Count Down

Good morning,

This is such a great day as we get to say goodbye to 2010 and look forward to a brand new start in 2011. I love this time of year...you know…with all the "resolutions" about how we're all going to work out more to get healthy. (I admit that's on my list.) But ultimately it's not the planning that counts, just the doing. So here’s my toast to all of us for 2011.

Make it count.

Plan the work and then work the plan, because far more important than making a resolution is being resolute.

Happy New Year – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "Plan your work for today and every day, then work your plan."
Margaret Thatcher

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-268-6810
www.SunnyMediaGroup.com

Traffic Jams

Good morning,

Merry Christmas Eve! I hope your holidays are going well and all the hustle and bustle translates into peace and joy. This week’s flurry of activity has reminded me about an important ingredient to a peaceful and joyful life.

Patience.

Admittedly, I am one of those people always in a hurry, trying to pack 25 hours into the day. But over the years I’ve learned that in order to thrive or even just survive, all the rushing around needs to be deliberately sprinkled with patience. Deliberately, as in consciously choosing to slow down or even back away when necessary to let the situation breathe. Frequently, the recipe for patience includes a dash of flexibility and a pinch of creativity.

You know…like when the store you’re trying to reach is hemmed in for blocks by cars all trying to turn left into the same place and you’re stuck in the middle of an intersection five blocks away when the light turns red and if only people would stop cutting you off you know you could get where you’re going or at least get out of the intersection before cross traffic blows you away…and then it suddenly occurs to you that buying the thing at the store is not what the holidays are all about, so you wave a friendlier gesture than previously contemplated to the guy who cut you off and pull away into the emptier right lane to find a different thing at a different store at a different time, and instead of white-knuckle driving you slow down, call a friend and turn traffic jam time into quality time talking with someone you love.

We’ve probably all heard Benjamin Franklin’s warning that haste makes waste. Often rushing actually makes things take longer (think of the traffic jams people cause by cutting each other off!) and impatience always makes them feel longer.

This morning let’s take a deep breath – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears.” Barbara Johnson

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Focus

Good morning,

Happy Holidays! At this time of year the joy of the season also brings with it some unique challenges of the season, as we rush around trying to pack so much activity into such a short timeframe. Inevitably, whether it’s during the holidays or not, we all occasionally find that we simply can’t do it all. When that happens, instead of getting frustrated by what you CAN’T do…

Focus on what you CAN do.

It’s very easy and counterproductive to get caught up in worrying about things that are beyond our ability to control. Instead, we’re better off accepting our limitations and crossing those undoable items off our list of concerns, which then enables us to focus more successfully on the things we can accomplish.

Let’s do what we can to have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” John Wooden

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Sunny Media Group, Inc.
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Good Fun

Good morning,

When was the last time you had fun conducting business somewhere or with someone? Hopefully it was quite recently! And chances are you're more likely to do business again with the organization or individual who provided the positive experience. That's according to the Retail Marketing Institute, whose study of customer retention reports that 70% of customers would go someplace else if it were "more fun" to do business elsewhere.

Fun is good - and good for business.

More specifically, fun is one of the keys to retaining customers. Sales and service expert Scott McKain addressed this topic in his recent Yes! Network seminar titled "All Business is Show Business: How to Consistently Create Outstanding Customer Experiences." Scott said, "The 'fun' statistic doesn’t mean people want a standup comedian; it means they’re looking for something different, something exciting or enjoyable. In other words, customers want an experience."

If instead of providing the experience customers want we just "satisfy" them, we risk a staggering loss of customer retention. According to a Xerox survey of repeat business, only 6% of "satisfied" customers returned. On the other hand, 66% of “highly” or “extremely” satisfied customers returned.

"What these stats show," said Scott McCain, "is that trying to ‘satisfy’ customers is not setting the bar high enough. We have to raise the bar if we are going to get the repeat business that every company is after."

Let's have some fun – and a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing."
Dale Carnegie

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Make It Happen

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Thursday’s newspaper made me smile with its article about the economy heading in the right direction. Despite the tough times we’ve been through the world is still full of opportunities. The catch is that:

Opportunity doesn’t knock.

It just drives by - unless we jump up and chase it down. So if there’s an opportunity you’d like to pursue, now is the time to get out the gym shoes and in the words of Michael Jordan, "make it happen."

You can do it – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love; there's only scarcity of resolve to make it happen." Wayne Dyer

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Giving Thanks

Good morning,

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a wonderful day.

Thank you for making me a better person by inspiring me to write to you reliably each Friday morning and for all the other ways in which you help and encourage me.

This morning I’m reflecting on how everything significant we achieve in life is accomplished thanks to the help of others. None of us succeeds alone and no matter how much more we want to achieve in the future, in order to do so we must first be grateful for what we have today.

Let’s convey our gratitude through our attitude – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." John Fitzgerald Kennedy

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

No More Excuses

Good morning,

It’s Friday and today’s motto is No More Excuses! That’s the kick-in-the-pants Sam Silverstein gave all of us who attended the recent Yes Network seminar in Novi. Eliminating excuses is essential to being accountable and…

Being accountable is essential to being successful.

Sam pointed out that it’s easier to be accountable to others than to be accountable to ourselves. Why? Because the easiest person to make excuses to is one’s self. And until we stop making excuses to ourselves, we can’t truly be accountable to anyone else.

Ready to laugh…or gag? Here are some (surprisingly) common late-to-work excuses Sam shared:
1. I dropped my car keys in the snow and I’m waiting for the temperature to warm up
2. I’m sorry I was late but it was foggy and I missed the building
3. My house is on fire and fire engine is blocking the driveway
4. My wife is going to get pregnant and I want to be there

Of course we would never say anything that stupid, right? But perhaps we have our own excuses we give ourselves for why we can’t do things, and our excuses are keeping us from living up to our potential.

Here’s a sobering thought, “The difference between what we know and what we don’t know, isn’t nearly as great as the difference between what we KNOW and what we DO.”

Right now, each of us can think of something we know we need to do, so let’s jump into action – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

“When we eliminate excuses, we’re taking the first step into the Accountability Zone, and when we’re in the Zone, amazing things happen.” Sam Silverstein SamSilverstein.com

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Greatest Assets

Good morning,

Happy Friday! In today’s do-more-with-less economic climate, this morning’s Sunny Note is a reminder that there’s more to success than results. Focusing on results is fantastic for goal setting, progress measurement and countless important purposes. Yet we should also keep in mind that:

It’s not just what we do; it’s how we do it.

Results achieved today can lay the foundation for even greater results in the future, if we don’t burn the bridges that got us this far. That’s why “how the results were achieved” is often as important, or more important, than the results themselves.

When it comes to success, our greatest assets are not our skills, our degrees or our financial resources. Our greatest assets are the relationships we build with others. So no matter what we wish to accomplish, "how" we go about it - by building trust and strengthening collaboration - means more in the long term than "what" we achieve today.

Wishing you the best of success – and a sunny day!

