The Major Key Is You!

By the late Full Spectrum Leader, Jim Rohn

Of all the things that can have an effect on your future, I believe personal growth is the greatest. We can talk about sales growth, profit growth, asset growth, but all of this probably will not happen without personal growth. It's really the open door to having it all... In fact I'd like to have you memorize a most important phrase. Here it is, "The major key to your better future is you!"

Let me repeat that: "The major key to your better future is you

Put that someplace you can see it everyday—in the bathroom, in the kitchen, at the office—anywhere you can see it everyday. "The major key to your better future is you." Try to remember that every day you live and think about it often.
Because the major key is you...

Now, there are many things that will help you create a better future. If you belong to a strong, dynamic, and progressive company, that would help. If the company has good products, and/or good services you are proud of, that would certainly help. If there were good sales aids, that would help, good training would certainly help. If there is strong leadership that will certainly help too...

If your car doesn't break down, that will help. If the kids don't get sick, that will help. If the neighbors stay half way civil, that will help. If your relatives don't bug you, that will help. If it isn't too cold, if it isn't too hot, all those things will help you build a better future. And if prices don't go much higher, and if taxes don't get much heavier, that will help. We could go on and on with the list; but remember this, the list of things that I've just covered and many more—all put together—play only a minor role in your better future.

Because, "The major key to your better
future is you." Lock your mind onto that. This is a very important point to remember. The major key is you. When asked, "How do you develop an above average income?" My mentor Mr. Shoaff always answered by saying, "Simple, become an above average person. Work on you."

Mr. Shoaff would say, "Develop an above average handshake." He would say, "A lot of people want to be successful, and they don't even work on their handshake. As easy as that would be to start, they let it slide. They don't understand." Mr. Shoaff would say, "Develop an above average smile. Develop an above average excitement. Develop an above average dedication. Develop an above average interest in other people." He would say, "To have more, you've got to become more."

Strangely enough, if you take two different people representing the same company, one may earn an extra $500 a month, and the other may earn a $5,000. What could possibly be the difference? If the products were the same, if the training was the same, if they both had the same literature, the same tools. If they both had the same teacher, the same compensation plan, if they both attended the same meetings, why would one person earn the $500 per month and the other person earn the $5,000? The difference is inside, not outside...

It's true... The real difference is inside you. In fact, the difference is you. The magic is not in the products. The magic is not in the literature. The magic is not in the DVD. There isn't a magic meeting... The magic that makes things better is inside you, and personal growth makes this magic work for you.

The magic is in believing. The magic is in daring. The magic is in trying. The real magic is in persevering. The magic is in accepting. It's in working. The magic is in thinking. There is magic in a handshake. There is magic in a smile. There is magic in excitement and determination. There is real magic in compassion and caring and sharing. There is unusual magic in strong feeling and you see, all that comes from inside, not outside. So, the difference is inside you. Because the real difference is you... You are the major key to your better future!

To Your Success, Jim

Life is a Marathon.

Hello there on this lovely summer Friday.

As is usual we end this week with a short video offering. We've worked hard this week and addressed some issues that clearly are important in our day-to-day life experience, and I totally congratulate you.

Imagine leaving work and being greeted by cheers and high fives. In this uplifting video, Amy Krouse and friends, cheered on passengers of the Chicago subway as they exited. Watch as smiles, liveliness and laughter ensue at the terminal, after finishing a day of this marathon we call life.

I think you'll agree with the intention of the message that:

Life is a Marathon!

Have an awesome weekend.

See you on Monday.

I appreciate you.

~peter~

Good Fences Make Us Rich!

I've been thinking about the line from Robert Frost that "good fences make good neighbors." I'm convinced that the most over-looked essential for success is the skill of "good boundaries."

High achievers do one thing at a time. They are focused, determined and persistent (a polite word for stubborn). But more than anything else, success requires that we are not distracted, that we don't waste our time and energy chasing non-essentials. Most of us do too much of that and wonder why we don't achieve more in life.

This week I've had several conversations that brought this home to me. One friend laughed out loud when I asked him to set limits on his work and "just say no" to outrageous demands. He argued that he would lose customers, that he prides himself on responding to his clients and that, "I just couldn't do that." As a result, he works long hours doing trivial things that are "urgent" for other people! He's often exhausted and, of course, he is not building his own business.

I was reminded of Michael Gerber's famous dictum to "work on your business rather than in your business." In my friend's case, my fear is that neither his business nor his life will flourish because he spends so much time and energy on his clients' petty interruptions.

Highly successful people build tight fences around their work. They define what they do, decide what you won't do, and then stick to it.

A second essential is to "fence out" new opportunities. Yes, you read that right. We live in a world of endless opportunities. You can go to school, start a new business, go to China for the Olympics, or buy another house while they're on sale this year. Opportunities abound! Television may be our most common distraction, but I'm convinced having too many opportunities may be our most expensive distraction.

The key to success is to do one thing well. And do a lot of it. And sell it at a price that is a "bargain" for your customers and profitable for you. Failures are always chasing the "next big thing." They are experts at "starting over." Successful people are narrow-minded and they persist. They put good fences around "opportunity."

A final boundary is to put boundaries around our friends and loved ones. This is tough! And, obviously, I'm not talking about putting limits on the quality of our relationships. Love and friendship is what life is all about! But, I don't answer my phone every time it rings.

One of the toughest things in life is to be disciplined about how we balance our relationships and our work. "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy." We all know tragic stories of people who spent their lives working and ended up alone and bitter. Don't do that! In my work, however, I see more instances of people who are so caught up in their friends and family, their community or their hobbies that they fail to focus on their work. That, too, is a failure of boundaries.

We want to be "nice." We value our relationships, and our friends and family are wonderful people. No wonder we want to "put them first." That's a good thing! But so is doing your work, pursuing your passion and building your business. Balance and boundaries are the key.

