DROP THE MONKEY BUSINESS

THINK BIG THINK GLOBAL

2012-02-28T13:31:00.001-08:00

Anousheh Ansari built a computer technology firm fromthe ground up, which eventually realized a net worth of $750 million andultimately allowed her to achieve her childhood dream of spaceflight.When she was in space looking back at the planet Earth she confirmed what shealready knew and applied to her life and business success. She had seen thatthere were no lines separating the land. There are no borders betweencountries. To know that you are not cornered into any one spot in the worldis a great asset to any person in business. Only fear stops us from moving andgrowing our business out of the geographical location where we are based.

Today I met with Owen O’Malley, founder and CEO ofTICN. With the same belief as AnoushehAnsari, Owen grew his business idea from a thought to a business now operating in 34 countries and in 12 different languages and all from a remote village inthe most north-westerly part of Ireland.

Owen’s message is simple. Think big and think Global. Throughthe rapid advances of technology our business products can be seen and boughtanywhere in the world no matter where we are based. We no longer have to bewith the customer in a shop or an office. All you need is a laptop, a website, aPayPal account and belief in yourself and your business.

Drop the Monkey Business and start thinking big

GET A STEP CLOSER TO YOUR GOAL

2012-02-21T15:19:00.000-08:00

Today I spoke with David Keane from New Focus|coachingabout setting goals that are aligned with our true desires. We spoke aboutmaintaining focus on the ultimate goal while taking the appropriate measures toget over the finishing line. David spoke about Bob Proctor and the Earl Nightingale quote:

"Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal"

Do something each day that will bring you closer to your goal and you will definitely arrive at the end result that you desire. Imagine in one month having made an average of 31 actions in the direction of your goal. In one year, 365 actions. Everybody has different goals which are unique and personal to them. Maybe your goal is to give up smoking or to start a business. Maybe your goal is to run a marathon, publish a book, write a hit song or simply to be content in your daily activities. One step at a time. Never stop. Keep moving and chipping away at the desires that you're most passionate about. Follow the meaning of success in what you believe it to mean for you. Reach for your goal like you already have it in the palm of your hand.

Drop the Monkey Business and get a step closer to your goal.

GET INTO THE BUSINESS OF DRINKING WATER

2012-02-14T15:01:00.000-08:00

If you’re dehydrated chances are that you’re not putting100% of your energy into your business or life. I spoke to nutritional therapistChen Saat-Murphy from true food Healing about the benefits of drinking waterand the different sources from which we can obtain water.

Imagine communicating your best ideas without being fueled by coffee, tea or a soda drink. Imagine performingbetter than your perceived best and surprising your colleagues and yourself.Imagine this happening because you drink water, two to three litres per day.This is exactly what top performing athletes do. This is what the best businesspeople do. Why? Because they know that it gives them the energy that their bodiesask for, an energy that translates into faster and clearer thoughts which inturn results in better action. Check out www.allaboutwater.orgfor more information.

Drop the monkey business and drink water

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

2012-02-07T15:08:00.000-08:00

As you can see from the picture, I’m no expert when it comesto dressing for business. Yes, you could say I am expressive and that I have a fun way of dressing, but when it comes to business will that get you the customer? I’mcomfortable in my choice of clothing but are the clients comfortable looking at me? I believe you need a balance when dressing in business. Yes my personality shined through on the day this photo was taken, however I didn't see the miss-match until I seen the photo : red, pink and blue and a purple umbrella thrown in for luck!

I felt I'd be on fire going into meetings , but really, who’d take me serious(besides myself!) at work? Today Idecided to take a call to action. I went to Born, a local clothing store to meetup with Delilah, International Fashion Stylist and Personal Shopper for some basic tips in dressing for business.

In business, it’sgreat to look good. When you look good you feel good. It can give you moreconfidence when you are interacting with other people, especially at work. Ibelieve it should matter more what we do as oppose to what we wear, but atwork, in meetings and when we go for interviews it is important to giveattention to our appearance. What you wear can leave a lasting impression onpeople.

