Category Archives: Habits

Stop Wishing for a Raise and Use These Four Steps

You want a raise? GREAT, so does everyone else!

Wishing for a raise

Wishing for a raise

There is only one reason to read this post.  You believe deep down inside your belly you deserve to be paid more for your efforts.  I believe you.  You need to make more money.  It’s necessary for you, your spouse, and your family.

Did you know millions of people feel this very same way every day, and yet very few of them go home with the bump they were looking for.  They actually get more depressed because they don’t have a strategy to attack their climb.

So how do we get there?  First off, please stop with the word “deserve” in your plea for more coin.  I “deserve” a raise.  I feel like I deserve to drive a Ferrari, and yet, there is no Ferrari in the garage.  Deserving or not, this won’t get you the bump because it hasn’t produced results yet.

Four Steps to Getting a Pay Raise in 90 Days

  1. Alignment – For 99% of the workforce, getting paid more relies on someone else making the decision to pay you more money.  Therefore, we must understand the goals and visions of our company and more importantly our immediate team.  There isn’t a single manager in the world looking to pay someone more for making them look bad.  To get a raise, you must align your short term goals with goals of your manager or company.  I believe many people miss the mark on getting a better payday because they haven’t invested a minimal amount of time to determine these objectives.  They believe a raise is warranted for being busy, when this couldn’t be further from the truth.  This is the core and first step in claiming more cheddar on a money basis.
  2. Measurable – After you’ve determined two to three company goals you can personally impact, it’s time to add the powerful measurement objective.  If <this action> by <when>, I will receive <what>.  This should feel much better than having the vague conversation with your boss, “Sir, I’d like to discuss a pay raise.”  Also, please don’t think I’m talking to only salespeople.  They have a much easier path to getting a raise.  They should be able to give themselves one with a fair and accountable pay plan.  This advice is for everyone else who isn’t selling.   Lastly, don’t reveal these objectives to your boss just yet.  That’s what step three is for.
  3. Conversational – It is difficult to be in the position of a boss when someone says, “I’d like to discuss a raise.”  I feel it doesn’t put the employee or the employer in a good position for success.  It almost feels adversarial and you’re on the same team (hopefully).  So lets remove the tension and open the conversation.  It could go something like this.  “Mr. Boss Man, I’m looking to advance in my career and I’ve got a couple goals I’d love to share with you.  Do you have a minute?”  Assuming the answer is yes, move forward.  “I know as a company we are extremely focused on objectives 1, 2, and 3 correct?”  Reply – Yes.  “I believe I can positively impact these numbers in a great way in the next 90 days and I have a plan to do so.  In accomplishment of these objectives I’d love to discuss additional compensation for doing so.” Then sit there and shut up.  The conversation will begin and it will be much more organic and creative in terms of opportunities for additional compensation.
  4. CRUSH – Outside of alignment this is the second most missed tactic.  You can’t ask for more money and do mediocre work.  It’s just wrong and will feel extremely more lame to your boss.  If you align your target with the company goals, make it measurable, address it conversationally, but don’t deliver; it’s all for nothing.  You could actually SUCK at #1, 2, and 3 and still possibly get paid by crushing it.  I don’t advise going at it with this lack of planning or focus, but it actually can work and it’s why this is the last step. LEAVE NO DOUBT.  DELIVER.  CRUSH YOUR GOALS.

ACTION ITEM: I need you to start this process this week.  My goal with this post is to help one person, just one person make more money today!  You have 90 days to prove yourself and before you know it, the year will nearly be over.  The next thing I need you to do is share any successes you have with the tribe.  It will mean a great deal to me and the readers hearing from someone putting the practice to work.  Go get it!

Why a Mentor is a Must

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Think of what you’ve learned in the last year.  Now think about the last five years.

Chances are you learned some of it on your own(by making mistakes) and some just plain living life.  The rest may have been shown to you, like the first time you learned how to tie your shoes.  Think about that time for a moment; how exciting was it to learn a new skill?  What about mastering a new skill?  Human beings draw excitement, energy, and emotion from learning new things.

