It was my pleasure to be the emcee this past Saturday evening of The Society of Entrepreneurs Annual Dinner and New Member Inductions.  It was a great event high-lighting the careers of five top leaders in the Memphis Community.  This organization was formed 21 years ago by a dozen or so community leaders to recognize the contributions of those business owners and entrepreneurs who met two strict criteria:  Significant success and recognition of it beyond local influence, and one who has given back generously and continuously to the community’s charitable entities.

Previous inductees include such familiar names as Dale Carnegie and Zig Ziglar and this year, Don was one of six professionals to be inducted.

http://www.kwam990.com/kwam-lineup.aspx

Motivation is a key issue. Henry David Thoreau defined motivation as “the pull of anticipation and the push of discipline.”

 Why do people give up so easily?

It is easy to get excited about New Year’s resolutions and the promises Here’s the question; “Are you excited enough to get really serious about the process and ultimately follow through to completion?”  Studies prove that goals and resolutions barely exist until you get them in writing.  When they go to document it begins to be real and viable!

• You can see it, show it to others, or display it on your refrigerator as a reminder. 
• When you don’t write goals down they are much like the wind - here for the moment then gone forever. 

Here are six barriers that keep our goals from becoming a reality. 

1. Lack of Clarity … The more detail you attach to a goal, the more likely you are to follow through on it.  Describe it with why’s (for the purpose of  … ); when’s (completion points and interim progress dates), what’s (including mention of your current situation and what the end game will look like).  Don’t worry; you can’t overdo the detail! 

1. Lack of Commitment … When you are serious enough to write goals down and share them with others, it is your way of making a commitment to the process.  Simultaneously you’re putting the universe on notice that this is your intent. 

1. Lack of Belief … Human behavior is the result of the human belief system.  If you believe your goal is doable, believe you have the right strategy, and believe in yourself, you can’t miss.  It is the person filled with doubt who fails to take the next step.  This is no time to be timid.  BE BOLD! 
2. Lack of Passion … Vision without action is hallucination!  Fire in the belly propels you toward action and results.  Get fired up about getting started and go for it!  Seeing even a marginal amount of progress is all it takes to inspire you to take the next step.

1. Lack of Congruence … Your goals need to be in sync not only with your belief system, but also with your other goals, and your capabilities.   If it is too outlandish or unrealistic, the incongruence of it will short-circuit your belief in your ability to get it done.
2. Lack of Focus … Writing down clarified goals is the beginning of an exciting process, if you can keep your focus.  .   Can you vow to stay focused on the vision?  The difference between high performers and mediocre producers is a focused intensity accompanied by the perseverance.

Few people realize the power and potential that are derived from crafting one’s “Magnetic Compelling Purpose”.  If you can articulate what you really want, put it in writing, fine-tune it, and you are on your way.  

What’s your next step? 

About the Author:

Don Hutson is the #1 Wall Street Journal and New York Times Best-Selling co-author of “The One Minute Negotiator: Simple Steps to Reach Better Agreements,” a Hall of Fame speaker, and CEO of U. S. Learning based in Memphis, TN.  He is past president of the National Speakers Association and a veteran of 6,000 presentations worldwide. He can be reached at 901-767-5700

We have choices!  We can go toward abundance with a positive determination, or we can go toward scarcity which invariably evokes fear, dread which can negatively impact our confidence. 

It’s about two actions when mastered can transform your productivity that can make a measurable difference.

When you gave me a copy of One Minute Entrepreneur never did I think I would meet the author so soon! 

Wow!  What a blessing Don Hutson was this morning.  I missed the first part of his presentation and audio-taped the last part.  Another net worker sent me notes that she took and I am going to “sync” our notes soon.

I love learning, as a matter of fact I would tell my students that I was a “professional learner”  And I am.

The fear of public speaking is as common as the fear of heights, but Don Hutson found that knowing what to say and how to say it makes good business sense.

number-one best-seller?

Not John Grisham, who used Memphis as the setting for some of his early novels but never lived closer than Southaven. Not Elvis Presley, whose autobiography doubtless would have been a best-seller if he had gotten around to writing one. Not Kemmons Wilson, who made the cover of Time magazine as the founder of Holiday Inns. And not Shelby Foote, whose three-volume history of the Civil War should be in every serious home library.

Singaporian audiences are very diversified and seem  introverted, until you ask them to participate–then they are pleased to present their ideas and be heard.  Very smart people… Energized note takers, eager to capture everything… Appreciative and kind – how can you not like these wonderful people?  Terri and I are already looking forward to our next trip to this extraordinary island country.