Celebrated American author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar once said,You dont build a business you build people and then people build the business. This snippet of wisdom applies to every organization, irrespective of its size or geography. Great employers across the globe believe that people they hire are what make or break their business. And a similar trend was reflected in 2019s Top-Rated Workplaces In India recently announced by job site Indeed.

As per the report, SAPhas secured the highest rank in the top-rated technology workplaces list in India this year, followed by Adobe, VMware andMicrosoftas the leading technology organizations to work for in India. Surprisingly, the only public sector company that featured in the list is Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which secured a fifth position. Some of the other companies that were featured in the list of top-rated workplaces include, Paytm, Flipkart, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Cisco, IBM, Apple, among others.

One common observation about these companies is that each one stands out as the epitome of people-centric corporations. And thats what makes them the best places to work. From various research reports, online reviews and expert opinions, we find out some of the common attributes of these companies and the culture they create that make people excited about their jobs.

Offer Challenging and Meaningful Work

All these organizations understand the importance of keeping employees work interesting, exciting, challenging and meaningful, because consistently, top performers say that challenging and meaningful work is the number one attribute they seek in a job.

Take the example of Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) which has secured the fifth position on Indeeds chart, moving up from tenth spot last year. According to a junior scientist at ISRO, self-competitiveness plays a big part in ISROs culture. The employees aim to continually improve themselves and strive for self-development. Their independent drive to succeed, as opposed to feeling in competition with one another, could be a key factor positively influencing employee satisfaction.

Hire and Retain top performers

Great workplaces are made up of great people. Within these workplaces, top performers work alongside other top performers who are positive, hardworking, committed and loyal, believe in the organizations vision. For example, TCS believes that they are better placed than their peers in retaining the contextual knowledge gained over time, and use that to build differentiated solutions tailored to each customers unique requirements.

For the quarter endingJune 30, 2019, Milind Lakkad, Global Head, Human Resources, TCS said, The vibrant, enriching workplace and best-In-class retention rates at TCS are a key competitive differentiator. Customers value the lower attrition because it results in greater stability and fewer disruptions in our service delivery.

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma said in an interview that the company makes a special effort to understandthe skills of the employees who led Paytm to success. He also believes that Paytm employees are a bunch of hard-working people, so hard work is the one word that defines Paytm culture and we have always nurtured that, he said.

Value and Reward Employee Contributions

The best workplaces show they appreciate and value employees and their contributions. They celebrate success often, and praise, recognize, and reward employees in a variety of formal and informal ways. They never miss an opportunity to say thanks for employees hard work. According to a Glassdoor report, Apple employees get an annual 25% discount when they purchase an iPod, computer, or iPad. Apple software is 50% off for its employees. The company also offers other discounts for family and friends, depending on the product.

Each of these top-rated organizations offer competitive and fair compensation, above-average pay increases, and opportunities to earn more pay based on performance, such as bonuses, profit sharing, and other incentives to keep and reward top performing talent as well as attract new talent.

Invest in Training and Development

Great workplaces invest in training and development for their workforce to grow their talents and capabilities. They make time for learning and support it by paying for employees to participate in various opportunities and offering a variety of training and career development programs.

Through performance management practices that help guide, support, and develop exceptional performance, the best employers provide clarity on how to be a top performer, help other employees become top performers, and assist existing top performers in sustaining top performance. As a senior manager at Cisco said, Reaching for excellence each and every day is what makes great workplaces successful.

Invest in Employees Health and Wellness

The best of workplaces genuinely care about their employees well-being. They offer wellness options that help employees develop healthy lifestyle behaviors as well as provide an array of benefits which support their employees health and personal welfare. For example, Microsoft CARES employee assistance program also offers free personal and family counseling, stress management, and referrals for child and elder care. The cafs come stocked with healthy dining options, including a new Real Easy Wellness labeling system to help employees easily identify healthy food options.

Intuits Fit for Life program offers meditation and mindfulness classes as reimbursable expenses as well as incentives for employees engaging in stress-reduction habits, like taking a walk, practicing breathing exercises, or listening to calming music. Not only the companys website that offers mindfulness resources, but employees can also find mindful moment tips on the whiteboards in the conference rooms.

Top workplaces are flexible to employees work/life needs and encourage work/life balance by offering flexible schedules, providing generous paid time off, accommodating individual requests and needs, and creating a supportive work environment that understands of personal and family obligations.

Involve and Empower Employees

People-centric workplaces involve and empower employees by listening to their input, involving them in moving the organization forward, and giving them opportunities to lead initiatives, collaborate with one another, participate in decision-making, and make a meaningful difference at work. At some of the best workplaces, employees believe that their opinions matter and that they can positively impact their organizations. SAP encourages free expression, collaboration, individuality, and diversity. Its core strength as an employer, vests in the empowerment of its employees.

