Staying Motivated and Staying Positive!
July 31, 2008
One of the things I hear most often from companies and organizations is, “How does someone stay on fire? How do you STAY motivated and upbeat and all those good things?!” One of the things I share in “How to Build a Positive Attitude and Keep the Darn Thing” is how to use newspapers to stay positive.
Hardly a day goes by that I don’t have Quiet Time in the morning. Some people do Yoga. Others stretch (I can’t stand stretching, but should do more . . . ) Whatever, Quiet Time is that time of the day you can control and help set the foundation. I used to “hit the floor running” but found that only set me up to have an Exasperated Attitude throughout the day.
Part of the process is going through the local paper specifically looking for articles on inspirational people. The nice thing about a paper is you can dart around and find positive news on local people you can relate to.
I often count my blessings by reading about the adversity others go through. I gain inspiration by their quotes in the article. Here is a timely example. On one occasion I picked up a USA Today in a coffee shop. I briskly scanned for an inspirational story.
In the Sports section I found a story on Denver Broncos Quarterback Jay Cutler. The 25 year old was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in April. He didn’t feel sorry for himself for a second. He bought books and went to work fighting it. He said he was inspired by an 8 year old who had to be awakened three times a night to have his blood sugar level checked. Cutler couldn’t imagine being a parent getting up three times in the night.
I stay positive by reading many obituaries! Say what?! These days families often write the obituary. I find those to be very inspirational. I am motivated by the person’s “dash.” The dash is in between their birth date and death date. The “dash” is their life! That little dash represents so much.
I often read of the passion they had for life, family, their business and community. That pumps me up for the day. I also am inspired by their humor. I was reading about one fella who had passed away recently. He was a character! They said he was always “up to something.”
He was a practical joker. Every time his mother in law visited she made it clear the house wasn’t up to standards. She would start vacuuming. Well, this fella would hide out in the hall and unplug the vacuum and dart around the corner. The mother in law kept replugging the vacuum over and over. It drove her half goofy trying to figure out why the plug kept coming out!
Reading that article reminded me to have fun that day and that week!
About the Author:
Charlie Adams is an authority on Customer Service and Peak Performance. As an award winning Television Anchor, Charlie interviewed hundreds of high achievers over two decades. He shares their insights with audiences across the country.
Charlie's "Stoke the Fire Within" program kindles the flames of excellence within organizations. His "Spirit of Customer Service" equips people with the passion and tools to build loyal customers. In 2008, Charlie will be sharing his message in such locations as Philadelphia, Chicago, Durango,CO and Fairbanks, AK.
He is the author of "Stoke the Fire Within: A Guide to Igniting your Life"
For more information on Charlie's programs please visit http://www.stokethefirewithin.com/ or email charlie@StokeTheFireWithin.com
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