Can't see the wood from the trees

Popular saying....

A few weeks ago I found myself in a situation where I was so busy with the detail that I lost track of the priorities. Emails, proposals, admin, meetings...so much things to do, so little time.

Sometimes we get stuck in the 'doing' and forget that in order to progress it's important to think of the future and plan. If you find yourself in a similar place, make time to articulate your vision/ objectives, set up a strategy and implement it without delay.

And remember: "People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing" - Dale Carnegie

Corina Balaneanu

Motivation is What You Need!

‘To succeed......you need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you.’ Tony Dorsett

The difference between achieving a goal and not achieving a goal depends on the motivation and inspiration you have driving you forward.

This week the England football team have travelled to South Africa in preparation for the start of the World Cup. They are fully motivated and hungry to win, they will have envisioned themselves lifting the trophy to a huge cheer from the crowd and then returning home to receive a winners welcome from the English fans. When you set yourself a goal imagine what life will be like when you have achieved this goal, picture it in your mind – set yourself a vision for the future.

Create a Vision

Nothing is more personally motivating than creating a compelling vision. Visualize yourself succeeding as a result of the goals you set and achieve. Imagine the benefits of growing as a result of the changes you make -- creating new opportunities, building a more exciting and dynamic future and opening up new opportunities for success.

Inspiration is also an important factor when it comes to succeeding. We are usually motivated to work at achieving something when we have seen someone we respect achieve something similar; someone whose values and beliefs we admire. We can also be inspired by the way someone motivates us to achieve our goals, they can appeal to us in such a way as to make us think and act differently.

The England squad will take their inspiration from the 1966 England football team who achieved their ultimate goal by winning the World Cup and were able to lift the trophy and receive the respect and reward that comes from succeeding. They will also be inspired by their manager Fabio Capello who will give them pep talks before each game and keep reminding them that they can win the matches

Be Inspired

Think of someone who you admire and who really inspires you and whenever you are struggling and feeling de-motivated picture that person in you mind and remember what you admire in them and this will help you to get back on track and succeed. Surround yourself with positive people that will be enthusiastic and help to drive you towards success.

Good luck with your goals and visions for the future and good luck to the England team next week!

If you would like to find out more about setting your vision for the future then please attend our preview of Strictly Business: The Dale Carnegie Immersion Seminar on 10th June – Click here to register.

Sophie Whittall
Marketing & Admin Co-ordinator

www.London.dalecarnegie.com

Release the Pressure

‘Leading the championships every race is exciting but there are pressures. This is the first time I can relax, go out there, do my thing and enjoy the race.’

These are the words of Jenson Button, 2009 grand prix world champion. After a summer of worrying and living with the stress of wanting the championship title so badly, he and his team mates can now start Sunday’s race knowing they have already achieved what they worked so hard for. The hard work has paid off and the pressure has been released. Jenson can now hit the track with a head free of stress and take pleasure in the sport he loves.

We all at some time or other get worried or stressed and often it is because we put pressure on ourselves as we don’t want to fail but want to succeed and achieve our goals. It is not healthy for us to always be worried or stressed, sometimes you just need to let go and clear your head. In the words of Dale Carnegie, ‘If you have worries, there is no better way to eliminate them than by walking them off. Just take them out for a walk. They may take wings and fly away!’

Here are some tips to help you dispel some of your stress and worry and enjoy whatever you are doing:

• If you want to avoid worry, do what Sir William Osler did: Live in “day-tight compartments.” Don’t stew about the future. Just live each day until bedtime.
• Use the law of averages to outlaw your worries. Ask yourself : “What are the odds against this thing happening at all.”
• Co-operate with the inevitable. If you know a circumstance is beyond your power to change or revise, say to yourself: “It is so; it cannot be otherwise.”
• Let’s fill our minds with thoughts of peace, courage, health, and hope, for “our life is what our thoughts make it.”
• Do the very best you can; and then put up your old umbrella and keep the rain of criticism from running down the back of your neck.’

So next time you let the pressure get to you and you begin to feel stressed, refresh yourself with the tips above and let your worry go. Remember life is there to be enjoyed.

Sophie Whittall
www.london.dalecarnegie.com

Natural Leadership

This is Emma and Juanci, my beautiful niece and nephew, 9 & 8 years respectively. Like many children they are spontaneous, energetic, fun loving, joyful, creative and daring souls. Their mission in life is being happy and their vision is doing the things that make them happy; simple really. They live each day to the full, content and satisfied and sleep deeply at night unless it is their Birthday, Christmas or another special event!

Recently a client of mine from the Finance sector said to me, ‘I want to be like my son. He is learning to walk. He falls down, gets back up again, succeeds a little, falls down, gets back up again and so on. He is fearless! If I did the same in my business I would achieve my dreams!'

Like Emma and Juanci and like my clients son, what if we woke up each day with a clear mission and vision in life that would have us leap out of bed with excitement and boundless enthusiasm? How many of us actually know and live the mission and vision of the companies we work for? What if we aligned our mission and visions with that of our organisation? Would we perhaps feel we were contributors and a part of a diverse leadership within our business and for our clients?

Despite the current economic situation, confidence is returning, risks are been taken, and opportunities are abound, if only we look for them. The overwhelming challenge for the UK is in leadership and management, we spend 1,100 Euros per manager on leadership and management training compared to our European counterparts who spend just under 5,000 Euros. Now is as good a time as ever whether you are an employee, a Manager, a Director or an Executive (if we are not already being this way) to be ourselves, to communicate our mission and our vision clearly with each other and to involve our customers, partners and suppliers in the challenges we face. We are all leaders after all and this collective, co-operative approach is what kids do so naturally. I know Emma and Juanci are constantly and unwittingly reminding me.

Lizzie Thomas
Consultant

http://www.london.dalecarnegie.com/