I’ve said before that optimism can be your secret weapon.  It’s definitely a secret weapon for me. When trying out for the all-star team in little league baseball, I thought I had as good a shot as anyone. When I applied to graduate school, I knew I would have to convince them to take a risk, but why wouldn’t they? When applying for a highly competitive new job, surely I’d have a shot. Some may have doubted, thought I wouldn’t come out on top in these situations. But I did.
A dear friend of ours is battling cancer, as many seem to be these days. She made it through a particularly rough round of treatment with more to endure in the months ahead. She felt relieved but run down and the outlook of more treatment was less than appealing. She didn’t see much to celebrate.
While we continue to support her, I found myself wanting to stir a celebration. Celebrate the progress she’s made, the manner in which she faces the battle and mark the challenges that are now behind her. As I thought more about her situation, I discovered there is strength in celebration that we can all benefit from.
As an entrepreneur, leader, husband, volunteer, etc., I make decisions. Some work. Some don’t. When I heard the latest book from Chip and Dan Heath was about decision making, I knew I could grow from applying its contents. Decisive did not disappoint. Having read it, I will be a better decision maker at home, work and everywhere in between.
Regardless if your decisions involve million dollar acquisitions, making a job offer or naming your child, it’s safe to say better decision making is worth working at.
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.
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