Self-Motivation - It’s like brushing your teeth

Do you have the ability to do what needs to be done, without influence from other people or situations?

How many people, do you think, are self-motivated enough to find a reason and strength to complete a task, even when challenging, without giving up or needing another to encourage them?

Motivational speakers are cashing it in worldwide. But why in the world would a boss need to motivate employees? I know you’ll have a million good reasons as to why it is done, but think about it for a moment.

I can understand that you can increase SKILL level with on-the-job-training, but should one actually be hiring or training someone to be motivated at his or her job?

Here’s my theory on this topic of SELF-MOTIVATION: On the one hand, the person is doing the job basically because there is some aspect to the job that is fulfilling and that he/she is passionate or cares about and they can make a living from it. Then, on the other hand, there is the person who cares only for the pay-cheque; they would rather be doing something else, but that “something else” is not bringing in the money like the “pay-cheque job”, so they simply do the minimum.

Now, let me come back to my question I put to you in the beginning…
Why in the world would you need to motivate employees?
The answer: because there are too many people who would rather be “doing something else” but they have become “addicted” to the paycheque. (Are you addicted to your pay-cheque?)


Gentle reader, are you self-motivated in your career path? Are you determined to be the best in your field of expertise and are willing to grow and learn, whatever it takes or whatever it might cost you? This question about self-motivation is an important question to ask.
Do not rely on friends, family or your boss to “pump you up” to meet targets or set personal goals. This is your task.

Here is the simple truth: People who have found their passion in life are by nature SELF-motivated. They stay on top of their industries and market trends. They are self-motivated to learn more about their job. In fact, they do not see their “job” as a job, but as a blessing to be able to learn and do more EVEN if they do not get recognition for it. They do not care about getting “appreciated” for their contribution - they are too busy focusing on their growth experience.
There are many tools you can use to help you get self-motivated. Books, seminars, mentors, role models, vision boards, etc, but you have to realize that it has to start from within. Meaning: It is a choice or a decision you make to be motivated each day. It is like brushing your teeth… it is something you have to do each day and not skip.

You CANNOT allow, nor wait for people and circumstances to get you motivated and fired up. Simply, pick up the tools each day yourself and stay motivated. Be aware that a motivated person has the energy levels to far out-perform any colleague or competitor. Motivated people are ACHIEVERS and you won’t find them procrastinating. They set their goals and achieve them with passion.

____________________

Calvin Dorman is a Professional Business Consultant and Web Marketing Lecturer from Cape Town, South Africa, offering companies and individuals more effective Web Marketing, one to one Computer Training and Graphic Design solutions. Send Calvin an email: info@calvinbusiness.co.za or give him a call now on 084 632 6622. Read more of Calvin's motivational articles at http://www.calvinbusiness.co.za

Have you found your purpose in life?

Do you know what is driving you? Why are you working so hard and doing so much to get what you want? Do you know your purpose for being here?

It seems strange that most of the time we go through life without any real purpose of our own. At times we do achieve great things and have the appearance of having a wonderful life. We may even have every material thing we could ever want and be successful at our careers, businesses and every thing else. But, as many who have achieved success will tell you, you can still feel empty inside and your life can still lack real meaning.

Have you ever noticed that everything has a purpose in life. The trees, ants, bees, birds and every living thing have a purpose for being. Human beings, whatever you believe their origin to be, are the greatest of all of nature’s wonders. Why then are most of them so purposeless in their existence?

It seems like many of us exist simply to exist. We live year in and year out as though living itself is our ultimate goal. If we make enough money and have enough things to get us through to the next year we are satisfied. Surely, there is more to our lives than that?

If you are anything like most people you are probably waiting for some miraculous experience that will tell you why you are here and what you must do. Such moments do occur for some people, but they are the exception and not the rule.

The fact is, most people already have the starting point for knowing their purpose in life.

It may be something that interests you, excites you, inspires you, or just that small voice in the back of your head that tells you you ought to be doing something.These are often the clues that hold the answer to finding your purpose. Unfortunately, they are often the clues we tend to ignore or suppress. Yes, they may not be complete clues. Certain pieces of the puzzle may be missing. But these pieces can only be found once we decide to set off on the journey.

Making that decision is the key. Therefore, (1) decide that there is purpose to your life. Then (2) decide to commit yourself to finding your purpose.

Without these two decisions being settled in your mind you will wonder through life like almost everybody else out there: busy, but achieving nothing.

Deciding to find your purpose will set you on the right track and make your mind receptive and ready to see every day things in a new light.

However, you have to seek out the answers. Read books that make you think, watch inspiring movies, spend time with the right people, develop your interests and passions.

