thinking Archives - Debra Kasowski

Episode 43 – Start Thinking Differently

November 10, 2016 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”
― Henry Ford

In today’s podcast I wanted to talk about the thinking differently. All too often and I’m going to say myself included that we can get stuck in one way of thinking and we box ourselves in. This is why it’s so important when you hear the phrase think out-of-the-box that you’re trying to gain a perspective from many different angles and that you’re challenging assumptions that you have to ensure that you got the whole picture. If you’re like me you can be a high visionary thinker and also have the capacity to pay attention to the details. What we need to be cautious of is not to get hung up on the details.

“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
― Albert Einstein

When you feel stuck, you could be getting in your own way of getting to the end result that you truly want.

Thinking differently applies to everyone. No matter if your parent, leader, project manager, middle management to senior management or business owner, we all have times when we need to push out of the comfort zone. When you stretch your thinking and start thinking differently, you allow for creativity to blossom and the birth of innovation to begin. Many great ideas have transformed the boundaries of technology just think of Microsoft and Apple as examples. The companies and organizations that think differently are on the leading edge and have a competitive advantage.

There are some leaders or managers who get concerned that when they open the doors of creativity and innovation that there’ll be no structure or rules in place. This is where I believe people give away their power. Choosing to think differently does not mean you can’t have a structure or that you can’t have rules. There can be boundaries and there can be deal breakers. What is most important is that these rules or boundaries be communicated and be open to being challenged on them.

People who think differently are driven and sparked by their curiosity and they allow it to guide them to their destination. They are willing to disrupt their own personal habits to focus on one thing. They know the power of asking questions and they asked more than they tell. One thing is for certain what sets them apart is that they value experiences over things. We are not linear thinkers we have ideas coming forth all the time and it’s what we pay attention to that we truly notice.

I personally have considered myself a person who thinks differently. I see possibility and opportunity where people told me there would be none. My first exposure to the entrepreneurial mindset or world per se was through an e-Women network luncheon. I was so excited to be there and listened intensively to what people were talking about and the actions they were taking. I thought it was cool that you could be your own boss and create something for your own. The difference to me was that you could take that creativity and be the solution.

The biggest thing that I noticed was that any of the challenges that were shared were seen as an opportunity. I have an investigator character so this intrigued me. I know there’s always a way that we can figure something out because others have been there before. The more and more I listened the more I saw this way of thinking similar to putting together a puzzle. I heard people speaking of abundance and not falling into a comparison trap for they were choosing to learn from their competitors and not compete. There are so many people in the world and not just one can serve them. I also took notice that complacency is the enemy and hard work is necessary. It’s not that people don’t work hard when you’re in a job but when you’re working for yourself you will work even harder. You take pride in your own efforts to get the results you desire and envision.

There are several ways you can expand your thinking and start thinking out-of-the-box:

start asking more questions
be open to working in diversity and learning from others
take up a new physical activity for the next 30 days
change a habit that you been working on for the next 21 days
read books or watch movies of different genres
take a different route home
travel to new places
join a Mastermind group or an association where you can be a part of collaborative thinking and learn from others
take a risk in making a decision after you have done your due diligence

As you shake up your routines, you begin to think differently. You expand your thinking and you realize that not everyone sees the world as you do. We learn that being judgmental does not serve us. Be open to new possibilities and think about implications and impact to dig deeper and expand your knowledge. Make a list of the questions that you want to know and then start asking them. Chances are others may have the same question as you- have the courage to ask knowing that the solution may be the key you been looking for.

We would love to have you subscribed to the Success Secrets newsletter on my website at www.debrakasowski.com where you’re going to get us free MP3 download 10 Surefire Strategies to Power Up Your Productivity and Performance. I would love to hear about this podcast has impacted your life. E-mail me at Debra@DebraKasowski.com. Thank you for listening to The Millionaire Woman Show where we talk about leadership, business, and human potential to help you live rich from the inside out. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Share it with Your Friends. Give us a 5-star rating!

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: 08:29 min

Keywords: mind mapping, stretch your thinking, think outside the box, expand your thinking, thinking, think differently, think different, thinking in new ways, gaining new perspective

Why Your Attitude Matters

October 15, 2016 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

Although skill, ability, and having the right opportunity seem to be stepping stones to success, the one game-changing quality that makes the biggest difference is a person’s attitude. A person’s attitude will determine their altitude in achieving success. If someone needed a tiebreaker in determining the best-qualified candidate for the position, the selection would come down to a person’s attitude. Your attitude is how you approach life.

“Life is 10 percent what you make it
and 90 percent how you take it.”
― Irving Berlin

Attitude Awareness

Attitude is one of the most important predictors of your success. Your perspective on life will determine how you cope with trials and triumphs of life. Your attitude awareness impacts your thoughts and how you feel. How you feel you translate into your actions. If you are feeling positive and upbeat, you are more likely to greet people with a compliment or a simple, “Good Day!” instead of responding negatively, “What makes it a good day?” People are attracted to positive energy; they want to be around people who uplift them and make them feel good about themselves and the world around them.

