by Chris Widener
What a great article! Read carefully!!
The direction of our lives is determined by the choices we make every day. They accumulate and add up to our ultimate destiny. Here are eight choices you can make - choices that will create for you a life of abundance and prosperity in all areas of your life.
Choose to grow personally.
This sounds simple but many people only wish to grow personally. They never choose to grow by taking action, such as actually exercising, saving more money etc. Make a decision today to be a person who is on the never ending journey of personal growth.
Choose to always treat others right.
We come across all sorts of people, many of whom will treat us poorly. We can choose to treat them right, no matter how they treat us. When the lie, we will tell the truth. When the cheat, we will play by the rules. We may get the short end of the stick some times, but in the long-run we will win. And most importantly, we will be able to sleep at night.
Choose to break a bad habit.
Take the biggie first. Tackle it head on. If you don’t know what it is, ask a friend. Then spend every effort you can to break that habit. Forget about the others, as you will get to them later. Stop smoking, get out of debt, lose your excess weight. Exercise the power to choose!
Choose to work smarter.
Many people I work with feel like they are out of balance. One of the first things I do is try to find out how much time they are wasting at work, which makes them work longer, which throws the rest of their life into chaos. Getting your work done by diligently working in the time you have will free your life up extraordinarily.
Choose to see your work as a way to help others, and not a way to make money.
If you put your heart into helping others, the money will most assuredly come. Spend time helping others grow and your finances will grow with it.
Choose to become balanced spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Our lives are best when we have these three major areas in balance. Spend some time cultivating your spirituality, becoming emotionally healthy, and physically fit.
Choose to sow more than you reap.
There are many takers in this world, but our lives will be better as we become givers. The world will become better as we become givers. Give away your time, give away your money, give away your love.
Choose to get home for dinner more often.
The family is the most important group of people you will ever belong to. Make a decision today to grow in your relationship with your parents, siblings, spouse and children. This one choice you will never regret.
One of my favorite quotes:
"The history of free men is never written by chance,but by choice - their choice" - Dwight D. Eisenhower
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
What Happens When You Think and Act Big
Another great article by Chris. Please enjoy!!
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and author who has shared the podium with US Presidents, helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Join subscribers in over 100 countries for a weekly leadership & success eZine by clicking here. Enjoy motivational audio programs from Chris Widener & other top speakers including Zig Ziglar & Brian Tracy by visiting www.MadeForSuccess.net.
There are a lot of people out there who wish big things would happen to them. They want the big career, they want the big sales, they want the big deals. For most of them however, these things will never be more than a wish. You know, you have heard them, “I wish that I would…” And that is exactly what it is - a wish.
Then there are those who do big things. What is the difference? What makes them doers rather than wishers?
Is it thinking big? I have heard that before. That is part of it. But there is more.
Is it acting big - that is, taking big bold actions? That too is a component.
In fact, the key is to combine thinking big and acting big. And when you do, you will see all sorts of big things happen. Here are just a few of the big things that take place when you think and act big.
Big Possibilities Arrive. When you think big, big possibilities arrive on your doorstep. You begin to see all of the potential and possibilities that you can live out. First, they do come to people who think big and take big actions. Secondly, you are able to see the possibilities better when you think big because now you are looking for them. When you were a small thinker you didn’t even see the big possibilities that walked up and hit you on the head. Are you a big thinker and doer? If you are, you will get more possibilities!
Big People Help. I have found firsthand that when you step up to the plate, big people help. You see, heavy hitters don’t waste their time with people who are trying small things. They work with people who want to play in the big leagues. I have seen so many big name people step up to help me, just as big name people helped them when they were just starting out - and have opened doors for me I never imagined. Are you thinking big and willing to act on it? If you are, you will see big people step up to help. For another article on how others can boost your career, read my article “Bring On the Boosters” at:
Big Things Happen. Big things don’t happen to small thinkers. When we become people who think big and take big actions we see big things take place in our lives. I have found that the bigger I think and the bigger bites I take, the more big things come along. For example, 10 months ago, I didn’t even know the NY Times Best-selling author who is now writing the foreword to my new book. I thought big, and acted big and when one of the biggest publishers in the world called me to write a book, I stepped through that door. Then weeks later, I got a call saying that one of the foremost experts in the world in leadership and motivation would write the foreword to my book - all unsolicited. I didn’t ask the publisher and I didn’t ask the author. Believe me, big things just happen when you are thinking big!
Big Dollars Come. In the end, the dollars come to those who do big things. I am having meetings now talking about dollar figures that I only used to dream about. What would have happened had I thought small? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Instead, by thinking big, and taking big actions, I have seen big dollars start rolling my way, with more to come. Do you want big dollars? Then think big - and act big - then they will come your way.
Big Contributions Are Made. Ultimately, my biggest goal is to make a contribution to others. The fact is that I can’t take any money with me when I die, but I can leave a legacy behind. Big thinkers and doers are the ones who make big contributions to those around them and leave lasting legacies. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream all right, and he made a significant lasting contribution for millions of people. What would have happened had he not thought big? All of the major contributions that are made in our world are made by big thinkers. No one ever accidentally made a huge contribution to society. They thought big, acted big, and delivered!
