Winning Is for a Lifetime Blog

Which Do You Want? June 4, 2010

In my last post I closed with a very serious question. The numbers indicate that the top twenty percent of income earners of the population pay 74% of income taxes. Would you rather be earning enough money that you could afford to pay that kind of tax? Or maybe you prefer to be getting by on what you’re allowed to have. People who take charge are in that top percentage. 

Here’s a question for you. Would you rather live an average life, or would you rather be part of that top 20% of people who do what they want, when they want because they can afford to. It isn’t a matter of whether they should or shouldn’t because you can’t; but rather a question of what are you willing to do to join them? Success is a funny journey. I like the way Earl Nightingale defined it, “Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.” What’s worthy in your life? Only you can define that. It will take a little effort however; and that effort is all that separates the haves from the have nots. Successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do. I’ve heard that from Jim Rohn, Vince Poscente, Jeff Olson, and other high level performers who do simple things over and over to achieve their goals.   

It all starts with you. First realize that God doesn’t make any junk. Don’t believe that? Ask Nick Vujicic what he thinks about that. He gives no excuses and isn’t in a position to listen to any. Why? Achievers don’t give reasons why they can’t do something; they take responsibility for their lives. Do you dream? Achievers decide to use their God-given gifts and talents to reach their dreams. Achievers set goals, write them down, and review them regularly as their road map to their dreams. And, achievers find others like them who have dreams and are open to coaching.

 Take Step 1 today. Take responsibility for your life right now by separating yourself from everyone and everything else for an hour. Be in a quiet place, close your eyes and begin to dream about your future. Write your dreams down, because what you see is your future. Your life is what you make it.  Don’t be blaming someone else if you don’t like it. If you don’t agree with that, watch that video about Nick Vujicic again. See you next time when we will look at what you have already achieved.

 Brian Kennedy is a speaker and peak performance coach to individuals and organization. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at http://www.1wp.com/go/briankennedyglobal

A Question for You May 31, 2010

I was attending a Bible fellowship class recently where we read something in Leviticus (Talk about rules) when something hit me. Among the Israelites who were a free people, everyone seemed to be in business for themselves. Think about over a million people wandering about a wilderness for forty years, and they are predominantly small business owners. Those who did work for others tended to fill the “employee” status when their business had difficulties and they “sold” themselves as servants to repay the debt. The creditor would then become responsible for paying the debtor and/or taking care of him and his family with food and shelter. This indentured servitude was a form of slavery.

Looking at America today, I see a majority who tends to become educated enough to sell themselves as modern day slaves to the highest bidder. Sometimes we may even toy with the idea of having our own business; but most, and  my estimate is 95% either do nothing about it, or invest a little time and sweat equity looking for a quick return, and then quit. The lure of being paid to be somewhere overcomes the want of living one’s own dream.

How would you answer this question I once heard asked by Todd Falcone, “What if you had just one shot, one opportunity to seize everything you ever wanted…one moment; would you capture it, or just let it slip?” In a country filled with opportunities to seize whatever you want, are you seizing that moment, or letting it slip to someone else?

Brian Kennedy is a speaker and coach to individuals and organizations for the purpose of achieving peak performance. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at www.1wp.com/go/briankennedyglobal

Keep It Simple March 26, 2010

In The Slight Edge, Jeff Olson shares that successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do; and that the major thing unsuccessful people are unwilling to do is focus on the simple, mundane things day after day after day. Those simple mundane things are known as fundamentals. Fundamentals are tantamount to winning.

From 1964 to 1973, UCLA basketball teams coached by John Wooden won 9 of the 10 NCAA basketball championships played. Wooden’s teams always focused on fundamentals in practice and in games. Were Wooden’s teams lackluster in the talent department, causing him to focus on fundamentals? No. In fact, his teams sent at least one player per year to the professional basketball ranks. They had talent; and they focused on the simple, mundane fundamentals of dribbling, passing, shooting, defending, and rebounding. They focused on the fundamentals, and they won.

Let’s take a look at a more recent event, the 2010 Olympic Men’s Figure Skating championship. American Evan Lysacek won the gold medal when he focused on the same fundamentals he has been practicing day in and day out; week in and week out; year in and year out for years. His routine was not flashy, nor was it daring. He did however surpass all the requirements of the judges for the gold medal. The silver medalist argued that he likewise performed the required exercise, and added a few difficult moves which he executed flawlessly. But the judges were looking for excellence in the exercise requirements, and didn’t give extra points for add-ons. While the add-ons might have been performed with excellence, the required exercise had enough flaws to cost him the gold. While Lysacek focused on the simple fundamental requirements, his opponent erred in them, while focusing on the more difficult add-ons.