Robert Frost observed that "good fences make good neighbors" and I would add that good boundaries make us rich, in every sense of the word. Boundaries are essential to build your business, to create and maintain healthy relationships, and to enjoy the life you truly want.

Maintain your boundaries.

Seven Ways the Best Leaders Set an Example by Going First

by Kevin Eikenberry

To lead someone or something means, literally, to be in front, so that others can see and follow in that direction. Stated another way, if you think you are leading, but no one is following, you are just taking a walk.

In yet other words, leaders are leaders because of what they do, not because of a position they hold or the title printed on their business cards. This idea is central to the process of, and having success in, leading others.

This idea holds all of us as leaders accountable for our actions – and it means that “leading by example” is a phrase with too many words. Perhaps the only (and definitely the best) way to lead is “by example.”

So if we are going to lead by example, what are some of the most important examples we can set?

That is the question I want to begin to answer (and get you thinking about) with the rest of this article.

Attitude

Your attitude matters more than everyone else’s. As a leader, they are looking to you, watching for clues and modeling your attitude. Remember that someone must inject the positive attitude, must smile first, and must make it ok to think about problems proactively. If you don’t do it, who else will? If you aren’t doing it, what are you waiting for?

Learning

Every leader wants those they lead to be learning, developing and growing. It is hard to convince them to do so if they don’t see you doing it. If you want others to be learners, you must be one first. Besides, the role of leader is complex enough that there is always something you can learn; always something you can get better at.

Expectations

The expectations you have for others will impact their performance, positively or negatively. Which way will it be? Are you going first by raising your expectation of others so they can build confidence, urgency and discipline to reach those expectations? It won’t happen automatically. Set your expectations of others, let people know you believe in them, then watch them grow!

Change

If you want to affect and implement change you must be a champion of it. If you want the change to be successful, you must lead people towards it. This goes beyond corporate initiatives and major projects. Are you open to trying new things? Are you flexible in your approaches? If you want others to be, remember who they are watching . . .

Trust

If you want to build more trust in your organization – or with specific individuals, you must go first. Offer them trust. Be more trustworthy. Waiting for others to take the lead, could be a long wait. Extend and offer trust first. Occasionally you will get hurt, more often greater trust will build.

Questions

If you want the input of others, stop talking and start asking. Ask questions first. Ask questions often. Good questions promote learning, information clarity and exchange and engagement. If you want these things, stop talking and start asking.

Listening

Certainly, once you ask a question you will be best served by listening to the response. Listening is such an important behavior because it not only allows for information to be successfully shared, but it communicates to the other person that you care about their thoughts, the facts and who they are. For these reasons and many more, listen more!

Setting an example means taking the risk, doing what is necessary, doing what no one else is doing. It means going first.

Where are you going?

WHAT IS PERSONAL MASTERY?

by Karin Leonard

The spring/summer issue of “What is Enlightenment?” magazine compares and contrasts self-mastery with spirituality. Interestingly, the publishers had difficulty finding female professionals in the personal development field willing to use the word “Mastery”. These women felt the term means controlling oneself and others, and would block the process of spiritual unfolding from within. Since I happen to be female, and because I have stood by “Personal Mastery” ( as a column since 1993), I’d like to share a different view.

Master the Process

Practicing the “Kaizen” of Personal Mastery means that you are committed to the continuous improvement of everything you do, in all areas of your life. This is an ongoing journey of learning, where your results reflect feedback for the future, not failure. Moreover, mastery implies that because you value your innate gifts, you set up structures and support in your life, in order to fully and reliably express them. So-called self-discipline, then, is not an act of controlling and punishing yourself, but is motivated by self-love.

Mastery doesn’t block unfolding from within, but catalyzes and sustains it. For some exceptional folks it may be fine to just flow with the spontaneous expression of the self, yet for the rest of us, both inspiration and structure are required. Inspiration alone risks loosing momentum, and structure without spirit crumbles in the dust. In my private practice for example, my clients may engage in deep hypnotic process work, and we also discuss specific daily actions to follow through on the inner shifts that have occurred.

Internal Synergy

“Mastery” does not necessarily imply “controlling” anyone, including oneself. What works over time is to integrate the various and often conflicting aspects of personality. The goal is to get all of you on the same team, working together, instead of internal struggle, sometimes bordering on warfare. For example, you may well be able to make yourself stay away from cigarettes, for a while… But eventually the “control” stops working, and the old habits come back. Unless the reasons why you smoked in the first place are addressed effectively, change is unlikely to last. To develop enduring new good habits, all parts of your being need to be honored and understood, not suppressed and conquered.

Personal Power

As you create internal synergy, your personal power grows, and you then naturally take the driver’s seat to your destiny. This includes assuming complete responsibility for the direction your life is headed. You realize that you can create anything you want, within your circle of influence, and according to your skills, talents and competence. Some say this takes self-discipline. I prefer to use the term personal power, and with that the willingness to be at choice. Real power comes from listening to the stirrings of soul. Becoming who you are meant to be means living in harmony with the mysterious heartbeat of life itself. Unfolding your potential can not be made to happen from the level of ego, it can only be supported by creating the right conditions.

In the end, Personal Mastery is the journey of tapping your full potential as a human being – through being the leader of your life, and by co-creating with the spirit that runs through you.

Are You Ready?

Over this past weekend I said to some very delightful business folks, who were not as far along their 2011 business plan as they would like to be, that between Labor Day and the Xmas break they could fulfill their entire yearly plan. But, only if they were ready!

We get the week kicked off on this very subject by turning to an offering by one of our favorite contributors, and Full Spectrum Leader, Ms. Jan Janzen. I think you’ll like what she has to say.

Are You Ready?

By Jan Janzen

The other day while speaking to my dear friend Peter about what was happening in my life, he used a term that caught my attention. He said, "the issue Jan is IJR." I replied with "what the heck is IJR"? I thought maybe I had missed a new technology term while in Mexico. Quite simply, IJR stands for "Is Jan Ready?"