When you recognize the attitude that you are portraying, you can adjust it accordingly when you notice that it’s tending to the negative. Negativity as well is positivity can permeate the environment around you. As a leader, you want to ensure that you bring forth a positive attitude so that the people who follow you do so in turn. This impacts the people that you serve not only each other but who you’re ultimately there for.

Attitude Determines Your Resiliency

Your attitude is a foundation to your success. Although we would love for life to stay at the all-time high, we know that everyone in life faces challenges. It is how we move through that challenge that makes the difference. Attitude is a choice. Sometimes you may forget that you have a choice as to what attitude you wish to have. When you realize that you have a choice, you can then get on the right track. You become more resilient when you choose a positive outlook because you will be open to possibility and opportunity. If you choose to have a negative outlook on life you will be inclined to focus on problems, not solutions. Seeing the possibilities encourages creativity and innovation and allows you to move through challenges more quickly.

Attitude Conquers Fear

Developing a positive attitude means that you are developing an attitude that is stronger in faith than the fear. When people make decisions or take actions based on fear, they often make the wrong choices and do not get the results or outcomes that they hoped for. When you are able to maintain a positive attitude, you are not driven solely on the emotion you are able to look at facts, and you’re able to think clearly about what direction you want to take. Your attitude will determine how persistent you will be in the face of obstacles and you will be able to trust yourself and your ability to move through them. You have faced obstacles before. Think about the patterns and your approach to how you face those obstacles in the past. They will help you determine some of the actions that you need to do moving forward when making decisions or taking the next steps. Be open to new information that will support you in reaching the outcomes you want to achieve. Let your faith in yourself and your people be stronger than the fear of uncertainty or failure.

“We cannot change our past… we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our Attitudes.”
― Charles R. Swindoll

The attitude that you choose to have can take you on the ascent of new heights or can pull the rug from under you and descend you to the beginning. Your attitude is a choice. A choice to rise above any challenges you face and to persevere knowing that you will achieve what you go after.

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. Debra is the host of The Millionaire Woman Show podcast focusing on helping people live rich from the inside out through leadership, business, and human potential. 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

EPISODE 25: Influence Starts in Your Own Mind

September 8, 2016 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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Episode 25- Influence Starts in Your Own Mind

Many people look for influence outside of themselves first when all along that influence starts with one’s self. You have to believe in the possibilities and the ability to make things happen before you can share ideas and opportunities with others so they see the vision that you do. Far too many people, feel that they have no control over their situation to they fail to take action. Pastor Joel Osteen has a book called, The Power of I Am. These two little words can transform your day, your thoughts, and the actions that you take. Osteen states, “Whatever follows the words “I am” will always come looking for you.

So, when you go through your day saying:

I am blessed blessings pursue you

I am talented talent follows you

I am healthy health heads your way

I am strong strength tracks you down.”

“I am…” is often referred to as an affirmation or what some call autosuggestion. Emile Coue, a French psychologist introduced this concept the beginning of the 20th century. In my co-authored book entitled GPS Your Best Life: Charting Your Destination and Getting There in Style, Charmaine Hammond and I talked about the importance of using positive words and statements and “I am” in conjunction with the use of vision boards. A vision board is a visual display of your goals and things you would like to achieve. It is not meant to be a pretty picture it is meant to be a tool to keep you focused and take intentional actions toward achieving what you say you want. Affirmations do work if they’re applied with action. Here’s the catch, you need to believe it because if you don’t find it believable you are not going to put in the efforts.

myvisionboard

At one of our vision board workshops, I was walking by a participant cutting out a wedding dress and she was hesitant about putting that picture on the vision board. She looked at this picture stated out loud “I don’t know why I’m even putting this on the board.” I happen to be near her table as she said this and I asked her “Do you not believe you deserve it?” She paused and she looked at me, “You’re right.” She sat there in deep thought for the next 5 minutes and then she proceeded to paste it on her board. I don’t know she’s married or not, I hope someday I will hear that what she wanted became a reality.

Affirmations need to be positive statements and believable. If you find it difficult to make a statement with I am you may add in the words in progress. For some people this helps to become more believable, we are always in progress evolving into who we are. There needs to be an emotional connection where when you make a statement that it either pulls your heartstrings or it gets you excited and personally drives you to achieve it. This is your why it helps you stay focused on the right things.

Write out your affirmations. Spend time visualizing them and feeling as if you’ve already achieved it. Your subconscious mind does not know the difference between what is real and what is not. Integrate this visualize nation so that you can have the feeling of that achievement and start taking steps that outline with what you want to achieve. You may meditate on it. You may choose to record it and play it when you go for a morning run or before you go to sleep. Some people put sticky notes on the bathroom mirror so they repeated whether brushing their teeth. Other people may spend their time journaling focused on their affirmation to set the tone for their day or reflect on their day.

You may have heard the adage, “Fake until you make it”. As you align your actions with your thoughts, what you want can become reality. But some people will tell you that affirmations don’t work! And the reason for this is that people do not affirm themselves and say these statements consistently to integrate them into who they are, they may not believe in the process of doing, or they learn that they’re not really emotionally connected to what they say they want to achieve. Their “why” is not strong enough.

