|
 |
 |
Saturday, 07.31.2010 |
|
| Thinking for a Change |
|
|
|
Product Details
Notes
successful people think differently than unsuccessful people
PART I: CHANGE YOUR THINKING AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE
CHAPTER 1 - UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF GOOD THINKING
what we think determines who we are
who we are determines what we do
we can change the way we think
you can start your life with a negative mindset
and it's still possible to change your thinking over time
it's not easy, you have to learn how to get past your emotions
formal education often teaches what to think, not how to think
knowledge by itself is not power
you can't expect to change your results without changing your thinking
if you keep thinking in the same way, you'll get the same results
if you're at the top of the amateur field, go pro immediately
otherwise you'll think like an amateur because you're surrounded by them
who you hang around with can influence how you think
to make progress, you have to take action
but the success of the action depends on how you think first
think for yourself rather than following popular thinking
always strive to keep growing in your thinking
you need to have better thinking to handle bigger challenges
practice making good thinking a consistent habit in your life
unsuccessful people focus their thinking on survival
average people focus their thinking on maintenance
successful people focus their thinking on progress
most employees just do what they're told and they don't think
the ones that stand out think about how to add value to their task
CHAPTER 2 - REALIZE THE IMPACT OF CHANGED THINKING
"Everyone thinks of changing the world,
but no one thinks of changing himself" - Leo Tolstoy
a change in thinking does not happen on its own
you need to actively search for good ideas and be open to them
"Thinking is hard work; that's why so few do it" - Albert Einstein
invest in yourself and your mind
that will pay off more than any stock or real estate
most people who aren't content with their lives don't know the reason why
they blame circumstances or other people
or they think that it's just the way they are and they can't change it
start by focusing on the details of how to change your thinking
remember that you usually can't change someone else
you can teach people ideas, but they have to take personal responsibility
if you can't see yourself doing or achieving something, you won't
one aspect of changing your thinking is changing your beliefs
learn how to believe in your own personal abilities
look at yourself differently, and look at others differently
change is personal - I need to change
change is possible - I'm able to change
change is profitable - I'll be rewarded by change
progress usually requires change, and change feels awkward
but if change is not uncomfortable, it's probably not really a change
before you change your actions, start by changing your mind
improve your thinking in order to optimize your actions
CHAPTER 3 - MASTER THE PROCESS OF INTENTIONAL THINKING
find a place to think your thoughts
try to come up with one good thought each day
possible locations include the car, on a plane, or in a hot tub
also be prepared for ideas that come in the shower, or in bed
have a writing pad ready to capture ideas
but more importantly, get yourself into a thinking place often
most raw ideas need to be shaped
they need to stand the test of clarity and questioning
put your thoughts in writing and fine tune them by asking questions
try playing out an idea mentally and imagine the future of it
also let the idea give you insight into yourself
sometimes the questions are more important than the answers
by asking questions, you gain perspective on your ideas
to really stretch an idea to its full potential, bring in others
let other people help you to expand an idea to the limit
the right thought + the right people
in the right environment at the right time
for the right reason = the right result
land your idea to go from abstraction to application
first, make sure you believe in it yourself
then see if the influencers will embrace it
now get it to the front lines of the people who will implement it
people are most likely to change when:
- they hurt enough that they are willing to change
- they learn enough that they want to change
- they receive enough that they are able to change
expose yourself to good input in order to encourage new ideas
read books, listen to audiobooks, spend time with good thinkers
when something intrigues you, keep it in front of your mind
thinking is a discipline
many successful people creating a thinking schedule
they take time each week, month, and year to set aside for thinking
don't wait until you feel like thinking
think first, and the emotions will follow
same thing with taking action, act your way into feeling good about it
don't rely on one good thought, make it a habit
good thinking will help you through your entire life
mine your idea nuggets into gold
keep digging deeper into small ideas to uncover bigger ones
PART II: ELEVEN THINKING SKILLS EVERY SUCCESSFUL PERSON NEEDS
SKILL 1 - ACQUIRE THE WISDOM OF BIG-PICTURE THINKING
an example is Eratosthenes, who saw the sun reflect from the bottom of a well
since the sun cast shadows in a city 800 kilometers away
he was able to deduce that the Earth must be a sphere, not flat
that's how big picture thinking can give you huge insights from small details
