Access to information is greater now than at any time in history, so are you learning at least one new thing every day to help you in you personal and business lives?
Access to information is greater now than at any time in history, so are you learning at least one new thing every day to help you in you personal and business lives?
What are you learning new every day, something or nothing?
When I was 20, I knew everything. By the time I reached 21, I realised how stupid I actually was.
Somewhere between the ages of 20 and 21 I rededicated myself to education, personal development and professional development. And I’ve stayed on that track for more than 45 years. My goal then, and my goal now, is learning something new every day.
The only way that I can achieve that goal is to expose myself to new information on a daily basis. The great Jim Rohn said: “All the information you need to succeed already exists; the only problem is you’re not exposing yourself to it.”
In today’s world of information overload, I have to be selective about what I subscribe to, and what I read. I feel certain that you are the same.
A short list of my subscriptions include: Selling Power magazine, Success magazine, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, various blogs about selling and business, and about 20 other information sources. At the moment all of my information sources have one thing in common – they are all online.
They didn’t start there, they all evolved there.
I read information from old masters and original thinkers including Napoleon Hill, and I read modern pieces of advice and information from people I respect such as Jack Canfield, Darren Hardy, and Seth Godin’s blog every day. I read various tech and social selling blogs. I am closely following new YouTube guru, Owen Hemsath. One guy I have been following for the past 20 years is my friend and fellow positive attitude advocate, Julio Melara. I read his ‘Mental Snacks’ post yesterday and had to pass it on.
Here are three of Julio’s tips to inspire you in your life’s journey and help you continue to grow in your character and in your results.
1) Be a person of your word
The best way to do this is to keep your promises and do what you say you will do. No matter how small the promise is, no matter to whom the promise is made, you must keep your word. While some events may prevent us from honoring commitments we made, don’t let a commitment slip by without getting back to people to let them know why you can’t fulfil your promise. Resolve to handle your word as precious currency and watch how your value rises in everyone’s eyes.
2) Don’t take shortcuts in quality or sweating the details
Henry Ford once said, “quality means doing it right when no one is looking”. Do you preach to your team that quality is an important value, yet when there is a crisis, you find yourself telling people to take shortcuts at the expense of quality in order to get the order out the door? If you ever do that, it will erode your authenticity in the eyes of others. Eventually, when you speak about quality, they will discount it as lip service. Sweating the details, valuing quality pays big dividends in business and in life.
3) Work constantly on improving yourself
“Work harder on yourself than you do your job” is advice legendary author Jim Rohn used to teach. He was right. We must never stop learning and growing. Part of that work is listening to yourself.
When your heart speaks, take heed and take good notes. Being a person of character has little or nothing to do with the position you hold or the title you carry. It’s all about the way you do your job (the attitude, energy, competency, creativity and perspective you bring to life everyday).
I love how Julio incorporates thoughts and quotes from the masters, and adds his own thoughts and ideas.
Your insight, ideas, and thinking process come from exposing yourself to other insightful thinkers – from Albert Einstein to Oscar Wilde, Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King, and John F Kennedy to Benjamin Franklin.
How do you do this to a point where you begin to become more learned and more successful than you are? Julio Melara has a saying that sums it up as well as I have ever seen or read: “It only takes everything you’ve got”.
A golden statement if ever there was one.
Jeffrey Gitomer is an American author, professional speaker and business trainer, who writes and lectures internationally on sales, customer loyalty and personal development.
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