Category Archives: Motivation and inspiration

Order or chaos?

Everyone prefers a sense of order in their life rather than chaos – generally lower levels of anxiety, better outcomes to projects, work delivered on time, etc – but how many of us actually achieve that state?

How many days start the right way with goals being met and tasks ticked off to-do lists but then go off-track faster than a downhill ski racer taking a tumble at top speed?

It might be the phone notification for a new message, an unplanned inbound call, or some web research that opens up the slippery slope of the internet.

Whatever form a distraction takes, it becomes difficult to get back to the task you were working on once it hits. Your brain reacts well to being focussed and taking deliberate steps as part of your plan, but it loves the distraction even more.

You then have to make a decision to get back on track – one that would not have had to happen if you’d avoided the distraction in the first place.

And it’s in the removal of decisions as we go through each day that lies, to me, the secret of achieving a better order/chaos balance.

I plan the parts of the day that need focussed work and avoid decisions in these slots in oder to deliver my best.

The fewer decisions I have to make, the higher the likelihood I’ll achieve more in the time I have available.

If I have order to the way I work – processes in place, systems to work to, proper scheduling and a set of really simple rules to follow – chaos is off the table. This way, everything continues to move forward and this is always the goal.

Share your best stuff

There is fear around when it comes to sharing your ’secrets’. The stuff you do that gets results. The best stuff you have to offer.

I often hear from clients, “oh, there’s no way we can put that out there.”

My reply is always a challenge to this.

It comes down to time.

I’ve spent four years now creating content about my subject, Social Media. If someone took the time to watch my hundreds of videos on Facebook and YouTube, my daily LinkedIn posts and articles, and signed up for my weekly-ish email, they wouldn’t need to work with me because everything I know is in this content.

It’s all out there because I want potential clients to see the best from me.

The tips I’ve shared, the advice I’ve given and the stories I’ve told about experiences with clients is out there and it’s all free.

And the reason why it doesn’t cause me any problems is that my work is saving my clients that magic ingredient we all have not enough of – time.

The content is giving people a taste and I want this taste to be something they want more of.

I want them to get a practical tip, work on it themselves and get success from it. I’m then ‘top-of-mind’ as the person that helped them out and solved a problem for them.

And when they want more help, the chances of them coming to me are much, much greater.

They don’t have time to do it themselves and the work we do saves them lots of it. They also don’t have time to review everything that’s out there already from me.

When they see a post and it’s something really helpful and useful, rather than something I’ve just dialled in to make sure I’m showing up, it will be remembered.

And then when they need more, they’ll pick up the phone.

Play the long game

The news headlines showcasing Trump’s latest tweet or the acquisition of another firm by Facebook can take us away from the reality of Social Media for brands everywhere – it’s all about people and it takes time to make real connections.

When I talk to business owners they often want to know how to use Social Media platforms to get maximum attention on their brand in the shortest time possible.

They’re looking for their revenue to rise off the back of a couple of quickly written posts with a magical call-to-action in the final paragraph.

Yet we all can agree it’s true that a conversation is where you get to know someone better, and you won’t get to know anyone at all unless you have a conversation with them in the first place.

That’s why my answer to them is that they have to see Social Media as a long game.

It’s a game that involves as many conversations with your connections online as possible in order to build trust in your brand before generating sales.

This not only answers their question, it also embeds the true sense of what Social Media is all about – making connections with real people at scale over time, creating trust in the brand and building a loyal base of followers who buy your products and services.

Our job is to do this for our clients every day. And, if you’re marketing for a brand, it’s your job, too.

What I want a Social Media Expert to know and do in 2020

Here’s a list that could work well as a checklist when looking to hire someone to help with Social Media for your business.

There are a lot of people offering Social Media services because it’s a ‘hot’ sector right now.

Businesses that traditionally don’t play in this space – web and graphic designers, for example – are adding it to their list of things they can do to help you, but beware.

