By Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
The Exceptional Presenter by Timothy J. Koegel is another "need to have on your biz bookshelf" book. Everyone is called upon to present to a group, big and small. Those who do it well get the nod for more business.
The Exceptional Presenter is organized and presented well. The regular biz guy can make it work. Even if you are really good at this, it will keep you sharp at doing your best. A great quick reference guide for your next presentation.
"A proven formula to Open Up! and own the room."
The Open communication style will endow you with confidence, professionalism, audience connection and understanding of your message.
"Every time you open your mouth to speak in public,
you are a public speaker."
OPEN UP!
Be Organized
Be Passionate
Be Engaging
Be Natural
Understand your audience
Practice
Organized: Structure your Story
Create a structure that stays relevant and transitions smoothly from topic to topic. Lack of organized flow makes you look sloppy, hinders your credibility.
Keep it short. Keep it focused. Keep it relevant.
(People forget 95% of what you say in minutes. Organize short segments through out. Move from one to another and tie them together.)
Five components of your presentation
1. Begin with a Purpose.
The more defined your purpose, the easier your listener can frame your message and stick with it.
2. Objectives/Purpose/Mission/Goal
“My objective... purpose... mission... goal... today is to....”
3. Position/Situation/Issues
Outline issues, concerns, problems, fears and provide verification they exist.
4. End Results/Benefits/Consequences
Why acting on this is beneficial; the results we will see, and the consequences if we don't do it.
5. Next Step/Action Plan/Time Line
This is a call for action. "Let's meet next Wednesday and develop a plan for..."
"We need this done by... or this will happen..."
Simplify your presentation.
Progressively... identify the purpose... objective... what you want to accomplish... current position, where we are now... how to do it another way, the potential results... how it will be better... and the next step, what we must do to get started, carry this on.
Follow the 60/20 rule.
Arrive 60 minutes early to set up the room, visuals, projection system, table arrangements, handouts, etc. So you have 20 minutes before the meeting time to meet people as they arrive. This is an important part of the connecting process before you present.
Passionate
Passion is expressed through posture, gestures and movement, voice command. Eliminate hesitation and verbal graffiti. Sit straight, stand straight and face audience. Hands to the side and open is the best posture. When sitting it is better to have hands on the table and open for gesturing. (Koegel has loads of visuals which demonstrate this.)
Five Tips:
1. Stand Tall... don't sway, rock, lean.
2. Keep head, eyes, up and in contact with the audience.
3. Smile... sincere, warm.
4. Never retreat... move toward audience, not away from.
5. Move with purpose, energy, enthusiasm.
The Dynamics of Voice
Volume--speak up, vary your volume for deliberate emphasis.
Inflection--vary range from highs to lows.
Pacing/tempo--be natural in flow... speak, pause, breathe, speak.
Do all these in concert with your message and it will be music to the audience ears.
Eliminate Verbal Graffiti
Eliminate the filler sounds we make between phrases...."ums, ahhs, you know."
Instead of these "graffiti sounds" say nothing. Silent pauses by design work the best. Sounds between your thoughts you use as fillers like "to be honest, I guess, frankly" actually disrupt listening. To eliminate them, be aware you are using them, recognize your pattern, anticipate when you use them, pause, and state the next word (easy to explain, but these are voice habits that require specific attention to eliminate.)
Engaging
To earn respect, you must first connect.
1. Speak to the interests of your audience
2. Use stories, examples and anecdotes
3. Eye contact is an essential engagement tool. For large groups look to one person, lock in, then move to another. Be generous. Share eye contact with all. Don't just look to the friendly face.
4. Talk to your audience, not your screen or wipe board and keep shoulders square to your audience... use hands only to gesture toward your screen, wipe board info.
5. Smile... be relaxed, confident, approachable
6. Use names early and often, early and after
7. Get to your feet. Standing gives you more visual authority
8. Use current events, periodicals for freshness.
9. Humor... use books on comedy, famous anecdote books.
10. Read your audience. Observe facial expressions, body postures.
11. Get your audience involved.
Natural
Be prepared. Know your content. Then be yourself.
Use a style that is conversational, open, engaging, spontaneous, off-the-cuff, quick witted. Smile and laugh.
Understand Your Audience
Talk to those who know your audience, ask questions about them and listen, read about what they do.
Practice
Practice doing the right things in this process that you can do to be better. Practice is most important... before a presentation and by doing as many presentations as possible. Take every opportunity to speak, present where you can.
Don't be average when you can practice and be exceptional.
Select areas you can improve and practice them.
Koegel also covers how to handle question and answer sessions. Learn to look at questioner, pause, then answer. This buys time to gather your thoughts and shows respect that you are contemplating the question. Ask a question when needed to clarify a question.
Use your nerves to your benefit. Everyone gets nervous. Focus on your message and helping your audience understand. Keeping your focus on them keeps the nerves off you.
The more prepared you are, the more confidence you have, more organized you look, passionate you are, engaging you become, and natural you can be... then you are the Exceptional Presenter.
Koegel has many presentation outlines you can use in the book. Also note:
http://www.theexceptionalpresenter.com/
The best presenters that ever lived had an unusual system for their great skill. It is reported that they were regular folks but had personal intense encounters in the Holy Spirit. As leaders of their day observed:
"The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the Scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. "
(Acts 4:13, NLT)
Their secret formula was their intense times in the Spirit. Again reported:
"After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness."
(Acts 4:31, NLT)
Their secret was it was always back to pray as a group,
intense prayer.
It was so intense the place where they met began vibrating like an earthquake.
Now, That’s a Power Focus!
They met constantly and reviewed the power of the Spirit on their lives and constantly encouraged each other. They helped each other where their gifts complemented someone else… becoming an unprecedented powerful social system engineered by the Holy Spirit.
Spirit Himself empowered it, directed it. So unique, it struck the intrigue of everyone. Living and flowing in the Spirit had this distinguishing characteristic…They spent time in the Presence of Spirit, and leaned on and operated in the very Spirit of God.
"And all the believers were meeting regularly..."
(Acts 5:12, NLT)
Here, these common men, with the Spirit of God on them where described as having boldness... walking with an inherent authority in their presence, because their presence consisted of frequent times in the Presence of God. They had knowledge beyond their training or experience.They spoke in a language everyone could understand which was obviously Supernatural.
"They were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers."
"And we all hear these people speaking in our own languages about the wonderful things God has done! They stood there amazed and perplexed."
"…The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people.... more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women.
(Acts 2:5,11,12; 5:12, NLT)
People were amazed of where this all come from. The Believers were courageous and talked to leaders of their day with confidence and assuredness. They spoke with a power that everyone, in their own dialect, understood. They performed miracles for many and many watched in wonder at their normal day at the "office." And many, in large numbers, were converted to their ideals.
"All the believers were united in heart and mind.
And they felt that what they owned was not their own,
so they shared everything they had."
"There were no needy people among them,
because those who owned land or houses would sell them
and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need."
(Acts 4:23, 34 NLT)
There was power, miracles and an internally strong social system.
Is this at all possible for today?
Can a social system in a business, and among businesses be built with strength, miracles, and social responsibility as this?
Here's the key principles:
All believers met regularly, were of one mind, and heart. They shared all things in common in that they saw ownership as a community of individuals and they went out boldly because the Spirit of God was on them. When meeting in Jesus Name, the Holy Spirit comes to join you.
“For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them,”
Jesus said. (Matthew 18:20, NLT)
Social connection as one heart, brought the authentic Presence of Jesus Spirit.
With the new message of Jesus as Us,
we as a group represent Jesus,
that Power of God in all its greatness released in man.
We now walk in the same Power Of God.
We share in the unlimited resources of God with each other
.... WOW...!!!
What an idea!
What Possibilities!
Is This Possible today?
I believer it is.
And it will happen in the day to day occurrences in the marketplace…if we practice what they practiced on a day to day basis. If we live like this, if we live in Spirit-driven Power, we too will be Super-Exceptional Presenters.
We can add this to our lives as well. Seek the Spirit above all things, before you do all things and live in this when you do all things.
There is power in Spirit and you can tap in it daily, if you choose to go there and just do it. Spirit says, "Seek Me with all your Heart...and you will not be disappointed in what I will do for you." Isaiah says,
"For the mountains may move
and the hills disappear,
but even then my faithful love for you will remain.
My covenant of blessing will never be broken,"
says the L ORD, who has mercy on you.
I will teach all your children... "
(Isaiah 54:10, 13, NLT)
Spirit will teach you. When in Spirit, He teaches you.
When we meet in love and generosity, Spirit will
give Supernatural power to everything He guides us to say and do.
Your presentation skills will be Super-exceptional.
You will have exceptional influence
and it will be simply amazing.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
The Dip...steps to Paradise
By Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
The Dip... the little book that teaches you when to quit (and when to stick) by Seth Godin.
It is a short book, but like these book summaries, right to the point. As Seth says, "Write less is better." It seems more books carry a proverbial style like the Dip.
Quitting is wise when you quit when you should. Winners never quit is simply not true explains Godin. "They just quit the wrong stuff at the right time."
"Quit the wrong stuff."
"Stick with the right stuff."
"Have the guts to do one or the other."
Target doing one thing.
Be the best in the world at something.
Find that something that's you.
Godin points out the difference of being #1 compared to 2, 3, 4.... is at least double in most cases. "Pick the right thing and do it all the way." In a free market, the exceptional gets much more.
Strategic quitting is the secret of successful organizations. First, understand situations that should cause you to quit. This decision comes to head in the dip.
Curve 1, the dip is the long slog between starting (when things go well, or are going). Successful people who know what they are doing is right "lean into the dip, push harder, change the rules."
Curve 2 is the cul-de-sac.
This is a dead end so the decision to get out is obvious, but obviously many don't see how obvious it is. When in it, don't embrace it. Get out fast.
Curve 3 is the cliff.
Some things start off smoking, climb to great heights, that fall off like falling off a cliff. Like smoking cigarettes. You can't quit until you fall off... and die from it. If it's worth doing, there's probably a time you face a decision to get out or move over.
Cul-de-sacs are boring, cliffs are exciting but neither gets through the dip... they lead to failure.
The remedy... know about the dip before you start. If you know it's right, the brave thing is to press through. If it's not right, don't even start. "Simply put, if you can't make it through the Dip, don't start."
When you are doing what's right, being the best in the world, capturing the market you target, you run away from your competition. Why? In the dip, most quit, so your competition dwindles. Then guess what... you're so far ahead, no one can catch you. "The goal of any competitor is to create a Dip so long and so deep that the nascent competition can't catch up."
