Having problems viewing this eZine? click here to view as a web page,
or copy and paste the following link into a web browser:
http://www.judimoreo.com/ezine/archive/2006/mt0106.htm

 
January 2006

Welcome to Judi Moreo’s Quarterly ezine, developed specifically for people who want to be the best they can be and enjoy much success in their lives! Please feel free to forward this to associates, friends, and family!

Hello ,

Last year I spoke at a series of women’s conferences with my friend, Dr. Kimberly Ventus-Darks. Each day she started the conference with the sentence, “If you always do what you always did…You’ll always get what you always got.”

Think about that! If you want something that you’ve never had; if you want to be someone that you don’t feel you are; if you want to go somewhere that you’ve never been; if you want to do something that you’ve never done...you have to do something differently.

As we start a new year, we have an opportunity to do just that. If we want some changes in our lives; If we want it to be more than it ever has been, then, we are going to have to do some things we’ve never done!!!

Here is my 5 step plan for succeeding this year at whatever it is you choose...whether it’s an organization, a career or a relationship.

Step #1   DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT

What would you like the end result to be? What is the dream? If money were not an object, and the world were perfect….how would it look to you?  You are the architect and the builder of your life…. And there aren’t architects or builders that would go out and just start throwing up a building or a home without knowing what it will look like when it’s finished. 

Step #2  MAKE A PLAN

Look at where you want to go and where you are now. The space between the two is called “The Gap”. How will you fill that gap? You need to make a plan of exactly what you will do.

These plans are called goals and the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to set some. Many people call it Strategic Planning. You call it whatever you want. Just do it. 

There is an old saying that “None of us plan to fail, We just fail to plan”.

Be sure that your goals are SMART meaning that they are:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Agreed Upon (by the people who have to help you carry them out)
  • Realistic
  • Time Framed

When we achieve our goals...our self esteem goes up…and when our self esteem goes up...our success goes up!!!

Step #3  IDENTIFY THE PITFALLS

Now this may sound negative, but we must look at what might go wrong so we can have a contingency plan.

We have to be willing to cope with and create change when needed. Change is not a maybe. Change is the only constant we have. Everything is changing. 

Think of change as a vehicle that is out of control and coming down the road. You are standing in that road and the vehicle is coming right at you. You have three choices about what you can do:

  1. You can just stand there and let the change run over you and leave you in a worse condition than you were before you started.
      
  2. You can jump out of the way and let the change go right past you. It’s a good possibility that you let it pass you by and it was headed right where you wanted to go.
     
    Or
     
  3. You can start to run along side the change, jump in the driver’s seat, take control of that change and drive it right where you want it to go.

If we want people to follow us through the change, then we must be the change that we want to see happen.

I was fortunate enough to be working for a chain of newspapers in South Africa during the end of apartheid and I had the opportunity to see Nelson Mandela released from prison. I also heard his State of the Union address. And I watched as this great man demonstrated what he wanted his followers to do, which was “to forgive and put the hatred aside in order to move forward in peace.” He then demonstrated the change he wanted a nation to follow.

Step #4   TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF

What you get out of life is what you put into it!

Do you have knowledge that you can share? Are you good at decorating? Can you write a press release? Do you have a beautiful handwriting?  When you use any skill or talent that you have for the benefit of others, you will also benefit. Use your skills. Use your talents.

Surround yourself with positive people. In the average workplace we hear an average of 5 negative statements every hour. It takes between 14 and 20 positive statements to overcome one negative statement. If you hear people being negative….get away from them.  Or just say “Thank you for sharing.” But don’t participate.

And remember this, about seventy per cent (70%) of the negativity we hear comes out of our own mouths.  We say things like,  “Ain’t it awful! No one cares about us. They planned another awful program. The speaker was terrible. It’s a wonder I even came...the traffic was so bad getting here. At one point, I just wanted to turn around and go home, but you know what’s at home. I just didn’t feel like I could deal with that tonight...etc., etc., etc.”

Your thoughts create your feelings. Your feelings create your behavior. When you are acting or talking negative…it tells the world that you are not feeling good about yourself and the reason you aren’t is because you aren’t thinking correctly.

Change your thoughts. Practice affirmations. Practice empowering self talk. Practice saying nice things to other people. When you say it, you are putting positives in your own atmosphere as well as in the atmosphere of others. 

Step #5 BE THANKFUL

We need to be grateful for what we have. We have been so spoiled for so long. Some of us get upset if we don’t have an Anne Kline watch, a Ralph Lauren blazer, or a Mercedes to drive. "It’s just not fair. Other people get those things. What about me?"

Start being thankful for what you do have and give yourself some gold stars. When I was 16 years old, my dad taught me to give myself gold stars when I have a good day. It feels really good when you stick that star in your daily planner each day.  If you have more than one success that day, give yourself more than one gold star.

