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Barriers to Success – Motivation – (BTS Part 4)

Rob Wheeler — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 04:05:46 +0000

Iceburg

An iceberg is a devious barrier with the most damaging parts of it underneath the water sometimes impervious to sight.

The Titanic was suppose to be the “unsinkable” ship. An iceberg took it out easily and many people perished as a result of this unseen or unperceived barrier

There are some barriers in our lives that don’t seem to be that large when we first look at them. However, when you look underneath the barrier it is larger than you ever imagined. How you deal with these “unseen” barriers will determine largely how well you succeed in your business and personal life.

Today we will be addressing one of these unseen barriers. Personal motivation is an unseen barrier. It is internal, self determined and self handled.

I remember my dad coming into my room and saying, “Time for school!”

It was soooo hard to get up to go to school, and I liked school. My motivation level for school was just not at a level to ensure consistent participation. What gets you motivated? Have you found that special “thing” that motivates you?

Martin Luther King says:

“I say to you, this morning, that if you have never found something so dear and precious to you that you will die for it, then you aren’t fit to live.”

What are you willing to DIE for.

I have heard it said that if your why doesn’t make you cry, its not big enough.

There are many things that motivate us, but they are usually broken into two categories. Desperation and Inspiration. People that are motivated by desperation find that their motivation usually is a temporary motivation and will dissipate as soon as the situation that caused the desperation has been resolved or eliminated. Desperate people react to situations.

Inspiration on the other hand can have a significantly longer time span because it is rooted in the subconscious. It is built from a deep mission or longing. It will not dissipate with results. Rather with results, it will build excitement spurring additional results and desire. Inspired people are proactive.

It has been said that you can lead a horse to water, but you can NOT make him drink. While this is fundamentally true, if you feed a horse salt pellets along the way, the horse will drink the water without you having to ask.

There is a measure of of pure determination and disciple in any motivation. That is why it is important to find that which inspires you. Motivation starts with self. However, it should extend to others to ensure that your mission gets traction toward completion.

Matthew McConahey really caught the vision in the film We Are Marshall.

Will you “lay it on the line” today? Inspiration beats desperation every time.

Here are a few things you can do to help in the motivation process:

• Dream Big – Visualize what your successful day will look like.
• Speak it out loud
• Choose to have the right attitude
• Believe in yourself
• Give yourself the time to succeed
• Remove Negative/Abusive People from your circle of influence.
• Read positive/inspirational materials
• Determine in your mind that you will NEVER give up.
• Break tasks into smaller parts
• Seek inspiration from those who have traveled the same path and are successful
• Build a positive group of Key Resources^TM
• Music is a master motivator. Use it to your advantage
• Living things motivate. Keep things that are alive around you.
• Become a life long student of your industry choice
• Reward yourself for reaching a goal

These things will ensure that you keep yourself motivated. Listen to motivating people and watch motivating material. Seek your true inspiration to ensure that you have the energy and drive to succeed.

Listen to Gene Hackman:

You don’t need a sports movie to create motivation. Notice that each coach here is programming the athletes mind in preparation for performing above the normal abilities. You can program you mind the exact same way.

Choose to be better.

Rob.

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Goooooaaaaaaal!

Rob Wheeler — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 06:37:59 +0000

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We hear the announcers voice each time a goal is scored in soccer. The excitement of scoring a goal is real, tangible and measurable.

We should have the same excitement as we “score” (reach) our goals in life. There are seven areas in which we can define and measure.

One thing that will help you to write goals that will spur you on to achievement is to write the goal in such a way as though you already have achieved the goal.

If your goal is to reach a certain sales level by December 31, 2008. An example would be:

I am depositing a $35,000 commission check for reaching 1.5 Million in sales this year Dec, 31, 2008

The model is: State goal as though you have achieved it. Write the date of proposed achievement.

Try it on the sheets below. The red links have PDF blank sheets attached to them.

Spiritual

The first area of concern is setting your spiritual goals. Notice, I did not not say religious. It doesn’t matter what religion you are or if you choose no religion at all. Each of us has a spiritual side to our lives. Break down that spirituality into defineable and measurable units

Social

The second area to address is social goals. These are goals that you set to work on people skills in a social setting. This can be friendships, networking, non-profit work or any area where you create a scenario where there is strong social interaction.

