Jack Canfield's Success Principle #25
This principle takes us into Part Two of The Success Principles, which is titled, Transform Yourself for Sucess. Part One focused on understanding the fundamentals of success. This section delves into specific ways that we can change ourselves in the process of achieving our goals.
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.
This is a profound statement. We make sure that our kids spend time with other 'good kids,' but as adults, we may not be quite so careful about who we spend our time with. I realized this a while back and became more selective about who I hang out with.
We can find more successful people in a variety of places, such as:
-Professional associations;
-Professional conferences;
-Chamber of Commerce;
-Country club;
-Leadership positions;
-Kiwanis;
-Optimists International;
-Rotary Club;
-Volunteer positions in our religious organizations; and
-Networking groups.
We can atatend lectures, courses, seminars, clinics, and retreats that are taught by people who are already doing what we want to become. So, think about being the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Look for people who have a positive attitude and a solution-oriented approach to life.
Drop out of the 'Ain't it Awful' Club
When I was studying educational methods, my college advisor told me to avoid the teachers' lounge at all costs. It was, in her estimation, a hotbed of gossip.
In my first job, I found myself eating lunch with the other teachers in the lounge during the early weeks on the job. My advisor had been right: the only thing coming out of my colleagues' mouths were negative statements about the administration, their pay, their benefits, and the kids.
I never wanted to form a negative opinion about one of my students based on someone else's critical spirit, so I began spending my lunch breaks in my classroom. Soon, another teacher joined me, and we formed a wonderful friendship that was based on positive thinking and an attitude of helpfulness toward one another.
Be selective.
Make a list of all the people that you spend time with on a regular basis: family members, coworkers, neighbors, friends, acquaintances at church, and business associates.
Now, go back and put a minus sign (-) next to the people who are negative and toxic. Put a plus sign (+) next to people who are positive and nurturing.
Look over your list and see where there are patterns of negativity. Make a choice to stop spending time with those people who are sucking the life out of you.
For those of us who have been in abusive relationships, this process can be really difficult. Often, the most toxic people live with us. Even if it is impossible to completely avoid these energy vampires, we must severely decrease the amount of time we spend with them.
I have come to the realization that my mother can rob me within minutes of every ounce of energy I have spent a year building. Therefore, I do not answer the phone when she calls, read her emails, or even talk with others about her. In fact, I limit the amount of time I spend with my siblings, who expend a lot of their energy bringing up my mother's unhealthy lifestyle.
This was not an easy decision to make. The Bible tells us, "Honor your father and mother." (Matt 15:4) Avoiding my mother felt un-Biblical. But a Christian counselor helped me to see my relationship with my mother from another perspective.
God's Word also tells us, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Cor 6:14) We must guard our hearts and our minds from people who do not have in mind the things of God.
Surround yourself with successful people.
If we are going to become successful, we must begin to spend time with other successful people. We can ask them to share their secrets for success with us. Then, we can experiment with their suggestions. We can read what they read, and consider new ideas. If the new ideas work for us, we can incorporate them into our success strategies. If they don't work, we can move on and keep asking others.
Today's Challenge
Think about people you know who are always blaming someone else for their problems. Consider the people who do nothing but complain about the economy, their health, their spouses, and life in general. Stop giving away your precious time and energy to them! Make a list of five successful people you would like to know better, and call one of them today.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Exceed Expectations
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #24
According to Jack, successful people instinctively choose to do more. As a result, they generally experience great financial rewards for their efforts. What I like about this practice, though, is that it builds self-confidence. People who go the extra mile are more self-reliant and tend to influence those around them.
Go the extra mile.
When I was a teacher, I decided that I wanted to be the best teacher on staff wherever I worked. I wanted to do this by avoiding discipline problems, so I created educational games that allowed the students to learn what other teachers were presenting through textbooks.
My games were a huge hit with the kids, and the parents were happy that discipline problems seemed to disappear when their child was assigned to my class. Over time, parents began requesting that their children be placed in my class, because word got out that it was fun!
It took a lot of time to design and make the games, but the payoff was worth it. My students were happier, learned faster, and misbehaved less than others. As a result, I gained a lot of self-confidence from my habit of going the extra mile.
Give more than people expect.
When we owned a drapery workroom, I always made something extra with the left-over fabrics. I gave customers a set of pillows, a covered bench cushion, or pillow shams to go with their draperies. They were so pleased, it was easy for them to refer their friends to me. Business grew quickly, and our reputation did, too.
Jack provides examples of outstanding hotel chains, such as the Ritz-Carlton and the Four Seasons, where they focus on giving more than anyone ever expects. We can all have businesses, relationships, and lives that are top-notch, if we are willing to give more than people expect.
Focus on how you can give more, instead of how you can get more.
Television producer Stephen Cannell hired film school graduates to work in his mail room for minimum wage. Many of them complained that they wanted more. He marveled at how their negative attitudes got in the way of their being promoted within his company.
One day, a 40-year-old drummer was hired to work in the mail room. Steve Beers had been earning $100,000 a year, but his wife was expecting a baby, and he didn't want to travel anymore. He was willing to take just $7 an hour to work in the mail room of Cannell's company.