All this is part of keeping your mind in the right environment, an environment that is right for your very own "a-hah moment".

There is no way in the world anyone can do what I have just described to you and end up living a meaningless life. One piece at a time the puzzle will become clear and complete.

You will discover your purpose, and when you do, it will likely not be some experience where you got hit on the head and nearly knocked out by the revelation. It will come naturally.

It will be something that combines most of your life’s experiences and your abilities into one perfect purpose. It will be something you probably had a clue about all along. However, don’t ever make the mistake of wanting to know everything before you start anything. Start where you are with what you have and with what you know.

Gentle reader, awake to the fact that you are already all you can be. You simply have to be brave enough to make the decision to go out there and be it.
read more articles from my website:
www.calvinbusiness.co.za

Failure is the highway to success.

THE REASON FOR PERSUING YOUR DREAM MUST BE BIGGER
THAN THE SETBACKS YOU WILL ENCOUNTER  IN YOUR JOURNEY

The very nature of dreaming big dreams and stretching yourself beyond the normal is a little scary. Scary in the sense that you leave safety, you leave routine, You leave the world of safe, but unfulfilling relationships. You leave the world where people smile giant smiles when they are asked to pose for a picture, but are really unhappy with their life.

You will certainly fail more than your friends & neighbors and those who live a life called Ordinary. But one must fail to win.

To be successful, especially in business, one has to try new things from time-to-time which involves taking risks. And the more risks you take in the pursuit of your dreams, the more you are going to fail. Failing is one of the ways we learn what works and what does’nt. I used to wonder why this happened, even after a lot of planning went into a launch of a new course. But now I get it. Failure is the highway to success. 

Too many amongst us live our lives in what is often called “the safe harbor of the known.” Same thinking for the past 5 years. Same conversations for the past 10 years. Same breakfast for the past 20 years.

Well, if it makes you happy, then that’s a beautiful thing. But I don’t know of anyone who is really happy living like that. True joy comes when you try new things and take some chances. Yes, you will start to experience more failure. But guess what, success also starts to pay more visits.

Failure is just part of the process of getting to greatness. The best companies on the planet have failed more than the average ones.

To me, the only failure is the failure to not try and dream and dare. And I deeply feel that the greatest risk you will ever take in your life is if you never take a risk.

Sometimes discouragement sets in. Happens to all of us. We try hard, stay true to our dreams and pursue our ideals. Yet nothing happens. Or so it seems. But every choice matters. And every step counts. Life runs according to its own agenda – not yours. Be patient.

Here are my 3 business absolutes. If you continually persue them even when you are failing, then you can be assured that you will eventually succeed:

1. Be passionate about what you do.This must be consistent. You have to really love what you do and be motivated all the time to go beyond your setbacks. Read more about my views on this topic. Do not just make a living: Design a life

 2. Be the best at what you do.
Be better than anyone else in your field at what you do.
Have the most up-to-date skillset in your field. In my case, I am an expert in design and training using CorelDRAW. I have the skills and continuous learning approach which makes me unmatched in my field. Read more about my views on this topic:
After Mindset,it is Skills that will take your business to the top.

3. Always put your client first.
That is why you are still in business in the first place. This caring for your client should not merely be lip-service, but one of your core values and a cornerstone business principle. Read more about my views on this topic:
Always place people above profits

 

Simple strategies. But remember: what separates the best from the rest is their consistent adherence to a few simple best practices. Or what I call the “3 business absolutes” which over time evolve into spectacular results. Eventually, a good person just cannot be denied.

Read more articles from my website: http://www.calvinbusiness.co.za

Always place people above profits

A wise person once said that you will not meet the ‘right’ person to marry one day until you yourself become the ‘right’ person.

True words indeed. Similarly, I believe that it also applies to business. You cannot have a successful (‘right’) business until you yourself acquire similar thinking and habits of successful (‘right’) entrepreneurs.

You have to have business role models like Richard Branson and in my case, I wanted to become a Raymond Ackerman (I also studied the life story of Harry Oppenheimer). Raymond has always fought for customer service and he believes that you should always place people above profits. Read the latest newspaper article about him here- Former Pick n Pay CEO says people are a priority - Weekend Argus 24-11-2012

At the start of my business career, I was obsessed with making money and paid only lip-service to the importance of client service. When I saw my client, I saw money. I did not care much about the service they were getting from my teaching. I cared little if they understood the functions and tools of the particular computer programme which I taught. I was already calculating the profits I was going to make from my next student.

Three years later, (1996) I lost my business and I had to start all over again. I learned some hard yet valuable lessons. I then got myself a mentor and he suggested that I get a business role model and study that person’s life.
I had to learn from the life stories of successful leaders, the business principles they applied and I had to strive to do the same.(years later, I still regularly meet with my mentor to discuss business growth as well as my personal growth).
Once I had adopted the principle of ‘always place people above profits’ I had to change my inner-world (thoughts) until I truly believed it with my whole heart.

This was a slow process at first, but I knew I had to change. I was determined to become the ‘right’ business person.

Today, I can truly say that I have a passion for my students. I have the compulsion inside of me to see that each and every person that I teach will always walk away understanding 100% of what I have taught them. That is why today, I focus only on one-to-one training and FREE consecutive repeated classes until all course content is fully understood and the student can apply it. For some students this takes 3 weeks and for others it might then take 6 weeks and yet they pay the same course fee.

This is to illustrate the length I will go to for my student.
You see, I not only had to change my business model, but I had to change who I was as a person.

Gentle reader, if you want success in your business, you must be willing to CHANGE. This change has to come from within which is vital for success.

If we are not prepared to adopt similar thinking and habits of
successful entrepreneurs, we will probably experience a longer
and tougher road to success.

The good news is that you can change who you are by... changing the way you think and then by
changing the habits you form. Adopt the thinking and behavior (habits) of your own business role model.
You and I can change who we are if we really want to; we are not robots -we are not "programmed".We do not purely follow our instincts and habits like animals. We have free-will; we can make our own decisions.

Choose to become the ‘right’ business person….right now.

While every dream starts small, every dream begins with the first step.Once the first step is taken, be obsessed to “Finish The Race”.

Many people start on the journey of their dreams with great gusto, only to stop when the short-term results are not as they expected.
If you begin, you can finish. Don’t be tempted to give up half way when challenges come your way. Keep finding different ways to go past, around or through obstacles that prevent you to move forward.

There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, Yes, I've got dreams, of course I've got dreams. Then they put the box away and bring it out once in awhile to look in it, and yes, they're still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box.

I always had many excuses for not starting my own business. Yet I had a dream of owning my own business ever since I left school. Then one day I woke up and realized I had turned 30 years old and still did not start. It was then that I took the plunge and never turned back ever since.

Sure, there was many hard lessons along the way and even when I ended up working full time, I still continued to work on my business part-time in the evenings and over weekends.

This life is yours for the taking. You only get one chance to live the life of your dreams. This is not a dress rehearsal. You have to continue to press toward your dreams even when your family or friends don’t have the belief that you have. You have to motivate yourself daily.

Pick up that motivational book. Speak to achievers. Motivate and energize yourself. Don’t wait for someone to come along and inspire you. Go out and inspire others with your positive attitude and strong self-belief.

Go to work each day and refuse to do the same thing you did yesterday—just because it was what you did yesterday. Keep challenging yourself to think better, do better and be better. Shake things up. Confront your limitations. Refuse to be average.

Think your way to the top. You should spend some time every day just thinking… Not writing or talking to others about your dreams but just in the quiet peace of your own presence. Let your imagination illustrate your future on the screen of your mind.

It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. Before a dream is realized, we are tested in everything that was learned along the way. This happens not because Life purposely want things to go wrong for us, but so that we can, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we have come to learn as we have moved toward that dream.

Only as high as I reach.............. can I grow, 
Only as far as I seek.................. can I go, 
Only as deep as I look............... can I see,
Only as much as I dream........... can I be. 
-Karen Ravn

Enjoy the journey of your life and don’t stop until you reach your dreams.
http://www.calvinbusiness.co.za/calvin_articles_every_dream_starts_small.html

What makes you tick?

http://www.calvinbusiness.co.za/calvin_articles_what_makes_you_tick.html

Have you noticed that successful entrepreneurs seem to know what makes them tick....
they know what they want and they know how to get there.

 Only once you truly know yourself, will you be able to fully tap into your strengths & abilities each day, regardless of negative people and circumstances.

 As an example, let me quickly give you some of my goals for which I need lots of strength and energy. It’s a good idea to list your own.

Firstly, I make a point, every day, to be productive from an online marketing perspective. My focus is to become educated to the point where I am able to fully understand and fine-tune my online marketing strategies.

Because there are so many successful online marketing strategies, I needed to choose a specialist area / method that complimented my passions and personal strengths.

I decided to select something where I could jump in head first, have fun, work hard and begin to really make a difference.

By focusing daily on my chosen subject of focus (which is business principles and web marketing in particular), I am able to build a solid foundation for the dramatic growth I have come to expect.
Life is always full of ups & downs but it is your ability to remain up and focused when you are going through a down that helps you to sail through the hurdles of life.

