Vision

Do you have an intense burning desire towards something very specific?

Yes = Vision!

No = Why not?

Death of a Legend

One of my favorite people ever, John Wooden, died yesterday.

If you want to learn leadership, purpose, motivation, right living, and much more, go buy his books.

Thanks Coach Wooden!

My Words List

Words matter. What words do you think about? What words do you use? From my journal:

• Dreams
• Vision
• Excited
• Growth
• Forward
• Fun
• Simple
• Peace
• Passion
• Maximize
• WOW!
• Amazing
• Go
• Change
• What's next
• Inspired

Less Talking More Action

I think we would all be much better off with less talking and more action.

Execution. Doing. Action. Take Steps. Move. Do Something. Go.

My friend Alan Graham from Mobile Loaves and Fishes talks about this all the time. We can talk about homelessness all we want but at some point we have to go fix it. Alan doesn't talk, he just provides daily miracles! And that's a pretty good life formula.

Bam! Power...

Now that's some serious POWER!

I have been thinking and working on the word power lately. Some of my notes:

• Power in messaging
• Power of inspiration
• Power in freedom
• Power of forgiveness
• Power of less
• Power of dreaming
• Power of financial freedom
• Power of confidence
• Power of excellence
• Power of passion
• Power of time
• Power of action
• Power of miracles

And you?

My Graduate!

Teddy graduated yesterday from pre-school!

Me: Teddy, you did great. I am proud of you TT. Take a look because you won't be coming back here.

Teddy: I am ready to go to the next school.

Me: I am ready for What's Next too Teddy!

What's Next for me?

No Idea but it's the journey that matters and not the destination. It's what I learn and how I grow...it character not circumstances. My journey:

• Bumpy
• Often messy
• Absolutely flawed
• Fun most of the time
• Filled to the brim of uncertainty
• Full Passion Pail most of the time
• Pretty deep
• 100% Dependant because I can't do this life on my own...for me I depend on a 33 year carpenter and rabbi called Jesus of Nazareth
• And I own it...

Two Questions....

To continue to improve....to reach my potential....and keep on keepin' on, I ask myself two powerful questions that I want you to consider:

1. So What? and
2. Now What?

What about you today?

Are you?

• Motivated
• Inspired
• Excited
• Amped Up
• On Fire
• Energized
• Carbonated
• Sparked
• Spurred
• Geeked
• Caffeinated
• Alive
• Jacked up
• Snappy
• Moved
• Electrified
• Charged
• En Fuego

Or translation as the kids would say...How full is your passion bucket?

Big Dreams + Little Actions

Big Dreams + Little Actions = WOW LIFE and WOW Experience!

My Little Boy with BIG DREAMS!

What if we just go back to Dreaming like Little Kids? Thanks Tate!

Change

What if we changed from:

I, ME, and MY

to

US, WE, and OUR

I think we can change the world from dark to LIGHT!

And it starts one person at a time.

My essence that is written all over the place is simply this:

Today, you can change the life of another human being!

Think ??

Think about this:

What if your dream life is really right in front of you only to be disguised as your adversity and wrapped in fear?

Now what?

What are you going to do with this?

Chasing Daylight

If you were told you only have 100 days to live what would you do?

This was Gene O'Kelly's reality.

Go buy this mountain moving book to find out from a Type A, Fortune 50, hugely successful CEO what he did and wants to teach you...


I read this 4 years ago and just re-read it again. It changed my life and maybe you too...

Uncertainty

What if we would not resist, but actually embrace uncertainty? Yes embrace uncertainty!

I think the results would be amazing!

Give it some thought.

Right Wrong

The right place often seems like the wrong place. And the wrong place often seems like the right place.

Don't Slack on the Lack

Don't Slack on the Lack.

The Lacks can will cause chaos in our business and lives. Let's focus and put intentionality to your Lacks.

Some common Lacks:

• Lack in planning
• Lack of motivation
• Lack of systems
• Lack in time management
• Lack of cash
• Lack of focus
• Lack of inspiration
• Lack of creativity
• Lack of proper behaviors

What's yours?

Stop being slack on your lacks. But rather pay attention and fix the Lack in your business and amazing results will happen.

NBA Playoffs

Here are my predictions for the NBA playoffs:

First Round:
Cavs over Bulls
Heat over Boston
Atlanta over Bucks
Orlando over Bobcats
Lakers over Thunder
Utah over Denver
Suns over Blazers
Spurs over Mavs

Semis:
Cavs over Heat
Orlando over Atlanta
Lakers over Utah
Spurs over Suns

Conference Finals:
Cavs over Orlando
Lakers over Spurs

NBA Champion:
Cavs...LeBron gets his first ring!

Get On With It!

Last week I was feeling down and out. I was an emotional mess...in a funk. I was having "one of those days" that actually turned into a couple of those days strung together.

But when looking back, a major part of the my problem was caused because I was the center of attention. Basically, I was having a pity party. And there is never a positive outcome when you host a pity party.

Here is what I did to break out of this self absorbed slump. It's a two prong formula:

1. I took the attention off of me and back to my missions...shift attention to my sons Teddy and Tate, my wife, my work, my family, and some fun.
2. I got back to producing...back to execution of the most important producing activities.

So if you are in a funk, I want you to know I understand. I get it. And I want to share with you that there are options to get out. Today, you can break free by shifting the attention from the short term..you...to the long term...your life's mission. And second, Get on With It! Pick yourself up, dust off, and let's rock and roll!

No Weak Goals

The goal of life can't be just to arrive at the finish safely.

Below are common words when I ask people to tell me about their life goals:

• Comfortable
• Safe
• Steady and Easy
• Things and Stuff
• Good
• Predictable
• Enjoyable

That is just too weak. We can do more.

Here is my list:

• Uncomfortable
• Amazing
• Blazing fast
• Depth from experiences
• Focus on eternal
• Messy
• Crazy
• Coo-Coo...You are nuts
• God inspired
• God sized

2010 Baseball Predictions

The great American past time is back. It's baseball season and here are my predictions.

