The strongest may survive but it is the passionate that will thrive.

Whether I’m speaking to an NFL team, school principals, or leaders of world class organizations such as Pepperidge Farm, Citizens Bank, and Northwestern Mutual my message is the same:
If you want to be successful today you must load your “Energy Bus” with passionate people…. and most of all you must be passionate yourself.

In the past you could be lukewarm and mediocre and still be successful.

Not anymore.

Now, in today’s competitive environment, your passion and your purpose must be greater than your challenges.

You have to be willing to work harder, run faster, drive further, study more, practice longer, lead better, sweat more, love deeper and this requires passion.

Passion wakes you up 30 minutes earlier. It dials your phone one more time to make one more sale. It rallies your team together when times are tough. It moves you to see one more patient after a long day at the hospital. It inspires you to help a struggling student. It provides legendary customer service. Passion transforms workplaces, powers champions and fuels winning teams.

But what about someone who has a low paying job or who is in a job that quite frankly is hard to be passionate about you might ask? I get this question often and my answer is: It’s not the job or the money you are being paid but the passion that you bring to your job that matters. After all, I’ve met bus drivers who are more passionate about their jobs than professional athletes making millions of dollars.

Sure, I realize that not everyone is going to be passionate about their daily responsibilities associated with their job, however, in these cases you can be passionate about the organization you work for. You can be passionate about your team members and helping your team improve, grow and succeed. You can be passionate about your mission and customers. You can be passionate about making a difference.

Leaders, you must also foster this passion in your organization and make passion an essential element of your culture. Stop sucking the life out of your employees and wonder why they aren’t delivering the results you want. Instead create a team that is passionate about their mission, driven with purpose and energized by working together. Inspire your team with passion and they will drive The Energy Bus for you.

If your people aren’t passionate about the work they do and the people they work with, and if they aren’t passionate about your brand and mission, then you need to let them off the bus so they can find another bus where they can live their passion.

This is good for them and it’s good for your team.

By letting disengaged employees off the bus you make room for those who are passionate about your team and organization—and with a bus filled with passionate people you will thrive while others merely try to survive.

Are you living and working with your passion? How can you start today? Join the conversation on our blog.

- Jon

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There was a time in most of our lives when we had no fear-that feeling when we jumped from the jungle gym and slammed our little bodies to the ground. Perhaps it was when we went on our first roller coaster, or when we were in high school or college and felt that there was nothing we couldn’t do. No goal was unattainable. We were an unstoppable force that would think of something and then make it happen. Then, as time goes by, the world tells us more frequently that we can’t do what we want. The doubters laugh at our goals and try to persuade us from going after our dreams.

They say, “You’re crazy. It’s too hard. Why don’t you do this instead? You should play it safe.” They act as if dreams were meant for others but not people like us. They surround us with negative energy and try to instill their own fears and insecurities in us. We not only begin to know the word “fear,” we start to understand what it’s like to be fearful. With so many people telling us we can’t do something and so few telling us we can, it’s hard not to let fear into our lives. Unfortunately this is how many of us go through life.

Whether you are 20 or 50, many of us become so scared of losing what we have that we don’t go after what we truly want. We play it safe and hold on so tight to the status quo that we never experience what could be. We believe the doubters and don’t take chances that will move us one step towards our dreams. I call this “playing to lose”. We see this in sports all the time when a team has the lead. They start to think about how not to lose instead of how to win. They hold on so tight to their lead that they start playing safe and scared. You can see it in their energy and body language. As a result the other team takes chances, plays with no fear and eventually gains the momentum and wins.

To live a life filled with positive energy we must learn to repel the energy of fear. Whether it comes from within or from another person, we must overcome fear and adopt a “play to win” mindset. Playing to win requires a commitment to yourself that even if you fail, you will never give up and never let your goals and dreams die. Those who play to win know that success is not given to us. It is pursued with all the energy and sweat we can muster. Obstacles and struggles are part of life and only serve to make us appreciate our success. If everything came easy we wouldn’t know what it felt like to truly succeed. Obstacles are meant to be overcome. Fear is meant to be conquered. Success is meant to be achieved. They are all part of the game of life and the people who succeed play to win and never give up until the game is over.

Do you Play to Win or Play to Lose? Join the conversation on our blog here.

Stay Positive,

Jon

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Two weeks ago I wrote about Keeping Your Eye on the Ball (click to read article) and incidentally mentioned how while playing tennis I had blisters on my feet. This prompted Randy to respond on my blog and share the following funny comment.

