The Art of Personal Productivity

Delegate Completely

2008-06-09T20:00:00.000-05:00

To effectively delegate, you must give three things:

Responsibility
Authority
Accountability

If you are missing any of these, your people will not be properly empowered.

"I am your servant. You have the right to dismiss me when you please. What you have no right to do is ask me to bear responsibility without the power of action." - Winston Churchill

Setting Your Baseline: Where Do You Spend Your Time?

2008-04-08T06:00:00.000-05:00

"Time is money."
-Benjamin Franklin, Advice to a Young Tradesman

This is an update from a post that I did a couple of months ago. Since there are many new readers, I feel that it is important to share this valuable tool this week. Time is probably the most precious resource that a successful person has. The President of a company that I worked for many years ago told me that the secret to resolving a customer service issue was to work your way up to a person in the company with more money than time.

Be sure to read this article until the end because I have a never before revealed secret formula for how much productive time you should have each day.

If you don’t know where you are spending your time, you are wasting money. One of the most profitable skills that I learned in my first job after college was tracking my time in 15 minute increments. I was working as a staff accountant for a local CPA firm and had to account for all of my time. If I didn’t track my time, then I didn’t get paid. In addition to tracking my time, the majority of my time had to be billable. This exercise taught me to be aware of where I was spending my time and to focus on activities that generated profit for the firm. In subsequent industry jobs, I realized that this skill gave me a significant competitive advantage. While others were engaging in “water cooler” conversations, I was getting recognized and promoted.

ROSE-COLORED MEMORY
One of the main reasons that we should write things down is because memory is a poor model of reality. This is true for a variety of reasons. First, we all have a bias. Our memories must go through the prism of our experience before they are stored in our brains. Second, many of us have a tendency to remember things in a positive light, especially our contribution to something. Psychologists call this an ego-centric bias. We believe that we are far more focused and productive than we really are. Finally, our memories fade over time. In some cases, they change entirely as our new experiences and changing beliefs attach different meanings to them.

THE CURRENCY OF TIME
Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
-Carl Sandburg

Time is the great equalizer. I had a wonderfully wise teacher in high school who would rebuke anyone coming to class late with this saying, “time, and time alone, waits for no man, and dang few women.” It’s a sobering thought when you consider that everyone has the same amount of time in each day, week, and year. Michael Korda, former Editor-in-Chief of Simon & Schuster in New York City once said, "Success has always been easy to measure. It is the distance between one's origins and one's final achievement."

The idea that we all have the same amount of time can be very humbling. This fact made an indelible impact on me in college while watching Andre Agassi at Wimbledon. Although he was only about a year older than me, he had already achieved unbelievable success. He had achieved wealth, fame, and numerous tennis titles. I would say that he spent his time wisely during his youth.

How are you going to spend your time? Isn’t this an interesting phrase, “spend your time”? What accomplishments are you exchanging for your time? Are you wasting your time or investing your time? Unlike virtually every other resource on the planet, time is irreplaceable. For example, if an employee leaves your company, you can hire another employee to replace them. By the same token, if you lose a customer, you can find another one. On the other hand, if you waste an hour watching television or mindlessly surfing the web, that time is gone. You can never recover wasted time.

One of the best ways to determine what your time is worth is to divide your annual salary by 2,080, which is 52 weeks at 40 hours / week. This will give you an idea of how much money you are investing or wasting each hour.

THE VALUE OF AN ACTIVITY LOG
Activity logs help you to analyze somewhat objectively where you spend your time. If you are like me, what you discover will surprise you. Since we too easily forget things like reading junk mail, personal phone calls, internet, daydreaming, etc., the activity log will bring these issues to the surface so you can deal with them.

So, what do you do? A product that I’ve mentioned before called the Bubble Planner has a great tool that allows you to quickly track your time. It’s already set up so all you have to do is write down the category, i.e. Sales Proposal, Web Surfing, Customer Calls, then, bubble in the portion of the bubble that you spend on the particular category. Here is a picture of the Activity Log page. You can also do this in excel or on a piece of notebook paper.

By analyzing your activity log you will be able to identify and eliminate time-wasters or low-contribution tasks. So, here's the secret formula that I mentioned earlier. How much time should you spend on non-productive activities each day or week? I would say that God knows a little about time being the Ancient of Days. As such, I use his formula of 1 day of rest for every 7 days, which translates to 15% of rest each day. I call this the original 85/15 rule. This is similar to Deming's 85/15 Rule but about a the value of processes. By keeping an Activity Log for several days, you will understand how you spend your time. Once you have logged your time for a few days, analyze the log. You may be alarmed to see the length of time you spend doing low value or unproductive tasks!

“I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and again and again. I will walk where failures fear to walk. I will work when failures seek rest. I will act now for now is all I have. Tomorrow is the day reserved for the labor of the lazy. I am not lazy. Tomorrow is the day when the failure will succeed. I am not a failure. I will act now. Success will not wait. If I delay, success will become wed to another and lost to me forever. This is the time. This is the place. I am the person.”
-Og Mandino

Tags: Activity Log, Time Management

How Do Bubble Maps Work?

2008-04-03T18:59:00.002-05:00

We often get asked about why Bubble Maps are so effective as a time management tool. Here is some of the science behind the art.

1. Improves Communication with the Brain. The Mind Communicates in Images. Bubble Maps use the language of the mind, which is pictures that are converted into words. The organizing ability of the Bubble Map allows a more natural conversation with the brain than a list.

