Values & Beliefs - a Call to Action

Our values form the foundation for not only how we ultimately view the world around us, but the
yardstick by which we measure everything - our relative success, happiness, etc. Your values, what is important to you, will differ from mine if only as a result of the fact that you and I are different. Each of us faces a similar challenge though, to try to live a life that is in balance and alignment with our values. The closer our actions 'fit' our core values the better we will feel about ourselves, our relationships and our lives.

The  bigger the gap though the more likely we are to experience dissatisfaction and distress. A disconnect between our values and our actions leads to a sense of disconnect with our lives which, in turn, can lead to lacklustre on-the-job performance.  It is challenging to remain focused and motivated to engage in work and activities that fail to support our personal values. The more dissonance we experience the greater our motivational challenges likely will prove.

It is this gap, between our actions and values, that leads us to choose (whether consciously or unconsciously) to under-perform. The resistance we experience comes from that values disconnect. Generally speaking there tends to be two key reasons for the existence of the gap. Either...

• We have no clue as to what we truly value in life and are therefore living in a hit and miss fashion, sometimes gaining satisfaction with a hit, sometimes being dissatisfied because we miss, or...
• We have chosen to live, whether consciously or unconsciously, by someone else's prescribed values

There may be other reasons but these two are key and often interrelated. If I am unable to articulate what my key values are in life, what is truly important to me, I am far more likely to be swayed by someone else who has clarity, whether that is a relative, friend, celebrity or corporation. The difficulty with this lies in what happens internally to me should there be a gap between my true values and my adopted ones. If they are out of sync I will likely experience dissonance and discomfort.

Someone else's value may be a more positive, powerful and fulfilling value than my own, but if I haven't taken the time to consciously acknowledge and challenge the validity of my own limiting values and beliefs, and replace them with the stronger and more positive one, then I will still continue to experience that sense of dissatisfaction with my life. 

Unfortunately, we have a tendency to wait until we are at a 'low point' in our lives and emotions to take stock of our lives. Why wait for that? Work now to ensure that you have a clear and conscious understanding of your personal values by questioning the beliefs you hold. What are the beliefs you hold that serve to influence the choices you make, the behaviours you engage in?

All too often we act in ways that support beliefs we feel we 'should' have, regardless of whether or not those beliefs support our values. We are guided by the opinions of others more than we are guided by our own internal interests, wants and beliefs. Getting in touch with what really matters to you will highlight how much of your life you have devoted to satisfying other people's values versus your own.

Once you are clear about what truly matters to you, what you value, you need to reconcile the choices you have made in your life with your values. How much do those choices work in support of your values, how much do they pull you away from them? Are there gaps that you need to work at narrowing to increase your comfort and self-satisfaction?

I have had clients who discovered a great dissatisfaction in their lives because...

• they had bought a 'big' house in a prestigious area because that was where someone of their level and stature 'should' live, but paying that big monthly mortgage meant little money left over for travel and adventure, both of which they valued highly
• they worked 60+ hour weeks trying to satisfy a parent and make them proud, rather than living to their own value of what being a 'good' parent to their own children meant to them
• they had always wanted to start their own business but never attempted it because others around them didn't think they had what it takes to make it

What values and beliefs do you have that you are not living to? 

What would your life look like if you did? 

What's stopping you from taking action?

For those of you hesitating to take the action you need, Stephen Levine offers the following words, to give you perspective and to take that first step...

If you had an hour to live and could only make one phone call... Who would you call, What would you say, And why are you waiting?

  

Confirmation Bias of Beliefs

Each of us holds beliefs about the world around us; what we believe to be right, wrong and in between.  We hold various religious, political and scientific beliefs.  We believe in certain child rearing practices, hold various philosophical beliefs, we believe in different health and fitness regimes and even hold beliefs about the quality of different companies and brands of products.

Additionally, we hold beliefs about ourselves, our capabilities and potential.

When it comes to our beliefs it is important to note that there is a very strong unconscious tendency for us to favour information that confirms the beliefs we hold.  This is known as the Confirmation Bias, which states that all people, no matter how open-minded, will tend to favour all information and evidence that supports their pre-existing beliefs and views, discounting those that do not.

