Tips & Insights for Top Performance

• 05Mar

  What Are You Tolerating?

  Effective Habits, Energy Management, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth, Uncategorized, Work Environment No Comments

  Now is a great time to assess your environment for maximum productivity.  An exercise that is great for cleaning up your environment is to visit your tolerations. 

  What are you tolerating? Take steps today to start to remove those nagging annoyances that subconsciously suck energy from you. Really, it is amazing how much they absorb. You will know exactly how much after you complete this exercise; history shows it is amazing!

  First, make a list of 30 things that you are tolerating in your life – this is a brain dump. Any things that nag you, annoy you, and cause you to think, “I really need to get that fixed” or “I really need to do something about __________.” Put anything from the little things to the enormous. i.e. make a brochure, send out promotional mailing, get website, sort a stack of unfilled papers, deal with a chip in the windshield, a broken appliance, a messy car, a bag that is ripped, dust on the side of your stairs, dust, cutter, full e-mail box, squeaky door, etc. These items are the tolerations we hold internally that take up a ton of our energy. Do not stop until you have 30 things.

  Once done, pick a few things you are going to get off the list this week. Each week peel more things off. It will go quickly at first as you take care of the 10 minute jobs and then become slower as you take care of the more monumental jobs – but just keep working at a minimum of two things each week. When you are done, the feeling of freedom and space will be an incredible reward!

  Tags: maximum productivity, Work Environment

• 26Feb

  MONDAY MORNING LEADERSHIP

  Book Reviews, Business Coaching, Effective Habits, Executives & Leaders, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth, Time Management No Comments

  This is a great book that can be read in one sitting and then re-read over the course of 8 days or 8 weeks. Phenomenal MUST read. It includes 8 easy to digest mentoring sessions that one of the authors, David Cottrell, had sitting at the feet of a business master. Each chapter/session includes great reminders for every business person to remember and integrate into how they work personally and with others. Whether through work, volunteerism, family or elsewhere, these timeless tips are motivational and applicable for every person. He talks about many things we have shared before and also has some new tips. In the sessions on time management, one key statement I found motivational and true was from p. 63: “I’ve never found anyone who had two or three hours a day they could save by doing one thing better. But, I have seen many people find an hour or two a day they could use better by doing a few things differently.” If you want to make better use of your time, you need to be looking for the small increments of time… a minute here, five minutes there, etc. Add them all up and you’ll create more time for you to use.” There is much more. Get the book for your library!

  Tags: David Cottrell, Leadership, Time Management

• 19Feb

  Fear What? (part 2)

  Effective Habits, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth No Comments
  So what causes these fears? Fears come when we feel anxious or apprehensive about a possible or probable situation or event.  The situations we fear can be created in our minds or be real possibilities.  Nonetheless they cause us to pause or stop our forward movement toward achieving what we desire.  The fears I am referencing are often subconscious and not directly thought of as the reason why we are not in action. We can try to mask these fears by making excuses, blaming others for the situation or convincing ourselves that we don’t have to face the fear. 

   

  Some of these fears are “soft” fears, meaning more emotionally based and at times difficult to identify.  These might include fear of failure, fear of success, fear of change, fear of loss, fear of the unknown, fear of reputation, etc.  Other fears are “hard” fears meaning they are more concrete and tangible.  These might include fear of snakes, dogs, small places, heights, etc.

    

  The “soft” fears are often what stand in our way of achieving our potential.  At times we ignore them, at other times we talk our way out of or around them.  Here’s my challenge to you.  Identify something that you know you should or could be doing, but aren‘t.  Honestly ask yourself, “What am I afraid of?”. Once you’ve identified your fears, ask, “What do I need to overcome them?”.  Some fears can be overcome by simply identifying the subconscious limitations. Other fears require just pushing through them with the help of others to realize that, despite our emotions, the reward is much greater than the risk or accountability.  Some fears are overcome by gaining knowledge about the process through personal reading or discussions with others who have faced similar fears allowing you to gain tips, tricks and wisdom.  Some fears may need professional counseling to overcome. 

   

  Identify and begin to overcome your fears today.  Beyond fear is a bold and powerful place where your potential comes alive, your confidence sores and you open yourself up to your next level.

  Tags: fear, productivity

• 17Feb

  Fear What? (part1)

  Effective Habits, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth No Comments
  In this article we will:

  • look at fear
  • understand how it holds us back 
  • teach us how to overcome it so that we can do what we need to do to be effective and valuable  

  Fear shows up in many different ways and on many different levels.  Some feel insecure and fearful while others are confident and secure in what they do. No matter the level, everyone has fears.  What is yours?