2. Engages Memory. Memory is naturally associative, not linear. Bubble Maps allow associations and links to be recorded and reinforced due to the location of the bubbles on the page. The method of loci technique, which was taught by Aristotle, uses the associative properties of your memory to connect new information to locations (or loci) that you already know.

3. Converts Energy into Action. Thoughts are energy. However, to be useful, this energy must be directed. Writing things down takes this energy and makes it tangible. In the process, what you want is clarified, thus, actionable. It’s similar to what a windmill does with wind. It takes the invisible and makes it visible.

4. Offloads Mental Processes. Through a process known as Distributed Cognition, Bubble Maps take the burden off of the brain for certain tasks. Often people experience mental exhaustion because they are constantly thinking about what needs to be done. Bubble Maps provide a trustworthy system; thereby, enabling your mind to respond rather than react to the present moment.

5. Creates Focus and Concentration. By identifying the actions that are most important for you to complete on a given day, week, month, or year; you bring together the full power of your attention and efforts.

6. Sparks Creativity. Since pictures are the language of the mind, Bubble Maps capture more of what’s in your mind. The connection between your subconscious and conscious mind is like a muscle—the more it is used, the stronger it becomes. Thus, the accessibility of paper and the visual appeal of the page layout combine to pull the creativity into existence.

7. Establishes Boundaries. The boundaries of the bubble allow your thoughts to be discreet and manageable, in this way they are hedges of protection. Also, the limited number of bubbles on a page release the power of accomplishment by making the number of tasks in your day achievable.

8. Supports Visual-Spatial Learners. Over 60% of the student population in a recent study preferred Visual-Spatial learning to Auditory-Sequential. This is why many people are unable to use a PDA effectively. The linear nature of task management software is contradictory to the genetic make-up of most people. Bubble Maps engage the Visual-Spatial learner and opens new gateways for productivity.

visual spatial, distributed cognition, GTD

The Fulcrum Principle

2008-03-30T15:17:00.002-05:00

If you want to grow beyond your current state of existence, you will need to learn The Fulcrum Principle. A fulcrum is the pivot point for a lever. Thus, if you want to properly use leverage, then, you will need to place the fulcrum in the proper place.

If you apply this to your current state, your fulcrum is where it is based on your knowledge, skills, and ability. the levers that you use (or the resources that you apply) are dependent upon these factors. If you want to use more leverage, then, you will need more of one of these to effectively apply leverage.

As an example, let's look at a manager. A manager has learned to do work through others. An effective manager has learned the proper knowledge, skills, and ability to manage employees. The level of each of these factors determines both the success at the current level and whether that manager can handle more employees. This ability affects the amount of money that manager makes and can make.

So, to move your fulcrum (thereby increasing your capacity to use leverage), you must acquire one or more of these factors. Knowledge is also known as relevant information. Skills are the activity knowledge or know how. Ability is the capacity to perform. In any endeavor, you must have all three to be effective. Your level of effectiveness will be limited if you are lacking in any of these three.

To apply The Fulcrum Principle, do this. First, assess where you are. Second, determine what information you need to acquire. Third, find out how to apply the information to your specific situations. Finally, practice applying the know how; thereby, improving your capability. By focusing on moving the fulcrum, you will be amazed at the benefits and opportunities that you will begin to see in your life.

Neat & Simple Organizing Guide

2008-03-26T20:33:00.003-05:00

Have you ever thought there must be an easier way to organize your office? Well, there is. It's called the Neat & Simple Guide to Organizing Your Home Office (Click here to view more details).

Here's what's included in the Guide:

Part 1 - Setting the Stage For Organizing Success!

Covers the causes of chronic disorganization and how to tell if you or someone you know may be chronically disorganized, and if so, what you can do about it. I also debunk some common myths about organizing and present what the Neat & Simple Way of organizing is about.

Part 2 - What's Motivating You?

Features worksheets, checklists, case examples and lots of photos from my work with real clients in real home offices and workspaces. I help you establish your "payoff imperative", visualize success and set powerfully specific goals that motivate you into action.

Part 3 - What's Holding You Back?

When you don't take action toward your goals, something's holding you back. In this section, we dig deeper and cover the difficulties we face in staying motivated including overcoming perfectionism and changing self-limiting into empowering beliefs.

Part 4 - Optimizing Your Workspace

This section includes:

- Checklists and specific questions to help you clarify your organizing needs quickly.
- How to assess your organizing style, including photos illustrating tips on the best ways to organize for each organizing style.
- How to clear your clutter painlessly including clutter clearing checklists and 5 Day plan to guide you.
- Hundreds of organizing ideas and suggestions, many with photos, for optimizing the layout of your workspace, maximizing your storage, organizing your desk, supplies and more.
- A whole chapter on organizing paper and files.
- In-depth case studies with photos from actual client projects illustrating what we did, the process we used and exactly how we did, what supplies were used and more.
- Tips on enhancing the energy in your office by applying Feng Shui design principles.

Part 5 - Organizing Yourself for Success!

This section gets to the heart of productivity, efficiency and goal setting. You will be inspired by the many ideas for:

- Managing your actions and To Do's
- Managing voicemails
- Setting up reminders
- Choosing the best planner for you including comparison charts on digital vs. paper planners
- Organizing your contacts & much more!