Some are amazing and have tremendous skills and experience, but there are a vast number who should be avoided at all costs.

Here’s the list:

Their own Social Media profiles are excellent examples.
They show up frequently creating helpful, informative content.
They are not ‘post and disappear’ merchants – they engage online and do it all the time.
They are on the main platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (yes, Twitter), LinkedIn and YouTube – and have live platforms with content posted in the last few days.
They do the work themselves rather than offshoring it to keep the costs down.
They have decent numbers of followers because they have been online and creating content for a long time.
They use a mix of content – writing, video, audio and images.
They have excellent testimonials and recommendations (Facebook, LinkedIn and Google especially)
They value their skills and charge appropriately. (If prices seem cheap, the services usually are, too.)
They don’t claim to know ‘everything’ on any specific subject.
They can help to identify ideal clients and position brands the right way.
They know the difference between a blog and a website.
They know how to listen online and spot key trends.
They understand how to interpret data and use it to improve results, especially on websites and working with written copy.
They have basic how-to knowledge as well as strategic ability.
They’re not afraid to make public predictions about where Social Media is going.

I’m sure there are more things but this is a good plcae to start.

Please use this list as a guide and add to it wherever you like. Also, let me know where you think I may be wrong and leave a comment. Thank you!

What are you measuring?

I never used to measure anything and loved living in the land of always being ‘nearly there’.

No matter what I was working towards, I was never that far away from completing it and the end was always in sight.

Until it wasn’t and the target was missed.

On a diet? Yeah, those pounds are coming off. How much have you lost this week? Oh, I think I had salads on Tuesday and Wednesday so I’m definitely going to be lighter…

Training for that marathon? It’s going brilliantly. How many miles have you done this month? Ahh, I reckon I could have run three this week already…

And when it came to business, I would always let my bank balance and the accountant give me the good or bad news. The day of that meeting was always high anxiety.

And then I started measuring. I really went for it.

I track as much as possibly can to make sure I’m heading towards my goals and it’s made a massive difference.

I can see clearly when I’m on track and improving. I can see the areas where I’m falling behind. And, most importantly, I can see the pieces of the puzzle that are missing as I work towards a specific target every day.

One of my metrics is all about meetings with contacts and connections. I would happily sit at my desk all day and meet as few people as possible but I know this is no way to grow a business and build a network. So I track the numbers of meetings I have through each week.

And the fun starts when I watch how much new business I close as the number of meetings I take each week increases.

It’s a clear and simple feedback loop that tells me that I’m heading in the right direction.

Measuring makes it clear what works and what doesn’t. I know what needs to change. I know what I can improve on.

In the areas that matter the most to you, this process can be invaluable. If you’re looking for work, for example, knowing that you have hit your target of five new applications every day will give you confidence that it’s only a matter of time until the phone starts ringing with offers.

Measure and track progress. Obsess on it.

It’s a step on the path to success, no matter what goals you have.

How fast does Social Media deliver results?

I get asked a lot by clients about how long it will take for Social Media to ‘work’. In most cases, this is roughly translated as ‘how fast will it make me money?’.

The golden age of online influencers and cheap Facebook and Google ads are long gone. The days where you could buy a keyword on Google for pennies on the dollar and then run ads against it for days are also nothing but stories we tell ourselves as marketers to remind us of those halcyon days.

It’s a lot tougher today in a world where attention online is the holy grail and those who have it are extremely reluctant to give it up.

Today It’s about making a wider set of strategies work. Engagement with potential customers one-to-one works well once trust is built and the rewards for this are huge if you can stick at it for long time periods.

Let’s pick this last sentence apart a litte to make the point here…

Engagement

It rules the day online. ‘Post and disappear’ is so over and those still practicing social media this way are the ones to avoid. Have you ever sent an email to an info@ inbox and then never hear back? This is the ‘post and disappear’ crew at work in their natural habitat – set-and-forget.