This is exactly why a mentor is a must.

A great mentor will provide insights for progress.  Progress is essential to human happiness, well-being, and an overall growth-focused mindset.  You show me a happy person, and I’ll likely find someone attacking new challenges with a tailwind of momentum behind them from previous victories.  If we were to discuss the latter side of happiness, I’ll show you a person stagnant, stuck in life’s challenges, and without direction.

A mentor will also help us refocus when we drift.  I was just listening to Michael Hyatt’s “This is Your Life” podcast and he addressed the topic of drift.  It’s a topic he just spoke on at the World Domination Summit just a short while ago.  From year to year, or even month to month we all experience drift in some form of our lives whether it be: spiritually, physically, mentally, or maritally.  Drift is a natural navigation or lack of focus away from our goals.  A great mentor will help you get back on the fast track.

If you’re interested in additional information on this topic here is an article by Inc Magazine, 6 Reasons You Need a Mentor.

On to the million dollar question.  How do I find a mentor?

Here are a couple of my personal recommendations when seeking mentorship.

  • Find someone who will give you inspiration, but also honest feedback
  • Find someone in your field you look up to or aspire to be
  • Find an individual genuinely interested in your success and more importantly growth
  • Find an leader who is gracious with their time

ACTION ITEM: If you don’t have one already, begin the mentor search.  It took me a couple years to hone in on the mentors I work with.  Secondly, aid the mentor’s process by sharing with them your life’s goals and aspirations.

 

 

Five Ways to Increase Your Luck

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Who doesn’t want to be a little more lucky?

I’m not talking about winning a $100 million lottery jackpot either.  I’m talking about those little things.  You know, the teams or individuals who consistently get the ball to bounce in their direction at critical times over and over again. Wins and losses.  That type of lucky.

The best selling author, Jim Collins, explored the topic of luck in his latest NY Times best-selling book, Great by Choice: Uncertainty, Chaos, and Luck–Why Some Thrive Despite Them All.  It’s a fantastic read and one I definitely recommend.  

Lets face it, we’ve all said it.  “That guy is soooooo lucky,” we say to ourselves under our breath when we’re a jealous bystander to someone else’s success.  What we’re really saying is we wish we understood how to be more lucky in our own lives, and I’m not talking about hitting a few more 5’s on the blackjack table when dealt 15’s and 16’s.

Below are FIVE key elements I use to create my own luck:

  1. Learning: The more I continue to push myself to learn from a wide variety of individuals, the wider viewpoint I have when facing new opportunities.  No one can learn everything, so I have a tremendously long road ahead with no end in sight.  However, if I strive to learn a little more each day, I’m a great deal closer to my goal than I was a year ago.  The more I learn, the better prepared I am to see opportunities others may miss and manage challenges effectively.
  2. Outgoing: Help someone else get what they want and in most circumstances, you get what you want.  This just seems to be the way the world works, right?  I don’t know if I believe in karma, but the bucket containing the saying, “what goes around, comes around” holds water.
  3. Preparation: I’m sure we’ve all heard the saying from ancient philosopher Seneca, “luck is where preparation meets opportunity.”  I believe in it and think it’s why each of us is the creator of our own luck.  Those without luck aren’t creators and likely aren’t prepared.  The lucky not only have a plan, they have many plans in case a challenge or opportunity presents itself.
  4. Thrive in Uncertainty: Think about the word luck in relation to the outcome of an event.  You could say someone was “lucky” because their result or achievement didn’t meet the expected outcome prior to the result.  Could it also be true the “lucky” individual wasn’t afraid to attack uncertainty?  I believe there is a direct relationship.  We consider them lucky because in the beginning the opportunity looked a whole lot like sweat and hard work.  Everyone wants the end result of success, but not the aching gut of uncertainty and giving it all up for a chance.
  5. Double Down: If you want to increase your luck, you have to double down on your best talents.  Spend time doing only the one or two things at the top of your talent ladder and receive 2x the outcome in return.  I happen to play a little blackjack from time to time.  If I’m dealt a 10 or 11 and the house has dealt themselves a 16, I MUST double down the bet.  It is one of the only statistical advantages I have against the house to not only make 21 (and increase my odds of winning), but I’m also allowed to double (risk more on my wager).  If you’re not getting lucky enough, take a look at how you’re spending your time in relation to your talents.  There is a direct correlation.

