tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25060083231171004492024-03-09T21:46:50.045-05:00Biz Sux-S - A Daily Blog Helping Small Business Owners Create Real Business SuccessBiz Sux-S is a daily blog designed to provide insight and guidance to individuals and small business owners struggling to reach dream. The blogs in Biz Sux-S are intended to be motivational, inspirational, and informative built around the coaching concepts of Impossible Futures, LLC. The articles include both personal guidance as well as team / organizational building insights.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.comBlogger206125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-73022131963316334782011-04-19T22:26:00.004-04:002011-04-19T23:15:47.778-04:00What Are You Hoping To Achieve?A funny thing often happens when you try to win an argument with a partner or stakeholder in your business - you often win the battle and lose the war. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Joubert">Joseph Joubert<br /></a></div><br />Next time you find yourself in an argument, stop and ask yourself why am I fighting? What do I hope to gain from this fight? <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why Am I Fighting</span>?<br /><br />Is it to improve the situation? I doubt it, because more times than not, an argument only causes more rifts in a relationship. <br /><br />Is it because you are trying to find the best solution for the given situation? Also usually not the case. <br /><br />Or is it because you have attached winning to your pride and you know that you are right?<br /><br />Bingo!<br /><br />Winning isn't about being right. Instead, winning is usually about achieving what you want to achieve - creating the outcome you desire. But, because when we argue, we let emotions drive our actions, instead of our mind, we forget what we want and end up losing not only what we want, but also put a barrier between you and the person or people you are trying to work with. <br /><br />When we argue, we become sidetracked from what we set out to achieve and end up wanting only to win. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ground Yourself in What You Want </span><br /><br />So when you find yourself wanting more to win than anything else, wanting to prove the other person wrong no matter what, or just forgetting what caused the argument to begin with, STOP. Take a breath. And figure out what you really want long term, not just to win the argument.<br /><br />Do you want the other person to feel hurt or wrong? Really, do you? Is that what you set out to achieve or is it just going to make you feel better?<br /><br />Do you want to win, or would you like to find the solution that is best . . . for both of you? And, of course, will keep your relationship strong and intact?<br /><br />It's not always easy to think clearly and calmly, when emotions start to flare. But the individual that can stay focused on what they want - what they want to achieve - will always end up on the winning side of any argument.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-27732889895059319152011-04-18T23:08:00.011-04:002011-04-19T01:10:45.336-04:00Where Do I Find The Answers?I've heard it said, "We do not see the world as it is. Rather we see it as we are."<br /><br />What exactly does that mean?<br /><br />To me, it means that each of us sees the world a little differently.<br /><br />As such, I think the answers to the most important questions in our lives are less based on the opinions or ideas of others and more on how we see it all and who we are. <br /><br />If you ask anyone that you meet what makes them happy . . . or what makes them sad, you will undoubtedly hear as many different things as there are people on this earth. Sure there are some consistent themes, family, health, and success, but everyone has their own wants and desires.<br /><br />I would argue the mistake many of us make is that we look for the answers to life's toughest questions outside of ourselves. We turn to books. We turn to religion. We turn to inspiring leaders. We turn to anything that will give us the meaning and purpose we seek.<br /><br />But everywhere we turn, everything we read, every story we hear is shaped by our own presence. We are less influenced by the ideas and thoughts of others than we think. But rather the ideas of others that "inspire" us are reflections of who we are and what we seek.<br /><br />Each thing we read, hear or experience is shaped by the perceptions we have stepping into the situation. We aren't observers in life, we are participants.<br /><br />When you read a story, it's not the first story you have ever read (or experienced), you bring to the story your own perceptions and you take away from that story only the memories that you choose to take away - usually those that align with what you already believed and accepted.<br /><br />When sitting in a church, everyone is listening to the sermon that is being spoken, but not everyone is hearing and understanding the same thing. We'd like to think these things are all the same, but they aren't. Each of us is only hearing and absorbing into our consciousness, the elements that align with what we believe. If we are hopeful and happy, we will hear hope and happiness. If we are sad and wanting to feel self-deprecation, then we will find it in the words spoken before us. If we are looking for salvation, then we will find salvation. But none of these ideas came from outside of ourselves, they came from within us - because of who we are, not what was said. <br /><br />The answers aren't in the sermon, they are in our own hearts.<br /><br />If you wonder about this, see for yourself. Stop any two people who have listened to the same preacher, witnessed the same event, or read the same book, ask them what they took away from it. I suspect they will be stronger reflections of who they are than what was said.<br /><br />So stop looking elsewhere for answers - they are inside of you already. You just haven't found them yet. But make no mistake, they are there.<br /><br />Some people are able to find their own voice . . . their own vision. Others struggle with it. It's not an easy task and it often takes quiet solitude to hear your own voice. Truth is, many people can never stand the isolation or silence long enough to hear their own voice and have to hear it or see it in others to find it themselves. That's ok, but give yourself the credit you deserve - accept inspiration, but own your own vision and ideas.<br /><br />Just because you might need inspiration from great writers or artists to be able to verbalize it or visualize it, doesn't mean your answers came from those individuals, only that you found your answers through their words and images.<br /><br />-------<br /><br />Four years ago, I started coaching because I wanted to help people - I wanted to change the world one person at a time. But as I learned very quickly and have been reminded time and again, coaches (be it executive coaches, life coaches, or any type of coach) don't provide answers, they help people find their own answers. They ask questions that will help others find their voice and help them use their voice to be who and what they want to be.<br /><br />I know it's been about nine months since I last wrote anything in this blog, but tonight I felt inspired to write down these thoughts.<br /><br />As it turns out, my last entry was actually about writing a vision - what I believe is the guiding light of who we are and the source of most of our answers. I truly feel that our vision holds the answers to most any tough question we face.<br /><br />Every time I see a client struggle with what to do next, how to take the next step, and they want me to provide them answers, I ask them to look inside themselves - tell them to look at their vision and see if there answers are somewhere there, staring them straight in the face.<br /><br />Below, I share my personal vision with anyone who is reading this. I share it as part of my growth and invite those in my life to challenge me to become everything that I have set out to become. I wrote it nearly nearly seven years ago and, except for a very few, small changes, it still holds truth for me. With everything that has gone on in my life, it still guides me and gives me purpose. I share it because I can't be my vision without doing so.<br /><br />-------<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">- I will be trustworthy and I will be impeccable with my word.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will love Garret and Turner always – being the best Dad that I can be. I will honor their spirits as they grow and mature – providing both roots and wings for the rest of their lives.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will live a loving life – caring for those whose lives I come in contact with, today, tomorrow and forever.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will be open and honest in the way I conduct my life and invite others to open up to me through the establishment of trusting relationships.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will be a better leader for myself and a better leader for all whose lives I touch.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will focus on maintaining spirit in my life – focusing on the energy that spiritual thoughts bring to my life.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will live an honest life – honest with myself and those around me – and I will work everyday to stamp out the lies that hurt me.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will treat others as I wish to be treated. I will respond to others actions the way that I wish they respond to mine.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will live in the now – I will live for today – not focusing on the past or worrying about things out of my control in the future.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will be open to trusting those that I choose to be a part of my life.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will grow – taking the time necessary to develop the whole me – physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually.</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br />- I will treat each day like it is the first day of the rest of my life – and live it like it could be my last.</span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-66381730792739946982010-07-13T11:42:00.004-04:002010-07-13T11:46:58.182-04:00Build a Personal Vision<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">"The first thing is to love your sport. Never do it to please someone else. It has to be yours."</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Peggy Flemming (1968 Olympic Gold Medalist)</span><br /></div><br />Building a personal vision sounds hard, doesn't it? That's because we rarely stop long enough to figure out what we really want. We don't do it for three primary reasons. First, it scares the hell out of us to think about our happiness and what makes us happy. Second, we think we are too busy living our lives to take the time necessary to stop and figure out what we want out of life. And finally, the last major reason we avoid doing the work to build our vision is because we think that by writing it down, it will be written in stone - and when it doesn't happen, we feel like we've failed. As long as we don't write it down and don't face it everyday, we will always be able to blame someone or something else for not having our vision - we are afraid of what committing actually means.<br /><br />Nothing could be further from the truth - our vision grows with us. It doesn't have to be permanent and it certainly doesn't have to be anything we fear. So, before we can make our desired future a reality, it must first exist in the real world, tangibly - not in your head, but written down in a place and in way that you can see it, touch and feel it, each and every day of your life.<br /><br />So, we're going to make it simple to build your personal vision. . .<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">RIGHT NOW!!!</span><br /><br />Let's start by getting a piece of paper, the bigger the better - I recommend a poster board that is at least 24"x36". You have a lot to put on it and it will need room to grow, over time - as you grow. Get some Sharpies (lots of colors), some paste, a pair of scissors and lots of newspapers, magazines and even old junk mail.<br /><br />You can start anyway you want, but what I recommend is taking a little of time and think about what you want your life to look like - what you want your life to be. And how you hope your life will have been when it is all over. And how you want your friends and family to feel about you when you are gone.<br /><br />I've included some questions to think about to help you do this. You can answer them individually, or just read them and let them soak into your thoughts.<br /><br />Then, just start writing on the poster board with the Sharpies (in as many different colors as you have), every thing that comes to mind. Fill it with your thoughts and your dreams writing them out as randomly or as organized as they come to you.<br /><br />- You've been given a gift - instead of going strait to heaven, you get to hear what all of your friends and family are saying about you at your funeral. What do you hope to hear?<br />- What people, things, hobbies, jobs and activities make you feel good about yourself?<br />- What were your favorite things to do when you were younger? Think about all the major stages of your life. What are your favorite things now?<br />- What things do you want to do, but either don't know how or are afraid of trying? What is your "Bucket List"?<br />- Have you ever been so intensely working in or on something that you completely lost track of time? What was it?<br />- Who in your life do you respect the most? Who inspires you? Who do you turn to when you need help? Why?<br />- What are your God's given talents in life? What are you best at? What things do others come to you for help with?<br />- If you had the opportunity to teach something or pass along a message to a large group, what would it be?<br />- What would you not give up in your life? Looking back, what things, people or events in your life would you most regret if you had not had the opportunity to experience?