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

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

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