Clarity

"If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants." Isaac Newton


P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Goal Posts

Good morning,

This is a special Friday because today fulfills the promise to my readers made one year ago to send a Sunny Note every Friday for 52 uninterrupted weeks. It was a fun goal as well as a challenging one. Looking back, it's the wonderful feedback received throughout the year from you, my sunny pen pals, that gives me the courage to set a new goal of bringing you another year of sunshine. This morning, I'll writing to say:

Thank you.

I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to be a part of your life. My goal is to be helpful, even if it's only by making you smile with a reminder that it's Friday. Perhaps today's Sunny Note can also serve as a reminder for each of us about the importance of setting goals.

Let's ask ourselves, what would I like to achieve by this date next year? And have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Choosing goals that are important to you is one of the most essential things you can do in order to live your dreams." Les Brown

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Balance

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Here’s something to ponder on this chilly, although promisingly sunny morning: the difference between “stability” and “balance.”

Sometimes phrases like “I need stability in my life” get tossed around as if stability is a state we can achieve. When in reality, life equals change and therefore in our lives, stability simply doesn’t exist. So instead of seeking stability:

Strive for balance.

Earlier this week at the Detroit Economic Club, I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. Ed Catmull, President and Co-Founder of Pixar Animation Studios, talk about the vital role that embracing change plays in achieving success. Dr. Catmull discussed the difference between stability and balance, and the reassuring fact that amidst instability, we can achieve balance.

Dr. Catmull cautioned us against resisting change or being afraid to let go of what we have, because changing and letting go are necessary elements of progress. “When we grab onto what we have, that is when we fail.”

Let’s make the most of the changes this Friday brings – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” Albert Einstein

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Reflexes

Good morning,

It's Friday and Fall sure is beautiful here in Michigan. Today's sunny note is for all those times when things suddenly don't work out as planned. Those are the times when "positive thought reflexes" are so important, because one's first reaction to a situation influences everything that comes after.

Fortunately, we can train our brain like we train our muscles. So here's today's exercise. When the news hits, whatever it is, say to one's self:

"This is a good thing because..."

I've been doing this for so many years that it happens automatically. It doesn't mean ignoring the realities of the situation. It means focusing on the positive aspects FIRST. Coincidentally, this approach often changes the eventual "reality" into something more favorable than it could have been, had panic or frustration been the first reaction.

Just the other day someone instrumental to a time-sensitive project suddenly became unavailable. When he called me, the words had barely passed his lips and I was already thinking, "That's a good thing because..."

Next, the other half of my brain kicked in arguing, "No it's not good!" But it was too late for the negativity to take hold. The initial positive thought reflex was already generating ways in which the project could turn out better. And sure enough it did.

Today's sunny challenge is, when the unexpected hits, tell yourself first "it's a good thing" before any other thought sneaks in.

Happy Friday and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will." Zig Ziglar

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Purely Arbitrary

Good morning,

Happy Friday - I hope you’ve enjoyed a great week and successfully met all your deadlines! For most of us, deadlines are a standard part of life. When facing one, we automatically take measures to meet it and often the deadline itself helps us accomplish the goal.

The question is if deadlines are so helpful, then what kinds of deadlines are we setting for ourselves? And are we taking active measures to meet them? Today’s sunny tip is this:

Set arbitrary deadlines.

Arbitrary as in deciding, “I’m going to do this by that date, just because I say so,” and then do it, even when difficult. It’s phenomenal what we can accomplish when we pursue self-imposed deadlines with the same vigor we pursue deadlines imposed on us by others.

Over the years, and as recently as this week, I’ve jumped through some pretty crazy hoops to meet deadlines set by nobody else but me. Just the other day I was hustling to meet a self-imposed Tuesday deadline and an observer pointed out, “Your deadline is arbitrary. Why don’t you call it quits and finish on Wednesday?”

In response to that question, here are three simple reasons to set and meet an “arbitrary” deadline: getting more done, enjoying the sense of accomplishment, and generating better results due to the planning and prioritization required to meet the deadline.

Wishing you a sunny day,

Clarity

P.S. “A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Napoleon Hill

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly from me by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

I Think I can

Good morning,

It's Friday – and a beautiful sunny one to look forward to here in Michigan. Looking back, when I was a child one of my favorite books was "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper. What a great story to inspire young children about the power of positive thinking, with The Little Engine encouraging himself…"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…" all the way up the hill.

Whether we learned positive thinking skills as children or need to develop them now, being able to encourage ourselves is essential to success. We can't rely on others to cheer "you can do it." Each of us most say:

I know I can.

Yes – you really can! Just because it hasn’t been done before, doesn’t mean you can't do it. Even if your objective sounds impossible and other people say it can't be done, you still can do it. In fact, much of what human beings have accomplished was once called impossible. Achieving the "impossible" just takes a little longer…and usually a little more effort.

Whatever your goal, start by thinking like The Little Engine that "could" who soon became The Little Engine that "did."

Happy Friday – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes." Mahatma Gandhi

P.P.S. By the way, the reason children’s books are on my mind right now is because a friend of mine, Larry Coleman, and I co-authored a book called "The Flying Reindeer Mystery" that just came out last week. No, there’s no wonderful lesson in it like "The Little Engine That Could," but it's a fun Christmas story for children of all ages. Our website is http://www.reindeermystery.com/ in case you’d like to see what I’m up to : )

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Little Black Book

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Today’s sunny note is so simple you might respond with, “seriously…that’s it?” But this is a great little tip to help stay organized, at home or at work.

Keep it together.

If you’ve ever grumbled, “I know I jotted it down somewhere…” as you shuffled around looking for a note, then you’re with me on this one. Instead of using little notepads, scratch paper or whatever is laying around to write on, keep one thick spiral notebook on your desk. (I like spiral because the pages fold flat.)

Train yourself to write every note, every scribble, in the book and nowhere else. What will happen next is like magic. All the little notepapers will disappear right along with the hassle of locating them. Plus, the record of notes can go back for months before it’s time for a new notebook.

I decided this idea is worth sharing because over time a number of people have commented about my notebook and their inclination to do the same thing after seeing it. I also originally copied the idea from another organized businessperson after seeing his notebook and saying to myself, “I can’t believe I’m not already doing that!” It’s been handy ever since.

Happy writing – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “A place for everything, and everything in its place.”
Isabella Mary Beeton (1836–1865), famous English cookery writer and author of Mrs. Beeton's Book of Household Management.

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Driving in Circles

Good morning,

It’s Friday and I’m pondering the difference between “planning” and “procrastination.”
Sounds simple, right? Planning is good; procrastination is bad. But watch out for planning that turns into procrastination when you know what to do and it’s time to:

Just do it.

Here’s a related concept. “How many of you know more about diet and exercise than you actually apply in your life?” asked Lisa Ford, speaking at a recent Yes Network seminar. “We all know what we should do, we just don’t do it.” As Lisa pointed out, this disconnect occurs in other aspects of our lives besides exercise.

