Rob Liano's Blog, page 3

Rudolph the Underdog (Or, underdeer)

I think being different, going against the grain of society is the greatest thing in the world.

~ Elijah Wood

It’s holiday season, that time of year when we hear Christmas music on the radio and in shopping malls. TV channels abound with special shows celebrating holiday cheer, including the classic story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. But does everyone understand the moral of that particular story?

Rudolph is an underdog, an outcast. He goes from zero to hero as the story unfolds. Imagine getting picked on just because you’re different. Imagine feeling you are nothing special. Just because we don’t understand something, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be understanding.

Don’t question what you don’t understand unless you’re asking questions seeking to understand. ~ Rob Liano

Born Free

Even though we are born to stand out, there are still many people who don’t realize that being different is a good thing. Why conform? Why try to fit into society as if everyone around us has such A Wonderful Life? (I couldn’t resist).

Obviously Rudolph was made fun of in order to illustrate a point: we should accept others as they are. Was Rudolph really an underdog? No, he was just thought of that way by others in society. He had a unique gift, but he didn’t know what to do with it until the right time arrived. What was at first considered to be a handicap–Rudolph’s glowing, red nose–actually turned out to be an advantage.

Imagine proving everyone wrong when the right opportunity came along.

We can’t always know a person’s purpose upon initially meeting, can we? No. We cannot judge them before they have grown into that purpose. So why do we look down upon those that are different? Where is the compassion in that?

Make no judgments where you have no compassion.

~Anne McCaffrey

The Ugly Duckling

The Ugly Duckling is another beloved children’s story that’s similar to Rudolph’s story. It tells us about a homely little bird born in a barnyard, who also endures abuse from others. That is, until the bird matures into a beautiful swan. But why do we have the belief that beauty makes someone suddenly esteemed or acceptable? What about other more valuable traits, talents or qualities?

We must learn not to judge anyone based on how they initially appear to us: whether they’re different like Rudolph, or they’re beautiful, or they’re an ugly duckling. And we must teach our children that as well. We need to lead by example. Therefore it is important that we never make anyone feel inferior or like an outcast. And we must also never let anyone make us feel that way.

In order to find the true beauty that lies inside of everyone we meet, we must look deeper. In their heart is where you’ll discover their greatest gift. Each of us is unique, yet we have similar struggles and feelings, so we are all connected. Embrace one another. You never know who just might be able to save the world someday, or maybe even save Christmas.

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. ~ Norman Vincent Peale

Merry Christmas to all!

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

© Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

What is Love?

Love is a many splendored thing.  ~ Han Suyin

Anyone who has attended a wedding, or has seen the movie “Wedding Crashers” will have heard the oft-quoted bible passage “love is patient, love is kind.”

Even though many people can recite some of that passage from memory, we might still ask ourselves the confusing and frustrating question . . . what is love?

Everyone loves the thought of butterflies in their stomach, that fairytale romance type of feeling that comes with being “in love”.  For most people, that’s not reality, but something we see only in the movies. Even when a relationship starts out totally exhilarating, where we experience that euphoric feeling of the potential of being in love, it’s often unsustainable.

Then what do we do?

You very seldom see a picture where you watch the process of falling in love.  ~ Alfre Woodard

Love Hurts

My cousin got married this year, and I realized something that might go unnoticed when it comes to love. The only parts in traditional wedding vows that really matter are the following words:

“worse”

“sickness”

“poorer”

When our lives are better, richer and healthy, they’re pretty easy to deal with, and life cruises along smoothly. The true test comes when a couple has to handle adversity, pain and strife.  And we can be certain that those come along sooner or later, so, what is love?

Love is sticking together because it’s worth it. When the great things outweigh the struggles. When the good times trump the bad. Of course, I would never suggest that anyone stay in an unhealthy relationship, but every relationship will face challenges at one time or another. This is where one definition of love comes into play, and often where it counts the most.

Love, above all things, is a commitment to your choice.

~ Rob Liano

Love Heals

If you made the choice to be in your current relationship, then be in it to win it. We all have the power of choice, unless you happen to live in a country where arranged marriages are still the rule. Even in that case, you’d still have a commitment or at least a responsibility to that relationship. For your relationship to succeed, it is important that you accept that responsibility, and commit or recommit now.

