2/3 2010 Postponing Your Future 0 By: Joshua Freedman Three different people told me the same story last week: I’m too busy keeping my head above water to make progress on my real goals. On one hand, that’s a practical and realistic way of coping. Look, we’ve all experienced that some days we can barely tread water fast enough… and some days we sink… and on those days it’s “impossible” to put time and energy into the future. How can you invest when you can’t put bread on the table? All three had practical, legitimate reasons for “treading water,” they were not making weak excuses. There just has not been time. So that’s the “practical reality.” What about the “emotional reality”? What I noticed in all three conversations was a loss of energy and momentum. There’s an emotional cost to postponing your future, and when you’re calculating the choices of your day and week, this needs to be factored in. I suspect that when you factor in the emotional cost (in the extreme, dying a little more each day), the equation might change? You’ve likely seen this framework that Stephen Covey offers in First Things First: Covey points out that we need to avoid QIII and QIV, and shift more time to QII if we want to build the future. Good! Let’s do it!!! How? Well… that’s a problem. It’s a fabulous model, though most of us already know that we need to stop fighting unimportant fires and getting sucked into distractions… but we still do that. We’re choosing to put time in QI, QIII, and QIV, and shortchanging QII. Why? Because we’re not driven by “what we know.” We’re driven by what we feel. There’s some set of feelings boiling around this pattern of behavior pushing and pulling us. There are feelings before the choice (to shortchange QII). Then there are feelings the come immediately when we do what we’re doing instead… then there are still more feelings when we end the day saying, “*(@_!_)# another day with no time for QII.” If I can indulge in a bit of prognostication, I suspect that if your pattern is “do QI &III but miss QII” you’re feeling a mix of stressed, overwhelmed, impatient, excited, and focused (even driven). If you’re getting sucked into QIV then your feelings are likely to be bored, uncertain, distracted, lonely, or lost. Then, despite the knowledge that QII is the only way out, you still go to another quadrant, and, for the moment it feels good. If you’re QI and QIII focused, you probably get great feedback, maybe overhearing, “He’s so reliable….” “You can count on her….” If you’re escaping into QIII, you get a bit of relief. In any case, there’s a feeling payoff — an emotional benefit. What is yours? The first, and perhaps most important step, to getting out of the pattern is to recognize the emotional drivers. What’s triggering your pattern, and what payoff are you getting from it? Knowing that is not enough – you need to DO something with those feelings. That’s another article… but I’d love to hear your ideas (post a comment!) I also noticed that in these conversations, and many others – including many in my own head, there’s a refrain about being busy: “I can’t do this unless I can devote a block of time…” Many a project have lingered on my “to do” list because I told myself I didn’t have the six hours or three days or whatever to complete it. Consider this: If you had a month you could devote completely to your future, what would you do with that month? How about if you had one week? What could you do if you had one day? How about if you had five minutes? We all have time, but for most of us it’s fractured — five minutes here, and hour there. While it’s extremely challenging, somehow we have to reclaim those dribs and drabs of time and turn them into a worthy contribution. As usual, I would suggest the challenge lies not so much in the technical achievement of this end, but in the emotional transition we must undertake in order to bring the A game to these momentary matches. Survive or Thrive To conclude, here is powerful reminder from Karen McCown, Six Seconds’ Chairman: If you focus on survival, then your survival is at question; if you focus on thriving, then your survival is assured – and more is possible. Each week you have but a few discretionary hours to cash in: Will you spend or invest? ♥
From Stumbleupon
http://www.ambition09.com/Profiles_RayMontie_media.html
Why is it that people clip coupons from newspapers, search online for the lowest airfare, or hotel room, switch telephone plans, cable plans, get estimates for things like construction jobs, lanscaping, rates on mortgages etc.. One could go on and on to this point. The answer is very simple…. there are other options !!!