I want to challenge you to think big - but first I want to challenge you to start by thinking “bigger.” Just start at a bigger place than you are right now. You don’t have to change the world right now - you can get to that later. But make it your commitment to think bigger starting right now. What is a dream of yours? Now think bigger.
And I want to challenge you to act bigger. What are you doing right now? Now act bigger. No matter what you are doing now, do more!
Think bigger, and act bigger - and you will unlock the door to big things in your life!
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and author who has shared the podium with US Presidents, helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Join subscribers in over 100 countries for a weekly leadership & success eZine by clicking here. Enjoy motivational audio programs from Chris Widener & other top speakers including Zig Ziglar & Brian Tracy by visiting www.MadeForSuccess.net.
There are a lot of people out there who wish big things would happen to them. They want the big career, they want the big sales, they want the big deals. For most of them however, these things will never be more than a wish. You know, you have heard them, “I wish that I would…” And that is exactly what it is - a wish.
Then there are those who do big things. What is the difference? What makes them doers rather than wishers?
Is it thinking big? I have heard that before. That is part of it. But there is more.
Is it acting big - that is, taking big bold actions? That too is a component.
In fact, the key is to combine thinking big and acting big. And when you do, you will see all sorts of big things happen. Here are just a few of the big things that take place when you think and act big.
Big Possibilities Arrive. When you think big, big possibilities arrive on your doorstep. You begin to see all of the potential and possibilities that you can live out. First, they do come to people who think big and take big actions. Secondly, you are able to see the possibilities better when you think big because now you are looking for them. When you were a small thinker you didn’t even see the big possibilities that walked up and hit you on the head. Are you a big thinker and doer? If you are, you will get more possibilities!
Big People Help. I have found firsthand that when you step up to the plate, big people help. You see, heavy hitters don’t waste their time with people who are trying small things. They work with people who want to play in the big leagues. I have seen so many big name people step up to help me, just as big name people helped them when they were just starting out - and have opened doors for me I never imagined. Are you thinking big and willing to act on it? If you are, you will see big people step up to help. For another article on how others can boost your career, read my article “Bring On the Boosters” at:
Big Things Happen. Big things don’t happen to small thinkers. When we become people who think big and take big actions we see big things take place in our lives. I have found that the bigger I think and the bigger bites I take, the more big things come along. For example, 10 months ago, I didn’t even know the NY Times Best-selling author who is now writing the foreword to my new book. I thought big, and acted big and when one of the biggest publishers in the world called me to write a book, I stepped through that door. Then weeks later, I got a call saying that one of the foremost experts in the world in leadership and motivation would write the foreword to my book - all unsolicited. I didn’t ask the publisher and I didn’t ask the author. Believe me, big things just happen when you are thinking big!
Big Dollars Come. In the end, the dollars come to those who do big things. I am having meetings now talking about dollar figures that I only used to dream about. What would have happened had I thought small? Nothing! Absolutely nothing! Instead, by thinking big, and taking big actions, I have seen big dollars start rolling my way, with more to come. Do you want big dollars? Then think big - and act big - then they will come your way.
Big Contributions Are Made. Ultimately, my biggest goal is to make a contribution to others. The fact is that I can’t take any money with me when I die, but I can leave a legacy behind. Big thinkers and doers are the ones who make big contributions to those around them and leave lasting legacies. Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream all right, and he made a significant lasting contribution for millions of people. What would have happened had he not thought big? All of the major contributions that are made in our world are made by big thinkers. No one ever accidentally made a huge contribution to society. They thought big, acted big, and delivered!
I want to challenge you to think big - but first I want to challenge you to start by thinking “bigger.” Just start at a bigger place than you are right now. You don’t have to change the world right now - you can get to that later. But make it your commitment to think bigger starting right now. What is a dream of yours? Now think bigger.
And I want to challenge you to act bigger. What are you doing right now? Now act bigger. No matter what you are doing now, do more!
Think bigger, and act bigger - and you will unlock the door to big things in your life!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
How to Guarantee a GREAT Day Every Day!
Another great story by Chris!! Enjoy!!
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and author who has shared the podium with US Presidents, helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Join subscribers in over 100 countries for a weekly leadership & success eZine by clicking here. Enjoy motivational audio programs from Chris Widener & other top speakers including Zig Ziglar & Brian Tracy by visiting www.MadeForSuccess.net.
I have a standing interview every Monday morning on a radio station in the southeast that I enjoy very much. You can imagine though that it can become routine. So to make it a little more fun, the host nowadays doesn’t even tell me the topic before we go live on the air – that puts some excitement into it!
This past week he asked me the following question cold at the beginning of the show: How can a person guarantee that they will have a great day, every day? Now some may find that a hard question but for me it was actually a very easy question to answer (a little harder to actually live, but not that hard). You see, I believe in principles that govern our lives so that we can control our destinies and create for ourselves the kind of lives that we desire. People who live based on principles achieve what they desire while people who live reacting to circumstances do not.
So, what were the principles that I gave to guarantee that a person could have a GREAT day every day? Here they are:
Focus on today only.
