365QOD-Day580

“For a long time, I thought motivation and inspiration were two words describing the same thing.  I no longer think that.  As I see it, motivation is a force that generates action because of the consequences if we don’t.  It may not have anything to do with genuine passion or enthusiasm.  Inspiration, on the other hand, is a call to creative action.  We act because we want to, not because we have to.”  – Barbara Winter , Making a Living Without a Job

In an earlier post I told a story how I once asked students to tell me what could keep them from being successful.  Half thought that laziness was keeping them from achieving more.  Other half thought that they were not motivated.  I often wondered if laziness and lack of motivation are not the one and same.

When I read this quote I can see that I did not consider how inspiration plays into this puzzle.  The call to action is what is missing.  I often find that by taking a step forward ,when I least want to, I am committed to keep moving towards a goal.  It might still take a lot of effort BUT at least I am moving towards the goal.

So do I need inspiration to take the first step?  I never really thought about it.  I believe if you wait for the inspiration then you might not take that step.  If you are inspired by something or someone then you will definitely take the first step.

Regardless, just take the first step.

Today’s question is:

“What inspires you to make yourself take that first step?”

365QOD-Day579

“Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals” - Jim Rohn

Often we observe the success of stars in a field and all we see is the success and not the hard work that went into getting to that point.  This is a problem.

It becomes a problem because often when people want to be successful they make an attempt and after a little bit they give up.  The success they see looks easy to have gotten and they are confused why it is not easy for them.

As the quote advises success is neither magical nor mysterious.  It does require that you understand the basics and to apply them exceptionally well over a long time.

Today’s question is:

“How do you keep yourself from quitting too early?”

365QOD-Day578

“I wanted to change the world.  But I have found that the only thing one can be sure of changing is oneself.” - Aldous Hyxley

I t is very easy to look at the people around us or on our team and see dysfunction.  If this person would just do X then Y would be so much better.

If it was this easy then management would be simply wishing people into proper behavior.  This magically never occurs. 

The quote teaches us that we must start with us if we are to change anything.  Recently, I was going through a ‘bad attitude’ period.  I thought that other people were wrong and that I was right. 

The problem was not them, it was me.  I had to look in the mirror and decided that I had to change my attitude if my world was to change.

It is amazing how quickly things change when you change yourself.  And by the way, you can control whether you change or not.  You have absolutely no control of whether others change.

Today’s question is:

“Have you tried changing yourself first?”

365QOD-Day577

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most responsive to change”- Charles Darwin

Probably one of the most misunderstood people in history is Charles Darwin.  I personally do not know enough to have much of an opinion of him.  I know he was a great scientist but I have also read that he was also very religious.  Interesting…

The quote above is very powerful.  It claims that when one looks at survivor of  a species, the most responsive to change is the one most likely to survive.  It is not the most intelligent or the strongest but the most willing to change.

Wow!  If we could only learn to be most responsive to change we will be most likely to succeed.  I believe that it starts with acceptance of continuous change as the norm and not an aberration.  We must go out of our way to look for the change instead of waiting for it to hit us between the eyes.

Today’s question is:

“How will you become more responsive to change?”

365QOD-Day576

“All startups should be thinking, what frustrates me and how can I make it better?  It might be a small thing or it might be a big thing, but that’s the best way for them to think.  If they think like that, they are likely to build a very successful business.”- Sir Richard Bronson

A few years back I used to sit down during lunch and think about what frustrated me that day.  I could usually find one or two items that just rubbed me the wrong way.  Once I have identified the source of irritation I can proceed to brainstorm ways of eliminating the frustration. 

Next day I would do the same.  It was amazing how one can almost come up with at least one new invention or a solution to a problem per day if one focuses on their frustration.

Sadly, I never did anything with the wonderful solutions I came up with.  There was definitely a lack of execution.  I never profited from all of those ideas.  It was simply mental masturbation.  It made me feel good but produced no useful fruit.

Today’s question is:

“What frustrated you the most today?”

365QOD-Day575

“For the last six years, I‘ve had exactly one employee. Me. This has changed my life in ways that I hand not predicted.  I can write an e-book and launch it in some crazy way and just see what happens.  If you don’t have to bet the farm on every launch, you are way more likely to launch more, which vastly increases your odds.”- Seth Godin

Seth Godin is a wonderfully creative individual.  Once in a while I have to go to his website and read a little and often download a free product.  He never fails to inspire me.

When I read this quote I can see that he is a sole employee.  He is the creator of his own materials.  This is unlike other self-help authors who have a team of people writing for them and they just provide the spark.  Nothing wrong with that approach either but they are not equal in my mind.

The quote urges the quick launch of products while minimizing the investment in money and time.  Launch, learn, improve, launch again, keep repeating.  The minimum cost is what allows this process to continue and to eventually get to a continuous success

Today’s question is:

“What prevents you from launching continuously?”

365QOD-Day574

"I should write one myself" - my thought

While reading Inc. Magazine I read a section called A skimmer's guide to the latest business books. It provides a short summary of key ideas from the book.

Being an author is cool. Now the goal is to drive some sales of the books. This section seemed perfect to self-write a piece and submit it. Is this cheating?  No if it helps me and it helps them.

All they can say is yes.  Going through the submiting process will at least teach me what it takes to get an article published in a magazine.

Today's question is:
"Even if you got nothing to lose, can you still make yourself  to do it?"

365QOD-Day573

"50% of all high school students go to college"- USA Today story

Wow!  50% seemed so high. I believe that I read somewhere that 25% of working people have a degree.
So why aren't we thriving and economy bouncing of the roof? 

As a group the college educated have done well during the current recession with only 4+% unemployment.  This is half of the general public. 

Education has provided some security in a volatile situation BUT it has not provided financial freedom for most. It is a wonderful ticket to working for someone else but it seldom translates into working for yourself and making a great living.

The opposite of security is insecurity.  Reality is that the higher our ability to handle the uncomfortable feeling of insecurity the higher our financial freedom.  The best way to increase the level of insecurity wr can handle is to force ourselves to stretch everyday outside of our comfort zones.

Today's question is:
"How much insecurity can your wallet handle?"

365QOD-Day572

"Be Somebody" - graffiti on a Houston bridge

I passed this piece of graffiti the other day and it stuck with me.  Aren't we already being somebody?

After thinking about it I realized that we are who we are but to be someone of influence is to Be Somebody.  Someone who moves others in their thinking, feelings, action, etc.

Today's question is:
"Are you BEing Somebody?"

365QOD-Day571

"Major corporations were founded and thrived, providing significant opportunities for a career seeking individuals.  US Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests that today about 50 percent of the college- age population attends college, putting them on faster track to corporate opportunities.  "- Carol Roth

The American dream of 100 years ago is for most people a current reality that is quickly fading.  Most of us go to work everyday working for someone else.  We dream their dream.  Their pockets get lined while ours get slightly full.  Our appetite whetted but never quite quenched.

