The Right to be a leader.

Excerpt from "The Right to Lead", by John Maxwell

A good student of leadership can learn lessons almost anywhere. Recently I received this letter from a friend who discovered what it takes to lead up near the top of the world:

Dear John,

In August 1999, my wife, Minnietta, and I vacationed with some friends who live in a remote part of Alaska near Denali Park. One day they took us to visit their neighbor, Jeff King, who lives a few miles away. Jeff is a sled-dog racer who has won the 1,000-mile Iditarod race from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska, three times (1993, 1996 and 1998). It was a joy to experience Jeff's love and passion for his seventy huskies and his admiration for their maturity, strength, and courage.

Jeff told us that when he starts the Iditarod race, he starts with sixteen dogs and rotates the lead dog frequently to give all the dogs a chance to lead since every one of them wants to be the lead dog. Eventually, he finds the dog that is the real leader because it is a dog that is energetic and persistent in leading, and that dog becomes the leader of the pack. It is chosen as the leader because it leads; it is able to motivate the other dogs to follow by its own energy and enthusiasm.

Jeff told us that in 1996, the lead dog was a two-and-a-half-year old female named Jenna. That was very unusual since there were only two females in the pack. She was so young, and she was smaller than all the male dogs. But Jeff said with emotion, "She was our leader; when a blizzard came, she didn't give up. She kept barking and running even when the snow was over her head and inspired us all to keep going. Even at her young age, she has the mental maturity of a leader." When Jeff was congratulated for winning the 1998 Iditarod, he lifted up his lead dog and said, "Here is the leader who won the race for us."

John, I found this story very inspiring and hope you might be able to use it. Grace and peace.

Sincerely,

Kent Millard

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Want to go to the next leadership performance level. John C. Maxwell, an internationally recognized leadership expert, can help you. Read some of his books.
Click here: Amazon.com: John c. Maxwell: Books

*****************************************

Check out http://www.wilsonmotivational.com/

Let me help you get to the next level.

Let's meet. I'll buy you a cup of coffee and talk about how we can work together in a coaching relationship.

Business Planning for 2010?

Laura Posey,
Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group writes...

Should You Spend Time This Year On A Plan?

That seems like a silly question perhaps, but so many business people don’t bother really planning their year (much less their entire business) that I have to ask.

Here a few of my best reasons to make time in the next two weeks to get a plan done.

Focus Changes Everything
Having a plan forces you to decide where to focus your time, energy and money in the coming year. Focus is the force that drives all things to greater power and success. An unfocused stream of light creates a gentle illumination while a focused stream creates a laser beam capable of cutting through any obstacle. An unfocused team of rowers wanders around the water, while a focused team can conquer any ocean.

Writing Goals Down Changes Your Brain
For years, scientists have known that the act of writing things down changes the way they are stored in your brain. That’s why you had to spend so much time in school writing out your multiplication tables, etc. Writing your plan plants seeds in your subconscious that can dramatically increase your likelihood of achieving. Even if you fall short of your ultimate goals, you’ll likely far exceed what you would have accomplished had you not bothered to plan.

Planning Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
When I ask people why they don’t have a plan, many tell me they don’t have time to write a huge plan and, even if they did, they probably wouldn’t use it anyway. It is just to easy to go back to winging it as real life deviates from what you planned. Proper planning doesn’t have to take tons of time or result in the death of a hundred trees. You can create a complete annual plan in just 20 minutes and use only one sheet of paper. Best of all, the plan you create will be flexible enough to accommodate changes in the economy and your business as the year progresses. A plan shouldn’t be a prison but rather guardrails on the highway to your goals.

Laura http://www.dancingelephants.net/

Think.

Few things possess more Power than a Thought.

Because a Thought has the potential

to be become something significant.

To solve something meaningful.

And to inspire us to achieve great things.

What makes a Thought so powerful

is that it can be created by anybody.

At any time.

From anywhere.

That's why Thinking should be encouraged

and nutured in all its forms.

No matter how small.

Or how impossibly grand.

Because whenever Thinking happens,

Big ideas follow.

Minds become enlightened.

Knowledge grows.

And people discover new ways to unlock their

Potential.

So start Thinking.

Qatar Foundation

Interesting stuff to ponder.

Dysfunction In The Workplace?

Roxanne Emmerich, author of the best seller Thank God It’s Monday , just reported the latest research about dysfunction in the workplace.

1. Over 91% of people spend a huge chunk of their day frustrated by their coworkers’ dysfunctional behavior and think regularly about quitting their job.

