Stop the Stinking Thinking – Time To Think Differently

My friend Bob Kittridge from Kittrige Connections post this today on his blog and I think it is appropriate and fitting based all of the articles and social media posts I’ve read or heard of throughout this election season. This is even more important now the winner of the United States presidential election has been announced.

I really do hope we take some time to think and reflect on the questions that Bob shared with us as a way to move forward and make a difference in our lives and ultimately the country.

New Mastermind Groups on John Maxwell’s 15 Laws of Growth Starting Soon – Click here to register

Happy Reading!

Ok folks it is done, the votes have been counted and the joys and disappointments are over. Thank God all the mailers and phone calls have stopped. Time to accept what we have and work to actually bring this country together.

I have seen things in this election that I thought I would never see. The hate and discord has been amazing! I watched posts last night from people telling others people how dumb they were or what a stupid choice they made. Telling people to un-friend them because of their choice, is this really what we are as a country? Is this really what we want others to see us as? Are we that kind of country? I don’t believe so!

Anyone remember this?

“I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”

“I pledge allegiance” (I promise to be true)

“to the flag” (to the symbol of our country)

“of the United States of America” (each state that has joined to make our country)

“and to the Republic” (a republic is a country where the people choose others to make laws for them — the government is “of, by and for” the people)

“for which it stands,” (the flag means the country)

“one nation” (a single country)

“under God,” (the people believe in a supreme being)

“indivisible,” (the country cannot be split into parts)

“with Liberty and Justice” (with freedom and fairness)

“for all.” (for each person in the country…you and me!)

The pledge says you are promising to be true to the United States of America!

People, I don’t and probably won’t agree with ALL the decisions being made by our elected officials, but as it says we have elected them to make the decisions for us! The only way this will ever be a successful country is to move on and come together for the common good, not political lines or party principles….but for America! One Nation Under God!

It is time for each side to stop the posturing and come to the table with a win-win for America. Like it or not this country is changing and we need to change with it. I heard one statement last night that one party will work with the other as long as the options are reasonable……..what is reasonable? Maybe now is the time for unreasonable….maybe reasonable has got us into this situation.

Albert Einstein said “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” We need to think differently!

A great friend and mentor of mine teaches a lesson using an hour-glass and this glass represents the flow of time, we can use it in the same way. This country needs to have the “flow” unblocked and move forward and it needs everybody to have a greater vision of what this country can be and will be and work to that vision. Think where we could be if we focused our intentions and thoughts to a positive mindset, asking positive questions, so our mind will give us positive solutions.

My fear is that the one line of this great pledge has already been broken, “indivisible.” Folks look around, read the posts on FB and listen to what is being said, there is a great division in this country and if it is not stopped it will destroy us!

For me I will work to control my thoughts and words, asking the questions that will move me closer to my purpose. Which in turn will move the country closer to theirs. For me I will monitor what I allow to influence my thinking and my actions! For me I will work to improve my economy regardless of what the media says the conditions are, I encourage everyone to do the same. We are all connected and we all can make a difference in the lives of each other, the country and the world…….if and only if we remove the dividers that separate us and this great country from our purpose!

I encourage everyone to take this as a day of reflection and ask yourselves…..

1. How can I think differently?
2. How can I contribute to move this country closer to it’s purpose?
3. How can I make a change in my life that would add value to others?
4. Who do I need to apologize to for my actions and statement?
5. Who do I need to be, to make this country the BEST we have ever seen?

Remember the past is gone, the future is a dream, we only have right now, the present to make that change and impact!

As you read this, TODAY, RIGHT NOW can be one of those DECISION POINTS. Today can be the day you discover your potential. Today can be the day you spread your wings and start SOARING! All it takes is DEFINING the VISION, DISCIPLINING the FOCUS and ACHIEVING POSITIVE LEGACY!

Build on Belief ~ Go Big Today!

Special Thanks to all our political parties for the inspiration of this post………

New Mastermind Groups Starting Soon – Click here to register

Link to Original Post: Time to Think Differently

 

Why Making Genuine Connections is Essential to your Success: October Virtual Seminar

The ability to connect increases your influence in every situation. Yet, statistics show that we live in an era where people, though seemingly more connected, feel that the genuine human connection is lacking between them and their personal and professional networks. If you can connect with others- one-on-one, in groups, and with an audience – your sense of community improves, your ability to sale and to create team work increases, and your influence skyrockets.

