From now on, I want you to call me by my new title: Ref 
(short for referee). That’s right; I’m going to start calling the balls and strikes, and then count you out. I alone will determine when you’re out of bounds or your time has run out. If, in my opinion, you fail to run fast enough or fail to run in the allotted time or within the prescribed boundaries, you’ll be out. I’ll decide when you’re up, if it’s still your turn or if you should sit out a few rounds. Whatever I say, goes; you must accept whatever I rule.
Trust me; it will be much easier this way. I’m taking all of the decision-making out of your hands and, in return, no one will blame you if you never hit another home run or score anything, anywhere. So, don’t trouble yourself with ideas about where you want to go or what you want to do with the rest of your life – I’ll let you know because I know what you’re good at and what you stink at. Don’t worry your pretty little head about such mundane things as success or goals, or whether or not you’re doing the right thing with your life because I’m the one making the calls here. And, for Pete’s sake, don’t try to “learn” from your past in order to “prepare” for the future – you can’t see the “big picture” like I can. You just leave all of that scary stuff to me, the Ref.
If this sounds silly to you, congratulations! You recognize that no one can tell you if you’ve got another at-bat or if you’re out of the game unless you allow them – no one but you. Oh, and maybe God, but then I’m pretty sure if God says you’re out it means you’re dead!
If, on the other hand, you’ve got arguments and/or excuses proving there really are times when life hands you crap and that’s just the way life is sometimes, then congratulations to you too. No amount of positive instruction about goal-setting or guidance in structuring and recognizing your successful accomplishments will convince you that you’re in charge of your own decisions. But, who cares? So, congratulations . . . you don’t get a vote in your own life and you don’t matter.
That’s exactly how absurd it is when you say something like “I can’t sell widgets in this economy; people just won’t buy right now” or “this is the wrong time of year for widgets” or, one of my favorites, “I’m really good at this, but my team is bringing me down.” But, like the Ref said, it’s not your fault!
Hogwash. Whether you step up to the plate or not is entirely up to you. Whether you get a hit or a miss is entirely up to you. And, if someone else on your team strikes out or hits a home run it has absolutely no bearing on your strengths and abilities. Can you hear me alright?
Your time here on this planet is what you make it. Your success at work or at home or in your relationships is only what you make it. Life is not a football game; you’ve got as many downs as you need or want, it’s your decision. Your work environment is not a baseball game – if you strike out one, two or even three times, you get up and try it again until you get it right. It’s your decision to succeed or quit. Comprende?
And here’s another thing. Have you ever watched a football game and noticed how safe the offense plays at the beginning of the game? The offense gets four chances (downs) to move the ball ten yards. If they don’t make the ten yards in three downs, and in order to avoid turning the ball over on downs, they will kick on the fourth down hoping to get the ball back later and try again to score.
That all changes as it gets late in the game. You won’t see a team take the risk of keeping the ball on fourth down until very late in the fourth quarter and only if they are behind. In other words, only at that point does the need to score outweigh the risk of turning over the ball. That’s when they “go for it.” Interesting, isn’t it? What if they played every down as though it was late in the fourth quarter?
We don’t have a limited number of quarters or downs at work or in life; but, what if we did and what if you played to win in every quarter like it was fourth down with two minutes to play and you were behind? Many companies and/or teams focus their attention on attaining certain targets early in a period. Everybody is fresh and eager at the beginning of a promotion. However, as deadlines approach (the dreaded fourth quarter) many team leaders will switch to survival mode by pulling back resources and playing it safe so as not to lose – they kick the ball assuming they won’t get the needed yards.
Leaders in outperforming teams will actually take greater risk in every quarter and be more likely to experiment by changing up the plays or re-arranging key players or whatever it takes. The leaders and teams who win are the ones who “go for it” no matter what the risk – they run the play and pick up yards or keep swinging until they make it to first base.
Whatever you decide – how many at-bats you have, if you’re running fast enough to win, or whether you want to win at all – at least have the courage to make your own decisions about your own life. When you start making excuses or playing it safe, you hand over the whistle and allow someone else to be your ref. It’s your decision.
