Envision Your Results to Make them Your Reality

It’s funny, because as I reread some of my writing, I have to frequently remind myself what my purpose is and keep myself from falling into the “I can’t do it” trap.  Every time I start to take myself too seriously, I just have to laugh at the very flawed individual I am.  I mean, we think at times we have it all together, and within an instant, we are picking ourselves up from rediculousness, and do you ever notice that the more you focus on a  mistake, the more mistakes you make…it just gets worse and worse and worse. 

Have you ever lost your path, or your purpose?  Sometimes after we lose a job, a loved one, get a divorce, fail at something big, we can lose sight of the big picture.  The big picture is that we are not in control of what happens, we are only in control of  being the best people we can be.  What is it that you want?  Where do you see yourself? 

If there is something you want, some kind of result, some kind of dream, picture it as often as you can.  Picture all the details.   The frequency at which you picture it, plays a huge part in your getting it.    It has been proven that there is a huge correlation between what we picture and what we attain in our lives.  If you are a leader, how good are you at reminding your team of what your vision is, or what their vision is? 

Vision alone will not get you closer to your dream, however, when you put action behind it, you will see fantastic results!

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone into the Realm of the Unknown

I went out and ran today for the first time in 3 months!  It was so awesome to feel the air and listen to the wind blowing.   I felt so free!  Sometimes we get so swept away in life, that we forget to take some time out for ourselves.  I get some of the best ideas and thoughts when I am on a run.  That would be what inspired me to write in my blog today.

I am continuously learning thru my life, but I am also very passionate about sharing what I learn.  Maybe it could inspire someone in some way, that I am a completely normal person with struggles like everyone else, and if I can keep perservering, you can too!

One thing I have noticed about myself is that I am very good at carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, sometimes to the degree of forgetting what it is I need in order to be happy.  I have learned this lesson this week when I carried someone elses weights along with my own.   I carried it on my shoulders for so long that I just got used to it.  I didn’t even know it was draining my energy until a few people in my life told me they didn’t see stress in my face anymore.  And I thought I was hiding it well, boy was I deceiving myself.  Apparently I thought I had the control to fix someone else’s problems too.

What I have learned is that carrying what is comfortable can be so much more unhealthy than letting it go to the unknown.   What is good for us is not always comfortable, but it can be the best thing for us.   So, the lesson I have learned so far would be, don’t let your fears of the unknown control your opportunity for happiness in your future.  Life is way too short:)

Just Focus…

I thought it would be most fitting to talk about Sydney for a minute while we are on the subject of focusing.  Sydney is the complete opposite of the two girls.  She comes up with the funniest things to say and she is the most affectionate child you will ever meet.  One of her challenges is her ability to focus…she is only 4, so she has some time to grow, but when I ask her to help clean up a room, it doesn’t take her very long til she is making a mess in the room she should be cleaning:) 

We all have our challenges.  Another very important piece to commitment is your ability to focus and remain disciplined.  There are so many distractions  that can  keep us from staying committed to what it is we want.  A distraction could be a sickness, a bad day, chocolate, tragedy and trauma, a tv show and/or  something that gives us instant gratification.  In this busy world we have all these things begging for our attention.  What happens is we may see off into the distance that with delayed gratification and focus we could reach our pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  As we are working towards our pot of gold,  the distractions grab our vision.  The quicker we can pull our eyes back off the distractions and onto the gold, the more commitment we are showing.

One huge challenge can be the obstacles that stand in our way of focusing on what we want.  The key is to not focus on ALL the obstacles, because this may make your goals quite intimidating to reach.  Just focus your eyes on the goal and start out with removing one obstacle at a time so that you can see  your goal easier; and pretty soon after all of the work, you will reach out your arms to your dream.

Commitment

Sierra & Sydney are growing so fast!  I can’t help but be amazed at how much they have developed.  Sierra prayed at dinner tonight and I saw such passion from a  6 year old.  The prayer lasted quite some time as she told God how much she loved him about 10 times, no exaggeration, but she also said “God I wish I could hug you right now.”  At that moment Sierra inspired me and I was so proud of her.   I won’t spoil what I just said by mentioning that she didn’t finish her supper and whined for a brownee for 30 minutes…ha ha ha. 

Over the last several years I have seen so many examples of commitment  in different aspects of my own life.  Lately, whenever I see the word commitment, it pops out and hits me in the head.  Apparently it is my year to learn what commitment really is.  So let’s talk about the pieces that  contribute to commitment.  You can relate this to work, home or play:)

My favorite piece of commitment is integrity.    Integrity means we do what we say we are going to do.  If we tell someone we are going to do something and we let them down, we are  showing a lack of commitment.  It means honoring any promises we have made to others.  We should always make it a point to deliver more than we promise.  If we fail to deliver what we promise, whether it is our friends family members or coworkers, little gaps of mistrust start to show up in our relationships. 

Another piece necessary to commitment is trust.  Trust is the glue to virtually any relationship and if it is broken it can take years to rebuild.  In every relationship we have opportunities to build  trust with others.  When this piece  is missing, we only have a surface connection, one that does not reveal a strong level of commitment.   We might ask ourselves this question, does commitment build trust or does trust contribute to commitment?  I believe both are true.

