Stay Strong!

Not everyone will be your cheerleader!  

If you’re going to pursue greatness, if you’re going to be a great businessperson, a great teacher, a great parent, a great leader, you have to understand that not everyone is going to cheer you on.

I’d love to tell you that your family, friends and co-workers will celebrate you, but that’s not necessarily the case. Some people simply can’t handle your success. As you grow and win, someone will get jealous. Someone will start finding fault. Don’t be surprised if a relative tries to belittle or discredit you. You can’t focus on making everyone around you happy or you’ll start changing and lose sight of your goal. Remember, your destiny is too great to be distracted by people who are never going to affirm you. Don’t take it personally. It’s not about you. It’s their problem. Shake it off, play your game, and be great anyway. Having greatness in the middle of criticism begins with forgiveness. Don’t hold a grudge. Let it go! Rise above it all and because you’re relentless. Are you ready to be unstoppable?

DON'T SETTLE!

No Settling!

Too many people today have settled for “good enough.” 

They’ve lost their passion and just sort of go through the motions of everyday life. At one time, they had a big dream. They were excited about the future, but they hit some bumps along the way. Something didn’t happen on their timetable. Now they’ve gotten discouraged, thinking that it’s never going to happen. They accept it as their lot in life. Don’t let that be you! Just because you haven’t seen it yet doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen. Don’t make the mistake of settling for good enough! Good enough is not your destiny. You are a Champion. You have greatness on the inside. You were created to be excellent, Start believing again. Start dreaming again. Start pursuing what God put in your heart. Stir up the fire within you and don’t settle for good enough!

TEACH, COACH or BOTH?

TEACH and COACH  

When in a management role, you fulfill a number of different roles in the course of your work. In this post I’d like to take a brief look at two of those roles; Teacher and Coach.

Teacher

Managers and supervisors work with employees who have a wide variety of skills and knowledge. This means you’re frequently placed in the role of teacher with employees, particularly if they’re new to your organization or team. You will, in effect, be teaching them how to do their job. At the very least you’ll need to teach your employees about the expectations that will affect their success. You also teach employees what they need to know to help them be ready for new challenges and opportunities. Being a mentor is a form of teaching; you are imparting knowledge that will help the employee prepare for a new assignment, position, or project.

Coach

The role of a coach is different from that of a teacher. As a coach you’ll be a guide, motivator, encourager, and supporter in your interactions with employees. When you coach employees you’re less focused on telling or showing and more focused on asking questions or involving them in figuring out what needs to be done and how to do it. When you coach employees you’re actively demonstrating your confidence and trust in them. If you don’t trust your employees to do their jobs, then you either have the wrong people in the jobs or you haven’t sufficiently trained them. In either case, the problem isn’t with your employees but with you as their manager.

What do you think? Are you teaching and coaching your people?

FOCUS!

Focus on what you want to have happen, not what you want to avoid.

You will gravitate toward what you are focusing on. Keep your eyes on what you desire to happen. Too many times we start looking at the negative, that thing we don’t want to happen. Then what happens? The negative thing we were not wanting to see will come to fruition. Keep your thoughts and your energy headed toward the positive, that desired outcome. Keep moving toward the goal you have set. Negative thoughts will bog your mind down and not give you the energy you need to accomplish your destiny. By keeping your mind de-cluttered you will be more able to handle adversity, mentally. Keep your vision clear and concise to be a great leader. You have enough to deal with without the added stress of negativity. 

WALK and TALK like a LEADER

Walk the walk and talk the talk!  

By watching the way a person walks and listening to their talk tells you a lot about that person’s belief in getting the job done. How a person carries themselves and talks will give you a major clue as to how they will perform. A Leader walks tall and big, no matter their physical size or ability. I have seen people in wheelchairs that still “walked tall.” It can be a presence of mind is what I mean by this. Also, the way a Leader talks sets them apart. Nothing arrogant or conceded about their behavior or words, but confident. Doesn’t mean that a relentless person has it all together all the time, but you will never know any different. Being confident is a lifestyle. It doesn’t come overnight, but it does come. Being unstoppable is something that is attainable, but you have to walk the walk while talking the talk. While at the same time, those that don’t want to put in the work are trying to bring you down. Their walk and talk is all negative. Their talk is about where you have made mistakes and failed. Never stoop to their level. 

Stay tall and talk the talk of a Leader. 

EXPECT MORE TO GET MORE!

Minimal expectations, minimal pressure….minimal rewards.

You will get out of it; what you put into it. Have you been disappointed to the point that you don’t expect much anymore? If I don’t expect much then I won’t be disappointed. However, a Leader isn’t like this. A Leader knows that with high expectations, high pressure; there will be high reward. Nothing worth doing has low expectations or minimal pressure. High stakes, high risk, high payoff. It all goes to say that; Leaders like the thrill of pressure situations. Don’t ever look for the easy job or situations. Never let the fear of the power of a situation cause you to step back. Be the one that has the expectation of being a leader and innovator. Be the one that uses the pressure to bring out the best. The reward then is being unstoppable and relentless. There is nothing like being the one who goes against the odds and wins time and time again. 

