Quarrels Would Not Last Long

Posted on April 4, 2017 by Barry

“Quarrels would not last long if the fault were only on one side.”

-Francois Duc de la Rochefoucauld, 17th Century French Author

Image from Times of Malta

How often do you observe quarrels in your personal or professional worlds? If, for some reason, you don’t see much, simply take a look at our political environment and the resulting media circus!

Since it clearly takes two to tango, why is it that many of us blame others for missing a step or for stepping on each others toes?

What if, instead of pointing our index finger at others, we acknowledge the three fingers pointing back at us and take greater responsibility for our current realities?

EXERCISE:

What would happen in your relationships and your world if you looked at what’s right and good about others, and take greater responsibility for the quarrels you may experience?

Often we change jobs

Posted on March 14, 2017 by Barry

“Often we change jobs, friends, and spouses instead of ourselves.”

⏤Arkbarali Jetha, Author of Reflections, Combined Edition

Image from Time to Play

Are you familiar with the phrase, “Wherever you go, there you are?”

Although it may seem obvious, this thought has tremendous implications in regard to our happiness, success, and general life satisfaction. Simply look at all the people and places in your life that aren’t working, or causing you some level of upset and struggle.

How much responsibility and accountability do you place on your own shoulders in these situations? How often do you blame others, or the system, for your dissatisfaction?

EXERCISE:

In what situations and with whom is it time to take greater responsibility and accountability for how you experience life?

Friday Review Accountability

Posted on February 17, 2017 by Barry

FRIDAY REVIEW: ACCOUNTABILITY

What level of accountability do you hold, personally or professionally? Here are a few accountability-related posts you may have missed. Click on the links to read the full messages.

“I have an existential map. It has ‘you are here’ written all over it.”

“If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month.”

“Life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.”

Walk Your Talk

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Barry

“You cannot talk your way out of something you behaved yourself into.”

—Stephen Covey, American self-help author

Image from nxtlvlc.com

Actions speak louder than words. They are all we really have to turn our dreams of a better future into a reality.

Consider a business leader whose behavior is inconsistent with the core values and corporate vision he claims to follow. Consider the individual who constantly brings up his interest in health and wellness, yet makes unhealthy choices and rarely engages in physical activity.

EXERCISE:

Where in your life can you bring greater alignment between your words and your actions?
To whom, beside yourself, will you make the promises? What added support will be required to ensure this new level of personal responsibility?

Don’t stray from yourself

Posted on December 7, 2015 by Barry

“Don’t ever stray away from yourself to get closer to someone else.”

—Author Unknown

Image from www.scribendi.com

Imagine you are shopping for a new pair of shoes, a suit, or an outfit. In the process, you consider color, style, price, and of course, the fit of each item. When all the factors are optimized, we usually make the purchase. If the factors don’t fit, we usually save our money and keep looking.

What does it mean to stray away from yourself? Who are the people that best fit with your most authentic self? How often do you experience relationships with others that, on a gut level, seem to miss that genuine connection?

EXERCISE:

Where, currently or in the past, have you strayed from your values, beliefs, and priorities to get closer to others, even when your gut raises a red flag?

How can you use the same values, beliefs, and priorities to attract and engage the people who are the best “fit” in your personal and professional lives?

Focus

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Barry

Follow One Course Until Successful (FOCUS)

—Author Unknown

Image from blog.ruzuku.com

One of my favorite quotes related to the FOCUS acronym is “If you try to chase two rabbits they both get away.”

In our “faster, faster” world, multi-tasking is a fairly common practice. Although this strategy seems to work in many circumstances, it often has drawbacks, particularly when we are faced with a very important priority. In such cases, even a small bit of distraction or taking our eye off the ball can have considerable undesirable consequences.

EXERCISE:

Identify one or two areas in your life where a lack of focus is having a less than desirable impact. Where would following one course until successful produce the greatest value for you today and in the future?

“The book that will most change…”

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Barry

“The book that will most change your life is the book you write.”

—Seth Godin, American author and entrepreneur

QC Book Cover

It has been just over a year since I published The Quotable Coach – Daily Nuggets of Practical Wisdom. The process, from my first blog post to published book, took over two-and-a-half years.

I have always loved quotes. I enjoy the inner journey as I look at my own life. The 30 months of developing the book were far different in that I found myself digging deeper, and wrestling more fully than ever before. It was, without question, the extra efforts that resulted in the most profound gains I’ve experienced, professionally and personally.

EXERCISE:

If you were to write a book that would result in substantial growth, what would be the topic? How can you begin this process today? Possible first steps could be a journal entry, a blog post, or a short story.

“Convert your Marketing Strategy…”

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Barry

“Convert your marketing strategy from a shotgun to a laser.”

—Author Unknown

Image from bigfishmedia.ca

Many marketing professionals would agree that if we try to be all things to all people, we almost always miss the mark and become nothing to no one.

Many year ago, when I worked in the pharmaceutical industry, we used an exercise called, “walk the patient across the doctor’s desk,” in order to position our medication in the minds of each physician.

The more specific we were in describing how our medications managed the patient’s symptoms, the clearer the physician was in its utility and application.

EXERCISE:

How can and will you focus your marketing and sales efforts to hit the bulls-eye and better support the customers you wish to serve?

“The first impression may be…”

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Barry

“The first impression may be the only impression.”

—Author Unknown

image from jimmycasas.blogspot.com

In our fast-paced world, we generate first impressions in a matter of seconds—sometimes nano-seconds.

What impression do people have of you through your appearance, your spoken words, and even your letters, emails, texts, or social media posts?

EXERCISE:

What efforts can you make today to assure that people get the very best impression of you? As today’s quote suggests, it may be the only one they have.

“I remind myself every morning…”

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Barry

“I remind myself every morning: Nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.”

—Larry King, American television and radio host

Image from Flickr by Ky Olsen

Have you ever considered why we have two ears and only one mouth? Why not one of each? Perhaps some higher power—not just Larry King—knew that listening is twice as valuable as speaking.

EXERCISE:

Practice using open-ended questions, including the all-powerful “What Else?” This follow-up & layering technique will help you speak less and learn more, at home and in your workplace.