SAP Labs, Microsoft and IBM for example, boasts of an environment which motivates people to perform their best. Apart from employee benefits, facilities, training, employee engagement etc., it empowers employees through mentoring sessions which occur between a single mentor and mentee. The process called speed mentoring allows a single mentee to meet different mentors. Each mentoring session is based on a theme and is a series of short, focused conversations about specific questions.

Create and Sustain a Unique Culture

The best of workplaces create and sustain a unique culture. They are often described as fun, congenial, collaborative, positive, passionate, and creative. Their work environments, people, and workplace practices all help create a vibrant, positive and infectious culture. On the key ingredients to a vibrant corporate culture, renowned leadership coach and author of several management-related books, Marshall Goldsmith said in an interview, It is about leadership from the top. Leaders should make sure they are great role models and that they embody the company culture day to day. If they dont do this, leaders will have a difficult time establishing credibility.

Great workplaces are led by exceptional and inspiring leaders. Leaders set the example from the top and lead the organization well. They genuinely care about and value employees. Relationships between leaders and employees are characterized by mutual respect, trust, honesty, and support.

According to Goldsmith, Great leaders are more concerned about the growth of their employees and the organization rather than their own development. They have the courage to get feedback and to look in the mirror and ask whether their behavior aligns with what theyre teaching; they have the ability to improve and do the hard work to make those changes.

As we see Microsoft CEO Satya Nadellas effort in turning the behemoth to a people-centric company from that of a product company is a befitting example. WithNadella atMicrosofts helm, theres an emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, rather than competition. As one employee observed, Microsoft values its employees. The culture also shifted in recent years from super individual competitor to making others successful and teamwork, which reduced thestress level at work to low.

Driving openness and accountability is another key function in a people-centric organization, where leaders frequently share information about the organizations performance, its financials, the vision and direction of the organization, and other critical information. In addition, leaders regularly interact with and communicate with employees one-on-one, in small groups, and as an entire staff.

Encourage Innovation and Growth

Great workplaces are successful, growing, and innovative. They hold themselves to high standards, are focused on delivering exceptional customer service and quality, and strive to innovate and continuously improve their organizations. They are always raising the bar in their businesses and in their workplaces.

Sindhu Gangadharan, Senior Vice President and Head ofSAPLabs Indiasaid, The company has created a non-hierarchical, diverse and inclusive culture which speeds up our innovation and helps our customers to run at their best.

Adobe makes no secret of the fact they have a very creative outlook when it comes to work. Adobe knows thatfostering their employees creativityand giving room for experimentation is the key to an innovative workforce. There are multiple reasons why creativity is important for a company. Firstly, it boosts productivity. It allows employees to work faster, and provide solutions in new and interesting ways. It also boosts employee morale being creative at work is fun, and theres nothing better than truly enjoying your job.

CSR first leads to employee first.

And last but not least, best of employers make an impact on and give back to their local community. Not only do they generously donate their company resources to the community, but they also serve their communities by helping others in need and offering their staffs time and talents.

Studies have found that having a comprehensiveemployee engagementstrategy is more important to achieving higher CSR program participation than having just a CSR strategy. CSR and employee engagement strategies can help each other. Susan Hunt Stevens, CEO of Wespire, explained in an article in CSR Matters, why people friendly organizations do CSR programs better. Higher participation rates in CSR programs come from having a broad employee engagement strategyrather than a just a CSR strategy. It is the inclusive focus on the employee first and their relationship with the company. It is not just communicating about the CSR efforts, but creating comprehensive initiatives that drive employee activation, learning, and participation, she said.

To sum up, while there is no magic formula for achieving a great workplace, people-first workplaces clearly lead the way in 2019. Many more companies are catching on to the importance of investing in their people. They are increasingly realizing the power of creating people-centric organizations that value the happiness of employees as much as the bottom line.Those who still havent, its time you need to wake up.

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People-First Workplaces Lead the Way In 2019 - CXOToday.com

What are the traits of a good salesperson? Grab a pen and some paper, and write down a list of all the desirable mental and physical attributes a top-notch seller has. Now, take that list; crumple it into a ball, and throw it in the bin. In my experience, the No. 1 trait you need to think like a salesperson is to be yourself. Dont try to be somebody you are not or somebody you would like to be. I believe in this idea so much that I named my company after the concept BYS Coaching stands for Be YourSelf Coaching.

If you want to sell your services, grow your business and enjoy the adventure, you need to be yourself. Show the world who you are. Dont try to imitate what you think a good salesperson looks like and says. Failing to talk the way you talk, act the way you act and look the way you look will not serve you well. In the long run, you'll likely lose clients. Here's how to get clients authentically.

Dont compare yourself to others. It's easy to allow insecurities to fill your mind. You may not have the same services, expertise, personality or experience as other consultants or coaches, but that is a good thing! Be yourself, and play to your strengths. I was born and brought up in Scotland and therefore have a strong Scottish accent. I feared clients in London and other countries would not take me seriously, as I did not have a "posh" southern English accent. So, I practiced talking with an English accent and even considered taking elocution lessons. I must say it turned out horribly. In my naive attempts to be more like them, clients thought that I was making fun of their accent.

