Your Environment Impacts Everything

May 7, 2017 by ·

Surfside Beach, SCAre You Even Aware?

This week marked a significant new chapter in my life. Several “ingredients” changed overnight. I moved to the Myrtle Beach, SC area. I started a new job. Now I’m surrounding myself with new people. The foods I’ve been eating have not been my normal diet. The amount of exercise I have been accustomed too has been impacted, in a negative way, due to five straight weeks of travel and moving.

How to Handle A New Environment

Over the past 5 1/2 years I have made three VERY significant geographic and career moves and each time I’ve learned a lot of new things. And, in some cases, having to learn some lessons again. If you find yourself in the midst of an environmental change these things will help you.

  1. Dive in head first and go all in.
  2. Don’t second guess your decision.
  3. Don’t let the challenges of learning an abundance of new things overwhelm you. You will learn how to get around the new city. You’ll find a new dentist. You’ll figure out where Starbucks is. You will figure out your new job. You will find a new gym. Whatever you need to learn, you’ll find a way.
  4. Start new habits and create new mindsets. Just because you’re in a new environment doesn’t mean habits and mindsets change automatically. Use the new environment as a catalyst to making needed changes.
  5. Explore your environment and be adventurous.
  6. Be grateful for your previous chapter, from the place you came from but look forward to what’s ahead even more.

Don’t ignore your environment. Embrace and engage with those parts that add value to your life and walk or RUN away from the parts that don’t.

 

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How Bad Do You Want Something New?

November 14, 2016 by ·

If You Want Something New

There are times in life when you have to make decisions, sometimes hard and at other times easy, to let things go. For your sake and the sake of others you have to say goodbye to a variety of things; people, relationships, a job, food or a hundred other things. You absolutely deserve to enjoy life and experience it to it’s fullest and the fact is, to do that, there are things you will have to say no too. You will have to put off things that might bring some quick satisfaction. You will have to do things that others don’t want too.

As Peter Drucker says, “If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.”

This past week we said goodbye and so long to a van that had been a part of our family for seventeen years. That van had done everything from haul trailer loads of manure to transporting my wife to the hospital to give birth to our fifth baby. It carried our family 700 miles to the wedding of my oldest son. That old van not only had a lot of great memories associated with it but there were a number of bad memories that I’d rather not talk about. Our Old Van

As I thought about dropping off our van at the salvage yard it caused me to think about other things in my life that I have dropped off or need to drop off at the salvage yard of life. There are mindsets, perspectives and beliefs that I have had to let go of and stop doing so that I could go after new things.

A couple of years ago I decided to stop living a very unhealthy life so that I could start living better and a more physically healthy life. I stopped sleeping in so I could exercise early in the morning. I stopped eating garbage all of the time so I could feel better. I stopped focusing on being a fat guy so I could become a more fit guy.

What’s something new you would like to do? To answer that you need to answer the other question of; what do you need to stop doing?

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5 Ways The Election Should Change Your Life

November 8, 2016 by ·

5 Ways The Election Should Change Your LifeThe 2016 election has brought out every emotion known to man. From anger and disgust to joy and surprise. It has unseated seemingly unknown bias’s some didn’t know or think they had. This election has caused some to question a lot of things about what they believe, where they live and what they want the future of our country to look like. For some the emotions they have experienced over the last year will continue and yet for others hopelessness, anxiety and fear will fill their thoughts.

As I have thought about the election I’ve come to the conclusion that your life, my life, will be changed. Some of those changes will happen immediately, some will take time. Some changes will be difficult while others will be easier and more enjoyable.

Here are five ways this election should change your life. Each of these require you to take action in spite of whoever leads our country, your city or your state.

Responsibility

You are responsible for where you find your place in life. From your career to relationships and health, all of those things are within your control. Don’t blame someone else, the government, circumstances or “bad luck”. Take responsibility for your successes and failures. If things in your life aren’t what you want, take responsibility and make the necessary changes.

Change

Understand that change begins with you. If you want to see things change in your community and country begin to show and model what that change looks like. Actions speak louder than words.

Unity

You play a key role in building bridges and reaching out to others to find common ground. Unity can’t be legislated or demanded by any law or government. Unity is born out of a desire to live in understanding with others. Even when there is disagreement and differing points of view there can be respect, honor and unity.

Work Hard

Hard work isn’t dependent on anyone else except you. It doesn’t matter who occupies a public office, you have the opportunity to rise up and carve out your place through hard work. Patience, persistence and perspiration are three things that will get you further than solely relying on your skills.

Golden Rule

The golden rule has always been the best way and will always be the best way – treat others how you want to be treated. If there is any one thing that you should have walked away with from this election it should be this. If you want to stand out and have a positive impact on those around you, treat them how you want to be treated.

