Morning Motivator - Going Outside Your Comfort Zone

"Our comfort zones can be our greatest enemy to our potential."
- David Cottrell

The joy of life is the opportunity to LEARN everyday... You really have NO control.

Every situation you feel you have a grasp on, is one step from SPIRALING away from the reality you BELIEVE you know. You are presented daily with information you process and make CHOICES from. Sometimes, the action decisions are EASY to make and see. Other times, the answer is more COMPLICATED and requires a deep breath, consideration and then ACTION.
How many things do you WORRY about daily? How many UNCOMFORTABLE situations have you played out in your mind "in preparation for the worst?" How many have actually come TRUE..? Is it really WORTH all that worry?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
As a self admitted "over analyzer," I provide this SUCCESS STEP as an effort I work towards daily.

The key to achieving COMFORT is to directly manage and address DISCOMFORT. Need to have a DIFFICULT discussion - have it. Need to perform a CHALLENGING task - knock it out. AFRAID of what may happen when you share an idea... Share it immediately!

Never hold back, always be forthright and remember that its only from the rainy days that we are able to appreciate the sunshine.

Have a great weekend and take a moment to get outside your comfort zone!

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 - Maximizing the Best YOU

"You cannot be anything you want to be - but you can be a lot more of who you already are."
- Tom Rath, StrengthsFinder 2.0

I have started reading a new book this week called StrengthsFinder 2.0 by Tom Rath. I have found this book very ENLIGHTENING about the way people work, live and learn. The core concept being around utilizing your STRENGTHS and dismissing your WEAKNESSES.

As I am reading, the book makes mention of how parents FOCUS on the poor grades a child may bring home from school and take CORRECTIVE action to pull that grade to a manageable level (B or C), while OVERLOOKING the exceptional grades in other areas, further FOCUSING their efforts on ENHANCING the childs ability to excel in that area. Essentially saying - we spend all of our TIME and ENERGY trying to make our weaknesses up to par and as a result FAIL to MAXIMIZE our strengths. Why are we so OBSESSED with overcoming our weaknesses?

In reading last night, the book offers a question - "How much more HAPPY, PRODUCTIVE and EFFECTIVE would you be if you were able to focus on your talents/strengths at work, as opposed to being forced to MANAGE your weaknesses?" In work, we have a natural ability to ACHIEVE, maybe it is selling, training, accounting or even client services. We also have DEFICIENCIES, for some, its paperwork, follow up, managing client challenges, communicating effectively. Interestingly, our culture focuses so HEAVILY upon the weakness, often we FAIL to every utilize our strengths. Are you MAXIMIZING your strengths?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
We all have a cross to bear at work - for me its detailed paperwork. I don't like it, I don't want to do it, and I am not interested in spending time to find a way to "fix myself" so I can be proficient at it.

For me, an assistant, someone who LOVES paperwork and details, would be a great COMPLIMENT to my strengths in filling the gaps that I am not able or unwilling to do. While most companies recognize the validity of similar arguments, many are often slow to take ACTION (if ever) in helping talented employees MAXIMIZE their talents by providing complimentary team members.

Realizing that almost EVERY company will NEVER give you the help you need, the alternative is to use systems and technology to automate and support your needs. Take a few minutes to recognize what you are WEAK at, write it down and spend 1 hour each week focusing on how to get AWAY from it...ASAP! Spend time REFINING your natural talents - you will find greater HAPPINESS, PRODUCTIVITY and SUCCESS!

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 – In The Place You Are Supposed to Be…

First and foremost, thank you to my good friend, Alan Cunningham, for writing this Morning Motivator. I have been asking him for a long time to make a contribution and I couldn't be more pleased to see this come through just a few days ago. Thank AC.

Prior to Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Celtics coach Doc Rivers made this statement to his team, in reference to the Finals... "Right now, we are where we thought we would be, not where we think we should be."

