“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?

Trust when the answer is no

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Barry

“Trust that when the answer is ‘no,’ there’s a better ‘yes’ down the road.”

—Author unknown

Photo from Flickr by Abhi

Many people are familiar with the story of Thomas Edison’s 10,000-plus unsuccessful attempts to create the light bulb. His philosophy on such a high volume of failures was that the world was simply saying ‘no’ to the most recent attempt. He is quoted as saying, “I never failed. I only found 10,000 ways in which it did not work.”

Undaunted, he persisted in his efforts, always seeing a better way and getting to a ‘yes’ that would eventually light the world.

EXERCISE:

Where in your own life are you receiving your share of No’s?

How often do the No’s stop you? How often do they spur you on in faith, knowing that the better Yes’s of life may simply be a bit further down the road?

“Don’t step over dollars to pick up a dime.”

Posted on April 24, 2015 by Barry

“Don’t step over dollars to pick up a dime.”

—Author Unknown

Photo from Flickr by Chaval Brasil

Imagine you are in a room and suddenly a shower of money in all denominations falls from the ceiling. You happen to have an umbrella and open it quickly to avoid the downpour of coins clunking you on the head.

The financial storm comes to a halt after a few minutes, and you are given the challenge of picking up as much money as possible in a single minute, using only your hands. What strategy would you use to maximize your payoff?

My guess is that you would leave the coins where they lay and gather up as many bills as you could.

EXERCISE:

What activities do you step over daily, in order to pick up or pursue the lower value, “shiny objects” that take up a considerable portion of your day? How can you pass up the dimes of life and go for the dollars that can make life even more worthwhile?

“It’s time to make the donuts!”

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Barry

“It’s Time to Make the Donuts!”

—Dunkin Donuts

Photo from Flickr by Paehder

Readers of The Quotable Coach frequently ask me where I find the quotes. Beyond sites such as brainyquote.com, quotation apps, and the books I read, I often receive quotes, proverbs, and some just plain cool sayings from friends and colleagues.

Today, one of my friends from the health club notice that I was leaving about a half hour earlier than my usual time. He nonchalantly said, “It must be time to make the donuts!,” which is a branding phrase from Dunkin Donuts here in the United States.

The two take-aways for me in hearing this phrase were that I was up earlier than usual to get a start on my day, and that I had an important purpose to fulfill.

EXERCISE:

What important professional or personal project would have you wake up a bit earlier, get a jump on your day, and make some “delicious donuts” of your own?

“Patience is also a form of action.”

Posted on December 30, 2014 by Barry

“Patience is also a form of action.”

—Auguste Rodin, French Sculptor

Photo from Flickr by Karen Neoh

Rodin’s “The Thinker” is among the world’s most recognized works of art.

I wonder what Rodin would think about our 21st century, 24/7 world in overdrive.

Perhaps today his call for patience is an even more precious form of action that allows for better discernment, better decision making, and better actions.

EXERCISE:

With whom, and in what situations, would greater patience be the appropriate action in your life?

Please share your intention to expand your capacity for patience, to potentially reap greater benefits within your personal or professional communities.

“Friends are as companions on a journey…”

Posted on October 7, 2014 by Barry

“Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life.”

– Pythagoras, pre-Socratic Greek philosopher

Photo from Flickr by Funkyah

It is said that Pythagoras was the first man to call himself a philosopher, a lover of wisdom. Sources indicate that his ideas influenced Plato, and through him, all of western philosophy.

If this quote regarding being a friend to others was your predominate goal for each and every day, what results would be produced, and what level of happiness would you and others experience?

EXERCISE

Select one friend, family member, or colleague today to travel with to support and encourage their journey to a happier life. Imagine a world where everyone did this!

To Conquer Ourselves

Posted on September 15, 2014 by Barry

”It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

– Sir Edmund Hillary, the first climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

Photo from Flickr by Popeyed

Sir Edmund Hillary is one of the world’s most famous mountain climbers. His adventures to the top of Mount Everest, the tallest mountain in the world, are legendary.

Hillary knew that we must first face and climb our internal mountains if we are ever to surmount the challenges we face in our outer worlds.

EXERCISE:

What external mountains do you need to face or climb? How will you summon the courage to conquer the internal barriers that appear to keep you safe and limited at base camp?

“Success is a ladder that cannot be climbed with your hands in your pockets.”

Posted on September 10, 2014 by Barry

“Success is a ladder that cannot be climbed with your hands in your pockets.”
– Author Unknown

Image from Flickr by Travis Hornung

The spring and fall seasons here in Michigan require a “clean-up process” of leaves and other plant-related debris. This includes the need to climb up ladders and clear out the gutters on our roofs.

Imagine taking on this task and being told you had to leave your hands in your pockets as you climbed. Would you do it? Of course not!

Notice when, in your personal or professional life, you take on tasks half-heartedly, thereby leaving your hands in your pockets.

Exercise:

Where would grasping the ladder of success with both hands make the biggest difference for you today?

What Weighs You Down

Posted on May 12, 2014 by Barry

“It is hard to fly when something is weighing you down.”

– Unknown

My health club is one of the largest in the region. It includes all the regular exercise facilities you might expect, plus some extras such as tennis courts, basketball courts, swimming pools, and even a climbing wall.

I’ve noticed some of the fittest and most competitive athletes adding extra weights to their ankles or waists, to weigh themselves down and make their normal athletic efforts even more difficult.

When they remove them and are no longer weighted down, they experience a lightness and an added strength that lets them fly a bit higher and further.

Exercise:

Identify the circumstances and issues that weigh you down.

How can you use these personal and professional challenges as a resource to build your capacity to fly once you remove them completely from your life?

hiding in the crowd

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Barry

“The world will never discover a person who is hiding in the crowd.”

– Dr. Mardy Grothe, psychologist

Image from Flickr by Si1very.

When my children were young, we would often play a searching game with them called “Where’s Waldo?” The books in this series consisted of detailed double-spread illustrations depicting dozens or hundreds of people doing amusing things at a given location.

Readers were challenged to find Waldo, a slender, glasses-wearing, nerdy character sporting a red and white striped shirt, bobble hat, and blue trousers.

Unfortunately, most people don’t like taking the time to find the “Waldos” of opportunity in their world. They much prefer opportunities to stand out in the world shouting, “Here I am!”

Exercise:

What special efforts can you make or what goal can you accomplish today that will have you stand out from the crowd?

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

—Author Unknown

EXERCISE:

“Trust that when the answer is ‘no,’ there’s a better ‘yes’ down the road.”

—Author unknown

EXERCISE:

“Don’t step over dollars to pick up a dime.”

—Author Unknown

EXERCISE:

“It’s Time to Make the Donuts!”

—Dunkin Donuts

EXERCISE:

“Patience is also a form of action.”

—Auguste Rodin, French Sculptor

EXERCISE:

“Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life.”

– Pythagoras, pre-Socratic Greek philosopher

EXERCISE

”It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”

– Sir Edmund Hillary, the first climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

EXERCISE:

“Success is a ladder that cannot be climbed with your hands in your pockets.” – Author Unknown

Exercise:

“It is hard to fly when something is weighing you down.”

– Unknown

Exercise:

“The world will never discover a person who is hiding in the crowd.”

– Dr. Mardy Grothe, psychologist

Exercise:

“Success is a ladder that cannot be climbed with your hands in your pockets.”
– Author Unknown