Debra Kasowski

EPISODE 1: Take 100% Responsibility 

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Stop Complaining, Making Excuses, and Blaming Others – It is Time to OWN it!!

We will be looking at the situations in life where you want to point fingers at people or you want to say it was not my fault. If you look around you at the choices you have made or some of the outcomes you have had, you need to look around and ask yourself, “What part did I have in this”

I had no control; it happened to me. Take a different approach by asking, “How did it happen FOR you?” What can you learn from this situation so the same situation does not happen again? People do not take enough time to investigate their outcomes.

Begin by asking yourself questions about a situation: What part did I play in this? What could I have done to change the outcome? What could I do differently in the future?

Imagine someone is coming to pick you up for an appointment or you are going somewhere for a specific time. You are watching the clock tick because you know if you do not leave by a certain time you will not make it on time. The person may show up 10 minutes late and you get to the location late. You get frustrated at the person driving you.

Take a step back.

Ask yourself…

What could I have done to achieve a different outcome?

Was I prepared to be out on time?

Could I have called in advance to ensure the person left on time?

Could I check to see if there was any road construction or accidents on their route to be aware of?

Come to the situation as a learner. What parts do I have control of or influence?

Avoid comparing yourself to others. Focus on improving yourself and showing up as your “BEST” self every day.

TMW_PDFclickhere.fwOften when people compare themselves, they are looking at one moment in time. As an example, someone has a victory – they seem to have all the luck. They have all the money and everything in place to succeed and it does not work out like that for you.

If you rolled out that person’s life and your life, would you be willing to erase all of the memories that you and trade for the other person’s life? If you at it from that perspective, I am sure chances are that you would not want to erase those precious memories.

It is not about competition as it is about playing your own game and showing up as your BEST self every day.

Focus on discovering solutions and look for the opportunities. What can you do about it? How can I make a different? It is not about sitting in the wings and being a wallflower. If you see something that needs to be changed, it’s about letting your voice be known.

Choose to be responsive versus reactive. You will make better decisions when you think before acting. Do you attack like a jaguar or a leopard ready to attack or do you take a step back and collect your thoughts? It is about choosing to be responsive versus being reactive. It takes a lot of emotional intelligence. Otherwise, you are like a bull in a china shop barging in and break everything around you and then you wonder why no one wants to follow you.

When you chose to be responsive your brain is a lot calmer. Your amygdala goes into an irrational mode – fight or flight response. When you are highly emotive and reactive, you are not thinking rationally and you will not make decisions as well. What you want to do is, is to come to a place where you are calm enough to respond, that you thought through what you want to say so you can make better decisions before you act. Not everyone likes to be held accountable but they like to know they are reaching outcomes.

Surround yourself with people who are accountable to for their actions. You become like the people who you surround yourself with. Take a look around you, “Are the people you are hanging out with accountable for their actions?”

You cannot hold others accountable for you cannot hold yourself accountable first.

Be willing to take action on what you want to achieve. Speak up if you need to, make a request, or try something new. Remember if you do what you have always done – you’ll get the same results.

Remember to SIGN UP for our Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 “Surefire Strategies” download.

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

 

Time 9.46 min.

3 Ways High Performers Get into the Zone

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Have you ever wondered how they do it? You know how the high performers get so laser focused on achieving their goals.

Some people call it “getting into the zone” or “into the flow”; this is where you are super focused and your concentration is full on. You become an unstoppable force in pursuit – in pursuit of a grand vision.

You may think that getting into the zone was only reserved for athletes; however, it applies to anyone who wants to be a high performer. You could be preparing for the big board meeting or pitching a business idea. You could be an artist painting a picture, a musician preparing for a big gig, or a student studying for an exam. What areas of your life do you what to be known as a high performer?

High performers all have three things in common: motive, mindset, and mastery.

Motive

High performers have a clear understanding of what motivates them. High performers are motivated from within and do not necessarily need someone outside in themselves to push them toward their goals. Recognition and rewards can be motivating but are not often the sole motivators. They know their “why” for doing what they want to do and they make specific plans to get there. They take time to learn how to do what they want to do and break it down into smaller manageable pieces. These performers have a clear picture of how everything may unfold; and they learn to let go and trust in their abilities.

