"Recognize that the Law of Attraction will work, but only if you are ready to receive it on the terms of the universe – not your terms. This means that you must be willing to let go of your thoughts on exactly how or when things should happen. Do the steps above, everyday. The Law will work, just like gravity, but only if you do your part correctly."
As I reread it I realized I left off an important point that might not be clear because of the way I closed this article.
Hence the need for this postscript.
In the last line I said, "The Law will work, just like gravity, but only if you do your part correctly." That is only partly correct. I should have said, "The Law will only work for you in positive ways if you do your part correctly."
Law of Attraction works and always works, just like any physical law. The action that I suggest in the article will help you use the Law to your greatest benefit.
This clarification is critical - you are already attracting into your life whatever you have. If you want something more or different, you must do your part. The good news is that your part is quite easy, once you understand it.
A long time reader of Unleash Your Potential asked me the following question in an email a few days ago:
"My 2007 goal includes a continual fight against procrastination. If you have any helpful resources to send my way to encourage me in that area, please let me know about them."
All of us deal with procrastination at one time or another and to varying degrees. The 20 motivation hacks listed at the Zen Habits blog are a great place for any (all?) of us to start There is a link to a more complete discussion of each of the 20 tips.
Get started by clicking the link, reading the post, and then do tip #15 - Just get started!
Yesterday I posted my first YouTube video with some comments about presentation skills. I encourage you to read it here.
This connection to Michael Jordan and Mars Blackman/Spike Lee popped into my head and as I continued to think yesterday about effective presentations. Most people who are going to give a presentation focus on certain aspects of it, figuring that these things are the mostimportant to their success. (Much like Mars in the video thought Michael was great because of the shoes)
Here is what I have come to so far.
It isn't the slides, it's the stories. It isn't the PowerPoint, it's the passion. It isn't the data, it's the dialogue. It isn't the Bullet points, it's the belief you instill It isn't the Action Steps, it's taking action.
Common wisdom might put the emphasis on the first items. Great communicators put their focus on the second.
So, where is your focus for your next presentation?
If you are reading this you probably don't wonder every day about what made Michael Jordan such a great basketball player (like Mars Blackman, aka Spike Lee did in this classic commercial).
But you probably do think about how to be a great presenter. Mars thought the key for Michael was the shoes . . . many think the key for them is the slides (aka PowerPoint).
It isn't the slides any more than it is the shoes.
I'll give you some more later, but watch the video again, and smile, replacing every "is it the shoes?" with "is it the slides?"
Today is Valentine's Day (Happy Valentine's Day to you).
Here are a couple of questions for you as you celebrate ...
- How much passion are you bringing to your work each day? - If it isn't as much as you wish, ask yourself "why not?"
It is also the 45th day of the year - just more than 12% of the year is complete.
And as you celebrate Day 45 ask yourself . . .
- Am I happy with my progress towards my goals after the first 45 days of the year? - Am I 12% of the way to them? - Either way, what can I do this week to move forward more quickly?
Last March I posted reflections on an early spring snow storm, but today we are getting a snow storm in February - more in line with when we might expect a snow storm.
My kids are happy because they are off from school. (They've determined that "no school" are two of the best words in the English language - just like I did at their age.) I'm home rather than doing a keynote this morning in Indianapolis and a lunch time session in Richmond, Indiana. Both have been postponed. With this little extra time I've been looking out the window and thinking about snow days.
Growing up in Michigan, we had quite of few snow days most winters. Especially when I was younger, (before snowmobiles and cross country skiing) my sister and I had several snow day rituals, including playing as many of our board games as we could in one day, and sometimes putting together a jigsaw puzzle.
While I don't know if I will play a game today, I'm pretty sure I won't work on a jigsaw puzzle. But I am going to enjoy this snow day. I'm going to make a little more time to read, take time to work on a creative project, and definitely take time to watch it snow.
You may be reading this in some climate where you get no snow, or at a time of year when snow is the furthest thing from your mind. Even so, I urge you to make today a snow day.
Make time for something that will revive your spirit. Make time to be playful and laugh. Do something that helps you break from your normal routine and see your best self.
It doesn't take snow to do it, but the snow today helped remind me of it.
This week the U.S. Mint introduces the Presidential one dollar coin. These coins will be the 14th dollar coin series produced by the Mint going back to 1794. The Susan B. Anthony replaced the Eisenhower dollar in 1979. That coin was replaced by the Sacagawea dollar in 2000.
These new coins will be popular in one way - since the introduction of the widely popular State quarters, interest in coin collecting has grown - many of those quarters are out of circulation and in collections in homes everywhere. I predict the same will happen with these new dollar coins. People will collect some - perhaps more than with past dollar coins. But as a replacement for the dollar bill, they will fail miserably.