I can’t tell you how often I hear people complain about their partner, but when asked why they stay in the relationship, they say “because I love him/her.”  Well, if you love them, stop complaining about them!  That only makes both of you look bad.

Make this your motto: When love gets tough, love keeps growing.

We are the most important person to our spouse, lover, or partner, and with that comes responsibility. Rather than abandon someone we care about, or get frustrated and recoil, we should encourage and nurture that person.

It is important to remember that when we experience a challenging event, such as the loss of a job or a heated argument, as time passes it’s usually never as bad as it seemed in the moment. Although it can seem as if it’s the end of the world right now, it never truly is.

Imagine the impact it would make if we could show others how much we care, by showing them love and support when it matters the most. That’s why we need to stick together.

Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own. ~ Robert A. Heinlein

Love Takes Time

To learn who someone really is, you need to give a relationship time. We are often blinded by the person we want to see, or the one they project to us at the start of the relationship when everyone is usually on their best behavior.

So you have to take the time to know them, not just the idea or perception you initially have of them, but their true self: their insecurities, flaws and struggles, along with their successes, dreams and good qualities.

Have you ever seen the abbreviation, BFF? It means Best Friends Forever. Isn’t that how we should look at a long term partner? You easily forgive your best friend, for the most part. You share everything with them, and have common interests, and create great memories together. You stick together through thick and thin.

That’s how a relationship can last a lifetime. That’s a formula for success!

The relationship between husband and wife should be one of closest friends.

~ B. R. Ambedkar

Love, Defined

If you’re seeking a meaningful relationship, you must first decide what core components you need or want in a relationship, and then accept no less than someone who has most or all of those qualities. Whatever you desire, whether that be affection, spirituality, supportiveness, a sense of humor, or intelligence, you can’t find it if you don’t define it.

If you’re already involved and you found a gem, good for you, keep them close to your heart. If you feel you ended with more of  a unpolished stone, maybe you should work on shining it up a bit. If you accepted a clunker, well . . .

Try to accept the bad and celebrate the good. Love, don’t shove. If you know in your heart and soul they are not the person for you, then you have a decision to make. Do you love yourself enough to let go, or do you truly love them enough to stick it out?

Will it take work? Of course, possibly a lot of work, but then everything that brings the greatest of rewards takes work. Nothing worthwhile is ever easy. But maybe, if you and your partner are willing to work at your relationship, it will succeed, and you’ll both love it!

A relationship requires a lot of work and commitment.

~ Greta Scacchi

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

© Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Pants on Fire! Lies will only burn you

To kill some time while on a flight to Houston, I tuned into a show on the Bravo Network that featured some high-profile realtors. I don’t usually watch very much TV, but this show caught my interest because it was focused on salespeople. In the first episode, one of the real estate agents was showing a 2 million dollar property and, midway into the tour, the potential buyer (who runs a non-profit) says “I knew it was right the minute I walked in.”

At that point, my gut screamed “boom, done deal!”  My reaction was based on the following factors:

My experience as a salesperson.
The client’s demeanor and sincerity.
The fact that no one is going to look at a 2 million dollar home and have that reaction, without having the funds to purchase it.
When a house feels like a home to the potential buyer, it’s a match made in heaven! And every realtor should know that.

I was shocked when the agent–speaking directly to the camera–said that he doesn’t trust anyone, and that he’ll believe they’re interested only when they make an offer. He also made mention of the non-profit component, as if “non-profit” meant that they would have no capital.

Even though this agent seems successful and experienced, he still lacks instincts and knowledge. You have to trust your gut in sales and in life. When you’re in tune to that exchange of energy, you can tell if someone is legit, and whether their motive or intent is pure. That “spidey sense” gives us the ability to differentiate between genuine interest and a brush off. It enables us to be confident that a sale, a job, or even a first date, is ours.

Be willing to trust your instincts, especially if you cannot find answers elsewhere. ~ Brian Koslow

The Reveal

As the show progresses, it’s brought to our attention that this salesperson isn’t very honest. No wonder he doesn’t trust anyone, because he himself can’t be trusted. When you think about it, It makes perfect sense. If a person is dishonest, they tend to think that other people are also dishonest. Otherwise they have a character flaw, so they can’t be the only one, can they? Instead, they have to believe that everyone is just like them, because this justifies their behavior, and makes it seem acceptable.

