Posted on April 1, 2015

FEAR!

https://youtu.be/JbaqKGH4t94

What do I fear?

I fear stagnation and lack of progress.

I fear never reaching my potential and being average.

I fear being forgotten… The past… Yesterday’s news.

I fear giving up and being passed by, going softly into that good night.

I fear settling, giving in to the “that’s just the way it is” mindset.

I fear not feeling these fears anymore and just floating along.

These fears feed me, they nourish my drive.

I love my fear.

– Unknown-

In life there are winners and losers. What separates the winners from the losers? FEAR!

The Problem is, people allow fear to cripple them. I’m here to tell you that you were born to win, but in order to actually accomplish it, you have to let go of those limiting beliefs that hold you back. You MUST plan to win and prepare by setting goals. Much like the famous saying: “Build it and They Will Come” type of mentality; Expect to win!!!

Own your fears, push into them everyday and the most amazing thing will happen, you will grow by every experience.

Realistically, you can’t rid yourself of fear 100%. Its in our DNA to react but its my hope that you will change what the fear based symptom is. To distinguish between a false negative and learn how to harness the power within to move up the success ladder.

Start living! When you get overwhelmed, scared or fed up in all the hard work you think is blocking you from reaching the next level, remember the end goal, which is to be great and leave your mark in this world. You can do it! Now you need to believe. Stop the noise and get out of your own way and accept all challenges that come your way. In this way, you will feel the thrill of victory instead of fear.

 

Posted on March 17, 2015

Get Healthy

https://youtu.be/fviFNrWKzZ8

It’s Spring! Flowers are blooming, birds are singing, the sun is shining and faces are smiling. There is nothing quite like it!

Spring is often the time of year when you engage in some spring cleaning; getting rid of what’s been stored over the winter that you doubt you will ever use again. Cleaning the yard and around your home ridding yourself of the debris that has built up over the winter, and creating more order in your cupboards and closets.

What about your mental debris? You know, those limiting beliefs, those skewed expectations, that internal dialogue – “The Noise” — that is just not serving you any longer. What do you do with that? Most of us simply let it sit; like the filters in our furnace, these mental filters stay filled with dusty debris — much of which we no longer have use. Yet those beliefs, expectations, and thoughts influence every aspect of your life. They influence not just how you interpret what you experience, but they influence what you notice (and what you don’t).

In the spirit of spring and of cleaning, here are six reasons for more mental.   (The acronym is HEALTH)

Hindrance: Get rid of the people in your life that are a hindrance. The naysayers. The negative people that hate their lives. The very people that are always complaining about the Noise that they create in their own lives and are not willing to do anything about it, in turn it spills over into your life.

Energy: Constructive, positive thoughts create energy. If you want more energy (and I cannot say I have met anyone who said they didn’t), you need to ensure you nourish your brain and your bloodstream with chemicals like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin…natural, effective, healthy ‘dope’ for your brain!

Assurance: The only way to be sure (as sure as you possibly can) you will be mentally healthy/psychologically well is to take preventative, deliberate steps to be mindful of your mind (thoughts). When you first engage this thought pattern, you will be surprised at some of the thoughts that are holding you back from fully experiencing a full life.

Life: Your very life depends on your psychological health. Without a healthy brain — one that serves you — your very life is at stake. (Not to be overly dramatic — but, really, think about it!!)

Trust: Cleaning out the debris in your brain — the negative thoughts, the limiting beliefs, the unrealistic expectations, the life-sucking story — will inspire trust in yourself and others’ trust in you. You’ll be the kind of person other people want to be around. And that increase in social connection with nourish your brain, which relies on it!

Harmony: In a world filled with epic disasters (planes disappearing, ferries sinking, extreme weather destroying homes and lives) and stories of people losing control of their psychological well-being (murder- suicides, workplace shootings, violent rampages) Mental Spring Cleaning will help you to add some peace and balance in a world of people that settle for mediocrity. Rise above -the social mediocrity and be a true “One-Percenter”.

What’s your favorite mental hygiene habit?

