To Don'ts List

Well the New Year is almost upon us. Brand spanking new, filled with optimism and hope for renewed passion and energy. Have you committed to some New Year’s resolutions? Do you have them written down, created a plan? Now are you forging your will power to help you move towards them and HOPEFULLY succeed? Statistically people break their New Year’s resolutions within the first fourteen days of January. Success rates for people trying to achieve their resolutions are very low. Trying to rely on will power alone is a difficult way to move towards the goals you have set and want to achieve.

However, it doesn’t have to go that way if you are truly committed to that resolution. I flip the idea upside down and tackle it in a different manner. When we focus on what we don’t want we end up actually moving towards those things because we are focusing so hard on them. I have one resolution I make every year and then create a To Don’t List as a means to achieve that goal. Often I have setbacks and downright falter as I travel the path towards my goal. I have learned to have compassion for myself in those times that I do falter (not fail). Through experience I have discovered that the will power trap is not going to be enough to help me change the course of my ways like I hope to.

My one resolution is this, “I will not allow the things that matter most in my life to be at the expense of those that matter the least.” Summed up, I am not interested in allowing things that really aren’t important having an impact on things that really are. Simply trying to rely on will power is not something that works for me. The word DON’T is a powerful word and tool I can apply that helps me to focus on what I really want. Think about it, how many times have you been told don’t do that? Don’t allow others to influence you! Don’t just follow the crowd? Don’t is a powerful way to bring yourself to attention in the moment and move towards what you want. (As a kid when I was told don’t do that I ended up doing it because someone told me don’t!) I remember in my 2013 Challenge Penticton race which is the same distance as an Ironman I had a really bad run. Actually I was unable to run a lot of the marathon in that race. The day could have been ugly had I focused on what was bad, and there was a lot. I just kept telling myself DON”T focus on what’s wrong, focus on what’s right. It was the most enjoyable marathon I have ever done because I used the power of don’t to live fully in the moment and enjoy it.

Having strong personal Vision and Mission statements are powerful tools that my To Don’t List helps me move towards. If you haven’t created a personal vision and mission statement I highly recommend you do, it is a powerful means to direct your energy. These two tools help to prioritize what things really matter in our lives. They are the basis to create our To Don’t List. They need not be extensive; they are just beneficial to help create a mental picture of what and who you truly want to be. My personal Mission statement is adjusted once a year at this time to reflect how I intend to live over the coming year. This is where the power of the To Don’t List lies, in moving towards what really matters, living in a way that really matters to you.

Start small over the first month of 2015. Make a concerted effort towards one goal that you want to achieve. Make your To Don’t List specific enough to help your mind understand the value of the goal but not so complicated that you have a hard time actually following through. Here are a couple of examples of things I have used:

·         Don’t allow electronics to take time away from training and writing

·         Don’t focus on things you cannot control

·         Don’t waste your good ideas on people who aren’t interested in actually growing

It’s a small sample of my To Don’ts; things that help me stay on course. Ultimately a To Don’t List is about creating personal power. Power to move along in the direction you have resolved to go. Keeping in mind there will be setbacks and that is natural. What you’re aiming for here is changing your mindset to one of ownership over the things that really matter. You can own them and you don’t have to look back and feel down because you didn’t keep your resolutions.

Happy New Year.

Enthusiasm

I’m enthusiastic, especially about myself. I have a mind about where I am going, why I’m going there and what I am prepared to do. Being enthusiastic is about controlling my energy, my mind. And here is the best part of that whole equation. I’m being my natural self which is where all the enthusiasm comes from.

I’ve got a million reasons to be something I’m not. It’s the trap of societal conditioning. You know what I’m talking about. Comments from people throughout your life about things you should change about yourself. All those awkward periods of trying to fit in, I burned that trunk thankfully. Chasing dreams that weren’t really yours but would have made others happy. It’s all part of the process in life that helps us be (return to) ourselves. Stop waiting to learn something you already know! Stop expecting a miraculous television commercial that will give you the answer you seek.

Never stop seeking to grow and learn, just make sure you’re looking in the right place. Where is that place? Well it is inside of you, stop focusing on everything around you and the pull to please those things with your energy. Tune into yourself, your instinct is the same as the day you were born, just honor it. Trust the feeling you get in your gut about how to handle that situation. Look inside when you find confusion because there is no confusing who you really are. Thinking is tough when every commercial and advertisement or person you meet is telling you how to think. Stop thinking so much and just be who you want to be, your true self.

You have more energy than you could ever expend in a life time. That mind up there in YOUR head is designed to work for you, not against you. You are not a slave to your mind unless you allow your enthusiasm for yourself to wane. No one’s words or action speak any truth about your instinct and energy unless you give those words power. Take heed and listen if they make sense and speak to your gut. Choose what you believe and desire based not on the needs of others, but choose based on your instinctual needs.

Trust yourself. I have found the best tool for being enthusiastic and having great enthusiasm for life is to simplify things. I trust my gut when I have a feeling about something and I don’t over think it. Material clutter doesn’t help make you feel better or give you more energy. Sometimes it has the opposite effect. Go inside yourself each day and discover your true nature. That’s what makes me enthusiastic. I have a lot of energy just waiting to go forth and live my life. MY LIFE, defined by me! My choices, my values and my energy…giddy up.

"Live remarkable and follow the Spirit in your heart."

2 Percent

2 Percent

 

It takes immense amounts of energy trying to be right 100% of the time. Try doing 100% of the workload all on your own. Can you possibly analyze 100% of the data and information you are subjected to daily? It’s hard to give 100% all of the time in everything you do. The common measurement for life’s grading system essentially comes down to trying to get 100%. Now what really happens with this 100%mentality is we start to compare ourselves to everyone else. Then the mean standard becomes the target, and that leads to the herd mentality.

