This morning on the way to the gym, adults were setting up an annual triathlete event for kids in our neighborhood. It was inspiring to see so many kids living in health. For years I played sports and wanted to excel. However, I focused on learning the skills to become better at the sport of season. After researching and modeling others who were more successful, I’m aware there are other ways to drastically improve performance. At times, I thought, they are more talented. They have a gift. To some extent that may be true, however, those with a gift still need to develop and grow it to perform at a new best level. Also, I realized I had talent and gifts they didn’t have.
The point is talent and gifts can be developed, grown, and obtained. For example, I had the talent and gift of presenting and speaking. Although it has been there, I had to develop and grow it and obtain new ones to become a professional speaker. I’ve become an author, am still learning about word choice, delivery, and creating a memorable experience for clients and audiences. By working to develop and obtain other talent and gifts, my professional speaking is better.
In sports, it was the same. Instead of focusing just on the sports specific skills, I developed and obtained the gift of cardio (running) and nutrition. I’m sure these help me on the speaking platform as well. Running was the most challenging for me because there was no ball and no team. It was me and the route. With nutrition it was about what my body responded to and consistent results. Just because someone else could eat it didn’t mean I could eat it. For example, I don’t eat refined sugar (eat raw sugar), artificial sweetener, and don’t drink caffeine and alcohol. I eat till I’m almost full. Consistent results have made it easier to perform and keep me living in health.
For both running and nutrition, the congruent logic was there. I made it a goal and set the intent. The part I didn’t have when starting out was the emotional fortification. When running, I was fighting tiredness, boredom, and negative thoughts. With my new found wisdom, I knew not to focus just on running, nutrition, or sports skills. Putting together a combination of activities and tools has made all the difference. Currently, I run four miles twice a week and a 10k on the weekend. I want to improve to set a new record.
One such tool is congruent emotion. We have to have logic AND emotion. If the logic is not optimal, emotion sometimes gets negative or for whatever reason the logic is optimal but the emotion is too high or negative. Congruent emotion is using emotion to create the mental and physical outcomes you want. For example, you want to do 60 reps of a core exercise. Then a thought comes to mind and creates disruptive emotional stimuli. It is trying to keep you from accomplishing your 60 reps goal of core exercise. It causes an emotional mental and physical response making it harder and throws your counting off. This is easily overcome with congruent emotion. Put emotion into your counting internally (i.e. doesn’t have to be out loud). It makes it easier and your count isn’t thrown off. You’ll easily change the negative emotion causing mental and physical distraction and set a new record (60 reps easier and faster).
Use congruent emotion at work, in athletics, and at home to keep you excelling and contributing to the team. Use it over and over to develop and grow talent and obtain gifts.
Are you planning a meeting for this year or a kickoff meeting for early next year? Book Raj to speak to energize and inspire your team, organizaton or corporation to consistently perform at the top of our game! Call him at 864.569.2315 or contact him at raj@rajgavurla.com with your date, time and location to book your date today!
Self-Think vs. Self-Talk
“Motivate and inspire your team’s passion to take action to produce better results.” – Raj Gavurla
Did you know there’s a difference between self-think and self-talk? Self-think is simply what you think as you do something. Self-talk is what you say verbally to yourself.
You’ve been in situations with a client, teammate, or when on your own something is said. It’s essential to know is it being said to motivate themself, are saying it to inform you, want a reply from you, or unfortunately trying to trick you. After quickly determining this by using self-think, you know how to react. Be conscious of this and you’ll see your ability to make progress increase. I encourage you to get in the zone, don’t let someone get you out of the zone, and get who you’re talking with “in the zone.”
You’ll make much greater strides. It’s a simplified approach which produces better results, moods, and wins.
Think of three examples during interaction where you could have benefited from this information. How could have the discussion and interaction yielded better results?
Remember the difference between self-think and self-talk.
Are you planning a meeting for this year or a kickoff meeting for early next year? Book Raj to speak to energize and inspire your team, organizaton or corporation to consistently perform at the top of our game! Call him at 864.569.2315 or contact him at raj@rajgavurla.com with your date, time and location to book your date today!
