This audio program, "Master Your Time, Master Your Life" by Brian Tracy, emphasizes that effective time management is fundamentally personal management, crucial for achieving goals and improving overall life quality in a world of accelerating change and abundant opportunities.
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hello I'm Brian Tracy and welcome to
Master Your Time Master your life the
breakthrough system to get more results
Benjamin Franklin wrote do you value
life then waste not time for that is the
stuff out of which life is made
this is a great time to be alive there
have never been more opportunities to do
more things and to achieve more of your
goals in all of human history than there
are today
you can live longer and better today
than any other generation before you
modern advances in medicine and Health
Care are enabling more people to live to
age 80 or 90 or even 100 than ever
imagined possible
but with all these great opportunities
for Success Prosperity long life and
happiness you are probably feeling like
most people too much to do and too
little time
because of the explosive growth of
Information Technology and competition
the rate of change has accelerated
almost Beyond Your Capacity to keep up
with it
today we need a new way to think about
time especially the different times of
our life
we find that each activity and
responsibility in your life requires you
to take a different approach to time if
you want to get the best results from
everything you do you need one kind of
time for setting goals and deciding what
you really want in life and another type
of time for setting priorities focusing
on high value tasks and getting things done
done
you need one type of time for
interacting communicating negotiating
and administrating another type of time
at home with your family and your most
important relationships
the different types of time are often
like oil and water they don't mix very
well together
any attempt to use the wrong type of
time in the wrong area for it will lead
to frustration failure and ineffectiveness
of your life
the quality of your life is largely
determined by the quality of your time
management but time management is really
personal management life management it
is management of yourself if you don't
control your time properly it's
difficult for you to control anything else
else
fortunately the richest most successful
person in the world has the same 24
hours per day that you have the
difference between successful people and
unsuccessful people is that successful
people sometimes with less potential and
fewer opportunities often accomplish
vastly more than others because they use
their time in a better and more
effective way
your highest paid most important skill
is your ability to think both before you
act and while you are acting
it is your ability to choose what is
more important and what is less important
important
psychologists tell us that your level of
self-esteem how much you like and
respect yourself is the key measure of
how happy you are in any area of your life
life
the key to high self-esteem is a feeling
of self-efficacy
this is the confidence that you can
master your life achieve your goals
perform your tasks and get the results
that are expected of you and that you
expect from yourself
your most valuable financial asset is
your earning ability this is your
ability to get results that people will
pay you for
this again is largely determined by how
you use your time when you are working
and before and after your work
Thomas Edison once wrote thinking is the
hardest work there is which is why most
people would rather die than think
the way you think about time and the
various possible ways that you can use
your time largely determine your
Effectiveness and the quality of every
stop and think
most people live in a reactive
responsive mode when something happens
around them they react and respond
immediately automatically unthinkingly
becoming slaves to the moment or to the
latest ring on their smartphone or computer
computer
the key to taking full control over your
time in your life is for you to stop and
think before you react and respond
it is for you to identify the kind of
time and behavior that is required for
you at each moment and then for you to
respond appropriately to that situation
British historian Arnold toynbee won the
Nobel Prize for his masterful 12 volume
work a study of history
this series of books traces the rise and
fall of 23 great civilizations or
Empires over 2500 years
toinby found that there was a
predictable cycle that an Empire would
go through from its early Beginnings
through to its collapse
during the proposed the idea of the
challenge and response theory of History
he showed that each great civilization
started small sometimes as a single
tribe or Village and by repeatedly
responding effectively to external
challenges usually from warring tribes
and other human enemies the group
continued to grow and expand until it
dominated large land masses
the Mongol Empire for example the
largest land Empire in history started
with three people temujin his mother
bortai and his young brother after
another Mongol tribe had wiped out their Village
Village
from that humble beginning kemujin who
later became known as Genghis Khan the
perfect Warrior spread the Mongol Empire
from the Sea of Japan across China India
much of Russia and the Middle East all
the way to the Mediterranean and the Danube
your choices and decisions are everything
everything
it's the same with you and your life as
long as you respond effectively to The
Continuous challenges of daily life and
work you continue to grow smarter and
more capable and move toward fulfillment
of your full potential
more than anything your success in both
the short and the long term is largely
determined by the way you respond to the
inevitable and unavoidable difficulties
and challenges of daily life
this is called your response ability
your ability to respond effectively to
the Non-Stop and conflicting demands on
your time
in this book you'll learn a series of
the best time usage and time management
principles ever discovered the same time
management techniques and strategies
practiced by the most successful and
happy people in our society
by practicing these methods and
techniques you will take full control
over your time and your life and achieve
more in the next year or two than most
people accomplish in several years or
even in a lifetime
when you become more thoughtful about
your current situation and learn the
most effective way to deal with
different events at different times with
different approaches you will think with
greater Clarity and will respond with
chapter one strategic planning and goal
Napoleon Hill once wrote there is one
quality that one must possess to win and
that is definiteness of purpose the
knowledge of what one wants and a
one of the most important types of time
is the time that you spend thinking
deciding and planning how to achieve the
things you really want in life
the biggest single waste of time is
setting off without clear specific goals
many people waste their most productive
years responding and reacting to
whatever is going on around them and
working to achieve the goals of other
people instead of taking the time to
become absolutely clear about what it is
that they really want for themselves
there's a saying before you do anything
you have to do something else first
before you set off on the Great
Adventure of life you have to decide
where you want to end up
the good news is that there have never
been more opportunities to achieve your
goals than there are today but only you
can decide what you want
what is the difference between the rich
and the poor
one explanation is that about 85 percent
of wealthy people have one big goal that
they work on all the time
only three percent of poor people have
one big goal
and they work on it occasionally if at all
the one percent versus the 99 percent
today there's great controversy over the
difference between the one percenters
and the rest of us the claim is that the
one percenter's owner control more
wealth than everyone else put together
however that statistic is inaccurate
the real difference is actually between
the top three percent and the other 97 percent
percent
because most people start off with
little or nothing the real question
ought to be how did the three percent
who started with nothing become so
successful in the course of one or two generations
generations
the answer is simple the top three
percent of clear written goals and plans
that they work on every day
they know exactly who they are what they
want and where they are going
they have a blueprint a road map that
guides them faster and with ever greater
accuracy toward achieving the health
happiness wealth and prosperity that
most people strive for all their lives
as a result of having clear written
goals they waste far less time than the
average person
people with written goals and plans earn
and accumulate on average 10 times as
much as other people with the same
levels of intelligence and education
Clarity is everything
there is a story of a hunter who goes to
the edge of the woods closes his eyes
and shoots his rifle into the forest
he then turns to his friend and says I
sure hope something good runs into that
this is how too many people live their
lives they throw themselves at life like
a dog chasing a passing car seldom
catching anything
most people go through their lives
without goals doing the best they can
and just hoping something good will
happen to them but hope is not a strategy
strategy
it is a recipe for failure if not disaster
disaster
for you to maximize your time to enjoy
the greatest quantity quality of riches
and rewards you need to take time
regularly to think about your goals
especially when you're experiencing
turbulence and Rapid change
you need to become intentionally goal oriented
oriented
setting goals making plans and
organizing your life around the things
you really want to do and have are the
greatest time management tools of all
goal setting and personal strategic
planning require that you step back and
take some time off away from
interruptions and distractions
you then answer several key questions to
ensure that what you are doing on the
outside is consistent with the person
you are on the inside and in harmony
with what you really want to achieve
look into yourself
the first question you ask is who am I
your answer to this question reveals
your self-image the person you think you are
are
because your outer behaviors are always
consistent with the way you see or
describe yourself on the inside
this answer tells you a lot about yourself
yourself
the sign over the Temple of Apollo
Adelphi in ancient Greece said man know thyself
thyself
this is the starting point of wisdom
Socrates said the unexamined life is not
worth living
unless you carve out time regularly to
examine your life and make sure that you
are clear about your goals and that they
have not changed you will become
reactive responsive acting impulsively
and often doing what other people want
you to do
begin this goals analysis by realizing
that you are unique and potentially
extraordinary there has never been nor
ever will be anyone exactly like yourself
yourself
be yourself everyone else is already
taken you are a special and complex
combination of knowledge experience
education talents abilities interests
emotions desires and fears
in addition from infancy onward you have
had a complex series of experiences that
have shaped you into the person you are today
today
you have special strengths and abilities
and have been born with a capacity to be
absolutely excellent at something and
maybe several things
your great responsibility to yourself
and to others is to find that special
mission that you have been put on this
Earth to accomplish
you must clarify your vision your life's
do what you really love
one of your great jobs in life is to
find something you really love to do and
then to put your whole heart into
becoming absolutely excellent at doing
that one thing
throughout your adult life and career
you need to ask and answer a series of questions
questions
your answers will change over time and
with experience you must be clear about
your answers each time you address these
questions and must be willing to change
your responses as you get more information
information
Begin by assuming that you have no
limitations imagine that you could wave
a magic wand and make your life ideal in
every way ask yourself one what do I
really want to do with my life
question two what do I really really
want to do with my life
and question three is what do I really really
really
want to do with my life
the third time you ask this question
with really really really is the key it
forces you to dig deep into yourself
moving past the superficial answers
regarding money and success and often
gives you the answer you have been seeking
seeking
this is how you begin to unlock your
personal strategic planning
successful companies invest a lot of
time and money developing strategic
plans for their business these are the
carefully thought out goals and plans
they use to achieve greater success and
profitability in competitive markets
you need a strategic plan as well a
personal strategic plan to ensure that
you accomplish the very most in the
shortest period of time making the
fewest possible mistakes along the way
personal strategic planning focuses on
four basic questions which you should
ask regularly
personal strategic planning focuses on
four basic questions which you should
ask yourself regularly
question one where am I now in my life
what have you accomplished so far how
much are you worth financially
what kind of family life do you have
what is your level of Health and Fitness
question two how did I get to where I am today
today
what were the choices and decisions you
made in the past to create your present
life what has been most responsible for
your success to date
what has been the reason for your setbacks
setbacks
question three where do I want to go in
the future
idealize and imagine a perfect future
project forward five years and imagine
that your life was excellent in every way
way
what would it look like how would it be
different from your life today
question number four how can I get from
where I am to where I want to be
what are all the different things that
you could do starting today to create
your perfect future
Clarity is your best friend
personal strategic planning requires
first that you set clear written goals
and second that you carefully examine
the various strategies you can Implement
to achieve those goals
most people want to earn a lot of money
doing something they enjoy and
ultimately Achieve Financial Independence
Independence
but only a small percentage of people
will achieve this common goal why is this
this
first generation wealth
there are more than 10 million
millionaires in the United States alone
and more than 80 percent of them are self-made
self-made
in the world there are almost 2 000
billionaires about 66 percent of whom
are self-made as well
these are all individuals who started
with nothing and achieved their
financial success in one working
lifetime if not sooner
why not you
there are many different ways for you to
achieve your goals of high income
Financial Independence or even wealth
one high road to financial success is
entrepreneurship the ability to start
and build your own successful business
today it's easier to start a business
and get started offering a product or
service than ever before
it takes less than 24 hours for you to
register your business set up a website
and start operating
many people become financially
independent by specializing and becoming
absolutely excellent in their fields
working for another company and being
paid very well
they go to work for someone else and
work their way up earning more and more
over the years
fully ten percent of millionaires are
professionals such as doctors lawyers
Architects accountants and Engineers
they worked very hard for a long time
did excellent work got great reputations
and were eventually paid very well
you can choose the path of
Entrepreneurship and business building
or you can choose to work for another
company especially a company with great
potential that is just getting started
you can specialize and become excellent
at what you do
you can be a big success in many
different ways
listen to yourself
you could choose among different paths
depending on your personality skills
temperament and what you really enjoy
the good news is that there is no single
best way
millions of people do very well
financially working for someone else or
by specializing or both
others become successful in business or
as entrepreneurs by mastering a wide
variety of skills some do several things
they start their own businesses and then
specialize at becoming very good
performing a service or developing a
product that people really want and are
willing to pay for
Clarity is probably 95 percent of
success the greater Clarity you have
about who you are and what you want the
easier it is for you to succeed under
almost any condition or circumstances
Thomas Carlisle wrote a man with no
goals makes little progress on the
smoothest Road
whereas the man with clear goals makes
progress on even the roughest Road when
you take the time to stop and think
about what you really want and how to
get it you can save yourself years of
hard work going back and forth making
little progress
forget about the mistakes of the past
and focus on the future
there's a Turkish proverb that says no
matter how long you have gone down the
wrong road
the intelligence Factor
Josh Billings the Western humorist once
said it ain't what a man knows what
hurts him it's what he knows that ain't true
true
when I was growing up my teachers and
parents told me over and over that if I
didn't get good grades if I didn't
graduate from high school if I didn't go
to college I wouldn't be successful in life
life
and I believe them when I failed out of
high school I resigned myself to a life
of laboring jobs for the next few years
I wash dishes Doug wells work in
Sawmills and factories and sometimes
slept in my car
finally in frustration I'd seen all the
successful people around me many now
younger than I I began to challenge my
beliefs about success and failure I
began to ask why is it that some people
are more successful than others
what I found out surprised me I found
that there was only a small relationship
between success and high education
intelligence good grades coming from a
wealthy family or even natural ability
intelligence has been identified as an
important quality of successful people
in every field
but extensive research has found that
many successful people did not have
exceptional IQs nor did they get good
grades at school
they may have been above average in
a way of acting the experts have
concluded that intelligence is more a
way of acting than it is a matter of
good grades or a high IQ
so what then is an intelligent way of
acting the Azure is simple you are
acting intelligently when you aren't
doing something that moves you toward
one of the goals that you have set for yourself
yourself
you are acting unintelligently whenever
you do anything that is not moving you
towards something you want
in my seminars I teach a simple
technique that I promise will double the
income of everyone in the room
I call this the a b method here's how it
works you divide all your tasks and
activities into two categories a tasks
and B tasks
a tasks are those activities that move
you closer to the goals that you say you
really want to accomplish
these are goals such as to be more
successful in your field to earn more
money to spend more time with your
family and friends and to enjoy
excellent health
bee activities are those that do not
move you towards your goals or even
worse they move you away from them
so here's a life-changing rule do only a tasks
tasks
discipline yourself to do only those
tasks that enrich and enhance your life
and work and that give you a feeling of
Forward Motion toward achieving the
things you want and becoming the kind of
person you want to be
this simple strategy will enable you to
double and triple your productivity
performance and results in the months
and years ahead
best of all when you are working on your
most important goals you will experience
a winning feeling a feeling of forward
progress of being happier more fulfilled
your self-esteem will go up you'll enjoy
higher levels of self-respect and
personal Pride even more when you are
working on and completing your most
important tasks and goals you earn the
respect and esteem and admiration of
everyone around you
you quickly become one of the most
the goal setting and achieving formula
there is a simple yet powerful
seven-step goal achieving formula or
recipe that you can learn and practice
for the rest of your life
I've taught this for me to more than one
million people all over the United
States and Canada and in 72 other countries
countries
over the years campus people have come
up to me or emailed saying almost the
same words over and over
they say you changed my life you made me
Rich and it was always the goals
step one decide exactly what you want
most people never do this
be specific
your goals should be so clear that you
could explain them to a six-year-old
child and the six-year-old child could
turn around and explain them to another
six-year-old child
in addition the child should be able to
tell you how close you are to your goals
because they are so clear and simple
one of the biggest mistakes people make
is to think that they already have goals
when all they really have our hopes and dreams
dreams
as an exercise when I ask my audiences
if they have goals surprisingly they all
raise their hands and say yes
then I asked them to give me some
examples of their goals
they shout out things like I want to be happy
happy
or I want to be rich or I want to travel
or I want to have a nice family life
but these are not goals these are wishes
and hopes common to all of mankind
they are fantasies and dreams that
everyone has they're not clear specific
goals that you can focus on achieving
every day they cannot be measured nobody
can tell you how close you are to
achieving them
put it in writing
step two write it down
only three percent of adults have
written goals and it seems that everyone
else works for them
they earn on average 10 times as much as
people without written goals once you've
written down your goal make it
measurable attach a number to it so that
someone else can tell you how close you
are to achieving it there's a rule that
says if you want to be successful put a
measure on every goal and activity
but if you want to be rich put a
financial measure on every goal and activity
activity
a recent management study that looked at
the work of 150 Scholars who studied
thousands of companies and more than 20
countries found that there were three
factors that accounted for more than 80
percent of business success
clear goals and objectives
peer measures and clear deadlines
remember you can't hit a Target that you
can't see
when you have clear goals and you can
measure your progress you will move
ahead further and faster than if you don't
when do you want it
step 3 set a deadline decide exactly
when you want to achieve a particular
goal if it's a longer term goal break it
down into years months weeks and even days
days
some of the most successful people I
know will break a 10-year goal into
five-year goals one-year goals one month
goals all the way down to daily activities
activities
they then discipline themselves to
complete one or more of those activities
every day
but if you don't achieve your goal by
the initial deadline that you set simple
set a new deadline and then another and
another and another if necessary when
you set your first deadline it will be
based on the information you have at
that time but external factors can
change there can be a decline in the
economy overall or something like a
collapse of oil prices that changes
everything in your business or industry
when something happens to throw you off
of your timetable you set a new deadline
there are no unreasonable goals only
think on paper
step four make a list of everything that
you can think of that you could possibly
do to achieve the goal as you think of
new things you can do or learn or people
whom you could talk to write them on
your list keep writing until you can't
think of anything else
step five organize your list by sequence
create a checklist ordering your task
starting with what you have to do first
to achieve your goal then to what you
have to do second and all the way down
to the final step you will need to
achieve that goal you can also organize
your list by priority
what is the most important item on your
list what is the second most important item
item
practice the 80 20 rule which says that
eighty percent of your success will be
determined by twenty percent of the
things that you do often the most
valuable and important thing you do in
life which can account for eighty
percent of your success
is deciding on a goal and making a plan
to achieve it in the first place
a list of activities organized by
sequence and priority becomes a plan
when you have a written goal and a plan
you move ahead of 97 percent of adults
working today
you will begin to achieve much more
success faster than ever before the
become action oriented
step 6 take action on your plan do
something do anything but get going take
the first step and the good news is that
you can always see the first step you
you always know what to do to get started
started
when you take the first step towards
your goal which is often the hardest
step of all you receive three great benefits
benefits
first you'll get immediate feedback
which will enable you to change your
course or direction if needed
second you will get more ideas on how to
take additional and better actions to
achieve your goal and third you will
feel a surge of self-confidence and
self-esteem you will feel more powerful
and in greater control of your life
you get all three of these benefits from
the simple Act of taking action of
taking the first step towards your goal
step 7 this step may be the most
important step of all it will
revolutionize your life and in a very
short time
it is simply this do something every day
that moves you toward your most
important goal seven days a week
365 days a year do something small or
large that moves you one step forward
towards your goal when you do something
every day you activate what is called
the momentum principle of success
principle based on Sir Isaac Newton's
law of inertia says that it takes an
enormous amount of energy to get a body
into Motion in the first place but it
takes much less energy to keep that body
moving forward
just think about pushing a car from a
dead stop
it takes tremendous effort to get the
car moving forward but then it takes
less and less effort to keep the car
moving forward faster and faster
it's the same with you
go setting exercise
now take a clean sheet of paper write
the word goals and today's date at the
top of the page
then write down at least 10 goals you
would like to accomplish in the next 12
months or so
these can be one day goals one week
goals one month goals six month goals
and or one-year goals but they are all
goals that you would like to achieve
within the next year
write your goals in a special way that
makes them more acceptable to your
subconscious mind your mental Powerhouse
write them using the three p's personal
positive and present tense begin each
goal with the word I
your subconscious mind can't work on a
goal only if you tell it that it is you
personally who wants this goal
for example you could say I earn this
specific amount of money by December 31
of this year
take your goals positive instead of
saying I don't smoke anymore you say I
am a non-smoker
your subconscious mind can accept
commands that are phrased only in the
positive voice
write your goals in the present tense
your subconscious mind cannot relate to
the past or the future
you therefore State your goal as though
it were already a reality as though you
had already achieved it and you are
describing your accomplishment to
someone else
instead of saying I will earn a specific
amount of money this year you say I earn
this specific amount of money by this
specific date
for example you could say I drive a
brand new four-door BMW sedan by
December 31 of this year
your subconscious mind then takes this
command as an order and begins to work
on it 24 hours a day from the day you
become clear about the goals you want to
achieve and when you want to achieve
them and write them down you will begin
to receive a steady stream of ideas and
insights that will help you move quickly
towards your goal and will cause your
major definite purpose
Napoleon Hill wrote after 22 years of
research into the wealthiest people in
America that all great success began
with a major definite purpose this is
the one goal that is more important to
you than any other single goal
is the one goal that can help you more
to achieve more of your other goals than
any single achievement
so look at your list of 10 goals and ask
this question
if I could achieve any one goal on this
list within 24 hours
which one goal would have the greatest
positive impact on my life
usually this goal will jump out at you
from the page it is the one goal that
excites you and motivates you more than
anything else it's the one goal that
would make you happier than anything
else if you were to achieve it whatever
it is put a circle around that goal then
take a clean sheet of paper and at the
top write the words I achieve this goal
by the state
this puts your goal into the three PS
formula and adds a deadline for example
I earn this amount of money by this date
be specific
below these words make a list of
everything you can think of that you
could do to achieve that goal as you
think of new items add them to your list
next organize your list into a plan or
blueprint determine what you need to do
first what you need to do second and
third and so on
then take action on your list take the
first step move out of your comfort zone
and begin your journey toward achieving
the one goal to have the greatest
positive difference in your life
finally resolve to do something every
day that moves you at least one step
closer to your most important goal
The Millionaire Maker
we could call this The Millionaire Maker
formula more people have achieved more
success all over the world with this
simple formula than any other method
that has ever been taught or practiced
because you become what you think about
most of the time every morning when you
wake up think about your major definite
purpose your one big goal as you go
through the day think about your goal at
the end of the day think about your goal
and review the progress you have made
toward achieving it
the more you think about your goal the
more you activate the Law of Attraction
you begin attracting ideas people money
and resources into your life that help
you to move towards your goals faster
and faster
something else happens as you begin to
make progress on your most important
goal you'll find yourself making
progress on many of your other goals at
the same time
every part of your life begins to
improve your self-esteem and
self-confidence go up you feel more
powerful and capable of achieving the
things you want in life you will persist
longer and never give up eventually you
now here are three action exercises for you
you
number one write down 10 goals you want
to achieve in the next 12 months
number two select the one goal that
could have the greatest positive impact
on your life and put a circle around it
and number three make a written plan to
achieve this goal by following the goal
setting and achieving formula outlined
in this chapter you will be amazed at
chapter 2 productive time getting more done
Victor Hugo wrote he who every morning
plans the transactions of the day and
follows out that plan carries a thread
that will guide him through the
Labyrinth of the most busy life
to perform at your best you need to
think about productivity in a different
way from most people working today
your ability to use your working time
well to be highly productive and to get
more done faster at a better quality
will have more of an effect on your
career than any other Factor
productivity is achieved when you plan
organize set priorities and concentrate
on the most valuable use of your time
all day long
productive work requires high levels of
mental and physical energy discipline
focus and determination to get the job
done quickly and well
the way you think about your work will
largely determine how much of it you do
and how well you do it
the three most important words in
thinking about personal productivity are
Clarity focus and concentration
the first key word is Clarity the
starting point of developing greater
Clarity which accounts for as much as 95
percent of your success is for you to
continually ask and answer this question
what results are expected of me
in life and work results are everything
they are the major if not the sole
determinant of your income your
reputation your future and the way
people both think and talk about you
successful people at work are described
by others as being highly productive
they develop a reputation for being
results oriented they become the go-to
people whenever anyone needs something
big and important to be done done well
and done on time
your personal brand
each person has a brand in the minds of
other people this is usually summarized
in a few words that others use when they
think about you and describe you to others
others
your personal brand largely determines
much of what happens to you in life and work
work
Recent research shows that when you meet
a new person you look for two sets of
qualities that make up the personal brand
brand
the first qualities are warmth and Trust
is this a likable person whom you can
trust and be comfortable with
interestingly enough you make this
decision about another person within
five seconds of meeting them for the
first time
and you are seldom wrong
the second quality people look for is a
combination of competence and ability
can this person will this person do the
job in an excellent And Timely fashion
is he or she competent answering these
questions usually takes much more time
more thinking more investigation and
warmth and competence are essential
here's what the researchers concluded if
you are a warm and trusting person the
kind of person whom people like enjoy
and want to be around you'll have a lot
of friends and good relationships but if
you get the reputation for not being
particularly good at your work or even
worse for being incompetent and
undependable people may still like you
but they will also actually pity you
the reason is that people instinctively
recognize that a nice person who is not
very good at their work has a limited future
future
he will not be successful over the long
term instead of being a winner he will
be a non-winner a person who will not
achieve very much in life
perhaps the most important ability in
the world of work is depend ability this
means that people can absolutely depend
on you to do an excellent job on time
every time
people who participate in karaoke have
an expression showing up
the question they ask about a performer
is how is he or she showing up this is a
description of the totality of the
performance of the karaoke singer
in life we are always being judged and
evaluated by other people just as we are
always judging and evaluating others
every day in every situation you show up
in a particular way and both make and
leave a particular impression
the totality of The Impressions you make
constitutes your personal brand the
question is how are you showing up your
goal is to show up as a top performer
you want people to think about you and
talk about you as an excellent person as
someone who really makes a valuable
contribution consistently in every situation
situation
this is the best reputation or brand you
can have
and everyone knows the truth everyone
knows who are the best and most
productive people in every work environment
environment
so the question for you is how are you
showing up
the great pandemic
a pandemic is an illness or malady that
is spread over a large area and affects
an enormous number of people
today there is a pandemic of poor
performance sweeping Across the Western
world it is undermining productivity
weakening character destroying hopes and
dreams for the future cutting off
people's desires for achievement and
advancement and keeping millions of
people especially young people working
at lower incomes and they are truly
capable of earning
this pandemic can be called The Curse of
electronic interruptions
according to Robert Half International
fully fifty percent of each workday is
wasted in activities that contribute no
value whatever to the company and have
nothing at all to do with the work at hand
hand
much of this wasted time is caused by
the inability of people to start and
work productively all day long
most people in their 20s and 30s came
into the workplace in the age of the
internet today we have Facebook YouTube
Google LinkedIn and Twitter and
smartphones with more than one million
two hundred thousand apps as of 2016.
