Keys to Being a Godly Husband

1 Peter 3:7

"Likewise": like what? (1st 6 verses), all about being selfless, sacrifice

"dwell with them" - quality and quantity time (practice, put in the time)

"with understanding" - study her, know her.

Romance comes from sacrifice, effort, and planning, not convenience. 

"giving honor to her" - truly value her, express it publicly 

"as the lesser vessel" - being physically stronger, provide protection, safety, sensitivity, never intimidate 

"joint heirs together in grace" - openness, togetherness, open book, sharing deep feelings and fears

"so that your prayers will not be hindered" - not losing our communication to heaven. Power source - power outlet

Source: Love Worth Fighting For (Kirk Cameron)

Keys to fathering young children... don't forget

FATHER FORGETS

Listen Son, I am saying this as you lie asleep, one little hand crumpled under your cheek and blonde curls sticky over your wet forehead. I have broken into your room alone. Just a few minutes ago, as I sat reading my paper in the library, a stifling wave of remorse swept over me.

Guilty, I came to your bedside. There are things which I am thinking, son; I had been cross to you. I scolded you as you were dressing for school because you gave your face a mere dab with the towel. I took you to task for not cleaning your shoes. I called out angrily when you threw some of your things on the floor.

At breakfast I found fault, too. You spilled things. You gulped down your food. You

put your elbows on the table. You spread butter too thick on your bread. As you started off to play and I made for my train, you turned and waved a hand and called, "Goodbye, Daddy!" I frowned, and said in reply, "Hold your shoulders back!".

Then it began all over again late this afternoon. As I came up the road I spied you, down on your knees, playing marbles. There were holes in your socks. I humiliated you before your friends by marching you ahead of me to the house. Socks were expensive, and if you had to buy them you would be more careful! Imagine that son, from a father.

Do you remember later, when I was reading in the library, how you came timidly, with sort of a hurt look in your eyes? I glanced up over my paper, impatient at the interruption; you hesitated at the door. "What is it that you want?" I snapped.

You said nothing, but ran across in one tempestuous plunge, threw your arms around my neck and kissed me, your small arms tightened with affection that God had set blooming in your heart, which even neglect could not wither. Then you were gone, pattering up the stairs.

Well, Son, it was shortly afterwards that my paper slipped from my hands and a terrible sickening fear came over me. What has habit been doing to me? The habit of finding fault, or reprimanding; this was my reward to you for being a boy. It was not that I did not love you: it was that I expected too much of you. I was measuring you by the yardstick of my own years.

There is so much that was good, fine and true in your character. The little heart of yours was as big as the dawn itself over the hills. This was shown by your spontaneous impulse to rush in and kiss me good night. Nothing else mattered tonight. Son, I have come to your beside in the darkness, I have knelt there, ashamed!

It is a feeble atonement; I know that you would not understand these things which I have told you in the waking hours. Tomorrow I will be a real daddy! I will chum with you, suffer when you suffer and laugh when you laugh. I will bite my tongue when impatient words come. I will keep saying as if it were a ritual: "He is nothing but a boy--a little boy."

I am afraid I have visualized you as a man. Yet as I see you now, Son, crumpled and

weary in your bed. I see that you are still a baby. Yesterday you were in your mother's arms, your head on her shoulder. I have asked too much, too much!

Source: How To Win Friends and Influence People (Dale Carnegie)

Keys to Bulk Fuel Management

This is a good summary to bulk fuel management best practices from some of the nations leading fleets including FedEx, Waste Management, Penske and Hertz

WEX Fuel Management Solutions - Bulk Fuel Best Practices white paper

Keys to Health

• Set realistic goals
• Get accountability
• Set a habit of exercising daily even if it is 5-10 minutes (it takes 21 days to form a habit)
• Track it on a site like www.livestrong.com (knowledge is power)
• Avoid the middle of the grocery store (packaged foods)
• Think raw and fresh
• Don't eat two hours before bed
• Be patient and forgiving with yourself
• Take quality supplements & vitamins
• Get 7+ hours of sleep
• 8+ glasses of water per day
• Cleanse
• More small meals are better
• Eat slower
• Avoid temptation
• Treat yourself
• Smaller portion sizes, you can always get seconds (box up 1/2 your meal when eating out before you start)
• Be aware of your emotions and attitude - take it to God

Keys to better sleep

With a few simple guidelines, you can have better sleep tonight. At some point in their lives, for any number of reasons, nearly all Americans will have difficulties sleeping and suffer from acute insomnia. This can lead to significant distress, but have no fear! There are simple steps to take that will help you to sleep better tonight.

Get up and go to bed at the same time every day, even on weekends.
We are creatures of habit, and our sleep is no exception. Once you determine your sleep needs, you should meet those needs every day. By consistently going to bed and getting up at the same time, we condition our body to follow a regular pattern of sleep. This allows our body’s natural clock, called a circadian rhythm, to help initiate and maintain our sleep.

Make sure your sleep environment is quiet, dark, cool, and comfortable.
Studies find that sleeping in a cool environment is most conducive to sleep. By eliminating excess noise and light, we can minimize the disruptions that might wake us up. In addition, the bedroom should be a relaxing place and not a source of stress.

Bedrooms are for sleeping and sex, not for watching television, indulging your pets, or doing work.
Somehow we have managed to make the bedroom a multipurpose room. All electronics must be removed! Televisions, gaming systems, computers, telephones, and various other gadgets are stimulating and disruptive to sleep. Don’t allow them in your bedroom and don’t use them in the brief period before going to bed. Even the small amount of light from a computer screen in the evening hours can stimulate your brain into thinking it is time to be awake. It is also important to remove your pets from the bedroom as they can disrupt your sleep. Moreover, do not use the bedroom to do work as these activities are likewise stimulating and will disrupt your sleep.

Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine 4-6 hours before bedtime.
Caffeine can be found in expected places like coffee, soda pop, or tea, but also in unexpected foods like chocolate. As a stimulant it will keep you awake, even if used nearly six hours before bed. Likewise, nicotine will disrupt your sleep. And contrary to common practice, an alcoholic “nightcap” can actually make your sleep worse. Though it may cause you to become drowsy, alcohol fragments the stages of your sleep and makes it more disrupted.

Don’t take naps.
The period of time that you are awake adds to something called “sleep drive.” The longer we stay awake, the more we want to go to sleep. By taking a nap we can relieve this desire to sleep, but it will also make it less likely that we will be able to easily go to sleep later. Adults should have a consolidated period of sleep at night without additional naps. If there is excessive daytime sleepiness and desire to nap, in spite of adequate sleep time, this might suggest a sleep disorder warranting further evaluation.

Exercise every day, but avoid doing it 4 hours before bedtime.
Staying active and physically fit is an excellent way to ensure a good night’s sleep. However, doing this too close to bedtime may actually cause difficulties in getting to sleep as your body will still be revved up.

Develop sleep rituals which include quiet activities, such as reading, 15 minutes before bedtime.
Just like we maintain for children, adults need daily sleep rituals prior to going to bed to allow us to unwind and mentally prepare for going to sleep. These rituals should include quiet activities such as reading, listening to relaxing music, or even taking a nice bath.

If you are having trouble getting to sleep, as occurs in insomnia, don’t struggle in bed or you will train yourself to have difficulties there.
Individuals who have difficulty initiating sleep often toss and turn in bed and try to force sleep to come. As this is repeated, night after night, this sets up a situation where we associate our bed with the anxiety of not being able to sleep. If you are unable to get to sleep within 15 minutes, go to another quiet place and lie down until you feel ready to fall asleep, and then return to your bedroom to sleep.

There are many things that can ruin your sleep, and you should avoid eating or drinking in the few hours right before going to bed, as these might lead to disruptions of your sleep.
Discomfort with heartburn or acid reflux as well as needing to get up multiple times to urinate can be very disruptive to a good night’s sleep. It is best to avoid setting up these situations by not eating or drinking in the few hours just prior to bedtime.

