Showing posts with label think different. Show all posts
Showing posts with label think different. Show all posts

Friday, April 1, 2016

Inspire ME Friday: 15 Things You’ll Regret When You’re Older

"Supporting others' dreams over your own is a recipe for regret"








Good Morning Folks,

It's the end of another solid week of progress at FSO. I am so proud of our team. How you go the extra mile, and of how you bend over backwards to deliver the full "white-Glove" treatment. 

As we head into the weekend, remember that everything we want to achieve is in our grasp! Everything we dream about can happen. We just have to have the conviction to go get it. We have to have the heart to make it happen and the desire to put forth the effort.

Here's today's dose of Friday inspiration. It's one of those advice columns you bookmark  and will refer back to it many times, and whenever you need a "lift".

1. Not traveling when you had the chance.
Traveling becomes infinitely harder the older you get, especially if you have a family and need to pay the way for three-plus people instead of just yourself.

2. Not learning another language.
You’ll kick yourself when you realize you took three years of language in high school and remember none of it.

3. Staying in a bad relationship.
No one who ever gets out of a bad relationship looks back without wishing they made the move sooner.

4. Forgoing sunscreen.
Wrinkles, moles, and skin cancer can largely be avoided if you protect yourself.

5. Missing the chance to see your favorite musicians.
“Nah, dude, I’ll catch Nirvana next time they come through town.” Facepalm.

6. Being scared to do things.
Looking back you’ll think, What was I so afraid of?

7. Failing to make physical fitness a priority.
Too many of us spend the physical peak of our lives on the couch. When you hit 40, 50, 60, and beyond, you’ll dream of what you could have done.

8. Letting yourself be defined by gender roles.
Few things are as sad as an old person saying, “Well, it just wasn’t done back then.”

9. Not trying harder in school.
It’s not just that your grades play a role in determining where you end up in life. Eventually you’ll realize how neat it was to get to spend all day learning, and wish you’d paid more attention.

10. Not realizing how beautiful you were.
Too many of us spend our youth unhappy with the way we look, but the reality is, that’s when we’re our most beautiful.

11. Being afraid to say “I love you.”
When you’re old, you won’t care if your love wasn’t returned — only that you made it known how you felt.

12. Not listening to your parents’ advice.
You don’t want to hear it when you’re young, but the infuriating truth is that most of what your parents say about life is true.

13. Spending your youth self-absorbed.
You’ll be embarrassed about it, frankly.

14. Caring too much about what other people think.
In 20 years you won’t give a damn about any of those people you once worried so much about.

Thank you for all the amazing communications of late, which inspire me, and I promise to keep the inspiration at FSO at the highest levels possible. 

I am excited because I know that FSO is better. I have visited competitive sites, FSO sites and in-house sites in the past week, and we are the best!

Nothing is going to stop us. You are the right people at the right time to make something great. So have NO regrets, and let’s make 2016 our best yet.


Have a Happy, Healthy, Safe and Refreshing Weekend,
Love Life!


Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer  
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Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, “I’m possible!” 
–Audrey Hepburn.
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Friday, March 4, 2016

Inspire ME Friday: (re)IMAGINE: When The Opportunity To Step Out of Your Comfort Zone Screams at You, Take It!

"Don't be stuck. Don't be confused. It's really simple: Your life's purpose is the quality of your life's experiences. Living life with passion is following your passion."







Good Morning Folks,

I meet so many new and interesting people by blogging. That explains how Tom came into my world and now your world today.

Tom Asacker has been teaching and inspiring organizations and entrepreneurs for over 20 years. World-class brands including Procter & Gamble, UPS, and G.E. have called on Tom, a renowned speaker and strategic advisor to shake up their audience, fill them with ideas and charge them with inspiration.

Today he shares a story we can all relate to and advises "forget about the reality of the economy and instead focus on your reality."

==> Breakout, breakthrough or breakdown by Tom Asacker 

I'll never forget an enlightening conversation with college friends back in the economic heydays of the 90s. It has stuck with me for the past fifteen years and often helps inform my decision-making, especially during uncertain times like these.

As we relaxed and enjoyed a Labor Day cookout, and our good health and fortune, I spurted out that I was, once again, venturing into the great marketplace unknown.

