The I Don’t Care Attitude!

Posted by :Hussein Adamally

This story is a great metaphor and speaks a lot about the current mental attitude that people have. We see needy people all around us and yet we make no effort to help them out. Illiteracy and unemployment are two major forms of cancer which is affecting our society today. Education helps people think reason and make more matured decisions while employment helps people earn their own livelihood. In the years to come when more and more children are left uneducated on the streets, they will become easy targets for corrupt and evil elements in the society who will teach them wrong doctrines and brainwash them. Without a daily source of income, they will be forced to take up cheating and violence because by then, it becomes a matter of survival for them. Here’s a story on this.

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."  

           

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; in fact, she died. So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

Moral of this story: - When one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY; OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.

 

This story is a great metaphor and speaks a lot about the current mental attitude that people have. We see needy people all around us and yet we make no effort to help them out. Illiteracy and unemployment are two major forms of cancer which is affecting our society today. Education helps people think reason and make more matured decisions while employment helps people earn their own livelihood. In the years to come when more and more children are left uneducated on the streets, they will become easy targets for corrupt and evil elements in the society who will teach them wrong doctrines and brainwash them. Without a daily source of income, they will be forced to take up cheating and violence because by then, it becomes a matter of survival for them.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage each other, to build each other, to enhance each other’s lives and help everyone live with dignity. That’s the whole reason why we are called Social beings.

Prioritizing Your Work: How Do You Plan Out Your Daily Routine?

Posted by :Hussein Adamally
Happy Week to All,

Many people I know are so talented, yet their results are mediocre. This I believe is because they don’t prioritize. So I taught I should start this week with a post on this topic.

Prioritizing is something that we all have to do, and it is easy to get distracted from.  Whether you work part time or full time, or have young children, or just get interrupted by visitors, keeping your priorities straight in your mind will help you stay on track for your goals.

This is what you need to do with your goals.  Here are the steps to planning out your priorities:

Plan your big goals for the year. 

Figure out what is currently earning you the most money.  With that in mind, plan goals that will build on your success, and expand it to new areas.

Plan to grow your current successful trends to increase your income from those sources

Create steps to take that will broaden and strengthen the priority income stream.

The point of having this priority list straight in your own mind is for when all of the distractions come along.  You can go back to the list and say to yourself, “Is this where I need to spend my time?  Do I have time to do this and reach my goals?”  If you can’t, it is okay to say no.  You can always tell the person that while it doesn’t fit into your work schedule right now, you may be able to do it at another time.

Refocusing on your goals on a daily basis either through visualization or through looking at a list, or whatever process works best for you will also help keep you on track.

Picture yourself with all of your bills paid, or a pile of money in the bank, or standing on a beach in Hawaii with your family, driving a new car or riding your dream motor cycle.

Goals and priorities will keep you working towards your results when the distractions in your daily life get in the way.

Reveal Your True Colors

Posted by :Hussein Adamally
Imagine for a moment that you are at a party and you are chatting to someone who you’ve only just met. After discussing the decorations and the food, they pause and ask, “So, what do you do?”

Your answer to this simple question reveals an incredible amount about your personal sense of identity.

When faced with the question, “What do you do?” most people automatically respond by stating their 9 to 5 occupation.

The problem with this response is that it immediately defines you in terms of your job and places you in a pigeon hole that is often filled with stereo types associated with your profession.

For example, Claire is a receptionist who is working at a doctor’s surgery, however, her real passion in life is painting. When she is not working, she spends every spare moment surrounded by her canvases and paints.

For a long time, whenever someone asked “So Claire, what do you do?”, Claire’s response was, “Oh, I’m a medical receptionist.”

Almost inevitably, the person she was speaking to then asked about what it was like to work in a doctor’s surgery.

Then one day Claire made a decision.

She decided that she was no longer going to define herself as a ‘medical receptionist’ who enjoyed painting in her spare time. Instead, she was going to define herself as a ‘painter’ who was currently working at a doctor’s surgery in order to pay her bills.

This simple decision had a big impact on Claire’s sense of personal identity. She realized that it was important to tell people who she really was rather than automatically reciting her job title.

A few weeks later, Claire was at a friend’s housewarming party. As she stood by the fire with a glass in hand, she met a guy named Matt who asked her, “So Claire, what do you do?”

Claire responded by saying, “At the moment I’m working at a doctors’ surgery but what I’m really passionate about is painting.” As soon as she said these words, Claire realized that this was exactly what she was looking for. It was a completely honest statement but did not place her into the ‘medical receptionist’ pigeon hole. Instead, it conveyed a sense of who she really was and opened up multiple options for conversation.

To Claire’s delight, Matt asked her about her painting and they had a really interesting conversation. Matt was a web designer and he told Claire that a lot of artists were now selling their work directly to customers over the Internet rather than dealing with galleries.

