Super-Powers of Successful People Friday, Jan 17 2014

If you have ever spent time studying very successful people you may have noticed they all seem to have something in common. There is just something about them, like a super-power, but it’s invisible and not easy to define.

The most successful people share certain super-powers, or traits.  They have been found to have these strong qualities:

1. The power of passion

2. The power of creativity

3. The power of self-control

4. The power decision and action

5. The power of persistence

The Power of Passion

The expression,” if you can believe it, you can achieve it” tells us that a good idea alone is not enough. You have to believe in it. There are many intelligent people who would not be considered very successful. And there are many average people who have succeeded far above their circumstances because of their passion, their true desire to achieve their goals in spite of anything that tries to hinder them. If you can truly believe it with all your heart and soul, you can achieve it – you will succeed.

The Power of Creativity

Creativity does not just apply to writing a novel or painting a portrait or such; it applies to the life you create for yourself in all aspects: home, family, work, interests.  So much of your success will depend on how creative your solutions are.  Almost every great success story begins with one good idea. If you cannot think for yourself and imagine possibilities, you can only depend on what others before you have done. Their legacy is not yours.  Your legacy begins with your one good idea (or five!).

The Power of Self-Control

Power, when used incorrectly, can lead to failure.  By imposing your will on others using position, trust, knowledge, or wealth, may get the job done; but at the expense of your positive morals as seen by others. The power of self-control is really about the way you handle your thoughts and your emotions.  As you take action to focus and to positively manage your team and any obstacles you encounter, you will increase your ability to succeed.

The Power of Decision and Action

Studies have shown that one of the greatest causes of failure is lack of decision.  In working to achieve our goals, taking action first requires a decision to act on.  Studies have also shown that successful people make a habit of making decisions promptly with the correct information present, and only changing them when necessary.  You may need to rely on others for help or information, but make your decisions based on facts.  Once you feel you have those, take action. (see It’s Time to Take Action!)

The Power of Persistence

We all know and admire people who have failed and gone on to great success. Before he invented the electric light bulb, Thomas Edison failed more than 1000 times. He never saw it as a failure; he saw it as one more step towards succeeding. Henry Ford came from a poor background with no education, but he looked at the horse and buggy and saw the amazing cars we drive today.  Abraham Lincoln failed in business and in running for government several times, but we all know how he ended up.

Many of us give up too soon. Remember these famous words of a hero in horrible times:

“Never, never, never, never give up.” ~ Winston Churchill

At its best, your success will include these super-powers to achieve the goals you have set out to complete.

You have the passion as exposed through the practical phase of Wood Badge.  You have the creativity as written from your vision into your five ticket goals.  Continue to practice self-control as you manage your team to the success of a completed ticket.  Make educated decisions about the next steps you need to take to get you to the end, and take the necessary actions to get there.  And despite the obstacles that hinder you (procrastination, scheduling, program changes, deadlines, ie), never, never, never, never give up!

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

You can be as successful as you desire to be!

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Overcome Obstacles and Make Your Motivation Soar! Thursday, May 23 2013

How does the motivator stay motivated when it is obvious he or she is encountering overwhelming obstacles?  Because the motivator knows that no matter who we are, we will all experience successes and failures.

It is easy to stay motivated when we meet one goal after another.  We may even find it difficult to understand how someone can be disheartened themselves when life can be so good to us.  Then failures, problems and obstacles enter our life and it’s not so easy to remain motivated.

There are many ways to overcome your obstacles and make your motivation continue to soar; but, there is no one perfect answer for everyone – you must find it within yourself.

Understand what your obstacles are.  The reasons could be tangible (lack of time, assistance or resources), or they could be emotional (fear of failure, validation or confidence).  Think about what it is that is truly holding you back from the success you wish to experience.

Once you’ve determined what your obstacles are, ask yourself: what is the worse thing that could happen?  When put into perspective, the result of these events will probably not be the end of the world. Work through the obstacles as you work through your project plans – one step at a time.

Be confident in your values; your vision is valid; your mission is SMART.

Take action quickly.  Do not put off positive action no matter how small and seemingly insignificant.  The smallest success that stems from your action instills faith and belief in yourself and your ability to succeed.

