goals Archives

The Greatest Lesson My Parents Taught Me

January 8, 2014 by Todd Nielsen

leadership-working-hard-work-Todd-Nielsen When I was 14 my Boy Scout leader took us rock climbing for one of our monthly camping trips. I had a blast. I fell in love, head over heels, for rock climbing. In school I would close my eyes and think about being off on some far away cliff face. When I went to bed I would imagine myself climbing through difficult maneuvers and hope for a climbing dream. I would train and exercise for the soul purpose of climbing; making sure that I did not gain too much muscle mass, but instead gained strength and stamina.

I would climb often in my teenage years, and several years later I began working at the climbing gym that I trained at. It was awesome teaching kids how to climb, to just be surrounded my climbing. I always had other jobs through most of my high school years, so anything related to climbing really was not work to me.

When I graduated from high school, I went on a month long climbing trip with two friends. We traveled all over the western United States and climbed. When I returned, life “began.” I started working full-time at the climbing gym as assistant manager. I also took on a full-time graveyard shift as a janitor at a shopping mall. Two full-time jobs, phew! I would work from 9 pm to 6 am as a janitor at the shopping mall. This was before the days of machines that cleaned the floors. We would mop the entire mall every night, take out trash and cardboard for recycling, clean bathrooms and everything else in the mall.

Then I would get in the car at just after 6 am and drive about 40 to 60 minutes to the climbing gym. I would change cloths, open up the gym, get things ready, manage the other employees when the owner was not there, and teach classes all throughout the day. I would also climb a lot, setting new routes for patrons of the gym. After about 9 months at the gym I decided to organize the largest indoor climbing competition that had ever been held in the state of Texas. The owner did not think I could pull it off, but it turned out to be a massive success.

So then I would leave around 4 pm and drive 40 to 60 minutes home. I would then eat dinner, sleep for about 4 hours and do it again. It was a crazy year; but I guess we do those kinds of things when we are young. I would often wake up around 6 pm, and freak out thinking that it was 6 am and I had slept through my shift at the mall. When I had days off I would usually drive 3 hours south to Austin, TX and go climbing for a few days. I remember many times getting home from a 2 day climbing trip at 8 pm, hurrying to get my clothes on and get to work to do it all over again.

I was paid more at the mall, but I worked at the climbing gym because I loved it and I was willing to pay the price to stay close to it.

At the end of that year I prepared to leave on a 2 year church mission. This was a huge sacrifice, but one I wanted to do. I was assigned to go to Argentina and spend two years helping, serving, and teaching others.

I do not have a lot of memories of things my parents said to me in my childhood, but while I was at the airport awaiting my flight to Argentina, my father said something to me that I have never forgotten. It summed up the core of what my parents had taught me, day-in and day-out for the 19 years prior. The words he said to me really were not that profound, but taken in perspective of what I just explained about working hard to stay in climbing, it was very profound. He said to me, “Todd, I hope you work as hard on your mission as you did on climbing.”

He could have not said anything more important to me at that time. I did work hard on my mission and do not have any regrets. My parents taught me that nothing in life is free. They taught me that if you want something, you work to get it. They did not teach this through words. I do not recall ever having a discussion about work. They taught me this through their sacrifices and their example of always working for us. My father was a hard worker and my mother was a hard worker. They put others before themselves for as long as I can remember.

If someone were to ask me, what it means to be a “Nielsen,” I would tell them that it means hard work. It is through that hard work that we have success and accomplishment. Orel Hershiser said, “I’m proof that great things can happen to ordinary people if they work hard and never give up.”

Hard work does not always mean long hours. Hard work means you give 100% of what you have to give to a task. Andrew Carnegie stated, “The average person puts only 25% of his energy into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%.”

Earlier this week I shared some thoughts and quotes about hard work. It is a trait that we all need to persevere in encompassing. We have to focus our energy to make our lives and this world a better place.

When it’s time to work, work. When you’re away, take care of other things.” ~ Warrick Dunn

2013 was a tough year to me. I am not going to say it was my best, although it probably was. I failed so much because I worked so hard and tried to accomplish so many things. There were times I kicked-back, and there were times I was frustrated and angry about my progress. There were times I really wanted to give up, but I kept working…

I hope that in 2014, we can put ourselves in overdrive, focus our energy, and work our tails off together to make great things happen.