Mental

The area is where you challenge your mind. Sudoku, crossword puzzles and word finds are some examples. Many families play games. Keeping your mind sharp ensures that you are ready to identify those opportunities that cross your plate that make sense.

Emotional

Emotional goals are very important. Do you control your anger, jealousy? Do you have a hold on your anxiety? Can you accept someone else’s opinion as it is? This area helps you to create and define a plan to execute the steps necessary to grow in this area.

Physical

This is a sensitive area. So, I will just ask, where are your priorities as far as your health and wellness are concerned? Are you on a path to health or death? Are you proactively addressing future potential health issues with your diet, exercise? This area of your goals will challenge you to new heights of commitment.

Financial

Did you know money is the #1 cause of divorce? Whether you married or not, this area will help you define and do the things necessary to handle your finances as they exist now while planning for the future.

Material

What are the items that you are going to acquire and how will the help you and your family? Are they toys or assets.

Setting your goals can be a most liberating experience as you formulate the plan to achieve YOUR dreams. It is ok to work for another while you are reaching for the stars. However, always ensure that you have your plan in mind and that you are not being driven by another’s dreams and aspirations.

An man took his new employee out to his farm because he liked the employee. He showed him all the land, beautiful houses and barns, swimming pool, pond and his many play toys. He said, “My boy, see this land? If you work hard for another 20 or 30 years, all of this will finally be mine!”

You see the man understood leverage. He understood that if you leverage someone else for long enough, that person will pay you many times what you pay them.

Step up to center field and start aiming for your goals.

For more complete information on goals, visit my GOAL PAGE.

Rob Wheeler

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Barriers to Success – Lack of Commitment – (BTS Part 3)

Rob Wheeler — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:42:32 +0000

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There is an old joke that as far as breakfast goes the pig is committed and the chicken is just involved.

Are you just involved in life or are you committed? During the Chinese crackdown on democracy at Tianemen Square there were many demonstrations about commitment. However, none seemed to capture the world so much as “Tank Man”.

Talk about commitment! He was willing to stand in front of oncoming ROLLING tanks. He realized that he was as committed as he could be to the ideals he stands for. John F. Kennedy has a favorite poem. It is Ulysses by Alfred Tennyson. You can read the whole poem at:

Ulysses - JFK's Favorite Poem

In the poem an old King looks back on younger days. However, in the last stanza he states:

We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are,–
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

Not to yield? Never give up! Keep going! Keep striving to reach all those things that you have committed to. There are pledges and promises that you make constantly. You make these oaths to your friends, family, co-workers and to those who look up to you, whom you do not yet realize. They are your true audience. Challenge yourself to do the best you can at all things so that those who are watching, and oh so many are watching, can benefit from seeing true commitment. Edward Hale may have said it best:
I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do
The something that I can do.

I don’t care if you are one and ONLY one. You can make a difference. You can change the world!

Princess Diana talked about doing what you really believe you should do. That will help you to ensure that there is a deep commitment to complete all the tasks because You want to. She said:

“Only do what your heart tells you to.”

She saved hundreds, if not thousands with her efforts to remove landmines. Look at the first word she chose. ONLY!!!! Only do what will ensure that you keep your promises. Then you don’t have to worry about motivation as much.

Thomas Jefferson as he wrote the Declaration of Independence included these words. What a commitment they were. Would you sacrifice as much if needed?:

“We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honour.”

Would you give up your life, fortune and even your honor to keep those commitments that you promise to deliver on. The founding fathers did!

What are your willing to give up to achieve that which means so much to you? What can you leave behind, so that you can move ahead. Your reputation, your “status”. Who cares what other people think. If you knew how little they think about you, you would not worry so much about what they think.

Spanish Conquistador Hernando Cortez upon reaching the Mexican continent had his 11 ships burned. Whether his men were committed or not, Cortez was. He was going to conquer the new world at any cost up to and including his own very life. No retreat, conquer or be conquered.

David McNally said, “Commitment is the enemy of resistance, for it is the serious promise to press on, to get up, no matter how many times you are knocked down.”

