Is it the Wise thing to do?

"Everyone can learn from one of 2 teachers, you can learn from either wisdom or consequences." -Adapted from Wayne Cordiero's book Divine Mentor

When it comes to ethics how do you determine how far is too far? How close is too close? When have I crossed the line?

We have to answer this question thousands of times everyday, don't we?

When I have a conversation and they ask about someone else's "business."

When my wife asks me if these jeans make her butt look fat.

When I have a chance at my second helping of desert.

When I have the opportunity to own a mistake that wasn't mine, or rat out a fellow employee.

When I count my strokes on the golf course...after all I had to move it there was a stick in the way.

Or...

A little white lie on my taxes.

A little "innocent" flirting with someone else's spouse.

A little extra bragging or "padding" the old resume.

Whatever it is, we have that choice to make everyday and often we make our decision by asking ourselves this question; "How far can I go?" That's a fair question isn't it? After all we can only go so far. But, I think this question, more often then not, leads us to learn from the great teacher "Consequences." "Consequences" is an excellent teacher, but it has a mean after taste and takes a lot longer to learn from than wisdom.

To avoid learning from consequences and learn from "Wisdom," on the front end don't ask; "How far can I go?" Instead ask "Is this the wise thing to do?"

In changing the question you ask yourself you will pull yourself back from the dangerous edge of consequences and find yourself operating and learning from wisdom in every ethical situation I can think of.

May we all learn from the great Teacher "Wisdom" and avoid the pain and hurt that always comes with consequences.

Enjoy Life ...live Wisely!

Jon Bohm

Be a Stuntman...not a Dare Devil

I am a lucky, lucky person. - Evel Knievel

Are you a lucky person?  Or are you unlucky?  

Have you ever noticed that how much luck someone has is directly proportionate to how much risk they are willing to take?  

Why do some people have the midas touch? 

While the touch of so many others seems to turn things into ashes?  Have you ever noticed that some people just seem to be luckier than others?

Take scenario one:  you become a "dare devil" and jump out of a perfectly good airplane with no plan, without the knowledge, and without the hard work in preparing for your jump. If you survive, well than, you are lucky, maybe even miraculous to some degree. 

However, take scenario 2:  if you plan and bring a parachute, than you learn how to use your parachute, and you work hard to prepare for your jump on the ground or in a wind tunnel than your odds of being lucky  and surviving are dramatically better than the first scenario.

In both situations you jump from the same plane.  In both situations your risk is the same.  But in scenario number 2, your chances of getting lucky are very high.  Because, you planned your risk with meticulous work like a stuntman who strategically thinks his stunt through, not a daredevil who just jumps.

So, what about business and getting lucky?

The entrepreneur that takes a gamble and opens a widely successful business in the worst recession our country has seen since the great depression, lucky?

The investor who fires his financial planner and takes matters into his own hands, and turns a profit of 40 k a week instead of losing it when everyone around him told him to "Buy and hold."  What do you think, lucky?

The stay at home mom who opens her own on-line store, only to get so many orders she can't keep up.  Lucky?

My answer is....Yes, very lucky.  

However, my definition of luck has an equation.  Luck doesn't happen to everyone.  Why do some people seem to be luckier than others?

Over the years of working with many people, in many industries, I have found what I believe to be the equation to how lucky an organization or person may become.  I trust it so much, that I consider it to be a fortune telling equation on how lucky someone will be.

Stop and think.  What is a new adventure or thing you may want to try?  Ok, got one in mind?

Using a scale of 1-10.  1 being poor and 10 being excellent.  Rate your future idea in each of the following categories:

• 1-10 - How much risk is involved?
  
• 1-10 - How strategic have I been?  And how many resources have I put into my plan for success?
  
• 1-10 - How hard have I worked toward my success?
  

After honestly rating your new venture in each of the above categories, you have a possible 30 points available.  Simply add up your total score and divide it by 30 and that is the percentage I give you on getting "lucky" and succeeding.

It is a law of the universe.  The more you risk, the better you plan, and the harder you work... the "luckier" you will be.  Is it possible to get "lucky" with a 10% chance?  You bet.  But, you can increase your odds of getting lucky in every situation with some hard work, high tolerance for risk, and a great strategic mind.

So, how lucky are you?  I guess it depends on how bad you want to be lucky.  And how much effort you put into increasing your odds. 

It seems to me... that the harder I work, the better I plan, and the more risk involved, the luckier I am.

May you become one of the "luckiest" people around, and when all the unlucky people watch your life, they just won't be able to understand why YOU are sooo lucky.

Enjoy Life!

