Category: Success Attitude

Did you ever noticed how some people make even the most difficult task look easy?

You know what I mean?

The trapeze artist simply flies through the air with a gentle smile on her face.

The musician makes heavenly sounds that make us laugh and cry.

The teacher explains the most difficult concepts and we understand.

I used to wonder, is it just practice, practice, practice?

When I was seven years old, I started learning the piano.  I went to classes once a week and practiced every day.  Every year I was entered into a National competition and once a year I sat an exam.

I was never a great pianist.  I could play and I enjoyed it but I was never a great pianist and I never made it look easy.

Practice helps, but it takes more than that.

It takes a combination of talent and passion.

Neither one is enough by itself.

If you have talent but are not particularly interested…it won’t work.

If you have passion but no particular talent, you can be a great spectator, a great supporter.

But to make something brilliant look easy, you have to have talent, passion AND practice, practice, practice.

Here’s the thing though, we all have talents and passion.  Every single person can do something exceptionally well.  Have you found what yours is?

Just today my friend told me he left his well-paying career to become a school teacher; it was a calling, it means the world to him. I’m sure he makes it look easy!

Last week, I was given the gift of a story about a woman’s commitment to compassion and charity. She makes it looks easy.

In the background, I can hear one of my favorite musicians singing his beautiful heart out, as if we all could do it! He makes it look SO easy!

What is your special talent?  Where is your passion?

It doesn’t have to be something grand. It doesn’t have to be magnificent. It just has to be you. The essence of you. The story of you.

And when you find it, tell the world. That’s your gift, and ours too!

Article Contributed by Dr. Joey Faucette

Last week, I spoke to a group of State Farm agents and team members in the Houston area about how to Work Positive in a Negative World. During the workshops, I interviewed selected agents as positive examples of the five core practices.

One of those agents, Corey LeJeune, serves The Woodlands, and has a son who turns one year old in a couple of weeks. His son’s birth prompted Corey to look ahead to birthday parties. He imagined great celebrations for his son, but then began thinking about less fortunate children whose parents couldn’t afford to give them a party.

Corey decided to redefine that reality and achieve these children’s dreams of a birthday party. Corey decided to serve his community, understanding that such service is key to a Work Positive lifestyle.

He expressed the “Receive” core practice by developing a non-profit, “It’s My Party!”, to collect surplus birthday party supplies and share them with less fortunate families.

Here are 3 Reasons for you to join Corey in Serving Others as You Work Positive:

It’s Simple.

Everyone has a birthday. Everyone loves parties. Most of us throwing birthday parties for our children have a surplus of supplies. No explanation required.

So often when we business owners strive to serve our community, we get overwhelmed with the largeness of problems or complexity of issues. Corey’s idea is simple. It makes sense. It’s something that he and his team do that makes a difference as they’re doing business daily.

What is one simple activity you can implement that will serve others?

It’s Easy.

What do most of us do with those extra plates, cups, and napkins that are left over? Put them in the attic with other leftovers? Throw them away because they won’t match next year’s?

How easy is this? Put them in a bag and drop them off at Cor%y’s office.

You’re helping less fortunate children. You’re uncluttering your attic and saving landfill space. And you have the deep-down satisfaction of doing something good.

It’s just as easy for Corey. He invites his clients and their friends to help with a worthy cause. He encourages his civic club, church, and other groups to assist. He stores the supplies in a closet.

He and his team talk with local schools and non-profits to identify children without parties. They deliver the supplies around the child’s birthday. With permission, they share photos via social media, inviting still more people to ride the party supply train.

As a business owner, you want to help, but efforts get complicated quickly. Keep it easy for you and others.

What is one easy thing you can do to help persons in your community?

It’s Humble.

When I asked Corey, “What’s your goal??e80? he said, “Just to make one child smile.”

His focus is a humble one. It’s not about him helping huge numbers of kids although I suspect he will. He just wants to give because he Receives.

Corey is a perfect example of “You reap what you sow.” His motivation is pure. Yet his business will benefit.

Word of mouth referral marketing is the most effective method known. Corey’s “It’s My Party!” service creates a buzz destined to go viral as his clients invite their friends to help. The message is, “If Corey does this kind of great work, I know he??%y9ll take care of my family and me.”

As a business owner, remember that outstanding service creates word of mouth that accelerates your business growth…often without you opening your mouth.

