Helping you achieve your potential

DO YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES?

There are qualities of endeavor and achievement that are common to many people who make it to the top. The following questions are a guideline to self-enterprise and attaining your goals.   

1.  Do you prefer to work for yourself than for others?

   

2.  Are you well-informed on current business and political affairs?

   

3.  Are you a leader?

   

4.  Do you take advantage of opportunities?

   

5.  Do you pay attention to what other people say?

   

6.  Can you finish a job even when it is difficult or unpleasant?

   

7.  Are you challenged by problems?

   

8.  Do you have a goal you want to achieve?

   

9.  Do you consider other people?

   

10.  Do you strive to attain?

   

11.  Can you obey commands?

   

12.  Can you bounce back after defeat?

   

13.  Do you believe in yourself?

   

14.  Can you stand by your actions in spite of criticism?

   

15.  Can you follow instructions?

   

16. Can you respond to the needs of others?

   

17. Will you give credit to other

   

18. Can you make your own decisions?

   

19. Are you determined?  

20. Are you ready for success?

have Fun,

Alan

8 ways to develop a new habit

   

   

                             

Forming a new habit, such as exercising every day or eating a better breakfast,  is easier said than done. While we may start with good intentions, we all too easily forget to turn them into lasting actions. Here are some tips to help you make a new habit stick.

 

Write it down - Commit your new habit to paper and place a reminder in a prominent place so you'll see it every day. The simple act of writing your intention down makes it more “real.”

 

Keep it consistent  - Don't take breaks from your new habit — do it every day or every week. Once you start taking time off, you're on the slippery slope to breaking your habit.

 

Start slowly - You don't need to everything at once. If your aim is to exercise for an hour a day, start with just 10 minutes and work up to an hour. Then it won't seem so daunting.

 

Remind yourself  - Set up reminders in your computer or in your agenda. These will act as external prompts to keep you on track.

 

Get rid of temptation - Avoid having anything near you that will tempt you to break your habit. If you've decided, for example, to drink water instead of pop, banish soda from your home.

 

Set a goal...and a reward - Decide that if you keep up your habit for a certain length of time  you'll reward yourself in some way. Then you'll have something to aim for.

 

Get help and support - Tell your friends or spouse what you are trying to achieve and ask them to support you — encouraging you when you need it and keeping you on track if you start to stray.

 

Know what's in it for you - Always remember why you're trying to form a new habit in the first place. If you think about the benefits you'll less likely get discouraged.

 

Keep on doing these things and that habit will start to develop.

 

Have Fun

 

Alan

               

 

   

7 important tools to help you avoid procrastination

One in five people say they are chronic procrastinators, according to Psychology Today. If you're one of them, here are some techniques to help you get the job done.    

Be focused - Procrastinators tend to be easily distracted. So close down your email software, turn off the TV and shut the door to the room you're in. Focus solely on the task at hand.

   

Remember the consequences - It sometimes helps to think about what might happen if you don't get the task done. Sometimes the consequence is worse than the task itself.

   

Get organized - If your work area is a mess, it's easy to get distracted. So tidy it up so you have only the items you need. However, don’t make tidying an excuse not to work!

   

Decide what's most important - Do your most important or most difficult task first. When you've completed it, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment that will create momentum for you to complete more tasks.

   

Link tasks to goals - Think about your long-term goals and how the tasks you need to complete will help you reach those goals.

   

Plan your day - Decide early in the morning what you plan to get done that day.

 

Break it down - Break complex tasks into smaller chunks that are less daunting.

 

As we all know…… The best way to eat an elephant… is one bite at a time

 

have Fun,

Alan

The 20 Annoying Habits that Hold Us Back

Do you ever feel like your hard work is finally starting to pay off ... you are doing relatively well in your chosen field... but still, something is holding you back?