What Do You Choose?

There are plenty of people, and maybe you are one, that believe the results of this election will totally upend your life for good or bad. At the end of the day you have the ability and the right to choose how you respond to the results. Your future is in your hands.

Take responsibility and let change begin in and with you. Be intentional about building relationships with those who share different beliefs and opinions. Work hard and when you feel like you have worked hard, work harder. And lastly treat others with respect, honor and how you want to be treated.

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3 Things You Need More Than Skill To Succeed

November 1, 2016 by ·

3 Things You Need More Than Skill To SucceedThis post is part of the Last 100 Days of 2016 Series. As of today there are 60 days left in 2016, what will you do with them?

You may have the degree, knowledge and skills but if you are missing these three critical traits all of that won’t be enough. It’s one thing to know and understand the things you’ve been taught but life gets real, real quick, when the rubber meets the road. There are three things you must possess and practice IN ADDITION to your knowledge and skills.

Napoleon Hill said, “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.”

Patience

There’s no such thing as an overnight success. There’s not a magic pill or silver bullet that launches you into your dream life. There isn’t a shortcut or formula that allows you to fast forward into success. The bottom line and what no one likes to hear is that life will always require you to be patient and that’s not a bad thing.

When satisfaction is delayed the appreciation you feel and gratification you have means a lot more. When you have to wait for something it forces you to come up with creative alternatives. Change your perspective on patience and let patience change your perspective.

Persistence

The ability to stick with something has become a rare commodity. Where are those still say, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going?” Do you let yourself off to easy when something becomes too challenging? Do you back down when things don’t go your way? Have you thrown up your hands and “surrendered” when you can’t do something?

It’s a hard fact but life requires you to become persistent. Whether you like it or not you have to develop persistence in life. Persistence begins in your mind and makes the decision, over and over again that you will not quit, that you will not give up.

Perspiration

Hustle and grind may be overused and considered cliche’ but they are still great words to describe what you have to do day in and day out to succeed in anything. Life requires hard work. To become successful in anything; job, relationships, finances or health it’s going to take sacrifice, hard work and perspiration.

When it comes to perspiration and productivity Jim Rohn says, “You won’t be happy if you don’t produce. The game of life is not rest. Yes, we must rest, but only long enough to gather strength to get back to productivity.”

Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying ignoring your loved ones and trading your health for longer hours on the job is what you need to be doing seven days a week. No doubt, there are seasons throughout life that require long hours. There are times in our life that will require more sacrifice than others. But, those seasons are just that, a season and seasons change.

Make The Decision

Make the decision right now, maybe even say it out loud, that you will embrace patience, become persistent and sweat to achieve what you set out too. You have it in you, don’t hold back, push through resistance to see what happens when these three things become part of who you are and how you approach life.

 

 

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Success Is Found When You Are Being YOU!

October 27, 2016 by ·

being who you are is your competitive advantage

Who Are YOU?

Earlier this week I was listening to Andy Frisella’s latest podcast and he made this quote, “Being who you are is your competitive advantage”. It’s funny, actually sad, that when you were young your number one goal was to fit in, to make friends by doing the “cool” things, to do whatever it took to blend in and be accepted into whatever crowd you had your sights on.

Identity Crisis

Instead of growing up secure in your own identity and confident with your own personality you grew up and, in many cases, are still trying to figure out “WHO” you are. Let me encourage you today – throw off the mindset of trying to be who “THEY” think you should be and be who YOU are. In the end YOU will be noticed, accepted and find your place of success and fulfillment because you are being you and that IS YOUR competitive advantage.

Take A Chance On Yourself

When you make the decision to cooperate with your strengths and personality you will find success. When you stop trying to fit into someone else’s perception of you, you will find success. When you stop trying to cram a square peg (YOU) into a round hole (NOT YOUR STRENGTH) and focus on what you do well you’ll stop living in anxiety and fear and start living in your own success.

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Sometimes It Is About Working Harder Not Smarter

October 12, 2016 by ·

work harder - not smarterThis post is part of the Last 100 Days of 2016 Series. As of today there are 81 days left in 2016, what will you do with them?

We have all heard the statement “work smarter, not harder”. And while that’s a true statement it doesn’t AND can’t replace the fact that sometimes you need to work harder. Sometimes it means getting up earlier or staying up later. Sometimes, actually most of the time, it requires you to sacrifice and do things that are uncomfortable and take you out of your comfort zone.

Here are 10 quotes that will motivate you to work harder and not just smarter.

