Setting SMART Business Goals: A Simple Guide for Success in the New Year

The end of a year is a great time to reflect on the past twelve months and set goals for the upcoming year. For business owners, setting goals that you can achieve is a critical part of keeping your organization on track and achieving success in the long term. In this blog post, we will go through the steps you can take to plan your business goals for the new year.

Reflect on the Past Year:

Before you start setting new goals for your business, take some time to look back on the past year. What were your accomplishments? What goals did you not meet? What worked well, and what didn't? This reflection will help you to assess where your business stands and what areas need improvement. It can also help you identify any roadblocks or challenges you encountered in the previous year so you can work to address them moving forward.

Some examples of things you might reflect on include:

Sales: Did your business meet its sales targets for the year? If not, what contributed to that miss?

Customer satisfaction: How satisfied were your customers with your products or services? Were there any common complaints or issues that arose throughout the year?

Employee satisfaction: Were your employees happy with their jobs? Did you see high turnover rates or low engagement from your team?

Market trends: Were there any significant changes or developments in your industry? Did your business adapt to these changes or fall behind?

By looking back at these and other vital factors, you can get a sense of what you should focus on in the upcoming year.

Set SMART Goals:

Once you've reflected on the past year, it's time to set new goals for your business. When setting these goals, it's essential to ensure they are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.

Specific: Your goals should be clearly defined and precise. Avoid vague phrases like "increase sales" or "grow the business." Instead, be clear about what you want to achieve, such as "increase sales by 10% in Q2."

Measurable: Your goals should be quantifiable so you can track your progress and assess whether you've achieved them. For example, "increase social media followers by 1000" is more measurable than "improve our social media presence."

Achievable: Be realistic about what you can achieve. While it's great to set ambitious goals, they should still be attainable, given your resources and constraints.

Relevant: Your goals should align with your overall business strategy and be pertinent to your industry and customers. If you're a software company, for example, "develop a new mobile app" might be more relevant than "create a line of physical products."

Time-Bound: Set a deadline for achieving your goals, whether that's by month, quarter, or year-end. This will help you to stay accountable and focused on achieving the goal within a specific timeframe.

Some examples of SMART goals for businesses might include:

Increase revenue by 15% in the upcoming fiscal year

Launch a new product line in Q2

Cut operating expenses by 10% by the end of the year

Improve customer satisfaction ratings by 20 by the end of Q3

Once you've set SMART goals, make sure everyone on your team is clear about what they are and what specific actions are needed to achieve them.

Prioritize Your Goals:

Being realistic about what can be accomplished in a given timeframe is important. Some goals may be more urgent or important than others, so you must prioritize them effectively. You might use a grid or chart to help you visualize which goals are high or low priority, or a ranking system where goals are assigned a number or letter (e.g. A/B/C, 1/2/3, etc.).

When prioritizing your goals, consider the following:

Alignment with overall strategy: Are your goals aligned with your business's overall strategy and mission?

Impact on business: Which goals will have the greatest impact on your business's success?

Resource availability: What resources (time, money, team members) do you have available to dedicate to each goal?

By prioritizing your goals, you'll ensure that your team's efforts and resources are being directed towards the most important objectives.

Break Down Goals Into Manageable Tasks:

Once you have established your overall goals and priorities, it's important to break them down into smaller, more manageable tasks. This process can help you identify the steps needed to achieve each goal and can make the goals feel more achievable and less daunting.

For example, if one of your goals is to "increase website traffic by 25%," some of the manageable tasks involved might be:

Conduct keyword research and optimize website copy accordingly

Develop a content marketing plan and calendar

Increase social media presence and engagement

By breaking down your goals into tasks, you'll also be able to allocate these tasks to specific team members or departments, so everyone knows what they need to work on.

Involve Your Team:

Goals don't just come from the top down - involving your team in the goal-setting process is also important. By asking for input and ideas, you'll help your team feel more invested in the success of the business and you may also uncover opportunities for innovation and growth that you otherwise wouldn't have thought of.

Here are some ways you might involve your team in setting business goals:

Hold a group brainstorming session to generate ideas and goals

Ask team members to suggest areas where the business could improve

Provide team members with a list of proposed goals and ask for their feedback and input

By involving your team, you'll make sure that everyone is on the same page and feels motivated to work towards the goals.

Review and Revise Regularly:

Lastly, it's important to stay flexible and adaptable as you work towards your goals. Your business environment and circumstances might change throughout the year, and adjusting your goals and plans is important.

Make sure to regularly review your progress towards your goals and assess whether you need to make any changes. Do this on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis, depending on the scale and length of your goals.

If you find that you're not on track to reach a goal or that the goal is no longer a priority, don't be afraid to revise it or even scrap it altogether. It's better to be agile and adapt to change than to be rigid and stick to a plan that's no longer working.

Conclusion:

Setting business goals for the new year is critical to the success of any organization. By reflecting on the past year, setting SMART goals that align with your business strategy, prioritizing effectively, breaking down goals into manageable tasks, involving your team, and regularly reviewing and revising, you'll be well on your way to achieving success in the upcoming year.

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Unlock the Secret to Success: 15 Time Management Tips for Small Business Owners

Small business owners wear multiple hats and often juggle various daily tasks. Running a business can be overwhelming and time-consuming, from managing employees to tracking finances. In today's competitive business landscape, time management and productivity have become critical factors for the success of any business. This blog post will discuss practical tips to help small business owners manage their time effectively and increase productivity.

For best results, implement one tip per week, and within a few months, you will be as productive as a successful multi-million dollar business owner.

1. Prioritize Your Tasks 

As a small business owner, it's essential to prioritize your tasks based on their importance and urgency. Start your day by listing all the tasks you need to complete and then categorize them as 'high priority', 'medium priority', and 'low priority.' 

Focus on completing the high-priority tasks first, as they have the most significant impact on your business. This approach ensures that you are using your time efficiently and productively.

2. Use A Planner

A planner or calendar can help you stay organized and manage your time effectively. Create a schedule and allocate time for each task on your to-do list. 

Include buffer time between tasks to handle unexpected events or interruptions. 

A planner also helps you plan and prepare for upcoming deadlines and meetings.

3. Eliminate Distractions 

Distractions can significantly impact productivity and prevent you from completing tasks on time. For example, social media notifications, emails, and phone calls are common distractions that can waste time. 

To avoid distractions, turn off notifications and allocate specific times to check your emails and social media accounts. You can also use productivity tools to block websites that are not work-related.

4. Outsource non-core tasks 

As a small business owner, you may handle tasks not part of your core business operations, such as accounting or social media management.

Outsourcing these tasks to a professional can help you save time and focus on growing your business. Consider hiring a virtual assistant or outsourcing tasks to a freelancer to free up your time.

5. Set Realistic Goals 

Setting realistic goals can help you stay motivated and on track. 

Ensure your goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Then, break down your goals into smaller, actionable steps and celebrate each milestone you achieve. 

This approach helps you stay focused and motivated, leading to increased productivity.

6. Take Breaks 

Regular breaks throughout the day help you stay focused and avoid burnout. However, working long hours without breaks can decrease productivity and increase stress levels. Instead, take short breaks to stretch, walk around, or have a snack. 

You can also try the Pomodoro technique, where you work for 25 minutes and take a five-minute break.

7. Seek Business Coaching 

Business coaching can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, set achievable goals, and create an action plan to increase productivity.

In addition, a business coach can provide valuable insights and guidance to help you overcome obstacles and achieve your business goals.

INTERMISSION:

By prioritizing tasks, using a planner, eliminating distractions, outsourcing non-core tasks, setting realistic goals, taking breaks, and seeking business coaching, you can increase productivity and achieve your business objectives. 

Remember, small changes in your daily routine can significantly improve your overall productivity and business success.

Let's keep going!

8. Use Productivity Tools 

There are many productivity tools available that can help small business owners streamline their work processes and increase their efficiency. 

For example, project management tools like Trello and Asana can help you track and manage tasks, while time-tracking apps like RescueTime and Toggl can help you monitor how you're spending your time. 

You can also use automation tools like Zapier or IFTTT to automate repetitive tasks and save time.

9. Delegate Tasks 

Delegating tasks to your employees can help you free up your time and focus on the most critical aspects of your business. Identify the tasks that your team members can do and delegate them accordingly. 

Delegation helps you save time, empowers your employees, and fosters a culture of trust and collaboration within your organization.

10. Invest In Training And Development 

Investing in training and development for yourself and your employees can help you stay up-to-date with industry trends, acquire new skills, and improve productivity. 

Attend workshops and conferences, enroll in online courses, or offer training programs for your team members. 

This investment can lead to improved job satisfaction, higher employee retention rates, and increased productivity and profitability for your business.