So quit dead ends in pursuits, avoid heading to cliffs and merge from the dip. Embrace the drip and treat it as the opportunity it really is. The Dip makes the project worthwhile.
Why might you fail to be the best in the world... run out of time, money, get scared, not serious about it, lose interest, focus on short-term, pick the wrong thing you can be the best in the world... and quit.
Eight Dip Curves: (See the Dip coming.)
Manufacturing Dip... your garage is not big enough for the large scale production equipment and processes.
Sales Dip... sales needs to be professional caliber.
Education Dip... must hone new business skills to compete at greater levels.
Risk Dip... must rent the bigger building, get more sophisticated investment injection.
Relationship Dip... building relationships all along the way. Old toes stomped on will come back to kick you in the rear.
Conceptual Dip... reinvention is necessary.
Ego Dip... must have control over everything. Need to relinquish control to others to handle developing areas.
Distribution Dip... getting connected with powerful distributors is harder.
The moral of the Dip story is... before you start know your Dips. They come with growth. If you don't want to face it, press through, be the best in the world, don't start.
Dips can be a "go up opportunity." Quit what you don't care about, are mediocre at. Otherwise buckle your seat belt and enjoy the bumpy ride of the dip for a while.
Serial quitting is also bad. It's jumping line to get in another line that looks faster. Serial quitters jump lines quickly thinking they will have a faster line to success. As serial quitters drop out as soon as they hit another dip, you begin gaining and leaving them farther behind. They then become less a threat as serious competition. Those who face the Dip end up being the winners.
When you get through the dip the others are too far behind to catch up. The market rewards dip travelers.
The opposite of quitting is "re-dedication... an invigorating new strategy to break the problems apart."
When should you quit.
Quitting at the right time for the right reason is good. Quit when you are in a cul-de-sac, approaching a cliff, when the rewards are not worth it, when your time, passion, resources can't make you reach being the best in the world. So quitting is a recommended, admirable strategy.
Why quit?
It frees you to put full energy into something else. Don't let pride of "I'm not a quitter!" keep you from quitting.
Ask these questions:
1. Am I panicking? Decide in advance when you will quit, so it's not the stress of the dip or emotions that make you quit.
2. Who am I trying to influence? If it's a person you must influence, and there is no way to change that... then quit. But if it's a market, then a constant effort gets the "right people" talking and you eventually find them.
"Different people in the market are seeking different things. Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, told me."
"We knew that Google was going to get better every single day we worked on it.... The later you tried it, the better for us.... So we were never in a big hurry to get you to use it today. Tomorrow would be better."
3. What sort of measurable progress am I making? Continuing without any sign of forward progress is a waste. Quitting is then good. But, if you have a few happy customers, they can eventually lead you to more. Are conditions still favorable? If you see progress in new, or redirected areas, the rewards are worth it, then continue maneuvering through the dip.
The major point... know the dip before you get there, and be prepared to navigate creatively, strategically through it.
Godin's final word,
"If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try."
If you have a Dip story, Seth Godin invites you to post it at
www.sethgodin.com/thebestintheworld
The dip is when it seems things aren't right, going as planned, or going as we hoped. When Jesus was killed by his adversaries, many lost hope. Because what they hoped for had been lost... They thought.
Paul the Apostle, felt that when he was put in prison, beaten. But he also knew there was more... to hope for.
Os Hillman shared an experience of his dip. Where he saw himself as a total failure. After his marriage broke up, his business collapsed, lost everything, he felt totally lost.
From a chapter in his book, The Upside of Adversity, Os Hillman shared a meeting he had with Gunnar Olson.
"I recognized his voice from the tape. J. Gunnar Olson—founder and president of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce(ICCC)—was a busy man. He was making final preparations for an international conference of the ICCC that very night."
"To be candid, Mr. Olson, I'm not even sure why the Lord has led me here today. I only know that I feel like a complete failure. I've failed as a businessman, as a husband, as a father, and as a Christian."
(Os Hillman tells Mr. Oslon his story.)
"Oh, you're hardly alone, my friend. In fact, your story fits a pattern so common that I have a name for it: the Joseph Calling. Os, you're not a failure. God has placed a Joseph Calling upon your life." "What's a Joseph Calling?"
"Put simply, this is what it means: Like Joseph, God calls some leaders to experience extraordinary levels of adversity in order to accomplish extraordinary things through them. Why? Because He knows that adversity builds character and produces wisdom in the life of a leader. God will use this adversity for good in your life and in the lives of others. That's the principle of the Joseph Calling."
To read the whole chapter note:
http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/pages.asp?pageid=44704
This is so characteristic of the Spiritual way. The Bible relates numerous stories where when the rewards are the greatest, the sacrifices leading to it are equally great. Suffering, as we may see it, is Spiritual training ground for even greater works of the Spirit in us, and especially for the benefit of many others... in a revolutionary way.
The Passion of Christ movie portrays the earnestness of Jesus to go through with the cross. He knew the extraordinary benefits this would bring to whole mankind... the extravagant rewards. He endured for the sake of this Glory.
Paul the Apostle was a well respected religious leader of his day, but after converting to the message of Jesus he had horrible experiences as he reflected...
"Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm."
(2 Corinthians 11:24-27, NLT)
Why would any sane person live like this?
Why did the Apostle Paul go through all this?
He saw Paradise!
This Paradise was his goal, his reward. To Paul, the effort was worth it.
"I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago.
I was caught up to paradise
and heard things so astounding that
they cannot be expressed in words,
things no human is allowed to tell."
(2 Corinthians 12:2,4, NLT)
This was so astoundingly marvelous, spectacular, Paul could not even talk about it. When we have a vision so strong that we see the unquestionable rewards of it, the dip experiences are worth it.
Jesus referred to Paradise on the cross. He told the one criminal beside him that he would share with Him in Paradise... a real-life Utopian civilization beyond earth we will too experience. With "astounding" rewards for those who press through to complete their assignments while on earth.
Is your vision this strong.
Is your life on a mission about the kingdom of Heaven,
that it is worth whatever you must go through to see it fulfilled.
Is the reward for what you are working toward worth it.
Jesus knew of paradise and even the cross would not stop Him. Paul saw paradise and going from notoriety to suffering in life, could not stop him.
When in Spirit we can taste the Kingdom of Heaven.
Live, dream and be ecstatic in this Paradise.
When we spend time there before our duties of the day, nothing that comes up during the day keeps us from pressing on. It brings gratitude into our hearts, when we have great victories during the day. God will get you through the dips.
"Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and have courage!
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."
(Psalm 27:14, NLT)
It will drive you through any obstacle, defy setbacks and move you constantly to climb to the mountain top of your vision and dreams Spirit puts on your heart.
As Paul says, "your attitude should be the same as Jesus."
The reward is being raised up to the heights of Heaven
and have the greatest Life Style in the universe along with Jesus.
Is the reward worth it?
Is there any reward greater than living in this Paradise forever!
4spirit@gmail.com
The Dip... the little book that teaches you when to quit (and when to stick) by Seth Godin.
It is a short book, but like these book summaries, right to the point. As Seth says, "Write less is better." It seems more books carry a proverbial style like the Dip.
Quitting is wise when you quit when you should. Winners never quit is simply not true explains Godin. "They just quit the wrong stuff at the right time."
"Quit the wrong stuff."
"Stick with the right stuff."
"Have the guts to do one or the other."
Target doing one thing.
Be the best in the world at something.
Find that something that's you.
Godin points out the difference of being #1 compared to 2, 3, 4.... is at least double in most cases. "Pick the right thing and do it all the way." In a free market, the exceptional gets much more.
Strategic quitting is the secret of successful organizations. First, understand situations that should cause you to quit. This decision comes to head in the dip.
Curve 1, the dip is the long slog between starting (when things go well, or are going). Successful people who know what they are doing is right "lean into the dip, push harder, change the rules."
Curve 2 is the cul-de-sac.
This is a dead end so the decision to get out is obvious, but obviously many don't see how obvious it is. When in it, don't embrace it. Get out fast.
Curve 3 is the cliff.
Some things start off smoking, climb to great heights, that fall off like falling off a cliff. Like smoking cigarettes. You can't quit until you fall off... and die from it. If it's worth doing, there's probably a time you face a decision to get out or move over.
Cul-de-sacs are boring, cliffs are exciting but neither gets through the dip... they lead to failure.
The remedy... know about the dip before you start. If you know it's right, the brave thing is to press through. If it's not right, don't even start. "Simply put, if you can't make it through the Dip, don't start."
When you are doing what's right, being the best in the world, capturing the market you target, you run away from your competition. Why? In the dip, most quit, so your competition dwindles. Then guess what... you're so far ahead, no one can catch you. "The goal of any competitor is to create a Dip so long and so deep that the nascent competition can't catch up."
So quit dead ends in pursuits, avoid heading to cliffs and merge from the dip. Embrace the drip and treat it as the opportunity it really is. The Dip makes the project worthwhile.
Why might you fail to be the best in the world... run out of time, money, get scared, not serious about it, lose interest, focus on short-term, pick the wrong thing you can be the best in the world... and quit.
Eight Dip Curves: (See the Dip coming.)
Manufacturing Dip... your garage is not big enough for the large scale production equipment and processes.
Sales Dip... sales needs to be professional caliber.
Education Dip... must hone new business skills to compete at greater levels.
Risk Dip... must rent the bigger building, get more sophisticated investment injection.
Relationship Dip... building relationships all along the way. Old toes stomped on will come back to kick you in the rear.
Conceptual Dip... reinvention is necessary.
Ego Dip... must have control over everything. Need to relinquish control to others to handle developing areas.
Distribution Dip... getting connected with powerful distributors is harder.
The moral of the Dip story is... before you start know your Dips. They come with growth. If you don't want to face it, press through, be the best in the world, don't start.
Dips can be a "go up opportunity." Quit what you don't care about, are mediocre at. Otherwise buckle your seat belt and enjoy the bumpy ride of the dip for a while.
Serial quitting is also bad. It's jumping line to get in another line that looks faster. Serial quitters jump lines quickly thinking they will have a faster line to success. As serial quitters drop out as soon as they hit another dip, you begin gaining and leaving them farther behind. They then become less a threat as serious competition. Those who face the Dip end up being the winners.
When you get through the dip the others are too far behind to catch up. The market rewards dip travelers.
The opposite of quitting is "re-dedication... an invigorating new strategy to break the problems apart."
When should you quit.
Quitting at the right time for the right reason is good. Quit when you are in a cul-de-sac, approaching a cliff, when the rewards are not worth it, when your time, passion, resources can't make you reach being the best in the world. So quitting is a recommended, admirable strategy.
