Excited People Make Others Nervous!

(This post first appeared at: http://www.empowernetwork.com/mspillman/blog/excited-people-make-others-nervous/ )

 

Have you noticed that? People get nervous when you get excited! Now imagine when you get SEVERAL excited people together – OTHER PEOPLE FREAK OUT!
 

Why? Because, most of the time, they don’t know what it is to be excited about anything and think that you must be “on” something or just plain NUTZ! It’s really rather funny (and yeah, I know I misspelled “nutz”) when you think about it.
 

So, they don’t know – or remember  – what it is to get excited and ALSO they have nothing to get excited about and don’t trust others that do. What? Let me explain.
 

We’ve all heard the idea that people are afraid of what they don’t understand or that people are afraid of the unknown. Many times, these people have lost their ABILITY to become excited about ANYTHING in life and when they see others get excited about something they are afraid because they just CANNOT understand what there is to get excited about! And, on top of that, since they can’t seem to get excited about anything they are DOUBLY AFRAID because that kind of excitement and enthusiasm is unknown – FOREIGN – to their very thought process.
 

You see them every day. And they see you!
 

Maybe this describes you. Perhaps you are wary of ANYONE that gets excited about ANYTHING. Friend, it’s time for you to recapture the excitement of your youth when you got excited over just about everything!
 

You see, there are some things WORTH getting excited about and there are some things that you just CAN’T HELP but get excited about!
 

Let go – let loose – GET EXCITED once again.
 

And, remember, whatever you do, be sure to...
 

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike



Stepping Away From the Mundane



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(This article first published at: http://www.empowernetwork.com/mspillman/blog/stepping-away-from-the-mundane/ )

 

I (or I should say, my wife and I) walked away from my job two days ago and I feel more alive today than I have in a very long time.

 

This thought/idea may sound completely foreign to you but, for me, it's been a life-saving move and one that was ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for my life and my mission in life.

 

Like many, I had allowed myself to get into a situation (and this situation was mostly due to my mindset) to where I felt I had no other option but to crawl to a J-O-B. This was a job that ANYONE could do (and DOES do), that required no special skills and, quite honestly, had no future whatsoever. It was strictly a J-O-B and a way to bring some money in and to pay the bills. It paid the bills (most of the time) but that was ALL it did. There was no freedom with our time and there was not enough left after paying bills to actually enjoy what time we did have when we were off from that job.

 

But here's the worse part: IT WAS SUCKING ME INTO A HOLE THAT MANY NEVER PULL THEMSELVES OUT OF - it was like quicksand. Do you have any idea what I'm talking about? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts on that type of concept.

 

I/we stayed there longer than I had planned and I knew that if I didn't do something DRASTIC (something that 98% of those there would not ever do) then I, too, would be stuck there continuing to dread every day.

 

 

Friend, THAT'S NOT WHAT LIFE IS ABOUT!

 

So, I/we walked away. Yes, we have plans and things in action that we have had to put off due to having that J-O-B. And I feel more ALIVE, EXCITED and ENERGETIC than I have felt in a very long time.

 

As a matter of fact, a couple of hours ago my wife and I sat on our back porch watching the rain (which we love to do but haven't done in a very long time due to that J-O-B), smelling the rain and just talking excitedly about what all life had to offer us now that we have cut the chains that were dragging us down and keeping us attached to that mind-numbing activity from which most people never, ever break free.

 

What about you? Does that scare you? Does that sound crazy or does it MAKE SENSE to you? Does it EXCITE you?

 

But how?

 

That's the fun part, friend. But first and foremost you have to CHANGE your MINDSET! Instead of being AFRAID (fearful) of taking such a step you need to WAKE UP and be MORE AFRAID (fearful) of staying where you are if you DO NOT LIKE where you are. Make sense?

 

But, as always, it's up to you. Think and plan - YES! But, sooner or later those thoughts and plans must position yourself to finally take ACTION.

 

I'm so glad I/we did.

 

Until next time, whatever you do, be sure to "Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

"Follow the Leader?"

 

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"A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way,

and shows the way." - John C. Maxwell

 

In our last article we discussed the fact that POSITION does NOT make a LEADER. In case you missed it, just go back to the last article and also go to www.FutureYouUniversity.com and you can view the video-cast from the front page and listen to the podcast by clicking on the video-cast tab and clicking either the iTunes icon or the RSS feed icon.