This was a revelation to Claire who had never really heard of Internet business before.

As she was driving home from the party, Claire realized that her new sense of identity was already having an impact on her life. Instead of talking about being a medical receptionist, she was now discussing her painting with others and discovering new opportunities to explore.

Today I’d like to encourage you to think about the question, “What do you do?” and make the decision to no longer be automatically defined by your occupation title.

Instead, develop a response that is honest, reveals who you really are and opens up multiple avenues for conversation.

You’ll be amazed by how many doors this simple technique will open for you.

Have a great weekend.

How To Break Bad Habits

Posted by :Hussein Adamally
Do you ever find that bad habits get in the way of achieving your most important goals in life, and prevent you from becoming the person you really want to be? 

If so, I'd like to share with you a powerful five step process for breaking bad habits.

The English poet John Dryden once said, “First we make our habits, then our habits make us”.

This quote perfectly captures the idea that the actions you take on a regular basis determine the type of person you become.

Good habits are the things you do each day that gradually lead you towards becoming the person you really want to be, and to achieving your most important goals in life.

Conversely, bad habits are the things you do repeatedly that make you unhappy about the person you are becoming, and move you away from achieving your goals.

The good news is, that it IS possible to overcome bad habits once you understand what a habit really is and how your mind works.

You see, a habit is nothing more than a mental circuit, which is very similar to the electrical circuits in your home.

The secret to breaking bad habits is to learn how to rewire the habit-circuits in your brain.

There are five steps to this rewiring process:

Step 1: Identify a specific bad habit to focus on

Step 2: Break your bad habit down into a Trigger and a Response

Step 3: Create a new response

Step 4: Mentally practice your new response

Step 5: Implement your new response in the real world

Let’s take a look at an example to see how this works:

The doctor had told Doug that he was at serious risk of having a heart attack and that if he didn’t make some big changes to his lifestyle he might not live to be 50.

As a father of two little girls, this came as a major wake up call, and he immediately made the decision that he was going to do something about it.

Doug knew that he had some bad habits that he needed to change, but he also knew that change was hard, and that he couldn’t turn his life around all at once.

So, he decided to follow the five-step rewiring process described above.

Step 1: Identify a specific bad habit to focus on

Doug reviewed his daily routine and identified a number of things that he wanted to improve.

For example, every night when he got home from work, Doug would get changed out of his work clothes, grab a beer and some pretzels, and sit in front of the TV to watch the news. He called this his ‘Chill out Time’.

After his visit to the Doctor, Doug realized that this routine was actually a bad habit that he needed to change.

So he selected his ‘Chill out Time’ as the specific bad habit he was going to focus on.

Step 2: Break your habit down into a Trigger and Response

Doug analyzed his ‘Chill Out Time’ routine and realized that the Trigger for his current habit was changing his work clothes. As soon as he changed clothes, his brain activated his ‘Chill Out Time’ mental circuit.

His Response to this trigger was to grab a beer and some pretzels and head for his favorite chair in the living room.

Step 3: Create a new response

As a result of his doctor’s warning, Doug decided that instead of his regular chill out time, he was going to go for a walk around the block for half an hour.

This would be his new response to the trigger of changing out of his work clothes.

Step 4: Mentally practice your new response

That night before going to bed, Doug visualized the day ahead and imagined himself coming home from work.

In his mind’s eye he saw himself change out of his work clothes (His existing trigger). He then imagined himself walking out the front door and going for a brisk walk around the block (His new response).

The next morning, Doug again imagined his new afternoon routine and mentally practiced his new response.

Step 5: Implement your new response in the real world

That afternoon, when he arrived home from work, Doug came face to face with his familiar trigger activity. He changed out of his work clothes and then, just as he’d mentally rehearsed, he put on his track pants and walked past the fridge, out the front door and around the block.

In the weeks that followed, Doug continued to focus on changing this single routine in his life. Each time he connected the trigger activity of changing out of his work clothes to his new response of going for a walk, the mental circuit of his new habit was reinforced, and the mental circuit of his old habit was weakened.

Eventually his new response became automatic, and Doug successfully made the first change towards a healthier and happier lifestyle.

So today I’d like to encourage you to think about your own life, and identify any bad habits that you’d like to change.

You can then use this five step rewiring process to eliminate your bad habits and get back on track to becoming the person you really want to be.

Have a great week ahead!

How Do You Honor God?

Posted by :Hussein Adamally
What do you do to honor God? A lot of times people think, “I go to church to honor God. I read my Bible to honor God. I sing and clap in worship to honor God.” And yes, those are ways to honor God, but did you know that you honor God just as much when you get to work on time? You honor God when you are productive each day and honor the people in authority over you. You honor God when you excel in your career.

Actions speak louder than words.

