"The reason some people get projects done and others don't come from that persons' ability to force others to say NO."
- Zachary Barker
How OFTEN do you hear no? I imagine I hear it upwards of 20 times per day. I am told, time and again, what I CANNOT do or why it CANNOT be done. And you know what..? I LOVE IT!!
To PROPEL yourself down the short track to success, you are going to hear a few "NO's"… and they are the best thing you can hear. As you begin CHAMPIONING projects (the good ones that change the business for better), act as though it is a "sure thing," people will FOLLOW your lead... gladly.
Make them tell you NO. Force them to SUPPORT your idea, IMPROVE your idea or get the hell out of the WAY!!
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Being a STRONG leader is a process of DEVELOPMENT, not a God given talent. Some may disagree, however, the VALUE of a great leader is their EXPERIENCE and UNDERSTANDING of what is to come.
Often, they are the person that KNOWS what will happen, when and how… they have seen it all. How THEY got there was by hearing NO… and NO again… and then NO one more time. They have DETERMINED all the best ways NOT to get something done, and by process of ELIMINATION, they have defined the BETTER ways of trying to.
Tell me NO and I am a step closer to YES. Tell me NO many times, and my YES's will come in droves.
Challenge someone with your THOUGHTS, IDEAS and MOTIVATIONS… then force them to tell you NO.
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 – Short, sweet, and to the point…
"Short, sweet, and to the point. Clear writing, and therefore clear commands, comes from clear thinking. Think simple."
- Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek
- Timothy Ferriss, The 4-Hour Workweek
What makes COMMUNICATING so difficult? Time and time again, we find that projects are DELAYED, the WRONG products ordered or people's feelings being HURT over the inability to effectively deliver a message.
First, the INABILITY of us, as professionals, to weigh out SPEED vs. CLARITY is a contributing factor. We would rather "dump" our info load on someone else so we can be FREED of the mental burden. In that exchange, we PRIDE ourselves on the "speed of moving the process" without regard for the number of "do-over's" we require.
Secondly, we RARELY have a full scope of what we want to do. You will recognize this by the comment, "I am not totally sure of all the details. Who cares anyways!? Here is what they want to accomplish. You tell me how it works." (this is one I am often guilty of). If you, as the LEAD communicator, lack a clear understanding of what needs to happen, how can you expect that when you "pass it off" that the UNDERSTANDING will somehow improve??
SIMPLICITY is success. Simple in concept, scope, discussion, communication, deliver…
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Sometimes people find me to be SHORT with them or act as if I am uninterested in their point of view. This is very UNTRUE. I am OVERLY interested in the "true point" they are seeking to make…
We often PREDICATE our explanations, with explanations of the situation to detail the incident facing the individual, which requires additional detail… blah blah blah… oh my gosh!!! Can you see how people can LOSE interest or just plain "get lost" in discussion?!
As an alternative – ask your question DIRECTLY. Do NOT provide excessive detail or background. Just ask. If the person RECEIVING your information is able (or willing) to assist, they will ask questions in response to help FOCUS their retort.
Don't OVERSUPPLY information. It is CHALLENGING for you to do, and even more difficult for the other people trying to UNDERSTAND.
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 - Battle Through!
"Sure. Sometimes I wake up and the last thing I want to do is this blog!"
- Guess who?
Do you know what the most DIFFICULT thing is about trying do something positive? The fact you CANNOT take days off!
If you work out in the gym and "skip" a week, you are not starting up... You are starting OVER. If you making DAILY sales calls and you "take it easy" one day, your CYCLE is ended. Don't even start on DIETING...
The END of a cycle is just that - THE END!
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I ADMIT it... Somedays the Morning Motivator is more about COMMITMENT than MOTIVATION. (You can probably hear the "tone" in the messages).
Luckily, I am NOT the judge of quality. Some of "my" worst submissions have been VERY well received by readers. On THOSE days, I am very pleased I STUCK to my guns and battled through...
SUCCESS is not about performing at the "highest possible level" everyday. Sometimes it is just about "SHOWING UP."
Always keep in mind that MOST people "take the day off" or "quit" when it gets tough... So even a 75% effort BLOWS AWAY the 0% the other guy (or gal) made!
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.
- Guess who?
Do you know what the most DIFFICULT thing is about trying do something positive? The fact you CANNOT take days off!
If you work out in the gym and "skip" a week, you are not starting up... You are starting OVER. If you making DAILY sales calls and you "take it easy" one day, your CYCLE is ended. Don't even start on DIETING...
The END of a cycle is just that - THE END!
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I ADMIT it... Somedays the Morning Motivator is more about COMMITMENT than MOTIVATION. (You can probably hear the "tone" in the messages).
Luckily, I am NOT the judge of quality. Some of "my" worst submissions have been VERY well received by readers. On THOSE days, I am very pleased I STUCK to my guns and battled through...
SUCCESS is not about performing at the "highest possible level" everyday. Sometimes it is just about "SHOWING UP."
