“Coasting only happens when …”

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Barry

“Coasting only happens when you are going downhill.”

—Mike Rayburn, one of the youngest inductees in the Speaker Hall of Fame

Photo from dimitri.co.uk

When was the last time you took a bike ride outdoors? Try to remember a specific ride with many hills. Close your eyes and visualize the effort and “burn” it took to climb the steepest and longest hills. Experience the relief of going over the crest, when you began coasting, allowing gravity to make your journey far easier.

EXERCISE:

Examine some of the current professional or personal hills you are on, or intend to climb. How will the pursuit of reaching the top make you even stronger for future challenges?

If you happen to notice that there are very few or no hills ahead, perhaps you are coasting, and headed downward. Make a point, once you have relaxed or recovered, to find the next hill worth climbing.

“If it scares you, it may be…”

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Barry

“If it scares you, it may be a good thing to try.”

-Seth Godin, American Author

QC #803

As I examine my own life and identify its highlights, I realize that many of them involved overcoming a fear in order to achieve some form of breakthrough. Among them are:

Starting my first business at age eleven!
Risking rejecting in applying to a highly competitive high school.
The “What Ifs” of resigning from a secure yet unsatisfying Fortune 500 career to enter the coaching profession when it was in its infancy.
The fear of judgement as I began speaking to increasingly large groups of people.
Risking potential criticism and judgement in writing and publishing my own blog and book.

EXERCISE:

Examine the things that have scared you over the years, and look at what scares you today. Where would giving some of these things a try help you overcome the fears and bring you even greater rewards and life satisfaction?

“There is no elevator to success…”

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Barry

“There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs.”

-Author Unknown

Stairs to the Crown of the Statue of Liberty
Photo from Buildipedia.com

The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor has 356 steps.
The Washington Monument in Washington D.C. has 897 steps.
The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, has 1,710 steps.
The Empire State Building in New York City has 1,860 steps.

Your journey to success has ? steps.

When I was a young adult, I visited New York City, seeing many of its sites, including the Statue of Liberty. I actually walked up the entire 354 steps, to look out what, at the time, were some pretty small windows.

I distinctly remember the tremendous burn in my thighs, my loss of breath, a good bit of sweating, and my legs feeling like jello on the way down.

These days, I see many people looking for the elevators and escalators of life, hoping to break little or no sweat on their journey to success.

For many—including myself—it is through burning efforts and striving that we most often achieve and truly appreciate our greatest successes.

EXERCISE:

Where in your past have you taken the stairs of life and achieved success?

What climbing is still required of you in order to rise to your next level of professional and personal achievement?

There is a very useful book by Rory Vaden titled Take the Stairs. It may help you get off on the right foot!

“Your big opportunity may be…”

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Barry

“Your big opportunity may be right where you are now.”

—Napoleon Hill, American author of personal-success literature

QC #737-01

How fulfilled and content with life are you at this moment? How perfect are your personal and professional situations? How often do you find yourself longing for some other place, some other future, where you believe you will be far happier?

EXERCISE:

Imagine that some amazing technology company invented a new device called the “Opportunity-O-Matic,” and you are among the early adopters. When you use the device, you discover, pursue, and realize wondrous possibilities of life, right at your own doorstep.

Perhaps we already have such a device installed in our minds and hearts, momentarily turned to Airplane mode. Are you ready to flip the switch?

“Man is a genius when he is dreaming.”

Posted on February 4, 2015 by Barry

“Man is a genius when he is dreaming.”

—Akira Kurosawa, 20th Century Japanese Filmmaker

Image from amazon.com

I am currently reading The Big Idea – How Breakthroughs of the Past Shape the Future , compiled by National Geographic. This visually stunning and well-organized manuscript explores some of the big ideas and big thinkers of the past and the present, who are shaping our present and future.

If you have an interest in health and medicine, transportation and space exploration, information and communication, biology and the environment, chemistry and material, physics, or the cosmos, this book is a gem!

