Ever feel like when you speak, no one hears you? You say the same thing over and over again, yet people just don’t respond the way you need them to or expect? Communication is such a vital part of our everyday lives, be it in business, or with friends and family, yet many of us struggle to get the results we want. Well my friend, that’s all about to change. In this article, I’m going to show you how to say what you really mean to get what you really want.
Are your personal or business relationships as good as they could be, or as good as you’d like them to be? Ever feel like communication is nearly non-existent between you and the other person? Maybe your thoughts are, “They don’t listen,” or, “They won’t hear me.” You might find yourself thinking, “How can they NOT know what I said??? I said it!!!” Yet, the outcome isn’t what you agreed it would be…. or what you believed you agreed to.
I’ve been at the game of business and the game of life for a loooong time now. I’ve lived through the absolute frustration of not understanding where the other person was coming from. I’ve lived through the stress of someone else not getting where I was coming from. It’s tough but totally fixable!
Let’s be honest, we’re all managing. Whether we’re managing a team, a marriage, a friendship… if we’re succeeding at it… we’ve come to the realization that we’re all managing each other. And while some things are a whole lot more challenging to manage, management in and of itself can be a huge pain in the you know what.
UNLESS… you have the system that gets results. When I started using it, everything changed. And I mean EVERYTHING. My companies started working like a well-oiled machine! We had fun! We made more money!! We touched more lives and grew our business!!!
I’ve seen this occur in the many businesses I’ve coached too. The common frustration I’ve observed is that people don’t know how to communicate when they see a need for improving something. Instead, most often, complaining ensues, arguments occur, resentment sets in, and poison begins to infiltrate the marriage, friendship, family, church, department, club or business where the issue is occurring.
But It doesn’t have to be this way folks. Solutions can occur, and very simplistically. God made life simple… we humans have acquired a knack for complicating everything. Seriously, solutions can come simplistically. There is hope, there are solutions. You can be happy AND productive.
Again, this can be used in your personal life or in your club, with your team. I personally think it’s all life, and a great communication system will work in all areas. This is a great communication system for all situations but for the sake of this article, I’ll share this system with a slant toward a team of people that work together. Below is wisdom for getting an idea heard or seeing a change take place.
Step 1- Share what you LIKE about the present way that what’s bothering you is being done.
We can always find positives if we look for them. Starting a conversation with what’s good is what true leaders do. This is typically an innate character trait or one you acquired from your environment as you grew up, but it can be learned. Remember, people listen and minds/hearts are open when we say what’s working first. You’ll start the conversation on a note that will allow communication to occur and concerns to be heard.
Step 2- Share your CONCERNS based on facts.
Being specific about facts holds merit plus shows you’re not acting out of emotion. An opinion of value is based on more than just your opinion. Be certain to base your concerns on facts. It’s important to realize that your goal is not to point out flaws, but to share concerns about how the current behavior, system or issue could result in something other than what anybody wants to see happen. Think of HOW you are presenting your concern. Choose words based on facts instead of feelings and show the relevance to the goals of the company and individuals.
Step 3- Share what YOU could have done differently to get a better outcome. TAKE OWNERSHIP.
Personal responsibility will move mountains. Blaming words and behaviors will build barriers. Most of us have no idea that when we blame someone else we are taking the position of a victim. When you share what behaviors YOU could improve on about YOU, you will get heard and your information will be received.
Step 4- Share the SOLUTION for improving YOU and for improving the OUTCOME.
Be specific. Give a potential plan of action with measurable outcomes and a date by which the plan will produce results.
This works, my friends. It pulls down walls of defensiveness and builds unity. It destroys the manufactured myths we have in our heads about reality, and addresses problems dead on. It’s fair, it’s easy, it works. Be blessed by it. I’d love to hear how it works for you. Let me know…
Thanks for sharing this article with friends, family and co-works if it served you. Be encouraged to use it as a training tool. I’d ask you to simply give credit to the author if you use it; the law says you must give credit if you use it, and your integrity says you gladly will give credit.
Those who use this approach are leaders with a character of integrity. Unfortunately, there are people with leadership skills who don’t own their own behavior but blame others. Those folks never know the success they could have known if they’d have applied this system. Experience has taught me to look for and celebrate people who display this kind of character. I trust them completely because they are transparent.
If you’re a business owner or manager, and you’re looking for these folks, rest easy, they will reveal themselves. For those on your team who want to grow into leadership, and they’re not displaying this behavior, they need to be trained on this crucial communication system. Once they know it, it’s up to them to display it. You simply need to watch and listen.