Join us on Thursday, October 25th for our monthly virtual seminar and find out why it is important for our success to connect with others. We will also cover:

1. What it takes to connect
2. The first principle of connecting
3. How great leaders connect
4. How to know when you have made a true connection

Join us on Thursday, October 25th at 9:00 PM ET

1. Please join my meeting (visual only): https://www.freeconferencing.com/meetings/869-564-045
Click on the provided meeting link listed above. On the next page fill out your name in the Meeting Login box. Once filled in, click on the Login button.

2. Join the conference call (Audio Only):
Dial: (712) 432-0900
Access Code: 252039#

At the scheduled date and time of the online meeting, dial into the conference line and when prompted enter the access code followed by the pound key.

Could “working” be the most dangerous form of procrastination?

 

Are there times when you’ve put off work under the disguise of being busy doing “other important” work? Do you find that most of those times the “other important work” is not as important?

If you’re honest with yourself, you can probably remember times when you had done that.  I know I have.  Since the work is not so glamorous or I don’t really want to do it, I find other things that I also need to get done to stay busy and avoid the work that I know I need to do.  Some times, the work I avoid is the most important one that would give me the greatest return. Eventually, I either complete it or I become a victim of the law of diminishing intent.

Law of Diminishing Intent
“The longer  you wait to do something you know you should do now, the greater the odds that you will never actually do it.”
~ John C. Maxwell

One of my mentors used to say, “You’re always busy. What are you busy accomplishing?” In the case of using work to avoid doing not-so-glamorous work, we can sometime answer this question positively. The problem is that what we choose to do is not the best  thing we could be doing right now.

To overcome this, I use two questions to help me prioritize and clearly understand the value I get from completing the work I’m consciously trying to avoid.

1. Which work (task) gives me the most return?
The busy tasks are important but are  they moving you in the direction you want to go? Are they giving you the “bang-for-your-effort”?

2. Is the task something that nobody else should nor could do for me?
If the answer is “yes”, then I know I need to get to work quickly. Otherwise, it will soon become an emergency that I have to pay attention to right away.

I love the way Gretchen Rubin, author of the book The Happiness Project, puts it. If you can combine her approach with the one I described above, you have tools that will help you be more intentional in completing your project tasks and help move you closer to your desired goal or future.

Below is Gretchen’s post:

When I have to do something I don’t want to do, any other task seems irresistibly enticing.

Sometimes, this tendency can be productive. I may not have gotten that piece written, but my office is clean, my errands are done, and I’ve cleared out a lot of email.

The problem is that—yes, I’ve been productive, but not in the right way. That piece still isn’t finished!

These days,  I’m careful to be honest with myself about what “work” I need to do, and I recognize the work-as-procrastination excuse. I’m also wary of the related tendency: busy-work-as-procrastination excuse. Re-formatting a document isn’t writing! Unfocused reading on the internet isn’t research!

When a task is truly horrible, I sometimes tackle it with the resolution to Suffer for 15 minutes.

We would love to hear from you. Have you kept yourself busy to avoid doing work you know you should do? “Do you procrastinate by working—by cleaning, organizing, answering emails, cruising the internet, making plans, or the like?”

Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Related Articles:

1. Choices in Life… Could you live the life you want?
2. Your Habits: The Secret to Your Success or Your Failure!
3. Change Your Life: 5 Steps to Creating Positive Habits

By the way, I don’t charge for typos. They are my gifts to you… 🙂

 

Special Live Teaching Call with John C. Maxwell on Oct. 2nd – Invaluable Laws of Growth

John C. Maxwell is teaching a lesson on Tuesday, Oct 2nd from 8pm-10pm ET via conference call to coincide with the release of his new book “15 Invaluable Laws of Growth”! Only John Maxwell Team Members and Founding Partners can make this available to you. Please note that this call will replace the usual last Thursday of the month call that I would host for the month of September. Join us and be ready to learn, grow and achieve better results in your life and your business.  Click here to view John’s special Video Invitation!

Participation on this call with John C. Maxwell is free of charge.  Register Now and take advantage of this call.  If you want to get a copy of the book and participate on this call, Buy it Here.

Mastermind Group Study on

“The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth”
By: John C. Maxwell

For those interested in their personal development or those who know someone who might be, I am also hosting two mastermind groups (both Live and Virtual) starting the week of Oct. 9th for an in-depth study of the “15 Invaluable Laws of Growth”. We will hold one meeting a week for 8 weeks.

• Only 15 seats available per group – Grab Yours Now!
  • Virtual Mastermind: $189
  • In Person Mastermind: $249

Grab Your Seat before the Oct 2nd Call and get 20% off by entering the code “growme”
(Virtual – $149, Live – $199)

What you will get when  you sign up:

1. A weblink and passcode to the video replay of the “A Day About Books” event with John Maxwell and Michael Hyatt ($99 value)
2. A copy of the book “15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” mailed to your home.
3. Participation in a LIVE or VIRTUAL 15 Laws Mastermind Group meeting for 8 weeks.
4. Handout/guide for each mastermind sessions.