American

East: Yankees

Central: Twins

West: Rangers

Wildcard: Rays

Champion: Yankess

National

East: Phillies

Central: Cardinals

West: Rockies

Wildcard: Braves

Champion: Rockies

World Series: Yankees vs Rockies

2010 World Champion: Yankees

Growth hurts

Growth stings and sometimes is very painful. That's the part that nobody tells you.

But in order for me to improve, it involves some bumps and bruises along the journey...even some broken bones can be expected.

Flat out...growth hurts.

I remember having growing pains as a kid. Man, there were some nights that I couldn't sleep because my legs hurt so much. I hated those nights. But in the end, I made it through it all and grew because of those growing pains.

Same is true with my soul and emotional life path. In my growth process, some days sting and hurt. But it's all part of the process to get better. In order for me to improve as a person and become a better human being, I am going to have to continue to grow...and that means continue to be messed up from time to time.

Get It

A Rock your Face Off Book!

Go Get It....

Nicely done Mark...I am jumping on a plane in 2 weeks to get see Mark do his thing live in DC.

What's most important?

What's most important to you? Clearly defined? Do you work on this? Do you constantly check on this?

2 sub-questions:

1. Does your time reflect this?
2. Does your money reflect this?

WIT

How about you?

• Are you all in for an amazing 2010? (no...seriously....all in?)
• Have you pushed all your chips to the middle of the table or are you holding back?
• Are you willing to get messy in 2010 in exchange for amazing? messy to amazing
• Winning Matters! Nothing is better for the human spirit than winning...Are you winning now? Do you have a plan to win in life?
• Do you have the courage it takes to live the life you want to live?
• Are you being bold in life?

I'm in!...whatever it takes!

Question...

I had a great question asked of me yesterday by Tim Hamilton who designed our website.

If you need a website, call Tim at Astonish Designs! Great dude.

Question: If you were 100% more bold, what you would do?

I love that question and have been really thinking on it. Answer to come after I digest it.

What about you?

Strike Now

Strike while the iron's hot!

For me:

• Take Vision and turn into Actionable Items!
• Then do them..
• Passion and Energy
• High Payoff Activities only (never do $10 per hour work)
• It's Go Time! (Don't wait...)

My 5 year old son Teddy and my conversation on a race car he wanted to buy with money he earned:

TT: Dad, we can't wait we have to go now.

Me: Just give me a minute and wait a little bit.

TT: Dad, why wait?

Me: I have no answer for that!

Really....why wait? Strike now for me.

3 R's with my adversity

I was taught and want to share this mountain moving stuff.

With my pain and adversity, God will:

1. Redeem: God takes my most dreadful pain and does good with it. I don't always see it or understand it, but awesome good comes out of my pain. God will never make me suffer pointlessly.

2. Restore: God will restore my dignity. God always has the last word and the last word with my tough times is always Good! My adversity is not fun to go through but God will make me better because of it.

3. Remember: God always remembers my deepest pains. He never forgets me. God will wipe every single tear from my face.

Checklist

Do each day all that can be done!

• Focus on the right activities...the high payoff activities
• Avoid waste at all costs (law of inertia...keep moving forward)
• Don't get ahead of ourselves. Do today's work today and tomorrows work tomorrow
• It's not about how many things you do...it's about how many meaningful things you do
• Never do $10 per hour work
• It's all about choices...make good choices (no luck involved)
• Don't like your results, then change your behaviors
• Don't ever settle
• Be patient...success takes time
• Avoid distractions
• Track progress to stay on track

The list above represents some of my checklists to take our life (and business) to the next level. The good news, it works. The bad news, it's hard work. But the payoff is well worth the hard effort to achieve some meaningful progress.

I don't know...

It's not what you know that is important. Real maturity is knowing how much you don't know.

I have to keep things really simple.

• Don't do meth
• My kids shouldn't use a chain saw
• Being on stilts is never a good idea

That's about all I really know.

Outside of this, there is so much I don't know! But the pursuit continues....

Sunset in the ATX!

There are amazing things right in front of us every single day.

I have been working on this and certainly still am working on: Pay Attention!

So many we speak to and work with tell us the struggles of daily life. They are running around a million miles per hour...rushing here and rushing there. And when you live in this havoc pace, you can't live in the moment.

We have been working on:

• Slow Down
• Less is more
• Pay Attention
• Conscious Living
• Pay Attention
• In the moment moments
• Stop and smell the roses
• Stop and pay attention to the sunset on Lake Travis in Austin TX!

It's completely opposite as society tells me...but it's the right path.

Clarity

Clear Thinking?

With all the noise and chaos around today, I need to make sure I don't fall captive to all those distractions. I need to make sure I have clear thinking.

I seek clarity:

• Clarity of thought
• Clarity of focus
• Clarity of priorities
• Clarity of time
• Clarity of strategy
• Clarity of relationships
• Clarity of vision
• Clarity of marketing
• Clarity of purpose
• Clarity of my business

It doesn't come easy. To gain clarity, it takes hard work and being very intentional.

But the payoff is huge. And when I have clarity, it's like clear blue water. Amazing!

What about you?

Do you have clarity? Or do you need to work on it? Spend some time on seeking clarity, because the return on this investment is unbelievable!

Inventory

Managing inventory is a huge issue in the marketplace. Those that can get the most r.o.i out of their inventory have a huge competitive advantage. Organizations, the good ones, spend tons of hours managing inventory and it is a absolute focus.

But what our in our lives?

Do we take inventory?

Do we make sure we have the right inventory (priorities)?

Do we make sure we are getting the best r.o.i. out of our life?

Here is my inventory:

• My relationship with Jesus Christ and My Faith
• My wife Kelly and our marriage
• My boys Teddy and Tate
• My work and company
• My relationships
• My impact and serving others
• My time and my money...are they in line with the above?

Not even close to where I want to be but on the journey nevertheless...

My stupid thinking...

My Pity Party (a couple days ago)

Nobody shows up. Nobody signs up for that event. Nobody cares.

I should just stop having them.

And how about this Chris?

Turn problems into possibilities!

Yes, that makes more sense.

I think I will change my thinking today!

