Angry and Leaderless

Angry and Leaderless

We live in stressful times. Have you paid attention how often people get frustrated and angry? Stress is the silent killer. Redirect your anger or you may have a rough road ahead of your grave!

1.      Keep anger in check. When we become angry our emotional intelligence flies out the window.

2.      Avoid arguing. Arguing with an angry person is like adding salt to the water, it raises the boiling point.

3.      Quick reframing. Successful people go from stressed to alert to determined and to focused in one minute.

4.      Get perspective. A few words by a mentor or a coach at the right time do wonders when we are under stress.

5.      Let it go. Developing poise under stress is one of the most valuable qualities a person can have. The size of a person is determined by the size of what gets that person upset.

6.      Show leadership. The true qualities of a leader are displayed in a crisis when under stress and uncertainty. 

7.      Exercise self-control. Mastering the art of controlling ourselves changes and saves lives. We have to put the oxygen masks first; save ourselves first before we can save others. 

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

The LIFE We Always Wanted

The LIFE We Always Wanted

We are where we are today because our best thinking got us there.

Something needs to change in order for us to have the proper thinking to live the life we want to live. If we knew how we would already be there!

The life we always wanted is within our reach.

Someone said that 90% of us have low self-esteem and 10% have an attitude problem. How can we change that? Follow the 7 step process below so you too can live the life you always wanted.

1.      Have Dreams. Never live another day without dreams. Dreams provide the drive for us to get out of ourselves and do what is necessary to live a better life. The dreams have to be well defined and written. Commit to your dreams.

2.      Get a Coach. A coach can see in us what we cannot see in ourselves. Get a coach that has earned the lifestyle you want. All great achievers have had coaches and mentors in their lives. Who are we to think we can do without them?

3.      Have Goals. Dreams without goals lead us nowhere. We need to set goals that provide the means to live our dreams. Goals are set in stone and plans are drawn on sand. Goals are realistic, timed, clearly defined, achievable, and written. Plans are flexible.

4.      Have Plans. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Goals without plans to achieve them are pure fantasy. Great plans contain the necessary actions and activities directed toward achieving our goals.

5.      Work the Plans. We must do the necessary work to implement our plans. Here is where it all happens, where the rubber meets the road. We must be willing to do enough work to change the current until the current turns in our favor.

6.      Keep Score. We must keep score and have a process in place to make the necessary adjustments to move towards the goals. Facing the scorecard is important to see where we are falling short or drifting away from moving towards our targets. Learn from failures and victories alike.

7.      Savor the Rewards. Peg a reward for each goal achieved. Reaching our goals will boost our self-esteem.  See the defeat in every victory to stay humble and keep the attitude in check. Nothing is more exhilarating than reaching our dreams by reaching our goals.  Now that we know the process, let’s use this predictable process to produce the predictable results. We can live the life we always wanted to live.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Do you really want to know me?

Do You Really Want To Know Me?

We can get anything in life if we ask the right questions to the right people at the right time.

For those of you who think there are no stupid questions, think again!

Here are 7 powerful questions to ask someone you would like to know.

You can get to know a person the very first time you sit down with her/him?

Ask great questions and listen so you can remember that special person for the rest of your life.

1.      What do you do? How did you get started? Why is that?

2.      Who is your hero? Why?

3.      What is your dream?

4.      What is the cause in your heart?

5.      Are you living the life you always wanted? Why?

6.      Who are your there best friend?

7.      What are the best three books you have read?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Relationship Killers

7 Things that Kill Relationships

Are you wondering why you are having trouble developing healthy relationships?

Are you wondering why you are not building trust in your relationships?

Are you wondering why you are having trouble building long term relationships?

Think about these nuggets and change your thinking about others.

1.      EGO. EGO stands for Edging God Out. EGO often seems to stand in the way when building relationships. Drop the EGO.

2.      Being Right. The need to being right is closely related to EGO. Choose to be happy instead of being right. Stop wanting to be right.

3.      Selfishness. Focus on improving yourself and the other person will likely see the clues for the need for self-improvement. Take an honest look at yourself and realize that there are likely many areas to improve. Stop being selfish.

4.      Grudges. Forgive and forget. If you cannot forget, at least forgive. Unwillingness to forgive is the killer of relationships. Let go of grudges.

5.      Not listening. First and foremost listen with intent to understand before you can be understood. Develop empathy towards others. Start listening.

6.      Arrogance. Drop arrogance and give others grace. Meet them where they are at. Learn to love no matter how wrong others are. There will be the right time to give tough love, when there is trust in a relationship. Drop the arrogance and pride too.

7.      Me syndrome. Serving is a privilege and a responsibility of the great. Be there when they need you. The world does not revolve around you. Stop thinking about yourself and start thinking about others.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

Who's in Control?

