![]() Very often in life and in business, people wait for what they want because they believe the "timing" isn't right. This belief that the "right timing" is a pre-requisite, is what causes many to go through their entire lives waiting for everything to be perfect. These individuals never take that step they want because there is always something that falls into this category "the timing isn't right". You get through one thing, and around the corner, there is something else holding you back. Success isn't created this way. There are ups and downs, challenges and adversities....it's simply part of the process every successful person goes through. Many successes are created as a result of taking actions in the WORST possible times. Very often, when people are backed into a corner, THAT is exactly the springboard to finding solutions that change everything. What do successful people understand about success? It isn't timing - Decide what you are willing to sacrifice in order to achieve what you want. If you are not willing to make some sort of sacrifice then you are not committed to the goal, you are committed to your excuses. Belief - You must have believe in yourself and eliminate the doubt, which comes from fear and limiting beliefs. Get resourceful to make it happen. You are NOT your circumstances....there are solutions, you must become resourceful and ask yourself better questions. Push through the challenges. Challenges are NOT a stop sign! Challenges are simply part of the process that every single successful person that creates success experiences. There is always a solution, however, you must build the mindset necessary to believe there is. Step out of your comfort zone. The only way you will change your present circumstances is having the willingness to step outside of your comfort zone, and take different actions than those that have brought you to this point. Regrets happen when you look back on your life and realize that you wasted time waiting for that "perfect time". You don't need all the answers - go after what you want....keep taking each step as quickly as possible.......often the following step to take will be revealed when you take the next step you can. Debbie Ruston has been an entrepreneur and trainer since 1986. She works with individuals, and groups interested in developing their entrepreneurial leadership mindset. Was this article of value to you? Feel free to share it on your social networks and with your contacts, join in the discussion below, and FOLLOW her on the top right corner of this page. Debbie's also on: FB YouTube G+https://plus.google.com/+DebbieRuston-TheSuccessEducatorAnd now on iTunes
0 Comments
Traditional Thinking is Not Working Any Longer: Move Away From the Masses & Start Your Own Business3/26/2015 WHAT DO ALL entrepreneurs have in common? They came to a point in their lives where they understood they would never reach their dreams and truly live the lives they wanted by working for someone else….so they took a stand to live the life they truly wanted and started their own business.
I took that same stand over 30 years ago, and it has been one of the most incredible, rewarding experiences of my life, and I wouldn’t change a thing. So, what about you? Where do you stand on this issue? Do you want to work for an employer the rest of your life, settling for what the employer wants to pay you, giving you the number of holidays they assign, missing out on precious time with your family, working long hours, commuting through traffic and weather conditions, being stressed….do any of these things ring true with you? Are you ready to start your own business? Have you thought about this before? Why haven’t you taken action yet? What is stopping YOU from truly living the life you deserve? Take a good hard look at this, and ask yourself “why haven’t I started my own business yet?” Now, what was your answer? I can almost guarantee that it has something to do with limiting beliefs, self doubts or fear. Or maybe you are waiting for the “right time”. Society has bought into the idea that you should go to school, graduate and get a good job you can stay at until you retire. Why is this? This is the way we are conditioned. Limiting beliefs, self doubts and fear stop people from striving for their dreams. Those are the very things that hold people back their entire lives….always waiting for the “right” time. I can tell you from personal experience, there is no right time. It is often through the worst time to take this step, that is the biggest breakthroughs and results come from. In the industrial era, we needed people to be the “workers”, so manufacturers could meet their demands for product. We are not in the industrial era any longer. This thinking is still being instilled in society, however, it is not serving society. We have young people graduating with degrees that cannot find work, despite their degree. We have mature workers being downsized or laid off. Some have gone through this 3-4 times in the last 10 years, yet still believe they need a company to provide “job security”. We have boomers that are not ready to retire because they need to keep a revenue stream flowing. There is no job security today! The only security there is, is the willingness to step out of the comfort of what we have been taught, and be willing to take full responsibility for creating our own work. Understand, this does not mean building a multi million $ business with massive investment. There is always going to be an investment to start any business, but there are millions of options for those that are willing to think outside the box and create their own work. It may be something as simple as selling products on Etsy. I just read an article about a young woman that is earning over 1 million dollars selling on Etsy. Everything starts with an idea…. Our school systems teach young people that working a job