key success factors

Cut Through Your Problems Like A Knife Through Butter

One key success factor determining where you will be in terms of your progress this year, two years from now, five years from now will be the questions you ask about your problems. In other words, you will want to develop a helpful set of problem solving questions.

And a second key success factor will be how you choose to label and evaluate your problems. Every time you set a worthwhile goal, you are going to meet ‘problems,’ or roadblocks to personal and professional progress. The key between those who are successful and those who are not lies in the consistent pattern of questions you ask yourself about the challenge.

If we don’t tackle our problems systematically, we can end up caught in a tangled web of desperation!

So I’ll go first, using an example as follows:

I am going to take one of the ‘problems’ I anticipate coming up for me this week. We all need a systematic way to deal with challenges, so this is one system that I am taking from Anthony Robbins’ book, Awaken the Giant Within.

Change The Way You Label Problems

Rather than calling them problems, call them challenges, gifts, opportunities in disguise. This will help you be in a state of welcoming versus resisting the situation before you.

Second, Use These Problem Solving Questions

So, my current opportunities in disguise is basement project that is only 50% complete. I am not a big fan of handyman projects, and I have a lot of other projects on my plate this week. I will run my thought process through the following consistent set of systematic questions, and will then discuss how I am feeling about this project once I complete my response to the following five questions.

1. What is great about this problem?

My automatic response to this question is, “You’ve got to be kidding me! There’s nothing at all great about this. However, as I think further about this, I realize that one of my goals this year is to be a more active leader and servant to my family. This is a prime opportunity for that. Also, it gives me an opportunity to do an activity that is non-sedentary. Finally, I am becoming more familiar with skills that will serve me as I work to become a better real estate investor.

2. What is not ideal yet?

This question presupposes that the situation will eventually be at least close to ideal, although not perfect. If I think about my basement: the dry wall needs to be ordered, I need to put in about 17 more strips of insulation, and I need to clear some of the stuff out of the basement to make room for the drywall.

3. What am I willing to do to make it the way I want it?

I am going to remember the answer to #1 from this list. I am going to make time this Tuesday night to order the drywall, and I will take at least one hour out of my schedule this week (believe it or not, that is all the time I have to give to the project this week! to continue insulating the basement.

4. What am I willing to no longer do to make it the way I want it?

I cannot feel sorry for myself, telling myself that I am just not a handy person, that I deserve a break after working during the day, or that I have other things I have to get done on Tuesday night.

5. How can I enjoy the process while I do what is necessary to make it the way I want it?

This is my favorite question! Do you realize you can set up your situation so that you can actually enjoy solving the challenge at hand? I am going to enjoy the process by making sure I get a nutritious supper, including a delicious spinach shake. (I know, it sounds strange, but really is one of my favorite beverages, and it comes with a powerful energy punch, with ingredients of frozen spinach, soy milk, water, banana, pear, and stevia). I will then get in some aerobic exercise, which will get my endorphin level where it needs to be. Finally, I will download some motivational information onto my new MP3 player, so that I am getting some positive educational input while I am working.

Remember I told you I would reflect on how I am feeling about this opportunity in disguise once I had taken my thinking process through the above filter? I feel great! I now have a plan in place, and I can see how taking action is going to help me.

photo credit: glamour schatz

Action Step: Think about a ‘problem’ you are facing this week. Run it through the five question system above, then let me know how things are going for you!

These 7 Lies Will Sabotage Your Success

By Stephen Borgman 33 Comments

“The mind is its own place, and in it self

Can make a Heav’n of Hell, a Hell of Heav’n.”

–John Molton

Yikes! The title probably caught your attention. What beliefs do you have about success and personal excellence? What programs do you have downloaded in the massive computer that is called your brain? Are they a plus in your quest for self-help motivation and personal growth development? Or are they holding you back and limiting what you will be able to achieve?

photo credit: Camdiluv ♥

I give all the credit to Anthony Robbins from one of his first books, Unlimited Power : The New Science Of Personal Achievement. I hope not to disappoint you, but I am going to share seven truths that will assist you in your journey to your next level of personal growth, both personally and professionally.

Self Help Motivation Belief #1: Everything Happens For A Reason And A Purpose

Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be. ~Grandma Moses

Marilyn Hamilton was a teacher and beauty queen from Fresno, California. She survived a terrible accident after a hang-gliding accident that left her paralyzed below the waist.

She certainly could have focused on what she could no longer do. Instead, she channeled her thinking and energy on possibilities open to her. From the outset, she the limitations of her wheelchair frustrated her. She figured she could design a better one. She worked with a couple of friends who designed hang gliders.

They went on to form a company called Motion Designs, which revolutionized the wheelchair industry, and went on to become California’s Small Business of the Year. The company became a multi-million dollar enterprise.

I can tell you that the following responses to her situation would NOT have helped: Blaming, getting angry, stewing in self-pity, becoming a victim of helplessness.

Instead, she expected the following:

that her best efforts would be successful
that there was potential in every situation, no matter how negative it might seem
that it was worth it to let go of anger, grief, blame (we need to honor and acknowledge this emotions, but then let them go)

Self Help Motivation Belief #2: There Is No Such Thing As Failure

The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed. ~Lloyd Jones

Notice the difference between what happens when a man says to himself, “I have failed three times,” and what happens when he says, “I am a failure.” ~S.I. Hayakawa

There is a man who failed in business at age 21.

He was defeated in a legislative race at age 22.

He failed again in business at age 24.

He overcame the death of his girlfriend at age 26.

He had a nervous breakdown at age 27.

He lost a congressional race at age 34.

He lost a congressional race at age 36.

He lost a senatorial race at age 45.

He failed in an effort to become vice-president at age 47.

He lost a senatorial race at age 49.

He was elected president of the United States at age 52.

The man’s name was Abraham Lincoln.

He would not have accomplished becoming president if he had believed that failure was something to avoid. Thomas Edison thought the same way about failure when going through his 9,999 attempts to invent the light bulb.

What is your attitude toward failure?

Self Help Motivation Belief #3: Whatever Happens, Take Responsibility

The willingness to accept responsibility for one’s own life is the source from which self-respect springs. ~Joan Didion

Great leaders and achievers share this belief in common: “I am responsible. I’ll take care of it.”

New anchor Dan Rather states that President Jack Kennedy became a true leader during the Bay of Pigs incident.

From Wikipedia’s account:

The Bay of Pigs Invasion (known as La Batalla de Girón, or Playa Girón in Cuba), was an unsuccessful attempt by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba, with support from US government armed forces, to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro.

Kennedy knew what ever great leader knows: Thos who take responsibility are in power. Those who avoid it are dis-empowered. And the same principle is true in your personal and professional life.

Self Help Motivation Belief #4: It’s Not Necessary To Understand Everything To Be Able To Use Everything

Inspirations never go in for long engagements; they demand immediate marriage to action. ~Brendan Francis

Action is eloquence. ~William Shakespeare

Truly successful people have a tendency toward action. There are many of us who wish to know all the facts before taking action. By the time we have done so, someone else has already taken that action and capitalized on it. This does NOT mean taking foolhardy and impulsive actions without effective planning.

But, once you have a strong plan, and once you have absorbed the facts before you, don’t be afraid to Take Action. Consistently, daily, one small step after one small step.

Successful people balance knowledge with action. There were probably plenty of scientists and engineers at Stanford and Cal Tech who knew more about computer circuitry than Steve Jobs or Steve Wozniack, but Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack were the ones who were most effective in using what they had to get Big Results.

Jay Abraham, a small business consultant with an incredible tack record, has written a great book on this topic: Getting Everything You Can Out of All You’ve Got: 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition.

Self Help Motivation Belief #5: People Are Your Greatest Resource

When I worked at an educational institution as a personal counselor and advisor in the student services department, I was struck by how the President of the college interacted with every person he came in contact with: from the ‘least’ important person to the ‘most’ important person. Like all people and leaders of excellence, he had a tremendous sense of respect and appreciation for people. When you spoke to him, he never interrupted, and his eyes were riveted on you. He always asked penetrating questions, and then listened, leaning forward, and not missing a detail.

Great business and personal leaders set high goals for themselves, but have the humility to listen carefully, show appreciation for, and treat fairly those whom they work with.

The key here is that they do NOT see people as ‘things’ to be manipulated for a bottom line. They fully undertand that nothing than be acomplished apart from partnership with other people. But they serve those people and respect them; they do not seek to manipulate or deceive them.

One great book that summarizes this concept is The SPEED of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything, by Stephen M.R. Covey.

Self-Help Motivation Belief #6: Work Is Play

“When I work, I relax; doing nothing or entertaining strangers makes me tired.” Pablo Picasso

The key to finding work you love is to monitor your attitude and bring passion to what you do, while also discovering your passions and strengths. By designing your life mission statement, goals, and values, you can move ever forward toward bringing what you love together with what you do.

There are no dead-end jobs. The only dead-end jobs are those jobs in which a person who is performing the job has lost the sense of possibility, has refused to take responsibility for his/her life, and who has come to believe that failure is the only consequence of everything s/he tries.

Here is your challenge: bring the same curiosity and vitality to your job and your work as you do to your play. Pay attention to your strengths, and grow them. Pay attention to your weaknesses, and come up with a self development plan of action to minimize your weaknesses and maximize your strengths. Give it 100%!

Self Help Motivation Belief #7: There’s No Abiding Success Without Commitment

The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling. ~Lucretius

Larry Bird was one of the best basketball players from the 1980’s. But he was seemingly slow, could not jump, and often seemed like he was playing in slow motion in comparison to some of the more fluid players around him.

Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, was cut from his high school basketball team.

Steve Jobs was fired from the very same company that he founded!

And you read about all of Abraham Lincoln’s failed attempts before he became President of the United States.

What was the difference all of these people had in common versus thousands of others who have never gone anywhere in their lives, and are living lives of quiet desperation and mediocrity?

One word: Commitment.

It means practicing harder.

It means playing harder.

It means having more mental toughness.

It means getting more out of what you have than others around you.

It means taking more action than those around you.

It means developing a support group of others who support and inspire you, versus bringing you down.

It means studying the lives and key beliefs of those who have succeeded, and of those who are succeeding.

Equipped with these 7 beliefs, I believe that you will make a huge impact.

In the words of Erma Bombeck, columnist, author, and comedian:

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, “I used everything you gave me.”

May these beliefs help you get there!

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Disregard This Advice To Remain Mediocre!

By Stephen Borgman 30 Comments

Here’s a story of self improvement and self motivation:

He was poor, he could not go to school. He went to work for his brother at the age of 12 or 13 years of age. By the time he passed from the American scene, he had done the following:

He built his business from the ground up, after a couple of failures, to the point that he was able to retire young off of the profits of his company.

He organized the first police and fire departments in the United States.

He bought a newspaper.

He helped establish the first public school system in the United States, and the first university.
He invented, among other things, an efficient heating stove, bifocal lens for glasses, and the lightning rod.

He helped establish the first armed services in the Colonies.

He helped start the first hospital in Pennsylvania.

He helped organize and sign the Constitution of the United States.

He was a man of enormous contributions to public service in the United States.

The man? Benjamin Franklin. I am currently reading The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, and I am struck by three key success factors that you can put into practice in your own life. To do this will be easier said than done. It will require a commitment on your part. However, if you want to rise above mediocrity and impact generations, I advise you to do these three things:

Key Success Factor: Dedicate Yourself to Reading and Studying Every Day

For the rest of your life! This is the single most important thing that Benjamin Franklin committed himself to. While the rest of his young acquaintances would be partying it up at the bars on the weekend, he would be staying up late into the night, or all day on Sunday, reading voraciously. By developing this habit of thirst for knowledge, he became learned and influential. Leaders in government noticed his grasp of ideas, his ingenuity, and his informed viewpoints. Through this he formed connections that later served him well in his life.

Jim Rohn, a key motivation success speaker and author, stated that you are your most important asset and your most important investment.

Where can you find some good sources for feeding your brain? You can start off reading some of my quality finds from across the net, found at Feed the Brain. I also highly recommend checking out Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop blog magazine, where you can find a feast of personal achievement and self motivation blogs all compiled in a magazine format that is very easy to read.

For self-improvement books, I recommend ThePersonalMBA blog, which has reading plans in which you can select books that will help you with entrepreneurship and business. Also, I highly recommend all the books that I personally selected for this blog, for your own ongoing personal development plan.

In order to Change Your Life the Smart Way, I highly recommend my own book, recently completed on your behalf. Because of this goal setting system, I can honestly say my relationship with my wife has improved, my friendships are stronger, I produced my first book (referenced already:), and I’m running the Chicago Marathon as you will be reading this very post!

I also recommend that you also start learning to get up early in order to have the time you need to read. Take at look at the Personal Excellence Blog for some tips on learning how to rise early. And finally, head over to the Change Blog for some free self help audio books and programs.

Finally, Turn Off the TV!

Darren Hardy, CEO for Success Magazine, has written on this topic. The clients he has coached have doubled their productivity and had more free time for family after they have done this. If you are able to record TV programs, do so, so that you can watch them at a later date. If you can’t bring yourself to totally turn off the TV cold turkey, then figure out how much you are watching in a week and try to cut it in half. Now you have the time you need for reading and study.

Key Success Factor: Define and Live According To Your Personal Values

You can gain the world, but lose your soul. You can accrue the millions like Bernie Madoff, and lose years of your life in prison. You can rise to the top, like Tiger Woods, and lose your reputation and good standing, and possibly your marriage. None of us is above a Tiger Woods or Bernie Madoff.

For a practical writeup on the discipline that Benjamin Franklin used to incorporate 13 North Star Virtues into his life in a methodical manner, check out this great article, and maybe try it for yourself.

Key Success Factor: Form Your Own Junto

The junto was a MasterMind Group that Benjamin Franklin formed when he was starting out in business. “The members of the Junto were drawn from diverse occupations and backgrounds, but they all shared a spirit of inquiry and a desire to improve themselves, their community, and to help others.” For a great writeup on the nature of the junto, check out this Wikipedia article.

I have the privilege of belonging to about three of my own juntos, which enable me to grow, to sharpen others, and to be sharpened by others in my spiritual and career roles. One of them meets 6 am on Friday mornings, and another one meets once a month at 7:30 am. I have a good friend I get together once a week at 5:30 am for business sharpening. And I have another friend that I run with a couple times a week.

What about you? Do you have your mastermind groups in place? Here are some suggestions to get started:

From a spiritual standpoint, are you part of a church or other place of worship? Oftentimes there are small groups that get together for study, meditation, and mutual growth.

From a business standpoint, there are many business information networking groups, Chamber of Commerce groups, and Toastmasters groups that you can join. Be sure that you join with the mindset of contributing versus receiving, and you will find that you will get back even more than you give.

If you make it a habit to read and study self help books and books in your industry, to live according to a set of personal values, and to actively participate in a mastermind group, you will find that you are surpassing mediocrity on your way to excellence. The road of excellence does not have much traffic, and I hope to find you as a fellow passenger on that highway soon! 🙂

photo credit: immugmania

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Do You Know How to Succeed Like an Olympian?

By Stephen Borgman 25 Comments

For four years, you train night and day. For four years, you are giving up everything for a chance at the gold. For four years, you are putting in grueling time and effort. Then you are there! Thousands upon thousands of people are focused on your performance. How is it that Olympic athletes perform successfully under mental stress and strain? I’ve been fascinated by that question as I have watched Olympic athletes perform. Furthermore, I was thinking how great it would be if we could understand some of the key success factors they use to achieve performance success. Because we can then apply those success factors to increase our own performance success.

Success Factor #1: The Courage to Fail In Front of Thousands.

“One’s best success comes after his/her greatest disappointments.”

––Henry Ward Beecher

Vice President Joe Biden is not known for always making the most astute comments, but this time he was brilliant with his insight into what sets Olympic athletes apart. He said that what set them apart from other athletes, who also had great physical skills, was their courage to fail in front of millions of people. Many average athletes never make it to this level because they are afraid of being less than perfect. Thus, their performance success is limited: they have not failed enough to increase their skills to the level they need to be at to win.

Application:

What risks are you willing to take in your career, even if it means that you will be living at the edge of ‘incompetence’?

Have you become stale in your routine at work? Is it because it would mean looking stupid if you stretched yourself with a challenging project?

Or does it mean that you have become a bit lazy and lax? The downside of being too comfortable is that, over time, you will lose your edge. There is always going to be someone more qualified and bold who will be glad to take your place, and your boss/customers will reward the employee/business who is providing the highest level of service. So, if you are in a rutt, get off your butt!

Success Factor #2: Positive Perfectionism

“Great wo/men are like eagles, and build their nest on some lofty solitude.” Arthur Schopenhauer

You say, “This seems counter-intuitive! Didn’t you just say that you can’t be afraid to fail? The point of this success factor is that Olympic athletes have set high standards for themselves, and they are equally comfortable with both success and failure/criticism. They have a personal development plan that takes into account both their strengths and their weaknesses. Every failure is taken apart, not with a sense of shame, but with a sense of excitement as to how they can use their failures to perform more successfully the next time.

NFL football players use the same approach. While they do not necessarily love failure, they are comfortable with it. They review the tape of their performance on a continuous basis, so that they can learn from their mistakes and continuously improve.

Application: Examine your own core beliefs about yourself and your personal performance success. Do they need tweaking or replacing?

Success Factor #3: Focus, Focus, Focus

“If I have ever made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention than to any other talent.”
–– Isaac Newton

Olympians are trained by former Olympic champions to visualize their success, and to train every day as if they are in the final race/event. I was watching a video recently of an Olympic athlete who shocked the world by coming from behind to win the 10,000 meter race. Every day, he would talk to himself about how he was going to win the event. He showed the interviewer his training notebook, in which he wrote positive affirmations to his subconscious (about every aspect of the race. Then he would take this mental picture and positive self-talk into his practices. It paid off on the day of his final race!

Application:

Do you plan your week effectively?

How do you approach your work/business each and every day?

Have you written down your general mission statement for why you are doing what you are doing?

Do you spend a power hour each day, to connect with God through prayer, meditation, and Bible Study?

Do you review your written goals for the year? (Do you have any written goals for the year?)

Do you picture how you will perform successfully Today?

Some related resources you may benefit from related to increasing your performance success, so that you can perform like an Olympian:

Learning the Success Factors of an Olympic Champion:

The Courage to Succeed: Success Secrets of an Unlikely Three-time Olympian, by Ruben Gonzalez.

How to Find Your Life and Career Mission:

How to Find Your Mission in Life, by Richard Bolles (one of my very favorite!)

The Path: Creating Your Mission Statement for Work and for Life, by Laurie Beth Jones.

How to Set Goals:

Change Your Life The Smart Way: Create Your Best Year Yet! by Steve Borgman (that’s me! 🙂

I just finished this eBook for you yesterday! This is the goal setting system I have used for the past few years, and I wouldn’t dream of starting my year without this process!

Goal Setting Forms : Tools to Help You Get Ready, Get Set, & Go for Your Goals! by Gary Ryan Blair

Million Dollar Habits: Proven Power Practices to Double and Triple Your Income, by Brian Tracy (loved this one as well!)

I hope you’ll comment below about how you are going for the gold!

Just for fun! Here is a fantastic article from NPR about mental toughness and Olympic training:

photo credit: Yellowrotus on Flickr Creative Commons

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Here are Success Factors That Have Helped People Prosper During the Recession

By Stephen Borgman 25 Comments

During challenging economic times, many of us are in situations that are stressful. Companies are laying off employees, consultants are finding that there are not as many paying customers, and small business owners are having to work twice as hard to get and keep customers. Fortunately, I was able to read some stories of real life people like you and me who have chosen to see opportunity in the midst of adversity. I read their stories and analyzed some of the key success factors that helped them come out on top during the recession. And I will now share them with you.

Trust Your Instincts

One of the stories I read was about a gentleman who was laid off from his twelve-year job at Intel as a marketing engineer. He had taken a class in improv years earlier to help him face his fear of public speaking. He found that he had a knack for improv, often receiving positive reviews from his fellow students. So, when he found himself laid off, he reached down deep and thought, “I’ll give it a shot!”

Take Massive Action Consistently and Ruthlessly

Dan, the guy I am writing about, wrote jokes and scripts ceaselessly. He marketed himself courageously, and his efforts paid off. He has done standup at birthday parties, corporate gigs, and even doubled what he would have normally made in his former job. He landed a part in a movie directed by the same director from Slumdog Millionaire!

Get Comfortable with Discomfort, and Face the Fears

Rose was a speech pathologist who had run a very successful business with 13 employees. However, with the recession crunch, she found that insurance companies were not reimbursing as they had been in earlier years, and clients were just not willing to pay for speech therapy as they had been. She had 11 kids, and had the idea that their family could cut expenses by going into farming. She and her husband always had an interest in the environment and sustainable living. However, when it came right down to purchasing all the animals and starting their new lifestyle, she stated she had a lot of fear of the What If’s: What if no one bought their products? What if it did not work out? However, it has worked out, and she is grossing $40,000 per year, spending more time with her kids than she did before, and still running a part-time speech therapy practice.

Get Creative!

If you do end up facing a layoff, you will find that you have to cut expenses, like Sergio Santos. An architect, he found out his job was being eliminated. He scoured the rentals for something he could afford. He found a studio for $350 a month, which was still too high. However, with some smart negotiation, he convinced the landlord that he would take the storage room near the studio for $150 a month. After making some renovations, he learned to live with a lot less, was able to post some pictures on his personal website, and got some freelance projects by people who could not believe what he had done with his space. He is now getting married, but has learned what creativity and willingness to do with less can do to help him prosper during challenging times.

Finally, here are some key factors for success for managing transition during the recession, taken from a Reader’s Digest interview with many ordinary people like you and me who have been resilient and successful in making transitions during difficult times.

“Ask yourself, What are my strengths, my passions? Where do they meet?”

What do you daydream about? What do you find yourself doing with your down time? What are your interests? What are your hobbies? What have you gotten positive feedback on from co-workers and friends?

“When others say your goal is too risky, rise above the negativity.”

Many people who are well-meaning, wanting to make sure that you protect yourself from possible failure. The key is to surround yourself with other entrepreneurial types who will support your new direction. Consider joining a business networking group or your local Chamber of Commerce, so that you can rub shoulders with others who of a like mind.

“Consider your key skills and how they’re transferable to a new job.”

Once you pay attention to your passions and interests, ask yourself how you can combine them with key skills that you have developed over the course of your previous jobs.

Disclosure: I am sourcing Reader’s Digest for their great write-up on real life people who took advantage of the opportunity that recession brought to them in the disguises of layoffs, tough business environments, and economic challenges.

Also, I must mention Pat Flynn from the Smart Passive Income Blog, and his fantastic write-up of how he has taken off in his career as an internet marketer one year. The title of that article is One Year After Getting Laid Off – My Annual Passive Income Report One Year After Getting Laid Off – My Annual Passive Income Report.

Which of these key success factors will you incorporate into your current situation? Whether you are now unemployed, in a tenuous job situation, or even if you are doing fine in your job, you will want to carefully consider and apply these success factors to keep you resilient and resourceful during the current recession, and beyond.

photo credit: Pierre Poliquin

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You Don’t Have To Be Steve Jobs To Change The World

By Stephen Borgman 23 Comments

“Innovation is the specific instrument of entrepreneurship. The act that endows resources with a new capacity to create wealth.” Peter F. Drucker

As an employee, business owner, or self-employed contractor there is a critical success factor for staying ahead of your competition.

It’s called innovation, the art of introducing something new (as per dictionary.com). Our customers, internal and external, are starving for new, fresh, and different. And if you can deliver new ideas, others will recognize you and reward you as a thought leader.

Jim Carroll is recognized as one of the world’s leading global futurists, trends & innovation experts – with a massive global blue chip client list. He gave a keynote speech in Chicago, sharing some key success factors that set world-class innovators apart from the pack. You can use these same success factors to propel yourself forward and ahead of your competition.

“What is it that world-class innovators do that other organizations don’t do?”(And what is it that you can do that your co-workers or competition cannot do?) Read on:

1. Innovation Success Factor: Be Relentless in Your Pursuit of Growth

World class innovators have a relentless focus on growth: Says Jim, “I deal with a lot of CEO’s at a lot of organizations, and in almost every instance, they’ve engaged me because my message of future growth opportunities resonates with their own attitude. In my view, there are unprecedented opportunities for growth in almost every industry.”

What free education does your employer offer to you? Are you taking advantage to the fullest of this education to sharpen your personal growth and development? The more you learn, the more perspectives you expose yourself to, and the more information you have to draw from and create from.
Read top industry business magazines, blogs, and journals. Inc., Fast Company, and Entrepeneur.Com are some examples that come to mind. There are a host of excellent business blogs on the internet. Subscribe to them and start learning. Feedly.com is a great place to aggregate and share all your online content.
What books are you taking advantage of through your local library?
What audio programs are you listening to?

2. Innovation Success Factor: Make Change Your Only Constant

Top companies and employees have an aggressive and positive view of change. The rate of information and content being disseminated across the globe is astounding. Either go with the flow and ahead of it, or you will soon be outdated and stale.

Application: How can I be intentional about taking a new risk or taking on a new project today, this week, or this quarter?

3. Innovation Success Factor: Anticipate and Create

“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” Wayne Gretzky

Here are some questions to ask yourself, reflect on, and create solutions for:

What are your boss’s most pressing problems? What solutions can you provide to help her/him?
What are your customers’ most common complaints? What creative solutions can you come up with to WOW them ahead of time, before they are even aware there is a solution
What are some key trends you can take advantage of to “provide a constant flood of new, irresistible innovations for our customer base?”

4. Innovation Success Factor: Put ideas into action early, often, and continuously

Are you taking time, at least one time a week to generate ideas?
Once you generate ideas, are you implementing those ideas?

Great companies are the ones that are constantly implementing new ideas. Google’s Buzz product and Google voice came out of the expectation that 20% of all employees’ time is to be spent on experimenting with and creating new ideas and products. It is that kind of commitment to innovation that has made Google as great as it is today. But if it ever stops innovating, there will be a competitor hot on its heels!

5. Innovation Success Factor: Apply CANI (Constant and Never Ending Improvement) for Long Term Gains

As you go through your day, either as an employee, contractor, or business owner, identify a problem, waste, defect or something that is not working. Write it down.
Take time to generate at least 20 ideas as solutions. If the solution comes to you more quickly, and it seems like a good one, suggest it to your supervisor.
Put your idea into action immediately.
Review and reflect on the solution. Is it working? Is it helping? If so, make sure that you write this down on your personal list of accomplishments for your personal career record for the year. If you are a contractor, you may want to ask politely for a testimonial from a satisfied customer. If you are an employee, you can utilize your track record to politely make your case for a raise.

6. Innovation Success Factor: Connect and Collaborate

Be on the lookout for friends, customers, and other parts of the ‘competition’ that you can joint venture with.
Seek to help them succeed. No one wants to feel they are just part of your agenda. Genuinely look for ways that you can help the other person.
If you are an employee, look for another sharp co-worker who may want to collaborate on an innovative solution to boost your department’s performance. Upper management will welcome this like a breath of fresh air, since they are always looking for engaged employees.
If you are a business owner, are you networking with other sharp business people both in and out of your industry? How can you help them solve their problems? How can you work together to create something bigger than either of you could create together?

7. Innovation Success Factor: Think Big and Bold

Making incremental improvements every day is essential, but it needs to be balanced with a big and bold vision.

Create a BHAG for yourself! That stands for a Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal! This can be an exciting process, because so few people every raise their heads from the feeding trough of mediocrity to look around them at the big blue sky and mountains beckoning them to more! Stop scratching around in that barnyard, and start making the journey toward excellence.

Here are some thinking points:

Imagine that you are on a hero’s journey. This is the starting point, and you are going to be traveling to the top of Mount Everest (representing your BHAG). What will be some of the equipment you will need? How will you need to train to get into shape? Are there some skills you will need to develop? What are some boulders/obstacles you will encounter along the way? How will you overcome them?
Here are some examples of Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals:

‘One of my clients was proud of his BHAG, about transforming an industry; it was indeed a stretch, and a big and bold one. (from the Tom Peters Blog) ‘

‘I have also set a big goal of running a marathon in April 2010, and I want to finish under four hours for sure but my BHAG is to qualify for BOSTON’. — Discussion Forum – TuDiabetes – A Community for People Touched by Diabetes

‘In the next five years, by this date, ___________, our church will send 10,000 wheelchairs to the poorest of the poor in five selected countries. ‘

In writing out my own personal mission statement recently, I realized that, too often, I think too small: about my gifts, abilities, legacy, desires, goals, and capacity for creativity for innovation. The world needs what you have to offer: so think Big, not small!

The world, your customers, and your company is desperate for fresh ideas and fresh content. I challenge you to add this skill to your personal career development: the success factor of innovative thinking. One of the best resources I have read in this regard is John Maxwell’s book, Thinking for a Change. I encourage you to check it out at your library or buy it for your own personal library: then apply the methods within!

photo credit: Casey David

Which of the innovation success factors is most pertinent to you now? How are you going to apply this in your personal or professional life this next week?

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