Tag Archives: change

“All beginnings are difficult.”

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“All beginnings are difficult.”

—Rabbinic maxim

Image from Unsplash by Jon Tyson

Letting today’s quote really sink in can change your life.

Can you recall how many times, personally or professionally, you were reluctant to begin an activity or stopped your efforts too soon because your initial steps were awkward or challenging?

In such cases, we could consider the Biblical story of Job and his statement, “Man was born to toil.”

Going beyond any initial discomfort is fundamental to being productive and to the essential need for each of us to contribute and have a life of purpose.

EXERCISE:

Where and on what current matter would acknowledging that all beginnings are difficult provide you the needed courage, tenacity, and persistence to toil on to more fully realize your fullest potential and contribution to the world?

“The future has already arrived. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.”

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“The future has already arrived. It’s just not evenly distributed yet.”

—William Gibson, American/Canadian speculative fiction writer

Image from Unsplash by Joshua Sortino

In his book, BOLD, Peter Diamonadis shares many interesting aspects of our global community, including a variety of new technologies creating exponential changes in our world.

His Six D’s of Exponential Organizations, detailed HERE are:

  • Digitization
  • Deception
  • Disruption
  • Demonetization
  • Dematerialization
  • Democratization

The Six D’s help us look at technologies and perhaps why they can lead to both upheaval and opportunity.

EXERCISE:

Consider picking up a copy of Peter’s book to increase your own awareness of the future that has already arrived. See where and how you can participate in the distribution process, to better your personal world and the world in general.

“If the pieces do not fit into your puzzle… try a different picture.”

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“If the pieces do not fit into your puzzle… try a different picture.”

—Cass van Krah, British Artist

Image of a mandala puzzle

Image from Unsplash by Sheldon Nunes

What do you wish to change about your life? Look around your personal and professional worlds to see where things just don’t fit together as you would like.

For a fair percentage of my coaching clients, the focus is often on their current vocational efforts. They feel their current reality and path lack the passion and purpose they desire.

Working on a “Plan B,” in which their strengths, unique abilities, interests, and of course, core values, can be fully expressed has become their quest.

EXERCISE:

What personal and professional transitions do you wish to make in the next year or two? How can you share this intention with friends, family, mentors, and perhaps a coach, to help you create a new picture for your life?

The easier it is to do something

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“The easier it is to do something, the harder it is to change the way you do it.”

—Steve Wozniak, Co-Founder of Apple, Inc.

Consider how easy it is to cross your arms, clasp your hands, and brush your teeth. You probably don’t need to think about these tasks because they occur habitually.

What about traits like hitting the snooze button, eating out of boredom, watching TV or using social media? In many situations, taking the fastest and easiest path is helpful, productive, or at least has no real negative consequences.

On the other hand, sometimes what is easy can have significant negative impact to the lives we profess to desire.

EXERCISE:

What automatic and easy behaviors do you practice that are limiting or preventing you from realizing your top priority goals? What disciplined effort and added support can and will you put in place to fulfill your commitments in these areas?

What do we live for

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“What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?”

—George Eliot, pen name of Mary Anne Evans, 19th Century English novelist

Image of a woman holding coins and a note stating "make a change"

Image from Unsplash by Kat Yukawa

One of my most remarkable clients is the CEO of a local non-profit organization called Forgotten Harvest – the second largest food rescue organization in America. Last year, he and his team – and large numbers of volunteers – provided more than 40 millions pounds of food, valued at over 70 million dollars, to people in the community experiencing “food insecurity.”

Recently, he was interviewed on a top radio station in town about his work and the life journey that brought him to his role in this important organization.

Through this interview, I gained an even more vivid picture of his life and his fundamental purpose to make a positive difference in the lives of others within his communities.

EXERCISE:

What is your life purpose?

How do you currently contribute and make life less difficult for others?

What additional efforts can and will you take to more fully realize an even greater purpose with your life?

If all it took to upend the status quo was the truth

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“If all it took to upend the status quo was the truth, we would have changed a long time ago.”

—Seth Godin, American Author

In Seth Godin’s newest book, This is Marketing, he suggests that to be effective, all marketers must have the courage to create tension. Some people actively seek tension because it works to push or pull those we hope to serve over the gap from the present to a better future.