Everywhere, people were talking about this new guy in the mail room. He surprised the boss by getting his suit cleaned, delivered checks for the secretary, took scripts to actors' homes at midnight, and did whatever he could to make other people's jobs easier.
Cannell noticed Beers and promoted him from mail clerk to associate producer for 21 Jump Street. In just 4 short years, Steve Beers went from making $7 an hour to over $500,000 per year. By focusing on giving more, instead of getting more, Beers came out far ahead of those other whiny kids who didn't appreciate the opportunities of starting out in the mail room.
Jack's point here is not a new concept. Jesus told his followers over 2,000 years ago, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
(Acts 20:35b) What could you accomplish if you were willing to go the extra mile? Do you have the opportunity and the personal initiative to do whatever it takes?
Today's Challenge
Choose one area of your life today, and go the extra mile to give more than you get. Volunteer to do an extra task at work, take your spouse's car and fill it up with gas, spend a little one-on-one time with your kid, or surprise your neighbor with an unexpected home-baked gift. There are so many ways that you can delight others. By giving more, you'll receive far more in the long run.
According to Jack, successful people instinctively choose to do more. As a result, they generally experience great financial rewards for their efforts. What I like about this practice, though, is that it builds self-confidence. People who go the extra mile are more self-reliant and tend to influence those around them.
Go the extra mile.
When I was a teacher, I decided that I wanted to be the best teacher on staff wherever I worked. I wanted to do this by avoiding discipline problems, so I created educational games that allowed the students to learn what other teachers were presenting through textbooks.
My games were a huge hit with the kids, and the parents were happy that discipline problems seemed to disappear when their child was assigned to my class. Over time, parents began requesting that their children be placed in my class, because word got out that it was fun!
It took a lot of time to design and make the games, but the payoff was worth it. My students were happier, learned faster, and misbehaved less than others. As a result, I gained a lot of self-confidence from my habit of going the extra mile.
Give more than people expect.
When we owned a drapery workroom, I always made something extra with the left-over fabrics. I gave customers a set of pillows, a covered bench cushion, or pillow shams to go with their draperies. They were so pleased, it was easy for them to refer their friends to me. Business grew quickly, and our reputation did, too.
Jack provides examples of outstanding hotel chains, such as the Ritz-Carlton and the Four Seasons, where they focus on giving more than anyone ever expects. We can all have businesses, relationships, and lives that are top-notch, if we are willing to give more than people expect.
Focus on how you can give more, instead of how you can get more.
Television producer Stephen Cannell hired film school graduates to work in his mail room for minimum wage. Many of them complained that they wanted more. He marveled at how their negative attitudes got in the way of their being promoted within his company.
One day, a 40-year-old drummer was hired to work in the mail room. Steve Beers had been earning $100,000 a year, but his wife was expecting a baby, and he didn't want to travel anymore. He was willing to take just $7 an hour to work in the mail room of Cannell's company.
Everywhere, people were talking about this new guy in the mail room. He surprised the boss by getting his suit cleaned, delivered checks for the secretary, took scripts to actors' homes at midnight, and did whatever he could to make other people's jobs easier.
Cannell noticed Beers and promoted him from mail clerk to associate producer for 21 Jump Street. In just 4 short years, Steve Beers went from making $7 an hour to over $500,000 per year. By focusing on giving more, instead of getting more, Beers came out far ahead of those other whiny kids who didn't appreciate the opportunities of starting out in the mail room.
Jack's point here is not a new concept. Jesus told his followers over 2,000 years ago, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
(Acts 20:35b) What could you accomplish if you were willing to go the extra mile? Do you have the opportunity and the personal initiative to do whatever it takes?
Today's Challenge
Choose one area of your life today, and go the extra mile to give more than you get. Volunteer to do an extra task at work, take your spouse's car and fill it up with gas, spend a little one-on-one time with your kid, or surprise your neighbor with an unexpected home-baked gift. There are so many ways that you can delight others. By giving more, you'll receive far more in the long run.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Practice the Rule of 5
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #23
Today, Jack talks about seeking the advice of a teacher who told him, "If you would go every day to a very large tree and take five swings at it with a very sharp ax, eventually, no matter how large the tree, it would have to come down."
Practice the Rule of 5
From that lesson, Jack and his partner, Mark Victor Hansen, developed something called the Rule of 5. This means that every day, they did five specific things to move them closer to completing their goal of putting Chicken Soup for the Soul on the top of the New York Times Best-Seller List.
Every day, they did something to promote their book, including:
-five radio interviews;
-five copies sent to editors to review the book;
-five phone calls to network marketing companies;
-five free copies to celebrities; and
-five press releases.
In addition, they called in to radio talk shows, sent copies to ministers to help them in writing sermons, provided free copies to all of the jurors in the OJ Simpson trial, did book signings, got military bases to carry them, and even got gas stations, bakeries, and restaurants to sell the book. For two years, they did a minimum of 5 things every day.
Did this pay off? You bet! They sold over 8 million copies of their book, which was translated into 39 languages.