The conversation after that question was fascinating, perhaps even relevant to what is going on in your life.

Have you noticed that sometimes you don't get what you want? You may have done your vision board, your God jar, your list of what you want in your life and it isn't showing up. You've read the books, done the workshops, and watched The Secret a dozen times.

However, after my conversation with Peter my latest question for my clients is: Are you ready?

Ready for what you want, ready for what you are intending to manifest, ready for all the good things you know you deserve. Are you ready for a larger life, more money, a fabulous relationship, a terrific business, or a new home? Honestly, are you ready for the next step?

I bet that if you really look at what has happened to you over the last five years, life has been a fascinating journey. I know that over five years ago when I started writing this monthly newsletter, life was very different than what it looks like now. However, at the time as I was developing Women Empowering Women in the Vancouver area, I was very clear on my large vision for the empowerment of women. I knew what power women had that just needed focus, leadership and a clear vision to accomplish amazing things in the world. Yet at the same time, as things started to move towards that goal, something didn't feel right. Despite the success at the time, it just wasn't meant to happen. The market was ready, almost frothing at the
mouth for it, but Jan wasn't ready. Women Empowering Women died a most untimely death because I didn't have what I needed to have to do what I dreamt of doing.

Lots of things happened in the meantime - a trip to South Africa that changed my life, a book released, another one now written, a serious relationship with an amazing man, and living in Mexico. And perhaps the most relevant to the journey was a promotion to President of Plexus Pink, the network marketing company that is all about the empowerment of women.

What's fascinating is that I noticed the shift happen earlier this spring. It was like something inside of me clicked. Perhaps as I watched women, no more or less gifted or qualified than me, doing some pretty remarkable things. Maybe it was the blossoming of an ardent desire to find my voice on stage again. Perhaps it was a deep calling that powerful leadership is sorely needed in the world today. Something re-ignited that vision of empowering women. I don't know. I just know that one day, as much as I was arguing for a continued hiatus on the beaches of Mexico, the Universe was calling me to greater callings. I argued - more because I thought I should to just be sure there wasn't a mistake - but I also knew that I was ready.

You may or may not understand what I am describing. You may not yet have that longing in your soul to be larger than you currently are. You may still be wondering when that big picture for you is going to show up or if it even will. Perhaps you don't even want it to as you're in the "rest" phase I spoke about recently and you may even be hoping that rest phase doesn't end.

On the other hand, you could know exactly what I am talking about and you are well on your way. If that's the case, I bet there are some interesting emotions coming up for you. Fear, doubt, anxiety, worry and some trepidation along with the excitement and joy are usually a pretty common mix. Perhaps you are still arguing with the Universe about the calling and doubting whether or not you are ready.

Can I offer a few suggestions? If you aren't feeling a huge calling to some massive project or direction, then relax and enjoy where you are right now. If it's peaceful where you're at, then that's perfect. There is nothing wrong or bad with that. Just ask yourself honestly if you are blocking out a message or shutting out the voice.

If you are getting a message but don't know what to do about it as it doesn't appear particularly clear, there may be a critical step missing. Have you said YES to the Universe? Have you agreed and told the Universe that you are ready? Did you finish the enrollment process or do you still doubt, worry and need to be in control?

One of my clients decided recently to make a major shift in her lifestyle. Tired of the large overhead for a life that no longer suited, Paula and her husband put just about everything with a monthly price tag up for sale. Trailer, truck, horse and house all went on the block as they started looking at ways to simplify their life. However, she mentioned that she recently realized that she hadn't really said YES to selling the ranch. There weren't any nibbles on the property either although everything else had moved out of their life quite nicely. Once Paula and her husband got really clear that they were ready to let go of the ranch there was immediate activity. Real estate agents started calling and a flurry of interest appeared out of nowhere. Isn't that interesting? My client, appreciated that she was experiencing an IPR - Is Paula Ready moment?

The Universe doesn't force us to grow. It doesn't push us into situations that ensure our personal development. It doesn't hold us hostage to our Assignment for this lifetime. It merely provides the vehicles, opportunities, people and situations for us to show up. It promises us the support and guidance, direction and love but we have to take the first steps. We have to partner with the Universe - this isn't a dictatorship.

So have you partnered with the Universe or are you holding back? Have you said YES, I will do whatever it takes to be everything I am here to be? Are you willing to be open to a different vehicle or venue than you thought was most likely. Interestingly, three of my long-term clients discovered recently that what I saw for them very clearly more than a year ago has come full circle for the second time. The first time they started down the path I suggested, they pulled back, uncertain and afraid. Of course the Universe gave them the breathing room and continued to support them until they were ready the next time it showed up. Sure enough, all three of them are moving into amazing Assignments that are big, powerful, potentially lucrative, and feel right for them at a soul level. Twelve months ago, 18 months ago, 24 months ago, they weren't ready. Today they are, and the Universe and I are celebrating their progress.

How can you get ready if you aren't but want to be? Look at what is really holding you back. Are you afraid of failure? Are you afraid of success? Is it showing up differently than you thought so there is some stubbornness or pride getting in the way? Are you feeling impatient? I know that I personally didn't want the responsibility, the commitment and the workload that goes with this Assignment...until now. Today as I am on a flight to spend the next
few weeks in Phoenix, I am energized by the Assignment. I am constantly rising to the challenges with passion, feel a calmness despite the stress and am excited about the future. My vision for a powerful network of women is alive and strong. It is simply through a different vehicle than I would ever have thought. But I honestly didn't feel this way just 9 months ago.

So know that the Universe may be ready and you may not be or you may be ready and the Universe is still lining up the parties. Relax and continue to say YES. Do your part and I promise you the Universe will do its part. Just be sure you are doing your part 100% - nothing held back, no reserves for the "just in case it doesn't work" scenario. Give it your all and see what happens.

Right now, ask yourself if you're ready. Put your initial into the IJR question and then be honest with yourself. It may give you some critical answers about your life.

