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PERSONAL GROWTH

PERSONAL GROWTH
By Dr. John C. Maxwell

I vividly remember a conversation I had many years ago in 1974,
which marked a turning point in my leadership journey. I was
sitting at a Holiday Inn with my friend, Kurt Campmeyer, when he
asked me if I had a personal growth plan. I didn’t. In fact, I
didn’t even know you were supposed to have one.

Up until that point, the best term for my growth would be
“accidental growth.” I didn’t grow on purpose, but I loved
people and worked hard so that I caught a few things along the
way.

That night with Kurt, I realized that to grow like I wanted, my
personal development couldn’t be hit-and-miss. I needed to
initiate and activate. I made a decision to devote myself to
personal growth. I literally made personal growth my personal
mission.

In my book “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”, I talk about
the Law of Process, which says, “Leaders develop daily, not in a
day.” Our natural inclination is to overestimate the event and
underestimate the process. We wait for a special occasion or an
intense experience to boost our growth instead of appreciating
the process. In the words of my friend Kevin Myers: “Everyone is
looking for a quick fix, but what they really need is fitness.” 

We don’t mature momentarily, but over the long-term. As we
continue on our quest to become more skillful as leaders, let’s
look at seven statements about the growth process.

1. Growth is not automatic. Paul Harvey said it best: “You can
tell you’re on the road to success; it’s uphill all the way.”
You can’t coast uphill. Growth doesn’t happen by itself; it
requires an active investment of time.

Earl Nightengale said, “If you’ll spend one hour a day, every
day for five years on a given subject, within five years you’ll
become an expert on that subject.” In 1974, I made that
decision—to set aside one hour per day for personal growth. Over
thirty years later, I find that the more I learn and grow, the
more precious that hour is to me.

2. Growth is the great separator between those who succeed and
those who do not. When I see a person beginning to separate
themselves from the pack, it’s almost always due to personal
growth. As Bennis & Nanus say, “It is the capacity to develop
and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from
followers.”

When I went to college, there was no gap between me and my peers,
none at all. Since 1974, I have diligently followed through on
my commitment to grow an hour every day, and now the gap, in
most cases, is wide. Am I smarter than my former classmates? Not
at all. Many of them danced circles around me academically. The
growth factor—my long-term commitment to personal development—
made the difference.

3. Growth takes time, and only time can reveal certain lessons
to us. We’ve all heard, “Experience is the best teacher,” but it
never has been and never will be. Evaluated experience is the
best teacher. Reflective thinking is required to turn experience
into insight. If you’re a young LW subscriber without a wealth of
personal experience, borrow the experience.  Ask questions,
listen, and learn from a successful leader that has gone before
you.

4. The more we grow, the more we know we need to grow. In other
words, when you start developing yourself, instead of feeling
wise, you’ll be struck by how much you don’t know. Alvin Toffler,
in “Future Shock”, once observed, “The illiterate of the future
are not those who cannot read or write, but those who cannot
learn, unlearn, and relearn.” 

5. Growth equals change. To develop, we must step away from
comfort and welcome fresh and challenging experiences. Growth
demands a temporary surrender of security. It may mean giving up
familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work,
values no longer believed in, and relationships that have lost
their meaning.

6. Growth inside fuels growth outside. The highest reward of our
toil is not what we get for it, but what we become by it. At the
age of 17, I decided to read extensively, file my favorite
articles, and prepare lessons. Little did I realize that out of
the simple discipline of reading, filing, and preparing lessons,
I would receive content, develop creativity, begin to speak, and
eventually author numerous books.

7. Choose to grow in the areas of your strengths, not in the
areas of your weakness.  There are only four things I do well,
just four, and I focus exclusively on them. I lead, communicate,
create, and network. That’s it. I spend all of my time on one of
those four strength zones. The secret of successful people lies
in their ability to discover their strengths and to organize
their life so that these strengths can be applied.

Benjamin Franklin personifies the spirit of inventiveness of the
modern world. His accomplishments read like an almanac of
greatness:

Inventor; poet; philosopher; pamphleteer; distinguished member
of three national academies of science; America’s first
Postmaster General; founder of Philadelphia’s first police
force, lending library, and the academy later to become the
University of Pennsylvania; founder of the first fire insurance
company; delegate to the Constitutional Convention; Drafter of
the Declaration of Independence; one of America’s most effective
statesmen and ambassadors. 

Yet for all of his achievements, the epitaph that Franklin wrote
for himself simply reads, “Here lies the body of Ben Franklin,
printer.”

In honoring his humble roots as a printer’s apprentice, Benjamin
Franklin reveals the mystery to his greatness. It was in the
world of printing where Franklin was first exposed to new books,
writers, and ideas. His fame, accomplishments, and accolades
would never have been possible without the love of learning and
habits of growth imprinted in his life during his early days as
a printer.

“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

Practice Uncommon Appreciation

Practice Uncommon Appreciation
by Jack Canfield

A recent management study revealed that 46% of employees leaving a company do so because they feel unappreciated; 61% said their bosses don’t place much importance on them as people; and 88% said they don’t receive acknowledgement for the work they do.

Whether you are an entrepreneur, manager, teacher, parent, coach or simply a friend, if you want to be successful with other people, you must master the art of appreciation.

I’ve never known anyone to complain about receiving too much positive feedback. Have you? In fact, just the opposite is true.

Keeping Score

When I first learned about the power of appreciation, it made total sense to me. However, it was still something that I forgot to do. I hadn’t yet turned it into a habit. A valuable technique that I employed to help me lock in this new habit was to carry a 3” x 5” card in my pocket all day, and every time I acknowledged and appreciated someone, I would place a check mark on the card. I would not allow myself to go to bed until I had appreciated 10 people. If it was late in the evening and I didn’t have 10 check marks, I would appreciate my wife and children, I would send an e-mails to several of my, or I would write a letter to my mother or stepfather.

I did whatever it took until it became an unconscious habit. I did this every single day for 6 months—until I no longer needed the card to remind me.

Who Cares?

If asked, could you name the five wealthiest people in the world, or five people who have won the Nobel Prize, or the last five Academy Award winners for best actor and actress?

The point is none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers either; they are the best in their fields.

But if I asked you to list five teachers or mentors who believed in and encouraged you, five friends who have helped you through a difficult time, five people who have taught you something worthwhile, or five people who have made you feel appreciated and special – that’s much easier to do, isn’t it?

That’s because the people who make a difference in your life aren’t the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They’re the ones who care.

If you want to be remembered for being important to someone else’s life, make them feel appreciated.

Appreciation as a Secret of Success

Another important reason for being in a state of appreciation as often as possible is that when you are in such a state, you are in one of the highest emotional states possible.

When you are in a state of appreciation and gratitude, you are in a state of abundance. You are appreciating what you do instead of focusing on, and complaining about, what you don’t have. Your focus is on what you have received… and you always get more of what you focus on. And because the law of attraction states that like attracts like, the more you are in a state of gratitude, the more you will attract to be grateful for. It becomes an upward-spiraling process of ever-increasing abundance that just keeps getting better and better.

Think about it. The more grateful people are for the gifts we give them, the more inclined we are to give them more gifts. Their gratitude and appreciation reinforces our giving. The same principle holds true on a universal and spiritual level as it does on an interpersonal level.

I challenge you to discover ways to immediately appreciate someone in your life, starting today!

For more on this topic, read Chapter 53 in The Success Principles. It will give you great suggestions and ideas on how you, too, can find ways to appreciate those in your life.

© 2008 Jack Canfield

Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly
“Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on October 1st!
www.AskJackCanfield.com

* * *

Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

CREDIBLE COMMUNICATION

CREDIBLE COMMUNICATION
by John C. Maxwell

Before jumping into this edition’s lesson on credibility, I’d
like to thank John Baldoni for the wonderful thoughts he
provided in “Great Communication Secrets of Great Leaders”.  His
ideas helped to shape this lesson, and I would recommend his
book to LW subscribers studying communication.

Credibility is a leader’s currency. With it he or she is solvent;
without it he or she is bankrupt.

Consider this metaphor: A leader with credibility has a
pocketful of coins. As long as the pocket is full, the leader is
believable, worthy of respect, and able to be trusted. Each time
the leader breaks a promise or acts inconsistently with
professed values, he or she must pay out some of the coins in
their pocket. When the coins are gone, so is the leader’s
credibility. No amount of persuasion or personal appeal will be
able to buy it back. Once lost, respect and trust take years to
regain.

Here are the four keys to establishing credibility in your
leadership:

1) Speak the truth. 

