Posts from — January 2008

From before the holidays you might remember that we talked abut the roadblocks to success and what you can do to overcome them. Yesterday, I introduced you to the transformational truths Brendon Burchard recently developed.. Today, I would like to show you how these transformational truth fit into our success structure. Each time I found a match I put the applicable transformational truth into the paragraph. Also, since we only looked at four truths yesterday, you find the second half of Brendon’s list at the end of this post.

Step 1: Overcome deficient desires

How? Learn how to conquer the self-conscious driver in yourself, create clear goals following the teachings of Laural Langemeier, Michael Angier, and find a coach or mentor, like we offer at AMC LLC

Transformation Truth #2:
Either you’re doing work you truly enjoy or you aren’t.

Step 2: Make sure you have clarity & focus

How? Learn how to become a Level 5 leader from Jim Collins. Also make sure that you can explain your goals and aspiration on the back of a napkin, or even better on the back of a business card. Use social networks like Linked In, Plaxo, Xing, or others to bounce your ideas off of other people and refine as you go

Transformation Truth #8:
Either you’re truly stepping up or you’re backing down. 

Step 3: Overcome erroneous and insufficient believes

How? Make sure you conquer the self-defeat driver, check your facts, and look for organizations and individuals who have done what you want to do. Nobody needs to re-invent the wheel – and if you feel you do, first become successful in something you like, so you will have the money and experience to do something nobody ever did before.

Transformation Truth #5:
Either you truly believe in yourself or you don’t.

Step 4: Make sure you have sufficient knowledge

How? Don’t forget how to buy yourself a week. With that extra time, use people like Gina Gaudio Graves, Glen Hopkins, Armand Morin, Henry Gold, and many more to help you learn how to market what you develop.

Step 5: Overcome insufficient skills and lack of tools

How? You can’t know and be able to do everything yourself. You want to use the test of mastery and wisdom to know what you need to do yourself. Mastery is the sum of skill and experience, whole wisdom is the sum of knowledge and experience. Get what you lack for those that already have it. There is no shame in asking for help

Step 6: Make sure you have high levels of health and fitness

How? Make sure you conquer the skeptical driver and keep your body healthy. Go to a gym, with a friend, celebrate the small wins, like John Kotter preaches, and treat yourself well, like we learn from the movie The Secret. You will have positive energy and attract what you need to become successful

Transformation Truth #6:
Either you’re truly fit and vibrant, or you’re not.

Step 7: Make sure you have sufficient support

How? You want to conquer the Need for reassurance driver. Create master mind groups like Daniel Hall and Michal Angier suggest, and work with a coach or mentor, as we offer at AMC LLC.  

Transformation Truth #4:
Either your relationships are truly supporting you or they aren’t.

Step 8: Overcome any lack of self-esteem

How? You want to conquer the driver for self-defeat and improve the interpersonal driver. Get together with like minded people who support and encourage you. Build resonating relationships like Richard Boyartzis suggests, and develop your integrity and character following the teachings of Henry Cloud.

Transformation Truth #3:
Either you are truly being yourself or you aren’t.

Step 9: Make sure you have sufficient funding

How? If your operations are developing as you desire, funding will never be a problem. In case you run into problems because things don’t move forward as fast as desired, talk to Banks like Wachovia, BOA, Wells Fargo, but also alternative sources like Zopa, Loanis, Lending Club, Globe Funder, Virgin Money, and finally angel investors, venture capitalists or connectors, like my friend Joel Block

Transformation Truth #7:
Either you’re building wealth, or you’re depleting it.

Step 10: Make sure you take massive action How? Set short, medium, and long term goals. Stop setting resolutions you don’t keep. They are like insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Overcome any issues for a low Systematic driver and follow the teachings of the movement of Pass it On.

Transformation Truth #1:
Either you are truly moving forward or you aren’t.

Here are the remaining four truths from Brandon Burchard’s list with the associated explanations. 

(Brandon’s text in italic)

Transformation Truth #5:
Either you truly believe in yourself or you don’t.