This is a reality for most of us because fear rules us.  The ingrained belief is that a big company provides security.  We are afraid of striking it on our own and testing the true worth of our talents. 

The good news is that the tests do not have to be abrupt.  I put out a book, get a result, make some changes, get another result, put out a different type of product, etc.  Little tests along the path to financial freedom.  You never know which stream will flow in your multiple streams of income strategy.  Mine might consist of books, presentations, apps, etc. 

Today's question is:
"What are your multiple streams of income that will lead you to financial freedom?"

365QOD-Day570

"My first theory is that people like to give and receive uplifting advice.  Let’s face it – our society is built upon blowing smoke up each other’s asses ( in layman’s terms, giving gratuitous or insincere complements or general good feelings)…. However, our collective unwillingness to engage in a reality check has gotten us in lot of deep doo-doo."- Carol Roth

I found this line while reading the Entrepreneur Equation book.  It is the truth.  We always try to be nice and polite and give people the "best" spin.  Then there are others who like to be brutal with their opinions. 

I always say that the truth is somewhere in the middle.  We have to use the sandwich approach.  Give people a  good point, followed by the bad point, and lastly finish with a good point.  This usually helps the person to recognize that they are doing some good things AND something to improve upon. 

The ratio of 2 to 1 is OK.  In a previous post I discussed the suggestion by another author who recommended 6 to 1 ratio for a marriage to succeed.

Again, somewhere between 2 and 6 is the right answer for a particular situation and person you are dealing with.

Today's question is:

"Have you offered someone a sandwich?"

365QOD-Day569

"If you can not get a miracle, be someone's miracle"- Nick Vujicic

I was flipping channels today and noticed on one christian show a guy sitting on a couch without arms and legs.  He uttered this line and I was captivated.

We are always hoping that our problems will miraculously go away and that we would experience nirvana on Earth.  Well, the reality is that we are spiritual beings having a human experience.  We are given senses in order to experience the world and to eventually awaken to being a spiritual being.

With those thoughts in mind, when I heard this man speak those words I could not help but see that he was farther along on that journey than most of us.  Even though he was the one without arms and legs, he wanted to be someone else's miracle.

Wow!  How unselfish!  Miracle does not mean you actually move a mountain.  It could be helping a person get rid of a personal mountain.  It is whatever that person needs.

Today's question is:
"Have you been someone else's miracle ever?"

365QOD-Day568

"As someone who’s quick to buck common conventions, I know that demolition isn’t hard; anyone can say that everything you’ve ever heard is wrong.  The trick is building something better in its place." - The Entrepreneur Equation by Carol Roth

I have a love-hate relationship with negative people.  They are good for finding what is wrong with your idea BUT often can not offer an alternative.

As Carol says it is easy to destroy people or ideas but the building up part is difficult.  An alternative can easily be offered BUT a better alternative is often hard to generate.

It is the idea of devil's advocate vs. angel investor I wrote about in the past.  The devil's advocate does a good job of demolition and finding faults.  The angel investor believes that the person is close to a solution and often leads the person to discover the missing ingredients of a better solution for themselves by posing questions.

Today's question is:

"Are you a builder or a demolitionist?"

365QOD-Day567

"You must have a keen understanding of your Brand, Outcome, and Differentiator" - Zen of Social Media Marketing Shamna Hyder Kabani  www.zenofsocialmedia.com

In several branding posts I have spoken of the idea of brand.  I have for the last few years attemped to

re-brand myself from being just an Engineer to a cREATOR (with a small c).  In reality I have always been more than just and Engineer since I have also been a professor.

The point is that I believe that in the long run I want when people think of me to associate creativity and deep contributions in multiple fields as my brand.  So that is the B part.

Since I am trying to establish this Brand I have to evaluate how each Outcome fits with it.  My first book The Result is my first attempt in writing a self-help story.  My second Outcome shows ow I have creatively put together 365 thoughts from over 40 different areas and organized them to be more usable.  Recently I put together and printed copies of a 250 page manual for training new Project Managers.  If you do a search on Amazon you will not find it.  I have not made it available to the public because it is not consistent with the direction of the brand.  It is creative BUT it moves me back to Engineer.

So how do I Differentiate myself?  Well, as a working person I still write daily posts, publish at least one book per year, and future books will be on subjects such as: Teamwork, Finance, Time and Energy management, Poverty of the Mind, etc.

Today's question is:

"What is your BOD?"

365QOD-Day566

 “..My intention in branding folks is always to extract what is truly unique, quirky, interesting, and relevant about them and their businesses and then roll that into the offer and consequently the brand.  What’s hooky about you? – Suzanne Falter-Barns www.getknownnow.com

I recently read majority of Zen of Social Media Marketing book by Shamna Hyder Kabani.  She has a website www.zenofsocialmedia.com.

I used to teach MBA courses and often had to teach my students how to write better papers.  The school chose to use the APA format and they strictly focused on the format and forgot how to write an interesting paper.  At times I had to read 20 page papers that were so boring BUT they followed the format.

In order to help them improve I often emphasized the need to hook me within the first paragraph and ideally the first sentence.  In my blogs the quote is typically my hook.

I agree with Suzanne.  We need to understand what is hooky about us.  If you do not know it then you can not sell others on it.

Today's question is:

"What's hooky about you?"

365QOD-Day565

"56% of people found jobs from their network"- 1974 study as referenced in the Tipping Point

I heard this statement and had to rewind the audio book.  The study learned that the network connection was not a friend BUT an associate. What!

You would think that if you are down and out your friends would be the ones that lead you to your next job.  They are not because they tend to be within a close circle that look at the same opportunities and many of times work together. 

The people who you associate with travel different circles and can expose you to different opportunities and ideas.  They can suggest an opportunity that you would not have even heard of or would normally considered.

Consider that this study was done in 1970s.  Today with Facebook and LinkedIn that percentage has to be higher.  We tend to keep in touch with many more people than in the past because messages and email are so quick to construct and do not require much thought.

The Tipping Point book by Malcolm Gladwell also points out that in the past "tribes" tended to be less than 150 people.  This was because people did not feel as connected to other members and did not feel social responsibility to larger groups.

This fact is still valid.  I feel a connection to the 500+ LinkedIn folks I am linked to BUT unless I maintain a direct communication with them that link will become weaker over time.  It is no different than our brain and the neuron that have not fired in a while.

Today's question is:
"Have you refreshed your 'weak' network links?" recently?"

365QOD-Day564

"SUCCESS!...again" - my words

Last week I managed to get something done.  Before my vacation I had submitted my second book to CreateSpace and the inside and outside got approved.  I reviewed the proof copy while on vacation.  Last week I pulled the trigger and made the book available as a paperback.

The process for getting my second book published has forced me to become a better writer and editor.  When I re-read my posts five times I quickly realized that if I had written them better then the re-writing would have taken less time. 

