Curtis G Schmitt
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Articles by this expert
SelfGrowth articles and saved writing connected to this expert. Showing 12 of 13.
Article
Be a Leader in Your Life & Your Business
"Leadership is action, not position." Donald H. McGannon A general in the United States armed forces created two separate teams to develop each of two possible plans to achieve a set objective. Both teams were filled with the smartest and most skilled people the general could find. After several months of preparation, each team presented its plan to the general, outlining its virtues, costs, timeline for implementation, etc. Both plans were top notch. When the presentation
April 24, 2008
Article
Planning and the Dangers of Ignorance
Buddhists call ignorance a "poison of the mind." Indeed it is, especially when it comes to planning and time management. HOW DOES IGNORANCE POISON THE MIND? Progress in the area of personal growth often means seeing things differently than you have in the past. But ignorance keeps you trapped within the boundaries of what you already know. And what makes ignorance even more dangerous is that it's usually invisible. What I mean by that is, if you don't know something, ther
June 14, 2007
Article
Get More Done in Less Time
"They screwed him over. It's so unfair." The woman was talking to another woman outside the supermarket. Her words caught my attention. A story of injustice? I had to hear more. I quickly put together the back-story: This woman--let's call her Jane--was leaving her job. A friend of hers--let's call him Tarzan--just kidding, let's call him Bill--had interviewed as her replacement, and the manager had offered him the position. Bill asked for a few days to think about it, whic
April 6, 2007
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Perfectionism - When High Standards Attack!
What's wrong with striving for perfection? Doesn't that mean that you will always do your best? Let's consider those two standards--"be perfect" and "do your best." Are they really equivalent? In his 27 years of coaching basketball at UCLA, John Wooden had one standard that he taught all of his players: Do your best. He is famous not only for his incredible record at UCLA, but for his philosophy of success. According to Coach Wooden, the scoreboard did not determine who wo
March 19, 2007
Article
Meditation & Being Present - The Art of Paying Attention
For many of us, the phrase "pay attention" conjures up memories of parents, teachers, and maybe even bosses who would scold us for not being focused on what they felt we "should" be focused on. But paying attention has a much deeper and fundamental meaning. Paying attention is the equivalent of being present. We've all had intense moments of presence. For example, someone driving in front of you brakes really hard and you almost hit them. You feel present then, don't you? Bu
March 5, 2007
Article
Meditation & Being Present - The Art of Paying Attention
For many of us, the phrase "pay attention" conjures up memories of parents, teachers, and maybe even bosses who would scold us for not being focused on what they felt we "should" be focused on. But paying attention has a much deeper and fundamental meaning. Paying attention is the equivalent of being present. We've all had intense moments of presence. For example, someone driving in front of you brakes really hard and you almost hit them. You feel present then, don't you? Bu
February 20, 2007
Article
Positive Mental Focus--Just How Important Is It?
I heard something the other day that I just can't let go of. It's an idea that's stunning, yet so obvious, I can't believe I haven't come across it sooner... Our thoughts are CURRENCY. Let that sink in for a moment. In other words, everything you think about you BUY. We've all heard that what we focus on determines the results we get in life. That makes sense. If you want something badly enough, and you focus all your energy on getting it, you'll very likely achieve it. W
September 9, 2006
Article
Listening 101
Odds are you're not a very good listener... Why would I say something so seemingly condescending? To shock you and get your attention, of course! Face it, if in fact you're not a good listener, then I need to do something special to engage you, don't I? Not to mention, it's probably true. (There I go trying to get your attention again...) Before you get the impression that I think I'm a better listener than you are, let me be honest. As a listener, I have my good days and b
April 5, 2006
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Adversity—3 Ways to Deal with Any Situation
Whenever you’re in an uncomfortable or challenging situation, you have only 3 options: 1. Wait for the situation to change 2. Change the situatio 3. Change your response to the situatio Let’s look at each:nn1. Wait for the situation to change Ask: Is the situation likely to change on its own? If not, then clearly this is not an option for you. Some situations, however, are short-term, and the answer may just be to wait them out. For example, when you’re stuck in traffic o
March 10, 2006
Article
Habits: Control Them Or They'll Control You
You and I each have tens of thousands of thoughts per day—some estimates claim as many as 60,000! Think about that for a moment (no pun intended). Really think about that. It raises some questions, doesn't it? For example, how is it that you can have 60,000 thoughts every day and still have trouble finding solutions to your problems? You'd think a solution would be in there somewhere—we're talking one thought every one and a half seconds! The answer is this: Almost all of you
February 2, 2006
Article
How to Set Bullet-Proof New Year's Resolutions
Isn't it early to be thinking about New Year's resolutions? Yes, if your M.O. is to flake out like most people. But if you really want to bullet-proof your New Year's resolutions, begin today with my five-step process.nn1. Take an inventory or your successes and setbacks in 2005 Don't squander the lessons of the past year. Ask yourself what worked and what didn't, and then ask yourself why. These lessons will help you avoid repeating past mistakes, and will reveal successful
December 8, 2005
Article
Why Can't I Achieve My Goals?
I heard some advice the other day that completely changed my perspective on goal setting and achievement. I feel like I finally understand why I sometimes don't achieve my goals. I was listening to an audio program by Brian Tracy called 21 Secrets of Millionaires. All of the secrets were valuable and useful bits of advice, but it was the final one that really got my attention. It was one of those nuggets that are so fundamental they hit you like you were slapped in the face.
October 4, 2005