To your outrageous success,

Jan

Jan Janzen is an amazing contributor and you can get to know her better at: www.janjanzen.com

Full Spectrum Leadership in Action!

Good day and welcome to the weeks end, and what a week it has been. We've pushed hard, tackled issues, seen breakthrough's, and saw leadership in action all over the place. Congratulations.

As is our usual way, we end the week with a short video. As I research video offerings to share with you, I am most struck with the ones that reflect for me Full Spectrum Leadership in action. And boy, does today's video do just that.

As principal of Loreto School in Calcutta, Irish Catholic nun Sister Cyril has worked some real-world miracles. Her school serves 1,500 female students, of which 721 are so poor that they need food, medicine, and even money to meet the rent. By bringing children together like this, she is showing a way for middle class schools to integrate the poor living around them into their educational mainstream, to their mutual benefit.

When Sister Cyril was awarded the Padmashri, India's highest civilian award, for having served over 450,000 street children, she was asked about her message to people. She immediately responded: "Give what you have received freely and the reward is hundred-fold."

Think about your contribution this weekend.



Have a thought-full weekend.

See you on Monday.

I appreciate you.

~peter~

12 Ways to Get a Second Chance in Life

Good day to you and welcome to Thursday.

I was having a chuckle yesterday with one of our readers when she called me to say that our contributions this week have been causing her to work harder that she imagined when she started subscribing to our little adventure. She related that she thought this initiative would give her a few little soft tips for living life better, but what she's found that this is indeed a Masters course in Full Spectrum Leadership. I was was doing jazz hands when I heard that.

If folks are looking for a nice soft cuddly duddly pillowed invitation to live life to the fullest, there are many options out there on the "net" for that. Here we actually get the job done.

I've been saving today's missive for the end of the week, oh I know, it's only Thursday. We always bring in a video on Friday and today's reader is one that might as well print off and spend time with over the weekend. You'll see why.

Many folks only need one, however today you get:

12 Ways to Get a Second Chance in Life

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning,
but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”
-Maria Robinson

We all need second chances. This isn’t a perfect world. We’re not perfect people. I’m probably on my 1000th second chance right now and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Because even though I’ve failed a lot, it means I’ve tried a lot too.

We rarely get things right the first time. Almost every major accomplishment in a person’s life starts with the decision to try again and again – to get up after every failed attempt and give it another shot.

The only difference between an opportunity and an obstacle is attitude. Getting a second chance in life is about giving yourself the opportunity to grow beyond your past failures. It’s about positively adjusting your attitude toward future possibilities. Here’s how:

1. Let go of the past.

What’s done is done. When life throws us nasty curveballs it typically doesn’t make any sense to us, and our natural emotional reaction might be to get extremely upset and scream obscenities at the top of our lungs. But how does this help our dilemma? Obviously, it doesn’t.

The smartest, and oftentimes hardest, thing we can do in these kinds of situations is to be more tempered in our reactions. To want to scream obscenities, but to wiser and more disciplined than that. To remember that emotional rage only makes matters worse. And to remember that tragedies are rarely as bad as they seem, and even when they are, they give us an opportunity to grow stronger.

Every difficult moment in our lives is accompanied by an opportunity for personal growth and creativity. But in order to attain this growth and creativity, we must first learn to let go of the past. We must recognize that difficulties pass like everything else in life. And once they pass, all we’re left with are our unique experiences and the lessons required two make a better attempt next time.

2. Identify the lesson.

Everything is a life lesson. Everyone you meet, everything you encounter, etc. They’re all part of the learning experience we call ‘life.’

Never forget to acknowledge the lesson, especially when things don’t go yourway. If you don’t get a job you wanted or a relationship doesn’t work, it only means something better is out there waiting. And the lesson you just learned is the first step towards it.

3. Lose the negative attitude.

Negative thinking creates negative results. Positive thinking creates positive results. Period.

Every one of the other suggestions in this article is irrelevant if your mind is stuck in the gutter. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story. The mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it. For some practical positive thinking guidance I recommend reading The Power of Positive Thinking.

4. Accept accountability for your current situation.

Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own.

You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. You must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is giving up.

5. Focus on the things you can change.

Some forces are out of your control. The best thing you can do is do the best with what’s in front of you with the resources you do have access to.

Wasting your time, talent and emotional energy on things that are beyond your control is a recipe for frustration, misery and stagnation. Invest your energy in the things you can change.

6. Figure out what you really want.

You’ll be running on a hamster wheel forever if you never decide where you want to go. Figure out what’s meaningful to you so you can be who you were born to be.

Some of us were born to be musicians – to communicate intricate thoughts and rousing feelings with the strings of a guitar. Some of us were born to be poets – to touch people’s hearts with exquisite prose. Some of us were born to be entrepreneurs – to create growth and opportunity where others saw rubbish. And still, some of us were born to be or do whatever it is, specifically, that moves you.

Don’t quit just because you didn’t get it right on your first shot. And don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires. You must follow your intuition and make a decision to never give up on who you are capable of becoming.

7. Eliminate the non-essential.

First, identify the essential – the things in your life that matter most to you. Then eliminate the fluff. This drastically simplifies things and leaves you with a clean slate – a fresh, solid foundation to build upon without needless interferences. This process works with any aspect of your life – work projects, relationships, general to-do lists, etc.

Remember, you can’t accomplish anything if you’re trying to accomplish everything. Concentrate on the essential. Get rid of the rest. The Joy of Less is a great read on this topic.

8. Be very specific.

When you set new goals for yourself, try to be as specific as possible. “I want to lose twenty pounds” is a goal you can aim to achieve. “I want to lose weight” is not. Knowing the specific measurements of what you want to achieve is the only way you will ever get to the end result you desire.

Also, be specific with your actions too. “I will exercise” is not actionable. It’s far too vague. “I will take a 30 minute jog every weekday at 6PM” is something you can actually do – something you can build a routine around – something you can measure.

