What are your strategies for success? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Being a nice person can be an effective strategy.”
“Don’t Let the worst people get the best of you.”
“Don’t focus on only one growth path.”
Image from Unsplash by Pablò
Whenever I think of concentric circles I see an archery target.
As a kid, I had the terrific opportunity to go to Camp Indian Lake in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania every summer.
Archery was a skill we all had the chance to experience. Drawing the bow and setting our sights on the bullseye was always the goal, and no one ever got hurt.
Today, the thought of giving a bunch of 10-year-olds bows and arrows seems pretty crazy!
As an adult, playing darts fits nicely in this concentric circle concept, where the spokes and areas beyond the bullseye come into play.
EXERCISE:
How can you change the world by applying this concentric circle idea to yourself and the world around you?
Image from Unsplash by Markus Winkler
To what degree do you experience deadlines in your personal and professional lives?
How do time constraints impact your engagement and performance?
Where do they help you step up your game, or act as negative stressors that crush your spirit?
EXERCISE:
How does having unbounded time impact your life?
Where is the sweet spot between eustress and distress as it relates to setting deadlines for yourself?
Image from Unsplash by Juliane Liebermann
A few weeks ago, we celebrated my grandson’s fifth birthday. In many ways, our multi-day extravaganza reminded me of places like Disney World, where they celebrate significant milestone events for an entire year.
I also related this series of events to the 5 Love Languages concept I’ve referenced numerous times over the years.
Although there was an abundance of gift-giving during these days, I took great pleasure in the countless expressions of quality time, words of affirmation, and physical touch offered by both family and friends.
EXERCISE:
How do you show your love to those close to you?
In what ways do you make it a priority to give them the things money can’t buy?
Image from Unsplash by Ashley Batz
What come to mind when you think of a hero? For many people, it can involve risking one’s own life to save another. The media loves displaying such acts, and most of us secretly shudder at the thought of actually being in the place of these brave men and women.
What if you could be a hero of consciousness, where the person you were saving was yourself?
How could your own mindfulness practices be a catalyst for bolder and more generous contributions to yourself and others without risking life and limb?
EXERCISE:
Declare yourself a hero of consciousness. Reading this post and the many other actions you take to better yourself in support of others warrants a big pat on the back and a hearty handshake.
What talents do you bring to your personal or professional worlds? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“Like an oyster cultivating a pearl, cultivate something that is special to you.”
“Drop the hammer and pick up the shovel.”
“The story of each stone leads back to a mountain.”
Image from Unsplash by Georg Eiermann
Earlier this month a good friend asked me to help launch his boat and take it to his dock about an hour away from where it was stored for the winter.
During this process, we traveled through various bays and canals that required bridges to be raised for us to pass. As an inexperienced land lubber, I found the gatekeeping process that allowed our passage fascinating.
When we repeat the process in October, I’ve been promised to be promoted to co-captain for an hour with a short stint of steering the boat in open water, of course.
EXERCISE:
Where do your experience various types of gatekeepers in your life?
How would being more mindful of your personal and professional expectations help you avoid some of the stormy seas of life?
Image from Unsplash by mostafa mahmoud
Are you an early bird of a night owl? How would you describe your current circadian rhythm?
What are the personal and professional benefits and pitfalls of operating this way?
As an early bird myself, I find it easy to make my case of why the early bird gets the worm.
On the down side, I’ve been labeled a party-pooper by a number of folks over the years as they point out all the excitement I often miss by turning in early.
EXERCISE:
Seek out people in your life who operate best at different points in their days.
Have them share all the ups and down they have discovered over the years.
What priority commitment do you have that might benefit from swapping out when your head hits and rises from your pillow?
—Bruce Lee, 20th Century Hong Kong/American martial artist and actor
Image from Amazon
My wife and I are fans of the show American Idol. We have been watching it for many years and consider this year’s contestants to be some of the best.
The judges, mentors, and vocal coaches this season have been particularly prominent in helping the Idol hopefuls evolve and develop their own unique voices and styles.
When participants take the path of least resistance and safety by imitating the original artists they tend to fall by the wayside and get sent home.
EXERCISE:
Where have you placed too much faith in imitating others in your personal or professional life?
When and how would finding and expressing more originality offer greater rewards that are worth the risk?
Consider checking out Adam Grant’s book, Originals for more insights into being the one and only you.
Image from Unsplash by Anupam Mahapatra
We all know exercise does a body good. Here are some benefits you may already know, and perhaps a few you don’t:
EXERCISE:
In what ways can and will you introduce more opportunities to be more active each day?
Consider checking out the Mayo Clinic for more information.