2. Managers waste about 37% or more of their day dealing with dysfunctional behavior.

3. One out of every three payroll dollars is lost for good due to disengaged employees.

Makes you stop and think about how successful we could all be if we replaced dysfunctional behaviors with passion and creativity.

Is God Inside The Brain Or Outside?

Barbara Bradley Hagerty, religious correspondent for NPR, recently wrote about a woman who had brain surgery. Besides being under during the surgery, all the blood was drained from her brain in order to do the procedure. When she was conscious again, she was able to describe the operating theatre, who was there, the surgical tools that were used and even the exact conversations between the staff.

All of this raises questions as to whether consciousness is inside the brain or is it somehow being transmitted to us. Are we similar to a radio receiver tuning in to the signals being sent to us?

(Reported USA Today June 22, 2009)

A quote from Anonymous.

"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us but by how we react to what happens, Not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, a spark that creates extraordinary results.”

What say you?

Relax - Breathe!

Breathing 4-6-8

Do you want to reduce stress? It can require a number of time-consuming adjustments such as improving self care and diet, exercising more, balancing work and family activities, and addressing interpersonal conflicts.

However, there is an easy exercise, almost like pushing a button, that is guaranteed to instantly reduce your stress and make you more relaxed in moments: Breathing 4-6-8.

Breathing 4-6-8 involves inhaling through the nose for four seconds, holding your breath for six seconds, exhaling through your mouth for eight seconds, and repeating that process two more times without a pause.

Some tips and warnings:

Practice Breathing 4-6-8 whenever you feel especially stressed
Practice 2-3 times a day for regular maintenance, to reduce your overall stress level
Practice Breathing 4-6-8 at most four times a day, and no more frequently than every two hours
Using this technique too often can cause you to become excessively relaxed or cause blood pressure to drop too low
Excessive practice can also diminish the relaxation effect of the technique

Try it, you’ll like it.

Practice with an instructor
Click this link to listen to an audio/mp3 file guiding you through this technique

Make it a gr8 day with 4-6-8!

Listening better

I never learned much in school about being a good listener. And yet , I have to practice it all the time as a personal development and business coach.

Here's what I do...

First, I put up my ears, then I put my tongue between my teeth and do what Andrew Weiss advises for deep listneing:

• Be present. Give the other person your complete attention Be aware of what is happening inside you.

• Be open. Put aside all your assumptions about who this person is and try to listen to who they are right now. Ask questions that convey your deep concern.

• Stay aware of your emotions. Notice what happens to you when you are hearing something you find difficult or painful. Often someone's issues will deeply touch our own. We need to recognize those feelings, breathe deeply, and release those feelings in order to continue listening with attention.

• Make space. If emotions run too high, ask for a short break. This may be painful for the other person, but tell them you will be a better listener if you take some time to let your own emotions drain out and do something to feed your compassion and love.

Listen first and talk second is good for relationhips.

And that's no nonsense...

Make lots of gr8 days.

Finish Strong

Go for it!!

There is one thing that we all have in common. That is...at some point in our life, we will face adversity. It's not a matter of if but...when.

My BS (Belief System) is that the difference in our success or failure is not change, but choice. Because when adversity strikes, it's not what happens that will determine our destiny; it's how we react to what happens.

Click on this 3 minute inspirational movie. So just sit back, turn up your speakers and enjoy.

http://www.finishstrongmovie.com/index.html

Go for the gold. Make lots of gr8 days.

"The reality of life is that your perceptions -- right or wrong -- influence everything else you do. When you get a proper perspective of your perceptions, you may be surprised how many other things fall into place."~ Roger Birkman"

On Being Positive...

Why is a positive and proactive attitude so important? Because it actually changes our physiology... causing our bodies to heal themselves!

What’ca think?

A recent article entitled "Mind Over Matter” appearing in a publication called "Health Features" reported…

"Positive thoughts can be as effective as drugs in beating diseases. Studies show preventive medicine may soon be more than just monitoring your vegetable intake and exercise levels, and include how many negative thoughts go through your head in a day.

There is a growing body of evidence to suggest that a patient's beliefs and hopes affect their prognosis.

One of the major contributors to maintaining health and removing disease is the attitude of the patient, says Professor Oakley Ray, a psychologist from Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

He reviewed one hundred years of research on psychology and disease for a paper published in American Psychiatrist and concluded that WORDS can have the same effect as DRUGS; thinking optimistically can change your whole biology.

Ray quotes a wide range of evidence including various studies linking mind set to heart disease. One such study from the Harvard School of Public Health established that optimism lowers the risk of heart disease in older men while pessimism and hopelessness increase it. There is strong evidence that patients with heart disease who feel hopeless about their condition do worse.”