What is one humble action you can do today that will grow your business?

There are legions of Corey LeJeunes all around the world who live a Work Positive lifestyle. Let’s tell their stories in this negative world and create a rising tide of positivity that lifts all our ships!

About the Author

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), coach, and speaker who help professionals discover success in the silver lining of their business and achieve their dreams. Discover more atwww.ListentoLife.org/speaking.

“When experiencing new and exciting changes in life how can you expect to know how it will all go? There are times when you’re required to step blindly off the ledge only to find that with faith you are transported on the wings of love to a new and beautiful vista to explore! Today is such a day.. let fear be what it is, and let faith help you soar regardless of the fear.” – Colette Baron-Reid

What you may not realize is that from the moment you were conceived through age 6, you have been bombarded by thousands of emotional charges that have impacted on who you have become. In addition to what you have inherited from your ancestors and your family, your world has been shaped by cultural conditioning and your personal life experiences.

Fear has been a dominant energy on this planet for thousands of years. 2012 is heralding a shift of consciousness and a new era of love, peace, and prosperity. The grip of fear will begin to wane as you “come home” and wake up to who you really are with the Divine presence within you to be your guiding Light.

You may view fear as an enemy, something to be gotten rid of rather than seeing fear’s value as a friend and pathway to your homecoming.  Fear can keep you stuck and frozen or be a motivator and catalyst for change. Healthy fear can be a positive benefit to your life. Irrational fear can keep you separate from the life you were born to live and separate from God.

When your fears become strong, you might get very small because a younger part of you, an inner child is feeling frightened and needing some comfort.

As long as you judge anything about yourself to be bad or wrong, the peace and self love you seek (that we all seek) will not happen.  To feel whole means creating a welcoming place within you to love and embrace all of you – your thoughts, your beliefs, your feelings and your actions.  The first step is a willingness to love and accept yourself as you are with COURAGE and an open heart.

You are not broken, you do not need to be fixed, there is nothing wrong with you.

Changing your relationship with fear is a step forward to reunite you with your Sacred Self and the Divine while calming the fearfull “little you” inside.

Here are 5 myths many folks have about fear:

1) Using affirmations will change your fear beliefs if you say and write them for 21 days. Some people swear by affirmations and they do have some benefit. BUT, your subconscious is in charge of what you think, feel and do as a human being. Affirmations only work with the conscious mind that operates a teeny tiny part of your mind and don’t go deep enough to create long-last shifts in beliefs.

2) Positive mindset will change fears. Relying on your “attitude” to shift fears and worry will work in short bursts. Fears return because no permanent inner shift has occurred. Real transformation goes beyond mindset.

3) If you face fear head on, the fear will become overwhelming.Attempting to repress fear only gives it more power to impact your life especially through self-sabotage. Shining a light on the illusions and fear your mind has created invites them to crumble, freeing you from its grip forever. Transformation can occur in seconds.

4) Fear is an enemy and something to be gotten rid of. Whatever you judge within yourself as bad or wrong creates more separation and pain from who you really are and the connection with Source. Fear can be tamed and turned into any ally.

Read my article, “9 Valuable Gifts from Fear”

5) Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is about following your heart in spite of what your mind and feelings are telling you; being willing to take those leaps of faith to follow your Divine urges. Faith is feeling trust before the evidence shows up and having the courage to do whatever it takes “in fear”.

Take an honest look at what is driving your thoughts, feelings, and actions to create your current reality.

Is it love? Is it faith? Is it courage?  Is it Grace?

Or is fear, pain, struggle and scarcity?

Is your scaredy cat still controlling your life and keeping you from feeling fully alive and prosperous???

Are you believing everything you THINK?

This is a time for new beginnings and shedding old paradigms that suck the life out of your heart.

This is YOUR year!

Ready to create your new courage story and rewrite your future?

Did you see Paul McCartney performing for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee?

The world still loves the music of The Beatles fifty years later.

They’ve sold 600 million albums internationally with 20 songs going #1 on the U.S. Billboard charts.

So how did The Beatles achieve such amazing results?

More importantly, how can you learn from them and discover your business’ success in the silver lining of today’s economy?

Here is how The Beatles grew their brand and business through the lens of the five Work Positive core practices:

Perceive

The Fab Four grew up in Liverpool, England during the dark days of World War II bombing. Their hometown was basically destroyed.

