Daily Thought Archives: June 2007

June 1
YOU GET IN TROUBLE WHEN YOU DON'T PREPARE
Think back to times when you had either difficult meetings or struggled with a work assignment. It is highly possible that at that time you were not as prepared as you usually are. Preparation was the difference. Remember, since many people don't have the discipline to do good preparation, you will always be ahead of the crowd if you do. Be a difference and do your preparation.

June 2
THERE'S NEVER A GOOD EXCUSE
There's never a good excuse. Blaming others is something that never works, and if you do; it always makes you look "smaller" in the eyes of others. Also, you can't blame yourself, as this just points the finger back at you. Therefore, remember that there never is a good excuse. Taking responsibility for your actions or non-actions is always the right path.

June 3
INPUT OFTEN TRANSLATES INTO OWNERSHIP
The best leaders know that they get better teamwork from their people when their people get the opportunity to provide their own input. Teams members who are encouraged to provide input into initiatives will also take more ownership of implementing those initiatives. Remember, input often translates into ownership.

June 4
USE OLD IDEAS IN NEW WAYS
One way to be creative is to use old ideas in new ways. Sometimes just taking the time to look at everything can trigger some new uses for the old ideas. Take the time to "think" and "brainstorm" and you will be amazed at what news ways you can use some old ideas.

June 5
IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING TALENT
The one skill that makes a leader's role much easier is the skill of identifying and developing talent. Getting the right people on your team and creating opportunities for their growth provides the capabilities for you and your team to accomplish anything you set your focus on. It all starts with identifying and development talent.

June 6
YOU HAVE TO TAKE RISKS TO GROW
Look back at all the key accomplishments in your life so far and you will see that each time you took a risk. Taking risks takes us out of our comfort zones and these are the times we grow more and accomplish more. If you are not growing fast enough, look for and take more risks.

June 7
EVERYTHING STARTS WITH HOW WE THINK
Everything we become, do and accomplish in life begins with our thinking. Everything is created in our thoughts first and then put into action. If we want to change what we are doing and accomplishing in our lives, we need to change our thinking first.

June 8
ONE THING TO COUNT ON IN LIFE: CHANGE
One thing we all can count on in today's world is change. If you or your company are not changing, you will be left behind. You could say that the #1 skill to have in today's world is leading change or being adaptable to change.

June 9
WHAT YOU PICTURE, YOU CAN ACHIEVE
Before we picture the goal or success we want, we tend to not have the confidence that we can actually achieve it. Building a strong picture in our mind brings in both the conscious and sub-conscious mind to help us achieve it. That strong picture creates a powerful focus and opportunities that were always there now become visible to us. Remember, what you picture you can achieve.

June 10
LISTEN AS IF YOU NEED TO TEACH IT YOURSELF
A great way to become a better listener is to always listen with the purpose that you will need to teach what you learn to others. This will help you to focus your listening skills, and you will catch more important information every time you are listening to others.

June 11
IMAGINE YOUR LIFE AND GROW INTO IT
Everything begins with your imagination. If you have a limited imagination, you will set a limited expectation for your life as well. Why not have a big imagination that drives you to grow to be the type of person who can go and achieve it? Start imagining and growing today.

June 12
STAY A STUDENT
John Wooden says, "It's what you learn after you know it all that counts". We all need to stay a student and continually grow our knowledge and abilities. Personal growth (and staying a student) helps us to be the person who can exploit the opportunities when they come our way.

June 13
DEMONSTRATE VERSUS TELL
For a leader, the true power comes from when they not only tell their people, but demonstrate as well. When a leader demonstrates each day the principles and behaviours he or she talks about, then everyone sees that it is more than just "talk" and begin to act in similar ways. Demonstrating or "living the talk" brings a leader true power.

June 14
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION
Here's a good phrase to use with others. When they ask you an interesting question, say: "that's a great question". People feel good when others compliment them on their questions, and if it's a tough one, you have just bought yourself a few extra seconds to think of a good answer.

June 15
YOUR DECISIONS ARE MADE AND KEPT DAILY
Sometimes people make decisions quickly, and then their actions never keep them. Whenever you make a decision for yourself or your organisation, determine right then and there how you will ensure you will keep the decision you have just made. Remember, decisions are kept daily by your actions.

