LTM 21. Increase Your Likability Factor

21. Increase Your Likability Factor
There are many factors that will influence your ability to foster
relationships and advance your career, but likability ranks near the top of
the list. Friendly people do the LITTLE THINGS that connect with people
and, generally speaking, likable people have greater spheres of influence,
get better results, live happier lives, and are more successful. The logic is
simple: people are subconsciously drawn to people who are likable.
All the great teachers of personal achievement from Napoleon Hill to
Anthony Robbins have talked about the importance of creating a likable
personality. Dale Carnegie’s famous book How to Win Friends and
Influence People is one of the best books on the subject, and his teachings
live on today. Peter Handel, President and CEO of Dale Carnegie
Training, said, ―In order to be the most productive, you must find the
right balance of competence and likeability.”
There is no doubt in my mind that being likable can help build a positive
brand and increase the value you bring to your family, your community,
and to the marketplace.
If your friends, family, team members, or business colleagues were to
rank you on the likability scale (1–10) what would they say? Be honest
now. How likable are you?
Your Likability Factor Self-test
 When speaking with other people, are you genuinely engaged and
interested in what they have to say?
 Does your smile communicate an authentic interest in the other
person?
 When people are speaking, are you patient? Do you let them
finish before responding?
 Will you get in the back seat of the car so your friend can sit in
the front seat?
 Do you accept responsibility when you are wrong?
 Do you show respect for people’s time by always being punctual
for your appointments?
 Do you avoid complaining when things displease you?
 Do you say please when asking people to do something for you,
even if they are being paid to do it?
 Do you offer your sincere appreciation to those who have done
something to help you, even if it’s within their job description?
 Are you friendly in your emails?
 Do you pay compliments to others?
 Do you encourage others when given the opportunity?
 When having dinner at a friend’s home, do you pitch in and help
do the dishes?
Improving Your Life One Thing at a Time. 63.
 Do you practice humility—the art of being modest?
 Do you listen more than you talk?
 Do you offer a heartfelt apology, without excuses, when you have
offended someone?
 Do you make people feel comfortable when they are around you?
 Do you try to maintain a positive attitude at all times?
How did you do? Are there areas where you need improvement?
Each one of these points represents choices you make. Being likable is
about being unselfish and doing the LITTLE THINGS to connect with people
and show you care.
LTM Challenge
As you go about your daily routine, start paying attention to the things
you do and don’t do when communicating and interacting with others in
person, online, and over the phone. As you review your daily encounters,
look for ways you can increase your likability and become a person who
attracts others.
When you do the little things to connect with people, your
relationships will improve and you will have
greater influence at home, at work, and in the community.

