One of the most valuable skills you can learn is speed reading. The reason although self-evident is lost on many professionals and entrepreneurs who struggle to keep up with the demands of their careers and businesses. Preeminence means that your reputation, standing and stature as a source of knowledge, expertise and wisdom precedes you. It’s one of the foundational strategies of Exponential Marketing. However, WHAT you read is as important as how FAST you read it.

I created the Preeminence Pyramid to highlight the evolution of a speed reader as he/she matures to develop his/her preeminence and the skills associated with a ‘higher’ profile persona. Of course you can mix and match your reading serendipitously, but the evolution is suggested in this order to ensure the BASE of the pyramid is as wide and as strong as possible. You know to ascend to the next level in the hierarchy when you’ve more or less saturated yourself in the content and context of that particular level/theme.

This of course is a guideline, not a strict rule. It’s just that without the underlying foundational analysis skills, great biographies are read as great story telling rather than as a revelation of the dynamics at play that intertwine the written passages – they greatest distinctions are unwritten and obtained through osmosis – if you don’t possess the basic skills, you simply can’t decipher the code and lose the most valuable lessons.

I have mixed feelings about willpower and it’s importance in goal setting and achievement. The main reason is that if you have a clearly articulated goal, outcome or dream you want to achieve that really excites you, you don’t need any willpower to get it done.

Willpower to me is an excuse for impotent goal setters.

Without exciting goals you would need willpower to get motivated.

For example, I don’t smoke. It takes no willpower for me to avoid picking up a cigarette, cigar or pipe. The same is true for overeating. I value my vitality, health and wellbeing so much that I don’t overeat or abuse alcohol or other ‘substances’.

If you’re struggling with willpower and are trying to harness more of it – you’re probably heading in the wrong direction.

Focus on your goals, dreams and aspirations instead.

When you do, you’ll find an unquenchable thirst for achievement that will create relentless enthusiasm within you and you’ll be of the same point of view that willpower has no place in genuine and authentic achievement that is congruent with your life’s purpose.

Give it some serious thought the next time you think you’re lacking in willpower – or when you see someone with very little of it.

Share these thoughts with them because that’s what someone did with me when I was a teenager and it changed my life and perspective forever.

I wanted to share an email with you – this was a friend who was running his business into the ground. I left it in its raw form to give you a sense of what it’s like to told what you don’t want to hear, but need to hear. It’s what my Platinum Program members expect. If you want to step up to this level of performance – you know how to reach me. But BEWARE – I will tell it like it is, with no sugar coating!

Here’s the first dose of telling you what you don’t want to hear. Get the
business right, make a s_ _ _load of money and THEN think of another opportunity.

Every minute you spend on something OTHER than the business means you’re
dissipating what Tony Robbins calls CONCENTRATION OF EFFORT – one of the keys to
exponential success.

I know you’ll say or think things like:

Successful people do MANY things at the same time.

Wealthy investors invest in MULTIPLE stocks.

Real estate moguls own MORE THAN ONE property.

This is all true – EXCEPT for ONE thing.

They all started creating a success with ONE thing they knew really well and
MAXIMISED the returns and rewards and then re-invested the profits.

They bought ONE stock that made a PROFIT.

They bought ONE property that appreciated in VALUE and then leveraged it.

They started ONE company that was successful and reinvested the PROFITS into
other businesses.

That’s one of the problems MANY people have – they have NO CONCENTRATION OF
FOCUS.

Like the magnifying glass that focuses the sun’s rays to create heat and
fire, the concept holds true for business ideas and innovation.

I know first hand how hard it is to put great ideas aside – I call it
‘parking an idea’ – putting it on hold to be picked up at a later time and
date. When it’s appropriate.

If you are struggling with the business such that you can’t afford to do what
you really want, that means you have not yet succeeded with the business.
You might be on your way, but the rewards are only available when you
BACKSTOP the backward slide that occurs from time to time.