And because we have other options, consumers certainly take advantage of those options. Saving money, especially during lean economic times, is certainly an option that most consumers like to have. But wait a minute. Not everyone clips coupons, or puts a cheap bid on Ebay for a Frustration Ball ( I did ), or drives from Wal-Mart to K-Mart and back to Wal-Mart for ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING. Why ? Because people don’t like to be inconvenienced, and because who really needs a Frustration Ball ?
So why do many Ambit Energy reps struggle with gathering cutomers which would most certainly lead to additional team members. Is it trust ? Is it indifference ? Or is it something else ? The unknown, perhaps ? Ambit Energy ? “Never heard of them” This, I’m sure, every rep has heard many, many times. So, if Ambit Energy puts a commercial or infomercial on the air, consumers would flock to the company like drones to the Snuggie ? Is not Ambit Energy another option where consumers can save money on a commodity they absolutely have to have ?
The Ambit Energy Switch is clear. It’s simple. It’s seemless. It’s gauranteed. It’s convenient via a simple web form. It makes sense, unless, of course, you’d rather pay more for your energy. Many, many people still choose to pay more. Ambit reps cannot understand why. The successful ones don’t dwell on who they missed but rather focus on who’s next. Now that the Energy markets are deregulating, consumers have the power to choose, not only the power to choose energy suppliers, but the power to choose whether they’d like to Pay More or Pay Less for their energy bills. PowerOn.
www.PowerOnWealth.com
Ambit Energy wants to keep putting MORE MONEY in your pocket. Follow the link for details.
http://www.ambitenergy.com/marketing/pdfs/Winter_Cash_Dash_Flyer_011410.pdf
If you sign on a customer for natural gas in New York ,with National Grid as the incumbent provider,please tell your customers that there is no monthly budget plan with National Grid.This is for all of the original Key Span territory.Budget plans with National Grid is fine every where else.Im sure in the near future this will be resolved for the original Key Span area.
Dr Stephen Covey is a hugely influential management guru, whose book The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People, became a blueprint for personal development when it was published in 1990. The Seven Habits are said by some to be easy to understand but not as easy to apply. Don’t let the challenge daunt you: The ‘Seven Habits’ are a remarkable set of inspirational and aspirational standards for anyone who seeks to live a full, purposeful and good life, and are applicable today more than ever, as the business world becomes more attuned to humanist concepts. Covey’s values are full of integrity and humanity, and contrast strongly with the process-based ideologies that characterised management thinking in earlier times.
Stephen Covey, as well as being a renowned writer, speaker, academic and humanist, has also built a huge training and consultancy products and services business – Franklin Covey which has a global reach, and has at one time or another consulted with and provided training services to most of the world’s leading corporations.
This is the ability to control one’s environment, rather than have it control you, as is so often the case. Self determination, choice, and the power to decide response to stimulus, conditions and circumstances
Covey calls this the habit of personal leadership – leading oneself that is, towards what you consider your aims. By developing the habit of concentrating on relevant activities you will build a platform to avoid distractions and become more productive and successful.
Covey calls this the habit of personal management. This is about organising and implementing activities in line with the aims established in habit 2. Covey says that habit 2 is the first, or mental creation; habit 3 is the second, or physical creation. (See the section on time management.)
Covey calls this the habit of interpersonal leadership, necessary because achievements are largely dependent on co-operative efforts with others. He says that win-win is based on the assumption that there is plenty for everyone, and that success follows a co-operative approach more naturally than the confrontation of win-or-lose.
One of the great maxims of the modern age. This is Covey’s habit of communication, and it’s extremely powerful. Covey helps to explain this in his simple analogy ‘diagnose before you prescribe’. Simple and effective, and essential for developing and maintaining positive relationships in all aspects of life. (See the associated sections on Empathy, Transactional Analysis, and the Johari Window.)
Covey says this is the habit of creative co-operation – the principle that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, which implicitly lays down the challenge to see the good and potential in the other person’s contribution.
