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Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, May 23, 2011
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Houses reveal character."
~ Gilbert Highet


IF I WAS A CARPENTER!

A story, written by an unknown author goes like this:

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife and family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by.

The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he would build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is YOUR house - my gift to you," he said.

Life is no different. Each of us is given lumber, a hammer, some nails, and a saw - but no instructions or blueprint for our lives. If we ignore a bent nail here, a split board there, and a wall out of plumb, we may find ourselves living in a ramshackle cabin where a beautiful home might have stood. Then we step back for a good look and recognize that we were the carpenter in charge.

Build your home with pride. Use the right tools. Get the education you need. Learn from a master. Take no shortcuts. Finish it with your finest touch. Remember - the plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."

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Morning Coffee

Monday, April 11, 2011
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts."
- Henry David Thoreau

"To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition."
- Samuel Johnson

"Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out."
- Robert Frost


BUILD A WALL OF HAPPINESS!

To affect the quality of anything first requires action of some sort. Affecting is the opposite of passivity. In a passive state we can only BE affected, but we ourselves have no effect on our surroundings or other people. Hold that thought for a moment and consider next the result of your "affecting."

Ambition leads to action. Your ambition leads you to affect the quality of the day through some action. So what is the ultimate result of your ambition transformed into action? Johnson suggests it is "to be happy at home."

If, as Johnson recites, being "happy at home" is the ultimate result of your ambition, then why are you working so hard? Is there a way to avoid working evenings and weekends? Could you schedule your child's soccer game into the week's plans? Is that next appointment more important than celebrating life with your spouse at anniversary time?

One way to affect the quality of your day, which in turn may result in happiness at home, is to "build a wall," to paraphrase Frost. Keep in mind that walls may limit you if they are constructed of heavy gauge steel and mesh rimmed with concertina wire. Walls can also be formed as a low hedge or a split-rail fence - even more simply as a line in the sand. Rather than limiting us, they become a mere reminder of how far we are willing to go.

As we affect the quality of our life and push our ambition to the limit, we may also make choices about the boundaries of our lives. By choosing sound principles of living, for example, we may say "No" to friendships with those who operate outside our boundaries of accepted activities. We may decline meaningless activities, or the occasional committee appointment, which robs us of our valuable time.

In the end, WE are solely responsible for affecting the quality of our individual lives. We must choose wisely.

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Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, February 7, 2011
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"You can be happy without expecting others to agree with you."

- Kathleen Russell & Larry Wall, from "Achieving Your Dreams"


DON'T TELL!

One of Garth Brooks' tunes goes like this: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained - sometimes you've got to go against the grain!" What is this "grain" we seem to fear going against? Chances are it's really what people will think about us for venturing in a new direction - not some immobile obstacle we cannot physically overcome.

Author/philosopher Wayne Dyer speaks on this topic in one of his programs. He equates our lives to being in a boat and watching the wake it leaves behind as it moves through the water. He explains that the wake is not what powers us through life, it is merely what we leave behind - our history - where we have been.

Often, the "grain" we go against is really someone else's "wake." Others may say something like "That's never been done before," or "We've always done it this way," or "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." That's their wake - not yours!

Do you have a dream? Is there something you want to achieve that others might not understand? Don't tell them! It's not necessary to tell anyone what you are doing or planning. If your plan is radical, "they" probably wouldn't understand anyway.

So - live your dream. Plan it, execute it, and enjoy it. Make your own wake!

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Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, January 31, 2011
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Opportunities are seldom labeled."
- John A. Shedd


FILL IN THE BLANK!

From "Wellsprings of Wisdom" by Ralph Woods comes this story:

A successful businessman was invited to address a group of young executives on the subject of opportunities. He began his talk by tacking to the wall a big sheet of white paper and placing a black dot in the middle of the sheet. "What do you see?" he asked, pointing to the paper on the wall. "A black spot," called out everyone in the audience. "Yes, I see a black dot too," replied the speaker, "but none of you saw the much greater expanse of white. This is the point of my talk on opportunities."

While it is so easy to focus on the "black dots" - the immediate tasks that face us each day - how often do you grasp the opportunities that no one else notices in the white space? Don't answer that you haven't the time to notice the white space. Do you ever find yourself daydreaming? When you do, you're visiting that white space. The question is: Do you recognize your ability to bring those daydreams to fruition?

