Luck is the residue of design

“I like, and have adopted Mr. Branch Rickey’s way of looking at things. He was an old accomplished baseball executive. History knows him best for breaking the colour barrier for Jackie Robinson, in 1952. He said, “Luck is the residue of design”. Here’s the full quote.

“Things worthwhile generally don’t just happen. Luck is a fact, but should not be a factor. Good luck is what is left over after intelligence and effort have combined at their best. Negligence or indifference are usually reviewed from an unlucky seat. The law of cause and effect and causality both work the same with inexorable exactitudes. Luck is the residue of design.”

I totally agree with you and old man Rickey. We’re all lucky if WE choose!! It’s true, we make our own luck. Attitude plays a major role. I’ve worked hard to be where I am, and with out the work, luck wouldn’t matter much.

Take care,
Tom”
———————

Enjoy this insight from my good friend Tom on the topic of luck.

George Torok

Motivational Business Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Lucky You

Luck is more a matter of perspective than it is the roll of the dice.

 

If luck is a matter of random chance then mathematically every one of us is equally lucky. Whether you think you are lucky or not is irrelevant. The real question is how lucky do you feel. Because, how you feel, will determine your actions and outcome.

 

Consider the passengers of the plane that crash landed in the Hudson River – were they lucky? You can imagine that there were moments during that scary nightmare that they cursed their luck. Yet upon the perspective of reflection they considered themselves extremely lucky.  If you are afraid of flying you might consider yourself lucky for not being on that plane.

 

We are all lucky. It just depends on how we see it.

 

George Torok

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivational Business Speaker

 

Motivation is like oxygen

Motivation is like food, water and oxygen.

We need it every day.

We consume it.

It powers us.

Like oxygen we don’t give it much thought because we assume that it will always be there.

We notice it mainly when it appears to be in short supply.

Depending on our state it can appear as a cheap commodity or a priceless treasure.

Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about it or analysing it.

 

George Torok

Motivational Business Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivational Speaker DNA

What is the DNA of a motivational speaker?

As I was preparing for a media interview today about being a motivational speaker, one of the things that I asked myself was, “What are the critical elements of being an effective motivational speaker?”

I came up with three things.

Understanding pain

Everyone is experincing some pain. The motivational speaker must recognize and understand the pain of the audience. In addtion the speaker must demonstrate that he had experience a similar pain. Nobody wants to be lectured by someone born with the silver spoon in their mouth. Paris Hilton would not make an effective motivational speaker. Show me how you suffered.

 

Appreciating the power of hope

Everyone wants hope. And every merchant is selling hope. President Obama is a good example of one who is doing that very well. We want some part of our life to be better. An effective motivational speaker presents the better future as attainable.

 

Using perspective to make the transition

The transition from pain to hope is perspective. What was the “ah-ha” moment that changed your life? How is that transferable to others? Who else has been through something similar?

 

George Torok

Motivational Business Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivation for Motivators

Everyone needs to be re-motivated from time to time.

As an entrepreneur I am motivated about growing my business.

As a life long learner I am motivated about learning new concepts.

As a creative thinker I am motivated about discovering new ideas.

As a motivational business speaker I am motivated by delivering my presentations and the feedback to them.

As a business author and writer I am motivated by publishing my articles and the occasional comments.

As a professional speaker I am motivated by attending the convention of the Canadian Association of Professional Speakers. I just returned from the annual CAPS convention. I’m recharged and eargerly preparing for 2009. I know that it will be a challenging and rewarding year.

 

George Torok

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Toronto Convention Speaker

Motivate your job search

Motivate your job search: HAPPEN

HAPPEN is a non profit organization that helps job seekers find and land their next job.

I delivered a motivational and instructional presentation to HAPPEN group today. I speak to HAPPEN once or twice a year and I have been doing this for close to a decade. Why?

I consider this as part of my community service. I don’t get paid for this annual gig but I’m happy to do it. I am told and I believe that my practical and motivational message helps them.

I suffered the pain of job loss and frustration of job search early in my career in the downturn of the early eighties. That pain and frustration is a big part of my success today. I want to ease their pain – or at least tell them that the pain can be endured. As a marathon runner, I know about enduring both physical and mental pain.

Every person’s pain is individual. No one can claim to understand “your” pain. However they might have felt something similar.

As I spoke today, two very different people caught my attention – one a recent college male graduate and the other a well dressed 40-something woman.

Both took no notes. Both failed to engage with me when I looked directly at them. One conveyed a “I don’t need this crap” body posture and the other glared, ” leave me alone”.

I felt sad for both of them. They had an opportunity to learn and to be inspired – but they refused to partake. Perhaps they had not yet matured in their grieving process to be ready to grow. Perhaps they were still wallowing in “Why me?” I don’t know their pain. I only offered a way forward. It was up to them to accept or decline.

George Torok

Motivational Speaker

Deadlines motivate

Deadlines Motivate

Have you noticed how motivated you can be when you have a deadline?