When we know what to do, why don’t we do it? Usually because it’s hard. We’re secretly hoping there’s an easier way. Maybe we could find one, but too often the precious time spent “looking” would be better spent “doing.”

Here’s a silly example, and I admit I’ve done this: driving by an open parking spot looking for a closer one, until the time spent driving around was longer than the time it would have taken to walk.

In each of our lives, there are areas in which we know what we need to do. Instead of driving around and around, it’s time to park the car and start walking.

Happy Friday – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle.” Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President

P.P.S. Visit this link if you'd like to read my reviews of the Yes! Network seminars, including key points from both speakers – Lisa Ford, “Customer Service Strategies That Work: How to Create More Loyalty in a Dynamic Competitive Marketplace,” and Stan B. Walters, “The Truth About Lying: How to Spot a Lie and Protect Yourself from Deception.”

Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

"A" for Effort

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Last week Ursula Burns reminded us that working isn’t all about the cash. This morning I’m reflecting on one of the things that’s often as motivating as money, and that’s appreciation.

It’s human nature for us all to want to feel appreciated. But more importantly, all of us have the opportunity to show appreciation to others. At home and on the job, when you see someone do something well, simply take a moment to:

Applaud.

It's painless to applaud a person’s efforts or make a positive comment that shows you noticed. These small gestures, which cost nothing, are worth a lot. On the job, one doesn’t have to be a manager or in charge in order to show appreciation for others. We’re all in it together and we each have the power to change lives, one compliment at a time.

Smart business owners figured out long ago the value of making sure employees know they’re appreciated. Basically, the less they appreciate their people the more they have to pay them to achieve levels of performance or loyalty that showing appreciation would have helped cultivate.

I’m fortunate to work within an organization that appreciates its employees, and I know I couldn’t accomplish my work without the efforts of the people around me. But too often in the world hardworking people doing great things seem to go unnoticed or unacknowledged. So today I invite you to join me in saying “Great job!” to the next person you encounter who appears to be doing just that.

You’ll make them smile – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “When someone does something well, applaud! You will make two people happy.” Samuel Goldwyn

Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

14 Tons of Passion

Good morning,

Friday is here – and I hope you had a wonderful week and Labor Day weekend! Today’s food-for-thought is inspired by Ursula Burns, Chairman & CEO of Xerox Corporation. I enjoyed hearing her speak at this week’s Detroit Economic Club meeting. When asked by an audience-member how to become as successful as Ms. Burns, she said:

“Find something that you love and work really, really hard to do it well.”

When we’re passionate about the work we do, we create better results, we’re more fulfilled, and ultimately more successful. Most importantly, Ms. Burns reminded us that success isn’t all about dollars and perks. It’s about enjoying a fulfilling life. The work doesn’t have to be glamorous in order for us to put our heart into it. Every job can be done with enthusiasm and great success.

I heard a very touching example in a conversion on the radio between two New York City sanitation workers. They were talking passionately about clearing 14 tons of garbage from the city streets each day. I googled and found a link so you can hear them at http://bit.ly/cvly9d. If they can bring such enthusiasm to their work, we can too!

Wishing you a successful and sunny day,

Clarity

P.S. What if the job you’re doing right now isn’t your dream job? In the words of Crosby Stills Nash, “If you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with.”

P.P.S. “The kind of commitment I find among the best performers across virtually every field is a single-minded passion for what they do, an unwavering desire for excellence in the way they think and the way they work.” Jim Collins, Author

Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly by email each Friday.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

One Thing

Good morning,

Happy Friday! It’s going to be a beautiful Labor Day weekend here in Michigan, and can you believe it’s September already? Time flies by and it’s easy to wake up wondering where all the days, months or even years went.

Chances are that most of us have goals and dreams we haven’t fulfilled yet. But let’s not give up, even in the face of adversity. This morning, instead of trying to achieve everything all at once, let’s ask ourselves:

What is one thing I can do today to improve my life?

The key is “today”– not tomorrow, not someday. Identify one thing to do right now that will make a difference. For some of us it’s something big, like enrolling in college. For others it’s something small, like making a phone call. Maybe it’s as simple as taking a soothing walk with the dog (Bambi, I’m coming…)

Whatever it is, don’t delay – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent van Gogh

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can Visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at clarity.tv.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Stay Cool

Good morning,

Hurray - it’s Friday and Michigan is serving up a delicious sunny 79° today. In any weather, this morning’s Sunny Note is about staying cool under pressure. We all find ourselves in a pressure cooker more or less often, and a tough economy just turns up the heat.

So when the pressure hits – from lost keys to business deals – hopefully we all have strategies to help ourselves perform well. One of my favorites that’s indispensable in almost every situation is this:

Think first.

It doesn’t always have to be a big think. In a pressure cooker, often just a few seconds of thought can completely change our response from total panic to top performance. Sometimes it can be as simple as telling oneself, “I can handle it,” before diving into the situation. Other times, substantial thought must be invested in identifying the solution. Either way, the key is to make sure that thinking comes first.

For example, a basic technique I was taught years ago for handling media interviews is to repeat the question before answering it. Why? Simply to gain a few seconds to think, because once it’s on tape, you can’t take it back. The same applies in the presence of our family members, colleagues and customers, because although we can apologize, we can’t undo what we’ve said or done.

Happy thinking – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Let our advance worrying become advance thinking and planning.” Winston Churchill

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at clarity.tv.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Slow & Steady

Good morning,

Happy Friday! I’m reminded this week of Aesop’s fable about the Tortoise and the Hare. The Hare started out fast but didn’t discipline himself to stick to the program, while the Tortoise consistently put one foot in front of the other until he crossed the finish line first. It’s a simple story to illustrate a profound point.

Self discipline is the foundation of success.

Without self discipline, we get distracted, fail to finish things we start and allow ourselves to drift away from fundamental practices that (in the back of our minds) we know would make us more successful.

The good news is that some of the most important things we must do every day aren’t physically demanding. Instead, the challenge - or opportunity - lies in exercising the necessary willpower to do what needs to be done, and done consistently.

Today, self discipline helped carve out the time to write this Sunny Note, in order to walk my talk and wish you a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came first.” Harry S. Truman

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at clarity.tv.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Sunny Face

Good morning,

Hurray for Friday! Even when it’s not the end of the work week, Friday still makes me smile. In fact, smiling is the topic of today’s Sunny Note – because it’s good for business and good for our health.

When we get up in the morning, putting on a smile is as important – or more important – than anything else we wear. It’s worth the effort to…

Put on a happy face.

I was recently talking with a friend who’s dealing with a lot of challenges at home and at work. The weight of the world seems to be on his shoulders and yet he puts on a smile every day. Does he feel like smiling? No! But he smiles anyway and that simple act improves his career, his life and the lives of the people around him.

Smiling is so important that it’s official policy at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Livonia, where their training presentation includes this three-step slide:

• STEP #1 – Smile
• STEP #2 – Make other people smile
• STEP #3 – Repeat as necessary

When times are tough it’s more important than ever to smile – and make other people smile – as often as possible.

