Category Archives: Challenges

Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor

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“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.”

—Truman Capote, 20th Century American novelist, playwright and actor

Image from Unsplash by the blowup

Wendy and I recently spent a week in Florida to help celebrate one of our dear friend’s 90th birthday. This special lady is only four feet eight inches tall and probably weighs only a bit more than my five-year-old grandson.

During our time together, I had numerous chances to discuss some of her challenging life events and pivotal moments that helped shape who she is.

It is often said that good things come in small packages—in her case, I’m sure that her keen wit, energy and enthusiastic love of life had folks come from near and far to celebrate her flavorful life!

EXERCISE:

How would a shift from seeing failure as a bitter pill to a tasty condiment give your life more flavor to savor in the years ahead?

 

Deep roots are not reached by the frost

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“Deep roots are not reached by the frost.”

—J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of The Rings

Image from Unsplash by Ross Stone

Over the last month, much attention has focused on the many wildfires in Canada and their significant impact on the air quality in many North American cities.

Canada has 28% of the world’s Boreal Zones, which represents 552 million hectares (a hectare is about 2.5 acres or 10,000 square meters). About 75% of this area is forest and woodlands.

Forest fires have a renewal capacity to keep these relatively young forests spanning the earth in other countries including the United States, Norway, Sweden, Russia, and China.

Some additional good news to counter the carbon releasing aspects of these fires is that their roots go deep enough to keep these trees alive through the often-bitter cold winters experienced in these regions. Many bird species and animals—such as caribou—count on this deeply rooted ecosystem to thrive.

EXERCISE:

Where in your life are you deeply rooted?

How does this capacity help you survive and thrive during the burning and frigid aspects of life?

“When elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers.”

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“When elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers.”

—African proverb

Image from Unsplash by Jonathan Plugaru

Who are the elephants in your world? Take a look through your personal and professional communities. Look also beyond your immediate communities to national and global elephants that are throwing their weight around.

How are their skirmishes and all-out brawls impacting the grass and smaller, less powerful creatures beneath their feet? How much disruption, destruction, and scars are left that may never fully heal?

EXERCISE:

Where and how can you use the sunnier, milder days of the coming spring to calm the elephants in your world?

What actions can you take to reseed your world for all creatures to graze in peace?

Friday Review: Challenges

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FRIDAY REVIEW: CHALLENGES

How do you perceive and react to challenges in your life? Here are a few challenge-related posts you may have missed.

 

“No-one would ever have crossed the ocean if he could have gotten off the ship in the storm.”

 

 

 

 

“Some of the best gifts come wrapped in sandpaper.”

 

 

 

 

 

“I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The challenges that we face test us and help reveal our true potential.”

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“The challenges that we face test us and help reveal our true potential.”

—Jon Gordon, Author of The Carpenter

Image from Unsplash by Taylor Wilcox

In school, we receive a lesson and then take the test. In life, we are tested and challenged—and only then do we sometimes embrace the lesson.

How and in what ways are your personal and professional circumstances testing your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual capacities? Where are you being pushed and pulled to stretch beyond your perceived limits?

Where does your true potential lie beyond your current view of yourself?

Answering these questions many not always give us a full picture of our potential growth opportunities. Sometimes members of our communities who act as sounding boards or mirrors can reveal even more than we can visualize on our own.

EXERCISE:

Identify at least one family member, professional colleague, mentor, or coach to explore the various challenges and tests you are facing. Explore how such relationships can reveal even more of your true potential. Consider how taking on such a role for others can also enhance your own growth.

 

“Global Warming = Atmospheric Cancer.”

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“Global Warming = Atmospheric Cancer.”

Seth Godin, American Author

Image from Unsplash by nikohoshi

For the past century—and particularly the last few decades—most of us have been paying increased attention to climate change.

Signs of our industrialized society include increases in local and global temperatures, receding glaciers, and melting Arctic and Antarctic ice shelves. Even the lessening ability to see a night sky full of stars is an indicator.

One non-scientific observation I’ve made recently is the seeming bluer skies and fresher air I experience on my daily walks. My neighbors and their dogs seem to notice as well.

Perhaps taking our feet off the gas pedals of our lives is giving our beautiful planet time to breathe and begin healing.

EXERCISE:

How can we all continue to take far better care of our extraordinary planet as we continue to combat, treat, and prevent the impact of COVID-19 and other local, national, and global challenges?

“The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”

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“The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”

—Lin Yutang, 20th Century Chinese inventor, novelist, and philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Faye Cornish

To what degree are you a wisdom seeker?

Would you also describe yourself as an explorer and life-long learner, looking to grasp and understand what makes us and everything around us work?

Given the considerable challenges facing all of us and the world, it is natural to see the need to work harder than ever to hold our ground and not regress and be defeated.

Perhaps instead of life being a series of adding more and more in order to feel better, it may be time for a bit of selective editing in which less is more.

EXERCISE:

Where would limiting or eliminating some of the non-essentials in your life lead you toward greater wisdom?

Feel free to reply to this post with the actions you intend to take.

Conflict is essential to progress

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“Conflict is essential to progress. No matter how much the engine revs, without friction the wheels cannot move forward.”

—Rob Reinalda, Executive Editor at Lawrence Ragan Communications

Image from Unsplash by Simon English

Here in Michigan, especially around the Detroit area, the Car/SUV/Truck is still king of the road. Toward the end of January, we had a bit of foul, frigid weather, including one particular morning in which my driveway was a sheet of black ice.

Without the expected traction from the driveway, I struggled to make it to my car and barely avoided falling, which was probably a comical sight to neighbors who may have been watching!

EXERCISE:

Where are you experiencing a lack of traction, or feel you are spinning your wheels?

Where do you notice conflict or areas of friction related to an important relationship or project?

How might this gritty or challenging situation actually be the source of friction that helps you move things forward?

“Let no one keep you from your journey.”

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“Let no one keep you from your journey.”

—Mark Nepo, American poet and spiritual adviser

Image from Unsplash by Clemens van Lay

Where are you headed today, this week, this year?

What are your short and long term goals and objectives, personally and professionally?

Toward the start of each year, questions like these are asked so frequently that we often drown them out much like the safety instructions before a flight.

What if we now answered these questions on a far deeper level than at any other time in our lives?

What are your answers? If they don’t ignite a spark or engulf you in flames of passion and excitement, you’ve got more work to do and could perhaps use the support of a coach, mentor, close colleague, or family member.

EXERCISE:

What could possibly stop you from pursuing and fully realizing what you deeply desire?

How will you prevent anyone – including yourself – from keeping you from your journey?

Consider looking up Mark Nepo and exploring his work more fully.

“There are no ‘pretty good’ alligator wrestlers.”

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“There are no ‘pretty good’ alligator wrestlers.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Matthew Essman

It’s unlikely that there is a Junior Alligator Wrestling League in your community or school system.

What parent would send their child off to such an activity, hoping they would rise in the ranks, and bring home the Champion Trophy – not to mention all their appendages?

Our world is hyper-competitive and sports include a significant risk of injury. Still, many families with an interest in fitness and athletic activities participate, knowing full well that their children are unlikely to make it to the Olympics or turn pro at some point.

Meanwhile, in the working world more and more people are finding that being only “pretty good” puts them at risk of being eaten by the alligators swimming in their vocational waters.

EXERCISE:

What efforts can and will you include in your “pretty great” developmental journey in the year ahead?