On what is our final newsletter for 2011, we reflected on what has been am amazing and tumultuous year in so many ways. And so we came up with what we believe to be the 10 commandments to thrive in 2012.
I. Thou shalt pay thyself first
This means paying yourself first in money and in time..particularly money. If the current European financial problems have taught us anything it’s this; basic financial management. Regular and disciplined savings, spending and debt repayment patterns set up the fundamentals of your financial fortress that will lead to your financial freedom. Pay yourself first then pay everyone else…and do pay them!.
II. Thou shalt give of thyself time and money.
Contribution through your profession or volunteering time and money to causes and/or charities that mean something to you is critically important to your inner self. It does not need to be scheduled. A donation of money takes 30 seconds. Many charities also allow a direct debit monthly donation from a bank account or you can set up a direct credit from your account to the charity.
III. Thou shalt honour all agreements made
Honour all agreements and contracts; be they verbal or written. If you can’t, then at least contact the individuals or organisations involved to apologise or make alternative arrangements. Paying of accounts on time or ‘delayed with notice’ is a good thing.
IV.Thou shalt continue to invest in thyself
One would think in 2011, ongoing learning is a no-brainer. Yet in Australia, our literacy and numeracy levels have actually dropped in the last 5 years. With global competition from others who want to have the same standard of living that we in Australia enjoy, the maxim now is flexibility, adaptability and versatility. And let’s be clear - global competition is here – now!
V. Thou shalt spend thy time and money wisely
Contrary to opinion, time cannot be saved up. Money and plenty of it, helps give you more choices around how you spend your time. Investing your money is now a committed subject that, when mastered, gives you freedom of time usage.
VI.Thou shalt not panic
Testing times are going to be a constant source of stress; so take a deep breath and take a step back. It does wonders.
VII. Thou shalt not try to keep up with the Jones’
Many Australians are under financial stress because they want to look rich. This stops them from actually being rich. The new house coupled with the new furniture and large screen TV does not generate any income. Sometimes delayed gratification leads to even better results with a dollar.
VIII. Thou shalt dress in attire that makes thou look and feel good
Within your budget, dress and look your best. It does wonders for your own self–esteem. An exercise regime, even a daily walk, is good! When you feel healthy and look good, you feel great and others naturally see your greatness.
IX.Thou shalt ask for help when thou need it.
It’s OK to ask for help – asking for help from experts is a good thing. Coaching consulting that sort of thing is good. Just be careful what help you require and who really does know the answer. Unless your neighbour has at least 5 or 6 investment properties, he/she is probably not the person to ask for advice on what suburb to buy an investment property in.
X. Thou shalt guard thy reputation
Your reputation is paramount; and this aligns greatly with your personal conduct and behaviour. In all things you do or say, stay aligned to your beliefs. Given email and social media and Youtube, it takes only a second before your reputation can be “mud”.
Friday, 16 December 2011
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Why We Are Really Here
Recently I was a participant in a programme, more of a professional development course, that teaches people who are clever to be commercially smart.
One of the problems I faced then and face now is:
“ What can I do that offers real value to people, that I enjoy doing and earn a living from it?”
This question has been with me for quite some time and is very much along the lines of creating a state of internal harmony, as in our last newsletter.
During our discussions the significant question was; why we were doing what we were doing. It came down to four simple points:
• Have Fun
• Make Money
• Build wealth
• Leave a legacy
How simple, elegant and profound. Sometimes we over-complicate what we are here to do with long-winded statements when just 2 or 3 words will suffice.
The Phils_osophy
Consider what you are here for. Keep it condensed to 2 or 3 words. This will take considerable time and thought.
Why? Because Simplicity leads to Clarity
One of the problems I faced then and face now is:
“ What can I do that offers real value to people, that I enjoy doing and earn a living from it?”
This question has been with me for quite some time and is very much along the lines of creating a state of internal harmony, as in our last newsletter.
During our discussions the significant question was; why we were doing what we were doing. It came down to four simple points:
• Have Fun
• Make Money
• Build wealth
• Leave a legacy
How simple, elegant and profound. Sometimes we over-complicate what we are here to do with long-winded statements when just 2 or 3 words will suffice.
The Phils_osophy
Consider what you are here for. Keep it condensed to 2 or 3 words. This will take considerable time and thought.
Why? Because Simplicity leads to Clarity
Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Create the State of Internal Harmony
What a time it’s been since our last news letter – full of finals, car races and a Rugby World Cup tournament…and the resulting human behaviours.
