Success

A Summer of Quantum Leaps in Clarity and Purpose

February 21, 2013 by sycreed

This summer, I have experienced probably more change, inspiration and clarity in such a short period of time than I can ever remember. Those of you who read my post about the “Mission to Kilimanjaro” have read a small part of it.

It is hard to describe the depth of feeling and emotion that has permeated my heart over these months. One thing that was re-awakened and re-affirmed was that great things happen when people make great commitments. Sometimes, getting out of your own way allows the biggest quantum leaps in your life and the lives of others.

In Tanzania, I was put face-to-face with the hardship and plight of 500+ kids in a school for the blind, albino and orphans. More than that, I was driven by the realization of how much of the world does without… and yet, how bright the spirits of those are who are given a glimpse of hope on a distant horizon. I also saw how the magic of love, fun and education blocks out all the rest of the squalor, pain and struggle that surrounds a person in that moment.

The willingness to look, get dirty and go into the bowels of environments that breed prejudice, ignorance, disease, addiction, poverty and even death is the work of huge spirits. It takes the drive of entrepreneurs, leaders and teachers to create islands of magic in those worlds.

Faced with pivotal decisions in my own life and career, I was forced to look beyond myself again over the last several months. The Mission: “To improve the quality of life for everyone through transformation…” took on new meaning and greater depth. The work that we did in Moshi woke up a part of me that had gone silent for a time. As my dear friend Po Chung (founder of DHL International) said, “It is a societal responsibility for those who know… to teach others.”

Just yesterday, I witnessed the “coin out” or graduation of one of my students from an incredible rehabilitation center created by dear friends and partners of mine, Josh and Lisa Lannon. What was incredible was hearing this person’s story of facing addiction, overcoming fear, surrendering to love and support, and witnessing a complete transformation (or re-awakening) of this person’s life. Once again, I was happily flooded with emotion.

I had to think… What about me? What are my addictions, distractions and resistances that keep me from being all that I can be? What am I possibly running from? How big of a game could I really play if I were to face whatever fears I have and truly be who I am supposed to be? What about you?

Have you ever felt like there was some cosmic fire hose out there relentlessly blasting you in the face with message after message – as if trying to get you see something? My values and priorities… Code of Honor, Mission first, never abandon a team mate in need, love stronger than a mountain, eliminating distractions that keep me from my calling… and at the same time witnessing the magic and exquisite brightness of spirit of those who peek through the veil of their normal existence…

The sweet and happy singing of a teenage boy with XP (exoderma pigmentosum) knowing that he will probably not live to see 20… The magic glow of a father and husband coming alive after years of addiction… the crowding of kids in blue sweaters to the chalkboard so eager to learn the day’s lessons… watching life after life take a turn toward greatness… and the hug of my 17 year old thanking me for being there to back him up. Wow!!

It starts with an entrepreneur somewhere with a dream to serve others. To create a space that is somehow a little bit better than it was before. I am in the deepest state of gratefulness to be blessed with great friends, teachers and partners who continue to illuminate that path.

I show you the video at the end of this blog to inspire you to whatever your next level of greatness is. To inspire you to remove the distractions that are keeping you from being whom you are supposed to be. As a result of K2, I have committed to founding my own foundation to improve the quality of life for children and families in need worldwide through education, healthcare and entrepreneurship.

Buckminster Fuller once said that the purpose for human beings was to be local problem solvers. It is what we are naturally good at. He also said that you may never know your true purpose in life; but to be assured that you would fulfill that purpose if you commit yourself to the highest advantage of others. In other words, our job is to seek problems and solve them so that everyone can live a more successful and fulfilling life.

I know this may sound like a religious sermon, but, now more than ever it is up to courageous entrepreneurs to create tools, experiences, processes, businesses and movements that give people a chance to experience their greatness… whether on the Masai plains of Africa, the back streets of Chennai, in trade magazines of Colombia, or in your own home town.

