Growing or Shrinking?

Some people change and grow. They get more mature, have better thoughts, healthier habits, and improved social skills.

Some people change and regress. They go back to poor habits, they lose faith in their ability to achieve, they lose hope, and they get worse as a person.

Are you growing or shrinking? There are three simple steps to keep you focusing on growth, they are:

1. Accurately self-assess
2. Focus on positive past accomplishments and outcomes
3. Be self-disciplined and commit to role modeling positive behaviors

There is a distinct difference between those who achieve more through growth, and those who regress and revert back to poorer performance or regressed habits.

Are you growing?

 

- DEG

Beyond My Control

“It was beyond my control!”

Circumstances may sometimes be beyond our control but our lives should not be driven by circumstances. We should be driving the outcomes and accepting the responsibility for the choices that we make. Blaming others, or blaming “circumstances” for unfavorable outcomes in your life may help ease the sense of discipline, responsibility, and accountability but it will not change future outcomes.

Not every decision or choice may be the best but we have the opportunity to continuously seek new paths or directions as we analyze the outcomes of our choices. Even the smartest and most visionary minds of today sometimes make bad choices. The difference between those who are successful and those who are not is that successful people accept responsibility and make changes. 

Acceptance of responsibility gives us the opportunity for personal growth. It gives us the opportunity to learn from mistakes, and most importantly it gives us the opportunity for another choice, the choice to get it right. 

It’s not beyond your control – it’s waiting for you. Are you going to take this opportunity or leave it “on the table?”

 

- DEG

Success and Abundance

Success and abundance have something in common. What one person considers success another may not. Creating abundance may not be different than creating success, it may simply mean creating an oversupply.

Our mind is a powerful tool. As a society many people thrive on the drama, the negativity, and all that is wrong instead of focusing on all that is positive and good. We turn on the news, we check our social media applications, and we listen to friends. Often we hear bad news and we read and hear negative and energy zapping complaints.

Can we train our brain? I believe the answer is yes. Chemical reactions in our brain play a role in how we respond to situations, especially in the areas of happiness and stress. Flood your brain with what you have accomplished, think about it often, refresh and wipe out negatives with positives.

Success, you define it, abundance you create it!

- DEG

Unstoppable Success

Some people are having unstoppable success. Some people are having unstoppable failures. Some people are just rolling through life, not exceedingly successful and not an absolute failure.

Many people take the easy road in life. They will let life happen to them, instead of making it work for them. This is the easy road because they accept little or no responsibility for their choices or actions. In their mind, what happens is what happens, it is an unchangeable fate.

There are at least two important points to consider:

1. You define what success means to you
2. You create it, but only if you choose to

What are you experiencing? Unstoppable success, unstoppable failure, or are you just rolling through life?

I know my choice – what is yours?

 

- DEG

Setback or Comeback

Sometimes it feels like life just isn’t fair. We try really hard, we follow societal standards and guidelines, we don’t break any rules, and we still have a feeling of coming up short. We could sell our story as the next box office drama or donate it to Nashville for a good country song.

Setbacks are a part of life. Disappointments happen and backup plans fail. So often we view others as having it better, we feel they got lucky, or they have family money. Some of this may be true but we still have choices. We can choose to let life happen to us, or we can make it happen for us. We can simply survive in the threat of more setbacks, or we can thrive in the reality of comebacks.

Leave setbacks in the past, move forward with what you have learned, create your way, and find your path.

Are you thriving, or just surviving?

- DEG

The Good Fight

People are people. People exist, function, and build character based in-part on their emotionally triggered behaviors. People get frustrated with other people. Sadly, some people serve as road blocks, inhibiting others on their way to a better place.

People may fight you, not physically but emotionally, intellectually, or through the power they may have over you either in your job or other manifestations of your life. Fight the good fight; don’t let these temporary roadblocks inhibit your path to your greater destiny. Your ultimate destiny is in front of you, but you choose the path of greatness or mediocrity. Remember you are in-charge.

Nearly every successful person I come in contact with has a story, a story of the good fight.

What is your story?

