DrBillToth-Blog

Perhaps take a pass on the commercialism of today.  Certainly embrace all the accolades and platitudes that belong to great leaders like our
founding fathers, and the Spirit of our nation – celebrated this day and everyday.

And here’s a viewpoint to ponder:

Throughout time, it has been the business owner who has created the jobs, taken the risks, invented the technology, and helped move our great nation forward.

It’s the people who dare to step into the role of company “President” who are the heroes that I choose to celebrate today.  Our founding father’s were businessmen who also made the time to build a nation.  And the greatest discoveries of the greatest scientists will sit in a research institution’s filing cabinet until a business person applies the breakthru to the real world.

I’ve now spent the bulk of my life encouraging people to step up and become the President of their own organizations.  Because you and I are President of our own Life we can each “Make A Difference” in our world…..the world.  In your life – you’re the person who decides what’s right, what’s important, and where you want to go.  You and I set the course, make the rules, and we “get to” live with the results – good or bad.  This takes guts, hutzpah, big kahunas.   It’s simple and rarely “easy”.  And the really great news is – we all have a level of personal  “Response-Ability” that we can increase through learning from our coaches, mentors, and heroes.

So absolutely celebrate being the President of everything in your life.  Stop giving away your power to the “they says” or the “Shoulda, coulda, woulda’s” in your life.  Stand up!

You are the President of your Life.  BE it.  DO it.  Have it.

With cold weather and a day off from school, our son Luke recently -and a bit loudly -complained; “You’re just against TV”

Hmmm maybe; and in a much greater, more active way, I’m just more for reading or listening to books on CD/Mp3 while being active….walking, cycling, etc etc. In fact I’m for being active over couch potato, video console, Xbox – whatever screen device.

Mother Teresa had a habit of never being against anything; rather she had a habit of being for things.  When invited to an “anit-war” rally she politely declined and came back with “When you have a rally FOR peace, I’ll be there”.

She seemed to live well and/or do a lot of good with that philosophy.

There also is a quote;

“Stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything”

Have you ever considered what you stand FOR?  What is the legacy you leave behind for your kids, family, the world?  A bit premature….but how do you want to be remembered?

one of my favorite Jim Rohn pieces

The Rose by Jim Rohn

Lifestyle is style over amount. And style is an art—the art of living. You can’t buy style with money. You can’t buy good taste with money. You can only buy more with money. Lifestyle is culture—the appreciation of good music, dance, art, sculpture, literature, plays and the art of living well. It’s a taste for the fine, the unique, the beautiful.

Lifestyle also means rewarding excellence wherever you find it by not taking the small things of life for granted. With Valentine’s Day approaching I wanted to illustrate this with a personal anecdote:

Many years ago my lady friend and I were on a trip to Carmel, California, for some shopping and exploring. On the way we stopped at a service station. As soon as we parked our car in front of the pumps, a young man, about eighteen or nineteen, came bouncing out to the car and with a big smile said, “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” I answered. “A full tank of gas, please.” I wasn’t prepared for what followed. In this day and age of self-service and deteriorating customer treatment, this young man checked every tire, washed every window—even the sunroof—singing and whistling the whole time.  We couldn’t believe both the quality of service and his upbeat attitude about his work.

When he brought the bill, I said to the young man, “Hey, you really have taken good care of us. I appreciate it.”  He replied, “I really enjoy working. It’s fun for me and I get to meet nice people like you.”

This kid was really something!

I said, “We’re on our way to Carmel and we want to get some milkshakes. Can you tell us where we can find the nearest Baskin-Robbins?”

“Baskin-Robbins is just a few blocks away,” he said as he gave us exact directions. Then he added, “Don’t park out front—park around to the side so your car won’t get sideswiped.”

What a kid!

As we got to the ice cream store we ordered milkshakes, except that instead of two, we ordered three. Then we drove back to the station. Our young friend dashed out to greet us. “Hey, I see you got your milkshakes.”

“Yes, and this one is for you!”

His mouth fell open. “For me?”

“Sure. With all the fantastic service you gave us, I couldn’t leave you out of the milkshake deal.”

“Wow!” was his astonished reply.

As we drove off I could see him in my rear-view mirror just standing there, grinning from ear to ear.

Now, what did this little act of generosity cost me? Only about two dollars – you see, it’s not the money, it’s the style.

Well, I must have been feeling especially creative that day, so upon our arrival in Carmel I drove directly to a flower shop. As we walked inside I said to the florist, “I need a long-stemmed rose for my lady to carry while we go shopping in Carmel.”

The florist, a rather unromantic type, replied, “We sell them by the dozen.”

“I don’t need a dozen,” I said, “just one.”

“Well,” he replied haughtily, “it will cost you two dollars.”

“Wonderful,” I exclaimed. “There’s nothing worse than a cheap rose.”

Selecting the rose with some deliberation, I handed it to my friend. She was so impressed! And the cost? Two dollars. Just two dollars. A bit later she looked up and said, “Jim, I must be the only woman in Carmel today carrying a rose.”

And I believe she probably was.    –Jim Rohn

Can you imagine an opportunity to create magic with those around you?  Maybe just for a buck or two, plus some imagination and care.  Remember, it is the thought and care that often has the greatest impact upon those you love.

Rarely do cookbooks come without pictures.

That’s because the first ingredient in every recipe is a clear vision of what you’re seeking to create.

With a picture we can more easily imagine it, smell it, taste it, feel it, experience it AS we’re creating it.  This is a very different from ” I hope it works” or “try it and see if it works”.   Totally different process & outcome.

Successful business owners have a clear vision of the lifestyle they’re seeking to create by having their own business….Before it’s actually created ….they imagine it so vividly that they can see it, FEEL it, smell it, taste it, experience it, BE it …as they DO the necessary things…in the right order…with the right amount of the “secret indredient” = gratitude to create it.

Imagine baking a chocolate cake from scratch…you’ld need a few key ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, chocolate etc….

What would happen if you left out a key ingredient…say… flour?

New business owners do this when they say “Coach, I’ll do everything you say EXCEPT…”    Leave out one thing = no cake, no business.

Now, what would happen if you were to follow the exact recipe using every ingredient…only you preheated the oven with the eggs in it…and then went backwards and tried to mix the batter?

New business owners do this when they go through all the training available on the first day, get overwhelmed and then do nothing.  Right ingredients + incorrect sequence = no cake, no business.

Now what would happen if you were to follow the exact recipe, using every ingredient, in the right sequence and then you added a cup of garlic?

New business owners do this when they attempt to re-create the wheel and/or listen to the “they says”….ie add a cup of fear = no cake, no business.

Most businesses already have a simple business plan, and all businesses start with simple ingredients like your WHY, your goals, your “Response-Ability” and a recipe that’s been used to create magnificent lifestyles.  Follow the recipe, eat the cake, grow your business.