It turns out that sometimes the most toxic relationship we ever get into is the one with ourselves. We beat ourselves up, call ourselves names, point out our faults, and question our own worthiness of love and happiness. On the other hand, our relationship with ourselves can be healthier and friendlier. We can take pride in our efforts and achievements, acknowledge our strengths, and reaffirm that we are worthy of a good life. So what kind of relationship do you have with yourself? Are you your own worst enemy or your best friend? Are the thoughts playing in your head hurtful or helpful? Are you lifting yourself or tearing yourself down and what is the result in your life?

Transformation Truth #6:
Either you’re truly fit and vibrant, or you’re not.

The diet industry booms this time of year, only to leave in its wake millions of unhealthy and unhappy people. Why? Because true health and vibrancy doesn’t depend on food alone. We all know that, but most of us aren’t as physically fit and vibrant as we want to be. Do you have as much energy as you’d like to have throughout the day? Is the food and proportions you’re consuming helping you feel light and fueled, or heavy and wasted? Are you exercising several times a week, or lying to yourself and waiting for “someday” to get in shape? If you haven’t felt truly alive in some time, it probably has more to do with your physical conditioning and the amount of food on your plate than on how busy you are or how much you have on your plate at work. Make today the day you rededicate yourself to living a fit, vibrant and healthy life.

Transformation Truth #7:
Either you’re building wealth, or you’re depleting it.

Most of us have a one-sided love affair with money—we take and spend, but we don’t give and save. The majority of us also believe that there’s not enough abundance in the world, that we’re only worth so much, and can only earn a given amount each year. Are you making as much money as you would like to right now? Why not? Are you adding enough value at work? Have you been differentiating yourself, coming up with new clients or products or services, seeking mentors who can help you climb higher? Are you putting more away than you spend? If not, why? We all know the advice: earn, spend little, save lots, plan for the long haul. This is a great time to check yourself—and your checkbook. It’s time to set some higher financial goals in your life—so you can take care of yourself and others—and to create a plan for a more profitable year.

Transformation Truth #8:
Either you’re truly stepping up or you’re backing down.  Every day we are presented with circumstances that test our mettle. The question is, how are you facing life’s challenges? Are you hiding under the sheets or seizing the day? Are you running away from your fears or charging at them head-on? Are you avoiding your problems or knocking them off one by one? Those that dramatically transform their lives refuse to shrink from anyone or anything. They choose to stand up and speak up in life even when it feels like the hardest thing in the world to do. So how about you? Are you choosing to stand up or back down? Are you making your presence known? Have you shared your thoughts and feelings and declared what you want in life? Have you fought for your dreams and done it consistently enough to create the life you’ve always wanted? 

I hope you can see how amazingly the different concepts of roadblocks to success, performance management, and transformational truths fir together. Again, we are striving for awareness. The more we can learn about the things that influence us, our actions and reaction and turn this awareness into responses full of confidence, motivation, and self-esteem, the more we will be able to succeed. That doesn’t mean everything will be easy and we only need to sit down, think positive thoughts and believe the law of attraction will bring everything we need to us automatically. It still needs action and effort – but, with the awareness in full view, we can see what’s in our way, what other’s do to succeed, and how we can navigate our own journey to realize our passion.

Axel Meierhoefer, President AMC LLC

As you know from previous writings truth and trust play a big role for me and everything we do at AMC LLC. I have told you about my visit to Sedona in November 2007. I had the pleasure to personally meet Brandon Burchard. He is the guy who wrote the book: Life’s Golden Ticket. I really love the way he presented the story and hope some day in the future to put leadership, talent development, and growth strategies into a similar frame. 

Brandon is a pretty amazing guy, especially because of his own life story. He barely survived a car crash when he was young. After recovering he realized that he needed to live a different life. He basically got a second chance and that is what his book is about. If you like to hear him tell his own story about that incident, you can click on this link:  

 http://youtube.com/watch?v=kbOnb3rk6-w 

Ever since meeting Brandon personally and reading his book I have kept an eye on what he is doing. As Laural Langemeier taught me: “If you want to achieve success,  surround yourself with those who are already successful.” I wouldn’t necessarily say I am surrounded, but at least I am in touch. I encourage you to look for individuals you are impressed with or admire, and try to get in touch with them or follow their lead. 