What is the greatest lesson your parents ever taught you? Please share your thoughts in the comment section.

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: goals, hard work, hardworking, Leadership, lesson, Todd Nielsen

Yay It Is a New Day – Wisdom from a Toddler

January 1, 2014 by Todd Nielsen

For Christmas last week we went and visited my parents and siblings in Texas. There was one night when I ended up falling asleep on a couch outside of the room we were sleeping in. In the early morning, our 5 year old son Aaron, came out and woke me up and gave me a hug. He looked out the window and saw the darkness. He asked, “Dad is it morning?” I responded that it was very early in the morning. He raised his hands in the air and jumped up and down and yelled a few profound and innocent words, “Yay, it’s a new day.”

When I heard those words, I paused and wondered at the simple wisdom of a child. After a long day of brightening our worlds, the sun goes down each night and gives up the fight, but each morning it pierces the darkness, shines, and rises anew. When our bodies are exhausted from the physical and mental challenges of each day – we go to bed, rest our minds and bodies, and we start again. We wake up refreshed and ready to conquer the world each new day. When stresses overcome us at night, often the answers reveal themselves in the morning.

The story of the Phoenix is one in which the legendary bird lives a thousand years, builds its own combustible funeral and throws itself into the flames and dies. As it dies in the flames, it is born again, to live to fight another thousand years. While the story of the Phoenix is the stuff of legends, the symbolism of rising from the ashes is something we all do every day, and every year.

As this year begins, maybe we need to stand up like a 5 year old and yell, “Yay, it’s a New Year.” No matter what happened yesterday, last week, or even last year, we can put it behind us, rise again and fight for whatever it is that we must conquer. We can fight for our dreams.

The start of the a new year is a definitive moment like the dawning of a new day. It is a time in which we can lay the past behind us, no matter how hard or awful it might have been, or even how successful it might have been. We can set new targets that are high and far. We can rise from the ashes of the past and begin a path of achievement to whatever our dreams might be.

As we do this we might set goals and resolutions. The problem is that many fear the idea of goals and resolutions, stricken by fear itself. The fear of failure prevents many dreams from being realized. I know, because I have lived and continue to travel that road of fear. I set high goals and I fail a lot. I struggle to pick myself up and I know fear is always holding me back, and second guessing my decisions. Despite the failures I achieve a lot, and I continue to rise again and fight for the things I want in life.

There are many systems, books, and worksheets out there for reviewing your past year, and planning your next. I created my own system called the Ultimate Personal Success Plan, it’s free for subscribing. Over a thousand people in 2013 downloaded and used this system to create greater success in achieving their goals. No matter the system you choose, you have to set goals, you have to stand-up, shake off the dust of the last year, celebrate a new year, and start working and fighting for your dreams.

Its kind of cliche’ to say this, but I am going to say it anyway – let’s make this year the best year ever. You owe it to yourself. Let me know how I can help.

Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

Filed Under: Leadership Resolutions Tagged With: annual goals, goals, Leadership, new year's, resolutions, Todd Nielsen

The Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan – NOW FREE!

July 22, 2013 by Todd Nielsen

As we passed the half year mark I reviewed my long-term and annual goals and realized that if I wanted to achieve some of my goals, I needed to really help others achieve their goals. I have been using the Ultimate Annual Success Plan this year and it has been enormously helpful in assisting me to achieve my goals. I decided that it was time to give back to my subscribers and help make the second half of this year – your best year ever.

In case you are not familiar with the Ultimate Annual Success Plan, it is a Microsoft Excel Workbook that is meant to not only help define your goals, but it will help you to align, track, measure, and execute on the plans to reach your annual goals… and beyond.

It is something I have been working on for 3 years, and it continues to evolve and improve. I hope it can help you achieve your goals as well.

Below are a series of 5 videos that take you through the entire workings of the success plan. To get the Ultimate Annual Success Plan for Free just subscribe and your discount code and link will be sent to you.

Video 1: Define Your Goals

Video 2: Monthly Planning

Video 3: Weekly Planning, Tracking, & Review

Video 4: Dashboard & Notes Report

Video 5: Wrap-up & Extending the Tool

I hope and pray that this tool will help you be successful this year, and for years to come. Subscribe now to receive the link and discount code. If you have the discount code, you can order below.

How to Get the Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan for FREE

The Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan Excel Workbook sales for $79.95, but as a subscriber you get it for FREE!