LTM 20. Build Your Own Brand

20. Build Your Own Brand
What do Coca-Cola™, GEICO™, and Nike™ have in common? They
each have a well-developed and recognizable identity or, as they say in
the marketing world, a brand. Marketing experts maintain that a
company’s brand should deliver a clear message, confirm credibility,
motivate a buyer to connect, and stimulate loyalty to repurchase.
Just as companies carry a brand, people also carry a brand. Branding is
how the world sees you: the impressions you make, the values you stand
for, and the qualities that mold your personality. All the LITTLE THINGS
you do and say combine to form the foundation upon which relationships
are built and maintained.
Chelsea Greenwood—owner of a 1.4 billion-dollar marketing firm—said,
“You are your own brand whether you like it or not. And every
experience has a lasting impression.”
58. LITTLE THINGS MATTER
Qualities and Actions That Create Brands
How important is the brand we communicate?
 Do you notice people who show evidence of a negative attitude?
 Do you notice people who dress inappropriately?
 Do you notice people who don’t seem to be listening? Who
interrupt when you are talking? Who talk too much? Who talk
too loud? Who use offensive language?
 Do you notice people in restaurants or in line at the grocery store
who talk loudly on their cell phones?
 Do you notice people in meetings who keep scanning their phone
for messages?
Whether you realize it or not, you form an opinion about people every
day. The things they do, the way they look, and the words they speak are
branding themselves in your mind. Which co-worker stands out as
someone you would rather not work beside? If you were to describe his
or her brand, what would it be? Think of your neighbors. Which person
is your least favorite and why?
Branding Yourself
Now let’s move closer to home. How do you think you have branded
yourself? What kind of impressions are you making?
 If your co-workers were to sit in a conference room and describe
you, what words would they use?
 If your friends were to chat about your characteristics, what traits
or habits would they list?
 If your business acquaintances were to portray you, what picture
would they paint?
 If your children were to tell their friends about you, what would
they say?
 If your spouse were to ―tell all,‖ what characteristics would he or
she share?
 At your funeral, as people reflect on who you have been and the
experiences they’ve had with you, what will be their dominant
thought? When they listen to your eulogy, what would you like
for them to hear?
Tony Jeary, popular author, communication coach, and seminar speaker,
warns us about our brands.
Every day, in dozens of different ways, you're sending a
message out to the world. The wrong message will cost
you respect, career promotions, and perhaps
relationships. And the right messages will enable you to
achieve your personal and professional best.
Brands Have Power
Who you are—reflected through your brand—will affect many people
and many things, such as:
 Your influence with others as a leader
 The level of pay increase you receive
 Whether you are selected for the next promotion
 Whether you are selected to be laid off or retained
 How receptive people are to your ideas
 The type of friends you attract
 How well you are accepted, liked or disliked
 Whether you are asked out on a second date
 What people think about you or say about you
 Whether you are included or excluded in events
 The relationship you have with your spouse or friends
 Your image in the eyes of your children or neighbors
 Whether people want to do business with you
 The level of respect people have for you
Build a brand that consistently makes positive impressions and
commands respect. As you adopt the little-things-matter way of thinking
and improve your brand, the benefits will be noticeable. Your value
increases, your relationships improve, and your sphere of influence is
broadened. You feel better about the person you are becoming and as
your self-confidence grows, you feel like you can conquer anything.
LTM Challenge
Take some time and think about how you want to be viewed by others.
Consider making a list of what your brand’s defining characteristics will
be. When you are clear on the brand you want to build for yourself, start
paying close attention to the LITTLE THINGS you do and say. Whether you
are greeting a clerk at a convenience store or attending an important
business meeting, start presenting yourself to the world in a way that’s
consistent with the brand you want to create for yourself.
The brand you create for yourself is how
you will be viewed, treated, and remembered.

LTM - 19. What Is Easy to Do Is Easy Not to Do

19. What Is Easy to Do Is Easy Not to Do
One of Jim Rohn’s most quoted sayings, “What is easy to do is easy not
to do,” has become a foundational pillar in the little-things-matter
concept. It has become clear to me that most people know in their gut the
simple things they need to do to achieve their personal best; they just
don’t do them with consistency.
We know we should listen without interrupting, but we still find
ourselves interrupting. We know we need to finish our projects on time,
yet we find ourselves missing deadlines. We know we should remember
someone’s name, yet we don’t pay attention when introduced. We know
we should answer that email or return that phone call, yet we keep putting
it off. LITTLE THINGS do matter. In the words of legendary basketball
coach John Wooden, “Little things make big things happen.”
Being consistent in doing the LITTLE THINGS you know you should do
has many positive benefits beyond the obvious desired outcome of
achieving your goals. You become more respected and admired. You
develop new friendships and build deeper relationships. You feel better
about the person you are becoming.
So, why don’t we do the LITTLE THINGS that are easy to do? The reason is
because they are so-o-o-o easy not to do—to neglect, to procrastinate, to
promise ourselves that we will do it tomorrow.
Another reason was identified by Napoleon Hill years ago: ―A big success
is made up from a great number of little circumstances each of which
may seem so small and insignificant most people pass them by as not
being worthy of notice.”

What’s the reason you aren’t consistent in doing the LITTLE THINGS you
know you should do? Perhaps you have never focused on the importance
of LITTLE THINGS. After all, how much of an impact could letting a few
days go by before sending a written thank-you note to a prospective
employer? In my mind, a lot—your competitor will get the job!
Or perhaps another inhibiting factor to our productivity comes into play.
In a recent interview on a popular blog for aspiring entrepreneurs, I was
asked: What was the greatest obstacle you had to overcome in order to
achieve your goals? My answer: laziness.
I certainly know the LITTLE THINGS I need to do (I have been making a
list of them for over 25 years) and I understand their importance. To this
day, though, I have to push myself to do the LITTLE THINGS I know I need
to do.
I also want to point out that the habits you exhibit in your professional
life are often a reflection of your personal behavior. If your bedroom is a
mess, then your car is probably a mess. If you don’t have the discipline
to clean your home and car, you will likely struggle with having the
discipline to do the LITTLE THINGS required of you to achieve your
professional goals. You can’t be one person at home and a different
person at work. You are who you are!
LTM Challenge
If you want to achieve more in your life, if you want to grow as a person
and achieve your personal best, then you must become a person who does
the LITTLE THINGS that are both easy to do and easy not to do. This will
likely be one of the greatest challenges you will ever take on, but if you
will make a commitment to use your personal initiative to do the things
you know you should do with consistency, your life can be transformed.
Your greatest successes in life
come from your disciplined effort
in doing the easy things that are easy not to do.