Man, there are days where I frustrate myself with my stupid thinking. I know there is no bigger waste of time and energy than on self pity. But yet I did it. Why? I know it's negative and produces nothing but junk and funk. But yet I did it. Why? I know it's against what I believe in. But yet I did it. Why? I know nobody wants to participate and talk about my pity problems. But yet I did it. Why? I know it's taking my life backwards. But yet I did it. Why?

I don't know.

But I do know this. I can change my thinking. And when I change my thinking, my outcomes will also change. And when my outcomes change, my life changes. And when my life changes, I can do my job of helping others change their life a whole lot better.

On with the change....

My questions for today?

Some questions I am thinking about in our business:

• What new and creative message can I get out? (Must be Innovative!)
• How can I reach more people? (Must be Diligent)
• What new accountability's can I put in place? (Must have be purpose driven)
• When to start new programs? (Goals with passion and avoid procrastination)
• Why go through all this hard work? (Relationships matter most!)

Some questions I am thinking about in life:

• Why are people losing sight of the important priorities? (relationships vs watch some more TV...helping others vs buy more stuff....it's not all about me vs it's all about me...go to the park with my family vs go to the mall)..And what can I do about this?
• What do bad things happen to good people? (My 38 year old fraternity brother dying with 3 young girls)
• Why is fear so controlling and what can I do to overcome it?
• What can I do to be more transparent?
• Who discovered coffee?
• Why does health care need to be some complicated and broken?
• If money were not an issue....then what?
• What can I do to master peace of mind?
• What can I do to take my relationship with Jesus to the next level?
• Why does my son Teddy ask so many questions? I wonder where he gets this from?

Today, it's only questions with no answers.

Communication...yeah it kind of matters!

3 questions

The three most important a business or organization must answer:

1. What do you do?


2. What makes you unique?


3. Why should I do business with you?


These must be answered using a two part formula of:

• Clear +
• Motivating

Change your place

I am in Dallas all week. I love changes of environments. A new setting = new insights.

Change of place + Change of pace = Change of Perspective!

When is the last time you changed your surroundings intentionally to get new ideas and fresh approaches?

Try it...it works

Oh...you flat tire

This was flat this morning.

I had two choices; one was to let to ruin my day and be in a funk and not get anything done today or....second was to go with the flow and not allow it to affect me.

I choose the second.

These "issues" we face every day are all just relative and need to be put in proper perspective. Give me a break, you think I am going to allow a flat tire to throw me off course for the day? Nope, not today, thanks for playing. Now was it fun to deal with this? No. But hey, put it in big picture lens of my life. Not a big deal so that is how I reacted.

Five years ago, my reaction would have been the opposite. I would have thought the world was coming to an end, been really mad, and a mess for the entire day. But I have learned, the hard way, that all life's problems are really learning opportunities in disguise.

For today anyway, I think I passed the test.

Blanket of Clouds

One of my mentors taught me to slow down every single day and find a miracle.

Amazing advice. Try it.

14,000 ft descending into Austin TX!

All over the place today

Have a Do It Now Mindset. Fear stinks. Why Not? The Orange test: When I squeeze oranges I get orange juice, when I squeeze you what comes out? i love the water. re-actions are more important than actions. Ignore Society...stick to your own plan and don't get distracted by outside white noise. pre-decisions are more important than decisions. Big Dreams Rock! study success. surround yourself with successful peeps. caffeinated life only. attitude matters a ton.Vision 1st...tasks later. people more important than message. Best Story Wins! greatness is inside you...motivate it out. winning matters. don't let time talk you out of your dreams. go to work to work.have fun. my kids are cute. burn calories for your cause. have a great day!

Safe is not the goal

There has to be more than just the goal of arriving safely. There has to be more than the goal of just surviving.

For me, it's about making a impact; about speaking to the potential of others by making a splash. Well to do that, I have had to take on risks (and still taking them). With risks and living on the edge come some serious ass kicking. I have enough for all of us. But with everyone of them come huge lessons that afterwards, I would not change for anything!

My lessons on adversity:

• It's at the storms of my life that I found God
• God wastes no pain
• It's not about my circumstances but rather God will get make terribly uncomfortable and full of messes in order to improve our relationship. And for that, I am incredibly thankful.
• Turn problems into possibilities
• View each pain as an education opportunity. (I am a Ph D)
• Focus on what I can control and nothing else
• Let go to go up (give up white knuckling my life and my circumstances)
• Stop being self absorbed. Be small. Humble is a huge life lesson
• One day at a time. Live in the NOW.
• When I am on the floor, at least I can't fall off (perspective)
• Master Time (take in all conscious moments intentionally)
• Be committed to my vision and my dreams even in the huge storms of my life

I have learned the hard way but the right way that adversity is healthy! That doesn't mean it's fun or enjoyable but neither is cough syrup. But adversity like cough syrup, it's needed and healthy.

Love My Punks!

Some lessons these two miracles have taught me:

• One size doesn't fit all...everyone has a unique code to unlock the potential. It's my job as a leader to figure out what key works and what buttons to push.
• Time is the most important issue to master on the planet. Time, priorities, and behaviors...Are they all consistent? Are they properly managed? Are they maximized each day? It's a stewardship issue at the core.
• Go. Set. Ready....It's Go Time! What are we waiting for? Why are holding back? Why not?
  "Dad, let's GO!" ...No One is Lazy in Lazy Town...Go Go...(see Nick Jr Lazy Town show)
• Key element of joyful life = being able to laugh at yourself.

Teddy: Dad what are those lines on your head?

Me: Where?

Teddy: There (as he points to my wrinkles on my forehead!)

Me: Now that is funny!

• Imagination is huge! With time and as we get older we tend to limit our imaginations. Mistake. Dreaming is crucial and we need to apply intentionality in using our imaginations. "Dad, can you believe Santa showed up and was here?"
• Don't listen to society's advice and their barometer on success. "Dad, let's just take a rest."

I always say that I learn more from my kids than any other source. I got some smart dudes and Thank You Jesus for those miracles.

Jasper Toe Story

At some point, we need to take action!

At some point, we need to spend the energy!

At some point, we need to turn nouns into verbs!

Are you ready to make 2010 the year of impact and action?

Unsustainable Pace

Too many people are living life at an unsustainable pace.

A friend of mine sent me a message about how shocked he was the the head football coach of Florida, Urban Meyer, would resign from one of the best jobs in his profession. How could you resign from a dream job and when you are at the top of your profession was the question asked of me. I wasn't shocked at all. Why?Because I see it every single day where people, just like Coach Meyer, are burning life at both ends and running at a pace that just can't be sustained for the long haul.

Is this called burnout? No. This is much more of a problem than "burnout." Burnout is a short term energy and passion issue where as this is something much more. This is crazy life pace is a long term strategy that won't work. It's a loser. And part of the problem is society's barometer for success is completely wrong. Society tells us the most successful are the busiest people. WRONG! In my economy, the most successful are those who achieve the most. Let's not mistake activities for achievements!

How can I get out of this rat race and losing life strategy?

• 30 mins of quiet every single day. Complete isolation daily.
• Constant auditing of your time. Where is it going? Are you doing the right things with your time? Are you working on the most productive things? How much true waste in time do you have per week?
• Cut out all busyness and busy-bee activities.
• Be Accountable (and if you can't do it yourself, find a partner to help you)
• Start each day with a plan.
• Say NO! You will have to learn to say NO more than yes to most requests of your time.
• Stop and notice each day a miracle (sunrise, sunset, rain storm, a baby, blue sky, a laughing child, a loving family, husband and wife sharing life, the ocean,....they are all over but you need to stop and train yourself to see them)

Don't buy the hype. Don't listen to society. Being more busy is not better! It's a long term losing strategy. There is a better way. Slow down. Make a difference. Do the things that have an high impact and cut out the rest.

Homeless no more!

Kim Perkins has a home!

I met Kim on a street retreat for Mobile Loaves and Fishes where I became homeless for one weekend. MFL founder Alan Graham told me I needed to go of which I am so grateful. In this life changing weekend where I experienced being homeless (no money, no ID, no phone, no place to eat or stay), Kim looked after us. She guided us and was our Shepard making sure we stayed from danger (and found something to eat). You see Kim has been homeless for years and an expert on living on the streets in Austin.

After this street living weekend, Kim and I stayed in touch. I had a front row seat to see just how hard Kim was working to improve her life. She constantly was taking little steps to improve. I now am so proud to call her my friend. She is an outstanding person and I am so thankful I got to know her this year. I have learned so much from Kim.

Kim also has made some unbelievable advances in her life. She has shown all of us that when we keep moving forward, just small steps, along with faith, amazing things will happen. Let me brag about Kim and consider her accomplishments this year:

• Kim has a home! After years (7-10 years)of being homeless, Kim now has her own place! A home. A safe place where Kim can get a proper nights rest. A full 7 hours of sleep is something most of us take for granted. Not the homeless. Most homeless are so tired and it takes everything they got to make it through a basic day. Kim now can get out of the wind, rain, cold, sun, extreme heat, etc and have a safe place to call her home. Say it out loud, Kim has a home!
• Kim's home has everything she needs: Chair, Bed, Kitchen, Bathroom! It's amazing!
• Kim has food so she doesn't need to worry about eating each day.
• Kim has been baptised where she publicly professed her faith in Jesus Christ!
• Kim regularly now attends Lake Hills Church downtown.
• Kim has a telephone.
• Kim has clothes and a new coat. (and doesn't have to carry everything she owns like she did before)
• Kim has a new life!

The true joy for me has come from knowing Kim and her friendship. It showed me, first hand, the power of serving and helping people out. When all of us just help out a little, huge things will happen! There are a million reasons why we can't serve more and help more (busy schedules, work, running here and there, emails to send, parties to attend)....but we all need learn from Kim and just take little steps to help out.

Mobile Loaves and Fishes is an outstanding place to start. I learned that it's the little things that make all the difference and end up being big things! One down and many more to go! What are we going to do about it?

Simplify

As you are making your 2010 plans, I have one word that is life and business changing: SIMPLIFY!

We are all making business and life too difficult. Just look at and audit your calender for the last 90 days. Busyness...Busy being busy. Noisy!

There is a much better way.

Simplify.

Less is more.

Let's not mistake activity for achievement!

I could care less who is the busiest (noisy activities)...but I am totally engaged on who is running the business (achievement)

To be more successful, get rid of all the "stuff". And then concentrate on the big impact activities only. And I promise all of those will have one word in common: Relationships.

• Relationships with employees
• Relationships with stake holders
• Relationships with customers

Simplify. Get rid of noise and clutter.

HOPE

Powerful word.

Life changing.

My Hope:

• Grow my faith and relationship with Jesus Christ
• My kids future
• My wife and our future
• Peace (relational, financial, spiritual)
• That society changes (priorities, how we treat each other, end homelessness, end poverty to name a couple)
• I leave the world a better place
• To motivate, inspire and help millions of people through my life, my story, and my faith (my work)

Some days are tough. Really tough. Hope gets my through every single time!

What do you HOPE for? When was the last time you worked on your HOPE?

Be intentional about your HOPE...

Choices

I have been working with my 5 year old son Teddy on choices. When he is looking at his younger brother and the wheels are turning on if to mess with him or not...I look over and tell Teddy to make a smart choice. And he knows:

• Mess with my younger brother = timeout
• Don't mess with my younger brother = keep playing

Here is what I have learned on choices through some good choices and some terrible choices.

Take your time with choices and think, because they will be with you a long time.

With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight here are some of my thoughts on my choices:

Bad ones:

• Made to quickly
• Didn't consult with others
• Didn't take time to stop and think (reactions)
• Didn't pray
• Self above all else

Good ones:

• Used my head and did some thinking
• Involved others
• Took my time
• Prayed and connection with God
• Selfless involved

The results and consequences of our choices last a long, long time. Be smart, use my head, take my time, involve others, and pray work for me.

Effort!

The score at the end of the day is the by product of something much more powerful and important called: *** Effort!

My focus on our business is the daily effort and moving forward each day. I try not to worry about the end results (profits). If I concentrate on the daily basics of our business, the results will come and be there.

