“I alone cannot change the world…”

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Barry

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.”

—Mother Theresa

image from www.marclangloisconsulting.com

Take a moment sometime today to reflect on your most satisfying and deeply felt moments of personal fulfillment. Make sure you look at your personal and professional worlds.

Examine what percentage of these highlights occurred as an individual versus within a larger group or community. Consider, also, to what extent you were operating in an area of strength or unique ability.

EXERCISE:

Where can you make more ripples, or even waves, in your professional and personal worlds by casting more of your special stones across the waters you come upon today?

“Give ‘em the Pickle.”

Posted on July 31, 2015 by Barry

“Give ‘em the Pickle.”

-Bob Farrell, American motivational speaker

Bob Farrell, Author of “Give ’em the Pickle!”

About a month ago, while traveling to a coaching conference, I received a pearl of advice from a flight attendant with whom I had shared The Quotable Coach daily blog.

She mentioned that the airline loves positive, affirming thinking, and that I should consider looking into today’s quote.

Turns out, “Give ‘em the pickle” is all about exemplary customer service and going the extra mile to create customer evangelists, and optimal loyalty. This is especially important given the almost unlimited choices people have as consumers.

EXERCISE:

Check out this short YouTube video. Ask and answer this question, for yourself and your organization: What represents that special, tasty pickle you can offer to more fully satisfy and delight your customers? What about those in your personal worlds?

“If there is a single lesson…”

Posted on July 30, 2015 by Barry

“If there is a single lesson that life teaches us, it’s that wishing doesn’t make it so.”

—Lev Grossman, Author and Journalist

Illustration from Flickr by Tom Simpson

Walt Disney World is a magical place that we have visited many times with our children and family. In the childhood classic, Pinocchio, Jiminy Cricket sang, “When you wish upon a star,” a song which says that anything your heart desires will come to you.

For most families, planning a six-nights/seven days vacation full of magic can cost anywhere from $1,000 per person to over $10,000 for a family of four. Given that money does not magically grow on trees, affording it takes considerable effort and sacrifice. This is especially true for the average family, whose median annual household income, according to the 2012 census data, is about $50,000.

EXERCISE:

To what extent are your most fervent hopes, desires, and wishes backed up with necessary efforts and actions, to make even more of your dreams come true?

“People change and forget…”

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Barry

“People change and forget to tell each other.”

—Lillian Hellman, American dramatist and Broadway screenwriter

Photo from onthejob.45things.com

Coaching as a profession has been around for over 20 years, and is estimated as a two billion (or more) dollar industry. Fundamental to the coaching process is the desire for both individuals and organizations to change for the better.

Rooted in this change process is the strong desire for a better future, and in particular, a high level of social support by friends, family, colleagues, and of course, coaches.

Open communication and clarity around this desire, along with some description of what behaviors are to be expected, are critical for optimal success.

EXERCISE:

Where are you currently trying to change something in either your professional or personal life? How can you communicate this intention to those around you to rally the social support necessary for this change to occur and be sustained?

“You can’t start the next…”

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Barry

“You can’t start the next chapter if you keep re-reading the last one.”

—Author Unknown

Imagine a book based on your life, with a Table of Contents that looks like this:

How likely would you be to keep reading the same chapter over and over again?

Although the answer seems obvious, many people live their lives this way, where “today” looks a great deal like many of their yesterdays.

EXERCISE:

If today’s scenario is even a bit familiar, consider telling a new life story by using Stephen Covey’s “Begin with the End in Mind” habit. Work your way backwards to write about the page-turning journey that got you there. I hope it is a best seller!

“Life is a lot like jazz…”

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Barry

“Life is a lot like Jazz… it’s best when you improvise.”

-George Gershwin, American composer and pianist

Photo from Flickr by Renzo Ferrante

As I drive to and from work each day, I listen to contemporary jazz on Sirius/XM radio. Over the years I have also attended numerous concerts by many of my favorite performers.

Quite often the songs and tunes with which I am familiar sound a bit different from those I hear on the radio. Perhaps the reason for the variations is the fact that “real jazz” played in “real life” must be an act of improvisation. Many famous performers utilize local musical talent, who need to adapt to the other’s style with little rehearsal, unlike the weeks and months it can take in the studio to record and get it right.

EXERCISE:

Where would your professional or personal life benefit most by being more flexible, and improvising with those around you to play beautiful music together?

“Each of us is born with…”

Posted on July 24, 2015 by Barry

“Each of us is born with a box of matches inside us but we can’t strike them all by ourselves.”

—Laura Esquivel, Mexican novelist, essayist, and screenwriter

Photo from changingmydestiny.wordpress.com

I must admit that I watch reality TV shows. I enjoy those that involve living in remote areas of the world, where there are little or no creature comforts.

The fundamental necessities for survival include food, water, and shelter. Without exception, fire is another essential resource, needed to cook the food and sterilize the water. Achieving a successful fire is often a significant challenge and hardship for would-be reality show survivors. Almost always, success comes from the collective efforts of numerous individuals.

EXERCISE:

How can you spark and ignite the potential of others to more fully realize the fires that burn within them?

Who are the people in your personal or professional worlds that can and will play this valuable role for you?

“Excelling at any job is…”

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Barry

“Excelling at any job is about doing the things you weren’t asked to do.”

—Mary Egan – founder of Gathering Table and Former Senior VP at Starbucks

Photo from www.soccer-daily.net

What does it take these days to be extraordinary, exceptional, and remarkable? Notice how often you require events in your personal or professional world to meet those definitions in order to gain even a few moments of your valuable attention.

I recently saw a film titled “Dope,” which involved an ambitious, intelligent, and creative main character living in an undesirable Los Angeles neighborhood. He was pursuing his dream of attending Harvard, where straight “A’s” and top SAT/ACT scores are the bare minimum to even be considered.

The audience was taken on an amusing romp in which the character clearly demonstrated his capacity, creativity, and courage to do what was extraordinary, exceptional, and remarkable, and to excel and stand out.

EXERCISE:

How can you and the organization with which you associate foster an environment where people do the things they were not asked to do, to explore new levels of excellence?

“It is better to prevent than to cure.”

Posted on July 22, 2015 by Barry

“It is better to prevent than to cure.”

—Peruvian Proverb

Photo from Flickr by Phossil

Many years ago, there was a TV commercial for Fram oil filters, using the marketing slogan, “you can pay me now, or pay me later.” The premise of this campaign was to garner the support of auto mechanics. The mechanics, in turn, would suggest that you could do one of two things:

Invest a small sum in protecting your car’s engine with a new Fram oil filter right now, or pay for an expensive engine repair or replacement down the road.

EXERCISE:

Where would an ounce of prevention be worth more than a pound of cure in your professional or personal life? What actions will you take today to invest a little, for far greater value or savings in the future?

“People are like tea bags…”

Posted on July 21, 2015 by Barry

“People are like tea bags. You find out how strong they are when you put them in hot water.”

—Eleanor Roosevelt, former First Lady of the United States of America

Photo from Flickr by Eric Jusino

Other than water, tea is the most popular drink in the world—so popular that its consumption is equal to that of coffee, soft drinks, and alcohol, combined!

Most of us have experienced pouring a cup of hot water over a bag or two, and watching it release its flavor within a few minutes. If you are a bit impatient, you may have even tried dunking the tea bag up and down to release its flavor even faster.

EXERCISE:

Consider the challenges, obstacles, and barriers you are facing today in either your personal or professional life. See them as hot water that brings out your greatest strengths, and your capacity for personal excellence.

How will you share your cup of life tea with others? How might you offer a little “hot water” to others, to help them discover their own inner strength?