Is everyone honest? No, but it is important NOT to assume the worst, especially in sales. You should always assume the very best, which enables you to act in the manner necessary to achieve sales success.

As it turns out,  the realtor in the show was completely wrong! The buyer was sincere, and ended up buying the home. She trusted her gut about how the home made her feel, and expressed that clearly when she said she “knew it was right.”

I now understand how these shows can get you hooked, because I had to watch another episode (especially since I was a captive audience!). Without getting into all the details of what unfolded in the next few installments, what was most significant to me was that the very same agent said “I pride myself on reading people.” What?!?!??!?!

Oh–and he also exhibited more dishonesty.

It is discouraging how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit.  ~ Noel Coward

In Closing

After a few episodes, it was pretty obvious that the agent was driven by the commission or the thrill of the close, rather than providing exemplary service to his clients. Rather than seeking to nurture a win-win situation, it became a battle that created tension only because someone’s ego or wallet was at stake. My overall impression of him was that old cliche of the typical used-car salesman–except that the real estate agent was much better dressed.

In any field of sales, this type of behavior can leave the buyer feeling bad about making what should be an exciting purchase. It can even prevent someone from committing, which leads to disappointment, lost sales, and any referrals that might have come down the road.

As a salesperson, you shouldn’t be focused solely on the money. To be successful, you need to focus on taking care of the client. The money will come as a byproduct of your excellent service and enthusiasm for your product.

It’s the exceptional sales professional who ensures that the prospect always has a great buying experience.

Revolve your world around the customer and more customers will revolve around you. ~ Heather Williams

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

© Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Black Friday: Planning and Persistance = Success

Black Friday is not only a completely insane shopping day for consumers. Based on the following theory, it’s also a crucial time of year for businesses.

“The term “Black Friday” implies that retailers traditionally operated at a financial loss for most of the year (January-November) and only became profitable during the holiday season, starting the day after Thanksgiving. Once-common accounting practices used red ink to show negative amounts and black ink to show positive amounts. Black Friday, under this theory, is the beginning of the period when retailers would no longer have losses (written in red) and instead take in the year’s profits (written in black).”

Would you start a business knowing you wouldn’t be profitable for almost a full year?   Only if you were prepared to do so.

Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure. ~ Confucius

Relation-shop

Why do some people put more planning into a Thanksgiving shopping spree than they do in their relationships or careers? They decide exactly what they want, know where they need to go to get it, and they show up early. And even though the item they want might be sold-out before they are able to buy it, they still put a lot planning and effort into it.

What if we made a similar sustained effort, in spite of setbacks, in all of our endeavors?

Adversity is inevitable. If you aren’t prepared to face adversity, how will you succeed when it happens?  In any opportunity, we usually see only the potential gains, not the possible pitfalls. For instance, millions have excitedly shelled out money to jump into multilevel marketing because they’re presented only with its great potential. Rarely–if ever–are they told about the challenges they will face. Sooner or later we all encounter challenges in our lives, relationships, and careers.  Are you ready for those challenges?

In a relationship, we tend to see what we’d like in a partner, rather than how they really are. So instead of acknowledging an existing or potential negative, we often ignore it. Whether in business or relationships, it is important to give careful consideration to the challenges we inevitably will face.  If we don’t do that, we cannot be surprised, disappointed or upset when we struggle or fail. Failure should be no surprise, neither should success. Therefore, in order to succeed, solid preparation is crucial.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Now what?

Not only must you prepare to succeed, you must also prepare to handle any setbacks that might occur. The Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote “The best laid plans of mice and men, often go awry.”  No matter how carefully we plan something, or how positive our expectations are, we can still be surprised or even derailed along the way. If that is the case, then what can you do to best position yourself to succeed?

Ask yourself the following questions:

What will need to happen in order for me to be successful?
What exactly is my role or responsibility?
Who or what else will I need to help me succeed?
How long will it take to get to where I want to be?
Why have I failed in the past?
What can I do to be better-prepared to face challenges or setbacks?
What’s the worst-case scenario; can I position myself to survive it?
What do I have to give or sacrifice in order to make my success happen?

The more you understand what you’re facing, the better. Whether you want to be a great parent or you’re seeking a new career, the Internet is a limitless resource for advice on how to succeed at virtually anything. Learn about your venture, ask others (with experience) for advice, prepare thoroughly, and attack your carefully laid-out plan.

Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.

~ Winston Churchill

Happy Thanksgiving!

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

© Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Man up or man down? Bullies and victims

SPECIAL THANKS to Ginger Agunzo for the inspiration and contribution to this!

Jonathan Martin, a second-year offensive tackle for the Miami
Dolphins, left the team last week amid allegations of bullying
and racist and threatening emails from Richie Incognito, a
ninth-year offensive guard.  ~ USA Today

The Miami Dolphins aren’t the only ones with a bullying problem, the entire country has one. Why?  Because, across all levels of our society, there is clearly a lack of responsibility and understanding when it comes to bullying, its effects, and how to prevent it.

To a Fault

There are many parents who will defend their kids, even though they are clearly guilty of being bullies. Coaches and teachers are too cautious when handling any type of disciplinary action. Just listen to how reactions in the NFL vary from accepting the behavior to complete dismissal of any wrongdoing. All of this leaves us with a nation that lacks accountability when it comes to bullying.

We are all responsible, including those who do nothing about it. Children may not know better, but parents, teachers, students, coaches, friends, and family should. The bully is hurting and acting out, seeking attention; as a result, the victim suffers. They both need our help.

When people don’t like themselves very much, they have to make up for it. The classic bully was actually a victim first.

~ Tom Hiddleston

Man up?

In grade school, I was a scrawny kid. Then, to make matters worse, in the 4th grade I had to get glasses. Can you guess what I was called?  Yep, four eyes! Luckily I had established some great friendships by then, so I won’t say I was bullied to a great extent, but I certainly understand what feeling insecure or self-conscious is like.

In fact, it’s only in recent years that I’ve embraced wearing my now-trendy glasses in public. But the stigma of being “a nerd” stung me for a long time.

I have noticed that many say that, since Miami Dolphins player Jonathan Martin is a big boy, he should have “manned up” and fought teammate Richie Incognito.  If that’s what some people think, they they have no idea what being a man is, nor do they understand bullying.

To me, I definitely stand in the corner of wanting to give voice to the bullied, and not the bully. ~ Mike White

Man Down

Being told to “be a man” is part of the problem. If you complain that someone is picking on you or bullying you, you’re often thought of as a tattletale or a cry baby, and asking for help becomes something to be ashamed of.  No–shame on those who allow this to happen!

When you’re bullied, you don’t man up, you shut down because you feel bad about yourself or you’re afraid of retaliation.  And once bullies see that you won’t defend yourself, you can become their main target.  Bullies are often cowards–insecure themselves–and would never continue to pick on someone who stood up to them. The victim becomes “afraid” of the bully, and might even fear for their life. It’s that serious.

Don’t believe it? Watch this video:

I had my bully, and it was excruciating. Not only the bully, but the intimidation I felt.

~ Robert Cormier

The Cowardly Dolphin?

“I think Jonathan Martin is a weak person” said one personnel man, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “If Incognito did offend him racially, that’s something you have to handle as a man!”

First of all, the coward who said this won’t let anyone know who he is, so he can make this statement without accountability.  Secondly, if you were a child being bullied at school, and you happened to read the statement above, how might it affect you? I’d say it would either make you feel bad about yourself, or encourage you to get into a fight that you may not be capable of winning. Great advice, Mister Anonymous!

Let’s not forget in all of this that the bully needs help also, due to the experiences that led them to becoming a bully. The bullying needs to be addressed as soon as possible before it inflicts psychological damage, or worse, on others. Everyone needs to take responsibility and show compassion. It impacts all of us.

Everyone in America likely has a bullying story, whether as the victim, bully or as a witness. ~ Michael M. Honda

Grow Up

Bullying is not limited to the schoolyard or professional sports. It can even happen in the workplace where, for some reason, so-called “adults” feel the need to pick on someone else with the intention of making that person’s life miserable.

They might even form cliques or groups, spread rumors, or gang up on one person. This kind of adolescent behavior is  usually seen in high school. The truth is, these bullies are insecure–or even miserable–themselves. Why else would they want to make others unhappy or feel inferior? Does hurting others return pleasure? The odd thing is that it takes other bullies for this to happen, as misery loves company. Emotionally healthy people don’t allow or take part in this type of behavior.

Rather than creating victims, we should strive to create victors.