In the midst of all this, it has been fascinating to observe human behaviour.
I came across this wonderful line in an article by a colleague in Perth, Leigh Farnell, who was writing about how teams and people fail.
Leigh’s point was that there were 3 key principles of winning teams in sport and business:
“THREE KEY PRINCIPLES OF WINNING TEAMS IN SPORT AND BUSINESS
‘The single most important factor in maximising the excellence of a group’s product was the degree to which the members were able to create a state of internal harmony, which lets them take advantage of the full talent of their members….’
This “lack of internal harmony” was the root cause of the AFL Team, Collingwood’s failure to win the premiership in 2011…in total contrast to 2010. The “creation of a state of internal harmony “, to my understanding is a most fundamental principle to the functioning of relationships, partnerships, teams and businesses.
The harmony is in a way, an energy. When two or more people, are connected in such a manner that all actions complement each other and there is no sabotaging going on – which does happen. Everyone knows when they are with the one they should be or be in the business partnership they should be in or the team or the company. We just know.
The Phils_osophy
Create your state of internal harmony in your life, your relationships, your business….You may have to do some shifting to do so – change locations, friends, businesses, companies. But it’s worth it.
P.S. Leigh Farnell’s website is: www.leighfarnell.com Check it out.
Best success!
Phil
In the midst of all this, it has been fascinating to observe human behaviour.
I came across this wonderful line in an article by a colleague in Perth, Leigh Farnell, who was writing about how teams and people fail.
Leigh’s point was that there were 3 key principles of winning teams in sport and business:
“THREE KEY PRINCIPLES OF WINNING TEAMS IN SPORT AND BUSINESS
- Where there is a ripple at the top, there is a tidal wave at the front line
- A crack in the home and away season becomes a gaping hole in the finals
- If any one person sees themselves bigger than the team, you have a problem"
Leigh went on to quote from Daniel Goleman's book Emotional Intelligence. This point is so absolutely critical that I have quoted it here in full:
‘The single most important factor in maximising the excellence of a group’s product was the degree to which the members were able to create a state of internal harmony, which lets them take advantage of the full talent of their members….’
This “lack of internal harmony” was the root cause of the AFL Team, Collingwood’s failure to win the premiership in 2011…in total contrast to 2010. The “creation of a state of internal harmony “, to my understanding is a most fundamental principle to the functioning of relationships, partnerships, teams and businesses.
The harmony is in a way, an energy. When two or more people, are connected in such a manner that all actions complement each other and there is no sabotaging going on – which does happen. Everyone knows when they are with the one they should be or be in the business partnership they should be in or the team or the company. We just know.
The Phils_osophy
Create your state of internal harmony in your life, your relationships, your business….You may have to do some shifting to do so – change locations, friends, businesses, companies. But it’s worth it.
P.S. Leigh Farnell’s website is: www.leighfarnell.com Check it out.
Best success!
Phil
Friday, 23 September 2011
The New Paradigm – Adaptability, Versatility, Flexibility
It’s been sometime since our last blog – an interesting time for watching trends and attitudes….and the events listed below definitely caught my attention
The recent restructures announced at Bluescope Steel and Qantas resulted in some 2000 workers losing their jobs and their associated unions asking or in some cases demanding “job security” clauses in their contracts.
What followed were media interviews with the affected staff, clearly shocked by what had happened, but with nowhere else to go.
The writing was on the wall a considerable time ago. Job security is non-existent. The Government sponsored age pension will not exist in 20 to 50 years time. Shopping is now done online.
The New Paradigm is Adaptability, Versatility and Flexibility.
This demands that your skills are matched to those in the market place; sometimes even ahead of what the market wants. Many of these skills are acquired by attending certified courses or working in different roles.
It also may require working interstate and overseas; such has become the nature of the global market.
It also demands that we are vigilant in watching the movement in trends – what is happening locally and globally, assessing opportunities and using them.
The reason for this is, the rate of knowledge is now doubling every 18 months. This means we have to keep learning and be more flexible in our approach, just to maintain our current standard of living.
The Phils_osophy
The key now is flexibility – more than ever before. What this means is:
By doing this, you will become more valuable. When you are seen as more valuable than others, then and only then, can you increase the price that others pay for your knowledge, skills and expertise.
Become adaptable, versatile and flexible while holding on to those things that are important to you. This gives you the best chance of capturing the opportunities that will come your way!
Best success!
Phil
The recent restructures announced at Bluescope Steel and Qantas resulted in some 2000 workers losing their jobs and their associated unions asking or in some cases demanding “job security” clauses in their contracts.
What followed were media interviews with the affected staff, clearly shocked by what had happened, but with nowhere else to go.
The writing was on the wall a considerable time ago. Job security is non-existent. The Government sponsored age pension will not exist in 20 to 50 years time. Shopping is now done online.
The New Paradigm is Adaptability, Versatility and Flexibility.
This demands that your skills are matched to those in the market place; sometimes even ahead of what the market wants. Many of these skills are acquired by attending certified courses or working in different roles.
It also may require working interstate and overseas; such has become the nature of the global market.
It also demands that we are vigilant in watching the movement in trends – what is happening locally and globally, assessing opportunities and using them.
The reason for this is, the rate of knowledge is now doubling every 18 months. This means we have to keep learning and be more flexible in our approach, just to maintain our current standard of living.
The Phils_osophy
The key now is flexibility – more than ever before. What this means is:
- Keeping abreast of current trends.
- A “self check” or “self audit” of yourself; write down everything you know and can do (this includes reading, speaking and writing in English.)
- Deliberately investing in improving your level of knowledge and skills; this involves reading a minimum of 30 minutes a day in your chosen fields and other fields of interest.
By doing this, you will become more valuable. When you are seen as more valuable than others, then and only then, can you increase the price that others pay for your knowledge, skills and expertise.
Become adaptable, versatile and flexible while holding on to those things that are important to you. This gives you the best chance of capturing the opportunities that will come your way!
Best success!
Phil
Wednesday, 3 August 2011
Self Help? Yeah right!!!
I was drawn to information about a former self help practitioner starting their new self-help venture, of which the aim is to:
“We will help you create a stronger connection to infinite wisdom, allowing it & flow through life & work.” Public
“Help you create a stronger connection to infinite wisdom, allowing it & flow through life & work.”
My alarm bells immediately started ringing.
Sadly, I thought “Not another overpriced course, with dubious content, of no benefit, that will lead to no improvement?”
The personal development industry is one I know well, and unfortunately the personal development or “self-help” movement has been corrupted by practitioners, whose motives are less than honourable. They are creating clients for life constantly sucking them in with no thought of actually improving the clients condition.
An example of this practice is creating a “millionaire-style club” where participants are taken away for a 3 day retreat every 2 months and allegedly be taught about business lifestyles and the practices of the rich. Unfortunately, many of those signed up are so sucked up into the idea of creating massive wealth, they don’t recognise the financial cost. And those signing them up don’t care about the current financial position of the prospective participant.
I still recall getting several frantic phone calls one day, from the conveners of one such group saying “we’ve run out of things to do – do you have any games we could play?”
Interestingly no one who attended this programme has gotten any richer; many got poorer.. There are many multi-level marketing companies who are engaged in the same activity. In the past I have been involved with a few, which is why I have nothing to do with them now.
Another well-known practitioner uses NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) as a sales tool to sell from stage without the audience’s knowledge – so much for integrity, honesty and transparency.
Over the last 2 years, I have been writing and developing programmes based on solid research with a great deal of “how to do” strategies built in because that’s what people tell me they want.
The Phils_osophy
Do you need to go to courses and seminars? Yes.
Why? Because, the rate of knowledge is doubling every 2-3 years.
Be picky! Choose programmes that aid your growth and knowledge and give you insight.
And trust your instincts. If the course or programme feels right to you, then it’s probably a good course to invest in. If not, it’s not!!
“We will help you create a stronger connection to infinite wisdom, allowing it & flow through life & work.” Public
“Help you create a stronger connection to infinite wisdom, allowing it & flow through life & work.”
My alarm bells immediately started ringing.
Sadly, I thought “Not another overpriced course, with dubious content, of no benefit, that will lead to no improvement?”
The personal development industry is one I know well, and unfortunately the personal development or “self-help” movement has been corrupted by practitioners, whose motives are less than honourable. They are creating clients for life constantly sucking them in with no thought of actually improving the clients condition.
An example of this practice is creating a “millionaire-style club” where participants are taken away for a 3 day retreat every 2 months and allegedly be taught about business lifestyles and the practices of the rich. Unfortunately, many of those signed up are so sucked up into the idea of creating massive wealth, they don’t recognise the financial cost. And those signing them up don’t care about the current financial position of the prospective participant.
