KISS...Keep it Simple Stupid

So Simple. But yet it takes these simple graphs and concepts for me to Really get it! (By the way, Ted Waitt, of Gateway fame, once said the simplest graphs are the most effective and hardest to make)

As my effort and production goes up, so does my business. Yes it really is that simple!

Your business and life are the same. The more meaningful things we get done, the better the results. Have a great productive weekend!

Chris

Focus on your 5...

What 5 things can you always control?

So many times we focus on things outside of our control all the while sadly neglecting the things we can control. Reverse this. Instead, focus on the things you always can control and work on those. Don't focus on those things outside of your control...it's wasted energy.

For me, here are my 5:

1. My Attitude
2. My Production (work ethic)
3. My Energy
4. My Relationships
5. My Vision and Goals

The following are things I don't waste any energy on:

1. Gas Prices
2. The Economy
3. The Stock Market
4. Competitors
5. Training, Speaking, Consulting Budgets

Focus and put your valuable energy on those things you can directly control!

Compass Program

(graph from Seth Godin)

• What is your story?

• What is your work?

Do you know these answers in complete clarity? If not, change that.

Compass Program

Time Management

Our time is the most precious thing we have. The rich can't buy more of it. The scientists can't make more of it. We all have this undeserved favor and gift called time. But why do so many just waste this gift?

One of the things with time management and getting meaningful things accomplished is to have priorities. So not only do we need to accomplish things, we need to accomplish the right things. Totally new ball game. With everything on your task list and calendar ask this:

• What will happen if I don't do this?

You will find, every single day, you are doing tasks that really don't matter that much. You are doing things that really don't move the ball forward in your life. Time....It's truly amazing and we need to maximize every second!

Compass Program

Tired of being Tired?

I hear so many people talking about how tired they are. To me, that is a strong indication of that person not living in the sweet spot of life. Once you find purposeful living...the type of living where you do what you love to do; you will find an abundance of energy.

The people living in the "zone" are the ones that accomplish everything and then have time for some more. They jump out of bed and understand the difference between achievement and activity. They flat out TCB...Take Care of Business!

One key point: AVOID PROCRASTINATION!

• Procrastination destroys businesses
• Procrastination destroys careers
• Procrastination destroys purposeful living

Get tired of being tired and make a change. Get into the "zone", avoid procrastination at all costs, and simply TCB!

Make sure to reserve your spot to a Free Open Forum where we will talk about these topics and some more...email kelly@christapken.com to reserve your free seat on the 28th of May.

Today's Thoughts

Saturday thought starters:

• Why is there a saying: "Sleep like a baby"...babies do nothing of the sort. Just ask my wife!


• I was at the office at about 4:30 am today knocking out some projects...I was blessed with a high motor!


• You have to DO STUFF in order to make progress. That to me is so easy to understand! I don't why more people miss this. (Proud to say, I have got some stuff done today already...more to still do)


• Must get caught up on some reading! Reading: The best habit in the world and only of the only things that you can do your entire life!


• Comfortably uncomfortable...Need to keep pushing myself...I hate comfort zones! I love living near the edge (not falling off the ledge but simply near it)


• I need to get better at asking for help. There are so many great people you can learn from and will help you, but you need to ask.


• Why do people stay in jobs they don't like?


• Why do people live in areas they don't like?


• I have lived 13,740 days! (37 years, 7 months, 13 days old)...I try to make every single one of them count!


• I love it when my calender is full!

Have an awesome weekend!
Chris

Today's Action

IMPORTANT!

***Challenge yourself today!***

What are you going to do today that gets you out of your comfort zone?

Don't just read this and nod your head and then ignore it...Read it and act on it.

Really push yourself today to do something that scares you.

***Push and Challenge***

Dreams

Dream

• In the top 10 of my favorite words...without a doubt
• In the top 10 of my favorite things to do...without a doubt
• Nobody can ever take mine dreams away
• One of those things that don't get better over time. (opposite of wine) The young are much better at dreaming than the old...why?
• I love trusting and acting on my dreams making them come real (even with the intense pain and adversity it takes to make them real)
• I am going to challenge myself to dream more
• I am going to challenge myself to dream bigger
• God's creative genius...without a doubt
• Written down in my Master Book (and journal)
• When I decrease my dream both in time and size of....I don't feel as good as when I am dreaming really big dreams all the time
• I need to get better at capturing the message
• Dream Chasing! I want to be a dream chaser!

How about you and your dreams?

Compass Program

Find the extraordinary in the ordinary!

One of the many ideas you will pull out of Compass Program is the idea of finding extraordinary outcomes from really basic things.