Expectations, pressure, rewards!

Be Responsible, not Privileged

Taking on responsibility not looking for privileges is a mark of a true Leader.  

When you are given much, you tend to expect much. That is one of the issues with privilege. When you haven’t had to work hard for something, but have been given it, it’s not the same. Privilege over responsibility has hurt a lot of people. The better and higher a person goes, they expect more and more privileges. However, a Leader knows that the higher they go, the more responsibility they have and the fewer privileges. It’s the upside down triangle image. The further up you go, the smaller the privilege point. I have seen many people fall because they couldn’t handle the privilege point. A Leader has to take on more responsibility than those around. A relentless person is one who isn’t looking for privileges in the first place. Be the person in the room that takes the responsibility for making it happen. Don’t look for someone to hand it to you, but go do it. That’s a key point for a Leader. Be unstoppable by taking the responsibility of getting it done.

GET UP & SHOW UP

The ability to show up every day and do what no one else is willing to do, that comes from the Leader inside you.

Leaders do what others only talk about. There are a lot of people today that want to, but are not willing to pay the price. That is what makes a Leader a Leader. If you want to bring out the Leader in you, then just be consistent in showing up each and every day. Then do the work that is required and do it with excellence. Someone who keeps showing up can’t be stopped. Being unstoppable isn’t easy, that’s why so few actually follow through. However, I encourage you to be relentless in your pursuit of being a Leader. You have what it takes. God created you to be a Leader, but it’s up to you to become a Leader. Nike has it right; ‘Just do it.’ Get going today. Get your process established and then work your plan. 

BE DECISIVE!

Leaders make decisions, not suggestions, they know the answer while everyone else is still asking questions.  

If you want to be a Leader you have to be prepared. The Boy Scouts say; ‘Be Prepared.’ Well, a Leader is always prepared. You know what it is you do better than anyone else. For this to happen you have to study, listen and learn. Watch others that have gone before you see how they succeeded and failed along the way. See how they did it and then improve on it. When you do this, when others are asking questions about what to do, you already have the answers to the questions. This also helps you to be decisive. When you come to a crossroads you know the way to go. You have the information to make the decision before you get there. Therefore, a Leader is a person who makes informed decisions when others are still trying to figure out the questions. An unstoppable person is willing to learn in order to be a Leader. Are you in decision making mode today?

Embrace a Challenge

Become fascinated at the prospect of a challenge as opposed to frustrated.  

Today’s life can be very noisy. If we allow it, all of us can live stressed, uptight, in a hurry and on edge. In the midst of the whirlwind of activity going on around us, we’ve got to learn to not let the busyness, the frustration and stress get on the inside of us. It may be hectic on the outside, but in your mind and spirit you can have peace. When life is coming at you from all directions be excited about the challenge. Frustration only leads to more frustration, which becomes a distraction, which will cause you to fail. Welcome the challenge. Get excited about it. Look at it as an opportunity for growth. See it as your time to show what you are made of. Leaders love a challenge.  Be a LEADER!

Welcome Back UWP!

UWP faculty, staff, and students,

As the beginning of the Fall semester nears, I would like to welcome you.  Whether on our physical campus or virtually, our D2L support team is committed to providing premiere service and support to ensure your Parkside experience is #realamazing.  If there is anything we can do to make the learning experience here transformative for our students please let us know.  We are here to help create incredible learning experiences for our students so they can go change the world!

Let's get started...TOGETHER!!!  

THINK TRUTH

If you get to a place where your thoughts are concrete, simple, and focused, and you take deliberate action, then your thoughts become reality.  

Transforming something in your life whether it’s your attitude, mindset, financial situation or bringing change into a relationship can seem like an overwhelming task. But as the old saying goes, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” The way you change your life is one thought at a time. Your thoughts set the direction of your life. If you need to change the direction you are headed, you simply need to change your thoughts in that area. When a thought comes to your mind that “you’re never going to get well; this is your lot in life,” don’t dwell on that. Don’t sit around and have a pity party. No, immediately reject it and replace it with the truth. I encourage you to be aggressive in taking every single thought and making it stand in truth. Stay determined, stay focused and keep stating the truth because you can change your life, one thought at a time. 

Create an Inspiring Vision

People need a compelling reason to follow your lead.  

This is why you need to create and communicate an inspiring vision of the future. Your vision sets out your team or organization's purpose as to why you all get up in the morning to do what you do. You develop this partly by understanding the values of the people you lead, partly by understanding the capabilities and resources of your organization, and partly by conducting an intelligent analysis of your environment, and selecting the best way forward within it.

 This is the subject of unit strategy; developing a coherent strategy takes a lot of hard work and careful thought.

