Quote 120: “The environment you fashion out of your thoughts, your beliefs, your ideals, your philosophy is the only climate you will ever live in.”

Posted on by

“The environment you fashion out of your thoughts, your beliefs, your ideals, your philosophy is the only climate you will ever live in.”

– Stephen Covey, author and professional speaker

What if we could control the weather? What if we could live in our own inner San Diego all the time?

We have all heard the phrase that so-and-so has a “sunny disposition,” or that this or that person is shrouded in a “dark and stormy cloud.”

Exercise:

How can you change your thoughts, beliefs and ideals, and live in a climate of your own creation?

How will doing so make each and every day a bit brighter?

For extra credit, share this ability with others, so that they too can fashion out their own more pleasant environments.

Quote 119: “Happiness is not a state to arrive at but, rather, a manner of traveling.”

Posted on by

“Happiness is not a state to arrive at but, rather, a manner of traveling.”

– Samuel Johnson, author, literary critic and lexicographer

I truly enjoy some of the deep and probing discussions I have with my clients as they explore their own success journeys.

One simple and useful discussion relating to happiness involves these three words: be, do, have.

People often get this process backwards. They believe that when they have X they will do Y and be happier.

As a coach, I encourage them to begin with their state of being, that informs their doing, that in turn will help them have a life they desire.

Exercise:

Revisit your list of core values and fundamental beliefs from the exercise for Quote #32, to find the source of your being, so you can be happier.

You can find Quote #32 archived on The Quotable Coach website here:  https://www.thequotablecoach.com/purpose/a-man-should-conceive-of-a-legitimate-purpose

Quote #118: “The Only Limit To Our Realization of Tomorrow Will Be Our Doubts of Today”

Posted on by

“The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt, 32nd President of the United States

When I work with my coaching clients, we always do various forms of questionnaires, and include their perspectives on the obstacles they face on their journey to personal success.

A number of personal character traits and habits often get revealed during these discussions. It’s clear that the most limiting, destructive belief of all is self-doubt: fear prevents us from making the effort in the first place.

A common question coaches ask is “If you knew you could not fail, what could you accomplish with your life?” We then follow this with a series of “what elses?” to help people explore the potential cost of this self-doubt.

Exercise:

How can you summon the courage to experience self-doubt and yet still take the actions needed to realize your brighter tomorrows?

Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision

Posted on by

“Teamwork is the ability to direct individual accomplishment toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.”

– Andrew Carnegie, Scottish-American industrialist

Photo by rawpixel on Unsplash

Let’s face it: when it comes down to it, we’re all a bit selfish. Who hasn’t thought “What’s in it for me?” from time to time? People rarely will do something if there’s little or no personal pay off.

It seems that all truly great teams understand this, and add this special factor of shared accomplishment to their own individual success. Even the acronym TEAM has been described as “Together, Everyone Achieves More.”

Exercise:

How can you tap into the individual and collective motives of your personal and professional communities to obtain the uncommon results you desire?

#114: “Success is a journey, not a destination.”

Posted on by

– Arthur Ashe, professional tennis player

To reach the end of our lives, at the very least, is to leave our physical world and perhaps enter a new level of existence. To some, the end of our lives is a more definitive end – death, with nothing beyond.

Life is one game I am not in a big hurry to finish. Taking pleasure in each step along this journey seems like a very good strategy.

How many people do you know who wish their lives away, by skipping steps in their journeys, by looking forward to the end of the work week, the end of the school year, or the opportunity to retire from a dead-end job?

Exercise:

How can you either change the game of your life, or shift your perspective, to make the most of each moment?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your details in the sidebar to the right.

#113: “The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the little extra.”

Posted on by

“The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is the little extra.”

– Jimmy Johnson, football coach and broadcaster

Image from news.com.au

Many years ago, I read a book called The Slight Edge, with the fundamental premise that the little extra makes a big difference in life.

In golf, it can be one stroke over the course of a four day tournament that wins the match. In a race, it can be a single step or fraction of a second that makes the difference. And in a horse race, we have all heard the phrase “winning by a nose.”

Exercise:

Where in your professional and personal life can you put forth that extra effort, to realize the extraordinary?

Choose this area now and tell someone close to you, so that you will receive the extra support you may need.

#112: “One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.”

Posted on by

– Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr, doctor and writer

Yesterday I attended a barbeque with friends and family. My father, at age 85, attended, as did a little three-and-a-half year old boy named Luka. Luka enrolled my dad and others into playing baseball.

I actually got to see Luka’s mind and abilities expand over the hours – resulting in significant pleasure and joy for everyone there.

Exercise:

How have you embraced the pleasure and joy of learning for yourself, and expanded your world?

What ideas do you have to share with others, to expand their worlds too?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your details in the sidebar to the right.

#111: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”

Posted on by

– Mark Twain, author

This quote reminds me of the one about climbing the ladders of life: we must be sure that the ladder is leaning against the correct wall.

As true as this may be, we must also be vigilant, placing one foot in front of the other to progress to our goals.

In my many years of coaching, I have seen some people continually set the same goals and objectives, putting in only modest effort and making minimal progress. In our rapidly moving world, an individual or organization that makes little or no progress often gets left behind by their competition.

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your details in the sidebar to the right.

Exercise:

What booster rockets, high-test fuel and massive action would it take for you to reach your goals faster and amaze yourself?

Join Me Today to Learn How to Build Purposeful Relationships and Network Effectively

Posted on by

At 7pm EST today, I’ll be a guest on Diane Cashin’s Radio Show “Creating Velocity in Your Life.” Cynthia de Lorenzie, CEO of Success in the City, and Gale Paige, a female veteran, will be guests also.

Join the four of us as we explore the power of developing your networking strategy to achieve your goals.

We will be discussing:

  • Defining “relationships with a purpose”
  • Making time to meet with your leaders, mentors and peers
  • Leveraging your network for mutual benefit
  • Becoming a thought leader by using the power of social networking

At 7pm EST today (Tuesday 9th October), you can:

#110: “Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.”

Posted on by

– Attribution uncertain

Have you ever picked an apple from the trunk of a tree? Me neither! The sweetness of life can only be found when we go out on those proverbial limbs and take a risk.

We must face failure, change, getting hurt, and looking foolish in order to explore our visions and reach beyond our grasp. How else can we experience all that life has to offer?

Exercise:

Where are you playing it too safe, and missing out on the sweet fruits of life?

What are the limbs of life that you can climb out on, to reach what you deeply desire?

Quotes are posted on The Quotable Coach a week after being sent out by email. To get the latest quotes straight to your inbox, pop your details in the sidebar to the right.