Believe to Achieve

Believe to Achieve

An Art of the Question Blog

What Do I Believe?

 “It is not a dream. It is my reality.” – Roger Bannister

 Someone once said, “whether you believe you can or you can’t – you’re right!” Well, Roger Bannister believed that he could.

 No one had ever run a four-minute mile – it was considered impossible for a human being. But Roger Bannister believed that he could break the “impossible” barrier. So, on March 6, 1954 at Oxford University, he set out to break the record. In the first 2 laps, he was ahead of pace, but three-fourths of the way into the race, he fell behind the pace needed to break the record. Things looked grim. But 300 yards from finish line, he went into his kick. The crowd was on their feet, cheering him on. He collapsed in a heap as he crossed the line. 3:59.4 seconds.

 His record was broken 46 days later.   

 That’s amazing! Once one person broke the “impossible” barrier, others followed quickly. In fact, a four-minute mile is now the standard for professional runners. The mile record has been lowered by 17 seconds! It wasn’t impossible after all!

 How about you? What “impossible” barrier are you facing?

 According to Ken Blanchard, the The ABC’s of Personal Power are:

1. A ctivating Event
2. B elief System
3. C onsequence arising from actions based on the event and belief

Let’s focus on the Belief System. Where do beliefs come from?

 1)    Our environment – this is where “Dreamstealers” are especially dangerous. You know who they are. How many times have you heard, “You can’t do that! You’re crazy!” Don’t listen to them – move forward with living out your dream!

2)    Knowledge of Others – reading about, watching or hearing about the success of others can be very empowering. “What one man can do, another can do.”

3)    Past Successes – If you succeed at one thing, it is much easier to succeed at other things. Past successes are key events that help change the paradigm of “I can’t”.

4)    See it as though it had already happened – Athletes do this all the time – they focus on every part of their performance before they actually perform. They see every move, feel every sensation. The practical impact of this is that they have a “Past Success” – not in reality yet, but in their vision.  Dr. Benjamin Bloom of the University of Chicago did a study of 100 extraordinarily gifted athletes. Surprisingly, he found that they didn’t start out by distinguishing themselves as super-athletes. Their success was an outgrowth of careful attention, direction and encouragement by others. Their belief that they could excel came before the proof of athletic success.

5)    There is power in vision, especially when it is written down. Start a DreamBook. Write down your goals, dreams and aspirations. Write them down, and focus on them every day, several times a day. Print them on cards and put them in a place where you will see them often. On the bathroom mirror, on the steering wheel of your car, on your computer. And think about this dynamic principle:

 Attitude > Potential > Action > Results > Belief  > Greater Potential

Imagine the possibilities…

Workin’ At the Car Wash

Workin’ At the Car Wash

An Art of the Question Blog

How is my focus on my customers?

It had been raining for what seemed like weeks.  But suddenly, the sun broke through the clouds, and with the sun’s warmth, the temperature rose above freezing – barely.  And suddenly, I wanted a clean car.

I admit it.  I am a car nut. No, I don’t own a lot of flashy, rare hot rods.  But I love to drive, and I love having a car that handles great.  And I love to keep it looking good.  Due to the weather, I had allowed dirt and grime to coat my beautiful ride.

I swung into my local car wash, and was greeted by a young man who trotted out to meet me as I drove into the lot. “Hello!” he said.  ”I’m Rob!  Thanks for coming by today.  What can I do to help you?”

I looked around to make sure I had pulled into the right parking lot.  ”Is this the car wash?” I asked.   ’Yes sir, it is,” came the reply.  ”How can I help you today?”

“Wow!” I said.  ”You really know how to make an impression!”  ”Thank you,” he replied.  ”We want to make sure we take good care of you.  What would you like for us to do today?”

“I would like a wash, vacuum and tire shine please.”  ”Perfect,” Rob said.  “We can do a Number 3 for you today.  It’s on special, and will save you five dollars.  Say, that’s a beautiful car!”

“Thanks Rob,” I replied.  ” a number 3 sounds perfect.”  ”OK,” he said.  ”I will personally take care of everything.  Now, if you don’t mind, follow me.”

I followed him to the main building.  When we got to the door, he opened it and held it for me to enter the building.  ”We have snacks and magazines.  Also, there is a shoe shine chair if you need to brighten those wingtips!  Relax, and we’ll have you out of here in about ten minutes or so.”

“Thanks Rob,” I said, a little overwhelmed by the amazing level of customer service.  I entered the waiting area and was greeted by a smiling cashier who took my payment and gave me a receipt.

As I sat, I noticed the waiting room was clean and neat.  The phones rang, and were answered promptly and cheerfully.   I watched through the window as the crew, under Rob’s careful gaze, began to clean my car.

When the wash was complete, Rob drove the car to another area.  I watched as he dried the car to remove any water spots. He began on the wheels, carefully cleaning each opening and lug until they were shining.  He continued with the windows and interior.  He selected a cleaner from his cart, and cleaned a spot on the carpet he had noticed.  He even used a bit of rubbing compound to remove a black smudge on one of the fenders.

I walked out to where he was working.  He greeted me, saying, “I should have you wrapped up in about five minutes.” “Thanks,” I replied. “I noticed you seem to do a very thorough job.”

