Catch it! Caught it? Spread it!
Show your spirit! Is this a phrase you equate with cheerleaders, football games, and high school assemblies? Although high school may be our first taste of enthusiam's power, we do not have to stop eating there.
Enthusiasm can be a very influential part of our lives. According to Aristotle, it is one the essentials of a great speach, the root of passion, and it is contagious.
Keep in mind that enthusiasm can be good or bad depending on the situation. For instance, enthusiasm rooted in anger can lead to violence; however when it's used positively, enthusiasm can be life changing.
Imagine being refreshed by life, having the necessary energy to do everything you want to do, feeling energized even on
the dreariest of days. How can this happen?
1. Enthuse yourself. Train yourself to find the good in every situation.
2. Do what you say you are going to do. Rather than making idle plans, actually do what you tell yourself you are going to do. Nothing can boost your mental health like adding closure to a project.
3. Make sure to eat healthy and get enough sleep. Your body participates, too.
Once you catch the spirit, it will show and your enthusiasm for life will spread to others. It's kind of like a yawn it only takes one to start a chain reaction.
Each of us will journey on life's road once, and it is on this road that each of us will experience what life is truly all about. Despite all the ups and downs in life, each of us has been endowed with an incredible ability to dream big dreams. Our dreams are what make up the treasure in our lives. They are what give life purpose, meaning, and fulfillment. For some, that treasure might be a better relationship, starting your own business, getting an education, having more time for family, or living with a sense of peace and hope.
Big dreams are what inspired people like Thomas Edison to keep searching for ways to make the lightbulb work or the Wright brothers to get the first airplane to take flight. Because people dreamed big dreams, men and women have been launched into space, cures for illnesses have been discovered, walls in countries have come down. Dreams are what stretch the mind to go beyond limitations and can transform the invisible into the visible, the impossible into the possible.
Your business may already be very successful. You may already be a top producer. Are you satisfied and comfortable where you are? Do you spend more time protecting what you now have rather than transforming what you have and propelling it into something more rewarding and profitable? Do you still have any of that successful "risky juice" left in you , the stuff that got you to where you are, to compel yourself to go farther?
Top companies and top producers are great, but companies, teams, and people must learn that there is still a mass of territory to be claimed beyond the top. The greatest success stories are those that come from "over the top" companies and producers. Only you have the power to claim the rights to your deserved success in life. The day you decide to go beyond the top and soar is the day you go over the top! One must realize, it is at the very summit of the mountain where one must take the first and truest leap of faith. Some make it to the top but choose to never go beyond that point for fear of what's below or because they don't know if their wings will function or not. Some would rather sit there and revel in their success rather than taking the risk of going beyond mere success. If you have climbed the mountain to the very top, victory is yours! You must now accept the wisdom that came with that journey. If you've done it once, you can surely do it again - and much faster. Once you have placed your stake at the top, it becomes time to move on and step up to the mountain's top edge to take the first flight. It is at that point when you spread your wings for the first time.
The journey to the top of the mountain is the process where wings to fly grow and develop. Wings are made of a fabric called experience. It is at the very top where you must face the ultimate challenge and test your wings. It is only then that you achieve "over the top" status.
Madonna, Andre Agassi, Newt Gingrich, Colin Powell, Hillary Clinton, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Martina Navratilova, Jack Nicholson, Barbara Streisand. If we had to use one word to describe these people, we might say "famous." However, if we had to give them a common characteristic, we would probably say "determination." This is the characteristic that earned them the title of "famous."
When we think of people such as these, we often think of them as far removed from ourselves. Why is this? We all have goals and dreams to fulfill, don't we? We are just as determined, aren't we? Then what are we doing about it?
Although each of us is born with potential, not all of us do something with it. Some of us sit back, enjoying the dreams of what we could be until they turn into dreams of what we could have been. Others dismiss their dreams as impossible to attain. What we need to realize is that everything is attainable as long as we have a plan. Having goals is not enough; we also must know how we are going to achieve them.
Don't give up on those dreams you haven't reached yet! If you want to accomplish your dreams and goals, you need to do the following three things:
1. Identify what your dreams and goals are. If your goals are nebulous and undefined, take time to focus in on what exactly it is you want to do. For example, if you want to work in a particular field, narrow down which aspect of that field best fits your needs.
2. Know what actions to take to achieve those dreams and goals. Continuing with our example, find out what schooling you need to work in that field. Talk to people currently involved in that line of work, and ask them what it takes to be successful, or even to get your foot in the door if you're just starting, in your chosen field.