Yes, we need to have long-range goals. But our focus must be on today. My old equation is that your short-term tasks multiplied by time equal your long-term accomplishments. With that in mind, it is imperative that we focus in on our short-term, to control it and make it what will eventually, when multiplied by time, equal our long-term goals. Don’t think about tomorrow. Today is enough trouble in and of itself. You can work on tomorrow when it gets here. Instead, make today the best day you have ever had. Realize that when you lay down to sleep tonight you will have just given up the only shot you will ever have at today. Today is now gone and it is only a memory. You only get one shot at your today so focus intently on making it all that it possibly can be. Focus, focus, focus! When you focus on making today great, you are on the road to guaranteeing that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Embrace your power to choose.
Dwight D. Eisenhower said that “The history of free men is never written by chance but by choice, their choice.” When your today becomes your yesterday, you will look back and realize that that day was a result of your choices and your choices only. “But wait Chris, what if my boss controlled my day? That isn’t my choice!” But it is your choice to work for someone else! You choice to let someone else tell you what to do. You chose the feelings of helplessness that overwhelm you when you feel bad that you do not control your own destiny.
The moment we realize that we have a gift from God that the animals do not have, mainly the gift of free will and choice, and when we realize the inherent power within that gift, and ultimately when we finally begin to exercise that gift, then and only then, will we begin to create for ourselves a GREAT day each and every day! Take ownership of the direction in your life. Make your choices then carry them out!
Your attitude is up to you.
Yes, bad things may happen in your day. The pitcher for Team Circumstances may have a tremendous curveball waiting for you and you cannot control that. You cannot control what others may do or say. But you do control your attitude. Your attitude about whatever happens to you is up to you.
When something happens to you, you have the choice: Will you let it get you down and depressed, keeping you from forging ahead and making the day the best one ever? Or will you say to yourself that no matter what happens you are on the path to success and no obstacle will keep you from it? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you lose – I guess this time I lost”? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you learn – I can really learn something from this!”?
It is all in what attitude we choose. Your attitude is up to you and when you choose to have a great attitude, you are choosing to guarantee to have a GREAT day, every day!
Live out and act on your priorities.
So far we have dealt with internal perspectives, and that is indeed the place to start. But the practical place is in our priorities. If we want to make our days great, then we have to live out those things that will by definition make our days great. And those things are what are important to us. They are our priorities.
So each morning you start out by saying, “What things are important to me today? What are the things I need to accomplish in order for me to lay down tonight and know that I lived a GREAT day?” Then you put those in order of most important to least important.
Don’t so what is fun. Don’t do what is easy. Do what is IMPORTANT! Live out your priorities! When you do, you will guarantee that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Tomorrow, when you wake up, go through the four following points and see if you don’t make tomorrow a GREAT day:
- Focus on today only.
- Understand that I get to choose how today will go.
- Remain in a positive attitude no matter what happens.
- Live out and act on my priorities.
Do this and you will guarantee a GREAT day, every day!
Chris Widener is a popular speaker and author who has shared the podium with US Presidents, helping individuals and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and achieve their dreams. Join subscribers in over 100 countries for a weekly leadership & success eZine by clicking here. Enjoy motivational audio programs from Chris Widener & other top speakers including Zig Ziglar & Brian Tracy by visiting www.MadeForSuccess.net.
I have a standing interview every Monday morning on a radio station in the southeast that I enjoy very much. You can imagine though that it can become routine. So to make it a little more fun, the host nowadays doesn’t even tell me the topic before we go live on the air – that puts some excitement into it!
This past week he asked me the following question cold at the beginning of the show: How can a person guarantee that they will have a great day, every day? Now some may find that a hard question but for me it was actually a very easy question to answer (a little harder to actually live, but not that hard). You see, I believe in principles that govern our lives so that we can control our destinies and create for ourselves the kind of lives that we desire. People who live based on principles achieve what they desire while people who live reacting to circumstances do not.
So, what were the principles that I gave to guarantee that a person could have a GREAT day every day? Here they are:
Focus on today only.
Yes, we need to have long-range goals. But our focus must be on today. My old equation is that your short-term tasks multiplied by time equal your long-term accomplishments. With that in mind, it is imperative that we focus in on our short-term, to control it and make it what will eventually, when multiplied by time, equal our long-term goals. Don’t think about tomorrow. Today is enough trouble in and of itself. You can work on tomorrow when it gets here. Instead, make today the best day you have ever had. Realize that when you lay down to sleep tonight you will have just given up the only shot you will ever have at today. Today is now gone and it is only a memory. You only get one shot at your today so focus intently on making it all that it possibly can be. Focus, focus, focus! When you focus on making today great, you are on the road to guaranteeing that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Embrace your power to choose.
Dwight D. Eisenhower said that “The history of free men is never written by chance but by choice, their choice.” When your today becomes your yesterday, you will look back and realize that that day was a result of your choices and your choices only. “But wait Chris, what if my boss controlled my day? That isn’t my choice!” But it is your choice to work for someone else! You choice to let someone else tell you what to do. You chose the feelings of helplessness that overwhelm you when you feel bad that you do not control your own destiny.