At the time we were all disengaged yet seemingly secure in executive positions with established organizations, unquestioningly embracing the status quo.

Upon hearing my news, one bewildered friend glanced at me, shook his head from side to side, and professed, "I could never do what you do."

"What's that?" I asked.

"You know," he answered, pausing to sip his imported beer. "Risking it all."

"Risking it all?" I replied. "It's you who are 'risking it all.' And for what it's worth," I continued. "I could never do what you guys are doing."

What they were doing, what many are still doing, was playing it safe instead of playing it with passion. And by "playing it with passion," I don't mean "following" ones passion. I've never "followed my passion," because, frankly, I have no idea what my singular passion is.

Perhaps it's why I'm so amused by comedian Mitch Hedberg's absurd declaration: "I'm sick of following my dreams, man. I'm just going to ask where they're going and hook up with 'em later." But why follow them? Why hook up with them? Why not be the leader of your life and let your dreams hook up with you?

Don't be stuck. Don't be confused. It's really simple: Your life's purpose is the quality of your life's experiences. Living life with passion is following your passion.

Unfortunately, most people believe that passion will mysteriously appear, or that the purpose of life is the pursuit of comfort. They view life as a waiting game with a series of problems to avoid, rather than an exciting game with the clock ticking and opportunities to pursue.

Comfort is an illusion; a fantasy that imagines freedom from pain and suffering if only we stay still and avoid change. What most fail to realize, typically until it's very late in the game, is that change happens to us whether we like it or not.

G. K. Chesterton wrote, "If you leave a thing alone you leave it to a torrent of change. If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again; that is, you must be always having a revolution."

Without intervention, without progressive change, without revolution, everything in our work and our lives gets worse. Our bodies degrade, our relationships fizzle, our jobs disappear, and our ideas become obsolete (it has happened to countless organizations and to most of my friends). 

Face it: We are either breaking out of our spirit depleting routines and breaking through to new insights and experiences, or we are breaking down.

When the opportunity to step out of your comfort zone screams at you, and it will definitely come, take it. Say no to the sure thing and say yes to a creative challenge. Say no to short-term, comfort producing activities, and say yes to fear and passion.


Have a Happy, Healthy, Safe and Refreshing Weekend,
Love Life!


Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer  
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“Businesses struggle when they look at the same things in 
the same old way. Businesses succeed from coming up with 
new ways of putting old things together."
-- Bruce Turkel 
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Friday, February 26, 2016

Inspire ME Friday: 30 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.

"You are not what has happened to you; you are what you choose to become in this moment."



Good Morning Folks,

Let's end our second month of 2016 Inspire ME Friday posts strong with Marc and Angel and an excerpt from their book, "1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently."  It's filled with short, concise tips on how to do just that.  

Let's go!

You will find that it is necessary to let some things go, simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go... LET GO of them.  Tie no weights to your ankles.

"Yesterday afternoon my twin sister called me from her hospital room.  She's been in a coma for almost a year now.  Entering the holiday season and New Year with my sister back at my side is a priceless feeling. We actually spent the entire night together, talking and laughing. She's still weak, of course, but surprisingly coherent.

That's the opening paragraph to an email I received this morning from a reader named Amber.  It caught my attention for obvious reasons.
Amber then went on to say, "But you know what the really crazy thing is?  A month before my sister's accident, we got in a ridiculous argument and didn't speak to each other for that entire month. And today, honestly, neither one of us can even remember why we were so darn mad.  We were just being stubborn and holding on to the wrong thoughts.  I'm so grateful we were able to let it go and get another chance to love each other."

Wow!  Talk about a wake-up call and a great reminder for all of us to LET IT GO.

And since the Spring is upon us, which inspires many of us to refocus our energy and attention on the right things, I think it's a perfect time right now to start letting go of the wrong things.  Wouldn't you agree?

So today, I challenge you to this: As we start a month...

1. Let go of your temper. - Never do something permanently foolish just because you are temporarily upset.

2. Let go of petty grudges. - Life is far too short to be spent nursing bitterness and registering wrongs. If there's someone in your life who deserves another chance, give it to them.  If you need to apologize, do it.  Give your story together a happy, new beginning.

