To change is to believe

I have often wondered why change is so hard. I understand that people resist change because of the unknowing. The thought of embarking on a path that has not been traveled by you can be frightening yet you know where you want to end the destination. You know where you want to go. They say insanity is repeating the same thing over and over but expecting different results. We call it insanity but is that the result of fear? The fear to change. The fear to take the path not traveled. If you want to be successful, you have to get out of your comfort zone. You have to change. If you want to achieve a goal, you have to change. If you want to fulfill a dream, you have to change. It starts with changing the way you think. You have to believe that you can do it! Change has to start today. I have talked about failure in another post and how it is a step towards success. In order to overcome failures, you have to be able to change. Change is making adjustments. Change is a part of progression. Change is a way of life. When we resist change, we are unsure of ourselves. We don't have the faith in ourselves like we should. You must believe in you! All achievements began in the mind and in the soul. Believe and Change.

X-factor

Everyone has that something that makes them unique. The something that not only sets you apart from others but makes you. Let's call it the X-factor. My x-factor is my unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I'm constantly looking for information about things that interest me. I'm in the library and in the bookstore. I can never get enough of gathering information. The excitement level of learning something new is off the charts.Yet, gaining the knowledge is not all about me. The reason why is not for my own personal gain. It is to be able to give the knowledge to others. To educate, enlighten, energize and empower others to reach their maximum. When I reflect on my past, I realized that is what I have always done. Regardless of what role I have had in my jobs, I have taught others in order that they can succeed. I recognize that being a leader is not directing, it is empowering. For me, my x-factor makes me a better leader, a better person because I refuse to believe I know everything. So what's your X-factor?

Listening as a motivator

The greatest motivational act one person can do for another is to listen - Roy E Moody

 

Often we think that motivation comes from someone giving us words of encouragement through speech or writing. How is it that having someone listen to you is more motivational? When we talk about our goals and dreams, having someone listen is comforting. When we are faced with a problem, having someone listen is supportive. When we are working through a solution, having someone listen is empowering. Listening allows the talker to think about what is he/she is saying. Listening gives the talker the ability to analyze or assess what they are saying. Listening shows the talker that he/she had the answer inside of them along. Listening is powerful. There have been times where someone wanted to talk to me about a situation and what they should do. I would listen and without having said anything, the person would arrive at the solution. More importantly, the sense of confidence that they had after our conversation was energizing. They became motivated to follow through with their decision because of their realization of the solution. As a supervisor, I listen to my people everyday. In some instances, I may not be able to do anything about the situation but listen. What I know though is that by listening to them, they feel motivated to do their best for me because I care enough to listen. I write to motivate you because I cannot listen to you. If I had my choice, I would listen. I love listening! I charge you with motivating someone through listening. I would love to get a report back on the experience! Until next time...

Believe

You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore - Christopher Columbus.

I love this quote because of what it represents. Columbus, as we know, was ridicule for believing that the world was round. He was ostracized for having a belief that was not consistent with others. His desire to set forth on an idea that at the time was radical should be inspirational. How often do you think people are discouraged from pursuing their dreams? I am going to say every moment of the day someone is being told "you can't do that" or "it will never work". When faced with negative support, do you believe in your goal or dream? Do you have the courage to continue to follow your plan in achieving your goal? Perseverance and persistence will never emerge if you first do not believe. Motivation will not help you if you do not believe. You have to have self-esteem. You have to believe in your abilities. You have to believe in yourself. If you don't believe in you then who will? Your confidence has to be as strong as your desire. You have to be able to take the risk. Fear is always present but be not afraid. If you truly desire to reach your goal, believe in you. Believe in you. Courage and every other positive attribute will come to your aid. Believe in you.

Positivity

What does it mean to be a positive thinker? Can you remain, in the face of adversity, positive regardless of the outcome? If you do not know by now, you are what you think. The thoughts that dominate your mind will transfer themselves into your physical reality. I call it self-proclaimed prophesies. If you have negative thoughts then you will be surrounded by negative people and situations. If you have positive thoughts then you will be surrounded by positive people and situations. It is really that simple. You are what you think. The difficulty comes in being able to maintain a positive attitude. There are a couple of ways to maintain a positive attitude. Your first step is through meditation. Take the time to relax yourself and fill your mind with thoughts of happiness, love and joy. Focus your attention on the things in your life that causes those emotions to overcome you. Understand that regardless of what our situation is, we are thankful for something. Command yourself to be filled with positive emotions and thoughts. Do this everyday for at least 30 minutes in a quiet place. Second, recognize what you have control over and what you do not. You may not have control over a situation but you do control on how you deal with the situation. Understanding that as long as you maintain a positive attitude, you will overcome any obstacle. I have experienced trying times in my life. What has been consistent is my positive attitude. My positive attitude will never change. I believe that you will achieve your goals as long as you have a positive outlook. The positive outlook will engage you to think clearly and make adjustments to your plans when necessary. Your positive attitude will bring what you desire. I am positive of that.

