“Those who are touched by an inspirational idea and allow it to take charge and dominate their thoughts find new vistas open to them.”

Posted on by

“Those who are touched by an inspirational idea and allow it to take charge and dominate their thoughts find new vistas open to them.”
-Author Unknown

TQC-cover-welcome

I had an inspirational thought almost three years ago. The idea was to combine my love of coaching and making a difference in people’s lives with my love of provocative and engaging quotes that provide wisdom in small and easy to digest nuggets.

As I write this post, that idea has generated over 600 Quotable Coach posts (this is #632), gained a worldwide readership of over 1,200 daily subscribers, and a new book launched in the summer of 2014.

EXERCISE

What inspirational ideas can you pursue today to mobilize your efforts and have new vistas open up for you?

Consider joining me in paying forward the nuggets of wisdom you find most helpful in any of the following ways:

  1. Share the free Quotable Coach blog with those you care about in your professional or personal life. Make sure to review the category list for those you find have the greatest impact.
  2. Consider printing out and occasionally displaying highly relevant quotes, reflections, and exercises for others within your personal or professional communities to ponder.
  3. Consider purchasing a paperback copy of The Quotable Coach for yourself, or perhaps as a gift to others for the coming holiday season. Some readers use it as a coffee table or dinner table conversation starter.

“The world truly does require your help.”

Posted on by

“The world truly does require your help.”

—Whoopi Goldberg, Comedian and actor

Photo from Amazon.com

Photo from Amazon.com

I have a vivid memory of my mom and my older sister Susie reading me a special book titled “We Help Mommy,” when I was about three or four years old. The gist of the book was that all family members, no matter how young or small, could do their part to improve the world around them—in my case, our home.

Some ways I could help were picking up my toys, raking leaves, washing the car with dad, setting the table, drying dishes, and of course, using that powerful torpedo-looking vacuum.

Although I now see that book as parental propaganda, I can still recall the feeling of satisfaction from a job well done, topped off with a hug or acknowledgement from my mom.

EXERCISE

Explore all the worlds in which you participate, from the small and intimate to the large and expansive.

What strengths, gifts, talents, or other contributions can you mobilize and generously offer today in your world that truly require your help?

“If you see the world in black and white, you’re missing important grey matter.”

Posted on by

“If you see the world in black and white, you’re missing important grey matter.”

—Jack Fyock, PhD, Market Strategies International

When was the last time you had a conversation with a friend, colleague, or family member in which they responded to a statement with “I know”? Not the “I know” that is agreeing with the statement. This is the “I Know!” that indicates they have fundamentally stopped listening and have stuffed what you are saying into a pre-existing black/white category in their mind.

Ask those in your life how often you step into this “I Know” world — we all do this to help simplify our lives and navigate our world with greater ease. Alternatively, as Fyock suggests, we may be missing much of life by not using all of our grey matter to experience the many shades of grey an expansive and diverse life can offer.

EXERCISE

Imagine you were an artist who only had black and white paint to work with, and there was a rule forbidding you from mixing them together.

Now remove this limitation and paint away.

How can reducing your black and white “I Know” thinking expand your cerebral canvas to lead a more diverse and expansive life?

“One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things.”

Posted on by

“One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: To rise above the little things.”

-John Burroughs, American naturalist and nature essayist

Photo from Flickr by Barbara Olson

Photo from Flickr by Barbara Olson

In the early years of coaching there was a man named Thomas J. Leonard, whom many consider a primary catalyst for the profession we know today.

Among his prolific writings, as he developed the curriculum for Coach University, was a simple exercise to improve one’s life by reducing or eliminating the small things that often drain our energy and satisfaction. He called these little things that sap our lives, “tolerations.”

EXERCISE

Generate a list of little and not so little things in your world that diminish your life in even the smallest ways.

How can you reduce, eliminate, or, as John Burroughs suggests, rise above these things, to live a more fulfilling life?

Select at least one “toleration” and take some action today, and consider making this exercise an everyday practice to improve your life.

Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway

Posted on by

“Courage is being scared to death… and saddling up anyway.”

