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Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Believing in Dreams and Their Creation...

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Today I thought I would take a detour off of the beaten path and look with a fresh insight at what it takes to dream and to create…

The mind is a wonderful thing; always operating even when we are sleeping. It provides us with a place to store knowledge and ideas, and when it is functioning properly it challenges us to create a better lifestyle for ourselves and our family. It is full of untapped potential for imagination, creativity, or a source which provides the basis of questioning what happens around us in an attempt to understand the universe and our infinitesimally tiny place in it. It provides the storage space for instructions and the framework for projects and work-skills needed to be a productive member of this society.

What happens when we hit a bump in the road? What happens if for some reason the mental vision becomes cloudy and we start to slide into the dark? As much as we like to think we are invincible, and nothing bad will ever affect us; nothing could be further from the truth. Illnesses run through families, minor or major it really doesn’t matter, and for any individual they could be catastrophic.

With that said; everyday should be treated with reverence, and each of us should try to find some way to make life just a little easier for the other guy. They have their own struggles and turmoil, and would probably thank you for taking the time to just say “Hi” or “I’m hoping you have a great day”. Simple things like that can go a long way to brightening someone’s day; and you know what—>It cost nothing but a couple seconds of your time.

All of us have dreams we would like to see come to fruition, some do take a little bit longer than others, but they can be achieved. Tunnel the vision to success; and in no time you will be well on your way. And as an added bonus; if you can help someone in their journey, the rewards in like could be huge. We are all in one large- world-wide family, and it is uber-cool when we can put all our differences aside and help one and other.

This has been a warm and fuzzy blog and hopefully will leave you (as always) with… Something to Think About

©2011 thedanieljsmith

Believing in Dreams and their Creation

Today I thought I would take a detour off of the beaten path and look with a fresh insight at what it takes to dream and to create…

The mind is a wonderful thing; always operating even when we are sleeping. It provides us with a place to store knowledge and ideas, and when it is functioning properly it challenges us to create a better lifestyle for ourselves and our family. It is full of untapped potential for imagination, creativity, or a source which provides the basis of questioning what happens around us in an attempt to understand the universe and our infinitesimally tiny place in it. It provides the storage space for instructions and the framework for projects and work-skills needed to be a productive member of this society.

What happens when we hit a bump in the road? What happens if for some reason the mental vision becomes cloudy and we start to slide into the dark? As much as we like to think we are invincible, and nothing bad will ever affect us; nothing could be further from the truth. Illnesses run through families, minor or major it really doesn’t matter, and for any individual they could be catastrophic.

With that said; everyday should be treated with reverence, and each of us should try to find some way to make life just a little easier for the other guy. They have their own struggles and turmoil, and would probably thank you for taking the time to just say “Hi” or “I’m hoping you have a great day”. Simple things like that can go a long way to brightening someone’s day; and you know what—>It cost nothing but a couple seconds of your time.

All of us have dreams we would like to see come to fruition, some do take a little bit longer than others, but they can be achieved. Tunnel the vision to success; and in no time you will be well on your way. And as an added bonus; if you can help someone in their journey, the rewards in like could be huge. We are all in one large- world-wide family, and it is uber-cool when we can put all our differences aside and help one and other.

This has been a warm and fuzzy blog and hopefully will leave you (as always) with… Something to Think About

©2011 thedanieljsmith

Friday, July 15, 2011

Authenticity, Believability and Commitment

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To me, there seems to be two types of people in the workforce: Those that can and those that wish they could. Once we realize which of the two groups we are currently in, then we can take the steps necessary to advance to the more prestigious group. It has been beaten into us from the time we are old enough to understand that we always have to be accountable for our actions, and be willing to pay the price if the service we give is either below the standard which we are capable of delivering (half-assed), or we over-state and under-deliver (two terms I really don’t like together, as the under/over games stands to be at least 50% wrong leading to 100% loss faith, business or a potential shot to your reputation…) This is where my ABC principle falls in line. Its simple, easy to remember and awesome to engage!

A is for Authenticity, or the ability to come across as knowledgeable in your field of employment, or in your representation of a product or service. How you relate to others often leads to whether or not you make the initial sale; or whether the client was impressed with your presentation enough that he/she moves your business card to the Rolodex marked “Regular Supplier” instead of “Don’t Call Again”. This particular part of the equation is not something you can accomplish overnight, but given time, resources, and the energy it is possible to master over time, and even adapt to new situations if necessary. People have to trust you and what you stand for, otherwise your words and your actions mean nothing and you bring even less to the table. Be prepared to take as much time as it needs to understand what it is that is being asked of you; and never be afraid to question the system. By regularly questioning things, you remain sharp and you have all the information needed to be in the top 1% of your field.

