Posted by Brian Tracy on Jan 4, 2008
There are two questions that you can ask on a regular basis to keep yourself focused on getting your most important tasks completed on schedule.
There are two questions that you can ask on a regular basis to keep yourself focused on getting your most important tasks completed on schedule. The first question is "What are my highest value activities?"
Put another way, what are the most important tasks you have to complete to make the greatest contribution to your organization? To your family? To your life in general?
Think it Through Carefully
This is one of the most important questions you can ask and answer. What are your highest value activities? First, think this through for yourself. Then, ask your boss. Ask your coworkers and subordinates. Ask your friends and family. Like focusing the lens of a camera, you must be crystal clear about your highest value activities before you begin work.
Keep Yourself Focused
The second question you can ask continually is, "What can I and only I do, that if done well, will make a real difference?"
This question comes from Peter Drucker, the management guru. It is one of the best of all questions for achieving personal effectiveness. What can you, and only you do, that if done well, can make a real difference?
This is something that only you can do. If you don’t do it, it won’t be done by someone else. But if you do it, and you do it well, it can really make a difference to your life and your career. What is your answer to this question?
Every hour of every day, you can ask yourself this question and there will be a specific answer. Your job is to be clear about the answer and then to start and work on this task before anything else.
Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, make a list of everything you do at work and then select your most valuable tasks from that list.
Second, resolve to start in on your highest value task and stay at it until it is 100% complete.
21 Great Ways To Manage Your Time And Double Your Productivity
Tags: Leadership Success
Posted by Brian Tracy on Jan 3, 2008
“Vision.�?
More than 3300 studies have been done over the years in an attempt to identify the qualities of leadership. What makes one man or woman rise to the top of an organization or empire while most others simply lead average lives?
The most common quality found in all these studies was that of “Vision.” The difference between leaders and ordinary people is that leaders have an exciting vision for the future; average people do not.
In our seminars, we teach the importance of “Future-orientation.” It seems that successful people throughout the ages have a clear idea of the kind of future that they wish to create for themselves and others. If they are starting a business on a kitchen table, there vision is of a large, successful company serving enormous numbers of customers with high quality products or services. If they are running for office, they articulate a vision of the kind of city, state or country that they are committed to creating if they are given the power or authority.
The key part of vision is “idealization.” This means that the leader projects forward into the future and creates an ideal future image of what his or her role would look like if it was perfect in every way.
In your own life you become a leader when you develop a vision for yourself. When you begin to idealize about your future and think about all the wonderful things that you could do, be and have in the months and years ahead, you begin to think, act, walk and talk like a leader.
Imagine that you could wave a magic wand and make your future life perfect in every respect. If your life was ideal in five years, what would it look like? How much money would you be earning and what kind of work would you be doing? What kind of lifestyle would you be living and what kind of life would you be providing with and for your family? What kind of health and levels of fitness would you have? How much money would you have in the bank and how much would that money be earning for you each month and each year?
The strategic planner, Michael Kami, once said, “Those who do not think about the future cannot have one.”
Peter Drucker said, “The very best way to predict the future is to create it.”
If your goal is to make 2008 the best year of your life so far, what would have to happen, starting today, for you to create a wonderful life? What would you have to do more of to achieve your goals and create your ideal life? What would you have to do less of? What would you have to start doing that you are not doing today? What would you have to stop doing altogether to create the wonderful life that is possible for you?
The most important work that you do every day is “thinking.” The better you think, the greater clarity you have with regard to the kind of future you want to create, the faster you move toward it, the faster it will move toward you.
Don’t have a great year. Make it a great year!
Brian Tracy
Tags: Brian's Words of Wisdom
Posted by Brian Tracy on Jan 3, 2008
“The history of wars, throughout the ages is defeat, defeat, defeat, defeat, and then ultimate victory.�?
In the last two weeks, I have spoken to large audiences in Augusta and Macon, Georgia, as well as seminar audiences in Las Vegas and Anaheim.
In between, I flew to Washington for two days of high level meetings addressing many of the subjects that are important today and will be important in the future of our country.
It appears that the Iraq war is getting under control. Winston Churchill once wrote that, “The history of wars, throughout the ages is defeat, defeat, defeat, defeat, and then ultimate victory.”
Some of the smartest, most skilled and most tenacious professional soldiers are prosecuting the war in Iraq. As in all wars, they make mistakes and are often slow to learn. But learn they do. Sooner or later, they learn the critical lessons that they need to achieve the victory that they are committed to. With the “surge” in Iraq, the terrorists have been broken up, scattered, pursued and driven out of all the major population centers. Violence is down as much as 90% and people who had left Iraq are now returning by the tens of thousands to resume their normal lives.
The U.S. economy grew at 4.9% in the third quarter of 2007. This is one of the fastest growth rates in history, even if you include the sub-prime meltdown caused by over-lending to borrowers who could not repay their mortgages when they reset at higher interest rates.
