Brad Rhame

Motivational Thoughts on Success, Leadership and Martial Arts

Archive for the category “Motivation”

04 Dec 2014
3 Comments

I Am Retiring… – by Brad Rhame

Kind of.

I am retiring from most of my social media sites. I just erased my Linkedin, Twitter, and Google+ accounts. I also unsubscribed from every Youtube channel I followed.

WHY??

I am an all or nothing person. And right now I am not living up to my profiles. So, I have decided to give them up.

I have also allowed social media to consume my life. That is a major reason why I never started a Facebook page. My family has had to sit the bench while social media and I played.

It is time to return to My world and stop wondering about the rest of the world. If you can juggle both equally, then have at it. For me, that just does not work.

Will I keep my Kindle? Yes, but mostly for reading and checking email.

Life, on Earth, is short and I want my family to know I was there for them. I want to be in the action more than watching the action (Youtube).

So, for those that know me, I will be around. Hopefully more physically, than socially (media).

And don’t forget…”Love to Live and Learn to Laugh”

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22 Jul 2014
1 Comment

Inspiring Greatness – by Brad Rhame

Being the best is predicated on great teams. Creating great teams requires everyone using their strengths. We are constantly working on being OUR best, but are we constantly helping others be THEIR best? How often are you encouraging those around you?

Sometimes we get so caught up in competing with our coworkers that we don’t take the time to congratulate them on their achievements. In sales, we are trying to grab the next great client, before our teammates do. In retail, we are always vying for the boss’s approval, so we can get that next promotion. In the office, we are trying to put in our time for the next raise and more seniority.

We spend so much time trying to beat everyone else that we forget to cheer them on. Everyone loves to be congratulated and that means your peers too. By creating a positive atmosphere, we are helping others do well, along with ourselves. Great teams require great motivation. We must put more effort into helping others become their best. That way they will return the favor. Life is too short not to share it with your coworkers. Inspire the best in others and you will have a team like you have never known.

Brad Rhame

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09 Jun 2014

Love to Live – by Brad Rhame

Life is not so much about what we do, but who we are.  Maybe you always wanted to be someone famous or own your own company.  Right now you are neither.  Maybe you will always be neither…But that is okay.  Learn to (or should I say teach yourself to) love life.  Everyday is a gift.  When your body is set in motion, at the start of the day, anything can happen.  Live as if it were your last day on Earth.  Make others remember you.  Make them glad they knew you.  Care about other’s more than yourself and they will remember you.

 

When life is over all your trophies will rust and eventually end up in the dump.  The one thing that won’t is your impact on others.  Give others something to live for.  Motivate and inspire them to go for their dreams.  Show them that you genuinely care about their lives.  Teach your kids everything you can.  Love your spouse with everything you have.  Give all you have inside to everyone outside.  Smile as you walk by others.  Open doors for others.  Pay the tab for others.  Volunteer your time to others.  Do to others as you would have them do to you.

 

Love your life so much that you want to bless others with it!

Brad Rhame

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27 Feb 2014
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Persistence – by Brad Rhame

How many times can you remember when success came from sticking with something for just a little longer.  Each of us can remember at least one, or at least I hope so.  Persistence is a proven part of the formula for success.  By not giving up on a job, client, sales pitch, friend, or hobby we have seen where loyalty and persistence has paid big dividends.

The one thing to keep in mind is that after persistence has paid off, consistent action must take over.  This failure happens most often in weight loss and sales.  We work so hard to get to a certain goal and then reward ourselves by taking an “extended” break.  This break leads to old habits creeping back into our lives.  These old habits then return us back to where we began…or at least close to it.  This can then lead to a negative outlook on being able to get back to a successful lifestyle again.

That is why persistence is so important.  Even after reaching our goals, we must keep a persistent mindset everyday.  Success will come, when day after day we take continual disciplined action…also known as Persistence

Brad Rhame

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25 Jan 2014
5 Comments

A Man of Generosity – by Brad Rhame

My Uncle Jim, who recently passed away was a man of generosity.  There isn’t a person who knows the name Jim Pritchard, who doesn’t realize how successful he was.  I will never know how many people he helped…but I will know that I was one of them.  He not only gave to me financially, but through his wisdom and generosity too.

I can’t begin to thank him enough for the words of wisdom he gave me on business.  He also showed me what it meant to be generous to others.  There have been so many people tell of the stories of his kindness.  Those who knew him will remember him for years to come.  They will share memories and moments of his laughter and sincerity.

When others mention Jim Pritchard or “JP” as he was often called, they will remember a man who didn’t horde his financial success, but shared with all those around.  He taught us how to make others feel special.  And this all came from a man who had a “C” average in high school and never pursued a college degree.  A man who succeeded in ways that others will only dream about.

His success was not built on luck or family inheritance, but on the one thing that matters most…and that was people.  He taught us that it was about relationships and that is for what he will be remembered.  I will never be able to thank him enough for the acts of kindness and neither will those who knew him.

What I pass on to others from the lessons of his life are these:

  • Life is short
  • Give generously
  • Treat people well
  • Make people remember you
  • Love people
  • Cry with those you love
  • Meet new people
  • Share memories
  • Laugh often
  • Mean what you say
  • Go BIG or go home
  • True riches are in relationships

And if you never met Jim Pritchard, I know you would have liked him and probably even loved him.

Thank you Uncle Jim for being a man of generosity.

Love,

your nephew

Brad Rhame

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06 Jan 2014

Our One Shot At Greatness

Our One Shot At Greatness.