I still recall getting several frantic phone calls one day, from the conveners of one such group saying “we’ve run out of things to do – do you have any games we could play?”
Interestingly no one who attended this programme has gotten any richer; many got poorer.. There are many multi-level marketing companies who are engaged in the same activity. In the past I have been involved with a few, which is why I have nothing to do with them now.
Another well-known practitioner uses NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) as a sales tool to sell from stage without the audience’s knowledge – so much for integrity, honesty and transparency.
Over the last 2 years, I have been writing and developing programmes based on solid research with a great deal of “how to do” strategies built in because that’s what people tell me they want.
The Phils_osophy
Do you need to go to courses and seminars? Yes.
Why? Because, the rate of knowledge is doubling every 2-3 years.
Be picky! Choose programmes that aid your growth and knowledge and give you insight.
And trust your instincts. If the course or programme feels right to you, then it’s probably a good course to invest in. If not, it’s not!!
Thursday, 14 July 2011
The importance of reading in the 21st century.
Welcome to the new financial year! So how was the last one for you? Did you make more money? Did you make less money? Did you decide whether you are in a business or a practice?
Let’s talk about fundamentals; the ability to read, to write and to do the maths. You know the basic stuff that we all learnt at school.…. Or did we?
Some time ago; in fact three months ago, I was told by a teacher that it wasn’t necessary for my son to know how to read, write using a pen, as opposed to write using word processing software, and how to do maths.
The logic I was told was that. “our kids have access to computers and that’s all they need to know.”
We are in the information age! The basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic are the basic foundational keys to build further skills. Without a firm foundation, how is it possible to build anything. Can you imagine a house being built without a foundation (concrete base or stumps) – on bare earth!
To take advantage of the new economy these skills must have on-going development.
And so a simple start to that is reading everyday. Why? Because, we must keep learning – we must keep our minds working.
I read at least 30 minutes a day because the rate of information is doubling every 3 to 4 years. I now also read in German to make sure I do not lose my German reading and writing skills.
I can buy a book online and research online. If you don’t have time to read the book, buy the audio book and listen on your iPod or in the car. How good is that!!!
The Phils_osophy
The one simple act of reading every day will not only transform the amount of knowledge that that you have, but will serve as exercise for the brain. The more the brain is exercised, regardless of age, the healthier it will stay over a longer period of time.
Keep reading, writing with a pen, and doing the maths. Not doing them is not an option.
Let’s talk about fundamentals; the ability to read, to write and to do the maths. You know the basic stuff that we all learnt at school.…. Or did we?
Some time ago; in fact three months ago, I was told by a teacher that it wasn’t necessary for my son to know how to read, write using a pen, as opposed to write using word processing software, and how to do maths.
The logic I was told was that. “our kids have access to computers and that’s all they need to know.”
We are in the information age! The basic skills of reading, writing and arithmetic are the basic foundational keys to build further skills. Without a firm foundation, how is it possible to build anything. Can you imagine a house being built without a foundation (concrete base or stumps) – on bare earth!
To take advantage of the new economy these skills must have on-going development.
And so a simple start to that is reading everyday. Why? Because, we must keep learning – we must keep our minds working.
I read at least 30 minutes a day because the rate of information is doubling every 3 to 4 years. I now also read in German to make sure I do not lose my German reading and writing skills.
I can buy a book online and research online. If you don’t have time to read the book, buy the audio book and listen on your iPod or in the car. How good is that!!!
The Phils_osophy
The one simple act of reading every day will not only transform the amount of knowledge that that you have, but will serve as exercise for the brain. The more the brain is exercised, regardless of age, the healthier it will stay over a longer period of time.
Keep reading, writing with a pen, and doing the maths. Not doing them is not an option.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Reinventing yourself in the 21st Century
G’day
The weekend Australian Financial Review published an article entitled “An Army of Jobless – if unemployment is 4.9%, why is it 2.7 million people can’t find work?”
In its most simplistic form; the market has shifted …and in a fundamental way…and many employees have not realised that this has happened.
The work has shifted to casual, part-time and contract based “just in time” work. Outsourcing is taking hold at all levels.
This fundamental structural shift relates to the rate of technological advances making large sections of the workforce redundant. And in contrast opening up new opportunities in new fields.
