“Don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today.” (My Mother, ever since I can remember.)
Procrastination is like a virus. It creeps up on you slowly, drains you of energy, and is difficult to get rid of if your resistance is low. Procrastination is a close relative of incompetence and a first cousin to […]

In our local paper today we read of a 30 yr old who had taken his life… Sad, and tragic, what made it worse my wife and I had taught this “lad” I remember his boisterousness, his propensity to get in to mischief, his moments of sheer happiness and the odd moment of withdrawl. In […]

The genius of humor obviously pertains to communication, but humor is not just a secondary form of genius. Humor is vital. However, there is a wrong way and a right way to use it.
Here are my suggestions for improving your sense of humor: First, find out what your strong suit is, humor-wise. Ask a friend […]

I racked a fresh shell of 00 Buck into the chamber of my 12-gauge shotgun and drew the weapon to my shoulder. As I took careful aim at the dead tree branch about 30 feet above and 10 feet down range of me, my friend asked, “What are you doing?”
“Creative problem-solving,” I answered.
The smooth squeeze […]

“If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always gotten.” In addition, if you keep doing what you have always done when conditions radically change, you will get a lot less than you have always gotten. How much can you accomplish when you really see things as they are - […]

Is your business profile telling you you are doomed to a life of mediocrity, or that there is hope for the future?
Take a look at the profile (see the PDF attachment Business Profiles) and ask yourself the following.
1. Are you at a clear profile level, or moving between them?
2. Is the profile level totally […]

I couldn’t help myself. It just sort of slipped out. “Well, Shelly … you’re gonna have to either get a shorter banner or taller kindergarteners.”
A brief moment of silence was broken by her laughter letting me know I hadn’t “blown it” and that she had a sense of humor — something I really like in […]

Awareness refers to a continuously heightened sensitivity to what is going on in both your internal and your external environment. It has two separate but closely related ways of expressing itself. You must be aware of what is outside you — aware of the subtle behaviors of the people around you. In addition, you must […]

Ok, I admit it. I am a raving fan of one of my suppliers.
I tell my friends and colleagues about them.
I have referred dozens of people to them.
I have used them several times, and plan to use them again.
Ashop Commerce is a leading provider of hosted shopping cart software. They offer a complete solution for […]

Goals are the most important tools you need to accomplish anything, and there are certain steps you can take to complete your goals after you’ve made them. There are certain areas you need to consider while working toward your goals, which will help you succeed:
Define your goal. Your first task is to work out the […]

I’ll never forget the day I decided to quit my stable $50,000 a year job. Candy, the older assistant who really ran the company, had the radio on in her office. (She actually bossed me around sort of like the Meryl Streep character in “The Devil Wears Prada”. But most of the time she tolerated […]

With the natural differences among the four behavioral types in mind, pretend that you want to give four people 15-20 minutes to make three simple decisions:
1. Where the next meeting will take place
2. When it will happen
3. The theme of the meeting
Quite by accident, your group consists of one Relater, one Thinker, one Director, and […]

We all know our customers. We know their names and their businesses, and we often know something about their lives outside of work. Usually we have lists of who our customers are. However, what many small business owners usually don’t know is what’s happening in the mix of their customer base.
When you […]

Well, I guess not much got done that afternoon, but I bet there is never any bad ideas there….

Actually, it is — and we all should care because it’s enthusiasm, not apathy, that makes the world go ’round. John Wesley, the famous founder of Methodism, was asked how he was able to attract such crowds when he preached. He replied, “I just set myself on fire and people will come from miles to […]

We all need to focus on three key pillars for success: marketing our businesses to build clients and income; management practices and procedures to establish the framework for our business as it grows; and mentoring support to keep us on the right track, and provide different levels of support as our business grows.
1. […]

I walked into the office of my Chiropractor/Acupuncturist and signed in. There on the desk were three pens. One looked like a syringe, another was a crooked pen and the third looked like a bone.
“What are these,” I asked, knowing full well they were pens.
“They’re pens,” the doctor replied. ” I’m trying to decide which […]

So your prospect, Mary, is sitting at the computer reading your compelling sales letter. She’s convinced she needs your product. So she clicks on the order link, with her credit card next to the mouse. She’s taken to the order page. What she sees next makes her change her mind and click away. Can you […]

“The longest journey on earth begins with a single step.”
(Anonymous)
Can you remember when you first learned how to drive a car? Before you learned how, you were in the Ignorance stage. You didn’t know how to drive the car and you didn’t even know why you didn’t know how to drive it.
When you first went […]