is the way to create a successful life….in reality it is creating a life of mediocrity, financial struggle and limitations. But people keep doing it and repeating the cycle of stress, long hours, no family time, limited vacation time and poor wages. It is easy to break free and create a life of freedom…..all you need is a mentor to show you the way. It starts with making a decision that you want a better lifestyle….a lifestyle of abundance, wealth, fun and freedom. You will never create wealth working a job. Entrepreneurs understand this….now that you understand this, you have a choice….a choice to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results, or a choice to go out and start your own business and start living the life that you truly want. What do you choose? Reach out to Debbie personally if you would like assistance in developing the critical mindset necessary for success as an entrepreneur. She works with entrepreneurs, provides corporate training for businesses and works with the educational sector to develop strong, self reliant entrepreneurial leaders. You can reach Debbie directly by email: Debbie@TheSuccessEducator.com, by phone 1-800-576-2917 ![]() I am fired up! As a parent, you should be too! Too many parents do not realize what is happening in the classroom and don't realize they have a voice and their opinions can bring about change. I recently read an informative article, by a fellow LI member, that really needs to be brought into the awareness of every parent. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-sit-stare-during-testing-guy-writing-poetry-is-my-business?goback=.gna_2238203 Thank you for sharing this Bruce! If a parent makes a choice to opt their child out of something they do not feel is beneficial for them, how dare a teacher or a school system center them out and punish the child for not taking part. Is that the most creative solution they can think of? Do YOU as a parent recognize the damage this can do to a child and do you even realize it is happening? There is an important distinction in this - Controlling students and making them feel like outsiders if they do not conform is an example of why people grow up and are not able to see options for themselves. Instilling a "punishment" for non conformity robs them of realizing they have choices in life and affects their self esteem and self confidence. Being creative and discovering solutions for themselves is a skill necessary for the 21st century. Those that are conditioned to conform, never think outside the box and struggle to find solutions in life. There is only one right answer and "everyone" follows this, is a recipe for failure. As challenges arise in life, these students will be afraid to think outside the box for fear they will be punished. They will feel they don't have a voice and their opinions are not relevant. I agree with Bruce, "Sit and Stare is immoral and emotionally abusive to students". If schools are not bringing about solutions, parents should take control of this for their kids. A solution could be to keep them home when these tests are done, and have them explore something new of interest to them. How much more productive would it be for kids to explore something new, learn and share their knowledge? This could be done with parents and would demonstrate support for their kids. To take it a step further, parents could get together and have their "opted out" kids share what they learned with an audience that is on the same page. PARENTS can get together with other parents to organize this type of solution for their kids . We don't have to wait for education to provide solutions. Any school of course could choose to implement something like this, if they were not conforming. They could send students to the library to research a project and share what they DID learn. By supporting the Sit & Stare policy, we are conditioning youth to become cogs in the wheel, conforming to the needs of corporations....afraid to think for themselves, or afraid to do anything outside of the perceived "norm". Conformity, fear and limiting beliefs is what holds so many people back in life. It's been stated that over 65% of the work that will be done by today's youth hasn't been invented yet. We need to encourage and nurture their creativity and potential. With this in mind, we should be nurturing and encouraging the entrepreneurial spirit in our youth so they can become the creators of their futures, not the victims of underemployment., as many young grads are today. The time being wasted with sit & stare, could be spent so much more creatively. As parents, we need to take a stand for our kids and protect them from what we feel is not right. We need to help them learn, grow and become everything they are capable of. We need to help them realize there ARE choices, alternatives and solutions to succeed in the 21st century. We need to help them realize they have a voice, they have ideas, they have potential. We need to show them we support them, and take a stand for their greatness. Bring awareness to other parents, share this article and start really taking a stand for what you expect in education. When we create awareness, we create the starting point for change and new ideas.... Debbie Ruston has been an entrepreneur and trainer since 1986. She works with individuals, and groups interested in developing their entrepreneurial leadership mindset. Was this article of value to you? Feel free to share it on your social networks and with your contacts, join in the discussion below, and FOLLOW her on the top right corner of this page. Debbie's also on: FB YouTube G+https://plus.google.com/+DebbieRuston-TheSuccessEducatorAnd now on iTunes Successful Entrepreneurs understand the importance of continually stepping outside their comfort zone. Why is this important? Let's first take a look at what occurs within the comfort zone.
