Category Archives: Ambition

Remove a Mountain

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“The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.”

-Chinese Proverb

Image of a boy carrying stones

Image from Flickr

Where are you today in regard to some of your most ambitious personal or professional goals for the new year? Are you in full stride, ahead of schedule?

Perhaps you are stalled, have lowered your sights considerably, or have stopped completely.

Today’s quote points to the small, consistent efforts we can all make on a daily basis to begin again, make progress, and eventually move mountains.

EXERCISE:

What are the “small stones” you will move today, to make progress toward your most desired personal or professional objectives?

Friday Review: Ambition

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Friday Review: Ambition

How well-defined are your ambitions? Here are a few ambition-related posts you may have missed. Click on the Quote to read the full message.

 

Just Ask image

 

“If there is something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ask.”

 

 

Image of seniors rollerblading

“What becomes fragile when we age is not our bodies as much as our egos. The best time to take some daring steps is when we get older.”

 

 

 

Image of hand placing a key in a lock

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”

 

 

Fresh Ambition

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“I love the smell of fresh ambition in the morning.”

-Author Unknown

image from aspiringmormonwomen.org

image from aspiringmormonwomen.org

In the late 90s I was lucky to meet Dr. Wayne Dyer, who was the keynote speaker at a coaching conference. Following his presentation, many of us stood in line to purchase Manifest Your Destiny, which was his new book at the time. I also purchased the optional CD titled Meditations to Manifest. I had always wanted to learn to meditate, and felt this was a good time to start.

The CD contained two meditations: one to kick start your morning, and the other to slow down your pace and quiet your mind in the evening, so you could recharge for another day as you slept.

I particularly liked the premise that each of us is endowed with a god-like quality to manifest our days as we choose.

EXERCISE:

What new or augmented morning habit or ritual could you engage in to help you inhale and pursue your highest ambitions each and every day?

“The will to win, the desire…”

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“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.”

—Author Unknown

Image from blog.builddirect.com

Image from blog.builddirect.com

Every two years the athletes of the world come together to participate in either the summer or winter Olympic Games. There is perhaps no other global spectacle that demonstrates the will to win, the desire to succeed, and the urge for these special athletes to realize their potential.

Few of us have ever competed on a profession or Olympic level in sports. Each of us, however, plays and competes each and every day in the game of life, in which professional and/or personal success is the goal.

EXERCISE:

What would a “Gold Medal Life” look like to you? How would establishing this goal in your heart and mind foster greater will and desire to more fully unlock your doors to personal excellence?

“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any [other] one thing.”

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“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any [other] one thing.”

– Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States

One of the questions I ask all of my coaching clients is, “What makes someone an excellent coach?”

People often include such attributes as:

  • Superior listening skills
  • Genuine caring
  • Diversity of expertise and experience
  • Optimism
  • Integrity
  • Commitment

Although all great qualities, this question – which happens to be a trick – has very little to do with the coach. The critical factor is you or in this case, the person being coached.

As Lincoln points out, your resolution to succeed and willingness to do the work is paramount to achieving your goals.

Exercise:

Assess how strong your resolution is to pursue and achieve greater results in your personal and professional life. What added support do you require from within and from those around you to ensure your success?

What becomes fragile when we age

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“What becomes fragile when we age is not our bodies as much as our egos. The best time to take some daring steps is when we get older.”

– Helen Hayes, actress

Image of seniors rollerblading

Prospective clients often ask me: Who are your coaches? Who supports you in living your best life?

Over the years, a number of key people who have supported me. The best and most enduring has been my 86-year-old father, Marvin. For over 56 years, he has been a steadfast supporter.

This past year, following the passing of my mom, my dad and I, along with my wonderful wife Wendy, engaged in what was, for us, some adventures:

  • A ride in a hot air balloon.
  • A safari in Disney World’s Animal Kingdom.
  • A high-speed adventure on the Test Track ride at Disney World.
  • A trip to the top of Mount Washington, the highest peak on the East Coast, on the famous Cog Railroad.
  • A canoe ride down the Delaware River.

Exercise:

Regardless of your age, how can you find a bit more daring and adventure to spice up your life, and engage others you care about in the journey?

Feel free to reply to this message with some of your own efforts to step out of your aging ego.

“Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy.”

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“Hard work without talent is a shame, but talent without hard work is a tragedy.”

– Robert Half, businessman


As a business coach for over 19 years, I have worked with over 1,000 individuals in a wide variety of professions. It is a shame when I see people working 60 hours or more each week in jobs that don’t play to their strengths and talents. Many of these people experience high levels of stress, which can sometimes lead to burnout and illness.

As a coach, I help people discover and develop their strengths and unique abilities and apply them in their work. Sometimes, these people have fallen short of their fullest potentials simply because they haven’t put in the time and effort to make the most of their abilities.

Exercise:

How can you further discover and develop your talents and put in the work – which hopefully will feel like play – to avoid the tragedy of not realizing your fullest potential?

“We are capable of greater things than we realize.”

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“We are capable of greater things than we realize.”

–Norman Vincent Peale, 20th Century author of The Power of Positive Thinking

Image from Unsplash by
Paola Aguilar

Sure, we have all heard similar thoughts from our teachers, parents, colleagues and friends. We even believe them to some extent. The question to consider here is “How much more are we actually capable of that is beyond our ability to truly believe?”

If thoughts become things, what must we do with our own thoughts, opinions, judgments, mental models and yes, personal paradigms, to free us from our own limiting beliefs?

Exercise:

As you think about and create plans for the coming year, ask the following questions of yourself and of those who know you best:

  • What am I capable of through the use of my mind in the coming year?
  • What am I capable of through the development and use of my body in the coming year?
  • What new spiritual developmental opportunities will I take in the coming year?

Extra Credit:

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something to gain

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“If there is something to gain and nothing to lose by asking, by all means ask.”

– W. Clement Stone, businessman and philanthropist

 

Just Ask image

One of my wife’s favorite quotes is, “If you don’t ask, the answer is no.” A related famous Wayne Gretzky quote is, “You miss 100% of the shots that you don’t take.”

What’s the worst thing that could happen if the answer you get is “no”?

What wonderful results would be possible if you get a few more “yeses” than you may expect?

Exercise:

Where in your professional life have you been reluctant to ask for what you want?

Place a few post-it notes in your work and home with the following phrase, based on the famous Nike slogan:
“Just ask.”