INC.
Small GIANTS Community
Winning at Entrepreneurship: Author Interview with Raj Gavurla
By Glenn Burr on July 17, 2013
When it comes to Winning at Entrepreneurship sometimes it’s best to waste no time or words on overwrought and overinflated responses. Buckle in, strap-up and hang-on as ISGC Executive Director Raul Candeloro guides you through this fast-paced dialogue with Raj Gavurla, author of Winning at Entrepreneurship.
ISGC: Let’s begin by talking about yourself, so our readers can get to know you better. Could you briefly describe your life journey until you wrote Winning at Entrepreneurship?
Gavurla: While traveling as an automation and controls engineer on a business trip, I stopped at the airport bookstore and bought the Book of Business Wisdom edited by Peter Krass because it was important for me to learn more about business. Because of a health challenge and a calling to do something productive, I went into professional speaking to help families, businesses, communities, and schools. The Book of Business Wisdom inspired me to write Winning At Entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurial vigor, family, friends, community, and faith continue to enrich me.
ISGC: Now about the book. With already so many leadership books out there about, what new information does Winning at Entrepreneurship offer?
Gavurla: It focuses on the mindset, mood, and motivation an entrepreneurial leader needs to succeed.
ISGC: Could you give us an example out of Winning at Entrepreneurship that reflects your main ideas or concepts?
Gavurla: Entrepreneurs raise the bar to produce better results for clients and the marketplace to make lives better. That’s it!
ISGC: In a short sentence, what kind of person should be attracted to your book?
Gavurla: The person who is intrigued by entrepreneurialism and wants to use it as a vehicle to raise the bar by producing better results for clients and the marketplace to make lives better.
What kind of advice should they be looking for ?
The mindset, mood, motivation, and strategies they can apply to their situation.
Or what kind of problem should they be looking to solve?
ISGC: What’s the first thing you would like a reader to do after finishing Winning at Entrepreneurship?
Gavurla: Implement how it stimulated you to think for you to grow.
ISGC: What other books would you recommend for someone that wants more information about this?
Gavurla: Book of Business Wisdom, Business As A Calling, Grow Your Business, How To Be Like Mike
About your work as a consultant / business expert:
ISGC: What is the biggest mistake you see small business owners making in the areas covered by Winning at Entrepreneurship?
Gavurla: Not realizing the importance of taking their creative innovative idea and clarity of vision forward with effective communication, team, and execution.
ISGC: What suggestions would you give them to improve?
Gavurla: Identify better outcomes and then focus on daily results oriented action to get there. Don’t let anyone tell you “you can’t” when it would do a lot of good.
Where should they start?
Creative Innovative Idea (start here) + Clarity of Vision + Team (mentors, coaches, advisors, suppliers, clients) + Communication + Execution = Entrepreneurial Success
ISGC: What about managers and team leaders? In general, what do you think they should STOP doing if they wanted to improve their results?
Gavurla: Implement a system to empower their subordinates to collect ideas outside of regular work responsibilities, process the ideas, and use the above entrepreneurial success formula to help you create a path to grow them and you by managing/advising. Stop managing personalities instead make a path for them to execute with you providing relationship capital and support. You’re there to grow them to produce better results for clients and the marketplace to make lives better.
ISGC: Anything they should start doing more?
Gavurla: As a team, come up with executable creative innovative idea(s) to stimulate work endorphins. They’ll still have their core responsibilities. This requires proper management of their workload so they have time for each and then bring people up through the system. You’ll discover new leaders.
ISGC: After all the research you did for Winning at Entrepreneurship and based on all your experience in this area, what kind advice you see out there that you disagree with or think that is misleading?
Gavurla:
Entrepreneurialism isn’t for corporate. It’s only new companies. That’s not true. It’s for both!
You have to fail first to be successful. That’s not true.
ISGC: What are the VALUES that your company lives and dies by?
Gavurla: Integrity, involvement, imagination
ISGC: Why is this so important to you?