“Jon, excellent post. But…blisters? I was reminded of a Coach John Wooden principle that first you have to teach your players how to tie their shoes correctly — no one can play well and persevere with sore feet! THEN, you can keep your eyes on the ball!!”

As someone who has also studied the leadership of John Wooden I knew I had effectively been called out. Randy was right. Preparation is everything and you must not only focus on the ball but focus on the preparation and fundamentals that help you hit the ball most effectively.

So often we fail because we fail to prepare. We focus on hitting the ball but we forget to take the time to tie our shoes tight before the game starts.

I’ve heard it said that people spend more time planning their summer vacation than their life. We want success but we are either not willing or forget to do the little, ordinary and boring things that are essential to succeed.

My friend is the VP of sales of a fast growing company and a part of their business involves a customer service center. One of their essential service goals is for their employees to answer the phone within 2 rings.

“What happens if it goes beyond 2 rings,” I asked.
“It’s Code Red,” he said.

Their focus on the ordinary and boring details of their business has enabled them to thrive.

I encourage you to think about the boring but essential fundamentals of your business and job. Have you mastered them? Have your employees mastered them? How prepared are you? How much do you practice? Have you trained your team to be their best?

As Chuck Noll said, “Champions do ordinary things better than everyone else.”

If you and your team want to be your best you must master the obvious, excel at the ordinary and do the little things that create big results.

As for me, Randy’s blog comment made me go out and get a new pair of shoes that were a size smaller. And before each practice I make sure to tie them tight. Now, I’m truly prepared and ready to keep my eye on the ball. Thanks Randy!

Be Your Best and Bring Out the Best in Others,

Jon

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In The Shark and The Goldfish, Gordy the goldfish is forced from his safe, secure and comfortable fishbowl and finds himself in an ocean of change and uncertainty.

It’s a path that many of us can relate to. Change happens all the time and when it hits we’re forced to move from the comfort of the known to the discomfort of the unknown. It is during these times that we come face to face with our greatest fears—which too often sabotage our joy, confidence, productivity and success. Change turns our world upside down and leads to negative thoughts, actions and outcomes.

But Sammy the Shark has an important lesson for Gordy and for you and your team if you are dealing with change.

Change can be either your friend or foe and this is determined by how you perceive the change you are dealing with. You can make change your enemy by resisting and running from it or you can make it your friend by embracing it and learning from it.

To thrive you must embrace change. Sammy the Shark then goes on to share 5 questions we should ask ourselves and our team members to help us embrace and ride the waves of change.

1. What can I learn from this experience?

2. How can I grow wiser, stronger and better because of it?

3. What opportunities does it present?

4. What do I want now?

5. What actions do I need to take?

Just last week I gave a keynote at the Ft. Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau kick-off event. Obviously being a tourist destination the Ft. Lauderdale convention and hospitality industry has experienced changes and yet I witnessed firsthand an organization that has asked the right questions and embraced change.

1. They asked what they can learn from this experience and have become more innovative in their outreach and marketing strategies.

2. They have come together as a business community with a shared vision and focus and are more unified and stronger as a result of these challenges.

3. They are pursuing new opportunities, that they have ignored in the past, to bring more business to the city.

4. They decided what they wanted and they have put together an aggressive marketing and action plan to make it happen.

5. Now their future is brighter than the South Florida sun.

How about you? Are you and your team facing changes? I encourage you to get together to read The Shark and The Goldfish and ask, then answer, these five questions. Then take action.

I’m confident when you do this you’ll realize another important lesson Sammy shares.

“Change is not the end but the beginning of something better.”

Ride the Wave,

Jon

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I’ve recently become addicted to tennis. I was glued to the television during the US Open and try to play every chance I get. Originally I was forced to play by my wife, who needed someone to practice with, and my son who at the age of 9 has decided he wants to be the next John McEnroe. But now I love the game and my goal is to be the first unranked 40+ man to win the US Open.

In my pursuit of greatness I’ve taken a few lessons and when playing I try to implement what I’ve learned. I tell myself:

Keep the racket low.

Move the feet.

Bend the knees.

Rotate the hips.

Low to high.

Follow through.

Don’t pass out.

One day I thought I was doing everything right and yet I still wasn’t hitting the ball well. What am I doing wrong I asked myself in frustration? I thought of all the advice I had shared in Training Camp, and laughed as I realized I had overlooked the obvious.

I was doing everything but keeping my eye on the ball. I was so caught up in trying to do everything else that I forgot the most important part of the game.