“We appreciate your business!” he said. “Do you own the car wash?” I asked. “No,” he replied, “but I want to do the best job possible.  Our customers deserve that.”

“Wow,” I thought. “He actually said  ‘Our customers deserve that.’”

I tipped Rob, and drove away thinking about my experience.  Would I go back? Absolutely. Rob had set the bar high for any other car wash to compete against.  In fact, he had started me thinking about the level of diligence and customer service I offered to others.  As I thought through what had just happened, I was inspired to be better at what I do.  I had been inspired by a car wash guy

What was Rob’s secret? Well, he had three.  First, he genuinely loved what he did.  Next, he made it a point to do the very best job possible. Finally, he understood customer focus.   Was it easy?  Not at all.  His environment was not ideal.  The day I was there, the temp was in the upper 30′s.  His customers were not always nice and friendly.  Many of them were in a hurry and were downright rude.  He wasn’t making millions of dollars.  But none of that was his focus. His focus was simple. To do the best job possible. To deliver the best customer experience he could. And to love what he did. What if we had a similar focus?  What if we were inspired by the car wash guy? Imagine the possibilities.

Keep The Change

Keep the Change
An Art of the Question Blog

How Do I Deal With Change?

“Changes aren’t permanent – but change is.”

                                                                  -  Neil Peart

“Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have—and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up.”

— James Belasco and Ralph Stayer

Rick was on his way home from a New Year’s Eve party at his family’s home.  It was the middle of winter, and the weather was not good.  Speeding too fast through a turn, he lost control of his Corvette.  It sailed over a stone wall and came to rest upside down in a field.  He was thrown from the car, and during the crash, his left arm was severed.

He was a drummer.

Think about that for a minute. It’s like the worst kind of joke – a one-armed drummer.  And drumming wasn’t just a hobby or an enjoyable pastime. Rick earned a living by playing drums.

Rick went into a downward spin, thinking about all he had lost. His livelihood, his lifestyle, band, even his passion. Until one day, when one of his friends from the band stopped by to see him.

Joe sat with Rick and they began to discuss possibilities. Change. Options.

With Joe’s help, Rick began to see that there might be a way for him to play drums again, to pick up the pieces and move forward. With help from friends, Rick designed a new drum kit that he could play, using his left foot to play the rhythms that he had played with his left hand before the accident.

And the rest, as they say, is history. Two years after the accident, Rick made his first public concert appearance, to thunderous applause.  And not long after that, his band released a new album. It sold 20 million copies.  With a one-armed drummer! Nothing to joke about there!

Rick reached a point of change. The old way of things was no longer an option. The new way would be filled with challenges and setbacks. Rick decided to move forward, to change, to grow.  It took guts to make that decision. It took even more courage to follow through on it.

Change. As most of us know, change is uncomfortable. We may not resist change itself, but often, we resist being changed.  But only in change is growth possible.

What are two things you would like to change about your situation?

What is one thing you can do right now to begin the change?

http://terrynewberry.com

 

Fingerprints and DNA

Fingerprints and DNA
An Art of the Question Blog

Do I Understand I am Unique?

“Every man and woman is born into the world to do something unique and something distinctive and if he or she does not do it, it will never be done.”                                        -          Benjamin E. Mays

“There seems to be some perverse human characteristic that likes to make easy things difficult.”      — Warren Buffett

He is married, and has 3 kids. He has lived in the same house in the suburbs since 1958. He is a businessman who brings home a base pay of around $100,000 per year. He plays bridge and loves Nebraska football.

Oh yeah – he is also the richest man on the planet.

Warren Buffett is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $62 Billion. Yes, that would be billion with a “B”. What that means is that assuming he only earns 4% compounded monthly, he is earning around $5,000 in interest income – every minute of every day. So by the time you and I finish this blog, Mr. Buffett will be even richer, depending on how fast we read.

Warren Buffett is no doubt a unique human being.

One of the things about him is that he seems so… ordinary. But clearly there is much about this man that is beyond any definition of ordinary.

And yet – isn’t that true of each of us? Every one of us is unique in our own way. And not just in fingerprints and DNA. We each have very specific gifts, talents and skills. Every person you and I meet is unique – and that includes the two of us!

There is a passion inside you. There is something that you want to do, something you love to do, something you were meant to do. Find it! Find the thing that sets you apart, and do it! No one can do it better than you. No one can even do it as well as you.

What is it?

In his amazing book Good To Great, Jim Collins talks about the Hedgehog Concept. He describes a fox, always moving forward, always aggressive. He also describes a humble hedgehog. In contrast to the fox, the hedgehog is not very aggressive, or sexy. Just consistent. It does one thing very well.

Collins compares that simple hedgehog with companies who find their unique area of effectiveness. They find their “sweet spot” and perform in a consistently excellent manner.

The same concept applies to individuals. Jim poses three questions to help us define our “sweet spot”:

 

• What Can You Be The Best In The World At?

 

• What Drives Your Economic Engine?

 

• What Are You Passionate About? 

Do you know the answers to these questions? If not -

What is your driving passion, your unique-ness?

Who can help you to develop this area into your “sweet spot”?

 Terry

http://terrynewberry.com