Sound Wisdom Blog
The Golden Age by Jim Stovall
We human beings are too often plagued with what I would call “Greener Grass Syndrome.” This syndrome involves looking back in time and declaring a point in history as “the good old days” or projecting into the future and declaring “someday things will get better.” In reality, the only point in recorded history that matters to you and me is the current immediate moment we are living right now.
Achieve Everything You Want by Sam Silverstein
What if I told you that accountability was at the center of achieving everything you ever wanted? Does accountability really seem that powerful?
Here’s the thing—what happens to us is based on the actions we take. Those actions are determined by what we believe. What we believe about people will determine the level of accountability that we have. And what we believe is at the very heart of determining what we achieve. Let’s discuss.
4 Strategies to Turn Networking into Results by Meridith Elliott Powell
I am a firm believer that if you build your network, it will change your life. In my opinion, networking is one of the most important skills you can have to grow your business, build your team, and expand your client base. The impact of and the lasting effects of networking are immeasurable.
The Creative Mind: An Exclusive Excerpt from Charles F. Haanel’s The Master Key System
The subconscious can and will solve any problem for us if we know how to direct it. The subconscious processes are always at work; the only question is, are we to be simply passive recipients of this activity, or are we to consciously direct the work? Shall we have a vision of the destination to be reached, the dangers to be avoided, or shall we simply drift?
Controlling the Creep by Jim Stovall
You may have heard it said that something imagined in one generation can be considered possible in the next generation and can become a reality in the third generation. I would define this as culture creep, and it can be either good or bad. My late, great friend and colleague Paul Harvey often said, “Not all that we call progress is progress.” Everything that is new is not necessarily new and improved. We need to be aware of and control this type of creep in our own personal and professional lives.
What Abandonment Taught Me about Adaptability & Success by Alyson Van Hooser
I learned…
not to give up but to push through.
life is not fair, but you have a chance to flip the script.
choosing positive actions, even when you don’t feel like it, leads to positive results.
the willingness and ability to adapt is the x-factor for success.
3 Strategies to Get Your Succession Planning Moving by Meridith Elliott Powell
First and foremost, you need to understand where you are: what talent you have, what talent you need, and what talent is available in your marketplace. In other words, you need to take inventory. You need to get a clear perspective of what it takes from a talent perspective to run your company effectively. What roles could easily be filled with existing talent, and what roles will you need to recruit for?
Kick Fear’s Ass by Kay Miller
Here’s an Uncopyable Secret: The next time you face the risk of rejection, failure or even looking stupid, ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?” As long as the answer isn’t death, force yourself to push past your fear. And remember, the biggest opportunities (and sales!) lie outside your comfort zone.
The Art of Entrepreneurship by Jim Stovall
In The Art of Entrepreneurship, readers will discover who should be an entrepreneur and who should not, the truth about myths entrepreneurship, and the quickest and most reliable ways to succeed while avoiding the pitfalls that sidetrack many would-be entrepreneurs. The Art of Entrepreneurship offers real-world experience coupled with Dr. Schneider’s cutting-edge research.
Are You Solving the Right Problem? by Courtney Clark
I got stuck solving the wrong problem once. When I got engaged to my husband, I was embarrassed about my cooking skills. I had scorched only three pans beyond saving, but that was two more than I felt good about. (Oh, I also set a toaster oven on fire once. But that was in college, so I’d like to think that won’t happen again.)
We Don’t Want to Be “Sold,” but We Love to Buy by Kay Miller
To be an Uncopyable salesperson: make the “YES” the customer’s idea.
It’s a simple strategy that’s also an Uncopyable sales secret. The best part? By getting more of your customers to buy, you’ll make more sales.
How Do You Define “Success”? An Exclusive Excerpt from Napoleon Hill’s Think Your Way to Wealth by Napoleon Hill
Individuals might come by opportunities by mere chance or luck, but when opportunities are encountered this way, people have a way of falling out of them just as easily as they fell into them. In order to hold on to an opportunity, there must be Definiteness of Purpose!
Build an Organization Good Enough to Attract and Retain the Best People by Sam Silverstein
Are you having attraction and retention problems? Do you constantly struggle to hire and keep the right people? Are there always unfilled job openings in your company? Does your door feel like a turnstile at times? If you can’t find enough good people, then maybe you haven’t built a company good enough to attract those people.
Reframing Your Memories by Jim Stovall
Very few things in life are either all good or all bad. Even in the worst of times and during the most difficult of circumstances, there are lessons to be learned that can impact who we are and what we do for the rest of our lives.
The Lies of Hustle by Jennifer Janechek
We were sold a lie that “there” is better than “here.” The belief that your life becomes fixed, whole, and happy—that YOU become fixed, whole, and happy—on the other side of the next goal. The belief that all your worries will finally go away. The belief that “happiness is behind the next thing.” We have fallen more in love with our vision boards than the life we have now.
Vision: Do You Know Where You’re Goin’ To? by Phillip Van Hooser
I encourage you to spend some time deciding where you’re going. When you crystallize your dreams into destinations and maintain a strong desire to exceed, I think you’ll soon find yourself on the road to where you want to be!
The Myth of Not Deciding by Jim Stovall
We succeed or fail in virtually every area of our lives based on the decisions we make. Decisions often make us nervous because we realize there could be unfavorable consequences if we make the wrong choice. The potential outcome causes many people to rush, delay, or avoid a decision. With every decision we face, there is an optimal window of time to both make and implement the decision. This optimal time comes when we have had an opportunity to gather as much information and input as possible while all of our options are still open.
Think Beyond Your Job by Charles Schwab
The surest way to qualify for the job just ahead is to work a little harder than anyone else on the job one is holding down.
Recently we have heard much about investments. To my mind, the best investment a young person starting out in business can possibly make is to give all their time, all their energies, to work—just plain, hard work. After an individual’s position is assured, they can indulge in pleasure if they wish. They will have lost nothing by waiting—and gained much. They will have made money enough really to afford to spend some, and they will know that they have done right by themselves and by the world.
4 Reasons Why People Don’t Set Goals, According to Zig Ziglar by Jennifer Janechek
According to Zig Ziglar, “97 percent of the people in our society do not have a clearly defined, written-down set of goals for their lives.” We all know goal getting can be difficult, but why is goal setting so hard for the majority of the population? In Goals Planning and Action Guide: How to Get the Most Out of Your Life, Ziglar gives four reasons:
Fear
Poor self-image
No buy-in
Don’t know how
Your Source of Excellence by Sam Silverstein
Usually, when we run into a challenge, we focus most of our effort on changing what we do…and we make little or no effort to change the way we think. Yet the power of thinking far outstrips the effects of doing. It is only when we change the way we think that we change what we do in a sustainable way. This is a key principle of accountable leadership: Action always follows belief.