 

Just a quick review...

 

Too many think that having a title or "position" automatically qualifies them to be a leader and to have others follow them. That's about as wrong of an idea that anyone can have yet, it seems that it surrounds us, right? I mentioned that people may do what they are told to do out of fear of losing their job but they are not FOLLOWING this person because they are a leader.

 

Big difference.

 

I also shared the mindset of a "boss" (NOT a leader) that I came across recently that actually told his employees that he didn't care about them - came right out and said it twice during a 20 minute introductory period - and that they way he worked was, "I SAY - YOU DO!".

 

Wow. I wonder how many people he won over that day. I can answer that question as easily as you can - NONE! I can promise you that there is NO loyalty to this person among those who work under him. I can also promise you that not ONE person would stand up and "go to bat" for this man. NONE.

 

Effective leadership? Not even close.

 

"Follow me!" But I ask, "Why?"

 

John C. Maxwell (whom I've had the pleasure of hearing speak) hits the nail on the head in the quote used at the start of this article. We follow a leader that KNOWS, GOES and SHOWS the way!

 

Can you see the difference? Instead of "Do this because I say so" we see the idea of "Follow me because I know this is the way. Why? How do I know? Because I've BEEN there and I can SHOW you the way, too!"

 

Have you ever followed someone in an automobile that was supposed to know where they were going but you figured out pretty quickly that they had no more idea where to go than you did? Not fun and not productive.

 

Once, while traveling through a part of Mexico, I got lost. Yes, a male admitting that he got lost. I could not find my way out of one particular town to get on the road that I needed to be on to get OUT of that town and on my way. I had learned a secret from a previous trip with someone that had "been there and done that". (This man was a leader even before I needed the leadership!) The answer was to find someone that KNEW the way because they had BEEN that way and could SHOW me the way! What did I do? I found a taxi driver and showed him on the map where I needed to go (since I don't speak Spanish this was quite comical) and asked (again, quite comical) if he would lead me there. Once we finally connected through a series of hand motions, pointing to the map and me literally acting out what I needed, the gentleman got in his taxi and allowed me to follow him out of town and on my way.

 

This chosen course led to me successfully going along my way and, friend, this same course will do two things for you:

1. If you are a leader - a REAL leader - it will allow you to lead in such a way that others will GLADLY and VOLUNTARILY follow.

2. If you seek to follow someone in order to continue down your course to success, this leader will get you there. Seek these leaders out!

 

Powerful. Productive. Proven.

 

Hey, think about this and we'll discuss it more in our next visit...Did you know when you follow such a leader that, in turn, you will have others following you? Look at the picture above and realize the truth in that statement.

 

Until next time...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

 

 

 

POSITION Does Not Make a LEADER!

"Position Does NOT Make a Leader!"

 

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"It's GOOD to be King!"

 

We've seen movies and other shows that have shown someone in power proclaiming this while enjoying the "benefits" of being in charge. However, we've also seen many movies and shows also reflect those in such power bemoaning the fact that their subjects don't love or respect them.

 

This is just not true in movies - it's been reported and repeated all through history and, yet, it seems that many - still today - have not learned the simple truth that POSITION does NOT make a LEADER.

 

Have you ever worked for/with someone like this? The answer is likely, "YES!"

 

I've seen and heard of many situations where a person comes out of college or some special program - usually much younger than those that they will be working with - and be placed in a POSITION of "leadership" and think that it qualifies them for instant respect and instant followers.

 

WRONG ANSWER - WRONG THOUGHT - WRONG APPROACH!

 

Remember, POSITION does NOT make a LEADER!

 

You would think that, as I pointed out in the first few paragraphs, we would learn this lesson from histroy. But, even worse than us not learning this from past "ancient" history, I see those that don't even learn this from present, every day examples.

 

I recently heard a man that is in a POSITION of "leadership" state to his workers that he didn't care about them and that they were there to do the work that he told them to do. Along with telling them that he didn't care about them he also told them his philosophy was, "I say - you do!"

