Category Archives: Personal Development

The Secret to Success is Between Your Ears 1

Leadership Development, Personal Development, Planning, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training • Tags: , , , , ,

secret 3Think it, act it and eventually you’ll become it. The secret to your success is between your ears. However, just thinking about success isn’t good enough. You actually have to go out and apply yourself. That’s the difference between successful people and the not so successful people. Successful people work at it. Successful people get up off the couch and get after it. Successful people hit the ground running.

What would you rather be doing with your life then what you are doing right now? I want you to think about that for a moment. What does the ideal career look like to you? If you wanted to start your own small business, what kind of business would it be? If you want to take on a leadership position in your organization, what role would that be? Life – your life – is a planned event – wishing hoping won’t make it so. Put a plan together and then work your plan.

Good habits = good results. We are adults and we can develop new habits. What new habits will you need to develop to open your own small business? What new habits will you need to learn to get promoted? I know it’s easier said then done – but it can be done. Do you need to learn how to be more patient, open-minded or a better communicator and listener? Will you need to be better at planning and managing your time more effectively?

When you change the habit – you change the result. All you need to do is just stop doing one thing and start doing another. And once you’ve done it often enough it will become you. You will have developed a new habit. Once you’ve made up your mind what it is you want, and how to go about getting it, eventually everything will fall into place.

Copyright (c) Brian Smith – Reformed Control Freak. Are you or someone you know looking for a keynote speaker, planning a lunch-n-learn or organizing an event? Brian can deliver an informative and entertaining presentation on a variety of soft-skills topics. Contact Brian today – He will work with you one-on-one to insure your event is a success. http://briansmithpld.com

Good Enough is Good Enough – Perfection is Highly Overrated 3

Personal Development • Tags: , , , , , ,

Perfection 2Twenty percent of your effort will get you Eighty Percent of your results. I like those odds. If it was good enough for Pareto it’s good enough for me. Perfection is highly overrated. Why strive for perfection when good enough – is usually good enough? Waiting until you’ve written the perfect plan shouldn’t get in the way of you actually accomplishing something. Paralysis by analysis. You can over think things. One thing you have to know for certain is that nothing is perfect. There is no such thing as a perfect plan. Unless you are clairvoyant and can look into the future, there are somethings that will happen that you just can’t predict. And if you can’t predict them that means your plan has to be flexible enough to be able to deal with those unforseen events that may happen along the way.

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it”. I think Salvador Dali was on to something. Instead of striving for perfection why not just settle for progress. Why not just settle for good enough. You may not be on time because you had to take the odd detour to end up at your final destination – but you will be on target. And when all is said and done – isn’t that what you wanted to accomplish in the first place? So lighten up. Give yourself a break. Have a plan – and work your plan – and eventually you’ll end up just where you wanted to be. And most importantly, remember to stress less and enjoy the journey.

Copyright (c) 2014. Brian Smith-PLD – Reformed Control Freak. Looking for a speaker who can present an entertaining and informative session of a variety of soft-skills topics? Contact Brian today. You won’t be disappointed http://briansmithpld.com

Mothers Are The Ultimate Control Freaks

Coaching, Enduring Principles, Ethics, Leadership Development, Mentorship, Personal Development, Personal Values • Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

IMG_20140511_145439A “BIG” high-five to all the Mothers out there. Without your love, guidance and dedication most of us would not be here. I hope everyone got the chance to be with their Mom or at least talk with her on her special day. I’m one of the lucky ones because I got to spend Mothers Day with my Mom. Having my four brothers and sister there was a bonus. It’s been more than 50 years since all of us where together on Mothers Day. Growing up in the 50’s and 60’s was an interesting time. Perhaps not as challenging as it is now – but with eight of us living under the same roof, it had its moments. And through it all my Mother was able to maneuver the ship through the occasional rough sea and stay the course without ending up on the rocks and sinking.  Mothers are the ultimate control freaks but they control in a very special way.

Mothers are Teachers: My Mom taught me the difference between right and wrong.  To be respectful of others. To be kind. To help those in need. She taught me how to be a man. And more importantly she taught me how to be a parent.

Mothers are Referees: In spite of growing up with four competitive brothers and one sister in the house my Mom still managed to keep the peace. She’d have to intervene once in a while and make us go to neutral corners and take a much deserved time out. My Mom walked quietly but carried a big stick. She just had to give you that certain look and you understood.

Mothers are Guidance Councilors:  My Mom was the voice of reason. She guided me with a soft-hand and a gentle push. I could always count on her to be my soft-place to fall so I was never afraid to venture out on my own and take chances.

Thank you Mom. I love you. I am forever in your debt.

Copyright (c) 2014. Brian Smith – Reformed Control Freak. Are you looking for a keynote speaker or workshop facilitator who can entertain and inform on a variety of soft-skills topics including: powerful communication strategies, time management and personal effectiveness or how to deal with difficult people and challenging situations better? Visit http://briansmithpld.com

Going Along to Get Along – The Art of Working With People You Don’t Like 1

Dealing with Difficult People, Leadership Development, Management, Networking, Personal Development, Personality Types, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training • Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

grumpy ladyYou may not like some of the people you work with – but the truth is – you need to learn how to get along with them. Think of a job that you could do in your life time that didn’t involve working with people. You’d be hard pressed to come up with one.  Dealing with difficult people and challenging situations is a learned behavior. You just need to decide if it’s worth it. But trust me – If you are looking for a career in sales, owning and operating a business some day or managing and leading others then it’s not open for debate – the ability to get along with others is a must have.

Think of someone you are having difficulty connecting with. You don’t know why but there is something about them that drives you crazy. There is something about them that makes you want to pick up a heavy object and smack them across the side of the head. Before you do something that might get you arrested give this 3-step process a try. Remember – you don’t have to like them you just need to learn how to work with them. The 3 R’s will teach you how.

Rapport: Find out something about them that you could use to strike up a conversation. Do they have hobbies? Are they married? Do they have children or grand children? What do they like to do in their spare time? Do they like to hunt, fish, play golf or read books? You need to be able to carry on a conversation with them on a subject that they like. You need to get them talking. Idle chit-chat is important to establish rapport. And you need to establish rapport to move to the next level. You can’t develop a relationship with someone until you’ve established rapport first.

Relationship: Successful sales people understand the value of developing a relationship with their clients. People like to do business with and buy products or services from people they like. You need to develop a relationship with the people you work with and interact with. You need to develop a relationship with the people you’re going to manage or lead. No one wants to let a friend down. If they like you they will go to great lengths so they don’t disappoint you. You need to develop a relationship before you can move on to the final step – respect.

Respect: The final step in this 3-step process is respect. If you have established a rapport and developed a relationship with the people you work with and interact with, then chances are they will respect you for you. They may not like what you said or what you did but, they will respect you and will most likely forgive you. However, keep in mind that respect is reciprocal. You must give it to get it. You can’t demand it. People respect people that they have developed a relationship with.

Copyright (c) 2014. Brian Smith – Reformed Control Freak. Are you looking for a speaker who can deliver an entertaining and informative session on a variety of soft-skills topics including; communication, time management, coping with stress and dealing with difficult people and challenging situations better? Contact Brian today. He will work with you to insure your event is an overwhelming success. http://briansmithpld.com