This week I had a rash of people writing about jobs they hate: This company treats employees like disposable objects A faceless member of management sent a memo to improve the numbers How can I find a job that doesn’t make me feel dirty? I can’t handle the envy, gossip, fights and no respect for the employees in my work place These are common perceptions as some time ago I got a note that said, “My company is going in a strictly money-motivated direction, and my manager may very well be Satan’s offspring.” In their book Decisive, Dan and Chip Heath describe … Read More
Stop trying to climb trees if you’re a duck…….
When I was in the sixth grade, a teacher told my friend Phil that the “secret to life is to focus on your weaknesses.” So for the next thirty years he worked on those areas where he was weakest. He struggled with accounting, with organization, and with ordering and inventory control. He ultimately developed some pretty strong . . . weaknesses. Then he discovered the power of focusing on your strengths. He surrounded himself with people who were more competent in all the areas where he was weak. He allowed them to do what they did well while he did the … Read More
This feeds my soul
Joanne brought home some white hyacinths a few days ago. The aroma filling our kitchen is intoxicating. The weather is getting warmer and outside I see daffodils peeking up through the cold dirt. It reminded me spring is coming, but it also brought to mind this old quotation: “If I had but two loaves of bread I would sell one of them and buy White Hyacinths to feed my soul.” – Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915) Why do I love that so much? And why does it even make any sense? Surely if you were down to only two loaves of bread the responsible … Read More
If people like you they’ll listen to you
We are all selling. Whether you’re a teacher, a homemaker, a CEO or a used car salesman, we’re all selling something. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s great news. Because that’s how we serve each other well. When I was a young Mennonite farm kid I thought sales people were out to take advantage of us. But then I heard Zig Ziglar say ”You can get anything you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.” If people trust you, they’ll do business with you He went on to say, [spp-tweet tweet=”If people like you … Read More
Need a bigger financial shovel? Here’s how
A listener asked: Dan, I recall a 48 Days Radio Show episode during which you spoke of real estate as an example of a large financial shovel. Would you please share other examples of a large shovel you can think of? Paul Sure – I love even thinking about this. Many people get a paycheck each week – it’s predictable and not going to change quickly. But if you’re looking for ways to get a big shovel, here are some possibilities: 7 Ideas For a Big Financial Shovel 1. Create a real estate transaction. You’ve seen the TV shows, just … Read More
Want to be more productive – try doing less
Henry Ford once said he didn’t want executives who had to work all the time. He insisted that those who were always in a flurry of activity at their desks were not being the most productive. He wanted people who would clear their desks, prop their feet up and dream some fresh dreams. His philosophy was that only he who has the luxury of time can originate a creative thought. Wow! When’s the last time your boss told you to quit working and do more dreaming? Unfortunately, our culture glamorizes being under time pressure. Having too much to do with … Read More
Is this a “successful failure?”
Dan, I would like to hear more of your thoughts on failure. Since most of us who are trying to live a life with “No More Mondays” are probably going to fail several times, what does a “successful failure” look like? How much should we risk in pursuit of our dreams? As you often say, we must not be paralyzed by our fear of failure, but I doubt you would suggest that we risk our marriages, health, homes, etc. while seeking to reach our goals. What do you think is the right balance in this area? Thanks, Eric Great question … Read More
So you think you can coach……..
No this is not like So You Think You Can Dance. We’re not going to have you come up on stage and perform for 3 minutes. But we can help you walk through those first 48 hours of actual paid coaching to launch you into your own thriving business. Many of you are positioning yourselves as “coaches” here in the 48 Days community. I see your activity in the 48 Days Eagles community or you’re one of the 97 people who have already joined our Coaching Mastery Program. Every day I am asked by more people, “Dan, can I be a coach?” … Read More
I believe other people are out to help me!
My academic background is in clinical psychology. But I always wondered, why do we focus exclusively on human pathology and dysfunction? What about the positive side, the moments when human beings are at their absolute best? It seems we can give everyone a label, categorizing every action as a dysfunction of some kind. My wife is an “enabler” because she enjoys helping people, I’ve been accused of being in “denial” because I choose to focus on the good in my past rather than the bad. My son was “ADHD” because he found it hard to sit in a traditional classroom. … Read More
Will you give this guy two dollars?
There is a story of a little boy who was admiring a shiny, brand-new sports car parked on a quiet street. He slowly walked around the amazing vehicle, savoring every angle. As he pushed his nose up against the window to get a better view of the inside, the voice of the owner coming up behind startled him. Bob asked, “You like my car?” “Oh yeah, mister. It’s awesome.” was the reply. The proud owner said, “My brother gave it to me for Christmas.” “Your brother gave it to you? Didn’t cost you nothing?” the young boy asked. “Yep, my … Read More