  1. “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
    –Colin Powell
  2. “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it”
    — Thomas Jefferson
  3. “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.”
    — Babe Ruth
  4. “Plans are only good intentions unless they immediately degenerate into hard work.”
    –Peter Drucker
  5. “Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” – Stephen King
  6. “Nothing worth having comes easy.” – Theodore Roosevelt
  7. “The dictionary is the only place that success comes before work. work is the key to success, and hard work can help you accomplish anything.” –  Vince Lombardi
  8. “All roads that lead to success have to pass through hard work boulevard at some point.”– Eric Thomas
  9. “The three great essentials to achieve anything worthwhile are, first, hard work; second, stick-to-itiveness; third, common sense.” – Thomas A. Edison
  10. “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” – Steve Jobs

Don’t get me wrong, there are definitely times where you need to learn more and become smarter. But, don’t fall into the trap of feeling you haven’t learned enough and become smart enough to get the work done. Sometimes you just need to take the first step, do what you know to do and when you don’t know what to do next then learn and become smarter.

You’ll never have everything figured out when you begin. And after you begin you’ll realize you know even less than you thought you did. The important thing is to get to work!

 

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Are You Fed Up With Failure?

October 2, 2016 by ·

I Can Accept Failure - I Can't Accept Not Trying AgainThis post is part of the Last 100 Days of 2016 Series. As of today there are 90 days left in 2016, what will you do with them?

How many times have you tried something only to fail? If you are breathing you have had a long history with failure. When you were learning to ride a bike, you would fall, get back on and start pedaling and trying again. Go back a few years before that when you were learning to walk, you would fall, get back up and try again. Think about your career; a growing and thriving career requires that you continually learn new things. And let’s face it, most times, we don’t pick up new skills right away – it usually takes a while. 

When failure presents itself it provides you with the opportunity to make a critical decision. And that decision is this; will you try again OR will you give up? Will you make the decision to go after that gaol one more time OR will you become stuck in regret?

Trying again starts with your mindset. If your head, your mind, isn’t in the right place the ability to try again is almost non-existent. Here are three practices that will help you maintain a strong mindset that will enable you to try again and not give up.

Change Your Perspective

Instead of labeling the failure as the end all reframe failure as a learning experience. Step back and take a look at what worked and what didn’t work with your plan. Learn from it but don’t take it as a death sentence.

Kick Fear in The Face

One of the greatest enemies to trying again is fear. You begin to think you can never do the thing you’ve set out to accomplish. You let fear tell you that you don’t have what it takes. You let the fear of what others will think of you “trying again” hold you back. You have to put on your boots, face your fears and then…with those boots…KICK FEAR IN THE FACE!!!

Good People

Surround yourself with people who will pick you up and push your forward. Good people and good relationships are good for the soul. After you have experienced some kind of failure you don’t need people around you that will bring you down even more. Find people that want the best for you and tap into their positive energy and encouragement.

Remember – it’s only failure when you stop trying – don’t stop – keep going!

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The One Who Struggles Hasn’t Quit

February 16, 2016 by ·

If you are struggling it means you haven’t quit – you are still fighting – you are refusing to give up until the change you want to see happens. Struggle means that you are alive, have something to live for and it means you can still win! But if you are going to stay in the fight and continue until you overcome you are going to need fuel for the fight.

the one who struggles hasn't quit

Three Keys to Winning The Struggle

Know Your Why

When you identify your “why” you will have more fuel to fight. What is your purpose? What are you passionate about? What are you skills and expertise? Where do you add the most value to those around you? If you can answer these questions you are going to be on step closer to winning the struggle you are facing.

Vision For Victory

The Bible says that without a vision people perish. One of the greatest all-time business leaders, Jack Welch said, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion.” Welch’s advice applies to us all.

You must have a clear vision that you can easily explain. Without knowing what and where your target is you will never hit it. Then you have to passionately own and commit yourself to that vision. You have to be all in, to the end.

Surround Yourself With the Right People

When you are in the heat of battle you need others who are willing to stand by your side. You need people speaking words that propel your forward. The right people are those who are willing to tell you like it is, to speak the truth and hold you accountable. You need to surround yourself with others who want to see you win and help you get there.

Don’t Give Up!

You have it within yourself to win. The struggle may be intense and seem like a mountain that is impossible to climb. But when you know your why, have a clear vision and are keeping the right company you will win the fight.

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Joy in Giving

July 3, 2009 by ·

Today my oldest and one and only daughter turns 20 (that’s another blog). A couple of hours ago my six year old came down to my office to ask if he could give her a card that he had made for her. I told him yes and he became extremely excited and run fill tilt go get his card to give his big sister. The ultimate joy for him was in giving.

What are the little things we can do or ‘give’ to others? I’m just finishing reading How Full Is Your Bucket which is all about giving – giving encouragement and building up others.

Take time to give today – give an extra mile to a customer, a peer, your boss or maybe a complete stranger.

Filed Under: Personal Growth ·