How to Overcome Fear and Doubt

Fear and doubt is the biggest enemy of creativity but it doesn’t have to be yours.  Although it (fear) is not something you can get rid of but you can tame it and build your faith to surpass your fear to the point where your creativity is not stifled. There two main reasons fear paralyzes so many people. I’m going to share them with you and share two techniques I have use in the past to overcome. Credit for these go to my mentors in the John Maxwell Team who have helped me grow so much over the past 1 ½ year.

 

Reason #1: Doubting your abilities

There is the voice of doubt that challenges us every time we make a decision to do something unusual, out of our comforts one or the ordinary.  This is in and of itself is not bad; it is perfectly normal. It is our survival instinct doing all it can to protect us from failure, embarrassment or emotional/physical harm. While helpful, this internal voice of doubt, left untamed, eventually leads to fear. So, it becomes imperative that we have to recognize it for what it is and respond appropriately. This voice cannot go unchallenged because ultimately, the ensuing fear will affect your faculties and creative mind to the point where you become paralyzed.

• How to Overcome:
  To overcome this voice of doubt, you have to challenge it by recalling to memory and responding with the other great things – some of them seemingly insurmountable initially -that you’ve accomplished despite fear.  This voice demands an answer.  And until you do, it will be the dominant thought or mindset through which you filter all subsequent action or reaction. Responding to this voice is the only way I know (besides prayer if you’re a person of faith) to tame it. You have to actually recall these things and say them to your self – it know this sounds crazy but believe me, it works.

FEAR = False Evidence Appearing Real

Reason #2: Wanting to know everything before taking action

As humans, we usually feel that we must know every single detail about something before taking actions. This is due to the fact that we are in unfamiliar territory – out of our comfort zone. But this is a good thing. This means you are in a position to experience something new which will allow you to expand your horizon and grow. The fact is you will never see beyond your current horizon until you’ve taken your first step marching towards it and up to it.

• How to Overcome:
  To overcome this fear of the unknown and the discomfort that comes with it, you have to suspend the requirements of knowing how. The point here is, you don’t know how to do anything until you’ve done it. You may think that you know but you’ll find out soon after you have taken the first step that you really don’t. So, once you know what your first step is, start taking action. Once you do, you’ll realize that there was really nothing to fear. Collin Powell said it best when he said “[When making decision], once the information is in the 40 to 70 range, go with your gut.” Action is one of the main elements of building your faith. So, step out of your comfort zone!  Growth takes place outside of it, not in it.

How about you? How do you deal with fear and doubt? Share your tips in the comment section below.

Hold your image!

Related Post

4 Reasons You Should Strive to Be the Best at What You Do

Choices in Life… Could you live the life you want?

Change Your Life: 5 Steps to Creating Positive Habits

15 Invaluable Laws of Growth – Mastermind Groups

If you desire to growth and improve your results, don’t miss this opportunity. I am starting mastermind groups to study John Maxwell’s new book “15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” that will be released on Oct 2.

This is an 8-week in-depth study that will afford you the opportunity to join forces and mastermind with a unique group of like-minded individuals who are focused on taking results in every area of their lives to a new level. Having the support and ideas from other focused and driven people allows us to see things differently and to get a new perspective on goals and action plans.

EXCLUSIVE:

John C. Maxwell will be teaching the first session himself on Oct 2nd via conference call! Only John Maxwell Team partners can make this available to you. Register now to reserve your seat. The time for this BONUS Call is 8pm – 10pm EST on Tuesday, 10/02/12.

All other mastermind sessions will follow their regular schedule

• 9:00 PM – 10:15 PM  EST on Tuesdays – VIRTUAL (CALL DETAILS SHARED WITH REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS ONLY)
• 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM EST on Wednesdays – IN PERSON (LOCATION SHARED WITH REGISTERED PARTICIPANTS ONLY)

If you’re serious about your growth, your future and your success, this mastermind group is for you. Click here to REGISTER NOW and secure your seat.

This third and final book in John Maxwell’s Laws series (following 2-million seller ‘The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership’ and ‘The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork’) will help you become a lifelong learner whose potential keeps increasing and never gets “used up.”

