Persistent – Going Beyond Average

We know about averages because we have high performers and low performers. Somewhere near the middle of those two extremes we have the average performers.

People often talk about what could have been, what they knew would work but they never tried, and what they tried but because luck was against them it didn’t work. Let’s face it, not everything will work on the first try, and some things that we try may never work; but successful people are persistent.

Persistence often makes the difference between those that achieve something great and those that settle for mediocrity. While some people may be very happy with being average, many are looking at the top achievers and feeling envy. Those who are average but want to be more are often limited by their focus. Their focus is on being average, not achieving greatness.

If you are an average performer who wants more, stop just doing enough to get by. Being on top doesn’t come easily; persistence and focus make the difference between high achievers and average performers.

Look around – are you average? What are you doing about it?

-DEG

No Money

Success may sometimes be associated with a collection of money or material objects. Some may believe that the definition of success is wealth, measured by financial resources. This may be true for some, but many people measure success in a much different way. It may be having a family, a modest home, and the ability to earn an honest living. Still others may be striving for personal improvements such as obtaining a college degree, participating in various sports related activities, or making a career shift.

While there may be many factors associated with finding your success the following four I believe are most relevant:

1. Inspiration
2. Motivation
3. Commitment
4. Persistence

You can summarize these four factors with one word – passion. Money is important, but my belief is that no amount of money can replace true passion.

What is your passion?

- DEG

Get Moving!

Have you ever tripped, stumbled, or worse – hit the ground?  During the past three weeks I witnessed three different people in three completely different places – hit the ground. There was a little bit of pain, a little bit of embarrassment, but all three immediately were on their way again. Seeing these three separate events seemed very odd to me, but it made me think of an analogy that we may encounter in our lives or careers.

Things don’t always go as we may expect, but if we stumble, if we trip, if we fall we should get back up and continue our pursuit. Many people are dreaming of their success, and while success is different for everyone, we have at least one thing in common – the pursuit. During our pursuit we need to remain focused. When something unexpected happens we need to quickly check for damage, get up, brush off the dirt, and start moving again.

Have you stumbled? Get moving again!

- DEG

Growing from Stress

So much has already been written on the subject of how to reduce stress, have you considered what are the positive benefits (if any) of working through very stressful situations. I argue that there is a positive benefit, and the positive benefit is that you learn and grow from extreme stress.

 

Extreme stress allows you to discover what you are capable of, what really makes you tick, and how to better manage stress in the future. Here are a few examples of situations that may push you to achieve new growth:

1. College students, especially those maintaining both jobs and academic studies
2. Goal or quota expectations that are a stretch, but you find a way to make it happen
3. Unexpected change and adverse conditions that temporarily set you back
4. Managing work, life, and raising children, especially in single parent situations
5. Combinations of any of the items (1 - 4) listed above

Rather than being overcome by extreme stress, discover ways to push through it, learn from it and grow. Short term you may be out of balance with work and life commitments, but recognize that your decisions and choices can and will make a difference in the future.

Learn something about who you are, don’t eat crow – make a plan and GROW!

 

- DEG

The Grocery Store and Success

One of the chores I dislike the most is grocery shopping. A failure for planning what to buy and what meals to prepare leaves me open for a disastrous shopping experience. My dislike to for the experience positions me to want to move fast and make quick choices. My lack of planning often opens me up to be forgetful and leave the store without something I desperately needed. I know the solution to this problem. It is better planning and an appropriate pace, it is the discipline to want to overcome the negative outcomes and have a positive shopping experience.

Success in our personal or professional careers may be an analogy to the grocery store experience. The good news is that there is a solution to achieving success. It requires planning and an appropriate pace. Knowing the desired end result and creating a plan for a path to get there is important. Pursuing that path at an appropriate pace is also critical. Going too fast we may burn out early. Going too slow may limit our options, or we may find the doors closed as we approach a desired milestone.

Approaching your life and career unprepared and without a plan could limit your success.

What is your plan?

 

- 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

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.

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

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

Motivation Monday

Some people drag into Monday, others are excited and recharged, ready to get started.

Everyone is different. Everyone has their own needs and reasons to do what they have to do to earn a living. Many people simply want to be part of the team, they want to make a difference, and what is important to them is evidence of making an impact. Making an impact is critical for me. Regardless of the hard work, regardless of the risks and rewards, making a positive impact is what really motivates me for more.

It’s Monday and I’m motivated – are you?

- DEG

Motivation - Workplace Relationships Matter!

Organizations attempting to understand why their employee teams lack motivation may need to look no further than the personal on-the-job relationships that their employees share. Some schools of thought have been that organizations should discourage co-workers becoming friends considering that the imaginative future problems will outweigh any short-term positive results.

As the generations and their associated informal social policies shift over time, so do the values and beliefs that a new breed of workforce brings to the job. Organizations now more than ever may need to consider the impact of discouraging workplace friendships or downplaying the positive effects of emotional connections that people naturally make with each other. Many organizations claim to encourage a team approach and one of the most fundamental ways to build teams is through relationships. Many positive outcomes can occur when teams form strong interpersonal relationships, here are a few worth mentioning:

• sense of community
• creating shared history
• sense of obligation
• desire to belong

These and many other similar positive relationship building outcomes provide something many organizations seek – workplace motivation. Employees who fail to form relationships or worse yet are discouraged from forming relationships lack a sense of purpose in their work, or even worse, a sense of distrust in the organization. Organizations that discourage building relationships or a management philosophy that encourages tearing down cross-organizational relationships set themselves up for alienation that fuels cynicism, conflict, and a lack of enthusiasm for the mission at hand.

Do you desire a motivated and engaged workforce? Building effective and positive workplace relationships is an essential  ingredient for the motivation recipe. 

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Workplace Motivation and Fun

How is the energy at your workplace? Are employee’s motivated? How about teamwork, are groups working together effectively? Keeping employees motivated during these challenging times can be a difficult task. Many organization development experts would likely agree that managing motivation should come from strategic vision and not from a tactical approach.

A tactical approach is more of a “fighting fires” position; we throw something at the problem and see if it fixes it. This sometimes happens in the workplace through a Company picnic, a “fun” staff retreat, or even hired entertainment. While certainly there is a place for many of these activities and likely some benefits, this really only addresses the presenting problem.

A strategic approach would dig a little deeper to discover or analyze the root cause. Many people are quick to tell you that they believe motivation comes from within. If this is true, then each employee needs to discover their own individual motivators. Organizations should consider interventions that allow for individual values and motivators to be explored.