The editing of one's work is also very difficult.  We tend to overlook minor mistakes in our writing so finding those errors is a challenge.  Another thing that adds to the errors is that often we tend to write the way we speak.  I approached the posts with the idea that there are mistakes in them and that I needed to find them before someone else paid and found them.

In the end, I believe that my second baby is just as pretty and smart as the first one. 

What remains to be done is to make it available as a Kindle book.  In order to do this I need to figure out how to separate the book into chapters so that a person reading the book can easily navigate.

... time to celebrate...

Today's question is:
"How do you celebrate repeat success?"

365QOD-Day563

"Man I am proud of them" - my thought

I happen to have two great kids: Stefani and Milan.  They are both gifted academically and athletically. 

This weekend I spend some time with them since my 16 year old daughter is leaving for a year to live in China.  Yes you heard that right.  She left home at 14 to go to a boarding school and now at 16 is leaving the country.

Man! The world is changing and she is embracing the change quickly.  I take my hat off to her.  I do not know of many 16 year old kids that could handle a transition like that.  The amount of change is huge.  For her to thrive in a new environment like that is wonderful.  I am sure she will do well.

Today's question is:
"Could you thrive in a completely new environment(country)?"

365QOD-Day562

"Think BIG" - my advice to myself

In post Day560 I talked about a business man who had a product that he wanted seed money to build a second line.  The offer made to him was for the IP rights.  He did not agree and walked away from the deal.

So I kept wondering how this is related to me?  I have been playing with writing apps recently.  I wrote an app the other week which you can visualize simply as a "glorified" PowerPoint presentation that teaches a person how to solve a particular math problem.  It describes the theory, followed by a couple of completely worked out examples, and lastly it gives a template where you plug in values and it generates the solution.

So what?

Well my idea was to create a few apps and sell them on Google app store.  I kept thinking about my app and this guy's story and could immediately see that a better and bigger idea was to develop a template that would allow people to go from PowerPoint to app.  Cool!

Today's question is:
"Do you think BIG!"

365QOD-Day561

"Can't he see that?" - my reaction

The other day I watched a show called Shark Tank.  It is a show where four venture capitalists have ideas presented to them and if they choose to they invest in an idea that the presenter is selling.  It is an interesting show and often there is no deal.

What make this show interesting to me, that day , was a presenter who had been on the show last year and did not make a deal.  He was offered a sum of $600k for 51% of the intellectual property(IP) rights of his company which produces a cup of wine products.  He has created a method for bottling wine is a glass cup that the big wine companies had not.  So his IP was worth a lot but he was also interested in running his company.

This time around he had generated 5 million in sales and was asking for 300k to install a new line.  The VCs smelled blood again and went after the IP rights so that the technology could be licensed to other companies and he can make more money. 

What was interesting to me was they they offered him money for the IP rights and he chose not to take it.  In my opinion he was stuck on the amount offered and the percent of the IP rights that he was giving away.  What got in his way was that he was in love with running his business and did not want to sell of much for it.  The VCs came from the other side and offered too little for the IP rights.  He should have negotiated better and came to a middle ground.  I would have offered 25% for just the IP rights for a smaller amount that he needed.  The IP rights would have generated more money than he needed for future expansions.  He knew that he will have small future successes and did not want to risk those for the payout with which he was not satisfied. 

Today's question is:
"Are you willing to give up small future successes for a BIG success that is not guaranteed?"

365QOD-Day560

"The greatest friend to change is being discontent"- John Maxwell on Success CD

If you are never truly happy then you have two choices:
1. accept it
2. work to change it

A person who accepts it has "settled".  Besides complaining, a person who has accepted their current state will never do anything to change the situation.

The second type of person looks at change as malleable.  They will try to understand it and if they are bold lead it.  Leading it often results in control. 

The quote above lets me know that John is a driver.  He is not content with his current state and feels that he can do better by doing XYZ. 

Today's question is:
"Do you accept or are you driving your current state?"

365QOD-Day559

"Wow that is cool!" - my reaction

A few days ago I was showing my blog to a co-worker.  I told her the URL and she typed it in.  The blog appeared and I explained to her how I write on over 40 topics. 

While explaining this to her I showed her the label at the bottom of the post.  For the first time, I noticed that the label was clickable.  So I asked her to click it.

What appeared in front of me was all of the posts sorted by that label.  Cool!  While writing my second book this took forever to sort by label the posts.  This little discovery will save me tons of time when I write my next book based on my blog posts.\

Today's question is:
"What little discovery did you make today that changed your world?"

365QOD-Day558

"A morning is a terrible thing to waste" - Laura Venderkam

I have never classified myself as a morning or an evening person.  I can get up at 4 a.m. and start a run just as I used to do midnight runs in college.

For me the lark vs. owl debate is a made up.  You are what you set your mind to be.  If you chose to become a morning person and start getting up early eventually you will become a lark.  Similarly, if you chose to stay up later and later eventually you will become a night person.

Don't believe me? Take a look at kids during summer breaks.  They typically stay up to 1-2 in the morning and get up after noon.  But when school starts they shift into getting up early.  They don't like it but they still manage the change.

Today's question is:
"Do you believe that you can become the opposite type from what you currently are?

365QOD- Day557

"Fair fight is overrated.  I can lose a fair fight!  Give me an unfair fights and the upper hand.  I'll take those odds any day.  " - Real Truth About Success book

This paragraph caught my eye when I was reading this book.  I quickly asked myself why this was not conventional wisdom.  Why do we always want a fair fight?

Is it a cultural thing that we want everyone to have the same odds of winning?  Maybe not?  BUT I do agree that if it is a fight I have to fight then I do not want a fair fight.  I want the odds in my favors so much that the obstacle is minuscule. 

I want to win the fight.  If I can prevent the fight even better.  Even odds might place the win in jeopardy. 

In order to make the fight in my favor I need to marshall resources in my favor.  In my word, resources could be people that support me, tools (weapons) that are useful, and control the location where the fight takes place( I want sun in my opponent's eye).

Today's question is:
"Do you want to win more than it being a fair fight?"

365QOD-Day556

"I don't have the energy to do that" - a lazy person's response

The fourth type of a team member identified in the Real Truth About Success book is:
"The lazy one:"I see it and here's the easiest way to do it.""

Man I love lazy people! They often try to minimize the level of work needed to do the task.  Often times people just want to dive in and start working.  They do not consider the best approach.

This is where a lazy team member could save you a lot of work.  Hell they don't even want to do the work.  They are looking to get out of doing it so if they are forced they will trim he work down to bare essentials.

Today's question is:
"Are you a minimalist?"

365QOD-Day555

"Nope... we can't do that because of XYZ..." - a negative person's response

The third type of a team member identified in the Real Truth About Success book is:
"The negative thinker:"I see it, and I see every problem we'll have along the way."

