A Publication of Richard Flint Seminars

MindJogger@richardflint.com

In this issue:

• Featured Article: Controlling Procrastination
• Leadership Thought
• Sales Thought
• Overview of Couple's Escape
• Out Of Richard’s Head
• NEW PROGRAM!
• StarMaker 2008 Conference

2008 Daily MindJogger Calendar

A Thought To Guide Each Day Of Your Life

Controlling Procrastination

It is one of those things we all struggle with; I don’t care who you are there will be moments when procrastination becomes a part of who you are. So many times it is the result of too many things on your plate; when you are overwhelmed, it is very challenging to know where to start. For most that will cause them to postpone or procrastinate.

For others it is a fear that shuts down their ability to see beyond the moment they are standing in. That fear paralyzes them and even though they know what they need to do, they can’t, so they push things aside – they procrastinate.

For others it is simply the fact they are in the wrong place and what they are seeking to achieve, is not something they really want to do. The result is they talk a good story, but find the reasons and excuses to not complete what they start. One of their escape tools is procrastination.

Understanding that you can’t eliminate procrastination from your life, you need to be able to recognize and control procrastination. When you can control it, you can free yourself from the power it holds over your journey.

I want to share with you the process I have used with many people to help them move beyond giving into and allowing procrastination to have control of their behavior. First, let’s just review what we talked about last month. Last month we talked about why people procrastinate:

It is important you understand procrastination is a CHOICE! It is not something that “just is.” It is a choice you make. The fact it is a choice means you can also choose to not give it power over your life. Procrastination will always present itself, but you DO NOT have to give it control. You have the power to control procrastination and keep your life moving forward.

HOW DO YOU CONTROL PROCRASTINATION?

First, controlling procrastination requires confronting issues, not avoiding them. Anything you don’t confront you give life to. When you choose not to confront, you postpone. Postponing doesn’t make things go away; it just moves to another place and time, which means it is still present, still emotionally alive and will still need attention. Procrastination becomes a band-aide, not a pathway to resolution. As long as you CHOOSE to procrastinate, you give it the continuation of life.

What Must You Confront?

Not confronting is just another form of procrastination!

To control procrastination you must be organized, not living with inconsistent attention. When you are not organized, you are scattered. When you are scattered, you tend to stare and not be able to focus on what needs to be done. It isn’t that you don’t know what to do, you just aren’t mentally strong enough to get it done. Organization takes mental clarity; it takes seeing the steps necessary to complete what you start.

What Are The Keys To Organization?

Disorganization insures procrastination!

Controlling procrastination requires not staying if you believe the place is not right for you. When you are where you don’t belong, you don’t have the passion to really put yourself into what you are doing. That means you will see what needs to be done, BUT lack the desire to get it done. That opens the door to procrastination. Passion is such an important part of completing what you start.

How Do You Change The Course When You Know You Are Going In The Wrong Direction?

Staying in the wrong place guarantees you will procrastinate!

Controlling Procrastination requires, taking things at a manageable pace, not running a race. The reality is the faster you move, the less you will really get done. Too many times when you look around and see all there is to do, it seems like you are on a mission impossible. That puts thoughts in your head that to get all this done, you need to speed up. Speeding up means you will pick and choose what you will or will not do. That again is an open door to procrastination.

Why Is It So Challenging For People To Slow Down?

The wrong pace will create stacks of clutter!

Controlling Procrastination requires results, not reasons. Results fuel your spirit, while reasons drain your spirit. The more you are achieving, the more you want to get done. When you realize the importance of pace and in the right pace create results, procrastination is no longer an option. If you turn it around and live in a world of reasons, there is always an excuse to justify waiting until tomorrow to get things done. The key is producing results, which will keep you focused on completing, not continuing in sameness where you are.

Results Demand:

Reasons make procrastination okay!

Controlling Procrastination requires others who support, not criticize you. All of us need a fan club; we need people around our life who believe in us and support us with a presence that is guided by calmness, clarity, respect and a desire to see us reach the ultimate in our life. When you have that, you are more at peace with yourself; you know you are not alone and that calmness gives you the internal strength to press forward, not live in personal doubt.

