And Then Some

Don’t let anything stop you. There will be times when you’ll be disappointed, but you can’t stop. Make yourself the very best that you can make of what you are. The very best” [Sadie T. Alexander].

Are you the very best that you could be? I mean, do you fulfill minimum expectations (or less if you can get away with it) or do you go the extra mile? Are you one of those “then some people”? Someone who is compelled to take the additional step, make the extra effort, and attend to the last detail?

I think it all starts with the attitude, don’t you? Mark Sanborn says “attitude colors everything you and I do in life.”

• A positive attitude allows you to see the things you undertake as an opportunity, not an obligation.
• A positive attitude looks for the best, not the worst, in circumstances.
• A positive attitude is “can-do” not “must-do.”
• A positive attitude is hopeful, not pessimistic.”

~The Fred Factor

On the flip side, I’ve encountered a good number of people (and I would imagine you have, too), who operate under the premise, “Well, it’s good enough for who it’s for.” They do the absolute minimum possible to fulfill the requirements of their job, never realizing that “nothing worthwhile comes easily. Half effort does not produce half results, it produces no results” [Hamilton Holt]. Or worse, sometimes half effort produces results so disastrous, that it takes considerable time and resources to recover, if recovery is even possible.

Okay, enough of that negativity — let’s get back to those “Then Some People.” These individuals believe it’s worth it. They don’t despise attending to the small things because they realize, like W. Clement Stone said, “that big doors swing on little hinges.”

“Bigness comes from doing many small things well . . . Individually, they are not very dramatic transactions. Together, though, they add up” [Edward S. Finkelstein].

According to Brett Gleespen, “Then Some People” understand the importance of discovering and developing the destiny and greatness that resides within. “Do something you love to do so much, you’ll do it for free. Do it so well, someone will pay you for it.”

What a man accomplishes in a day depends upon the way in which he approaches his tasks.

When we accept tough jobs as a challenge to our ability and wade into them with joy and enthusiasm, miracles can happen.

When we do our work with a dynamic, conquering spirit, we get things done” [Arland Gilbert].

Don’t kid yourself — it’s not always easy for “Then Some People.” Sometimes, circumstances conspire against them. Job loss, small-minded coworkers, frustrated supervisors, dismal economic outlooks, and family stress can take a toll. But “Then Some People” have learned that “happiness is not in our circumstances, but in ourselves. It is not something we see, like a rainbow, or feel, like the heat of a fire. Happiness is something we are” [John B. Sheerin].

Straighten that attitude. Look inside for your own happiness. Discover the destiny and greatness residing within. Take the extra step. Believe it’s worth it. Let’s be “Then Some People” today.

The key is to trust your heart to move where your unique talents can flourish. This old world will really spin when work becomes a joyous expression of the soul” [Al Sacharov].

“Do your best and then some. You can’t go the second mile if you won’t go the first” [Gleespen].

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna

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Choose to be Uncommon

“To do the common things uncommonly well” [H. J. Heinz].

My computer has been operating very s…l…o…w…l…y. When I attempt to switch between a Word file and my Outlook In-box (and I’m being conservative here), I have time to go downstairs, get into my car, drive a mile up the road to Starbucks, order a light Carmel Frappuccino, return home, check my voice mail, let the dog out, go back upstairs, and sit down at my computer in time to watch Outlook open.

If you have ever had the misfortune of encountering this type of problem, you’ll understand when I say that my frustration level was growing by the hour. At first I thought I had a virus — but none of my virus protection software (and I employ several) showed any problems. I ran an Anti-Malware (malicious software) program. Yes, 23 issues were identified. No, my computer did not operate faster.

Finally, after some additional research, I realized my demands had outpaced my resources and my computer no longer had sufficient memory. I figured this was a pretty painless and inexpensive fix and before you can say “Random Access Memory,” I was on my way to Best Buy.

Now, I have to stop right here and say how much I love, LOVE Best Buy. I have consistently good experiences with the company and regularly recommend them to friends and family. The stores are clean, the staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the company itself puts out a lot of really good culture vibes, and you can trust what they tell you. (They’re not just trying to sell you something to rack up sales; they are not paid on commission.) Plus, how could you not love any company that is willing to create a “Geek Squad” to help its customers? And those Geek Squad people get excited when you ask about increasing your computer’s memory!

“Well done is better than well said” [Benjamin Franklin].