Now, I need something from you. I get the feeling that all of you are just sitting there in front of your computer asking me to feed you advice. Hey, this is my life’s work and I’m happy to give you whatever I’ve got and to work with you one-on-one anywhere, anytime. But, come on folks; give me something back. I want to hear from you. I want you to tell me what’s happening where you work and live – what’s working for you and what’s not working. I want you to give me feedback. So, don’t just sit there like a bump on a log, tap out a response in my blog. Are you the one who jumps at the chance to run for extra yards, or would you rather kick the ball and hope for something better if time permits. I want to know what you did and how you did it when you decided to go for it!
Learn about top Las Vegas motivational speaker, Jim Jackson, here!
How to Make Your Goals a Reality
What do you want your 2012 to look like? Maybe the better question is: How much control do you believe you have in what happens in this day, this week, or this New Year? Here’s another good one: What is your self-talk saying to you right now about which or how many, if any, new levels of achievement you will reach this year?
Self-talk is the equivalent of setting and then controlling your life according to your internal GPS. GPS is nothing more than navigation, guidance, and control. Navigation tracks your current location (knowing where you are); guidance uses the navigational data in plotting your targets (knowing where you’re going); and, control is your command center (your brain), which accepts the navigational data and target information to create and effect change. Incidentally, GPS doesn’t care if you’ve traveled a road before or if you were successful or not; it simply lets you know where you are now and how to get where you want to go next.
Self-talk is the key to everything we do, how we do it, when, where and why. Self-talk determines what we accomplish. Self-talk controls the direction you move in all areas of your life. Self-talk is what propels you to new heights, or stops you from reaching just a little bit further than you did last year. And, unless you’re aware of it, self-talk is usually stealthy. In less time than it takes to read this sentence, your self-talk can shut down the exciting (and sometimes urgent) messages of direction from deep down in your soul.
How we live our lives – everything from improving our health to making money or from trying new hobbies to dealing with spouses – is guided, influenced and/or directed by self-talk. Even as you are reading this right now, your self-talk is evaluating what you are reading and making judgments. Maybe you are telling yourself that somehow you’re different, that other people have all the luck, or that you’ve really tried “____________” (insert your special demon, i.e., losing weight, making more money, etc.) but it just didn’t work for you in the past. That is a self-talk statement that is not true; but, unfortunately, it has become your truth because you have repeatedly told yourself so. Listen carefully: we move toward what we are saying to ourselves. Our internal GPS determines where we are, where we need (or want) to go, and how we can get there from here. We all talk to ourselves all the time. We are always telling ourselves what we can do and what we cannot do: right or wrong, good or bad. And, that’s a gift!
I could go on for pages and pages talking with you and explaining how your self-talk is the key to self improvement and it's your gift to accomplishing whatever you desire in 2012. But, I’ve got a better idea. In my first book, Power to Change, starting on page 41, I explain in detail how to master your self-talk – that you are, in fact, already a master of your self-talk. Read this free download section on how to manage your most powerful tool in accomplishing your 2012 objectives.
You move toward whatever you are saying to yourself, so why not chose to step it up and achieve some awesome outcomes? I promise you: nothing is too big, too good, or too far away for you. Everything is within your reach. You are your self-talk and you own the tools to create some amazing results in your life.
One bad customer (or bad experience) can lead you down a negative path and damage your customer service, if you let it.
It’s good to have relationships you can count on whether it’s your neighborhood grocery store, your bank, or the airline that takes you to family every Christmas. Of course we want their businesses to excel, but we also count on them to at least desire our business enough to treat us fairly and with respect. Here’s how it works: you give me a good deal or good service and I will continue to give you my business.
Businesses institute all kinds of policies and limitations, and enough rules to choke a horse for a variety of reasons, but mostly because of a prior bad act or experience that had nothing to do with you. Recently I was dealing with a new vendor and needed them to ship the product (my books) overnight from the east coast to Texas. I butted heads with the company because they absolutely wouldn’t make such a shipment until my credit check came back satisfactory – a credit check that would take three days! Maybe some knucklehead had stiffed them on a shipping fee in their history and now I couldn’t get my product overnight unless I paid cash (and lots of it). One bad apple . . .