Within The Comfort Zone: -There is No Challenge -It is Easy -It is Comfortable -There is no personal growth -Everything stays the same - nothing changes -Live a Life of Mediocrity -Boredom -Depression -Low Self Worth/Self Esteem/Confidence If this is what an individual wants from their life, then the comfort zone is the place to be. If however, one wants to have a different/better experience at anything, it is important to take that step outside of the comfort zone. What Occurs Outside of The Comfort Zone: -New Experiences -Personal Growth -Adrenaline Rush -New Opportunity -Better Results -Improved Self Worth/Self Confidence/Self Esteem -Excitement/Fun -Happiness -Develop Leadership -Diminish Fears I have been on both sides of the fence. I have had times I stayed within the comfort of my own comfort zone. I have had more times though outside of my comfort zone, and that has given me so much more fulfillment. This realization is only something you know when you experience it and it applies to every area of our lives. I have had times when I did not prioritize my own physical fitness. I did not go to the gym, I ate what I wanted and did not exercise. How did that play out? I could feel myself actually aging....aches, pains, gaining weight, not feeling good in my clothes, lack of energy - and this was all in my younger years! Just before my birthday of the start of the 2nd half of my life (50) I decided to join the gym. Having spent the first 49 years not prioritizing my own fitness, this was a big step out of my fitness comfort zone. It takes effort to go to the gym 6 times/week. It takes a change in thinking, a change in priorities, a change in focus and in personal fitness goals. What are the benefits...why would someone actually choose after 49 years of doing something the same way, to take a dramatic turn like this? One year later, I had lost 20 lbs, built strength I never realized I was capable of, built my confidence in an area that I didn't even realize was lacking, had more energy and felt better and healthier than I ever had in my entire life. I honestly wonder why I waited so long to take control in this area of my life. I look back and know that I simply made a conscious choice to take that step outside of my fitness comfort zone, and because the results followed, it made me self motivated to continue still today. This same concept of stepping outside of our comfort zone applies, of course, to our career or our business life as well. I think back to 1986, when I first became an entrepreneur. I was extremely shy and part of my role in the business I started was to do presentations in front of small groups of 5-10 people. The first one was dreadful, I looked at the floor the whole presentation. I didn't have the confidence to look up and make eye contact with anyone. But I kept at it, and eventually I got very good at it. Then about a year later I was asked to speak to a group of about 500 people to train on what I had learned in my business. I will never forget how scared I was. I literally thought I was going to throw up and just felt like crying. But I took a deep breath and did it anyway. What really amazed me was the fact that I felt the fear tremendously before the event (for months). I felt the fear tremendously when I got on stage - but after about only 2 minutes on stage I started to relax and it wasn't nearly as bad as I had built up in my mind. That is when I learned for the first time that fear is simply False Expectation Appearing Real....it is in our mind, and we fuel it with conditioned beliefs. After this experience, I learned that I could face fear and get through it, and was determined to learn how to get better at pushing through fears. So in this particular area - speaking - I started reading books, going to seminars, learning techniques and teaching myself how to get more comfortable at speaking. Here I am almost 30 years later and my business is built around speaking and doing trainings. There are still times when those little butterfly's go through my stomach, but I know that they disappear very quickly....... it is just my imagination that is causing them, and I know that I feel SO much better when I push myself. Who wants to stay a shy wallflower and be uncomfortable their whole life? I could have done that very easily, because that was my personality 30 yrs ago. But looking back I am so grateful that I took that first step outside of my comfort zone. It was the starting point to allowing me to spend the last 30 years in a state of adventure, personal growth, success, fun, happiness, self fulfillment, and confidence. I have learned that these steps I have taken, are not just for me - when we learn something new, or get better at anything, we have the benefits, but so do other people in our lives. Our children, our partners, our family/friends, and people that we come into contact with through our life in business and socially. It is a ripple effect and sometimes we are not even aware how something we do, that we strive for, opens the door for so many other people. Here's a little exercise I learned many years ago about the comfort zone. Draw a circle. That is your current comfort zone. Now, put an X outside of the circle. Draw a new circle around the 1st circle making sure the X is within that new circle. The X represents the step you take outside of your comfort zone. The beautiful thing is, that when you take that step, you have just made your circle bigger, ie - your comfort zone has expanded. You can't go back, you can only go forward. Think of it like this - if you speak English only and you learn a new language - you can't go back to only knowing English - you now know two languages. You have learned. You have grown. You have expanded. You know how