Anyone Can Practice Persistence
To make this point more clear, Jack tells about a phenomenal view near Lake Arrowhead, where an entire mountainside and meadow are covered in daffodils. A sign there reads:
One Woman--Two Hands, Two Feet and Very Little Brain
One at a time
Started in 1958
One woman changed the landscape over the course of 40 years by just doing one simple task repeatedly. Imagine the possibilities if we were to do a little bit every day for 40 years!
Persistence Results in Blessings
God's Word promises the following: "God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life." (Rom. 2:6-7) In other words, our good works are something visible which give evidence of our faith in Christ, which is invisible. And by our persistence, we can win plenty of glory and honor in this world, as well as in the next.
The Rule of 5 is a very powerful principle, but it takes persistence to make it work. What are you willing to do to move closer to your goal? I'm going to do exactly what Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen did to get my writing published.
Today's Challenge
Choose one of your goals and make a list of things you need to do to move forward with it. Commit to doing 5 simple tasks each day. Like the daffodil woman, you can do anything if you stick with it long enough.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Today, Jack talks about seeking the advice of a teacher who told him, "If you would go every day to a very large tree and take five swings at it with a very sharp ax, eventually, no matter how large the tree, it would have to come down."
Practice the Rule of 5
From that lesson, Jack and his partner, Mark Victor Hansen, developed something called the Rule of 5. This means that every day, they did five specific things to move them closer to completing their goal of putting Chicken Soup for the Soul on the top of the New York Times Best-Seller List.
Every day, they did something to promote their book, including:
-five radio interviews;
-five copies sent to editors to review the book;
-five phone calls to network marketing companies;
-five free copies to celebrities; and
-five press releases.
In addition, they called in to radio talk shows, sent copies to ministers to help them in writing sermons, provided free copies to all of the jurors in the OJ Simpson trial, did book signings, got military bases to carry them, and even got gas stations, bakeries, and restaurants to sell the book. For two years, they did a minimum of 5 things every day.
Did this pay off? You bet! They sold over 8 million copies of their book, which was translated into 39 languages.
Anyone Can Practice Persistence
To make this point more clear, Jack tells about a phenomenal view near Lake Arrowhead, where an entire mountainside and meadow are covered in daffodils. A sign there reads:
One Woman--Two Hands, Two Feet and Very Little Brain
One at a time
Started in 1958
One woman changed the landscape over the course of 40 years by just doing one simple task repeatedly. Imagine the possibilities if we were to do a little bit every day for 40 years!
Persistence Results in Blessings
God's Word promises the following: "God will give to each person according to what he has done. To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life." (Rom. 2:6-7) In other words, our good works are something visible which give evidence of our faith in Christ, which is invisible. And by our persistence, we can win plenty of glory and honor in this world, as well as in the next.
The Rule of 5 is a very powerful principle, but it takes persistence to make it work. What are you willing to do to move closer to your goal? I'm going to do exactly what Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen did to get my writing published.
Today's Challenge
Choose one of your goals and make a list of things you need to do to move forward with it. Commit to doing 5 simple tasks each day. Like the daffodil woman, you can do anything if you stick with it long enough.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Practice Persistence
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #22
Jack points out in today's lesson that the longer we hang in there, the greater our odds are of success. The Bible reminds us of this same point: Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:4) If we stick with our goals, no matter what, God promises that we will not lack anything. That's worth it to me to keep pressing on.
As we work to achieve our goals, we need to think about the following things.
(1) Remember that it's not always going to be easy.
Jack tells the story of the man who started XM satellite radio. He experienced one setback after another, but he refused to give up. Today, millions of people subscribe to this service.
Any goal that is worth pursuing will not be easy. Like weight lifting, goal attainment takes effort. We may feel some pain, and we may want to quit. But if we remember that it will become difficult at some junctures, we can keep pushing ourselves through to success.
(2) Take just one more step.
Terry Fox was diagnosed with cancer and had to have his leg amputated. Refusing to give up his love of running, he set out to cross Canada, shuffling and hopping on an artificial leg. Every day, he ran 26 miles...the equivalent of a marathon. He continued for 143 days until the cancer returned and prevented him from going on. Today, Terry Fox marathons are held annually and have raised over $340 million for cancer research.
I haven't run any marathons, but I can say that I've used this technique to overcome some pretty significant obstacles. Seven years ago, I was busy running a drapery workroom, where I designed, sewed, and installed every job that I bid on. One day, I found myself completely paralyzed on the left side.
I was determined to get my life back, and my doctor told me it would take five to seven years to completely recover. I can remember moments when I had to push myself to simply bear weight on my left leg. Each day, I forced myself to take one more step than the day before. It was a big deal when I actually walked ten feet to the bathroom by myself.
This week, I hung 20 quilts in a display at one of the hospitals where Joe works. I realized that for the first time in seven years, I am once again capable of performing many of the tasks I did before I became ill. Taking one step at a time paid off.
(3) Never give up.
Jack tells the incredible story of Ross Perot, who wanted to send a Christmas gift to every single POW during the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese government said they refused to accept anything coming from the US. So, Perot flew a fleet of jets to Moscow and had workers hand mail all of those packages. Every one was safely delivered.