11. Practice Self-Care 

Taking care of yourself is critical to maintaining your productivity and well-being. Make sure to get enough sleep, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and take breaks to recharge. 

Consider practicing mindfulness or meditation to reduce stress and improve your focus. Remember, caring for yourself is not selfish; you must be your best self for your business and loved ones.

12. Review And Optimize Your Processes 

Regularly reviewing and optimizing your small business systems and processes can help you identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement.

Analyze your workflows, track your results, and ask for feedback from your team members and customers. 

Use this information to refine your processes and make them more efficient and effective. This continuous improvement approach can help you stay ahead of the competition and achieve long-term success.

13. Stay Organized 

Staying organized can significantly impact your productivity and reduce stress levels. Keep your workspace clean and clutter-free, and use tools like file cabinets, shelves, and storage containers to organize your documents and materials. 

Use digital tools like cloud storage and note-taking apps to organize your digital files and notes.

14. Learn To Say 'No' 

As a small business owner, you may find yourself saying 'yes' to every opportunity that comes your way. 

While it's essential to be open-minded and seize opportunities, learning to say 'no' when necessary is crucial. 

Saying 'no' to non-essential tasks or projects can help you focus on the most critical aspects of your business and avoid over-committing.

15. Celebrate Your Successes 

Finally, remember to celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem. 

Celebrating your achievements can help you stay motivated and cheerful and create a culture of gratitude and appreciation within your organization. 

Recognize your team members' contributions and celebrate your milestones with them. This approach can help you build a more engaged and motivated team and achieve tremendous success in the long run.

In conclusion:

In conclusion, time management and productivity are critical factors for small business owners' success. By using productivity tools, delegating tasks, investing in training and development, practicing self-care, reviewing and optimizing your processes, staying organized, learning to say 'no,' and celebrating your successes, you can increase your productivity, achieve your business goals, and lead a fulfilling and successful life as a small business owner. Remember, productivity is not just about doing more; it's about doing the right things, in the right way, at the right time.

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE CHANGES IN YOUR SMALL BUSINESS?

Contact us today at 405-919-9990 or schedule a free consultation by clicking here!

Why Understanding Your Core Values Is A Game-Changer In Business And Life

Have you ever been hesitant to make a decision because something doesn't feel right?

Have you ever made a decision and then immediately regretted it because you feel uncomfortable? 

Have you ever made a decision that you feel good about, but your partner or friend feels uneasy about it? 

The reason for those uneasy feelings? It's typically your gut feeling telling you something does not align with your guiding principles.

Your guiding principles are also why you might feel good about a situation, and those around you may not feel the same. Your guiding principles do not align.

So what are your guiding principles? Guiding principles are your core values.

Core values are defined as: a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life. 

(Value definition provided by Google. Google’s English dictionary is provided by Oxford Languages.)

Your values are emotional driving blocks that lead you to build a better life. Understanding your core values can be a game-changer for your success in business and life. 

Here are a few areas in business and life that you can benefit from by understanding your top three core values. Following is a values assessment where you can quickly discover your top three core values.

CORE VALUES DRIVE YOUR SUCCESS

With the hustle and bustle in business and life, it is easy to lose sight of your initial objectives.

Often we forget to spend time on the things that matter most. 

Understanding your core values assist you in defining what is important to you and what areas of business and life you need to be focused on. 

We succeed when we keep a clear eye upon the prize.

For example, if one of your core values is personal freedom: your overall goal should be to know when to say yes or when to say no to opportunities that may cut into your schedule of commitments that affect your objectives.

When you understand your core values, you will pause and ask yourself if this will be the best use of your time to contribute to your success.

CORE VALUES HELP YOU MAKE BETTER DECISIONS

When you are the boss of your time, you can take the day off and go play golf whenever you want! You can revel in your success and take a break anytime.

But, is this the best use of your time?

By understanding your core values, you are better equipped to hold yourself accountable for what matters most. You will find that accountability is an excellent motivator for getting things done, make better decisions, and stay true to your objectives. 

It also helps you judge your actions clearly and honestly. Regular, honest self-assessment can propel you towards more productivity in achieving the goals you want to achieve. 

CORE VALUES AFFECT RELATIONSHIPS

If things of value to you do not match in a relationship or with a business partner, then the best thing to do is move on, or it will most likely fail down the road if there is not a compromise. 

Some things can be worked out and agreed upon, and other things cannot. 

For example, if you are in a personal relationship and are adamant about wanting children and your other half does not at all, then it is best to break it off and continue seeking a partner that does. 

If you were to go ahead and take the plunge with these values misaligned, then your relationship will more than likely come to an end at some point. 

People can change in some areas, but individual values don't. It's just in our DNA.

In business, an example is that you are in a business partnership. You are committed to working "on" the business and not "in" the business, and your partner feels otherwise. It is best not to enter into the business partnership or find a way to end your current partnership amicably. 

If values are not aligned in relationships, there will always be confrontations like who wants this or that, or who works more or less here and there. This will result in communication breakdowns, eventually causing uncomfortable tension in the future.

DISCOVER YOUR TOP THREE CORE VALUES NOW

After years of study, Michael D Morrison Enterprises has created a "Values Assessment" exercise. This exercise will assist you in discovering your core values in a matter of minutes, allowing you to make quicker decisions that drive your success in business and life.

Get your FREE "Values Assessment" by emailing michael@michaeldmorrison.com and putting "Values Assessment" in the subject line.

Are you ready to achieve success quicker by discovering your core values? Book a discovery call with Michael Morrison today.

15 Time Management Strategies and Tips You Need to Know

Managing your time wisely is a must, but let's be honest—it's not a very easy thing to do. 

We all wish there were more hours in the day, but that's not going to happen anytime soon…at least not for a few billion years. Many of us feel like we don't have enough time, but the good news is there's plenty we can do about it. 

Want to know how to manage time? Check out these great time management strategies. 

1. Create a List of Daily Tasks

First, begin each day by jotting down a list of tasks you wish to complete. 

If you want to learn how to manage time better, list-making is right up there at the top. Formulate a picture of what you want to accomplish before the end of the day, and then break that down into realistic milestones. 

Check off each item as you go, and watch the completed tasks pile up. 

2. Learn to Prioritize

Of course, writing a task-list in random order isn't going to cut it. 

This is where prioritization comes in. Emphasize the more important tasks first, and relegate the less important to the back of the list. 

Priority tasks are those that are more difficult to complete or come with a time limit. If necessary, disassemble these big tasks into smaller, incremental steps that are easier to complete. 

3. Set Time Limits

As time management strategies go, this is big. 

Leaving yourself an open-ended time period to complete a task is just asking for procrastination and time-wasting. Don't acquire this bad habit. 

Set firm but realistic goals for each of your tasks. By now, you should know about how long it might take you to perform a specific task. Try to finish your work within the designated timeframe, and keep aiming for faster finish times. 

4. Avoid Distractions

A major part of learning how to be better at time management is avoiding distractions. 

Sometimes, distractions are unavoidable. But let's be honest—you could do a better job eliminating some very avoidable ones. 

So use the "do not disturb" function on your phone or computer, don't go down the rabbit hole of reading junk articles on the internet, and turn off the TV. Distractions are your enemy—vanquish them! 

5. Avoid Multitasking

This is related to the above. Time management at work is difficult, and sometimes it's tempting to try to do several things at once. 

Sometimes, you don't have much of a choice. But try to pare down the multitasking as much as possible. Focus on one thing, do it well, and follow it through to completion. Then move to the next thing. 

Trying to do everything at once will only leave you with nothing accomplished. 

6. Time Management Apps Are Your Friend

This age of computers and digital devices comes with innumerable distractions. 

But there are also plenty of newfangled applications to help you focus and manage your time. Organizational apps like Trello and Toggl, and time managers like RescueTime and Remember The Milk help you organize your tasks and boost your productivity. 

7. Set Aside Time for Emails

Look, we all get caught up scrolling through the inbox, checking and responding to emails. Or we instantly respond to emails as they roll in. 

But this is another distraction, and if you can help it, set aside a chunk of time during the day for answering emails. Turning off email notifications would also help out. 

Either way, this is about prioritization (see #2). Designate certain times to check and respond to emails (in the morning, at lunchtime, and late afternoon), and ignore them the rest of the time (if you can). 

8. Perform Weekly Time Audits

Auditing your performance every week will help you track your progress and better understand your time management. 

Keep a record each day of how much time it takes you to complete your tasks. Then, at the end of the week, you can see how you've done. Look for those areas where you performed better than you thought, and find where you need some more work. 

9. Change up Your Schedule

Sometimes you need to shake things up a bit. 

If you find that you're still having trouble organizing your time, despite using various management tricks, you might consider a schedule change. Maybe you need to wake up earlier or focus on certain tasks in the morning and others in the afternoon. 

