Actions

Why don’t we ask?

Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”  The same holds true for receiving what you need.  You will not receive what you don’t persistently ask for.

What is stopping us from obtaining the very things that will make us successful? 

We might get advice that will be different than what we want to hear. “There is nothing which we receive with so much reluctance as advice.” – Joseph Addison

We believe we already know all we need to know. “Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” – Og Mandino

There are many ways to ask. The most obvious is literally just asking someone who you believe has what you need.  But have you considered that if the goal of asking is to obtain what you need, then we could define asking in much broader terms.  If you need information then asking is reading a book.  If you need experience then asking is trying something new.  If you need to be more physically fit then asking is starting an exercise regimen. The act of asking is merely that which will bring you what you need.    

Don’t skimp – Ask for everything. You might as well ask for it all.  What is the ultimate you would like to receive? Ask for that.  You may not get everything you ask for, but why start with anything less than everything? Define all you need, then using our new definition of asking, find an action that can potentially deliver it.  Read books written by the best in the industry. Take on roles that will stretch you to your maximum.  Plan an exercise program that becomes part of your daily life, not just a short-term effort.

“Asking is the beginning of receiving.  Make sure you don’t go to the ocean with a spoon. At least take a bucket so the kids won’t laugh at you.” – Jim Rohn

Be persistent – keep asking.  You may not receive everything you need.  In fact, you may not receive anything you need – when you first ask.  That doesn’t matter.  If what you need is important to you, then ask again.  Ask differently.  But don’t give up.

“Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.  My strength lies solely in my tenacity.” – Louis Pasteur

Make it Happen

Don’t let things happen to you, make them happen for you. A subtle difference in words that leads to a major difference in outcomes.

There is power you can draw on to make it happen:

Use the power of purpose. Why am I doing this?  This the key question you need to have an answer for every day.  Your purpose allows you to make better choices among many which seem reasonable, based on which one brings you to your success in the best way.  Your purpose energizes you to keep going during mundane tasks that will lead you to the ultimate goal.  Your purpose helps you start again after a failed attempt.

“Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” – Wayne Huizenga

Use the power of planning.  What needs to happen? You know where you want to end up – your purpose – but how are you going to get there?  If you want the highest probability of success you must plan your steps.  Start with the biggest grouping of activities that makes sense, then narrow in on the immediate actives and go for those.  After each set of immediate actions, re-evaluate where you are and adjust your plan to reach your purpose.

“An idea can only become a reality once it is broken down into organized, actionable elements.” – Scott Belsky

Use the power of people. Who can help me?   Each individual is limited by time and ability.  That is why organization and allocation of resources and delegation of the work is paramount to achieving your purpose in the most effective and efficient method. 

“To make any future that we dreamt up real requires creative scientists, engineers, and technologists to make it happen.”- Neil deGrasse Tyson

How is your message received?

You have something to say – a message that people need to hear – it can change lives for the better. You’ve worked hard and earned the opportunity and platform to share your message – congratulations. That’s a great start. But if you want your message to have an impact, it must be acted upon. How do you make sure that happens?

There are three main ways that messages are received and how the deliverer can take steps to ensure it is acted upon.

Some already believe in and practice what you are saying. They have done all they can up to this point to be successful and are ready to do more.

They will be looking for you to provide them with the resources to accomplish even more.

Your direction should be – Go do it, what can I do to help you be successful?

Some have never been exposed to your ideas but like what they are hearing. They believe that this can be something to help them be successful and want to learn more.

They will be interested in you teaching them how to apply what your message shared.

Your direction should be – Here’s how you do it, what can I do to help you learn?

Some have never heard these type of message and are not convinced that it is the right answer for them to be successful. They need to hear it again and again including past examples of success so they understand more.

You will need to convince them that your message is worthwhile.

Your direction should be – You need to do it, what can I do to help you understand?

Take action now to get a chance to succeed big later.

Don’t wait for the big opportunity before you give it your all. Instead grow where you’re planted; when you outgrow that you can be replanted somewhere else. Every professional was once an amateur who took action where they were to get where they got. Bob Proctor once said, “One difference between successful people and all the rest is that successful people take action.”

The action that successful people take isn’t just any action. For it to be impactful that action must be taken timely, early, and fully. Timely – do it now. Early – do it first. Fully – do it best.

Timely. What are you waiting for? You don’t know every answer and every turn you should take, but you do know where you want to go. Start from where you are, doing what you can do, and start today. I’ve heard it said that there are seven days in the week, and someday is not one of them.

“Don’t wait. The time will never be just right.”– Napoleon Hill

Early. Starting today happens every day. You have a choice when you start your action on each day. Start early and do what’s important first. Read, reflect, and rejuvenate through daily exercise to fill yourself up before you give of yourself.

