Beware of the Masquerade

There is an old mantra, “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” Many of us have probably heard this or other similar rants regarding people and friendships. If you explore the discussion of friends in the workplace you will often come across people who are very willing to tell their story about a once beautiful friendship that has gone painfully wrong.

There may be many reasons for this, some of which include: misunderstandings, poorly communicated changes, and unfortunately -jealously. It is one thing to be aware of a problem or grievance with a person, but it is yet another type of situation when people are masquerading themselves as a very close friend, meanwhile they do not have your best interest in mind.

Friends matter, people matter, and relationships that you build matter, what doesn’t matter is trying to please those persons who will never share in your enthusiasm, energy, and success. There will always be someone who doubts you, there will always be someone who is jealous or envious, and there will be someone who pretends to be your friend who is not. Don’t get caught in the masquerade trap, free yourself and stay focused.

Here is the great part. You have the option to take a position, your position. Make the decision to pursue what you believe and you will feel alive, free, and focused. Accept advice, listen to friends, but beware of the masquerade.

It’s a party I’m not attending – are you?

- DEG

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