Have you implemented some rule or limitation in your business thinking you’re protecting yourself from any risk or loss all because of one bad apple? No returns after 30 days. No credit to students or persons without a certain or spotless credit history. No need to believe a customer is serious if they are under or over a certain age. No warranty unless the customer can prove the defect or damage was from the factory and not the customer’s fault. Believe it or not, there is a name for this: it’s called customer profiling and is taught and supported by those in the world who believe one bad apple means all apples are bad. The effect of such fear practices sends a loud and clear negative message to your revenue stream: the customer. I am sure your intent was/is to protect your business; but your business is nothing without loyal customers. You need to determine what message your policies are sending, how they are shaping your customer service culture -- and if they may ultimately be killing your customer service!
Speaking of customer service . . . We have all heard the story of the Nordstrom clerk taking back a tire when Nordstrom obviously doesn’t even sell tires! How many times do you think they have been burned on returned items that were not even purchased at a Nordstrom store? I’ll bet a lot. And yet, they haven’t (and won’t) insert a new policy to “protect” themselves from cheats. Instead, they coach their people that the majority of customers are good people, and those customers are the ones that keep their doors open. By the way, the Nordstrom company policy (since 1901) has remained the same: offer the customer the best possible service, selection, quality and value. And since 1901, this culture of customer service has served them very, very well.
Another case in point: Apple, Inc. Sure, Apple has had huge technological ideas and sales. And, while it may be true that innovation brings in the new customers, it’s the exceptional customer service culture that keeps them loyal to Apple. Just the other day, my MacBook Pro had a small problem that I couldn’t fix. I took it in to the Apple Genius Bar where one of the experts, after giving it his best, admitted he couldn’t fix it either. He then offered to send it out promising it would be fixed and returned to me in one week. I explained that his solution wouldn’t work for me because I had a keynote in two days in front of 500 people and I needed my MacBook for the presentation. He didn’t say it wasn’t their policy to help me; he just went to his manager and explained to her the situation. Here is how he and his manager solved the problem: they gave me a brand new (and more powerful) MacBook! How cool is that? I was so impressed and excited at how I was treated, I told all 500 people at the keynote how Apple made their event better. That’s 500 more people in one day who now view Apple favorably. How’s that for a return on customer service?
I should tell you that I originally started writing this article because I had two negative experiences with vendors in the last 30 days. Each of these vendors had implemented restrictive policies as a result of their bad experiences with other customers. In other words, they brought new negative restrictive polices into our relationship through no fault of mine. I was pissed at them and thought they deserved a little bad publicity. I was even going to name names, but I won’t. Here’s why.
A couple of days ago I started working with a new marketing team, The Cadence Group, to promote my new book Cool Conversations. After discussing my needs with Amy, the owner, she informed me that I didn’t need to pay her until she met and exceeded my expectations. In just those few minutes, Amy treated me as a valued client. She offered me, the customer, her best possible service, selection, quality and value. And guess what? That is exactly how I want to treat her in return: I want to pay her right now!
You get what you give. You attract positive when you give positive; and, conversely, you attract negative if you talk or give negative. It was in thinking about positive businesses like yours and The Cadence Group, who value their customers, when I changed my mind about trashing the vendors who pissed me off. You reminded me of my choices, and I chose to take the high road and remain positive. By the way, I also decided to find a new shipping vendor on the east coast who values my business!
Have you ever met someone you thought was
bigger than life? Maybe it was a movie star, a sports celebrity, or someone you had always idolized as a kid. Sometimes we put celebrities and heroes up on pedestals and treat them differently. And then, when we meet them, we find out that they’re just as normal as you and me. But, once in a while if you’re lucky, you get the chance to meet a real superman. How will you know? They will actually make you feel like you’re the celebrity! That’s what it was like when I met Joe Frazier.
I first met Mr. Frazier in the 1970s in Seattle, Washington. I expected him to be aloof, distant, and full of himself – after all, he was one of the greatest boxers of all time. Frazier was none of those things.
First, a little background. In the mid-70s, I had started a boxing company called World Promotions. We put on three fights at the Seattle Center Arena. Our company gave Pinklon Thomas his first three professional fights. (Pinklon went on to beat Tim Witherspoon in 1984 and become the World Boxing Council’s heavyweight champion.)
Joe Frazier was in Seattle for other business when I called him and asked if he would help promote our events. He didn’t even ask who was fighting, he just said meet me at my hotel and tell me what you want me to do. When I walked into the hotel lobby, Joe was surrounded by his team of handlers. I introduced myself and he greeted me like I was an old friend.