Some questions we ask of ourselves that may help you:

• In business today, are you giving it your all?
• Are you totally committed?
• Are you striving to become the best at what you do?
• Would Teddy and Tate be proud of my work effort today?
• Are you settling for less than your best today?
• If so, why?

When you concentrate on the end score only, you lose.
When you concentrate on the basics, the score at the end of the game will say you win.

A great exercise....

Do you want a exercise you can do in your business that will rock your world? Here it is:

How can I/we make doing business with me/us, a total blast?

Do this individually if you are in business for yourself, or as a group.

Today, we have:

• Similar people
• Similar things
• Similar products
• Similar experiences
• Similar prices

Applebees, Bennigans, TGI Fridays, Chili's, on and on....all doing the same thing. How boring!

***** Be Different. Dramatically Different.

Make doing business with you a total riot...how can we do this?

It's all about experiences....It's all about doing things different.

I told Kelly this weekend that if we do things exactly opposite as the real world does and suggests, we would be right every time!

Different is in!

My Vision!

In all of our speeches and seminars, you will find an overwhelming topic hammered on constantly and that is the importance of Vision. As the smartest and richest person ever to live on this planet said:

We there is no vision, people perish...said King Solomon

But the opposite is also true: Where there is vision, people prosper!

We get asked all the time about our vision. What are we trying to accomplish? What are my dreams? What part can I contribute to make the world a better place? When it's all said and done for me, what contributions do you want to make?

Here is the essence of our vision (my vision books are on volume number six):

To help, to inspire, and to motivate millions of people through my life, my story, and walk with Jesus Christ with the complete understanding that today, I can effect the life of another human being.

It matters...

Design matters...

Presentation matters...

Don't overlook it....instead, be intentional and focused on both

It separates the good from the great!

Thoughts...

Every single thought is either:

1. Strengthening you and making you better.......or

2. Weakening you and robbing you of life

Given this, doesn't it make sense to really work on our thought process? I would say so....

**** Thoughts - Feeling - Actions = Choices

Life is our series of choices we make (or don't make)

If choices come from thoughts....let's make good thoughts to make good choices!

Q: What are you thinking today?

• Doom, Gloom
• Negative
• More wrong than right
• Mediocrity
• Addiction
• Fear
• Worry

or

• Fun
• Joy
• Peace
• Right than wrong
• Abundance
• Let's Go
• Can Do

Sleep

I remember when I was growing up how soundly I slept. Specifically, we had a summer cabin on a lake and I would spend all day outside playing baseball, swimming in the lake, and riding my bike up and down the lake hills. At the end of the day, I was all done and the minute my head hit the pillow, I was out!

But I recall how soundly I slept. It was so full of peace and calm.

But now 29 years later, real life can take its toll and with all the real life noise, sleep is much more difficult. I don't have sleep issues but nevertheless, I long for those days when my head it the pillow it was all over...and full of peace. That's the way sleep should be.

So I am working intentionally on my sleep plan called REST

Reset
Every
Single
Time

• When today's done, it's done (stop trying to always do more and more)
• Be Thankful for today and rejoice in it
• Review the day (what worked and what did not work)
• Reset to the Big Picture...(always keep focus on the big stuff and not little details)
• Let go and Go Up (it's not about me but rather God and his plan)

But as my teachers taught me: to get good sleep, you have to make a Intentional Plan! Like anything else, you have to work at it. I never thought about it like that but I think it's so true.

Happy Veterans Day

Veterans (both past and present)

Thank you!

You are my true hero's.

You selfless acts and ultimate courage are my inspirations!

Thank you!

Snowball

My thoughts have a Snowball effect!

Negative Thinking = Negative Results

Positive Thinking = Positive Results

It's really that simple. But the problem I see is that most people don't Intentionally work on this process. I work Intentionally on my attitude and thoughts every single day. It's the most important thing I can do. Why?

See above.

Create Today!

Great Leadership (and my formula) =

• Vision : What exactly is the vision for your life and business? Is it big enough?
• Goals: Set some targets based on your vision to make it come true
• Creative and Innovation: Boring is out. Be interesting and entertaining!
• Execution and a Do it Now Mindset: Take Action, Get on offense, Avoid Procrastinations
• Focus: Use your time wisely...manage your time just like you do money...maximise your resources
• Have Fun! : One shot at this life so we better have some fun

When I am not speaking, I make sure there is 50% or more of my time used to be CREATIVE and INNOVATIVE!

My Time Journal:

50% Creative ($200-$500 per hour)

30% Working On Business ($100-$200 per hour)

20% Tasks and Doing Stuff ($10-$50 per hour)

It's all relative...

^^^^ Bad Times and Bad Events are all relative ******

I remind myself of this powerful thought all the time.

Seriously.

I hate pity parties.
I hate lack of courage.
I hate feeling sorry for myself.
I hate fear.
I hate living in ordinary levels of consciousness (when levels of extraordinary consciousness are available to me...and for FREE).
I hate looking back.

You know what? It's not all about me. In my times of adversity, I need to remind myself that I am not the center of the universe. My tough times are not the most important thing on this planet. And besides that, it's all relative. I tell myself this all the time:

Somebody on this planet would trade my tough times for theirs in a FLASH!

Instead Chris, how about this:

• Pick yourself up dude
• Nobody really cares about your pity party and nobody wants to attend
• Instead, Go out and make a difference
• Keep on keeping on
• It's Go Time
• Embrace Adversity
• It's all disguised as tough times but in the end it's really good for me
• Relax...God in control and with me
• Awesome!

DD + MM = WE!

Formula:

DD + MM = WE

Dramatically Different and then provide Magical Moments and you equal a WOW Experience!

1. Dramatically Different: What is your AHA in business? Why you? Why should people do business with you? What makes you unique?

• VISION! You got to have a huge vision that is clear and motivating. If you aren't clear, how can you expect the marketplace to be clear? Vision separates the top from the rest; we see it every single day!
• Do things different. Be unique. Take the road less traveled. Get uncomfortable.
• Dream Big Time!