REGISTER NOW
(Virtual – $189 or In-Person – $249)

Here’s a brief overview of the book:

Are there tried and true principles that are always certain to help a person grow? John Maxwell says the answer is yes. He has been passionate about personal development for over fifty years, and for the first time, he teaches everything he has gleaned about what it takes to reach our potential. In a way that only he can communicate, John teaches. Below is a summary of some of the laws in the book.

• The Law of the Mirror: You Must See Value in Yourself to Add Value to Yourself
• The Law of Awareness: You Must Know Yourself to Grow Yourself
• The Law of Modeling: It’s Hard to Improve When You Have No One But Yourself to Follow
• The Law of the Rubber Band: Growth Stops When You Lose the Tension Between Where You are and Where You Could Be
• The Law of Contribution: Developing Yourself Enables You to Develop Others

REGISTER NOW
 (Virtual – $189 or In-Person – $249)

Four Corner Posts to High Performance – Virtual Seminar on Thursday, 8/30 at NOON

Life is hard, our success is not guaranteed. We are constantly bombarded with new demands by others around us at work, home and in our community.  If we are not truly clear on our purpose in life, the direction we should be traveling, we will not end up where we want to land; but where others have forced us to travel.

In “The 4 Corner Posts to High Performance”, you will learn how to create your own high-performance life and business. “The 4 Corner Posts” will be your new GPS for high-performance and action toward fulfilling your life’s goals.  The lessons you learn on this call will help you set your life on the right path.

SPECIAL NOTE: I’m hosting this month’s virtual seminar at NOON (12:00 pm ET) on Thursday 8/30 instead of the usual time due to a conflicts.

Join us on Thursday, August 30th at 12:00 PM ET by clicking on this link or type this link in your address bar: http://www.instantpresenter.com/lwiwebinar1

About the Presenter:

Mike Harbour’s purpose is to IGNITE a leadership revolution by LIFTing dissatisfied people higher in purpose, excellence and action!  He has been a business leader since March 2006, survived the Great Recession and continued to grow his business and his reach through his partnership with John C Maxwell and the members of the John Maxwell Team.

Prior to joining the John Maxwell Team, Mike spent the last 20 years in the healthcare industry as a leader in hospital operations, sales, talent management and executive search.  He has a degree in Health Services Management and trained in leadership while serving in the United States Army as an Army Soldier/Officer.

As an Entrepreneur, Mike leads 3 service oriented business lines in the Talent Management and Training marketplace. He is a Headhunter, Coach, Speaker and Trainer of Leadership and High-performance principles.

You can learn more about Mike at www.harbourresources.net.

Related Articles/Resources:

1. The John Maxwell Team: Making a difference through leadership!
2. How to Move from Positional to Permission-Based Leadership
3. The Big Rocks: Your Priorities, Your Success or Your Failure

Mastermind Course: Communicating to connect

If you can connect with others- one-on-one, in groups, and with an audience – your sense of community improves, your ability to create team work increases, and your influence skyrockets. People who connect with others have better relationships, experience less conflict, and get more things done than those who cannot connect. Leaders who have learned the art of connection are able to communicate their ideas persuasively, establishing buy-in and attracting followers.

Learn how to improve your results, increase team performance and connect better with those you lead. 

Only 25 Seats Available

Join us for this 10-week course starting on August 15th, 2012 and learn the “how-tos” of connecting while we discuss the following principles and practices:

1. Connecting Increases Your Influence in Every Situation

   Leaders who have learned the art of connection are able to communicate their ideas persuasively, establishing buy-in and attracting followers. You will only be able to reach your potential, regardless of your profession or chosen path, when you learn to connect with other people. Otherwise, you’ll be like a nuclear power plant disconnected from the grid. You’ll have incredible resources and potential, but you’ll never be able to put them to use.

2. Connecting Is All About Others

   Before you can add value to others, you must first learn to value others. Instead of trying to conform others to your agenda, position yourself to see from their vantage point. As you gain awareness of the needs and hopes of others, you will be able to craft messages that connect with them emotionally.

3. Connecting Goes Beyond Words

   You can’t merely pass along information; you must model the message you want to deliver. A vision cannot materialize through you until it has taken root within you. Owning a vision enables a communicator to move from informing others to inspiring them.

4. Connecting Always Requires Energy

   To make the most of your communication opportunities, you must expend energy proactively. Leaders have responsibility to initiate the connection.  It’s also the leader’s duty to prepare so that he or she can communicate clearly when the opportunity arises. Preparation consumes time and energy, but its benefits far outweigh its costs.

5. Connecting Is More Skill Than Natural Talent
   People aren’t born with the ability to connect, nor does it develop by accident. Connection happens when people hone their skills and mine their experiences. Great communicators make the most of their background, personality, natural abilities, and knowledge in order to engage an audience—whether in conversation with one person or when speaking to a gathering of thousands.