What are you doing in your life to achieve success? Are you executing the simple fundamentals that create champion athletes, world class executives, or fantastic moms? Take a look at what you are doing, and what you need to do for success. Do the simple things that lead you to the outcomes you are looking for; and do them day in and day out. Start now by writing down where you want to go, and what it will take to get there; then start doing it. I’ll be looking for your success!

Brian Kennedy is a speaker and coach to individuals and organizations for the purpose of achieving peak performance. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at Brian Kennedy Global

The Balance Game March 25, 2010

“Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends and spirit, and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for Balance in your life.” Those words are attributed to Brian Dyson, former CEO of Coca-Cola from a commencement speech to a Georgia Tech graduating class.

What a balanced life mean to you? Many people believe that balance means equal time. Is it logical to think that spending equal time in all the areas of life, Spiritual, Family, Career, Health, Mental, Financial, and Social makes sense? Many people unfairly equate equal and fair to be the same thing. It isn’t!

Let’s take a look at someone who may be starting a new business, or is committed to going to the highest level in the organization that can be attained in order to be a great provider for the family The investment of time required for high level achievement may be fourteen, fifteen hour days. Since a day is only 24 hours long, no matter how we attempt to stretch it, can we even begin to think that an equal amount of time with the family or other aspects of life can be spent in the same day? Noooo.  

The answer presented by Ivan Misner, founder of Business Network International is quite simple. It is impossible to spread equal time across a day, week, or month. What an industrious person can do is follow Dr. Misner’s practice, “Wherever you are, be there.” It is so simple. Leave the office at the office when you are with your family. Focus on your family. Shut the crackberry off! When you are with your family, be with your family. When you are spiritually connected, focus 100% on God. When you are spending time improving your health, focus on that activity completely. “Wherever you are, be there.” You can do it!

Brian Kennedy is a speaker and coach to individuals and organizations for the purpose of achieving peak performance. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at http://www.1wp.com/go/briankennedyglobal

The Cost of Toilet Paper March 12, 2010

Recession is nothing new to economies. Heck, we’ve been having them ever since someone figured out that they could obtain something someone else had by trading something with them. Economies may have begun by trading furs for food, and later a commodity that everyone found valuable like gold. Surviving recessions is a practice that obviously then goes back to the days of that first trade. The recession of 1875 – 1869 BC we find that the Jews under Jacob’s leadership would move farming and herding operations to Egypt and begin working together for the betterment of both groups.  

In 2000-2001 I was an executive officer of the Dallas Chapter of SMEI (Sales & Marketing Executives International). The nation was once again going through a brief recessionary period. That is when I first learned the art of working with others who may be like you, but do some other things. As a Senior Consultant with Performisys in Dallas, I learned that by promoting our assessment tools to consultants that already had customer bases, both parties could benefit. We were both consultants; yet I did something these others didn’t. They did things we didn’t. By strategically working together we were able to grow our business in client companies that we never would have been able to get into that fast. We adopted the SMEI philosophy of Partner or Perish. All of us are still here today.  

I have recently seen a company in the office supply business that sells everything a company would need for its office; from desks to toilet paper. In the same networking group is a person who sells paper products to businesses and restaurants. Recently the paper person mentioned that she sells toilet paper in restaurants. Makes sense to me. It is a paper product; and restaurants do use it. The office supply person complained about encroachment by the other person for mentioning toilet paper. That baffled me. Here’s why.

Both parties call on the same customers for mostly different reasons. It seems to me that if the paper sales person has a customer that is in the market to purchase $10,000 worth of desks, chairs, and other office equipment, a referral would be given to the office supply person. But the office supply person doesn’t want the paper sales person to make sales calls on the customer because she believes that she should get all the paper business, even though she has never made a sales call on that customer. It seems to me that toilet paper is costing the office supply person a ton of money.

How are you fighting this recession? Do you find yourself collaborating with others who do some of what you do, but have a strength somewhere else? Or do you do like the office supply owner and lose desk sales for the price of toilet paper. That must be some pretty fancy toilet paper.

Brian Kennedy is a speaker and coach to individuals and organizations for the purpose of achieving peak performance. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at http://www.1wp.com/go/briankennedyglobal

Get More Out by Putting More In March 11, 2010

I read this story posted by Dr. David Jeremiah about a preacher who showed up early for a speaking engagement. “Looking around, he noticed a moneybox on the wall. He made a five dollar contribution to it, thinking it was for the poor. After the service, his host walked him to the door and took the money from the box. “This is where our people contribute to the visiting preacher,” said the man, “and you’ve done better than most. Look, here’s a five-dollar bill.” Later the man told the story to his family. “Dad,” observed his son, “if you had put more into it, you would have gotten more out of it!”