Because of the personal responsibility aspect of this system, and the required positive presentation, anyone attempting to “fake it” can’t do so for very long. Conversely, those who live it will get noticed by everyone as a leader worth following. Watch for LiCOS (LIKE, CONCERNS, OWNERSHIP, SOLUTION) words and behaviors and offer that person growth in your company! This is behavior worth investing in!
A note to leaders: If you intend to use this system as a tool for presenting new ideas, you need to set a time and place for when this system is to be used. Otherwise, for “business as usual”, it should be used anytime and every time a team member has a concern to share.
To get the companion worksheet to this article, contact my office at the number below. On our team… if you don’t bring a LIKE and a SOLUTION with a concern, you don’t have the right to be heard. I love this rule! It creates great leaders, makes business growth easier, and keeps stress and negative at a nearly non-existent level! Yahoo!!
There are also times that, as the leader, you need to just state the facts directly. In an upcoming training, I’ll speak about doing that. Want more training for your team like this? We provide a free Success Coaching call on creating the business of your dreams. Simply dial toll free, 1-866-260-8446, ask for Beth, and tell her you’d like to enroll for the free training on creating the business you’ve always dreamt of having.
by Erin Neth, RD
To Snack or Not To Snack, that’s been the question of many of those trying to win the battle of weight loss and fitness for years. To snack can be the answer as long as you keep a few things in mind. Eating small frequent meals and snacks is a good way to burn fat and keep food cravings at bay. Healthy snacking not only provides the body with the nutrition it needs, but also keeps you energized throughout the day. With that being said, there are also several keys to help guarantee snacks can work for you. Portions, foods chosen, frequency and total calorie intake from snacks are all important factors.
Portions….Pre-portioning your snacks is like magic for fat burning. Whether its nuts, yogurt or whole grain crackers, eating from a multi-serving container will lead to over eating. Grab the serving and leave the package in the cabinet, you thank yourself later.
Food Choices…Think of snacks as nutrient packed energy boosters. Choose snacks for the nutrients they provide…protein like nuts, nut butters, eggs, yogurt, hummus; healthy carbohydrates like whole grain breads, crackers, cereal; and fiber like fruits and vegetables are a good place to start. Protein is the best fat burner.
Frequency…One to three healthy snacks per day can make for a healthy eating plan and keep hunger away.
Calorie Intake….Snack calories should be no more than ¼ of your total calorie intake for the day. So if your calorie goal is 1800 calories, keep snack calories to no more than 450 calories for the whole day to burn the fat away!
Try these nutrient packed and delicious snacks:
- Popcorn with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.
- Triscuits and 1 oz low-fat cheese
- Non-fat or Greek yogurt mixed with berries
- Cut up veggies with hummus or low-fat veggie dip
- Apple with 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 ounce of almonds with 1-2 pieces of dark chocolate
- Snack your way to a healthier, leaner body!
We all have dreams, but not all of us have the goals necessary to turn those dreams into reality. And for those of us who set goals make no plan to actually achieve them. Well that’s all about to change. I know the secret to achieving your goals (all of them), and I’m going to share that secret with you now.
One of the amazing things we have been given as humans is the unquenchable desire to have dreams of a better life. But even better than just the gift of dreaming, we also have the ability to establish goals to live out those dreams. Think of it: we can look deep within our hearts and dream of a better situation for ourselves and our families, dream of better financial lives and better emotional or physical lives, and certainly dream of better spiritual lives. But what makes this even more powerful is that we have also been given the ability to take action and pursue those dreams and not only to pursue them, but we possess the cognitive ability to actually lay out a plan and strategies (setting goals) to achieve those dreams. Powerful! And that is what we will discuss in detail in this week’s lesson–how to dream dreams and establish goals to get those dreams.
What are your dreams and goals? Now let me clarify here, this isn’t what you already have or what you have done, but what you want. Have you ever really sat down and thought through your life values and decided what you really want? Have you ever taken the time to truly reflect, to listen quietly to your heart, to see what dreams live within you? Your dreams are there. Everyone has them. They may live right on the surface, or they may be buried deep from years of others telling you they were foolish, but they are there. Back when I met Mr. Shoaff, he put me to work by asking the hard questions that got me excited about my dreams and helped me to translate that excitement into strategic action to pursue all that I wanted. And now I’m going to walk you through the same disciplines that will help unleash the power of the dreams inside each of you.
So how do we know what our dreams are? This is an interesting process and it relates primarily to the art of listening. This is not listening to others; it is listening to yourself. If we listen to others, we hear their plans and dreams (and many will try to put their plans and dreams on us). If we listen to others, we can never be fulfilled. We will only chase elusive dreams that are not rooted deep within us. No, we must listen to our own hearts to hear the dreams born out of the passions and desires we each uniquely possess. Quiet yourself and listen. Just like when you are quiet enough to hear your own heart beating within your chest, your dreams have their own rhythm that beat within you and all you have to do is get quiet enough to hear the beat.