One-to-one

This is the world of messaging apps. Facebook has its own, Messenger, and it’s a real killer for increasing open rates and click throughs, e.g. how effective your marketing is. LinkedIn, Instagram and everyone else also give us these tools to play with and this is the way we love to interact today as humans. Even Google has a messaging service for businesses to receive messages straight from customers in ‘search’ mode, so it’s now a must-have.

Trust

This is where the winners win big and the losers stick to leaving piles of leaflets in coffee shops and running small ads in newspapers and magazines nobody reads. Trust is built up over time and it comes through giving huge value to your audience in all of your content. If you can give your followers a practical tip that will help them make more money or save time, trust will come. We at Fit For Social spend all of our time doing this as a brand every single day for all of our clients.

Long time periods

Here’s the big ‘punch in the face’ for those who want quick returns with no real effort: it takes time and effort. In some cases, there is little reward or payoff directly attributable to your social media content for months and months. Miss out any of the pieces of the puzzle I’ve just broken down above and the clock will keep ticking. Audiences are testing brand promises made online every day and if your brand makes any it can’t keep or rushes too quickly to the sale, it’s a black mark. These black marks can also add up fast. The switch back to someone we already trust, or who’s engaged with us multiple times through Messenger or email with an offer or special deal, takes place in seconds.

It’s a long game. The stories of quick cash and big things happening in a matter of hours or days are definitely out there, but be wary of how much work has gone into it behind the scenes and how it can translate to a business like yours before you put it to the test.

Those who understand what it takes are clear on this and are reaping the rewards after they’ve ticked all the right boxes for their customers over months and years. If you can adopt this mindset and are willing to knuckle down and do the work, your customers will thank you in all the ways you’re looking for when the time is right.

Showing up is a huge part of any ‘process’

A lot gets made of the ‘process’. It’s put out there to be some mystical way of achieving your goals in every aspect of life.

It’s the ‘Way’, the ‘Tao’ or whatever literal meaning you want to give to the things that happen to you as a result of your actions and energy being spent on something specific.

Those who master the process are said to have some claim to success or achievement on a grand scale. They’ve found the path to glory and riches, or whatever defines this title in their own lives.

They’ve done it. It’s all behind them now. High-fives all round!

I believe there is a process but we all have a different version of it. It’s something we control only through our thinking as this defines our actions and the results we get.

I also believe that the most crucial part of this whole process is the hardest of all – showing up.

The act of being present when it comes to the difficult and important things in life is never easy.

I get attacked by the dual forces of resistance and procrastination the minute I sit down to a task that fits this category.

I suddenly feel the need to do almost anything rather than get started. A raft of other jobs come to mind as more important.

Sometimes I end up doing them instead of the big one but this is rare. And it’s rare because I always tell myself I’ve got through the biggest hurdle – I’ve shown up.

This gives me the spirit to then go forwards with confidence.

I’ve got over that hurdle and it’s time for action. The spirits pop out of nowhere to guide me on my merry way because I’ve made a solid commitment and I’m ready for whatever comes next.

And then good things happen.

If you struggle to achieve what you know deep in your heart that you’re truly capable of, this simple step might be the bridge you need.

See if it works for you, too. It’s a good feeling to get to the other side…

Nothing good happens on the sofa

This one stuck in my head a few weeks ago when I was feeling a bit down-in-the-mouth about coronavirus and isolation. It was becoming a struggle to get into action and this was the push I needed at the time.

Once the dark clouds start to form in my head about anything, trivial or important, they can take some clearing and I do what I can to use phrases and quotes such as this one to hit the ‘let’s go’ button.

A bit of music can also add the motivation required to re-tune my brain to making progress in a positive way.

But at the end of the day, all it really takes is a straightforward decision. Stay put, fed up and feeling low and negative… or get up, move, take action and some new steps.

Working out that it’s simply a yes/no choice when it comes to your attitude and activity levels made a big difference to me. Those two little words have such power. It takes the action to go with the words to make a change but the first step is the decision.