Be confident in your abilities. A lot of coaches and consultants forget they are service professionals and, therefore, they work in the service industry. In this industry, it is difficult to be a successful coach or consultant if you are not confident. Clients can smell nervousness a mile away. Being a little shy and a little nervous might be endearing if you are a child, or even perhaps if you are on a first date. However, it has no place in the world of consulting or coaching. It is a high-trust profession. Your clients need your guidance and look to you for the answers. Be the steady, confident expert providing the support they need.

Think positively. Visualize what you want, and work hard to get it. Positive thinking will not make you a superhero or someone who can do anything. However, it will serve you better than negative thinking would. Your outlook on life, clients and family everything, in fact is controlled by what goes on in your mind. In his book, Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar writes, Your business is never really good or bad out there, your business is either good or bad right between your ears. Perception is key.

Remember that you are there to sell. When I was first sent out to sell consulting services, I wouldnt know what to say. I would jabber so there were no awkward gaps and continue to speak throughout the meeting. The sales meetings would invariably wind down early and drift off without me making a concerted effort to win some work. Both the client and I would go our separate ways after the meeting, thinking that it was nice to catch up with each other, but ultimately, it was a waste of each others time.To get the business, you need to ask for it. There is, however, no point in asking for the work if you have the wrong attitude toward the client. Be honest, and before each meeting, ask yourself, "How do I view the client?" Are they somebody you can overcharge, make money from and quickly disappear, or are they someone with a set of challenges and ambitions that you can genuinely help? Is your priority to make the sale and be the primary beneficiary, or is it to make the client the main recipient of the benefits?

Salespeople who focus on themselves tend to have short careers. Those who focus on helping the customer tend to get repeat business, a strong reputation and longevity. You are a service professional in the service industry, and your profession is to serve others and not yourself.

If you make this clear, the client will likely regard you as a person who is genuinely driven to help them while promoting their service. Adopting a balanced approach encourages the client to open up and talk more freely. This, in turn, can lead to a mutually beneficial relationship, founded on authenticity.

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The Secret To Selling Consulting And Coaching Services - Forbes

The first step in solving a problem is to recognize that it does exist. Zig Ziglar

The Football Bowl Subdivision is desperately in need of reform. It has been so for several decades. The FBS is the only national sports organization in the United States, collegiate or professional, that relies solely on voting to determine who can play for its championship. Nowhere else can a team finish its regular season undefeated and untied yet have no chance to win the organizations championship. Here is a look at how to get to 16-team college football playoffs.

Opposition to any semblance of a multi-team playoff system has stonewalled a logical format to determine the national championship for decades. Bowl game committees have done everything possible to prevent the establishment of a playoff bracket. University administrators with blind devotion to nostalgia delayed any type of change as much as they could. Media members and fans have raised the concern that an expanded playoff system would diminish the importance of the regular season.

The obsolete and inadequate system of determining the national champions of the highest level of college football should be replaced. The answer lies in what the NCAA does related to the lower divisions of football and to mens basketball. A combination of aspects of both should be implemented.

Some concessions will have to be made In order to overcome the resistance to a 16-team playoff format. Cities hosting bowl games have enjoyed the economic benefit of having tourists spending a few days there. Therefore, cities that have served as the site of prominent bowl games should be included in the rotation for hosting playoff games. Teams in northern states have claimed a competitive disadvantage by having to travel to the South or West Coast for bowl games. In response, some northern cities could be the venues for post-season games as well. The inclusion of long-standing bowl locations should mollify traditionalists.

Arguably, the regular season would need to be reduced. The two teams advancing to the national championship round would play four opponents on top of the 12 in the regular season and probable conference championship game. The FCS limits its regular season to 11 games. That should be followed if not a reduction to ten. That would mean the elimination of a non-conference game or two for every team. Presumably, the distribution of the enormous profits expected from the expanded playoffs would offset the loss of a home games revenue or road games paycheck.

The NCAAs post-season tournaments reward every conference with at least one berth. This playoff system would grant an automatic invitation to the champion of all ten FBS conferences. That would require each conference to have a pre-determined way to crown its champion, either a conference championship game or a list of tie-breakers for teams with identical records.The FBS would no longer face threats of lawsuits or Congressional intervention since every member in a conference would have a way to play for the national title.

The College Football Playoff Committee would continue to have a role. The committee would still rank teams. The group would use their rankings to determine the six at-large berths. Finally, the Almighty 13 would also assign teams to the brackets, giving favorable locations to higher seeded teams but also trying to place teams as close to their campus as possible. The only limitation would be only one team from a particular conference in each regional, meaning a maximum of four teams from any one conference in the tournament.