Believe in your goals and in yourself and nothing can stop you!  Remember what it is you are striving for; and what you and your Scouting unit, or your family or job, will gain by achieving these goals.  If you do not believe in what you’re doing then you are on the wrong track and should return to your vision for reassessment.

Obstacles, like change, are inevitable; but how we deal with them is not.  We can choose to overcome our obstacles and be happy and successful; or we can allow the obstacles to overcome us and be sad and defeated.

“Press on. Obstacles are seldom the same size tomorrow as they are today.”  ~ Robert H. Schuller

We are over-comers – we are Wood Badgers!

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Blessings for the New Year! Monday, Dec 24 2012

As we count down the final days of this year to the dawn of the New Year, it is good to reflect on the events of the past; changes we have experienced within our family, job, leadership, etc; and of our personal development through continued learning, leadership, achievements, etc.

All of our experiences, the good and not-so-good, have brought us to where we are at this moment in time.  Remember them; recognize their significance; assess their outcome or current status; and continue on the path you feel you belong on.  With the New Year will come many new experiences of its own – Be Prepared for them!

How can you be ready for anything?  With strong personal leadership.  Personal leadership is the ability to lead others AND YOURSELF in the direction you want your life to take.  The ability to define what you want out of life and how you are going to get there is the first step in developing personal leadership.  (This sounds similar to the first steps you took when developing your Wood Badge ticket!)

This is only the beginning step because personal leadership means: leading, directing, and taking action. It means developing goals that you want so badly that you live each day with eager excitement for your goals, yourself, and all who are close to you. Knowing what you want out of life; knowing what success is to you, knowing what your goals are, knowing that you are going to achieve those goals regardless of what others think, say, or do, is the essence of personal leadership.

Personal leadership also means accountability. It means that you have decided to use the talents that are uniquely yours and will develop them further to reach your goals. It means you realize that you have the potential to develop further. It means that you have determined the actions necessary to your success and you will follow through; you are the leader of your life!

“Personal leadership is not a singular experience. It is, rather, the ongoing process of keeping your vision and values before you and aligning your life to be congruent with those most important things.”  ~ Stephen Covey

Thank You for being a blessing in my life in 2012!  Please take a moment to view the video “365 Days” of inspiration posted last year at this time.  I look forward with eager anticipation to your leadership successes in 2013!

I also look forward to seeing you and catching up on your journey at the Buckeye Council Wood Badge Reunion 2013 on March 10th!  Be sure to get your reservation in early, and share your intent to attend with your patrol-mates and all Scouters in your unit!

Happy Holidays!  And may your New Year be blessed with great success in all you do!

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It’s time to take ACTION! Monday, Sep 24 2012

Some people are thinkers.  Some people are doers.  Some think about doing but never get anything done.  Here are a few ways to become a person of action; find the ways that work for you and be a successful doer!

Organization is essential.  Whether it is for Scouting, your home or in business, make a to-do list and prioritize it.  Put the most important items at the top, keeping your big rocks and little rocks in perspective; and each time you complete a goal or project cross it off and feel the satisfaction of achievement.

Larger projects are often best accomplished broken down into smaller tasks.  Place your project plan onto a whiteboard on the den wall, or simply a poster-board tacked to the closet door.  Break out each task necessary through completion, and celebrate the small successes along the way.  This gives you something to look forward to and gives you incentive to accomplish more.

When everything on the list is finished and you have met your goal, reward yourself big time!

Another plan to encourage action is to visualize your goal until you have the energy to do it.   Sit quietly, clear your mind of all other things and concentrate on your goal.  See yourself acting on the project in vivid detail.  Whatever the job entails imagine yourself doing each and every step.

Thoughts become energy as you focus your mind on one central thought.  This energy builds until you feel the energy pushing you into action.  You will build up so much energy you will be forced to act.  At that point, take action.  It could be just a small part of your overall project but let yourself be compelled to action.  The smallest successes that stem from your action fuels your energy, and leads to successful completion of the project as a whole.

Believe in your goals and yourself and nothing can stop you.  Focus on what you are striving for and what you and your Scouting unit, or your family, or your business will gain by achieving these goals.

Stay inspired.  You can do this by attending Scouting, family or business events, gatherings and seminars.  Reading inspirational books, or watching motivational videos or listening to audio courses are beneficial as well.  Your environment should consist of inspirational people and things.

