I have decided to discontinue my blog about my personal views and thoughts on general topics. I will be focusing on my new blog apassionforrc.blogspot.com which is all about the Radio Control hobby and how I am going about getting into it as a beginner. My aim is to build it up into a comprehensive resource for new people who wants to get into the hobby as well as over time to existing people enjoying the hobby.
Thank you if you were a regular reader of this blog. I sure enjoyed writing it and to see the stats counter ticking up each time I posted something!
Hope to see you at apassionforrc.blogspot.com!
Francois
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Estate Agents... who's agent are they really?
I have the unpleasant experience of selling my house at the moment. It is not the first time that I am selling my house and have thought about this issue many times.
I sign a mandate.
I pay commission.
I take the responsibility.
The agent receives 7% commission on average and his or her responsibility is to market my property and get me my price. The only responsibility of the agent is to SELL MY HOUSE.
Nowadays the property is listed so that other agents from other estate agencies can also market the property and thus increasing the exposure.
What totally gets to me is that not one agent that brought potential buyers along, were SELLING my house. They just let the people wonder through the house all on their own. We even had a specific agent say to the clients as they walked in the gate: "This is an old house". How do you expect to sell anything like that? What am I paying commission for?
If you bring along clients and you don't sell the house to them, then I am willing to MAYBE pay you 1% commission for bringing a long the client, but why should you get R 70 000 comm for just bringing around someone?? Even worse, why should I lose R 70 000 just because you brought someone round?
And in most instances the agent then negotiates with me to lower the price so we can just do the sale.
So my question is... who's agent are you really, Mr(s) Estate Agent? Seems to me the buyer's agent, definitely not mine!
Majority of estate agents suck and they are paid way too much for doing nothing!
Francois
I sign a mandate.
I pay commission.
I take the responsibility.
The agent receives 7% commission on average and his or her responsibility is to market my property and get me my price. The only responsibility of the agent is to SELL MY HOUSE.
Nowadays the property is listed so that other agents from other estate agencies can also market the property and thus increasing the exposure.
What totally gets to me is that not one agent that brought potential buyers along, were SELLING my house. They just let the people wonder through the house all on their own. We even had a specific agent say to the clients as they walked in the gate: "This is an old house". How do you expect to sell anything like that? What am I paying commission for?
If you bring along clients and you don't sell the house to them, then I am willing to MAYBE pay you 1% commission for bringing a long the client, but why should you get R 70 000 comm for just bringing around someone?? Even worse, why should I lose R 70 000 just because you brought someone round?
And in most instances the agent then negotiates with me to lower the price so we can just do the sale.
So my question is... who's agent are you really, Mr(s) Estate Agent? Seems to me the buyer's agent, definitely not mine!
Majority of estate agents suck and they are paid way too much for doing nothing!
Francois
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Long time, no blog...
It is amazing how quickly time goes by. In the last 2 months I made a change in my work as well as wrote 4 exams, none of which was fun I must add - especially since I did not plan for any changes.
The great thing is that all of this forced me to re look and rethink my life, where I am and what it is I really want to do and achieve.
I realised what a huge difference a good and real friend can make in your life. I cannot compare my feelings and views from 2 months ago to today. Many of us think that we only need ourselves. I was proven wrong. At the same time I need to say that it is sad that you truly cannot trust or believe most people.
Many things happened the last 8 weeks and people that I truly believed were different from others, turned out to be exactly the same as most others. People preaching the big picture, suddenly turned a blind eye and only saw their picture.
Good comes from everything. Lessons learned are invaluable. It also resulted in me taking a step back and looking at things from a different angle. The next step is action...
The great thing is that all of this forced me to re look and rethink my life, where I am and what it is I really want to do and achieve.
I realised what a huge difference a good and real friend can make in your life. I cannot compare my feelings and views from 2 months ago to today. Many of us think that we only need ourselves. I was proven wrong. At the same time I need to say that it is sad that you truly cannot trust or believe most people.
Many things happened the last 8 weeks and people that I truly believed were different from others, turned out to be exactly the same as most others. People preaching the big picture, suddenly turned a blind eye and only saw their picture.
Good comes from everything. Lessons learned are invaluable. It also resulted in me taking a step back and looking at things from a different angle. The next step is action...
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Extremes
Humans are creatures of extremes. And impulse.
And it includes myself, I am not denying that!
My question is why, when something goes wrong (or even right), do people over-compensate? Why do they suddenly put everything into a new idea? This includes things like their jobs, a new religion or returning to their religion, a new hobby, changing lifestyle to compete with the Jones's... you name it.
Why are we unable to keep the balance? Why don't we plan to spend our time equally between all the important things in our lives?
Would love some comments and ideas.
And it includes myself, I am not denying that!
My question is why, when something goes wrong (or even right), do people over-compensate? Why do they suddenly put everything into a new idea? This includes things like their jobs, a new religion or returning to their religion, a new hobby, changing lifestyle to compete with the Jones's... you name it.
Why are we unable to keep the balance? Why don't we plan to spend our time equally between all the important things in our lives?
Would love some comments and ideas.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Motivation - a follow up
I listened to a podcast from Zig Ziglar this week entitled "What positive thinking is and isn't".
What he said was very interesting and in my mind very true. I also wrote my thoughts in another post. Click here to revisit that post as what I am about to say supports what I said then.
He made a couple of points and I will leave it up to you to link it back to my own thoughts that I shared in May 2011.
First thing he said was that Positive thinking alone won't help you do something that you do not have the ability for. In other words, just because you think positively about something (like singing for instance) doesn't mean that now you can get up and become the next Idol (unless you do have the ability and talent to do so of course!). What it will do is make sure that you are able to do everything that you can... Think about that for a moment...
