A compelling vision will attract people and resources to help you get there. The more vivid and compelling the vision, the more people and resources will line up to propel you to your goal.
Mother Theresa had a vision to help the poorest of the poor. She took a vow of poverty and lived among the poor of Calcutta, India. She gave herself to the sick, the penniless and the dying. Her vision was so compelling that thousands lined up to help her fulfill her vision. At the time of her death, over sisters of charity were devoted to fulfilling her vision, and her order controlled over $40,000,000, mostly in real estate, for the purpose of caring for the poorest of the poor. Not bad for someone who personally never owned more than 2 saris and a bucket to wash them in. Her mustard seed was her compelling vision.
What makes a vision compelling to others?
First, for your vision to compel others to join your cause, it must be clearly stated. People will not follow a vague proposition. They need to understand where your vision is leading and how it will benefit them.
Second, for your vision to compel others it must be identifiable. People need to identify with your vision. They will follow a vision that they feel is theirs as well as yours.
Third, your vision must offer hope. Your greatest gift to those who would follow you is hope. Stir hope in the hearts of those who would follow your vision. You will not lack for support in fulfilling your goals.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
You Were Created To Create
Each of us was created in the image of the creator. Creating is what comes most naturally to us.
Normally when we think of creating, we think of artistic endeavors - prose, poetry, music, art. Those are high forms of creating, but even in the day to day, we can’t help but create.
We look at someone across the room and we create interest. We deal with a daily problem and create a solution. We fall asleep and create vivid dreams arising from our imagination.
What if we could create our future? You not only can, you will.
If you choose to let it happen on its own, you have created a future that is very much like today. But if you choose to consciously employ vision, goal setting, affirmations and careful planning to create your future, then you can create the future of your dreams.
An organization that is committed to creative collaboration will ride the wave of the future. They will go beyond the realm of assumptive thinking and welcome the dawn of innovation...because there is nothing more empowering than an idea whose time has come.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Normally when we think of creating, we think of artistic endeavors - prose, poetry, music, art. Those are high forms of creating, but even in the day to day, we can’t help but create.
We look at someone across the room and we create interest. We deal with a daily problem and create a solution. We fall asleep and create vivid dreams arising from our imagination.
What if we could create our future? You not only can, you will.
If you choose to let it happen on its own, you have created a future that is very much like today. But if you choose to consciously employ vision, goal setting, affirmations and careful planning to create your future, then you can create the future of your dreams.
An organization that is committed to creative collaboration will ride the wave of the future. They will go beyond the realm of assumptive thinking and welcome the dawn of innovation...because there is nothing more empowering than an idea whose time has come.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Monday, November 30, 2009
You Were Created To Succeed
You Were Created To Succeed
A Guided Mediation
First, let's start with relaxation. Sit in a comfortable position where you are fully supported.
Take a deep breath inhaling through your nose and exhaling out through your mouth. Focus on your breath. Shut out all other thoughts and feel your breath pass in through your nose and out through your mouth.
With each breath imagine, you are breathing in peace. As you exhale through your mouth imagine you are exhaling tension , anxiety and worry. Say to yourself:
"Breath in peace. Breath our tension"
"Breath in peace. Breath out fear."
"Breath in peace. Breath out worry."
Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth in the beginning will help you focus on your breath, but it is not necessary to continue to breath that way throughout the meditation.
Focus on your head. Notice any tension, and tell yourself to relax. Relax your scalp. Relax your face. Relax your jaw..Your jaw may drop slightly. Your mouth may open that is okay but not necessary.
Focus on your neck and shoulders. Tell your neck and shoulders to relax. feel the tension peel away from your neck and shoulders. Continue to breathe deeply and naturally.
Now focus on your chest and diaphragm. Relax your chest and diaphragm. Relax your stomach and mid section. As you relax, you should feel your stomach move in and out with each breath. That is because you are breathing deeply and naturally. Each breath continues to inhale peace and exhale tension, anxiety and worry.
Now focus on your hips and thighs. Completely relax your hips and thighs. Don't worry, you will not fall over because you are perfectly centered and balanced.
Focus on your calves and feet. Completely relax your calves and feet. Feel all tension drain out of your feet. You are now completely relaxed.
In your mind's eye, picture yourself walking down a forest trail. All around you is green. The earth is soft beneath your feet. The overhead canopy casts a greenish glow all around you.
You walk out of the trail onto a beach. There is warm sand beneath your feet. Before you is a large body of water. But it is unlike any other lake or river or ocean you have ever seen . It is so big and vast that you cannot see the other side. but the water is crystal clear like a spring fed pool. You see no rocks, only white sand leading gently down into the water. You hear the gentle lapping of barely perceptible waves. You hear a bird chirping. There is cleanness to the air. You expect to smell salt, as if you were at the ocean, but instead all you smell is a fresh cleanness, as if this water were cleansing all it touched, even the air that passed above it.
You are now engulfed in bright sunlight. You feel the warmth of the sun on your face. You are all alone so you strip off your clothing until you are naked, feeling the sun warm your skin.
You slowly begin to walk into the water. You find the water refreshingly cool. You feel the sand and water surround your feet and notice even more tension drain away from you. You slowly walk into the water feeling its refreshing coolness engulf your ankles and calves. The water is refreshing and renewing as it continues to surround your thighs and hips. You continue to walk into the water. You have a sensation of being cleansed as it continues to rise to your stomach and chest. As the water reaches your shoulders, you lean back and begin to float effortlessly.
You relax and breath easily, deeply and naturally. With your ears beneath the surface of the water you are engulfed in silence. There is no sound. And in that complete silence you hear a gentle voice speaking to you softly as if in a whisper. You recognize it as the voice of God. You recognize it because you knew that voice as a young child, before worries and fears and the noise of other's expectations drowned it out. The voice of God speaks three things to you.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
As you float effortlessly in this cleansing pool, you meditate on what those three words mean in your relationship with your family and friends.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
As you relax in complete peace, you reflect on what those three words mean in your vocation, job or business.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
As all pain and disappointment of your past are washed away by the purity of this pond, you visualize what those three words mean for your future.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
It is time to leave the water. You stand up and feel the soft sand beneath your feet. As you walk back towards the beach, you feel the water drain away from your body. Beginning with your head and shoulders, then draining from your chest, stomach, hips, legs and feet. As the water drains from your body, you feel renewed as if all fear and self-doubt are being removed from you, washed away by the pure spring.
You stand again on the beach, warmed by the sun. You feel new. You are empowered with a new life and a new vision. You are filled with a new strength. You are ready to step back into the activities of your daily life, but with a new hope and a new joy.
To your success,
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net
WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
A Guided Mediation
First, let's start with relaxation. Sit in a comfortable position where you are fully supported.
Take a deep breath inhaling through your nose and exhaling out through your mouth. Focus on your breath. Shut out all other thoughts and feel your breath pass in through your nose and out through your mouth.
With each breath imagine, you are breathing in peace. As you exhale through your mouth imagine you are exhaling tension , anxiety and worry. Say to yourself:
"Breath in peace. Breath our tension"
"Breath in peace. Breath out fear."
"Breath in peace. Breath out worry."
Breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth in the beginning will help you focus on your breath, but it is not necessary to continue to breath that way throughout the meditation.
Focus on your head. Notice any tension, and tell yourself to relax. Relax your scalp. Relax your face. Relax your jaw..Your jaw may drop slightly. Your mouth may open that is okay but not necessary.
Focus on your neck and shoulders. Tell your neck and shoulders to relax. feel the tension peel away from your neck and shoulders. Continue to breathe deeply and naturally.
Now focus on your chest and diaphragm. Relax your chest and diaphragm. Relax your stomach and mid section. As you relax, you should feel your stomach move in and out with each breath. That is because you are breathing deeply and naturally. Each breath continues to inhale peace and exhale tension, anxiety and worry.
Now focus on your hips and thighs. Completely relax your hips and thighs. Don't worry, you will not fall over because you are perfectly centered and balanced.
Focus on your calves and feet. Completely relax your calves and feet. Feel all tension drain out of your feet. You are now completely relaxed.
In your mind's eye, picture yourself walking down a forest trail. All around you is green. The earth is soft beneath your feet. The overhead canopy casts a greenish glow all around you.
You walk out of the trail onto a beach. There is warm sand beneath your feet. Before you is a large body of water. But it is unlike any other lake or river or ocean you have ever seen . It is so big and vast that you cannot see the other side. but the water is crystal clear like a spring fed pool. You see no rocks, only white sand leading gently down into the water. You hear the gentle lapping of barely perceptible waves. You hear a bird chirping. There is cleanness to the air. You expect to smell salt, as if you were at the ocean, but instead all you smell is a fresh cleanness, as if this water were cleansing all it touched, even the air that passed above it.
You are now engulfed in bright sunlight. You feel the warmth of the sun on your face. You are all alone so you strip off your clothing until you are naked, feeling the sun warm your skin.
You slowly begin to walk into the water. You find the water refreshingly cool. You feel the sand and water surround your feet and notice even more tension drain away from you. You slowly walk into the water feeling its refreshing coolness engulf your ankles and calves. The water is refreshing and renewing as it continues to surround your thighs and hips. You continue to walk into the water. You have a sensation of being cleansed as it continues to rise to your stomach and chest. As the water reaches your shoulders, you lean back and begin to float effortlessly.
You relax and breath easily, deeply and naturally. With your ears beneath the surface of the water you are engulfed in silence. There is no sound. And in that complete silence you hear a gentle voice speaking to you softly as if in a whisper. You recognize it as the voice of God. You recognize it because you knew that voice as a young child, before worries and fears and the noise of other's expectations drowned it out. The voice of God speaks three things to you.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
As you float effortlessly in this cleansing pool, you meditate on what those three words mean in your relationship with your family and friends.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
As you relax in complete peace, you reflect on what those three words mean in your vocation, job or business.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
As all pain and disappointment of your past are washed away by the purity of this pond, you visualize what those three words mean for your future.
"I created your to prosper."
"I created you to succeed."
"I created you to enjoy my goodness."
