Mindset and Motivation Archives – Page 13 of 17

19 May 2010

Getting the Results You Want in Business

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:54:40-06:00May 19th, 2010|Categories: Business Strategy, Doug's Blog, Mindset and Motivation|

Most people think they deserve something big for working hard. But is this just desire or is it really an entitlement?

More and more people are being judged by the results of what they produce; not the effort they put into it.

Sure there are still jobs where you put in your time and you get paid. You put in extra effort and you get paid more. The relationship is pretty linear… and finite.

When you are an entrepreneur or business owner the relationship is not linear.

The market doesn't owe you anything for hard work. There are no labor laws to hide behind. […]

29 Apr 2010

Nearly Skunked

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:55:33-06:00April 29th, 2010|Categories: Business Strategy, Current Events, Doug's Blog, Mindset and Motivation|

Tuesday night I decided to take the dogs for a walk. I stepped out the door and froze. The smell of skunk was very strong. The dogs were sniffing the air but fortunately didn’t see anything.

After pausing for what seemed like several minutes, but was likely a few seconds, I quietly turned on my flashlight and looked around. Sure enough, there were eyes looking back at me about 50 feet out, beside a bush.

I don’t actually know what the range of a skunk is but I assumed it was less than 50 feet so I took the dogs out along a route that would […]

24 Mar 2010

“Do What I Did and Get Rich” Books

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:56:57-06:00March 24th, 2010|Categories: Books and Courses, Business Strategy, Doug's Blog, Mindset and Motivation|

I picked up a book recently about how now is the time to cash in on your passion; how to use social media to promote your personal brand.

Essentially the premise of the book is:

Pretty much everyone should quit their job,
Discover your passion and blog (text, video or audio) about it, no matter what the passion is,
Build your personal brand through social networking site,
Work hard and hustle,
Opportunities and cash will start rolling in due to the magic of the Internet, and
If I did it, so can you, "I guarantee it".

Everyone can make a great living doing this? Guaranteed? What a […]

17 Mar 2010

Jogger Killed by Plane

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:57:12-06:00March 17th, 2010|Categories: Business Strategy, Current Events, Doug's Blog, Mindset and Motivation|

I read in the paper today that a jogger listening to an iPod while jogging on a beach was hit from behind and killed by a small plane making an emergency landing.

What are the odds of that happening?

A year ago I read about someone jogging with an iPod and getting hit by lightning through the ear buds.

Obviously iPods attract danger and we should all stop jogging just to be safe.

(Or maybe safety is an illusion and we should all listen to iPods while jogging on the beach during a thunderstorm.)

7 Mar 2010

Being Indispensable and Type A Employees

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:57:35-06:00March 7th, 2010|Categories: Books and Courses, Doug's Blog, Dream Teams, Leadership, Mindset and Motivation|

I just finished reading "Linchpin – Are You Indispensable" by Seth Godin. In the book he encourages you to make a difference in what you do, treat your work as an art, connect with people, get things done, and be the best you can be. The world is changing quickly and people who merely show up (cogs), are going to be marginalized. So be indispensable.

I just started reading another book called "Who – The A Method for Hiring" by Geoff Smart and Randy Street. I tripped across this one through the magic of Amazon. The premise of […]

1 Mar 2010

Remember to Stop and Smell the Roses

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:57:39-06:00March 1st, 2010|Categories: Business Strategy, Doug's Blog, Mindset and Motivation|

I was just looking out the window. There is a full moon shining on a low lying fog over the hills and prairie; the light reflecting off the tin roof of a barn to the south of us. Absolutely haunting and stunning.

The other day, I saw what initially looked to be a gopher running across the lawn. Upon closer look it was white and not quite a gopher. In fact it was a ferret with its winter coat; and a black tip on its tail. It looked like a white stick standing in the yellow grass. Thanks to our recent […]

23 Feb 2010

Your Attitude Changes Your Results

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:57:58-06:00February 23rd, 2010|Categories: Business Strategy, Doug's Blog, Mindset and Motivation|

I am constantly amazed at how the grey matter upstairs works.

It is kind of like when you buy a new car and then you start noticing all of the similar cars out there.

When you make the commitment as an individual and company to:

Making a difference,
Be innovative and creative,
Making the pie bigger,
Be indispensable,
Be more entrepreneurial,
Deliver (or ship)

Essentially being much more optimistic and less fearful of hypothetical problems that may never come to pass.

Then more of those things (opportunities) come your way.

Why? Because you are looking with the right filters.

15 Feb 2010

Are You Working on the Right Things?

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-06T12:47:34-06:00February 15th, 2010|Categories: Doug's Blog, Leadership, Mindset and Motivation|

Lately I have been struggling with over-commitment and more things to do than time. Between the business, hobbies, personal relationships, and other things that need to get done, sometimes there is just not enough time in the day.

When all else fails, start making lists and prioritize.

I was reviewing Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People“. In it he has the following diagram:

Quadrant I – Tasks

These are things that are both important and urgent; problems and fires that cannot be ignored. This is reactive work. […]

9 Feb 2010

Entrepreneurs, Creation and Enlightenment

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:58:37-06:00February 9th, 2010|Categories: Books and Courses, Doug's Blog, Leadership, Mindset and Motivation|

A couple of quotes from "E-Myth Mastery" by Michael Gerber that I found interesting:

"Entrepreneurship is, first of all, the power to create.

But creation is not something you do.

Creation is something that is done through you."

and

"Your job is not to become an entrepreneur. It is not to create.

Your job is to commit to the process of becoming an entrepreneur and then to practice what entrepreneurs do so that entrepreneurship can find you when you've practiced enough to be ready.

Commitment and practice."

What is not stated here is how long? That is because the […]

8 Feb 2010

Great, Good Enough and Poor

By Doug Wagner|2017-04-03T11:58:42-06:00February 8th, 2010|Categories: Doug's Blog, Leadership, Mindset and Motivation|

It is important to distinguish.

You only have 24 hours in your day, 7 days in a week, 52 weeks in a year and who knows how many years.

Your company only has so many people and the same constraints on time.

Great

Great effort or great results? I think the world rewards you mostly for results over the long-term. Sure you can put in a lot of hours on something, but if the results aren't great?

Because being great at something usually requires a lot of effort over a long period of time, you must choose wisely; you can't be great at everything.

Focus […]