A positive and successful attitude is imperative.  People are happiest when they know they are making a positive difference in whatever scale, large or small.  Associate with positive people.  You are the company you keep.

One of the great motivators of our time whom shared some of her words of wisdom with us during Wood Badge is Margaret Thatcher, who also said,

“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end.  It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.”

Now is the time to take action and make your move!

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Becoming a Successful Leader Monday, Sep 10 2012

An important part of success in life is the ability to lead. It is important that we are not only be able to lead others but are willing to lead ourselves. No one succeeds in life by quietly following others. Sometimes we must forge a new trail for ourselves.

Being a good leader is more than being in front of the crowd. A leader must act. Too often, we simply accept that someone looks or sounds like a leader and too rarely do we actually look at the actions that leader performs – which is the true display of leadership.

In order to become good leaders ourselves, we need to concentrate on actions rather than appearances. Think of the following actions you must practice on a regular basis, and begin applying them immediately.

First, be alert to new opportunities. Reality is not absolute but rather subject to constant change. Think about inventors, explorers, and agents of social change who have achieved greatness. Some might say that certain people are successful because they are lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe so, but if they didn’t have their eyes open for the opportunity, it would not have mattered if they were in that place.

Second, accept inspiration from wherever it comes; even your opponents. The wisest leaders constantly study their competition. Too often a certain study may concentrate on finding a weakness to exploit. If you want to be a leader of positive change, don’t fall victim to this trend. Instead, if you find a weakness, make sure to avoid that fault yourself. If you find strength, find a way to strengthen your own qualities to match.

Third, learn something new every day. This means you must continually seek to expand your horizons, internally and externally. Feed your mind with new lessons and knowledge, and expand your social horizons as well. Seek out and meet new people, grow your network. You never know when these new experiences will help you in your leadership role.

Fourth, search for and find answers in subtle clues. Look beneath the surface and constantly question. This is an extension of the third step in that you are seeking new knowledge. But this also means that you will need to step off the traditional paths of knowledge. Don’t simply read books in the literary classics or the bestsellers list. Take seminars rather than classes as there is more room for questioning and sharing.

Fifth, improvise if no existing solutions are available. No excuses. If you’ve never tried it before, you cannot know it won’t work. Remember, not all approaches need to come from the front. Look at your problem from all sides and attempt different solutions in various combinations.

Six, make at least one person you care about happy every day. If you make it a point to be thoughtful and caring for one person every day then soon this thoughtful, caring behavior will become a habit, and that habit will spread to others around you. Making someone else happy also nourishes your own personal happiness. Just imagine how much better the world would be if we all did a little bit more to spread happiness!

Seven, offer help, even if there’s no apparent advantage to you. This means more than giving money or possessions. It means giving of your time and energy and yourself. Sometimes it will mean helping someone you don’t know and sometimes it can be a very personal and rewarding action.

Finally, never let negativity be your last word. If your final words are negative, then no matter how hopeful you may be about the potential of a project or action, the lasting impression you give to others is one of negativity. Accentuate the positive and you are more likely to see a positive outcome. There is power in positivity!

Following these actions on a regular basis will not only help you be a better leader, it will also lead you to a more successful life.

“Do not go where the path may lead,

go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

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Finding the Source of Your Motivation Monday, Apr 23 2012

You know what needs to be done.  It’s obvious when you look around you.  The need is apparent, the task has been assigned, whether by your superior or yourself, and you must get started – but somehow you lack the motivation to begin.

Success cannot be achieved without motivation.  Where is the source of your motivation?  Where can you turn for the inspiration that will move you forward?  We are all different and are all motivated by different things.

Some are motivated by visualizing completed task and reaching the goal.  It could be to get a job promotion and a bigger paycheck, foster the development of new skills or events, or to lose ten pounds by the end of the month.  Seeing yourself actually achieve these goals could motivate you to travel the road to success.

Read on for several methods of motivation you can try on for size.

Visualize completion.  Never lose sight of your ultimate goal.  Know you’re going to achieve what you have envisioned soon, and move forward with renewed motivation.  You know that success is not just an option but is a real fact.  Believe this and motivation is easy!

