Morning Motivator – Changing Your Fate By Changing You Mind

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
- Albert Einstein

Previously, I presented a Morning Motivator on the "Definition of Insanity" – when one expects different results from the same actions. I want to play off that with today's MM. The idea of problem solving is derived from a STRATEGIC approach to ACCOMPLISHING goals that do not always have a clearly defined "next step" associated with them. Many times, we are FRUSTRATED by an inability to accomplish a goal, mostly because we fail to look at varying ways in which we can ACHIEVE our end result.

Did you ever play with the peg board when you were a child? You know, the one that has the square, the star, and the round holes with the accompanying pieces. If so, I am sure you remember the day you JAMMED the round one in the square hole and it became STUCK. You then beat it down HARDER and HARDER until it finally went through the square hole. Does that mean it was the right SOLUTION? Really, consider it… you DID accomplish your goal, right?

If you are CONTEMPLATING your GENIUS for jamming the round peg through the square hole… STOP. You were wrong (as was I, as I was notorious for doing that). Albeit a FORCEFUL way to accomplish a goal (much like yelling at co-worker and motivating with fear), there was a BETTER option that was EASIER and more EFFECTIVE. The simple fact is – you FAILED to examine all your OPTIONS fully and have a WILLINGNESS to fail. Sounds a lot like work doesn't it? To change your outcomes… you must change your mind set. FOCUS on SOLUTIONS that breed results – not just RESULTS.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

When problem solving, a BEST PRACTICE is to first determine the TIME frame that is required to complete your task. If you have 30 minutes, you will likely make a "gut check" decision and hope for the best (these often work too), however, if you have 10 days until the task is to be completed, you have time to schedule a BRAINSTORMING session and do some ANALYSIS of your task.

By providing yourself the FREEDOM to approach the task with CREATIVITY and an OPEN MIND – you will find that often the round peg for the round hole is simply hidden under all the square pegs. It is not a requirement that 5 days into a 10 day project you be 50% complete. The only thing that matters is that on day 10, you are 100% complete. Use your GENIUS… that's why God gave it to you.

Have a TREMENDOUS weekend – hope to see any Nashvillians at the Marathon and the Crawfish Boil!

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 Prepared for Today?

"I will prepare and someday my chance will come."
- Abraham Lincoln

Every morning you wake up and start a PROCESS for that day. For some, we wake up and run or hit the gym. For others, we hit the SNOOZE bar a few times and then rush to the shower to get going. For a small few, we wake up, look over our tasks for the day (that were written the day prior) and begin to put in MOTION our immediate next actions. The biggest DIFFERENCE between those that are consistently SUCCESSFUL and those of us that STRUGGLE day to day is – PREPAREDNESS.

The DISCIPLINE to have a written task sheet daily can be difficult to maintain. The ability to continually slip is easy to fall into. If we are AWARE that planning and preparedness provide us the STRUCTURE to succeed daily – why do many of us RESIST taking action to prepare? I believe in all of us, we want to FEEL as though we are FREE from the robotic constraints of a systematic daily life. We are AFRAID that if we have to many systems and process – we will LOSE our identity and become one of the many MINDLESS DRONES that find success in a life of daily check sheets with little CREATIVITY and FUN.

I wonder though… if I knew the EXACT way to accomplish my THREE highest VALUE activities daily, would I be better able to ACHIEVE them faster? If I was able ACHIEVE success in those THREE most important tasks by noon, would I have the ability to use the remainder of my day to work on INTERESTING and CREATIVE projects I always put off? Would I be able to take a longer lunch and leave a bit EARLIER if all my "WORK" was done? I wonder…

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
There is a simple management system you can use to provide you with the PREPAREDNESS you are seeking in your daily life. By choosing to prepare, you will find you ACHIEVE more, FASTER and with less EFFORT – sounds good eh?

Here's how you do it:
1. Set goals for your next work day prior to leaving the office
2. Examine those goals first thing in the morning and assess which 3 are most VALUABLE
3. Choose the ONE most valuable and begin that task immediately and complete it quickly
4. Choose the NEXT most valuable task and follow suit
5. Review your task list at the end of the day – add any new VALUABLE tasks that need accomplishing and PRIORITIZE them based on value
6. Schedule time in your next day for any tasks that require more than 10 minutes of focus
7. Go home, enjoy your night and feel CONFIDENT you have prepared WISELY for your next day most VALUABLE tasks!

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 – Finding Your Leadership

"Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."
-Peter F. Drucker

At our Nashville Junior Chamber meeting last night, we had a speaker named Jim Phillips of AT&T, speak to us regarding LEADERSHIP. Jim holds an MBA from UNC-Greensboro in Leadership and serves as a Regional VP in the AT&T system, overseeing large accounts. He also is a GREAT speaker that provided us with insight as to "why leadership is dangerous."

Interesting concept – DANGER – in leadership. What could be so DANGEROUS? The fact that as a LEADER you are often tasked with the critical decision making that may affect – RELATIONSHIPS, CAREERS, INCOMES, and COMPANY FUTURES. Why else? Maybe, it's derived from the fact that you CANNOT know all the RIGHT answers to the challenges you have to face. You have to LEARN through experience and by stumbling along the way.

