of my story. I have never given up of my quest to be successful. I have found success in many aspects of my life. I have been lucky to have the burning desire to succeed from an early stage in my life. Those personality traits come from being the grandson and son of two successful families. But how does someone with out that back ground get inspired? I suggest you Google, Best Motivational Books and Best motivational Speeches. There is an amazing amount of material for you to use to help get you inspired. It's all at your finger tips. Once you have made the decision you need more success in your life, you will need to do the following things.

• Create a purpose for doing this and write it down.
• You will need meaningful goals with time lines.(not just a to do list)
• You at the very least need to find several books to read that will both inspire and be educational.
• You need to find a mentor. Some one you can emulate.
• Read something every day that will inspire you.
• You must adapt an abundance mindset. There is lots to go around.
• Read something motivational before you go to sleep. You will wake up inspired.
• Spend more time with motivated people. It's contagious.

Opportunity has a never ending supply. It is available to all who attempt to step outside their comfort zone and live the life of their dreams. We some times need a boost to stay inspired. All those tools are available at your finger tips at little or no cost. There is no good reason on this green earth that you can not do this for yourself. You are your biggest asset. Your body and your mind are full of resources that can take you to levels you never dreamed possible.

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3 Tips for Getting Over Bad Habits Hindering Your Success

The most widely read of my articles are those articles dealing with setbacks and roadblocks to your success. The truth of the matter is we all are faced with attempting to change how we currently do things. We strive to improve our present situation in life. It does not matter if it's personal or business. Deep down we want to improve our selves. The difficulty with shaking those unwanted habits has to do with our conditioned preferences. I believe habits are formed as a route of least resistance to do what needs to get done. With out even thinking about it!

For those of you who are or have been smokers know the habit thing only to well. I too was an on again, off again smoker for over 20 years. I tried the patch. I tried to not drink coffee or have alcohol which were the association triggers in an effort to quit. What it came down to was my wife saying she loved me and she did not want me to do this to myself. The same can be said for weight gain. We eat foods that we know are harmful towards our health but we continue to do so. I my view smoking and eating are classic examples of habits we all want to break. I also believe they do not really impact our future success as a business person but they do have an impact on how we view ourselves. Habits like procrastination, the fear of failure and laziness are the real stingers that hold us back from achieving personal and or financial success.

Lets assume you know you need to make some changes. The most important thing you need to do before you even start with the three necessary steps is to remove any doubt that you will not succeed. You must to get past the limiting beliefs that you do not have the ability to do this. Will power and determination are crucial to succeeding in changing your unwanted habits. This is a given.

Tip One, Write it Down.

Get out your pen and write down the habit you want to shake. Before you say what the heck Paul. Yes. writing it down validates the issue. When you write it down, it requires thought. After you have acknowledged the habit you want to break you now have to write down how it will feel once you have achieved making the change. This is the feeling and the vision that will propel you.

Tip Two, Change Your Routine

I believe that most of our habits appear during your daily routines. They just happen without our even thinking about it. So a good way to make a change is to change our routine. Make sure that you leave out the unwanted habit in the new daily routine. Vacations are also a great way to make a change. Once you have a change in your environment the association factors do not come into play. This works. They say it takes 30 days to change a habit. The first 7 days are the toughest. Start making the change on a vacation. It works.

Tip Three, Find an Accountability Partner

Back in April I wrote an article, Six Reasons You Will Achieve Success Faster With An Accountability Partner. I believe this is the second most important step in finding success. Second only to commitment and determination. When we have an accountability partner we have to report what we did this week toward achieving our goal. In this case the goal is to shake or change a habit. Telling our accountability partner we did not get it done can be difficult. That's why it works. Simple as that.

You are not alone in wanting to make changes and improve your life. In fact it's very natural. Identifying the habit and why you want to make the change is the key. The support structures you put in place are equally important as we are all human and we often seek the road of least resistance. Success is found on the road less traveled. The road of new experiences that will take you to new heights. Go for it. You can do it.

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