"You will be the same person in five years except for the people you meet and the books you read." ? Charlie Jones
Think back and see if you can remember, by individual, all the people who had an influence on your life ? good and bad. Do you find that the bad ones stick out like a sore thumb? And why is that?
We are told that failure is sometimes good because we learn from it. I believe true failure is when we don't learn. If you continue to associate with people who are unreliable, are complainers, are unethical, or self-serving, there's a strong chance you'll catch some of those traits and become what they are.
Why do we hang out with these loser types anyway? Well, some of them are friends and we all need a friend or two. Some are work or business associates, while others are clients; and then there may be a relative or two in there. Some of us have a strong need for the company of others, so we spend time with losers if we don't have any winner friends.
How do you identify those in your life that should be avoided like the plague? Consider these:
1. People who constantly complain about their company, their job, their spouse, the government, their neighbor, etc.
2. People who are totally self-focused and rarely inquire about your day, your life interests, or your challenges - business or personal.
3. People who promise to call on a specific day, or agree to meet you but rarely keep their word, and frequently cancel with vague excuses.
4. People who promised to take care of something for you more than once, but didn't.
5. People you don't feel comfortable with due to their pompous and inconsiderate behavior toward service people.
6. People who've persuaded you to invest money in their enterprise, and you later discover their lack of ethics.
But, you ask, "Surely some of those people can be changed with a little encouragement and some of my positive influence?" The simple answer to that is RARELY! It's like having a bad employee who is talented but non-performing and a troublemaker. So you give him a raise to motivate him to better performance ? which lasts for a day or two, then it's back to normal. The correct solution? Get rid of him!
A large portion of your success and happiness in life will be determined by the quality of the relationships that you develop in your personal and business activities. The more people you know and who know you in a positive way, the more successful you will be and the faster you will move ahead
Five steps to meeting the right people - the winners ? and avoiding the wrong people ? the losers
1. Be aware. Keep your eyes and ears open to read people quickly and know if he or she is someone with whom you'd like to associate. Hang out with positive people, who are optimistic and happy, who have goals, and who are moving forward in their lives. Get away from negative complaining people. As someone wise said, "If you want to soar with the eagles, you cannot scratch with the turkeys."
2. Have a mindset of giving service and adding value to everyone you meet. Very successful people owe their success to the contribution they made to the success of others ? even in some small way.
3. Build and maintain a network of high-quality relationships. Networking is the great habit of the success-minded businessperson. Do that by joining your local chamber of commerce and your trade and industry association, and go to all the meetings and get involved in the groups' activities.
John Madden is an international speaker, trainer, and author of "Leap, Don't Sleep!" (How to get different results by doing something different). He helps businesses and individuals become more profitable through customer service training, coaching skills for managers, stress management through humor, time management, and interpersonal skills. You can reach him at (316)-689-6932; e-mail john@leapdontsleep.com ; web site: john@leapdontsleep.com
shuttle to Midway Beardstown .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareI bet you want to be wealthy, but somehow the... Read More
We speak every day without fully recognizing the impact our... Read More
When you look into the eyes of a winner, what... Read More
Do you remember when you were a child and no... Read More
Failure is GreatYou are probably asking yourself what could be... Read More
We've all been driving down the road and seen those... Read More
Why do some people end up with boring jobs living... Read More
Think back to a time in your life when you... Read More
This is a little primer on how to start, survive... Read More
"Things might have been worse"This is the most powerful, dynamic,... Read More
Do you ever wonder how some people consistently get what... Read More
Many people talk or write about the science of success... Read More
"Perseverance allows you to get back on track when you... Read More
Fear, or negative anxiety, is the modern day bubonic plague,... Read More
"Fear Factor" is one of my favorite TV shows. It... Read More
This revelation hit me the other day while I was... Read More
"Enthusiasm is worth any pot of cream ever offered."Can you... Read More
A young girl opens a birthday card from her grand... Read More
Let's say you're moving forward in your efforts to achieve... Read More
(Excerpted From the 2001 Jim Rohn Millennium Weekend Event -... Read More
Looking for a way to make this year your best... Read More
Back in my early marketing days, finding the magic ticket... Read More
Pops first set the goal in high school, but when... Read More
People like to emerge as winners by hook or crook... Read More
Self-improvement; A great deal has been written on the subject,... Read More
Green Bay Hummer H2 SUV rentals ..Anytime you are making ground and moving toward success, there... Read More
Driven by cultural imperatives and inner promptings, we drive ourselves... Read More
Your mind is the only tool that can create success... Read More
In earlier generations it was common to keep a diary... Read More
When I was in college, I heard someone say something... Read More
The Definition Of PerseveranceFrom a dictionary: "Persisting in or remaining... Read More
Did you see or hear about 'The Masters' golf tournament... Read More
Recently, I coached a young woman whom I'll call Mary... Read More
On March 27th 2005, Oxford won the annual boat race... Read More
Here are the 3 elements of the "Purpose" leg in... Read More
One of my absolute favorite quotes is from Dwight D.... Read More
Lesson 1. Category Well Being Plan to do this.Stop blaming... Read More
Sugar Ray Leonard and Sylvester Stallone have recently hosted a... Read More
Ever have those days where no matter what you try... Read More
The Great Library of Alexandria once held the wisdom of... Read More
All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy... Read More
We have all read about people who are successful briefly.... Read More
Man is the most advanced being on this earth. We... Read More
In my work with clients, the issue of perspectives comes... Read More
If you want to be successful in life, business, or... Read More
It's simple and powerful.The philosophy of successful people is often... Read More
Ten years ago I went into the studio and recorded... Read More
Create an environment that is so inspiring and nurturing that... Read More
"If you can tell the world who you are and... Read More
Oprah and Harpo Productions, consistently reap awe-inspiring progress and record-breaking... Read More
Success |