As you may have already heard, the Mayan calendar ends at the end of 2012. That has caused many people to speculate that this could be our last year of existence as a civilization! In fact, a movie has already been made and released that graphically depicts the end of the world as we know it in 2012. Am I saying that I believe that the world is going to end then? Absolutely not! But, I do have a couple of questions for you to consider: What if the world is going to end at the end of 2012? What will that motivate you to do this coming year?
I love the fact that life is one continuous “do-over”. Every day we allowed a new opportunity to start over. That holds true every month and every year as well. Here at the beginning of a new year, we have a brand new start. We are permitted to put old things behind us, turn the page of our life and calendar, and begin afresh and anew.
So, back to our original question: What if you knew this year was going to be the last year of your life? What if you knew that this was going to be the year that everything would end? What would you do differently this year? What would you change in your daily routine? I am not talking about doing something silly, foolish or extreme. I am asking what you would do in order to accomplish some of the hopes and dreams you have held in your heart all of your life.
I believe that 2012 can be your best year ever! I want to suggest that you strongly consider doing three things this year that will make your life better. I consider these three things to be the most important three activities that I do in my life. They seem to give me a sense of stability, balance and direction in all that I do. I wanted to share them with you and ask you to consider making these three items part of this coming year.
1. Journal everyday for 10-15 minutes. You can purchase a journal almost anywhere for under $10.00. The goal is to record your thoughts, ideas and dreams daily. I have made this a practice in my life and it gives me a great sense of direction to have a quiet time each day for about 15 minutes to do that activity. I must admit that I do not necessarily like being still and quiet, nor do I particularly like writing down my thoughts, but taking the time to do it centers me and gives me direction for my life. It really doesn’t matter what time of day you do it. Sometimes I journal in the mornings and sometimes in the afternoon, but most of the time it is in the evening before I go to sleep. Just pick a time that works best for you. I promise that it will clear your head and help you to begin to see things that you may have overlooked in the past.
2. Develop the habit of fasting. Over the years, I have made fasting a part of my life. For many years, I fasted from lunchtime on Sunday until dinner on Monday evening. That 24-30 hour period of time helped me greatly. After a while I began to fast for three days and eventually moved to ten days. In time, I learned how to fast for forty days. I just completed the third 40-day fast of my life. There is no way I could put into words the power of fasting. It gives you more time, creates energy, is fantastic for your body, and brings a sense of understanding and wisdom about life that cannot be purchased with any amount of money. There are many books about fasting and if you are interested in knowing more about that, you may contact our office and we will recommend one to you.
3. Be involved in personal development. This has to do with learning how to create and build the life and business you want. Even if you have a job working for someone else, you still need to learn how to build your own life, and build your understanding of concepts that will help you to be a better person. Read good books that wash your mind and help you to be positive and enthusiastic about life. Listen to good audios that teach you and encourage you to grow. I would suggest that you set aside at least $100 per month and use that money for personal development. Perhaps you need to attend a seminar or training program. The fact that you are involved in your own life and making things better by learning and growing will pay rich dividends in the long run in all that you do.
I am not suggesting that those are the only three things you need; I’m just saying that I have observed how those activities have helped me in my life and I wanted to pass them along to you. I hope you will be encouraged as you learn more about what life truly is all about by being involved in those three activities.
May this coming year be the best year of your life! It will not happen by accident. It will happen when you purpose to make it happen. If you are willing to do some things that you have not done before, I promise you will be able to get some things you have not had in the past. New seeds produce new crops and new growth in your personal life.
I don’t know if this is the last year of our existence or not, but if it is, I am excited and will continue to do things that are a blessing to my own life and to others. I hope you will join me and be involved in this great journey called life!
Tip: Make this year count!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Dr. Robert A. Rohm
Not long ago I had a very unusual experience. I had dinner with a friend of mine who is in real estate. Because the economy has been so weak for the past couple of years, I expected him to tell me that things were not going very well in his life and business. Boy, was I surprised! He told me that this year was the best year in real estate that he has ever had and that business was booming. He was so positive and upbeat about everything that it completely caught me off-guard. I asked him what he was doing. He smiled and said, “I am looking for opportunities. They are everywhere!” I was amazed to discover that here was a guy who was actually practicing what I teach. It is one thing to encourage others to look for and expect good things in their life, but quite another to find them actually doing it!
I walked away from dinner with my friend feeling very encouraged. He helped me to see that the power of the spoken word is still true. And, so is the principle of positively expecting to find what we want in life. Just because a person chooses not to practice or act upon those principles does not change the truth of them one bit!
This is the time of year that we stop and reflect and think about the things that are really important to us - our faith, our family, our finances, and our future. Are you looking for the best in those areas, or have you completely given up? Are you blaming the difficult times you may be experiencing on the economy? After dinner with my friend, I asked myself those same questions and I had to admit that I had been doing just that. However, it is important to learn from our mistakes. Since I saw someone actually practicing what I was preaching, it changed my tune. I have been much more positive since that experience, and the reason is very simple - I want to find what I am looking for in life.
