I have been a good online customer for a few websites/companies over the years. Yet, I do not think I have received anything special from a few of them in the expression of gratitude category.

I stopped ordering from one just to see how long it would take for them to realize I’m gone and maybe ask me why or how they could win my business again.

After three months, I am still waiting.

There is one company, The Palm Restaurant, that has done a fantastic job over the years with the frequent dining program. If I do not visit the restaurant in a while, I get an email asking why. They obviously watch their frequent diners and develop a relationship and “seem” to care.

If your online strategy does not review accounts to see who hasn’t shopped recently and asked them why and to come back, I think you are missing the boat.

I look for companies that treat me special. That treat me individually. They get my business.

akashawnthomas

What started out as a fun way (growing a mustache) to promote Movember and men’s cancer awareness, has turned into something breathtaking for me and now will affect many others.

During this campaign, I initially hoped to raise $250 with me matching $250. Well, we hit that the first day thanks to my close friends and many of my Facebook friends. Whether it was $1 or more, people showed their support and I am hear to tell you, I feel blessed. It feels so great knowing we not only spread the word, but also raised over $1,000 in such a short time.

I am always in awe of the power of giving.

We still have 9 more days and we’ll keep going, but I just had to say what a blessing the art of giving is.

Shawn

If you still want to help, click here: http://mobro.co/akashawnthomas

“What other people think of us is none of our business“, Paulo Coelho

Sometimes, we don’t really need to hear what someone thinks. We already know the truth or the answer.

Inner peace and security is a powerful strength one can possess.

And speaking for those “someone’s” out there, sometimes, it is best just to keep your opinion or judgment, or view to yourself.

Because it really is none of our business.

Like the rules of war, Paulo Coelho does a great job of developing rules for love.

Being hurt by love can cause people to do some crazy things. These rules can help if followed.

http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2010/08/21/convention-of-those-wounded-in-love-2/

Paulo Coelho

I’m a firm believer in drawing inspiration from others. I’ve learned that others can help me avoid mistakes, make better decisions, and give me another view that I might not otherwise see.

But ultimately, we have our lives my life. We have to spread my wings and start to fly, not knowing where we might land.

As the saying goes, “Life is not about the destination, it is about the journey.”

Your journey exists every second of every day. Don’t get too caught up in other people’s journeys where you forget that you’re on one yourself.

akashawnthomas

Manhattan Beach Sunset

That one split second before you act, say something, or do something. That one split second can have a substantial impact on your future. That one second can change your life, make your life better, make your life worse, make someone else’s life better, make someone else’s life worse.

Sometimes, it is far better to think before that last split second is gone. It never hurts to think for a minute before you get to that last split second. Because you can’t take back that moment after that last split second.

akashawnthomas

“The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.”
― Maya Angelou

I woke up today to a great confirmation of why I follow this principle in my life today. In one way, I had a feeling someone was an awesome person and they were limiting themselves by their mixed actions and it was and would affect our future relationship. I needed to understand their feeling and actions as they seemed contradictory. A conversation uncovered the truth and the weight of fear was lifted. A great feeling. I also had a feeling about someone I was unsure I could trust their motivation so once again, it was solved with a conversation. I really liked this person and saw great potential in them playing a part in my life, but something did not add up so after the conversation it was clear what the next steps were. Unfortunately, they would not be a part of my life like I wanted.

Implementing this in one’s life can be challenging. It means that if we use this in our everyday life, we might have to let someone go quicker than we might want. That is very hard. But it also pays great dividends by bringing others closer in our lives because when we see something great, having a conversation with them can create a better bond between us.

As humans we naturally want to be and feel loved. When we meet someone we like, we long for them to want us back. It makes us ignore signs that we have developed over our lifetime of experiences.

Because of that, at times we may sacrifice our own happiness. We do this because we see potential or promise in someone even though they are already showing us who they really are. We want them to want us like we want them so we keep giving them the benefit of the doubt only to almost every single time, being disappointed.

Then that disappointment makes us feel like the bad person, or we become depressed that we made a wrong decision when all the time, we knew the answer the first time that person showed us who they really were.

So how do we create a good radar of seeing people for who they really are as opposed to who we want them to be? My opinion is you have to get to know yourself very well. You must invest time and research in learning to truly become one with your soul in order to better know what types of other souls you really want in your life.

This process is part of the journey of life and never stops. It is not a destination where one day you wake up and you’re an expert at knowing who you are and how to read other people. But expert people have given us the tools to better understand people. And we all have experiences that help us form our beliefs.

Whatever way you solve the topic of relationships in your life, accept it and hold true to it. My experience has brought me to a place where I trust my gut instinct and when I come across someone that I am not quite sure about, I have a conversation and check in with my soul. Based on the outcome, my next steps are revealed.

Many do not understand that process and may not like it. That is hard for me as a good, caring person to deal with. Ultimately I can only be in control of my destiny and I am comfortable accepting the consequences of someone’s misunderstands.

All enduring motivation must ultimately come from within the individual. That is why the words empower and envision are so vital to team performance. It must be your inner power and your own personal vision that propels you, not that of your leader.

The success of your efforts depends not so much on the efforts themselves, but rather on your motive for doing them. The greatest companies and the greatest men and women in all walks of life have achieved their greatness out of a desire to express something within themselves that had to be expressed, a desire to solve a problem using their skills as best they could. This is not to say that many of these individuals did not earn a great deal of money and prestige for what they produced. Many did. But the key to their successes was that they were motivated more by an inner magnificent obsession, a passion, than by any thought of profit or identity.

You may recall from history that the exquisitely beautiful armless statue of Venus de Milo was carved by an unknown sculptor. When a farmer dug up the soon-to-be world-famous work of art while plowing his field, a renowned museum curator sadly reflected what a great pity it was that the sculptor would never be recognized by thousands of admirers, nor would he or she ever know how valuable the statue became hundreds of years later.

The farmer retorted that it must have been a labor of love for someone to be able to have envisioned such perfection and brought it forth with just a chisel and a shapeless piece of stone. “Just creating something of such quality,” said the farmer, “would have been payment in full for me.”

You can’t commission a masterpiece. Human greatness can’t be externally motivated. It must be compelled from within. A magnificent obsession is the way you want to live, not just the things you want to own. A magnificent obsession is the person you want to be, not the title on your office door or business card. A magnificent obsession is the mind-set that you have, not the diplomas or awards you earn. It is the worldview you claim as your own, not the collection of stamps on your passport. It is uniquely yours, like your fingerprint or handwriting.

Ask yourself this question: “If it weren’t for money, time and personal responsibilities, what would I really love to do with my life?” You and I need to answer it from our own individual perspectives, not simply answer “to help my company, family or country.” In addition to these shared visions, autograph your career and life with your own signature.

By personalizing your passion, you will experience the unlimited power from within!

—Denis Waitley