Success Power Points: Strategic Thinking By: Brian Tracy

The Quality of Thoughtfulness

The ability to think and plan strategically is perhaps the most important single skill of the effective executive. In a longitudinal study of leaders who, in retrospect, made the best and most effective decisions, the single quality that stood out from all others was the quality of "thoughtfulness." Thoughtfulness may be defined as a careful concern for the secondary consequences of each decision and each action. This is the essence of strategic thinking.

Your Most Powerful Tool

most powerful tool that you as an executive have to bring to bear on your work is your mind - your thinking ability. Everything you do that sharpens and hones your ability to think with greater clarity before acting, will benefit you and help you to move upward and onward more rapidly in your career.

Use a Two Pronged Approach

The best way to approach strategic thinking is two pronged. This means to work simultaneously on the personal and the corporate.

Increase Your "Return On Energy"

In personal terms, strategic planning is an exercise in increasing "return on energy." Your greatest single asset is your earning ability. And your earning ability is nothing more than the total of the mental, emotional and physical energies that you can apply toward getting valuable results for yourself and your company.

Anything that you can do to increase your return on energy invested will increase your overall levels of effectiveness and contribution in every area of your life, especially, and most importantly in your work.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to increase your return on equity and your return on energy.

First, think about everything that you are doing in terms of its financial return to your organization. What are the things that you do that yield the highest return on equity? Whatever they are, do more of .

Second, think in personal terms about the things you do that give you the highest return on energy. Where do you contribute the greatest value and achieve the greatest satisfaction? Whatever they are, do more of these things.

About Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy is a leading authority on personal and business success. As Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, he is the best-selling author of 17 books and over 300 audio and video learning programs. Copyright © 2001 Brian Tracy International. All Rights Reserved.

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Do not give up on your personal development journey

The personal development industry is growing at an astronomical pace today. There are so many books, e-books that have been written and audio books created on this timeless subject. With all these materials available most people still find their personal development a far-reaching target. This is so because there are critical elements that have been overlooked. Sometimes our personal strengths have often been overemphasis at the expense of our personal weaknesses or vice versa. I am a strong proponent that balance must be aimed at if meaningful results will be attained.

The process of developing yourself must have objective, purposeful and it must be associated with your strengths and weaknesses. Your strengths being things that you are good at and have no struggle achieving results in those areas. On the other hand your weaknesses are areas that you need to consistently enhance or acquire new skills to better position you in achieving meaningful results. Therefore, understanding your strengths and weaknesses are paramount to your personal and professional success.

Most people have haphazardly set out on their personal development journey without really understanding what purpose it will serve and why they have embarked on it. In order to achieve the maximum outcome from your personal development efforts, the following objectives must be aimed at:

1. Leaning new knowledge
2. Honing skills that you have and gaining those you need to achieve your objectives
3. Changing mental attitudes
4. Changing belief systems
5. Identifying roadblocks you have to overcome to reaching your goals
6. Developing an action plan and
7. The importance of knowing what you want.

Consequently, setting out and setting the course for your personal development aspiration the following elements are pivotal and must be taking into consideration.

Personal strengths,
Personal weaknesses,
Where you are now,
Where you desire to be in the future, and
The goals and objectives to be achieved.

Your personal and professional development is not debateable, it is the right action plan to embark on if you must achieve extraordinary success. GO GO GO...

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The Miracle Of Personal Development By Jim Rohn

One day Mr. Shoaff said, "Jim, if you want to be wealthy and happy, learn this lesson well: Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job."

Since that time I've been working on my own personal development. And I must admit that this has been the most challenging assignment of all. This business of personal development lasts a lifetime.

You see, what you become is far more important than what you get. The important question to ask on the job is not, "What am I getting?" Instead, you should ask, "What am I becoming?" Getting and becoming are like Siamese twins: What you become directly influences what you get. Think of it this way: Most of what you have today you have attracted by becoming the person you are today.

I've also found that income rarely exceeds personal development. Sometimes income takes a lucky jump, but unless you learn to handle the responsibilities that come with it, it will usually shrink back to the amount you can handle.

If someone hands you a million dollars, you'd better hurry up and become a millionaire. A very rich man once said, "If you took all the money in the world and divided it equally among everybody, it would soon be back in the same pockets it was before."

It is hard to keep that which has not been obtained through personal development. So here's the great axiom of life:

--TO HAVE MORE THAN YOU'VE GOT, BECOME MORE THAN YOU ARE--

This is where you should focus most of your attention. Otherwise, you just might have to contend with the axiom of not changing, which is:

--UNLESS YOU CHANGE HOW YOU ARE, YOU'LL ALWAYS HAVE WHAT YOU'VE GOT--

This article was submitted by Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher. To subscribe to the Free Jim Rohn Weekly E-zine go to www.jimrohn.com or send a blank email to subscribe@jimrohn.com Copyright © 2000 Jim Rohn International. All rights reserved worldwide.

