Category Archives: Energy

No problem of human making is too great to be overcome

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“No problem of human making is too great to be overcome by human ingenuity, human energy, and the untiring hope of the human spirit.”

—George H.W. Bush, 41st President of the United States

Image of George HW Bush

Image from Huffpost

Do you watch the news and follow current events? If you do, my guess is that you may see the world is in quite a mess, with problems around every corner.

We don’t need to look at just the global, national, or regional events presented to us by the media. We need only look to our own back yards, within our communities and families to see our immediate challenges.

Would you believe me if I told you that there is fact-based evidence that the world as a whole is in many ways far better off than at any other point in human history?

Imagine a media outlet focused exclusively on the power and impact of human ingenuity, energy, and the hopeful efforts of the human spirit.

EXERCISE:

Do some research for yourself into how mankind is actually coming together to solve some of our most pressing problems.

A few books you may consider reading on this subject are:
Abundance by Peter Diamandis
Factfulness by Hans Rosling
Thank You for Being Late by Thomas Friedman

 

The Best Cure for a Sluggish Mind

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“The best cure for a sluggish mind is to disturb its routine.”

—William H. Danforth, 20th Century Founder of The American Youth Foundation

Image of Book Cover

Are you a Lark or an Owl?

Said another way: Are you a morning person or a night person?

Larks are at their best in the morning and usually hit their low energy walls at mid-afternoon.

Owls start their days a bit more slowly, hit their peak at mid-morning, and work productively much later into the day.

In his book, WHEN, Daniel Pink points out that both Larks and Owls need to insert breaks and even an occasional nap into their days. We need this to break up the marathon lives we live and cure our sluggish minds.

EXERCISE:

Where in your day would you most benefit from a change or break, in order to renew or recharge?

Consider blocking out 15-30 minutes each day over the next week, and see what you notice about your effectiveness and productivity.

“Energy is contagious: either you affect people or you infect people.”

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“Energy is contagious: either you affect people or you infect people.”

—T. Harv Eker, author, businessman and motivational speaker

Image from Flickr by Tree Leaf Clover

When was the last time you had a cold? I bet there was a good chance you know who passed it on to you. The energy generated by those around us can have a similar impact on our health, well-being, and overall disposition.

Which people in your life give you that pick-me-up feeling? Which ones seem to suck the life out of you and make you feel ill, due to their negativity?

Exercise:

Create a list of people in your personal and professional life that you would place on either the positive or negative ends of the energy spectrum. Make an effort to only allow yourself to be “zapped” and not “sapped” as you adjust whom you spend your time with.

Extra credit: A quick and easily read book on the subject, particularly in a business context, is Zapp! The Lightning of Empowerment. Reading it will also help you become more of a “zapper” and less of a “sapper” in the lives of others.

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

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“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

– Oprah Winfrey, talk show host and actress

448Image from Flickr by danxoneil.

Oprah Winfrey sets a wonderful example of a person of passion. From her early years in broadcasting to her 25 amazing years with her own network show, she lived and worked true to these words.

How passionate are you? What is it like for you on Sunday evening or on Monday morning as you embark on the day ahead?

Exercise:

Pay particular attention to your daily levels of passion, energy and excitement. They are barometers for a fully engaged life.

Be prepared to make some needed changes and to become your own “weather forecaster”, paying attention to these barometers so you can have that feeling of living a powerful and passionate life.

Please consider replying to this message and let me know what you plan to do differently and what results you produce from these changes.

“Don’t fight forces: use them.”

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 “Don’t fight forces: use them.”

– R. Buckminster Fuller, architect and inventor

As a former science teacher, I have always been interested in the forces of nature. Consider wind energy and wave energy, two forces of nature we often face in our outdoor activities.

If you happen to play golf, you know what it is like to drive a ball into 20 mile per hour headwind versus having the same breeze at your back.

In terms of water energy, have you ever tried to swim or boat against the current or through an oncoming wave?

Exercise:

Explore the personal, professional, social and cultural forces around you to see how you might use these energies versus fight against them to move forward in your life.