How many LITTLE THINGS matter?
Twenty-five years ago, I started making a list and today it contains close
to 1000 LITTLE THINGS. This book includes 100 of them.
As you read the lessons, keep two questions in mind:
* What are you not doing?
* Which of those that you are doing, could you do better and with greater
consistency?
The lessons I selected for this book are those that can be applied to both
your personal life and professional life. This information, when acted
upon, will help you become a better parent and role model for your
children; will bring more depth to your valued relationships; will increase
people's respect for you and your influence in the community, and will
help you achieve whatever level of professional success you desire. I
believe that, if you apply these lessons to any part of your life, you will
see measureable results almost immediately.
Some of the LITTLE THINGS will feel natural and come easy for you;
some will require pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Some will
challenge your current beliefs; some will provide ―Aha‖ moments. Some
may be life changing, and some you'll be tempted to dismiss as
insignificant. Don't allow yourself to think that one of these LITTLE
THINGS doesn't matter. They all matter.
When you read a lesson about a subject you think you know well, ask
yourself, ―Being honest with myself, how am I doing on this point?‖ As
you contemplate your answer, review the Little Things Matter (LTM)
Challenge at the end of each lesson for ideas about taking your skill to the
next level. The best of the best got there by being the best at the LITTLE
THINGS. When a new concept is presented to you, use your personal
initiative to start small and take the first step. With each small step you
take, your confidence grows. Every great success story begins with the
first step, and then another.
1. A New Attitude for a New Day
If you want to enjoy greater success, you must put the past behind you
and focus on your future. You can move beyond your failures and
disappointments to create a new, amazing life. I'm a firm believer in
Napoleon Hill's famous quotation: "What the mind of man can conceive
and believe, it can achieve." Attitude is everything.
Here is what I know from failing my way to the top. If you continue to
dwell upon your past failures, losses, and disappointments, you cannot
advance your life forward. Spending time thinking about them will have a
negative effect on your emotions and immobilize you from taking action.
You have no doubt experienced this negative feeling. Everyone has at
some time or another. In fact, anyone who has been willing to venture out
of his or her comfort zone has experienced huge disappointment and
failure.
Where do you stand today? Are you still haunted by the past? Are you
preoccupied with the memory of negative experiences? Here's what Jim
Rohn, one of my favorite teachers, had to say:
We must not beat ourselves to death with past mistakes,
faults, failures, and losses. The greatest opportunity today
brings with it the opportunity to begin the process of
change.
As you begin this series of lessons on the LITTLE THINGS that can lead
you to a better life, remember that today is a new day.
Learn From the Past
Acknowledge your mistakes. When you make a mistake, accept
responsibility for the decision that led to the mistake. Denial leads
to repetition of the same mistakes and sends your self-image into
a downward spiral.
Identify what drove you to make the mistake. Often mistakes
can reveal a new part of you. Address them and make needed
changes. Don't be discouraged if this process takes five minutes, a
couple of hours, or perhaps even days.
Don't stay mired in the muck. Holding on to disappointment can
cause you to be bitter and depressed. Instead, learn from your
disappointments and get excited about becoming the person you
need to be to achieve your goals and live the life you desire.
In the words of Irish poet and author Oscar Wilde: "What seems to us as
bitter trials are often blessings in disguise."
Create Your Future
Maintain a positive attitude. Look at challenges as opportunities
to become a better person. The times when I have grown the most
have followed my major failures. I'm convinced you can work
through any challenge that comes your way if you look at it as a
chance to improve.
Develop self-control. This will require a conscious effort. Every
time I catch myself thinking about one of my failures, I have a
Improving Your Life One Thing at a Time. 9.
firm conversation with myself: "I can't change what has
happened. I've learned all I can learn. I refuse to think about it
any longer!" Then using self-control, I change my thought
process.
Don't compare yourself with others. No matter what you have
experienced, there are people who have had it better than you, and
there are people who have had it far worse. I've seen some very
gifted people miss golden opportunities because they were
concerned with what other people were doing and how they were
getting ahead. Concentrate on your own growth potential.
LTM Challenge
Draw a line in the sand to separate your past from your future and begin
focusing 100 percent of your emotional energy on creating a fulfilling
life. If you truly know what it is you want and are willing to do what it
takes to achieve it, you can live the life of your dreams.
Dwelling on the events of yesterday causes you
to miss the fun and excitement of today
and the anticipation of what tomorrow may bring.
"All of your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." - ºoº Walt Disney ºoº
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