Be Proactive vs. Be Reactive – You Decide!
“Be Proactive” is habit #1 from Dr. Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. What does a proactive life reallylook like? Taking conscious control over your life, and setting goals and working to achieve them. Do you want to react to events and wait for opportunities, or go out and create your own events and opportunities?
Being proactive means that instead of reacting to events, you can consciously engineer your own events.
Many people think reactively. It can become a challenge and that’s all there is to a person’s life — nothing more than instinctively reacting to stimuli.
Stephen Covey points out that there’s a gap between stimulus and response, and within that gap lie the potential for us to choose our response. There are four special human endowments that give us this power:
Self-awareness – the understanding that you do have a choice between stimulus and response. If someone insults you, you can choose not to become angry.
Conscience – the ability to consult your inner compass to decide what is right for you. You can make decisions based on unchanging principles, regardless of what is socially favored at that time.
Creative Imagination – the ability to visualize alternative responses. By using your imagination, you can mentally generate and evaluate different options.
Independent Will – You have the freedom to choose your own unique response. You aren’t forced to conform to what others expect from you.
Some spend too much time in a state of low consciousness and never reach the level of awareness necessary to make proactive life decisions. Has your conscience has become confused by society’s conditioning? Are you sure what you want from life? Do you look to others to decide how you should feel? It can be a challenge to visualize alternatives, but also necessary not to be restricted by the pressures to conform to others’ expectations.
On some level there’s proof that exists we’re always reacting to events, whether they be on an external or internal level. The difference between proactivity and reactivity can then be viewed in terms of what degree of “mental processing” occurs during the gap between stimulus and response. A proactive person will apply the four human endowments to choose a response (or not to choose one). What’s key is that a proactive person will invest the time to make conscious life choices and follow through on them.
Reactive people tend to be out of touch with their core values. Instead of running their lives based on unchanging core principles, they pick up temporary values from others. If no special opportunities come their way, they’ll stay at the same job year after year. They go with the flow of the people and circumstances, but they don’t direct the flow. Their life is mostly lived on autopilot.
Proactive people are aware of their core values. They consciously make key decisions based on those values. They create their own opportunities and direct the flow of their own lives. Even when things are pretty good, they’re still making conscious choices. Proactive people will take actions that often seem mysterious to reactive people. They may suddenly quit their job to start a new business, even though everything seemed to be going well for them. A proactive person will still pay attention to external events, but they’ll pilot themselves to their desired destination regardless of those events.
Powerful examples of reactive vs. proactive language:
• Where is the industry going? [Where shall I go next, and how will I get there?]
• I don’t have time to exercise. [How shall I make time to exercise?]
• How much money can I expect to make if I do X? [How much money do I want to make, and what will I do to earn it?]
• I’ll try it and see what happens. [I'll do it.]
• Nothing really inspires me. [What would I tackle if I knew I couldn't fail?]
• What is the meaning of life? [What is the meaning I wish to give to my life?]
Everyone has a mixture of both proactivity and reactivity. You can be extremely proactive in one area, while other parts of your life have slipped into unconscious autopilot. Take time to use your human endowments of self-awareness, conscience, creative imagination, and independent will to shine a light on the areas of your life you’d like to work on and consciously choose to get things moving. If you don’t like where the currents are taking you, then change course. In the areas of wealth, health and wisdom, don’t wait for an opportunity to arrive; engineer your own!
The amazing people of WMI can show you a brighter future one that is true to yourself, and your family. The programs give you the ability to really love the life that you have and be happy with the life that you have created. For more information please feel free to click on the link for a very special wealth opportunity
Jimmy Fallon and Ben & Jerry’s Late Night Snack
There is no doubt, Ben & Jerry’s, an innovative leader in the super-premium ice cream industry, is committed to excellence! The company takes a unique stand; they provide all an all-natural, high quality ice cream. Their unique product lines, combined with their amazing philosophies cause them to think “outside of the box.” The company combines a commitment towards social activism and environmental responsibility. In March of 2011 NBCUniversal Television Consumer Products Group and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” teamed up with Ben & Jerry’s to introduce the new flavor “Late Night Snack.” B&J’s are always on the leading edge of creating unique new flavors and this one features a rich vanilla bean ice cream with a salty caramel swirl and crunchy fudge covered potato chip clusters – the perfect combination of salt and sweet for a late night snack.
The company has both a strong environmental strategy and general corporate strategy. Their strategy focuses on social missions aimed at improving the quality of life. One determines whether a “green” company such as Ben & Jerry’s can sustain a competitive advantage in today’s market place. In the year 2000, Unilever bought Ben and Jerry’s, however this was only on the premise that B&J’s strategic vision would remain the same. I am delighted to say, it has.
In the past, Ben & Jerry’s positioned its ice cream for kids and the “young at heart.” As of late, the campaigns have been targeted to the baby boomers. Though the company touts social responsibility, the real compelling reason to buy the ice cream is because it’s made with good ingredients and tastes great. Always innovative, never stagnant, the flavors are unique, flavorful, and aptly named. Ben & Jerry’s is an all-natural, non-traditional brand. Truly sitting at the top of the premium ice cream category, its leading competitor is Häagen-Dazs®, and Dreyer’s – their rival. The key benefit for the consumer is that not only is the ice cream delicious, but consumers realize that B&J’s is all about doing good things for the community – giving back. They are a fun corporation, and all ads are colorful. They are constantly having sales promotions, and involve the public in naming new flavors and retiring the unpopular ones.
Nineteen eighty-five was the year that year marked a turning point for Cohen and Greenfield. With a new sense of mission, they vowed to adapt their business to suit their philosophies. Thus, the Ben & Jerry Foundation was created, which received 7.5% of the ice cream company’s pre-tax profits and then donated them back to the community.
Their tagline: greening the grassroots since 1985 and has enabled them to donate over $1 million dollars per year. Community Action Teams (CATS) distribute small grants to groups within Vermont, the company’s headquarters. Ben & Jerry are friendly, concerned bosses, and the dynamic duo tied their values and attitudesinto company policy. To work at a Ben & Jerry’s outlet or plant is to become part of a team. Each individual is valued. Respect for employees took a far greater precedence than any corporate or profit oriented concerns. Ben & Jerry’s serves the community, and every year they give out free ice cream to show their appreciation.
What is really important are the social stands they take; Vermont Children’s Forum [B&J's want the U.S. to spend more on health care and education for kids], Just Say No to rBGH [ban artificial growth hormone that's injected into cows], Business leaders for new priorities [reallocated to education, health, child services and world hunger] and finally, Common Cause Education Fund [a non-profit organization that allows citizens to make their voices heard in the political process].
The company is focused on making an exemplary product – they don’t cut corners on the ingredients they use or the time it takes to make a super premium product. The company is focused on market penetration, product development and product differentiation.
Ben & Jerry’s mission is to promote Social and Environmental progress. B&J’s humble beginnings of “being green,” was actually the by-product of being poor. The company had to find efficient ways to do things. As the company grew, the company realized the need to be more socially responsible.
Success was measured by not on how much money they made, but how they were doing as a neighbor. Through social audits recycling was introduced, as well as waste reduction, while improving their environmental footprint. When consumers buy this product they believe they are buying a product that has an ethic. The panel on the back of the pint is used to discuss issues, and they use the title itself. A great example of this, one of the newest flavors: Fossil Fuel, talks about global warming, people are asked to go visit the website. The business is known as a caring and community based business, that’s one reason why it has lasted so long… They believe in spirituality in business, as in people, and this, believe it or not speaks volumes. To help others you are actually helping yourself in return. Ben & Jerry’s ice cream tastes great, has an appealing social mission and brand integrity, and is exactly what consumers want!
The amazing people of WMI can show you a brighter future one that is true to yourself, and your family. The programs give you the ability to really love the life that you have and be happy with the life that you have created. For more information please feel free to click on the link for a very special wealth opportunity
What Drives Tim Ferriss, And Why’s He So Relentless?
When asked to define relentless it means: steady and persistent. It could just as easily be the adjective that describes Tim Ferris. Who else but Tim Ferris could ever conceive the notion of writing a book called the 4-Hour Workweek? Released in 2007, it’s a semi-autobiographical self-help book that gives you the freedom to Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich. Tim Ferriss is an American writer, educational activist, and entrepreneur and he’s promoting his second best seller “The 4-Hour Body: An Uncommon Guide to Rapid Fat-Loss, Incredible Sex, and Becoming Superhuman.” Highlights include how to skip the gym and gain 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days by doing kettle bell workouts.
But what you may not know about Tim Ferris is that he never gave up. The 4-Hour Workweek was actually rejected by 26 publishers before someone decided to take it on. When asked why the 27th publisher finally said yes, they replied ‘no reason.’ They just figured he was the right guy to do something with his book!
In The 4-Hour Workweek Tim uses the acronym DEAL for the four main chapters, Definition, Elimination, Automation and Liberation. He’s highly regarded in the world of publishing as the man who is on a mission to warn us against information overload, “selective ignorance” and has coined the phrase “lifestyle design.”
Timothy Ferriss he makes a lot of bold claims: “How do you create a hands-off business that generates $80,000 a month with no management? It’s all here.” Tim’s taken then literary world by storm from lessons learned through the Pareto Principle (80-20 Rule) and Parkinson’s Law: he streamlined both his business and personal life, eliminating distractions and automating systems until it was not only more profitable, but also took less of his time. Then he took a mini-retirement…
It no secret that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. Tim chooses to believe that everything rewarding and profitable comes from enhancing your strengths. What’s his philosophy? Emphasize your strengths, don’t fix weaknesses, he believes most people are good at a handful of things and miserable at most. What is more fun leveraging your strengths or attempting to fix all the chinks in your armor? The answer is quite obvious…
Tim Ferriss was virtually unknown before writing The 4-Hour Workweek. Like many, he had a soul-sucking sales job at a tech firm that wasn’t fulfilling. He thought he could do better by starting his own business [BrainQUICKEN out of San Jose, CA], but that too, left him drained. As fate would have it he decided to write a book that would be non-fiction. Funny thing was he became a first-time author who didn’t just write a book, but rather a bestseller. And then, the impossible happened, and a lifelong dream came true. He was simultaneously #1 on the New York Times and #1 on the Wall Street Journal business bestseller lists for 3 months.
I just love how he shatters conventional wisdom. He challenges people’s thinking by showing them ways to optimize their lives.
He’s a relatively young entrepreneur and author who became a multi millionaire before the age of 33. He teaches us how to reboot our lives. Challenging us how to think outside of the box he poses the question: “How is it possible that all the people in the world need exactly eight hours to accomplish their work? It isn’t. Nine to five is arbitrary.” Tim teaches us to use technology more effectively, and more importantly to make more effective decisions.
Tim announced that he would be donating 10% of all author royalties to educational charities such a www.Donorschoose.org online charity connecting you to classrooms in need. To date there are over 16,000 project requests currently in need of funding in the public school system.
Tim’s The 4-Hour Workweek has been sold into 35 languages. According to Technorati: he’s one of the top 1000 blogs in the world, Huffington Post is delighted to reveal: #1 most-linked-to blog in the world and of course Wired.com’s reveals that he’s the greatest self promoter in the world. Thousands of readers have shared their own amazing tools and tricks, producing phenomenal and unexpected results from his blog. The outpouring of “love” prompted him to revise and update a 2009 version to include case studies from families, students and CEO’s.
So go ahead and live out your dreams that you’ve postponed for “some day.” What’s the worst that could happen? Tim believes when you begin to see the infinite possibilities outside of your current comfort zone, you begin to soar. Afterall, Monopoly, Apple, Cliff Bar, KFC, Domino’s Pizza, Fedex and Microsoft were born in the recession. It’s time, my friends to get busy…
The best news that’s out there today: there is an affordable solution that addresses the issues of financial prosperity and it’s found in WMI. The amazing people there can show you a brighter future one that is true to yourself, and your family. The programs give you the ability to really love the life that you have and be happy with the life that you have created. For more information please feel free to click on the link for a very special wealth opportunity
Relentless: How Roger Ebert Finally Found His Voice
I saw the most amazing video on TED: Ideas worth spreading the other day. It was filmed in February 2011 and posted this month. I’m talking about legendary film critic Roger Ebert, who is a well-loved and respected man. I have followed his career for decades and loved watching him At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert years ago. His partnership with Gene was a long standing one lasting upwards of more than two decades. These days he has a lot to be grateful for and lives his life quite differently.
Years ago Forbes described him as “the most powerful pundit in America.” And then everything changed with the blink of an eye. As many of you know he lost his voice to thyroid cancer. But it never slowed him down, he’s a relentless man with loads of love to give, intelligence and his passion for communicating still left to share. He found another life, a virtual one on Twitter and his blog, where he writes about creativity, race, politics and culture — and as brilliantly as ever about film.
He says: “These are my words, but this is not my voice. This is Alex. The best computer voice I’ve been able to find which comes as standard equipment on every Macintosh. For most of my life I never gave a thought to my ability to speak. It was like breathing. In those days I was living in a fool’s paradise. After surgeries for cancer took away my ability to speak, eat or drink, I was forced to enter this virtual world in which a computer would sum up my living for me. For several days now we have enjoyed brilliant and articulate speakers here at TED. I used to be able to talk like that. Maybe I wasn’t as smart but I was as talkative. I want to devote my talk today to the act of speaking itself and how the act of speaking or not speaking is so indelible to one’s identity.”
This marked the beginning of his incredible speech. Roger was on stage with his wife, trial attorney Charlie “Chaz” Hammel-Smith and two other friends who read his words for much of the “talk.” He tells us his story about developing cancer and the surgeries that followed. He had a number of serious bleeds from his carotid artery, which were so serious he is lucky to be alive. He’s a survivor. So how did he move from being a film critic to one who had no voice? He found his voice by using new technology that’s so state of the art.
The digital age has come a long way and through it, Facebook, Twitter and Blogging have given Roger Ebert a means to communicate. The internet has allowed him to write and communicate all over the world and to be treated as an equal. His disability is not apparent to those who know and love him. With the love of patience of his wife he has the ability to become honest about what he needs, and takes nothing for granted.
Roger’s talk was very emotional. He also uses mime to express his feelings. He shows us just how much he loves his wife Chaz. She has stood by him through thick and thin. They love each other. When I watched the video I cried. I’m sure I was not alone. The human spirit is so powerful. There is truly much to be said about the need to communicate. The digital age has so much power to liberate us and to allow many of us, for so many different reasons, to have a voice.
The best news that’s out there today: there is an affordable solution that addresses the issues of financial prosperity and it’s found in WMI. The amazing people there can show you a brighter future one that is true to yourself, and your family. The programs give you the ability to really love the life that you have and be happy with the life that you have created. For more information please feel free to click on the link for a very special wealth opportunity
Breaking Night: Liz Murray’s Relentless Journey of Determination
I was looking online for something to inspire and uplift me this morning and literally stumbled upon the story of Liz Murray. I had Googled ‘rags to riches’ and that’s where I found her. She was #9. on the Top 10 Rags to Riches Stories list, a list I never even knew existed. Even if you’re one of those people who doesn’t dream of extreme wealth, her story is one that not only needs to be told, but shared with everyone you know. Liz is one of the people who will show just how far determination, confidence, and perseverance can get you in life, no matter if you start from the very bottom. Her story is about overcoming the odds and reinventing yourself.
She was born in the Bronx. Her family of origin was on welfare and both parents were cocaine addicts. Her mother an HIV-infected drug addict/alcohol and schizophrenic died of AIDS at 42, when Liz was only 15. Her father then abandoned both her and her older sister by moving into a men’s shelter. They now had to fend for themselves. She went to high school and wound up sleeping in subways, park benches, or at a friend’s home. She ate out of garbage cans.
She did not fall into the trap of self-pity. It was a luxury she couldn’t afford in her crime-ridden New York neighborhood. She had lived a life of enabling her parents and spent her nights looking out the window to make sure they returned home safely from scoring drugs. She wrote an essay about her experiences as a homeless teenager and from it she won a New York Times Scholarship for needy students. This would prove to be her ticket out.
She was accepted into Harvard University in the fall of 2000. But subsequently left the following year to begin her career in motivational speaking. She wanted to be closer to her sick father so she transferred to Columbia to continue on with her education.
Her life was an inspiration to many. Homeless to Harvard: The Liz Murray Story aired on the Lifetime network in 2003. She has been awarded The White House Project Role Model Award, a Christopher Award, as well as the Chutzpah Award, which was given to her by Oprah Winfrey.
In 2010 her book Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard revealed that her older sister graduated from college and become a school teacher for autistic children, and that her father died of AIDS in 2006. She finished her education at Harvard in June of 2009 and continues to take graduate courses to become a clinical psychologist. It is her dream to be able to counsel people from all walks of life.
After years of truancy, sleeping on NYC streets and shoplifting food to survive, she was emotionally and spiritually bankrupt. Now Liz is an American inspirational speaker who speaks out about determination. She believes no matter how hard life is, you have to move on. You must continue to work your way through the battles. She teaches us that she could overcome hardships to achieve success.
Manifest Living is a New York–based company that empowers adults to create the results they want in their own lives. Liz is the founder and director of this amazing organization. Her passion now is to help transform the lives of others. Now that’s what I call a relentless journey!
The best news that’s out there today: there is an affordable solution that addresses the issues of living a life of abundance and it’s found in WMI. There are many relentless people and ‘rags to riches’ stories of people who have truly turned their lives around. They can show you a brighter future one that is true to yourself, and your family. The programs give you the ability to really love the life that you have and be happy with the life that you have created. For more information please feel free to click on the link for a very special wealth opportunity
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