Change your routine every once in a while, and see if that helps out. After all, everyone gets into a rut sometimes. 

10. Always Have Backup Tasks

It's good to have a little ancillary list of low-priority, but still important tasks always on hand. 

The reason is that sometimes unforeseen circumstances insert a hard break in your main task routine. A computer program stalls, the network is down, or the internet has a meltdown. Could be you're waiting on someone else in order to complete your task, and they're not cooperating with your schedule. 

Whatever it is, it's always a good idea to have a few backup tasks that need to be done and that can fill up your wait-time. 

11. Organize Your Space

Time management strategies are always helped by efficient space management strategies. 

If your workspace is a sloppy mess, get in there and get organized. Put your desk in order, and remove all that clutter and those piles of papers that have been accumulating for at least a decade. 

The same goes for your digital space. Take the time to organize all the files and apps on your computer, and put your inbox in order by using all those handy folders and other organizational features. 

12. Use the Calendar!

A calendar is your friend. And it's also a great way to organize your tasks and manage your time. 

If you prefer the old, physical kind of calendar, then go nuts. Schedule tasks with differently colored pens and markers, fill it with Post-It notes, and do whatever else you need to organize your time. 

If you'd rather use the digital kind, avail yourself of all the many features. Set up reminders, devise schedules, and use alerts to keep you focused and on track. 

13. Don't Try to Be a Perfectionist

Obsessive perfectionism is the nemesis of good time management. 

If you suspect you're a perfectionist, figure out a way to moderate this behavior. If you're always trying to follow your tasks through to an unrealistic standard of perfection, you'll be spending hours on it. 

Oftentimes, what's needed is for the work to be completed, not completed to the point of being a masterwork. Sometimes, good is good enough. Stop trying to be perfect. 

14. Learn to Delegate

It can be a little unnerving to entrust one of your tasks to someone else. But if it's possible to delegate some work to a teammate, then by all means do it. 

If you offload some of your tasks to others, this will lessen your workload and allow you to concentrate on the more important tasks of the day. Start with the less important tasks, and see how the teammate does. If they do a good job, you can begin to share more important tasks. 

15. Nope Out When You Have To

There comes a time when you have to put your foot down and say "no" like you mean it. 

If you're always taking on extra work from co-workers, or fielding their requests, you won't have time to complete your work. And what response will you have when asked why you didn't finish your tasks? 

Create some boundaries, and maintain them. When your work is completed, then you can assist others. You can only do so much, and there are only so many hours in the day. 

Bonus Time Management Strategies

So those are fifteen time management ideas to help you get the job done. 

If you focus on them, you'll start to see results in managing your time. But let's look at a few bonus tips to further help you get organized: 

Bonus Tip #1: Do the Most Important Tasks in the Morning

That's right. Get the most serious chores done right away, when you've got the energy and drive to tackle them. Leave the lesser stuff for the afternoon. 

Bonus Tip #2: Don't Wait on Inspiration

Sometimes you're just not feeling it. You haven't got the divine "spark" instilled in your brain by the Nine Muses. Never mind—dive into the work and the motivation and inspiration will follow. 

Bonus Tip #3: Do Less

Understand that you can't always get everything done in a single day. Look at your list of tasks, and decide which ones are really important. Focus on fewer tasks, and do them well. 

Use These Time Management Tips to Meet Your Goals

We hope these time management strategies will help you better organize your time and achieve your daily goals. Remember, all it takes is determination and a little chutzpah. 

Are you ready to explore the many ways you can succeed in life? Go ahead and book a discovery call with Michael Morrison.  

How To Get Out Of A Funk

Remember how normal things were before the year 2020? Yeah, I don't either.

Like many this year, I have found myself in a bit of a funk from time to time.

These days, it seems that just when things begin to stabilize, another unforeseen event creates a new ocean of uncharted waters. 

The unforeseen creates turbulence that is disrupting our confidence in our plans like never before.

So, it is valid and understandable why so many of us get in a funk from time to time as worldly ways continue to throw us curveballs. Here are a few simple tricks to turn that frown upside down in just a matter of minutes.

If your circumstance is extreme, waste no time reaching out to resources like MentalHealth.gov or The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Here are a few tips we've found to be helpful to get out of a funk. Consider these if you are looking for inspiration to move you forward from a short season of funk.

Schedule It

With unprecedented times, comes uncertainty. 

Do you see anything exciting on your calendar in the near future? For most, the answer is no. Most destination trips, concerts, special events, etc. have been canceled or postponed indefinitely.

Before the CoronaVirus, our calendars looked like pieces of art with various colors highlighting numerous activities as well as the anticipated Paid Time Off for our destiny vacation.

Today, many social calendars look like a blank white canvas eager for a special event to take up space.

Often, joy and meaning is the hope we have for the future.

So, if we do not see anything exciting to look forward to in our future, we unknowingly will fall into a funk.

Schedule something exciting in your social calendar every couple of weeks to look forward to even if it is small.

Examples could be a hiking trip on Saturday with the kids, a drive-in movie, organizing digital pictures from all of your devices and installing on a digital frame for the family to enjoy, take a virtual trip with a friend, schedule a recurring time to learn a musical instrument, plan a mountain biking trip, schedule an online cooking course, schedule time to write a book, learn a new dance style, schedule an unplanned road trip, take time to train and spend time with your dog, and so much more. 

Get creative and schedule small things that will get you excited to look forward to soon and often!

Unplug

Online platforms are addicting! Studies have shown that social media leads people into depression and a funk.

Addiction to digital connections is also causing many to drift from healthy human interactions into an unhealthy funk.

We do not need statistics to tell us that we need to disconnect. But, we do need reminders about why it is important to disconnect.

Here are just a couple of reminders why it is essential to unplug for extended periods:

Today, social media feeds leave many people with thoughts of envy or jealousy from others posting what appears to be a more comfortable life. Leading us into a funk that our life is not exciting or good enough. In reality, most users are posting nothing more than kodak moments, and their life is typically more chaotic than ours.

Unplug from all news for a minimum of 1 month, and you will improve your health and feel better. If you have not figured it out by now, the news is not even close to what is happening in the real world. Consistently checking in on the news is detrimental to your mental and physical health. 

Digital distraction, if unrestricted, can make us numb. Numerous studies show that Internet addiction can be as addictive and harmful as cocaine, alcohol, and other dangerous substances. 

Just unplugging from these two alone will quickly get you out of a funk.

Spontaneity 

A common reason people get in a funk is boredom. When our surroundings do not change often, we get stuck in a rut leaving us in a funk.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many people to become hostages within their own homes for extended periods leaving very little room for spontaneity.

Others are in a funk because they are stuck in a relationship, a lousy job, or caring for an elderly loved one day-to-day, and their life has become mundane.

Structure in our life is good for personal development, but too much of the same thing every day can leave us unmotivated and uninspired. Change your routine. Many people do not like change, but change is inevitable to get out of a funk. 

Examples of spontaneity could be taking a different route to work, mow on Thursday evening rather than the usual Saturday morning, take an unplanned road trip, discover new music to listen to in the car, go for a walk, read a book by the lake, go on a nature walk at lunch instead of with co-workers, call a loved one you don't talk to often, try a different food you've never tried before, try something you are scared of, or try a new sporting event.

Get creative! Spontaneity activities vary from person to person. By doing something different today, tomorrow, and the following day's you will quickly find yourself inspired to add more spice to your life, and you'll be out of your funk in no time.

How to Get Out of a Funk

We all get in a rut from time to time, as it is a normal part of life. If you are in a funk, try one of the activities listed to change things up. Changing things up is often the key enough to getting us out of a funk.

Are you ready to explore other self-development strategies to succeed in business and life? Book a discovery call with Michael Morrison today.

How To Set Goals That You're Actually Going To Achieve

If you've ever set a goal in January only to fizzle out by February or March, you know that achieving goals is harder than it sounds. In fact, 80% of people fail to keep their new year's resolutions. 

But don't throw in the towel just yet. In this article, you will learn how to set goals that work. You'll understand the difference between the way you set goals in the past and the better way to do it moving forward.

Read on! 

Take a Good Long Look at Your Life

The best way to succeed in reaching your goals is to start by taking stock.

You need to evaluate where you are in life. Look at each area in your life: relationships, finances, career, health, wellness, creativity, and so on.

Be completely honest with yourself. It might help to do an assessment or write down how satisfied you are in each area on a scale of 1 to 10.

Then look over your findings. What areas need improvements? What parts of your life are you unsatisfied with?

Answering these questions will help you start from where you really are. Then, you are more like to make goals that are attainable and realistic because you aren't under delusions that will cause you to fail.

Once you have goals in place, you will be on your way to moving towards a life you love in every aspect. 