I know I’m not alone. I see it happen all the time in businesses, in schools, in sports, and in life.

Distractions cause us to lose our focus.

We allow the trivial to get in the way of the meaningful.

Busyness and stress keep us from developing the relationships that are crucial to building a winning career and team.

We fret about the past, worry about the future and take our focus off of the present.

Bombarded by information and distractions we forget what is truly important.

We focus on the outcome instead of the process and wonder why we miss our targets.

We focus on everything else except the ball.

Today I want to encourage you to keep your eye on the ball. Get back to the basics. Focus on the fundamentals. Remember what really matters. Identify the simple principles and actions that are crucial to your success at work and at home.

Simplify, Focus, Execute.

I played tennis yesterday for three hours. My body was tired and the blisters on my feet were killing me. But I kept telling myself keep your eye on the ball.

I played the best I’ve ever played.

Keeping my eye on the ball helped me take my game to a new level. I know it will help you do the same.

How do you keep your eye on the ball? What does the ball symbolize for you? Share your thoughts on our blog.

- Jon

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He told me how six months earlier, at the age of fifty-four, he lost his job at a Fortune 500 company. He thought his life and business career were finished. No one is going to hire a fifty-four year old sales professional, he frequently told himself. Each day he grew more fearful, pessimistic and depressed.

Then one day while taking a walk of sadness along the beach he thought of his twenty year old son and it occurred to him…

If I give up now, what lesson am I teaching my son?

If I don’t overcome my challenges, my son will learn to let his challenges overcome him.

I need to show my son that even though Dad was knocked down, that he can get back up… so when life knocks him down he’ll know that he can get back up too.

Fueled with a bigger purpose to show his son that he could get back up after being knocked down, Leonard dusted off his resume, called friends and colleagues in his industry and reached out to various companies letting them know he was back in the game.

His positive beliefs lead to powerful actions. Instead of waiting to be fed like a goldfish, he became a shark and went in search of food.

Over a three month period, Leonard’s actions lead to a number of interview opportunities and four job offers. Yes, four offers!!

Now he is with a company that appreciates his knowledge, experience, and talents. He reports directly to the President, and his future is brighter than ever.

Leonard is a testament that if you think your best days are behind you, they are… and if you think your best days are ahead of you, they are.

Positive beliefs lead to powerful actions.

How about you? Have you been knocked down? Is your company going through changes? Are you dealing with change at work and in life? Have you been feeling sorry for yourself?

I want to encourage you to think of Leonard and remind yourself that regardless of the adversity you face, your purpose must be greater than your challenges. Instead of focusing on your problems, focus on your purpose. Instead of seeing yourself as a victim, see yourself as a hero. Heroes and victims both get knocked down but heroes get back up, armed with optimism and a greater purpose they create a positive future.

Can you recall a time when a greater purpose inspired you to overcome your challenges. Share your story here on our blog.

Ride the Wave,
Jon

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These were the words of an economist I heard speak as he talked about the economy, the housing market and the recession.

He reminded his audience that a lot of people make a lot of money during recessions. He stressed that these are the times when successful companies and successful people gain market share. He shouted when he told the group to look for buying opportunities over the next three years because there will be many.

In essence he was saying not to let the economy dictate your situation and success. Rather, change your belief system and focus on opportunities instead of challenges. Reminds me of the “Positive Shark Formula” (also known as The Positive Success Formula) I wrote about in The Shark and The Goldfish.

E + P = O

In the book, Sammy, a nice shark who feels that sharks get a bad rap and are in need of some positive publicity, teaches Gordy the goldfish that while we can’t control the events (E) in our life, we can control our positive energy and our positive actions (P) to these events and challenges and in turn this will determine the outcome (O).

Indeed, we have more control than we think we do. Our positive energy, our belief system, our attitude, and our actions have a huge impact on the life we live and the success we enjoy.

You can listen to the Constantly Negative News Channels and believe that success is impossible or you can change your belief and know that with God and an optimistic attitude, all things are possible. Instead of focusing on what they say you can’t do, focus on what you can do. Instead of listening to the negative voices, focus on your positive choices.

I’m not saying it will be easy. We will certainly be tested on our journey. I’m an optimist but also a realist. These are challenging times. We may lose our job. We may experience financial difficulties. We may not sell our house as fast as we’d like. We may have to start a new business or venture. We may have set backs. But if we apply the Positive Success Formula to our life I guarantee we will have a big say and influence in the outcome. Instead of letting the world create us we will have a significant role in creating our world.

Have you seen the Positive Success Formula work in your life or the life of someone you know? Share your story on our blog.