This morning I’m sending you a smile and wishing you a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “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.” Leo Buscaglia

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at http://www.clarity.tv/.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Exemplary Leadership

Good morning,

Happy Friday! When I was a child one of our neighbor ladies often said, half joking, “Do as I say and not as I do.” Her wry tone came from the fact that she genuinely didn’t want us kids to pick up habits like smoking and drinking, yet she saw the hypocrisy in saying "don't smoke" at the same time that she lit up.

In business, as in our personal lives, leading by example is far more effective than leading by decree because:

Actions speak louder than words.

Leading by example is of course easier said than done, but it's usually worth the effort. I'm reminded of a friend who for years has had a plaque in his office featuring a great quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson, "What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."

Let's let our actions do the talking - and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Setting an example is not the main means of influencing another, it is the only means.” Albert Einstein

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at http://www.clarity.tv/.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Enjoy The Race

Good morning,

It’s Friday and that’s reason to smile! Last week’s Sunny Note encouraged big goals, because the bigger our goals the more we’re likely to achieve. Yet as we’re pursuing our dreams, let’s not forget that while the destination is important:

The journey matters most.

In business and life, it’s easy to get so focused on the finish line that we forget to enjoy the race. Enjoying the race is especially important since some finish lines won’t be reached. We might change direction, reevaluate our priorities or – sorry to mention the morbid truth – drop dead before we get there.

Inevitably, big goals involve big hurdles to overcome. That’s just part of the journey. And maybe we’ll reach the finish line, maybe we won’t. Either way, if we enjoy the race, compete with integrity and learn from the hurdles along the way, then no matter what – we are winners.

So here’s to the journey – and a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” Ursula K. LeGuin

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday or read prior Sunny Notes at www.clarity.tv.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Bigger is Better

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Earlier this week I enjoyed the opportunity to attend a seminar hosted by The Yes Network featuring Les Brown. Wow - what an energetic speaker. Les shared lots of great ideas to help increase our personal and financial success, and here's a simple, powerful one to share with you today.

Think bigger.

“Increase your financial goals by at least 10 times,” Les said. “You can do 10 to 100 times more. You have the ability to do more than you can ever imagine. But the only way you can do this is, you have to have goals that will make you tremble.”

That's right - he said tremble. So take a pen and write down the total amount of money you want to make by a certain deadline such as this year, this lifetime or whatever timeframe you have in mind. Now add a zero to the end of the number. Yep - that's the new goal. Is it possible? Yes it is. The hardest part is believing you can do it. Once you believe it, you can achieve it.

"It’s not enough to want something, we have to expect it," said Les. “'Want' shows up in conversation. 'Expectation' shows up in preparation, development and what you’re willing to invest in yourself. Take personal responsibility for what you want. No body else is going to do it for you. You’ve got to decide to design a life that you deserve.”

Believe in yourself - and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. You're invited to visit this link if you're interested in reading my complete review of Les Brown's seminar or my review of fighter pilot Lt. Col. Rob "Waldo" Waldman’s seminar titled “Never Fly Solo: Your Flight Plan to Win in Business and in Life."

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com!
Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505

Simply Splendid

Good morning,

It’s Friday and that’s reason to smile! Life is complicated, but not every part of it has to be. In fact, we often make things more complicated than necessary. That’s why today’s note is an important reminder to:

Keep It Simple.

In business, it’s especially important to avoid overcomplicating processes. Here’s a pretty common scenario…

A process gets put in place, perhaps with the help of an industry “expert.” The process is relatively simple. Results improve. The people involved in the process think, “Wow, this simple process is really helping. Let’s add these additional steps to make it even better!” Unfortunately the more complicated process doesn’t yield improvement. Instead, results deteriorate and, low-and-behold, it’s time to bring back the expert who tells us to get back to basics and, sure enough, reinstates a more simple – more effective – process.

Every industry has its “basics,” those core practices that contribute to success. In our own work, we most likely know what those basics are. The key is to stick with them. Focusing on improvement is good. But watch out, because complicating something is not the same as improving it.

When in doubt – KIS – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “‘Think simple’ as my old master used to say - meaning reduce the whole of its parts into the simplest terms, getting back to first principles.”
Frank Lloyd Wright

P.P.S. Thank you for sharing Sunny Notes with others. New readers can visit This Link to add an email address to receive Sunny Notes directly each Friday morning. Prior Sunny Notes are available at ASunnyNote.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Today’s sunny note is both a tip and a bit of a myth-buster. I’ve often heard the (hopefully exaggerated) statement that something many people fear more than death is public speaking. Yet frequently or infrequently, just about all of us have to do it – in our careers, at weddings – you name it. When that happens, we typically want to sound natural or even spontaneous. But for some reason it’s a well kept secret that the best way to sound natural or unrehearsed is to:

Rehearse.

This topic came up the other day when someone commented about one of my TV spots for Metropolitan, saying “It looks so natural like you didn’t rehearse at all.” I appreciate the kind compliment. However, it illustrates a dangerous misconception, that the best way to appear spontaneous is to wing it. Quite the opposite is true.

The more prepared we are, the more confident we feel, and the more confident we feel, the more comfortable we appear.

By the way - another myth is that a good public speaker must be a “natural.” Actually, the ability to speak well in public is a learned skill and just like so many other things in life, proper preparation prevents poor performance.

Here’s a toast to facing life’s most terrifying moments – and having a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “I'm just preparing my impromptu remarks.” Winston Churchill

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com!

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505

Stand Up

Good morning,

Happy Friday! It’s often said that “Reputation is everything.” Today’s sunny note invites us to ask ourselves this question:

What do I stand for?

Perhaps it’s honesty, kindness, perseverance or something else entirely. To stand for something we must stand up for it, even when the going gets tough. The characteristics that define us are those we exhibit consistently, not just when it’s convenient.

America stands for freedom, and the brave men and women of our armed forces stand up for it every day. They fight for freedom at the most difficult times in the most difficult places. This weekend we extend to them special thanks as we celebrate our country’s independence.

Each of us stands for something – or many things – that make a difference in our lives and the lives of others. That’s why it’s worth asking ourselves, or even asking someone else from their observations, “What do I stand for?”

Let’s stand up – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505

It’s Negotiable

Good morning,

Happy Friday! One of life’s little pleasures is negotiating. For those who don’t currently find it to be a pleasure, perhaps today’s sunny note will help. Negotiating a better deal doesn’t have to be painful. There are simple techniques that can help. But none of them matter until we embrace this simple fact.

Almost everything is negotiable.

It’s often said that nothing is certain but death and taxes. Okay so death might not be negotiable, but taxes certainly are and so are the prices of everything we buy and sell on the planet.

Some people instinctively negotiate while others shudder at the thought of “haggling” over anything. In general, Americans aren’t particularly prone to negotiate purchases. We walk into stores expecting to pay the prices on the labels without thinking twice. Although missed opportunities in the grocery store might not add up to much, in the business world heedlessly paying sticker price or even sale price without negotiating can be very costly.