If an invisible barrier truly is standing between you and the next level of professional achievement, have you considered whether it might be nothing more than an annoying little habit? It may be possible that one small personality flaw — a longstanding behavioral tick you barely even recognize — is the number one factor that's keeping you from where you want to be in your career, and your life. 

In his book " What Got You Here Won't Get You There, How Successful People Become Even More Successful"
Marshall Goldsmith suggests that there is a list of  20 annoying habits that hold us back.

Before we can talk about how to fix our shoddy workplace behavior, we first need to review Goldsmith's list of the "20 Annoying Habits That Hold Us Back." That's because diagnosing the problem is a critical first step on the path of change. 

Fortunately, no one person has all of Goldsmith's Annoying Habits. Sure, we may have a few of them, but probably not to a degree that it really hurts us. In other words, our co-workers don't particularly mind them, even if we are occasionally annoying. But, according to the author's research, we all have at least one or two, and they may be serious enough to affect our success at work. Obviously, these are the ones we need to identify and start working on as soon as possible! 

Do you recognize any of these annoying behaviors?

                                                                           

1.	Winning Too Much. Goldsmith describes this annoying habit as: "the need to win at all costs and in all situations — when it matters, when it doesn't, and when it's totally beside the point." And he notes that it's easily the most common behavioral problem he observes in successful people. Strangely, when we're asked to think about it rationally, most of us would agree that maintaining a positive working relationship with others is far more important than winning every trivial argument and creating unnecessary hard feelings. And yet ... the burning urge to WIN very often gets the better of us.
2.	Adding Too Much Value. This one is described as "the overwhelming desire to add our two cents to every discussion." When you're in a leadership position, this tendency can have a detrimental effect on employee morale. If an employee comes to you with a great idea, Goldsmith's recommended response is to say "Great idea! Go run with it." The alternative would be to say, "Great idea, but here's how we can improve it ..." In the process of adding your two cents, he reasons you may have improved the idea by 10%, but you've reduced the employee's commitment to executing it by 50%, because her idea has now morphed into your idea. Was it really worth it?
3.	Passing Judgment. This is the need to rate others and impose our standards on them. In Goldsmith's view, there's nothing wrong with offering an opinion on a particular path or idea in the normal give and take of business discussions. But it's never appropriate to pass judgment on other people.
4.	Making Destructive Comments. The needless sarcasm and cutting remarks that we think make us sound sharp and witty simply have to go. They can be unnecessarily hurtful, and they're impossible to take back once spoken.
5.	Starting with "No," "But," or "However." Goldsmith points out that we're almost all guilty of blatant overuse of these particular qualifiers, which clearly say to listeners, "I'm right. You're wrong." In the author's experience, when you start a sentence with "but" or any variation thereof, no matter how friendly your tone, the message to the other person is immediately a competitive one.
6.	Telling the World How Smart We Are. This is the unyielding need to show people we're smarter than they seem to think we are. Few people do this overtly in actual words, but many of us do this unwittingly all day long, perhaps even with our body language (e.g. nodding our heads impatiently while people are making a point we already know). According to Goldsmith, what you're subtly saying through these behaviors is, "You really didn't need to waste my time with that information." That can be very off-putting. His advice is to let such moments pass with a simple "Thank you," and move on.
7.	Speaking When Angry. Be wary of using emotional volatility as a management tool. Some bosses deliberately use anger to try and shake things up, but it's very difficult to predict how employees will react to anger. Instead of shaking things up, you may be shutting things down.
8.	Negativity. This is an incessant need to share our negative thoughts, even when we weren't asked. It's similar to Annoying Habit #5 (overusing "No, But and However"), but even worse because it is pure, unadulterated negativity.
9.	Withholding Information is the refusal to share information in order to maintain an advantage over others. Intentionally withholding information is the opposite of adding too much value. In a typical workplace, this often manifests itself in passive-aggressive people who routinely answer questions with other questions or give only partial answers to your e-mail queries. This type of behavior quickly engenders fear and suspicion amongst those around us and it's incompatible with success in today's knowledge-based economy.
10.	Failing to Give Proper Recognition. This is the inability to offer praise and rewards. "When you deprive people of recognition," writes Goldsmith, "you also deprive them of closure. And in any interpersonal transaction — positive or negative — we all need closure." Of all the gaffes we may be guilty of, failing to give proper recognition always endures in the minds of the slighted.