Perserverance is the road  on your trip to  commitment.  Perserverance is the ability to stick it thru during the tough times.  It means when the going gets tough, you don’t dart out the door, you stick it thru until the  struggle is over.  After the  struggles are over, are the most  wins.  So many people give up shortly before the struggle is about to be over.    At some points you may think whatever you are doing just isn’t working, but then, just around the corner is your win!   

Another must to commitment is loyalty.  Loyalty means you will not allow the wrong motives to take you away from what it is you are committed to.  It also means you will not dishonor those with whom you have commitments to.  And when you think the grass is greener on the other side, you choose to remain on your own side of the grass. 

Next time we will talk about focus and discipline in regard to commitment.

Help…My Cup is Empty

We are going to talk about what types of people we should be focusing our energies on…we will relate this toward leadership.  Is your cup full and plentiful, or are you frequently running on empty?  First of all, to those of you who are spiritual, seek God to fill you up with what  you are thirsty  for.  Secondly, remember, “iron sharpens iron”  Surround yourself with likeminded people and mentors who you feel challenged with, people that you respect and seek qualities they possess.   Your mentor should be encouraging you and helping you see the goodness within you. They should also keep you accountable.

Finally, frequently empty what you are refilling.  Make deposits into others.  Help others see the goodness within them.  I believe Chris Brady said once “People should always feel better about themselves after they have been around thier mentors. ” If those you are around don’t want to be around you, odds are you haven’t left them feeling better.  John Maxwell says leaders should spend 80% of their time with thier top 20% leaders.   Who should I make deposits into?  It took me quite a long time to understand that “leaders pick themselves.”  How do they pick themselves?  They have character and integrity which means they do what they say they are going to do.  You can trust them.  They are ambitious, always hungering to better themselves.  They frequently ask you questions?  They are willing to learn what it is you teach them.   They are willing to give what it is they recieve from you.   They are FULLY COMMITTED.  If  you feel like they are not fully committed, odds are they aren’t.    This doesn’t mean these people should be treated inappropriately, but if you are looking to invest your legacy, invest most of it where it is going to be effective.  Make most of your deposits into those who are committed.  Excuses are a telltale sign that someone isn’t fully committed.  Committment in others changes from time so it is most beneficial for you to treat all people valuable at all times, just spend most of your time with the people who are committed.  Watch for the signs of committment…and give accordingly.

Next time we will talk more in depth about committment:)

What About Me?

It’s funny, how very self conscience some of us our.  We all have all of these insecurities that keep us from living our lives, fulfilling our purposes, following our dreams, for what?  What if no one really paid attention to the little details you are insecure about?  What if most people were preoccupied with their own lives so much that they didn’t have time to really think about you and yours?  Would you then be more apt to do something a little different or out of the ordinary?  Would you dare to dream again?   As I have aged, the one thing that I have learned more and more of is that life has become less and less about me.  As I have learned this, it has helped me be less self conscious.  Think about how very sefish we are as babies and then picture your grandma and how selfless she is. 

Anyone ever feel this way?  You see this very nice car and you decide you want it.  You think “I would be so excited if I could get that new car”  You buy the car and within a few weeks or maybe a month it’s  an old hat, the feelings fade.  When the feelings fade, what do you have to fill that happiness?  For a longer lasting happiness  turn your focus toward “what can I do to help others get what they want or need?” 

I have seen this happen at different workplaces.  The boss is focused on achieving thier own goals.  They get so driven that they forget that thier job as a leader is to help their coworkers get their goals and dreams.  They don’t understand why others don’t respect them, don’t work hard for them and do their best to avoid them.  The selfesheness stands out like a sore thumb.  People want to work for leaders  who help them accomplish their dreams.  Would you follow a leader who puts their own dreams ahead of their teams?  Pretty soon, the leader gets burned out and can’t attain any of their goals because their focus was only on their own dreams.  If  the leader  made his/her  focus helping each of your coworkers get what they want, would they gain the results they are looking for?  Absolutely!

Next time we will talk about when we focus on others, what type of people we should be focusing our energies on.

Purpose or Passing time?

Just wanted to say thanks so much for reading  “Stacey’s Blog” as it has been hit 200 times in the last two weeks…woohoo!  So, we left off at motivation of a higher purpose vs me motivation.  We all have our needs that motivate us daily, and the object is not to get rid of those motivators because they keep us going.  However when those things that used to drive us don’t,  we need a purpose bigger than ourselves to motivate us.  So look OUTSIDE of yourself to find a larger purpose then yourself. 

Ponder this for a moment…you are one of God’s very unique individuals.  There is no person in all this world EXACTLY like you.  That means you have something within you that you can offer those outside of yourself.  Break away from your fears and insecurities and let  your purpose drive you  rather than being driven by the passing time. 

