Morning Motivator - The Recipe for Mediocrity

"Don't limit yourself to what you already know how to do. That's a recipe for mediocrity."
- Source article here:
http://adage.com/gennext/post?article_id=141326

Special thanks to Rebecca Holley Ary. You prove to be one of my most dedicated supporters and believers. THANK YOU!

:: ATTENTION::
I am making a GLOBAL REQUEST.
I want to chat with a person that set the 2010 GOAL of being the most MEDIOCRE professional possible. Please have them email me...

Frankly, I find it DIFFICULT to believe that person is easy to find.

My thought is that the MOST MEDIOCRE professionals likely do NOT Set goals. I'd ASSUME they don't read too many books. Moreover, I'd IMAGINE they rarely spend much time FOCUSING on how to do anything BETTER.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
MEDIOCRITY is a choice.

If you ever look at someone and say to yourself, "I hope I'm not 'there' in a few years," then you had better have some GOALS.

To become EXCEELENT, we must:
- Grow our MIND through reading (you do have a monthly reading goal don't you?)
- Grow our CONNECTIVITY through networking (remember those social/professional groups?)
- Grow your SKILLS through challenging professional tasks (have you asked for more responsibility yet?)
- Grow your COMMUNITY through investment (oh yeah... Planned giving of time and money)

Of course, if you GOAL is to be MEDIOCRE... Just delete this email and go back to watching YouTube.

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 - Are You Open Enough?

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."
- Your Mom

If you could INVEST 30 seconds to set up the rest of your year, would you? If you could SHARE your story to motivate someone who can INFLUENCE your well-being, shouldn't you?

If you answered YES - are you able to REMEMBER the last OPEN discussion you had? (OPEN means HONEST, not necessarily pleasant).

Are you WIILING to have difficult discussions... Even if they may mean RISKING your "position" in your group, family and/or company?? How do the SUCCESSFUL people around you manage OPEN discussions?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
What if I told you that your mom is WRONG?? Well, she is!

If you don't have anything NICE to say... Your ability to say it, MAY be the difference between SUCCESS and FAILURE.

By ESTABLISHING yourself as a person of character that has the WILLINGNESS and ABILITY to join in DIFFICULT discussions, you will discover your "position" in all important aspects of your life.

Be OPEN - Be FAIR - Be DIRECT and you will be RESPECTED!

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 - Passion Drives Results

"The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment."
- Earl Nightingale

If I were to tell you that I am CONFIDENT in a product or service - how would you feel? Now, if I told you I was PASSIONATE about a product or service - how might that change your thoughts?

In discussions with business LEADERS, young and old, I have found that the ones that are WORKING with a fevered passion are much more SUCCESSFUL. Sounds like a "Well Duh!" comment doesn't it? Sure. More interesting is the volume of business professionals that are "JUST WORKING."

Many are CONFIDENT in their company, their solution, their team, but if it came down to making a SACRIFICE of time, money, energy, political position - are these the people that would STAND UP for their company/team/product/service or just look out for "NUMBER ONE?"

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I don't want people to get the wrong impression that I am SUGGESTING people that "just work" and fulfill their role are LESSER employees. I am not.

What I am presenting for CONSIDERATION is the worth and value of the individual that will "treat it like their own." Make no mistake, MOST people are not that passionate about what they do - frankly, many aren't passionate about much more than their favorite football team - which is cause for consideration.

If you have the ability to FEED someone's PASSION - shouldn't you? When you seek to MOTIVATE - would understanding and driving their PASSIONS be more effective?

If you want to see evidence of this CAUSE and EFFECT, find someone that has intense PASSION for a cause and you will find that GREAT ADVANCES that have been made as a result.

As LEADERS, we have the ability to DRIVE huge results from our supporters... once we know HOW they DRIVE themselves.

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 - Breaking the Old School Measures

"Be motivated by a pleasing result, not a pleasing action."
- Tim Bewley of Avenue Bank

In business, there is often CONFUSION about what is most important - ACTION or RESULTS.

Often, as LEADERS, we measure our efforts, and that of those around us, based on the TIME and EFFORT we see. We overlook the results of the EFFORTS of our teams, in lieu of seeing them in their office, at their desk or in our meetings.

If we seek a program to be DEVELOPED, do we measure its ability to be used or the time spent creating it? If we desire GREATER revenue generation, do we concern ourselves with the "how" or just the "what"?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
When MEASURING success and determining value - consider the end results and long term benefit.

By FOCUSING on the number of hours put into a project or the immediate, short-term gains, you may OVERLOOK the long-term benefit.

Besides, what do you WANT 5 years from now? More TASKS to perform or more RESULTS?

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 - Welcome to Day 1

"Wisdom is knowing what to do next, skill is knowing how to do it, and virtue is doing it."
- David Starr

For many people, TODAY is their first day back at work. That means today is "DAY 1" for all your RESOLUTIONS about being on time, making more money, etc...

Will you BREAK them on Day 1?

MOMENTUM is built by tying together consecutive days of positive behavior. Once you have enough, you may find that your momentum becomes your OPERATING MODEL.

Are you AWARE of how many days it takes to create a HABIT? Typically, 45 to 60... Which means, by March 1st you can ENSTILL all the PRODUCTIVE habits you want!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Begin MEASURING your success habits today!

Write down what daily BEHAVIOR you want to promote and denote the daily GOAL for that action.

After that, it's easy... Just MEASURE your daily successes! Fulfill the daily tasks and you WILL achieve your goals.

Remember, the best way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time!!

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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