Drop the monkey business and dress for success

SPREAD ENTHUSIASM

2012-02-04T01:53:00.000-08:00

Putting enthusiasminto what you do is like putting petrol into your car. It's hard to go without it and it'll get you to whereyou need to be. Most businesses, ideas, jobs, and relationships start off on ahigh note fuelled with lots of enthusiasm. With the time this is watered downand for some it can be like the flame of a candle burning out. They don’t seeit happening and they don’t achieve what they originally set out to do. Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great American writer wrote that “Nothing great hasever been achieved without enthusiasm”. Richard Branson puts enthusiasm into everything he does and the result: Success. He doesn't just put it there at the start. It's a full time member of the team, there to see out the projects, missions and goals.

Enthusiasm is so powerfully that itallows you to lock onto your target goal and successfully get there with ease. When you have enthusiasm you have strong self believe. EckhartTolle, who is listed as the most spiritually influential person in the world wrote in his book ‘A New Earth’ that ‘enthusiasm is one of the three modalities needed to align your life to the creative power of the universe’. The other two being acceptance and enjoyment.

When you start something, be sure to start withbuckets of enthusiasm, bring that enthusiasm with you right to the finishingline. Don’t give it away. Don’t let it fade out. If anything spread it. Allow it get bigand bright. Let the world see it. It can be contagious for thepeople around you that want victory for you. The people who don't get it or don't wish to be aboard your ship, let them go. That’sthe ingredient for success.

Drop the monkey business and spread enthusiasm.

LESSONS FROM LUNCH AT LUNARES

2012-02-01T00:35:00.000-08:00

I'm a creature of habit and I normally don't change easily from my regular routines. Sometimes it feels like too much effort or that I might not enjoy something different, but every now and then I prove myself wrong. I prove that change is worth the risk. The risk of finding that something new far out weighs the risk of being stuck in a groundhog day scenario. When you work hard, it's always good to reward yourself with a lovely bite to eat in a nice restaurant. I know I'm talking about food, but taking a risk and allowing change to enter your life or business is all part of the dressing in my blog today! There's nothing better than discovering a new great place to have lunch. That's what happened to me today when my brother invited me to lunch at Lunares, a Spanish Tapas restaurant in my hometown. We took the risk, sampled a new dining experience and the rewards were good for all. The food was beautiful, the staff were really friendly and the value was in everything; the food, the service, the place and the people. It's rare to find these kind of food havens that tick all the boxes and more. They didn't just do as expected in this restaurant, they went the extra mile. The chef and owner came out and spoke with every client. The chef even entertained the customers with a traditional Spanish song and demonstrated a Spanish dance. The restaurant was full. The customers were amazed. It was so good that I decided to use my creativity and give them something small. I returned later that evening and made this little promo video clip using my flip camera as a token of my gratitude.

I got a few little lessons from my lunch at lunares. It's good to change the regular routine. It's good to take risks. It's good to taste something new. It's good to embrace change and it's always good to give.

Drop the Monkey business and prove to yourself that a change in your regular routine is worth the risk.

GET UP AND GIVE YOURSELF SOME 'YOU' TIME

2012-01-29T23:59:00.000-08:00

‘I have no time’ is the number one excuse for not doing thethings we love doing. It’s a poor and widely used excuse. I understand that we are all very busy working anddoing the day to day chores that life throws at us and that it appears as if there's no time. There's always time. There is an easy solution thatmay not be music to your ears but it works. Set the alarm clock one hour earlier thanusual. Getting up daily very early is one of the most important traits of success in business and life accordingto Robin Sharma, author of ‘The leader who had no title’ and ‘The Monk who sold his Ferrari’. In fact, Robin encourages us all to set our clocks at 5.00a.m. and he’s right. It sounds difficult, but it’s easier than you might believe. It’s just a habit, a good habit. What you get when you get up earlier than yourpeers is uninterrupted valuable time for doing the things that matter most.