The moment we realize that we have a gift from God that the animals do not have, mainly the gift of free will and choice, and when we realize the inherent power within that gift, and ultimately when we finally begin to exercise that gift, then and only then, will we begin to create for ourselves a GREAT day each and every day! Take ownership of the direction in your life. Make your choices then carry them out!
Your attitude is up to you.
Yes, bad things may happen in your day. The pitcher for Team Circumstances may have a tremendous curveball waiting for you and you cannot control that. You cannot control what others may do or say. But you do control your attitude. Your attitude about whatever happens to you is up to you.
When something happens to you, you have the choice: Will you let it get you down and depressed, keeping you from forging ahead and making the day the best one ever? Or will you say to yourself that no matter what happens you are on the path to success and no obstacle will keep you from it? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you lose – I guess this time I lost”? Will you say, “Sometime you win and sometimes you learn – I can really learn something from this!”?
It is all in what attitude we choose. Your attitude is up to you and when you choose to have a great attitude, you are choosing to guarantee to have a GREAT day, every day!
Live out and act on your priorities.
So far we have dealt with internal perspectives, and that is indeed the place to start. But the practical place is in our priorities. If we want to make our days great, then we have to live out those things that will by definition make our days great. And those things are what are important to us. They are our priorities.
So each morning you start out by saying, “What things are important to me today? What are the things I need to accomplish in order for me to lay down tonight and know that I lived a GREAT day?” Then you put those in order of most important to least important.
Don’t so what is fun. Don’t do what is easy. Do what is IMPORTANT! Live out your priorities! When you do, you will guarantee that you will make your day GREAT, every day!
Tomorrow, when you wake up, go through the four following points and see if you don’t make tomorrow a GREAT day:
- Focus on today only.
- Understand that I get to choose how today will go.
- Remain in a positive attitude no matter what happens.
- Live out and act on my priorities.
Do this and you will guarantee a GREAT day, every day!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Neil Armstrong
Great story!!
On July 20, 1969, as commander of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon. His first words after stepping on the moon, 'that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,' were televised to earth and heard by millions. But, just before he re-entered the Lander, he made the enigmatic remark 'Good luck, Mr. Gorsky.'
However, upon checking, there was no Gorsky in either the Russian or American space programs. Over the years many people questioned Armstrong as to what the 'Good luck, Mr. Gorsky... statement meant, but Armstrong always just smiled.
On July 5, 1995, in Tampa Bay, Florida, while answering questions following a speech, a reporter brought up the 26- year-old question to Armstrong. This time he finally responded.
Mr. Gorsky had died, so Neil Armstrong felt he could now answer the question. In 1938, when he was a kid in a small mid-west town, he was playing baseball with a friend in the backyard. His friend hit the ball, which landed in his neighbor's yard by their bedroom window. His neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky. As he leaned down to pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky.
'Sex! You want sex?! You’ll get sex when the kid next door walks on the moon!'
True story! !
On July 20, 1969, as commander of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, Neil Armstrong was the first person to set foot on the moon. His first words after stepping on the moon, 'that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,' were televised to earth and heard by millions. But, just before he re-entered the Lander, he made the enigmatic remark 'Good luck, Mr. Gorsky.'
However, upon checking, there was no Gorsky in either the Russian or American space programs. Over the years many people questioned Armstrong as to what the 'Good luck, Mr. Gorsky... statement meant, but Armstrong always just smiled.
On July 5, 1995, in Tampa Bay, Florida, while answering questions following a speech, a reporter brought up the 26- year-old question to Armstrong. This time he finally responded.
Mr. Gorsky had died, so Neil Armstrong felt he could now answer the question. In 1938, when he was a kid in a small mid-west town, he was playing baseball with a friend in the backyard. His friend hit the ball, which landed in his neighbor's yard by their bedroom window. His neighbors were Mr. and Mrs. Gorsky. As he leaned down to pick up the ball, young Armstrong heard Mrs. Gorsky shouting at Mr. Gorsky.
'Sex! You want sex?! You’ll get sex when the kid next door walks on the moon!'
True story! !
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Unleashing Your Force for Good
Another great article by Chris. Enjoy!!
by Chris Widener
I do not believe that there are bad people and good people. I believe that what we have are “people,” period. People then choose what they will be. People choose to do bad or do good. And we can’t fool ourselves: each person has the capacity for both.
On one hand, every person has within them the capacity for evil. G.K. Chesterton’s quote is certainly true: “Original Sin is the only philosophy empirically validated by 3500 years of human history.” Fortunately, most societies groom people with a sense of right and wrong and encourage people to respond to their own conscience so that most people live their lives self-restricting the bad things they are capable of. For those who don’t self-restrict, we have police and prisons.
On the other hand, everyone has the capacity to do great good as well. Every mind can dream of the possibilities that they can come up with to make life better for themselves and for others around them. Every person has the imprint of God and therefore the ability to do what is good, if they so choose.
So where do most people live their lives? I think most people live their lives in the middle. Most people do not live out the terrible things they are capable of. Instead, they cut ethical corners here and there. Nothing society would punish them greatly for but not as pure as the newly fallen snow either! The opposite is true as well. Most people do not live out the incredible goodness they are capable of. They will, of course, open doors for people and jump-start an old lady’s car when the battery goes dead in the Wal-Mart parking lot, but most people do not live their lives with the passionate and purposeful pursuit of goodness each and every day to live their lives. Thus, most people live not so bad, not so good lives.
