The Secret to a Great Day

Do you want to have a great day? Guess what, great days just don’t happen by accident, they usually start early and they start with good old fashion discipline. Most achievers are early risers and they wake up with the sun. They are energized and ready to rock the world. The hardest thing about early morning is putting both feet on the floor.  Try this…when your first foot hits the floor say “thank” when your second foot hits say “you” and the look up to the heavens. This is not a bad way to greet your new day ahead.

Next is where your rock solid habits need to kick in. Time to get your mind and body moving. I like to get on my workout cloths, brew my coffee and head to my home office. With coffee in hand I’m at my computer pulling up YouTube and looking for 15 to 20 minutes of an inspirational, educational entrepreneurial story. Last week it was my Warren Buffet week. Buffet is all over YouTube and I came away with many great thoughts and ideas. Next I head for the door for my 30 minute power walk in the great Rocky Mountain high air. I am accompanied by my trainer (Winston) and my therapist  (Lucy) and they are both wagging their tails! Labs also have great smiles! I try to time my walk as the sun is coming up. A great sunrise is better than runners high.

I’m back home and ready for 15 minutes of spiritual time. This is where my “why” really comes together and is really the most important part of my morning routine. Now I’m in the “zone”!! Next I’m off to the kitchen and blend my berry, banana and apple shake and shower, dress and dance out to my car ready to have a grand day meeting with “winners” from the Basics Team.

Life is good…

-- Bill Roth

The Strength Of Your Network

Successful people have robust professional networks (For example look at Warren Buffett, Richard Branson, and Oprah Winfrey). Most of us spend the majority of our time with our closest connections.  We go to dinner on the weekends with the same friends.  We workout with the same few people. At happy hours we eventually migrate to be with our closest friends to debrief on the latest work politics, social happenings, and yes the latest Shark Tank episode (at least I do).  Even further, at work we tend to eat lunch and sneak away for afternoon Starbucks with the same co-workers.

The large amount of time spent with close personal relationships by default naturally restricts our ability to expand our professional networks.  For this discussion let's all agree that one's professional network will most likely lead to one's next job or new customer as this network is exponentially larger than our day-to-day personal network.  I challenge you to dedicate a few hours a week to strengthening your professional network.  Try simple activities such as networking lunches, 15-minute introduction coffees, follow-up emails, seminars, and even joining new social circles.  Your acquaintances can be your most valuable relationships.

Today there is a powerful tool at your fingertips to help develop a strong robust professional network. If you have not guessed it, it is LinkedIn.  The networking power of LinkedIn isn’t in your 1st degree contacts as you already have established those relationships (being friends and close co-workers).  The true value of LinkedIn is in the 2nd degree contacts.  These are the individuals that your 1st Degree contacts can introduce you to.  Your next customer is just 1 introduction away.  Spend the time and effort to building out your professional network.  

-- Pat Roth

Vision Boards - Grab a Glass of Wine, Turn on the Music & Create

I heard about vision boards years ago but never had taken the time to actually look into them or create one. The theory behind them is you look at them often to keep your goals in mind, think positively and stay motivated.

One day a few years ago, I became inspired and decided to pour through magazines and be creative. I came to realize this was a really fun and fulfilling process. I cut out different pictures, phrases, words, etc. that spoke to how I want to live my life and the type of balance I seek in it. For me that included family, friends, faith, being active, etc. I had such a good experience taking some quiet time for myself to turn on music, pour a glass of wine and create!

Vision boards can be made with words, pictures, etc. They can be individual or perhaps something you and your significant other create together to keep in mind your goals and dreams. When I made mine I made a collage on a poster board, but there are many ways you can do it. I know my Dad keeps his in his journal and adds to it continuously with photos, quotes, etc. that he finds. You could also use an online tool like Pinterest or look into a vision board app.

The best way to utilize them is to have it somewhere where you will look often. I hang mine in our closet. And in fact, in writing this I realize that it's time for me to update my board as it has been a few years and a lot has changed!

Have you ever made a vision board?

Happy creating!

Really, Try Tracking for 30 Days

This month Denver hosted a TEDxMileHigh event showcasing numerous Colorado speakers spreading big ideas. TEDxMileHIgh describes itself as "a community of thinkers and doers, ideators and creators, activists and enthusiasts".  Even though it was a beautiful classic Colorado Saturday, I really enjoyed forgoing the sun and listening the the wide range of speakers.  The one speaker that gained traction with me was Ned Breslin, a life long water activist. Ned left me with the very simple thought of if you are not tracking how do you tell if you are truelly creating value.  In other words, without tracking your results you could be moving in the wrong direction and not have a clue.  Ned described a very simple scenario of water focused NGOs moving from town to town in Africa with presumably establishing life changing wells for communities.  The unknown downside was that the NGOs didn't track to see if the wells actually worked in future years.  You guessed it, some were still active and some were disappointments to the host community.  Ned proposes a system of continuous tracking of the wells to learn and establish best practices.

Now we all have big goals and habits for 2013.  What if we spent the next 30 days seriously tracking our progress and results what would we learn about ourself?