Another thing he said was that motivation does not last. Neither does bathing. That is why it is a good idea to do it regularly.
By changing one's attitude and view of things and most of all what you believe about the things concerned, the longer your motivation will last.
Some tips that I use myself everyday:
Thanks for reading my blog!
Francois
What he said was very interesting and in my mind very true. I also wrote my thoughts in another post. Click here to revisit that post as what I am about to say supports what I said then.
He made a couple of points and I will leave it up to you to link it back to my own thoughts that I shared in May 2011.
First thing he said was that Positive thinking alone won't help you do something that you do not have the ability for. In other words, just because you think positively about something (like singing for instance) doesn't mean that now you can get up and become the next Idol (unless you do have the ability and talent to do so of course!). What it will do is make sure that you are able to do everything that you can... Think about that for a moment...
Another thing he said was that motivation does not last. Neither does bathing. That is why it is a good idea to do it regularly.
By changing one's attitude and view of things and most of all what you believe about the things concerned, the longer your motivation will last.
Some tips that I use myself everyday:
- Do not listen to other people. Many people might be high spirited and easy to get along with, but the things they say are stealing your energy and you actually feel tired after talking to them. They will give you all the reasons in the world why you shouldn't do something, because they was not successful at the same thing. If it is meant to be... it is up to me I say!
- Do your own research or get to know someone yourself and make up your own mind. Don't take the shortcut and listen to what others say about someone or something. You might just miss out!
- Avoid people that are energy thieves and that have a "entitlement"-mentality. They constantly complain about things that are wrong and why they will never get what they want.
- Never allow other people to steal your dream!
Thanks for reading my blog!
Francois
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Some observations
After my first week in Bloemfontein and being back in the Free State after 7 years, I made an observation (which I think is quite funny and ironic!).
In Johannesburg life is a rush. You are spending a lot of time in the car and every day it just feels like you don't have enough time to do what you have and want to do. You are forever rushing everywhere (yes, I admit, maybe my time management skills are not tip top, but it also isn't that bad at all!).
In Bloemfontein my experience this week has been that I have a lot more time to do what I want to do and I am not nearly as rushed as I was in Johannesburg (or did my time management skills evolve over night?).
I am spending 10 minutes to get from where I am staying to the office on the other side of town in Bloemfontein. In Johannesburg it used to be at least 25 to 30 minutes and even up to 45 minutes to drive a mere 15 kms.
So according to me - Bloem affords me more time and very little rush - Johannesburg afforded me less time and rushing a lot.
Here is the punchline:
In Johannesburg most people drive slowly at about 80 km/h when not on the highway. In Bloem I am driving at the same speed and I am overtaken by millions of drivers driving at a much faster speed... in town!
So my question is: Why if you have more time are you rushing to get somewhere and where we had less time we are driving at a slower speed?
Ironic!
In Johannesburg life is a rush. You are spending a lot of time in the car and every day it just feels like you don't have enough time to do what you have and want to do. You are forever rushing everywhere (yes, I admit, maybe my time management skills are not tip top, but it also isn't that bad at all!).
In Bloemfontein my experience this week has been that I have a lot more time to do what I want to do and I am not nearly as rushed as I was in Johannesburg (or did my time management skills evolve over night?).
I am spending 10 minutes to get from where I am staying to the office on the other side of town in Bloemfontein. In Johannesburg it used to be at least 25 to 30 minutes and even up to 45 minutes to drive a mere 15 kms.
So according to me - Bloem affords me more time and very little rush - Johannesburg afforded me less time and rushing a lot.
Here is the punchline:
In Johannesburg most people drive slowly at about 80 km/h when not on the highway. In Bloem I am driving at the same speed and I am overtaken by millions of drivers driving at a much faster speed... in town!
So my question is: Why if you have more time are you rushing to get somewhere and where we had less time we are driving at a slower speed?
Ironic!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Tenure means very little
I've been going through a lot these last couple of weeks and I am realising more and more that there is still so many people that think "years of service" still mean something. That it entitles them to benefits. Entitle them to promotions. To seniority.
Wake up and smell the coffee!
What you did yesterday, counts for very little today. It is what you do today that counts. Not just only what you do today, but what you are able to do today, what you will be able to do tomorrow. It is about how you made sure that you are the one that is the expert in your field. About how much you invested in yourself.
I heard someone making a comment about the youngsters that haven't been around long, but they just walk in and get all the jobs while the people that has been around for much longer don't get a chance. I am one of those youngsters. My question to the person that made the comment is: "What did you do the last 15 years?". I did not sit on my arse. I did not think I know it all and that I can't learn anything new or even worse, that I don't need to know more than I do and that it isn't really necessary to more than the next person.
If you are one of the people that has been around a long time and you believe that that entitles you to anything, all I can say is change your attitude. Change your view. Wake up!
In the last 3 years I presented so many people with opportunities to enhance their skills and grow their knowledge. Very few completed their qualifications and none of them did it the first time round. Even those that did complete (which was about 30% of everybody) also had to rewrite an exam because they did not pass the first exam.
I can write a book about this topic, but the people that needs to read the book simply won't!
Francois
Wake up and smell the coffee!
What you did yesterday, counts for very little today. It is what you do today that counts. Not just only what you do today, but what you are able to do today, what you will be able to do tomorrow. It is about how you made sure that you are the one that is the expert in your field. About how much you invested in yourself.
I heard someone making a comment about the youngsters that haven't been around long, but they just walk in and get all the jobs while the people that has been around for much longer don't get a chance. I am one of those youngsters. My question to the person that made the comment is: "What did you do the last 15 years?". I did not sit on my arse. I did not think I know it all and that I can't learn anything new or even worse, that I don't need to know more than I do and that it isn't really necessary to more than the next person.
