Do You Seek Solutions, Or Make Excuses?

Whether you're serving in a position of leadership, or are an Independent Contractor, whose income and career success is based on your performance (e.g. sales, etc), or are employed, and seek a promotion, you will never be served well, by constantly looking for an excuse, either to avoid personal blame, receive criticism, or for any other reason/ purpose! This also holds true in every aspect of your personal life, because, there, too, one must avoid complaining or blaming, or excuses, when taking action, or doing something is called for! 

Truly successful people always seek solutions, even if taking some shortcut, might be temporarily easier, or the simpler path! While most polls indicate politicians are among the least popular/ trusted individuals (in any career path), why is it, we don't recognize, many of us, do precisely, in our personal and professional lives, what we dislike in others?! It seems, nearly every day, we witness some prominent elected official, who constantly contradicts himself, proceeds with conflicts between his promises and actions, and with apparent disregard to genuine integrity! Why should anyone trust and believe in anyone, who blames, complains, and makes excuses, rather than taking personal responsibility, and seeking the best possible solutions?

How about you, personally? When something goes in some way, other than the most desirable one, how will you react/ respond? Will you behave as the antelope does, painting your behind white, and running with the herd, seeking popularity, rather than solutions? As Robert Frost wrote, when you come to that fork in the road, which path will you select, the easier one, or the less - traveled one, with greater potential, relevance and possibilities?

Avoid terminal excusitis before it destroys your potential, etc! Give yourself a checkup, from the neck up, and proceed with the right combination of self - confidence, integrity, and effective wisdom!

How Do You DECIDE, In Everything You Do?

Whether it pertains to our personal lives, profession/ career/ occupation, or some, volunteer position of leadership, etc, we must proceed, in a way, where we understand, appreciate, and are willing and able, to make quality, well - considered decisions. However, in order to use this trait/ ability, to the best, possible, advantage, let's review, how we DECIDE, in everything we do!

1. Delve deeply; deliver: Don't merely generalize, or permit any personal bias and/ or prejudgment, determine how we decide! Rather, delve deeply, and thoroughly, and consider, what you hope to achieve, consider and deliver. A leader is often called upon to make essential decisions, but how can he do so, if he hasn't fully considered the possibilities? A Realtor, for example, must determine a strategy, and his results, are often determined, by how good it is, and how one proceeds and behaves. In our personal lives, do you ever think about what you are seeking?

2. Evolve: Don't get hung - up, on the past, or stuck - in - the - mud? Rather, realize, in everything you do, you must continuously evolve, while learning from one's experiences, etc!

3. Consider; clever: Consider the options, and do so, in a clever, thorough, comprehensive, relevant manner!

4. Ideas; imagination; integrity: Are you a person - of - ideas, with the imagination, to consider what might be? Never abandon your commitment to absolute integrity!

5. Destiny: Do you consider it, your destiny, to be all - you - can - be? How will you assure the destiny you seek, by your actions, deliberations, and actions?

6. Energy; emphasis: Will you simply go through the motions, or proceed with the highest level of energy and quality? Is your emphasis, consistently focused, in a way, which addresses your needs, concerns, priorities and objectives?

The quality of your decision - making, will make a significant difference, in every aspect of your life! How will you DECIDE? 

Feel Better About Anything You Do?: Will You Be PROUD?

Whether you decide you want to be a better, happier individual, better at your occupation/ profession, or serve more effectively, in a leadership - type position (for either an organization and/ or civic group), doesn't it make sense, you'll perform better, feel better about what you're doing or trying to achieve, etc, if you feel PROUD of the quality and intents of your actions and behavior? 

1. Perform; proper; priorities: Let's consider your occupation and/ or profession. If you're a real estate agent, financial adviser, etc, if you lack the ethics, integrity, etc, how will you perform to the best of your potential? Do you feel, honestly, you are doing the proper thing? How do you create, determine and set your priorities, and are they worthwhile?

2. Relevant; realistic; right: Are your priorities relevant? Are you realistic in your expectations and considerations? Will you commit to consistently doing the right thing?

3. Options; opinions: How often will you consider your options? Are your opinions valid, and valuable?

4. Useful: Do you consistently proceed in the most useful way?

5. Delve deeply: Delve deeply and determine the truth about yourself and your beliefs!

Are you willing to give yourself a checkup, from the neck up? 

Demand Your Personal BEST Efforts!

One of the challenges, many of us face, is asking, or demanding from others, things you won't even personally commit to! Not only is it unfair, but quite unrealistic! Remember, whether it's in your personal life, related to how you you conduct business (for example, in real estate, your expectations of how other agents and/ or customers/ clients might proceed), or in any position you serve (on a professional and/ or volunteer basis), you must lead the way! It's not enough to strive for good - enough, but rather, you must have enough pride, and inner fortitude, to consistently, demand your personal BEST efforts!