Now let’s take a look at some practical steps/thoughts on
hearing from our hearts on what our dreams are:
Take time to be quiet. This is something that we don’t do enough in this busy world of ours. We rush, rush, rush and we are constantly listening to noise all around us. We must not get faked out by just being busy. Instead we must constantly ask ourselves the question, “Busy doing what?” In other words, are the activities you are participating in moving you towards your goals? If not, then work to eliminate those things and replace some of that time with quiet. The human heart was meant for times of quiet, to peer deep within. It is when we do this that our hearts are set free to soar and take flight on the wings of our own dreams! Schedule some quiet “dream time” this week. No other people. No cell phone. No computer. Just you, a pad, a pen, and your thoughts (you get to do this in the workbook exercises this week).
Think about what really thrills you. When you are quiet, think about those things that really get your blood moving. What would you love to do, either for fun or for a living? What would you love to accomplish? What would you try if you were guaranteed to succeed? What big thoughts move your heart into a state of excitement and joy? When you answer these questions you will feel great, and be in the “dream zone.” It is only when we get to this point that we can truly realize and begin to experience what our dreams are!
Write down all of your dreams as you have them. Don’t think of any as too outlandish or foolish – remember, you’re dreaming! Let your thoughts and pen fly as you take careful record.
Now look at your list and prioritize those dreams. Which are most important? Which are most feasible? Which would you love to do the most? Put them in the order in which you will actually try to attain them. Remember, we are always moving toward action, not just dreaming.
Now here is the big picture of why I’m asking you to take part in this exercise. Life is too short to not pursue your dreams. Someday your life will near its end and all you will be able to do is look backwards. You can reflect with joy or regret. And we all know that joy (or disciplines) weigh ounces while regret weighs tons. Those who dream, who set goals and act on them to live out their dreams are those who live lives of joy and have a sense of peace when they near the end of their lives. They have finished well and for that they possess a sense of pride and accomplishment, not only for themselves but also for their families. And that feeling is priceless.
Remember: These are the dreams and goals that are born out of your heart and mind. These are the goals that are unique to you and come from who you were created to be and gifted to become. Your specific goals are what you want to attain because they are what will make your life joyful and bring your family’s life into congruence with what you want it to be.
Let’s dream and then do something remarkable!
Courtesy of The Huffington Post | by Ann Brenoff
Many of us give little thought to what we’ll leave behind for our children and their children to remember us by. What we leave behind paints the picture of how we lived, provides a testament to what we stood for, and keeps alive the lessons we taught with our time here on earth. Huffington Post columnist, Ann Brenoff recently interviewed Donna Krech for her column, and this is the article that resulted from her interview of Donna, and an important message about the legacy you leave.
As the song goes, sometimes, you truly don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone. With so much attention being paid to midlifers who learn that their aging parents are hoarders, there is another side of the aging coin that has been ignored. There are boomers who through the years have kept nothing, only to later regret that they have lost precious memories by throwing things out.
Donna Krech, a 50-year-old entrepreneur from Ohio, recently got what she considers a second-chance gift from her sister. The sisters — as well as about a dozen other family members — rotate the care of their 90-year-old mother. When Donna came to help dress and feed her mom the other day, there was a large envelope with her name on it on the table left by her sister. Inside were three Christmas letters that her mother had written decades ago.
This is what Donna posted to Facebook: “My mom has sent an annual Christmas card out for over 50 years straight. Why do we take things like this for granted and throw them away? FOOLISH ON OUR BEHALF! I was this fool. Today my sister gave me an envelope with several inside, from over the years. I wept as I read them, realizing I’d thrown away precious pieces of my Mom’s heart that I could have had for the rest of my life. I have several now. I love my sister!!!!
Krech told The Huffington Post that she is a self-described neatnik. She says she keeps her home and office “in ship-shape” because doing so brings her “mental peace.” Every years, when she would toss away the Christmas cards, she would also throw away the holiday letters her mom sent.
“I have to admit, I think I probably just skimmed a few of them, didn’t even bother to read them.”
Her mom’s Christmas letters were written from the heart, said Krech. They not only highlighted the year, but they also detailed the trials and tribulations — and how her mom felt about them. “Mom had a life filled with adversity, but she was always so positive and honest when she addressed it.”
