Be Stubborn

Posted on November 3, 2015 by Barry

“Be stubborn about your goals, and flexible about your methods.”

-Author Unknown

Image from www.jobsite.co.uk

A quality most people admire in their leaders is clarity around their visions, missions, and goals. We all lose confidence in those who flip-flop, leaving us feeling lost at sea.

At the same time, the route to achieving our desired futures must remain flexible and open to various course corrections, which also encourages the participation and collaboration of others who want to join the journey.

EXERCISE:

Where and on what issues are you or others in your world being too stubborn about your methods, and perhaps somewhat unclear about your goals?

On what matters would greater stubbornness or greater flexibility be the way to go?

Good Day

Posted on November 2, 2015 by Barry

“It’s a good day to have a good day.”

-Hillary Weeks, singer/songwriter

Photo from Flickr by J E Theriot

The Smiley Face as we know it today was created by Harvey Ross Ball, who at the time was employed by State Mutual Life Insurance Company of Worcester, Massachusetts. He created it in 10 minutes and was paid $45 for his effort.

Today, his Smiley Face can be found everywhere as part of our popular culture, and as the most utilized emoticon in our daily emails and social media posts.

EXERCISE:

How can you use Smiley Face, and of course your own smile, to support yourself and others to have many more good or even great days?

Hustle and Heart

Posted on October 16, 2015 by Barry

“Hustle and heart will set you apart.”

—Alisa Jacobs, ‎Entertainment Marketing and PR Manager at Diageo

One of the things I enjoy about certain quotes is their catchiness and rhythm. That they also communicate a fundamental truth is critical. These factors generate a stickiness that allows us to carry them in our minds wherever we go.

Examine the levels of Heart and Hustle you currently bring to your personal and professional efforts. Notice that if your Heart is not in it, your level of Hustle will rarely be, either.

EXERCISE:

What adjustments can you make in your heartfelt attitudes and efforts to set you apart from your previous self and those around you?

“A bad attitude is like…”

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Barry

“A bad attitude is like a flat tire. You can’t go anywhere until you change it.”

-Author Unknown

Photo from Flickr by Paul Chenoweth

Take a minute to list the people in your personal and professional worlds that have a bad attitude. If you need a bit of help, consider their level of negativity, pessimism, sarcasm, skepticism, and general resignation.

Have you captured your list of half-empty, no possibility, “what’s the use” folks? Now see how much you enjoy their company, or working with them. Where, if possible, have you already headed for the hills or done what you can to avoid these people?

What are the chances selected individuals in your world might be placing you on their list?

EXERCISE:

Although changing other people’s flat tires is tremendously difficult, you do have a far better fighting chance of changing your own. Consider the resources at www.lifehack.org to take a few simple steps to begin.

A bonus is that your own efforts will tend to inflate other people’s tires in the process!

“A great many people think…”

Posted on October 6, 2015 by Barry

“A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.”

—William James, 19th Century American philosopher

Image from sites.bu.edu

The term “prejudice” carries negative connotations for most people. We see numerous examples related to prejudice when we watch the local, national, and global news.

Few consider themselves prejudiced. “That label applies to the short-sighted individuals out there, not to me.”

Today’s quote points to the fact that our everyday thinking is actually a form of prejudice that helps us navigate our world, on the one hand, and which can limit us on the other hand.

EXERCISE:

How often do you find yourself exploring new ways of thinking, or trying on views other than those you have held for years?

What would be possible, and what value could you create, if you were to rearrange your prejudices?

“The bias against introversion leads to…”

Posted on September 24, 2015 by Barry

“The bias against introversion leads to a colossal waste of talent, energy, and happiness.”

—Susan Horowitz Cain, American writer and lecturer

Image from christiehartman.com

We’re all familiar with the phrase, “Out of Sight, Out of Mind.” To gain anyone’s attention these days, it is critical to be louder, bolder, and more outrageous than ever.

Look at those who have the attention of traditional media, and of course, social media. Looking into our organizations and institutions, we also see a good bit of bias toward extroverts rather than introverts. In some cases, introverts have been encouraged to “fake it till we make it.”

EXERCISE:

Consider exploring the book Quiet by Susan Horowitz Cain. I love the subtitle of this work, which is, “The power of introverts in a world that can’t stop talking,” to see what is being wasted.

Cain also has a TED talk you will find revealing if you have 15-20 minutes.

“Play the game where…”

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Barry

“Play the game where everyone wins something.”

—Author Unknown

Image from ericcheser.com

It is the norm for most sports and board games to result in winners and losers. A driving force for many is to beat, vanquish, and annihilate their competition.

A wide variety of collaborative pursuits in the game of life—including relationships, team projects, and business partnerships—do not need to go this route.

In fact, when we focus our efforts to realize win-win scenarios, the end results are often far better and significantly more satisfying.

EXERCISE:

Where and in what ways can you take more of a win-win approach in your personal and professional life? What would you be able to celebrate together if you did that more often?

“The Things You Say About Others…”

Posted on September 15, 2015 by Barry

“The things you say about others, also say a lot about you.”

—Mark Amend, American Poet

Image from 8tracks.com

We have all heard the phrase “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

As you observe your own behavior and that of others, how well do you think we are living by these words? What is your opinion of others who always seem to be putting others down, or sharing a critical, negative perspective, whether asked or not?

EXERCISE:

Examine the things you say about others, or better yet, ask others to share their objective observation about your behavior in this area. What does this say about you, and what modifications are needed to receive a far better appraisal?

“Integrate what you believe in every…”

Posted on September 8, 2015 by Barry

“Integrate what you believe in every single area of your life. Take your heart to work and ask the most and best of everybody else, too.”

—Meryl Streep, Three-time American Academy Award-Winning Actor

Image from yahoo.com

Meryl Streep is one of the most recognized and award-winning actors of the last few decades.

Recently, my wife Wendy and I saw “Ricki and the Flash,” a film in which Streep plays an aging female rock star with family challenges.

Her performance demonstrates her ability to bring her heart and her best to every role she plays. She truly walks the talk of her quote.

EXERCISE:

How well do you integrate your deeply held beliefs into all areas of your life?

How can you bring your whole-hearted self to work, and support those around you to pursue their personal best?

“Never let the fear…”

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Barry

“Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.”

—Babe Ruth, American baseball player whose Major League career spanned 22 seasons

Photo from thegreedypinstripes.com

Perhaps no baseball player in history will ever achieve as much notoriety as Babe Ruth, who began his 22-year career 101 years ago, in 1914.

Among the many interesting facts about Babe was his unique method for keeping cool during hot summer games, wearing uniforms made of wool. His trick to provide relief for an inning or two was to chill cabbage leaves in ice, then put the frozen leaves under his cap!

Surprisingly, Ruth is ranked 113th on the all-time strikeout list, with 1,330 strikeouts. Compare that to Reggie Jackson, who had 2,597 strikeouts. Perhaps it was his quote and the cabbage that did the trick?

EXERCISE:

Where is the fear of striking out in your professional or personal life stopping you? Where do you most need to get up to the plate and swing away? What strategies will help you keep your cool in the process?