“Little Things Mean a Lot.”

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“Little Things Mean a Lot.”

— Carl Stutz/Edith Calisch, Songwriters

Image from perfectbodybywii.blogspot.com

Image from perfectbodybywii.blogspot.com

Big things get a lot of attention in our world. Society makes a point to recognize and celebrate things that stand out, such as:

  • The highest mountains
  • The tallest trees
  • The biggest buildings
  • The largest ships
  • Super-sized foods
  • The biggest athletes
  • The richest people
  • The largest homes

Meanwhile, when prompted to look closely at what brings them personal satisfaction and a life of meaning and purpose, many people list the often-overlooked “little things” that bring them smiles and fill their hearts.

EXERCISE:

If you, too, see the “little things” as big things in your life, consider generating a list of 20, 50, or even 100 “little things” that mean a lot to you.

“Old ways won’t open new doors.”

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“Old ways won’t open new doors.”

— Author Unknown

Image from cwfoa.com

Image from cwfoa.com

Prior to starting my coaching career many years ago, I held sales, advertising, and marketing roles with a well-known pharmaceutical company. For a two-year period I even had the opportunity to work with advertising agencies to promote our products. Without question, there was a single word that, if we could use it, would grab the greatest attention for our prospective customers. The word, “NEW!” always got people to raise their eyebrows and lean in to learn more about the product.

Today it is more important and urgent to remain fresh and relevant. Old ways of doing things are becoming extinct, and it is imperative to initiate and embrace new ways to open new doors to the future.

EXERCISE:

Where in either your personal or professional life is sticking with old ways of doing things limiting your success?

Select at least one new thing to do today that will open one door that is closing, or is completely shut.

“The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.”

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“The family is one of nature’s masterpieces.”

—George Santayana, Spanish philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist

Image from Flickr by Loren Kerns

Image from Flickr by Loren Kerns

Whenever I begin a new coaching relationship, I conduct a core values exercise, as part of my personal excellence training.

In this personal inquiry, the individual examines their most important priorities, beliefs, and commitments. Family is almost always on this list, if not among the top three.

Upon completion of our one-day training session, each client is encouraged to plan and initiate various projects for their professional and personal lives. One of my latest executive clients has named his current personal project “Home Sweet Home,” as he is now placing a much higher importance on his family.

EXERCISE:

Should the value of family be a top priority for you, please consider developing your own “Home Sweet Home” project with family members, and make this area of your life an even more beautiful masterpiece.

“You are no bigger than…”

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“You are no bigger than the things that annoy you.”

—Jerry Bunden

Photo from addconsults.com

Photo from addconsults.com

How big and expansive do you feel in your life at this moment?

How easy is it to breathe deeply and stand tall?

How much freedom, independence, self-expression, and self-determination is present in your personal and professional life?

During a typical coaching session, clients often reveal aspects of their current reality that annoy and upset them. When I observe them sharing their thoughts and feelings on these matters, they almost always demonstrate some form of physical constriction or limitation in stature and personal power.

It is not uncommon to have these people describe how much better they feel and actually look when they have worked through these matters in our coaching discussions.

EXERCISE:

Create a list of your top professional and personal annoyances. Examine their impact. How, through your own efforts or with the assistance of a friend, family member, mentor, or coach, could you gain greater freedom and effectiveness in these areas, to lead a more fulfilling life?

“Procrastination is the art…”

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“Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.”

—Don Marquis, American humorist, journalist, and author

Image from connectedhotel.com

Image from connectedhotel.com

My father Marvin is a great teacher relative to today’s quote. One of the characteristics he demonstrates quite often, given his age and occasional forgetfulness, is what I call reverse procrastination. He has developed a “do it immediately” approach to many things.

The new habit can be surprising, because he often stops in the middle of one activity and starts another that has just come to mind. If he doesn’t do it when it comes to mind, he is likely to forget to do it at all. The up side of it is that he does remember to go back and finish the first activity!

EXERCISE:

Where do you fit on the procrastination continuum of “do it now,” or “it can wait for whenever”?

What adjustments are needed to make sure you are not simply keeping up with yesterday?

“Never look back unless…”

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“Never look back unless you are planning to go that way.”

—Henry David Thoreau, 19th Century American author, poet, philosopher

photo from www.yourperfectdaybyjess.com

photo from www.yourperfectdaybyjess.com

At this time of year a fair number of organizations schedule various forms of management meetings to discuss their current status and plan for the future.

They often refer to these group sessions as “retreats,” which I find amusing, since I am sure none of these leaders wish to take their organizations backward.

Recently, some leaders are recognizing the power of the language they use, and are beginning to call these off-site meeting “advances.”

EXERCISE:

Plan you own “advances” with key individuals in your professional and personal worlds to move toward the future you sincerely desire.

“The grass is greener where you water it.”

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“The grass is greener where you water it.”

-Neil Barringham, Community Development Trainer

Photo from Flickr by Todd Morris

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?

“If it scares you, it may be…”

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“If it scares you, it may be a good thing to try.”

-Seth Godin, American Author

QC #803

As I examine my own life and identify its highlights, I realize that many of them involved overcoming a fear in order to achieve some form of breakthrough. Among them are:

  • Starting my first business at age eleven!
  • Risking rejecting in applying to a highly competitive high school.
  • The “What Ifs” of resigning from a secure yet unsatisfying Fortune 500 career to enter the coaching profession when it was in its infancy.
  • The fear of judgement as I began speaking to increasingly large groups of people.
  • Risking potential criticism and judgement in writing and publishing my own blog and book.

EXERCISE:

Examine the things that have scared you over the years, and look at what scares you today. Where would giving some of these things a try help you overcome the fears and bring you even greater rewards and life satisfaction?

“The essence of self discipline is…”

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“The essence of self discipline is to do the important thing rather than the urgent thing.”

-Barry Werner, American Sportscaster

QC #802

When it comes to prioritizing our days and getting things done, most people are familiar with some form of Time Matrix that breaks tasks into four categories:

  1. Important and Urgent.
  2. Not Important, and Not Urgent.
  3. Not Important, but Urgent.
  4. Important, but Not Urgent.

Virtually everyone would agree that item #1 – Important and Urgent – would be given the highest priority, and item #2 – Not Important and Not Urgent – would be the lowest. The challenge for most people is sorting through the amount of time we devote – or should I say “lose” – by inadvertently slipping into more #3 – Not Important, but Urgent – than #4 – Important, but Not Urgent.

EXERCISE:

Where would the habit of greater discipline concerning the important matters in your life pay you the highest returns, personally or professionally?

Consider selecting a friend, family member, mentor, or coach to work with in this area as soon as possible.

“Do something today that…”

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“Do something today that your future self will thank you for.”

– Author Unknown

Photo from www.dailyoftheday.com

Photo from www.dailyoftheday.com

When you look around at the people in your professional and personal lives, what percent appear to be focused, or even addicted, to immediate gratification?

It seems to many that the percentages have gone up in recent years, given the advances in technology. There is a bit more impatience circulating in our society. Rarely, however, do the sweetest fruits of our labors come from limited efforts.

EXERCISE:

Look at your life 5, 10, or 20 years from now. What level of accomplishment would satisfy or even delight you?

What significant actions can—and will—you take today, to help you realize the future you desire?