What are you putting into the things you want to get things out of? John Maxwell talks about five types of people. The first never invests and expects to collect. We see these people as complainers. Then there are those who never invest and don’t expect anything in return. These are sufferers. We see them everywhere. Then there are those who start to invest and want to collect now. These are the people who quit when the results aren’t immediate. Delayed gratification is not something they are known for. Without commitment they are unable to stick to the path. Then there are those who invest and expect to collect later. These are the successful people we refer to as winners. They win for sticking with their belief and capturing the prize. Finally, there are those who invest, stick with it and collect big. These people win big because they stuck with they had the desire and belief to stick with their plan, even when it didn’t pan out right away. These people do what unsuccessful people aren’t willing to do. Do you know what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do? Heck, you aren’t willing to do it either.

 I submit to you that the only way to have success is to invest in that success, and expect your return on investment after you have paid some dues. I am amazed sometimes when I talk to people who have a job where they seem to be stuck at a level; yet they will tell you that they will commit more to the job when they get paid more. Hey, until you show that you are worth more, you aren’t going to get paid more. Duh! Get a job, and then become the best you can be at that job; and then your value will rise as will your income. Start reading those 7 business books we talked about last week.

So, what are you doing today to make yourself more valuable to your organization, your family, your community? Take charge and start now. Remember, nothing happens until you start.

Brian Kennedy is a speaker and coach to individuals and organizations for the purpose of achieving peak performance. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at http://www.1wp.com/go/briankennedyglobal

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Don’t Be an Ichabod? March 5, 2010

A few weeks ago Joel Osteen wrote, “In the Old Testament there was an Israelite woman who was about to give birth. She had just heard that the Ark of the Covenant that housed God’s presence had been stolen. She was so upset about it that she named her baby boy Ichabod, which means “the glory has departed.” Notice what she did; she named her future by what was happening in her present. She could have just as easily named him “the glory will return,” but she was so focused on the negative, so caught up in where she was at that moment that she defined her future by it.”

We hear a lot of talk these days about the economy this and the economy that. I can’t do this or I can’t do that because of the economy. Is that how you feel? Its understandable. Yes, the economy is a difficult time to deal with. Yes, it does have an effect on many of the things we do. But the economy only holds back those who allow it to hold them back.

I once read that there were more millionaires created during the Great Depression than during all the years from the founding of this great nation up to the Great Depression. What are you doing to change your life in spite of the circumstances?

In my last post I talked about Charlie Jones’ statement, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read.” In that post we talked about books. What are you doing about the people you meet and those with whom you associate?

Take this test. Look at the five people you associate with the most. Be honest in your appraisal. Typically you will be the average of the five. If those five are highly successful in their lives, congratulations if you are the average. If they are worried about the next check, the next layoffs, or for the economy to turn around, you might want to start looking for other people to spend more time with. Want to be a millionaire? Hang out where millionaires hang out, and you will soon be thinking like them; acting like them; living like them.

 Several of my coaching clients want to be in business for themselves after years in the corporate life. One of my first suggestions is to find where entrepreneurs hang out, and start hanging out there too. Meet them. Establish relationships with them. Learn what they have already learned. I have always found other entrepreneurs to be very helpful in supporting new entrepreneurs with knowledge and suggestions.

There is no better time to start anything than right now time. Start today with ten pages of a good book. Then evaluate the five people you associate with the most. If they are Ichabods, find some Solomon’s. After all, Solomon was the wisest and wealthiest man to ever live.

Brian Kennedy is a speaker and coach to individuals and organizations for the purpose of achieving peak performance. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at www.1wp.com/go/briankennedyglobal

What, Read? March 3, 2010

Over the past few days on LinkedIn and Facebook I read some posts from several Sales and Marketing Executives International members referencing research that states that people who read 7 business books per year earn 2.3 times more income than those at their level who read one or fewer. Think about earning 2.3 times what you are earning now. What would that do to your economic recession?

The late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones is famous for saying, “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for two things, the people you meet and the books you read.” So what Charlie is telling me is that if I don’t read more and meet a higher group of performing people I will be right where I am. Take a realistic view of your life and see if that isn’t true for you. Has your standard of living or quality of life risen in the past five years? What have you been reading? Who have you been meeting?

“I don’t have time to read” is a common whine when talking about books. I was working with someone recently who hadn’t read an entire book since his college graduation fifteen years ago. Time to read is a matter of priorities. I have no problem with someone who loves to watch reality shows. Heck, I even enjoy watching Dancing with the Stars with my wife. However, I don’t make a habit of watching television’s reality show when I have my own reality to live. Killing the television provides plenty of time to read. Try this. Find a good book that will help you in your career. Pick something like Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell, Embrace the Struggle by Zig and Julie Ziglar Norman, The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann… The list goes on. Now that you’ve chosen a good book, read just ten pages per day. That’s all. I’m not suggesting ten chapters or even one. I am suggesting ten pages. That’s it. Why attempt to read a 215 page book when you can read just ten pages of it each day for 21.5 days. Let’s face it, 215 pages is insurmountable if you haven’t read a book in five years; or three; or even one. But ten pages a day takes away the “I don’t have time” whine.