This morning I got up at half past five. I dedicated 30minutes of focused time to my hobby, writing. I wrote 400 words. If I do that everyday, five days a week (giving myself two rest days each week) for a year I willgive myself 130.5 hours of extra time to do what I love. If I focus on my writing during this time andwrite 400 words each day I will write 104,400 words. That's a book!

What one thing could you do with this extra time? Exercise,plan your day, write, meditate, read a book, or focus on your hobby. You will simply get good at what youlove.

Drop the monkey business, get up and give yourself some extra 'you' time.

DO MORE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LOVE TO DO

2012-01-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

Pádraic O Máille , creator of Smácht shared some great wisdom with me today. Sometimes the support has to start from within. To grow the best in ourselves we need to feed the best in ourselves. In all aspects of life we need to focus, not on the things we don’t like doing, but on the things we love to do. When you tune into the things that you love doing - expand them. Always look for the white dot on the black wall and make it bigger. So big that it’ll fill you with happiness. As my wife always says " You got to feed the love to make it grow".

Drop the monkey business and do more of the things that you love to do.

PLAN THE MISSION ACCOMPLISHED PARTY

2012-01-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

Don’tjust write a mission statement. Write a destination statement. A detailed planof what you want to do and where you want to go. Write down what you need to do in order to achieve it. Write down whatsteps you’ll take to achieve it and most importantly, something you don’t see toooften on business mission statements or personal vision statements, an estimatedtime of completion. Of course you can say that your mission is to be the bestat what you do in your field and leave it as simple as that. Simple is good, but that only tells people your dream, your goal. It doesn't say WHEN. Knowing when you will achieve your mission in business or life gives you a focus. It leaves no space for excuses.

Keep your mission simple and to the point. Focus on it. Ask yourself everyday what needs to be done to be one step closer to mission completed. With everything that you do, ask yourself does this bring me closer to mission completed. If not, stop doing it.

Formore success in business and life, add WHEN to your mission statement of intent. Add WHEN you plan on reaching that point of excellence and WHEN you get there what you aim to do. Don’t just book the flight and know the name of the destination. KNOWyour intended time of arrival. Plan what you will do when you get there. Planthe party.

Drop the Monkey business and plan the mission accomplished party.

BE A WORLD CHAMPION

2012-01-16T10:52:00.000-08:00

Today I met with Ken Horan, WKN Middle Weight KickboxingWorld Champion. I asked Ken to sum up in one word the key to being a worldchampion. His answer: “Discipline”.

Add discipline to your day and all that you do. See thedifference it will make within a short time. No matter what you do in businessor life, work hard, train hard and play hard. Be a world champion .

Drop the monkey business and be the best at what you do.

START YOUR DAY WITH A BLANK CANVAS

2012-01-15T03:29:00.000-08:00

Artists not only start with a blank canvas, they make theframe and stretch their canvas. They have total control over the size and thematerial. They don’t get caught up in paintings from the past or what they’llpaint next month. They don’t become attached to paintings. They are alwaysfocusing on the present painting. The motivation happens in the moment. Theylook for inspiration from their surroundings. They don’t just paint the roses,they smell the roses. Apply the artist’s way to your life.

Drop the monkey business and start your day with a blankcanvas.

MONEY AND VISUALIZATION

2012-01-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

Here you have a blank cheque. Fill it out. Print it out, put your name on it and place it somewhere you can see it everyday. Put as many zeros as you wish on it. Be generous. Look at it everyday until you become very comfortable with its value and what it can bring you. Be comfortable with the idea of having and accessing that amount and more. The fear of having something can cause you never to receive it. This can be true of money. Remove the fear with this visualization technique. Aim high and land high. You deserve it.

Drop the monkey business and learn to visualize what you desire.