   

  Maybe…

  • …you are an effective and thriving professional but you fear outgrowing your position if you do what it takes to be at your full potential. 
  • …you are considering a change and you fear losing the security of your current position. 
  • …you desire simplicity, but fear letting go and not having as much stuff or that you will need it if you get rid of it.  
  • …you know you need to advance your education but fear letting go of some current expenses and commitments to have enough time and money to go back to school.
  • … you are feeling the fire to stand up for yourself but you fear being criticized or looking stupid if you open your mouth.  

  The list can go on.  These are just some examples to get you thinking where your fears reside.

  Tags: productivity

• 22Jan

  Maximize Time, Energy and Efforts (part 2)

  Effective Habits, Energy Management, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth, Time Management No Comments

  2. Define New Habits.

  • What needs to change? (chaotically running from thing to thing)
  • What would help me do better? (prioritizing, doing important things 1st, 1 hour of focus time with no distractions)
  • List 3 things you what you want to start (from 8-9 don’t answer phone, 10 min. daily clean sweep, prioritizing my to do list)
  • Consider having 10 daily habits. These are little actions that you take every day that do not take a lot of time, but in the long run save time. For example, each AM spend 10 min. and do a clean sweep of your desk or house. You will be amazed with how you can cut down on clutter and time spent doing paperwork when you take just 10 min. a day. Write these things somewhere you will see & do them daily!

  3. Implement and stick to it! It takes 30 days of consistent implementation to solidify a new habit.

  PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES

  1. Attitude. What is your perspective on time? We each have 24 hours; the question is how will you spend yours? When we think we don’t have enough time – we rarely get things done, we just spend time complaining. When we are optimistic, prepared and focused – we often are surprised at what can be accomplished in a short period of time (power hours). Take control of your life. We like to blame other things, when really there is a lot we can do.

  2. Self-discipline.

  • Review and refine your plan; stay in action (10 minutes to plan your day, ½ hour to plan for the week, 1 hour to plan for the month).
  • Keep your plan in front of you. Three times each week, set a timer for 10 minutes to review what is working and not. What do you need to change? Are you allocating time correctly? Do you have a margin of flexibility for the unexpected? Make adjustments to your plan and step into action.
  • Keep moving. Whatever you do, DO SOMETHING and keep moving! Paralysis of analysis is a deadly time eater. Assess your plan to the best of your ability and move into action. The picture will be clearer the closer you get.
  • Say No. There are many things that will pop up to grab your time and attention. Saying “no” is important. How? Be honest, tell people why (not excuses), provide other options/solutions; determine what you can do based on your priorities.

  “The more you do of what you are doing, the more you’ll get of what you’ve got” -Unknown

  Get excited about what you can do, grab your plan and get going! Do not put off tomorrow what can be done today!

  Tags: maximize time, personal perspectives, self discipline

• 01Jan

  A Four Step PLAN to Success (part 2)

  Effective Habits, Goal Setting, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth No Comments
  A = Adjust

   

  Assess your environment and decide what things you need to change. Your environment around you makes a difference in your ability to work towards and implement your goal. Look at what things in your environment could hold you back from your goals and what things in your environment can help you accomplish them. What do you need to add and what do you need to get rid of? Right now, actively make these changes so that your environment is ready to support you in accomplishing your resolution. (Your environment may include the following: relationships; feelings; thoughts; health; time; energy sources; personal space of home, office, or car; and other things that you surround yourself with.)

   

  N = Network

  Ensure that someone or something around you knows your goal and will help you measure your progress. There are many Web sites that help you track and assess your goals, including as http://www.goals.com or http://sparklepeople.com/index.asp. Many other online tools that are topic specific, like http://www.foodfacts.com/public/nm_community.cfm work well. Perhaps you are more comfortable building a support system: either find someone who knows you well and with whom you are comfortable designing how they can support you, or arrange for an accountability buddy with whom you are in “competition” as you both strive to meet your respective goals.

   

  When you use the four P.L.A.N. steps (PREPARE, LIST, ADJUST, and NETWORK) to outline your goals, you are setting yourself up for success. It is challenging to change behavior and that is what New Year’s resolutions usually are about.¹ But, when you are thorough and diligent about planning on the front end, you can almost guarantee results on the back end. Now, the only thing left to do is implement the PLAN! You can do it. Charge into 2010 and keep working on your PLAN.