Make sleep a priority: don’t sacrifice sleep to do daytime activities.
The most important advice is to respect that your body needs to sleep. Too often we are likely to allow our sleep time to be infringed upon when our daytime obligations take longer than we expect. Additionally, opportunities to engage in pleasurable activities--visiting friends, watching television, playing on the internet, eating out, and any number of others--quickly cut into our sleep time if we allow them to. It is important to schedule your sleep time and keep to that schedule, no matter what might come up during the day.

Additional Resources

National Sleep Foundation

Source: http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/top10waystosleepbetter/a/getbettersleep.htm

Keys to Completing a Triathlon

1. Cardio is the first key.  There is no substitute for logging the miles.
2. Swimming in open water is no joke.  Mental toughness is the biggest key to the Swim
3. Find some sort of organized swimming group so you can get some stroke coaching.  
4. Really think through your event before you buy an expensive bike.  If you just do a short triathlon, get a cheap mountain bike that you can use for life before commiting to a road bike.  
5. Practice running after cycling -- it's an odd experience.  
6. Look into a strength program and yoga.  
7. Focus on strength, flexibility and diet more than swimming, cycling & running
8. Learn to eat and drink while running; these are weird sensations on race day.
9. Finally, hydrate constantly

DE

Keys to Joy

Loving Relationships
Unrelenting Hope

Unwavering Faith

Meaningful Work
Optimal Health
Financial Freedom
Eternal Prospective
Stewardship Mindset
Deep Self-Knowledge

It is easy to become an "expert"

http://www.zintro.com/expert/daviesjoel

One Key for Sales: Fear Sells and Pain Buys

Quit feature and benefit dumping on your prospects.  They could care less.  "But I talk about how much money they could be saving".  Really??? ...so does every other salesman.  Here is a simple key.  FEAR SELLS.  If you don't believe me go watch TV for a little while.  Pay attention to the commercials.  You will see car accidents, ziplock bags that are about to break, identity theft, retirees with no money, the list goes on.

Simple assignment:  Look at your top 5 features and benefits.  What fears do these eliminate?  Now construct 15 questions that draw out those fears.

Example:

Feature/Benefit: Identity Theft Protection
Fear: Getting your identity stolen, ruined credit, emptied bank account, the months of clean up
Question: "If your identity was stolen how would you know?.  Did you know that on average it takes 3-4 weeks before someone is aware of identity theft.  What is the worst that could happen in 4 weeks?" "Are you going to need credit in the next 3 years"...

Try it out in your business and let me know how it works.  Remember "If you can scare them, you can sell them"

Summary of the Little Red Book of Sales

LITTLE RED BOOK OF SELLING

12.5 Principle of Sales Greatness

Jeffrey Gitomer

Bard Press, 2005, 219 pp., ISBN 1-885167-60-1 www.gitomer.com

Jeffrey Gitomer is an optimistic, audacious salesman, a sales trainer, and the author of several books on sales. Following are tidbits from the book.

“If they like you, and they believe you, and they trust you, and they have confidence in you…then they MAY buy from you.”(5)

Top reasons customers buy: [These 5 are from the top 12]

1. I like my sales rep.

5. I believe my sales rep.

6. I have confidence in my sales rep.

7. I trust my sales rep.

8. I am comfortable with my sales rep. (7)

“Passion is the fulcrum point of selling. No passion, no sales.” “If you don’t love what you sell, go sell something else.” (18) “…you have to put your heart into your work, and you have to love what you do.” “…it’s the difference between going up the ladder and going down the ladder.” (19)

“Give first. Become known as a resource, not a salesperson. Your value is lined to your knowledge and your willingness to help others.” (21)

Principle 1: Kick your own behind. Get out there. (32)

List of cures for a slump – p. 40 ff.