“Get up early. Show up fully. Serve massively. Make history.”– Robin Sharma

Fully. Go big or go home. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing great. Your daily actions, no matter how small the task, should be your best. Make a difference with what you do.

“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.”– Og Mandino

 

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Deliver when you get the chance

deliver when you get the chance“If they’d only give me a chance.” Ever heard that? Or said that? What would you do if they’d give you the chance? Would you succeed? A better way to get a chance to succeed is to seek out chances and not wait for it to happen. If you want to be successful and deliver the results when your chance comes along, here is the strategy for doing just that:

“Success doesn’t come to you; you go to it.” – Marva Collins

Decide now how you will act. You can’t wait for your chance to decide what to do, you have to plan to take action. When choices come along there are more people than you who are looking for it.

“If you don’t design your own plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” – Jim Rohn

Dive in and get started. Every chance might not be the one that puts you over the top. Don’t wait for the perfect chance – as long as it’s moving you in the right direction take advantage of it and get going.

“You don’t get many chances in the world, and you don’t want to throw them away.” – Peter Hook

Deliver the results. Chance alone does not determine the outcome, it’s what you do with the chance that matters. Make it count, do your best each and every time no matter what

“It’s choice – not chance – that determines your destiny.” – Jean Nidetch

 

How can you have confidence it will work?

confidenceConfidence: I may not know how it will get done, but I know I will find a way to get it done.

Richard Bach wrote Jonathan Livingston Seagull in 1970 and has sold more than 60 million copies. It’s a short story about a seagull who has confidence that he could fly higher and faster than any seagull before. Through diligent experimentation and exhaustive practice, he learns the skills necessary to accomplish what he was confident he could do. The key to Jonathan’s confidence is revealed when an older seagull says, “You have less fear of learning than any gull I’ve seen.”

Here is how you can use the lesson on confidence shared in Jonathan Livingston Seagull in your leadership.

New project. You may have been successful before, but this project is different. The outcome is much more important than anything you have led. Where will your confidence come from? Your confidence comes from your past success not just in winning but in learning what needs to be done to win. Rely on what you already know, and work on where you need to grow.

“Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.” – Jack Nicklaus

New team. The most important aspect of a successful team is trust. Trust comes from the confidence that is built in your teammates’ ability to deliver on their commitments. You were a success in leading your former team and your new team has confidence in your ability as a leader. Begin by ensuring your team learns to trust each other through a series of quick wins before you attempt to lead them on a large scale deliverable.

“A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader, a great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.” – Lao Tzu

New company. You changed jobs and are working with people you have never worked with before. They may have read about your prior success, but few have worked close enough with you to have confidence in your leadership. The best way to build confidence in a new company is to build personal relationships. Get to know your peers and your direct reports first. Set up time to talk with your employees so they see the real you. People trust people, not just resumes.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” – Andrew Carnegie

 

Success follows action; action follows words

action

Leaders who seek success must first seek the right words. It’s been said that the beginning of any journey is the first step. Consider though, that before the first step is taken come the words that commit the traveler to the journey.

The impact of words on success:

Words can commit you to an action. Choose your words carefully or you may find yourself doing what you said just because you said it, not because it was right.

“The first step binds one to the second.” ~French Proverb

Words can convince others to follow your actions. Choose your words carefully as they will set the expectation for others’ actions.

“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” – Napoleon Hill

Words can continue past their intended use. Choose your words carefully as they will outlive the moment and may outlive you.

Remember the words of Mark Twain who said, “Action speaks louder than words but not nearly as often.”

Words from leaders only work when they are connected to actions.

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It’s true that great leaders are great communicators. You have to connect with people to share your vision. But words will only take a leader so far until actions that back up the words have to kick in.

Here are three thoughts for leaders on the importance of actions in addition to words:

Should, could, or would don’t equal did.
There is a Chinese proverb that says, “Talk doesn’t cook rice.” You might be the most talented speaker ever, but unless your words lead to actions in you or in the listener, not much happens.

Remember, people will judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of gold – but so does a hard-boiled egg.

Inspiration doesn’t always proceed actions, but some action always proceeds more actions.
Most people imagine that history’s greatest composers were overflowing with inspiration and simply wrote music after they were inspired. Musicologist Ernest Newman tells us a different story, “Beethoven, Wagner, Bach and Mozart settled down day after day to the job in hand with as much regularity as an accountant settles down each day to his figures. They didn’t waste time waiting for inspiration.“

If you want to be inspired then get to work. The actions you take will inspire more action.

In the choice between say and do – do.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Your actions speak so loudly I can’t hear what you say.” Of course people hear your words, but they feel your actions and that drowns out your words, positively or negatively.

So given the chance to influence people through your words or through your actions, focus on your actions.

“As I grow older I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.” – Andrew Carnegie

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