Who Gets In?
I have the opportunity to meet and watch numerous salespeople selling various items under all sorts of circumstamces. One thing that remains constant is the top sellers. It is common see the same people at the top month after month, even though they are selling the same product at the same prices to the same types of customers as everyone else is. If you were to put these top sellers all together you would quickly see that they are quite different, just as those at the bottom are. They have different looks, personalities, ambitions, educations, and different approaches to selling. They also have some things in common, and these are things that are oftentimes missing in those that are consistently farther down in the rankings. At the top of the list is how they measure up attitude wise.

Winning Attitude
This is the biggie! Top salespeople manage to maintain a positive attitude and determination to sell in spite of whatever else is going on around them. They blow off the constant rejection from customers and negativity from low producing colleages. They never allow non buyers to steal their enthusiasm or self esteem. They convert rejection and negativity into added determination to succeed. They make up for missed sales with added sales later in the day or month.
If your ambition is to be a top seller, give yourself a “Check Up from the Neck Up” every day. Keeping the right attitude will get you to the right altitude!

Today’s Pacific Business News Headline Read:
“Honolulu Jobless Rate 3% in April.”
The article attributed this (in part) to the shutdown of Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines, as well as Molokai Ranch.
If you were to continue reading, (as many won’t) the article went on to say, “The national unemployment rate in April was 4.8 percent.” If you ask me, a better headline would be:
“Honolulu Has 97% Employment” and then go on to say, “That is almost 2% better than the national Average in spite of shutdowns by Aloha Airlines, ATA Airlines, and Molokai Ranch.”

And in the Honolulu Advertiser the headline was:
“Visitor Arrivals Slump 7.6 Percent.”
Then the smaller print at the end of a long 2nd paragraph, read, “Despite the decline in arrivals, visitor spending remained buoyant, rising 0.4 percent to $881.5 million compared with April 2007.”
I’d like to see that headline say:
“Visitor Spending is UP in Hawaii”, and then more about that!

Negative HeadLines Get Attention
Today’s on-line Pacific Business News featured a story starting with the above headline. Many people just read the headlines, and reading this one might cause one to buy into the negative projections and stories so popular in the press these days. Those reading beyond the headlines saw this first paragraph.

“The optimism level among owners of small businesses continues on a five-quarter decline, according to latest results of a quarterly Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index reported Tuesday.”

Are you depressed yet? If not, the next five paragraphs consisted of “doom and gloom” opinions and comments in this Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index.

The Good News Gets Lost
And as is so often the case, the good news came at the very end. Those who read to the end saw this closing sentance, “Additionally, 94 percent of respondents said they feel successful being a small business owner, virtually unchanged from all prior quarters.”

I just cannot understand how such facts deserve a headline like the one above. I’d love to see that last sentance be the headline, but then again, maybe nobody would read it.
Bad news always has been the best seller.

Taste vs. Health
In September 2002 McDonald’s pledged to introduce new zero-trans-fat cooking oil, but with $23 billion dollars at stake, they were very slow to make the switch, citing the taste concerns. They have been under increasing pressure from consumer advocates and some public officials to make the change, and according to CBS News, finally did, just a few months ago, but did so quietly.

Fool Em!
Much like the devilish Chef Ramsay on Hell’s Kitchen they let people taste the healthier product before telling them that it lacked the animal fat. And, like the chefs at Hell’s Kitchen, there were no complaints.
I was one of those that belived the 2002 pledge and on occassion (too many occasions) “treated myself” to some fries. However I noticed that without fail I suffered heartbun that evening along with an unpleasant feeling in my stomach. When I learned that the “pledge” was not honored, I stopped eating the fries, but did not forgive McDonald’s for the deception.
Consequently, I have my doubts about this latest news. You know, “Once a liar…” If and when I choose to give them a try I’ll let you know how my body reacts. 

Green and Good
It is not for nothing that this fruit is called nature’s butter. While it contains plenty of fat per serving, the fat is of the good unsaturated kind. A typical serving – which is a half avocado – contains the same amount of fiber as one slice of whole-wheat toast.
Here are some of the benefits of avocado:
• They contains around 25% of the calories and total fat of dairy butter, by weight
• When compared ounce for ounce they provide more heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, and potassium than other fruits.
• Avocados are the number-one fruit source of beta-sitosterol, a substance that lowers total cholesterol better than a low fat diet, and even improves HDL cholesterol.
• It also provides vitamin C and vitamin B6, and about one-third of your daily requirement of folate, a nutrient that helps neutralize excess levels of heart attack-causing homocysteine.

Serving Suggestion:
You can use it in place of spreads like butter or mayonnaise.
Avocado Fact:
The green, smooth-skinned Florida avocados have less fat and fewer calories than the smaller, rough-skinned California kind.
Ways to increase consumption of avocados:
You can use fresh avocado on sandwiches and toast for a healthy breakfast snack.

Dip It!
Avocados can also be used as a delicious dip, especially if you use yogurt instead of mayonnaise and add some roasted garlic.

Tip from Me:
If you have yet to discover Veganaise; get some. You will never use mayanaise again.

