Morning Motivator – How to Ease the Pressure

"Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today."
-Lord Chesterfield

My previous CEO, Andy Bailey, always said that "Stress comes from unfinished commitments." I always liked that statement as I have found it to be very true in ALL aspects of life. Think about it – what do you STRESS out about the most? The usual suspects arise – money, health, family, etc, however the ones that hurt the MOST are being late for an appointment, that report that is due Tuesday, being behind in your sales goals. It's the PRESSURES you are able to CONTROL that hurt the most and cause the most anxiety.

Most people have yet to RECOGNIZE that they are in TOTAL control of how they manage stress by how they manage activities. Every morning you have a choice on what you are going to do – read the paper, log into MySpace, chat with a friend OR you can type out that email you need to get to the client, call on your new business development list, etc… what do YOU most often choose?

Like many others, you (and I) will likely choose the tasks that hurt the LEAST or in this case are the EASIEST to accomplish. Then at the end of the day we will RUSH to complete the MOST IMPORTANT tasks that we have been putting off all day long. You may even CONVINCE yourself that you are "better under pressure," however don't confuse an excuse with a reality. Common mistakes are made in a RUSHED situation where time and pressure cause mental errors. So what can you do?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

Often TIME MANAGEMENT is confused with PRIORITY MANAGEMENT – don't let yourself fall into this trap. You are COMPENSATED to create results – not babysit a computer. Once you understand the VALUE of YOUR time, you are better suited to begin working at a higher capacity.

I focus my efforts on being able to complete my days most CRITICAL tasks before lunch time. Why? First, it places a measurement on my productivity – can I get this much done, this quickly, with ACCURACY? Secondly, it frees up my afternoon for CREATIVE opportunity – networking, research, community activity, etc.

When you are able to FOCUS on the most important PRIORITIES, you are able to complete the most IMPORTANT tasks and allow the remaining "bull" to fall to the side. Do what drives your business, don't mess with all the other stuff. This WILL ease your mind, your body and your spirits from the PRESSURES of a tough workday. Take CONTROL of your life… you will thank yourself for it! Have a GREAT weekend!!

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 - A Goal Worth Setting

"You want to set a goal that is big enough that in the process of achieving it you become someone worth becoming."
- Jim Rohn

How do you determine what YOU want? Are you ACCEPTING a vision your parents had for you (ie get a "normal" job, get married, buy insurance)? If you don't know what you REALLY Want - how do you KNOW you will be happy when you get there?

Goal setting is really about providing you STRUCTURE to achieve what YOU want in the most efficient manner. If you want to generate personal income of $100,000 this year - what are the ACTIONS needed to do so? There is your goal. If you are seeking a REWARDING and LOVING relationship - what needs to happen to find that? Again, YOUR goal.

Often, we establish our goals without much consideration for what we REALLY want. In reality, we often set our goals low (or not at all) so we don't have to feel FAILURE, REJECTION or EMBARRASMENT. But if we do that... How are we really ACHIEVING anything worthwhile?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
In the book I am currently reading, the author set a targeted income goal of $100,000 in annual income (from the $30,000 he was making at the time).

He mentions that he "FAILED" to meet his goal of $100,000 by only making $92,000. Wow! He "failed" and more than TRIPLED his income... What a way to fail!

Set your goals such that they STRETCH your abilities. The LEARNING that is derived will ensure your SUCCESS long term, even if you have to "fail" 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.

Morning Motivator - The Greatest Danger

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it."
- Michelangelo

How are GOALS set? Who determines WHAT the goals for your company should be and where did those ideas come from? How do you set your PERSONAL goals?

Goal setting, to me, seems very arbitrary, albeit necessary. Why? Simply put, a goal provides you with INTENT and PURPOSE in your daily actions. A goal is what provides you with DIRECTION for your passions and skills so as to focus them into productivity.

Often I wonder - "are my goals too high? Or worse, are they too low?" The real TRAGEDY would be in ACHIEVING your goals and only pushing yourself to 60% of your potential. Commonly, I see the person that wins at EVERYTHING, really has never tried ANYTHING.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Goal setting can be DAUNTING. Its hard to know where to start and no one wants to FAIL...

