YOU MANIAC!

It’s actually a compliment

Sure, I get accused of being a maniac about growth, about improving, about wanting to make things better! That's a good thing and here’s why: Improvement won't happen until you go into maniac mode.

The status quo has a powerful pull. Change requires massive effort. So when accused of going overboard, of working too hard, winners sometimes feel like they need to dial it back. Wrong! You are on the right track but when the lazy see your pace it scares them. Compared to them, you ARE a maniac. 

That’s why so many people are stuck in life.
They want better things, but they don’t want to be bothered about all that it takes to get them. They don’t want to upset their lives. They don’t want to be bothered. They are dissatisfied but not enough to give up their small comforts. They don’t want to go to the trouble of working up a sweat or making any changes in their lives.

But they live in denial.
They won’t admit it to themselves. They profess to anyone who’ll listen how miserable they are and how desperately they want a better life. They’ll tell you what hard workers they are. They’ll tell you they don’t want something for nothing. But when it comes down to actually doing what it takes to make a change in their life, they fade away, full of excuses. When they see someone working hard they are offended.

The pretenders are ALWAYS annoyed by the maniacs—because they want an easier way. 

It’s crazy for you to slow yourself down to their pace.
Can you show me ANYONE who did anything spectacular in sports, business or anything else who WASN'T a maniac for a period of time? Even some parents are accused about being maniacs about their kids doing homework, jobs around the house, having curfews for teenagers because they want their kids to grow up right. I guess they are just a bunch of unreasonable maniacs too! Losers hover just below the spectacular and manic level... and never make their breakthrough. You can’t be casual about things you care about and expect great results.

If you can't inspire and drive yourself and your team to spectacular activity you'll NEVER have spectacular results!

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Feedback: Can you see why being a “maniac” for a period of time is necessary for success?

3 Three Killers of Dreams

Here are the 3 big diseases that kill the possible success of those starting out on new activities, businesses, projects and careers:

1. Hesitation Disease - Instead of jumping in, getting started, asking questions, charging ahead, you hold back. You start thinking about all the things that could go wrong, all the things you don’t know and you freeze. Instead of focusing on what you are excited about and what you like you focus on the unknowns. You freeze and you miss your opportunity.

2. Detail-itis - You want to know everything about everything. You major on the minors. You are never satisfied. You drive yourself to learn every single thing but you never do anything with any of your information. Since you aren’t active you remain idle. The idleness turns you into a busybody, endlessly poking your nose into other’s business, questioning and analyzing everything to death. Instead of making a positive contribution you become a negative, interfering with those doing the work.

3. Excuse-itis - You don’t take responsibility for your progress. You see yourself as a victim who is persecuted by the world. You can’t get anything done because The world is against you. You always have a reason why you can’t get anything done. You focus on problems. You seem oblivious to the fact that everyone has the same problems yet they get things done anyway. You never get anything done, but you always have an excuse.

Avoid these dream killers, and avoid those who have these diseases—because they are contagious and you don't want to get infected!

A Delicious Personal Indulgence

Winners learn that they can't afford negatives.  

Negatives are a delicious personal indulgence that winners learn they can't afford.  They've learned that indulging in excuse making, blaming others, whining and complaining about what they don't have doesn't improve their situation at all.  

It may make them feel better.
It may give them some comfort, like a warm blanket, but it doesn't get them where they want to go.   

Winners know they have to do things that others won't do.
They have to do things that will separate them from the pack.  On the other hand, they have the same amount of time as everyone else.  They've learned that success comes from making things happen in the time available to them and any negativity they indulge in is counterproductive.

It’s a mark of maturity.
Winners are just as prone to excuse making and whining as anyone else. However, over time they learn that doesn't get them where they want to go. As a result, they learn how to avoid it. It's part of the maturing process that leaders go through.   

Avoiding negativity is not a trait you're born with, it's a decision you make.

Winners Win and Losers Lose.

Who you are, you must choose.

My son Adam at 10 years old told me, “Excuses are like belly buttons.”  Startled, I asked why.  I had no idea where this was coming from or where it was going and he said, “They’re like belly buttons because everybody’s got one.”  Point well taken.

If you want an excuse, you’ll find an excuse. If you want a reason to fail, you’ll find a reason to fail, but it comes down to what kind of person are you? Are you a person who gets things done, who keeps fighting, solving problems, moving forward towards the goals you want in life no matter how long it takes, no matter how much effort?

Or, are you somebody who can never been counted on for anything? As soon as things get tough, you quit.  As soon as you run into a little resistance, you just decide to cave in.

Winners win and losers lose.  

Losers have no backbone.  

They have no fight in them. They whine. They gripe. They complain. They rationalize and they always lose.

A winner will keep fighting until they find a way to accomplish what they set out to accomplish. If they’re confused, they’ll ask questions of somebody who knows, who’s been there.  

They’ll read books. They’ll listen to tapes. They’ll think about it. They’ll try new ideas. They will keep moving until they win. 

A loser is going to lose.  A loser would just quit, blame it on things, make excuses and go on to something else. Which one are you? A winner or a loser?

Winners win and losers lose. Who you are, you must choose.