It is time to leave the water. You stand up and feel the soft sand beneath your feet. As you walk back towards the beach, you feel the water drain away from your body. Beginning with your head and shoulders, then draining from your chest, stomach, hips, legs and feet. As the water drains from your body, you feel renewed as if all fear and self-doubt are being removed from you, washed away by the pure spring.
You stand again on the beach, warmed by the sun. You feel new. You are empowered with a new life and a new vision. You are filled with a new strength. You are ready to step back into the activities of your daily life, but with a new hope and a new joy.
To your success,
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net
WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
Monday, November 9, 2009
Adventure
What is the adventure of your dreams? Sailing in Naranghanset Bay? Mountain climbing in the Rockies? Hiking the Appalachian Trail?
Your adventure can fuel your drive.
Prepare for your future. Plan it as if you were certain it would be accomplished.
Imagine the elation of realizing your ideal adventure. Think about it every day.
You can become your ideal self. You can live the adventure of your dreams.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Your adventure can fuel your drive.
Prepare for your future. Plan it as if you were certain it would be accomplished.
Imagine the elation of realizing your ideal adventure. Think about it every day.
You can become your ideal self. You can live the adventure of your dreams.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Immediate vs. Important.
Many people live in (and many companies operate in) "crisis mode". That is because we become so distracted by the tyranny of the immediate, that we completely loose sight of the important. Do that long enough and soon our days are dictated by the urgent. In other words, we are in "crisis mode".
Let's look at health as an example.
When Hippocrates was defining the medical profession in the fifth century BC, he insisted that maintaining health was more important than repairing injury or disease. Ask most people what doctors are for and they will tell you they are to fix you when sick. Few think of their physician as health guide, but their sick fixer. In other words we ignore what is important until it becomes an immediate crisis.
Some issues are both immediate and important, such as a serious illness. These tend to get the most attention. Others are immediate but not so important, such as, "I'm hungry now." Still others are important, but not immediate, "I want to eat healthy meals and exercise daily."
Most people tend to prioritize their life and their time like this.
Immediate and Important
"I think I'm having a heart attack"
Immediate but not Important
"It's lunchtime. I'm hungry. I'll just go buy get some fast food."
Important
"I should get up earlier so I can exercise and fix a healthy meal to take with me for lunch."
The point is that while those issues that are immediate and important must be taken care of first, placing more emphasis on those issues that are important but not yet immediate will help prevent us from being driven by crisis.
How does this look in business?
- If an account executive doesn't take the time to do the proper follow up with a client, he will soon be in "crisis mode" trying to save the account or replace a lost account with a new one.
- If a manager doesn't take to time to notice and reward good performance, he will soon be in "crisis mode" having to hire and train new employees.
- If a technician doesn't take the time to study and stay current with the newest technologies, he will soon be in "crisis mode" having to find a new job.
Don't just be efficient with your time; be effective with your time.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Many people live in (and many companies operate in) "crisis mode". That is because we become so distracted by the tyranny of the immediate, that we completely loose sight of the important. Do that long enough and soon our days are dictated by the urgent. In other words, we are in "crisis mode".
Let's look at health as an example.
When Hippocrates was defining the medical profession in the fifth century BC, he insisted that maintaining health was more important than repairing injury or disease. Ask most people what doctors are for and they will tell you they are to fix you when sick. Few think of their physician as health guide, but their sick fixer. In other words we ignore what is important until it becomes an immediate crisis.
Some issues are both immediate and important, such as a serious illness. These tend to get the most attention. Others are immediate but not so important, such as, "I'm hungry now." Still others are important, but not immediate, "I want to eat healthy meals and exercise daily."
Most people tend to prioritize their life and their time like this.
Immediate and Important
"I think I'm having a heart attack"
Immediate but not Important
"It's lunchtime. I'm hungry. I'll just go buy get some fast food."
Important
"I should get up earlier so I can exercise and fix a healthy meal to take with me for lunch."
The point is that while those issues that are immediate and important must be taken care of first, placing more emphasis on those issues that are important but not yet immediate will help prevent us from being driven by crisis.
How does this look in business?
- If an account executive doesn't take the time to do the proper follow up with a client, he will soon be in "crisis mode" trying to save the account or replace a lost account with a new one.
- If a manager doesn't take to time to notice and reward good performance, he will soon be in "crisis mode" having to hire and train new employees.
- If a technician doesn't take the time to study and stay current with the newest technologies, he will soon be in "crisis mode" having to find a new job.
Don't just be efficient with your time; be effective with your time.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Step by Step
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that says, “The longest journey begins with one step.” That’s not entirely true. A successful journey begins with some planning and a map that tells you how to reach your destination. But all the planning and preparation won’t get you to your destination unless you start walking.
Don’t be overwhelmed focusing on long range goals that seem too giant to achieve. Use long range goals as a vision to inspire you to keep moving, but you don’t need to focus any farther than the next step.
Have you laid out your plan to success? What are you milestones? What is the next step on your plan of action?
Follow your blueprint. Take the next step.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.Net
Don’t be overwhelmed focusing on long range goals that seem too giant to achieve. Use long range goals as a vision to inspire you to keep moving, but you don’t need to focus any farther than the next step.
Have you laid out your plan to success? What are you milestones? What is the next step on your plan of action?
Follow your blueprint. Take the next step.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.Net
Friday, October 16, 2009
Choice
Your choices will determine your future. It is not only your power, but your responsibility.
Once you make your choice, no one can stop you but you.
The only way to fail is to quit.
Know where you are going, and keep moving in that direction. Whatever you do, don’t stop. Things outside of your control may slow you down, but stopping would be your choice alone.
Choose to keep moving ahead and success is a certainty.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Once you make your choice, no one can stop you but you.
The only way to fail is to quit.
Know where you are going, and keep moving in that direction. Whatever you do, don’t stop. Things outside of your control may slow you down, but stopping would be your choice alone.
Choose to keep moving ahead and success is a certainty.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Friday, October 9, 2009
Unstoppable
I remember hearing this story as a child. An aging father had seven sons who were arguing. They came to their father and wanted their inheritances so they could go their separate ways. The father took seven sticks and bound them together and asked each son to break the bundle of sticks. Each tried as hard as he could but couldn’t break them. The father then said, “I will show you how to break them.” He then untied the bundle and broke each stick separately. He instructed his sons that if they stayed together and worked as a team, they would be unbreakable. But if they separated and each pursued his interests separately, they would be easily broken by any passerby.
No one succeeds alone. Every endeavor requires a team of visionaries, pragmatists and supporters. Know your strengths and surround yourself with those whose strengths support your weaknesses. Then you will all be unstoppable.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net
No one succeeds alone. Every endeavor requires a team of visionaries, pragmatists and supporters. Know your strengths and surround yourself with those whose strengths support your weaknesses. Then you will all be unstoppable.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Success Breeds Success
Every successful business starts with a successful person. Do you have a clearly written vision statement for your life? Focus on being, not doing. It is important to know who you want to be. Would you like to be educated, respected, a good public speaker, a friend? Write these into your vision for yourself and keep this vision constantly in front of you. You can accomplish this through a goal board and through daily affirmations. The more you focus on what you want to become, the faster your subconscious will work to make it your reality.
Dr. Carl Rogers, the famous psychologist, had people write out what they wanted to become. Then, in each session as they talked about themselves, Dr. Rogers would simply repeat back to them what they said about themselves. Over time, each individual began to become more like their ideal self.
What is your ideal self? If you know who you want to be and keep your vision constantly in front of you, you will become your ideal self.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Dr. Carl Rogers, the famous psychologist, had people write out what they wanted to become. Then, in each session as they talked about themselves, Dr. Rogers would simply repeat back to them what they said about themselves. Over time, each individual began to become more like their ideal self.
What is your ideal self? If you know who you want to be and keep your vision constantly in front of you, you will become your ideal self.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Important Vs Urgent
Throughout our day there is a conflict going on between what is important and what is urgent. The important needs to get done for us to live pleasant, fulfilled lives. But the urgent screams to be done first and often leaves no time for what is important.
Sometimes the urgent really does need to be done first. If the house is on fire, everything else must be placed on hold until it is put out. But usually what we perceive as urgent really isn’t.
The fact that your favorite TV show is coming on in 2 minutes may seem urgent, but taking time to hug your kids and listen to the problems they had in school that day is what is important.
Answering your emails may seem urgent, but taking time to plan your day so you can be productive is what is important.
Never become a slave to the seemingly urgent at the expense of what is important.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net
Sometimes the urgent really does need to be done first. If the house is on fire, everything else must be placed on hold until it is put out. But usually what we perceive as urgent really isn’t.
The fact that your favorite TV show is coming on in 2 minutes may seem urgent, but taking time to hug your kids and listen to the problems they had in school that day is what is important.
Answering your emails may seem urgent, but taking time to plan your day so you can be productive is what is important.
Never become a slave to the seemingly urgent at the expense of what is important.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.net
Monday, October 5, 2009
Control
A thermometer moves up and down with the temperature. A thermostat works to control the temperature so everyone is comfortable.
Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Are you in control of your future, or do you just react to it?
You can take control of your life. Start with awareness. (What’s the temperature now?)
Set your goal. (What temperature do you want it to be?)
Make your goal a reality. (Work towards it consistently.)
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Are you in control of your future, or do you just react to it?
You can take control of your life. Start with awareness. (What’s the temperature now?)
Set your goal. (What temperature do you want it to be?)
Make your goal a reality. (Work towards it consistently.)
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Unless You’re a Shrink, You Won’t Find Success On The Couch
Guess what. If you want to succeed, you have to get up and work for it.
I am a firm believer in goal setting and visualization. But to succeed you also have to get up and get cracking.
Whatever your field, there is a process that must be worked.
If you are in sales: Pick up the phone. Make the appointments. Do the presentations.
If you are a student: Go to the library. Pick up the books. Write the papers.
If you are in management: Design the metrics. Communicate your department goals. Train your team.
Work is not a curse, but a blessing. Even Adam and Eve had jobs in the Garden of Eden. Adam was the gardener, and Eve was his assistant.
The story of the grasshopper and the ant, popularized by Disney, actually has its roots in the writings of King Solomon.
Every goal has its labor, and today is a work day.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.Net
I am a firm believer in goal setting and visualization. But to succeed you also have to get up and get cracking.
