“All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and someone who believes in them.”

Posted on June 17, 2019 by Barry

“All kids need is a little help, a little hope, and someone who believes in them.”

—Magic Johnson, former Los Angeles Laker Basketball Superstar

Weston on his 1st Birthday

How often do you video chat with family and friends that live far away? A few weeks ago, Wendy and I were delighted to see our one-year-old grandson Weston take 10 steps at the encouragement of his mom — our daughter Rachel.

Our children are our future, and I have no doubt that Weston will be an extraordinary young man due to the hope, help, and belief we all have in him.

EXERCISE:

Who are the big and little kids in your world that need and deserve even more belief and support? In what ways can and will you more fully contribute to their growth and development?

Friday Review: Time Management

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Barry

FRIDAY REVIEW: TIME MANAGEMENT

How well do you manage your time? Here are a few time management-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the full message.

“The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”

“There are people whose clocks stop at a certain point in their lives.”

“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.”

“For creative tasks, the best approach is often just to hire great people and get out of their way.”

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Barry

“For creative tasks, the best approach is often just to hire great people and get out of their way.”

—Daniel Pink, New York Times Best selling Author

Image from myfavoritewesterns

Who are the people who help you live a full and productive life?

To what degree are you more like the Lone Ranger, living by the motto, If it is to be, it begins and ends with me?

Years ago, a former mentor shared the idea that leading a million dollar company required 10 people, but that 10,000 were required to run a billion dollar company. Today, these numbers are often considerably less, due to the amazingly creative people and exponential technologies making their way into our lives.

EXERCISE:

What current task are you struggling with that requires greater capabilities and creativity than currently available? Who are the Tonto’s and other great people in your world that could exponentially boost your productivity and success?

“People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals…”

Posted on June 11, 2019 by Barry

“People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals. That is, goals that do not inspire them.”

—Tony Robbins, American self-help Author and speaker

Image of a white coffee cup inscribed "begin"

Image from Unsplash by Danielle MacInnes

Who are the lazy people you know personally or professionally? Where and on what occasions do you, too, have a lazy streak in which you prefer to disengage?

To what degree do you, and they, perk up and find energy to become fully engaged by other interests and abilities?

What are your most exciting and inspiring vocational and avocational interests—the ones where you find yourself “all in” and where time flies?

EXERCISE:

What changes can and will you make to super-charge the potency of goals for yourself and others?

Feel free to reply to this post with the inspired actions you take and the results that occur.

“Does refusing to go to the gym count as resistance training?”

Posted on June 10, 2019 by Barry

“Does refusing to go to the gym count as resistance training?”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Julie Johnson

How much sleep do you get on a typical night during the week? What about the weekends? For most people I know, the numbers vary considerably.

Yesterday morning, my body woke at the normal time, but given it was the weekend and I was extra tired, I passed up my morning workout and went back to bed for two more hours of needed rest.

My resistance to going to the gym was completely appropriate given that I needed more time to refresh and recharge after a full work week, which had already included numerous visits to the gym.

EXERCISE:

Where do you push, stretch, and challenge yourself to grow and expand your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual potential?

Where might stepping back and saying, “NO” to some of these growth opportunities be the best choice, needed to progress optimally through your life?

Friday Review: Waiting

Posted on June 7, 2019 by Barry

FRIDAY REVIEW: WAITING

What are you waiting for? Here are a few waiting-related posts you may have missed. Click the links to read the full message.

“Life lived for tomorrow will always be just a day away from being realized.”

“The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you finish the work.”

“It’s better to bite your tongue than to eat your words.”

“I am more distress-avoidant than I am joy-seeking.”

Posted on June 6, 2019 by Barry

“I am more distress-avoidant than I am joy-seeking.”

—Malcolm Gladwell, Canadian journalist, Author, and public speaker

“Creative Tension” is a term coined by Robert Fritz in his book The Path of Least Resistance from the late 1980s.

Essentially, it describes the tension that exists between our perception of our current reality and our vision for the future. Fritz points to the desirable and attractive nature of a committed vision, which draw or pulls our reality closer to it.

A common example of this phenomenon is the TGIF (Thank Goodness It’s Friday) approach many people experience as they look toward the weekend. Unfortunately, this concept also applies to the less desirable future which many people experience Sunday night if the prospects of Monday morning are experienced with apathy or dread.

EXERCISE:

To what degree are you more joy-seeking than distress-avoidant in your personal and professional lives? What actions can and will you take to intentionally design more positive experiences in the days, weeks, and years ahead?

“Life is a series of moments. If you miss the moments, you miss your life.”

Posted on June 4, 2019 by Barry

“Life is a series of moments. If you miss the moments, you miss your life.”

—Robin Sharma, Author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari series

Image of Sam Horn's "someday is not a day of the week" book cover

Image from Amazon

Someday is not a Day in the Week: 10 Hacks to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life, is Sam Horn’s newest book.

Sam is one of the reasons my book, The Quotable Coach – Daily Nuggets of Practical Wisdom, became a reality.

In 2013, I had the opportunity to spend two full days in her home, along with a dozen other lucky – or shall I say, committed – individuals who wanted to launch special projects and not wait for “someday.”

Her many personal stories and experiences fully demonstrate, and will inspire you to seize each day as precious moments not to be missed.

EXERCISE:

Consider watching Sam’s TEDx South Lake Tahoe talk. What one dream have you been putting off for “someday” that you will act upon today?

“Your ‘I Can’ is more important than Your I.Q.”

Posted on June 3, 2019 by Barry

“Your ‘I Can’ is more important than your I.Q.”

—Robin Sharma, Author of The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari series

Image of the book cover of "The Little Engine that Could"

The Little Engine that Could is an American fairy tale that became widely known in the 1930s. Through an online poll of teachers, The National Education Association rated it as one of the Top 100 books for children, because of its key message of the importance of optimism and hard work.

The story’s signature phrase, I Think I Can is a key memory I have from childhood on the importance of self belief and self determination. My wife Wendy and I did our best to instill this concept in both our children.

EXERCISE:

Where and with whom would a bunch more “I can” and “I know you can” statements support greater achievement and life satisfaction in your personal and professional communities?

Here is a short video if you wish to recapture the memory or share it with someone you love.