(4) Hang in there.
It may take us years on end to make our dreams come true. I have been writing for twenty years, and I have seen some small successes. But I genuinely believe that this coming year is going to bring about big changes. I'm anticipating success and looking for opportunities at every turn.
Today, I met a banker who offered to take me with her to a networking group so that I could talk about my books and upcoming seminars. I discovered that she, too, is a survivor of domestic violence, and she has a tender heart for women who find themselves alone and helpless when their marriages fall apart. If we hang in there, God will send us people to lead us toward our goals.
(5) Deal with obstacles.
For every obstacle, Jack suggests coming up with three alternatives so that we can go over, under, or around the problem. We must always be thinking about a solution as we go about our day.
This afternoon, my friend went to the bank to open up an account for her new small business. The banker told her that she couldn't proceed unless she first registered her name with the state. This is not even a state requirement of entrepreneurs in her situation, but she couldn't get past this guy's refusal.
I told her she had three choices: register her business with the state, go to another bank, or simply open up another personal checking account for keeping her business funds separate. We must anticipate obstacles along the way every day and prepare for solutions when obstacles block our progess.
Today's Challenge
If you have given up on a dream that is important to you, it's time to resurrect it. Make a list of small steps that will help you to get started again. Keep working at it. In time, we will all eventually reach our goals, provided we don't give up.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Jack points out in today's lesson that the longer we hang in there, the greater our odds are of success. The Bible reminds us of this same point: Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:4) If we stick with our goals, no matter what, God promises that we will not lack anything. That's worth it to me to keep pressing on.
As we work to achieve our goals, we need to think about the following things.
(1) Remember that it's not always going to be easy.
Jack tells the story of the man who started XM satellite radio. He experienced one setback after another, but he refused to give up. Today, millions of people subscribe to this service.
Any goal that is worth pursuing will not be easy. Like weight lifting, goal attainment takes effort. We may feel some pain, and we may want to quit. But if we remember that it will become difficult at some junctures, we can keep pushing ourselves through to success.
(2) Take just one more step.
Terry Fox was diagnosed with cancer and had to have his leg amputated. Refusing to give up his love of running, he set out to cross Canada, shuffling and hopping on an artificial leg. Every day, he ran 26 miles...the equivalent of a marathon. He continued for 143 days until the cancer returned and prevented him from going on. Today, Terry Fox marathons are held annually and have raised over $340 million for cancer research.
I haven't run any marathons, but I can say that I've used this technique to overcome some pretty significant obstacles. Seven years ago, I was busy running a drapery workroom, where I designed, sewed, and installed every job that I bid on. One day, I found myself completely paralyzed on the left side.
I was determined to get my life back, and my doctor told me it would take five to seven years to completely recover. I can remember moments when I had to push myself to simply bear weight on my left leg. Each day, I forced myself to take one more step than the day before. It was a big deal when I actually walked ten feet to the bathroom by myself.
This week, I hung 20 quilts in a display at one of the hospitals where Joe works. I realized that for the first time in seven years, I am once again capable of performing many of the tasks I did before I became ill. Taking one step at a time paid off.
(3) Never give up.
Jack tells the incredible story of Ross Perot, who wanted to send a Christmas gift to every single POW during the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese government said they refused to accept anything coming from the US. So, Perot flew a fleet of jets to Moscow and had workers hand mail all of those packages. Every one was safely delivered.
(4) Hang in there.
It may take us years on end to make our dreams come true. I have been writing for twenty years, and I have seen some small successes. But I genuinely believe that this coming year is going to bring about big changes. I'm anticipating success and looking for opportunities at every turn.
Today, I met a banker who offered to take me with her to a networking group so that I could talk about my books and upcoming seminars. I discovered that she, too, is a survivor of domestic violence, and she has a tender heart for women who find themselves alone and helpless when their marriages fall apart. If we hang in there, God will send us people to lead us toward our goals.
(5) Deal with obstacles.
For every obstacle, Jack suggests coming up with three alternatives so that we can go over, under, or around the problem. We must always be thinking about a solution as we go about our day.
This afternoon, my friend went to the bank to open up an account for her new small business. The banker told her that she couldn't proceed unless she first registered her name with the state. This is not even a state requirement of entrepreneurs in her situation, but she couldn't get past this guy's refusal.
I told her she had three choices: register her business with the state, go to another bank, or simply open up another personal checking account for keeping her business funds separate. We must anticipate obstacles along the way every day and prepare for solutions when obstacles block our progess.
Today's Challenge
If you have given up on a dream that is important to you, it's time to resurrect it. Make a list of small steps that will help you to get started again. Keep working at it. In time, we will all eventually reach our goals, provided we don't give up.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Friday, December 3, 2010
Keep Score for Success
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #21
I am so thankful today that this success principle is a simple one. The degree of change I have been experiencing feels as if I am hurtling through deep space at the speed of light. I need a day to just drift a little.