Whatever your field, there is a process that must be worked.
If you are in sales: Pick up the phone. Make the appointments. Do the presentations.
If you are a student: Go to the library. Pick up the books. Write the papers.
If you are in management: Design the metrics. Communicate your department goals. Train your team.
Work is not a curse, but a blessing. Even Adam and Eve had jobs in the Garden of Eden. Adam was the gardener, and Eve was his assistant.
The story of the grasshopper and the ant, popularized by Disney, actually has its roots in the writings of King Solomon.
Every goal has its labor, and today is a work day.
Ed Wills
Inter-Networking.Net
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Today
Today is the bridge between yesterday and tomorrow.
Today is the chance to take what you learned from the experiences of yesterday to shape a better tomorrow.
Today is the one moment in time which is completely yours. You are in control right now. Use it.
Use today to make you smarter.
Use today to make you stronger.
Use today to make your life better.
Use today to make other’s lives better.
Use today so tomorrow will have no regrets.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Today is the chance to take what you learned from the experiences of yesterday to shape a better tomorrow.
Today is the one moment in time which is completely yours. You are in control right now. Use it.
Use today to make you smarter.
Use today to make you stronger.
Use today to make your life better.
Use today to make other’s lives better.
Use today so tomorrow will have no regrets.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
If You Can Believe, You Can Achieve.
Napoleon Hill was famous for saying, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” He was, of course, absolutely right.
No one can accomplish much if they do not believe they can. They will quit at the first sign of hardship. But the one who is convinced he cannot fail, cannot be stopped. Put obstacles in his way and he ploughs right through them, because he knows he is going to succeed. A few hard knocks along the road are expected.
Choose your future. See it in your mind’s eye. Know that it is yours for the taking. And, press ahead without looking back.
Ed Wills
WFA Frranchise Consultants
No one can accomplish much if they do not believe they can. They will quit at the first sign of hardship. But the one who is convinced he cannot fail, cannot be stopped. Put obstacles in his way and he ploughs right through them, because he knows he is going to succeed. A few hard knocks along the road are expected.
Choose your future. See it in your mind’s eye. Know that it is yours for the taking. And, press ahead without looking back.
Ed Wills
WFA Frranchise Consultants
Monday, September 28, 2009
Not Alone
Neil Armstrong is famous for being the first man to walk on the moon. But it was obviously not a solo adventure. No significant achievement ever is.
Visionaries need engineers to figure out how to get it done. Engineers need accountants to figure out how much it will cost. Accountants need supporters to provide funding. In the end every American played his part in getting a man to the moon.
You need a team to accomplish your goals, especially the big ones. Your team may consist of your spouse, family, friends or associates. They may provide you with ideas, encouragement or the use of your products or services.
To form your team, think of how reaching your goal will benefit them. If they will truly benefit, don’t be afraid to communicate your goal to them and ask for their help. Also be willing to help them reach their goals. As a win-win relationship develops, everyone will move forward.
If the road to success seems lonely, bring along a friend.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Visionaries need engineers to figure out how to get it done. Engineers need accountants to figure out how much it will cost. Accountants need supporters to provide funding. In the end every American played his part in getting a man to the moon.
You need a team to accomplish your goals, especially the big ones. Your team may consist of your spouse, family, friends or associates. They may provide you with ideas, encouragement or the use of your products or services.
To form your team, think of how reaching your goal will benefit them. If they will truly benefit, don’t be afraid to communicate your goal to them and ask for their help. Also be willing to help them reach their goals. As a win-win relationship develops, everyone will move forward.
If the road to success seems lonely, bring along a friend.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Contrary to popular belief, 24 hours in a day really is enough time to accomplish what needs to be done. If you are one of those who gets to the end of each day thinking you haven’t had time to accomplish anything, take a moment to reflect on what others have accomplished in the same short amount of time.
Bill Gates started Microsoft by the time he was 20.
Jeff Bezos researched mail order in his spare time while a vice president of a Wall Street hedge fund. He started Amazon.com in July of 1995, and, with no advertising, was overseeing $20,000 a week in sales by September.
They are not from a race of supermen. Their fast success ultimately stems from 3 principles.
1. Focus
2. Prioritization
3. Time Management
Apply those three principles to your day and you will find that, indeed, 24 hours is really enough time to accomplish what really needs to be accomplished.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Check out my new ebook on "Inter-Networking for Small Business"
Inter-Networking.net
Bill Gates started Microsoft by the time he was 20.
Jeff Bezos researched mail order in his spare time while a vice president of a Wall Street hedge fund. He started Amazon.com in July of 1995, and, with no advertising, was overseeing $20,000 a week in sales by September.
They are not from a race of supermen. Their fast success ultimately stems from 3 principles.
1. Focus
2. Prioritization
3. Time Management
Apply those three principles to your day and you will find that, indeed, 24 hours is really enough time to accomplish what really needs to be accomplished.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Check out my new ebook on "Inter-Networking for Small Business"
Inter-Networking.net
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Accentuate the Positive
A great jazz vocal standard is "Accentuate the Positive". It was sung by Bing Crosby, Elle Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin and many other greats. We would do well to heed its message.
There is nothing more destructive to your prospects of success than complaining. It often seems there is so much worth complaining about, the demanding boss, the fickleness of your customers, the IRS. However complaining produces so much negative energy, that it makes it impossible to overcome the issues that are holding you back from your dreams.
Everything that happens can have either a positive or negative impact on the rest of your life. You have the power to choose which it will be. Complaining and self-pity guarantee the negative will take precedence.
Instead of complaining when things go wrong, learn to be thankful. This will cause you to focus on the positive and find a benefit in every situation, even the bad ones.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
There is nothing more destructive to your prospects of success than complaining. It often seems there is so much worth complaining about, the demanding boss, the fickleness of your customers, the IRS. However complaining produces so much negative energy, that it makes it impossible to overcome the issues that are holding you back from your dreams.
Everything that happens can have either a positive or negative impact on the rest of your life. You have the power to choose which it will be. Complaining and self-pity guarantee the negative will take precedence.
Instead of complaining when things go wrong, learn to be thankful. This will cause you to focus on the positive and find a benefit in every situation, even the bad ones.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Monday, September 21, 2009
Preparedness
In the Navy, we had a sophisticated system of preventative maintenance. In other word, we fixed things before they broke. They same can work in business and your personal life.
Buy your wife flowers before she gets mad at you. You may find her more forgiving when you work late and forget to call.
Give your customers the red carpet service before something has gone wrong. Too many businesses only give their best service when someone complains. That is usually too late. You may quiet the shouting, but you have already lost the customer.
Imagine yourself as your own customer. Treat your real customers the way you would like to be treated.
Remember, the golden rule always applies.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Buy your wife flowers before she gets mad at you. You may find her more forgiving when you work late and forget to call.
Give your customers the red carpet service before something has gone wrong. Too many businesses only give their best service when someone complains. That is usually too late. You may quiet the shouting, but you have already lost the customer.
Imagine yourself as your own customer. Treat your real customers the way you would like to be treated.
Remember, the golden rule always applies.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Freedom
Freedom is the right to choose your own frustrations.
You can live however you want, rich or poor, beach or mountains, home or abroad. But you cannot do it all, at least not at the same time.
If you want to live in the mountains, you must accept the frustration of not living at the beach.
If you want to free yourself from enslavement, you must choose freedom
and accept the responsibility comes with it.
There's a price for freedom. You must give up tyranny to enjoy liberty.
It's up to you to count the cost.
And everything you want has a price.
Freedom is the right to choose.
It's the right to create your own life, and assume responsibility for it.
You are free to do whatever you like.
But first, you must give up blaming others for your circumstances.
Accept responsibility for the consequences of your actions and decisions.
Then you can truly choose your own path.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
You can live however you want, rich or poor, beach or mountains, home or abroad. But you cannot do it all, at least not at the same time.
If you want to live in the mountains, you must accept the frustration of not living at the beach.
If you want to free yourself from enslavement, you must choose freedom
and accept the responsibility comes with it.
There's a price for freedom. You must give up tyranny to enjoy liberty.
It's up to you to count the cost.
And everything you want has a price.
Freedom is the right to choose.
It's the right to create your own life, and assume responsibility for it.
You are free to do whatever you like.
But first, you must give up blaming others for your circumstances.
Accept responsibility for the consequences of your actions and decisions.
Then you can truly choose your own path.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Miracles
The question is not whether or not miracles happen, but whether or not you recognize them when they do.
The family comes together in peace. Someone you meet has the ability and inclination to help you with a problem. Out of nowhere, an idea comes that can change your life.
Miracles are all around us. But we become so preoccupied with ourselves and our daily tasks that we fail to see them. Or sometimes we notice them briefly, then get back to what we were thinking or doing before.
Be open to the miracles in your life. Let them build, strengthen and guide you.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
The family comes together in peace. Someone you meet has the ability and inclination to help you with a problem. Out of nowhere, an idea comes that can change your life.
Miracles are all around us. But we become so preoccupied with ourselves and our daily tasks that we fail to see them. Or sometimes we notice them briefly, then get back to what we were thinking or doing before.
Be open to the miracles in your life. Let them build, strengthen and guide you.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Monday, September 14, 2009
Educational Goals
If you want to increase your success, increase your knowledge.
We never get to the point in life where we know it all. And your success will largely be determined by what you know.
(Actually, when I was 15 I knew it all. And now it seems I know less and less each year.)
In an ever increasing technical world, the old adage knowledge is power is more true than ever.
If you have set any goals for yourself, determine what you need to know, not just do, to reach that goal. Then, set about learning it.
The only way to reach your destination is to know the road that will take you there.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
We never get to the point in life where we know it all. And your success will largely be determined by what you know.
(Actually, when I was 15 I knew it all. And now it seems I know less and less each year.)
In an ever increasing technical world, the old adage knowledge is power is more true than ever.
If you have set any goals for yourself, determine what you need to know, not just do, to reach that goal. Then, set about learning it.
The only way to reach your destination is to know the road that will take you there.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Friday, September 11, 2009
Get Up
Solomon wrote in the book we now know as Proverbs, “The man who lives rightly is the one who, if he falls down six times, he gets up seven.”