But you are different! I know by the very fact that you subscribed to this Ezine that you want to be your best – and I want to help you be your best! I want to give you some thoughts that will stir your mind and heart to action. I want to give you some principles and strategies that will enable you to take your life to the next level. We live in uncertain times. The whole world is on edge and there are many wars being fought at any given time on this old earth of ours. People who choose goodness are so desperately needed!
Are you ready to take your life to the next level? Are you ready to unleash the force of good that you have within you? Then here we go!
Know your specific gifts and talent, you strengths and abilities.
Everyone has at least one and usually a few, specific talents and abilities that, if they were utilized on a regular basis, would produce for them the kind of life they would love to live as well as produce a tremendous amount of goodness in the immediate world around them. This is especially true if they surrender their gifts to be specifically used for good. Find your strengths and regularly use them.
Develop a vision of the good you can accomplish.
If you want to produce goodness, you must have in your mind what good would look like to you. Do you have a vision of what kind of good you would like to unleash upon the world around you? Do you know what good things you want to do, the good legacy you want to work for and leave behind? Get a vision for your goodness and put it to work!
Pursue your passions.
I believe that most of the time our passions tell us what we should probably be pursuing. This is not always true but generally so. Do you have a passion for helping the underprivileged? Then pour your energies into giving them your goodness in whatever form allows you to make a difference in their lives.
Develop a strategy and action plan to work on making your passions a reality.
If you don’t plan your unleashing, it will spill everywhere and may not be as powerful and effective as if you have a specific plan to focus your goodness into a specific area. The basic example would be light. Sure a bulb will give off light and be beneficial, but when that light is so focused it becomes a laser, then it can really be powerful. Don’t just say you will embody goodness, make a plan on where you will pour your good energies.
Be ruthless about living out of your priorities.
If we want to be effective, we have to know where we are going and then stick to the plan. We cannot let anything sidetrack us! You will want to, for example, volunteer one day a week to help underprivileged children learn to read. Great idea! But you won’t believe how many things will creep into your life that will want to be scheduled for that day. If you let them, they will bump your priority and destroy your unleashing of your goodness. Stick to your priorities!
Listen to your conscience.
The conscience is perhaps the greatest gift we have. It is a built in homing device that always keeps us pointed in the direction. Yet the conscience is also like a muscle in that it gets stringer when used (listened to) and weaker when not used (not listened to). If you are in a relatively good place, you conscience will tell you what is good. Listen to it and act upon it and it will help you unleash the goodness within you!
Develop and memorize a life mission statement that declares you intentions for good.
My personal mission statement is, “To use my speaking and writing gifts to help people and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives, and achieve their dreams.” Can you think up a life mission statement that will keep you on track? Sure you can – and you should.
You have a lot of good to give to this world. And this world needs it now more than ever. Decide today that you will unleash you goodness on the world around you. Some of you reading this have a lot of influence in the world around you and others don’t have as much, but we all have some and if we all unleash our goodness into the world around us, we will certainly make a difference!
Go get ‘em! Let them have all the goodness you can give them!
by Chris Widener
I do not believe that there are bad people and good people. I believe that what we have are “people,” period. People then choose what they will be. People choose to do bad or do good. And we can’t fool ourselves: each person has the capacity for both.
On one hand, every person has within them the capacity for evil. G.K. Chesterton’s quote is certainly true: “Original Sin is the only philosophy empirically validated by 3500 years of human history.” Fortunately, most societies groom people with a sense of right and wrong and encourage people to respond to their own conscience so that most people live their lives self-restricting the bad things they are capable of. For those who don’t self-restrict, we have police and prisons.
On the other hand, everyone has the capacity to do great good as well. Every mind can dream of the possibilities that they can come up with to make life better for themselves and for others around them. Every person has the imprint of God and therefore the ability to do what is good, if they so choose.
So where do most people live their lives? I think most people live their lives in the middle. Most people do not live out the terrible things they are capable of. Instead, they cut ethical corners here and there. Nothing society would punish them greatly for but not as pure as the newly fallen snow either! The opposite is true as well. Most people do not live out the incredible goodness they are capable of. They will, of course, open doors for people and jump-start an old lady’s car when the battery goes dead in the Wal-Mart parking lot, but most people do not live their lives with the passionate and purposeful pursuit of goodness each and every day to live their lives. Thus, most people live not so bad, not so good lives.
But you are different! I know by the very fact that you subscribed to this Ezine that you want to be your best – and I want to help you be your best! I want to give you some thoughts that will stir your mind and heart to action. I want to give you some principles and strategies that will enable you to take your life to the next level. We live in uncertain times. The whole world is on edge and there are many wars being fought at any given time on this old earth of ours. People who choose goodness are so desperately needed!
Are you ready to take your life to the next level? Are you ready to unleash the force of good that you have within you? Then here we go!
Know your specific gifts and talent, you strengths and abilities.
