What do YOU want?

November 2nd, 2009

Living your entire life always doing what you SHOULD can give you a safe predictable life that leaves you completely disappointed in the end because you never answered the honest and simple question of “What do I WANT?”- Jon Bohm

What do YOU want?

I mean really what do you want, not what you SHOULD want, but what do you really WANT?

Sometimes those things are the same. I should go to work today and I WANT to go to work today. Great! That is an important distinction. When you live your life the way you should instead of the way you want your heart, emotions, desires, and mind are sitting on the sideline as you live your dutiful existence moving through the motions without passion.

What are you doing in your life that you SHOULD be doing?

What are you NOT doing that you SHOULD be doing?

I should go to church. I did go to church because I SHOULD.

I should go home and hang with my family. I did go home and hang with the family because I SHOULD.

I should make that sales call. I made the call because I SHOULD.

I SHOULD take my spouse out. ETC. ETC.

What is it that you do without emotional passion and desire because you SHOULD?

Now, don’t take me wrong I’m not saying we all need to ignore whatever we SHOULD be doing.  Instead of ignoring, we have to make the mental and attitudinal shift to quit saying I SHOULD and change it to I WANT to do this.

Most of the time it’s as simple as catching your self in the middle of a SHOULD and simply replacing the word SHOULD with WANT.  It’s time to get YOUR passions and emotions off the bench and into the game of life.

The bottom line is you have an incredible life to live.  Start living it because you WANT to and stop living it because you SHOULD.  It’s time for YOU to get emotional involved in YOUR life.  If you need help making the switch, please contact me anytime!

May we hit the ground living the life we WANT to live today!

Enjoy Life!

Jon Bohm





Jon Bohm Goals, Inspiration/Values, Leadership, Motivation

Emotion is the Difference

October 19th, 2009

“Success is not driven by knowledge or skill, but by the emotional desire to achieve. We do not run on fuel from our head but rather fuel from our heart.” - Jon Bohm

Have you ever wondered what separates the world’s greatest performers from the rest?

What is the defining thing that makes someone successful? We have the tendency to answer that question in terms of skills, or knowledge, or luck, or circumstances. But, I have found it is not any of those things, those things play a role of course in the big picture, but none of those things are the defining difference.

Many studies have shown that the world’s top performers usually had a sibling or several siblings that were more talented, had more knowledge, more skill, and better circumstances than they did and yet they are not the one’s that became the best. Actually, you could probably think of several people you know yourself who were given opportunity, money, the education, and had the talent to do amazing things and yet have found themselves in and out of re-hab or living in the land of mediocrity somewhere.

Often, it’s those who came from difficult circumstances and past hard knocks, lower skills, and less knowledge that find a way to the be the best. You can probably think of a few people you know in your industry. In case you need help thinking of some examples; Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, George Eastman, and the list goes on.

And of course, there are many world class performers that have come from very privileged backgrounds as well. But, thats my point. Their background, circumstances, skills, and knowledge is not the difference. It is the emotional drive above all else that makes the difference- every time.

Think about your life, ever tried to accomplish something that never happened, but would have changed your life had you been successful? A choice? An opportunity?

What stopped you from success? Make a list.

I’m guessing your list is full of circumstances, missing knowledge, lack of technology, lack of money, lack of time, lack of some kind of resource. Although those may be legitimate missing resources it is not why you didn’t get it done. You didn’t get it done because at the deepest level, you didn’t want it badly enough.

You didn’t have the emotional drive to get it done. That drive, that passion and emotion at the deepest level is what will get it done. You will find a way, you will be convincing enough, you will take the time, spend the money, learn the knowledge, and hone the skill.

Am I right? If you wanted it bad enough would you have done it? Be honest.

Yes, you would’ve. You might not know how, but you would have figured it out.

So, enough about your past let’s look to the future. What do you want? What do you want to go, see, do, or become?

How bad do you want it? You better find some emotion if you want to be world class. At the end of the day it’s emotion that drives you from the land of mediocrity.

Enjoy life today!

Jon Bohm

Jon Bohm Uncategorized

The Most Powerful things in life are Simple but NOT Easy

September 28th, 2009

“Everyone needs someone to help them take action on the simple things in life, because simple is not EASY.”- Jon Bohm

In high school I wore a baseball cap that had the name brand “SIMPLE” on the front.  SIMPLE is a great clothing and shoe manufacturer.  I had a boss that would always make fun of me for wearing that hat.  His jokes always themed around the idea that to be simple is to be slow… and basically a moron.