Be honest and upfront. Transparency breeds legitimacy—make it a
priority to be open with financial statements, policies, and
decision-making rationale.

When I began my pastorate in San Diego, I followed the founding
pastor who was retiring after having led the congregation for 27
years. He had a tremendous amount of trust in his bank account
with the people, and he deserved it because he was a phenomenal
leader.

As a young man, coming in after the departure of such a well-
respected and admired veteran, I knew my success hinged upon my
ability to earn the trust of the church. So, one Sunday night a
month, for several months, I would invite congregants to the
church and spend a full hour answering any questions they had
for me. At the first Q&A session, 600 people came. My sincerity
and openness in fielding questions disarmed them, and it laid a
solid foundation of credibility from which I could operate.

2) Don’t hide bad news. 

With corporate scandals at Enron, WorldCom, and Arthur Andersen
seared in our collective memories, we have entered an era in
which transparency is demanded like never before. With multiple
information channels available, bad news always becomes known,
so it behooves management to be candid right from the start.

Winston Churchill is a classic example of a leader who
communicated bad news frankly and honestly. In the midst of
World War II, he let the British know they were in their darkest
hour, their backs were up against the wall, and that democratic
civilization rested upon their ability to win the war against
Hitler. He never sugarcoated anything, and his sincerity
instilled a grim determination in his people to sacrifice and
persevere.

3) Never over-promise.

Do not make promises you cannot keep. Why do you think
politicians have such a poor reputation? It’s very simple. They
promise the world and seldom deliver.

I am naturally optimistic, and as my children were growing up, I
found over-promising to be a weakness of mine. I would talk with
my kids about going to exciting places and doing fun activities,
but then my schedule wouldn’t allow me to follow through with my
intentions. I had to be very careful about what I said so that
my children would be able to trust my words. Remember: A highly
credible leader under-promises and over-delivers.

4) Do what you say you will do.

Follow up and follow through. Unfortunately, many in the
corporate world politely make offers with no intent of carrying
them out. After meetings and phone calls, follow up with a
reminder email outlining the action items discussed and
agreements made.

How many times have you been in a business meeting that ended
with warm handshakes but empty commitments? When you say you’ll
pass along a friend’s contact information to a business
associate, do it. When you agree to meet with a potential
partner, make it a point to schedule the meeting onto your
calendar. Diligent follow through will set you apart from the
crowd and communicate excellence to those you meet.

Credibility is the bond between the leader and the follower, and
it forms the bedrock of why people will do what the leader asks
of them. Even the best leaders may suffer a blow to their
credibility. This may be the result of a mistake or error in
judgment. Or, circumstances may conspire against the leader,
such as adverse market conditions or the failure of a supplier
or partner.

As a leader, how can you restore damaged credibility? Let me
give you three steps.

1) Acknowledge the mistake

When decisions turn out unexpectedly, the leader owes his or her
followers an explanation. The egos of leaders can make them
quick to assign blame or make excuses, but the problem compounds
when a leader does not acknowledge mistakes. The acknowledgement
should be on the front end, and should be voluntary. A forced
acknowledgement (“Because I got caught, I’d like to acknowledge
this”) does nothing to reestablish trust.

2) Apologize

Admit what you did was wrong, accept responsibility, and say you
are sorry. To do it may be painful for the moment, but it will
shorten the agony and enable the leader to put the incident
behind him or her. 

3) Make Amends 

Find a way to make amends to the people you’ve wronged. Make
restitution to those you’ve harmed. You may not be required to
do so, but a trustworthy leader goes the extra mile to remedy
strained relationships.
“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

How to Accelerate Your Success with a Mastermind Group

How to Accelerate Your Success with a Mastermind Group
by Jack Canfield

We all know that two heads are better than one when it comes to solving a problem or creating a result. So imagine having a permanent group of five or six people who meet every week for the purpose of problem solving, brainstorming, networking, and encouraging and motivating each other!

This process is called masterminding and is one of the most effective success tools you can adopt! It is a powerful way to support your dreams and bring unlimited resources to your business and personal life.

Participating in a mastermind group has been critical to me. I can’t imagine achieving all I have without one, and it certainly made my goals happen much faster.

A Process for Accelerating Your Growth

The basic philosophy of a mastermind group is that more can be achieved in less time when people work together. Sometimes called a “dream team”, your mastermind group is made up of two or more individuals who voluntarily come together on a regular basis – weekly, biweekly, or monthly – to share ideas, thoughts, information, feedback and resources.

Your group can be composed of people from your own industry or profession or people from all walks of life. You can focus on business, increasing each other’s income, building a business, raising better kids, or solving a social problem.

Within your mastermind group, you benefit from the other members who empower you and draw out your full talents, resources and abilities. They trigger, stimulate, and motivate you to become all you are capable of being.

Creating Your Dream Team

The key is to choose people who are already where you’d like to be in your life – or who are at least a level above you. In forming your mastermind group, start by carefully enrolling another friendly, on-purpose, like-minded individual. Start by meeting together and then adding other selected, unanimously agreed-upon individuals who will work in total harmony for the good of each other and for the good of the group.

1. Your Dream Team should consist of 4-8 people. Most people find that 6 is the ideal number.

2. Meet weekly, if possible, for an hour to an hour and a half. This meeting must be held sacred as a life-enhancing priority. The meetings should be upbeat, enriching, encouraging and beneficial to each individual and the group’s purposes. I always start our meetings with a prayer or an invocation. You could also start with an inspiring story.

3. Each member must agree to play all out — to openly share ideas, support, contacts, information, feedback, and anything else that will help advance the individual and group goals.

4. Start by having each member share something positive and good that happened since the last meeting.

5. Next, have each member share an opportunity or problem they have experienced since the last meeting and ask for whatever support they would like on it. Appoint a time-keeper to make sure that everyone gets the same amount of time. This is important if you want your group to last. Everyone must get value at each meeting.

6. End by sharing appreciations and acknowledgements.

You’ll find one of the real values of a mastermind group is the accountability factor – other members checking up on you to make sure you meet your stated commitments. It’s one way to ensure you’ll accomplish a lot more!

For more details about masterminding, read Success Principle #46 in The Success Principles book or utilize the mastermind worksheets found in The Success Principles 30-day Audio Course.

© 2008 Jack Canfield

Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send me your most pressing question about this topic, then join me for our monthly “Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on May 7th!
www.AskJackCanfield.com

Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Words To Learn By

Words To Learn By
by John C. Maxwell

In my years studying leadership and evaluating leaders, I have
stumbled across a leadership shortcoming that continually amazes
me. Leaders will manage a team, work with the same individuals
every day, yet hardly know anything about their people! These
leaders have never prioritized acquainting themselves with the
dreams, thoughts, hopes, opinions, and values of those they lead.

The best leaders are readers of people. They have the intuitive
ability to understand others by discerning how they feel and
recognizing what they sense.

I have found that leaders overestimate the amount of time and
effort needed to get to know someone. In fact, in only one hour
with you in private conversation, I could, probably by asking
three questions, find the passion of your life:

What do you dream about?

A person’s dreams are powerful revealers of passion. When a
person starts to talk about their dreams it’s as if something
bubbles up from within. Their eyes brighten, their face glows,
and you can feel the excitement in their words.

What do you cry about? 

Passion can be uncovered by peering into the hurts deep inside a
human soul. The experience of pain or loss can be a formidably
motivating force. When listening to a story of grief, you hear a
voice thick with emotion, you see watery eyes flooded with
feeling, and in that moment you glimpse the intense connections
between a person’s deepest pain and their greatest passion.

What makes you happy?

I have fun hearing what makes people tick and seeing the smile
that comes when they talk about where they find joy. Enjoyment
is an incredible energizer to the human spirit.  When a person
operates in an area of pleasure, they are apt to be brimming
with life and exuding passion.

If you can uncover a person’s dreams, hurts, and joys, you’ve
discovered the central dimensions of their life. This lesson is
designed to show you the types of questions that can draw out
the passion inside of a person. I’ve included my own answers to
give you an understanding of how the process works. Try to limit
your answers to one or two words. Also, notice how each question
is asked both positively (what makes you happy) and negatively
(what makes you cry). I have found that by expressing opposite
feelings and emotions, you reveal your true inner self.

To maximize this lesson, I’ll give you four easy assignments.
1. Ask yourself and answer the questions posed in the lesson. In
doing so, you’ll enhance your self-awareness.
2. Share your answers with your team to allow them to learn about
you.
3. Ask your team to answer the questions to encourage their self-
discovery.
4. Ask your team to share their answers with one another. This
practice will bring team members closer together.

