Motivation Articles, Essays, Tips and Advice

As they journey on the path of entrepreneurship, many successful businesspeople would identify their intuition or gut instincts as their compass and mentor. Without it, they wouldn’t have achieved the “unachievable.”

“Don’t let the noise of other people drown out your inner voice. And most importantly, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become,” advises Steve Jobs, Apple Computer CEO

So what is intuition or gut? For some it is a feeling in their stomach, for others, a compelling vision, and for more its an inner voice; all of which are promoting with conviction, a course of action.

It works best when there is no emotional connection to its finding.

Follow your Gut – Be an Entrepreneur!

Nurturing your intuition allows you to connect with an intelligence far greater than what’s available through your conscious mind. Disregarding it is the equivalent of cutting off your blood supply i.e. cutting off life’s messages in the context of truly reaching your potential in life.

In 1996 with a poor academic record in English, no background in writing and told I would not succeed by two award winning journalists ( not best selling authors), I decided to honour my intuition and commit to writing a Best Selling Book. Similar to many potential entrepreneurs it felt right to follow my gut but it didn’t make much sense and I didn’t have the know how. A few years later, I had sold approximately 15,000 copies.

Recently while reflecting on my time as a marketing consultant, I realised that very few projects whose market feasibility I had to check got the green light. I always found enough reasons why the business shouldn’t start. If I had applied the same level of analysis to the feasibility of the book, I wouldn’t have pursued this avenue either.

In the context of entrepreneurship, too often people disregard their gut in favour of the “practical, left brained approach” more often than not to the detriment of their project.

I now know that there isn’t a dream in the world that you and I couldn’t conjure up enough reasons why we shouldn’t proceed with it. Knowledge always gives you enough reasons not to act which is why I advise at all times to honour your gut in the knowledge that you will always end up in a place you describe and recognize as better than your starting point.

Oftentimes people don’t choose to go for gut because quite simply it doesn’t come with a pension plan. In the context of you reaching your potential and achieving meaning and significance, pain/discomfort will be part of the package. However this is nothing compared to the pleasure you will have at living and working in your own dream business.

Enjoy the trip.

“The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten the gift.” — Einstein
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Kevin Kelly, Motivational Speaker and Best Selling Author KevinKellyUnlimited.com

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If asked, could you name the five wealthiest people in the world, or five people who have one the Nobel Prize, or the last five Academy Award winners for best actor and actress? The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. When the applause dies, the awards tarnish, and achievements are forgotten, no one cares about who won which award.

But if I asked you to list five teachers or mentors who believed in you and encouraged you, five friends who have helped you through a difficult time, five people who have taught you something worthwhile, or five people who have made you feel appreciated and special – that’s much easier to do, isn’t it?

That’s because the people who make a difference in your life aren’t the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They’re the ones who care. If you want to be remembered for being important to someone else’s life, make them feel appreciated.

Appreciation as a Secret of Success

Another important reason for being in a state of appreciation as often as possible is that when you are in such a state, you are in one of the highest emotional states possible.

When you are in a state of appreciation and gratitude, you are in a state of abundance. You are appreciating what you do in stead of focusing on, and complaining about, what you don’t have. Your focus is on what you have received… and you always get more of what you focus on.

And because the law of attraction states that like attracts like, the more you are in a state of gratitude, the more you will attract to be grateful for. It becomes an upward-spiraling process of ever-increasing abundance that just keeps getting better and better.

Think about it. The more grateful people are for the gifts we give them, the more inclined we are to give them more gifts. Their gratitude and appreciation reinforces our giving. The same principle holds true on a universal and spiritual level as it does on an interpersonal level.

Keeping Score

When I first learned about the power of appreciation, it made total sense to me. However, it was still something that I forgot to do. I hadn’t yet turned it into a habit. A valuable technique that I employed to help me lock in this new habit was to carry a 3″ x 5″ card in my pocket all day, and every time I acknowledged and appreciated someone, I would place a check mark on the card.

I would not allow myself to go to bed until I had appreciated 10 people. If it was late in the evening and I didn’t have 10 check marks, I would appreciate my wife and children, I would send an e-mail to several staff, or I would write a letter to my mother or stepfather.

I did whatever it took until it became an unconscious habit.

I challenge you to discover ways to immediately appreciate someone in your life, starting today!

(c) Jack Canfield
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Jack Canfield, is the founder and co-creator of book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul and a leading authority on Peak Performance. If you’re ready to jump-start your life, make more money, and have more fun and joy in all that you do, get your success tips from Jack Canfield now at www.JackCanfield.com

-What are some ways you show appreciation to others?