Here's the skinny though - if you shoot for high (yet reasonably achievable) goals, if you happen to fall short, you are still quite SUCCESSFUL! If you don't feel successful in falling short of a high goal - read the Morning Motivator on "When is Good Enough..?"

Aim high, work hard and remember that "FAILURE" is only negative if you fail to learn from it.

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 - Create Your Future

"Create your future from your future, not your past."
- Werner Erhard

Like many others, I am one that tends to DWELL on the past- success, failures, relationships, friendships. I am a BELIEVER that your past will provide an insight into your future. But, is that REALLY true?

How is it that people with PAST failures can achieve so GREATLY if the past is such a strong indicator? How can a drug addict become a preacher? A felon become a counselor? A bankrupt business man become a wealthy tycoon?

Each of us has the ABILITY to do one single thing TODAY with our life... CHANGE. If you would like to have more WEALTH - take action to achieve it (enroll in school, start a business, learn about stocks). If you want LOVE - begin investing the TIME into yourself and someone else - make efforts to KNOW someone and discover their most attractive features.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
CHANGE is more about an adjustment in your MENTAL focus than about the actions you take.

The most IMPACTFUL changes are not the ones you make today by saying "I should..." rather they are made by saying and believing "I WILL..."

Once you have MENTALLY committed to change - you will harness CONTROL of your future and be able to shed your past. Are you ready to COMMITT?

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 - Why Be Better Than Good..?

"The enemy of good is better."
- Unknown

Special thanks to Nancy, for helping with this Morning Motivator.

I find most INTERESTING, the weekends that I look back and think - "What did I really accomplish?" For me, this past weekend was spent working on my home, studying and spending some unusual hours growing a blossoming relationship. But what did I really accomplish? Answer: A lot.

Yesterday, I was sitting at Bongo Java in East Nashville studying with Nancy when she ran across a sub title in her book which said... "the enemy of good is better." She SHARED the comment with me, knowing I often struggle with wanting to do MORE and be MORE than just "good." Commonly, I am often setting my targets for things to be "PERFECT." Oddly enough, immediately after her comment, I found a similar subtitle in the psychology book I was reading. Maybe I should be LISTENING, eh? Ultimately, the questions I DERIVED from this were - "When is just being GOOD, enough to be happy?" and "Is PERFECT an unfair goal to set for yourself?"

I BELIEVE that many people are like me in setting their GOALS so high that sometimes we find ourselves on the fast track to BURNOUT. The PURSUIT of perfection is ingrained so deeply that you hold yourself and others to STANDARDS that may not be realistic (hello, my name is STRESS, you may have met me before). Example: As a musician, is it REASONABLE to expect that you will play every note perfectly during your next performance? As a sales rep, do you EXPECT that every person you call will purchase? As a leader, do you MEASURE success as having a 100% employee satisfaction rating? If your bar is set at PERFECTION - what will it take to SUCCEED?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I am someone that is afflicted with an OBSESSIVE PERFECTIONISM - the unrealistic belief that all things around me have the ability to be "perfect" and the expectation that they should be. I TRULY believe and expect that EVERYTHING should be perfect - my job, my personal relationships, physical fitness, personal finances, etc. The CHALLENGE, of course, is how does one REACH perfection? How does one find a PERFECT mate? How does one SECURE the perfect career?

Understand, I am not suggesting that you LOWER your standards of quality or lessen your DREAMS, rather I AM suggesting that you take some of the pressure off of yourself. Allow for "less than ideal" performance and embrace the fact that YOU ARE HUMAN and YOU WILL MAKE MISTAKES. The best baseball hitters in the world only succeed 30% of the time. Realize that sometimes it is the mistakes you make that lead to the BLESSINGS you have yet to receive.

RELAX, do your BEST and KNOW that success is often found by the person who fails the most... and keeps coming back for more!

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.