Her mom was widowed at age 28 with three children all under age five — including a nine-month old infant. She had no marketable skills and didn’t even drive. She managed to support her family as a door-to-door saleswoman selling house cleaning products. She later remarried — twice — and lost both those husbands as well. She battled cancer but still greeted each day as a blessing, said Krech. And if the proof is in the pudding, she had a total of five children, all of whom are successful entrepreneurs, said Krech.
“We all learned from Mom,” she said. What will Krech do with the Christmas letters? Probably frame them.
What Will Your Legacy Be?
Our Life Success® program helps you explore and plan your legacy, perpetuating the lessons and experience you want to pass on. We’ll help you identify what’s important to you, and how you can apply your life experiences and lessons learned to leave a lasting legacy for future generations and make a difference for generations to come.
Our time on this earth is short and precious, and tomorrow is promised to no one. Don’t wait to plan your legacy.
Let us help you get started right now. Learn more about our exclusive Life Success® program and how you can enroll at our website below:
This may be the most unusual success article you’ve ever read. It will produce an increase in business and money, but will also bring to your life greater happiness and purpose; the two together are known as Healthy Wealth. People are multidimensional. I can teach you how to make more money, but that would be incomplete because that’s only one part of you. You are also physical, relational and spiritual. Life isn’t separate… it’s integrated.
My mom passed away on July 15th. I realized when writing about her that I needed to share the success secrets she’d given me. You see, I went from being a penniless, abused mom working in a health club, to owning a company with 125 locations providing weight loss and wellness, and I learned how to do it from my mentor, my mom. Want to know how to build HEALTHY WEALTH? The obituary I wrote (in blue) shares the secrets (in red).
The angels stood at attention when this Prayer Warrior entered heaven’s gates. They couldn’t wait to meet the one who had caused the very throne of God to move on behalf of those she’d prayed for, and who they’d heard Him talk about for nearly a century. I can just hear them saying, “So YOU are Jetta! You’re the one He’s bragged on for so many years!
Healthy Wealth Pt. 1 REAL SUCCESS INCLUDES PEACE 0F MIND. PRAY FOR AND THINK GOOD THOUGHTS ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE WITH YOU AND THOSE YOU COMPETE WITH. This allows your mind to maintain focus so worry and distraction don’t consume you. Earl Nightengale taught, “Resentment and grudges do no harm to the person against whom you hold these feelings, but every day and every night of your life, they are eating at you.”
Most obituaries talk about what a person did in their life. And while that does matter, this more shares who this person was.
H.W. Pt. 2. BE A GOOD PERSON, DON’T JUST DO GOOD THINGS. People will not remember what we did or what we said, but they will remember how we made them feel. This begins your legacy (hint: applying Pt. No. 1 will make it easier to apply Pt. No. 2).
She was one you could depend on to be steadfast in character. Anyone who knew her knew that their encounter with her would be the same great one every time. Legacy is the appropriate word to describe both my mom and her life. And the legacy lived consistently during her nearly 91 years was one of unwavering faith in God, unchanging positive perspective, unconditional love for family, unparalleled kindness, grace and hospitality for others, and an indefinable work ethic.
H.W. Pt. No. 3.BE STEADFAST IN CHARACTER, POSITIVE AND HAPPY IN YOUR RESPONSE TO LIFE. Look for good and talk about it. Be kind to everyone, as you have no idea what battle they might be fighting. Become known for this.
Her priorities were always a constant, just like she was: God first, family second, career third. They never changed. Her life said, “If you love God, you cherish family and you work hard to honor Him. There is not one without the other.”
H.W. Pt. 4. KEEP PRIORITIES IN HEALTHY PERSPECTIVE. “THE STUFF IN LIFE THAT MATTERS” ALL WORKS TOGETHER, NOT SEPARATE LY. Your walk talks and your talk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks. In the end, we won’t think about how much money we made, we’ll think of how much of a difference we made.
In her career, she was hard working, many times starting at 7:00 am and ending at 11:00 pm. Her attitude was one of perseverance and goal orientation. She was diligent, dedicated and loyal.
H.W. PT. 5. DISPLAY WORK ETHIC, NEVER GIVING UP AND HAVE GOALS IN PLACE. “What we do speaks so loudly people can’t hear a word we say.” Success is about who we are, affecting what we do. “Am I who I am because of what I do, or do I do what I do because of who I am?”
In 1947, she went to work for Stanley Home Products. At 90 years of age (65 years later) she still had a cabinet full of stock and a handwritten inventory on the door. One day when I was taking care of her, a call came in for an order. She still had the marketing magnet on her car with her phone number on it so prospects could reach her. I took the order from the woman, checking with my mom to be sure I had everything correct. She said, “Get a pen so I can make sure my contact information is on everything.”
