FOCUS ON THE VITAL FEW

We are in the second half of 2008 and it’s a perfect time to focus on your Vital Few. Your Vital Few are the two or three goals that you need to achieve by the end of the year to take your business, your life or your finances to the next level. 

With 5 months  left in the year is an excellent time frame for goal-setting. One quarter (90 days) is enough time to get good things done, yet short enough to feel manageable.

You may ask why only two or three things. It’s simply because focusing on four, five or more priorities is spreading your focus too thinly. Those who try to do everything end up doing nothing.

Choosing a few goals also forces you to do only what is most important.
It’s also important that your Vital Few reflect the highest priorities in your life and work.

Those who make a difference focus their time on what matters most. Whether it is raising your customer service standards, going on private dates with your children or investing time in your character, make sure that your Vital Few are deeply relevant.

Jim

LEADERSHIP

I find it useful to study great Leaders and understand “what makes then tick” - it can give us personal insights into our core values and beliefs. Nelson Mandela has 90 years experience of LIFE.

His 8 leadership lessons as detailed in TIME:

1. Courage is not the absence of fear - it’s inspiring others to move beyond it
2. Lead from the front but don’t leave your base behind
3. Lead from the back and let others believe they are in front
4. Know your enemy and learn about his favorite sport
5. Keep your friends close - and your rivals even closer
6. Appearances matter - and remember to smile
7. Nothing is black or white
8. Quitting is leading too

Does any of his “lessons” resonate with you?

In reflection, what would you say are your Leadership lessons? 

Sharing,

Jim

BALANCE

I hope you are having a brilliant summer. I’m making time for life’s sweetest pleasures: days in nature, gentle breezes by the sea and relaxed evenings under the stars. Life’s simplest things are life’s best ones.

Success is all about cycles. Yes, play at your best, create remarkable results and add outrageous value through your work. Yet, all driving and no renewing is a formula for trouble. My invitation to you, during these months of summer, is to carve out some time to chase your passions, do the things you love and just be. By being good to you, you’ll find you will come back to your dreams/goals/desires with a newfound sense of passion/energy/and focus. And that would be an excellent thing, wouldn’t it?

So, enjoy your summer with some of these tactics that have worked spectacularly well for me.

• Private Dates
  Set aside time with your family and friends to do something together. Something that the you enjoy doing together.
• Spend Time in Nature
  Get outside. Walk in the park, raft down the river, hike in the woods. Being in nature refreshes you.
• Micro-Adventures
  Schedule a half hour or an hour a week to go on a micro-adventure. It can be eating a new kind of food or visiting a museum you’ve never been to or just driving through a new part of town.

Finally, I’d like to say thank you. For your support of my work, for spreading word of my message and for believing in me.

In Leadership,

Jim

The Five Ps For SUCCESS

They are PASSION, PATIENCE, PERSISTENCE, PERCEPTION and PURPOSE.

I believe they will give you a sense of direction and deeper understanding as you walk in your own personal success!    

PASSION: There is nothing in the world like doing something you want to do versus something you have to do. Whether you are working a regular job or have your own business, you have to make sure whatever it is you are doing you are passionate about it. You see, when you’re passionate about something, the way you talk about it; everything just sounds different. You come off more confident and knowledgeable. People can sense your passion and you are simply more believable. See, when you are truly passionate about something you can deliver it, sell it or as I like to say close the deal. Having passion for something simply cannot be made up. There is no formula, either you are into it or you’re not. At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself how bad do you really want it.

PATIENCE: For most of us this is the hardest thing to do… exercise Patience. I’ll be the first to say I wanted it yesterday, but that’s just not realistic. No matter what it is in life you are trying to achieve you have to have patience. I’m sure at some point and time you’ve asked yourself will it ever happen. Like most people I too have been in a constant battle within myself trying to figure out is this going be THE year? What I’ve found out is that many of us “feel” we are ready and “truthfully we are not.” This is where patience comes in. There comes a point when you have to realise if something is for you, its for you. Nothing or no one can take it away. Sometimes in life we have to simply be patient and see things through no matter what obstacles lay ahead.