There is need for negativity in everyone's life.  A healthy dose of pessimism prevents us from following every crazy idea that others offer to us.

BUT when you are in love with the current state and "never" want anything to change then you can be become a negative person.  Even though life through example teaches us that nothing stay permanent, as people we try to find that equilibrium and stay there.

Unfortunately when we are nudged from that equilibrium it takes a significant force to do it.  I believe that we have to approach life from the perspective that we must change our state before life changes it for us.  Then we can control the direction at least.

Negative thinkers are great at identifying the stumbling blocks.  They are usually not good at figuring ways to get over them.   Combining the negative thinking with a little vision would contribute greatly to the team.

Today's question is:
"Do yo find yourself fighting change most often?"

365QOD-Day554

"I agree with that" - a person's response

The second type of a team member identified in the Real Truth About Success book is:
The butt kisser: " I see whatever you see, and it looks fantastic."

Many years ago I was an Engineering Manager and had to attend a weekly 2 hour staff meeting.  The Manager I reported to liked to use the meeting for brainstorming.  Brainstorming meant that he talked and talked and at the end asked his staff for their opinions.  I was one of about 10 people that attended.  It was sickening to listen to the smooch sound around the table. 

Most of the time I was the only dissenting voice or provided an alternative point of view.  So I stopped going to his meetings for a year.  He came into my office one day and told me that I was to attend his meetings.  I said fine.

Next week I attended, complimented him on his new one hour format, and never returned to another meeting.  His butt was kissed.

The only good reason for butt kissers is for moral support.  They can be a great first follower (see post Day13) and help nurture an idea for which many team members might be unsure of.

I am sure that every one of us at one time or another has had to kiss some butt.  That is normal.  But it you have a permanent brown nose then you are doing it too often.

Today's question is:
"Do you agree with most things that your leader suggests?"

365QOD-Day553

"I can see that" - a visual person's response

The first type of a team member identified in the Real Truth About Success book is:
"The vision person: "I see it. I see everything.  I see the future."

The vision person is usually the big idea person.  They can think outside of that box and at times you have to tell them to get back in the box.

Their usefulness comes from idea generation.  They are able to visualize a new future state clearly.  At times that idea excites them more than the current reality so much that they do not understand why the rest of the team does not see their vision as the only way to get there.

Companies often try to get their employees to "brainstorm".  Not everyone can do this easily like the vision people on a team.  So it is important to nurture their ability by allowing them to pursue some of their "visions".  Great examples of companies that do this well is Google and 3M where a certain percentage of each employee's time is spent working on personal pet projects.

Today's question is:
"Can you see the future clearly?"

365QOD-Day552

"Never hire people just like you.  You will double your strengths and double your weaknesses"- unconventional wisdom

I believe that personality plays a bigger role in team effectiveness then anyone gives it credit.  As a leader or a team member you have spend some time looking at the people around you and identify their personality traits.  One example of personality test that many companies use is the DISC profile.  If you look on the net you can find many resources that would help you.

But then what do you do? In the book The Real Truth About Success the author mentions the make up of a team.  Some team member descriptions are very unusual.

A great team
"The vision person: ...
The butt kisser: ...
The negative thinker:...
The lazy one:...
Even though some of these labels have a negative connotation, the usefulness of the type contributes to the effectiveness of the team.  Their points of views differ and the whole is better than each individual.  That is the ultimate sign of a great team.

I will explore these four types in more detail in next four posts.
Today's question is:
"What type of person are you?"

365QOD-Day551

"Doing something you are good at puts the odds of success in your favor.  It is almost impossible to achieve something that is worthwhile without having enjoyed doing it.  Almost all of the most successful people today enjoy doing what they do.  The ones that don't are wasting a lot of their life" Achieve More With Pareto's Law

A while back I wrote a post about an African runner who is the only person to have run 2 miles in sub 8 minutes.  The original story made it sound like as if he simply did it for the money and to provide for his family.  So it is possible to achieve something worthwhile without enjoying it.

I do believe that enjoying it would make it more likely for one to be successful at it BUT it is not sufficient or necessary. 

Today's question is:
"Do you believe that you must enjoy an activity to be successful at it?"

365QOD-Day550

"Your goal is to wake up in the morning, get dressed, put on your shoes and tap dance to work!"- Achieve more with Pareto's Law

This is not reality for most folks.  However, if you go back and read the four posts (Day486-489) about people who live to be over 100 you will note that one of the four characteristics is that they had a reason to get up in the morning. Usually for most people this is related to work. 

This quote does allow us to visualize the joy that someone can have if their life is aligned with their work.   Unfortunately, for most folks their work is simply a job and not aligned with what moves them.  It takes time and effort for people to examine themselves and determine their true passion(s).

Today's question is:
"Is your work aligned with your life mission?"

365QOD-Day549

"What are the few inputs that lead to the many successes?" - a great question

Again, it is hard for most people to answer this question.  You might be one of those folks.

Allow yourself to accept it.  You might philosophicaly want to fight against it being just.  

It is hard BUT realize that you or I might not wish for things to be so for them to be so.

Today's question is:
"Can you allow a belief which you feel is wrong to become your new reality?"

365QOD-Day548

"80/20 is a catch all title"- Achieve more with Pareto's law book

What we are looking for when using the 80/20 principle are patterns where large imbalances occur within a set.  In a previous post I discussed the quote that 20% of the population controls 80% of the wealth. 

Another example could be that 20% of my projects will lead to 80% of the perception other people have about my performance.  Which ones?  You have to spend time and think about the effect and the people affected by the project.  Not all customers are equal.

The point of this imbalance is that it exists.  Be aware and keep asking yourself which few affect the many.
Note that most people do not believe this effect.  They believe that all things are important.  So it will be difficult for them to differentiate.  Reality is that they are wrong.

By learning to differentiate you will learn to control the output and your success.

Today's question is:
"What few inputs will affect your output the most?"

365QOD-Day547

"What?" - my initial thought

This morning I turned the TV on and could not stop watching the gold match between Federer and Murray.  I figured Federer was a given to win.  Someone did not let Murray know that.

So how does a guy who a month ago lost the Wimbledon final come back and on the same court beat the same guy that beat him a month ago?  I figured that he wanted it more than Federer.

I am sure that at that level of play the physical difference between the top players is not great.  I do believe that it does exist but as today proved anyone can beat anyone on a given day if they want it bad enough.

Unfortunately most of time we do not want to win bad enough and find ourselves on the losing side.  Wanting it bad enough requires alignment between mental and emotional dimensions. 

You must create the state by
1. physically train yourself for the battle
2. but also pump yourself to believe that you can win
3. and visualize yourself to truly believe that you can win.

Today's question is:
"How do you connect your physical, mental, and emotional dimensions into a winning state?"