People who suffer from PTSD can have setbacks when they push themselves too hard. Joe gave his yoga mat a sharp shake yesterday morning, and I nearly had heart failure when the mat snapped loudly against the floor. I know that when I begin having exaggerated startle responses like this that I need to slow down.
In this lesson, Jack talks about the importance of keeping track of our successes. He gives an example of a boy playing basketball. The father created a scorecard to track every instance of success on the court. Most coaches only track points made and rebounds. This father tracked points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocked shots, and more. The boy became so excited about seeing where he was improving that he became a much better player, without the usual harsh criticism of the coach.
One of my goals is to weigh 137 pounds. I've been recording my weight daily for almost a year. I can look back and see where I started and where I am today. It has been helpful, but for the past couple of months, I've been stuck at about 142 pounds.
I now realize that I could have reached my goal more quickly if I had tracked more than my weight. I should have been recording the number of days that I: practiced yoga for 30 minutes, walked for 30 minutes, kept my carb count below 60, and drank 90 ounces of water. Just because I didn't lose weight every day doesn't mean that I wasn't getting healthier. Feeling successful in a variety of ways would have inspired me to keep trying when the scale didn't register success.
Today's Challenge
Choose one goal and create a scorecard for it. Design a chart with measurable successes related to that goal across the top. For each day this month, note your successes. Let me know if this helps you reach your goal more quickly.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
I am so thankful today that this success principle is a simple one. The degree of change I have been experiencing feels as if I am hurtling through deep space at the speed of light. I need a day to just drift a little.
People who suffer from PTSD can have setbacks when they push themselves too hard. Joe gave his yoga mat a sharp shake yesterday morning, and I nearly had heart failure when the mat snapped loudly against the floor. I know that when I begin having exaggerated startle responses like this that I need to slow down.
In this lesson, Jack talks about the importance of keeping track of our successes. He gives an example of a boy playing basketball. The father created a scorecard to track every instance of success on the court. Most coaches only track points made and rebounds. This father tracked points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocked shots, and more. The boy became so excited about seeing where he was improving that he became a much better player, without the usual harsh criticism of the coach.
One of my goals is to weigh 137 pounds. I've been recording my weight daily for almost a year. I can look back and see where I started and where I am today. It has been helpful, but for the past couple of months, I've been stuck at about 142 pounds.
I now realize that I could have reached my goal more quickly if I had tracked more than my weight. I should have been recording the number of days that I: practiced yoga for 30 minutes, walked for 30 minutes, kept my carb count below 60, and drank 90 ounces of water. Just because I didn't lose weight every day doesn't mean that I wasn't getting healthier. Feeling successful in a variety of ways would have inspired me to keep trying when the scale didn't register success.
Today's Challenge
Choose one goal and create a scorecard for it. Design a chart with measurable successes related to that goal across the top. For each day this month, note your successes. Let me know if this helps you reach your goal more quickly.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Commit to Constant and Never-Ending Improvement
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #20
If you're joining me in the middle of my review of Jack Canfield's Success Principles, I hope you'll understand the method to my madness. Survivors of incest, abuse, and trauma often suffer from very poor self-esteem. We find it hard to keep our lives in order, and achieving goals can feel overwhelming.
I am offering this condensed version of Jack's advice to my readers, while including my own reactions to the exercises in the book. I hope you find them helpful. I certainly have.
In Japanese, kaizen is the word for constant and never-ending improvement. It has become a personal mantra for millions of successful people around the world.
In our ever-changing culture where electronics are obsolete almost before we unpackage them, we know that we must learn to adapt to change. Our survival depends on it. If we want to thrive, though, we must take a more dedicated approach. We can't just adapt to change, we have to constantly work at improving ourselves for the rest of our lives.
Jack Canfield uses the mantra kaizen to keep himself on track. I prefer Jesus' words: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt 5:48) In other words, God sent Jesus as our model. He set a high standard for us: he wants us to strive to express his ideal love to those we encounter, just as Jesus did.
Expressing ideal love as a Christian can be acted upon in numerous ways. We can learn to forgive people who have hurt us, become more generous with our money, show kindness to people who don't deserve it, or simply commit to becoming the best person we can be.
Jack Canfield offers the following suggestions for thriving in our ever-changing world:
(1) Improve in small increments.
We must begin our journey toward a dream in baby steps. If we try to tackle something really difficult before we're ready, we may get so overwhelmed that we just quit before finishing.
I can certainly relate to this as I continue with these success principles. There are days when my head is swimming, and I wonder how on earth I will ever achieve the 101 goals I have written down. But if I select one goal and write down all of the steps I need to complete along the way, it becomes far more manageable.
(2) Decide what you want to improve.
Ask God every single day, "How can I improve today?" Listen for his response, and then devote your free time to it. Perhaps he'll lead you to read a book, take a class, volunteer, practice a sport, meet someone new, or spend more time with your spouse.
I decided to co-author a book with my daughter-in-law, because I needed to improve my discpline of actually finishing and publishing what I write. Since we are writing alternating chapters, Lauren can only do her part if I finish my work on time each month. By writing regularly and meeting once a month, we figure that we can have this novel in print within a year.
(3) Don't skip steps.