Everyone has at least one and usually a few, specific talents and abilities that, if they were utilized on a regular basis, would produce for them the kind of life they would love to live as well as produce a tremendous amount of goodness in the immediate world around them. This is especially true if they surrender their gifts to be specifically used for good. Find your strengths and regularly use them.
Develop a vision of the good you can accomplish.
If you want to produce goodness, you must have in your mind what good would look like to you. Do you have a vision of what kind of good you would like to unleash upon the world around you? Do you know what good things you want to do, the good legacy you want to work for and leave behind? Get a vision for your goodness and put it to work!
Pursue your passions.
I believe that most of the time our passions tell us what we should probably be pursuing. This is not always true but generally so. Do you have a passion for helping the underprivileged? Then pour your energies into giving them your goodness in whatever form allows you to make a difference in their lives.
Develop a strategy and action plan to work on making your passions a reality.
If you don’t plan your unleashing, it will spill everywhere and may not be as powerful and effective as if you have a specific plan to focus your goodness into a specific area. The basic example would be light. Sure a bulb will give off light and be beneficial, but when that light is so focused it becomes a laser, then it can really be powerful. Don’t just say you will embody goodness, make a plan on where you will pour your good energies.
Be ruthless about living out of your priorities.
If we want to be effective, we have to know where we are going and then stick to the plan. We cannot let anything sidetrack us! You will want to, for example, volunteer one day a week to help underprivileged children learn to read. Great idea! But you won’t believe how many things will creep into your life that will want to be scheduled for that day. If you let them, they will bump your priority and destroy your unleashing of your goodness. Stick to your priorities!
Listen to your conscience.
The conscience is perhaps the greatest gift we have. It is a built in homing device that always keeps us pointed in the direction. Yet the conscience is also like a muscle in that it gets stringer when used (listened to) and weaker when not used (not listened to). If you are in a relatively good place, you conscience will tell you what is good. Listen to it and act upon it and it will help you unleash the goodness within you!
Develop and memorize a life mission statement that declares you intentions for good.
My personal mission statement is, “To use my speaking and writing gifts to help people and organizations turn their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives, and achieve their dreams.” Can you think up a life mission statement that will keep you on track? Sure you can – and you should.
You have a lot of good to give to this world. And this world needs it now more than ever. Decide today that you will unleash you goodness on the world around you. Some of you reading this have a lot of influence in the world around you and others don’t have as much, but we all have some and if we all unleash our goodness into the world around us, we will certainly make a difference!
Go get ‘em! Let them have all the goodness you can give them!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Great Quote by Walter Anderson
"I am responsible. Although I may not be able to prevent the worst from happening, I am responsible for my attitude toward the inevitable misfortunes that darken life. Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself."
The Three Legs of Persuasion
by Chris Widener
If you have heard me talk about leadership at all, you will know that I have a very simple definition of Leadership. Leadership is simply: Influence. That’s it. Simple. When you lead, you influence. To lead others is to influence them through various means to follow you to your vision of a preferred thought, belief or action.
One of the key ways to do so is to increase your ability to persuade people. Now, at first glance you may do as many do and think of persuasion as simply a verbal plea or argument (in the positive sense of the word) that seeks to change someone’s mind. I want to focus in on what I believe to be a much more well rounded view of persuasion, one that has been around for many hundreds of years, and which, when applied, will increase your ability to persuade others, or influence them.
My basic points for this article are found from Aristotle’s “The Rhetoric.” They are what I call the “Three Legs of Persuasion.” Together they enable us to fully persuade people. Miss any of the three legs and it is like trying to sit on a three-legged stool that is missing one leg!
What are the three legs? They are:
Logos, or Logic
Pathos, or Passion
Ethos, or Ethics
Let’s start with the two that are most prevalent, Logic and Passion, and end with what I consider to be the most important, Ethics.
In order to master the art of persuasion, you must have:
1. Logic. Your vision must make sense to the person who is following you (or the one you are trying to get to follow you!). How is this done?
* Vision. Do you have a vision of where it is that you want to go? Do you have the destination in mind? If you want people to follow you, you need to have a vision, an end result that you are targeting.
* Clarity. Is the vision clear? Can it be articulated clearly? Is it simple enough to grasp? Does it make sense?
* Communication. Can you communicate your vision so that it is understandable and compelling? Do you communicate it regularly so that the logic of it sinks in?
* Strategy. The strategy for getting to your destination must be logical for your followers. Does it make sense for them to follow you on the journey of your vision for your organization? A well-thought out strategy for getting to your vision is a must.
2. Passion. People underestimate the principle of passion. Today more than ever, this element of being passionate about your vision is paramount to the idea of persuasion.
As we leave the modern era and move into what sociologists are calling the “post-modern” era, people are going to be persuaded less by logic and reason than they are passion. We live in a video age that uses images and music to move people more than sense and reason. For example, think about how basketball shoes are sold today. They ads don’t say, “These shoes are made from the finest rubber and leather and will sustain the shock of x amount of pounds of pressure, etc, etc.” No, today shoes are sold by showing basketball players dribbling the ball to a methodical beat. Image. Passion.
So do we throw out logic? Certainly not, but we understand that the passion we demonstrate is extremely important. Probably more important than logic and increasingly so in the years to come.
