An Introduction ... So to speak ....

The ideas I stand for are not mine. I borrowed them from Socrates. I swiped them from Chesterfield. I stole them from Jesus. And I put them in a book. If you don't like their rules whose would you use?" --Dale Carnegie (1888-1955)


Introduction:

For years I have preached the Gospel of Discover; Decide and Deliver ... As in the quote above the concept was "borrowed" from a document I read called the personal success plan by SIM international.

Below is the original text...

The personal success plan:
SMI International:

1. 
   Crystallize your thinking :
   Determine what specific goal you want to achieve. Then dedicate yourself to its attainment with unswerving singleness of purpose.
2. 
   Develop a plan for achieving you’re your goal and set a deadline:
   Plan your progress carefully; develop habits. Organized activity and maintained enthusiasm are the well-springs of your personal power
3. 
   Develop a sincere desire for the things you want in life :
   A burning desire is the greatest motivator for action. The desire for success implants success which in turn creates a habit of success
4. 
   Develop Supreme confidence in yourself and your abilities:
   Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of failure. Concentrate on your strengths; instead of your weaknesses … on your powers instead of your problems
5. 
   Be determined to follow through on your plan, regardless of Obstacles, criticism or circumstances :
   Determination requires sustained effort, attention and concentrated energy.
   

During my period as Area Manager in the Eastern Cape; a rural part of the South African East coast ... I needed to train and develop new managers. The task appears simple enough; except that due to the countries history many lacked the education ad skills required for the job. During my five years there ... I set a feedback and developement plan loosely based on this concept:

It consisted of three Basic catch phrases:

• DISCOVER
• DECIDE
• DELIVER
• Desire
• Dedication
• Discipline

Key concept:

Discover
It is your attitude more than your aptitude that determines your altitude.” --Brian Tracy

Hands up all those can honestly say they are truly content?

Want to get your life right?

You need a plan!

1) Get Focused

Think hard and honestly about yourself. Now look ahead at the next five years.
Where are you heading?
What do you want to achieve out of life?
Take charge of your life

2) Stop coasting and start flying

One can coast through life at a slow pace but you don’t achieve unless you speed up a little and push yourself.
It’s all a question of attitude

3) Tell your self you can do it

Nothing is impossible in life but you cant possibly do everything. So focus on one or two goals and see them through before you start the next. Think positively.
Surround yourself with positive, ambitious and happy people. Feed off their energy. Optimism is infectious.

4) Overcome your fears by facing them

Fear is an anxity over some experience or situation you are unfamiliar with
5) Dream on

6) Streamline your life

7) Learn to say NO

8) Get in shape for the task

Decide
"To dream anything that you want to dream. That is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do. That is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits. That is the courage to succeed." --Bernard Edmond

We are all creatures of habits. Good ones. Bad ones. Psychiatrists believe that these habits are formed from a young age. To break these habits the following has to occur …

I. To break the pattern you must see the pattern
II. Admit that you are responsible for your own misfortune
III. See that within every failure is an opportunity
IV. Realize that if you want to achieve you must set specific goals
V. Achievement is never an accident
· Focus on what you can control
· Repeat affirmations
· Be opportunity ready



Deliver



.1) Desire

“Desire is the key to motivation, but it's the determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal, a commitment to excellence, that will enable you to attain the success you seek."


Smart Goal setting:
3 Factors affecting performance versus potential:

Capacity
Motivation
Opportunity
Performance

SMART GOALS ARE:

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Attainable and agreed upon
R = Realistic
T = Time Framed

.2) Dedication
Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no delay, no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today." --Earl of Chesterfield


“I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp in-focus picture of it in my head." -- Jack Nicklaus



.3) Discipline

“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of --Jim Rohn....master motivator

So whats this blog about ? ... Join me as I set out on a journey to see if I can live up to my rhetoric!

WHY? ... I am a white male... unemployed ... minimum education in a country that is redressing the imbalances of the past ... share my fears ... my aspirations ... the highs and lows ... and if the plan comes to fruition ... here's hoping it inspires you to walk out of your safe harbour into your dream ... and unleash your inner dragon!