If you are one of the people that has been around a long time and you believe that that entitles you to anything, all I can say is change your attitude. Change your view. Wake up!
In the last 3 years I presented so many people with opportunities to enhance their skills and grow their knowledge. Very few completed their qualifications and none of them did it the first time round. Even those that did complete (which was about 30% of everybody) also had to rewrite an exam because they did not pass the first exam.
I can write a book about this topic, but the people that needs to read the book simply won't!
Francois
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Opportunistic Times
I haven't had a lot of time to write a new post, but I am constantly thinking about what I want to write about next - and I have a comprehensive list so far!
So many things are going on at the moment that requires my attention and therefore I have not had a chance to write on my thoughts, but I will soon.
I can see that people are checking back regularly and I want to say thank you for doing so. It means the world to me.
Chat soon.
Francois
So many things are going on at the moment that requires my attention and therefore I have not had a chance to write on my thoughts, but I will soon.
I can see that people are checking back regularly and I want to say thank you for doing so. It means the world to me.
Chat soon.
Francois
Monday, June 06, 2011
Opportunities
This is a short post just to share my thoughts on something I realised again today.
I had 2 meetings today.
In the one meeting we were discussing the sales of a new product and it hit me when someone commented that people still ask for the "old" product so they can compare with other companies. If you choose to just do this, you will not make use of the opportunity to sell (in this instance) your new product that no one else has. Just to be clear, the new product is by far better than what is currently available, but because people do not understand the benefit of the new product, they stick to what they are comfortable with. So my question is if you see the opportunity?
In the second meeting I realised that one actively has to be on the lookout for opportunity. Things change so rapidly and frequently these days that we become use to it and we start to miss the opportunities that change presents.
The meeting I had was about strategies that were introduced at the beginning of the year and I only realised today what an opportunity it presents, because I was actively looking for an opportunity.
The thoughts I want to share are:
Francois
I had 2 meetings today.
In the one meeting we were discussing the sales of a new product and it hit me when someone commented that people still ask for the "old" product so they can compare with other companies. If you choose to just do this, you will not make use of the opportunity to sell (in this instance) your new product that no one else has. Just to be clear, the new product is by far better than what is currently available, but because people do not understand the benefit of the new product, they stick to what they are comfortable with. So my question is if you see the opportunity?
- You have something no one else does? Hello!
- You need to demonstrate the benefit so it becomes tangible
In the second meeting I realised that one actively has to be on the lookout for opportunity. Things change so rapidly and frequently these days that we become use to it and we start to miss the opportunities that change presents.
The meeting I had was about strategies that were introduced at the beginning of the year and I only realised today what an opportunity it presents, because I was actively looking for an opportunity.
The thoughts I want to share are:
- Actively look for opportunity (think of when you want to buy a specific car, suddenly you notice them everywhere!)
- Choose to see the half full glass
- Always be aware of what is happening
Francois
Thursday, June 02, 2011
What if... I said No...
Finally I found some time to write another post.
The last couple of weeks were the most hectic that I have experienced in a long time and will continue to be until next week Friday. I don't know about other people, but I tend to think a lot about things when I am under pressure (luckily it is not "bad" pressure). When I experience high levels of pressures due to commitments and deadlines, I tend to analyse what led to me being over committed (I say over committed because if you were not over committed then you would not be under pressure, right?).
One of the things that often happens, is you get invited to many meetings, presentations, training and functions and it is so easy to accept all of them. Some reasons why we (or I) tend to accept so easily:
One of the biggest things we can do to manage our time and energy better, is to learn to say "NO".
It is actually a small thing that will make a big difference in your life. Learn to say "YES" only to the necessary engagements. Evaluate if the invitation will add value to your life and business or not? Sort the invitations into groups:
Then look at the "Would like to attend" and see if your time / calendar / schedule will allow you to attend. The idea is that it would be nice to attend, but if you don't it would not be a problem.
"Not attending" speaks for itself. These invites you decline outright without thinking about it any further.
I hope that this will help you and that it will assist you in opening some time in your diary!
Thank you for reading my blog, I really appreciate it! Don't forget to choose a "reaction" below or to comment and share your views and tips.
Francois
The last couple of weeks were the most hectic that I have experienced in a long time and will continue to be until next week Friday. I don't know about other people, but I tend to think a lot about things when I am under pressure (luckily it is not "bad" pressure). When I experience high levels of pressures due to commitments and deadlines, I tend to analyse what led to me being over committed (I say over committed because if you were not over committed then you would not be under pressure, right?).
One of the things that often happens, is you get invited to many meetings, presentations, training and functions and it is so easy to accept all of them. Some reasons why we (or I) tend to accept so easily:
- You want to stay on top of what is happening
- You want to make a meaningful contribution
- You want to support your colleagues
- You want to work on your networks
- You want to ensure you continue to develop your knowledge and skills
- Sometimes you just want a little break from everything else
One of the biggest things we can do to manage our time and energy better, is to learn to say "NO".
It is actually a small thing that will make a big difference in your life. Learn to say "YES" only to the necessary engagements. Evaluate if the invitation will add value to your life and business or not? Sort the invitations into groups:
- Must attend / Compulsory
- Would like to attend
- Not attending
Then look at the "Would like to attend" and see if your time / calendar / schedule will allow you to attend. The idea is that it would be nice to attend, but if you don't it would not be a problem.
"Not attending" speaks for itself. These invites you decline outright without thinking about it any further.
I hope that this will help you and that it will assist you in opening some time in your diary!
Thank you for reading my blog, I really appreciate it! Don't forget to choose a "reaction" below or to comment and share your views and tips.
Francois
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
What did you do?