in business, an employee can focus on the customer relationship
that's the big picture goal, rather than the sale of any one product
it helps you deal with short term problems
learn continually to eventually connect things that seem unrelated
consciously look for opportunities to learn and pay attention to them
listen intentionally when you get to ask questions of successful people
recognize that there are lots of things you don't know yet
look expansively to see things from the viewpoint of others
who you are often determines what you see and what you focus on
live completely and take advantage of full life experiences
gain a better perspective by having seen and done many things before
no one actually wants to be closed-minded
but you have to be intentional about gaining big-picture thinking
leaders must have a long term vision
seeing the big picture allows you to focus on what's most important
you want to take into account many variables at once
learn to visualize a direction and strategy for the future
look for meaningful connections between the past and future
think about timing and plan your actions at the right time
make sure you think about the big things while doing the small things
put yourself in another person's shoes to see their perspective
use this knowledge to see how each person fits into a team
don't get caught up in the immediate task and forget about the ultimate goal
don't say, "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it"
cross the bridge in your mind first using big-picture thinking
don't strive for certainty, be comfortable with ambiguity
it's not always about harmony, sometimes you want healthy, productive conflict
look for the "genius of the AND"
combine seemingly opposite points of view at the same time
pursue both purpose AND profit
be highly visionary AND execute the details well
look for a variety of experiences, both positive and negative
this will help you see the big picture
try lots of things, take lots of chances, and learn after every victory or defeat
also learn from the experiences and insights of others
but be selective in who you trust and who has specific expertise
SKILL 2 - UNLEASH THE POTENTIAL OF FOCUSED THINKING
focus brings energy and power to a specific effort
concentration for an extended time is essential to achievement
the first step is brainstorming, where you go for quantity
but then you have to apply focus to refine the quality of an idea
focusing is about removing distraction and mental clutter
it's about getting clarity on one specific task
it helps you get clear on your exact goal
try to avoid hopping from one thing to another
pick a direction and follow through
you have to be willing to put in the time and attention on one problem
come up with a specific list of areas to focus on
look at your priorities - yourself, your family, and your team
look at your unique strengths and natural skills and talents
figure out what might bring the highest return and reward
look at what you enjoy the most, and what you do the best
you may have grown up around people who didn't lead
then you have to explore yourself more to figure out your unique path
look for positive role models, mentors, and friends you can learn from
reflect on your past failures and successes
see if there's a theme running through your life so far
once you find your dream, move forward without second-guessing
you can try more things when you're younger
as you get older, you need to narrow your focus more and more
remove distractions by focusing on what you want, not what you don't want
constantly evaluate your priorities, make sure you do what's most important
do the most important things first
not the most urgent, or the easiest tasks
come up with systems to insulate yourself from distractions
learn how to make yourself unavailable when you need to focus
try not to multitask, focus completely on one thing at at time
keep a reminder of your important tasks in front of you
ask yourself regularly if you're making progress or seeing a return
keep adjusting your direction based on the metrics
acknowledge that you have to give up some other things in order to focus
you don't really need to know about most things in life
your friends can tell you what's important in other areas
SKILL 3 - DISCOVER THE JOY OF CREATIVE THINKING
your ideas are more important than your title or your "output"
children are creative, but you lose it as you grow up
creative thinking is not necessarily original thinking
it's usually a composite of other thoughts discovered along the way
creativity is about having lots of ideas
that means you have to constantly explore ideas
you recognize a new idea because you've seen lots of past ideas
creative thinkers explore options
imagination lets you consider all the possibilities
you have to be okay with inconsistencies and ambiguity
there's no one right answer, there are answers you haven't thought of yet
you might be offbeat or unusual in order to come up with creative ideas
creative ideas can come from connecting the ideas of others
you see the connections between ideas that appear unrelated
the key is to have a long term plan
then you'll notice things that fit into your eventual idea
think --> collect --> create --> correct --> connect
creativity equals failure, it requires a willingness to look stupid
you have to be willing to go out on a limb
see what everyone else has seen, but think what no one else has thought
creative thinking is hard work