LTM 18. Measure Your Performance

18. Measure Your Performance
The advice ―measure twice and cut once‖ is especially useful for
carpenters, tailors, and carpet layers to ensure accuracy. However, taking
measurements is vital for anyone who wants to improve their
performance.
Dr. H. James Harrington—involved in quality and performance
improvement projects since the 1950s—tells us why taking
measurements is absolutely necessary:
Measurement is the first step that leads to control and
eventually to improvement. If you can’t measure
something, you can’t understand it. If you can’t
understand it, you can’t control it. If you can’t control it,
you can’t improve it.
Who Measures?
Any organization, team, or individual who wishes to perform at a higher
level or accomplish more must measure their progress.
To clarify, consider if:
 Baseball players never knew their batting average
 Advertisers did not measure the number of people who
responded to an ad
 Golfers did not keep track of their scores
 Online shopping sites did not track the conversion rate of website
visitors to customers
 Students never knew the results of their tests
 Customer service centers did not measure how long customers
were on hold
Without measuring performance, how would they know when they
improved?
Why Measure?
The very nature of knowing that something is being monitored causes us
to work harder and perform better. There’s actually proof of this—it’s
called the Hawthorne Effect. Coined in 1955 by Henry Landsberger, the
Hawthorne Effect describes a form of reactivity on the part of people
whereby they improve an aspect of behavior being measured simply in
response to the fact that the measurement is taking place.
Positive things happen when you measure your performance:
 You are able to set goals and evaluate your progress.
 You always know exactly where you stand at any time.
 You can quickly and accurately trouble-shoot your problems.
 You can identify weaknesses to strengthen or skills to refine.
 You are able to see the results of your refinements.
How to Measure
To develop or improve any area of your life, you need to do three things:
1. Know your starting point. This is often referred to as your
benchmark or baseline—the point from which all progress is
measured.
2. Set a goal. Noted psychologist Arnold Glasgow said, “In life, as
in football, you won’t go far unless you know where the
goalposts are.”
3. Determine how you will measure your progress. Taking
measurements isn’t difficult, but it does take time. For example,
if you want to save money, carry a small notepad and write down
everything you buy and the price paid for each item.
You need to develop an action plan. Whether in business, sports, or
school, you can’t improve what you don’t measure. When you track and
measure your results each month, you will have new benchmarks that
you can strive to improve upon the next month. If you focus on
improving your results month after month, you will begin to see amazing
changes in your performance and results.

Are you ready to get started? Here’s a five-step plan.
1. Identify and list the parts of your life that you want to improve.
This is a critical component to your success.
2. Document your starting point. As an example, if you want to
increase your net worth, subtract your liabilities from your assets
and determine your starting point.
3. Set your goals. If you want to double your sales over the next 12

4. Determine the key factors that will influence your success. What
are the activities that, if done correctly and consistently, will help
you achieve your goals?
5. Create a means of measuring your actions and your results. For
the concrete measurements like weight, sales targets, and income,
use a notebook or software program to record the numbers. With
respect to the intangibles, like becoming more personable or
developing more discipline, keep a journal to document your
progress.

Remember: You can’t improve what you don’t measure.
As you measure your actions and results, continue to look for ways to
make refinements. This is all part of the ongoing process of striving for
excellence to be the best at what you do.
When you begin to track your results,
the refinements you need to make will be obvious.

Computer Tips and Tricks - Keyboard Shortcuts at WomansDay.com

Computer Tips and Tricks - Keyboard Shortcuts at WomansDay.com

Interesting info to know.