We each will find that it feels good to hear or read information that supports our beliefs, so we will be more active in seeking out such validation. Scientists and investigators, to name but two, must actively work against this bias if they are to ensure an unbiased approach to uncovering the truth, lest they simply 'see' proof that supports their presumed outcome. We may always start an experiment with a belief of 'what' will occur, but if we are not truly open to the possibility of an alternative outcome, to the possibility that our assumptions may be wrong, we will only look for evidence that supports our initial assertion.

Unbeknownst to us, Confirmation Bias has a heavy influence on our lives.  Consider the beliefs you hold about yourself, your capabilities, skills and potential.  These beliefs shape the actions you take, the opportunities you pursue and those you turn down.  In order to feel justified in our actions, we will unconscious seek out proof to support those beliefs.  Therefore,

• if you believe that you are not good at math and therefore could not handle the additional financial responsibility of the manager's role, you will find mathematical errors you have made to verify this belief
• if you believe that you are not athletic in any way, then you will use every misstep as a validation of your innate clumsiness and lack of athletic prowess
• if you believe that you are not intellectual then you will use every book unread or piece of information unknown as an example proving it so

What's interesting about the Confirmation Bias is that we may skip past 5 pieces of information that prove our belief to be wrong, only to latch on to the one piece of information that proves us right. We work in supporting and building our beliefs, rather than actively working to disprove or tear them down.

This means then that the beliefs you hold about yourself are critical.  We can seek to actively work against our beliefs and disprove them, or we can ensure that the beliefs we hold about ourselves positively serve us, allowing the Confirmation Bias to work in support of those positive beliefs, helping to build us up.  The only way to determine this though is to invest the time in coming to understand the often unconscious beliefs we currently hold that are shaping and driving our behaviours and future.

Step 1.  Document your beliefs.  Start a belief diary, recording all of the beliefs that you currently hold about yourself.  What kind of a person do you believe yourself to be?  What kind of spouse, parent, sibling, friend, boss, peer? What do you believe your inherent strengths and weaknesses are? What are your values? What are your abilities? Jot down anything that comes to mind that you believe and hold to be true about yourself.

Step 2.  Examine your can'ts.  In order to gain an even deeper appreciation of the above, listen to every time you tell yourself that you can't, you don't, you aren't.  There is likely a belief hiding just behind those statements that is preventing you from stepping into action.  Some may serve you, but others may not.  In either event, add them to your diary.

Step 3.  Tweak your list.  Take a closer look at your beliefs list and highlight all of those that do not serve you.  If there are beliefs that limit you or your opportunities, then these are the beliefs that require some tweaking.  Knowing that the Confirmation Bias will actively find examples to support those beliefs, proving that you shouldn't and can't, reframe the statements in such a way that the bias works for you. For example, if your current belief is that you are a klutz and not athletic enough to play tennis, reframe it so that it is not such an all or nothing statement. Left as it is, every trip over a root or misstep will prove you are too uncoordinated to engage in tennis.  Instead, consider that you are coordinated and capable enough to play tennis (or any sport of your choosing).  Get your mind working on finding the validation for that statement so that you can get up off the couch and get out there.

We all hold different beliefs, assumptions and hypothesis.  We aren't looking to change that.  Nor are we looking to change the way the Confirmation Bias operates.  However, now that we know of its existence, we can use it more strategically, rather than being at its mercy.  Knowing we are going to actively seek out anything that supports our beliefs, it is important to be more deliberate in the creation of those beliefs, ensuring that they serve us and our desired future.  

Many of our beliefs were implanted by others and are therefore more reflective of their beliefs and not our own.  It is only by consciously challenging them and replacing them with beliefs that are more reflective of our reality and our desired future can we use the Confirmation Bias to validate how awesome we truly are.  

Stop Dreaming, Start Scheming

When looking to modify and change behaviours it is not enough to simply identify a bad habit that we want to stop, or to identify a good habit we want to start, we ideally want to link the two. Solely focusing on a bad behaviour we want to stop leaves a void that our brain seeks to fill. Without direction concerning what we would prefer to do, our brain may select a behaviour that proves equally bad at fulfilling our ultimate goals and objectives.

Similarly, merely identifying a behaviour we want to start leaves our brain scrambling to make room for that new behaviour. It will therefore look to eliminate an existing behaviour to clear that room. However, our brain doesn't typically make judgments on 'good' versus 'bad' and may therefore replace an existing good behaviour with your desired new habit, resulting in a break-even proposition before you even get started.

