You know it, now do it

Thursday August 25, 2011 #345

 “You see, in life, lots of people know what to do, but few people actually do what they know. Knowing is not enough! You must take action.”

~Tony Robbins

While it can be true that you are not making the progress you’d like because of some skill, talent, or resource you lack, usually your lack of progress is simply your unwillingness to act on what you already know.  Take some time to reflect on your own situation.  Is there something you lack?  If so, you must take action to gain what it is you need.  More than likely however, you know just what to do and have the knowledge and resources you need.  Determine why you are not taking action and resolve to just get on with the action you know you need to take.  You know it, now do it.

Making progress with our own efforts

Tuesday August 23, 2011 #344

 “Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.”

~Peter Marshall

I just attended a rather inspiring leadership conference in which the participants grew to understand that nothing stands in the way of their progress other than themselves.  It is a great leadership lesson that as individuals we can and will create extraordinary change in our organizations if we will stop waiting for grand programs and desired resources, and simply get on with making progress with our efforts and the resources we already possess.

Time to be the best you

Thursday August 18, 2011 #343

“Don’t be fooled by the calendar.  There are only as many days in the year as you make use of.” 

~Charles Richards

Yes, there is always tomorrow. But when will you decide today is the time to be the best you?

Life is to be lived

Tuesday August 16, 2011 #342

 “Life is ours to be spent, not to be saved.”

~D.H. Lawrence

A reminder to not “wait until there is time” to take action on your important life goals, particularly those that strengthen you physically, emotionally, or spiritually.  Life is to be lived.  Live it.  Never assume you’ll have the time later.

Focusing our Imagination

Thursday August 11, 2011 #341

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.”

~Mark Twain

A real gift of being with a child is watching the world through their eyes.  Their imaginations are limitless and a balloon or a cardboard box have the capacity to enchant and delight.  Take a moment today and open your mind and your imagination to limitless possibilities.  Viewing the world today with these open eyes will reveal amazing possibilities which were there all along.

Balancing learning with doing

Tuesday August 9, 2011 #340

“I still find each day too short for all of the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.”

~John Burroughs

Today I am thinking about balance.  With so much amazing information available via digital platforms, one can get lost in the ever-increasing wealth of knowledge waiting to be learned.  It is important to balance the learning with doing, and putting that knowledge to work in the real world with real people and situations.  By all means, take advantage of the online knowledge, art, music, culture, and discussions waiting for your participation.  Just remember to use what you learn and experience to better your world and positively influence and interact with those around you.

The Excitement of Possibilities

Thursday August 4, 2011 #339

“Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.”

~Gloria Steinem

I hope the last two JAMs inspired you to reflect on your goals, allowed you to give yourself credit for progress made, and let you think about whether your goals align to dreams in which you passionately believe.  I was recently on vacation and spent some time reflecting on my own goals and doing some dreaming about what the next couple of years has in store for me, my family, and my work.  I am reenergized and focused on the excitement of the possibilities in each area of my life.  What about you?

Passionate Belief

Tuesday August 2, 2011 #338

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

~Anatole France

I have spoken many times here about the need to set strong goals, plan clearly how to achieve them, and then take action to move forward daily.  Another key aspect of accomplishment and happiness is dreaming and believing in those dreams.  I have watched many people brilliantly setting goals and realistic yet challenging plans and to achieve them.  And yet often they don’t move because in fact these brilliantly laid out plans are not inspiring.  We get inspired by passionate belief in possible outcomes.  To create passion you have to dream a bit, let go of convention and safety and really reach in your mind to exciting possibilities.  So dream, dream big, and above all else believe in your dreams.  From that foundation of passionate belief, build your processes to move you toward your dreams.