I thought about that for 10 min and came to this conclusion... EVERYONE, no matter where you are at in life, are EXACTLY in the place you have worked for... If we think we should be elsewhere, you have to amend/add on to/adjust what you are doing CURRENTLY... whether it be more focus, more passion, knowledge, whatever...

One tank of gas will not get you from Nashville to New York... You have to continue to put in more...

Too many people think they don't get what they deserve, or what they worked for... Sometimes that may be the truth... But I think for the most part, individuals are exactly where they have "worked" to be...

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:

I think Alan makes a TREMENDOUS point and when I read this I found it CHALLENGING to accept that I am PRECISELY at the place that I have worked for. Occasionally, we are prone to FRUSTRATION about our position in life – finances, job title, relationships, health/fitness – yet when we consider what we are today is simple the RESULTS of ACTIONS taken days, months or even years ago, we find that the only way to PREVENT further frustration is by doing the HARD WORK we have failed to do up to this point.

I am one like that likes to say, "Today is the beginning of the rest of your life. From here you choose your HAPPINESS or FRUSTRATIONS. If you want to be SUCCESSFUL, in whatever sense that is, you simply ACT accordingly, do the WORK and make the SACRIFICES – you WILL, most assuredly, ACHIEVE every dream you have in the EXACT time it should happen.

Trust in GOD, BELIEVE in your abilities, SHARE with others and SUCCESS will find its way to you… Thanks again Alan.

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 A DREAMER?

"Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful than one with all the facts."
- Unknown

Thanks to Josh Anderson of Keller Williams Realty for this great quote.

If you are like me, you probably THINK too much and ACT too little. I am what you call a DREAMER. BIG thoughts, GREAT ideas, lots of PASSION with a sometimes, short-sighted vision of the NEXT STEP.

I often WONDER, should I have gone to law school? Is a MBA what I need to get to the next level? Where does one go to for ACCREDITED leadership training? Would those THINGS help me live my DREAM..?

Then I really THINK about myself and what I am doing. I am taking ACTION to live my DREAM - speaking at Special Olympics, Leading the Junior Chamber, getting up every morning for NINE months to write the Morning Motivator. These ARE my steps to MY dream. Sometimes its hard to see the steps your taking because you take then every day... What steps are you taking?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
A DREAM is a sacred part of a persons life. Your DREAMS are what INSPIRE and DRIVE you to ACHIEVE at a higher level.

Without your DREAMS, your life would be empty and without zest. DO NOT allow anyone to talk down your dreams... NEVER give up hope on your dreams... And keep from getting FRUSTRATED if they take awhile. Keeping moving forward and you WILL get there.

Anything worth having is worth WORKING and WAITING for!

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 - The Fun Way to Make it Happen

"I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult." -E.B. White

Thanks Brittney Johnson of Avenue Bank for this quote. Keep rockin' girl!

Every day we wake up and we have a CHOICE - today is a GOOD or BAD Day. Truly, it is YOUR choice... You have that POWER.

I have been labeled as "too CASUAL" in some of my professional activities. I wonder what that means? Am I too BOLD, too BRASH, too CHEESY or is it just that I am not taking each situation sooo SERIOUSLY that I forget it is supposed to be FUN?

If you worked in an IDEAL environment - what would it look like?? A bunch of pressed SUITS, focused on REVENUE every waking hour of the day, watching the clock for your 1 minute tardiness from lunch break... OR... Would it be a CULTURE of FUN, PRODUCTIVITY and a FOCUS on getting things done in a way that was ENJOYABLE?

2 DEGREE SUCCESS STEP:
Remember that WORK is a four-letter word and if you are not TRYING to have fun, it will care all the same feelings.

Make games of your daily tasks and CHALLENGE yourself to do more with less. You will find the most SUCCESSFUL people in the world LOVE their work and view it as FUN.

If this is not you, consider why, take ACTION to ensure everyday is a bit more PRODUCTIVE and a bunch more 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.