Think Big- Be Big
Yesterday, I got in the elevator to go to my 16fl office and I pushed the button for my floor. The elevator ascended and I made it to my office.
In order to go up - I had to do something.
If you are stuck on the first floor of your life, in order to go up you are going to have to do something. #youwillgetthatinthemorning
This morning I did as I do almost every morning after walking the dog -I made a cup of coffee.
Courtesy of Roger Price
Now I have one of those fancy keurig machines that will make you just a cup of coffee while you wait. Well this morning, while waiting the 1 or 2 for the coffee to brew I decided to go to my desk and send out a couple of emails. As inevitably happens, 2 hours later I realize I had not had my cup of coffee. Well realizing this, I went and put my cup of coffee into the microwave and decided to send a couple of emails while I waited the 2 minutes for the coffee to microwave. Well 2 hours later I am reheating my coffee yet again.
[callout]What am I saying - -If you continue to multitask you will have to keep reheating your coffee. [/callout]
What would have taken me 2 minutes has now taken me 4+ hours. The coffee is not as good as it would have been had I had it earlier. In your business it might not be coffee, but if you continue multi-tasking instead of concentrating on one project at a time - you will find that it actually takes longer to accomplish and more importantly when you get to it - it won't be as good.
Do yourself a favor - stop reheating the coffee.
#preachingtomyself
Earlier today, while working out in the gym I sent my assistant something using iMessage on my iPad. While it toiled and struggled my iPad could not connect properly to the wifi. I had full bars but no connection: (that will have to be another blog post) And so as a result my messaged read "Not Delivered".
I thought somehow that this would fix itself once I got to a different signal. You know somehow, the message would magically send because now I am connected. Well Lo and Behold, when I got into the office and the iPad connected, it still read "Not Delivered".
Not to be deterred, I clicked the little info button next to my message and up popped this alert. The alert is not what is important. It is the instructions, underneath that made all the difference in the world to me. 2 words -- TRY AGAIN.
I want to talk to someone who has tried to send a message or do something in the past that just didn't connect. Maybe there is a project or even a relationship that you wanted to work in the past, but it just didn't seem to work out.
Could it be that at the time you were disconnected form the source of your strength. I mean the bars said connected but the message just didn't get through. Well my friend that was then and this is now. You may need to Try Again.
I am at a point in my life right now where stuff I have tried to set in motion, seeds I have planted, things that I thought would never happen are starting to come back to me. I mean these were things that I flat out failed. But I am hearing so in my spirit so strong the words TRY AGAIN. So I leave this as encouragement to you. Look back at your life, look at old opportunities, then pick yourself off the ground -- TRY AGAIN.
As I sat with my son's guidance counselor and teachers - I kept hearing the same thing over and over - He is a smart kid - but he is not working up to his potential. He is not getting bad grades but he is not getting great grades, which to me is bad grades. I sat there fuming, thinking of all kinds of nefarious punishments that would ensue when he got home. I mean how could he not perform at peak levels. He has all of the tools needed to excel. The latest technology, great support, and natural intelligence. What could be the problem, why is my son not working up to his potential. Why is he doing just enough to get by, when he has all of this talent and resources.
I stay busy being busy - but not always productive. I am surrounded by the latest technology - but have yet to produce a 1/4 of what I have the capability to produce. I only make 1/4 of what I can make financially. I am only delivering on 1/4 of what I have to deliver. I have technology, an incredible support staff, and unbelievable natural talents, but only live up to 50% of my potential. I had no room to berate what he learned watching me.
Somewhere along the line - I was told I was different - Somewhere I was taught that just getting by was ok. Somewhere along the line I gave up. I decided to be a number 2- when i had the capacity to be number 1.
Does this sound like you? Are You operating at a standard that is lower than your expectation?
HELP!!!!
In order to combat this here are 5 principles that I believe will help turn this situation around.
Going forward - I pledge to do better - for me not only is my career at stake - but as you can see the career of my kids and their generation is at stake - All because I Won't Step Up! -- I think it is time - what about you?
[reminder]
One of the reasons you have to be very careful about what you like or comment on social media, if you are not careful -- the algorithm of social media will keep you in the same cycle.
Yesterday, I posted an article where I discussed depression. It was not the whole article, just a couple sentences. Lo and behold, on today when I open up my Facebook account, I was presented with this sponsored ad.