As you can see, this Guide is full of great information, techniques, and resources for you to get organized and feel in control (Click here to view more details).

organizing, home office

Be Thankful for What You've Got

2008-03-21T23:59:00.002-05:00

If you open your eyes and look around, you have a choice about what you see. You may think that you don't. In fact, many people say that what's there is there and you may as well face it. Is that a fact? If you were about town today, you most likely say cars of all makes and models. You probably saw hundreds of Hondas, if you live in a city, dozens of volkswagens, and probably a few high-end sports cars.

Now, how many of those brands did you notice? If you're currently considering buying a car or if you just bought a car, you probably noticed the brands that you want to buy. Yet, those cars were in your environment for weeks, months, or even years. Some experts call this activating your reticular cortex, others call it focus. Whatever you want to call it, you have the potential within you right now to decide, or choose, what you want to focus on in your surroundings. Furthermore, you have the ability to place meaning on those items.

Given that you agree that you can see what you want to see, why not see the best? Why not be thankful for the good things in your life. Many people believe that there is a law that says that what you focus on expands. Whether this is fact or not depends on your perspective. One thing for certain, though, is that paying attention to something makes it important to you. This is similar to courtship. Even the act of ignoring is deliberately paying attention to a potential mate and illustrating a desire to attract them to you.

By being thankful for the good things in your life, you give them the right to be there. You are giving them permission to be in your life. Additionally, you are inviting more things that are similar to appear (or at least for you to notice them). When more things are around you that you like, you will be happier. By focusing on the good things, you will truly appreciate your life. Try focusing on only the things that you want in your life and see what a difference it makes.

grateful, thankful, success

Be Yourself

2008-03-14T13:06:00.004-05:00

How do you see yourself? Do you see yourself through your own eyes or through the opinions of others? One of the most destructive habits that you can have is to measure yourself against the expectation of others. If you do this, you will ride a roller coaster that will cause undue stress in your life. When people think you are the best thing in the world, you will experience a feeling of euphoria; however, that feeling will be dependent upon their views, which are out of your control.

To establish a firm foundation, it's important for you to establish your own image of yourself. Your image may be dependent upon values and qualities that you see in others, but they shouldn't be the ruler by which you measure yourself. The opinions of other people change frequently and are formed on a variety of variables, which are colored by a myriad of biases. Given this shifting basis, the only opinion that should matter to you is your own values, your own integrity.

An example of someone who lived by their own values is Mahatma Gandhi. This is a man that changed the world so much so that in India, he is considered the Father of the Nation. it may surprise you that such a powerful man died owning only a pair of glasses, a pair of sandals, a few clothes, a spinning wheel, and a book. Yet, it can be reasonably argued that he lived one of the richest lives ever.

It's certainly not wrong to pursue material riches; however, true riches are fulfilling your life's purpose. Look within yourself and discover what you were meant to become. Like a caterpillar can become nothing other than a butterfly, you should seek to transform your outer self and environment to the inner image of who you truly are.

success system integrity transformation values

Look Back to Move Forward

2008-03-06T21:39:00.002-06:00

This may sound a little contradictory, but did you realize that it is necessary to look at your past before you can create your future? While you are not to be controlled by your past, it is essential that you learn from it.

It's been said that if you don't know history, that you will repeat it. This is great if you like your history and where you've been; however, if you don't like your past, then, you will need to change what you did.

Take Inventory
How do you learn from your past? The first step is to study it. In simplest terms, you want to find out what worked for you and what didn't. So, you need to make two lists. The first list is all of your successes. Don't filter yourself during this step. No matter how trivial the success may seem, write it on the list. Once you have recorded as many as come to mind, then write beside it some key drivers for these successes. Some examples may be perseverance, creativity, hard work, etc.

Now, make a second list of your failures. Go through the same exercise that you did with your successes. The causes for your failures may be something like not prepared, fearful, insecure, gave up, etc. The important thing for both of these lists is to be as objective as possible. You want to understand your root tendencies for both success and failure. Once you understand the patterns, then, you can take steps to minimize your weaknesses and maximize your strengths.

Bubble Boy for President!

2008-02-26T21:28:00.000-06:00

Tags: News, Politics, Humor

PRESS RELEASE

By Scrubbing Bubbles

LOS ANGELES, CA -- "In America we celebrate the virtues of the quiet hero; the one who does his duty without complaint or expectation of praise; the one who listens closely for the call of his country, and when she calls, he answers without reservation, not for fame or reward, but for love. He loves his country. Tonight, my friends, we come to celebrate such a hero, and bestow upon him the greatest honor our Party is empowered to grant -- our nomination for President of the United States.

"But our purpose is not only to give tribute, though a fitting tribute it is. Our purpose is much larger than that. Our purpose is our country's greatness which we mean to preserve by offering to this nation the leadership of the one created by Bubble UP!, makers of Time Management Tools that are Different.

"Tonight we ask Bubble Boy to answer his country's call, not for his sake, but for ours; not for his glory, but for the dreams we dream for our children, and for the dreams they will dream for theirs.

"We nominate Bubble Boy for President because he is a Cartoon of honor, a Cartoon of firm purpose and deep commitment to his country's cause. We nominate Bubble Boy for President because we will not take our leave of this century without affirming to the world that America -- blessed, bountiful, beautiful America -- will remain what she has always been the last best hope of earth.

Scrubbing Bubbles is the spokesperson for the Political Action Committee for Mostly Animated Nominees (PACMAN). This political ad was paid for by no one. It was posted for free without anyones permission. In fact, most of it was plagiarized. The characters, Cartoon or otherwise, represented in this Press Release are fictional and not authorized for use, not even on this site.