The FBS playoff system would resemble the FCS version involving 16 teams used from 1986 through 2009. Neutral sites would host, similar to what the NCAA basketball tournament does. The teams would be divided into four regions: East, North, South and West. Places with experience hosting neutral site college games should be part of the system. The 15 rotating locations are listed below. Nine of these would host a playoff game per season.

Baltimore

Charlotte

Denver

Detroit

Houston

Indianapolis

Jacksonville

Las Vegas

Nashville

New York

Philadelphia

Saint Louis

San Diego

Santa Clara, CA

Tampa

The current six locations hosting the New Years Six bowl games would continue to serve as sites in the 16-team tournament. The following would be the regional final sites:

East Region: Atlanta or Miami

North Region: one of the northern sites that is not hosting a regional semi-final game

South Region: Arlington, TX or New Orleans

West Region: Glendale or Pasadena

If one of the current New Years Six locations does not host a regional final, it has two other possibilities. The first is serving as the place where the national championship game would played. Otherwise,a national semi-final would take place there.

Using results of the current season, the final CFP Committees rankings and its host sites, this is a hypothetical tournament bracket. The ten conference champions (Appalachian State, Boise State, Clemson, Florida Atlantic, LSU, Memphis, Miami of Ohio, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Oregon) would automatically go to the playoffs. The six highest rated non-champions (Baylor, Florida, Georgia, Penn State, Utah and Wisconsin) would receive at-large bids.

EAST REGIONAL (Winners play in Miami)

NORTH REGIONAL (Winners play in one of the northern cities in the rotation)

SOUTH REGIONAL (Winners play in Dallas)

WEST REGIONAL (Winners play in Pasadena)

FIRST NATIONAL SEMI-FINAL: winner of South Regional vs. winner of West Regional in Atlanta

SECOND NATIONAL SEMI-FINAL: winner of North Regional vs. winner of East Regional in Glendale

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Winners of both national semi-finals in New Orleans

The tournament could be spread out over a few weeks. The first round would be played on the third Friday and Saturday on December, four games on each day. On the following weekend, the regional finals would take place, one game on that Friday evening and three on that Saturday. The national semi-finals would occur on New Years Day in years when there are at least seven days in between the regional finals and January 1. Otherwise, the two national semi-finals would fall on the first Saturday of January. The national championship game would be set for the second Friday evening of January.

Scheduling might have to be adjusted in some years. The dates should be designed to avoid overlapping NFL games. Additionally, scheduling games on Christmas Eve/Day should be avoided. The regional semi-finals and finals might be moved to the second and third weekends of December to ensure that the national finals could be played on New Years Day.

So who is ready for December Delirium?

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16-Team College Football Playoffs - Last Word on College Football

As 2019 comes to a close, it's time to reflect on ahistoric and memorable year. Our GolfChannel.com writers weigh in on their favorite moments.

WILL GRAY:Its a moment that might seem inconsequential, given the player involved didnt even make the cut, let alone contend or win. But the scene late Friday afternoon at Royal Portrush is one I wont soon forget, as all of Northern Ireland tried to will Rory McIlroy to the weekend after a disastrous start.

The hype for McIlroys starring role in The Opens return to Portrush lasted only a hole, but by the time he reached the treacherous 16thhole an improbable weekend appearance was still up for grabs. The Ulsterman took dead aim at Calamity, knocked it to 15 feet and rolled in the birdie putt in the chilly mist.

Rory McIlroy would love nothing more than to play The Open weekend. But even in defeat, the homecoming at Royal Portrush proved deeply emotional as the local hero saw his charge at the cut line come up just a shot short.

With nearly every fan on the property seemingly drawn to the narrow passage from the dune overlooking the 16thgreen to the 17thtee, McIlroy strode confidently ahead. It wasnt to be, and minutes later his Open ended, but for a brief instance overlooking the cliffs there was magic in the air and a country united behind its favorite son.

REX HOGGARD:In the twilight gloom Rory McIlroy marched up the 18thfairway at Royal Portrush to thunderous applause. He wasnt going to win The Open. He wasnt even going to play the final two rounds, but the emotion of both the crowd and McIlroy proved how much in meant for golfs oldest championship to return to Northern Ireland.

McIlroy made a mess of his first round, hitting his opening tee shot out of bounds on his way to a quadruple-bogey 8 and a first-round 79. Only in retrospect was the Northern Irishman able to concede he was overcome by the moment.

The last time Rory McIlroy teed it up was last week, when he missed the cut at The Open Championship, but there were lessons to be learned.

But it was McIlroys inspired attempt to make the cut that produced the years best moment. On Friday, he played his first nine holes in 2 under before birdies at Nos. 10, 11 and 12 moved him to within a shot of earning a spot in the weekend field. His attempt to make the cut fell short with a par at the closing hole but the moment, even in relative defeat, was unforgettable.

Today was probably one of the most fun rounds of golf I've ever played, he said following Round 2. It's strange saying that standing here and having had a bit of success and won this championship before. To play in front of those crowds today and to feel that momentum and really dig in, it's going to be a tough one to get over.