The bottom line is – there’s always a better deal available. It’s just a matter of whether we have the desire and the leverage to get it. Sometimes we will and sometimes we won’t, but we always have the opportunity.

Orvel Ray Wilson, author of “Guerrilla Negotiating: How to Create a Fair Advantage in an Unfair World,” offers numerous tips for negotiating in business and defending ourselves from other sharp negotiators. First he points out when not to negotiate, such as when you’d lose the farm, when you don’t care, when the other party’s demands are unethical, etc. Then he reminds us to “never enter a negotiation you’re not willing to walk away from.”

Based on this foundation, here are a few negotiation tips from Orvel:
- Prepare thoroughly and set priorities in advance, including “must gets,” “intend to gets,” and “nice to gets.”
- Ask for more than you really want, more than you even expect. Higher expectations yield higher outcomes.
- Never concede anything during negotiation without asking for something in return.

Most importantly, at home and at work, when you want something to be different - just ask. So much of what we assume is set in stone can actually be changed in our favor if we simply ask. And don’t be afraid of hearing the big bad “no.” Every “no” just gets us closer to the next “yes.”

Go for it – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
President John Fitzgerald Kennedy

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Tell or Sell

Good morning,

It's Friday and that's grand! Today's sunny subject pertains to sales. Of course we're all selling something, whether we call ourselves salespeople or not. I was reminded of this at a recent Livonia Chamber of Commerce meeting featuring Kirk Armstrong from Gerry Weinberg & Associates. Kirk pointed out that a leading cause of failure during the sales process is...(after making us guess)..."talking too much."

Talk less; listen more.

Many of us have been told this since childhood and - at least in one regard - there's something to it, namely that being a good listener is a valuable asset. Listening also involves asking relevant questions and follow-up questions, showing genuine interest in the other person and learning what's important to them.

This advice pertains just as well to personal relationships, where listening is also critical to success. (At least that's what all the love gurus seem to say!)

With clients, when we find ourselves doing a lot of talking, Kirk Armstrong warns us to ask ourselves, "Am I selling or telling?" If you're doing a lot of "telling" then you're probably not "selling."

Happy selling and have a sunny day!

Clarity


P.S. "To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation."
Francois de La Rochefoucauld, French Author & Moralist (1613 - 1680)


P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Windshield or Bug

Good morning,

Happy Friday - It's going to be a sunny day! This morning I woke up thinking about someone I met about six years ago, who is one of the sunniest people I know. His name is Willie Jolley and he's the author of a delightful book whose key message is right there in the title.

A Setback is a Setup for a Comeback.
We all face setbacks in our lives. No matter how successful we are or want to be, success involves overcoming setbacks. Sure, let's make the most of the good times. But we can also bounce back from the bad times.

As Willie Jolley puts it, sometimes you're the windshield and sometimes you're the bug. "When you're the windshield, you are big and strong and invincible; when you're the bug, you will keep running into obstacles." He reminds us that even on the days when we're the bug, the outcome depends on our attitude.

A positive attitude helps develop resiliency. "When you hit the windshield, you no longer smash and crash and die." You bounce off the windshield and are "thrust into a higher trajectory and you start to fly at a higher level."

Willie's book touchingly reminds us that we can survive setbacks and use them to propel ourselves to even greater success.

Today - whether we're the windshield or the bug - let's have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative."
W. Clement Stone

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

We Decide

Good morning,

It’s Friday and that always makes me smile, even when the week has been as turbulent as this one. Today I'm thinking about life's one constant:

Change.

We all face change, big and small. But change itself is not the issue; it's how we handle it that has a huge effect on our success.

The specific change that's on my mind is Ford Motor Company's recent announcement that Mercury will retire at the end of this year. Mercury is a great brand whose vehicles such as the Milan are leaders in quality, safety and fuel efficiency. It will be sad to say good-bye.

As a Lincoln Mercury dealership, Mercury is half (literally) of Metropolitan's new car sales. Losing Mercury will be a big change for Metropolitan. So is it just a big difficulty or actually a great opportunity? We get to decide.

In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."

At Metropolitan, we’re focusing on the exciting new lineup of Lincoln vehicles Ford Motor Company is introducing and the other great services our dealership offers that will enable us to serve our customers for years to come.

At work and at home - whatever difficulties each of us face, let's be optimists - and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P. S. "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal." - Henry Ford

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

The Right Questions

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Here's the concept I'm contemplating this sunny morning. “The quality of your life and your business is directly relative to the quality of the questions you ask, especially the questions you ask yourself.” This quote is from Niurka, a compelling speaker I just heard at a Yes Network seminar. We all talk to ourselves (admit it!) and Niurka reminded me of how important it is to ask ourselves the right kind of questions, specifically:

Ask empowering questions.

Use words that frame questions in the affirmative. For example, we should ask ourselves “How can I be even more productive…” instead of “Why do I never get enough done…”

“Your subconscious mind will go to work on any question you ask yourself,” said Niurka. “The brain is like a missile that will move through all the information until it finds answers that fit the question, so your ability to formulate the question determines what you will get in the midst of infinite possibilities.” So ask yourself empowering questions and your subconscious will reveal empowering answers.

Imagine the possibilities - and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "We are what we think." Buddha

If you'd like to read more about Niurka's seminar or the equally good customer service seminar presented by James Lloyd, you're invited to read my Yes Network Seminar Reviews.

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting ASunnyNote.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
http://www.metromichigan.com/

Who Cares

Good morning,

It's Friday – and that makes me smile. But something else is making me smile even more today, a recent encounter with great customer service. It prompted me to share this simple reminder.

When you care, it shows.

For great (or even just good) customer service, there's no substitute for caring – no matter what else is taught in a training manual.

Where did I find great customer service? The other day I went to Twelve Oaks Mall to replace my favorite watch. After presenting the watch at various jewelry stores to lukewarm responses, I walked into Helzberg Diamonds. The associate, Mida, who promptly greeted me - instead of just pointing out what they had on display – also looked closely at my watch, asked me questions about it and proceeded to research her catalogues and computer in search of exactly what I wanted. Her attitude and actions together showed that she genuinely cared.

But here's the twist. Despite Mida's efforts, she wasn't able to find what I wanted. I was on a specific mission, so off I went. I eventually found my new watch at Lord & Taylor, but they didn’t have an in-store jeweler to customize the links in the band to fit my little wrist. So now what? Mida at Helzberg had struck me as a caring person, so even though it was a little awkward to go back and tell her I found the watch somewhere else, I felt she might understand. Sure enough, she handled my odd request with total grace. That's when the Helzberg experience went from good to great. I walked out with a perfectly fitted watch and a new favorite jewelry store. She might not even realize it, but the next time I'm shopping for jewelry, I'm headed to Helzberg.

