Success: Plain Hard Work or Just Lucky
Do you marvel at how some people seem to have all the luck, a Midas touch where everything that they attempt is a success on the first pass?
We are dazzled and mesmerized by the apparent ease with which they achieve what they set their minds to do, and right before our very eyes it all seems to happen.
As for the topic of this article, I ask if perhaps there may be a combination of both involved?
Just to illustrate, in Max Gunther’s book How to Get Lucky, he listed some of the characteristics and behaviors that “lucky” people have. Here are 5 of them that anyone can use to get lucky!
1. They prepare and plan
It is just that we do not see the thinking, planning, that operates quietly in the background.
2. They take calculated risks
This means researching and weighing up of their options, and seeking advice from someone who has done and succeeded at what they want to achieve and then taking action.
3. They put themselves in situations where they meet people
Where there are lots of people, there are the seeds and kernels of opportunity. But remember to engage these people and let them know who you are and what you can do for them. If this sounds like networking, it is.
4. They know when to cut their losses
There is nothing sadder than wishing that a bad investment decision will do a Lazarus and rise from the dead. If it is bleeding your cash reserves dry, off load it. Learn from the experience and move on.
5. They have a belief in a Higher Power
I interpret this one as having a sense of destiny and a belief that by being financially successful, they can make a positive contribution in the lives of others.
Now, substitute the word “they” for “I” and step up to the plate.
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
If goal setting is so easy, why doesn’t everyone do it?
I will preface this by saying that we like to consider ourselves as rational and logical human beings. As long as we do not acknowledge, accept and embrace our subconscious we will continually be perplexed and frustrated by our efforts at setting and then failing to achieve our goals.
A good analogy is likening our conscious (logical mind) to the visible part of an iceberg. This is the 1/10th of the entire structure that we see floating in the ocean. The other 9/10th that is submerged is basically the all powerful subconscious mind with its many programs that run us.
One such powerful program that stops us from setting goals is the fear of failure. Fundamentally the fear of failure can be summed up as the fear that other people will discover that we are inadequate and therefore undeserving of acceptance, respect and ultimately love and affection. Ouch!
That of course, is untrue but the faulty programming for this erroneous core belief was installed when we were young, innocent and impressionable.
The good news is that we do not have to labor under the weight of these non serving core beliefs if we choose not to.
How?
Click on the link below to listen to this podcast and start making a change for the better today.
Goal setting and the fear of failure
Women Executives: Leadership Role Models (Part 3)
If my 2 previous posts have seemed less than optimistic, let me assure you that there is hope (for us all!).
Below is an article by Professor Ginka Toegel the Director of Strategies for Leadership Program, International Institute of Management Development, Switzerland.
Companies are not setting themselves these targets out of some generalized notion of equality but because there is a strong business case for them to do so.
There has been a great deal of research in this area that suggests the value of having gender diverse management teams.
For example, companies that have more than three women in management positions tend to have better return on equity and assets than do those with fewer women.
They also tend to score higher on organizational effectiveness criteria. Equally, women board members tend to be very well-prepared for meetings, which raises the benchmark for others.
This subsequently leads to better discussions, and better decisions.
So, there is a clear business case for companies hiring and promoting more senior women. But what is life like for the women who are already in these roles?
When we have less than 15 percent of a minority in a social category, we talk about tokens.
And anyone who is in that position is likely to be under a huge amount of pressure, as they are highly visible, and frequently will feel that they represent not just themselves, but their entire category.
At 25 percent – in many companies this is currently the target – they are still in a minority, but they are no longer tokens.
The tipping point is 35 percent: once we reach this level, visibility becomes less of an issue and women’s identity as women becomes less salient.
Past this point, when women speak, they are heard as individuals with their own separate backgrounds, values and personalities, not as “the woman”.
Her opinions and views are not reduced to her gender.
The problem at the moment is that we have so few senior women in management positions that they are perceived as outsiders.
This creates a kind of legitimacy gap, in that they do not fit the (male) stereotype of what it is to be a leader.
This leads in turn to another problem, which is that male leaders tend to be associated with “agentic” behavior: they are more likely to be proactive, assertive, dominant, in control of the situation.
