So, if there is a person on the planet who should have a GPS, it is me. However, I don't travel enough to invest in one. We spent the 4th of July weekend with our kids in Chicago. One of our son's shipmates offered us the use of her GPS for the weekend -- we accepted.
After getting it calculated to get us to O'Hare Airport, we changed our minds and decided to go to a restaurant near the Navy Base -- which lead us away from the GPS directions. What struck me as interesting were the commands of the GPS. She didn't freak out, she didn't tell us what kinds of terrible things were going to happen to us, she just merely said....recalculating....in 300 feet take a right and turn around, once we missed that turn, she calmly said.... recalculating in 500 feet take a right and turn around.
As I was listening to those comments, I thought about how life really does the same thing....it gives us feedback, and if we listen to the feedback we should be able to figure out if we should recalculate and try something different. Some quick examples....
1. If you are constantly out of money, you need to recalculate and either figure out a way to make more money or do a better job of handling the money you do make.
2. If you are constantly in conflict with your spouse, boss, or co-workers, recalculate and figure out which one of your actions you need to change.
3. If you need to lose weight, recalculate and understand that it's not a diet or a magic pill you need, just change your eating habits and start getting more exercise.
4. If your ego is constantly getting you into situations that are bad, recalculate and get your ego and actions under control.
Do GPS systems make mistakes? Sure they do. But the majority of the time, if you program it right, and follow the instructions and make the correct turns, you will arrive at your destination. Life is similar, if you program the incredible computer God gave you, your brain, to what you want to achieve and then make the steps and put in the efforts you will see the results.
When you miss a turn or make a mistake, recalculate, correct your path, and you will eventually arrive. Check out my speaking video at http://www.bransonbusiness.blogspot.com/
About Me
- Steve Willoughby
- Branson, Missouri, United States
- A marketing consultant, a radio personality, a proven public speaker. Steve Willoughby is ready to inspire, motivate and entertain your group.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
Are you really that busy?
Have you ever noticed how much time some people take to tell you how little time they have because they are so busy? (Go ahead and re-read that sentence -- it does make sense)
I used to have a client who would take an hour and a half of my time telling me how busy they were. They would go into great detail about all the things that they had to do and had going on. I was younger then, I never had the courage to tell them if they would stop talking about it and do it, they would have more time.
What about you? Are you so busy that you really never get anything done? Do you keep the blackberry by your side, constantly checking email, constantly staying in contact with the world? But yet, never really taking the time to live life -- to focus on the really important things, like family and friends. Afraid, that if you don't get right back to someone, you will miss out.
Look I believe in good customer service, I know that there are times that you need to be there for your clients outside of "normal" work hours -- however, I am also old enough to remember life before email, blackberries, and we seemed to do okay. I am not anti-technology, that is not the point of the post. However, I do believe that you have to have some down time.
My boss says work hard - play hard and too much of either one is a bad thing. I agree. There is a time to work and there is a time for family, for yourself, for your spouse, etc. There is going to come a time for most of us when we realize the end of our travel on earth is close. If all you did was work and say things like, work is my life....that end is going to be very sad.
Work hard -- but play hard, go on vacation, take the long weekend, take the time to smell the roses and tell the important people in your life what they mean to you. If the client can't handle that, feel sorry for them and let them become another person's problem -- life is too short.
Check out my speaking video at http://www.bransonbusiness.blogspot.com/
I used to have a client who would take an hour and a half of my time telling me how busy they were. They would go into great detail about all the things that they had to do and had going on. I was younger then, I never had the courage to tell them if they would stop talking about it and do it, they would have more time.
What about you? Are you so busy that you really never get anything done? Do you keep the blackberry by your side, constantly checking email, constantly staying in contact with the world? But yet, never really taking the time to live life -- to focus on the really important things, like family and friends. Afraid, that if you don't get right back to someone, you will miss out.
Look I believe in good customer service, I know that there are times that you need to be there for your clients outside of "normal" work hours -- however, I am also old enough to remember life before email, blackberries, and we seemed to do okay. I am not anti-technology, that is not the point of the post. However, I do believe that you have to have some down time.
My boss says work hard - play hard and too much of either one is a bad thing. I agree. There is a time to work and there is a time for family, for yourself, for your spouse, etc. There is going to come a time for most of us when we realize the end of our travel on earth is close. If all you did was work and say things like, work is my life....that end is going to be very sad.
Work hard -- but play hard, go on vacation, take the long weekend, take the time to smell the roses and tell the important people in your life what they mean to you. If the client can't handle that, feel sorry for them and let them become another person's problem -- life is too short.
Check out my speaking video at http://www.bransonbusiness.blogspot.com/
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