PERSISTENCE: I have to ask the question. How bad do you want it? I think the biggest mistake I’ve seen as to why people are not successful is literally because they give up to soon. They are not persistent in their journey for success. Simply having persistence can get you along way in life. I often ask many successful entrepreneurs about how they obtained their success. A lot of them told me “they simply refused to give up!” They were so persistent in what they wanted; they would not let anything stand in their way. Being persistent can mean the difference between success and failure. No matter what it is you are in pursuit of, you have to remember to stay persistent. Persistence is everything when you’re looking for success! 

PERCEPTION: Applied the right way perception can be very instrumental in your success. How people perceive you, your business or whatever you’re trying to achieve can make all the difference in the world.  My point of view is probably going to be a lot different from most because I market people for a living. I have to look at most things by how people’s perception will be not by how it really is. It’s like being an image consultant, the person’s appearance basically is focused on more than who the person really is. hink about when you first put on a new suit or new dress you just feel different. It works both ways; the way you perceive yourself in it as well as the way others perceive you. The power of perception changes our entire outlook. Perception can catapult you and your business to another level.

PURPOSE: Purpose is defined as something one intends to get or do. Do you know what your purpose is? I think for a lot of people the reason they are not successful is because they haven’t found their purpose. Sometimes you have to ask yourself what is my true purpose for doing what I’m doing? See once you begin to understand the relevance of purpose, whatever it is you are trying to achieve becomes simple. You must be guided by purpose. There are many people with the desire to be successful but have no purpose to be successful. You have to make sure that whatever it is you are trying to achieve in life in order to be truly successful that you have really thought about your purpose first.

Set your compass with the Ps as your “Northing…”

Jim

HEROES

So many of us have heroes. Leaders, artists or entreprenuers that inspire us. People who have made an impact, people who have shown us a better way, people who have overcome outrageous odds.

Yet, the interesting insight about heroes is that they have the human imperfections and weaknesses that we do. They have their bad days, they feel despair, they get knocked down (in fact, heroes get knocked down more than the rest of us). Yet, in spite of their human frailties, heroes find a way to change the world.

Here’s my challenge to you–be your own hero.

Ask yourself, what would it take for me to show up in the world like my heroes?

You may never discover a life changing medicine, invent a best-in-class product or win the World Cup.

But, you can show up every day with discipline, compassion and extraordinary commitment.

So, in your journal, go through the following steps and take the hero’s journey.
List three to five of your heros.
For each hero write down the traits that you admire.

Is it Steve Nash’s selflessness on the court?

Is it Martin Luther King’s commitment to civil rights?

Is it Richard Branson’s vison?

Then translate these traits into your life.

Can you be more selfless at work?

Can you make an unshakeable commitment to do the right thing?

Can you create a powerful vision for your life and pursue it?
Write these traits down on a card or better still on a picture of that hero.

Remind yourself to act like that hero.

This way your hero becomes your mentor–even if you’ll never meet them.
Then go into your days and live like the hero you are.

Jim

STEP CHANGE

The way you behave in a single moment could change the one million moments that follow.

You have an extraordinary ability to shape your future-by how you show up in the present.So I encourage you to step into your power.

Refuse to make excuses for what’s not working in your life.

Stop blaming others for what’s not world-class in your world.

You have the power to create so much of what you want.

Own It.

BE It

Jim

What are The Symptoms of Success?

As I travel aroud the world I meet a lot of successful people. I am a “People Watcher” and I am fascinated at what is the difference that makes the difference in successful people.

It appears to me that despite their different nationalities, faiths and businesses they all have something in common. They had all overcome big setbacks. As a matter of fact, their success was in direct proportion to the size of the challenges they faced.

The BIG IDEA: setbacks are symptoms of success. If you are not facing setbacks then you are probably not dreaming big enough. If you are not experiencing setbacks you are probably playing small with your life. Without roadblocks there are no victories.

Challenges forge the greatness in you. They let you know what isn’t working. They force you to be creative. They are the road to your NLG (Next Level of Greatness).

