Show #333: How to require and expect more from yourself

Show #333: How to require and expect more from yourself

Welcome to The Ziglar show and episode #333, “How to require and expect more from yourself.” Our quote is one you’ve probably heard, but I want you to hear it again, and take it captive; Henry Ford: 'Whether you think you can, or you think you can't--you're right.'

It sounds simplistic, but we all know it to be true. We watch epic movies about someone with belief enough to think they CAN...who achieves it! Or, someone too dumb to know they CAN’T do something, and they go ahead and achieve something massive.

The key is how to get ourselves to believe we’re truly capable of more. Is it possible? That’s our show focus today.

Without further ado, here is our show, including a wonderful 16-minute clip from Zig:

Zig asked how you would treat a million dollar race horse? A free cat? But if that feels unfair because they are animals, beings, then how would you treat a $100,000 Ferrari or Rolls Royce? Any better than a $4,000 used car? Of course you would. So then, how do you treat yourself? Do you treat yourself with the level of expectation you have of yourself? What if you treated yourself like a $10 million dollar athlete or celebrity or leader? Those people are usually groomed. And they rise to what is expected of them.

TOM What are a couple key things you can do to up your personal self-image?

> > Tom discusses the necessity to be always growing and always learning.

Zig, in citing top CEOs, said 50% come from poor to middle class families, and/or have siblings with disabilities. And 91% have a faith orientation.

What are the two points we can take from this? They developed strength and purpose. So whether or not you came from hard circumstances, or whether you have a faith component to your life, the idea for success is having strength and purpose. Tom, what are some key ways to develop strength and purpose?

> > Tom share more about Zig's story and the benefit of learning at and early age, that the world wasn’t just about themselves.

Author Donald Miller says, "A good story is about a character who wants something, and overcomes conflict to get it". To overcome conflict, you must want something worth confronting conflict! Struggle. Many people today don’t want much of anything important, other than to be comfortable. But we all desire at the core, a calling. A quest. Expand your desire. And anything worthy WILL involve struggle.

Zig says positive self-talking is a key to success. We are always talking to ourselves, just often not intentionally and proactively with a purpose and a goal. This is the point of the self-talk cards. We generally, naturally…talk to ourselves reactively and with little to no thought. And that self-talk directs our thoughts, beliefs and actions.

Zig goes on to tell the story of the boyscouts, and Tom, it really got me thinking. The boyscouts have a code of honor. Why don’t we all have this? Many people talk of "personal mission statements", but I’ve not known many people to embrace that well. Instead, what about a code of honor? What code do you live by? What code is your behavior run by?

This is not neutral, we all have one. Again, it’s either intentional or not, but it exists, and everyone who knows us, knows what our code is. What would they say yours is?

  • "They always do the right thing."
  • "They go with the crowd."
  • "They do what pleases others, for better or worse."
  • "They try to be important."
  • "They talk and don’t listen."
  • "They keep to themselves and avoid others."
  • "They are self-serving."
  • "They always jump to help others."
  • "They stick up for others."

etc...you get the point.

People know your code, even if you don’t. It’s not neutral. You get the chance to direct it! To state it and rise to it! What do you want to be known for?

It harkens to the muskateers, the knights of the round table. In this clip, Zig stated the “code” for Ziglar: “Our mission statement is to be the difference maker in the personal, family and business lives of enough people to make a positive difference in America and the world.”

Tom, I’d ask you if you knew many people who had a tangible, known and strived for code for their lives, but with you routinely being with world leaders, I’m going to guess you’ll say you know many. And it’s precisely why they ARE world leaders. Yes?

> > Tom shares that leaders have a defined purpose and know how they bring value!

Zig says in the clip, "The most important opinion you have is the opinion you have of yourself!" Many people think it’s humility to degrade yourself. To talk down about yourself. OR at least minimize yourself. And that standing tall in your abilities is selfish and narcissistic and vain. Or at least feels that way. I normally see one or the other, significant minimization, or significant narcissism. Very few live in the middle in a place of health.

In his book “It’s Your Call”, Author Gary Barkalow (thenobleheart.com) says, ”Humility is seeing that you’ve been given something extraordinary that others will need. You have been given something glorious that the world needs, don’t diminish and disregard it. Receive and offer it as a gift from God to you and for others.” (Pg. 182)

Tom, what are your thoughts on striking a balance between humility and confidence?

> > Tom counsels us to stand tall in our gifts, but admit our faults and weaknesses.

I’ve known many people who find a platform as a coach or consultant, and fall into the trap of believing or acting as if they are now the authority on every aspect of life, and they personally have arrived at the top. Which is tragic.

Zig cites the definition of insanity as doing the same thing and expecting different results. If you don’t like what you’ve been getting, then do something different. You then want to know, to be told…what to do differently?! Here’s the problem with that - if you take the directive from someone else, you can then blame them if it doesn’t work or you…don’t work. Wo what should you do differently? You decide. You state the problem and YOU decide the new step. If it doesn’t work, decide on a different step. And so forth.

Tom, I thought and wrote that, but I know it’s not black and white. We need to seek counsel, but, don’t we also need to own the decision?

> > Tom reveals that termites do more damage than the big destroyers in the headlines, and how this relates to our decisions. And...the power of replacing a bad habit with a good habit.

In the clip, Zig cited Immigrants are four times more likely to become millionaires than the people who are born here in America. An immigrant says WOW. We say Ho Hum. And in many social groups, it’s almost uncool to strive. if you hear that and think, "not my groups", I’m going to challenge you. If you stood up today amongst your friends and family and stated you’re going to strive to achieve something truly significant, what kind of support would you really, honestly get?

I’ll let you answer that for yourselves, but it’s significant and greatly affects the breadth of your vision and expectations. But second, and this is what we’ll end on, do you see the great opportunity that DOES exist all around, or have you been blinded by the norm and take for granted the abundance around you?

Tom, inspire us to see more in our everyday world.

> > Tom says, "The day is going to happen to me, or I’m going to happen to it! I own my attitude."

Thanks for tuning in everyone!