Imagine the Best Case Scenario 

Taking stock of your life can be shocking and discouraging. But don't worry. The next thing you will do is imagine an overarching vision for how you want your life to be.

Setting goals without having a clear idea of what you want your life to look like afterward makes you less likely to succeed. By cementing that vision in your mind, you know exactly what you're working towards.

Let's look at some examples. Some people set goals like go to the gym three times a week or lose 40 pounds. But that doesn't motivate you because you don't have a vision for what life will be like once you reach that goal.

Instead, imagine a life where you run a 10K race every 6 months and go for long hikes with your dog each week. Imagine that each Saturday you join other rowing enthusiasts on the lake and practice for a rowing competition.

That vision can do a lot to carry you as you force yourself to the gym three times a week. 

Consider the key areas of your life—health, relationships, finance, career, personal/ spiritual development. Then write down your vision for each category.

Put everything down! This is the time to dream big! 

Set SMART Goals

You've probably heard of SMART goals before. This acronym stands for “specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based.”

Non-smart goals are little more than wishes. "I want to lose 15 pounds or I want to earn six figures" don't tell you how you will do it or when.

Instead, a smart goal would be, I want to lose one pound a week by eating clean and exercising every day so that I can lose 15 pounds by Christmas.

A big part of how to set goals and achieve them is to break large goals into smaller pieces. When you do this, the goal is still clear yet it is also within reach. 

One pound a week feels much more manageable than 15.

Also, achieving the smaller (in this case weekly) goals gives you a confidence boost. Then you feel motivated to push forward to the next step.

If your goal is large, see if you can break it down to quarterly goals. Let's say that you want to get a better job that pays X amount by next year. 

Break that goal into quarterly items you can do. On that list might be updating your resume, taking training courses to refresh your skillset. 

Then the second quarter might include interview prep skills and practice interviews. The third and fourth quarter might include applying to jobs and expanding your network.

Once you have your quarterly goals mapped out. Break those down into weekly goals. If you want to apply to 50 jobs a quarter, you can break that down to 12 a week.

Set Goals in Writing

This is crucial when you want to learn how to set goals.

Just the act of writing down a goal makes it real and tangible. It also matters how you write it. 

Avoid phrases like "I will try to..." Instead, choose powerful action words like "I will..."

Put that written goal where you can see it multiple times a day. Perhaps on your bathroom mirror, or on your computer screen, or on the fridge. 

Plan Your Behavior 

Research shows that you are two or three times more likely to stick to a goal if you have a specific plan for when, where, and how you will do the behavior you want.

This ties in closely to setting SMART goals. In one study, researchers asked people to fill in this sentence: “During the next week, I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on [DAY] at [TIME OF DAY] at/in [PLACE].”

What they found is that those who completed that sentence were up to three times more likely to do the exercise compared to those who set a goal but didn't make specific plans.

In psychology, these plans are called  “implementation intentions.” They outline when, where, and how you intend to implement a certain action.

You can use this technique for everything you want to change in your life. From improving your grades to being able to quit smoking.

Habit Stacking 

Another way to learn how to set goals in life is to pair your new habit with something you already do. This is called habit stacking. All you have to do is decide that you will do your new habit before or after an existing daily habit.

For example: After I pour my morning cup of coffee, I will meditate for five minutes using my meditation app.

If you are on the hunt for a better job, your habit stacking might look like this. After I come back from my lunch break, I will send out one email to someone in my network.

This is really an easy way to get into the routine of your chosen goal. If you are someone who easily forgets things, this is a great tool for you.

Also, if you are a creature of habit, you will find this technique makes it easy to start changing the way you live your life.

Habits are the little know secret for success. Fine-tune yours and watch your life change.

Align Your Goals With Your Values

This step often naturally happens after you write down your vision for each area of your life. Yet, it's worth explaining it fully.

If you set a goal that doesn't align with your core values, it will be an uphill battle each step of the way. Some people can push past that resistance and accomplish it, but many of us can't.

Also, you may not realize that this is the reason why you find it almost impossible.

Ask yourself if your goals fit into the values that you hold close. Goals that you set because you think you should won't motivate you.

It is vital that your goals line up with who you are and especially who you want to be. Perhaps you want to be a great leader because of the powerful effect leaders have had on your life. 

Remember, goal setting is so personal. Goals aren't just something that can be borrowed or passed around from friends and family members.

You have to set goals that work for you.  

Make Sure You Have a Floor

Most people when setting goals are very clear about what they want to accomplish.

But what about when you have a terrible cold or a migraine? What about the days when your kids are acting out and so you have a bad sleep? What happens when you are on a family road trip or on a business trip?

Real life happens. It's not always easy to reach the goal when life gets in the way.

But instead of feeling like a failure or giving up, there is a perfect solution.

When you set a goal, consider that your ceiling.

For example, go for a 5-mile run every day. Great, that's your ceiling. Now you need a floor. 

The floor is the bare minimum that you could do even if everything conspires against you such as in the examples above.

If your kids are sick and you are on vacation and you have a headache - what is possible and doable on that day? Probably you can't run 5 miles that day.

But can you speed walk around your block? Or can you lace up your running shoes and at least jog to the mailbox and back?

The floor will be different for everyone. But it is what you know you can do no matter what.

Then, try to get those 5 miles whenever possible. But on days when it just isn't possible, you do your floor. 

Having a floor means you didn't fail and you are still working towards your end goal.

How to Set Goals That Work 

There you have it! A detailed guide on how to set goals that work.

We hope that this article has given you the confidence to know that it is possible to achieve your goals. It is possible to change your life.

Now you know how.

Are you ready to explore what possibilities are out there for you? Book a discovery call with Michael Morrison today. 

How to Become a Great Leader That People Want to Follow

There is a 93% chance that your team would rate you in the bottom 10th percent of productivity in the office. That is if you're an uninspiring leader.

If you want to know where you stand in your office, you need to know how to be a great leader. You can learn everything you need to know about how to become a great leader by reading this article.

Avoid being an uninspiring, unproductive leader by taking all of our practices back to the office. Your employees will be beyond excited, and you'll be more respected than ever.

1. Start With Understanding Yourself

Before you start making the necessary changes for yourself and your team, you need to understand how you fit in the team. In other words, you need to understand your personality.

You may be wondering how you could understand yourself any better than you already do. However, you may be surprised to hear the results of a leadership personality test. Many people who do choose to take personality tests end up with a different result than they were initially expecting.

Once you take a personality test or two, you can truly understand how you handle different situations in the office. From this, you can change your outlook and allocate responsibilities equally and equitably.

You may be a communicator who thought they were a problem-solver. In this example, you may begin giving problems to others and taking on communication tasks for yourself.

Having your employees take these examinations can help you know which tasks would be best given to whom.

2. Gather Everyone and Ask For Ideas

You should always encourage your staff to be creative and open with their ideas. After you have taken those personality assessments, you can better decide where your help is most needed.

However, you need to see where people want your help first. Ask your employees how their current projects are doing and how you can help support them in completing those projects.

You should also make sure to ask for everyone's input in what your company has done so far. Ask if there are things they'd like to add or get rid of. If they do have great ideas, credit them with those ideas, and ask if they would like to take over approved projects by themselves.

Make sure that you're leading your staff towards creative, effective solutions that would lead to great outcomes for your company.

3. Do the Work Yourself

Stop sending your employees off to do everything for themselves. You should encourage hard work, but you shouldn't use your employees to avoid doing the work yourself.

Make sure that you're holding yourself accountable and completing just as much work as everyone else in the office. If your position is managerial or supervisory, make sure that you're diving into your work. Your main responsibility may be organizing employees, but you should make sure that you're doing more than organizing them into spreadsheets.

Dive into your and your employees' work. Show them you care, and you'll earn their respect in no time.

4. Spread Positivity

If you're upset whenever you're working, your employees will be able to tell. Show that you're excited about the work you and your team are doing.

If you aren't positive or happy about your job, you should ask yourself how you can change this. Do you need a company retreat, casual Fridays, or something else to make work more bearable?

Check-in on your employees periodically and make sure they're happy with what they're doing. If they aren't happy, experiment with how you can change their working environment to please their needs.

Your workers need a break from time to time. Turn your office into a place of growth, positivity, and empowerment.

5. Communicate Always

You may have heard that communication is the key to success. This is 100% true.

No one wants to work with or for someone who doesn't communicate. As a leader, you need to show others that you are clear and concise in your communication. Otherwise, you may not earn the respect that you're looking for.

The best thing that you can do is send out a regular form of communication regularly. We suggest checking in with your team at least once a day.

You may only need to send one mass email a week, but you should still make sure you're checking outside of that email. If you work in an office, take time to walk around and ask how everyone is doing with their current assignment(s).