Bullying is not okay, period.

~ Jim C. Hines

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

© Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Change is good, you go first!

You must embrace change before change erases you.

~ Rob Liano

At some point we all need to accept that change will happen; it’s inevitable. As we journey through life, through our relationships and careers, we experience many kinds of change: physical, emotional, spiritual, and technological. Even though most of us realize that after getting past the initial challenge, we’re not only used to the change, but that our lives actually became better.  Yet people still fear and resist change.

The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.

~ Winston Churchill

Fear of the Unknown

How do we overcome fear? Knowledge, preparation and action. The more you know about something, the less you’ll be afraid. I’ll use two examples: The first time you played a sport, you might have been afraid because you never did it before, it’s the unknown that causes your concern. What might happen? What if I fail, look foolish, or get hurt? But after playing and learning, you realize you really had nothing to worry about.

The funny thing is that, even if you did get hurt or fail at first, you still hung in there and continued to play. You’d think after that you’d be more afraid, wouldn’t you? But you aren’t, because you now possess knowledge and understanding.

Let’s consider the experience of going somewhere for the first time.  Whether it’s to a new a city, or simply driving to a new store in an unfamiliar location in your hometown, you might experience a little fear or hesitation on the way there, even if you have a GPS! That’s because you lack the experience of being in that area. But what happens after you’ve been there once? Your confidence grows, and you might even eventually be able to get there on autopilot.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. ~ Ambrose Redmoon

The Monkey Wrench

Most people don’t like when something happens that knocks them out of their routine. Things are moving along smoothly, and BAM! a change occurs, and the proverbial monkey wrench disrupts your comfort zone. This can cause you to get a little freaked out and send you into a frenzy, when it usually isn’t that big of a deal.

Will we encounter changes that aren’t beneficial to us, and that are also out of our control? Of course. But, in those cases, after evaluating the situation, we still have a responsibility to be proactive in our response to that change. If things are within our control, take the monkey wrench and fix it! Life goes on, so we may as well go on with it.

Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn’t stop for anybody.

~ Stephen Chbosky

Learned Behavior

Additionally, it may be that we doubt our ability to learn or adapt. We hear that negative voice in our head say “I’m too old to learn this new smart phone.” or “How will I work a new DVD player?” Even though we can and will learn it–and eventually even love it–we are still fearful upon our first introduction to it.

I have heard several people say that it’s remarkable how kids these days embrace and understand technology. Why is that? It’s because they have no fear! They’re curious, and view it as new and exciting, not new and exhausting. The next time you experience a change, try to rekindle the childlike fire inside of you and embrace it, then learn from it and forge ahead.

Develop a childlike fascination with life and people.

~ Jim Rohn

You Go First!

If we just take a moment to ask ourselves: What good might this change bring? The answers will usually be encouraging:

It will empower me to be more productive.
It will enable me to learn something new, so I’ll grow.
It will enable me to reconnect with people whom I’ve lost contact with.
It will increase my value at my job.
it will improve the quality of my life.
It will remind me to be appreciative and grateful.

Sometimes with change you have no idea what you’re going to encounter. The future outcome is often unknown when you’re in the moment, so why convince yourself that it’s negative or likely to be a pain in the . . .  afterthought?

Instead of worrying, view change as a challenge, one that allows you to show what you’re made of.  This way of thinking gives you the power to overcome, survive, and succeed. Change your perspective and fear not: learn, prepare, adapt and conquer.

In this world of change, nothing which comes stays, and nothing which goes is lost. ~ Anne Sophie Swetchine

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

© Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Rob Liano and Rock Star Success Coaching with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

The Natural

I believe that every person is born with talent.

~ Maya Angelou

Some people seem to be born with natural talent. You know the ones, just gifted with certain abilities in one area or another. But is that God given talent always a one way ticket to fame and fortune?

Not necessarily.

Watching sports often shows us that natural talent is not a guarantee of success. Success goes beyond that. However, the factors that make superstar athletes “super” are the same ones that can also make you a champion.

Perfect Practice

Practice makes perfect. The old adage is still true to this day. Scientific studies have shown that nobody is great without practice. Malcolm Gladwell highlights this in his book Outliers (an incredible book, get it here).

He explains that it takes 10,000 hours of practice in any area to make you a professional. Even if you invested half of that number of hours into studying and honing your craft, your confidence would explode!