So get to it today. Pick out a good book and start reading. If you aren’t sure about some good ones, click here and scroll down the page for some suggested reading. Reading will change your life.

Brian Kennedy is a speaker and coach to individuals and organizations for the purpose of achieving peak performance. You can learn more about Brian’s speaking, performance improvement workshops, and coaching at www.1wp.com/go/briankennedyglobal

Let’s Talk Corn January 26, 2010

It is said that one ear of corn has, on average, eight hundred kernels. Every kernel is an individual seed. Some varieties of corn produce six ears (they are often referred to as six-shooters). That means that one seed produces six ears with eight hundred kernels each. That’s a total of 4800 kernel seeds. If each is planted the next spring, the resulting harvest could be 23,040,000 seeds.

Good seeds planted in good soil produce good corn. Bad seeds, whether planted in good or bad soil produce bad corn, or no corn at all. The amount of harvest for the farmer then is dependent upon his soil and his seed. The same is true with you.

Each day you have the choice to cast good corn or bad corn. Some might refer to it as good feelings or bad; good karma or bad karma; good vibes or bad vibes. Your good corn will result in stronger relationships, while casting the seed of bad corn will cause sour relationships. Ever meet anyone who was sour? What were the people like around him/her? They were sour.

The first Psalm in the Bible tells us that we are blessed when we don’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly; don’t hang out with those who commit wrongs; and don’t sit among those who are scornful. Casting good seed among bad will not result in a good crop.

My friend Bob Burg tells us “People want to do business with those they know, like, and trust.” People want to eat the crops of those who plant, cultivate and harvest with a process, discipline, and integrity. Think of how many more seeds you can produce with your seed.

Dr. Ivan Misner founded Business Network International with the philosophy that “givers gain.”  Givers do gain because the more good seeds you plant in the good earth, the more harvest comes back to you. The same is true in church when you tithe, or in the community when you give. People who give now to assist the earthquake victims in Haiti will be blessed.  We are taught that when we give the first fruit of our gain that our barns will be filled. Sounds like a lot of harvest for sowing that seed.

When you go out to your next business network event, go with the spirit of giving. 

The next time you attend your Chamber of Commerce’s Business After Hours event this month, go with an open heart to bring a customer to someone you meet. Jeffrey Gitomer tells us “The best way to sell a customer is to bring him a customer;” and think, everyone you meet everywhere you go is a customer if you will only treat them like a seed. Cultivate that seed. Water and feed that seed. Then your harvest will be full.

 Brian Kennedy is the Head Coach of Brian Kennedy Global where he works with individuals and organizations to achieve peak performance. He is currently accepting enrollments to the February and March Winning is for a Lifetime™ Dreams and Goals Tele-Workshop. Click here to learn more.

What Are You Sowing? January 22, 2010

John Blanchard said, “All our activity is sowing; and so is our inactivity.” What are you sowing these days where we are surrounded by increasing unemployment, increased workloads, and increasing debt personally and nationally?

In his book The Slight Edge Jeff Olson tells us that successful people do what unsuccessful people don’t do. Vince Poscente seems to hit the nail directly on the head when he says, “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.” And what is that you ask? Heck, it’s those things you are unwilling to do also. If you are unwilling to do something, and that is the difference between success and failure… Well I can imagine you see the outcome. You get to chose between sowing action and sowing inaction.

Here is what David Jeremiah says about it: “If there is an exception to the law of sowing and reaping, it only serves to prove the rule: In all of life–physically and spiritually–we reap according to how and what we have sown. If we sow corn, we harvest corn, not beans. If we sow frugally, we reap frugally, not abundantly. If we postpone sowing, we also postpone the harvest. There is a direct connection in all of life between how, when, and what we sow and that which we harvest.”

Do you want big things in life? Do you settle for small things? Perhaps you are sowing small things, which is why you are reaping small things. I’ve spoken before about BHAGs, Big Hairy Audacious Goals. If you don’t have BHAGs you aren’t going to have big results. Those results come from dreams and goals. Do you still have any? I hope so. Mark Victor Hansen tells us, “Goals are a preview of future events and experiences in your life.” Are you living the life of your dreams? You can, it is not too late to change the ending of your life’s story.

Brian Kennedy is the Head Coach of Brian Kennedy Global where he works with individuals and organizations to achieve peak performance. He is currently accepting enrollments to the February and March Winning is for a Lifetime™ Dreams and Goals Tele-Workshop. Click here to learn more.