The premise of my last book, Stop This, Start That, was to give you 365 different success tips that highlighted what behaviours to stop engaging in, and what behaviours to replace them with.  Clean and simple.  Although 365 ideas may seem like more than enough to keep you busy for a lifetime, if not the better part of a year, I find that I am often in conversation with clients where additional tips and ideas surface.  This blog post grew from one such conversation.

There are numerous articles, books and videos that direct you to dream as big as possible, to envision everything that you would like to have and attract into your life.  Unfortunately though, they often don't provide further instruction, leaving you with the belief that creating a vision board or replaying a dream over and over is enough to create it as a reality.

I am a firm believer in opening yourself to possibilities and to creating a vision for yourself of where those possibilities can take you, but dreaming on its own is not enough.  A dream without action will lead to disappointment and regret. You can't continue to replay the same dream over and over, without taking any action to make it happen, and expect it to manifest. Dreams need help to come to fruition.

In which case, if you have something that you have longed for, wished for, dreamed for, that has yet to come true for you, it is time to Stop Dreaming and time to Start Scheming.  You need to sit down and develop a plan of action for making that dream a reality.

• What do you need to make this dream happen?  Are there specific skills you need?  Financing? Contacts? Do you need more information, education or direction? 
• Who could you talk to, what book could you read, what course could you take?
• What would be the first step you could take toward turning your dream into a reality?  What's the second, the third, the fourth?
• What obstacles exist preventing you from taking action?  How could you circumvent them?

Dream big, dream deep, dream wide.  But don't get so caught up in the act of dreaming that you overlook the need to start scheming.  All dreams need a plan to become reality.  Start building your plan now to start living your dream.

You Can Figure It Out

Growth of any kind requires us to do things we've never done before.

• That new promotion?  
• That new sport?  
• That new art?  
• That new hobby?  
• That new volunteer experience?
• That new relationship?

New things can be fun, exhilarating and exciting but they can also be scary and intimidating. Often our move forward may be impeded by the thought that we don't know what to do, or perhaps how to do it.

• Antonio has a great idea for a new business he would love to start.  Although excited about the concept he hesitates because he soon realizes that he doesn't know how to arrange for manufacturing, he isn't sure about financing options and definitely don't know how to set up online shopping and marketing systems.  He decides not to pursue his idea because he determines that he doesn't know enough to start a business.  
• Debra has been working in her current role for 4 years and has successes to spare.  She has out performed all of her peers and finds that she knows her current job inside and out.  In fact, she might even be willing to admit that she is feeling a little bored and under-challenged.  A new opportunity has just been posted inside the company that others have said she would be great at.  She's interested, but hesitates to apply because, as she reads over the job description, she realizes that there are aspects of the job that she has never done before.

Although we may tell ourselves that we can't do something because we don't have the skill or knowledge to complete it, recognise that it isn't the lack of knowledge holding you back, but your fear.  In today's world, knowledge and information has never been easier to access.  Need to know something?  Google it.  You will instantly have more leads than you will ever need to follow to find out what you need to know. Someone, somewhere knows what you need to know, knows how to do what you need to do.  Find them and ask them.

All that is needed, in order to move forward is to believe in your ability to figure things out.  Once you have faith in this, that everything is 'figure-outable', then the phrase 'I don't know' is no longer an end to your dream or growth, but a place to start.

• You don't know how to set up a new business, how to arrange for manufacturing, what it takes to get financing?  Start searching and start asking.  There are lots of people that have done what you are looking to do that would be more than happy to share some of their life lessons with you. There's entrepreneurial training, associations with support systems in place, business coaches, podcasts...  
• You aren't sure if you have what it takes to be hired into a new role?  Apply and find out. Don't second-guess it.  The worst that can happen is that you find out what you are missing and then eliminate the gap.  The best thing?  You get the job!

Figuring out what to do may prove not to be the biggest barrier.  Finding the courage to step up and take the necessary action may be it.  It is never enough to ask the questions, to seek the answers, if you don't activate them.  True clarity comes through action, for it is out of 'doing' that you truly learn and grow.