Having been made redundant in 2003, I can empathise with those impacted by the changes. I found myself going into business for myself, teaching and training…and loving it.
The point here is that the individual must reinvent themselves. We are in a knowledge era where today’s knowledge is redundant tomorrow.. such is the pace.
The Phils_osophy
The key is “reinventing yourself”. What you are doing today will not be the same thing you are doing tomorrow. Staying still doesn’t cut it anymore!
Become a Master of Change not a victim of change.
This requires insight, introspection and an incredible amount of self discipline. The demands on your time will be considerable
To your mastery of change!
The weekend Australian Financial Review published an article entitled “An Army of Jobless – if unemployment is 4.9%, why is it 2.7 million people can’t find work?”
In its most simplistic form; the market has shifted …and in a fundamental way…and many employees have not realised that this has happened.
The work has shifted to casual, part-time and contract based “just in time” work. Outsourcing is taking hold at all levels.
This fundamental structural shift relates to the rate of technological advances making large sections of the workforce redundant. And in contrast opening up new opportunities in new fields.
Having been made redundant in 2003, I can empathise with those impacted by the changes. I found myself going into business for myself, teaching and training…and loving it.
The point here is that the individual must reinvent themselves. We are in a knowledge era where today’s knowledge is redundant tomorrow.. such is the pace.
The Phils_osophy
The key is “reinventing yourself”. What you are doing today will not be the same thing you are doing tomorrow. Staying still doesn’t cut it anymore!
Become a Master of Change not a victim of change.
This requires insight, introspection and an incredible amount of self discipline. The demands on your time will be considerable
- Conduct your own skills audit; what can I do - include reading, writing and speaking English! (You would be amazed how many people do not include this !!!)
- Investigate options such as RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) at your local TAFE College. This will fast track your professional qualifications and make you more “saleable” in the market.
- And finally take plenty of actions. Actions over time will get you very clear as to what direction you want to take. If you are unclear about the actions you should take – get a coach or mentor to help.
To your mastery of change!
Saturday, 11 June 2011
The 5 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Success….
With the approach of the new financial year and the chance of a fresh restart, I reached for one of my favourite books, “The 100 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business Success” by Brian Tracy.
I always get something new from these sorts of books; regardless of how many times I have browsed and read them. According to Brian, the foundational Laws of Success are as follows;
The most important and fundamental law is “The Law of Cause and Effect”. This law forms the very foundation to life according to that outstanding Greek philosopher, Aristotle.
His assertion was we live in a world governed by law, not chance.
Very simply, everything happens for a reason whether we can see it or not. Every effect has a cause or causes. Each cause has an effect, whether we can see it and whether we like it or not!
Variations of this law are found throughout most religious beliefs and texts.
The Phils_osophy
Phil
I always get something new from these sorts of books; regardless of how many times I have browsed and read them. According to Brian, the foundational Laws of Success are as follows;
- The Law of Cause and Effect
- The Law of Belief
- The Law of Expectations
- The Law of Attraction
- The Law of Correspondence
The most important and fundamental law is “The Law of Cause and Effect”. This law forms the very foundation to life according to that outstanding Greek philosopher, Aristotle.
His assertion was we live in a world governed by law, not chance.
Very simply, everything happens for a reason whether we can see it or not. Every effect has a cause or causes. Each cause has an effect, whether we can see it and whether we like it or not!
Variations of this law are found throughout most religious beliefs and texts.
The Phils_osophy
- Develop your own deep understanding of these fundamental laws
- Ask yourself “If and when I do this (or don’t), what will be the effect?”
- Apply this law in line with your values and beliefs and turn your decisions into quality decisions.
- The understanding and application of these laws leads to amazing results!
Phil
Friday, 20 May 2011
The point of no return
In our last blog I talked about Goal-setting and how it must be consistent with your values.
Today it’s about the point of no return. In other words, it must have unconditional commitment.
So what do I mean a by the point of no return?
The analogy commonly used to describe the point of no return is a plane travelling between two cities reaching the halfway point and only having enough fuel to go forward not back. Returning to the previous point is no longer an option and the aircraft must face whatever is in front of it to reach the destination.
The interesting part is, when you commit to a point of no return, some amazing things start happening.
Suddenly, the right people will show up at the right time, with the right resources or the right advice, to help you get to your destination.
Strange as this may sound, the truth is that once we are at that point of no return and we step over that point, amazing things start happening. I can’t explain why they happen - I can attest that they do. Not only in my experiences, but for others I’ve spoken to as well.
