Tag Archives: Demp Coaching

Not enough people in the world

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“Not enough people in the world, I think, carry a cosmic perspective with them. It could be life-changing.”

—Neil deGrasse Tyson, American Astrophysicist

Image of Neil deGrasse Tyson

Image from mountainx.com

Perhaps no single person since Carl Sagan has excited the public more about the wonders of science than Neil deGrasse Tyson. His recent work as host of Cosmos: A Space-Time Odyssey goes steps beyond Sagan’s 1980 version, Cosmos: a Personal Voyage.

Learning about how our universe works and taking a cosmic perspective has me appreciate equally my smallness and my connection to the whole of everything. This perspective has given me a passion for learning and self-development. That, in turn, has provided me much joy and satisfaction, and permits me to embrace the impermanence and the miracle of being alive.

EXERCISE:

How would taking a far more cosmic perspective of your life provide you access to living an even more extraordinary one?

Do you want to be happy

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“Do you want to be happy? Let go of what’s gone, be grateful for what remains, and look forward to what is coming.”

—Author Unknown

Image of five clock on a wall, showing different time zones

Image from Unsplash by Luis Cortes

Through my mindfulness efforts over the past few years, I realize that I live in three different time zones. At certain times, I reflect on the past and hold on or grasp for what seems like “the good one days.”

The bulk of my days, I try my best to remain present, in the moment, so that I can make the most of the here and now, and be grateful for all I have.

Of course, we would not be human if we did not demonstrate a healthy curiosity about the years ahead, knowing that our actions today can manifest our visions for the future.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you increase your own happiness and life satisfaction by letting go of what’s gone, being grateful for what remains, and looking forward to what is coming?

The future is something which everyone reaches

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“The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of 60 minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.”

—C.S. Lewis, 20th Century British author

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Today’s quote has a bit of a passive quality for me. In a recent article, Michael Simmons points out the considerable downside of a passive approach by describing a term he coined “The Five Hour Rule” a few years ago. Through his research of the most successful people in the world he discovered a pattern: They all devoted at least five hours a week to deliberate learning, to ensure long-term success.

His work demonstrates that in maintaining only our current knowledge, about 50% will become outdated within a decade. He points out that each of us will need to learn five hours a week just to stay up-to-date in our current fields, and more if we want to get ahead.

Most of us know that we all forget a significant portion of what we learn, but did you know that facts in many fields of study have a half-life where previous knowledge can no longer be found in scientific citations?

Consider where the fields of artificial intelligence, app development, social media management, driverless cars and cloud computing will be even a few years from now. None of these fields existed 15 years ago.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can and will you invest at least five hours each week on intentional learning?

Consider checking out Michael Simmons article by reading “The Math Behind the Five Hour Rule.”

Friday Review of Opinions

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FRIDAY REVIEW: OPINION

What data or information do you use to form your opinions? Here are a few opinion-related posts you may have missed. Click to read the full message.

 

“Your first impression remains—but you can revise your opinion. Look once again and give someone a second chance!”

 

 

 

“Be careful how you interpret the world: it is like that.”

 

 

 

 

“The only way some of us exercise our minds is by jumping to conclusions.”

 

 

 

Don’t just go with the flow

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“Don’t just go with the flow, take some dares through the rapids.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a person standing on a rickety wood bridge over rapids

Image from Unsplash by Benjamin Davies

If your life were a movie or TV show, how likely is it that it would be a blockbuster everyone talks about?

Mine would probably not be a big hit with most people. When I ask people who know me best to describe me, some words that pop up often include: dependable, disciplined, reliable, steady, cooperative, honest, loyal, and friendly.

Being a “Steady Eddie” has served me well, and I consider myself very happy with my reasonable, predictable life.

On the other hand, there are many displays in my office of my favorite quote: “When patterns are broken, new worlds will emerge.” This thought constantly reminds me to keep checking in to see where I am committed to something bigger, better, or just different from “going with the flow.” It’s at these times I periodically jump into the fast-moving or riskier waters of life, and go for it. It’s interesting to note that a high percentage of these times are associated with some of my most memorable and significant accomplishments.