Last year, my life partner, John, gave me a necklace with a gold star pendant and said “You are the best wife I could ever have!”  On the back he engraved, “Until the 12th of Never”. As you know, that’s a long, long time. John had a heart attack and died this past year and I miss him. My point here is that I am grateful that I had him for the time I did.  He taught me what a really good relationship can be.

Sometimes where we get to is not where or what we imagined. Be thankful anyway. There are people all over the world that would like to be in your shoes, would like to have your job, would even like to have your problems…instead of their own.

As Dr. Robert Schuller would say,
Today’s responsibilities are tomorrow’s possibilities."

So I ask “Have you set your goals for this year? Have you made your plan? Are you prepared for the changes which will take place in your life?”   If not, remember Dr. Kim’s words, “If you always do what you’ve always done...you’ll always get what you’ve always got. If you want something that you’ve never had...You have to do something that you’ve never done.”

Mind Workout: Opposite Thinking

From Conquer the Brain Drain Book

What It Is

Looking at possibilities by reversing your perspective in two ways:

  1. By thinking in opposites, you’ll discover things you normally miss.  For instance, what is the opposite of what you are dealing with?  Are you having to do more with less? Then think how could I do less with more?
     
  2. Whatever you want to do, think of what everybody else does and then try the opposite.  For instance, sending a letter of complaint.  Usually people write letters and mail to the head office.  Why not make an appointment with the president of the company to voice your complaint?  Or better yet, why not start writing complimentary letters to companies when things go right instead of when they go wrong.

What You’ll Need

Paper and a pen or pencil

How It Works

Draw a “T” on the paper and write a reverse statement of the problem as your heading on the left hand side.  On the right hand side, write the word “Opposite” as your heading.

You can get your work team or home team involved in this.  Encourage team members to be creative and have fun.  When the list is finished, discuss what you’ve learned and how it can be utilized.

Example:

How Can We
Offend People
 
Opposite

Be rude
Ignore them
Don’t listen
Don’t keep promises

   

Be Courteous
Make eye contact
Pay attention
Do what you say you will do

       

From Conquer the Brain Drain

Back to Top

What Judi's Customers Are Saying
 

“I was honored to be a part of a meeting that had you as the speaker for the evening last night.  It was the first time I had seen you speak and was blown away with your uplifting speech.

Thank you."

Angela Tanguay
State EPIC Manager

   

“Judi Moreo is the single most talented speaker I have ever had the privilege to listen to.”

 
 

Matthew Donley
Daimler-Chrysler

   

Back to Top

To speak with someone about bringing Judi into your organization, contact us at Turning Point International (702) 896-2228 or email judimoreo@yahoo.com.

Subscriptions

We don't want to unnecessarily clutter your in-box
so if Motivational Tidbits doesn't meet your needs,
simply unsubscribe by going to:

http://www.judimoreo.com/ezine/unsubscribe.htm

We encourage you to forward this message to friends
or colleagues
who want to be the best they can be and
enjoy much success in their lives!

http://www.judimoreo.com/ezine/subscribe.htm
  


© 2005-2006 Judi Moreo. All rights reserved. Feel free to use text from the Motivational Tidbits eZine in whole or in part as long as you include complete attribution, including live web site and e-mail links. Please also do us the courtesy of notifying us of where the material will appear.

Privacy Policy: We do not share any information about any subscriber with anyone for any reason. Period.

Quotes of
the Month

“The measure of success is not whether you have a tough problem to deal with, but whether it’s the same problem you had last year.”

John Foster Dulles

-

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence, by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.  You must do the same which you think you can not do.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

-

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.”

George Eliot

What's
Coming Up

Many of you have asked if you can attend one of Judi’s programs.
Here are two that are open to guests. 

January 17, 2006
Southern Nevada Human Resource Association
7:30 am
Stardust Hotel
& Casino
For more info, contact John Futrell 702-889-2657

January 19-25th
Diamond Star Events
Renaissance Hotel,
Envy Steakhouse  5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Las Vegas, Nevada
For more information or to register, call Sherial Bratcher: 702-248-3568

Feature of the Month

Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Success

By Judi Moreo, Fiona Carmichael, Cheri Carter Scott and 16 other exciting women authors

What Readers
are Saying

“A must-read for every woman who wants to know how to create more success and satisfaction in her life.”

Jack Canfield
Author
Chicken Soup for the Soul Series

-

“This sensible book is a no-nonsense guide for women and girls.  It not only encourages women to improve societal and workplace conditions, the information contained within will enable women to achieve their full potential.”

Lois Sagel, International Program Director
Soroptimist International

-

“This book will, without exception, give you the secrets, techniques, and information that will enable you to learn what it takes to tap into the inner strength we all have to reach self-actualization.”

Carol E. Scott, Chairman
Tourvest, South Africa

Learn More
Buy Now

Subscribe to Motivational Tidbits

Subscribe to Motivational Tidbits today and you'll learn how to create the life you've always dreamed!

Subscribe Now!


eZine by:
TEQ Computer Solutions