As you can imagine, I’m over it now- ok I still have a little resentment :).  As a matter of fact, I couldn’t disagree with that assumption (that “simple” means you can’t even tie your own shoes) more!  The mark of a brilliant person is to be able to take complicated ideas and make them simple enough to be useful and practical.

The greatest things in life are simple:

  • Love
  • Friendship
  • Compassion
  • Making Money
  • Saving Money
  • Starting a new healthy habit in the New Year
  • Quitting an old unhealthy habit
  • Staying active
  • Eating Healthy
  • Improving your quality of life
  • Raising truly great kids
  • Developing greatness in others
  • Making the world, or at least your world, a better place

Maybe, as you were reading that list you started to disagree with me?  What do you think?  Simple?  Is it simple to love your spouse?  Is it simple to raise great kids?  Is it simple to make money?  To eat healthy, make the world a better place….etc?

Of course.  It is SIMPLE.  However, it is NOT EASY.  Somewhere a long the line I believe just about everything in our culture has confused simple with easy.  For example,  if you want to stop smoking it’s not complicated.  All  you have to do is not put another cigarette in your mouth, don’t light it, and don’t puff on it.  This is not rocket science.  If you want to eat healthy all you have to do is put healthy food into your mouth, chew, and swallow.  Again not rocket science.  But NOT easy either.

So, let me ask you.  If you could change anything in your life and improve on some things, what would you change?

Take a moment….ok got it?

Now, let’s be real honest, is it a simple change?

I would be willing to bet all 3 of those things could realistically change in the next 12 months.  Could they?  If so, than why haven’t you changed them already?  What is getting in your way?  What simple thing has become complicated or difficult and why?

Let me ask another question?  Are you becoming more and more, everyday, the person YOU WANT to be in the future?  Are you pulling your future into your present?  If you are stuck in a rut,  or if you know what simple things you need to change, than change them and don’t make it complicated.  Or, reach out for help.  I help people every single day accomplish SIMPLE but not EASY things that they never thought were possible!

If you need help, reach out…. to family, to friends, to a professional like myself, or all the above and get your life moving.  Just because it’s simple doesn’t mean it’s easy, and it doesn’t give you an excuse to just keep saying that “someday I will be different, quit smoking, start a business, love my spouse better, make more money, etc.”

Enjoy your life and make changes NOW, because “Someday” never comes without changing things NOW.

Jon Bohm

Jon Bohm Goals, Inspiration/Values, Motivation

Key Questions when Hiring a Coach

September 15th, 2009

“If you would attain what you are not yet, you must always be displeased by what you are. For where you were pleased with yourself there you have remained. But once you have said, “It is enough,” you are lost. Keep adding, keep walking, keep advancing; do not stop, do not turn back, do not turn from the straight road.” — St. Augustine

It’s about time I gave some advice on what to look for when hiring someone to help you move your life and business forward.

Some great questions:

  • Are they a good fit for you? Do you like them and trust them?
  • Are they results focused? A lot of people will charge you good money to listen to you. But, will they help you actually achieve the results you need in your life and business? Knowledge is NOT power- APPLIED Knowledge is power.
  • Do they have legitimate names and numbers of people you could call to see if they are truly good at what they do?
  • Are they focused on long termdevelopment of you and your life, or is it short-term training that you will have to try and remember?
  • Do they help you get past the obstacles in your life and business or are they just focused on your goals?
  • Do they help you in life and business? Or do they just focus on one or the other?

A couple pitfalls that are easy to fall into are:

Often people want to make sure the coach they are looking at has extensive knowledge in their industry, but a good coach can help you develop your skills and attitude in a field they may not even know much about. If you need training look for a good consultant or mentor. Although, some coaches do very well in both roles.

Often people will look for a coach with the most degrees. But, degrees do little in determining whether someone is good atmotivating, inspiring, developing, and applying the attitudes and action of others.

Sometimes people think they have it all figured out and don’t need help. We all need help, every good coach will hire coaches themselves and they are always focused on life long learning.

Tiger Woods has three coaches and he is the best in the world. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you have arrived.

Cheers to always moving forward with some collaborative help!

