Good or Bad - It's Contagious!



(this blog originally appeared at: http://www.empowernetwork.com/mspillman/blog/good-or-bad-its-contagious/ )

 

 

 

Attitude.

 

Good or bad, it’s contagious!

 

And, just like some deadly disease, you need to RUN and PROTECT YOURSELF and those you love from the impact of a negative or bad attitude. As a matter of fact, friend, I’d say it actually IS a “deadly disease”. It attacks mind, body and soul and can leave a once vibrant person lifeless and weak.

 

Am I overstating this? NO WAY!

 

When one truly understands the devastating impact of a negative attitude and a negative environment then they will do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to get as far away as possible from this plague of mankind.

 

Now, enough of that, let’s turn our focus to the GOOD SIDE of a POSITIVE mindset and attitude being something that you WANT to “catch”! Yes, you still need to RUN but, instead of running away from a BAD attitude, you should RUN TO any environment, group of people or person that personifies this positive attitude.

 

That’s why reading and listening to positive information is so vital to your survival if you desire to have this positive/good attitude yourself. IT’S FOOD FOR THE MIND, SOUL AND BODY!

 

So, let’s close and take a look at this. Not only is it important to surround yourself with positivity but it is also important to make sure YOU are SPREADING the strength that comes from this. In other words, WHAT ARE PEOPLE “CATCHING” FROM YOU?

 

Join me on my “positive mission”, won’t you?

 

Just as it is true with our physical intake with food, so it is with a positive or negative attitude and mindset: YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.

 

Think about it and always remember to…

 

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

Mike

Who Follows YOU?

 

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Position DOES NOT make a leader. We've established that fact and, hopefully, more and more people will begin to understand that and CHANGE their "style" of "leadership". After all, that's not leadership, it's a POSITION. (In order to be a leader you must have followers!).

 

A real leader is one who has "been there, done that"! In other words, they are able to lead based on what they KNOW. The KNOW because they have BEEN THERE and DONE THAT! They can SHOW you the way because they have GONE the way. If you didn't read it, go back to the last blog entitled, "Been There, Done That" and take a look at the quote at the top of the article from John C. Maxwell.

 

Now, with those founding pillars in place let's conclude this little series on EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP by asking the question, "Who follows YOU?"

 

Some are stunned and surprised at such a question because they don't think ANYONE is following them. Friend, get this point: even if you are NEGATIVE and have NO DESIRE to lead the way, SOMEONE is watching you and choosing to do what you do. In other words, they are choosing to follow your lead.

 

Kinda' scary, isn't it? I HOPE SO!

 

You see, you can LEAD others to BE better, DO better and LIVE better by your own desire to do the same. And, by doing so, you are SHOWING what you KNOW because you have chosen to GO that way and follow that path. Amazing, isn't it?

 

And, on the other hand, you can choose to do the opposite and have others with no desire use you as an excuse to do the same in their life. Sad, isn't it?

 

Either way - YOU ARE A LEADER.

 

I saw this demonstrated in my own life when I was somewhere around 6th - 7th grade. There was a little guy quite a bit younger than me that would sit by me at church and, on one such occasion, I began to notice that he was trying to do everything that I was doing. If I sat up straight, he sat up straight. If I coughed, he coughed. I crossed my leg and, as hard as it was for him to do so, he found a way to cross his leg just like me. Even then it hit me hard that someone was watching me THAT closely and that they were DOING exactly what they saw me do.

 

Friend, nothing has changed.

 

 

So, with that being true (and it is) why in the world would ANYONE choose to lead others toward a life of unfulfilled and empty dreams? NOT YOU!

 

So, look in the mirror and say to yourself with CONFIDENCE and with a SMILE on your face: "I really AM a leader!".

 

Now, go on. LEAD.

 

 

And while you're at it, be sure to...

 

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

 

Mike

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