Values That Fit!

Goals and values represent foundational elements for your success. Here is the question you should be asking yourself, “Do my values fit within the framework of the path necessary to achieve my goals?”

Non-profits or for-profits, social work or investment banking, traditional construction or building green, harvesting trees or growing them, many people could make arguments for either side. What are your values? Do they align with your path for success?

Success and abundance are not always measured through money. Many experts believe that your passion is the foundation for your success. Values that don’t align or fit within the framework of your goals will cause confusion. Confusion causes hesitation, and hesitation may create fear. Fear is one of the roadblocks in the way of your success.

What are your values? Do they fit within the framework of your current path?

 

- DEG

Take Chances

“I didn’t stand a chance!”

How often have you heard this phrase? How often have you said it? Most people would likely agree on the meaning of this phrase to be - given a particular opportunity there was absolutely no possible way to win or be successful.

Many people lack the self-confidence to take risks. They view the risk associated with chance, as too risky. They see the opportunities in front of them as a disaster, a dead end, or something that they will never attain. If you try nothing new, take no risk, see opportunities through the lens of “I don’t stand a chance,” then guess what? You will never know the amount of success you could have achieved.

Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook fame has a motto, “Move fast and break things.” Apparently this motto was adopted as a core value in the organization. A core value which ultimately may have helped them achieve such high levels of success. They took chances, and so can you.

Risk isn’t for everyone, then again, neither is success. Are you taking chances?

 

- DEG

Who Are You?

What is your elevator speech? You know that short paragraph or expressions that describes who you are and what you do. 

Do you know who you are? Sometimes your inability to define who you are is not only a matter of not being up-to-date on your elevator speech, but it is a matter of understanding yourself.

Right now, I am asking you, “Who are you?” In our personal or professional lives we sometimes feel forced to be the person that someone else wants us to be. Worse yet we sometimes allow ourselves to become “invisible.” We become so introverted (introversion is not necessarily bad) that we fail to be noticed by others. Fear, pressure, and obedience represent at least three of the factors that may drive us into this place.

The good news is this, if you are truly determined to become successful you can break out of the mold or frame that you or others have placed upon you. Have courage to take your own path, forget about the pressure that someone else has placed on you; and obedience, well quite honestly that only brings one thought to my mind. Training a four legged furry creature we know as man’s best friend.

It is unlikely that someone else will make you successful, so only you can make YOU successful.

So I’m asking. Who are YOU?

 

- 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.

Leaders as Beginners

Sometimes the word leadership feels like it is overused, misused, and possibly abused. Recently I wrote a couple of blogs related to fear, such as the Fear of Choices and Fear of Success. This is another one to add to the list of things we fear. Often “leaders” fear being a beginner.

Leaders know everything. Leaders are the best of the best. Leaders have all the answers – right? Well, not exactly.

Let me give you something thought provoking. Do you know any “leaders” who avoid one or more of the following:

• the latest cellular telephone platform
• social media engagement and tools
• electronic media/marketing

Everybody starts somewhere, leaders – lead.

Being a winner starts as a beginner!

- DEG

Risk of No Risk

Everything around us is changing. Would you agree? We live in a world of constant change. Many people grow and adapt but some like the safety of their comfort zone, the safety of the status quo.

Some people cling to their comfort zone as a seemingly unstoppable force to reckon with, they put up a tremendous fight with comments such as:

“We tried that before a couple of years ago, it didn’t work then, it won’t work now.”

“We’ve always done it this way.”

Often priding themselves on their temporary victories they almost bully their co-workers, direct reports, and sometimes even their supervisors into their change resistant ways. They avoid risk at all costs. Change and the risk associated with it is too scary.

Here is the question that everyone should be asking themselves: If everything around us is changing, isn’t the riskiest position to take one of no risk at all? I see reasonable risk as something that reminds us that we are alive. That we have free will. That we control our own destiny.

What do you think?

 

- DEG