If you're developing a vision for your organization, use Mullins' Seven Domains Model to analyze your environment. Then, use tools such as Lafley and Martin's Five-Step Strategy Model to develop your strategy. This is usually then expressed in a business plan, and summarized in a mission statement. If you're developing a vision for your team, start with the school’s (company’s) mission and vision, and explore the ways in which your team can contribute directly to it.

PRACTICE IMPERFECTION

Leadership and influence are never perfected, only practiced.

Leaders who try to be perfect, self-sufficient and all-knowing wind up having to throw their weight around and keep others at arm’s length. They focus mostly on keeping up the display of bulletproof competence. Of course, competence isn’t a bad thing, but a hyper-focus suggests a trade-off. There's no need to choose between imperfection and competence. Imperfection and vulnerability are not weaknesses. They require true strength of character, which is influence at its best.  When you practice imperfection (that is, humanness), you release your team from the fear of not meeting your expectations and being criticized. Those are things that block innovation and collaboration. Here are five tips to help set you on your path:

1. Lead with questions, not answers.

If you arrive with the right answer, people will withhold their best stuff -- the very stuff that may lead to the next breakthrough. Learn the art of inquiry. Ask questions that begin with, what have you noticed? How do you think we could improve? What is keeping us stuck? What do you love about it?”

2. Share lessons learned. Admit mistakes.

People are drawn to leaders who are not only very smart but have the confidence to kick back and laugh at their mistakes. We like and trust individuals who are personable and regular folks. Know-it-all-ness is off-putting and stifles innovation. The leader with natural influence says, “Let me tell you about something I learned the hard way,” instead of dictating the course to take.

3. Leave room for others to be right.

Watch out for the destructive practice of making people be wrong. Even if their ideas are not the way to go, acknowledge their contributions. When teammates have the opportunity to be right, they will demonstrate more spontaneity and freedom of expression. When you establish a safe environment in which people have the opportunity to be right, they will take ownership of the results.

4. Demand feedback. Welcome challenge. 

Let members of the team know you won’t tolerate compliance for the sake of pleasing you -- and that you have no need for yes men and yes women. Ask, “What do you need from me to nail this project?” or “What am I missing on my end?” People trust and engage with leaders who are not threatened by those who speak their mind to offer value.

5. Change your mind. 

The confident leader understands it's not necessary to be the only big deal in the company. Cemented certainty can lead to pride of ownership and close mindedness. On the other hand, if people know they can approach you and make a case for another solution for a project, you will always be presented with the best ideas to maintain a competitive edge. If someone has a better idea, change your mind along with the course of action. You will earn the reputation of being fair and open-minded.

Hey, nobody said leadership was easy. To be vulnerable and imperfect requires courage. But the challenge of living in the white water of change is too complicated to rest solely on one person’s shoulders. Every person is needed, all working together to reinvent the institution.

PRISONER OF HOPE

When things get difficult, it’s easy to want to give up.  

It’s easy to get down and discouraged. But, that’s not God’s plan for us. God wants us to be so full of hope, so full of expectancy that we just can’t help believing for the best. He wants us to be prisoners of hope! When you’re a prisoner of something, it’s like you’re chained to it. In other words, you can’t get away from it. I know people that are prisoners of fear, prisoners of worry, prisoners of doubt. You’ve heard them. “Nothing good ever happens to me.” “It’s never going to change. It’s just been too long.” No, you’re chained to the wrong thing. You need to break those chains and become a prisoner of hope. That means that no matter how long it’s taking, no matter how impossible it looks, our attitude should be, “I just can’t help it. I know it’s going to work out. I know I’m going to overcome. It may be taking a long time, but I know this too shall pass. It may be difficult, but I know that means I’m closer to my victory because I am a prisoner of hope!” 

SUCCESS INDICATOR

Everyone wants to be successful.

Success comes in many different shapes and sizes.

Everyone defines success through their own lens of life experience.

One thing we all have in common though is the opportunity to learn from those who are already successful.

In study after study you will find similar habits among those who are successful and well…those who aren’t.

Let’s take a look at some of those habits…

UP A LEVEL

Your strategy is to make everyone else get on your level; you’re not going down to theirs.   

As a leader you are always wanting to bring others up. However, there will be those that want you to come down to theirs. Not everyone will go to the next level. They will try to convince you to settle where they are at. This is not you though. You are unstoppable, there is no settling in you. A leader never is complacent with where they are in life. You will help others to come up to your level though. As you are working in your purpose take time to bring others up to your level. A leader never settles. Being unstoppable means you are always looking for ways to get better and to help those around you. Don’t allow those that don’t want to be the best discourage you from being your best. Being a leader is a special thing. Don’t take it for granted ever. Everyone has the ability but so few go to that level. You are one that will go to that level and keep on going.

Are you bringing others up to your level today?

MOTIVATION TO LEARN

Motivated from within

Intrinsic motivation is an important topic in education, as teachers and instructional designers strive to develop learning environments that are intrinsically rewarding. Unfortunately, many traditional paradigms suggest that most students find learning boring so they must be extrinsically goaded into educational activities. Malone and Lepper (1987) suggest that this need not be the case and identify several different ways to make learning environments that are intrinsically rewarding.