most of these apps are different forms
of entertainment fun enjoyment and time wastage
wastage
is estimated that the average adult
today spends three and a half hours
checking apps email and text messages
without them even knowing what is
happening people addicted to these
distractions will find their hopes and
dreams for the future slowly ebbing away
as they spend more time reacting to
electronic interruptions they do less
work and they do it poorly because they
your world of work
how is it that so many people are
performing and earning far below their
potential you have to go back to
Children's First experience with work
they're at school and school work
here's what happens when you are a child
and you go to school for the first time
you're usually afraid and insecure but
you very quickly learn that school is
full of other children your same age
and what do you do with children your
same age you play
soon you look forward to school as a
place where you can go and play with
your friends
as you advance through school year after
year school becomes your primary Play Place
Place
of course you must do a certain amount
of school work and maintain a certain
level of grades in order to be allowed
to continue attending the school or college
college
but you think primarily of your friends
and your social activities rather than
the schoolwork itself
if you are fortunate enough to go on to
University you continue to play with
your friends but now without supervision
most people who go to college spend four
or five years in Endless cycle of social
activities with other people doing only
enough schoolwork to avoid being expelled
the world of work
when you finish school you take your
first job you go into work on the first
day you'll get nervous and unsure about
what's going to happen then you are
introduced to your co-workers many of
whom are your same age
this reminds you of school
what you do with people your same age
you play
today the workplace is the primary play
place for American adults
it's estimated that the average employee
does not really start work until around
11 A.M and then it begins winding down
about 3 30 in the afternoon the first
thing most people do when they arrive at
work is to play with their friends they
spend almost 50 percent of their time
chatting with co-workers about subjects
that have nothing to do with the job
they've been hired for
when they're not talking with their
co-workers they're reading their email
sending and receiving messages checking
Facebook postings looking at what is for
sale and where and responding to various
forms of advertising and spam suddenly
they look up and the day is gone
because so many people see the workplace
as a play place they often resent it
when the boss comes by and asks them to
actually do some work they're so
preoccupied with the ceases flow of
electronic and personal interruptions
that they have no time to do work of a
serious nature
the email disease
the average adult checks their email 145
times per day this is why Julie
morgensterna time management expert
wrote a book called never check email in
the morning
more and more companies and
organizations even the Harvard Business
Review are coming to the same conclusion
spending too much time on email can
sabotage your career and make it almost
impossible for you to perform at high
levels in your job
the reason email can be so devastating
to your current productivity and your
future prospects is that each time you
send or receive an email your body
releases a tiny amount of dopamine a
stimulant similar to cocaine
this stimulant gives you a mild sense of
pleasure which causes you unconsciously
to want to duplicate this feeling and
since you get this feeling by sending or
receiving emails checking SMS messages
making phone calls or otherwise
communicating by smartphone or computer
you start doing this all day long soon
you can't stop yourself like an addict
according to a story in USA Today when
you continue to respond to emails and
messages your brain becomes more and
more fatigued as a result you lose about
10 IQ points in the course of the day
you actually become Dumber as the day
goes on by the end of the day your brain
is so tired that you have difficulty
making even the simplest of decisions
like what to eat for dinner and what to
work time versus playtime
the solution to your becoming caught up
in the irresistible attraction of
distraction is to remind yourself
continually when you go to work that
this is productive time this is not play
time when you took your job you entered
into an agreement to produce a certain
quality and quantity of work in exchange
for a certain quantity of money and
benefits you made a promise and you have
a promise to keep
he made a contract and you're required
to comply with the terms of your
contract when you think of work like
this it can change your whole perspective
perspective
every minute of every day at work ask
these questions
why am I on the payroll
what have I been hired to accomplish
is what I'm doing right now the reason I
am on the payroll
is what I'm doing the highest and best
use of my time
if you're not doing the most important
things that you have been hired to do
stop whatever you are doing and get back
to doing whatever it is that you have
when you work work
here's the Great rule for Success at
work work all the time you work
when you go to work say hello to your
co-workers and then Begin work
immediately put your head down and go
flat out like a runner coming off the
blocks in a race
if people want to chat with you smile
politely and tell them you would love to
talk with them after work
meanwhile you have things you have to
get done and you are on a tight deadline
eventually the time wasters the people
who do not value their time or the time
of anyone else will start to find you
uninteresting and will spend more and
more time with other people who have
more time to waste
here's a simple formula for work time
don't check your email in the morning
check your email only twice a day at
perhaps 11 A.M and 3 P.M
in between turn off your email turn off
all the sounds bells and rings that
remind you that there are incoming
messages remember every time you hear
one of those sounds you get a dopamine
jolt distracting you from your work and
decreasing your productivity
leave them off
focus and concentration
the second keyword for high productivity
is focus your ability to focus
single-mindedly on your most important
task you can do more to help you move
ahead rapidly in your career than
perhaps any other Factor
electronic interruptions break your
focus and distract you from your work
the results you need to get to be successful
successful
many people have been seduced by the
myth of multitasking they think that
they can work on several jobs at a time
but the experts have found that
multitasking is really just task
shifting going back and forth among
various tasks seldom focusing on anyone
for very long
even worse you require about 17 minutes
to refocus on an important task after
being distracted for any reason
the third key word for improving
productivity is concentration all
important work requires single-minded
concentration for a sustained period of
time until the work is done
this is often called concentrated mind
activity CMA
fortunately concentration is a skill or
a habit that you can learn with practice
and repetition until it becomes easy and automatic
automatic
the big payoffs
there are two big payoffs for practicing
Clarity focus and concentration all day
long at work
the first payoff is that you will become
one of the most productive and respected
people in your organization
you'll get much more done sooner and of
higher quality more and more important
assignments will be given to you
you will gain the attention and respect
of your superiors you will be paid more
and promoted faster
doors of opportunity will open up for
you and sometimes far more rapidly than
you can now imagine
the second big payoff for practicing
Clarity focus and concentration is the
way you feel about yourself
all of your work life and most of your
personal life revolves around the
starting and completing of tasks
each time you start and complete a task
of any size you get a burst of energy
enthusiasm and self-esteem
you feel better about yourself you feel
happier your brain releases endorphins
Nature's happy drug and you feel more
creative more calm more confident and
feel like a winner
here's the formula start every day with
a list of tasks that you need to complete
complete
organize the tasks from the most
important to the least important
start work on your most important task
and discipline yourself to work on it
non-stop until it's complete whenever
you complete any task you get a jolt of
endorphin which makes you happier and
boosts your feelings of self-esteem and
personal Pride
when you complete a high value task you
get an even greater feeling of happiness
and self-esteem
and when you complete your most
important task like finishing a major
assignment at work you experience a
burst of acceleration that causes you to
feel wonderful about yourself when you
develop the habit of starting and
completing your most important tasks you
put your entire life and career onto the
fast track
the opposite of this feeling of
happiness and personal Pride which comes
only from task completion is the feeling
of frustration and dissatisfaction that
comes from working hour after hour and
feeling that you're accomplishing very little
little
remember results are everything you will
be happy only when you know that you are
getting the most important results that
are expected of you
making work time more productive
there are a series of ways for you to
use productive time that will
dramatically increase your productivity
performance output rewards and income
because 95 percent of what you do is
determined by your habits and you learn
new habits by practice and repetition
within a month of practicing the
following proven techniques you will
double and triple your productivity you
will put yourself on the side of the Angels
make a list
the first time management technique is
simply to write out a list of everything
you have to do before you begin work
each day
even better make a list of everything
you have to do on the following day as
the last thing you do when you finish
your work day when you create a list of
everything you have to do the next day
your subconscious mind will then work on
that list all night long while you sleep
often you'll wake up in the morning with
ideas and insights on how to do the job
better and in less time
if something new comes up write it down
on the list refuse to do anything even
making a phone call or sending an email
until you write it down
when you write things down on a list you
can see clearly what is more important
and what is less important
according to Alan Lakin a time
management expert you'll save 25 percent
of your time the very first day you
begin working from a list and stick with
that list
in a matter of three or four weeks you
will develop that habit of making this
for your day and for every project or
every multitask activity that you have
to do
your productivity will increase immediately
set clear priorities
prioritize your list before you begin work
work
take the time to stand back and think
about what you have to do recognizing
that you will never be able to get
everything done
no matter how productive you are there
will always be too many tasks for you to complete
complete
you're always going to have to choose
which tasks to do first which task to do
second and which task to do not at all
apply the 80 20 rule to your list as you
recall this rule says that twenty
percent of your activities will account
for eighty percent of your results
if you have a list of 10 activities
planned for a particular day
two of those activities will be worth
more than the other eight put together
sometimes of course there will be a
single task that is more important than
all the others put together
remember it's not the amount of time
that you put in it's the value of the
work that you do and accomplish in that time
time
your job is to focus on accomplishments
rather than activities
allocate your time based on the value of
the ABCDE method
practice the ABCDE method before you
start your workday go through your list
and write one of these five letters
before each task or activity think about
the likely consequences of completing or
not completing each task
something is unimportant to the degree
to which it has low or no potential
consequences consequences are everything
successful highly productive people
spent most of their time working on
activities that have big potential consequences
consequences
unsuccessful people often work harder in
longer hours but they spend too much of
their time working on activities that
have few or no consequences at all
it doesn't really matter if they
complete them or not
put the letters a b c and a D or E next
to each task on your list
an a activity is something that you must
do it has serious potential consequences
for completion or non-completion if you
don't do this task or get it done on
time they're going to be serious
problems these are the most important
things that you do each day
put a b in front of activities that you
should do activities that have mild
potential consequences if they are done
or not done
you need to get to these tasks sooner or
later but they are not as important as
your a tasks the rule is that you never do a b task
the rule is that you never do a b task when there is an a task left undone
when there is an a task left undone a c task is something that would be nice
a c task is something that would be nice to do but it has no consequences at all
to do but it has no consequences at all one way or the other
one way or the other check in your email phoning home having
check in your email phoning home having coffee with a co-worker are all
coffee with a co-worker are all activities that are nice to do but it
activities that are nice to do but it does not matter at all whether you do
does not matter at all whether you do them or not
select your tasks unfortunately the great majority of people spent most of
great majority of people spent most of their time doing B and C tasks and they
their time doing B and C tasks and they think that because they are doing them
think that because they are doing them at their workplace they're actually
at their workplace they're actually working
working but this is not true just because you
but this is not true just because you are at work does not mean that you are
are at work does not mean that you are indeed working
indeed working put a d next to all tasks that you can
put a d next to all tasks that you can delegate to anyone else who can do them
delegate to anyone else who can do them who receives a lower income or hourly
who receives a lower income or hourly rate than you do
rate than you do if you aspire to earn 25 per hour fifty
if you aspire to earn 25 per hour fifty thousand dollars per year or fifty
thousand dollars per year or fifty dollars an hour a hundred thousand
dollars an hour a hundred thousand dollars per year you're not spend your
dollars per year you're not spend your time doing tasks that someone else can
time doing tasks that someone else can do for ten dollars an hour
do for ten dollars an hour an e-task is something that you can
an e-task is something that you can eliminate and it won't make any
eliminate and it won't make any difference at all
difference at all it may be a task that you have been
it may be a task that you have been doing for a while but it is no longer
doing for a while but it is no longer important
important it may be no longer your task to do it
it may be no longer your task to do it can be eliminated safely and have no
can be eliminated safely and have no consequences at all for your career
organize your list now go back over your list and organize your a task By
list and organize your a task By Priority by writing A1 A2 A3 and so on
Priority by writing A1 A2 A3 and so on next to your most important tasks
next to your most important tasks do the same for your B tasks finally
do the same for your B tasks finally start on your A1 task your most
start on your A1 task your most important and valuable use of your time
important and valuable use of your time resolve to concentrate single-mindedly
resolve to concentrate single-mindedly on that one task until it is 100
on that one task until it is 100 complete persevere without diversion or
complete persevere without diversion or distraction
distraction this simple formula making a list
this simple formula making a list prioritizing it and then starting and
prioritizing it and then starting and completing your most important task is
completing your most important task is the formula for doubling and tripling
the formula for doubling and tripling the quality and quantity of your output
the quality and quantity of your output at work
at work it is the key to high results and
it is the key to high results and remember results are everything
increase your Roe the strategy is focused on helping the
the strategy is focused on helping the company increase its return on Equity
company increase its return on Equity its return on Capital invested this
its return on Capital invested this means that the company wants to get the
means that the company wants to get the very highest sales and profit possible
very highest sales and profit possible from its money and efforts
from its money and efforts your personal capital is your physical
your personal capital is your physical mental and emotional energy
mental and emotional energy your goal is to earn the very most you
your goal is to earn the very most you can from your work to increase your
can from your work to increase your personal Roe as well your return on
personal Roe as well your return on energy
energy every minute that you spend planning
every minute that you spend planning your work will save you at least 10
your work will save you at least 10 minutes and getting your work done
minutes and getting your work done this takes only 10 to 12 minutes for you
this takes only 10 to 12 minutes for you to plan your entire day but you will get
to plan your entire day but you will get back two hours of productive time
back two hours of productive time 120 Minutes just by planning your work
120 Minutes just by planning your work before you begin
before you begin that is more than one thousand percent
that is more than one thousand percent return on energy
return on energy time and money are interchangeable they
time and money are interchangeable they can be either spent or invested
can be either spent or invested if you spend time or money they are gone
if you spend time or money they are gone forever you can never get them back
forever you can never get them back but if you invest time and money you can
but if you invest time and money you can earn a return that may go on for years
earn a return that may go on for years when you invest your money in an asset
when you invest your money in an asset that yields a return you can earn money
that yields a return you can earn money year after year
year after year this process of investing is the
this process of investing is the foundation of most fortunes when you
foundation of most fortunes when you invest your time and money back into
invest your time and money back into yourself becoming better and better at
yourself becoming better and better at what you do
what you do that investment can give you an increase
that investment can give you an increase in income a higher return on energy for
in income a higher return on energy for many years
many years if you then reinvest your higher income
if you then reinvest your higher income back into yourself you will soon be one
back into yourself you will soon be one of the most valuable and highest paid
of the most valuable and highest paid people in your business
the law of three practice the law of three in your work
practice the law of three in your work this law says that no matter how many
this law says that no matter how many tasks you have to complete in your work
tasks you have to complete in your work only three of those tasks will account
only three of those tasks will account for ninety percent of the value of your
for ninety percent of the value of your contribution to your company and to
contribution to your company and to yourself
yourself when working with my clients I ask them
when working with my clients I ask them to make a list of everything they did in
to make a list of everything they did in the course of a week or a month
the course of a week or a month they come back to me with 20 or 30
they come back to me with 20 or 30 sometimes even 50 tasks that they felt
sometimes even 50 tasks that they felt were part of their job description
were part of their job description then I would explain to them that there
then I would explain to them that there are only three things they do in the
are only three things they do in the course of their work day that account
course of their work day that account for ninety percent of the value of
for ninety percent of the value of everything they do this means that
everything they do this means that everything you do that is not one of
everything you do that is not one of those three main tasks falls into the
those three main tasks falls into the bottom ten percent in terms of value
bottom ten percent in terms of value the key to your increase in your
the key to your increase in your productivity
productivity is for you to identify your three most
is for you to identify your three most important tasks and then work on them
important tasks and then work on them exclusively while ignoring all the rest
exclusively while ignoring all the rest start by making a list of everything you
start by making a list of everything you do in the course of your work
do in the course of your work to identify your three most important
to identify your three most important tasks take a look at your list and then
tasks take a look at your list and then ask the three magic questions
ask the three magic questions number one if I could only do one task
number one if I could only do one task on this list all day long which one
on this list all day long which one activity would contribute the greatest
activity would contribute the greatest value to my work and to my company
value to my work and to my company whatever your answer is to that question
whatever your answer is to that question put a circle around it
put a circle around it magic question number two is if I could
magic question number two is if I could only do two things on this list all day
only do two things on this list all day long
long what would be the second activity that
what would be the second activity that would enable me to contribute the
would enable me to contribute the greatest value to my business or my work
greatest value to my business or my work the answer to this question is not as
the answer to this question is not as easy as the first but it's usually quite
easy as the first but it's usually quite clear
clear question number three if I could only do
question number three if I could only do three things on this list all day long
three things on this list all day long what would be the third activity that
what would be the third activity that would enable me to contribute the most
would enable me to contribute the most value
value when you ask yourself these questions
when you ask yourself these questions and become clear about the answers
and become clear about the answers you'll be astonished to see how true
you'll be astonished to see how true this formula is
this formula is if you just did these three things all
if you just did these three things all day long you would probably transform
day long you would probably transform your career from the first day
your career from the first day here are four corollaries of the law of
here are four corollaries of the law of three
three number one do fewer things
number one do fewer things you will never get caught up you will
you will never get caught up you will never be able to do everything on your
never be able to do everything on your list to get control of your life you
list to get control of your life you must stop doing an enormous number of
must stop doing an enormous number of small things
small things number two do more important things do
number two do more important things do the top three tasks that you have
the top three tasks that you have identified and nothing else until you
identified and nothing else until you have no more of these major tasks left
have no more of these major tasks left to do
to do number three do your most important
number three do your most important tasks more of the time preferably all
tasks more of the time preferably all day long
day long the more time you spend doing the most
the more time you spend doing the most important things the more productive you
important things the more productive you will be on the outside and the happier
will be on the outside and the happier you will feel on the inside
you will feel on the inside and number four corollary is get better
and number four corollary is get better at your most important tasks
at your most important tasks continual self-improvement in the area
continual self-improvement in the area of your most important task is the best
of your most important task is the best investment that you can make
investment that you can make it enables you to dramatically increase
it enables you to dramatically increase your productivity performance and output
your productivity performance and output and to get more done in a shorter period
and to get more done in a shorter period of time
of time resolve today that you are going to earn
resolve today that you are going to earn the reputation as the hardest working
the reputation as the hardest working person in your organization but don't
person in your organization but don't tell anybody keep it to yourself
tell anybody keep it to yourself imagine that there is a contest for the
imagine that there is a contest for the most productive person in your business
most productive person in your business but you are the only person who knows
but you are the only person who knows about the contest
about the contest instead of telling anybody let people
instead of telling anybody let people reach their own conclusions by watching
reach their own conclusions by watching you at work and remember work all the
you at work and remember work all the time you work
now here are three action exercises that you can practice
you can practice number one make a list every day of
number one make a list every day of everything that you plan to do that day
everything that you plan to do that day number two set priorities on your list
number two set priorities on your list and start work on the one activity that
and start work on the one activity that represents the most valuable use of your
represents the most valuable use of your time
time and number three discipline yourself to
and number three discipline yourself to start on your most important task and to
start on your most important task and to work single-mindedly on that one task
work single-mindedly on that one task until it is complete
Todd and Bristol once wrote thought is the original source of all wealth all
the original source of all wealth all success all material gain all great
success all material gain all great discoveries and inventions and of all
discoveries and inventions and of all achievement
achievement everyone wants to earn more money to be
everyone wants to earn more money to be highly paid and to Achieve Financial
highly paid and to Achieve Financial Independence in his or her career
Independence in his or her career the way you think about your income and
the way you think about your income and how you can increase it is one of the
how you can increase it is one of the most important mental skills you can
most important mental skills you can develop
develop sometimes I open a seminar by asking
sometimes I open a seminar by asking what is your most important financial
what is your most important financial asset the audience usually thinks about
asset the audience usually thinks about this question for a while and then
this question for a while and then throws out some answers such as my house
throws out some answers such as my house my bank account or my business
my bank account or my business then I explained that your most valuable
then I explained that your most valuable financial asset is your earning ability
financial asset is your earning ability this is defined as your ability to get
this is defined as your ability to get results that people will pay you for you
results that people will pay you for you could lose all your money through no
could lose all your money through no fault of your own but as long as you are
fault of your own but as long as you are left with your earning ability you could
left with your earning ability you could go back into the marketplace and earn it
go back into the marketplace and earn it all back again
all back again this is what many successful people do
this is what many successful people do throughout their lifetimes
throughout their lifetimes your earning ability is the total
your earning ability is the total accumulation of all your knowledge
accumulation of all your knowledge skills experience study hard work and
skills experience study hard work and results you have acquired over the
results you have acquired over the course of your life and your career it
course of your life and your career it has taken you your whole life to develop
has taken you your whole life to develop appreciating or depreciating
appreciating or depreciating because your earning ability is an asset
because your earning ability is an asset like any other asset it can be either
like any other asset it can be either appreciating or depreciating in value
appreciating or depreciating in value over time it can be appreciating when
over time it can be appreciating when you are continually upgrading your
you are continually upgrading your Knowledge and Skills making yourself
Knowledge and Skills making yourself become more and more valuable doing more
become more and more valuable doing more of those tasks that people value highly
of those tasks that people value highly and are willing to pay you for
and are willing to pay you for your earning ability can be a
your earning ability can be a depreciating asset if you are not
depreciating asset if you are not continually upgrading your skills and
continually upgrading your skills and abilities through study and hard work on
abilities through study and hard work on yourself but because of Rapid change in
yourself but because of Rapid change in our economy and the continual demand for
our economy and the continual demand for new skills your earning ability never
new skills your earning ability never stays at the same level
stays at the same level Gary Becker the Nobel prize-winning
Gary Becker the Nobel prize-winning Economist at the University of Chicago
Economist at the University of Chicago noted that we do not have an income gap
noted that we do not have an income gap in our society instead we have a skills
in our society instead we have a skills Gap
Gap people who have skills that are in high
people who have skills that are in high demand skills that enable employers to
demand skills that enable employers to get excellent results that they could
get excellent results that they could turn into money by producing and selling
turn into money by producing and selling more of their products and services are
more of their products and services are always in demand always employed and
always in demand always employed and always paid well
skills become obsolete on the other hand those people who have obsolete skills
those people who have obsolete skills skills that are no longer in demand
skills that are no longer in demand often remain unemployed for many months
often remain unemployed for many months and even years
and even years what Becker found was that the primary
what Becker found was that the primary difference between employed people in
difference between employed people in the top 20 percent those whose incomes
the top 20 percent those whose incomes were increasing an average of 11 per
were increasing an average of 11 per year
year and the people in the bottom 80 percent
and the people in the bottom 80 percent those whose incomes were increasing
those whose incomes were increasing three percent a year or less
three percent a year or less was their commitment to continuous
was their commitment to continuous learning the highest paid people were
learning the highest paid people were always reading learning and upgrading
always reading learning and upgrading their skills
their skills Anders Erickson the founder of Elite
Anders Erickson the founder of Elite Performance studies concluded that most
Performance studies concluded that most people work for the first year to learn
people work for the first year to learn the job well enough so as not to get
the job well enough so as not to get fired
fired after that they never get any better
after that they never get any better they never improve ten years after they
they never improve ten years after they started their job they're no more
started their job they're no more productive than they were after one year
productive than they were after one year this seems to apply to 80 percent of
this seems to apply to 80 percent of people working today
lifelong learners the people in the talk 20 percent are
the people in the talk 20 percent are lifelong Learners they're continually
lifelong Learners they're continually adding to their repertoire of Knowledge
adding to their repertoire of Knowledge and Skills they read study and practice
and Skills they read study and practice new ideas they never let up the pressure
new ideas they never let up the pressure on themselves to improve and grow
on themselves to improve and grow as a Fortune 500 CEO recently said our
as a Fortune 500 CEO recently said our only real source of sustainable
only real source of sustainable competitive Advantage is our ability to
competitive Advantage is our ability to learn and apply new ideas faster than
learn and apply new ideas faster than our competition
our competition these words apply to you as well your
these words apply to you as well your only personal source of sustainable
only personal source of sustainable competitive advantage of keeping
competitive advantage of keeping yourself at a high level of
yourself at a high level of employability and income is your ability
employability and income is your ability to learn and practice new skills that
to learn and practice new skills that people need to get more and better
people need to get more and better results
results Erickson found that high performers in
Erickson found that high performers in every field spent more time practicing
every field spent more time practicing and upgrading their skills than low
and upgrading their skills than low performers
performers this difference accounted for most of
this difference accounted for most of the large income disparities we see in
the large income disparities we see in our society
identify your most important skill Erickson investigated Executives who
Erickson investigated Executives who started work with large companies and
started work with large companies and who over the years moved into high
who over the years moved into high positions of management sometimes
positions of management sometimes becoming the CEO or president where they
becoming the CEO or president where they earn as much as 301 times according to
earn as much as 301 times according to 2016 figures the average income of the
2016 figures the average income of the people who worked in their companies
people who worked in their companies he found that most of these people
he found that most of these people practiced a simple strategy that they
practiced a simple strategy that they had used throughout their careers
had used throughout their careers as soon as they started at their first
as soon as they started at their first job they went to their boss and asked
job they went to their boss and asked him what one skill if I was really good
him what one skill if I was really good at it what helped me to make a more
at it what helped me to make a more valuable contribution at my job
valuable contribution at my job the boss would tell the employee that he
the boss would tell the employee that he was really good at marketing or team
was really good at marketing or team building or making presentations or
building or making presentations or reading financial statements or
reading financial statements or something else he would be able to do
something else he would be able to do his job much better and make a more
his job much better and make a more valuable contribution
valuable contribution the new employee would take that advice
the new employee would take that advice like a dog catching a stick and running
like a dog catching a stick and running with it and begin work immediately to
with it and begin work immediately to develop that skill
develop that skill he would set the development of this
he would set the development of this skill as a goal and create a learning
skill as a goal and create a learning plan you would make a list of all the
plan you would make a list of all the things that he could do to become better
things that he could do to become better in that area he would find out the books
in that area he would find out the books that he should read the courses and
that he should read the courses and workshops he should attend and the audio
workshops he should attend and the audio programs he could listen to on the way
programs he could listen to on the way to work
the magic number here's the magic number Erickson found
here's the magic number Erickson found that these top people invested two hours
that these top people invested two hours per day five days per week to learn new
per day five days per week to learn new skills there are 168 hours in each week
skills there are 168 hours in each week 24 hours times seven days
24 hours times seven days by investing 10 of those hours on
by investing 10 of those hours on average people starting off at the
average people starting off at the bottom of their corporations at the
bottom of their corporations at the beginning of their careers were able to
beginning of their careers were able to continually move up faster and faster
continually move up faster and faster as they develop more Knowledge and
as they develop more Knowledge and Skills they continue to increase their
Skills they continue to increase their earning ability their ability to get
earning ability their ability to get results
results while their friends were out socializing
while their friends were out socializing partying and watching sports on
partying and watching sports on television these high Achievers were
television these high Achievers were carving out two hours each day five days
carving out two hours each day five days each week to get better and better at
each week to get better and better at their work Albert Einstein wrote that
their work Albert Einstein wrote that compounding is the most powerful force
compounding is the most powerful force in the universe
in the universe applies to money and to skills as well
applies to money and to skills as well but these successful Executives
but these successful Executives discovered at an early stage of their
discovered at an early stage of their careers was that at each time they
careers was that at each time they learned a new skill they could combine
learned a new skill they could combine that skill with other skills compounding
that skill with other skills compounding the total value of all their Knowledge
the total value of all their Knowledge and Skills thus these employees became
and Skills thus these employees became more and more valuable
more and more valuable over the years I have found that many
over the years I have found that many people are only one skill away from
people are only one skill away from doubling their income
doubling their income if they could develop one more key skill
if they could develop one more key skill leveraged times the skills and
leveraged times the skills and experience they already had they could
experience they already had they could be twice as valuable to their company
be twice as valuable to their company and be paid twice as much
see yourself as self-employed the top three percent of people in every
the top three percent of people in every industry accept high levels of
industry accept high levels of responsibility for themselves for
responsibility for themselves for everything they do and for everything
everything they do and for everything they become
they become as a result they view themselves as
as a result they view themselves as self-employed they act as if they owned
self-employed they act as if they owned the company they work in
the company they work in Robert Reich a former U.S Secretary of
Robert Reich a former U.S Secretary of Labor said that when he went into a
Labor said that when he went into a company he could immediately determine
company he could immediately determine the type of culture the company had
the type of culture the company had developed he said that it was contained
developed he said that it was contained in the pronouns the employees used when
in the pronouns the employees used when they talked about the company and
they talked about the company and themselves
themselves in the top companies people would use
in the top companies people would use the words we and us and our in the top
the words we and us and our in the top companies people felt and acted as if
companies people felt and acted as if the company belonged to them
the company belonged to them they were fully engaged they accepted
they were fully engaged they accepted high levels of responsibility for the
high levels of responsibility for the company's results
company's results in the lower performing companies people
in the lower performing companies people use the pronouns they them and their
use the pronouns they them and their they view the company as something
they view the company as something completely apart from themselves an
completely apart from themselves an entity that provided them with a job and
entity that provided them with a job and a paycheck and that was all
a paycheck and that was all this is why it is estimated that fully
this is why it is estimated that fully 65 percent of employees today are
65 percent of employees today are officially disengaged from their work
officially disengaged from their work they're going through the motions each
they're going through the motions each day putting in minimum effort reading
