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ExpectSuccess Friday Message

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2/7/25

This week’s message might sound like I’m talking out of both sides of my mouth. Most of the time, we talk about expecting success—but today, we’re talking about expectations. They seem similar, but they’re not exactly the same.

Have you ever noticed that we actually perform better when our expectations are lower? Or that we enjoy our favorite team’s games more when we don’t expect them to win? When we expect to win, we start worrying—what if we don’t? High expectations can add pressure, cause stress, and even hurt our relationships. When we expect too much from others—our family, our friends, our team—we set ourselves up for disappointment. And the most dangerous expectation? Expecting people to react exactly how we want them to.

So how do we ExpectSuccess without letting expectations get in the way? We focus on the process, not the outcome. The process is what we can control. If you catch yourself placing expectations on a situation or a person, stop and shift your focus back to what you can control. We can’t control other people, but we can control our actions, our mindset, and how we respond.

It’s a message we come back to often: Control what you can control, and don’t let expectations steal your joy.

Happy Friday Tribe!

-Creg

#ExpectSuccess 
1/31/25

Happy ExpectSuccess Friday!

The first self-help book I ever read was The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. It's a great book, but a little tough to get through. My copy is so old now that the pages have turned yellow, and I haven’t read it in years. But there’s one exercise from that book I’ll never forget. 

One of the key habits in the book is Live with the End in Mind.

The exercise goes like this: Imagine you’re dressed up and heading to a big event. When you arrive, you realize—it’s your own funeral. There are four people set to speak:

   •   A friend
   •   A family member
   •   A coworker
   •   Someone from your community or an organization you’ve been involved with

Each of them is going to sum up your life in a short speech. Now, ask yourself—what do you want them to say about you? Once you know the answer, start living your life in a way that supports those words. What do you want your spouse and kids to say? What do you want your friends to remember about you?

I really encourage you to take some time and do this exercise. It’s not easy. You’ll quickly see areas where you fall short. And yeah, it might get emotional—because deep down, most of us care about how we’re remembered. If you don’t, maybe it’s worth thinking about why.

For me, I want to teach my kids how to be great people. I want my friends—my tribe—to say, He made my life better in every way. I want my coworkers to say that we could always count on him, especially when things were tough. And in my community, I hope people say, He gave more than he took.

Have I lived up to those standards yet? I don’t know. But if not, that’s what tomorrow is for.

Have a great day!

ExpectSuccess,

-Creg

1/24/25


Why ExpectSuccess?

You’ve probably noticed the ExpectSuccess tagline on all our messages. It’s new, but the idea behind it isn’t. I think it’s time to explain.

A few months ago, two key things happened. I took a business class that explored how iconic companies are built. Around the same time, I had lunch with my office administrator, Rachel Lamb, and Brad Underwood. Those two moments brought clarity to what I wanted us to stand for as a company.

To be honest, I’ve had this idea in my mind for years but couldn’t quite put it into words until then. Why those moments unlocked it for me, I’m not sure, but they did.

As people, we need something to connect with—a cause, a team, a community, or a family. And those groups have to mean something, or they feel empty.

We all need something to hang our hat on. For me, it’s ExpectSuccess.

That’s the standard I hold myself to, and it’s the standard I want for my company. I expect success in everything I do.

I expect to be a great friend.
I expect to bring energy and fun wherever I go.
I expect to show up strong for my family.
I expect the people who hire me to succeed in buying or selling a home.
I expect success when I play golf or host a tailgate.

You get the idea—success is what I aim for in all areas of life.

When I started these Friday messages, my goal was to help others succeed. That’s the “why” behind them. I spend the week looking for something that might inspire you or make your life better, and in doing that, I find purpose. It gives me something to hang my hat on. My Tribe.

So, what about you? What do you hang your hat on? What do you stand for?

Once you figure that out, go live it. Be that person.

Have a great Friday, and remember: ExpectSuccess. Now you know what it’s all about.


-Creg
1/17/25

It is still January, so let’s talk about goals.  Did you set goals for this year? I did. Most of us do.  I read that most New Year resolutions are broken by January 18. Good Lord! That is commitment.  


I am making the claim that goals are worthless!  Everyone sets goals but very few achieve them. Everyone wants to win the Super Bowl but only a handful actually have a plan to do it. 


My point is, that without an execution system or process a goal is worthless. The goal is the execution process itself. The so-called goal is the reward for executing the process. 


To have a successful process that can be followed and repeated, it needs to have very few obstacles that get in the way. 


Example. I need to drink more water daily. What is the process?  If you have to get up and go to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water across the office 10 times a day to meet your goal, there are too many chances to fail. 


If you have a 40 oz water bottle in front of you all day and have to fill it three times, what has a better chance of succeeding? 


