After doing a small self-evaluation, it has brought a few noteworthy tips to the surface. Many times we make simple strategies very complex and complicated. There are a few common sense approaches that work wonders, whether you are dealing with family members or colleagues. Life can be very successful and significant if you are proactive in your approach. This post was intended to be short and actionable. Give these a try and watch what happens!
1. Listen….. No, I mean really listen. Pay attention to the details. Stop waiting your turn to talk and listen. Fully engage in the conversation.
2. Make three calls today, to anybody, and do not ask for one thing. Try really hard not to ask to borrow something, get advice or appear to be in need of one single thing. Just ask questions about them.
3. Call a vendor, supplier or service provider and thank them for a job well done. Make it short and sweet, don’t ask for feedback, accolades or discounts. Just genuinely thank them.
4. Pay attention to your children. Listen to what they are saying. Be proactive in buying that small little thing they want and surprise them with it. Go ahead tightwad, they are your children.
5. Pack both bags. On a Friday afternoon give your mate a 30-minute notice (it’s a surprise up to this point) to get into the car and just start driving. Do not have an agenda, no destination, no map and no plans. Just the two of you, be adventuresome. Are you that planned out that you can’t get lost with your spouse and have some fun? This is one of my favorite things Robin and I do, and it’s a blast!
6. Go to your child’s school and take them out unannounced after one hour of them being there. Take them fishing, to a ball game or the zoo. It won’t kill them to miss one day, and they will think you are the coolest parent on the planet. These memories will help deepen your relationship, and it is good just to have fun sometimes!
7. If you have any service projects done around your house, order pizzas or grill out hamburgers for the subcontractors. Buy ice-cream or candy bars and tell them what a wonderful job they are doing. (Your job will get done faster and look twice as good as a result of it. Remember to keep a pure motive, just show your appreciation)
8. Write an unsolicited recommendation to a local provider for some service or product. I have found LinkedIn is a great place to do this.
9. Do a video or audio testimonial for a few people once a week and email it to them using Dropbox. The gratitude they show is unexplainable.
10. Select two young people in your sphere of influence that has exhibited outstanding performance and write their parents a handwritten note of recognition.
11. Call and offer a family member or friend a few hours assistance on a Saturday. If you are paying attention, you will know when others need help.
12. Always, always, always provide more than the minimal requirements.
13. Write letters of affirmation, love notes, sexy notes, and appreciation notes for your spouse and leave them in the most ridiculous places. Be creative, act like you did when you dated. Hey, they are supposed to be the most important person on the planet. Act like they are!!
14. Constantly be looking for ways to do small random acts of kindness. There are people everywhere that need a touch or word of encouragement. Buy their coffee or a meal. Affirm the person that is trying their best and working hard. Reach out in some way and pay it forward.
Let me know through a short reply if any of this worked out for you. Or, you could share a few tips of your own if you are willing. Life is fun when you think outside the box.
Live on purpose,
Aaron