And confidence is critical to success.

If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life.

~ Marcus Garvey

Get Ready!

Preparation is the foundation for any level of achievement. Great athletes like  Michael Jordan and the NFL’s Jerry Rice are legendary for their brutal discipline and their commitment to their practice routines. Coincidentally, they’re often – if not always – considered the all best best at their positions.

Does practice alone guarantee success? No. Many people work hard for years without achieving winning results. So is there another key?

Attitude

I love watching the NFL Network’s Hard Knocks. It’s easy to see those who will fail and those who will succeed, and it’s not always about talent. It’s often about attitude plus desire. This is an actual excerpt I took from an episode that followed the NY Jets through training camp.

Jason Davis was one of several running backs trying to make the team. This is what he said with an annoyed tone to his voice: “T Rich came back, fine. John Connor got drafted, fine. So I’m the other guy. So what? I can care less. I don’t care I haven’t taken reps with the one’s or the two’s, cause I don’t give a (expletive) where I am on the depth chart, I care about what I can control.”

He seems to have forgotten that he can control his attitude. Do you think he made the team? Of course not. He gave up, and when he got cut from the team he went on to say that he’s a full time fullback, “if they don’t see that, fine.” That made it seem as if he was not responsible for the outcome. He never played in the NFL as of this writing.

Whatever you attempt, if your attitude sucks, so will you.

~ Rob Liano

The Flip Side

In the same episode we hear another player:

“A lot of guys are gonna look into numbers, how many are at this position, how many are at that position. You can’t do that otherwise your mind can go crazy, all you can do is  . . .  do what you can on every single play to make the team and when it comes to the cut day, things are going to work themselves out.”

That statement was made by Danny Woodhead. At 5’ 9” he’s not considered the prototypical football player, but he made the team that year. He’s currently still playing for the San Diego Chargers. Not bad, right?  Well, his attitude wasn’t bad either.

Just do it!

When you combine the right attitude, deliberate practice and focus your efforts on improving key performance areas, you can’t help but get better.

You will make progress towards your goal.

Keep in mind that most of your competition won’t be doing whatever it takes to be the best, so you only have to create that extra edge which will put you over the top.

He who stops being better, stops being good.

~ Oliver Cromwell

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

Excuse Me While I Kiss the Sky

Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses. ~George Washington

Did you know that there are websites that will provide you with excuses? Some are funny and some are serious, but all of them are conveniently provided so that you can excuse yourself. Whether they’re excuses for dating, missing work or school, or excuses for encounters with the police, they’re out there.

Why the need for excuses?

Guilt is a powerful force that can often prevent us from telling the truth. Therefore we make excuses – sometimes known as little white lies – to let ourselves off of the hook.

For example: Let’s say you’re not actually sick, but you just don’t feel like working today. This is where you’ll need an excuse, because you can’t call into your job and say “I don’t feel like working today so I’m not coming in” unless you’re okay with the boss saying “I don’t feel like paying you, so you’re fired.”

As you can imagine, being a  business and life coach I encounter many people who want to be more successful in one area or another. When I ask them why they aren’t where they’d like to be, I often hear this response:

“Because my . . . spouse, boss, children or parents.”

This answer tells us that they aren’t accepting responsibility for certain things in their lives. As long as they continue to think like that, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll get to where they say want to go. I realize that certain people have more challenges than others, but if there are people who have succeeded beyond those same limits and then some, then it’s possible that they can too.

He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.

~ Benjamin Franklin

Reality Check

We cannot blame others for our failures, unless we also give them the credit for our success. That’s only fair, right?  The point is, that we must choose to accept full responsibility for both the good and bad in our business and personal lives. When we do so, a few wonderful things happen.

We’re set free, realizing that we have more control over our lives and our futures.
We enjoy our accomplishments that much more because we overcame obstacles, instead of giving up or accepting mediocrity.
We grow stronger and feel empowered, taking on even more responsibility.
People respect those who own up to their actions and also forgive them for any mistakes or failures.

Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” What if he had given up or made excuses? Do you think Bill Gates made excuses, or sought out solutions? You might say “well I’m not Bill Gates” and you’d be correct, however that doesn’t mean that we can’t employ the same strategies that he and countless others have used to create their success. And we can start by eliminating excuses.