May I ask you a question? What are you looking for in your life? Are you looking for a relationship to get better, or are you willing to just settle for a mediocre existence with that other person? Are you blaming the economy and the difficult times that the world is experiencing right now, or are you looking for a great opportunity that may be just around the next corner? I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. What you are looking for is what you will find. What you are talking about is what you will bring about. What you are seeking with all of your heart is what you will eventually come across. It is just a fact of life.
None of us live in a vacuum. If we go through life with a defeated attitude, the only thing we will ever experience is defeat. If we go through life being frustrated and having a bad attitude, those seeds of discontent will produce more of the same. I am not talking about a “pipe dream” or some “pie-in-the-sky” philosophy; I am talking about the reality of attracting the good, the pure, and the positive things of life. Those things somehow seem to find the people who are seeking them and consistently talking about them.
Take a minute to ask yourself what kind of person is attractive to you. Is it someone who is “belly-aching” all the time about everything that is going wrong, or is it someone who is excited about life, their future, and the opportunities that they are seeking on a daily basis. I think the answer is obvious!
As I mentioned earlier, I had a good dose of reality come my way recently and boy, am I glad it did! It made me feel as though I had just taken a good, clean shower and was ready to start my day afresh and anew.
Regardless of your circumstances or situation, learn to “fake it until you make it”. Decide to have a good attitude and be positive and upbeat about everything. Speak words of life and happiness and good fortune into your day. Greet people around you with a warm handshake or a big hug, and a smile. Laugh more, enjoy life, and get rid of the sour-puss attitude that is pulling you down. It can change in a matter of minutes when you decide to make it happen.
I hope this time of year brings great happiness and success to everything you touch. I believe the best is still yet to come for all of us. Opportunities for the future know no limits. They are sitting there for the taking. All you have to do is start looking and you will find them. I promise!
Tip: You will find exactly what you are looking for!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Dr. Robert A. Rohm
19
Dec
Posted on 2011 under Tip of the Week |
Tip: You are going to lose more bait than you are going to catch fish!
When was the last time you went fishing? Did you notice that you often put lots and lots of bait on your hook but that the fish are somehow smart enough to get it off without getting caught? If you stop and think about it, that is really amazing! How did fish get so smart? I guess they learned it in school. (School of fish - get it?!) Though the fish are often able to get worms, crickets and other types of bait off of the hook without getting caught, if they keep at it long enough, they will eventually get caught. A fisherman must exercise patience and keep trying.
While I enjoy eating fish, I don’t really enjoy getting into a boat and going fishing. I prefer letting someone else do that job. Going out to eat at a restaurant like Red Lobster is more my style.
However, I believe there is a principle here for us to learn. Whether you are involved in business, sports or relationships, you must take a chance and exercise patience if you are ever going to “catch any fish”. You have to put yourself out there and attempt to do something that might be risky at first glance. Yet, after you fail a few times, you will begin to learn some important lessons that will help you to be more successful in the future.
When I was growing up, it seemed to me that everyone around me knew so much more than I did. I felt very naïve at times and was often taken advantage of by those who were older. One such incident happened when I was in the eighth grade. Some friends and I went on a camping trip with some high school seniors. They were football players and I looked up to them. I wanted to be just like them when I was older.
After we set up camp out in the woods, the older boys thought it would be funny to scare me. They told me that some criminals had escaped from a local prison and that they were afraid those criminals might be hiding in the woods to harm us. Then they proceeded to tie fishing line to pots and pans that would rattle and rustle the leaves making me think someone was coming to get us. I was so scared that I don’t think I slept the whole week!
Once we got home, they told me that they were the ones making all the noise, using the fishing line that no one could see except them. They laughed and laughed and made fun of me, but I tried to take it with a good nature. Even though I laughed it off, it still hurt my feelings. Nevertheless, I learned something from it - I learned that things are not always as they seem and that you must not give up trying.
All of this gets back to the fact that if you are going to be successful, sooner or later you are going to have to “get out there”; you are going to have to try, and yes, you are going to have to put some bait on your hook. Others may take advantage of you, but you will be the one who actually wins because in the long run you will learn lessons from the experiences that you have in life.
I have discovered that everything happens for a reason. I have quit trying to figure out the “why’s” behind everything and just try to focus on the lessons that I learn whenever the fish get my bait and leave my hook empty.
When was the last time you had a relationship fall apart on you? When was the last time you tried to start a business and lost money in the process? When was the last time you tried something new for the very first time and found that it did not work? None of those were mistakes. They were all learning and growing opportunities to make you a better person.
So, in whatever endeavor you are involved right now, my advice is to get yourself a big can of worms or crickets or whatever else you need and start trying more. They say that successful people are failures who just didn’t give up. I believe that adequately sums up what I am trying to say in this Tip.
Now, let’s all get back to work and go fishing!