11.	Claiming Credit We Don't Deserve. The most annoying way to overestimate our contribution to any success is by claiming credit we don't deserve. Some people steal credit brazenly. But according to Goldsmith, many of us who display this particular interpersonal flaw do it without even realizing. For example, "When it comes to determining who held together an important client relationship during a particularly rocky phase, the evidence may be fuzzy." So, given the choice between claiming all the credit OR leaving it for someone else to claim, we may fall into a trap. The author's preferred approach is to share the credit as fairly as possible.
12.	Making Excuses. Goldsmith describes this habit as "the need to reposition our annoying behavior as a permanent fixture so people excuse us for it." It is not just about making excuses (e.g. "I'm sorry I'm late, the traffic was murder.") It's about attributing our failings to some sort of an inherited genetic flaw that cannot be altered, no matter what (e.g. "I'm sorry I'm late. I've always been terrible at time management. My spouse can't stand it. I guess that's just the way I am!"). Goldsmith writes that he's amazed by how often he hears otherwise brilliant, successful people making willfully self-deprecating comments of that nature. There's no basis for these types of excuses!
13.	Clinging to the Past. This one is all about the need to deflect blame away from ourselves and onto events and people from our past. It's closely related to Annoying Habit #19 (blaming everyone else). According to Goldsmith, among the various types of executives he coaches, those who cling to the past are often the toughest ones to fix. For reasons he cannot himself understand, these folks want to re-live past injustices, and blame their parents or former teachers, etc. for things that have gone wrong in their lives. Of course, we can't do anything to change the past. The challenge is to let go.
14.	Playing Favorites often involves failing to see that we are treating someone unfairly. By condoning suck-ups, you're likely not encouraging behavior that's in the best interest of the company. After all, if everyone is always fawning over the boss, who's going to challenge you when you're heading down the wrong path? Worse still, playing favorites tilts the field against the honest, principled employees who refuse to play along. This amounts to a "double hit" of bad news — not only are you playing favorites, but you're likely favoring the wrong type of people!
15.	Refusing to Express Regret. This is the inability to take responsibility for our actions, or admit we're wrong. Goldsmith suspects that many people have a fear of apologizing because they see it as having "lost" a contest (and as we've seen, many successful people have an irrational need to win at everything!). The irony, of course, is that saying "I'm sorry," can have precisely the opposite result. Instead of causing you to lose ground, a sincere apology can in effect turn disgruntled co-workers into allies, or even partners. Apologizing is always a winning strategy!
16.	Not Listening is simply "the most passive-aggressive form of disrespect for colleagues." The reality for leaders of the future is that very bright people are no longer willing to tolerate rude or disrespectful behavior. If you insist on regularly looking at your watch, or typing away on your Blackberry, while junior staff are giving a presentation or seeking your direction, then there will come a day when those staff simply get up and leave for another company. "Remember, their time is valuable too!"
17.	Failing to Express Gratitude is simply the most basic form of bad manners. As is the case with apologizing, saying "thank you" is a magical super-gesture of interpersonal relations. It will never annoy the person hearing it, and it's the easiest thing in the world to say. Especially when you are stuck for something clever to say. You can never go wrong with "thank you!"
18.	Punishing the Messenger. This one is a misguided need to attack the innocent, who are usually only trying to protect us. If your goal is to stop those around you from giving you input — of any kind — then there's no reason to stop shooting your messengers. But on the other hand, if you happen to possess this annoying habit, all you need to do when you receive a bit of unwelcome news is say "thank you." That's always the best way to keep the lines of communication with your co-workers open, and honest.
19.	Passing the Buck. This is the need to blame everyone but ourselves. Unlike many of the other Annoying Habits listed here, which are often subtle and can go unnoticed for a period of time, passing the buck is a high-profile behavioral flaw, as obvious as belching in public! "When we pass the buck," writes Goldsmith, "everyone notices, and no one is impressed." The irony, of course, is that no one expects us to be right all the time. Even the brightest lights are not infallible. But when we're wrong, people certainly expect us to own up to it. Admitting as much is a great way to demonstrate character.
20.	An Excessive Need to Be "Me." This last one is about exalting our faults as virtues simply because they exemplify who we are. For instance, Goldsmith has worked with executive clients who feel entitled to express their opinions at any time, no matter how harmful or non-contributory they may be, simply because they're exercising their right to be "me." The sad truth is, no matter who you are, it's never about you. It's about what other people think of you!

