Monthly Archive for December, 2008

Proper Word Choice

Published
by
David
on December 16, 2008
in Uncategorized
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“You can have brilliant ideas, but if you can’t get them across, your ideas won’t get you anywhere.” – Lee Iacocca

When it comes to communications, there are quite a few programs that engage in detailed analysis of personality types etc. I actually feel that this is an important skill for anyone to develop. However, in today’s email, I want to keep it a bit simpler.

In addition to the aforementioned personality distinctions, another key concept is proper word choice. Proper word choice to express to interpret it to communicate makes a tremendous difference when it comes to achieving your goal.

Here’s a story that illustrates the point.

I remember when I was teaching Taekwondo in North Carolina. We teach the tenets of tae kwon do as part of the curriculum. One of the tenets is perseverance. Now remember we’re teaching the same tenets to children, teens and adults.

One day, I was reviewing the tenets with a group of children and I asked one boy what perseverance meant. He looked at me and said never give up. He was right.

But then I asked him, what does that mean?

He looked at me confused. He didn’t know what he was learning. He was simply repeating what we told him to repeat. He then started to cry. Now I felt real good.

So I asked him to have you ever read “Green Eggs and Ham?” He said “Sure.”

I asked him if he remembered when the guy told Sam I am, I will not eat green eggs and ham I will not them Sam I am. I will not eat them in a box I will not eat them with a fox I will not eat them in a car I will not eat them near or far I do not like green eggs and ham I will not eat and Sam I am!

He said, “I remember!”

I said, “That’s perseverance. Sam I am never gave up.”

I had to use vocabulary in terms that a six-year-old would understand.

So it’s important for us to understand the use of vocabulary and proper word choice to express our points.

Remember to meet people where they are before you try to take them where you want them to go.

Developing your communication skills is paramount to success in the new millennium. Whether it’s verbal, written, email or any other mode of connecting with people, you’ll need to connect quickly and effectively.

Take time to improve your communication skills. You’ll double your effectiveness.

It’s your life; don’t you feel it would be best to live it on your terms?

David Martin
505.821.0157 direct
info@empowermax.com

There is Always an Exchange of Value

Published
by
David
on December 8, 2008
in Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” - Robert Collier

One day I learned a great lesson while in the shower -  cool lesson that is.

I was going through my morning rite of cleaning the bod, when I reached up to the window and cracked it open. This should keep the mirrors from fogging up, right? Well it did that, and a bit more.

Very quickly I noticed cool air pouring into the shower. I was watching the steamy hot air float up and out of the window at the same time. Hmmmmmm.

Could it be that in order for the hot air to go out, some cool air had to come in? That there has to be an exchange? That even in something as simple as keeping the mirrors from fogging up, the Law of Exchange of Value holds true?

Yes, it is so.

Here’s the science lesson for the day. In order for the hot air to escape, cool air must enter through the window in order to allow room for the hot air. In other words, for every action there is equal and opposite reaction. Or, nature abhors a vacuum.

Your Mindset works the same way.

When you eliminate a negative trait or habit, you can only truly do so by replacing it with a positive trait or habit. To make a change permanent, the negative habit must be replaced with a positive one. Otherwise, the chance of regressing to the poor behavior is likely.

Discipline alone won’t do it. Your discipline sleeps when you do.

Focus won’t do it. Your focus is susceptible to distraction.

Determination won’t do it. It takes too long to out-determine the past 10, 20 or 30+ years.

You must replace the old behavior with a new one, then condition it to maintain itself. Not unlike the conditioning of a piano string. Even after the string is tuned to the correct note, it must be conditioned regularly to maintain the level of performance.

Just like the good old human mindset.

There are many ways to support or condition the mindset. One is by tuning into the Performance Coaching Systems training call every Wednesday at 10:30 PM Eastern. Dial in number is 212-990-8000, access code 1522#.

Each week the topics range from Vision, Mindset and Beliefs, to Habits, Focus, Self-Image and more.

The call is open to everyone. See you on the call.

The best is yet to come!

David Martin
505.821.0157 direct
info@empowermax.com