Failure is nothing but education in the school of success. Do you remember taking tests in school? The lessons you remember best now, are the ones you got wrong then. It is the same way in all of life. Failing does not make you a failure. It just makes you more likely to succeed next time.
Did you blow a sales presentation? That mistake will make your next presentation that much better.
Did you fail in a business venture? What you learned will your next venture that much more likely to succeed.
No matter how hard you fall, get up. Because the only way to truly fail is to give up and stay down.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Failure is nothing but education in the school of success. Do you remember taking tests in school? The lessons you remember best now, are the ones you got wrong then. It is the same way in all of life. Failing does not make you a failure. It just makes you more likely to succeed next time.
Did you blow a sales presentation? That mistake will make your next presentation that much better.
Did you fail in a business venture? What you learned will your next venture that much more likely to succeed.
No matter how hard you fall, get up. Because the only way to truly fail is to give up and stay down.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Finding your Abundance
Two of my daughters are outstanding equestrians. They own horses and have competed in several show jumping events. I rode a bit as a kid growing up in Texas. I only understand the rudimentary basics of riding. All I know is that the horse will go in whatever direction you point his head. Horses are hard wired to go towards whatever they are looking at. So are people.
An important lesson in success is that you are going to move in the direction of your focus. If you are focused on a bigger house, a fancier car, a nicer watch, you will acquire those things - often at the expense of financial stability. I have worked with many clients who have earned quarter of a million dollar salaries but are flat broke because they bought lots of stuff on large credit limits. If you focus on building an enormous bank account, you may become rich, but usually at the cost of health and personal relationships. If you focus on relationships, you will enjoy closeness to your family and friends, but probably not have much in the bank. A lack of financial security creates its own issues and threatens the very relationships that give you so much joy. So how do you steer your life so you can have supportive relationships, financial security, and enough stuff to enjoy your leisure time? The answer is simple, really. Focus on the abundance that is yours in your talents, knowledge, skills, network of relationships and relationship with God.
Most people have materially less today than they had a couple of years ago. Their homes are worth less. Their retirement accounts have dwindled. Many have lost their jobs. Many of those who have kept their jobs are working harder for less money. In that environment, it is easy to focus on what you have lost. But focusing on loss will only lead you in the direction of more loss.
Instead, focus on how you have grown. What new skills have you acquired? Who has been added to your network of relationships? What have you learned? Have you drawn closer to your God? Now focus on how you want to grow. Make a list of five ways you want to expand your abundance. You could, for example, take a continuing education course in your chosen field, join a new networking group, read a book aloud with your spouse or devote 15 minutes a day to prayer or meditation. Will all this put money in your bank account? Absolutely.
Every successful venture starts with a successful person. Expand your abundance, and your success will expand with you. When you are focused on abundance, employers will want to hire you, clients will want to do business with you, and networkers will want to build relationships with you. As your business and network expands, so will your net worth.
This is, of course, a never ending process. But that is okay, because it is fun and inspiring. What new idea will come to you today? What new insight will broaden your world view? What new relationship will empower your future? Reach inside yourself and find it. Bring it out and share it. Then watch miracles happen.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
An important lesson in success is that you are going to move in the direction of your focus. If you are focused on a bigger house, a fancier car, a nicer watch, you will acquire those things - often at the expense of financial stability. I have worked with many clients who have earned quarter of a million dollar salaries but are flat broke because they bought lots of stuff on large credit limits. If you focus on building an enormous bank account, you may become rich, but usually at the cost of health and personal relationships. If you focus on relationships, you will enjoy closeness to your family and friends, but probably not have much in the bank. A lack of financial security creates its own issues and threatens the very relationships that give you so much joy. So how do you steer your life so you can have supportive relationships, financial security, and enough stuff to enjoy your leisure time? The answer is simple, really. Focus on the abundance that is yours in your talents, knowledge, skills, network of relationships and relationship with God.
Most people have materially less today than they had a couple of years ago. Their homes are worth less. Their retirement accounts have dwindled. Many have lost their jobs. Many of those who have kept their jobs are working harder for less money. In that environment, it is easy to focus on what you have lost. But focusing on loss will only lead you in the direction of more loss.
Instead, focus on how you have grown. What new skills have you acquired? Who has been added to your network of relationships? What have you learned? Have you drawn closer to your God? Now focus on how you want to grow. Make a list of five ways you want to expand your abundance. You could, for example, take a continuing education course in your chosen field, join a new networking group, read a book aloud with your spouse or devote 15 minutes a day to prayer or meditation. Will all this put money in your bank account? Absolutely.
Every successful venture starts with a successful person. Expand your abundance, and your success will expand with you. When you are focused on abundance, employers will want to hire you, clients will want to do business with you, and networkers will want to build relationships with you. As your business and network expands, so will your net worth.
This is, of course, a never ending process. But that is okay, because it is fun and inspiring. What new idea will come to you today? What new insight will broaden your world view? What new relationship will empower your future? Reach inside yourself and find it. Bring it out and share it. Then watch miracles happen.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Moving through failure into success
Life is a journey. As in any journey, there are up hills and down hills. There are smooth roads and rugged roads. There are times when the going is easy, and times when you don’t think you can take another step.
I have often faced failure in the face, like a bear blocking my path. At those times, I have three choices. I can give up the journey, turn and run. I can just plain give up and let my self be eaten. Or, I can fight my way through.
Perhaps the bear is not the best metaphor. Imagine yourself mired in a swamp of failure. Nothing you do seems to get you anywhere. You fight and struggle, but all your effort only seems to move you a few inches. Sure, you may think, you will exhaust yourself and die before you find your way to solid ground. But swamps are a funny thing. You never really know how far away solid ground is. It may be inches. It may be yards. Do you just give up and die, or do you plod ahead, knowing that solid ground is sure to come.
Here are some principles I have found helpful when stuck in the mud.
1. Realize that the swamp is a natural part of the journey. Every road to success has its share of them. From time to time you are going to come face to face with failure. The key to success is not to give up and stop in the swamp. You really don’t want to spend the rest of your life there. Keep plodding. Don’t quit. No matter how slowly you are moving towards your goal, you are still getting there.
2. Always remember why you are on the journey in the first place. In my younger days, I used to do some mountain climbing. There were plenty of times on the way that my feet were aching. I had blisters. I was exhausted. But I continued on because I wanted to see the view from the top. In most of life’s journeys, there is a lot more important “Why” than seeing a view. Are you pursuing success to provide for your family? Give your children the best possible education? Secure your future? When you find yourself struggling through failure, remember why success is so important. It will give you strength to keep going.
3. Always remember where you are going. It is important to have clearly defined goals and to keep them always in front of you. Use visualization and affirmations to keep your goal always in front of you. Be careful to accurately represent your goal. If your goal is financial security for your future, don’t fill up a vision board with fancy cars, houses and trips. When you are surrounded by failure, a fancy car is probably not going to provide you with sufficient motivation to keep going.
4. Look for an easier path. Don’t confuse your goal with your current path. Your goal may be financial security. Your path may be your current job. Your goal is not the same as your path. Sometimes, as you struggle on your current path, it is time to move to a slightly different path that will take you to your goal much more easily. Large corporations are notorious for mistaking their current path as the only path to their goal. That is usually because the path was successful in the past. That doesn’t mean it will always be successful. Is there another path that will move you towards your goal more easily? Can you add a new product line? Change your advertising? Find ways to become more attentive to your customers? Change companies? Go into business for yourself? Simple changes can sometimes jump start your path to success without changing your ultimate goal.
5. Never ever, ever give up. No one fails until they give up. Sometimes it seems you are moving backwards. If you leave your current job and start your own company, you may live off your savings for awhile. It may seem you are not moving towards your goal at all. But the truth is that you are not spending your savings. You are investing in a future enterprise that promises large returns. I have started several companies and I can assure you that nothing makes you feel like you are mired in failure than trying to get a new company off the ground. But once it takes off, you will not only realize your financial goal, but will enjoy a thrill of accomplishment like no other.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
I have often faced failure in the face, like a bear blocking my path. At those times, I have three choices. I can give up the journey, turn and run. I can just plain give up and let my self be eaten. Or, I can fight my way through.
Perhaps the bear is not the best metaphor. Imagine yourself mired in a swamp of failure. Nothing you do seems to get you anywhere. You fight and struggle, but all your effort only seems to move you a few inches. Sure, you may think, you will exhaust yourself and die before you find your way to solid ground. But swamps are a funny thing. You never really know how far away solid ground is. It may be inches. It may be yards. Do you just give up and die, or do you plod ahead, knowing that solid ground is sure to come.
Here are some principles I have found helpful when stuck in the mud.
1. Realize that the swamp is a natural part of the journey. Every road to success has its share of them. From time to time you are going to come face to face with failure. The key to success is not to give up and stop in the swamp. You really don’t want to spend the rest of your life there. Keep plodding. Don’t quit. No matter how slowly you are moving towards your goal, you are still getting there.
2. Always remember why you are on the journey in the first place. In my younger days, I used to do some mountain climbing. There were plenty of times on the way that my feet were aching. I had blisters. I was exhausted. But I continued on because I wanted to see the view from the top. In most of life’s journeys, there is a lot more important “Why” than seeing a view. Are you pursuing success to provide for your family? Give your children the best possible education? Secure your future? When you find yourself struggling through failure, remember why success is so important. It will give you strength to keep going.
3. Always remember where you are going. It is important to have clearly defined goals and to keep them always in front of you. Use visualization and affirmations to keep your goal always in front of you. Be careful to accurately represent your goal. If your goal is financial security for your future, don’t fill up a vision board with fancy cars, houses and trips. When you are surrounded by failure, a fancy car is probably not going to provide you with sufficient motivation to keep going.
4. Look for an easier path. Don’t confuse your goal with your current path. Your goal may be financial security. Your path may be your current job. Your goal is not the same as your path. Sometimes, as you struggle on your current path, it is time to move to a slightly different path that will take you to your goal much more easily. Large corporations are notorious for mistaking their current path as the only path to their goal. That is usually because the path was successful in the past. That doesn’t mean it will always be successful. Is there another path that will move you towards your goal more easily? Can you add a new product line? Change your advertising? Find ways to become more attentive to your customers? Change companies? Go into business for yourself? Simple changes can sometimes jump start your path to success without changing your ultimate goal.