365QOD-Day546

"No matter what country Pareto looked at or what time frame he used, the pattern was always the same: 80% of a nation's wealth was held by 20% of the population"- from Achieve More with Pareto's Law book

Interesting!  So what do you do about it?  If you are one the 99% you get pissed off and protest.  Little will that do to change this ratio.  Just because it is not what you like the ratio to be protesting it will not change it. 

A better question is to ask yourself what are these people doing that I am not doing.  By understanding the thinking of the 20% and their actions you will be in a better position to become one of the 1%.  What do they know and what are they doing that is different from you?  If you say that they inherited their wealth then you are wrong.  Wealth in America seldom a multi-generational.  One generation makes it and another pisses it away. 

Today's question is:
"Do you take action consistent with the top 20%?"

365QOD-Day545

"If we focus on solving a problem, there is no physical connection between the intention to accomplish the goal, the mental effort that follows, and the ultimate solution.  What allows us to go from problem to analysis to solution is the insistence of the mind.  This is what must be understood- what must be realized.  This is the explanation, for all of it: there is no physical continuity anywhere, and everything stems from insistence of the mind" - Deepak Malhotra I Moved Your Cheese

I found this quote while reading the book I Moved Your Cheese.  I didn't care for the book too much but I thought this quote was worthwhile.  (The book negates the original Who Moved My Cheese but I did not see what it proposes as a better solution for change.)

The way I understand the quote is that we can have the physical intention BUT the mental intention is what is necessary to solve a problem.  Nice... BUT how do you create a mental intention?

I believe that whatever we think about most often is our mental intention or as the author phrases it "insistence of the mind".   So if I think consciously about something for a major portion of the day it will most likely make its place into my sleep and unconscious mind.  Often I find that after a good night rest the solution to a problem is in front of me and it is easier to see it.

Today's question is:
"What is your technique to force the mental intention?" 

365QOD-Day544

"Is it possible to pursue happiness if the pursuit itself does not make you happy?"- from the book I moved Your Cheese

This question is very difficult to answer.  If it was about the pursuit of anything else then one would simply stop pursuing the goal.  BUT there is something very different about happiness.

I believe that many people go through life unhappy.  It is not the place they live, the place they work, or the million other pieces of their lives.  They are just unhappy.  They do not appreciate what they have and no matter what they get will still be unhappy.

For someone to pursue happiness then they must have decided that 1. it was missing or 2. they were not happy enough and need more of it.  In either case you would not be unhappy about the pursuit.

Using this logic then the quote above has to be false.  I do believe that we can always improve our level of happiness. If I am having an average "happiness" day then all I have to do is write a blog post or two and it improves.  Although it is not a continuous happiness pursuit for me, I am able to nudge it towards a higher level of happiness. 

Today's question is:
"Are you happy with your life or do you need a nudge?"

365QOD-Day543

"Focus more of who you are becoming rather then where you are going" - advice from an Olympian on CNN morning show

I heard this quote and it immediately made me appreciate the wisdom.  Here was a young woman who is wise enough to know that the destination is important BUT your evolution is critical.

If you achieve your goal BUT despise the person you become then the goal is meaningless. By focusing on your development then any goal that you reach will be consistent with your state.

Today's question is:
"Who are you becoming?"

365QOD-Day542

"Leadership=Trust + Service" - my version of Travis Smiley's quote

I came back to the US last night at 11 p.m. and while driving to work this morning I spent some time listening to a Success CD.  A variation of this quote above was on the CD and it caught my ear.

I believe that most positional leaders(been placed there by someone else) often violate this simple equation.  IMHO majority do not trust the people that work for them and seldom do they believe that they should be of service to their people.  They feel that the people should be of service to them.

This equation also emphasises that you must have both.  Either variable will make you a better leader BUT both together will make you a great leader.

Just trusting people will provide them with an incentive to make decisions.  You have to be willing to accept that a certain percentage of those decisions will be wrong and be willing to help reduce the effect.

Being of service means that you are willing to step in any minute and finish a task that one of your people is working on to help them.  It also means asking them what you can do to help them succeed and actually doing it.

Today's question is:
"Do you trust and serve your people?"

365QOD-Day541

"Got an app for that" - ad slogan

While on vacation I have spent most of my time relaxing and a small portion reading and learning.  The learning portion was trying to learn how to write apps for Android telephones. 

I have instructed programming courses before so I did not expect it to be much of a challenge.  It was not.  However, it was different.  I tried two different platforms (Eclipse and App Inventor) and had a hard time getting the Eclipse to work out.

The App Inventor was very easy to work with and get results.  The only limitation was doing very complex apps.

For me it is very unlikely that I will spend a lot of time programming apps in the future BUT it was nice to be able to refresh my skill set.  Even nicer was the feeling that I can teach myself how to do something without a formal class. God bless YouTube videos....

Today's question is:
"What new thing have you taught yourself?"

365QOD-Day540

"Ahhhh"- can not squeeze it all in

On the last day of a month long vacation and I find myself running trying to have it all.  I keep saying to myself that it is not possible.  I need to prioritize.

Even though it did not seem possible, in the end most things got done.

Today's question is

"Do you panic when crunched for time?"

365QOD-Day539

"I really don't care if I go there" - a silly thought I had

I spent a day and a half in a city called Ohrid the last two days.  Before going I didn't care if I went there but it worked out that I did go.

My lack of interest was due to having gone there twice and not really seeing the beauty of it.  This time I did and can hardly wait to go there in the future. What changed is that I allowed myself to be wrong about my past experiences.

Today's question is:

"What beauty is in front of you that you are dismissing?"

365QOD-Day538

"I need a plan next time" - my words

I have been on vacation for  Month.   The first week I literally did almost nothing.

Second week I started doing a little more.  By the end of my vacation I was running trying to squeeze it all in.

There is a reason why tourists get to see more of the local cool places than the locals.  They have a defined goal of being in a certain place at a certain time and doing a particular task.  The locals always bet that they can do it tomorrow.  Ultimately tomorrow never comes.

  

today's question is

"How much more would you get done if you had a plan."

365QOD-Day537

"If you keep a dairy when you are young, it will keep you when you are old" - Cecil Beaton

As we age we tend to forget.  It is interesting to note that some of my long term memory is pretty good.  I can remember friends with whom I went to elementary school.  Recently I even looked most of them up.

We all need a crutch as we get older. A dairy is a great idea.  You can periodically review it and learn from it.  It is hard to learn by simply relying on memory alone.

Today's question is:
"Do you have a system for capturing your day?"

365QOD-Day536

"From where?" - my question

A month ago I was leaving for work.  As I entered the garage, there was a beautiful butterfly on the glass door.  I stopped for a moment to appreciate it.

A few days later as I was about to enter my truck I noticed a single yellow flower.  I stopped, bent over, and picked it up.  I placed it on my desk for a couple of days to appreciate it before it wilted away.

Today's question is:
"When is the last time you stopped to appreciate the beauty in something?