What is your biggest asset? 
My greatest asset is my attitude. I discovered this when I was
in high school, and the coach of my basketball team appointed me
as team captain at the beginning of the year.

I was surprised, because I wasn’t the best player on the team.
John Thomas was the best player.  I was the second or third best
player, but I wasn’t the best.  I was sitting on the floor of
the gymnasium with my teammates, and I think the same question
was in all of our minds—why is John Maxwell going to be the
captain of the team?  Anticipating our questions, our coach gave
an explanation, “Of all the players on this team, the kid with
the best attitude is John Maxwell. He doesn’t get discouraged,
he believes that we’ll win the game, and he’s going to be the
captain of the team.”

What is your biggest liability?
My biggest liability is unrealistic expectations. As with many
weaknesses, my unrealistic expectations are the Achilles Heel of
my strength.

Many years ago I quit hiring, and I have stayed away from it ever
since because I’m a terrible hirer. Why? Because I naturally
look for the best in people. When I see a potential employee, I
see the raw talent, and I begin thinking how I can help shape
the person into a star. I’ve had numerous failures hiring lousy
leaders because I convinced myself I could mold a flawed leader
into a top performer.

What do you like most from others?
For me, it’s encouragement. Encouragement is the oxygen of the
soul, in that it allows you to breathe. Encouragement supports
and sustains leadership, especially during the hard times.

What do I like least from others?
I cannot stand people who make excuses—blamers, complainers, and
explainers who refuse to accept responsibility for their
mistakes.

I admire a person who will admit their faults since it shows me
the inner character of that individual. I can accept another’s
imperfection if they take ownership of their errors because
we’re all human, and we all fail from time to time.

What is the best thing to have?
I think the best thing to have is friends. For me nothing
compares to the joy and fulfillment of going through life with
friends you can laugh with, cry with, and celebrate alongside.

What is the worst thing not to have?
I can’t imagine a life without hope. Even if my health is failing
or my financial situation is grim, if I have hope, I can see a
way out of my difficulties.

Hope is the foundation of all change. When people come to me as
leaders and they say, “I want to create change within my
organization. What should I do?” My response is the obvious
answer, “You have to create hope.” Nobody changes unless they
think life is going to improve. Hope is the motivation that
allows people to change.

“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

Where are Your Habits Leading You?

Where are Your Habits Leading You?
by Jack Canfield

You are an accumulation of your habits. From how you get out of bed, how you shower, how you dress, how you walk, sit, and talk, how you respond to the world, how you act in front of others, and how you think; you’re living out your habits.

Habits are necessary. They free up your mind so you can concentrate on how to survive day to day. You don’t have to think about how to drive your car so you can be on the look out for danger while you are driving. You don’t have to think about how to walk so you can concentrate on where you’re going.

Unfortunately, habits can also keep you locked in self-destructive patterns, which will limit your success. To become successful, you will need to drop bad habits and develop new ones that are in line with the life you want to live.

People don’t suddenly appear in the life they want to live, habits determine their outcome!

What are the habits you have that are keeping you from achieving your goals? Really be honest with yourself here… Are you always running late? Do you return phone calls within 24 hours? Do you get enough sleep? Do you follow through on your promises? Do you plan out your day?

Imagine what your life would be like if all those habits were their productive counterparts.

What would your life be like if you ate healthy meals, exercised and got enough sleep? What if you saved money, stopped using credit cards and paid cash for everything? What if you stopped procrastinating, overcame your fears, and began networking with people in your field? Would your life be different? I bet it would!

So, my suggested action step for you is to write down some productive habits you could adopt and visualize in your life, step wto is to ‘act as if’ you were living these new habits right now!

I’d like to help you get moving toward creating more successful habits, so I’d recommend you develop four of your new success habits each year, one for each quarter.

Once you pick the new habit you’re ready to adopt, next you’ll want to create a method that will support your new habit.

Here are some ideas… You could write it down on a card that you keep with you and read several times a day. You could make it a part of your daily visualization. You could also enlist the help of an accountability partner who has habits to change.

It’s important to make a 100% commitment to your new habit, so be specific about the steps that you’re willing to take in order to drop an old habit and adopt a new one. Don’t be vague about how you will change your habits. Spell it out for yourself so you can recognize situations that motivate you to act out your new habit.

Just developing four new habits a year will dramatically shift your life to be more in line with your vision. And the more in line it becomes, the easier the other habits are to replace because your perspective is shifting and you can see more clearly how your old habits aren’t serving you anymore.

Make the decision. Make the commitment. Then watch your new, positive life unfold!

©2007 Jack Canfield

Are you ‘stuck’ in this area?
Send me your most pressing question, then join me for our monthly
‘Ask Jack Canfield’ Tele-Clinic on Wednesday, November 7th!
www.AskJackCanfield.com

Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

PICKING POTENTIAL LEADERS – PART 2

PICKING POTENTIAL LEADERS – PART 2
by John C. Maxwell

The Law of the Inner Circle: Those who are closest to me will
determine the level of my success.

In the last edition of “Leadership Wired”, I shared four of the
eleven questions I ask myself when selecting leaders to serve
beside me:
1. Do I see a constructive spirit of discontent?
2. Do they offer practical ideas?
3. When they speak, who listens?
4. Do others respect them?

Your inner circle will prop you up or pull you down as a leader.
You cannot afford to place the wrong people by your side. An
unethical or divisive leader can be poison to the bloodstream of
an entire organization. That’s why I’m a firm believer in making
a comprehensive evaluation of a potential hire.  Here are
questions 5-11 that I ask when choosing potential leaders:

5. Can they create or catch a vision?

I have a subset of four questions I try to answer when
evaluating a potential leader’s ability to catch or cast a
vision:

Are they able to become a part of someone else’s vision before
they demand that others follow their vision?
I watch emerging leaders to see if they can catch a vision
before I determine whether or not they can create a vision. I
look for potential leaders who are willing to follow before they
lead. I want to see if they can serve before they empower.

Do they add value to the vision given to them?
In other words, do they have the creativity to take a vision and
make it better?  Rather than blindly implementing the vision of
another leader, potential leaders are able to improve upon the
vision and make enhancements to it.

Do they show a high level of commitment to the vision? 
After they buy into the vision, I want to know if they will pay
the price to make the dream a reality. Potential leaders are
willing to take responsibility for the vision.

Are they passionate about the vision?
A person can accept a vision and take steps toward its
fulfillment, but I am searching for an added dimension of
excitement and energy. I want a person with a contagious passion
for the vision; someone with an infectious enjoyment who spreads
the vision to others.

6.  Do they show a willingness to take responsibility?

In my opinion, The Statue of Liberty should have a sister-statue—
The Statue of Responsibility. People are quick to defend against
infringements upon their freedom, but slow to take responsibility
for their actions.
Benjamin Franklin said, “I never knew a man that was good at
making excuses who was good at anything else.” Avoid choosing
employees who are unwilling to take ownership or averse to
responsibility. It’s easier to go from failure to success than
from excuses to success.

7.  Do they finish the job?

The bookends of success are initiative and closure. If you
cannot initiate, you cannot make things happen. If you cannot
close, things that could happen never will.

Take notice of the projects you delegate to a potential leader.
Do the jobs get completed 100%, or do they end up back at your
desk demanding time and attention? The answer will tell you a
lot about the leadership ability of the potential leader.

8.  Are they emotionally strong?

No one can lead without being criticized or facing
discouragement. A potential leader needs mental toughness. I
don’t want a mean leader, but I do want a tough-minded leader
who confronts reality and pays the price of success.

9. Do they possess strong people skills?

Leaders with people skills will be more enjoyable to work with,
and they will get more accomplished. Be wary of hiring a
potential leader without friendliness, tact, or team spirit. 

Observe whether the potential leader motivates or manipulates
others. Motivation is moving people for mutual advantage, and it
is a necessary leadership skill. Manipulation is moving people
for personal advantage. Manipulation is always wrong and damaging
to the health of teams and organizations.

Even without experience in a leadership position, potential
leaders are already exerting influence in some capacity.
Research their track record—both their achievements and their
impact on the lives of those nearest them. If they can lead
people without having a position, they’ll do very well when they
get one. If they can’t lead people without a position, giving
them a title will not help. The leader makes the position; the
position doesn’t make the leader.

10. Will they lead others with a servant’s heart?

Servant-leaders never pursue a mission at the expense of their
people. Rather, servant-leaders earn the loyalty and best
efforts of their people by serving the interests and investing
in the development of those they lead. A servant-leader leads to
see others succeed.