day putting in minimum effort reading the want ads on the internet and
the want ads on the internet and dreaming about doing different work
you are the president but not the job people the top people
but not the job people the top people realize that they are the chief
realize that they are the chief executive officers the presidents of
executive officers the presidents of their own careers they see themselves as
their own careers they see themselves as presidents of a company called you Inc
presidents of a company called you Inc Earl Nightingale once said the worst
Earl Nightingale once said the worst mistake you can ever make is to think
mistake you can ever make is to think that you work for anyone else but
that you work for anyone else but yourself
yourself you are always self-employed
you are always self-employed no matter who signs your paycheck you're
no matter who signs your paycheck you're always on your own payroll you're always
always on your own payroll you're always working for yourself you are the
working for yourself you are the president of a personal services
president of a personal services Corporation with one employee yourself
Corporation with one employee yourself you have only one product to sell in a
you have only one product to sell in a competitive market your own personal
competitive market your own personal services
services your rewards in life and your career
your rewards in life and your career will be determined by the value of your
will be determined by the value of your services to others by your ability to
services to others by your ability to contribute to your company and by your
contribute to your company and by your ability to add value continuously
ability to add value continuously throughout your career
throughout your career what determines your income
what determines your income your income will largely be determined
your income will largely be determined by three factors the work you do
by three factors the work you do how well you do it and the difficulty of
how well you do it and the difficulty of replacing you
replacing you if you're not happy with the amount that
if you're not happy with the amount that you are being paid you must do different
you are being paid you must do different work or you must do your current work
work or you must do your current work better and you must become indispensable
better and you must become indispensable to your company so that they would have
to your company so that they would have tremendous difficulty finding someone to
tremendous difficulty finding someone to replace you
replace you because of these three factors
because of these three factors unemployment or underemployment high or
unemployment or underemployment high or low income and earning less than your
low income and earning less than your true potential are largely
true potential are largely self-determined personal choices over
self-determined personal choices over time each person largely decides his or
time each person largely decides his or her own income each person decides how
her own income each person decides how much he or she is going to earn each
much he or she is going to earn each person decides their own financial
person decides their own financial future by the things they do and by the
future by the things they do and by the things that they fail to do
things that they fail to do is the great Economist wrote every
is the great Economist wrote every action has a consequence or Consequences
action has a consequence or Consequences durability to accurately predict the
durability to accurately predict the consequences of your actions is a mark
consequences of your actions is a mark of the superior thinker
of the superior thinker Juan visas then pointed out that
Juan visas then pointed out that anything that has a consequence can be
anything that has a consequence can be considered an action even and inaction
considered an action even and inaction even doing nothing in certain
even doing nothing in certain circumstances
circumstances just as there are things that you do
just as there are things that you do that have consequences or results in
that have consequences or results in your life the things that you don't do
your life the things that you don't do can have consequences as well and
can have consequences as well and sometimes your inactions have greater
sometimes your inactions have greater consequences than you can imagine
consequences than you can imagine a person who comes to work at the last
a person who comes to work at the last minute spends most of the day
minute spends most of the day socializing with their friends takes
socializing with their friends takes long coffee breaks and lunch hours and
long coffee breaks and lunch hours and leaves at the earliest possible minute
leaves at the earliest possible minute is engaging in actions that will soon
is engaging in actions that will soon have negative consequences for his
have negative consequences for his career
career failing to upgrade your skills to use
failing to upgrade your skills to use your time well or to work hard is your
your time well or to work hard is your most important tasks are inactions that
most important tasks are inactions that can have enormous negative consequences
can have enormous negative consequences as well
nature is neutral everyone wants to earn more money to be
everyone wants to earn more money to be paid more to be promoted faster and to
paid more to be promoted faster and to Achieve Financial Independence but
Achieve Financial Independence but nature is neutral she plays no favorites
nature is neutral she plays no favorites nature simply says that if you want to
nature simply says that if you want to take more out you must put more in
take more out you must put more in Israel also says you cannot take out
Israel also says you cannot take out more than you put in
more than you put in one of my favorite quotes is from good
one of my favorite quotes is from good to the German philosopher he wrote
to the German philosopher he wrote nature understands no jesting
nature understands no jesting she is always true always severe she is
she is always true always severe she is always right
always right and The Heirs and faults are always
and The Heirs and faults are always those of man
those of man the man incapable of appreciating her
the man incapable of appreciating her she despises and only to the APT the
she despises and only to the APT the pure and the true that she resign
pure and the true that she resign herself and reveal her Secrets these
herself and reveal her Secrets these words are applicable to the world of
words are applicable to the world of work in every respect
work in every respect nature says that you can have all the
nature says that you can have all the money you want but you'll have to earn
money you want but you'll have to earn it by serving other people with the
it by serving other people with the things they want and need and are
things they want and need and are willing to pay for
willing to pay for Eli Callaway founder of Callaway golf
Eli Callaway founder of Callaway golf once said
once said your business is designed today to get
your business is designed today to get you exactly the results you are getting
you exactly the results you are getting today and it could be no other way
today and it could be no other way it's the same with you and your personal
it's the same with you and your personal services Corporation your life and
services Corporation your life and career including your skill set what
career including your skill set what you're doing how well you do it are
you're doing how well you do it are giving you exactly the results you are
giving you exactly the results you are getting today
getting today if you want to get more and better
if you want to get more and better results you must do your work better
results you must do your work better increase your value and especially
increase your value and especially develop new and better skills that
develop new and better skills that enable you to make an even greater
enable you to make an even greater contribution to your company
think about the consequences your ability to learn and apply new
your ability to learn and apply new knowledge and skill has some of the
knowledge and skill has some of the biggest potential consequences of all
biggest potential consequences of all for your life
for your life this means that if you continually learn
this means that if you continually learn and grow or fail to learn and grow the
and grow or fail to learn and grow the consequences in your life can be
consequences in your life can be enormous
enormous the acquisition or development of one
the acquisition or development of one key skill in addition to your existing
key skill in addition to your existing skill set can often double your value
skill set can often double your value and your income quite quickly
and your income quite quickly some of the most important words in
some of the most important words in business today are business model and
business today are business model and value proposition
value proposition in both cases they ask these questions
in both cases they ask these questions of a product
of a product what is it what does it do
what is it what does it do what problems does it solve what results
what problems does it solve what results does it get
does it get these questions apply to you and your
these questions apply to you and your personal services as well they apply to
personal services as well they apply to the rapidly changing needs desires and
the rapidly changing needs desires and demands of customers Employers in
demands of customers Employers in response to competition and Market
response to competition and Market forces
forces these are questions that you must take
these are questions that you must take the time to ask and answer again and
the time to ask and answer again and again throughout your career
again throughout your career this time spent in self-assessment can
this time spent in self-assessment can be some of the most important and
be some of the most important and valuable time of your life
valuable time of your life question what are your core skills your
question what are your core skills your core competencies
core competencies what is the most important and valuable
what is the most important and valuable work that you do
work that you do what are the most important results and
what are the most important results and benefits you achieve for your employer
benefits you achieve for your employer and your business
and your business what are you good at today what will you
what are you good at today what will you need to be good at six months or a year
need to be good at six months or a year from now to be successful in your career
from now to be successful in your career here's a great question what one skill
here's a great question what one skill if you're absolutely excellent at it
if you're absolutely excellent at it would have the greatest positive impact
would have the greatest positive impact on your life and career
on your life and career what one skill would help you the most
what one skill would help you the most to double your income
to double your income the last question is perhaps the most
the last question is perhaps the most important go forward question of your
important go forward question of your career as the speed of growth and
career as the speed of growth and information technology and competition
information technology and competition accelerates your answer to this question
accelerates your answer to this question will change
will change what is your plan to develop this skill
develop a plan for personal excellence what is your plan to become one of the
what is your plan to become one of the top people in your field people don't
top people in your field people don't plan to fail they just fail to plan
plan to fail they just fail to plan your goal should be to learn one skill
your goal should be to learn one skill at a time one after another the
at a time one after another the interesting Discovery is that as you
interesting Discovery is that as you concentrate single mightily on the
concentrate single mightily on the Learning and Development of your most
Learning and Development of your most important skill it starts to improve
important skill it starts to improve almost unconsciously in every other
almost unconsciously in every other important skill as well
important skill as well by focusing on individual skill
by focusing on individual skill development you change the way you think
development you change the way you think and the way you use your time hour by
and the way you use your time hour by hour and day by day you become a
hour and day by day you become a learning machine constantly absorbing
learning machine constantly absorbing new knowledge
new knowledge how people dedicate themselves to
how people dedicate themselves to continuous learning as if their entire
continuous learning as if their entire future career depended on it because it
future career depended on it because it does resolve today to include a learning
does resolve today to include a learning time into your life every day every week
time into your life every day every week every month
every month create a learning space in your home or
create a learning space in your home or apartment
apartment set a schedule to study for a certain
set a schedule to study for a certain period of time each day and discipline
period of time each day and discipline yourself to stick to your schedule
yourself to stick to your schedule be willing to pay the price of success
be willing to pay the price of success in advance over and over for years if
in advance over and over for years if necessary to get to the top of your
necessary to get to the top of your field
field the good news is that you can learn
the good news is that you can learn anything you need to learn to achieve
anything you need to learn to achieve any goal that you can set for yourself
any goal that you can set for yourself and the more you learn the more you can
and the more you learn the more you can learn
learn when you concentrate on learning new
when you concentrate on learning new subjects you activate more and more of
subjects you activate more and more of your brain power your ganglia and
your brain power your ganglia and neurons which are connected to hundreds
neurons which are connected to hundreds and thousands of other neurons as a
and thousands of other neurons as a result you get smarter and smarter your
result you get smarter and smarter your mind functions faster and with greater
mind functions faster and with greater Clarity you can then learn even more
Clarity you can then learn even more subjects faster and faster
subjects faster and faster when you become a lifelong learner your
when you become a lifelong learner your potential has no limit
now here are three action exercises for you
you number one develop the one skill that if
number one develop the one skill that if you are excellent at it but enable you
you are excellent at it but enable you to make a more valuable contribution
to make a more valuable contribution than any other skill
than any other skill number two set it as a goal to develop
number two set it as a goal to develop this skill create a learning plan to
this skill create a learning plan to attain the skill and then work
attain the skill and then work single-mindedly to master this one skill
single-mindedly to master this one skill no matter how long it takes
no matter how long it takes and number three set aside a minimum of
and number three set aside a minimum of 10 hours per week during which you learn
10 hours per week during which you learn study and develop your most important
study and develop your most important skill
Robert Collier wrote All riches have their origin in mind wealth is in ideas
their origin in mind wealth is in ideas not money
not money one of the most important times of your
one of the most important times of your life is a time period that few people
life is a time period that few people think of your spare time
think of your spare time there are 168 hours in a week
there are 168 hours in a week the average person Works eight hours per
the average person Works eight hours per day 40 hours a week sleeps eight hours
day 40 hours a week sleeps eight hours per day 56 hours a week addresses eats
per day 56 hours a week addresses eats and travels to work or to shopping four
and travels to work or to shopping four hours per day 28 hours a week these
hours per day 28 hours a week these tasks use up 124 hours leaving 44 hours
tasks use up 124 hours leaving 44 hours a week as spare time
a week as spare time unfortunately the average person spends
unfortunately the average person spends most of this time socializing watching
most of this time socializing watching television or in entertainment
television or in entertainment activities of some kind such as social
activities of some kind such as social media television conversations with
media television conversations with friends and other Leisure Time
friends and other Leisure Time activities
activities but what you do with your spare time can
but what you do with your spare time can make all the difference between success
make all the difference between success and failure in life you can spend it on
and failure in life you can spend it on pleasurable activities or you can invest
pleasurable activities or you can invest it in your future
the byproducts of life many manufacturers especially those
many manufacturers especially those using large quantities of raw materials
using large quantities of raw materials and natural resources in the production
and natural resources in the production process throw off large quantities of
process throw off large quantities of byproducts
byproducts surrounding many factories you will see
surrounding many factories you will see large slag heaps of byproducts that
large slag heaps of byproducts that eventually must be disposed of in some
eventually must be disposed of in some way
way over the years with advances in science
over the years with advances in science these byproducts are often turned into
these byproducts are often turned into new products to be sold many byproducts
new products to be sold many byproducts that were once thrown away can now be
that were once thrown away can now be converted into useful products thereby
converted into useful products thereby using up more and more of the byproduct
using up more and more of the byproduct leaving less and less to be disposed of
leaving less and less to be disposed of sometimes the byproduct of a
sometimes the byproduct of a manufacturing process turns out to be
manufacturing process turns out to be more profitable than the main product
more profitable than the main product being produced
being produced for decades the biochemical Corporation
for decades the biochemical Corporation of Germany created large quantities of
of Germany created large quantities of acetyl salicylic acid in the process of
acetyl salicylic acid in the process of manufacturing other chemical products
manufacturing other chemical products this acid in Crystal powder was piled in
this acid in Crystal powder was piled in large heaps outside the factory before
large heaps outside the factory before being hauled away for disposal over a
being hauled away for disposal over a period of months a buyer executive are
period of months a buyer executive are looking out his window noticed that many
looking out his window noticed that many of the workers arriving on Monday
of the workers arriving on Monday morning were stopping to scoop up and
morning were stopping to scoop up and gulp down a handful of this crystalline
gulp down a handful of this crystalline powder when the workers were asked the
powder when the workers were asked the reason for this they replied that this
reason for this they replied that this powder was a great painkiller that took
powder was a great painkiller that took away headaches and muscular pains that
away headaches and muscular pains that they got from overworking and over
they got from overworking and over drinking on the weekends
drinking on the weekends this led to the discovery of the
this led to the discovery of the remarkable properties of what buyer
remarkable properties of what buyer trademarked as aspirin today buyer
trademarked as aspirin today buyer aspirin is one of the most popular and
aspirin is one of the most popular and profitable all-purpose over-the-counter
profitable all-purpose over-the-counter remedies in the world fire aspirin has
remedies in the world fire aspirin has made a fortune for the company many
made a fortune for the company many billions of dollars and perhaps more
billions of dollars and perhaps more than it was earning from the original
than it was earning from the original chemical of which the aspirin was a
chemical of which the aspirin was a byproduct
byproduct your personal byproduct in your life
your personal byproduct in your life your spare time is a byproduct as well
your spare time is a byproduct as well by using this Spare Time intelligently
by using this Spare Time intelligently rather than wasting it or discarding it
rather than wasting it or discarding it you can become more valuable be paid
you can become more valuable be paid more money and even become one of the
more money and even become one of the top people in your field
top people in your field spare time is the real byproduct of your
spare time is the real byproduct of your busy life
busy life if you're living a normal life you have
if you're living a normal life you have about four hours per day of
about four hours per day of discretionary time and perhaps 16 spare
discretionary time and perhaps 16 spare hours on the weekend
hours on the weekend how you spend this Spare Time largely
how you spend this Spare Time largely determines your future and much of what
determines your future and much of what you achieve in the months and years
you achieve in the months and years ahead
ahead when you continually invest your
when you continually invest your byproduct your spare time by learning
byproduct your spare time by learning new ideas and developing new skills by
new ideas and developing new skills by some mysterious process this additional
some mysterious process this additional Knowledge and Skills combines with your
Knowledge and Skills combines with your existing skill base allowing you to
existing skill base allowing you to multiply your results and eventually
multiply your results and eventually earn much more than the other people
earn much more than the other people around you
become a high earner the 80 20 rule says that the top 20
the 80 20 rule says that the top 20 percent of earners in any field earn 80
percent of earners in any field earn 80 percent of the money paid out in that
percent of the money paid out in that field
field you've heard this before but have you
you've heard this before but have you ever worked out on paper what this
ever worked out on paper what this actually means imagine that there are
actually means imagine that there are 100 employees in a company that has a
100 employees in a company that has a total payroll uh per month of one
total payroll uh per month of one million dollars but the top 20 percent
million dollars but the top 20 percent of these employees 20 people will earn
of these employees 20 people will earn 80 percent of the total amount or eight
80 percent of the total amount or eight hundred thousand dollars the other 80
hundred thousand dollars the other 80 people or 80 percent will earn two
people or 80 percent will earn two hundred thousand dollars
hundred thousand dollars when you continue with this calculation
when you continue with this calculation you find that the average income of the
you find that the average income of the top 20 percent is forty thousand dollars
top 20 percent is forty thousand dollars per person that's eight hundred thousand
per person that's eight hundred thousand dollars divided by Twenty the average
dollars divided by Twenty the average income of the bottom eighty percent will
income of the bottom eighty percent will be two thousand five hundred dollars
be two thousand five hundred dollars each which is two hundred thousand
each which is two hundred thousand divided by eighty
divided by eighty what is the ratio of income between the
what is the ratio of income between the high earners and the low earners it is
high earners and the low earners it is forty thousand dollars divided by two
forty thousand dollars divided by two thousand five hundred dollars or a
thousand five hundred dollars or a difference of 16 times in income in
difference of 16 times in income in exchange for working the same eight
exchange for working the same eight hours
hours all over the world this principle holds
all over the world this principle holds true the people in the top twenty
true the people in the top twenty percent earn on average sixteen times
percent earn on average sixteen times the average pay of the bottom eighty
the average pay of the bottom eighty percent the people in the top twenty
percent the people in the top twenty percent of the top twenty percent the
percent of the top twenty percent the top four percent earn much much more
my own story when I was 24 years old with holes in my shoes and struggling to
with holes in my shoes and struggling to get started in direct commission sales
get started in direct commission sales another salesman asked me if I'd ever
another salesman asked me if I'd ever heard about the 80 20 rule that the top
heard about the 80 20 rule that the top twenty percent in sales are eighty
twenty percent in sales are eighty percent of the income
percent of the income I had never heard that statistic the
I had never heard that statistic the Pareto Principle before but at that
Pareto Principle before but at that moment it suddenly occurred to me that I
moment it suddenly occurred to me that I had a choice I could earn a little or I
had a choice I could earn a little or I could earn a lot
could earn a lot at that time I was earning a little very
at that time I was earning a little very little so I made a decision that I was
little so I made a decision that I was going to do whatever it took to get into
going to do whatever it took to get into the top 20 percent
the top 20 percent that decision changed my life
that decision changed my life from that day onward I began asking
from that day onward I began asking successful people what they were doing
successful people what they were doing differently from the way I did things I
differently from the way I did things I read books written by successful people
read books written by successful people I listened to audio programs on success
I listened to audio programs on success and sales recorded by successful people
and sales recorded by successful people I attended seminars given by successful
I attended seminars given by successful people in which they explained exactly
people in which they explained exactly what they had done to start at the
what they had done to start at the bottom and get to the top
bottom and get to the top one thing I learned was that everyone in
one thing I learned was that everyone in the top 20 percent started in the bottom
the top 20 percent started in the bottom 20 percent
20 percent everyone who is doing well today was
everyone who is doing well today was once doing poorly
once doing poorly almost all rich people today were once
almost all rich people today were once poor and the major turning point in the
poor and the major turning point in the lives of the top people was when they
lives of the top people was when they made the decision to become one of the
made the decision to become one of the best people in their field
best people in their field resolve today to become a member of the
resolve today to become a member of the top 20 percent in your field
top 20 percent in your field if you're already in the top 20 decide
if you're already in the top 20 decide to be in the top 10 percent
set a clear goal for yourself remember you can't hit a Target that you
remember you can't hit a Target that you can't see you can't achieve a goal if
can't see you can't achieve a goal if you don't know what it is
you don't know what it is whatever field you are in today find out
whatever field you are in today find out how much the top 20 are earning and then
how much the top 20 are earning and then set their income level as your initial
set their income level as your initial goal here's the good news once you've
goal here's the good news once you've decided to get into the top 20 in your
decided to get into the top 20 in your field nothing and no one can stop you as
field nothing and no one can stop you as long as you don't quit
long as you don't quit your own determination is stronger than
your own determination is stronger than any other influence
any other influence make a decision I have never met anyone
make a decision I have never met anyone anywhere in the world and that's 121
anywhere in the world and that's 121 countries so far who failed to get into
countries so far who failed to get into the top 20 after they've made that do or
the top 20 after they've made that do or die decision to do whatever was
die decision to do whatever was necessary to achieve it
necessary to achieve it and I never met anyone who got into the
and I never met anyone who got into the top 20 until they made that decision and
top 20 until they made that decision and then backed it up with months and even
then backed it up with months and even years of hard hard work
years of hard hard work the motto of the top person is I will
the motto of the top person is I will until
until the problem in society today is not an
the problem in society today is not an income gap instead it is a skills Gap
income gap instead it is a skills Gap the highest paid people have skills that
the highest paid people have skills that are in demand the lowest paid workers do
are in demand the lowest paid workers do not
not but skills are not handed out like
but skills are not handed out like Halloween treats they are developed over
Halloween treats they are developed over long periods of patient determined
long periods of patient determined effort
continue to learn and grow people in the top 20 percent use their
people in the top 20 percent use their spare time well they continue to learn
spare time well they continue to learn and grow throughout their careers
and grow throughout their careers as a result their incomes increase at an
as a result their incomes increase at an average rate of 11 percent per year at
average rate of 11 percent per year at 11 percent per year with the power of
11 percent per year with the power of compounding your income will double
compounding your income will double every 6.7 years
every 6.7 years this means that if you start off at the
this means that if you start off at the age of 20 getting better and better each
age of 20 getting better and better each year studying an average of 10 hours per
year studying an average of 10 hours per week by the age of 27 you will be
week by the age of 27 you will be earning twice as much as you were when
earning twice as much as you were when you started by the age of 34 you will
you started by the age of 34 you will double your income again and be earning
double your income again and be earning four times as much
four times as much you'll be one of the highest paid people
you'll be one of the highest paid people in your field
in your field if you keep improving increasing your
if you keep improving increasing your productivity performance and income by
productivity performance and income by 11 per year by age 39 you will double
11 per year by age 39 you will double your income again and be on your way to
your income again and be on your way to personal wealth
personal wealth if you keep this up throughout your life
if you keep this up throughout your life by the time you reach your 40s and 50s
by the time you reach your 40s and 50s you will be in the top 10 percent or
you will be in the top 10 percent or even the top one percent of money
even the top one percent of money earners in the world today
earners in the world today people in the top twenty percent
people in the top twenty percent continue to learn and grow throughout
continue to learn and grow throughout their careers even the bottom 80 percent
their careers even the bottom 80 percent stop learning and developing new skills
stop learning and developing new skills as soon as they Master the basic
as soon as they Master the basic requirements of their jobs
requirements of their jobs which one are you
which one are you which one do you want to be in the years
which one do you want to be in the years ahead resolve today to use 10 hours of
ahead resolve today to use 10 hours of your spare time each week to invest in
your spare time each week to invest in your future it will be one of the best
your future it will be one of the best decisions you ever make
now here are three action exercises for you
you number one put the power of compounding
number one put the power of compounding to work in your life by acquiring
to work in your life by acquiring additional skills in your spare time
additional skills in your spare time number two resolve to join the top 20
number two resolve to join the top 20 percent of income earners in your field
percent of income earners in your field and number three find out what the
and number three find out what the highest earners do in their spare time
highest earners do in their spare time to stay ahead and then do the same
to stay ahead and then do the same things over and over until they become
things over and over until they become habits of thought and action
HW dresser wrote be true to the best you know this is your high ideal if you do
know this is your high ideal if you do your best you cannot do more
your best you cannot do more the way you use work time will determine
the way you use work time will determine your success advancement and income as
your success advancement and income as much if not more than any other Factor
much if not more than any other Factor the tragedy is that most people do not
the tragedy is that most people do not work anywhere near their true capacity
work anywhere near their true capacity there's nothing that will move you ahead
there's nothing that will move you ahead faster than for you to get a reputation
faster than for you to get a reputation for good work habits when you are highly
for good work habits when you are highly productive at work you'll attract more
productive at work you'll attract more and more opportunities
and more opportunities but one of the biggest obstacles to high
but one of the biggest obstacles to high performance is the structure of the work
performance is the structure of the work itself
itself there is a saying you can't get any work
there is a saying you can't get any work done at work
done at work the reason is so much of your time is
the reason is so much of your time is taken up by other people and situations
taken up by other people and situations especially working with other people in
especially working with other people in groups both within your business and on
groups both within your business and on the outside much of your time is taken
the outside much of your time is taken up responding to the demands of others
up responding to the demands of others nonetheless it is essential that you
nonetheless it is essential that you learn to work with and around groups of
learn to work with and around groups of other people each of whom has
other people each of whom has complementary strengths knowledge and
complementary strengths knowledge and abilities and whose help and
abilities and whose help and participation you need to do your job
participation you need to do your job the question however is always how do
the question however is always how do you get your work done at work
brilliant on the basics let's do a quick review of the basics of
let's do a quick review of the basics of using your time well
using your time well number one as you recall set clear goals
number one as you recall set clear goals and objectives you must know exactly why
and objectives you must know exactly why you are working and what you want to
you are working and what you want to accomplish
accomplish number two plan out your work in detail
number two plan out your work in detail on paper you need detailed plans of
on paper you need detailed plans of action organized by sequence and
action organized by sequence and priority for productive work
priority for productive work number three set clear priorities on
number three set clear priorities on your tasks you must always work on your
your tasks you must always work on your highest value activities
highest value activities number four work all the time you work
number four work all the time you work you must learn how to concentrate
you must learn how to concentrate single-mindedly on one thing the most
single-mindedly on one thing the most important thing at any given time and
important thing at any given time and stay with it until it is complete
stay with it until it is complete this takes tremendous willpower and
this takes tremendous willpower and self-discipline but the payoff in Career
self-discipline but the payoff in Career Success makes the effort truly worth it
Success makes the effort truly worth it time is the one indispensable ingredient
time is the one indispensable ingredient of accomplishment everything you want to
of accomplishment everything you want to do at work requires time the only way
do at work requires time the only way you can get enough time to do the things
you can get enough time to do the things that can really make a difference in
that can really make a difference in your work and your life is by conserving
your work and your life is by conserving time that you would normally spend doing
time that you would normally spend doing something else
something else you are surrounded by people in
you are surrounded by people in situations that waste your time and
situations that waste your time and undermine your Effectiveness all day
undermine your Effectiveness all day long only by practicing rigorous
long only by practicing rigorous self-discipline can you free yourself
self-discipline can you free yourself from these thieves of time
the seventh major time wasters there are seven major time wasters in
there are seven major time wasters in the world of work but you've been
the world of work but you've been identified from hundreds of studies at
identified from hundreds of studies at opinion surveys your ability to deal
opinion surveys your ability to deal with them effectively will largely
with them effectively will largely determine how successful you will be in
determine how successful you will be in your career
your career Number One telephone email and text
Number One telephone email and text interruptions
interruptions the first major time waster is
the first major time waster is Interruption by telephone email and SMS
Interruption by telephone email and SMS when the telephone rings or the email
when the telephone rings or the email dings your train of thought is broken
dings your train of thought is broken and you're distracted from the task at
and you're distracted from the task at hand
hand when you hang up the phone or turn away
when you hang up the phone or turn away from the screen you find it hard to get
from the screen you find it hard to get back to the work in front of you
back to the work in front of you there are seven ways to deal with
there are seven ways to deal with telephone and email interruptions
telephone and email interruptions number one use the telephone and email
number one use the telephone and email as business tools get on and off the
as business tools get on and off the telephone or computer fast don't
telephone or computer fast don't socialize when you are working make your
socialize when you are working make your calls or messages as efficient as
calls or messages as efficient as possible
possible you must discipline yourself to use the
you must discipline yourself to use the telephone and the computer as business
telephone and the computer as business tools during the hours from nine to five
tools during the hours from nine to five this applies to your smartphone as well
this applies to your smartphone as well number two have your emails and calls
number two have your emails and calls screen or screen them yourself find out
screen or screen them yourself find out who's on the phone before you answer
who's on the phone before you answer overcome the Natural Curiosity that
overcome the Natural Curiosity that Wells up in you and people who you don't
Wells up in you and people who you don't know call you find out why they are
know call you find out why they are calling before you take the phone call
calling before you take the phone call number three whenever possible set aside
number three whenever possible set aside periods of the day when you allow no
periods of the day when you allow no interruptions
interruptions become a slave to a ringing phone a
become a slave to a ringing phone a binging an email or a beeping text
binging an email or a beeping text message leave things off there's nothing
message leave things off there's nothing so important that you cannot get back to
so important that you cannot get back to it later when it's more convenient for
it later when it's more convenient for you
you number four when you make a call or send
number four when you make a call or send an email message set clear callback or
an email message set clear callback or response times cello is the time that
response times cello is the time that you will be available to respond to the
you will be available to respond to the message or phone call avoid playing
message or phone call avoid playing telephoner email tag leave a telephone
telephoner email tag leave a telephone number if it's an emergency
number if it's an emergency number five batch your calls and your
number five batch your calls and your email activities use the learning curve
email activities use the learning curve make all of your telephone calls or
make all of your telephone calls or email responses at once don't spread
email responses at once don't spread them throughout the day
them throughout the day sometimes you can accumulate your phone
sometimes you can accumulate your phone calls or email messages up to 11AM and
calls or email messages up to 11AM and then return them all by noon then you
then return them all by noon then you can accumulate them again up to 3 30 pm
can accumulate them again up to 3 30 pm and return them all by 4 30.