START YOUR JOURNEY

2012-01-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

Stop for a moment when faced with a choice and you don't know which road to take. Stand back and look at the road signs. All directions have destinations. Some have the same destination. Some have the wrong destination. Some have unknown destinations, but no two roads can be traveled at once. Make a decision. Choose one road and stick to it. Once on the road there is no turning back. However, if the road gets too bumpy - slow down, stop and if you really have to take the next exit and link to a new road, do it. If the road is smooth, pace yourself and enjoy it. Stop for rest to conserve energy and take in the scenery. You will not arrive at your destination standing still, driving backwards or trying to drive down two different roads at once. As the American poet Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “Life is a journey, not a destination.”

Drop the Monkey Business and start your journey.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART

2012-01-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Take five, frame it and sell it for ten. That was thesuggestion I received when I asked my uncle how to make money. I took his advice literally.It was the summer of 1996 and that’s exactly what I did. I was young. I was astudent who didn’t want to work, yet wanted money to enjoy a good social life.I got more than that. I got great experience. I worked hard and put in longer hours than I would have in a nine to five job. What did I do? I wrote and printed my short poems on good quality paper,framed them and went door to door selling. I knocked on thousands of doors. I got hundredsof no’s. I sold 200 in the first month and I sold 500 the second month. I took five, framed it and sold it for ten. I followed the advice, but more importantly I followed my heart.

Will you follow the advice? How hard will you work for it? Will you put in the long hours? How many doors will you knock on? How many no's will you listen to? Will you follow your heart?

Drop the Monkey Business & follow your heart.

EXERCISE YOUR MIND & LEARN SOMETHING NEW

2012-01-08T14:04:00.000-08:00

It's good to learn. It's good to take yourself out of your comfort zone and do something different. I thought all my learning days were done when I left college.Then I discovered that I could do acting classes once a week in my local night school. I did and after that, I learned Spanish and I’m still learning. Then I took up Capoeiraclasses which I continued practicing during four years. Two years ago I really learnedabout how the Music Industry works when I had a top 20 hit! I did workshops on energy awareness and energy healing. Then, I learned somecoin and card magic using free YouTube lessons. The magic got me interested in hypnosis. Because of my wanting and openness to learn I am now a certified hypnotherapist. Now, I’m learning the ins and outs of social mediaand how to create, connect and manage onlinenetworks. And that's only the tip of the iceberg!

January is a great time to start learning something new. Nomatter how hard times get and even when times are good keep learning new skills. You'll be surprised, you may even find a new hobby. Not even money can be an excuse with so many tutorials for beginners onevery subject available online.

Drop the Monkey Business, exercise your mind and learn something new.

BE INSPIRED BY WISE WORDS

2012-01-07T15:04:00.000-08:00

Today I met with Little John Nee, an Irish performer who shared some beautiful Zen Inspiration with me.

My personal reading of this Zen saying is that we create our own life and there is nothingin life we can’t overcome when we act from the heart. I was inspired by the words of the Zenquotation shared by Little John Nee.

Drop the Monkey Business and be inspired by wise words.

REDIRECT THE ENERGY FROM BLAME TO LEARN

2012-01-06T15:03:00.000-08:00

It’s very easy to get angry and point fingers when we don’tget a desired result, but do you practice the human ability to convert theenergy from blame to learn? Instead of filling yourself with anger, ask yourself“What can I learn from this and who are my teachers?” Maybe the teachers arethe very people you blame. It’s good to learn. You need lessons to learn. Youneed teachers to teach lessons. Maybe the teachers are people or maybe theteachers are situations. Who are your teachers and what can you learn fromthem? For a different perspective ask thesetwo questions of all your highs and lows in business and life.

Drop the Monkey Business and get in the habit of redirectingthe energy from blame to Learn. It’s good to let go.