Gavurla: They guide me in doing good business.
ISGC: Any additional comments or thoughts for our readers?
Gavurla: Entrepreneurialism in business, government, and community got us out of the Great Depression and I trust entrepreneurial vigor will get us out of the Great Recession for greater prosperity. It will benefit all segments of the population.
Thank you!
Are you planning a meeting for this year or a kickoff meeting for early next year? Book Raj to speak to energize and inspire your team, organizaton or corporation to consistently perform at the top of our game! Call him at 864.569.2315 or contact him at raj@rajgavurla.com with your date, time and location to book your date today!
“With mental preparation your ability to produce peak performance improves.” – Raj Gavurla
Contents:
1. Peak Performance Examples By Applying The Winning Mental Pyramid (Thinking Tool)
2. Make The Team
3. Blog Link: www.youcangetinthezone.blogspot.com
Examples of the Practical Application of the Winning Mental Pyramid to Produce Peak Performance
Applied my practical leading edge research and process, Winning Mental Pyramid, for educators at an education and business summit. How to use it is downloadable whether in business or sports.
Ex. 1: A student doesn’t do their homework. Since an action isn’t being completed (relationship between mood and subconscious) work on the student’s mindset (what they think and how they think). You know what to do. You need to add to your skill level to do it better.
Ex. 2: A student tells you my friends stopped talking to me. I have no friends. Since that’s what is told (mindset) work on the student’s attitude. Logical emotion says you can add friends and that doesn’t mean the friends who stopped talking with you aren’t your friends.
Ex. 3: A teacher is determining who would play an instrument well and who would sing well. The student wants to do well to please the teacher. After the singing of one word in the song, the teacher hurriedly dismisses the student to play an instrument with a quick “Eughh!” and uses her hands to usher the student towards instruments. Since she didn’t even listen to the student and build his self-confidence, the teacher needs to work on her attitude and mindset.
Ex. 4: A student thinks two classmates always get the right answer first. They just were born with it and I wasn’t. The student needs to work on their attitude to know they too can get the right answer first by applying the four adaptability links from the workshop as needed.
As I continue to apply my practical research and process, Winning Mental Pyramid, showing the relationship between motivation, inspiration, attitude, mindset, mood, and subconscious, I’m humble in telling you I’ve done so for entrepreneurs, business owners, executives, employees, doctors, patients, athletes, detainees, educators, students, police officers, and families.
Make The Team
As a player, it’s up to you to impress your coach and help your team win. The reason why an athlete is able to perform a skill at a higher level than another athlete and the reason their team wins is because they have the thinking tools to:
1. Increase their intelligence for peak performance
2. Find their adaptability links to leadership and teamwork
3. Be “In The Zone”
The mindset of talent wins is changing. Sure each of us has talents, however, without increasing your intelligence for peak performance, finding your adaptability links to leadership and teamwork, and being “In The Zone” the talent doesn’t become honed and refined into skills. Another misperception is once skilled you aren’t able to raise the skill level. Highly unlikely, especially if you want to go from winning a championship on the high school level, then playing and winning a championship on the college level, and then win a championship on the pro level.
The difference between high school, college, and professional sports athletes is mental. The higher levels have a greater ability to apply thinking tools to consistently play at the top of their game. Also, they form a team which consists of professionals to facilitate peak performance.
Regardless of the level of play, to make the team and win work on increasing your intelligence, finding your adaptability links to leadership and teamwork, and get “in the zone”. Through mental preparation before the game or practice you’ll perform at a higher level. The beauty of sports is you’ll probably do something during play that you’ve never done before. That’s peak performance. Hone and refine it to win championships.
Please forward
Always better to experience at a live event because other people attend, value is transferred, and it’s a more empowering experience.
For information about my keynotes, breakouts, workshops, seminars, facilitation, and private coaching programs, click here now: www.motivateyourresults.com
Are you planning a meeting for this year or a kickoff meeting for early next year? Book Raj to speak to energize and inspire your team, organizaton or corporation to consistently perform at the top of our game! Call him at 864.569.2315 or contact him at raj@rajgavurla.com with your date, time and location to book your date today!