For example: Having Lunch with someone is a fairly ordinary deal. Thousands of people will have lunch in Austin TX today. But what about finding the extraordinary in an ordinary lunch?

Some ideas:

• You could really engage someone in deep conversation that really moves them.
• You could take an employee to lunch and tell them how much they mean to you.
• You could take a family member to lunch and say "I really want you to know I love you."
• You could treat the servers and staff like your family and make their day.
• You could find someone in the restaurant eating alone and buy their lunch without telling them you did.

Today: Take ordinary tasks and make into ordinary outcomes!

Compass Program

Here are some thought starters for you today (and you will get all of these plus much more at Compass Program)

• Avoid negativity. Do an audit of all the negative contributors in your life...including people! (Tip: First on all of our lists should be TV)
• Always move forward. But do you consciously have a written plan to accomplish this?
• Tempo in your life is critical. Do you have a harmony and life balance that accomplishes the important things in your life?
• Activity vs Achievement (huge difference...don't' mistake the two)
• Are you using your talents?
• If money did not matter, are you doing your Dream Job? If not, strong advice: Money is not a good enough reason to not achieve your dreams.

Have a WOW Day! ( this stuff is deep, I have to get out my worksheets and work on me now)

Chris

"Good Enough" is not Good Enough

Avoid the trap in life of "Good Enough" is good enough!

How many times do we tell ourselves: well...that is good enough and then we stop trying or stop improving? TOO MANY!

There is a real life trap out there in the rugged plains of reality called COMPLACENCY! Avoid it at all costs. Once we start to settle for good enough, it becomes a pattern and a plague. We tend to then repeat it and repeat it; never pushing ourselves for improvement and gain. And that is a shame.

The good news is once you are taught and learn this lesson; it is easy to avoid. How? Just never accept the "good enough" standard! Push, stretch, reach, strive, accelerate...for improvement. You and I are made by God who never settles; so why should we?

Simply, we will not settle anymore! Repeat that to yourself...just plainly say to yourself you are done with "good enough" and from now on...it's not good enough! You will be amazed on how this changes your life. And this is for EVERYONE. If you are the most successful, financially secure, happliy married, great life producer...you can still do more! So this rule is for everyone! We can all get better every single day...That is and must be the goal. And to do that, we can not settle for good enough!

Tate Tapken

A very Cool kid! Talk about being blessed...Talk about a WOW Experience!

#3 on my list was to have another child.

Mission Accomplished! I know exactly what I want to accomplish in my life because I write it down, track it, and make sure at all times I have my vision (Master Targets) and road map (goals) in front of my nose! And on the top of my head. It changes, just like a road, but nevertheless, it is in front of me.

Now comes the huge responsibility of raising Tate. The thought that I have been trusted to bring him up keeps me up a night. To me, there is no more important job on the planet than being a DAD!

What a miracle!

3 questions

3 questions I constantly ask myself:

You will learn this at Compass Program!

1. Where am I now?
2. Where am I going?
3. What will it take to get there and how long?

I put myself through the paces to make sure I know these three questions at all time. The result is a vision with an adjustable road map to hit my Master Targets in my life. When I make myself go through each of these questions in detail, I can't get lost. I may get "off track" a bit, but I can't get lost.

And really isn't that the goal in life? A life where we are on the road to doing the things we are called to do; to spending time with those that mean most; and living our best life possible!

To me that sounds pretty great so I make sure I know those three questions above. Try it!

Sign up for Compass Program as this is an example of the powerful stuff you will take away!

Compass Program

Working on the right priorities adequately is by far better than doing the wrong things perfectly!

A couple huge sub-points within this powerful, important rule:

• Do you have your priorities or Master Targets written down? If not, start there! Simply, you must have your life vision and objectives written down. In five seconds, can you pull out your life Master Targets and life vision? If not, correct that. It has to become part of you to become alive.
• Do you regularly pull out and read the vision for your life? Do you read your Master Targets often; like daily? I know many people that once wrote the vision for their life down but never read it again; might as well not even have one.
• Don't be a perfectionist and wait, wait, wait to start something. Just jump in and do the right things for your life rather than having to all the time be perfect. The waiting game is a wasteful game. Your life will pass by you before you get started on living your perfect life when you wait for the perfect time. It's like in business. I was asked when is the perfect time to start a business? My answer: Never. There is never going to be a perfect time; you just need to jump in and do it. Just jump in and do it is a valuable lesson itself.
• It's OK to just be adequate as long as you are moving forward! Get on the field and play; even if you are just a role player...but get on the field!

Get your priorities in line and do them! Simple (but if so simple, why doesn't everyone do this?)

Example of what you will learn at the Compass Program...sign up today!