Tag Archives: Barry Demp Coaching

“Never bear more than one trouble at a time. Some people bear three kinds — all they have had, all they have now, and all they expect to have.”

Posted on by

“Never bear more than one trouble at a time. Some people bear three kinds — all they have had, all they have now, and all they expect to have.”

—Edward Everett Hale, 19th Century American author and historian

Image from Unsplash by Antoine Dautry

If you are a negative, half-empty, or pessimistic individual, you may wish to practice your subtraction or division to improve your life. If you lean more strongly toward the positive, half-full, or optimistic scale, consider your addition and multiplication skills.

Many of us travel through time via various mental pathways from the past, to the present, and often into the future. If you happen to be in the half-empty camp, your troubles can easily add up and multiply beyond those present in the moment.

Using your mental muscles, selecting only one trouble at a time on your current doorstep can reduce your worries and lift the load more easily.

EXERCISE:

For the optimists among you who sees opportunities in most obstacles, feel free to add, multiply, and embrace as many possibilities as you wish.

“You don’t need to wear a hoodie or a lab coat to be an innovator.”

Posted on by

“You don’t need to wear a hoodie or a lab coat to be an innovator.”

—Josh Linkner, Top Rated Keynote Speaker and World-Renowned Innovation Expert

image from Amazon

What do Earvin Magic Johnson, Seth Godin, Adam Grant, Steve Case, Richard Davis, and Eric Lefkofsky have in common?

If you happen to have recently read Big Little Breakthroughs, you would know the they are fans of the author Josh Linkner.

Instead of innovation, being accessible to only a select few, Josh offers through many real-world examples. In dozens of small ways we can all innovate and be far more creative in our personal and professional worlds, to generate big results.

Cutting edge research from Harvard University proves that all human beings are creative. In fact, 85% of creativity is learned behavior. Unfortunately, the biggest obstacle is fear — literally robbing us of this innate human capacity.

EXERCISE:

If you would like to learn The 10 Commandments of Brainstorming, The Seven Deadly Sins of Creativity, and Five Innovation Lessons from the Beatles, please check out the big ideas in this little book.

“Could this life be one level in a larger game?”

Posted on by

“Could this life be one level in a larger game?”

—Mo Gawday, Solve for Happy

Image from Unsplash by Leslie Lopez Holder

In physics, work is the energy to or from an object via the application of force along a displacement. For the sake of simplicity:

Work = Force x Displacement

How hard do you work? How much force do you put into your personal and professional activities? Where are you headed in your intended direction through your efforts?

How happy are you pursuing and pulling on the levers and ropes of your life?

EXERCISE:

What are your thoughts on Mo’s question regarding life being part of a larger game? Please consider replying to share your perspective.

FRIDAY REVIEW: POTENTIAL

Posted on by

FRIDAY REVIEW: POTENTIAL

Who in your communities has the most potential? Which among them would name you to their list? Here are a few potential-related posts you may have missed.

 

“There’s no such thing as overachievers; there are only under-estimators.”

 

 

 

“Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.”

 

 

 

 

“The challenges that we face test us and help reveal our true potential.”

 

 

 

 

“Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.”

Posted on by

“Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.”

—H. Jackson Brown Jr., Author of Life’s Little Instruction Book

Image from Unsplash by Edi Libedinsky

Everyone is watching! Your friends, colleagues, and especially your children are always keeping tabs on you. They don’t miss a trick.

What do they see and hear? How pleased would you be if you were forced to binge watch the last 24 hours of your life?

Over the past few months our two adult children have been our coaches and partners as we prepare to move from Michigan to Pennsylvania to be closer to family and friends. It is very gratifying to quietly sit back and see their generous examples of fairness, caring, and integrity coming back full circle.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways is your own good example the best coaching you can offer your children and others in your personal and professional communities?

“When your past calls, don’t answer. It has nothing to say.”

Posted on by

“When your past calls, don’t answer. It has nothing to say.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Hadija Saidi

Or maybe it does.

Most of us have had the experience of meeting with an old friend or former schoolmate, in which the stories and discussions reoccur like Groundhog Day. It’s like a record that keeps skipping back to play the same old tunes.

In such situations, we often tune things out and feel our lives wasting away because we’ve already been there and done that.

Alternatively, what if the lessons of the past were never fully learned and they present themselves again, hoping you have new lenses to see what you may have missed on the first, second, or third go-around?

Discovering what’s new might actually be more up to you than what appears frozen in time.

EXERCISE:

What would be the value of not always using your caller ID when you see a call from your past? How might you listen differently to discover new value in their messages?

 

“Today, what did I do for my mind? My body? My spirit? My Relationships? My Creativity, Passion, and those I love?”

Posted on by

“Today, what did I do for my mind? My body? My spirit? My Relationships? My Creativity, Passion, and those I love?”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Dayne Topkin

Today’s quote should probably be read twice a day for at least a month. Reviewing it at night will provide a pause for self-reflection. Reading it early in the day can help you better focus your intentions to better support and serve yourself and others.

Just like strength and resistance training works better with multiple sets, this twice-a-day reflective exercise might be a great routine to make into a daily practice.

EXERCISE:

Take out a notebook or journal to answer the questions in today’s quote every day for at least a week. Consider adding another set to this exercise by sharing your answers with a family member, friend, colleague, and perhaps your coach.

“Don’t do hard things alone.”

Posted on by

“Don’t do hard things alone.”

—Author Unknown

Image from Unsplash by Martin Péchy

Wendy and I are in the process of doing a very hard thing. We’re moving from Michigan, our home for 34 years, back to Pennsylvania, to be close to family and friends.

This decision came about due to several factors, including my capacity to coach from anywhere with a solid Wi-Fi signal.

We have so many people to thank and are quite clear that trying to list them all by name would surely leave a few out, so here is the general list of the villagers who came to our rescue:

Family – especially our children Contractors
Friends Storage Unit Professionals
Realtors Movers
Financial Advisors Home Buyers and Sellers
Lawyers Coaches and Mentors

EXERCISE:

Where have you — or where are you — in the process of doing something hard?

Who are the people to thank or request additional aide to pull off the monumental moves in your life?

 

Friday Review: Reflection

Posted on by

FRIDAY REVIEW: REFLECTION

How often do you step outside your routine just to reflect on your life? Here are a few reflection-related posts you may have missed.

 

“I have always tried to make room for anything that wanted to come to me from within.”

 

 

 

 

“Respect yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or makes you happy.”

 

 

 

 

“Don’t worry so much about knowing the right people. Just make yourself worth knowing.”

 

 

 

“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.

Posted on by

“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.”

—Seneca The Younger, ancient Roman Stoic philosopher and statesman

Image from Unsplash by Erik Karits

How old are you?  If you have a dog or cat, how old are they?  How would you live your life if you knew that each day would cost you seven?

What would life look like if each and every day were lived as if it were a lifetime?

The mayfly has the shortest lifespan on earth — 24 hours or less.  They probably don’t waste a single second.

EXERCISE:

365.1825. 3650. 7300. These are the number of days in one, five, ten, and twenty years.

What can and will you do with each of those daily lifetimes ahead?