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What does CHANGE mean to you?

by Rick Baker
On Jan 20, 2012

My friend and I got into an interesting discussion of CHANGE the other day.

We ended up sharing thoughts about the definition of CHANGE.

Obviously, the word 'change' has a very broad definition, including: make different, alter, make radically different, transform, replace with another, shift from one to another, etc1

When it comes to business, we must be able to provide a definition of CHANGE that is:

  • clear and easily understood
  • accepted by the business people who hear and see us use the word
About CHANGE, 2 parameters2 must be considered as most-important:
  1. Consciousness [Yes or No]
  2. Origin [Internal versus External]
Now, to be clear, Spirited Leaders believe People Only Do 3 Things: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things.
 
These 3 Things register or show up as thoughts and actions. When Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things register or show up they are within the realm of at least one person's Consciousness. So, for business purposes CHANGE is a Conscious thing. And, for all involved it is has both Internal and External impact and implications. As we blend in Spirited Leaders' view that People Only Do 3 Things, it is clear, CHANGE is pretty much the opposite of Habit. In fact, CHANGE is so close to the opposite of Habit we can say Habits do not contain enough meaningful amount of CHANGE to justify further consideration.
 
So, for business purposes: CHANGE = the arrival of New Things. [that's our definition]
 
There are two types of CHANGES:
  1. CHANGES For The Better
  2. other changes
Business Leaders want to focus their energy on CHANGES For The Better.
 
 
 

Footnotes:

  1. Merriam-Webster on-line dictionary
  2. Origin: we are not going to get all philosophical here, debating chickens-and-eggs about what goes on in human brains etc. Nor will we get all metaphysical here. Those are topics for another day...or another week...or, is it, another millennium.

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Definitions - Spirited Words Defined | Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things

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Thought Tweet #394

by Rick Baker
On Jan 19, 2012
Thought Tweet #394 Change happens when people experience New Things….as in 'Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things'
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet
And, those 3 things - that’s all people do. People Only Do 3 Things: Good Habits, Bad Habits, New Things. Here's a link to explain the thinking.

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things | Thought Tweets

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Change or Die

by Rick Baker
On Jan 11, 2012

Most people have trouble making changes.

Even when faced with the choice of 'change or die' most people are unable to change.

I have heard experts say that for quite some time. And, I know from personal experience and from observing other people it can be difficult to make certain changes. So, let's accept that as a fact of Nature.

What should we do about that?

The answer depends upon the future you desire.

In the future, do you want:

To be clear, I am not questioning whether or not you want other people to change...[that pretty much goes without saying]. I am asking, do you want:
  1. changes for the better?
  2. no changes?
  3. changes for the worse?
Unless I am missing something, those are the only 3 possibilities.
 
And,
  • most people would remove #3 from the short list and
  • many people, if not most people, would choose #1
If you choose #1 - if you choose changes for the better - then here is some advice that will help...
 
First: accept that facts, fear, & force will not lead to sustained changes for the better. Positive change, constructive change, has calmer and more comfortable sources. Relax yourself. Set aside time to think about yourself and the changes you desire. Think about baby steps of change. Think about what you want to accomplish...think about the end point. While you do that, set small achievable-action goals. But, don't expect immediate perfection. It takes desire and persistence and time to create Good Habits.
 
Educate yourself...using expert advice. For example, here is a recommendation from Alan Deutschman1:
 
The First Key to Change: Relate -
 
Form a new emotional relationship with a person or community that inspires and sustains hope.
 
The Second Key to Change: Repeat -
 
The new relationship helps you learn, practice, and master the new habits and skills that you'll need. It helps tremendously to have a good teacher, coach, or mentor to give you guidance, encouragement, and direction along the way.
 
The Third Key to Change: Reframe - 
 
The new relationship helps you learn new ways of thinking about your situation and your life. You change the way you look at the world.
 
Putting all of that together:
 
Relax, Relate, Repeat & Reframe
 
That's one way to create changes for the better.
 
 
Footnote:
 

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Change: Creating Positive Change | Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things

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Thought Tweet #388

by Rick Baker
On Jan 11, 2012
Thought Tweet #388 "We go into change rehearsing the history that brought us to this point." Parker Palmer
 
The Thinking Behind the Sales Tweet

Tags:

Change: Creating Positive Change | Thought Tweets

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Your Feelings & Your Bottom Line

by Rick Baker
On Jan 5, 2012

Business Leaders: how do you feel when your bottom line is positive, healthy, and growing?

When your bottom-line profits are pretty darned good, do you feel:

  • Terrible? or
  • Nothing? or
  • Pretty Darned Good?
I am going to hazard a guess and say, "When your bottom-line profits are pretty darned good you feel Pretty Darned Good".
 
So, to some degree, perhaps to a large degree, your bottom-line profits impact on how you feel.
 
There is a cause-and-effect at play here.
 
Good bottom lines lead to good feelings.
 
How about flipping it around...
 
Wouldn't you agree with the following: Good feelings lead to good bottom lines!
 
 
PS: In fact, isn't it impossible to imagine how bad feelings could ever lead to good bottom line profits?

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Change: Creating Positive Change | Emotions & Feelings @ Work | Optimism & Pessimism | Questions?: The Art of Asking Good Questions

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Emotions - Defined - Positive & Negative

by Rick Baker
On Dec 20, 2011

Napoleon Hill practiced and taught emotional control, seeing it as one of the keys to a pleasing and attractive personality.

He taught, feelings drive and hurl us...either up or down. It is a matter of self-control, actually - self-control over one's mind. It is as simple as accepting or rejecting emotions as they 'hit you'. It is as difficult as accepting or rejecting emotions as they 'hit you'. 

Self-control: simple and difficult.

Difficult because, when it comes to actions and habits, emotions play such a major role.

As a starting point, Napoleon Hill defined 7 positive emotions and 7 negative emotions.

 

 The 7 Positive Emotions

Love

Sex

Hope

Faith

Sympathy

Optimism

Loyalty

 

The 7 Negative Emotions

Fear*

Hatred

Anger

Greed

Jealousy

Revenge

Superstition

 

Footnote

Napoleon Hill defined 7 Fears:

  • Fear of Poverty
  • Fear of Criticism
  • Fear of Ill Health
  • Fear of Loss of Love
  • Fear of Old Age
  • Fear of Death
  • Fear of Loss of Liberty [he added this fear to the original 6 later in his life]

 

Tags:

Attitude: Creating Positive Attitude | Change: Creating Positive Change | Definitions - Spirited Words Defined | Emotions & Feelings @ Work | Habits: Good Habits, Bad Habits, & New Things | Hero Worship | Optimism & Pessimism

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