Ever notice that folks with a bad attitude tend to get bad results? And folks with a good attitude tend to get good results? This is no accident. It’s the law of the harvest in action. We reap what we sow. If your attitude toward the world is good you’ll obtain good results. If your attitude is excellent, you’ll obtain excellent results. And if your attitude is so so, you’ll obtain so so results. How wonderful that we can choose our results by choosing our attitude.
Our Days Usually Give Us Back What We Expect
I recently purchased an SUV and now everywhere I go I see people driving the same SUV. And it’s not even a common SUV. Ever have this happen to you? It happens to all of us. We tend to see what we’re thinking about. Knowing this, let’s choose to look for the best. The best in ourselves and the best in everyone who crosses our path. A funny thing about life is that we tend not to get what we deserve, but what we expect. By focusing on expecting the best, we tend to see more of this show up. And that’s a lot better than focusing on the worst in ourselves and others.
Whether Online Or Offline, Respond, Not React
It’s not what happens, but how we respond to it that matters. Most people don’t respond, they react. In a more interconnected world, having a hair-trigger temper doesn’t serve you well. Posting abrupt, mean or caustic things on the internet and Social Media can have long-term undesirable effects. If someone spits on you, they don’t make you mad. They make you wet. Mad is a decision and often a Pavlovian and unconscious one. Whether online or offline, slow down, take a deep breath and choose to respond in every situation. Technology speeds things up – just make sure it doesn’t speed up something that comes back to bite you in the butt.
A Winning Attitude
It’s getting easier and easier to find the people, expertise, and resources we need to accomplish almost anything due to the internet and Social Media. Let’s just assume for a minute that you’re very good at what you do. There are lots of people who are very good at what you do. So what’s the differentiator? The answer is attitude. Most people get good at their chosen profession while forgetting that the one thing that will move them from being good to being excellent and highly in-demand is a great attitude. Yes, get very good at what you do. And make sure you’re working on improving your attitude every day. Successful people come in all ages, sizes, shapes and colors. But they all have one thing in common, a winning attitude.
Make Time To Think And Welcome To The Two Percent Club
Most of the things which lead to success are very simple. The only problem with things that are simple to do is that they are also simple not to do. In Napoleon Hill’s classic, “Think and Grow Rich”, he talks about the importance of daily creative thinking. In today’s more and more hectic, non-stop information overload world, I would predict that 98% of the world’s population hasn’t developed the habit of sitting quietly for fifteen minutes every morning with a legal pad and a pen. If you will develop the habit of sitting and writing every morning for fifteen minutes you will be amazed at some of the things that flow from your head and pen. Just sit and write pure stream of consciousness. Don’t worry about it making sense or about what others will think. You’re not going to share these thoughts with anyone. Just write. Over the course of …
When You Create, You’ll Be Ripped Off. Create Anyway.
I keep having people bring to my attention that other Social Media speakers, trainers, authors, etc. are lifting (that’s a polite word for stealing) my own content, even using my “Kneblisms” word for word and earning a lot of money doing it. I don’t compete. I create. When you create, you will be ripped off. They can steal my stuff but they can’t steal my mind. And no one can steal yours either. Create. Add massive value to the world. What goes around comes around, both the good and the bad. And remember that karma’s not a bitch….unless you are.
Don’t Compete. Create.
You need not compete with nor deprive anyone. Don’t compete. Create instead. Amateurs compete. Professionals create.
Know Like Trust Vs. No Like Trust
A person who has connected with me on multiple Social Media platforms and responds to my polite welcome reply messages with immediate sales pitches for their product recently emailed me, “You’re a very, very hard person to get a phone call or face to face meeting with.” I replied, “Not if I know, like and trust you.” There was an MBA’s worth of a lesson in my reply if he grasped it. I don’t think he did, though.
Please Let Me Know If I Can Ever Help You In Any Way
How do you end your emails? In a more and more over-caffeinated, hyper-competitive, Mach 5 with your receding hairline on fire, Crackberry, Blackberry world, I’m suggesting that you put your hand out more often and be more friendly. I almost always end my emails with “Please let me know if I can ever help you in any way.” I could write a book on how adopting a pay-it-forward attitude toward everyone creates an amazing life of abundance. Oh yeah, I am writing a book on that right now. This doesn’t mean that you’re trying to be Mother Teresa or Gandhi. You’re just letting people know that you’re friendly and that you’re sincerely interested in helping them in some way if you can. Spread the love. Pay it forward. You’ll be amazed at how rich your life becomes.
Don’t Handicap Yourself Unnecessarily
This afternoon I was walking into a store and an elderly woman in one of those motorized handicapped scooters was also walking in at the same time so I said to her, “I’ll hold the door open for you.” As she was steering through the door, the side of her scooter nicked the door jam. I smiled at her and said, “Young lady, have you been drinking and driving?” She laughed, smiled at me and with a twinkle in her eye she replied, “I’ll never tell.” When she was out of earshot a lady who had observed our interaction said to me with a stern look on her face, “I can’t believe you said that to her.” I replied, “Why? Her legs are handicapped, not her sense of humor.” When people know that you sincerely care about them, there’s no need to worry about political correctness or any other stupid …
A Long, Happy Life Is A Lot To Think About
A long, happy life is a lot to think about. Focus on having a great day. Then do it again. And again. And before you know it, you’re having a pretty amazing life.