If you wait to begin until you know everything you may need, then you will remain sitting on the couch. Just start, by believing in your ability to figure things out as you go.

Motivating Others - No Magic Pill

Wanting something is not enough.  I may 'want' to lose 10 pounds, but without the motivation to take action on that desire I will not lose a pound, let alone the 10.  When you consider how much we struggle with motivating ourselves to take action is it any wonder that one of the biggest challenges that managers face is in motivating their people?

Unfortunately, everyone is looking for a quick fix answer, a single motivating methodology that will work equally well with everyone.  In many respects this is indicative of how leaders sought to motivate their people in the past, typically using either the 'Carrot' or the 'Stick' approach.

The Carrot

In essence, the carrot approach is based on a system of rewards, the provision of some extrinsic element that will serve to raise productivity and drive performance.  This may be seen through the use of formal bonus for performance programs or even with more informal 'gifting' of sports tickets, gift cards, paid time off, prime parking spaces etc.

Interestingly though, studies on the use of money as an incentive have found that it is effective only when reinforcing mechanical skills.  Here higher pay led to better performance.  However, when the task called for cognitive skills financial bonuses actually worked the opposite, with higher pay leading to poorer performance. Eventually, most managers ultimately tend to find that the benefits of carrots are short-lived requiring more frequent and 'bigger' carrots be provided, typically for reducing returns.

The Stick

Others have attempted to motivate more out of fear, using a negative form of reinforcement; fear of failure, fear of losing money, fear of losing their job.  As much as some may feel that 'the stick' creates immediate action and responses, it is rarely seen to deliver top performance and typically induces additional debilitating results (such as stress).

No One-Size-Fits-All Approach

As much as both the carrot and stick have been used frequently in the past, and continue to be used today, research supports the view that Motivation happens one person at a time.  There is no magical approach that works equally well with all, no one-size-fits-all approach.  Instead, you need to uncover the inner motivation of each member.  Understanding the personality style and preferences of individual contributors will tell you a lot about what motivates each.

• Some want the opportunity to contribute
• Others want the freedom to choose 'How' to contribute
• Some want the exposure and recognition that contributing may bring them
• Others want the respect of others for their contributions

Each perspective is valid and each represents something different that is valued. 

Ability is what you're capable of doing.  Motivation determines what you do.  Attitude determines how well you do it.       Lou Holtz

Finding out what drives the behaviours of others, what their personality preferences are, allows you to tap into their personal motivators.  Those who are more Competitive will tend to like to win, while those who are more Cooperative will be more motivated by an opportunity to affect the 'Greater Good'.  Those who are more Innovative will love the opportunity to work on a new start up project or venture, while those who are more Conventional will be more motivated to work on a project that is in support of strengthening existing processes.

Motivation happens one person at a time

The better you are at creating an environment and working climate that taps into what already motivates people the more satisfied, happier and appreciative will be your team.  Given that we are more productive when we are feeling good, the benefit to the organization is an increase in productivity.  There may not be a Motivational Magic Pill, but you can create some magic none-the-less!

What Are You Waiting For?

What are you waiting for?

For Monday?
For the New Year?
For someone  to love you, notice you, admire you?
For you to be thinner, wiser, in shape, better skilled?
For the perfect moment, perfect place, perfect person?
To be perfect yourself?

We all have dreams and ideas.  We all would love for them to come to fruition.  The only thing separating us from those whose dreams become a reality... is taking action.  We have to break the habit of 'waiting' and learn to make the most of the moment we are in.  There will never be a better time.  There is a Chinese proverb that states "The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago.  The second best time is now."  You can get caught up in recriminations about not having taken action sooner or you can simply begin.  Now is better than never.

For many of us, our fears serve to hold us back and prevent us from fulfilling our dreams.  Two of the biggest and most common fears that limit our success are the Fear of Failure and the Fear of Rejection.  However, giving in to these fears creates hesitation and indecision instead of action.  We can learn to conquer our fears by cultivating a habit of courage, the courage to take action.

The following ideas are offered as suggestions, ideas and perspectives to help you narrow the gap between your intentions and your actions.  Use these as a guide to help you shift from inaction to action, to help in moving out of the 'waiting room'.