 

Bad Habits CAN Be Fixed

 

Once again, the good news is, these behavioral faults are inherently correctable. The fix is within the skill set of every human being. And in some cases (e.g. Annoying Habit #17 — Failing to Express Gratitude), the solution can be as simple as remembering your "thank you's" and learning to deliver them in a sincere way.

Good luck and have Fun

Alan

Persistence

Persistence may be the single most important quality you can have to help ensure success. When you throw in the towel you forfeit the chance to succeed. You have to be prepared to go the distance - to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to reach your goals. Many super achievers will tell you they failed repeatedly before they finally reached the top, and that they have persistence to thank for their success. When the going gets tough, the tough (and successful) keep going - and don't stop short of their goals.

When your energy and motivation ebb, don't underestimate your power to turn things around. You may feel tattered and tired now, but you can breathe new life into yourself with the right revamping strategy. With a little effort and some positive changes you'll rejuvenate your body and mind and make a new start.

have Fun

Alan

6 ways to keep your mind super sharp

Research into intellectual ability and aging shows that the more we use our brains, the longer they last. Regardless of a brain’s age, it responds to increased use by developing greater speed, flexibility and durability. Staying mentally fit is fun, too.   

Follow these tips to get the most from your mind.
 
Play Games -At the local Bridge club, people are preserving their mental faculties, as well as having a good time. Card games and board games, from Bingo to Scrabble, exercise the mind wonderfully. Find some that you like, and play.   

Something New - Discover a hobby, take a course or travel. The stimulation of the new gets the brain into high gear. Reading books exposes the mind to new ideas. Learning to play a musical instrument is a fun brain workout.

Do It Differently - Try using your non-dominant hand on the computer mouse. The task’s strangeness forces the brain to develop new neural pathways.  Dress with your eyes closed. Take a different route to the mall.  Challenge the brain to do standard tasks in a different way. 

Exercise - The brain is part of the body and is strengthened by physical exercise. Regular, moderate effort, like walking three times a week, reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s significantly. A fit body gives the brain more and cleaner energy.
 
Eat, Drink, Sleep - Good nutrition, plenty of clean water and quality sleep are important for a healthy mind. The brain is 85% water. Make sure that its tank doesn’t run dry.

Go Online - Test your word power at FreeRice (www.freerice.com). For each word you get right, 10 grains of rice are donated to help end word hunger; get smarter and help feed the world….

Have Fun,   

Alan

 

 

Are you close to burnout?

In some ways it was a typical breakfast meeting.  The waitress
was pleasant, the eggs were average, and the restaurant was full
of busy people. We shared a cup of black, coffee-like substance,
and the first few times my client took a sip he managed to spill
quite a bit of it. His trembling hand was just one of the symptoms
of his burnout. That’s why we were meeting. He wanted to know if I
could help him.

I picked up a fork and explained that as long as I used it for eating,
the fork would last indefinitely.  However, if I began to use it to
drive nails or dig trenches, it would soon break.  The key was to use
it for what it was designed to do.

The look in his eyes told me he got it, but I still went on to say that
people are like the fork.  When they do what they are not designed to do,
they eventually break.

