I have written a number of articles now in relation to leadership. Why is this? I’m helping people to build a life of their own design. In other words, if you are not happy where your life is heading then I’m providing some ways to help change it. Agree it is not simple, but doing something now will have an impact later no matter how long it takes.
Creating and building a life of your own design takes commitment, focus and passion. Say for instance you have some great Ideas Working From Home. How do you take these ideas forward and change your life? To me it is not necessarily about the ideas or concepts, but whether one has the mindset to stay the course. This is where leadership comes into play.

Admiral Nelson, who defeated the French at the battle of Trafalgar, would often go below deck to spend time with his junior officers. This practice was unheard of. He didn’t go down to tell them what to do or to give them orders, but to listen to their stories because he was inspired by their energy and passion. They brought youth, spark, excitement and optimism. They had no experience. As we go up the ranks, we lose that passion despite gaining experience.

Nelson felt it was important to spend time with that youth to keep him energised. Equally he needed to share his experience to help the others grow.

This is a classic case of serving others, a leadership skill, and is not built into our culture or society as well as it should be.

Have you heard the term ‘servant leadership’? You generally never hear from people ‘I aspire to be a leader’, ‘I want to be a leader’, ‘I’m working on becoming a leader’. You normally hear ‘I want to be a leader of people’, ‘training my people to become leaders of people’ etc. In other words, we aspire to be a leader of people, not just a leader. There are no leaders of a company. This is the difference between leadership and management. A leader is responsible to those that follow them.

Getting results through influence is a leadership skill. Influence in business is much driven by authority; ‘I’m the boss and I’m going to tell you what to do!’ This is opposed to giving people access to your time and experience in order for them to learn and grow. If you have the experience, make it available to others – remain open.

What makes someone a lasting leader? Lasting leadership is not what is on the outside but what is within. It has everything to do with your character. This could be compared to beauty; getting your perspective right. It’s not about your hair style, expensive jewellery, lovely clothes, but the beauty within.

There was story about a department store selling beauty products and looking for a beautiful person to be pictured in a marketing campaign. The store asked its customers to send in pictures along with a story about the most beautiful women they knew. Thousands of letters were received. However, one particular letter got everyone’s attention hence was passed onto the president. Beside the picture was a note written by a boy from a broken home in a run down neighbourhood.

The note read:

‘A beautiful woman lives down the street from me. I visit her everyday. She makes me feel like the most important kid in the world. She listens to my problems, understands me, when I leave she always yells out the door – she is proud of me. The picture attached shows you she is the most beautiful woman in the World and one day hope to have a wife as pretty as her’.

Intrigued, the president of the company then looked at the picture. He was shown the photograph of a smiley toothless woman, bound in a wheel chair, spots, brown hair, wrinkles diminished by the twinkle in her eyes.

The president couldn’t use the picture in the campaign because he knew no beauty products were going to be needed to make this lady beautiful as beauty was driven from within.

Above are a number of different perspectives of leadership; providing access and influence to help others no matter where you stand in society. We all have an ability to give and to help others. In business, we thrive by making a connection with people. Serving people gets results. Leadership is about serving and sharing. Doing what it takes. Be committed to getting the most out of your days. Be committed to getting results. Be a leader.

We can all aspire to achieve better things. It may be a case of changing direction and doing something you have never done, but always dreamt of. I’m helping people to think positively about the future and how best use their time. I believe that people can find a way within to pursue an idea and a vision. We all have the ability to take control of our lives, but many just don’t know it or how.

My name is Gary Oakes and I have established a 3 in 1 solution to help anyone who is looking to start an income opportunity through the comfort of ones own home. Step 1 is to develop the passion and drive – set expectations. Step 2 is much about internet marketing techniques (free information). Step 3 provides an opportunity to work from home. The website is full of information and you will not see such valuable information contained all in one place and this is available to you. The journey starts by following this simple link Ideas Working From Home.

There is no commitment or expense to view the free material available to help you, and you never know, this might be the very thing you are looking for!

I don’t know about you, but I find life is full of challengers and everyday something turns up. If running your own small business, whether a brick and mortar or a home business, how do you cope with adversity? We all have our bad days and some may appear to be the end of life as you know it – taking it to the extreme.

There was a time when I struggled when I took it upon myself to join one of the Multi Level Marketing Opportunities to change my future. When I ran out of friends and family, with virtually no one turning up at the house parties and enthusiasm dying, I felt deflated, disappointed and it seriously bothered me. Was this the time to give up? Yes!

So what does it take to build a life of your own design? Well it boils down to a couple of things. Looking for the best and dealing with the worst….

When Thomas Carlyle (Dec 1795 – Feb 1881) completed his manuscript of the French Revolution, he asked a neighbour (John Mill) to read it. Later John turned up at Thomas’s house shaking and looking pale. He explained that his maid had inadvertently used the manuscript to light a fire. Thomas was left in despair. Two years of work up in smoke – literally.