RYAN LAVNER:Now that the tournament has smashed all expectations, its safe to admit: I was skeptical about the Augusta National Womens Amateur.

I thought most of the amateur stars would tee it up instead in the LPGA major. (Incorrect.)

I thought the flow of competition would be disrupted by the practice day before the final round. (Nope.)

I thought Augusta National wouldnt be set up in a way that could both challenge the players and still produce the usual fireworks.

Oh, was I wrong about that.

No one knew what to expect from the inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur, but Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi put on a display no one will ever forget.

The final-round duel between Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi was so dizzying, their level of play so spectacular, their sportsmanship so inspiring, that it literally made me teary-eyed standing behind the 18thgreen in what eventually became my favorite moment of the year.

Those two players in particular faced such an incredible burden in the inaugural event. They were pioneers, the faces of the tournament, sure-fire future LPGAers who turned down pro checks for amateur glory. They were the first women to compete at the home of the Masters, and yet they handled that responsibility and that stage with such effortless grace, culminating in one sweet moment on 18: The birdie, the roars, the hug.

Why did that moment resonate so deeply? Seven months later, Im still not exactly sure. Maybe it was because, having covered the college game, Id gotten to know Kupcho and Fassi over the past few years, and I was happy to see their success. Perhaps it was because their genuine respect and admiration for each other, even in the heat of competition, was so refreshing. But its most likely because the first edition of the ANWA had been so unexpectedly brilliant that now the future seemed limitless for those two stars who will be inextricably linked, sure, but also for the thousands of young girls watching at home, hoping one day that could be them.

RANDALL MELL:There were so many magical moments in golf this past year, from Tiger Woods winning the Masters to Hinako Shibuno introducing her charms to the world in her victory at the AIG Womens British Open to Suzann Pettersens fairy-tale walk-off ending to the Solheim Cup, but none was more enchanting than what Amy Bockerstette gave us at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

I got this!

Her words didnt just stick in the minds of so many people who watched and re-watched her viral moment. They stuck in so many hearts. Tony Robbins, Zig Ziglar and Norman Vincent Peale couldnt top her inspirational message.

Amy Bockerstette, a 20-year-old golfer with Down syndrome, got to play the iconic 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and made par with Gary Woodland watching.

The Special Olympics golfer with Down Syndrome made a lifelong friend in Gary Woodland, getting up and down for par from that bunker at TPC Scottsdales iconic 16thhole earlier this year.

Shes meant everything for me from a mental standpoint, said Woodland, who went on to win the U.S. Open four months after playing alongside Amy. Her attitude, her love of life, her love for the game and her positive energy is so contagious.

Her message was a gift to anyone who watched her make par in Phoenix.

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Punch Shot: What was the most memorable moment of 2019? - Golf Channel

If you have found yourself stuck in a rut wondering what you are really doing every day, then check out some of these uplifting quotes to start your day. These quotes will bring a new meaning to every day and make you realize that every day is equally important.

Here are 20 motivational quotes to start your day

You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. Zig Ziglar

Inspiration does exist, but it must find you working. Pablo Picasso

Don't settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had. Angela Bassett

Show up, show up, show up, and after a while the muse shows up, too. Isabel Allende

Don't bunt. Aim out of the ballpark. Aim for the company of immortals. David Ogilvy

I have stood on a mountain of nos for one yes. Barbara Elaine Smith

If you believe something needs to exist, if it's something you want to use yourself, don't let anyone ever stop you from doing it. Tobias Ltke

First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you're inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won't. Habit is persistence in practice. Octavia Butler

The battles that count aren't the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourselfthe invisible, inevitable battles inside all of usthat's where it's at." Jesse Owens

Someone will declare, I am the leader! and expect everyone to get in line and follow him or her to the gates of heaven or hell. My experience is that it doesnt happen that way. Others follow you based on the quality of your actions rather than the magnitude of your declarations. Bill Walsh

Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success. Dale Carnegie

"If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever." Thomas Aquinas

"You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there's still going to be somebody who hates peaches." Dita Von Teese

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." Calvin Coolidge

The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible. Arthur C. Clarke

Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently. Maya Angelou

"I never look back, darling. It distracts from the now." Edna Mode

"The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone elses highlight reel." Steve Furtick

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. Amelia Earhart

I will not lose, for even in defeat, theres a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me. Jay-Z

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Here are 20 motivational quotes to start your day - India Today

Photo: fordhaminstitute.org.

The word of the day for 30 October is: Humility.

Humility is defined as the quality of having a modest or low opinion of ones importance.

CS Lewis described humility as not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Sometimes we need to step back and let go of our pride. If something good is done, why is it necessary to take full credit? Why not just let the light shine on the good deed, not who did it?

Saint Augustine said, It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

When we are prideful, we lose sight of what is really important who we are, and what our values are, and we can land up losing people who are important to us.

