Category: Counselling & Coaching

Just about everybody owns or has owned a bucket of Legos in their time. There’s no denying the fun they provide for a child or even for an adult, which is why, many Lego collections are passed down from one generation to the next. These brightly colored blocks of joy serve to challenge our creativity and imaginations. They act as an empowering influence on our lives in that they almost beckon us to transform them into anything we want or can imagine.

Michelangelo was never short on imagination despite the fact he knew nothing of Legos. On completion of the Pietà [one of his greatest works of art] he was heard to have said, “The work of art was always in the block of marble. My job,” he went on, “was to chip away at the unneeded bits of stone to reveal the creativity and beauty within.”

It’s not a stretch to believe that if Michelangelo were alive today, he’d no doubt see similarities in a simple box of Legos. He may have pointed out; the art is always in the bricks… the challenge is to assemble them to reveal a thing of beauty.

How true – but where’s the relevance?

Lego Law #1: With Legos, There are No Restrictions!

Metaphorically speaking, Lego Law #1 in tandem with Michelangelo’s rationale, clearly demonstrate a similarity to human beings and the laws that govern life.

Each one of us – without exception – is blessed at birth with creativity and imagination. To be fair, we’re not all blessed equally but there are still no limits on what we can do with the gifts we’ve been given. Although I could wax on for days about this, simply put, humans, like Lego, possess the fundamental building blocks to accomplish almost anything we want or can envision. And from Michelangelo’s perspective, the beauty [we all have the power to create] is already within us. We just have to chip away at life to find it.

Lego Law #2: Legos need Sunlight!

No imagination, beauty or creative works of art will ever come to fruition if the Lego collection is under a bed or in the back of a darkened closet. That is to say, to create great works of Lego art, one must liberate them from the dark to the light so that then – and only then – steps can be taken to build structure from inspiration and imagination.

How sad it is that most people go through life keeping their creative building blocks in the darkness of their mind. Henry David Thoreau noted, “Most people live lives of quiet desperation.” Like hidden Legos waiting for new creative opportunities, human beings innately possess the fundamental building blocks for improvement that wait patiently for new marching orders to express themselves.

Lego Law #3: Don’t be Afraid to Tear Down and Start Again!

Parents are often taken aback to see children destroy a Lego creation they worked hours on to complete. Psychologists are quick to remind parents; the act of destruction is both developmental and healthy. In the end, children learn better and more innovative ways to construct their ‘Lego-ations’.

Not surprisingly, the most successful men and women from all walks of life will attest to the fact that success of any kind results from the act of teardown and rebuild. The psychological motivation for this is not rooted in ongoing feelings of dissatisfaction or lack of accomplishment but rather a positive belief in the vital need to improve through renewal.

On the other hand, whether it’s Legos or Life, a complete teardown and rebuild is not always essential. In Legos, the addition of two imaginary jet engines may be all that’s necessary to turn a plane into a JET – and the same is also true for life strategies. Sometimes a fine-tune is all that’s required. The trick is, recognize it and don’t be afraid!

Lego Law #4: Lego Art Becomes an Immediate Target!

Don’t ever expect your childhood siblings to share in your Lego vision. The fact is; little brothers and sisters are always ready to help you expedite the Lego Law #3 ritual – especially the ‘Teardown’ phase. Experienced Legoists learn quickly to protect their creations to ensure they continue to reap the rewards of their hard work.

So too in the laws of life! Those who toil upward attract uninvited scrutiny on all they do as a result of their undaunted dedication to success. To dare to stand apart from the crowd, to embark on an uncharted course, to risk everything by tearing down to rebuild – opens one up to green-eyed interpretation and unexceptional ridicule.

For the true Legoist, it is risk that fuels the fires that create the new and improved work of art. For high-achievers, risk fans the flames of passion, which, in the end, is what separates them from those who are destined to sit, uncomfortably, on the sidelines – having already put away their proverbial Legos!

******************************************************************************

Paul Shearstone MACP, NLP/CCP, is a recognized expert on Sales and Persuasion. International Speaker, Author, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, Certified Coaching and NLP Practitioner. www.success150.com www.paulshearstone.com

Most people live day-to-day worrying about all their problems when in reality; their biggest problem is… they think they ‘really have’ all those problems!