 

No one knows their last day.  Will you or are you happy with where you are?

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05 Jan 2014

What Makes Great Actors Great? – by Brad Rhame

How many actors/actresses would you consider great?  What is it that they do that makes them amazing?  There is a saying that goes, “Proper Preparation Produces Perfect Performance.”  I couldn’t agree more. BUT… What is  it that makes them exceptional?  Could it be that every time they do a scene they can go back behind the camera and watch how they did?  If you saw yourself everyday on video, would you change the way you walk, talk, stand, smile or even sit?  What about how you dress, approach someone or shake hands?  If you could see yourself as they see you, would you change yourself to be better?

What the camera, director and other co-stars do for those in acting; our friends, family, bosses, coworkers and yes even the camera can tell us how we are doing.  THE word I am thinking of is Accountability.  Whenever we are held accountable for our actions, we strive to meet and achieve those standards.  That is what makes writing down our goals so important and so hard. People don’t like to fail and we know that by not telling others about our goals, it leaves us a way out to quit, slack off or cheat.

If you want to have your best life going forward, then you need to realize that things need to change.  There needs to be accountability in your life.  The goal in accountability is to find those that will push you and not make fun of you.  Too many others, who are permanent failures, want company and will gladly pull you down to their level. Accountability is not about guilt, but rather motivation!  Seek out those leaders, friends and family members who are going to motivate and inspire you to achieve greatness.  Everyone has greatness inside of them, we just have to find a way of pulling, pushing and catapulting it out of us.

So, the next time you see a great movie think about all the accountability it took to make those actors/actresses that way.  And now you know what makes great actors great.  Go and do the same!

Brad Rhame

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26 Dec 2013

13 Tips to Develop the Best Content for a Top-Rated Blog

13 Tips to Develop the Best Content for a Top-Rated Blog.

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26 Dec 2013

What Is Your Life Motto? – by Brad Rhame

What is your life motto?

Why is it important to have a life motto?  Well, let’s first think about companies.  Do they have vision statements? Yes.  Do they have mission statements?  Yes.  Do they have strategic plans, operational plans, tactical plans?  Yes.  And why is this?  Because they need a plan of attack and a way to keep themselves on track.  Every time they think about a new product, service, or advertisement they have to ask if it lines up with who they are and where they are going.

The same holds true for your personal life.  Who do you want to be?  Where do you want to go?  How do you want to get there?  This can all be answered in a personal life motto that you live out every day.  It keeps you on track and thinking along the right lines.

My life motto is “Love to Live and Learn to Laugh”

That statement has 7 different meanings to me.  Can you find them?  Well, if not let me briefly point them out.

1. Love – The New Oxford American Dictionary defines it, “an intense feeling of deep affection”

2. Live – Do the vital requirements to stay alive

3. Learn – That same dictionary defines it, “gain or acquire knowledge of a skill in (something) by study, experience, or being taught; commit to memory.”

4. Laugh – Let life be enjoyable and laugh about it

5. Love to Live – Which means to really be excited about your life and what you get to do with it.  You never know when the ride stops

6. Learn to Laugh – Life can be embarrassing sometimes and you have to laugh it off or laugh at yourself.  Others will appreciate you for it

7. Live and Learn – Realize that your failure is a chance to do better the next time

Those are extremely short definitions of each one of those words and phrases.  Each one of those has so much meaning behind them, that I could go on all day about each.  That is what you have to do with a life motto.  It needs to be simple, memorable, and point you to what you want in life.

By coming up with a life motto (and it may change) you are taking the first step in creating the life you always wanted.  Wake up every day and recite it.  Put yourself in the right frame of mind, at the beginning of the day, and you will be amazed at your success.  So, let me ask you again…What is your life motto?

Brad Rhame

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24 Dec 2013
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Success through Persistence – by Brad Rhame

Success through Persistence is the key to any endeavor.  Many people will tell you to have passion, desire, knowledge, charisma, and many more in order to be successful.  I cannot disagree with any of those attributes, but none of those matter if you are not persistent.  Success requires persistence.

There is no doubt in my mind that being passionate plays a role in staying persistent.  The same goes for desire, knowledge, charisma and all the others.  They all play a part in driving you to be more persistent.  Sure, they will get you started and give you some lift throughout your journey…BUT they do not keep you going.

I love martial arts.  I am extremely passionate about martial arts, but I have days that I wake up and don’t want to workout or practice my techniques.  That is where passion, desire, knowledge, charisma and all the others fall short.  You have to persist even when you don’t feel like it.  Ask any author, athlete or some other professional how they have achieved success and they will tell you persistence.  Some call it self-discipline and that works too.

 

The only problem is that you may wake up one day and say, “I don’t feel disciplined.”  Here is the thing though…each day you choose not to do something, you are actually being persistent about not doing it.  You can be persistent about doing something or not doing it.  So, now that you know that you are a persistent person, choose to focus your energy where you want it.

 

That is why I call it persistence and not self-discipline.  Take yourself or feelings out of the equation.  Realize that being persistent is a philosophy and that you have to do it to be successful.  That is why best selling authors keep writing books with millions of copies.  That is why great baseball players have a .300+ batting average.  That is why successful real estate agents make awesome livings for themselves.

If you haven’t noticed by now, that is why I have been so persistent about using the word persistent.  Everyday we have to wake up and do what needs to be done in order to achieve our goals and dreams.  Persistence brings us that much closer.  Success is achievable through Persistence.  Now go out and  just do it.  You know you can!

Brad Rhame

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