The unemployment rate in the U.S. is 4.7%, one of the best in the world, and one of the best in history. The annual federal deficit is lower than the average of the last 40 years. More people are working and earning higher wages, more companies are being started and earning higher profits. Regardless of the negative stories you read day after day in the press, life has never been better for the average American.
Your goal should be to fully participate in the golden age of America. In order for you to enjoy all the rewards that are possible for you, you must be the best at what you do. You must commit to excellence in your chosen field. You must set it as a goal and work toward it every single day. You must read the best books in your field. You must continually listen to educational CD’s in your car, rather than music as you drive around. You must attend every course and seminar you can. You must never stop driving forward until you are in the top 10% or 20% of your field.
A few years ago, a large organization that represented many thousands of sales people did an assessment of the average incomes of their members. They found that the top 20% were earning on average, more than the entire bottom 80%. When they calculated this on paper, they were shocked! They found that the average income of people in the top 20% was 16 times the average income of people in the bottom 80%. But there was more.
When they took the top 20% of the top 20%, that is, the top 4%, they found that people in the top 4% were earning 80% of the money in the top 20%. The incomes of these top 4% were 30 times and 40 times higher than the average of people in the bottom 80%.
They also found that everyone in the top 10% had started at the bottom 10%. Everyone who was doing well was at one time doing poorly. Everyone at the top of their field was at one time not even in that field and did not know that it existed. But they found one difference between top people and average people. The top people had made a clear, unequivocal, definite commitment to be the best in their field shortly after they started.
The people in the bottom 80%, with the same talents, education, ability and experience, had failed to make this decision.
One of the most incredible discoveries is this. If you do not decide to be in the top 10 or 20%, you will, by default, simply fall into the bottom 80%. It will not be because of anything you did, but because of all the things that you didn’t do, starting with making that decision.
No one who has not decided to be in the top 10% ever reached that level. It does not happen by accident, it happens by design.
Here is the best news of all. No one is better than you and no one is smarter than you. Everyone has pretty much the same average talents and abilities. And whatever hundreds of thousands, and even millions, of other people have done, you can do as well. There are no limits except the limits you put on yourself. Resolve today to become one of the very best people in your field, no matter how long it takes, or how much it costs. You might want to check out the high-powered courses at Brian Tracy University (briantracyu.com) and take a free lesson to see if this is the right way for you to begin moving to the top of your field.
Make it a wonderful year!
Brian Tracy
Tags: Brian's Words of Wisdom
Posted by Brian Tracy on Jan 3, 2008
Brian Tracy reflects on 2007 and gives his outlook for 2008.
This has been another great year for me, my family and my business. My family is healthy and well, my business is prosperous and growing, and my activities span the entire globe.
During 2007, I have traveled and spoken all over the world, including Japan, China, Korea, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran, Macedonia, Serbia, Romania, plus Russia, Poland and Turkey. In addition, I have spoken in Germany as well as all over Canada and in 50 different cities in the United States.
This year, I wrote and published four new books, including The Way to Wealth – More Success Strategies of Successful Entrepreneurs, The Art of Closing the Sale, Flight Plan – The Real Secret of Success, Speak to Win – Proven Strategies of Successful Speakers, and The Miracle of Self-Discipline, The Key to Personal Greatness.
Some years ago, I developed a recipe for writing successful books. My books have now been published in thirty-seven languages and are sold in fifty-four countries, selling millions of copies and making me a top selling author around the globe.
My daughter Catherine turned 16 in November and got her first car. We have not seen her since. She is becoming a better and better equestrian, competing at high levels and winning championships in both the hunter and the jumper category. For this purpose, she has two expensive horses and is being trained by the top experts in the field. She trains three or four days every week and still maintains a 4.0 grade average in the eleventh grade in high school
My son Michael completed college in June and set out to find a job in financial planning. After several weeks of research, he realized that it would take at least two or three years for him to become established in such a competitive field and earn a decent living. He turned to me for advice.
I encouraged him to get a job with a door-to-door selling company, cold-calling from house to house with a company that I had done some work for. At first, he was shocked; he comes from a good home and has a college education. He had no interest in going out and engaging in door to door selling. But I explained to him that many of the most successful people in America started off cold calling. Once you have overcome your fear of cold calling, and even more, become good at it, you will never be afraid of anything again. For the rest of your life you will have the self-confidence of knowing that you can start anywhere and make a good living, no matter what happens in the economy.
To my great pleasure, Michael took up the challenge, got a job in door-to-door sales, and set off working the neighborhoods. In his first few weeks, he got more rejection, negativity and disappointment than he had experienced in his lifetime. But by the third week he was making sales. And in his first month he earned more than $5,000.00 in straight commissions.
In his second month, as he continued to improve, getting better and better, he was offered the opportunity to recruit and train new people under him. By the end of his third month, he had been appointed general manager with a crew of fifteen sales people under him and was earning as much as $900.00 a day. The most important reason for wanting to succeed is not the money you make, but the person you become. Michael is rapidly becoming a strong, confident and effective salesman and sales manager. At the age of 24, he has leaped ahead of people who have spent years seeking security and avoiding risk.