Everyone has heard the expressions, “We bring it all on, ourselves” and “You… are your own worst enemy!” Healthy-minded individuals – for the most part – acknowledge the wisdom in statements like these. So why then, do so many of us have difficulty [a problem] addressing and rectifying what is accepted and obvious? The answer may not be all that mysterious.

Problem solving, like other human behavioral activities, is an art and a science that is learned; the fact that some learn quicker or more naturally than others, is just a part of being human. Nevertheless, there are techniques and strategies people can learn to recognize and respond to life’s ongoing challenges.

Think for a moment about the biggest problems you face today. Stop what you are doing and allow yourself a couple of minutes to fully concentrate on the obstructions in your life that are causing you stress. [Note: Stress is the natural outcome from unresolved problems.]

That completed, step back from your thoughts to reflect and ask yourself: When you thought about your problems, was your mind focused on ‘The Problem’ – the ‘Result of the Problem’ [potential or otherwise] – or was it focused on the ‘Solution for the Problem’?

At this point, it may be helpful to do this exercise again.

Not surprisingly, those untrained or mentally unequipped to deal with problem solving, find that they focus single-mindedly on – are you ready for this? – the ‘Result of the Problem” [potential or otherwise]. Simply put, they allow incredible life-debilitating stress into their mind and thoughts regarding what they believe could, should, might or will happen as a result of the problem. This way of thinking serves only to denigrate the healthy and stress-free mental state they could be experiencing, and life has to share.

Emphasis on the words ‘Potential or Otherwise’ is another integral hallmark of the improper, albeit, natural way people invite stress to take hold of their life. Studies on human behavior by psychologists around the world confirm that 90-95% of all that we worry about, never comes to fruition. It simply never materializes! All that stress and worry for situations that may never exist.

Try and recall all the things you a) did, b) did not do or c) could not do for fear of outcomes from problems that never happened. Now look forward to determine what is likely to cause stress and hold you back in the near future – which brings us to the fundamental pitfalls of concentrating only on the ‘Problem’.

No one is sacrosanct from life’s challenges both large and small. Even the most successful among us have them. Recognizing now that unwanted stress is frequently caused by nonexistent problems, one can quickly learn to minimize negative thoughts by qualifying whether a problem is, in fact, a problem.

A simple way to do this is to write the problem onto a piece of paper. This act, in itself, serves to minimize most problems simply by seeing it in print. The second step is to write:

a) The very Best possible outcome – should the problem occur, and,
b) The very Worst possible outcome – should the problem occur.

Having done this, there are three ‘Stress-Diminishing’ Laws, one can consider and in so doing, take comfort.

1) The problem always looks less intimidating when it is in print.
2) 90-95% of all problems never come to fruition. Never materialize! and,
3) Should the problem be real and actually occur, the outcome is ‘rarely’ the Best outcome or Worst outcome you have identified on paper. It is always somewhere in the middle – inevitably closer to the more favorable expectation. That discovery, serves again to minimize most problems, putting them into proper perspective while at the same time, minimizing the stress level associated with it.

This proven process also engenders more clear and enlightened thought, allowing one to better focus on appropriate solutions. Furthermore, it is the characteristic of the trained problem solver. They are quick to Qualify / Quantify a given challenge, and then if it is determined to be real, immediately turn their attention to the solution – bypassing the added stress of fruitless, negative speculation.

In simpler words, they employ a self-talk mantra that plays out something like this: “Clearly, the problem ‘Is what it Is’ – So what am I going to do to fix it?”

The Bottom Line:

The secret to problem solving and stress relief lie in our ability to Recognize and Respond to REAL challenges – not wasting precious time and energy on manufactured, angst-ridden influences that may never materialize. Those who learn to master this strategy, are reassured to discover that they have far less stress and fewer problems than they once speculated and worried so much about!

“Your good name and your reputation are EVERYTHING! … Protect them at all costs!” my father used to say to me when I was a lad.

Even at a young age, I knew there was something important in what my dad was trying to tell me. It was not hard to understand that if Billy Smith or Bobby Jones did something wrong and wound up in the paper they’d enjoy certain anonymity due mostly to the commonality of their names. My family name, however, was quite rare and my father never let me forget the fact that if my name appeared in the paper, 1) everyone would know who I was and 2) my misdeeds would bring dishonor not only to me but especially my family.