Rabbi Kushner was right when he said, “The purpose of life is
not to win. The purpose of life is to grow and to share. When
you come to look back on all that you’ve done in life, you will
get more satisfaction from the pleasure you have brought into
other people’s lives than you will from the times that you
outdid them and defeated them.”

11. Can they make things happen?

Some people make things happen, and others wonder what happened.
Make sure a potential leader can produce. 

Kansan poet Walt Mason gives expression to the value of a
results-oriented producer in his poem, “The Man Who Delivers the
Goods”.

There is a man in the world who never gets turned down,
Wherever he chances to stray.
He gets the glad hand in the populous town,
Or out where the farmers make hay;
He is greeted with pleasure on deserts of sands,
And deep in the isles of the woods;
Wherever he goes there is a welcoming hand—
He’s the man who delivers the goods.

One is too small a number to achieve greatness. To accomplish
anything of significance, you must have the right people by your
side. I trust these 11 questions will aid you as you pick
potential leaders.

“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

What You SAY is What You Get

What You SAY is What You Get
How to Speak Your Way to Success
by Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach

In the previous issue of Success Strategies, I talked about how in order to be successful, we must first define what success means to us, and that means getting CLEAR about what you want, writing it down, and thinking BIG!

If you are going to be successful in creating the life of your dreams, you have to believe that you are capable of making it happen. You have to believe you have the right stuff, that you are able to pull it off. You have to believe in yourself. Whether you call it self-esteem, self-confidence, or self-assurance, it is a deep-seated belief that you have what it takes – the abilities, inner resources, talents, and skills to create your desired results.

Ultimately, you must learn to control your self-talk, eliminate any negative and limiting beliefs, and maintain a constant state of positive expectations.

Control Your Self-Talk
Researchers have found that the average person thinks as many as 50,000 thoughts a day. Sadly, many of those thoughts are negative — I’m not management material… I’ll never lose weight… It doesn’t matter what I do, nothing ever works out for me. This is what psychologists call victim language. Victim language actually keeps you in a victim state of mind. It is a form of self-hypnosis that lulls you into a belief that you are unlovable and incompetent.

In order to get what you want from life, you need to give up this victim language and start talking to yourself like a winner — I can do it… I know there is a solution… I am smart enough and strong enough to figure this out… Everything I eat helps me maintain my perfect body weight.

You Are Always Programming Your Subconscious Mind
Your subconscious mind is like the crew of a ship. You are it’s captain. It is your job to give the crew orders. And when you do this, the crew takes everything you say literally. The crew (your subconscious) has no sense of humor. It just blindly follows orders. When you say, “Everything I eat goes straight to my hips,” the crew hears that as an order: Take everything she eats, turn it into fat and put it on her hips. On the other hand, if you say, “Everything I eat helps me maintain my perfect body weight,” the crew will begin to make that into reality by helping you make better food choices, exercise, and maintain the right metabolism rate for you body.

This power of your subconscious mind is the reason you must become very vigilant and pay careful attention to your spoken and internal statements. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize they are committing negative self-talk, which is why it is best to enlist another person — your success partner — in monitoring each other’s speaking. You can have a signal for interrupting each other when you use victim language.

Use Affirmations to Build Self-Confidence
One of the most powerful tools for building worthiness and self-confidence is the repetition of positive statements until they become a natural part of the way you think. These “affirmations” act to crowd out and replace the negative orders you have been sending your crew (your subconscious mind) all these years. I suggest that you create a list of 10 to 20 statements that affirm your belief in your worthiness and your ability to create the life of your dreams.

Of course, what to believe is up to you, but here are some examples of affirmations that have worked for others in the past:

I am worthy of love, joy and success.
I am smart and make wise choices.
I am loveable and capable.
I create anything I want.
I am able to solve any problem that comes my way.
I can handle anything that life hands me.
I have all the energy I need to do everything I want to do.
I am attracting all the right people into my life.

Believing in Yourself is an Attitude
Believing in yourself is a choice. It’s an attitude you develop over time. It’s now your responsibility to take charge of your own self-concept and your beliefs. It might help to know that the latest brain research now indicates that with enough positive self-talk and positive visualization combined with the proper training, coaching, and practice, anyone can learn to do almost anything.

You must choose to believe that you can do anything you set your mind to – anything at all – because, in fact, you can!

© 2007 Jack Canfield

Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

PICKING POTENTIAL LEADERS

PICKING POTENTIAL LEADERS
by John C. Maxwell

The Law of the Inner Circle: Those who are closest to me will
determine the level of my success.

The year was 1864. The battle for America’s future had been
raging for over two and a half years. Brother fought brother
and neighbor fought neighbor to determine the destiny of a
nation.

Despite having a superior economy, an enormous edge in resources,
and a far greater population, the North had been unable to gain
the upper hand in the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln was
frustrated at the North’s inability to achieve victory.

Lincoln was forced to confront the reality of the Law of the
Inner Circle. Although a brilliant leader, Lincoln was not a
military man. As such, his success overseeing the Civil War
depended upon finding a skillful field general to translate
material advantages into actual victories.

Lincoln’s two prior military commanders, George McClellan and
Henry Halleck, had failed miserably. Each had repeatedly
squandered opportunities to crush the Southern Army. With the
war’s outcome hanging in the balance, Lincoln’s next selection
would be one of the biggest decisions of his Presidency.

Noting the indecisiveness of previous army generals, Lincoln
chose tough-minded Ulysses S. Grant to lead the army. Grant’s
willingness to pay the price of a total war depleted the South’s
scant resources, and led to the North’s eventual victory.

Identifying Potential Leaders

Good leaders realize the significance of surrounding themselves
with talented people. That’s why leaders repeatedly ask me, “How
can I be sure to hire the right person?”

I have never discovered a foolproof hiring practice, but I do
know finding a great hire goes hand in hand with identifying
potential leaders.

Over the course of the next two editions of “Leadership Wired”,
I’ll explore eleven questions I use to spot a potential leader.
Before I begin, I’d like to give credit to my mentor and friend
Fred Smith. Several of these questions were developed from my
conversations with him.

1.  When looking for a leader, do I see a constructive spirit of
discontent?

Constructive discontent is a leader’s unscratchable itch.  It’s
the trait making a leader averse to average and opposed to the
status quo.

Potential leaders possessing constructive discontent will
question existing systems and push for improvements. They
perceive problems and come up with solutions.

As Kouzes and Posner say, leaders have a pioneering instinct.
They are not afraid to step out into the unknown. They are
willing to take risks, innovate, and experiment in order to find
new and better ways to operate.

2.  Do they offer practical ideas?

Highly original thinkers can have problems leading when they are
unable to judge their ideas realistically. Brainstorming is not
a helpful practice in leadership unless useful ideas are
generated. 

In the words of John Galsworthy, “Idealism increases in direct
proportion to one’s distance from the problem.” Potential
leaders have the rare ability to translate idealistic goals into
realistic and workable actions. Leaders are not frozen when
obstacles disrupt the perfect plan. They have the flexibility
and fortitude to account for resistance to the ideal.

3.  When they speak, who listens?

Potential leaders have a “holding court” quality about them.
Their words carry weight.  What they say is valuable and
inspires action.

When watching groups of people interact, in a matter of five
minutes, I can pick the leader every time. When it comes time
for the group to make a decision, all eyes focus upon the person
with the greatest influence.

The extent of a person’s influence speaks volumes about their
potential in leadership.  Here are seven key areas to evaluate
the level of influence in a possible hire:

Character — who they are.
Relationships — who they know.
Knowledge — what they know.
Passion — how strongly they feel.
Experience — where they’ve been.
Past successes — what they’ve done.
Ability — what they can do.

4.  Do others respect them?

Respect is vital for leadership, yet it can be difficult to
discern in young leaders who have not fully developed. Peer
respect doesn’t reveal ability, but it shows character. I’ll
conclude this edition with the following acronym on respect. I
have found it to be a helpful device to evaluate the
respectability of emerging leaders.

R — Respects their coworkers and exhibits self-respect. Instead
of asking for respect, they give it and earn it.

E — Exceeds the expectations of others. Naturally sets the bar
higher than anybody else sets it for them.

S — Stands firm on convictions and values.

P — Possesses maturity well beyond their years and shows self-
confidence.

E — Experiences a healthy family life. 

C — Contributes to the success of others.

T — Thinks ahead of others.  Potential leaders are marked by
their ability to outpace the thinking of those around them.