My son David has completed his community college courses and is now transferring to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. He and his girlfriend Sarah are getting excellent grades and are working steadily forward on the plan they had laid out for themselves.
My daughter Christina and her husband Damon continue to live and thrive in Los Angeles. Our Granddaughter Julia was one year old in November. She is now walking and beginning to talk. She is a complete delight!
My wife Barbara is healthy and well, running our business actively from her home office and dealing with our real-estate investments. Our self-storage business has been effected by the down-turn in the local market, but in a positive way. Because people are giving up their homes, they need a place to store their furniture, giving us an 85% occupancy rate and profitable operations in a slow growth area.
Brian Tracy University of Sales and Entrepreneurship continues to grow and thrive. We have created perhaps the very best online learning website in the world today, complete with high-content video based lectures, excellent course material, CD and book support, plus a “pocket professor” which enables you to carry your courses on audio and video in your pocket for regular review and reinforcement. Our early graduates are signing up for additional programs and experiencing immediate increases in their incomes, often from the very first lesson.
If I could only give my children or my friends, one piece of advice, it would be this: Find out what you are good at and what you really enjoy doing. Find a job using your unique talents and abilities, doing something you love. Then, put your whole heart at becoming very good in your chosen field.
If you will do these three things, identify your unique talents and abilities, do work that you love, and dedicate yourself to becoming absolutely excellent, you will quickly move into the top 10% or 20% in your field. You will enjoy a wonderful life, and have endless opportunities open up in front of you.
2008 is going to be a wonderful year. Remember, it doesn’t matter where you’re coming from; all that really matters is where you’re going.
I wish you the very best of success in the exciting months and years ahead. Please keep in regular contact with us, read our newsletters, take advantage of our offers and continue to get better and better in whatever you do.
I wish you all the best in 2008.
Tags: Brian's Words of Wisdom
Posted by Brian Tracy on Jan 3, 2008
“How to Start or Build a Successful Business.�?
During 2007, I have had the great pleasure of speaking for the Get Motivated Seminars, organized by Peter and Tamera Lowe and Brian Forte in major sports facilities and auditoriums across the country.
Peter Lowe has developed a business model of seminar promotion that makes him the top seminar promoter in the world. He regularly attracts ten thousand to twenty thousand people at each seminar, with speakers such as Steve Forbes, George Foreman, Colin Powel and numerous well-know sports and business celebrities.
In October, they sold out two sports arenas in downtown Dallas, each holding almost twenty thousand people. As one of their speakers, I addressed one sports arena with 18,000 people in the morning and the second American Airlines Arena with twenty thousand people in the afternoon. The entire city was out to attend these Get Motivated Seminars.
Here is the main point: In asking attendees of the seminars what they would like to hear more of, the number one subject is, “How to Start or Build a Successful Business.”
Fully 68% of Americans dream of starting their own businesses someday and becoming financially independent. Yet less than 10% of adults will ever reach out and take the chance to get into business for themselves.
This is amazing! If you can drive a car, type with a keyboard or use a modern cell phone, you can learn the basic skills you need to start and build a successful business. Just like cooking in the kitchen or becoming a diesel mechanic, there are a series of skills and abilities that you need to learn and develop to make money on your own, but they are all learnable.
Fully 80% of self made millionaires in America are people who came from limited backgrounds and started their own businesses, usually with no money. Many of them did not go to college and are high school dropouts. Most of them came from families with limited resources. They all started with nothing and became financially successful by learning the essential skills of business building. And whatever hundreds of thousands, and millions of other people have done, you can do as well.
Today, there are twenty-six million businesses in America, almost all of them started with nothing. The wealthiest people in America, such as Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Larry Ellison, Michael Dell, the Walfin Family, Paul Allen, and millions of others are all first generation wealth.
The key to starting a business has always been the same: “Find a need and fill it.”
Zig Ziglar is famous for saying, “You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.”
Resolve today to make 2008 the very best year of your life. If you are not already in your own business, think about starting a business on the side. This gives you the opportunity at a low level of cost and risk to develop the business skills you need to eventually go first time. Find a need and fill it. Find a product or service that people want and are willing to pay for and then offer it to them in a form that satisfies them.
When you start your own business, full or part time, be prepared to make an enormous number of mistakes. Successful people make vastly more mistakes than failures do. It is because of these mistakes that they eventually learn the lessons they need to learn to become successful and financially independent.
Your goal should be to reach the point where you have enough money to where you never worry about money again. And 80% of all of your chances of achieving financial independence will come from starting your own business.
For a free lesson or for more information on how you can start a successful business, visit me at briantracyu.com. Take the first step. Instead of talking about it, wishing about it, hoping and dreaming about it, do something about it.
Brian Tracy
Tags: Brian's Words of Wisdom
659,747 Readers
Connect to Brian on LinkedIn
Be Brian's Friend on Facebook
Follow Brian on Twitter
comment