August 16, 2015 - Do What Others Will NOT!

In order to have what others do not you have to do what others will not.

I am not sure who said that phrase. I was just flipping through my journal looking for a topic to write about. You see, I’m alone at home tonight. Its really hot out and I have avoided doing chores outside. I was watching a stupid movie on Netflix and Denis Waitley’s voice came through. “The difference between the successful and the unsuccessful is the successful focus on goal achieving rather than tension relieving.”

I was relieving tension because I was not motivated. I am sure there are those that would say writing a blog isn’t goal achieving but I disagree. I am organizing my thoughts and expressing myself in a way that will, in time help someone else out.

I made a presentation today. Actually, I had a breakfast business meeting, went to my trading-time-for-money place and THEN I had an CAN presentation. I was doing something others are not willing to do. Spending my Sunday afternoon making a business presentation.

The chap I was presenting to is an old friend of my son’s. He sells insurance and RSP and other investment vehicles. He walked in carrying a Tony Robins book. I knew he was a 5%’er. We had a great talk. A brief presentation but a great talk.

He mentioned how little respect people have for MLM. I agreed – many people have a poor attitude toward MLM. We talked about how CAN is a customer acquisition focused company. I was the third person to present to him. I came out and asked him to send referrals to Morgan. He basically refused feeling we would immediately try to recruit the referral. That’s not what we are about – we acquire customers – we help people save money.

At the end of the conversation we were sharing personal development resources and promising to refer people to each other. I believe that above all else, we may have “converted” someone from a negative mindset regarding MLM to a more positive mind set.

So what did I do today that others will not? I’ve asked myself that question all evening. Here is what I came up with, as far as today is concerned:

• When he asked “Is this ACN? I’ve had 2 presentations already." So I asked him if he minded us presenting again, he may learn something new. In fact, he learned lots. And so did I.

• I didn’t allow emotion to enter the discussion about MLM. I listened to his objections and rather than fight them, I merely presented an alternate viewpoint.

• I sat in a really nice café and really didn’t care about the other people listening in to our conversation. I used to allow my emotions have control over my enthusiasm when I thought I was being listened in on.

• I asked for referrals and helped allay his fears that we would poach any potential customers by trying to recruit them.

• I followed up. They say that in MLM (and business in general) the fortune is in the follow up.

So there we go. Do what others will not. And keep on doing it until you crash exhausted into bed. Then get up and do it the next day. I started 7 days ago on my re-birth and I am continuing.

Good luck!

August 15, 2015 - New Beginnings

I received am email recently asking me if I’d be interested in teaching at a local jail. The coordinator sent out an email to all of the teachers in the programme asking who would be interested. Only a small number of us replied as far as I know. I’ve mentioned this opportunity to a few other people and only 1 in 20 has been positive and supportive. Most are worried I’ll be hurt…. Wow

All we were asked is if there was any interest. Not that the programme was a go or anything like that. All my coordinator needs is commitment from instructors so she can put a proposal together for funding, etc.

I’ve been pretty jacked about the opportunity to teach at this institute. I was driving for a couple of hours yesterday and was mulling over this over. I realize why I am so excited.

I believe in new beginnings. 

My inspiration - Sunrise over the 401 near Napanee Ontario

It really is that simple. New beginnings. Every morning brings with it a new reality. We cannot escape our past but our past is not a prison, not a prison guard, not a sentence. Our past, if we use it wisely is a teacher. We use today to the very best of our abilities to be a positive one. We use today to plan for tomorrow. We use the past to guide us to making better decisions. But all we have is today.

Emerson says something along the lines of Today is King. It really is. What is a King? A monarch, the head honcho. What does a King do? He uses his Sages – his yesterdays – to help him make decisions to make things better tomorrow.

So what am I doing that makes my teaching a “new beginning”?

All I do is teach botany and a few other plant related sciences. Most of my apprentice students are in my class because they are searching for something. You see, people seem to get into horticulture or landscaping from a few sources and they are usually all related to general labour. Work for a relative, like it, study it, “career it”. That’s how I got into this. Get a job in high school, like it, study it, “career it”. That’s also how I got into this. Can’t find your way, stagger from general labour job to general labour job, finally stumble into a landscaping company, garden centre or greenhouse or nursery, like it, study it and “career it”.