“Attitude drives actions. Actions drive results. Results drive lifestyles.” (43, quoting Jim Rohn) Develop a ‘YES!’ attitude. “…if you think of yourself as a ‘yes’ person, not only will you be in a positive frame of mind but you will also have positive expectations.” (44)

Before you meet with a prospect, do your homework. Be prepared. Decide on an objective for the meeting. Most salesmen make the mistake of getting all their own stuff ready but not studying the prospect. (46-51)

“Whiners are avoided.” (52)

Principle 3: Personal Branding is sales: It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.” (54)

Personal Branding is not complicated, unless you take a course in it. Then it’s scary as h….” “I have a brand. Or should I say: I AM the brand. I have taken my name, ‘Gitomer’ and ‘Jeffrey Gitomer’ and turned it into my brand.” (55) [Following pages give suggestions.] “In sales, prospects buy the salesperson FIRST.” (55)

A few of his many suggestions: (57-60)

· “Establish yourself as an expert.”

· “Be a consistent positive performer.”

· “Be willing to give of yourself—first.”

· “Become a resource.”

· “Ignore idiots and zealots.” [I don’t know who this includes but it sounds like a good idea. dlm]

· Become known as a person of action, someone who gets things done.

Principle 4: “It’s all about value, it’s all about relationship….” (64) “Value is something done for the customer, in favor of the customer.” (65)

Principles for giving value: (66-7)

1. They will NEVER read your brochure. But send them information about how they profit and they will read it.

2. Write (good) stuff in journals, newspapers, e-zines, and newsletters.

3. Create response vehicles or mechanisms in everything you write – a way to get more.

4. Send your stuff after they ask for it, and make sure it has something they will keep.

“The sale is emotionally driven and emotionally decided. Then it is justified logically. (74)

“I put myself in front of people who can say yes to me, and I deliver value first.” (78)

“Make friends before you start.” “Act professionally, talk friendly.” Sales are for the moment. Friends are for life. (80-81)

Principle 5: It’s Not Work, It’s Network.” (82) “To make the most of a networking event, spend 75% of your time with people you don’t know.” (93)

Best networking book: Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty by Harvey Mackay (91)

“If you want to know the effectiveness of your current brochure, grab a red Sharpie and circle ALL the areas that your customer or prospect would consider valuable or save-able.” (100)

“Ask compelling and engaging questions.” (101)

“THEY DO NOT WANT TO TAKE THEIR TIME TO HEAR ABOUT YOU. If they give you time, it better be about them.” (102)

“If you’re not present when the last decision is made – odds are you will lose…” (103) “Arrange a meeting with all deciders.” (105) “The problem with most salespeople is that they are sitting in front of someone who has to ask their mommy or daddy [or missions committee or pastor] if they can buy it or not.” (107)

Can’t get voice mail returned? See p. 109

Principle 7. “Engage me and you can make me convince myself.” Ask compelling, thought-provoking questions.” (110) Failing to ask good questions is a major weakness of every salesperson. “The first personal (rapport) question sets the tone for the meeting, and the first business question sets the tone for the sale. That’s critical.” (111) List of 25 powerful questions: p.112 ff. “Develop a list of 15 to 25 questions that uncover needs, problems, pains, concerns, and objections.” (117) Good questions make the person think. (119)

Principle 8. “If you can make them laugh, you can make them buy!” “Humor is the highest form of language mastery.” (124) Keep it clean. “Poke fun at yourself. It’s OK if the finger points at you.” (127) Laughter is a universal bond.

Principle 9. “Use creativity to differentiate and dominate.” (136) OK, you’re not creative, but you can learn.

