In This Edition
1. 11 Ways to Make This The Best Year Ever
2. Give Yourself Permission
3. Recommended Reading
4. Quotes
11 Ways to Make This The Best Year Ever
This was my first article that I wrote for my initial newsletter back in January 2001. The response to this article was amazing; it was picked up by many magazines and prestigious newsletters around the world including Message from the Masters and has since turned in to one of my professional speaking programs. Per the request of the many people who did not have an opportunity to read the first newsletter, I am reprinting it to start off this New Year. I hope you enjoy it.
January – the start of a fresh new year. This is a wonderful time to take stock and reflect on the year gone by, the triumphs you achieved, the time you shared with family and friends, the good choices you made in business. But in order to grow and develop both personally and professionally, you also have to look back at and acknowledge the things that challenged you, the things that did not go so well.
There is nothing wrong with setbacks, in fact, I believe that if we don’t have obstacles to overcome along the way we won’t learn and grow. Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM, once said, “ If you want to increase your rate of success, you better be prepared to increase your rate of failure.”
We all have hopes and dreams for this New Year. The slate is wiped clean for all of us as we start afresh. Why not take a few moments in this New Year to think about your dreams and goals for 2003? In what areas do you want to grow? What is truly important to you? What challenges do you want to take on? Most of us don’t realize what we can accomplish when we unleash the hidden talents that we possess. To help you make this New Year your best ever, take a few moments to ponder these 11 suggestions:
1. CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Have a clear vision and focus of what you want to achieve and set a time frame. Challenge yourself to be the best you can be at all times. Visualize what you want to accomplish. See it in your mind. Write down your goals, have a plan of action, and never doubt you will be successful.
2. FIND THE LOVE FACTOR
Surround yourself with loving, supportive people. Stay away from the dream stealers, the people who would bring you down. Cherish the special people in your life and let them know you cherish them.
3. DEDICATE QUALITY TIME
Life is so precious; make the most of each and every day. Rise early, spend some quality time by yourself as well as with those you care about. Go for a walk, workout, read a book. Value not only the time you spend with your loved ones, but also the time you spend by yourself.
4. STRETCH YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Do at least one thing a day, which makes you feel uncomfortable. Push yourself; you will be amazed how far you can go. Remember: on the other side of fear is freedom. To remain stagnant is not to grow. To reach your full potential, you must rise above the fray and soar like an eagle.
5. BE PASSIONATE
Show passion in everything you do. Let it show in your body language, in your smile, in your voice. Let your eyes sparkle. Let the world see and hear your enthusiasm and let it feel your passion.
6. SERVE OTHERS
Be a role model and mentor for people. Volunteer in your community and help others achieve their goals. Your world will be enriched and a better place for sharing your talents and giving freely of your time. Leave a lasting legacy.
7. DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
Let go of the little things you can’t control. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Recognize that perfection isn’t always the only option. Don’t let life’s imperfections bother you. Lighten up and see the funny side of things when they go wrong, the learning in them. Be tolerant, smile…don’t waste your energies on the small stuff, you have much bigger fish to fry.
8. LIVE WITH INTEGRITY
Always be true to yourself. Take pride in whatever you do. Be proud of who you are and what you represent. Accept others with all their flaws. Show compassion and goodwill to your fellow human beings. Be dignified. Lead a life of purpose and be proud of your values.
9. SHOW GRATITUDE
Show gratitude and say thank-you to the people who have helped you along the way. Send a handwritten letter to someone who has touched you. Call up a friend or loved one and tell them how much they mean to you. Compliment a colleague or business associate on a job well done. Show people you appreciate and care about them. Acts of kindness cost nothing but mean everything.
10. CELEBRATE SUCCESS
Be proud of your achievements. Take time to recognize yourself and others for even the small successes. But also be humble and dignified, sensitive to people who are not as fortunate as you.
11. EXUDE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
I cannot express enough the importance of having a positive attitude and believing in yourself. Yes, you can be well intentioned, you can be determined, but without a positive attitude about yourself and about life, you will not succeed. Dreams will die, goals will fade, and gloom and darkness will replace clear blue skies and sunshine in your mind and heart.
Remember, people will frequently forget what you said to them, sometimes forget what you did for them, but they will never forget how you made them feel. Make your New Year’s resolution for this year not only to have your best year ever, but also to help those you care for achieve the same goal.
Copyright 2000: Charles M. Marcus
GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION
The theme at the start of a brand New Year is of setting new goals and challenging ourselves. One of the key things, that I believe we often forget, is to be happy and content with who we are, our inner self, but also to give ourselves permission to try new things and to push ourselves. Here are some of the exercises on my list, you can make your own if you wish.
Give yourself permission to make mistakes
Give yourself permission to fail
Give yourself permission not to be perfect all the time
Give yourself permission to try something new
Give yourself permission to follow your dreams
Give yourself permission to get out of your comfort zone
Give yourself permission to find time for the people who are important to you
Give yourself permission to love
Give yourself permission to enjoy life
Give yourself permission to commit to excellence and to be the best you can be
Give yourself permission to tell your loved ones how you feel about them
Give yourself permission to succeed
Give yourself permission to have your own definition of success
Give yourself permission to meet people halfway, not to always having to have the last word
Give yourself permission to not to be so hard on yourself when things do not always go your way
Give yourself permission to achieve greatness
And most important; Give yourself permission to be you………
RECOMMENDED READING
Seven Steps to Lasting Happiness by Azim Jamal
Seven Steps to Lasting Happiness is practical, insightful and an inspiring read. It is a must read for people who are seeking balance, harmony and happiness in their lives. Azim Jamal has written an excellent book. Highly recommended.
Winning Every Day by Lou Holtz
Coach Holtz, the legendary American College Football Coach from Notre Dame University who now coaches at the University of South Carolina has written a very interesting and motivating book on his game plan for success. He shares ten strategies that will drive you to the top of your professional and personal life.
The 25 Sales Habits of Highly Successful Salespeople by Stephen Schiffman
Stephen Schiffman knows all about the sales process. He has trained over 250,000 salespeople at a number of prestigious companies. This is a little book, but it is packed with so much practical information. If your job involves selling of any type, read this book, you will be glad you did.
QUOTES
“Values are like fingerprints. Nobody’s are the same but you leave them all over everything you do”
“The King” Elvis Presley
“Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around us in awareness”
Leland Val Vanderwall
“With more success comes greater problems along with greater ability to solve them”
Mark Victor Hansen
Copyright
Permission is granted to reproduce this newsletter in whole or in part provided the following byline below appears along with the article and that a copy is sent to me after publication. Thank you: To check previous issues for publication, please go to www.cmarcus.com and click on articles/newsletters.
Charles Marcus is an international motivational speaker. To subscribe to his FREE success newsletter, please send an email to subscribe@cmarcus.com. An electronic copy will be sent out to you every month. For more information on how Charles, his book and his programs can benefit your organization or group, please call 905-847-2323. Toll-Free in North America at 1-800-837-0629, or visit his website: www.cmarcus.com