Malone and Lepper define activities as intrinsically motivating if "people engage in it for its own sake, rather than in order to receive some external reward or avoid some external punishment. We use the words fun, interesting, captivating, enjoyable, and intrinsically motivating all more or less interchangeably to describe such activities."

The factors that they identify as increasing intrinsic motivation are:

• Challenge: People are more motivated when they pursue goals that have personal meaning, that relate to their self-esteem, when performance feedback is available, and when attaining the goal is possible but not necessarily certain.
• Curiosity: Internal motivation is increased when something in the physical environment grabs the individual's attention (sensory curiosity) and when something about the activity stimulates the person to want to learn more (cognitive curiosity).
• Control: People want control over themselves and their environments and want to determine what they pursue.
• Cooperation and Competition: Intrinsic motivation can be increased in situations where people gain satisfaction from helping others and also in cases where they are able to compare their own performance favorably to that of others.
• Recognition: People enjoy having their accomplishment recognized by others, which can increase internal motivation.

Observations

• "Unnecessary rewards sometimes carry hidden costs. Most people think that offering tangible rewards will boost anyone's interest in an activity. Actually, promising children a reward for a task they already enjoy can backfire. In experiments, children promised a payoff for playing with an interesting puzzle or toy later play with the toy less than do children who are not paid to play. It is as if the children think, 'If I have to be bribed into doing this, then it must not be worth doing for its own sake.'"
  (Myers, 2005)
• "The functional significance, or salience, of the event dictates whether intrinsic motivation is facilitated or diminished. For example, an athlete may perceive receiving an external reward (e.g., money, trophy) as a positive indicator of her sport competence (informational), whereas another athlete may perceive the same reward as coercion to keep her involved in the activity (controlling). Thus, the aspect of the event that is perceived as salient will determine level of autonomy and perceived competence experienced, and ultimately affect intrinsic motivation for that activity."
  (Horn, 2008)

References

Brown, L. V. (2007). Psychology of motivation. New York: Nova Science Publishers.

Coon, D. & Mitterer, J. O. (2010). Introduction to psychology: Gateways to mind and behavior with         concept maps. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Griggs, R. A. (2010). Psychology: A concise introduction. New York: Worth Publishers.

Horn, T. S. (2008). Advances in sport psychology. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Malone, T. W. & Lepper, M. R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning. In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.), Aptitude, learning, and instruction: III. Cognative and affective process analysis. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Myers, D. (2005). Exploring psychology, Sixth edition in modules. New York: Worth Publishers.

HARD WORK IS WORTH IT

Is Working Hard Worth It?

All this talk of stress from work can leave you thinking that hard work isn’t worth it.

I disagree.

Working hard is worth every bit of your effort. You’ll never regret choosing greatness for your life and going for it.

But the question you need to ask is, “Are you working hard on the right things?”

Do you give your health as much focus as your work? Do you give your relationships as much emphasis as your deadlines? Do you make time for exploring, creating, and traveling, just like you make time for meetings, conference calls, and clients?

Or are you simply spending all of your time at work?

In the words of President Theodore Roosevelt, “Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.”

What could be more worth doing than working on your health and happiness?

YOU NEED ENERGY NOT TIME

Are you feeling pressed for time? 

I normally don't post stuff like this but with the workload today and the need for innovation I felt like the renewal of energy was an important issue.  Take a 20-minute break and watch this TEDx Talk from Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project. According to Schwartz, refocusing and renewing your energy will help you cope with this “world of infinite demand.”

“We need to learn to manage our energy rather than our time,” he says. “It used to be—until recently, even—that if you needed to get more done, what did you do? You invested more hours. Well that’s fine, except time has a problem, doesn’t it? It’s finite.”

How do you renew your energy?

SEE IT TO BE IT

Your imagination is extremely powerful.

You are a visual being. Choosing the right images in your mind’s eye is important because your life will move in the direction of your most dominant thoughts. The way you see yourself in your mind’s eye, over time, will drop down into your heart and become your reality. If you’ll create a picture in your imagination of you being a successful leader, unstoppable, and relentless, then your life will move in that direction. Every morning, you should wake up and picture yourself succeeding; picture yourself healthy and successful; picture yourself and your family not only being blessed, but being a bigger blessing to others. If you’ll keep the right images in front of you and work your process, you’ll see yourself the way you should. 

FLUSH THE NEGATIVITY

Releasing a negative thought and getting to the next part of your day is a skill that must be developed to be a great leader.  