At the end of the day, you are in control of your own behavior.  Clean out the noise and make life everything that you desire, crave and deserve.

 

 

 

Posted on March 11, 2015

The power of coaching.

 

How apropos to stumble upon a clip of this funny movie (Shallow Hal) to make today’s point.

I’m sure most of us at one time or another has seen the movie starring Jack Black (Hal Larson) as the superficial, modelesque obsessed man who only sees a woman’s physical beauty instead of their inner beauty. Of Course, as fate would have it, he runs into the famous Life Coach and Self-Help guru Tony Robbins, whom, while stuck in an elevator, hypnotizes Hal into recognizing only the inner beauty of women.

The question lends itself, how does this relate to everyday business?

If you want to be a LEADER, then you need to be credible. In order to be credible and accomplish that, you need to know whom you are talking to, whether it is a single individual or an entire audience. If you are presenting yourself or your message in a superficial manner, then you are not going to come across as real or authentic.

Listen very carefully, I’m the guru today and you are my shallow Hal. Let me hypnotize you into believing two very important things…

In order to be successful, the person on the other side of the table needs to BELIEVE and FEEL within themselves that you are being sincere, honest and have their best interest at heart. Then and only then do you have the platform to demonstrate that you are the expert in the field, and in turn they will buy you and what you are selling.

The reality is, in our ever-changing society where everyone is looking towards the Internet or technology in order to satisfy their every desire, the truth is, people are craving the basics. The one on one, face-to-face real person interaction, in order to confide in someone they truly feel comfortable giving their business to, but most importantly, trust to get the job done. The competition is so small. With all of the call centers in other countries and all of the commerce done over the internet, more and more high powered individuals are craving the REAL sales professional. Not some call center operator or superficial idiot on the other end of a internet connection.

Dare to be different, stop trying to follow a script, take control of your sales process and demonstrate in all areas of your life that you are the rainmaker. That you are the true professional in your world. That at the end of the day the people you meet not only want to do business with you, but they NEED you in their lives.

 

Posted on February 12, 2015

STOP THE NOISE!

http://youtu.be/tPoRCrLCb8c

How do you want to be remembered?

As the person that stumbled, failed and did not get back up?

As the person who saw their setbacks as temporary and did NOT lose their confidence to push forward and accomplish greatness?

Today we celebrate the birth of a man who is the epitome of the latter. A man who after enduring numerous failures, trials and tribulations, ones that would break even the strongest of persons, ran for president, a position he had no business running for, but he did and guess what, … HE WON!

I want you to keep something in mind: YOU ARE STRONGER THAN YOU THINK.

You have what it takes inside of you. Be persistent, try different things but never give up until you reach your goal. Limits exist only in your mind so I need you to believe that you can accomplish your goals.

The one thing I don’t want to hear is the whoa is me attitude. You know who you are. You THINK you’ve done all you can do…..WRONG!

STOP THE NOISE! Get real with your goals. How far are you willing to go to accomplish them? If you settle for good enough, then that’s all you will ever be. But SUCCESS, true success comes from hunger, desire and a willingness to do what others aren’t.

Like Lincoln, if you have failed then get up, dust yourself off and begin a new, because there is no better time than the present to change your world. No one is perfect but the ultimate goal is right in front of you. What better day to start and take control of your future than on this monumental day. Make Lincoln’s birthday your marker and by next year, your accomplishments will speak louder than your words. Get up, get out and do it. Don’t complain, don’t make excuses, ignore the naysayers, in fact, make them choke on their words.

 

Posted on February 5, 2015

Where do you live (in your head)?

Dealing with Negative Events…

How can you minimize the influence of negative events?

As the saying goes, “Into each life, a little rain must fall.” That is, you can’t go through life without having anything negative happening.

Let’s take this literally for a second. Presumably, if you had outdoor plans, then a real rainstorm is a negative event. Of course, you have a choice when faced with rain about how to keep it from making you feel too bad. In general, there are two ways to deal with a negative event like rain.

One possibility is to rethink the event to find the silver lining. This kind of reappraisal turns what seems to be a negative into a positive (or at least something less negative).  In the case of a storm, you could focus on the benefits that the rain gives you an opportunity to do something else that might be more productive in other areas of your life.