2. Magical Moments: Do the things that make it an experience! Do the little things extremely well from your heart!

• Take the ordinary and make them extraordinary!
• Focus on perfecting the BASICS (do the basics better than your competition)
• Be Intentional (greatness doesn't happen by stumbling across it but rather by being intentional)
• When you do this little things from the heart, you will be alone because your competition won't do it..Why? It's just too hard for them.

3. WOW Experience!: Business that has the "IT" factor full of energy, spirit, high performance, and passion. Something that can't be copied or duplicated. WOW!

When you are going to start?

Seperation

What exactly are you going to do to separate yourself in the marketplace today?

You need a plan...

Make it magnificent and marvelous!

Start today.

Activities vs Achievement

Activities vs Achievement

Huge Difference!

A great exercise: Look over your calendar for the last couple weeks and audit your time. What did you see? More activities and noise or actual steps forward and achievements?

I think in today's world there is a wrong test for success. It seems like the gauge for success in today's world is how busy you are rather than how much you achieve. I see it all over.

Busy here and Busy there. Running around a million miles per hour with hair on fire; But short on achievements.

I am just the opposite. I want to slow down and take my time (especially with my decisions because most of them stay with me a long, long time.) I want to do less busyness and more business. I want to get rid of all noise and focus on taking steps forward. I hate distractions and busy bee non-sense that keeps me from getting the most impacting rewards accomplished.

But to get this done, I have to audit my performance and know exactly where my time goes. Why? I am where my time goes. Period.

What if....part II

What would our businesses look like if we:

• Found our passion and big aha difference maker
• Cast a clear and motivating vision
• Get great people on board
• Execute the BASICS better than our competition (especially focusing on relationships!)
• Take little steps forward each day with passion and enthusiasm
• Have a bunch o FUN!

Today, we are making business/life much harder than it needs to be.

Let's just take a time-out and really think on this.

If any of this hits home, you need to sign up for IGNITE Seminar we are hosting. Email kelly@christapken.com for details (limited space and seats are filling up fast). You don't want to miss out on this day long seminar where we are building a plan of action for an amazing 2010! Enough mediocrity...there's a better way and it will start with you being at IGNITE course!

KISS...Part III

KISS

Keep it Simple Silly!

We all are making business too difficult today! The top producers keep things very simple and focus on the BASICS!

It's all about the execution of the Basics:

• Do Basics Daily!
• Add a sprinkle of Passion!

Execute the basics every single day with a dose of passion and you have a formula that your competition can't match!

Apple, Google, and YOU! Keep things simple! (just like Apple and Google!)

Courage and some thoughts

Courage!...What does it mean? Something I have really been thinking about and working on.

It takes courage to live the life you want to live. This is for sure.

Another point about courage: Embrace adversity and tough times all the while understanding there will be ultimate victory. That's easy to say but hard work.

Really, I should look forward to adversity? Yes. Because it's in these tough times that we really grow. We dramatically improve when the weather is not so fair. We absolutely learn when the road is rough. We advance when the footing is not so sure. Now, please also understand that it's not fun and easy in these turbulent times. Nobody enjoys getting beat up. But it's needed and good for us.

Lastly, we need to keep our eyes on the prize which is in the end, WE WIN! We all will get through these tough times and come out even better. Defeat ..never. Victory is ours.

I think that's courage.

Very Cool!

We have been running some very awesome marketing campaigns.

Very different...very unique!

**** Tremendous success when you can separate yourself in the marketplace!

Love Creative!

Q: What are you doing to seperate yourself in the markeplace?

Boring is out!

Something to Think about...

Crisis! = Disaster

*** You can't run a business or a life in crisis mode. ****

Solution to Crisis is Clarity!

^^ Get Clarity to today.

Clarity! = Calmness

Amazing results come from a sense of calmness. But it starts with clarity.

Clarity:

• Clarity to Time Management
• Clarity to Vision
• Clarity to Purpose
• Clarity to Priorities
• Clarity to Roles and Responsibility
• Clarity to Having Fun
• Clarity to Being Creative
• Clarity to Selling
• Clarity to Marketing
• Clarity to Cash
• Clarity to Management
• Clarity to Leadership

Just to name a few...

Question submitted

Question from our website: What is one of the biggest factors in today's marketplace that you are seeing?

And please feel free to post questions to our website and we will answer them.

Answer: The company's and top producers that are able to SEPARATE themselves in the marketplace is the biggest issue we are seeing today. There is so much Same ol' Same ol' out there with everyone running around a million miles per hour with their hair on fire....but can't separate themselves in the market.

And then there are the very few that Slow Down and Intentionality master the Vision and the message. Those that make themselves Different...not only different but DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT (DD) are the ones that even in today's chaos, go out and set records.

VISION...and communicating that vision in a clear and motivating manner is the BIGGEST separator in the marketplace.

Fail Fast

To really suceed you have to fail!

Uncomfortable

Get uncomfortable!

We have a saying in our home and in our business:

**** Comfortably Uncomfortable! ****We want to be comfortably uncomfortable.

I firmly believe a huge reason why people settle for mediocrity and far less than their best is because they won't get out of their comfort zones. In fact, I am seeing his issue run rampant today more than ever. Think about this: Take an apple. Where is that delicious juicy red apple located? By the safe big trunk of the tree? Or out on the skinny branches?

I think we need to get out on the skinny branches and INTENTIONALLY get uncomfortable! I think we can take a lesson from Simon Cowell and American Idol. The American Idol contestants that "play it safe" by singing a predictable song get the wrath from Simon and kicked off. Well, same is true for us...No need to play it safe and do the same thing over and over all the while clinging to our comfort zones. That way of life just doesn't produce amazing results! In fact, it is a sure formula for medium living.

I have been accused to get out on the edge a little too much but nonetheless, I try to get uncomfortable! It's well worth the risk!

Washington DC

Washington DC for most of this week. 3 speeches in 2 days. DC is simply amazing!

Coming back to Austin...also AMAZING!

We are practicing what we preach in our seminars:

• WOW Experience is the standard (being good is just not good enough anymore...have to be excellent!)
• ROIR...Return on Investment Relationally! It's all about relationships!
• Meet more people...I have 40 plus business cards in my pocket from great relationships I met this week. Question: What would your business look like if you just met one person each day?
• Be Different. Different sells. (not better)
• Lots of business out there....but the question is are you getting it?
• Have Fun! if you can't have fun, do something else.
• Pay Attention...