“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

How to Program Your Mind to Attract What You Want

Are You Confusing Your Brain?
How to Program Your Mind to Attract What You Want
by Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach

We all aspire to be, do and have great things. Yet most of us simply aren’t creating the results we want. We don’t have enough money, romance, success or joy in our lives. But what we need to understand is that greatness exists in all of us. It is simply up to us to pull it out of ourselves. We all have genius.
We just need to learn how to apply it.

Decide What You Want
In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want. Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can’t see how it’s possible to get what they want — so they don’t even let themselves want it.

Don’t sabotage yourself that way!

What scientists now know about how the brain works is that you must first decide WHAT you want, before your brain can figure out HOW to get it. Once you lock-in your desires, your mind and the universe can step in.

Are you ready to get started?

Be Willing to Dream Big Dreams
As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true. Big dreams not only inspire you, they compel others to want to play big, too.

Set Goals That Will Stretch You
Another value in giving yourself permission to go after the big dreams is that big dreams require you to grow in order to achieve them. In fact, in the long run, that is the greatest benefit you will receive from pursuing your dreams — not so much the outer trappings of fulfilling the dream (an expensive car, impressive house, loads of money and philanthropic opportunities), but who you become in the process.

As I’ve seen many times over, the outer symbols of success, can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go bankrupt, relationships end in divorce, cars get old, bodies age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned and the new skills you have developed never go away. These are the true prizes of success. Motivational philosopher, Jim Rohn advises that “You should set a goal big enough that in the process of achieving it, you become someone worth becoming.”

Service to Others
Something else you’ll discover is that when your dreams include service to others — accomplishing something that contributes to others — it also accelerates the accomplishment of that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.

Turn Your Dreams into Goals and Objectives
Once you are clear about what you want, you must turn each item into a measurable objective. By measurable, I mean measurable in space and time — how much and by when. For instance, if you were to tell me that you wanted more money, I might pull out a dollar and give it to you, but you would probably protest, saying “No, I meant a lot more money — like $20,000!” Well, how am I supposed to know unless you tell me? Similarly, your boss, your friends, your spouse, your brain — God, the Universe — can’t figure out what you want unless you tell them specifically what it is. What do you want — exactly — and when do you want it by?

Write Your Goals Down
Write your goals down in detail, and read your list of goals every day. This will keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want. For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and focus on each goal and ask yourself, “What is one thing I could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?” Write down your answers and take those actions.

To help your reticular activating system begin finding YOUR wants in unexpected places, take time now to decide what you want and start writing!

If you need help getting started, click here to download a simple form (.pdf document) you can use to document what you want from your life.

Remember, don’t hold back!

© 2006 Jack Canfield

THE CRUCIBLE

THE CRUCIBLE
By John C. Maxwell

Growing up, future United States President Harry Truman never thought of himself as a leader—nor did anyone else. With “eyeglasses thick as the bottom of a Coke bottle,” historian David McCullough writes that Truman couldn’t try out for school sports and mostly stayed home, working the farm, reading, or playing the piano.

But the course of his life changed forever when, as a young man, he signed up for the Army to fight in World War I. He was shipped off to France as the head of an artillery battery, and for the first time in his life he was forced to lead men through moments of mortal danger. His initial test came on a rainy night in the mountains. The Germans had dropped an artillery barrage close by, and his troops panicked and broke ranks. In the frenzy, Truman’s horse fell over on him, and he was nearly crushed. McCullough writes: “Out from under (the horse), seeing the others running, he just stood there, locked in place. He called them back, screaming as loudly as he could…shaming his men back to do what they were supposed to do.” The men regrouped, got through the night, and many of them returned home safely. Throughout the rest of their lives, those men were loyal to Harry Truman, their leader, who refused to back down in the face of his own fear.

According to McCullough, Truman discovered two vitally important things about himself that night. First, that he had plain physical courage; and second, that he was good at leading people. He learned that if the leader shows courage, it’s contagious.

In his conclusion on Truman’s life, McCullough writes: “And war was the crucible.”

A crucible is an opportunity, test, or emergency that summons the very best from a person and reveals their finest inner qualities. Once a potential leader experiences a crucible, they are transformed forever. The crucible is a challenge or crisis that proves the leadership capacity lying within a person and becomes a defining moment in their leadership journey.

Qualities of the Crucible

They Happen To Every Emerging Leader.

Leadership has to be tested and proven; and the only way this happens is through the crucible. First of all, the crucible is a necessary test for leaders to find courage. Secondly, the crucible shows the leader’s followers whether or not they can place their trust in the leader. Under heavy artillery fire, it was necessary for Harry Truman to find out he had enough courage to hold his ground. While important for him, the crucible was equally important for the soldiers in his platoon, because, after that moment, they knew they could respect him as their leader.

They Reveal The Hidden Potential Inside a Person.

Crucibles are like tea in hot water. They bring out the true colors inside. Crucibles don’t make the man or woman; they simply reveal the character within. What a person does in the crucible will make or break their future as a leader. The crucible will either show their hidden potential or their hidden problems. Either way, the crucible never leaves us the same.

They Bring Great Difficulties and Stress.

Crucibles are often accompanied by suffering, at least temporarily. For some leaders the crucible experience has been imprisonment, war, or sickness. For others, it was being overlooked for a promotion, losing a client, or being laid off.

Maturity and experience with crucibles will not lessen the difficulty, but they will lessen the stress. When we have experience, we understand what is happening, and we can take confidence in having persevered in the past.

They Purify Motives and Shape Ambitions.

Crucibles are cleansing and purifying because they help a leader sort through priorities. Ambitions are brought to light, as the crucible helps leaders get past the trivial and the mundane. J. R. Morgan said it best, “A man always has two reasons for doing anything—a good reason and the real reason.” The crucible has a way of pressing out the real reason.

They Teach Lessons That Help Leaders Transcend Themselves.

Crucibles push us to go places we normally wouldn’t venture. I vividly remember a conversation with my friend, Dr. John Bright Cage, a heart surgeon. In his concern for my fitness, he scolded me for not leading a healthy life. I recall arguing with him over and over that my health was fine while ignoring his warnings about being overweight. I kept arguing, denying, and justifying until the day I finally had a heart attack. Talk about a crucible experience! It had a wonderful way of awakening me to examine my lifestyle.

They Either Become an Obstacle or an Opportunity to Fulfill One’s Purpose.

Crucibles make us or break us. They help us or hurt us. They’re an asset or a liability. Crucibles almost always leave a memory we look back on as a defining moment. They propel us on a trajectory, either good or bad, towards our leadership destination. Many of us realize our “life purpose” through the crucible experience.

Winston Churchill, the great British leader said: “There comes a special moment in everyone’s life, a moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission—a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. In that moment he finds greatness. It is his finest hour.” Winston Churchill was exactly right; and that moment almost always comes through the crucible.
 

“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

Stay Focused on Your Core Genius

I believe you have inside you a core genius… some one thing that you love to do, and do so well, that you hardly feel like doing anything else. It’s effortless for you and a whole lot of fun. And if you could make money doing it, you’d make it your lifetime’s work.

In most cases, your Core Genius is directly tied to your passions and life-purpose.

Successful people believe this, too. That’s why they put their core genius first. They focus on it—and delegate everything else to other people on their team.

For me, my core genius lies in the area of teaching, training, coaching and motivating. I love to do it! I do it well, and people report that they get great value from it.

Another core genius is writing and compiling books. Along with my co-author Mark Victor Hansen and others, I have written, co-authored, compiled and edited more than 100 books.

Compare that to the other people in the world who go through life doing everything, even those tasks they’re bad at or that could be done more cheaply, better, and faster by someone else. They can’t find the time to focus on their core genius because they fail to delegate even the most menial of tasks.

When you delegate the grunt work—the things you hate doing or those tasks that are so painful, you end up putting them off—you get to concentrate on what you love to do. You free up your time so that you can be more productive. And you get to enjoy life more.

So why is delegating routine tasks and unwanted projects
so difficult for most people?

Surprisingly, most people are afraid of looking wasteful or being judged as being above everyone else. They are afraid to give up control or reluctant to spend the money to pay for help. Deep down, most people simply don’t want to let go.

Others (potentially you) have simply fallen into the habit of doing everything themselves. “It’s too time-consuming to explain it to someone,” you say. “I can do it more quickly and better myself anyway.” But can you?

Delegate Completely

One of the strategies I use and teach is complete delegation. It simply means that you delegate a task once and completely – rather than delegating it each time it needs to be done.

