Morning Motivator – Why Make the Effort?

"… I do this because I can."
- Zachary Barker 

A friend of mine, James Morrison, inquired yesterday about the length of TIME and PURPOSE for doing the Morning Motivator.  Good questions.  TIME is over 2 and half years.  PURPOSE is because I can and think it has the ability to help others. 

There are many things that many people DO that have no "immediate value" associated with them.  Why do code writers DEVELOP new programs on the side that they may never use?  Why do artists toy with new tools to create their VISIONS?  Why do architects take start BLOGS?  

Commonly, the things that ENRICH us and drive our positivity in behavior are NOT the things we do each day.  For some of us (including me), we have an IDEA of what we enjoy and are good at, yet have not yet defined the best way to create VALUE from it.  Sometimes the value is allowing people INSIGHT into your character, quality, rationale and focus.  

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
As business people, we all seek the RETURN ON INVESTMENT with our activities.  We want to see that we put in 4 hours and yielded $1000.  We want to see that our INVESTMENT of $500 created new business of $20,000.  We want to always have a DIRECT measurement of effort. 

INNOVATION is not measurable.  CHARACTER is not measurable.  TRUST is not measurable.  And yet, the best businesses and professionals have ALL these identifiers.  Your actions can be measured; your QUALITY is a bit more difficult.  

I BELIEVE in measurements to manage successful behavior and patterns.  I also BELIEVE that some of the best INVESTMENTS are made by sharing your "intangibles" with others so they might be able to better their own.

Will the Morning Motivator ever turn into something BIG?  I would think not… but you never know who is listening and the manners in which you affect their life.  Sometimes it is YOUR "undefined" efforts that can change the world for someone else.

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 - MOVE ON!

"Remember what they told us. If they don't like you or you don't like them... Forget them and move on!"
- Andy Herzer, Founder, First Shot Basketball

A good mentor is DIFFICULT to find. One that is a best friend is darn near IMPOSSIBLE. I am very fortunate to have Andy...

There is a lot to be said about working with people that you LIKE. Often you find negotiation to be more of a CHAT. Missed expectations are RESOLVED swiftly and with sincerity. TRUST is never much of a question.

Working, associating and generally SURROUNDING yourself with people that SHARE your values, visions and goals is ALWAYS a best practice.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
In business, we often FAIL to recognize this valuable lesson that appears so OBVIOUS in our personal lives.

We resort to selecting "partners" (aka vendors) based on LOWEST price and MOST "add-ins." (Often ending in disaster of some sorts.)

In business and in personal life, find the people the WANT to support you, your dreams and your drives, then ENSURE you want to do the same for them.

Should you find there is MISALIGNMENT... Be swift and smart, and MOVE ON!! (There are plenty of the "right" people out 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 – Innovate Your Way to Success…

"The most successful people are those who are good at Plan B."
- James Yorke 

Today's GREAT idea proved to be less valuable than you expected – so what!?  Tomorrow's idea could be 10x BETTER! 

Innovation and continued passion for IMPROVEMENT consistently proves to be a quality of successful professionals.  It is the professionals' PURSUIT of achievement towards a specific end goal which drives for CREATIVE development in innovative forms of problem solving.  Simply, you can apply BRILLIANCE when you run out of options to achieve your goal.

Consider the role of a CEO… what is their JOB?  Would you consider them a "do-er"?  Is it their job to see that reports are turned in ON TIME?   Is it their role to ensure that a particular division is functioning PROPERLY day to day?  NO!  It is their job to SOLVE the problems that others cannot figure out and tear down the barriers keeping others from succeeding. 

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Just as the role of the CEO, YOUR role as a leader is to CREATE innovative ways to overcome barriers – for yourself and others. 

By ADOPTING a behavior pattern of relentless pursuit of excellence, you will find that your creativity and innovation skills will enhance.  As a result, so will your SUCCESS. 

For me, I have adopted a FOCUS in creating more opportunities using less and less time.  That's it.  Very SIMPLE.  Do more with the fewest minutes involved.  Now, can you IMAGINE how creative you could get with ways to do more of your work with less time in the office? 

Now THAT would be innovative! 

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 - Multitasking is for SUCKERS!

"One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus, we never concentrate our power."
- Anthony Robbins

The challenge we ALL face is whether do to what HURTS most or what is most IMPORTANT. We battle this every, single day...

When you get to work - what do you start your day DOING? Completing the absolute most IMPORTANT task OR checking emails because you don't like them loaded up in your mail box? By lunch time - have you COMPLETED the 3 most important tasks for the day? Have you even started the FIRST one?

All too often, we find ourselves COMPLAINING about a lack of time to execute all the "tasks" we have in our day. More commonly, we PUT OFF all the important tasks. We find "RATIONAL" reasons for not doing the things we need to.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Try something today... do not ANSWER the phone ALL DAY LONG. Seriously!

I was RELUCTANT to do this at first, until I tried it a few years back. I just stopped answering the phone during SPECIFIC times in the day. (The GOAL was to eliminate as many distractions as possible from my primary focus.)

Now, I answer the phone in EMERGENCY situations (you must ring back to back and make sure it IS an emergency), as well as return calls at 11:15am and 4:15pm. I also respond to email as AVAILABLE and appropriate.

Amazingly, my focus is LASER sharp, productivity is UP and no one has died, nor have I lost clients or been fired for doing so.

My thought - MULTITASKING is for suckers! Would you rather be EXCEPTIONAL at a few things or "just acceptable" at many? You decide...

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 - Simple Priorities

"Focus on fewer things and find you are able to focus on much more."
- Unknown

Quick - name your TOP THREE priorities.

What did you come up with? Mine are fairly SIMPLE - work, fitness, school. (Nancy doesn't have to be prioritized as she takes precedence over everything as needed).

If we have an UNDERSTANDING of what out top 3 priorities are, why do we so often FAIL to achieve any in a day. We ALLOW ourselves to become "busy" with "more important" tasks.

We allow the NOISE to overwhelm our focus and INTRUDE upon our success.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Within your TOP 3 PRIORITIES, what actions should be taken daily?

If those actions are MOST IMPORTANT, when should they be EXECUTED?

If you FAIL to achieve any in a day, are they TRULY a priority?

If you want to be SUCCESSFUL at the things you want to be successful at, PICK your priorities and focus on EXECUTING those tasks first.

Everything else... Is just a DISTRACTION!

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.