If you want to know how much communicating you need to do, try this repetitive trick:

1. Tell your audience what you want to tell them.

2. Remind them what you told them.

3. Ask them what they heard.

4. Tell them again.

This style of speaking is repetitive but effective.

6. Don't Forget to Listen

While you're doing all of this communicating, you need to be listening too. Those you're leading don't want to feel like they're simply being spoken to. They need a leader that will listen.

If you aren't listening, you'll miss out on hearing if they need your help with something or have a complaint. Therefore, you'll miss out on things that you could improve.

You could also miss out on hearing any ideas that others have. If you're ignoring these, you will come off as rude.

The bottom line is that you cannot be an effective leader if the only person you're hearing is yourself.

By listening to others, you'll learn how you can improve and help solve difficult situations. This will reduce work-related stress. If you're a leader in a work environment, this could make a huge difference in how much progress you make.

Keep your ears open for new ideas and difficult challenges. You never know what you could pick up by simply hearing what others have to say.

7. Encourage Participation

A leader is supposed to bring people together. To do this, you have to encourage participation from those you're leading.

If you can't bring people together, then you can't lead a group.

By encouraging participation, you'll have a great team that will get tons of work done quickly and efficiently. You don't want anyone left out of the working team.

You may have people that don't want to participate with the rest of the team. You need to talk to these individuals and figure out why they don't want to be a part of the team. They could not get along with others or simply be lazy.

You can't fix laziness, but you can change their tasks to something more enjoyable and exciting for them personally. If nothing seems to be working, that person may not be a good fit for the team.

The best way to bring the team together is to give everyone a personalized part on the team.

8. Recognize Hard Work

You've established yourself as a leader in your group. You have all of your team members specialized where they work best. You're communicating, listening, and working hard.

However, you're still missing something very important if this is all you do.

You need to recognize everyone's hard work and give those hard workers recognition. You may want to consider having a built-in rewards system for your team so that they will be more likely to complete tasks and work harder.

You should also consider that some employees prefer to be given praise in different ways. Some may like public praise, while others want to be praised in private. Some prefer physical gifts, while others prefer non-tangible ones.

You may want to ask what your team members' preferences are before beginning a project. This way, you're showing them that you want to praise them as is comfortable and best for them.

It will also save an embarrassing moment for a shy team member who may be praised in front of the whole group.

9. Keep Trying New Things

You never want to get bored with doing the same old thing every time you go to do a project with your team. You need to keep trying new approaches to see how you like different styles.

You may find that you like a style of leadership and progress that you have never previously tried.

Keep your team in the loop as well. Ask them if they have any ideas for new things to try. One of them may have the best idea you've ever heard. They just need a chance to share it with you.

By staying relevant, you're keeping your team upbeat and excited about everything to come. A boring routine will only give you the label of an uninspiring leader.

10. Count On Us

If you're leading a small business, you should be relying on us for all of your coaching needs. Our team will constantly remind you of these and more techniques on how to become a great leader.

If you haven't worked with us or any business coach in the past, schedule a discovery call today. Running a business is no different than a sport or an academic subject. You need a coach or a tutor to look at what you're doing and help you improve your strategy.

How To Get More Done: 3 Daily Habits To Be More Productive

Stop reading personal development books! 

Most of us know what to do; we do not do them because it is too much effort to take action on the tasks we have learned. Or, what we learned does not seem applicable in our situation. We then pick up another bestseller, hoping there is a more straightforward solution.

Yes, procrastination is also to blame. Most people procrastinate because they are afraid of the possible outcome, failure. Others procrastinate because they don't like change; the task is too hard, confused about how to tackle it, overwhelmed, lacking clarity, or are distracted easily.

If you can identify with any of these, I've got three simple habits I use every day to get me closer to my goals, move the needle, and get more done.

Increase productivity and become highly efficient with these daily habits.

Use A Notepad

You are more likely to get things done when you write things down—personal and business.

Carry your notepad everywhere; in the car, by your nightstand, on your desk, in a meeting. Everywhere!

Ever been driving in the car and remember you need to pick up dry cleaning by five? Write it down when you are stopped. Ever been in a meeting and someone mentions something that reminds you of something you need to do when you get back to the office or home? Write it down. Ever woke up in the middle of the night with a life-changing idea? Write it down.

Ever been daydreaming by the pool, and remember you need to plan that particular party for next week or next month? Write it down.

Our brains are distracted every second, with songs, advertising, social media, conversations. It isn't easy to remember everything we need to do.

Your notepad will be your brain dump so that you can continue to focus on the task at hand but not forget what you need to do later. Use the notepad for business and personal responsibilities. Carry it with you everywhere; you can continuously prioritize what is most important to tackle before days end.

Review your notepad frequently throughout the day, crossing off completed tasks and prioritizing the uncompleted tasks so that you are more productive and get more things done.

Time Block

It takes an average of 20 minutes to focus on the tasks at hand to be productive. Each time a distraction occurs, it takes 20 minutes to re-engage with your productivity. 

The human brain can focus on two-hour durations. 

Block out 60-minute intervals each day with no distractions. Start with one hour, and once you see the benefit of getting more done, add another hour.

Turn off the cell phone, silent email alerts, close the door, turn off social media, and any other possible distraction to be more productive.

Focus On Systems, Not The Goals

"Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day." - Jim Rhone

Goals are essential for success. But, they should not be the primary focus.

Focus on the day to day tasks that must be executed for the goal.

Focusing on the goal is a distraction. Focusing on the daily disciplines is what accomplishes the objectives.

If your goal is to lose 15 pounds, focus only on the 1,500 calories each day. You will get there with this system.

If your goal is to close $150,000 in sales, determine how many qualified leads need to be reached each day. You will get there with this system.

If your goal is to write a book, determine how many words need to be typed each day. You will get there with this system.

Conclusion: How To Be More Productive

Start with these simple daily habits.

1. Use A notepad

2. Time block

3. Focus on systems, not the goals

Click here if you are ready to "Get Serious" and take your productivity to the next level!

5 Stress-Reducing Strategies For Business Leaders

No matter where we live, most people are bombarded with a tsunami of marketing. Marketers everywhere are screaming for our attention. Digital marketing researchers claim we see anywhere from four to ten thousand advertisements or brands every day.

It is not a secret that marketers do their best to create a call to action. A call to action tells you what to do or gives a specific task to take right now. Our lives can become very distracted when we are told what to do subconsciously through advertisements four thousand times or more per day, as well as the hustle and bustle demands of everyday life.

Our lives can get very stressful in no time at all, with advertisers trying to get a piece of our attention. Soon, we are chasing rabbits, squirrels, or those shiny new pennies that seem to appear out of nowhere, all day, every day. It’s easy to forget what is essential, but following these five simple tips can help reduce stress in our life.

Focus On One Thing At A Time

Research has proven that the brain is incapable of keeping laser-focused on two things at once. It is time that we accept the fact that the brain cannot multitask. Those who think they are efficient multi-taskers are just master switchers who can quickly switch from task to task. 

By focusing on one thing at a time, your memory will remember more in the future, you will get more tasks completed quicker, you will be able to work smarter, and you will make better decisions. The rewards for focusing on one thing at a time? Less stress and a quicker satisfaction of accomplishment.

Establish A Routine

Successful business leaders are adamant about having structured routines. Knowing in advance the tasks you need to accomplish is vital to your overall well-being. There is nothing more stressful than having a bucket list of things to do and not knowing where to start.

As well, a solid routine can help you in other areas such as: building good habits and breaking bad habits, motivation, momentum, efficiency, reducing procrastination, eliminating distractions, feeling of accomplishment, personal development, consistency, regularity, and most importantly, your success as a business leader.

Organize Your Life

Disorganization is one of the biggest stress triggers. It becomes frustrating and stressful very quickly when we cannot find something that we need right now. More times than not, the reason we need something right now is that we are behind schedule. The culprit for all of this? Disorganization

To stay motivated, we all need some control in our life. Being organized and knowing where things are can help with that sense of control. Organizing our work area and home are great places to start, but many fail to organize their life.

Setting routines, reducing our commitments by learning to say no, and learning to delegate are just a few areas that could reduce our stress level in life if well organized.

Write It Down

The brain is a mighty processor of information. Research has estimated that the whole brain processes 400 billion bits of information every second. The human brain has 10 billion neurons transmitting data to other cells. Your mind has 10 trillion synapses that this information travels over. And, our mind never sleeps. Your brain never stops processing, nor does it ever stop growing.  

With all this processing going on, it is impossible to hold too many thoughts in your head at once. Your brain works mysteriously. It’s a wonder how it remembers anything at all with as much as it is processing for survival.

Ever had one of those “spectacular” ideas that pop in your brain out of nowhere. One of those ideas that is so good you will never forget? And then not even ten minutes later, well, you forget. It happens, and now you know why.

