Seven Elements For Moving To The Next Level

June is the beginning of summer for most people. In summer, our thoughts take flights of fancy about cutting out early, vacations, cook-outs, swimming and finding ways to, in the words of that old song “Roll out those lazy, hazy days of summer…” Unfortunately, as unsummerish as it might sound, summer is also time for what has been called the Summer Slump, that’s when sales and productivity take a nose-dive. The summer of 2009 could be a critical one for those of us who haven’t been blessed with stimulus money, a governmental buy-out or aren’t considered “too big to fail.”

To help us “keep our eye on the ball” this summer, I’ve selected seven words (one of everyday of the week) that will remind us of the seven elements for enhancing our career, improving our performance and keeping ourselves motivated toward our objectives. Over the years, I’ve taught these seven elements in seminars and used them in individual professional performance coaching sessions—and I know from the results they’ve produced for people just like you and me that when applied conscientiously and consistently these elements will not only stimulate and motivate, they can propel you to new heights.

To optimize their effectiveness for you, I suggest that you make it your summer project to refer to this edition at the start of each week and once again emphasize that element over the next three months.

Monday
POTENTIAL

William James, credited as being the father of modern psychology wrote, “The human individual…lives usually far within his limits…(We) possess powers of various sorts which (we) habitually fail to us.” These words remind us that not only do most of us fail to live up to our potential (that which we can become), but we often perform far below our established capacity (what we already know we are capable of doing). What would we think of an accomplished singer—one who had Gold Records to her credit—who suddenly decided that the only songs she would sing were nursery rhymes? Or a successful concert pianist who decided to only play “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” in concerts? We would say they were performing far below their capacity. Yet many of us give no thought to living below what we know we are capable of doing. Rediscover what you are capable of doing and then live at those limits (you’ll soon find your limits expanding)!

Tuesday
THINK!

When Thomas J. Watson joined the Computer-Tabulating-Recording Company (later IBM) in 1914 he brought with him the THINK motto that he began using while serving as the Sales & Advertising Manager at National Cash Resister Company (NCR). “Thought” said Watson, “has been the father of every advance since time began. ‘I didn’t think’ has cost the world millions of dollars’.”

Wednesday
ATTITUDE!

Do you have a problem to solve? Are you facing a challenge? Need to get motivated for the week? Feeling that life’s not fair? Regardless of your situation the mindset that you bring to it sets powerful forces into play that can determine the outcome. If we approach our problems, challenges, career, injustices and life with an attitude of “Here we go again” or “Why me, Lord?” it is like activating the “circle the wagons” signal in our brain. All our mental efforts become defensive, our creativity slows down and our focus is directed toward containment. If on the other hand we approach our problems, challenges, career, injustices and life with an attitude of “I’ve solved bigger problems” or “Thank you Lord for believing I can handle this” we activate our creativity, we become motivated by the challenge and become focused on solutions.

Thursday
BELIEF!

What we believe about ourselves, our problems and challenges and life itself goes a long way to determining what our attitude will be. The good news is that we choose what we want to believe. You see, our mind uses our beliefs as its point of reference when it is seeking solutions or developing ideas. Since beliefs, like attitudes are a matter of choice and can be changed through self-discipline and tenacity. To begin changing your belief system begin looking for “evidence” to support what you want to believe in rather than that which will validate your tired, self-defeating beliefs. List these on paper and begin dropping them into your mind at regular intervals. In addition, voice these beliefs to others, politely defend them if necessary and most importantly, don’t be afraid to act on your new beliefs.

Friday
ACTION!

We’ve all known people who have invested either time or money (many times both) to learn and master new skills in order to achieve some objective, but who never quite got started. It is disappointing when a person who has worked hard gives up and quits just before succeeding. It is tragic when someone gives up shortly after getting started. But it is catastrophic when someone takes the time to think, plan, learn new skills and modify old behaviors in order to bring their plans to fruition and for whatever reason never gets started. Ultimately your success and happiness depends on your ability to think, develop the right attitudes, hold the type of positive beliefs that fuel courage and confidence and to put into play the strategies you’ve developed to make your vision a reality—but most of all it requires action!

Saturday
HABIT!

The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might of the force of habit…—J. Paul Getty
I recall talking to a young man had graduated with an MBA at the top of his class from a prestigious university with bright prospects, but his career has stalled. Stalled is a mild word, tailspin is a more accurate description of his situation. As we talked it became evident that he had not developed good work habits. Habitually late arriving at the office he would rush through his projects, not follow up on details and cut out early when possible. I asked him how he had managed to get through school with such good grades. He said that he had developed good study habits at an early age and had worked hard. Unfortunately, he had not adapted those habits to the workplace. Too often doing the wrong thing, in the wrong way, at the wrong time becomes a habit, but it can be broken by developing the self-discipline necessary to change those professional habits that are holding us back.

Sunday
OPPORTUNITY!

The man who is intent on making the most of his opportunities is too busy to bother about luck—B.C. Forbes
As used here the word intent means “to plan”, “to aim for”, “to set as a goal”. Once we have identified an opportunity we must put everything we’ve got into taking full advantage of it. Naturally we must assess the opportunity in terms of our capacity to capitalize on it, as well as those areas where our expertise is weak or non-existent; as we consider the upside (potential rewards for us) we must also consider the downside and whether we can live with it. Next we develop our plan, begin executing it and making the necessary course corrections as we work our plan. When we are focused on these things, we don’t have time to worry about luck because we are making up our luck as we go along!

Have a Great Week and make it the start of a Profitable Summer!
Robert Hidde