Morning Motivator - Don't Place Barrier On Yourself

"The trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds." ~Will Durant

As mentioned yesterday, I am sharing with you some of elements of my SELF DISCOVERY over the past weeks. Today, is a focus on self initiated BARRIERS to success.

I sent an email to a small group of trusted ADVISORS asking this question: "what do you believe is holding me (zach) back from achieving at the next level?" The answers I received were EXCELLENT. The one that stood out the MOST was from a mentor who responded by saying... "The key element holding you back is the BELIEF you have something holding you back." Wow!

Interestingly, I BELIEVE that we all have LIMITING thought patterns we allow to dictate our "abilities." We are all GUILTY of saying... I CAN'T do that, I am not (insert silly trite excuse here). Whether it is a belief that we need more EDUCATION, MONEY, CONFIDENCE, EXPERIENCE, ETC or simply an instilled thought passed from your parents that you have a "place" in the world - it is YOUR duty to break free of these mental traps and APPRECIATE the brilliance you are holding inside.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Many have heard me say I hate the word POTENTIAL, as it is a measurement of what you COULD achieve if you would get off you're a** and do something. By FOCUSING on our strengths and special talents, we are able to generate the internal CONFIDENCE and BELIEF that we are able to ACCOMPLISH the goals we seek out to create for ourselves.

You want a COSTA RICAN beach house - go get it! You want to OWN your own business - stop waiting! You want to get an ADVANCED degree - apply for school! Most IMPORTANTLY, don't sit around waiting for it to magically happen. REALIZE that you are the one creating all the barriers before you... now go TEAR THEM DOWN!

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 – Feed Your Ego

"Everything I do, I feel is genius. Whether it is or it isn't."
-Rufus Wainwright

Some of the people closest to me are aware that I have been doing a lot of psychological research and EXPLORATION lately. Specifically, LEARNING more about myself – strengths, weaknesses, beliefs and fears. For me, this has been a eye opening EXPERIENCE, as taking a few weeks to learn more about myself has presented me with a few great DISCOVERIES. I will share these over the next days.

Some of these things may be difficult to understand and I assure you, more difficult to SHARE – but I think it is important to learn from others. Hence, one of the DISCOVERIES I have made is one of a personality trait I have RESISTED and sought to CHANGE in myself for a long time – my desire to fuel my CONFIDENCE aka feed my EGO. I am a person that is DRIVEN more by confidence than most other people. I often make a reference to existence of "my MOJO" and how it has the ability to spawn BRILLIANCE and EXCELLENCE in my work.

Part of learning about ourselves and what makes us EXCELLENT is learning that our greatest STRENGTH is often our greatest WEAKNESS. For me, a LACK of confidence will cause a slip in performance, questioning of my relationships and a general negative outlook towards myself. On the other side, a surplus of confidence can sometimes be perceived as ARROGANCE or an overload of EXUBERANCE. What I KNOW of myself is that when I am CONFIDENT – I am EXCELLENT and PRECISE. When I am excellent – I am able to HELP others more EFFECTIVELY. When others are helped – everyone is more HAPPY. Isn't it worth the INVESTMENT to feed the machine that fuels you if you can use it to help others?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

As we learn what DRIVES our pleasures, fears and success, we are presented with a CHOICE. You can choose to ACCEPT the person that you are – the good and the bad – and use your STRENGTHS to better the lives of others. Or you can CHOOSE to focus on eliminating your WEAKNESSES and spend your time self critical of what you are doing WRONG. One will allow freedom, the other pain.

For me, I believe that a FOCUS on POSITIVITY will provide you with much more fulfillment and enjoyment. If that means having an OVERDOSE of what makes you great – WHO CARES! Use your GOD given talents, do not allow others to AFFECT your confidences and keep FOCUSED on what you KNOW to be the right things. When you act in ways that DRIVE your BEST attributes, you will find that people will love you, respect you and desire to be around you. Don't be afraid to FEED your (insert best trait here)!

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 - Speak Your Mind To Break Even

"Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret."
-Dr. Laurence J. Peter

Are you someone that RESERVES your thoughts if you think they may not be well received? Have you KEPT your feelings from someone you care for to "protect" them? Are you HESITATING to ask for support or enhancement?