Why is that?. A deadline indicates a recognized shortage of time. A stated shortage of time reminds us that we only have a limited amount of time. If you tell someone, “Take all the time that you want.” They won’t be highly motivated to tackle the obstacle. If you have forever to do something – why do it now?

My neighbour is dieing from cancer. He seems to be fading quickly. Considering how active and spry he had been it is upsetting to witness how frail he now looks.

He has a deadline – as do those around him. The end date is not known for sure but it is clearly measured in months and not year. It’s interesting to note the many visitors that have stopped by in the past couple months. It good to see them visit. I guess they only needed to be motivated.

What would you do if you thought that you were running out of time?

George Torok

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivational Business Speaker

Motivation:It’s Cold outside

Motivation: It’s Cold outside

It was time for me to get up and go for a run. But it was cold in the room and warm in the bed.

I wasn’t motivated to get up because I was comfortable and getting up would disturb that comfort. So I laid in bed a bit longer. Enventually I got up and went for my run. The transition from warm comfortable bed to cold room and then even colder outside was still uncomfortable.

Once I was moving – it was easier to keep moving. I needed the motivation to move – to make the first moves. That was the hard part. We only need motivation to do things that are uncomfortable. Then we are surprized at how easy it is to keep moving.

I needed motivation to escape the warm bed and open the front door to the cold outside. Once I started those first steps little motivation was needed to keep me running.

We need motivation to change to make those transitions from comfortable to uncomfortable. The transition might only last seconds or minutes.

George Torok

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Doing motivates

Doing things motivates

Resting does not motivate. Yes we all need to rest regularily. But rest does not motivate – it simply heals and calms.

I enjoy cooking so naturally cooking motivates me. It gets me excited and makes me feel useful. Eating a well prepared meal pleases me but preparing the meal excites and motivates me.

What excites you? Are you doing it often enough?

George Torok

Motivational Business Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivational Insights B

 

 

Bad days

Even Superman, Green Lantern and Wonder Woman have bad days.

 

Barriers

Ask yourself, “What one thing should I do that will help me move forward that I have avoided doing because I am afraid?”

 

Belief

Sometimes against all logic the little voice in your head says, I think I can. The little voice is probably right.

 

Brain

Your brain is like a muscle. Use it, exercise it, challenge it – and it responds by growing.

 

George Torok

Motivational Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

 

Motivational Morning in Niagara Falls

Motivational Morning in Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is one of my favorite places. Yet, when I woke up this morning in the Sheraton Hotel in Niagara Falls I was reluctant to go for my planned run. After the “first night of lousy sleep” in the hotel I was still tired when my 6:00 am alarm buzzed me awake.

After laying in bed for another 20 minutues I finally dragged myself out of bed and dressed for running – but not enthused.

A morning run always motivates me – espeically one in another city. I treasure my morning runs in cities across North America.

Three other things triggered my motivation this morning:

1. Running alongside the Niagara River and the Niagara Falls was awe inspiring.

2. There was a refreshing mist in the air.

3. As I approached a young couple near the falls the girl stoped me and gushed as she asked me to take their picture because “He just proposed to me.”

All this and I found myself both smiling and taking larger and swifter strides as I ran back to the hotel.

I’m glad that I got out of bed early this morning. Imagine what I would have missed.

So what motivated you today?

George Torok

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Canadian Business Speaker

Motivational Olympic Games

Olympic Games

Motivational Olympic Games

 

I think it is impossible to watch the Olympic Games and not feel motivated. I always feel stirred by watching the events. It’s very different from watching a professional baseball, football or basketball game. I find it difficult to relate to a professional multimillionaire sports star. I find it much easier to relate to an amateur althelte competing on behalf of their country.

I watch professional sports for entertainment. I watch the Olympic Games for motivation – for hope.

There are enough different events that something will resonate with you. I enjoy the fluidity of gymnastics, the mano a mano of boxing, and the splash of swimming. ( I was a high school water polo player.)

The best athletes in the world are competing. They worked their butts off to qualify. They are bursting with pride to represent their country. Only one gets the gold in each event yet all who compete are winners. (That’s am important motivational lesson in itself.)

The Olympic Games takes place once every four years. If you want motivation – watch the Olympic Games – not all of it – that would simply make you a couch potato. Instead focus on the sports that interest you. Observe the efforts, skills and sportmanship of the contestants. Admire the best that you see in people. Ignore the scandals, politics and misunderstandings.

Consider the motivation required by each Olympic Athelete. Then re-examine the motivational challenges in your life to get you to the next step.

Remember – “Swifter, higher, stronger”

Go for the Gold.

George Torok

Motivational Business Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivational Places: Banff, Alberta

George Torok in Banff, Alberta

Motivational Places: Banff, Alberta

 

I bet that there are places that you would love to visit. If clients or prospects called you to visit you would jump to visit.

I have my lists for Canada, North America and the world. Some are places I have been before and some are virgin territory to me.

