Morning Motivator – Better Make ‘Em Count

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Today is the BIG day!  The FINAL day of all the old ways and the beginning of your new, better habits.  HA!  Let's be serious…

It will take us all about 3 weeks to break every single "resolution" we make.  You know it, I know it and the gym knows it… that is why you get all the specials in January for your "year-long commitment."

Here is the thing about it all.  If You REALLY want it, you WILL do it.  If you want to lose weight – you will.  If you want to quit smoking – you will.  If you want to make more money – you will!

It is just a matter of how much PAIN you are willing to go through or eliminate to get there.  Here is my more friendly suggestion…

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Make SPECIFIC, detailed resolutions and include TIME TABLES for achieving them.  You might surprise yourself.

Most resolutions are too VAGUE and ARBITRARY.  Lose Weight, be a Better Friend, etc.  What the HELL do those mean?

Lose 10 pounds in the month of January by working out Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings from 11:30am-12:30am, while drinking a protein shake instead of eating out to lunch.  Now THAT is a resolution!!  Specific, detailed, time bound and measurable - I LOVE IT!!

If you want to really, MAKE 'EM COUNT this year – get dirty with the details.  Script out, on paper, what the "nuts and bolts" of SUCCESS achievement will entail.  THEN (and only then) take action!!  

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!  Let us all make this one REALLY count…

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 – I AM LISTENING…

"Your ego will want to keep you from listening.  Combat it.  When it is most difficult to listen is when it is most important."
- Zach Barker

I have to brag one of my best friends, Philip Steen, owner of Nashville Sports Leagues.  Over the past years, we have been good buddies and recently decided to go into business together.  It was this decision that made me REALIZE what a genius and great friend he really is.

Phil has a GIFT.  He is an analytical intellectual.  Since he owns a sports league, you may NOT think him to be the scholarly type, however, I know he READS more and is better INFORMED on the applications of social media, social integration and operational application than anyone that comes to mind, including Seth Godin.  Here is where it gets cool…

I want to be a process driven, organizational expert.  Alas, I am not.  It is not in my DNA.  I am truly a "Barker" (look up its original meaning).  My gift is creating buzz, driving action from groups and maximizing the benefits of interpersonal relationships.  If only I had Phil's gift too…

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
… and I DO.

As resources to one another, much like a co-worker, a mentor or a friend, I have access to Phil MASTERFUL knowledge base and he to mine.  His skill sets COMPLIMENT mine and between the two we have the ability to bring in large volumes of opportunity, while having the proper workflows and procedural measures to MANAGE the exponential crush.

The key is… I AM LISTENING to him.  Even when he goes a bit over my head or I am not as versed as he in a subject.  Still, I AM LISTENING.  Taking notes and working hard to keep up.  I AM LISTENING.

Every so often, you will be given a gift in a relationship.  You will be CHALLENGED to work harder to maximize its benefit.  Yet, if you LISTEN, you may just find that all the benefit is worth all the EFFORT required.

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 Ready?

"He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious."
- Sun Tzu

The most CHALLENGING year in our lifetime is looming near.  As we prepare for a continued STALL in our economy, political UNREST and personal CHALLENGES greater than known by prior generations, we must ANALYZE our preparedness.

The question is: "are you ready?"  If you response is "for what?", you may be in danger.  You still have time to PREPARE!

CHALLENGES are overcome by preparedness.  Whether that means having a rainy day savings fund or creating ALLIANCES that will allow you opportunity should you have a professional challenge.  Most of the FALL POINTS people experience are not unforeseen as much as simply unprepared.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
It is time to get VERY SERIOUS about your success.  If you do not have 2011 Goals WRITTEN DOWN, repeat WRITTEN DOWN, make sure that is done by tomorrow at lunch.

Your goals should focus on two (2) elements – START DOING and STOP DOING.  As you are well aware, a good habit cannot be created without the elimination of a bad one.  If all you had were GOOD HABITS, you would not have a need to make New Years' Resolutions, right?

What will you do for your EDUCATION?  FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS?  PERSONAL FITNESS?  MARITAL BLISS? SPIRITUAL ENHANCEMENT?  POLITICAL ADVANCEMENT?

If you are not thinking about those things now and PREPARING for your success in each, then how will you ever expect to DEFEAT someone who is?

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 - Difficult is Not Impossible

"Difficult takes a day.  Impossible takes a week."
- Jay-Z, Grammy Award Winning Rap Musician

Thank you again to my good friend and supporter, Josh Anderson of Josh Anderson Real Estate in Nashville.  This is another EXCEPTIONAL submission!!

Difficult is not the same as impossible. Indeed, the very fact that something is difficult confirms that it is possible.

Whatever is difficult to achieve, can be achieved. Whatever is difficult to reach, can be reached with effort, with time, with commitment and persistence.

Difficulty does not stand in the way of achievement.  Difficulty in fact provides a path to that achievement.

In addition, difficulty gives real value to achievement.  Those goals that are the most difficult and time-consuming to reach are also the most desirable and rewarding to reach.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Giving up because the task is too difficult is like quitting a job because you're being paid too much. When you're on to something that's difficult and demanding, you're on to something with great potential.

Be willing to embrace what is difficult. And you'll open your life to the best of what is possible.

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 – Silence the Noise

"It's not that I am not listening.  I cannot hear you."
- Anonymous

On this Monday morning, I am driving into Nashville from my mother's house to meet some of my BEST buddies for breakfast.  While the drive is not "lengthy" by any means, it does take approximately 40 minutes to get to my destination.  This morning, I did something very ODD…

The drive was completely SILENT.  No radio, no iPod, no phone, nothing.  Just my thoughts and me….

Have you RECENTLY spent 30 or more minutes in SILENCE?  Have you taken the time to DISCOVER what you were really thinking?  There is a lot of CREATIVITY to be unleashed when your mind is CLEAR of noise!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
This week will be FULL of new ideas and half-commitments to IMPROVING the upcoming year.  We will have GRANDIOSE thoughts of new success and action plans for fulfilling life's dreams.   Our CHALLENGE is, as always, IMPLEMENTATION.

My advice:  Silence the Noise around you.

SCHEDULE and execute the spending of ONE HOUR weekly on creative thought.  No motive, no goal - just open-minded creative thinking about what interests you.  You may DISCOVER, as I have, that recurring themes dominate your thought processes. 

Maybe the things you think about MOST often, when you are not being force to think about everything else, is TRULY what you should be focused on; for it is the subconscious mind that drives our BEHAVIORS and FUELS our true desires.

Cheers,
Zach

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