Shelf Life

Posted on November 4, 2015 by Barry

“Ideas have a short shelf life. You must act on them before the expiration date.”

-John Maxwell, American author and speaker

Image from michellelianna.wordpress.com

When you visit the grocery store to purchase food for yourself and your family, do you have a particular strategy? Do you make a comprehensive list, or just have a general idea of what you need? Do you walk down each aisle to see what is on sale, or fill your cart with what appeals to you in the moment, especially when you’re hungry as you shop?

One strategy I employ is to examine the expiration date on all packaged food. On numerous occasions, I find myself looking toward the back of the shelf to select those items that will stay freshest longest.

EXERCISE:

What are some of the best ideas sitting on the shelves of your mind? Which one will you act upon today and not let it expire?

“Every success story…”

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Barry

“Every success story is a tale of constant adaptation, revision, and change.”

—Sir Richard Branson, KBE, founder of Virgin Group

Image from www.64ouncegames.com

We all know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Life in general, and our journey toward success, never really works that way.

To navigate our world we must, as Sir Branson suggests, adapt, revise, and change our approach moment to moment. This iterative process works very much like an internal GPS system, constantly informing us of where we are, and where we wish to go. It helps us plot the alternative routes we can take to progress toward our desired destination.

EXERCISE:

Where is it necessary to adapt, revise, or change your approach to tell a more successful tale in either your personal or professional life?

“Don’t let anyone rent…”

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Barry

“Don’t let anyone rent a space in your head, unless they’re a good tenant.”

—Author Unknown

image from runningisfunny.com

Self-talk is a powerful thing.

It can inspire us to achieve greatness or stop us in our tracks and affect all aspects of our lives.

Where and when did you first notice your own internal monologues? Who in your past or present life is responsible for this programming?

EXERCISE:

What negative voices have taken residence in your head? How can you begin the eviction process, put up the “for rent” sign, and encourage a more supportive and empowering tenant?

“Your mind is a garden…”

Posted on September 2, 2015 by Barry

“Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds, you can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Flickr by My Photo Journeys

At this time of year, the northern hemisphere is harvesting many crops. Due to advances in farming technology, our ability to grow food throughout the year has greatly expanded.

Today’s quote suggests that our minds are always very fertile. We can all do a better job selecting and planting only the most optimal and positive thoughts to help us harvest a healthy and abundant life.

EXERCISE:

Examine how much time you commit daily to your own growth and development. Be specific in minutes and hours. Examine, too, how much time you spend in the weeds of negative or toxic thinking, in your personal and professional worlds.

What actions can and will you take today to harvest far more flowers and considerably less weeds in your world?

“The world is full of…”

Posted on August 20, 2015 by Barry

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

—W.B. Yeats, Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature

Image from freger.weebly.com

Take a moment to examine your current ability to see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.

Did you know that:

A Silvertip Grizzly Bear can smell you from 18 miles away?
Jumping spiders can see four primary colors versus the three that humans see?
Some birds have an internal GPS that acts as a compass, to help them find their way home?
The bat uses echolocation to navigate and catch its supper?
Catfish have 10 times more taste buds than humans (100,000 versus 10,000)?

EXERCISE:

How can you capture more of the magic life has to offer by sharpening and focusing your senses? One way to develop these capacities is to focus on each sense separately, whenever possible.

“The grass is greener where you water it.”

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Barry

“The grass is greener where you water it.”

-Neil Barringham, Community Development Trainer

Photo from Flickr by Todd Morris

As we approach summer here in Michigan, many of my neighbors and I engage in the ritual of turning on our sprinkler systems to water our lawns and keep them green.

Unfortunately, the previous owner of my home put in the sprinkler system himself and used four zones in a yard that requires six.

This shortcoming results in brown spots and dead grass – areas that simply do not receive the water they require to grow and thrive.

EXERCISE:

Where would a bit more personal or professional “watering” in the upcoming days and months help you achieve the greenest, most lush life possible?

“It’s not always that we need to do more…”

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Barry

“It’s not always that we need to do more, but rather that we need to focus on less.”

—Nathan W. Morris, Author & Personal Financial Expert

Photo from Flickr by M. Dales

As part of my coaching process, I conduct behavioral, achievement, cognitive, and leadership surveys, in order to set a baseline of each individual’s approach toward achievement.

An initial exercise I share with my clients is called More, Less, Start, Stop, which allows them to sort their actions moving forward into one of the four categories. It is an exercise that many find easy to apply and manage in their daily lives.

EXERCISE:

Consider today’s quote. Where would giving more attention to fewer initiatives produce the greatest benefit in your personal or professional life?

Feel free to play around with different combinations of these four words, to discover even greater value in this exercise.

“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Barry

“There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

— Mahatma Gandhi, leader of Indian independence movement in British-ruled India

Photo from Flickr by John Talbot

Have you noticed lately that the pace of life has picked up considerably? Wall Street and large organizations capitalize on the critical factor of speed. Everyone wants what they want bigger, better, and faster—but at what cost?

Evaluate your own organization and examine the level of stress and overall job satisfaction for yourself and those around you. How much more are you expected to accomplish these days compared to a few years ago?

With the internet, smart phones, and other technical wonders that make communication instantaneous, the world expects us to speed up proportionally, and be available 24/7, as if we were computer microprocessors ourselves.

EXERCISE:

Based on what is most important in your life, determine the optimal speed at which you choose to operate, and make the necessary adjustments to your world. Do you need to speed up, or will your life be better if you slow down?

Feel free to reply to this post to share your thoughts and perspective on this important issue.

“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure…”

Posted on November 18, 2014 by Barry

“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow.”

– Mary Jean Irion, Pennsylvania Teacher and Writer

Photo from Flickr by Jan

Have you ever sat in front of your TV, eating chips or another favorite snack, only to find your fingers at the bottom of an empty bag, searching for more, and wondering how you could have possibly eaten your way through all those treats?

Just like food we consume mindlessly, our days, months, and years sometimes fly by unnoticed, because we think there’s plenty more “in the bag,” or simply because we do not cherish each moment as a precious gift.

EXERCISE:

If you knew your days were numbered (which they are) how would you spend this “normal day”?

“It’s easy to get people’s attention; what counts is getting their interest.”

Posted on October 20, 2014 by Barry

“It’s easy to get people’s attention; what counts is getting their interest.”

-Philip Randolph, Civil Rights Activist

Photo from Flickr by Kathleen Donovan

If you haven’t been sleeping the past few years, you, too, have experienced an onslaught of technological, attention-and-interest grabbing resources, such as:

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn
Mobile Apps
Skype, Facetime
YouTube, Video Games, Satellite or Cable TV
Blogs, email

Observe people in any mall, shopping center, or restaurant, and notice what percent are heads-down, looking at their smartphones.

What percentage of these attention-grabbing pursuits also engage people’s sincere interest and make some meaningful contributions?

EXERCISE

Given that the speed and amount of attention-grabbing choices will increase dramatically in the years ahead, what strategies have you found useful to sort through the abundance of options, to find and select the items that are of interest to you in your professional and personal lives?

Please reply to this post with your most helpful strategies.