Hi everyone,

You know Summer may be coming to a close but I have to admit, I for one am not sorry. I know, that goes against the grain but though I love the ‘idea’ of summer; the sunshine, the warmth and opportunity for cookin’ and chillin’ with family and friends, on the terrace or in a garden, in all honesty sometimes the reality of “Summer” is a little slow for me…

Don’t get me wrong. I love relaxing. In fact I am one of the greatest advocates of carving time out of the busiest of schedules to take stock, take time and take a breath.

I walk, run, mediate and go for long drives along the coast. I chat with, and take time to appreciate my beautiful children and niece, my grandson, my wife, my lovely mom. I watch movies, hang with friends and listen to music. I talk, dance (a great deal!) and watch the world go by…

But for me, this is a way of life, not a season. It’s my daily habit not a summer holiday.

And I have to be honest, the summer months feel like they are a breath waiting to be exhaled, a ’something’ waiting to happen… The city-rhythm slows, energy levels ebb, the wind calms, momentum eases…

You see, I’m a guy who thrives on momentum. So yes, I love the Summer and all the wonderful things that come with sunshine and a little more free time. But I love the hustle too, and look forward to getting back into the groove of an energetic and amazing Autumn.

Talking of energy: check out this really outstanding magazine. I am awestruck by the team that brings us this unique, creative, tremendously professional magazine month after month, and am truly appreciative for the wonderful article below. Kudos to you Cheba and keep it comin’!

See y’all soon. Stay strong Burrel.

Check out the article here
Learn more about Heavy Hitters Magazine

Hey, hey, hey!

Tuning in from one of my favorite places, sunny NYC, after a few weeks that have been busier and buzzier than a swarm of bees. Been on the road quite a bit from L.A to Chicago, Miami to Vegas, NYC to Philly.

Why so busy? Well much going on in many areas from promoting my books, to doing motivational seminars (check out pictures of my recent gig with a great group of students of Loyola University…). Also moving forward our Kentucky Housing and Waterpark development which I am super-excited about (www.BlueH2Oresorts.com) and will share more with you guys in a later Burrel Report.

But most my time these days is working with individuals and companies caught under the crushing weight of economic pressure, and having to face up to the adjustments and hard decisions that come with that. I’ve been working with a number of organizations particularly in the area of real-estate and financial services, most notably mortgage companies.

It’s hard for these small businesses caught in the eye of this particular storm, having to regroup, cut costs to the bone and make sure that the folks they can afford to keep on board are motivated to deliver what needs to be delivered, in order to stay in the game.

As usual, I don’t sugarcoat my advice and as usual people appreciate my cut-to-the-chase approach. You’ve heard the expression about “fiddling while Rome burns” as in doing the unimportant stuff and neglecting priorities during a crisis. Well none of us has any time to fiddle, that’s a fact!

When I go into any company, I work closely with the management teams to help them understand and execute the important decisions that need to be made, but even more importantly I spend time coaching their staff, to help them understand what must be done, motivating them, and giving them some tools to break out of fixed patterns of behavior that don’t help anyone.

And that’s the thing with business. Like any other part of life, success is driven by people-power not bureaucracy. The role of a great manager is to show respect and appreciation, To communicate honestly, directly and positively and yes, to make the hard calls when they have to be made, in a firm and timely manner. In business, no one wins unless everyone wins.

These hard economic times challenge companies and consumers alike, but this is also the time to make sure that your company that emerges from this challenge is a healthier and stronger organization than the one that entered it.

I know I’ve been gone too long guys, and I apologize. Much more to share, and will be back with a new Burrel Report soon.

On a final note I would like to send my deep sympathy to the family of Bernie Mac who dies earlier today. Man, he was an outstanding person and performer and will be sorely missed. Rest well Bernie.

If you’ve been to a garden center or nursery lately, you know it’s planting time.  People from all walks of life take a time each spring to roll up their sleeves and get dirt under their fingernails, planting seeds and starters they hope will bloom into a beautiful summer and rewarding fall harvest. 

Animals, insects, and even a few no-so-dumb humans know that spring is also the time to cultivate success.  We had all winter to reflect and dream – now it’s time to get going! 

If your goal is weight loss, start your new daily morning walk tomorrow.  If you want a better job, post your resume up on Monster and those other job boards, no more excuses.  Relationship issues?  Plan a romantic getaway this weekend.  After all, spring is for romance, too.

Having problems getting started?  Here’s an excerpt from my book, Success for Life, which will help cultivate a new you.

Repetition is not the same thing as persistence.  Thinking the same thoughts and taking the same actions over and over isn’t going to change a darn thing. Tenacity isn’t about beating your head against the same point on the wall every day, in the hope that eventually the wall will crack.  No, there are other words for describing that: “plain dumb.”

Speaking of plain dumb, a friend of mine had a dog, one of those big, hairy, gray-and-white old English sheepdogs.  Each morning, Jack would open the front door to let the dog outside, and each morning, without fail, the dog would race through the door, full-speed, and crash head-on into the riding lawn mower parked in front of the house!

My friend thought the dog would learn his lesson after nearly busting his skull open on the first hit. But no, the next day, and the next, and the one after that, the pattern repeated itself. Door opens, dog rushes out, near concussion.  Eventually, Jack had to move the mower.

Now to smart folks like us, it’s obvious this isn’t persistence. It’s stupidity (though, I guess the dog eventually got what he wanted). If it’s so obvious, then, why do I see otherwise intelligent people doing exactly the same thing every day?  Why, when faced with a challenge, do some people throw themselves at it, in a full-frontal assault, again and again, instead of trying to find a route around, over, or even under?

Go on, admit it.  How many times have you vowed to: stop getting riled by your boss, stop acting jealous, quit nagging the kids, save more money, start that diet one more time, change your job, spend more time with the family, really use that gym membership, work smarter, say “no” more often and drink less – or any one of the above?

And despite those promises to yourself, how many times do you find yourself stressing over the same things every night, hitting the same brick walls, and consistently finding yourself falling back into the same old patterns of behavior that caused you to fail the first time around?

Maybe we’re not so different from that dumb dog after all.

There’s no time to waste obsessing about the time you’ve lost or your bad choices in the past.  Spring has sprung, okay?  It’s time for a new start.  WAKE UP AND PLANT THE ROSES!  You can’t enjoy the sweet smell of success unless you plant the seeds.  Make new habits and contacts – good ones, with real potential, which will bring you happiness and success. 

 I can’t WAIT to see you BLOOM!