Success Rule # 28 Create a Vision/Dream Board

The concept of creating a vision or dream board is not necessarily a new one.  However, you may not know how to go about creating one that reflects your personal vision or dream.  This rule will help you create a tool that can be a visual reminder of what you are striving for.  Recently, in Parade Magazine, Steve Harvey explains how he has used this tool to advance his career and continues to drive him to further success.  You can read the article here.

SUCCESS RULE # 28

CREATE A VISION/DREAM BOARD

If you've been following LDI's Rules and Tools for Success for any period of time you know how important it to be self-aware of the seeds you sow in your mind with what it is you think about. To help, it's important to have many different sources that continue to remind and reinforce those thoughts and hence your success. This tool for your success is to create your own Vision Board. Now, the last time you had anything to do with a collage was probably in your third grade art class, well no need to dig out the scissors, poster board and Elmer's glue, however, if you have young children in your life you might consider doing this as a project with them - a great way to help them stay focused, think about goals (clean room, good grades, new bike, etc) and their own success. This can also be an effective team-building exercise for your office or department in identifying values, vision, mission and goals. Assuming you have your goals, resolutions, vision or dreams identified, the next step is to collect pictures that reflect them. If you are using a poster board this will be pictures from magazines, newspapers, photos you've taken yourself, or printed from pictures taken from the internet (Google images is a great resource). In addition to the tried and true poster board approach, I prefer the use of technology and use PowerPoint and photo editing software (Depending on your skill with photo editing software you can really go wild). In this manner I first collect my pictures in a folder on my hard drive (you can also simply copy and paste right on to your Power Point slide if you prefer). From here I can then piece them together until complete. Once you have your collage looking the way you want, either simply print it out on an 8.5X11 sheet of paper(preferably photo paper) and frame, or, as I prefer, email(or take it on a flash drive) it to your local Staples, Office Depot or Office Max and have them put on a poster board with foam backing (less than $30, depending on size). This gives it a nice glossy, professional look on a hard backing easy to hang or lean against something without curling up. You can also save it as a background on your desktop or as a screensaver. A second approach is to create an actual slide show with a different picture and or text on each slide and specifically use it as your screen saver where it rotates through each photo. Good luck, have fun, and email me a copy when you're done, I'd love to see it. Be Extraordinary! Anthony Tormey President & CEO Leader Development Institute www.LdiWorld.com TormeyA@LdiWorld.com

SUCCESS RULE # 43 - Don’t Let The Insecurities Of Others Affect Your Dreams

You are going to be surrounded by others who aren't familiar with the rules and tools for success. They are not going to know what you know. They are not going to be Success Rule Followers. Their level of success will be measured in terms of mediocrity. They will be quick to blame others and/or circumstances for their lack of success. "The economy really hasn't been good.". "The boss has their favorites and I'm not one of them." Here is my favorite, "I've been here 15 years and they still haven't promoted me.".  They will whine and complain, and they will want company. Don't drink from the poison well. Be careful, these dream busters come in all kinds of disguises, from the easily identifiable, obnoxious, miserable, grouchy S.O.B who takes pleasure in bringing you down, to the humble, "you didn't ask, but I'm going to give you my advice anyway", coworker, spouse, parent, sibling or BFF who just has your, "best interest at heart". I experienced it. Once I told co-workers I was going to join an elite organization in the US Air Force called Pararescue. What I heard was, "You know, you'll never make it". The said, "I hear the physical requirements are out of this world.". What they were really saying was, "Hey, stay with me in this lame job so we can continue to hang out (party, drink, play pool... )", or that they were too lazy to put in the time and effort it would take to be part of something extraordinary themselves. Today I'm proud to be a part of a brotherhood that continues to accept only those who know the rules for success, and want to be extraordinary - The US Air Force Pararescueman and Combat Rescue Officer.

The bottom line is these negative people will try and leave you with feelings of doubt, pangs of guilt, or take away from you your self-worth. Here are some tips to follow to avoid such kinds of people. The first and most obvious step is to separate yourself from them, kick them off the porch, dump 'em. In many situations it really is a lot easier than you think. Real friends don't put you down or hold you back. In fact, you will find your true best friend is the one that is growing and pursuing their own success right alongside you. They are as excited for you, as you are for them. If you instead find your friends, "encouraging" you to take the easy route, or they make you feel guilty for, "forgetting where you came from", maybe it is time you remember where you're going and forget about them. 