Always keep in mind that MOST people "take the day off" or "quit" when it gets tough... So even a 75% effort BLOWS AWAY the 0% the other guy (or gal) made!
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 - What Butler Can Teach Us All
"Everyone underestimated them, but we all knew they were one of the nations best teams."
- Bryant Gumbel
Last night was one of the most AMAZING basketball games I have ever witnessed. The "little guy," Butler University, went toe-to-toe with Duke University and damn near beat them too! What can be learned from a game that RESULTS in someone coming up short?
Primarily, I would SUGGEST that we can learn to give ourselves a little more CREDIT than we feel we deserve. Like Butler, we are may be considered a "little guy" in the big world, and yet, when given the OPPORTUNITY, we SHINE in the limelight.
Think of your companies BIGGEST competition... how would you fare AGAINST them? Assuming you were PERCEIVED on equal ground by the person you are speaking with - do you think you have enough "MOJO" to win the opportunity??
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I can tell you that I KNOW I can dominate any situation I am presented into. When given a FAIR opportunity to compete for business, love, attention, sports, etc - I can COMPETE with the best of them.
Like you, I may not be the SMARTEST person in the world, yet, I am EXCESSIVELY resourceful. I may not be the most PHYSICALLY dominant, and yet my CUNNING can defeat the most powerful opponent. My ATTITUDE may be a little off-putting to some on the outset, and still those that share a relationship with me KNOW that I will battle for you to the end!
What can Butler teach us? Simple. You ARE the key to your own success. Your willingness to BELIEVE in yourself and EXECUTE on that belief, are the most CRITICAL actions you can take daily.
Play HARD, Believe DEEPLY, execute PRECISELY and you WILL find yourself in the championship game eventually...
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.
- Bryant Gumbel
Last night was one of the most AMAZING basketball games I have ever witnessed. The "little guy," Butler University, went toe-to-toe with Duke University and damn near beat them too! What can be learned from a game that RESULTS in someone coming up short?
Primarily, I would SUGGEST that we can learn to give ourselves a little more CREDIT than we feel we deserve. Like Butler, we are may be considered a "little guy" in the big world, and yet, when given the OPPORTUNITY, we SHINE in the limelight.
Think of your companies BIGGEST competition... how would you fare AGAINST them? Assuming you were PERCEIVED on equal ground by the person you are speaking with - do you think you have enough "MOJO" to win the opportunity??
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I can tell you that I KNOW I can dominate any situation I am presented into. When given a FAIR opportunity to compete for business, love, attention, sports, etc - I can COMPETE with the best of them.
Like you, I may not be the SMARTEST person in the world, yet, I am EXCESSIVELY resourceful. I may not be the most PHYSICALLY dominant, and yet my CUNNING can defeat the most powerful opponent. My ATTITUDE may be a little off-putting to some on the outset, and still those that share a relationship with me KNOW that I will battle for you to the end!
What can Butler teach us? Simple. You ARE the key to your own success. Your willingness to BELIEVE in yourself and EXECUTE on that belief, are the most CRITICAL actions you can take daily.
Play HARD, Believe DEEPLY, execute PRECISELY and you WILL find yourself in the championship game eventually...
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 - Being in the "3"
"Only three percent of adults have written goals, and everyone else works for them."
- Brian Tracy
- Brian Tracy
Thank you to my GREAT friend, Josh Anderson of Keller Williams in Nashville, for this quote!
I have been considering this quote over the past 2 days. I have not yet been CONVINCED that this is true... YET, I have decided it likely is.
Not everyone OWNS a business. Not everyone is the DIRECTOR of a school. Few people have MULTIPLE direct reports under them. And yet... I would SUGGEST that if you are a person with WRITTEN goals, you are likely in a leadership position where you are leveraging the skills of others to accomplish your goals.
Are you achieving your SUCCESS goals? If you ask yourself WHAT your goals are, do you have to THINK about them or do you know them "COLD"? Has anyone ever asked you what you are working TOWARDS? What did you REPLY with?
2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
All too often, we become sucked in to the PERPETUAL conundrum of WORKING for "something" we cannot define. We vigorously PURSUE wealth, promotions, nice cars and houses to SATISFY our need to be important and feel purposeful. And what happens when we get all the NICETIES we have been seeking??
Commonly, we enjoy the ELATION of achievement, proudly showing off our new title, vehicle, or whatever possession we deem VALUABLE. Ironically, very SHORTLY after (maybe within 3 months), we grow TIRESOME of the new flashy thing and are back on the hunt to get our fix again.
By choosing to have and pursue WRITTEN GOALS, you are forced to examine what you really seek to achieve or become. This activity will provide you with FOCUS and PURPOSE in your daily activities. Additionally, and possibly most valuable, these goals will give you CONFIDENCE in saying "no" to an opportunity that does not best suit your personal goals.
The difference between the top 3 percent and the other 97 percent becomes as much KNOWING what NOT to do, as knowing what TO do! Write down your GOALS!
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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