John Bendall owner of Re/Max Classic Group offers suggestions for keeping your focus.

As most of you know I will be going to South Africa to speak, leaving on February 4^th for 2 weeks. Heading out of town can be hectic with all of the packing, preparing, planning, phoning, etc.  When I get out of town, it thoroughly clears my thoughts…gets me out from in front of the trees and lets me see the forest for what it is. Let’s me see things at an eagle-eye level.

Imagine a line going from left to right at a sharply upward angle.  That is the growth line, but life hits you in the face and sometimes you drift off that line and down….That is the joy of learning, implementing, reading, and listening to CDs…it keeps you on the line!   Taking the time to step back and review your life, your family, and your business at a macroscopic level can do wonders for re-positioning yourself for success. This bird’s eye view will make you more money, create more happiness for you, and put things in perspective. Ready for a lesson with your breakfast? (Isn’t life a poor teacher?  Nine times out of 10, we get the lesson AFTER the test, unlike in the classroom!)

You have a choice.  Every day, every moment, every event dictates a choice for you.  You have the choice on how to react to those events.  Two master teachers tell us how to look at this:

H    Stephen Covey (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People) describes it as Stimulus + Gap of Time à Response described as between stimulus (what happens to us) and response (how we react) there is a gap of time.  The human species is the only one who doesn’t live on instinct.  We have a choice in our response. 

H    Jack Canfield (The Success Principles, Chicken Soup for Soul books, FOCUS, etc.) describes it from his first chapter of The Success Principles (Take 100% Responsibility for Your Life) as E + R = O.  Event plus Response equals Outcome.  What you get out of a situation is your reaction to the situation.

Both give a glorious outlook!  We have a choice! Only YOU can make YOU feel miserable.  Only YOU can make YOU happy!  Isn’t that an amazing, beautiful thing?!  Sometimes people look at me weird because I am ALWAYS positive.  There is ALWAYS a positive outcome for anything.  EVERYTHING happens for a reason.  Doesn’t that just clear things up for you?  Isn’t that some "Windex for your Lighthouse?"

What is making you miserable, stressed, unhappy? Look in the mirror…and smile. You have a choice!  You can do something about it. 

One of the key common characteristics of high achievers…optimism. Things ARE going to be great. 

Count your blessings for they are many! 

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