365QOD-Day535

"Screw what is next" - Seth Godin

Many times we just keep moving.  The next thing is more exciting than the current thing.  We want to see around the corner.

It is hard to stop and savor what we are doing as the best thing that we should be doing.  That the level of happiness is the highest level possible at this moment.  The sadness the lowest we can feel.

Feel...taste..touch..savor

Today's question is:
"Do you enjoy the now?"

365QOD-Day534

"Pain of the pink slip is permanent"- Tori Johnson

I have a lot of schooling behind me.  That is good and bad. 

School teaches you structure and hopefully by the end you learn how to learn anything.  Unfortunately it also lulls people into believing that more and more education is the answer to life security.  This is why most graduates look for jobs after they are done with school.  They have heard it their whole life.. study hard, go to good schools, work for a great company, and you will retire well.

Unfortunately that security no longer exists.  Companies feel less loyal towards employees and over time all of us who call ourselves employee will be given the pink slip a few times.

Even though I work for a company I try to think more like an independent contractor.  I produce great results for my empoyer BUT I have to have a plan B, plan C, etc.

I have emphasized this to my own kids.  Create your own job or jobs and if you loose one then the transition is not so bad.  Create your own company and the pain disappears.

Today's question is:
"How do you handle the pain of the pink slip?"

365QOD-Day533

"Life is not about surviving the storm as much as learning to dance in the rain"- Anonymous

No one has a perfect life.  At times it may seem like there is a storm brewing BUT it passes without a drop.  Other times it all seems all sunny when a storm blows through that you can not predicts.

It is hard not to focus on difficulties when they are in front of you hitting you in the face.  Try as you may to ignore them they seem to linger around. 

So what should we do?  Remember that during hurricanes the calmest spot is in the middle.  Everything else is being flung around madly.  I believe that there is a lesson in that middle. 

Today's question is:
"Have you looked for the calm middle?"

365QOD-Day532

"Smile Like You Mean It" - The Killers

I like the title of this song. 

The title made me think how:
We often go through the motions in life. 
We drink but yet we do not taste. 
We eat but can't distinguish the flavors of what we just ate. 
We breathe but yet get no peace or can calm our spirit.

Our lives are full of things and activities but lack meaning.

Today's question is:
"When is the last time you genuinely smiled?"

365QOD-Day531

"1. Drinking one can of soda per day can add as much as 10 pounds to your weight in a single year
 2. Studies have shown that people do not eat less food when they drink calories.  Beverage calories are extra calories.
 3. "For each extra can or glass of sugared beverage consumed per day, the likelihood of a child becoming obese increases by 60%" - Garage Myth

So what?  Are you moved to action? 

Just because we know things does not mean we do things.  All these facts make sense.  But the decision to change sometimes takes a lifetime.  The change only takes an instant BUT to get to that instant takes the rider, elephant, and path(Switch book).  The thought, the feelings, and path to the destination have to be aligned.

Today's question is:
 "How do you move from facts to feelings in order to get yourself to do something?"

365QOD-Day530

"I am not sad that my friends stole my ideas, I am sad that they did not have their own"- Nikola Tesla

Tesla hovers above most of the great inventors of the 20th century.  He basically created the AC system, the AC motor, wireless power transfer, transistor, etc.  He was definitely ahead of his time. 

I have never been afraid to share my ideas with others without fear.  I would have to believe that they would steal it not to share it with them.  I am a firm believer that people are generally too lazy to implement their own ideas.  For them to steal the ideas of others requires effort.  Does it happen?  Of course.

I am a cREATOR.  I constantly create new ideas.  I would have to believe that the idea that get stolen will be my best and most profitable idea.  This is a ridiculous and I do not believe that.

If someone took my first book and literally copied it page by page and sold it under their own name it would not upset me.  My fifth book will be my best seller.  Who cares if they did the same with the 1,2,3, or 4th?  They are just results that I am obtaining and nudging myself towards my ultimate result. 

Today's question is:
"Do you own your own ideas?"

365QOD-Day529

If you do not change direction you will end up where you are going - Lao Tsu

While reading the Innovation You book I came across the line:
"I have a map, and I believe in the route that I have planned, but I may change my mind about which road to take when I see what's over the hill"

One of the things I pride myself on is the ability to change directions and do so quickly.  You have to see you current position as the route you planned to take.  It is simply a state.  By giving myself the freedom to change my mind I allow myself the ability to take an alternate route from my current state to my ultimate destination.

There is nothing wrong with that... or is it? Especially if you see that you will end up at the wrong destination.

Today's question is:
"Do you see the many paths away from your current state?"

365QOD-Day528

"Def" Creativizing means finding a new solution not by throwing away an old solution and starting over, but by looking at each piece of the current situation and making small, creative changes part by part, experimenting along the way.  "- Jeff Degraff Innovation You

Recently I read portions of this book.  The definition he offers fits really well with the main idea behind my book, The Result.  You always get a result.  I believe that we rarely get immediate success or complete failure.  Once you get a result then make small nudges toward the ultimate result you want.

Isn't it interesting that we are talking about the same ideas but calling it two different things.

Today's question is:
"Are you creativizing?"

365QOD-Day527

"Grit is tough because you don't get the psychic payoffs that come with an exciting discovery or a shift in direction.  You rarely get big wins to celebrate.  In fact, you may never truly win." Garage myth

Success is an inch-by-inch process.  It's called winning by doing the little things that people normally ignore.

Many years ago Larry Bird ruled as a supreme basketball player.  Looking at him was difficult to believe that he would be a champion BUT he was.

Larry Bird's grit was legendary.  He would shoot baskets for hours before a game, during the game, and for hours after the game.  He was willing to pay the price.

Today's question is:
"Do you come in early, work hard, and leave late?"

365QOD-Day526

"I am gritty" - my belief

I while back in a post I wrote about grit.  The article defined it as:
"Grit - endurance in pursuit of long term goals and an ability to persist in the face of adversity, is a key part of what makes people successful" 

One of the reasons for writing this blog is to teach myself to continue upon a path.  As you might have noticed I have religiously written a post each day.  I might slip a day or two but I catch up and make up for it.  In other words, writing the blog posts if a long term goal. 

I might temporarily get diverted BUT I will overcome that temporary lack of focus and return to the path.  It is my goal to be able to say that I am a finisher.  Whatever that I deem important that I start I must finish. 
It is interesting that in the article it mentioned that the best predictor of whether a West Point cadet finishes the academy is the statement:  I finish whatever I begin. It predicted success better than other parameters such as class rank or GPA.

A great example of grit is the following:
"...An ungritty prison inmate will mount a daring new escape every month, but a gritty person inmate will tunnel his way out one spoonful of concrete at a time."

Today's question is:
"What kind of prison escapee would you be?"