That is a simplistic example but multiply this to everything we do.  Need to work out 5 times per week? Set your workout clothes once on Sunday for the entire week. Same with meal plans.  Make it as easy as possible to succeed with the process. The goal/reward will follow. 


Happy Friday Tribe!


ExpectSuccess,

-Creg

1/10/25

Good morning. Here is our ExpectSuccess Friday message. 


In response to one of our tribe members last week, Ally quoted something from an author named Mel Robbins. I have read one of Mel's books and there is an exercise she hangs her hat on that works. I have no idea why it works but it does. 


Do you ever suffer from a lack of motivation, energy, or downright procrastination?  I do and have to fight it every day. The exercise is this. Lets say you are going to work out at 6 am and the alarm goes off. Your thoughts go directly to all the reasons not to get out of bed. Excuses run wild. But if you count backwards from 5 it gives you the lift to get going. 


I don't want to work out... 


5,4,3,2,1 go. 


It's crazy, but it works. What is even crazier is that 1,2,3,4,5 doesn’t work. It has to be a countdown like a rocket ship take off ??


Ally mentioning the author reminded me of the practice which I quit doing at some point. It makes no sense why we quit things that are working but that is another topic. 


So here you go. What do you not want to do today? Count down 5,4,3,2,1 and liftoff. I bet you go do it. 


I have to go make a call. Have a great Friday!

ExpectSuccess,
-Creg

1/3/25

Friday message 2025. Happy New Year! 50 more to come.


I had dinner with some friends a few nights ago and we were discussing travel and airline delays. There is hardly a day that goes by on social media that someone isn’t complaining about some kind of flight issue. I have certainly had mine as well, but my friend stated how he has come to accept them without getting upset. I too have accepted that as part of the deal with travel. Travel circumstances are out of our control and nothing we can say or do changes that. Getting mad or complaining at the person at the counter, which the situation wasn’t their fault either, doesn’t help you get anywhere anytime sooner. 


I then started thinking about how to apply this more in my life. There is a book Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff that discusses this in more detail. It does us no good to spend emotional capital on things out of our control. It all works out in the end. I pose a challenge. When you start feeling annoyed, ask yourself can I control this or is it out of my control? If it is out of your control, let it go. Get away from the issue and save your energy for things you can control.  Try and do this once per day and see how it works. 


Here’s to a great 2025. Control what you can control!


ExpectSuccess,

-Creg


12/27/24


Merry Christmas!


This message comes from infinite wisdom. I saw this post on Facebook. 


People wait all day for 5pm.

All week for Friday.

All summer for winter.

All winter for summer.

& all of life for happiness.

Don't let the pursuit of tomorrow

diminish the joy of today.


Sometimes it's little things that get me thinking. We get wrapped up in the self imposed pressures of the holidays instead of enjoying time with each other. 


Do you have children that don’t live with you anymore? Parents that might not be around next Christmas. The complex interworkings of family are challenges but keep in mind the challenges are better than the alternatives. 


Let's make a great effort to enjoy each moment for what it is. 


A gift. 


Smile, understand, put your petty feelings aside, and let's live right now for those around us. 


I do not do this enough. I am a terrible example, but I am going to change that this year. 


Come along on the appreciation sleigh ride this Christmas. 


Ho, Ho, Ho,

-Creg

12/20/24

My Friday message to my tribe. Please take these messages as they are intended. I do not think or suggest I have all the answers. I do not. I'm just trying to get better and share. 


I came across an interesting thought about our needs as humans. Beyond the basics of food, shelter, and clothing, what is the one need all humans have in common? The author claimed the need is significance. We all need to feel significant. 


I did not buy in at first and it took a while for it to sink in. 


Think about it. If your feelings are hurt, someone made you feel insignificant. If someone compliments you, there is a feeling of significance. If you are praised in public, or If you are left out and others are praised, it goes both ways on almost everything.  The amazing part is that it can be tiny acts or comments that make those around us feel significant. 


In this instance, it was a sales book, and the need to make clients feel significant but it is bigger than that. Make your mom and dad feel significant or worse make them feel insignificant by your actions. It’s the same with kids and strangers. Everyone!


What can you do today to make someone feel significant? Can you incorporate these acts into daily habits? You are getting this message today because you have significance in my life. Let’s keep it going today. Make a difference to someone in the next 30 minutes. Make someone feel significant immediately. 

ExpectSuccess,
-Creg

12/13/24

New World Leaders. 


How do I become a better leader? How do I help those around me achieve the goals and desires they have set for themselves? I was listening to a class on this topic and found a significant flaw in myself. Effective leaders in today’s society are dealing with 5 generations. Wow, and what is the most effective form of communication for all of those generations, you ask? Asking questions!!! Ask questions to those you are looking to help. The days of screaming and yelling and doing as I say are slipping away. 