The Phils_osophy
The people, who commit to their point of no return, achieve outstanding results.
Today it’s about the point of no return. In other words, it must have unconditional commitment.
So what do I mean a by the point of no return?
The analogy commonly used to describe the point of no return is a plane travelling between two cities reaching the halfway point and only having enough fuel to go forward not back. Returning to the previous point is no longer an option and the aircraft must face whatever is in front of it to reach the destination.
The interesting part is, when you commit to a point of no return, some amazing things start happening.
Suddenly, the right people will show up at the right time, with the right resources or the right advice, to help you get to your destination.
Strange as this may sound, the truth is that once we are at that point of no return and we step over that point, amazing things start happening. I can’t explain why they happen - I can attest that they do. Not only in my experiences, but for others I’ve spoken to as well.
The Phils_osophy
- Understand what your point of no return is.
- Take a confident stride forward over that line.
- Do not be afraid. By taking that step, you have already started attracting the right people needed to help you on your way.
The people, who commit to their point of no return, achieve outstanding results.
Tuesday, 3 May 2011
Why SMART Goals don’t work - A fresh look at Goal Setting!
In our last newsletter, I wrote about the importance of preparing the soil known as your mind, making it more fertile before the sowing of the seed.
Following on from that, lets look at goal setting and SMART goals; you know the ones: Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Tangible (or Time specific)
For a SMART goal to work…..
Let me repeat that.
The major reason for people failing to achieve their goals, is there is a conflict between the goal, their behaviour and their values.
The good news is when your values (who you are) and your goals are in agreement, the obstacles just disappear.
Clarify your values first and then set simple, specific, measurable, tangible, written goals that are consistent with those values.
You will achieve them, every single time!
The Phils_osophy
Take time out on a regular basis, to connect with who you are and what your values are. These change over time due to achievement of previous goals or simply changing life circumstances. So ensure you revisit annually or bi-annually.
Ensure you set your goals based on YOU and your values. Don’t be drawn into setting the goals you think you should have or that other people have if they are not congruent with YOUR values.
And enjoy the results!
Phil
Following on from that, lets look at goal setting and SMART goals; you know the ones: Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Tangible (or Time specific)
For a SMART goal to work…..
The goal must be consistent with your values.
Let me repeat that.
The goal must be consistent with your values.
The major reason for people failing to achieve their goals, is there is a conflict between the goal, their behaviour and their values.
The good news is when your values (who you are) and your goals are in agreement, the obstacles just disappear.
Clarify your values first and then set simple, specific, measurable, tangible, written goals that are consistent with those values.
You will achieve them, every single time!
The Phils_osophy
Take time out on a regular basis, to connect with who you are and what your values are. These change over time due to achievement of previous goals or simply changing life circumstances. So ensure you revisit annually or bi-annually.
Ensure you set your goals based on YOU and your values. Don’t be drawn into setting the goals you think you should have or that other people have if they are not congruent with YOUR values.
And enjoy the results!
Phil
Thursday, 14 April 2011
The Lucky country has got lazy - how our standards have dropped andkeep dropping!
Or…what we sow, we reap!
In the last two days, several articles have appeared in the Australian media about how the standard of basic reading, writing and arithmetic has dropped across Australia.
What has become abundantly clear is, governments and businesses in Australia now expect us to have high standards of these basic skills. And they are prepared to pay for them.
At the same time, we are hearing about how tough it is out there – prices for basic items are going up (which they are) and we are finding it harder to make ends meet.
The question should be asked, are we prepared to stop digging to get out of the hole?
It should be a must to grow ourselves, in order to grow our businesses, careers and income!! After all, what we sow, we reap… If our standards drop, our results will drop!!
It is important to prepare the soil and improve its productive capacity BEFORE we sow; in this case your mind. This is rarely talked about.
Good quality seed will only grow on well prepared soil. So how can we develop our soil?
As an example, I created my iPod University; learning material packed onto my iPod to listen to on public transport or a CD that I can listen to while driving in the car or travelling by public transport. My conscious mind may not pick it up, but my subconscious mind will – thus improving the fertility of the soil.
The Phils_osophy
Good seeds in poor soil will not grow!. Three steps to increase your soil fertility
· Make friends with your local library –your taxes have already paid for these wonderful facilities so use them for your growth.
· Improve your expertise with current technologies – being unfamiliar with Microsoft or Apple software today is no excuse!!