EXERCISE:

What are your dreams for your professional or personal life, or for that matter, the world? How can you realize these dreams by tapping into the big ideas of others and capturing more of your inner genius?

“Dogs don’t bark at cars that are parked!”

Posted on January 29, 2015 by Barry

“Dogs don’t bark at cars that are parked!”

—Ken Blackwell, Former Ohio Secretary of State

photo from freehdw

I’ve been watching a lot of programs lately about northern Alaska. Along with its rugged landscapes and beautiful, diverse wildlife, is the night sky as you head north of the Arctic Circle.

Although the stars and the view of the Milky Way are stunning, there is perhaps no phenomenon as captivating as the Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights. What captures our attention is the beautiful colors, and the fact that they are constantly moving – you might say they dance across the night sky.

EXERCISE:

What actions and activities can you add to your efforts today that will give you and others something to bark about?

“All you can do is all you can do.”

Posted on January 22, 2015 by Barry

“All you can do is all you can do.”

-Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle

Tech entrepreneur and self-made billionaire Larry Ellison is one of the wealthiest men in America. He created Oracle, the second-highest selling software in the world.
Clearly he has been, and is, a pretty driven individual, to have reached this level of accomplishment.

What percent of his full mental, physical, emotional, and perhaps spiritual capabilities do you think he summons on a daily basis?

Now it is your turn. Examine your own levels of personal and professional accomplishments and check in with yourself. What percent of your fullest capacities have you accessed?

EXERCISE:

If you left it all on the field today by doing all you can do, what could you possibly get done? What results would you see in your life if you made this a daily practice?

“Life is like playing the violin…”

Posted on December 8, 2014 by Barry

“Life is like playing the violin in public and learning the instrument as one goes on.”

—Samuel Butler, 19th century English author

Photo from Flickr by Bunches and Bits

We’ve all heard the phrase “Life is not a dress rehearsal.” We are constantly on stage, learning as we go. The good news is that this is exactly how we learn best, through the day-to-day experiences that mold and shape our character and spirit.

Sometimes, though, our fears take over and we remain on the sidelines, watching others venture on stage and observe how things turn out for them. Often we see them fail or fall short, and think that their experience confirms our reasons for playing it safe.

Samuel Butler tells us otherwise in this quote. To be a virtuoso at life, we must engage as fully as possible, knowing that this daily effort can lead us to harmony and success.

EXERCISE:

Consider Malcolm Gladwell’s “Rule of 10,000 hours” as a way of orchestrating personal mastery and the success and fullness of your own life.

“Show me someone who has done …”

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Barry

“Show me someone who has done something worthwhile, and I’ll show you someone who has overcome adversity.”

—Lou Holtz, retired American football player, coach, and active sportscaster

Photo from Flickr by twiga269

Think about the greatest accomplishments of your life. If you can, arrange them chronologically, from the achievements of your childhood to those of the present day. Which moments brought you the most joy and fulfillment? Now consider the struggles and challenges you faced, and the effort it took to make your goals real.

In this quote, Holtz is giving us a bit of coaching to follow this practice as we tackle each of our days ahead.

EXERCISE:

What adverse conditions or situations are you facing at this moment? What is it worth to you to overcome these adversities in order to reach your most cherished professional or personal goals? How will you summon the personal courage and support of those around you to achieve your desires?

“If you know what to do…”

Posted on December 1, 2014 by Barry

“If you know what to do to reach your goal, it’s not a big enough goal.”

– Bob Proctor, Author and Speaker

Photo from Flickr by Beth Jusino

Do you find yourself thinking a goal you’ve set is just too far beyond your reach or capabilities?

Today’s quote suggests that we must strive toward the goals we think are too big, too far away, too hard to realize, even when we are not certain how to reach them. Everything else is just “playing it safe.”

EXERCISE:

Review your list of current goals. Is there enough “stretch” in them to truly support the achievement and personal growth you desire? If you find your list a bit lacking, consider working with a coach, mentor, or committed colleague to go a bit bigger.