B.Inspired

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!

The Golden Rule of Business says that people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust. It’s a transformational philosophy on how to create success in business AND life. How can we apply this rule?

According to Bob Burg and John David Mann in The Go-Giver, there are 5 laws that attract “stratospheric success.” In this segment, we’ll focus on the first law: The Law of Value, which states, “Your worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”

Sound Pollyanna? Remember the wise proverb, “Give and you shall receive,” or the business philosophy, “Givers Gain”? When we change our focus from “getting” to “giving,” we put others’ needs first and add value that brings unexpected returns.

By incorporating this transformation philosophy as a way of life, we have the opportunity to experience the “joy of giving,” which has inspired everything from business books, to philanthropic giants, to psychologists who say that altruism and generosity make us healthier and happier.

Why is giving so powerful? When we truly give without expectation, we experience love, joy, peace, community, charity, caring and improved self-worth. This process of personal EXPANSION creates great joy, as we open a conduit for the kind of happiness that no one can ever steal. Some say that through selfless giving, we enter the space where holiness resides. Some visionaries even believe in the possibility of an economy based entirely on giving!

To apply this law to growing your business, you’ve got to give more. Giving is a way of life, and produces huge dividends over the long-term. Some examples might be exceptional customer service scores; customer appreciation programs; added-value services, such as free shipping, etc; consistent and fair practices and processes; providing referrals; remembering customer milestones; and sending thank you notes.

Many of our great fathers of industry—Ford, Edison, Hill, Carnegie—knew that the great fortunes of the world were created by people who had a greater passion for what they were giving, their product, service or idea, than what they were getting.  And, Dr. Martin Luther King said that everyone can be great because anybody can give.

This month, start consciously applying the Law of Value—and give! Take some time to write out your plan to give more. In the next issues we’ll cover the remaining 4 Law of Stratospheric Success.

Summer is a wonderful time to bring balance and perspective to life – especially if you’ve been using all your emotional and physical reserves to push through a busy spring of balancing career with graduations, concerts, weddings and other commitments.

Today, there are many medical studies that show our biography becomes our biology. In other words, how we think and live directly affects our physical self, emotional well-being, relationships and overall success at work. When we’re out of balance, our resilience can be lowered right down to the cellular level – aging us and reducing our general immunity.

This summer, put yourself at the top of your to-do list. With a few new habits, you’ll have the power to get off the fast lane, make a difference in your work life and have more energy to enjoy the summer. As they say, “In habit lies destiny!” Here are some suggestions to consider:

Create calm. Summer can be the perfect time to reclaim your calm. Research shows that when people enjoy the simple practice of getting out of the noise, to focus and be still, they experience very practical, physiological effects – such as lowered blood pressure, calmed brain waves, a boosted immune system, and enhanced clarity and creativity. There are many ways to create calm in your life:

Schedule regular time for reading, reflection and prayer first thing in the morning or every evening before going to bed. Schedule an occasional massage. Spend time out in nature. Make sure to connect each day on a meaningful level with someone you love.

To be successful, however, you’ll need a solid strategy and a strong commitment to creating calm. Consider scheduling “Be Still Time” into your calendar to get this habit started. By setting aside regular time for calm – just like your morning coffee or tea – it will become second nature.

Rethink your digital life. Have you ever asked yourself: Why don’t I have time to think? Our computers, smart phones, iPads and other digital devices are miraculous at connecting us to the world, but research is showing these conveniences come at a great cost – to depth of communication, creative problem solving, and overall peace of mind.

Author William Powers, in Hamlet’s Blackberry, provides a compelling argument for consciously taking some time off from our devices. To escape the chaos of digital life, he suggests scheduling time DAILY to be “disconnected from devices”. For example:

Turn off your cell phone at 8 p.m., take a walk in nature without your phone, stay out of your home office after 7 p.m, or have a disconnected party where all devices are confiscated at the door!

Make lean-body food choices. The summer is a perfect time to create new lean-body food habits. Make sure to get rid of any junk food around the house and avoid food traps at the office – such as vending machines, donut trays, power lunches and candy jars. If all you have around are healthy foods, then you’re forced to make smart choices. Stock your kitchen and office with lean-body meals and snacks, such as:

Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, yogurt, nuts, eggs, nut butters, salsa, avocados, whole grain wraps and breads, fruits, veggies, beans, white meats and fish, protein shakes, and even a little dark chocolate to satisfy your sweet tooth with an antioxidant-rich treat.

It’s also critical to drink plenty of water during the day. Finally, limit caffeine. Consuming too much caffeine can overtax your adrenal glands and leach the delicate balance of vitamins, minerals and electrolytes out of your body, contributing to your body’s stress load. Make healthy eating a habit, so that by the time fall rolls around and the holidays begin, you’ve already got a strategy to stay lean and healthy!

Get moving. Exercise heightens your sense of well-being, improves your mood, reduces stress and allows you to sleep better. The summer is the perfect time to build in a daily exercise program and other physical activities that continue burning more calories during the day. Remember to put your exercise routine in your calendar and show up like you’re going to an important meeting! In addition to a regular workout routine, here are some examples how to keep moving during the day:

Park at the far end of the mall lot. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Schedule a walk during lunch, or start a walking group in your office. Use a fitness ball as a chair to keep your core muscles engaged all day. Practice isometric movements while you’re talking on the phone or reading emails. And, consider interval training or plyometric exercises, like the P90(X) program, to ratchet up your cardio intensity with intermittent bursts to help you burn more calories in a short period of time and boost your metabolism longer after your workout.

Plan your dream career, promotion or community legacy. If work is leaving you overwhelmed and uninspired, it might be time to make a career change or plan a new purpose-filled direction. More and more people are moving away from conventional careers to pursuits they find more personally rewarding or in alignment with their values, from starting a new business, to writing a book or creating a non-profit.

This summer, take some time to find out how you were uniquely purposed. By increasing our self awareness, we make better decisions about work, our charitable pursuits and overall life direction. Self knowledge also brings insights that benefit your significant relationships as well. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Take a career assessment, such as the Strong Interest Inventory. Complete a StrengthsFinder. Join a LifeKeys class at a local church. Read a book on success principles. Create a vision and a life plan to achieve personal and professional dreams. Use a journal to record your insights. Finally, connect with a mentor or a coach to help you create a plan and keep you accountable.

By re-establishing a relationship with yourself, you’ll come to see the unique blend of your gifts, strengths, personality style, values, leadership abilities, goals, spiritual gifts, and life purpose. With this kind of clarity, you’ll have the right information to make the best decisions about your career – and your life!

Laugh more. Laughter has been proven to release a variety of immune-enhancing chemicals. Look for ways to be more creative and fun during the day. For example:

Take time for spontaneous activities. Lighten up and avoid undue seriousness. Practice an attitude of gratitude. Choose a humorous phrase or one-liner from your favorite comedy that helps keep things in perspective. Watch a funny movie before bed. Read the comics before work. Tell a joke. If you’ve had a bad day, once you get home make some nasty grimaces in your bathroom mirror, then take a shower to wash off all your seriousness.

Achieving a healthy work/life balance takes some analyzing, planning and contemplation. But change starts only when you take that first step. Even a small step is important, because small changes, practiced consistently, transform great ideas into dramatic results. So put yourself at the top of your to-do list this summer and create some success habits that can help you lead a more fulfilling life while accomplishing your goals more effectively.