An ad on how to cure my depression. What is interesting, is that again this was just a sentence within a larger article. Facebook saw that post, analyzed the comments that people were making to assume that I was suffering from depression right now.
While this can be a good thing. It can also have bad effects for some people.
I've also noticed that people who post negative things, like negative things, or comment on negative things, tend to receive those types of things in their newsfeed. I believe this perpetuates the same mood swings that a lot of people suffer from. So, be mindful what you post. But more importantly, realize that your newsfeed maybe keeping you in a negative cycle. Break the cycle, post something opposite.
Well it has been just under 10 days that we've moved into the new office space. And since this was a major move for me, I prayed Lord just don't let me mess up. I prayed this prayer everyday. And it was not because I thought that I was going to do something so egregious that I was going to bankrupt the business. I just wanted everything to be perfect.
What I soon realized is that this thinking is what held me back for so long. I was easily falling back into the same habits that have kept me from achieving my greatest levels because I was not messing up, I was being mediocre.
Let me go further. To not mess up means to just do enough to stay where you are. Whenever I've been in any kind of renovation, any kind of remodeling, it meant that I had to make a mess in order to make it better. I've never taken over any company where I did not have to dismantle something in order to build it better. There's never been a construction site that has not been messy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying don't be organized. I'm saying that sometimes you have to create a mess in order for things to be better.
So my new prayer has been, Lord help me to mess up. Help me to mess up the status quo, help me to mess up standard thinking, help me to mess up just being ordinary. My friends, I wonder if there's something in your life or in your business you just need to mess up.
Leave me a thought below I look forward to hearing from you.
This morning as I went to the gym I noticed my phone was running low on battery. So I did as I have done on many occasions, I attached it to the charger and left the room. When I returned, I noticed that the device was not charged. I mean it had all the right connections but, was dead.
Plug in the phone, Plugged into the wall. But yet no charge. It seemed that I was plugged in but not fully connected. For all intents, on the outside I appeared to be plugged in, but not all of the contact parts where connected.
That got me to thinking. How many times have you thought you were plugged in, but in reality you were not connected. You thought that your close proximity to greatness, or to certain people, would get you into the "party". But at the end of the day you may be plugged in, but you are not connected.
In relationships this happens all the time, you have all of the ends in the right places, but in fact, you are just plugged in and not connected.
I charge you (pun intended) to go and verify your connection, before you end up like me today, Needing to make a connection, but finding that you have been plugged in all this time, but never connected.
As a young boy, I often had to take tests. These tests were a determination as to whether I was fit to move on to the next assignment. Invariability the test would prove whether I had learned the lesson(s) properly.
There is also another type of test used in manufacturing. In this test a piece of metal or equipment is tested to see if it can withstand the pressure. Can it withstand the weight. Can the object just withstand. In life we are tested in the same way.
1. Did you learn the lessons taught.
2. Are you adequately prepared for the next level.
3. Can you stand the pressure and weight.
Elevation and success requires that you pass all three tests. You have to have all three in place to make. So my question to you today.
Like many of you, I work from home most of the week. As a result I like to be as comfortable as possible when I'm working. What I'm finding, is that my productivity is not what it should be. In fact, what I find is that on some days I'm more productive based on what I wear. For example, on those days that I put on this nice dress shirt. A pair of slacks. I find that I work harder or more importantly that more things get done.
On the other hand, when I wear my shorts or casual clothing. I find that I'm more creative.
So the question becomes. What to where on what days?
Here's how I solved it. On those days any behind productive that I need to take care of what I call business, i.e. Those days when I'm doing billing, client calls, or business meetings. I dress to the nines. And when I sit at my desk I feel productive ready for business. I feel ready to take over the world.
On those days that I need to use my creative side i.e. design work, vision casting, or business planning. I dressed casually. So my question to you is, does dress determining your productivity or creativity?
As always please leave a comment below.
I was at my son's school this morning - arrived at 6:45 -- between that time and 7:30am - there were 4 fights and a lock-down -- I didn't blame the school nor the parents nor society...-
I blamed myself -- I wondered if I as a man and a leader in the community had done enough to instill a better sense of communication and unity in the kids of this community.
There will always be conflicts - there will always be disagreements - there will always be disrespect -- It is how you handle those that will determine success.
More importantly, this morning it showed me I need to step up - what good is having influence and favor if I only use it for my child. #preachingtomyself --
PS: Would love suggestions for creating a community school program?