Archive for the ‘Inspiration – Motivation’ Category

Recently, one of my very first clients – who now is also a good friend – referred to me as the Jedi Master of Motivation. I felt humbled. I’m also a Star Wars fan.

Self – Motivation. An important and integral part of my work is focused on motivation.  One of the inherent benefits of coaching and giving presentations is that these tools may serve as a “catalyst” for people to become motivated to first clarify and then pursue their goals.

To be clear, the “catalyst” is in helping people discover their own motivation.  In my view, this is truly where the personal journey of self-evolution begins.  Through self-motivation, people can begin exciting, fulfilling, and rewarding journeys aimed at reaching their professional and personal aspirations.  While other factors are imperative, self-motivation is where it all begins.

Self-motivated people make the conscious decision to become top performers.  They decide to become the best that they can be in their endeavors – successful business owners, outstanding sales professionals, strong leaders, great parents, committed spouses, friends and contributing members of society.

Beyond self-motivation, there is another imperative step in this path of self-evolution.

Commitment.  During this step, people make the commitment to achieving the next small goal and strive to reach the next milestone through planning and focused actions.  Even though they may experience circumstances beyond their control and have to make adjustments by occasionally changing their course along the way, they continue to move forward.  Beyond decision, they make a commitment to their personal and professional growth and development.

They are self-motivated people of commitment. They are the Jedi Masters of Self-Motivation.

May self-motivation and committment be with you…

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If you are like me, you have often thought about things that seemingly “cannot” be done.

During a beautiful summer day about a month ago, my four-year old daughter Aleka, and I went to the park.  My wife, Kristina, prepared some snacks for the outing. We brought some strawberries and some  chocolate spread sandwiches packed in a container.  Just enough, until Kristina could join us for lunch a few hours later.

Days like this are one of life’s true enjoyments.

When we arrived at the park, we placed the backpack on one of the picnic tables.  We opened the container, had a few strawberries, and then headed to the swings that were about 20-yards away. During this time, a couple of squirrels were comfortably hanging around, staring at us. I thought they were a little bit too close for comfort.  People seem to feed them, so they hang around for snacks, scraps, and interaction.

As Aleka insisted that I take her to the swings, I tightly sealed the snack container, made sure that no food was exposed, and off we went to the swings.  We must have been gone for only  about 15-minutes, before heading back to our table to a big surprise.

Creatively and with a definite purpose, one of the squirrels had removed the lid from the snack container, eaten most of the strawberries, and was currently enjoying one of the chocolate spread sandwiches!  In a totally relaxed manner and with pure enjoyment, the squirrel was staring at us as if it was saying, “See what I did? Thanks for the meal!”

I am absolutely certain that I had properly sealed the container and thought that the food was “safe.”    I didn’t think that a squirrel would have the ingenuity, purpose and quite frankly – the audacity to help itself, but it did.

Apparently, this squirrel was hungry enough to figure out a way to access the snacks in only about 15 minutes.  We ended up giving our leftovers to this industrious and hungry squirrel. He earned them.

What is the moral of the story? This is open to your interpretation.

Some possible interpretive questions:

• What in my world seems “impossible” or as something that “cannot” be done?
• Am I more like the picnickers or the squirrel in this story?
• Am I complacent in thinking I am “safe?”
• What in my world can spark the “hunger” in me, as in this squirrel, to thereby spark my creativity and ingenuity? How can I be more like the squirrel in this story?

You may post your comments below.

I have had the privilege of working with some great clients in my coaching business. They have ranged from people experiencing life transitions, to independent professionals and business executives.

Although their objectives may be different, from increasing performance and influence, to growing their businesses, or clarifying a career path; everyone shares something in common.  I believe that is the desire to improve, to grow, or to change. It’s the desire to ultimately be able to do more of what is most important in life.

In my experience, the greatest results are achieved when people – oftentimes through the coaching relationship – become self aware about what they need to do.

When it comes to attaining our goals, for the most part, I believe that we have our own answers. Sometimes we may need a little help discovering them and support with designing our course of action. Helping people discover what they need to do will always be more effective than telling them what to do.