Ladies, you’ll LOVE this one…

When my niece came to stay with us one year while she attended the local community college, we made a complete delegation – the grocery shopping. We told her she could have unlimited use of our van if she would buy the groceries every week. We provided her with a list of staples that we always want in the house (eggs, butter, milk, ketchup, and so on), and her job was to check every week and replace anything that was running low.

In addition, my wife planned meals and let her know which items she wanted for the main courses (fish, chicken, broccoli, avocados, and so on). The task was delegated once and saved us hundreds of hours that year that could be devoted to writing, exercise, family time, and recreation.

Most entrepreneurs spend less than 30% of their time focusing on their core genius and unique abilities.

In fact, by the time they’ve launched a business, it often seems entrepreneurs are doing everything but the one thing they went into business for in the first place.

Many salespeople, for example, spend more time on account administration than they do on the phone or in the field making sales, when they could hire a part-time administrator (or share the cost with another salesperson) to do this time-consuming detail work. In most cases, in a fraction of the time it would take them and at a fraction of the cost.

Most female executives spend too much time running their household, when they could easily and inexpensively delegate this task to a cleaning service or part-time mother’s helper, freeing them to focus on their career or spend more quality time with their family.

Don’t let this be your fate.

Identify your core genius, then delegate completely to free up more time to focus on what you love to do.

I believe that you can trade, barter, pay for and find volunteer help to do almost everything you don’t want to do, leaving you to do what you are best at – and which will ultimately make you the most money and bring you the most happiness.

© 2007 Jack Canfield

Are you “stuck” in this area?
Send me your most pressing question, then join me for our monthly
“Ask Jack Canfield” Tele-Clinic on April 4th!
www.AskJackCanfield.com

* * *

Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

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LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM LEWIS & CLARK (PART 2)

Halford Luccock recalled a biography of Alexander the Great in which the writer described the panic felt by the Greek army when Alexander died. They had followed Alexander across Asia Minor and stood facing the Himalayan Mountains that form a natural barrier separating northern India from the plateau of Tibet in China.
“And there they discovered that they had marched clear off the map. Their only maps were Greek maps. These maps showed only a part of Asia Minor. The rest of the map was a blank space.”

The Greek army was not the first group to find itself in uncharted lands, nor was it by any means the last. Amidst globalization, a volatile job market, shifting economic realities, and technological innovations, the leaders of today frequently find themselves marching through unexplored and unmapped terrain. In these moments, no one has marked the road, no precedents have been set, and it falls upon the leader to blaze a new trail. How can a person prepare to lead effectively in such an uncertain environment?

In the last edition of Leadership Wired, we looked at the leadership of two great American explorers who dared to march off of the map of their familiar world: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The improbable success of their Corps of Discovery was due to more than their on the spot genius. Preparation preceded their expedition and paved their way to greatness. In this edition, we’ll examine Lewis’ preparation under the tutelage of President Thomas Jefferson to find tried and true principles to aid our leadership journeys.

Preparation should begin with the dream, not with the reality.

Jefferson began to groom Lewis to lead the momentous expedition across America long before the Louisiana Purchase was even a possibility, and before Congress approved the funds. In other words, Jefferson, the great mind and great president, took a dream and started mentoring a person according to his dream before it became a reality. Jefferson’s foresight reminds me of one of my favorite quotes by John Wooden, “When opportunity comes, it’s too late to prepare.”

The first responsibility of the mentor is to prepare others for their future.

The best way a mentor can prepare another leader is to expose him or her to other great people. In the years prior to his famed journey into the American wilderness, Meriwether Lewis was Jefferson’s personal secretary and constant dinner companion. I love the statement historian Stephen Ambrose uses to describe the dinners hosted by Jefferson: “Every philosopher, scientist, geographer, and military expert that the country had to offer came to those dinners.” Through these social dinners, Jefferson was able to acquaint Lewis with the leading minds in America.

In actuality, the concept of one person mentoring another is idealistic. No single individual possesses the requisite skills to fully mentor a rising leader. Realizing their limitations, great mentors not only share from a personal reserve of experiences and knowledge, but they also connect their pupils with other authorities and experts to lend exposure to additional thoughts and ideas, just as Jefferson did for Lewis.

Preparation consists of many exercises.

In the writings of eminent historian Stephen Ambrose, we see the diverse experiences of Lewis’ training:

“He trained to use the sextants and the chronometer, and the instruments to aid in the mapmaking that he was charged with…”
“He studied medicine in Philadelphia under Dr. Benjamin Rush, a member of the American Philosophical Society, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and the most eminent American physician of the day”
“Lewis studied botany under the author of the first textbook on the subject published in the United States…”
“He also talked with experts in geography and cartography, and by the time that he left St. Louis a year later, Meriwether Lewis had probably the broadest field of knowledge of any American save Jefferson himself.”

Clearly, Meriwether Lewis was exposed to a process of continual exercises and had access to the finest minds of the day during his time of preparation.

Preparation provides confidence when facing the unknown.

In his wisdom, Jefferson prepared Lewis for the trip with the understanding that the expedition would encounter unknown experiences in the uncharted territory of the Louisiana Purchase.

With so much uncertainty in front of Lewis, Jefferson felt that he needed to do his best to give Lewis as much preparation as possible to instill the confidence that would be needed when the journey began.

“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

The Cycle of Completion: Making Way for Success

by Jack Canfield
Do you live in a state of mental and physical clutter? Do you have a bunch of unfinished business lurking around every corner?
Incomplete projects, unfinished business, and piles of cluttered messes can weigh you down and take away from the energy you have to move forward toward your goals.
When you don’t complete tasks, you can’t be fully prepared to move into the present, let alone your new future.
When your brain is keeping track of all the unfinished business you still have at hand, you simply can’t be effective in embracing new tasks that are in line with your vision.
Old incompletes can show up in your life in lots of different ways… like not having clarity, procrastination, emotional energy blocks and even illness. Blocked energy is wasted, and a build up of that energy can really leave you stymied!
Throw out all the clutter and feel how much easier it is to think!
Make a list of areas in your life (both personal and professional) where you have incompletes and messes, then develop a plan to deal with them once and for all. Fix and organize the things that annoy you. Take your final steps in bringing closure to outstanding projects. Make that difficult phone call. Delegate time-wasting tasks that you’ve let build up.
When you free yourself from the mental burden of incompletes and messes, you’ll be AMAZED at how quickly the things you do want in life arrive.
Another area where you’ll find incompletes in your life is in your emotions.
Are you holding on to old hurts, resentments, and pain? Just like the physical clutter and incompletes, your energy is being drained by holding on to and reliving past pain and anger.
Remember, you’ll attract whatever feelings you’re experiencing.
So, if you’re stuck in revengeful thinking and angered in muck, you can’t possibly be directing energy toward a positive future. You need to let go of the past in order to embrace the future. Letting go involves forgiveness and moving on.
By forgiving you aren’t releasing the other person from their transgression as much as you’re freeing yourself from their transgression. You don’t have to condone their behavior, trust them, or even maintain a relationship with them. However, you DO have to free yourself from the anger, from the pain, and from the resentment once and for all!
When learning to forgive, make sure to complete the cycle.
Acknowledge your anger, your pain, and your fear. But also own up to any part you’ve played in allowing it to happen or continue. Make sure to express whatever it was that you wanted from that person, and then see the whole event from the other’s point of view. Allow yourself to wonder what that person was going through and what kind of needs he/she was trying to fulfill at the time.
Finally, let go and move on. Every time you go through this process you’re learning how to avoid letting it happen again!
©2007 Jack Canfield
Are you ‘stuck’ in this area?
Send me your most pressing question, then join me for our monthly
‘Ask Jack Canfield’ Tele-Clinic on Wednesday, November 7th!
www.AskJackCanfield.com
Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Keller Williams Family Reunion 2012

The Countdown to the 2012 Keller Williams Family Reunion in Orlando is on –

Already looking forward to Family Reunion 2012? Keller Williams Realty will be heading back to Orlando, Fla. to relive all the magic! You should get registered today and take advantage of early registration prices.

Leave us a comment if you will be attending the event and look for our Keller Williams Reston – Herndon Market Center.

We invite you to become a Northern Virginia Market Insider

This is your opportunity to become a Northern Virginia Real Estate Market Insider.

Introducing Market Insider, the FREE report from The Earl of Real Estate Team that gives you valuable, customized, and up-to-date information on real estate trends in your local communities. Whether you’re buying or selling a home, you’ll have access to the data you need to make informed decisions in this ever-changing market.
 