Success really only happens when you OWN the business and have NO mortgage,
otherwise you are always a slave to the landlord or the bank.

Too many people in business think they’re entrepreneurs when in fact they
are employees with tax benefits and huge financial liabilities.

CONCENTRATION OF FOCUS is what made you a ______ champion.

You better than anyone KNOWS what it takes to WIN.

Why are you not using the SAME DISCIPLINE and FOCUS for the business?

Why are you not using all the sources of information/data/tools to make it
massively successful?

You’ve seen and heard what I’ve been able to do over and over again – this
is not magic – plumbers, electricians, retailers, gyms, lawyers, engineers,
employees, coaches, accountants, IT companies… They use these strategies
that have been tried and tested for over 30 years.

But it takes concentration of focus to make it happen.

Why bother with an Internet idea when you have no expertise in that area -
your website with no offence intended… ‘sucks’.

I know you’re going to have one soon, but do you realise it’s 2011?

You’re 10 years behind the eight-ball in respect of the Internet. You should
be getting at least 50% of your clients through the Internet by now. You
should be delivering value to you clients via online strategies and
concepts.

Does this make sense or do you still think you’re right?

If you think you’re right, answer me one question, again this is without
prejudice or judgment.

If you’re right, why aren’t you successful = profitable and swimming in
cash?

You are the MOST COMPETENT ________ I have ever met – you know more
than 10 people combined.

You are one of the MOST DISCIPLINED people I know – winning a __________
championship requires TOTAL and absolute commitment.

Also, you are one of the most stubborn people who wants to do it on his own
- without help/assistance.

When I was in +/- teens, I was the same way – it was all about ego, me,
myself and I. Then I realised something that was hard to admit.

I wasn’t smart enough to do it on my own.

That’s when I picked up Tony Robbins’ books and the rest is history. I started
seeking out the BEST sources of information and strategies and APPLIED them
- over and over and over and over again – until I mastered them.

I applied them with CONCENTRATION OF FOCUS on ONE concept/project at a time.

That’s my message for you today.

I know what you wanted to hear, and I asked you if you wanted me to tell you
what you NEED to hear versus what you WANT to hear.

All I can say is that everyone thinks they have a great idea.

My test is simple. If you can’t summarise it in one sentence, it’s all too
hard.

For example:

A super small device that can hold thousands of songs that you can buy on
the Internet and play in any pre-set order you want. (iPod)

I sell ice cream cones at the beach on sunny days. (DUH!)

For every $1 people give me, I guarantee they will make $3. (My business)

A computer that looks great, requires no technical skill to operate and
doesn’t get viruses because the operating system is bullet proof. (Mac)

Then of course there’s the USP… Without that, you’re just like everyone
else, but that’s a discussion for another day.

Let me know how you feel about this brutal full-frontal dose of reality.

Onward and upward!
Marc

My blogs are all about showing you examples of antimimeticisomorphism – the goal setting video below is a classic example. I agree and disagree with it, because there is a subjective element to it, but for now – watch it and make up your own mind.

This is the kind of video I will have my clients watch and we’ll discuss it in a MasterMind Session to reveal key nuances and distinctions. If you’d like to participate at this level, give us a call.

I come from a family that valued higher education, hard work and integrity. I can’t say that it’s all that common these days.

One of the foundational principles I was brought up with was the understanding of the hierarchy shown below. This Professional Mastery Blog is all about helping you migrate from having ‘just a job’, to developing a great career, accelerating in your profession and ultimately finding your calling – the reason you’re here and the only way you get to feed your spirit living the dream life you’ve always wanted.

It’s what I describe as

“living a life of revolution by design
rather than evolution by default
to avoid extinction by stagnation” — Dr Marc Dussault

From Just A Job To Finding Your Calling

Read More »»

Someone sent me this link which is a great metaphor for someone contemplating a career change.  The average person will have multiple careers, changing jobs every 6 to 10 years and careers between 2 to 4 times. Furthermore, people should expect a career change to take between 2 to 6 years to implement. Click here to get a priceless lesson.