- DEG

Backwards Energy

“Never look back” this and other mantra’s seem almost commonplace in our lives. Everyone who has had a rough day, a rough week, or some on-going difficulty has often heard this or similar advice. It’s good advice.

 

In some cases looking back can give us energy. We find comfort in things that are familiar; we fondly remember happy moments with friends and family, moments of inspiration and happiness. We draw energy from those positive moments of the past. Here are a few examples:

“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard that song, it was so great to hear it again.”

“I haven’t been here [a place] in years, I forgot how awesome it is here.”

“It’s been awhile since my last workout, wow that felt good.”

Reflecting on past successes, past moments of happiness and inspiration help us build positive hope for the future. Make today a day you look back, not at the moments that bring you down, but at the moments that brought you up. There are more of those in your future, you control your destiny and you can make it happen!

 What is your energizing memory?

- DEG

Dream of Homemade Ice Cream

It was special because we made it to celebrate. It was mysterious because it was concocted from a “secret” formula. It felt worth it because the anticipation was almost unbearable. 

Special, mysterious, and worth it – as we process through life’s ups and downs, career changes, successes, and even setbacks or failures we never forget how it felt. Some believe that we are driven by our emotions, and a passionate pursuit of life and success. Definitions of success vary considerably from person-to-person but everyday millions and millions of people awake to experience another day in the pursuit of everything from survival to chasing dreams.

I have a dream, it is special, mysterious, and worth it. I can almost taste it now.

What is your dream? 

 

- DEG

Unrealized Customer Expectations

Manager: This will save us money.

Employee: I don’t think that is what the customer wants.

Manager: I think they will be fine with this.

Nearly every day I witness first hand, or hear about bad business decisions. When the quality or value of product or service offerings decrease so does customer satisfaction.

Sometimes good employees make bad decisions. They hear about economic woes and being engaged and committed to the organization (not to mention empowered) they make decisions that affect the customer. Many of these choices seem insignificant at the time, but become deal breakers later. Unrealized customer expectations are a leading cause of customer dissatisfaction and loss.

When the customer, or economic buyer, of a good or service also faces tough times, they too will make changes. Where do they start? If they are smart, they eliminate vendors or strategic partners who provide the least value. Price is important, but value is what should be the basis of the decision. Value represents itself in various ways, it may be quality, reputation, experience, value add (niceties), and even the feeling (emotions) of the transaction.

Don’t forget that nearly every organization has both internal and external customers. The same “rules” apply.

Do you know what your customers need? Do you know what they expect? If yes, how do you know? (Guesses or “I think” may not be good enough.)

- DEG

Victim or Champion

There are those who are always blaming someone else when their decisions turn out bad. Often referring to themselves as the victim they tend to view outcomes of their life as fate or some predetermined destiny.

If we believe in fate, then we must also believe in the concept that fate presents us with choices. Those choices and their associated outcomes are not predetermined, but provide us with opportunity. While it may be true that we can be the victim of a crime, we have an opportunity to create our own destiny.

Successful people persevere, they take risks, confront fears, and they assume responsibility for their future. They are not the victims of their own life, they are the champions.

Are you creating your destiny? Are you a champion?

- DEG

Always Changing

We get bored with the “same old – same old” so we change. We face a conflict or controversy so we do something different the next time by changing. We learn about a new product or service that peaks our interest and we try it, so we have changed.

High achievers reach for change, they get excited about change, and they do something that others don’t – they find energy and motivation in change. Often bored with the status quo they innovate. They don’t procrastinate or hesitate, instead they get things started by doing something great.

Successful people change, not by force, but by desire.

When was your last change?

- DEG

New Sneakers

The other kid on the playground, your brother or sister, or the kid down the street; I remember whenever I got a new pair of sneakers that I was suddenly faster. I could challenge the other kids, run hard and run fast. I wouldn’t quit, I couldn’t give up, and often I could win. It probably wasn’t that I was exceptionally fast, and I did get beat, but it was because I was determined that I could do it.

A positive mindset, determination, and a never give up attitude. Many of us may have experienced “the sneakers make us faster” scenario. Do these childhood experiences carry on in our hearts forever? Desire, determination, and a positive mind set may make the difference for adults who want to create success.