Have you utilized every option or resource to overcome any barriers you might be facing?
Have you accepted that your success is largely dependent upon your choices and actions?
Have you taken full responsibility for past choices and actions?
What excuses might you be making in your life and career? 

Reflect on whatever might be standing in your way, and change it, especially if it’s you. Whether the obstacles seem like cracks in the sidewalk, or the mountains in your path, figure out how you can overcome them. Take responsibility, be proactive in your career and your life, and start today!

Now if you’ll excuse me . . .

Take your life in your own hands, and what happens? A terrible thing: no one to blame.

~ Erica Jong

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

Mind Freak! 5 Magical Steps to Success

A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.

~ Colin Powell

I was watching a documentary about Criss Angel because I recalled seeing a lead singer   doing magic onstage with a rock band back in the 80′s. I wanted to see if it was him. I also noticed as he was talking about his struggles and dreams, he used five key steps to achieve extraordinary success.

1: Desire:

Rather than go to college, he asked his parents to give him one year to try to make magic work.  He took a shot at doing what he enjoyed and loved. His passion propelled him to take a risk. When we accept doing something we don’t love, it’s very difficult to excel at it. It becomes a grind and we do it “for the money.” That can kill your soul. See if you can reignite your passion, even if it’s part time for now. Dust off that guitar, take a class or make your boss disappear. Whatever it takes to live with no regret, or at least less regret.

Look into the nature of desire, and there is boundless light.

~ Padmasambhava

2: Action:

When Criss got turned down for work, he took matters into his own hands while practicing through some trial and error.  He basically took any job he could get his magic hands on so that he could master his craft and keep moving forward. he took action. He did parties, created a cable tv show, and as I suspected, he even put a rock band together and did gigs, all the while intertwining magic.

Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.

~ William B. Sprague

3: Perseverance:

Early on in his career, he received dozens of responses that said “not interested” from agencies, and yet he kept going. This tells us that every no gets us closer to a yes. It’s also a very typical success story, similar to Sylvester Stallone’s and Jack Canfield’s.  Typical, yes, but uncommon, because many people focus on why they can’t do something, rather than why they must do it.

Perseverance, secret of all triumphs.

~ Victor Hugo

4: Preparedness:

The Firm, one of the most renowned agencies in entertainment, was seeking a magician for four years. If Criss gave up, had he not persevered he would have missed his opportunity. Someone else would have gotten their big break instead. Don’t let someone get your opportunity!  It’s not the right place at the right time if you’re not prepared for it, so get ready.

Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.

~ Abraham Lincoln

5: Encouragement:

His parents were supportive, so much so that his Mom let him refinance her house to raise money to fund his magic show. The very one that eventually grew into the groundbreaking show that I’m sure you’ve heard of, Mindfreak.

Correction does much, but encouragement does more.

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Take these lessons to heart, implement them and surround yourself with the right people so that you can create magic in your life!

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)

Look forward to it!

Tonight I’ll be flying to Greece for perfectly timed vacation. I’ll return  to the USA on Labor Day. I mention this for two reasons:

First, I won’t have my usual blog for the time I’m away, and secondly, all of us are looking forward to this coming Labor Day weekend.  We love holidays don’t we?

I can’t help but compare this to the importance of goal setting. Goals drive us, inspire us and (should) get us excited. This is why it’s in our best interest to set short and long term goals because we always need something to look forward to.

Jessica Savitch said:

“No matter how many goals you have achieved, you must set your sights on a higher one.”

I disagree. You don’t need a “higher” goal necessarily but you do need goals in general. If you always wanted to go see Foamhenge (click here, it’s wicked cool), well that’s a goal that can bring joy, but it’s not bigger than buying your dream home.

Set both large and small goals and in various categories. Whether it’s a must see movie you want to rent on a rainy night, taking guitar lessons or getting a new car, let those goals drive you and excite you. If you always have something to look forward to the letdown you might feel after a holiday weekend might not matter as much. Because there’s more where that came from!

I challenge you to write out 100 goals scattered across the following categories:

Recreation
Travel
Growth
Frivolous
Financial
Relational
Business
Lifestyle
Fitness
Material

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

~C. S. Lewis

Rob Liano

Rock Star Life Coach & Sales Strategist

www.rockstarsalestraining.com

1.855.832.ROCK (7625)