“Although we are responsible for…”

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Barry

“Although we are responsible for our own happiness, having a friend who opens more doors than we close is truly one of life’s greatest blessings.”

-Author Unknown

photo from ilicoreleadership.org

If you happen to believe the adage, “No man is an island,” today’s quote is for you. In virtually no area of human achievement do you see any great, overwhelming examples of the “Lone Ranger Approach” succeeding in the long run. And come to think of it, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto by his side.

EXERCISE:

How can you further your own happiness journey by fostering better, deeper, and more satisfying personal and professional friendships? Where can you be an even more valuable friend and blessing to others?

“When you stay away from your soul…”

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Barry

“When you stay away from your soul the distance you have traveled is measured by the aching of your heart.”

-Dodinsky, author of “In the Garden of Thoughts”

Image from BeautifulRumi.com

On a scale of one to ten, how well do you live consistently with the phrase, “To thine own self be true”? If you score high in this attribute, my guess is that you experience great personal power and life satisfaction. If you score yourself considerably lower, I’d expect you may feel and experience an aching loss of power and fulfillment.

EXERCISE:

Consider completing the Life Vision Exercise, and consider sending me your personal Top Ten list. Rate yourself on the same one-to-ten scale with regard to how consistently you express these values in both your professional and personal communities. Determine what new and different actions are required to heal your aching heart, to experience the full soulful power within in.

The Life Vision Exercise

List your top 20 – 30 core values.

Cut this list in half, and then in half again, to get to the real core.
Next, create a life vision statement, using all of the final list and perhaps most of the second list of values.
Wordsmith this vision until you feel it is 100% you.
Now use your vision statement as the context to inspire your actions in every area of your life: it can help you become happier and more fulfilled.

“A person’s actions…”

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Barry

“A person’s actions will tell you everything you need to know.”

-Author Unknown

QC #796

Throughout my professional life I have been a people-watcher. When I attend seminars, workshops, meetings, and networking events, I pay very close attention to what people say, and even more to what they do.

In the age of the internet and social media, it is easy to view someone’s LinkedIn profile and website to see what message they are sharing with the world. I have a strong interest and sincere desire to work with remarkable, talented individuals, and often seek opportunities to meet with them in person. I want to see to what degree their actions support their messages.

EXERCISE:

What messages are people receiving when they observe you in your professional or personal communities?

How clearly are you letting others know everything they need to know through your actions?

“I am definitely going to take a course…”

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Barry

“I am definitely going to take a course on time management, just as soon as I can work it into my schedule.”

—Louis E. Boone, U.S. academic author

Photo from Flickr by Jeremy Osterhouse

If you are like most people, time management is an area that could use a bit of improvement. Who doesn’t want to accomplish more in less time? Who wouldn’t want to have more time to enjoy the pleasures of life?

The paradox is that you must invest more time to gain greater mastery in your management of this elusive commodity. Just like investing money usually creates greater wealth, investing time in mastering its allocation and use can pay huge dividends.

EXERCISE:

Please consider the following three resources:

If you only have 15-20 minutes, feel free to download my free workbook on Time Management Strategies and Tactics, or simply reply to this post and I will send it to you.
Pick up and study a copy of Getting Things Done by David Allen
Consider reading The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz

“Travel and change of place…”

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Barry

“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.”

-Seneca, Roman statesman & tutor to Nero

Photo from Flickr by Eelke de Blouw

Traveling in Europe was a learning smorgasbord. I did all I could to taste the variety and abundance of its offerings, including:

The variety of languages	multiple currencies
Jaw-dropping architecture	Local customs & traditions
Music & art	Great food and drink
Business & commerce	Politics & religion
The natural beauty & history of the region

As an American, I was shocked at how my mental models and perceptions of the world have limited me and kept my world reasonably small. As a business and personal coach, I plan to take the blinder off, in particular with my coaching colleagues who live beyond my doorstep.

EXERCISE:
How can you more fully benefit from your own travels and change of place to experience greater vigor in your journey of the mind?

