Thursday, April 7, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
See me at my new site...
I have not blogged here for a little while because I was away on a cruise enjoying some of the fruits of my wonderful business, and also because I am in the throws of a mjaor growth cycle in general.
Sometime next week my new site www.toddburrier.com will be live. I will be blogging only there at that point.
I communicate content on a variety of subjects throughout the year to a large group that are all in the vein of living a higher quality and/or more productive life, as part of my mission to make a million lives better. This new site will include blogs on succeeding from home, but also be a central platform for all of my other content.
Please visit me there and subscribe!
Sometime next week my new site www.toddburrier.com will be live. I will be blogging only there at that point.
I communicate content on a variety of subjects throughout the year to a large group that are all in the vein of living a higher quality and/or more productive life, as part of my mission to make a million lives better. This new site will include blogs on succeeding from home, but also be a central platform for all of my other content.
Please visit me there and subscribe!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
I could never say it better...
Teddy Roosevelt overcame tremendous physical challenges to become one of the greatest American's ever...this quote is worth reading and thinking on and then let it be a backdrop for your actions...
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows that in the end the triumph of acheivement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Man that's good!!!
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at best, knows that in the end the triumph of acheivement; and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
Man that's good!!!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Increasing Speed
Do you want to succeed faster? It's easy...all you have to do is fail faster!!! No this is not a misprint...it is the the true answer to the question.
Now, what does it mean? It means that you have to have more people tell you "not yet" than you are currently having AND that you need to instill this in the group you are building. It is not the yes answers that show you are working, it is the "not yets." The yes answers are simply the result of hearing enough of the opposite.
You cannot hear a yes unless you're having people declining your offer...so subsequently you need to have a lot of people to decline to have a lot of people say yes. Since it is natural to consider a "not yet" as a failure to achieve a yes...this is what I mean by increase your failure rate.
Remember, it isn't about you or your skills...it's about whether or not the other person is ready to act on their need. It's your job to sort through the people and find the right ones. The faster you fail to find the right ones, the faster you DO find the right ones.
The best way to do this is to ask a direct question...something like: "Hey, have you heard about...?" Isn't that how you ask someone if they know about anything else you learn about and like? Why complicate it? In "The Process" I give many examples of effective approaches....they all work...and the best thing you can do is find the easiest question to ask...and ask it as many times as you can. This is how you go faster. Increase your approaches and you will increase the pace of your success.
Now, what does it mean? It means that you have to have more people tell you "not yet" than you are currently having AND that you need to instill this in the group you are building. It is not the yes answers that show you are working, it is the "not yets." The yes answers are simply the result of hearing enough of the opposite.
You cannot hear a yes unless you're having people declining your offer...so subsequently you need to have a lot of people to decline to have a lot of people say yes. Since it is natural to consider a "not yet" as a failure to achieve a yes...this is what I mean by increase your failure rate.
Remember, it isn't about you or your skills...it's about whether or not the other person is ready to act on their need. It's your job to sort through the people and find the right ones. The faster you fail to find the right ones, the faster you DO find the right ones.
The best way to do this is to ask a direct question...something like: "Hey, have you heard about...?" Isn't that how you ask someone if they know about anything else you learn about and like? Why complicate it? In "The Process" I give many examples of effective approaches....they all work...and the best thing you can do is find the easiest question to ask...and ask it as many times as you can. This is how you go faster. Increase your approaches and you will increase the pace of your success.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Focus?!
How did one little word get to be so difficult? Focus should be easy right? We turn our attention to something and block out everything else...no problem....if it were only that easy huh?
I mean certainly it's easy to focus on stuff we LOVE to do or that we are incredibly interested in at the moment. When we're watching a really good movie or playing a video game we don't have to think about focusing. We just do it.
In other words...its easy to focus (for the most part) when it comes to things we want to do....but when it comes to things we have to do? This is a challenge...because we are surrounded by choices and distractions.
Distractions, or maybe a better word is diversions, are everywhere. As I sit here and type this, I have a cell phone next to me which is recieving texts and calls, I have another phone that is recieving calls, I have an email that is calling to me to read it, I have a day planner with 20 other tasks in front of me, and I have an active mind that is trying to take me from one thought stream into 50 others. And this is just what I am doing to myself as I sit in one spot!!!
Distractions are just the tiny issue in the focus war....relationship dynamics, health, emotions, stressors, desires, responsibilities, life roles, priorities, fears....oh...I could probably go on for a little while here...but the point is that there is alot more going on that can make it difficult to focus.
This barrage of positive and negative stimulation can be so overwhelming that many people simply retreat and focus on nothing but medicating...they medicate with the TV, or the internet, or with substances, or food..in other words they try to feel better by ignoring, but the long run result is they feel emotionally and physically worse!!!