LTM - 17. Your Greatest Obstacle

17. Your Greatest Obstacle
If I had to identify the single most important factor in personal
achievement, it would be discipline—the ability to do what you know you
should do even when you don’t feel like doing it. Discipline—lacking it
can be the biggest obstacle between your goals and your
accomplishments but having it is the ultimate accelerator of results.
Here’s what I mean. I started selling real estate when I was 23 years old.
Young and inexperienced, I was at a distinct disadvantage when going
head-to-head with experienced and successful Realtors. If given a choice,
why would anyone select an immature, unproven Realtor to sell their
home?
I knew something had to turn the tide in my favor. Of course, I focused
on all the LITTLE THINGS to make a good impression; however, the one
thing that turbo-charged my income more than any other single factor
was my self-discipline.
Every day I sat in my little cubicle. Struggling to breathe and my heart
beating out of my chest, I picked up the phone and made call after call.
Pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I kept making calls until I got
appointments. By the end of my first full year, I had sold over 60 homes
and earned over $250,000. While all the LITTLE THINGS I did played a
role in my success, nothing played a larger role than my discipline.
Employing discipline is the most difficult LITTLE THING to do
consistently, yet it brings the greatest rewards.
Ten Ways to Develop Discipline
1. Make a Personal Commitment. The first step in achieving any
goal is to make a commitment to become a disciplined person.
This commitment means you will become a do-it-now person and
that you will no longer procrastinate doing things you know you
should do.
2. Focus on Your Goals. Review your goals every morning before
you start your day. Pick a quiet place where you can concentrate
and visualize. Put yourself in a state of mind where you have
achieved your goal and let your imagination go. You’re basking in
the satisfaction of a job well done. What does it look like? What
does it feel like? That burning desire that comes from within to
achieve your goals will help inspire you to take action.
3. Do What You Don’t Want to Do First. As you plan your day,
block out time to do those things first that require the most
discipline. Whatever it is—prospecting, exercising, or cleaning
the house—do it first. You’ll be amazed at how the feeling of
accomplishment stays with you throughout the day.
4. Get Enough Rest. A good night’s sleep is essential to
maintaining a high energy level. You will sleep better if you avoid
eating or drinking before you go to bed.
5. Eat Right. Eating right helps to maintain focus and optimize
energy levels. Start your day with a breakfast high in protein and
low in simple carbohydrates. For lunch, avoid eating foods that
make you tired and, above all, don’t overeat.
6. Start Doing the LITTLE THINGS. Start becoming more
disciplined by doing the LITTLE THINGS you know you should do,
like making your bed, keeping your car cleaned, taking the
garbage out, and picking up after yourself. As you become more
disciplined in doing the LITTLE THINGS, you will become more
disciplined in doing the big things.
7. Make the Decision in Advance. If you are going to tackle an
important project in the morning, then don’t second-guess your
decision in the morning. If you make the decision to exercise
every morning at 6:00 A.M., then don’t allow yourself to question
your decision when you feel like sleeping in. The decision is
made; follow through with it!
8. Make It a Routine. Set up a routine for doing the things you
don’t want to do. If you are in sales, set up a routine to prospect
for new business every morning from 9:00–11:00 o’clock. If you
want to be physically fit, then make exercising a routine.
9. Get an Accountability Partner. Do you have a friend, spouse or
co-worker who shares a common goal? If so, agree to hold each
other accountable in doing what you both need to do.
10. Reward Yourself. When you do the things that require discipline,
recognize and reward yourself after you are done. If you just
finished a big project, dine at your favorite restaurant or do
something special to celebrate. If you have been disciplined over
an extended period of time, perhaps a weekend getaway would be
appropriate.
Consistent discipline in all areas of your life will yield multiple rewards
beyond increased productivity. You’ll feel more confident and more
motivated towards achieving your goals, and you’ll feel proud of the
person you are becoming. It doesn’t get any better than this—feeling that
you have done something you didn’t want to do but you did it anyway.
LTM Challenge
Over the next several days, be intentional about being more disciplined. If
you have neglected to return a call or an email, do it now. If you have a
project with an impending deadline, sit at your desk and get it done. If
there’s something waiting to be done at home, don’t procrastinate. From
this point forward, use positive self-talk and say, ―If I don’t feel like doing
it, then I must do it now!” Then, without further delay, do it.
One of the most important keys to success is having
the discipline to do what you know you should do,
even when you don’t feel like doing it.

LTM - 16. Accept Responsibility

16. Accept Responsibility

You alone are in complete control and responsible for the decisions you

make and the actions you take; for your success or failure; for your

happiness or discontent; for your present circumstances and your future.

This bold statement is not intended to frighten or threaten, but rather to

empower you.

How we handle responsibility for our decisions and our mistakes is a

direct reflection on our character. It’s easy to see early on in life who gets

it right and who doesn’t.

Consider the youth soccer player who always blames the team’s loss on

the coaches, the officials, and the other players. Or, the young

professional with a poor performance record who insists that it’s always

because of something beyond her control.

