Morning Motivator – Don’t Let Money Cloud Your Judgment

"Sorry, I don't do charity.  If you are paying, call me."
- Anonymous

Boy oh boy, do I have a story today!!  This weekend, I am running a Kickball Tournament as a fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana.  In doing so, we need all the usual things – balls, fields, scoreboards… and UMPIRES.

Being a CHARITY event, I have asked people to VOLUNTEER to assist.  In a call to action from interested parties, I received the above quoted response.  While I am not one do to work that should be PAID for freely, for charity and community, I make EXCEPTIONS. 

What I find most INTERESTING is that the person followed up the email to explain how excited he was to be involved in sports and refereeing future games.  I noted that persons GIVING of their time will receive priority for paying opportunities in the future… and apparently the 3 hours I was asking just didn't make sense.  HMMMM…

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Money often CLOUDS our judgment.  It PREVENTS us from seeing a long term gain or a short term benefit. 

What if a real estate company ONLY met with pre-paying clients?  What if you were REQUIRED to pay for ice cream samples in a sweets shoppe?  How many clients do you think each would have?  Or Retain?

Sometime you have to GIVE a little bit of time – freely – in order to experience what you are getting into.  Additionally, by allowing yourself or others to "sample" the service or product, you make it much easier to gain LONG TERM commitment from the user.

Seriously, are 3 hours of your time worth an opportunity to be part of something HUGE?

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 – Those Damn Dirty Details…

"We think in generalities, but we live in detail"
- Alfred North Whitehead

I must CONFESS that for years I have hidden behind the shroud of being a "big picture guy."  Now, like it or not, I am starting to MATURE in the manner I would have hoped for years prior.  Although my personality is that of an "expressive driver," I am beginning to understand that the DETAILS of work are what create REPLICABLE success patterns.

Sure, anyone that has a BULL mentality, like I do, can push their way through to success in varying manners.  We have the ability to PERSUADE, OVERWHELM, and FORCE ACTION from more passive individuals.  Yet, when it comes to REPLICATING that success, we STRUGGLE unless focused on the details of execution.

What is it about the DIRTY DETAILS of a process, project, proposal, event, etc that are so CHALLENGING to work through? 

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
TIME and EFFORT.

Sounds simplistic huh?  It is.  It is the same reason people don't go to the gym, read books, eat properly, call their families, and all the other things we SHOULD do.  It APPEARS to take too much time and effort.

What if you INVESTED a lot of time and effort UP FRONT to learn how to work through all the details?  What if you could go through the MAJORITY of your pain initially, so you could cruise later on?  Would you spend the time and make the effort?

Seems like we have a SOLUTION, huh?  Now earmark the time… and dive deep into the nasty, dirty details you hate so much.  They are waiting on you to find them (and the success secrets that follow them around).

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 – Patience is the Hardest Thing

"Patience is waiting. Not passively waiting. That is laziness. But to keep going when the going is hard and slow - that is patience."
-Unknown

What is the MOST challenging task of a professional?  While there are many, I suggest that you consider PATIENCE near the top of your list.

The challenge with EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE is the baggage that joins these traits in the form of IMPATIENCE.  As we start to see trends in behavior, purchasing, development, and conflict resolution, we LUST to jump to the end conclusion we "know" is imminent.

We seek to SOLVE the problems before questions are asked.  In a vacuum, this is ACCEPTABLE.  When considering the DEVELOPMENT of a team or individual around you, this is not.  You may do more HARM than good if you are not able, as you grow more seasoned, to master PATIENCE as your top skill.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
I have found a FOOL PROOF way to learn patience that I want to share with you… SHUT UP AND TAKE NOTES!

The less you talk and the more you take notes, the more you will listen and learn.  YOUR way may have worked 1000 times prior, but maybe a better way is here.  By NOTE TAKING, you are able to collect all information prior to speaking, analyze the SOUGHT AFTER eng goal and then advise accordingly.

RUSHING to a solution is a form of laziness that often results in disaster from "cut corners."  Ask yourself – what is more IMPORTANT?  Doing things RIGHT or doing them YOUR way? 

Right takes PATIENCE… did you take notes?!

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 – A Good Lesson… Again

"We are better at collecting data, than doing anything with it."
- Paco Underhill

What is the VALUE of education and experience? It is obtaining the INFORMATION needed to attain your goals... Kind of.

Having the INFO needed to achieve your goals is on the first step. The CRITICAL step to success is taking ACTION with that information. Being AWARE of the correct behaviors and IMPLEMENTING them are two VERY different things...

If you know that going to the gym is HOW you lose weight, but you NEVER go... what good is the information? If you DISCOVERED the cure to AIDS, yet never shared it with a pharmaceutical company... who would BENEFIT? If you have the phone number of a hot prospect client and you CHOOSE not to make the call... how will the client ever be HELPED?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Make a very special note that the ONLY way to attain your goals is through ACTION! Education and experience are INVALUABLE tools in the process of achievement. When coupled with FOCUSED ACTION - your success is a near CERTAINTY!

Don't be AFRAID to "fail" on your way to success... those stumbles are indicators that you are on the right path - the path of ACTION!

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 – Admitting I Was Lazy

"People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals / that is, goals that do not inspire them."
- Anthony Robbins

This weekend I witnessed something truly AMAZING.  My wife had her basketball jersey retired at her high school.  A three-time All State Player and a Louisiana State MVP, she was recognized for her multiple state championships and contributions to her school.  Oh yeah, she is a medical doctor too.

While I know she is not one that likes ATTENTION (I hope writing about her goes over well), she did accept graciously… and REMINDED me on what I missed out.

I was athletically talented myself.  I had one problem – I was LAZY.  I didn't want to practice.  I didn't want to spend the summer training in the gym.  I didn't want to run in the off season.  I was good "enough" to play without all those things.

What I didn't know is that "good enough" only gets you to where you are TODAY.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
While I say I was LAZY, I think it is more likely that I lacked FOCUS and GOALS.  I didn't REALIZE nor seek to understand what the bigger goal was – serious college ball.  I never THOUGHT far enough ahead to consider the great opportunities that may come my way.

LAZINESS is not a character trait as much as it is a SYMPTOM of something much deeper.  When one LACKS goals and focus, they tend to wallow around, flip flop from opportunity to opportunity.  Laziness is more the swan song of a MISGUIDED soul, than a condition.

Are you setting CLEAR goals?  Do you have LASER focus?  Now is the time… otherwise, it may be 14 years later, when someone special SHOWS you what you could have been – with the right ATTITUDE.

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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