Love what you do...from a 4 year old

Conversation with my four year old son Teddy:

Teddy: Dad, are you going to give a speech today?

Me: Yes

Teddy: Why do you go give speeches?

Me: Because I love it

Teddy: We should do things we love

Me: Brilliant

Self Management

As an entrepreneur and sole business owner, I have to manage myself. If I don't, disasters happen. Real life disasters that are not any fun. So self management is not just a fun and fancy concept...it's no joke....but rather a essential issue.

I have improved over the years. But I have a long way to go in mastering self leadership and management. I work at it daily.

Some concepts I have learned, mostly the hard way, that you can think about (and may help you)

• Vision is critical
• Time is treated like money and an investment issue (focus)
• Play to strengths and minimize weaknesses....Get a "THEY" ..aka partners...to help. Example: If you don't like selling, you must hire a salesperson. Period. "Yeah Chris, but I can't afford it." You can't afford NOT to do it...Salespeople maybe cost you money and expensive but not near as expensive as bankruptcy
• Be Accountable
• Work..yes work. There are no short-cuts
• Have some fun and relax. I am not perfect and will make mistakes. It's OK...not going to ever be perfect so I try to give myself that break

The Secret is this:

$$$$ THERE IS NO SECRET!

It's a process..and it's hard work...but very fun! (or it should be)

Focus and choice

My written thoughts in my journal today:

**** Question: What decisions should you focus on today?

### Answer: Only the ones which you can directly control.

This included:

• Schedule and Planning...I can control what my calendar looks like
• Time Management....I can control how I spend my time (media/TV did not make the list)
• Attitude...I can control my attitude...it's hard sometimes but only I can determine
• Knowledge and Learning....I can learn something today
• Serving...I can serve others today

Things that did not make the list:

• Budgets...I can't control companies budgets for my services
• Other People...I can only control me
• Economy
• Proposals...I can't make final decisions on outstanding proposals we have out there
• Time Wasters (Don't Facebook, Don't Twitter, Don't Social...Don't do TV)

I view focus like as an investment issue because we only have a limited supply of it...so I treat it just like any other investments. The game plan with any investment issue is to get the highest r.o.i.

With my focus, what gets me the highest r.o.i.? That's where my attention needs to be and not on the other "noise" that is really meaningless.

Behavior in Tough Times

The one thing you and I are promised in this life is hard times.

But why are we so shocked when it knocks on our door?

Like everyone else, I have my adversity...but here is what I have learned (and sometimes the hard way)

• *** It's not the adversity that matters....it's our behavior in times of adversity that really counts!

^^^^ How do you behave in times of adversity? You maybe going through a storm right now...it's ok! What counts is how you are behaving in this storm.

Plan Do Review

It is so easy to lose focus. I am really working on this issue.

It's so critical.

We only have so much time when we are FULLY engaged and focused. In that time where we are in the sweet spot of focus, we must make sure we are doing the best activities!

Focus

Best ROI on this time ($$)

Audit to make sure the results are there

******Plan * **** DO ***** Review/Audit

Time Wasters...

Time Wasters and Ineffectiveness with Time


One of the key factors to success is great time management. Those that can do more production, more meaningful production, with the greatest efficiency carry a monster competitive advantage in the marketplace.

We all have a To-Do list and that is valuable, no question about it. However, hardly anyone has a To-Don’t Do list…and this To-Don’t Do list can produce tremendous results.

Goal: To avoid waste and activities which don’t produce good results.


Question and Action:


• What are my activities which don’t contribute to positive results?







• What I am going to do to stop doing those ineffective activities?

KISS...Part II

KISS

Keep
Implemeting
Simple
Systems

It's all about the BASICS!

• Execute the basics every single day
• Basics with more passion than your competition
• Keep systems so simple! No need to make things complicated
• Keep innovating...keep trying new stuff...be INTERESTING and CREATIVE!

Make a list of the basics and perform them every day with passion!

End of the day, write down the progress...

Start over the next day back with basics.

I know this is true...

If you do outstanding work, you will continue to get great work...I don't care what the economy is doing.

Great performers always have work! Period.

This is true in every industry.

But here is the million dollar question for you:

• Is your work outstanding...is your work a WOW Experience?
• If not, what are you going to do today to make it outstanding and a WOW Experience?

Remember: If you want so much business that you can't handle it all, just be outstanding!

Be a Pro!

Be a Pro!

You are paid for the value of which you bring to a company, organization, community, or marketplace.

The more value you bring, the more pay.

But what really dictates your status (income, title, value) is the level of expertise you bring in your chosen profession in the your ability to the movement of good or services.

So be a Pro....

• Market like a Pro
• Sell like a Pro (everyone sells something...for profit, non for profit, government...we all have customers)
• Act and behave like a Pro
• Execute like a Pro
• Prepare like a Pro
• Hustle like a Pro
• Network like a Pro
• Time Management like a Pro

Pro's get paid very well...they bring huge value to their field.

Remember: If there is nothing special about your work, there is also nothing special about your pay! Be dramatically different. Be Distinct. Be a Pro! There is nothing worse than being ordinary. You and I were not put on this planet to be just ordinary.

Let's be a WOW Experience!

Half way point!

BUZZZZZZ....FIRST HALF IS OVER....Half way point! ....50% of the year 2009 is in the books....

After the first half of the year; here are some things to think about:

• Are you satisfied with your results? If not, why not?
• Did you hit your budget and objectives? If not, why not?
• Did you spend the first half on doing things that make you money?
• Did your cash flow improve over last six months?
• Did your production improve over last six months?
• Did you use your first half of the year time wisely?
• Did you do something innovative and creative over last six months?
• Did you invest intentionally in your people over the first half?

If you don't like your answers, that's ok...we have a whole second half left. Time to make some changes is NOW...It's GO TIME!

Make the second half amazing...It starts today. Make everyday count and make everyday a MASTERPIECE!

As my Grandpa would say: Time to get the lead out of my a** and start RUNNING FAST!

Offense...Big $$

Stop reacting and Start responding!

We can only play defense in this time of chaos for so long. Now is the time for Action! And think about this: Who gets the big money....defensive guys?... or offense guys that want the ball in their hands and are not afraid to shoot? Would you want to go to a game where nobody shot the ball and all the players did was run up and down the court only playing defense? Me neither...Not very interesting or entertaining (which is where the big $$ is at) But that's what is happening in real life marketplace today...everyone playing defense (cuts, wait, expenses, hold off) and only a few are playing offense (revenues, growth, Go Time, Do it Now mindset)


Offense; not Defense...

• Get mad and do something about it!
• Take action today
• Revenues is the focus; not cutting expenses all the time
• Start today (Do it now Mindset)
• Be Accountable
• Be interesting and entertaining

Be Pro-Active; Stop being Re-Active

Make it Happen....Start today.