and return them all by 4 30. number six plan your calls and email in
number six plan your calls and email in advance think about a business call as a
advance think about a business call as a meeting and write out an outline or
meeting and write out an outline or agenda for the items you want to cover
agenda for the items you want to cover in the call or type message
in the call or type message number seven take good notes when
number seven take good notes when talking on the phone write down every
talking on the phone write down every key Point made by the other person and
key Point made by the other person and you never answer a telephone without a
you never answer a telephone without a pad of paper in front of you and a pen
pad of paper in front of you and a pen in your hand
in your hand the power is always on the side of the
the power is always on the side of the person with the best notes
number two unexpected visitors
unexpected visitors the second major time waster is
the second major time waster is unexpected visitors drop-in visitors can
unexpected visitors drop-in visitors can be extremely time consuming these are
be extremely time consuming these are people from within your company or from
people from within your company or from the outside they drop by your office
the outside they drop by your office disrupt your work break your train of
disrupt your work break your train of thought and impair your Effectiveness
thought and impair your Effectiveness sometimes they talk endlessly about
sometimes they talk endlessly about unimportant matters and keep you from
unimportant matters and keep you from your work
your work you must find ways to avoid this time
you must find ways to avoid this time waster at all costs here are five things
waster at all costs here are five things you can do
you can do number one create a quiet time for work
number one create a quiet time for work specify a time during the day when you
specify a time during the day when you will concentrate on your work during
will concentrate on your work during this time allow no interruptions turn
this time allow no interruptions turn everything off get yourself a do not
everything off get yourself a do not disturb silent put it on your door make
disturb silent put it on your door make it clear that when that sign is out you
it clear that when that sign is out you do not want to be disturbed for any
do not want to be disturbed for any reason by anyone except in an emergency
reason by anyone except in an emergency number two stand up quickly when
number two stand up quickly when unwelcome visitors walk into your office
unwelcome visitors walk into your office or come to your workplace as though you
or come to your workplace as though you were just leaving
were just leaving start moving as though you are on your
start moving as though you are on your way out tell the time waster that you
way out tell the time waster that you really swamped today
really swamped today and you have a lot that you have to get
and you have a lot that you have to get done
done when somebody interrupts you by phone
when somebody interrupts you by phone tell them that you are just leaving and
tell them that you are just leaving and that you are in a bit of a hurry this
that you are in a bit of a hurry this will prompt them to get straight to the
will prompt them to get straight to the point
point number three bring the discussion to a
number three bring the discussion to a close when the meeting has gone on long
close when the meeting has gone on long enough you can say well there's one more
enough you can say well there's one more thing before you go
thing before you go finish off the conversation with
finish off the conversation with anything you can think of shake hands
anything you can think of shake hands and then go back to work
and then go back to work number four arrange specific meeting
number four arrange specific meeting times to deal effectively with drop-in
times to deal effectively with drop-in visitors you can arrange specific times
visitors you can arrange specific times to meet that are convenient for both of
to meet that are convenient for both of you
you make appointments to get together with
make appointments to get together with the people in your office make
the people in your office make appointments with your staff and let
appointments with your staff and let them know that at certain times of the
them know that at certain times of the day your door is open and you will be
day your door is open and you will be available
available number five avoid wasting the time of
number five avoid wasting the time of others make every effort to avoid being
others make every effort to avoid being a drop-in visitor yourself if you do
a drop-in visitor yourself if you do drop in on someone else without warning
drop in on someone else without warning always be polite enough to ask is this a
always be polite enough to ask is this a good time to talk or can we get together
good time to talk or can we get together later
later ask for their permission in advance it's
ask for their permission in advance it's amazing how many people unconsciously
amazing how many people unconsciously waste the time of others and don't even
waste the time of others and don't even know it
know it if you want to increase your efficiency
if you want to increase your efficiency ask others what do I do that wastes your
ask others what do I do that wastes your time
time be prepared for an earful and whatever
be prepared for an earful and whatever the other person says refuse to defend
the other person says refuse to defend or explain just thank her and listen
or explain just thank her and listen without interrupting
without interrupting number three meetings
number three meetings the third time waster is meetings both
the third time waster is meetings both planned and unplanned they consume forty
planned and unplanned they consume forty to fifty percent of your time they can
to fifty percent of your time they can be planned and organized involving
be planned and organized involving several people or they can be one-on-one
several people or they can be one-on-one in an office or in the hallway
in an office or in the hallway whenever you meet to talk with one or
whenever you meet to talk with one or more people you are having a meeting
more people you are having a meeting because of poor planning and preparation
because of poor planning and preparation many meetings are unnecessary or largely
many meetings are unnecessary or largely a waste of time however meetings are not
a waste of time however meetings are not an evil meetings are a necessary
an evil meetings are a necessary business tool for exchanging information
business tool for exchanging information solving problems and reviewing progress
solving problems and reviewing progress but they must be managed and they must
but they must be managed and they must be used effectively
be used effectively before scheduling a meeting determine
before scheduling a meeting determine its cost remember each meeting costs the
its cost remember each meeting costs the hourly rate of the people attending
hourly rate of the people attending multiplied by the number of hours spent
multiplied by the number of hours spent in the meeting
in the meeting meetings should therefore be treated as
meetings should therefore be treated as an actual dollar expenditure with an
an actual dollar expenditure with an expected value or rate of return on the
expected value or rate of return on the investment
investment here are seven ways that you can make
here are seven ways that you can make meetings more efficient
meetings more efficient one ask whether the meeting is necessary
one ask whether the meeting is necessary at all
at all if it is not necessary avoid holding it
if it is not necessary avoid holding it whenever possible
whenever possible if it is not necessary for an individual
if it is not necessary for an individual to attend a particular meeting make sure
to attend a particular meeting make sure that he knows that he does not have to
that he knows that he does not have to be there
be there number two create an agenda if you have
number two create an agenda if you have determined that the meeting is necessary
determined that the meeting is necessary establish a clear purpose and write an
establish a clear purpose and write an agenda or make a list of everything that
agenda or make a list of everything that has to be covered next to each item put
has to be covered next to each item put the name of the person who is expected
the name of the person who is expected to address that particular issue
to address that particular issue this also applies to one-on-one meetings
this also applies to one-on-one meetings with your boss subordinates customers
with your boss subordinates customers suppliers and everyone else you'll be
suppliers and everyone else you'll be amazed at how much faster and more
amazed at how much faster and more efficiently the meeting will progress
efficiently the meeting will progress when there's a written agenda that
when there's a written agenda that everyone is following
everyone is following number three start and stop on time set
number three start and stop on time set a schedule for the beginning of the
a schedule for the beginning of the meeting and set a time for the end of
meeting and set a time for the end of the meeting
the meeting the worst types of meetings are those
the worst types of meetings are those that start at a specific time but have
that start at a specific time but have no clearly determined ending time
no clearly determined ending time here is another rule don't wait for the
here is another rule don't wait for the latecomer assume the latecomer is not
latecomer assume the latecomer is not coming at all and then start at the
coming at all and then start at the designated time
designated time it's unfair to punish the people who are
it's unfair to punish the people who are on time by making them wait for the
on time by making them wait for the person who gets there late if at all
person who gets there late if at all number four cover the most important
number four cover the most important items first when you draw up the agenda
items first when you draw up the agenda apply the 80 20 rule organize the agenda
apply the 80 20 rule organize the agenda so that the top twenty percent of items
so that the top twenty percent of items are the first items to be discussed
are the first items to be discussed this way if you run out of time you will
this way if you run out of time you will have covered the items that represent
have covered the items that represent eighty percent of the value of the
eighty percent of the value of the meeting before the time Runs Out
meeting before the time Runs Out number five Summarize each conclusion
number five Summarize each conclusion when you discuss an item on your meeting
when you discuss an item on your meeting agenda summarize the discussion and get
agenda summarize the discussion and get closure get agreement and completion on
closure get agreement and completion on each item before you go on to the next
each item before you go on to the next one
one restate what has been decided on and
restate what has been decided on and agreed to for each item before you
agreed to for each item before you proceed
proceed number six assign specific
number six assign specific responsibility
responsibility once you've made a decision in a meeting
once you've made a decision in a meeting assigned responsibility to a specific
assigned responsibility to a specific person for the actions agreed on and set
person for the actions agreed on and set deadlines
deadlines remember discussion and agreement
remember discussion and agreement without an assignment of responsibility
without an assignment of responsibility and a deadline for completion is merely
and a deadline for completion is merely a conversation
a conversation and number seven keep notes and
and number seven keep notes and circulate minutes a key to getting
circulate minutes a key to getting maximum Effectiveness from meetings is
maximum Effectiveness from meetings is to keep accurate notes as you go along
to keep accurate notes as you go along and then to circulate the minutes of the
and then to circulate the minutes of the meeting within 24 hours whenever
meeting within 24 hours whenever possible
possible the person who takes accurate minutes
the person who takes accurate minutes from a meeting and then can access those
from a meeting and then can access those notes a week or a month later always has
notes a week or a month later always has greater power and influence than someone
greater power and influence than someone working from memory
working from memory number four is firefighting a fourth
number four is firefighting a fourth time waster is firefighting at
time waster is firefighting at emergencies just when you get settled
emergencies just when you get settled down to work on an important project
down to work on an important project something totally unexpected happens it
something totally unexpected happens it takes you away from your main task for a
takes you away from your main task for a few minutes or even for hours
few minutes or even for hours when an emergency or crisis occurs here
when an emergency or crisis occurs here are five ways to cope
are five ways to cope number one think before acting
number one think before acting remember action without thinking is the
remember action without thinking is the cause of every failure
cause of every failure take a deep breath calm down and remain
take a deep breath calm down and remain objective
objective refuse to react or overreact
refuse to react or overreact instead just stop and think take the
instead just stop and think take the time to find out what happened be clear
time to find out what happened be clear about the problem before you act
about the problem before you act number two delegate responsibility
number two delegate responsibility there is a rule that says if it is not
there is a rule that says if it is not necessary for you to decide it is
necessary for you to decide it is necessary for you not to decide if you
necessary for you not to decide if you can possibly delegate the responsibility
can possibly delegate the responsibility for handling the crisis to someone else
for handling the crisis to someone else by all means do so someone else might be
by all means do so someone else might be much better qualified to deal with the
much better qualified to deal with the situation than you or maybe it is
situation than you or maybe it is someone else's responsibility in the
someone else's responsibility in the first place
first place number three write it down whatever the
number three write it down whatever the crisis write it down before you take
crisis write it down before you take action
action when you write down a problem it helps
when you write down a problem it helps keep your mind cool calm clear and
keep your mind cool calm clear and objective
objective record exactly what has happened before
record exactly what has happened before you do anything
you do anything number four get the facts don't assume
number four get the facts don't assume anything the facts are perhaps the most
anything the facts are perhaps the most important elements of all in a crisis
important elements of all in a crisis ask questions find out what occurred
ask questions find out what occurred including details about when where and
including details about when where and how it happened
how it happened determine who is involved then ask what
determine who is involved then ask what can we do now
can we do now remember the facts Don't Lie the more
remember the facts Don't Lie the more facts you gather the more capable you
facts you gather the more capable you will be of dealing with the problem when
will be of dealing with the problem when you take action
you take action number five develop a policy if you find
number five develop a policy if you find yourself dealing with a recurring crisis
yourself dealing with a recurring crisis one that happens again and again develop
one that happens again and again develop a policy that is simple enough so that
a policy that is simple enough so that Ordinary People can implement it
Ordinary People can implement it when the crisis occurs for the first or
when the crisis occurs for the first or second time it may require tremendous
second time it may require tremendous intelligence experience and energy to
intelligence experience and energy to deal with it effectively
deal with it effectively but if a crisis or problem has a
but if a crisis or problem has a tendency to repeat itself and you cannot
tendency to repeat itself and you cannot find the way to eliminate the crisis in
find the way to eliminate the crisis in advance you should by all means develop
advance you should by all means develop a system so that the average person can
a system so that the average person can deal with the problem in your absence
deal with the problem in your absence number six plan for the worst problems
number six plan for the worst problems and crises are normal natural and
and crises are normal natural and unavoidable in the history of any
unavoidable in the history of any company or organization
company or organization one of the qualities of great leaders
one of the qualities of great leaders throughout history is that they develop
throughout history is that they develop the ability to think ahead and determine
the ability to think ahead and determine what could possibly go wrong
what could possibly go wrong they then plan for contingencies in
they then plan for contingencies in advance
advance when something goes wrong they are ready
when something goes wrong they are ready to move quickly they have already
to move quickly they have already thought it through
thought it through ask yourself what are the worst things
ask yourself what are the worst things that could happen in my business or
that could happen in my business or personal life and how would I handle
personal life and how would I handle them
them number five procrastination the fifth
number five procrastination the fifth biggest time waster is procrastination
biggest time waster is procrastination procrastination is not only the thief of
procrastination is not only the thief of time it is the thief of life
time it is the thief of life your ability to stop procrastinating and
your ability to stop procrastinating and get on with the work can change your
get on with the work can change your life
life here are seven ways to overcome
here are seven ways to overcome procrastination
procrastination number one think on paper prepare
number one think on paper prepare thoroughly list every step of the job in
thoroughly list every step of the job in advance break the job down into its
advance break the job down into its constituent Parts before you begin
constituent Parts before you begin number two gather all the materials and
number two gather all the materials and work tools you will need before you
work tools you will need before you begin so you won't have to get up or
begin so you won't have to get up or move until the task is done
move until the task is done number three do one small thing to get
number three do one small thing to get started often the first twenty percent
started often the first twenty percent of the task accounts for eighty percent
of the task accounts for eighty percent of the value
of the value once you get started it is much easier
once you get started it is much easier to keep going
to keep going number four salami slice the task
number four salami slice the task Sometimes the best way to complete a
Sometimes the best way to complete a major job or project is to take a small
major job or project is to take a small slice and complete just that one piece
slice and complete just that one piece number five practice the Swiss cheese
number five practice the Swiss cheese technique
technique this is a block of Swiss cheeses full of
this is a block of Swiss cheeses full of holes you treat your task like a block
holes you treat your task like a block of cheese and you punch holes in it
of cheese and you punch holes in it selecting a five minute part of the job
selecting a five minute part of the job and doing just that
and doing just that number six start from the outside and
number six start from the outside and complete the smaller tasks first
complete the smaller tasks first often this will help you to overcome
often this will help you to overcome procrastination and get you started on
procrastination and get you started on the big task
the big task number seven start from the inside and
number seven start from the inside and do the larger tasks first discipline
do the larger tasks first discipline yourself to start on the one item that
yourself to start on the one item that will take the most time and require the
will take the most time and require the most effort once you complete this task
most effort once you complete this task all the other tasks will seem Easier by
all the other tasks will seem Easier by comparison
number six socializing and idle conversations
conversations the six time waster is socializing an
the six time waster is socializing an idle conversation both one-on-one and
idle conversation both one-on-one and online
online socializing takes up an enormous amount
socializing takes up an enormous amount of time it's been estimated that as much
of time it's been estimated that as much as 75 percent of time at work is spanned
as 75 percent of time at work is spanned interacting with other people
interacting with other people unfortunately at least half of this time
unfortunately at least half of this time is spent in idle chatter that has
is spent in idle chatter that has nothing to do with the work
nothing to do with the work socializing takes time away from getting
socializing takes time away from getting the job done
the job done too much socializing can sabotage your
too much socializing can sabotage your career if you become well known for it
career if you become well known for it too many people are Time wasters and
too many people are Time wasters and Time consumers they are working well
Time consumers they are working well below their capacity so they have lots
below their capacity so they have lots of time to socialize and engage in idle
of time to socialize and engage in idle chatter
chatter here are some ideas you can use to avoid
here are some ideas you can use to avoid getting trapped into excessive
getting trapped into excessive socializing
socializing first socialize at appropriate times
first socialize at appropriate times arrange to do your socializing coffee
arrange to do your socializing coffee breaks lunch and after work whatever you
breaks lunch and after work whatever you find yourself being drawn into a
find yourself being drawn into a non-work related conversation with
non-work related conversation with colleagues say well I have to get back
colleagues say well I have to get back to work
to work break off the conversation politely and
break off the conversation politely and then move on it's amazing how often the
then move on it's amazing how often the use of these words back to work will
use of these words back to work will cause other people to get back to work
cause other people to get back to work as well
as well second focus on results you are a
second focus on results you are a knowledge worker relationships with
knowledge worker relationships with other knowledge workers are unavoidably
other knowledge workers are unavoidably time consuming
time consuming some of the most valuable time you spend
some of the most valuable time you spend at work is talking through and working
at work is talking through and working out problems and solutions to the
out problems and solutions to the challenges facing your business
challenges facing your business but these conversations must be focused
but these conversations must be focused on results not on the latest football
on results not on the latest football game or sharing stories about golf or
game or sharing stories about golf or summer holidays relationships
summer holidays relationships Communications and discussion with
Communications and discussion with knowledge workers must be continually
knowledge workers must be continually focused on the results that you and your
focused on the results that you and your work colleagues are trying to accomplish
number seven indecision and delay the seventh major
indecision and delay the seventh major time waster is indecision and delay
time waster is indecision and delay indecision costs more time than most
indecision costs more time than most people realize it can generate
people realize it can generate unnecessary paperwork correspondence and
unnecessary paperwork correspondence and tasks indecision wastes your time and
tasks indecision wastes your time and that of others
that of others indecision and delay are major time
indecision and delay are major time wasters at work they can have enormous
wasters at work they can have enormous costs in terms of lost money and lost
costs in terms of lost money and lost time you must learn how to deal with
time you must learn how to deal with them effectively
them effectively there are four types of decisions that
there are four types of decisions that you will have to deal with on a regular
you will have to deal with on a regular basis in the course of your career
basis in the course of your career number one there are decisions that only
number one there are decisions that only you can make this is a decision that no
you can make this is a decision that no one else can make and it is the decision
one else can make and it is the decision that is your responsibility to make it
that is your responsibility to make it is therefore unavoidable
is therefore unavoidable number two there are decisions that you
number two there are decisions that you can delegate some decisions can be made
can delegate some decisions can be made by someone else
by someone else one of the best ways to develop other
one of the best ways to develop other people to build knowledge foresight
people to build knowledge foresight wisdom and judgment in your subordinates
wisdom and judgment in your subordinates and in your children for that matter is
and in your children for that matter is to allow them to make important
to allow them to make important decisions
decisions number three there are decisions that
number three there are decisions that are unaffordable the negative
are unaffordable the negative consequences of this decision are too
consequences of this decision are too great if it turns out poorly some
great if it turns out poorly some decisions if they turn out wrong can
decisions if they turn out wrong can lead to the bankruptcy of a company or
lead to the bankruptcy of a company or to Major losses some commitments of
to Major losses some commitments of resources can be so serious that they
resources can be so serious that they become irretrievable
become irretrievable this is a decision that you cannot
this is a decision that you cannot afford to make
afford to make and number four there are decisions that
and number four there are decisions that are unavoidable
are unavoidable such a decision may require you to act
such a decision may require you to act on an opportunity for which delay could
on an opportunity for which delay could be expensive the positive upside for you
be expensive the positive upside for you or the organization can be enormous but
or the organization can be enormous but remember when it is not necessary to
remember when it is not necessary to decide it is necessary not to decide
decide it is necessary not to decide we will deal in depth with problem
we will deal in depth with problem solving in chapter 7.
how time is spent according to time management specialist Michael fortino
management specialist Michael fortino over an average lifetime you will spend
over an average lifetime you will spend seven years in the bathroom you'll spend
seven years in the bathroom you'll spend six years eating you'll spend five years
six years eating you'll spend five years waiting in line
waiting in line you will spend four years cleaning your
you will spend four years cleaning your house you'll spend three years in
house you'll spend three years in meetings you'll spend one year searching
meetings you'll spend one year searching for things you'll spend eight months
for things you'll spend eight months opening junk mail or junk email you will
opening junk mail or junk email you will spend six months sitting at red lights
spend six months sitting at red lights go spend four months brushing your teeth
go spend four months brushing your teeth and here's the big surprise
and here's the big surprise you'll spend four minutes per day
you'll spend four minutes per day conversing with your spouse and 30
conversing with your spouse and 30 seconds per day conversing with your
seconds per day conversing with your children
children one thing at a time
one thing at a time in work time when you are working with
in work time when you are working with and around other people remember that
and around other people remember that you can only do one thing at a time that
you can only do one thing at a time that one thing should be the most important
one thing should be the most important thing that you can do at this minute
thing that you can do at this minute there's a principle called The Law of
there's a principle called The Law of the excluded alternative
the excluded alternative this law states that whenever you choose
this law states that whenever you choose to do one thing you are simultaneously
to do one thing you are simultaneously choosing not to do everything else that
choosing not to do everything else that you could be doing at that moment
you could be doing at that moment the reason this law is so important is
the reason this law is so important is that quite often the task you are
that quite often the task you are choosing not to do is far more valuable
choosing not to do is far more valuable and important than the task that you are
and important than the task that you are working on right now it has much greater
working on right now it has much greater potential consequences
potential consequences the most important quality for Success
the most important quality for Success at work is your ability to avoid
at work is your ability to avoid distractions and time wasters
distractions and time wasters it is to keep focused on getting the
it is to keep focused on getting the most important results done that you are
most important results done that you are responsible for
responsible for your ability to work efficiently and
your ability to work efficiently and well in and around other people is
well in and around other people is absolutely essential to your success you
absolutely essential to your success you must think about how you can achieve
must think about how you can achieve this all the time
now here are three action exercises for you
you number one work all the time you work
number one work all the time you work resolve today to minimize or eliminate
resolve today to minimize or eliminate the time wasters that contribute nothing
the time wasters that contribute nothing to your life or work
to your life or work two leave things off discipline yourself
two leave things off discipline yourself to use email and text messaging quickly
to use email and text messaging quickly and efficiently and then get back to
and efficiently and then get back to work
work number three plan your meetings
number three plan your meetings one-on-one and with groups so that you
one-on-one and with groups so that you accomplish the very most in the shortest
accomplish the very most in the shortest period of time
John McDonald once wrote we have been endowed with the capacity and the power
endowed with the capacity and the power to create desirable pictures within and
to create desirable pictures within and to find them automatically printed in
to find them automatically printed in the outer world of our environment
the outer world of our environment creative time is some of the most
creative time is some of the most important and valuable time that you
important and valuable time that you could ever spend
could ever spend one idea can change your life and make
one idea can change your life and make you rich and the better you plan and
you rich and the better you plan and prepare for this idea the more likely it
prepare for this idea the more likely it is that you will have it but creativity
is that you will have it but creativity requires that you back away from the
requires that you back away from the business of daily life in order to let
business of daily life in order to let your mind function at a higher level
your mind function at a higher level this is why creative time requires a
this is why creative time requires a different form of thinking and
different form of thinking and organizing than work time or productive
organizing than work time or productive time
time it is said that every change in your
it is said that every change in your life comes as a result of your mind
life comes as a result of your mind colliding with a new idea
colliding with a new idea there seems to be a direct relationship
there seems to be a direct relationship between the number of ideas that you
between the number of ideas that you come up with or are exposed to and the
come up with or are exposed to and the likelihood that you will find exactly
likelihood that you will find exactly the right idea at the right time that
the right idea at the right time that can change your life completely and even
can change your life completely and even make you rich
make you rich it's estimated that each person has four
it's estimated that each person has four ideas each year any one of which would
ideas each year any one of which would make them a millionaire if they followed
make them a millionaire if they followed up on it how many times have you seen
up on it how many times have you seen someone come out with a new product or
someone come out with a new product or service and go on to become wealthy you
service and go on to become wealthy you say I thought of that idea a long time
say I thought of that idea a long time ago
ago yes you did but you failed to act you
yes you did but you failed to act you didn't do anything about the idea as a
didn't do anything about the idea as a result someone else came up with the
result someone else came up with the same idea and ran with it trying it out
same idea and ran with it trying it out debugging it as she went along and
debugging it as she went along and eventually making the new idea work at a
eventually making the new idea work at a higher level
higher level you could have done the same
you could have done the same the billion dollar idea
the billion dollar idea in June 2009 my wife my daughter and I
in June 2009 my wife my daughter and I attended an all-day meeting with our
attended an all-day meeting with our publisher at their offices in downtown
publisher at their offices in downtown San Francisco
San Francisco the meeting ended at 5 PM we retired and
the meeting ended at 5 PM we retired and looking forward to getting back to our
looking forward to getting back to our hotel
hotel but when we walked out onto the
but when we walked out onto the sidewalks of San Francisco there were no
sidewalks of San Francisco there were no taxis
taxis we walked a block to a busy intersection
we walked a block to a busy intersection looking for a taxi and waiting at any
looking for a taxi and waiting at any taxi that went past but no one stopped
taxi that went past but no one stopped we walked another block to a hotel
we walked another block to a hotel entrance hoping to take a taxi from the
entrance hoping to take a taxi from the taxi stand in front but the taxi stand
taxi stand in front but the taxi stand was empty we walked for half an hour
was empty we walked for half an hour through the busy teaming rush hour
through the busy teaming rush hour traffic of San Francisco and could not
traffic of San Francisco and could not find a single taxi to take us back to
find a single taxi to take us back to our hotel about a mile away
our hotel about a mile away eventually tired and hungry we stopped
eventually tired and hungry we stopped at a restaurant and had dinner after
at a restaurant and had dinner after dinner we once more began our walk
dinner we once more began our walk toward our hotel which was a while away
toward our hotel which was a while away up the steep hills of San Francisco
up the steep hills of San Francisco this time we finally found the taxi and
this time we finally found the taxi and made it back to our hotel
made it back to our hotel we learned later that the unionized taxi
we learned later that the unionized taxi industry had installed what is called
industry had installed what is called change over time
change over time this is the period between 5 PM and 7 PM
this is the period between 5 PM and 7 PM when people need taxis more than almost
when people need taxis more than almost any other time in the day but this is
any other time in the day but this is when the taxi drivers go home for dinner
when the taxi drivers go home for dinner they shut off their lights and refused
they shut off their lights and refused to pick up anyone during that two-hour
to pick up anyone during that two-hour period
period the importance of taking action
the importance of taking action here's the interesting part in that same
here's the interesting part in that same year four other businessmen in San
year four other businessmen in San Francisco came out of a late meeting and
Francisco came out of a late meeting and tried to hail the taxi cab they had the
tried to hail the taxi cab they had the same experience that we had had they
same experience that we had had they could not find a taxi anywhere they
could not find a taxi anywhere they ended up having to walk a considerable
ended up having to walk a considerable distance to get back to their hotels as
distance to get back to their hotels as well
well they asked as we did why isn't it
they asked as we did why isn't it possible to get Ataxia a rush hour or at
possible to get Ataxia a rush hour or at other times in a big city like this
other times in a big city like this but while my family went back to the
but while my family went back to the hotel
hotel complaining and grumbling these four
complaining and grumbling these four businessmen decided to start a new
businessmen decided to start a new company to fill this need
company to fill this need they saw a business opportunity to solve
they saw a business opportunity to solve the problem of non-availability of caps
the problem of non-availability of caps they called it Uber
they called it Uber they decided to make taxes available to
they decided to make taxes available to anyone through a simple app that you
anyone through a simple app that you could download for free today the Uber
could download for free today the Uber concept has swept the world as of 2016
concept has swept the world as of 2016 the company was valued at 62.5 billion
the company was valued at 62.5 billion dollars
dollars and all the founders were among the
and all the founders were among the richest people in the world
richest people in the world by the way I had the same experience
by the way I had the same experience trying to find a taxi between 5 and 7 PM
trying to find a taxi between 5 and 7 PM in both New York and Paris over the
in both New York and Paris over the following two years
following two years during those hours the taxi industry
during those hours the taxi industry simply shuts down when Uber became
simply shuts down when Uber became available in New York and Paris the taxi
available in New York and Paris the taxi drivers revolted and went on strike in
drivers revolted and went on strike in Paris they started riots and burned the
Paris they started riots and burned the cars of Uber drivers
cars of Uber drivers but today Uber has more cars and drivers
but today Uber has more cars and drivers in those two cities than the entire taxi
in those two cities than the entire taxi industry had developed in the last
industry had developed in the last hundred years and they are all thriving
you are a potential genius my point is this there are great ideas all around
this there are great ideas all around you all you need is one good idea to
you all you need is one good idea to improve an existing product or to create
improve an existing product or to create a new product or service for you to
a new product or service for you to begin your fortune
begin your fortune Albert Einstein wrote Every child is
Albert Einstein wrote Every child is born a genius
born a genius the fact is that you were born a
the fact is that you were born a potential genius you had the ability to
potential genius you had the ability to solve almost any problem overcome almost
solve almost any problem overcome almost any obstacle and Achieve almost any goal
any obstacle and Achieve almost any goal that you can set for yourself
that you can set for yourself as long as you are clear about the goal
as long as you are clear about the goal and you both focus and concentrate all
and you both focus and concentrate all of your mental energies on one idea at a
of your mental energies on one idea at a time like a laser beam
time like a laser beam the most important requirement of all
the most important requirement of all for you to activate the full powers of
for you to activate the full powers of your creative mind is our old friend
your creative mind is our old friend clarity
clarity you must be absolutely clear about the
you must be absolutely clear about the goal you want to achieve or the obstacle
goal you want to achieve or the obstacle that stands in your way the greater
that stands in your way the greater Clarity you have the faster you will
Clarity you have the faster you will attract into your life the ideas people
attract into your life the ideas people and resources that you need to solve
and resources that you need to solve your problem or achieve your goal
types of creativity there are two main types of creative
there are two main types of creative intelligence integrated intelligence and
intelligence integrated intelligence and original thought with integrated
original thought with integrated intelligence you combine and recombine
intelligence you combine and recombine existing information ideas and
existing information ideas and experience into new better and more
experience into new better and more desirable forms this is why most
desirable forms this is why most creative breakthroughs come from people
creative breakthroughs come from people with considerable knowledge and
with considerable knowledge and experience in a particular field
experience in a particular field the second form of intelligence original
the second form of intelligence original thought is when you come up with an idea
thought is when you come up with an idea no one else has thought of before
no one else has thought of before this idea may be based on a tremendous
this idea may be based on a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience but
amount of knowledge and experience but you take it to a higher level and you
you take it to a higher level and you create something completely new like
create something completely new like Google the iPhone or Uber
Google the iPhone or Uber the wonderful Discovery is that your
the wonderful Discovery is that your creative ability is like a muscle the
creative ability is like a muscle the more you use it the stronger it becomes
more you use it the stronger it becomes and the faster it works for you by
and the faster it works for you by practicing some of the techniques
practicing some of the techniques described here you can actually increase
described here you can actually increase your IQ by as much as 25 points moving
your IQ by as much as 25 points moving you from average or above average into
you from average or above average into the genius range of intelligence
what holds you back if everyone has the capacity to function
if everyone has the capacity to function at genius levels why is it that so few
at genius levels why is it that so few people ever unlock their full mental
people ever unlock their full mental potential to come up with great ideas to
potential to come up with great ideas to change and improve their life or work
change and improve their life or work there are three main enemies of creative
there are three main enemies of creative thought they are the comfort zone
thought they are the comfort zone learned helplessness and fear of failure
learned helplessness and fear of failure or rejection perhaps the biggest enemy
or rejection perhaps the biggest enemy of progress is the comfort zone a
of progress is the comfort zone a feeling of complacency or comfort that
feeling of complacency or comfort that people get into after having done things
people get into after having done things in a certain way for a long period of
in a certain way for a long period of time or often for just a short period of
time or often for just a short period of time
time this is why many of the Great
this is why many of the Great breakthroughs in business and technology
breakthroughs in business and technology are from new companies outside the
are from new companies outside the industry and are started by people
industry and are started by people without the heavy baggage of past
without the heavy baggage of past experience they have no comfort zone to
experience they have no comfort zone to break out of
break out of the natural tendency is for a person to
the natural tendency is for a person to slip into a comfort zone and then to
slip into a comfort zone and then to resist anything new or different in that
resist anything new or different in that area
area instead of being opened newer better
instead of being opened newer better faster cheaper or more convenient ways
faster cheaper or more convenient ways of producing the product or delivering
of producing the product or delivering the service the average person resists
the service the average person resists change of any kind
change of any kind they say things like we've always done
they say things like we've always done it this way or we tried that once before
it this way or we tried that once before and it didn't work or it cost too much
and it didn't work or it cost too much or what's wrong with the way we're doing
or what's wrong with the way we're doing it now
it now in many companies they have the NIH
in many companies they have the NIH syndrome not invented here
syndrome not invented here when someone comes up with a new idea
when someone comes up with a new idea from outside of the industry it's
from outside of the industry it's immediately rejected and dismissed
failure to move out of the comfort zone 2006 Apple announced the release of
2006 Apple announced the release of their new iPhone you could activate the
their new iPhone you could activate the phone with a single button type right on