Writing the manuscript was daunting enough, but thinking about rewriting it was just unthinkable.

One day he watched a stone mason building a wall. He observed it going up one brick at a time. This simple exercise inspired Thomas to rewrite the manuscript a page a day – similar to one brick at a time.

It was a slow process, but he persevered. The end result was much better than the original.

Jon Gordon writes; “if concerned about the future, then I know how you feel”.

He lost his job in 2001. The company sank quicker than the Titanic. He thought it was his worst day of his life. A paycheck away from losing it all, with a wife, 2 children and a mortgage etc. and no savings, he had to make some important decisions. Standing tall and not giving in led to the work he does today as a writer and a speaker. He went from being fired to being all fired up. Being laid off led to the accomplishment of his life’s mission. What he thought was his worst day turned out to be his best.

When the worst hits; you have a choice. Move forward with determination as the best days are ahead. Make a decision and learn to grow.

Don’t be a victim of your circumstances. See your situation as an opportunity. You can make the right choices. Refocus, retune and relive. Go out and get what you want.

You will soon learn it is not about the nuts and bolts, but how you show up with the nuts and bolts. Entrepreneurs and leaders make it happen.

So did I give up with my mission to change my life? No. I went on to find something else….

We can all aspire to achieve better things. It may be a case of changing direction and doing something you have never done, but always dreamt of. I’m helping people to think positively about the future and how best use their time. I believe that people can find a way within to pursue an idea and a vision. We all have the ability to take control of our lives, but many just don’t know it or how.

My name is Gary Oakes and I have established a 3 in 1 solution to help anyone who is looking to start an income opportunity through the comfort of ones own home. Step 1 is to develop the passion and drive – set expectations. Step 2 is much about internet marketing techniques (free information). Step 3 provides an opportunity to work from home. The website is full of information and you will not see such valuable information contained all in one place and this is available to you. The journey starts by following this simple link Multi Level Marketing Opportunities.

There is no commitment or expense to view the free material available to help you, and you never know, this might be the very thing you are looking for!

In October 1972, an amateur rugby team were flying out from Uruguay en route to chile over the Andes when the plane struck a snow covered mountain in an area so remote and rugged that most of the mountains in the area didn’t have names.

With around 45 people on board, 12 of the passengers and both pilots were killed on impact as the plan broke in two before coming to rest.

If surviving the crash was one thing, the cold snowy and icy wintery conditions made the situation worse. The passengers were dressed for the summer, and had very little clothing to protect them against the elements.

By day 10, 27 people were still alive. By this time, they concluded the rescue mission would have stopped and they were now on their own.

With little food left, they started to fight amongst themselves. Things were becoming desperate.

Day by day some would venture to explore. They improvised where they could in terms of snow wear i.e. making snow shoes from the plane seats.

By day 18, an avalanche struck the plane killing a further 8 people. Only 19 now remained alive. The safest place to meet their fate was to remain within the wrecked fuselage. Some were starting to think it was easier to die than to stay alive…

On day 60 a decision was made for 3 people to venture out in a last bid to look for help. It was to be a one way trip and they knew it. With no experience, dressed inappropriately and ill equipped, Fernando, Roberto and Antonio left the safety of the plane. They would take a course based on the planes last heading and would continue until they either died or reached help. Either way they were going.

As they began the journey, they kept coming across false summits. Exhausted, cold and hungry they just kept on going. With the mountains being so high, it felt like no progress was being made. But there was no going back. 10 days later and having walked 37 miles, Roberto and Fernando found help. Antonio returned back to the plane en route.

As a result of the effort of Fernando and Roberto, 16 survivors were rescued out of the mountain – all surviving a 72 day ordeal they will never forget. Although part of this story is controversial, the interesting part is how Roberto and Fernando managed to make the 37 mile journey as afterwards, professional mountaineers retraced their steps. It was hard to believe that 2 people with no experience, tools or equipment made such a journey across the mountains. It was achieved with amazing spirit and strong will. They may not have been equipped, but they had the will to keep going forward. A goal worth living for.

In life, it is not about the tools and training, but how we show up in times of adversity. This true story is one of many to help put into perspective how we as humans have a uniqueability and resilience to survive.

As leaders or entrepreneurs, progress is made by leaving the safety of the ‘fuselage’ to gain freedom. Here are some testing questions back to you in respect to the passage above:

·         What desires do you have worth living for?  

·         What motivates you to be productive and to reach your destination?

·         What keeps you moving forward once completely worn out?

·         What makes you refuse to quit when faced with defeat or opposition?

A film was made of this event and extracts can be viewed by following the link ‘ALIVE’.

