Most of us seldom get to hear a great Pep Talk. The great coaches, company presidents, generals, business icons … don’t happen to be at our “beckoning” to fire-us-up. No, we are all pretty much left on our own when it comes to preparing ourselves for the … encounters, surprises, conflicts, setbacks, struggles, and tasks we face every day. Some people start their day with one or more of the following things on their mind:

• feeling underpaid
• hating the long hours
• dreading the commute to work
• abhorring unnecessary meetings
• thinking their job is unimportant
• disliking some of their coworkers
• thinking their skills are underutilized
• loathing the office atmosphere and work culture
• extremely annoyed that their boss plays favorites
• never recognized for their hard work and dedication
• upset that they are not allowed any creativity in their job

I got depressed just writing that … so think how tough it must be on folks who must face it EVERY DAY. We even have expressions we throw out which are meant to be positive, that really address our inner feelings of dealing with the drudgery of work. “HUMP DAY!” Which really means … thank goodness, the week is half over. Then we close out the week with “TGIF” – the acronym for “Thank God it’s Friday,” which the Urban Dictionary defines as: “Used to express the joy one feels in knowing that the work week has officially ended and that they have two days off with which to enjoy life.”

I don’t care what your frame of mind is when you wake up in the morning, because I believe there is a way to better prepare you for the day and help you handle whatever is in store for you. I have been doing it for several years and it works for me, so I thought I would share this simple habit I have developed with you. Every morning, read at least 10 minutes of nothing but motivational, inspirational, or personal development quotes “BEFORE” you get on with your work for the day.

When I sit down at my desk … it’s the first thing I do. Remember, the objective is to prepare you for what you are getting ready to encounter, so it is imperative that you read the quotes first. Don’t listen to voicemail, or check your emails, texts, or Facebook. First, get your mind “RIGHT” for the day. To some of you this may sound corny, stupid, silly, or simply a waste of time … but for me … it works. It really helps jump-start my day, fires me up and puts me in a positive frame of mind … which is not a bad way to start any day.

Zig Ziglar once said, “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” Do whatever you have to do to start making “A Personal Pep Talk” part of your daily routine.

If we spend time reading Great Thoughts –
We will be planting the seeds to Create Great Things.