Discover Your Passion

2008-02-11T11:42:00.000-06:00

This past weekend, my wife and I were invited to watch a friend of ours in a high school production of "My Fair Lady". We gladly accepted as we know that Caitlan is very talented in both acting and singing. We were also interested since both of us were in our high school version (we'll just say several years ago) of the same play, except we called it "Pygmalion", and our accents could be described more as "hick" than "cockney".

We were simply amazed at how many talented actors there were in this play. Also, the production itself was exceptional. There was an orchestra, the costumes were authentic, and the singing was better than what I've seen on American Idol. Somewhere in the middle of this grand production, I contemplated how important it is to determine and develop your talents.

What are you good at? It is obvious that Caitlan is gifted in performing. She commands attention when she is on stage. Additionally, she has an incredible singing voice. It is equally obvious that I'm not gifted in acting and singing. However, I am gifted in other things.

Where should you focus? I could spend years developing my non-talent of singing and become, at best, average. In any case, I would never even come close to the level that Caitlan has already attained. If she desires, she could spend years and build a career on this talent.

For me, I could spend the same years developing my organizational ability (which is a gift of mine) or my speaking ability (another gift) and build a rewarding career. This would give me the best opportunity to be the best in a field. Additionally, I would enjoy this career path. For the most part, I find that I have a passion for activities in which I excel.

What do I do now? Although there are things that we simply must do in life, most of our activities are a matter of choice. If you will choose things that line up with your strengths, you will discover a desire, a burning desire, stronger than you ever imagined.

To ensure that I'm making the best choices at any given moment, I rely on my Bubble Planner. This system enables me to capture my passions and prompts me to take action to develop my talents.

Bubble BUZZ!

2008-01-30T03:42:00.000-06:00

We received a nice review from Note Talkers this week so we thought that we would share it with you.

Please take a moment and check out their site. They have some wonderful insight into the software that is available for taking notes.

A Career Built on Character - Part 2

2008-01-24T05:00:00.000-06:00

Learn the Rules

"Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you." ~Spanish Proverb

Watch What You Write or Say. Assume that anything you write or say will be read or heard by everyone in the company. E-mail makes it easy to respond emotionally. Before you respond to an irritating e-mail, take a minute to calm down, then, write the e-mail. If you have a tendency to send harsh messages, save a draft and review it sometime later to ensure the tone is business appropriate.

A corollary to this principle is Happy Hour don't go! There is a huge risk of saying something you shouldn't say, getting out of control, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. You should stay out of office politics. Don't say anything bad about anyone, ever.

Arrive Early and Leave Late, but Not Too Late. You want the reputation of a hard worker, but not one that can't get their work done. This principle also applies to taking work home. Over the long-term, you want to have a life outside of work. Maintaining a work/life balance will keep you engaged in your job; therefore, more productive.

Find Out What Your Boss Wants and Deliver. Regardless of your personality, relationships, or good looks, you must be productive. For your boss, it means doing what they want, no matter how silly it may seem to you. For example, I had a boss that wanted to know how many Dairy Queens between Dallas and Houston served a particular yogurt.

Always say, "Yes!" to a request from leadership. For your boss, there are ways to provide better solutions without damaging the relationship.

"Always do more than is required of you." ~General Patton

Give People Credit. Don't take credit for yourself. This is important for a variety of reasons. First, you need people to help you get things done. Second, when people recognize people who work for you, you get the credit as well. Third, it's the right thing to do.

Conclusion

When It Comes to Your Career

You're Responsible
Remember Who You Work For
Learn the Rules

As Bill Karnes put it, "Eagles don't flock; they fly alone. And eagles soar above the rest of their world. So, too, do people who start things, who lead groups or who otherwise set themselves apart from the crowd."

A Career Built on Character - Part 1

2008-01-23T05:00:00.000-06:00

"Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open." ~Elmer G. Letterman

"The best job goes to the person who can get the job done without coming up with excuses or passing the buck" ~Napolean Hill

What About Politics?

Political Astuteness is something that you may not learn in school; however, it plays a significant role in success in business.

"Man is by nature a political animal." ~Aristotle

Take Control. It's important to keep in mind that you are responsible for your own career. Don't Expect the Human Resources Department to plan your career. In fact, don't expect anyone else to be concerned about it either.

There have been times in my career when someone has taken an interest in my promotion; however, it has always been in their own best interests to do so. Remember, companies are in business primarily to make money.

Dress for success. There is a clear distinction between how a President, a Senior Vice-President, a Vice-President, and District Manager dress. You should dress just a cut above your current level.

Above Everything, Have Integrity

"If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters." ~Alan Simpson

You will find that the concentration of integrity increases the higher you go in an organization.

Remember Who You Work For

Always Support the Company. It's true that where your treasure is, your heart will be also. There will be ample opportunities on a daily basis to bash your employer. Resist those opportunities. Keep in mind that (1) you chose this company, (2) they pay you, and (3) you can leave if you want. The leaders of the company will not be impressed by your ability to complain.

Make Your Boss and Your Boss's Boss Look Good. As a practical matter, you are most likely working to take your boss's job. Hopefully, your boss will be promoted, which will leave a vacancy. If your boss is not going anywhere, then the next level will have a major impact on your next position.

Who are the Leaders of the Company? Find out the background of the company executives. What career path did they take? Chances are, they will value those credentials above others. Take note of great people in the company and get connected to them. If possible, find a way to work for them. If not, establish a network with as many of them as possible. The best possibility is to ask one of them be your mentor. You will be surprised how many people will be interested in helping in this regard.

