As we move through the last quarter of 2011, consider this critical thinking question: what single skill, if you were to develop (or improve on) it before the end of the year, would make the biggest difference in your life? Answers from previous years include public speaking, better writing skills, communication, etc. Watch this short video I taped on Lake Lanier and I’ll look forward to your comments. Steve Siebold (2:12)
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Learn to speak Spanish. I had the opportunity to live in Madrid when I was 22 years old. Now I’m 39. But I let myself be frightened by my boyfriend, my husband now. So I’ve been spending all these years regreting my decision. I pick up audio books on the Library, subscribe at free on line courses, but I never complete none of these. So now I decide that untill December 31st, I will complete these courses and speak Spanish.
This is in response to Leo’s post. Maybe I should also include how to reply to posts on my list for that as well lol.
I just found a strong leader in my industry today after tracking him down and am going to make him keep me accountable. Well not really but just having someone there that I have to follow up with will get me in the habit of following up with myself which is most important.
Since discovering that about myself, it’s really eye opening how many opportunities, relationships, and business ideas that I left to chance or to something else. I know that just by being accountable will increase productivity, profits, and help me hit goals faster.
A lot of people say your success is directly related to your personal development and after going through some of the things I put myself through I believe that 100% now and am fully convinced. A lot times we hear things and we say we believe it, but we don’t REALLY believe it.
That’s how personal development and business success translated for me. I didn’t really believe it until looking at my not so hot business and seeing how my personal reactions, thoughts, and activities were affecting my results in a big way.
Thanks for reading and I am also open to networking with like minded professionals as having an accountability network would be even more powerful than an accountability friend.
I need to work on speaking up whenever I have something to say– even if it is unpopular. Communication [or lack thereof] is a big one for me. I am going to work on speaking up in small groups, then larger groups, and finally presenting to a group. I know it will not be easy for me, but I am going to push through the fear, self-consciousness, embarassment (and all the other negative emotions) and just do it. I know I can so I just have to start. Good luck to everyone in attaining your goals as well!
Rob Fraser: Do you have someone who can help you push forward? Sort of an accountability friend? I find that very helpful to get into the habit of following trough.
I have just discovered EQ. Emotional Intelligence. My test scores (from the book) are very low which shocked me until I thought about how shy I have been. My most important skill to learn before the end of this year is EQ skills. The one most important of these skills may be Social Awareness. Just being able to pick up what others are thinking and feeling about situations, even when I don’t feel the same way.
My skill that I need, want, and have to develop is simply to FOLLOW THROUGH to completion. That goes for relationships, business, writing, and even my fitness goals. I start things and make plans. I even lay out daily schedules but things always seem to get in the way and I get off track. Following through would greatly increase my production, profits, my six pack abs, etc.
Thanks
Robert David Fraser
My plan is always to think of success, then try to improve on it. Always looking for a playing field in order to challenge my creativity. Never to say “I should have…”
What “one” skill?
You’d think that picking “one” would be easy – but it can be a difficult choice. I understand “logically” the power of focusing energy on one specific thing. But I am challenged by the “emotional” aspect – choosing one means letting others go – or at least not giving them attention.
I’ll have to drill down on this one…
Wiz…
Smart Thinking
i think am generaly week but one thing i know is when i put my mind to samething iam a good starter but a poor finish plse i need help there and can you plse recomend some book for me and if i can get a soft copy just let me know how i can get it
I would say the most important “skill” for me to go after in the next 2 months would be speech writing. I don’t want to get caught in the trap of creating assembly line speeches–I want them to be original in style, content, and quality. I find it’s tricky to do because it requires a lot of deep thought and patience. I want audience members to walk away feeling they got a lot for their money and attention.
The only thing missing from your boat setting there is a fishing pole…..
Good question Steve. My answer is simple: ask for help.
To better avoid procrastation. Overcome fear of the unknown. Go for my dreams.
Learn the skills and act upon them, that will help me to stimulate my own economy as well as showing others how to successfully do the same.
“OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE”
Can you see it?
Being able to get more of the right traffic to my website–that will convert to sales. My stop smoking product is right for a lot of folks–I just need to keep on developing various strategies for getting traffic that converts to sales.
Also getting into public speaking–starting with chamber of commerces, rotariy and kiwanis clubs and any other organization…so the word about my stop smoking product gets spread far and wide.
Thanks for your great blogs over the year.
Best,
Bob Wolff
a.k.a. Humbler Acts
Learning to manage time better and set priorities. I have more to do than time to do it in. I’d love to learn how to do what’s most important and let the rest go, without caring about what others think.
I definitely need to improve my self confidence. I’m really good at what I do, but people tend not to believe my ideas or suggestions simply because I don’t present them with confidence.
Better public speaking skills would be wonderful too since I spend so much of my time in the public spotlight.
I think it would be to improve my communications skills in the sales buisness, I need to increase revenue and aproach people in cruises, guests who are having fun on a ship vacation, but I need to sell everything in an impecable maner, aproaching people and not being pushy at any time.
Improve my marketing skills, especially on the internet. I have everything else working. Marketing is the life blood of any business.
I picked just a handful of books from your book 177 Mental Toughness Secretes of the World Class (this book changed my life) and plan to read more of your suggested books after I get through my first round of my picks.
So far I have finished reading: How to Win and Influence People and Leadership & Self Deception.
I am currently working on: 30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary, Six Pillars of Self Esteem, Breaking the No Barrier, What to Say when You Talk to Yourself and The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity.
What I have learned about myself stunned me. I learned that my verbal communications skills are below average. There it was in black in white, just 2 days ago, after taking a few simple tests in the 30 days to a more powerful vocabulary. The simple tests in this little book are really powerful. My results explained to me why I am so frustrated with my life right now. I have had a hard time getting people to team up with me and with my sales position.
Language is such a powerful tool and I honestly though I had a pretty good command of it, boy was I wrong. The less understanding you have of language the more frustrating life will be because you can’t verbalize all the great ideas you have in a way that is appealing and clear to others.
The most important skill I need for 2012 is an excellent command over language so I can express my ideas fully and clearly and in a ways that are appealing to other people. Currently my command of language is below average.
I plan to accomplish this by first finishing up the 30 days to a more powerful vocabulary (and keep up the skills I learn in the book and take supplemental courses in language as needed in order to really have command of language), after the book that I will take Arbinger’s seminar called The Anatomy of Peace (to help me think more outside of the box) and after that I would like to complete The Bill Gove speech seminar.
I feel that this plan above will be a positive life changing experience for me and everyone who knows me as well as any new people I meet.
Finding a way to get the people I develop in my business to do what they need to do to be successful. That means I would need to turn my leadership development skills up to a higher level.