Win Some, Lose Some

Thursday November 5, 2015 #769

No one that ever lived has ever had enough power, prestige or knowledge to overcome the basic condition of all life–you win some and you lose some.

~Ken Keyes

No matter how prepared you are, how talented you are, or how wealthy or influential you are, you will fail from time to time.  Failure cannot be endlessly avoided, nor should you see loss as fatal or indicative of a flaw in character or ability.  Rather, losses are inherent in the human condition and can only be mitigated by preparation and a positive attitude, and should be seen as the teacher of lessons that they are designed to be.

Do the Hard Work

Tuesday November 3, 2015 #768

The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don’t like to do. They don’t like doing them either necessarily. But their disliking is subordinated to the strength of their purpose.

~E.M. Gray

All those things we know we need to do to achieve our purpose but have trouble doing:  Having the difficult but necessary conversation with your business partner.  One more mile on the treadmill.  Saying “no” when you must.  Saying “yes” to that challenging assignment.  Avoiding mindless TV/internet.  And so the list grows.

Be the success and not the failure. Do the hard work, the challenging activity, endure the pain and persevere.  The purpose is paramount.  Know it, embrace it, and let that purpose give you strength when you need it.

The Power of the Team

Thursday October 29, 2015 #767

“It’s tempting to try to do everything yourself. But it’s dopey. Even Einstein called on other minds to expand his. When you think you have all the skills to complete the task, seek complementary skills and the fresh eyes of others. You’ll pay them respect and unleash potential”

~Patrick Lindsay

I don’t know of any circumstance when your course of action is not aided by the consideration of options and others’ perspectives.  While particularly as a leader your ability to make a tough choice shows character and often courage, your choice is always strengthened after considering the opinions and wisdom of others.  Take the time to learn the talents and capacities of those around you.  This knowledge will aid you when it is time to gain the insights of others when faced with challenges.  You’ll want to know who to query and whose counsel to politely ignore.  Be ready for these moments and your decisions will be easier and likely more effective.

Nourish Your Mind

Tuesday October 27, 2015 #766

“Nourish the mind like you would your body. The mind cannot survive on junk food.”

~Jim Rohn

We all know that we are able to do more, achieve more, give more, and with greater joy and fulfillment when we are feeling energized, hopeful and positive.  Why not find ways to feel energized, hopeful and positive more often?

Of course, you say!  Then why do so many feel this way so seldom?

The simple answer is in what we choose to “consume”.  Not just the quality of our food (although that is also a key driver of feeling good!), but also the quality of what we feed our mind:  the books, the TV programs and internet articles and videos we choose to read & watch, the people we choose to associate with and listen to, and perhaps most importantly, the self-talk we engage in every moment of every day.

The most difficult of these to alter is our self-talk, but I encourage you to stop yourself from any negative thinking about who you are and what you are capable of.  To help with this, focus on the other two areas:

Choose to stop reading and watching negative programs and articles.  There is so much positive content out there that there is no reason to give in to the empty pleasure of negative content.

Choose to associate only with positive people who build your confidence, make you smile, and who you admire for their positive approach to life.

Yes, I am focusing on the word CHOOSE because it truly is your choice.  Make it now and you will find that you will begin to control and even eliminate much of your negative self-talk, enabling you to find room to think well of yourself – the most powerful driver of hope, a positive attitude, and high energy.  Are you ready to choose?

Fight On!

Thursday October 22, 2015 #765

“What we do not see, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but irresistible power which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in the face of discouragement.”

~Napoleon Hill

I hope that at some point in your life, you have experienced the almost magical power that comes to you in the moment when, despite all odds, you’ve continued to fight for something or someone you believe in. At that moment, a certain clarity comes and you are able to find new resources of strength and ideas for action that you’d missed previously.  Armed with these reinforcements, you are able to break through he challenges that had previously seemed insurmountable and achieve your goals.  If you have experienced this, reflect on it and use that memory to prepare you for the next time you are in this situation – and it will be soon!  If you haven’t experienced this, it is because you have previously given up too early.  Practice in your mind to be ready for the next opportunity – it is coming.

A Successful Marriage

Tuesday October 20, 2015 #764

“A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.”

~Mignon McLaughlin

My youngest son and his fiancée got married on October 10^th, which has me thinking about love and marriage.  I have been amazingly blessed to have been married for over 19 years to my best friend.  Today’s quote resonates with me as I do fall in love over and over again – luckily with the same person!

Some say marriage takes hard work.  I don’t like that verbiage because it insinuates a negativity to the effort – drudgery, etc.  It does take focus, commitment, perseverance, optimism, and hope.  But ultimately it requires falling in love, again and again.  If you are struggling in your marriage, focus on the relationship, focus on your partner, and woo him/her again.  Be your best you, be selfless, open and loving, and win him/her all over again.  Unless you are in an abusive situation, most marriages can be successful with these ingredients.

For my son and my new daughter-in-law, I wish for them what I have been fortunate to enjoy – a lifetime loving partnership, built on falling in love again and again.

The Human Capacity to Change

Thursday October 15, 2015 #763

“If you don’t like who you are and where you are, don’t worry about it because you’re not stuck either with who you are or where you are. You can grow. You can change. You can be more than you are.”

~Zig Ziglar

Have gratitude for your human capacity to change in any moment who you are and where you are going.  But it does take courage and character to make the decision to change and to take the first step to do so.  You are never stuck!  You are simply temporarily waylaid, with the ability to change course and chart a new path to be whom and what you want to be, where, and with whom.  What a gift!

Choosing Your Lens

Tuesday October 13, 2015 #762

“Our attitudes control our lives. Attitudes are a secret power working twenty-four hours a day, for good or bad. It is of paramount importance that we know how to harness and control this great force.”

~Tom Blandi

Life will bring us people and circumstances every day.  Each of these can be positive or negative, depending on our attitude.  Our attitudes are the lens through which we see the world.  How we choose to view these determines our happiness, our achievement, and the quality of our relationships.  What lens are you wearing right now?  Realize you have the power to choose the lens, positive or negative, and your choice will determine who you are, how you are perceived, and your potential for success and happiness.  Choose wisely.

Towards Your Dreams

Thursday October 8, 2015 #76

“Hoping and dreaming of a better world are not enough if we are unwilling to work; but when we work towards our dreams, wonderful things can happen.”

~Lloyd Newell

Honorable intentions, without hard work and perseverance lead nowhere.  Beat back the critics, the naysayers, and your own fears and doubts to take action and work toward your dreams.

A Recipe For Success

Tuesday October 6, 2015 #760

“What is the recipe for successful achievement? To my mind there are just four essential ingredients: Choose a career you love . . . Give it the best there is in you . . . Seize your opportunities And be a member of the team.”

~Benjamin Fairless

Achieving sustainable success is likely if you can focus equally on these four elements.  If you are lacking any one of them, it is almost impossible to have more than fleeting success.  Doing what you love, with your best effort, with the courage and awareness to see and go after opportunities, and to always do so selflessly.  This is the recipe for not only sustainable success and achievement, but also joy and fulfillment. Reflect on how you are approaching your quest for success.  Is there opportunity in one or more of the four areas?  Probably so.  Take action today to improve your chances of success by applying yourself in all four areas.