Accentuating the positive will attract good things to you and accepting the negative will bring the bad. ~Napoleon Hill & W. Clement Stone
Not long ago my wife and I had a conversation very early in the morning. She was telling me about two or three very negative things in the news and I told her that I'd heard more than enough and asked her to change the subject to "something positive" rather than continuing the conversation as it was going.
It is very important to begin each and every day on a positive note. You don't want to have negative thoughts running through your head on your way to the office. Instead, focus on positive things and on what you want to accomplish today.
The problem with negative thinking is that it's habit-forming. Once you start down that road things tend to snowball. The easiest way to avoid it is simply change the conversation or start your day by reading good news or motivational books.
Cynicism and pessimism are bad habits.
If the news taints your attitude, don't read it first thing in the morning or just before bed. Those are the two most important times to think positively. You want to have a restful night's sleep and you want to awaken to a blissful morning.
While you are at it, greet people with a cheerful "Good Morning!" and say it with energy and enthusiasm.
You don't know-- your greeting might just lift someone's spirits and brighten their whole day.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
Monday, July 25, 2016
Attitude is Everything
Contrary to popular belief, you don't raise morale in an organization it filters down from the top. ~Earl Nightingale
The Attitudes of the people working in any organization will always reflect the attitude of the leader. ~Earl Nightingale
I have worked in business management throughout most of my career. Over the years, I have witnessed both good management style and bad. The former was more common earlier in my career and the latter seems to be far more common, today.
Right now, I work for a company with a really talented group of shakers and movers. They are professionals in every sense of the word. It's refreshing to see it and be a part of it.
So what is it that makes a management team effective? In short, it is the way they handle people.
Bosses are a dime a dozen. It doesn't take much talent, nor tact to boss people around. With autocratic management, there is no such thing as diplomacy. Poor time-management often results of pushing the cart before the horse.
Lee Iacocca once said of the auto industry: "In this business, you either lead, follow, or get out of the way."
Often times, poor management gets in the way of production.
A Leader Inspires People
The difference between a boss and a leader is the former pushes people around as if they were pawns on a chessboard. But, A LEADER inspires people.
Genuine leadership builds relationships-- get to know your people. A leader builds TEAMS from what were once individuals. Those teams tackle complex problems. They work toward common goals. Each member is valued and respected. Each member contributes beyond what is common in the workforce of today. Each member is hard to replace. Lose them occasionally, you will, but you will have many candidates jumping in line to become a part of your team.
If you want to read about how you can become a leader and not just a boss, I recommend Earl Nightingale's book, Lead the Field. It is available at Amazon.
If you want to take control of your life, build confidence and be all that you can be, whether you are a freelancer, a manager or just a rank and file employee in some company somewhere, check out my latest book, Ninja Mind Tricks (Take Control of Your Life with the Secret Mental Powers of Japan's Shinobi Warriors). If you are not sure what you want in life, check out my book, Get Happy, Write Away. Both are available at Amazon.
Be A Leader, not the boss.
The Attitudes of the people working in any organization will always reflect the attitude of the leader. ~Earl Nightingale
I have worked in business management throughout most of my career. Over the years, I have witnessed both good management style and bad. The former was more common earlier in my career and the latter seems to be far more common, today.
Right now, I work for a company with a really talented group of shakers and movers. They are professionals in every sense of the word. It's refreshing to see it and be a part of it.
So what is it that makes a management team effective? In short, it is the way they handle people.
Bosses are a dime a dozen. It doesn't take much talent, nor tact to boss people around. With autocratic management, there is no such thing as diplomacy. Poor time-management often results of pushing the cart before the horse.
Lee Iacocca once said of the auto industry: "In this business, you either lead, follow, or get out of the way."
Often times, poor management gets in the way of production.
A Leader Inspires People
The difference between a boss and a leader is the former pushes people around as if they were pawns on a chessboard. But, A LEADER inspires people.
Genuine leadership builds relationships-- get to know your people. A leader builds TEAMS from what were once individuals. Those teams tackle complex problems. They work toward common goals. Each member is valued and respected. Each member contributes beyond what is common in the workforce of today. Each member is hard to replace. Lose them occasionally, you will, but you will have many candidates jumping in line to become a part of your team.