9. Concentrate on DOING instead of NOT DOING.

“Don’t think about eating that chocolate donut!” What are you thinking about now? Eating that chocolate donut, right? When you concentrate on not thinking about something, you end up thinking about it.

The same philosophy holds true when it comes to breaking our bad habits. By relentlessly trying not to do something, we end up thinking about it so much that we subconsciously provoke ourselves to cheat – to do the exact thing we are trying not to do.

Instead of concentrating on eliminating bad habits, concentrate on creating good habits (that just happen to replace the bad ones). For instance, if you’re trying to eliminate snacking on junk food, you might create a new mental habit like this: “At 3PM each day, about the time I’m usually ready for a snack, I will eat five whole wheat crackers.” After a few weeks or months of concentrating on this good habit it will become part of your routine. You’ll start doing the right thing without even thinking about it.

10. Create a daily routine.

It’s so simple, but creating a daily routine for yourself can change your life. The most productive routines, I’ve found, come at the start and end of the day – both your workday and your day in general. That means, develop a routine for when you wake up, for when you first start working, for when you finish your work, and for the hour or two before you go to sleep.

Doing so will help you start each day on point, and end each day in a way that prepares you for tomorrow. It will help you focus on the important stuff, instead of the distractions that keep popping up. And most importantly, it will help you make steady progress – which is what second chances are all about.

11. Maintain self-control and work on it for real.

The harder you work the luckier you will become. Stop waiting around for things to work out. If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.

While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only an astute few of us actually work on it. By “working on it,” I mean truly devoting oneself to the end result. The rest of us never act on our decision. Or, at best, we pretend to act on it by putting forth an uninspired, half-assed effort.

If you want a real second chance, you’ve got to be willing to give it all you got. No slacking off! This means you have to strengthen and maintain your self-control. The best way I’ve found to do this is to take one small bite of the elephant at a time. Start with just one activity, and make a plan for how you will deal with troubles when they arise. For instance, if you’re trying to lose weight, come up with a list of healthy snacks you can eat when you get the craving for snacks. It will be hard in the beginning, but it will get easier. And that’s the whole point. As your strength grows, you can take on bigger challenges.

Remember, life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile. Achieving your dreams can be a lot of work, even the second time around. Be ready for it. Read Getting Things Done for some practical guidance in this arena.

12. Forget about impressing people, ANYONE!

So many people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t know. Or some variation thereof…

Don’t be one of these people. It’s a waste of time. And it’s probably one of the reasons you need a second chance in the first place.

Just keep doing what you know is right. And if it doesn’t work, adjust your approach and try again. You’ll get there eventually.

10 Steps for Making a Major Life Change

Good day to you on yet another beautiful summer day.

So, right to work today. I've been having some feedback from some folks who feel that my notes to you are becoming a bit repetitive in their theme. Yes they are, and here's why.

The proposition I have for you is about FULL SPECTRUM LEADERSHIP! Not recipes for your bbq, or details on how to wax your car, or even about how to write a great novel. This is all about how YOU lead YOU.

This spinning orb is chronically short of conscious leadership, and my stated position of "You can't give away what you don't own", clearly denotes that we must lead ourselves before we can ever position to lead someone else. If you think I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, all I suggest is for you to: Hum Along!

Get some ice cream today.

~peter~

So, today's a work day, and you get it going greater by employing:

10 Steps for Making a Major Life Change
by Steve Davis

As human beings, we're creatures of habit. No wonder making a major life change is so hard! But it can be done. Follow these steps to get your change in motion, one easy step at a time:

1. Identify the price of maintaining the status quo.
Not making the change you know you need to make is costing you. Do some soul searching; consult with trusted allies, or journal to yourself to uncover the payoffs you're receiving, and the prices you're paying for maintaining the status quo. When you get that the price of not making the change is greater than the payoff, you'll be more committed to moving forward.

2. Create a reserve of everything.
We don't always have to make a difficult change from where we are now. If we have issues with money, time, space, emotional support, skills, etc., make a plan now to get more than you need in these areas, creating a stronger foundation from which to launch in your new direction. Keep in mind that it's better to be over prepared and arrive at your destination than to fail because you were just a hair short of having what you needed to get there.

3. Forgive self-judgments.
Guilt is rampant in our culture. So is the vendetta against selfishness. Suffering is supported and nurtured by friends, family, religions, etc. So it's not surprising that many of us, deep down, don't feel we deserve to have what we want. For example, maybe you feel you're not good enough or deserving of the life you really want. Or maybe you feel that the change you're about to make will hurt someone close to you. Or you may feel that you're not smart enough, resourceful enough, bold enough, or just plain "enough" to make this change. Acknowledge these judgments then forgive yourself for holding these false perceptions about who you really are. Because the truth is, they are only ideas, many of which are irrational, and you will create yourself each moment based on the new idea you hold about who you are.

4. Stop complaining.
Are you complaining about being in the situation you're in? Are you blaming others? Or have you accepted full responsibility for your situation and just beat yourself up for not making the change? If any of the above are true, you are playing the victim and you're forfeiting your power to make the change you say you want. Even if you're blaming yourself for not being happy or for not having the courage to make the change, then part of you is beating up on another part of yourself, hence there's a victim in there somewhere. To the degree you play the role of victim, you lose power you could be using to move forward. So get behind yourself completely and own your full power to create the life you desire, no matter what.

5. Give up analysis that breeds paralysis.
We are so conditioned to figure things out before we leap, that sometimes we become paralyzed to take the actions our bodies are directed to take from the beginning. This is particularly true if you're an engineer, scientist, or other type of technical person who experiences the world more through analysis than through feeling. If you're stuck in a thinking pattern rehashing the same ideas over and over, trying to figure out what will happen if, then you're stuck in a mind-loop. It's time to quit thinking and start doing. Feel in your body what it wants to do, then just do it! The information you're seeking may only be available after you take action anyway. Wisdom often comes from experience, not from analysis.