It has always appeared to me that people with a positive attitude (and equally positive self-talk) were significantly more successful, well-balanced and effective than people who go through life with a negative, self-defeating attitude.

The bottom line is, while positive WORDS may not be a miracle drug... what if they are and you refuse to accept the miracle?!!!

If for no other reason, find a way to inject POSITIVE words into your life each day, and maybe MIRACLES will find there way into your life as well!

Go Miracles!

Picture - Butch from Our Gang - The original Little Rascals movie.

Miracles - Anyone?

You don't need an explanation for everything.

Recognize that there are such things as miracles, events for which there are no explanations. Later, knowledge may explain those events away.

The fact that you plant a seed and it becomes a flower, share a bit of knowledge and it becomes another's, smile at someone and receive a smile in return are common miracles.

Your duty to yourself is to believe that for which you have sufficient evidence, and to suspend your judgement when you have not.

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. Some things have to be believed to be seen. Vision is the art of seeing invisible things.

© Copyright 2008 www.yourdailymotivation.com Reproduce freely but maintain Copyright notice.

The secret of life

Here are some comments from Coach Bob Tschannen-Moran*.

What’s the secret of life?

I think it has to do with connection, generosity, and joy. The more focused we become on self-protection the harder it is to experience laughter, love, and luxury. It may be tempting in these difficult economic times to hunker down with a wary-and-weary mentality, but we do so at our peril. Not only does this cut us off from that which makes life worth living, it also endangers the well-being of us all. So don't let that happen. Reach out and touch someone. Be extravagant with your generosity. Take time to notice the little things in life. Find ways to celebrate the wonder of it all.

What do you think?

How's this for an explanation of the human life span. (Author unknown)
A silly story.

On the first day, God created dog and said: "Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years." Dog said: "That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten years and I'll give you back the other ten?"

So God agreed.

On the second day, God created monkey and said: "Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give you a twenty-year life span." Monkey said: "Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long time to perform. How about I give you back ten like Dog did?"

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created cow and said: "You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family. For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years." Cow said: "That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?"

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created human and said: "Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you twenty years." But human said: "Only twenty years? Could you possibly give me my twenty, the forty that cow gave back, the ten that monkey gave back, and the ten that dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?"

"Okay," said God, "You asked for it."

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and bark at everyone.

We humans do, indeed, go through many phases although not in such a linear fashion.

Here's to more monkey tricks and less barking at every age!

*Bob Tschannen-Moran, IAC-CC, CWC, is President of LifeTrek Coaching International
http://www.lifetrekcoaching.com/

Fire Engine Red

Why is the fire engine red??

The fire engine has a ladder...Ladder has steps.
Steps are a foot and is measured by a ruler.
A ruler can be a King or queen.
Elizabeth was a queen of England.
Elizabeth was also name of the ship.
Ship floats on water.
Water has fish.Fishes have fins.
Fins are people of Finland.
The national flag of Finland is red, so fire engine is red.

Now you know. Tell all your friends. Go for it!

Make lots of great days.

Being a better YOU.

You - You - You - You - You

Begin your day by choosing to be a Better You.

Choose ENERGETIC instead of permitting yourself to become run-down and burned-out.
Choose PASSIONATE instead of permitting yourself to become apathetic and indifferent.
Choose ENTHUSIASTIC instead of permitting yourself to become half-hearted and discouraged.
Choose SELF-DIRECTED instead of permitting yourself to become directionless and uncertain.
Choose PREPARED instead of permitting yourself to become shortsighted and reactive.
Choose FOCUSED instead of permitting yourself to become scattered and impulsive.
Choose SUPPORTIVE instead of permitting yourself to become critical and judgmental.
Choose SYSTEMATIC instead of permitting yourself to become haphazard and disorganized.
Choose TIMELY instead of permitting yourself to become distracted and preoccupied.
Choose PROACTIVE instead of permitting yourself to become procrastinating and hesitant.

SMILE... SMILE... SMILE...

When Was The Last Time You Had Any Fun? One great way to cultivate an energetic attitude is to be sure you enjoy what you do. Look for things that are fun to do, and find new ways to have fun at what you're already doing.

Smile and laugh as much as possible. Instead of lunch, why not go to recess?

"An optimist may see a light where there is none, but why must the pessimist always run to blow it out?" Michel De Saint-Pierre

Reflection

A beautiful reflection

A Poem by Portia Nelson shared with me by Stephanie Kirksey:

1) I walk down the street.....
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk....
I fall in.....
I am lost —
I am helpless.....
It isn't my fault.....
It takes forever to find a way out.