The process of knowing something and trying to remember it can add levels of stress. You know that thought was right there, and you use so much energy, not just trying to remember what it was but also why or how you forgot it.

For this reason, enter the pencil and paper. Better yet, a journal. Ask Richard Branson one of the keys to his success, and he will proudly tell you, his journal. He carries it with him everywhere he goes. And he writes every thought, comment, or bright idea moment down. He has credited some of his best successes to looking back through his journal.

Writing things down is easy. Remembering to write it down is the hard part.

Learn To Say “NO”

“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” – Warren Buffet

Is your schedule crammed full of appointments, family obligations, to-do lists, and honey-do chores? Then learn to say no like Warren Buffet and many other successful business leaders.

Their reasoning? They know that everyone has the same amount of time in the day. They also know that no one can add more time to their day just because they overcommitted. They fulfill their agenda first to accomplish their top priorities, and then they prioritize other requests.

Learning to say no can be challenging to say, but saying yes isn’t healthy. Saying yes can leave you overcommitted and put your body under too much stress. Leaving you run down and susceptible to illness.

Decide what matters most, and it will be easier to say no. Without having clarity with what is most important, you are more apt to say yes.

Closing

Stress is a significant health issue for many people. The symptoms of anxiety can contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and numerous other areas of your body. To significantly reduce stress in your life, make a plan, follow a routine, organize your life, write things down, and learn to say no.

3 Easy Steps To Eliminating A Bad Habit!

Have you ever wondered how or why you developed a habit? And how or why a practice became good or bad? Or how and why is it so difficult to break bad habits and so challenging to instill good habits?

Most of the time, bad habits are simply an outlet from stress or boredom. Nail biting, snacking, procrastinating, smoking, drinking, any of this hit home? Bad habits typically happen when our subconscious mind is relieved from a stressful situation or boredom and taken to a place of imaginary peace.

Good habits often take time and a massive amount of focus. This focus puts pressure on our brains, which have roughly over 100 billion nerve cells, trying to process and form over a trillion connections in response to the world. Understanding the trigger points is essential to understanding how to break bad habits.  

In 3 easy steps, let’s begin eliminating your bad habits one at a time.

Recognize That You Have A Bad Habit

First and foremost, we should recognize why habits, good or bad, even form. Habits form because our brain, although powerful, cannot handle the trillions of synapses that are processed. Synapses are transmitters processing every bit of information we receive through smell, hearing, touching, and tasting. So, our brain helps us out by conditioning or training our response to repeated information by forming repeated behaviors.

Not all habits are bad. Patterns are only harmful when they create a negative response from our behavior. Negative patterns take on many forms, such as poor health, consistent tardiness, broken relationships, and an escalated form of depression.

It would be best if you first recognized the difference between your habits, as to whether they are good or bad, then making a list of your top 3 bad habits and prioritize them in numerical order. List the bad practice that is affecting you the most negatively, first.

The first step in eliminating or changing a bad habit is simply recognition. Recognizing that we have a terrible habit and that we want to remove it will help us diagnose the root of the problem.

Diagnose The Root Of The Problem

Numerous studies report that it takes anywhere from 18 to 300 plus days to rewire the brain to eliminate bad habits. The number of times or days to rewire the brain is only relevant to the individual with the bad habit. 

If you are trying to quit smoking and no one else in your household smokes, then the temptation to light up every day will be very minimal than to someone that lives with a smoker who is not ready to give it up. Eliminating bad habits is not based on some given days, but is based on each individual’s surroundings and circumstances.

There is typically a trigger or a pattern that leads to a bad habit. A responsive action began due to boredom or stress, and our subconscious mind recognized a negative/non-difficult response to repeat. Identifying the root of the problem, the trigger if you will, should be the primary focus and not the number of days it takes to kick a bad habit. 

The second step to eliminating a bad habit is to keep a log of every time you carry out the bad habit and write down what triggered your action. Recognize the trigger. 

Replace The Root Of The Problem With A Positive Behavior

Before successfully rewiring our brain to eliminate a bad habit, we must first recognize the bad habit and diagnose the root of the problem or the event that triggers our negative behavior. If the bad habit is distractions that keep you from a productive lifestyle, then turn off all electronic devices while focusing on completing a project. If the bad habit is mindlessly surfing the internet, leaving you with feelings of depression, always have a good book at your side focused on self-improvement. If the bad habit is overeating, buy food that is high in protein like boiled eggs or avocados so that it fills you up faster.

To eliminate bad habits, we must replace the bad habit with a positive behavior that will soon override the repeated pattern over some time.

Closing

Many experts have found that it can take as little as 18 days or as many as 200 to eliminate bad habits. There is no magic answer; it is based solely on the ease and convenience of what we are trying to accomplish.

Bad habits are easy to form; it takes our mind away to another place. Good habits are difficult to create because our minds must be sharp and focused on establishing a pattern. To eliminate harmful practices, you must recognize, diagnose, and replace repeated behaviors with a strategic plan.

3 Critical Things All Great Leaders Do To Earn Respect

Great organizational teams are a result of exceptional leaders. It may be true that good leaders are born with prevailing leadership characteristics, but extraordinary leaders are not born, they are the product of constant learning, discipline, and humility. Exceptional leadership is what separates excellent companies from average companies.

There are countless books, articles, and blogs on leadership. Experts in leadership have numerous principles required for leading a team to greatness. Which policies work best for your organization will depend on the culture of your company.

Here are three key things that all great leaders do, no matter the circumstances of their culture or team.

 Never Complain Or Criticize

Growing up, we all heard those infamous words, "If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all." We've listened to these words not just once or twice, but numerous times throughout our childhood. We've heard them so often that it should be as easy as walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Yet, for most, it is easier and faster to complain and criticize, rather than to find a solution. Finding a solution takes time and energy, which most of us don't have enough of in the first place.

Constant complaining and criticizing will earn you the "that person" title. We all know them. We've all been around them. We have all probably worked for one. You know, "that person" who no one wants to be around because they are consistently negative, complaining, and criticizing others. You know, "that person" who is continually talking about others in a demeaning or passive-aggressive way.

It's unfortunate that, in most cases, "that person" never changes. It's almost like it is in their DNA as if they are on this earth for the primary reason of showing us how miserable life really could be. As a leader, you do not want to be "that person!"

To some degree or another, we all complain or criticize from time to time. It is human nature. Although we should always try, we cannot control our emotions 100% of the time. When we have had a bad day, sometimes, we just need to vent. As a leader, we need to be aware of our audience. It should never be in front of our employees.

When is it not okay to complain or criticize? Always! Leaders are at a higher standard. Leaders need to be "that person." No, not the "that person" that no one wants to be around, but "that person" who everyone wants to be around. "That person" who does no wrong, "that person" who always has the solution and "that person" who is a confidant. You will not be a successful leader if you say anything negative about another employee. You will lose all trust with employees.

If you want to lose the trust and respect from those around you immediately, complaining and criticizing will do the trick. Not only will you become "that person" who no one wants to be around, but you will also bring your colleagues down, annoy and depress those around you, drain everyone's energy, and, most importantly, create counter-productivity. You should be building everyone up, not talking negatively, and bringing them down.

Never complain or unfairly criticize when you are in a leadership role. A golden rule of effective leadership is learning when and when not to open your mouth. There is a fine line of saying too much and not saying enough.

  If You Are Wrong, Admit It And Apologize

Let's get one thing clear here; if you can read this, you are a human with a drive to learn before you earn. All humans, not just some, make mistakes. Knowing this, admitting to an error should be easy to do, but the reality is that it's much easier said than done. 

Ego and arrogance are the biggest obstacles we must overcome as leaders to begin admitting our wrongdoings. Unfortunately, there are far more leaders who possess extreme pride rather than humility. Arrogant and egotistical leaders believe admitting their mistakes reflects a sign of weakness. It indicates just the opposite. Nothing displays a stronger character or reaps more amounts of respect than someone who can confront their mistakes, head-on, and apologize for them. But, it is hard to convince arrogant types of people because typically, their self-esteem is low. Even though they should show employees a different side, they don't know how or don't want to.

Now, I've been around quite a few of these types of people, and it is not pleasant. Their insecurities are so deep within that they have no other way to feel good about themselves, other than to push people around. It does not matter what advice you give, these types of people are going to throw their weight around, and the last thing they would ever do is admit when they were wrong.

The leadership principle of admitting mistakes and apologizing is not for the weak. The greatest leaders always admit their mistakes, apologize, and apologize swiftly. They are leaving no doubt within their team that they were wrong, learning from it and moving on to greener pastures.

When business owners and company managers fail to own up to their mistakes and push all of the blame onto their employees or colleagues, the team surrounding them always notices. They are aware of each attempt by their boss to cover the truth or refuse to apologize. There is nothing more devastating to a team than a dishonest leader. The immediate consequences of such behavior are for the best employees in the organization to seek opportunities elsewhere. The people a company can't afford to lose will be the first ones to go.