We do not need to be arrogant in our achievements or in our daily lives. We cannot forget where we come from and who we are as people just because we have achieved something. Helping others and making them as happy as you are is an uplifting and rewarding experience.

Zig Ziglar said, What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.

Originally posted here:
Word of the day - Roodepoort Record

I dont think its possible for my grandsons to understand how deeply I love them. It wasnt until they were born that I began realizing how much my grandparents loved me.

I ran across a quote over the weekend that isnt new. Ive heard it said for as long as I can remember and have seen the same quote attributed to many others, but my research on the net gives me confidence that Im attributing these powerful words to the correct source.

"Your beliefs become your thoughts.

Your thoughts become your words.

Your words become your actions.

Your actions become your habits.

Your habits become your values.

Your values become your destiny."

Mahatma Gandhi

Ive written about every line of this quote, in one way or another. It is one of those quotes that sticks with me and I find it to be on both my heart and mind this morning as I sit to write my column.

Caleb and Noah were in town this weekend. I find myself being more deliberate with them than I was with my children. I think because I only see them five to six times a year, I watch and listen to them, then try to teach them something useful. Ill see them again for five days over Thanksgiving. Im already thinking about some way to give them something they can learn and take home after the holiday. I think the teachings in this quote is it.

Your beliefs become your thoughts.

With every cell in my body, I know this to be true. Ive written in this column dozens of times about the power of your beliefs. Ill always have someone tell me that they cant help what they believe, so they have no control ... but its not true. We are in complete control of what we believe. Its a choice we make, so always choose to believe that you have the ability and power to determine your destiny ... because its true.

Your thoughts become your words.

What we believe in our hearts and mind, always comes out of our mouths. We all know the negative and positive people in our lives by what they say. Its no coincidence that the positive people are almost always happier and more successful.

Your words become your actions.

And its so because what they believe comes out of their mouths and their words become actions. If someone else says it, your mind understands that it may or may not be true, but if you say it, your mind absorbs and believes it.

Your actions become your habits.

There are many takes on this but Zig Ziglar said that if you purposely do something every day for 40 days, it becomes a habit.

Aristotle said, We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Our habits drive our actions and our actions drive our success.

Your habits become your values.

This is a column of its own that Ill address soon, but the more you do something, the more it becomes part of you.

Your values become your destiny.

Our destiny is not up to chance ... and certainly not up to others. The saying If it is to be it is up to me comes to mind here and its true. Destiny isnt something that you sit and wait for ... it is something you create, beginning with your belief system.

It is difficult to do Gandhis words justice in a mere 800-word column. I am writing this with several purposes. First, to formulate how to help a couple of boys, 7 and 9, begin to understand these truths and make them part of their lives. Second, to cause you, the reader to think about this and hopefully put these truths to work in your life.

I also need to hear these words as we all need to fortify our beliefs and strengthen our weaknesses. I am far from perfect, and like you, a work in progress. When I write to also strengthen my weaknesses I never run out of material.

I do understand the best way to teach behavior is to model it. I had a college professor, Dr. H. E. Nutt, who is legendary in the field of music education. He would always say, The best way to learn to play the clarinet (or any instrument) is to teach someone to play the clarinet. By doing so, it forces you to think about the correct methods and the more you do, the more it becomes part of you. By teaching these words, like teaching anything else, it forces me to put them into action.

So, as I try to share this with my grandsons and readers it is also my hope that by writing this column it makes all of us happier, stronger, kinder, wiser and more optimistic people.

Life is too short to be otherwise.

GARY W. MOORE is a freelance columnist, speaker and author of three books including the award-winning, critically acclaimed, Playing with the Enemy. Follow Gary on Twitter @GaryWMoore721 and at http://www.garywmoore.com

Excerpt from:
POSITIVELY SPEAKING: Teaching Caleb and Noah - MyWebTimes.com

Good grief, its not even Halloween, and what am I seeing in stores, from Home Depot to CVS? Christmas stuff!

And while it might seem early, Jon McDonald, who manages a successful Kmart in St. Petersburg, Fla., says, We already have everything Christmas out on display except the candy, and thats ready to go out right after Halloween.

We want to ensure we get our share of this years holiday consumer spending, he says, so it means we must begin early or be left out. Our Christmas results have been very good that last couple of years, and thats where we plan to be again.

Granted, Kmart isnt a boat dealership, but adopting some of McDonalds marketing strategy to land a share of the expected consumer spending can translate to some extra off-boating-season cash for aggressive dealers. And nows the time to take a cue from McDonald and finalize your plans to begin.

What can we expect this holiday season? Theres pretty good news for retailers, according to the National Retail Federation. Predictions are that holiday retail sales in November and December will grow 3.8 to 4.2 percent over last year, or $727.9 billion to $730.7 billion.

According to NRF chief economist Jack Kleinhenz, current economic data shows we can expect a much stronger holiday season than last year. Referring to news stories about possible negative impacts from tariffs and trade issues, Kleinhenz says, the effect of tariffs on holiday spending either directly or through consumer confidence remains to be seen.