Preparation fuels motivation.  Motivation without the skills needed to achieve your goals is not enough; and if you know you’re lacking something to move forward, motivation is hard to find.  Motivation is fueled by knowledge, and followed closely by persistence.

Change your environment.  New surroundings often give you a renewed outlook on life.  It can be something as simple as putting a new plant in your home or office, hanging a new picture, or opening the curtains to let in more light.

Your environment also includes surrounding yourself with positive people.  When you are around positive and successful friends, their attitude is contagious – you absorb their energy!  At the same time, when you are with negative people or cluttered and depressing surroundings, you absorb that energy as well.

Do something for others.  When we do for others we find motivation within ourselves.  Many times the way to achieve your goal is to assist others in reaching theirs.  Seek to serve and you will become energized and motivated when people rely on you.  Disappoint them and you disappoint yourself – and you don’t want that to happen!

Other methods to find the source of your motivation is to re-evaluate your tasks and make certain you are working toward your goal.  Brainstorm and look for new information – don’t forget to include your team and/or mentor!  Clear your mind and freshen your thoughts by taking a break, going for a walk, exercising, working in the yard or relaxing with an inspirational book.  Using your brain in different ways will stimulate it – and stimulation leads to motivation.

Motivation comes from many different sources and you must find what works for you from within.  Believe in yourself.  Anticipate the good that will happen in your life.  Never fear the bad.  Do this and motivation is yours!

“Ability is what you’re capable of doing.

Motivation determines what you do.

Attitude determines how well you do it.”

                                                                     ~ Lou Holtz   

Get out there and make something happen!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Becoming a Strong Leader Monday, Jan 16 2012

A leader is not born.

A leader is created.

And the development process begins inside the most dangerous place we will ever encounter – our own mind.

How can we become a strong leader who inspires others, instills a sense of trust and loyalty, and creates a culture of success?

Learning what makes a good leader is our first step.

When Scouters think of leadership, we naturally think of Robert Baden-Powell.  He was an influential leader who created a world-wide movement based on his vision of man’s character.  Lord Baden-Powell’s vision is best stated in his own words:

“Let us, therefore, in training our Scouts, keep the higher aims in the forefront, not let ourselves get too absorbed in the steps.  Don’t let the technical outweigh the moral.  Field efficiency, backwoodsmanship, camping, hiking, good turns, jamboree comradeship are all means, not the end.  The end is character with a purpose.  And that purpose, that the next generation may be sane in an insane world, and develop the higher realization of service, active service of love, and duty to God and neighbor.”

Another influential leader who created a world-wide movement of a similar vision in relation to character, is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his vision of equality:  

“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

As a leader, we must aspire to the same values and moral obligations that these great men did, through our actions and our words.  We must become the leader the youth of the Scouting program rely on as their inspiration for success.

Wood Badge for the 21^st Century provides the means of fulfilling this first step to becoming a strong leader through its learning objectives, which are categorized under five themes:

Living the Values

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness. – MLK

Bringing the Vision to Life

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. – MLK

Models for Success

 A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus. – MLK

Tools of the Trade

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward. – MLK

Leading to Make a Difference

Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality. – MLK

“The Scoutmaster teaches boys to play the game by doing so himself.”   – Robert Baden-Powell

Every leadership role is equally important in the life-long lessons to the young people of the Scouting program.  ‘Every youth deserves a trained leader.’  It is up to us to live up to our role in their lives.  It is up to us to be prepared for this role.

Believe that you can be a strong leader.

Take the first step now – sign up for Wood Badge C4-436-12.

 

 

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A New Year Begins at Every Moment Monday, Jan 2 2012

HAPPY 2012!!!  I am so very excited for what this New Year will bring!!!

Wood Badge C4-436-12 of course, and more importantly, the opportunity to be a part of its positive force in YOUR LIFE! 

Every Adult Scout Leader who has the desire and motivation to take advantage of this leadership development experience will be learning and practicing the skills you need to meet not only your Scouting goals, but also the achievements, success and dreams you hold of your future.

Take one moment to check out this video, start dreaming NOW, and sign up for Wood Badge C4-436-12 TODAY!!

“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”  

~ Walt Disney

May 2012 be the year all of your dreams begin to come true!

 

 

 

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