Create a customized Market Insider report on the areas you care about most, and then sign up to receive FREE monthly updates. Market Insider provides home listing and sale prices, community demographics, school ratings, side-by-side neighborhood comparisons, and more!

Whether you are looking to sell and want local market data, or are thinking about buying and want to explore different homes and neighborhoods, here is a great resource for you!

For more information, and to discuss how to interpret this data for your situation, please give us a call at 571-926-9230!

• Market Insider offers a wealth of current information to help you make the best real estate decisions.
• Local real estate market data including current listings and recent sales
• Easy-to-use charts that clarify local price and market inventory trends
• Side-by-side comparisons of areas by zip code
• Maps, charts, and valuable insight into specific neighborhoods using income by household, criminal activity, education levels attained, and weather risks
• Neighborhood points of interest including shopping, restaurants, and healthcare services
• School district summary information and a map/grid of individual schools for your zip code
• Tips to help you better understand the factors that impact the real estate market

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM LEWIS & CLARK (PART 1)

LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM LEWIS & CLARK (PART 1)
by John C. Maxwell

Before beginning, I’d like to thank my friend Ed Rowell.  His
research and thoughts played a major role in this study.

On May 21, 2004, Americans celebrated the beginning of perhaps
the most amazing journey in American history.  Two hundred years
prior, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St.
Louis, Missouri at 3:30 in the afternoon heading upstream on the
Missouri River.

Their expedition, dubbed the Corps of Discovery, had been
commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to find the mythical
“Northwest Passage,” an all-water trade route across the
continent to the Pacific Ocean that explorers had searched for
almost 300 years.  At stake was the fur trade, the continent’s
most easy exploitable natural resource.

Lewis and Clark had never seen the Pacific Ocean, nor did they
have an accurate sense of how far west the continent stretched.
Once they were a few days west of St. Lewis, their opportunities
for communication with home were nonexistent.

When they returned to St. Louis down the same river, they’d
covered more than 8,000 miles and been gone for 28 months. Long
feared dead, they came home as national heroes.  Even today,
their journey overland across the continent is among the most
courageous journeys ever conceived and attempted.

Along the way they were to develop an accurate map of the
Missouri River basin, record all available information about
natural history and geology, and report on and begin building
relationships with native tribes they encountered.

They discovered 120 new species of animals and 178 new species of
plants.  They were the first Europeans to cross the Continental
Divide.  They were the first to see herds of buffalo, numbering
in the thousands, grazing on the largest grassland in the world,
and they were the first white men that most of the tribes they
met had ever seen. 

One of the most remarkable accomplishments is that in spite of
the brutal grind of moving people, boats and tons of gear
upstream, serious accidents, life-threatening weather, and less
than peaceful contact with some of the continent’s earliest
residents, the Corps of Discovery experienced just one casualty.

It was a grand journey that still inspires and awes after two
hundred years.  But there are no great journeys without great
leadership.  And the journey across the American Continent is a
case study in leading where no one has gone before.

Without trust, the journey is over before it begins. 

When asked to lead the expedition, Meriwether Lewis immediately
contacted a man that he had served under in the army, William
Clark.  Lewis was a self-aware man, and he recognized that
Clark’s strengths would counter each of his own weaknesses.
Four years older, Clark had a strong leadership resume, having
served as a company commander.  He was a popular, tough, and a
fearless woodsman. Clark had been raised in Kentucky, was an
accomplished river explorer who was usually with the fleet.
Lewis, on the other hand, was of Virginia aristocracy, having
lived much of his life among the educated, successful gentry of
the day.  Lewis loved to walk and was often out front, days
ahead, scouting out the route.  And when it came time to buy
horses to get across the mountains, he knew a good animal when
he saw it.  Lewis was the camp doctor, Clark the camp counselor.

Most importantly, Clark offered a stability that Lewis was
unable to give.  Lewis suffered, as his father had, from a
“melancholic spirit,” or “depressions of the mind.”  Most modern
scholars look at the evidence and believe that he was bi-polar,
or manic-depressive.  The journey gave him reason to shove back
the darkness, and his ability to keep going is a testimony to
his sheer strength and will.

Lewis’ offer to Clark was to be an equal leader in every
conceivable way, including rank and pay.  Because the army
bureaucracy refused to recognize a co-commander, Clark did not
receive his promised captain’s commission.  The two leaders never
mentioned it to the men, and for the next seven years, only Lewis
Clark, and Jefferson, and a clerk or two at the War Department
knew the truth.  When asked as an old man to describe their
relationship, Clark replied, “Equal in every point of view.”

“Most of all, Lewis knew that Clark was competent to the task,
that his word was his bond, and that his back was steel.  And
Clark knew the same about Lewis.  Their trust in each other was
complete, even before they took the first step west together.
How this closeness came about cannot be known in any detail, but
that it clearly was a long time before the expedition—that cannot
be doubted.”

Our true self-awareness forces us to place trust in others.

Lewis knew his limitations, and he sought a leader with
abilities to complement his strengths and weaknesses. In
selecting Clark, Lewis showed maturity in realizing he could not
lead the way alone.  In allowing Clark equal rank and an equal
share of the credit, Lewis demonstrated remarkable security.

Competence is essential if trust is to be continued.

Lewis and Clark had differing skills, but each was a greatly
talented man.  From their diaries, it is obvious that as the
journey progressed, their trust in each other deepened.  They
had a sense of great security because of the mutual confidence
they placed in each other.  Trust is not unfounded.  Trust must
be built upon competence.

Trust is strengthened when trust is proven.

The two officers would have one opportunity after another in
which they literally put their lives into the hands of others on
the expedition.  Surmounting each challenge, their trust
increased as they proved their merit.

The highest level of trust is expressed in obedience and
submission, even when there is a lack of understanding or
agreement. 

At one point on the journey, the explorers came to two rivers
and had to decide which one was the Missouri River.  Lewis and
Clark’s choice went against the general consensus of their men.
Even while disagreeing, the men were willing to trust the
judgment of their leadership.  The submission of the team at
such a critical juncture demonstrates their absolute faith in
their leaders.

The reward of trust is an intimate relationship that few ever
experience.

There is an intimacy when proven by time and experience and
competence, that only people that have gone through that trusting
experience ever realize.  The attitude of the men displayed their
intimacy: “they would triumph together or they would die
together”.

“This article is used by
permission from Dr. John C. Maxwell’s free monthly e-newsletter
‘Leadership Wired’ available at www.INJOY.com.”

Utilizing The Law of Attraction

by Jack Canfield
The law of attraction states that you will attract into your life—whether wanted or unwanted—whatever you give your energy, focus, and attention to.

You are constantly giving off vibrations of energy when you think and feel. These vibrations can be picked up and received by other people. That’s why people say, “he has good vibes,” or “he gives off bad vibes.” You are constantly giving off vibrations.

If you’re feeling excited, enthusiastic, passionate, happy, joyful, loving, appreciative, abundant, prosperous, relaxed and peaceful, you are giving off positive vibrations.

On the other hand, if you are feeling bored, anxious, worried, confused, sad, lonely, hurt, angry, resentful, guilty, disappointed, frustrated, overwhelmed, stressed out, or depressed, then you are giving off negative vibrations.

The law of attraction states that the universe responds to whatever you are offering — by giving you more of whatever you are vibrating. It doesn’t care whether it is good for you or not; it simply responds to your vibration.
If you saw the film The Secret, you saw this explained in great detail.

The problem is that most of the time, you are not aware of what vibration you are offering. You are simply responding to things outside of you—current events, the news, how people treat you, the stock market, how much money you are making, how your children are doing in school, whether or not your favorite sports team wins—and then having a feeling that is either positive or negative.

When you are simply responding unconsciously to what happens around you, you tend to stay “stuck” in your current condition. This is why most people’s lives never seem to change very much. They get stuck in a repeating cycle of recreating the same reality over and over by the vibration they are sending out.

It works like this… First you observe what you currently have and are currently receiving in your life. You call this your “reality.” You respond to what you observe with a feeling, positive or negative, which then gives off that vibration to the universe. The law of attraction then responds to this vibration and brings you more of what you were vibrating. This keeps the cycle going over and over, until you choose to change it through the exertion of your will. You are a victim of your lack of awareness of the law of attraction.

The Process of Intentional Creation
It is possible to get out of this vicious cycle and create what you want instead of continually recreating what you already have. It is a simple three step process that you can begin immediately.

If you’ve been implementing the action steps at the end of each principle I coach you through in The Success Principles: 30-Day Journey Audio Course, you have already begun this process.