THE BEST ADVISER IS YOUR INNER ADVISER

2012-01-05T13:28:00.000-08:00

When you are afraid to take the next step, or have a mentalblock stopping you from making progress you can remove yourself from thepicture and look from the outside. Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lookat other people and their situations and within seconds come up with a plan of action?You can see what’s blocking them. You may even go as far as dishing outfriendly advice as you feel that your clarity is super bright and super right. Youcan’t understand how the other party can’t see the solution that is restingright beneath their nose. The confusing aspect of this great ability is that you can’t do it for yourself. When youtry, you become emotionally involved. You attach yourself to particular outcomes.You ask everybody, only to receive ten very different and conflicting opinions.This is the time to tune out from the noise of the outside world and tune into your inner world. This is the time to go to the cinema on your own,to wash the dishes by hand, do gardening, yoga, meditation or exercise. This isthe right time to quieten your mind. It is easier said than done, but if youdon’t give it a go, you won’t know. The goal is to disconnect and bring yourself into a calm state of now, the present moment. When you disconnect from theoutcome you can tap into more possibilities. You can ask yourself questions andget great honest answers. You can seeyourself as you see others and help yourself as you would others, but firstcalm the mind. Imagine now if you were to meet a 30 year older version of yourselfand could ask him/her this question “What’s the next best step for me to take?”They have been through it all and have all the best answers. Do it now, and seewhat answers you received. I’m sure it will be the right answer. If you get twoanswers, listen to the first, the gut feeling. The best adviser is your inner adviser.

Drop the monkey business, tune out and tune in. Get the answers from within.

LET'S DO IT OURSELVES

2012-01-04T15:10:00.000-08:00

What if we didn’t turn to our Government to solve the economiccrisis in Ireland and what if we could put the country in the hands of theyoung andunemployed? Maybe they would do a better job than most if givendirection and opportunity. Maybe they would move faster and get results. Today I spoke with Phil James, director of the Granary Learning Centre about motivating the young unemployed people, and to use theirenergy to get Ireland moving once again. Phil's message is exciting. it's all about taking responsibility. He talks solutions. He speaks about keeping the talent in Ireland. He talks about the want for change. The youth that want to work and want to learn. They have ideas. They have energy. Itneeds to be gathered and focused. They have the experience of being in acomfortable place where they’re not too happy. It's not us and them anymore. It's 'We' as a collective. We want to see the light.

Drop the Monkey Business and let’s do it ourselves. Let's change and remake Ireland. Let's show the world a better model that they can follow.

TAKE CHARGE OF THE ONLINE YOU

2012-01-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

When the FBI or CIA needs to knowsomething about someone they run a background check on that person. Once upon atime only organisations like these could do such a search on an individual. Noweverybody can run a background check on any person. It’s called ‘Google search’.Have you ever thought to yourself what happens when you're looking for a job andyou send your curriculumvitae in to twenty plus employers? They google you and this can havean impact on their final hiring decision. I believe this is a good thing. Itmeans you have an opportunity to build your professional online presence and directthem towards you and how you want others to see you. Maybe you have your own business. Have youever wondered what happens when one of your reps leaves a meeting where theyare pitching to a new prospect? They get googled. Yes, the company gets googled, but the sales representative will be first on the hitlist for a background check. What comes up in the search can be a deal maker ifthe prospect likes what they see. It can also be an added factor in losing adeal if the prospect finds little, nothing or offensive information from the person’spersonal social media content. Have you ever done a search on somebody wantingto learn a little more? If not, you are one of a few. Most of us do. And withouta doubt, you can be sure the same is done with you when you are looking forsomething, or when somebody is looking for something from you. This also happenswhen you’re looking for a job, looking for business or simply socializing. You areresponsible for your name and where it is, and what it says about you on the internet. Youcan manage what people see via social media. This can all be done in a few hours. Open a facebook, linkedin, twitterand youtube account. Link them all together. keep the Information and name on the accounts the name. Start a basic blog. When this is done you can create theinformation for all these sites that you wish others to see. The content can bebased on your professional curriculum vitae if you’re looking for a job. It can bebased on your company, products and your interests if you are in business. Ormaybe you just want to rightly have power over how you look and how much can beseen when people are checking you out. There are no excuses. If my wife’seighty seven year old grandmother can do all this, well then, so can you.