A second possibility is to disengage from the situation. By focusing your attention elsewhere, you dull the negative impact of the event on yourself.  If the rainstorm disrupted an important life event, then you might have difficulty seeing the positive.  In that case, you might just try to ignore the negative event. But ignoring an event does not solve the problem at hand.  When your outdoor plans get rained out, work inside on your calendar and the days ahead. Focus on the positive aspects of your goals.

The way I have set up this discussion suggests that people use both strategies, but they engage them in different situations.  When an event is a little negative, then you may be more likely to reappraise the situation than to disengage from it.  When it is highly negative, though, you may be more likely to disengage than to reappraise.  So lets apply this to real life and how to deal with it.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Put life in perspective. If you are expecting something to happen a certain way and it doesn’t, take a moment and analyze how big of a deal it actually is, in the “macro” scale.

As an example; if your assistant repeatedly does not do what they are asked, communicate in a calm assertive way that you have asked them to do something within a specific time frame. Have them give you a time frame that they feel they can accomplish the task at hand. Communication is the key factor.  By them giving you the time frame they are committing to the task, “They own it”.  Then if it does not happen, communicate what the consequences will be next time it happens.  If you let it go then you are creating the environment of mediocrity and you will be miserable on an ongoing basis.

This example permeates all aspects of your life. If you do not communicate your desired outcome from others you will always have internal conflict when they are not completed. In turn you will harp on the negative.

At the end of the day the answer to all of this is very simple. When something negative happens. Take it in, deal with it, then MOVE ON. Don’t allow it to occupy time in your head. Your brain is the most expensive real estate per square inch.  So unless the problem is worth your hourly income then discard it and MOVE ON.

Posted on February 2, 2015

Groundhogs Day…

Am I going to talk about Punxsutawney Phil, or Groundhog Day, NO! It is already a widely recognized and popular tradition, received widespread attention as a result of the 1993 film Groundhog Day. But I will take a strong feature from it.

The movie depicts a man that wakes up every morning and the day repeats itself, over and over again.

In many ways it sounds boring and a miserable way to live life. I think it is a miserable existence, but some aspects are what are needed to be successful. What would happen if you knew exactly what was going to happen every step of the way in your day? If you know what was going to happen next as a result of your action?

 Guess what, you already do.

You know if – You set goals, write them down and break them down to a daily activity you will achieve what you set out to do.

You know if – You are consistent in your activities the results will happen.

You know if – You wake up every morning and work your calendar and not have your calendar work you, you will be a very happy person.

So why don’t we? The answer is simple, human nature. How to defeat the mediocrity. Do what needs to be done.

Focus; keep the eye on the prize.

Passion is the key component in your success.

Action is the step needed. For without action nothing ever happens.

 It is Groundhog Day for you every day. Not in a bad way, but in a way that will lead you to success in achieving your goals.

 Even though it is a very funny to see a bunch of grown men in top hats standing around in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, waiting to see what Punxsutawney Phil is going to do. Get out there and forget about the shadow.

Be consistent

Be focused

Be passionate

TAKE ACTION EVERY DAY.

 

Posted on January 21, 2015

There are three kinds of people in the world

http://youtu.be/Y3QpubKy8_s

The person that MAKES things happen.

The person that WATCHES things happen.

The person that says WHAT the F**** just happened.

 What are you going to do TODAY to take control of your life and be HAPPY?

Most people don’t do anything and that is okay if you are a conformist and enjoy basking in mediocrity.

Are you like “Most” people?

My clients definitely are not like most people and if you are taking the time to read this, you know deep down that you not only know better, but also want better for yourself.

Those who make things happen do not take “NO” for an answer. They take the bull by the horns and get up every morning ready to succeed. Ready to do what needs to be done in order to achieve the goals they set forth for themselves. They have an underlying drive that propels them to achieve what mediocre people only dream of.