5. Never ever, ever give up. No one fails until they give up. Sometimes it seems you are moving backwards. If you leave your current job and start your own company, you may live off your savings for awhile. It may seem you are not moving towards your goal at all. But the truth is that you are not spending your savings. You are investing in a future enterprise that promises large returns. I have started several companies and I can assure you that nothing makes you feel like you are mired in failure than trying to get a new company off the ground. But once it takes off, you will not only realize your financial goal, but will enjoy a thrill of accomplishment like no other.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Team Quality
A chain is no stronger than its weakest link. A wall is no stronger than its gate.
When building your team, pay close attention to quality. If there is a weak member in your team, find a way to strengthen them.
You are probably a member of several teams. You are a member of a family team. You have a personal team of friends and people you spend time with. You may have a spiritual team. If you are in business, you have a business team of associates, support personnel and clients.
You obviously cannot replace members of your family team, so you should devote some time, preferably every day, to strengthening the other members of your family team. You can do this by giving them the careful attention they need and deserve, and by finding ways to help them fulfill their own lives. This will strengthen them so they can better support you.
The same applies to personal and business relationships. Choose friends and associates that support your vision and goals. Find ways to strengthen them and your relationship with them. Then you, with the support of your team, will only find victory.
"True leaders are not those who strive to be first but those who are first to strive and who give their all for the success of the team. True leaders are the first to see the need, envision the plan, and empower the team for action. By the strength of the leader's commitment, the power of the team is unleashed." - Unknown
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
When building your team, pay close attention to quality. If there is a weak member in your team, find a way to strengthen them.
You are probably a member of several teams. You are a member of a family team. You have a personal team of friends and people you spend time with. You may have a spiritual team. If you are in business, you have a business team of associates, support personnel and clients.
You obviously cannot replace members of your family team, so you should devote some time, preferably every day, to strengthening the other members of your family team. You can do this by giving them the careful attention they need and deserve, and by finding ways to help them fulfill their own lives. This will strengthen them so they can better support you.
The same applies to personal and business relationships. Choose friends and associates that support your vision and goals. Find ways to strengthen them and your relationship with them. Then you, with the support of your team, will only find victory.
"True leaders are not those who strive to be first but those who are first to strive and who give their all for the success of the team. True leaders are the first to see the need, envision the plan, and empower the team for action. By the strength of the leader's commitment, the power of the team is unleashed." - Unknown
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Friday, July 31, 2009
Listen to Others
If you remember the three dog night song, “One”, you are probably in your fifties. The song begins with the truism, “One is the loneliest number that you ever knew.” That is as true in business as it is in personal relationships.
In academics, every professor stands on the shoulders of the professors who trained him.
In athletics success is only achieved as a team. Even in single sports such as boxing, the pugilist is only the point man of a team consisting of his manager, trainer, sparing partner, promoter and others who prepared the man and made the event possible.
Every successful business man’s level of success is determined in large part by his ability to manage a triage of information from his attorney, accountant, marketing expert, advertising firm and host of others who make him successful.
Among other concerns, we have a network marketing business. Our success comes from listening to those who have succeeded before us and personalizing their attitudes and techniques.
To succeed in any endeavor, learn to listen with an open mind and share with humility.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
In academics, every professor stands on the shoulders of the professors who trained him.
In athletics success is only achieved as a team. Even in single sports such as boxing, the pugilist is only the point man of a team consisting of his manager, trainer, sparing partner, promoter and others who prepared the man and made the event possible.
Every successful business man’s level of success is determined in large part by his ability to manage a triage of information from his attorney, accountant, marketing expert, advertising firm and host of others who make him successful.
Among other concerns, we have a network marketing business. Our success comes from listening to those who have succeeded before us and personalizing their attitudes and techniques.
To succeed in any endeavor, learn to listen with an open mind and share with humility.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Surround Yourself with Successful Friends
Remember when you make friends, that your friends will make you.
If you spend time with people who are positive and uplifting, they will encourage you in your dreams, offer good advice concerning your endeavors and help you reach your goals.
If you spend time with people who are negative and complaining, they will discourage you from dreaming, shoot down your ideas and do their best to keep you from accomplishing anything.
If you spend all your time around ducks, eventually you will start to quack.
If you spend all your time around eagles, pretty soon you will start to soar.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
If you spend time with people who are positive and uplifting, they will encourage you in your dreams, offer good advice concerning your endeavors and help you reach your goals.
If you spend time with people who are negative and complaining, they will discourage you from dreaming, shoot down your ideas and do their best to keep you from accomplishing anything.
If you spend all your time around ducks, eventually you will start to quack.
If you spend all your time around eagles, pretty soon you will start to soar.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Monday, July 27, 2009
Own Your Goals
Too often we accept the goals of others that are thrust upon us by our boss, parents, spouse or society as a whole.
The aspirations of others may make sense to us, but they won't inspire us.
If your goals are going to truly inspire you, they must be your own.
What do you want from your life?
Answer that question and you will never lack motivation.
If your goal doesn't jazz you when you get up in the morning, and inspire you to work towards its accomplishment, you need to rethink your goal.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
The aspirations of others may make sense to us, but they won't inspire us.
If your goals are going to truly inspire you, they must be your own.
What do you want from your life?
Answer that question and you will never lack motivation.
If your goal doesn't jazz you when you get up in the morning, and inspire you to work towards its accomplishment, you need to rethink your goal.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Friday, July 24, 2009
Faith and Patience
The Bible says, “The promises of God are received by faith and patience.”
As important as belief, positive thinking, goal setting, planning and consistent action are in achieving your goals. Patience is also required.
I know a man who is fond of saying, “I can’t think of a goal I set for myself that I haven’t achieved. But I seldom achieved them on my initial timeline.” Life happens, and things can slow us down. We need to give ourselves permission to take longer than we expected.
Detours are to be expected in life.
The important thing is that you are on the right path, not how far you have gone. The journey is made up of small steps taken one at a time. Just keep taking steps and you will reach your destination.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
As important as belief, positive thinking, goal setting, planning and consistent action are in achieving your goals. Patience is also required.
I know a man who is fond of saying, “I can’t think of a goal I set for myself that I haven’t achieved. But I seldom achieved them on my initial timeline.” Life happens, and things can slow us down. We need to give ourselves permission to take longer than we expected.
Detours are to be expected in life.
The important thing is that you are on the right path, not how far you have gone. The journey is made up of small steps taken one at a time. Just keep taking steps and you will reach your destination.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Desire
We can learn a lot from children. When they want something bad enough, they just won’t quit until they get it.
Desire is the key to the drive that can get you what you want in life. Too often we desire so many things that we can’t focus on what we truly want long enough to work consistently at it.
Keep focused on what you want. Pursue it with the tenacity of a child.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Desire is the key to the drive that can get you what you want in life. Too often we desire so many things that we can’t focus on what we truly want long enough to work consistently at it.
Keep focused on what you want. Pursue it with the tenacity of a child.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Choices
Life doesn’t just happen; it’s all about choices.
Choices produce action. Consistent action produces habits.
Who makes your choices? Your boss? Your spouse? Your stomach?
If you finish a meal and say to yourself, “I can’t believe I ate so much. I didn’t intend to.” Then, your stomach is making your choices.
If you purchase something that looked really appealing in the advertisement, that you didn’t really need or want, the advertisers are making your choices.
The way to make your own choices is to define your life by principles and stick to them consistently until you have formed a habit.
Start today.
Write down one new habit you want to form within yourself.
Phrase it as a life principle.
Memorize it and repeat it to yourself often throughout the day.
Practice it consistently for 30 days.
Then look back and take stock on your life.
You will be amazed at how your life can improve when you start making your own choices.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Choices produce action. Consistent action produces habits.
Who makes your choices? Your boss? Your spouse? Your stomach?
If you finish a meal and say to yourself, “I can’t believe I ate so much. I didn’t intend to.” Then, your stomach is making your choices.
If you purchase something that looked really appealing in the advertisement, that you didn’t really need or want, the advertisers are making your choices.
The way to make your own choices is to define your life by principles and stick to them consistently until you have formed a habit.
Start today.
Write down one new habit you want to form within yourself.
Phrase it as a life principle.
Memorize it and repeat it to yourself often throughout the day.
Practice it consistently for 30 days.
Then look back and take stock on your life.
You will be amazed at how your life can improve when you start making your own choices.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Monday, July 20, 2009
Habits
You create your habits by the actions you choose. But soon your habits choose your actions without consulting you.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, for a habit can be good or bad.
Smoking is a bad habit.
Kindness is a good habit.
Choose actions that create successful habits.
Choose to make a habit of investing 10% of your income.
Choose to make a habit of understanding your customer’s perspective.
Choose to make a habit of making friends and enriching relationships.
Choose to make a habit of never saying, “I don’t know” without immediately going to find out.
Choose to make a habit of only touching a paper once, either to file it or to trash it.
Choose to make a habit of always doing more than you are asked.
These and many other habits, once engendered, will make you successful in whatever you do.
And remember, if you choose to do nothing, that is its own habit.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
This is not necessarily a bad thing, for a habit can be good or bad.
Smoking is a bad habit.
Kindness is a good habit.
Choose actions that create successful habits.
Choose to make a habit of investing 10% of your income.
Choose to make a habit of understanding your customer’s perspective.
Choose to make a habit of making friends and enriching relationships.
Choose to make a habit of never saying, “I don’t know” without immediately going to find out.
Choose to make a habit of only touching a paper once, either to file it or to trash it.
Choose to make a habit of always doing more than you are asked.
These and many other habits, once engendered, will make you successful in whatever you do.
And remember, if you choose to do nothing, that is its own habit.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Giving and Receiving
“Give and it will be given to you.” These words of Jesus form the first principle of success. No one can succeed by focusing on what’s in it for them. That’s the way of the multitude, and they’re broke.
The successful person focuses on what they can do for others. Success naturally follows.