Here is the example they used.  If someone is talking, and you are forming your response and answer while they are still speaking. You are not listening. You cannot effectively do both at the same time. 


Guilty as charged!!! As soon as I heard this I immediately caught myself multiple times that day doing precisely that. 


To lead you have to understand and to understand you have to listen. Only after you listen, can you lead people where they want to go.  You may listen and find out you are going in different directions and decisions need to be made, but trying to lead someone to the Atlantic Ocean and they want to see California doesn’t work. 


Test yourself. Are you answering before you have listened? If you are and I bet 100 percent of you do this, try stopping. It is brutally hard. 


If I can truly master this, I am on my way to being the effective leader my tribe deserves. 

ExpectSuccess,
-Creg

12/6/24

My dad was a football coach.  His personality and hard ass way of looking at life certainly has had a major impact on me and my development throughout life. His qualities are hard work, loyalty, and an undeniable never-quite attitude. 


I don’t know how old I was when these words of wisdom came to me but, I have never forgotten them and have drawn upon them many times throughout my life. 


He said if you are ever in a fight, and you think you are getting your ass whipped, just stay a little longer because the other guy is thinking the same thing. If you stay just a little longer you will win. If you knew my dad he was probably referring to a real fight, but I heard him say this to our football team time and time again. You hear this in other ways in messages from other motivational figures. Jim Valvano’s iconic speech while fighting cancer. Don’t give up, don’t ever give up. This is the same message. You quit once and you become a quitter for the rest of your life. I could go on, but I am sure you get the message. 


So today, we will all face something. No matter how hard it is, don’t quit, don’t ever give up because the guy on the other side will quit or give up. The guy on the other side may be a relationship, a job, a personal addiction. It applies to anything. Reach down deep and push through. 


Our tribe always comes out on the other side as winners. 


ExpectSuccess,

-Creg

11/29/24

We all know them. We have those friends that seem to have everything. Looking from the outside they seemingly have no reason to bitch, but that is all they do. They look for the bad in everything. 


My fruit plate at the restaurant didn’t have enough strawberries. The state of Illinois sucks. I want to move. Potholes in the road piss them off.  There is something wrong with everything and everyone. Everyone is an idiot. Nothing is good enough. They believe they are the ultimate judge and authority on everything. They have become the smartest guy/gal in the room. 


Why do I bring this up? We can’t change their behavior, right?  What if you look in the mirror? Is that you?  I have been doing a lot of self reflection lately and asked that question to myself. Was I becoming that person? What do I have a right to complain about? The answer is nothing, zero, natta.  


Constantly looking at the bad leads to a spiraling to the abyss. Withdrawal, loneliness, hate and bitterness. The good news, it can be stopped today. It's a choice and can be changed at a moment's notice. 


Be grateful for what you have. Enjoy the great quality in your friend and celebrate that. Enjoy the great month of weather we had in Illinois. Learn to like the grapes in your fruit salad. It's an attitude of gratitude ??. We get what we tolerate from ourselves. Tolerate hate and you get hate. Tolerate greatness and become great. Go look in the mirror!  Who are you and then decide who you are going to be today. 


ExpectSuccess,
Creg

11/22/24

My Friday Message to my Tribe. This is a long one so bear with me. Below are the words to a country song. Please read them and my comments after. He was driving home one evening in his beat up Pontiac when an old lady flagged him down. Her Mercedes had a flat. He could see that she was frightened standing out there in the snow 'Till he said "I'm here to help you ma'am By the way, my name's Joe." She said "I'm from St. Louis And I'm only passing through. I must've seen a hundred cars go by. This is awfully nice of you." When he changed the tire, and closed her trunk And was about to drive away She said "How much do I owe you?" Here's what he had to say: "You don't owe me a thing. I've been there too and someone once helped me out. Just the way I'm helping you. If you really wanna pay me back, here's what you do: Don't let the chain of love end with you." Well a few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe so she went in to grab a bite to eat. She couldn't help but notice how the waitress smiled so sweetly and how she must've been eight months along. She didn't know her story and she probably never will. When the waitress went to get her change from a hundred dollar bill the lady slipped right out the door and on a napkin left a note. There were tears in the waitress's eyes when she read what she wrote. You don't owe me a thing I've been there too and someone once helped me out just the way I'm helping you. If you really wanna pay me back here's what you do. Don't let the chain of love end with you. That night when she got home from work the waitress climbed into bed she was thinking 'bout the money and what the lady's note had said. As her husband lay there sleeping she whispered soft and low Everything's gonna be alright; "I love you, Joe." 


The chain of love. The point is this is a circular world. Your goodness in your heart is always rewarded. It will not always be immediate but it will come back to serve you. The contacts you make serve you. We get up every day and have a chance to start a chain of love. Your mission today. Start a chain of love. My chain started with this message. Now it is your turn.

ExpectSuccess,

-Creg