3. Let go of the idea that everyone has it better than you.- If the grass looks greener on the other side...  Stop staring. Stop comparing.  Stop complaining and START watering the grass you're standing on.

4. Let go of lingering false beliefs. - Stop from time to time and ask yourself, "Is it true?"  It's funny how we can sometimes wrap our minds around things and fit them into our version of reality.  But thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real.  So watch your thoughts. Be wise. When your identity is not rooted in the truth, it can lead to toxic and lonely places where we seek approval from the wrong things.  (Read Loving What Is.)

5. Let go of expired ideals. - Growth is painful. Change is painful.  But in the end, nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you do not belong.

6. Let go of yesterday's tragedies. - You are not what has happened to you; you are what you choose to become in this moment. Drop the needless burden, take a deep breath and start again. Ultimately, you will know you are on the right track in life when you become disinterested in looking back, and eager to take the next step.

7. Let go of your tendency to avoid problems. - You cannot change what you refuse to confront.

8. Let go of life's little annoyances. - Don't let dumb little things break your happiness. Frustration and stress come from the way you react, not the way things are. Adjust your attitude, and the frustration and stress is gone.

9. Let go of assuming other people are more "normal" than you. - The only normal people you know are the ones you don't know very well.  Period.

10. Let go acting standoffish and unapproachable. - We all need to learn to be more human. Don't avoid eye contact. Don't hide behind gadgets.  Smile often. Ask about people's stories. Listen.

11. Let go of the idea that some people are below you. - Even if you've worked really hard to get to where you are in life, there's no such thing as a self-made person.  Someone believed, encouraged, and invested in you. Be grateful and be that someone for others too. That goes around eventually comes around.  No one has ever made themselves strong in the long run by showing how small someone else is. So don't be lazy and make assumptions about people. Ask about their story. Then listen. Be humble. Be teachable. Be human. Be a good neighbor.

12. Let go of the idea that you are what you physically own. - You are an incredible human being who's entirely detached from what you have physically acquired in this world. Remember to remain humble.  Ultimately, two things define you more than anything else: Your patience when you have very little, and your attitude when you have more than enough.

13. Let go of wanting stuff you don't need. - Don't think of cost.  Think of value. And remember, it's always easier to find wealth by needing less, instead of making more and more and more.  (Read The Total Money Makeover.)

14. Let go of seeking happiness from outside yourself. - In life, you have to create your own sunshine. Happiness starts from within. So read something positive every morning and do something positive before you go back to sleep. Keep your focus on all the positive possibilities and opportunities, and you will feel great. Feel great, and you will do great things.

15. Let go of wanting to be repaid of every good deed you do. - Don't worry too much about what's in it for you.  If you're making a positive contribution to others, there's always something in it for you.  You were born with the ability to change someone's life.  Don't ever waste it. Be kind. Be present.  Be someone who makes a difference.

16. Let go of all the little white lies and charades. - How do you build credibility? It's not rocket science. Be honest. Follow through. Honor your promises. Say sorry when you screw up. Be the type of person you want to meet and spend time with. Be the type of person whose actions, words and values always agree with each other.

17. Let go of any hypocrisy. - For instance, don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines.

18. Let go of putting everyone else's needs in front of your own. - Give as much as you can every day, but don't allow yourself to be used.  Listen to others closely, but don't lose your own voice.

19. Let go of fearing what your intuition is telling you to do. - Fear kills more dreams than failure ever will. So don't let fear shut you down; let it wake you up. Do one thing every day that scares you. The more that you act on your intuition fearlessly, the more your intuition will serve you. If you genuinely feel something, pay attention.

20. Let go of waiting for the stars to align. - Remember, you don't always need the perfect plan. Sometimes you just need to give it a try, let go, and see what happens. Just do the best you can until you know better. Once you know better, do better.

21. Let go of the need to get everything done at once. - Keep going.  True purpose has no time limit. True purpose has no deadline. Don't stress and overwhelm yourself. Just do what you can right now.

22. Let go of the "all or nothing" mentality regarding success. - Appreciate the grey area between the extremes of success and failure - the journey, the process, the path - what you're learning, how you're helping others learn too, and the growing process you allow yourself to participate in. And above all, never let success get to your head or failure get to your heart.