So, the next time you face a setback take a moment to celebrate. I know that roadblocks can be frustrating or depressing or embarrasing. Yet, the best among us find a way to keep on acting in the rainstorm of these emotions (and like rainstorms, emotions eventually pass).

Think of the sales rep who makes the next call after a rejection or the athlete who works as hard at physiotherapy as their game when injured, or the student who changes their study habits after a failed exam. They all keep moving towards their mountaintop because they all know that the path to their greatest life is never straight.

Here are some tactics for learning and moving on after a setback.

• Journaling
  Write about the challenge in your journal. Go through your feelings. Uncover exactly what bothers you most. Journalling helps you acknowledge your feelings and turn them into energy.
• Exercise
  Working out releases endorphins and gives you a sense of well-being. It also focuses you on something else and gives you a small daily win which improves your energy and confidence.
• Find the Upside
  After journaling and exercising you are in a better state of mind to discover the opportunity. What doors have now opened? How can solving the problem improve your game?
• Watch Your Highlight Reel
  Think about the last time you made it through a setback. What worked? How did you feel when you moved on? Visualise your past successes. They’ll give you the confidence to move on. They may also provide clues to solving this problem.
• Strategise
  Create a plan. Find out a way to get the client back, to find new love, to get stronger after an illness. Whatever it it, planning will put you back in control. Then include this plan in your schedule because what gets scheduled gets done.  Click here for some more tools and techniques.

Have fun and live with PASSION.

Jim

THE LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP

Let’s explore the principle of “TOP DOWN” Leadership - the different styles of why people follow other people:

5. POSITION (Title) “Rights”

People follow because they have to.

Your influence will not extend beyond the lines of your job description. The longer you stay here , the higher the tunover and lower the morale.  People begin to limit you; to put fences around you. You can’t stay here for more than a couple of years.

4. PERMISSION “Relationships”

People follow because they want to.

People will follow you because you stand your authority. This level allows work to be FUN. Caution: staying too long on this level without rising will cause highly motivated people to become restless.

3. PRODUCTION “Results”

People follow you because of what you have done for the organisation.

This is where success is sensed by most people. They like you and what you are doing. Problems are fixed with very little effort because of momentum. (Don’t let the momentum stop!)

2. PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT “Reproduction”

People follow you of what you have done for them personally.

This is where long range growth occurs. Your commitment to dveloping leaders will insure ongoing growth to the organisation and to people. Do whatever you can to achieve and stay on this level.

1. PERSONHOOD “Respect”

People follow you because of what you are and what you represent.

This step is reserved for leaders who have spent years growing people and organisations. Few make it. Those who do are bigger than life!!!

Leadership is “at the end of the day” not a title or position - it is a state of mind. We can all be Leaders - no matter our station in life. STEP forward today, SHINE your light and aspire to the greatness as you were born to BE.

Jim

THE FINAL PUSH

Have you been thinking about great projects?
Finishing a degree, closing a sale, running a major event, signing an important deal, completing a DREAM? 

In every case the project is hardest just before the end. You’re tired and unenthused or a last minute obstacle has emerged or the client has changed their mind. It’s tough at the end. Yes, it’s important to take the first step, however, anyone can take the first step. It’s the individual who takes the thousandth step that is truly remarkable. Enduring greatness comes to those who stay with a project till it’s done. And done masterfully with elegance. 

THE FINAL PUSH is that last burst of effort that gets you across the finish line. Where you reach deep into yourself and find the resources necessary to get the job done. And here is the BIG thought: your biggest challenges will draw out your greatest gifts.

Think about the projects in your life. What needs a Final Push? What do you need to finish beautifully in order to fulfil your commitments, deliver outrageous value or leave a legacy? I challenge you to start that Final Push and get to YOUR greatest life.

Here are some tips for finding extra energy at the project’s end:

• Remember why you are doing the project.
• Visualise a positive future–receiving your degree, satisfying a customer, closing the deal.
• Take care of yourself. Eat well, drink water and breathe deeply.
• Take mini-breaks. Go for a walk, listen to your iPod or call a supportive friend.
• Set and achieve short term goals.
•  Focus on the work you need to now and you will worry less about everything else.