And, eventually, your brain will start to follow the path you’ve decided to take and you’re moving on again.

Stick to the plan

I met Paul (not his real name) a couple of years ago. He came up to me after a talk I gave at UTS here in Sydney to one of the Marketing masters degree courses. He was looking to start his own marketing agency and wanted me to mentor him. I think he was 21 at the time.

We stayed in touch and had a few excellent conversations. He was full of positivity and extremely well-researched in all aspects of personal development in a way that really impressed me – he knew what it was all about and was putting the pieces together.

Paul messaged me after our last conversation about six months ago to say he’d been made redundant from a role at a company that didn’t match his values and I gave him some straightforward advice on what path I felt would work for him to follow long term.

My sense at the time was that he didn’t take this well. I went against the course that his passion was suggesting was the right one. The route I mentioned would take much longer timewise but would be a real win for him in the long term based on my own experiences and knowledge.

But I’m not him, right? And I’m not in my twenties, champing at the bit to get paid the big bucks and make my mark on the world…

I took a call from him yesterday to say that my suggested path was the one he was now taking and he had started his dream job yesterday. This made me so pleased for him after a tough time mentally getting this point.

But the thing it highlighted more than anything is that the man with a plan is the most dangerous kind.

I had the feeling that Paul was going to struggle to get his life on track as the ‘follow your passion’ brigade was blowing their bugles and calling out to him, but he stuck with his plan and landed the right opportunity in the end.

And his call to say thank you for my help made my day. The fact that he did this means I’ll always keep him on my radar and look out for more ways I can help him.

Well done, mate.

Fear of the blank page

The calendar notifications dings and it’s time to write that post I’ve been putting off. I’ve had it on my mind for a few days but now the blank page is staring me in the face.

I’ve got a vague idea for the post but nothing is coming easily. What else can I do instead? Put the kettle on, check my emails (again) perhaps? Fill up my water bottle (again)… Nope, this time, I’ve gotta get it done.

Then the self-sabotage starts.

Why’s anyone going to want to read this?
It’s sooo much work for sooo little reward.
My writing is terrible compared to (add the name of any writer who’s ever put pen to paper in the history of time).
Writing is hard.
Who did I need to call urgently today?
I can’t get the idea out of my head and onto the page.
It’s making me feel so uncomfortable, I’m just going to put the kettle on…

I finally get back to the desk and things start to take shape. The idea for the post works itself out in my head and then onto the page and I crank out about 150 words..

I do a couple of re-reads, make the odd change and I can see there is still a bit more needed to close the thing off. Isn’t there some washing up to do? (I never wash up). I’ve gotta pay that bill today or else…

And then, with precisely 90 more seconds of focussed effort, the job is done and the weight is lifted…

Until the next time.

I’ve managed to get my thoughts onto the page in my own style and taken another step on the path to making writing a more pleasurable habit.

Words are the glue that holds communication together and the way we use words matters. I’m learning this at a late stage in life but I’m glad it’s finally sinking in.

It also gets easier the more often you do it. I’m writing every day now and a habit has formed. I had a day last week when I missed my daily slot and I didn’t like the way it felt.

I’m stockpiling new ideas for topics and beginning to find inspiration in weird places. I take a lot of notes but the number has increased and the fear of the blank page is getting smaller all the time.

And the bottom line? It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but I’m glad to be in the race.

Practical Steps To Bounce Back From Lockdown

We can’t avoid the problems that this COVID-19 situiation is causing for us all around the world and the pain of the families of those who have died or are suffering at this moment can’t be understated.

Taking a few practical steps to stay active, physically and mentally, right now is a good place to start if you’re feeling significant stress or have lost your source of income, for example.

But there are also some specific things that you can do in this period to come out on the other side of it in a strong position, especially when it comes to your business or your own personal brand online.