Why quit?
It frees you to put full energy into something else. Don't let pride of "I'm not a quitter!" keep you from quitting.
Ask these questions:
1. Am I panicking? Decide in advance when you will quit, so it's not the stress of the dip or emotions that make you quit.
2. Who am I trying to influence? If it's a person you must influence, and there is no way to change that... then quit. But if it's a market, then a constant effort gets the "right people" talking and you eventually find them.
"Different people in the market are seeking different things. Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, told me."
"We knew that Google was going to get better every single day we worked on it.... The later you tried it, the better for us.... So we were never in a big hurry to get you to use it today. Tomorrow would be better."
3. What sort of measurable progress am I making? Continuing without any sign of forward progress is a waste. Quitting is then good. But, if you have a few happy customers, they can eventually lead you to more. Are conditions still favorable? If you see progress in new, or redirected areas, the rewards are worth it, then continue maneuvering through the dip.
The major point... know the dip before you get there, and be prepared to navigate creatively, strategically through it.
Godin's final word,
"If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try."
If you have a Dip story, Seth Godin invites you to post it at
www.sethgodin.com/thebestintheworld
The dip is when it seems things aren't right, going as planned, or going as we hoped. When Jesus was killed by his adversaries, many lost hope. Because what they hoped for had been lost... They thought.
Paul the Apostle, felt that when he was put in prison, beaten. But he also knew there was more... to hope for.
Os Hillman shared an experience of his dip. Where he saw himself as a total failure. After his marriage broke up, his business collapsed, lost everything, he felt totally lost.
From a chapter in his book, The Upside of Adversity, Os Hillman shared a meeting he had with Gunnar Olson.
"I recognized his voice from the tape. J. Gunnar Olson—founder and president of the International Christian Chamber of Commerce(ICCC)—was a busy man. He was making final preparations for an international conference of the ICCC that very night."
"To be candid, Mr. Olson, I'm not even sure why the Lord has led me here today. I only know that I feel like a complete failure. I've failed as a businessman, as a husband, as a father, and as a Christian."
(Os Hillman tells Mr. Oslon his story.)
"Oh, you're hardly alone, my friend. In fact, your story fits a pattern so common that I have a name for it: the Joseph Calling. Os, you're not a failure. God has placed a Joseph Calling upon your life." "What's a Joseph Calling?"
"Put simply, this is what it means: Like Joseph, God calls some leaders to experience extraordinary levels of adversity in order to accomplish extraordinary things through them. Why? Because He knows that adversity builds character and produces wisdom in the life of a leader. God will use this adversity for good in your life and in the lives of others. That's the principle of the Joseph Calling."
To read the whole chapter note:
http://www.marketplaceleaders.org/pages.asp?pageid=44704
This is so characteristic of the Spiritual way. The Bible relates numerous stories where when the rewards are the greatest, the sacrifices leading to it are equally great. Suffering, as we may see it, is Spiritual training ground for even greater works of the Spirit in us, and especially for the benefit of many others... in a revolutionary way.
The Passion of Christ movie portrays the earnestness of Jesus to go through with the cross. He knew the extraordinary benefits this would bring to whole mankind... the extravagant rewards. He endured for the sake of this Glory.
Paul the Apostle was a well respected religious leader of his day, but after converting to the message of Jesus he had horrible experiences as he reflected...
"Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm."
(2 Corinthians 11:24-27, NLT)
Why would any sane person live like this?
Why did the Apostle Paul go through all this?
He saw Paradise!
This Paradise was his goal, his reward. To Paul, the effort was worth it.
"I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago.
I was caught up to paradise
and heard things so astounding that
they cannot be expressed in words,
things no human is allowed to tell."
(2 Corinthians 12:2,4, NLT)
This was so astoundingly marvelous, spectacular, Paul could not even talk about it. When we have a vision so strong that we see the unquestionable rewards of it, the dip experiences are worth it.
Jesus referred to Paradise on the cross. He told the one criminal beside him that he would share with Him in Paradise... a real-life Utopian civilization beyond earth we will too experience. With "astounding" rewards for those who press through to complete their assignments while on earth.
Is your vision this strong.
Is your life on a mission about the kingdom of Heaven,
that it is worth whatever you must go through to see it fulfilled.
Is the reward for what you are working toward worth it.
Jesus knew of paradise and even the cross would not stop Him. Paul saw paradise and going from notoriety to suffering in life, could not stop him.
When in Spirit we can taste the Kingdom of Heaven.
Live, dream and be ecstatic in this Paradise.
When we spend time there before our duties of the day, nothing that comes up during the day keeps us from pressing on. It brings gratitude into our hearts, when we have great victories during the day. God will get you through the dips.
"Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and have courage!
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord."
(Psalm 27:14, NLT)
It will drive you through any obstacle, defy setbacks and move you constantly to climb to the mountain top of your vision and dreams Spirit puts on your heart.
As Paul says, "your attitude should be the same as Jesus."
The reward is being raised up to the heights of Heaven
and have the greatest Life Style in the universe along with Jesus.
Is the reward worth it?
Is there any reward greater than living in this Paradise forever!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
What a Great Idea... origin of creativity
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
What A Great Idea! 2.0 by Chic Thompson.
Creativity is not limited to the right brain, creative types. Using the right mental process, will open the door to new ideas. Thompson's updated edition not only shows you the maps to finding new ideas, but how to dispel the idea killers who are on a notorious hunt to kill your brilliant revelations.
From the nature of creativity, to handling killer phrases, to creating creatively, Chic provides processes that work for any individual and group.
"Creativity is the ability to look at the same thing as everyone else, but to see something different."
Your creative life cycle is at its peak at about 5 years old. It goes downhill from there, bottoms out at about 44. But the good news is it re-surges again at retirement. Life seems to beat it out of us.
The three phases of creativity are the "why" (0-5 years old), then "why not" (5-12 years), then "because" (12 years to retirement). In one study, 5th graders outperformed the imaginative thought of Hewlett-Packard's best innovators. There's hope for everyone.
Here's Thompson's road tour... we still have hope.
First, unlearn learning, seek the second, third answers, instead of the "right" answer (that we had to have in school). Smile more, the mind likes that and gives you more things to smile about.
Creative process: generation (getting ideas), to promotion (application of ideas), to design (organization to make it work), to implementation (tasks to reach goals), to evaluation (did it work like we thought).
Best ideas are 15 minutes ahead... if they are too far out people can't grasp them. Be dyslexic... see things differently, in a different way and speculate potential (one study found many entrepreneurs are dyslexic. That's a gift for ideas.)
Use "Ready, Fire... Aim" thinking.
1. Ready--Define the problem (beyond the borders).
2. Fire--Get as many ways to solve it (sense of solutions, both practical and those out there).
3. Aim--sift, synthesize, choose.
Dream wild first, then narrow and pick what might work.
Killer Phrases
The enemy of ideas are those knee jerk responses that squelch new ideas.
Don't be critical of the critical. Be their psycho therapists. The person is suffering from a post-traumatic reaction about a previous experience and they are inadvertently linking their thinking to your idea. Help them deal with it, and then gently move on with your idea.
Ask questions.
Find their past, current, and future dread. Ask for options. How could it work, what is in the road, is there any way around it or another road we could take? After they have been heard, understood, appreciated, they will see your idea as less an enemy to their psyche makeup.
So you don't get blind sided, here's how they may take a shot at you.
Over generalization..."that'll never work."
Put down... "you got to be kidding."
Selective editing... "where's the money for this?"
Stalls... "run this by 'Jim' first."
Comparative Thinking... "everything's doing fine."
Catastrophizing..."They'll eat your lunch."
Zero defects... "can't argue with success."
Deal with killer phrases by identifying what's behind it, look at options, respond creatively.
Expression
What's wrong, what's needed.
Mind Map. Put a heading (the problem) in the middle of a blank piece of paper, (or wipe board). Rapidly, randomly fill the page with thoughts related. Put them all over the page without rhyme or reason. Don't try to analyze at all, just jot down all thoughts, ideas, even what you think may be dumb ones.
Then review, organize. Use this method to get ideas. (Lots of cyber examples of mind mapping...do a Google on it.)
Smart Questions:
Ask: "What can I be more open-minded about?"
"What's unique about this challenge?"
"What is this like?"
Ask "Dumb Questions." What we think is obvious may have hidden new meanings .Ask "why" five times. Dig deeper by responding to each answer with another why. Do this five times for each response. After 5 why's new origins of thought will be dug out.
Creation
Envision the future. Visualize the success experience you want. (This mental state can become a self fulfilling prophecy. Your subconscious guides you, unawares, to what you envision... when fixed stubbornly in your mind.)
1. Identify the ideal of the goal.
2. Set solution/achievement dates.
3. Visualize the problem solved, the goal reached.
4. Come back from the future.
Stay in the future, record phases leading to the goal/solution, overcome barriers, sketch a solution.
Think in opposites
Think what the problem is not. Come up with ways that won't work. Become a little absurd with your ideas on what won't work. List these. Then look at your "what won't" list and think of what would be the opposite of that. The complete opposite of the "what won'ts" may reveal some great "what to do's."
Said in another way, "If this is what it should not be, then what should it be."
Answer these questions:
1. What should we start doing?
2. What should we stop doing?
3. What should we do differently?
4. What should we keep on doing?
Challenge assumptions.
"What would we never do?"
Un-create, then recreate. See the problem and create opportunity from it.
Metaphorical Thinking
"My problem is like..."
Play the creating analogies game to what this is like. Examine how your metaphor flows in process or thought. Then apply this process to the problem. (For example, an architectural process when applied to making a presentation may re-create a unique presentation concept.)
Realize that different ideas of different character, when orchestrated can make beautify music. Like a violin, with drums and a trumpet, orchestrated in a new creative flow can become uniquely memorable, delightful music.
Creatively barrow creativity
Look at how creative companies like Google, Toyota, Starbucks, Apple do it. And ask yourself, if I were Google, or Starbucks, how would I go about solving this. Pretend, as if, you were a great creative person you know and process your thoughts as he/she would. Describe the problem as they would, and the perspective they would most likely take.
Thompson's ideas or getting ideas are numerous. Pick the one that works for you and use it regularly. He goes beyond just the idea stage and helps you sell it, essential to any business. Great ideas never sold become lame ideas. They must go somewhere to be truly great.
Selling your ideas--make them visible.
"Your vision is a combination of your acquired knowledge, your instincts, and your dreams." To cross the bridge so your ideas have influence, your "vision bridge" needs to be:
1. Directed toward the future
2. Usable today (just 15 minutes ahead of others)
3. Firmly grounded in past successes
(You are in your future, others look to your past.)