I talk about procrastination in my book "Live Full, Live Well." It is a joy stealer. Typically procrastination is doing what we want to do instead of what we have to do....why doesn't matter. BUT even while we are doing the thing we want to do...the thing that we have to do is nagging at our minds...reducing the fun from the thing we chose to do instead....so now we are losing twice!!!
To succeed in life we need to focus!!!! Do the thing you have to do. Forget the ringing phone, forget the email, forget the text, don't worry about tomorrow...do the thing you have to do right now. Plan what needs to get done, then systematically do it. Plan in your priorities. Your health, relationships, business. Stick to your plan and everything will work it's way out. Don't let the false anxieties of today's world drive you out of focus.
I mean certainly it's easy to focus on stuff we LOVE to do or that we are incredibly interested in at the moment. When we're watching a really good movie or playing a video game we don't have to think about focusing. We just do it.
In other words...its easy to focus (for the most part) when it comes to things we want to do....but when it comes to things we have to do? This is a challenge...because we are surrounded by choices and distractions.
Distractions, or maybe a better word is diversions, are everywhere. As I sit here and type this, I have a cell phone next to me which is recieving texts and calls, I have another phone that is recieving calls, I have an email that is calling to me to read it, I have a day planner with 20 other tasks in front of me, and I have an active mind that is trying to take me from one thought stream into 50 others. And this is just what I am doing to myself as I sit in one spot!!!
Distractions are just the tiny issue in the focus war....relationship dynamics, health, emotions, stressors, desires, responsibilities, life roles, priorities, fears....oh...I could probably go on for a little while here...but the point is that there is alot more going on that can make it difficult to focus.
This barrage of positive and negative stimulation can be so overwhelming that many people simply retreat and focus on nothing but medicating...they medicate with the TV, or the internet, or with substances, or food..in other words they try to feel better by ignoring, but the long run result is they feel emotionally and physically worse!!!
I talk about procrastination in my book "Live Full, Live Well." It is a joy stealer. Typically procrastination is doing what we want to do instead of what we have to do....why doesn't matter. BUT even while we are doing the thing we want to do...the thing that we have to do is nagging at our minds...reducing the fun from the thing we chose to do instead....so now we are losing twice!!!
To succeed in life we need to focus!!!! Do the thing you have to do. Forget the ringing phone, forget the email, forget the text, don't worry about tomorrow...do the thing you have to do right now. Plan what needs to get done, then systematically do it. Plan in your priorities. Your health, relationships, business. Stick to your plan and everything will work it's way out. Don't let the false anxieties of today's world drive you out of focus.
Monday, February 28, 2011
New Day
I walked out of the gym this morning and it was overcast, as has been the case for what seems to have been an endless stretch of days. The first thing I thought to myself is how tired I am of dreary days. I love the sunshine. It energizes me and makes it so much easier for me to smile. I also like it warm...actually I like it hot, but I'll take warm too.
Anyway, as I was complaining to myself about how overcast the sky was and how sick I am of it...the other guy on my shoulder...you know the two guys on your shoulders right? The positive guy and the negative guy? Well, as I was entertaining the negative guy, the positive guy jumps up at me and reminds me that its warmer today. Hmmm, I missed that. I was so busy lamenting the clouds that I missed the warmth. Of course, the positive guy was just warming up (pun intended)...then he reminded me that I am healthy, and have a wonderful family, and live an incredible life, and have great friends, and a wonderful organization of people working with me, and on and on.
The positive guy has a big voice for me. You know why? Because I feed him. I had just worked out for almost two hours and for the first hour I had, in addition to exercising which helps him thrive, fed him scripture, proverbs, psalms, Og Mandino, Jim Rohn, and new education. And now he was returning the favor. He is the attitude I desire.
I could have fed him a steady diet of the latest world news of unrest and tragedy and economic turmoil from the Tvs at the gym as well as the latest gossip and complaining from the people around me...but then again...I wouldn't have been feeding him would I? I would have been feeding the other guy! I don't feed that guy. I do my best to starve him. And you know what happens? The positive guy gets stronger and the negative guy gets weeker.
Today is a new day. You and I have never seen this day before. It holds all kinds of lessons and possibilities just waiting for us to diswcover. We can not change the things around us. They simply are what they are...but we can change our thinking. We can control our approach and our attitude and our effort. The beautiful thing about this is that our surroundings tend to change over time to reflect our thinking and our attitude. We begin to attract the good into our life. This doesn't make us immune to bad things happening...we are in an interdependent world...but it reduces the amount and it greatly reduces the negative consequences we ourselves create.