When you hold on to something you did wrong you then lose focus in the now. A leader must have the mindset of being in the present, being in the now. I often tell colleagues to flush the past, especially the negativity. Just like flushing a toilet. There is not much difference between negativity and the toilet; both need flushing from your mind. Stay present minded. Stay in the now. There is nothing you can do about a negative event. Learn from it and don’t repeat it. This holds true on the field, the court, the hardwood, in the classroom and in life. There are going to be days you make the wrong move, don’t keep it from allowing you to moving forward. Don’t let the mistake you made at the office stop you from your destiny. Don’t let that mistake you made in that relationship stop you from loving others. To be unstoppable you have to continue to move forward. To be relentless you have to stay in the now. Now will always be now. It is constantly moving forward and in the present. There is no now in the past. 

Release and flush the negativity and move toward the next success in your life today. 

DEFY EXPERTS

Did you know that according to all the laws of aerodynamics, a bumblebee should not be able to fly?

Its wingspan is too small for the size of its body. It can’t get enough lift. But here’s the key: Nobody told the bumblebee. It didn’t get the memo. No experts were able to talk it out of flying. The bumblebee felt its wings on its sides and something in its DNA said, “I’m supposed to fly. I’m not made to just crawl around on the ground.” It didn’t read the latest engineering report. It just did what was natural and started flapping its wings and took off into the air. Have you ever had the experts tell you, “You’ll never do well; you’ll never get out of debt; you’ve gone as far as your education allows; this is as good as it gets”? With all due respect, the experts can be wrong. You have a destiny and a purpose filled life. 

You will do what you were created to do in the world. 

BREAK CAMP

Are there some tent stakes in your life that you need to pull up so you can press forward?  

Maybe you’ve stopped in a temporary place, and it’s time to keep going. Maybe you’ve gotten comfortable and decided that your dreams are never going to happen. Your health is never going to improve. I’m asking you to pack up your tent, gather up your stuff and start moving forward. You may have taken a temporary delay, but that’s okay. That didn’t stop your destiny. Today can be your new beginning. God is breathing new life into you. There are greater victories in front of you! Remember, the first place we lose the battle is in our own thinking. If you don’t think you can be successful, then you never will be. If you don’t think you can overcome the past, meet the right person or accomplish your dreams, then you’ll get stuck right where you are. You’ve got to change your thinking. Get rid of a negative, defeated mentality. 

Make room in your thinking for the new thing you are supposed to do, pull up your stakes and move on. 

DON'T BE A MANAGER

Innovate your leadership approach.  Coach and lead…don’t manage.

Here are 5 Key Differences between a Manager/Boss and a Coach/Leader:

• A Leader/Coach spends more time listening and asking questions, while a Boss spends more time speaking and giving directions.
• A Leader/Coach invests time in observing, while a Boss makes quick assumptions.
• A Leader/Coach uncovers issues to get to the root of a problem, while a Boss takes the quickest route to deal with the surface symptoms.
• A Leader/Coach helps Direct Reports accept responsibility, while a Boss assigns blame.
• A Leader/Coach supports employees in developing their plans, while a Boss gives them the plan and tells them to follow it.

We've all experienced variations of Boss vs. Leader types in our working lives. The truth is, it seems easier and more expedient to "boss" than to coach. But research and anecdotal evidence both show that coach/leaders have more engaged employees, and get better results. Do you have more "boss" types or coaches in your organization? Whether you're the head large university department, or just trying to be effective in leading a small school, perhaps it's time to ask yourself - am I more of a boss, or a leader? What would your employees say?

In the Spirit of INNOVATION,

Justin Davis

PROGRAM YOUR MIND

Our minds work a lot like a computer. The way we program our thinking will determine how our lives are going to function.  

You can have the most expensive, powerful computer you can find, but if you load the wrong software, it’s not going to perform at its best. In the same way, many people are not living a successful life not because there is something wrong with them, but because of what has been programmed in their thinking. They start believing the lies, “I’m not talented. I don’t have a good personality. I’ve made too many mistakes. I’ve reached my limits.” Just like a virus can slow down a perfectly good computer, our wrong thinking can keep us from our destiny. If you’re going to live in success, you’ve got to know how to hit the delete button. When that thought comes that says, “You’re just average. You’re ordinary.” Hit delete and say, “I’m a masterpiece. I’m one of a kind.” When you hear, “You’ve seen your best days. It’s all downhill from here.” Hit delete and say, “My future will be brighter than my past.” If you will start hitting the delete button on those negative thoughts, your life will go to a new level, and you’ll experience the destiny you were created for. 

RETOOL YOUR "I AM's"

Have you ever considered the power of the statement, “I am”?  

What follows these two simple words will determine what kind of life you live. “I am blessed. I am strong. I am healthy.” Or, “I am slow. I am unattractive. I am stupid.” The “I am’s” that are coming out of your mouth will bring either success or failure. All through the day the power of “I am” is at work in our minds. Many times we use the power of “I am” against us. We don’t realize how it’s affecting our future. Here’s the principle. What follows the “I am” will always come looking for you. The good news is that you get to choose what follows the “I am.” When you go through the day saying, “I am unstoppable,” you become unstoppable. “I am talented.” Talent comes looking for you. You may not feel up to par but when you say, “I am healthy,” health starts heading your way. “I am strong.” Strength starts tracking you down. You’re inviting that into your life. Get up in the morning and invite good things into your life. Declare “I am relentless. I am strong. I am talented. I am disciplined. I am focused. I am a LEADER. I am an INNOVATOR.” And always make sure the truth follows “I am”! 