Show up

Do everything you can to help those around you in your online community in whatever form that takes. Zoom calls, Facebook messages, phone calls, whatever. As much action spent on this in the coming weeks will be remembered by those who needed a pick-me-up or a happy face on the other end of the line.

Posting helpful tips and advice to your community also makes a lot of sense. Demonstrate your expertise and the depth of your skills and experience as much as you can.

Work on your profiles.

Take some time to audit every profile you have online today. Does it accurately reflect who you are and what you do? If it’s LinkedIn, are your contact details correct? Do you need an updated profile pic? Go through every one you have and make sure they’re all tip top.

Self improvement

It’s a great time to do some learning. Courses from top universities around the world are free on sites like Coursera so take the first step and sign up for something that can take your skills to a new level. And if you are looking to make a career change or have hit a roadblock in your career, this is the time to road test a few new subjects.

We will all come out of this process in a different way, but be sure to do all that you can to move yourself forwards during this time and keep a positive frame of mind. Let’s hope it’s resolved soon enough!

Learnings from the last couple of years

A long time has gone by since I last wrote here, and a few things in life have changed, so here we are…

We are living in Australia as permanent residents and we are striving to build a solid foundation for ourselves. My business is growing and there are now three of us in the team, and as I continue to drive this business growth I’ve had a few things in the back of my mind, helping with the steering.

I’ll share them below in no particular order. Some are attributed to a couple the people that I read and follow for guidance and inspiration, but not all:

The more genuine your interest in other people, the more people trust you.
The better you are at listening, the more people want to spend time with you.
Be precise in what you say (Jordan Peterson).
Be very careful what you wish for as it will come to you in time.
Remember people’s names if you can and use them.
Let others save face. Don’t drop them off the cliff unless you have no choice.
Be somebody by doing something.
Become an expert and work harder at this than anything else in your life.
Our minds control everything we do.
Our attitudes will always define our results and outcomes in life.
Do things that are hard, often.
Save money and build a stack before making investments.
Think like the seasons (from Jim Rohn) – be ready for them, plant seeds and work hard to grow them.
Stay cool and shut up.
Struggle teaches us who we really are. Accept the struggle that is life.
Improve what you’re not happy with. Obsess on the things you have to improve.
The easy option = bad results.
Honesty is the way to progress.
Get people on payroll doing things they are great at and that you can’t do.
Negativity will bring you down in the end. It repels all things.
Build self confidence through small daily actions done well to then rise above your circumstances and achieve more.
If you think you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re likely to be the opposite.
Massive action taken towards a goal gets results.
Patience, passivity and caution are killers for anyone entrepreneurial.
Find your why. It will drive you through bad times and keep you focused.
Know the way broadly and achieve in many things (Musashi).

Stop procrastinating and get things done

Get on with doing the things that really matter in your life. None of us know how long we have left and wishing you had a great life full of interesting friends and all the things you ever wanted won’t come by sitting on the sofa.

Ideas are everywhere but you’ve got to do the work to make them into something that matters. Execute on those ideas and you’ll see good things happen in time.
What we focus on most becomes our idea of reality – use this power to get things done through focussing hard every day on what you want.
What time of the day do you feel most energised and do your best work? If it’s 6am to midday, set your working day around this slot and deliver the goods.
Do everything you can to stay positive. Don’t look back too long on past failures. Look forward and focus on your strengths.
Don’t worry about what people think. My first business was a dating agency and everyone I knew told me I was I mad for launching it but I gained more from creating and running this business than any other in my life to date. If you believe it’s the right thing to do and worth the risk, get on with it.
If you’re feeling some fear and that’s what’s stopping you, work out exactly what it is and try and understand what you’re afraid of. What are your true intentions? How much do you want it? In most cases, your fears won’t amount to much and it’s time to get to work.

How to kickstart the process of generating great content ideas

“I just can’t do this. I haven’t got anything to say”.

