"What do mean you are off?"
- Anonymous
Yes, it is true, my group has PROVIDED our staff this day off from work. And yet, I have chosen to work today.
I LOVE Good Friday though. The religious context makes today very POWERFUL. I also related the term "good Friday" to work and I was thinking... "What if we had a GREAT Friday!?"
We tend to CELEBRATE special days on a few times a year. This is when our guard is DEFEATED and we allow ourselves to be focused on CELEBRATING an idea - Christmas, Birthday, 4th of July.
Why do we ONLY celebrate then? Why not CHERISH these joys daily?
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I'm not suggesting we have a daily PARTY for Christopher Columbus. What I AM suggesting is a SLOW DOWN. An AWARENESS. A greater APPRECIATION.
As I overheard in a discussion not long ago...
"It is AMAZING what beauties are around when you walk through the city, rather than just speeding through in your car."
Have a GREAT Friday, a GREAT weekend and take time to APPRECIATE all the beauty around you...
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 - Don't Wait for Leftovers
"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."
-Abraham Lincoln
What happens when you WAIT to see if you really should take an action? Have you ever Saturday in a meeting and had the group say, "let's hold off until next meeting"? What happened to the OPPORTUNITY you considering or discussing?
WAITING drives me NuTs!! While I will conceded that some decisions require additional info... A vast majority are a JUDGMENT call. An even greater majority have very little long-term IMPACT. So, why do people wait?
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
"Waiting" or "asking for more info" is a STALL tactic, commonly based out of FEAR. Understandably, the fear is caused by a lack of security driven by INSUFFICIENT information. BUT (and yes that's a BIG but)... Even if you had ALL the information, you still can't control the RESULTS and a DECISION must still be made.
Use the following to determine if you are WAITING or STALLING:
1. What specific questions can be solved with additional information?
2. Will having that information empower me to make my decision?
3. What are the long-term risks of moving forward immediately?
4. Is this action reversible or able to be eliminated if we find the decision was wrong?
5. What advantage are we sacrificing by waiting?
By answering these questions, you are able to frame the IMPACT vs. DRAMA.
Don't STALL... The first pick is BEST. Only accept LEFTOVERS for turkey sandwiches.
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.
-Abraham Lincoln
What happens when you WAIT to see if you really should take an action? Have you ever Saturday in a meeting and had the group say, "let's hold off until next meeting"? What happened to the OPPORTUNITY you considering or discussing?
WAITING drives me NuTs!! While I will conceded that some decisions require additional info... A vast majority are a JUDGMENT call. An even greater majority have very little long-term IMPACT. So, why do people wait?
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
"Waiting" or "asking for more info" is a STALL tactic, commonly based out of FEAR. Understandably, the fear is caused by a lack of security driven by INSUFFICIENT information. BUT (and yes that's a BIG but)... Even if you had ALL the information, you still can't control the RESULTS and a DECISION must still be made.
Use the following to determine if you are WAITING or STALLING:
1. What specific questions can be solved with additional information?
2. Will having that information empower me to make my decision?
3. What are the long-term risks of moving forward immediately?
4. Is this action reversible or able to be eliminated if we find the decision was wrong?
5. What advantage are we sacrificing by waiting?
By answering these questions, you are able to frame the IMPACT vs. DRAMA.
Don't STALL... The first pick is BEST. Only accept LEFTOVERS for turkey sandwiches.
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 - Living with Purpose
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
- Winston Churchill
Depression is on the RISE. You are 50% likely to divorce after MARRIAGE. Our country is in economic WOES. Now that I have you feeling GREAT about yourself... Ask, "how does this happen?"
I SUGGEST to you that most people don't know WHY they are taking the actions they do. Of course, we work to make MONEY, but why? Young couples get MARRIED... Why? People attend college... Again, why?
"Why?" is the correct question. The ANSWER is the challenge. A vast majority of people, myself very much included, are RITUALIZTIC and INFLUENCED by the pressures of our society. We attend CHURCH, strive to make a lot of MONEY, get MARRIED or go to COLLEGE because OTHERS believe it is important for us.
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
So, what should you do?
I'm not suggesting quit, break up, become an atheist, etc. I am saying ASK yourself "WHY?" and don't stop until you have an answer.
Once you have a CLEAR definition of PURPOSE - the path to success becomes very easy to find and navigate.
Just like a map, until you have a PURPOSE driven end point, you will find yourself spending lots of ENERGY and possibly NEVER meeting your goal.