Yet listen to their music. It’s uptempo, joyous, even happy. They were charming and positive.

The Beatles focused themselves mentally on the positive and filtered out the negative.

Waiting for the world to turn positive to grow your business is an elusive tomorrow. Redefine your reality today. Find something positive about your business and focus on it.

Conceive

On January 1, 1962, The Beatles auditioned for Dick Rowe, a Decca Records executive. His response was classic Eeyore Vampire: “Guitar music is on the way out.”

The Beatles avoided listening to this one response and invested their social energy into creating arguably one of the best song-writing duos ever—John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They partnered with producer George Martin, manager Brian Epstein, and publicist Derek Taylor, thus forming a Work Positive Dream Team.

Who is on your Work Positive Dream Team? Refrain from partnering with Eeyore Vampires. Instead put your heart and soul into relationships with your employer/employees, customers/clients, and vendors/suppliers that grow your business.

Believe

In addition to the infectious melodies Lennon-McCartney wrote, their lyrics were authentic. They spoke to our world then and still do 50 years later with a sincerity that captures us.

Once many musicians discover such a powerful combination of music and lyrics, their music becomes formulaic. The Beatles avoided such creative stifling. Their continuous innovation generated an imaginative musical journey from Love, Love Me Do to Let It Be” They constantly learned and improved their musical character.

How does your business innovate and respond to an ever-changing culture?

Build authenticity into your products and services. Keep them real to your business relationships. Then imagine improving them.

Achieve

The Beatles invested their attention in focusing their mental energy on positive thoughts and their social energy on positive people. They stated their intentions from their positive emotional engagement with their music.

Then they acted on their attention and intention physically. They performed in small clubs for years until their big opportunity appeared. They continued to act positively, playing The Ed Sullivan Show and the Hollywood Bowl. They persevered through all of the cultural changes.

For your business to succeed, you must keep going like The Beatles. Expect adversity. Anticipate a negative world. Persist in acting on your attention and intention.

Receive

Today a musician puts up a YouTube video in hopes of becoming a celebrity. When such celebrity status pursued them, The Beatles became rather reclusive, focusing instead on creating great music.

They gifted us with Hey Jude as we struggled to understand what the assassinations of John F. Kennedy and M.L. King, Jr. and the Vietnam War meant. They refocused us from crumbling trust in the U.S. Presidency with Yellow Submarine. The Beatles served as our positive thermostats in a negative world.

How does your business gift friends who keep your lights on? Create an exceptional business as you say “Thank You” and positively serve others in your region.

The Beatles’ Work Positive influence plays clearly in this its 50th year.

Help your business grow by following their example.

About the Author:

Dr. Joey Faucette is the #1 Amazon best-selling author of Work Positive in a Negative World (Entrepreneur Press), coach, and speaker who help professionals discover success in the silver lining of their business and achieve their dreams. Discover more at www.ListentoLife.org/speaking.

Do you have problems in your life right now?

If you are a living, breathing, human being, I would bet the answer is ‘yes’. This is because every single person on this planet has problems all the time. You are not alone!

However, do you allow your problems to stop you from achieving your goals or do you allow your problems to challenge you into becoming a stronger & wiser person? Do you allow your problems to cause you stress and unhappiness or do you allow your problems to ignite your fighting spirit?

If Only I Had No Problems

Many people who come to my courses tell me that ‘problems’ are the main cause of their unhappiness, stress and failure. They wish that by learning my strategies, they can rid their life of all their problems once and for all.

You Will Always Have Problems

I normally respond by telling them the harsh truth. They will always be problems in your life. Whenever you solve your problems, you can bet that another three more will pop up! The only time you will have no more problems is when you are lying in the graveyard… 6 feet under.

In fact, being more successful doesn’t rid you of your problems… it actually creates more! The more successful you become, the more and the bigger problems you will have to deal with. Successful people have a lot more problems that mediocre people. That is because the former tend to take more action.

For example, when my company was small and I was just a one-man trainer in Singapore, I had very few problems. Now that my company (Adam Khoo Learning Technologies Group) has over a hundred staff and is operating in 7 countries, training over 90,000+ people a year, I have much bigger problems to solve.