Critics are always causing you to doubt yourself; they become soothsayers who appear in your life with a negative stance. They are there to hold you hostage, not give you freedom. You must eliminate the critics and strengthen the fan club.

How Do You Find A Support Group?

Support increases clarity!

Controlling procrastination requires listening, learning and implementing. These three are super keys to controlling procrastination. You have to listen in order to gain the insights you need to learn how to step up and implement what must be done in order to move your life forward. Don’t forget that procrastination keeps you trapped in sameness, while controlling procrastination frees you to grow and continue to discover all there is for your life.

What Power Do These Three Bring To Your Life?

When you control procrastination, you are free to move forward and discover all there is for your life. Procrastination is a choice, not something that just “is.”

Leadership Thought

Anytime we are in a transitional market one of the results is what it shows us about the real mission of a company’s leadership. Is leadership so focused on the bottom line they aren’t paying attention to what is happening in the business market, or are they into preparing their people to be able to adapt to whatever the market throws at them?

In too many companies leadership is not about preparing their people to be productive in any market, but are into grabbing whatever they can from the market they are in. True leaders know every business market is going to go through adjustments and realize their people need to be prepared to adapt, not react because of a lack of preparation.

As I look at the business scene today, I see a huge reaction to the shift the market has made and the unprepared companies that are struggling because leadership was living in the moment, rather than planning for a journey they knew had to come. I believe the market we are in right now is going to last at least through next March; that means those who consider themselves leaders need to slow down, look at what their people need and create the pathway to providing that for them.

Here is what I see Leadership needs to be doing:

Sales Thought

I heard it again from a group of salespeople. Their words were, “It is a really tough market out there. There is not the business there used to be.”

They were right about one thing – there is not the same volume of business there was. They were wrong about the other thought. It is not a “tough” market; it is a challenging market that demands a different type of sales presence.

When a salesperson defines a market as tough, they close down their creative side and open wide their emotional reaction to what they feel is happening. Any salesperson who is a true salesperson knows when you go strictly by what you feel is happening, you lose your ability to be affective in that market.

Truth is there is business in any market; there are not always salespeople looking for the business that is there.

In a transitional market a salesperson must:

Overview of Couple’s Escape

I have to tell you the Couples Escape was better than even I expected. I had high expectations, but the spirit, the openness and the willingness to apply the messages was beyond my high expectations.

The setting of The Westin La Palamo Resort was perfect for the spirit of the venue; Robyn’s two discussions of budgeting was an eye-opener to the couples and created some very interesting conversations. The sessions I did on communication and on Personal Commitments to Their Relationship drew some very positive responses. The CDs from the sessions will be available soon; if you would like to pre-order a set ($129) email Denise at Denise@RichardFlint.com and reserve yours today.

Keep watching for our next version of A Weekend Of Couples Enhancement. You really don’t want to miss it.

Out Of Richard’s Head

I spoke to a group of salespeople recently and was really challenged by what I felt from them. I was talking about Being Your Best In Any Market. Here was my challenge – the look on the faces of many was a blank stare. You could tell they didn’t want to hear about changing your presence in order to sell. They knew to do that they would have to face their behavior and that was not something appealing to them.

Here is what I walked out thinking – many people love for life to be upside down, because it gives them justification for doing nothing. How sick is that?

How sick is it to love chaos and get excited when things are bad so one can have an excuse to continue their pathetic view of life?  How sick is it to want to continue to live with their life upside down, when they could turn it right side up?  Yes, life is a choice and I really don’t understand why one would choose to be less than they can be.  What has happened to personal self-worth?

New Program From Richard Flint!

How To Stand Tall…

How Do You Stand Tall When Those Around You Are Falling Down? Isn’t that the question that needs to capture our focus now? You know Richard Flint and you know the depth and exactness of his research and writing. This program examines what has and is happening to the business marketplace and what must be done for people to stop blaming the market and start finding the business that is there.

Listen to Richard’s thought, the shift in the economy has weakened the positive spirit and slowed the momentum of many people. It has been easy and now for many it is tough, which has caused many to react, rather than respond to the market place. There is business, but there are not many who are seeking to find the business.

For more insights into this needed research, click here.

Achieving Organization

August 1-3, 2008

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