Passion

What is your passion in life? This question was posed to me by a friend. I'm passionate about a few things that drives me to do what I do. I love getting knowledge and sharing it with others. I love helping others to fulfill dreams and reach goals. I love problem solving. I love teaching. The question is am I doing those things to make a living. The answer is yes and no. My job as a supervisor involves those passions but yet there is no real satisfaction. My big picture goal in life is to be able to do whatever it is that I want to do. I have always said that whatever you can do for free, that is what you need to do to make a living. I can do my passions for free. I can spend hours researching. I can spend hours sharing what I know to others. I can spend hours teaching. The problem is that I got caught up in the rat race. I pursued goals that may not have necessarily been mine. This is not to say that I'm not happy but I'm not doing what I know I should be doing. What is your passion in life? I decided that I'm going to pursue my passions again. I decided that I have a greater responsibility to others to give. I decided that if I want to achieve my big picture goal, I have to follow my passions. This is why I write. This is why I speak. This is why I coach. My happiness is delivered when I reach one person. My satisfaction is received when I help someone achieve their goal. What is your passion in life? What is it that you could do for free? What brings you happiness? Money is always associated with success. Yet is success defined by how much money you make? Money has allowed some of us to pursue not our passion but money. What is your passion in life?

Luck - continued

So you want to be lucky? When I talk about "being lucky", I'm referring to how we view luck. Typically, we can all think about people who we considered to be lucky (you may be considered lucky). They have a great job, in a great relationship, know this person or that person, you can fill in the blank for why we consider people to be lucky. I don't believe in luck. I believe that everything happens for a reason. If you are reading this blog daily, it is for a reason. I'm writing this daily blog for a reason. Having said that, what I do believe is this definition of Luck that I found years ago. The definition of Luck is Preparation and Opportunity. Have you ever heard that before? The definition for me firmly says that Luck is not by chance. I have some control over what happens to me. I can look back in my life at certain situations. Some would say I was lucky but I would say that I was prepared. Think about this, if there is a goal that you want to achieve applying this simple Luck philosophy will get you there. Once I have laid out for you the Luck Philosophy, you will have a better understanding of just how much control you do have. This is not a dream. This is not a crazy notion. This is real. Stay with me, our next post will breakdown the first component of the Luck Philosophy: Preparation.

Luck

Is there such a thing as Luck? Do you believe that things just happen? If you look up the definition of 'Luck', it  is some unknown force that operates for good or bad regarding someone. So 'Luck' is beyond our control. We have no bearing on what happens so therefore either you have luck or you do not. I don't believe that. First, let me say that I don't believe in Luck. Second, if you want to hold on to the word 'Luck', I have found a definition that will change the way you view 'Luck'. What if I told you that 'Luck' is something that you can control. What if I told you that 'Luck' can be predicted. What if I told you that ultimately you can create your own 'Luck' or at the minimum influence it. Let me be clear: YOU CAN CONTROL YOUR OWN LUCK; YOU CAN INFLUENCE LUCK; YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN LUCK. Over the next several posts, we will breakdown what I believe 'Luck' is. We will analyze, have examples and conclude that THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LUCK. Sound crazy? I promise you that when I'm done breaking down 'Luck', you will have a new outlook on life. On the next post I will give you the definition I have found (not created by me). We will begin to break it down. Get Ready!

Encourage or Discourage

When we talk about motivation from external sources, encouragement or discouragement to me is the same. It is motivation! To tell me that I can achieve my goal has at least the same weight as to tell me I cannot achieve my goal. Motivation is the key but success is up to me! We discussed how failure is just a step towards success. Failure is motivation. Achieving small goals: motivation. You can achieve whatever it is you want to achieve, Motivation is the key but success is up to me! Motivation is the key but success is up to me! Are you motivated? Are you ready for your journey to success? Are you motivated? Are you ready?

Failure

We have always been taught that failure is not a good thing. Failing is never an option and when you do fail, you are seen as a failure. You will never be successful because you failed. First, let me tell you that failure is a step towards success. For any undertaking, you must have a plan that will guide you to reach your goal. If you fail, that means you need to reassess your plan and begin again. FAILURE IS A STEP TOWARDS SUCCESS. The greatest accomplishments throughout history were the results of numerous failures along the way. Nothing is ever done right the first time. No invention was made the first time. Those people who we say are successful, failed but did not give up. What they did not do as accept failure as defeat. FAILURE IS A STEP TOWARDS SUCCESS. Realize that nothing comes easy and we all know that. If you truly have the burning desire to achieve a particular goal, do it. Prepare a plan and follow the plan. If and when you fail, celebrate! You have just eliminated a plan that will not work to achieve your goal. Now try again, and again and again. Continue until you have eliminated all the ways that will not work and you are then  left with what will work. Embrace failure, it is your friend not your enemy! It is your beginning not your end! It is your guiding light! Failure has been misrepresented and misinterpreted. I'm telling you right now that if you want to achieve a goal, you will at some point fail. I cannot reiterate this enough: CELEBRATE! YOU ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO REACHING YOUR GOAL. Rethink your plan and start off on achieving your goal again. This is your time to reach your potential. Do not be discouraged. Do not be afraid. FAILURE IS A STEP TOWARDS SUCCESS. KEEP STEPPING!!!!!!!!!!