The last couple of weeks I had many challenges at work, circumstances made me uncomfortable, it felt like I ran into a dead end street... and that made me stand still for a while. I felt alone and were thinking that I have done things wrong in the past and hence ended up where I was.
I acknowledged that I had to stand back, take a deep breath and look at things from a different angle. Try and remove myself from the situation - or out of my position - and into the shoes of my team. This led to me thinking about some experiences I had in the last couple of years.
One specific thing that jumped out again was an encounter I had with a colleague from a competitor company last year. Not going to drag this out, so right to the point.
The question I was asked: "What did you do as a consultant that made you so successful?". At that moment the first thing that went through my thoughts was "I'm not sharing my secrets with you!". Especially because this person works for our biggest competitor. Then as I processed the question and my thoughts an answer just popped out of my mouth.
"It's not what you do, it is what you are willing to do".
After thinking, re-thinking and over-thinking what came out of my mouth for many days afterwards, I realised just how true it is.
How many stories have you heard of people that achieved something amazing? People that did something no one else did before them? I read a tweet last week that said: "The person that achieved success is the person that failed and tried one more time" or something to that effect anyway.
That person was willing to try once more. To fail once more. To learn once more.
What are you willing to do? Of course you need to stick within moral and legal boundaries!
Thank you for reading my post.
Francois
I acknowledged that I had to stand back, take a deep breath and look at things from a different angle. Try and remove myself from the situation - or out of my position - and into the shoes of my team. This led to me thinking about some experiences I had in the last couple of years.
One specific thing that jumped out again was an encounter I had with a colleague from a competitor company last year. Not going to drag this out, so right to the point.
The question I was asked: "What did you do as a consultant that made you so successful?". At that moment the first thing that went through my thoughts was "I'm not sharing my secrets with you!". Especially because this person works for our biggest competitor. Then as I processed the question and my thoughts an answer just popped out of my mouth.
"It's not what you do, it is what you are willing to do".
After thinking, re-thinking and over-thinking what came out of my mouth for many days afterwards, I realised just how true it is.
How many stories have you heard of people that achieved something amazing? People that did something no one else did before them? I read a tweet last week that said: "The person that achieved success is the person that failed and tried one more time" or something to that effect anyway.
That person was willing to try once more. To fail once more. To learn once more.
What are you willing to do? Of course you need to stick within moral and legal boundaries!
Thank you for reading my post.
Francois
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Speed kills
Easter is that time if the year when so many road deaths occur, the 2nd biggest after the December Holidays. I was unfortunate to be on the road this long weekend and as I often do, I think non stop while I'm driving (which in itself is dangerous). Everywhere you drive on the main routes, you see signs for "Arrive Alive" and "Speed Kills".
I started looking at the way people drive, when and where they overtake, how they overtake, what speed they drive, etc. I was driving at a speed of 125 km/h. So many people overtook me at a blinding speed, I would say no less than 150 km/h. It is crazy and they overtake on solid lines, with cars approaching from the front and just making it back into their own lane.
Then I got thinking about the signs next to the road trying to caution drivers, trying to make them think, trying to get them home safely... Why? Why don't they think? Why do they still drive at blinding speeds? Why do they take chances with their families and the lives of other families?
I came to realise that it is not speed that kills, nope... It is IMPATIENCE. The fact that people do not have the patience to wait, to drive at the legal speed limit, to overtake where they are allowed to - that is what kills, not the speed.
Just a thought.
I started looking at the way people drive, when and where they overtake, how they overtake, what speed they drive, etc. I was driving at a speed of 125 km/h. So many people overtook me at a blinding speed, I would say no less than 150 km/h. It is crazy and they overtake on solid lines, with cars approaching from the front and just making it back into their own lane.
Then I got thinking about the signs next to the road trying to caution drivers, trying to make them think, trying to get them home safely... Why? Why don't they think? Why do they still drive at blinding speeds? Why do they take chances with their families and the lives of other families?
I came to realise that it is not speed that kills, nope... It is IMPATIENCE. The fact that people do not have the patience to wait, to drive at the legal speed limit, to overtake where they are allowed to - that is what kills, not the speed.
Just a thought.
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
Motivation and why it lasts or not...
Welcome back!
Before you read this, make sure you read my post on Beliefs, Thoughts, Emotions and Behaviour as this article is a continuation of the previous one.
How many times have you listened to an audio book, watched a video or attended a conference where a motivational speaker addressed the group? When you listen to the audio book, you get excited and decide that you are changing your life around, when you watch a motivational video, you also feel excited and motivated and can write an entire list of things you want to do or change and when you walk out of the conference you just can't wait for tomorrow to start doing things in a different way to get different results.
Does this sound familiar? I know it does!
How many times have you heard people say (or even said yourself): "I had the best intentions, but when I got back to the normal day to day things I just did not have the time to get to it" or "I never felt so good, but that subsided very quickly - the feeling just didn't last"?
If you think about beliefs, thoughts, emotions and behaviour... which one of the four does motivation speak to? In other words, which one of the four does motivation influence or effect? It had a lot to do with how you felt at that point in time, thus emotions, right? It can even talk to your thoughts as it can make you think differently about something specific.
Do you notice anything at this point?
Motivation does NOT talk to what you believe! So even though you think differently for now or even if you are excited for now, ultimately you will go back to your old ways of thinking and back to your old emotions that will make you behave the way you always do... thus changing nothing!
Until such time as you change your beliefs about something, you will not be able to sustain the motivation. You will not be able to change anything as a matter of fact.
But is it possible to change what you believe? Absolutely!
I am a firm believer that everything in life is a choice. You can choose to change your view of something, but to do that you have to be honest with yourself and truly change your view (belief) and not just say you are now changing how you view something. Saying that, I guess it is also fair to say that one will not be able to change all of your views, but the ones you really want to change, you will most definitely be able to!