-Jon Bohm

Jon Bohm Inspiration/Values, Knowledge, Leadership

Lighting the Fire of Success

September 8th, 2009
You get the best results from others not by lighting a fire beneath them, but by building a fire within.” - Bob Nelson

I want to ask you a simple question today. What drives you?

What really gets you going? What makes you so excited you can’t sleep? What makes you so angry you would run through walls to stop it? What do you care enough about that you would sacrifice for it? Where is your fire?

Don’t say money. Money can be a score card. Money can be tool to be used to stoke your fire. Money can be something that opens opportunities, provides influence, or invests in a cause you care deeply about. But, what is that “cause?”

What is your “Cause?” What is your “purpose?” Everyone has a purpose just like everyone has a heart. What’s yours?

This may surprise you, but I hire a personal coach every year to help me grow personally and professionally just like all my clients hire me, and my coach turned me on to a powerful story of a man named Ralph Metcalf (bottom on Right). Read about him on Wikipedia or in the history books, but something you won’t read is that Ralph Metcalf had a stated purpose statement for his life. For Ralph it was “to honor and serve his country.” That is why he ran in the 1936 Olympics against Hitler’s German squad, this is why he volunteered to fight in World War 2, and this is why he ran for congress at a time in our country when it was obviously difficult for a black man to gain a seat in politics. Bottom line… his purpose statement was his “Fire within.”

What’s yours? Find it. Breathe it. Live it. Or, call someone who will help you dig it up and get to really living on “purpose.” After all, if you want a fire you have to fuel it and you have to light it, before you ever feel the heat.

Make the next stage of your life a magnificent obsession, rather than a meaningless odyssey.

Enjoy Life and LIVE today!

3519wJon Bohm

Jon Bohm Goals, Inspiration/Values, Leadership, Motivation

Is it the Wise thing to do?

August 11th, 2009

“Everyone can learn from one of 2 teachers, you can learn from either wisdom or consequences.” -Adapted from Wayne Cordiero’s book Divine Mentor


When it comes to ethics how do you determine how far is too far? How close is too close? When have I crossed the line?

We have to answer this question thousands of times everyday, don’t we?

When I have a conversation and they ask about someone else’s “business.”
When my wife asks me if these jeans make her butt look fat.
When I have a chance at my second helping of dessert.
When I have the opportunity to own a mistake that wasn’t mine, or rat out a fellow employee.
When I count my strokes on the golf course…after all I had to move it there was a stick in the way.

Or…

A little white lie on my taxes.
A little “innocent” flirting with someone else’s spouse.
A little extra bragging or “padding” the old resume.

Whatever it is, we have that choice to make everyday and often we make our decision by asking ourselves this question; “How far can I go?” That’s a fair question isn’t it? After all we can only go so far. But, I think this question, more often then not, leads us to learn from the great teacher “Consequences.” “Consequences” is an excellent teacher, but it has a mean after taste and takes a lot longer to learn from than wisdom.

To avoid learning from consequences and learn from “Wisdom,” on the front end don’t ask; “How far can I go?” Instead ask “Is this the wise thing to do?”
In changing the question you ask yourself you will pull yourself back from the dangerous edge of consequences and find yourself operating and learning from wisdom in every ethical situation I can think of.

May we all learn from the great Teacher “Wisdom” and avoid the pain and hurt that always comes with consequences.

Enjoy Life …live Wisely!

Jon Bohm

Jon Bohm Uncategorized

Be the Luckiest person Around

July 12th, 2009

I am a lucky, lucky person. - Evel Knievelevel-knievel-edit1

 

Are you a lucky person?  Or are you unlucky?  

Have you ever noticed that how much luck someone has is directly proportionate to how much risk they are willing to take?  

Why do some people have the midas touch?  

While the touch of so many others seems to turn things into ashes?  Have you ever noticed that some people just seem to be luckier than others?

 Take scenario one:  you become a “dare devil” and jump out of a perfectly good airplane with no plan, without the knowledge, and without the hard work in preparing for your jump. If you survive, well than, you are lucky, maybe even miraculous to some degree. 

However, take scenario 2:  if you plan and bring a parachute, than you learn how to use your parachute, and you work hard to prepare for your jump on the ground or in a wind tunnel than your odds of being lucky  and surviving are dramatically better than the first scenario.

In both situations you jump from the same plane.  In both situations your risk is the same.  But in scenario number 2, your chances of getting lucky are very high.  Because, you planned your risk with meticulous work like a stuntman who strategically thinks his stunt through, not a daredevil who just jumps.