B is for Believability, or how genuine the prospect thinks you are. Can you deliver what you say, or should you better serve the prospect by suggesting someone more equipped to service them at this point in time? It is a risk that we all have to take, but one appreciated if it will lead you to over-delivering and under-promising. The prospect always remember the bad service more than the good, The more believable you are, the more natural the interaction, almost like two friends talking on the street. The more you deliver; the easier your name is to remember. This runs hand-in-hand with authenticity as it grounds you and gives credence to your reputation “in the industry” or in your personal dealings.

C is for Commitment, or how vested you are in a train of thought, in your organization, in your chosen field of work, to the people and products you represent or how you are perceived in your day-to-day dealings in any facet of your life. Do you believe in yourself and can you look in your mirror at the beginning of each day and know deep down that you are going to put forth the absolute best effort which you have? Do you have what it takes to ask the hard questions (if need be) or give the harder answers, even though it may cost you today? Can you be true to yourself above anyone else you deal with, and have the faith that you CAN accomplish anything you put your mind too? If the answer to any of the above questions is YES; then maybe all the years of preparation will lead to something, and quite possibly you may be the most honest person you will see today. Keep it up and the business is sure to follow.

In closing, alone each of these can only get you so far; together (if you believe in yourself and your product) they will make you unstoppable. You have the will to see it through and ensure that dealing with you is not just “another broken promise”

……Something To Think About

©2011 thedanieljsmith

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Motivation

How many people get up in the morning with more energy than they know what to do with; AND can hardly wait to get the day started at the workplace? Okay, you can put your hands down now. For the rest of you, why is it so hard to get excited at the new work day? Is it because of the number of years of service (that the supervisors refuse to acknowledge)? Is it issues in the family life that distract you from the work cycle? Are you burnt out due to the stress and the pressures of the position OR are you trying to re-light the fire by locating a new job or transferring to a new branch?

Sometimes trying for the new job is not the answer, because with time you probably will feel the same as you do now: Over-worked and under-appreciated! It’s okay, because I’m sure most of us have been there and have found multiple ways over the hump, especially if your “Holidays” have either been used for the year, or are too far off to be readily excited.

What we are facing quite possibly is a lack of motivation. This stems from reasons which are totally false, to a feeling of neglect or mistreatment at the workplace. Either of these will make it hard to be happy first thing in the AM. Sometimes the best thing you can do is take a step back, and address the list of “concerns” we seem to have built. By addressing, I mean taking a good hard look at your present surroundings and remind yourself why it is you are doing what you are doing.

The majority of the time, if we are perfectly honest with ourselves: We aren’t in the present location for the money; as all the money in the world will not create a harmonious workplace if the heart is not in it. Sometimes we enter a profession because it is something we are interested in, or it is something which we are good at; either of which are reasons that can create a prosperous career.

So that leads inward to what we feel about ourselves and our future in the chosen career. Sometimes there is no easy answer as to why the boredom and frustration surface; other than what is currently going on around us, or our disdain for doing the same thing day in and day out in a rather monotonous series of steps. If that is the reason, sometimes you just have to look deep and find the reason you started in the career to begin with.

Re-igniting Motivation can be difficult but it can be a worthwhile exercise for the here and now. Find a reason for continuing and hold onto it, because on that one reason you can rebuild the structure which led to the success in your career to begin with.

If I have written about it once, it is a point I need to stress and drive home: YOU are the wheel that makes the machine function properly, not the company. YOU develop the reputation for the company, the company does not build your reputation. The company is not responsible 100% for the success or the failure you endure from time to time; they can factor into it, but the don’t deserve either the blame or the credit for your present scenario. Be able to look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how good you are and how proud you are to be doing what you are; after all, should you drop the ball too many times, you will probably find yourself replaced with someone “allegedly” younger, faster, with more current knowledge on the field, who will work at a lower rate than you. It doesn’t have to go that way, develop a technique to address positivity and start each working day by leaving everything at home that you don’t need to accomplish an A-1 job for your employer.

When it all hits the fan, its your career and reputation that is at stake, not the companies, you have to do your best and be the example of good work that you know yourself to be. No one said in high-school (or college if you were fortunate) that maintaining a sense of positive motivation would be easy….but it is necessary.

That’s the soapbox diatribe for today… Hopefully (like always) I have left you with…Something to Think About…..

©2011 thedanieljsmith