Morning Motivator - I am a Promise Keeper

"As a leader, your word is only as good as your last promise kept…or broken."
- Barbara "BJ" Gallagher

I have often heard people say that INEGRITY is a key element to your character. Your CHARACTER is a make up of your values, beliefs and actions. It is your CHARACTER that people use to evaluate your worth as a person and professional.

So what DRIVES the formulation of character? Primarily - your words followed by your ACTIONS. When you make a comment of belief (I.e. I think all people need to vote), it is the subsequent actions that shape your worth in the eyes of others (I.e. You better get your a** out and vote!)

When we FAIL to take action on our declarations, we create a REPUTATION of being lazy, disorganized or generally unreliable. The FOLLOW THROUGH and IMPLEMENTATION of your action statements and beliefs IS the most difficult action item (as it is the work), yet IS the DEFINING elements of the value of your character.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Here is a word to the wise from a recovering "OVER TALKER/UNDER DOER"... Speak slowly- Act quickly.

When you take the extra 30 seconds to CONSIDER what you are saying and what you are CAPABLE of fulfilling, you may find that your personal resources are often limited.

Rather than be GOOD at everything, be GREAT at one or two things... People respect ACHIEVEMENT more than "how busy you are."

Have a GREAT weekend and say thanks to your military friends for their dedication to making our lives better!

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com

The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator – Help Me, Help You

"It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed."
-- Napoleon Hill

I love the movie Jerry Maguire. I think it's a great representation of the QUALITY people have when they begin to FOCUS on quality life experience and not just SUPERFICIAL success.

I especially enjoy the part in the film where Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) says to Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), "Help Me, Help You." This scene is very PROFOUND when you consider what the underlying theme is. It is here that we see the INTERACTION of HELP and SUCCESS. We often OVERLOOK the fact that SUCCESS is a MEASUREMENT of action and fulfillment. SUCCESS is not an end goal, much like HAPPINESS, rather it is a momentary STATE of accomplishment that lasts on BRIEFLY prior to the next task needing attention.

You may say, "Someone like Tiger Woods is SUCCESSFUL and he doesn't have to do another thing in his life." True, however consider that for Tiger to be "SUCCESSFUL" in his definition, he must continually accomplish, achieve and dominate his craft. He is not someone that makes money from playing golf – he is someone that plays golf so PASSIONATELY and with such FOCUS that people pay him!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
In order to best find the EFFICIENT path to SUCCESS (as you define it), I suggest working around these principles:
- Share with others what success means to YOU
- Ask others what success means to THEM
- Help them fill the needs they have to FOCUS on success
- Confidently ask for their help in return

There are only a limited number of NEGATIVE people in this world that do not want to HELP you SUCCEED… all the rest of us are INSPIRED, MOTIVATED and JOYFUL when we are able to help someone else find their SUCCESS DREAM. Help others find theirs, then ask someone to help you find yours!

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com

The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator - Accepting and Rising Above

"To succeed, it is necessary to accept the world as it is and rise above it."
- Michael Korda

This past weekend, at our Nashville Area Junior Chamber of Commerce retreat, I shared my INSECURITIES about personal progress and acceptance of my limitations in growth with a trusted associate. After sharing, I wondered how many other people are prone to having challenges ACCEPTING their situations and surroundings.

Being a CONTROL FREAK, I am often FRUSTRATED with my ability to move something forward or get beyond the past. I seek for everything to be PERFECT - business offerings, personal relationships and organizational planning. I am often GUILTY of punishing groups, people or opportunities for past actions or activities.

Why do some people have CHALLENGES accepting their place in the world, ADAPTING and RISING ABOVE?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

As a LEADER, it is our DUTY to separate our concerns, paranoias, and prejudices emotionally from what is IMPORTANT and VALUABLE. We must be able to ACCEPT past actions and decisions, IDENTIFY best steps moving forward and RISE ABOVE any challenges to take ACTION!

By OWNING your situation, UNDERSTANDING your feelings and PLANNING a path to overcome - your SUCCESS will be both mental and physical.

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com

The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator – Getting What You Want

"To get what we've never had, we must do what we've never done."
- Anonymous

First, I must say to any of my NAJCC Board members that read this – THANK YOU.  Your efforts this weekend at our retreat were excellent and I am fully CONFIDENT we will achieve the SUCCESS we have laid out.

This quote was sent to me last week and upon reading, I knew I MUST revisit this issue.  One of the most COMMON frustrations people have is "running up against the brick wall" with a client, project or significant other.  You often hear from them, "I have tried everything I KNOW how to do and just can't get through."  The reason you are not YET able to break through is often because you FAILED to understand WHAT that other person or project requires to move.

By design, we are IGNORANT creatures.  We have not been provided with highly refined INSTINCTS that focus our minds and actions toward BEST efforts of execution.  We must LEARN to be CREATIVE, STRATEGIC and RESILIENT in our efforts to overcome challenges.  We are limited by our EXPERIENCES and LEARNING EXPOSURE.  By that fact, we only KNOW how to do some things in some ways and its HIGHLY LIKELY that when you "hit the wall" with someone or something – it is really nothing more than your INABILITY to adapt to the challenge.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

In order to ADAPT and OVERCOME these challenges in communications, activity and understanding – you MUST try NEW and DIFFERENT ways of approaching the resolution.  If you have always sat down with your boss to talk in long detail about the problems of the organization and see NOTHING is being done; Next time – detail a list of the CONCERN AREAS with an ACTION PLAN including the members to task projects and the resources needed. 

By providing a PLAN for change and NEXT STEPS… you have eliminated one of the MAJOR barriers to change – PLANNING.  Give ACTION ITEMS and COMPLETION DATES – now you have removed the LACK OF DIRECTION. 

By providing all the answers with your complaint – you prove you are interested in making REAL CHANGE and have thought through the ways to get there!

Cheers,
Zach

*To enjoy past editions of the Morning Motivator go to – http://grow-learn-lead.blogspot.com


The Morning Motivator is a copyrighted publication. The use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.