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Choose To Be Grateful In Biz And You’ll Have More To Be Grateful In Biz For
An often overlooked component of a successful business is gratitude. Anyone who has had some success in biz understands that you better make the customer or client happy through the sales process. And for most businesses, that’s where they end. Once the deal is consummated, product purchased, etc., they probably couldn’t pick their client out of a line-up. How do you show your gratitude to your clients on an ongoing basis? Do they feel the love? If so, for how long? What if you expressed your gratitude in some way and continued to do so over time? I’m not talking about in a weird, stalker-like way. I’m talking about in a way that’s sincere and keeps you top of mind. What if after they became your client, you remembered something unique from the sales or on boarding process and politely reminded them of that and thanked them for it. What …
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You’re Too Blessed To Be Stressed
DISCLAIMER: I am in no way trying to persuade you to pretend that there aren’t bad things which happen to good people or that everyone is a nice, kind, compassionate person. This post isn’t intended to gloss over the fact that life can be difficult. This isn’t a kum-bah-yah, group hug moment. If you’re cool with that, read on. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and sit for a minute. Now realize that you just sat on something. And you’re probably someplace with heat. And you’re drinking a cup of coffee or tea. And you have hands to hold the cup. And you’re alive. Alright, you get the point. We can be so busy that we miss just about everything. And I do mean everything. Compared to the majority of the world, we’re pretty fat, dumb, and happy. Did that offend you? Analyze that offense. Things which are close …
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Be Sober-Minded, Not Sober-Faced. Smile More.
I travel a lot. As a Professional Speaker/Author, I probably meet more people in a few weeks than most folks meet in a year or more and I’ve noticed something over time. There’s a lot of men who look like they’ve been sucking on a lemon since they were three years old. What’s with the dudes? I don’t find this so often with women. The Bible (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth) says to be sober-minded, not sober-faced. Smile more. Dale Carnegie taught this as one of his thirty instructions in his timeless classic, “How to Win Friends and Influence People” back in 1936. Matter of fact, in HTWFAIP, all of his chapter summaries are written as simple sentences, and the only instruction he gives which is only one word is the instruction, “Smile”. We tend to get what we give. Give a smile. It breaks the ice. And it usually …
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Spoil Your Parents. And Your Clients. While You Can.
My brothers and I recently sent our parents on an all-expense paid trip to Oahu and Maui where they stayed at two Four-Star waterfront resorts for their 50th wedding anniversary. Although my folks had the time of their life and they were very grateful for the present, I think I was the one who really got the gift. I’ve been able to have the greatest parents on earth for my 48 years of life here on this awesome blue ball. I didn’t always think my parents were that great, but that’s normal when you’re younger. Now I know better. Ever think about your clients kinda the same way you think about your parents? Your parents gave you life. Your clients gave you business. Your parents could have given you away and found or had some other kids. Your clients can give you away any time they like. We have limited …
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The Knebl Thirty Second Success Seminar
You can read tons of books on success, and I suggest you do. I’ve read about a book a week on personal development for almost twenty years, so I’ll save you some time. Here’s the Knebl Thirty Second Success Seminar: 1) Define your dream. 2) Determine the price in terms of time, effort, resources, etc. 3) Pay the price. Everything else is window dressing. Now go invest the thousands of dollars I just saved you on books.
In Business, Every Day Is Valentine’s Day
We know we’re supposed to show our love on Valentine’s Day. We’ve been sold this by Hallmark, Nestle and others since we were kids. If you’re in business, every day is Valentine’s Day. Your customers, clients, boss, colleagues, networking partners, and referral sources better be feeling the love. All the time. How are you ensuring they feel special?
Are You Having Business One Night Stands?
There are many things we can learn about how to build, enhance and maintain client relationships from marriage. If you’ve had any long-term success in business you realize it’s all about relationships. If you want your spouse to treat you better, treat her or him the way you treated them when you were dating. This isn’t difficult math. After money is transacted in your business and you deliver your value. What do you do then? How do you show your client that it wasn’t a one night stand? If it takes you more than a few seconds to answer this, you may be leaving skid marks in a lot of motel parking lots….
New Day’s Resolutions Instead of New Year’s Resolutions
According to many studies, the third week of January is the time when most people abandon their New Year’s resolutions. So, if this is accurate, perhaps some of the things you had hoped to create as new success habits in 2013, may seem unattainable to you now. While I’m all for taking massive, deliberate action and having short, medium, and long-range goals, for some folks, that’s just too much. Perhaps a good approach to sustained change may be setting New Day’s resolutions versus New Year’s resolutions. When you get up in the morning, set a resolution for the day. And if during the course of the day you drop the ball, don’t beat yourself up. Get up tomorrow and resolve it again. Over time, you’ll start to notice where you’re dropping the ball and course correct. Just don’t beat yourself up. Perhaps put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror …
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The Knebl Three-Foot Rule
I’ve lately had a number of people tell me that they’ve heard of my three-foot rule from others and they’ve said that they want to hear it from me in my own words, so because I seek to serve, here ya go. The Knebl Three-Foot Rule: 1) Smile at everyone who comes within three feet of you. 2) If they smile back, say hi. 3) If they say hi back, start a conversation with them about them. That’s it. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity – things that are simple to do are also simple not to do. Like exercising, eating correctly, etc. This simple rule has made me hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars, but that’s not why I do it. I do it because it’s the right way to live. The money is a nice fringe benefit. Now go forth, be friendly and prosper. To your massive …