3. Be willing to pay the price to complete those actions. Don't set goals you can never reach! If you really want to achieve a goal, you're going to have to make sacrifices. No goal worth reaching requires nothing of you.
Be All That You Can Be—Without the Army
From the moment you were born, you've had it. Potential. The ability to reach a higher level than the one on which you currently stand. And you have never lost that ability.
With that in mind, isn't it a tragedy that so many of us stop short of what we could be? The only way to reach your potential is through setting goals and achieving them. The only way to achieve your goals is through utilizing everything you have available to you. Don't forget about the most important resource you have: yourself.
You are the key to your success. Your voice will be the voice to introduce you to new people who could have a profound effect on your achievements. Your mind is the mind that will lead you down the path of possibilities. You are the only person who can be responsible for what happens to you.
Realize your potential:
1. Write down your goals.
2. Plan the actions needed to achieve your goals.
3. Achieve your goals by doing those actions.
Be all that you can be. Do it yourself. You don't need an army.
Everyone knows that goals are important. Is it enough to simply have goals in our minds? When we have written goals, it increases the likelihood of taking action. An idea without action is worthless; having written goals helps to clarify in our minds what we need to do and will help us keep focused.
An effective way to do this is to take the following steps:
1. Determine the most important measurable result that you want to attain.
2. Determine the major components necessary to reach that goal.
3. Determine the specific measurable actions within each major component that will help accomplish that result.
4. Review your goals each month with a few key people whom you respect and who will help you maintain your focus.
It is very important to remember that in many situations, the most effective person is not only doing the most work but is also entrusted with the most additional work. We have all heard the saying that if you want something done, give it to the busiest person. To advance in your career, you want to be known as that person. Having a better understanding of what motivates these busy individuals will motivate you to achieve your full potential in both your personal life and career; talk to them and ask how they are able to accomplish so much.
There are one million things that we want to do, two million things that others want us to do, and ten million that we could be doing. Most of them are good actions. The biggest enemy of a great action, however, is a good action that clouds your perspective, making it difficult to follow through on the great actions. Having our great goals in writing will help prevent us from getting sidetracked by ideas that are merely good. We must realize that good ideas won't give us the great results that we could attain if we were working to our full potential on the great ideas.
Once you have determined your written goals, identify the specific actions necessary to obtain the desired results. Ask others in your company for their input and direction on those actions. While most company's executive management teams understand the importance of written goals, the individual that takes time to write them and then keep up with them every month is exemplary. Seek input on your written plan from those in the highest levels of management in your company. You will be recognized as focused and diligent, and that could pay big dividends as you advance in your career.
What are the three most important things that you value in life? What three things to you want to accomplish before the end of your life? Write these things down and review them often. Why? When you define the treasure in your life—the goals and dreams—you begin to develop hope. You begin to see ways in which you can reach those dreams, even if you'd given up on them earlier.
The key to acting on the hope you have is by defining the actions you need to take to reach the goals or dreams. Any goal, no matter how lofty, requires a series of specific steps and consistency in taking those steps. Remember, nothing in your life will change unless you do something. Without actions, all we have are nice dreams that turn into wishes instead of realities. Actions alone produce results.
What about when tough times or circumstances get in the way of our dreams? Difficult times can force us to make alternative choices or even bad choices on the way to our goals. There are consequences to every choice we make; some will bring our dream closer, and others will set it even farther out of reach. When we maintain our dreams even in the face of challenges, we have a much harder time settling for a poor choice. One way to make sure that poor choices aren't hindering the achievement of your goals is through accountablilty and encouragement from others. Make at least one other loved one aware of your dream and the steps you're taking to achieve it. Allow them to provide you with constructive criticism if they see any of your coicces or
habits as obstaclles to reaching your goals.
Don't become so focused on reaching your goals, however, that you miss life's special moments. You won't remember everything you did on your journey, but you will remember the important moments in your own life the lives of your loved ones... unless you were too busy to notice them.
Rediscover imagination, optimism, and energy. These are all important factors involved in reaching any goal, no matter how small.
I originally got into the mortgage business because I needed a job. No plan of attack...just a job. I tired of processing within a few weeks, moved to closings, and quickly rose to office manager. This all happened within the first six months. Although the position of office manager brought big bucks, I again became bored and moved into loan origination. I still didn't have a plan, but I flourished... until the fall of 1986. That's when I was 'promoted' to an originating branch manager. Now I was responsible for not only my own career but the success of my whole branch. Guess what happened to this successful young lady who didn't have a plan?