4. Stable yet able to respond to a changing environment
5. Well promoted.
Create your cast of characters to assist in putting your ideas on stage for a grand performance... line up the promoters, system designers, implementers, and evaluators.
"Having re-created reality by formulating ideas, we need to reorganize reality in order to make ideas work."
"Be curious, be passionate, and be bold."
Thompson's website for continuing your creative experience:
http://www.whatagreatidea.com/
The core of creativity is Spirit.
In my own devotional life, when in Spirit from reading the Scriptures, contemplation, and prayer, ideas come. It seems when reflecting with Praise and Worship music combined with Scripture reflection, is when I get most ideas. I get thoughts and Words I feel are of Divine origin.
The Word was Jesus. What He taught was life. His words were life. A life-line to God Himself. He was God on earth and His Words were God. They are Spirit, universal principles of Living Power that created the universe to the finest, most massive and microscopic living creatures. The tiniest creation operates with a flawless, most intricately designed system.
"In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone." ( John 1:1-4, NLT)
Spirit is the creator of all things and it knows all things.
All we see and know has been created by Spirit. United in Spirit with God through Jesus, we can connect with an intelligence and Power that passes through the whole universe, through everything and person around us.
"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created
and is supreme over all creation,
for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can't see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together."
(Colossians 1:15-17, NLT)
We are co-creators in Jesus Spirit.
He is the One who does all things and makes all things... Superiorly excellent.
What kills creative force to working in our lives is judging and pride. Judging kills the Spirit and destroys creative powers of Spirit God wants to work for us. Sometimes the proud and powerful oppose creative, great ideas. Fear not, Spirit can demolish this barrier.
In Amos it says Spirit acts,
"with blinding speed and power He destroys the strong, crushing all defenses."
(Amos 5:9, NLT)
When we fix our thoughts on the potential of God's creative Power
and love to do the impossible through us,
we bring His creative Force in to play.
Flame the fire by zeroing in on the potential of His Spirit through us and others. By supporting others, loving others and building others up, creative forces of His Spirit are lit in us.
So nothing can stand in its way,
when we are working in cooperation with the Spirit of God.
It defeats all its enemies with crushing force.
Jesus Spirit created all things,
will recreate all things.
If Jesus Spirit created all things, both visible and invisible, and controls all things on earth and in the spiritual realms, and His Spirit holds all things together...
What Does This Mean for Us?
When, as you ponder this...
All of Who Jesus was In Spirit, we Are now.
We, in Spirit, can create all things!
4spirit@gmail.com
What A Great Idea! 2.0 by Chic Thompson.
Creativity is not limited to the right brain, creative types. Using the right mental process, will open the door to new ideas. Thompson's updated edition not only shows you the maps to finding new ideas, but how to dispel the idea killers who are on a notorious hunt to kill your brilliant revelations.
From the nature of creativity, to handling killer phrases, to creating creatively, Chic provides processes that work for any individual and group.
"Creativity is the ability to look at the same thing as everyone else, but to see something different."
Your creative life cycle is at its peak at about 5 years old. It goes downhill from there, bottoms out at about 44. But the good news is it re-surges again at retirement. Life seems to beat it out of us.
The three phases of creativity are the "why" (0-5 years old), then "why not" (5-12 years), then "because" (12 years to retirement). In one study, 5th graders outperformed the imaginative thought of Hewlett-Packard's best innovators. There's hope for everyone.
Here's Thompson's road tour... we still have hope.
First, unlearn learning, seek the second, third answers, instead of the "right" answer (that we had to have in school). Smile more, the mind likes that and gives you more things to smile about.
Creative process: generation (getting ideas), to promotion (application of ideas), to design (organization to make it work), to implementation (tasks to reach goals), to evaluation (did it work like we thought).
Best ideas are 15 minutes ahead... if they are too far out people can't grasp them. Be dyslexic... see things differently, in a different way and speculate potential (one study found many entrepreneurs are dyslexic. That's a gift for ideas.)
Use "Ready, Fire... Aim" thinking.
1. Ready--Define the problem (beyond the borders).
2. Fire--Get as many ways to solve it (sense of solutions, both practical and those out there).
3. Aim--sift, synthesize, choose.
Dream wild first, then narrow and pick what might work.
Killer Phrases
The enemy of ideas are those knee jerk responses that squelch new ideas.
Don't be critical of the critical. Be their psycho therapists. The person is suffering from a post-traumatic reaction about a previous experience and they are inadvertently linking their thinking to your idea. Help them deal with it, and then gently move on with your idea.
Ask questions.
Find their past, current, and future dread. Ask for options. How could it work, what is in the road, is there any way around it or another road we could take? After they have been heard, understood, appreciated, they will see your idea as less an enemy to their psyche makeup.
So you don't get blind sided, here's how they may take a shot at you.
Over generalization..."that'll never work."
Put down... "you got to be kidding."
Selective editing... "where's the money for this?"
Stalls... "run this by 'Jim' first."
Comparative Thinking... "everything's doing fine."
Catastrophizing..."They'll eat your lunch."
Zero defects... "can't argue with success."
Deal with killer phrases by identifying what's behind it, look at options, respond creatively.
Expression
What's wrong, what's needed.
Mind Map. Put a heading (the problem) in the middle of a blank piece of paper, (or wipe board). Rapidly, randomly fill the page with thoughts related. Put them all over the page without rhyme or reason. Don't try to analyze at all, just jot down all thoughts, ideas, even what you think may be dumb ones.
Then review, organize. Use this method to get ideas. (Lots of cyber examples of mind mapping...do a Google on it.)
Smart Questions:
Ask: "What can I be more open-minded about?"
"What's unique about this challenge?"
"What is this like?"
Ask "Dumb Questions." What we think is obvious may have hidden new meanings .Ask "why" five times. Dig deeper by responding to each answer with another why. Do this five times for each response. After 5 why's new origins of thought will be dug out.
Creation
Envision the future. Visualize the success experience you want. (This mental state can become a self fulfilling prophecy. Your subconscious guides you, unawares, to what you envision... when fixed stubbornly in your mind.)
1. Identify the ideal of the goal.
2. Set solution/achievement dates.
3. Visualize the problem solved, the goal reached.
4. Come back from the future.
Stay in the future, record phases leading to the goal/solution, overcome barriers, sketch a solution.
Think in opposites
Think what the problem is not. Come up with ways that won't work. Become a little absurd with your ideas on what won't work. List these. Then look at your "what won't" list and think of what would be the opposite of that. The complete opposite of the "what won'ts" may reveal some great "what to do's."
Said in another way, "If this is what it should not be, then what should it be."
Answer these questions:
1. What should we start doing?
2. What should we stop doing?
3. What should we do differently?
4. What should we keep on doing?
Challenge assumptions.
"What would we never do?"
Un-create, then recreate. See the problem and create opportunity from it.
Metaphorical Thinking
"My problem is like..."
Play the creating analogies game to what this is like. Examine how your metaphor flows in process or thought. Then apply this process to the problem. (For example, an architectural process when applied to making a presentation may re-create a unique presentation concept.)
Realize that different ideas of different character, when orchestrated can make beautify music. Like a violin, with drums and a trumpet, orchestrated in a new creative flow can become uniquely memorable, delightful music.
Creatively barrow creativity
Look at how creative companies like Google, Toyota, Starbucks, Apple do it. And ask yourself, if I were Google, or Starbucks, how would I go about solving this. Pretend, as if, you were a great creative person you know and process your thoughts as he/she would. Describe the problem as they would, and the perspective they would most likely take.
Thompson's ideas or getting ideas are numerous. Pick the one that works for you and use it regularly. He goes beyond just the idea stage and helps you sell it, essential to any business. Great ideas never sold become lame ideas. They must go somewhere to be truly great.
Selling your ideas--make them visible.
"Your vision is a combination of your acquired knowledge, your instincts, and your dreams." To cross the bridge so your ideas have influence, your "vision bridge" needs to be:
1. Directed toward the future
2. Usable today (just 15 minutes ahead of others)
3. Firmly grounded in past successes
(You are in your future, others look to your past.)
4. Stable yet able to respond to a changing environment
5. Well promoted.
Create your cast of characters to assist in putting your ideas on stage for a grand performance... line up the promoters, system designers, implementers, and evaluators.
"Having re-created reality by formulating ideas, we need to reorganize reality in order to make ideas work."
"Be curious, be passionate, and be bold."
Thompson's website for continuing your creative experience:
http://www.whatagreatidea.com/
The core of creativity is Spirit.
In my own devotional life, when in Spirit from reading the Scriptures, contemplation, and prayer, ideas come. It seems when reflecting with Praise and Worship music combined with Scripture reflection, is when I get most ideas. I get thoughts and Words I feel are of Divine origin.
The Word was Jesus. What He taught was life. His words were life. A life-line to God Himself. He was God on earth and His Words were God. They are Spirit, universal principles of Living Power that created the universe to the finest, most massive and microscopic living creatures. The tiniest creation operates with a flawless, most intricately designed system.
"In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
and his life brought light to everyone." ( John 1:1-4, NLT)
Spirit is the creator of all things and it knows all things.
All we see and know has been created by Spirit. United in Spirit with God through Jesus, we can connect with an intelligence and Power that passes through the whole universe, through everything and person around us.
"Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.
He existed before anything was created
and is supreme over all creation,
for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can't see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together."
(Colossians 1:15-17, NLT)
We are co-creators in Jesus Spirit.
He is the One who does all things and makes all things... Superiorly excellent.
What kills creative force to working in our lives is judging and pride. Judging kills the Spirit and destroys creative powers of Spirit God wants to work for us. Sometimes the proud and powerful oppose creative, great ideas. Fear not, Spirit can demolish this barrier.
In Amos it says Spirit acts,
"with blinding speed and power He destroys the strong, crushing all defenses."
(Amos 5:9, NLT)
When we fix our thoughts on the potential of God's creative Power
and love to do the impossible through us,
we bring His creative Force in to play.
Flame the fire by zeroing in on the potential of His Spirit through us and others. By supporting others, loving others and building others up, creative forces of His Spirit are lit in us.
So nothing can stand in its way,
when we are working in cooperation with the Spirit of God.
It defeats all its enemies with crushing force.
Jesus Spirit created all things,
will recreate all things.
If Jesus Spirit created all things, both visible and invisible, and controls all things on earth and in the spiritual realms, and His Spirit holds all things together...
What Does This Mean for Us?
When, as you ponder this...
All of Who Jesus was In Spirit, we Are now.
We, in Spirit, can create all things!
We have His Spirit walking along side us and in us.