COMFORTABLE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE

What innovation really requires is a willingness to be uncomfortable.  

We talk a lot about being comfort being uncomfortable when we think about innovation. To be an innovator, you are going to be uncomfortable quite a lot. You are going to have to do the things that others won’t do. Why won’t others do them? Because they are not comfortable being uncomfortable. People that choose to be average don’t want to sacrifice to be the best. To be unstoppable means you have to put in the hard work, the time, the dedication. Being uncomfortable becomes your new comfort zone. Taking your career to the next level is going to require you to go to the next level too. It will require you to be relentless in your mental conditioning. It doesn’t matter what it is you’re doing. You have to out work your opponent. When they get uncomfortable and quit, you’re just getting started. 

Are you going to innovate today?

YOUR STANDARD

Go ahead and live to your highest standard. 

Even though you may feel you're not fully appreciated for it, do what you know is good and right and valuable.When there’s a job to be done, do more than just getting it done. Do your best.

Perhaps no one else cares, or perhaps they care more than you realize. In any case, what really matters is that you know you are living to your highest standard.

Live to your highest standard, and it will pay off in ways you cannot fully appreciate or anticipate now. Live to your highest standard, and feel the power as it accumulates in the form of confidence, competence, wisdom, patience and true fulfillment.

Listen carefully to what others say, but never let anyone’s shortsightedness bring you down. Find new energy and enthusiasm every day, knowing that you are giving your best to life.

Live to your highest standard, no matter what circumstances you may find yourself in. Live to your highest standard, because deep inside, you know that’s what you really want and what you are meant to do.

CONSTRUCTIVE LOVE

Love is what makes you a good father or son, mother or daughter, boss or employee. It’s bringing out the best in others.  

“Love looks for a way to be constructive.” In other words, love looks for ways to improve someone else’s life. Love brings out the best in other people. Don't just get up in the morning thinking about yourself or how you can make your own life better. Think about how you can make someone else’s life better. Ask yourself, “Who can I encourage today?” “Who can I build up?” You have something to offer those around you that no one else can give. Someone in your life needs your encouragement. Someone in your life needs to know that you believe in them. I believe God will hold us responsible for the people He’s put in our lives. He’s counting on us to bring out the best in our family and friends. Are you improving the lives of those around you? Are you pouring confidence in them? Why don't you ask the Lord to give you creative ways to bring out the best in others? As you sow into the lives of others, God will send people along your path that will build you up so that you can embrace every blessing He has in store for you. 

What is your love doing for others today?

YOU ARE STRONG

Whatever happens, you'll get through this and be stronger than ever.  

In life you are going to face opposition, especially on your journey as a leader. The adversity is going to be bigger and stronger all the time. However, know that you will overcome and be much stronger because of it. It’s not the adversity that necessarily makes you a great leader and champion, but it does reveal that you are STRONG. Don't stress over the outcome because you are unstoppable. You play until you win and nothing else. You are strong now, but you will continually grow stronger as you move forward. Honestly, I am excited about your quest. I know you are going to accomplish awesome things in your life. Use your purpose to shape your destiny. Use your gifting to be the difference in other’s lives. 

You are special and unique, so use that to make it to the next level in your life. 

BE PLANTED

We all face difficulties and challenges in life.

But you have to remember, as a leader, you have greatness on the inside of you. When you go through disappointments or tough times, you may feel like you've been buried. You may feel like you're in a dark, lonely place. You may feel like it’s the end; but in reality, it’s only the beginning. The fact is, you haven’t been buried; you have been planted. That means you're coming back. And not only are you coming back, but you're coming back in strength, better and stronger than before! In those tough times, you've got to draw the line in the sand. Make a declaration, “This tough time is not going to bury me. This loss, this disappointment, this injustice is not going to cause me to give up on my dreams. I refuse to live in self-pity. I know I am a seed. That means I cannot be buried. I can only be planted. I may be down, but it’s only temporary. I know I’m not only coming back, I'm coming back even better than I was before!” 

EMBRACE CHANGE

Change is always scary…embrace it!

No matter which stage your life is in, when change comes, do you regard it as a threat or an opportunity? Change is part of everyday life and yet some people find change challenging. If facing new situations fills you with dread, you can help yourself by learning how to embrace change. Think about it, change is inevitable. At this very moment, for instance, your body and cells are changing. The earth, economy, technology, how we do business, how we learn, and even how we communicate is changing. You can choose to resist the changes that are always afoot and ultimately be swept away by them. Alternatively, you could choose to cooperate with change, adapt to change, and benefit from change all the while stepping into greater levels of your prosperity. Understand this, as human beings, it is a natural thing that the fear of change is deep-rooted. Change, of any type or through any stage in life, is often looked upon as frightening. If, however, change is embraced with a positive attitude, seen as an opportunity or a chance to live with greater excitement and fulfillment, then moving through a change brings many benefits. 