Productivity Tip #1

When traveling, test traveling at different times of the day to test and determine which one is MOST productive and efficient for you. Contrary to popular practice, taking an early flight (when you have the option not to) is not the most productive option – especially if you sleep on the flight. Also, you want to consider traffic to and from the airports and coordination considerations. I now travel more often at midday – avoiding traffic as well as getting things done prior to the flight, being wide awake and working on the flight and then picking up loose ends when I arrive at my destination. It’s all about “Perfect Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.”

Productivity Tip #2

Upgrade your hotel room and/or pick a different hotel or apartment when traveling to familiar cities. You’d be amazed at how different each choice can be. I vary my hotel selections from trip to trip for variety as well as based on what I am doing. If I am meeting with several clients, I will rent a 2-bedroom suite or apartment so that I can have visitors in a comfortable environment. The point is TEST the options – sometimes an upgrade is less expensive than hiring a separate boardroom.

Productivity Tip #3

This one’s a personal favorite of mine, it’s been called time shifting – recording your favorite TV shows or sports and watching them without commercial interruptions (saving you time) when it’s convenient for you. With Tivo and Digital Video Recorders, there is no excuse not to do it. I simply will not watch live TV anymore. If it’s sports, I’ll start to watch it 15 to 30 minutes after it starts and “chase play” through the commercials. I simply cannot afford waste associated with commercials.

I am not the only one doing this – the entire world has embraced time shifting. All it takes is the foresight to plan ahead and make the commitment to stick with it. Trust me, once you start, you will never go back.

These productivity tips are important because we all have the same amount of time – 24 hours in our day. The difference between successful people and less successful people is their use and leverage of time.

The more productive you can be, the more time you gain to do what you really, really enjoy.

When I talk to my clients about productivity, efficiency and effectiveness, I triangulate or combine the Pareto Principle, Goal Setting and several other strategies in a concept I call Voluntary Simplexity. It has its foundation in the movement from the 1980s called Voluntary Simplicity that was made popular with the International Bestseller “Your Money Or Your Life”.

When you apply it, it slows your life down, much like the slow-motion effects in the movie The Matrix.

Imagine being able to live life with that level of confidence, peace and serenity, all without compromising results but improving them. Have a look at my personal mastery website and you’ll see the holistic approach I take to business growth.

Neo And Agent Smith in The Matrix

I created this diagram to illustrate different ways of thinking… To adopt and Exponential Mindset™ takes time and exposure. As a blog reader, you are passively involved in the process, to kick it up another notch, you really should get proactive and attend the only FREE event I have scheduled this year – the Exponential Extravaganza scheduled for Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Exponential MasterMind Mindset Thinking

Nothing beats being in a room full of like-minded people who ‘get’ how this works. As you can see from the event page, this is a first-time-ever and one-time-only event.

Imagine what it would be like to have “World Class Exponential Thinking™”…

How different would your results be?

How much less effort would you need to put out to get better results? After all the ultra rich and super successful have exactly the same number of hours in their week as you do…

It’s not what or who you know that creates results – it’s HOW you think.

When you have an Exponential Mindset™, it means that everything you do increases at an increasing rate…

Can you imagine that happening to your bank account?!?! Hmmm…

Now you’re starting to think Exponentially!

Click on the URL to find out more about the Exponential Extravaganza event scheduled for Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney and to REGISTER for your FREE Ticket (while they remain available.)

This short 1-minute YouTube video says it all. Failure is a sign you’re stretching beyond your comfort zone and expanding what I call your Sphere of Influence – a concept I explain in my Entrepreneur’s Success Book. Anyway, for today and right now, I just want you to take 1 minute out of your busy day and be amazed at all the super successful people and how they failed before they hit the big time. It’s truly inspiring.