The bottom line – caring is the key to customer service. If we don't care, performing the right procedures won't be enough. If we do care, even situations that seem like problems become opportunities to create customers for life.

May you enjoy great customer service - and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy and strength, if faced with an open mind. Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such.” Henry Miller, with special thanks to the Forum Fitness Center in Garden City for sharing this quote.

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
www.metromichigan.com

Batter Up!

Good morning,

Happy Friday! I’ve been thinking a lot this week about how important it is to be willing to try and risk failure, if we ultimately want to succeed at anything great. Years ago someone pointed out a baseball analogy that stuck with me ever since.

The greatest hitters fail more often than they succeed.

Babe Ruth had a batting average of .342, so he only got a hit about a third of the times he went up to bat. Imagine if he’d been afraid to swing because he might miss; we wouldn’t be talking about him right now because he’d never have hit his 714 homeruns.

I was reminded of this recently when I came across an article in Smart Business Magazine by Michael Feuer, the guy who co-founded OfficeMax in 1988 and then sold it for $1.5 billion in 2003. Feuer’s article points out that, “It’s hard to get on base and ultimately score if an executive is unwilling to take appropriate and measured risks.”

If we limit ourselves to attempting only things at which we know we cannot fail, then our achievements will be limited – at best. Because, as Feuer puts it, “If you bat 1.000 in business, you’ll eventually strike out.”

Taking appropriate and measured risks requires confidence. “The confidence portion of the equation is not being afraid to be wrong, to admit it and to try again another day,” says Feuer. His complete article is available online here at Smart Business Magazine, along with numerous other insightful articles by the same author, in case you’re interested.

Let’s swing for the fences – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” Babe Ruth

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
www.metromichigan.com

The Key Ingredient

Good morning,

Hurray for Friday! Today’s food for thought involves one of the most important ingredients in life. Without it, lives are less joyful and careers are less successful.

The key ingredient is trust.

To get anywhere in business or in life, we have to be trusted and trustworthy. How? By keeping our word. Trust comes from saying we’re going to do something and then doing it. Rinse and repeat. And repeat and repeat...It’s that simple.

It’s simple but not necessarily easy. Trustworthiness is built on all the “little things,” like calling when we say we’re going to call, which over time form the foundation for being trusted (or not) with the “big things,” like receiving the promotion.

I’m fortunate to work with and have in my life some amazingly trustworthy people. And I try to be equally trustworthy. Since good habits help, I’ve been trying to avoid using misleading catch phrases like “just a minute,” which usually means more like five minutes, or telling my husband I’m “about to leave” the office, when really I need an hour.

The point? We must watch our words, because trust is hard to establish and easy to destroy. That’s why “under promise and over deliver” is good advice, not to impress the boss, but because trustworthiness depends on keeping our promises.

I promise to write to you next Friday – and I hope you have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. More food for thought…author unknown:

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Getting Started

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Have you often noticed that getting started is usually the hardest part of any task? Especially the distasteful ones! It certainly is for me, and apparently I’m not alone. We all seem to face unappealing tasks, sometimes as distasteful as eating a frog - raw! So what’s the solution?

Eat the frog for breakfast.

These are wise words I try to live by, which I originally heard some time ago from Pamela Jett, an expert on how to manage pressure and stay positively focused. The concept is simple. Since you have to eat the frog eventually, get it out of the way first. Without the distasteful task (whatever it is) hanging over your head, suddenly the day is sunnier and more productive.

But what about the big roadblock: getting started? I use another simple, helpful technique: set a time limit. Tell yourself you’re only going to work on it for ten minutes. Then you’ll move on to something else and get back to it later. Ten minutes seems palatable so the concept gets you started; then the magic happens when the ten minutes have passed and you suddenly discover you’re on a roll with the hardest part behind you.

Best of luck eating today’s frog – and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” Mark Twain

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Perspective

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Today’s sunny thought is a piece of practical advice a friend of mine gave me earlier this week. It’s simple, helpful and worth sharing with you this morning. When weighing important decisions, this approach helps put the decision and the potential consequences in perspective.

It’s the “10-10-10” principle.

The principle boils down to this. When facing a difficult decision, it helps to ask ourselves: How will this affect me in 10 ten minutes? In 10 months? In 10 years? Three slightly different questions that can generate three very different answers. Sure, the answer to the immediate question is important, but sometimes we don’t consider far enough into the future. Often it’s the long view that gives us the best perspective.

After hearing my friend’s story about how helpful he’s found this principle to be, which he originally heard about from another friend, I did a little Googling. I learned that 10-10-10 was authored by Suzy Welch, who has written a whole book on the subject. So if you’d like to know more, you can check out SuzyWelch101010.com.

Best wishes for all your decisions and have a sunny day!

Sincerely,
Clarity

P.S. "You are as powerful and strong as you allow yourself to be, and the most difficult part of any endeavor is taking the first step, making the first decision."

Robyn Davidson, Australian author born 1950

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Impossible

Good morning,

It’s Friday and that’s reason to smile. Even though or especially because sometimes the chaos around us – at home or work or on the news - gets so intense that we need to step back for a moment to regain some positive perspective.

When we find ourselves thinking things like, “This is impossible!” Then it’s time to take a deep breath (pause for breath) and remember:

The impossible just takes a little longer.

I love that saying. It’s a one line pep-talk I give myself periodically. So when situations seem impossible, hang in there. Have faith and confidence that your efforts will pay off and that with perseverance – especially perseverance – you will succeed.

Stay strong and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.” Louis Dembitz Brandeis, United States Supreme Court Justice from 1916 to 1939.

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

The Choice

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Is today going to be a good day or a bad day? Life is so full of surprises that it might seem impossible to know at six a.m. how the day will turn out. On one hand, it’s true that many things are outside our control. But on the other hand, we control the single most determining factor, our attitude.

Attitude is a choice - a choice that makes all the difference.

In business, as in other aspects of our lives, there are so many times when a change of attitude not only changes our feelings toward a situation but actually helps improve the situation itself. Yet changing our attitude often seems like the most unnatural thing in the world. We assume that if something looks bad, sounds bad and feels bad, it must be bad. But the reality is that it only IS bad if we say it is.

I’m sure we can all remember plenty of occasions when we’ve turned “problems” into “opportunities” and it usually starts with the attitude we choose to have about the situation.

Changing the way we describe a situation to ourselves, for example from “this stinks” to “no problem,” makes an amazing difference. Our self talk is inseparable from our attitude, and so just by changing the things we tell ourselves, we can change our lives.

This day, no matter what arises, let’s make it a good one!

Have a sunny day,
Clarity

P.S. "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."
Thomas Jefferson, 3rd President of the United States (1801–1809)

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort."
Herm Albright, Painter and lithographer born 1876 in Mannheim, Germany

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Claim the Blame

Good morning,

It's Friday and it's sunny! Two great reasons to smile. Plus, hopefully we'll get to enjoy some sunshine this weekend. Meanwhile, I'm reflecting on a fact that's quite simple but sometimes surprisingly controversial.

