Morning Motivator – If You Ask for One, You Won’t Get Two

"He who is afraid of asking is ashamed of learning."
- Danish Proverb

I love LEARNING.  Thus, to all the dorky kids in school that I made fun of for spending time become the master of a subject… I am SORRY (and you still were a dork!)

What I did NOT understand about those dorky kids is that they were ahead of the game.  They were asking QUESTIONS of people, ideas and "facts."  They were getting MORE from people, books, ideas and media than I ever was.  They were holding the world around them to a HIGHER standard.

Business is a "learning game."  It is a game of asking questions, failing, learning, asking more questions and on occasion succeeding.  It is a game of asking for MORE than you want to get exactly for what you hoped.  It is asking for three to get two, when all you really wanted was one.  Make sense?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
If you are EXPECTING yourself to be successful in business, you had better become like those dorky kids in high school – a lifelong, passionate LEARNER.  You had also better start asking as many QUESTIONS of everything around you in order to understand the "game and its rules" such that you can WIN.

Today, I asked for an AIRCRAFT of marketing deals and ended up with a BATTLESHIP.  Frankly, I would have been happy with a tugboat. 

Ask for what you WANT.  Let other people say NO.  Never sell yourself short on WHY you cannot or should not do something.  The world is yours for the taking… as long as you are doing the asking!

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 If You Were Your Own Client?

"Self-analysis helps a man's soul to becomes enlightened."
- Atharva Veda

Yesterday, I received a CHALLENGE to consider myself as my own client.  I am being asked to ANALYZE my processes, my approaches, my services and my communications. This has proven a CHALLENGING challenge!

Think about it.  What if you WERE in your target market?  How easy with you is COMMUNICATION?  How CLEAR is your message?  How QUICK is your follow up?  How clean are your steps in your PROCESS?

Analyzing yourself is very difficult.  It requires an HONESTY that our EGO naturally protects.  Very few of us will openly admit we are not doing the right things or that we could do better.  Many will "say" these things because it makes them appear humble, yet VERY FEW actually believe it enough to take ACTIONS to improve…

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Frankly, I am not the expert on "self analysis," I am able to provide you with some insight of what I am going through in my own analysis.

-  MESSAGE:  Is it clear what I am offering and what I am asking you to do to be involved?
-  TARGET:  Have I clearly defined the "client" we work with or is the target "just anyone"
-  PROCESS:  Are the steps to be engaged with my business clearly defined?  Or is it confusing who does what when and where?
-  COMMUNICATION:  Am I easy and consistent with communications?  Am I leaving clients "hanging" without a clear understanding of how or when I will follow up?

If you have additional questions YOU would consider – send them to me.  We can explore our businesses together and in turn find better ways of creating EXCEPTIONAL clients (no longer just accepting clients).

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 – From This Point Forward

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."
- Maria Robinson

If you were to START your business today, would be doing the things you have been doing over the last 90 days?  If you were to LAUNCH new business, what would your STRATEGIC approach be?  Are you basing your FUTURE success off your past successes?

These are questions seeking to have you EXAMINE your work processes and focus.  It is geared to have you VALIDATE your purpose and actions within your business.

If you could start over today – what would you do?  Would you CHOOSE the career you are in now?  Would you continue the efforts you are making daily to find your "peace?"  

If you are NOT doing what you WOULD do or are not finding the JOY in your work… what can you do FROM THIS POINT FORWARD!?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
This is NOT an encouragement to QUIT your job or leave your spouse.  This IS a an encouragement to FOCUS on what you SHOULD be doing and find ways to TRANSITION to it.

I am going through this same process WITH YOU.  I am also EXAMINING my focus from work and life purpose, all the way down to the focus of the Morning Motivator.

FROM THIS POINT FORWARD your life is in YOUR control.  Choose success.  Choose happiness.  Choose purpose.  If you WANT something in your life… CHOOSE IT!  Then share your success story with us all.

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 – 1:18 to Success (aka Whew Dat!)

"Every great player has learned the two Cs: how to concentrate and how to maintain composure."
- Byron Nelson

If you are NOT a football fan – you SHOULD be!  Last night was one of the most EXCITING Monday Night Football games I have ever witnessed.   If you missed it, you REALLY missed out.

There was a GREAT lesson learned from the final drives of the game.  The San Francisco 49ers made a wonderful drive and 2-point conversion to tie a game that should have been a BLOWOUT leaving only 1 minute and 18 seconds remaining on the clock.  The 49ers kicked to New Orleans hoping to run out the clock…

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints took over with 1:18 remaining and a LONG way to go to score… to win.  With LIMITED time outs and a great distance to cover, overtime seemed their DESTINY.

There is a funny thing about COMPOSURE though.  Whether in the boardroom, the classroom or the playing field – if you have it, you can MAINTAIN your focus and find victory under IMMENSE pressure.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Long story short – the Saints maintained composure, stayed focused on the task-at-hand and won the game on a last second field goal.

As you find yourself in PRESSURE situations, you have two choices:  (1) Allow the situation to dictate your actions or (2) allow your actions to dictate the situation.

By maintaining a "cool, composed head" and FOCUSING on the simple actions required to attain success, you are able to eliminate the "noise" and distractions you would expect to find. 

You MUST simplify your approach to ELIMINATE wasted efforts and seek the most EFFICIENT ways of execution. 

It also helps to VISUALIZE the situations in advance.  If you PRACTICE for pressure situations, then you mitigate the "pressure" when the time finally arrives.

And when you keep your COMPOSURE… you get to yell a big WHO DAT after you succeed in your efforts!!

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.  Use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.

Morning Motivator - Get In Where You Fit In

"Life's not about fitting in; it's about standing out"
- Unknown

WOWZA!!  Do I have a GREAT Morning Motivator for you today!

Last night her business partner here invited Nancy and me to a dinner party in Louisiana.  Very classy person, very kind and sincere in his approach – exemplary!

Picture this, eight people, six of which are physicians, one a PhD professor and the other… me!  Not that I am unfitting of that company, but being INTIMIDATED does not seem outlandish by any means. 

How does one FIT into a group that they do not seem to be a "natural fit?"  How does someone make a SIGNIFICANT and POSITIVE mark on people that, on the outside looking in, would be of a different status?

If you have never experienced this situation… you need to start pushing your social circle boundaries.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
SUCCESS in social and business environments (which are also social by nature) is found through relational integration.

By creating a common level of relational understanding, any individual, from any background, education, socio-economic standpoint or other, can (and will) INTEGRATE themselves into a community of people.

Seek to find a way to RELATE to everyone else on a level that all have experienced.  Schooling, sports, social events, politics, religions (yes, I said politics AND religion).  These are all SHARED experiences within most communities. 

To ensure you proper PERCEPTION from your guests, be the one to ASK open questions of feelings and perceptions regarding these subjects.  The respondent cannot be "judged" by feelings and it allows insight into the individual.  CONTROL the discussion by asking questions and posing the same to others at the table.  This will ensure you FIT IN… and STAND OUT socially!

My secret - KICKBALL.  I talked about kickball and how much fun the sport is.  EVERYONE followed suit.

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.  Use of this article is open for print or publication with proper citations.