Most of us seldom get to hear a great Pep Talk. The great coaches, Presidents, generals, business icons … “LEADERS” … don’t happen to be at our “beck and call” 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
• disliking some of their coworkers
• abhorring the unnecessary meetings
• thinking their skills are underutilized
• loathing the office atmosphere and work culture
• extremely annoyed that their boss plays favorites
• thinking their job is mundane/unimportant/mediocre
• upset that they are not allowed any creativity in their job
• seething that they are not recognized for their hard work and dedication

I got depressed just writing that … so think how tough it must be on folks who have to face it EVERYDAY.

We even have expressions we throw out which are meant to be positive, that really are addressing 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.

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 the day has 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, I read at least 10 minutes of nothing but motivational, inspirational or personal development quotes “BEFORE” I get on with my 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. Some great examples of quotes that have helped me are:

• “Welcome the task that makes you go beyond yourself.” - Frank McGee
• “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” - Henry Ford
• “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent” - Eleanor Roosevelt

May I suggest, if you are a manager, that you have a “QUOTE PROJECT” with your employees. Have them come up with their favorite personal development and/or success quotes - then figure out a way to share them with everyone. You might even want to consider having a Quote of the Day email you send out. There are countless ways you can run with this that will be beneficial for all involved. I think the late, great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar explained it best when he 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