You Become What You Think About Most of the Time

You become what you think about most of the time.

If you spend all day thinking about failing, you are likely to fail, because your subconscious works to turn your dominant thoughts into reality.

Choose your dominant thoughts carefully.

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

Always give credit where credit is due.

Think about the last time someone took credit for your idea. It probably left you feeling hurt, overlooked and cheated.

As a manager, recognize your team publicly for their work and effort.

As a team member, if you are praised for something that someone else helped with, or that wasn’t your idea, say so openly.

Telling the Truth Is Easier Than Keeping Up Lies

If you get into the habit of lying, you have to keep track of what was a lie and what was true.

When you are always truthful, there is nothing to keep track of, because everything you said is true.

Celebrate Your Wins Without Becoming Arrogant

It’s good to celebrate your wins, but don’t let success make you arrogant.

Some people proudly say, “I did it all myself, with no help from anyone.” In reality, success is never yours alone. It is built on the contributions of the people who came before you.

For example, someone might say, “I built this program on my own, and my success is all because of me.”

But they could only do it because others created a way to write software, built the computer it runs on and supplied the power that runs it.

So it’s never just you. It’s you, supported by the tools and contributions of others.

Don’t Give Others the Power to Make You Feel Bad

People can be hurtful, and most of us have experienced it. But you decide how much power to give someone over how you feel.

When someone tries to make you feel bad, step back and look at it differently. Are they taking something out on you? Are they doing it on purpose?

One of the best questions to ask is: “Was I in the wrong?”

If you did something wrong, do what you can to put it right.

If you did nothing wrong, don’t give that person the power to make you feel bad. Only you can allow that.

Avoid Impulse Buying to Stay Out of Debt

Impulse buying is one of the major causes of debt.

Credit lets us have things we want before we have the money for them. But if we had to pay cash for everything and there were no credit, would we be better or worse off? Debt can make you a prisoner.

Credit can be a blessing for big-ticket items like a car or a house, and in emergencies. For anything else, it’s better to avoid credit when you can, and curbing impulse buying is a good place to start.

Before you buy, ask yourself:

• Do I really need this, or is it just a desire?
• What is this really costing me? It’s not just the price. A new tech device, for example, also costs time and effort to make it work the way you need.
• What will happen if I don’t buy this?

Never buy something you weren’t already planning to buy. Even when it is planned, wait one to two weeks and see if you still want it.

The more you control impulse buying, the better your chances of reducing debt.

Appreciate Your Job to Rebuild Your Motivation

When you don’t feel like going to work, or your career feels stuck, try shifting your perspective to get your momentum going again.

Start by listing what you can be grateful for:

• Your job provides an income that supports you and your family.
• Your role matters to the company and to the people it serves.
• Your job lets you take care of yourself, instead of asking friends for money or relying on government programs just to survive.
• You were chosen. Out of all the candidates, they hired you, so you have something special they want.

You’re part of a team and part of something. It’s not just a job; it’s a job you are performing.

Focusing on examples like these brings more positive energy to your work, instead of focusing on the negatives and draining the positivity out of it.

Put the Right Person in the Right Job

When you’re hiring, do your best to find the right person for the job. It’s not enough just to fill a position. You need the right candidate, someone who fits the role.

Many companies promote people because they’re doing a great job in their current position. What often isn’t considered is that they may not do as well in the new role because they aren’t the right fit for it.

Hiring the wrong person leads to headaches and financial loss. It also creates stress, and if you did the hiring, it reflects poorly on you.

Whenever you hire, take time to consider the job at hand and whether the person is a good fit. Tools like AI can help you create questionnaires to find the right fit.

Get it right and you’ll be praised, and your job as a manager becomes easier. Get it wrong and it could be a damaging strike against you and a loss to your company.

They May Not Be Lying; They May Just Be Wrong

Have you ever argued with someone who insisted they were right when you knew they were wrong? It can feel like they’re lying to your face.

But look at it from another perspective. Perhaps they truly believe what they’re saying. They aren’t trying to be devious; that’s simply what they remember. In their eyes, you’re the one who’s wrong.

Keep your emotions in check and verify the facts. People aren’t always being dishonest. Sometimes they sincerely believe something that isn’t accurate.

Get to the Point: Rambling Confuses Your Listeners

Rambling doesn’t help when you’re trying to get a point across.

We often ramble because there’s so much going on in our heads that we try to make many points at once. For the people listening, it’s confusing, wastes time and is irritating.

If you feel you’re going to ramble, pause before you speak. Work out exactly what you want to say, take a deep breath and say it concisely.

For a meeting, practice what you want to say or write it down, whatever works for you. Get your point across in a couple of sentences. If people want to know more, they’ll ask.

Look Away When You’re Tempted

We all get tempted. Sometimes we overcome the temptation, and sometimes it overcomes us.

One thing you can do when you feel tempted is to look away and find any distraction that keeps you from focusing on it.

If you keep thinking about it, it’s easier for the temptation to overtake you. When you look away and put it out of your mind, it becomes easier to overcome.

While you’re fighting it and considering it, you keep it in mind. When you look the other way, the temptation fades.

Give More Value Than You’re Paid For

I think it’s important to give your company more than what you’re paid for.

Some people may think that’s foolish and that you should be paid for every effort. I’m not saying work for free. I’m saying that if you earn a decent wage, you shouldn’t expect a raise every time you do something good.

Go in with the mindset that the company is taking care of you. You’re getting a good income and it’s your livelihood, so go the extra mile and give more than you’re paid for.

It shows good faith toward the company, and it makes you a more valuable employee. Managers notice when you always go the extra mile.

As a bonus, with this mindset you feel good about your work and what you’re doing.

How God Answers Prayer: Yes, No, or Not Yet

I believe God answers every prayer for each of us when we pray with all our heart and are authentic. The answer may be yes, no or not yet.

Sometimes the answer is no. Some prayers aren’t right for your path. God sees the big picture, while you see through a small window. You may want a certain job, item or person in your life, but God sees that it won’t help move your path forward.

When God says yes, nothing in existence can keep it from coming. But He answers in His own way and His own time, so there may be a delay.

An answer doesn’t always come down from heaven as an angel or a miracle. Often God works through other people, because just as He loves you, He loves them too. Your boss may give you an unexpected promotion or raise and be glad to do it.

God also gave us free will. He guides people but doesn’t force them. If your boss had a cold heart and refused to give you a raise, God won’t make him. He’ll give him the opportunity, and if he declines, the blessing will come through someone else. That takes time.

So pray with all your heart and ask God for what you want, but add, “according to Your will, not mine.” When there’s a delay, remember how He works, and it will keep you from being anxious.

Focus on Your Own Talents, Not Others’

Sometimes we look at people and say they’ve got it all, the whole package. They’re so talented that they succeed at whatever they do. But that isn’t entirely true.

We were all born with talents and gifts to use during our lifetime. Looking at other people’s talents doesn’t help you, because they were born with theirs and you were born with yours.

Instead, when you see someone succeeding, be happy for them. They’re using their talent for the purpose it was given to them.

If you want to be happy for yourself, understand and use your own talents. You can only succeed with the talent you were given, rather than trying to succeed at something that isn’t for you.