Drop the monkey business and takecharge of the online you.

CUT THE CORDS OF EMOTIONAL INTERFERENCE

2012-01-02T15:53:00.001-08:00

We all like to do some spring cleaning every once and a while,throwing out unwanted items that are collecting dust, rearranging the files onthe laptop or simply getting rid of the outdated books on the shelf. This is agreat practice, especially after the new year. You throw out the old, and make spacefor the new. It works. You will actually feel lighter after going through theprocess. There will be less material goods that you don’t use staring you inthe face. What most of us don’t do is an emotional clearout. We meet people everyday with whom we form emotional connections. Some people we fall in with and build great relationships,others we fall out with, but still hold onto the emotional attachment of thatperson or situation. You need to look at this. Work with this if you wish to succeed. To focus on the material things and not themind is like putting petrol in the car but never checking or putting in the oil. You mustmind the mind to experience true success. This is one simple exercise to help you do your emotional clear-out. Do it now, wherever you are. It will take twentyseconds. You don’t have to close your eyes, (read the instructions first, of course!) but ifyou are in a safe place, it’s more relaxing to shut the eyes for a moment. Just relax and take threedeep breaths. Inhale right into wherever you feel the most tension in yourbody and exhale all the tension right out. Tell yourself that you are lettinggo. In the same way that you throw out the items you don’t want when spring cleaning you don’t have to hold onto any tension in the body. It is actually easierthan you may think to break the links. Imagine yourself with hundreds of cords attached to yourbody and going out into the distance. These cords represent all emotional connections that you have with others. Now imagine taking a scissors in yourright hand. Cut all the chords of emotional interference. Cut every one of themuntil there is none left. Now feel the lightness and the freedom. You will think clearly after doing this. It's that simple. This is a great short exercise to do before going into a meeting. It clears the head and gets you focus. Do this everymorning. It’s a great way to start the day. Emotions that don’t belong to youcan hinder progress in your life. With a clear mind you will feel so much lighter thatyou will fly to wherever you are going. So, when you do this daily make sure you reach for the stars because you’ll more than likely get there.

Drop the Monkey business and rid the mind, body and soul ofunwanted negative emotional intrusions.

YOU ARE THE LEADING ACTOR

2012-01-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

Do you want to understand your life? Do you want to understand what’sgoing on in your career? Look at life as a movie. Your life is a reality Movie. Yes,it’s a bit like The Truman Show and of course you’d love to be getting Jim Carrey’s pay packet. Well, you can. Go with this, you have nothing to lose. You are the leading actor in all the different episodes of your professional and personal life. You wrote thescript. You selected the supporting actors. You control what you earn. You designedthe set and only you have the power to rewrite and sign off on the new script. Nomatter where you are, STOP. Sit down with a pen and paper and start rewritinghow you want it to be. Do it today and don't rest until you tick the box that says script rewrite completed.

Drop the monkey business and rewrite the script for yourlife.

MAKE AN 'ALL YEAR ROUND SELF REVOLUTION' DECISION

2011-12-31T03:54:00.000-08:00

Be it you want stop smoking, lose weight, change careers,build a better business, start something new, or end something bad, we all makenew year’s resolutions year in and year out. One year later most of us returnto make the same resolution, pretending that the last time out didn’t count oreven happen. The fire in these self promises lose their spark as fast as theycome to one’s mind. Resolutions are all about goal setting. Goal setting isabout making decisions and sticking to them. For example: If today you were tobuy an airline ticket to fly to Barcelona, you will make sure you are on thatplane. When you’re on that plane there is no turning back. You are going toBarcelona. You may not like the smell of the person beside you. There might be some turbulence; maybe you have a fear of flying. It doesn’t matter. You made a decision to go. You will do what it takes and put up with unpleasantness. Youare focus on where you are going and you will get there. It’s the same frame ofmind you need to tap into if you want success with you resolution. Buy theticket for the goal you want to achieve. Get on that plane and arrive at yourdestination. Make the decision. Nobody wants to be left behind in the airport. How can you achieve your new year’s resolution? Firstly, change the words. Call it an ‘allyear resolution’. It’s not just for the New Year. That's why most of us fail. Once the New Year is over we forget about our resolutions. You have to think: it’s from this point forward.Then, change the word resolution to revolution, self revolution. The word revolutiondoesn’t always mean uprising or war. John Lennon promoted the revolution of loveand peace. A resolution is an idea, a promise of a self contract, which in thecase of a New Year’s resolution is easily broken. A revolution, on the otherhand, is an action, act to bring change. Writedown your goal, stick on your wall and look at it daily. Want it. Really wantit. Update your progress on a weekly base. Like all great revolutionaries, whenyou reach your goal help others to reach theirs.