So how do you cash in? As I heard the late Zig Ziglar, my favorite author, business coach and speaker, once say: If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. So its clear you need targets and products that fit.

First, study your current customer list. They are most likely to respond. If youve been attentive to these customers, you have some idea of how they enjoy their boats, their family makeup and so on. Its called preparing a segment-specific email list. Customer knowledge will guide you in making special Christmas offers that could have your holiday sales bells ringing. If theyre water sports oriented, specials might be the latest applicable accessories that would fit their Christmas-giving list; fishing families could be enticed to buy gifts for the anglers in their midst, and so on.

Offering gift certificates for the dealership can be a successful idea. My kids never know what to give their dad for Christmas, so Ill bet right now Ill be receiving gift certificates to a marine retailer or tackle store and Ill love them (the kids and the certificates).

Timing is everything, so dealers should create a series of offers for customers that begin no later than Nov. 1 and go well into December. In fact, 45 percent of Americans say they plan to start shopping by Nov. 1. Its reason enough for McDonald to have all the Christmas stuff out on the shelves in his Kmart now. So, in todays world, offering customers Christmas deals starts well before Thanksgiving.

Why do virtually all retailers push special sales during the holiday season? Because they work. Consider kicking off your Christmas Sales Time by the end of October. Be creative. Perhaps offer a few selected specials each week or even some for just a weekend splash sale. A significant discount on popular items will draw shoppers from within your existing customer base. In addition, reward loyal customers with special offers, such as discounts not available to the public. It indicates that customers are special, and experts say that message is difficult to resist.

Perhaps you can hold a holiday in-store event. Ive shared this story before, but its worth repeating. I recall a dealer in northern Ohio who traditionally had a three-day Thanksgiving weekend holiday party, with great success. It drew heavily from the existing customer base and actually sold some boats and lots of accessories. The showroom was brightly decorated with Christmas music playing, refreshments, even a few speakers presenting fishing and cruising topics.

Finally, promoting on social media is nice, but email remains the most effective way to impact customers. Thats because 91 percent of U.S. consumers still use e-mail daily, and you can segment customers email lists based on a variety of factors. According to McKinsey and Co., marketing with email is three times more effective than social media, and the average customer order is 17 percent higher.

Again, reward loyal customers with special offers. It indicates that customers are special, and experts say that message is difficult to resist. The more personal the email, the better the rate of return.

Sugar plums dancing in your head is way overrated. Go for bucks building your jolly bank account this Christmas.

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Visions of sugar plums and pumpkins? - Trade Only Today

It was Zig Ziglar who quipped, Be careful not to compromise what you want most for what you want now.

Thats how we see the Salt Run youth sailing program deal now before the City of St. Augustine and the adjoining neighborhood.

To recap, University of St. Augustine founder Stanley Paris has offered up a prime piece of waterfront property to the City of St. Augustine for free sort of.

His one stipulation is the property be dedicated to expanding a youth sailing school on the site. The early wish list for the property includes a dock, classrooms and a boat maintenance building.

The city accepted the deed Monday night, amid plenty of support from yacht club members, and plenty of push-back from neighbors. Their point is one weve come to seen, but primarily residential property being up-zoned as commercial, with neighborhoods placed in peril. We get it.

But, from where we sit, this ones significantly different from the ugly norm.

Lets look at some facts. While the city has accepted the deed, it conveys nothing to the yacht club in terms of the size, design or scope of the sailing school nothing.

The first step for the City is negotiating a lease with the yacht club. And much of both the devil and the detail will emerge during that process. Mayor Tracy Upchurch, to his credit, counseled commissioners to make the process transparent. No part of any subsequent lease will be OKd by the commission other than in public meetings.

The City is also smart in insisting any application go before Planning and Zoning Board for a regular rezoning process which is no cakewalk. And all PZB meetings and all its subsequent recommendations are open to public input. We say recommendations because that is what its end- game in the process becomes. Those recommendations go back to the commissioners who will decide the merits of the deal in more public meetings.

The deal does have an important caveat that, should whatever project takes root on that land strays from being a youth-oriented sailing school, it reverts back to the City as a passive park. If not that, back to the family (heirs who may, at that time, have plans of their own, not so passive).

For his part, Paris is donating the land worth about $1 million. Hes adding another $200,000 to help the yacht club out of the gate. He has also pledged proceeds from another residential lot (sold as residential) he owns nearby perhaps $250,000-plus.

Thats a substantial gimme to St. Augustine and its people. And we thank the salty solo-sailor for the gift and potential legacy.

Well talk later about exactly what the sailing school represents, but need not jump the gun here again because a lease has not been written, rejected or approved.

