Morning Motivator - Stop Discounting Yourself!

"Until you value yourself, you won't value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it."
- M. Scott Peck

Do you ever wonder how some people seem to be in such great control of their schedule? It comes purely from the fact they respect their own time above all else.

Learning to respect your time, in greater measure than that of others, is a very challenging mindset to shift towards. Often, we are so focused on ensuring we respect and honor others time that we make sacrifices of our own in order to appease others. But wait... are they doing that for other people too?

What if we were all chasing other people for their time, never controlling our own and being dictated upon by those that we serve? At some point, someone would have to take control, otherwise, we would never get ahead.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Years ago I was taught that by controlling and respecting my time first, others would do the same. When I made myself available only in settings that were scheduled and controlled, I allowed myself the freedom and flexibility to meet with others during the open times.

More structure to create more flexibility? Sounds oxymoronic... yet, it is true!

By creating a systematic approach to how you manage your time, you will be better able to assess your ability to commit time, effort and attention to new projects. You will also be better able to serve your associates and clients as you will have controlled expectations of what can be delivered and how soon.

Sure, some people will see this as "stand off-ish," however, when they see how much time and attention you focus on them... they will forgive you. They may even start doing the same.

HAVE FUN!!

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 - Build and Support Your Competitors

"As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."
- Bill Gates

If we had our way, we would eliminate all of our competition, right? I mean, would it not be so much easier to be successful if there was not someone else out there stealing our clients, sending muddled messages and bottom feeding to get a deal? Then, only the BEST would be around and we would be a better society...

Well, that sounds fine and dandy, right?! Yet, what if there was never a bar to measure against? What is Apple never go into a tech war with Microsoft? What if banks did not fight for your loans and deposits?

The reality is that you NEED competitors! They make your business better, stronger and, frankly, are a great source of leads. (i.e. ever had a client show up on your doorstep because someone else screwed up?) Competition is what drives our ability to innovate, create and implement. It is what makes us do better - plain and simple!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP: Although we do like competition, we want to make sure that we are #1, correct? What if you had a way to build your competition in a manner that forced them to become allies, rather than opposition? What if your competitor became a partner instead?

One of the best ways to grow a business is through partnership. Additionally, by having people that provide services similar to yours, you are able to pre-qualify clients and better serve them. A best way to do this is by "training and supporting" your competition.

If you are able to create or lead a system or structure that allows you to serve as a leader within an organization, you are able to help shape the success of your competition, while building trusted relationships that will yield leads as a result.

There is never a time that one person or company can do everything. If you are positioned, by helping support your competition, so that you can benefit from the overflow or better yet, serve in a niche capacity within their business plan, you may find that your success is, in reality, DRIVEN by someone you viewed as "competition."

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 (well, in Hawai'i at least) Motivator -Better Late Than Never, Right?

"80% of success is showing up."
- Woody Allen

Ok, ok, ok. I know I am late on this one... Lets see if it was worth the wait.

I have been in one of my increased awareness modes lately. Watching, examining, questioning the ways things are done and why they are done that way. I have really been keyed in on timeliness (and yes, I am late, thus writing about it).

Interestingly enough, culture seems to be the strongest motivator for timeliness. In some areas of the country and just in lines of business, people EXPECT you not to be on time, but early. Others, however, are much more loose with their time, accepting when you are tardy, or even having you wait in the lobby while they run behind. What is wrong? Right? I don't know...

What I do know is that TIMELINESS, to me, is like dressing for an event. If you do not know what to wear to a party or gathering, out dress everyone (maybe not a tux, but you get the point). As a habit, with relation to time, if you do not have an awareness of the cultural value, err on the side of being early. (at least 15 minutes I suggest).

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP: Most of fall into the common time traps causing us to be late. Mis-prioritization, time wasting in non productive activities, failure to plan or delegate low level work. The list goes on and on and on... One of the biggest life suckers, er, I mean, time suckers, is "early morning email." just as a note, before we look at ways to solve your time issues, understand that an email sent overnight does not have a "reply by" time associated with it. Take your time, get focused and knock out the important stuff before you start the back-and-forth of morning emails.

Here are some great helpers for better balancing your schedule. Hope it helps...

1. Take responsibility for your time. If you do not respect your time - no one will!

2. Focus your schedule around your priorities. Not everything in our lives is equally important (you know that already.) Focus on solving this question - "What are my top 5 priorities today?" Complete them in order of importance, not convenience.

3. Eliminate time traps. Take a look at your daily schedule. Are there certain activities that zap your energy and keep you from reaching your goals? Hint: TV, Web surfing, too much Social media, Checking email too frequently, answering unimportant texts, Running errands every day

4. Be willing to decline tasks. Agree only to the tasks that are meaningful to you. It might sound selfish at first, but it really is not.

5. Plan only for 80% of your time. Did you ever have something unexpected happen to you during the day? Those unexpected things usually happen quite often and mess up your schedules completely. Allow 20% of your time be unscheduled and completely free.

6. Distinguish between urgent and important tasks. Important activities have an outcome that leads to the achievement of your goals. This gets you closer to keeping your life priorities in balance. Urgent activities demand immediate attention, and are often associated with the achievement of someone else's goals or satisfying your necessities

7. Keep your daily schedule organized. All of the tips mentioned above can be hard to digest and bring into your life. That is why using a daily planner will help you organize your schedule, declutter your tasks and avoid the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Guess who is re-reading this MM as soon as it hits his email?? Well, at lunch... wink wink

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 - TIME TRAVEL

"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."
- John M. Richardson, Jr.

Have you ever thought about traveling back in time to alter something of the past or give yourself an advantage on an opportunity you missed? Have you watched enough movies to be scared of altering the space|time continuum? What if you could change the future through time travel?

People are always looking for a way to erase past mistakes or missed opportunities. Many are playing the "what if" game over and over every day. Some people are so frozen by a decision or action in the past, they cannot move forward today. What if you could change the future?

What if I told you that you can!?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP: YOU CAN!! Repeat... YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR PAST!

No, I did not invent a time machine (yet). What I have discovered is that you are able to travel back to your prior errors mentally, learn from them and use them as leverage for future success. Yes, travel back through your experiences and use them to alter your future!!

Too often, people believe that one moment altered their entire future. I often say "all but one decision can be corrected and overcome," which means that you have the ability to blow an opportunity and still get it back!

You hold the key to your future. Seriously. No one else can dictate what you can and cannot achieve. You live in the United States where your government cannot hold you down. In a society that celebrates the underdog. In a world that grows flatter every day with the increased speed of technology and communication.

Learn from your past. Leverage it for your future. Stop wishing for a time machine to go back and create your success machine for the future!!

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.