Becoming a master at any craft or skill takes a lot of time. If I want to find my name on the New York Times Bestseller list, I'm going to have to put in a lot of hours at the keyboard. I started by committing to writing this daily blog as a discipline to show up at the computer every day.
I know that I'll need to network with agents and ask other writers to edit my work. I must learn perseverence in marketing what I write, because it isn't helping anyone to have piles of manuscripts on my shelves. By working my way through all of the baby steps over a long period of time, I know that I will eventually reach my goal.
Jack points out that there are very few overnight successes. Desiring to become a millionaire is a very achievable goal, but a person has to be willing to put in a lot of time and effort to make it happen. Buying lottery tickets or hanging out in casinos probably would not be the best way to financial success.
We must make a commitment to constant and never-ending improvement if we want to enjoy success. Every success builds confidence, which translates into improved self-esteem. For those of us suffering from PTSD or the aftermath of abuse, greater confidence is an excellent by-product of following The Success Principles.
Today's Challenge
Choose one thing today that you want to do better. Write down the steps that are necessary to improve this skill. Commit to constant and never-ending improvement until you master what you have chosen to do.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
If you're joining me in the middle of my review of Jack Canfield's Success Principles, I hope you'll understand the method to my madness. Survivors of incest, abuse, and trauma often suffer from very poor self-esteem. We find it hard to keep our lives in order, and achieving goals can feel overwhelming.
I am offering this condensed version of Jack's advice to my readers, while including my own reactions to the exercises in the book. I hope you find them helpful. I certainly have.
In Japanese, kaizen is the word for constant and never-ending improvement. It has become a personal mantra for millions of successful people around the world.
In our ever-changing culture where electronics are obsolete almost before we unpackage them, we know that we must learn to adapt to change. Our survival depends on it. If we want to thrive, though, we must take a more dedicated approach. We can't just adapt to change, we have to constantly work at improving ourselves for the rest of our lives.
Jack Canfield uses the mantra kaizen to keep himself on track. I prefer Jesus' words: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matt 5:48) In other words, God sent Jesus as our model. He set a high standard for us: he wants us to strive to express his ideal love to those we encounter, just as Jesus did.
Expressing ideal love as a Christian can be acted upon in numerous ways. We can learn to forgive people who have hurt us, become more generous with our money, show kindness to people who don't deserve it, or simply commit to becoming the best person we can be.
Jack Canfield offers the following suggestions for thriving in our ever-changing world:
(1) Improve in small increments.
We must begin our journey toward a dream in baby steps. If we try to tackle something really difficult before we're ready, we may get so overwhelmed that we just quit before finishing.
I can certainly relate to this as I continue with these success principles. There are days when my head is swimming, and I wonder how on earth I will ever achieve the 101 goals I have written down. But if I select one goal and write down all of the steps I need to complete along the way, it becomes far more manageable.
(2) Decide what you want to improve.
Ask God every single day, "How can I improve today?" Listen for his response, and then devote your free time to it. Perhaps he'll lead you to read a book, take a class, volunteer, practice a sport, meet someone new, or spend more time with your spouse.
I decided to co-author a book with my daughter-in-law, because I needed to improve my discpline of actually finishing and publishing what I write. Since we are writing alternating chapters, Lauren can only do her part if I finish my work on time each month. By writing regularly and meeting once a month, we figure that we can have this novel in print within a year.
(3) Don't skip steps.
Becoming a master at any craft or skill takes a lot of time. If I want to find my name on the New York Times Bestseller list, I'm going to have to put in a lot of hours at the keyboard. I started by committing to writing this daily blog as a discipline to show up at the computer every day.
I know that I'll need to network with agents and ask other writers to edit my work. I must learn perseverence in marketing what I write, because it isn't helping anyone to have piles of manuscripts on my shelves. By working my way through all of the baby steps over a long period of time, I know that I will eventually reach my goal.
Jack points out that there are very few overnight successes. Desiring to become a millionaire is a very achievable goal, but a person has to be willing to put in a lot of time and effort to make it happen. Buying lottery tickets or hanging out in casinos probably would not be the best way to financial success.
We must make a commitment to constant and never-ending improvement if we want to enjoy success. Every success builds confidence, which translates into improved self-esteem. For those of us suffering from PTSD or the aftermath of abuse, greater confidence is an excellent by-product of following The Success Principles.
Today's Challenge
Choose one thing today that you want to do better. Write down the steps that are necessary to improve this skill. Commit to constant and never-ending improvement until you master what you have chosen to do.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Use Feedback to Your Advantage
Jack Canfield's Success Principle #19
As we progress in our quest toward our dreams, we'll receive all kinds of feedback. It will come in the form of advice, data, help, suggestions, and criticism. We must be willing to respond to it. Jack provides some advice on how to use feedback to our advantage.
(1) Understand that there are two kinds of feedback.
We like positive feedback, because it generally makes us feel good when we receive praise, promotions, raises, awards, and pleasure. We tend to dislike negative feedback, because a lack of money, criticism, complaints, unhappiness, and conflict bring us pain.