This is the habit of self renewal, says Covey, and it necessarily surrounds all the other habits, enabling and encouraging them to happen and grow. Covey interprets the self into four parts: the spiritual, mental, physical and the social/emotional, which all need feeding and developing.
Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits are a simple set of rules for life – inter-related and synergistic, and yet each one powerful and worthy of adopting and following in its own right. For many people, reading Covey’s work, or listening to him speak, literally changes their lives. This is powerful stuff indeed and highly recommended.
This 7 Habits summary is just a brief overview – the full work is fascinating, comprehensive, and thoroughly uplifting. Read the book, or listen to the full tape series if you can get hold of it.
In his more recent book ‘The 8th Habit’, Stephen Covey introduced (logically) an the eighth habit, which deals with personal fulfilment and helping others to achieve fulfilment too. The book also focuses on leadership. Time will tell whether the The 8th Habit achieves recognition and reputation close to Covey’s classic original 7 Habits work.
Various phrases on this page are registered trade marks belonging to Stephen Covey.
Stephen Covey’s principles are protected intellectual property and feature strongly in the Franklin Covey organization’s portfolio of products and services.
Dallas-based energy provider recognized by two Dallas newspapers
(DALLAS) – Ambit Energy, a Dallas-based leader among retail energy providers, was recently named as one of Dallas’ best places to work by both the Dallas Morning News and the Dallas Business Journal.
“We are honored to be ranked as one of the best places to work in Dallas by both major news publications,” said Ambit Energy CEO Jere Thompson, Jr. “From our headquarters in Dallas to our Plano call center, we operate in a transparent, focused environment where our employees enjoy working to provide superior service for our customers. We value their opinions and encourage input from everyone.”
In the Dallas Morning News Top 100 Places to Work 2009 listing, Ambit Energy was ranked 35 overall in a single category that highlighted companies, regardless of size, that excel at creating and maintaining a dynamic, supportive and inclusive workplace despite the current recession. Additionally, the company was ranked 14 among companies categorized as “midsize” (100-499 employees in Dallas/Fort Worth).
In the Dallas Business Journal Best Places to Work awards, Ambit Energy was ranked 34 in the “midsize company” category. Announced in September, the DBJ awards were given to 162 businesses in north Texas for being deemed a great place to work according to national best practice scores, as determined by the program’s research partner.
“We strive for a culture where employees have the tools and training they need to be successful at their work,” said Thompson. “The key to our success is the open communication inside our offices. We look forward to carrying this momentum into 2010 and beyond as we strive to become the finest and most respected energy provider in the country.”
This is a common knee-jerk reaction and question among many when first approached with the Ambit Energy opportunity. After all, Ambit is not heavily advertised in mainstream media…and since you haven’t heard of them, they must be a scam, right?
The answer absolutely, positively is: No. Ambit is an entirely legitimate company that provides cheaper energy to its customers. They compete with the 800 lb. gorillas like Con Edison, Oncor, and TXU.
How can they do this? To answer that question, let’s take a look at what’s going on in the energy industry at large. Every state in the U.S. is poised at some point to deregulate energy (currently, Texas, New York, and Illinois have done so). What does deregulation mean? Essentially each state has decided that giant monopolies are no good for the consumer. Remember the telco break-ups in the 90’s? Same deal. High prices, crummy customer service, and good ol’ fashioned greed drove these large monopolies into ruin.
The solution? States like Texas decided to break up the monopolies and let competition drive down prices and improve customer service. Energy production, distribution, and energy sales were split up into distinct pieces. Since energy is a freely traded commodity, competitors such as Ambit who are uniquely positioned to trade energy seized the opportunity to provide customers with cheaper energy than their incumbent provider. Since Ambit only focuses on selling cheaper energy and providing excellent customer service (and not worrying about maintaining power lines and poles and cutting off tree limbs) the company has far fewer moving parts and therefore is a lean, mean, cheaper energy machine.