Bonus Tip: Always double down on 10 or 11 in blackjack when the dealer is showing a 5 or a 6!

ACTION ITEM: Throw on a little Daft Punk, “Get Lucky”, and get down to business.  Use one or more of these tips this month and you will start to see an increase in your luck.

One Podcast a Day Keeps Mediocrity Away

Podcast image

Look around you at this very moment.  There’s about a 50% chance you’re reading this on a smart phone, or if you’re reading it elsewhere, your phone is probably less than five feet from you.  Every where I go, my phone is with me, and so is my library of podcasts.

4 Reasons I LOVE podcasts:

  1. I can access my podcasts at all times either on my phone or laptop.
  2. They’re FREE (zip, zero, zilch).
  3. Freedom from schedule (stop, start, rewind, or listen 5x).
  4. I’m learning from those making it happen.

If I have a free 20-30 minutes, I can dial up some new knowledge via a podcast and feed my brian.  If you’re struggling to find time in that busy schedule to fit in some learning, I’m here to share with you when I listen to podcasts.  It isn’t a stretch to say I listen to at least one podcast per day.

  • Driving to and from work
  • On airplanes while traveling
  • In an airport
  • Shopping for groceries
  • Mowing the lawn or doing any yard work
  • In the shower or getting ready
  • While cooking or grilling
  • Any moment in the car
  • Doing housework (cleaning, vacuuming, folding clothes)

You get the picture?

Listening to a Podcast in my office

I subscribe to the podcasts I listen to via my iPhone and the Podcast App.  It looks like this.  As I mentioned earlier, it is 100% FREE.  If you were thinking cost would be an excuse, cross it off your list.  COST

iconPodcast

If you’re interested in what I’m listening to, I have an image below of a few of these podcasts.  If you have a podcast you think I need to get on board with, please leave me a comment in the box below and I’ll gladly look it up.  I don’t listen to just one podcast or one personality.  In fact, I currently have eight because I want a variety of perspectives impacting my education.  My brain won’t grow by learning from only one perspective.  Furthermore, I won’t learn to challenge the thinking or processes of others.  I try to add/delete a new perspective after I start hearing the same thing from the publisher.

I’ll also share the genre of the podcasts I’m listening to.  I have two that are financial-based podcasts concerning money, risk, investment, retirement, real estate, etc.  There are about three to four more focused on digital media, marketing and the impact of digital business in the 21st century.  The last couple are focused on leadership.

If something were FREE, and you had unlimited access 24/7; the only thing stopping you, is YOU!

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Zac's Podcasts

ACTION ITEM: Create a habit. Get started listening to podcasts this week.  Find one or two within a topic you’re interested in learning more about to begin your journey.  Many podcasts have been around for two or three years (some longer) and have scores of content to devour.

Four Reasons to Obsess About Your Legacy

The question, “How will you be remembered?” is a big and heavy one.

Your Unwritten Legacy

Your Unwritten Legacy

In the speed-it-up world we live in, sometimes it’s hard to see past the next week, month, or even year.  However, I’m going to give you four reasons why you should obsess over your legacy today and every day after.  It will have a big impact on what you do tomorrow.