We must change how we respond to negative feedback, because it provides us with improvement opportunities. To reach our goals more quickly, we need to embrace both positive and negative feedback.
(2) Stop responding to feedback in ways that don't work.
Some responses to feedback don't work to our advantage. They include:
a) Caving in and quitting;
b) Getting mad at the source of feedback; or
c) Ignoring the feedback.
If we break down, cry, and give up on our way to our goal because we can't stand the negative feedback, we've only hurt ourselves. Listening to it and adjusting our behavior would be a better way to respond.
Getting mad at the person who is trying to provide us with constructive criticism only serves to push away something that could help us. It builds walls between us and the person who wants to help.
Ignoring negative feedback is really foolish. Pretending it isn't there could cause us to veer so far off course that we never reach our goals.
(3) Ask for feedback.
The most valuable question we can ask is, "How am I limiting myself?" We may be pleasantly surprised to find that others see clearly the corrections we need to make to reach our goals. But we must be willing to ask. We have to make it safe for the other person, too. No fair shooting the messenger after we've asked for feedback.
(4) Learn to ask the two most valuable questions of all.
If we learn nothing else from Jack Canfield's book, The Success Principles, I believe this is the most important exercise. The two questions are:
a) On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the quality of our meeting? me as a manager? me as a parent? me as a teacher? this class? this meal? my housekeeping skills? our sex life? this book? this deal?
b) What would it take to make it a 10?
Asking only the first question only lets us know that the person we are working with is dissatisfied. Knowing in detail what it will take to make them satisfied with our performance is key to our success. We must make it a habit to end very project, meeting, class, consultation, installation, and encounter with both of these questions.
(5) Make these two questions a weekly ritual.
We can check in with our accountability partner, spouse, or business associate with these two questions at least once a week. If we ask them to rate the quality of our pathway to success, our relationship, or our work, then we can take action to ensure that things improve the following week.
(6) Be willing to ask.
Most people are reluctant to ask for feedback, because they are afraid of what they are going to hear. The truth is what it is. It can't hurt us, unless we hide from it.
And the worst part is, if we avoid seeking out the truth from others, everyone but us is going to know about it. They will tell their coworkers, friends, business associates, parents, and spouses the truth about us.
If we are the kind of person who gets defensive whenever someone offers us feedback, we deprive ourselves of the very thing that could make us better. Instead of getting defensive, we must start appreciating all feedback. When someone provides it to us, we need to say, "Thank you for caring enough to share that with me."
When we have the feedback we asked for, we must do something to change our own behavior. Asking for feedback and failing to utilize it is a waste of time.
(7) Remember that not all feedback is accurate.
Some people will criticize us and give us inaccurate feedback, because it is filtered through their own psychological distortions. We don't have to act on this type of inaccurate feedback, but we should listen to it.
In other words, if our drunken spouse tells us we're a loser, we should consider the source of such information unreliable. Nevertheless, we should use the fact that our spouse is drunk as another form of feedback about our life.
(8) Look for patterns in the feedback you receive.
If one person tells us that we're a horse, we may write them off as a nut. If three people tell us that we're a horse, we may think there's a conspiracy afoot. If ten people tell us that we're a horse, we'd better buy a saddle!
We need to pay attention to feedback that gets repeated by more than one person. It generally highlights where we should focus our energies to change things.
(9) Follow these steps when all feedback tells you that you've failed.
a) Acknowledge that you did your best with the awareness, knowledge, and skills that you had at that time.
b) Acknowledge that you survived the failure and can cope with the consequences.
c) Keep a journal called Insights and Lessons. Write down everything you learned from your failure. And then write down ways to do it better the next time.
d) Thank everyone for their feedback. Give up explaining, justifying, or blaming others for your actions. This is a waste of everyone's time.
e) Clean up any messes that you have created. Apologize or express regret to everyone that you have hurt. Never try to hide your failures. Remember, everyone else is already keenly aware of them.
f) Review your successes regularly. You have succeeded far more often than you've failed.
g) Regroup. Spend time with positive and loving friends, family, and coworkers until you are ready to move on.
h) Refocus your vision. Incorporate what you've learned from feedback and get on with it. Stay in the game, no matter what.
Proverbs 27:17 tells us, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. God knows the importance of spending time with other supportive people who can sharpen our skills along the pathway of life. We can accelerate our progress toward our goals more quickly if we follow Jack's advice to ask for and act on both positive and negative feedback.
Today's Challenge
Select one area of your life and ask someone reliable to give you honest feedback about your performance. Remember to thank them, and don't shoot the messenger afterward. Follow up by asking them what it will take for you to improve. Then, take action to correct your behavior.
I welcome feedback from my readers. Please let me know how I am doing in explaining these success principles to you. If there is something I could do better, I would love to know exactly how I could improve.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
As we progress in our quest toward our dreams, we'll receive all kinds of feedback. It will come in the form of advice, data, help, suggestions, and criticism. We must be willing to respond to it. Jack provides some advice on how to use feedback to our advantage.
(1) Understand that there are two kinds of feedback.
We like positive feedback, because it generally makes us feel good when we receive praise, promotions, raises, awards, and pleasure. We tend to dislike negative feedback, because a lack of money, criticism, complaints, unhappiness, and conflict bring us pain.