Inside of you is someone great. It takes courage to face it. It takes commitment to do something with it. But like Mack Newton says, “Courage is simply staying in fear for just one more minute.”

Don’t Let Your Little Voice Sabotage Your Success

February 21, 2013 by sycreed

I had the opportunity to work with a group of salon owners and stylists in Halifax, Novia Scotia not long ago. During this workshop, we discussed overcoming the little voice that sabotages your ability to be as big as you WANT to be and as big as you CAN be.

Everyone has a little voice that will take you down if you dont learn to identify, and then overcome it, to achieve great things. Listening to me teach what needs to be done is one thing, but for any of you that have been through a training program with me, you know I like to give you an experience that drives the message home.

In this case, the experience was a 1-hour selling exercise for teams. The goal was simple, each team was to reach out to as many clients and prospects as they could and book as many appointments, as possible. There was no direction on how to reach those people, how to entice them, what you had to offer them, or for how much. Just go fill your appointment books as much as possible, and dont let your little voice sabotage your success!

We had over 30 teams participate and a wide range of responses. But, to illustrate my point about not letting your little voice sabotage your success, I want to discuss 2 specific teams:

The challenges both teams faced:

1. The appointment software was unavailable, so checking the calendar to schedule and confirm available appointment times was not possible.

2. The list of clients and prospects were back at the salon, so there was no way to access that information (there was no one at the salon to look and share the information with those at the workshop).

The difference in how the teams addressed these challenges was staggering:

In this situation, what would YOU do?

Team 1 did not make a single call or appointment. They determined they were cut off from their resources and therefore were not able to participate (they took themselves out of the game).

Team 2 booked the second highest number of appointments per teammate (8.5 appointments for each individual per hour). As a team, they filled their books with approximately $3500 in appointments IN ONE HOUR!

If your little voice tells you that there is “no way” you can do it, and you (and your team) accept that thought, then of course, youre right. And, if you tell your mind that you will overcome the obstacles that block your path, more times than not, you will.

Which team would you have been part of?

Please share your comments and questions on my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/blairsinger1

Be Who You Want to Be

February 21, 2013 by sycreed

I recently had the opportunity to listen to a Marine Corp General present at an event. It was amazing! I asked the general how they turn adolescences into strong men and women. He said 4 things that struck me deeply. Particularly since I am the father of 16 year old and 9 year old boys. He described the 13 week bootcamp that they all have to go through to ‘qualify’ to become a Marine. The Marine Corp process is one that every one of us can use to be who we want to be.

He said:

1. “We want their hearts… “ When he said it, it felt like he had reached right into mine!! He said that all their other habits, tendencies, histories, experiences, intelligences etc. were not as important as capturing their hearts… I felt this to be their spirits. They want to engage it, ignite it and bring out the best of each kid.

How engaged are you? Do you even know what it’s like to commit your complete heart and soul to something?

1. “We give them a goal to achieve that these kids hold as one of the greatest accomplishments to achieve in their lives.” In other words, they are not Marines until they complete their bootcamp training. Upon graduation…then they are Marines. It gives these young folks something bigger to strive for and to take pride in than many have ever fathomed before.

How big is what you are striving for?

1. “We give them a fundamental reset of their realities.” He said that they learn the difference between a ‘request’ and an ‘order. Their world of entitlement is stripped away and they learn the reality of ‘earning’ respect, responsibility and team play.

How willing are you to strip yourself of things that are comfortable and habitual to you in order to make the changes in your life that you know you need?

1. “We let them know that we care about them.” What was most interesting to me was this point. I pictured a tough, strict, grinding process, but what I did not envision was the deep level of caring for the lives of each of these new recruits. Clearly the Corp has a vested interest in making sure each person lives, but also that through all of the toughness there is an underlying knowledge on behalf of the recruits that someone cares about them as well. In other words, you can drive points 1-3 to the max as long as they know you love them.

Two points here: If you have a team, do they REALLY know if care about them? And secondly what shape is your self-concept and self-esteem in? Do you even like yourself?