If you want to read about how you can become a leader and not just a boss, I recommend Earl Nightingale's book, Lead the Field. It is available at Amazon.
If you want to take control of your life, build confidence and be all that you can be, whether you are a freelancer, a manager or just a rank and file employee in some company somewhere, check out my latest book, Ninja Mind Tricks (Take Control of Your Life with the Secret Mental Powers of Japan's Shinobi Warriors). If you are not sure what you want in life, check out my book, Get Happy, Write Away. Both are available at Amazon.
Be A Leader, not the boss.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Socrates and Dale Carnegie
My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher. ~Socrates
If there is anything people need to glean from all the various Internet quote sites it is that we are far better off in life when we don't take ourselves too seriously.
A little levity goes a long way.
People are caustic and it seems that so many of you are trying to prove it. Some highly respected, notable people are trying to be witty while insulting other people for their political views (i.e. let's bash the Trump supporters). Personal insult is never a good policy.
I prefer the wry sense of humor of the Greek philosopher and teacher, Socrates. He is the ancient equivalent of Dale Carnegie (How to Win Friends and Influence People).
It amazes me how so many people engage in political rhetoric with an all or nothing fervor. Every discussion escalates to an insult-filled, emotionally child-like tantrum rather than civil discourse and the free exchange of ideas. It would seem that we have all forgotten protocol and the art of winning friends and influencing people.
First, you cannot convert people to YOUR way of thinking via personal insult. Second, the art of persuasion works best when one engages in civil discussion rather than clubbing someone over the head with a Louisville Slugger. By all means, aim for the fences, Babe Ruth.
The Art of Subtlety is indeed lost in the arena of political discourse.
For all his faults, Donald Trump has been a successful real estate tycoon. He is rough and tumble, as the old saying goes. He doesn't try to be something he is not. He does know how to negotiate and he is willing to compromise. That is not the same as buying and selling favors-- no wonder politicians hate him.
A Trump presidency will be all about making money. If there is anything good that will come of it, it would be that buyer confidence will increase when people feel that the president wants America to prosper. If America's economy is strong, the Trumpster and family will make money-- and so will all of us. If the economy does not recover, things will be more of what we have had over the last eight years.
Will a real estate tycoon be a better president than a career politician or a "community organizer"? Just wait and see.
Is Trump a failure? Let me know when you make your first billion-- we'll talk more.
What if Hillary Clinton wins?
--listen to the sound of a flushing toilet-- that is what's left of the US economy.
If there is anything people need to glean from all the various Internet quote sites it is that we are far better off in life when we don't take ourselves too seriously.
A little levity goes a long way.
People are caustic and it seems that so many of you are trying to prove it. Some highly respected, notable people are trying to be witty while insulting other people for their political views (i.e. let's bash the Trump supporters). Personal insult is never a good policy.
I prefer the wry sense of humor of the Greek philosopher and teacher, Socrates. He is the ancient equivalent of Dale Carnegie (How to Win Friends and Influence People).
It amazes me how so many people engage in political rhetoric with an all or nothing fervor. Every discussion escalates to an insult-filled, emotionally child-like tantrum rather than civil discourse and the free exchange of ideas. It would seem that we have all forgotten protocol and the art of winning friends and influencing people.
First, you cannot convert people to YOUR way of thinking via personal insult. Second, the art of persuasion works best when one engages in civil discussion rather than clubbing someone over the head with a Louisville Slugger. By all means, aim for the fences, Babe Ruth.
The Art of Subtlety is indeed lost in the arena of political discourse.
For all his faults, Donald Trump has been a successful real estate tycoon. He is rough and tumble, as the old saying goes. He doesn't try to be something he is not. He does know how to negotiate and he is willing to compromise. That is not the same as buying and selling favors-- no wonder politicians hate him.
A Trump presidency will be all about making money. If there is anything good that will come of it, it would be that buyer confidence will increase when people feel that the president wants America to prosper. If America's economy is strong, the Trumpster and family will make money-- and so will all of us. If the economy does not recover, things will be more of what we have had over the last eight years.
Will a real estate tycoon be a better president than a career politician or a "community organizer"? Just wait and see.
Is Trump a failure? Let me know when you make your first billion-- we'll talk more.