If you are already a subscriber you should have received a discount code, if you have not subscribed, type your name and email below and a discount will be emailed to you right away. if you have already subscribed and do not have a code, please contact me.

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Together – lets make this the best year ever!

Filed Under: Personal Success Plan Tagged With: annual, Annual Plan, Execution, goals, Leadership, Personal Success Plan, resolutions, Success Plan, Todd Nielsen, Ultimate Success Plan

Execution Explained – In a Tiny Nutshell

July 10, 2013 by Todd Nielsen

“Everything is theoretically impossible, until it is done.” An American science-fiction author, Robert A. Heinlein, is responsible for capturing the essence of execution in these eight simple words.

Execution is simply translating ideas into action. It is getting things done to achieve a goal, desire, or vision. People define success in business very differently; it might be by their profitability, their culture, their size, being “#1,” or a hundred other things. In the end, no success can be achieved if people can’t get things done.

Going from “A” to “B” in real life is never easy, or we would all be accomplished in our fields. So what are the specific steps of executing a purpose? Well for a business it can be complicated and far reaching, but if I had to throw a process that can take months into a nutshell it would consist of these basic actions:

Write Down What You Want To See Happen. Make it as plain and detailed as possible. Write it all down, then try to simplify and clarify the goals as much as possible.

Prioritize Your Goals. Which one is most critical? Which one will have the biggest impact? Start with that one—not the one that is easiest, or most familiar to you. Don’t assume you can do it all. It is better to focus on what you can achieve.

Evaluate And Examine It. Visualize this goal as a destination on a map, while you examine routes to get there. Which routes are possible, and by what means? Are the impossible routes really impossible? What if you were to create a route—be a trailblazer? Continuing this analogy, look at the landscape. What are the obstacles (the competition)? Where are your fallback routes? What or who do you need to reach your destination?

Research And Collaborate. Talk to people who know more than you do. Talk to people who think differently than you do. Get all the perspectives you can on your destination.

Make A Plan And A Timeline. Be specific. Write down everything, create your map. You can always modify the details later, but you cannot modify what you haven’t written down.

Break Down The Plan Into Small, Doable Actions. The biggest problem with execution is that most people look too far ahead when they need to be watching the road right in front of them. Break down everything; when things will get done, who will do them, how you will determine if you have achieved the small actions. A series of small steps can lead a long way toward your destination, if you have done all the preparation beforehand.

…and finally,

Don’t give up. Change of course if you have to, change vehicles when necessary; but if you’re ever going to get there… keep going.

Execution is what makes the world turn, and its what turns companies into huge successes. If you tell your spouse that you love them, but you don’t execute on those words and show your love, then its doomed. The same goes for business. You just gotta execute!

Filed Under: Execution Tagged With: Execution, goals, Leadership, planning, strategy, Todd Nielsen, vision

Personal Leadership: It’s All About the People, Stupid!

February 7, 2013 by Todd Nielsen

It’s been reported that Henry Ford once said, “Why is it that I always get the whole person, when what I really want is a pair of hands?” While Ford may have only wanted to hire sets of hands to run his assembly lines, the only way to do that was to hire the people attached to those hands: people with complex baggage, personalities, and expectations.

One of the important elements of personal leadership is to lead the people within your team. After all, if there are no people to lead, then there is no leader! I have worked with lots of leaders that absolutely HATE dealing with people. Many leaders just want to tell their people the goal, and then expect them to just go out and create amazing success without any guidance, coaching, managing, or …leading.

Part of being a great leader is to master the art of valuing the people you work with, while at the same time holding them accountable for the results. By creating a culture where people are valued, we can be more effective in achieving desired results. In other words, people are not just means to an end, but must be valued for their contributions and perspectives. This does not mean they need to be coddled or sheltered.

Personal leadership is all about relationships with those you lead. Simply learning the names of one’s team-members is not sufficient to building a strong team of committed workers, although it s start. By learning their values, skills and dreams, you learn how they see themselves within the organizational structure. Instead of simply evaluating their work, seek opportunities for them to provide feedback on the organization. Take care to listen, and see if you can incorporate their ideas.

As you demonstrate that you value the contributions of your team-members, you will find that they are more likely to think outside of the box. They may see things you may have missed, and you may discover a wealth of skills and abilities you have previously missed. As morale improves, so will productivity and results. Creating a culture of creativity and excellence will require you to view people as ends, not simply as means to an end.