phone with a single button type right on the phone's surface take and send
the phone's surface take and send pictures and movies to your friends
pictures and movies to your friends communicate with social media and
communicate with social media and download music instantly from the iTunes
download music instantly from the iTunes Store
Store it was revolutionary people lined up and
it was revolutionary people lined up and slept in the streets to buy the first
slept in the streets to buy the first phones available Apple sold millions of
phones available Apple sold millions of the iPhones and as of May 2016 has sold
the iPhones and as of May 2016 has sold more than
more than 947.7 million units had gone on to
947.7 million units had gone on to become the most valuable company in
become the most valuable company in history
history in 2006 Nokia had 50 percent of the
in 2006 Nokia had 50 percent of the world Consumer cell phone market
world Consumer cell phone market Blackberry had 49 of the world business
Blackberry had 49 of the world business cell phone market
cell phone market the executives of both of these
the executives of both of these companies proudly reading off the same
companies proudly reading off the same script said the iPhone is just a toy
script said the iPhone is just a toy it's a passing fad people are not
it's a passing fad people are not interested in all those bells and
interested in all those bells and whistles they will soon come back to the
whistles they will soon come back to the solid Dependable cell phones that we
solid Dependable cell phones that we offer
offer within five years both companies had
within five years both companies had gone from world leaders to closing their
gone from world leaders to closing their doors they had become so complacent with
doors they had become so complacent with their success that they could not change
their success that they could not change Blackberry even reduced its research and
Blackberry even reduced its research and development budget by 50 percent because
development budget by 50 percent because they were so popular that they did not
they were so popular that they did not need to innovate anymore
need to innovate anymore this is how dangerous falling into a
this is how dangerous falling into a comfort zone can be both in business and
comfort zone can be both in business and in personal life
learn help us this the second enemy of creativity is
the second enemy of creativity is learned helplessness people feel
learned helplessness people feel helpless in the face of Rapid change
helpless in the face of Rapid change competitive actions or unexpected
competitive actions or unexpected setbacks this is one of the most common
setbacks this is one of the most common reasons people do not try something new
reasons people do not try something new or different
or different and if they think of an idea to do
and if they think of an idea to do things in a different way they
things in a different way they immediately reject it and go back to
immediately reject it and go back to what they were doing before
what they were doing before learn to help with this occurs when
learn to help with this occurs when someone tries new ideas and fails which
someone tries new ideas and fails which young people do over and over again
young people do over and over again after failing several times and
after failing several times and sometimes even after a single failure
sometimes even after a single failure they conclude that they cannot change
they conclude that they cannot change the situation or the way things are they
the situation or the way things are they develop learn helplessness and stop
develop learn helplessness and stop trying to do or try new things at all
trying to do or try new things at all this could happen very early in life and
this could happen very early in life and then persist throughout a person's
then persist throughout a person's career
fear holds you back the third enemy of creativity is the fear of failure and
creativity is the fear of failure and its twin the fear of rejection
its twin the fear of rejection the fear of failure triggers a form of
the fear of failure triggers a form of paralysis like a deer caught in the
paralysis like a deer caught in the Headlights
Headlights whenever someone thinks that they might
whenever someone thinks that they might lose their time or lose their money the
lose their time or lose their money the fear of failure Looms in their thinking
fear of failure Looms in their thinking and they begin thinking about everything
and they begin thinking about everything that could go wrong
that could go wrong they needed it back away from trying or
they needed it back away from trying or investing in anything new or different
investing in anything new or different in addition the fear of rejection caused
in addition the fear of rejection caused by the fear of criticism is a major
by the fear of criticism is a major reason people do not try new things
reason people do not try new things many people are so sensitive to the
many people are so sensitive to the possible negative opinions of others
possible negative opinions of others that they refuse to do anything new or
that they refuse to do anything new or different that might generate
different that might generate disapproval
disapproval whenever you have or hear a new idea be
whenever you have or hear a new idea be alert to the Natural tendency to resist
alert to the Natural tendency to resist a new idea by slipping back into your
a new idea by slipping back into your comfort zone feeling incapable of making
comfort zone feeling incapable of making it work learn helplessness or fearing
it work learn helplessness or fearing failure or rejection fear of failure
failure or rejection fear of failure the good news is that you can go from
the good news is that you can go from being uncreative to being extremely
being uncreative to being extremely creative in almost no time at all
creative in almost no time at all there are a series of methods and
there are a series of methods and techniques to unlock your creativity
techniques to unlock your creativity that I have taught to more than two
that I have taught to more than two million people in 75 countries
million people in 75 countries people often tell me that one or more of
people often tell me that one or more of these ideas had transformed their life
these ideas had transformed their life and often made them wealthy
ask the right questions here are four questions that you can ask
here are four questions that you can ask yourself repeatedly
yourself repeatedly each of these questions expands your
each of these questions expands your thinking and enables you to see things
thinking and enables you to see things you might not have seen before
you might not have seen before question number one what are we trying
question number one what are we trying to do
to do ask this question especially when you're
ask this question especially when you're experiencing resistance or are not
experiencing resistance or are not getting the results you expected become
getting the results you expected become absolutely clear about what you aren't
absolutely clear about what you aren't trying to accomplish
trying to accomplish as your goal changed
as your goal changed number two how are we trying to do it
number two how are we trying to do it there are many different ways to achieve
there are many different ways to achieve any goal it's highly likely the way you
any goal it's highly likely the way you are attempting to achieve your goal is
are attempting to achieve your goal is not the best way
not the best way the only real question is does it work
the only real question is does it work is your current method working the rule
is your current method working the rule is to be clear about the goal but
is to be clear about the goal but flexible about the method of achieving
flexible about the method of achieving it
it number three what are our assumptions
number three what are our assumptions if you're experiencing frustration
if you're experiencing frustration resistance or temporary failure ask
resistance or temporary failure ask yourself what are my assumptions about
yourself what are my assumptions about this situation
this situation in question four what if your
in question four what if your assumptions were wrong
assumptions were wrong what would you do then
what would you do then Peter Drucker wrote errant assumptions
Peter Drucker wrote errant assumptions lie at the root of every failure
lie at the root of every failure analyze your assumptions
analyze your assumptions each person has two types of assumptions
each person has two types of assumptions explicit and implicit
explicit and implicit explicit assumptions are those that you
explicit assumptions are those that you are conscious of and that you can
are conscious of and that you can clearly explain and defend to another
clearly explain and defend to another person
person the first and most dangerous explicit
the first and most dangerous explicit assumption that a person makes in a new
assumption that a person makes in a new business is that there is an actual
business is that there is an actual market for the product or service
market for the product or service but according to Forbes magazine fully
but according to Forbes magazine fully eighty percent of business failure is
eighty percent of business failure is caused by a single Factor customers
caused by a single Factor customers simply do not want the product that you
simply do not want the product that you are offering
are offering even with the best market research fully
even with the best market research fully eighty percent of new products
eighty percent of new products introduced each year fail in the
introduced each year fail in the marketplace and have to be discontinued
marketplace and have to be discontinued costing enormous amounts of money
costing enormous amounts of money the people who developed and marketed
the people who developed and marketed the product proceeded on the assumption
the product proceeded on the assumption that there was a market demand for what
that there was a market demand for what they were selling and that the demand
they were selling and that the demand was big enough and profitable enough to
was big enough and profitable enough to justify all of the efforts to bring the
justify all of the efforts to bring the product to Market in the first place
product to Market in the first place the second type of assumption is
the second type of assumption is implicit or unconscious this is
implicit or unconscious this is something that you believe without
something that you believe without question
question what could they be for you
what could they be for you one fatal implicit assumption is because
one fatal implicit assumption is because I want to I can
I want to I can many people assume that their desire or
many people assume that their desire or willpower or determination is all that
willpower or determination is all that is necessary to overcome obstacles and
is necessary to overcome obstacles and eventually succeed but there is often
eventually succeed but there is often very little relationship between what
very little relationship between what you want to do and what you are capable
you want to do and what you are capable of doing
of doing another fatal assumption is because I
another fatal assumption is because I have to I can the truth is that you may
have to I can the truth is that you may lack the knowledge skills money or
lack the knowledge skills money or resources to achieve a particular goal
resources to achieve a particular goal that you feel is essential to your
that you feel is essential to your success
success your life is greatly influenced by your
your life is greatly influenced by your assumptions you always act on the basis
assumptions you always act on the basis of what you believe to be true even if
of what you believe to be true even if it is not true at all or you have no
it is not true at all or you have no proof
challenge your assumptions prepared to consider that your most
prepared to consider that your most cherished assumptions about yourself or
cherished assumptions about yourself or your business could be completely wrong
your business could be completely wrong this is a difficult possibility for most
this is a difficult possibility for most people to deal with but whenever you are
people to deal with but whenever you are struggling to make progress in any area
struggling to make progress in any area or facing what seems to be an unsolvable
or facing what seems to be an unsolvable problem or difficulty stand back and ask
problem or difficulty stand back and ask yourself what if I am completely wrong
yourself what if I am completely wrong and what I am trying to do
and what I am trying to do what if we are completely wrong in our
what if we are completely wrong in our current approach what if there is a
current approach what if there is a completely different way to achieve this
completely different way to achieve this goal what if we could do something that
goal what if we could do something that has never been done before the words
has never been done before the words what if are probably responsible for
what if are probably responsible for more creative breakthroughs than any
more creative breakthroughs than any other words
other words Edward debono an expert on thinking
Edward debono an expert on thinking skills calls this Poe or propagation
skills calls this Poe or propagation like an electric cattle prod whenever
like an electric cattle prod whenever you ask a provocative question that
you ask a provocative question that challenges or shakes up your thinking
challenges or shakes up your thinking you stimulate creativity and creative
you stimulate creativity and creative responses
responses could there be a better way this is a
could there be a better way this is a great question that can sometimes make
great question that can sometimes make you rich the fact is that there is
you rich the fact is that there is always a better way for you to solve any
always a better way for you to solve any problem or accomplish any goal
problem or accomplish any goal is always a better way to produce sell
is always a better way to produce sell or deliver any product or service
or deliver any product or service practice reinvention imagine that you
practice reinvention imagine that you are starting your business or career
are starting your business or career over again today with everything that
over again today with everything that you now know
you now know imagine your business burned to the
imagine your business burned to the ground and you could walk across the
ground and you could walk across the street and start again with no baggage
street and start again with no baggage from the past
from the past what would you do differently
what would you do differently what would you start doing or stop doing
what would you start doing or stop doing what changes would you make immediately
what changes would you make immediately the exercise of reinvention can free you
the exercise of reinvention can free you from the comfort zone of the past and
from the comfort zone of the past and open up your mind to all kinds of new
open up your mind to all kinds of new possibilities
unlocking your creativity there are four ways you can solve any
there are four ways you can solve any problem make any change or achieve any
problem make any change or achieve any goal
goal number one you can do more of certain
number one you can do more of certain things
things what should you be doing more of answer
what should you be doing more of answer you should be doing more of those things
you should be doing more of those things that are giving you the very best
that are giving you the very best results today
results today what are they number two you can do less
what are they number two you can do less of other things and what should you be
of other things and what should you be doing less of answer you should be doing
doing less of answer you should be doing less of those things that are not
less of those things that are not working very well or not working at all
working very well or not working at all number three you can start doing
number three you can start doing something completely new or different
something completely new or different this is usually the hardest step of all
this is usually the hardest step of all but usually doing something new or
but usually doing something new or different is the step that feeds to the
different is the step that feeds to the greatest breakthroughs in every field
greatest breakthroughs in every field what should you start doing today that
what should you start doing today that you are not now doing
you are not now doing and number four way to unlock your
and number four way to unlock your creativity is you can stop doing certain
creativity is you can stop doing certain things altogether
things altogether and what should you stop doing
and what should you stop doing you should stop doing anything that is
you should stop doing anything that is not helping you to achieve your most
not helping you to achieve your most important goals use the AV method
important goals use the AV method described in chapter one
think on paper there is something miraculous that
there is something miraculous that happens between the head and the hand
happens between the head and the hand when you write something down on a piece
when you write something down on a piece of paper you trigger what is called a
of paper you trigger what is called a psycho neuromotor activity
psycho neuromotor activity this is a big word for activating your
this is a big word for activating your whole brain into focusing on a single
whole brain into focusing on a single point for a period of time
point for a period of time when you write you think visualize and
when you write you think visualize and move simultaneously
move simultaneously it's not possible for you to write and
it's not possible for you to write and at the same time think or pay attention
at the same time think or pay attention to anything else in the world except
to anything else in the world except what you are writing at that moment
what you are writing at that moment because your mind and body are
because your mind and body are completely engaged when you write
completely engaged when you write something down it is automatically
something down it is automatically transferred to your subconscious mind
transferred to your subconscious mind writing things down dramatically
writing things down dramatically increases the likelihood that you will
increases the likelihood that you will remember them writing down your goals
remember them writing down your goals increases the likelihood that you will
increases the likelihood that you will achieve them writing things down
achieve them writing things down activates your creative ability it
activates your creative ability it stimulates your brain it's like stepping
stimulates your brain it's like stepping on the accelerator of your mental engine
solve any problem here's a simple exercise for you select
here's a simple exercise for you select a problem that you have been trying to
a problem that you have been trying to solve take a clean sheet of paper and
solve take a clean sheet of paper and write out every detail of this problem
write out every detail of this problem write down all the facts or information
write down all the facts or information that you have about this situation
that you have about this situation ask questions like these what am I
ask questions like these what am I trying to do
trying to do how am I trying to do it
how am I trying to do it what exactly is the problem or goal
what exactly is the problem or goal how did this problem arise when did it
how did this problem arise when did it happen or occur for the first time
happen or occur for the first time who is involved
who is involved why did this problem happen
why did this problem happen is this really a problem or could it be
is this really a problem or could it be an opportunity
an opportunity these questions stimulate your
these questions stimulate your creativity
creativity you'll be amazed at what you think of
you'll be amazed at what you think of when you begin writing line after line
when you begin writing line after line every detail of the problem you are
every detail of the problem you are wrestling with including all the
wrestling with including all the possible causes and the many possible
possible causes and the many possible solutions
solutions sometimes during this exercise the exact
sometimes during this exercise the exact right idea or solution will jump off the
right idea or solution will jump off the page at you
page at you I've worked with people who had been
I've worked with people who had been struggling with a goal or problem for
struggling with a goal or problem for many months who are able to solve it in
many months who are able to solve it in a few minutes by simply taking the time
a few minutes by simply taking the time in the quiet to write down every detail
in the quiet to write down every detail of the problem
of the problem as a result the problem practically
as a result the problem practically solved itself on the paper in front of
solved itself on the paper in front of them
them your super conscious mind
your super conscious mind throughout history people have talked
throughout history people have talked and written about a higher form of mind
and written about a higher form of mind or thinking that each person has
or thinking that each person has available to them
available to them Sigmund Freud called it the superego
Sigmund Freud called it the superego Alfred Adler called it the super
Alfred Adler called it the super conscious mind
conscious mind Napoleon Hill referred to it as infinite
Napoleon Hill referred to it as infinite intelligence
intelligence Ralph Waldo Emerson called it the
Ralph Waldo Emerson called it the oversoul many people refer to it as the
oversoul many people refer to it as the god mind
god mind after many years of research I prefer it
after many years of research I prefer it to call it the super conscious mind
to call it the super conscious mind however you describe it this mind is
however you describe it this mind is always available to you just as is your
always available to you just as is your iPhone or laptop computer you can turn
iPhone or laptop computer you can turn it on and access it at any time in a few
it on and access it at any time in a few moments all of your super conscious
moments all of your super conscious Powers become available to you to solve
Powers become available to you to solve your problems and achieve your goals
your problems and achieve your goals activating your mental powers
activating your mental powers the super conscious mind has several
the super conscious mind has several amazing qualities
amazing qualities number one the super conscious mind will
number one the super conscious mind will enable you to achieve any goal you want
enable you to achieve any goal you want as long as the goal is clear
as long as the goal is clear people who write and rewrite and think
people who write and rewrite and think about their goals constantly seem to
about their goals constantly seem to enjoy a steady stream of ideas that help
enjoy a steady stream of ideas that help them to achieve their goals faster
them to achieve their goals faster number two the super conscious mind has
number two the super conscious mind has access to all your previous knowledge
access to all your previous knowledge and experience from throughout your
and experience from throughout your entire life plus it has access to the
entire life plus it has access to the knowledge and experience of others even
knowledge and experience of others even at a great distance
at a great distance number three the super conscious mind is
number three the super conscious mind is the seat of the power of attraction
the seat of the power of attraction when you have a clear goal the super
when you have a clear goal the super conscious mind sends out vibrations that
conscious mind sends out vibrations that turn you into a living magnet with this
turn you into a living magnet with this power you begin to attract into your
power you begin to attract into your life the ideas people circumstances and
life the ideas people circumstances and money that you need to achieve your
money that you need to achieve your goals
goals number four the super conscious mind
number four the super conscious mind automatically solves every problem on
automatically solves every problem on the way to your goal as long as the goal
the way to your goal as long as the goal is clear
is clear number five the super conscious mind
number five the super conscious mind will bring you exactly the answer you
will bring you exactly the answer you need at exactly the right time but this
need at exactly the right time but this information is time dated you must act
information is time dated you must act on it immediately in some way or it will
on it immediately in some way or it will be too late
be too late number six your super conscious mind
number six your super conscious mind will bring you the lessons you need to
will bring you the lessons you need to achieve your goal often disguised as
achieve your goal often disguised as obstacles setbacks and temporary failure
obstacles setbacks and temporary failure your main job is to look into the
your main job is to look into the problem or difficulty and ask what can I
problem or difficulty and ask what can I learn from this experience
learn from this experience when the super conscious mind brings you
when the super conscious mind brings you the answer that you need it will be
the answer that you need it will be complete in every respect and always
complete in every respect and always within your current capabilities you'll
within your current capabilities you'll be able to take action on your idea
be able to take action on your idea immediately the answer will feel simple
immediately the answer will feel simple logical and clear like a blinding flash
logical and clear like a blinding flash of the obvious
of the obvious your super conscious mind often speaks
your super conscious mind often speaks to you through your intuition the still
to you through your intuition the still Small Voice Within
Small Voice Within if you listen to your intuition and
if you listen to your intuition and follow its guidance you'll probably
follow its guidance you'll probably never make another mistake
never make another mistake fortunately your super conscious mind is
fortunately your super conscious mind is always available even if you have not
always available even if you have not paid attention to it or listened to your
paid attention to it or listened to your intuition for a long time it actually
intuition for a long time it actually grows stronger and works faster as you
grows stronger and works faster as you use it and Trust in it
use it and Trust in it mindstorming there's another way that
mindstorming there's another way that you can use the power of pen and paper
you can use the power of pen and paper to activate your subconscious and super
to activate your subconscious and super conscious Minds it is called the 20
conscious Minds it is called the 20 ideas method
ideas method more people have become wealthy with
more people have become wealthy with this method than any other practical way
this method than any other practical way of creative thinking ever discovered
of creative thinking ever discovered it also activates your super conscious
it also activates your super conscious mind
mind here's how it works take a clean sheet
here's how it works take a clean sheet of paper and write your most important
of paper and write your most important goal at the top of the page in the form
goal at the top of the page in the form of a question
of a question for example you could write
for example you could write how can I double my income over the next
how can I double my income over the next 12 months or by such and such a date
12 months or by such and such a date even better select a specific amount
even better select a specific amount right how can I earn X number of dollars
right how can I earn X number of dollars by this specific date
by this specific date the question must be simple and clear
the question must be simple and clear something that a six-year-old child
something that a six-year-old child could understand and that triggers
could understand and that triggers practical answers as this question does
practical answers as this question does you then discipline yourself to write
you then discipline yourself to write down at least 20 answers to your
down at least 20 answers to your question
question but here's a warning the first time you
but here's a warning the first time you do this you'll find it's one of the
do this you'll find it's one of the hardest thinking exercises that you've
hardest thinking exercises that you've ever practiced
ever practiced your first three to five answers will be
your first three to five answers will be simple and obvious do more of this or
simple and obvious do more of this or less of that
less of that your next three to five answers will be
your next three to five answers will be more difficult
more difficult what should you start doing or stop
what should you start doing or stop doing
doing the next 10 answers will be some of the
the next 10 answers will be some of the most difficult of your life
most difficult of your life unless you exert tremendous discipline
unless you exert tremendous discipline you will feel like giving up and
you will feel like giving up and quitting this exercise this is normal
quitting this exercise this is normal and natural the first time that you
and natural the first time that you practice mindstorming
but if you discipline yourself to continue writing until you have written
continue writing until you have written out a minimum of 20 answers something
out a minimum of 20 answers something amazing will happen
amazing will happen very often among those answers will be a
very often among those answers will be a breakthrough idea that enables you to
breakthrough idea that enables you to achieve your goal or start you off in a
achieve your goal or start you off in a new direction that leads you to the
new direction that leads you to the right solution
right solution you can use mindstorming as a regular
you can use mindstorming as a regular part of your life
part of your life every time you have a goal sit down with
every time you have a goal sit down with a sheet of paper write the goal as a
a sheet of paper write the goal as a question at the top of the page and then
question at the top of the page and then write 20 answers to your question
write 20 answers to your question the final part of mindstorming is for
the final part of mindstorming is for you to take action immediately on at
you to take action immediately on at least one of the ideas you have
least one of the ideas you have generated
generated when you take action on one of these
when you take action on one of these ideas you keep your creative juices
ideas you keep your creative juices flowing
flowing taking action on one idea triggers
taking action on one idea triggers additional ideas taking action on an
additional ideas taking action on an idea activator super conscious mind and
idea activator super conscious mind and begins to attract into your life people
begins to attract into your life people and circumstances that can help you
brainstorming the brainstorming method developed by
the brainstorming method developed by advertising executive Alex Osborne in
advertising executive Alex Osborne in 1946 has become one of the most popular
1946 has become one of the most popular creative thinking techniques of all
creative thinking techniques of all often leading to breakthrough results
often leading to breakthrough results when you bring together a group of
when you bring together a group of people to focus their intelligence and
people to focus their intelligence and creativity on a single problem or goal
creativity on a single problem or goal you activate and stimulate the minds of
you activate and stimulate the minds of everyone in the group
everyone in the group a higher mind then becomes available to
a higher mind then becomes available to all the participants often triggering
all the participants often triggering ideas that nobody had thought of before
ideas that nobody had thought of before brainstorming is simple there are a few
brainstorming is simple there are a few basic rules that you can practice in
basic rules that you can practice in your first brainstorming session number
your first brainstorming session number one the ideal group size for a
one the ideal group size for a brainstorming session is four to six
brainstorming session is four to six people
people fewer than four people is not enough to
fewer than four people is not enough to get the full value of brainstorming and
get the full value of brainstorming and more than six people does not give each
more than six people does not give each person a chance to share their best
person a chance to share their best thinking
thinking pepper two a brainstorming session
pepper two a brainstorming session should be 15 to 45 minutes long
should be 15 to 45 minutes long start and stop on time
start and stop on time when everyone is clear when the
when everyone is clear when the brainstorming session ends like the
brainstorming session ends like the final Bell at the stock exchange more
final Bell at the stock exchange more ideas will be stimulated in a shorter
ideas will be stimulated in a shorter period of time
period of time number three here's the key no criticism
number three here's the key no criticism no ridicule no judgment at all of any of
no ridicule no judgment at all of any of the ideas the leader of the
the ideas the leader of the brainstorming session remains totally
brainstorming session remains totally positive complementing every idea and
positive complementing every idea and praising people for their contributions
praising people for their contributions number four focus on quantitative ideas
number four focus on quantitative ideas rather than quality
rather than quality make it a game to see how many different
make it a game to see how many different ideas no matter how ridiculous the group
ideas no matter how ridiculous the group can generate within this specific time
can generate within this specific time prescribed
prescribed number five the job of the leader is to
number five the job of the leader is to encourage everyone to contribute their
encourage everyone to contribute their best ideas especially those participants
best ideas especially those participants who might be a little shy or reserved
who might be a little shy or reserved often these quieter people have
often these quieter people have incredible ideas if they get a chance to
incredible ideas if they get a chance to share them
share them number six assign one person the job of
number six assign one person the job of keeping notes record each idea write it
keeping notes record each idea write it down afterward you can type up all of
down afterward you can type up all of the ideas for review or circulation
the ideas for review or circulation sometimes one good brainstorming session
sometimes one good brainstorming session can change the direction of a company or
can change the direction of a company or a life
a life number seven encourage the participants
number seven encourage the participants to come back to you later
to come back to you later if they think of any ideas that did not
if they think of any ideas that did not come up in the brainstorming session
come up in the brainstorming session remember one new idea if it's the right
remember one new idea if it's the right idea at the right time can be all you
idea at the right time can be all you need to transform your results
the five-step creative thinking process the starting point of unlocking your
the starting point of unlocking your creative genius to achieve any goal is
creative genius to achieve any goal is Clarity this requires that you verbalize
Clarity this requires that you verbalize or express your goal clearly in words
or express your goal clearly in words the simplest way to do this is to Simply
the simplest way to do this is to Simply write down your goal in the present
write down your goal in the present tense beginning with the word I followed
tense beginning with the word I followed by an action verb when you say I
by an action verb when you say I achieved this particular goal by this
achieved this particular goal by this particular time your subconscious and
particular time your subconscious and super conscious Minds accept this as a
super conscious Minds accept this as a command and begin working on this goal
command and begin working on this goal 24 hours a day
24 hours a day the second step to unlocking your
the second step to unlocking your creativity is for you to visualize
creativity is for you to visualize create a clear mental picture of your
create a clear mental picture of your goal as if it were already a reality
goal as if it were already a reality there's a direct relationship between
there's a direct relationship between how clearly you can see your goal in
how clearly you can see your goal in your mind's eye and how rapidly you
your mind's eye and how rapidly you achieve it the third step is for you to
achieve it the third step is for you to emotionalize your goal get the feeling
emotionalize your goal get the feeling imagine and create the feeling that you
imagine and create the feeling that you would enjoy if you achieved your goal
would enjoy if you achieved your goal exactly as you have verbalized and
exactly as you have verbalized and visualized it create within yourself the
visualized it create within yourself the feelings of Joy satisfaction happiness
feelings of Joy satisfaction happiness relief or personal Pride that you will
relief or personal Pride that you will experience when you achieve this goal
experience when you achieve this goal these three techniques verbalization the
these three techniques verbalization the visualization and emotionalization
visualization and emotionalization activate your creative mind and unlock
activate your creative mind and unlock your mental powers
your mental powers the fourth stage is for you to practice
the fourth stage is for you to practice complete relaxation
complete relaxation let it go completely get your mind busy
let it go completely get your mind busy elsewhere forget about the goal and
elsewhere forget about the goal and become so busy doing something else that
become so busy doing something else that you don't think about it at all
you don't think about it at all during this time your super conscious
during this time your super conscious mind will be working on your goal
mind will be working on your goal Non-Stop
Non-Stop the fifth stage is realization
the fifth stage is realization this occurs when exactly the answer or
this occurs when exactly the answer or Insight that you need appears in your
Insight that you need appears in your mind complete in every respect
mind complete in every respect these five steps verbalization
these five steps verbalization visualization
visualization emotionalization
emotionalization relaxation and realization are the keys
relaxation and realization are the keys to your becoming one of the most
to your becoming one of the most creative people in your world
creative people in your world you are a potential genius even if you
you are a potential genius even if you have not used your incredible mental
have not used your incredible mental capabilities for a long time you can
capabilities for a long time you can stimulate them immediately by doing the
stimulate them immediately by doing the things we've talked about in this
things we've talked about in this chapter
chapter there are no limits to what you can
there are no limits to what you can accomplish when you unlock your full
accomplish when you unlock your full creative potential
action exercises one develop absolute clarity about the
one develop absolute clarity about the goal of success and wealth that you
goal of success and wealth that you would like to achieve
would like to achieve create a clear mental picture of what
create a clear mental picture of what your life and work would look like when
your life and work would look like when you achieve this goal
you achieve this goal two gather information that can help you
two gather information that can help you achieve this goal the more new ideas you
achieve this goal the more new ideas you come up with the more likely it is that
come up with the more likely it is that you will discover the exact idea you
you will discover the exact idea you need at exactly the right time
need at exactly the right time and number three set aside times of
and number three set aside times of silence and reflection during which your
silence and reflection during which your super conscious mind can work to bring
super conscious mind can work to bring you exactly the answer you need
chapter 7 problem solving and decision making time
Booker T Washington wrote I have learned the success is to be measured not so
the success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has
much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles
reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to
which he has overcome while trying to succeed
succeed all of life is a series of problems and
all of life is a series of problems and difficulties setbacks and failures every
difficulties setbacks and failures every hour every day you make decisions that
hour every day you make decisions that affect your life in major and minor ways
affect your life in major and minor ways solving problems and making decisions
solving problems and making decisions requires a particular type of thinking
requires a particular type of thinking and approach it requires a special way
and approach it requires a special way of using your time and your intelligence
of using your time and your intelligence your ability to solve problems and make
your ability to solve problems and make decisions is one of the most critical
decisions is one of the most critical determinants of your success at work or
determinants of your success at work or in life
in life in fact you will rise to the height of
in fact you will rise to the height of your abilities to solve the problems
your abilities to solve the problems that you meet at your current level
that you meet at your current level every hour of every day
every hour of every day a goal and Achieve is merely a problem
a goal and Achieve is merely a problem unsolved the only thing that stands
unsolved the only thing that stands between you and anything you want in
between you and anything you want in life is an obstacle or a difficulty of
life is an obstacle or a difficulty of some kind
some kind your ability to remove this obstacle or
your ability to remove this obstacle or overcome this difficulty determines how
overcome this difficulty determines how much you are paid and how fast you will
much you are paid and how fast you will be promoted
the universal principle the universal principle is you become
the universal principle is you become what you think about most of the time
what you think about most of the time successful people the top 10 or 20
successful people the top 10 or 20 percent of people in our society tend to
percent of people in our society tend to think very differently from the bottom
think very differently from the bottom 80 or 90 percent
80 or 90 percent top people think about their goals most
top people think about their goals most of the time they think about where they
of the time they think about where they are going and what they want to
are going and what they want to accomplish most of the time
accomplish most of the time especially the most successful people
especially the most successful people think and talk about solutions to the
think and talk about solutions to the inevitable and unavoidable problems that
inevitable and unavoidable problems that they face every single day
they face every single day weren't you happy unsuccessful people
weren't you happy unsuccessful people think about and talk about
think about and talk about they think and talk about their problems
they think and talk about their problems and who is to blame
and who is to blame successful people think about the
successful people think about the solutions and the actions that they can
solutions and the actions that they can take immediately to begin moving forward
take immediately to begin moving forward toward the things that they want
toward the things that they want the rule is what you think about you
the rule is what you think about you bring about
bring about whatever you dwell on grows in your
whatever you dwell on grows in your reality if you think and talk about your
reality if you think and talk about your problems they increase and multiply
problems they increase and multiply but when you think and talk about
but when you think and talk about Solutions you continuously discover more
Solutions you continuously discover more and better Solutions
think in terms of action whenever you have a problem of any kind
whenever you have a problem of any kind immediately ask the questions what can
immediately ask the questions what can be done and what is our next action in
be done and what is our next action in problem solving as in other areas
problem solving as in other areas Clarity is your best friend
Clarity is your best friend when you're absolutely clear about the
when you're absolutely clear about the goal you want to achieve it is easier
goal you want to achieve it is easier for you to develop clarity about the
for you to develop clarity about the things that are stopping you from
things that are stopping you from achieving that goal when you have
achieving that goal when you have absolute clarity about the things you
absolute clarity about the things you need to do to get the things that you
need to do to get the things that you want you can focus and concentrate
want you can focus and concentrate single-mindedly on doing just those
single-mindedly on doing just those things that can help you the most
things that can help you the most here are two questions for you first ask
here are two questions for you first ask what are the three biggest problems in
what are the three biggest problems in my life today
my life today these are the problems that you think
these are the problems that you think about most of the time they are the
about most of the time they are the major barriers to your success and
major barriers to your success and happiness
happiness then ask what are the three best
then ask what are the three best solutions to each of these three
solutions to each of these three problems
problems sometimes these simple questions help
sometimes these simple questions help you to solve the problems and make the
