Sam Makhoul – Page 20

April 30, 2011

Flip Fear, Forever!

If you are a person that is a constant worrier and always fears the worst… take heart. You see I believe you have an amazing ability. It takes imagination to conjure up what could go wrong in life (and business). Some of the best leaders I come across have this ability but they use it to imagine the best instead of the worst.

In my one-on-one mentoring, I come across some brilliant imaginations. This ability usually manifests itself when we get to that part of the program, which requires action. This is when these same brilliant people start thinking of everything that could go wrong. Left to their own designs such people would think of every conceivable reason not to take action in life.

‘I could get sick’

‘I might get laughed at’

‘I might lose money’

Most coaches call that fear of failure. But when you look at it closely, it’s really nothing more than misguided imagination or, imagination gone astray. My approach is that if you harness that imagination, you can flip fear forever.

Creative imagination is a very powerful asset. And some people are born with an amazing one. But it’s a double edge sword. Your imagination can hurt you as much as it can lift you higher in life.

In my mentoring sessions I get my clients to imagine the best NOT the worst. I get them to close their eyes and imagine themselves on the field or in the boardroom or giving a presentation. I guide them to visualise all the wonderful consequences that could happen when they ‘go for it’. Kicking that goal. Making the sale. Motivating their team. Running that mile.

I finish by asking them: “How did that dream make you feel?” The response is usually, “Really awesome!”

“That’s your imagination!” I add. “Use it by visualising your best dreams not your worst nightmare.”

Dreaming about your best life is different to goal setting. Goals reside in the mind whereas dreams live in the heart. When we dream up our best life we awaken passion in our hearts. Passion then brings courage to the surface to push past fear. It’s amazing to witness some people go from the back foot to the front foot simply by flipping fear. They walk out of my office feeling stronger, taller and fearless! Seeing this transformation inspires me to do likewise.

The marketing genius – George Lois once said:

“Only with absolute fearlessness can we slay the dragons of mediocrity that invade our gardens”

April 27, 2011

Meditation is Detox for the Mind

This morning I tweeted, “meditation is detox for the mind.” I subsequently had a few people asking me what I do for meditation. My answer came as a surprise to some and was dismissed by others. ‘It can’t be that simple, surely!’ came the reply by many Type A personalities. ‘Why not, it works for me’, I responded (also a Type A).

If I had to write a book on meditation it would contain only one sentence. (Why the need to over analyse and complicate something so innate and natural?)

You see, the objective of meditation is relaxation.

Relaxation is the third branch in our Tree of Health. The other two being food and exercise of course. I have learned (the hard way) that relaxing is just as important as eating well and exercising. If you do not make time to relax, you will eventually run out of puff. Even the most successful people (in sport and business), who are passionate about their game, make time to relax.

But what I have noticed is that everyone relaxes differently. For some it may be winding down at the end of the day by reading a book. For others, a hot bath.

Many, however, find that the best way to relax is through meditation.

There are many practices of meditation. You can sit and focus on how your breath moves your stomach in and out. You can repeat a soothing word softly to yourself, which acts as a calming affirmation. You can listen to soft music or you can sit underneath the shade of a tree, listening to the sounds of nature.

For me, the best meditation is sleep. Yes, Sleep! Going to bed early and waking early keeps me calmly active and actively calm all day. Also, napping in the afternoon calms my mind and de-clutters my thinking. It’s part of my daily detox of the mind. It’s that simple!

And, I do some of my best strategic thinking after my naps.

What type of meditation works for you?

April 26, 2011

UNLEASH YOUR ENERGY

Our source of energy comes not from what we eat. Food is just fuel. Our bodies still need a spark to turn that fuel into physical energy.

I have met people who eat well, exercise, relax and still suffer from chronic fatigue. What they don’t realise and what most health practitioners will not admit, is that our true source of energy comes from our hearts and minds.

People who do not fill their life with activities that give them passion and purpose are rudderless. They drift along aimlessly. Consequently they lack that spark in their life.

Here are seven steps to unleashing your energy. I go through these steps daily and journal how they apply to each area of my life: Health and Fitness, Love, Family, Work and Business, Friendship, Learning, Wealth Creation and Charity.

Step 1: Focus on your goals & dreams to ignite your passion. This is the initial spark that primes your body’s physical energy.

Step 2: Take daily action with courage and your energy will rise to the surface and manifest itself.

Step 3: Be motivated by love in everything you do to ensure that you do not waste energy on negative emotions.

Step 4: Accept the winds of change that life blows your way. Don’t waste energy resisting its lessons and opportunities

Step 5: Be grateful for what you have. Don’t waste energy focusing on what you do not have.

Step 6: Give of your time and wealth to others in need and your energy will multiply.

Step 7: Be fearless and adventurous in life and you will perpetuate the energy you get from discovering new goals and dreams.

These steps adopt a pattern of thinking I call the Circle of Positive Thinking (COPT). I have been living by COPT all my adult life. I am happy to share the specifics with you, if you email me direct at sam@sammakhoul.com

It is the most powerful way I know to creating health, happiness and prosperity.

Regards, Sam.

April 21, 2011

DO YOU STOP TO ASK FOR DIRECTIONS?

I was recently asked to comment on the importance of business coaching and why so many business owners are reluctant to get and pay for coaching. This is a snapshot of what I said.

Asking for Directions — Hello, I'm Mister Ed

Business has to view coaching/mentoring as another staff member. They must put a value on that resource like they would any other employee.

