Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day

Offer results, not alibis.

There are many people who — perhaps with the best of intentions — make promises they somehow never get around to keeping.

These folks have usually developed a number of perfectly plausible explanations for not meeting their commitments; they have become experts at explaining away their failures.
Successful people, though, are those who accept responsibility for their lives. They know that talk is cheap; actions are all that really matter.

The world is waiting for men and women who seek the opportunity to render real service — the kind of service that lightens the burdens of their neighbors, the kind of service that 95 percent of people do not render because they do not understand it. When you provide a truly useful service, enthusiastically and in a spirit of genuine helpfulness, success will automatically follow. The world seeks out such individuals and rewards them accordingly. ~ Napoleon Hill

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I know a few people that seem to have the right excuse, at the right time, every time. And, while I laugh to myself because I can count on an excuse to be thrown out, it's a bit sad, isn't it? And could be the reason they're not successful.

Another thing to consider is that The excuses often can destroy relationships--businesses and personal--more than the truth of "I forgot about that" or "I overbooked myself" or even "I didn't do it and I apologize for letting you down" can. 

Don’t allow yourself to fall back on excuses. Be a person of character and integrity that follows through with their promises.

Offer Results Not Alibis (made with Spreaker)

Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day
Examine most carefully the things you desire most.

Far too many people spend more time planning their weekends than their lives. Then they suddenly realize that life has passed them by and they weren’t even aware it was happening.
When you intently study what you most desire in life, you begin to focus your mind and concentrate your energy upon that which you wish to achieve.

One of the great advantages of having a definite goal for your life is that it helps you prioritize your activities. When your major purpose is clear in your mind, it is unnecessary to analyze each individual situation. You know automatically whether your actions will move you toward your goal or away from it. You can then use all of your resources — time, money, and energy — to best advantage. ~ Napoleon Hill

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Amazing things happen when I set my mind to it. There was a time I was stuck with thinking that if I focused on only one thing then I would be missing out on something else. Not anymore. Once I was able to articulate my Major Goal, Major Definite Purpose, then the momentum started. I'm almost there - achieving my Major Definite Purpose that I set for my business and for my personal growth. When I achieve it I'll find a new one

Be Careful About What You Desire Most (made with Spreaker)

Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day

Actions, not words, are the greatest means of self-praise.
There are times when you will be asked to put yourself forward, to compete for a position or a contract, and you will have to speak about your accomplishments.

Naturally, you will want to put the best foot forward. Be certain, however, that when you do so, you are confident that honest inquiry will support what you say about yourself.
If your actions have been wise and responsible, the record will show this. Leaders in any organization are those who say, “Let’s get going. Let’s do something rather than wait around to see what happens.” When your past actions demonstrate that you are a person who accepts responsibility and shows others the way, your career and relationships will benefit you accordingly. ~ Napoleon Hill

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There is no doubt that action speaks louder than words.

And yet, in the world of social media, we are bombarded with the words of those who would try to convince us that they know more, do more, are more…

than those who are actually succeeding and moving forward.

Do we know the difference? Can we see past the words?

As one who would prefer to be in the background, to let my actions speak louder than my words, I struggle with self-promotion.

What I try to do is show my successes by sharing parts of conversations with clients, reviews that clients are kind enough to give me, and examples of how I work.

As a marketer, I do more for my clients than I do for myself. And can relate to the saying "the plumber's house has leaks" or "the carpenter's house is unfinished".

And yet, in many areas I am succeeding. I am living the life I want, have a business that survived and grew through the recession, and friends and family that love me. And yes, I want more, aspire to be more, am motivated to learn, grow, and share so others can succeed. Hence, I'm still in business, still offering services and products, still here today to share with you.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words (made with Spreaker)

Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day

Money is either a good or bad influence, according to the character of the person who possesses it.

It’s true. Money has no character, no personality, no values. Its actions only reflect the desires of its owner. Money can build great hospitals and schools, or it can be gambled away or squandered on meaningless possessions. Money may build museums to house beautiful works of art, it may construct beautiful houses of worship — or it may be used to create instruments of war and destruction.

As you build your personal wealth, make sure you build your character by setting aside a portion of your income to help others. Choose a church, a charity, or a cause that you can enthusiastically support. Then give of your money and your time in support of that cause. The primary beneficiary of such noble actions is always the one who gives, not the one who receives. ~ Napoleon Hill

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I always viewed money as a magnifying glass - when it accumulates it magnifies the character of whoever is receiving it.