The 10 Commandments of Self Improvement

I got this e-mail from Jonathan Wells of Advanced Life Skills earlier on today entitled “The 10 Commandments of Self Improvement”. The contents were so empowering that I wanted to share it with all my readers. It is imperative to understand that there is no pursuit more venerable than the pursuit of self-improvement. Everything is capable of being improved, even if only incrementally. The concept of continuous improvement can literally be applied to every aspect of your personal and professional life. Consistent and constant pursuit of improvement in all areas of your life is indispensable in the attainment of your true potential and destiny. I will split this post into two because of its length. Enjoy the first five of the 10 commandments of self improvement.

#1: Take Responsibility for Your Life

Dr. Phil: "Life Law: - You Create Your Own Experience. Acknowledge and Accept Responsibility for your life"

Stephen Covey: "Taking initiative does not mean being pushy, obnoxious, or aggressive. It does mean recognizing our responsibility to make things happen."

Les Brown: "Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else."

Denis Waitley: "There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them."

#2: Take Action

Dr. Phil McGraw: "Life Rewards Action. Make Careful Decisions"

Tony Robbins: "Take Massive Action"

Dale Carnegie: The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.

Jack Canfield "Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it."

#3: Manifest desire.

Napoleon Hill: Desire is the starting point of all achievement.

Muhammad Ali: "Champions aren't made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision."

Mario Andretti: "Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek."

Earl Nightingale: "The key that unlocks energy is 'Desire.' It's also the key to a long and interesting life. If we expect to create any drive, any real force within ourselves, we have to get excited."

#4: Set Goals.

Tony Robbins: Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.

Aristotle: First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.

Maxwell Maltz: People who say that life is not worthwhile are really saying that they themselves have no personal goals, which are worthwhile. Get yourself a goal worth working for. Better still, get yourself a project. Always have something ahead of you to ''look forward to'' - to work for and hope for.

Brian Tracy: "Every single life only becomes great when the individual sets upon a goal or goals which they really believe in, which they can really commit themselves to, which they can put their whole heart and soul into."

Zig Ziglar "A goal properly set is halfway reached."

#5: Design a Plan

Unknown: If You Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail.

Napoleon Hill: When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.

Mark Victor Hansen: The majority of people meet with failure because they lack the persistence to create new plans to take the place of failed plans.

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Becoming a Motivational Leader: By Brian TRACY

Create a Big Vision

To become a motivational leader, you start with motivating yourself. You motivate yourself with a big vision, and as you move progressively toward its realization, you motivate and enthuse others to work with you to fulfill that vision.

Set High Standards

You exhibit absolute honesty and integrity with everyone in everything you do. You are the kind of person others admire and respect and want to be like. You set a standard that others aspire to. You live in truth with yourself and others sothat they feel confident giving you their support and their commitment.

Face Your Fears

You demonstrate courage in everything you do by facing doubts and uncertainties and moving forward regardless. You put up a good front even when you feel anxious about the outcome. You don't burden others with your fears and misgivings. You keep them to yourself. You constantly push yourself out of your comfort zone and in the direction of your goals. And no matter how bleak the situation might appear, you keep on keeping on with a smile.

Be Realistic About Your Situation

You are intensely realistic. You refuse to engage in mental games or self-delusion. You encourage others to be realistic and objective about their situations as well. You encourage them to realize and appreciate that there is a price to pay for everything they want. They have weaknesses that they will have to overcome, and they have standards that they will have to meet, if they want to survive and thrive in a competitive market.

Accept Responsibility

You accept complete responsibility for results. You refuse to make excuses or blame others or hold grudges against people who you feel may have wronged you. You say, "If it's to be, it's up to me." You repeat over and over the words, "I am responsible. I am responsible. I am responsible."

Take Vigorous Action

Finally, you take action. You know that all mental preparation and character building is merely a prelude to action. It's not what you say but what you do that counts. The mark of the true leader is that he or she leads the action. He or she is willing to go first. He or she sets the example and acts as the role model. He or she does what he or she expects others to do.

Strive For Excellence

You become a motivational leader by motivating yourself. And you motivate yourself by striving toward excellence, by committing yourself to becoming everything you are capable of becoming. You motivate yourself by throwing your whole heart into doing your job in an excellent fashion. You motivate yourself and others by continually looking for ways to help others to improve their lives and achieve their goals. You become a motivational leader by becoming the kind of person others want to get behind and support in every way.

Your main job is to take complete control of your personal evolution and become a leader in every area of your life. You could ask for nothing more, and you should settle for nothing less.

Action Exercises

Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action. First, see yourself as an outstanding person, parent, coworker and leader in everything you do. Pattern your behavior after the very best people you know. Set high standards and refuse to compromise them.

Second, be clear about your goals and priorities and then take action continually forward. Develop a sense of urgency. Keep moving forward and you'll automatically keep yourself and others motivated.

About Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy is a leading authority on personal and business success. As Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, he is the best-selling author of 17 books and over 300 audio and video learning programs. Copyright © 2001 Brian Tracy International. All Rights Reserved.