What if Hillary Clinton wins?
--listen to the sound of a flushing toilet-- that is what's left of the US economy.
Friday, July 15, 2016
We're At Our Best When...
We're at our best when we're climbing, thinking, planning, working– when we're on the road to something we want to bring about. ~Earl Nightingale
We are at our best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy– on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves.
~Earl Nightingale
I learned a long time ago that I perform at my best when I have planned my day around a particular goal. But the same holds true for life goals.
Planning is important. You need to have direction in life. By that, I don't mean someone telling you what to do-- although the sheep are many and the shepherds are few. When I refer to direction in life, I mean FOCUS. You need to TAKE AIM.
Establishing goals is like the mariner who goes to sea with a compass heading and a destination in mind. The clearer the understanding of the path you will follow, the most timely and truer your course will be. It is not as simple as saying, "Go west, young man." Think of goals as a direction in life and think of working on the completion of those goals as a journey.
Earl Nightingale was telling us that we reach our full potential when we are working toward achieving our goals. We think, we plan, we move forward. Along the way, we are learning, growing, becoming stronger, wiser, and better equipped for future endeavors.
We are happy on the journey toward our goals because we SEE progress. We have a sense of fulfillment and we taste the reward for our effort. We appreciate those experiences because we feel that we've earned them.
I don't want to sound political, but, part of the problem with a welfare system is that people don't appreciate what they are given nearly as much as what they earn as a reward for their labor. It's just a fact of life. Give something away and it is often not valued. That's the difference between feelings of appreciation and feelings of entitlement.
I just gave a friend a couple of the books I have written and she thanked me. She is genuinely appreciative. If I gave them away to the world at large, few if any would even say thank you. It's human nature. We tend to value things that cost us time and money. We take for granted things that are free.
If you want to make the most of life and be your best, make daily goals and long-term goals. Then, work toward the completion of those goals. And remember, life is the journey, not the destination.
We are at our best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy– on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves.
~Earl Nightingale
I learned a long time ago that I perform at my best when I have planned my day around a particular goal. But the same holds true for life goals.
Planning is important. You need to have direction in life. By that, I don't mean someone telling you what to do-- although the sheep are many and the shepherds are few. When I refer to direction in life, I mean FOCUS. You need to TAKE AIM.
Establishing goals is like the mariner who goes to sea with a compass heading and a destination in mind. The clearer the understanding of the path you will follow, the most timely and truer your course will be. It is not as simple as saying, "Go west, young man." Think of goals as a direction in life and think of working on the completion of those goals as a journey.
Earl Nightingale was telling us that we reach our full potential when we are working toward achieving our goals. We think, we plan, we move forward. Along the way, we are learning, growing, becoming stronger, wiser, and better equipped for future endeavors.
We are happy on the journey toward our goals because we SEE progress. We have a sense of fulfillment and we taste the reward for our effort. We appreciate those experiences because we feel that we've earned them.
I don't want to sound political, but, part of the problem with a welfare system is that people don't appreciate what they are given nearly as much as what they earn as a reward for their labor. It's just a fact of life. Give something away and it is often not valued. That's the difference between feelings of appreciation and feelings of entitlement.
I just gave a friend a couple of the books I have written and she thanked me. She is genuinely appreciative. If I gave them away to the world at large, few if any would even say thank you. It's human nature. We tend to value things that cost us time and money. We take for granted things that are free.
If you want to make the most of life and be your best, make daily goals and long-term goals. Then, work toward the completion of those goals. And remember, life is the journey, not the destination.
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Success Starts with A Great Attitude
Great attitudes are not the result of success; success is the result of great attitudes. ~Earl Nightingale
Most people think that success gives people happiness and a positive attitude. They think that they, too, could be happy-- if only they had money. What they don't realize is that money doesn't buy happiness. At best, money buys convenience, but, happiness starts from the inside and works its way out from there.
Successful people realize that it was their positive attitude and their belief in themselves that made all the difference in their lives.
I was raised by parents who were cynical. I have mentioned it in two different books. It was not their fault, it was bred into them. The children of parents who survived the "Great Depression" were that way in most cases. My parents were no different than the rest of their generation.
