“If you can dream it, then you can achieve it.”
Zig Ziglar
Yesterday, we lost a legend in the world of motivational speakers: Zig Ziglar, born Hilary Hinton Ziglar (I’d rather be called Zig too) passed away in Plano, Texas, leaving a legacy of quotable motivational Facebook status updates, Youtube video links and over 30 books on salesmanship and the benefits of positive living.
Each morning, I wake up to the soothing sounds of wife’s high heel boots on hardwood floors, mouthwash being gargled, and my son barging into our bedroom asking for lunch money as he races the clock to get to school on time. Who needs an alarm clock? As a self-employed Creative Director, running my own design company, I pride myself in the ability I have to ‘create my own schedule’. The reality is that although I don’t have to get up at 5am for a 2 hour commute anymore, I still need to get into the office and be ready for clients at the standard hour when business begins: 9AM. This gives me about 2 hours from the moment I wake up (not ‘get up’ – there is a difference) and the moment I walk into my office, which gratefully is less than 2 miles away.
The Daily Routine
Once I hear the last garage door close and the house is silent, I know that everyone is out and I can begin my routine. I start the same way I end my day: with prayer. It’s important to me, like it was to Ziglar, to put God first.
Molly Driscoll, staff writer for the Christian Science Monitor wrote, “He (Ziglar) once said becoming a born-again Christian in 1972 was a major turning point in his life and prompted him to begin incorporating Biblical principles in his work.
After my prayers, I begin searching for motivational quotes to read. What’s going on in my life at the time, and how it relates to business, is what determines what types of quotations I’ll look for. I’ll Google topics such as, “Leadership”, “Monday-Morning-Motivations”, “Salesmanship”, “Success”, etc. Reading these types of quotes, first thing in the morning is really a great way to jump start your day, you’ll benefit greatly because of the positive nature and mindset that it puts you in. Inevitably, I will end up reading some of Zig Ziglar’s most famous quotes.
Here are a few of my favorite Ziglar Quotes:
On Finding Friends:
“If you go looking for a friend, you’re going to find they’re very scarce. If you go out to be a friend, you’ll find them everywhere.”
On Motivation:
“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.”
On Reaching Goals:
“If you want to reach a goal, you must ‘see the reaching’ in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal.”
On the Right Attitude:
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.”
On Effort:
“There are no traffic jams on the extra mile.”
Here is one of my favorite Zig Ziglar videos
“Attitude Makes All the Difference”:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRMogDrHnMQ]
Often times, I will read something so poignant or relevant to what I’m dealing with at the time that its literally exactly what I needed to read at that moment. When that happens, I’ll post it up on my Facebook wall as status update, or I might even Tweet it. One of the first things I do when I find something that speaks to me, or that I gain a lot of benefit from is that I immediately share it. Social media is great for sharing POSITIVE updates. Sharing something POSITIVE first thing in the morning is part of my routine. I highly recommend some quiet time each morning, before the start of your day, spent perusing all of the positive and motivational information available to you right in the palm of your hand via your smart phone. It’s a great way to start the day.
Now that your mind and spirit are in order, the next thing to do is to go jump on that elliptical machine or treadmill that’s waiting for you. Get your blood pumping and get a good sweat going. This is particularly important if like me, you are poised to spend the majority of the day seated in a chair. Getting your mind, spirit and body ready each morning is good for you no matter what you do for a living. Now get out there and get Ziggy with it! Oh man, I forgot to let the dog out!
Zig you will be missed.
Resources:
Zig Ziglar dies; motivational speaker focused on positive thinking
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Ramon has over 19 years of experience in award-winning, market-proven, print collateral, marketing material, iphone/ipad app and website design specializing in corporate identity and branding. Ramon’s passion for entrepreneurial design was borne out of 10 years as Creative Director for Jay Walker at Walker Digital, the Stamford based idea laboratory and business incubator holding over 300 US Patents. Ramon served as Senior Art Director on the start-up launch team behind Priceline.com, a Walker company and invention. Most recently, Ramon’s logo and identity work was selected to be published in “Typography and Enclosures” the fourth book in the Master Library series by LogoLounge.
Need help with your brand identity or want to overhaul your existing brand? Contact: ramon@server.peraltadev.com/peraltadesign
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