Not surprisingly, this lesson had a positive impact on my life both back then at the age when boys are more likely to get themselves into trouble and still today as I navigate my way through more contemporary challenges having accepted the fact [albeit reluctantly] I am now more than middle-aged. ☹

Sadly, too many in today’s society were not given the mentoring lessons I was, as evidenced by an almost epidemic number unhappy souls who may have been led astray that started long ago with things like the 1960’s mantra, “Tell it like it is!” and/or the 1980’s, “If it feels good, Just do it!”

Now before anybody gets the impression I think I’m a candidate for beatification, I’ll admit I’m far from it. One need only look at my amply stocked skeleton closet for proof. The point I would try to emphasize, however, is without the training I received from my parents, I could easily have taken a very different and perhaps more destructive path in life than the one I chose.

I guess what I’m trying to say is, “Thanks, mom and dad, for the lessons you taught me.”

That said, would it be too ‘old-aged’ of me to point out the youth today [here it comes] don’t appear to be getting the same life-skills training that possibly we enjoyed in our developmental years?  You may think me a little paranoid but as the paranoid guy once said, “Just because I’m paranoid does not mean I’m not being followed!”

Before I get off onto a rant, my issue in this article is not with the young people so much as it is in pointing out the potential ramifications a lack of fundamental training can have in the future when we look, for example, at a generation like mine that, at least in my opinion, received more social training than today’s up-and-comers.

What I would rather focus on, is the positive aspects of following an accepted benevolent social protocol, which, among other things, finds bedrock in the importance of one’s reputation and good name.

Never was this lesson made clearer to me than a number of years ago at a Christmas gala in Montreal where some 2000+ bigwigs in the oil business had gathered. My father, a vice president of shipping at the time, had spent all his working life in the oil business – a business that at the best of times had its fair share of shall we say, ‘liberal ethics-interpreters’. Suffice to say it was a bit of a cutthroat industry.

Throughout the night I was introduced to some of the biggest and most influential names in the oil business who had dealings with my father and his company.

One by one and without exception each executive said pretty much the same thing to me: “Your old man, here, is the most honest man I know! He’s the only guy in the whole damn industry who if he gives you his word or a handshake, you can take it to the bank cause it’s as good as an ironclad contract!”

I was somewhat surprised but very proud, especially because I knew the smallest deals my dad did were in the seven-figure category.

Sometimes we learn from our parents, not by what they say, but rather by watching what they do.

More often, however, we learn most by studying history. For example;

During China’s War of the Three Kingdoms (A.D. 207-265) the great General Chuko Liang, sent his vast army to a distant camp while he rested in a small town with only a hundred soldiers to guard him. Soon word came that his enemy Sima Yi, along with over 150,000 troops were approaching the city. With only a handful of men of his own, General Liang’s fate seemed imminent.

The two Generals had battled many times before and knew each other well. Both were great warriors, but Liang was known as the Sleeping Dragon and had a reputation for being unpredictable and extremely cunning. He had won many battles by luring enemies into traps.

With word of the approaching army and ridiculously outnumbered, Liang ordered his men to quickly take down all flags, remove their uniforms and hide. He then put on a Taoist robe and sat atop the most visible part of the city wall where he lit incense, strummed his lute and began to chant – and wait.

Soon Sima Yi, accompanied by his 150,000 soldiers, stood at the city gates where they instantly recognized the man on the wall.

Despite the fact his troops were itching to invade what appeared to be an unguarded city, Sima Yi, hesitated, held them back, and studied Liang on the wall. Then … he ordered an immediate and speedy retreat!

At the mercy of his enemy, facing certain death, General Liang had only one weapon at his disposal; his name and reputation.

The Bottom Line:

The lesson here, like so many rules for success and prosperity, lies in the fundamental understanding and wisdom no doubt passed down by my grandfather to my father who in turn passed on to me, “Your good name and your reputation are EVERYTHING! … Protect them at all costs!”

And as history’s General Chuko Liang so adroitly demonstrated – protect your name and reputation… and just maybe one day they’ll return the favor!

 ***************************************************************************

Paul Shearstone MACP, NLP/CCP, is a recognized expert on Sales and Persuasion. He is an International Speaker, Certified Coaching & NLP Practitioner, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Author of several books including, “Up Your Income! Solution Selling for Profitability”. www.success150.com paul@success150.com   

One need not know how to read or write music to understand and appreciate it or comprehend its unmistakable beauty and therapeutic benefits… Paul Shearstone 2002

…………………

In my psychotherapeutic research to find ways to promote better health by relieving tension and stress, I happened on to a tape that spoke about the healing benefits of music. The motivational message was interspersed with Baroque symphony music, which proved not only a respite from what I had been listening to but it also provided a significant relaxing influence. We have all heard the saying, “Music calms the savage beast.” I discovered years ago, it most definitely did for me. For that reason, I began to experiment with all types of music.