On the other hand there are those in your life that are not so easy to get rid of, such as family, and in many cases co-workers. They'll try to make you feel bad by telling you that all you care about is money and material things. At work they'll say, "There you go again, sucking up to the boss". Let me be clear. NO ONE will care more about your success than you do. Don't let someone else dictate your success. If it is someone you can't separate yourself from all together, then minimize your time with them. "But it's my mother", someone once said. OK. Thanksgiving or Christmas. Pick one. Alright, maybe that is not realistic, but I would still avoid interaction when I could. When it can't be avoided and you find yourself the subject of their teardown, be direct, firm and always polite/professional. Commit yourself to not sharing your plans with them. Change the topic and refuse to engage on the issue. Smile and excuse yourself from the conversation.

My final thought on this is to continue to nurture the seeds of thought that are planted in the garden of your mind by yourself and others. Remember to weed out the bad seeds, the negativity, the ones that steal away the food, water and nutrients of the dreams you planted.  

Be Extraordinary! When you’re not being extraordinary, be awesome instead.

SUCCESS RULE # 42 - Be Financially Fit

Pretty simple rule, yet one that is often ignored or at a minimum, not really understood. We grow up not really being taught how to manage our finances and so we go to college, or perhaps get a job. We then get a checking account, a credit card…or two, or three, start spending, accumulating debt, and before you know it many folks are living paycheck to paycheck, or as we've seen over the past few years, find themselves in financial crisis. Bottom line, no matter how much money you earn, spend less (Watch a short video here.  The producer of this video holds all copyrights. Leader Development Institute has no connection to, nor endorses said company. Video is for illustrative purposes only). I know, you’re thinking a good lesson for our government to learn. Well perhaps, and someday, if I’m elected POTUS I’ll work on that. In the meantime let’s focus on your success.

It’s easy to be influenced by the media, marketing and peer pressure. We’re made to feel we can’t do without something, or pressured to, “Keep up with the proverbial Jones’s’”. But not you, you follow Rules and Tools for Success, you’re proactive and practice self-discipline, eventually you will be the “Jones’”. Don’t misunderstand, credit can be a powerful tool if you understand it and use it wisely. For example, I use a credit card for just about every purchase I make, from candy bars to cars, thousands of dollars a month. HOWEVER, and this is a big however, at the end of the month, when the statement shows up in the mail, I pay it in full. For me, that’s hundreds of thousands of airline miles and free tickets. For others it’s cash back, or a down payment on a car. HOWEVER, and this is a big however, if you do this, you MUST have the self-discipline to NOT overspend, and pay it in full every month.

Many years ago, after buying a car on credit, and paying it off, I continued to, “make the payment” to myself for several more years. During that time I worked to pay off my credit card debt, created an immediate emergency fund, started a long-term emergency fund, and saved to purchase my next vehicle for cash.  I continued to practice financial fitness and started investing in mutual funds and started an IRA. When I got a pay raise, I immediately put 20% of the raise into my IRA and another 20% into savings and/or my mutual funds. At the time, if I wanted a big ticket item, like new furniture or a big boy’s toy, I would either save until I had enough to make the purchase or, if I wanted to take advantage of a deal, I could “borrow” from my savings and pay myself back just as if I had to take out a loan, only difference was it was my money and no interest.

It’s approaching the holidays, shop wisely and exercise financial fitness. No matter where you are in your life, plan ahead (savings, emergencies, retirement, etc), prepare (savings, emergencies, retirement, etc), prevent (don’t over spend, pay bills, no consumer debt). Seek to avoid immediate gratification and instead practice self-discipline. If you are a supervisor, mentor your young employees. If you are a parent teach your children financial fitness early, if they are in high school or college, pass this rule on to them in full. If you are a young adult, START NOW!

Tips for Financial Fitness

·       Establish an immediate emergency fund. About $2,000.00 (Emergency house or car repair. Travel to

      ailing family member, etc)
·       Long-term emergency fund 6 months’ salary
·       Borrow from yourself
·       Use credit cards that offer cash return, or other benefit – use them for everything - then pay them off

      monthly.
·       Know you budget – and stick to it
·       Make the most of your retirement investment 20%(If you have a 401k with matching contributions, max

     it out, after that, contribute to an IRA)
·       Negotiate for everything (The time to learn is not with your car or your first home)
·      Establish multiple income streams (There are a number of  business opportunities to do this, but perhaps        the quickest and somewhat easiest is to invest)

Be Extraordinary! Be Debt Free!

Success Rule #29 - How to Form a Mastermind Alliance

In previous rules I discussed the need to be self-aware of the seeds you sow - your goals, dreams, vision, New Year resolutions, etc. - and what it is you think about. To help, it’s important to have many different sources that continue to remind and reinforce those thoughts and hence your success. In Tool Number 28 I spoke about creating your own Vision/Dream Board with a picture and a link to examples. If you are looking for a way to take your thinking to the next level, becoming a member or starting your own mastermind alliance may be a solution worthy of your consideration. The benefits that a well-organized mastermind group can bring to your business and your life can be invaluable.