I went away from the general’s talk realizing that the Marine Corp and other armed forces are really a special training ground for teenagers. They have perfected the art and science of human transformation and finding the best in nearly anybody and getting them to believe in themselves. The general even commented that the kids today, unlike the past where you either had to join or had no other option because of your background, are attracted to the Marines because they want to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Wanting to be part of a mission or cause… How big is your game?

Creating Profitable Workplaces through Team Motivation

February 21, 2013 by sycreed

Many years ago, myself and my colleagues went into the business world teaching something that at the time seemed “woo-woo”, “out there”, “nice but not real”, touchy-feely, new age-ish…..you name it. We taught entrepreneurs, business owners and managers that if you created a workplace with a sense of “purpose” or a reason to contribute to something noble, bigger than yourself….it would create dynamic and profitable workplaces. We also said that if your team had the ability to direct themselves, have control over their space, to treat the workplace in an organic way rather than in a machine-like way…. that would work too. It had worked in our businesses and we knew it would work in others.

Well today, according to the great work of Daniel Pink, the actual “science of human behavior” says we were right! (I love being right!) What really motivates people is not what the business or economic community really believed. (They mostly did not believe us then….but now they are seeing the light!) Financial incentives and consequences in any type of task that requires real “thinking” don’t work to increase results. As a matter of fact it is the opposite! Check out Daniel’s video to see what the real incentives are.

Years ago we set on a mission to improve the quality of life through transformation of the marketplace. It started in 1982. Today, thirty years later, the evidence and “science’ have finally caught up. How is that for lag time? To be a great leader, you have to be a great teacher. Understanding what Daniel Pink is saying in the video below will not only transform your team, your business and your results, but will transform YOU!!!! Be a teacher because “Teachers are Leaders.”

Please share your comments and questions on my Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/BlairSinger1

Welcome To The Wonderful World Of Living Life With A Purpose

February 21, 2013 by sycreed

The mere fact that I’m sitting here writing this for you is a testament to the unbelievable life-changing power of goal-setting. I spent most of my years as a young adult viewing myself as defective. I felt that something was fundamentally wrong with me as a person. Maybe I was the reason my father-deserted my mother and I… maybe I was the reason she died. Maybe… I was just defective.

No… I wasn’t, but I believed I was and that belief set the course for my life. I needed big medicine to change me and ultimately… my life. And… I-found it… in goal setting. Naturally, I set goals that were meant to make me more confident, courageous and compassionate. Goals that would-allow me to honor and respect myself… for that is one of the keys to life and without it you would not be charitable or have the ability to look at the
world and see beyond yourself.

So many are using goal-setting to achieve tangible goals and that’s great, but the early purpose for me using goal-setting was simply to get a life.

So, early on, I set numerous intangible goals… I needed to learn how to value and trust myself… to make good, good decisions that would enhance-my self-esteem. In addition, I wanted to prove to myself that I was okay… that I wasn’t defective… that I was good… in fact, that I could be great.

All of that… and more… is within the power of goal setting. When you achieve the major skill of goal-setting, you truly have the ability to rebound-from any of life’s challenges and the confidence needed to pursue your true possibilities.

You’ve heard me say it before and you’ll hear me say it again… success is goal-setting… and all the rest is just conversation. Following an effective-goal setting process will allow you to feel the power of that statement. And… like me, you’ll soon come to the conclusion that becoming an-obsessive goal-setter gives you the ability to control the direction of change in your life.

When you set goals, you’re saying “Thank you!” for all the good things that are working in your life… it’s positive self-esteem in action. When you-discover what you truly value in life and then learn how to match your goals with your values, you will, in effect, truly have your hands on the steering-wheel of your life.

As a life-long martial artist, I’ve been influenced by many principled, honorable and committed individuals. Even in this impressive group, Blair Singer-stands out. His energy is contagious… his vision is limitless and I am honored to be involved with someone as committed to goal setting as I am.