At the other end of the spectrum is the group of boys confessing to the

neighbor that their baseball put a dent in his car rather than running away,

or the husband who humbles himself before his wife and children and

apologizes after having lost his temper.

Universally, people who accept responsibility for their actions command

greater respect and have a stronger influence. Those who pass the buck or

make excuses eventually lose the trust and confidence of others. This is

particularly true when that person has assumed a leadership role. No one

wants to follow leaders who are unwilling to accept responsibility for

their actions.

 

Here are three actions you can take to accept personal responsibility when

something has gone wrong:

 Reflect. The first step is to conduct a self-examination to

contemplate your action or decision. Before you can make

anything right or apologize for a mistake, you must have a clear

understanding of where you went wrong.

 Learn. When you make a mistake or experience a failure,

consider what can be learned. Some of life’s most valuable

lessons come from the things we have done wrong.

 Change. Self-examination and learning by themselves are not

enough. If you are serious about accepting personal responsibility

and the benefits that come along with it, you must also commit to

follow through with change. Continue what’s working and change

what isn’t.

LTM Challenge

From this day forward, will you commit to accepting responsibility for

your actions and decisions?

A good place to start is by accepting responsibility in the following areas:

 The circumstances of your life today

 The state of your marriage

 The condition of your financial status

 The quality of your relationships with your children,

co-workers, and friends

 The plans for your future

Assuming full responsibility for your life

and everything in it

is evidence of your character and

your desire to achieve your personal best.

LTM - 15. Turn Off the Noise and Think

15. Turn Off the Noise and Think

In today’s fast-paced electronic world, the need for quiet time has never

been more crucial. The number of interruptions and the resulting stress

coming from texts, calls, emails, and social sites has increased. And, of

course, we have an endless supply of addictive options at our fingertips

to fill our heads with chatter.

If you want to advance your life forward, it’s absolutely critical that you

block out time to turn off the noise so you can think and process

information in silence.

If you want to make sensible life-planning decisions—the kind of

decisions that allow you to move ahead in life—you need quiet time to

think and process everything going on in your life.

Perhaps it’s your desire to build a stronger relationship with your spouse,

significant other, or a friend; or that you want to be a more

understanding parent. I assume you want to enjoy a successful career

and that you want to make enough money to stay out of debt and enjoy

the good things life has to offer.

If these things are important, then ask yourself: How much time have I

spent in the last month quietly thinking about these issues? How can you

say something is important, yet not allocate quality time without

interruptions to think about it and make thoughtful decisions as to how

you can improve that area of your life?

If achieving your goals is really important, then you must make it a

priority to block out time and turn off the noise so you can sort out

what’s going on in your life and make good, course-correcting decisions.

Let me offer a few suggestions:

1. Start your mornings by sitting in silence. Rather than watching

the news, reading the morning paper, or turning on your

computer, find a quiet place to sit and contemplate the issues

you’re facing.

2. While driving alone, turn off the music and talk shows. Turn

your car into a think tank where you process life and make good

decisions.

3. Go for a daily walk and leave the music at home. Almost all of

my major decisions are made on long walks. Before going on a

walk, select a topic you want to think about, and then consider

these three questions:

 What’s going on? Think about the subject you have selected.

 What are my options? Consider all available options for

dealing with the situation.

 What’s my plan? Make a decision on what you will do and

when.

4. Block out a period of time and go to a quiet place. Turn off

your phone and thoughtfully review what’s going on. Consider

all the options available for how you should handle the situation

on your mind.

5. If you have a major decision to make, block out a day. Get

away from your home, and go where you can think in peace and

quiet. Consider all aspects of your decisions: pros, cons, risks,

rewards, options, and outcomes.

When you make it a priority to block out time in your busy schedule to

sit in silence and think about your life and where you are going, you will

immediately begin to see the benefit of quiet time.

LTM Challenge

Will you agree to test the principles and strategies outlined by finding 15

minutes today to sit in silence and think about an important decision you

need to make?

If you want to make life-guiding decisions that will help

you achieve the things that are truly important to you,

turn off the noise and think.

LTM - 14. Get Creative and Think Outside the Box

14. Get Creative and Think Outside the Box

Do you ever run out of good ideas, or go around in circles trying to come

up with a solution for a simple dilemma? I am going to share with you

the best technique I know for stretching the mind to come up with new

and fresh ideas—from finding a babysitter on New Year’s Eve to

choosing the right name for a new business venture. Implementing this

strategy has forced me to be creative and innovative when it would have

been easier to take the standard approach.