 I need to know what I am passionate about and what makes me tick. Do you truly know yourself? You can’t appreciate yourself if you don’t know yourself.

Know your abilities, disabilities, talents, strengths & weaknesses. Do NOT compare yourself and your achievements with others who might have achieved much more. Stay true to yourself.
 Did you wake up this morning and still have the same drive to succeed as a few years back?
Do NOT dilute your DREAM by disappointments.

Have a clear vision and set realistic targets. It is pointless to attempt to achieve what you do not have the resources or natural ability to achieve. Dream BIG but set small achievable targets each day.
 I am confident and comfortable in my own skin. I know what makes me tick! I know what I want and how to get there.

Gentle reader, now is neither the time to give up nor get complacent. It is the time for you and me to stay motivated, focused and then step up a gear.

Read all my Blogs here:
http://www.calvinbusiness.co.za/calvin_articles.html

Do first things first and your success will start to unfold

How would you describe your ideal life? I believe this is one of the most important questions that you should ask yourself from time to time.

Men and women who live out their Ideal life are by far the most happiest and most successful people I have ever met.

The greatest secret to living your ideal life is understanding the principle and power of priorities. Life on earth holds no greater challenge than the complicating daily demand of choosing among competing alternatives for our limited time.

Our life is the sum total of all the decisions we make every day, and those decisions are determined by our priorities. How we use our time every day eventually defines our lives. Life was designed to be simple, not complicated, and the key to simplifying life is prioritization and we all know that all of us do want a successful, yet simple life without any complications. But if you do not hold yourself accountable to design your Ideal life than your life will become more complicated or it already is

Priority is defined as: the principal thing, putting first things first, establishing the most important thing, and primary focus. It is also defined as placing highest value and worth upon. If our priorities determine the quality of life and dictate all of our actions and behavior, then it is essential that you must identify your priorities by having an Idealistic view of your Life.

The greatest tragedy in life is not a short life, but one without a purpose—life with the wrong priorities.

Your time is important because your time is your life. And the key to the effective use of your time is establishing correct priorities. Then do first things first.
Read more of my blogs on my website, www.calvinbusiness.co.za

The trick is to seize the moment.

by Calvin Dorman
http://www.calvinbusiness.co.za
When you are down and depressed and days feel like a burden to live, you tend to think that that is all there is to life. When you are on the ninth cloud and everything seems bright and promising, you feel that it is going to last forever. But nothing lasts forever. The moment comes and your life is changed again.

These ups and downs of  life, this roller coaster ride is what Life is. I have come to accept this fact and embrace it. It was’nt easy. I remember when I could’nt work on my business full time (for the 2^nd time) back in 2007, I became very despondent and depressed. All I wanted to do was wallow in my misery.


When you are happy you let that happiness fill your soul and when you are filled with sorrow, you feel the emotion, BUT you cannot allow it to sap your energy and paralyse you.
I call this PARKING. This inactive, negative state will slow your personal and business goals.

The trick is to seize the moment. And how can you do so? By simply remembering and drilling this thought in your mind that nothing lasts forever. It is the one thought which has the capability to help you get through any “negative” event in your life.

I carry on fulfilling the daily, small goals that needs to be done in order to fulfill my BIG DREAM, regardless of the way I feel at that particular moment. I try to inspire myself and stay positive as this state of being gives me energy to do the things I have to do.

Yes, I seize the moment. If it is a “bad” moment, like a few days ago when I had to change the car’s tyre in the cold wind and rain, I summons my positive attitude and say to myself…this will soon pass. I make the choice to stay happy in the moment. I seize the moment.

I know this is easier said than done because you cannot compare a flat tyre with the loss of a friendship, soul partner or a business, BUT if one allows any circumstance in your life to make you PARK and not get moving on your goals…then you are missing out and could risk giving up on your BIG DREAM or purpose in life. This is truly sad.

Good and bad events are all part of  Life. We have to live life on Life’s terms.

The sadness gives way to happiness and the joys lead to sorrows. Just like the night gives birth to the day and the setting sun brings with it the darkness of the night. This interaction between light and darkness is what life is all about. Let’s accept it and embrace each day. Yes, lets seize the moment now and do right now what we have been procrastinating to do all day.

Read more

What is Excellence?

One of the beliefs I live by is:Excellence is a COMMITMENT to the COMPLETION of my dream, not just the pursuit thereof.

In other words, if you have discovered what you are passionate about (your Dream; your Destiny) make sure you stick to that dream.

As you set short-term goals and you find it difficult to achieve those goals, don't give up on your dream, but get another plan.

You can have a plan B if plan A does not work, BUT you can only have a plan A regarding your dream.