It’s not too late, put on a new pair of sneakers!

- DEG

Don’t Hesitate

Disappointment, struggle, and stress, we face challenges every day. So often we allow ourselves to get caught up in the negative side of life. We don’t talk about that fantastic customer service experience; we talk about the two we hated the most. We don’t say how great we feel, we complain of the headache, backache, and arthritic pains.

Sometimes we take for granted the things that provide us with happiness, hope, and inspiration. We forget everything that we have accomplished, the challenges that we have faced, and the difficulties that we have overcome. Everyone has the ability to create their own destiny. Taking a positive approach to getting there may make the difference between those who achieve it and those only dream it.

Take a risk and make some positive changes. No regrets, be smart, work hard, and most of all don’t hesitate - take action.

Believe in Success

Many people believe in success, they have faith that their dreams of success will become reality. They understand the 3 P’s of success: practice, persistence, and patience are required. They are largely optimistic and are relentless.

Then there are those who envy others success, they claim to be unlucky and assign blame for their shortcomings. They are the haters of success. It is easier to cast hate and blame than to be responsible and take action. Often feeling that they are entitled to more they strike out at those they feel obtained, or from their viewpoint “were given” unjustified success.

Success is what you make. Success is different for everyone. Believe in what you are shooting for, don’t be a hater, exercise the 3 P’s and you will be on the road to making a difference.

Believe in success!

 

- DEG

Positive Duty

Nearly everyone would agree that starting your day with a positive mindset is helpful and productive. Often it doesn’t take long until we encounter someone who is not so positive. We then have three choices, convert them to our positive way of thinking, allow them to bring us down, or just walk away.

Many people consider it their civic or moral duty to help convert them to more positive thoughts. You try to cheer them up, you encourage them to “look on the bright side,” sometimes you even put your own dignity at risk by making excuses for them. Is that noble, caring, and considerate? Yes, but should that occur at the expense of your own attitude? No, never.

You should never go so far as to allow others to bring you down to their unhealthy place of existence. Many people have heard the negative mantra: “misery loves company.” Don’t become the company. Consider another mantra: “take care of you!”

Encourage the positive, sometimes walk away, but never let them bring you down!

 

- DEG

Love the Underdog

Rocky Balboa from the famous Rocky movie series was a tremendous success as the underdog. There was the 1969 Super Bowl where the New York Jets defeated the then Baltimore Colts. In the 1980 Winter Olympic Games it was team U.S.A. that defeated the heavily favored Russian team. People often rally behind the underdog and sometimes develop strong dislike for the “popular” champion.

What is it about the underdog that we admire? Our desires to do something different, a feeling of hope for equity, or could it be a hidden lust for growth of our own self-confidence?

Underdogs are fighters, they are persistent, they seem to develop confidence through small wins. They often represent the person or team who has not had great success or who appears clearly out matched. They develop belief in themselves, take risks, embrace change, and jump in to get things started. 

Underdogs create their success. What’s stopping you?

- DEG

Do Something Epic

Epic is a hot word. People have epic experiences, laugh at epic jokes, and achieve success through epic moments.

Epic is a great word because it can make us value something enjoyable, spring us into action, and appreciate those who achieve the extraordinary. People are sometimes looking for motivation, and many believe that motivation is a truly intrinsic process. Popular wisdom suggests that there is a large part of motivation that is intrinsic, but if we have role models for achieving higher performance we may also discover intrinsic motivation. Positive role models do epic things; they create a call to action through their success, overcome adverse situations, and are a positive influence on others.

Epic sells - what are you selling?

- DEG

Hope – Strength or Weakness

Many people dream of success, they dream of a specific job, a career, or sometimes for financial freedom. Hope keeps people moving along, it can motivate, and it can make us persistent in our pursuit.

Hope can be a strength making us tough, resistant, persistent, and courageous.

Hope can be a weakness, making us too trusting, blindly conforming, wasteful (time and effort), and vulnerable.

Hope is great, use it in moderation, capitalize on the strengths and be aware of the weaknesses. Always remember that you are in charge of your own destiny. Do not hope it will happen, make it happen!

- DEG