7 Reasons We Don’t Read

Take control of your life and become a great reader. Books change lives. Great books help us to live the life we always wanted to live. The following are not reasons; they are pure and simple excuses. Turn the excuses into real reasons, not fake reasons, to read so you can live a great life.

1.      Books don’t ring. Turn the phone off and start reading. Eliminate distractions and give priority to reading great books. Who’s in control of your life?

2.      Books don’t talk. Turn the TV off and start reading. Stop being entertained and start educating yourself. Who’s in control of your education?

3.      Don’t have time. Make the time to read. We all have time to read. Anything that is important to us we find time for it. Who’s in control of your time?

4.      Don’t have money. Stop spending and start investing in yourself. Imagine borrowing the great thinking and experiences of great writers for the price of a meal. That is what a call a deal or even a “steal.” Who’s in control of your money?

5.      Don’t like to read. “I fall asleep when I read.” Then stand up. Read out loud. Learn to like reading so you too can live a better life. Read for 15 minutes 30 days in a row and acquire the greatest of all habits. Who’s in control of your habits?

6.      Not a good reader. Decide to become a good reader. No one is good at anything at first. Anything great worth doing is worth being bad at it first until we get good at it. Learn to become a great reader. Who's in control of your skills?

7.      Don’t see the purpose. How about reading great books to find your purpose in life. Books expand our thinking and are full of ideas to live our purpose. Who's in control of your purpose in life?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

The 7 Ways to Prosperity

The 7 Ways to Prosperity

When it comes to personal finances, what really matters is what we do with what we save that makes the difference, not how much we make. Most people are not in control of their personal finances and as a consequence they are slaves of their money instead of being masters of their money. Here are a few nuggets to start taking full control of your money:

1.      Tracking. We can only improve what we can measure. People are not keeping track of their personal finances. Do you know what your after tax income is? Do you know what your net worth is? Do you have a realistic monthly budget and are you staying within your budget?

2.      Spending. Money does not solve anyone’s problems; discipline with money does. People’s spending is out of control. Are you being a slave to your impulsive buying habits? Are you spending the money you have not earned yet? Are you financing things that depreciate?

3.      Inflation and taxes. Inflation is a big hidden tax. Inflation and taxes are taking a big bite out of people’s incomes. Do you know what your real inflation is? Do you know how much are you paying in taxes?

4.      Skills. Security comes from speed of learning and dealing with change. People’s skills are not keeping up with market demands. What skills are you developing to become more valuable and earn more money? What are you doing to set yourself apart from the majority of workers?

5.      Saving. Play good defense with your money; you worked hard for it. People are not saving enough money. What percentage of your income are you saving? How many months can you live without earning an income if you lose your job?

6.      Investing. Play smart offense with your money; leave gambling to idiots. People are not investing enough. What percentage of your income are you investing in yourself? Where are you getting the information to decide on what investments to make?

7.      Education. Self-education is the only true education. People are getting the wrong types of training; getting information for jobs that no longer exist. Is the education you are seeking going to allow you to live the lifestyle you desire to live? Are you educating yourself on personal finances and relationships? How much have you improved your people skills in the last year?

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy

7 Reasons the Wealthy Are Wealthy

7 Reasons the Wealthy Are Wealthy

There many reason the wealthy are wealthy. The majority of poor people are cynics and/or critics. They are stuck in their own broken thinking. When a great opportunity comes to them they are quickly to criticize it. POOR means People Overlooking Opportunities Repeatedly.

1.      Thinking. The wealthy think differently than the poor. The continuously invest in their self-education. They understand and respect money; therefore, they are great stewards of money.

2.      Investment. The wealthy invest time and money instead of spending time and money. They think return on investment instead of cost.

3.      Long term view. The wealthy take a long term view in all that they do. They are quick to make decisions and take actions when the right opportunity is presented.

4.      Delay gratification. The wealthy are willing to delay the gratification until they earn money to acquire what is important to them and not to others. They are willing to do the work and wait until they master their craft.

5.      Compounding. The wealthy understand and apply the principle of compound interest. They are willing to wait until their assets will produce income for them.

6.      Assets. The wealthy accumulate assets instead of liabilities. They own the right assets.

7.      Scorecard. They wealthy keep score on their personal finances. They have the courage to face their scorecard and take full control of their personal finances.

Will you join my cause to fight mediocrity in the world? Pass these nuggets on to others.

We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give. Be a giver in a world of takers.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx

Co-author of the book Follow to Lead (The 7 Principles to Being a Great Follower)

Author of the book PRICELESS (Sixty-Six Simple Stories of Reflection, Love, and Legacy