The problem you will find is that most business owners do not view non-fee earning activities as valuable. It’s sad but true that most business owners do not value what coaches provide. Why? Because they cannot measure it. And also because it takes a long time to translate into increased income and profits.

Most business owners think short-term. Consequently they drift along in the realms of mediocrity. For me they are no different to people who never stop to ask for directions, or builders who commence construction on a project without detailed specifications. They make costly mistakes. Implement the wrong strategies. Lose time and miss opportunities. Worst of all they get lost in the detail of business and lose the enthusiasm and the passion they once had for their craft.

A lot of business owners I come across make the mistake of thinking that having a coach is like admitting defeat. Or worse they think they know more about their business than a coach. They miss the point that a coach is not there to tell them what they don’t already know. Rather a coach is there to take their business and their personal life to the next level. The level where champions compete.

You see, business is no different to sport. The best entrepreneurs and sports people work with coaches. They recognise that to compete with the best you have to be coached to peak performance. A good coach can help you achieve this.

Here are a list of benefits of working with a coach:

You lift your energy and enthusiasm.
You It takes the pressure off staying touch with latest concepts.
You stay focused on the big picture.
You improve your personal life.
Your staff will start love and respect you even more than before.
Your customers will notice the difference.
Your family will notice the difference.

I believe that having a business coach is essential – especially in our digital age where information and strategy is evolving so rapidly.

The question is not whether your business can afford a coach. The real question is, can you afford NOT to have a coach.

Happy Easter festivities to all. A time for family and eating lots of good food!

April 6, 2011

Is Speed Killing your Life and Business – Part 4 “The Solution”

So how do you work slower throughout the day? Try adopting some of the following strategies:

Don’t schedule in more than two meetings per day. And meetings should not last more than an hour.
Don’t schedule any meetings after 3pm. It is the most unproductive time of day and also the time of day where most misunderstandings and therefore conflicts occur.
Don’t pick up your second line (or call waiting) when you are already on a phone call.
Don’t rush your meetings or phone calls. Take your time and ensure that you understand the objectives and outcome of a discussion.
Listen more and absorb what the other person is saying.
Don’t take on too much work. Learn to say ‘no’.
Don’t rush your individual tasks. Enjoy doing them to the best of your ability knowing and reminding yourself that the service you give affects the customer. Visualise them praising you for the good work you will do.
Don’t accept any last minute deadlines imposed on you. Last-minute deadlines usually arise from somebody else’s inefficiency. It is somebody else problem. Don’t make it yours unless it is truly an exception requiring you to go beyond the call of duty.
Take a walk at lunch – preferably where there is a park or trees. Go alone.
Take at least 45 minutes for lunch.
Take a packed lunch to work for at least three days in the week. You will get more nutrition and you will save money.
Keep a photo on your desk and look at it throughout the day. It could be a photo of your partner, your children or a picture of your next holiday destination.
SLOOOOW DOOOOWN

These are just some of many strategies that we can each adopt. For those of you who are self-employed you will find that when you work slower then you can choose to work whenever and wherever you are without compromising your quality of life. Because working slower reduces stress. Stress management is a major challenge in our working lives. But people don’t realize that the problem is not the work we do but the speed in which we do it. For example when we are faced with a problem (or challenge) at work that same problem can generate different levels of stress depending on your frame of mind. If you tackle the problem in a slower frame of mind the problem shrinks in stature and the solution comes clearly and simply. The opposite applies when you are hurried. Problems are magnified unnecessarily and viewed as potential disasters. That is why most fast-paced and stressed people are caught in a cycle of worrying about things that never materialise. They blow things out of proportion.

Therefore working slower can solve your stress problem a lot cheaper and a lot more effectively than gym memberships, counseling sessions and pub drinking sessions.

The next burning question that I am sure you are about to ask is: Does slowing down at work reduce productivity and the business profitability? The answer is “definitely not”. Think tortoise and the hare. The fact is you are more effective when you slow down. You are more focused, more methodical, more thorough, more alert, more relaxed, and more creative. And all this facilitates better customer service and better management of yourself and others that work with you.

We have to also acknowledge that most of the time pressure we put ourselves under is self-inflicted because we tend to waste time here and there throughout the day. By managing your time more effectively you will find that there is never a need for speed at work. Time management is simply adhering to the cliché that “there is a time to work, a time to rest and a time to play.” To do this, simply apply what I call the “Triple 8 Rule”. We have 24 hours in the day:

8 hours for sleep
8 hours for work, and
8 hours for socializing and relaxing

Too much sleep makes you sluggish. Not enough sleep makes you tired and irritable. Too much work makes you stressed but not enough work makes you feel dissatisfied and bored (not to mention poor). Too much social time makes you directionless but not enough makes you boring and stressed. A fine balance between these three is the key. There are many books written on time management and I do not intend to bore you with the obvious; suffice it to say that you will find that it is a lot easier to slow down if you manage your time effectively. In addition to energy it is your most valuable resource. So slow down and smell the roses. Shed your cynicism. Sit and reflect and grow rich in mind. Listen to music you love. Savour the flavour of food and wine. Take the time to really listen to people. Take a slow stroll in the park. Daydream about your next holiday. Look into your children’s eyes and see the wonder and excitement for life.

Hopefully we in the service industry will gain momentum on this issue and start a Slow Service Movement that will improve our quality of service and more importantly our quality of life. We owe it to our customers, to our family and most importantly to ourselves.

Tomorrow I am off overseas on a relaxing break with my family. Its a time for slow living and really connecting with the family. Its also a time when most of my creative ideas come flowing.

See you in 8 days.

Regards, Sam.