23. Let go of criticizing yourself. - Nobody is inspired by your misery or self-deprecating comments.  If you wish to inspire yourself and others, be joyful. Have fun. Love yourself. Forgive yourself. Accept yourself.  Be unapologetically YOU.

24. Let go of those who say you aren't attractive enough. - More women worldwide are suffering from anorexia and bulimia than are fighting breast cancer. There are similar statistics for men too. Love yourself the way you are, because you are beautiful just the way you are.

25. Let go of changing just to impress people. - Change because it makes you a better person and leads you to a brighter future. Change because you know it's the right thing to do for YOU.

26. Let go of needing everyone to like you. - Everyone doesn't need to like you, and some people won't no matter what you do. Try not to take the things these people say about you personally.  What they think and say is a reflection of them, not you.

27. Let go of all negative influences.  Period. - You can't expect to feel good if you surround yourself with negativity.  Be with those who bring out the best in you, not the stress in you.

28. Let go of thinking that giving up the wrong things (and relationships) means failure. -Giving up and moving on are two very different things.

29. Let go of the idea that it's too late to start over and get it right. - Remember, it's always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than the top of the one you don't.

30. Let go of putting things off for one more day. - Stop procrastinating.  Stop wishing for it and start working for it. Do what you have to do today so you can do what you truly want to do, and be where you truly want to be, tomorrow.

Afterthoughts
Sometimes the hardest part isn't letting go, but rather learning to start over in certain areas of your life. This is a challenge all of us face.  If you're struggling with any of the points above, there is a clear path to the new beginning you seek. Your present habits are simply broken and need to be mended. When you trust a broken set of habits every day, it's only a matter of time before you feel broken too.

It doesn't have to be this way though. You can make adjustments starting today that will instantly help you feel better, think more clearly, and live more effectively.

Have a Happy, Healthy, Safe and Refreshing Weekend,
Love Life!


Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer  



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"The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times." ~~Zig Ziglar
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Thursday, January 28, 2016

FSO's Bright Stars Shine at CHO Club

"The monthly CHO club provides the perfect platform to award, recognize and incentivize our top performers."











Good Morning Folks,


Our job in hospitality is to make the client feel as if they are at home and create memories and experiences that want to make clients "return."  As important as it is to take care of our clients, it is equally important to take care of all of our team members. The more enthusiastic and happy our employees are at work the more productive they will be. Without the support of each team member that “WOW” factor will never be given to our clients.

Along with the multiple on-the-spot recognition and award programs we execute and deliver on at all our sites, I as Founder, Chief Happiness Officer and CEO host a recurring monthly CHO Club to personally thank and recognize our field staff who have gone above and beyond the call. 

This week our CHO Club convened fore Happy Hour at Tonic East in Manhattan. It was great for employees to share strategies and ideas with peers, as well as to meet new people, and have some FaceTime with Executive Leadership. As you can see we had tons of fun....















Folks like those welcomed into CHO Club and given a shout out here truly personify the FSO experience and pleasant demeanor that keep our client's office running like a well-oiled machine. These folks come to work each with a big smile on their face ready to help anyone out.  

To other companies reading this: Rewards are both earned and learned... so spread it on thick. Love on your workforce when they deserve it .... they will surely want to repeat the experience. As Richard Branson says: "If you take care of your employees, they will take care of your customers."

Spread the word. Our next next “thank you event” of the year is just around there corner. Membership in the club is awarded based on ideas, strategies and cost savings suggested to the client and kudos received from clients.


Good luck to all of our employees and see you there. 


THANKS for all you do each and every single day, as I look forward to seeing all of you soon in my travels.









Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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"When I was 5 years old my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down "happy". They told me I didn't understand the assignment. I told them they didn't understand life" 
~~ John Lennon
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Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Saying Thanks Isn't An Operational Overhead. It’s Critical For Business Success.



Good Morning Folks,

As the holiday season rolls into town, one word comes to mind: Gratitude.

ERIC HOFFER once said: "The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings."


Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.


We are thankful for our families, friends, clients and associates. We value our relationships with each of you.


To be part of a company where the employees LOVE what they do and the leaders CARE as much as they do, is such a blessing…we are VERY LUCKY to be a part of the FSO Family!