but it compounds given enough time and focus
it builds on itself and actually increases your creativity
you can't use up creativity, the more you use, the more you have
creativity is intelligence having fun, it attracts others
it's about the joy of not knowing it all, so you have fun with discovery
create an environment of innovation, allow employees to explore
trust your instincts and build trust between team members
have a party, weed out the dull people
you don't need to imagine a completely new concept
instead, try combining two elements into a new application
challenge boundaries, challenge the rules and the status quo
don't just focus on goals, think about the ideal dream
think outside your own box by:
seeing new places
trying new things
reading new subjects
exploring other cultures
SKILL 4 - RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF REALISTIC THINKING
reality is the difference between what we wish and what is
understand that you can't please everyone
if you're a naturally optimistic person, you still need realistic thinking
it minimizes downside risk by letting you see the worst case scenario
it gives you a target and game plan, instead of just relying on hope
it can be a catalyst for change when you stare reality in the face
it provides security by forcing you to build contingency plans
leaders can inspire, but they also need to show realistic results
by communicating the challenges, you avoid losing motivation
this is especially important with long term projects
the first step is to seek the truth, be honest about reality
do your homework and don't get caught up in the hype, check the facts
think through the pros and cons to avoid overly-positive thinking
picture the worst case scenario, don't expect the worst but be ready for it
align your thinking with your resources, your resources with your objectives
ask others to help identify weaknesses both in your ideas and in yourself
don't defend yourself, listen and try to understand
SKILL 5 - RELEASE THE POWER OF STRATEGIC THINKING
strategy is about planning and coming up with effective systems
systems are simply good strategies that can be repeated
the way to break down complex issues is by asking questions
direction: what should we do next and why
organization: who is responsible for what
cash: what is our projected income, expenses, and net
tracking: are we on target
overall evaluation: are we achieving the quality we expect
refinement: how can we be more effective and more efficient
be precise in your thinking, match the strategy to the problem at hand
ask yourself what needs to be done today to plan for an uncertain future
your strategy links where you are to where you want to be
others will want to follow those who have a good plan
before you ask how to achieve a goal, ask why you want it
don't just try to become good at what you've been assigned
take the time to question your basic assumptions from the start
before it can be solved, a problem must be clearly defined
take inventory of your resources, both time and money
start with the obvious, so your team can get on board
make sure you have the right people in place
make strategic thinking a habit, you have to do it continuously
SKILL 6 - FEEL THE ENERGY OF POSSIBILITY THINKING
most things have never been done before or imagined
but that doesn't make them impossible, you just need the vision
by thinking big, you open up new avenues that didn't exist before
your thinking attracts talented people to you and keeps them on the team
your confidence helps others to think big and come up with creative solutions
sometimes it helps to give problems to unexperienced people
they are more likely to have a fresh perspective and not be stuck in a rut
thinking big gives you energy and gets you excited
if you think something can't be done, you don't have the energy to pursue it
it also keeps you from giving up, because you assume it will work eventually
don't look for what's wrong or search for problems
get friends to alert you when you are saying negative things
don't listen to the experts who say it can't be done
see the good and the opportunity in any situation
don't just notice how bad your competitors are doing
pay attention to what they're doing right and learn from it
dream one size bigger than you're used to
remember that you can't improve and still stay the same
growth means change, which means challenging the status quo
find achievers you admire and study them
SKILL 7 - EMBRACE THE LESSONS OF REFLECTIVE THINKING
keep things around you that will help you reflect
come up with a list of questions to prompt your thinking
look at pictures of people close to you to remind you of what's important
reflection helps you continue growing
it also lets you celebrate victories
spend time at the end of each week, month, and year to reflect
figure out what you can learn from the past by thinking about it
watch out for the fast pace of society and people who rush to act
ask your children what they liked and what they learned
reflection allows you to revisit an idea with a calm mind
it's hard to think clearly sometimes in the heat of the moment
reflective thinking gives you confidence in your decisions
you can trust the thinking you did before
reflection allows you to see the big picture
reflective thinking turns experience into insight
set aside time for reflection and self-examination
remove yourself from distractions, try solitude
regularly review your calendar and journal
what did i learn?
