Don't Let the Bank Rob You: Success of a Different Sort

Here's a really great story I found regarding a biz owner on the "island" of England (U.K).
You know how banks charge you for everything these days? And, if you happen to be off when balancing your checkbook and you have a few checks that bounce, you get hit with $25 - $35 per check charges (even higher in England)?
Well, you don't get any grace or mercy from the bank when that happens. And it seems that both here in America as well as in England, the banks are going crazy with these charges, with little consideration for right or wrong, or even correcting their errors.

According to the Daily Mail article titled, "Customer sends bailiffs in to seize bank's computers" found at www.dailymail.co.uk, a man named Declan Purcell had a bunch of charges deducted from his account to the tune of 3,400 pounds that he thought were wrong, so he:

"decided to give one of the high street giants a taste of its own medicine. When Royal Bank of Scotland refused to refund £3,400 charges that Declan Purcell believed he was owed, he sent in the bailiffs.
Stunned customers at his branch of RBS watched as debt collectors seized four computers, two fax machines and a till filled with cash.
The branch manager was told that the items would be sold unless RBS came up with the money owed to Mr. Purcell.
Only when the manager gave an undertaking that the debt would be paid did the bailiffs leave.
Mr. Purcell said: ‘I think the bank was pretty shocked when the bailiffs went in. But my view is that this is exactly what they would have done to me.’”

Great story! Apparently, what happened was that Mr. Purcell went to court, got a judgment against the bank and then had the judgment enforced, according to the law. The Royal Bank of Scotland decided to not defend their interests and neglected to respond to any correspondence regarding settling the judgment. So, the law stepped in and the bailiffs went to collect the money owed.

Kudos to Mr. Purcell for stepping up and taking action in the face of extremely daunting odds—and prevailing! According to the article, Britain’s Office of Fair Trading is investigating the exorbitant charges that are leveled on customers for overdrafts and other practices.

"Crack That Whip:" Developing a Personal Motivation Plan

It's funny, but I never was motivated by force or threats, and my guess is that most people aren't either. A while ago, I had this life "coach" whose idea of motivation was harassing, pushing and nagging me to action. Did it work? Well, let's just say that the relationship lasted for less than two weeks.

I call this the "push" method of motivation/management. You see this in may top-heavy corporations that have an authoritarian management structure, and whose employees are basically told what to do.

Later, I hired a life coach who encouraged and supported me in such a way that I found my own personal system that motivated me and moved me to growth.

This is the "pull" method of motivation/management. It allows people to discover their gifts and skills and work in areas in which they can make the most significant contribution to their company or business. You will generally find this in companies that are smaller organizations whose management encourages ideas, creativity and autonomy and whose managers are confident visionaries.

What are some great ideas for forming your personal motivational plan?

Probably the most important thing to remember is to ENJOY YOURSELF. Don’t make this a boring, legalistic chore that you look forward to as much as getting your teeth pulled at the dentist’s. Have fun with it!

Here are some suggestions:

• Write out your list of your dreams, goals and desires. When you know what you want, you have a target to move toward. Most people (97%) don't bother and thus wander aimlessly across the landscape of life. Go ahead, dream a little—you’re entitled.

• Put together some type of tracking system, or some way to know how you’re doing and review it on a daily basis. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy and this certainly can be lighthearted and fun. (On a later post, I’ll share some great online tools for doing this—and it takes just minutes a day to do!)

• Exercise regularly and watch your nutrition. When I first started this I wasn’t happy. I cut out many foods temporarily like beef and other stuff I liked, and I felt deprived. But I kept at it. And in only a few weeks, I felt better than I’ve felt in years, I’m sleeping better, have great energy and my productivity has increased by a factor of three or more. Persist for a bit and you’ll get the rewards.

• Find your spiritual center. I don’t mean go out and join the latest cult or become “so heavenly that you do no earthly good.” However, research has shown that there are significant benefits for those who attend church, pray and read the Bible, amongst other spiritual practices. These include: oftentimes longer life, healing more quickly from illness and diseases, and overall better outlook/attitude on life.

• Associate with positive people and images. This may seem unnecessary for some. Yet, I can say that when I stopped watching horror movies, associating with those who did nothing but complain, and started focusing on the positive things in life and the possibilities instead of the negative, my life changed in a huge way.

• Set aside a time each week where you can review your progress and plan for the next. You’d be amazed at what this simple process can do for you. You’ll gain an appreciation for all you accomplish and before you know it, you will see your dreams materializing before your very eyes.

• Get together on a regular basis with a group where you can share your dreams and progress. Some people call this a "mastermind" group. Whatever you call it, it’s a forum where you can get with others and be accountable. You can share your progress toward your goals, your struggles in getting there and get feedback along the way.

If you have any comments or anything that’s worked great for you, please share it with us.

Successful Failure: the Path to Achievement

I just love it when I find stories where someone has become enormously successful then failed.

Not that I relish someone else's bad fortune. Most of the time, these snippets provide long-term motivation and inspiration that transcends cliches and hollow platitudes. That's because so much of the time these entrepreneurs bounce back quite remarkably, having learned a huge lesson that puts them back in the game, usually more successful and profitable than ever.

Here's an article that is particularly meaningful to me: www.secretsofsuccess.com. It's the story of a guy who is involved in the field of adult education. This is an industry that is close to my heart, since I work as a copywriter at a company called NextStudent, an organization that assists students in planning for and financing their college education.

Anyway, check it out. Hope you find it as powerful as I did!