<br />- What are your core values - the non-negotiables in your life?<br />- What were some challenges, difficulties and hardships you've overcome or are in the process of overcoming? How did you do it?<br />- What causes do you strongly believe in? Connect with?<br />- How do you give back to the world - your friends, and your family, your community and total strangers.<br /><br />Now, you've got words, phrases, ideas, and principals that shape your thought process right in front of you. But let's not stop here. Let's bring your ideas to life - make them jump out at you everyday.<br /><br />Let's make your ideas a visual collage that will capture your imagination!!!<br /><br />Finally, get out your magazines, old newspapers, old pictures, and any other images that you can find (including those you print off of the internet). Go through everything you have, cutting out images, headlines, phrases (anything you can find) that encapsulate your words and start pasting them all over the board.<br /><br />Make them overlap, like the ideas in your head. Organize them if you would like. Or make them completely random, it doesn't matter. The key is that it is your Vision - no one else's. There is no right and there is no wrong.<br /><br />This poster is your Personal Vision!!!<br />Whether you are having a good day or a bad one, look at it everyday. Let it get inside you and remind you what matters most to. Use the images to guide you through your decisions everyday. And make sure that you live each day, doing what you can to make each it become more than your vision - make it become your reality.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-49880356252570566522010-05-10T22:00:00.004-04:002010-05-10T22:41:59.827-04:00Five Minutes A Day - That's All It Takes To Change Your Life<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; border-collapse: collapse; "><div>When was the last time you looked at your long term goals?</div><div><br /></div><div>When was the last time you started your day analyzing what you did yesterday to help you achieve your goals, and what you did that prevented those desires?</div><div><br /></div><div>And when was the last time you took a minute or two to visualize your day ahead. I'm not talking about seeing in your mind's eye EVERYTHING you are going to do that day (that's silly), but at least visualizing yourself accomplishing all that you hope to achieve that day . . . before you do. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>All things on this earth happen twice - first in your mind, then in your action. </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div>See what your day will be. Ground yourself in the goals you choose both in the long term and the short. Put those ideas in the forefront of your mind and they will begin to affect the decisions you make throughout your day. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's right. Start your morning a bit differently. Take FIVE Minutes to review in your mind what you want to be, who you want to become in your life, and what you are planning to do to bring your vision closer to becoming a reality. See yourself acting the way you want to act, doing what you know you need to do, and achieving all that you want to achieve that day. </div><div><br /></div><div>To help yourself even more, write these things down on read them every morning. Write them down because consistency matters. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Just Take FIVE Minutes - No More . . . No Less.</b></div><div><br /></div><div>- <b>FIVE Minutes </b>is all it takes to start your day off with the frame of thought that puts the most important things in your life (for that day) into you conscious mind so that you have them there all day long.</div><div><br /></div><div>- <b>FIVE Minutes</b> to ground yourself on who you are, what you want to be and how you are planning to get there. </div><div><br /></div><div>- <b>FIVE Minutes</b> to review your "yesterday" - looking back at everything that both worked and didn't work for you - so that you can make the coming "today" better than yesterday.</div><div><br /></div><div>- <b>FIVE Minutes</b> to stop and plan out your day, so that you have more control over it than you normally have. </div><div><br /></div><div>- <b>FIVE Minutes</b> to live life on purpose, rather than just let it happen to you. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Be Different Than Most Others Who Make Excuses Why They Can't</b></div><div><br /></div><div>This idea is a key element to my coaching process and I've seen it work, time and time again. I ask all my clients to give themselves just <b>FIVE Minutes</b> to start their day - time to set their mind straight and prepare themselves for the day ahead. Unfortunately, most people tell me they don't have enough time in their day to do this - and I suspect you are thinking this as well. </div><div><br /></div><div>They tell me, "There is so much to do in the morning - shower, eat, get the kids ready for school, get dressed, and get to work on time." </div><div><br /></div><div>All of these things are important, right? </div><div><br /></div><div>Absolutely!</div><div><br /></div><div>And we all know that there is never enough time to get all the sleep we need, so . . . </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Where does the FIVE Minutes come from?</b></div><div><br /></div><div>It comes from your attitude. </div><div><br /></div><div>If you want the <b>FIVE Minutes</b> to be there - if you set your mind to making sure that it is there - it will be. </div><div><br /></div><div>You might eat and shower a bit quicker, start empowering your children a bit more to get themselves ready in the morning, or even get up just a minute or two earlier. My point is that when something matters, you make time for it. </div><div><br /></div><div>So before you start making excuses for not having <b>FIVE </b>more minutes available to you in the morning, ask yourself what's more important - making today better than yesterday or making sure that nothing changes from one day to the next in your life?</div><div><br /></div></span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-15374313699872659472010-05-03T20:00:00.000-04:002010-05-03T22:23:39.220-04:00It's Not What You Are Taught, But Rather What You LEARN<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; border-collapse: collapse; "><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">I had an interesting conversation with a client the other day. As it turns out, he had a </span>GREAT <span style="font-weight: normal; ">day. Despite all the issues that life threw at him - as it always does - he was able to handle them all and still meet his loaded agenda of daily goals. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Being the ever mindful coach, my question to him was, "Well, what did you learn?"</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div>His answer reaffirmed a very important lesson to me (which I then dutifully brought full circle back to my client) . . . </div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b>It's Not What You Are Taught, But Instead What You LEARN</b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">So many of us go from book to book, class to class, and degree to degree seeking out the knowledge that will give us the edge - the advantage over our competitors. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">I've got some bad new for you.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Life isn't about what you are taught - no matter who the teacher is. All that matters is what you learn - and often times you can learn as much from your own experiences as you can from the greatest teachers in history. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b>The Premise of My Coaching Practice</b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">I don't care where you learn what you learn - the source is irrelevant. I don't care where you go for your teachings, so long as you apply them to your daily life and make a difference with them. And in the context of coaching, what matters most to me is that you learn what works for you and your business and you apply the ideas for repeat successes time and time again. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div>According to <a href="http://www.thefreedictionary.com/learning">The Free Dictionary</a>, learning is "the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skill." </div><div> </div><div>That's right you have to gain the knowledge for it actually make a difference. So you can be shown, read or listen to anything you want, until it becomes knowledge to <b>YOU</b>, it is worthless. </div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><img src="http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif" alt="Bold" border="0" class="gl_bold" /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">So, when you find what does work for </span>YOU <span style="font-weight: normal; ">- even if it's your own invention . . . </span>KEEP DOING IT<span style="font-weight: normal; ">. It doesn't matter if it works for anyone else, so long as it works for you and helps you achieve YOUR goals and the goals of your organization, then you better </span>LEARN <span style="font-weight: normal; ">what it is that you just did. Because rather than just doing it randomly or haphazardly, you need to start doing it intentionally. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b>Do it by choice rather than by chance.</b></div><div><br /></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Furthermore, when you find something that isn't working in your life or your business . . . that's when you turn to the experts. That's when you pull out Seth Godin for Marketing support, Zig Ziglar for motivational Sales support, or even turn to a coach for a little bit of everything.</span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">That's when you turn to your teacher to help you find something you don't already know. That's when learn something new. </span></b></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Sounds Simple - But Life Often Is</b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">I know it sounds simple, but that's all there is to improving your business and your life - two steps. First, look at what's working and do it by choice. Two, figure out what isn't working and find out how to make it just a little bit better. You don't have to go crazy with change - just take small steps. If those small steps work, well, back to Step One, if not repeat as necessary. </span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></span></b></div><div><b><span style="font-weight: normal; ">Believe it or not, you will be amazed at how quickly you can make your dreams come true. </span></b></div><div><br /></div></span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-21011426809462227652010-04-30T10:00:00.002-04:002010-04-30T12:53:26.175-04:00When Conversations Go Awry<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Ever have a conversation with a customer, employee, friend or family member that didn't go the way you expected?</p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Ever take a step too far with your words, in a vulnerable way, and then NOT know what to do next – because your emotions started taking you over? </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">You know the feeling . . . your adrenal glands kicks in strong – almost instantaneously – and you jump directly into a "Fight or Flight" mode of operation. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I don't care who you are, I believe there are those that have experienced this . . . and those that will. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In fact, I'd like to say that I'm in the latter group, but more times than I'd like to admit, I find that I have to physically remove my foot from my mouth. And as much as I know how best to respond, my adrenaline still often gets the best of me. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>Awkward moments are a part of life. </b> </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">If you want to grow, professionally or personally in this world, you have to take chances. Feeling vulnerable and sometimes being a little too vulnerable is how you find out who you are and how to get better in “difficult situations”.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In business, it often happens in a sales environment, where you are pushing to make the sale. It happens when you are trying to open yourself to the client to build trust and a bond that you might cross the line. Maybe it's an untimely comment or joke, but you can immediately see it in the eyes of the person you are talking to. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">In life, it might happen when you are opening up to a friend or family member – about something you have done or shouldn't have done in your past. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I talk about life and business being 10% of what happens either to you or caused by you and 90% how you respond – this is no different.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>A Personal Experience</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Recently, I found myself in this type of situation. I was talking to someone that means a lot to me, and I shared something that was not received the way I anticipated or had hoped. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Was it scary? Absolutely!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Did my fight or flight response kick in? You Betcha!</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Truth is, I made things worse by not responding in a positive way, and letting fear drive my actions, rather than responding with my intentions in mind and staying focused through the process. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I let the “fight or flight” take over and I definitely made things worse . . . before they got better. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><br /></b></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><b>How To Handle The Situation When You Find Yourself NOT Going The Way You Expected.</b></p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Unlike many difficult situations you find yourself in, this is usually one that you didn't see coming. But that doesn't mean that you can't stay strong and not let the situation define you - rather than the other way around. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The key is recognizing it as it is happening. I believe, those that can feel that “fight or flight” response and funnel their emotional energy and focus it, can turn a tough situation into something that makes the relationship stronger than before. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So when you find yourself in a difficult situation like this – when you are looking across the table at someone who is pulling back from your last words – it's important to reconnect and go back to the basics - go back to your shared vision - and not get stuck in whatever it was that just got in the way. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So ask yourself, what is it that you both want – not solely what YOU want . . . nor just what the other person(s) want, but what you want <span style="font-weight: bold;">together</span>. Focus on what you both are looking for in the relationship why you are talking to begin with. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Remember to focus on your <span style="font-weight: bold;">intent </span>to help achieve that <span style="font-weight: bold;">vision</span>, and steer the conversation away from the words. </p> <p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Be STRONG, but not belligerent.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Be confident, but not overbearing.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Listen and make sure you are respecting the others position and how they are feeling, and move forward.<br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></p><p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">You are both (all) trying to figure out how to move beyond the uncomfortable words that have been spoken – back on track with what you want. You are trying to take your relationship forward to where you both agree the relationship can grow. </p> <br />And the good news is . . . in almost every case . . . you can.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-64633970959535686182010-04-26T21:37:00.011-04:002010-04-27T08:20:50.969-04:00Inspired By A Simple Conversation With A Good FriendIt has been quite some time since I last wrote in this blog. I have a number of reasons . . . but they are all excuses. And although we all think our reasons are "valid", I don't want to disrespect you or waste your time by pretending they are justified. Suffice it to say that I let life get in the way.<br /><br />If you are coming back and enjoying my blog again after my long hiatus, Thank You. I appreciate the second chance.<br /><br />Or if you are a first time reader, I hope you enjoy.<br /><br />Either way, I hope to incite some conversation about business and life. And I look forward to engaging with you through discussion and generating new and insight methods to deal with the struggles that we all face in both our business and in our every day lives. And even more so, I hope that I can show that as much as we all try to separate the two, Business and Life, the two are so closely related, that it's often hard to tell where one end and the other begins.<br /><br />So, without further ado, let me get back to blogging . . .<br /><br />I had an interesting conversation with a good friend of mine yesterday about a simple concept that I've written about before, but I think warrants new light to be shown on the topic.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">You can't manage . . . or improve consistently, what you don't measure. </span></span><br /><br /><span>What do you truly want to change in your business or in your life? When it comes to your goals, what do you want? Where would you like to be tomorrow . . . next month . . . or even next year?<br /><br />If you are you thinking from a business perspective, you might be looking for more sales, more new clients, decreased costs or maybe more market share?<br /><br />Or maybe your goals are more personal in nature. More income? Weight loss? Healthier lifestyle? Lower cholesterol? Or maybe a better education?<br /><br />What would make you happy?<br /><br />Time and time again, the more I live, the more I see a pattern . . . if you set and commit to a goal (a specific, measurable goal), measure your progress consistently over the entire time span of the goal, you can't help but begin to see improvement, towards the goal, if not complete fulfillment of that goal.<br /><br />Are things going to change right away? Absolutely NOT!<br /><br />But they will change. Not because of something magical that happens when you set and measure goals. No, life doesn't work that way. Things change because YOU will start making a difference in the way you behave - you will begin to change the way you behave, if for no other reason because you will get tired of facing the failure each and every day of not improving. <br /><br /></span><span>Will you get it right the first time? Possibly, but not always. You will have to "adjust fire" (as the Army likes to say - correcting for missing the target on the first shot), but if you are measuring and you have defined goals, you will be more likely to find the combination that gives you the best opportunity to be "more right" with each subsequent change.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why is Goal Setting and Measuring Results So Hard?</span></span><br /></span><span><br />Unfortunately, in spite of the simplicity of these ideas, we still struggle. In fact, what we all, as flawed human beings, tend to do is to say we want something, and then NOT put into place the systems we need to make sure we actually to ensure our success.<br /><br />We do this by:<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Not measuring what we want to improve.</span> We leave our goal nebulous and random so that we can make growth towards that goal COMPLETELY at our emotional whim. If we feel good about what we have done, we say we fulfilled our goal. When we don't feel good about how we are doing, we say we failed. Either way we move on - forgetting (intentionally or unintentionally) what the original goal really was in the first place.<br /><br /> <span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Not measuring "interim results" or "the process".</span> Sometimes the end results are a long time coming - or just plain difficult to measure. When this occurs, it's important to set up measurements that are either direct inputs into the results you want, are by-products of your achievements, or are associated with the process you are going to take toward your desired goal. In cases like this, we know that if we follow a process, record the progress (as small as it might be) and measure our consistency, we will see results.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"> 3. Giving up at the first sign of failure </span>(or we don't put into place systems / methods for correcting our mistakes, when the growth doesn't occur as we expected it to occur). <span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>This is the number one cause of failing to reach our goals. We set a goal, start down the path to make it a reality, and then give up at the first sign of failure - or we think that since things are going as well as we had hoped (i.e. perfectly) then we just aren't meant to have what we want.<br /><br />I know these all sound silly to read, but everyone I know and ever spoken to about success, including myself, has seen each and every one of these - at some time during their lives. And if you are honest with yourself, I suspect you will find each of these three struggles in your life too. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Keep It Simple</span></span><br /><br />As simple as the struggle may seem, in my opinion, the solution is ever easier.<br /><br />Stop over thinking things and <span style="font-weight: bold;">keep it simple</span>.<br /><br />If you want to create a change in your business or in your personal life:<br /><br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">DEFINE IT. </span>Write down your goals and face them every day. Don't think because you said them once or thought about them, that you will actually remember them as you go about making decisions each and every minute of the day.<br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">MEASURE IT. </span>Measure daily how you are progressing towards your goals - either directly or indirectly through a process or series of related steps.<br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">DON'T QUIT. </span></span><span>It's inevitable - something will happen that you didn't expect or plan for and you will feel discouraged. No goal worth having doesn't involve some hardship along the way. No matter what the cause of your struggle, stay focused on what you want and make it happen in spite of the setback. </span><span><br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">MAKE ADJUSTMENTS</span> until you find the right answer. There is a path to each destination - some are easier to find than others. If your first path didn't work, figure out what didn't work for you and make corrections so that you don't make the same mistake again.<br /><br />------<br /><br />So, let me ask you, "</span><span>What things do you want to change in <span style="font-weight: bold;">YOUR BUSINESS</span> or in <span style="font-weight: bold;">YOUR LIFE</span>?"</span><br /><span></span><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-7051522883123033762009-11-04T12:00:00.002-05:002009-11-04T15:41:11.713-05:00Repeating The Same Thing Over And Over Isn't Going To Make Them Listen<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do You Ever Find Yourself Repeating Things To An Employee (or your child)?</span></span><br /><br />When you find yourself in the situation of repeating yourself for the first time (you've said it once, they didn't respond, and now you are saying it a second time), it's important to realize that the thought process / personal commitment wasn't really there for them to change their behavior - the first time. So rather than saying it again and only getting frustrated with their lack of response, it's time to <span style="font-weight: bold;">lead </span>them through the process of <span style="font-weight: bold;">commitment </span>(even if it means a few extra minutes with them).<br /><br />Remember, <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">slow is fast when it comes to relationships</span>.<br /><br />Commitment takes shared meaning - an understanding of "<span style="font-weight: bold;">why</span>" as much as understanding "<span style="font-weight: bold;">what</span>". And in many cases it requires actual personal participation (even if on a very simple level) through their getting an opportunity to provide input into the solution, or at least being heard.<br /><br />Commitment from others to your idea doesn't take you telling them. No instead it takes "<span style="font-weight: bold;">being heard and understood</span>".<br /><br />And once your employees (or anyone else) feels heard and understood, (not agreed with, but understood) and believes that you have at least considered their point of view, it's amazing how quickly they can and will get involved and <span style="font-weight: bold;">commit to the solution</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">On These Issues, Invite Them Into The Process . . . Don't Exclude Them.</span></span><br /><br />So, invite those whom you are trying to lead into a discussion - share with them why you are stating what you are stating and invite them to share their feelings. The key though is that you must listen . . . empathetically. The solution doesn't have to change (but it might). But by being heard they will become considerably more committed in their own mind to the solution and the process you are asking them to participate in.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs188.snc1/6300_1152919755382_1599313559_366989_6140098_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 159px; height: 119px;" src="http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs188.snc1/6300_1152919755382_1599313559_366989_6140098_n.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>For example, A couple of months ago, I told my kids to clean up the horse manure in our pasture as part of their chores. Yeah, it's a lot of work, but it's not "hard work" per se. Being the loving children they are, they agreed to do it. But in truth, they had made not internalized the effort or committed to it, because all they could see was the barriers, they didn't get a chance to speak their mind or really get a chance to understand my reasons.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs256.snc1/10319_1164568326589_1599313559_400958_7914586_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 288px; height: 216px;" src="http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs256.snc1/10319_1164568326589_1599313559_400958_7914586_n.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>So over the past month and a half, I've been hounding them to clean up the pasture. I would get OKs, but no action ever really resulted. I failed to listen to them, understand their obstacles, their issues, and truly invited them into the process. there was no shared meaning /no shared agreement. They were agreeing because I told them to, not because they committed to it.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Solution Is Leadership And A Commitment To Include, Not Dictate</span></span><br /><br />In most cases (especially in business), people try to buy commitment with pay. But what they don't realize is that by doing that, they aren't getting commitment to the job, they are getting commitment to the pay. There is a big difference, and you don't have to go too far down any Main Street in America to see employees who are getting paid (often quite well) with little or no commitment to what they are doing.<br /><br />So, all that being said, there are two things to gaining commitment to a process or idea.<br /><br />- Have a open dialog about it - sharing the facts as you see them and your feelings and opinion and inviting them to do the same.<br />- Provide a solution and / or ask them to contribute a solution to the discussion and find the best solutions together.