Everyday, my management team and I are solving problems- problems in Singapore, problems in India, problems in China, problems in developing new breakthrough programs, problems in managing 100+ staff, problems with managing more programs, more business partners, and more trainers etc…

We Need Problems…They Make Us Grow Smarter and Stronger

Many of us may not like problems. We all wish that everything can go the way we expect, smoothly.
However, the truth is that we NEED problems. Problems are what challenge our minds and spirit. Problems force us to think of new ideas. Problems force us to grow as a person- to develop courage, resolve, determination and gratitude. Problems teach us the most valuable lessons and make us into better people.

If everything came easily, we tend to get complacent, weak and ungrateful. We will keep doing the same things, staying in our comfort zone and stop learning and growing.

Successful People Are Bigger Than Their Problems, Mediocre People Are Smaller Than Their Problems

What I have realizes is that successful people tend to be BIGGER than their problems whereas mediocre people tend to be SMALLER than their problems.

Imagine that you have a level-5 problem and you are a person with level-3 capabilities. To you, it would be a relatively big problem, wouldn’t it? It would cause you stress and unhappiness. However, if you grew yourself to become a level-8 person (with more knowledge and skills), the same problem will seem relatively small. If you grew yourself to become a level-12 person, it may not seem like a problem anymore.

So, the key to becoming more and more successful is NOT to AVOID PROBLEMS. The key to success is to KEEP GROWING YOURSELF to become BIGGER than your problems, and to become bigger than any problem! For example, when I first started as an inexperienced trainer, I would find rowdy and resistant people in my audience to be a huge problem. As a result of constantly learning new ways of managing my thoughts, learning new persuasion techniques and becoming more and more confident and charismatic, it is no longer a problem to me. I am able to easily handle and turn around resistant people in my audience!

When I first started my business, I found that it was a huge problem to market my products and programmes to the public. Although I had high quality programmes, it was very difficult to attract people to sign up. After 10 years of dealing with these problems, I have developed the marketing, branding and selling skills such that it is now so easy to attract thousands of people to attend my best-selling programmes.

It Is Not The Size Of Your Problems… It Is The Size Of Your Capabilities!

So, if you find that you have huge problems in your life, realize that it is not the size of the problem that is the problem…The real issue is the level of your own capabilities and mindset. It is the size of you! When you start to increase your skills, knowledge and capabilities, your problems will start to become small in comparison.

Whenever I find that a problem that causes me stress, it tells me that I need to grow myself so that I can deal with it. In other words, ‘Don’t wish for things to get better, make yourself better!’

If You Want to Be Rich… Find And Solve Bigger Problems For More People

Problems are also the source of wealth.

People often ask me the secret of creating wealth, My answer usually is, ‘find lots of problems and solve them’. They usually look at me with a blank stare. Let me explain.

When do customers pay us? Why do companies pay us (if we are working as a employee?) They pay us only because we can help them to solve their problems to reach their goals. The bigger the problems we can solve for people, the more we get paid! Your income is a result of the amount of problems you can solve.

Think of why a heart surgeon gets paid so much more money than a massage therapist, for example. A message therapist solves a small problem- helping people to relieve their aches and pains. A heart surgeon solves a much bigger problem- he/she helps save people’s life by repairing their hearts.

Why does a company CEO get paid 1,000 times more than a janitor? Once again, it is because the CEO has the ability to solve problems 1,000 times larger than what the janitor can solve. If the company is losing customers and market share, a good CEO will be able to turn the company around and solve this big problem. Can a janitor solve such a big problem? No! The janitor can only solve small problems- when someone spills something on the floor and it needs to be cleaned.

So, instead of asking, ‘how can I get rich?’, you should ask, ‘how can I help more people solve their problems? By focusing on helping more people solve their problems, wealth will come to you as a natural by-product!

When I first started in my career, I created wealth by helping students solve their problems of failing in school. I taught them strategies to make learning easy and fun and to get self-motivated to excel.

Then, I asked the question, ‘How can I help even MORE PEOPLE?’ That question inspired me to write 12 books to teach more and more people all over the world. That question inspired me to create BLOGs (like this one) to encourage more and more people around the world. That question inspired me to create a whole range of programmes- Wealth Academy, Patterns Of Excellence, I Am Gifted etc… to help people solve their problems from all walks of life and ages.

The more and more people I was able to help, the more wealthy I have become- not just financially wealthy, but spiritually wealthy as well.

So, stop avoid problems, Embrace your problems, find more problems and solve them!