Principle 10. “Reduce their risk, and you’ll convert selling to buying.” (152) “A risk of purchase is some mental or physical barrier, real or imagined that causes a person to hesitate or rethink ownership. As a salesperson your job is to identify the risk and eliminate it.” (153)

Principle 11. “When you say it about yourself, it’s bragging. When someone else says it about you, it’s proof.” “Who will testify on your behalf?” (164) “To be most effective, testimonials need to have a specific message.” (166) Testimonials work. But they lose their power if not used in an appropriate manner. (168) “Take your best customer with you on your next sales call. (169) “What are your customers saying about you?” (175)

“The First things prospects buy is the salesperson. The first sale made is you.” “It all begins with you.” (199) Rate yourself on your image, speaking ability, ability to establish rapport, attitude, product knowledge, desire to help, preparedness, humor, creativity, sincerity, reputation, and character. “How well are you ‘put together’?” (201)

Question Based Selling

Five QBS Strategies That Reduce Your Risk
Below are five key strategies you will learn that will minimize your risk of mismatching:

1. Ask More Questions and Make Fewer Statements - Minimizing the mismatching behavior starts with prevention. If you can identify and prevent those things that cause people to mismatch the things you say or do, then you can avoid a negative reaction.

Statements are easily mismatched in conversations because most statements take a definitive position that can easily be disagreed with. While statements can be easily mismatched, questions are not. Questions help diffuse the emotional triggers that fuel the need to mismatch. After all, it’s impossible to disagree with a question.

2. Credibility Reduces the Prospect’s Need to Resist - Establishing credibility should be one of your primary objectives in the sales process. If a salesperson appears credible to the prospective customer, then the prospect’s need to mismatch is reduced because they start feeling comfortable with you, rather than cautious of you. An air of credibility also opens the door to a more productive conversation.

3. Curiosity Neutralizes the Mismatching Reflex - Making prospects and customers curious is the most effective way to engage them in a productive sales conversation. People who are curious will want to hear more about your product or service. When customers ask you a question to satisfy their curiosity, they are actually requesting your help – and it’s impossible to ask for your help and push you away at the same time.

4. Reversing the Positive - The following questions have a negative tone, so when someone answers and takes the opposite position they actually mismatch in your favor. This technique is called reversing the positive.

“Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“Am I interrupting?”
“Is next week too soon for a presentation?”
“Will the pricing in this proposal make your boss nervous?”

5. Momentum Helps Reduce the Mismatching Instinct - Most prospective buyers won’t make a buying decision just because the guy down the street decided to take the plunge. They will need more evidence to get convinced. Instead of trying to motivate potential customers with individual references.

The Efficiency Curve

By: Brian Tracy

The more you discipline yourself to working non-stop on a single task, the more you move down the "Efficiency Curve." You get more and more high quality work done in less and less time.

Each time you stop working however, you break this cycle and move back up the curve to where every part of the task is more difficult and time consuming.

Self-Discipline Is the Key
Elbert Hubbard defined self-discipline as, "The ability to make yourself do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."

In the final analysis, success in any area requires tons of discipline. Self-discipline, self-mastery and self-control are the basic building blocks of character and high performance.

The True Test of Willpower
Starting a high-priority task and persisting with that task until it is 100% complete is the true test of your character, your willpower and your resolve.

Persistence is actually self-discipline in action. The good news is that the more you discipline yourself to persist on a major task, the more you like and respect yourself, and the higher is your self-esteem.

And the more you like and respect yourself, the easier it is for you to discipline yourself to persist even more.

Focus Clearly on Your Number One Task
By focusing clearly on your most valuable task and concentrating single-mindedly until it is 100% complete, you actually shape and mold your own character. You become a superior person.

You become a stronger, more competent, confident and happier person. You feel more powerful and productive.

Build Your Self-Confidence
You eventually feel capable of setting and achieving any goal. You become the master of your own destiny. You place yourself on an ascending spiral of personal effectiveness on which your future is absolutely guaranteed.

And the key to all of this is for you to determine the most valuable and important thing you could possibly do at every single moment and then, "Eat That Frog!"

Action Exercises
Once you start your most important task, discipline yourself to persevere without diversion or distraction until it is 100% complete. See it as a "test" to determine whether you are the kind of person who can make a decision to complete something and then carry it out. Once you begin, refuse to stop until the job is finished.