Many people exercise by playing sports, or know someone who does. Having played sports almost my entire life, I have a few pearls of wisdom about this form of exercise:
1. To gain an advantage, focus on a full-body workout. In sports, your base (waist down) is more important than your upper body except the mind, eyes, and heart. A full-body workout will bring more life to your conversations and rejuvenate your outlook.
I met a 74-year-old man playing full-court basketball at the Run-N-Shoot. He was a teammate of Oscar Robertson (The Big O) on the Cincinnati Royals. He’s a joy to watch because of his subtle technique and confidence. He has a team called Man Up. If you would like to read the definitive book on basketball, I encourage you to check out The Big O’s book, The Art of Basketball. I’m sure there is a book for those who play other sports as well. Whatever book you read on your sport, be sure to interpret the words on the pages correctly and add your touch.
2. Use your imagination to visually practice the techniques. Try blocking 30 minutes of time, identify the skill(s), count the number of mental repetitions and sets. Then try it on the field. I think you will like the results.
3. Listen to your body and check with your physician before starting an exercise program.
4. Do a variety of exercises.
5. If a body part hurts, don’t aggravate it and seek medical attention.
6. During the exercise, mentally focus on the body part you’re exercising.
7. Smile at least two genuine smiles while resting during an hour workout.
8. Vary cardio routines, including length of time, day, and speed.
9. Have at least one brief conversation before or during workout.
10. Compete with a subgoal in mind (repetition required before going to the next level) and reaching a goal.
11. Remember less is more if done correctly.
12. Drink eight glasses of water a day. Start the day with one glass and drink less with meals. Don’t drink it all at once!
13. Eat a variety of nourishing foods (including some fruit on an empty stomach).
14. Drink no more than 1.5 cups of your favorite sport drink after exercise.
15. Don’t eat within four hours of exercising for optimal stomach strength.
Here’s wishing you a life of swishes and assists!
Are you planning a meeting for this year or a kickoff meeting for early next year? Book Raj to speak to energize and inspire your team, organizaton or corporation to consistently perform at the top of our game! Call him at 864.569.2315 or contact him at raj@rajgavurla.com with your date, time and location to book your date today!
In today’s business climate, we are experiencing more interest in professionalism. The past five years provided many successes; however, most have been overshadowed by the nonethical behavior of a few. Some people lost most of their retirement savings, and the US population is demanding a stronger economy and a peaceful world.
We’ve seen quality job opportunities decreasing, and the need for profits has projects being partially or wholly completed overseas. Many employees are traveling to other offices in the US because of the lack of projects locally. If they choose not to travel, they are being asked to take vacation or risk being laid off.
In tough times, I look to fundamentals to help right the path. One fundamental is defining the qualities of a professional. Some define a professional as a person who is being paid for a service. True, we require money to trade. However, some get paid by doing illegal activities.
To simplify, you are a professional when you have three qualities:
(1) Trustworthiness. When you meet a person for the first time, you immediately associate a level of trust with him or her and their service. If the person happens to come via a recommendation, the trust may be greater. Regardless, just as relationships develop, so does the level of trust. People who associate with each other on a high trust level know how to talk to one another and provide reasons that the service they are representing can be beneficial. Knowing how to talk to one another is more than mannerisms. It is the ability to motivate one another to create positive results. Additionally, your involvement and input in your company, associations, volunteerism, charity work, and political party help develop trust. Not necessarily because two people agree on an issue, but because somewhere on this path a common trust level evolves as you share experiences. When trust is present, people will buy from you or recommend your service or ideas.
(2) Helpfulness. By being helpful, you are essentially putting the other person in a better position. Negotiating is a great tool to show your willingness to help. People like being dealt with as individuals. We, and our services, are too robust and diverse for “one size fits all.” However, be sure you negotiate fairly. Don’t provide an offer and service to someone unless they can provide valid reasons to do so. Putting together value metric points (goals) for your client is a great way to validate the value of your service. Be patient, ask questions to understand, have service options, and close win-win deals. Knowing how to make deals is essential to success.
