InHouse Spring - 2024

Embrace Continual Improvement

Yay!! It’s Springtime here in the Bay Area! As we begin the see blossoms and new growth all around us, it feels appropriate to share with you one of my favorite Core Values for Personal Growth and Success: Embrace Continual Improvement. 

Picture for a moment what our world would be like if growth stopped occurring? In the simplest form of the word, that would be quite a sight! Babies for as far as the eye can see with no one to feed and care for them as they grow into adults. And what if we carried that same thought process of growth further, but with respect to the mind? The growth of our mind has a much greater ability to shape our present and more importantly, our future.

I believe the most powerful concept of growth that we can practice is Continual Improvement. This concept should be classified as a “universal business principle” in our lives. A universal principle is a controlling factor in any process we engage. The more it is known and understood, the more it can be leveraged for one’s benefit. Consider gravity. No matter what I understand or don’t understand about the law of gravity, it is present and holding my feet to the ground right this second. I don’t have to question gravity, it is a law of nature, continually affecting life as we know it. There are other principles and laws that are much less visible but when understood and consciously applied, are just as powerful as the law of gravity. 

Applying the following principle has affected my life advantageously rather than impeding it. Allow me to explain. Author Jim Rohn once said, “We are the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with.” Let’s carry that a step further with the idea that, You are the average of not just the 5 people you spend the most time with, but the 5 sources of information you most learn from’.

This is principle #1 that I’d like you to connect with. Make a list of the 5 places or activities where you spend the most time and you will find that your thinking does not readily go beyond those things. For most people in America the list is pretty easy to compile... Television, social media, movies, internet games. More people can tell me who Taylor Swift is dating, than can list the 3 major components a business or project must have in order to succeed. Or the top 3 things you can do to organize your day and minimize stress in your life. Many of us live each day wondering, “How is it that some people succeed, while the majority of us are stuck in a rut?” 

If I told you that you could accomplish incredible things in the world, would you believe me? Why is it that many people feel they are relegated to be average?  Perhaps one of the greatest obstacles to stepping out of the ordinary and attempting to attain the extraordinary is the common belief that “Perhaps I already know everything I need to know?” But imagine for a moment that this belief was eradicated from your mind. Picture waking up in the morning with the feeling, “I don’t know what I need to do in order to survive the day?” 

What would you do? How would your day, week, year and life change? Leaders are learners. Spend a day with the most successful people in the world and you will see they are forever learning. This leads to the introduction of another "universal business principle". The problems that have been created in our lives cannot be solved with the same thinking under which those problems began. New knowledge and information is necessary to effectively resolve those issues. 

People tend to look at problems in life and business from one of two perspectives. The first is to throw their hands up in the air and complain about the miserable hand they’ve been dealt. The second is to understand that practically every issue we face can be solved, if we go on a mission to seek knowledge and information that will lead us to the solution. 

What are you willing to believe about yourself and what are you willing to do, in order to get where you want to go? Most of us understand what wisdom is, but are we willing to set aside the time necessary to attain it? Wisdom is defined as ‘the body of knowledge and principles that develops within a specified society or period’. If I asked you if you wanted people to consider you wise, of course the answer would be a resounding yes! So what is the path to attaining wisdom? That is entirely up to you. 

Allow me to share where I started; a look into a path that has led me to great success. I owned my first business at the very early age of 19. It failed 3 years later. My next business did not. It was highly successful. Without that first failure, it’s likely the second would NOT have happened and been super successful. When my first business was failing, I threw my hands up and said “I just can’t do it.” My Dad said, “CAN’T never could, because it never had a chance. If you believe you CAN’T, you are right. If you believe you CAN, you are also right.” That marked the last time in my life I ever believed I couldn’t do something. 

I came to believe that in any situation I may not already have the solution, but all I really needed was knowledge and new information. If I am willing to learn then I can attain that knowledge and move forward. I made a promise to myself that I would seek out knowledge and wisdom, simply choosing from the issues that existed in my daily life. Psychology. Business. Marketing. Sales. Spirituality. Leadership. The capacity for growth is limitless when you decide to choose what goes into your mind and when you will begin. It is impossible to make this choice and for your life to remain the same. When I made the decision to keep learning I developed a new desire for reading and surrounded myself with those who could help me achieve what I wanted in life. 

One of the first books I read was Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, which primed my mind to start thinking differently. I moved forward to one of my favorite authors, Andy Stanley. In his book Visioneering he details the idea of preparing for the success you would like to achieve even before any opportunity has presented itself. One of my favorite quotes from Andy is, “Direction, Not Intention, Determines your Destination... You cannot get to California from the Midwest by going east, unless you want to fly around the world.” All of the best intentions will not get you where you want to go in life. This is why many of us feel like life is an uphill battle and never fully find what we are looking for. 

How many people can you name that are highly successful doing what you want to achieve? How many of those people are you around on a consistent basis for you to learn from? “We don’t rise to the level of our expectations, we fall to the level of our training.”

Although frequently credited to a Navy Seal Commander, we can originally attribute this quote to the Greek lyrical poet, Archilochus.

What motivational quotes do you have on the walls of your office? How do you keep your mind focused on the right things? Who are the five people that you are spending time with and learning from? What are the five sources that you are choosing to draw from as the foundation for your future? Pick up a pen right now and start writing. Put in place the plan for your future by changing your current surroundings and situation.

So how does the cycle of change begin? First, it starts with changing your mindset. Make the decision to learn everything you can so that you can be the best at what you do. Fully internalize and believe what Jim Collins said, “Good is the Enemy of Great.” That belief will prime your mind and set your intentions into action. Second, make a plan. Set your schedule daily to include time for personal growth. Morning or evening doesn’t matter. Just choose the time that you are most alert and ready to absorb something new. Third, find people that are ahead of you on the path and walk with them in the same direction. Continual Improvement is not a fad or a passing trend. It is a way of life that you can implement to achieve the confidence and success you’ve always wanted. Make the decision to start your journey today. I can guarantee you’ll love the results. Go Serve Big!!

YOUR REFERRALS SUPPORT THE ROTARY CLUB OF CONCORD

As you may have heard, Rotary is front and center in the fight against nasty diseases that destroy or cut short thousands of lives. While also educating and equipping communities to stop other diseases and expand access to health care. So even as we are eager to enjoy life, others are simply hoping they can be here to live it. This is why where at The Almaro Team have resolved to do what we can to help.

This is where you can help! 

Who do you know considering making a move, you could refer to our award-winning real estate sales team? For anyone you refer, rest assured they will not only get the award winning service we’re known for, but a solid portion of the income we receive from the sale will go towards a very worthy cause.

I want to make it easy for you to refer your friends, neighbors, associates and family and to pass along our my business card; Simply have them text LETY to 925-392-3202. Of course, you can always call me directly at 925-216-7720.

You and your referrals mean more than ever to me and my team. We are extremely thankful for your business.

With all my appreciation, 

Leticia Almaro Nicolini
& The Almaro Team  
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