· Explore something that you would not normally look at – you will be astounded by what you discover.
Sow on quality fertile soil – and the harvest will be awesome. What would be the cost to you if you did not?
Phil
In the last two days, several articles have appeared in the Australian media about how the standard of basic reading, writing and arithmetic has dropped across Australia.
What has become abundantly clear is, governments and businesses in Australia now expect us to have high standards of these basic skills. And they are prepared to pay for them.
At the same time, we are hearing about how tough it is out there – prices for basic items are going up (which they are) and we are finding it harder to make ends meet.
The question should be asked, are we prepared to stop digging to get out of the hole?
It should be a must to grow ourselves, in order to grow our businesses, careers and income!! After all, what we sow, we reap… If our standards drop, our results will drop!!
It is important to prepare the soil and improve its productive capacity BEFORE we sow; in this case your mind. This is rarely talked about.
Good quality seed will only grow on well prepared soil. So how can we develop our soil?
As an example, I created my iPod University; learning material packed onto my iPod to listen to on public transport or a CD that I can listen to while driving in the car or travelling by public transport. My conscious mind may not pick it up, but my subconscious mind will – thus improving the fertility of the soil.
The Phils_osophy
Good seeds in poor soil will not grow!. Three steps to increase your soil fertility
· Make friends with your local library –your taxes have already paid for these wonderful facilities so use them for your growth.
· Improve your expertise with current technologies – being unfamiliar with Microsoft or Apple software today is no excuse!!
· Explore something that you would not normally look at – you will be astounded by what you discover.
Sow on quality fertile soil – and the harvest will be awesome. What would be the cost to you if you did not?
Phil
Monday, 28 March 2011
It is always hard before it gets easy
What a start to 2011 - Water, water everywhere. The flooding around the country has been phenomenal!
It has been fascinating to observe the resilience of many individuals in the affected areas; so many of them having suffered a massive loss. They are in a tough spot but, with help and support, every day becomes that little bit easier.
The German poet and philosopher Goethe said: “Everything is hard before it gets easy”. This simple saying has a great deal of comfort and meaning to it, and certainly applies to the current flood situation.
I’ve gone to many seminars where the pretence was about “seeking the line of least resistance” to get to the end-game.
In truth that is sometimes not possible; there has to be a breakthrough to move to the next level. There has to be a difficulty before the reward is realised
There are some things that are just plain hard! When they become easy for you, it means that you have achieved a level of mastery and have moved to another level. Then the hard starts all over again in order for you to move to the next level again.
The Phils_osophy
If we understand that “everything is hard before it gets easy” it allows us to deal with the problems we face daily knowing there is that “light at the end of the tunnel”.
Set your intention…. Realise “everything is hard before it gets easy”….Achieve those small wins.....Watch the results!
To your outstanding results in 2011!
Phil
It has been fascinating to observe the resilience of many individuals in the affected areas; so many of them having suffered a massive loss. They are in a tough spot but, with help and support, every day becomes that little bit easier.
The German poet and philosopher Goethe said: “Everything is hard before it gets easy”. This simple saying has a great deal of comfort and meaning to it, and certainly applies to the current flood situation.
I’ve gone to many seminars where the pretence was about “seeking the line of least resistance” to get to the end-game.
In truth that is sometimes not possible; there has to be a breakthrough to move to the next level. There has to be a difficulty before the reward is realised
There are some things that are just plain hard! When they become easy for you, it means that you have achieved a level of mastery and have moved to another level. Then the hard starts all over again in order for you to move to the next level again.
The Phils_osophy
If we understand that “everything is hard before it gets easy” it allows us to deal with the problems we face daily knowing there is that “light at the end of the tunnel”.
Set your intention…. Realise “everything is hard before it gets easy”….Achieve those small wins.....Watch the results!
To your outstanding results in 2011!
Phil
Thursday, 24 March 2011
What is Coaching Really All About?
These days, the word ‘coaching’ has become an abused term.
In my experience, this has happened because of a perception, strongly encouraged by the personal and professional development industry, that coaching is there to “fix” or to “bridge the gap” between where we are today and where we want to be.
Many of you have experienced coaching in one shape or another and have formed your own views on the concept.
My opinion about coaching is very different.
It is about:
· Understanding and releasing aspirations to reality
· Building capability
· Creating / producing results
Another way to view coaching is that it is about continuously expanding your personal capacity to grow, learn and perform.