June 16
THEY NEVER REGRET THE RISKS TAKEN
When people look back late in their lives, they never regret the risks they took. It is never about the risks, but always about what they have never tried. In fact, almost all of our current regrets are because we didn't take action when we could have. Why not eliminate a regret today, and take that action.

June 17
TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE
Many people today seem to be just going from day to day with no real goals or direction, and are really being controlled by circumstances and others. The way forward is to always have goals and a direction in life that makes you "self-directed" and back in control of your life. How strong are the goals and direction in your life?

June 18
IT'S JUST A DECISION
Everything you do in life comes back to a decision you made or didn't make. You can have almost anything you want in life, but you first need to "decide". Most people never make the key decisions in their lives, and just go where circumstances take them. So, make that decision today on what you want or what you have been putting off. Decisions mean commitment, and that commitment will get you there.

June 19
GO WHERE THE EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH
Successful people go where the expectations are high, as they are always seeking challenges that will drive them to grow and be better than they are today. Why? Because when the expectations are high, the challenges are greater, the rewards are greater; and the feeling of accomplishment by over-coming those challenges makes it all worthwhile. Remember; go where the expectations are high in order to reach your potential.

June 20
LEARN FROM IT OR YOU KEEPING LIVING IT
We have all had some uncomfortable or bad experiences in our lives. Very often, those experiences have stayed with us and we keep replaying them as long as we haven't taken the learnings from what happened and decided how we might act differently in the future. Without taking the learnings, you keep re-living those past bad experiences. Take the learnings today and move on.

June 21
WINNERS RISE ABOVE THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES
You can tell a great deal from observing the language used by others when they are talking about the circumstances they are in. One group always blames the circumstances for their problems, and the other looks at the actions they can take to change those circumstances. Which group are you in? Remember, winners rise about their circumstances.

June 22
I COULD HAVE TOO, IF I WOULD HAVE...
You sometimes hear people say to others who have done something great in their lives: "I could have too, if I would have...". They are saying they could have, but what they really lack is the discipline in them that the others had in them to accomplish that something great. If you ever catch yourself saying, "I could have too", think right away about the discipline that's needed in you.

June 23
IF EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT, THEN NOTHING IS
The biggest problem all of us have is deciding priorities. When things get really busy, we suddenly think everything is important and at the same priority (basically, everything needing to be done at once). Also, this is what creates additional stress in all of us. Remember; it is important to constantly decide, "What's important?". Take the time to review your priorities at least on a weekly basis, and on a daily basis when you are really busy or stressed.

June 24
WORDS HAVE MEANING, AND MEANING HAS IMPACT
Think back in your own life and to the people who made the biggest impact on you. You probably can recall the exact words that they said to you at that time. Their words had real meaning to you, and that meaning made the impact on you. Remember, words have meaning and can make an impact on the people you talk with each and every day.

June 25
GIVING YOURSELF A COMMAND AND FOLLOWING IT
A very interesting way to look at discipline is that it is giving yourself a command and then following it. We feel bad when we don't do what we promised ourselves, and get the same feeling when someone else does not follow-through on something they promised us. Follow your own commands (discipline yourself) and nothing will be beyond your reach.

June 26
YOU ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Our beliefs drive our actions, and we will only take actions to the limits of our beliefs. Basically, you accomplish what you believe about yourself. That being true, your first action should be to do whatever you can to build the belief in yourself to as big as you can make it. This way you will remove the limits on what you can accomplish in your life.

June 27
EXERCISE YOUR CREATIVITY
Everyone is creative and it really doesn't depend on IQ as to how creative you can be. The problem is that most people don't exercise their creativity. Why not spend a few minutes each day thinking "what if?" and "how could?" and you will constantly exercise your creativity.

June 28
POLITICS SHOULD NOT NECESSARILY BE NEGATIVE
Politics doesn't necessarily need to be negative. Positive politics is all about building relationships and helping others get what they want in order to get their help on what you want. Start by building positive relationships and you will create positive politics.

June 29
A TOTAL FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND
One of the biggest factors for personal effectiveness and success is always focusing your total energy on the task that you are doing at that time. Too often we try to do three things at once and waste too much time refocusing all the time. Give 100% to the task at hand.

June 30
GAME PLAN VS. GUESSING PLAN
You can accomplish more each day and in your life if you plan your time. Either you have a game plan for your life or a guessing plan. All successful people think ahead, plan their time, and anticipate the opportunities that could come their way. Be the one with a game plan versus a guessing plan.