   
   Only 25 Seats Available

6. Connectors Connect on Common Ground

   Connecting with others is a matter of choice. Good leaders and communicators don’t isolate themselves, and they deliberately keep their people informed. They decide to make themselves available, to listen when their people speak, and to show others that they care. Over time, their thoughtfulness and humility attract people to their side.

7. Connectors Do the Difficult Work of Keeping It Simple

   Being simple is hard work. Great leaders grasp the nuances and intricacies of tough issues, and condense them into simple statements that easily can be communicated to their people. To keep communication uncomplicated, leaders quickly get to the point, use plain language, and repeat their primary message.

8. Connectors Create an Experience Everyone Enjoys

   In the Information Age, attention spans continue to shorten, and you have a limited amount of time before people choose whether to tune in or tune out.  Do everything within you power to engage your audience early. Once you’ve drawn people in, hold their attention by telling stories, showing pictures and inviting participation. People remember what they see and do much better than what they hear.

9. Connectors Inspire People

   Vision without passion is a picture without possibilities. By itself vision doesn’t inspire change. It must be supplemented with visible passion on the part of the leader in order to compel people to act. Leaders set the tone for the entire team by the excitement and energy level they bring to their work.

10. Connectors Live What They Communicate

    People buy in to the leader before they buy in to the message. You are the best advertisement for your cause. Whether you intend to show them or not, your true colors eventually shine through—onstage, at work, or at home. If you want to connect well with people, you must become the kind of person with whom you would like to connect.

ONLY ONE THING STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND SUCCESS.

It isn’t experience; it isn’t talent. If you want to succeed, you must learn how to connect with people. And while it may seem like some people are just born with it, the fact is anyone can learn how to make every communication an opportunity for a powerful connection.

Join us for this 10-week course starting on August 15th and learn how to improve your results, increase team performance and connect better with those you lead.

To be more effective, we’re limiting the group to just 25 participants. Hurry up and secure your seat today.

How to turn dreams into reality – July 26 Virtual Seminar

What if you had a magic wand to make all your dreams come true? What if a fairy godmother were to come along and grant you not three, but six wishes? And what if that magic Wand were YOU?..?

Come join us to learn the secrets of tapping into the magic that lies within you, one step at a time, setting yourself up for what you want most in life and then pursuing them relentlessly until they come true!

Join us on Thursday, July 26th at 9:00 PM ET by calling (712) 432-0900 and entering 252039 # as the access code.

About the Presenter:

Joyce Dias has enjoyed an interesting career spanning 4 continents and several industries, and has launched not one, but two businesses in completely opposite niches – one in Leadership Development, Team and Personal Optimization, the other in Website and Social Media Campaign Optimization. Daunted at first as she transitioned from an employed professional to a successful entrepreneur, Joyce has learned that the secret of having it all lies in setting dreams with deadlines.

Joyce is the Founder and President of Success byHeart, a Toronto-based Business consulting company providing individuals and organizations with  exclusive tools and tailored solutions to discover their unique driving instincts and to build their success based on plans  that maximize the impact of their natural potential.

As a seasoned Corporate and Projects Manager and a deeply insightful coach, she helps people and teams seeking guidance to achieve professional or corporate objectives and their most cherished dreams. Joyce strongly guides people to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles and shows them how “to eat the elephant in small bites” using their innate abilities.

_______________________________________________

Skype Set up: The call should be accessible via Skype as well.  I’m hosting this call on http://www.FreeConferencing.com – so – add a contact of freeconferencing.7124320900 and the access code 252039# should work once you’ve dialed in.

How to Move from Positional to Permission-Based Leadership

Being a leader gives you great authority and power, but to truly lead, inspire excellence and voluntary engagement beyond a team member’s job description requires humility, tact and the ability to truly connect.

“No man is a leader until his appointment is ratified in the minds and the hearts of his men.”

Infantryman’s Journal (1954)

Throughout history we’ve seen leaders exercise power and authority purely from a positional perspective. And 90% of the time, it doesn’t end well for them. Using positional leadership only forces people to follow you as a leader within the stated boundary of the authority given by the position you hold.  It will not earn you the influence you need to realize your vision as a leader. This archaic style of leadership is at the heart of most of the revolutions that we have seen in the middle east and around the world (both in ancient and recent times).

As leaders, if we want to truly and whole heartedly engage our teams and followers, we need to rely on true influence which can only be earned.  And the only way to earn it is by addressing the top three