While I am in the process of using some of the material I have created about success, and build it into an E-Book for you, Brandon send me an e-mail with some of his latest revelations. He is a great writer. He puts things plain and simple. So, instead of trying to paraphrase, I give you part of what Brandon send me below.  What we are talking about is transformational truths. Some of them will appear basic and maybe even trivial. On the other hand, that is the beauty of awareness. It does not have to be complex or hard to comprehend. I believe it is actually better when it is simple - kind of like this commercial about the pain killer where they say: “Apply directly to the forehead”. 

(Brandon’s text shown in italic) 

Transformation Truth #1:
Either you are truly moving forward or you aren’t.

We were all born to move forward: to crawl, to walk, to run, to grow, to push ourselves diligently toward our destinies and dreams. Unfortunately, many of us have let our fears and the need for safety weigh us down. We’ve stopped taking the leaps and bounds and chances needed to get us closer to the life we desire. Tragically, too many of us have settled into jobs that lead nowhere, relationships that sink our spirits, and habits that hold us back. To prevent that or become more focused, ask yourself these simple questions on a regular basis: Have I been charging ahead in life, standing still, or falling behind? Am I truly moving forward toward my dreams, or am I simply conning myself into believing that I’m just “waiting for the right time to make my move”? What do I need to do today to boldly start moving forward in life?   

Transformation Truth #2:
Either you’re doing work you truly enjoy or you aren’t.

Most of us know that our life’s purpose is more than just a paycheck, and that a life of meaning is not limited to a life of means. Yet many of us suffer the self-imposed misery of doing unfulfilling work simply to make ends meet. Is what you are doing something that you whole-heartedly enjoy? Do you get happily lost in your work on a regular basis and feel like you’re truly growing, contributing, and making a difference? If you cannot answer with a resounding “Yes!” to these questions, then you already know it’s time for a change. It’s time to face that and take action.

Transformation Truth #3:
Either you are truly being yourself or you aren’t.

Each day we have a choice to make: Will we live authentically or adapt to the world around us? When we choose to be authentic, we show the world our raw, unpainted, genuine self. We act in accordance with our convictions and we openly share our personality and passions with other people. Living like this makes us feel alive, connected, and “real.” Unfortunately, many of us choose instead to adapt to the world the way a chameleon does, changing our true colors in order to blend in. Living like this makes us feel hollow and disconnected. It makes us avoid ourselves in the mirror and creates a repeating whimper in our minds: “Please stop acting this way; it’s not the real you, and there’s someone special in here waiting to be let out.” How are you living your life—are you showing the world who you really are, or are you putting on a facade in order to fit in and be accepted? That answer probably says a lot about how you feel on a regular basis.

Transformation Truth #4:
Either your relationships are truly supporting you or they aren’t.

The quality of our lives is shaped by the quality of our relationships. Indeed, the people in our lives who treat us with kindness, respect, honesty, and understanding have the ability to lift us to our highest heights. On the flip side, those who mistreat us, disrespect us, lie to us, neglect us, or abuse us often have the power to pull us down into the depths of despair. Think about the people surrounding you: your family members, friends, coworkers, neighbors, acquaintances, romantic interest. Are any of these people holding you back from being your best? Are any of them making you feel small, stupid, unworthy, unloved, or uncared for? If so, who are they? Now the important part: Why in the world are you allowing these people in your life, and what are you doing right now to surround yourself with supportive and inspiring people? 

So I hope you checked out these transformational truths and reflect on which ones focus your awareness. When you have found what resonates best with you, take action. Awareness is 50% of the solution (maybe even more), but if you don’t take action towards your goals and passion, or change what is holding you back, the best awareness will not be much help.  I look forward to your comments. 

Axel Meierhoefer, President AMC LLC