It’s The New Rage
Stand Up Paddle surfing started right here in Hawaii. As far back as the 1940’s when Hawaiian Beach Boys used to paddle out to the breaks standing up to avoid getting their camera gear wet when taking photos of tourists.

Learn How
Surf-n-Sea is always right there when something new takes off, but this one is the most natural of all. They are giving Stand Up Surf and Paddling lessons and claim that anyone can do it.

It’s Easy
Store manager Eddie Crawdord says, “If you can walk down a three foot wide sidewalk you can learn to stand up paddle.” With a semi-private beach right behind the store adjacent to the scenic Wailua River, Stand Up Paddling at Surf-n-Sea is the best place to learn. They will even be having a Stand Up Paddling Clinic during Memorial Day weekend.

Almonds
Almonds are one of the most nutritious of all nuts. Not only are they a tasty and crunchy snack but they also have numerous benefits for the body.
If you feel like snacking on nuts, you can’t go wrong with almonds.
Two ounces, or about 24 almonds, give you more than 50 percent of your daily requirement of magnesium, a mineral that’s important for the health of your heart.

Here are a few of the benefits of almonds:
• Almonds are good for building muscle & fighting food cravings
• Fight obesity, heart disease, muscle loss, cancer
• A good source of vitamin E, fiber, and monounsaturated fat, all hearthealthy nutrients.
• According to a recent study, eating almonds may also reduce the risk of colon cancer.
• Almonds are the most nutritionally dense nuts – which means you get the maximum amount of nutrients out of the calories you consume.

To enjoy the health benefits of almonds, it is best to eat them with their skins intact.
Quick recipe:
For a quick popcorn alternative, spray a handful of almonds with nonstick cooking spray and bake them at 400 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes or toast them on low-medium in a skillet on the stovetop with a little butter for the same amount of time (stir frequently to keep from burning). Take them out of the oven and sprinkle them with either a brown sugar (or honey) and cinnamon mix or cayenne pepper and thyme.
Did you know?
Eating 2 ounces of almonds (about 24 of them) can suppress your appetite, especially if you wash them down with 8 ounces of water. Try doing this 30 minutes before your evening meal.
Ways to increase consumption of almonds
• Almonds and apple slices make a simple, yummy power snack.
• Enhance a healthy sauté of curried vegetables with sliced almonds.
• Add a few to your favorite salad

Mahalo to Rod Newbound for permission to print this tip.
Rod will soon be publishing:
19 Power Foods and Recipes
That You Can Add to Your Diet
To Supercharge Your Health

I will let you know when and where you can get a copy.

You Can Help
Charles Zhang is the son of Michael Zhang, our long client at Blue Hawaii Surf and now Blue Hawaii Life Style; both in Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Charles decided to raise money for the victims in the China earthquake. He worked with his family to make 4 donation boxes. He started collecting in his own neighborhood, then at school and with his Cub Scouts. His father will place boxes at his 4 retail stores.

Dad adds;
“If you cannot visit one of our stores, please write a check to China Red Cross Foundation and mail to me at 437 Maono loop, Hon Hi 96821. I will include your donation to help Charles raise $1,000.”

I think it’s good in times like this for everyone to play some part in helping our fellow world neighbors. Many people making small contributions can make a huge difference to the unfortunate ones.

Making a Difference
I came across three different verions of the same story today. Some were longer and more elaborate than others, but all gave me the same feeling.
One was a poem by the famous writer Lauren Eisely.
The shortest one was tale told to children in Maine. It told of a small boy walking on the beach with his grandfather when they came across a live starfish that had been washed ashore by a storm the night before.
The boy picked it up and started to throw it back into the sea. His grandfather stopped him and asked him why he would do that. The boy said, “I throw starfish back into the sea so that they don’t die. They can’t move on the sand and if the sun comes out, they will dry out and die. So I am throwing them back so that they will live.”
His grandfather laughed at this statement and proceeded to put things in ‘perspective’ for the boy… “On this beach alone there are literally thousands of starfish? And then of course there are hundreds of beaches in the world, on which are thrown up millions of starfish in every storm. You are one kid; throwing one starfish into the sea will not make a difference”
The boy looked at the starfish in his hand, turned and threw it far into the waves and said, “It made a difference to that one!” Get it?

“Where’s The Beef?”

That’s the question that Chef Gordon Ramsay was asking his chefs this week on Hell’s Kitchen. As a 44 year vegetarian I found it quite interesting to see these professional chefs all stumped by Chef Ramsay’s use of soy product rather than dead flesh; Chicken, Beef and Sausage. If you missed it, click HERE.
 
Over the years I have witnessed an enormous change in the reactions I get when saying that I don’t eat meat. They have gone from, “Oh my God, what do you eat?” to “I wish that I could do that.” I cannot begin to tell you how many times I hear, “I tried that once.” When I hear that I say, “Just do it; trying doesn’t cut it.”
 
The benefits of a meat free diet are many. Besides never getting sick and having clog free arteries, I wake up every day with a boundless degee of energy that lasts well into the night.

And, adopting a vegetarian diet is the single most important thing you can do to reduce your personal impact on the environment. It is the fastest path to reducing global warming with no negative impacts. Raising animals for food generates more greenhouse gases than all the cars and trucks in the world combined. Most of these gases come from animal manure! Now that Stinks!