Question: Do you think there is a difference in levels of success reached by optimists vs. pessimists?
Thanks again for reading my blog - please leave a comment or tick one of the boxes below to indicate what you think of the post!
Francois
Before you read this, make sure you read my post on Beliefs, Thoughts, Emotions and Behaviour as this article is a continuation of the previous one.
How many times have you listened to an audio book, watched a video or attended a conference where a motivational speaker addressed the group? When you listen to the audio book, you get excited and decide that you are changing your life around, when you watch a motivational video, you also feel excited and motivated and can write an entire list of things you want to do or change and when you walk out of the conference you just can't wait for tomorrow to start doing things in a different way to get different results.
Does this sound familiar? I know it does!
How many times have you heard people say (or even said yourself): "I had the best intentions, but when I got back to the normal day to day things I just did not have the time to get to it" or "I never felt so good, but that subsided very quickly - the feeling just didn't last"?
If you think about beliefs, thoughts, emotions and behaviour... which one of the four does motivation speak to? In other words, which one of the four does motivation influence or effect? It had a lot to do with how you felt at that point in time, thus emotions, right? It can even talk to your thoughts as it can make you think differently about something specific.
Do you notice anything at this point?
Motivation does NOT talk to what you believe! So even though you think differently for now or even if you are excited for now, ultimately you will go back to your old ways of thinking and back to your old emotions that will make you behave the way you always do... thus changing nothing!
Until such time as you change your beliefs about something, you will not be able to sustain the motivation. You will not be able to change anything as a matter of fact.
But is it possible to change what you believe? Absolutely!
I am a firm believer that everything in life is a choice. You can choose to change your view of something, but to do that you have to be honest with yourself and truly change your view (belief) and not just say you are now changing how you view something. Saying that, I guess it is also fair to say that one will not be able to change all of your views, but the ones you really want to change, you will most definitely be able to!
Question: Do you think there is a difference in levels of success reached by optimists vs. pessimists?
Thanks again for reading my blog - please leave a comment or tick one of the boxes below to indicate what you think of the post!
Francois
Friday, April 22, 2011
Beliefs, Thoughts, Emotions and Behaviour
I am sure that you have found yourself in a situation where you:
Maybe one should start at why do people see and experience things differently?
Many would say that it is due to a person's past experiences (their frame of reference) or maybe even where and how they grew up. Many people will take the same view as their parents or families did.
Ultimately it boils down to what you believe! Your belief system is what controls everything:
You are on your way to work, driving in the middle lane. A minibus taxi cuts across the road from the right hand lane and comes to a complete stop on the shoulder of the left hand lane and only had his hazards on to indicate that he will be stopping.
As a direct consequence of what you believe, you think that the taxi driver is an irresponsible idiot that endangers lives.
As a direct consequence of what you are thinking you get angry, frustrated and very irritated. Therefore your thoughts directly impacted your emotions.
Now, the fun starts! You act out, be it shaking your head, shouting at the taxi driver (although he won't be able to hear you), maybe even make use of a finger or two, maybe hitting your steering wheel? What you felt made you act out or behave in a certain manner. It is true that some people are able to control their behaviour and emotions, but that will most certainly be up to a certain point. We all have a threshold!
As you can see, a lot of things happened before you acted out. The best way to explain it is by way of an iceberg:
This is what you see, the ice drifting on the water. Your actions or behaviour can be related to this. All you see is how someone behaves, what they say, what they do. But before they acted, there were a series of things that happened inside of them that led to their actions or behaviour. A lot happens below the service:
- acted in a certain way...
- said something without thinking...
- wondered why you did...
- wondered why someone else did something in a certain manner...
- might get upset about something while others do not...
- wonder why do other people stay motivated and others don't...
- feel that your personal motivation does not last...
Maybe one should start at why do people see and experience things differently?
Many would say that it is due to a person's past experiences (their frame of reference) or maybe even where and how they grew up. Many people will take the same view as their parents or families did.
Ultimately it boils down to what you believe! Your belief system is what controls everything:
- What you think of something
- How you feel about something
- How you act on something
You are on your way to work, driving in the middle lane. A minibus taxi cuts across the road from the right hand lane and comes to a complete stop on the shoulder of the left hand lane and only had his hazards on to indicate that he will be stopping.
As a direct consequence of what you believe, you think that the taxi driver is an irresponsible idiot that endangers lives.
As a direct consequence of what you are thinking you get angry, frustrated and very irritated. Therefore your thoughts directly impacted your emotions.
Now, the fun starts! You act out, be it shaking your head, shouting at the taxi driver (although he won't be able to hear you), maybe even make use of a finger or two, maybe hitting your steering wheel? What you felt made you act out or behave in a certain manner. It is true that some people are able to control their behaviour and emotions, but that will most certainly be up to a certain point. We all have a threshold!
As you can see, a lot of things happened before you acted out. The best way to explain it is by way of an iceberg:
From the image you can see that the bulk happens below the surface (or inside a person).
In my next post I will discuss why motivation in most instances are not long lasting and how you can change this as well as some of the other questions that are still unanswered.
In the meantime, please leave your comments on this post so we can start a discussion around this!
Thank you for reading my Blog!
Francois
Monday, April 18, 2011
The beauty of absolutely nothing... and the lessons learnt... Part 2
We woke up early Friday morning and had a scrumptious breakfast before we gathered in the conference centre... having no idea what lay ahead!
The winning team from the previous day had the option to move members from other teams to them and myself and 3 others were moved to the Discoverer's (Western Cape). So I started the day sort of uneasy as I suddenly found myself between people I did not know all that well, but luckily I settled quickly and they really made me feel part of their team.