EXERCISE:

What is one important area of your life in which it is time to jump into the rapids and be a bit more daring?

Questions can be like a lever

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“Questions can be like a lever you use to pry open the stuck lid on a paint can.”

—Fran Peavey, late political Author

Image of The Coaching Habit book cover

Image from Amazon.com

Michael Bungay Stainer is a masterful coach whom I greatly admire. I’ve read most of his books and look forward to his daily “Great Work Provocation” blog, which you can explore for yourself at https://boxofcrayons.com/great-work-provocations-series/. His most recent work – The Coaching Habit – includes seven core questions that can help all of us pry open the lids of new possibilities in both our personal and professional worlds. I fully agree that the seven questions provided below will help us all say less, ask more, change the way we lead our lives, and better support those we wish to serve.

  1. The Kickstart Question: What’s on your mind?
  2. The AWE Question: And What Else?
  3. The Focus Question: What’s the real challenge here for you?
  4. The Foundation Question: What do you want?
  5. The Lazy Question: How can I help?
  6. The Strategic Question: If you are saying Yes to this, what are you saying No to?
  7. The Learning Question: What was most useful for you?

EXERCISE:

Please consider applying these questions to build your own coaching habit to open up your relationships and your world and lead a more vibrant and beautiful life.

You can also learn more about Michael’s books and his work at www.boxofcrayons.biz

 

Man did not weave the web of life

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“Man did not weave the web of life – he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.”

—Greg Braden, NYT Best-Selling Author

Image of a large spider web

Image from Unsplash by Robert Anasch

If you happen to enjoy history, consider exploring the history of our planet and how animals and plant life have evolved. Consider checking out fossil records and other scientific methods including carbon dating.

A surprising discovery for many is just how recently man – especially modern man – has been around.

Humans, because of our remarkable brains and our ability to coordinate and cooperate, have altered our world far more quickly and dramatically than all other creatures combined.

EXERCISE:

What positive and negative strand-pulling activities are you observing these days? How and in what ways can all of us contribute and strengthen the web of life to leave a positive and lasting legacy for all future generations and all creatures that share our beautiful world?

You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note

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“You don’t get harmony when everyone sings the same note.”

—attributed to Doug Floyd

Image of two women playing guitar and singing while sitting on a curb

Image from Unsplash by Fotografia.ges

Do you enjoy music? Perhaps you play an instrument or two. Other than trying my hand at the drums in grade school, I realized quite quickly that I was more satisfied listening to it rather than playing it.

Recently, I was watching a Netflix program called “Explained” on the subject of music. I was amazed to learn just how much I did not know about its workings. Beyond the notes were additional concepts of which I knew little, including pitch, timbre, melody, and rhythm. Combining them all in the appropriate amounts can have us tapping our toes, caught up in its harmonious magic.

EXERCISE:

Consider your professional and personal communities. Where and how does variety and diversity of thought and capabilities provide for greater levels of harmonious achievement and success?

Friday Review of posts on Heart

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FRIDAY REVIEW: HEART

They say ya gotta have heart… Here are a few heart-related posts you may have missed. Click to read the full message.

 

“You don’t protect your heart by acting like you don’t have one.”

 

 

 

“It is a rare person who can take care of hearts while also taking care of business.”

 

 

 

“Fame has only the span of a day, they say. But to live in the hearts of the people – that is worth something.”

 

 

 

At the end of the game pawns and kings go back into the same box

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“At the end of the game, pawns and kings go back into the same box.”

—Italian Proverb

Image of a chess game in progress

Image from Unsplash by raw pixel

We live in a world of comparisons. Over the millennia, there have been kings and slaves, the wealthy and the poor, the elite and the untouchables.

Examine your own professional and personal worlds for comparisons such as executives versus clerical staff, movie stars, professional athletes, and attractive individuals versus the plain and less talented.

In chess and in life, kings and queens have far more advantages and opportunities to come out on top versus the pawns of our world.

What is the cost we and society pay each day because of this superior/inferior perspective?

EXERCISE:

How would viewing one another as equals with our shared humanness help us all realize a more wonderful life before we go back in the box?