A duck and a dream

I had the pleasure of watching arguably the world’s best magician David Copperfield live in Melbourne recently. The magic itself was awesome...

17 reasons you should always carry a book with you

1. As someone who used to spend a lot of time waiting for real estate clients to show up – I know that clients / appointments / people in general are often late...

Reality Television your way to Success

I think I’m one of the only “motivational speakers” (not that I call myself that) who will openly admit that I watch television. I watch bad television too… even… dare I say it… reality television.

Where is the love?!

One of my businesses, Elephant Property, works in the notoriously under appreciated category of residential property management. The old adage in property management...

The power of the word

I’m quite distraught. I was eating my personal trainer approved afternoon snack of 12 almonds (my suggestion of 12 Tim Tams: not approved)...

Friday, April 27, 2007

Pump it up or throw it out?

Picture this - you're driving along a beautiful country road. The road is winding, the weather delightful, the tunes blasting from your stereo. Then out of nowhere your car is gripped by a sudden desire to throw itself off to the side of the road. It lurches as thought has a mind of its own to the side veering dangerously towards the edge of the road.

You try to maintain your cool. You slow and as gracefully as you can - pull off to the side of the road. Upon inspection you see that your back tire is now nothing more than a shred of rubber.

This happened to me the other day (the picture is of my back right tyre). I was panicked to say the least! Let me tell you the best part was not then finishing the rest of our 300km journey on our emergency tyre - speed limited to a brisk 80km (50 miles) per hour!

Over the next couple of days, as you can well imagine, I've started taking a long hard look at my tyres. After being flabergasted at the cost of paying $270 to have this one tyre replaced I chose not to get a second tyre replaced at the same time which I was told was wearing thin and had a slight leak.

Silly me - this second tyre has had to be pumped up a number of times since the incident and I'll have to go in and have it replaced urgently now.

The reason I bring this up is that in so many areas of our life, many of us are happy to keep pumping up a failing tyre rather than replacing it with a brand new one. In my case the cost of $270 made me say - not today, when I really should have said "What is my safety worth? A whole lot more than $270!"

In your life you've no doubt chosen to do something similar to pumping up the failing tyre at some stage rather than going to the expense or discomfort of a new tyre. We stay in a career we're not passionate about rather than taking the step to branch out into a new one. We have partnerships and friendships that could be immensely better if we just spoke up about our ideas on how to improve them. We hold off on making that great business idea a reality because the risk of that initial investment isn't in our comfort zone.

Stop pumping up the failing tyres with slow leaks in your life. The cost of a new tyre, (or activity, or project, or idea) if right for you, will pay itself back to you over and over again in the time and energy it saves you in not having to constantly look after a tyre that will never again be what you wanted it to be.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Monday, April 16, 2007

Top 10 Secrets that really got me to the Top - Secret 1

I've been asked by a new reader to write a series of entries entitled "Top 10 Secrets that really got me to the Top". So here goes, you'll find them all in the weekly emails to come:

Secret 1: There Are No Secrets

The more I read, the more secrets I learn - only - they're not secrets because some of the best business tips are written or recorded and out there for anyone with enough get up and go to actually buy a book and (here's the clincher) READ it!

I'm sure we're all guilty of buying books and then putting them aside to gather dust. I know I certainly am, but taking the time to crack the spine and spend a few hours trapped in a book are well worth the investment.

3 gems I've picked up recently:

1. Leadership doesn't have to mean treating all your employees equally (21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership)

2. Never too young, Never too old. Your business career can start at any age - I thought I started young, but for a real youthful go getter read Reallionaire.

3. The dramas that happen in a small organisation can be magnified in a huge one - even ones you really admire (Disney War).

To find out more about any of these books head to: www.kirstydunphey.com/readmore.html

Action point: Pick up a book you've bought and started (or not!) and not finished. If you don't enjoy the book - don't put it back on your shelf, it's not for you - gift it on to someone who you think will get value from it and then pick up the next book.

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Give or Take?

I was reminded recently at a speaking job of a really important lesson. Peter Switzer, one of Australia's most well respected business journalist, author and speakers was the MC for the breakfast job and during the morning he mentioned that so many people approach life and business opportunities with a take take take attitude.

His recommendation was always that - if you're going to go to someone looking to take... give something first. As an example he mentioned a client of his who always sends him a joke every Friday (give) as you can imagine - if that client was then looking for a favour or business hook up from Peter - he's got credit he can draw on (take) because Peter enjoys the jokes.

I like to consider my relationships with people to be like a bank. Give, give, give (or save) before you try to take (or withdraw). It's always easier to get when you've already given.

As an example - if you're looking to get an article written by a journalist as publicity for your business you might try and send through your details saying that you're always available for comment on topics related to your industry or you might send through well thought out and relelvant press releases. And when your contact does respond - always remember to send a thank you!

Where in your life right now do you need to be giving and not just trying to take?

By Kirsty Dunphey with No comments

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