Morning Motivator – Karma Sucks! (not for me though)

"How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours."
-Wayne Dyer

I will keep today's Morning Motivator short and fun. I just arrived in from a 7:30am meeting at Starbucks here in Nashville. Great meeting, great topic, great company and DECISIVE action! You gotta love it!

As I am leaving and wishing a GREAT day to the person I was meeting, a gentleman SMASHES his car horn at us since we seemed to be taking too long to depart the parking lot space he so DESPERATELY sought after… talk about a CAFFEINE junkie! I politely held my hand up and nodded my head in RECOGNITION of his desperation for a double espresso latte with cinnamon dashed on the dollop of whipped cream – INTERNALIZING my thoughts of what a giant assh*le this guy was (congrats to me for not beating him up).

I walk around the block to my truck, get in and decide to drive back by Starbucks to make sure he wasn't HARRASSING the person I had met with. As I pull up, I see him pulling out and… WHAM! He backs into a vehicle vying for his spot. Now, I am a GOOD person and wish no ILL WILL upon anyone, however, I do think it funny that he was so rude to me and my meeting partner, prior to his small fender bender… KARMA Sucks! (not for me though)

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

Simple lesson… be NICE to people. Demonstrate PATIENCE and COMPASSION. If not, you will back your car into someone and I will laugh at you… on the inside.

I hope you all enjoy a WONDERFUL three day weekend. Be safe, have fun and make it count!! See you Tuesday.

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 – If I can Walk In His Shoes

Today's Morning Motivator is a bit different. Yesterday I spoke with a friend about a DIFFICULT life decision he is facing and his COURAGE to take the path less traveled. He has decided against what many would look to as being the "path of least resistance" to success to CHALLENGE himself into taking the path he has been CALLED to walk.

I want him to know that his COURAGE is what makes GREATNESS and his DETERMINATION has INSPIRED me to look deeper towards my own DREAMS. As a tribute to him, I share with each of you the poem that has inspired him so much… "IF" by Rudyard Kipling

F you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,
if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!

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 Trust Means To Success

"Being taken for granted can be a compliment. It means that you've become a comfortable, trusted person in another person's life."
-Joyce Brothers

Who do you TRUST? What about them makes for a TRUSTWORTHY partner? When is it time to share the next level of trust in a relationship?

I am starting a new initiative at work. One that requires me to BUILD an intense TRUST factor with partners in the technology community. A program that asks PARTNERS to come together for a collective enhancement of their business through existing client relationships. This has made me EXAMINE the factors of trust.

When determining WHO you can trust… what do you look for? Someone that is OPEN, COMMUNICATIVE, CANDID, SINCERE? How about someone that LISTENS and provides INSIGHT. I believe these to all be good and necessary attributes. Do you know what I look for..? Someone that SHARES – their GOALS, DREAMS, ACTION PLANS and most important… their FEARS. Someone that will share their FEARS with you is someone that can be TRUSTED extensively as you can rest assured that they are OPEN, COMMUNICATIVE, CANDID, and SINCERE. Who are you SHARING your DREAMS and FEARS with? Who is sharing theirs with YOU?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

TRUST takes a long time to build and is established from small incremental steps of personal INVESTMENT. You didn't establish someone as your BEST FRIEND in a weekend… it took months or even years.

When you are ready to GROW your business and personal life, you must look at your willingness to INVEST – time, energy, money, thoughts, dreams and fears. By making those relationships deposits into a "TRUST BANK" with someone, you establish the bond that is able to move mountains.

Always remember, businesses are BUILT on relationships and LOVE starts with trust… are you ACTIVELY building both?

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 - Why Success is So Hard To Find

"The only place you will find SUCCESS before WORK is in the dictionary."
-- May V. Smith

Daily, I enjoy discussions with friends, colleagues and associates (just as you do). I am always CAPTIVATED by the BRILLIANCE of others in their thoughts and dreams.

Why are more people not WILDLY successful then? If we are so brilliant, what is PREVENTING us from more easily accomplishing our dreams? HINT: Blood, sweat and tears (aka "the WORK").

Greg Goodman, a past teacher of mine, would say, "The difference between success and mediocrity is found specifically in IMPLEMENTATION." Very well said... it seems many people share a dash of BRILLIANCE and very few encompass that dash of CAN DO ATTITUDE with a load of GET IT DONE DETERMINATION. I wonder what I could do if I just WORKED harder at accomplishing my dreams... I wonder what YOU could do.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
When I joined the Junior Chamber, I was known as an IDEA GUY. Lots of great ideas, not action plan or intent to implement.

Now, I am the ACTION guy. Fewer ideas, more clarification and ALWAYS a plan of action! The difference, before I STRUGGLED to complete tasks and gain RESPECT. Now, I am President and lead by example - accomplishing tasks, simply and effectively... one by one.

Take the time to identify your TOP tasks and the first step to accomplishing them. Determine which is MOST important and do not QUIT until its complete... you will accomplish more with less and find that SUCCESS comes after WORK in the end.

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 – Eat Your Fears, Live Your Dreams

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true."
- Leon Joseph Cardinal Suenens

This weekend I experienced something I am not sure I will every experience again… the FIRST taste of LIVING my dream! I was asked to provide a speech by a friend of mine, Ms. Jordan Garrison, to speak to a group when a prior speaker was unable to make this OPPORTUNITY.

On Friday night, I provided the keynote inspirational speech to over 2000 attendees of the opening ceremonies to the Tennessee Special Olympics, which was directed by Ms. Garrison exceptionally. My topic: "Don't let your dreams be dreams." Very fitting, I would say, as speaking professionally is my personal AND professional DREAM. From my experience that night, I want you to know that whatever FEARS you may have about ACHIEVING your dreams are just MENTAL obstacles you create to keep yourself from facing FAILURE.

I realized Friday night, as I faced this massive group (keep in mind I have never spoke to more than 100 people prior), that I was EXPERIENCING one of the most EXCITING moments in life up to that point. I understood that I was GRACED with a tremendous opportunity to SHARE my passions and dreams with others and help them find their own. I stood before the group, NERVOUS, a touch SICK to my stomach from ANXIETY and a part of me wanting simply to RUN AWAY… but when the time came to STEP UP and MAKE IT HAPPEN – I did it. And it was everything I could hope for and more… a true SUCCESS.

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

I share this experience to say – don't let YOUR dreams be dreams! The FEARS you feel are TEMPORARY and WITHOUT SUBSTANCE. The EXHILARATION of overcoming those FEARS to find success is so deeply SATISFYING you will be moved with emotion.

I want to be very clear also that I am not someone that has GREAT talent or superior INTELLIGENCE. I am no more BRAVE than anyone that reads this. I am just like you… a simple person, with a simple dream. The only difference at this point is I can say I have taken ACTION towards the next big step of ACHIEVING my dreams… now, my friends, will you?

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.