Jon Bohm 

Be the Mother of Invention

Have you ever had an idea about something and thought to yourself, "Someone should invent that!"

Well, maybe that someone should be you?  I am not an invention expert by any means, but I have some clients who are are inventing and re-inventing all the time.  And, I'm willing to bet that everyone has at least one idea in their lifetime that could make you fabulously wealthy.

So, what do you do when inspiration strikes?  Here are a few steps I was able to gather:

1. Write it down dummy.  How many ideas have I forgotten that were brilliant if I could just remember!  When ideas show up...capture them on paper or computer ASAP.
2. Do a Patent search at google.com/patents.  You can see drawings of other people's ideas and dig deep to see what makes your idea different.
3. Get your invention "Patent Pending" ASAP at uspto.gov/web/forms/index.html - From what I have gathered you describe your invention and and create some drawings with a nominal fee your invention is officially "Patent Pending" and you no longer have to guard it with your life.
4. Ask around.  Now is the time to voice your idea and start your market research.  Is it a viable invention.  Will people pay money for it?  Is it profitable?
5. When your Patent is approved (can take up to a year or 2) you can use a patent attorney that can be quite pricey or you can do it yourself as in step 3.  Fees will range around $1500 for you to do it yourself or around $20 k for a patent lawyer.
6. Market it and sell it yourself or try to sell your patent license to someone else.  Usually a company.

The curiosity of what to do with a great idea was killing me.  I hope you found it helpful to.  Or start researching yourself at inventorsdigest.com/resources

Happy inventing!  There are a lot of needs in our world, we need to invent some great ideas to take care of so many tough situations.

Enjoy Life Today!

Jon Bohm

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

Self-Fulfilling prophecy is a tough concept to understand. But if you can tap into your capabilities and then see and understand the potential you have. Then, remember the reasons you have to believe in yourself, you will in fact conquer your biggest fears and accomplish what you say you can.

But the opposite is true all the time. If you say you "Can't" then you most definitely will not.

William Purkey tells a great little allegory concerning the value of feeling good about ourselves:

A mouse ran into the office of the Educational Testing Service and accidentally triggered a delicate point in the apparatus just as the College Entrance Examination Board’s data on one Henry Carson was being scored.
Henry was an average high-school student who was unsure of himself and his abilities. Had it not been for the mouse, Henry’s score would have been average or less, but the mouse changed all that, for the scores that emerged from the computer were amazing—800s in both the verbal and quantitative areas.

When the scores reached Henry’s school, the word of his giftedness spread like wildfire. Teachers began to re-evaluate their gross under-estimation of this fine lad, counselors trembled at the thought of neglecting such talent, and even college admissions officers began to recruit Henry for their schools.
New worlds opened for Henry, and as they opened he started to grow as a person and as a student. Once he became aware of his potentialities and began to be treated differently by the significant people in his life, a form of self-fulfilling prophecy took place. Henry began to put his mind in the way of great things. . . Henry became one of the best men of his generation.

We can apply this concept to our every day life and business in simple ways. When we have a week, a day, an hour, or a conversation that goes bad we will begin to "Self-talk" at an alarming rate and in that moment we have a tendency to say some negative things about ourselves, our abilities, our products, our ideas, or our companies. Of course none of these things are usually true but in that moment that couldn't be more real.

Using a simple tool called "Affirmations" is an easy and simple way to combat the negative self talk that could arise during a work day.

Affirmations are an expression of the person you know you need to be to achieve the results you want.
An affirmation is a self-fulfiling prophecy that should be placed in a place you can read them daily- in the car- in the bathroom- at your desk - on the office wall- etc.

"I am a great sales person"
"I like to eat healthy"
"I make 500 k a year"
"LIfe is Good"
"Today is an awesome day"

Let me encourage you to write 3 and only 3 affirmations on a 3 x 5 card and read it 3 times a day.

Use the following criteria to write a great affirmation:
-Make it 1st person
-Present tense
-Positive
-Within your realm of belief

I know most of us automatically picture the Saturday night Live Skit and think this can sound a little hokus pokus, but it works. And in my world if it works and gets results then it has value.

I dare you to try it and watch your self talk, self image, and results change for the better!

After all life IS Good and it's just getting better!

- Enjoy Life Today!
Jon Bohm

Connecting Emotionally

“Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of  segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch  your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at  whim.... when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of  “nobodiness” then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.” - Martin Luther King Jr. 1963 - Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Have you ever been around someone who was really, I mean really, able to walk in your shoes?  Not just say they understand, but really feel what you feel?  That is the secret of compassion.