It's okay to apologize.

Strike that. It's essential to apologize. However, you've probably noticed that as a society we're out of the habit. Maybe it's fear of lawsuits. Maybe it's picked up from politicians who don't want to claim the blame. Sure - none of us wants to admit we screwed up, but saying "I'm sorry" isn't as scary as it seems.

This subject is on my mind today because I recently had the pleasure of attending a customer service seminar hosted by the Livonia Chamber of Commerce at the Embassy Suites. One of the many points addressed by presenter Robin Whitfield, Embassy Suites general manager, pertained to resolving customer concerns. Robin specifically brought up the fact that, too often, business representatives skip the important steps of being empathetic and apologizing to the customer. Instead, they jump straight from listening, if they really listen at all, to trying to problem solve.

I'll leave you with a handy little acronym that Robin used to articulate four important steps that should be followed - in this order - when addressing customer concerns, or anyone's concerns for that matter: LEAP. Listen, Empathize, Apologize and Problem Solve.

Have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. "Never ruin an apology with an excuse." Kimberly Johnson, American poet and Renaissance scholar.

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Game On

Good morning,

Happy Friday! We’ve probably all heard some version of the concept that it’s insane to repeat the same behavior and expect different results. This of course implies that repeating the same behavior will in fact produce the same results. However, these days we can only wish that doing the same thing would produce the same results. Instead, in the business world the reality is this.

Doing the same things we’ve always done WILL NOT produce the same results we’ve always gotten.

Today’s fast-moving business environment demands that we tune up our game and learn new plays if we want to achieve the same results in the current economy that we used to achieve during better economic times. This is even more critical if we want to achieve superior results.

Today, companies are at risk if they assume that the same old marketing or customer service techniques from past years will continue to produce the same results. Likewise, employees are at risk if they think the skills they had when they got the job are the same skills that will be required keep the job. We absolutely must continually “brush up” to improve our competitiveness or risk becoming irrelevant.

Just look around. Many college students graduating today have great new skills. Many veteran employees getting laid off have great professional experience. For those of us with a job who want to stay at the front of our field, it’s game on. People who are unemployed already know how competitive the marketplace is. It’s those of us who are currently employed that need to wake up and smell the new economy – or risk getting benched.

So today, let’s ask ourselves what enhancements we can make to our skills – or what improvements we can make to our businesses – to ensure that we remain the top choice for our employers and customers.

Let’s stay in the game and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Albert Einstein, according to some internet sources. This quote has been attributed to other people as well after Einstein.

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

A Kind Word

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Dare I say it? Spring is HERE. Never mind the fact that we'll probably get a little more snow. The bulbs peeking their heads out in our front yard assure me it's Spring. On this fine morning, here's my thought for the day.

Do we really know what impact our words or actions have on others?

Most of the time, the answer probably is no. Today it's on my mind because earlier this week I heard Roxanne Emmerich share the following story during her seminar presented by The Yes Network.

One day an elderly gentleman walked into a bank. He was greeted by a teller who was very nice to him. The next day he came back and told the teller, “Yesterday I came in to withdraw money because I wanted to buy a gun to take my own life. But when you were so nice to me, it gave me hope that life was worth living after all and I decided not to. So I wanted to thank you.”

What a powerful reminder that every interaction we have with another person creates an impact for better or worse, and most often we’ll never know how small or great that impact might be. Life is full of excuses we could point to for being a grouch, but this incident underscores the importance of rising above our own frustrations to help spread joy.

Smiles are contagious; I hope you find lots of reasons to smile today and have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. If you're interested in seeing a lot more notes and ideas I collected from this week's Yes Network seminars featuring Roxanne Emmerich and Dan Coughlin, you're welcome to visit this link. I'm providing you this information with the permission of Yes Network president, Michael Jeffreys. Because I regularly attend the seminars, Mr. Jeffreys recently invited me to start writing reviews of the seminars to share with the network's members. It was fun and challenging trying my hand at this for this first time and I'd love your feedback or suggestions if you're so inclined. Mr. Jeffreys also offers complimentary workshops that can take place at your business, networking group or association meeting. For more information, you can visit YesMidwest.com.

P.S. "There are givers and takers in life. Life always seems to work better for the givers." Roxanne Emmerich

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
MetroMichigan.com

Motivate Me, Please

Good morning,

Happy Friday! The sunshine we enjoyed this week makes me feel like spring really is coming soon. And a new season – like a new day - brings new challenges, i.e. opportunities. But to accomplish much of anything, we need motivation. So where does it come from?

The key to motivation is the WHY factor.

Why? Why? Why? Most of us began torturing our parents with this question as soon we learned to talk. We were obsessed with it. Why - because it’s the most important question.

Everything we do has a WHY factor. I eat because I’m hungry; I pay the gas bill because I want heat, etc. If we don’t have a reason for doing something, chances are we won’t do it.

So here’s the point, the key to motivation. Accomplishing something great - anything that we aspire to - requires a Red Hot Why. RED HOT. That’s how success coach James Malinchak describes it.

Just focusing on the goal, such as “I want to be a millionaire,” isn’t sufficient motivation. We need a burning reason “why,” a reason so hot it keeps us going through all the struggles we’ll face on our way to our goal. Some experts suggest creating photo collages for your computer’s screen saver or other visual reminders of the reasons why, such as the house you’ll build with the extra money or the exotic destination you’ll visit.

Determining “what” you want to accomplish will help you get out of the starting gate but determining “why” will help you cross the finish line.

Why do I write sunny notes? Because I want to be helpful and reliable, bringing you cheer each Friday morning. So I’m here to say I hope you have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Success isn't a result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire.” Arnold H. Glasow

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
http://www.metromichigan.com/

The Fear Factor

Good morning,

Happy Friday! We’re finally getting a little real sunshine, too. Reflecting on last week’s topic, if we don’t want to give up on our goals, how come we frequently do?

Often the factor is fear.

Fear sometimes helps – prompting us to drive more cautiously or hold the stairway handrail – but most of the time fear just gets in the way of living up to our potential.

Author Timothy Ferriss points out, “What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do. That phone call, that conversation, whatever the action might be – it is fear of unknown outcomes that prevents us from doing what we need to do.”

The most nagging “unknown outcome” we’re afraid of is failure, by whatever standards we define for ourselves. Most of us are geniuses at conjuring up “what if” scenarios leading to our definition of failure. “What if I get rejected,” “what if it doesn’t work out,” etc.

Ferriss says, “Define the worst case, accept it, and then do [what you need to do].” Usually the worst case scenario isn’t that bad, furthermore it’s not the most likely outcome.

A word of warning - beware of discouraging words from people who think they have your best interests at heart. Loved ones who don’t want to see us hurt sometimes try to temper our dreams with (their version of) “reality.” Instead, show them that you’re not afraid of failure because you’re tough enough to try again.