So, what about business and getting lucky?

The entrepreneur that takes a gamble and opens a widely successful business in the worst recession our country has seen since the great depression, lucky?

The investor who fires his financial planner and takes matters into his own hands, and turns a profit of 40 k a week instead of losing it when everyone around him told him to “Buy and hold.”  What do you think, lucky?

The stay at home mom who opens her own on-line store, only to get so many orders she can’t keep up.  Lucky?

My answer is….Yes, very lucky.  

However, my definition of luck has an equation.  Luck doesn’t happen to everyone.  Why do some people seem to be luckier than others?
 
Over the years of working with many people, in many industries, I have found what I believe to be the equation to how lucky an organization or person may become.  I trust it so much, that I consider it to be a fortune telling equation on how lucky someone will be.
 
Stop and think.  What is a new adventure or thing you may want to try?  Ok, got one in mind?
 
Using a scale of 1-10.  1 being poor and 10 being excellent.  Rate your future idea in each of the following categories:
 
  • 1-10 - How much risk is involved?
  • 1-10 - How strategic have I been?  And how many resources have I put into my plan for success?
  • 1-10 - How hard have I worked toward my success?
After honestly rating your new venture in each of the above categories, you have a possible 30 points available.  Simply add up your total score and divide it by 30 and that is the percentage I give you on getting “lucky” and succeeding.

It is a law of the universe.  The more you risk, the better you plan, and the harder you work… the “luckier” you will be.  Is it possible to get “lucky” with a 10% chance?  You bet.  But, you can increase your adds of getting lucky in every situation with some hard work, high tolerance for risk, and a great strategic mind.

So, how lucky are you?  I guess it depends on how bad you want to be lucky.  And how much effort you put into increasing your odds. 

It seems to me… that the harder I work, the better I plan, and the more risk involved, the luckier I am.

May you become one of the “luckiest” people around, and when all the unlucky people watch your life, they just won’t be able to understand why YOU are sooo lucky.

Enjoy Life! 

Jon Bohm 

Jon Bohm Inspiration/Values, Knowledge, Leadership, Motivation

Be the Mother of Invention

July 6th, 2009

 

Have you ever had an idea about something and thought to yourself, “Someone should invent that!” 

Well, maybe that someone should be you?  I am not an invention expert by any means, but I have some clients who are are inventing and re-inventing all the time.  And, I’m willing to bet that everyone has at least one idea in their lifetime that could make you fabulously wealthy. 

 

So, what do you do when inspiration strikes?  Here are a few steps I was able to gather:
 
  1. Write it down dummy.  How many ideas have I forgotten that were brilliant if I could just remember!  When ideas show up…capture them on paper or computer ASAP.
  2. Do a Patent search at google.com/patents.  You can see drawings of other people’s ideas and dig deep to see what makes your idea different.
  3. Get your invention “Patent Pending” ASAP at uspto.gov/web/forms/index.html - From what I have gathered you describe your invention and and create some drawings with a nominal fee your invention is officially “Patent Pending” and you no longer have to guard it with your life.
  4. Ask around.  Now is the time to voice your idea and start your market research.  Is it a viable invention.  Will people pay money for it?  Is it profitable?
  5. When your Patent is approved (can take up to a year or 2) you can use a patent attorney that can be quite pricey or you can do it yourself as in step 3.  Fees will range around $1500 for you to do it yourself or around $20 k for a patent lawyer.
  6. Market it and sell it yourself or try to sell your patent license to someone else.  Usually a company.
The curiosity of what to do with a great idea was killing me.  I hope you found it helpful to.  Or start researching yourself at inventorsdigest.com/ 

Happy inventing!  There are a lot of needs in our world, we need to invent some great ideas to take care of so many tough situations.

Enjoy Life Today!

Jon Bohm

Jon Bohm Uncategorized

Self Fulfilling Prophecy

July 1st, 2009

Self-Fulfilling prophecy is a tough concept to understand. But if you can tap into your capabilities and then see and understand the potential you have. Then, remember the reasons you have to believe in yourself, you will in fact conquer your biggest fears and accomplish what you say you can.

But the opposite is true all the time. If you say you “Can’t” then you most definitely will not.