6. Develop a compelling vision.
Leaving a longstanding relationship or a long time career can be very frightening. This is because if what we have is all we see, then to give it up means we'll have nothing left. This is a terrible illusion. New opportunities, relationships, resources, connections, and ideas always rush in to fill space in our lives.

But first, you have to make the space for something new, and second, create a clear vision of what your life will look like once your change is complete. The vision of your new future eliminates the fear of the unknown--which can keep you stuck for a long time! Your vision will form the matrix on which you will create your new life and give you the inspiration and courage you need to move on.

7. Risk failure.
Does your fear of failing keep you stuck? If so, define what failure looks like to you. Imagine the worst possible thing happening. Can you live with that? Can you make course corrections before it happens or after it happens? The answer is almost always "yes." So, please, do yourself a favor, remove the word "failure" from your vocabulary. Realize that each action simply yields a result--one you want or one you don't want. Use this as feedback from the universe and take the next logical step. From this perspective, mistakes are just indications of a course correction and not to be taken personally. Pilots are checking their compass all the time and making course corrections based on this feedback. They'd never get anywhere if they took every off-course reading as a personal failure. Give up the concept of failure and take flight!

8. Recruit your inner warrior.
Within each of us there is an instinctual aspect built for bold, decisive action. It looks out, not only for our survival, but also for our soul's mission. It sends messages in the form of feelings in your body. They may come as "gut" feelings, or just a sense of "knowing" that has no rational foundation. If you're facing a difficult change, and have "contemplated" yourself into a corner, it may be time to let your inner warrior take over for a while. Just act “as if” you "know" what to do, then do it without thinking about it until after it's done.

9. Get support to help you through the change.
Big life changes can be overwhelming. There's no shame in asking for help from friends, relatives, or from a coach. In fact, enough of the right kind of support can make a seemingly difficult change, relatively easy. For me, being a former lone-ranger, asking for and accepting help from others was difficult at first, but really nice once I got used to it. Now I wouldn't think of starting a major project or making a big change without relying on my support system of close and loving friends, and my coach. Do whatever is necessary to make change easy on yourself. You're worth it!

10. Don't go to your deathbed wondering what would have happened if...
It's easy for us to forget how short our lives really are. Many of us live as if we'll never die. We waste away our hours and days working jobs we hate, living just for the weekends, or "putting in time" until retirement, living most of our lives like zombies. We may live in a relationship that is draining and disempowering thinking it might magically get better somehow, someday. We deny our feelings or make excuses for frittering our lives away. This is insane. Stop it now! Our lives are so precious and so short. I challenge you to project yourself forward to your death. It's real and it's coming for you! See yourself on your deathbed and ask yourself if the life you're living now is all you dreamt it to be. Write your own obituary today. How close are you to living your passion?

Let this vision be a motivator to get off your butt and follow your dreams!

 

Steve Davis, M.A., M.S., is an Facilitator's Coach, Infoprenuer, and free-lance human, helping facilitators, organizational leaders, educators, trainers, coaches and consultants present themselves confidently, access their creativity, empower their under-performing groups, enhance their facilitation skills, and build their business online and offline. Does leading or participating in groups frustrate you? Subscribe to the free weekly ezine for group leaders at http://www.MasterFacilitatorJournal.com.

The Gift That is Your Life!

Good day to you on this lovely summer Tuesday.

It's often brought to my attention by lovely folks who read this blog that there appears to be a commonality in the theme of many of the notes we share. Yes, it's absolutely true, there is a theme that we build on.

We are uncompromising in the position that Full Spectrum Leadership of our own life starts with taking 100% responsibility for our entire life experience. No excuses, none, nada, zip!

We are very fortunate that we have over 200 amazing writers and contributors who support us in this position, who lovingly share their insights and awareness's with us from an open heart. Today is no different.

Our friend, writer, coach, all round Full Spectrum Leader, and fellow "Pegger" Kim Malchuk brings focus to:

The Gift That is Your Life!

Kim Malchuk

Is having the rug pulled out from under you such a terrible thing? Do you have to hit your own personal rock bottom before you start to understand what is important in life?

Nobody is immune to receiving the hard knocks in life. Turbulent times are not given to us as punishments. They're signs presented to us to perhaps change the course of our life. I want to share with you the lessons I've learned while navigating through the rough waters of my life.

Finger pointing is a waste of energy. It's easy to blame others for our lot in life because looking inward requires energy, honesty and taking ownership for our choices. When I set out to make changes in my life, I focused solely on me and let others fend for themselves.

WOW! What a difference. When I started taking responsibility for my choices and stopped finger pointing, the rough waters turned calm and still. The journey became much smoother.

Words are very powerful so choose them wisely. The most important conversations that we have daily are the ones that we have with ourselves. By choosing words that are positive and encouraging as opposed to negative and destructive we walk with more confidence and pride.

Life seems much easier when we are the cheerleader in our minds instead of the school-yard bully who insists on keeping us down and out. When our thoughts are working with us instead of against us... the possibilities are endless.

Leave the past exactly where it was meant to stay. We are not that powerful to go back in time to change the past. Then why do we focus so much effort on something that is impossible to change? We are in control of what can happen NOW.

If we want to make room for new things to enter into our today's, then we must make room by saying goodbye to our yesterdays. The past takes up valuable real estate in our lives and prevents so many of us from building a priceless future.

Be thankful and grateful for it all. We often think that we get the short end of the stick in life, but look around. If you are reading this right now, be thankful you can see. If something you have read resonates with you, be grateful that your mind is open and willing to learn. If you are keeping a roof over your head, groceries in your home, friends and family who love and support you, think about those who have none of that.

There is so much to be grateful for if we only take the time to look. Slow down and take advantage of the precious gift of time.