“The trouble with life in the fast lane…”

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Barry

“The trouble with life in the fast lane is that you get to the other end in an awful hurry.”

—Author Unknown

Photo from Flickr by Tristan Schmurr

At no time in history have we ever been more productive, and achieved more in our professional and personal lives. Who doesn’t find themselves racing through their days to keep up or stay ahead of the pack?

Unfortunately, this increase in achievement and productivity is often associated with considerably more stress and less fulfillment and satisfaction.

Examine the following list of daily activities many people engage in, and notice your own level of urgency to finish them as quickly as possible:

Reading email and other forms of written communication.
Eating your daily meals.
Conversations with friends, family, and colleagues.
The number of hours of sleep you get each night.
Your driving speed throughout your day.
Your propensity to multitask.

EXERCISE:

How and where in your life would a slower pace, taking the time to savor sights, sounds, and tastes bring you greater success and satisfaction throughout the day?

You Cannot Master

Posted on May 20, 2015 by Barry

“Though you can love what you do not master, you cannot master what you do not love.”

—Mokokoma Mokhonoana, South African Philosopher and Social Critic

Photo from makesafetyfun.com

Generally, the people who experience the greatest success and fulfillment in their professional lives demonstrated three key factors:

They are enthusiastic and passionate about their work. Many would engage in whatever it is they do even if the monetary rewards were more modest.
Because they love what they do, they commit massive amounts of time to the practice, and eventual mastery, of the skills involved.
The final piece that accompanies this love and mastery is often the value ascribed to it by the meritocracy in which we live, and the rewards we often receive. How much is it worth in dollars and cents?

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can doing more of what you love lead you toward a life of greater mastery and success? Consider reading one or more of these books, which speak in one form or another, to the spirit of today’s quote:

What to Do When it’s Your Turn by Seth Godin
Linchpin by Seth Godin
Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar
The Happiness Project by Gretchen Ruben

“You can be the ripest…”

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Barry

“You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Flickr by SkySeeker

We live in a world of astounding abundance and variety. Consider the number of choices we have these days in the following areas:

Food choices in your local market
Television stations offered by your cable or satellite provider
Beverage choices at the coffee shop
Menu options at your favorite restaurant
Mobile apps and social media sites
The vehicles we choose to drive

EXERCISE:

How can you spend more of your professional and personal life with the “peach lovers” instead of driving yourself crazy trying to please everyone?

“Forgive them even if they’re not sorry.”

Posted on May 7, 2015 by Barry

“Forgive them even if they’re not sorry.”

-Julian Casablancas, lyricist (from the song “11th Dimension”)

Photo from westerngreatlakesdistrict.org

Perhaps no single human trait causes more damage than the fundamental need most of us have to be right.

When we assume this stance and other have an alternative point of view, they are, of course, wrong.

This vicious cycle often causes both parties to do and say things that are hurtful and often damaging.

Look at your own professional or personal worlds to examine where you see yourself inside this cycle. Notice how long it has been occurring, and just how much time and attention it takes from your days—time which could be spent far more enjoyably and productively.

EXERCISE:

How would the practice of forgiveness—even if those who have hurt you are not sorry —take the additional burden of these events off your shoulders? How would that help you lead a lighter and more fulfilling life?

“Spam is like shoplifting. [It’s] theft…”

Posted on May 4, 2015 by Barry

“Spam is like shoplifting. [It’s] theft of a tiny amount of a very valuable asset – (Time).”

Seth Godin, American author, entrepreneur, marketer, and public speaker

Photo from www.bookwormroom.com

Most people I work with value honesty and integrity. I’m pretty sure that none of them would consider themselves criminals, or in the case of today’s quote, shoplifters.

Consider the current state of your e-mail system. How many messages do you have at this moment? What percent of these messages are valuable and desirable? What percent are necessary but a cause for frustration? Finally, what percent do you consider spam that literally steals precious moments of your day?

EXERCISE:

What actions can you take today to more carefully utilize e-mail and perhaps social media as well, to recapture a bit more of the precious resource of time?

Consider discussing today’s quote with others in your professional and personal communities, to amplify the value of this exercise.