 

How many of his workers do you think respect him? Not many, if any. Oh, there are a lot of them that are AFRAID of him because they fear being fired if they don't follow his philosophy but, the truth is (and will ALWAYS be) that this man will NEVER get the full potential out of his workers with this mindset. Never.

 

So, if you work for or with someone like this then it is DOUBLY important for you to dig deep and supply yourself with as much positive ammunition (like this blog and my podcast/videocast) as you can in order to keep your attitude as it needs to be. Believe me when I say that your coworkers NEED that from you because many - if not most - of them don't have the same approach to life as you do and they need your attitude and mindset to help teach, lead and empower them to make it through such a mindset from someone in charge.

 

Again, "in charge" does not make one "a leader".

 

And, finally, if YOU are one with this type of mindset then let me get straight to the point - STOP IT! I can promise you this: if you believe this and have this approach, YOU WILL FAIL! Oh, you may have some "success" but you will NEVER achieve what is possible with this type of approach. Just like the man I described before, you will never get the full potential out of those that you are in charge of and, the truth is that if you cannot get the full potential out of those that you are in charge of then you will never reach YOUR full potential with your company.

 

That, my friend, is the HONEST TRUTH.

 

So, what DOES make one a leader?

 

We will be taking a look at that question in the next few blogs and podcasts/videocasts to come. The podcast is already up and can be found at www.FutureYouUniversity.com by clicking on the video cast tab and then clicking on either the iTunes logo or the Hipcast RSS feed logo. The vidoe cast for this segment will also be found there very soon.

 

Think about all of this and do what you MUST do to combat the negativity that will likely come with this attitude. And, again, if you are guilty of this mindset then determine NOW that you MUST change and become more than just a person who holds a position. Determine now that you WILL become an actual LEADER.

 

Until next time - "Be sure to make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is gonig to do it for you?)"

 

Mike



THE COST OF COMMITMENT

 

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"The Cost of Commitment"

 

 

Recently I did a video-cast on this topic and I invite you to take a look at it here so that you can get more thoughts on the topic that I will be discussing in today's article. I hope that you will be challenged, encouraged and inspired to keep moving toward your goals and dreams through these thoughts.

 

It's summertime in Arkansas and, like many communities across our nation, the little town in which we live will be having their own festival later on this month. It's been a yearly event for many years now and, from what I understand, it has also declined in popularity and attractiveness overall. This year many of this town's leaders decided to step up and put a rededicated emphasis on the event in order to improve the event. Bottom line, here was the choice: watch it die or do whatever it takes to revive it.

 

What about your goals and dreams? You, too, have a choice (especially if it has been  a while since you have made any progress in this pursuit): will you let your dreams die or will you do whatever it takes to revive them?

 

The city here had committed to $20,000 to go toward the building of the stage for a top-notch music act that had been scheduled for the event. Other businesses in town had also committed to make this stage a reality. It's always a powerful thing to see when groups of individuals or businesses come together with a common goal to make something happen.

 

However, those who had originally put the numbers together found that - as often seems to be the case - there figures were actually incorrect and that the city would need to double their commitment to $40,000 in order to make this possible.

 

The city has a choice to make. They actually had several choices before them:

1. Cancel the commitment altogether and walk away. If this would be the choice, would the original commitment be completed? NO!

2. Stick to the original commitment and not contribute any more. The city would be within their rights by making this choice, right? They would be sticking to their original commitment and it's not their problem that someone else messed up the numbers. However, if this would be the choice, would the original commitment be completed? NO!

3. Stick to commitment to see this through regardless of the cost. And this is exactly what the city decided to do. They decided to find a way to put up the extra money so that the original commitment could be fulfilled and the stage could be built for the festival coming up.

 

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

 

What if it takes you longer or costs you more in order to see your goals through to live the life of your dreams?

 

Is it taking longer? Have you given up? Have you chosen to let your dream die or have you committed yourself to seeing it through no matter how long it takes or how much it may cost you?

 

It's up to  you. It's YOUR choice.

 

But, remember this: it's also YOUR dream, right?

 

Often the idea of "how big is your WHY?" is talked about. But, I have a different question for you: HOW BIG AND HOW STRONG IS YOUR COMMITMENT?

 

Think about it and either let it die or step up and strengthen your resolve to see it through.

 

You can do it. Will you?

 

As you consider your commitment, remember this:

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike