“Fill it Up”
I seem to be a part of a dying breed of people that prefer and even expect “full service” when buying gasoline. I am so stubborn about this that I absolutely will not pump my own gas! It is becoming a tougher and tougher task to just find a place willing to serve you. I have a perfect record by the way; I have yet to pump it once.

Cosmo-Yajima
If you live in Honolulu, please check out the Cosmo-Yajima SERVICE station at the corner of King and Keaumoku. You will experience true service the way it should be. Besides gas, ask for a hand wash and watch them work out. I actually look forward to needing gas, just to go there. We see too many overweight, overpaid “service station” attendants sitting on their backsides watching people in business suits pump their own gasoline, and then fork over an unreasonable amount of money for it. I have even seen some places that charge you for water and air, and you need to put it in yourself.

The Works
When I pull into a “service station” and say, “Fill it up”, I want a tank of gas as well as my tires, water and oil checked along with all of my windows cleaned. I find the places willing to provide this service, like Yajima are always busy. HELLO!
To read Yelp reviews on them, CLICK HERE and see that I am not alone.

“An Overnight Success After 30 Years of Hard Work.”
In The Tipping Point author Malcolm Gladwell points out that some businesses toil away for many years and then suddenly, one seemingly small event causes what looks like an overnight success. That small event without the foundation of positive events over the years would have meant nothing.

Things Can Tip the Other Way Too
Shortly after starting Success Dynamics in 1991 I launched an ad campaign in a major business oriented publication. I paid a premium for the upper left hand corner of page two, and for 10 years placed different ads in that spot every week. I used an advertising agency, a PR firm, a graphic artist and a professional writer to create fresh dynamic copy weekly. The phone didn’t ring once, yet I continued to justify the cost. I Looked at it as institutional advertising, my billboard if you would to let people know that I was here. Every year the price of my spot went up ever so slightly while the magazine became ever so thinner and thinner. Then one day I received a notice of another price increase for the same space, and I cancelled the entire ad campaign. It was a reverse tipping point.

One Too Many
The sales rep called me to see why I was quitting and I told him, “You keep raising the price for the same amount of space, and I see less and less value.” He began to scramble, reminding me how many people are looking at my ads, and that the price increase was menial; only a few dollars more than last year. I said, “Well that makes it that much dumber to try to squeeze a few more dollars out of me instead of going out there and finding new advertisers.”

WARNING!
I learned a valuable lesson from this experience. Don’t take your customers for granted! The price for my services has increased over the last 20 years, but I have never, not once, gone back to my loyal existing clients and asked them for any more; not a penny. They have appreciated this and have sent me more new business than I could have ever received by raising my prices to them.

DON’T DO IT!!!
I belong to an elite Honolulu business club. As a member, I have seen the service and benefits decline in recent months and have heard that they are in need of new members. Today I received a lengthy email from the club extolling their virtues, none of which have been evident to me, and then down towards the bottom came this paragraph:

Should I, or Shouldn’t I?
As I was asking myself that question, I received an e-mail from a friend and fellow club member saying something like, “That’s it, I am resigning my membership.” Another tipping point. The amount of the increase was nominal, the negative impact was monumental. A loyal, long time customer feels unappreciated. Sad! As for me, I am still undecided, but I don’t feel as good about the club as I did before.

It’s NOT About the Money!
Anyone who belongs to this club has plenty of money, but it is money that was earned the old fashion way; by doing a better job, not just asking customers for more of it. It’s a principle thing.

Get it All
Most people will keep squeezing that toothpaste tube until they get the very last drop out of it.

It’s Costly!
Even millionaires will do this in spite of the fact that they have a new tube in the bathroom cabinet. The point here is that people are reluctant to throw money away.

Time is Money
Yes, time IS money. If you wouldn’t throw money away, don’t waste time. You only get 24 hours every day to achieve the things you want from life. When you squeeze the most out of your day, like you do the toothpaste tube, you will wind up with much more in the same amount of time.

Mahalo Wally
I had the pleasure of hearing Wally talk this morning at the Winners Circle Breakfast in Honolulu. He told a story that has changed my thinking about something important; more on that in a minute. I have known Wally since he was “Famous Amos” in Hollywood, California where our businesses were down the street from oath other.

Still Famous
When Wally sold his Famous Amos Brand, the new owners prohibited him from using his own (Famous Amos) name, but that didn’t stop him from making and selling great cookies.

Passion
Wally told us all about his major passion today, which is reading aloud to kids and encouraging parents to do the same. I’m sure the kids get some good cookies as well.

Paradigm Shift
Here’s the story in brief. While giving his presentation this morning, an ambulance siren was wailing in the background. It reminded Wally of a time when he found himself waking up in an ambulance on the way to Queens Hospital.  He had no recollection of what had happened, but knew he was in distress.

This was ironic, because 12 years ago the same thing happened to me, and it was after giving a talk to 700 people at an annual Rotary Convention. The ironic part is that it was Wally who introduced me at the convention. Wally’s message was that when he hears a siren go by, as irritating as the sound is, he remembers that somebody is in distress and help is on the way. I live in a building that is two blocks from the fire station. We hear fire truck, ambulance and police sirens more than we would like to. I find myself pausing the TV or computer and gritting my teeth, possibly even cussing under my breath as they as they go by. Well, whine no more, I will now remember that somebody is in distress and they are on the way to help him or her get through it.
MAHALO WALLY!!!

Are you passionate about what you do?

If you are, then the passion needed for success will come out effortlessly. You will become more and more successful at whatever you are doing.

On the other hand, if you are “going through the motions”, watching the clock waiting for the time to go home, you are destined for a life of mediocrity.

To set yourself apart from the masses, arrive early, leave late and do the things you don’t have to do. Start your day with an unbridled level of energy not seen in the “Nine to Five Johnny Lunch Buckets” that drag their behinds through the day and dread Monday morning.

Monday morning arrives for everybody. Welcome It!

In Napolion Hill’s classic book Think and Grow Rich, he states that when you are ready for it, one word will jump out at you on a page in this book and reveal to you the secret of great success.
In my 20’s, I read and re-read the book many times searching for that one word, unable to detect it. I later came to realize that it was the 1st word in the title of the book; THINK!
You bring about what you think about. Once you learn how to control the thoughts going through your mind throughout the day, you can then determine what you will get from life.
Just think about that!

REALLY???
While I was quite surprised by this announcement, I am also very grateful to Don, Bill and Clark for helping me mold a “New Body” over the past 11 months, which would have gone by anyway. Watching this take place little by little was amazing. It’s as if I was standing on a block being sculpted by Don. I went in there with little or no muscle tone, flab on my arms, chest and belly. My legs were so weak that I couldn’t perform the balancing exercises they attempted to have me do without falling over.

Marathon Prep
The only thing I had going for me was stamina, due to my long-time daily walking routine, as well as preparing for and running the marathon a bunch of years ago.

Guns; Locked and Loaded.
Don’s monthly “measurement sessions” constant coaching, teasing, prodding, and encouraging is what has made the difference. As disciplined as I am, it’s doubtful that this could have happened without him. He is one in a million when it comes to people skills. I really do look forward to my daily workouts.

“Six-Pack”
No; that’s not me… YET! I do have about a “2.5 pack” and perhaps at this time next year I can flash a Six-Pack. If I do, it will be because of Clark Hatch Fitness Center. If anyone in Honolulu would like to experience this great place, let me know and I will get you some guest passes and introduce you to “Dandy Don” the man that makes miracles happen.  And… no need to bring a gym bag, they have it all there for you to use, as well as a pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi and more.