Its not like being a nurse or an engineer. Most of society really has a negative bias to these trades. I am not entirely sure why. But there is a bias. So when I get students in front of me, they are usually there on their own journey of “new beginning”.

I feel as if I am going through a new beginning every morning. I heard yesterday that “gratitude is the antidote to negativity.” Wow. Ain’t that just so. This morning I woke (a couple of times, truth be told – we stayed up too late last night) and went through my gratitude “prayer”. I consciously go through a list of everything in my life I am grateful for. The top of my list every morning are Linda, Morgan and Ainsley. Every morning there is a slightly different list past that but there is a list.

As I am finishing thinking about what I am grateful for, I can focus on making today count.

Every morning is a new beginning. So when I was asked if I can help some people who for whatever reason have been Guests of the Crown for the past little while, I think my subconscious mind told me there were some people looking for a new beginning. The Universe has been kind to me. I believe it is my responsibility to pay forward that kindness. I really hope this programme goes through. Not only for the students but for what it will help me become.

That’s all for now folks!

August 14, 2015 - Being a River

I have always found mentors; mainly because I really like to learn. Although I didn’t know they were called mentors until recently. Linda really likes to learn the science of things. I like to learn the behaviour of things. So when my Uncle Ralph taught me about White Oaks and how he used their flowering time as an indicator of other things happening in the vineyards, I was really interested. About the behaviour of the white oak and the insect he was monitoring. Linda would have been interested in the science of phenology, entomology, botany and everything else. I’m just telling you that as a point of reference. Not a judgment or anything.

When I started reviewing my life (my behaviour) I came to realize I have been trying to emulate the great people in my life. A short list would be my Dad, my Grandpa and Uncle Ralph. There were many others, this is but a short list.  All three were rivers. I have met many other people who turned out to be reservoirs.

You see a river has knowledge enter at its headwaters. The river then churns the knowledge up and mixes it with other knowledge that enters the river through the many tributaries. Those bits of knowledge adhere to each other, oxygenating, purifying, and becoming more and more nutritious. Then as the river flows, that knowledge can be taken out and used by whoever needs it. If the person taking from the river is one of the 5% that knowledge enters their river and mixes and the “circle of knowledge” continues.

Unfortunately, most people, the 95% are reservoirs. Knowledge enters their reservoir and may or may not mix with other knowledge, there is very little oxygenation, no purification. There is no easy way to get at this knowledge, and when it is accessed, it comes out in a container, flat, stale and perhaps not understandable.

My mother in law of all people once called me a generous person. She believes I just give my knowledge and skills away without compensation. On one hand she is right. I give freely of what I know and can do. I never heard of Emerson’s Universal Law of Compensation until I was walking this earth for almost 50 years. “Do the Thing and You shall have the Power. But he who does not the Thing shall not have the Power.” My dad, grandpa and uncle knew this law and taught it to me without revealing the name.

I believe now and then and always will that payment comes back in any deed we do. Good or bad. You can undo a bad by doing good but the bad gets re-paid.

I gave a homeless guy a Twonie yesterday. He looked a little strung out. But he was well spoken and polite. Now he said he was going to buy poutine and I have to believe him on that. Now if his heart was good, and he wasn’t lying to me, the universe will guide him to pay that townie back. I do not expect him to pay me back – ever – not from him but somewhere. I may already have been paid and am paying back….. BUT he will pay it forward. Let’s just say he gets the money together to but that poutine. I picture him buying the poutine and leaving the shop. He’ll sit on the edge of a wall and some other homeless guy comes along and he shares it with him. THAT is how the Universal Law of Compensation works in my mind.

Compensation comes from everywhere and always will come from the unexpected. You never know how one small act of kindness will ripple its way through the Universe in ways you never may see. So be kind. Pay it forward through acts of tithing, kindness, whatever you have to give – give.

Jim Rohn said something about the key to success in life – as if there was only one – and he said it in this phrase. “Study, practice, teach”.

Study your life, your trade, everything. Learn every day about something new in your life. “Good leaders are good readers.”

Practice your life, your trade, everything. Be better today than you were yesterday, plan on how to be better tomorrow. Always improve – in every area of your life.

Teach your life, your trade, everything. Not everyone wants to be taught but you will know the ones that want to be taught. Be a mentor. Be open.

Be a river.