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Success Power Points: Perseverance

Josh Billings remarked, “Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there.”

Perseverance is commitment, hard work, patience, staying the course and endurance. This is not a quick fix mentality but a holding on, going through, staying focus on the assignment at hand until the anticipated expectation is attained. Perseverance is being able to bear difficulties calmly and without complaint. Perseverance is trying again and again. It is an important element of maintaining a positive mental attitude in all aspects of our lives. Those who persist in sowing the seed eventually bear fruit. Lack of perseverance translates into failure, no matter what the task is that is at hand.

Perseverance is one of the roadmaps to success. It is a desirable quality that can be developed by anyone in pursuit of success. As we pursue our dream, we will certainly run into somebody or something that hinders or prevents our progress and be affronted with challenging times. This is part of life’s process. Those who persevere will definitely prevail. Staying power is the power that will take you anywhere you wish to go and achieve your desired objectives. The power and benefits of perseverance cannot be overstated. After all, you can't fail unless you quit before succeeding, for quitters never win and winners never quits. Consequently, remember that the ability to endure waiting or delay without becoming annoyed or upset, or to persevere calmly when faced with difficulties is a prerequisite for success in any enterprise.

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Success Power Points: The YOU Factor

Dr. John C. Maxwell states that, “As you move forward on the success journey, you need to remember that what happens in you is more important than what happens to you.”

In the equation of life there are variables and constants. Variables been thing that change all the time and possibly you have no power to determine their outcome. The YOU factor is a long discovered and proven strategy for success in the field of human development and it performs a vital role in your overall success in any enterprise.

Successful people understand that working on the YOU factor is rather profitable in the final analysis than working on the variables that are subject to change in a moment’s notice. For instance;

Mrs Bouquet is a serial network marketer who has failed in so many business ventures but she thinks the reason for her failure is the fact that the payout structure of the companies and businesses that she represented was not lucrative enough. Mrs Bouquet has a choice to allow what has happened to her to determine her success in business or not.

Mrs Bouquet could begin work on the You factor to change her outcomes rather than casting blame on the variables that she has little or no control over. However, for Mrs Bouquet to become successful in her business could use some help working on her business, presentation and leadership.

Jim Rohn said, “Work harder on yourself than you work on your job.” So go to work on you, stretch beyond what is normally thought possible and the dividends will payout more in the outcome.

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Success Power Point 10: Taking Action

Did you know? What you are going to bring into your life, what success you will reach, is all being decided by the action you are taking right now. It is the smallest bit of action that separates the high achievers from everyone else.

Having acquired the information and knowledge, it is important to understand that, if consistent action is not taken, the desired outcomes will not come to fruition. It is one thing to have valuable how-to knowledge and information, but that information and knowledge will be unproductive by itself unless acted upon. The mere acquisition and possession of knowledge, does not produce real results, it is the application of the knowledge acquired which implies that the results and the desired outcome are created, when you apply what you know.

Jim Rohn wrote these words: “Knowledge fueled by emotion equals action. Action is the ingredient that ensures results. Only action can cause reaction. Further, only positive action can cause positive reaction.” This is the kind of attitude that leads to extraordinary achievement.

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My Success evolved from working hard at the business at hand every day.

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Success Power Point 8: Positive Attitude

What I’m about to ask of you may seem strange, nevertheless go ahead and do it. I want you to pay attention to your thoughts. Now, could you tell me what kind of thoughts in your head at this point in time? How would you refer to those those thoughts, Positive, or Negative?

Assume you are walking down the street with these thoughts. Do you think that the people with whom you come in contact would be able to tell you what’s on your mind? Of'course not, these people will not have the least idea of the exact thoughts in your mind, however they can discern the attitude you exude.

One of the key elements to achieving an extraordinary life and success in any chosen endeavour is predicated on your frame of mind. Thoughts are very powerful. They affect your overall attitude. Whether you have a positive or negative attitude it reflects on every aspects of your life, personal or professional.

It is know that the thoughts that are positive tend to be energetic and have an invigorating effect on the individuals that bears them as much as the people they come in contact with. Negative thoughts on the other hand have a debilitate effect on the one with such thoughts as much as on other people.

Success Power Point 1: Information

In our world today information is a great asset to any enterprise. Every outstanding transformation, extraordinary success is traceable to discovered secrets that I call success power points. When information is properly accessed and used diligently with determination success will be inevitable.

We live in a highly competitive world where information is at the cutting edge. To have that edge in this competitive environment the process and gathering of information is invaluable. To succeed in any endeavor you must seek out information by reading materials related to your field, attending training seminars and listening to various audio books on your particular area of interest.

In every enterprise either career, personal, business, family or relationship information is a relevant factor that guarantees optimum effectiveness, efficiency and maximum productivity. In this age of information, effective decision making is predicated on accurate and relevant information received in any enterprise. Man must continually acquire more knowledge or information throughout his life time so as to be able to address new challenges and demands of life..