Change part one - Look for opportunities to change

Change part 1

Simple but important - I think we naturally assume that change is a negative thing - I can absolutely say with 100% certainty Change is in fact, a wonderful thing!

Today, embrace the "changes" that go on all around you!  Look for opportunities that come up, think positive, think of ways to motivate yourself, or others and by all means...

Demand Success

josh

Do you accept the challenge? Could you be more honest with yourself? Demand Success!

Do you accept the challenge?

Quick and easy post today - it's a personal challenge.  Are you up for it?  I challenge you to admit something to yourself - something honest.  Whether it's admitting you could save more money if you wanted, that you should stop texting while you drive, or that you secretly want something bad to happen to someone - think about it for a second.  Now that you've thought about it, think about what YOU can do to change that to a better thought or action.
Example to think about:
1) Ways you could save more money
2) A better time you should be sending that text message
3) Why you want something bad to happen to that person

To become a better person you need to get that stuff out of your mind and the only way to do that is to admit it and defeat it!  Use your positive thinking and honesty to overcome the selfishness!  Now come up with a timeline for yourself and get to work - let's say that you
1) Admit you could save more money
2) Think of ways you could save more money
3) Create a small goal of $10 a week for 4 weeks to save

Once you've done that...you know it's possible and the rest is just repetition!

Simple but effective - good luck today!

Demand Success
josh

Execute what you already know

This week the FFT is more or less a piggy back on the theory focusing on execution.  Too often we have a great plan only lacking the discipline or perhaps the memory to follow through.  Sometimes we are asked to define our expectations of ourselves with a proposal like a business plan or similar.  Maybe we write pages and pages of notes developing strengths and weaknesses of ourselves and teams only to never look at it again.  Perhaps we need to read a book or attend a training class to get better?  Actually, this is a reminder that you don’t. You don’t.  You don’t.  What you need is to properly execute on the tools and skills you already have!  Imagine if you executed all the training and note-taking you’ve done over the years?  While executing your training takes time and effort, you can’t settle for mediocrity therefore, take this piece and ask yourself “am I doing everything I can to get better?”  If your answer is no…work on how you execute – THEN DO IT!

DEMAND SUCCESS!
Josh

 

“Try your hardest in everything you do!”

Watching the Olympics has been exciting and surely most the athletes try their hardest.  When the host of the NBC nightly recap showed a story from a past Olympic running event, I couldn't help but share it.  The athlete shown was in the semi finals and on pace to be in the top 2 spots and would surely move on to the finals.  At the end of the race, the last few steps the runner let up a little and 2 people leaned forward and earned the right to move on.  The story showed that the runner that let up at the end, never got into the finals that year - and what a hard lesson that was to learn.

Try your hardest in everything you do…Good point, eh?  Today, sit back and do that needed "self-check" asking yourself if you do.  “Do I try my hardest in everything I do?”  Do you?  Pay particularly close attention to your actions over the next hour and try it!  Actually FOCUS on how hard you try, and how much you really want it! 

Try harder today and get that reward tomorrow!

Demand Success
josh

 

Returning from time off

I took a week off of work sometime ago and when I came back I remember going into work early to spend some time catching up on things.  I turned on my computer, and pulled out the notepad I keep with my daily to do list and was ready to go.  I started replying to emails, and working on projects but I noticed there was a problem, I couldn’t type!  After not typing regularly for the week I was off, I could tell I lost a good chunk of the “typing memory gland” (or whatever you call it) because I was misspelling words or forgetting where the keys were nor could I put together a sentence without some sort of error.  Have you ever noticed when you take time off from something, it takes a little bit to get familiar with it when you return?  I sure noticed that…

Today's Food for Thought is to realize that unless you are regularly practicing your craft, you shouldn't expect to get better.  Closely pay attention to the difference you can make when you are actively studying your craft and looking for ways to get better.  Whether it’s typing on a keyboard, being in a professional setting or selling something…work on that ability to make it stronger. 

