Making Small Changes In Your Environment

Last week I was on a long road trip. On one particular night I arrived at my "economy" hotel after training for several hours and then driving an additional 3-4 hours. I was extremely tired. As I got out of the car I heard the most wonderful piano music. It was such a welcome sound after driving. Taking my bags out of the car, I realized it was coming from the hotel. They had speakers outside, and I found myself smiling as I walked to the hotel entrance. Inside, the music continued. By the time I checked into my room I was relaxed and ready to rest whereas I normally need several minutes to "wind down" after such a day. The music made the difference.

Whether you want to get better results in your business, from your relationships or just for your personal well-being, never underestimate the power of making small changes like the one this hotel made. In a program last week a participant told me that the change he needed to make as a salesperson was simply to smile more frequently. Another participant said they needed to get up 15 minutes earlier to have time to plan more effectively.

On Friday I took the time to clean my desk and work area. This morning I feel much more focused and ready to tackle my "A" priorities.

What small change could you make that would create the environment where more "blue ribbons" could be achieved?

The Value of Routine

I was in Austin Texas on Sunday. You can check out a couple of pictures on my FB page. While at a reception for the association members I had spoken to earlier in the day, I noticed people gathering along one side of a bridge along the river. I'm talking over a hundred people!  When I asked about the reason, I learned that Austin Texas has the largest urban bat colony in the United States residing under the Colony Street bridge. And every night at dusk, the bats come streaming out and fly down river to begin their nightly feeding. It was an incredible sight! For about 10 minutes a steady stream of bats flew along the river's edge.

As I watched the crowd of people and the tourist boats that gathered to watch this natural wonder, I couldn't help but think about the value of routine. The natural world teaches us so much about how important routine is in survival and success. It made me reflect on my own need to create more routines in my own life. Not just for my own benefit, but for the benefit of others (the bat's routine allowed tourists, boat operators and others to plan more efficiently because they knew when the event was going to take place.)

What routine do you need to continue or start to increase your chances of success with something? Maybe there is value in the phrase, "Going batty."