In a previous newsletter, I wrote about how “it’s always hard before it gets easy.”
Coaching is the tool that assists in making it easy to master the hard – not to remove the hard. This is why we have teachers and coaches in business, education, the arts and sport.... in fact everywhere. We just don’t always call them coaches.
A great example is Toastmasters – where you can learn to speak in public and are given coaching in the form of an evaluation.....and it’s not called coaching.
The Phils_osophy
Allow yourself to be open to coaching moments when they occur; they provide insight and the real opportunity to reflect, learn and expand your personal capacity.
Enjoy those moments ..even later when you have the realisation ...because it is a WOW moment when we get it !
A free gift – a Goal Setting and Goal Getting Worksheet is available for download. It’s yours free to do with what you want.
Download your Goal Setting Toolkit here.
To your continued success….
Phil
In my experience, this has happened because of a perception, strongly encouraged by the personal and professional development industry, that coaching is there to “fix” or to “bridge the gap” between where we are today and where we want to be.
Many of you have experienced coaching in one shape or another and have formed your own views on the concept.
My opinion about coaching is very different.
It is about:
· Understanding and releasing aspirations to reality
· Building capability
· Creating / producing results
Another way to view coaching is that it is about continuously expanding your personal capacity to grow, learn and perform.
In a previous newsletter, I wrote about how “it’s always hard before it gets easy.”
Coaching is the tool that assists in making it easy to master the hard – not to remove the hard. This is why we have teachers and coaches in business, education, the arts and sport.... in fact everywhere. We just don’t always call them coaches.
A great example is Toastmasters – where you can learn to speak in public and are given coaching in the form of an evaluation.....and it’s not called coaching.
The Phils_osophy
Allow yourself to be open to coaching moments when they occur; they provide insight and the real opportunity to reflect, learn and expand your personal capacity.
Enjoy those moments ..even later when you have the realisation ...because it is a WOW moment when we get it !
A free gift – a Goal Setting and Goal Getting Worksheet is available for download. It’s yours free to do with what you want.
Download your Goal Setting Toolkit here.
To your continued success….
Phil
Friday, 18 March 2011
“Kind, dass must du wissen ! – Child, you must know this”. What Ilearnt from my father.
This year will mark five years since my father, an extraordinary man, passed away.
He was a complex character – a highly intelligent man who could understand extremely difficult concepts and explain them in such a way that anyone could understand them.
Yet he was a technically challenged - he found it difficult to grasp technology; he once listened to the same music on his car’s CD player for two weeks after he had inadvertently hit the “repeat” function.
One of his continual sayings to his children was “Kind, dass must du wissen.” Translated from the German “Child, you must know this.”
He understood intimately that learning never stops. He read constantly. He enjoyed interesting facts.
Dad would always cut out newspaper articles that he thought his family would find interesting, give them to us and we would end up discussing them over dinner. This happened even during the time I was living interstate. He would save the ones I missed until I visited.
He even attempted to understand the basics of computers and the World Wide Web, but never quite mastered it. My father introduced us all to travel; my first overseas trip to New Zealand in 1975 and then West Germany (as it was) in 1976 opened the world to me.
He understood that learning was “something you must do”.
Phils_osophy
It’s only now that I begin to fully appreciate my father’s learning philosophy. Sadly for me, I cannot share my joy of learning with him any longer.
So just learn....and enjoy it!
Phil
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
"I will do the things that others will not, so in the future, I can do the things that others cannot.”
By chance, I came across this quote in a book I was reading on a recent trip. It was like WOW!!!!
I was so taken by its simplicity and directness that I HAD to share it with you all. Then, on my return to Melbourne, I passed a sign on the road from a small political party whose slogan was “for the millions, not for the millionaires.”
This prompted me to ask - “Which group are they – the haves or have nots or the wills or will nots?”
The Phil's_osophy
The world belongs to the people who will, not to those who “will not”. Do the things that others will not, so in the future, you can do the things that others can not.
Phil
I was so taken by its simplicity and directness that I HAD to share it with you all. Then, on my return to Melbourne, I passed a sign on the road from a small political party whose slogan was “for the millions, not for the millionaires.”
This prompted me to ask - “Which group are they – the haves or have nots or the wills or will nots?”
The Phil's_osophy
The world belongs to the people who will, not to those who “will not”. Do the things that others will not, so in the future, you can do the things that others can not.
Phil
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