Love is the answer. It starts with loving yourself and only overflows to others. It gives you the ability to grow, share and experience the beauty that life has to offer each and every one of us. Be open and receptive to receive this gift whenever it comes your way.

 

Kim Malchuk was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the youngest of seven children. Although her early years were infused with fear, her spirits were buoyed by her dreams of a brighter future. In 2005, Kim lost the love of her life, Mel, to cancer, a cruel but essential teacher in her life's journey.

Choosing to persevere with courage and hope, Kim soon recognized the role our thoughts play in governing the course of our lives. Her inspirational book Tasting Rain puts these life lessons to the test with charming wisdom, wit and authenticity.

Kim enjoys athletics, the outdoors and skydiving. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada and has found her "inspired purpose" in life as a writer, motivational coach and inspirational public speaker.
Kim's website is: tastingrainbook.com
Recent Books: Tasting Rain

Stop Waiting For a Big “Eureka” Moment!

by Art Markman

Bust Your Innovation Myths

It is common to tell stories of great discoveries. Hundreds of years later, we still talk about Galileo Galilei dropping balls of different weights off the Leaning Tower of Pisa to shatter existing beliefs about the way objects fall. Textbooks tell the story of Sir Isaac Newton being struck by an apple and having a sudden insight about gravity. We learn about an inspired Charles Darwin developing a new theory evolution while watching finches on the Galápagos Islands.

The problem with these stories glorifying eureka moments is that — most of the time — they are not true.

In the book Science Secrets, my colleague Alberto Martinez, University of Texas science historian, roots through primary source documents to tease apart fact and fiction in these myths. For example, Martinez points out that 16th-century Italian historian Benedetto Varchi mentions tests of the idea that heavier objects do not fall proportionally faster than light objects in 1544 — twenty years before Galileo was born. Moreover, contrary to usual claims, Galileo later reported that objects of different weights fall at different speeds!

Corporate cultures also tend to create stories about important events in the life of a company. Individuals within a company are held up as heroes who championed key ideas, fought bureaucracies, and instituted significant changes. Similarly, other people and projects are put forward as examples of key failures. In a recent New Yorker article, Malcolm Gladwell describes the development of the desktop operating system that is now so familiar in Apple and Windows computers. He analyzes myths related to the idea that Xerox PARC (which initially developed a version of that operating system) had all of the ideas that were ultimately incorporated in the highly successful Macintosh computer, but failed to capitalize on them. Steve Jobs had to add quite a bit of insight about users when adapting the desktop operating system for a mass audience.

We often try to learn from these stories of success and failure. We seek the business equivalents of Galileo, Newton, and Darwin — legendary figures who will discover innovative ideas that will revolutionize an industry. It has become trite to repeat George Santayana's quote that those people who do not learn history are doomed to live it again. However, by learning from myths rather than history, we may be doomed to fail by repeating a history that never was.

The key lesson here is that discovery myths are slanted to focus on great people and decisive events, so people can better relate to them. But by focusing on the individuals, we ignore both the contribution of others who played a role in a new idea, as well as contemporary culture at the time of the innovation. Often, there are many people toying with similar ideas, and it is the collective work of a community that gives rise to real innovation.

As Isaac Newton himself once said, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants" (a statement that wasn't even originally his).

In addition, important ideas develop over time. It is rare that there is a decisive event that triggers significant change. Instead, new ideas typically emerge through discussion, argument, and rigorous testing. The physicist J. J. Thomson is often credited with discovering the electron in 1897. As Martinez points out, though, the actual development of the idea of the electron emerged through the collective efforts of a scientific community over a period of more than 20 years.

In order to truly learn the lessons that corporate history has to teach us, it is important to act like historians. When a new idea or innovation comes to fruition, dig into the details of how it actually emerged. Talk directly to people who were involved in the development of the ideas. Read reports written at the time those ideas were being created. Do not wait for a great person to champion a key idea in a decisive moment. Instead, create an organizational culture in which a community works together to nurture emerging ideas.

Art Markman, PhD, is the Annabel Irion Worsham Centennial Professor of Psychology and Marketing at the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently editor of the journal Cognitive Science, and consults regularly through his company Maximizing Mind. Follow him on twitter @abmarkman.

Becoming Someone

Happy Friday to you wherever you are sitting today, and yes it's Friday, and we end this lovely summer week with a short but important video offering.

If you have spent any time with me at all you know that I'm forever pontificating about the person we are becoming. Every person we meet, every situation we ever encounter is a learning opportunity for us to grow forward to be, well, someone.

So you look for answers but you're not entirely sure about the questions. But you know you have to become someone. A SOMEONE." That's how this short, whimsical film opens. With fabulous music by Stephane Wrembel and creative out-takes from book stores (including a cameo by the filmmaker's dog!), this is a journey about becoming someone, no one, and paying attention.



Have a simply wonder-full weekend and play your part in making your town the ice cream consumption capitol.

See you on Monday.

I appreciate you.

~peter~

Act On What You Know Is True

Shared by Guy Finley

Truthful principles can only act as agents of change for us when we choose to enact them. Their capacity to restore self-command, grant us a mind at peace, or deliver us from fearful dark states is only as great as our willingness to call upon their powers. That's why we must do the personal work it takes to put higher principles into practice. Napoleon Hill, one of the early great pioneers of personal development, asserts: "We can become complete masters of ourselves, if we so desire. The main thought to hold in mind is first to gain the knowledge, and secondly to act upon it." And then act upon it! Wisdom is the seed of freedom, but only in action do we see it flower.

Study the special lessons that follow closely. Welcome their insight by allowing the wisdom they contain to remind you of their corresponding part in your own consciousness. Little by little, but surely as the acorn becomes the oak, you will know and grow into their power. New courage will flow into all of your actions, and the change will be unmistakable. Instead of reliving old reactions that take you nowhere, your path will become one of ceaseless transformation. And the fuel that drives this upward spiral of self-renewal is simple. You are learning to act on what you know is true about negative states, instead of allowing them to tell you what is true about you.