Most people probably consider fewer than five possibilities when

exploring their options—the ones that immediately come to mind. The

problem with this basic approach is that you are limiting yourself by

only considering a few familiar choices. If you want to open your mind

to a new world of options, you must start to think outside the box.

The next time you need to solve a problem or explore a better way to do

something, compile a written list of 20 options—not 5, 10 or 15. Push

yourself to come up with 20! The first five things you think of will be

the tip of the iceberg. They’ll probably be the same five things everyone

else would think of in a similar situation because they are the most

obvious answers. The key here is to stretch your mind. You will struggle

getting up to 13 or 14, but your biggest breakthrough will come when

you push yourself to 18, 19, and 20. It is often in those final three ideas

where you find the hidden jewels.

Some examples of how you can apply this way of thinking:

 Evaluating where you want to move

 Selecting the location for your next family vacation

 Considering restaurant options for a special occasion

 Contemplating your career options

 Finding ways to cut expenses

 Distinguishing yourself from your competitors

 Looking for new strategies to drive sales

 Providing a higher level of service to your customers

 Choosing different incentive programs for your sales team.

Here’s a true story that illustrates the power of creative thinking. A

couple’s 20th anniversary was approaching and the wife felt like she and

her husband had grown apart. Bound and determined to prove her love,

she made him an anniversary card listing all the reasons why she loved

him. It became quite difficult after #8, but she stuck with it and made it

to 20. Reviewing all the reasons she had compiled, she realized she

loved him more than she thought! They will celebrate their 34th

anniversary this year.

LTM Challenge

The next time you have to solve a problem or think of a better way to

accomplish something, sit down with pen and paper and make a list of

20 options. Don’t stop at 17. Push yourself to 20.

The intense focus will open up your mind and force you to think of

things you normally wouldn’t have considered. It won’t be easy, but you

might just have fun in the process.

Is there anything going on in your life right now where you can apply

the strategy outlined in this lesson? If the answer is yes, grab a pad of

paper and a pen and get started.

To be creative, go where you have never been.

Expand your mind to new ideas,

opportunities, and a fresh way of thinking.

Only then will you discover

a new world of possibilities.

KH

Cute!

LTM - 13. The Value of a Mastermind Team

13. The Value of a Mastermind Team

The concept of a mastermind group was first introduced by Napoleon Hill

in the 1900s. In his timeless classic, Think and Grow Rich, he described

the mastermind principle as follows:

No two minds ever come together without thereby creating

a third, invisible, intangible force which may be likened to

a third mind. . . . When a group of individual minds are

coordinated and function in harmony, the increased

energy created through that alliance becomes available to

every individual in the group.

Over the last 20 years I have been honored to serve on boards of multiple

companies. Some of my fellow board members were younger than I and

some were older. Some were men and some were women. Some

represented the United States and some represented other countries.

Everyone brought something special and different to the table.

I discovered that what seemed logical to me might not be logical to

others, and I learned to respect the differences. The value that comes

from bringing together a diverse group of people to discuss ideas, set

goals, and make decisions became evident, and I have become a firm

believer in the synergistic power inherent in the mastermind principle.

Launching the Little Things Matter blog is a perfect example. Here’s a

glimpse of my mastermind team and the process we implemented.

Step 1. Know the purpose and plan.

Before forming this team, I put together a document with all my

thoughts, ideas, and goals. It was important that I clearly

understood and articulated what I wanted to accomplish before

involving others in the process. After selecting my team

members, I scheduled our first meeting and put together an

agenda.

Step 2. Lay the foundation.

During the first meeting I reviewed my goals and plan with the

team and sought their feedback on each point. This allowed me

to gather the views from each person as I walked through the

key components of my strategy.

 

Step 3. Work in harmony.

In the two subsequent meetings we reviewed the goals and plan

for the website design. This included the sample design layouts

that my son-in-law Josh gathered. We then reviewed the

marketing brief my son Gerrid designed, the identity package

my daughter-in-law Jessica created, the Podcast plan my

daughter Hannah helped design, and finally the roll-out plan I

proposed.

Step 4. Continue consulting the team.

I continue to confer with my team members on a regular basis,

and I am confident that the success of my blog

(littlethingsmatter.com) is truly a result of the collaborative

effort of my mastermind team.