2) I walk down the same street.....
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.....
I pretend I don't see it.....
I fall in again.....
I can't believe I'm in the same place.....
But it isn't my fault.....
It still takes a long time to get out.

3) I walk down the same street.....
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk....
I see it is there.....
I still fall in — it's a habit....
My eyes are open....
I know where I am....
It is MY fault.....
I get out immediately.

4) I walk down the same street.....
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk....
I walk around it.

5) I walk down a DIFFERENT street.

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"When I change how I look at things, the things I look at change."

Communication

Be a better you.

Improve your communication with another person.

A few tips from Linda Talley, "The Body Language Expert" to use at home or at the office.

So simple to do. No energy needed.

1. Instead of talking to another person using “hitler” hands, turn them around with palms facing up. This is less threatening and indicates a desire for “coming together” in community. People will tend to be more open with you during discussions or giving feedback.

2. If you’re sitting down, instead of leaning back in your chair, lean towards the other person. This shows interest and empathy.
3. Move your chair so that you’re sitting at a 45 degree angle to the other person vs the confrontational position where you are directly across/in front of them. This helps the other person relax by taking pressure off the conversation.
4. Keep your legs and arms uncrossed. Many people tell me it’s just comfortable for them to sit with their legs or arms crossed and my response is: “Yes, but what does it make the other person feel like?”
5. Refuse to walk and talk about business. It’s a waste of time anyway because neither one of you are listening to what is being said. You are watching the other person’s movement. When you really want to understand the other person, stand still, in an open, positive position and talk or listen.

When you make the other person comfortable, they will relax, exhale and you will learn a lot more about them.

PAC remembered

Wilder Penfield’s (a Canadian Brain surgeon) 1950s studies revealing that the brain records everything that comes into our conscious awareness is verified by current neuroscience studies using fRMI. This translates to me as a reason to relook and update my thinking about Eric Berne’s model of Parent, Adult, and Child as a tool to help other people get more of what they want out of life.

Remember Berne’s theory is called Transactional Analysis.

Transactional Analysis (or TA as it is often called) is a model of people and relationships that was developed during the 1960s by Dr. Eric Berne. It is based on two notions: first that we have three parts or 'ego-states' to our 'personality. The other assumption is that these converse with one another in 'transactions' (hence the name).

Parent, Adult and Child

We each have internal models of parents, children and also adults, and we play these roles with one another in our relationships. We even do it with ourselves, in our internal conversations.

Parent
There are two forms of Parent we can play.
The Nurturing Parent is caring and concerned and often may appear as a mother-figure (though men can play it too). They seek to keep the Child safe and offer unconditional love, calming them when they are troubled.
The Controlling (or Critical) Parent, on the other hand, tries to make the Child do as the parent wants them to do, perhaps transferring values or beliefs or helping the Child to understand and live in society. They may also have negative intent, using the Child as a whipping-boy or worse.

Adult
the Adult in us is the 'grown up' rational person who talks reasonably and assertively, neither trying to control nor reacting. The Adult is comfortable with themselves and is, for many of us, our 'ideal self'.

Child
There are three types of Child we can play.
The Natural Child is largely un-self-aware and is characterized by the non-speech noises they make (yahoo, etc.). They like playing and are open and vulnerable.
The cutely-named Little Professor is the curious and exploring Child who is always trying out new stuff (often much to their Controlling Parent's annoyance). Together with the Natural Child they make up the Free Child.
The Adaptive Child reacts to the world around them, either changing themselves to fit in or rebelling against the forces they feel.

Want to refresh or know more about TA --check out

http://www.itaa-net.org/ta/keyideas.htm

GTD Methodology

The task we all have in today’s world is finding better ways to work and live. David Allen’s GTD (Getting Things Done) methodology will help do just that.

Don’t believe me. Check him out. It’s as easy as 1,2,3.

Step 1.
Listening to his promo alone will deliver you at least one tip you will be able to use in getting things done.

http://ow.ly/3UTH

Step 2.
Plan 45 minutes to listen and look at this seminar on YouTube.

http://ow.ly/3UKF

Step 3.
Go to Amazon and buy his book for just $9.12.

http://ow.ly/3UIN

I know! You just don’t have time.

Wrong, you just don’t want to make time to change the way you do things to make you more efficient, effective and productive.

Plan your work to include David Allen in a time spot this week and then work your plan.

Make every day a gr8 day.

The voice in your head.

Do you talk to yourself?