Walk in this creative Spirit.
Allow Him to express Himself through you.
Your load is light and easy to carry. Spirit does the hard part. You just row with the flow and float in the flow of Spirit that flows through you.
Being part of the most majestic creative Spirit in existence gives us surprisingly unimaginable creative ability.
We live in a WOW state constantly.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
The 4-Hour Workweek...living Heaven on earth
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
The 4-hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss... who's just touching 30 years old.
A friend of mine conjectured, "What does he know?" Well, evidently, a lot think he has something going as he is on the top five on several business book lists.
Many are listening, thinking about and even re-considering lifestyle, making money and having life in a life. Jesus was 30 when he challenged, "Maybe you should reconsider how you do life."
Retirement should be part of your life, throughout your life, and not just a life-long destination proclaims Ferriss. Do you really like working 50 hours a week where you don't really want, wanting to do what you don't get to do, and not really being the person like you really want to be.
Ferriss is living his concept of lifestyle, making money new ways and being more of the person he wants to be.
He introduces the New Rich... "those who abandon the deferred-life plan and create luxury lifestyle in the present using the currency of the New Rich:
time and mobility.”
His formula uses two key principles: eliminate and automate.
That's the deal... you can be your life's own deal maker. So be the outline of The 4-hour Workweek. He says he once was a noble, hard working person, loyal to the job, handling its problems, even on the weekends. He was making an honorable $40,000 a year. Then he threw the brakes on, got in another vehicle, and created strategies to make $40,000 a month in a 4-hour work week.
So that's his DEAL.
D... Definition of the fundamentals for a new overall lifestyle recipe.
E... Elimination of the unnecessary so you have ultra-productive use of time using techniques of selective ignorance, low-info diet, and ignoring the unimportant.
A... Automation of income flow using outsourcing, nondecision, geographic advantage.
L... Liberation to live a mobile manifesto, live mini-retirements.
Definition
The New Rich choose options that require less effort and cost by closely monitoring... what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it.
Change your rules... retirement as a final goal is flawed. The New Rich distribute mini-retirements throughout life instead of hording for a great finish... the wishful better days ahead. Working less is not laziness. Activity with little results is foolish. The New Rich focus on being productive instead of busy.
Timing is never right. Start Now! Ask for forgiveness not permission; emphasize strength in your activity, don't wallow in waning weaknesses. Use your strengths and awareness as your best weapons. Don't create excess idle time, but positive use of free time. Money alone is not the answer...it's learning how to get what money buys. Move from distress to eutress... a positive pressure that moves you to what brings you joy, stimulates growth.
If New Rich scares you, write down your nightmares (your horrors of failure), confront the chances of them actually happening. Create a plan for what could, but most are unlikely.Then turn your thoughts to the wonderful benefits of a new lifestyle. If you are insecure, don't fret, so is everyone else. But "unusually large goals create an adrenaline rush."
"Excitement is a more practical synonym for happiness."
Dream your lifestyle. Get specific. Create steps. State "simple, well-defined actions." The key here is the Ferriss "Now" principle. " Do it now. Each should be simple enough to do in 5 minutes. "Set actions for now, tomorrow, and what you can complete before 11 a.m."
Do this day after day.
Make decisions now, start now,
and make this a never stopping habit.
To get used to the new life ahead of you, start by simply initiating an introduction to some one you don't know every day.
Reset your Systems.
The "Dreamline" will help you get going
(note "resources," then "ideal lifestyle costing" example at
www.fourhourworkweek.com).
What would you do if there was no way to do it?
Discover your desired being, convert to doing to get there.
Determine costs and calculate your Target Monthly Income
Determine 3 steps for each of 4 dreams.
Elimination
New rules for time management.... forget all about it. You can only "accomplish more by doing less... it's mandatory." Think in terms of how to do more in less time. Doing what's unimportant and takes a lot of time will not work for you. Find your Pareto 80/20. What 20% of your time gets greater results for your dream goals. Reverse Parkinson's Law that causes us to fill time when given it. Use less time for creating more. But only do what's "highly" important. So use "very short and clear deadlines."
Ask yourself in regards to everything:
"Am I being productive or just active?" "Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important?"
(Ferriss vehemently denounces "busyness" and calls avoidance to do what's important as true laziness.)
Eliminate what you don't really need to know to increase output. You must increase output, and decrease input ... by ignoring or redirecting information, interruptions that are irrelevant, unimportant, unattainable.
You can read faster. In 10 minutes, 4 steps he gets you there.
Do a one-week media fast.
Use this time to do your Dreamline,
and get action now in your life for your desired lifestyle.
You have the right to refuse anything... control your phone and email. Batch same activity by doing all of the same kind of thing at a certain time.
Automation
The world is flat and there are "virtual assistants" everywhere you can tap.
Outsourcing becomes lifestyle.
The New Rich have the critical skills of remote management and communication. You build a system to replace yourself.
Virtual assistants are one answer. You can do many things better than others but the goal is to "free your time to focus on bigger and better things."
Before you delegate, first eliminate.
And when you delegate, delegate the time consuming and well-defined. When you use India/China Virtual Assistants (VA's), the time zones work for you while you sleep. It's better to use VA firms than hiring them directly yourself. Start small, think big.
Find your muse: to create an automated vehicle for generating cash without consuming time. Ferriss likes the term "muse" instead of business. It's about cash flow and time. With the two all things are possible.
Pick an affordable niche market. Starting small and thinking big is becoming the Big Fish in a small pond (in finding a product, creating a product, packing information, etc.).
Ferriss covers how to pick, make, distribute, manufacture products.
For informational products he suggests this:
1. Tailor a skill to your market. Think narrow and deep rather than broad.
2. What skills are you interested in that you and others would pay for.
3. What experts can you interview to make a CD, audio download.
4. Do you have a failure to success story that can be turned intoa how-to product for others?
Become an expert in 4 weeks.
1. Join 2 or 3 related trade organizations
2. Read 3 best selling books on your topic
3. Give free 1-3 hour seminars
4. Write 1 or 2 articles for trade magazines
5. Join Profnet
Test your Muse: Run micro testing after you
select a market (one you know and already have connections), brainstorm your product using libraries as resources. Low-priced products,$50-200, sell the best Ferriss advises.
Your Muse Architecture is important. Automation... from product development to product ordering, processing, delivery, money to your bank ...is the goal.The goal is not about building a business as large as possible, but one that bothers you as little as possible. Ferriss details how to do this. Lots and lots of websites, resources, contacts are in this section.
Liberation
After two chapters on how to escape the office and killing your job, Ferriss takes you through the ideal philosophy of all this... live through your life taking constant mini-retirements, embracing the mobile lifestyle. Don't do travel binges, design your muse so you can actually live places you would like to. Mini-retirements are not sabbaticals--it is recurring lifestyle. Free your life of stress and speed, free from "material addictions, time-famine mindset and the comparative impulses that created it in the first place." Learn to slow down and lost intentionally.
The point... live continually learning and do more service. Service is attitude. Find the cause, vehicle that interests you, and no apologies are needed. Don't do the "New Rich mistakes" of stop dreaming, micromanaging, omitting outsourcing, forgetting 80/20, doing the unimportant. Learn the way of the New Rich. Timothy Ferriss tells you just what to read to help you along the way.
www.fourhourworkweek.com
is loaded with much more to help you become the New Rich.
Heaven is a retirement destination.
Heaven can also be an on-going mini-retirement.
The Heaven's were opened and the Spirit of God descended on Jesus. Matthew(3:16)
The windows of Heaven stand ready to open on us now. We can live in this Heavenly realm right now. We don't have to die first, it can start right now. Heaven is Now!
Matthew, when writing the Gospel of Matthew, used the phrase the Kingdom of Heaven 32 times in sharing his account of Jesus message to us. Matthew quotes John the Baptist as proclaiming that The Kingdom of Heavenis at hand...
the rewards of Heaven are here for us
to experience now in Spirit.
We have the right, privilege to enter the very presence of God. "Through His death on the cross in his own human body. As a result he has brought you into the very presence of God." (Col. 1:22)
This is so significant. Only Moses did that once. He glowed for hours. Jesus did that and the light was so bright around Him that the disciples witnessing it thought they were in Heaven, a most ecstatic place.
Paul the Apostle goes on to reveal what he calls The Great Secret:
"Christ lives in you." (Col.1:27)
This phenomenon, its potential can race the imagination into an ecstasy of incredible thoughts, possibilities... placing one's capabilities right along side Jesus with His power. Just consider all the implications here, what this really means.
Paul continues to express his sole dependence on this power that works inside him.
"I depend on Christ's mighty power that works within me. Let your roots go deep into Spirit's Presence and let your life be built into the Sprit of God. So let Heaven fill your thoughts. Your real life is hidden in this."
(Col. 1:29, 2:7, 3:2)
Your retirement plan is not later or just at the end of this life. It can start now. Fix your mind on things eternal. The other things around you are temporary, will someday go away. But fix your thoughts on this eternal Bliss, in you, that dwells there continually... Heaven in you Now!
Create the most wonderful picture of what the best life could ever be. This life can be your Heaven, your retirement destination, right now.
What is the best, most wonderful picture your imagination can conjure up?
But then even at that, this picture is still immensely lacking what Heaven will really be. We can have the experience of Heaven in our minds, even now. We can take episodes of the Spirit of Heaven in our daily existence.
In His Presence... in our hearts, mind, we enter His Spirit. The biggest stress remedy is doing mental sabbaticals daily, frequently, throughout the day. We can in these moments leave earth in mind and spend time in Heaven... Heaven while on earth.
My daughter was telling me about a really unique church she found in Chicago. On top of a 40-story building they have a prayer Chapel with a clear dome. You can go there doing the week, rest, think, reflect and pray. Literally, you can have a tranquil spot to enter the very presence of God.
She went on to say that she also found a TV channel that features quiet serene scenes with natural sounds… a brook, hills, pastures with cows and clouds floating by accompanied by the sounds of birds chirping, a gentle breeze, trickling of a stream. There is a serenity in this. We can use both… in real life or the surreal of a calming environment captured by media.
Take time to make this connection. Go deep into the soul of Christ in you. This is our retirement presently with us. Each day we can choose to go there.
The rewards of Heaven's retirement package can be and begun on earth. It's here as we go into His Very Presence. Live Heaven while on earth.
In just 4-hours in a week we can enter Heaven's essence. In this hour we can simulate Heaven’s Bliss in our mind and enter it directly in Spirit.
It will refresh, revive, and rejuvenate you. Re-establish an inner locus of control that will remain steady irregardless of external happenings.