to speak a new language and can also teach someone else how to say words in that language. It is not just for you. You may have done it initially for your own benefit, but once you get there, you can now share that with other people. When you understand the concept of the comfort zone, you also understand that it applies to every area of our lives. This is where the excitement in life is - outside of our comfort zone! We can't learn a concept, and not have it affect every area of our lives. That is what personal growth is all about and is something that all successful entrepreneurs are committed to. We just celebrated International Women's day this past week. Women today, have a much more entrepreneurial, gutsy spirit, than they did 40-50 years ago. We no longer believe we need to sit at home and simply be the cook, and housekeeper as older generations did. More and more women are realizing that they have choice, and do not need to buy into the belief that the only way to work is for an employer. I have been a successful entrepreneur since 1986, and I have seen for myself the number of women that take bold step into the world of entrepreneurship, often driven by the desire to spend more time with their families, and these women are setting the pace for what is possible, for women and men alike. When we were having our children, many years ago, that is precisely what led me to this wonderful world of being self employed! I wanted to be home with our children, but needed to make some extra income to do so. So, like many young mom's, I looked for a way to do that and looking back over my career, I wouldn't have it any other way!
There are so many benefits to being an entrepreneur, especially when you work from a home office and there are so many ways we can start viable businesses from home, utilizing all the technology options available today. -set your own schedule -work around your family commitments -volunteer at your children's schools and extra events -take the time off during your children's school holidays and really be present with them -be home with your children if they have a sick day -no day care fees -life balance -less stress, -work when you are most effective personally As we progress in age from having small children to becoming empty nesters, the benefits continue but some additional ones become apparent..... -time to travel for extended periods of time -spend more time with your partner -being available for your grandchildren -helping your grown kids with the support they require -volunteer work -you set the example of what is possible and inspire your grown children In today's world, there are so many opportunities to be able to create a business from home and with the support of technology today, you can literally do business all around the world, while being at home with the people you love most. As I write this article, I am amazed still at how incredible it is to be able to sit here in front of my fireplace, with a cup of coffee - my little dog resting on my knee, while typing on my laptop, listening to some beautiful background music. Over the years, I have seen this become more possible for so many different fields. There is no need to run around like a mad women, through rush hour, jumping to every order that the corporate world dishes out, just to make a living. I have learned that we work to make our family life better so that we can do the things we want to do, with the people we love most. Many people in society have this backwards - many people are working so long and so hard, that they have lost touch with their family - they are working to survive. Many people have literally lost touch with why they are even working - they are in survival mode. Put your family first - find a way to make your family life better and a business that supports that - there are SO many options available today! I encourage every woman reading this post that has the desire within them, to take that next step - Do not let fear, past conditioning or limiting beliefs hold you back. What is your experience, your background, your interests, hobbies and passions? How can you take all of this and find a way to work for yourself? Do not be swayed by family or friends that might give you "their best advice" to stay in your "secure" job. Discover your passions, follow your heart, that is your guiding light! When you are following your own guiding light, you can never go wrong. Becoming an entrepreneur has been and continues to be one of the most rewarding things I have ever done - I am grateful to my children - for if it wasn't for them coming into our lives, and being inspired to be home with them, I may not have discovered that there are other options than working a job your entire life. This is a key for success....tap into your "why"....WHY do you want to take this step, how would it change your life for the better. Paint that picture in your mind, and then start taking action. It is through being committed to the picture in your mind, (your "why") that you will find the ideas, and the strength to push through whatever challenges may arise. Here's to YOUR success! ![]() Is it up to the government to make sure there is enough work for everyone?Conventional wisdom has us believing the only way to work is to work for an employer. Do you believe this? When a person is in between jobs, conventional wisdom is, to put out resumes, and wait to be hired by an new employer. I have read many articles about mature workers finding it hard to find employment, painting a sad picture, putting the responsibility on the government to provide solutions. I recently read an article about a man that had been unemployed for 7 or 8 years, even though he was a "qualified " professional. Think for a moment....if