The Success Design

Cassandra with Keven Coker, the Commando Krav Maga instructor

Cassandra demonstrating a Krav Maga technique

Cassandra working on her technique

Cassandra with Laurel Blackburn, the owner of Boot Camps to Go - www.bootcampstogo.com

This is the poem that I read during the Remembrance Ceremony at Tallahassee’s Light the Night walk to benefit to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  It’s a beautiful remembrance of those who have passed on.

In the rising of the sun and in its going down,
we remember them.

In the blowing of the wind and in the chill of winter,
we remember them.

In the opening of buds and in the rebirth of spring,
we remember them.

In the blueness of the sky and in the warmth of summer,
we remember them.

In the rustling of leaves and in the beauty of autumn,
we remember them.

In the beginning of the year and when it ends,
we remember them.

When we are weary and in need of strength,
we remember them.

When we are lost and sick at heart,
we remember them.

When we have joys we yearn to share,
we remember them.

So long as we live, they too shall live, for they are now a part of us,
as we remember them.

Do you subscribe to SUCCESS Magazine?  If not, you should!  It is the best magazine that I’ve every read.  I read it cover to cover every month as it is full of useful information on creating and living a successful life.  Subscribe today!  Visit their website at www.successmagazine.com.

I just finished a wonderful book by John C. Maxwell, Failing Forward.  The book’s thesis is the if you’re not failing, you’re not taking enough risks and if you’re not taking enough risks, you’re not going to succeed.  The book begins with this wonderful quote by J.M. Barrie that goes “we are all failures — at least, all the best of us are.”  The book encourages its readers to view failure as a positive thing and to revise our definition of failure.  Failure is not a static placement in life; it’s a very temporary place on the ladder to success. 

I would recommend this book to all those who are striving for success!

Fear is good.  Fear keeps us safe.  Fear prevents us from proceeding in a manner that may ultimately be dangerous for us.  But, if not harnessed and controlled, fear can consume us.  Fear can be paralyzing and can prevent us from doing what we need or want to do.

How do we control fear?  Think of fear as a fire burning within you.  If you use it correctly, it can give you energy, motivation and the bravery to go forward.  However, if it gets too hot, it will burn you up.  You will self destruct.  You must keep that fire inside you burning at a level that benefits, not destroys, you.

Keep your fear under control.  Keep your thoughts rational.  Use reason.  When things get out of control, find you center.  Rationalize your thoughts.  Use fear to your advantage and realize that it is the only thing to be feared.  As the famous quote from President Franklin Roosevelt says, the “only thing we have to fear is fear itself”.

Have you found your elusive pot of gold yet?  If not, how hard are you searching for it?

Many, if not most, people believe in luck.  They believe in that place somewhere over the rainbow.  I’m disinclined to think of good forture that way.  I believe in the adage that has been espoused by Oprah Winfrey which says that luck is the meeting of preparation and opportunity.  One must know where she’s going to recognize a great opportuinty when it comes along.

If you don’t know where you want to go, how can you recognize the opportunity to get there when it comes along?  Your pot of gold sitting at the end of the rainbow could be sitting right in front of you!  But you won’t even know to pick it up if you don’t even know it’s there.  Work hard to prepare for these opportunities so you can quickly identify your beautiful pot of gold.

Anniversaries are a wonderful thing.  They are the celebration of a milestone.  They give us a chance to look back at where we’ve been and forward to where we want to go.

When life is gracious enough to give us an anniversary whether it is a wedding, birthday, job or something else with special meaning, we should cherish each anniversary in the here and now.  Stop to smell the roses, so to speak.  Enjoy what life has given you today.  Be thankful for what you have been given and look forward, with grateful anticipation, to the future.

After reading Donald Trump’s Think Like a Champion, I was pleasantly surprised about the layout of the book.  It is a collection of essays that Mr. Trump has written over the years. The titles are in no particular order but they do seem to build on each other.  The essays are reminiscent of the earlier episodes of The Apprentice where “The Donald” would critique a team or team member’s performance with such headlines as “Leading By Consensus” or “Teamwork”.

As usual, Mr. Trump knocks this book out of the park!  His advice is unquestionable and his knowledge of other things unrelated to business is impressive.  Each chapter has a quote from some sage ranging from Aristotle to Eleanor Roosevelt.  Mr. Trump explains that his love of quotes comes from his father who used to send him various quotes while he was attending school.

In short, Think Like a Champion is a winner!  Buy it, read it, then read it again.  Learn from the best and keep moving forward.

With the dawning of a new decade, many want to make resolution that results in “a whole new you”. I would like to offer a different challenge to this mindset.  What if you did more refining than changing?  This paradigm shift offers love and respect for who you are, yet it acknowledges that there is room for improvement.

I would like to introduce a concept that may revolutionize the way you think about yourself—what is your personal brand?  All successful companies have a tagline that is usually unforgettable. What is yours?  How do you want people to describe you and your brand? How do you define yourself?  Is it predominately personal or professional?

Personal branding is very import to your success.  You need to identify your core values and beliefs and let them be the driving force that shapes people’s recognition of you.  This will make you more competitive and more successful because you will most likely be doing what you love by defining what you want.

To create your personal brand, you need important two things:  a tagline and a mission statement.  While these aren’t the only things that make up a personal brand, they certainly represent what a person’s brand is all about.  Unlike an elevator speech which can be a bit boring, taglines and mission statements are descriptive, yet very succinct.

In formulating your own tagline, think of the various product taglines.  For example, BMW is “the ultimate driving machine” and Porsche’s tagline is “There is no substitute”.  What do you want your tagline to say about you?  Are you creative, ambitious, tenacious?  Make sure you include descriptive words in your tagline.  Once you have formulated a tagline that you feel properly represents you, put it  on your business card, your voicemail, your email.  Let everyone know what they can expect when they meet you.

Your mission statement should state your core values as succinctly as possible.  It can be a bit longer than the tagline, but it should still be to the point.  For example, your mission statement could be “to serve all my client’s needs with due diligence” or “to use my creativity to help expand another’s business outside the box”.  Your mission statement is deeply personal, so take some time to develop it.  My mission statement is constantly being revised.

I also encourage you to read about personal branding.  There are numerous books, many which can be found online which will aid you in your development of your personal brand.  Understanding yourself and what you have to offer will clearly convey these importance attributes to everyone you know.

To your success!