Step 1: Identify what you truly desire & eliminate the negative
It is important to focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want. You must state it in the positive and filter out the words don’t, not and no. Remember, your mind works in pictures and if you say I don’t want to be mad, you are creating the picture and thus the vibration of being mad. You must create the opposite of what you don’t want.

Step 2: Raise your vibration level
Your job in stage two is to create a vibrational match for that which you say you want to have. How would you be feeling if you already had those things—the perfect job, the perfect relationship, the mount of money that you want to have?

Your job is to identify what makes you feel good and do more of it, then learn not to tolerate your negative feelings.

Affirmations are an important component in raising your vibrational level to what it is you want. Remember, the law of attraction does not respond to the words you use or the thoughts you think. It simply responds to how you feel about what you say and how you feel about what you think.

For information on how to create even more effective affirmations, review pages 75-80 in The Success Principles, where you’ll find my “Nine Guidelines for Creating Effective Visualizations.”

Step 3. Release it and allow it.
In this third step you simply release your affirmation, your vibration, and your feelings to the universe to take care of your “request” or “order” as I call it. But you have to abstain from any doubts. If you doubt you can have it in any way, then you are not allowing it. You are pushing it away and you end up with contradictory messages to the universe
It is only when the contradictory thoughts, talk, and images are removed that your desired results will manifest. The faster you remove your resistance, the faster your dreams can be realized.

© 2006 Jack Canfield

________________________________________
Jack Canfield, America’s Success Coach, is the founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com

Revolution

A Revolution is coming to the real estate world on 7-11-11 thanks to The Earl of Real Estate Team!!!

- At 6:30pm on Monday 7/11- we will be live on our Internet Radio Show to Introduce the Program. You can call in during the 1/2 hour show at (949) 203-4722. We will also be streaming live on UStream.

You can get a sneak peak into the program TODAY!

This program is completely Risk-Free and will save it’s participants Thousands of Dollars. To ensure that we are delivering the best possible service, we are making this available to a select number of buyers and sellers in June. You do not want to delay and miss out on your chance to get into this program. When it is open to the world in it is sure to fill up.

Agents – Referral Network Newsletter – March 15th 2011

Agents – Referral Network Newsletter – March 15th 2011

The Earl of Real Estate Team is standing by to take care of all of your referrals for Northern Virginia.
Sarasota Choice Homes is here to assist your luxury & beachfront buyers and sellers in the Sarasota Florida area.

 
To make sure that this is a Win-Win and that we are not just asking for something with out giving, I have included 2 articles and a video from some of the most inspirational authors that I regularly read.  Tom Ferry, Jack Canfield & John Maxwell.  

In this issue, Coach Tom Ferry shares Four Technology Tips for Real Estate Agents.  Jack Canfield covers the topic – Decide What You Want for Yourself.  I hope that you enjoy this as much as I did when I first read it.  In addition, John Maxwell covers a Leadership Lessons from Lewis & Clark – Part 1.      
 
Please Feel free to contact us at anytime, with any questions. Virginia=571-926-9230, robert@theearlteam.com or Florida=941-375-4030 robert@sarasotachoicehomes.com
or just drop a line to say Hello & send us a list of the Cities and Areas that you cover so that we know where to send our referrals .  We enjoy hearing from our extended agent family and look forward to sending you checks and referrals in the near future.
 
Also make sure that you connect with us on Facebook & follow up on Twitter:
Northern Virginia – Facebook – Twitter
Florida – Facebook – Twitter
 
Included in This Issue:

    * Four Technology Tips for Real Estate Agents
    * Success Strategies from Jack Canfield
    * Leadership Lessons from John C. Maxwell
    * Northern Virginia & Sarasota Florida Referral Information – How to Contact The Earl of Real Estate Team & Sarasota Choice Homes

Coach Tom Ferry

In this video, Coach Tom Ferry gives you four straight-forward tips to use with technology to promote your business.

Success Strategies from Jack Canfield

In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want.

Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can’t see how it’s possible to get what they want — so they don’t even let themselves want it.

What scientists now know about how the brain works is that you must first decide the ‘WHAT’ before your brain can figure out the ‘HOW’. Once you lock-in your desires, your mind and the universe can step in.  – Continue Reading Here

Leadership Lessons from John C. Maxwell

On May 21, 2004, Americans celebrated the beginning of perhaps the most amazing journey in American history.  Two hundred years prior, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark left St. Louis, Missouri at 3:30 in the afternoon heading upstream on the Missouri River.

Their expedition, dubbed the Corps of Discovery, had been commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to find the mythical “Northwest Passage,” an all-water trade route across the continent to the Pacific Ocean that explorers had searched for almost 300 years.  At stake was the fur trade, the continent’s most easy exploitable natural resource. – Continue Reading Here

- Sarasota Florida Referral Information – How to Contact Sarasota Choice Homes

Give us a call 941-375-4030 or visit our website located at http://www.SarasotaChoiceHomes.com or email us at robert@sarasotachoicehomes.com

Areas Served of the Gulf Coast Side of Florida – Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice, Longboat Key, Siesta Key, Lido Key, Casey Key, Bird Key, St. Armands, Osprey, Nokomis & Englewood.

- Northern Virginia Referral Information – How to Contact The Earl of Real Estate Team

Give us a call 571-926-9230 or visit our website located at http://www.TheEarlofRealEstate.com or email us at team@theearlteam.com

Areas Served – Just West of Washington DC: Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Fairfax Station, Falls Church, Great Falls, Herndon, Leesburg, McLean,
Oakton, Springfield, Sterling, Vienna, Fairfax County, Loudoun County,Arlington County and Alexandria City.

Robert Earl is a Licensed Real Estate Agent in Virginia and Florida with Keller Williams Realty.

Agents – Decide What You Want for Yourself

Decide What You Want for Yourself

by Jack Canfield

In order to get what you want, you must first decide what you want.

Most people really foul up at this crucial first step because they simply can’t see how it’s possible to get what they want — so they don’t even let themselves want it.

What scientists now know about how the brain works is that you must first decide the ‘WHAT’ before your brain can figure out the ‘HOW’. Once you lock-in your desires, your mind and the universe can step in.

Are you ready to get started?

STEP 1: Decide to Dream BIG and Be Willing to Dream BIG Dreams
Big dreams not only inspire you, but they also compel others to want to play big, too. Don’t think you should only dream big during economic heydays. Dream big every day, especially during tough times.

As soon as you commit to a big dream and really go after it, your subconscious creative mind will come up with big ideas to make it happen. You’ll start attracting the people, resources, and opportunities you need into your life to make your dream come true.

STEP 2: Set Goals That Will Stretch You
Another value in giving yourself permission to go after the big dreams is that big dreams require you to grow in order to achieve them. In fact, in the long run, this is the greatest benefit you will receive from pursuing your dreams — not so much the outer trappings of fulfilling the dream (an expensive car, impressive house, loads of money and philanthropic opportunities), but who you become in the process.

As I’ve seen many times over, the outer symbols of success can all be easily lost. Houses burn down, companies go bankrupt, relationships end, cars get old, bodies age and fame wanes, but who you are, what you have learned, and the new skills you have developed never go away. These are the true prizes of success.

STEP 3: Service to Others
As you pinpoint what you want to go after, think about how you can be of service to others. When your dreams include this element, you’ll find yourself speeding along the path to accomplishing that goal. People want to be part of something that contributes and makes a difference.

STEP 4: Turn Your Dreams into Goals and Objectives
Once you are clear about what you want, you must turn each item into a measurable goal. By measurable, I mean measurable in space and time, how much and by when. Don’t just say that you want to lose weight, for instance. Be specific, push yourself to higher limits, and set dates. Say something like, “I want to lose 50 pounds by summer and participate in my community’s 10K for charity by the 4th of July.”

Similarly, your boss, your friends, your spouse, your brain — God, the Universe — can’t figure out what you want unless you specifically tell them what it is.

What do you want — exactly — and when do you want it by?

Step 5: Write Your Goals Down
Write your goals down in detail, and read your list of goals every day. This will keep your subconscious mind focused on what you want. For an even more powerful approach, close your eyes and focus on each goal and ask yourself, “What is one thing I could do today to move toward the achievement of this goal?” Write down your answers and take those actions.

I recommend writing down a minimum of 3 goals in each of the following 7 areas:

1. Financial Goals
2. Career/Business Goals
3. Free Time/Family Time
4. Health/Appearance Goals
5. Relationship Goals
6. Personal Growth
7. Making a Difference

Jack Canfield, America’s #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com