Communication Secrets
For the past 3 days, I have been trying to pick out a paint color for the bedroom. In the store, the color looked light green, a color I would call “Seafoam.” The paint supplier called it “Reef”, my friend said it looked gray as we painted it, and in the bedroom lighting, I just stepped back and called it “Yuck.” Still a work in progress…
So what does this have to do with anything? Well, it just pointed out to me once again that we all see and understand things differently… How many times do we describe something and know exactly what we mean, but the person we are attempting to communicate to takes what we said an entirely different way?
An important rule to always remember in communication is the KISS–Keep It Simple and Short. So many times, I find I can get caught up in my industry’s jargon or slang, I know what I’m saying, so do coworkers, but when that glazed look comes over your client’s eyes, you know it’s time to stop, rewind, simplify and try again.
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
~Anais Nin. Writer and diarist 1903-1977 ~
Have a great day in whatever your adventure,
To success! To Life!
Sharon
Your Vision, Goals, and Dreams
With all the day-to-day stuff that bombards us and the unrelenting media blitz on the “crisis” it is easy to lose sight of why we are doing what we are doing…. Some days I just wonder who opened the clown-cage?
Seems everybody just wants to quash my passion—
Gosh, it is all too easy to lose motivation. When that happens, I notice I prefer to clean house… I know that sounds silly, but sometimes having my conscious mind focus on something else, like cleaning, allows my unconscious mind to solve problems, re-energize and re-set my “GO” button.
Yesterday, during my last cleaning phase I found my Personal Vision Statement. I had written it several years ago, tucked it away for safekeeping, never to see the light of day until now…
A Personal Vision Statement is about identifying, in writing, your long range personal and business goals. Future-pace out 5 to 10 years or more then review with others that will be affected by these goals (family, business partners, etc.)
Statements like these are important, especially if you are part of a small business. Share them with other decision makers in your business. If everyone is going in the same direction it helps create a cohesive workplace. If your team is chasing the same rabbit, the likelihood of catching the rabbit is much greater…then each team member chasing a different rabbit…
• So, what do you stand for, what is your vision of success?
• How would you know you are successful – what would you see? Hear? Feel?
I decided to keep my Personal Vision Statement in a “not so safe spot.” I took several 2.5 x 3 index cards (half of a 3 x 5 card) and wrote one statement, goal, a step to achieve the goal, or an action I need to do on a card to remind myself of my long-term vision. (I tried post-it-notes, I prefer the sturdiness of the index card.)
I call them Personal Pocket Visions. I placed the cards where I will see them throughout the day. My refrigerator, mirror, purse, and monitor… each time I see a card, I think of not only what is written on the card, but my entire Vision. Take action, today, with your unique Personal Pocket Visions.
Have a great day whatever your adventure
To success! To Life!
Sharon
Finding things, including miracles, when you need them.
Getting The Results You Want
“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it is the same problem as last year. ” ~John Foster Dulles~
Not getting the results you want?
Ask yourself: “Is this something I really want to be doing or was it someone else’s idea?”
Is it something you want? Then schedule your success.
Here are three principles that we can use to be successful.
1. Stay focused. Most problems are solved the same way; it’s just the details that are different.
—Make a decision. Be clear about your intentions and outcomes. Clear intentions lead to solid results. Intentionality drives creativity. Creativity drives results. Results drive outcomes.
—Focus is not force. Do not force an outcome. Outcomes may arrive differently then we expect. Leave room for the unexpected to amaze you. Stay focused on your outcome while continuing to listen to the guiding voice within.
2. Quit tolerating mediocre. To attract the results you want, first, commit the time and space for what you really want.
—Set clear boundaries. If you no longer accept being dragged down by unwanted events, problems or other people’s behavior, you’ll stop wasting time managing situations that are not or should not be there anyway. Sometimes we get bogged down in the “shoulda, woulda, coulda and what-ifs” of each situation—these usually revolve around blurred boundaries. Sometimes, we need to let go of situations or things that are not moving us in the direction we want to go.
3. Put your heart into your intention and the world. We can all have the best of intentions but let’s be honest… do you have a burning desire to see it through to completion?
—Implement your plan. Make your plan simple and flexible. Deliberately set accountability steps to achieve what you want. Develop a highly efficient and effective routine around your accountability steps. Each step gets you closer to what you want. Let others know of your dreams, intention and desired outcome.
The best (and worst) part of life is it’s up to you to get the results you want.
“Each of us has two ends: one to sit with, one to think with. Success depends on which one you use; heads you win — tails you lose.” ~Anonymous, humor and wisdom greatly appreciated~
Have a great day in whatever your adventure
To Success! To Life!
Sharon
Mind-clutter… Imagine that…
A passing comment by my friend, Stephen, made me stop and think… It was a brilliant insight.
“What’s here that doesn’t need to be here? What’s not here, that needs to be here?”
We were talking about how we would train wait-staff about clutter on a restaurant table, but imagine the implications if you applied that insight to any problem…
– Is there physical, mental, and emotional clutter just hanging around?
– Are you holding on to ideas that no longer serve a purpose?
– Do you feel disorganized at work – physically, emotionally, and mentally?
Mind-clutter- things, ideas, and emotions that are blocking you from your potential.
1. Identify the essential. What is important?
2. Identify what to eliminate. What’s not essential?
3. Recognize the impacts of both essential and eliminate.
4. Let go.
5. Create strategies to stay de-cluttered.
“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” ~Albert Einstein
Have a great day whatever your adventure.
To Success! To Life!
Sharon