how can i apply these lessons?
how have i added value?
what was done successfully with others?
was i a good leader?
how's my exercise program and fitness?
how are my personal relationships with friends and family?
what else needs more thinking time?
what memory do i want to review or cherish?
are there any difficulties or challenges i'm facing?
what are my biggest successes or victories lately?
did i live this day to the fullest?
take your best ideas and be intentional about putting them into action
most people get temporary motivation, but they don't apply the lessons
SKILL 8 - QUESTION THE ACCEPTANCE OF POPULAR THINKING
good thinking is hard work, but most people choose the lazy popular ideas
people assume that everyone else must have thought it out
don't assume that the past way of doing things is the best way
just because something hasn't been done yet doesn't mean it can't be done
popular thinking is the same as being average or normal
but it doesn't get you to become extraordinary
try not to automatically follow others, think for yourself first
be willing to be unpopular if you want to find opportunity
appreciate the thinking of others, even if it's different from your own
look for ideas from other industries to apply to your business
don't settle in your past thinking, continually question your own patterns
your future success may be very different than your past success
try new things in new ways, be willing to explore and experiment
get used to being uncomfortable as you embrace change
go against the current, try to be the contrarian to see if it works
don't worry about pleasing everyone else, follow your own instincts
SKILL 9 - ENCOURAGE THE PARTICIPATION OF SHARED THINKING
shared thinking is faster than solo thinking, the community adds speed
you can learn faster from someone with experience than on your own
collaboration can lead to innovation more than a soloist in a vacuum
we each have blind spots, so together we can think of more ideas
two horses pulling together can move more weight than the sum of each
partnering in the same direction actually creates leverage
a strong relationship can actually compound your results
learn to value the ideas of others
be emotionally secure in yourself to accept comments and criticism
value the interactive process itself
look for cooperation instead of competition
try to complete the ideas of others, rather than compete with them
help your team instead of trying to get ahead personally
have an agenda for any meeting to make clear progress
make sure you get the right people around the table
focus on the success of the ideas, not on praising individual people
SKILL 10 - EXPERIENCE THE SATISFACTION OF UNSELFISH THINKING
helping others brings great personal fulfillment
think of the needs of others, not just of yourself
practice giving in order to learn how to be better at it
try giving anonymously to learn to give without receiving anything back
look for a win-win situation with other people
helping other people achieve their goals will end up helping yours
check your motives and make sure you're doing things for the right reason
Ben Franklin asked two questions at the start and end of each day:
"What good am I going to do today?"
"What good have I done today?"
SKILL 11 - ENJOY THE RETURN OF BOTTOM-LINE THINKING
be clear on your mission statement and focus directly on it
bottom-line thinking lets you measure outcomes with real benchmarks
it helps you evaluate how you're doing in any area
you have to know what your target is in order to hit it
be as specific as possible with the definition of your bottom line
set aside your emotions and your wants
get clear about what the real purpose is behind it all
if you could accomplish only one thing, what would it be?
make sure everyone on your team knows what the bottom line is
they should know their personal bottom line, as well as the organization's
review your metrics often to make sure you're going in the right direction
|
|
|