It’s the teacher who gives the most to his student who is named teacher of the year.
It’s the coach who empowers his players who is offered the big coaching job.
It’s the employee who does the most for his company who gets the promotion.
If you want to receive big things in life, do big things for others.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
The successful person focuses on what they can do for others. Success naturally follows.
It’s the teacher who gives the most to his student who is named teacher of the year.
It’s the coach who empowers his players who is offered the big coaching job.
It’s the employee who does the most for his company who gets the promotion.
If you want to receive big things in life, do big things for others.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Confidence
You will never achieve if you never try.
You will never try if you don’t have confidence you will succeed.
Confidence is key to success in any endeavor. Whether it is education or family, sports or business, you must believe in yourself and your ability to succeed. But there is often a fine line between confident and cocky.
Confidence is based on reality. Cockiness is based on ego.
Cockiness will cause you to overestimate your current abilities and overreach your grasp.
To build confidence, set small goals and keep records of their accomplishment. As your abilities grow, set larger goals and continue to keep track. Soon your confidence will be growing and stretching your abilities until you are doing things you never thought possible before.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
You will never try if you don’t have confidence you will succeed.
Confidence is key to success in any endeavor. Whether it is education or family, sports or business, you must believe in yourself and your ability to succeed. But there is often a fine line between confident and cocky.
Confidence is based on reality. Cockiness is based on ego.
Cockiness will cause you to overestimate your current abilities and overreach your grasp.
To build confidence, set small goals and keep records of their accomplishment. As your abilities grow, set larger goals and continue to keep track. Soon your confidence will be growing and stretching your abilities until you are doing things you never thought possible before.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Friday, July 17, 2009
Focus on the Process
It is a common mistake to make a wish list instead of a goal list. We think of the things we want – new car, new house, family vacation. But for goals to be effective, they must be process oriented.
If you are in sales and you want a new car, don’t make a new car your goal, make a 15% increase in sales your goal. Visualize your prospects becoming your customers and your customers increasing their consumption.
Create process oriented goals that you have 100% control over. If you are a student and you want higher grades, make additional study time one of your goals. If you are a husband who wants a better relationship with your wife, make writing two love letters a week one of your goals.
When goals are 1) process oriented, and 2) under your complete control, your desired result will take care of itself.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
If you are in sales and you want a new car, don’t make a new car your goal, make a 15% increase in sales your goal. Visualize your prospects becoming your customers and your customers increasing their consumption.
Create process oriented goals that you have 100% control over. If you are a student and you want higher grades, make additional study time one of your goals. If you are a husband who wants a better relationship with your wife, make writing two love letters a week one of your goals.
When goals are 1) process oriented, and 2) under your complete control, your desired result will take care of itself.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Always Be Improving
How do you excel at what you do? Very simple - keep getting better.
In a society of instant food and instant entertainment, we often think we should enjoy instant proficiency or instant success. Well, life doesn’t usually work that way. It takes time, effort, practice and patience to get proficient at a skill and enjoy success from it.
If you make it your constant, continual, determined habit to improve on a daily basis, you will soon find yourself excelling in your chosen field.
Daily ask yourself, “What is one small step I can make today to improve my skill at ____?” Write it down in your daily planner. Review it throughout the day until it is accomplished.
It doesn’t matter if the step is small as long as your application is consistent. Many small steps will make a long journey.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
In a society of instant food and instant entertainment, we often think we should enjoy instant proficiency or instant success. Well, life doesn’t usually work that way. It takes time, effort, practice and patience to get proficient at a skill and enjoy success from it.
If you make it your constant, continual, determined habit to improve on a daily basis, you will soon find yourself excelling in your chosen field.
Daily ask yourself, “What is one small step I can make today to improve my skill at ____?” Write it down in your daily planner. Review it throughout the day until it is accomplished.
It doesn’t matter if the step is small as long as your application is consistent. Many small steps will make a long journey.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Discover the World Outside the Box
How do you lighten a room? For centuries the answer was, “Light a fire.” First there were torches, then candles, oil lamps and finally gas lights. But Thomas Edison thought outside of the fire box. The electric light was invented and the rest is history.
Where do you go to buy a book? It used to be the corner bookstore. But Jeff Bezos thought outside the box and created a bookstore without walls. He called it Amazon.com.
Thinking outside of the box can revolutionize your business, your relationships and your life.
Take time to think creatively about problems, issues or even successes you can imagine as more successful. Let your imagination take you to places others haven’t dreamed of. There’s a world of opportunity out there, but the biggest opportunities are outside of the box.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consusltants
Where do you go to buy a book? It used to be the corner bookstore. But Jeff Bezos thought outside the box and created a bookstore without walls. He called it Amazon.com.
Thinking outside of the box can revolutionize your business, your relationships and your life.
Take time to think creatively about problems, issues or even successes you can imagine as more successful. Let your imagination take you to places others haven’t dreamed of. There’s a world of opportunity out there, but the biggest opportunities are outside of the box.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consusltants
Monday, July 13, 2009
Vision
An artist must have his painting already completed in his mind’s eye before his brush touches the canvas.
The architect must have every detail of construction clearly shown on the blueprint before the first spade of earth is turned.
If we are to be successful, we must know what our success looks like before we begin our journey.
Visualize the life you want to live. Repeat it to yourself often. Then your subconscious mind will go to work making sure you get there.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
The architect must have every detail of construction clearly shown on the blueprint before the first spade of earth is turned.
If we are to be successful, we must know what our success looks like before we begin our journey.
Visualize the life you want to live. Repeat it to yourself often. Then your subconscious mind will go to work making sure you get there.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Sunday, July 12, 2009
What are you afraid of?
Have you ever taken an inventory of your fears? Since fear is a very destructive force, it can be worthwhile to identify your specific fears and develop strategies to overcome them.
Take time to write out what you are afraid of. Perhaps it is fear of rejection that holds you back. Fears of responsibility, embarrassment or conflict are also major issues with some people.
Sometimes writing out your fear is all you need to overcome it. Once you see your fear written out on paper, you recognize it as silly. Other fears are more deep seated and tougher to overcome. In extreme cases you may need help from a professional to overcome a fear. But here are some simple steps to overcome most of the fears that hold you back.
1 – Name your fear.
2 – Write out the reality of the fear. What really happens when what your fear happens.
3 – Write out how you would like to respond when what you fear happens.
3 – Create an affirmation describing how your ideal self handles your fear.
4 – Repeat the affirmation for 30, 60 or 90 days – depending on how deep seated your fear is.
Soon you will no longer be afraid to face your fear because you are confident of your response.
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.
– Franklin D. Roosevelt from his first inaugural address.
To your success,
Ed Wills
WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
Take time to write out what you are afraid of. Perhaps it is fear of rejection that holds you back. Fears of responsibility, embarrassment or conflict are also major issues with some people.
Sometimes writing out your fear is all you need to overcome it. Once you see your fear written out on paper, you recognize it as silly. Other fears are more deep seated and tougher to overcome. In extreme cases you may need help from a professional to overcome a fear. But here are some simple steps to overcome most of the fears that hold you back.
1 – Name your fear.
2 – Write out the reality of the fear. What really happens when what your fear happens.
3 – Write out how you would like to respond when what you fear happens.
3 – Create an affirmation describing how your ideal self handles your fear.
4 – Repeat the affirmation for 30, 60 or 90 days – depending on how deep seated your fear is.
Soon you will no longer be afraid to face your fear because you are confident of your response.
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself—nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.
– Franklin D. Roosevelt from his first inaugural address.
To your success,
Ed Wills
WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
Friday, July 10, 2009
Your Integrity is Yours to Keep or Give Away
Thieves can steal your possessions, but your integrity is yours to keep or give away.
King Solomon once wrote that there is nothing more valuable than a good reputation. If you are known as an honest, hard working individual, there will never be a lack of those who want to partner with you on your endeavors, even when times are hard.
But if you trade your integrity for a quick buck now, there will be no one there to throw their lot in with you when you need help.
Never sacrifice your integrity or your core values in pursuit of one of your goals.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
King Solomon once wrote that there is nothing more valuable than a good reputation. If you are known as an honest, hard working individual, there will never be a lack of those who want to partner with you on your endeavors, even when times are hard.
But if you trade your integrity for a quick buck now, there will be no one there to throw their lot in with you when you need help.
Never sacrifice your integrity or your core values in pursuit of one of your goals.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
You Were Created To Create
Each of us was created in the image of the creator. Creating is what comes most naturally to us.
Normally when we think of creating, we think of artistic endeavors - prose, poetry, music, art. Those are high forms of creating, but even in the day to day, we can’t help but create.
We look at someone across the room and we create interest. We deal with a daily problem and create a solution. We fall asleep and create vivid dreams arising from our imagination.
What if we could create our future? You not only can, you will.
If you choose to let it happen on its own, you have created a future that is very much like today. But if you choose to consciously employ vision, goal setting, affirmations and careful planning to create your future, then you can create the future of your dreams.
An organization that is committed to creative collaboration will ride the wave of the future. They will go beyond the realm of assumptive thinking and welcome the dawn of innovation...because there is nothing more empowering than an idea whose time has come.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Normally when we think of creating, we think of artistic endeavors - prose, poetry, music, art. Those are high forms of creating, but even in the day to day, we can’t help but create.
We look at someone across the room and we create interest. We deal with a daily problem and create a solution. We fall asleep and create vivid dreams arising from our imagination.
What if we could create our future? You not only can, you will.
If you choose to let it happen on its own, you have created a future that is very much like today. But if you choose to consciously employ vision, goal setting, affirmations and careful planning to create your future, then you can create the future of your dreams.
An organization that is committed to creative collaboration will ride the wave of the future. They will go beyond the realm of assumptive thinking and welcome the dawn of innovation...because there is nothing more empowering than an idea whose time has come.
Ed Wills
WFA Franchise Consultants
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Always Exceed Expectations
It’s the little things that make us smile. A friend asks us how we are, then waits for an answer. Someone we love reaches out and takes our hand unexpectedly.
In business or in life, the little ways we exceed others expectations make lasting positive impressions.
Think of some things you can do today that will exceed other people’s expectations of you. Consider these actions as investments in improved success and relationships.
