2/26/07

Good Morning MOJO,

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked, "How heavy is this glass of water?"

Answers called out ranged from 20g to 500g.

The lecturer replied, "The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow."

Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

• Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
• Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
• Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
• Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.
• If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
• If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
• It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.
• Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
• Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
• When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
• Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
• Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
• We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
• A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Make it a Great Week!!!!!

Motivation is from the mind, but commitment is from the heart and is much less fickle!!!

Tom Tognoli
COO, Founder
Regional President
Direct: 408.342.3001
Fax: 408.904.7762
Email: TTognoli@InteroRealEstate.com
Website: www.InteroRealEstate.com

2/19/07

Good Morning MOJO,

“…its terminal”…2 of the scariest words we could hear about ourselves or someone we care about. Yet “its terminal” is exactly the 2 words which describe the fate of each and every one of us. No, it hopefully will not be today - next week - next month - next year…hopefully not for several decades, but lets face it, all of us have a “terminal illness” and it is called mortality…our days on this planet are numbered. So, the question is…knowing this, are you spending as much time as humanly possible with those who are truly most important…are you making a difference in the world – a real difference…are you going to have regrets for the way you have lived your life…for the priorities in your life? It’s funny how it does not hit us until a doctor actually tells us those 2 scary words, but let’s face it…it could be anyone of us tomorrow.

Sit back and think about this for a minute…even if you have years or decades to live, if a doctor could tell you the exact day and time you where going to pass, would you start living your life differently today? Really think about it? I think so. It’s because we don’t have that definite date and time that we continue to say “I will do it tomorrow”…”I will go see them next week”…”I will do it when I retire…” We think it goes on forever, but it doesn’t.

We all get caught up trying to get ahead in life…measuring our success by how much money we make…by our belongings…by our power. But lets face it…what really matters most is our relationships with those most important to us…our family and our friends…it is the difference we are making in peoples lives. So my challenge to myself and everyone who receives this is to please, please, please find the power to take time and reflect on our/your life…what it is you are doing and reprioritize to really make sure those people and things most important in life are on the top of the list…those people and things which when we finally realize “it’s terminal” we have no regrets for the way we lived our lives. Check out this link and make sure your “dash” really counts…make sure you won’t have any regrets. Because “its terminal” and we only get one shot…there are no second chances in life…don’t waste it on things that don’t really matter!!!

http://www.thedashmovie.com/

Make your “dash” count and make it a GREAT week!!!!!

Motivation is from the mind, but commitment is from the heart and is much less fickle!!!

Tom Tognoli
COO, Founder
Regional President
Direct: 408.342.3001
Fax: 408.904.7762
Email: TTognoli@InteroRealEstate.com
Website: www.InteroRealEstate.com

2/12/07

Good Morning MOJO,

“…sounds like a great idea, I will get started tomorrow.” Yeah right…like that is really going to happen…just like that last thousand times he said “I will start tomorrow”.

“Wow, I can see how that will have a hugely positive impact on my life, but I just don’t have time to deal with making the necessary changes right now…I will try and implement that next month when things settle down.” We all know things never “settle down”.

“Why is it that no matter what I seem to do…not matter how much I work or how hard I try, I can never get ahead, physically, financially, spiritually, personally, or in my business? I am trying hard everyday, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day.” Here is the first thing we all need to get real clear on…no matter how hard you try, if you continue to do what you have always done, you will continue to get what you have always gotten. So, to get more of what we want in our lives, the key is not doing more of what we are currently doing harder, but doing different…changing the way we look at things….the way we do things. Sounds easy…right? NOT!!!!!!!

Becoming a “QUICK CHANGE ARTIST” is not something you become overnight…it is something you need to train yourself. Because, most of the things we do in our life and our thoughts are a routine that have been engrained in us over YEARS. So, we plow on, mindlessly doing the same old things in the same old way. Whether these routines or thoughts are good or bad…like a drop of water which continuously hits on a rock, our habits create a hole or a rut. And the longer the drop of our habits hit the rock, the deeper the hole…And over time as that hole gets deeper and deeper, the harder it is to get out of the rut when we want to make a change.

So, why haven’t we forced ourselves out of the rut before now, when we know changes are going to make us happier in the long run? Most of the time we don’t change because we are afraid…it makes us uncomfortable…makes us feel exposed…or we are just plain lazy. And the older we get the harder it is to make changes because we tend to become less and less flexible (try to touch your toes and you will see this physically). And because we have been doing things one way for such a long time, the hole in the rock becomes the size of the Grand Canyon. So, the key is to train ourselves to become “QUICK CHANGE ARTISTS”…someone who actually embraces change…someone who actually gets a rush from being innovative and doing it different. Because thinking and doing things different is the road to freedom and to fulfilling our destiny.

So start challenging your routines. Stop running into the brick wall…stop beating your head against it. Pause…Think. Find a new way that goes around the wall, or maybe over it. Rest assured, the new way is there. It does exist. Changing your habits can itself become common place. The first time you defy “your way” and climb out of your rut in nearly kills you…the second time, it’s real tough…the third time, it’s merely hard. And eventually, it becomes, if not easy, then reasonably comfortable. Your confidence grows, and the tyrant loses a large part of its hold on you. Then, the magic of having a life that is unbelievable…pure magic starts to unfold!!!

