Stay Focused

Unexpected things happen. Circumstances and situations may sometimes anger us. Staying focused is the key to achieving your success.

When we replay thoughts from past negative experiences or are preoccupied with finding evidence to support negativity we tend to find what we are looking for – negativity. In this scenario our view shifts from seeking the positive to discovering reinforcement for new negative experiences.

The good news is that you can control what you see through your lens. If you stay focused by looking for positive situations and outcomes you can find them. You can resist anger and irritation and replace any negative thoughts with positive thoughts that support forward motion on your path to achieving your goals.

Take control of your state of mind – stay focused. 

What do you see?

 

- DEG

Finger Licking Good? No BAD!

On a recent visit to the grocery store I noticed something terrible. It made me think about big mistakes we may be making that we don’t even realize we are doing.

While shopping I noticed a lady selecting raw packaged meat from the refrigerated section and placing the packaged meat into the sanitary bags that are provided in that section. My understanding is that those additional bags are to help prevent the spread of nasty germs (bacteria, virus) from raw meat. What’s the problem here?  She was touching the packages, grabbing the sanitary bags and separating them by first licking her fingers. Nice.

Rolling this into our lives or careers, we should ask for feedback on performance. Recognize that you may not always like what you hear but take a risk and get some feedback. Even hard working, good upstanding employees are sometimes oblivious to critical errors.

Don’t give a lick discover how to do the trick! 

- DEG

Create Opportunities

“The early bird gets the worm.”

Many of us have heard this and some of us have shared this as an analogy, but how many of us are looking for more opportunities? Many people are looking for more opportunities; opportunities for sales, financial freedom, or for new levels of personal or professional success.

Based on news reports and evidence based analysis many would likely agree that the world economy is shifting. This isn’t the bad news, it is the good news. A shifting economy creates change, change creates more opportunities.

Do you want more good news? Opportunities are created when we are persistent in our efforts and work both smart and hard. Simply put, being persistent and engaged in our pursuit of continued success creates more exposure for our desired outcomes. More exposure creates more opportunities.

Do you want more opportunities? Create them!

 

- DEG

Confidence Required

This may seem very apparent but have you ever noticed that successful people have higher levels of self-confidence? In many cases they may analyze choices, options, and strategy in a completely obsessive manner but regardless they still have confidence.

Is this a chicken and the egg scenario? Which comes first?

Self-confidence is typically considered to be made up of two primary factors, self-efficacy and self-esteem. Lower levels of one or both factors will result in a lower level of confidence. Here is the good news – both factors can be developed. You are not born with a fixed or predetermined level of self-confidence.

Do you want to improve your self-confidence? Here are two easy ways to get you on the right track:

1. Visualize your future, plan, prepare, be realistic and think about small wins on your way to your goal
2. Defeat negative self-talk, promise yourself you are committed to your success, surround yourself with positive people and thoughts

Successful people are confident. They have healthy amounts of both self-efficacy and self-esteem. They are balanced.

Do you have the confidence required?

Don’t think it - know it, get it, grow it!

 

- 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