On my top ten list for favourite places in Canada is Banff, Alberta. So when a client asked me to go to Banff this fall – guess what? I was already thinking yes before I heard the details.

George Torok

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivational Business Speaker

Choice – motivational words

Thoughts on choice from Motivational Speaker, George Torok

 

Choice

You can do anything you want to do – you just can’t do everything you want to do.

 

Choice

You can do anything you want to do. The hard part is – deciding what you are willing to give up to get what you want.

 

Choice

There are always options. You might not like some of them but they are there.

 

Choice

If you enjoy it, it doesn’t hurt anyone and you are good at it – do it.

 

The above quotes are from motivational speaker, George Torok. Feel free to distritbute and repeat. Please be sure to quote George Torok as your source.

George Torok

Motivational Business Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivational Insights: Change

Motivational Insights: Change

All growth comes from change. Not all change results in growth.

 

Revolution and evolution are both about change – one is like fire and the other rust. It is the same process – just at different speeds.

 

Whether your business is great or lousy today – this will change. Be prepared.

 

We love change – when it is someone else that needs to change.

 

You cannot change the universe but you can change yourself and some things around you.

 

If you are content the way you are – you will not change. Change requires strong enough dissatisfaction.

 

 

George Torok

 

Motivational Business Speaker

 

Canadian Motivational Speaker

 

Creative Facilitator

 

Motivational food

Motivational food

Actor, Jim Carey, is publishing a self-help book about motivation. Apparently he suffered from depression and when Prosac didn’t help, he changed his diet. In particular he ate more vegetables. Then he felt better.

Wow! What a revelation Jim. Imagine that. Eat healthy and feel healthy.

Simple lesson and a good one. Perhaps more people need to listen to their mother – “Eat your vegtables.”

George Torok

Motivational Business Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Motivation to go or to stop

Motivation to go or to stop

Motivation is most often assumed to help us start something or to keep doing something. That type of motivation is important.

However the motivation to stop doing something can often be the more difficult type to muster. Many of us have bad habits that get in the way of starting something important – such as getting healthier, building better relationships or improving our finances. Most of those important changes need to start with us stopping something we have been doing. And that change can require more motivation than starting the new thing.

Give yourself permission to be motivated to stop doing harmful things.

George Torok

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Bestselling author

Radio Show Host

 

Motivational Insight

Challenge

 

Whatever you want to do – someone will tell you it can’t be done. They are only right if you believe them. You need to discover a way to it.

 

George Torok

 

Canadian Motivational Speaker

 

Gutfeeling – Entrepreners

Listen to your Gutfeeling

Entrepreneurs are not necessarily logical creatures. At least they might not appear that way to others. To them it all makes perfect sense.

So how do entrepreneurs make critical decisions?

Often it is based on their instinct or Gutfeeling. Peter Urs Bender talks about this in his book ‘Gutfeeling’.

Sometimes it is a tightening in the stomach that says no. Or maybe it is a certain internal voice that whispers “yes”. An unexplained image that shouts charge ahead. A shiver that warns, “Don’t trust this person”. A dream that opens a new door.

We are not logical beings although we pretend to be. Entrepreneurs seem to be more willing to tap into the non-logic side more than others.

I remember the moment I created my radio show. I was sitting in a radio studio waiting to be interviewed. I had a few minutes so I looked around the studio. At that moment the little voice in my head said, “I could do this. I could host my own radio show.”

I had no experience, contacts or plan. I just knew that I would make it happen.

My radio show has been successfully running for 12 years – all because of that little voice. Listen to your Gutfeeling.

George Torok

Host of Business in Motion

Motivational Business Speaker

Motivational Spring

Motivational Spring

Have you noticed how the approach of spring can make you feel better? I live in Burlington, Ontario, Canada and get to experience all four seasons – the best and worst of each. I enjoy every season. But there is something especially motivating about spring.

There are several reasons why spring motivates you. Here is my top-ten list:

 

1. Longer days and shorter nights
2. Warmer and promises of warmer temperature
3. Stop shoveling snow
4. Stop scrapping ice off the car
5. Buds forming – the promise of new growth – new hope
6. The thought that you survived another winter
7. The promise of outdoor activities – motorcycle riding, gardening and BBQs
8. The arrival of baseball season
9. More pleasant outdoor walks
10. Opening windows to let in the fresh air

 

What is your top-ten of motivational spring?

I suggest that you list as many motivational aspects of spring as you can – to revitalize, recharge and refresh yourself. Look at the list every day to remind yourself.

Get motivated – celebrate motivational spring.

 George Torok 

Canadian Motivational Speaker 

Marketing Expert and Author 

Canadian Motivational Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker – new website!

You might find this hard to believe – but a Canadian can be a motivational speaker. And maybe even more difficult to accept – a business speaker can be motivational. In this case the Canadian business speaker is George Torok. And while he delivers practical business insights – he is often described as motivational.

The crosses one must bear – Canadian, business and motivational.

George Torok

Motivational Speaker

Canadian Motivational Speaker