FSO is only a successful company because of each and every one of you. When I wake up every single day I am so inspired and so excited about what we do for YOU and our clients. I also think each and every day how I can help YOU achieve all of your personal and professional goals. 


We all have the power to make a difference today. We all have the power to touch someone today and change someone’s life. I try to do this every day. Show some love, give some hugs and tell someone how much you care for them.
  • Try today to be a mentor, a teacher or just a friend.
  • Take an interest in someone’s life.
  • Ask them how they are doing, how is the family, how are the kids. 
You may sometimes need to pry it out of them but do it! Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
  • FSO is the Fastest growing outsourcer in the Industry
  • FSO is the displacing its competitors every day
  • FSO is the best place to work in the industry
  • FSO is providing thousands a chance to reach their goals
  • FSO is the most sought out company in the industry to work
An employee recognition program is an important pillar that supports a motivated workforce; more importantly, the reward system and job design system must function together to ensure perceived equity. A simple "thank you" can serve as a catalyst and ripple to motivate productivity for a entire organization. 
  
Saying thank isn't an operational overhead. In an environment of increasing organizational change such as part time or remote workers, and teams working cross borders - organizational alignment is going to be even more critical for business success.

Thank you hope for taking the vision and mission and bringing it to life. Last night's holiday event was a wonderful experience and delivering what we can do as a family, team, and a common goal. Folks its our time. It’s our market to own. Its ours to MOVE FORWARD. POWER OF POSITIVE ENERGY and FOCUS.

Thank you for your continued confidence and support. We sincerely wish you and your families a festive and joyous Thanksgiving Holiday.



Here's to a wonderful and well-deserved break!

Love Life!


Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer  

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"Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”
~~ CICERO
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Monday, October 5, 2015

Color Us (re) Imaginative

“When I might feel like I'm drowning in my work all I have to do is take a few deep breaths and remember this support system of 1300 people who have my back.“











Good Morning Folks,

How lucky we are to have an extended burst of great weather here in NYC. Everyone is back from the beach and rested. You can feel the excitement, on the streets, in the air and certainly here at FSO where great ideas to better serve our clients are always in season.


I must say we are so entrenched in strategy it's amazingly exciting. When a company grows it's imperative to constantly evaluate its needs, ambitions and competition. 


That is exactly how we've accelerated growth at a galactic pace thus far. And, at our upcoming regional and national meetings, we'll be rolling out even more programs to ensure that we are the best oiled and most innovative machine this industry has ever seen. 

Hospitality is our DNA.

Operational best practices continue to be our greatest asset. 

We invest in our people.


We Fulfill Dreams.

We put Promise to Practice.

The new ideas flowing, and the programs they spur are an investment in our most precious commodity… OUR PEOPLE!  We are committed to providing our talent force with time-tested, proven and yet consistently (re)IMAGINED tools and focus like: 

  • Amazing Training              
  • Incredible Mentorship                   
  • Creative Approaches                      
  • Awesome Workshops                   
  • Real-World Application                  
  • Dynamic Development                  
  • Endless Opportunities
In business, we always want to differentiate ourselves from our competitors, and we've done that by investing in a very strong and creative infrastructure that most our competitors simply can't duplicate. 

At FSO, I promise our employees a career, not just a job. An opportunity for anyone with >>SKIP >>Twinkle >>Fire and a willingness to work hard and learn and grow each and every day, the a chance to shatter glass ceilings and realize their full potential as has never been possible before. 


As a client we always have your back too. And we will never stop (re)IMAGINING new and better ways to make your workplace work better. So as the harvest season rolls around, you can expect a healthy crop of great ideas to power our sites into the most critical quarter of your year and beyond.

Kiss your loved ones and thank them for all their support as we continue to work hard to fulfill the biggest and brightest dreams and ambitions of clients and employees alike. 


Have a GREAT day as I look forward to seeing all of you soon.









Mitchell D. Weiner
Chief Happiness Officer

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“The future of sourcing isn’t finding people— 
it’s about engaging them.” 
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About the Author:
Welcome to the fastest growing onsite outsourcing company in the nation! Led by Mitch Weiner, co-founder and industry pioneer, FSO is "the" award winning enterprise-wide outsourcing and people solutions firm servicing a multitude of clients across North America.

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