She then told me where she kept her thank you gifts and, even with it so hard for her to write anymore, she scribbled a handwritten thank you note, like she had always done. Of course we included a catalogue with contact info too, to make it easier when they needed to order more, because she believed that once they’d experienced Stanley Home Products, they’d never go back to using anything else. She was dedicated and loyal to her product, as it should be. She taught us that marketing means making a positive difference and selling means serving.
H.W. Pt. 6. ALWAYS BE MARKETING, SERVE WHEN YOU SELL, DELIVER WITH AN AUTHENTIC SMILE, ASK THEM TO PURCHASE MORE AND PURCHASE AGAIN. This is the key to building monetary wealth, as well as the kind of wealth money can’t buy. Display contact info everywhere. Send hand-written thank-you notes. Send an unexpected thank you gift. Educate and inform, then ask your prospect or member to purchase more. Overdeliver with joy and enthusiasm and they’ll never purchase from anyone else. Remember, these are philosophies I’ve applied in my company, going from 0 to 100 Million dollars worth of our programs sold. These philosophies will make your club more money.
If you asked her what someone should do who wanted to be successful, she’d reply plainly, “Well, they should go into sales, of course! Sales is still the highest-paid profession in the world!” She won contest after contest, trip after trip, and trophy after trophy with Stanley. I felt it fitting that I continue her Stanley business, as she raised us to knowing how to sell the products, recruit others to succeed, and make deliveries with a smile so people would be happy and buy again.
H.W. Pt. 7. SALES IS THE HIGHEST-PAID PROFESSION. PROFIT, COMMISSION, BONUS and PROFIT SHARE ARE WHERE THE MONEY IS. “Wages will make you a living, but profits will make you a fortune.” No matter what position you hold in your club, be sure you have no limit to what you can make. A percentage of the sale will make you the greatest income.
It’s clear why she had so much success in sales. It was the same reason people loved her whether she sold anything to them or not. She was never distracted or preoccupied. She was always present, right there with you when you talked with her. She made you feel as though you were the most important person in her world when you were with her, because you were.
H.W. Pt 8. MAKE THE PERSON WITH YOU THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN YOUR WORLD. When I sold memberships, I felt the prospect in front of me was so important that I tuned everything else out. In my presentation I’d tell them, “You’re the most important person in my world right now, so getting you to your goals is the most important thing to me.” I closed 100% of the folks I talked to. Why? I believed in what I was doing and I’d learned from the best teacher ever.
Not only did she know the best way for someone to make money, she taught us how to spend it wisely. All of us still redeem coupons even though we don’t have to.
H.W. Pt 9. MONEY SHOULD BE MADE -AND SPENT- WISELY. My brother is a very successful television producer, I own several multi-million dollar businesses, and all my siblings sell. We do well financially and we spend well too. We look for sales, deals and coupons. “When we’re faithful with little, we’ll be trusted with much.”
I’ve decided to share more of what my mentor did to create an incredibly happy life. Want to know more about building Healthy Wealth now? Accept as my gift to you, free training videos featuring none other than my mom. Visit www.youtube.com/DonnaKrech Click Success Stories and look for “Meet My Secret Weapon.“
Permanently Eliminate the Words, “I Don’t Have Enough Time.”
“Where did the day go?” “I need more hours in a day!” “I’m meeting myself coming and going!” “I just want time to do the things I want to do!!!” If you’re like most people, you can relate whole-heartedly to at least one of those statements. Why? Because too many of us have arranged our world (unknowingly of course) to be one where our time controls us rather than where we control our time. The good news is you can change that. Here’s how…
Time management (or the lack thereof) has a HUGE impact on our lives, our health and especially our success. If we’re crunched for time, we feel rushed and stressed out. Then we make poor choices about eating, drinking, sleeping, exercising and even spending, not to mention the suffering felt by family and friends when we don’t share quality time with them or the damage we do to our businesses when we take out our stress on our team. The result in both of those cases is VERY costly. One results in hurting our personal relationships and one results in lack of production. All because of the stress we feel due to being rushed or ‘out of time’. Did you know stress can even cause your body to hold onto belly fat!? But when we invest our time in activities that are truly moving us towards our goals, the benefits are amazing.
I own multiple companies, one is a fitness facility and one provides systems to help gyms have the success we’ve had. We own a vitamin, herb and natural foods store and I speak globally, write and record training products, produce TV shows, publish a magazine and do interviews regularly. We own 3 homes, my husband and I have 5 children and 5 grandchildren. I get what it means to be busy! This information has helped me and my team. Now it’s your turn.
