Cathy Stucker - The Idea Lady

Attract Customers and Make Yourself Famous

Live to Eat or Eat to Live

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This week’s Monday Morning Message from Wm. H. Danforth, founder of Ralston Purina:
What is the Monday Morning Message?

A letter that I’ve just read contained the following :

“Why do so many office workers put in a good solid morning’s work and then waste half the afternoon by dawdling? The chances are at least even it is because they eat “not too wisely but too well” at lunch. “There’s a reason for the wandering mind and sleepy brain—and usually the stomach is IT.”

My observation tells me that Mrs. Westbrook’s Cafeteria foods are so tempting that most of us eat too much lunch. Try balancing up your food. I know some of you would be better off if you would cut down on your noon meal.

Try it, won’t you? I like to see action!

You are what you eat, and what you eat affects how you feel.

If you find yourself dragging through the afternoon and wishing for a nap, it may be because of what you ate for lunch. Having a large meal or a fat-filled fast food feast is a recipe for feeling sluggish.

Skipping lunch isn’t the answer, though. You will feel better and be more productive if you have a light lunch. Skip the heavy meal of fried foods and have a salad or a light sandwich instead. Go easy on the sugar, too. A sugar rush can give way to an energy crash, so skip the sugary soda and high-calorie dessert.

Then, take a brisk walk after lunch to energize and prepare yourself for a productive afternoon.

Try it this week. You will feel better, be more productive and perhaps even drop a few pounds by the end of the week.

Kill Them One at a Time

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This week’s Monday Morning Message from Wm. H. Danforth, founder of Ralston Purina:
What is the Monday Morning Message?

Are you trying to fight some enemy in the dark?

If you could see him, you could conquer him, because you are stronger than he. Bring him out in the sunlight. That particular bad habit; that obstacle that keeps looming up before you; procrastination, lack of system or what not—drag them out in the sunlight and have it out with them once and for all.

Try licking one enemy this week and another next week, and so on and see what a difference it makes in your life.

Most of you won’t do this, but some of you will. If you lick one this week, you can lick another next.

Cathy’s Commentary:

I got several points out of this Monday Morning Message.

1. We often try to hide our flaws, even from ourselves. But we can’t conquer them unless we see them and acknowledge them.

Own up to your weaknesses, your flaws, the things that are holding you back, then take action to eliminate them.

2. Do not try to tackle all of your obstacles at once. Choose one change you will make this week to get rid of a bad habit, compensate for a weakness or flaw, or overcome an obstacle. Then do it, consistently, every day.

By taking on one enemy at a time, you will soon vanquish your foes and be more productive and successful.

Deliver Us From Halves

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This week’s Monday Morning Message from Wm. H. Danforth, founder of Ralston Purina:
What is the Monday Morning Message?

When a Man’s Mind is Half Made Up…
WHERE does he land? During this week wouldn’t we grow tremendously if we went gunning for that word HALF?

Half a truth.
Half made up.
Half convinced.
Half enthused.
Half sick.
Half shaved.
Half dressed.

Lord, deliver me from being Half anything. Think it over.

Cathy’s Commentary:

How often do we do something halfway? We say we are going to do something, but we keep one foot out the door, afraid to give our all. By not fully committing to a course of action, we may seek to protect ourselves. After all, if it doesn’t work out, well, we were never really all that invested anyway.

It happens with jobs, projects, relationships, business ventures…how often do you hold back and only give half of yourself?

If something is worth doing, than it is worth giving 100%. If it is not worth giving 100%, it is not worth doing.

Our Greatest Need—Fresh Energy

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This week’s Monday Morning Message from Wm. H. Danforth, founder of Ralston Purina:
What is the Monday Morning Message?

We go along in the even tenor of our way until we read a book, hear a sermon, or meet a man with vital power, which starts us off with a new purpose in life.

If you feel that you are at low ebb, or going along in a humdrum way, better get acquainted with that book, or that man, who will stir you to the depths. If you feel the need, then you will find the way to get a new start. Is there any real reason why anybody should remain at low ebb?

                                SATURDAY
                            UP
                        UP
                    UP
               UP
MONDAY

“Every day in every way I’m going Up—Up—Up.”

Who inspires you?

Is there a speaker or author whose words can lift you up and motivate you? Or maybe there isn’t one person, but many.

Get in the habit of watching, reading and listening to people with uplifting messages. People who help you believe in yourself and give you not only the will but the tools to move forward.

Load some of your favorite motivational CDs or videos to your phone or iPod, and listen as you workout or commute, or during breaks throughout the day.

Looking for more? Here are a couple of my favorite sources of inspiration:

TED Talks
TED conferences bring together speakers on a wide variety of topics. Each talk is short–often 10 minutes or fewer. But in those short talks you can discover amazing things. The talks are available to download (free) in audio or video formats at the site or via iTunes.

iTunesU
iTunes has more than 350,000 courses, lectures and other programs from major universities available for free download. You can listen to David Lynch talk about creativity, get ideas from the Harvard Business Review IdeaCast, learn a new language or any number of subjects from professors and guest speakers at some of the world’s leading educational institutions.

Still want more? Try searching the podcasts at iTunes or other sources. Do a search on YouTube for your favorite motivational speakers or topics. Go to your library, where you can borrow CDs, DVDs and books. This can be a good way to “try out” someone with whom you are unfamiliar. You may then want to buy other materials from them for your permanent library.

When you expose yourself to motivational talk, you will lift yourself up and always be your best.

Jar Yourself!

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This week’s Monday Morning Message from Wm. H. Danforth, founder of Ralston Purina:
What is the Monday Morning Message?

Smash a Window!
Kick in the Door!
Do Something!
Jar Yourself!

All hail to the unknown Author who said, “If the Door of Opportunity does not Open to Polite Knocks, KICK IT IN!”

Let’s stir something up this week.

Begin on yourself.

Make this the week you make a bold change. Do something you have never done before:

Take on a new challenge. Take on a new responsibility, or create a new product or service for your business.

Let go of something. Have you been holding on to a task that you should not be doing? Delegate it to staff, hire a virtual assistant, outsource it or just stop doing it.

Change your look. Changing your hair and clothes can give you confidence and change your attitude.

Get physical. Push yourself to run, sign up for a yoga class, join a gym (and go), and look for ways to challenge yourself physically everyday.

Approach someone who could be a mentor to you. Look for a way you can work together.

Find someone you can mentor. You do not have be at the very top of your industry to be a valuable mentor to someone else. And you can learn by mentoring someone else.

Start something. Commit to starting a new habit that will make you healthier, more productive, happier or somehow make your life better.

Stop something. Give up a destructive or harmful habit or practice. Quit smoking, stop procrastinating, or anything else that holds you back.

Find a way to make technology work for you. Start using a new tool that will change how you do things and make you more productive.

Change your attitude. Instead of “I can’t,” say “I will.” With a conscious effort you can turn a negative attitude to a positive one.

Do the thing you fear. Are you afraid to make a speech? Or even to speak up in a meeting? Do it!

Make this the week you do something that will jar you out of your routine, generate excitement and boost your confidence.