Are you passionate about your vision? Does that come through when you speak about it? Does it come through in the materials that you distribute to support your vision?
People want to know that you are passionate about your vision. If you aren’t passionate about it, then why should they be? Your vision must be passionately compelling. After all, you are asking them to put themselves on the line, to give it all to get the group to the vision. It takes a passionate person to move a group toward a vision. And the bigger the vision, the more passion you need to get there!
3. Ethics. This is what I believe to be the most important aspect of these three legs of persuasion. Ethics. Integrity. Character. However you want to say it, people look at you and are constantly judging your character.
You may have tremendous skills. You may have all the logic in the world and passion to fill a sporting arena, but if your followers see a crack in your character, they will run for the hills. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not talking about mistakes. Followers will allow for mistakes. But they will not allow for poor character.
I know what you must be thinking: Wait a minute. We have all sorts of leaders with poor character - just look at the politicians! A few thoughts on that very good question:
Many of the people we think have poor character have many others (and in a politician’s case, they just need 51%) who think their character is fine, or at least sufficient. So for some the question of ethics has been answered, just differently than we would answer it. For example, polls show that most people think that politicians are unethical and corrupt in general. But when polled on their own representative, they answer that that person is just fine, thank you very much.
Secondly, we have seen that very talented leaders are eventually undone by their lack of character, or at least thwarted in their goals of leadership. Let’s take Bill Clinton for example. What do we know about him? What would most people agree upon?
For one, he is smart, a Rhode’s scholar. For another, he is talented. Still more, he is passionate and driven. He is winsome and gregarious. We also know that he had a few “character problems.”
“But he was re-elected,” you may point out. True, but he didn’t accomplish what he wanted to because he was answering the question of his character all of the time. And beyond that, many people who were big supporters of his ended up realizing that they could have someone else who would provide leadership without the sideshow, and they abandoned him in droves by the end.
To his major detractors, Bill Clinton was an example of a person who lacked the character to lead. To his supporters he has become a caricature of lost opportunity because of the issues of character. Now, I do not intend to turn this article into a discussion of politics, but I use Clinton as an example of how people who are both opposed as well as sympathetic to him and his vision can agree that character questions were his undoing.
Where does this leave us? Hopefully you aren’t dealing with the kind of issues we have seen in our political process lately, but you should be asking yourself what your character is like.
Am I honest? Am I who I say I am? Do I do what is right? Am I responsible? Am I the same behind closed doors as I am in public? Am I a person of integrity? These are the most important questions. The way your followers answer them about you will determine to what degree they follow you. Will people follow you if your character is less than stellar? Maybe. But all other things being the same, a strong character will put you over the top.
Logic, passion and ethics are the three legs of persuasion. Become a person with a vision that is logical and well thought out, combine that with a passionate pursuit, and you are well on your way to persuading people and achieving the goal for your organization. The key will be what kind of character you have. If you develop a fine, strong character, with high personal ethics, you will have all three legs of persuasion - and you will become an Extraordinary Leader!
If you have heard me talk about leadership at all, you will know that I have a very simple definition of Leadership. Leadership is simply: Influence. That’s it. Simple. When you lead, you influence. To lead others is to influence them through various means to follow you to your vision of a preferred thought, belief or action.
One of the key ways to do so is to increase your ability to persuade people. Now, at first glance you may do as many do and think of persuasion as simply a verbal plea or argument (in the positive sense of the word) that seeks to change someone’s mind. I want to focus in on what I believe to be a much more well rounded view of persuasion, one that has been around for many hundreds of years, and which, when applied, will increase your ability to persuade others, or influence them.
My basic points for this article are found from Aristotle’s “The Rhetoric.” They are what I call the “Three Legs of Persuasion.” Together they enable us to fully persuade people. Miss any of the three legs and it is like trying to sit on a three-legged stool that is missing one leg!
What are the three legs? They are:
Logos, or Logic
Pathos, or Passion
Ethos, or Ethics
Let’s start with the two that are most prevalent, Logic and Passion, and end with what I consider to be the most important, Ethics.
In order to master the art of persuasion, you must have:
1. Logic. Your vision must make sense to the person who is following you (or the one you are trying to get to follow you!). How is this done?
* Vision. Do you have a vision of where it is that you want to go? Do you have the destination in mind? If you want people to follow you, you need to have a vision, an end result that you are targeting.
* Clarity. Is the vision clear? Can it be articulated clearly? Is it simple enough to grasp? Does it make sense?
* Communication. Can you communicate your vision so that it is understandable and compelling? Do you communicate it regularly so that the logic of it sinks in?
* Strategy. The strategy for getting to your destination must be logical for your followers. Does it make sense for them to follow you on the journey of your vision for your organization? A well-thought out strategy for getting to your vision is a must.
2. Passion. People underestimate the principle of passion. Today more than ever, this element of being passionate about your vision is paramount to the idea of persuasion.
As we leave the modern era and move into what sociologists are calling the “post-modern” era, people are going to be persuaded less by logic and reason than they are passion. We live in a video age that uses images and music to move people more than sense and reason. For example, think about how basketball shoes are sold today. They ads don’t say, “These shoes are made from the finest rubber and leather and will sustain the shock of x amount of pounds of pressure, etc, etc.” No, today shoes are sold by showing basketball players dribbling the ball to a methodical beat. Image. Passion.