The ability to gain 1-3 hours of productive time each day can translate into 7-21 hours a week, 30-90 hours a month, and 360-1,180 hours a year. You can gain up to 27 weeks by consistently using effective time management techniques! This can be work time, time for investing in your growth, time relaxing or time spent with loved ones. You have to know what’s important to you in order to determine how you would invest any newfound free time you might uncover as you start to get very focused on achieving your goals. What will you do with the time when you learn how find 3 more hours every day?
Looking at your priorities and values is the best way to determine how to begin to manage your time. These priorities are often birthed out of necessity, related to family or club obligations, or having to overcome a major challenge or setback. The priorities may be based on a goal you want to achieve that will propel you forward or may stem from wanting to create as much richness and fullness in your life as possible.
Nearly everyone feels short on time and stressed out. But successful people have learned the secrets of time management and figured out how to invest their time for a good return, rather than spend it away. They know what’s really happening when we think we’re managing our time, and they have eliminated the worn-out feeling of not having enough time. Maybe most importantly, they know how to say “NO” to low-priority activities that put their goals on hold.
Here are 4 questions that will begin help you find more time immediately. These successful folks have asked themselves hard questions like:
- “How do I waste time?”
- “Do I spend enough time on activities that are truly important to me?”
- “What gets in the way of including those activities in my schedule?”
- “How can I stop wasting time and start investing it wisely?”
They have also asked themselves fun, dream-building questions like:
- “What activities could I devote time to that would fulfill me?”
- “How can I make more time for my priorities?”
- “If I had nine more weeks in every year, what would I do with them?”
Anyone can do this. Each of us has 24 hours in a day to work with. So why are some of us achieving our dreams and ambitions with time to spare, while the rest of us are running around in circles just trying to keep up with daily tasks?
The movie 50 First Dates teaches us a valuable lesson about that. In the movie, Adam Sandler’s character falls for a woman who has severe amnesia and can only remember 24 hours at a time. Every day he comes up with new ways to meet and talk with her, always like it’s the first time, with the objective of getting her to fall in love with him all over again. But eventually he discovers a way to explain to her about their relationship and fit all the memories they’ve shared together into one day. Now, that’s effective time management!
The valuable lesson in the movie is that each of us lives one 24-hour day at a time, and we need to make decisions that move us closer to having the life we want to have and being the person we want to be. You must schedule your priorities to get done first because they are the most important activities you can take to achieve your goals, but without letting your daily tasks fall by the wayside.
Many of us deal with distractions while we’re trying to get work done. One of the greatest distractions is ‘multitasking’. We are taught that multitasking is a way of getting two or more things done at once, and sometimes it is, like when we exercise during TV commercials or when we drop off our dry cleaning on the way to a meeting.
We think we’re being efficient when we work on two or more things at once, such as checking email while talking on the phone. But that kind of multitasking is distracting, and leads to spending more time on both tasks than you would spend if you focused on each task individually and without distractions.
Learning when to multitask and when not to, along with employing other efficient work practices, could give you up to two more hours each day. I regularly teach people how delegating saves you time and energy; I share six ways to work smarter and accomplish more in less time and 10 ways to gain two hours in each day. After discovering this valuable info, you’ll be able to develop laser-like focus to get work done faster.
Part of the problem with multitasking is that you can actually end up wasting time switching back and forth from task to task. Did you know that each time you get interrupted, it takes your brain a full 15 minutes to get back into that “groove” you were in before the interruption? If you get interrupted four times in one day, that’s an entire hour wasted! When we figure out how to eliminate time wasters, we exceed beyond our wildest imaginings.
Everyone gets new tasks thrown at them every day and we are tempted to put off important goals in order to get those daily tasks done. The ironic thing is that even though we always seem to be busy, we usually have time for unimportant things like watching TV, talking on the phone for hours, or surfing the Internet.
Highly successful people learn to prioritize their time; stay focused so they get important things done and have more time for the good things in life, like family and recreation. They know the top three time wasters and how to beat them. They have learned why many urgent matters don’t require their time and attention, therefore they stay out of crisis mode.
Get a grip on your schedule by taking inventory of your time with a Time Study. Basically, you record every single task you do, each time you change tasks. You might be surprised to find out how many times an hour you switch tasks, or maybe you’ll be shocked to find out that a specific task takes much longer than you thought. I have a worksheet to help you do a Time Study so please contact info@donnakrech.com if you want that tool.
Lots of different time management tools are available to help you achieve your goals. You can escape the habit of responding only to urgent matters, and discover the key to long-term accomplishments. The way we do this in my company is with Time Chunking. Email me if you want access to a free audio that explains how it works, and I’ll also give you the necessary tools to make Time Chunking work for you! It will help you improve your work habits so you can save time and be more productive.