- Jon

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If you are concerned about the future and anxious about your situation, I know how you feel. I lost my job in 2001 during the dot.com bust. The company was losing money faster than we could raise it and eventually the company sank faster than the Titanic. I thought it was the worst event of my life. I was two months away from being bankrupt. I had a wife, two young children, a mortgage, no health insurance, and very little savings. I was a paycheck away from losing it all.

It sounds bad. It felt bad. Seen from one point of view I suppose it was bad. But one day I decided that I wasn’t going to let this challenge take me down. And that’s when I knew I had to change what I was thinking and doing.

I read a few books which helped me make some important decisions through the change. Eventually these decisions would lead to the work I do now as a writer, consultant, and speaker. I often joke that I went from Fired to Fired Up. My layoff led to my life’s mission and purpose. What I thought was the worst event in my life actually lead to the best. I realized that dealing with waves of change is all about how we perceive and respond to the change we are facing.

Change comes in all forms. A new business model at work, a reassignment, a lost job, a new job, new leadership, new policies, new rules for a tough economy, new government regulation, layoffs, personal adversity, professional challenges. Change is inevitable and while we can’t control the events in our life we can control how we respond to them.

When the wave of change hits we have a choice. We can allow the wave to crush us or we can embrace the change, learn from it and ride it to a positive future. We can move forward with determination and faith that our best days are ahead of us, not behind us.

Most importantly we can decide whether we are a shark or a goldfish. Goldfish wait to be fed. Sharks go find food. Which one are you? Share your thoughts on our blog.

I hope you’ll join us for a free tele-seminar Sept. 14th where I’ll share strategies from my latest book The Shark and the Goldfish to help you and your team thrive during change. Register here.

- Jon

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Every one of us is going to leave a legacy. It just depends on what kind. So what kind of legacy do you want to leave? I encourage you to think about it because knowing how you want to be remembered helps you decide how to live and work today. Consider the following ways to leave a legacy and then identify other legacies you can share.

1. A Legacy of Excellence - Saint Francis of Assisi said, “It’s no use walking anywhere to preach unless your preaching is your walking.” To leave a legacy of excellence, strive to be your best every day. As you strive for excellence you inspire excellence in others. You serve as a role model for your children, your friends and your colleagues. One person in pursuit of excellence raises the standards and behaviors of everyone around them. Your life is your greatest legacy and since you only have one life to give, give all you can.

2. A Legacy of Encouragement - You have a choice. You can lift others up or bring them down. Twenty years from now when people think of you what do you want them to remember? The way you encouraged them or discouraged them? I recently spent a few days with Ken Blanchard, author of The One Minute Manager, and I had the opportunity to thank him for his support, encouragement and the difference he has made in my life. He not only inspired me by the way he lived his life but also by the way he encouraged me as a writer and speaker. Who will you encourage today? Be that person that someone will call five, ten or twenty years from now and say “Thank you, I couldn’t have done it without you.”

3. A Legacy of Purpose - People are most energized when they are using their strengths and talents for a purpose beyond themselves. To leave a legacy of purpose, make your life about something bigger than you. While you’re not going to live forever you can live on through the legacy you leave and the positive impact you make in the world.

4. A Legacy of Love - I often think about my Mom, who passed away a few years ago, and when I think about her I don’t recall her faults and mistakes or the disagreements we had. After all, who is perfect? But what I remember most about her was her love for me. She gave me a legacy of love that I now share with others. Share a legacy of love and it will embrace generations to come.

5. A Legacy of __________________. Share your thoughts on our blog here.

- Jon

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Lately in my talks I’ve been encouraging everyone to think about the legacy they want to leave because knowing how you want to be remembered helps you decide how to live and work today.

The truth is we are all going to leave a legacy. It just depends on what kind. I often think about this in terms of the books I write, the newsletters I share, my actions as a husband and father and where I focus my energy.

To help you think about your legacy imagine that life is a relay race and you are running your leg of the race with a baton in your hand. As you approach the next runner and prepare to give them the baton ask yourself what does this baton represent?

What do you want to give them? What legacy do you want to leave… at home, at work, in your community?

Eventually your leg of the race will come to an end but others will carry on the baton you gave them.

So give them something special, something meaningful, and something positive to remember and pass on!

Who made a difference in your life? Who passed the baton to you and what did they give you? What legacy did they leave in you? Share your comments here.

Next week I’m going to share 5 Ways to Leave a Legacy.
Until next Monday… God Bless!

- Jon

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