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“You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.” – Above Life’s Turmoil

This principle was not easy for me to accept and I fought it for a long time. As miserable as my life was at the time I learned this concept, I was certain that there was no way that it was due to the thoughts that I had held.

There were too many other reasons why things had gone bad: my ex-spouse, the economy, a client who had wronged me, and on and on and on. Since I wasn’t responsible for my “bad luck,” then certainly my thoughts had nothing to do with it.

But I was wrong. Like the biblical Job who said, “the thing I feared most has come upon me,” I, too, had thought myself to the situation I was in.

Dr. Walter Doyle Staples, writing in Think Like a Winner! Says, “I credit one simple concept with getting me started on my journey into self-discovery. After a great deal of study and contemplation, I came to the conclusion that people have in their lives today exactly what they keep telling their mind they want.”

Like Dr. Staples, it was a moment of great illumination for me! The logical side of me said, “if you and you alone can think yourself into such a mess, then surely you and you alone can think yourself out of it.”

And that I did. It wasn’t overnight and it wasn’t easy, but it was a sure thing! And by accepting all of the responsibility for where I was, and all of the responsibility for where I was going, I experienced a tremendous joy and freedom. I knew in my knower that if I got myself into the predicament, I could get myself out.

Of course, I had some great inspiration along the way. And I will always remember Les Brown’s three steps to take during “hard time:”

Have Faith (didn’t Paul say, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for…”) Remind yourself: “No matter how hard it is or how hard it gets, I’m going to make it!” Have patience and engage in consistent action.

And that’s worth thinking about.

(excerpted from Day by Day with James Allen)
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Vic Johnson is a popular motivational speaker, author and Internet Infopreneur who has created some of the most visited personal development sites on the Web. His flagship site AsAManThinketh.net has given away over 200,000 eBook copies of James Allen’s success classic. You can grab a copy for yourself here.

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If you don’t plant seeds today, you won’t reap a harvest… tomorrow!

The Law of the Farmer is one of the great success truths of all time. You can find this truth in the ancient book of Matthew found in the Bible. The Great Teacher went down to the sea shore and a great crowd amassed around him. Everywhere he went, the crowds would gather. The Great Teacher looked over the crowd ready to hang onto His every word.

He stepped into a small boat and was pushed a few feet from shore. In this way, the masses would not only be able to see Him more clearly, but would be able to hear Him more effectively as well. The Great Teacher opened His mouth to speak. A hush came over the immense gathering of humanity.

The Great Teacher said, “A farmer went out to plant some seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.” Let’s stop right here and see what this has to say to us today. The seed fell on the path and birds came and ate the seed. Hmm? What does that mean? Well, I believe that some people get set in their ways. They like the old way of doing things. They like the old way of seeing things. And they like everything to stay the same. These people are not willing to change and grow. You position your product or service to this individual (you plant a seed). This person is so closed minded that they don’t even see the opportunity so the seed is stolen away, in this case by the birds.

Let me give you an example. For how many years have some medical doctors disagreed with the practice of Chiropractic? Too long to count. Many of them aren’t even willing to consider the possibility that chiropractic care could help their patient. Their patient is not getting better but they would prefer to fail their patient then to open their eyes to refer them to a doctor of chiropractic. My family doctor is different. He had no problem with me seeing my chiropractor Dr. Paul Juszczyk. Why? Because his eyes are open.

Now, you might be thinking, “what if the person I am talking with is closed minded? What if they are the seed that falls on the path? What do I do?” My advice is do nothing. Move on to the next prospect. You see, their hardness of mind and heart is not your issue. It is theirs. You did your part. You planted a seed. In this case, it just didn’t grow and that is not your fault.

Let’s get back to the story. The Great Teacher said, “Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly, but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil.” What does this mean for us? Well, some prospects for your product/service get very excited about what they are hearing and seeing.

The challenge is that they take no action. Because they do nothing, the motivation begins to fade away to where in a very short time the seed begins to die. One of the ancient writings says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.” Without action, many seeds will die. So, what should we do? Get the prospect to take action. Get them to make the appointment, fill out the form, whatever, but they must take action immediately or we will lose them.

Next part of the story reads, “Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades.” The thorns could be the other stresses in our lives that preoccupy our minds. When a prospect has a thorn there is not much you can do. The timing may be wrong. You did everything you could possibly do. You planted your seed. Now, it is a waiting game. Contact the prospect on a regular basis to stay in touch. But don’t just call them up and say, “Hi. Just wanted to give you a call to touch base.” Yuk!! You got to give them value. That is why I like newsletters and ezines. It is a great way to stay in touch and at the same time add value for them. Pack your newsletters with helpful articles that are going to improve their lives and reduce the stress (the thorns).