Pursue these New Riches.
Become rich in the new Retirement Place.
4spirit@gmail.com
The 4-hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss... who's just touching 30 years old.
A friend of mine conjectured, "What does he know?" Well, evidently, a lot think he has something going as he is on the top five on several business book lists.
Many are listening, thinking about and even re-considering lifestyle, making money and having life in a life. Jesus was 30 when he challenged, "Maybe you should reconsider how you do life."
Retirement should be part of your life, throughout your life, and not just a life-long destination proclaims Ferriss. Do you really like working 50 hours a week where you don't really want, wanting to do what you don't get to do, and not really being the person like you really want to be.
Ferriss is living his concept of lifestyle, making money new ways and being more of the person he wants to be.
He introduces the New Rich... "those who abandon the deferred-life plan and create luxury lifestyle in the present using the currency of the New Rich:
time and mobility.”
His formula uses two key principles: eliminate and automate.
That's the deal... you can be your life's own deal maker. So be the outline of The 4-hour Workweek. He says he once was a noble, hard working person, loyal to the job, handling its problems, even on the weekends. He was making an honorable $40,000 a year. Then he threw the brakes on, got in another vehicle, and created strategies to make $40,000 a month in a 4-hour work week.
So that's his DEAL.
D... Definition of the fundamentals for a new overall lifestyle recipe.
E... Elimination of the unnecessary so you have ultra-productive use of time using techniques of selective ignorance, low-info diet, and ignoring the unimportant.
A... Automation of income flow using outsourcing, nondecision, geographic advantage.
L... Liberation to live a mobile manifesto, live mini-retirements.
Definition
The New Rich choose options that require less effort and cost by closely monitoring... what you do, when you do it, where you do it, and with whom you do it.
Change your rules... retirement as a final goal is flawed. The New Rich distribute mini-retirements throughout life instead of hording for a great finish... the wishful better days ahead. Working less is not laziness. Activity with little results is foolish. The New Rich focus on being productive instead of busy.
Timing is never right. Start Now! Ask for forgiveness not permission; emphasize strength in your activity, don't wallow in waning weaknesses. Use your strengths and awareness as your best weapons. Don't create excess idle time, but positive use of free time. Money alone is not the answer...it's learning how to get what money buys. Move from distress to eutress... a positive pressure that moves you to what brings you joy, stimulates growth.
If New Rich scares you, write down your nightmares (your horrors of failure), confront the chances of them actually happening. Create a plan for what could, but most are unlikely.Then turn your thoughts to the wonderful benefits of a new lifestyle. If you are insecure, don't fret, so is everyone else. But "unusually large goals create an adrenaline rush."
"Excitement is a more practical synonym for happiness."
Dream your lifestyle. Get specific. Create steps. State "simple, well-defined actions." The key here is the Ferriss "Now" principle. " Do it now. Each should be simple enough to do in 5 minutes. "Set actions for now, tomorrow, and what you can complete before 11 a.m."
Do this day after day.
Make decisions now, start now,
and make this a never stopping habit.
To get used to the new life ahead of you, start by simply initiating an introduction to some one you don't know every day.
Reset your Systems.
The "Dreamline" will help you get going
(note "resources," then "ideal lifestyle costing" example at
www.fourhourworkweek.com).
What would you do if there was no way to do it?
Discover your desired being, convert to doing to get there.
Determine costs and calculate your Target Monthly Income
Determine 3 steps for each of 4 dreams.
Elimination
New rules for time management.... forget all about it. You can only "accomplish more by doing less... it's mandatory." Think in terms of how to do more in less time. Doing what's unimportant and takes a lot of time will not work for you. Find your Pareto 80/20. What 20% of your time gets greater results for your dream goals. Reverse Parkinson's Law that causes us to fill time when given it. Use less time for creating more. But only do what's "highly" important. So use "very short and clear deadlines."
Ask yourself in regards to everything:
"Am I being productive or just active?" "Am I inventing things to do to avoid the important?"
(Ferriss vehemently denounces "busyness" and calls avoidance to do what's important as true laziness.)
Eliminate what you don't really need to know to increase output. You must increase output, and decrease input ... by ignoring or redirecting information, interruptions that are irrelevant, unimportant, unattainable.
You can read faster. In 10 minutes, 4 steps he gets you there.
Do a one-week media fast.
Use this time to do your Dreamline,
and get action now in your life for your desired lifestyle.
You have the right to refuse anything... control your phone and email. Batch same activity by doing all of the same kind of thing at a certain time.
Automation
The world is flat and there are "virtual assistants" everywhere you can tap.
Outsourcing becomes lifestyle.
The New Rich have the critical skills of remote management and communication. You build a system to replace yourself.
Virtual assistants are one answer. You can do many things better than others but the goal is to "free your time to focus on bigger and better things."
Before you delegate, first eliminate.
And when you delegate, delegate the time consuming and well-defined. When you use India/China Virtual Assistants (VA's), the time zones work for you while you sleep. It's better to use VA firms than hiring them directly yourself. Start small, think big.
Find your muse: to create an automated vehicle for generating cash without consuming time. Ferriss likes the term "muse" instead of business. It's about cash flow and time. With the two all things are possible.
Pick an affordable niche market. Starting small and thinking big is becoming the Big Fish in a small pond (in finding a product, creating a product, packing information, etc.).
Ferriss covers how to pick, make, distribute, manufacture products.
For informational products he suggests this:
1. Tailor a skill to your market. Think narrow and deep rather than broad.
2. What skills are you interested in that you and others would pay for.
3. What experts can you interview to make a CD, audio download.
4. Do you have a failure to success story that can be turned intoa how-to product for others?
Become an expert in 4 weeks.
1. Join 2 or 3 related trade organizations
2. Read 3 best selling books on your topic
3. Give free 1-3 hour seminars
4. Write 1 or 2 articles for trade magazines
5. Join Profnet
Test your Muse: Run micro testing after you
select a market (one you know and already have connections), brainstorm your product using libraries as resources. Low-priced products,$50-200, sell the best Ferriss advises.
Your Muse Architecture is important. Automation... from product development to product ordering, processing, delivery, money to your bank ...is the goal.The goal is not about building a business as large as possible, but one that bothers you as little as possible. Ferriss details how to do this. Lots and lots of websites, resources, contacts are in this section.
Liberation
After two chapters on how to escape the office and killing your job, Ferriss takes you through the ideal philosophy of all this... live through your life taking constant mini-retirements, embracing the mobile lifestyle. Don't do travel binges, design your muse so you can actually live places you would like to. Mini-retirements are not sabbaticals--it is recurring lifestyle. Free your life of stress and speed, free from "material addictions, time-famine mindset and the comparative impulses that created it in the first place." Learn to slow down and lost intentionally.
The point... live continually learning and do more service. Service is attitude. Find the cause, vehicle that interests you, and no apologies are needed. Don't do the "New Rich mistakes" of stop dreaming, micromanaging, omitting outsourcing, forgetting 80/20, doing the unimportant. Learn the way of the New Rich. Timothy Ferriss tells you just what to read to help you along the way.
www.fourhourworkweek.com
is loaded with much more to help you become the New Rich.
Heaven is a retirement destination.
Heaven can also be an on-going mini-retirement.
The Heaven's were opened and the Spirit of God descended on Jesus. Matthew(3:16)
The windows of Heaven stand ready to open on us now. We can live in this Heavenly realm right now. We don't have to die first, it can start right now. Heaven is Now!
Matthew, when writing the Gospel of Matthew, used the phrase the Kingdom of Heaven 32 times in sharing his account of Jesus message to us. Matthew quotes John the Baptist as proclaiming that The Kingdom of Heavenis at hand...
the rewards of Heaven are here for us
to experience now in Spirit.
We have the right, privilege to enter the very presence of God. "Through His death on the cross in his own human body. As a result he has brought you into the very presence of God." (Col. 1:22)
This is so significant. Only Moses did that once. He glowed for hours. Jesus did that and the light was so bright around Him that the disciples witnessing it thought they were in Heaven, a most ecstatic place.
Paul the Apostle goes on to reveal what he calls The Great Secret:
"Christ lives in you." (Col.1:27)
This phenomenon, its potential can race the imagination into an ecstasy of incredible thoughts, possibilities... placing one's capabilities right along side Jesus with His power. Just consider all the implications here, what this really means.
Paul continues to express his sole dependence on this power that works inside him.
"I depend on Christ's mighty power that works within me. Let your roots go deep into Spirit's Presence and let your life be built into the Sprit of God. So let Heaven fill your thoughts. Your real life is hidden in this."
(Col. 1:29, 2:7, 3:2)
Your retirement plan is not later or just at the end of this life. It can start now. Fix your mind on things eternal. The other things around you are temporary, will someday go away. But fix your thoughts on this eternal Bliss, in you, that dwells there continually... Heaven in you Now!
Create the most wonderful picture of what the best life could ever be. This life can be your Heaven, your retirement destination, right now.
What is the best, most wonderful picture your imagination can conjure up?
But then even at that, this picture is still immensely lacking what Heaven will really be. We can have the experience of Heaven in our minds, even now. We can take episodes of the Spirit of Heaven in our daily existence.
In His Presence... in our hearts, mind, we enter His Spirit. The biggest stress remedy is doing mental sabbaticals daily, frequently, throughout the day. We can in these moments leave earth in mind and spend time in Heaven... Heaven while on earth.
My daughter was telling me about a really unique church she found in Chicago. On top of a 40-story building they have a prayer Chapel with a clear dome. You can go there doing the week, rest, think, reflect and pray. Literally, you can have a tranquil spot to enter the very presence of God.
She went on to say that she also found a TV channel that features quiet serene scenes with natural sounds… a brook, hills, pastures with cows and clouds floating by accompanied by the sounds of birds chirping, a gentle breeze, trickling of a stream. There is a serenity in this. We can use both… in real life or the surreal of a calming environment captured by media.
Take time to make this connection. Go deep into the soul of Christ in you. This is our retirement presently with us. Each day we can choose to go there.
The rewards of Heaven's retirement package can be and begun on earth. It's here as we go into His Very Presence. Live Heaven while on earth.
In just 4-hours in a week we can enter Heaven's essence. In this hour we can simulate Heaven’s Bliss in our mind and enter it directly in Spirit.
It will refresh, revive, and rejuvenate you. Re-establish an inner locus of control that will remain steady irregardless of external happenings.
Pursue these New Riches.
Become rich in the new Retirement Place.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Big Book for Small Business... make it all One
by Dale Shumaker
4spirit@gmail.com
The premise behind The Big Book for Small Business by Tom Gegax is to build yourself first, then build your business. Your business will grow in proportion to your personal growth. The more solidly you grow and become skilled in business skills and personal skills for business, the stronger will be your business.