Ed Wills
www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
Follow www.twitter.com/YourFranchise for my daily motivation inspirations.
In business or in life, the little ways we exceed others expectations make lasting positive impressions.
Think of some things you can do today that will exceed other people’s expectations of you. Consider these actions as investments in improved success and relationships.
Ed Wills
www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
Follow www.twitter.com/YourFranchise for my daily motivation inspirations.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Patience
Over 300 years ago, an unknown prisoner left this advice etched into his cell wall in the tower of London. “It is not adversity that kills, but the impatience with which we bear adversity.”
Mistakes will be made. Hard times will come.
We cannot always control the circumstances. But we can control our reaction to the circumstances.
Always maintain a positive attitude, faith in God and confidence in your God given abilities. With patience, every adversity can be weathered and every obstacle overcome.
Ed Wills
www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
Mistakes will be made. Hard times will come.
We cannot always control the circumstances. But we can control our reaction to the circumstances.
Always maintain a positive attitude, faith in God and confidence in your God given abilities. With patience, every adversity can be weathered and every obstacle overcome.
Ed Wills
www.WFAFranchiseConsultants.com
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The new keys to success in business – It’s not all about location anymore.
The old adage was, “There are three keys to success in business: location, location, location.” When the economy was hot, all you needed to do was offer a good product or service in a location that was visible to a large number of potential customers and convenient to get in and out of. But major recessions have a way of complicating things. Business is not so simple anymore.
One new candidate for the key to success in business is timing. I recently attended the auction of a local small business that was closing after three years. It enjoyed a lot of initial popularity 3 years ago. It was the talk of the town. But now, after a year in the red, they decided to close their doors. What did they do wrong? They opened at the wrong time. Three years ago credit was cheap, jobs were plentiful and money was free-flowing. It sounds like a great time to start a business. But few people realized we were 1 year away from a major recession. It was like starting a bus company at the edge of a cliff. The fall was bound to happen. It may be a little counter-intuitive, but the place to start your start your bus company is in the depths of the valley. You can only go up. The time to start your business is at the low point of recession. It can only grow.
A second candidate for the key to business success is energy efficiency. As the economy recovers, infrastructure development and manufacturing will start to rise. So will fuel costs. Finding ways to reduce your fuel consumption foot print will be critical. We own a small gourmet coffee and sandwich shop. We found great cost reductions by replacing our high intensity lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs, installing awnings on our western windows to reduce air conditioning costs and finding local suppliers to lessen the bite of shipping.
So we could say that the new keys to business success are location, timing and energy efficiency. In truth, there are many more. So let’s get the discussion going. What would you include in the list of the keys to success in business? Post a comment, and let’s see where this goes.
One new candidate for the key to success in business is timing. I recently attended the auction of a local small business that was closing after three years. It enjoyed a lot of initial popularity 3 years ago. It was the talk of the town. But now, after a year in the red, they decided to close their doors. What did they do wrong? They opened at the wrong time. Three years ago credit was cheap, jobs were plentiful and money was free-flowing. It sounds like a great time to start a business. But few people realized we were 1 year away from a major recession. It was like starting a bus company at the edge of a cliff. The fall was bound to happen. It may be a little counter-intuitive, but the place to start your start your bus company is in the depths of the valley. You can only go up. The time to start your business is at the low point of recession. It can only grow.
A second candidate for the key to business success is energy efficiency. As the economy recovers, infrastructure development and manufacturing will start to rise. So will fuel costs. Finding ways to reduce your fuel consumption foot print will be critical. We own a small gourmet coffee and sandwich shop. We found great cost reductions by replacing our high intensity lighting with compact fluorescent bulbs, installing awnings on our western windows to reduce air conditioning costs and finding local suppliers to lessen the bite of shipping.
So we could say that the new keys to business success are location, timing and energy efficiency. In truth, there are many more. So let’s get the discussion going. What would you include in the list of the keys to success in business? Post a comment, and let’s see where this goes.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Step Two: MAKE GOALS THAT SUPPORT YOUR CORE VALUES
Step Two: MAKE GOALS THAT SUPPORT YOUR CORE VALUES
In the last chapter we uncovered your true core values. It is often difficult to see our core values because the necessities of life take up all our mental awareness. In the same way it is often difficult to choose the goals that will support our true core values. This is especially true of people who are exceptionally smart or talented. They enjoy so many activities and are good at so many projects, that they have a hard time focusing on one or two objectives so they can excel and be successful. The weekend warrior is mediocre at a dozen different sports. But the Olympian has focused their attention and training so they are #1 in their field. Which would you rather be: the weekend warrior or the Olympian?
The “I Want” List
Make a list of potential goals. Call it the “I want” list. These can be material objects like a new home, car or boat. They can be achievements like a new job, promotion or ideal weight. They can be spiritual like more family time or volunteering at a homeless shelter. Go ahead and list everything you think of that you would like to have, achieve or do. Don’t leave anything off because it seems unattainable or silly. Listing some wild ideas may lead you to something really powerful. We will clean up the list later. Now, go back and look over the list asking yourself, “Which of these really support my true core values?” Put a checkmark by the ones that would really support your core values. That should knock out about two thirds of your list. Another way to think of it is to check those that your inner self would support the act of fulfilling. For example: say one of your core values is family. You want to spend as much time with your family as possible and develop true closeness. But one of the things you have always wanted to do is sail around the world solo. You may as well drop the world cruise because your inner self won’t let you accomplish it. It is contrary to your core value of family. Of course, you can also alter your goal to being able to afford to take your whole family on a two week Caribbean cruise. Now your inner self will support you fulfilling that goal. Now, go over the list of “I want’s” that you checked. Ask yourself, “Which ones excite me?” What really jazzes you from the list. When you read it from the list, do you feel giddy? Do you get excited imagining it. These are the goals you should focus on.
Imagine Yourself Rich
Have you ever daydreamed about being extremely wealthy? If not, it is time to start.
Sit back and imagine you have more money than you can spend. If you can spend a lot, just imagine more money. Your time is your own. You can do whatever you want. You can buy whatever you want. This can be a difficult exercise for a lot of people. We don’t want to seem so “selfish” as to have all that money and just spending on ourselves. But remember, this is just an exercise. It is not real life. So indulge yourself. What would you do? What would you buy? Who would you be with? Don’t imagine just a day, but imagine weeks, months even years of having everything you could possibly want. The reason you need to extend the time frame is that most people start by imagining some sort of extended vacation. Lounging around on a beach, reading good books, going fishing, or just doing nothing but being pampered at a spa or resort. But if you can imagine moving from hot tub to massage table every day for a year, at some point you will think, “This is getting boring.” You want to do something, to matter to someone, to make some kind of difference in the world. Now you are starting to get down to your inner self. If you didn’t have to worry about making money to pay the bills or keep a roof over your family’s heads, what would you be doing? What is it you would do whether you were being paid for it or not? Now you are probably looking at a goal that supports your true core values.
In the last chapter we uncovered your true core values. It is often difficult to see our core values because the necessities of life take up all our mental awareness. In the same way it is often difficult to choose the goals that will support our true core values. This is especially true of people who are exceptionally smart or talented. They enjoy so many activities and are good at so many projects, that they have a hard time focusing on one or two objectives so they can excel and be successful. The weekend warrior is mediocre at a dozen different sports. But the Olympian has focused their attention and training so they are #1 in their field. Which would you rather be: the weekend warrior or the Olympian?
The “I Want” List
Make a list of potential goals. Call it the “I want” list. These can be material objects like a new home, car or boat. They can be achievements like a new job, promotion or ideal weight. They can be spiritual like more family time or volunteering at a homeless shelter. Go ahead and list everything you think of that you would like to have, achieve or do. Don’t leave anything off because it seems unattainable or silly. Listing some wild ideas may lead you to something really powerful. We will clean up the list later. Now, go back and look over the list asking yourself, “Which of these really support my true core values?” Put a checkmark by the ones that would really support your core values. That should knock out about two thirds of your list. Another way to think of it is to check those that your inner self would support the act of fulfilling. For example: say one of your core values is family. You want to spend as much time with your family as possible and develop true closeness. But one of the things you have always wanted to do is sail around the world solo. You may as well drop the world cruise because your inner self won’t let you accomplish it. It is contrary to your core value of family. Of course, you can also alter your goal to being able to afford to take your whole family on a two week Caribbean cruise. Now your inner self will support you fulfilling that goal. Now, go over the list of “I want’s” that you checked. Ask yourself, “Which ones excite me?” What really jazzes you from the list. When you read it from the list, do you feel giddy? Do you get excited imagining it. These are the goals you should focus on.
Imagine Yourself Rich
Have you ever daydreamed about being extremely wealthy? If not, it is time to start.
Sit back and imagine you have more money than you can spend. If you can spend a lot, just imagine more money. Your time is your own. You can do whatever you want. You can buy whatever you want. This can be a difficult exercise for a lot of people. We don’t want to seem so “selfish” as to have all that money and just spending on ourselves. But remember, this is just an exercise. It is not real life. So indulge yourself. What would you do? What would you buy? Who would you be with? Don’t imagine just a day, but imagine weeks, months even years of having everything you could possibly want. The reason you need to extend the time frame is that most people start by imagining some sort of extended vacation. Lounging around on a beach, reading good books, going fishing, or just doing nothing but being pampered at a spa or resort. But if you can imagine moving from hot tub to massage table every day for a year, at some point you will think, “This is getting boring.” You want to do something, to matter to someone, to make some kind of difference in the world. Now you are starting to get down to your inner self. If you didn’t have to worry about making money to pay the bills or keep a roof over your family’s heads, what would you be doing? What is it you would do whether you were being paid for it or not? Now you are probably looking at a goal that supports your true core values.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
IDENTIFY YOUR CORE VALUES
Why is one of the hardest decisions to make in life deciding what you want? There are lots of reasons to be undecided.
You are afraid of what you might miss out on if you choose one option over another.
You are trying to make the decision that others will find most acceptable.
All choices involve an element of the unknown, and that scares you.
You are still collecting information and analyzing your choices.
All of the above reasons have one thing in common – fear. People are afraid of missing out, afraid of being embarrassed, or afraid of making a mistake.