-John Wayne, American film actor, director, and producer

Photo from Flickr by Insomniacurredhere

Photo from Flickr by Insomniacurredhere

Perhaps no movie star epitomizes strength and courage more than John Wayne. Some of his most famous films, in a career that produced 142 pictures, were Stagecoach, Fort Apache, Sands of Iwo Jima, Rio Bravo, El Dorado, and True Grit.

EXERCISE

What one or two current issues or challenges are you facing that require you to summon the courage, saddle up, and do what needs to be done?

 

“In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story.”

Posted on by

“In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story.”

-Walter Cronkite, anchorman for the CBS Evening News for 19 years

Photo from Flicrk by NASAHQPhoto

Photo from Flickr by NASAHQPhoto

Perhaps no television news anchor has ever or will ever be respected and trusted as much as Walter Cronkite. Millions of people watched him each evening without fail, knowing his reports of the news would be objective, balanced, and trustworthy. As an inquisitive and thorough reporter, he knew there were always numerous views and perspectives on every topic, and successfully rooted out and communicated the truth — with candor and his unique brand of professionalism and humanity.

EXERCISE

How can you demonstrate your openness and receptivity to the many sides of the stories you hear professionally and personally, to do an even better job of seeking and discovering the truth you desire?

“Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.”

Posted on by

“Don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.”

– Jon Acuff, New York Times Bestselling author

Photo from Flickr bykevandotorg

Photo from Flickr by kevandotorg

Have you or do you know anyone close to you who started a new job, hobby, or sport?

Although we all know cognitively that it takes time to build competency and eventually mastery, many people compare their own beginning skill level to others who have been on this or a similar journey for some time.

They see where they are limited or falling short because the comparisons they make are not equal, and actually unfair.

EXERCISE

As you strive toward excellence in any area of life, be inspired by the mastery and  capabilities of those you admire, yet compare your current capabilities only to those of what you were capable of yesterday.

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

Posted on by

“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

– Mother Theresa, founder of the Order of the Missionaries of Charity

#625-01

How much of your day do you spend reflecting on the past with either a sense of great satisfaction or perhaps regret?

How much of your day do you spend hopeful about the future or perhaps consumed by worry?

If this time were converted into money – let’s say $100.00/hour, how much would you have spent, or in this case, wasted, with little or nothing to show for it?

EXERCISE

Consider taking Mother Theresa’s coaching to begin spending more time today pursuing and accomplishing what you sincerely desire. What would be possible if you did this each and every day?

“Friends are as companions on a journey…”

Posted on by

“Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life.”

– Pythagoras, pre-Socratic Greek philosopher

Photo from Flickr byFunkyah

Photo from Flickr by Funkyah

It is said that Pythagoras was the first man to call himself a philosopher,  a lover of wisdom.  Sources indicate that his ideas influenced Plato, and through him, all of western philosophy.

If this quote regarding being a friend to others was your predominate goal for each and every day, what results would be produced, and what level of happiness would you and others experience?

EXERCISE

Select one friend, family member, or colleague today to travel with to support and encourage their journey to a happier life. Imagine a world where everyone did this!

Worry is like a rocking chair

Posted on by

“Worry is like a rocking chair: It gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.”

—Erma Bombeck, humorist and author

Photo from Flickr by Jeff Hand

Photo from Flickr by Jeff Hand

Many people are familiar with the 80/20 rule, also known as the Pareto Principle.

An example of this rule is that 80 percent of our results comes from only 20 percent of our efforts.

On the other hand, 80 percent of our time and efforts account for only a small portion – 20 percent – of our results.

Bombeck would probably include worry as a significant part of this non-productive yet time-consuming aspect of our days.

EXERCISE:

Create a list of your professional and personal worries, then apply this two-step process:

  1. Look at each worry through an objective lens, not only from a negative or emotional perspective.
  2. Consider these issues from an optimistic perspective and explore some new or different approaches to stop rocking and start improving your situation.

Also consider Mark Twain’s statement: “I have lived a long life and had many troubles, most of which never happened.”   Read more about it here.