When Tom Gegax made this his new priority, he left the "seat of pants" way of doing things in flight. He spent his time in grounding, planning, strategically developing, maneuvering his business navigation process.
He divided his 57 chapters of business skill areas into 11 parts. These would serve as a constructive checklist to review where you are now and what you want to refine. His ideas are very practical to what business is really like and he speaks in a down-to-earth language. The chapters are short and right to key critical points.
Gegax compares the "fly by the seat of the pants" person (of which he confesses he once was) and the ways of the "enlightened entrepreneur." The “fly by the seat of your pants” person:
--self-centered agenda
--no strategic plan but constantly putting out fires
--cuts corners in pursuit of a better bottom line
--micro manager taking a toll on employee creativity and motivation
--attacks constructive criticism
--employees exist for his beckoning call
--reluctant to hire those who could outshine him
--doesn't see what goes on around him and sees details as distractions
On the other side is the “enlightened entrepreneur:”
--takes care of himself (mentally, physically, emotionally, Spiritually)
--recognizes flexibility, value of step by step strategic planning
--takes the high road in doing all things right and proper
--supervises each person differently, getting the best from each person's best qualities that he encourages to be developed
--pulls out every one's ideas, formally and informally
--lives the attitude of helping others grow and succeed
--looks for and gets the best from people
--empathetic, upgrades quality and the competitive advantage constantly
Work as a team to define strengths and weakness in all these areas and improve and advance outstanding qualities simultaneously.
Set up Shop (Part 1)
(If you haven't done it the right way the first time, do it again.)
1. Make up your mind to build the biz or not do it at all.
2 Research the market. What's new, what's really there, where are we the best?
3. Write the business plan. Get a clear grasp of the whole picture, then come back and detail it out
4. Find funding--bootstrap, family/friends, banks, SBA, angels, venture capitalists
5. Position yourself. What makes you stand out in how you are different, name, location
6. Line up the legal ducks including legal structures, the fine print of business in your business
7. Build a strong board getting outside help, advisers, experienced where you aren't
Pouring the Foundation (Part 2)
Be very clear on your mission, vision, and values. Herein lays your strength as a business.
8. Mission critical--it should permeate everything
9. Vision check--be bold, fearless, shoot for the moon
10. Champion Core values--caring, optimistic, passionate, persistent, systems-disciplined, Spirit-filled
11. Accountability ethics--across the board in the mission, vision, values
Snatching up stars (Part 3)
Hire Power
12. Talent scouting--enlist many bounty hunters
13. Interview essentials--practical steps to finding the power people include skills, willing to learn, ambition, and heart
14. Labor legalities--know what you can ask and not ask
15. Hit the ground running--get new hires up and running by educating thoroughly, correcting immediately, encouraging endlessly
Growing the Culture (Part 4)
Seeding an enlightened environment--that thrives, enjoys, is passionate, in sync with values.
16. The Camaraderie Credo
Develop team Spirit--recognize, reward, celebrate
17. Lead the charge--21 laws of Cultural leadership
18. Honor thy employee--putting people first produces higher profits
19. HR Solutions--brand the business with employees as partners
20. Fun, friendly, and flexible--loosening up keeps grumbling down
21. Workplace wellness--nurture healthy and productive employees
22. Get personal--earn trust, listen, be humble, walk the talk
Building a Systems-disciplined Organization (Part 5)
Deming: "80% of all errors are systems errors."
23. Strategic Planning--drawing up tomorrow's Road Map; opportunities, strengths, neutralize weaknesses
24. Execution is everything--do it right (expect, inspire, teach, follow-up)
25. Resolve roadblocks--help groups/individuals solve problems
26. Add muscle to meetings--run tight (ready, set, go)
27. The best never rest--constantly explore, improve systems
Communicate Clearly (Part 6)
Remove static from your communication signals.
28. Listen up--develop skills in listening
29. Express yourself--practice writing and speaking effectively
30. Communicate expectations--achieve airtight accountability
31. Ask for advice--inquire of employees frequently
32. Face to face feedback--critique one-to-one but always reassure
33. Face your flaws--get honest feedback about yourself
Coaching others (Part 7)
Cheer, steer, don't domineer.
34. Dare to care--kindness and empathy wins hearts and minds
35. Set challenging goals--help employees grow through goal setting
36. The annual review--make it a coaching gift expansion session
37. Reward results--match incentives to outcomes
38. Good-bye and good luck--free up the future for underachievers
Educating employees (Part 8)
Guide yourself to peak personal performance.
43. Got Mission?--craft personal mission statement
44. Truth or consequences--pitfalls of unethical behavior
45. Ready, set, goals--turn dreams into destiny
46. Work the plan--goals, action steps, schedules
47. Time wise and organized--be enlightenedly efficient
48. Mind-body balance--inner team synergy
49. Spotlight on self-care--feel better, work smarter, live longer; nurture mind, body, emotions, Spirit
Business functions do's and don'ts (Part 10)
Perfect your total process, each part must fire.
50. Supply management--strengthen every link
51. Marketing--increase brand quality
52. Sales--increase market share
53. Customer service--make them feel at home
54. Finance, accounting, and it--take it beyond bean counting
Weathering worst case scenarios (Part 11)
55. Relationships on the rocks--rescue key people who jump ship
56. Natural disasters--coping with catastrophes; natural, personal, public relations
57. It's strictly business--dealing with brutal bankers and cut throat competitors
Look at The Big Book for Small Business as a quality performance guide. Have your teams use this list of 57 areas to determine the top 5 priority "to work on areas" and take a month to work on just them. Follow the suggestions of the chapter(or refer to other books dealing with the same topics). Then identify the next 5 to work on the next month. Use this to rate yourself as a business and where you are now, your strengths and where you need to spend more time in developing. It takes all of these doing well to be a solid business... create systems and monitor so that systems don't fail, but thrive.
The most important part is you... develop you and help others develop personal and business skills. Healthy people in mind, body, emotions and Spirit, make companies healthy. Sickness breeds sickness.
Gegax has a total business system for a total person. His premise is you must be one in self before your business will be synergistic, and integrated as one great business system.
http://www.gegax.com/about.html
Supernatural Spiritual Power is manifested when all things are One.
One in God, One in each other, in all things, in all processes.
The more we are one in ourselves, and then become more as one with each other, miraculous forces go to work for us... beyond our knowledge, our abilities. The Miraculous begins to happen simultaneously among many.
"Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is One body and One Spirit, just as you have been called to One glorious hope for the future. There is One Lord, One faith, One baptism, and One God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.”
(Ephesians 4:3-5, NLT)
We all are One in Spirit and exist as One to Build stalwart strength among and for each other.
"Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ."
(Ephesians 4:12, NLT)
The full standard of Christ is living expressing all of His Power as part of our unified existence… personally, relationally, economically. We exist to do the work to equip the Body of Christ to perform at optimum levels. When we merge everything into one, that is functionally interacting with each other, we create a syncopated flow among each other. This energizes all parts to perform Supernaturally.
Why do we not see this in a spectacular way, today?
The very nature of Society prevents our personal molding into being One In Spirit, the Spirit of the Universe. The demands of normal activity keep us busy doing things and not naturally growing into One with each other in relationships of intimacy and proactive interest in each other... which would form an empowered synergy through everyone.
When we are One in Spirit, love, die-hard commitment, the Spirit of God Himself works with us and on our behalf. Geffry Fields, Jesus is Us, goes into more detail about the Magnitude of Being One:
1. One with God... Jesus Spirit. This is first and foremost that each person cultivates this in themselves (Being One with Jesus Spirit) or the rest won't work. This has to be committed to and functioning in each person for the Profound Mystery of Spirit to work.
Through time in the Secret Place of the Most High, in meditation, prayer, Scripture reflection, time in connected Spiritual thought, it is cultivated.Those who say they do (but don't) and come together with others are not necessarily in sync with everyone. They actually draw from everyone instead of contributing. It was impressed on me to come "prepared in Spirit" so to be a contribution. When all do this the result is outstanding.
2. One in ourselves. Our central command post is our Spirit... Jesus Spirit...which guides the mind and distinctively channels our thoughts, which then the mind directs the body what to do. When this is in alignment as One (and the body is not fighting the mind, or the mind isn't debating with the Spirit), we as individuals become a Supernatural Force. The biggest war is in the mind, within ourselves... win that one and we have just reached one of the biggest milestones to reach in our lives.
3. One with each other. When each is allowing Jesus Spirit to control and direct each of us, we can create strong alignment here. It is natural when we all are yielding to the same direction of the same spirit... Jesus Spirit. This is the major area. It may have its biggest affect within a husband/wife relationship where the highest degrees of intimacy (Spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically) can be formed. One of the first things God did when He created man was form them as a dual-team…husband and wife as One. This was God's ideal idea from the beginning.
Jesus in the Bible sent His disciples out in pairs. Businesses today are finding the power of cohesive teams in that they many times out perform a highly educated professional.
4. One with all who believe. A society like this would be the most wonderful society in the world. If those who follow and believe in Jesus Spirit, that within itself can start a power-train encroaching into changing the dynamics of the world around them. When One as believers, it is promised in the Scriptures that the Presence of Jesus will manifest and all His capabilities will be overtly demonstrated. That is we will visibly see it happening in our lives in many ways.
5. One in Communication. This will increase our abilities in understanding each other. Again, as we are aligned in the same Spirit, we, without effort "get it" when communicating. And in some cases, we don't need to use words.... we just seem to know. This is a subject of its own and can be very Supernatural in expression. We have the capability to be in long distances from others and know what is going on with someone else.... when two parties are fine tuned in Jesus Spirit. This can be cultivated and happen as a normal part of our lives like calling someone.
6. One in ownership. Individual possessive nature is lost when people are the same in Jesus Spirit. Everything we have is part of Us, and we don't see things as our own. This goes into complete contradiction with how our society thinks and acts. "It's all mine." …as many wish it to be all theirs.
But the reverse is the character of Jesus Spirit as One. In our hearts we want all to be well, do well, and help each other out. We see ourselves as united as one. We pull together and are genuinely happier for others' successes than our own. We truly love each other and want better for others than ourselves. So, we share what we have freely as we see others as a part of ourselves... connected as One in Jesus Spirit.
Surrender yourself to let Spirit have His way with you. In prayer become One within the Presence of God's Spirit. Allow of God's essence become US... within, among, as One, with each other.
The benefits… a wonderful new world!