LOVE SOUTHWEST! Just study what they do and follow...(don't charge you for bags...no wonder they dominate!)

Pay Attention! Part 3

Great advice from one of my mentors today:

*** Remember to Pay Attention! ****

So true... what would things look like if we all just paid attention?

• New Business
• Amazing Relationships
• Maximize Time
• Creativity and Innovation
• Fun and exciting
• Stable and calm
• Boundless Opportunities

I have to do a much better job of paying attention!

Crisis

The above graph is an example of the type of results a business will experience when operating under Crisis! The same life results can be expected in a life of crisis as well.

You just can't perform under crisis (long term)

So if you are experiencing crisis right now, you have to fix it! And this means change. It also means spending money to get some help. It's hard and tough work. I see too many out there that are hoping the crisis goes away and ignoring it. That is the wrong approach. Tackle crisis head on....start today.

"But I can't afford Chris."

You can't afford NOT to do it is my reply.

In the marketplace and In life....

When the lights turn on and the game plays out there are only two types:

• Non-Performers
• Performers

Be honest with yourself...Which one are you?

Enough talk: Take Action!

Notes from this weekend

I spend a ton of time on this one word: Why? But I am finding out that this really not my job to be consumed with Why? By nature, I am curious. I am type A. I want control. So I constantly asking and questioning... Why?

Well, I am learning (the hard way but healthy) that Why is not for me to figure out. As a Christ follower, I am getting a heavy needed slap upside my head on the words "complete submission". My son Teddy is very curious and an expert question asker. The boy rattles off more questions in a day than should be allowed by law. And sometimes I get frustrated by all the Whys...Well, I do the same thing.

Why did this happen? Why am I going through this? Why can't I get that? Why should this take this long? Why isn't my plan the best? Why do I have to? Why Why Why....Stop it Chris! That's not your job and role.

Below are examples of points I have now grasped:

• It's not my plan is that perfect...in fact my plan is full of flaws
• It's not my role to figure out Why?
• It's not my job to question everything.
• It's not good for me to control.
• I have a limited perspective and simply can't see the whole picture

The lessons I have learned are tough; they sting! Here is the list from my notes on this process:

• Put ego on the shelf. I am not that smart
• Your plan won't work and is flawed
• You have a very limited lens of which you can see the big picture...like looking at the state of Texas through a straw
• Trust God. Always.
• Faith can't be just some great word to be loosely thrown around. Chris you better really understand and work on this word Faith.
• Being comfortable is not the goal. Being comfortable can't be the focus. Making a difference is the goal. And you can't be comfortable all the time and make a huge difference. That formula doesn't work.

You have a front row seat to this work in progress....terribly messy but real.

7 reasons people settle for medocrity

We have a major problem that we see all over the place: Settling for Mediocrity!

• Mediocrity in business
• Mediocrity is relationships
• Mediocrity in income
• Mediocrity in life plans
• Mediocrity in school
• Mediocrity in careers

We can do better. We need to do better. We were not made to settle for mediocrity.

Here are 7 reasons why people are settling:

1. Lack of a clear vision
2. Lack of goals setting
3. Lack of effective partnering
4. Lack of resources and poor time management
5. Lack of handling adversity correctly
6. Lack of work ethic
7. Lack of sustainable passion

Take each one of these and work on them individually. Spend the time and effort on each one and the payoff will be huge!

Adversity...

One of the things all of us are guaranteed in this life is adversity. The degrees of adversity is different for all us...but we all will experience adversity.

*** But with every ounce of adversity comes an equal if not increase in assets!

It's hard to embrace adversity and enjoy tough times but in reality, we should. Why? Because behind it and disguised is an amazing asset. You may be going through really tough times right now; many are experiencing just that at this moment. But please understand, better days are ahead and you have a ton of assets coming your way!

We talk to many struggling people in the marketplace on a daily basis. It's tough out there right now. But all of this adversity we are experiencing is making us better. Behind the tough times curtain, is a wonderful treasure full of assets.

• Embrace Adversity
• Look for the assets
• Learn from tough times; get better even went it stinks
• Keep positive
• Stay focused

Stand out

If there is nothing special about your work, then there will nothing special about your pay either.

Stand out...
Be Different
Be Unique
Take Road Less Traveled
Try it
Innovative and Creative
Be Interesting
Be Entertaining

3 questions we must be able to answer in a clear, compelling, and motivating manner:

1. What do you do?
2. What makes you unique?
3. Why should I do business with you?

Come on now! Let's get going on separating ourselves in the marketplace by being different! Boring stinks. Boring is out.

• Today is the time to stand out from the pack and make a huge splash!
• There is big $$ out there for those who are different
• Inspire me as your customer
• I crave interesting and entertaining as your customer....give it to me!

Power

I have been traveling and speaking all week and getting to meet a ton of people. (Houston to Dallas to Austin.)

One reminder that really stood out to me this week is the Power of Attitude (both good and bad). Those people who have positive attitudes have a Positive Power about them. It's infectious, contagious, and so attractive! Unfortunately the opposite is also true. Those with negative attitudes seems to have a Negative Power hovering over them and dragging them down.

We all know attitude is huge. But this week, we have had a first row seat in seeing the incredible POWER of attitude.

Tap into the Positive Power of Attitude! It's huge....

Do you have a plan, a system, and time scheduled to Intentionally work on your attitude each and every day? Or do you use the Hope Plan? You know the hope plan...I hope my attitude is good...I hope there is some time to work on myself...I hope my attitude is good. News Alert: The Hope plan never works.

Instead of the Hope Plan, just be Intentional! Intentional plan, system, and time to work on your attitude! The result is the incredible Power of Positive!

Limited thing called TIME

Time goes by fast! Think about it:

• How fast did yesterday go by?
• How fast did last week go by?
• How fast did your kids grow up?
• How fast did did your summer go by?
• How fast did your last birthday go by?

Time flys by...so we better think about our time and what we are doing with it.