Jim asked a question – "How many of you are leaders?" Very few raised their hands. I asked a question back – "Are you not a leader of yourself first?" He agreed. It is our DUTY as individuals to serve as the CEO of ourselves first. Set goals, manage resources, celebrate success and learn from failures. There WILL be a day that you are cast into a LEADERSHIP ROLE – Church, Work, Family, Rec Sports, etc. How better to prepare than to have EFFECTIVELY lead yourself for many years already…

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

Mr. Phillips posed the idea that leaders are NOT born, rather bred into the roles. You don't have to be over organized or eccentrically charismatic – you just need to get RESULTS!

The best way to LEARN how to get results as a leader is by taking ACTION and PARTICIPATING in a Leadership role. Seek it out. Here are some simple ways you can take a Leadership role in your life:
- Captain a sports team
- Sit on your child's PTO board at school
- Organize a volunteer team on a weekend project
- Ask your boss for more responsibility (don't forget money too)
- Take a day for yourself to set goals and action plans to YOUR dreams

By taking an active Leadership role – you WILL gain the EXPERIENCE you need to SUCCEED when the time for you to PROVE your Leadership is placed upon you. Personally, if you read the Morning Motivator, I KNOW you are a leader. It's the individuals that take time to GROW, LEARN and LEAD that define the LEADERSHIP of our communities… enjoy your role – you are one of your communities ELITE!

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 – When the Lesson Learned is the One You Preach

"When you meet someone better than yourself, turn your thoughts to becoming his equal. When you meet someone not as good as you are, look within and examine your own self."
-Confucius

Yesterday was one of those AMAZINGLY productive days, where it feels like everything you touch goes the right way. Funny thing happened to me though – I was lifted up for my LEADERSHIP skills and then QUESTIONED about how I showcase them to others later. A simple case of "Do you practice what you preach?"

I APPRECIATE someone that will call me out and keep me ACCOUNTABLE to myself as well as those around me. I internalized what was being said to me and REALIZED – I can and WILL make a better commitment to leading by EXAMPLE. And how does one do that? I found the above quote to be a GREAT guideline for maintaining commitment to your LEADERSHIP goals. The concept of the "weakest link being the gauge of team strength."

My dad always told me that I wanted to play ball with guys that were BETTER than me and NEVER less talented. I would always ask "why dad? I don't want to be the WORST player on the team." And he would ALWAYS respond with, "Zach if you are the worst player on the team, you have nothing to do but IMPROVE and when you ARE the weakest player on the team, you KNOW your team will be AMAZING." Good advice… I still don't want to be the worst. – and don't think that I have to. Now that I am older, I realize that my dad always said that knowing that one day, I would be one of the BETTER (or BEST) player on my "team" and that the leadership lesson of CULTIVATING talent would help make sure I ALWAYS PRACTICE WHAT I PREACH. Thanks dad!

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

First, to MAINTAIN credibility you BETTER practice what you preach (so noted in my book as well) which means continuing to do the little things that no one else will do and you can do better than anyone else.

Secondly, ALWAYS seek and surround yourself with the best talent available. Think of my dad's story… if you are the weakest team member and you are AMAZING at what you do… how good is your team?!? (scary huh)

Lastly, have a QUARTERLY checkup with yourself – place in your MS Outlook calendar a recurring event to review your GOALS, VALUES and STARTEGIES. By doing this you can easily maintain your high level performance with little effort and greater results.

Never fear being surrounded by greater talent… it's the symbol of your greater leadership!

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 Moment of Weakness in the Airport

"Pride is a personal commitment. It is an attitude which separates excellence from mediocrity."
- Anonymous

Have you ever overheard a discussion not meaning to get involved and then find yourself nearly obligated to interject? I had a moment of weakness yesterday in the Nashville Airport after arriving home from an overnight trip. For those of us that are OUTSPOKEN… you may appreciate this more.

Upon arrival from Chicago yesterday, I was standing near an older gentleman, his wife and another young lady. The gentleman, obviously a successful man by his dress and demeanor, was expressing his CONCERNS about a recent land acquisition some lake front. He began to share the story of how we ENTICED by a reduced pricing offer on the land and how EXCITED he was to purchase this at such a BARGAIN in times like these. He went onto share the next part…

He was so UPSET with the "sales person" because he didn't tell him the land wasn't level and would required grading to build on. Hmmm… here's where I JUMP in. I asked him about the discussion they had and if he had ever ASKED about building on the land or if the lot was level. He said NO. I asked if the property is sold EXCLUSIVELY for property development. He said NO. I posed a THIRD question… Why are you UPSET with the rep if it is YOU that failed to ask the right questions and do your homework properly?

You might assume this is when I got punched in the nose. I didn't. He was quiet for a moment… then said, "you know, I have been so upset about the situation, I never looked to see where the problem started." Hmmm… I guess even SUCCESSFUL people sometimes make poor decisions by not planning and thinking things through. Are you thinking all of your OPPORTUNITIES through?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

By defining goals with specific end results, you are more capable of making effective decisions and measuring success results. By knowing your outcome expectations, you will be better able to determine the value of investment (time and money), the value of outcome (salary, property, time saved) and define the best partnerships to achieve those goals.

To get where you are going, you must know where that is… if you are not yet setting goals, today is the BEST day to start!

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.