  1. Perspective – A few weeks ago, my dad said something to me that his dad said to him many years ago.  He said, “There’s an old man waiting for you someday too son.”  It was said in a way only a father and his infinite wisdom could deliver.  I ask myself… What does that old man look like?  Where has he been? What will his friends say about him? What stories does he have to share?
  2. Roadmap – Thinking about your legacy will provide you with a roadmap to decision making and seeing a bigger picture.  Where will you go?  What will you see?  What decisions do you need to make today to impact your legacy?  I challenge you to think about your legacy for the big decisions and you won’t be disappointed years later at where you end up.
  3. Decision Making – Life offers many opportunities to make decisions.  If you’re like me, I’ve made some good ones and really bad ones.  Hopefully, I’ve learned from the bad decisions and I won’t make them again.  Today, the decisions I make are impacted by thinking about my legacy.  I feel it takes less weight off of an impending decision if I think about it in the much larger scope or bigger picture.
  4. Who Will You Be – There is one thing you will leave behind that will outlast any money gifted to family, friends, or charities.  Your story.  Each of us has a chance to write the book backwards starting today.  Work on writing the last and most difficult chapter first.  We can work backwards from there and write a few chapters or hundreds.  The number of chapters isn’t up to us, but a legacy can be established either way.  “It’s not the years in your life, it’s the life in your years.”

To help my readers, here is snapshot of what I hope for my legacy.

Zac was an extremely passionate, energetic and successful individual who loved spending time with people and could light up a room with his presence.  He consistently challenged those around him to get better every single day.  He could be tough, but always fair and respectful.  No matter what the need or when, he was there for his closest friends and family in a moment’s notice.  Together, with this wife Beth, they would travel, see the world, and were always generous toward others.

ACTION ITEM:  Write and think about your legacy.  Some day, many years from now, you will meet your legacy and I hope it won’t be a stranger.

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Winning is a Necessity


Winning is extremely important to the human psyche and biology.  The people who get what they want in life know how to win.  This can not be overlooked or overstated.

I believe the people who know how to win are likely happier in pursuit of their life goals.  I think most would agree with this statement.  So then, why is it most people don’t know how to win?  Or better yet, why isn’t the art of winning taught more in schools and post graduate education?  Maybe it is, we’re just not paying attention?

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I’m not sure, maybe we should ask Charlie Sheen.  Sadly, I don’t think answers like Tiger Blood, or Adonis DNA are what we’re looking for so we’ll have to dig a little deeper.  Thanks for the inspiration Chuck.

Lets first take a look at what a “WIN” does for us mentally

  • Confidence – think about the last time you won anything and try to get back into those feelings for a moment.  How did you feel?  Awesome is a pretty popular response.  Who doesn’t want to feel more awesome?  Winning is foundational to a higher level of confidence.  More confidence typically yields more victory.
  • Winning Effect – Author John Coats in his book The Hour Between Dog and Wolf: How Risk Taking Transforms Us, Body and Mind tells us animals involved in a fight who were victorious, were more likely to win their next fight.  Which brings me to my next and extremely important point.
  • Momentum – I always say, “Momentum is much easier to steer than to start.”  Life can be hard.  Some know this more than others.  This is exactly why winning, and winning often is so important to each of us.  Winning consistently creates what I call “life momentum.”
  • Limitless – Have you ever won enough? I know I haven’t.  Author Grant Cardone describes this in his book The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure by stating, “There is no shortage of success, nor are there limits to the amount of success one can achieve!”  Read this again if you’re looking to get amp’d up.  He’s right.  I frequently listen to the 10X Audiobook when I need to get it going or feel like I’ve achieved “enough” for a while.
  • Attitude – People like to associate with a winner.  It’s more fun, it’s positive, and it’s likely uplifting.  Legendary coach Bear Bryan said, “Winning isn’t everything, but it sure beats anything that comes in second!”  I LOVE THAT ATTITUDE.

I won’t go there in this post, but if you do a little more research you’ll easily see that winning doesn’t only affect our mental game but our biological makeup as well.  Dr. Coats offers a unique perspective into the testosterone levels of successful, young, male stock traders during times of financial boom.

The million dollar question remains, “How do I win more often?”