To grow as a leader, be humble, quickly admit to mistakes, and apologize immediately. Saying you were wrong and apologizing is not a liability. Assuming you were wrong and apologizing builds your credibility and the trust that employees will place in you. Extraordinary people want to follow exceptional, credible leaders.

  Empower Your Team

What separates average leaders from exceptional leaders is the ability to empower those around them. Many leaders confidently say they practice this leadership principle within their organization. Let's look at Merriam-Webster's official definition of the word empower.

Empower:

-     to give official authority or legal power to

-     to enable

-     to promote the self-actualization or influence of or influence of

To give official authority? Legal power? Enable? Promote? Whoa!

It would be in everyone's best interest if every individual in a leadership role were required to read, dissect, and truly understand the definition of empowering. Most leaders claim to empower their people, but most leaders do the opposite and exert their power over people. I am not saying that you should give legal authority to your employees, but you have to enable them and appreciate them openly for what they do.

I often hear individuals in a leadership role asked the question, "What do you contribute to your organization's success to?" The response used too often is usually, "Our people. Our people make this organization great. We EMPOWER our people." This response goes all over me and crawls way beneath my skin because we all know from experience that there are very few organizations that truly empower their people. Proclaiming empowerment, rather than practicing empowerment, is rampant in today's work culture.

There is a company that I happen to know that the word empower is used in its mission, vision, and culture statements. Self-proclamations were so prominent that their entire staff and all of their clients could see. Yet I witnessed the head manager ask the leaders of the company if they could post a sign telling semi-truck drivers that they could not drive behind the building for safety reasons.

Are they empowered? Really? Your lead manager needs to ask if they can post a sign warning truck drivers not to go past this point. Indeed this company has not authorized its employees.

Unfortunately, many organizations think they are empowering their team, but they do not understand the true meaning of empowerment. Truly understanding what it means to empower others and fully implementing this leadership principle is what separates the exceptional organizations from the average.

 To be an exceptional leader, you must fully, not partially, empower your people.

 Closing

Great leaders regularly invest in continued personal development that educates on how to be an exceptional leader. Exceptional leaders know that a leader is just that, a leader, not a boss.

Learn Before You Earn And 3 Reasons Why

It is nearly impossible to build an automobile engine if you do not know how to make an automobile engine. It is almost impossible to perform open-heart surgery if you do not know how to perform open-heart surgery. It is nearly impossible to be a multi-millionaire if you do not know how to be a multi-millionaire.

It is nearly impossible to be successful at anything unless you first learn what it is you want to be successful in doing. You must learn before you earn. Learning always comes before Earning, and the only scenario this does not apply is in the dictionary alphabetically. You must also understand three reasons why learning before earning is the key to your success.

 Others Will Define You If You Don’t

The Merriam-Webster definition of define is: to determine or identify the essential qualities or meaning of. What defines you? Better yet, who defines you?

It is human nature that we categorize, label, or define those around us by classifying people as rich, poor, smart, challenged, weak, strong, successful, struggling, big, little, blue-collar, white-collar and so on. We are all guilty of it from time to time because we are human. We define others, and the flip side to that is, others define us. Refusing to believe that your peers have defined you would be doing yourself a great disservice, trust me, you have been defined.

Unfortunately, many of us begin to believe our capabilities are limited to what others have defined or decided about us. If those around us do not think we are creative, then our internal creative process becomes limited because we do not believe we have it within ourselves. We believe what others have led us to think because we have no other affirmation, nothing telling us any differently.

Growing up, I experienced this type of definement first hand. Early on in my childhood, several teachers shared concerns with my parents because they noticed a timid, quiet behavior from me. They suggested to my parents that maybe some therapy would be good. The therapist I went to asked me to draw my family. I am the literal type, so I drew my family, which consisted of a father, mother, and two brothers. In front of my parents, the therapist asked if I had finished drawing, and I confidently said yes. He wondered why I was not in the picture, and I told him because you asked me to draw my family. I drew all of them. He did not say your family and you. 

The therapist defined my behavior as a lack of self-esteem. And from that point forward, guess what, I had a lack of self-confidence. It was not until I decided that only I could define myself, that things started to change for me. I researched and learned the things I wanted to be, and that made me more confident. I had to teach myself the things that I wanted to know in order to be successful. And you have to do the same. 

Truth be told, my quiet and timid behavior had nothing to do with self-esteem in the beginning. To this day, I absorb everything around me quietly. I study people and read people. This behavior, and asset, has served me well in all of my many ventures.  

It is vital that you learn and genuinely know how you want to be defined. If you do not, others will do it for you. And I can assure you they will limit your full potential. You have to define yourself. No one believes more in you than you do! Once you know and understand this, it can be one of your most excellent tools.

 Emotions Do Not Make Good Decisions

This past year I had a significant, life-changing career decision to make. I struggled daily, leaning from one choice to the other. It drove me insane for months because, within twenty-four hours of making a decision, my emotions would change so drastically. Hours of research on the internet could not even help me make a firm decision on this one.

A book by Andy Stanley, “Ask It,” put it all in perspective. His book claims there is one question that will revolutionize how you make decisions. His claim is accurate. As I finished reading the last page of his book, immediately, my life-changing career decision was made. 

The question you ask? Don’t read the next sentence if you don’t want a spoiler. The question he proposes is, “In light of your past experiences, current circumstances, and future hopes and dreams, what is the wise thing for you to do in order to avoid regret in this area of life?”

It quickly dawned on me why I had been on both sides of the fence for so long. Before reading this book, my decision-making process was based purely on my current emotions. The emotions I was presented and processing with each day. This life-changing question solely based on facts and not feelings. I am not saying you should make unwise decisions based on the opposite of regret, but don’t hesitate to do something out of fear of failure. Moving forward, when you solely base your learning and decisions on facts and not emotions, you will be successful.

What does this have anything to do with first learning to earn, you ask? So many people have no clarity in what they need to do to reach their full potential. They wake up every day and let the day’s emotions decide their actions and tasks. They don’t know what they don’t know. Successful people know what they are going to do before their eyes open every morning. They do this by learning facts that provide clarity in their decision-making process, leaving the emotions out of it. Emotions can build a business as quickly as they can tear it down. Knowing when feelings should be followed is the key to success. Be emotional about what you are passionate about. The actual business decisions shouldn’t have emotion involved.

 You Will Earn Only As Much As You Want To Learn

Ever heard someone say I wish I could sing? Or, I wish I could draw? Or, I wish I could get a better paying job? Or, I wish… Yeah, me too. Well, let me tell you something. They are full of that dark stuff that comes out the back end of most mammals.

If someone truly wants to sing, they will invest their money and time by finding a vocalist to teach them to sing. Or if they want to be an artist for a career, they will spend their time and resources at their local college. If they genuinely wanted to get a better paying job, they would invest their time and resources in changing their career path.

Yes, you must indeed learn before you earn. But, you will only earn what you are willing to invest in yourself and nothing more. If you are questioning whether you really want to be a millionaire, you will know the answer quickly by how much time and resources you invest in learning to be a millionaire.

If you want to be a millionaire, learn how to be a millionaire before you earn it, or you will fail. Lottery winners prove this point time and time again. They win a vast multi-million-dollar fortune and lose it all within a short period because they never took the time to learn how to be wealthy.

Closing

Define yourself based on facts and not emotions. Only learn what you are willing to invest, and your return will be rewarded in abundance. Life is short; don’t wait to learn! Start today. Do today what others won’t. So tomorrow, you can do what others can’t!

And if you have a skill set others could learn from, write a book so they can learn before they earn. Learn why by clicking here to watch my video.

3 Simple Steps To Crush It In The New Year

No matter where or when you were born, we all entered this world in the same way, naked and uneducated. Each of us had a unique childhood, and through childhood, most of us were under the guidance of another human being. Growing up, those around us influence our thoughts and beliefs.

Most of us did not get a choice of who we wanted to become due to rearing by a caretaker, influencer, demographics, geographics, or activities that went on around us. Many blame current problems on past situations. 

Well, that was the past, and this is the present. Now, you are responsible for you. No one is keeping you from achieving your wildest dreams, but you. Now is when you strip yourself from your past. You are not what you were born into; you are not under guidance anymore. You make choices every day that are impacting your future. Most of us enjoy our independence, but we still need direction and some accountability. It is ironic how we all came into this world the same, yet when we leave this world, our achievements, self-worth, and sense of accomplishment will differ vastly. Are you going to leave this world crushing it, or not?

Here are three simple steps to help you crush it in the New Year so that you can live to your fullest potential.

Get Serious

Life is a serious business. We only get one shot.