We must change how we respond to negative feedback, because it provides us with improvement opportunities. To reach our goals more quickly, we need to embrace both positive and negative feedback.
(2) Stop responding to feedback in ways that don't work.
Some responses to feedback don't work to our advantage. They include:
a) Caving in and quitting;
b) Getting mad at the source of feedback; or
c) Ignoring the feedback.
If we break down, cry, and give up on our way to our goal because we can't stand the negative feedback, we've only hurt ourselves. Listening to it and adjusting our behavior would be a better way to respond.
Getting mad at the person who is trying to provide us with constructive criticism only serves to push away something that could help us. It builds walls between us and the person who wants to help.
Ignoring negative feedback is really foolish. Pretending it isn't there could cause us to veer so far off course that we never reach our goals.
(3) Ask for feedback.
The most valuable question we can ask is, "How am I limiting myself?" We may be pleasantly surprised to find that others see clearly the corrections we need to make to reach our goals. But we must be willing to ask. We have to make it safe for the other person, too. No fair shooting the messenger after we've asked for feedback.
(4) Learn to ask the two most valuable questions of all.
If we learn nothing else from Jack Canfield's book, The Success Principles, I believe this is the most important exercise. The two questions are:
a) On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the quality of our meeting? me as a manager? me as a parent? me as a teacher? this class? this meal? my housekeeping skills? our sex life? this book? this deal?
b) What would it take to make it a 10?
Asking only the first question only lets us know that the person we are working with is dissatisfied. Knowing in detail what it will take to make them satisfied with our performance is key to our success. We must make it a habit to end very project, meeting, class, consultation, installation, and encounter with both of these questions.
(5) Make these two questions a weekly ritual.
We can check in with our accountability partner, spouse, or business associate with these two questions at least once a week. If we ask them to rate the quality of our pathway to success, our relationship, or our work, then we can take action to ensure that things improve the following week.
(6) Be willing to ask.
Most people are reluctant to ask for feedback, because they are afraid of what they are going to hear. The truth is what it is. It can't hurt us, unless we hide from it.
And the worst part is, if we avoid seeking out the truth from others, everyone but us is going to know about it. They will tell their coworkers, friends, business associates, parents, and spouses the truth about us.
If we are the kind of person who gets defensive whenever someone offers us feedback, we deprive ourselves of the very thing that could make us better. Instead of getting defensive, we must start appreciating all feedback. When someone provides it to us, we need to say, "Thank you for caring enough to share that with me."
When we have the feedback we asked for, we must do something to change our own behavior. Asking for feedback and failing to utilize it is a waste of time.
(7) Remember that not all feedback is accurate.
Some people will criticize us and give us inaccurate feedback, because it is filtered through their own psychological distortions. We don't have to act on this type of inaccurate feedback, but we should listen to it.
In other words, if our drunken spouse tells us we're a loser, we should consider the source of such information unreliable. Nevertheless, we should use the fact that our spouse is drunk as another form of feedback about our life.
(8) Look for patterns in the feedback you receive.
If one person tells us that we're a horse, we may write them off as a nut. If three people tell us that we're a horse, we may think there's a conspiracy afoot. If ten people tell us that we're a horse, we'd better buy a saddle!
We need to pay attention to feedback that gets repeated by more than one person. It generally highlights where we should focus our energies to change things.
(9) Follow these steps when all feedback tells you that you've failed.
a) Acknowledge that you did your best with the awareness, knowledge, and skills that you had at that time.
b) Acknowledge that you survived the failure and can cope with the consequences.
c) Keep a journal called Insights and Lessons. Write down everything you learned from your failure. And then write down ways to do it better the next time.
d) Thank everyone for their feedback. Give up explaining, justifying, or blaming others for your actions. This is a waste of everyone's time.
e) Clean up any messes that you have created. Apologize or express regret to everyone that you have hurt. Never try to hide your failures. Remember, everyone else is already keenly aware of them.
f) Review your successes regularly. You have succeeded far more often than you've failed.
g) Regroup. Spend time with positive and loving friends, family, and coworkers until you are ready to move on.
h) Refocus your vision. Incorporate what you've learned from feedback and get on with it. Stay in the game, no matter what.
Proverbs 27:17 tells us, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. God knows the importance of spending time with other supportive people who can sharpen our skills along the pathway of life. We can accelerate our progress toward our goals more quickly if we follow Jack's advice to ask for and act on both positive and negative feedback.
Today's Challenge
Select one area of your life and ask someone reliable to give you honest feedback about your performance. Remember to thank them, and don't shoot the messenger afterward. Follow up by asking them what it will take for you to improve. Then, take action to correct your behavior.
I welcome feedback from my readers. Please let me know how I am doing in explaining these success principles to you. If there is something I could do better, I would love to know exactly how I could improve.
Jack Canfield, America's #1 Success Coach, is founder of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul© and a leading authority on Peak Performance and Life Success. If you're ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your FREE success tips from Jack Canfield now at: www.FreeSuccessStrategies.com
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