I’ve heard this come out of many mouths when I’ve talked to them about social media. It can seem a very daunting task to put your thoughts out there, into the public sphere, and all of your fears about making mistakes and ‘looking bad’ do tend to rise to the surface. It’s a very common excuse, though – one of quite a few on this list but you’ll be pleased to know that it’s also very easy to overcome.

The value in using social tools as a business comes from demonstrating to readers/viewers that you know your stuff as the starting point. There is information in your head that you might think of as mundane and not of much interest to others, but this is the stuff that people will learn from and connect with. You’ve got to think about what kind of information will be useful to the reader, however dull it might seem to you. Whatever your trade or profession, there is information that you have in your head that might be hugely useful to others so think about how you can make this knowledge start to work for you.

Another angle that always reads well is your own personal experience. If you were to think back through the experiences that have defined your career and then document the path your career has taken through the years, you could come up with some interesting details. Think of the people who have had the biggest impression on your career and also the biggest changes in your sector through the years, plus how you and those around you have adapted. Try commenting on where you feel your industry is heading in line with the overall macroeconomic picture and the turbulent times we live in today – there is a lot of data available at places like this and this so think about how best you can turn this into useful information for your followers.

Once you’re delivering some good work and getting more comfortable with putting your thoughts online, it could then be interesting to start to ask for input from your readers and approach a few more controversial topics with an eye on encouraging some debate. Ask readers for their opinions and encourage comments to build some engagement, being sure to reply to all comments to let readers know you are listening. You don’t need to start any fires – they can be damaging and very, very tricky to put out when they get going – but think about hot topics in the press/media that have relevance to your subject area and decide on an angle to take that will polarise opinion and get the reactions you’re looking for.

If you’re still struggling after reading this far, give me a shout and i’ll see what I can do to help you.

The top 5 reasons for not producing content when you know you should be

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You business has social media profiles in all the right places – Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc – and they all look great. Your beautifully crafted logo looks fabulous on all of the profiles and your team are in a larger background picture having a few drinks in the sun at last year’s Christmas party… but apart from this, it’s eerily quiet on those pages – because there’s nothing else there!

You’re not producing content and you know you should be. Your biggest competitor has just run a campaign on Facebook that has even had your staff taking notice and they seem to be flying with every other post talking about new business coming in from all angles. They’re taking business that you know you should be getting and this is getting you and your senior team very, very frustrated.

So why aren’t you getting these profiles moving, filling them with things that your customers and clients would be interested in? Maybe one or two (or all) of these excuses might sound familiar:

1 – I don’t know where to start – the beginning is the right place and you’re beyond this as you have the profiles set up. You need to think about what your objectives are from using these tools and then construct a plan that will get you there as quickly as possible.

2 – I haven’t got time – It takes time to create content but this is time well spent. You can also get your team to help out and have some fun in the process. Once you know what you’re doing and get on with it, the process speeds up significantly

3 – I don’t know how – There are mountains of blog posts out there that will help you to learn about this subject, plus a wide away of people who can do everything from hold your hand through the first baby steps, right through to writing content for you. Dedicate a bit of time to learning and you will be up to speed in no time.

4 – I don’t know what to say – Finding your voice and developing a style will take some time but there is a huge amount out there already to give you ideas, inspiration and topics to work on. I find it easiest to write/comment about things I know and my own experiences. The words tend to flow much more easily this way.

5 – I can do it later – Of course you can! It’ll go on the to-do list along with everything else you know you should be doing. Take the bull by the horns on this one and get started today with a couple of tweets and sharing of someone else’s content that you’ve enjoyed and would be useful for your followers, such as this post 🙂

Take the plunge and get started and the results will come in time. You’ll also need some help to get your strategy aligned to your business objectives – this is where I come in so give me a shout when you have seen enough business disappearing in front of your eyes and we can get to work.