1. Benefits; bring it; beliefs: How beneficial are your plans, approaches and agenda, both to you, and to others, you interact with? Greatness comes from focus and bringing it, in everything you do, every day! Coordinate benefits and beliefs, into making you better, and more effective!

2. Empathy; excellence; efforts: Will you prioritize excellence, and focus on quality solutions, rather than settling for less than your personal, best efforts? Will you consistently proceed with the highest level of true empathy, and become the best you can possibly be?

3. System; strengths: Conceive of, create, develop, and implement, the best system, which you can believe in, and use effectively! Know both your strengths and weaknesses, and use areas, where you are strongest, while addressing and acknowledging weaknesses!

4. Timely; true; trends: Whatever you do, be sure you remain true, to your personal beliefs, and maintain absolute integrity, consistently! Know current trends, so you can productively and effectively, evolve, as necessary! Never procrastinate, especially when you face obstacles, but rather transform obstacles to challenges (NEVER, problems!), and then transform challenges to opportunities, and quality action plans, by proceeding in a well - considered, timely manner!

Is your BEST effort, truly, the best you can do! Take personal pride in everything you can do, and seek the best course of action!

How Well Do You Know THY SELF?

In your personal life, professional career, and/ or civic volunteerism, many of us, consistently face the challenge, of failing to know ourselves, nearly as well as we should! Ask yourself, Do you Know THY SELF?

1. Truth; trust: Will you tell yourself the truth, every time? Why should others trust you, if you don't even trust yourself, or your opinions, or your reasons for doing?

2. Heart; head: Do you realistically know your strengths and weaknesses, and examine what's in your head, by giving yourself a checkup from the neck up? Do you have a caring heart? Will you be ready, able and willing to balance your emotional and logical components, in a head/ heart balance?

3. You: What do you like, and what don't you like about you? Why?

4. Service; smarts: Are you committed to quality service? Do you have the smarts to make you a true leader, better professional, etc?

5. Empathy; excellence: Are you committed to personal excellence, even when taking a shortcut might be more expedient or appear easier? Will you use your two ears far more than your one mouth, and commit to proceed with caring and empathy?

6. Listen; learn: Becoming the best you can be, means committing to listen effectively, and learn from everything you hear, experience, etc!

7. Face facts: Will you be true to yourself, and face the facts, without burying your head in the sand? Are you the best you can possibly be?

Know THY SELF, and you'll be better at everything you do! Will you make that personal commitment?

How A Positive Attitude Makes You Better?

Whether you want to experience less stress, and be more effective, in your personal life, or in your professional and/ or civic one, you must be ready, able and willing, to proceed, consistently, with a positive, can - do manner and attitude! Follow the adage, Whatever the mind of man perceives and conceives of, it can achieve! Or, as Henry Ford is generally credited with saying, You can believe you can, or believe you cannot. Either way, you'll be correct! 

We all face obstacles, in every aspect of our lives! How do you perceive, conceive and handle these times? Do you perceive them as problems, or challenges to overcome? If they are challenges, you will focus on solutions, and proceed accordingly. Problem - based thinking, often drives people to hide their heads in the sand, and procrastinate!

You've already defeated yourself, if your attitude is less than a positive one! How can you possibly be successful, unless you begin, by believing in yourself? 

When you begin with a positive attitude, your personal, self - confidence, and willingness to think outside the box, and think of alternatives, is exponentially enhanced! One can never live up to his potential, if he makes excuses, rather than seeks viable solutions!

How's your personal attitude? 

What Do You LIKE To Do?: It Makes All The Difference!

Most studies indicate, in order for someone to be productive, happy and satisfied, in every area of their life, including personal, occupational/ professional, and volunteering/ leadership, etc, the individual must be happy, and LIKE what he does! It must provide him satisfaction, joy, and a personal feeling of achievement, etc. If you fail to like what you do, you'll be extremely challenged, in making the best decisions, etc., and, at the end of the day, feeling either happy or self - satisfied.

1. Learn; listen; look: Are you willing to take a deep, look - inside, and proceed with objective introspection? Are you fooling yourself, or merely trying to fit in, or will you learn as much about your needs, and priorities, and listen effectively to what you hear, and understand relevant matters, more effectively and thoroughly?

2. Ideas; integrity; ideology: Will you maintain your true ideology, and never abandon your allegiance to absolute integrity, simply to take a short - cut, etc? How to you consider, both your ideas, and the ideas others present?

3. Knowledge; keep: How do you accumulate knowledge, and determine what is relevant, and what lacks it? Are you capable of keeping control of whatever is most significant, and makes you feel better, not for the short - term, but in the longer - run?

4. Excellence; empathy: Are you a self - centered, narcissistic individual, or will you move ahead with quality empathy, on a regular, consistent basis? Will you be satisfied with a marginal, mediocre performance, or consistently demand excellence from yourself, etc?

Take the time, to give yourself, a checkup, from the neck - up! Determine what you LIKE to do, and your reasons, certain things make you feel better, stronger and happier! 

PREPARE To Be Your Personal Best!

Whether it's regarding your personal life, or a professional or organizational activity, it is important to realize, anything of importance, requires quality planning and preparation. Let's look at the mnemonic approach, to best PREPARE, to be your personal best!

1. Planning; perceptions: We each have certain perceptions about ourselves, and others we come into contact with! What we perceive and conceive, we can achieve! Will you dedicate yourself, in everything you do, and all aspects of your life, to learn the key components of professional, quality, effective planning?

2. Relevant: Don't sweat the petty stuff, but don't overlook the possibilities and alternatives! Know what's relevant and differentiate it, from what is relatively less significant or important!

3. Excellence: Expect the very best from yourself, and never settle for good - enough or mediocre. Be the best you can be, by demanding personal excellence, in everything you do!

4. Possibilities: Differentiate possible from probable, but try to consider the possibilities, in order to best prepare!

5. Attitude; attention: Proceed with a can - do, positive attitude, and pay particular attention to details, possibilities and alternatives! How much attention to detail, are you willing to commit to?

6. Reliable; reasonable; reasoning: Are your ideas reasonable, and have you dedicated your energies to enhance your reasoning? How reliable are you, both in your eyes, as well as how others perceive you?

7. Empathy: Will you listen effectively, and devote yourself to learning as much about others, as possible? Speak less, and listen more! Using empathy makes you the best you can be!

Don't assume, but PREPARE to become your personal best! Focus, prepare and do what you need to do!

Handling Stress: Is Stress Your Friend, or Enemy?

Whether it's in your personal life, professional career, or involves some leadership position, you either hold, or seek, it's important to realize, stress will always exist. The Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Hans Selye, broke stress into 2 categories: 1) Harmful stress; and 2) Eustress, or useful stress.

Unfortunately, most of us, experience stress, but few take advantage of the experience. One's options are to either let it defeat you, and emit fears, uneasiness, etc, or to learn and become better, and developing the ability to, not only experience stresses, but become better because of them!

When we let stress become harmful, some of the side effects include:

1) Almost - debilitating fears
2) Losing control
3) Losing one's focus
4) Stop considering alternatives
5) Become nearly paralyzed, by the emotions.

However, when one learns to transform his stresses, from harmful, to eustress, he becomes stronger and more capable. Some of the advantages include:

1) Eliminating wasting time, by thinking on your feet
2) Learning, gaining experience, and getting better, after every experience
3) More focused judgement and acumen
4) Open - minded, alternatives/ options based
5) Far less wasted time!

It's up to you - Will your stress be harmful, or transformed to eustress? Become a better person, and potentiate your possibilities, to excel, by proceeding with a consistent, can - do, positive attitude!

Since We All Sell Something, Doesn't It Make Sense, To Do So Effectively?

Everything in life involves some sort of selling and/ or sales. We each either sell a service, product, and/ or one's self, on a constant basis! However, most individuals, fail to live up to, or achieve to their potential, because, they often proceed, in a less than optimum basis, either because they don't know, don't understand, or fear doing what's most necessary, to make a difference for the better. To consider this, let's review the 5 Basic Steps To Close Any Sale, By Answering Objections:

1. Rephrase the concern/ objection: Don't rush to react or respond! Rather, wait, resist the temptation, and get a better idea of what the other person is saying. Otherwise, you risk opening up a Pandora's Box! Suggested phrase: In other words, you're concerned about . . . Then wait to continue until the other party acknowledges and agrees with his concern, before responding.

2. Empathy: Suggested phrase: I can perfectly understand your concerns. In fact, I and most others, have had the same concerns, until they understood certain things . . . 

3. Answer: Thoroughly, completely and fully, answer the question, concern and/ or objection, to the satisfaction of the other person. Do so, slowly and thoroughly, and wait for some sort of acknowledgment (usually non - verbal, such as a head - nod), before continuing.

4. Recreate the need: Suggested phrase: In light of what we've discussed, and . . . (then review some of the basic highlights).

5. Close: Suggested phrase: Doesn't it make sense to . . .  (Then use the three - options approach, such as Is $5,000 good, $10,000 better, or does some other figure make more sense for you?)

Follow this up, with ZTL, or Zip the Lip! Remember the rule, He who speaks first, usually loses! If all else fails, use the phrase, May I make a suggestion? Wait for an acknowledgment, and then repeat the original proposal!

Want to sell more effectively? Learn, use and become comfortable with this 5- Step approach!