Drop themonkey business and make an ‘all year round self revolution’. It could be the best decision you ever make.

BE WATER AND ALLOW SUCCESS TO FLOW

2011-12-30T07:53:00.000-08:00

Be water and allow success to flow. Be water and allow success to follow. Be the great person that you are in life by being water. Think aboutit. The water always arrives to where it is going. There is no stress orwanting in water. It doesn’t struggle, it flows. It allows forothers to be in its space. If a rock is blocking its path it goes around it andcan eventually erode it. Water is strong and always moving. It knows how andwhen to be calm and knows when to be tough. According to Arthur Guyton 's Textbookof Medical Physiology the total amount of water in a man of average weight(70 kilograms) is approximately 40 litres, averaging 57 percent of his totalbody weight. You are water so start acting like it! Think about this when youhave a problem or a situation where you are not flowing, Just ask yourself the following: “Inthis moment how can I be the water that I am?and do I need to move in adifferent direction in order to flow?" You can get around any rock that is onfront of you. After all, you are water.

Drop the monkey business and be water. This is a great way to look your life, your business and invitechange.

IT'S THE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE THAT COUNT

2011-12-29T14:37:00.000-08:00

How many times have you arranged a party, a business meeting, aworkshop or simply to meet a few friends for a drink with an expectation of who will be there. Somebody doesn’t show andyou give all you energy to them wondering why they didn't come. Remember, it’s the people at the table thatcount. If somebody doesn’t show up, don’t give them a second thought. Why theydidn’t show is not important. Who did show up are the people who you need totalk with. The people who have your attention and who want to be in that placeat that time. There are no excuses. If you need or want to be somewhere youwill do everything to be there. If you give your attention to the people at theparty as oppose to the people who didn’t make an effort your energy will flowwithout fail. It's the people on the boat that will reach the destination. If you spend your time thinking about the people back on the shore your focus will not be on the boat. Focus on the boat. Focus on the people on the boat and how they can help you reach your goal. Do this and the destination will come. If the seas are calm, fantastic. You'll reach your goal with ease. If the sea is rough, you'll still reach your destination with determination, effort and the people who showed up. Rough seas make great sailors. That can be applied to everything in your work and your life. Support the people who are there and they will support you.

Drop the monkey business and focus on those who are at theparty and not on those who are missing in action. More success will come toyou.

THE BUSINESS OF CHILDBIRTH: BEAUTIFUL, REAL AND JOYFUL

2011-12-28T16:02:00.000-08:00

When my wife gave birth to our second child I summed it up in three words. It was beautiful,real and joyful. I pondered about the world and the day to day goings on ofbusiness and life. I thought that’s exactly how it should be: beautiful, realand joyful. Look at the Women who give birth. They prepare for a final result;the birth. They know the time limit; nine months. They go into labour;work hard. They have control by breathing deeply. They overcome and face greatpain; they scream. They love the end result before they see it; belief, trust and knowing. At the end of all that they have something beautiful, real andjoyful. So if we take these simple steps, maybe we can be successful if we relatethem to our goals and dreams in business and in life.