4spirit@gmail.com
The premise behind The Big Book for Small Business by Tom Gegax is to build yourself first, then build your business. Your business will grow in proportion to your personal growth. The more solidly you grow and become skilled in business skills and personal skills for business, the stronger will be your business.
When Tom Gegax made this his new priority, he left the "seat of pants" way of doing things in flight. He spent his time in grounding, planning, strategically developing, maneuvering his business navigation process.
He divided his 57 chapters of business skill areas into 11 parts. These would serve as a constructive checklist to review where you are now and what you want to refine. His ideas are very practical to what business is really like and he speaks in a down-to-earth language. The chapters are short and right to key critical points.
Gegax compares the "fly by the seat of the pants" person (of which he confesses he once was) and the ways of the "enlightened entrepreneur." The “fly by the seat of your pants” person:
--self-centered agenda
--no strategic plan but constantly putting out fires
--cuts corners in pursuit of a better bottom line
--micro manager taking a toll on employee creativity and motivation
--attacks constructive criticism
--employees exist for his beckoning call
--reluctant to hire those who could outshine him
--doesn't see what goes on around him and sees details as distractions
On the other side is the “enlightened entrepreneur:”
--takes care of himself (mentally, physically, emotionally, Spiritually)
--recognizes flexibility, value of step by step strategic planning
--takes the high road in doing all things right and proper
--supervises each person differently, getting the best from each person's best qualities that he encourages to be developed
--pulls out every one's ideas, formally and informally
--lives the attitude of helping others grow and succeed
--looks for and gets the best from people
--empathetic, upgrades quality and the competitive advantage constantly
Work as a team to define strengths and weakness in all these areas and improve and advance outstanding qualities simultaneously.
Set up Shop (Part 1)
(If you haven't done it the right way the first time, do it again.)
1. Make up your mind to build the biz or not do it at all.
2 Research the market. What's new, what's really there, where are we the best?
3. Write the business plan. Get a clear grasp of the whole picture, then come back and detail it out
4. Find funding--bootstrap, family/friends, banks, SBA, angels, venture capitalists
5. Position yourself. What makes you stand out in how you are different, name, location
6. Line up the legal ducks including legal structures, the fine print of business in your business
7. Build a strong board getting outside help, advisers, experienced where you aren't
Pouring the Foundation (Part 2)
Be very clear on your mission, vision, and values. Herein lays your strength as a business.
8. Mission critical--it should permeate everything
9. Vision check--be bold, fearless, shoot for the moon
10. Champion Core values--caring, optimistic, passionate, persistent, systems-disciplined, Spirit-filled
11. Accountability ethics--across the board in the mission, vision, values
Snatching up stars (Part 3)
Hire Power
12. Talent scouting--enlist many bounty hunters
13. Interview essentials--practical steps to finding the power people include skills, willing to learn, ambition, and heart
14. Labor legalities--know what you can ask and not ask
15. Hit the ground running--get new hires up and running by educating thoroughly, correcting immediately, encouraging endlessly
Growing the Culture (Part 4)
Seeding an enlightened environment--that thrives, enjoys, is passionate, in sync with values.
16. The Camaraderie Credo
Develop team Spirit--recognize, reward, celebrate
17. Lead the charge--21 laws of Cultural leadership
18. Honor thy employee--putting people first produces higher profits
19. HR Solutions--brand the business with employees as partners
20. Fun, friendly, and flexible--loosening up keeps grumbling down
21. Workplace wellness--nurture healthy and productive employees
22. Get personal--earn trust, listen, be humble, walk the talk
Building a Systems-disciplined Organization (Part 5)
Deming: "80% of all errors are systems errors."
23. Strategic Planning--drawing up tomorrow's Road Map; opportunities, strengths, neutralize weaknesses
24. Execution is everything--do it right (expect, inspire, teach, follow-up)
25. Resolve roadblocks--help groups/individuals solve problems
26. Add muscle to meetings--run tight (ready, set, go)
27. The best never rest--constantly explore, improve systems
Communicate Clearly (Part 6)
Remove static from your communication signals.
28. Listen up--develop skills in listening
29. Express yourself--practice writing and speaking effectively
30. Communicate expectations--achieve airtight accountability
31. Ask for advice--inquire of employees frequently
32. Face to face feedback--critique one-to-one but always reassure
33. Face your flaws--get honest feedback about yourself
Coaching others (Part 7)
Cheer, steer, don't domineer.
34. Dare to care--kindness and empathy wins hearts and minds
35. Set challenging goals--help employees grow through goal setting
36. The annual review--make it a coaching gift expansion session
37. Reward results--match incentives to outcomes
38. Good-bye and good luck--free up the future for underachievers
Educating employees (Part 8)
Guide yourself to peak personal performance.
43. Got Mission?--craft personal mission statement
44. Truth or consequences--pitfalls of unethical behavior
45. Ready, set, goals--turn dreams into destiny
46. Work the plan--goals, action steps, schedules
47. Time wise and organized--be enlightenedly efficient
48. Mind-body balance--inner team synergy
49. Spotlight on self-care--feel better, work smarter, live longer; nurture mind, body, emotions, Spirit
Business functions do's and don'ts (Part 10)
Perfect your total process, each part must fire.
50. Supply management--strengthen every link
51. Marketing--increase brand quality
52. Sales--increase market share
53. Customer service--make them feel at home
54. Finance, accounting, and it--take it beyond bean counting
Weathering worst case scenarios (Part 11)
55. Relationships on the rocks--rescue key people who jump ship
56. Natural disasters--coping with catastrophes; natural, personal, public relations
57. It's strictly business--dealing with brutal bankers and cut throat competitors
Look at The Big Book for Small Business as a quality performance guide. Have your teams use this list of 57 areas to determine the top 5 priority "to work on areas" and take a month to work on just them. Follow the suggestions of the chapter(or refer to other books dealing with the same topics). Then identify the next 5 to work on the next month. Use this to rate yourself as a business and where you are now, your strengths and where you need to spend more time in developing. It takes all of these doing well to be a solid business... create systems and monitor so that systems don't fail, but thrive.
The most important part is you... develop you and help others develop personal and business skills. Healthy people in mind, body, emotions and Spirit, make companies healthy. Sickness breeds sickness.
Gegax has a total business system for a total person. His premise is you must be one in self before your business will be synergistic, and integrated as one great business system.
http://www.gegax.com/about.html
Supernatural Spiritual Power is manifested when all things are One.
One in God, One in each other, in all things, in all processes.
The more we are one in ourselves, and then become more as one with each other, miraculous forces go to work for us... beyond our knowledge, our abilities. The Miraculous begins to happen simultaneously among many.
"Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. For there is One body and One Spirit, just as you have been called to One glorious hope for the future. There is One Lord, One faith, One baptism, and One God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.”
(Ephesians 4:3-5, NLT)
We all are One in Spirit and exist as One to Build stalwart strength among and for each other.
"Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ."
(Ephesians 4:12, NLT)
The full standard of Christ is living expressing all of His Power as part of our unified existence… personally, relationally, economically. We exist to do the work to equip the Body of Christ to perform at optimum levels. When we merge everything into one, that is functionally interacting with each other, we create a syncopated flow among each other. This energizes all parts to perform Supernaturally.
Why do we not see this in a spectacular way, today?
The very nature of Society prevents our personal molding into being One In Spirit, the Spirit of the Universe. The demands of normal activity keep us busy doing things and not naturally growing into One with each other in relationships of intimacy and proactive interest in each other... which would form an empowered synergy through everyone.
When we are One in Spirit, love, die-hard commitment, the Spirit of God Himself works with us and on our behalf. Geffry Fields, Jesus is Us, goes into more detail about the Magnitude of Being One:
1. One with God... Jesus Spirit. This is first and foremost that each person cultivates this in themselves (Being One with Jesus Spirit) or the rest won't work. This has to be committed to and functioning in each person for the Profound Mystery of Spirit to work.
Through time in the Secret Place of the Most High, in meditation, prayer, Scripture reflection, time in connected Spiritual thought, it is cultivated.Those who say they do (but don't) and come together with others are not necessarily in sync with everyone. They actually draw from everyone instead of contributing. It was impressed on me to come "prepared in Spirit" so to be a contribution. When all do this the result is outstanding.
2. One in ourselves. Our central command post is our Spirit... Jesus Spirit...which guides the mind and distinctively channels our thoughts, which then the mind directs the body what to do. When this is in alignment as One (and the body is not fighting the mind, or the mind isn't debating with the Spirit), we as individuals become a Supernatural Force. The biggest war is in the mind, within ourselves... win that one and we have just reached one of the biggest milestones to reach in our lives.
3. One with each other. When each is allowing Jesus Spirit to control and direct each of us, we can create strong alignment here. It is natural when we all are yielding to the same direction of the same spirit... Jesus Spirit. This is the major area. It may have its biggest affect within a husband/wife relationship where the highest degrees of intimacy (Spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically) can be formed. One of the first things God did when He created man was form them as a dual-team…husband and wife as One. This was God's ideal idea from the beginning.
Jesus in the Bible sent His disciples out in pairs. Businesses today are finding the power of cohesive teams in that they many times out perform a highly educated professional.
4. One with all who believe. A society like this would be the most wonderful society in the world. If those who follow and believe in Jesus Spirit, that within itself can start a power-train encroaching into changing the dynamics of the world around them. When One as believers, it is promised in the Scriptures that the Presence of Jesus will manifest and all His capabilities will be overtly demonstrated. That is we will visibly see it happening in our lives in many ways.
5. One in Communication. This will increase our abilities in understanding each other. Again, as we are aligned in the same Spirit, we, without effort "get it" when communicating. And in some cases, we don't need to use words.... we just seem to know. This is a subject of its own and can be very Supernatural in expression. We have the capability to be in long distances from others and know what is going on with someone else.... when two parties are fine tuned in Jesus Spirit. This can be cultivated and happen as a normal part of our lives like calling someone.
6. One in ownership. Individual possessive nature is lost when people are the same in Jesus Spirit. Everything we have is part of Us, and we don't see things as our own. This goes into complete contradiction with how our society thinks and acts. "It's all mine." …as many wish it to be all theirs.
But the reverse is the character of Jesus Spirit as One. In our hearts we want all to be well, do well, and help each other out. We see ourselves as united as one. We pull together and are genuinely happier for others' successes than our own. We truly love each other and want better for others than ourselves. So, we share what we have freely as we see others as a part of ourselves... connected as One in Jesus Spirit.
Surrender yourself to let Spirit have His way with you. In prayer become One within the Presence of God's Spirit. Allow of God's essence become US... within, among, as One, with each other.
The benefits… a wonderful new world!
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