I don't make this prediction based on knowledge of coin collecting or usage, but based on knowledge of human nature. As long as the existing $1 bill remains, a coin won't become the favored option.
From the Associated Press - "An AP-Ipsos poll found that three-fourths of people surveyed oppose replacing the U.S. dollar bill, featuring George Washington, with a dollar coin. People are split evenly on the idea of having both a dollar bill and a dollar coin.
A new version of the coin, paying tribute to U.S. presidents, goes into general circulation Thursday. Even though doing away with the bill could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in printing costs, there is no plan to scrap the bill in favour of the more durable coin."
I travel to Canada a great deal and so I am very used to $1 Canadian coin (they have a $2 coin as well). While it takes some getting used to, in the end the coins work great and make a ton of sense. On a logical level the coin makes sense - they are durable and would save the country "could save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in printing costs." But that money won't be saved as long as the dollar bill exists. Individuals would save money too with the new coin because according to that same AP poll, 42% of people put their loose change in a jar or piggy bank each day.
People don't make decisions logically; they make them emotionally, and since we as Americans are emotionally connected to our "greenbacks", we won't automatically start carry the coins.
There is no compelling reason to change (the savings isn't compelling to an individual and the existing alternative remains), and so this change won't occur.
Think about the change you need to implement in your organization or your life and think about the lesson of the dollar coin - make sure that your change provides a truly compelling opportunity - that people see something in it for them. Otherwise, if the existing options remain, don't expect your change to take place quickly.
I've been home most all of this week and have had the chance to enjoy the local media coverage of "our" Super Bowl Champion Indianapolis Colts. From a leadership perspective it has been interesting to watch and listen to the coverage of a coach who does things in a different way than many other football coaches.
While much of what has been written about the calm demeanor and overall approach of Tony Dungy is interesting and valuable to consider, perhaps the most telling thing I heard was from Peyton Manning, the MVP Quarterback who thanked his coach at the victory rally on Monday night, calling him "our best friend."
Many talk about the need for a split between personal relationships and supervision or leadership. This talk typically revolves around people becoming close friends and then having a hard time being objective about performance or meeting job expectations.
Perhaps there are risks in that closeness, but the rewards of emotional closeness in terms of communication effectiveness, trust building and productivity improvement seem to far outweigh those risks. (And besides, I doubt that Tony Dungy has any problem giving feedback on performance!)
Peyton and his teammates may not invite coach Dungy over for dinner like you might with other best friends, but to be considered a friend as a leader seems like a championship quality to me.
While the post is about website design, it is really about learning from negative feedback.
I encourage you to read it here, because in the end, the article really isn't about web design at all - but something much more important, namely the role of negative feedback in the learning process.
When I read this quote, I shook my head an said "YES!" Even though no one was around. Buckminster Fuller was a smart guy and this quotation only confirms that fact:
"You never change the existing reality by fighting it. Instead, create a new model that makes the old one obsolete."
-- R. Buckminster Fuller
While resistance isn't a negative thing, only energy to be understood and channelled, this thought takes resistance out of the picture. When we create a new model that is compelling and provides an extremely desirable picture of the future, we bypass resistance build energy quickly.
Don't try to create change - create something so compelling and so new that the old is obsolete.
I started a new habit last week, and the dividends it is paying already are amazing. I decided to make a note in my journal each day of one principle I learned or was reminded of.
The idea was to crystallize the lesson into a principle to make it as clear and memorable as possible. I expect some of these principles to be thins I will share and others that will just remain in my mind and my journal. Either way these principles will have an impact on my life and effectiveness.
I challenge you to do the same thing, starting today. Reflect at the end of your day to determine the principle that you learned, relearned or were reminded of.
I met with a new friend today. He is the Vice President for Business Development at a bank. He told me he made a decision about six months ago. His decision?
"I decided to stop selling banking solutions."
He isn't a slacker - he hasn't stopped working or drawing a paycheck. But rather than trying to sell a banking solution he has been trying to connect and help people - to build relationships.
His results?
Production was double of the first six months of the year and he topped his annual target by 25%.
Reminds me of my new question - How can I help you reach your goals in 2007? (see post here.)
Here's a question for you - what could you stop doing today that would help others more and therefore give you greater results with more fun?
Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential is Kevin Eikenberry’s guide to helping you have amazing success while developing your professional and personal potential.
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Welcome! This was the home of my blog from March 2004 – November 2009. For my more recent writing to help you become more effective and successful, join me at our new blog – Leadership & Learning with Kevin Eikenberry
Unleashing Your Remarkable Potential is Kevin Eikenberry’s guide to helping you have amazing success while developing your professional and personal potential.
Welcome! This was the home of my blog from March 2004 – November 2009. For my more recent writing to help you become more effective and successful, join me at our new blog – 