Look around you. Do you find yourself envying what others accomplish? Perhaps you can learn from their example. All they have done is to act on their dreams - to recognize the value of their white space and put it into motion.

So - what's missing in your life? Why not try filling in the blanks - the white spaces - with the achievement of your dreams? Maybe a legal pad and pencil can help. Try making a list of every dream you've ever had. Write them all down, all of them. When you finish, place an asterisk next to the five you would most like to accomplish or experience.

Finally, make those five items the "black dots" upon which you will focus until completed. Once identified, it becomes much easier to concentrate your attention on them. Opportunity knocks!

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Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, January 10, 2011
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"If you want to learn something new, concentrate on getting that 'right feeling' that is true to yourself. Take the risk of letting go the precious little control you've struggled to gain, letting go enough to immerse yourself in what you are doing. Then - do it!""
- Drs. Tom Rusk & Randy Read


THE SEARCH IS OVER!

Have you ever read Shel Silverstein's wonderful book, "The Missing Piece and the Big O"? It's a whimsical fable that has touched readers of all ages. It chronicles the search most of us have undertaken at one time or another in our lives to find the one person who can make us whole.

As the "Missing Piece" searches, it encounters other "parts." Some of them fit, but cannot roll. Others have too many pieces missing - while still others have too many pieces. The missing piece continues the futile search until one day it meets the "Big O" - a whole (not a part) with no pieces missing.

Thinking it had, at last, found its whole, the Missing Piece exclaims, "I think you are the one I have been waiting for - maybe I am your missing piece . . . I was hoping that I could roll with you." The Big O replied, "But I am not missing a piece . . . perhaps you could roll by yourself."

How often have we all felt that we needed someone else to be whole (or to roll) - not realizing that we are all in fact already the "Big O." We are already self-contained, have the ability to roll in any direction we like, and need nothing else to achieve every dream we've ever had. Then, unexpectedly, we find that there are others who are also "Big O's," with whom we can share our own "wholeness."

If I've lost you with this mysterious tale, go by the library or pick up a copy of this unusual story. Trust me - you'll understand. It's the type of book you can give to a loved one who may be feeling like a "Missing Piece."

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Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, September 27, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it!"
~ Anonymous


WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

Some of the best minds suggest that when you have a dream, you should keep it to yourself. You should set about quietly achieving your dream, but without sharing it with others. Their reasoning is that when you share your lofty goal, you open yourself up to the ridicule and criticism of those who say, "It cannot be done." This is distracting, and can negate your efforts.

Avoid the crowd who says, "It cannot be done." Instead, spend time alone giving your dream a form. Imagine what it will feel like when your dream has been achieved. Picture it happening. Decide what actions you must take to set your dream in motion. Finally, "just do it!"

You'll find that you don't need the adulation of others when your dream becomes reality. Just knowing that you caused it will be enough. True - others will wonder how you accomplish so much in life, while they seem to struggle for the slightest movement forward. So be it.

As the Disney theme song says, "When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are. Everything your heart desires will come to you!"

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Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, August 30, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Lose this day loitering - 'twill be the same story
To-morrow - and the next more dilatory;
Each indecision brings its own delays,
And days are lost lamenting o'er lost days.
Are you in earnest? seize this very minute -
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
Only engage, and then the mind grows heated -
Begin it, and then the work will be completed!"
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


ENGAGE IT!

Ever driven a car? Of course you have, but what makes it move?

You enter a car with a standard transmission, place it in neutral, and start the engine. It idles - waiting for what? The engine is running, but you are going nowhere. What must be done to get to your destination?

Your vehicle is like your mind and body. Goethe says, "Are you in earnest? . . . Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." He questions whether you are in earnest . . . calls attention to the fact that there is genius, power and magic in boldness. It's like your vehicle idling in neutral. It has the power to take you wherever you want to go . . . yet is goes nowhere - until what happens?

"Only engage," urges Goethe. The only thing keeping you from moving is your willingness to engage. Place the transmission in first gear, and what happens? You begin moving - slowly at first. Moving the gearshift into 2nd, your movement speeds up. As it does, you are soon in 3rd, and well on the way to your destination.

Goethe speaks of achieving your objectives in life: "Only engage, and then the mind grows heated . . . ." In other words, put your life in gear - get started - get moving! When you do . . . when your "mind grows heated" . . . that which you desire to achieve will be attracted to you.

So - what do you say? Are you in earnest?