I often get asked “what has been the key to Intero’s success?”…”how did you grow from 0 to over 2,000 people in 48 months with over 50 offices in 6 states?” In addition to our supportive families and friends, and Intero’s Vision and Values…we pride ourselves in being “QUICK CHANGE ARTISTS” in an industry where most other companies can’t get out of their rut!!!

Here is to you becoming a “QUICK CHANGE ARTIST”…make it a great week!!!!!

Motivation is from the mind, but commitment is from the heart and is much less fickle!!!

Tom Tognoli
COO, Founder
Regional President
Direct: 408.342.3001
Fax: 408.904.7762
Email: TTognoli@InteroRealEstate.com
Website: www.InteroRealEstate.com

2/5/07

Good Morning MOJO,

The same 20% of your garments are what you end up wearing 80% of the time…you eat the same 20% of the stuff in you kitchen 80% of the time…you get 80% of your results from 20% of your effort…and the scarier part is you get only 20% of your results from the other 80% of your effort. So, stop doing 80% of the things you are doing where you are not getting the results and do a lot more of the 20% where you are getting all of the results. Check out this math

· 80% results / 20% effort = 4

· 20% results / 80% effort = .25

· 4 / .25 = 16X

What this means is you are 16 times more efficient when you are in your 20% zone. That means that in a typical 8 hour work day you get 80% of your results from1.6 hours of work and 20% of your results out of the other 6.4 hours. If you could just stay in “the zone” for 30% of your day instead of 20% of your day, you could work 2.4 hours and go then go home…you would be getting 120% done of what you are doing today and work 5.6 hours less.

You just have to do more of what you’re already doing that works fantastically well…because most of what you do is a waste of time. So, you might as well stop most of what you do. You can put less energy in, yet get far better results, if you just concentrate on the things that produce fantastic results.

Of course, the math in 16X only applies if the relationship between energy and results is exactly 80/20. So it’s best to think of the 80/20 formula as only a rule of thumb. If the true ratio is 75/25, then you’ll “only” get 9 times better results from the top things you do. Sometimes the true ratio turns out to be 90/10, though, which gives you a massive 81 time’s better results.

The mechanics of 16X are more about stopping than starting to do more. The key is to create white space – in your schedule…in your mind…in your life as a whole. It’s about emptying your days of those things that don’t justify your time and effort because they give such a poor return. Most of the things you allow to take up space in your life are not important. They accumulated gradually over a period of years – certain work habits, leisure activities, relationships, stuff lying around your home and office, and a lot more that you could add to the list.

Just think – what would it be like if you scaled back to those things that truly count the most…that work the very best…that bring you the greatest joy, energy, and sense of fulfillment? How much more time, vitality, and peace would that bring? Then imagine taking some of this new white space you’ve created by uncluttering your life, and investing it in those things that count most, work best, and bring the greatest rewards. That’s your path to breakthrough results.

I did a talk at our office in Los Altos on this topic last week and here are some of the idea’s I shared on what you can do to stay in the zone longer:

· Get up 30 minutes earlier…don't wake up in a crisis, or the rest of your day and life will be one big crisis. Quit hitting the snooze bar!!!!

· Health…you don't have BIG BONES

· Diet (less than 2,000 to $2,500 calories everyday)

· Cardio for at least 30 minutes 5 times a week…INTENSE!!!!!!

· Take vitamins everyday - don't get sick

· Drink a lot of water

· Don't drink alcohol or smoke

· Sleep 7 hours a night

· Dress for success…clean up yourself…clean your car…clean your office…clean your house

· Review your affirmations everyday…day dream everyday…think everyday

· Create an OPI and 10 tips to toughness

· Be focused while doing one thing and do it well…you will knock it out of the park. If you try and do everything…especially try and do everything all at once, you will suck at it all.

· Do the things you like least first every day…then knock out all of the little things so your mind is clear.

· Have a good system for To Do's and your Schedule…live by it.

· Create white space in your mind and you physical spaces…Purge 80% of everything at work, in your car, and at home.

· Speed up…walk 25% faster…it will carry over into everything you do. Speed is key…

· This is from the book New Work Habits for a Radically Changing World: Operate with a strong sense of urgency. Accelerate in all aspects of your work, even if it means living with a few more ragged edges. Emphasize action. Don't bog down in endless preparation trying to get things perfect before you make a move. High Quality is crucial, but it must come quickly. You can't sacrifice speed. Learn to fail fast, fix it, and race on. Seek radical breakthroughs - quantum leaps - rather than relying solely on incremental, step by step improvements.

· Go with your gut…don't over think it…your first instinct is almost always right…if it feels right do it and do it with focus and intensity (Read the book Blink)

· Don't play it safe…take risks…think different.

· Life is not a marathon…it is a series of sprints…then rest…sprint…then rest…sprint…then rest…

· Turn your dreams into a plan…turn your plan into a list…plug your list into your schedule…then do what your schedules says. If you ever wake up and actually have to think about what you need to do, you are dead.

· Have Fun, be Focused, be Intense, be Accountable, be Discipline

· Fill at least two Garbage Bags every month from home and work…one for garbage and one to donate.

Motivation is from the mind, but commitment is from the heart and is much less fickle!!!

Tom Tognoli
COO, Founder
President - Silicon Valley and South County Regions
Direct: 408.342.3001
Fax: 408.904.7762
Email: TTognoli@InteroRealEstate.com
Website: www.InteroRealEstate.com