After we shook hands, Joe said he wanted to walk while we talked. And, this part I’ll never forget: his team started to walk with us – you know, to take care of any needs he might have. He turned to them and said stay, this is about Jim and me. We walked for about an hour talking about sports and life. At the end of our walk, he asked me what I wanted him to do. Just like that. He gave me radio time and pictures with the local newspaper. I know without a doubt his involvement made a big difference to the attendance at our events. Thereafter, I followed him as much as I could like any other fan, through articles and on television.
About 20 years later I was playing golf at the Heisman Trophy Annual Golf Tournament in New York. Every Heisman Trophy winner who was alive and could make it was there. The main event speaker was Joe Frazier. Joe arrived after the golf tournament in a black stretch limo. There must have been 50 people waiting to talk to him including TV announcers and many of the Heisman winners. When Joe got out of his limo everyone applauded the champ. I was in the back of crowd. I was just hoping to make eye contact and hoped he would remember me.
Joe wasn’t out of the car more than two minutes when he saw me and headed straight for me. He walked right by the various sports figures and announcers. He held out his hand and called out my name, “Hey, Jim Jackson.” It truly felt like we were old friends, and I believe he felt it too. We sat and talk for more than a half-hour without one interruption. It was the second time Joe Frazier had made me feel like I was the celebrity.
Today is sad yet a special day. Today Joe Frazier, a famous man who was also a legendary boxer, died of liver cancer. A legend, a great champion, and a good friend has passed on. Joe made our time together bigger than life. Good night, Smokin’ Joe.
This is what keeps me up at night...you. How
do I help you become the best you? The most important critical action key for you? Embrace your role as a leader.
The root word... "Lead" means ‘to go, to travel’... "Lead" means ‘to show the way by going in advance’... "Lead" means ‘to go first as a guide... to be first... to be ahead…’
So how can you develop your ability to lead? Through all the research I have read and studied I’ve discovered there are some basic leadership traits you need to understand -- and live.
One of the most important traits of a great leader is ‘credit-ability’. We all want Leadership that has creditability. In other words, are you credit-worthy? An example of creditability is a credit check. A credit check is in many ways a ‘belief check’... is the bank willing to invest in you? Do they believe in you?
In terms of being a leadership quality, ‘credit worthiness’ translates this way: do your people want to invest in you? In other words, do your people believe in you enough to have an active stake in the outcome of following your lead?
How can you develop your credit-worthiness? You must earn the belief and trust of your team by who you are: by the values you live by, by the promises you make – and keep, and by all your actions, each and every day. Do you ‘walk the talk - or just talk the talk?
Consider the X-CEO of BP, Tony Hayward. He lost his creditability because his actions did not match the promises he made. The American people could see he did not ‘walk the talk’. As a result, he lost the faith of the people -- and eventually had to step down from his position.
An ‘oil spill’ in your own business could be anything from the changing economy to simply having the desire to control your business expenses better. When you have ‘an oil spill’ how can you use it to build your creditability? The impact of your approach can be the difference between your success and your failure.
As you fulfill your role as a leader, here are some things to keep in mind: The leadership traits that build your creditability - that we all look for - include honesty and integrity, vision and the ability to inspire. We want to know that the people we follow will be honest about the facts of a situation – even when the facts are difficult. We want leaders who have a vision supported by goals – someone who can help us understand the steps to take along the way. We crave Leaders who are inspiring and dynamic. We want leaders who are enthusiastic and positive about the future, but also about the journey itself. Finally, we want leaders who believe in themselves and what they're doing, so that we can believe in them too.
Folks, what I'm telling you is that your creditability in your role as a leader is critical to the ongoing profitability and success of your business. Remember that you are earning your creditability every day, with every word and every action. Develop your creditability -- and you’ll develop your success as a leader.
Today I had one of the best coaching calls
ever! First, a little background… A client of mine had achieved success in his business. He had made enough money, and now it was time to retire. He sold his company with high hopes of moving on to greener pastures. That was a couple of years ago and the last I had heard from him – I figured he was out there, somewhere, living his dreams.