<br /><br />This is more work than telling - and it is work that most of us try to avoid. But this is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Leadership</span>. Dictatorial direction works fine to a certain point with employees (and in my case) kids, but eventually they revolt back. And yes I understand that sometimes for safety reasons, there is no time for discussion, but those are rare.<br /><br />Whenever possible, whether you are working with your employees, your spouse, your kids or anyone you are trying to "influence" in any way, take few minutes and discuss - the results will amaze you. Because as a result of your discussion, not only will you get a whole new level of commitment, but any discussion that you have to have in the future over failure to fulfill the agreed upon tasks will be completely different than any one you have currently. Because they won't only have let you down, but they will have let themselves down - turned their back on their own commitments.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-75296756291024863852009-10-29T06:00:00.002-04:002009-10-30T12:50:41.956-04:00Don't Invite The Wrong People Into Your Dreams<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sharing your ideas with the wrong people can be deadly to your dreams.</span></span><br /><br />I've seen it personally and with people I know more times than I can count. <br /><br />When you start to dream, you are extremely vulnerable. You want to believe the dreams can come true, and in many cases, you are beginning to let yourself believe they can. <br /><br />However, if you are like most people, you believe dreams are just that . . . <span style="font-weight: bold;">DREAMS</span>. They happen for other people, but not for you. So when you start the process of beginning to let yourself believe in a dream, you have to be careful - careful with how you treat that dream and careful who you share it with. <br /><br />In most cases, the people we wish to share out dream with are our loved ones. We want their support and for them to join in and help us achieve our dreams. Unfortunately though, it doesn't always work out that way. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">You Are The Person You Are Because Of The People You Have Surrounded Yourself With. </span></span><br /><br />A couple days ago, I wrote a blog about how you are, who you surround yourself with, <span style="font-size:100%;"><a href="http://bizsuxs.blogspot.com/2009/10/we-are-reflection-of-people-we-surround.html">We Are A Reflection Of The People We Surround Ourselves With</a></span>. And you can change where you are going by changing the people we surround ourselves with. <br /><br />We all inherently know this . . . at a subconscious level. We know that about ourselves and about others. <br /><br />So, when you share your dreams with others, especially family and friends who love you, part of their subconscious reaction is to undermine those efforts. Not because of some malicious desire to kill your dreams - that's not the case at all. In fact, they do it out of love - they do it out of the person that they want in their life<br /><br />You see, when you begin to pursue your dreams, those who know and care about you inherently know that you are going to grow. And growth is not only towards your dream, but also away from your old life - and possibly away from them. <br /><br />It's important to know that people don't throw roadblocks in front of you intentionally. <br /><br />They don't provide negative feedback on your ideas because they want to hurt you.<br /><br />When you set your dream and commit to it, you change who you are. <br /><br />However, those around you haven't changed at all. They haven't committed to your dream - in fact it may be completely different from what they want. That doesn't mean they don't care, it only means they don't want things to change. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't Invite The Wrong People Into Your Dreams</span></span><br /><br />The bottom line is that your dreams, especially in the early stages, are vulnerable. So be careful who you share those dreams with. <br /><br />Look at your past. . . it doesn't matter how much someone loves you, if they have stifled your dreams in your past, they most likely will again today . . . or in your future.<br /><br />Protect your dream, until it matures and gains strength in your own mind. <br /><br />And then, when it is safe, and you know that their nay-saying won't undermine your efforts, bring them on board - because after all, they are quite often the people that care the most about you.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-60516501914659991852009-10-24T06:00:00.005-04:002009-10-24T13:52:14.815-04:00How Will You Challenge Yourself Today?<blockquote style="text-align: center; font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">“Do something everyday that scares you.”</blockquote> <blockquote style="text-align: center;"> -- Eleanor Roosevelt<br /><br /></blockquote> Sometimes our push comes from our parents.<br /><br />And sometimes that push comes from within.<br /><br />There is a great video by <a href="http://www.simpletruths.com/">SimpleTruths.com</a> that talks about this very issue - <a href="http://www.eaglesneedapush.com/" target="_blank">Eagles Need a </a><a href="http://www.eaglesneedapush.com/" target="_blank">Push</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">When Was The </span></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Last Time You Were Scared and Overcame That?</span></span><br /><br />When was the last time you did something that really scared the heck out of you?<br /><br />When was the last time you took a chance - whether with sharing an idea, pursuing a dream, risked embarrassing yourself, or did something that you know would shake the foundation of your world for the rest of your life.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Personal Story About Overcoming Fears</span></span><br /><br />Here is a little story, that I've told many times, but I think it's an important story . . . nonetheless. And I don't "autobiographize" very often. Yes, I know that's not really a word, but it's my blog.<br /><br />-----------<br /><br />Growing up, I was scared of everything. Scared of heights, scared of speed, and scared of leaving home. You name it, I was scared of it. But I was lucky, because in spite of my fears, I had a couple key people in my life that made me do things that I was afraid to do, because they knew it was the best thing for me and knew that I would enjoy it in the long run.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.k12.hi.us/%7Ekapunaha/student_projects/BoxCarPhysics/gravity/graphics/gravitslide"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 161px; height: 164px;" src="http://www.k12.hi.us/%7Ekapunaha/student_projects/BoxCarPhysics/gravity/graphics/gravitslide" alt="" border="0" /></a>My Mom drug me up (and then down again) one of those Big Carnival Slides (where you sit on the mat) literally kicking and screaming. But don't worry, after crying all the way up and down that first time, they couldn't get me off the slide for the rest of the afternoon. I hear tell that I went down by myself at least 10 times in a row. And, the story goes that they had to drag me away when it was time to go.<br /><br />But I didn't learn my lesson there - I still was afraid. I wasn't able to figure out that fears weren't real . . . just in my head.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Loch_Ness_Monster_%28Busch_Gardens_Europe%29_01.jpg/300px-Loch_Ness_Monster_%28Busch_Gardens_Europe%29_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 130px;" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Loch_Ness_Monster_%28Busch_Gardens_Europe%29_01.jpg/300px-Loch_Ness_Monster_%28Busch_Gardens_Europe%29_01.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>In fact, ten years later, my older brother Michael drug me on the Lochness Monster in Busch Gardens, Williamsburg - my first Roller Coaster ever. Yes, again, he drug me on nearly kicking and screaming. Needless to say, it was the best thing for me. Because now, even though they still send chills down my spine every time I get on the truth is I can't get enough of roller coasters. I love 'em.<br /><br />And this all leads up to my 19th Birthday. Still struggling with my fears (specifically my fear of heights), and knowing I had to do something to over come them, I did something that would change my life forever.<br /><br />On a sunny, hot, August morning, after sleeping in (because I took that day off of work), I walked into the kitchen in my parent's home, announced that I was going skydiving and walked out the door - not to be heard from again for nearly 8 hours, until I returned home again.<br /><br />I had pondered the idea of skydiving for a while, but only decided that morning, when I got up, that I would actually go through with it . . . or at least try to.<br /><br />I didn't tell anyone before that morning . . . nor did I give anyone a chance to stop me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4623638/89053-main_Full.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 219px;" src="http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4623638/89053-main_Full.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>And in spite of being scared out of my mind, <span style="font-weight: bold;">AGAIN</span>, I jumped out of a perfectly good airplane from 3000' and parachuted to terra firma. I loved it, and would like to think I was brave in my adventure, but I know that I wasn't. In fact if they would have let me (and I hadn't just invested $175 for the training and jump), I would have ridden back down with the pilot. But the instructor simply looked at me and said (as he pointed out of the plane), that's the only way down for you. And he was right.<br /><br />And from that point on in my life I didn't look back - I didn't let my fears dominate the course that I followed.<br /><br />Sure I still had fears, but I finally taught myself that I could overcome them . . . when and if I choose to.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Why YOU Should Challenge Your Fears</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nightvisiononline.com/PhotoAlbums/nvAdministrator/01-24-08.FA_18C_Hornet_Final_Approach_to_Aircraft_Carrier_Landing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 417px; height: 295px;" src="http://www.nightvisiononline.com/PhotoAlbums/nvAdministrator/01-24-08.FA_18C_Hornet_Final_Approach_to_Aircraft_Carrier_Landing.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Now, I look back, as a retired Navy Pilot with over 600 carrier landings (250 of them at night) at what hot day in August meant to me. Sometimes I think maybe I should have been more scared in some situations, and that was my sheer ignorance that prevented that, but I never once doubted my capabilities in an airplane. Sure, I screwed up occasionally (ok, maybe more than just occasionally), but I never doubted or feared that I was incapable of handling the situation. Mostly, I believe, because I learned that the fears that hold you back are all . . . just in your mind.<br /><br />So, I have to ask you . . . when was the last time you did something that really scared you?<br /><br />And I challenge you to do something today . . . that scares you - whatever that might be!<br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-13120500308931288942009-10-22T06:00:00.001-04:002009-10-23T10:44:25.546-04:00We Are A Reflection Of The People We Surround Ourselves With<span style="font-size:15px;"><span>It's truly amazing how the people you surround yourself with can have an impact on you and your life.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:15px;"><span>It's not just positive people - but people who make you stretch yourself. It's about being a</span></span><span style="font-size:15px;"><span>round people you respect. People who challenge you. People who make you question yourself (in a positive way). </span></span><span style="font-size:15px;"><span>And people who make you feel good about what you are doing.<br /><br /></span></span><span style="font-size:15px;"><span>It's much easier sometimes to hang around with people who make you feel big, but sometimes it's i</span></span><span style="font-size:15px;"><span>mportant to find those who can help you grow to be even bigger.<br /><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thechicentrepreneur.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/04/18/business_circle_2.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 225px;" src="http://thechicentrepreneur.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/04/18/business_circle_2.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:15px;"><span>Napoleon Hill talks about mastermind groups - surrounding yourself with people who are already achieving what you want. That is so true.<br /><br />If you want to grow your business, mingle and associate with successful business owners and learn from them.<br /><br />If you want a happy marriage, hang out with happy couples, especially older ones that can mentor you.<br /><br />If you want more wealth and success, hang out with wealthy and successful people that can guide you through the process you need to follow to achieve personal success.<br /><br />If you want to be poor, unhappy, and angry about what life is stealing from you every day, surround yourself with people who act that way or are that way, and you will quickly find yourself right there with them.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Stop And Look Around<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size:15px;"><span><br />Now that you understand what impact the people around you have on your life and where you are going, stop and look around. Look at who you have in your life and ask yourself, "Are the people in my life helping me get to where I want to go . . . or are they holding me back?" <br /><br />Are my friends, family and co-workers in the place that I'm trying to get to, or not?<br /><br />Are there people out there that you could surround yourself with that will get you closer to what you want?<br /><br />Stop and think about it. And begin to take action to help yourself get what you want. . . by surrounding yourself with the people that are either already there or can help you get there.