Let me give you a quick example of how great Best Buy is to me. A couple of months ago I had a question about an old cantankerous external back-up drive I own (which I did not purchase from Best Buy). I sent an email to the Geek Squad through the company’s main web site asking for assistance. I wasn’t looking to buy anything, I just needed some guidance. I received a very helpful email response from my local store, providing information to help solve my problem, as well as several alternatives to consider. The friendly tone of the message, the simple instructions provided, and the willingness to help caught me off guard. After all, they were just answering my question, not making a sale.

I sent a follow-up email with a quick thank you, and in a matter of minutes another response arrived saying how much they appreciated the opportunity to help and, oh, by the way, “Have a nice day.” I didn’t buy anything and had no intention to, I just needed some advice. Yet the person behind the email treated me like I had purchased the biggest home entertainment system in the store. Best Buy knows how to do the common things uncommonly well and, in the process, delivered excellent customer service!

What about you? “Think about all the common things you could do uncommonly well. Would an extra sentence or two in an email make the difference between simply informative and truly helpful information?” You shouldn’t be asking if you made a difference today. Of course you did! You undoubtedly affected somebody, maybe slightly, maybe significantly. The most important question to ask yourself is, “What kind of difference did I make?” [Mark Sanborn].

Excellence comes from striving, maintaining the highest standards, paying attention to little details, and being willing to go the extra mile.

In other words, only those who settle for mediocrity are always at their best. Unfortunately, the mediocre seldom realize what they have settled for” [Glenn Van Ekeren].

As Isaac D’Israeli said, “It is a wretched waste to be gratified with mediocrity when the excellent lies before us.”

“Go a step beyond the customary or ordinary. Give just a little more than normal” [Van Ekeren]. Choose to be uncommon today!

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna

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Who Are You Wearing?

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society” [Mark Twain].

If the above quote is true, I have to ask, “How is your fashion sense?”

Do you have it going on? Or would your friends and family describe you as “fashion unconscious”? Our society is focused on clothing and labels and designers. TV Guide is filled with listings for numerous fashion-inspired shows including What Not To Wear and Project Runway, and there are entire networks devoted to designers and the designs they design.

If you happen to watch any award shows like The Oscars, People’s Choice Awards or The Grammys, you’ll see an endless stream of beautiful people parading down the red carpet wearing gorgeous clothing, carrying expensive accessories, with priceless jewels adorning their fingers and wrists and necks and ears. And it all comes down to the big moment when the television personality asks, “Who are you wearing?”

This is the cue for the proud attendees to spout off designer names like they are writing a grocery list: Givency, Versace, Vera Wang, Valentino, Fred Leighton, Christian Dior, Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo. And although these labels produce stunning pieces, the real stars of the evening are the stylists. Those individuals who work with the fashion houses to secure the best outfits, scour stores for the perfect accessories, and basically, do everything humanly possible to ensure their client is perfectly attired, shod, bejeweled, and coiffed. Let’s face it — people rarely look that good on their own. It takes a team to produce a look that stunning.

“Know, first, who you are; and then adorn yourself accordingly” [Epictetus].

I must confess I regularly depend on a stylist to help me select the proper attire for the numerous red carpet events to which I’ve been invited. Does that surprise you?

My stylists have names like Stephen R. Covey, John C. Maxwell, Marcus Buckingham, Mark Sanborn, and Spencer Johnson. When I step out of bed and onto the red carpet of my life, I rely on their wisdom and guidance to help ensure I’ve developed the best possible philosophy and am wearing a positive outlook.

Life is fierce; who can successfully prepare for it on their own? I’ve seen people spend hours perusing fashion magazines, visiting stores, and seeking advice from numerous fashion sources in an effort to locate the perfect dress or suit or pair of shoes or accessory, while paying little attention to their mental attitude, which lies in ruins. We have our priorities all wrong — we’re focusing on the wrong labels.

“If most of us are ashamed of shabby clothes and shoddy furniture, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies . . . It would be a sad situation if the wrapper were better than the meat wrapped inside it” [Albert Einstein].

I encourage you to spend time filling the gaps in your “mental wardrobe” by reading the works of inspirational authors, attending seminars, listening to cds, and spending time in the company of friends who have a great sense of fashion. Create a stable of stylists to help you successfully navigate your own red carpet. “People never improve unless they look to some standard or example higher and better than themselves [Tyron Edwards].

“Be careless in your dress if you will, but keep a tidy soul” [Mark Twain].

Whatever you are, be a good one!

Deanna

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