We can all aspire to achieve better things. It may be a case of changing direction and doing something you have never done, but always dreamt of. I’m helping people to think positively about the future and how best use their time. I believe that people can find a way within to pursue an idea and a vision. We all have the ability to take control of our lives, but many just don’t know it or how. How do you survive against adversity when establishing ideas working from home?

My name is Gary Oakes and I have established a 3 in 1 solution to help anyone who is looking to start an income opportunity through the comfort of ones own home. Step 1 is to develop the passion and drive – set expectations. Step 2 is much about internet marketing techniques (free information). Step 3 provides an opportunity to work from home. The website is full of information and you will not see such valuable information contained all in one place and this is available to you. The journey starts by following this simple link ideas working from home.

There is no commitment or expense to view the free material available to help you, and you never know, this might be the very thing you are looking for!

It is hard and can be depressing when playing a part in something you are ill suited. It’s like walking life wearing the wrong shoes – shoes that just don’t fit. Is this you? Do you feel this way at times?

Do you ever take time out and reflect and ask yourself what are you good at? Where do you shine? What do you enjoy doing the most? What accomplishments make you feel good? Let’s take this one step further, what 5 moments in your life are you, or have been, actually aware of this sensation? Does this reveal anything about you? I bet it is not often enough.  

If money was not a consideration, what would you do to fill your days?

Some bold statements above. So how does this compare with where you are at right now? If you are not getting the results or satisfaction then what small steps can you take to make things better or right? Is it as simple as talking to someone, sending an email, a phone call in order to get you closer to where you would like to be?

What do you know about your purpose? It is said we are all here for a purpose. Do you believe this is the case or do you feel life is about the card you have been dealt. Some areas are just not part of your calling right now.

Here is another one. Who are you masterminding with? Who do you admire and want to follow? How are you like them? It is said your closest 10 friends determines who you are.

Now let’s get into this deeper. What is your vision going forward? Have you got a vision and plan for the next 5 – 10 years from now?

Who in your life gets who you are? What would you like to be remembered by? What would be your legacy? Again it comes back to who you are and why you do the things you do.

Get on the right path, use the right tools and make the right choices.

School was out, a 10 year boy named Charlie was glad to get out of London. He was off to the country to celebrate Christmas. Whilst driving along windy roads with his mother, he was captivated by the snowy landscape. Suddenly the snow got heaver and visibility got bad. The car then slid out of control and ended up in a ditch. Out in the cold, Charlie tried pushing the car whilst his mother hit the accelerator. It proved to be of no use.

They walked along the road until they came to a house. Anxiously, they knocked at a house to asked for some help. A lady invited them in to use the phone and to allow them to warm up. She also made them tea.

So what is so special about this little story? Well it is not every day the Queen of England and her son Charles knocks on your door. Opening up your mind, heart is sometimes as simple as opening a door.

So how do you show up if building the best business ideas from home? One thing for sure is you will have to work at it. You need to look within and believe in yourself. You know you will be tested along the way. At such a point, you have two choices. Either act like a victim or take on the test. Tests can come at any time so stay sharp.

2 lumberjacks challenged each other to see who could chop down the most trees in a day.

At day break, the first one went for it and by noon had chopped down 16 trees. Meanwhile, the other had cut down 4, because he spent most of the morning sharpening his axe. Whilst sharpening, the other laughed because of the wasted time.

By mid afternoon, the first was beginning to slow down and was now taking an hour to chop 1 tree. The other was picking up speed. Although both men were strong, strength had noting to do with this test. It was down to the one who had the sharpest axe. The sharper the axe, the quicker the trees came down. By late afternoon the 2nd lumberjack passed his friend by several trees and won the day.

There is a message here and an important lesson. Don’t lose your edge otherwise you will be unprepared for what is in store for you next. Stay sharp.

Are you working on daily visualisation and meditation on your goals? Are you visualising what you want your life to look like? Learn to develop yourself and cultivate the expectations of leadership.

Change your life then change your days. Enough of the questions.

We can all aspire to achieve better things. It may be a case of changing direction and doing something you have never done, but always dreamt of. I’m helping people to think positively about the future and how best use their time. I believe that people can find a way within to pursue an idea and a vision. We all have the ability to take control of our lives, but many just don’t know it or how.

My name is Gary Oakes and I have established a 3 in 1 solution to help anyone who is looking to start an income opportunity through the comfort of ones own home. Step 1 is to develop the passion and drive – set expectations. Step 2 is much about internet marketing techniques (free information). Step 3 provides an opportunity to work from home. The website is full of information and you will not see such valuable information contained all in one place and this is available to you. The journey starts by following this simple link to an best business ideas from home.

There is no commitment or expense to view the free material available to help you, and you never know, this might be the very thing you are looking for!