A critical limiting factor of your success is COMMUNICATION. When you consider that many outside influences are UNCONTROLLABLE, you begin to realize that the common element you control is your ability to communicate. By asking questions and/or making your feelings known, you are able to PROVIDE and ATTAIN the critical resources you need to achieve your goals.

How many CEOs ask for help daily? How many GREAT marriages are based on open, trusted discussion? How often do you hear of someone attaining an OPPORTUNITY... Just because they ASKED!?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Often, we are FEARFUL of asking questions or making our feelings known. We are afraid we be perceived as WEAK or INCOMPETENT. We may even be concerned about OFFENDING someone or disrupting our "COMFORTABLE BALANCE."

My good friend, Jason Denenberg, makes an EXCELLENT analysis surrounding communication. He uses a "break even" theory which states, "by making the communication with someone else you break even. If you do not get what you want from your request, you are EVEN, as you have neither gained nor lost. However, should you get what you want... You are AHEAD of the game."

Work on the BREAK EVEN theory and you will find yourself making GAINS today!

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 – Give Yourself a Break

"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing."
~Harriet Braiker

I am very EXCITED by the responses I receive daily in response to the Morning Motivator. It seems that the STRUGGLES I face, are the same struggles that others face as well. Interestingly, I wonder how many people are like me in holding themselves to an UNREALISTIC measurement of success?

Here is what I know… I AM my own worst enemy. I am HARDER on myself, excessively CRITICAL of my flaws and more painfully OBSESSED with my "accomplishing success" than any other single person could ever be towards me (maybe more than 2 people could). On a daily basis – I (OVER)ANALYZE my performance and FOCUS on the improvements and decisions I "should" have made. I NITPICK the inconsistencies of myself and continually place intense PRESSURE to improve. Sound familiar? Yet, a FOCUS on improvement - how bad can that REALLY be?

The CHALLENGE with being an OBSESSIVE PERFECTIONIST is that you do not allow yourself any room for GROWTH. Your FOCUS is not on IMPROVEMENT – it is on PERFECTION. If you are EXPECTING peak performance every day from every tasks in every situation – then what is the OBVIOUS result? There is NO way to improve yourself. You are expecting that you have ALL the answers already and that you have the RESOURCES to perform at that level to EXECUTE them. How can that be?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

What we must learn to APPRECIATE is that a "miss" in achieving our desired goal is not the same as a "FAILURE." Should you not be able to accomplish something does NOT mean you are incapable, lack intelligence or are lazy. It MAY mean you need to work harder, smarter or simply outsource the task – all of which are learned from EXPERIENCE.

As human beings, we are FLAWED by emotions and illogical thought processes. We will NEVER have all the answers and thus will NEVER be able to CONTROL all the outcomes of our future. We must learn to TRUST those around us, ACCEPT help from those whom care for us and find PEACE in the fact that it is our IMPERFECTIONS that make us exceptional creatures – capable of ACHIEVEMENT, LOVE and GROWTH.

Give yourself a BREAK… I'm sure we both could use 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 - The Full Distance

"Once we are able to believe, we are prepared to achieve."
- unknown

Special THANK YOU to Josh Anderson of Keller Williams Realty for this great Morning Motivator and all his support.

What a SHAME it would be if the results you have worked to ACHIEVE required just a little longer to arrive than you were willing to wait. How sad it would be for your ship to FINALLY come in just a few minutes after you had given up and left the dock.

Success is built upon EFFORT and COMMITMENT. Success also requires persistence and patience. It is of little use to work for years toward a GOAL if you give up just a few days before the goal is reached. There is no point in working through hundreds of OBSTACLES if you allow the very last obstacle to stop you.

Go ahead, close the deal, finish the work and get yourself all the way to the goal you've CHOSEN. Take those last remaining steps so that you'll hold the prize firmly in your hands.

Rest when you are weary but DO NOT quit. Achievement belongs to those who can go the FULL distance.

If it's important enough to start, it's important enough to finish. Be sure to always take the next step, for it could very well be the one that FINALLY GETS YOU 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.