Don't lament yesterday...it's gone. Don't worry about tomorrow...it's not here yet. Today is your gift. It is new and fresh and abundant. Seize it and enjoy it and look at all the good there is. Think about how good you have it, regardless of your troubles...there are billions of people who would gladly trade places with you and would hope to have your problems.
Today is yours...make the most of it.
Anyway, as I was complaining to myself about how overcast the sky was and how sick I am of it...the other guy on my shoulder...you know the two guys on your shoulders right? The positive guy and the negative guy? Well, as I was entertaining the negative guy, the positive guy jumps up at me and reminds me that its warmer today. Hmmm, I missed that. I was so busy lamenting the clouds that I missed the warmth. Of course, the positive guy was just warming up (pun intended)...then he reminded me that I am healthy, and have a wonderful family, and live an incredible life, and have great friends, and a wonderful organization of people working with me, and on and on.
The positive guy has a big voice for me. You know why? Because I feed him. I had just worked out for almost two hours and for the first hour I had, in addition to exercising which helps him thrive, fed him scripture, proverbs, psalms, Og Mandino, Jim Rohn, and new education. And now he was returning the favor. He is the attitude I desire.
I could have fed him a steady diet of the latest world news of unrest and tragedy and economic turmoil from the Tvs at the gym as well as the latest gossip and complaining from the people around me...but then again...I wouldn't have been feeding him would I? I would have been feeding the other guy! I don't feed that guy. I do my best to starve him. And you know what happens? The positive guy gets stronger and the negative guy gets weeker.
Today is a new day. You and I have never seen this day before. It holds all kinds of lessons and possibilities just waiting for us to diswcover. We can not change the things around us. They simply are what they are...but we can change our thinking. We can control our approach and our attitude and our effort. The beautiful thing about this is that our surroundings tend to change over time to reflect our thinking and our attitude. We begin to attract the good into our life. This doesn't make us immune to bad things happening...we are in an interdependent world...but it reduces the amount and it greatly reduces the negative consequences we ourselves create.
Don't lament yesterday...it's gone. Don't worry about tomorrow...it's not here yet. Today is your gift. It is new and fresh and abundant. Seize it and enjoy it and look at all the good there is. Think about how good you have it, regardless of your troubles...there are billions of people who would gladly trade places with you and would hope to have your problems.
Today is yours...make the most of it.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
No Time is No Excuse
This entire excerpt is taken from the New York Times Bestseller "REWORK."
The most common excuse people give: "There's not enough time." They claim they'd love to start a company, learn an instrument, market an innovation, write a book, or whatever, but there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Come on. There's always enough time if you spend it right. And don't think you have to quit your day job, either. Hang onto it and start work on your project at night.
Instead of watching TV or playing World of Warcraft, work on your idea. Instead of going to bed at ten, go to bed at eleven. We're not talking about all-nighters or sixteen hour days-we're talking about squeezing out a few extra hours a week. Thats enough time to get something going.
Once you do that, you'll learn whether your excitement and interest is real or just a passing phase. If it doesn't pan out, you just keep going to work everyday like you've ben doing all along. You didn't risk or lose anything, other than a bit of time, so it's no big deal.
When you want something bad enough, you make the time-regardless of your other obligations. The truth is most people just don't want it bad enough. Then they protect their ego with the excuse of time.
Don't let yourself off the hook with excuses. It's entirely your responsibility to make your dreams come true.
Besides, the perfect time never arrives. You're always too young or old or busy or broke or something else. If you constantly fret about timing things perfectly, they'll never happen."
As you might guess...I highly recommend this book...thank you to Json Stambaugh for telling me about it.
The most common excuse people give: "There's not enough time." They claim they'd love to start a company, learn an instrument, market an innovation, write a book, or whatever, but there just aren't enough hours in the day.
Come on. There's always enough time if you spend it right. And don't think you have to quit your day job, either. Hang onto it and start work on your project at night.
Instead of watching TV or playing World of Warcraft, work on your idea. Instead of going to bed at ten, go to bed at eleven. We're not talking about all-nighters or sixteen hour days-we're talking about squeezing out a few extra hours a week. Thats enough time to get something going.
Once you do that, you'll learn whether your excitement and interest is real or just a passing phase. If it doesn't pan out, you just keep going to work everyday like you've ben doing all along. You didn't risk or lose anything, other than a bit of time, so it's no big deal.
When you want something bad enough, you make the time-regardless of your other obligations. The truth is most people just don't want it bad enough. Then they protect their ego with the excuse of time.
Don't let yourself off the hook with excuses. It's entirely your responsibility to make your dreams come true.
Besides, the perfect time never arrives. You're always too young or old or busy or broke or something else. If you constantly fret about timing things perfectly, they'll never happen."
As you might guess...I highly recommend this book...thank you to Json Stambaugh for telling me about it.
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