A Call to Action

The world, or at least my view of it, has become a media driven machine. The problem with this is that it seems most of the media has no desire to report anything positive or upbeat. Seriously, take a hard look at your daily news and see what the ratio is between good vs. bad. Better yet, why don't we all just stop watching the crap?

In the last several months all we hear about is the economy being in the tank. I think that some if not all of this has been created by the media "Fear Machine". Yes, there are some people who have lost their jobs and that is unfortunate. However, the majority of people able to work in our country are still working. Yes, some major companies have failed recently or declared bankruptcy. Many, if not all of the companies that have crashed and burned recently have done so due to poor leadership and management and not the economy. Bottom line is, the idiots that were "flying the plane" saw the mountain and refused to change course..... CRASH!!! A great economy would not have saved companies from that.

So here's my call to action and challenge for you:

Stop crying in your beer and complaining about how bad the economy is. Stop repeating the lies and skewed perspectives generated by the media and thereby perpetuating the problem. We can change this, just like the media has done. Let's start a campaign of positivity and refuse to accept anything less than a thriving economy. We live in a country of abundance. The homes we live in, the cars we drive, everything..... Think ABUNDANCE!!!!

Let's turn this around, we have the power and the responsibility to do so!

Just believe!!!

Write Your Own History...

Today is a huge day for America. Election day..... Today we will choose the next President of the United States and no matter which party's candidate is ultimately elected, it will be a very significant day in the history of our country. We will either have the first African-American President or the first female Vice-President.

Everyday is a very significant day in your life and ultimately your history. Winston Churchill said, "History will be kind to me for I intend to write it". That's what we do. Every decision we make, every action we take, we are writing our history. We have the ability to create our reality through our attitudes, thoughts, and subsequent actions. Choose wisely and make sure that you are writing your history with intention.

Just believe...

Our Economy.... Is it really that bad?

I'm in the business of helping people achieve greater results in their lives. One area that I focus on is mindset. Your outlook on life or mindset can be significantly impacted by the information you "allow" to enter your head. What I mean by that is there is a lot of negative crap (that's a technical term) that we are potentially exposed to everyday via the media, people we associate with, etc. You must learn to treat all of this negativity as if it were radio-active, in other words... AVOID EXPOSURE!!!

I live in Virginia where the current rate of unemployment is 4%. Let's think about that for a second. Generally, about 3% of the overall "employable" population is not employable due to various disabilities, etc. This means that of the total employable population in Virginia only 1% of them are actually unemployed or in a more positive light.... 96% of the total employable population is working. That being said, how bad is the economy really?

Don't let the media machine cloud your view of reality. Stay positive, stay strong, and...

Just believe!!!

Trust Your Gut...

I just returned from a fabulous trip to the Big Easy! My wife and I went there to attend a friend's wedding. The first night there we decided to take a walk down to the infamous Bourbon Street. This being our first trip there, we had no idea where we were going. We did have a map however, my map reading skills were a "little" off that night. We ended up just on the outskirts of the French Quarter. We both noticed immediately that there was a stark contrast between the area we had just traveled through and what was ahead of us. Our instincts "kick in" and we quickly reversed our route and ultimately found our way to our intended destination. The point of this story being "TRUST YOUR GUT". We all have incredible instincts and based on my knowledge and experience, when we choose not to trust our gut... that's when we get in trouble.

Just believe...

Look Beyond What People Say...

There are many people that only say what they think you want to hear and we call that pretense. It's important to look beyond what people say and pay attention to what they do. As it turns out.... Actions do speak louder than words. Politicians ought to be sufficient evidence of this. I know plenty of people who pretend to be something they are not and say what they believe people want to hear. What they don't realize is that this comes with a cost. Ultimately, they are selling themselves, and their integrity to others... Not a place I want to be... how about you? Be real, be yourself, that's why you are here and that's what really matters!

Just believe...

Leadership Complacency

Complacent leaders are costly and dangerous to organizations and people. Leadership is an ever evolving set of skills, knowledge, and behaviors. Watch out for people in leadership roles with the "I've arrived" mentality. The very best leaders have a thirst for knowledge and are always looking for ways to improve themselves, their people, and the organization. They are self-actualized and secure in who they are. Leadership of others begins with leadership of self. Your leadership challenge for today is to learn something new.... About yourself, the people you work with, your job, your company, whatever... Just learn something new. Just say NO to complacency!

Just believe...

Save Yourself......

Do you work for a boss who couldn't lead a thirsty horse to water? Is he/she one of those bosses that is in a position of leadership but can't spell leadership much less exhibit any of the characteristics associated with it?

Well here's the deal.... Working for an idiot is your choice, that's right.... If you don't like it, get out! SAVE YOURSELF! I know, I used to work for one... and I did just that. I got out and my life is much better as a result. I now get to watch from the outside as this moron and the yes men and women that surround him continue to run this organization into the ground and drive people away like it's the right thing to do.

Seriously, you owe it to yourself and those who care about you to get out and find a role in an organization that believes in you, cares about you, and allows you to grow.

Just believe...

Passion.... Do You Love What You Do?

I will be speaking on behalf on my local Chamber of Commerce today at a ribbon cutting ceremony for a local business. In preparation for this event, I met with the owners of this business. I was thrilled to see the excitement, enthusiasm, and passion that they have for what they are doing. They are both great people doing something that they truly believe in and love doing!

Do you love what you do? Are you spending each day working in a career that you are passionate about? Are you doing work that you love and believe in? These are questions that you need to ask yourself. If the answer is no, then maybe it's time to re-evaluate what you care about and make some changes in your life.

Someone asked me last week how many hours I work each week. I had to stop and think because I don't keep track and quite frankly I have no idea. It's not work, I love what I do and so it never feels like work. So I still don't know the answer and it really doesn't matter.

The bottom line here is.... Do what you love and love what you do, you'll be happier and so will everyone around you!

Just believe...

Positive vs. Negative and the Impact on Creativity

You have the choice to maintain a positive or negative outlook. My question to you is: How much good has ever come to you due to you having a negative outlook or "being in a funk"?

My guess is..... very little or none! Here's the deal.... Negativity blocks creativity and everything good. If you want to have the creative juices flowing and get the most out of opportunities that come your way, you must maintain a positive outlook!

Just Believe...

Words Are Like Bullets.... Aim Carefully.

Communication... One of the biggest challenges that we all have is effectively communicating our thoughts, ideas, and feelings to others. When communicating with others, it's important to remember that words are like bullets, once they are "down range" you can't recall them. Take time to think about what you say before you actually say it. Consider the power of your words, both good and bad and make sure that you use them with intention. Focus on becoming a masterful communicator and watch the relationships that you have in your life improve.... Yes, that 's a challenge. Like anything else in life, you get out of it what you put into it. If you choose to improve your ability to communicate and take the necessary action steps to facilitate that outcome, it's as good as done..... Start today!

Just Believe!

Hello.... This Is Me!

Hi, my name is Bryant Halstead and I am a motivational speaker, success coach, and author. I am a founding partner in a professional development company headquartered in Fredericksburg, VA called HALSTEAD, Inc. We help individuals and organizations achieve greater results and live happier more productive lives. Check us out at www.halsteadinc.com

The purpose of this blog is to share information that will help people achieve a higher level of happiness and satisfaction in both their personal and professional lives.

Stay tuned for frequent blog entries.

Just Believe...

Bryant