Tag Archives: Barry Demp Coaching

“Left untended, knowledge and skill, like all assets, depreciate in value surprisingly quickly.”

Posted on by

“Left untended, knowledge and skill, like all assets, depreciate in value surprisingly quickly.”

—David Maister, former Harvard Business School professor

Image from Unsplash by Fredy Jacob

Where are your skills and knowledge not keeping up with the times?

Where have you dropped your intellectual anchor, letting the whole world know you have stopped at what seems like a safe spot to rest and sit things out?

I was recently asked to help a friend with her printer, to make copies of her resume to secure a new job. Although she had brand new cartridges installed, her computer couldn’t communicate with her printer due to an old, unsupported operating system.

EXERCISE:

Where are you falling a bit behind in the skills and knowledge needed to be successful professionally or personally? What investments can and will you make that will appreciate in value in the years ahead?

 

“We have two lives, and the second one begins when we realize we only have one.”

Posted on by

“We have two lives, and the second one begins when we realize we only have one.”

—Attributed to Confucius

Image from Medium.com

Groundhog Day with Bill Murray is one of my favorite movies. Beyond its humor is the central message of waking up to our lives anew each day.

Take a close look at your life. Examine each day of the past week, month, or even the past year or so. Can you see each moment with clarity, or do things look more like a train speeding by?

I’ve practiced a daily meditation over the past five years. I’ve found this simple — yet often not easy — daily discipline has slowed me down considerably. I have become more mindful and aware of how I navigate my days.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you apply the wisdom of today’s quote to realize and not miss any possibilities in your precious life?

 

“Lower the volume so your soul can speak.”

Posted on by

“Lower the volume so your soul can speak.”

—Barry Demp, Demp Coaching

Image from Unsplash by Alasdair Elmes

What do you hear when your mind is quiet?

By quieting the thinking mind, your soul has a better chance to be heard.

It is this deep soulful voice we wish to hear so that we can be fully present to both ourselves and others on a more profound level.

Lowering the volume to a whisper can help put you on a path to explore even greater mindfulness and self-awareness.

EXERCISE:

Where and how do you take time each day to lower the volume so your soul can speak to you?

Friday Review: Self-Image

Posted on by

FRIDAY REVIEW: SELF-IMAGE

How has your self-image shifted over the last year? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

 

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

 

 

 

 

 

“When science discovers the center of the universe, a lot of people will be disappointed to find they are not it.”

 

 

 

 

“Your ‘I Can’ is more important than your I.Q.”

 

 

 

“Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars.”

Posted on by

“Be humble, for you are made of earth. Be noble, for you are made of stars.”

—Serbian Proverb

Image from Unsplash by Noah Buscher

Who are the people in your communities that you consider humble and kind?

Sometimes we refer to these special folks as being “down to earth.” What other qualities do you see in them that make them so grounded and solid?

How many of the same people also demonstrate noble qualities? These are the people who not only shine, but they also energize and illuminate those around them. They tend to attract others with a gravitational force that holds things together.

EXERCISE:

If you asked these questions of your family, friends, and colleagues, how many of them would put YOU on their list?

What efforts can and will you take to be this proverbial person in the days and years ahead?

Every morning you have two choices

Posted on by

“Every morning you have two choices: Continue to sleep with your dreams, or wake up and chase them.”

—Carmelo Anthony, American professional basketball player

Image form Unsplash by Oladimeji Ajegil

What time do you get up in the morning on weekdays and weekends?

How often do you find yourself hitting the snooze button rather than leaping out of bed to pursue your day with intention and excitement?

Fast forward a few hours to the time you crawl under the covers. Recount your day to see if it was a good one or not.

What are the factors that have you give an “A” for your efforts and progress?

EXERCISE:

How frequently do you actually chase your dream and not just contemplate them?

How do your efforts correlate to a far more satisfying sense of engagement and fulfillment?

“This is the world as it is. This is where you start.”

Posted on by

“This is the world as it is. This is where you start.”

—Saul D. Alinsky, 20th Century American writer

Image from Amazon

Saul David Alinsky (1909-1972) was a Chicago-born community organizer and writer often considered the founder of modern community organizing. He worked to improve the living conditions of poor communities across North America. Alinsky is known for his 1971 book, Rules for Radicals, which counsels activists on achieving change and knowing “the difference between being a realistic radical and being a rhetorical one.”

The quote and commentary for today came from the Goodreads post for January 30, 2017.

The idea of a realistic radical versus a rhetorical one had me look over the past year and half to assess people in both groups.

EXERCISE:

Where will you start today, given that this is the world as it is?

 

Discover your beauty cracks and all

Posted on by

“Discover your beauty cracks and all. These are your gifts of imperfection.”

—Barry Demp, DempCoaching.com

Image from Unsplash by Joeyy Lee

Our cracks, flaws, and mistakes are simply a part of our humanity.

By accepting them as gifts and understanding our imperfections we can also begin to accept and appreciate others for their beautiful humanness.

God doesn’t make junk and he wants us to fully accept and love one another as we are.

It is our daily acts of kindness and goodness that allow us to fill the cracks to be whole and our own unique work of art.

EXERCISE:

Where and how can you discover more of your own beauty in the gifts of your imperfections?

Consider reading The Gift of Imperfection by Brené Brown

Friday Review: Principles

Posted on by

FRIDAY REVIEW: PRINCIPLES

What are the guiding principles in your life? Here are a few principle-related posts you may have missed.

 

 

“Principles have no real force except when one is well-fed.”

 

 

 

“Set your course by the stars, not by the light of every passing ship.”

 

 

 

“Sometimes changing the game is as simple as finding a few people who play by the same rules you do.”

 

 

 

 

 

“The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.”

Posted on by

“The best angle from which to approach any problem is the try-angle.”

—Stephanie Staples, Author of The Try-Angle, a New Slant on Life

Image from Unsplash By Brett Jordan

My grandson Weston is a remarkable little guy. He knows the alphabet forwards and backwards, can count to 100, knows his colors, and of course, his shapes.

I love how he pronounces “octagon” in his cute three-year-old voice, but perhaps the most admirable of his qualities is his joyful enthusiasm to try almost anything involving learning and play.

How open and receptive are you at applying the Try-Angle in your approach to life?

How often do you find yourself giving new things a try versus standing pat on your current approach, which may not be working?

EXERCISE:

Where and on what personal or professional challenges do you need to give things another try?

Please let me know where and how your persistence pays.