Tip: You are going to lose more bait than you are going to catch fish!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Robert A. Rohm Ph.D.
Personality Insights, Inc.
5
Dec
Posted on 2011 under Tip of the Week |
Tip: Your day will come!
I have sent out a Tip every Monday for the past 10 years. But today and today’s Tip is monumental.The reason today is monumental is because it is the premier of my very first
PBS Special.I can hardly believe this day has come. It really is a dream come true.
It is with a great deal of gratitude and humility that I say I realize that most people will never appear on TV or produce a PBS Special. May I simply say that I am thankful to God and to good people like you who have walked along life’s path of learning with me over the years. You have helped bring this day about.
The reason you read this Tip each week is that you are interested in some kind of personal growth or individual improvement. You believe in the basic idea that you can participate in your life and help make things better with good choices. You can make tomorrow better than it would have been otherwise. Such is the benefit of applying wisdom to daily living.
Mondays come around each week. Sometimes it seems like work never ends or maybe it seems like things are headed who knows where. But, tomorrow does have a bright outlook as long as you are always seeking ways to improve your own life. I encouage you to keep working toward your goals, because YOUR day will come. Keep working. Keep trusting. Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep giving. Because, as the Apostle Paul wrote: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”
P.S. Now you are welcome to watch the show online free today at:
www.robertrohm.comEnjoy!
Tip: Your day will come!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Robert A. Rohm Ph.D.
Personality Insights, Inc.
28
Nov
Posted on 2011 under Tip of the Week |
Tip: The 4 P’s to business success!
Recently I was reading an outstanding article that gave me some good insight into business success. The article talked about the fact that all successful businesses have several things in common. Everyone knows that there are two key ingredients a company must have in order to be successful: a good product and excellent customer service. However, the article went on to point out that if you could focus on four particular areas of your business, you would be in a better position for success.
After reviewing many different companies and collecting much data, the researchers found that all successful businesses had four things in common. Not only do I like it when information is clear and simple, I also like it when it is easy to remember. The researchers narrowed down the success of companies to 4 P’s that I would like to share with you.
1. Power - This has to do with knowing where you are headed in your business. If you are going to sell widgets, then you need to have a plan to produce them and market them. Success doesn’t happen by accident! It requires thoughtful planning and commitment. It is true that almost every company makes adjustments along the way, but you must be crystal clear as to what you are all about and the direction in which you want to move.
I once heard a simple sentence that I think says it all: “The people who first climbed Mt. Everest didn’t do so by simply going for a ‘stroll’ one day in the mountains!” You have to know where you are headed and take the necessary steps to have power and control in whatever industry you choose in order to succeed.
2. Positioning - This has to do with having good connections. We have all heard that it isn’t so much what you know as who you know. We all need to be well connected. We need to be acquainted with people who can help us move ahead in what we are doing. No man (or woman) is an island unto themselves. Someone once said that the most important thing in life is having good relationships. I totally agree with that. By having good relationships and connections with people, you can be in a position to succeed much faster.
How many times have you either recommended a good business to a friend of yours or had a good business recommended to you by someone else? That is what positioning is all about. It is having good connections in order to help one another on a daily basis. I can honestly say that almost everything that has happened to me and my business is because of a good connection with a friend or because someone I have worked with in business has recommended my services to another person or company.
3. Polite - This has to do with customer service. Although it is a “no-brainer”, we sometimes forget that in business, everything rises or falls on customer service. I have said it before, and I will say it again, if you write down the names of ten businesses that you pass on your ride down the street, ten years from now seven of those businesses will be closed and only three will be left! The seven that fail will likely do so because of poor customer service and the three that remain open will succeed because of good customer service. That’s what it means to be polite, to care, and to have an attitude of cooperation and kindness to your customers.
4. Performance - This has to do with knowing what you are doing. In other words, if you are not clear on what you are trying to accomplish, you will lose your way and it will not be long until you are totally lost. I sometimes think that performance is the most difficult aspect of business because it is so easy to get distracted by every opportunity that comes along. Good ideas are a dime a dozen, but to be successful, you must be clear about what are doing and do it day in and day out, with excellence.
In the past, I have been distracted by many different endeavors, but from now on, I am focused on one thing: helping people understand their personality style in order to build better teams and create better relationships. That is what I want to be all about – nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else! I want to know what I am doing and continue to learn how to do it better every day.
There you have it! Those are the four keys to building a successful business: Power, Positioning, Polite, and Performance. Are you excelling in each of those four areas? More than likely, one or two of those topics are strong points for you and maybe a couple of other points need improvement. I have made a 3 x 5 card with those words printed on it and keep it where I can see it often. It helps center me and allows me to stay focused on what I am doing every day. I would suggest you do the same thing. You won’t be sorry. I can guarantee you that! Ask any successful person you know about these four key traits. See what they say. Now go and do likewise!
Tip: The 4 P’s to business success!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Robert A. Rohm Ph.D.
Personality Insights, Inc.