Female leaders, by contrast, show what we call “communal values”: friendliness, support, warmth and a caring attitude.
When we look at these two sets of values, it becomes clear that it is the agentic approach that we associate with leadership.
Many women come to the conclusion that, as a result of these stereotypes, the only way for them to be perceived to be legitimate leaders is to emulate male leaders.
However, the real answer is not so straightforward.
If women simply emulate men, they violate the gender stereotype, which creates a perception that they are being phony.
This creates a real problem, and can lead to them being penalized for being inauthentic leaders.
Women should instead blend both sets of characteristics.
Indra Nooyi, the Chief Executive and Chairwoman of PepsiCo, does this very successfully; she can make tough decisions and is very assertive in negotiations, but her direct reports also describe her as extremely warm and caring.
What then of the future? Well, despite the disappointing statistics there are many good reasons to be positive.
The next 5 to 10 years will see a dramatic change for the better.
Women managers can contribute to this by understanding that there are certain expectations related to organizational leadership, and developing their skills accordingly.
Women Executives: Leadership Role Models (Part 2)
Just in case you are wondering if there is still a stigma attached to being a woman and aspiring to executive and management roles, please read the article below.
I would be very interested to hear your thoughts
Maternity leave will kill your career, recruitment companies warn women
By Jane Hansen The Sunday Telegraph, September 19, 2010
Pregnancy
Refusing to promote a woman because she pregnant is illegal but recruitment agents believe those who take maternity leave are less likely to get ahead.
HEAD-hunting companies say women should forgo maternity leave if they want their careers to flourish.
Refusing promotion to an employee because she is pregnant is illegal, but leading head-hunters admit mothers are more likely to be promoted to top-level positions, such as chief executive officer or board director, if they do not take maternity leave.
“You’re only the parent of a one-year-old for a short time and if an employee is worried about childcare arrangements, uncomfortable, or worrying who’s looking after the baby, then I’m not sure you’ll be focused on the job,” recruitment firm Talent 2’s New South Wales (Australia) general manager Nicholas Tuckfield said of women who return from maternity leave too early.
Mr Tuckfield, who head-hunts candidates for jobs with salaries of more than $100,000, said taking 12 months’ maternity leave in an extremely competitive job market would have a negative impact.
He said at senior executive level, where MBAs were mandatory and long hours par for the course, competition was stiff.
Highly competitive
“On a logical level, if you’re out of the workforce for 12 months you don’t advance your managerial skills and, inevitably, everyone else does,” he said.
“You don’t get to the top doing 37 1/2 hours a week.
“It’s highly competitive, and if you’re an aspiring rising star and take a year out, your star won’t keep rising.”
Julia Ross, who was pregnant when she set up her recruitment agency 22 years ago, said although times were changing, at the executive level it was unforgiving.
“If you’re aiming for managing director, stopping and starting your career will make it tougher to place yourself properly,” Ms Ross said.
“You may even pass up promotions but, hey, it didn’t stop (Westpac Chief Executive Officer) Gail Kelly, did it?”
Fair Work Ombudsman chief counsel Leigh Johns said more than 70 pregnancy discrimination complaints had been made to the agency since its inception in July last year.
Complaints
A prosecution has been launched in the case of a 36-year-old mother-of-one who allegedly was told she might not be able to return to her position as clerical worker and that her pregnancy had “caused inconvenience” for a printing company.
Several of the complaints, including those arising from employers declining to keep a job open, demotion of someone on parental leave, and refusing promotion to an employee because she is pregnant, are currently under investigation.
Mr Johns said women needed to be aware of their rights.
“News of impending parenthood should be met with delight, not discrimination,” he said.
Neil Waters from Egon Zehnder, a company which specialises in placing chief executives, said if a woman was genuinely good at her job she would be given the right to juggle work and pregnancy.
“You can’t put a line through someone because they’re going to bear a child … but there are trade-offs and not everyone can make them,” he said.
“The CEO becomes the company. It’s hard work, 18 hours a day, six days a week, and it’s an enormous commitment.”