Success comes from opportunity and opportunity starts with a positive attitude. According to Earl Nightingale, in his book "Lead the Field", if you want to become a success in life, you have to start with a positive mental attitude.
So what does a great attitude give you?
When you have a great attitude, people like being around you. When your attitude is positive and you are assertive, you make friends easily. Surround yourself with successful people and you will become successful, too. It is a simple concept to grasp if you push away the cynicism.
Successful people attract other successful people and that, in turn, attracts greater opportunity to be successful. So, if you want to be successful, you have to start thinking as if you already are successful. It is as simple as that.
You need to believe in yourself.
You need to establish long-term goals.
You need to break those goals into short-term interim goals.
You need to imagine yourself being the success you want to be.
You have to hunger and thirst for it... but, you MUST BELIEVE it can be done.
If you take all of this to heart, remember, happiness starts on the inside.
When you see success in the road ahead, you can rest assured that it is coming. It is attainable. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.
It starts with a dream and a desire to make it real. You achieve it by believing that you can. Then, your determination and commitment to it takes you to the finish line.
Believe you can and you will.
Most people think that success gives people happiness and a positive attitude. They think that they, too, could be happy-- if only they had money. What they don't realize is that money doesn't buy happiness. At best, money buys convenience, but, happiness starts from the inside and works its way out from there.
Successful people realize that it was their positive attitude and their belief in themselves that made all the difference in their lives.
I was raised by parents who were cynical. I have mentioned it in two different books. It was not their fault, it was bred into them. The children of parents who survived the "Great Depression" were that way in most cases. My parents were no different than the rest of their generation.
Success comes from opportunity and opportunity starts with a positive attitude. According to Earl Nightingale, in his book "Lead the Field", if you want to become a success in life, you have to start with a positive mental attitude.
So what does a great attitude give you?
When you have a great attitude, people like being around you. When your attitude is positive and you are assertive, you make friends easily. Surround yourself with successful people and you will become successful, too. It is a simple concept to grasp if you push away the cynicism.
Successful people attract other successful people and that, in turn, attracts greater opportunity to be successful. So, if you want to be successful, you have to start thinking as if you already are successful. It is as simple as that.
You need to believe in yourself.
You need to establish long-term goals.
You need to break those goals into short-term interim goals.
You need to imagine yourself being the success you want to be.
You have to hunger and thirst for it... but, you MUST BELIEVE it can be done.
If you take all of this to heart, remember, happiness starts on the inside.
When you see success in the road ahead, you can rest assured that it is coming. It is attainable. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.
It starts with a dream and a desire to make it real. You achieve it by believing that you can. Then, your determination and commitment to it takes you to the finish line.
Believe you can and you will.
Sunday, July 3, 2016
Believe You Can and You Will
To succeed in life, you have to be convinced that you can achieve your goals.
First off, without clear goals there can be no clear results, so, it is essential that you start by making clear goals for yourself. Next, you want to establish a time table for your goals. Then, you want to create a plan of action in order to accomplish those goals.
When you set goals for yourself, you have to believe that you can complete them. If you don't believe they are attainable it's a waste of time. But, if you can imagine yourself completing those goals, keep that mental image and start moving.
Right now, we are in an election year. America is polarized. We have people at one extreme or the other when it comes to political candidates. That's because the people of this nation, America, are cynical. We have little reason to trust politicians and little reason to have faith in political outsiders, like Donald Trump.
Before "The Donald" decided to run for president he was a media darling. Once he threw his hat in the ring, people started to attack him at every opportunity. Why? Because he poses a threat to the status quo. The inside-the-beltway gang hate him-- he's not one of them.
People call him racist-- because he wants to stop the flow of illegal aliens crossing our southern border. They call him stupid because he has had failed business ventures. Thomas Edison failed innumerable times when he tried to invent the light bulb, yet, he eventually succeeded and then people called him a genius.
Donald Trump took 200 million dollars and turned it into over 3 billion dollars in profit (made from real estate investments). He wrote a book titled "The Art of the Deal" and has been a hawk in business negotiations-- hardly stupid.
Will Donald Trump make a good president?
In truth, it is hard to say. He is certainly not stupid. Is he really in it for the good of the country and the people? I believe he is because, ultimately, the business climate can improve, Americans can make more money, and Mr. Trump can make more money in the process.