Your mind may play tricks on you so you need to stay focused. Speak only positive words to yourself and when you catch yourself shifting into negative thoughts and hearing, “Who do you think you are?” stopped that thought immediately and state your affirmation. You are in progress of becoming exactly who you need to be. And you are currently where you need to be so that you can learn the lessons that you need to in order to move forward.

Noah St. John, the author of The Book of Afformations, shifts affirmations into afformations. And he states that, “If human thought is the process of asking and searching for answers to questions, why are we going around making statements that we don’t believe?” The reason for this is that people don’t believe the statements that they say. He realized that people were asking the wrong questions and if they ask the right questions everything would change. Noah St. John believes that you” create your life in two ways: by the statements to say to yourself and others and by the questions you ask yourselves and others.”

You need to ask yourself in powering questions and not questions about why you don’t have this or that or they are not good enough because these are disempowering. Remember you get what you focus on. So shift your question to a positive question that empowers you to take action. Start asking yourself about some of the assumptions that you are making and how you are unconsciously holding yourself back from taking that action toward what you say you want. For example, you might say “Why am I so broke?” Noah St. John says that what shows up in your life is” you find a way to not have money even when it comes in.” The same technique could be used regarding a promotion are getting a raise.

“Why am I so worthy of the promotion?”

“Why was it so easy to get the raise?”

You may start brainstorming what actions you need to start taking to get the promotion or get the raise. What actions do you need to take to get the results you want? Do you need to take a course? Volunteer? Get experience in a certain area? How are you holding yourself back? Are you taking the actions you need to?

You must change the question to empower yourself, “Why do I have enough money?”

When you ask this question your mind will start searching for an answer and as you have answers you will start contemplating taking the actions to make that your reality. It all comes down to whether or not your “why” for what you want is strong enough.

It doesn’t matter if you choose to use affirmations or afformations to help you start influencing your mind. What matters is that you start using these positive statements and questions to empower you so that you can share your ideas with others. You need to believe at first before you can enroll others into your vision. Believe in yourself and trust in your knowledge, skills, and abilities. It all starts with what you say you are… I am. Get out there and take the actions you need to take!

I would love to hear about how using affirmations or afformations has impacted your life. E-mail me at Debra@DebraKasowski.com. Thank you for listening to The Millionaire Woman Show where we talk about leadership, business, and human potential to help you live rich from the inside out. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Give us a 5-star rating! Sign up for our Newsletter www.debrakasowski.com

Time: 10:46 min

Keywords: I am, affirmations, afformations, power of the mind, influence, persuasion, belief, believe, positive self-talk, negative thinking, thought, thinking, affirm, visualization, meditation, journaling, reminders, asking questions, asking the right question, vision board, Joel Osteen, Noah St. John, Charmaine Hammond, GPS your best life

The Hidden Truth behind Not Good Enough and Good Enough

July 27, 2015 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

Have you, a friend, or colleague ever made a proclamation “I am not good enough”? This self-sabotaging belief is a common roadblock or obstacle hindering a person’s success.

If you catch yourself saying this, I am guessing that you heard this message growing up or you are a perfectionist. Often, perfectionists fail to execute or take action because they believe they do not measure up – everything needs to be perfect.

Perfection paralyzes taking action. Striving for perfection can be exhausting. This belief of not being good enough is just a thought. What matters is the meaning and the power you give to the thought of “not being good enough” is where the problem lies.

You could create a long laundry list of areas that you are not good enough: you’re not slim enough, you’re not tall enough, your teeth not white enough, you’re not pretty or handsome enough to get the man or woman of your dreams or you’re not smart enough to get the promotion or land the big contract and the list goes on. What is good enough?

Not good enough… By whose definition? Whose terms?

“Being not good enough” is a harsh judgment you put on yourself. Would you place the same judgment on your family member or best friend? You are comparing yourself to people who are also comparing themselves to others. With each comparison, you those sight of what makes you unique and valuable. Their measurements for themselves are not the same as how you measure yourself. We do not all use the same yardstick.

You are good enough.

Focus on making progress not making perfect. Let go of perfection for it is an illusion. You may still attend to the details as long as you take action steps to move forward.

The person who sees themselves with humility knows that there may be someone better than they are or someone just beginning their journey. Good for them-they are on their journey and you and yours.

Use the phrase “not good enough” to fuel you becoming better than you were yesterday-skills and abilities can be developed.

Don’t let it stop you from taking action.

I’d rather work with someone who will put in the effort than someone who says that’s “good enough” to get by. You cannot be an Olympic athlete, real estate mogul, bestselling author, or top 100 best businesses to work for by just getting by.

Raise the bar. Just good enough is often not enough.

Give 100% of your best effort into all that you do on any given day.

Live, work, and play with no regrets.

Progress ignites belief in oneself to take more inspired action. The mindset of only putting enough effort to get by has poor results to show for it.

Do you want to just get by or do you want more for yourself?

By putting in your best effort into your work, relationships, and your life, you will achieve greater happiness and fulfillment.

The hidden truth is your personal best is enough. You more than enough – get started and adjust your course along the way. You are further ahead than those who have yet to get started.

You are enough now in this moment.

Now go out and start taking action!