The topic of fear also came up recently when I had the pleasure of hearing Bob Fish, CEO of Biggby Coffee (yummy), speak to the Livonia Chamber of Commerce about his fast growing coffee business. Fish said, “People limit their own personal or professional growth because they let fear get in the way.” And he reminded us about the importance of courage, which he defined as “doing something you're afraid of, anyway.”

While it’s safe to say, if we don't try we won't fail, we surely won’t succeed either.

I wish you courage – and a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.” Confucius

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
http://www.metromichigan.com/

When To Give Up

Good morning,

We made it to Friday! Today’s topic is on my mind this week because of conversations with friends facing various employment related challenges. When bombarded by adversity, this question often comes to mind.

When to give up?

The answer is as simple as it may be difficult. Never.

Don’t give up your dreams. Don’t give up your goals. Don’t give up your faith in yourself. You are the only person guaranteed to always be there to cheer you on - or discourage you if you let that happen.

It’s so easy to get discouraged in today’s economy. The phrase “I can’t” (that should be erased from our vocabulary) starts to take hold. I can’t possibly...close enough sales, start my own business, find a new job, achieve my dreams. Actually - yes you can (eventually), no matter how unlikely or even impossible the goal seems.

The question is: how many times are we willing to hear “no” before we get to “yes.” The answer had better be, “as many as it takes” or we probably won’t get there.

I’ve talked to people lately who aren’t looking for jobs because they hear there aren’t any available. Okay sure, I know the statistics and, yes, they may be against you. But if you don’t enter the race you have no chance to win.

So if there’s something you want to do – at home or at work – don’t give up! And have a sunny day.

Clarity

P.S. "Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States (1872 - 1933)

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505
http://www.metromichigan.com/

I Am Not Alone

Good morning,

It’s Friday and I’m glad...but you already know Fridays make me smile. Today’s topic is networking. It’s on my mind because I recently attended an excellent event hosted by the Livonia Chamber of Commerce featuring guest speaker Bill Ford.

Mr. Ford’s remarks were outstanding and so was the turnout, which brings us to “networking.” Entering alone into a room full of hundreds of strangers is intimidating. I’m willing to admit it...for the sake of being helpful, because if I’m intimidated despite being a friendly and outgoing person, then I know others feel this way, too.

I attend a lot of events, often by myself, and I’ve learned a simple technique that saves me from drowning when I dive into an ocean of strangers. When entering a room, remind oneself of this.

“I am not alone. There are other people here who feel just as shy as I do – or worse!”

So instead of wishing to be rescued, try rescuing somebody else. Find someone who’s mingling alone, take a deep breath, put out a hand and say, “Hi, I’m (me). How are you today?” Chances are, you just rescued both of you. They return the handshake, you say something nice about the event, and suddenly you’ve confirmed what you already knew - you are not alone.

We could go on and on with this topic. Much has been written about networking and overcoming the fear of strangers. But if you don’t have this fear, or have found your own way to conquer it, I would love to hear your insights.

For now, I’ll conclude with this thought. When faced with “breaking the ice,” be the one to go first. Nobody else wants to either and that’s reason enough right there.

It might even help someone have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”
Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire (1947)

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
313-670-7505

Encouraging Words

Good morning,

Happy Friday! Brrrrrrrr. But hang in there - only 36 days ‘til Spring. Meanwhile, let’s touch on a topic that seems almost as obvious as snow is cold.

People respond better to encouragement than criticism.

That's just the way it is. Nevertheless, this simple but important principal is often overlooked at work and – yes – at home, too.

You’ve probably run into people who seem to think, consciously or unconsciously, that complimenting a person deters them from doing better. However quite the opposite is true: positive feedback encourages a person to earn more positive feedback. I’ve been fortunate to work with encouraging people who know that finding fault is easy, but providing encouragement, although more challenging, is more rewarding.

Inevitably, all of us encounter the need to elicit more desirable results from people around us – our employees, coworkers, bosses or family members. Instead of going straight for corrective criticism, a more effective approach is to say something nice first. It’s respectful; and there's always something to compliment – if we don't see it then we’re simply not looking closely enough.

Today’s sunny note invites you to join me in a little sunny challenge, to compliment someone, anyone, who you wouldn’t otherwise have complimented. Let’s lead by example and hope it’s contagious.

Regardless of how often you already do this, the challenge is to compliment at least one more person than usual today. Who knows – it might be the only kind word they’ll hear all day.

And have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Correction does much, but encouragement does more.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

P.P.S. Thank you for visiting www.MySunnyNotes.com. If you’re new to Sunny Notes and would like to receive my sunny email each Friday, visit www.JoinSunnyNotes.com.

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505

The List

Good morning,

Happy Friday! To list or not to list, that is the question. We’re talking about the infamous “To Do List.”

Any time management book or seminar I’ve encountered has something to say about it. I’ve even heard talk about the “Not To Do List,” which by the way is an interesting concept to contemplate.

In my case, I have an Excel list on my computer where I jot down requests made of me – big or small – so they don’t get forgotten in the hustle or fall through the cracks. But that long list doesn’t help a bit with prioritizing or making effective use of my time.

The list that does help is the one I write right before going home at night, or worst case scenario, first thing the next morning to start my day. Three important items – just three – written in ink on a small pad of paper. It’s a “quick start” list to get the day off to a productive start before the usual happens – you know, the calls, the emails – the usual that takes one's day in unexpected directions.

This simple technique makes morning the most effective part of my day. Because if not addressed first thing in the morning, the “important” will often lose out to the “urgent,” referencing the note from December 11th.

I hope your Friday is productive, enjoyable and a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.” William Shakespeare

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505

Efficiency vs. Effectiveness

Good morning,

Happy Friday - despite Michigan’s single digit overnight temperatures. This morning’s topic turns up the heat on productivity by sparking a little debate about the difference between being efficient versus being effective.

Don’t mistake efficiency for effectiveness.

Something I truly hate is wasting my time. Time is so precious that wasting it irks me to the point of being a personality quirk. Since childhood I’ve always wanted to accomplish any task as efficiently as possible (Yes, I load the dishwasher like it’s an Olympic sport.)

But here’s the point and the important message for today's note. Being efficient is a complete waste of time unless the task being performed is relevant to the overall objective. Efficient completion of irrelevant tasks is totally ineffective! Just like driving the most efficient route to a destination is a total waste of time if the wrong address is typed into the GPS navigation. (My most painful example was LA in 2005 Oops…)

Various business books address the important distinction between efficiency and effectiveness. (Let me know if you’d like a recommendation.) Today’s note is just a friendly reminder, when we plan our work or delegate to others, first evaluate which tasks are the most relevant. Will efficiently performing this task help accomplish my objective or is there a different use of time that would actually be more effective?

I hope all the streetlights turn green for you today and that you have a sunny day!

Clarity

P.S. “Do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of” Benjamin Franklin

Clarity Patton Newhouse
Metropolitan Lincoln Mercury
32000 Ford Road
Garden City, MI 48135
www.MetroMichigan.com
313-670-7505