B.Inspired

Mornings can be a wild dash for most of us – racing the clock to meet the needs of kids, get dressed and fly out the door.  Not to mention the stress of misplacing items, battling traffic, or arriving late only to feel you’re playing catch-up all day.  Some of us act like “Good Morning” is a contradiction of terms!

So, does the early bird really get the worm?

Yes!  Studies show the most successful people wake up early – say 5 or 6 a.m. – to accomplish things that are often impossible to take care of later in the day.  While many of us are still sleeping, these people are scoring daily victories to improve health, careers and personal lives.

Why does “before breakfast” work so well?  If we wait until the end of the day to do the meaningful but not urgent things – like exercising, praying, writing our book or strategizing a new career path – chances are our most important goals probably won’t happen.  Research shows that tasks requiring self-discipline are simply easier to do while the day is young.  Willpower, like a muscle, becomes fatigued from overuse as the day goes on.

The answer is to pay yourself first!  Since early morning hours have the most potential for productivity, schedule your most important priorities first.  By turning your high-value tasks into rituals, you conserve energy for later battles.  The willpower you use to get up early will become a habit over time and actually save energy, boosting your sense of accomplishment and satisfaction with life.

According to Charles Duhigg in his book, The Power of Habit, waking up early is a “keystone habit” – a ritual that has the power to start a chain reaction that can profoundly impact many different areas of your life.  For example, exercise can have a profound effect on mood, sleep, vitality, motivation, metabolism, concentration, decision-making and self esteem.  Duhigg says that any habit, no matter its complexity, can be rebuilt.  Even the most dysfunctional people – or organizations – can transform themselves.

So, not only does the early bird get the worm, he’s generally happier, healthier and has a high overall satisfaction with his life!

Need more inspiration?  Watch this TEDTalk by Matt Cutts – “Try Something New for 30 Days.”

What would you do with an extra hour in your day?

Thank you!  Never underestimate the power of these words. Saying “thank you” can make a huge difference to our success and to the lives of others around us. People like to be thanked and they need to be thanked. Doing so will not only put us in a better mood, it helps open new doors.

Today, sending a thank-you is so rare that it has become a competitive advantage for a job applicants or employees because it differentiates them from the rest of the pack. Some studies have found that more than 50 percent of people do not write thank yous. That scarcity magnifies the value and power of handwritten notes. Most people won’t rave about a “thank you email” to their friends and colleagues…but a “thank you card” can make a huge impact!

In fact, a recent survey in Personnel Today found that the greatest factor in workplace productivity is a positive environment in which employees feel appreciated. Further, managers say that manners practiced inside a firm, especially thank-yous, reveal a lot about how a person might be treating customers outside the firm. Smart managers who establish a culture of gratitude also expand their appreciation beyond employees to suppliers, vendors, delivery people and customers.

Here are some ideas to increase the impact of saying thank you:

Be Sincere. If praise isn’t genuine, it could have a negative effect.

Be Personal. Anything that looks like a form letter shouts insincerity. Misspelled or incorrect names and titles offend and damage credibility.

Be Specific. It’s more impactful to mention specifics, rather than generalities like, “Great job!”

Be Timely. Waiting too long to say thank you can have the opposite effect, turning gratitude into a grudge. Time is critical because we prioritize our activities based on importance. Sending a thank you as soon as you get the call/order/recommendation dramatically increases the impact.

Be Public. Others are encouraged when they see public appreciation. Public praise also raises general morale.

The benefits of saying thank you are far reaching – at work or in our personal life. Besides helping us stand out, it strengthens our relationships with others, motivates others to continue engaging in helpful behavior, and sends a strong message about our values and the professionalism of our organization. Saying thank you appeals to a basic human need to be appreciated and sets the stage for the next pleasant encounter.

Challenge: Make “thank you” a BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). Make a plan to approach each day with the desire to thank more people—in person, by using a card or email, and through appreciation programs. It’s a business investment that helps set your business apart, creating favorable lasting impressions, goodwill, greater loyalty and the likelihood of improved sales.

Spring cleaning conjures up images of organizing closets, sweeping out cobwebs, and wiping down windows for a clear view. While most Americans believe spring cleaning is a ritual worth keeping, consider something that could be even more important to your happiness and success: Taking time to clear mental clutter. Here are a few tips to get you thinking:

Rid Negativity. Nothing works on your confidence more than negative thoughts that sabotage your success. Take an inventory of your negative thoughts and find a way to turn them positive. A simple example can be constant thoughts of can’t. If you find yourself saying, “I can’t finish this project,” or “I can’t afford the marketing plan,” then replace the word can’t with won’t. The word won’t implies that you’re choosing not to take control of a situation. For example, turn “I can’t lose weight, to “I won’t lose weight.” See the difference?

Do, Dump or Delegate. Unfinished business can feel like a 100-pound pack on your back. Find a way to get unfinished tasks, like thank-you notes, papers filed and bills paid, off your plate. Block out time this week to do, dump or delegate these tasks. If it’s a task you must personally do, then just do it. But, if your assistant, your teenager, a friend or a virtual assistant can do it, delegate it. If the task has been on your to-do-list for more than a month, consider whether it’s that important and think about dumping it. Mark it off your list and be done with it! 

Just Say “No”. There is a huge upside to saying no. Before you take on a new commitment that might be more than you can handle well, ask yourself whether you’re doing so because you:

• Want to prove yourself
• Don’t want to look weak
• Like the attention and or the prestige
• Think it might be fun
• Assume you can do it better than anyone else

If you say yes to so many requests, you’ll end up feeling stressed and stretched. Saying no might be better for your health. In fact, it shows respect for whomever is asking you to take on the commitment or project.

Clearing mental clutter helps get you back to business with clarity and vision on how to move more successfully through your week. Set aside time in your calendar each week to rid yourself of these energy-zappers and start to experience the freedom of clean thinking!

Our world craves great leaders. Now more than ever before, public opinion of our leaders is at an all-time low. We need great leaders in our government, schools, businesses, hospitals, religious organizations, and homes. And, good leadership won’t suffice. We need great leadership.

With more than 33,000 studies on the qualities of top leaders, all conclude that “vision” is the most identifiable quality of a great leader. Leaders think about the future most of the time. They practice ”no-limit” thinking about the opportunities of tomorrow, rather than focusing on the problems of the past.

Great leadership is really a transfer of belief. Great leaders share their belief, vision, purpose and passion with others and in the process they inspire others to believe, act and impact. Great leaders are positively contagious and they instill confidence and belief in others.

• Good leaders get people to believe in them.
• Great leaders inspire people to believe in themselves.

• Good leaders say “Watch what I can do.”
• Great leaders say “Let me show you what you can do.”

• Good leaders catch fish for others so they can eat today.
• Great leaders teach people how to fish so they can eat for a lifetime.

Great business managers inspire their people to believe in themselves and their product/service/organization. Great school principals inspire their teachers to believe they can make a difference. Great teachers inspire and empower their students to believe in themselves. Great pastors inspire their congregations to serve and impact the community. Great sports coaches inspire their teams to believe they can win. And the people who have changed the world have been those who instilled in others the confidence to step up, serve, take initiative and create positive change.

As leaders, our job is to continue to learn and grow in our work and personal life.  In order to lead others in a powerful way, we must share our vision for the road ahead and then encourage and empower people to generate inspired momentum that becomes an unstoppable force. This is what great leadership is all about—whether we’re leading a Fortune 500 company, a volunteer group, or a family.  Today, we need you now, more than ever, to lead!