Actions and values

So there we were in a taxi, when Darrell happened to say down the phone those immediately recognised words "Dale Carnegie". Up to this point our taxi driver was a very chatty and knowledgeable individual who just loved to share everything about the day and the fair city of Dublin. On hearing the words "Dale Carnegie" our cabbie immediately said "one - run, two - zoo..." and quoted ebulliently other snatches from the Dale Carnegie Course. His hitherto animated manner shot into overdrive as he regaled us with stories of his experience on the course in 1982. As always he remembered his trainer, who was the local franchisee.

Well now Darrell and I have a friend in Dublin and Martin Shaughnessy will always be remembered. Not just for his ravings about what the Dale Carnegie Course had done for him and how he has consistently followed the principles and aimed to enthuse others as well. No, not just that, but for something rather more profound. Please forgive the possibility of offence but allow this reportage. Firstly, he said about stress and referring to the trappings and possessions of life - "what does it all matter, we only have the lend of it". How very true! And then, and this one operates only at the deeper level of meaning, "Every cripple has their own way of walking".

This is what he is suggesting - that we all have our own way of getting through life - it does not make any of us the owner of the right way AND it also suggests that we all malfunction in some way and get unconsciously lost in that being the only way.

Allow our actions be a true reflection of our values.

David Pickering
Trainer and Sales Consultant

www.London.dalecarnegie.com

Financial Ruin

I found a piece of paper with some writing on it and I grinned like a “Cheshire Cat”.

The picture looked different about 3 months ago...

It’s a credit crunch, I’m 30 years old and I am constantly tired because of stress and worry. I get up at 5am to travel two hours to a call centre temp job and then go home to sleep on a friends floor because I have no money and no flat. This wasn't the vision of the successful entrepreneur that I had set out to be. I had often taught the Dale Carnegie "Stress and Worry Principles" but on reflection, I never truly understood the meaning of them until now.

The Principle: "What is the worst that can happen?" Well...it already had.

It was a friend of mine who helped me to see how I could "improve on the worst". He said: "set a goal but don’t become attached to the goal". Then "Get Active” and finally, “Choose one project and do that project with all your heart and soul 110%".

I wrote my goal as a question, "How can I make my first £5000?” Next, I brainstormed some actions that I could take to help me answer the question. I then put the paper away and tried to forget about it. I have always been someone who wants everything right now!! By putting the goal away I was able to stay motivated by the actions rather than becoming emotionally attached to the goal. I eventually found my opportunity and I gave it 110%.

I found that piece of paper again and I grinned like a Cheshire cat because I had smashed the goal. On reflection, the goal could have been even bigger and even braver. There is no magic bullet to overcome financial ruin:

1. Write down a “brave” goal as a question.
2. Brainstorm actions that you CAN take to answer the question.
3. Get active in anyway you can.
4. Choose one thing and do it with all of your heart and soul.

Hayley Kennedy
Dale Carnegie Trainer
www.London.Dalecarnegie.com