What’s the one thing in this world that excites you the most? The thing that really gets your blood pumping. The thing you would jump at the chance to do given the opportunity, regardless of the circumstance? Now imagine having that same passion and excitement in nearly everything you do in life. Imagine feeling that same passion at work, with your family, with the goals you set. Do you think you could accomplish more? Well my friend, the truth is you can, and here’s how to do it…
This article could be titled ‘Goal Achievement with a Beat’ since most of it was compiled in my head as I walked through the Rock and Roll hall of fame in Cleveland this weekend. An epiphany occurred while I was viewing the exhibits.
The initial thought was one I’ve had many times before. “I’m not like everyone else. I don’t really match or belong or fit in. My mind works differently. I see things in life others don’t see.”
Then we sat through the intro movie and Roger Daltry grabbed my attention. He was talking about the quality of what they did and what the world expected. He commented on how it was impossible to offer perfect performances every time, yet people didn’t mind if the music was a bit off as long as they gave it their all. Then he made this comment, “Give me a bad note and a bead of sweat any day.” He was referring to passion.
There I sat in a dark theater realizing that this is one of the things that sets me apart from many people… yet it doesn’t have to be that way. I do what I do with ‘a bead of sweat.’ Truly the ‘notes I sing’ are rarely in perfect form, but the passion (delivery/heart/intention) is so strong that those I serve don’t seem to mind, as a matter of fact, they’re blessed by the occurrence. I believe the only reason I’m set apart is because people don’t realize they’re just standing along the wall of life watching it go by. I don’t think people realize they’re missing 95% of what they could be experiencing. What would your life look like…. your body…. your career…. your relationships…. if you did them with passion?
For far too many years I’ve referred to myself as a ‘freak’. Nice, huh? Really positive language, right? NOT!!! Well, last night John and I were sitting together and I proclaimed the following to him.
“I’ve come to realize something. I’m not a freak. I just have one big, huge freaking gift. And it’s my responsibility to do something big with it.”
Here’s the thing. You too have a huge gift. I may not even have met you yet and I can say this with total certainty. You have an innate gift, one that’s freakishly big, that would rock your world and bless your life in such an enormous way… if you’d only tap into it.
Existing in many museums is a Thomas Edison exhibit. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is no different. For obvious reasons Edison’s display shows how he began what would become the phonograph and many other inventions with something extraordinarily simple. My husband commented, “Man, this was a guy with an amazing brain.”
I responded, “I think everyone has that within them.”
He said, “Then people don’t come close to tapping into it.”
I replied, “You’re absolutely right. I think there are all kinds of Thomas Edison’s walking around. Their gifts can change businesses, bodies, churches, nations, lives and the world if they’ll only tap into what they’ve been given. He asked me why I thought people didn’t tap into their gifts.
I told him I thought this sad result occurred due to a few reasons. I commented that I believed the first reason was that people don’t know to tap into the gift. This is simply an unbelief that a gift is even there. You know the thoughts, “Wow, that person is so smart, or so anointed or so talented.” These are what run through our minds and literally prevent us from tapping into the brilliance we were given. There is an easy way to begin lifting that.
I think the second reason people don’t tap into their gift that that they don’t know how to. Simply listen to your heart. Notice inside of the word heart is the word ear…hEARt. LISTEN to the instinctual passions of your heart. Therein lies your brilliance. Be careful not to confuse desires with passions. Your rewards will come when your passion is used so the instinctual notation won’t be about getting something or having something. It will be about being something or doing something. There is a thing you know that no man has had to teach you. This is your gift, your calling.
Another way to tap into your vast abilities is to take a permanent seat on the offense side of the team, rather than playing defense your whole life.
A few weeks ago I wrote about lion chasing, described in Mark Batterson’s book In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day. The message of this book brought about a breakthrough in my life. It taught me that too often we live life on defense when we’re designed to live on offense. We focus on the past, on what we’ve been through, even what we’ve overcome. But even in focusing on the positive of our past, we’re still focusing on the past and living with the intention to never being in that spot again. Focusing on what’s in the future, what great things are promised and behaving accordingly literally TRANSFORMS YOUR WORLD and allow you to tap into your brilliance!
Another step that folks don’t take is simply being. We get very caught up in what we’d like to have, and may even let our minds go to what we need to do in order to have that. Brilliance is discovered when we begin being what we need to be. There is quite a large display of Jimmy Hendrix paraphernalia at the museum. I read one of his quotes and while I am sad that his life took a turn that I think moved him away from all he could have been (IMAGINE THAT- HE COULD HAVE EVEN BEEN MORE!!!) I stood completely still as I read his words which made me aware that he understood being. He understood something so many people never understand.