 Although there are a number of interpretations of what a master mind alliance (group) is, generally speaking it is a group of likeminded individuals gathering together (in person or on the phone) in the interest of accomplishing individual or collective transformational and extraordinary results. Napoleon Hill in the 1930's. studied 500 of the richest, most successful people alive, at that time, the concept of the Master Mind group is one of the success factors he identified (Click here and listen to Napoleon Hill). But even in the 1930s it wasn’t new. The founding fathers of the United States were a mastermind alliance. The great philosophers Plato and Socrates formed mastermind alliances in the day. Today many modern day entrepreneurs meet regularly to further their success. Do you? Could you? Should you? If you want extraordinary success in your life consider starting your own master mind alliance.

Happy Masterminding, and remember shape your life by choosing who you spend time with and start examining the people that you spend the most time around. If the people that you are spending the most time with are enabling you towards your best self then great, if they are not start meeting new people who will support and enable you to become the best person you can be and it will show in your business!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

—Margaret Mead

Lay the ground rules. When creating or joining a mastermind group, it is crucial to establish a clear-cut sense of purpose. Everyone in the group must buy into the purpose. These early stages of development are critical to the group's future success. If everyone in the group had a different expectation, disaster would be inevitable. Using the simple 5 Ws and H provides guidelines. Who will be members of the group? What is the group's main purpose? What is our topic for discussion? When, where, and how often will we meet? Why will we meet? How will the meetings be structured? The questions are endless. If the group does not seem like a good fit for you, to another group or create your own.

Members of a mastermind group learn quickly that they must leave their ego at the door. Those who are unwilling to relinquish power won't last long. Problems can occur when some members have unrealistic expectations of the group or they don't grasp the concept of collective thinking. Some members may expect the group to solve all of their business or personal problems, or they may want to use the group as a therapy session. Groups who have self-centered, dominant members may self-destruct if the group allows that behavior to continue. Individual members like this can undermine the true purpose of the group's formation. An individual member who tries to overpower the group will either be warned, or will eventually be voted out of the group, because that person throws off the balance of the group.

Trust and harmony form the foundation. The success of a mastermind group is built on the foundation of trust and harmony. It comes from sharing information and ideas, and learning to accept opinions openly and willingly. If only safe, polite comments are shared, nothing is gained, nor is the feedback valuable. Members don't benefit from a group of yes people. They want diversity of opinions and backgrounds from members who will offer constructive criticism and valuable opinions that encourage others to look at an issue with fresh eyes.

Confidentiality must be adhered and one of the most important part of mastermind group. To the outside world you want yourself, family or business to look its best, but in a mastermind group, you can admit anything without being penalized because everything discussed stays in the group. We see ourselves through rose colored glasses; our mastermind alliance is our reality check. It’s here I caution you’re careful who you invite to be a part of your alliance. It is critical to select the right people. Not just anyone should be allowed to be a part of the alliance. They must be invited to become part of the group Not that you can’t, but I might avoid co-workers, friends and family.

Sustainability. Like any meaningful relationship, you will go through the “Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing stages so time must be spent on building that trust and harmony. Seeking feedback from group members keeps the group productive. It’s a good idea regularly end a  meeting (perhaps every 3 or 4) by asking each person to reflect on what working and what’s not, and how the group can improve. It keeps the group focused and on track.

Determine how often the group meets. If located in the same city you might meet monthly. If farther apart but in the same state or area, you may opt for bi-monthly or quarterly meetings. Members of national mastermind groups opt for meeting about twice a year or by phone on a more regularly basis via a conference call. The duration of meetings depends on the group, but most meet for two to four hours; others who meet less frequently may opt to meet for a half or full-day. The group decides. If a mastermind group has achieved the goals it set in the beginning, it may disband.

Closing tips

--Establish your Rules of Engagement (ROE) before the group is formed.

--Take charge and be choosy about who you select as members in the starting group. It's better to start off small, and build the group than to go for volume without substance.

--Know how to fire a group member if things aren't working out. Decide how you will eliminate group members before you form the group. If you wait until the group is up and running, and a problem exists, it will be too late to backtrack.

--Don't fool yourself. If you are not making a difference to other group members, or they are not making a difference to you, it might be time to find another group that is better suited to your needs.