Mindset

High performers prepare their mindset by eliminating as many distractions as possible. Have you ever seen the movie “The Legend of Bagger Vance” with Will Smith and Matt Damon? Matt Damon’s character was a golfer who needed to have the ability to zone the crowd out and focus on his next shot. When high performers get in the zone they are able to move be laser focused on what they are working on without distraction.

They may eliminate clutter or create a space or environment where they feel at their best. Clutter can be external like messy desk or piles clothing waiting to be folded. Internal clutter such as negative self-talk can create self-doubt and sabotage your actions. Listening to music or podcasts can put you in a good mood and leave you in a positive state.

Exercise is an excellent way to set your mindset. It increases blood flow to the brain making you more alert and awake during exercise but more focused after exercise. Yoga, meditation, and prayer also focus the mind. For some high performers timing can be everything, they work when their energy is the highest to achieve the greatest results. An example of this is the person who gets up early or the person who stays up late to do what they need to do.

Mastery

High performers imagine their success and m person mastery. They do this through the power of visualization and acting as if they have already achieved what they already want. Start each day or end every evening visualizing achieving success in details as if it was reality. Actor Jim Carrey credited his success to the power of visualization. He wrote himself a check for $10 million dollars for acting services rendered. Vision boards are a very powerful tool to keep what you want top of mind.

“Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.” – Oprah Winfrey

Journaling your success is another way to focus on what you wish to achieve. Write out the events as if everything was unfolding the way you want it to be. Your perception is your reality.

Remember the brain cannot distinguish between what is real and imagined so putting yourself in the state and imagining yourself as of achieving it makes it real. Your positive thoughts influence your feelings and the actions you will take to achieve your goals. High performers often attribute practice and more practice as the key to their success. They aim to give their very best to succeed.

To be a high performer, you must be persistent and stay committed to your course of action. You must know what you want and why you want what you want. You must enjoy what you do in order to do it well.

What actions will you take to get into the zone and become a high performer?

 

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

15 Time Saving Tips to Avoid Morning Madness

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Getting out the door in the morning can be a challenge. It seems like there is never enough time to get things done. Why do some people seem to have a handle on this while others struggle?

Many of the time saving tips seem so common. If they were so common, why isn’t everyone doing it? You could be setting yourself up for a focused work day. Time is a commodity; use it wisely.

“I get up every morning determined to both change the world and to have one hell of a good time. Sometimes, this makes planning the day difficult.” – E.B. White

The night before…

  1. Ensure you have gas in your vehicle the night before. Having the yellow light indicator alerting you to an empty tank will detour your efforts to getting to where you need to on time because now you need to plan to stop and fill up.
  2. Put a clock in your bathroom. By keeping an eye on the time, you will have a better idea how much time getting ready is taking you and how soon you need to get out the door.
  3. Set a timer or create a playlist of upbeat songs and set a firm timeline that you need to leave the house by. You should have an idea about how long it will take you to get ready and get out the door to your destination. You may choose to set it 15 minutes in advance so you can leave the house earlier prepared for the unexpected.
  4. Write out your to-do list. Organize your drive time and errands so you make the most effective use of your time for the next day.
  5. Pack your lunch. You are more likely to take a lunch if you are already prepared. If you are running late, you will skip making a lunch and end up having to buy one. It may not seem like much one time but if you did this regularly it could become quite costly. Fill up your water bottle and put together snack size vegetable packs to keep with you in a small cooler or grab an apple or orange to have on standby when needed.
  6. Check the weather for the next day. You can plan your travels and what you are going to wear. You may need to pack an umbrella or a jacket.
  7. Lay out your clothes that you are going to wear. You avoid wasting time making a decision. Some people have a standard uniform they wear to avoid having too many choices in the morning.
  8. Sleep in your workout clothes. You are already dressed to work out and are less likely to bow out of your workout because you are dressed.
  9. Set your essentials such as car keys, your gym bag, shoes, wallet or purse, and your to-do list at the front door. You will spend less time looking for keys to your vehicle and be prepared for your day.
  10. Buy a coffee maker with a timer. If you need your morning cup of java, put the water and the grind in the coffee maker so that it is brewing as you are getting ready.
  11. Put together an easy “on the go” breakfast. Skipping breakfast is not healthy. Your body needs to break the fast and the metabolism working in the morning. Prepare breakfast burritos in advance so that you can heat and go on the run. You may prepare snack size bags of cereal, some berries, and yogurt for a quick breakfast. Smoothies are great for a healthy breakfast for those who are rush. You can place your fruit and yogurt in the blender and keep it in the fridge so it is ready to go.
  12. Go to bed at the same time every night or earlier. Open your curtains to the sun’s natural light can wake you. Your body needs a certain amount of sleep tp feel rested and you will be less likely to hit the snooze button and fall back into a sleep cycle.

“Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.” – Lemony Snicket, The Blank Book

The morning of…

  1. Wake up early and do the 20/20/20. Spend 20 minutes in meditation, prayer, or journaling to clear your mind and set the tone for the day. Spend another 20 minutes reading a book or article in your industry to improve your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Exercise for 20 minutes to keep your body strong and prepare yourself mentally for the day.
  2. Don’t start responding to emails. Let the morning be your time to set the stage for the day. Keep your devices off. Focus on your needs first. Most emails require a response from you.
  3. Stay off social media and turn off the news. You can get distracted by posts and feel the need to respond. Before you know it, you may be drawn into a video or be compelled to watch the TV just a little longer.

Feeling rushed or being late can set a tone for the day. It impacts customers/clients, co-workers, businesses, and organizations- and YOU! Set yourself up for success!

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her work has been published in Diversity Magazine and Fabulous at 50 magazine. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. www.debrakasowski.com

7 Things You Can Do When Life Knocks You Down

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No matter how planned and prepared you are, life can throw you a curve ball that you did not expect. You may have been passed over for promotion that you had been anticipating and had worked hard for. Your investments took a loss or your business failed. You may be the salesperson who is constantly faced with rejection. An injury may have ended a career. No one would blame you for feeling down and out. You may experience depression and feel unworthy; however, nothing will change until you make the change.

“It’s not whether you get knocked down; it’s whether you get up.”

Vince Lombardi

Change begins with a choice. The choice is to not let a situation or circumstance keep you knocked down and define your future. It does not matter if you are an entrepreneur, business owner, or part of an organization these strategies apply everyone.

Perspective is everything. Your perspective is your reality. Being knocked down is not a permanent state if you plan to get up. This setback is temporary and you are setting up for your greatest comeback.

Find the lesson. Every situation can be viewed as a good thing or bad thing. Again it’s a matter of perspective. What is it that you can learn from this situation to assist you in the future? What can be improved? What can you stop doing? What do you need to start doing?

Stop comparing yourself to others. Comparing yourself to others is a negative downward spiral; the trouble is your comparisons are usually to one moment of time and not a person’s lifetime. By comparing yourself to others you are discounting your own skills, abilities and talents that you bring to the table. Your self-confidence decreases when you don’t believe that you measure up.

Start celebrating your small successes. Make plans to celebrate your small achievements as these small successes create momentum and motivate you to continue working toward achieving your goal. It is so easy to move on to chasing your next achievement. You won’t realize how far you’ve come until tell you acknowledge where you came from.

Compete with yourself. People often get frustrated when they’re trying to compete with someone else for time, money, resources, and even attention. Your focus should be on being a better you today than you were yesterday. Can you lead to better today than you did yesterday? Can you ask better questions today than yesterday? Can you put in more effort today than you did yesterday? Effort will always surpass talent.

Make you use of the resources you currently have. So many people get stuck because they think they need to have certain things in place before they can take action. Truth is most of the time you have everything you need in front of you to take action. They have to shift their mindset from scarcity to one of abundance. There is enough resources for everyone. People will complain or come up with excuses that they don’t have enough time or money. The economy is bad. Create your own economy. There are businesses and organizations prospering – why can’t you. Everyone has the same amount of time it is all about how it’s being used. Although we don’t all have the same amount of money, every dollar that you have can be assigned to the use. There are many ways to earn more money based on your talents, skills and abilities. You just need to put your thinking cap on and get creative.

Take massive action. Don’t let the fear of failure have a chance to grow. The longer you avoid taking action the harder it will be to take action in the future. Nothing will keep you down for long when you make a plan to take massive action where you can see results almost immediately or within a short time frame. When you start seeing results, you get a boost in self-confidence and are more likely to take action.

You may be down for a short time but what matters is how you handle it and how soon you get up. Setbacks can be a blessing in disguise. Take time to recognize that you are getting stronger every day and with each new experience you are more competent. You can handle anything that comes your way and you have abundant resources around you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Start being inspired by your own actions.

Never quit. See the challenge as an opportunity – get up and go back into the ring!

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up for Debra’s Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com