Live the flow of your inner guidance and you’ll blast through the finishing line DAZZLING all…..

Jim

STRESS and  PRESSURE

Stress is THE 21st century DIS - EASE which has become a silent epidemic - and it KILLS. More people are now compelled to do something about it. Organisations are slowly awakening to the fact that millions of pounds are lost every year in absenteeism, inefficiency, relationship conflict, and poor quality of work due to stress. However, a number of dangerous myths have developed which are distracting attention away from the real cause and cures of stress.

One of the symptoms is Chronic Fatigue, and it is believed that with the right circumstances it can lead to something called Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) that affects around 1 in 200 peole in the UK and the US.  In the UK this week there was a conference in Cambridge where new hope was given for sufferers. Jonathan Kerr of St Georges University of London told the conference that, with his colleagues, they have identified 88 genes which were expressed differently  in the blood of patients with ME. This says Dr Kerr, points to a biological basis for the illness and holds out hope for a blood test to identify its differnt forms.

It can also lead to backaches, tension headaches, stomach and digestive problems, skin problems, asthma and high blood pressure. If we ignore the syptoms it can lead to “malfunction junction” - accident proneness, clumsiness, spilling things and bumping into things. Judgement errors and bad decisions, repeated errors in spelling, typing, computing, significant memory problems, slips of the tongue and using wrong words, flashes of impatience and irritation. Eventually if we miss the cues we can end up with Sleep problems, Gastrointestinal disorders, Heart problems, Shortnend life span…

THE 8 MYTHS about STRESS

1. MYTH: You have to be a doctor to diagnose stress - You don’t. Most doctors only treat the physical synptoms - not the root cause. Only YOU know the root causes of your stress and only YOU can manage it and prevent it. With a little guidance you can become your own doctor.
2. MYTH: Stress is natural and an inevitable part of modern living - Not so. There is no such thing as positive stress. By definition stress is unnatural. Stress is a form of pain and pain is simply a messenger there is something YOU need to change. And that means ther is something YOU neeed to learn.
3. MYTH: Stress is necessary to reach peak performance -  Definitely NOT. It is a false belief that stress, or puttting excessive pressure on people is necessary to get things done. Stress leads to illness, absenteeism, poor work performance and eventually dimishing effectiveness. There is NO such thing as positive stress (an oxymoron)
4. MYTH: Stress is simlpy a physical phenomena and a little rest will make it go away - Nonsense!! The root casue of all stress is the non-physical realms of thoughts and feelings.
5. MYTH: A change of diet, a little jogging and a good holiday will take your stress away - Sorry. For the same reason as above, these things may relieve the symptoms temporarily, but will not provide a cure. That’s not to say a healthy diet, nutrition and exercise are not important - they are. However, they will not free you from stress.
6. MYTH: You have to be working 14 hours a day and constantly meeting deadlines to experinece stress - Not al all. Some people only work a few hours a day, hardly even confront a deadline and are more stressed than those working long hours to tight deadlines.
7. MYTH: Other people, situations and events are responsible for your experience of stress - They are not. This is the most common myth, otherwise know as ‘victimitis’. Stress is not the result of what other people say or do. It is the result of how WE respond to them or the circumstances. Whic is why stress management is also an oxymoron. What it really measn is SELF - MANAGEMENT.
8. MYTH: You never experience stress - Unlikely. Everyone experiences some kind of stress every day. However, many are not aware what they are experiencing is stress, or they are in denial and will not admit to the stress they experience for the fear of loss of of face or position. This only leads to greater stress.

Do an inventory of yourself today - do you find yourself saying any of the above? The first stage of controlling stress is being the external observer, the watcher. Then use the power of choice to do something about it NOW. Recognising it and “going with the flow” is an important signpost towards “what’s out of balance in your life at this moment.”

HAve FUN exploring all the possibilites of living a powerfull life NOW.

Jim.