Archive for January, 2007

What’s That In Your Rear-View Mirror?

Have you got red and blue lights flashing in your rear view mirror? It can only mean one thing… you’d better pull over.

But you’re not pulling over. You’re hunched over the steering wheel, plodding along, trying to ignore the warning lights.

Are you crazy?

You can’t ignore those lights. You’re going to get in trouble. Shoot, you’re in trouble right now – just look at you: stressed out, shoulders in knots, belly screaming at you, “Hey, we’ve got to pay attention to this!”

So why aren’t you paying attention?

Because you think you can outrun it. Outrun a cop? No, silly – you know that’s impossible. You’re trying to outrun your resistance.
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Does Your Business’ Future Look Like A `73 British roadster?

In last week’s article, “Angels, Or A Sink?”, I talked about the importance of vision.

Sadly, when most people think, *“vision”*, they think, *“vision statement.”* And vision statements can be a lot like `73 British roadsters… pretty to look at, fun when you’re in it, but pretty much unusable most of the time.

Unusable? Why?

Let’s take a look at a few, real-world vision statements (I’m not making these up), and see:

  • “To deliver superior quality products and services for our customers and communities through leadership innovation and partnerships.”
  • “To provide leadership to bring people together to create a healthier, more compassionate community.”
  • “Dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.”

Could you tell what companies those are from? Could you think of about, say, twenty companies each those statements could fit? Could one of them fit yours?
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Angels, Or A Sink?

Guido the plumber and Michelangelo obtained their marble from the same quarry, but what each saw in the marble made the difference between a nobleman’s sink and a brilliant sculpture. – Bob Kall

How’s your vision? Can you see angels in stone? Or would you be lucky to end up with a sink?
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Do You Really Want To Listen To The Wolf?

Imagine a red-eyed, drooling timber wolf breathing over your shoulder while you sit at your computer.

Your fingers tremble… the monitor fogs up… but still, you try to type those emails.

Pretty soon, though, your fear is going to get the best of you. And when that happens, being productive is going to become very, very difficult.

You’ll procrastinate, avoid, daydream; anything to not have to face the feeling that at any moment, that wolf could get… hungry.
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Is Your Business Paralyzed By Revolving Debt?

Revolving debt, as anyone with a credit card can attest, is more stifling than a rugby dogpile. By dumping negative on top of negative, it keeps you stuck, hungry, and unable to feel true freedom.

But as onerous as being in debt to Big-Brother-esque financial corporations can be, there is a subtler, even more transfixing form of revolving debt that can hamstring your best efforts at working productively, being effective, and feeling free.

It’s the revolving debt of normalcy.

Say what?

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