someone is so qualified and a professional, why are they continuing to wait for someone to grant them a job? If someone is qualified enough to perform highly responsible job positions for a company, and they are attempting to sell their value to an employer, why are they not equally as willing to put that knowledge to work for themselves? If they are as valuable as they state, why are they waiting for someone to hire them? We are conditioned to find a place to put blame and require guarantees in life. The bottom line is no one has to be a "victim". These individuals have decades of work experience, as well as interests and hobbies. They list all the reasons a company should hire them on their resumes. Yet, they are not willing to take action and put their skills to work for themselves. Working for an employer is not the only solution. We are conditioned to believe this is the only way to work. 7 years of searching for work in a particular job role, and not finding anything is a clear sign that your best thinking is not working, and it's time to make significant changes in your thinking and decision making. We are not in the industrial age any longer! We also hear stories of people being "forced" to sell their home because of the lack of job opportunity. A person isn't "forced" to sell their home. They make a decision to, using the lack of job opportunity as an excuse. It isn't a lack of job opportunity. It is a lack of being willing to do what it takes, a lack of creativity, a lack of courage to make a change. If it was important enough to them to keep their home, they would find a solution. If they genuinely wanted to work, they would find a way to either create their own work, or find a way to go into a different line of work. There is always work for those that are willing to do whatever it takes. This requires being willing to re-invent yourself. Change is constant in life and in business. We either choose to resist change and struggle and blame, or, embrace change and find new opportunity within it. Individuals must take personal responsibility for their work....if they can't find work, one must be willing to find a way to create it themselves. This is being self reliant and personally responsible. In today's changed world, it is important to develop a self reliant mindset and recognize they days of "job security' are over. Debbie Ruston has been an entrepreneur and trainer since 1986. She works with individuals, and groups interested in developing their entrepreneurial leadership mindset. Was this article of value to you? Feel free to share it on your social networks and with your contacts, join in the discussion below, and FOLLOW her on the top right corner of this page. Debbie's also on: FB YouTube G+https://plus.google.com/+DebbieRuston-TheSuccessEducatorAnd now on iTunes Are you serious about improving employee engagement? It's vital to look at the causes, not just the symptoms of disengagement.
One of the biggest causes of disengagement is ineffective management and lack of training. Many new and existing managers lack the leadership skills for their roles, and companies are not providing the training to help them succeed in today's business world. Employees do not trust management, do not feel valued, and feel frustrated. This results in disengagement in the workplace which, according to a recent Gallup poll is a massive concern in organizations, with over 87% of employees being disengaged. As quoted in a recent article by a respected Delloite leader successful companies are implementing mindfulness training in the workplace. "These kinds of changes are happening all over the world as CEO's and HR leaders focus on engaging, empowering and better supporting their people. These are new approaches to management which companies are just beginning to adopt". The challenge for most companies is knowing how to do this effectively. Address the cause by providing leadership education for your management team. With zero % turnover in our corporate staff, we know what works. We provide ongoing support and training along with a multi award winning daily training program that helps your management team learn how to excel as leaders. Change in an organization must start at the top. Talk to us about how we can assist your company in meeting the training needs of our changing workforce to excel in the 21st century. Contact Debbie Ruston - Debbie@TheSuccessEducator.com ![]() When things are new to us, there is always a learning curve until we become proficient. Once we become proficient, we often begin to run on auto pilot. We can proficiently do the task without having to really think about it. That becomes so comfortable that we can get stuck there and never leave that comfort zone. The longer we stay in this spot of auto pilot, the more we don't feel we have control, life is dull, we are just going through the motions. We buy into the belief there is only one right way to do things, and we can find ourselves feeling like something is missing and life is lacking excitement. Some people will become very unhappy, even depressed in this state of auto pilot. Nothing ever changes, each day look like the last...almost like a replay of the movie Ground Hog Day, with Bill Murray. How do you know if you are running on auto pilot and if it is negatively affecting you? Ask yourself some questions: When was the last time you learned something new? - Successful people are life long learners. There is always something new and exciting to learn about. It could be hobbies, sports, music, art, work related or even a new language. If we are not learning and growing we are slowly dying. Do you go to work, come home, watch tv and repeat? - What a dreary existence this is. So many in society have bought