you to solve the problems and make the necessary decisions quickly and easily
necessary decisions quickly and easily often the correct Solutions are clear
often the correct Solutions are clear and obvious you just need to open your
and obvious you just need to open your eyes
eyes in 1242 Sir William up Occam put forth
in 1242 Sir William up Occam put forth what has become known as Occam's razor
what has become known as Occam's razor this law says that the most likely
this law says that the most likely solution to any problem is the simplest
solution to any problem is the simplest of all solutions available
of all solutions available even earlier Socrates said that the
even earlier Socrates said that the correct solution is usually the solution
correct solution is usually the solution that contains the fewest possible steps
that contains the fewest possible steps what are the simplest solutions to your
what are the simplest solutions to your most pressing problems
most pressing problems sometimes they are so clear and simple
sometimes they are so clear and simple that you are amazed that you have not
that you are amazed that you have not seen them before
constraint Theory Israeli Management Consultant eliu
Israeli Management Consultant eliu goldrad developed the theory of
goldrad developed the theory of constraints as a business principal some
constraints as a business principal some years ago
years ago it is now taught and used all over the
it is now taught and used all over the world
world there are even three-day seminars during
there are even three-day seminars during which executives are trained to apply
which executives are trained to apply these principles to solving problems
these principles to solving problems removing obstacles and getting more done
removing obstacles and getting more done faster under any circumstances
faster under any circumstances itself is quite simple it begins with
itself is quite simple it begins with your becoming clear about your goal
your becoming clear about your goal where are you now and what do you want
where are you now and what do you want to achieve
to achieve in business your goal could be a certain
in business your goal could be a certain level of sales growth profitability
level of sales growth profitability market share or cost reduction whatever
market share or cost reduction whatever your goal you then ask the key question
your goal you then ask the key question what is the limiting factor or
what is the limiting factor or constraint that sets the speed at which
constraint that sets the speed at which I achieve this goal another way to ask
I achieve this goal another way to ask this question is why aren't I already at
this question is why aren't I already at my goal do you want to double your
my goal do you want to double your income well why isn't your income
income well why isn't your income already twice as high
already twice as high question your constraints
question your constraints many people make up elaborate excuses to
many people make up elaborate excuses to justify and explain why they have not
justify and explain why they have not achieved the things they really want in
achieved the things they really want in life they then fall in love with their
life they then fall in love with their excuses no matter what the difficulty or
excuses no matter what the difficulty or problem they are having in achieving
problem they are having in achieving their business or personal calls they
their business or personal calls they roll out a steady stream of excuses to
roll out a steady stream of excuses to absolve themselves of taking effective
absolve themselves of taking effective action when you ask the question why
action when you ask the question why aren't I already at my goal your
aren't I already at my goal your favorite excuses will jump out at you
favorite excuses will jump out at you you'll immediately think of all the
you'll immediately think of all the reasons you use for achieving less than
reasons you use for achieving less than you really want
you really want why isn't your income already twice as
why isn't your income already twice as high
high the real reason is probably because your
the real reason is probably because your ability to get results that people will
ability to get results that people will pay you for is not high enough
pay you for is not high enough why aren't you already at your ideal
why aren't you already at your ideal weight it is almost always because you
weight it is almost always because you eat too much and exercise too little
eat too much and exercise too little whenever you hide behind an excuse
whenever you hide behind an excuse trotting it out and giving it to
trotting it out and giving it to yourself and others you shut down your
yourself and others you shut down your problem solving capabilities you engage
problem solving capabilities you engage in learned helplessness
in learned helplessness here's a way to test if your excuses are
here's a way to test if your excuses are valid ask is there any person or
valid ask is there any person or organization that has the same problems
organization that has the same problems and difficulties that I have that is
and difficulties that I have that is achieving their goals nonetheless
achieving their goals nonetheless is there anyone in your field who is
is there anyone in your field who is earning twice as much as you is there
earning twice as much as you is there anyone who is younger than you who may
anyone who is younger than you who may have less education or have had fewer
have less education or have had fewer opportunities in life but is doing
opportunities in life but is doing better than you
better than you if your answer is yes then your excuse
if your answer is yes then your excuse has no foundation in fact
has no foundation in fact it's not true
it's not true the deception that you have talked
the deception that you have talked yourself into but which is contradicted
yourself into but which is contradicted by the reality of the world around you
assume there is always a solution if you want unlock your full potential
if you want unlock your full potential you must avoid the Fatal disease of
you must avoid the Fatal disease of excusitis this is an inflammation of the
excusitis this is an inflammation of the excuse making gland which is invariably
excuse making gland which is invariably fatal to success
fatal to success Begin by assuming that for any problem
Begin by assuming that for any problem or difficulty there is an answer or
or difficulty there is an answer or solution just waiting to be found your
solution just waiting to be found your absolute confidence that there is a
absolute confidence that there is a solution and that you can find it makes
solution and that you can find it makes you positive confident and more likely
you positive confident and more likely to solve the problem
to solve the problem solving problems and making decisions is
solving problems and making decisions is what you do in your life and work all
what you do in your life and work all day long no matter what job description
day long no matter what job description is written on your business card your
is written on your business card your true job is problem solver
true job is problem solver your success and promotion are largely
your success and promotion are largely determined by your demonstrated ability
determined by your demonstrated ability to solve the problems that you meet at
to solve the problems that you meet at your current level
your current level Henry Kissinger once said the only
Henry Kissinger once said the only reward you get for solving problems is
reward you get for solving problems is even larger problems to solve
even larger problems to solve the bigger and more complex the problems
the bigger and more complex the problems you can solve the more valuable and
you can solve the more valuable and important you become to your
important you become to your organization and the more you will be
organization and the more you will be paid
paid the most highly respected and successful
the most highly respected and successful people in any company are those who can
people in any company are those who can solve the biggest and most complex
solve the biggest and most complex problems
focus on the solution your ability to focus on a single problem or decision is
focus on a single problem or decision is very important to your success
very important to your success the same amount of electricity necessary
the same amount of electricity necessary to power a light bulb properly focused
to power a light bulb properly focused into a laser beam will cut through Steel
into a laser beam will cut through Steel when you focus all of your attention on
when you focus all of your attention on solving a particular problem or
solving a particular problem or achieving a particular goal your mind
achieving a particular goal your mind becomes more and more like a laser beam
becomes more and more like a laser beam okay who have cutting through any
okay who have cutting through any obstacle that stands in your way
obstacle that stands in your way you could dramatically improve your
you could dramatically improve your ability to solve problems by asking and
ability to solve problems by asking and answering the right questions over and
answering the right questions over and over again
over again when I conducted problem solving and
when I conducted problem solving and decision making as seminars for IBM some
decision making as seminars for IBM some years ago I always began by encouraging
years ago I always began by encouraging the participants to ask a series of key
the participants to ask a series of key questions
questions number one is what exactly is the
number one is what exactly is the problem that you aren't dealing with
problem that you aren't dealing with right now
right now the biggest obstacle to solving problems
the biggest obstacle to solving problems is lack of clarity about exactly what
is lack of clarity about exactly what the problem is in the first place
the problem is in the first place question number two is is this really a
question number two is is this really a problem or could it be an opportunity
problem or could it be an opportunity many of the greatest breakthroughs in
many of the greatest breakthroughs in business and science came about as a
business and science came about as a result of a product service or
result of a product service or experiment that failed completely this
experiment that failed completely this failure revealed new information or
failure revealed new information or forced people to do something completely
forced people to do something completely different from what they had started off
different from what they had started off to do and in that new Direction was
to do and in that new Direction was incredible success
the great breakthrough one of the greatest medical
one of the greatest medical breakthroughs of the 20th century was
breakthroughs of the 20th century was the discovery of penicillin by Sir
the discovery of penicillin by Sir Alexander Fleming in a laboratory
Alexander Fleming in a laboratory experiment that failed in 1928 Fleming
experiment that failed in 1928 Fleming had put some bacteria on agar in a glass
had put some bacteria on agar in a glass dish and then gone out for lunch
dish and then gone out for lunch when he got back he was disappointed to
when he got back he was disappointed to find that all of the bacteria in his
find that all of the bacteria in his experiment had died completely whereas
experiment had died completely whereas the typical researcher would have simply
the typical researcher would have simply thrown away the tainted agar and begun
thrown away the tainted agar and begun again Fleming instead asked what kind of
again Fleming instead asked what kind of a substance was so powerful that it
a substance was so powerful that it could kill all this bacteria so quickly
could kill all this bacteria so quickly he found that an experiment with a new
he found that an experiment with a new Spore in another part of the laboratory
Spore in another part of the laboratory had been left uncovered allowing spores
had been left uncovered allowing spores to drift through the air and fall in
to drift through the air and fall in different parts of the lab including on
different parts of the lab including on the bacteria in Fleming's aggregation
the bacteria in Fleming's aggregation 4 was eventually isolated and named
4 was eventually isolated and named penicillin the most powerful antibiotic
penicillin the most powerful antibiotic ever discovered in World War II a decade
ever discovered in World War II a decade later penicillin saved millions of lives
later penicillin saved millions of lives from disease and infection
from disease and infection as a result of this discovery Fleming
as a result of this discovery Fleming was knighted by the king of England won
was knighted by the king of England won the Nobel Prize in medicine became very
the Nobel Prize in medicine became very wealthy and was heralded as one of the
wealthy and was heralded as one of the most respected and esteemed doctors in
most respected and esteemed doctors in British history he still is today
expand your definition once you have a clear definition of the problem you ask
clear definition of the problem you ask yourself the magic question
yourself the magic question what else is the problem
what else is the problem the rule is to be aware of a problem for
the rule is to be aware of a problem for which there is only one definition
which there is only one definition it seems that the more ways you can
it seems that the more ways you can Define and restate the problem the more
Define and restate the problem the more likely you are to arrive at the right
likely you are to arrive at the right definition which will lead to the
definition which will lead to the correct solution
correct solution take your time
take your time the next question you ask is what is the
the next question you ask is what is the best solution to this problem
best solution to this problem once you have determined the best
once you have determined the best solution ask what else might be a
solution ask what else might be a solution again be aware of a problem for
solution again be aware of a problem for which there is only one solution keep
which there is only one solution keep asking what else is the solution
asking what else is the solution a major obstacle to problem solving is
a major obstacle to problem solving is jumping to conclusions and making
jumping to conclusions and making decisions before you have even
decisions before you have even considered all the other possibilities
considered all the other possibilities the more solutions you can develop
the more solutions you can develop including doing nothing at all before
including doing nothing at all before you move to a decision the more likely
you move to a decision the more likely it is that you will come up with the
it is that you will come up with the ideal solution
ideal solution there seems to be a direct relationship
there seems to be a direct relationship between the quantity of problem
between the quantity of problem definitions and solutions you can
definitions and solutions you can develop and the quality of the final
develop and the quality of the final solution you settle on
mindstorming Revisited practice the mindstorming method explained in the
mindstorming method explained in the last chapter to develop more solutions
last chapter to develop more solutions quickly write your definition of the
quickly write your definition of the problem at the top of a page in the form
problem at the top of a page in the form of a question
of a question how can we solve this problem or achieve
how can we solve this problem or achieve this goal
this goal you then discipline yourself to write at
you then discipline yourself to write at least 20 answers to your question
least 20 answers to your question the more solutions you can generate
the more solutions you can generate simply by the law of probabilities the
simply by the law of probabilities the more likely it is that you will generate
more likely it is that you will generate the correct solution which will lead to
the correct solution which will lead to the Breakthrough that you desire
the Breakthrough that you desire take your time
a 500 increase some years ago I conducted the following
some years ago I conducted the following exercise with the senior Executives of a
exercise with the senior Executives of a 20 million dollar company
20 million dollar company they had worked for more than 20 years
they had worked for more than 20 years to achieve this level of sales and
to achieve this level of sales and revenues
revenues their question was how can we double our
their question was how can we double our sales over the next five years
sales over the next five years we then spent the next hour writing out
we then spent the next hour writing out all the different ways they could
all the different ways they could overcome the obstacles of competition
overcome the obstacles of competition and the challenges of Rapid change to
and the challenges of Rapid change to achieve this goal
achieve this goal we then organized the ideas by priority
we then organized the ideas by priority and determined which ones were inputs
and determined which ones were inputs and which ones were outputs or results
and which ones were outputs or results we assign specific responsibility for
we assign specific responsibility for each of these tasks through different
each of these tasks through different individuals and set deadlines for the
individuals and set deadlines for the completion of each shot then everyone
completion of each shot then everyone went back to work
went back to work five years later they invited me to a
five years later they invited me to a special banquet to celebrate their best
special banquet to celebrate their best year ever
year ever but instead of doubling their sales in
but instead of doubling their sales in five years by applying many of the new
five years by applying many of the new ideas they had generated they increased
ideas they had generated they increased their sales to 105 million dollars they
their sales to 105 million dollars they became a market leader and remained the
became a market leader and remained the market leader in their field even today
assigned responsibility once you have clearly identified the true problems
clearly identified the true problems that you're attempting to solve and have
that you're attempting to solve and have agreed on the best solution the next
agreed on the best solution the next question is who is going to be
question is who is going to be responsible for carrying out this
responsible for carrying out this solution
solution it's amazing how many problem-solving
it's amazing how many problem-solving meetings end with a clear agreed-upon
meetings end with a clear agreed-upon solution but two weeks later the problem
solution but two weeks later the problem still exists why because no one was
still exists why because no one was assigned specific responsibility for
assigned specific responsibility for implementing the solution
implementing the solution when you have chosen a specific person
when you have chosen a specific person to be responsible for the solution set
to be responsible for the solution set measures that you can use to determine
measures that you can use to determine progress and to ensure that the solution
progress and to ensure that the solution has been successful said deadlines and
has been successful said deadlines and sub deadlines the more important the
sub deadlines the more important the solution is to your company or to you
solution is to your company or to you personally the more regulate you should
personally the more regulate you should check to make sure that everything is
check to make sure that everything is being done on time and on budget
being done on time and on budget the Peter Principle
the Peter Principle some years ago a man named Dr Lawrence
some years ago a man named Dr Lawrence Peter wrote a book called the Peter
Peter wrote a book called the Peter Principle
Principle this became a bestseller and an
this became a bestseller and an eye-opener for millions of people
eye-opener for millions of people Peter said each person in an
Peter said each person in an organization is continually promoted
organization is continually promoted based on their ability to do their job
based on their ability to do their job and get results
and get results this promotion process continues until
this promotion process continues until the employee reaches the level where he
the employee reaches the level where he can no longer do his job in a
can no longer do his job in a satisfactory manner at that point he
satisfactory manner at that point he stops being promoted his career levels
stops being promoted his career levels out
out for this reason Peter said eventually
for this reason Peter said eventually each person Rises to their level of
each person Rises to their level of incompetence
incompetence his critical Insight was that people who
his critical Insight was that people who have reached their level of incompetence
have reached their level of incompetence eventually staff every organization at
eventually staff every organization at every level
every level they are not capable of doing their work
they are not capable of doing their work well at that level or of being promoted
well at that level or of being promoted or demoted
or demoted all organizations but especially
all organizations but especially government organizations end up being
government organizations end up being staffed by incompetent people
staffed by incompetent people this Insight explains a lot of the
this Insight explains a lot of the problems with underperformance and
problems with underperformance and excessive spending in government
excessive spending in government bureaucracies
your problem-solving ability this is what happens in your life as
this is what happens in your life as well when you start your career you are
well when you start your career you are given work to do requiring that you
given work to do requiring that you solve problems and Achieve results at
solve problems and Achieve results at that level
that level as you demonstrate a Mastery of your
as you demonstrate a Mastery of your work by solving the problems overcoming
work by solving the problems overcoming the obstacles and getting the results
the obstacles and getting the results expected of you you are promoted almost
expected of you you are promoted almost automatically to more responsible
automatically to more responsible positions
positions at each new position the problems you
at each new position the problems you face will be more difficult and more
face will be more difficult and more complex and will have greater
complex and will have greater consequences for success or failure
consequences for success or failure as you demonstrate your ability to solve
as you demonstrate your ability to solve the more difficult problems at that
the more difficult problems at that level you will automatically be promoted
level you will automatically be promoted again and again
again and again your ability to solve problems and
your ability to solve problems and Achieve results determines how high you
Achieve results determines how high you rise and how far you go in your career
become solution oriented debuff an intense solution orientation
debuff an intense solution orientation the more you think about Solutions the
the more you think about Solutions the more solutions you will discover the
more solutions you will discover the more confident you become and you can
more confident you become and you can solve any problem you face the more
solve any problem you face the more likely it is that you will find the
likely it is that you will find the right solution at the right time for you
right solution at the right time for you identify your biggest problems in life
identify your biggest problems in life today
today think about the steps you could take
think about the steps you could take immediately to solve them
immediately to solve them then take continuous action toward the
then take continuous action toward the solution of your problems and the
solution of your problems and the achievement of your goals
achievement of your goals problem solving and decision making time
problem solving and decision making time can be done two ways
can be done two ways the first is when you sit quietly by
the first is when you sit quietly by yourself with a pad of paper focusing
yourself with a pad of paper focusing single-mindedly on one problem at a time
single-mindedly on one problem at a time and writing down all the ideas that come
and writing down all the ideas that come to you
to you the second way is when you collaborate
the second way is when you collaborate with one or more people to focus on a
with one or more people to focus on a single problem or obstacle these two
single problem or obstacle these two activities are more important for your
activities are more important for your success than anything else you do
success than anything else you do problem solving and decision making time
problem solving and decision making time if you plan and use them correctly can
if you plan and use them correctly can do more to help you advance in your
do more to help you advance in your career than almost any other activity
career than almost any other activity you can engage in
now three or three action exercises for you
you number one answer the question what is
number one answer the question what is the biggest single problem you are
the biggest single problem you are wrestling with today
wrestling with today Define it in writing
Define it in writing number two write it at the top of the
number two write it at the top of the page in the form of a question beginning
page in the form of a question beginning with how can we solve this problem
with how can we solve this problem and three discipline yourself alone or
and three discipline yourself alone or with others to generate 20 different
with others to generate 20 different ways to solve this problem
ways to solve this problem take action immediately on at least one
take action immediately on at least one answer
Henry Drummond once wrote you will find as you look back upon your life that the
as you look back upon your life that the moments that stand out the moments when
moments that stand out the moments when you have really lived are the moments
you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in a spirit of
when you have done things in a spirit of love
the time you spend with other people and the way you spend it determines perhaps
the way you spend it determines perhaps 85 percent of your happiness success or
85 percent of your happiness success or failure in life people time is different
failure in life people time is different from work time productive time creative
from work time productive time creative time and learning time
time and learning time what you need to do to be effective and
what you need to do to be effective and successful in your work and career is
successful in your work and career is almost the opposite of what you need to
almost the opposite of what you need to do to be effective and successful with
do to be effective and successful with your family and relationships
your family and relationships harmonious relationships require large
harmonious relationships require large chunks of unbroken time both at home and
chunks of unbroken time both at home and at work in your career the things you do
at work in your career the things you do and say in your interactions with others
and say in your interactions with others largely determines your future
largely determines your future more people are let go for personality
more people are let go for personality problems than for lack of technical
problems than for lack of technical competence in every business and in
competence in every business and in every type of economy at home the
every type of economy at home the quality of your relationships is more
quality of your relationships is more important than anything else
important than anything else in life there's a simple equation
in life there's a simple equation QR times QR equals PS or the quantity of
QR times QR equals PS or the quantity of your relationships times the quality of
your relationships times the quality of those relationships equals your personal
those relationships equals your personal success
success at home the people you love and the
at home the people you love and the people who love you in return will
people who love you in return will determine the quality of your emotional
determine the quality of your emotional life
life your choice of a spouse a major
your choice of a spouse a major companion will largely determine how
companion will largely determine how happy and fulfilled you will be the only
happy and fulfilled you will be the only way to increase the value of a
way to increase the value of a relationship is to invest more time into
relationship is to invest more time into that relationship
that relationship is a direct relationship between the
is a direct relationship between the quantity of time that you invest and the
quantity of time that you invest and the quality of the relationship that you
quality of the relationship that you will have with that other person
will have with that other person nothing can replace time and usually
nothing can replace time and usually face-to-face time
balance is essential to be truly happy you must achieve a
to be truly happy you must achieve a balance between your family
balance between your family relationships and your work life but
relationships and your work life but each of these activities requires a
each of these activities requires a different type of time
different type of time work requires quality time setting goals
work requires quality time setting goals and priorities working on high value
and priorities working on high value activities getting results and
activities getting results and performing at your best
performing at your best family time requires quantity time long
family time requires quantity time long unbroken stretches of time where the
unbroken stretches of time where the happiest and most important moments of
happiest and most important moments of your life take place
your life take place it is said that we live life by the days
it is said that we live life by the days and months but we experience it in the
and months but we experience it in the moments
moments the most important moments of your life
the most important moments of your life as you look back occur almost always
as you look back occur almost always unbidden and unexpected usually complete
unbidden and unexpected usually complete surprises you could not have planned or
surprises you could not have planned or prepared for them the essayist Michelle
prepared for them the essayist Michelle de montane wrote
de montane wrote the greatest joys in life are happy
the greatest joys in life are happy memories which you can revisit at any
memories which you can revisit at any moment of time
moment of time therefore the great business of life is
therefore the great business of life is to create as many of them as possible
to create as many of them as possible you create memories by allowing large
you create memories by allowing large blocks of relaxed unstructured time
blocks of relaxed unstructured time during which those unexpected memories
during which those unexpected memories can occur and you never know when they
can occur and you never know when they will happen
as within so without a major purpose of working to become
a major purpose of working to become successful in your career is so that you
successful in your career is so that you can enjoy a higher standard and quality
can enjoy a higher standard and quality of life with the people who are most
of life with the people who are most important to you
important to you you will be truly happy only when your
you will be truly happy only when your behavior on the outside is congruent or
behavior on the outside is congruent or in harmony with your values on the
in harmony with your values on the inside
inside back of congruence allowing your life to
back of congruence allowing your life to get out of balance is a major source of
get out of balance is a major source of stress and unhappiness as well as
stress and unhappiness as well as physical and mental illness
physical and mental illness people especially men say that their
people especially men say that their families are more important to them than
families are more important to them than anything else they say the main reason
anything else they say the main reason they are working so hard is to provide a
they are working so hard is to provide a good life for their families
good life for their families but then they work long hours come home
but then they work long hours come home late watch television when they do come
late watch television when they do come home and play golf on the weekends
home and play golf on the weekends Recent research says that the average
Recent research says that the average father spends an average of eight
father spends an average of eight minutes per day with each child
minutes per day with each child this allocation of time can cause
this allocation of time can cause considerable stress
considerable stress this is a car vibrates and shakes when a
this is a car vibrates and shakes when a wheel gets out of alignment your life
wheel gets out of alignment your life begins to vibrate and shape to become
begins to vibrate and shape to become unhappy and stressful when it gets out
unhappy and stressful when it gets out of balance
imagine your ideal life the starting point of getting your life
the starting point of getting your life into balance is for you to practice
into balance is for you to practice idealization
idealization imagine that you could wave a magic wand
imagine that you could wave a magic wand and make your family and personal life
and make your family and personal life perfect in every respect
perfect in every respect what would it look like
what would it look like what kind of Lifestyle would you have
what kind of Lifestyle would you have where would you be living
where would you be living where would you be working
where would you be working what would you be doing
what would you be doing what kind of people would you be living
what kind of people would you be living or working with and how would your ideal
or working with and how would your ideal life in the future be different from
life in the future be different from your current life today
your current life today practice zero-based thinking on your
practice zero-based thinking on your work and your personal life ask the
work and your personal life ask the question is there anything that I am
question is there anything that I am doing in my life that knowing what I now
doing in my life that knowing what I now know I would not start up or get into
know I would not start up or get into again today
again today apply this question to your
apply this question to your relationships of all kinds is there any
relationships of all kinds is there any person in your life personal or business
person in your life personal or business who knowing what you now know you would
who knowing what you now know you would not get involved with them again
not get involved with them again if the answer is yes that you would not
if the answer is yes that you would not get involved with them then your next
get involved with them then your next question is simply how do you get out of
question is simply how do you get out of this situation and how fast
this situation and how fast it's amazing how many people are unhappy
it's amazing how many people are unhappy stressed and unfulfilled because they
stressed and unfulfilled because they continue to remain in a relationship
continue to remain in a relationship which knowing what they now know based
which knowing what they now know based on their experiences they would never
on their experiences they would never enter into again if they had a chance
enter into again if they had a chance what I've discovered is that if you
what I've discovered is that if you would not enter into a relationship with
would not enter into a relationship with someone again today knowing what you now
someone again today knowing what you now know the relationship is finished
know the relationship is finished it's over
it's over it cannot be saved the only question is
it cannot be saved the only question is how long will you suffer how much will
how long will you suffer how much will you pay before you admit that the
you pay before you admit that the relationship is finished
get your relationships in order one of the very best uses of your time
one of the very best uses of your time is to get your relationships in order
is to get your relationships in order on a regular basis examine each of your
on a regular basis examine each of your important relationships and ask the
important relationships and ask the following questions
following questions what should I be doing more of if I want
what should I be doing more of if I want both of us to be happier
both of us to be happier what should I be doing less of to
what should I be doing less of to improve the quality of this relationship
improve the quality of this relationship what should I start doing today that I
what should I start doing today that I am not doing now
am not doing now if I want to improve this relationship
if I want to improve this relationship and what should I stop doing completely
and what should I stop doing completely to improve the quality of this
to improve the quality of this relationship
relationship some years ago after I discovered these
some years ago after I discovered these questions I went home and sat down with
questions I went home and sat down with my wife and small children I asked them
my wife and small children I asked them what they would like me to do more of or
what they would like me to do more of or less of to be a better husband and
less of to be a better husband and father
father what were they likely to start doing or
what were they likely to start doing or stop doing altogether to make them
stop doing altogether to make them happier
happier they didn't hesitate they told me they
they didn't hesitate they told me they had several suggestions for me about
had several suggestions for me about things to do more of or less of or to
things to do more of or less of or to start or stop
start or stop I was quite amazed at how much room
I was quite amazed at how much room there was for improvement
there was for improvement I accepted their advice without arguing
I accepted their advice without arguing or defending and acted upon it it took a
or defending and acted upon it it took a lot of Courage but it was one of the
lot of Courage but it was one of the best family building exercises I ever
best family building exercises I ever engaged in
engaged in try it yourself and see
what is really important here's a good way to improve the quality
here's a good way to improve the quality of your relationships and family life
of your relationships and family life ask what would I do how would I spend my
ask what would I do how would I spend my time if I learned today that I only had
time if I learned today that I only had six months left to live
six months left to live this is a great question
this is a great question what would you do more of or less of
what would you do more of or less of what would you start doing or stop doing
what would you start doing or stop doing how would you spend your last six months
how would you spend your last six months on Earth
on Earth almost invariably your answer will
almost invariably your answer will revolve around the people in your life
revolve around the people in your life making peace with people from the past
making peace with people from the past and spending the rest of your time with
and spending the rest of your time with those people who are most important to
those people who are most important to you
you here's the rule whatever you would do if
here's the rule whatever you would do if you learned that you only had a short
you learned that you only had a short time to live you should start doing it
time to live you should start doing it immediately you should incorporate your
immediately you should incorporate your answer into your day-to-day life
answer into your day-to-day life don't wait until it's too late
be fully present with your family the key to a happy life is to spend more
the key to a happy life is to spend more time with your family
time with your family but what exactly does this mean it means
but what exactly does this mean it means that when you are with your family you
that when you are with your family you are really there 100 of the time
are really there 100 of the time turn off the telephone television and
turn off the telephone television and computer
computer turn off your smartphone or put it on
turn off your smartphone or put it on silent
silent close the book you are reading and
close the book you are reading and follow up the newspaper
follow up the newspaper eliminate all distractions focus
eliminate all distractions focus single-mindedly on the other person or
single-mindedly on the other person or persons is that here they were the most
persons is that here they were the most important people in the world
important people in the world you are really with another person only
you are really with another person only when you are face to face Head to Head
when you are face to face Head to Head knee to knee
knee to knee and heart to heart
and heart to heart you are really spending time with
you are really spending time with another person only when you are in her
another person only when you are in her face
face you're only fully engaged when you are
you're only fully engaged when you are talking to and with her listen
talking to and with her listen attentively to her responses and paying
attentively to her responses and paying complete attention to her when someone
complete attention to her when someone in your family or home wants to talk to
in your family or home wants to talk to you stop whatever you're doing and
you stop whatever you're doing and concentrate single-minded on him or her
concentrate single-minded on him or her and what he or she has to say
and what he or she has to say make it clear to the other person that
make it clear to the other person that he or she is the most important person
he or she is the most important person in the world at that moment
in the world at that moment trust and likability
trust and likability the most important qualities for success
the most important qualities for success with people at work and at home are
with people at work and at home are trust and likability as long as the
trust and likability as long as the other person likes and trusts you the
other person likes and trusts you the relationship can endure any number of
relationship can endure any number of problems and difficulties but if the
problems and difficulties but if the trust and respect are lost it's only a
trust and respect are lost it's only a matter of time before the relationship
matter of time before the relationship collapses
collapses and here's the rule
and here's the rule rule listening builds Trust
rule listening builds Trust there's a direct relationship between
there's a direct relationship between how much and how well you listen and the
how much and how well you listen and the level of warmth and trust you build with
level of warmth and trust you build with another person
another person here are four keys to effective
here are four keys to effective listening when you practice these
listening when you practice these listening skills with each person you
listening skills with each person you meet you'll be amazed at the results
meet you'll be amazed at the results number one listen attentively when a
number one listen attentively when a person speaks to you immediately stop
person speaks to you immediately stop whatever you're doing face the person
whatever you're doing face the person directly Focus your eyes on her lips
directly Focus your eyes on her lips with occasional Flex to her eyes Lean
with occasional Flex to her eyes Lean Forward not smile and be actively
Forward not smile and be actively engaged in the words and conversation of
engaged in the words and conversation of the other person
the other person above all don't interrupt when you
above all don't interrupt when you interrupt a person when she is speaking
interrupt a person when she is speaking it's the same as sticking out your leg
it's the same as sticking out your leg to trip someone who's walking down the
to trip someone who's walking down the sidewalk interrupting another person
sidewalk interrupting another person trips her emotionally it makes her feel
trips her emotionally it makes her feel angry and frustrated
angry and frustrated interrupting someone immediately lowers
interrupting someone immediately lowers the level of trust and warmth she might
the level of trust and warmth she might feel toward you
feel toward you intense listening is the highest form of
intense listening is the highest form of flattery
flattery when you listen intensely to another
when you listen intensely to another person when she is speaking your
person when she is speaking your listening actually affects her
listening actually affects her emotionally and physically her heart
emotionally and physically her heart rate increases her self-esteem goes up
rate increases her self-esteem goes up people like themselves more when you are
people like themselves more when you are listening intensely to them and as a
listening intensely to them and as a result they like you more as well
number two pause before replying when the other person stops speaking remain
the other person stops speaking remain silent for a few seconds or longer
silent for a few seconds or longer resist the urge to immediately express
resist the urge to immediately express your own ideas or opinions most people
your own ideas or opinions most people do not listen to others they simply wait
do not listen to others they simply wait politely until they can jump in with
politely until they can jump in with their own comments or observations
their own comments or observations it is said most conversation is not
it is said most conversation is not listening it is just waiting
listening it is just waiting but when you pause before replying after
but when you pause before replying after the other person has stopped speaking
the other person has stopped speaking you achieve three marvelous benefits
you achieve three marvelous benefits first you avoid the risk of interrupting
first you avoid the risk of interrupting the other person if she is just stopping
the other person if she is just stopping to collect her thoughts before
to collect her thoughts before continuing