When working with individuals in their golden years, I often hear the common phrase, I wish. I wish I would have done this; I wish I would have done that. This reflection is a reflection of regret. Regrets that they did not fulfill their passions.

Each day that passes, all of us are getting another day closer to our golden years. We will not physically be able to do the things that we can do today. Like most, we will have a lot of time on our hands to reflect. 

When we get to that stage in life, we will be reflecting in one of two ways. One, what a beautiful life I've lived. Everything I wanted to do, I did. I cannot imagine changing anything.

Or, two, a regret. I wish I would have started this or done that. I wish I would have gone here or seen this. I wish I would have been kinder to my spouse so that he/she would not have left me, because it sure is lonely living these last years on earth alone.

We have a short amount of time on this earth. The moment we are born, we begin to die. Get serious about today because tomorrow will be here before you know it.

Make A Plan, With A Strong Why

A critical part of this process is also figuring out a reason to carry out the plan and figuring out why you are going to stick to the idea. Bypassing this step is the number one reason why most people fail to accomplish their goals. New Year's resolutions are a prime example of failed accomplishments.

Only 8% of people are ever successful at achieving their New Year's resolutions. That is less than 1 out of every 10 people. The reason? There is not a strong enough "why" to fulfill these goals.

The number one New Year's resolution year in and year out is to lose weight. Now, if less than one out of every ten people ever achieve their resolution, how high do you think this percentage would rise if we added a strong enough why? What if your doctor had a crystal ball and told you today that if you do not lose 30 pounds that you will die of a cardiac arrest in 90 days? And that you would never see the children or spouse that you love so dearly ever again. Think the percentage of achievement and the drive would increase?

The "why" is like the main ingredient to a recipe. If you do not have the main component of a recipe, your odds of achieving a fantastic edible meal are very slim. You can have all the ingredients of a recipe to make mouthwatering ribs. But if you do not have the ribs, then you are not going to have ribs for dinner.

Before making a goal or plan, you must figure out a strong "why." This plan of action is critical for you to discover, or you will never have the determination to carry out the hard work to achieve your goals.

Take Action

The late Jim Rhone, a personal development speaker, describes success like this, "Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines (actions), practiced every day."

That sounds simple, right? Easy to say, easy to understand, right? Most successful people say the only thing that separates them from others is that they took action. Everyone knows what to do, but most don't do it. You have to take action in your life today that will impact your tomorrow. Think about where you would be in a year if you took steps every day and build on them each week or month. Start small or start big, just start.

Actions take time. The more you repeat an action, the more natural it becomes. It is an ongoing process. Actions require repeated efforts until they become habits. And with the right habits, success follows.

The ability to drive a car is a perfect example. Most people were nervous about learning to drive for the first time. Yet, in no time at all, it becomes habitual. So routine that most everyone I know has driven past an exit or a turn they usually take and not realize it until later. We get set on autopilot and are so focused on other things that we just drive, and before we know it, end up on an old route or at an old job site.  

Changing or taking action takes time to become habitual. 

Closing

Life is a serious business! Each week passes faster than the last. 

Make a plan with a strong enough reason "why" you need to achieve this goal.

Take action! Make my mantra your mantra, "Do today what others won't. So tomorrow you can do what others can't."

You can do this!

#1 Reason Your New Year’s Resolution Does Not Work!

For most, somewhere in the middle of December, something triggers anticipation. The anticipation of counting down to the new year. The anticipation of counting down to a new you.

The count down, the anticipation, and the determination that, this time, I'm going to do it. This time, I'm going to conquer my New Year's resolution. 

Kudos and high fives to everyone that never gives up trying. That is awesome and important! But it is also essential to realize why so many people fail time and time again. Some statistics show that only 8% of people ever achieve their goals. That is less than one out of every ten people.

Why is that? Hint: part of the question is part of the answer. Do tell, you say? Let's go.

The number one New Year's resolution, year in and year out, is to lose weight. And, for a good reason. No matter how much or how little, most everyone I know could lose an inch or so after the holidays. Of course, I'm not judging. I am often in the same boat.

So, for that reason, let's focus on weight loss as an example.

Of course, there is an abundance of reasons why most of us would fail before we even began to see substantial results. They vary from: it's too much work, the results are not coming fast enough, self-doubt, lack of a plan, lack of motivation, no social support, and on and on and on.

But, for those that are determined to succeed this time, there is one critical component to be considered when planning out your New Year's resolution to succeed.

Realizing the success rate of goals is only 8%, how high do you think the success rate to lose weight would increase if you went to the doctor today and he said, "If you do not lose 30 pounds in 9 weeks, you will die of cardiac arrest, kidney failure, or diabetes." If you knew you would not see your loved ones ever again or would not be there for your children when they graduate or get married, would the fact that you would not be around when your family needs you most be a motivator to change your lifestyle? Do you think the percentage of New Year's resolution achievements would go up?

I don't know about you, but the possibility of imminent danger usually gets my attention loud and clear. Realizing that my lack of effort may cause me not to be around for my family when they need me most, gets my attention. And most people feel the same way.

So, why do we fail so often? Actually, because "why" is the answer. The lack of a "why" to be specific. 

For everyday purposes, we are going to refer to your "why" as the main ingredient to your favorite recipe. You cannot successfully prepare an edible meal if you do not have the first part. If you are attempting to smoke chicken or ribs, you can vary the measurements of the rub, spices, coal, and wood for smoking. But, if you do not have the chicken or ribs, aka - the "main ingredient," you will not have chicken or ribs that day.

You have to have a strong enough "why" or you will not accomplish your goals. If your "why" is strong enough, you will find a way to achieve your goals. You will do what it takes and make fewer excuses. You are always busy, but if you have time to remember the main ingredient every day, you can meet your goals!

This year, start with a strong "why" behind your goals and build a successful plan from there. You can do this!

Should You Write That Book You Keep Talking About?

Welcome to the Morrison Minute. We focus on personal development & business mastery.

 Today we're going to focus on personal development. In 2018 I released my first book, titled, “DO NOT: Start Or Run A Business, My Way.” It was simply a memoir of all the mistakes I feel that I made when I started my first business. Mistakes that I wanted to share with other small business owners, so they don't replicate the same mistakes.

 I'm asked by those that I know, those that have always wanted to write a book, “Should I write a book?” My answer, “Absolutely, yes!”

 You can go on the internet and you can find dozens if not hundreds of reasons why you should write a book. But I want to inspire you by sharing just a few that have stood out more than other’s since I've released mine.

 For one, it is therapeutic. We're all human, we all hold emotions inside. There's just something about getting those emotions out on paper.

 Another reason is, it's empowering. It's a confidence booster because only 1% of the population ever writes and releases their book.

 Another reason is, you have a story to tell. There's eight billion people on this planet. Someone's bound to be inspired by your story.

 One of those that have been most beneficial to me is its opened-up doors of opportunity. I've had speaking opportunities; I've had business owners pick up and read my book and call me for coaching and mentoring services. I’ve had publications reach out to me as a subject matter expert.

 If you’ve got a book that you've been trying to write, trying to finish for the last five, ten, fifteen years… reach out! I’d love to be your accountability partner and inspire you and help you finish it.

 If you've always wanted to write a book, you just didn't know where to start, reach out and I'd love to help you as well.

 And if you're looking for more personal development skills more business mastery skills sign up for more Morrison Minute. I’d love to help you there as well!

3 Simple Strategies to Crush It!

Hi, I'm Michael Morrison! And welcome to the Morrison Minute where we focus on personal development and business coaching. Today. we're going to focus on personal development. I'm going to share with you three simple strategies to crush it in anything you do.

 Step one, is simply Get Serious. From time to time, I interview elderly people and, well, for wisdom. There’s two common words that I hear often more than not. That is, I wish! I wish I would have wrote that book. I wish I would have downsized my home. I wish I would saved more money. I wish I would have started that business. I wish, I wish, I wish! Step One, is simply get serious about it is what you want to do.

 Step two, is Make A Plan. A plan is like a recipe for your success. If you think about a recipe in a cookbook, it always starts with the main Ingredients, the top priorities. And, it works this way down from there. A plan is simply creating your top priorities and working your way down from there. Nothing else matters. 

 Step three, the most critical, is Take Action. I’ve trademarked a quote, which is, “Do today what other’s won't. So tomorrow you can do what others can't.”

 Three simple steps: Get Serious, Make A Plan, and Take Action.

 If you’d like to dig in a little deeper, I've created some curriculum called “Get Serious.” On my website, michaeldmorrison.com, go there for more information where we look at your past, your present, and your future. And then we create a detailed plan for your success. So, that every day, you know the top three things that you need to be doing to meet your goals.

 And, if you'd like more personal development skills, or, more business coaching skills, sign up for more, Morrison Minute. I'd love to see you again!