Newsletter for April 2008: Fourth Pillar: Self-Direction
ContentsThis Months Thought
Fourth Pillar: Self-Direction
Quotes of the Month
Strictly Business: What Will You Achieve in 2008?
Humor: Useful Conversions to Keep Life Simple
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As we begin the second quarter of the year, renew your commitment to living a life of responsible, ethical self-direction. Whatever your most important goals or desires, develop the self-discipline to achieve them. Success may require some sacrifice. So what? If your goal is important, the price of achievement is tiny compared to the rewards of success.
Fourth Pillar: Self-Direction
Beginning in December of last year, I did a series of This Months Thoughts based on the Foundation and Four Pillars of achievement. For over 5 years, I've studied and worked with highly effective people, and I've looked for the ESSENTIALS that allow some people to run circles around the competition. Why do some people get so much more out of life? How do successful people achieve the extraordinary results they get? These are some of the most important questions in life.
I do not believe it is necessary to live, as Henry Thoreau said, "lives of quiet desperation." There is no reason for so many to be poor, or poor in spirit, or frustrated or lonely. Whatever type of success you desire - from making more money to having more time or better relationships - other people have figured out how to do it, and once you know the recipe, you can do it, too. I believe that with all my heart!
So, I've been trying to share the central components, the keys or essentials, these past months.
We started with the unifying foundation: Know Thyself. It is hard to live someone else's life or follow someone else's path. Success is achieved by creating and living "a life of one's own." First, "know thyself and to thine own self be true."
Second, there are four essential "pillars" that high achievers use to create and build the life they want. We've covered the first three: the pillar of Integrity, the pillar of Passion, and the pillar of Simplicity.
Now we come to the final ingredient, the pillar of Self-Direction, or if you prefer the power of self-discipline.
This is the most powerful and the least popular of the four pillars. It is the pillar we avoid because we are the "me" generation. We want "instant gratification." We are not known for our patience or the ability to delay impulses. We are used to credit cards, variety and pleasure. We love to be "spontaneous" even if it means we have to "pay later."
But this is not true of high achievers. They have an end-result in mind (see the Pillar of Passion) and they stick to it. They have a sense of Positive Integrity that keeps them on-track, and a life of Simplicity so they are rarely distracted or confused. They know the power of self-discipline, and understand the virtues of patience, dedication and persistence.
They know that "Rome wasn't built in a day." They know that the Wright brothers spent years experimenting, failing, taking notes and moving toward their goal of building the first airplane. They love the story of the woman who ran up to Vladimar Horowitz after one of his concerts and gushed, "I'd give my life to play like that!" and his reply, "Madam, I have."
High achievers know that self-discipline is the raw material of greatness. Brian Tracy has made the harsh observation that "if you cannot save money, the seeds of greatness are not in you." Self-discipline is the ability to decide on a course of action, and stick to it. Whether it is saving money, losing weight, inventing the airplane or building a business, success requires the Pillar of positive Self-Direction.
Know your desired outcome and let nothing distract or divert you. High achievers know (and announce) their direction in life. They know their goals and the path they will take to "get there." They know the power of daily action, and that, "inch by inch (day by day) anything's a cinch!"
As we move into the second quarter of this year, renew your commitment to living a life of responsible, ethical self-direction. Whatever your most important goals or desires, develop the self-discipline to achieve them. Success may require some sacrifice. So what? If your goal is important, the price of achievement is tiny compared to the rewards of success.
The winners in life have always known that Integrity, Simplicity, Passion and Discipline are the keys to a great life and that success is a much easier path than failure. After all, who would choose a life of chaos and frustration over the elegance and clarity of doing the small daily disciplines of success? Use the Four Pillars to create the life you truly want so you can "Thrive in 'O8!"
Quotes of the Month
"Success is neither magical or mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of consistently applying the basic fundamentals." -- Jim Rohn
"Success in this industry is not in finding the right person, but in becoming the right person." -- Dr. Forrest Shaklee
"Don't wait for a light to appear at the end of the tunnel, stride down there and light the bloody thing yourself." -- Sara Henderson
"I don't worry about the storms, I am learning to sail my own ship." -- Louisa May Alcott
Strictly Business: What Will You Achieve in 2008?
Every living thing is either growing or dying. Every plant, every animal and every business is either becoming more powerful, more creative, more vibrant and dynamic, or it is shrinking and preparing to die.
How is it with your business, right now?
This year, thousands of businesses will close their doors. In 2008, thousands of professionals will see their income decline, and some will give up, change careers and move on. But not you!
Let others become frustrated or stuck, but NOT YOU!
For the remainder of 2008, I want your business to grow! I want you to add new products or services. This year, I want your business to capture new markets, improve your services, raise prices, and increase profits. I want you to end 2008 having made this your best year ever!
And, only you can make it happen. As a business owner or leader, it is your responsibility to look ahead, analyze the situation, develop and execute strategies to grow your business. Whatever other daily tasks or small jobs you do, your PRIMARY responsibility is to grow the business and now is the time to figure out exactly how you will do that for the remainder of 2008.
There are goal-setting programs and exercises. I recommend using a large at-a-glance calendar, and matching outcomes with specific deadlines. In the past year I worked with many businesses of all sizes, and if a one-day retreat or consultation will help you clarify your goals and create more effective strategies, please contact me! I want your business to thrive this year! Let me know how I can help!
Take the time. Make the investment. Hire the experts. Take the initiative. Get away from the daily details to see the big picture and create the future you want. If I can help, please email me at: rodger@rodgerblaker.com
Humor: Useful Conversions to Keep Life Simple
For those who thought the hardest part of Chemistry or Physics was the constant conversion from feet and inches to the metric system, with its millimeters, kilograms and degrees Celsius, here are some other useful conversions:
The Ratio of an igloo's circumference to its diameter:
Eskimo Pi
2000 pounds of Chinese soup equals
Won ton
1 millionth of a mouthwash equals
1 microscope
Time it takes to sail 220 yards at 1 nautical mile per hour
Knot-furlong
Half of a large intestine
1 semicolon
2000 mockingbirds
two kilomockingbirds
1 kilogram of falling figs
1 Fig Newton
2 monograms
1 diagram
8 nickels
4 paradigms
100 Senators
Not 1 decision.
Rodger Blaker works with executives, small business owners and professionals who want to grow in their business and create an extraordinary life!
For info on resources for your success, visit: http://www.rodgerblaker.com or call me at 214-485-2238.
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