William Purkey tells a great little allegory concerning the value of feeling good about ourselves:

A mouse ran into the office of the Educational Testing Service and accidentally triggered a delicate point in the apparatus just as the College Entrance Examination Board’s data on one Henry Carson was being scored.
Henry was an average high-school student who was unsure of himself and his abilities. Had it not been for the mouse, Henry’s score would have been average or less, but the mouse changed all that, for the scores that emerged from the computer were amazing—800s in both the verbal and quantitative areas.

When the scores reached Henry’s school, the word of his giftedness spread like wildfire. Teachers began to re-evaluate their gross under-estimation of this fine lad, counselors trembled at the thought of neglecting such talent, and even college admissions officers began to recruit Henry for their schools.
New worlds opened for Henry, and as they opened he started to grow as a person and as a student. Once he became aware of his potentialities and began to be treated differently by the significant people in his life, a form of self-fulfilling prophecy took place. Henry began to put his mind in the way of great things. . . Henry became one of the best men of his generation.

We can apply this concept to our every day life and business in simple ways. When we have a week, a day, an hour, or a conversation that goes bad we will begin to “Self-talk” at an alarming rate and in that moment we have a tendency to say some negative things about ourselves, our abilities, our products, our ideas, or our companies. Of course none of these things are usually true but in that moment that couldn’t be more real.

Using a simple tool called “Affirmations” is an easy and simple way to combat the negative self talk that could arise during a work day.

Affirmations are an expression of the person you know you need to be to achieve the results you want.
An affirmation is a self-fulfiling prophecy that should be placed in a place you can read them daily- in the car- in the bathroom- at your desk - on the office wall- etc.

“I am a great sales person”
“I like to eat healthy”
“I make 500 k a year”
“LIfe is Good”
“Today is an awesome day”

Let me encourage you to write 3 and only 3 affirmations on a 3 x 5 card and read it 3 times a day.

Use the following criteria to write a great affirmation:
-Make it 1st person
-Present tense
-Positive
-Within your realm of belief

I know most of us automatically picture the Saturday night Live Skit and think this can sound a little hokus pokus, but it works. And in my world if it works and gets results then it has value.

I dare you to try it and watch your self talk, self image, and results change for the better!

After all life IS Good and it’s just getting better!

- Enjoy Life Today!
Jon Bohm

Jon Bohm Goals, Inspiration/Values, Motivation

Connecting Emotionally

June 15th, 2009

“Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation to say, “Wait.” But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim…. when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of “nobodiness” then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.” - Martin Luther King Jr. 1963 - Letter from a Birmingham Jail

Have you ever been around someone who was really, I mean really, able to walk in your shoes? To not just say they understand but really feel what you feel? That is the secret of compassion.

I once heard a friend say that being heard is so close to be loved that most people can’t tell the difference. How well do you listen to those in your life? How well do you feel the pain of your prospects? How good are you at feeling what others feel?

Often when I am working with a team of sales people they want to know how to “Close” better or “sell” better. But, the greatest sales secret in the world is to be a great listener, practice compassion, ask great questions, and walk in your prospects shoes. When you can feel what they feel then you are coneecting emotionally with their issues.

In a sales situation it is tempting to talk a lot and show the prospect how much you know about your product. And think you are closing the sale, you couldn’t be more wrong. Your prospect doesn’t care how much you know about your product, they care how much you understand their problem, pain, or challenge.

You can’t learn about someone’s pain or walk in their shoes by talking. So close your mouth and start listening, or better yet start feeling what they feel.

A good system is to never tell anybody anything (especially about their situation) until you know these 3 things:

  • What are they thinking?
  • What are they feeling?
  • What are they experiencing?

…in this situation. After you have asked enough questions, clarified enough answers, and felt enough of their pain to understand their situation thoroughly should you venture out on the limb and daring to explain that what you offer is a good fit for them.

The decision to buy something is not logical it is an emotional decision that has to be justified logically. It wasn’t until our country truly felt the pain of segregation that people justified changing the culture. Thanks to great speeches that allowed a hate filled and hurt society to see and more importantly feel the pain it was creating.

May we all learn to get outside ourselves long enough to feel what those around us feel. Connecting with each other emotionally is the greatest tool to helping people change there is.

Practice the white magic of listening and see your relationships and profits grow!

Enjoy Life today!

Jon Bohm

Jon Bohm Inspiration/Values, Knowledge, Motivation, Sales