  1. Stay Hungry – Winners come from all walks of life.  What they all have in common is an unquenchable thirst for victory and nothing will stop them in their pursuit.
  2. Stay Focused – Elite athletes have a state of mind referred to as “the zone” and when they’re in it nothing can stop them.  The zone is a state of complete focus and freedom.  Mastery is at work with the athlete because they’re not spending time thinking, they’re only reacting to what’s in front of them.
  3. Attention to Detail – The US Navy SEALs are famous for their mindset and training regimen.  Their world class team members preach attention to detail every day, in every drill, and every exercise they compete.
  4. Drill – In order to learn how to win an individual must be willing to practice at a high level for a great deal of time.  Mediocre practice will yield mediocre results.  Winners sweat the small stuff and sweat if often.  Earlier I used the word “mastery” when referring to focus in point two.  In Malcolm Gladwells book Outliers he states it takes 10,000 hours to be an “expert” in a topic or field.  10,000 hours.  Most people work around 40 hours per week.  That equates to nearly 5 years of drills.  Are you spending 8 hours a day getting better?  I know I’m not, so for most it’s going to take 10+ years to mastery.
  5. Speed Bumps – Failure will happen and it should if you’re taking chances.  Accept failure as a speed bump and not a impassable chasm.  Life will go on.  Learn from it and learn quickly so you can get back to winning again.  Just don’t fail making the same mistake over and over.

 

 ACTION ITEM: Get out and get winning.  You need to be winning often.  Life is a contact sport and no records were set from the sidelines.

 

 

 

One Million Isn’t Your Goal

When I was 23, I wrote on a dollar bill “#1 of $1,000,000” and was naive enough to think this is what it would take to make it in the world.  If I could get here, I would be doing the right thing.  If you don’t believe me, here it is still framed in my office.  I still use it as motivation, but in a very different light.

$1 Million Goal

$1 Million Goal

Nine years later, I reflect back and laugh at the ignorance of my younger self.  If I had one million dollars right now, would I have the world by the balls?

HELL NO!

Money will not be the sole driver to anyone’s success and truth be told, why only one million?  The efforts required to reach ten million aren’t really that different from one million.  Yes, it is ten times the amount but most people that make ten times their peers don’t work 10x harder.  There isn’t enough time in the day.  If you’re ONLY interested in the money, set a bigger goal!

However, the more important viewpoint isn’t to focus on the number because inevitably when you hit it, then what?  Please don’t tell me you’ll buy stuff.  You’ll end up just as unfulfilled, but with stuff.  People spend their whole lives working for the man only to end up retired at 65 with nothing to do and no ideas of where to start.  Want to know what boredom looks like?  This is it.  It is followed by unhappiness.  Even the guys in Grumpy Old Men had fishing as a hobby!

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The secret then, as Tim Ferris teaches in “The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich (Expanded and Updated)“, isn’t to delay life’s treasures forever, but to embrace them along the way.  Enjoy mastering your craft at the same time you’re enjoying and living life to the fullest.

Daniel Pink expounds on this topic as well in this terrific video, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motives Us”.  I promise you it’s worth the ten minutes.

People aren’t only looking for one million dollars.  They’re looking for autonomy and mastery.  They’re looking to be themselves and to enjoy their craft.  People want to be challenged and contribute.  It won’t take too many companies like Google to see that success and achievement run a parallel path to people enjoying what they do.

Can you still have the goal of making money?  I really believe the answer is a resounding yes.  There is nothing wrong with making money.  There is nothing wrong with making a ton or a little money.  It is a resource.  Some value it more than others.  I do wish people understood it better, but that is a completely different conversation.

Where do you go from here?

ACTION ITEM:  Follow the List Below

  1. Do set a goal for your income.  It’s important to you and your family.  Take actions to fulfill the goal then 10X it.
  2. Also set a goal for autonomy.  Where would you like to have more freedom?  Or, what do you need to do to earn more freedom?
  3. Seek out a new challenge.  Learn a new language, plan a vacation, start a blog, etc. Successful people love a new challenge.  Seek and destroy!

Halftime Adjustments for 2014

Screen Shot 2014-06-22 at 3.50.20 PM We’re about a week away from June 30, which is also the halfway mark of 2014.

Pretty hard to believe isn’t it?  

It’s almost time for the 4th of July and it’s a really great time for reflection.  If you haven’t gone back and looked at your 2014 goals, now is the time.  Every all-time great coach understood the art of making halftime adjustments to win.  This should be no different for you or I. I’m a glass half full kind of guy, and there is half of the year left to achieve my goals.  If you don’t have goals written down, do it soon!  You have the rest of 2014 to achieve them. Good goals follow the acronym S.M.A.R.T.