365QOD-Day525

"You are, it seems, what you blow a lot of money on" - Garage Myth

In the past you can classify people based on money.  It seems to me that the more money people had they would spend it on luxury items.  BUT I no longer believe this.  Why?  75% of all luxury cars are leased.

I believe that we are becoming connoisseurs.  You are willing to spend money on things that have meaning to you.  You might see a guy who has 20 dollar jeans and a 10 dollar t-shirt with a 1000 dollar watch.  He is what I would call a watch connoisseur.  The watch is paid for and he wears it with pride.  He is into watches.

I believe people will start to more differentiate based on tastes than money in the future.  They will spend on items with which they connect.  The "rich" lifestyle definitions will change to "item" rich.

Today's question is:
"What are you a connoisseur of?"

365QOD-Day524

"What job is it designed to do?"- Clayton Christensen

This is a classic question that Clayton Christensen is known for.  I recently met with a relative of mine who has a business. 

Her product quality is excellent.  So good that it would rival the quality of a large business.  Unfortunately other aspects of her business were not so clear.

The question that Clayton asked was a part of a case study.  The case study studied why early commuters were buying a shake.  In other words, "What job are the commuters hiring the milkshake to do for them?"

Her product was designing and creating hand woven articles.  Her question should have been to establish why her customers were purchasing the articles. 

The way I praised it,
"How do women feel when they put on the article you designed?"  Amazingly, she did not know the answer. 

Determining the answers to why you succeed and at times why you failed have to be known.  Without obtaining that knowledge we will not be able to predict future results.  With that knowledge we might not perfectly predict the results but at least we will not be 100% wrong.

Today's question is:
"Do you perform detailed studies of your successes AND your failures?"

365QOD-Day523

"..top 5% of teachers can raise students a grade level and a half. The bottom 5% put their kids a half grade behind." Doug Lemov Teach like a Champion: 49 Techniques That put Students on the Path to College

Pretty impressive statistic.  As a teacher since 1993(with a little pause in the last year), I understand that a great teacher can move students forward more efficiently.

In my experience, this statistic is less valid for college students.  The amount of material that is typically required is too much for anyone to be able to cover a semester and a half in a semester.  You can push them faster but then the retention of what they have learned is lost.  They will meet your expectations to cover the material BUT covering the material does not mean learning the material.

Today's question is:
"How do you know the rate at which you should explain something?"

365QOD-Day522

"Breakthrough technologies often need an anchor so customers can grasp them."- Garage Myth

These days most people know that the Lasik procedure fixes ones vision close to 20/20.  It does not take much to explain it.  You lay on a table and a laser scrapes the top of your eye to improve your vision. 

In the book Garage Myth the authors mention a procedure called Lunineyes.  What is this procedure?  The way they explain it is:  Lunineyes is like Lasik for eye color.

Pretty clear.  By referencing the known one can explain the unknown a lot easier.

Today's question is:
"What can you use as your anchor to get your point understood better?"

365QOD-Day521

"Why are we so bad at anticipating the effects of our well-intentioned incentive plans?  The answer has to do with something that psychologists call a 'focusing illusion.' "- Daniel Kahneman and David Schkade

As a manager I have to believe that the incentives I provide for my employees are enough to move them towards action.  That is an extrinsic.  In other words they are externally motivated.  I am not a big believer in these types of incentives

A bonus is nice.  A lunch is nice.  BUT if internally (intrinsically) an employee does not believe in the mission then they will not accomplish it.  They will look for ways to get around the incentives.

I have found that my employee's passion has to be greater than mine in order for them to succeed.  How do you get them to have a greater passion than yours?  By giving them ownership and leadership.  Then praising them when needed and protecting them from attacks and accepting ownership for their mistakes.

Today's question is:
"Is your focus intrinsic or extrinsic?"

365QOD-Day520

"Change comes from feelings, not facts" - The Garage Myth

Have you ever been moved by facts.  You might have been tempted.  Unless the thoughts are full of feelings, most likely the facts failed to be converted into action.

Facts are not enough.  Knowing what you must do is not enough to move you to just do it.  If it was then you would not see a doctor who smokes or a nurse that is overweight.  These professionals know the internal damage that those two vices cause(facts) but lack the feelings to make the change.

So how do you connect the feelings to the facts?  I believe that you must spend some time convincing yourself the value (the feeling/value of why you must do this) of what (the facts) you must do.  Once you have spend some time then you must simply do a small bit and never stop. 

Allow your momentum to carry you forward.  It is like running with a slight lean forward.  By constantly falling forward you keep running.

Today's question is:
"How do you connect your feelings to facts?"

365QOD-Day519

"Life can only be understood backwards; BUT it must be lived forwards."- Soren Kierkegaard

I used to keep a daily journal in a little notebook until earlier this year.  Why did I stop?  I honestly do not know.  I thought when I got my new phone that I would be able to do it digitally.  So far I have been wrong. 

The biggest benefit of the journal is that I could go back in time and review my days and learn from them.  I can not remember them as well without the aid of the journal.  Being able to review them and understand them better prepared me to live them forward more wisely.

The wisdom of the last few months that I could have gotten has been lost forever.  I can not dwell on that.  I must simply start again.  August 1 is my new start day.

Today's question is:
"What great practice have you temporarily dropped?"

365QOD-Day518

"Black Love" - Phillet (pronounced like fillet minon)

I thought she was joking.  So I asked her again, "What is the name of your perfume?".  Black love was the answer again. 

I proceeded to ask her where she bought the perfume.  She said that it was specifically designed for her.  I said, "What?"  She told me that the individual that produces the perfume exclusively for her used her saliva and her personality profile to develop a unique perfume for her.  Wow!

What I loved about her story was how unique that perfume was.  It was her sweat and personality that produced a result that smelled great on her.  She being an African-American woman chose the name to reflect her.

How unique can a product get?  I think it doesn't get any more unique than that.  I wonder what it would smell like on another woman?  Most likely it would not compliment her at all.  Perfumes are very unique.  Some that smell great on others smell awful on me.

Today's question is:
"What would you can your perfume?"

365QOD-Day517

"The juice I am getting is just ain't worth the squeeze any more" - Thomas Homes

Tom and I have many conversations every day.  He often will let out a bit of wisdom that I have to run and capture because it is so meaningful.

At times we enjoy doing something.  We love it BUT over time it just doesn't have the same meaning.  It doesn't move us like it used to.  We need more or something different.

The same thing could be said about people in our lives.  If we keep growing we might outgrow them.  Or they us.  We just don't enjoy their company like we used to.  I often find it funny when people try to rekindle an old flame.  I recall this expression and wonder why people think that the squeze is worth it.  It must not have been for you to walk away from it in the first place. 

Today's question is:
"What is not worth squeezing any more?"

365QOD-Day516

"It does not feel the same" - my thought

I usually hate using elliptical machines.  But since the weather in Texas is very hot and humid I sometimes do not have a choice.