1.  Don't wait for 'Perfect'.  There is no perfect person, time or place. There will always be something that is not 'right'.  If you focus on what is 'missing', rather than everything that is there, you will never be satisfied and will therefore never move forward.  Focus instead on everything that is 'right' about the opportunity and your skills.  Recognise when things are 'good enough' to move forward.  Conditions will never be perfect, but they will often be good enough to get started.  Use your actions to help drive them closer to the perfection you seek.

2.  Do.  Build your confidence, your track record, your experience, and your action-taking-muscles by simply Doing-Stuff.  Taking action and getting things done is the best proof of your ability that there is.  You can't just think about doing, you need to take action. The longer that ideas sit in your head the weaker and more distant they become.  The more that you learn to take action, the easier that taking action becomes.

3.  Deal with your Fears by Taking Action.  One of the best cures for your fears is to simply push through them by taking action.  It is typically all of our 'worrying' that feeds our fears.  Taking action eliminates the worry, teaching us that things were not as bad as we had made them out to be.  A great lesson to take forward when we challenge other fears that are holding us back.

4.  Ideas Alone Don't Bring Success.  It is not your ideas that make you successful but the implementation of them.  An average idea - acted upon - will take you further than a dozen brilliant ideas that are simply taking up head space.

5.  Shift What Ifs to Why Nots.  What ifs are worries.  These are thoughts of 'what if this happens?' that hold us back.  In an effort to avoid them we fail to take action.  Instead, shift your 'what if' scenarios to 'why not' scenarios.  Why not try?  Why not you?

6.  Small Steps.  Instead of thinking of the giant step needed to shift you from here to there, break it down into small, manageable steps.  When we view 'everything', all at once, it can seem daunting.  However, look only to what you can do Now.  What is one small step that you can take - right now - that moves you forward.  Do it.  Then look for the next small step you can take... and repeat.  Every small forward step takes you closer to your goal.

You have dreams, you have ambitions, you have ideas waiting to be implemented.  There will never be a better time.  If you are not currently moving forward on fulfilling your dreams then it is time to seriously ask yourself... What am I waiting for?  Listen to the answer and then take steps to eliminate those barriers, giving you a clear path to truly achieving everything you want from your life.

The Price of Success

Everything in life comes with a price.  Sometimes it is a small, negligible, barely-even-noticed-it price, which
is easily and often unconsciously paid.  Sometimes it is a bigger price, calling into question... are we willing to pay it?  Everyone focuses on success; what it means to them, how it would change their life, how much they want 'it'.  In focusing only on the desired end result, they then use that to measure where they are at, often berating themselves for not being successful 'yet'.  However, they may not be using an accurate measure for themselves of what they 'truly' want to achieve.

People focus on what they would like to 'have', but fail to focus on what it takes to get there.  If you aren't willing to do what is required to get there, pick a different destination, otherwise you are setting yourself up to fail before you begin.  If you select goals for yourself that you have no intention of EVER doing the work needed to complete it, how could you ever manage to achieve it?

No one has even succeeded without paying a price.  

John Maxwell, (Leadership expert, Author, Pastor, Speaker extraordinaire) tells a story of delivering a speech one day and being approached afterword by a young man who looked at him and said... 'I want to do what you are doing!'  John looked at the young man, smiled and said... 'Of course you do son, but the true question for you is whether you are willing to do everything I have done to get here.'

People don't get great at something overnight.  We all start out bad.  There is a price to getting good at something, at developing your skill.  There are sacrifices and choices 'the great' have made that have allowed them to build their skills to get to great.  Are you willing to make those choices, those sacrifices?

It's easy to get caught up in the dream of success.  But to truly become successful, you must immerse yourself in the actions that are needed to get you there.   You need to be prepared to pay the price that's required for you to get where you want to go.  If you are unwilling, it likely isn't the vision of success that you should hold.  Create another.  Your desire for the success you envision has to be bigger than the price you will need to pay.  If it isn't, then it either isn't the right vision or it isn't big enough.

Opportunities exist around us, doors are there for us to open and walk through.  But those doors stop opening for us when we stop being willing to pay the price that each door requires.  We all hit a point when we are satisfied, when we have created the life we want, the vision we held.  At this point, we likely aren't looking to open too many more doors at any price.

If we aren't there yet though, then we are still building, learning, creating and growing.  We need to be prepared to pay the price for the opportunities we need and want to move forward in our Success Plan.  