He said, “This isn’t something I do. It’s who I am. I feel it inside when I breathe. I am it. I am the music. I am the instrument. I am the song.”
Again, what would your life look like if you did what you do with passion? I can tell you one thing first hand. You would never feel like you worked a day again in your life. When you’re doing what you love, it isn’t work, it’s who you are. What do you love?
What can you do without even thinking about it? What ability or knowledge do you offer that someone else would have to go learn? I promise you— you have more than one of these. Perhaps it’s something to do with your position at work. You know how to perform so well because it is you. Maybe it’s in your hobby or interests. There are folks all over the globe who would love to do what you know how to do—are you teaching them?
I realized something about our business. We are a case of a solution finding its audience and an audience finding its solution. We’ve thriving because the two have discovered each other. Folks who need help with losing weight know they need more than just a silly diet; they need to know why they haven’t lost in the past and have some assistance getting passed those issues. We needed an audience that realized weight loss programs or gyms alone weren’t going to give them what they needed. The same holds true for you tapping into your brilliance. There is an audience who wants exactly what you know. You may not create the next light bulb or phonograph… your creation may be something far more spectacular!
John asked me, “Don’t you think some people are just not willing to do the work of tapping into their brilliance?” I sadly replied, “Yes.” But I believe far more just don’t know how. Now, what will you do? Will you click on the link so you can learn how? Will you forward this to 5 of your friends so they can learn how too? Or will you simply close this article and never know that you might just be the next Thomas Edison????
“Discover The Secret to Never-Ending Motivation!”
Have you ever set a goal only to find yourself setting the same one over and over again?
Great News! There’s an easy solution to the common trend of not achieving your goals. You simply have to realize that it’s your motivation that goes missing and determine which of the Motivation Assassinators is the one that has most often gotten hold of you!
Never Ending Motivation addresses what keeps us from achieving the goals we set.
Families are undoubtedly our closest and often strongest relationships, but those relationships aren’t always easy. They can be the source of stress and frustration for sure. What if I told you there are 5 little words that will make your family happier and your bond stronger?
Guess what, there are. And these 5 little words create an immediate, powerful affect.
“I am proud of you.”
These 5 little words will make your family happier, and your bond with family members stronger.
One of the keys to success is to have successful relationships. We are not islands and we don’t get to the top by ourselves. And one of the key ways to grow successful in our relationships is to be “life-giving” people to others. With every person we meet, we either give life to or take life from. You know what I mean. There are people who encourage you and after spending time with them you feel built up. Then there are others who make you feel torn down. Successful people are people who have mastered the art of building up others. This is especially true of our families.
One of the ways we build up our families is to praise them. There is power in praising people! Something begins to happen in them, in you, and in your relationship when you praise someone. Can you remember a time when someone told you something about you in a praising manner? It was great, wasn’t it? You probably liked that person more after they praised you, didn’t you?
Now I am not talking about praising people for the sake of praising people. I am talking about honestly looking for and praising positive character traits and actions of your spouse and children. Don’t lie to them. If they have done something wrong, correct it, but when they do something right, praise it!
With that said, here are few ways to start praising the people in your family.
Character traits. Is your wife joyful? Is your husband hard-working? Is your son or daughter honest? Then let them know how much you appreciate that in them. Say something like this, “You know Tom, I think it is great that you are such a hard-worker. You really set a good example and I want you to know how much I appreciate that.” Simple!
Action. Same idea as above. “Sue, I don’t know if I have ever told you this, but I love how you always take action on the things you believe in. Thanks for that.”
Other ways you can show praise and appreciation is with a card or a gift.
Make it your goal to praise every member of your family at least once each day. If you can, praise them a few times a day. It will take work but it is possible. It just takes discipline and a little work.
Looking for effective ways to balance your life and reach your full potential?
Our Life Success® program is designed to help individuals just like you live healthier, happier, fuller lives.
If you’re feeling good about your marriage and family, is it more likely that you’ll do better at your job? If you’re doing great, achieving, building confidence, and doing well in your career is it more likely that other areas of your life will be affected positively? Of course!
Well, that’s Life Success®! It’s about whole health and balance. It’s about being the best you can be in all areas of life, making it so much easier to feel great in every area.
Marriage, Family, Whole Health and BalanceIncrease the effectiveness of yourself, your family, and your team. Watch how each career soars while everyone is happier, more confident and motivated at work, at home, and in all areas of life. With Life Success® YOU can be a better person NOW!
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