Newsletter for April 2010: The Skill of Environmental Perfection
Contents:
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This Months Thought
To achieve great things requires that we become great people. Greatness requires that we be committed to our highest values and greatest aspirations, and that means "no junk!" Surround yourself with excellence. Set higher standards for yourself. Demand and expect environmental perfection.
The Skill of Environmental Perfection
Modern life demands much of us. It seems that every day we are asked to do more and to do it faster, better, cheaper and with ever-greater levels of expertise.
Our grandparents typically worked at the same job for 30 years or longer and they often used the same tools for years at a time. While they worked very hard, in many ways their lives were simpler, less stressed and less complex than ours. Those days are gone forever.
And yet we still have about the same amount of energy and the same 24-hour day that our ancestors had. Clearly, we need new skills for the 21st century and one of the most important is understanding how personal environments impact our productivity.
I'm talking about the personal environments, the "Personal Eco-Systems(tm) within which we live and work. I'm talking about the "little things" that make or break our success.
In his book, "Blink," Malcolm Gladwell gives many examples of how "little things" influence our behavior. From the words we read, to the posters on the walls, to the music we hear, to the furnishings in our offices, we are IMPACTED by our surroundings. No one denies this!
Have you ever tried to sleep with a mosquito buzzing in your ear? Have you ever been kept awake by a dripping faucet or a noisy party down the street? Of course you have! We've all had these common, everyday experiences.
If those things can undermine a good night's sleep, how much more does a balky computer undermine your performance at work? If a mosquito can keep you awake at night, how much more does a dingy office affect your productivity during the day?
In the 21st century, "environmental perfection" will be an essential skill, and high achievers are experts at surrounding themselves with excellence.
We all know that top performers have superb surroundings. From Oprah to Bill Gates to Martha Stewart, highly effective people demand environmental perfection, and so should you! Donald Trump does not own a wrinkled suit. Top executives and CEO's do not lose critical reports or misplace essential documents. The tools they need are at their finger-tips.
You can and should demand the same degree of environmental perfection in your world.
You say that isn't possible. You say you have young children or a dog or that you can't afford a housekeeper, or you have a hundred other excuses. Well.
In the 21st century, we have more control over our personal environments than ever before. We can turn off the television. We can surround ourselves with the best books, the best movies, the most inspiring audio programs and videos ever made. Surround yourself with the BEST!
We can do this, and the 21st century demands nothing less of us.
To achieve great things requires that we become great people. Greatness requires that we be committed to our highest values and greatest aspirations, and that means "no junk!" Surround yourself with excellence. Set higher standards for yourself. Demand and expect environmental perfection.
Quotes of the Month
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved." -- Jeremy Kitson
"We are what we imagine. Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves. The greatest tragedy that can befall us is to go unimagined." -- N. Scott Momaday
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." -- Mahatma Gandhi
"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing." -- Theodore Roosevelt
Strictly Business: Who's On Your Board of Directors?
The poet observed that "no man is an island" and none of us can achieve success by ourselves. Success requires teamwork, cooperation and the support of the best people we can find.
I'm always amused when I hear that Sir Edmund Hillary was the first to scale Mt Everest, or that Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon. Yes, they were the individuals who raised the flag, but those achievements were not accomplished alone. Both Charles Lindbergh, the first to fly solo from New York to Paris, and Steve Fawcett who flew around the world, did it in planes they did not build and with the support of thousands of people who made their flights possible.
Every successful entrepreneur has dozens of people cheering them on. Every successful endeavor is the result of many people working in concert, giving advice, sharing the vision and encouraging us. We need our "partners" in success.
Who sits on your "board of directors?" Who advises you and tells you the truth? Who opens the doors and makes the introductions? Who gives you ideas and helps you solve the challenges? Who is your coach?
If you don't have a "board" get one! Ask friends and colleagues to meet with you at least once a month as your sounding board. If you don't have a coach, get one! Remember the poet - "no man (or woman) is an island." Or, as the Beatles put it even more memorably, "We get by with a little help from our friends." Make sure you have a Board of Directors!
If you would like a free initial conversation about my becoming your coach, drop me an email at rodger@rodgerblaker.com. I have a couple of openings for new clients and I'd enjoy talking with you. I offer a no obligation consultation to give you an opportunity to determine if coaching can accelerate your speed to reach your dream. To hear about the success of some of my clients, click on the following links:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hakaE0xOeqg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBAY45i3it4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajcoP9xNIcM
Humor: The Newest in Medication
With the marketing of prescription medications for everything from anxiety to sexual dysfunction, it was only a matter of time before some humorist came up with suggestions for drugs the big pharmaceutical companies haven't thought of yet. I thought most of us are open-minded enough to enjoy them. Have fun with these!
D A M N I T O L
Take 2 and the rest of the world can go to heck for up to 8 full hours.
ST. M O M M A'S W O R T
Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering preschoolers unconscious for up to two days.
E M P T Y N E S T R O G E N
Pill that eliminates melancholy and loneliness by reminding couldn't wait till they moved out.
P E P T O B I M B O
Liquid silicone drink for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and prevents conception.
D U M B E R O L
When taken with Peptobimbo, can cause dangerously low IQ, resulting in enjoyment of super big hair, ultra high heels, country music and jacked up pickup trucks.
F L I P I T O R
Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.
M E N I C I L L I N
Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to such lethal lines as, "You make me want to be a better person. Can we get naked now?"
B U Y A G R A
Injectable stimulant taken prior to shopping. Increases potency, duration, and credit limit of spending spree.
J A C K A S S P I R I N
Relieves headache caused by a man who can't remember your birthday, anniversary or phone number.
A N T I-T A L K S I D E N T!
A spray carried in a purse or pocket to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers in elevators or on airplanes.
N A G A M E T
When administered to a husband, provides the same irritation level as nagging him all weekend, saving the wife the time and trouble of doing it herself.
Rodger Blaker works with executives, small business owners and professionals who want to grow in their business and create an extraordinary life!
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