There are a lot of very nice, very kind, very generous wealthy people in this world. I know a few of them. It's not their wealth that makes them nice, kind, and generous. It is their character. They are the ones who make sure our libraries stay open, our public television programs are produced, our children's hospitals are operating, our missions and shelters are open, and more. The last sentence - "the primary beneficiary ... is the one who gives..." says, to me, that this is the reason for their kind and generous character. They know the value of giving.

There are those who are selfish, greedy, and mean and I am happy to say that I don't know them. I've met a few and had no interest in spending time with them for they had nothing to offer me. I've watched some as they gathered their riches and I am not interested in associating with them - they have nothing of value that I want.

There are two causes that get my money, and one that also gets my attention and time. The first is local - Center for Lay Ministries offers a food pantry, emergency needs assistance, and alcohol/drug rehabilitation for women. They get my money, when asked - my time is spent with the women to teach them life skills, and in the winter my husband hunts deer and will donate 2 fully processed deer to the halfway house which almost fills their freezer.
The second is kiva.org and RedBasket.org. On Kiva I select either education or manufacturing. And, with Red Basket I do a random selection of 1 per month and donate from my 'giving allowance'.

If you are thinking that you want to give and that you only have a few dollars, I recommend that you go to either kiva.org or redbasket.org. Crowdfunding is tremendously effective and your few dollars + my few dollars + someone else's few dollars helps someone.
Now I must get back to my own wealth building activities and keep watch on my character.

Money Magnifies Your Character (made with Spreaker)

Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day

The man who dipped a chunk of ice cream in chocolate and called it Eskimo Pie made a fortune for the five seconds of imagination it took to create the idea.

We are just beginning to understand the mysterious ways in which the mind works, but successful people have long known how to use the power of creative vision to their advantage.

Many “new” ideas are really nothing more than a new combination of two well-known products or ideas. Nevertheless, great fortunes have been built upon such combinations when they are supported by a clever name and marketing campaign.

There is a definite process that you can use to tap into your imagination. In his book A Technique for Producing Ideas, James Webb Young identified five steps:

1. Gather the appropriate information.
2. Work the information over in your mind.
3. Incubate the idea in your subconscious.
4. Recognize the “Eureka!” stage when the idea is born.
5. Shape and develop the idea for practical application.

The technique works. Give it a try the next time you’re searching for a creative solution to an old problem. ~ Napoleon Hill

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Yes, those are the steps I take when determining if an idea is worth pursuing. I have worked with many solo business owners who get stuck in the 'information gathering', or more accurately ... moving forward without the information.

Others recognize the "Eureka!" moment and then flounder ... forgetting (or not understanding or held back by fear) the value of bringing in experts to help shape and develop the idea for practical application. Many times, the excuse is "I don't want anyone stealing my idea!" Which simply means that it's important to select the right people. I know a man in my community who has a few file cabinets filled with documents and drawings, notebooks and schematics of ideas turned into inventions - but he won't go to a patent attorney or show them to investors for fear they will steal his idea(s) and leave him penniless. Yeah, well, today he is in his 70's, lives on a pension + social security, and will soon need long-term medical care. What will happen is this: he will pass away, his file cabinets will be rifled through, there will be 2 or 3 inventions created from his work and someone will make millions.

Every idea is possible. It is up to me (you) to determine if I am the one to bring it to the practical application stage. And, if I am, then it is up to me to risk bringing in others with their specialty skills & talents to make it happen.

Your Great Ideas Need Action! (made with Spreaker)

\Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day

Human faults are like garden weeds. They grow without cultivation and soon take over the place if they aren’t thinned out.

Habits are formed so slowly that most of us don’t realize what is happening until the habits are too strongly entrenched to be broken.

Seldom can one pattern of behavior be eliminated without replacing it with another. It has been said that nature abhors a vacuum and will always find something to fill a void.

The best way to thin out the “weeds,” or faults in your character, is to identify those traits with which you are dissatisfied and replace them with their positive counterparts. If you have a tendency to lose your temper, for example, find a replacement for your anger. Neutralize it with a positive expression or affirmation, such as, “No one can make me angry unless I let them. I will not let anyone else control my emotions.” ~ Napoleon Hill

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Once I make the decision that I want to change a habit - whether it is my response to change, to types of people, to environmental things - I replace that habit with something different. I decide what I want the new habit to look like, then I focus my attention on practicing the new until it replaces the old.

I did this with my approach to public speaking. It didn't matter if I was hidden behind a PowerPoint on a webinar or actually on a stage - my physical response was anxiety, my throat closed, my heart pounded, my knees knocked, and I didn't recall my words after.
I joined Toastmasters and was a member for 3 years and that is where I learned how to prepare content, how to be on stage, how to speak from the stage. That is when I realized that it was the "before the speech" preparation that needed my attention.