continuing the second Advantage is that you tell
the second Advantage is that you tell her with your silence that you really
her with your silence that you really value what she is saying and by
value what she is saying and by extension you value her by pausing and
extension you value her by pausing and allowing silence to take place in the
allowing silence to take place in the conversation
conversation third when you pause you actually hear
third when you pause you actually hear the other person at a deeper level of
the other person at a deeper level of mind you hear both what is said and what
mind you hear both what is said and what is not said by allowing the other
is not said by allowing the other person's words to soak into your mind
person's words to soak into your mind for a few seconds
number three question for clarification never assume that you understand exactly
never assume that you understand exactly what the other person said or met
what the other person said or met if there's any question at all Simply
if there's any question at all Simply Smile and ask how do you mean
Smile and ask how do you mean this is a magic question in any language
this is a magic question in any language when you ask a person how do you mean
when you ask a person how do you mean the other person will always continue
the other person will always continue speaking and expand on what she has just
speaking and expand on what she has just said
said you can also ask how do you mean exactly
you can also ask how do you mean exactly the good thing about this question is
the good thing about this question is that it is invisible you can ask it over
that it is invisible you can ask it over and over again and the other person will
and over again and the other person will never hear the question itself instead
never hear the question itself instead her mind will immediately focus on her
her mind will immediately focus on her answer which she will give you as she
answer which she will give you as she continues speaking
continues speaking the rule is this that the person who
the rule is this that the person who asks questions has control
asks questions has control the person who is asking the questions
the person who is asking the questions controls the person who is answering the
controls the person who is answering the questions in a very subtle way
questions in a very subtle way the secret to being Charming in your
the secret to being Charming in your conversation with others for example is
conversation with others for example is for you to ask questions smile nod
for you to ask questions smile nod listen intently and react to the other
listen intently and react to the other person as if what she is saying were one
person as if what she is saying were one of the most important and fascinating
of the most important and fascinating things that you've ever heard
things that you've ever heard the first time you try this you will be
the first time you try this you will be astonished by the reaction of the other
astonished by the reaction of the other person
feed it back the fourth key to effective listing is
the fourth key to effective listing is for you to feed it back in your own
for you to feed it back in your own words instead of responding immediately
words instead of responding immediately ask something like let me be sure I
ask something like let me be sure I understand exactly what you just said
understand exactly what you just said did you mean this or that or something
did you mean this or that or something else
else this is called the acid test of
this is called the acid test of listening when you can feedback what a
listening when you can feedback what a person has just said in your own words
person has just said in your own words paraphrasing her thought or ideas you
paraphrasing her thought or ideas you prove to her that you were really
prove to her that you were really listening as a result she likes and
listening as a result she likes and respects you even more and is even more
respects you even more and is even more open to your influence
open to your influence connect with others
connect with others the author of emotional intelligence
the author of emotional intelligence Daniel Goldman set in a fortune
Daniel Goldman set in a fortune interview at the highest form of
interview at the highest form of emotional intelligence and the most
emotional intelligence and the most helpful and important human quality is
helpful and important human quality is persuasiveness
persuasiveness successful people in every area of Life
successful people in every area of Life are more persuasive than others they
are more persuasive than others they have a wonderful ability to persuade
have a wonderful ability to persuade others to cooperate with them and to go
others to cooperate with them and to go along with their ideas
along with their ideas president Dwight D Eisenhower once said
president Dwight D Eisenhower once said the key to leadership is to get people
the key to leadership is to get people to do what you want them to do and to
to do what you want them to do and to think of it as their own idea
think of it as their own idea the best way to become more persuasive
the best way to become more persuasive is to ask well thought out and organize
is to ask well thought out and organize questions that bring people around to
questions that bring people around to your point of view
your point of view listening is perhaps the most powerful
listening is perhaps the most powerful element of persuasion that you can
element of persuasion that you can practice
seven keys to success with people Dale Carnegie in his best-selling book
Dale Carnegie in his best-selling book How to Win Friends and Influence People
How to Win Friends and Influence People Said the deepest craving of human nature
Said the deepest craving of human nature is the need to feel important
is the need to feel important psychologists say that your level of
psychologists say that your level of self-esteem how much you like and
self-esteem how much you like and respect yourself and how important and
respect yourself and how important and valuable you feel you are lies at the
valuable you feel you are lies at the core of your personality
core of your personality your self-esteem determines how happy
your self-esteem determines how happy you feel about yourself and your
you feel about yourself and your relationships with others
relationships with others your level of self-esteem determines the
your level of self-esteem determines the goals that you set and how persistent
goals that you set and how persistent you are in achieving those goals
you are in achieving those goals your level of self-esteem determines how
your level of self-esteem determines how happy you are every single day
happy you are every single day there are seven ways that you can make
there are seven ways that you can make others feel important raising their
others feel important raising their levels of self-esteem and
levels of self-esteem and self-confidence and making them feel
self-confidence and making them feel happy about themselves
happy about themselves number one be positive
number one be positive refuse to criticize complain or condemn
refuse to criticize complain or condemn anyone for any reason
anyone for any reason whenever you criticize others for any
whenever you criticize others for any reason you lower their self-esteem you
reason you lower their self-esteem you take away their self-respect and
take away their self-respect and undermine their self-confidence
undermine their self-confidence criticism complaining and condemnation
criticism complaining and condemnation make people feel angry and unhappy
make people feel angry and unhappy destructive criticism is the most
destructive criticism is the most hurtful of all behaviors destructive
hurtful of all behaviors destructive criticism experienced in childhood is
criticism experienced in childhood is the main reason for most unhappiness and
the main reason for most unhappiness and problems in adult life eliminate it from
problems in adult life eliminate it from your vocabulary
your vocabulary number two be agreeable
number two be agreeable being agreeable means that you never
being agreeable means that you never argue never tell people that they are
argue never tell people that they are wrong this makes them angry and
wrong this makes them angry and defensive they shut down and become
defensive they shut down and become closed off to being influenced by you
closed off to being influenced by you by telling that they are wrong you
by telling that they are wrong you diminish their self-esteem and make them
diminish their self-esteem and make them resistant to any attempt by you to prove
resistant to any attempt by you to prove that they have made a mistake
that they have made a mistake instead when someone says something with
instead when someone says something with which you disagree you can take control
which you disagree you can take control of the conversation by asking questions
of the conversation by asking questions such as why do you say that and where
such as why do you say that and where did you hear that
did you hear that instead of arguing be curious ask people
instead of arguing be curious ask people if they could help you to understand
if they could help you to understand their point of view
their point of view practice your listening skills smile nod
practice your listening skills smile nod and pay attention
and pay attention in many cases even if the person is
in many cases even if the person is completely wrong about a subject it is
completely wrong about a subject it is not that important Let It Go it doesn't
not that important Let It Go it doesn't really matter
really matter three practice acceptance one of the
three practice acceptance one of the deepest subconscious needs of each
deepest subconscious needs of each person is to be accepted by others just
person is to be accepted by others just for the person he is without any
for the person he is without any judgment or criticism
judgment or criticism many of their personal political and
many of their personal political and social problems we have nationwide and
social problems we have nationwide and worldwide are caused by people who are
worldwide are caused by people who are shouting out to be accepted by others
shouting out to be accepted by others and how do you express acceptance simple
and how do you express acceptance simple you smile whenever you meet a person
you smile whenever you meet a person whenever you smile you tell others that
whenever you smile you tell others that you accept them unconditionally you tell
you accept them unconditionally you tell them that they are valuable and
them that they are valuable and worthwhile
worthwhile as a result they like and accept
as a result they like and accept themselves more they feel happier about
themselves more they feel happier about themselves and they feel happier toward
themselves and they feel happier toward you
number four express appreciation the two most magical words in any
the two most magical words in any language are probably the words thank
language are probably the words thank you whenever you thank another person
you whenever you thank another person for anything he has said or done his
for anything he has said or done his self-esteem immediately goes up he likes
self-esteem immediately goes up he likes and respects himself more he feels
and respects himself more he feels happier he then becomes wide open to do
happier he then becomes wide open to do even more of those things that make you
even more of those things that make you happy causing you to thank him again
happy causing you to thank him again number five practice admiration
number five practice admiration express your admiration for others at
express your admiration for others at every opportunity
every opportunity as Abraham Lincoln said everybody likes
as Abraham Lincoln said everybody likes a compliment compliment people on their
a compliment compliment people on their possessions their accomplishments and
possessions their accomplishments and their personal traits compliment the
their personal traits compliment the host and what a beautiful house he has
host and what a beautiful house he has or he has and how beautifully it is
or he has and how beautifully it is furnished complement the business manner
furnished complement the business manner in his office and place of business
in his office and place of business compliment people for their
compliment people for their accomplishments their degrees and prizes
accomplishments their degrees and prizes you can always find something to
you can always find something to compliment and when you do you not only
compliment and when you do you not only raise the self-esteem of the other
raise the self-esteem of the other person make him feel important but you
person make him feel important but you feel better and happier about yourself
feel better and happier about yourself as well
number six Express praise and approval praise people for everything they do for
praise people for everything they do for you large and small
you large and small one definition of self-esteem is how
one definition of self-esteem is how much a person feels praiseworthy your
much a person feels praiseworthy your own self-esteem is determined by how
own self-esteem is determined by how worthy you feel of praise and respect
worthy you feel of praise and respect from other people
from other people all of the striving in the world today
all of the striving in the world today after praise approval and Rewards
after praise approval and Rewards to satisfy the Deep human need for
to satisfy the Deep human need for approval by other people
approval by other people when you satisfy this need with each
when you satisfy this need with each person you talk to you raise his
person you talk to you raise his self-esteem and increase his desire to
self-esteem and increase his desire to cooperate with you
cooperate with you number seven pay attention
number seven pay attention listen to others when they want to talk
listen to others when they want to talk when you pay attention to another person
when you pay attention to another person you tell him without words that you
you tell him without words that you consider him to be valuable and
consider him to be valuable and important this is the magic of listening
important this is the magic of listening that we spoke about earlier
that we spoke about earlier so you see you always pay attention to
so you see you always pay attention to those people who you most value
those people who you most value at the same time you ignore people you
at the same time you ignore people you do not value in effect By ignoring them
do not value in effect By ignoring them you devalue them and make them feel less
you devalue them and make them feel less important
important here's an example imagine being engaged
here's an example imagine being engaged in a pleasant conversation with another
in a pleasant conversation with another person face to face but that is the
person face to face but that is the other person is speaking you just simply
other person is speaking you just simply look away and stop listening how would
look away and stop listening how would the other person feel
the other person feel how would you feel if someone turned
how would you feel if someone turned away and stopped listening to you in the
away and stopped listening to you in the middle of a conversation
middle of a conversation the more closely you pay attention to
the more closely you pay attention to another person the more valuable and
another person the more valuable and important he feels as a result he likes
important he feels as a result he likes and trusts you and enjoys being with you
and trusts you and enjoys being with you paying attention to another person is
paying attention to another person is the fastest way to satisfy his deep
the fastest way to satisfy his deep emotional need to feel important and to
emotional need to feel important and to make him feel happy about himself
the benefit of success some years ago I found myself sitting
some years ago I found myself sitting next to a businessman on a flight from
next to a businessman on a flight from San Diego to Chicago
San Diego to Chicago he turned out to be a wealthy and
he turned out to be a wealthy and successful executive who had started and
successful executive who had started and built a 300 million dollar company
built a 300 million dollar company during that flight he told me a story
during that flight he told me a story that I never forgot
that I never forgot he said that he had just been at a
he said that he had just been at a three-day meeting in San Diego with
three-day meeting in San Diego with several other top Executives a meeting
several other top Executives a meeting that ended with a long Pleasant dinner
that ended with a long Pleasant dinner at an expensive restaurant all of these
at an expensive restaurant all of these men had started with little or nothing
men had started with little or nothing and become successful over the years
and become successful over the years as they were talking about and sharing
as they were talking about and sharing their successes one member of the group
their successes one member of the group spoke up and asked what is success
spoke up and asked what is success since this man was one of the smartest
since this man was one of the smartest and most insightful people at the table
and most insightful people at the table everyone quieted down to listen to his
everyone quieted down to listen to his answer to his question
answer to his question he then said success means no more
he then said success means no more difficult people in your life
difficult people in your life he actually used another more colorful
he actually used another more colorful word to refer to difficult people use
word to refer to difficult people use your imagination
a simple truth everyone laughed and agreed they all realized that one of the
agreed they all realized that one of the greatest blessings of success and
greatest blessings of success and especially financial success is that you
especially financial success is that you could decide not to have anything to do
could decide not to have anything to do with negative people for any reason you
with negative people for any reason you do not have to allow them into your life
do not have to allow them into your life and if they are already there you could
and if they are already there you could get them out of your life you can decide
get them out of your life you can decide to live and work only with people who
to live and work only with people who you like respect and enjoy
you like respect and enjoy here is the question why do you allow
here is the question why do you allow negative people to be in your life in
negative people to be in your life in the first place
the first place negative people are the primary source
negative people are the primary source of almost all of your unhappiness it
of almost all of your unhappiness it cause you more pain anger frustration
cause you more pain anger frustration aggravation and unhappiness than all
aggravation and unhappiness than all other factors put together
other factors put together why do you allow them in your life in
why do you allow them in your life in the first place
the first place the answer is usually because you think
the answer is usually because you think that the Rewards or benefits you will
that the Rewards or benefits you will eventually receive from your
eventually receive from your relationship with this negative person
relationship with this negative person will be greater than the costs pain and
will be greater than the costs pain and aggravation that you will suffer by
aggravation that you will suffer by putting up with her
putting up with her but here's the point did you ever get
but here's the point did you ever get anything good or beneficial from
anything good or beneficial from continuing to associate with a negative
continuing to associate with a negative or difficult person and the answer is
or difficult person and the answer is always no
always no no matter how long you put up with a
no matter how long you put up with a negative person at the end of the day
negative person at the end of the day you receive no lasting benefit
you receive no lasting benefit whatsoever
whatsoever in fact the opposite was probably true
in fact the opposite was probably true the cost you of that negative
the cost you of that negative relationship was enormous and there were
relationship was enormous and there were never any offsetting benefits
the great lesson here's the point the wealthiest and most
here's the point the wealthiest and most successful people have finally reached
successful people have finally reached the point is which they refuse to have
the point is which they refuse to have any negative people in their lives
any negative people in their lives but because having negative people in
but because having negative people in your life never brings you any advantage
your life never brings you any advantage or benefit anyway you can decide right
or benefit anyway you can decide right now to do the same thing as the richest
now to do the same thing as the richest and most successful people in the world
and most successful people in the world do
do you can decide this very minute to get
you can decide this very minute to get rid of all the negative people in your
rid of all the negative people in your life
life resolve this very moment that you're not
resolve this very moment that you're not going to have difficult people in your
going to have difficult people in your life if they're there currently you're
life if they're there currently you're going to get rid of them immediately
going to get rid of them immediately from now on you're going to live at work
from now on you're going to live at work only with people you like and enjoy
only with people you like and enjoy you decide right now that you will
you decide right now that you will absolutely refuse to have anything to do
absolutely refuse to have anything to do with people who make you feel unhappy or
with people who make you feel unhappy or negative in any way
negative in any way this is one of the most important and
this is one of the most important and best decisions you will ever make the
best decisions you will ever make the very Act of deciding to get rid of a
very Act of deciding to get rid of a particular negative person in your life
particular negative person in your life will cause you to smile and feel happy
will cause you to smile and feel happy you will actually feel a sense of relief
you will actually feel a sense of relief even before you have done anything to
even before you have done anything to end the negative situation
end the negative situation is there anyone in your life who knowing
is there anyone in your life who knowing what you now know you would not invite
what you now know you would not invite back into your life again today if you
back into your life again today if you had to do it over
had to do it over this is one of the most important
this is one of the most important questions that you'll ever ask and
questions that you'll ever ask and answer for yourself
answer for yourself people and family times are easily the
people and family times are easily the most important times of your life the
most important times of your life the way you deal with these times day by day
way you deal with these times day by day and even minute by minute as more of an
and even minute by minute as more of an effect on your happiness and success
effect on your happiness and success than any other Factor
now here are three action exercises for you
you number one identify the most important
number one identify the most important people in your life those people whose
people in your life those people whose health happiness and self-esteem are key
health happiness and self-esteem are key concerns of yours
concerns of yours number two decide on the most important
number two decide on the most important things you could say or do to make them
things you could say or do to make them feel happier and more valuable
feel happier and more valuable and number three resolve today to do or
and number three resolve today to do or say something every day to someone for
say something every day to someone for the express purpose of making him or her
the express purpose of making him or her feel more valuable and important
feel more valuable and important do it now
Orson sweat Martin wrote deep within man dwell those slumbering powers powers
dwell those slumbering powers powers that would astonish him that he never
that would astonish him that he never dreamed of possessing forces that would
dreamed of possessing forces that would revolutionize his life if aroused and
revolutionize his life if aroused and put into action
put into action all types of time all minutes and hours
all types of time all minutes and hours are not the same
are not the same as you have realized by now there's a
as you have realized by now there's a big difference between goal setting time
big difference between goal setting time creative time and people time
creative time and people time there's also a big difference between
there's also a big difference between work time and the time you spend in rest
work time and the time you spend in rest and recuperation
and recuperation just as productive time requires intense
just as productive time requires intense focus and concentration on the most
focus and concentration on the most valuable use of your time at that moment
valuable use of your time at that moment rest in relaxation time requires that
rest in relaxation time requires that you back often do nothing productive or
you back often do nothing productive or important at all
important at all it turns out that rich people people who
it turns out that rich people people who start with little or nothing and become
start with little or nothing and become wealthy over the course of their careers
wealthy over the course of their careers sleep longer and take more time off than
sleep longer and take more time off than average people or poor people you should
average people or poor people you should also take more time off to rest and
also take more time off to rest and recharge your metal batteries as well
the nature of knowledge work you are a knowledge worker you work with
you are a knowledge worker you work with your mind your brain you're not a
your mind your brain you're not a factory or agricultural worker working
factory or agricultural worker working with your muscles making and moving
with your muscles making and moving things to earn your living the quality
things to earn your living the quality of your life is largely determined by
of your life is largely determined by the quality of your thinking the most
the quality of your thinking the most valuable asset you bring to your
valuable asset you bring to your business and to your career is rested
business and to your career is rested thinking time this happens when you take
thinking time this happens when you take enough time off so that you can think
enough time off so that you can think calmly and clearly make good decisions
calmly and clearly make good decisions and do excellent work both for yourself
and do excellent work both for yourself and with others
and with others your company has hired your brain and
your company has hired your brain and what you can do with that brain your job
what you can do with that brain your job your responsibility is to ensure that
your responsibility is to ensure that you bring a rested refreshed alert and
you bring a rested refreshed alert and sharp brain to work to focus on getting
sharp brain to work to focus on getting the results that are required of you
the results that are required of you many people think that whether they are
many people think that whether they are fully rested or not doesn't really
fully rested or not doesn't really matter they think that it's the number
matter they think that it's the number of hours that they put in at work rather
of hours that they put in at work rather than the quality of those hours
than the quality of those hours but this is not true numerous Studies
but this is not true numerous Studies have shown that after eight hours of
have shown that after eight hours of work your thinking ability begins to
work your thinking ability begins to decline after 10 hours you are
decline after 10 hours you are functioning at about 50 percent of
functioning at about 50 percent of capacity
capacity you are like a boxer during the last
you are like a boxer during the last rounds of a fight staying on your feet
rounds of a fight staying on your feet and slugging away even though you're
and slugging away even though you're making little progress
your brain as a battery think of your body as a vehicle that
think of your body as a vehicle that carries your brain around to and from
carries your brain around to and from work you need a fully rested body to
work you need a fully rested body to carry a fully rested and refreshed brain
carry a fully rested and refreshed brain to work so that you can perform at your
to work so that you can perform at your best
best think of your brain like a battery which
think of your brain like a battery which loses its energy discharges and burns
loses its energy discharges and burns out over time
out over time it's estimated that fully eighty percent
it's estimated that fully eighty percent of your energy is burned up by mental
of your energy is burned up by mental activity rather than physical activity
activity rather than physical activity this is why at the end of a long
this is why at the end of a long business day or after an intense meeting
business day or after an intense meeting you can feel tired out even exhausted
you can feel tired out even exhausted and hardly capable of deciding what you
and hardly capable of deciding what you want for dinner
want for dinner your glucose the energy that your brain
your glucose the energy that your brain runs on is largely depleted
runs on is largely depleted just like a cell phone needs to be
just like a cell phone needs to be recharged regularly so that it operates
recharged regularly so that it operates at its highest capability you need to
at its highest capability you need to recharge your brain regularly as well
recharge your brain regularly as well you need to set aside specific times and
you need to set aside specific times and offer extended periods of time to fully
offer extended periods of time to fully recharge your brain battery so that you
recharge your brain battery so that you can be alert and aware most of the time
can be alert and aware most of the time the danger of dopamine
the danger of dopamine as I mentioned earlier we live today in
as I mentioned earlier we live today in the age of electronic distractions
the age of electronic distractions if you do not control the world around
if you do not control the world around you you will find yourself bombarded
you you will find yourself bombarded with emails texts and telephone calls
with emails texts and telephone calls all day long
all day long each time you respond to the novelty or
each time you respond to the novelty or newness of an email or text message your
newness of an email or text message your body releases a shot of dopamine the
body releases a shot of dopamine the same chemical found in cocaine this
same chemical found in cocaine this dopamine acts as a stimulant and
dopamine acts as a stimulant and actually gives you a small feeling of
actually gives you a small feeling of pleasure this stimulus and feeling of
pleasure this stimulus and feeling of pleasure motivate you to repeat the
pleasure motivate you to repeat the process to respond to the next text or
process to respond to the next text or email or to send a new email or text to
email or to send a new email or text to someone else
someone else once you answer your first email in the
once you answer your first email in the morning and get your first jolt of
morning and get your first jolt of dopamine you find it harder and harder
dopamine you find it harder and harder not to respond to incoming messages and
not to respond to incoming messages and eventually you cannot resist at all
eventually you cannot resist at all once you check your first email or
once you check your first email or respond to the first text you find
respond to the first text you find yourself reacting and responding to
yourself reacting and responding to electronic stimuli all day long Recent
electronic stimuli all day long Recent research suggests that the sound of an
research suggests that the sound of an Incoming Email is similar to the sound
Incoming Email is similar to the sound of a slot machine bell ringing and coins
of a slot machine bell ringing and coins falling you immediately become curious
falling you immediately become curious to see what you just won this is why you
to see what you just won this is why you must leave the thing off if you're going
must leave the thing off if you're going to totally relax
to totally relax taking care of your mental and physical
taking care of your mental and physical health your machine is essential and
health your machine is essential and perhaps more important than anything
perhaps more important than anything else to ensure your health happiness and
else to ensure your health happiness and long-term success
long-term success your health and well-being are more
your health and well-being are more important to the quality of your life
important to the quality of your life than almost any other factors
than almost any other factors to perform at your best rest is
to perform at your best rest is essential you need long periods of
essential you need long periods of complete rest and relaxation when you do
complete rest and relaxation when you do absolutely nothing but recharge your
absolutely nothing but recharge your mental physical and emotional batteries
mental physical and emotional batteries Vince Lombardi once said fatigue makes
Vince Lombardi once said fatigue makes cowards of us all
cowards of us all when you are tired out burned out you
when you are tired out burned out you are susceptible to stress and negativity
are susceptible to stress and negativity are likely to become angry and impatient
are likely to become angry and impatient and may make choices and decisions that
and may make choices and decisions that are not in your best long-term interest
set rest is a priority sometimes the very best use of your time
sometimes the very best use of your time is to come home and go to bed early at 8
is to come home and go to bed early at 8 or 9 pm I just sleep for 9 or 10 hours
or 9 pm I just sleep for 9 or 10 hours completely recharging your mental and
completely recharging your mental and physical batteries
physical batteries when you have a lot going on in your
when you have a lot going on in your life when you have important decisions
life when you have important decisions and choices to make Sometimes the best
and choices to make Sometimes the best advice is to sleep on it put off any
advice is to sleep on it put off any important decision until you are fully
important decision until you are fully rested
rested many years ago my mentor a successful
many years ago my mentor a successful business executive gave me a little
business executive gave me a little pamphlet called take time out for mental
pamphlet called take time out for mental digestion
digestion in this pamphlet which I never forgot
in this pamphlet which I never forgot the author recommended that you take 72
the author recommended that you take 72 hours to think about a major choice or
hours to think about a major choice or decision before taking action
decision before taking action this turns out to be a success secret of
this turns out to be a success secret of many top executives
many top executives the more time you take to consider an
the more time you take to consider an important decision the better quality
important decision the better quality decision you will make this is because
decision you will make this is because you get a chance to rest to sleep on it
you get a chance to rest to sleep on it to turn it over in your mind and to
to turn it over in your mind and to carefully consider all the ramifications
carefully consider all the ramifications of the decision
slow down to go faster most people feel that they have too much
most people feel that they have too much to do and too little time
to do and too little time they don't have time for all this rest
they don't have time for all this rest we are recommending they feel that they
we are recommending they feel that they have to get up and get going early in
have to get up and get going early in the morning and work hard all day long
the morning and work hard all day long sometimes bringing work home in the
sometimes bringing work home in the evening and continue to work until just
evening and continue to work until just before they go to bed
before they go to bed but this is false
but this is false there's the story about the little girl
there's the story about the little girl who goes to her mother and asks Mommy
who goes to her mother and asks Mommy why does daddy bring a briefcase full of
why does daddy bring a briefcase full of work home every night and works all the
work home every night and works all the time and never spends time with a family
time and never spends time with a family the mother gently answers her by saying
the mother gently answers her by saying well honey you have to understand
well honey you have to understand Daddy has too much work to do at work so
Daddy has too much work to do at work so he has to bring it home in order to
he has to bring it home in order to catch up
catch up the little girl says Mommy why don't
the little girl says Mommy why don't they just put him in a slower class
they just put him in a slower class be careful that you don't get put into a
be careful that you don't get put into a slower class as the result of being
slower class as the result of being perceived as someone who's overwhelmed
perceived as someone who's overwhelmed and unable to stay on top of her work
violate Parkinson's law the primary reason people have too much to do and
reason people have too much to do and too little time is because the average
too little time is because the average person is wasting fully fifty percent of
person is wasting fully fifty percent of her time at work in idle conversation
her time at work in idle conversation checking email taking long lunches and
checking email taking long lunches and coffee breaks and generally engaging in
coffee breaks and generally engaging in other non-work activities this is why
other non-work activities this is why one of the greatest success principles
one of the greatest success principles of all is to work all the time you work
of all is to work all the time you work see North coat Parkinson a British
see North coat Parkinson a British historian wrote a book many years ago
historian wrote a book many years ago called Parkinson's law in this book he
called Parkinson's law in this book he made the famous observation that work
made the famous observation that work expands to fill the time allotted for it
expands to fill the time allotted for it if you have eight hours to accomplish a
if you have eight hours to accomplish a certain number of tasks you will take a
certain number of tasks you will take a full eight hours and you will probably
full eight hours and you will probably be rushing at the end of the day to
be rushing at the end of the day to finish your work
finish your work but the reverse of Parkinson's law is
but the reverse of Parkinson's law is that work contracts to fill the time
that work contracts to fill the time allotted for it
allotted for it this means that if you give yourself a
this means that if you give yourself a tighter deadline to get all your work
tighter deadline to get all your work done you will work faster and more
done you will work faster and more efficiently and sometimes accomplish
efficiently and sometimes accomplish even a full day's work in just a couple
even a full day's work in just a couple of hours
set deadlines on yourself one of my seminar attendees a successful
one of my seminar attendees a successful businessman told me an interesting story
businessman told me an interesting story he said that when he got married he
he said that when he got married he promised his wife that he would be home
promised his wife that he would be home by six o'clock each night Edwards fan at
by six o'clock each night Edwards fan at least two solid hours with her every
least two solid hours with her every single day and more on the weekends when
single day and more on the weekends when his children were born he expanded that
his children were born he expanded that to three hours per day for his family
to three hours per day for his family and more time on the weekends
and more time on the weekends he told me that if he had to be out of
he told me that if he had to be out of town he would religiously make up the
town he would religiously make up the Lost hours of spending even more time
Lost hours of spending even more time with his wife and his children
with his wife and his children he said that this promise made early in
he said that this promise made early in his career changed his life
his career changed his life to keep his promise he disciplined
to keep his promise he disciplined himself to work efficiently and on his
himself to work efficiently and on his most important tasks all day long he
most important tasks all day long he went to work a little earlier he worked
went to work a little earlier he worked a little harder and he finished up on
a little harder and he finished up on time to be home with his family for
time to be home with his family for dinner by 6 pm
dinner by 6 pm he became one of the most productive
he became one of the most productive Executives in his industry he was paid
Executives in his industry he was paid more and promoted rapidly and over the
more and promoted rapidly and over the course of his career became quite
course of his career became quite wealthy he said that making that promise
wealthy he said that making that promise to his wife was one of the most
to his wife was one of the most important things he ever did
important things he ever did you can do the same remember it's not
you can do the same remember it's not the number of hours that you put in but
the number of hours that you put in but the amount that you produce in those
the amount that you produce in those hours
hours to produce the best quality and quantity
to produce the best quality and quantity of work requires that you be fully
of work requires that you be fully rested every working hour of every day
rested every working hour of every day you owe this to yourself and to your
you owe this to yourself and to your company
observe the Sabbath Orthodox Jews honor the Sabbath in a
Orthodox Jews honor the Sabbath in a particular way as an important part of
particular way as an important part of their religious practice from Sundown on
their religious practice from Sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday they
Friday to sundown on Saturday they refrain from all work of any kind they
refrain from all work of any kind they take a full 24 hours during which they
take a full 24 hours during which they engage in religious and family
engage in religious and family activities
activities this is a wonderful concept that I
this is a wonderful concept that I adapted to my life many years ago and
adapted to my life many years ago and which many of my students have
which many of my students have incorporated as well
incorporated as well each week discipline yourself to take
each week discipline yourself to take off at least one full day where you do
off at least one full day where you do no business work at all
no business work at all what you need is two full nights of rest
what you need is two full nights of rest with no work in between
with no work in between one good night's rest does not seem to
one good night's rest does not seem to be enough what you need is to sleep
be enough what you need is to sleep deeply and Well on one night completely
deeply and Well on one night completely relax and refresh for a full day and
relax and refresh for a full day and then get another full night's sleep this
then get another full night's sleep this one day two night combination recharges
one day two night combination recharges your metal and physical batteries
your metal and physical batteries by the end of these 36 hours you will be
by the end of these 36 hours you will be sharper more alert and more creative
sharper more alert and more creative you'll be happier and more positive your
you'll be happier and more positive your personality will improve you'll be a
personality will improve you'll be a better husband wife mate or friend and
better husband wife mate or friend and will be more enjoyable to be around
will be more enjoyable to be around it's amazing what rest will do
allow no exceptions during this 36 hour period you must
during this 36 hour period you must discipline yourself to turn off your
discipline yourself to turn off your computer to refuse to do any work at all
computer to refuse to do any work at all even reading through papers or work from
even reading through papers or work from the office or answering lengthy business
the office or answering lengthy business emails on your phone just start up
emails on your phone just start up refused to do anything that requires
refused to do anything that requires concentration or mental energy
concentration or mental energy here's what happens if you interrupt
here's what happens if you interrupt your day off by doing just a little
your day off by doing just a little paperwork
paperwork it is like jerking the plug out of the
it is like jerking the plug out of the socket the recharging process stops you
socket the recharging process stops you stop resting by not allowing yourself a
stop resting by not allowing yourself a full day of uninterrupted time your
full day of uninterrupted time your metal batteries do not become fully
metal batteries do not become fully recharged by interrupting your rest you
recharged by interrupting your rest you end up not getting very much rest at all
end up not getting very much rest at all how often have you returned from a
how often have you returned from a vacation more tired than when you left
vacation more tired than when you left it was because you kept pecking away at
it was because you kept pecking away at your work the whole time at first you
your work the whole time at first you will find this idea of stopping work
will find this idea of stopping work completely for 36 hours to be quite
completely for 36 hours to be quite difficult
difficult is because you may feel that you're on a
is because you may feel that you're on a treadmill
treadmill no matter how much you get done you're
no matter how much you get done you're convinced that there's always more to do