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Achievable
  • Results-Focused
  • Timely

In order to help the audience, I’m going to share with you some of my personal goals and precisely where I stand.  Although I may not share with you the exact number (for personal privacy reasons), I will tell you what I’m doing about each of them.

  1. Debt Reduction Goal – My wife and I had the goal to have zero debt (with the exception of our house) by August 1, 2014.  I can tell you we will accomplish this goal by the beginning of July.  This feels fantastic!  It provides a tremendous amount of freedom and flexibility for us to attack all that life has to offer without fear.
  2. Savings Goal – Along with our debt reduction goal, we have a goal to maintain growth in our savings to hopefully build a house some day.  I can tell you we’re about 70% along the way to our goal today.  Maintaining our current plans should put us in a position to achieve the goal by September or October of 2014.
  3. Vacation Goal (Unplug Time) – Our goal was to take a great vacation before the baby arrives in August.  Beth and I spent five days in San Francisco this spring and it was AWESOME.  At the end of this post, there are a few quick pics to document our visit.  We relaxed, walked a TON, and enjoyed each other’s company without phone calls, emails, and interruption.  I highly encourage you to do this in 2014 if you haven’t already.
  4. Income Goal – I have a goal to increase my income 35% in 2014.  I thought about this a great deal a few months back and I’ve had to reevaluate where I’m spending my time and who I’m spending it with.  I had NO chance of hitting my target.  I will tell you I got angry with myself and had to reflect on what I was doing to positively impact this goal.  I can tell you I’ve seen a great deal of change after a serious self evaluation and I’m excited to see where 2014 ends up.  More to come on this at year-end!
  5. Volunteer Goal – I set a goal to volunteer three times in 2014 at places where I’ve never done ANYTHING for in the past.  This would cause me to get uncomfortable, meet new people, and help with others.  This next statement is extremely selfish, but it is the truth.  When I volunteer, I feel really great afterwards.  I need to get my ass in gear on this one.  I’ve got six months left to make good on this promise.
  6. Daily Focus/Meditation Goal – This year I committed to spending a focused amount of time daily clearing my mind and more recently practicing meditation.  It’s something I picked up early in 2014 and something I’ve fallen in love with.  The goal is to spend 20 to 30 minutes focused on relaxation and transforming my thoughts.  The challenge in this goal is the word DAILY.  I’m going to work harder on the daily focus of this goal because I can literally feel the results in my efforts when I remain diligent in the process.

I hope you enjoyed my look at a few of the goals I’m attacking in 2014.  I hope this will give you the energy and excitement you need to tackle your goals.  It’s extremely helpful for me to share these goals publicly for accountability.

ACTION ITEM: Take a moment to review your 2014 goals.  If you don’t have them, work some time into your schedule to get them written down.  Next, it’s truthful reflection time.  What’s keeping you from attaining the goal?  Lastly, here is a link to Tony Robbins goal setting workbook.  It’s fantastic.

San Fran Pics:

Zac & Beth visit Google World Headquarters

Zac & Beth visit Google World Headquarters

San Francisco Selfie

San Francisco Selfie

View from our patio

View from our patio

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge

The Beauty in Paranoia

I don’t think paranoia is a dirty word when used correctly.

When you think of paranoia, how do you feel?

  • Anxious
  • Worried
  • Scared
  • Cowering
  • Trembling

A couple weeks ago, I was watching an episode of Shark Tank I had on the DVR and Robert Herjavec said something I’ll never forget to a show guest.

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The Most Paranoid Wins

He said, “In this and any other business, the most paranoid wins!”

The most paranoid wins?  Are you nuts?

This statement may have sent shock waves through thousands of viewers throughout the country, but I think they’re missing the boat.

Paranoia in business isn’t about fear, Xanax, or meetings with a mental health professional.  I believe it’s the exact opposite.  Paranoia in business is about being proactive.  The more paranoid, the more prepared.  This was Robert’s point.