Self motivation, I believe, is our greatest motivation. 

To Your Unconditional Success!

[Closing thoughts from my e-book: Unconditionally Successful: How to Achieve Business Breakthroughs Even in a Challenging Market]

“Everything begins with a thought, including our decision to be the best that we can be both professionally and personally.”

“Change is constant. This is a fact of life. We change and evolve in different ways every day. Just like society, the economy, your industry, your clients, your family and friends, so does your business. When we learn how to embrace change  – although this may be difficult – we are more likely to see new opportunities.” 

“Become a  student of life and business. It can be fun and rewarding.”  

“Are you taking care of yourself in mind, body and spirit? Are you on the right path professionally? How are your relationships with your family and friends? Metaphorically speaking, when the pilot, the plane and the tailwind are working together, the flight to our destination will be faster and more successful.”

“Make every effort to clarify your direction. Create a compelling, inspiring and empowering vision for your business and your life. Set your short-term goals. Develop your plan. Commit to taking purposeful action. Enjoy the journey and you can make it happen! The world is yours.”

To Your Unconditional Success!

Post your comment below.

George “H”

The starting point to losing weight – or reaching any milestone – is making the decision to take purposeful action, and going for it.

I remember back in the summer of 1997 my parents were visiting from Greece. They were standing about 20 feet in front of me in the airport luggage pick-up area trying to find me. I was right there – in front of them. It didn’t matter. I had to wave to them to get noticed. Apparently, my weight gain had made me something I had never imagined: unrecognizable. I had gone from a healthy 164 pounds when I first came to the US in 1992 to 214.

Feeling uncomfortable due to my weight gain was one thing. Not being recognized by my own parents was another. That was my “aha” moment; the starting point of my weight-loss breakthrough.

Since then, I have experienced similar moments during my personal and professional journeys. Many of my clients have too. I always arrive at the same conclusion: That the starting point to reaching a milestone – a breakthrough, a desired result – is making the decision to take purposeful action, and going for it! That is the secret.

Have you experienced a special moment of inspiration that has lead you to a personal or professional milestone? I welcome you to share.

Submit your comment below.

To Your Unconditional Success!

In one of my recent seminars, a client brought up an excellent point: It is okay to reach out to people and ask for “help.”  Whether we are looking for information, a resource, an endorsement, to grow our businesses, to develop our skills, or for introductions that could help us land a job, it is okay to simply ask for “help.” It is human.

People feel reluctant to ask. The perception could be: Well, I don’t want to appear “uninformed” or “needy” or feel obligated to reciprocate. I think that at the very core of our hesitation, is our ego. Not asking for help when we know it could be useful for us in achieving positive change, in many cases, is a “battle” against our ego.

Remember, nobody ever achieves success by themselves. Relationships, connections, collaborations and alliances can make a difference in the results that we attain. That is why it is important to ask for help when we need it, and offer it when we can.  Have confidence that if people can, they are likely to support you.

It can make a  difference. It is human.

Retain Your Personal Power -

In the business arena, facing rejection is normal. It means that we are out in the world connecting with people, beginning conversations, and offering our services. Although I don’t believe that anyone would admit to enjoying it, there are business owners and professionals who have learned how to effectively manage it. They have developed the ability to often turn it into business opportunity, and use it as a stepping stone to attain their broader goals, and realize their greater vision.

What is the first stepping stone?

Retaining your personal power, and remembering NOT to take business rejection personally.

This may be very difficult to reconcile. How can we possibly not take it, personally?

The reality is that prospects make decisions based on their own reasons. These reasons frequently have nothing to do with you at all. Long standing personal relationships, preferences in different products and services, and wrong timing may be reasons why your prospects decide to conduct business with one of your competitors.

Here is the important realization:

When your prospect says “no thank you”, direct their lack of interest to your business proposition. At that particular moment in time, your prospect is simply not interested in your services, plain and simple. Try to remember that they are not rejecting you as a person. Although people can say no to your business proposition, no one can reject you as a person, unless you allow this to happen.