into this pattern and wonder why their life never changes, or wonder why they feel down or even depressed. Watching people on TV live out their lives, in no way compares to getting out and truly living your own. Do you have weight you want to lose? - How long have you been wanting to lose the weight? Have you "attempted" various diets? Does it seem easier to just go back to old eating habits and forgo exercise? How does this make you feel? Easier doesn't get better results...it repeats the same. It takes conscious thought and effort to change our eating habits and commit to an exercise routine. The good news is when you fully commit to this, the results follow and you feel so much better. It gives you energy to do other things. Does life feel dull and uninteresting? - Ask yourself i you have fallen into one of these patterns. If nothing ever changes and you just keep going through the motions on auto pilot, no wonder life feels dull and uninteresting. Ask yourself what you would like to change that would add more excitement into your life. Understand that in order to make changes, you must think differently and take different actions. The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over expecting different results. Do you feel you don't have choice? - This is a conditioned belief that much of society has. It can relate to work, relationships, finances, fitness etc. Observe how often you find yourself saying, "I don't have a choice". Stop in that moment and reframe your self talk. What would you do if you did have a choice? Take control and start doing THAT! For instance, someone may say I hate my job, but I don't have a choice, I have been there too long. How depressing! You are right that you don't have a choice, IF, you are not willing to take personal responsibility to do anything differently. Start making a list of all the places you could apply to. Ask yourself if you could apply your knowledge and skills to starting a business of your own. Do you need to upgrade any knowledge or skills and would that make difference in your possibilities? You see many people just settle and never think to ask themselves more empowering questions. When you are willing to do this, you find solutions that were always there, but you just hadn't identified. Do you remember your last commute to work or wherever you were going? - If you are like most people, you have driven somewhere and realized you don't even remember doing it...your mind was somewhere else. When this happens it can be a wakeup that we are not fully present in the moment. We are missing the journey. I have learned that the journey is where the growth, the excitement, the learning etc., takes place. Yes the destination is wonderful, but if you don't observe and enjoy the journey you are missing out on so much! It isn't just about driving...how many other areas of your life are you missing by being on auto pilot? Do you have moments where you visualize how your life could be different? - Ask yourself why you are not taking action towards this? It is often because of fear and limiting beliefs that one does not take the steps forward to move in the direction of their goals. It is "easier" to stay where you are. Nothing great happens by choosing easier or staying in the comfort zone. Stop denying yourself and realize what you are capable of. We have potential for a reason...to live into it. Can you relate to the people you are surrounded with? - Sometimes throughout life, we outgrow people we are surrounded with. If you cannot relate to the people in your life, you are allowing them to hold you back from the direction you want to go. Start surrounding yourself with people you relate to. This is a way to accelerate your growth and create more fulfillment in your life. Are you happy? - This is probably the most important question a person can ask themselves. If you are not happy, what do you need to change? Have the courage to be authentic with yourself and be willing to do what it takes to create happiness in your life. No one, or no thing can MAKE you happy. It is our own personal responsibility to make conscious choices that support our own happiness. If we are not truly happy ourselves, we cannot contribute to other's happiness. Auto pilot is for aviation, not for people that want to live a fulfilling, happy life. It starts with awareness and a willingness to stop sugar coating, stop following the masses, think for yourself, and make purpose driven decisions in your life.....those that are willing to do this find everything else falls into place. Debbie Ruston has been an entrepreneur and trainer since 1986. She works with individuals, and groups interested in developing their entrepreneurial leadership mindset. Was this article of value to you? Feel free to share it on your social networks and with your contacts, join in the discussion below, and FOLLOW her on the top right corner of this page. Debbie's also on: FB YouTube G+https://plus.google.com/+DebbieRuston-TheSuccessEducatorAnd now on iTunes Most people have been conditioned in our society to follow the herd - do what is safe. It can be compared to cattle, who spend every day of their lives doing the same thing, eating grass, and doing what all the other cattle do. Cattle don't think for themselves, they do what they are led to do - they would never consider going outside the pasture, it is safe there - within the pasture - and has everything they believe they need. Unfortunately, many people go through most of their lives like the "cow in the pasture", living a "conditioned" life. This conditioning contributes to a feeling of lack of control, stress, unhappiness and depression, yet many haven't identified why they feel this way. This affects us in all aspects of our lives.