<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:15px;"><span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /></span></span> </span></span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-43584993434496695862009-10-18T09:00:00.000-04:002009-10-18T09:00:02.845-04:00You've Got To Take Care Of More Than Just Your BodyI have a client who is a personal trainer. She was struggling with a cold the other day and was frustrated because as she almost passed out from doing Jumping Jacks with a client. Her body was weak and fighting an illness.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.freewebs.com/chasanangelo/heart%20soul%20body.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 182px;" src="http://www.freewebs.com/chasanangelo/heart%20soul%20body.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>What's funny is that many other times in the past she had been getting lost with her mental focus, so I saw an learning opportunity. Helping her understand that she not only has physically weak days when her body is fighting "stress", but she also has tough intellectual, emotional, and spiritual days when those aspects of her being were stressed as well.<br /><br />You can obviously see when you are having good and bad days in a physical manner. Right? When you are tired or feeling ill. That same things happens mentally, but it isn't as obvious. That's right, You don't have to have a sickness or cold to have weak mental days. Sometimes it's just a bunch of things distracting you (stress).<br /><br />My client had trained herself to recognize the days when she couldn't push herself too much physically. And besides, her body won't let her (like the Jumping Jacks). But it isn't so easy to recognize the same thing happening to you intellectually, emotionally or even spiritually.<br /><br />Yes, they are all aspects of your being that have good days and bad days. Days when the muscles that give you strength in the 4 categories of being (physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual) grant you ability to move the earth. And days when you are lucky to even have any strength at all.<br /><br />Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses. Know when you are in a fog, intellectually. Know when your emotions are fragile. And know when you spiritual being is drained. This doesn't always directly correlate with physical well being, although it often times might. Be willing to take things a bit slower when that is happening, just like you do physically. Get mental, emotional and even spiritual "rest" when you feel you are burning out or simply need some time to recover.<br /><br />And when you are on your game in these arenas . . . take advantage of it. Exercise those muscles to give you more strength and stamina and even a better ability to stave off the fog when it comes back.<br />This isn't easy. It takes an awareness that very few people have. But you have something going on that very few people - you are looking at your day and your life, each objectively, to keep you grounded and focused. You are seeing when things are working for you and when you aren't. Now you are going to be able to think about things at an even deeper level - at a core level, in a way that you do you physical well being.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-40653699542760175222009-10-17T06:00:00.001-04:002009-10-17T06:00:04.595-04:00If You Weren't Sure What Self-Sabotage Looked Like?<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Funny Where The Lessons In Life Come From</span></span><br /><br />A friend shared a video with me the other day that is both absolutely hysterical and educational - with lots of lessons from a coaching perspective. <br /><br />There is an interesting phenomenon that occurs with many people who decide to “<span style="font-weight: bold;">change</span>” their life for the better. They commit very deeply to the process of change – truly believing they will do what ever it takes to make the change become permanent. But just as they are about to “<span style="font-weight: bold;">break through</span>” to the next level, they disengage from the process and go back to their old self.<br /><br />Why is this? <span style="font-weight: bold;">Why do they pull-back from change just as things are getting good? </span><br /><br />Is it because they changed their minds and don't really believe in their goals anymore? Or because they don't think the process is working for them?<br /><br />I don't think so!<br /><br />Even though they may say and "<span style="font-weight: bold;">feel</span>" both of these things, I don't believe it to be true. In fact, I think that just the opposite is true. And the longer I coach, the more I see it happen.<br /><br />You see, up until the point of backing down, most people actively participate in the change process at a <span style="font-weight: bold;">conscious level</span>. They make real decisions to be who they want to be. And they are very motivated.<br /><br />Unfortunately though, change in the early stages isn't permanent - it's just surface changes. Real change takes time and requires a deeper commitment. It requires changing habit patterns which are subconscious thoughts - and these are not as easily changed.<br /><br />Sure, they get close to making a real difference long term, but they never carry through because of an incredible strong drive to quit and / or destroy everything they've worked for up to this point. And it feels the longer they fight it, the stronger the feeling grows.<br /><br />It is precisely at this point that they sabotage themselves with their own thought patterns. They begin to attack their own desires and destroy what they are actually working so hard to achieve.<br /><br />From an outside perspective, it's easy to spot - we see it all the time with friends and family. But from a personal perspective, it's often quite a bit tougher to recognize. Literally we can't see our own self-deception and how we are undermining our own intentions.<br /><br />That is until it's too late.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Watch A Real Example of Self-Sabotage!</span></span><br /><br />This video is short and shows you an example of a dog that has the goal of eating a bone. Unfortunately though, one of his hind legs has different intentions . . . or so he thinks. So rather than chewing on the bone and doing what he wants to do, we find him attacking his own paw - driven so much by a fear that someone or something is going to try to take away the bone.<br /><br />Literally, this poor dog ends up spending his time attacking his own fears than enjoying the pursuit of his goal.<br /><br />Do you ever find yourself doing this?<br /><br />Do you ever self-sabotage just as you are getting close to what you want?<br /><br />There is nothing to fear about it . . . it happens to all of us. And the first step to working through the struggle is knowing it is happening. And remembering to stay focused on the goal, in spite of the voices that are trying to sabotage your desires.<br /><br />Here is the video . . . enjoy. <a href="http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=91132341921" target="_blank">http://www.facebook.com/video/<wbr>video.php?v=91132341921</a>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-3719006407368587632009-10-16T12:00:00.002-04:002009-10-16T17:00:27.086-04:00Learning Is A Full Time Job<span style="font-size:15px;"><span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Personal Growth Can Start Happening RIGHT Now!</span></span><br /><br />Have you ever really stopped and looked at your day - truly been present in it and looked at the lessons you are learning throughout the day, and who is teaching you . . . who is shaping who you are and how you behave?<br /><br />As you may guess, I spend a lot of time "introspectively" (if that is even a word) viewing myself. I try very hard to look at my life and live the path that I work with you on. I ask myself every night what's working in my life, and what's not working. And I look to what I can do better tomorrow.<br /><br />As difficult as it can be, I do try to live what I preach. <br /><br />In the past week, I have found myself doing it even more often . . . during natural breaks in a conversation, while I'm driving, making dinner, or even sitting at my desk getting work done, in between tasks. I have found myself looking at not only my day to day life, but also my hour to hour life. And I've been trying to be aware of my state of mind at each step. And trying to make corrections.<br /><br />Now, I'm not going to lie. I'm not very good at it (yet). But I have found myself more actively trying to correct behavior before the moment fades from thought than I ever have in the past.<br /><br />I don't try to do it "in the moment", because I try to be present, but as soon as I can when the moment is over, learn and move on. <br /><br />I try to listen better when I know I've been distracted.<br /><br />I try to re-orient myself on my daily goals, when I know I'm drifting and getting distracted by less important issues.<br /><br />Even if something went the way I had hoped it would, I find myself looking for things that could go better - looking for ways to improve it for the next time I'm in a similar situation.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Changing Your Perspective</span></span><br /><br />I guess what I'm saying is that the more you act on this model of behavior, the more you begin to look at life differently. You stop seeing life as simply happening to you - in a way that you are just a passenger on a train to wherever the conductor chooses to go. Instead, you get to decide where you want to go next . . . what you want to be and who you want to become.<br /><br />For example, one of the skills I constantly struggle with and work on continuously is listening. I often times try to impress others with my knowledge and bombard them with more and more information instead of listening to them and finding out exactly what they need. I've always known this to be true, but I always had a hard time seeing myself doing it, as it was happening - I get emotional about the issue and fail to correct myself.<br /><br />Now, although, it still happens, I have been able to see myself more objectively - as conversations happen. Rather than waiting until the conversation is over and looking at my mistakes, I've started to really enhance my ability to see what's working and what isn't more clearly, when the conversation allows. I try to find ways to get back on track, if I've drifted and started to monopolize the conversation. And I begin to become a better listener, before things get out of hand.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Try Applying It In Your Own Life</span></span><br /><br />As you go about your day today, just take a couple moments, once or twice through out the day, and ask yourself, "what's working right now?" and "what isn't?". Then real quick make a small adjustment (consciously) and move forward.<br /><br />Now I know that we all do this at an unconscious level all day long. But that tends to result in the "status quo" - because that's all the unconscious knows - making corrections to our actions that keep us in the rut we're in.<br /><br />However, if you can make this happen consciously - before the memories of the mistake disappear into your subconscious thoughts, you will begin, ever so slowly to reshape your behavior, not just daily (on a cursory level), but also on an immediate basis, where you can affect real change.<br /><br />Let me know what you think. I'd love to hear about examples of how <span style="font-weight: bold;">YOU </span>are making near-real time corrections throughout <span style="font-weight: bold;">YOUR </span>day.<br /></span></span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-85997762972855136672009-10-08T12:00:00.006-04:002009-10-13T19:24:14.272-04:00Are You Making The Most Of Your Time and Money?We all have a limited amount of time in the day. And we also don't have a bottomless pocketbook. <br /><br />We all know that . . . far too well. <br /><br />Most of my clients tell me that if I could just get them an extra 4 hours added to the day (a 28 hour day) and 5 more clients per week, things would be perfect.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1425/1311527517_9a7fb91501.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 185px;" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1425/1311527517_9a7fb91501.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>So, let me ask YOU, would 4 more hours in the day or 5 new clients really help you?<br /><br />Do you think you need more time and money?<br /><br />Or do you think you need to better manage and even leverage the time and money you do have first?<br /><br />In my opinion, most people will fill the void with whatever they are doing. It's not a matter of having more time or making more money - in most cases. Instead, it's a matter of knowing where to spend you time and money to get the most bang for the buck - it's all about leveraging. <br /><br />Leverage, as we are talking here, is defined as "Positional advantage and or the power to act effectively". So the goal isn't just to figure out where you can apply your efforts and / or money to create the improvement, but instead how to generate the best advantage or biggest change for the least amount of your effort. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Measure, Analyze and Modify Regularly To Make Constant Improvements</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Measuring and analyzing will tell you where you should invest your time and money to yield the biggest bang for the buck.</span><br /><br />If your sales are falling, most people will spend more time (and money) to generate more leads. They will commit their efforts to more marketing. But what they don't know is that they may already be getting enough leads. In fact they "may" already be spending more than they need to. In these cases, their leverage point isn't lead generation, it's lead conversion.<br /><br />Through diligent measurement and analysis, they might see that their sales aren't down because people aren't finding them - their sales are down because their sales staff is lazy . . . or inconsistent in their approaches.