Slow change
Other top level executive recruitment officers, such as Heidi Mason from Russell Reynolds, said the findings were a reflection of an old, conservative view which was slowly changing.
“I think there’s a perception that there’s an impact, but we’re starting to respect that men and women who balance their lives make better leaders,” Ms Mason said.
But the fact remains that only two per cent of chief executive roles are held by women, and men outnumber women on boards by 10 to one.
The NSW Anti Discrimination Board president Stepan Kerkyasharian said there are unwritten rules at play that explain the deficit of women in the upper echelons of business.
“Some recruitment agencies may be complicit in this, a client says to them ‘no, we don’t want a women who might get pregnant’ wink, wink, nudge nudge,” he said.
Book Review-7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness
A timeless classic by Jim Rohn a motivator extraordinaire, that is written in an easy reading style for anyone who has had enough of being average (read beige) and wants a better life.
This includes health, material success and most importantly a deeply satisfying sense of contentment.
Click here to listen Book Review-7 Strategies for Wealth and Happiness
or read on
Jim Rohn’s own journey started when at the age of 25 he met his mentor Earl Schoaff who asked him the uncomfortable question of where his life was headed.
To his credit, Rohn replied with an honest “No where” and that was the start of the years of learning everything he could from his mentor.
He has distilled his years of experience into the seven strategies of goal setting, being a sponge and soaking it up, having the determination to change and forming new habits, staying on top of your spending, making time a priority, seeking out like minded associates and learning the art of living well.
These strategies if faithfully applied are your keys to a magnificent life.
Retirement: What happens after the farewell speech and gold watch gift
I was speaking to this lady in her mid 50s the other day about her retirement plans.
“Retirement, what retirement?” she snorted.
No, sir-she was launching herself into a new home based business after spending a better part of 30 years as a cog in the wheel of a giant multi national corporation.
The first thing that struck me was that her attitude of “let’s get going on something new” as opposed to some people who view retirement as buying a one way ticket to the morgue.
What a refreshing way to see the rest of her life as one filled with new possibilities and potential.
But, with a bit more conversation, I picked up on the language she was using. Most people would not notice this however, she spoke of success in her new business in terms of “if I get x number of clients” rather than “when I have x number of clients”.
Subtle but this is the difference between growing a successful business and crossing your fingers and hoping for the best.
I asked if she’d ever read the book “Prince Charming Isn’t Coming” by Barbara Stanny. There is this funny/ironic line where it states that a man is no financial plan.
That raised a wry smile from this recent retiree.
Barbara in this book asks you to examine your beliefs about money and here was a classic case of a woman who had modeled her money beliefs on her upbringing.
No prizes for guessing that her father had controlled the finances and by default controlled the family. Women were left out of the decision making process and that had adversely impacted her general view of life and relationships.
The good news is that it is not too late to review and revise your view of handling money, but this time from an emotional perspective.
Your emotions will either help or hinder (read self sabotage) your efforts at building a thriving and successful business.
I have included a short list of 5 books that are educational (without being dry and hard going) and inspirational.
Remember, you can do a lot more good for your family, friends, church and community when you are wealthy. It is not a sin nor is it a crime to be prosperous.
1. Prince Charming Isn’t Coming, Barbara Stanny (Penguin Books)
2. Secrets of Six Figure Women, Barbara Stanny (Harper Collins)
3. Millionaire Women Next Door Thomas J. Stanley (Andrews McMeel Publishing)
4. Rich Woman (Because I Hate Being Told What To Do) Kim Kiyosaki (Rich Press)
5. Aspire (Discovering Your Purpose Through the Power of Words) Kevin Hall (William Morrow Press)
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
Financial Freedom, Mindset and You Part 4
Financial Freedom Mindset and You Recapping Part 3
(Parts 1-3 were titled, “You and Your Money”)
I described a real situation where a young Australian couple realized that it was their old mindset that had prevented them from accepting that they could become wealthy by receiving passive income. When the penny dropped, they quickly found a technique to smash past that obstacle and today are millionaires and are continuing to grow their multi million dollar business.
We have all heard of affirmations. Pick up any self development book that line the shelves of your bookstore and you can bet that there is at least a chapter devoted to this topic.