More in, more out when it comes to content

I’ve read almost double the amount of books in 2016 as I did the year before. This reading has covered a very wide range of topics and has been fiction and non-fiction titles, autobiographies, ‘how to’ books, novels and more.

It’s done me the world of good and encourages more thought and the formation of new ideas of my own. I don’t have a TV but I watch a lot of video online and read all sorts of content – specifically in the marketing/technology area that’s my line of work but also in other areas that are of interest to me everyday – and this also helps to develop new ways of thinking and new things to say.

Something as simple as reading from a source that you have never visited before, or watching a different show to your usual choices on TV can also help. The broader the range of sources – reading/watching/taking in as much as you can from everywhere – will fill your brain with inspiration and this can lead you anywhere.

I’m always looking for new sources of inspiration, too. What have you read or seen this year that’s really rocked you and made you think?

Pushing through Mondays

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For a lot of people, Mondays can be tough. Back to jobs you don’t like, working on things you don’t care about after weekends spent having fun and spending time with friends or watching all of your favourite shows on tv.

This is all great and I’m fine with this if you are happy with your lot, but so many people simply are not happy. Their complaints about Monday and how bad life is for them show they are just not seeing what is going on around them.

Most people reading this are based in the western world and live in a modern economy where jobs and opportunity are plentiful. If you are not happy with your life on a Monday and live for Friday night when you can finish work for the weekend, something is very wrong. Make some changes and get yourself back on track – in the world we live in today, you can do ANYTHING and it’s simply all down to you.

Why are you not happy? Do you want more ‘things’ in your life? Fancy cars and clothes and a new, more impressive phone maybe? Do you know what happiness means to you in your life, even? Have you taken stock and sat down to actually work out what it means to you? I suggest you do, and fast.

If you do this, you will make sure that your life is a happy one and empty of regrets. You will be honest with yourself and spend as much time as you can doing the things that make you happy and make them the real focus of your life. You will work out what your strengths are and put the maximum effort you can on these things. Every day will be the same because you are happy with where your life is going and what you do on any day of the week will be driving you towards the biggest goals in your life. How happy will you be when you achieve these goals? Massively, of course!

Turn off your tv and get to work on the definition of your future happiness and then make a plan to deliver it through hard work and laser-like focus. Be honest with yourself and good things will happen. Back yourself and let other people complain about their weaknesses (and yours, too) as you focus entirely on your greatest assets, your strengths. Do this and Mondays will become another day where the opportunities you have in front of you become clearer and clearer. Same as every other day.

The importance of building and maintaining strong relationships

We all make connections throughout our lives from a variety of different places. Some will remain strong no matter what is thrown at them, with others being much more professionally focussed, formal and subject to change at very short notice. The one thing that I know from a few years of experience is that developing lasting relationships in any sphere is a valuable asset and the effort that it takes to stay in touch with people and maintain contact is well worth it in the long run.

Work at it – pick up the phone and say hi to someone who has been off your radar for a while. Make a lunch appointment and switch your phone off and do some active listening and you could be surprised at what you find out. Make it a priority in the long and short term.

“What’s in it for me?” can be the thought that crosses your mind. “How can I get a return on this investment of my valuable time?” is another one that is hard to ignore, too. Well, the reality is that it’s just not possible to quantify the immediate tangible benefits of getting to know people better as a line in a spreadsheet, but the payback comes in time. A strong network can always be helpful and supportive friends who feel valued by you can make a huge difference in times of strife. Getting to know your colleagues better can also bear fruit in time and so make an effort when and where you can. It really is worth it.

Change the way you see your work

Take a couple of minutes to think about this quote above.

If you can shift your mindset a little, the possibilities can be endless. Have a think about it over the weekend and see what Monday brings…

Thought for today

“Whatever we focus on becomes our reality.”

I have no idea where this came from but it was in some of my old notes I came across just now. It makes perfect sense and is crucial to anyone wanting to be positive, move forward in their life and improve. Work hard to focus your mind on good things and they will come.