What ways have you found to lead the entire person, instead of just hiring a pair of hands? What are some of the complexities of leading people with their personalities, perspectives, and personal baggage? Please leave a comment below to continue the conversation.

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: all, goals, Leadership, Leading People, Managing People, Personal Leadership, Todd Nielsen, values

Do You Suck at Setting Goals? Stop Sucking on this Key Principle of Effective Leadership

January 25, 2013 by Todd Nielsen

The story has been told of the young man who took his archery set out in the field behind the barn. After carefully taking aim and launching his quiver full of arrows at the barn wall, he walked up to the barn, took a can of red paint, and painted targets around each arrow. Celebrating his excellent marksmanship, he entered a local competition and was soundly defeated, unable to hit any of the targets.

Leaders often find themselves in crisis management, reacting to the situations around them (i.e. Firefighting). Often this is because of a lack of clearly communicated goals and objectives. If we as leaders do our job first and then paint targets second, it’s bound to look as though we succeeded (even if we didn’t accomplish anything of value). If we properly paint our targets first, we will have a much better chance at achieving our goals.

Effective Leadership Understands the Value of Goals

A key component of effective leadership is to identify and communicate the key goals and objectives of the organization. Here are some tips for setting goals:

Mission Driven: Goals should clearly fit into the overall mission and purpose of the organization. Team members need to understand how their responsibilities fit into the larger picture.
Measurable: Goals should be specific and quantifiable. Nebulous goals leave employees uncertain of their success and always hoping that they are on track with your expectations.
Attainable: It is OK to reach for the stars, but if it is impossible to reach, we’ll achieve nothing more than to maintain the status-quo. However, you want to make sure that your team members know that the goals are attainable, and that you will support them in accomplishing the goal.
Controllable: The best goals are the ones in which we control the outcome. Instead of setting a goal to grow your customer base by 10 new clients; set the goal to contact 40 potential clients, make 30 presentations, send 30 care-packages, etc… By setting the right small steps, you can practically guarantee the success of a higher goal, i.e. closing 10 clients. Completing the goal is entirely within the realm of your control, as it doesn’t rely on the potential customer’s response.

Communicate your goals often, and be sure to support your team members and celebrate their successes (no matter how small). Incorporate team members in the creation of these goals, so that they have ownership in the process. You might consider reading up on SMART Goals as well.

Continuing The Conversation on Developing Effective Leadership Through Goals

The Ultimate Personal Annual Success Plan for achieving your goals is meant to help individuals create greater success in 2013 and it really is an awesome format for defining, tracking and achieving greater success. Get it before the price goes-up. For organizations please check out my workshops and consulting.

Have you successfully changed the culture of your organization through effective goal setting? Have you ever fired first and painted targets second? Please share your thoughts below.

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: best goals, crisis management, driven goals, effective leadership, goals, goals and objectives, key goals, Leadership, setting goals, taking aim, Todd Nielsen

The Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan – Get It NOW!

January 1, 2013 by Todd Nielsen

Success Plan – The last couple months have been a whirlwind of activity, especially surrounding the Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan. I’m happy to say that the plan is finally completed, and it ROCKS! The Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan is a Microsoft Excel Workbook that is meant to not only help define your goals, but it will help you to align, track, measure, and execute on the plans to reach your annual goals and dreams.

I had planned on creating 12 posts around the content of the Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan, but with 3 pending book deals, the chaos of the holidays, and other end of year madness, plus the desire to create greater value for you – I changed the plan. I’ve also been planning to offer the e-book for a couple months, but have become disenchanted with that idea; because honestly, I felt it wouldn’t be very valuable for you.

The new tool, plus the videos below are much more powerful than any e-book. The 5 Videos below are meant to explain how the plan works, and what you need to do to create your own. You will want to watch these short videos and then scroll down to learn how you can get the Ultimate Personal Success Plan Excel Tool.

If you are ready to download the success plan and want to come back and watch the videos later, scroll down below the videos, to get started!

The Ultimate Annual Personal Success Plan Training

The following 5 videos are meant to explain, “The Success Plan,” and “The Tool” together. It will take more time than reading a blog post to get through these, but we are talking about a tool and system to help you reach all of your goals for the year, so take as much time as you need to set yourself up for success. You can refer back to these videos anytime after getting the tool to refresh your memory.