How easy would life be if you could just wait for someone to deliver your dreams on a silver platter? If you think this sounds cliché, guess what, it isn’t. This is the mentality I come across day in and day out. Don’t get me wrong. It’s not a full on verbal admittance of procrastination, but their actions and behaviors are clear indicators of how these individuals have conditioned their life and thought process.

You are either a:

WILL do it

WON’T do it

CAN’T do it type of a person. The choice is yours!

Don’t let life pass you by. Take advantage of all the opportunities that are around you. Trust me, there are no scarcity of stepping stones out there ready to take you to where you want to be in life.  All you need to do is open your eyes, Get rid of the NOISE! Keep your end goal in mind…MAKE IT HAPPEN! The reality is, only you can.

I have said this at least three times today already.

“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do.”

Remember, Don’t be that person that says, “What the F**** Just Happened?”

Go forth and act accordingly…Make it happen NOW.

 

Posted on January 19, 2015

Was it a dream or a Goal?

https://youtu.be/jw1R_JBuHEQ

Today is motivational Monday, and coincidentally, Martin Luther King day as well.  Today, we do not need to look too far for motivation.  Not long ago, in 1963 a man had a dream or so he said. The reality is….It wasn’t a dream at all.  IT WAS A GOAL!

He DID NOT wish it to come true.

He DID NOT say he was going to do it “someday”.

He DID NOT give himself “Noise” as to why he couldn’t do it.

He woke up every morning and did what he needed to do, day after day, EVERY SINGLE DAY in order to achieve his goal. Even on days when just the day before, he had been defeated, deflated and things didn’t look promising, that didn’t stop him from taking action EVERY….SINGLE….DAY!

Martin Luther King conquered adversity in every sense of the word.  Physically beaten, verbally abused, and cast off every single day.

Today, when you are reflecting on how difficult it is to adhere to your calendar, How difficult it is to stay focused on what is important in your life, How you can not seem to muster up the energy to work your plan, look deep within and think about how Martin Luther King felt EVERY SINGLE DAY of his life.

Dare I say it… The great Dr. Martin Luther King did not have a dream.  He had a Goal, he had conviction and he had passion to achieve it all.  There is no stopping an individual that has a vision, an individual that has real goals, an individual that wants what they want, the way they want it. 

 Go out there today and GET IT DONE!

 You do not have a dream, you have your GOALS… 

“Dreams occupy your mind; Goals take over your realty…”

 

Posted on January 16, 2015

SPG in the press

Strategic Performance Group finds its way to a myriad of press…

 

Posted on January 12, 2015

History In The Making… Now Make Yours.

Historic Paris Rally Against Terrorism from guimera

For the people that follow me on this site, I know you are used to seeing a short video to go along with my daily messages. After much thought, I would like to share with you a slide share that I came across. I feel it is not always what we hear that makes us feel but that visuals too are a great way to stir the soul.

As you make your way through the images, I hope you can read through the hidden messages. Amazingly enough, they pertain to things I guide my clients on a daily basis.

Today’s post in no way has a political message. I hope that yesterday’s world events touched you as much as they touched me and that you are proud to be who you are.  That it encourages you to strive to make a difference in whatever capacity you see fit, whether in the world, your home life, or in business.  

 The question stands, how does this pertain to coaching?

Commitment – World leaders set their differences aside to show unity to the world in a time that was needed most.

Action – They did not wait for tomorrow or next week to organize a perfectly orchestrated event.  They went ahead and did it. Then and Now.

Contagious – They did it with such conviction and belief that they created a buzz that became contagious.

Inspire – Seeing 3.7 million people gather in unity to combat a long standing problem.

Learn – Leaders that have huge differences every day, from a line on a map or a faith in their religion set them aside for the greater good. They learned to see the prize and the end.

Motivate – At the end of the day these leaders forecasted to have 1 million people gather to send a message to terrorism. They were able to motivate 3.7 million people to stand tall in their own belief and they made a statement for the world to notice.

At the end of the day I am not saying you need to make a stance as these leaders did, but what I am saying is that you need to have the heart to make life happen on your terms. To have the conviction that you control the world around you. To move forward knowing that you can do whatever you set your mind to do.