LTM Challenge

Now it’s your turn. The next time you have a project or business concept

that could benefit from diverse points of view and experiences, I

encourage you to form a mastermind team. The collaborative effort of the

team will empower you to make better decisions, expand your horizons,

produce a better project, perform above par, and succeed beyond your

expectations. While you will seek feedback from the team, remember that

you are the leader and you must be the one to run the plays.

If you want to improve your decision-making,

you would be wise to put your ego on the shelf

and seek counsel from those you respect.

LTM - 12. Making Tough Decisions

12. Making Tough Decisions

In the course of our lives we are faced with many important decisions. Do

we leave a secure job with an established company to take a higher

paying job with a new start-up company? Should I invest in starting my

own business? What home should we buy? Do we relocate to another

city? Do I stay in a difficult marriage? How should I invest my savings?

The outcome of any of these decisions will play a vital role in your

success and happiness. Make the right decision and life is good. Make

the wrong decision and things can get ugly in a hurry.

Ten years ago, I attended a leadership event where a former President of

the United States was interviewed. He explained how he makes his most

difficult decisions. Of all the decision-making processes I have learned

about and implemented, this one is the best.

A President’s Process for Decision-making

 Seek wise counsel. When he had a critical decision to make, he

brought together the highest-ranking, most valued members of his

team, including outsiders who had the greatest insight into the

situation.

 Understand the facts. With this group, the key facts of the

situation were clearly outlined so he and everyone on his team

would have a complete understanding of the challenge at hand.

 Discover all options. On a large board, the team listed every

realistic option available to addressing the situation.

 Reduce the options. After considering all available options, they

narrowed the list down to the best and most obvious choices.

 Explore the pros and cons of each option. The team then made

a list of the pros and cons of each option. After completing this

step, the top two or three options became clear.

 Focus on the cons. They dissected and discussed each con (not

the pros). The President wanted to have a plan in advance for how

he and his administration would handle each of the potential cons

if and when the situation would arise.

 Make the decision. After going through this process with his

most valued advisors, the President removed all emotions and

made his decision based on the facts.

The President was asked, ―Do you look for consensus among the

members of your team in making these types of critical decisions?”

He acknowledged he would always seek consensus among his team. He

said, ―If I bring together my best people and go through this process, I

would like for us to collectively agree on the best solution.”

Since listening to this interview ten years ago and incorporating the steps

outlined, I have made very few bad decisions. This decision-making

strategy combined with my life experiences have taught me the

importance of seeking wise counsel, to plan for the worst-case scenario,

to remove all emotion from the process, and to make decisions based on

facts and logic.

LTM Challenge

Good decision-making is similar to learning any new skill—the more you

practice, the more proficient you become. While many of your decisions

may not require seeking advice of others, at the very least I encourage

you to consider all your options and the pros and cons of each. If you will

carefully consider the pros and cons of any decision you are making and

remove your emotions, you will make better decisions.

Your life is a reflection of all your decisions—

big and small, serious and insignificant,

short-range and long-range.

 

LTM - 11. Our Lives Reflect Our Decisions

11. Our Lives Reflect Our Decisions

One of the most noteworthy and accurate statements of human

achievement ever articulated was a statement made by Jim Rohn.

Success comes from making a series of good decisions

over time, while failure comes from making a series of

bad decisions over time.

After more than ten years of thinking about this statement and watching it

play out in the lives of people I know, I am convinced that our lives are

indeed a mirror image of our decisions.

Every day we make hundreds of little decisions which I call ―Either–Or‖

decisions. Most of these types of decisions may seem inconsequential at

the time, but every decision—no matter how small—leads us closer to or

further away from our goals.

Either–Or Decisions

 Do you get up early enough to properly prepare for the day, OR

do you sleep in and then rush out the door?

 Do you exercise as you had planned, OR do you blow it off

because you don’t feel like it?

 Do you make food choices to improve your health, OR do you eat

whatever you want?

 Do you pick up the coffee mug sitting on the table, OR do you

leave it for someone else to clean up?

 Do you control interruptions to improve productivity, OR do you

allow people and things to divert your attention from your

responsibilities?

 Do you demonstrate respect by letting people finish their

thoughts, OR do you interrupt?

 Do you have a positive attitude even when things don’t go your

way, OR do you moan and groan?

 Do you genuinely apologize when you are wrong, OR do you

water down the apology by making excuses?

 Do you smile and say, ―Good morning,‖ to your co-workers, OR

do you pass quickly to your desk?

 Do you compliment someone for a job well done, OR do you

think they don’t need it because they are just doing their job?