Adaptability

I tend to translate lessons of success from those in the athletic field. Duke Coach Mike Krzyzewski became the winningest coach in men's college basketball last night. His adaptability in changing as the game of basketball has changed (began coaching in 1975) is a testament to his greatness as one reporter wrote. Adaptability. Can you adapt? When things change, can you change? To adapt is not giving up on who you are, it is you evolving. Your principles don't change but how you achieve your goals do. Understand that the one who is steadfast on doing things the way they have always done them will not survive. I use survive but this is not about survival, it's about your evolution. It's about recognizing when you have to change. Adapting will always equate to longevity. So I leave you with this question: Are you adapting or being steadfast?

IF

If is the middle word of Life. Our lives revolve around decisions; decisions made or not made. Better yet, choices. You choose to do this and not that. You choose to be with this person. You choose your destiny. Therefore, think about what it is that you want and/or need. Decide what is most important to you. I live with no regrets. Everything that has happened in my life, I would not change. It has made me who I am. No regrets! You can only have no regrets when you are comfortable with the choices or decisions you make. Choose wisely and live free!

Back and Better!!!!

My goal is to everyday drop a post that will "do something' for the reader. Unfortunately, I was ill the past week and thus was not able to post anything. When I'm sick because of a cold, I have always had the mindset that I cannot think properly. I decided yesterday that has to change. What prompted my change in thought was Michael Jordan. I watched Michael Jordan play basketball from his years at UNC to his decline with the Washington Wizards. In his prime with the Bulls, he is considered by many (including me) as the greatest basketball player in the history of the NBA; Perhaps the greatest athlete. Anyway, I was watching Hardwood classics on the NBATV channel and caught Game 5 of the 1997 NBA championship game Bulls vs Jazz (The Flu Game). I marveled then as I did 10 plus years ago at how Jordan was able to play at such a high level in a physical sport despite having the flu. I thought about how many other top athletes have played ill or with injuries and still performed at a high level. Not having the luxury of interviewing them,  I would have to say that the x-factor was their mental state. The will, desire and drive to succeed was too much for the physical ailments to stop them. Mind over matter. You hear it all the time. You may see it. Sometimes you may actually do it. Under stressful situations, mind over matter will take over due to instinct ( a parent protecting a child). I will be at a high level at what I do. Therefore I will not let anything prohibit me from this point on giving you inspiration and motivation or at least something to think about. My mind is now and will continually be programmed to do what I envision doing and nothing will stop me. You will go as far as your mind and thoughts take you. You are what you think! Think wisely.

What is your motivation?

I'm preparing for my first speech as a member of Toastmasters. The speech is an "Ice Breaker" in which I share information about myself. The reason I joined Toastmasters is to improve speaking in public. As I'm putting my speech together, I thought about what is my motivation. Why am I doing this? Why am I writing articles? Why am I blogging? My motivation is several things: service to others, inspiring others, spending time with my family, financial independence, being able to do what I want to do. I want to help others fulfill their dreams and reach their goals. My motivation for my success is to help others become successful. I believe and know I will be successful therefore others will be successful. Motivation is the key but success is up to me. You have to first believe that you can do it; whatever it is that you desire to accomplish. My motivation is the burning desire to educate everyone on my philosophy of reaching success. My motivation is watching others reach heights they never thought they could go. My motivation is seeing others recognize the greatness in themselves. My motivation is understanding the experiences I have been through has prepared me for this moment. My motivation is to deliver a message that will spark or inspire or produce the next great leaders in all areas of society. My motivation simply put is YOU.  What's your motivation?
Until next time....

Introduction

Hello! My name is Osric V. Baugham. I'm an aspiring writer and speaker. My area of expertise is motivation/inspiration in achieving your goals and fulfilling your dreams. I am a recent member of the Yahoo Contributor Network http://contributor.yahoo.com/user/1402859/osric_v_baugham.html. From a career standpoint, I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. I have been a Radio Personality.  I have worked in the Logistics industry in Warehouse/Distribution for over 20 plus years. I have worked in a variety of functions within the Warehouse/Distribution industry. I have been in management at the supervisor and manager level. I have lead teams with as few as 4 and as many as 35.  Personally, I am a husband, father, son, brother and friend.

My life philosophy is simple: I believe that all can be accomplished if you first set your mind that you can achieve your desired goal(s).

Osric's Take is designed to achieve three goals with the reader:

1. Educate
2. Enlighten
3. Empower

I will end my first entry with this quote:  "Motivation is the key but Success is up to me" - Osric V. Baugham

Until next time............