Our government has been getting in the way for far too long. At a federal level, the government has grown way too big for its britches (that's breeches for you Language Scholars). In all seriousness, we need leaders who understand business, who know how to bring industry back home to America, who can help create tax incentives to do so. A nation that builds things is a nation that prospers.
Can Donald Trump do this? That remains to be seen.
I can definitely tell you this: Hillary Clinton cannot. She has been a fan of socialism for decades. She believes in big government and big government is the problem.
As for me, I believe in America. I believe that people can be awakened to the real problems we now face like these:
Unemployment.
Underemployment.
Genuine Racism.
So-called "racism" that is really not.
A biased media that secretly embraces socialism and the nanny state.
Chemicals and artificial ingredients that are in almost everything we eat.
SODIUM, SUGAR, and other unhealthy things in commercially prepared foods.
In short, we are killing ourselves more with what we eat than all the guns, knives, and drunken drivers put together.
What can we do about it?
Love your neighbor as yourself. Raise your children to believe in the power of dreams-- never stop dreaming. Celebrate America because we have hope for a better tomorrow. Don't celebrate diversity, celebrate UNITY. FROM MANY-- ONE.
E PLURIBUS UNUM...
It is a concept that Barack Obama and many others either have forgotten or never believed. We are one nation. We are one people. We have one hope for a future... that a united people can build a better America.
Let's Do it!
First off, without clear goals there can be no clear results, so, it is essential that you start by making clear goals for yourself. Next, you want to establish a time table for your goals. Then, you want to create a plan of action in order to accomplish those goals.
When you set goals for yourself, you have to believe that you can complete them. If you don't believe they are attainable it's a waste of time. But, if you can imagine yourself completing those goals, keep that mental image and start moving.
Right now, we are in an election year. America is polarized. We have people at one extreme or the other when it comes to political candidates. That's because the people of this nation, America, are cynical. We have little reason to trust politicians and little reason to have faith in political outsiders, like Donald Trump.
Before "The Donald" decided to run for president he was a media darling. Once he threw his hat in the ring, people started to attack him at every opportunity. Why? Because he poses a threat to the status quo. The inside-the-beltway gang hate him-- he's not one of them.
People call him racist-- because he wants to stop the flow of illegal aliens crossing our southern border. They call him stupid because he has had failed business ventures. Thomas Edison failed innumerable times when he tried to invent the light bulb, yet, he eventually succeeded and then people called him a genius.
Donald Trump took 200 million dollars and turned it into over 3 billion dollars in profit (made from real estate investments). He wrote a book titled "The Art of the Deal" and has been a hawk in business negotiations-- hardly stupid.
Will Donald Trump make a good president?
In truth, it is hard to say. He is certainly not stupid. Is he really in it for the good of the country and the people? I believe he is because, ultimately, the business climate can improve, Americans can make more money, and Mr. Trump can make more money in the process.
Our government has been getting in the way for far too long. At a federal level, the government has grown way too big for its britches (that's breeches for you Language Scholars). In all seriousness, we need leaders who understand business, who know how to bring industry back home to America, who can help create tax incentives to do so. A nation that builds things is a nation that prospers.
Can Donald Trump do this? That remains to be seen.
I can definitely tell you this: Hillary Clinton cannot. She has been a fan of socialism for decades. She believes in big government and big government is the problem.
As for me, I believe in America. I believe that people can be awakened to the real problems we now face like these:
Unemployment.
Underemployment.
Genuine Racism.
So-called "racism" that is really not.
A biased media that secretly embraces socialism and the nanny state.
Chemicals and artificial ingredients that are in almost everything we eat.
SODIUM, SUGAR, and other unhealthy things in commercially prepared foods.
In short, we are killing ourselves more with what we eat than all the guns, knives, and drunken drivers put together.
What can we do about it?
Love your neighbor as yourself. Raise your children to believe in the power of dreams-- never stop dreaming. Celebrate America because we have hope for a better tomorrow. Don't celebrate diversity, celebrate UNITY. FROM MANY-- ONE.
E PLURIBUS UNUM...
It is a concept that Barack Obama and many others either have forgotten or never believed. We are one nation. We are one people. We have one hope for a future... that a united people can build a better America.
Let's Do it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)