Question to think about and plan for both business and personally:

**** So what am I really doing with this limited thing called TIME?

Now just don't read this and move on....spend some of your precious time working on how you really spend your time.

Should you have a coach?

In a moment of transparency, I am a complete sports nut and even more specific, football junkie. As my wife says: This is your hunting season. As this time of the year is gearing up and football is just around the corner, I study the success of professional athletes. One thing they all have in common is they have coaches. Tom Brady credits his coaches for his success. Tiger Woods has a coach. Kobe Bryant has coaches to continue to elevate his game.

All athletes have coaches. But why don't small business have coaches? Something to consider.

At his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Nolan Ryan said: "While I was with the Rangers, I was very fortunate to have a pitching coach by the name of Tom House...He would always come up with new training techniques that we would try and see how they would work in to my routine. Because of our friendship and Tom pushing me, I think I got in the best shape of my life during the years that I was with the Rangers."

Nolan Ryan's records include
Most lifetime strikeouts (5714)
Most career no-hitters (7)
Most season strikeouts (383, AL 1973)
Fastest recorded pitch (101.9 mph, Guiness Book Of World Records)

In our own business, we have coaches. I don't know what I would do without those special people pushing me, encouraging me, holding me accountable, giving me new ideas, giving me perspective, and most of all being there for me.

If you need a coach, you need to call us today.

Learn More...

We bring a sense of objectiveness to most small businesses as well as top producing individuals that is rather unique. In our line of work, we get a front row seat to the a ton of variety in the marketplace and the people that work in it. Most people only get a limited view because they stay in the same industry and run in the same circles. (kind of like looking at Texas through a straw...not much perspective)

Our latest conclusion and finding based on our data and quantified work:

• ****** The top businesses and top producing individuals are successful not because of what they know, but rather, their deep thirst to know more. ****

It's not what you know...it's your passion to learn more that is the barometer for success.

Please consider and think about:

• When is the last time you really focused on learning something new?
• When is the last time you signed up for a seminar to learn? (good news, we are having several coming up on some amazing topics)
• Do you intentionally schedule time to learn and improve?
• Do you teach your people to learn?
• Does the culture of your organization embrace and encourage learning? If so, prove it..
• When was the last time you implemented something new?
• When was the last time you really got creative?

$$$$ Don't spend precious time and energy in ruts and routines on what you know...but rather learn new stuff continually.

Slow Down

Just Relax! (was the message to myself today)

*** Sometimes I get in a hurry...and nothing good happens when I rush. Isn't this true, that every time we rush, we can expect bad results? The world has really picked up the pace but I am working on going in the opposite direction which is to intentionally slow down. My data and previous results clearly point out that every time I rush, I can expect terrible results. The opposite is also true in black and white...every time I slow down, I get good results. Hmmm.

Some other thoughts:

• Crisp pace is a goal...but never rush. Love the word crisp!
• Enjoy the moment (even when the current moments are tough)
• Live in the NOW
• My favorite question: ^^^ Chris, What's next? ^^^Keep moving forward. Keep taking steps. Keep going. Keep fresh. Keep creative. Keep innovative. Keep positive. But all of it done slowly and intentionally.
• When you love what you do, it's impossible to ever leave your work: See Brett Farve!
• Reducing technology....getting rid of the noise
• Never see a dentist who has bad teeth.

Slow down = good results.

Imagine

What's the last really innovative idea you put into play for your business/organization?

• Innovation
• Creativity
• Outside the box thinking
• New
• Exciting
• A Jolt
• Fresh
• Chic
• Unique
• Trail blazer
• Funky
• Edge
• Go it going on...

Won't that be cool if those words were used by your customers to describe you?

What not to do...

I have always said a To-Don't Do List will make more money than a To-Do List. The problem is that nearly everyone has a To -Do List but very few have the To-Don't Do List.

Same is true by paying attention on what NOT to do in business. Let me share some examples of things I have witnessed in the marketplace recently for you to think about:

• Cutting employee training programs....not investing in employees
• Really poor attitudes....doom and gloom vibe
• Not having any fun....falling out of love with their business
• Lack of production...not working
• Scattered focus....searching for short-cuts
• Lack of details....sloppy business details
• Pulling marketing...no growth plans and no innovation

What about if we just do the opposite? I'm in!....

Dress for Success

I see a serious lack in details in the marketplace. Specifically, sloppy dress.

Some things to think about:

• What type of image are you trying to project?
• Does your dress reflect that image?
• Are you intentional about your dress?
• Do you put out the effort?

Look, I am not a suit and tie dude...in fact living in Austin TX, you can't be! In Austin, most wear shorts and flip flops and it's the reverse here...suits and ties are basically outlawed in Austin. But you can still look sharp and professional without a suit and tie.

Pay Attention to your dress and make it consistent with your image.

Dress for success is even more true today. It matters.

Bottom Up!

Bottom Up!

Most businesses focus on the best months. They subscribe to the "have to make hay when sun shines" type thinking. All the energy and focus goes on the best months. And that is a ton of pressure.

But I think there is a better way: Bottom Up! If you take the bad months and make them average months, what did that do to entire year? Of course, went up!

It's much less pressure to make a bad month into an average month than keeping having to hit home runs in great months.

Try it. Work from Bottom Up!

• Take Bad months and make them average
• Take Average months and make them great
• Take Great months and keep them great

Result: An amazing year!

Finish Strong!

#### Finish Strong !

It's all about the Finish!...in life, business, purpose, ....the key to success is how we finish.

148 days left this year. Given this, how are you going to finish? What exactly are you going to do? What difference are you going to make? What risks are you willing to take?

Something to think about....

Waste

I am doing of review and audit using the word WASTE as the center-point.

Waste for me:

• Time (and this is a disaster and makes no sense....a complete tragedy)
• Focus (at times doing the wrong things)
• Opportunities (not properly paying attention)
• Effort (not doing my best every single time)
• Relationally (not doing my job to grow each and every relationship...taking relational issues for granted at times...)
• Impact (letting a moment slip by without making a huge difference or potential difference)

I hate waste. I want to correct this and now the work starts...

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.