In essence, these are short positive sentences stated in the present tense, that when repeated daily are designed to bring about change for the better in your life.
Well, if this is so easy to do, why aren’t more people using affirmations to become happier, healthier, wealthier individuals?
When you are instructed to spring out of bed first thing in the morning with unbridled enthusiasm, and told to recite, “I am making $100, 000 a year” (when you are currently earning $30, 000 per annum), a little voice in your head says “Dream on, buddy. What makes you think you can make $100, 000?”
Herein lies the rub: Your thoughts and feelings determine your actions and your actions repeated become habits. In turn your habits drive your daily activities, which determine your results (in every facet of your life).
The key here is how you see yourself.
Remember, you cannot outperform your self image.
If you think and feel (that is the operative phrase) that you do not deserve something in life, then you will not get it. This is despite your conscious mind saying that you do want to do well in your career, life, relationship etc.
The analogy I use is that of a ship with sails (conscious mind) that has dropped anchor (subconscious mind).
If both conscious and subconscious minds are not in harmony or in sync, all the effort and good intentions (think wind in your sails=conscious mind) will not get you from where you are presently to where you want to be simply because you are still anchored (sub conscious mind) to the spot.
The programming you picked up well before you turned 7 is the basis for the behaviors that still drives you today. In other words, a 7 year old runs your life, and this may explain why you do the things you as an adult do today that might not be too helpful in achieving your life goals.
So, back to the couple I mentioned in Part 3, or more specifically the husband who we shall call Andrew.
Andrew, as a child broke his arm whilst playing on the monkey bars in a park, after being told not to (which kid does as he is told?). He then found himself in the hospital corridor waiting to be examined by a doctor.
In his impressionable young mind he saw the doctors and nurses who hurried by as people who were obviously intelligent, and remote. They were formidable and daunting figures to a young child who was also in a great deal of pain.
Andrew made the association that he wasn’t bright compared to these people. He then proceeded to prove that by failing his high school exams.
His circumstances changed when he met Paul and Mary Blackburn, founders of Beyond Success, a personal development company.
Through a 20 minute exercise and meditation, Andrew took himself back to that point in time, as a frightened distressed child in a hospital, and re scripted his experience of the event to one which was positive and calming.
The change in his self image was startling, as Andrew then went on to law school and completed his degree with distinctions.
Similarly, when Andrew and his wife were not making headway with their goal of becoming financially independent, they applied this exercise to identify the obstacle that was in their path to realizing their dream.
They made the paradigm shift from having to toil for money and that making money demanded hard graft, to being okay with receiving income passively. It was as simple as that.
Please contact me for more details regarding this exercise and meditation.
Yours in health, wealth and happiness
“In the event of a sudden loss in cabin pressure…”
The flight attendant is standing in the aisle giving us the low down on what to do should some of us ever find ourselves in this particular situation when flying.
It is a life saver demonstration.
We know it is important to pay attention to her instructions as the plane is still taxiing on the runway but somehow getting out our magazines or novel and making ourselves comfortable for the long trip is a higher priority.
We half listen to the part where she says, “…place the oxygen mask over your face before attending to infants, small children….”.
Unknowingly, she has just given you the best piece of advice for catapulting the quality of your relationships, business and life in general from ok or average to being stratospheric (pardon the pun but we are using the flying analogy here).
What does she mean?
Until you remove the sub conscious blockages usually of feeling guilty about increasing your earning capacity, or feeling threatened and uncomfortable when relating to people at an honest, loving and deeper level, your goals and aspirations will remain frustratingly out of reach.
As much as you are moved to help others when you see them in distress, about to be evicted from their home or needing emotional support, there will not be enough to draw from (your own store to share) until you first help yourself.
This is where we meet a lot of resistance, because we’ve been told it is selfish to put ourselves ahead of others.
Or is it?
I challenge you to toss out this well meaning but erroneous preconceived idea that was programed into our subconscious without our permission when we were young and impressionable.
Who’s idea was it anyway? Here’s a clue: it wasn’t yours!
Below is a vastly different take on this matter:
“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God within us. It is not just in some; it is in everyone. And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson
Yours in health, wealth and happiness