I once heard a friend say that being heard is so close to be loved that most people can't tell the difference.  How well do you listen to those in your life?  How well do you feel the pain of your prospects?  How good are you at feeling what others feel?

Often, when I am working with a team of sales people they want to know how to "Close" better or "sell" better.  But, the greatest sales secret in the world is to be a great listener, practice compassion, ask great questions, and walk in your prospect's shoes.  When you can feel what they feel then you are connecting emotionally with their issues.

In a sales situation it is tempting to talk a lot and show the prospect how much you know about your product.  And think you are closing the sale, you couldn't be more wrong.  Your prospect doesn't care how much you know about your product, they care how much you understand their problem, pain, or challenge.

You can't learn about someone's pain or walk in their shoes by talking.  So close your mouth and start listening, or better yet, start feeling what they feel.

A good system is to never tell anybody anything (especially about their situation) until you know these 3 things:

• What are they thinking?
• What are they feeling?
• What are they experiencing?

...in this situation.  After you have asked enough questions, clarified enough answers, and felt enough of their pain to understand their situation thoroughly-only then should you venture out on the limb and dare to explain that what you offer is a good fit for them.

The decision to buy something is not logical it is an emotional decision that has to be justified logically.  It wasn't until our country truly felt the pain of segregation that people justified changing the culture.  Thanks to great speeches that allowed a hate filled and hurt society to see, and more importantly feel, the pain it was creating.

May we all learn to get outside ourselves long enough to feel what those around us feel.  Connecting with each other emotionally is the greatest tool to there is to helping people change.

Practice the white magic of listening and see your relationships and profits grow!

Enjoy Life today!

Jon Bohm

Just Jump already! What are you waiting for?

"Leadership is doing what everyone else says they will do." 

What have you said you "will do?"  Climb a peak, sky dive, forgive, love, settle down, build a company, chase a dream, travel the world, or something else?

Let me ask you, what are you waiting for?  More money?  More time?  More courage?  

Whatever it is, it's probably just an excuse to put your real living off for another day, another year, or another lifetime.

Every year I take a group, of anyone who wants to go, Skydiving.  My trip was this past Saturday (National Cancer Survivor's Day).  We had a great group and a great jump.  It can be a life changing experience and everyone who goes loves it.  Especially once they get to the ground.

But, if I went Skydiving with everyone who told me "I would love to do that!" "I've always wanted to go!"  A thousand people would have jumped by now.  My question to them is "what are you waiting for?"

What is your I've always wanted to ____________.?

• Take my dream vacation?
• Start my own business?
• Forgive that family member?
• Write a book?
• Get engaged?
• Learn to play the guitar, ride a motorcycle, etc?
• Go Skydiving?

What are you waiting for?  Whatever it is, it's very likely a poor reason to put your dreams on hold.  It doesn't matter if you are 23 or 73, you really don't know how long you have to drink up every drop of life you can.  Waiting is rarely a good idea.  Waiting is the same thing as making the decision not to do it.  Either way, you're not doing it.

As a cancer survivor I've realized life is too short to be waiting for a better time.  Your life...my life is now.  Take that dream vacation every year.  Put a plan in place to start that business, write that book, go skydiving.  We only get one time around - one shot at this life- What are you doing with yours?

Enjoy Life now,

Jon Bohm

Believe YOU can then SEE it happen

Some things have to be believed to be seen. ~Ralph Hodgson, The Skylark and Other Poems 

One of the greatest facts of human behavior I have seen in all the people I work with is that if you think you can...you can.  And if you think you can't...you are right about that too.

Working with athletes ranging from Pro- Golf to Basketball- it is true that if you can't visualize and really believe that you can make that putt, hit the shot, or nail that drive you just won't do it.  Sometimes the greatest hurdle stopping us from achieving the life we say we want is simply our own ability to BELIEVE WE CAN.

What about you?  What is a success you want in your life?  Do you believe you can do it?

Sometimes we have habits of thoughts that stop us.  Maybe from your family, an old coach, a past experience, something we made up out of thin air that stops us from believing we CAN.

Do any of these habits of thought stop you:

• You have to have money to make money
• Being wealthy is not Spiritual
• I don't deserve it
• My family didn't raise me to care about money
• I don't have those talents
• Getting your Masters is a long hard road.
• I'm not smart enough

The list goes on.  They are all lies, all roadblocks to keep you from the critical step of believing you can, should, or will do it.

Sometimes things have to be believed to be seen.  Practice BELIEVING, have a lot of FAITH in God, in you, in your abilities.  But believe it and then you will see it.

May we BELIEVE we can and experience the abundant life you have available even if you can't see it just yet.

Enjoy Life Today!

Jon Bohm