(3) Caring. Caring shows a desire to gain a better understanding of an individual’s current scenario and doing something that benefits them. It is the quality that says we may be individuals competing but, when a certain scenario or circumstance exists, we are united. When all three qualities of a professional are present, expect to see not only a professional but one that gets paid well and has a well-balanced life.
Are you planning a meeting for this year or a kickoff meeting for early next year? Book Raj to speak to energize and inspire your team, organizaton or corporation to consistently perform at the top of our game! Call him at 864.569.2315 or contact him at raj@rajgavurla.com with your date, time and location to book your date today!
The ability to communicate with a focus plays a vital role. Regardless of our occupation, the individuals who excel in a specific field and are able to communicate this knowledge to benefit others and themselves always win. Be attentive to your presence, voice, body language, eye contact, and actions. Communication has many forms and, when you use it properly, you win.
Democracy and capitalism form a communication system allowing us to work with one another. In the United States, political campaigns are abundant. A political campaign is won on the ability of a leader to communicate to the people his or her path forward for a better future. Newly-elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt said in his inaugural speech in 1933, “Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself: nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”
Every day you wake up with a positive winning attitude or a negative losing attitude. The choice and decision is yours. A positive winning attitude communicates that life is fun and you’re a success. A negative losing attitude communicates the opposite. Therefore, wake up with a positive winning attitude. There is no charge and it has many mental and health benefits.
Your ability to communicate also determines whether you have a winning sales call. But it takes practice. The next time you communicate with an individual, focus. It will differentiate you and should give you a competitive advantage. Your lunch meetings will be more meaningful and, when you talk with your significant other instead of heading straight for the TV, your personal life will be more meaningful. Selling will become a winning proposition.
If I receive good communication from the players, coaches, and fans during a sporting event, I know we will win. The players communicate to me by making plays. If my team intercepts the ball, I cheer! If my team allows a touchdown, I’m not cheering!
I wish I knew every language in the world. Can you imagine the ability to connect with people? However, even when two people don’t know the same language, communication still takes place. In Washington, DC, I was driving and saw a man and woman making what appeared to me to be abusive gestures. His face looked thwarted and so did hers. I parked my car and began walking toward them. In my mind, I was going to calm the situation. As I approached, I realized they were using sign language. Then I noticed that, engraved above the door on the building to my left, was “Gallaudet University.” I told a friend about my experience and he informed me that Gallaudet University is a school for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students. Then the episode made more sense to me. Assumption is a losing form of communication.
To address traditional communication, think of the following: What you say, how you say it, your listening skills, your understanding, and your response make positive momentum. Once, when I was flying from Atlanta to Pittsburgh, the lady sitting beside me was intently reading a book . We were thirty minutes outside of Pittsburgh when the plane started losing altitude. It felt like we were on a roller coaster. The plane was definitely communicating that there was a problem to the pilot and passengers. When there’s a problem, you better fix it, especially on an airplane. The lady beside me started reading fast, prayed, started to look nervous, and grabbed my arm tightly. Being positive-minded, I knew something had to be done, so I used humor to calm her and myself. I told her with an “I know what’s happening” tone, “Don’t worry; they are just backing off the jets.” That positive and knowledgeable-sounding input calmed her and the airplane soon became stable. I did the best I could do and I’m glad I didn’t have to do better. Prayer and humor, when used correctly, are winning forms of communication.
A significant form of communication is motivation. Motivation gets you to think and to do. It provides fuel for professional and personal fulfillment. My motivational tip for you is to communicate with a focus, and you will have more fun, create more value, develop better relationships, and show you care. Be genuine, comfortable, and patient. Remember: Communication is the difference between winning and losing. It will make a significant difference in your life.
Be a winner!
Are you planning a meeting for this year or a kickoff meeting for early next year? Book Raj to speak to energize and inspire your team, organizaton or corporation to consistently perform at the top of our game! Call him at 864.569.2315 or contact him at raj@rajgavurla.com with your date, time and location to book your date today!