What are the ways a lack of leadership and personal responsibility can affect us? - Unhappiness - if you are unfulfilled in your work or in your personal life, you cannot possibly be happy - and, you cannot make anyone else happy. Leaders understand that their happiness is up to them to create. It is not dependent on a good boss, good job, good relationship, good family, good government, etc to make you happy. Leaders find and create their own happiness by making powerful choices that support what they want. - Fear - the media feeds us all kinds of fear, a common one being the "flu shot" every year, and the "need" to get the shot. Fear is instilled by media, doctors, etc, so people will line up for hours to get their shot because they are so fearful. Friends, family, and co-workers who all bought into the fear, are shocked if you haven't had yours. If everyone is doing it, it must be right is thought that justifies it. A leader trusts their own decisions. - Settling - working a job you hate, but stay there because you have been conditioned to believe you you have "job security". Leaders do not settle. Leaders go out and find what they want and if they can't find it, they create it. - Not reaching your full potential - this goes hand in hand with settling - when you are in a job you hate, chances are that you would like to accomplish more, but there is a ceiling on your income and advancement potential. We are not meant to stay the same - if you are not learning and growing, you are regressing. Leaders are always striving to reach their full potential, knowing that when you have made an achievement, it is time to stretch for something new, something bigger. Leaders compete against themselves to continually take their lives to the next level. - Stress, even illness - it has been proven that stress leads to illness, and much of the stress people experience is within their control - but most don't realize that they have choices in their lives. So, they keep following the herd, and many do not know that they can make different choices and by doing so will eliminate much of the stress they experience. Leaders understand that they do have choices. If life isn't going in the direction they want - leaders understand that they must make different choices to course correct and get better results - this eliminates stress when you are in positive action. So, how do you leave the herd, and become a leader in your own life? How do you stop buying into the "norm" which is really complacency and mediocrity? It starts with learning to think for yourself. This is not something that most people are accustomed to doing. People follow leadership. But, most people are the followers and don't have the knowledge or courage to be a leader in their own life. Most people get up in the morning, go to a job they don't really like, come home, watch TV and go to bed - and do this over and over, every day. If you ask someone in this pattern, why they are doing this every day, most wouldn't have an answer because they haven't really thought about why they keep doing it. When asked, most would say, "they have to pay the bills", or "what else would I do", or "that's what everyone does". Go for a walk at night, and just observe how many people are sitting, staring at their TV - for hours - being brainwashed into believing what they hear and see. It's time to get out of the trance that most of society is in - to be a leader in your own life and start directing the way you want it to go. You can do something as simple as turning off the TV or stop reading the news. Will that seem odd to everyone around you? Most likely! What would you do with your life? Read something educational, learn something new, start a business of your own, go to the gym, go for a walk, visit friends or family, live your life, rather than watching other people on TV living theirs! This is a really basic way to make dramatic change in your life. When you are not being fed all the nonsense and fear from these negative media sources, you learn to create your own results and start thinking for yourself. New and interesting things start to happen. You learn more, you grow more, you have new experiences, you feel better, have less stress and start seeing things in a different light. The walls of the "cow pasture" start coming down, and you start to realize that you can actually go into another field and there are new things to experience there. You learn that you can be more like a "rhino" and not wait for all the cows to follow you - you can venture out, do new things, learn and grow and live into your potential, into your own leadership. People are hungry for excitement, adventure, fulfillment, and change. Leaders take a stand for what they want in their lives and then make powerful decisions that lead them towards their goals and take bold actions to get there. Leaders do not settle. Leaders do not limit their potential, they live into it. Leaders still experience fear but in a much different way - when fear shows up, they push through it, make powerful and bold decisions. Leaders show people what is truly possible. Leaders inspire others. Leaders create new opportunities. Leaders are needed. Everyone is looking for leaders. It is the most powerful commodity on the planet - YOU have the choice - are you going to be the leader or the follower? |
AuthorDebbie Ruston - Entrepreneur - International Trainer, Visionary Leader Archives
November 2016
Categories
All
|