So, then, how do we embrace change? It is actually pretty simple and easy – it begins by accepting that life is a journey of discovery and that change is part of that journey.

CHALLENGE AND PURPOSE

Our purpose is greater than our challenges.

I could not write anymore and enough would have been said. In your life you will face some serious challenges but know that your purpose is far greater. Always know that your purpose will be defined by your challenges. Many think that once they have discovered their purpose they won’t have challenges. Nothing could be farther from the truth. When you discover your purpose you will see an increase in your challenges. Welcome the challenges that come your way. Learn how to overcome them. You will gain in your destiny and purpose each time you come up against a challenge in life. To be a successful leader you will have to know your purpose is greater than any challenge. No challenge that comes up against you will be able to stop you because you are unstoppable. A relentless person will attack the challenge until they have won. 

It’s time to get serious about your purpose. What is your purpose?

MOVE FORWARD

Don't let the past poison your future!

It’s easy to go through life focused on what didn't work out, who hurt us, or the mistakes we've made. “If only I would have finished college. If only I would have spent more time with my children. If only that company wouldn’t have laid me off after 20 years. That’s just not right.” As long as you're living in regret, focused on the negative things of the past, it’s going to keep you from the awesome destiny you have in store. You've got to let go of what didn't work out. Let go of the hurts and pain. Let go of your disappointments and failures. You can't do anything about the past, but you can do something about right now. Whether it happened 20 years ago or 20 minutes ago, let it go and move forward. If you keep bringing negative baggage from yesterday into today, it will poison your future. You may have had an unfair past, but you don't have to have an unfair future. You may have gotten off to a rough start in life, but it’s not how you start that matters. It’s how you finish. 

WARNINGS

Life gives us warnings for a reason.

Learn from this. Do things differently. You and those around you will be glad you did. No matter what is happening in your life today, as a Leader, you have a reason to be excited about your future! If things seem dark right now, know that the dawn will soon appear. The key is you have to remember that you are not here by accident. You have a purpose and destiny to fulfill. Your best days are not behind you; your best days are out in front of you. You have the DNA of a Leader inside of you. You were created and designed to be relentless and unstoppable. Get going today, don't waste another minute. There is an awesome adventure in store for you. 

Today, get your hopes up and get excited about your future. Are you listening to the warnings today?

BE PRESENT

The present is more important than the past. 

Oftentimes we allow our past to negatively affect our present and future. However, your past should be a teacher that pushes you toward your purpose and destiny in life. We all have made mistakes and bad decisions. Learn from those and use it to make a better today and tomorrow for yourself and those around you. Your past should never disqualify your destiny but rather it qualifies you to be the difference. Whether you try to disqualify yourself or others attempt to do so, push forward. Take what you can from days and years gone by and use it to form your process for becoming the Champion you were created to be. There are so many others that are going through what you have been through that need your help; your advice. You are the difference in their life. Being relentless means forgiving yourself for what has happened in your life. You can do this! You are a Champion!

Use your past to make a better tomorrow!

THE VOICES

All through the day, there are two voices that compete for our attention — the voice of victory and the voice of defeat. 

You'll hear a voice saying, “You'll never be successful. You don't have what it takes. You've reached your limit.” But if you listen carefully, you'll hear another voice saying, “You are well able. You can do it. Your best days are still up ahead.” You are the one who gets to choose which voice has power in your life. The moment you verbalize a thought, you give it the right to happen. When you speak faith, you’re in agreement with God. When you speak defeat, you’re in agreement with the enemy. God-talk brings God on the scene. Enemy-talk brings the enemy on the scene. Why don't you get in agreement with God ? The negative voice may be louder, but you can override it. You can take away all of its power by simply choosing the voice of victory.

What voice are you listening to?

BE WHAT YOUR MIND SEES

From a mental perspective, what is imagined is true and real.

You have to expect what you desire is going to happen. Just wanting it isn't enough. Believe in your mind that you will be a Champion. Know that you are unstoppable and will be the best. You see it first in your mind before you see it with your eyes. See yourself being successful. See yourself being the best at what you do. Visualize yourself being the Champion you were born to be. If you can see it in your mind and you know it’s your destiny; then go make it happen. Practice every day seeing yourself where you want to go and be. Start and end each day seeing with your mind. Use your mind to move yourself forward. So many people allow their mind to control their life and keep them down. 

Be in control of your mind today and see your life go to another level. 

LEADERSHIP INGREDIENTS

What makes a good leader?

To be successful as a leader, you need a combination of two ingredients: character and competence. You need to be a person of integrity. Someone people trust and are willing to follow. To be trusted in education, you must be trustworthy. You must believe in yourself, your school, the essential goodness of your curriculum and plans, and in the people around you. You need to believe that you are offering an excellent service in every way, one that makes a difference in the lives of those you serve. You must lead by example and obtain leadership skills that inspire others to join you in the exciting project of building a great community. At the same time, you must become excellent at the key capabilities and functions of leadership and set yourself on a course of continuous improvement throughout your career.