SAMPLE AGENDA

Agenda

LDI Mastermind Group

18 Jan 2012, 6:30 AM – 8:30 PM

Facilitator – Anthony Tormey(Jan-Mar)

Time Keeper – Dale Carnegie (Apr-Jun)

Recorder – Napoleon Hill (Jul-Sep)

Members who have RSVP’d – Timings can be adjusted based on # of attende

  I. Individual good news to share                                                2 Minutes each

 II. Introductions – As required                                                     0 Minute

III. Individual time – participants should forward a short description of the challenge they need help with so others can come prepared to share resources and input. Times can be negotiated and shared. If you don’t need  your time, offering it to others is encouraged. If you need more time, request it.                            

 Anthony                                                                 10 Minutes

 Naoleon                                                                 10 Minutes

 Dale                                                                       10 Minutes 

 Henry                                                                     10 Minutes

 Eli                                                                          10 Minutes

 Albert                                                                    10 Minutes

 Total                                                                     60 Minutes

V. Request for others to join DOI Mastermind – Open discussion     10 Minutes

VI. Tip or resource to share 3 Minutes each                                       15 Minutes

VII. Wrap-up and schedule next meeting. Come prepared with your availability and desires.  Consider 30 days from this meeting date plus or minus 3-5 days      10 Minutes

  

Supporting Information for Individual Time

• Anthony – I am seriously thinking about starting a not for profit to help veterans reintegrate and succeed after returning from combat or leaving the military. I would like to get feedback from the group on the idea of offering free success workshops to veterans.  I am looking specifically for ideas on how to make this work and things I should be cautious about.  Your help is greatly appreciated.
• Napoleon – I’ve got this idea to study how the rich get rich and putting it in a book to share with others. I’m wondering if there would be any interest in doing something like this
• Henry – I’ve been stuck with the color black for the Model T and considering other colors. I’d like the groups opinion on white and grey.
• Albert – I’ve been struggling with this trying to figure out what E equals. The letters M and C keep popping up in my head but I want it run it by the group for a reality check                                                

 All of LDI's Rules for Success can be found at www.LdiWorld.com or click here.

Success Rule 28 - Create a Vision/Dream Board

Recognizing many of us tend to make New Year Resolutions only for them to fall by the wayside, today, and for the next few upcoming Rules and Tools I'll share with you tools you can use to increase your success . If you've been following LDI's Rules and Tools for Success for any period of time you know how important it to be self-aware of the seeds you sow in your mind with what it is you think about. To help, it's important to have many different sources that continue to remind and reinforce those thoughts and hence your success.

This week's tool for success is to create your own Vision Board. Now, the last time you had anything to do with a collage was probably in your third grade art class, well no need to dig out the scissors, poster board and Elmer's glue, however, if you have young children in your life you might consider doing this as a project with them - a great way to help them stay focused, think about goals (clean room, good grades, new bike, etc) and their own success. This can also be an effective teambuilding exercise for your office or department in identifying values, vision, mission and goals.

Assuming you have your goals, resolutions, vision or dreams identified, the next step is to collect pictures that reflect them. If you are using a poster board this will be pictures from magazines, newspapers, photos you've taken yourself, or printed from pictures taken from the internet (Google images is a great resource). In addition to the tried and true poster board approach, I prefer the use of technology and use PowerPoint and photo editing software (Depending on your skill with photo editing software you can really go wild). In this manner I first collect my pictures in a folder on my hard drive (you can also simply copy and paste right on to your Power Point slide if you prefer). From here I can then piece them together until complete. Once you have your collage looking the way you want, either simply print it out on an 8.5X11 sheet of paper(preferably photo paper) and frame, or, as I prefer, email(or take it on a flash drive) it to your local Staples, Office Depot or Office Max and have them put on a poster board with foam backing (less than $30, depending on size). This gives it a nice glossy, professional look on a hard backing easy to hang or lean against something without curling up. You can also save it as a background on your desktop or as a screensaver. A second approach is to create an actual slide show with a different picture and or text on each slide and specifically use it as your screen saver where it rotates through each photo.

Good luck, have fun, and email me a copy when you're done, I'd love to see it.

Be Extraordinary!

Success Rule 27 - Practice Gratitude

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been in the mainstream for years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery.

But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. And that can take some time.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.

Remember that gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.

There are many things to be grateful for: colorful autumn leaves, body parts that work, friends who listen and really hear, chocolate, liberty and freedom, warm jackets, a job, the ability to read, roses, our health, butterflies. What’s on your list?

Some Ways to Practice Gratitude
•  Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Greater frequency may be better for creating a new habit, but just keeping that journal where you can see it will remind you to think in a grateful way.
•  Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures.
•  Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your nighttime routine.
•  Practice gratitude around the conference table or make it part of your office routine.
•  Make a game of finding the hidden blessing in a challenging situation.
•  When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.
•  Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks for gratitude

As you practice, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be delighted to discover how content and hopeful you are feeling. That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work.