Today I have a routine, a habit, that I do before I speak on a webinar, from the stage, from behind a podium. This is assuming that I've practiced the material to the point that I have it memorized and can change content as needed to suit the audience. The routing involves breathing, power poses, music (I'm Back in the Saddle Again by Aerosmith is often used). This helps me focus my attention on what is most important - meeting the audience expectations.

I've used these 'change your habit' tactics to stop smoking, to speak up when I used to walk away, to look people in the eye when I was comfortable checking out the designs in the carpet, to ask questions of instructors or successful people when I was afraid of being laughed at or rejected. And much more. I know this works and have taught others how to do this so that they, too, could gain confidence and become who they wanted to be.

Weed Out Those Bad Habits! (made with Spreaker)

Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day
Friendship recognizes faults in friends but does not speak of them.
True friendship acknowledges imperfections, accepts them as part of our individual makeup, and focuses on our positive aspects instead of expounding upon our faults.

Your friends don’t like you to comment upon their failings any more than you like them to criticize you. When your friends are discouraged or disappointed in themselves, a word of encouragement will serve much better than a sermonette.

To be the kind of friend you would like to have, be a good listener, offer advice when you are asked for it, and treasure the trust that your friends have placed in you. Praise them for their achievements and sympathize when they fall short, but avoid offering “constructive criticism” or playing devil’s advocate.

Most of us expect more from ourselves than anyone else ever would, and we are painfully aware of our shortcomings. We don’t need to be reminded of them by our friends. ~ Napoleon Hill

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My first thought: yep, you're a true friend if you still like me after getting to know me :)
Then I realized that this is a clear reminder of what it takes to be a friend - and to have the kind of friends you want in your life.

I prefer having people who lift me up. Who, if they make recommendations (no criticisms needed, recommendations/suggestions welcomed) it's because they have been asked OR because they're concerned that my behavior is going to hurt me or others.

There was a time when those around me rejoiced in playing the devil's advocate, in pointing out the areas that I (and others) needed to improve upon.

Then I learned that I could choose who I have around me. And by adding these friends to my circle I have grown and am better for it - because we truly are a reflection of the people we hang around.

Respect Your Friends (made with Spreaker)

Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day
Great achievement is born of a struggle.

Our strength grows out of our weakness, said Ralph Waldo Emerson. “Not until we are pricked and stung and sorely shot at, awakens the indignation which arms itself with secret forces.”

Strife and struggle can inspire you to overcome adversity and to propel yourself to real achievement. View every struggle as an opportunity for personal growth. It is the struggle itself, not the result that builds character.

If you know you are right, stay the course even though the whole world seems to be against you and everyone you know questions your judgment. When you prevail — and you eventually will if you stick to the job — they will all tell you that they knew all along you could do it. ~ Napoleon Hill

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Growing a business is hard work. The struggles include:

finding a new team member

keeping the sales pipeline filled with prospects

responding to clients' needs

keeping distractions at bay

being confident of a decision that is based on 60% intuition, 40% information

adjusting to canceled appointments/canceled contracts

continuous improvement activity - operations, finances, marketing, product/service
staying on course when disaster hits

moving past non-paying customers

personal adversities - Life happens with and to loved ones

Learning from the struggle can happen quickly - I like debriefing sessions. That's when I take the time to review what occurred, note the process used to get through it, then note the areas that can be improved on. The debriefing session was learned during a disaster that hit the business a few years ago.

Learning from the struggle can take a long time. The business was close to shutting down in 2013 and by 2014 I was deep in survival mode - short term thinking that affected every aspect of the business. No real business growth happened until the end of 2015. I struggled and bumbled along the way, looking for the solution to getting out of survival mode. Came upon it in summer 2015 and by year end was entering thrive mode. Consistent, persistent, shared study of success principles focused my mind on what works and eventually the rest followed.

The struggle to learn something new, to practice, experiment, make mistakes, keep going after you think you've got it figured out - is all part of achieving the goal. Those who do it, succeed. I want to succeed, therefore I'm willing to tackle the strife and struggles as they happen.

The Struggles Are Real: Learn From Them (made with Spreaker)

Morning Mindset Cafe is about sharing a success principle or quote and what it looks like in real life. Drink your coffee or tea, listen to the short episode, then think on it a bit and look for ways that you can put it to use in your life. Join the GROW Alliance Facebook group to meet others and share your thoughts about each episode.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/TheGROWAlliance/

Today's mindset thought for the day
Comparison with others is useless. Doing this leads to jealousy, envy, greed, competition, and even hatred.