Each Army was again split into 5 platoons and each platoon received their first clue as well as a bag with a GPS and some other tools. We were sent all over Swakopmund by foot and visited many places to solve the clue you received and to receive your next clue.
2 Hours later we were back, just in 2nd place.
Now that I think about it, there was no real lesson in that morning, except for the fact that my knees were not built to carry my weight! But we all worked together, got to see some places in Swakop and also burn a lot of calories.
Then we were all loaded into mini buses - 6 platoon members per mini bus... and they drove us straight into the dessert! I must add that luckily it was heavily overcast and rain dripping from time to time - otherwise I would have ended up in hospital! I was just not built for being in the sun (and if you know me, you will know why!).
Here are some photos of some of the things we did in the desert:
The winning team from the previous day had the option to move members from other teams to them and myself and 3 others were moved to the Discoverer's (Western Cape). So I started the day sort of uneasy as I suddenly found myself between people I did not know all that well, but luckily I settled quickly and they really made me feel part of their team.
Each Army was again split into 5 platoons and each platoon received their first clue as well as a bag with a GPS and some other tools. We were sent all over Swakopmund by foot and visited many places to solve the clue you received and to receive your next clue.
2 Hours later we were back, just in 2nd place.
Now that I think about it, there was no real lesson in that morning, except for the fact that my knees were not built to carry my weight! But we all worked together, got to see some places in Swakop and also burn a lot of calories.
Then we were all loaded into mini buses - 6 platoon members per mini bus... and they drove us straight into the dessert! I must add that luckily it was heavily overcast and rain dripping from time to time - otherwise I would have ended up in hospital! I was just not built for being in the sun (and if you know me, you will know why!).
Here are some photos of some of the things we did in the desert:
Searching for a real Diamond
Robin Hood?
There were many more things we did like shoot Paintball guns, riding quad bikes, building one mother puzzle and finally we took this group picture so that we would never forget this day:
It was a hectic 2 days, but if you think back a lot was learned. To be honest this was not my favourite post to write, I enjoy more talking about what drives people, how to see the world, how to look for opportunities, what my purpose is, why I do stuff... I realise that giving a description of events is not the best thing for me to do.
So I look forward to getting back on track with my next post.
If you are reading this, thank you!
Francois
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
The beauty of absolutely nothing... and the lessons learnt
So there we were... up at 5 am on Thursday and on our way to get onto the Gautrain and off to the airport to catch a chartered flight to Walvis Bay in Namibia. The flight was suppose to leave at 10h00, but eventually we took off at 12h30 for a 2 hour flight aboard a very rowdy Boeing 767.
It is the first time I've been to Namibia (although we only saw 2 little towns). I've seen deserts on TV and in movies, but to see it first hand is really an experience.
Just outside Walvis Bay, close to the famous Dune 7 we arrived for the commencement of...
It started off as quite a commotion! But the dust (literally) settled quickly. We were divided into 5 armies (5 regions in the country) and each army was split into different platoons made up of +- 7 members each. A list of instructions / tasks were handed to each platoon and different points were allocated for each task.
We had to build a tent from fabric, plastic pipes and rope that were provided and use these same materials to build a stretcher and carry an injured member of the platoon for at least 5 metres, find 2 ants, 5 different leaves and name them, run a dune, etc, etc. I was leader of my platoon and in this photo I was caught trying to figure out a task where we had to build a bridge.
After a lot of running around and wasting a lot of time, the 2 hours we were given to complete the tasks ran out and we didn't manage to do all of them. In after thought we realised that in stead of rushing out with the list and starting on the tasks in order they appeared, we should have sat down, read through all the tasks and checked for which tasks we would earn the most points and focus on them first.
This is so true in business as well. When something goes wrong or even when a massive opportunity presents itself, we often just rush into the situation without taking the time to look through the facts and plan the approach. We also learned that one should use the strengths of your resources to make tasks easier and also to enhance results. This might seem as an obvious thing to do, but when you get into the heat of things, you easily forget the simple things!
We stayed at the Swakopmund Hotel, what an awesome place.
After having a quick shower and unpacking, we left on an 80 km drive in the dark. The convoy must have been about 30 mini buses long and we drove on a salt road. When we got to our destination it was very dark and everywhere were candles in brown paper bags that showed us where to go. The next moment big lights were turned on and there we were in dry river bed with huge rock formations on either side. This would be the "venue" for our gala dinner and awards function.
Fantastic evening although I was one of the first to go back to the hotel.
The end of day 1!
In my next post I will share what happened on Day 2 as well as the lessons learnt.
Thanks for reading my post!
Francois
It is the first time I've been to Namibia (although we only saw 2 little towns). I've seen deserts on TV and in movies, but to see it first hand is really an experience.
Just outside Walvis Bay, close to the famous Dune 7 we arrived for the commencement of...
It started off as quite a commotion! But the dust (literally) settled quickly. We were divided into 5 armies (5 regions in the country) and each army was split into different platoons made up of +- 7 members each. A list of instructions / tasks were handed to each platoon and different points were allocated for each task.
We had to build a tent from fabric, plastic pipes and rope that were provided and use these same materials to build a stretcher and carry an injured member of the platoon for at least 5 metres, find 2 ants, 5 different leaves and name them, run a dune, etc, etc. I was leader of my platoon and in this photo I was caught trying to figure out a task where we had to build a bridge.
This is so true in business as well. When something goes wrong or even when a massive opportunity presents itself, we often just rush into the situation without taking the time to look through the facts and plan the approach. We also learned that one should use the strengths of your resources to make tasks easier and also to enhance results. This might seem as an obvious thing to do, but when you get into the heat of things, you easily forget the simple things!