“You need the humility to remind yourself that you've got to get better at everything you do,” insisted Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos.

“I don't know about you, but I’m never done growing.”

LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

THE MOST ESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP QUALITIES

Integrity is perhaps the most valued and respected quality of leadership and one of the most important management skills you need to attain. By saying what you'll do and then doing what you say, you will build trust around your team. Do you stand up and speak out for what you believe? Do you demonstrate the courage to stay the course when the going gets tough and the outcome looks uncertain? What makes a good leader is the ability to stay calm and in control, especially when everyone around them is wondering whether it’s the right decision or if it was a mistake to commit to a particular course of action. When you exude confidence in yourself, in the decision, and in the people around you, you instill the same feelings and attitudes in others. Leaders have what is called “courageous patience.” Between the decision and the result, there is always a period of uncertainty when no one knows if the effort is going to be successful.

To be a successful leader, you must strive to have these essential leadership qualities. 

IMPROVE YOUR WORK ETHIC

So, how to improve your work ethic?

First of all: stop talking and start doing

Look, talking about your goals isn't going to help you reach them. I know I enjoy talking about my goals and dreams as most people do but time spent on this is mostly wasted. Talking about your goals and actually taking action towards your goals are two different things.

The funny thing is that it can feel like you are busy reaching your goals when you are talking about them, but in reality, you are not moving forward. Let’s face the hard reality. It’s going to require hard work to get there.  Just pick one thing and go DO it now! Stop procrastinating. Nobody else is going to do it for you.

Stop consuming, start producing

What are you going to do today that you can show to other people tomorrow? Produce something. Look, checking your Facebook and Twitter isn't producing anything. You are just consuming pointless information. Again, with talking you are not producing anything. Therefore it’s not effective. Create something. Nobody cares about the things you say or think. They care about what you can show to them.

As a rule: spend more time producing then you are consuming.

Switch your mindset from consumer to producer.

It’s all about getting things done

We feel like we deserve something back whenever we have put a lot of hours into something. But in reality, this is nonsense. I see this in college, someone whining about the amount of hours he has put into a project, but still has a bad grade. I've certainly done it myself. But the fact is, the teacher doesn't see those hours you've put into the project. He will only see the end result, and that’s what he’s going to grade. This works the same with everything in life. People don't see your hard work, they only see the results. Therefore, it’s better to focus on getting things done and produce so you've something to show up for. Truth is, most people have never produced anything else then they have been asked for or told to. If you are the one that has produced something extra in his life, you will get ahead. Do more then you are told to do.

Stop wasting time

We are in this crazy society where we get distracted so easily. Sometimes we have to go back to basics and just focus on doing. There are so many ways to waste your time. You'll have to focus and cut out useless activities.

Try to improve each day. You will start to live a more congruent life, because you are spending more time working towards the goals that are in line with you.

So how to improve your work ethic?

- Stop talking, start doing

- Produce more than you consume

- Get things done

BE DECISIVE

A Champion makes decisions not suggestions, you know the answer while everyone else is still asking questions.

Being a Champion you have to be decisive. To be decisive you must have the information you need to make the correct decision and to make it quickly. How do you get the information? You prepare ahead of time. You read books that have information about the area you are in.  You research!  You turn your iPod into a library of books. You listen to podcasts and books during your drive time, workout time, and break time. You take the time to read the material that is current and up-to-date in your field. Make time to listen to people that have gone before you and are Champions in your sport, career area, or what you are interested in doing. If you are going to be unstoppable, then you have to do the work that is necessary. You have to be able to make the decision on what to do before others. Be prepared, be a Champion! 

LEADERS VS. MANAGERS

Leadership and management is NOT the same!

Many people often use the terms management and leadership interchangeably, but they are really two completely different concepts. Unlike management, leadership is a vocation rather than a position. While management can be assigned or chosen, leadership is something to which someone must be called. A person who takes a leadership position so they may assume a particular status or control within an organization is a manager—not a leader. While management and leadership have many similar characteristics, the motivations of practitioners are very different. According to Richard Daft (2008), the purpose of management is “the attainment of organizational goals in an effective and efficient manner through planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling organizational resources” (p. 14). 

Managers seek stability in an organized environment in order to control the organization’s bottom line. The motivation for management is power and profit. Leadership is different because it is “an influence relationship among leaders and followers who intend real changes and outcomes that reflect their shared purposes” (Daft, 2008, p. 4). 

Leaders provide a vision for the future of the organization and often question the way things are done because they want to move the organization and its people forward instead of merely maintaining a stable environment. The motivation for leadership is people and progress “by building networks of positive relationships” (Daft, 2008, p. 357).

Reference

Daft, R. L. (2008). The leadership experience (4th ed.). Mason, OH: SouthWestern.