Sure enough, he had taken various kinds of aptitude tests that showed that he was designed to work on projects where there was a definite goal.  He derived immense satisfaction from
reaching goals.  He also needed to work by himself about half the
time.  He was a scientist and enjoyed lab time, doing calculations,
and interpreting test results.

What his job required on a day-to-day basis was another story.  His
primary task was to supervise a dozen people and maintain operations.
No goals.  No projects.  No time alone.  Consequently, his job was
sucking the life out of him.

So how do you know if you, a loved one, or someone who reports to you
is suffering from burnout?  Here are the early warning signs.

1.  chronic fatigue - exhaustion, tiredness, a sense of being physically run down
2.  anger at those making demands
3.  self-criticism for putting up with the demands
4.  cynicism, negativity, and irritability
5.  a sense of being besieged
6.  exploding easily at seemingly inconsequential things
7.  frequent headaches and gastrointestinal disturbances
8.  weight loss or gain
9.  sleeplessness and depression
10. shortness of breath
11. suspiciousness
12. feelings of helplessness
13. increased degree of risk taking

Take a close look at what  you are doing, sometimes a simple
change at work can help you avoid many (if not all) of the early warning
signs of Burnout.

have Fun

Alan

Negative thoughts ...gone forever

Negative thoughts make a hell out of heaven. By contrast, positive thoughts make bad times bearable and good times better. 

Practicing the techniques below will release you from negative thoughts and leave positive ones in their place.   

Decide
Make a decision to be happy. By virtue of this commitment, you’ll find yourself naturally selecting behaviors that increase happiness, such as positive thinking. You won’t have to micro-manage every word and action.   

Remind
Create a way to remind yourself when you accidentally make negative remarks. The age-old remedy is to snap an elastic band on your wrist.   

Re-frame
Instead of trying hard not to think negatively about something that you don’t like, find a positive viewpoint, commonly called re-framing. You won’t become a drooling idiot with no sense of discernment. You’ll just lose the negative reaction to unfavorable things.   

Substitute
Self-development guru Tony Robbins offers a superb exercise for substituting positive feelings for negative ones. Imagine that you hold in one hand something you really enjoy. Feel how happy it makes you. Give the feeling color, shape and texture until you see it brightly. In your other hand, place something that prompts a negative reaction. Pour from your happy hand to your unhappy hand, over and over, until the negative feelings are completely obliterated by joy. The next time the unhappy feeling arises, if it does, it’ll be weaker. Repeat as necessary.   

Challenge
Challenge yourself to go 21 days without negativity. This game has been made into a modern trend by acomplaintfreeworld.org, who sell purple bracelets for the purpose. The bracelet is switched from one wrist to the other if a complaint escapes your lips. When your bracelet stays put for 21 days, you’ve won a happier life.

have Fun,

Alan

Easy ways to get more out of every day

Everyone has the same 24 hours. Yet some people get a lot more done in a day than others. The secret to increased productivity lies in consistently following a few simple principles.

Agenda -  Like Mom’s advice to eat your vegetables, the suggestion to make a daily agenda is both unsexy and tremendously effective. The night before, write down everything you need to do the following day.

Specify - In order to find the quickest way to accomplish a task, know exactly what you want to do. Like mapping driving directions, you can find the quickest route to anywhere with sufficient details about the destination. Spend about 10% of the estimated project time on planning, and be sure to write it down. Include all preparatory tasks in your plan.

Priorities -  Once you have a list of tasks, organize them by priority. Put the letter A beside things that must be done. Put B beside things that should be done. Put C beside things that can be done. Number the tasks in each group according to priority. Each day, work through your list from A1 to the Cs.

Delegate - Hand off work that you don’t need to do personally. Estimate the value of your time compared to that of an assistant. Virtual assistants, people who do chores remotely, are becoming hugely popular in this fast-paced world.

  Have Fun,

Alan