He called today sounding a little lost. In talking with him, we both discovered he was no longer doing the activities which had previously given meaning and purpose to his life. When he sold his company, he thought he was done and all would be fine. Little did he know his new life had only just begun…
My client had hit all of his targets to grow a successful business. And, in selling his business and stepping away from the business world, he successfully hit his final target. But, he didn’t set a target for what to do next. He committed one of the easiest and most critical goal-setting errors: He set his target up to the goal instead of through the goal. Consequently, he had effectively made it his goal to stop doing what gave him joy! He just didn’t know it at the time. But, he knew now that he wasn’t happy with his life. He was on a journey of whyme.
Don’t know that word? Sure you do. Whyme is not a type of dog, it is not a place where wine is made, and it is not a type of trout. Whyme is the sound of someone repeatedly (maybe you?) asking “why me” really fast. All you can see and all you can focus on is what’s wrong – you are convinced you have missed out in life. STOP IT!
Not only did my client forget to goal-set through the target, he forgot about all the things that made him happy – he forgot to do the things that give purpose to his life. My client is a man who genuinely loves to help people. His purpose (in addition to achieving business and financial success) had been to help recovering addicts, to help people out of life’s jams, and to help people live happy, healthy lives. This man loved to read out of the big book and think about life in a positive way. When moved on from his business, he forgot to bring his purpose along with him.
Here is what I told him:
(1.) Get back in the habit of focusing on targets
(2.) Make a list of activities that move you closer to your targets -- and beyond
(3.) Act on those activities that make your purpose come alive
I asked him: what do you need to do differently today to get different results? Then he gave me the best response and confirmation of understanding – he said “I am alive and well today; I just need to act like it.”
Learn about Jim Jackson's executive coaching services.
Today is no different than any other day you’ve already put behind you, and tomorrow will be no different than any other day. Really. All days are the same and you are the same!
What if that was your belief, your truth? What if you had a belief that any given day would prove to be no different than any other and there’s nothing you can do about it? Would you live differently on that day?
There are hundreds of books and audio programs on how to live or change your life (and I have read most of them). But, even if you do get all jazzed up from a book, it’s temporary and nothing really seems to change. So, you can only conclude that this day is no different than the rest. Right? And, then you ask the $64,000 question: Why didn’t anything change? You’ve read the books, listened to the tapes, and attended the seminars and nothing is different.
I’ve got a better question for you: What do I need to do differently today to get different results? This may be the shortest blog I have written; but, the answer is just as short and just as simple and I’m willing to bet you already know it. You know why you are not reaching your targets. You know what needs to happen today to make a difference. You know what you need to do differently today to get different results. You are the only one who can answer these questions for you.
Ask yourself the question: WHAT DO I NEED TO DIFFERENTLY TODAY TO GET DIFFERENT RESULTS? Tell yourself the truth, and then act on the truth.
Learn more about executive coach, Jim Jackson.
Today is a great day in the business life of Jim Jackson. Today I accomplished one of my major goals. I have been thinking about and sometimes working on it for the past two years. I am so excited about achieving this goal that I want to share this GIGANTIC accomplishment with the world.
You ask what can be so gigantic that I would want to share it with world and mostly with you. Some of you who will read this already know that I have a deep passion for giving people, businesses and all walks of life the tools they need to realize their goals and dreams.
I needed a way to reach more people because I know that when people have the right tools they can achieve greater accomplishments. I have seen this again and again throughout my professional career. When you know the steps to take – and you follow those steps! – you can overcome any obstacles in your path and achieve the things you want.
So my goal was to create a way I could share the proven steps that work for anyone who has the will to accomplish more in their lives and in their work.
It has taken a lot of hard work to achieve my goal, and that’s why I’m so proud to be able to announce to you today the launch of my new membership website where I can share all the tools and methods I’ve developed to help more people reach their goals!
The tools I’ll be sharing have worked with thousands of people just like you who have achieved greater levels of success using these proven techniques and strategies.
These resources are now available so you too can accelerate your growth, personal wealth, sales, business, leadership, and more
What is a membership site? All successful people have deep yearning to learn. They have an insatiable curiosity to learn new and different methods to realize their ambitions. My membership site is a resource where those people can get that curiosity feed and find new and proven methods to achieve their dreams.
Welcome to the really cool place to learn, grow and realize your gigantic goals. www.members.gotjim.com This dynamic website offers articles, audio lessons, webinars and other tested and proven materials to aid those seeking concrete steps to set and achieve their goals.