Drop the monkey business and look at the business of childbirthfor inspiration. Put preparation, a deadline, the hard work, the control, thepain, and the faith all into where you most want to succeed and you more thanlikely will.

THE GREAT CINEMA EXPERIENCE

2011-12-27T17:24:00.000-08:00

There are two cinemas where I live. there is the Eye cinema and the Omniplex. The experiences theyoffer are very different. My favourite has a style that appeals to my taste. Ilike their brand of popcorn and the staff seems to always be in the right placeat the right time, saying and doing the right things. From the word go I haveput value on my cinema of choice and that’s before I’ve even seen the movie. Goingto the cinema is a ritual for me. It’s not just about the film, it’s also aboutthe popcorn, the drink and most importantly, the tuning in to tune out factor. Ofcourse, I want to see something that I will like, but if I don’t that’s noproblem because I’m guaranteed the great cinema experience. If I was to put all myeggs in the one basket when it comes to the cinema experience and think I’m onlypaying to see the movie I’d more than likely never return after seeing onefilm that I didn't like. I always get value for my buck when I go to the movies because of how I gauge and see the whole experience. Always remember, two people can see the same movie in the same place at thesame time and offer different points of views on the film. Your thoughts on themovie are an opinion. The value is in the experience that surrounds theviewing. The same can be said for a lot of things in business and life. When you are buying or selling a product or service do you put value only on the product or service or do you look at the bigger picture, the experience? Buy into the experience when making a purchase and if you are selling a product, give an experience that makes people want to come back for more.

Drop the monkey business and put the great cinema experience in everything that you do.

CONNECT WITH THE ROCK CLIMBER

2011-12-26T14:59:00.000-08:00

Do you know your colleagues by titles such as Bob, the accountantor Mary, the office manager? Do they know you by your title; John, the boss orWilliam who works in the mailroom. Do you know the person outside the title?Most of us don’t know each other too well in the workplace. We lose the opportunityto build stronger connections, trust, and improved output. Imagine theperson who works as a receptionist is considered average or below average.Outside the workplace the receptionist partakes in rock climbing activitieswhere they are miles above average. They are inspired and inspiring when talking about their hobby. They put one hundred percent into every second and every movement. They plan two steps ahead while focusing on their present step. They know exactly where they are going. They have all the tools to reach their destination successfully and nothing and nobody will distract them. Thepassion and energy that they put into the rock climbing is one hundred times morethen what they put into the job they do. The job which pays for the hobby!This is the case for most people. Why do most employers find it difficult toget the maximum productivity from workers? They know the title of each worker and the workers know the title of each other . They may evenknow about each others passions outside the workplace, but in order to truly connectwith staff within an organization no matter what your position you need to lookoutside their title. You need to look outside their hobbies. Look at the energythey put into what they love. That is who they really are. When communicatingwith others connect with the energy where it is the best. Don’t connect withthe receptionist who answers the phone, connect with the rock climber and youwill know and work with a world class receptionist.

Drop the monkey business and connect with your workcolleagues where their energy is best.

THE ACT OF GIVING

2011-12-25T14:19:00.000-08:00

The beautiful magic of Christmas is in the giving. The giver is sometimes more excited than the receiver, but in the end the enthusiasm of the giver can be so contagious that the happiness and excitement of the receiver is a result of the action and not the gift. When the act of giving is applied to every other day of our life in personal or business moments it can change the energy of the people that are around us. It can help you arrive to where you need to be.

Drop the monkey business, give daily and give from the heart.

STICK TO THE LIST

2011-12-24T13:47:00.000-08:00

When on a break, have a think about what you are going to do in order to put yourself, your life and your business in a better position. Think of three goals. Write out the simple steps you must take to achieve them. keep it sweet and simple! Write down the answers to the following three questions; Can you do it? Will you do it and When? and do just like you do when you go to the shopping center to pick up a few bits and pieces... You stick to the list like glue. Every year can be your year if you give yourself no excuses,

Just drop the monkey business and do it!