The business world today is being recreated weekly if not daily.  New triggers and trends are impacting our world from hundreds of different angles.  Mistakes are being made in the thousands if not millions, and people are learning from these mistakes at a phenomenal rate.  The business owner looking for funding on this specific project wasn’t paranoid enough and Robert sensed it with his super-human shark senses.

That said, how can you be more paranoid about your business today so you don’t make the same mistake?  Below is a list of five questions you can ask to be better prepared (or more paranoid).

  1. What keeps your client awake at night?
  2. How can you make your product/service offering better immediately to the end user?
  3. What are you missing to achieve more scale with your efforts?
  4. Are you building a business or collecting transactions? (There is a difference)
  5. Have I taken time alone this week to think about our client/customer?

Paranoia in business revolves around two key words.  Solutions focused.  Paranoid leaders are challenging leaders inspecting their team’s work and process.  Paranoid leaders think of their offerings from the client perspective instead of always from the business owner’s viewpoint.  Paranoid leaders don’t know all the answers, but they’re not afraid to ask the questions.

Lastly, paranoid leaders think a great deal about their PEOPLE.  Are they challenged? Are they having fun? Are they growing personally and professionally?  This is the leader’s responsibility, and the paranoid leader isn’t afraid to challenge themselves to get better daily.

shark-tank-rober-herjavec

Tough times never last; tough people always do

ACTION ITEM: Try and be a little more paranoid this week and utilize one or a few of the five questions listed above.  If you put them to use and see results, I’d love it if you’d share your outcome with the group.

You Wouldn’t Believe What Happened To Me

You Wouldn't Believe

I don’t know about the rest of you but I’m 100% sure I’m tired of hearing this.  “You wouldn’t believe what happened to me!”

I’m not entirely sure when it happened, but I feel like one of our biggest challenges societally is victim thinking.  It’s a borderline epidemic in our country and continues to spread.  Like any horrible plauge, “this one is airborne,” so watch out! keep-calm-and-avoid-the-plague-5

If you’re unsure or may have a tough time putting your finger on what I mean exactly I’ve listed a few of my personal victim thought favorites below:

  • It must be nice to have <insert anything you deem of monetary value>
  • My boss just doesn’t get it.  She doesn’t want me to succeed
  • Nothing ever seems to fall in my lap like it does for <insert friend>
  • We never have any money to do what we want
  • I can’t do that.  They’ll never let me!
  • Zac is sooooo lucky.  I wish I was that lucky
  • Woe is me…

Do you know any of these people?  I know I sure do and there is one common thread in all victim thinkers.  Everything happens to them, nothing happens because of them.

EVERYTHING HAPPENS TO THEM, NOTHING HAPPENS BECAUSE OF THEM (Caps = Me YELLING!)

If you’ve read previous posts on this blog you’ll know I despise “Keeping Up With the Joneses” or living someone else’s life.  I liken victim thinking challenge as equal to the challenges noted in the last sentence facing us today.

It’s easy to live wanting, hoping, wishing, and EMPTY lives.  It’s easier to explain to those around you that it’s entirely someone else’s fault for: where you are, who you are, and what you may become.  You’re a punching bag and everyone seems to get two turns throwing haymakers.

Stop.  Good news alert!

There are three holes in our head we can focus on to impact massive change to victim thinking.  They are:

  1. Your mouth
  2. Your left ear
  3. Your right ear

The simple control of what comes out of #1 and into the latter two holes is life changing.  The beauty and simplicity of this is each of us controls this choice.  No one makes it for us.

If you have 12 minutes (and I know you do) you must meet Sam Berns.  He makes every word written on this post come to life!  Sam could easily be a victim, but he made the difficult choice not to be.

 ACTION ITEM:  Control victim thinking with your ears by being able to spot it quickly and decisively.  The next choice is up to you.  My common response is “run like hell” when you hear it.   The second control should be predictable.  Speak less often about what happens to you, and find opportunities to reflect on things that happen because of you.

Lastly, if you find value in this message and have implemented any of the above or even have a comment for the readers of this blog I’d really love it if you would share.  It would mean a great deal to me personally!!