<br /><br />If they could simply increase the conversion rate of leads to clients from say 5% to 10%, this would double their sales.<br /><br />Conversely, if they blindly just tried doubling their marketing efforts, they might find that they are spending a whole lot more time and money to get the same results.<br /><br />Or, if their conversion rate is already high (above 60-70%, depending on their industry), then they may in fact need to find out which lead sources are working best (and which ones aren't working at all) and try to increase the volume through that lead source.<br /><br />This might cost some money, but it would sure beat spending marketing dollars on leads that you KNOW aren't going to buy.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span>We need to think about all of these things - not just in sales, but in life. When you look at "what's not working" and "what is working", it's important to know which things provide the best leverage point for you to improve your life and which ones are just time consumers and money pits.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Another Example of the 80/20 Rule</span></span><br /><br />They say that 20% of effort, yields 80% of your results - if you could increase your 20% to 25% and get 100% results, then you could take the other 75% of the time off.<br /><br />Conversely, if you increase your 80% effort (that yields 20% of your results) to 100% effort, you will still only be getting 25% of the results, and you will feel completely useless and wonder why things are working out for you.<span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:15;"><span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><br />So, which would you rather have, 25% effort meeting all of your goals? Or 100% effort where you only achieve a quarter of your goals?<br /><br />Your choice, but my lazy butt would rather do less and get more.</span><br /></span></span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-58533533577391525502009-10-03T10:37:00.006-04:002009-10-03T11:19:22.444-04:00Grow From The Confidence You Gain From Love<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 1px; height: 1px;" src="http://l.yimg.com/g/images/spaceball.gif" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div> <div style="text-align: center;"><span><i><b>“To live you have to experiment, to have the ability to experiment you have to have confidence, to have confidence you have to be loved, to be loved you have to love”</b></i></span><br />Author Unknown<br /><br /></div> <span style="font-size:15;">Life is too short to <span style="font-weight: bold;">NOT </span>give y</span><span style="font-size:15;">ourself time to be and </span><span style="font-size:15;">time to find out and face why you are doing what you are doing each and every day. </span><span style="font-size:15;">That's what weekends are for</span><span style="font-size:15;">.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.trinidadbirding.com/trips/2007_Texas_Apr/P2010473.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 128px;" src="http://www.trinidadbirding.com/trips/2007_Texas_Apr/P2010473.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:15;">Look on this weekend as an opportunity to experiment - experiment in your life, exploring who you ar</span><span style="font-size:15;">e and what you want from it.<br /><br />I have learned many hard lessons in my life - many I continue to learn each day. Some I wish I didn't have to </span><span style="font-size:15;">learn. But life teaches us the things that we must learn in order to become who we want to be.<br /><br />Look at your life and find your</span><span style="font-size:15;"> love. Find your passion. Find that someone or something that loves you back - fills your passion so that your heart stays full and can </span><span style="font-size:15;">explore and experiment without fear.<br /><br />Take some time today and / or tomorrow. Listen to yourself, your heart, and to the words you hear around you. </span><span style="font-size:15;">Seek out the love that encourages you to grow and seek out new things, find new paths and want more. </span><br /><span style="font-size:15;"><br />Ask yourself if you are being filled with the love that gives you the confidence to pursue and experiment in life.</span><span style="font-size:15;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.4perspectives.com/Tree%20of%20Life%202.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 114px; height: 139px;" src="http://www.4perspectives.com/Tree%20of%20Life%202.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:15;">Ask yourself if you feel like you are so grounded and rooted in love, that you can, like a tree, reach up to the sky with your branches, and become all that you can become.<br /><br />Do this for yourself. Do this for those that love you. Do this and live.<br /></span></div> <span style="font-size:15;"><br /></span><span style="font-size:15;"><span style="font-size:15;"><span></span><span></span></span></span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com64tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-91778871662138152592009-09-30T13:55:00.007-04:002009-09-30T22:40:43.047-04:00The Voices You Hear Might Be Saying The Wrong Thing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://home.medafocus.com/_/rsrc/1227743152236/about-medafocus/iStock_000005809739Small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 133px;" src="http://home.medafocus.com/_/rsrc/1227743152236/about-medafocus/iStock_000005809739Small.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>As I've talked about before, we (our conscious minds) are bombarded by thousands of messages every second. And believe it or not, most of us never hear them.<br /><br />Where do those messages come from and why can't we hear them? Well, because most of the time, they are doing very little more than simply re-enforcing the behavior that we so naturally live in our lives.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">It's just like if I were to beat a drum at a rate of 2 beats per second really loudly, and you were able to sync up with my beat in another room, with a different drum, I wouldn't ever know you were even there. </span><br /><br />We wake up when the messages tell us to.<br /><br />We eat when the messages tell us to.<br /><br />We do, all day long, what the messages tell us to do.<br /><br />That is how the subconscious and conscious mind work. We think we are doing what we choose to do each and every minute of the day. But, 99% of the time, what we are doing is more driven out of habit and or life patterns, than of conscious choice.<br /><br />Normally, when our lives are going the way they always have, this isn't a big deal. Because the messages are in-sync with our conscious thoughts and actions. But. . . when we decide to change something in our lives, or things in our lives are suddenly changed for us, things become a lot tougher.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Going back to the drum beat example, imagine if I were to change my tempo and you didn't. Yep, you guessed it, your presence would suddenly be known to me. </span><br /><br />This change causes the messages from our subconscious and our conscious actions to begin to conflict with each other. And there are two results that can occur:<br /><br />1. You ignore your subconscious pull to your past methods, knowing they don't apply any more. <span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">(I accept that our beats are out of sync and I begin to teach you . . . over time to follow my pattern).</span><br />2. You revert back to your old habits, ending the changes that you start to experience. <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">(the consistency of your beat at a rate of 2 beats per second, overcomes my desire to be different and I start following your lead, to stop the noise).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Our Subconscious Mind Doesn't Care What We are Doing</span></span><br /><br />The subconscious doesn't care what you <span style="font-weight: bold;">are </span>doing, that's not a concern of it. The present doesn't matter to it - nor does current reality. It wants you to do what you <span style="font-weight: bold;">were </span>doing - what it's trying to get you to do . . . is get you to do what you did yesterday.<br /><br />Your subconscious likes repetition. It likes habits. And it hates change.<br /><br />So every time your life begins to deviate slightly from its past patterns of behavior, you feel a conflict. And that conflict is tough to overcome.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Overcoming the Change . . . Or Not</span></span><br /><br />The first couple days / weeks you are trying to change, your sheer will to make it happen often is enough to keep your subconscious mind from winning the battle. But as your focus dissipates (as it nearly always will over time), the pull of your habits becomes stronger and stronger.<br /><br />Good news is that eventually, you can build new habit patterns - new ways of thinking and behaving in a given situation. But the bad news, is that the "old patterns" of thought never completely go away - although their influence does decrease over time.<br /><br />The hardest part of creating change in your life is that the messages become "<span style="font-weight: bold;">louder</span>" (more obvious), the more out of sync with your old behavior you get. You can call it self-sabotage, or self-destruction, but the simple truth is that what your subconscious mind is trying to do is simply do what it's supposed to do - keep you safe and alive using the same patterns of thought that have gotten you this far.<br /><br />It doesn't know if your new patterns are working or not - it just keeps trying to maintain the status quo.<br /><br />It doesn't want to create failure in your life - it just wants to keep you moving forward the same way you got to where you are.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Breaking Through To The Other Side</span></span><br /><br />You've seen it before in failed diets, attempts to turn over a new leaf, or stopping any behavior that you know is habitual, but is causing you serious harm in your life. Every time you start to make big headway, you hit a barrier that you can not break through - you hit a invisible wall.<br /><br />The wall isn't really there, it just feels like it is, because the influence of your subconscious is so powerful.<br /><br />In order to break through the personal barriers, you must keep you eyes on the horizon and your conscious mind on your goals. Don't let the voices (messages) dissuade you. Don't let them turn you around - they grow loudest just before they start to fade.<br /><br />Stay focused and keep moving forward.<br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-85999338212763731082009-09-28T07:00:00.010-04:002009-09-28T14:44:33.623-04:00Your Outlook Will Define Your Day - Your Life<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/steverumsby/2007/01/09/sunrise.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 418px; height: 111px;" src="http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/images/steverumsby/2007/01/09/sunrise.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:15px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunrise on a Monday Morning</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-size:15px;"><br />What is your day going to be like today? Have you decided?<br /><br />I've never been a big fan of Mondays. In fact, my Mom used to tell me that I was allergic to Mondays, since I tried my hardest to avoid going to school after the weekend.<br /><br />It's not to say, that in many ways that I wouldn't rather sleep in on Mondays (especially since I'm usually up by 4:30 am, to provide coaching to my clients), but actually, I look forward to Mondays now. Mostly because since I started coaching I look at the week as a new beginning, instead of "long time until the weekend again".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Outlook is everything. </span><br /><br />How you face your day will have as much impact as the circumstances you face throughout the day. How you choose to look at life will, for the most part, determine the way life impacts you.<br /><br />If you have a positive outlook, thankful for the opportunities you face (counting your blessings) you will most likely see everything as an opportunity and make wonderful things happen for yourself both today, and in the coming week.<br /><br />But (and this is tough), if you wake up on a Monday, and have the attitude of 'gotta get through this day' or I wish this day was over, then you will most likely look upon everything that comes up as a challenge.<br /><br />Things will come up today, and every day forward. You have seen that time and time again. You can look at each day as an opportunity or as a burden to get through. Your attitude won't change the circumstances, directly, but it will change how those circumstances impact your life.<br /><br />If you choose to find the positive in situations, then you will find happiness and opportunity in every situation.<br /><br />If you choose to find the negative in situations, then you will find bitterness and feel failure in every situation.<br /><br />Choose what you want your day to be!<br /><br />Choose how you are going to handle every situation that presents itself to you!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">. . . And then make it happen.</span><br /><br /></span>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-7456019726869007312009-09-25T06:00:00.000-04:002009-09-25T08:53:50.409-04:00Don't Let Your Feelings Dictate Your Life<span style="font-weight: bold;">How are you feeling today?</span><br /><br />Far too often we let our feelings drive our lives. We let how we feel dictate what we do and how we act. We feel good one day, and it becomes a good day. We feel bad the next, or not up to the task, and sure enough, it comes true. <br /><br />Unfortunately, being beholden to your feelings, leaves you beholden to your past . . . and to your subconscious mind . . . not to your vision and your goals. <br /><br />So instead of letting your feelings drive your actions, let your goals drive your actions. Rather than responding to how you feel, respond and drive yourself based on what you want. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What You Want Needs To Be The Driving Factor?</span><br /><br />Ever start a diet because you "want" to loose weight, get trim, and feel better about yourself. - only to do good for three days, and quit, because you weren't feeling better about yourself. <br /><br />Did you stop wanting to loose weight?<br /><br />Did you stop wanting to get trim?<br /><br />Did you stop wanting to feel better about yourself?<br /><br />Usually not. Your goal didn't change. You just gave-in to the feelings of not wanting to do the work any more. Not wanting to work out. And certainly not wanting to feel hungry any more.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">You Can't Count On Feelings</span><br /><br />Feelings need to follow your actions, not lead them. But they take time - and are rarely predictable 100% of the time. Our feelings are rooted all too often in mixed messages and crossed wires in the memories of our past. <br /><br />Our goals are rooted in the future. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Don't follow your feelings. </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">They will lead you in circles, often right back to where you started. </span></span><br /></div><br />Feelings are confusing. <br /><br />Often anger is confused with fear. Often hope and infatuation is confused with trust and love. <br /><br />In the case of the diet above, you should not set a goal to feel better about yourself . . . because how you feel is often too easily impacted by many outside factors - things outside of our control.<br /><br />And besides, feelings are not measurable and often very related more to how I felt 10 minutes or 10 hours ago, than any set standard. So it is often tough to tell how much better you feel from one week to the next - or from one year to the next. <br /><br />Sure, you can set a goal of losing 10lbs or 2 inches from your waist, and you can say that you should feel better because of that, but there is no guarantee that you will. <br /><br />In fact, you may feel that given all the work you did, you should feel better than you actually do, only to cause you to give up on any further efforts. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Let Your Goals Drive Your Actions</span><br /><br />Bottom line, follow your vision and your goals . . . and they will lead you to where you want to be, even in the midst of tumultuous feelings. <br /><br />And besides, and you've heard me say it 1000s of times - <span style="font-weight: bold;">Let Your Goals Drive Your Actions</span>. <br /><br />Set your goals - make them what you want, not what you want to feel. The feelings will follow, if your goals are truly what you want.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-87261801520129804732009-09-24T09:48:00.007-04:002009-09-24T10:25:58.590-04:00Kicking the Can Down the Road is Rarely the RIGHT AnswerWhat are you doing today that is a distraction from achieving your goals?<br /><br />All too often, what we do to fill our day is little more than a distraction. We have a list of things we want or need to get done, but for whatever reason, we are avoiding doing them.<br /><br />Maybe it's that <span style="font-weight: bold;">you aren't sure how to do them</span>.<br /><br />Maybe <span style="font-weight: bold;">you don't want to do them</span>.<br /><br />Or maybe <span style="font-weight: bold;">you are afraid to do them</span> because they "may" have results that you don't want.<br /><br />Have you ever done this . . . avoided doing the really important things in your life, either at work or in your personal life, simply because avoidance is easier?<br /><br />Well, let me share something with you. I often personally struggle with this and continue to learn both in my personal life and in helping others as a coach.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Avoidance is never the right answer. </span><br /><br />It may feel good at the moment - it may feel like the right solution - but you know that there is no hiding from the truth - no hiding from your commitments. Sooner or later you have to face the things you are avoiding.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19yflRMw1UPaJoWgIO8GyMfnEN2UXAKeAxFoSIS6q27icOECEQbFuGMcrrQ_F4J2XUYpqDI_uTzXtUFz88eS_z32oXJGoeC7ttMxaZNs_IhFIw7yUHcRnLh4Hq5IFQN5wcJgRLTlRjBzY/s1600-h/kick_the_can_small.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj19yflRMw1UPaJoWgIO8GyMfnEN2UXAKeAxFoSIS6q27icOECEQbFuGMcrrQ_F4J2XUYpqDI_uTzXtUFz88eS_z32oXJGoeC7ttMxaZNs_IhFIw7yUHcRnLh4Hq5IFQN5wcJgRLTlRjBzY/s200/kick_the_can_small.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385034179404236098" border="0" /></a>The problem with avoiding things is that the longer you avoid facing your challenges, the more they drain you - stealing away your happiness and your peace of mind. The longer you keep trying to <span style="font-weight: bold;">"kick the can down the road"</span>, the more you end up having to clean up in the long run.<br /><br />So what is the trick? What can you do to remedy this struggle? Is there an simple fix?<br /><br />As usual, the fix is simple, but the implementation is often quite hard. <br /><br />The truth is, when it comes to "tough things" to do, your current reward for avoiding is more desirable than not doing. So, what you need to do, is change that - any way you possibly can:<br />A few simple ways you can do to help this are:<br /><br /> - Define a reward that you <span style="font-weight: bold;">REALLY </span>want that you will give yourself when you make this happen. And with hold that reward until you have achieved your goals.<br /> - Share with a friend, a family member, and /or an accountability partner (someone you can take criticism from) that you are avoiding something that you really want to get done. Ask them to "ride you hard", until you get it done - tell them to keep it objective, but to become your personal nag. <br /> - Simply make <span style="font-weight: bold;">TODAY </span>the day you are going to get it done . . . whatever "it" is. And then just do it - no excuses, no distractions, no interruptions. <span style="font-weight: bold;">NO MATTER WHAT!</span><br /><br />I know these ideas seem like common sense, but as I have said many times in the past, "common sense is not common practice". <br /><br />Stop thinking that things will get better, just because you want them to. Take action and make them happen. You will feel better about yourself when you finally get to the other side. <br />you are obviously not doing a very good job of holding yourself accountable.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-42847072339976613942009-09-18T12:00:00.001-04:002009-09-18T22:03:28.214-04:00Sometimes You Have To Throw Away Something Valuable To Get What You Really WantHave you ever heard of <span style="font-weight: bold;">Steve Montforo</span>? Maybe . . . maybe not.<br /><br />Before Tuesday night, unless you were his friend or a family member, odds are you had never heard of him. But since Tuesday, he has been in the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Top 10 ESPN</span> plays of the day, talked about by newscasters all over the country, is one of two stars on one of the hottest online videos in quite some time, and even made it on NBC's Today Show this morning.<br /><br />Who is he? In my opinion, he's an inspiration to us all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thefastertimes.com/mlb/files/2009/09/thefightins.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 250px;" src="http://thefastertimes.com/mlb/files/2009/09/thefightins.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>So what did Steve Montforo do on Tuesday Night that made him famous? That made him an inspiration. He put the love of his family - specifically his daughter - ahead of his own feelings.<br /><br />Take a look: <a href="http://philadelphia.phillies.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6663629">Watch the video</a>.<br /><br />Steve has been a life long Phillies fan - going to games since he was a little kid. And although he had been to hundreds of games, he had never caught a foul ball. That is until this past Tuesday Night.<br /><br />Ever since he was a little boy, it had always a dream of Steve's to catch a foul ball at a Phillies game, and he finally did it. What made it even cooler, was that he made a spectacular catch to do so and the crowd responded with cheers.<br /><br />He was so proud, he, without hesitation, handed the ball to his 3-year old daughter, Emily, so she could basque in his glory with him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://thefastertimes.com/mlb/files/2009/09/the700level-300x89.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 89px;" src="http://thefastertimes.com/mlb/files/2009/09/the700level-300x89.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>But, as you can see from the video, his daughter, thinking she was doing the right thing, immediately threw the ball back over the railing and into the crowd below them. Instantly, the crowd, changed their cheers, into "oooooooo's".<br /><br />Steve Montforo, again without hesitation, and sensing that the crowd's response was going to scare his daughter, immediately embraced her and reassured her that what she had just done, was perfectly OK. And in an interview later, he was quoted as saying, "I think she was a little startled by the reaction," he explained. "I just wanted her to know it was OK."<br /><br />In a short moment, one of his childhood dreams came true. And he watched his daughter throw it away. But the gift that he has received since then, has changed his life and given both he and his daughter more than they could have ever dreamed of having - and much more valuable than any old baseball.<br /><br />And he (and the rest of us) learned the lesson that. . . <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sometimes, you have to be willing to give up what often "feels" very important to find the real gifts in life. </span> <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-91939199629053739062009-09-15T12:00:00.002-04:002009-09-15T17:33:08.946-04:00Leaders Start By Leading Themselves . . . First<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Leaders </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Set Standards and Goals First For Themselves</span></span><br /></div><i><b><br /></b></i><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Kroc"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 124px; height: 139px;" src="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_27/art04_27/0427_18innova.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><i><b>The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.</b></i><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ray Kroc<br /></div><br />We are all <span style="font-weight: bold;">leaders </span>- leaders of our businesses, leaders of our families and yes . . . even leaders of our own lives. And before its possible to lead anyone else, you must first learn how to lead your own life and follow your own guidelines and standards. Because if you don't believe in and follow the ideals that you espouse, then no one else will either.<br /><br />I know that may sound funny - following yourself, but it is something that happens more than you think - or it doesn't.<br /><br />Your subconscious mind will follow your conscious lead. It will believe and follow you to the ends of the earth, if you truly believe and act on your words - and not just say them. But this requires integrity - consistency of action and deed - "<span style="font-weight: bold;">Walking your Talk</span>".<br /><br />You have to <span style="font-weight: bold;">live with integrity</span>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">be consistent</span> and <span style="font-weight: bold;">focus on the standards </span>(and goals) within your life or your subconscious will not follow. Because when it comes right down to it, you, of all people, know when you are telling the truth and when you aren't. And you can pretend to lie to yourself, but your subconscious doesn't always follow your words - it follows your deeds.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">What are the standards you set for yourself?</span></span><br /><br />Do you have daily expectations that you hold yourself accountable to?<br /><br />Do you have weekly, monthly, or even yearly goals that you review and ensure that you are fulfilling - again doing so with accountability in your life?<br /><br />Or do you simply go about life, living willy-nilly - just doing a cursory review every year on how things went on New Year's Eve and on your milestone Birthdays.<br /><br />When you say you are going to do something, do you deliver on your promise to others? To yourself?<br /><br />These are all tough questions . . . intended to challenge you and get you to look at yourself differently. Most people I talk to want to change their surroundings but don't, but rarely follow their own lead.<br /><br />So if you want to lead "Change" in this world, start first by leading yourself . . . and following your own advice and words. Or you should expect that no one else will either.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-43927388068586507792009-09-14T06:00:00.000-04:002009-09-14T10:15:15.950-04:00The Difference Between Instinct and Intelligence<span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">It Started With Finding A Spider</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctXk7YsSHFCF7FAZvjm_Salv9s9LZ6IHL_q3S6Ydu4qdykzZmqfSkEQuIAYoc6VvZT-o1eidsrSNE3SMoy-jy3SmZF6ZScA1WjzXs5bkF7x8LNR-aS5qxUToFbqNZJDWYOT98V_coSBVn/s1600-h/SpiderPic.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 142px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhctXk7YsSHFCF7FAZvjm_Salv9s9LZ6IHL_q3S6Ydu4qdykzZmqfSkEQuIAYoc6VvZT-o1eidsrSNE3SMoy-jy3SmZF6ZScA1WjzXs5bkF7x8LNR-aS5qxUToFbqNZJDWYOT98V_coSBVn/s200/SpiderPic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381312434004653970" border="0" /></a></span>The other day, my kids and I got a chance to watch the spider to the right weave her egg sac. It was an absolutely amazing sight to see . . . and I hate spiders.