1. Understand that any lingering sense of discontent belongs to an inconsolable level of self that believes it can escape its pain by reliving it. Giving yourself over to this kind of unconscious suffering is like falling off a boat at sea and hoping that a great white shark will save you if you promise to feed it a small sardine. You know what happens next! Now, have the courage to act on this knowledge:

Refuse to ever again hand yourself over to a nature that loves to complain about its circumstances, even as it does nothing to change them. Your reward: Being released from the false belief that dark thoughts or feelings have any power to improve your life.

2. Understand that there are parts of you that always want to take the easy way--to do things half-way, to avoid unnecessary challenges, to coast whenever possible and pedal only as needed. Now have the courage to act on this knowledge: Deliberately choose to take the more difficult path, and finish whatever you start. Walk into what you'd rather walk away from, and persist with what you know is true for you until all resistance to your new actions proves itself a lie. Your reward: Discovering that on the other side of the resistance is the flow that always takes you, effortlessly, beyond yourself.

3. Understand that being anxious--rushing to or through things--does nothing but drive you nowhere faster! When you find you're in a mad rush, remember that what you're really trying to get to is a quiet mind--that peaceable state of your original Self reached only through this realization: There's no place more empowering for you to be than in the present moment. Now have the courage to act on this knowledge: Deliberately slow down your life. Dare to stand directly in the stream of your own rushing thoughts and feelings--instead of allowing them to carry you away. Your reward: The deeply refreshing realization of what it means to be "washed clean" of anxious states.

4. Understand--in spite of the highly polished performances to make you believe otherwise--that everyone you meet suffers in much the same way as you do. No one wants others to know the weight of their unspoken pain. And yet, all are burdened with broken dreams, shattered hearts, and whatever other sorrow walks with them through their day.

Now have the courage to act on this knowledge: Refuse to ever again add to the pain of another, even a small measure of your own. Whatever suffering you agree to shoulder in this way not only helps to lighten the load of those in need, but also serves to awaken within you the strength you need to be a real "friend in deed." Your reward: The birth of a whole new kind of compassion that not only flowers when faced with the weakness of others, but whose fragrance helps heal all those who are touched by it. Always remember:

Your original Self cannot help but act from what is right, bright, and true any more than the sun has to remember to shine each day.

Best-selling “Letting Go” author Guy Finley’s encouraging and accessible message is one of the true bright lights in our world today. His ideas cut straight to the heart of our most important personal and social issues – relationships, success, addiction, stress, peace, happiness, freedom – and lead the way to a higher life.

Guy is the acclaimed author of The Secret of Letting Go and more than 37 other books and audio programs that have sold over a million copies in 16 languages worldwide.

For more information about Guy Finley and his life-changing work, visit Guy Finley.org.

Handling Rejection in Your Business.....and Beyond!

Good day all and welcome to a brand spanking new week. I do sincerely expect that our friends in Canada had a wonder-full holiday weekend, and that our American buddies breathed a huge sigh of relief to see the debt-ceiling debacle in Washington get some resolution.

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to look closely at the folks I have the distinct honor to work with in my practice. One of the interesting stats is that over 80% of my client base are business owner or entrepreneurs.

That being said, almost everyone at one time has to deal with the issue of "rejection". Now you have likely, no, more than likely, heard me say to you. "what people think of you is none of your business". While we know that to be an absolute truth, getting a "rejection" can often knock us right of for the day.

So today, let's take a look at some ways to neuter that little "rejection" puppy.

I’ve lost track of how many times I've been asked to describe the traits of a successful entrepreneur. There are some that are more obvious than others, and we all know you should have a plan and be persistent. Having a positive attitude helps doesn't hurt either.

Mastering those, for some, is the easy part. The behavior that’s harder for many of us to conquer is learning to deal with rejection. As business owners, we face rejection in many ways. Whether we’re trying to get financing, land a new client or negotiate a deal with a potential partner, it’s inevitable that we’ll hear “no” at least some—if not most—of the time.

But successful entrepreneurs don’t let rejection get them down. Instead, they learn from it and use it to grow their businesses. Here are four ways to turn rejection to your advantage.

Do the math

If you take every rejection personally, you’ll struggle to grow your business. Try taking the personal out of the rejection equation. One technique many salespeople use: Track how many contacts, cold calls or sales calls you have to make before you get to “yes.” It is possible to quantify the average number of attempts it takes to get a sale. If you do this, you can look at every “no” as one step closer to that “yes.” Instead of getting defeated by rejection, you’ll grow to see it as just one step on the path to your ultimate goal.

Ask questions and listen to the answers

When a prospect doesn’t buy or a potential partner doesn’t follow through with the deal, ask them their reason for saying no—and listen carefully to their answer. Your goal is not to try and change their mind (although that may be the ultimate outcome) but simply to learn. Urge them to be completely honest—and don’t get defensive. Simply listen to their reasons, ask more questions if you need to, and then thank them for their honesty. Their reasons for saying no may surprise you.

Assess the problem

Once you know why the other person rejected your offer, you can evaluate whether the problem lies with your business, or whether this particular relationship simply isn’t a good fit. For example, do you regularly hear from prospects that your prices are too high or is it just this particular person who feels that way? If the reason for rejection lies with the other party, and not with your offer, it may be best to just move on to your next prospect.

Make changes when warranted

If you’ve heard the same “complaint” from several prospects or if your efforts to form strategic partnerships with other businesses are regularly rejected due to concerns about your business’s ability to deliver, it’s time to make some changes. Smart entrepreneurs don’t keep doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Adjust your approach as needed. If you keep fine-tuning your approach, you’ll likely find that you get fewer “no’s” and more “yeses.”

Rejection will never disappear from your business life. And, given the lessons it can teach, you shouldn’t want it to. Facing rejection doesn’t make you a failure—but failing to learn from it just might.

That's much of what Full Spectrum Leadership is all about.