 Do you think about what you want to say before speaking, OR do

you let the first thing that pops into your head pop out of your

mouth?

These little decisions and hundreds of others matter. Your life today is the

result of the quality of the choices and decisions you’ve made up to this

very moment. Our decisions determine our physical and mental wellbeing.

Our finances are what they are because of our decisions. Where we

work and what we earn are the outcomes of our decisions. The strength of

our relationships with friends, siblings, parents, and spouse is directly

related to the decisions we have made.

Bottom line: everything we have or don’t have and who we are as human

beings have been determined by our decisions.

Even though you may choose to avoid accepting responsibility for where

you find yourself today, the truth is that you are where you are based on

your decisions; there’s no one else to blame. You’ve been in the driver’s

seat. If you want to change your course, it’s time to take control and learn

to make different choices and better decisions.

Good Places to Start the Big Change

 Accept responsibility for your decisions and stop blaming others

for where you find yourself today.

 Become aware of the decisions you are making every day and

start making decisions consistent with the person you want to

become.

 Believe in yourself and your ability to make good decisions.

 Start small. Do the LITTLE THINGS right. Make good Either–Or

choices.

LTM Challenge

All positive change begins with awareness. If you find your ship in rough

seas, turn off your autopilot. Start being aware of all the little decisions

you are making. Remember, the outcome of your life will be largely

determined by the moment-to-moment decisions you make each day.

Don’t allow yourself to think something doesn’t matter. Everything

matters.

The hundreds of little decisions you make each day

will influence every part of your life.

LTM - 10. Stretch Your Comfort Zone

10. Stretch Your Comfort Zone

People are hardwired to search for comfort; therefore, much of daily life

is centered on familiar patterns and habits. While operating in your

comfort zone feels good, you are not going to advance your life forward

unless you have the courage to push yourself outside your comfort zone.

Think about it. Your comfort zone is where everything feels familiar,

safe, and secure, where you know what to expect, and where you are

content with the status quo. How can you reach greater heights personally

and professionally if you aren’t stretching yourself and growing on a

regular basis?

Best-selling author Brian Tracy said, ―Move out of your comfort zone.

You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable

when you try something new.”

Denis Waitley, another best-selling author and consultant, has trained

numerous U.S. Olympic athletes. He said, “To achieve your dreams you

must break out of your current comfort zone and become comfortable

with the unfamiliar and the unknown.”

It’s time to get uncomfortable. Let’s begin by doing some self-evaluating.

Do you avoid doing things you know you should do because they make

you feel anxious and awkward, nervous or fearful? What are they?

Contemplate how your life could change if you ventured into the

―discomfort zone.‖ Would you feel better about yourself? Would you

become more respected by your peers and colleagues? Would you have

more self-confidence?

Your first step on the road to greater achievement focuses on the LITTLE

THINGS you know you should do but don’t feel at ease doing. If you push

yourself to do the LITTLE THINGS that thrust you outside your comfort

zone, your confidence will begin to grow.

As you build your self-confidence in doing the LITTLE THINGS, you

slowly build your confidence to do the bigger things. It works this way

for all of us. We start, one step at a time, building our confidence by

successfully completing smaller tasks first.

An experience my son Jake had is a perfect illustration. Jake’s first job

was a bagger at a local grocery store. Jake is an introvert. He is especially

shy around strangers. One day I challenged him to start being friendly to

the customers whose groceries he bagged. The first day he talked to two

customers, the next day five, the next day ten, and by the sixth day he

talked to 50 people. Each day Jake told me about his results and I could

sense his confidence was growing. One day a head cashier told him he

was very good with people—a compliment Jake thought he would never

hear anyone say.

Like Jake, when you first step outside your comfort zone you’ll likely

feel nervous and perhaps even fearful. But unless you are doing

something dangerous or risky, nothing bad is going to happen to you. To

the contrary, that knot in your stomach is your signal that growth and

opportunity lay ahead.

So feel the fear and do it anyway. Dale Carnegie said,

Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it . . .

that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered

to conquer fear.

LTM Challenge

Identify one of the LITTLE THINGS in this book where your growth has

been limited because you have remained in your comfort zone. Start in

just one area and as you build confidence in the first one, select a few

more LITTLE THINGS where you can break down your barriers and

improve. Then fire yourself up and do it without further hesitation!

The periods in life when you experience

the greatest growth and advancement are when you

do what you have never done,

go where you have never gone,

push yourself harder than ever before,

and do what’s uncomfortable.