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As you know, I spend plenty of time on the road and in hotels, so I’m sure I’ve got my share of strange hotel stories. But I’ve never experienced something like what happened to a friend of mine last night.
Check out this guy’s blog for what happened to him. Let’s just say the swat team got involved!
Have you ever stopped to think about just how powerful your words are? With a single comment you have the ability to truly bring hope to someone or to just totally rip them apart. When you think about it, that’s a lot of pressure.
I was reminded of this power last week at a few seminars I did. Every day went really well and I felt like people were really connecting with the information and were encouraged to do some things differently in their lives. Each day I talked with people after the seminar who would thank me or provide some words of appreciation, and although it may not seem like a big deal to them, those words mean the world to me. As a speaker, you always wonder if your words are really doing anything. But when people use their words to encourage you, it is an incredible feeling.
Although it only takes a moment, never underestimate the power of a genuine compliment, an encouraging word, or an inspiring thought. We all know how great it feels to receive those words, but it also feels equally good to provide those words to someone else. And you have that power to use with others…
Who in your life can you encourage this week with your words?
This week I had the privilege, the opportunity, the chance…well, actually I didn’t really have a choice but I stayed in 5 different hotels this week. And whenever I travel, I have a couple of places I usually try to stay in but the more I travel, the more I realize there is really one hotel that I really like every time I’m there.
Hampton Inn.
I stayed in a Hampton Inn the other night in Atlanta and there are a lot of things that you can learn from a Hampton Inn. If you run a business or an organization, here are some things you can pick up from the Hampton Inn chain:
So as you look at what you do in terms of business, you have to ask yourself:
If you think people don’t notice each of these things, you’re kidding yourself.
In case you lost track of time, your taxes are due today so you’ve only got a few hours to get them in the mail. Tax time is always interesting because it can tend to tell a lot about people and how they deal with things. People are unique in that we all approach taxes the same way we deal with other issues in life.
Some people stick their head in the sand and hope the problem (or taxes) goes away. Unfortunately, the IRS will still hunt you down and the problem you’re dealing with will still be there.
Some people pay someone else to deal with the problem (or taxes).
And finally, some people face the issue, the challenge, the obstacle, or the taxes head on. It’s not going away. You can’t pawn it off on someone else. So you might as well deal with it today so the issue (or the IRS) doesn’t hunt you down tomorrow.
Is it just me or does anyone else get a kick out of the “free” offers that various companies and business provide?
Today, my wife took our daughter to a photo studio to get her pictures taken (that’s what you do at photo studios). She had a coupon for a simple package deal but then of course they try to sell you the ultimate, super, deluxe, premium, this-will-change-your-life package. And I love how they start throwing in “free” stuff. If you buy this $9,000 package with 14,000 different pictures we’ll give you “2 free wallet pictures!” But are those “2 free wallets” really free if I pay $X for everything else?
You see this all the time don’t you?
For example, “at our hotel, we’ll give you a free wi-fi and a free breakfast!”
Or “Your kids eat free (when the parents purchase regular menu items)”
Maybe I’m just cynical or something but is it really free if I’ve already paid for it? I know you’re not losing money by providing me two “free” wallet pictures, “free” breakfast, or letting my kid eat “free”.
Call me crazy but it’s not really free if I have to pay for it.
I don’t know if I’m just cursed or something but I’ve never had good luck with cars. Here’s a list of the various cars I’ve owned and how they did for me…
So we got rid of the Prizm and now we are in car shopping mode. I don’t know what it is about me but cars just look for ways to die on me. I keep telling my wife, let’s just sell all the cars and move somewhere we can use public transportation. She doesn’t like that plan…
I don’t know how your bracket is doing in the NCAA basketball tournament but mine is quickly spiraling into a disaster. It’s the catch-22 of the tournament that you like seeing upsets but every time an upset happens, it just further screws up your picks.
Surprisingly I still have all my final four teams in it so that provides a little beacon of hope.
At the very least, I’m still beating my wife which is good for my self esteem. I dread the year when not only she beats me but my daughter, Sydnee, beats me as well.
If you’re even remotely a sports fan, you’ve probably found it difficult to be productive over the last 48 hours. Yesterday kicked off the NCAA basketball tournament and the games are just addicting. Every game matters. Every game is do or die. Every game is win or go home.
Ok, I’m out of clichés.
But with March Madness comes a lack of productivity. I work from my house, so it’s been difficult to get much done yesterday and today. But that’s alright. I’ve been traveling a fair amount lately so it’s alright to have some of those down days that aren’t quite as productive as others.
I recently wrote a blog about “How To Become An Overnight Success.” The nutshell of it is this: it’s not possible.
Nothing Beats Hard Work.
How do I know? I guess part of it is because I’m self-employed! Nobody hands me a paycheck each week. I only get a paycheck if I make it happen myself.
So again, you can look for the shortcuts and try to find the magic formula or the latest get rich quick scheme but success comes from just bucking up and making it happen yourself.
I guess part of the reason I’m writing this is because I’m starting to see the fruits of my own labor. As someone who has started a business and is trying to generate various bookings as a speaker, nothing happens unless I make it happen. I work very hard at what I do and as a result the bookings are starting to come in. But the truth is, most of them have come as a result of me knocking on someone else’s door, not the other way around.
If you want something in life, the magic formula lies within yourself and your ability to make it happen. Because regardless of what your goal or dream is, the secret comes down to how hard are you willing to work at it?
Nothing Beats Hard Work. Period.
I came across this site, www.globalrichlist.com, and was amazed at what I learned. Put in what you make each year and it will tell you where you rank in terms of wealth across the entire world.
Are you working part time at McDonalds and pulling in a “measly” $5,000 a year? Congrats…you’re in the top 15% of the world’s richest people!
Pretty crazy huh?
I guess life isn’t too bad after all huh?