I recalled that over the years whenever, I felt stressed, depressed or down, I would sit at the piano and begin to play. The first few songs were always slow and sad but with each new tune, they would get a little quicker and a little happier. Often, after about ten to fifteen minutes of playing, I would notice a marked improvement in the way I was feeling. Remarkably, I discovered I could actually play the sad feelings out of me with music.

No one must remind me about how blessed I am to have been given the opportunity to learn to play the piano. Thanks mom and dad! That said, I still think about how unfortunate it is that everybody does not have a stress-relieving mechanism like playing an instrument for their times of need.

Nevertheless, knowing how to play a musical instrument is of no real benefit for anyone suffering from severe depression. As I pointed out in my book, Until You’ve Walked the Path, you know you are exceedingly depressed or suffering from chronic stress when you cannot or will not do the things that bring you the most pleasure. So, it is comforting to know, music is always there and one need not know how to play an instrument to enjoy its health-promoting benefits. To paraphrase Martha Stewart, “That’s a Good Thing!”

Today I have an entire repertoire of music. Each song has been strategically handpicked for its stress-relieving qualities. Whenever I feel the least bit tired or depressed I will often play a few songs from the library in my computer.

I first determine whether I am feeling a little sad or stressed. There is a difference. My experiments with music-motivation have taught me there is also a difference in the way I remedy the way I feel. For example, if I am just feeling a little stressed from the workday, I can simply play a few sound bites from – what are for me – stress-relieving songs. Two of my favorite are, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin and “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” by Monty Python. While I listen, I will consciously relax in my chair and breathe in and out, slow deep breaths of air. Often, I can recover from feelings of stress in only a few minutes and resume my work.

If, on the other hand, I am experiencing feelings of sadness, I have another approach based on my observations from playing the piano. In my library of music, I have songs that have been specially selected for what I call, their ‘Sadness-Quality’. Simply put, they are sad songs that elicit sad feelings in me whenever they are played, especially when I’m already feeling a little sad. For example, Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Sun’ / Crystal Gayle’s ‘Don’t it make Your Brown Eyes Blue’ and/or Todd Rundgren’s ‘Can’t we still be Friends’. I have an entire collection to use strategically; not unlike one would use a tool – used in this case, to bleed the feelings of sadness out of me – as a first and deliberate step in a program to change the way I feel.

Sometimes it takes only a few songs and other times, it takes quite a few before I can instinctively feel when it is time to introduce a few up-beat and motivational songs as a second step. I have plenty of them too. Uriah Heep’s ‘Easy Livin’ / Chumbawumba’s ‘I get Knocked Down, But I get Up Again’ are two that really move me. In so doing, when I have successfully leached the sadness out of me, they, along with others I’ve selected, serve to elevate me, by promoting feelings of motivation and hope.

What is important to understand is that music – the right music – can be used strategically, like a tool or a stratagem, to elicit a desired emotional response. Important also, is to know that what motivates me to be happy or sad, may not be right for you. Music is personal. The key is to do a little research on your own to determine the right music for you and then, have your songs categorized and ready. They become your personal psychological strategy to reduce feelings of stress and sadness when you need it.

I can say with confidence that this strategy is proven, not just from my own personal experimentation’s but also from some of the psychological research I have done. For example, over the last couple of decades, I know that exhaustive studies were and are still being done on the positive effects of Baroque music and, in particular, music by Mozart. These studies are not just focused on Baroque’s stress relieving qualities but also for its ability to increase one’s ‘left-brain-right-brain’ activities and learning capacities. There is now a new global institute dedicated to what is known as “Super Learning” using music as a subconscious motivator.

The Bottom Line:

Too often, those of us lacking Peak Performance suffering from sadness, fatigue and stress, overlook many of the natural ways human evolution has provided, to garner balance and harmony. The simple fact is, in music, we can find the right remedy, the right motivation and at the same time – stress-relieving – pleasure.