For those who resist change and prefer the relative comfort of the status quo, these influences/marketing messages fall on deaf ears. In such cases, the truth does not set us free, for fear of whatever future we wish to avoid.

Godin suggests that the status quo doesn’t shift because something is true, it shifts because culture changes, and the engine of culture is status.

EXERCISE:

Examine where you and others in your personal and professional communities embrace change and find yourself open and receptive to the abundance of marketing messages coming your way. Where might saying yes and embracing such new ways of thinking or acting improve your status?

The great secret about goals and visions

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“The great secret about goals and visions is not the future they describe, but the change in the present they engender.”

—David Allen, American Productivity Consultant

Image of a circle of people looking down at the camera

Image from Unslpash by RawPixel

I hope you had a very happy holiday season, and that your new year is off to an outstanding start. Perhaps you are like most of us in that you set about to revisit your visions for the new year, and establish “stretch” goals for where you see yourself professionally and personally.

What progress, skills, habits, and achievements will put a big smile on your face? Perhaps most importantly, what daily changes will be required to realize what you deeply desire?

David Allen suggests, in today’s quote, that our visions and goals provide the leverage of our commitment to changing our present actions that will have us realize the futures we desire.

EXERCISE:

Consider displaying the following quote by Tuli Kupferberg in your personal or professional environment as a daily reminder to tap into one of the secrets to a better future:

“When patterns are broken, new worlds will emerge.”

Also consider writing it with the second part first:

“New worlds will emerge when patterns are broken.”

Don’t just go with the flow

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“Don’t just go with the flow, take some dares through the rapids.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a person standing on a rickety wood bridge over rapids

Image from Unsplash by Benjamin Davies

If your life were a movie or TV show, how likely is it that it would be a blockbuster everyone talks about?

Mine would probably not be a big hit with most people. When I ask people who know me best to describe me, some words that pop up often include: dependable, disciplined, reliable, steady, cooperative, honest, loyal, and friendly.

Being a “Steady Eddie” has served me well, and I consider myself very happy with my reasonable, predictable life.

On the other hand, there are many displays in my office of my favorite quote: “When patterns are broken, new worlds will emerge.” This thought constantly reminds me to keep checking in to see where I am committed to something bigger, better, or just different from “going with the flow.” It’s at these times I periodically jump into the fast-moving or riskier waters of life, and go for it. It’s interesting to note that a high percentage of these times are associated with some of my most memorable and significant accomplishments.

EXERCISE:

What is one important area of your life in which it is time to jump into the rapids and be a bit more daring?

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged

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“There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways you yourself have altered.”

Nelson Mandela, late President of South Africa

Image of an old school room

Image from Unsplash by Jeffrey Hamilton

When I was in college, I took an afternoon to go back to my elementary school in Philadelphia to visit some of the teachers who played an important role in my development and inspired me to always do my best and contribute to others.

As I walked the halls and entered each classroom, it seemed like everything had shrunk to half its size when I was a boy. I had a vivid sense of how I had grown in many ways, where I stood in bigger shoes to pursue my future path.

I was able to look my teachers in the eye as a young adult, and thank them for their contribution.

EXERCISE:

Select a handful of books that have been pivotal to your development over the years, and read at least one of them again.

I hope you will notice that while the words are the same, you are not, and that new lessons await the ever-evolving and expanding person you have become.

Consider reading a few more of your favorite books again, if you find value in this exercise.

Every Small Positive Change We Make in Ourselves

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“Every small positive change we make in ourselves repays us in confidence in the future.”

—Alice Walker, Author of The Color Purple

Image of a man buttoning his suit jacket

Image from Unsplash by Hunters Race

Confidence is a quality most of my clients and the people I meet wish to increase. Although some may not always admit it, I’ve observed over time that most people have an inner critic that lessens their self-worth on many occasions.

For some reason, they often compare themselves to others and see big gaps, with others being far ahead of them. The leap to reach that level can often seem daunting or even impossible.

An alternative to giving up is the moment-to-moment and daily positive efforts for change we can all exercise. In doing so, we move closer to the future we see for ourselves – one step at a time.

EXERCISE:

Select one small positive change you wish to make in your personal or professional world, and stick with it for at least a week. Share your intention and specific action plan with others, so that you can be supported and reminded to stay on course.

If you continue this practice in the weeks, months, and years to come, I bet many of your friends and colleagues will admire the confidence they observe in you.