In his inspiring book, Quitter, Jon Acuff discusses an observation he’s made. Jon has talked with many people who say things like, “I’m a teacher, but I really want to paint.” He identified a trend in people who aren’t following their dreams. Many say, “I am a ____, but I really want to ____.” They feel stuck, scared, or don’t know how to chase their dreams. They continue showing up to work, miserable, unengaged, longing for something to change.
I have a confession to make: sometimes I don’t feel like doing the things that need to get done. Maybe I’m alone in this, but my hunch is that some of you fight the same battles I do.
Most often when this happens to me, I feel drained, like my energy is waning. This is one reason we see a lot of energy boosting substances out there (5-hour Energy, Monster, Cliff Energy Bloks, etc.). I’m not opposed to some of these; however, I don’t want to depend on them to meet life’s demands. The truth is that some of us struggle to find the energy we need to do what needs doing.
This year, I launched my blog with The Excelling Edge. In my continuing pursuit of excellence, I want to make my blog better and more relevant to your needs and interests. To do that, I need to know more about YOU, so I created my 2014 Reader Survey.
Would you please take a few minutes to fill out the survey? Ultimately, you’ll be helping yourself. Why? Because you will be helping me create content that is more relevant and meaningful for you.
I’ve made this survey easy to fill out. It is only 10 questions. The results are completely anonymous. I would be so grateful for your response.
Thanks for your help!
In training and coaching leaders, I invariably get pulled into a discussion about entitlement. “Millennials…” and “Kids these days…” Some even claim it is a societal issue. I can’t really disagree as 1st graders are handed trophies they can barely carry to the car after finishing last in the town soccer league. So, what can we do about it? What kind of example are we setting for those we lead and influence? Could gratitude be the answer? If so, we’ll gain much more than grateful attitudes around the office and dinner table.
Stress abounds in today’s culture. We think it’s normal. For people who seem constantly stressed, we don’t know how to regulate it very well. Author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, Dr. Robert Sapolsky, suggests people today are constantly activating their fight or flight (i.e. stress) response. This is why both performance and health suffer.
Why is it that the benefits of practice and preparation can evade us when it’s time to make the big play, close the deal or deliver the speech? Our muscles tighten, our tongues tie themselves in knots and we’re as awkward as a giraffe in puberty. Fear raises its nasty head, doubts creep in and all we can picture are the things that can go wrong. Has this ever happened to you?
I’ve spent some quality time with TSA, flight attendants and fellow travelers of the skies in the past month. On a recent flight to San Francisco, I sat in my seat with my tray table stowed and seat back in its upright position. As I listened ever so intently to the safety brief, I heard something counterintuitive. If you’ve flown on a commercial flight, you’ve likely heard this surprising safety tip too.
In the past, I’ve struggled to follow through on smaller goals, especially over time. I didn’t really learn to play the guitar. I’m not fluent in Spanish. For the big goals, I’m more likely to put in the time to develop a thorough plan, map it out and also to reach my goal. But, for me, it’s the little ones that slip away. Maybe you have struggled to achieve some smaller goals too.
When someone messes up at work, we don’t say, “Wow, you’re incompetent!” Most of us ascribe to the idea that criticizing the behavior and not the person lends better results. That’s true. Therefore, it shouldn’t be surprising that applying the same feedback approach to success also lends the best results. Why do we say things like, “great job;” “you’re the next Lebron James;” “you have a gift for selling;” and so on?
Why is that some people strive to reach their potentials and others don’t? Why do some of us seek out challenges and others shy away? Why do some of us accept feedback more readily than others? Why are some people primarily motivated by recognition and others by learning? All of this, and much more, can be tied to our mindsets.