- Membership Benefits Include Tools for:
- Creating greater personal happiness and success in life
- Setting and achieving life long personal goals
- Developing leadership qualities and management skills
- Managing and living by personal goals and objectives
- Motivating others and leading teams
- Identifying and capitalizing on business opportunities
- Creating & implementing an effective business strategy
Members also enjoy special offers and exclusive discounts on a wide range of other related products and services. I am thrilled to share and to connect with business leaders and individuals -- and support and inspire your growth and success.
I have made it really easy for you to taste this new resource until September 30, 2011. 99 cents a month is all it takes. I want you to know this is designed for you. Get on track to accomplish more than you ever imagined. Do it now and I look forward to being with you on your journey…
View Jim Jackson's new membership site and sign up here!
I love teamwork! If you would like to see effective teamwork at its finest, tune in to watch the 2011 Tour de France.
Watch these incredible athletes for even an hour and you will witness some of the best examples of unselfish desire to help a teammate excel. Over the past 10 years I've watched countless hours of the Tour de France and I get excited and inspired every single time.
I love the beauty and coordination of nine men riding as a team as hard as they can with all they can. As a team, they ride for hundreds of miles in a day in a single line with each rider taking his turn to be the lead. They do this in hopes their man will cross the line first or have the best time that day and get the yellow jersey. Each rider gets on his bike with 100 percent commitment to the team, and trusts that the commitment is reciprocated. They trust that when one man gets tired he can peel off from the lead, go to the end of the line, and a teammate will pick up the pace and the lead for the team. Each rider is peddling with confidence that when his time leading the pack is done, someone will take over giving him a rest.
I love the strategy that goes into each movement and the effect it will have on the outcome of this 21-day race thru France. They will ride over 2000 miles all as a team with the unified goal to get their leader in yellow over the finish line with the best overall time for 21 days of riding.
I even love the support teams. This part of the team gets little mention and certainly no front-page glory. But, if one of the riders gets a flat tire, the support teammates will have it changed in seconds. I’ve seen a support team member literally hang out of the window of a car going some 30 miles an hour alongside a rider to make an adjustment to the rear gears of that rider’s bike just so the team didn’t suffer a setback.
I love to see the riders push themselves. They can peddle up steep hills faster than some of us can run or walk. These guys have trained with passion for the greatest cycling race in the world.
I love the way they get up after a crash. Remember, they’re going as fast as they can, sometimes at speeds of 40 miles per hour and more. If they crash, it’s just them and the pavement. But, if they’re able, they get right back up even though their clothing might be ripped to shreds and their legs or arms bleeding. They get up because it is their passion to finish the greatest cycling race in the world.
I love how each one cheers another’s accomplishments because they all know how much courage, grit and determination goes to riding a bicycle 2000 miles across France. They do it knowing only one man will win, but all who compete can say they participated in the greatest cycling race in the world and they made it to the finish line. Now that’s what I call bragging rights!
Today is Monday and there are a few days of racing left. So, get yourself out of bed around 5:00 a.m. (PST) and witness a great event where people are doing what they love with a commitment to go as hard as they can with all that they can. They are playing to win for themselves and for their team. What the heck have you done today for your team?
I love it when a team works as one to accomplish great goals. If your team is missing something like passion, commitment or the Play-to-Win attitude, maybe it’s time you did something different...
Learn more about top team building speaker, Jim Jackson!
Watch the video above or read the full text below to learn how setting goals the right way can enable you to hit 8 out of 7 targets!:
My wife, Mary, and I have a friend named John who is an excellent marksman. John competes at the expert level using various styles and types of handguns and rifles. He often practices at a shooting range complete with tunnels and other challenges both indoors and out. The firearms he and his fellow marksmen use for competition have lasers attached for accuracy. These weapons are fast and accurate when in the hands of an expert.
Not long ago, John invited us out on a Sunday afternoon to watch him practice for a competition. I grew up around guns and this sort of thing is right up my alley; Mary, on the other hand, really couldn’t have cared less. So, we went out that Sunday and watched John and the other marksmen go through the course; it was pretty impressive. When they had finished their drills, John turned to us and asked if we’d like to take a turn. Heck yeah, I’ll try it!