We-invite you to learn what you truly want and become convinced that you too can live the life that you’ve imagined using the powerful process of-goal setting.

Join us in taking a huge step out of the shadowy world of just hoping things get better and into the wonderful world of living life with a purpose-when you start to set goals for yourself. Access our Champion Level Goal Setting Program here.

Pil Sung!
mack_newton_signature
Mack Newton, 8th Degree Black Belt GTF
Director and Master Instructor, Newton Fitness and Taekwon-Do, Phoenix, Arizona

Could Goal Setting be a Spiritual Practice?

February 21, 2013 by sycreed

could-goal-setting-be-spiritual-practice — You have the power to change your life

Does Goal Setting as a spiritual practice sound too woo woo to you? It did to me when I wrote it. But, I decided not to change it because, I want to make a point, woo woo, or not. If you believe that you came into this world to discover and share your unique gifts that will help others, as I do, then you cannot help but realize that goal setting is part of that process. To find what you are supposed to be doing, it takes a process of aligning your values and talents with meaningful goals that bring wealth and happiness to you, and others around you.

Some people are blessed by identifying their unique gifts early in life. Some start honing their talent at a very young age, such as: Tiger Woods in golf; Justin Bieber with music; and Michael Phelps as a swimmer. Why? Because they set goals for themselves that took them deeper into their talents. But, not everyone is this driven that early in life or, if they are, they get disillusioned too soon. Perhaps their environment does not support their desires, or their self concept has been damaged too severely to even approach their true potential.

Sometimes as we grow up, we become programmed with what we believe we should accomplish based on all the values and stories that were shared with us over the years by those we loved, respected or feared, whom we let subconsciously define who we believe we should be. We fall into doing what our subconscious minds feed us to do and react to our lives, instead of making decisions based on our talents and what we feel passionate about… what we really are supposed to do. As Mack Newton says with the right process, Becoming a compulsive goal setter gives you the ability to control the direction of your life its like having your hands on the steering wheel of your life. Goal Setting is part of the practice of self-discovery.

In the program that Mack Newton and I put together, Champion Level Goal Setting, we help you evaluate your goals based on the true impact they will have on your life, overall. For instance, its nice to say you want to get the living room painted in 3 weeks or buy a Porsche in the next 6 months. But, if you are also saying: Get off cholesterol and blood pressure medication, connect with 10 new people that can help you get funding for your non-profit organization, spend at least 30 minutes a day with your kids before they go to sleep, and win the lottery you can see you have a lot of goals, possibly too many, possibly conflicting, possibly out of obligation rather than choice and others that are simply wishes not goals.

The solution to discovering who you are supposed to be and getting the wealth you deserve is a matter of prioritizing. To achieve a dream takes energy and passion. And the reason you sometimes dont get what you want is because without your spirit engaged, you dont have the energy to pull it across the line.

And, for me, when I go through this goal setting exercise (usually every 6 weeks or so), I let the process naturally filter the goals down to the ones that will have the greatest positive impact on my life right now. And you know what? Many times they are not the ones I originally suspected. But they are the ones that my heart and soul really want. When that happens, all the other goals get magically pulled along in the vortex of the gravitational pull of those few key goals. Its as if your spirit is saying thank you and that universal ocean of wealth and abundance and joy automatically open up. Again, as Mack says, When you achieve the skill of goal setting, you truly have the ability to rebound from any of lifes challenges and the confidence needed to pursue your true possibilities.

So, I say real goal setting is a spiritual practice when done in a way that helps you focus on becoming the person you want to be who achieves the things you are most passionate about vs. mindless acquisition or knocking things off a to-do list that have minimal overall effects on your life.

Learn more about the Champion Level Goal Setting program that Mack and I created to help you set and realize the right goals for you, and create the plan that will have you experiencing successes in weeks, not months!

If you have more questions about goal setting, please post them on my Facebook page or e-mail them to info@blairsinger.com. And, thanks for participating in the discussion!

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