Did you know the human brain averages 65,000 thoughts a day.

And most people have the same 65,000 thoughts the next day. Here's something else to chew on. Brain scientists determined there is a portion of our brain called the "Reticular Activating System". It's a fancy term for software in our head which focuses our attention on what you ask it to.

Example: Quickly look around you and count how many blue objects you can see. Without looking again tell me...how many red objects did you see? My guess is you counted the blue...and you drew a blank with the reds.

This is an experiment that helps prove if someone is focused on failure...the brain starts showing them more failure. So if people aren't changing their thoughts...their brain is pulling them towards the same thing day in and day out. A big success secret is learning how to control your thoughts.

Manage the little voice in your head with positives.

Social Intelligence

Being a better You by increasing your Self-Management.

Self-management is your ability to use awareness of your emotions to actively choose what you say and do.

SELF-MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
1. Breathe Right
2. Create an Emotion vs. Reason List
3. Make Your Goals Public
4. Count to Ten
5. Sleep On It
6. Talk To a Skilled Self-Manager
7. Smile and Laugh More
8. Set Aside Some Time in Your Day for Problem
Solving
9. Take Control of Your Self-Talk
10. Visualize Yourself Succeeding
11. Clean Up Your Sleep Hygiene
12. Focus Your Attention on Your Freedoms Rather than
Your Limitations
13. Stay Synchronized
14. Speak to Someone Who is Not Emotionally Invested
in Your Problem
15. Learn a Valuable Lesson from Everyone You
Encounter
16. Put a Mental Recharge into Your Schedule
17. Accept That Change is Just around the Corner
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Go on and do it!
Be a better you.
I can help - http://www.wilsonmotivational.com/

Highly Successful People

ON HABITS

This is a great list created by LifeHack, of qualities that successful people have, which have been noted in many books on the subject:

They look for and find opportunities where others see nothing.

They find lessons while others only see problems.

They are solution focused.

They don't blame, & take complete responsibility for their actions and outcomes.

They always find a way to maximize their potential & use what they have effectively.

They are busy, productive and proactive.

They align themselves with like-minded people.

They are ambitious.

They have clarity and certainty about what they want.

They innovate instead of imitate.

They don't procrastinate.

They are life-long learners.

Their career is not their identity, it's their job.

They are more interested in what is effective than in what is easy.

They finish what they start.

They know how to relax, enjoy what they have in their life & to have fun.

How do your habits match up with these habits?

Do you need a coach to help you with building new habits?http://www.wilsonmotivational.com/

Staying Up When the World is Down

Ten tips

Here are 10 tips to get you started:

1. Incline Your Mind Toward Joy.

Have you noticed that your mind tends to register the negative events in your life more than the positive? Reverse this by consciously savoring the positive experiences you have as they happen. Let the good feelings sink in!

2. Lighten Your Load.

To make a habit of letting go of worries and negative thoughts, start by letting go on the physical level. Cultural anthropologist Angeles Arrien recommends giving or throwing away 27 items a day for nine days. This deceptively simple practice will help you break attachments that no longer serve you.

3. Get Your "Happiness Rest."

One sure-fire way to boost your happiness level is to go to bed by 10 p.m. for three consecutive nights. You'll find that the world is a different place when you're rested and fresh.

4. Become an Inverse Paranoid.

Choose to believe that this is a friendly universe—one that's out to support you, rather than out to get you. When you find yourself facing a challenging situation, ask yourself, "If this were happening for a higher purpose, what would it be?"

5. Hang with the Happy.

Study after study indicates that happiness is contagious! Spend as much time as possible with people who are supportive and upbeat to amplify those qualities in your own life.

6. Don't Believe Everything You Think.

Interrupt the downward spiral of worry and anxiety by questioning your negative thoughts. Just because you think something doesn't make it true.

7. Seek Out Silence.

Prayer, meditation, and being in nature have long been recognized as ways to access a deep place of peace and strength inside.

8. Move Your Body.

All the experts agree that some form of exercise is essential for maintaining optimal well-being. The next time you start to feel glum, get your blood moving faster-even if it's just by standing up and moving around while you talk on the phone, or parking farther away from your destination.

9. Ground Yourself in Gratitude.

Research shows that thinking of the things you're grateful for in life definitely raises your happiness level. Writing them down is even more powerful. So start a gratitude journal today.

10. Wish Others Well.

Try "beaming love" to people—your friends and family, as well as strangers you pass on the street. It fills your own heart in the process.

Marci Shmoff

Can you name all ten tips. If not read again.

Change your thoughts and you change you life.