Inspiration

Thursday February 23, 2017 #865

“All the effort in the world won’t matter if you’re not inspired.”

~Chuck Palahniuk

We work, work, work at our personal and professional activities.  Why is the result so often not what we imagined for ourselves?  Usually a mediocre result stems from a lack of inspiration.  Hard work, without inspiration, rarely takes us to our dreams.  Only when hard work is combined with inspiration do we really achieve our potential.  The point is to ensure that your efforts are aimed at goals that truly inspire you.  Take time to reflect on your goals and ask if their achievement is something that inspires you.  If not, rethink your path and the people who are on that path with you.  When you are inspired by the journey you are on and the people you’re traveling with, everything is possible!

Purpose & Action

Thursday February 9, 2017 #863

“I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in life, therefore, I demand of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment, and I here and now promise to render such action.”

~Napoleon Hill

That’s quite a pledge!  Do you have the courage to make such a commitment?  Most importantly, do you have the faith in your ability to achieve?  If so, then use that faith as well as commitment and persistence to do what is necessary to make progress every day to fulfilling your purpose.  If not, reflect on what is most important to you and develop your personal vision for who and what you want to be – personally and professionally.  Then, make the commitment to ACT.

Vision + Venture

Tuesday February 7, 2017 #862

“Vision is not enough, it must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, we must step up the stairs.”

~Vaclav Havel

This poetic quote hits home with my favorite theme:  intentional action to make things happen.  In order for you to make a meaningful move to achieving your most critical personal and professional goals, you must have two things: A clear vision of what achievement will look like – as specific as possible, and the courage and persistence to make progress through daily intentional actions.

Are you clear on what you want to attain?  Take some time to make sure you are clear and that your goals are aligned with your true vision of who and what you want to be.

Are you willing to fight through obstacles even of your own making?  If not, you may have the wrong goals.  If they are right, you will find the courage, passion and persistence to take the necessary actions to succeed.

Decide & Act

Thursday February 2, 2017 #861

“Remember, a real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken new action. If there’s no action, you haven’t truly decided.”

~Anthony Robbins

We have many opinions and we often think we have decided a firm course of action.  However, often we don’t act on our opinions and decisions. Without action, a decision remains an opinion.  Having an opinion is easy.  Doing something about it is the hard part.  There is much to be done in our personal and professional lives.  Even the smallest act in service of your desired path is meaningful.  Decide what to do, what to be, and go do it, go be it.

Listen and Learn

Thursday January 26, 2017 #860

“I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So, if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.”

~Larry King

This is one of the hardest lessons for most of us to learn – how to stop talking and truly listen.  Even when we’re not talking, we’re often strategizing what to say next vs. really listening.  Some of this is due to the speed of life, some is just human nature.  Regardless, the quote rings true:  we learn almost nothing when we’re talking.  So the simple message today is to push back on your normal behavior and intentionally listen, truly listen, and see what you can learn.  Everyone knows something you don’t know, has a gift they can share, and has the human need to be heard.  By simply listening, you can create lasting value for you and others.

Missing Life

Tuesday January 17, 2017 #859

“One of the main reasons people feel dissatisfaction with their life is because they’re missing it. When we’re not present, we become a little numb.”

~Meghan Camp

It is a little frightening when you add up all the time spent in social media, watching mind-numbing TV, and even doing “work” but the mindless, check-the-box without real thinking work….    How much time are we actually present in what we are doing?  Noticing the people and activities around us?  Psychologists have shown that much of our dissatisfaction with life and even depression comes from too little real engagement with the world and people around us.  The good news is that much of this is in our control.  But it takes conscious and intentional action to stay present, aware and engaged.  Turn off the mobile phone as you walk to your next meeting and actually notice the people you encounter.  Say hello.  Ask about their families, their work; ask if they need any help.  You will be amazed how this one action opens you up to the possibility of all that is around you but which you rarely notice.  This is just the start of a more engaged, present existence.  It can make all the difference in building a satisfying life.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Thursday January 12, 2017 #858

“I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don’t feel so bad…”

~Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins)

I hope you used my last JAM to remove some negative inputs into your life and added positive replacements.  If you haven’t, I invite you to stop, re-read Tuesday’s JAM, and make these powerful changes to help you achieve your goals for 2017.

If you have done it – great!  You’ve made a significant positive step to a better you.  However, watch out.  There will always be challenges to your intentions.  Those negative inputs you intend to stop are likely part of some fairly hard-wired habits that will tug at you to return to your pre-changed comfortable “normal” way of life.  It may sound corny, but today’s quote, lyrics from a favorite childhood movie memory for me (and probably you), is something that plays in my head when I need a reminder to focus on my positive inputs – or what I call “my favorite (positive) things”.  For me, these include more time with my wife and my family.  It also includes reading inspiring books (usually on Kindle), having intellectual discussions/debates on a wide variety of subjects with colleagues and friends, and helping colleagues solve challenges and achieve positive results.  What are your favorite (positive) things?

Deciding What to Let In

Tuesday January 10, 2017 #857

“Control your inputs.  Not just what you eat and drink (though this will have a profound impact), control what you read, what you watch, what you listen to, what notifications you allow on your phone, where you spend your time, who you spend it with.  Guard your gates with care.”

~Nick  Crocker

Ok… So the New Year has started and you’ve probably unofficially, if not officially, set goals for yourself for improving aspects of your life.  These goals are probably around improving all or some of these:  your health, your relationships, your financial situation and/or career, and your sense of well-being.  And now the hard part begins:  starting, actually making progress, and keeping to your intended actions.  One thing I have found that has a profound impact on the success of achieving my goals is controlling what I allow in.  What I mean by this is well described by today’s quote.  It is important to control your inputs:  who you spend time with, what you read and watch on TV, the internet, movies, and your social media accounts.  If you don’t adjust your inputs from what you allowed in in 2016, don’t be surprised when you struggle to make the changes necessary to meet your goals for 2017.  Think about each of your goals and determine to only intentionally let into your consciousness those people, ideas, and experiences that support your goals.  It will be different for each of you so I can’t be completely prescriptive, but don’t just limit the “bad” stuff.  Also carefully add positive messages, people and experiences to replace the negatives or the things that lead to laziness and lack of action.  What should you stop?  What should you add?  Make a list and start today.

Intentional Gratitude

Thursday December 29, 2016 #856

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”

~Brian Tracy

I believe in order to have sustained satisfaction with life and even happiness, we must actively find the positive in our personal and business lives.  It is so easy to see the negatives and much harder to see the positive.  But find them we must.  We choose in every moment to wear the lenses of positive possibility or the lenses of negativity.  When we choose to look for the positive, we can always find it.  And when we do, we must be thankful for it and be grateful for every positive element we encounter.  Each reflection of gratitude makes it easier to find and honor the next.  Make it a habit for 2017 to practice intentional reflection on the many positives, large and small, in your personal and professional life.  You’ll be glad you did!

Authentic Caring

Tuesday December 27, 2016 #855

“I had begun to understand that business and life have a lot in common with a hug.  The best way to get a good one was first to give one.”

~Danny Meyer

As you enjoy your family and friends this holiday season it is a good time to remember the incredible power of expressions of authentic caring, especially hugs!  We all crave human touch and most of us realize the best way to get our fill of hugs is to reach out and give one.

As I think about returning to my business life and the need for authentic relationships to drive sustainable business success, this quote rings true.  If you want trust, give trust.  If you want authentic relationships, be authentic.  And so on…  Plan for real and virtual hugs in the New Year!