  1 COMMON RESOLUTIONS: Spend more time with family & friends; exercise more, lose weight or eat better; quit smoking; enjoy life more & have fun; quit drinking; get out of debt, stick to a budget, save or earn more money; learn something new; find a better job; help others; become a better person; be more patient at work and/or with others; get organized.

  Tags: New Year's resolutions, plan, SUCCESS

• 30Dec

  A Four Step PLAN to Success (part 1)

  Effective Habits, Goal Setting, Personal Growth No Comments

  New Year’s resolutions, otherwise known as “good intentions,” are those things that are set at the beginning of the year when people feel they can wipe the slate clean and get a fresh start. It is said that 80% of all News Year’s resolutions fail. A survey conducted by Gail Kasper, LLC (www.gailkasper.com) finds that 51% of people don’t have New Year’s resolutions, and of those who do, 79% don’t have a plan to achieve them, leaving a small 9% of Americans serious about achieving their goals from the onset.

  The truth is, resolutions can be accomplished. You just have to follow these four P.L.A.N. steps, and you can make your resolutions a success this year!

  Simply follow the four-step P.L.A.N.:

  P = Prepare

  Visualize what you want. Sit down and really think through what it is that you want to accomplish. Plan with the end goal in mind.

  • Write your resolution/goal in the first person, as if it were already done.
  • Set a deadline of when you want it accomplished.
  • Write down the result of your accomplished goal and the reward you will give yourself when you meet it.
  • Now, walk backwards in your mind and write down at least three measurable mini-milestones. Do this so you can check your progress along the way. Prepare your mind and have a visual aid to keep in front of you so that you will be focused and committed in this next year.

   L = List

  Be clear about the commitment you are taking on and make some key lists to support your efforts.

  • What personal behaviors need to change to make this goal a reality?
  • What steps will you have to take to make it happen?
  • What are the barriers that might prevent you from accomplishing your goal?
  • What will you have to stop doing to make your goal a success?
  • What is in your control and what is out of your control? What can you do about each?
  • What are the “costs” you will have to pay to accomplish this resolution (e.g., if you are trying to lose weight, forfeiting potato chips)?
  • What are your strengths and weakness? How can you utilize them or watch out for them?

  Review your lists to make sure you are really willing to pay the cost, are committed to changing your behavior, and are ready to do what it will take to follow the plan.

  Tags: New Year's resolutions, plan, SUCCESS

• 18Dec

  Goal Setting That Sticks!! (part 2)

  Effective Habits, Energy Management, Goal Setting, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth, Time Management No Comments

  3.  Write goals in 1^st person, with emotion and as if they were complete. For example:

  • I have a balanced and peaceful life working 40 hours a week earning $100K in a field I love, AND have 3 quality hours each day to spend with my family in addition to feeling great because I am healthy (energy), fit (140lbs.) and having fun (weekly activity).
  • Accounting Solutions Inc. is proud to be the #1 leader in the Raleigh area to provide a one-stop for all small business accounting needs as evidenced by being the top choice for 40% of companies under 50 and servicing over 500 local companies. (December 2007)

  4.  Break it down and develop a plan. If you want to accomplish your goal, break down the yearly goal into monthly milestones. What will it take each month to move you closer to your goal? Each month, break it down into weekly goals. What will it take each week to accomplish your monthly goal? Each week, break it down into daily goals of what it will take to accomplish your week’s goal. While this may seem like a lot of work, it is simply creating a road map for you to follow straight to goal success. It is overwhelming and often difficult to see the measurable tasks that need to happen daily to make your goal happen. By breaking it down, you are able to push and make sure your goal is realistic and attainable.

  5.  Review daily. Post it in 3 spots where you can read it daily. Brian Tracey reports the single most effective thing you can do, though, is hand write your goal each day until it is done.

  Why set goals?

  • increase in energy and excitement as you start moving toward your passions & goals

  • more powerful as you are making life happen rather then letting life happen to you.

  • greater focus and direction and greater purpose.

  What are you aiming for today? What are you excited about? Where do you want to be heading? Craft your goal today!

  Tags: Goal Setting, Goals, increase energy, plan

• 16Dec

  Goal Setting That Sticks!! (part 1)

  Effective Habits, Goal Setting, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth, Time Management No Comments

  If you look around at the “successful” people in life, they are setting goals.

