In this edition:
1. 11 ways to make 2001 your best year ever
2. Encouragement
3. Setting Goals
4. Recommended Reading
5. Quotes
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 2001? 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
ENCOURAGEMENT
A few years ago, at the Seattle Special Olympics, nine contestants, all physically or mentally disabled, assembled at the starting line for the 100-yard dash. At the gun, they all started out, not exactly in a dash, but with a relish to run the race to the finish and win. All, that is, except one little boy who stumbled onto the asphalt, tumbled over a couple of times, and began to cry.
The other eight heard the boy cry. They slowed down and looked back. Then they all turned around and went back, every one of them. One girl with Down’s Syndrome bent down and kissed him and said: “This will make it better.” Then, all nine linked arms and walked together to the finish line.
Everyone in the stadium stood, and the cheering went on for several minutes. People who were there are still telling the story. Why? Because deep down we know this one thing: What matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What matters in this life is helping others win, even if it means slowing down and changing our course. When we help others win, we win ourselves.
SETTING GOALS
Lou Holtz, the legendary former head football coach of Notre Dame University in the United States realized after some early setbacks in his life that he would have to set some goals to reach his dreams. He made a list of 107 aspirations.
Twenty years after setting these goals, Lou Holtz has achieved 87 of them, including coaching at Notre Dame, being college coach of the year, writing a best selling book and hitting a hole in one in golf.
RECOMMENDED READING
The Power of Focus: by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Les Hewitt.
You are the Message: by Roger Ailes
Selling the Invisible: by Harry Beckwith
Growing the Distance: by Jim Clemmer.
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: by Deepak Chopra
The Bob Love Story: Bob Love with Mel Watkins
QUOTES
“Forget about the consequences of failure. Failure is only a temporary change in direction to set you straight for your next success.” Denis Waitley
“Life is not always bright, but if the sun can shine after the darkest storm, so can we”. Lynn Gerald
“My formula for success is, rise early, work later, and strike oil.” John Paul Getty
“There are powers inside of you which, if you could discover and use, would make of you everything you ever dreamed or imagined you could become.” Orison Swett Marden
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