Today, work hard at perfecting your craft!

Demand Success!

josh 

 

Make it fun!

I wanted to share a story with you that inspired me. 

Taking a flight can be tedious with the worries of travel these days; whether it’s the long wait in the security line, the 50 pound weight limit on your “checked bag” or the frustration of the flight being on time.  Created to make our trip comfortable and sometimes more tolerable, the flight attendant is tasked with challenges at every turn.

This specific flight was headed down the runway for take off when the pilot sharply pulled back on the controls.  The audience that once sat quietly as they prepared and taxied for for the trip knew; this was sharper than normal - It felt like the plane was at a 60° angle!  Had something gone wrong?  People began to talk louder and louder, and the eyes of passengers were darting from side to side looking for comfort.  With the plane at a sharp upward angle, the flight attendant unbuckles from the jump seat in the front of the plane and stands up.  Her arm quickly reaches for the microphone - “here we go…peanuts for everyone!”  The flight attendant dumped 2 full bags of in-flight snacks on the floor at the front of the plane and they poured down the aisle!  As the plane shot upward, the peanuts slid quickly from the front of the plane to the back with hardly any making it to the back row.  Everyone was reaching down grabbing what they could before it escaped their grasp and they missed the chance to get their snack!  The pilot leveled off and made this announcement "Sorry about that folks, we had to get up over the clouds quickly to avoid a slow down" - The people on the plane started laughing and clapping as what sometimes can be the more tense part of the flight turned out to be an energizing and funny start to the trip. 

This flight attendant found a way to make a situation that normally is tense for many – a blast!   

Today, find a way to make your "everyday-life" fun by changing your routine!  Find a way to do something a little different and it could result in a great, lifetime experience for someone else.  Stop thinking of your day to day tasks as a requirement rather, make it a day full of “first-times” for your family, friends or your customers.  Don't just say you're "fun to be around" - Today, prove it!

DEMAND SUCCESS!

Josh 

Take a break from Reaction!

I LOVE FOOD!

Ok I admit it: I love food!  Once a week on the way into work I have a treat for myself: I stop and get 2 breakfast sandwiches from the local place (let's call it "J-in-the-B").  On this particular Saturday, I was really excited and made my way to the drive thru.  After a few minutes wait I pulled up to order and here is what it sounded like:

Voice: Hello, how are you…may I help you?

Me: Fine thanks…could I please have one regular breakfast jack and 1 breakfast jack with sausage instead of ham?

Voice: One breakfast jack, $1.08 at the window.

Me: Excuse me…that was

Voice: Ok…a sausage biscuit…$2.85 at the window

Me: Actually, it was one

Voice # 2: Ok, you just want one breakfast jack, $1.08 at the window.

My blood was boiling - probably because I couldn't even finish correcting the order because I kept getting interrupted.  All I wanted was my breakfast jack on my special day of the week!  *pout, pout, pout*  I got up to the window and was greeted by a polite but nervous and obviously flustered employee.  She apologized and explained that they were using a new type of headset system.  On top of that she added she was just filling in for the normal person that runs the drive thru because that person had called in sick.  After she said that I suddenly calmed down and realized how petty I was acting.

Today’s Food 4 Thought is to pay attention to your reaction.  Realize everyone has some sort of preconceived notion of how a certain process should go.  Whether you are fishing, buying something, banking, getting your monthly (or sometimes annual) haircut or ordering food at the drive thru sometimes, it doesn’t go as planned.  Then we get uncomfortable, frustrated, annoyed and eventually angry.  STOP and take a breath because your "reaction" can make you look foolish but most importantly, it's not who you are and it's probably not who they are!  Most people understand - I did...once she told me :)  It was my fault for not being mature, respectful or patient enough to give her the respect / benefit of the doubt / whatever you want to call it!  I think we ALL need and probably deserve to be "cut a little slack" (to quote my Dad) sometimes - don't you?

 Demand Success!

josh