When you give your very best in the workplace, your whole life is giving praise to God. Showing up with a good attitude, being friendly, organized, just being your best — people will notice there’s something different about you. They’ll want what you have.

As believers, we should set the standard in all areas of life. People should see the depth of your character and your spirit of excellence and know that you are a child of the Most High God. Make the decision to honor Him in all that you do because you are his representative in the earth today!

No God - No Peace, Know God - Know Peace

Stop Whining and Grumbling and Get Back to Work!

Posted by :Hussein Adamally
Ok, that might be a little harsh but I do get tired of complaining, finger pointing and “passing the buck” behaviors.  

There is a powerful suggestion that everyone in every organization needs to master “THE 3 R’s” which include Respect, Responsibility and Results.

And, here are some attitudes and behaviors for employees and leaders of all levels to remember:

Respect
Extend an Ear – Listen to Others.

Dignify Differences – Respect Diverse Cultures, Ethnicities, Backgrounds, and ideas.

Concentrate on Courtesy – Be Considerate.

Perform with Pride – Respect Yourself.

Make “The Mission” Matter – Respect the Organization’s Purpose and Your Part in It.

Share the Spotlight – Acknowledge Others’ Contributions.

Get Going “Green” – Respect and Protect Resources.

Slip into Someone Else’s Shoes – Practice Empathy.

Responsibility
Shoulder Your Share – Do Your Part as a Team Player.

Earn Your Expectations – Be a Role Model.

Squelch Any Skepticism – Choose to Be Positive.

Stand for Safety – Contribute to a Physically and Emotionally Safe Workplace.

Manage Your Mistakes – Own, Admit to, Fix and Learn from Your Errors.

Quest for Quality – Cut Complacency, Not Corners.

Savor Successes – Be a Cheerleader for Positive Contributions.

Embrace and Embody Ethics – Do What’s Right.

Results
Coddle Your Customers – Make Excellent Service Your Top Priority.

Go with Great Goals – Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan, and Aim High.

Sweat the Small Stuff – Focus on Small, Incremental Improvements, Pay Attention to Details.

Share Your Skills – Pass Along What You Know and Do Well to Help Others Succeed.

Cherish Constructive Criticism – Use Feedback to improve Your Performance and Results.

Conquer Conflicts – Don’t Let Problems Fester.

Focus on Fixes – Offer Solutions Instead of Lamenting Over Problems.

Leave a Lasting Legacy – Make a Positive Difference.

 Lead well ... LEAD RIGHT

So stop those bad habits of whining , complaining and playing the blame game.

Are You Living Your Life To The Fullest?

Posted by :Hussein Adamally
Hi my friends, I had a great day today at my company’s monthly Sales Meeting. Motivated and inspired many today. Just felt that I should share this with you.

At times, it’s seemed as though life contains an endless supply of days.

When I was younger, I thought this for sure. It didn’t matter how long I held a grudge, or how long I waited to do something I wanted—there would be an unlimited pool of other opportunities. At least that’s what I thought back then.

Maybe it’s a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood: the moment when you realize life happens now, and that’s all you’re guaranteed. It doesn’t really hit you when you merely know it intellectually, like you know you’re ABCs, state capitals, and other concrete facts.

It hits you when somehow you feel it. Your health declines. You lose someone you love. A tragedy rocks your world. It isn’t until you realize that all life fades that you consider now a commodity and a scarce one at that.

But maybe that’s irrelevant. Maybe living a meaningful, passionate life has nothing to do with its length and everything to do with its width.

How do you live life to the fullest? This is my take on it.

1. Live in the moment.                 

2. Fully embrace the now, no matter what the situation.

3. Do the things you love.

4. Learn to forgive and embrace unconditional love. 

5. Live every day as if it’s your last, embracing each experience as if it’s your first.

6. Believe in “live and let live.”

7. Use quiet reflection, honesty, and laughter.

8.  Focus on today and how you can do your best to live it to the fullest.  

9. Participate in life instead of just watching it pass you by.

10. Stay healthy, eat right and most importantly, be kind to all.

11. Pray, forgive yourself, appreciate others, listen to your gut, do things you enjoy, and remind yourself that we are all loved and connected.

12. Don’t sweat the small stuff. This means don’t worry about the small stuff.

13. Question everything, keep it simple, and help whenever and however you can.

14. Try to enjoy every minute of every day.

15. Appreciate life’s every second.

16. Remember that all is a gift, but the most precious of all gifts is life and love.

17. Keep your spirit free, be flexible, let go.

18 Do one thing every day that scares you.

19. Enjoy each and every moment of life. Every day is a new challenge and opportunity to discover something new.

20. Be honestly thankful for every breath you take.

21. Just be you.

22. Trust yourself. Trust your own strengths.

23. Pause momentarily before everything you do so that you notice everything you should or could notice.

24. Follow your hopes and not your fears.

So what have you done today to live life to the fullest?