 

Here is what I find invigorating and productive, try looking at the 2% of things that are on the fringe of the common denominator thinking. This 2% is doing some really cool and fresh stuff. At first glance this stuff may appear to be radical, bizarre and bordering on the crazy. This is where change is found by not falling into a predetermined mindset which is brought on by previous conditioning.

 

It takes great courage to be different out on the fringe and to think in new ways. It may mean facing fears and allowing yourself to break through to a new dimension of growth. It can be scary breaking free of the herd mentality. The 2% have discovered new and novel ways to create and live. This 2% doesn’t focus on the possibility of failure even though it can happen; they focus on what the possibility of this 2% thinking can have on life.

 

Stepping into anew threshold of 2% thinking creates a new playing field. If you make this a daily commitment you will find yourself breaking old habits and patterns. You determine what the 2% is for you. It will be based on what you find fresh and cool, in business, baking, fitness, heck it applies to anything. Now here is the beauty about thinking this way. If your competitors are focusing on the same common denominator 100% as they usually do, your not part of the herd but are an explorer. Your 2% thinking is a great way to differentiate yourself.

 

P.S It is good to surround yourself with people who excel at this 2% mentality. I have been blessed and fortunate in my life to have some amazing people who fit into this category who I have learned from.

 

“Live remarkable and follow the Spirit in your heart.”

 

 

Reality Check

Lately I have been consumed with trying to grasp reality; true reality, not just my concept of it. I am looking for quantifiable evidence of the reality I am actually experiencing. I want this opposed to a mental model of my own that may seem like reality but is based on personal bias and prejudices. With personal experience and societal conditioning it is not difficult to have a few of these. It is also not difficult to have a skewed perception of reality.

My focus has been on looking at reality through an Organizational lens. The idea that the status quo can remain intact when your organization is faced with realities the status quo can no longer handle is archaic. The status quo is what created the realities that are creating the organizational pains your organization is suffering from. Come on, this isn't rocket science. I don't care if you claim it is not just your organization that is suffering. Your excuse is this reality is happening all across the industry. It is a cop out of an excuse to keep you from changing yourself, its fear based and by the way, its killing your organization.

When the reality facing your organization is not positive and optimal, this is the opportunity to move out of past practises that have run their course. You as the Leader of your organization can take charge of creating a new reality based on what you learn as an organization. (That is if you want to be a learning organization.) This may cause you and your organization some discomfort. However, the pain of this discomfort will be less than the pain of staying the course your on. As the leader of the organization you set the tone for all those who you want to perform. Drop the title and actually steer the ship.

I have experienced the organization where the leader has surrounded himself by YES men. They value their positions and perceived power more than they actually know what is happening in their departments. They will give you the reality they value, not true reality. The well is deep, if you truly want to know how to turn your negative, unhealthy, underachieving reality around you need to speak to everyone in the organization. Right from your Personal Assistant down to the Janitor. Your front line staff are a goldmine of information, solutions and answers that will show you the reality of your organization and more often than not how to turn your fortunes around.

A new reality is only possible when you are committed to fixing the one you have currently created.

"Live remarkable and follow the Spirit in your heart."

The Reason

Its really not just another day, today is filled with possibility. The alarm clock rings and you reach across your pillow and turn it off. There is no hesitation, you swing your legs over the side of the bed and stretch feeling your body come to life. A smile spreads across your face as you think about all the possibilities the day ahead will present. There is nothing special about today really, no special events marked on the calendar. In fact for most people this is just going to be another ordinary if not mundane day in their lives. Not for you though. You make a conscious choice daily to have a reason to excel.

So what is the reason you get up every day? Do you have a defined purpose that helps you focus your energy and brings excitement to your life? I would say today is a great day to start. Right here and right now you can make a conscious choice as to how the rest of this day will be played out. You are either in control of it or it is manipulating you all over the board of life.

Building a defining reason into your lifestyle sets actions and energy in motion that create results. The wonderful thing about this is that when your actions become intentional around this defining reason, you gain more control daily. The every day ordinary now becomes your own personal extraordinary. Now here is a simple fact about creating this kind of day; it doesn't take radical change to bring about positive forward motion in the direction of your reason.

Set your reason for the day and go out and pursue it. Some days there may be set backs and difficulties in your pursuit. That can be a challenge. However when you have a reason to focus on, those setbacks don't have as much power over you because your reason for living is to powerful. And finally, take the time each day to celebrate your small and large successes as you journey with a reason to live.

"Live remarkable and follow the Spirit in your heart."

Find Your UNcomfortable Zone.

I get it, its comfortable. You don't have to stress or try to hard when you're in that comfort zone. Besides you have worked really, really hard to create that comfort zone. After all isn't comfort what we all seek? Heck, maybe it is what we all deserve. But what if that comfort zone also creates just being average, or mediocre? A comfort zone essentially becomes a self-imposed personal limitation zone.

Enter the Uncomfortable zone. Just thinking about it kind of makes you feel nervous. However, it is from the Uncomfortable zone that some of our personal breakthroughs come from. When you expand your comfort zone you allow you personal gifts and talents to work uninhibited. Being Uncomfortable can lead to being liberated. Taking simple, small steps outside the comfort zone can change your perspective, your attitude, it can change your life.

When it comes right down to it when you get into your Uncomfortable zone you are expanding your comfort zone. Move into or find your Uncomfortable zone to live a life that doesn't drag you down, make you negative and minimize the amazing creation that you are.