In what ways do you contribute to others? In what ways do others contribute to your life? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“If you can’t pay it back, pay it forward.”
“Business and life are like a bank account. You can’t take out more than you put in.”
“Sometimes the most meaningful service is simple, spontaneous, and closer to home.”
Image from Amazon
Most of us enter our days with good intentions. We have much to do and we set out to be highly productive, serve others, and leave things better than how we found them.
Benjamin Zender, who co-authored The Art of Possibility, uses an exercise with his musical prodigies when they work with him.
Since virtually everyone he works with has first chair talent, he asks them to write an essay titled How I Got My “A”. Through this exercise, students focused on their own efforts and the actions they took, rather than their hopeful efforts and intent. The element of comparing their own efforts against themselves versus others also let them set their own bar of excellence.
EXERCISE:
What promises do you make to yourself and others that sometimes fall by the wayside?
What commitments will you keep today to deserve the “A” you desire?
Consider reading The Art of Possibility to discover more nuggets of wisdom to achieve and be your very best!
Image from Unsplash by Ruffa Jane Reyes
One lesson I’ve learned over the years is to play with a contrarian perspective on things. This often entails doing things in new and different ways, and at times when other folks don’t or won’t.
This has come in handy when it comes to shopping.
This past weekend it wasn’t possible to beat the crowds with my usual early morning shopping adventure.
I found myself faced with a packed parking lot. Instead of circling and circling looking for those elusive open spots I used another learning of looking for people who were walking to their vehicles so I could take their spot once they’d left.
EXERCISE:
Please reply to this post with a learning that has changed your perspective or how you operate in life.
Image from Unsplash by Patrick Tomasso
What makes a good day a good day? What makes a good life a good life?
Take some time to filter a typical day through the lenses of being useful, showing courage, and contemplating beauty.
If you do, you will likely feel a sense of wholeness and warmth inside. I’d bet that you may also be smiling and have a twinkle in your eyes upon this reflection.
EXERCISE:
Today’s quote was shared by Tim Ferris as a nugget of wisdom he was recently pondering. Consider exploring other works by Tim and T.S. Elliot to enrich your life.
Image from Unsplash by Andy Benham
In professional sports it’s common practice to review game tapes of past performances to get ready for upcoming games. Most teams also evaluate their competition to create strategies for winning based on the strengths and weaknesses of their next opponent.
How can your magnificent mind play back your own personal and professional efforts? How good is your memory at capturing the specific moments where breakthrough insights were offered?
Unfortunately, the game tapes of our lives can be distorted by time. Things become blurred or erased completely over the years unless we find a more permanent way of recording our observations.
EXERCISE:
How could you use a journal, notebook, cell phone, or an alternative tech tool to review your days?
Consider doing weekly, monthly and yearly reviews to capture more of the knowledge and wisdom offered by life.
How open are you to sharing your life, your possessions, your wisdom, and your pain? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.”
“Ideas, bread, and books are all the same. They’re better when they are shared.”
Image from Unsplash by Simon Maage
As we enter the holiday season, my gratitude goes to all of you for being loyal readers of The Quotable Coach.
Thanksgiving is more than a holiday—it’s a reminder to appreciate the abundance in our lives.
Please take the opportunity to reflect on the people and experiences that have made you rich.
In the spirit of thankfulness, I hope that you will spread kindness, love, and positivity throughout your communities, and that it resonates and takes root throughout the world.
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For some of us a new definition of happy hour as we get older is a good nap.
In my most active working years, I always admired the hard driving folks who often boasted about how little sleep they needed.
While coaching top performing professionals over the years, I, however, came to notice that these individuals often suffered in other areas of life without the wondrous restorative effects of adequate sleep.
Without going into all the science, we can rest confidently in the fact that sleep clears out the clutter in both our bodies and minds.
We need and deserve it to step into each new day to realize our full potential.
EXERCISE:
What requests will you invite into your subconscious as you turn in for the night?
What might you invent with a refreshed and renewed mind and body once you awaken?
Image from Unsplash by Gustavo Torres
Create a list of your favorite sports. Do you or have you played any of those mentioned here? Consider what it takes to perform optimally in each of them.
| Baseball | Bowling | Cricket | Football |
| Golf | Gymnastics | Hockey | Rugby |
| Soccer | Shuffleboard | Swimming | Tennis |
To what degree do you see the dance between effort and ease in these and other sports?
How are each of these qualities essential to play at a masterful level?
EXERCISE:
Where in your life is there too much effort or ease being applied?
How can you re-balance these qualities to perform even better moving forward?
Image from Unsplash by Luca Di Giovine
The holiday season is special. Whatever holidays you celebrate, take a trip down memory lane to reflect on some of your most precious moments from your youth.
How did you celebrate these occasions and who were the people that joined in on the fun?
Although many people and organizations put their heads down to finish the year strong, this is also often a time when we extend our days off with those we’ve saved.
With these extended blocks of time, we can more easily remove our armor of adulthood and play like we did as kids.
EXERCISE:
How and in what ways will you shed the armor of adulthood this holiday season?
What joyful activities will help you re-discover your playful side?
If some help is needed, look to the little ones in your life for some coaching.