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.
- Winston Churchill
Depression is on the RISE. You are 50% likely to divorce after MARRIAGE. Our country is in economic WOES. Now that I have you feeling GREAT about yourself... Ask, "how does this happen?"
I SUGGEST to you that most people don't know WHY they are taking the actions they do. Of course, we work to make MONEY, but why? Young couples get MARRIED... Why? People attend college... Again, why?
"Why?" is the correct question. The ANSWER is the challenge. A vast majority of people, myself very much included, are RITUALIZTIC and INFLUENCED by the pressures of our society. We attend CHURCH, strive to make a lot of MONEY, get MARRIED or go to COLLEGE because OTHERS believe it is important for us.
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
So, what should you do?
I'm not suggesting quit, break up, become an atheist, etc. I am saying ASK yourself "WHY?" and don't stop until you have an answer.
Once you have a CLEAR definition of PURPOSE - the path to success becomes very easy to find and navigate.
Just like a map, until you have a PURPOSE driven end point, you will find yourself spending lots of ENERGY and possibly NEVER meeting your goal.
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 - Be an Artist
"To send light into the darkness of men's hearts - such is the duty of the artist."
-Robert Schumann
-Robert Schumann
I really like the NCAA commercials that have been running over the past year. The commercial says something to the effect of, "we are all going pro, just not in sports." I find that to be very POIGNANT. Especially since most of those ATHLETES are true artists of their sports skills, yet most will likely never SHOWCASE that talent on a worldwide level. They WILL walk a different path.
Now think of yourself - what are you an ARTIST of? Better yet... have you ever CONSIDERED yourself to be an ARTIST of your skill? I would challenge you to BEGIN viewing yourself as though you were. Especially when you think about how you seek others to VIEW you. Who would they rather work with - someone that does their job or the ARTIST of their trade?
One meaning of being an artist is "a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill." Hmmm... does that DEFINE you and your professional excellence? If not, what steps can you take today to become an artisan of your craft?
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
The entirety of this Morning Motivator is a CHALLENGE. If you are NOT yet an artist of your trade - why not? Is it that you are not putting in the WORK to become master skilled? Do you lack specific EDUCATION that would provide you additional capabilities? Or could it be that you simply do not CARE to become a master artist of your current profession?
In fact, if this is the case, I CHALLENGE you again to seek a career that provides you with the PASSION and DESIRE to become a master, a professional ... a REAL artist.
We all generally ACCEPT and logically AGREE with the rationale that if you do what you LOVE, you will do it better. If you pursue what your heart is DRIVEN towards, you will become a master of that skill. If you DEDICATE your being to your PURPOSE in life... you WILL become a true ARTIST in your lifetime.
So, Picasso... Does your current role give you the paint brush and canvas?
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 - Freezing in the Heat
"Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt."
- William Shakespeare, (1564-1616)
In the final 10 seconds of the game, who do you WANT to see get the ball? When the deal is in FINAL negotiation, who should make the call?
The amazing thing about pressure is that it causes the BEST (or worst) in us to emerge. Some people find an inner STRENGTH that allows them to rise to the occasion. For others, they FREEZE under the heat. What causes this VARIANCE?
Mostly, its FEAR. For some, extreme ANXIETY. Yet, this CAN be overcome...
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
EXPERIENCE is a great teacher in overcoming the FREEZE we clash with under pressure. As we LEARN from our experiences, we gain the CONFIDENCE to look passed our doubts.
By focusing on ACTION and LEARNING, we can easily THAW the FREEZE of self-doubt.
Next time its "crunch time"... Wouldn't you LIKE to be the one the gets the call!?
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.
- William Shakespeare, (1564-1616)
In the final 10 seconds of the game, who do you WANT to see get the ball? When the deal is in FINAL negotiation, who should make the call?
The amazing thing about pressure is that it causes the BEST (or worst) in us to emerge. Some people find an inner STRENGTH that allows them to rise to the occasion. For others, they FREEZE under the heat. What causes this VARIANCE?
Mostly, its FEAR. For some, extreme ANXIETY. Yet, this CAN be overcome...
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
EXPERIENCE is a great teacher in overcoming the FREEZE we clash with under pressure. As we LEARN from our experiences, we gain the CONFIDENCE to look passed our doubts.
By focusing on ACTION and LEARNING, we can easily THAW the FREEZE of self-doubt.
Next time its "crunch time"... Wouldn't you LIKE to be the one the gets the call!?
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.
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