Comparison with our best, or higher self, opens the door to true advancement and healing and positions us on the road to success. Improving our personal attributes and characteristics little by little, we then incrementally climb upwards to become our higher self.
We can begin in small ways. Simple things can and do make a profound difference. Ten behaviors to consider for self-advancement are:

1. Talk less, listen more.
2. Watch less visual media, read more.
3. Sit less, move more.
4. Eat less processed foods. Enjoy more whole fruits and vegetables.
5. Condemn less, praise more.
6. Think fewer negative thoughts by intentionally replacing negative thoughts with positive ones (even if they are made up!)
7. Stay indoors less, go outdoors more.
8. Spend less time alone, more time with people.
9. Schedule focused daily meditation, less shotgun thinking time with scattered, unproductive thoughts.
10. Stop ignoring self for others, and replace with scheduled self-care.

All these items are simple, yet they have profound results.

By focusing on just a little less of what you do that makes you anxious, nervous, stressed, or even overwhelmed, you can begin to adjust your internal controls to ease up on yourself and thereby everyone else. A little goes a long way, and when we perform a little better in each category daily, we can begin to see true advancement in our character overall. Less truly becomes more when we accentuate the positive things in our life that we can control, and eliminate everything else that we allow to enter into our environment.

Strive daily to be your own best self, and soon you will see a profound difference in who you have become. ~ Judy Williamson, Napolean Hill Foundation

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It's true that when I focus on what I can do and do it, good things happen. I am more confident, tend to have more positive thoughts, and I have clarity about myself and the work I am doing. Which in turn brings great work to my clients and they receive great results and outcomes from their efforts.

I can check off 6 on the list as things I do regularly. Which means I'm going to take a closer look at the other 4 and schedule them into my day.

Compare Yourself ONLY to The Person You Want to Become (made with Spreaker)

Welcome to Morning Mindset Cafe. I'm Charlene Burke, your host for the next few minutes. As the host of mastermind groups for small business owners, creator of the Power of 10 program for women business owners, and the 6 week program More Profits, More Success Program for all business owners, I have seen that success leaves clues and those clues are available to all who have their eyes, and minds, open to seeing them. 

Today's topic comes from Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude by W. Clement Stone and Napoleon Hill. One of my all time favorite books. It illustrates, quite clearly I think, just how important our thinking is to how we feel and who we are.

If we think happy thoughts, we will be happy.
If we think miserable thoughts, we will be miserable.
If we think fear thoughts, we will be fearful.
If we think sickly thoughts, we will probably
be ill.
If we think failure, we will certainly fail.
If we wallow in self-pity, everyone will want to shun us and avoid us.

Oh my. This means that I am responsible for how I feel.

That I can change how I feel by changing what I think.

And by changing what I think I can change the direction of my actions.

Which results in my achieving my goals, finishing what I started, having the success I want in life and in business.



If we want to develop a mental attitude that will bring us peace and happiness, then we must keep it simple and doable and understand that what we think is who we are.

When we do this, we set ourselves up for success on a daily basis.


How do we do this? I recommend that that you read and meditate on the following, every day for 7 days. Then you decide if it works to change your thinking and if it sets you up for success.

 JUST FOR TODAY

Just for today I will be happy. This assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that “most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Happiness is from within; it is not a matter of externals.
Just for today I will try to adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires. I will take my family, my business, and my luck as they come and fit myself to them.
Just for today I will take care of my body. I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse nor neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my bidding.
Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind. I will learn something useful. I will not be a mental loafer. I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways; I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out. I will do at least two things I don’t want to do as William James suggests, just for exercise.
Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with praise, criticize not at all, nor fault with anything and not try to regulate nor improve anyone.
Just for today I will try to live through this day only, not to tackle my whole life problem at once. I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime.
Just for today I will have a program. I will write down what I expect to do every hour. I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it. It will eliminate two pests, hurry and indecision.
Just for today I will have a quiet half hour all by myself and relax. In this half hour sometimes I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective into my life.
Just for today I will be unafraid, especially I will not be afraid to be happy, to enjoy what is beautiful, to love, and to believe that those I love, love me.

—Written by Sybil F. Partridge and printed in How To Stop Worrying

https://searchbyburke.com
https://mindfulportal.com

Change Our Thinking And We Change Our Feelings (made with Spreaker)

Founder, Search by Burke. Information Professional. Business Researcher, Writer, Mastermind Group Expert, Productivity Expert. 
 
Knowledge and education are the foundations to personal freedom - you must know before you can grow.

Morning Mindset Cafe

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