But in terms of neighbors concerns at this point, theyre irked theyre surrounded by, lets see youth ballfields, a youth skate park, an historic and beautiful Lighthouse and light keepers property, a fishing pier, the prettiest piece of brackish water in the county in Salt Run, a public boat ramp (which will benefit in terms of traffic by moving parking north) and other cultural amenities, not the least of which is lovely and historic Lighthouse Park. Oh yeah, throw in Anastasia State Park.

The neighborhood is buffered by recreational and historical spiffs that would be the envy of any other. If you dont believe it, look how hard new developments scramble to carve out a baseball diamond or soccer field, and generally pay through the nose, or county tax dollars, to get them and often to maintain them.

Take a drive to the northern part of the county where neighborhoods are pigeon-holed between Buc-ees and Wawa gas stations, office complexes and industrial parks.

Now look around at the Never-Never land embracing the Salt Run neighbors.

Seriously, who wouldnt want to live there?

Seriously

The rest is here:
RECORD EDITORIAL | Careful what we wish for - St. Augustine Record

Youre sitting down at a table, and theres a long row of dominoes lined up before you. You push down the first tile. You watch, as it slowly falls over. You let it drop. You let it recklessly topple all of the dominoes that follow, one by one. After a couple of seconds, youve got them all.

This little scenario perfectly sums up the simple logic behind decision-making:

You make your decision, whatever that may be, and a chain reaction follows, an iron link of unexpected events. Unexpected events that never would have happened had you played your cards differently earlier on.

This is what we callThe Butterfly Effect. Simply put, the butterfly effect is the idea the small changes can cause bigger changes to happen.

If your parents never met, you wouldnt be sitting here reading my article, for example.

Life itself is a chain reaction, a long list of decisions. You graduate from secondary school and straight off the bat youre told you have to choose a degree. And then bye bye, youre off to University. Though, of course, when you graduate University the decisions dont finish there. Oh, no. You then have to choose the right career to pursue.

Decisions wait for you behind every door:

Should you buy the house or just rent it?

Is it time for a career change?

Are you in love with her/him?

Will you marry that person?

Do you want to have children?

Life is a long list of decisions.

The world wont end just because you made one poor error in judgement. Weve all been friendly with stupid decisions in the past. We all slip up and make mistakes. Ill admit Im guilty, too. Hey, Im only human, and so are you.

Making the wrong decision is not so much the problem; hiding away from your duty and yourresponsibilityto make decisions is the real issue. No good can come out of that.

Hiding away from decisions is the simple way out. Its easy to run. Its easy to wrap up all of your priorities in a box and dump them under your bed, where they can never see the light of day.

But, theres only one slight problem with that way of thinking:

If you dont call the shots in your own life, youll be living life by default. Its as Zig Ziglar once said:

Making a big life change is pretty scary. But know whats even scarier? Regret.

So were left with two options:

Option A:

To live by default, sitting in the passenger, letting life drag us along for the ride.

Or

Option B:

To master our own fates and to take the responsibility of our lives into our own hands.

Has anyone ever told you this before: Why not take a leap of faith?

You only live once. Seize the day. Follow your heart. People love to say that last one a lot.

Following your heart is all very well, but its equally wise that you follow your wits, too.

Reckless decisions are decisions that are fuelled only by ambition and emotion.

So when you see an advert promising you that you can earn 3500 a day from dog-sitting, you should perhaps think things through before rushing out and quitting your 9 to 5.

Theres no need to make quick-fire decisions. Waiting is good. Nothings wrong with taking time to reflect before cannon-balling yourself into the deep end.

Solitude is the best environment for reflection. The silence can help you to reflect. On your goals, on your mental well-being and on the ways that you want to better yourself. Simply put, solitude can help you learn more about yourself.

Dont take my word for it. You should give it a try someday.

Set aside a few minutes, every now and then. Silence your electronics. You may want to head out for an early morning stroll in the park, or you may just want to think from the comfort of your own bed. Whatever floats your boat.

Use that time to ask yourself this question:

What is it that I want from this life?

Do you have an answer?

Well done, if you do. Dont worry, if you dont. Lifeisabout finding the answer, after all. Once youve cracked the answer, you then have to ask yourself:

How will I cross the bridge from where I am now to where I want to be? How will I reach what I want from life?

Ill be the first to admit that Im a fan of motivational quotes. Cant get enough of them. One of my personal favourites is Sylvester Stallones signature:

It aint about how hard you can hit: its about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward.

Quotes like these are the bread and butter of what it means to challenge the status quo and to push on above the limits. To live with passion. Passion is good. And so is wit.

Passion is what will inspire you to dream those big ideas. Wit is what will help you to turn those big ideas from fantasy to reality.

Without passion, we chain ourselves to limits. We lose drive, we lose energy and we lose the spirit needed to challenge the status quo.

Without wit, we become too friendly with stupid decisions.

Ideally, there should be an equal balance of wit and passion in our decisions.

As a general rule of thumb:

Passion + wit = seriously cant go wrong

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The Art of Making Good Decisions - Thrive Global