John and a few others took us up to a separate range. This range had a horizontal target bar maybe 100 feet away from the shooting platform. The target consisted of seven metal plates, each in the shape of a fan, lined up along the horizontal bar. When each separate fan was hit – or should I say IF a separate fan was hit – it would fall down.
John, being a good host, went first. He raised the weapon, held very still, and then without warning, got off several rapid rounds – five out of the seven fans went down. I was so impressed I wanted to shout and start clapping; but that wouldn’t have looked too cool! Anyway, it was pretty fantastic. Then he handed the gun to me and started to give me a few instructions. But, I waved John off as I reminded him and everybody else that I grew up in the Pacific Northwest where large families of avid hunters and gun enthusiasts are the norm; so, I’m very familiar with guns. (Just try and help somebody with an “I know it all” attitude!)
So, I got in my stance, took my best aim, and shot off the entire clip. John slapped me on the back, “Hey that’s pretty good for a first-timer; that’s impressive.” I had shot down three out of the seven fans -- I was pretty happy with my demonstration.
Next, it was Mary’s turn. Now, Mary has never touched, let alone shoot, a gun in her life. I’m not even sure if she’s ever been this close to a real gun. Her feeling is that she has no need for them and doesn’t care about them. John slowly explained the fundamentals of handling such a weapon. Truthfully, It sounded to me like he might be patronizing her, but she was patient. He proceeded to teach her how to hold the weapon, how to stand, and how to aim.
Mary took the gun in her hands and held it up to aim. Then she stopped, she didn’t know what to do next. John, again slightly condescending in my opinion, explained about the little red dot from the laser, how to put the red dot on the target, and that she should just “squeeze” the trigger. “That’s all you’ve got to do,” he said.
One more thing I forgot to mention . . . If you are fast enough and accurate enough, it is conceivable to get two bullets off so rapidly that a shooter could actually hit the same target twice before it falls down. Very, very few people can do it in the world – maybe a few of the best pros. You can see what’s coming, right?
So, back to Mary. She set up her stance, aimed and fired. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. She got two bullets off in rapid succession, hitting the first target twice before it fell down, and then shot the remaining six down. She hit all seven of the targets. Actually, she got eight out of seven! Eight out of seven! My wife. If you want to shout and applaud for her, go right ahead. Eight out of seven. How’d she do it? John and I just stood there looking at each other dumbfounded. When John regained his wits and his voice, he turned to her and asked, “Mary, how did you do that?” And I’ll never forget what Mary said. She said, “You told me to put the red dot on the target and squeeze the trigger. So I did. I did exactly as you told me to do.”
You see she didn’t know it was suppose to be tough. She didn’t know she was required to have good balance. She didn’t know that the gun would recoil. She didn’t have any beliefs about the process other than what was necessary for a positive outcome. And, because she was coached forwards (by telling her exactly what to do and how to do it right), she was able to get eight out of seven.
Think about that for a minute and how it might apply to you and your work environment. Are you satisfied getting three out of seven? How about four or five out of seven? Maybe you should goal-set to get eight-out-of-seven results every day. Of course, that means you might have to think and work a little more differently than you have in the past. I’m pretty sure all of you know what an eight-out-of-seven day would like for you. Is it worth the effort?
Let me put it this way: You’ve got an appointment with a brain surgeon. Upon entering his office, you notice a gorgeous antique desk, beautiful paintings, brass lamps and the requisite diplomas and awards hanging on the walls. One such award proclaims: For Achievement in Getting Three Out of Seven. Would you hire this guy to handle your surgery? I’m not sure I’d hire him to handle my lawn mower!
Three or four out of seven is probably considered mediocre, and some of you have been satisfied with mediocre. There are all sorts of excuses and reasons to remain mediocre. Some people are happy just to have a job and to know that they’re average or doing ok. And, I’m happy for them that they feel satisfied. They’ve determined that being in the middle of the pack (or belonging to a pack at all!) is good enough for them.
What’s it like for you? What’s good enough for you? I’m telling you that if you want to be in business three years from now, you must get eight out of seven. All those who aim for only four or five out of seven will soon find themselves working for someone else, if they’re lucky.
Take a few minutes in the next day or so and make a list of what eight out of seven looks like for you and for your business. Once you decide what a successful day – an eight-out-of-seven day – looks like and why you want it, make a commitment to yourself to never again accept anything less.