My father, Thomas L. Wheeler said once, “Rob its not how far you fall, but rather how high you bounce.”

We are going to get knocked down, bullied, told no, rejected, unrequited…etc. No matter how many times it hurts, we HAVE to get up. What number of times will it take you being knocked down to stay down. I say, I DON’T know yet and I ain’t gonna find out, ’cause I WILL get back up!

Vince Lombardi the great coach of the Green Bay Packers, talks about commitment from a team standpoint:

Individual commitment to a group effort — that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.

So, the individual has to commit to the team, company, society, work, civilization as a whole or whatever he or she is involved in for the whole to work as a team. So, there is an “I” in TEAM. The “I” is “I commit to the team!!”

Even the english language places importance on it. According to the dictionary, commitment is a noun. A noun is a person, place or thing. They are all concrete, physical, defineable stuff.

Here are some solid steps to handling commitments:

#1. Define the commitments you have made. Write them down.

#2. Define who they were made to. Again, write them down.

#3. Determine those you can keep -vs- those you will not.

#4. Go talk to the people whom you made the commitments you are NOT going to keep and apologize.

#5. Redouble your efforts to keep those which you will keep.

#6. Carefully consider all future commitments and don’t commit to those you can’t keep.

These steps may seem simple. However, they take time, emotion and effort. One of the biggest problems many of us experience is over-commitment. Your time is your most valuable asset protect it for you, your family and career to ensure that you can keep your promises.

Like the pig, Tank Man and Cortez, if you are going to commit. Doit! Go the whole way! If you are not, then don’t.

Rob Wheeler.

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He's Just Too Good!

Rob Wheeler — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:51:41 +0000

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AP - Jericho Scott warms up

I read an article today on Fox News (I read both Fox and CNN so I can get both sides) that floored me. A little boy (Jericho Scott) was disqualified from a Connecticut baseball league because he was too good. Are you kidding me?

It seems his pitching is a little too accurate and fast.

I bet if he won the spelling bee too fast or the science club project too easily noone would have a word to say other than ‘way to go Jericho’!!!

I am sure this is going to work itself out just fine. However, this is an example of a serious underlying problem in our society. We are all working toward the weakest link so that nobody gets offended. People are saying that this is a developmental league or some other excuse. Well, its time to develop some skills to hit and its time to develop a sense that you need to work HARD to become good. So, get to work. Stop Whining! Start winning because you strive to meet or exceed excellence.

If we continue to teach the upcoming generations that we are going to coddle you, we are going to place you where it is easy for you to succeed, we are going to build for ourselves a generation of entitled, lazy, “I give up” because it is just too hard young men and women. Maybe the developmental part of this should be for the parents to realize it is time to teach our youngsters how to handle disappointment, discouragement and fortitude.

Where did our sense of excellence go? Make sure when you come up against excellence that you strive to meet or exceed the level of excellence that is being “shown” to you as a gift.

By the way, “Kick butt Jericho!”

You are excellent!

Rob Wheeler

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Park -n- Ride with Jacob

Rob Wheeler — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 06:27:03 +0000

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No, I didn’t get on a plane. But with John, Jacob and Linda coming home from Florida, the airport and the “big” plane ride was on Jacob’s mind. So, we spent today creating two totally different designs on a Park -n- Ride and the logistics for the buses to pick up the people.

Jacob's Tongue

Both Dad and Jacob had fun while we were doing it. As I am creating materials for the upcoming Barriers to Success series, this little activity made me think, “Are there Barriers to Success as far as being a good parent?”

I went, “WHOOOOAAA!”

When I worked at IBM I traveled quite a bit and there were times when I was three weeks out and two days back, three weeks out and two days back. Talk about a barrier.

Chris, Jordan and John were never afforded the time, my time, with a father that they should have. Jacob sees me almost every night. I very rarely travel now.

Barriers to being a good parent can be just as devastating or more than those you struggle with in your career path. When we talk about life balance during Barriers to Success, I will go through a heart wrenching story in detail about that very struggle.

When I was going through it, it brought me to tears and I have to choke them down even now as I think about it.

I will remember building this Park -n- Ride for a long time to come. I hope you have many Park -n- Rides in your life.

Rob Wheeler

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