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Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, August 9, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore."
~ Unattributed


ELIMINATE THE BOX!

It was refreshing to read the article entitled "Thirty Under Thirty" in the REALTOR(r) magazine. Thirty agents under the age of thirty talked about their approach to real estate, and most seemed to "think outside the box." They didn't appear to be bound by conventional rules of marketing conduct. Think back to when you were a young child. You were totally uninhibited by rules, so you weren't afraid to try new things.

Back then, there wasn't even a "box" to confine your thinking or actions. You did whatever worked for you. Then, you began to grow up and your parents, then your teachers, began building a box for you. "Stay in line, be quiet, don't touch this or that," they admonished. "Good little girls and boys don't talk back, eat snacks between meals, or chew with their mouths open. "The rules got more sophisticated as you got older, and you began to conform. Now you're all grown up, comfortable in the box the world built for you, and it's not so easy anymore to "think outside the box".

Not so for the newcomers - the youth of the real estate industry. They are enthusiastic, energetic, and with their "no rules" thinking, they're going to mop up on those competitors who are too comfortable in their box. If you've been in the business for more than ten years, you have one powerful advantage over the newbies - real estate wisdom. You're a survivor and know your way around the business. Now it's just a question of combining that base of knowledge with some of the unfettered new thinking of the under 30 crowd. Old dogs CAN learn new tricks, after all!

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Morning Coffee

Monday, July 26, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"You were born an original. Don't die a copy."
- John Mason


DUPLICATE YOURSELF!

Watch young children on the playground and you will notice them trying to duplicate each other. One hangs upside down on the monkey bars, and soon everyone is doing the same. Check out a pre-teen with a punky new hair-do, or a new style of "radical" footwear, and soon their friends are following suit.

It continues in high school too, with "tricked out" hot cars and cell phones. So . . . is it any wonder that we attempt to duplicate each other as adults as well? We look at our desk mate's approach to getting new business, then we do the same - regardless of the fact that said desk mate is getting no results.

Is there an alternative to this senseless copy-cat approach to life? Yes - but making the change may not be so easy. You begin by looking inside rather than outside. With all the distractions competing for your attention, this may be the most difficult step. Nevertheless, take a look inside to determine your best talents and skills. Ask yourself, "What do I do well? What are my strengths? What do I enjoy doing most?"

Next, write yourself a plan that incorporates your answers into a personal action plan. Remember, you were born an original, so put that originality to work. To help the plan work, avoid distractions from those who question your new direction, and learn to "duplicate yourself".

To avoid distractions, consider moving your desk, working from a home office, or avoiding the social scene at your office. Focus your time and attention on achieving your new-found objectives. To duplicate yourself, hire assistants to prepare direct mail or update your website. Avoid all tasks that you can hire someone else to do.

In short, live and act the part of the original you really are!

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Morning Coffee

Monday, June 28, 2010
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"The best laid plans o' mice and men often go astray."
- Robert Burns

"What would you do if you weren't afraid?"
- Haw (from "Who Moved My Cheese?")


DON'T GET TOO COMFORTABLE!

Are you enjoying the good times? Have you achieved your goals and become comfortable in the knowledge that you have reached the zenith of your life and career? But wait! Hold on just a minute. What if things were to change suddenly . . . and you ended up back at the proverbial "Square One"?

Maybe that's already happened to you a time or two. Perhaps your career took a sudden turn in a direction you hadn't anticipated, or a health problem caught you totally by surprise. What did you do then? Were you paralyzed by fear? Did you feel cheated, or angry? Did you blame circumstances for your new situation?

No doubt you are able to rationalize objectively that all of us face change from time to time, that it's a part of life. It's difficult, however, to be objective when change suddenly stares you straight in the eye.

Some answers popped up this week to the challenges of change. You'll find those answers in a short, easy-to-read book entitled "Who Moved My Cheese?" Written by Spencer Johnson (co-author of "The One-Minute Manager"), it's the story of two little mice named "Sniffy" and "Scurry" and two little people the size of mice called "Hem" and Haw." The story traces the whimsical challenges faced by these tiny characters as they travel through the maze called "real life."

If you have ever been challenged by change in your world, you'll find comfort and sage advice in this simple story. It's waiting for you to read, and it's worth the short time you'll need to absorb the lessons it contains. This is a great story - don't miss it!

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Displaying blog entries 11-20 of 24

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