<br /><br />The conversation that followed was a lot of fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9_NlTrD5e3NokphVUYTKbrSQoNjNdJcapBuKyPmU27XUCheK1Mx_Y8KS5eygKl89ErRizdJZunyPRx7xLJF7jY-wKCB2seHDCFaM7tLtKZ8dO_rurkn5Z-GH2p-SqSt_aFZ339y_L65V/s1600-h/photo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu9_NlTrD5e3NokphVUYTKbrSQoNjNdJcapBuKyPmU27XUCheK1Mx_Y8KS5eygKl89ErRizdJZunyPRx7xLJF7jY-wKCB2seHDCFaM7tLtKZ8dO_rurkn5Z-GH2p-SqSt_aFZ339y_L65V/s200/photo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381326406275743810" border="0" /></a>My daughter, Garret, 9 years old, thought it was amazing that this little spider knew how to weave such an amazing web and egg sac, without her parents around to help her. "How could she do that?", she wondered about the 4-inch Garden Spider hanging next to her barn.<br /><br />And she looked at me, saying that she wanted to understand know how such a little creature could make such an incredible wonder, without any help from her parents.<br /><br />As you might imagine, I couldn't help but take a couple minutes with my maturing daughter to talk a bit about <span style="font-weight: bold;">instinct </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">intelligence </span>- the biggest difference between Man and the rest of the Animal Kingdom.<br /><br />The spider I told her, had instincts on how to do many, many things, from what creatures were dangerous her to how to make a web - from how to catch and kill a spider to how to make an egg sac for her millions of little eggs and soon to be baby spiders. These ideas were ingrained in her mind from her genetic code. And she could neither avoid doing them any more than you and I could avoid breathing - it was simply built into who she was, and she had no real choice in it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Intelligence</span>, the one thing that separated her from this little spider, meant that although you did have some <span style="font-weight: bold;">instinct </span>in you to respond to certain situations, based on your genetic code, you could over ride it with lessons you've learned. And we started to lay down the basis for her understanding that life . . . HER LIFE . . . was her choice, not something that just happened to her.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Life is a Choice</span></span><br /><br />I believe one of the keys to success in any endeavor is finding ways to change your situation, by changing your response to your circumstance. In life, we, as Human Beings, have a choice - we are intelligent, not instinctual like the rest of the Animal Kingdom. We don't have to respond the same way to circumstances every time we face them.<br /><br />Sure, we can be slaves to the world around us - to our position in life and the luck that comes our way - living instinctively, day-to-day. Or we can break from the bondage of "circumstance" and create our own lives - taking advantage of the real gift that we have been given.<br /><br />Unhappy, unsuccessful people allow the world to define them and always want something else.<br /><br />Happy, successful people look at every situation as an opportunity to become more. To grow one step closer to their vision.<br /><br />Here is a very interesting video about a young boy who chooses his own path, even in the act of slavery / bondage / control. He could have let his rebellious instincts define him, but instead he thought about finding a different solution to redefine the outcome. And takes control of the situation himself.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.thesecondmilemovie.com/"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 179px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UiLoFYmSwb3muVYiscbfzmISmHRFbOzFDm9Iv0AeU6aw_FEGvA1ZRq1BQWX5Jkx5yG3hzrdvrRWrQUrz9NHu7ul4Xeu5P6Wpt7oAi8J7nkI9slnCGYhs1hd3uk2WlaFxL-o4930_tAgC/s200/Second+Mile.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5381325460206907634" border="0" /></a>Where in your life do you feel bound - feel restricted, feel controlled or manipulated. It might be a monetary issue. It might be a relationship issue. It might be with your customers, your suppliers and / or your employees. Look at the situation differently. Go <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">The Second Mile</span> - the way you choose to go, because you want to change the situation. It may take more than one effort, but you will "redefine" the situation. You will break from your instincts and start applying the intelligence that you have gained in life.<br /><br />And more importantly, <span style="font-weight: bold;">YOU </span>will begin to see the results you want, instead of the results that the world is trying to impose upon you.<br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-71698631158710093052009-09-12T14:23:00.004-04:002009-09-12T15:26:05.629-04:00Is the Economic Crisis Behind Us - Or Just In Remission?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDjiHGditkp6CL77cvqnkrnvXEmz8Bp9y8agilB9CCU5JrD2V9CLm4x4sqPbTUIlcwUrutcaxw7hjOoGOT9Yx8hCSWIb8QpL1t0SE-OLwXMougPtbZBeR0591w2mGqUWyYagh1Z6C_8Rk/s1600-h/money-tree.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDjiHGditkp6CL77cvqnkrnvXEmz8Bp9y8agilB9CCU5JrD2V9CLm4x4sqPbTUIlcwUrutcaxw7hjOoGOT9Yx8hCSWIb8QpL1t0SE-OLwXMougPtbZBeR0591w2mGqUWyYagh1Z6C_8Rk/s200/money-tree.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5380664263805387282" border="0" /></a>According to <a href="http://wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia</a>, <span style="font-weight: bold;">remission </span>is "<span style="font-weight: bold;">the state of absence of disease activity in patients with a chronic illness, with the possibility of return of disease activity</span>."<br /><br />That's right, it's not a cure - it's just a period where the symptoms of a disease are gone or subsided.<br /><br />Like chemotherapy or radiation treatment with cancer, throwing money at a chronic economic problem, doesn't fix the problem, it only masks the symptoms. Sure, you see short term growth and you begin to feel better about things. But the nature of the system - the cause of the crisis - in the first place hasn't been fixed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:MRKp-V4Dyd8ONM:http://www.governmentgrantstruth.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/economic-crisis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 128px; height: 169px;" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:MRKp-V4Dyd8ONM:http://www.governmentgrantstruth.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/economic-crisis.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>This is true both on a macroeconomic level, like the Global or National Economy and a microeconomic level, like your business and / or personal economic conditions.<br /><br />If you were on the <span style="font-weight: bold;">verge of bankruptcy</span>, because you couldn't pay your debts on time and sales were down with your business and were able to convince a bank or creditor to loan you money (or even give you some), it would give you a stay of execution, but unless you figure out why your sales are down, why your expenses are exceeding your income, and of course do something about it (if you even can), you will be back to near bankruptcy soon enough . . . except this time with more debt and more pressure of inevitable collapse.<br /><br />You know this to be true about your own household and business, so why would you think it would be any different for the government - be it <span style="font-weight: bold;">Federal, State, or Local</span>. The truth is, the same natural laws apply. You can make symptoms go away for a short period, but if you don't fix the underlying problem, the underlying disease, it will come back . . . stronger than ever.<br /><br />We've seen it happen twice in the last decade. The first was the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Dot-Com Bubble</span> bursting. But since we really didn't fix the underlying social and economic reasons for the rise and collapse of the bubble, the next bubble was inevitable. The only question is what would it be.<br /><br />Sure enough, next came the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Housing / Credit bubble</span>. And this one hit even harder and was the initial "cause" (and I use that term very loosely) of the economic situation we are currently in.<br /><br />And unfortunately, since we really didn't let the crash take it's own course and find the bottom - bailing out the system and businesses that were struggling, we really haven't fixed the problem, only treated the symptoms.<br /><br />So I ask <span style="font-weight: bold;">YOU</span>, as small business owners and others reading this blog, <span style="font-weight: bold;">is the Economic Crisis behind us, or just in remission</span>, ready to come back stronger than ever and crushing our (and the global) economy even more that we saw this past go around?<br /><br />And in the case of your own business . . . have you done the work, are you doing the work that is necessary to cure your financial woes, or are you just waiting out the tough times, and setting yourself up for the next wave of good fortune . . . for remission of your chronic issues?<br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><div id="refHTML"></div>JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2506008323117100449.post-74942372877388232132009-09-11T11:06:00.005-04:002009-09-11T13:18:12.375-04:002 Questions: Where were you? How has it changed your life?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://groundzero.nyc.ny.us/photos/before/before002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 154px; height: 115px;" src="http://groundzero.nyc.ny.us/photos/before/before002.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>I know this article has been written a thousand times - and most likely by more eloquent writers. But since it's my blog, and I have a story to tell that I think can relate to many, I want to share where I was 8 years ago today.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:d8FJvslsOu7M_M:http://stevenchamberlain.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/world-trade-center.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 143px; height: 93px;" src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:d8FJvslsOu7M_M:http://stevenchamberlain.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/world-trade-center.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>We all have moments in our lives when you can remember exactly where you were on a specific day, when a specific event occurred. For nearly every American (and many others around the world) September 11th, 2001 was one of those days.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">So where were you?</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/-1/lens4024852_1239596720carl_vinson.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 176px;" src="http://static.squidoo.com/resize/squidoo_images/-1/lens4024852_1239596720carl_vinson.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Like most Americans, I was at work. But unlike most other Americans, my work was on board an Aircraft Carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, in the middle of the Arabian Sea. And on day that our homeland was being cowardly attacked, just two weeks after my youngest son, Turner (whom I had only seen in photos) was born, I felt the emotions that everyone else back home felt:<br /><br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">vulnerability </span>and that I would never feel secure in my own country again<br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">fear </span>that it was only the beginning and that there was more to come<br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">worry </span>for my lovely wife who was home alone on our farm in Minnesota with our 18 month daughter and 2 week old son<br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">awe </span>and <span style="font-weight: bold;">trepidation </span>of the power behind the evil that exists in the world<br />- sadness over the senseless loss of life<br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">pride </span>over the reaction of the first responders in New York, Washington, and in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania<br />- <span style="font-weight: bold;">humbled </span>by the smallness one can't help but feel in the face of something bigger than oneself<br />- and <span style="font-weight: bold;">love </span>for my wife and kids, my parents, my brothers and their families, my friends, and my fellow Americans<br /><br />However, where I was, isn't nearly as important as <span style="font-weight: bold;">how that fateful day has affected my lif</span>e . . . How it has changed my life and how I look at my life today differently.<br /><br />Like many, my life changed on September 11th, 2001.<br /><br />Being in the military, you always know deep down that you could be called upon to sacrifice your life. But until that fateful day, I never thought that the lives of my family or friends were ever really threatened or held at risk by our Country's enemies. I never thought I would think I was safer on a US Warship at sea than my family on a farm in the Midwest . . . but it happened.<br /><br />Never before did I honestly believe that I wouldn't be going home and seeing my family again, but on that day forward. I did . . . until I held them all in my arms again.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Life is precious</span>.<br /><br />We don't know what can happen that will change things forever in our lives.<br /><br />So, it's incumbent for each of us to live each day as if it were the first day of the rest of your life .. . . as if it were September 12th. And live our lives with the memory that it could be the last . . . without any notice.<br /><br />And finally, we shouldn't just do it today in honor of those who lost their lives on this day eight years ago. But we should live every day in honor of every man, woman and child who have and ever will give their lives in the name of our freedom or the freedom of any other human.<br /><br />Bless you all, who have taken the time to stop and remember what today means. . . what it represents . . . and how it affected your life, <span style="font-weight: bold;">FOREVER</span>.JJ Reichhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08664106171927195058noreply@blogger.com3