Or, perhaps, you tell me that you have no problem at all deciding what you want. You know exactly what you want. Of course, what you want today is different from what you wanted last week, which was different from what you wanted last month, which was different from what you wanted last year. If that is you, then your issue is not making a decision, but making decisions too quickly without thorough thought and commitment. Your decisions aren’t really decisions at all. You are just sampling.
What is your behavior in a restaurant?
You go to a restaurant and stare at the menu. You change your mind four times, then when the waiter arrives you order something completely different.
Or, you order the same thing you have ordered in that restaurant the last 6 times you were there.
The first person may not know what they want. The second person may be in a rut, or perhaps they just know from experience that there is only one thing on the menu they like. In that case, I wonder why they choose that restaurant in the first place.
First, let me make everyone comfortable. None of the above behaviors are wrong. They are just expressions of our personality. Our personalities engender both positive behaviors and negative behaviors. But even the behaviors themselves are not positive or negative in and of themselves. The same behavior may be positive or negative depending on the circumstance. For example, cutting your neighbor with a knife is generally considered a negative behavior. But if you are a surgeon performing an appendectomy, it is a very positive behavior. What makes the difference is the motive or goal of the act. Our goal here is to give us some tools to choose what behaviors will be positive for us – that is, which behaviors will move us toward our goals. But before we can have goals, we must first understand our values.
A lot of people make goals or resolutions, work at them for a few weeks then drop them. Some very disciplined people may work on their goals for years and accomplish all of them only to find they are miserable. The problem in both of these scenarios is the same. Someone drafted goals that conflicted with their core values. There are a lot of books and CD’s in the marketplace about goal setting. But unless your goals are aligned with your true core values, they will not work for you. In fact, your goals can work against you, making you miserable instead of happy. For example, if one of your true values is solitude, you might not want to make a career in sales one of your goals. What we want are goals that make us happy. You will find they are a lot easier to work toward.
What are your true core values?
Each of us are shaped by our system of core values, but we seldom think of them. They work like our immune system. When we are healthy, we never think about our immune system. But when we engage in behavior that damages our immune system not getting the right nutrients or missing sleep, it breaks down, and we get sick. Too often we take medications that remove some of the symptoms of being sick. We would do better to strengthen the immune system so we can be truly healthy again. In the same way, our core values work to keep us happy. But when we live our lives in such a way that conflicts with our core values, we become dissatisfied and restless. Too often we treat our dissatisfaction with distractions like entertainment or daydreaming. We would do better to rearrange our lives in such a way that our daily activities support our core values instead of conflict with them. But first, you must identify exactly what are your core values.
Core Values Exercise
Take three pieces of paper. Write on the top of the first piece of paper, “Special Times”. Write on the top of the second piece of paper, “Why Special Times are Special”. Write on the top of the third piece of paper, “Core Values”.
Think of a time in your life when you were the happiest. Where were you? What were you doing? What made that time so enjoyable or even magical? Were you alone? Were you with others? If so, who were you with? How did they add or detract from the experience? What were your feelings? Did you want the time to last forever? Is there anything you can do now to make that feeling come back? Describe that special time on the piece of paper entitled “Special Times”.
Continue to write down 2 or 3 times or experiences that were especially meaningful to you. Answer the above questions about each experience. Only list times or experiences that were very special to you. Don’t superimpose someone else’s values on your memories. Perhaps the birth of your first child was a very special moment to you. Or maybe you were just exhausted and glad it was over. There is no right or wrong here, and no one is going to read it but you, so be completely honest.
Now go back and read through each experience carefully. Ask yourself, “What made those experiences so important to me?” “Why did they have such an impact?” Look for common threads. What do all these experiences have in common? Were those common elements what made the special times so special? Write the reasons why those experiences made you happy on the sheet entitled, “Why Special Times are Special”.
Now, read over the reasons you listed on the second sheet. What values stand out? For example, all of your special times might involve being with your family. What made those times special was sharing moments with people you love. A core value would likely be Family. Perhaps your special times were catching your first fish, winning an athletic event, graduating from college and getting a big promotion. The reasons those times were special were fulfilling your goal and being recognized by people you respect. Your core value might be Pride of Accomplishment.
Here are some possible core values.
Creativity
Integrity
Pride of Accomplishment
Perseverance
Family
Spirituality
Community
Recognition
Philanthropy
Generosity
Make Money Doing What You Love Most
The exciting part of knowing your core values is to envision a way to make money through their commercial application. Perhaps family is one of your core values. You should look at businesses that you can operate from your home, where you will not only be close to your family, but also be able to involve them in some aspects of your business. If your values include spirituality, a health related business could incorporate a spiritual dimension. If recognition or philanthropy are included in your list, a business that is built on community involvement might be just the ticket. Whatever your core values are, design a business that will incorporate those values on a day-to-day basis. If your core values drive your business, life will be more fulfilling, and success will come much easier. People always do best what they love to do the most.
Why is one of the hardest decisions to make in life deciding what you want? There are lots of reasons to be undecided.
You are afraid of what you might miss out on if you choose one option over another.
You are trying to make the decision that others will find most acceptable.
All choices involve an element of the unknown, and that scares you.
You are still collecting information and analyzing your choices.
All of the above reasons have one thing in common – fear. People are afraid of missing out, afraid of being embarrassed, or afraid of making a mistake.
Or, perhaps, you tell me that you have no problem at all deciding what you want. You know exactly what you want. Of course, what you want today is different from what you wanted last week, which was different from what you wanted last month, which was different from what you wanted last year. If that is you, then your issue is not making a decision, but making decisions too quickly without thorough thought and commitment. Your decisions aren’t really decisions at all. You are just sampling.
What is your behavior in a restaurant?
You go to a restaurant and stare at the menu. You change your mind four times, then when the waiter arrives you order something completely different.
Or, you order the same thing you have ordered in that restaurant the last 6 times you were there.
The first person may not know what they want. The second person may be in a rut, or perhaps they just know from experience that there is only one thing on the menu they like. In that case, I wonder why they choose that restaurant in the first place.
First, let me make everyone comfortable. None of the above behaviors are wrong. They are just expressions of our personality. Our personalities engender both positive behaviors and negative behaviors. But even the behaviors themselves are not positive or negative in and of themselves. The same behavior may be positive or negative depending on the circumstance. For example, cutting your neighbor with a knife is generally considered a negative behavior. But if you are a surgeon performing an appendectomy, it is a very positive behavior. What makes the difference is the motive or goal of the act. Our goal here is to give us some tools to choose what behaviors will be positive for us – that is, which behaviors will move us toward our goals. But before we can have goals, we must first understand our values.
A lot of people make goals or resolutions, work at them for a few weeks then drop them. Some very disciplined people may work on their goals for years and accomplish all of them only to find they are miserable. The problem in both of these scenarios is the same. Someone drafted goals that conflicted with their core values. There are a lot of books and CD’s in the marketplace about goal setting. But unless your goals are aligned with your true core values, they will not work for you. In fact, your goals can work against you, making you miserable instead of happy. For example, if one of your true values is solitude, you might not want to make a career in sales one of your goals. What we want are goals that make us happy. You will find they are a lot easier to work toward.
What are your true core values?
Each of us are shaped by our system of core values, but we seldom think of them. They work like our immune system. When we are healthy, we never think about our immune system. But when we engage in behavior that damages our immune system not getting the right nutrients or missing sleep, it breaks down, and we get sick. Too often we take medications that remove some of the symptoms of being sick. We would do better to strengthen the immune system so we can be truly healthy again. In the same way, our core values work to keep us happy. But when we live our lives in such a way that conflicts with our core values, we become dissatisfied and restless. Too often we treat our dissatisfaction with distractions like entertainment or daydreaming. We would do better to rearrange our lives in such a way that our daily activities support our core values instead of conflict with them. But first, you must identify exactly what are your core values.
Core Values Exercise
Take three pieces of paper. Write on the top of the first piece of paper, “Special Times”. Write on the top of the second piece of paper, “Why Special Times are Special”. Write on the top of the third piece of paper, “Core Values”.
Think of a time in your life when you were the happiest. Where were you? What were you doing? What made that time so enjoyable or even magical? Were you alone? Were you with others? If so, who were you with? How did they add or detract from the experience? What were your feelings? Did you want the time to last forever? Is there anything you can do now to make that feeling come back? Describe that special time on the piece of paper entitled “Special Times”.
Continue to write down 2 or 3 times or experiences that were especially meaningful to you. Answer the above questions about each experience. Only list times or experiences that were very special to you. Don’t superimpose someone else’s values on your memories. Perhaps the birth of your first child was a very special moment to you. Or maybe you were just exhausted and glad it was over. There is no right or wrong here, and no one is going to read it but you, so be completely honest.
Now go back and read through each experience carefully. Ask yourself, “What made those experiences so important to me?” “Why did they have such an impact?” Look for common threads. What do all these experiences have in common? Were those common elements what made the special times so special? Write the reasons why those experiences made you happy on the sheet entitled, “Why Special Times are Special”.
Now, read over the reasons you listed on the second sheet. What values stand out? For example, all of your special times might involve being with your family. What made those times special was sharing moments with people you love. A core value would likely be Family. Perhaps your special times were catching your first fish, winning an athletic event, graduating from college and getting a big promotion. The reasons those times were special were fulfilling your goal and being recognized by people you respect. Your core value might be Pride of Accomplishment.
Here are some possible core values.
Creativity
Integrity
Pride of Accomplishment
Perseverance
Family
Spirituality
Community
Recognition
Philanthropy
Generosity
Make Money Doing What You Love Most
The exciting part of knowing your core values is to envision a way to make money through their commercial application. Perhaps family is one of your core values. You should look at businesses that you can operate from your home, where you will not only be close to your family, but also be able to involve them in some aspects of your business. If your values include spirituality, a health related business could incorporate a spiritual dimension. If recognition or philanthropy are included in your list, a business that is built on community involvement might be just the ticket. Whatever your core values are, design a business that will incorporate those values on a day-to-day basis. If your core values drive your business, life will be more fulfilling, and success will come much easier. People always do best what they love to do the most.
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