Paul Shearstone MACP, NLP/CCP, is a recognized expert on Sales and Persuasion. International Speaker, Author, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, Certified Coaching and NLP Practitioner. www.success150.com www.paulshearstone.com

Reality programming still appears to be all the rage today. It started with shows like Survivor, Sex & the City, Desperate Housewives and The Amazing Race, et al. They’ve all been on all the major networks. It seems we can’t get enough of it. Why do you think that is?

Reality programming serves as a medium for many people to live vicariously through others. Who among us has not watched an episode of Survivor and said, “I think I could win that game!” Moreover, how many women or interior designers have giggled at what those ‘liberated gals’ on Sex and the City said… and seemingly got away with. Ooooh! They’re so hip and they all appear to have it sooo together. [Insert reality groan here.]

On a basic human level, every one of us share similar motivations. For example, we all – for the most part –  would like to be successful. It’s a common belief that if we can achieve Success, we can achieve Happiness. With success and happiness, we can achieve ‘Anything’. Great words! Other words conceivably more apropos to this are, Blah-Blah-Blah!

Despite how we might prevail in a Survivor immunity challenge or whether Jessica Parker’s antics were real, are in the end, moot. What is real is our basic human desire to feel like a winner [Successful] even if it’s done artificially or vicariously through others. No one is suggesting that this is all bad, just simply a fact.

Here is another.

Most people, not unlike most Companies,

Think one way,

Speak another

and

Do yet another.

How many parents Say to their children that drinking and driving is totally unacceptable? Nevertheless, on the odd occasion, the same parents Do drink and drive because they Think that – at least under those rare circumstances – their actions can be justified? After all, they weren’t that dangerous….were they? And they did get home safe. So thankfully, that is/was okay.

How many companies have mission statements in their foyer that Say, “Customers First”, and Think everything they do corporately, is customer-focused, but make a practice of Doing everything and anything possible to please shareholders? Sycophants yes! But to whom?

Another observation:

Most people are driven by their own insecurity.

One need not be a psychotherapist to understand the challenges people face with their own private demons. Smokers know cigarettes are bad, want to quit, but Do the opposite. They’ll make a point, however, to purchase the Patch or Nicorette gum knowing it probably won’t work but remain satisfied that publicly, they exude the ‘appearance’ of doing the right thing – if only to themselves. Food for others engenders similar activity. Diet in public – gorge in private. We could go on.

We could also acknowledge the fact that for many, insecurity can illicit positive results

Fear is an excellent, universal motivator. It puts the brakes on for some and lights a fire under others. An example might be Donald Trump. He ‘legitimately’ bills himself as an extraordinarily successful businessman while at the same time bankrupting nearly all his past casino operations – negatively affecting countless hardworking individuals. One cannot argue his talent or success, and still be acutely aware of how tenuous his day-to-day circumstances really are – especially now he is the President of the United States. At any time, his house of cards could crumble. The emperor would then have no clothes. Suffice to speculate, insecurity may make the Donald run.

More importantly, it also may make people like the Donald excel. Why?

People who are not afraid of their own potential are those most likely to succeed

The flip-side to people out-of-sync with internal Thoughts, Beliefs and Actions, are often individuals instinctively aware of their own shortcomings and potential. They accept the fact that no one is without limitations and the amazing thing is, that does not faze them. In some cases, it actually Motivates them. Saying to individuals like these, “You’ll never make it!” or, “You don’t have what it takes!” provides the spark that immediately lights the fuse, emboldening in them a passion and desire to succeed – ignoring any limitations – to prove you wrong.

So many high-achievers answer the question, “Why did you do it?” with, “Because they said I couldn’t!”

The important lesson here is it demonstrates, without question, the possibility for any of us to change the way we Think. This in turn, dramatically influences what we Do or to be more precise, bring what we Do more in line with what we Say and Think.

By living vicariously through one’s self is simply a process for balancing-out the three human behavioral factors that govern who we really are and where we’re likely headed. We learn to re-evaluate and buy into our own situations and potential. Most people find the delta between what we Think and what we Say are closer than what we actually Do. In a way, that is good news because it clearly demonstrates we are two-thirds the way there. The more in sync thoughts and talk become, the stronger the motivation to follow through with actions in keeping with what we Say and Think.

Bottom Line:

The outcome for individuals who live vicariously through themselves is greater focus, success and accomplishment. In so doing, they paradoxically become the icon for the less successful, to live Vicariously through.

Think for a moment about all the people you know that Stand Out from their peers.

Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Tom Brady may come to mind. Singers like Madonna, Paul McCartney, Pavarotti, Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald. Actors like Tom Cruise, Betty Davis, Merrill Streep: so many names – so many standouts.

The question then becomes, how is it or what is it about people like these, that make them stand out?

A simple answer might be, Jordan or Gretszky scored more points and personally won more games and awards than their teammates. Although that may be true, one might argue sports statistics are simply a byproduct or outcome from the practice of Standing Out. After all, actors and singers do not score points. Nevertheless, they do win awards – when deemed Outstanding amongst their peers.

How about the people you actually know, that also standout? Who comes to mind? A former teacher, a coach, your parents, a scout leader or perhaps your favourite boss? The fact is, everyone can recall people they know [and do not know] who unquestionably Stand Out. Moreover, the important issue here is that one need not be famous or infamous to differentiate one’s self to Stand Out.

The trouble for many people is they misinterpret what they see in exceptional individuals. Simply put, standouts make it look easy. At times, effortless. In reality, however, few things in life are ever easy, least of all, effortless. Should we be surprised then, to expect failure from those with this unrealistic belief? No.

Granted, some of us are blessed with more natural talent than others and so for those fortunate, the road to ‘standout status’ is far less difficult. The irony, though, is that, more often than not, the more talented individuals put more time, effort and dedication into their discipline compared to others. The Biography Channel confirms this with almost every episode. Therefore, perhaps we might begin here, to better understand, the fundamental ideology of the ‘Stand-Out’ Principle.

Stand-Out Principle #1: Goals

A motivational speech would not be a motivational speech, if it did not talk about the importance of Goals. There… I’ve said it! We’ve all heard it before. Many believe, ad nauseam. But regardless of how many times some may tire of hearing it, the importance of Goal-Setting, as it relates to Standing Out, can never be diminished.

Whether it’s a Stanley Cup, an Academy Award, a certain income or the next sale, standout-individuals, without exception – that bears repeating… WITHOUT EXCEPTION – have goals. Their goals are Clear, Specific and Defined. Exhaustive studies done over the last couple of decades on the highest achieving, highest income-earning men and women from around the world bear this fact out.

On the flip-side, those without goals exist in a vacuum in the pursuit of nothing. Their chance to Stand Out is often realized only in their lack of achievement.

Stand-Out Principle #2: Purpose, Passion & Dedication

A Goal can never be a Goal unless there is a purpose for it. So too, there must be a reason. Simply put, it must mean something for the individual or there can also be no passion.

Standouts are driven by Purpose. They understand that passion walks in lockstep with purpose. They believe that purpose, passion and dedication are intrinsic to each other. Each one fuels the next drawing strength that serves to keep the individual ever focused on: a) the goal, b) the reason for it, and c) the benefits from it. There is nothing mysterious about this process, but there is nothing easy about it either – unless and until one believes in it and makes it part of who they are.

Stand-Out Principle #3: Attitude & Behaviour

Clearly, there is no difficulty in having a great attitude and good behaviour when things are going well. Even the least accomplished among us find it easy to be more positive when they are in their comfort zone. That said, herein is yet another hallmark difference that separates the standouts from the rest.
Standouts are never surprised by negative events or situations that interfere with their goals. In fact, they expect them – and often have a plan to overcome them. It is all part of the ‘learned discipline’ or as alluded to earlier, the practice of Standing Out.

Individuals like these, maintain a Positive Attitude, which determines how they react to adversity and change. They behave in a winning way regardless of how adverse the challenge is. That’s not to say they can’t be disappointed or have feelings of emotional setback. They can. After all, they are human.

The important point not to be missed here is that in times of challenge, they are never alone unlike others without direction or goals. They have a direction. They have a purpose. That never changes, even in the face of adversity. They remain steadfastly dedicated to their mission albeit fueled at times only by optimistic hope. But the net result is they draw upon the strengths they possess or in simpler terms, the Stuff of the Stand-Out Principle – Positive Attitude, Positive Behaviour, Purpose, Passion, Dedication and Goals.

What does all that do for them? It makes them more successful … It makes them Stand Out!
*********************************************************
Paul Shearstone MACP, NLP/CCP, is a recognized expert on Sales and Persuasion. He is an International Speaker, Certified Coaching Practitioner, Psychotherapeutic Counsellor and Author of several books including, “Up Your Income! Solution Selling for Profitability”. www.success150.com paul@success150.com