July 1st is almost upon us and it is a perfect time to spend 30 days tracking what ever habit you are trying to establish or abolish.  Several of my personal ideas for July tracking ideas are:

• Frequency of workouts
• Meals with vegetables
• Personal finances
• Relationship building through coffees, lunches, email, text messages and yes an old school phone call

As you know I am very keen on systems and platforms.  Some of my favorite tools I am currently using are:

• Nike Fuel Band - tracks my daily movement
• WorkOut - simple calendar iPhone app that tracks frequency and allows simple note taking
• Lift - simple habit creating iPhone app with a social network encouragement element 
• Simple Bound Notebook

What successes have you achieved by tracking? Any recommendations for our Basics Team Members?

Go for it!

-- Pat Roth

Move To Simplicity

Hi Basics Team,

A few months ago I started following the movement of Living Simply.  Surprising there is a vast amount of information scatter all over the web and book stores (the irony of this wasn't lost on me).

One of my favorite stories is from Blake Mycoskie, the founder of Toms shoes (www.toms.com).  If you don't know about Toms shoes the key theme is for every pair of shoes they sell they donate a pair to the third world through a Shoe Drop.  A Shop Drop is a mission trip where Blake and others travel to third world communities to deliver the donated shoes and meet the local people.  Early on during the Shoe Drops he tells of a the reoccurring theme that the happiest people tend to be those who often possessed the least.  Living complicated lives and acquiring countless material possessions doesn't necessarily bring happiness.  Seeing this over and over on his Shoe Drop missions, Blake eventually ridded himself of his loft in Venice Beach, which included a large flat screen TV, expensive furniture, count less pieces artwork, vast wardrobes, etc.  He moved on to his 200 square foot sail boat with just the essentials.  In his book, Start Something That Matters, he says "Once I got rid of all those things, I felt remarkably free.  That led to a great peace of mind and, from a business standpoint, more creativity.  Without clutter, I think more clearly than I ever have".

In Basics we know that to be great we have to study the greats.  Now most of us are not going to give away most of our personal possessions and move on to a sail boat (heck we live in Colorado, home of only a few lakes).  What if we just tried to simplify the massive amounts of information that cripples our creativity and ability to create value.  Information is expanding exponentially and hitting us in countless avenues like newspapers, cable television, magazines, radio, internet, postal mail, email, social media, etc.  We just can't keep up with this information and it is distracting us from growing our businesses, excelling in our jobs, and creating value for clients. 

My suggestion is to cut out unneeded distractions and seek the core of every situation. It's just that simple!  I am experiementing by:

• Cancelled cable television (big money saver)
• Cancelled my subscription to the Wall Street Journal 
• Utilizing news iPhone apps like Feedly and Flipboard that streamline news of my interest in an easy and quick platform to read
• Retired and simplified much of my wardrobe (goodbye countless t-shirts, pants, suits, sweaters, etc.)
• Moved to a paperless personal file cabinet (thank you Evernote and Dropbox)

If you took minor steps to simply and uncluttered your life what could you accomplish in the next 30 days?  I look forward to hearing from you.

-- Pat Roth

What I Learned From My Dogs

Those of you that know the Roth family know that we cherish our 3 black labs.  They accompany us on our Colorado vacations and are great helpers when we BBQ.  Since the first lab joined our family 5 years ago we have added two others to our family circle.

It dawned on me that these dogs practice the "Power of a Great Smile".  In Basics we talked about:

A smile is a lamp that illuminates the soul.

It says happy, open, confident - without saying a word.

It's warmth from the inside out.

A smile lets others know you are home, welcome them to visit.

If you don't know a word of another language, smile.

It's the universal symbol of a positive attitude.

Your smile may touch someone in ways you'll never know.

Without exception when I come home from a long day at work the dogs welcome me with a big smile that immediately uplifts my mood.  It got me thinking that I should always greet people with the same smile and enthusiasm as the dogs.  Smiles are contagious!  Next time you are in a group of strangers be the first to smile and watch everyone's reaction.

-- Pat Roth

It is Half Time For The Year 2013 - What Are People Saying About Your Attitude

As we finish out May, take the time to reflect on your ATTITUDE for the first part of 2013.

• Are you on your way to accomplishing your goals?
• Is your passion running at an all time high?
• Do people generally want to be around you?
• Are you one of the people that just love Monday Mornings?

If your answer to the above is YES!, no or maybe, it is a great time restart your engine so the second part of 2013 is successful.  Further the lead you gained this year or set yourself up for one of the best comebacks and end the year strong.

I personally start with self reflection to give me a sense of my general direction.  Self reflection starts with reviewing my goals I set earlier this year and asking myself:  

• Where have I succeeded?
• Where have I failed?
• Why did I changed direction?   

Now is the tough part.  You need to reach out to your support group of family, friends, mentors, peers, co-workers, bosses, employees and yes your business coach to see how they score you through the first part of 2013.  Some may enjoy this exercise, but many of us will cringe (me included).   

I have learned for me to be successful it all starts and ends with projecting a positive ATTITUDE internally and externally.  Success in business and life means little if it isn't aligned with a positive ATTITUDE.  Do you really want to spend time or follow a leader if negativity floods the situation (I sure don't).  Winning is awesome, but celebrating a victory with those who you care for is even sweeter!

See the below "Basics Snap-Shot".  Print it and keep it with you, put it in your journal, tape it to your bathroom mirror or even make it your backdrop on your iPad/computer.  Constant reminders of keeping a positive ATTITUDE will project you across the goal line in 2013.

- Pat Roth

Download the ATTITUDE "Basics Snap-Shot"