We stayed at the Swakopmund Hotel, what an awesome place.
After having a quick shower and unpacking, we left on an 80 km drive in the dark. The convoy must have been about 30 mini buses long and we drove on a salt road. When we got to our destination it was very dark and everywhere were candles in brown paper bags that showed us where to go. The next moment big lights were turned on and there we were in dry river bed with huge rock formations on either side. This would be the "venue" for our gala dinner and awards function.
Fantastic evening although I was one of the first to go back to the hotel.
The end of day 1!
In my next post I will share what happened on Day 2 as well as the lessons learnt.
Thanks for reading my post!
Francois
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Patience is a virtue
I've been thinking what my next post should be about for the last couple of days... especially since I am still busy putting everything together.
I must admit that I enjoy blogging a lot and I thought that I would get tired of it (or bored rather) quickly, but I can't wait to do the next one and the next one and the next one... and for that same reason I can't wait to finsih the planning and preparation so I can get started in full force.
And this is where the patience come in! You learn to be patient, you remember that Rome wasn't built in a day and you keep your eyes firmly on the dream.
It has been a long week and a lot happened during the week. I got to see old colleagues, my previous boss and some other people and I got to talk to them and share experiences and concerns. Their input is really invaluable and I am fortunate to have them in my life.
I have to run as I am off to our annual conference very early tomorrow morning and I need the sleep!
Thanks for reading my post - eventhough it is so short!
I must admit that I enjoy blogging a lot and I thought that I would get tired of it (or bored rather) quickly, but I can't wait to do the next one and the next one and the next one... and for that same reason I can't wait to finsih the planning and preparation so I can get started in full force.
And this is where the patience come in! You learn to be patient, you remember that Rome wasn't built in a day and you keep your eyes firmly on the dream.
It has been a long week and a lot happened during the week. I got to see old colleagues, my previous boss and some other people and I got to talk to them and share experiences and concerns. Their input is really invaluable and I am fortunate to have them in my life.
I have to run as I am off to our annual conference very early tomorrow morning and I need the sleep!
Thanks for reading my post - eventhough it is so short!
Friday, April 01, 2011
What am I thinking? (From the side of the N1 highway)
I am on the road and had to stop to fill up - both the car and my belly as I haven't had a chance to eat this morning. This also presented me with an opportunity to start working on my latest post as service is not the best in the middle of nowhere.
The intention of today's post is to give my readers more insight on what I am busy with and where this is actually going and what to expect in future. It is all nice to write about my experiences of the day and what I think about everything that happened or how I felt during the day, but this does not add any value in your life (unless maybe we are close personal friends of course) and after all, I do have a very specific vision.
(The first two paragraphs were written yesterday and I am now continuing my thoughts today)...
I have 13 years of experience in the Financial Services and Financial Planning industry. During the last 13 years I was fortunate to fulfill the following roles:
Furthermore I want to create a Library of information for use by other financial advisers and broker consultants.
My passion is Financial Planning, my slogan or rule I live by is "Knowledge, Integrity and Service". That is the foundation of everything and the one cannot do without the other. I will write more on this in a later post.
If there is any specific topics you would like me to discuss, please list them by leaving a comment or send me an email.
Thank you for reading my post again!
Francois
The intention of today's post is to give my readers more insight on what I am busy with and where this is actually going and what to expect in future. It is all nice to write about my experiences of the day and what I think about everything that happened or how I felt during the day, but this does not add any value in your life (unless maybe we are close personal friends of course) and after all, I do have a very specific vision.
(The first two paragraphs were written yesterday and I am now continuing my thoughts today)...
I have 13 years of experience in the Financial Services and Financial Planning industry. During the last 13 years I was fortunate to fulfill the following roles:
- Broker Consultant - I was the link between the insurance company I worked for and the broker (Financial Adviser) and I was responsible for marketing the full range of risk, investment, group benefits and health care products to all contracted advisers that were linked to me. In addition to this I was responsible for New Business Development, Practice Management, servicing on existing business and to resolve queries and problems for advisers and their clients. Also were responsible for training Financial Advisers and their assistants / office staff.
- Financial Adviser - I dealt with clients' financial affairs, planned their estates, made sure their wills are in order, put retirement plans in place, calculated and planned their tax affairs and also ensured that business owners and their businesses were protected in the event of the death or disability of any of the partners or directors.
- Branch Manager - Running a Broker Branch and looking after 5 Broker Consultants and about 75 Financial Advisers.
- Group Presentations and speaking - Regularly presented on various topics for financial planning and various aspects thereof to groups of brokers and clients. This is one of my favourite things to do. I also talked to Grade 7's on budgeting and why it is so important.
- Qualifications - B Com Risk Management, National Certificate in Wealth Management (NQF5), currently completing CFP.
Furthermore I want to create a Library of information for use by other financial advisers and broker consultants.
My passion is Financial Planning, my slogan or rule I live by is "Knowledge, Integrity and Service". That is the foundation of everything and the one cannot do without the other. I will write more on this in a later post.
If there is any specific topics you would like me to discuss, please list them by leaving a comment or send me an email.
Thank you for reading my post again!
Francois
Monday, March 28, 2011
Dual Survival
Actually I should call today's post QUATRO survival (and I still manage a little sinister laugh).
The one thing that I realise more and more is that persistency and an utmost belief in what you do and where you are going, is crucial in ensuring success. There are too many people that work a long time for what they want and then, just before they reach their goal, they give up. This is also true of sport people.
It is important to keep focussed and it is true that we all at some stage get distracted, at some point lose a little interest, at some point you get a little annoyed... but then it is important to go back and revisit your reasons for doing what you are doing.
Have a look at this 10 minute video by Simon Sinek. It all starts with WHY. The what and the how will follow, but if your are true to your WHY, then the success will come. It is all about a purpose.