You are the one with that personal power. Don’t give it away!  

Rejection is a tough pill to swallow. Having said that – and speaking from the experience of a tested entrepreneur — it can be turned into business opportunity. Remember The First Step:

Retain your personal power, and DO NOT take it personally.

I Wish You All the Best!

George Haralampopoulos

Sign up! “How to achieve business breakthroughs even in a challenging market”  Free at:  www.unconditionallysuccessfulbiz.com

Find Out How Your Response To Rejection Can Affect Your Business Success

If you are an entrepreneur, a business owner, an independent professional, you have faced it. We all have. I’m referring to the often dreaded “R” word:  Rejection – business rejection.

It comes in different forms, doesn’t it? From the high quality lead that you’ve been working with for a while, you know, the one you’re “sure” will hire you for your services, but decides differently;  to the prospect that says “no” to meeting with you even for a quick conversation. How about the one that has made a “commitment” to follow up with you, but doesn’t “for whatever reason,” or the one that simply will not respond to your messages and communications?

Does any of this sound familiar?

During my 17-year professional career in this great country, as an entrepreneur, business owner, mentor, strategist, I have generally seen three types of business professionals when it comes to handling, reacting, responding to rejection:

The first group: The Give-ups 

These are talented individuals, smart, and  often brilliant minds. They are working in markets were there is still demand for their services, but they just give up.  Promising careers have been ended, in large part because the individuals could not handle the “R” word. Or, at least manage it.

The second group: The Rising Stars

Business people in this group have experienced the rejections, frustrations, fears, even heartbreaks of the first group, and almost gave up. But somehow along the way they experience that BREAKTHROUGH moment -that inspiration! They discover that “inner strength” that propels them to Superstar status.

The third group­­: The Superstars

These business professionals are the ones – who no matter what – keep on pushing. All though they may be working in highly competitive markets, they simply claim their share of the business. They pursue their aspirations with vigor in some cases achieving phenomenal results.

For this group, rejections, recessions, downturns, really don’t matter. At least they don’t matter a lot. And if they do get temporarily derailed – “thrown off course” – due to unforeseen circumstances, somehow they jump back on the path to success. They understand, or have made the commitment to learn, how to channel rejections, roadblocks and challenges into opportunities for development, growth, and expansion.

“Give ups” have the potential to become “Rising Stars” and “Superstars”

What does it take to achieve these transformations?

Is it skill development, business acumen, and better support systems? This is part of it. 

Speaking from experience, the most important factor is developing the right mindset. It is learning –all though this may be difficult to reconcile - not to take rejection personally. It is having clarity about the vision of the business that they desire to create, an unshakeable sense of purpose, and a deep desire to pursue their goals, dreams and aspirations despite the number of rejections they may face along the way.   And of course, it takes a very strong commitment to take intentional ACTION no matter what.

In following blogs, I will be sharing some specific ideas and steps on how to develop your mindset in overcoming rejection, and even turning it into opportunity.

Your comments are welcomed.

Moments after one of my recent presentations, a woman came up to me, warmly embraced me, and said, “Thank you! I really needed to hear that today.”

I felt a great sense of satisfaction.

A Zen proverb says that “When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear.”

It’s so true.

The “lesson” may come in different forms; that’s why it’s important we always keep our minds and hearts open.

I recall one of my “lessons” coming to me in the form of a quote I came across during a challenging period early in my career:

The size of your success is determined by the size of your belief. Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think big and win big success. Remember this, too! Big ideas and big plans are often easier—certainly no more difficult—than small ideas and small plans.”

                                                             —From the book The Magic of Thinking Big, by Author Dave Schwartz

It’s one of the most powerful quotes I have ever read. Brilliant! Eye-opening and definitely thought-provoking.

The secret to unlocking our true potential, living our purpose and serving the world the way that we were meant to may be summed up in these three words:

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!

Next time you feel challenged, remember to keep your mind and your heart open.

“When the pupil is ready to learn, a teacher will appear.”