Right! She still has the scars from falling on her face!
I found out the hard way: a business plan with concrete goals, right-on actions, and at least two accountability partners is absolutely crucial to ongoing success in any business. It is possible to be successful without a plan, but it's nearly impossible to reach your potential. Time tracking tools will help you save time and work more efficiently. Instead of spinning your wheels, a business plan with a solid foundation will keep you moving in a straight line—upward, toward your potential and success as you define it. Your business plan and accountability partner(s) will get you there.
I spent 20 hours on my business plan in January and have just revised it for the second half of the year. I had two problems with the original plan, common problems when dealing with uncharted territory:
a) Some of the actions I had determined to achieve certain goals were not as finely tuned as they should have been.
b) I had not been consistent with certain necessary actions.
You see, even as a 'seasoned professional,' it is still critical that I have accountability partners and do consistent reviews of the goals and actions I set. I became a consultant to share what I've learned. At our company, we thoroughly test and use every product we offer. I learned the hard way that people skills, hard work, and competitive products are not the only tools you need to survive in the mortgage industry. Every client I now work with is strongly encouraged to develop a business plan of his own. Let me assure you that the pain of planning is merely a scraped knee compared to the long-term benefits you will gain. Less frustration, stress, guilt... more time for family, friends, yourself... more money, and a nose with no scars.
When I played high school basketball, I felt a great deal of pressure to succeed. I contributed heavily to a winning team. Many division one scouts where checking me out; I knew I had the potential to play for a big-name school. That was what I wanted more than anything.
Before my senior year, I was at a team camp. Scouts, who I desperately wanted to impress, where all around the floor. I stole the ball and ran down to slam dunk it. I guess I forgot to put my landing gear down on the descent. I was in the prime of my career, and I had just blown my knee out completely.
I received no more recruiting offers. Instead, I received letters from top scouts telling me they were sorry, but they had given my scholarship to someone else.
We couldn't afford to have surgery on my knee, so the next few months were filled with intensive therapy and rehabilitation. Each time I thought my knee was O.K. to play, I blew it out again—three times.
At the start of the new season, my dream didn't have much life to it. It was at an early practice that my knee blew out for the third time. I lay helpless on the floor, crying in pain from my knee and from believing that my dream was over. Not one teammate or coach came over to help me up. They figured I was either faking it or done for. I crawled off the floor, thinking it was all over. All those years of practicing, the camps, everything had been for nothing.
Something else was going on in my life at that time. The man who had been my mentor and close friend was dying of cancer. He never gave up on life. He fought to get the most out of life until the journey was finally over. His battle taught me not to give up. So I didn't.
The night I was to get suited up again and get on the court was a night that will stick with me forever. I was sitting in my room, waiting to head to the game. Thoughts of the past six months ran vividly through my head. I sat there in tears, feeling like a failure. I glanced over at my nightstand and saw an envelope with my name on it.
I opened it slowly, thinking it would be my mom's usual "good luck" note. "My dear son," it started, "I haven't talked about this in years, but I used to swim for my high school. My senior year, after I won state, my coach wanted me to train for the Olympics. He wrote letters to professional trainers, asking them to meet with me. He said most of them were prepared to do so as soon as I could free up the time. I knew I had to make a decision. I could either make others happy, continue my training, and go to the Olympics, or I could hang on to my dream of being the first one in my family to go to college and get a degree. You can guess what I did. I'm not telling you what your dreams should be, but I am telling you there's more to life than your game. Don't ever feel like your family's love and respect depend on how well you play. Your dreams are our dreams for you, as long as they fit into the principles we've raised you to follow. Let tonight be for you and no one else."
I sat thinking so long I was almost late. I hurried to the high school, still not sure what would happen. The other guys kind of edged around me as we got into our uniforms. They were afraid of angering me since they knew I felt pressure and might be a little short-fused. I wasn't, though; I was just dazed.
The second I got my first pass and started to move the ball around the guy guarding me, I knew. I called a time-out. I looked the coach straight in the eye and shook my head. I sat wordlessly on the bench, not listening as the coach named my substitute and gave a few orders.
When I got home that night, I thought and prayed hard. What would be my inspiration and driving force now?
I won't share the evolution of my dreams over the years, but I eventually made the discovery that you're not a quitter just because you have to change a dream. Trying and failing and trying something else is exactly what leads to the most personal growth. No dream we have about our earthly lives is set in stone. The end of a dream does not mean the end of hope. My dying friend—and my mom—taught me that.
Copyright © 2000 Synergy Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved