January 2006

MARK'S DAILY THOUGHTS: January 2006

2006-01-01 - Happy New Year - It's New Year Resolutions Time
Happy New Year, and my best wishes to you for a super start to 2006. Everyone makes New Year resolutions, but the resolutions that "stick" are the ones where people have done two things in particular. (1) Establish in their mind "why" the resolution is important and (2) Take an action right away to make it happen. For your resolutions this year, think "Why" and "Action".

2006-01-02 - If you are Casual about it, you will become a Casualty
When you are casual in your approach to something, you will always get "casual results". People who have a burning desire to do whatever it takes will just pass you by. They are never casual about their goal and what they need to do to reach it. Be casual in your approach and you will become a casualty. Don't be a casualty, and set your mind to just get on with it.

2006-01-03 - Make Recovery of Equal Importance
Many times we say to ourselves, I am going to go exercise or to the movies, etc (some sort of recovery) if I can "fit it in". To keep our stress in check and have a more balanced life, we cannot treat recovery as a "fit it in" activity. Recovery should be one of the activities that go into your calendar with the same importance as other key work projects and other things should fit around them. Make recovery of equal importance in your life and you will feel less stressed.

2006-01-04 - Think a Step Ahead
Successful people are constantly thinking ahead. They are very good at thinking at least a step ahead of others. It keeps them forward focussed and often gives them ideas on how to get to their goals in a faster and less time consuming way. Think a step ahead today and you will see the power in doing it.

2006-01-05 - Surrender to your Goal
Successful people do whatever it takes to reach their goal. The goal is so important to them that they accept that they need to do anything that is necessary to help them get from where they are today to their goal. They basically surrender themselves to the goal. Everything they need to do that's between here and their goal is then OK to them!

2006-01-06 - Build Trust for Effective Remote Working
The foundation of working effective when remote (at a distance) is people trusting each other. Sometimes, miscommunication and other issues get blown out of proportion when people are at a distance. People who trust each other don't let small issues bother them. Make building trust a priority up front in working with people who are remote from you.

2006-01-07 - Practice it in your Head
Did you ever hear the story about the prisoner from the Vietnam War who spent his time in captivity playing 18 holes of golf on his home course every day in his head (hitting every shot perfectly). After he was finally released and went home, he played a round of golf on his home course and played dramatically better than he ever did before (Remember: he had not touched a golf club in many years). There's real power in practicing in your head. Try it today.

2006-01-08 - Keep your Commitments
If you want to be successful and also feel good about it, learn to keep your commitments (both to others and especially to yourself). When you honour your commitments, you build the discipline and confidence that provides the fuel for greater achievement. Skip a few commitments and it's like your fuel tank has a slow leak. Honour your commitments to keep your fuel tank "full" and achieve everything you can.

2006-01-09 - Towards or Away from your Goals
A good question to ask yourself every day is: "Have what I did today taken me towards or away from my key goals?" Every day we should be taking actions that are moving us forward towards out key goals in both our work and our private lives. What action(s) have you taken today?

2006-01-10 - You Make Mistakes - Mistakes Do Not Make You
Often when we make a mistake we personalise it too much. We believe we are a mistake (or a failure). When successful people make a mistake, they review why they made the mistake, understand the learning, and then move on right away. You can too. Everyone makes mistakes. Just remember to learn (from them) and leave it.

2006-01-11 - People are Motivated in Different Ways
Everyone is motivated in different ways. Successful leaders understand this and they interact with their people in different ways. A sure-fire way to fail as a leader is to treat everyone in exactly the same way. You will not get the best out of your people that way. Be consistent in your approach, but tailor your style and interactions to motivate your people in the way that works best for them (especially your stars).

2006-01-12 - Let Go of your Limiting Thoughts
Many people are really "boxing themselves in" because of their own limiting thoughts. They see themselves in a way that limits them. See yourself as capable to do only so much, and you will do "only so much". Break free of your limiting thoughts and the sky is the limit.

2006-01-13 - All's Well that Begins Well
You have heard the expression that all's well that ends well. However, things that end up well usually began well also, How we begin an effort with our preparation can make all the difference between a good result and a bad result. Anything doing right is worth beginning right and doing the right preparation.

2006-01-14 - Be a Finisher in a World of Starters
Ask any successful person and almost everyone would say that they became successful because they did not quit. The world is full of starters who stop when the going gets tough. People who get going at something and stick with it are the ones who achieve success. Be a finisher and achieve the success you deserve.

2006-01-15 - You are What You Think
You are the person you are today because of the way that you have thought in the past. Many people blame others or say it was because of "him" or "her" that I didn't advance. It's never because of "them"; it's because of "us" and how we thought. Your thinking can change and you can change. "Think" in possibilities and anything is possible.

2006-01-16 - Which Side of the Problem are You On?
Ever notice that when a problem arises you see two types of people emerge. One set only spends time talking about the problem and often making the problem larger in their mind than it really is. The other set of people begin immediately focusing on the solution and looking at the possibilities. Which side of the problem are you on?

2006-01-17 - Skip the "Good" to Concentrate on the "Best"
There are so many opportunities out there today, and we do not have enough time to address all of them. Sometimes, we have to give up some of the "good" ideas to concentrate on the "best" ideas. We should be continually evaluating our focus to make sure we are always applying our time to our "best" ideas.

2006-01-18 - Declare your Target, Focus and Take Action
Take a page from the Army's playbook when they fire a weapon. They pick a target, focus and then fire (take action). Too often we fire (take action) before we have clearly defined our target, let alone focus. Make sure you have your target (the goal) clearly defined first. A little time up front to make this clear is key. People who have a very clear target are then very creative and find the shortest way to it.

2006-01-19 - Act your Way to a New Feeling
Just as we talked about before, Action precedes Motivation; why not try a similar technique when you are feeling down. Act like you are happy. Walk faster, lift your head higher and try to talk in a positive way. You will then Act your way into a new feeling, and suddenly - you will not be acting anymore. Try it the next time you are feeling down.

2006-01-20 - Hire People who are Good at what you are not
The best managers hire people to do things they are not good at. It's important to know your strengths, but equally important to really understand your own weaknesses. Spend your time to fully utilise your strengths, and you will accomplish more. Then, hire people to do things in your area of weakness, and you now have a very powerful combination.

2006-01-21 - What gives you the Greatest Buzz?
A great way to look at your life is to decide what gives you the greatest "Buzz" and build your life and career around it. When you hear successful people talk, they are always saying that they love what they are doing. Take a few minutes today and think about what gives you the greatest buzz.

2006-01-22 - Change from "It" to "Me"
How often do you hear people complain that "It" was because of "-----" that I didn't get ahead? They blame everyone else and start too many sentences with "It was...." Change from "it" to "me". Take responsibility for your life and take action to build the life you want. Focus on what you want and not on others.

2006-01-23 - What have I Learned Today?
We all should be trying to improve ourselves each day. A great little practice to bring this idea to our attention is to ask ourselves each evening, "What have I learned today?" Take it a step further and think how you can apply this learning in your daily life (into your habits). Take a few minutes to do this every day.

2006-01-24 - Never Look Back, Look Forward
We all know it, but often forget it. We cannot do anything about the past. All we can do is learn from it and move on. Always look forward and take action toward your future. Taking action creates the motivation in you to make things happen. Look forward today and "Take Action."

2006-01-25 - Capture the Exact Words People Say
When taking notes in meetings, always capture the exact words that others say. Many people try and translate (paraphrase) their notes into their own way of saying it, but by doing this you lose the advantages. Capturing the exact words of others allows you to use their words back to them in emails or other conversations. By using "their words" you have a much better way of gaining better rapport and also influencing them.

2006-01-26 - Want to be more Creative - Talk to Creative People
If you want to be more creative in your thoughts, one good way is to talk to more creative people. Many of you have heard the initials OPM (other people's money). Why not use OPI (other people's ideas) to trigger more ideas and more creativity in yourself. Pick a few creative friends or co-workers and spend time to talk with them this week.

2006-01-27 - Listen First Always
Too often we get into a meeting with someone and all we want to do is tell the other person how much we know. Fight this urge. Instead, ask questions first. It's much easier to convince someone or move them to your way of thinking by listening first. You can build upon their own thoughts in a way to support your way of thinking. Listen first today.

2006-01-28 - Offer to Lead or Facilitate Meetings
Ever notice how much power the person who is leading or facilitating a meeting has? If you want to have more influence over others, offer to lead or facilitate a meeting. You get to control the subjects and dialogue better than from any other role in the meeting. People often try to avoid this, but there's so much of a benefit to do it. At the very least, you cannot be bored in the meeting you are leading.

2006-01-29 - 80% - It's Being Excited about what you are Doing
Doing something well or succeeding at something is really 80% down to being excited about what you are doing. When you are excited; you are more creative, you have more energy and above all, you don't let problems (either big or small) get in your way of success. Check your excitement level today. If it's low, do something about that first.

2006-01-30 - To Influence Others - Practice Giving Speeches or Talks
You get good at influencing others by "doing it". A great way to learn this skill is giving speeches or talks. It forces you to think and speak as clear as possible and to use words that influence people the most. Look for opportunities to speak. Join Toastmasters. You have to "do it" to "improve it".

2006-01-31 - Give your Mind a Clear Objective
Many times we all procrastinate or delay taking action because we haven't created a clear objective in our own minds (of what we want exactly). Take a few minutes to define that clear objective (the what and the why), and you will create the energy inside you to take the action.

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