And you stick to it UNTIL it is achieved no matter how long it takes. If you signed up for this dream you have, see it through.
Don't just abandon it somewhere in the middle.

If it is a worthy goal, it is worth going the distance.

So if you think you have what it takes, it going to take all you've got! That line might be a cliche, but I have come across too many people not willing to go the distance, simply because they were not willing to give it their all.

Excellence is not about perfection
Excellence is not about money
Excellence is not about ego

Whenever I want to give up at times, I remind myself of this belief I have adopted for my life:
Excellence is: A COMMITMENT TO COMPLETION.

MY DREAM: My passion is my business and my family. My short term goal is to "touch" the lives of my family, clients and community through my business achievements. My long term goal is to become a millionaire in order to make a bigger contribution to many more peoples' lives than I am currently doing.

http//:www.calvinbusiness.co.za

Seven Practical steps to take Action

There is a very simple and straight forward equation to use when creating a plan of action, which states that:

Desire + Action = Results

It is only continual results on short term goals that can lead to success. If you still feel stuck and do not know where or how to start, then try these practical suggestions. I use them continuously to increase my momentum towards success.

1 - Write down what exactly it is that you desire.  If it is wealth, good health, personal prosperity or whatever you so strongly long for, then just write it down. Just do it. It is part of the process and is an important start. 

2 - List the ways in which you plan on achieving optimum results.What do I personally need to do to see this plan come to fruition? This is the HOW TO part. Here you look at what worked in the past and what did not. Here you also look at new creative ideas you can try.

3 - Set up a schedule outlining each step that needs to be taken. Be specific and create a daily "to do" list.  At the end of the week you will be able to see how much you were able to accomplish. 

4 - Make a commitment to yourself to "Work the Plan".  Stay focused on the positive and list all the strengths you possess that will help you to complete your plan.

5 - Know your weaknesses and make a concerted effort to overcome them.  Incorporate both your strengths and weakness into your plan of action.  Some people forget what their true capabilities and shortcomings are. 

6 - Have your own personal reward system in place.  After each accomplishment that you have fulfilled throughout your plan, congratulate and reward yourself. This could be in the form of a small treat like attending a business breakfast or going to the see an inspirational movie.

7 – Create your own daily success routine. Remove and distance yourself from negative thinkers. Engage actively with like minded positive thinking people, because success breeds more success.

Your success “Plan of Action” will not be all plain sailing at the beginning. It will take time as you adjust and create your own winning formula.

Believe and expect your goals to be achieved. Do not let it merely become a talked about fantasy on Facebook. Rather, take a little focussed action each day so that it moves from being a fantasy into a theory (meaning it could be possible) which will then soon become an expectation which you will become determined to see through

A strong belief in your abilities is vital for success.

By Calvin Dorman  

http://www.calvinbusiness.co.za

A strong belief in your abilities is vital for success. It's the confidence you radiate in spite of the storm around you.

Here is an important discovery I have made over the years: people destined for success absolutely believe that they are going to be successful, sooner or later.

Successful business people have such a positive self-belief that they absolutely believe that everything that happens to them, positive or negative, is part of a great plan to ultimately make them successful.

Sometimes the obstacles you face in business are so big, that you start losing faith in yourself. Just looking and thinking about these obstacles, can lead you to believe that they are insurmountable.

At this point in your life, what about asking yourself a few questions about your inner beliefs? Questions like:

How do you view your competence and abilities? Do you truly believe that you can overcome any obstacle? Do you have a strong faith in your persistence? Do you know how to, reason, debate and seek answers? Are you able to like a winner in all circumstances?

These are the probing and pertinent questions that you should be asking yourself.

How Self-Belief helps us succeed:

This has to do with gaining the inner-strength and the positive attitude that assists you in finding the answers to every problem.If we truly believe that we will be able to find the solution, we will become both motivated and excited to work towards it.

Whenever you have doubt in your ability, then you have already lost the battle.

Belief is a very strong cure to most problems and challenges, and it tends to work in wonderful ways.

• Believe that you will be able to find all solutions.

• Believe that you will overcome all problems.

• Believe that you will emerge successful.

• Believe that you are a winner.

• Believe that you deserve success. 

There can be no bigger magic than a strong belief in your mental and physical strength to fight against all the odds. The difficulties that you might be experiencing in your life right now could probably be ascribed to a lack of confidence, but this does not mean that all is lost. Read inspiring books, and associate with business winners and mentors so that you condition your thinking in order to react well when bad things happen.

You and I are really better at our business than we think we are.

It's just time we start realising it. I am a good business entrepreneur and so are you. Don't let your current results or anybody else determine your self-belief.