I figured being able to work out on it for an hour and a half on it, while watching a ball game, would be equivalent to a 10 mile run.  Man you do break out a sweat and your legs feel tired.  I use the 10% incline and 10 level for resistance.

BUT when I go out and run 10 miles it never feels the same. The pounding seems like it doesn't wear out my legs like the resistance and the inclide amout.  Something ios different because I never feel the same or even close to what I feel after a run when I do the elliptical.

I guess it is better than sitting on the couch watching TV.

Today's question is:
"What do you use for a substitute that just doesn't measure up to an original?"

365QOD-Day515

"United we Stand, Divided we Fall" - slogan

I read an open letter from Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks.  It moved me and mirrored my thoughts about the country.  The article is pasted below the post.

We have politicians who have been placed in a tough spot.  If they acted like statesmen and did what is best for the country then their parties will push them out next election.  So in order to keep their jobs,  they mostly vote along party lines and the country is starting to fail.

The twitter call for #INDIVISIBLE is to serve as a way to let the country know that we wish to move forward not along political lines but along success lines. Success that will revive the American dream.

It is a corrupt system.  This is why our founding fathers assumed that people will volunteer their time to serve their country's interest.  After their service they would go home and continue to live normal lives.  Instead we have created a system in which people are rewarded for staying a long time in Washington and never want to return to everyday lives.  They walk in broke and leave multi-millionaires with impressive connections.  After one term in office they are set up with medical care and pension for life.  Do you think our founding fathers would have done that?

We are divided. The only way out is for term limits to be placed on all elected offices.  3 Years for congressman, 5 years for senator, one 7 year term for president and cabinet members.  If you ran for Congress then the only thing you can run for is Senate.  If you were in Senate than the only thing you can run for in President.  One shot and you are out.  Lobbies need to be outlawed.  PACs need to be outlawed. 

The problem is that all these ideas make sense.  These politicians would need to make a sacrifice for the country in order for them to be implemented.  It will never happen. This is why empires fail from the inside.  They rot. 

Today's question is:
"How do you get people to do what is needed to do for the benefit of many?"

An Open Letter: How Can America Win This Election?

Friday, June 29, 2012

Posted by Howard S., Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer

On Independence Day, our country celebrates the promise of America.
It’s a day to remember that the principles that bind us together vastly outweigh what keeps us apart. The freedom to dream and the opportunity to create a better life – not just for ourselves, but for each other – has always defined our great nation.

I am a product of that American Dream. As a kid who grew up in public housing, went on to get an education at a state university and build a business, I am grateful for what this country has made possible for me. In turn, at Starbucks, we have always tried our best to honor our responsibility to the communities we serve.

And on this Fourth of July, our communities need all of us.
Across the country, millions of Americans are out of work. Many more are working tirelessly yet still unable to adequately care for their families. Our veterans are not being welcomed home with the level of support they deserve. Meanwhile, in our nation’s capital, our elected leaders are continuing to put ideology over real solutions. I love America, but we all know there is something wrong. The deficits this country must reconcile are much more than financial, and our inability to solve our own problems is sapping our national spirit. We are better than this. America’s history has showed that we have accomplished extraordinary things when we act collectively, with courage, creativity, and generosity of spirit—especially during trying times.

As we celebrate all that is great about our country, let’s come together and amplify our voices.
Let’s tell our government leaders to put partisanship aside and to speak truthfully about the challenges we face. Let’s ask our business leaders to create more job opportunities for the American economy. And as citizens, let’s all get more involved. Please, don’t be a bystander. Understand that we have a shared responsibility in solving our nation’s problems. We can’t wait for Washington.
At Starbucks, we are trying to live up to our responsibility by increasing our local community service and helping to finance small-business job creation with Create Jobs for USA. Our company is far from perfect, and we know we can do more for America. But we need your help. We need your voice.

Join the national conversation with #INDIVISIBLE. Starting today, I invite you to share your view of America, and how we can all put citizenship over partisanship. On Instagram, post a photo of the America we all need to see. On Twitter, provide a link to an innovative idea. Blog about who’s making a difference in your community; or on YouTube, share how you made your American Dream come true. No matter where you post, if you use the tag #indivisible, Starbucks will do its part to collect and amplify your voices.
To spark the conversation in our stores, your local Starbucks will proudly serve everyone a free tall hot brewed coffee on the Fourth of July.

Together, we can set a new tone in America. We hope you agree that doing so is a powerful way to celebrate our nation’s birthday.

In 2012, America needs to win the election more than either party does. It is time now to join together as Americans. It is time, whatever our differences, for us to strive and succeed as one nation – indivisible.

365QOD-Day514

 “Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.”

Unfortunately most of us just get old and never wise.  We experience life BUT rarely do we take a moment to think about the meaning of our actions and the wisdom contained in the results.  Instead we often say, "
Man if I could go back to 'a particular time', and I could know what I know now, I would be dangerous!"  Unfortunately, life does not give a time machine or a re-play button.

As I point out in my book, The Result, in life we seldom get complete success or failure BUT we always get a result.  It is wisdom to learn from the result and create a nudge towards a better result.  As Ben would urge... Wise Up.    The wisdom comes from the pause in order to determine a nudge worth taking.  

We have to wise up early enough in our lives in order for the rest of our life to be more successful and have a deep meaning.  Pause and think about things.  Pause.

Today's question is:
"How often do you pause in order to wise up?"

Note: Last fourteen posts were based on Ben's ideas and the article from Thea Easterly.  Her blog www.writechangegrow.com offers inspiring tips on writing, career change and personal development.  

365QOD_Day513

 “Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

Anything worthwhile takes and effort.  At times it could exhaust you and your resources.  If it worthwhile, it will push you to the edge and make you wonder if giving up is the best option.

Ben's advice is Don't Give Up.  Pushing through that is rewarding and worthwhile.

In my opinion even though I am a runner, no one in their right mind sets out to run long distance.  Anything above 3 miles is no longer just a fun run. 

When the young man at the door of my building asks me if I am running 7 or 10 miles I always choose 10.  I need to push myself.  If I say 7 I might give up at 10.  But if I say 10 then even if I give up at 10 I wold be better off than 4 miles.

It is a good lie.  It gets me motivated to run and hopefully build determination and strength for me to continue running in the future.

Today's question is:
"Do you tell yourself good lies in order not  to give up?" .

365QOD-Day512

“Who had deceived thee so often as thyself?”

I believe that I am my own worst enemy.  The negative self-talk I say to myself is often harsher than anything that anyone else would dare to say to me.

I even lie to myself.  I say to myself that I will do X but I end up doing Y.  I eat too much even when I say to myself that I should not.  Ben would urge me Don't Sabotage yourself.  Be your own best friend.  Be kind to yourself like a best friend would be.

Our enemies are withion.  Control those monsters and the ones on the outside are small compared with them.

Today's question is:

"Do you sabotage yourself?"