  Often we are resistant to setting goals. There are many reasons, pessimism that they won’t work, fear of failure, lack of time, lack of thought, etc. The irony is you cannot arrive in a place you have not planned to reach. Either you can let life happen to you or you can be intentional about heading someplace. Flexibility and letting things take their natural course have their place, but if you have no destination picked, you are subject to what life will give you, rather than pursuing with passion what you want.

  In the upcoming year, what do you want? Below are 5 tips to make your goals stick:

       1.  Visualize an inspirational goal. As you think back over the past year, what are you proud and excited about? What worked for you? What did not happen that you wanted? What did not work? As you think about the past, begin to think about the future (life, business, etc.). Where would you like to be one year from now? Visualize what it would look like if your life was exactly how you wanted it in one year. What would be happening? What would be different? Allow yourself to visualize your goal. A vision that gets you pumped up and excited is something you will work hard for. Begin by writing your vision of what your goal would look like when it is complete.

      2.  Be clear and concise. Given your visual of what you want your future to look like, what will it take to make that happen. Put this into the form of a SMART goal statement.

  • Specific – precise (i.e. 20% over quota)
  • Measurable – way to check progress (i.e. 3 trainings)
  • Achievable – It is possible. (keep fantasies in check)
  • Realistic – Challenge yourself to stretch and grow.
  • Timed – Have a completion/ success date.

  Tags: Goal Setting, Goals, successful, visualize

• 11Dec

  The Power of Passion (part 2)

  Effective Habits, Energy Management, Goal Setting, Performance & Productivity, Personal Growth, Time Management, Work/Life Synergy & Balance No Comments

  Why have passion? Is it possible that everyone has a passion or are some people just more “emotional”?

  Passion is seen as you look out into the world and selflessly allow yourself to be an instrument, using your gifts and talents. As you do this, you will begin to see your reflection and therefore more readily identify your passion. After you identify your passion, by experiencing the lit fire inside, you are able to focus in and use those gifts and talents more – your purpose and passion are united and drive the most fulfilling adventure of your life!

  The reward of living a life of passion is incredible! Once you have tasted it, you will crave for its return. It is an amazing overflowing of your heart, body, mind and soul. You have energy, direction, purpose and focus. As humans we all want this, but sometimes it seems too hard to achieve, so we give up, and decide to just enjoy what life gives us.

  “What life gives us?” I ask. Don’t be fooled, we are not here on earth to be floating down a river on an inner tube, just passively taking in what life has to offer. You will not find passion in that inner tube. You might hit some rapids and get a little taste of it here and there, however if you want to know what living a life of passion means and is, you have to go look for it.

  Life can dish out some hard knocks, tough lessons, challenges and adversity. How you handle those are up to you. You see, there is a quote that states, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% what you do with it.” The more you can look at life as a lesson, something to learn from and a gift, the happier you will be. The more you are living in your purpose and passion, the easier it is to see things from this perspective. Do you want to have this synergy in your heart, body, mind and soul? Do you want to be content, overflowing with joy and being of value to the world?

  Jack Finds Passion
  Jack became tired of stumbling through life. He did some investigation and found out a few things: he enjoys the outdoors, being invigorated by the fresh air, strategic thinking, and intellectualizing. Earlier in life, when he was playing golf he was engaging a few of these passions, an appreciation of nature, strategic thinking, and intellectualizing. He had stopped playing golf because of a lack of time. The irony is that after picking the hobby back up, he seems to have more time and energy.

  At work, he also noticed that his job had become dull because he was not reading the statistical reports like he did when he had first started his job. Back then, when he read the reports, it motivated him and got him excited about driving strategies that would save the company time and money. So, he started reading the reports again and found himself more engaged at work. The momentum helped him do things faster, be more positive and actually finish up on time many days so that he could get home to his kids.

  Since Jack was getting home on time, there was a little break before dinner when he could go outside and play with the kids: he loved throwing the ball and teaching little Jake how to ride his bike! It even inspired him to equip the family to embrace Saturday morning rides on the local park trail.

  As Jack realized that his passions were being outside in nature, using his intellectual abilities and creating solutions and strategies, he found that these same things showed up in every area of life. It was exciting and compelling! He was happy, fulfilled and had found a synergy in every area of his life.

  You now know what passion is. You now know the benefit of inviting passion into your life. Take the time to explore your personal passions and to integrate them in your life. Passion is a phenomenal gift. If you want to LIVE life to the fullest and enjoy it along the way, take time to discover your passions. Put them into your daily life. You will find you have time for everything you did before and more.

  Tags: discover your passion, live life to the fullest, passion, power of passion, reward

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