The fantastic thing is that for every single one of us that Why, that Purpose... is something completely different. We might get the same outcomes, but we all do it for different reasons. That reason is the fuel that drives our actions.
I am still a long way off from actioning my plans, but they are starting to take shape quickly.
Whatever it is you want to achieve, you can - beacuse if it is meant to be, it is up to me.
Thanks again for reading my blog! Any comments are welcomed.
F.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
The point of no return
I guess once you put something in writing you are committed to it, if you put your name to it, your reputation is at risk.
If you tell someone you are going to do something, then that also commits you to sticking to what you say you are going to do. It is exactly what I have done and therefore I have reached the "Point of no Return".
I realise just how much I need to learn about Blogging, how to use the correct formats for videos, etc. and to set myself up to be able to do any of this from anywhere via my mobile phone, laptop, iPad... wherever, whenever!
I am not too sure who said this, but it is one of the few quotes that I know by heart: "A goal is a dream with a deadline or a date". How true is that??? Awesome quote!
I will write something everyday as I realise it helps me to put certain things in perspective, it helps me to reflect on what has happened today, it helps me to "file" the day.
In the meantime I am busy planning my venture as mentioned in my previous blog "A new venture into the unknown". It feels like it is going to take FOREVER, but I know that planning is crucial to ensure things flow in the correct order and that the message is clear as well as entertaining. Luckily I have all the hardware I need to do this, so no massive capital outlays are necessary.
Until such time as I am ready to go live, I will be updating my blog to share my experience and what I learn as I go along. I sincerely hope that I will get a couple of people to read my blog by the time I go live as I have so much I am going to offer! So if you are reading this.... THANK YOU!
If you tell someone you are going to do something, then that also commits you to sticking to what you say you are going to do. It is exactly what I have done and therefore I have reached the "Point of no Return".
I realise just how much I need to learn about Blogging, how to use the correct formats for videos, etc. and to set myself up to be able to do any of this from anywhere via my mobile phone, laptop, iPad... wherever, whenever!
I am not too sure who said this, but it is one of the few quotes that I know by heart: "A goal is a dream with a deadline or a date". How true is that??? Awesome quote!
I will write something everyday as I realise it helps me to put certain things in perspective, it helps me to reflect on what has happened today, it helps me to "file" the day.
In the meantime I am busy planning my venture as mentioned in my previous blog "A new venture into the unknown". It feels like it is going to take FOREVER, but I know that planning is crucial to ensure things flow in the correct order and that the message is clear as well as entertaining. Luckily I have all the hardware I need to do this, so no massive capital outlays are necessary.
Until such time as I am ready to go live, I will be updating my blog to share my experience and what I learn as I go along. I sincerely hope that I will get a couple of people to read my blog by the time I go live as I have so much I am going to offer! So if you are reading this.... THANK YOU!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
A new venture into the unknown
I have been using the internet since 1995... using Facebook for the last 3 years and only started using Twitter last week!
I regularly visit YouTube to either watch videos on relevant topics to my work or to watch music videos.
Since I can remember I loved to to entertain people, I love speaking at events or giving training on the subject that I see myself as an expert on.
When I left school I wanted to go work at "Radio Oranje" so badly, but it seems not bad enough as I never did anything about it and thus, at age 35, never worked at a Radio Station. By the way, they have changed the name from "Radio oranje" to OFM. Lately I have this thing bugging me from the inside. I feel that I am missing out on doing something that I always wanted to do... so I leaped... took a chance...
I met Tove Kane at a Presentation and Keynote training session in JHB presented by the company I work for. I have always been a fan and got the chance to speak to her. I would be fortunate enough to get a second chance to chat to Tove... and she opened up a world of ideas that was right in front of me the whole time... I will never forget what she said: "Francois, I will be dead honest with you, you are too old to start in mainstream radio". As she finished the sentence, I felt my excitement dampen. Then she said: "But I have a solution for you!". Almost 45 minutes later I had a million ideas screaming through my head.
So what I will do in the coming months and years, is to take what I know so well, combine it with my passion for entertaining and "broadcasting" and do my utmost best to reach as many people as possible and touch their lives in some way or another, whilst having fun!
As I am busy planning what I want to share and exactly how I will do it, I will share my experiences and thoughts on this blog and hope that it will inspire others that have the same dream.
I regularly visit YouTube to either watch videos on relevant topics to my work or to watch music videos.
Since I can remember I loved to to entertain people, I love speaking at events or giving training on the subject that I see myself as an expert on.
When I left school I wanted to go work at "Radio Oranje" so badly, but it seems not bad enough as I never did anything about it and thus, at age 35, never worked at a Radio Station. By the way, they have changed the name from "Radio oranje" to OFM. Lately I have this thing bugging me from the inside. I feel that I am missing out on doing something that I always wanted to do... so I leaped... took a chance...
I met Tove Kane at a Presentation and Keynote training session in JHB presented by the company I work for. I have always been a fan and got the chance to speak to her. I would be fortunate enough to get a second chance to chat to Tove... and she opened up a world of ideas that was right in front of me the whole time... I will never forget what she said: "Francois, I will be dead honest with you, you are too old to start in mainstream radio". As she finished the sentence, I felt my excitement dampen. Then she said: "But I have a solution for you!". Almost 45 minutes later I had a million ideas screaming through my head.
So what I will do in the coming months and years, is to take what I know so well, combine it with my passion for entertaining and "broadcasting" and do my utmost best to reach as many people as possible and touch their lives in some way or another, whilst having fun!
As I am busy planning what I want to share and exactly how I will do it, I will share my experiences and thoughts on this blog and hope that it will inspire others that have the same dream.
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