7 Habits of Extraordinary People

You have two choices in life, to be ordinary or extraordinary. If you are ordinary you live in a land where everyday is predictable. In other words, everyday is the same. You get up, eat, go to work, come home, eat, watch TV, then go to bed; and the next day do the same.

To be extraordinary, as successful people have found out, you must do something different. Tonya Jacobik, a good friend of mine, recently shared with me a list of six things that she does each and every day. I have added one more to make it number seven.

But, before I share the list with you I must tell you that Tonya lives on a farm with several different animals, is married to a wonderful man, has seven children, and runs a very successful home business. In fact, Tonya is one of the most successful female business women that I know. Her success comes from taking the time daily to do the following:

1. Do something spiritually. You will be amazed at the strength you get from beginning your day with a  prayer, scripture reading, and/or worship.

2. Do something for yourself. We must remember that we can’t take care of others until we take care of ourselves. Life is just too short to “always” keep our feet to the grind stone; live a little or a lot. Therefore, it is a must to plan something for yourself every day. It can be as basic as a car ride in the country, or as elaborate as a day at your favorite spa.

3. Do something for your family. We have all heard the story of the very successful business man that worked his fingers to the bone, at the sacrifice of his family and his health. Now he finds himself lying in a hospital bed struggling to make it through the night because he just had a massive heart attack. The main thing on his mind is “not” how he spent his time, but rather how he didn’t. He now wishes that he had spent time with his family showing them how much he loves them by making them his number one priority.

4. Do something for someone else. Perhaps you’ve seen one of my favorite movies, Pay It Forward. If not, it is a movie where a small boy literally changes the world. He begins this quest because his school teacher asks all the students to choose a world-changing project. One student decided to get everyone in America to jump up and down at the exact same time, thus throwing the earth off its axis. The star of the movie tried to change the world in a more practical way. His plan was to do three random acts of kindness to three different people. And all they had to do in return was the same. At one point in the movie a person stepped assign in a hospital emergency room so a little girl could go first. At another point a person donated a new Porsche to someone.

5. Do something to increase your personal growth. Successful people know if they are not moving forward that they are moving backward. Because there is no standing still I would encourage you to take a few minutes and develop a 2006 personal growth plan. A plan that can help you grow each and every day. I would suggest that you include in this plan time to read some books, on a regular basis have lunch with a mentor or close friend, and attend a personal growth seminar or two this year.

Whatever you do make sure it stretches the most powerful tool you have; your mind.

6. Do something to enhance your profession or business. I will make you a promise. If you will daily apply the list below this time next year your life will not be the same.

• Learn - do something that will grow your business.
• Relate - spend time with your customers.
• Appreciate - show your team how much you appreciate them. Appreciation = Action.
• Train - share what you know (and are learning) with your team.
• Tasks list - work on 2-3 large projects each day. Set a timer if you have to so you don’t forget about all the other important people and things in your day.
• Network - Eagles don’t flock with turkeys. In other words, successful people flock with successful people.

7. Take time to dream. As stated previously, I have added number seven to Tonya’s list. Dreams do come true, just ask Walt Disney, Tiger Woods, and Tonya Jacobik. I am convinced that dreaming is not only one of the most important things you will do all day, but quite possibly the most powerful.

• Dream it - See it in your mind.
• Write it - Schedule time for it.
• Achieve it - Celebrate the success and start over.