Bubble UP! is dedicated to helping you make better choices. We believe choices are the currency that converts the present to the future. Since the Information Age is filled with a blizzard of requests for your attention, traditional time management tools are no longer adequate. That's why Bubble UP! creates tools that Think Like You Do!

Life Doesn't Give You One Thing at a Time, Why Does Your Planner?

Visit us on the web at http://www.BubblePlanner.com - Organize at the Speed of Thought!

When It Comes to Goals, Start Small

2008-01-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand. - Zechariah 4 (New Living Translation)

January first is the start of disappointment for many people. There have been many years that I've started the year with the best intentions, the most incredible resolutions, only to abandon them in a couple of days, weeks, or months. Whether it was the year that I was going to lose 20 pounds in 4 weeks or make a million dollars in one year, I have have watched in frustration as these dreams slip through my fingers.

It doesn't have to be this way. It's not that my resolutions were bad. In fact, they were great LONG-TERM goals. It's certainly possible for me to lose 20 pounds, just not in 4 weeks. It's also possible for me to make $1 million dollars in one year. However, there are many steps prior to achieving this goal, like making half a million in a year.

The problem with goals on January first is not really a problem at all. In fact, if you listen carefully to your heart during this time of year, you will discover your dreams. The key is to break these dreams down into achievable goals. If a goal is not achievable, then it actually moves you further away from your dreams not closer to them. When you stretch and fall short, you've made progress. However, when you set an impossible target and give up, you have limited your future.

Action Steps:
* Take one of your dreams and set a realistic goal that you can achieve in one week or less
* Make achieving this goal a priority
* Once you have achieved this goal, set another achievable goal
* Repeat the above three steps four weeks in a row

Bubble Vision - Part 1

2008-01-21T18:35:00.000-06:00

What is the Bubble Planner?

We get this question often; so, we thought that we would share some of the components in our blog. The premise behind the Bubble Planner is that our minds think in pictures. Therefore, we designed a planner to Think Like We Do!

Today

The "Today" page is a major driver for the Bubble Planner. This is where the rubber meets the road. Our Bubble Maps are divided into four categories: Home Actions, Office Actions, Phone Calls, and Computer Actions. Within each category, we visualize what we need to achieve, then, "Bubble In" specific actions to actualize our day.

For Example

As an illustration, let’s say that we want to invite the Hendersons out to dinner for a couple’s night out. We add a phone call action to today with the relevant information. Since it is a couple’s night out, we need someone to care for the kids. We draw a line to the next bubble as a reminder to call our babysitter if Bob and Tina accept.

Conclusion

We like the flexibility that The Bubble Planner provides. It seems that we are able to do more in less time than we ever imagined. Now, we know why Bubble UP!'s motto is "Organize at the Speed of Thought".

www.BubblePlanner.com

Leverage Your Talents for Success

2008-01-21T06:00:00.000-06:00

One of the most overlooked areas for success that I see is talented people not developing their talents. It seems natural for people to focus on what's wrong and try to fix it. However, if you are trying to break into the top 3% in your field, this is the wrong approach. I know many of you are bristling at this thought right now. Remember this feeling. Usually, the thing that generates the strongest reaction is the thing that you need most.

The Case for Confidence
Besides having many of the greatest self-help gurus (i.e. Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen) support the position that you should focus on your strengths, I'm going to provide you with two clear examples that will bring the point home for you.

First, think about any famous, successful person that you know. Now, think about why they are famous. For an overwhelming majority of these people, each had an uncommon ability to do something. For example, Tiger Woods is one of the best golfers of all time. Does he have any weaknesses? Undoubtedly, he does; however, that's not where he spends his time. Why? Because he is paid to be the best golfer in the world. If he lacks an ability to knit or write or anything else not related to golf, it simply doesn't matter.

Second, let me introduce you to the Law of Expansion. (This is closely related to the law of attraction). Essentially, it says that whatever you focus on expands. Thus, if you focus on your weak areas, those areas consume more of your resources. Thus, your strong areas receive less attention. There are many reasons that this occurs, but for now, just understand that it does. As an example, when I first started reading self-improvement books, my bookshelf was quite small. However, the more I read, the more I wanted. Even with giving many books away, my bookshelf has continued to grow. I like these books, I think about the techniques in them, and I give attention to what they have to say. This is the Law of Expansion in action.

Before I move on, there is one caveat to leveraging your strengths. If you have a weakness that is so severe that it is holding you back, you must correct this weakness. This type of weakness is called a limiting weakness. Most other weaknesses just fall into the non-strength category.

If you are still not convinced that focusing on your talents are not the way to success, then, I challenge you to prove me wrong. For the next seven days, focus on one talent that you have and do whatever you can do to improve upon it. After the week is over, consider how you can apply this improvement to your relationships, your job, and your goals.

Change UP! - Attitude is Everything

2008-01-15T18:30:00.000-06:00

Power of UP! Chapter 2

"Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." - William James

Attitude is everything. I know that you've heard this before and either agreed or disagreed. Either way, you were confirming its truth. Attitude is a filter for everything going into your mind and everything coming out of your mind. Right now, I have no idea what you are thinking because your attitude is unique to you.

It's not a matter of having a bad or good attitude. Everyone's attitude is influenced by so many thoughts at one time that it is almost inevitable that your attitude is always a mixture of positive and negative words and images. While most people speak at 150 to 200 words per minute, research suggests that we think at about 1,300 words per minute. Additionally, many of our thoughts are images, which could encompass thousands of words at once. This research led to the design of the Bubble Planner, which helps you capture your ideas before they float away (http://www.BubblePlanner.com).

Like Herding Cats. I know this seems a bit overwhelming at the moment, but if you stick with me, it will become clear. As with most complex issues, there are many causes and variations within the issues. There can literally be thousands of permutations with any issue. However, as Dr. Phil said on a recent show, "while the problems are complex, the solutions are simple".

Don't Yell at the Computer. What I'm about to write may shock you, but here goes. There are really only three emotions: love, anger, and fear. Love draws you toward something, anger pits you against something, and fear chases you away from something. All of your feelings are a combination of these three emotions. Whether you're happy, sad, worried, anxious, depressed, afraid, or content, these feelings all stem from these emotions.

This is good news. If we can understand what's driving our thoughts, then we can change them. When you make a decision, you can trace that decision back to your thoughts at the time you were deciding. Even though you may not be aware, you are always talking to yourself. Some of you just said to yourself, "no I'm not".

The way to change your behavior is to change your attitude. To change your attitude, you must separate the stimulus from the response. Unlike animals, humans have the ability to choose their response to any situation. There is a space, even though it can be milliseconds at times, that we may choose how to react in every situation. Many people allow their subconscious to make these decisions, which is why they feel so out of control. We can take back control. In the next part of Change UP!, I'll show you how.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on
life.
Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the
attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot
change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you ...we are in charge of our attitudes." - Charles Swindoll

Bubble UP! is dedicated to helping you make better choices. We believe choices are the currency that converts the present to the future. Since the Information Age is filled with a blizzard of requests for your attention, traditional time management tools are no longer adequate. That's why Bubble UP! creates tools that Think Like You Do!

Life Doesn't Give You One Thing at a Time, Why Does Your Planner?

Visit us on the web at http://www.bubbleplanner.com/ - Organize at the Speed of Thought!

Millionaire Mind - Part 3 of 3

2008-01-13T07:51:00.000-06:00

Just What I Thought

The rich and poor think differently. Here's a few of the ways:

#1 - Who's in Charge?

Rich - I create my life.

Poor - Life happens to me. 3 Clues you're playing the victim. If you blame, justify, and complain, you just might be playing the victim.

By the way, if you are complaining, you should know the law of attraction. The law of attaction says that whatever you focus on expands. If you are complaining, you are focusing on the negative. You are a magnet for negativity. If you know a complainer, GET AWAY NOW! If you are a complainer, STOP IT! Complaining is one of the worst things that you can do for your health and wealth.

#2 - How do you play the Game of Life?

Rich - Play to win

Poor - Play not to lose

#3 - What do you think about Rich People?

Rich - Admire and model other rich people

Poor - Resent rich people

Come to the realization that more money in your life will only make you more of who you are. Practice blessing rich people. Bless that which you want and what you bless will come to you.

#4 - How big are your Problems?

Rich - I'm bigger than my problems

Poor - My problems are bigger than me

Problems will come, but the question is how you deal with them when they do. Realize that your wealth can only grow to the extent that you do. When you stretch yourself, you create a vacuum. Any vacuum will be filled. If your heart is right, it will be filled by good things.

How do you stretch? The only way to grow is by stepping out of your comfort zone. If you are not uncomfortable, you are not growing.

This is the last Millionaire Mind that I'm going to do. I hope you enjoyed them.

Millionaire Mind - Part 1 of 3 OR Millionaire Mind - Part 2 of 3

Millionaire Mind - Part 2 of 3

2008-01-12T21:06:00.000-06:00

Process of Manifestation

Please read the part 1 if you haven't already or this may not make sense. In this installment, I'll discuss the process that reveals how the results that we are currently experiencing came into being. First, I'll lay a little groundwork, no pun intended. Just know the following:

* The visible is created by the invisible.

Take a orange tree as an example. We can see the trunk, branches, and oranges on the tree; however, these are all the results of something that we cannot see. What we see are all the results of what started beneath the earth. It began with a seed, that developed roots, that eventually grew into a tree that produces oranges. So, what is seen, oranges, came from what is unseen, roots.

Where is this Heading?

To put it simply, changing the results doesn't fix anything in the long-term. To change anything permanently in our life, we must address the cause. So, here's the formula:

THOUGHTS lead to our FEELINGS which lead to our ACTIONS which determine our RESULTS

T-->F-->A=R

Therefore, we must determine what is forming our thoughts and change them, if we are not getting the results that we desire..

Millionaire Mind - Part 1 of 3 OR Millionaire Mind - Part 3 of 3

Millionaire Mind - Part 1 of 3

2008-01-11T13:54:00.000-06:00

Last night, a friend of mine and I went to a seminar called the Millionaire Mind, which is a based on a book called the Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Eker.

We were both quite impressed with the information that was presented. These guys had great content and were very good at promoting their company and future seminars. Here are some highlights from the seminar:

Financial Blueprint

We all have a financial blueprint that was developed at an early age. Many people contributed to that blueprint. For example, parents, teachers, and preachers all spoke to us about money during our formative years. The emotions and words that were used in our youth about money (other things as well such as health and happiness) are now manifesting in our conscious and subconscious actions today.

Many of us heard phrases such as "a penny saved is a penny earned", "we can't afford it", "go ask your father", and "money doesn't buy happiness". You'll notice that these are mostly negative phrases. These words and the emotions surrounding financial discussions have played a large part in forming our attitudes about money.

Billionaire Blueprint

Consider a well-known example of a Financial Blueprint in action. Donald Trump could never be just a Millionaire. In fact, he would be quite unhappy with anything less than being a Billionaire. You may recall that in the 1980s Trump actually lost everything. In fact, he was worse than bankrupt, he was in serious debt. Now, not only has he recovered his Billionaire status, he has much more than he had before he went bankrupt.

There's a reason that most lottery winners end up with nothing after a few short years. Their financial blueprint has not changed, only their bank account. Until we change our blueprint, changes in our financial status will be short-lived.

Remember - How you do anything is how you do everything. How's that working for you?

Millionaire Mind - Part 2 of 3

Look UP - Part 2 of 2

2008-01-10T06:57:00.000-06:00

The Power of UP Series – Individual Upward Movement

Chapter 1 – Part 2 of 2

"Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." - William James

In part one of Look UP!, we discovered the power of our expectations. In simple terms, we generally get what we expect. In this installment, we will find out who is creating our expectations and when they are created.

Who Cares?
Who cares enough about us to impose expectations upon us? The obvious answer is friends and family. Often, these expecations are normal and positive. For example, if our spouse expects us to be home to have dinner with the family, this could be a wonderful norm. Since we care about our friends and family, they have more power than anyone else to influence our own opinion of our ability. Frequently, well-meaning relatives will deter someone from pursuing their true life purpose.

One of the ways that this happens is by planting doubt. Let's say we truly believe that we have an ability to write. We also have a desire to pursue writing as a career. In subtle ways, some of our friends and family begin to plant doubts about our skills or the opportunities in this career path. They may think that they are protecting us; however, sometimes, the result is that we choose another path that we perceive to be less risky.

What About Me?
That's right, we are the most important person in our lives in determining our place in this world. We are constantly comparing ourselves to others. We hear our own voice more than any other. So, what are we saying to ourselves? If we are saying that we can do it, we are much more likely to dismiss evidence to the contrary. Take one of the most famous historical examples, how successful would David have been against Goliath if he were talking defeat to himself? It's possible that he would have been unsuccessful if he had not been rehearsing his past successes in killing the lion and the bear with his bare hands.

Aside from the people in our inner circle of influence, there are others that have the ability to set expectations for us, if we give them the power. We just need to be aware that this occurs. Sometimes, we are more likely to change our opinion of ourselves because someone that we respect has a different viewpoint. Instead of taking their word for it, we must evaluate their opinion as objectively as possible. We don't want to close ourselves off from change, however, we do want to make sure that any change is a conscious choice.

When Did I Choose?
Unfortunately for many, the past controls the present. For others, concerns about the future significantly impact their current view. If the past is controlling us, it is generally in the form of guilt. In the case of guilt, we don't feel worthy of success because of what we've done or haven't done. As hard as it may be, we must let go of our feelings of unworthiness. Additionally, we must forgive anyone for anything that is eating away at us. Unforgiveness doesn't affect the other person as much as it affects us. In fact, we would be shocked to find out how little time people think about us.

If the future is controlling us, it is generally in the form of anxiety. The Bible tells us with good reason in Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Fear of the future has the ability to immobilize us in the present. More than causing us to be ineffective, guilt and anxiety have been linked to many health risks including heart disease, ulcers, and degraded immune system.

From this, we surmise that the only appropriate time to set our expectations is in the present. While we must consider our experiences and education from the past as well as our dreams and goals for the future, the only time that we can actually take action is now. The great news in looking up from where we are is that we can change where we're going.

"We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake . . . by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. - Henry David Thoreau, Walden, from "Where I Lived, and What I Lived For"

Look UP!

2008-01-08T12:00:00.000-06:00

The Power of UP Series – Individual Upward Movement
Chapter 1 – Part 1 of 2

“We will always tend to fulfill our own expectation of ourselves” – Brian Tracy

As we know, UP is a direction. More importantly, it is a direction that we want to go. The first step in moving UP is to set our sights beyond our current circumstances. Inherent in the definition of UP is that it never stops. There is always one more rung on the ladder, one more battle to fight, one more person to help, and one more analogy to make. So, wherever we are today, we have room to improve.

What’s holding us back? One of the main things keeping us from achieving more is that our expectations are set too low. When an expectation is set, our minds are so powerful and complex that our actions immediately begin to line up with that expectation. Robert K. Merton coined the phrase “self-fulfilling prophecy” to describe this phenomenon in his 1957 book Social Theory and Social Structure. Wikipedia defines a self-fulfilling prophecy as “a prediction that, in being made, actually causes itself to become true”.

In George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, Eliza Doolittle is transformed from a Cockney flower girl to a lady. What made the difference? The image that she had of herself changed when others treated her differently. Colonel Pickering called her “Miss Doolittle,” which Liza says began to teach her self-respect. She explained to Colonel Pickering, “The difference between a lady and a flower girl is not how she behaves, but how she’s treated. I shall always be a flower girl to Professor Higgins, because he always treated me as a flower girl, and always will, but I know I can be a lady to you because you always treat me as a lady, and always will.”

Most of us have observed the power of expectations with a familiar example. A co-worker mentions to us late in the day that they think that they’re coming down with a cold. We may respond with something like, “I’ve heard there’s something going around”. We could even say, “You look all right to me”. It really doesn’t matter what we say at that point as the person really expects to get sick. Sure enough, the next day, they call into work sounding just awful announcing that there is no possible way they could work today.

By now, it's clear to me that we get what we expect. In the next part, we’ll look into who sets our expectations and how we can change them.

"You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them." – Michael Jordan

Leave the Herd

2008-01-07T09:39:00.000-06:00

On the flight home last night from Boston, I sat beside a very nice IT salesman. He was charming, engaging, and quite polished. Though he was an Executive Platinum member with American, he willingly gave up his aisle seat for a young grad student that needed to walk around occasionally due to a medical condition.

He and I had a great conversation in which I showed him the Bubble Planner. He was impressed and offered some great insight for marketing on the internet. In addition to this, he offered such sage advice to the new Grad student beside him. It was so simple, yet, so profound that I thought that you would want to hear it as well.

What did he say?
He said that when she graduated she should consider a less popular industry for people with their MBA. Apparently, the majority of new MBA's choose industries such as Banking, Venture Capitalism, and Consulting. However, he asserted that there was greater promotion potential for people with their MBA in less popular industries. He said that if she selected an industry that has fewer MBA's that she could rise very quickly in the organization.

Why Would He Say That?
Since the herd is chasing the top companies for MBA's, the top companies are now taking advantage of this. Like the large public accounting firms in the 1980's, these companies are able to work these new graduates for 2-3 years 80-100 hours per week. Once this crop of graduates is burned out, they bring in the new crop. The best of the group move on to the next job as soon as a better opportunity presents itself. Eventually, the average of the group are let go as the company hires upper positions from the outside.

In the less popular industries, there would be less competition. It's simply a matter of applying the Law of Supply and Demand. Since there is less competition, it is easier to get hired. Additionally, promotion opportunities will come more quickly since she will have an edge over the other internal candidates. Furthermore, since the company values her talents, she will be treated much better, which will cause her to stay with the company. Her loyalty will pay huge dividends over time and propel her to the Executive Suite.

She was grateful for his advice and seemed to be genuinely interested in using his approach. This conversation made me wonder how I could apply the Law of Supply and Demand to the Bubble Planner. It reminded me of an illustration that my Macro-Economics professor used.

The Toll Booth Example
Have you ever noticed that when you are approaching a toll booth that some lines are longer than others? In fact, there are times when you can simply switch lanes and have no wait at all while the cars stuck in the longer lines. When a car approaches the toll booth, the driver is often attracted to the line with more cars. There are many reasons for this, i.e. they think there must be something wrong with the empty line, they were going too fast and couldn't change, or they weren't paying attention. In essence, this is the Law of the Herd. People are comfortable following other people because they think they know what they are doing.

The opportunity lies in doing something different. That's how this law applies to the Bubble Planner. There are dozens of planner companies that have essentially copied Franklin Covey. Did you know that our minds think in pictures? Of course, you know it and we know it. Why don't the planner companies know it? Bubble UP! decided to leave the herd and develop a planner that is based on the latest research. Finally, a planner that Thinks Like We Do!

If you want more information about the Bubble Planner, e-mail us at info@bubbleplanner.net.

GTD - Great Website - 43 Folders

2008-01-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

The website that I'm going to review today is really top of the class when it comes to Getting Things Done (GTD). I first discovered this site about two years ago and have found it to be incredibly useful. Here's the description of the site from it's home page:

"43 Folders is Merlin Mann’s site about personal productivity, life hacks, and simple ways to make your life a little better."

Google ranks the site a 7 out of 10, which usually means that they consider this site an authority. Based on the quality of the articles and frequency of the posts, I would have to agree with their assessment. The other thing that the high ranking means is traffic. They must be getting some serious traffic.

43 Folders is ranked on Alexa, with a reach of .0078% (reach is the % of global users that access a particular site). This is a great reach for a niche website.

This site definitely comes from a Mac perspective, which is another niche like GTD with an aggressive following. In addition to excellent articles, they have a very active message board.

Be sure to check out the archives when you visit the site as they are loaded with great applications for GTD.

Focus on the Solution

2007-12-30T06:54:00.000-06:00

One of the hardest things to do, but the most effective is to change our focus from our problem to our solution. This is easier said than done but it is critical for change to happen in our lives. In our subconscious minds, there is a self-defeating mechanism that is activated when we continuously focus on the negatives.

We must change what we look at to change how the subconscious works for us. The brain interprets our signals similar to this. If our house is messy, and we constantly focus on the messy house, the subconsicous believes that you want more mess. After all, we're giving attention to it, and reinforcing that attention with strong emotions. These are both motivators for our subconscious mind.

With just a little change in focus, the messy house can be changed. If we look instead at a vacuum cleaner, a mop, and some cleaners; our desire then changes to cleaning. Our subconscious mind, then believes that we want to use these tools. In the same way, if we focus on a part that is clean, we develop a desire for more of the same. The clean spot will than be expanded (through our actions).

Let's look at an example of Peter's change in mindset from the problem (no fish), to the solution (Jesus' promise of provision) in Luke 5:

1One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,[a]with the people crowding around him and listening to the word of God, 2he saw at the water's edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. 3He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch."

5Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

6When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. 7So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

8When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" 9For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, 10and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men." 11So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

Changing to a solution mindset will change our behaviors, which will change our results. The key is our focus. Try forcing yourself to focus on the solutions this week, and see what a difference this will make in your results.