But that’s not the only way Ambit can offer better rates on electricity. By utilizing a network marketing business model, Ambit saves tremendous amounts of advertising dollars and resources otherwise devoted to convincing customers that there’s only one game in town (hear that incumbents?). Why would you pay more for electricity knowing it’s the same exact juice coming from a less expensive competitor? It’s the individual Ambit consultants – the ground troops – who are responsible for spreading the word and evangelizing Ambit. Each consultant is incentivized to be honest, dutiful, and informative with customers. It is, after all how they make a living, and therefore building a good reputation is critical. The other advantage of a network marketing model is that customers receive unique one-on-one service. When was the last time you felt personally catered to by an anonymous rep from Con Edison or TXU? If you look at successful, vibrant companies such as Amway, Herbalife, Nu Skin, and World Financial Group – you might rethink any preconceived notions about network marketing.
So next time you encounter someone saying – “What is this Ambit Energy rip off?” – give them the facts. Be weary of what’s out there in cyberspace – there is no Ambit Energy Wikipedia entry to visit and there are a lot of random and specious opinions out there on the intertubes. The bottom line is this: Ambit Energy is a viable company with an experienced management team backed with the capital and wherewithal to ensure customers get great service and the best energy rates possible.
From AmbitGenius
In January, 2008, Barack Obama told the San Francisco Chronicle: “When I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, you know, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I’m capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers.”
Food, gas prices, clothing, education, insurance of any kind, taxes of any kind, entertainment, vacations, phone bills, cable bills,…..ok, you get the picture, right ?
If someone told you that you have the opportunity to NOT pay for any of these of these services, products or obligations would you want to know more ? If you were told that there was no risk, and no cost would they have your attention ?
It is getting incresingly difficult to meet the monthly challenges of paying all our bills month after month. So if someone you know and trust educated you about an energy company that, without any effort whatsoever, guarantees you savings on your energy bills, would you listen ? And by just referring others to do the same your able to earn up to Free Energy would you care ?
Energy rates are high enough now, and if the current administration passes this cap and trade bill expect even higher energy bills. So why not benefit from this opportunity ?
By becoming an Ambit Energy consultant, you can earn residual income by helping others save money on their electric and natural gas bills, and by showing them how they can be on their way to earning Free Energy. The income opportunity is amazing right now and will only get better when rates keep going up. Go to this link to see if this opportunity is right for you or may be the perfect business for someone you know……www.acappello.whyambitworks.com
So if someone told you a way to get Free pizza, would you listen…..?
PowerOn.
OK, you’ve switched to Ambit Energy, (or your thinking about it) and your very happy about the savings and your going to love the travel perks that will be coming your way, but you’d REALLY love to get the Free Energy , but your phone feels like it weighs 100 lbs. and your one on one skills aren’t the sharpest. So what do you do ? Easy, throw a party !
I can almost guarantee that you or your spouse have gone to or hosted some sort of product based party where the host or business owner had something to sell (candles, tupperware, skin care, lingerie, etc..) and the host received something in return for use of the home. Sound familiar ? The host contacts the appropriate guests, invites them, some or all may purchase something, but eveyone has a good time. Fantastic idea, one which has been duplicated for decades.
Well, how about inviting your circle of friends to a party where it won’t cost your guests a dime, but rather offer them an opportunity to save money on their electric or natural gas bills, enjoy travel perks, and yes, the chance to earn Free Energy ! No you don’t have to give a presentation about the company and it’s programs. Right here on PowerOnWealth you can access Why Ambit Works(by filling in the form) or go directly to www.acappello.whyambitworks.com and just play the videos. They’re all short and enjoyable to watch.
We all like saving money. What better way than to save money and help your family and friends save money also, month after month, and have a good time doing it. Party On.
Contact Anthony at 732 691 7320 for more details. PowerOn.