  There is a wise voice within’ us all that whispers to us about what our legacy should be.  Listen to it. Let’s just say that you believe your purpose is to lead, serve and encourage others toward nurturing the seeds of greatness within them.  Your voice of wisdom will tell you throughout your day what you need to do each day to fulfill that purpose.   When  you do what it tells you, it’s amazing how much happier you will feel.  As you continue to surpass your fears, you will gain more courage and eventually you will feel an appetite for goodness.  You will hunger for opportunities to fulfill your purpose.  The more you feed that hunger, the more peace you will feel. 

Most people are driven and lead effectively by doing good for others.  If you are a leader and are having difficulty motivating others by the me-motivators,  try motivating them to do something because it is right and for the good of others.

So, next time we’ll talk about how to turn our focus from a little less about me to a  little more about others.

Merry Christmas!

One of my favorites:

Anyways

By Mother Teresa 

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;

Forgive them anyway.

 

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;

Be kind anyway.

 

If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;

Succeed anyway.

 

If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;

Be honest and frank anyway.

 

What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;

Build anyway.

 

If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;

Be happy anyway.

 

The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;

Do good anyway.

 

Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;

Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

Pursue your Purpose with Passion

If someone was watching our household this morning like we watch the monkeys at the zoo, they would have gotten great humor from watching the Corzine  habitat.  Sierra is my more sophisticated of the two children and Sydney is the wild and crazy one.  She has a love-hate relationship with her kitten Princess Chiquita, and I am very surprised at how well her kitten handles being a baby subsititute.  She has been tamed to be rocked like a baby, fall asleep in a baby playpen, fall asleep in a baby swing, and she still goes to sleep cuddled with Sydney at bed time.  Sierra is an “old soul.”  To those of you who are fellow old souls, you know what I mean by “old soul”  She is only 6 and comes up with words that inspire me.

What if you were confident in yourself enough to know that every action from you could influence someone positively or negatively every day?  Would you change your behavior in any way?  What if your making a difference could set off a chain reaction of a multitude of people making a difference?  What would you change?  Would you be kinder to your family, friends, coworkers?  Would you aggressively chase your dreams, and help others attain theirs?  Would you let that person go ahead of you at the grocery store, or let the merging car ahead of you on a day you are in a hurry to get somewhere?

So, let’s move on to the deepest and most fulfilling form of motivation, pursuing your purpose and/or finding the higher purpose.  Odds are if you are not passionate about it, it’s not your purpose…John Maxwell says our purpose should be to “Leave our Legacy.”   When we die,  the only thing we will leave behind is what we invest of ourselves into others.  When I read this, my purpose became much clearer to me.  If I died tomorrow, how did I leave my legacy?

How do you find your purpose?  It’s your life, it’s within you somewhere…look for it, find it.  It may be  easier to find during a quiet day when you are alone somewhere.  Being motivated by the higher purpose gives you that feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment, one different than the me-motivators.  If you are a person who has lost drive, motivation, your passion and excitement, try finding a higher purpose in what you are doing…it may be to serve others, to inspire others, maybe just to make a difference in someone’s day.  There is nothing wrong with the me-motivators if they motivate you, but if they don’t you are ready for the higher purpose.

Next time we will compare the me-motivators and the higher purpose motivators…and talk about how anyone can inspire thier team to be motivated by a higher purpose and see more consistent results…you have something great within’ you that is burning with passion…so ignite the fire!  Make a difference this week!

Me2vation

The house is quiet:)  There is school today.   The kitchen is almost painted except I am sponge painting and I painted the wrong color first…all I have to do is get some gravy and I’ll be finished shopping for Christmas dinner. 

Let’s get back to yesterday’s topic of motivation.  We are starting with one of the first levels.  Joyce Meyer says it best when she says “What about me, what about me?”  referring to how we all are thinking about us vs others.  It’s true, we are hungry we eat, we are thirsty we drink, we want a new shirt and we go out and buy one.  Needless to say, if we want something bad enough, we will go after it.  So, when we are motivating others, “what’s in it for them” is the key to making your efforts effective.  Have any of you been around someone who was forceful in their approach to motivating you?  Did you pursue it with passion?  Here are some examples of employee motivators : Suzie may be motivated by more money, a new wardrobe- shoes, recognition, a bigger office, respect from her boss, contests, providing for her kids, a new truck, challenges, a trip to Europe.  If you are the motivator:

1)Ask your fellow teammates what they want-  they will appreciate that you want to know something about them.

2)Lead them to the path to get what they want -It is sometimes scary to walk by yourself.

3)Remind them frequently what  they want- Everyone forgets or gets distracted from time to time.

4)Encourage them frequently that they are worth taking the journey-Everyone hungers for praise and encouragement like they hunger for food and water. 

If you are motivating yourself,  do these things, but put yourself into these sentences.

I always laugh at how quickly we would rush to check the mail if there is a check, or how if we all completed the tasks of our job like we pick up our paychecks, there would rarely be any errors lol.  We tend to be motivated by what we want. 

It’s time for me to finish my kitchen, go get a hair cut, maybe  a pedicure (as you can see, today is all about me he, he)

Tomorrow we will talk a little more about motivation, but being motivated by a higher purpose.

Have a great day!  You are worth following your dreams!