So do we throw out logic? Certainly not, but we understand that the passion we demonstrate is extremely important. Probably more important than logic and increasingly so in the years to come.
Are you passionate about your vision? Does that come through when you speak about it? Does it come through in the materials that you distribute to support your vision?
People want to know that you are passionate about your vision. If you aren’t passionate about it, then why should they be? Your vision must be passionately compelling. After all, you are asking them to put themselves on the line, to give it all to get the group to the vision. It takes a passionate person to move a group toward a vision. And the bigger the vision, the more passion you need to get there!
3. Ethics. This is what I believe to be the most important aspect of these three legs of persuasion. Ethics. Integrity. Character. However you want to say it, people look at you and are constantly judging your character.
You may have tremendous skills. You may have all the logic in the world and passion to fill a sporting arena, but if your followers see a crack in your character, they will run for the hills. Now don’t get me wrong. I am not talking about mistakes. Followers will allow for mistakes. But they will not allow for poor character.
I know what you must be thinking: Wait a minute. We have all sorts of leaders with poor character - just look at the politicians! A few thoughts on that very good question:
Many of the people we think have poor character have many others (and in a politician’s case, they just need 51%) who think their character is fine, or at least sufficient. So for some the question of ethics has been answered, just differently than we would answer it. For example, polls show that most people think that politicians are unethical and corrupt in general. But when polled on their own representative, they answer that that person is just fine, thank you very much.
Secondly, we have seen that very talented leaders are eventually undone by their lack of character, or at least thwarted in their goals of leadership. Let’s take Bill Clinton for example. What do we know about him? What would most people agree upon?
For one, he is smart, a Rhode’s scholar. For another, he is talented. Still more, he is passionate and driven. He is winsome and gregarious. We also know that he had a few “character problems.”
“But he was re-elected,” you may point out. True, but he didn’t accomplish what he wanted to because he was answering the question of his character all of the time. And beyond that, many people who were big supporters of his ended up realizing that they could have someone else who would provide leadership without the sideshow, and they abandoned him in droves by the end.
To his major detractors, Bill Clinton was an example of a person who lacked the character to lead. To his supporters he has become a caricature of lost opportunity because of the issues of character. Now, I do not intend to turn this article into a discussion of politics, but I use Clinton as an example of how people who are both opposed as well as sympathetic to him and his vision can agree that character questions were his undoing.
Where does this leave us? Hopefully you aren’t dealing with the kind of issues we have seen in our political process lately, but you should be asking yourself what your character is like.
Am I honest? Am I who I say I am? Do I do what is right? Am I responsible? Am I the same behind closed doors as I am in public? Am I a person of integrity? These are the most important questions. The way your followers answer them about you will determine to what degree they follow you. Will people follow you if your character is less than stellar? Maybe. But all other things being the same, a strong character will put you over the top.
Logic, passion and ethics are the three legs of persuasion. Become a person with a vision that is logical and well thought out, combine that with a passionate pursuit, and you are well on your way to persuading people and achieving the goal for your organization. The key will be what kind of character you have. If you develop a fine, strong character, with high personal ethics, you will have all three legs of persuasion - and you will become an Extraordinary Leader!
John Maxwell
Leadership determines the direction of the company.
Organization determines the potential of the company.
Personell determine the success of the company.
Organization determines the potential of the company.
Personell determine the success of the company.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Danny Macaskill - Inspired riding!!
Want some inspiration??? Check out this kid on a bike! That's PASSSION, Dedication and HARDWORK!! Amazing story!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o
http://www.dannymacaskill.co.uk/videos.php -click on videos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z19zFlPah-o
http://www.dannymacaskill.co.uk/videos.php -click on videos!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Ducks quack, Eagles soar
Not sure of the author, but still a great story!!
No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice. My friend Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this
point.
He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped outand rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey.
He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'
Taken aback, Harvey read the card.
It said: Wally's Mission Statement:
"To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment."
This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!
As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.'
My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.'
Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.'
Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'
Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.'
As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.' And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.
Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.
'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'
Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called "You'll See It When You Believe It". Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining!
Differentiate yourself from your competition.
Don't be a duck. Be an eagle.
Ducks quack and complain.
Eagles soar above the crowd.'
'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle.
I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'
'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.
'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'
Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it.
Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting.
Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like a duck and start soaring like an eagle. How about us?
A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the deserved harvest, if we do not give up!
Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar
No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice. My friend Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this
point.
He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped outand rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey.
He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'
Taken aback, Harvey read the card.
It said: Wally's Mission Statement:
"To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment."
This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!
As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.'
My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.'
Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.'
Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'
Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.'
As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.' And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.
Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.
'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'
Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called "You'll See It When You Believe It". Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining!
Differentiate yourself from your competition.
Don't be a duck. Be an eagle.
Ducks quack and complain.
Eagles soar above the crowd.'
'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally. 'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle.
I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'
'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.
'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'
Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it.
Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting.
Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like a duck and start soaring like an eagle. How about us?
A man reaps what he sows. Let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap the deserved harvest, if we do not give up!
Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar
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