The Great Teacher finishes His story with, “But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand.” Why do some seeds produce more than others? I haven’t a clue. But the truth is that some do and we don’t have to be concerned with the “why.” All we have to do is plant the seeds, water them and fertilize them, and be ready to bring in the harvest.

Another time, the Great Teacher said, “Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks.” I think this teaches us not to give up. To be persistent. If you are digging for gold, you will have to uncover a lot of dirt to find a nugget, but if you keep asking, seeking, and knocking, you will find the nugget. And the nugget is always worth it.

It was Calvin Coolidge who said, “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than the unsuccessful man with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent…” Stay the course and you will be successful. The Law of the Farmer works and it will work for you too.
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Mark Bowser is one of the top Sales Trainers and Speakers in the world today. He is the author of three books Power Nuggets, Unlocking the Champion Within, and Three Pillars of Success. Visit him at www.MarkBowser.com.

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“I heard you did a great job connecting with the audience and got all choked up with your acceptance speech for the Canadian Speaking Hall of Fame,” said my friend Victoria.

“Yep, when I DO authentic, it works every time,” I said with a chuckle.

I was kidding about ‘doing’ authentic, of course. What immediately connected with the audience was ‘being’ authentic.

The fact was my introducer, Warren Evans, brought me to the stage with “Welcome home Vince.” I was emotional about coming home to Canada with this kind of honor.

I blubbered for a bit, gained composure and then gave an acceptance speech. The single comment I received after was, “I loved your speech. It was you. It was real.” The speech wasn’t scripted. I had three general ideas I wanted to get across and I made it up from there.

If you are going to give a speech, pitch a product, ask for a date or convince a teenager of something then the authentic approach is the fast way to connect. Authenticity is truly one of the most endearing qualities in people. And whom do you buy from? Someone thinking of what they should say or someone tells their truth.

Think about it. When you meet someone real. Someone who is being truly authentic; How attractive is this quality?

That’s the wacky thing about sales actually. And before you say you’re not in sales, remember the quote. “If your lips are moving, chances are you’re selling something. So make it good.” Making it “good” is simple and tricky all at once.

Think about it. If you’re selling something really important you probably want to put your best foot forward. You will likely be on your best behavior and be extremely conscious of saying the right things in the right way. In other words, you don’t want to show any vulnerability. You assume that if you show any signs of weakness or chinks in your armor you will loose the sale.

But as Shakespeare once said, “Therein lies the rub.”

Think of people you feel most connected to. Have they shown you their vulnerability and authentic selves? YES! Now, in a sale, whom do you buy from? Someone you feel connected to or someone where there is no connection? You buy from people you connect with.

So, here you are spending all this time hiding parts of your personality that has the net effect of disconnection. By trying to speed up a sale by doing everything right, we are slowing it down by being less vulnerable or authentic. The flip side is if you are vulnerable and authentic you speed up the sale.

You have everything to gain and little to lose by being authentic. Vulnerability is not that old Budweiser commercial where you break down crying while saying, “I love you man!” Vulnerability is a state of mind. It is a clear signal to your prospect or person you are talking to with, “This is who I am. This is real. I’m not hiding anything.”

If you’re new to a situation, then be honest. If you’re unsure of an answer, admit it. If you disagree, beg to disagree. If you messed up, say sorry, skip the excuses and move on. If you think you have spinach in your teeth, come out and say it, “Do I have spinach in my teeth?” You get the picture. If it is authentic and honest you are vulnerable in a very good way. This will take you further and faster. People appreciate that in the Age of Speed.

Recently I spoke to a large franchise and the message the organizers kept hitting home was how “important the client experience is.” The new approach they would take is to listen to the client and give a specialized experience. Not a “by the book” agenda. They wanted the client to feel that it was a real, authentic encounter.

What struck me funny was how scripted the entire event was. They had every single executive speech on a teleprompter. The underlying message I felt while listening was incongruent. The leaders offered advice they weren’t truly demonstrating.

How much different would the audience’s experience be if the VP’s were trusted to deliver a few key points from an extemporaneous approach? How difficult would it be for the executives to give up control of the exact outcome?

When it’s your turn to speak to one person or a room full of people stand back from trying to be perfect and decide to be you. Knock your script down to key touch points and trust that you authentic self is more than enough.

Be authentic. It’s the fastest way to connect and it works every time.

(c) 2008 Vince Poscente
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Vince Poscente is best known for his ability to provide an invigorating message to organizations across the corporate landscape. When companies come face-to-face with speed, Poscente helps them understand the challenge and turn speed to their advantage. To learn more about harnessing the power of speed, join the ever-increasing community of people at www.vinceposcente.com

*What are your thoughts? Perhaps you can share some experiences in your life, or situations you’ve observed where being authentic made a positive difference.

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