Action and attitude

Your actions affect your attitude and your attitude drives
your actions. It can indeed be powerful to get your actions
and your attitude working consistently in the same
direction.

A small positive action can often make a big positive
difference in your outlook on life. Even something quick and
simple can shift your momentum.

In the same way, a small positive shift in your attitude can
encourage you to take action when you previously were not
inclined to do so. Just a brief empowering thought can get
you moving forward.

So if you cannot quite bring yourself to take action, at the
very least you can convince yourself to carry a more
positive attitude. After all, thinking does not require any
physical effort at all, and before long that positive
attitude will surely lead you to take action.

Or, if you find yourself resisting a positive attitude, at
the very least you can take some small beneficial action.
And you’ll be amazed at how soon that will lead to a more
positive attitude.

Whether it’s through your actions or through your attitude,
there’s always a way to introduce a more affirmative
perspective into your life. Stay focused on the positive
possibilities, and life will continue to grow more richly
rewarding.

Because The Customer
By The Executive Gallery

Because the customer has a need,
we have a job to do.

Because the customer has a choice,
we must be the better choice.

Because the customer has sensibilities,
we must be considerate.

Because the customer has an urgency,
we must be quick.

Because the customer is unique,
we must be flexible.

Because the customer has high expectations,
we must excel.

Because the customer has influence,
we have the hope of more customers.

Because of the customers,
our business exist.

The
concept of “New Year’s Resolutions” seems like a tired cliché…and it is
when you think of the millions of people who make resolutions for the
new year and then forget about them weeks or even days later.  What you
really need is a vision that allows you to grow into the person you
want to be and an action plan to make it happen. 

By
following the common sense strategy outlined below, you will be
empowered to achieve your goals, realize your dreams, and celebrate
your successes.

1. Choose a theme for the year, such as this is the year of courage, or follow through, or love,
and set your intentions and decisions for the new year based on your
theme. For example, if you decided this is the year of courage, you
would ask yourself, “What would a courageous person do” before making a
decision. One of your intentions might be to take a step of courage
each day.

2. Get clear on what you want.
How will achieving this goal or realizing this dream improve your life?
Why do you want to make this change? Write the reasons down, so if you
begin to falter you can read and remember. How committed are you to
achieving it? If the commitment level is low, you may want to choose
something different.

3. Once you decide
on your goal, close your eyes and imagine it is a year from now. You
have accomplished what you set out to do. How do you feel? How has your
life changed? How and where are you celebrating? Now write down your
vision of experiencing success.  Make it something like, “It is
December 31, 2008 and I am so happy and grateful that I decided to make
this year the year of courage. I accomplished all I set out for
myself.  I made those phone calls that enhanced my business, I joined
that dance class and loved it, I made some great new friends, I grew in
so many ways … It has been an incredible year.” 

3.
Set up a system to keep your vision uppermost in your mind.  One
effective system is creating a success journal. Write your vision at
the front. Too often people don’t achieve their goals because they
forget about them! Use your success journal as a daily reminder.

4.
Next, look at the barriers that could get in your way and set up
strategies to overcome them. Remember your self-talk — identify what
you tell yourself that could sabotage your success and create
replacement thoughts instead. Determine the types of support that will
empower you along the way — a buddy, book, course, coach, or something
else.  Now put them in place.

5. Create
an action plan to achieve your resolutions. Take what you want to
accomplish in the year and break it down into 3-month plans. From that
create monthly, weekly and daily plans.

6.
Each morning grab your success journal, read your vision statement with
feeling and write down what step(s) you will take that day. Then each
evening write down all the steps you took. Besides being a great
reminder and motivator of what you are doing and why, it’s also a way
to celebrate your daily accomplishments.

7. If you get off track for a while, don’t beat yourself up, simply course correct and continue.

The reasons we have goals and dreams are to grow as people and enjoy the journey to a more fulfilling life… the life of our dreams.