convinced that there's always more to do even worse if you're doing work that you
even worse if you're doing work that you enjoy and getting results that are
enjoy and getting results that are important to you it's normal natural and
important to you it's normal natural and easy for your work to spill out into
easy for your work to spill out into your evenings and over into your
your evenings and over into your weekends it often takes more discipline
weekends it often takes more discipline to stop working than it does to continue
to stop working than it does to continue working
a test of character think of this as a test of character if
think of this as a test of character if you don't deliberately interrupt this
you don't deliberately interrupt this style of working seven days a week you
style of working seven days a week you will soon fall into the Trap of working
will soon fall into the Trap of working most of the time
most of the time you'll find yourself continually
you'll find yourself continually checking your email replying to text and
checking your email replying to text and initiating new work activities always
initiating new work activities always being plugged in and connected
being plugged in and connected become like that horse pulling the wheel
become like that horse pulling the wheel around in a circle all day long never
around in a circle all day long never stopping
stopping but the key to your real success to high
but the key to your real success to high levels of productivity and performance
levels of productivity and performance is for you to disconnect completely for
is for you to disconnect completely for extended periods of time
extended periods of time turn off your computer and refuse to
turn off your computer and refuse to restart it or check it for at least 36
restart it or check it for at least 36 hours each week
hours each week check your smartphone if you want but
check your smartphone if you want but discipline yourself to postpone any
discipline yourself to postpone any responses during your rest time
responses during your rest time the best news is that instead of falling
the best news is that instead of falling behind in your work once you have fully
behind in your work once you have fully recharged methly and physically you'll
recharged methly and physically you'll get more work done of a higher quality
get more work done of a higher quality in the next two or three hours than you
in the next two or three hours than you might have done an entire day of working
might have done an entire day of working while mentally and emotionally fatigued
while mentally and emotionally fatigued but you will usually have your best
but you will usually have your best ideas and breakthroughs after a relaxed
ideas and breakthroughs after a relaxed weekend or extended vacation
do what rich people do you feed us wealthy people who take
you feed us wealthy people who take extended vacations to beautiful Resorts
extended vacations to beautiful Resorts all over the world you get brochures
all over the world you get brochures offering luxury vacations on cruise
offering luxury vacations on cruise ships
ships you may have wondered how these people
you may have wondered how these people can take so many vacations and be so
can take so many vacations and be so wealthy at the same time
wealthy at the same time the answer is simple they place a high
the answer is simple they place a high premium on recharging their batteries in
premium on recharging their batteries in addition they almost always take their
addition they almost always take their vacations with other successful people
vacations with other successful people during their periods of rest and
during their periods of rest and relaxation they socialize and chat about
relaxation they socialize and chat about what they are doing in their work about
what they are doing in their work about business opportunities and possibilities
business opportunities and possibilities about new breakthroughs and inventions
about new breakthroughs and inventions and so on
and so on when they come back from these vacations
when they come back from these vacations fully rested their minds are sparkling
fully rested their minds are sparkling with new ideas and insights that they
with new ideas and insights that they can use to make even more money in the
can use to make even more money in the future
sleep deprivation hurts you meanwhile people of average income and
meanwhile people of average income and most poor people burn the candle at both
most poor people burn the candle at both ends they may work long hours but when
ends they may work long hours but when they come home they watch television for
they come home they watch television for five to seven hours each evening
five to seven hours each evening they go to bed only when they are too
they go to bed only when they are too tired to watch television they sleep for
tired to watch television they sleep for six or seven hours and the first thing
six or seven hours and the first thing they do when they wake up is turn on the
they do when they wake up is turn on the television again
television again most people in our society almost 70
most people in our society almost 70 percent are suffering from sleep
percent are suffering from sleep deprivation this is an Insidious problem
deprivation this is an Insidious problem instead of getting a full eight or nine
instead of getting a full eight or nine hours of sleep each night the
hours of sleep each night the recommended minimum to fully recharge
recommended minimum to fully recharge your mental and physical batteries most
your mental and physical batteries most people try to get by on six or seven
people try to get by on six or seven hours sometimes less especially if they
hours sometimes less especially if they don't sleep well
don't sleep well as a result they build up an
as a result they build up an accumulating sleep deficiency of one or
accumulating sleep deficiency of one or two hours each night
two hours each night as the week goes on these individuals
as the week goes on these individuals become more and more tired they have
become more and more tired they have less and less metal energy at work they
less and less metal energy at work they just go through the motions consuming
just go through the motions consuming copious quantities of coffee and
copious quantities of coffee and caffeine laced soft drinks to stay awake
caffeine laced soft drinks to stay awake they engage in Endless conversations
they engage in Endless conversations with co-workers because these
with co-workers because these conversations require very little
conversations require very little thought or energy
thought or energy they eat too much because their bodies
they eat too much because their bodies need the extra energy they drink too
need the extra energy they drink too much in the evening because they're
much in the evening because they're burned out and they need the sugar
burned out and they need the sugar energy they get from alcohol they seldom
energy they get from alcohol they seldom perform at high levels or reach their
perform at high levels or reach their potential they are simply too tired most
potential they are simply too tired most of the time
change your life one of my clients was quite successful running his own
quite successful running his own business but he told me that he was not
business but he told me that he was not enjoying his work anymore
enjoying his work anymore and he was tired most of the time he was
and he was tired most of the time he was also overweight he was eating and
also overweight he was eating and drinking too much
drinking too much I asked him how many hours he was
I asked him how many hours he was sleeping each night
sleeping each night he told me that he was forcing himself
he told me that he was forcing himself to sleep only five or six hours per
to sleep only five or six hours per night so that he could have more work
night so that he could have more work time
time I told him that he was putting himself
I told him that he was putting himself on an endless treadmill working longer
on an endless treadmill working longer and longer hours becoming more and more
and longer hours becoming more and more tired accomplishing less and less and
tired accomplishing less and less and losing his enthusiasm for work
losing his enthusiasm for work I suggested that he discipline himself
I suggested that he discipline himself from now on to go to bed by 10 pm and
from now on to go to bed by 10 pm and sleep at least eight hours each night
sleep at least eight hours each night this was a novel idea for him he had
this was a novel idea for him he had convinced himself that successful people
convinced himself that successful people slept less and worked longer hours
slept less and worked longer hours but he followed my advice at our next
but he followed my advice at our next coaching meeting 90 days later he told
coaching meeting 90 days later he told me that he had disciplined himself to
me that he had disciplined himself to start going to bed early and sleeping a
start going to bed early and sleeping a full eight hours every night he said
full eight hours every night he said that after a week he felt as if he was
that after a week he felt as if he was waking up from a deep Slumber emerging
waking up from a deep Slumber emerging from a fog he had no idea how tired he
from a fog he had no idea how tired he had become but as he slept eight to nine
had become but as he slept eight to nine hours each night he had more and more
hours each night he had more and more energy as a result he ate less because
energy as a result he ate less because he no longer required more food energy
he no longer required more food energy to keep him going during the day he lost
to keep him going during the day he lost 16 pounds in 90 days
16 pounds in 90 days he said that going to bed early had
he said that going to bed early had changed his entire life
changed his entire life over the course of the next year he
over the course of the next year he tripled his income as well he spent more
tripled his income as well he spent more time at home took weekends off took long
time at home took weekends off took long vacations with his family and made more
vacations with his family and made more money than he had ever dreamed of he
money than he had ever dreamed of he lost more and more weight and he
lost more and more weight and he actually got down to his ideal weight
guarantee your vacations here is something you can do to
here is something you can do to guarantee that you don't slip back into
guarantee that you don't slip back into working on weekends and during vacations
working on weekends and during vacations promise others your spouse children
promise others your spouse children family and friends that you're going to
family and friends that you're going to dedicate a full day every weekend to
dedicate a full day every weekend to them to do whatever they want to do
them to do whatever they want to do once you promise others and make the
once you promise others and make the commitment to spend the time with them
commitment to spend the time with them you will seldom go back on your word
you will seldom go back on your word promise yourself that you will pull the
promise yourself that you will pull the plug on busy work and instead just relax
plug on busy work and instead just relax on your days of rest and relaxation
on your days of rest and relaxation you can read the paper watch television
you can read the paper watch television go for a walk or engage in other
go for a walk or engage in other physical exercise go to a movie go out
physical exercise go to a movie go out to dinner or visit your friends but you
to dinner or visit your friends but you must refuse to do any work of any kind
must refuse to do any work of any kind at all
at all use your amazing mind to keep yourself
use your amazing mind to keep yourself active all day without doing any heavy
active all day without doing any heavy metal lifting any brain work
metal lifting any brain work you have heard it said that A change is
you have heard it said that A change is as good as a rest this is based on
as good as a rest this is based on Research showing that you actually have
Research showing that you actually have three forms of energy mental emotional
three forms of energy mental emotional and physical
and physical if you burn out your mental energy
if you burn out your mental energy during the course of the week and doing
during the course of the week and doing your work you can recharge your brain
your work you can recharge your brain over the weekend by switching to
over the weekend by switching to physical activities like playing golf or
physical activities like playing golf or going for a walk
going for a walk this way you give your mental energies a
this way you give your mental energies a chance to rejuvenate
chance to rejuvenate if you're going through an emotionally
if you're going through an emotionally draining situation be sure to get more
draining situation be sure to get more sleep try to take a complete Break by
sleep try to take a complete Break by engaging in a physical activity even
engaging in a physical activity even going for a walk to give yourself a
going for a walk to give yourself a chance to recharge
make RNR a way of life in addition to taking one full day off
in addition to taking one full day off each week when you do no mental work at
each week when you do no mental work at all you should plan to take a three-day
all you should plan to take a three-day vacation every couple of months with
vacation every couple of months with your spouse or mate
your spouse or mate but to get the maximum benefit out of
but to get the maximum benefit out of these short vacations you need to get
these short vacations you need to get two full nights of sleep when you are
two full nights of sleep when you are away
away I live in San Diego my wife and I often
I live in San Diego my wife and I often drive to Palm Springs a two and a half
drive to Palm Springs a two and a half hour drive for a three-day weekend
hour drive for a three-day weekend leaving on Friday and coming back on
leaving on Friday and coming back on Sunday afternoon
Sunday afternoon sometimes we'll fly to San Francisco on
sometimes we'll fly to San Francisco on the same schedule and spend two full
the same schedule and spend two full days in a hotel going out for dinner and
days in a hotel going out for dinner and just relaxing
just relaxing these turn out to be some of the most
these turn out to be some of the most enjoyable times of Our Lives
enjoyable times of Our Lives in addition set a goal to take two three
in addition set a goal to take two three or four weeks away on vacation each year
or four weeks away on vacation each year during this time you may occasionally
during this time you may occasionally check your email to make sure that there
check your email to make sure that there are no emergencies but generally
are no emergencies but generally speaking you leave things off
speaking you leave things off if you're living and working intensely
if you're living and working intensely you'll require three or four or even
you'll require three or four or even five days on vacation to decompress and
five days on vacation to decompress and to start to fully relax
to start to fully relax up to that time you'll still be mentally
up to that time you'll still be mentally running on the treadmill thinking about
running on the treadmill thinking about your work and things that you could do
your work and things that you could do while you are gone
while you are gone during this period of decompression you
during this period of decompression you must discipline yourself to keep busy
must discipline yourself to keep busy doing things other than work turn your
doing things other than work turn your computer off get out and move around go
computer off get out and move around go for walks go out for dinner go
for walks go out for dinner go sightseeing but don't do any work until
sightseeing but don't do any work until the compulsion to work eventually dies
the compulsion to work eventually dies away which it will
family vacations this idea of long vacations does not
this idea of long vacations does not always come easy I was in my late 30s
always come easy I was in my late 30s before I first took a two-week vacation
before I first took a two-week vacation and I felt guilty about not working the
and I felt guilty about not working the whole time
whole time but in the long run I really enjoyed the
but in the long run I really enjoyed the experience
experience the next year we took another long
the next year we took another long vacation and we have taken long
vacation and we have taken long vacations every year ever since
vacations every year ever since at the beginning it took me at least
at the beginning it took me at least three days before I could get off the
three days before I could get off the metal treadmill and stop thinking about
metal treadmill and stop thinking about the work I had left behind
the work I had left behind today with the passing of time and with
today with the passing of time and with the increased busyness of my schedule it
the increased busyness of my schedule it takes me a full week to come down until
takes me a full week to come down until then I have to fight the irresistible
then I have to fight the irresistible desire to open up my laptop and
desire to open up my laptop and communicate with the rest of the world
communicate with the rest of the world this may happen to you as well
this may happen to you as well remember the more time you take off
remember the more time you take off daily weekly monthly and annually to
daily weekly monthly and annually to allow yourself to rest completely the
allow yourself to rest completely the more productive you will be when you go
more productive you will be when you go back to work
back to work sometimes you will have one great idea
sometimes you will have one great idea while you're on vacation that may save
while you're on vacation that may save you a year or even five years of hard
you a year or even five years of hard work
work but you have to create the rest of time
but you have to create the rest of time for this inspiration to occur
plan vacations in advance there's a great technique that has been
there's a great technique that has been a life changer for me for more than
a life changer for me for more than three decades it is this
three decades it is this January plan your time off and vacation
January plan your time off and vacation calendar for the year to come mark off
calendar for the year to come mark off the days you will take off each week
the days you will take off each week your two and three Day getaways and your
your two and three Day getaways and your one and two week vacations then call and
one and two week vacations then call and book your vacations with a
book your vacations with a non-refundable deposit
non-refundable deposit once you've paid a non-refundable
once you've paid a non-refundable deposit you are committed you will very
deposit you are committed you will very seldom ever miss a vacation for which
seldom ever miss a vacation for which you have prepaid
you have prepaid my wife and I go to Hawaii for three
my wife and I go to Hawaii for three weeks at Christmas each year with our
weeks at Christmas each year with our family
family the complex where we stay is very
the complex where we stay is very popular and is fully booked through
popular and is fully booked through December and January
December and January because of this they require a deposit
because of this they require a deposit on January 5 to hold the condominium
on January 5 to hold the condominium that you wish to stay in
that you wish to stay in half payment by April 1 and full payment
half payment by April 1 and full payment by June 1. and the payments are
by June 1. and the payments are non-refundable
non-refundable in 30 years we have never failed to take
in 30 years we have never failed to take these family vacations we have never
these family vacations we have never missed a day and it will be the same
missed a day and it will be the same with you
with you rest and Recreation time is some of the
rest and Recreation time is some of the most important time of your life manager
most important time of your life manager best ideas ideas that can make you
best ideas ideas that can make you successful and even wealthy will come to
successful and even wealthy will come to you after a period of complete physical
you after a period of complete physical and mental vacation
and mental vacation carving out blocks of time where you can
carving out blocks of time where you can totally relax it's one of the most
totally relax it's one of the most important and valuable uses of your time
important and valuable uses of your time and can make all the difference in your
and can make all the difference in your life to your future
now here are three action exercises for you
you one resolve today that you're going to
one resolve today that you're going to build a rest and relaxation schedule
build a rest and relaxation schedule into your life to ensure you will
into your life to ensure you will perform at your best in your work
perform at your best in your work number two plan your vacation schedule
number two plan your vacation schedule at the beginning of the year and then
at the beginning of the year and then plan your work responsibilities around
plan your work responsibilities around it
it number three book and pay for your
number three book and pay for your vacations early in the year to ensure
vacations early in the year to ensure you never delay or procrastinate on the
you never delay or procrastinate on the rest and relaxation that you need
Young [Music]
foreign [Music]
James Allen wrote dream lofty dreams and as you dream so shall you become
as you dream so shall you become your vision is the promise of what you
your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be your ideal is the
shall one day be your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last
prophecy of what you shall at last unveil
unveil the time that you spend alone with
the time that you spend alone with yourself in silence can be some of the
yourself in silence can be some of the most important time of your life
most important time of your life this special kind of time Embraces
this special kind of time Embraces Spiritual Development mindfulness
Spiritual Development mindfulness contemplation Solitude and meditation
contemplation Solitude and meditation the regular practice of these
the regular practice of these disciplines will change your life in a
disciplines will change your life in a most amazing way
Spiritual Development the highest human ideal is and always
the highest human ideal is and always has been the achievement of inner peace
has been the achievement of inner peace the true measure of how well you are
the true measure of how well you are doing in your life can be determined by
doing in your life can be determined by what percentage of the time you feel at
what percentage of the time you feel at peace with yourself and others
peace with yourself and others throughout history people have developed
throughout history people have developed different religious and spiritual
different religious and spiritual traditions of all kinds all over the
traditions of all kinds all over the world
world in every case these people were seeking
in every case these people were seeking something higher and greater than
something higher and greater than themselves some Supreme set of values or
themselves some Supreme set of values or beliefs to which they could aspire
beliefs to which they could aspire the ultimate aim of these religious
the ultimate aim of these religious transitions is to help guide and direct
transitions is to help guide and direct people toward higher levels of
people toward higher levels of well-being happiness and inner peace
well-being happiness and inner peace Spiritual Development can bring you more
Spiritual Development can bring you more peace and joy than perhaps any other
peace and joy than perhaps any other activity
activity Spiritual Development requires among
Spiritual Development requires among other things that you practice
other things that you practice mindfulness on a regular basis
mindfulness on a regular basis in its simplest terms mindfulness is
in its simplest terms mindfulness is that state you enter into when you
that state you enter into when you discipline yourself to be completely
discipline yourself to be completely quiet and aware of yourself and your
quiet and aware of yourself and your environment
the work of Spiritual Development Spiritual Development requires a
Spiritual Development requires a combination of learning accompanied by
combination of learning accompanied by reflection on how you could apply these
reflection on how you could apply these ideas to your life
ideas to your life Aristotle wrote wisdom is an equal
Aristotle wrote wisdom is an equal combination of experience plus
combination of experience plus reflection
reflection constant business electronic
constant business electronic interruptions television socializing all
interruptions television socializing all keep our minds so busy that we seldom
keep our minds so busy that we seldom have time to actually stop and think
have time to actually stop and think about what we are doing or what is
about what we are doing or what is really happening around us
really happening around us when you are so busy that you don't take
when you are so busy that you don't take time to reflect on the experiences of
time to reflect on the experiences of your life you don't learn grow and
your life you don't learn grow and develop the wisdom that you need to
develop the wisdom that you need to become a fully mature fully functioning
become a fully mature fully functioning person
person the more time you take to think and
the more time you take to think and reflect on your experiences the deeper
reflect on your experiences the deeper will be your knowledge and intelligence
will be your knowledge and intelligence as a result you'll find yourself making
as a result you'll find yourself making better decisions and fewer mistakes
better decisions and fewer mistakes mindfulness requires that you discipline
mindfulness requires that you discipline yourself to stop and think on a regular
yourself to stop and think on a regular basis about what you are doing and how
basis about what you are doing and how you are doing it
you are doing it fortunately you can practice this
fortunately you can practice this mindfulness at any time by simply
mindfulness at any time by simply slowing down
mindfulness Made Simple a simple technique for mindfulness for
a simple technique for mindfulness for centering
centering for calming your mind completely is
for calming your mind completely is called stopping thoughts
called stopping thoughts your ability to stop your thoughts to
your ability to stop your thoughts to clear your mind requires that you shift
clear your mind requires that you shift your focus and attention away from your
your focus and attention away from your day-to-day life and on to something as
day-to-day life and on to something as simple as breathing in and breathing out
simple as breathing in and breathing out because you can think only one thought
because you can think only one thought at a time when you start to think about
at a time when you start to think about your reading you automatically stop
your reading you automatically stop thinking about anything else especially
thinking about anything else especially something that might cause you anger or
something that might cause you anger or stress at the moment
stress at the moment when you can get your mind busy
when you can get your mind busy elsewhere thinking about something else
elsewhere thinking about something else or nothing at all this shuts out any
or nothing at all this shuts out any negativity in your life
negativity in your life the negative answer thoughts gradually
the negative answer thoughts gradually begin to subside in importance
begin to subside in importance sometimes they disappear all together
sometimes they disappear all together like cigarette smoke in a large room
like cigarette smoke in a large room a breathing technique that you can use
a breathing technique that you can use to stop thoughts to calm your mind and
to stop thoughts to calm your mind and to increase your level of mindfulness is
to increase your level of mindfulness is to sit quietly with your hands in your
to sit quietly with your hands in your lap not touching and then inhale to the
lap not touching and then inhale to the count of seven
count of seven take deep deep breaths inhaling as
take deep deep breaths inhaling as deeply as you possibly can
deeply as you possibly can count to seven as you do this
count to seven as you do this then hold your breath to the slow count
then hold your breath to the slow count of seven
of seven finally exhale your breath to the count
finally exhale your breath to the count of seven
of seven do this complete exercise seven times
do this complete exercise seven times whenever you are experiencing stress
whenever you are experiencing stress anger or in advance of an important
anger or in advance of an important event like a meeting or presentation
event like a meeting or presentation this 7 7 method of breathing will
this 7 7 method of breathing will trigger the release of endorphins in
trigger the release of endorphins in your brain
your brain endorphins are called Nature's happy
endorphins are called Nature's happy drug
drug a tiny amount of these hormones will
a tiny amount of these hormones will give you a feeling of peace and a sense
give you a feeling of peace and a sense of mental clarity
of mental clarity you'll be more happy and creative
remember yourself the metaphysician Peter ospensky taught
the metaphysician Peter ospensky taught the practice of self-remembering as a
the practice of self-remembering as a way of centering oneself and increasing
way of centering oneself and increasing self-awareness
self-awareness Penske taught that we have hundreds and
Penske taught that we have hundreds and thousands of thoughts that flow through
thousands of thoughts that flow through our mind in an endless stream of
our mind in an endless stream of Consciousness like a river
Consciousness like a river this never-ending flow of thoughts
this never-ending flow of thoughts causes us to fall into a form of waking
causes us to fall into a form of waking sleep in which we function almost
sleep in which we function almost automatically and often unaware of our
automatically and often unaware of our surroundings
surroundings everyone has had the experience of
everyone has had the experience of getting into their car and driving to
getting into their car and driving to work and not remembering a single thing
work and not remembering a single thing about the trip your mind was so lost in
about the trip your mind was so lost in thought that you drove to your office on
thought that you drove to your office on autopilot without thinking because you
autopilot without thinking because you had driven the route so many times
had driven the route so many times before
before it is only when something happens
it is only when something happens unexpectedly like hitting a patch of ice
unexpectedly like hitting a patch of ice or almost having an accident that you
or almost having an accident that you suddenly wake up at that moment you
suddenly wake up at that moment you become completely aware of yourself and
become completely aware of yourself and your surroundings but as soon as the
your surroundings but as soon as the moment passes you once more go back to
moment passes you once more go back to waking sleep
waking sleep in the New Testament Jesus says awake
in the New Testament Jesus says awake all ye that sleep
all ye that sleep This was meant to encourage people to be
This was meant to encourage people to be more thoughtful and aware
more thoughtful and aware to pay closer attention to the meaning
to pay closer attention to the meaning of what he was saying rather than
of what he was saying rather than reacting automatically which is the
reacting automatically which is the normal way that most people process
normal way that most people process information
information to experience mindfulness and
to experience mindfulness and self-remembering simply say the words I
self-remembering simply say the words I am here
am here as you say these words look around you
as you say these words look around you as if you're seeing your world and
as if you're seeing your world and surroundings for the first time
surroundings for the first time notice the details of all the things
notice the details of all the things around you imagine describing your
around you imagine describing your surroundings to a blind person or to a
surroundings to a blind person or to a person on the phone who has never seen
person on the phone who has never seen or experienced your environment
or experienced your environment when you do this you will see far more
when you do this you will see far more and become more sensitive to your world
and become more sensitive to your world than you were before
mindfulness during regular life most people eat quickly unthinkingly
most people eat quickly unthinkingly they pay a little attention to their
they pay a little attention to their food or surroundings but you can turn
food or surroundings but you can turn dining into a mindful experience while
dining into a mindful experience while you are eating you can slow down and
you are eating you can slow down and observe all the details involved in the
observe all the details involved in the dining experience and the various
dining experience and the various features of the room
features of the room become aware of your environment look at
become aware of your environment look at the way the table is set at the dishes
the way the table is set at the dishes the Catherine glasses
the Catherine glasses as you eat choose slowly thoughtfully
as you eat choose slowly thoughtfully and deliberately
and deliberately take the time to chew your food
take the time to chew your food thoroughly savoring the different tastes
thoroughly savoring the different tastes and enjoying each small bite
and enjoying each small bite notice the flavors the smell and the
notice the flavors the smell and the different Taste of the food as though
different Taste of the food as though you're eating this food for the first
you're eating this food for the first time or for the last time
time or for the last time you could dramatically increase your
you could dramatically increase your mindfulness by simply slowing down a
mindfulness by simply slowing down a regular activity and observing yourself
regular activity and observing yourself as you move
as you move for example if you simply slow down the
for example if you simply slow down the speed of your walking you'll become
speed of your walking you'll become immediately aware of your movements you
immediately aware of your movements you actually remember yourself better you
actually remember yourself better you become more conscious of yourself and
become more conscious of yourself and the world around you you think I am here
the world around you you think I am here when you slow down any activity like
when you slow down any activity like washing the dishes brushing your teeth
washing the dishes brushing your teeth or even turning the pages of the
or even turning the pages of the newspaper you immediately experience a
newspaper you immediately experience a heightened awareness of your actions and
heightened awareness of your actions and become much more sensitive to your
become much more sensitive to your environment
practicing mindfulness for problem solving
solving whenever you have a problem of any kind
whenever you have a problem of any kind practice solitude
practice solitude go into the silence to find the solution
go into the silence to find the solution sit down comfortably in a place where
sit down comfortably in a place where there is no noise or distractions let
there is no noise or distractions let your mind relax completely
your mind relax completely prepare to spend 25 to 30 minutes of
prepare to spend 25 to 30 minutes of Silent sitting before your mind stops
Silent sitting before your mind stops racing and thinking about the things
racing and thinking about the things that are going on in your daily life
that are going on in your daily life at about the 30 minute point of complete
at about the 30 minute point of complete silence your mind will become completely
silence your mind will become completely gone and you'll begin to feel an amazing
gone and you'll begin to feel an amazing sense of Peace you'll start to see
sense of Peace you'll start to see things with greater Clarity and while
things with greater Clarity and while you're sitting there quietly in Silence
you're sitting there quietly in Silence the exact answer to your most important
the exact answer to your most important question or problem was simply appear in
question or problem was simply appear in your mind
your mind because sitting in the silence
because sitting in the silence stimulates super conscious activity when
stimulates super conscious activity when the answer to your problem or question
the answer to your problem or question comes to you it will be simple and clear
comes to you it will be simple and clear it will answer every detail of the
it will answer every detail of the problem or difficulty it will be
problem or difficulty it will be completely within your capacity to
completely within your capacity to implement immediately
implement immediately each time you practice Solitude the
each time you practice Solitude the still Small Voice Within will speak to
still Small Voice Within will speak to you with greater clarity
you with greater clarity over time this quiet voice actually
over time this quiet voice actually becomes louder and more insistent it
becomes louder and more insistent it functions faster and with greater
functions faster and with greater accuracy
accuracy this development of your intuitive sense
this development of your intuitive sense is one of the best uses of time of all
is one of the best uses of time of all and is the key to Spiritual Development
think about water another way for you to trigger your
another way for you to trigger your super conscious powers and to develop
super conscious powers and to develop yourself to higher levels of
yourself to higher levels of spirituality is for you to think about
spirituality is for you to think about water
water because the human body is 70 percent
because the human body is 70 percent water we have a natural affinity for
water we have a natural affinity for water of all kinds especially bodies of
water of all kinds especially bodies of water
water whenever you sit quietly next to a body
whenever you sit quietly next to a body of water your mind soon becomes calm and
of water your mind soon becomes calm and clearer and your intuitive senses begin
clearer and your intuitive senses begin to flow like a river
to flow like a river if you are not near water you can just
if you are not near water you can just think about a body of water
think about a body of water think about a lake or the ocean or even
think about a lake or the ocean or even a quiet stream where the water babbles
a quiet stream where the water babbles along in front of you
along in front of you thinking about water in this way relaxes
thinking about water in this way relaxes your mind and stimulates ideas and
your mind and stimulates ideas and insights into your current situation
insights into your current situation even sitting by a swimming pool in the
even sitting by a swimming pool in the silence gazing out of the water before
silence gazing out of the water before you has a calming effect on your mind
you has a calming effect on your mind and emotions
the practice of meditation meditation is practiced by millions of
meditation is practiced by millions of people all over the world on a daily
people all over the world on a daily basis and sometimes several times a day
basis and sometimes several times a day in meditation you sit in the Silence
in meditation you sit in the Silence with your eyes closed and breathe deeply
with your eyes closed and breathe deeply in and out focusing your attention on
in and out focusing your attention on your diaphragm the place where your
your diaphragm the place where your lungs meet your stomach
lungs meet your stomach many meditators use a mantra a simple
many meditators use a mantra a simple word or phrase such as peace love or
word or phrase such as peace love or Serenity which they repeat over and over
Serenity which they repeat over and over until they fall into a relaxed state of
until they fall into a relaxed state of Harmony and Bliss
Harmony and Bliss often meditators will sit in front of a
often meditators will sit in front of a candle in a darkened quiet room
candle in a darkened quiet room concentrating on their breathing for 20
concentrating on their breathing for 20 to 60 minutes
to 60 minutes there's even an app which shows a
there's even an app which shows a burning candle that you can sit and look
burning candle that you can sit and look at to help your meditation
at to help your meditation another method of metal relaxation is
another method of metal relaxation is called Walking meditation which is best
called Walking meditation which is best done in nature by yourself
done in nature by yourself you can walk around your neighborhood or
you can walk around your neighborhood or nearby park you can walk in the woods or
nearby park you can walk in the woods or along the beach you'll enjoy the same
along the beach you'll enjoy the same benefits of relaxation and enhanced
benefits of relaxation and enhanced creativity as you would sitting quietly
creativity as you would sitting quietly by yourself
by yourself as it happens not all people can
as it happens not all people can meditate Some people prefer sitting
meditate Some people prefer sitting still and looking outward with no
still and looking outward with no disturbances or interruptions this is
disturbances or interruptions this is called contemplation sitting with your
called contemplation sitting with your eyes open and simply allowing your mind
eyes open and simply allowing your mind to float freely without any attempt to
to float freely without any attempt to control your thoughts
control your thoughts either meditation or contemplation will
either meditation or contemplation will work for you in bringing you the peace
work for you in bringing you the peace you seek or the solutions that you are
you seek or the solutions that you are looking for
looking for the big payoff
the big payoff the French writer Pascal said all the
the French writer Pascal said all the problems of the human race stem from
problems of the human race stem from man's inability to sit quietly by
man's inability to sit quietly by himself in a room
himself in a room when you include periods of mindfulness
when you include periods of mindfulness Solitude meditation and contemplation in
Solitude meditation and contemplation in your life you'll feel happier healthier
your life you'll feel happier healthier and more in control of yourself and your
and more in control of yourself and your emotions
emotions the good news is that meditation
the good news is that meditation contemplation and Solitude are purely
contemplation and Solitude are purely beneficial Acts
beneficial Acts each of them lowers your flash point
each of them lowers your flash point reduces your stress and makes you more
reduces your stress and makes you more relaxed and resilient in the face of
relaxed and resilient in the face of day-to-day problems
day-to-day problems people report extraordinary benefits
people report extraordinary benefits from Mindful living enjoying greater
from Mindful living enjoying greater Clarity and alertness a heightened sense
Clarity and alertness a heightened sense of self-control and greater personal
of self-control and greater personal power
power they experience lower blood pressure
they experience lower blood pressure less stress better sleep Superior health
less stress better sleep Superior health and many other good things including
and many other good things including weight loss
weight loss resolve right now that you're going to
resolve right now that you're going to take a few minutes each day perhaps just
take a few minutes each day perhaps just five minutes at the beginning
five minutes at the beginning to sit perfectly still quietly with no
to sit perfectly still quietly with no distractions and just let your mind
distractions and just let your mind float peacefully think about your
float peacefully think about your breathing or think about water
breathing or think about water and the first time you practice this
and the first time you practice this mindfulness you'll be more alert and
mindfulness you'll be more alert and aware and feel better about yourself and
aware and feel better about yourself and your world
now here are three action exercises for you
you number one go into the silence on a
number one go into the silence on a regular basis once per day if possible
regular basis once per day if possible practice Solitude to tune into your
practice Solitude to tune into your higher powers
higher powers number two practice mindfulness slowing
number two practice mindfulness slowing down to increase your sense of awareness
down to increase your sense of awareness when you eat work and talk with others
when you eat work and talk with others and number three practice meditation for
and number three practice meditation for a few minutes each day by closing your
a few minutes each day by closing your eyes while you sit peacefully and let
eyes while you sit peacefully and let your mind flow like a quiet stream
summary the most valuable and important thing
the most valuable and important thing you do is to think the quality of your
you do is to think the quality of your thinking especially about time
thinking especially about time determines the quality of your life
determines the quality of your life continually stop and ask what is the
continually stop and ask what is the most appropriate type of time for me to
most appropriate type of time for me to use in this situation
use in this situation when you take the time to think before
when you take the time to think before you react or respond you will always
you react or respond you will always make better decisions and get better
make better decisions and get better results
results good luck
good luck this is Brian Tracy
[Music] this has been a Gildan audio production
this has been a Gildan audio production [Music]
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for more affordable life-changing audio programs visit our website at
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