What is your definition of Success worth to you?  If it isn't resonating within you, motivating and shaping your days, and you're not where you want to be in life, your definition and vision need a tune-up. Revise them until you have something worth working toward.  The Vision has to be bigger than the Price if you are going to pay the price needed to move forward.  It all comes down to one simple statement...

When we stop paying... we stop playing. 

Your Personal Tipping Point

In his book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell wrote about the magical moment when an idea crosses
some invisible threshold and goes viral.  It's the point at which this very shift takes place that people want to come to know, understand and replicate.  In business, this is an important and key concept, a way to grow your business astronomically.

There is for each of us as individuals a Personal Tipping Point though too.  We each have a invisible moment in time where the Longing for the life you imagine becomes Regret for the life you've let slip by.  Often, it feels as though this moment occurred in our sleep where, upon waking, we experience the sense that our dreams have passed, that the life we have dreamed of living is not going to happen. For many, tipping over from longing to regret seems uncontrollable and perhaps even inevitable.

The tip into regret changes our perspective on our life.  When we now are regretting the life not lived, the actions not taken, many then presume that the time to 'try' is past, that they have missed their opportunity.  For a few though, the feeling of regret serves to spur them on.  They recognise that this is not a feeling they want to continue to experience and use it as the impetus to get back on course.  Reversing the Tip is always an option, but it often proves a difficult one for many to manage.  Easier by far, is to prevent the Tip from happening in the first place.

There is a trick to managing this Tipping Point, a trick that we can use to prevent the Tip from ever taking place, ensuring that we forestall (forever) the experience of regretting the life we've led.  That trick?  Taking Action! 

As it turns out, regret is typically built upon the actions we failed to take more than on those we did.  Even if the action we took failed to take us in our desired direction, it took us out of the state of inertia and into a state of momentum.  We will always make some wrong moves, but if we're moving we can course correct.  Additionally, many of those 'wrong' first moves enable us to build a stronger plan for moving forward, often reshaping a 'better' future vision for ourselves as a result.

Action is not only the strategy that prevents us from tipping into regret, but the same strategy used to overcome it.  Wallowing in the thought of what never will be creates inertia.  To break from this you need to DO something, take some action, that will shift you from feeling that you have missed the boat to putting you back at the helm.

In this instance, even baby steps count!  One small step forward can be enough to begin to Tip the Scales back in your favour!

Unlocking Your Big Ideas

We all have Big Ideas, Big Goals, Big Plans... those ideas that could change our lives, if not the lives of
others.

The challenge for most of us of course lies in recognising them.  We sometimes fail to give weight to the value of our ideas, simply because they are our own.  We look further afield, expecting that there should be a bold stroke of inspiration, a lightening bolt of the mind, that highlights or precedes the Big Idea's arrival.  More typically though, we are sitting right on top of the idea, keeping it company, failing to recognise it for what it is.

Russell H. Conwell, in his well-known book Acres of Diamonds, tells the story of a farmer who, though wealthy by others standards, wanted even greater wealth.  When hearing about Diamonds for the first time, he came to realize that owning a diamond mine would be infinitely more profitable than a farm and so he promptly sold his farm and went off in search of diamonds.  However, that farmer had no true knowledge of diamonds, or skills in mining, and ultimately found himself destitute and starving.  The farmer who had purchased his farm from him however, was watering his animals in a river on the property one day and discovered a strange rock - which turned out to be a diamond.  One of the largest diamond strikes found in the area.  The moral of course, is that we are often sitting on Acres of Diamonds.  We just need to dig for them.

It would be great to think that knowing we already possessed our Big Idea, our Diamond, was sufficient and that we merely had to uncover it.  However, this knowledge alone doesn't seem to be enough to offer the push that many need to begin digging.  It's often been said that the greatest book ever to be written is lying in a graveyard somewhere.  Many people's greatest work, greatest gift, is often taken to the grave with them.  Is there a sadder thought than this?

In a recent Success article, Darren Hardy tells the story of Evariste Galois, a brilliant mathematician, born in France in 1811.  At age 20 Galois made the unfortunate mistake of falling in love with a French officer's fiancee.  That officer, as was typical for the time, promptly challenged Galois to a duel.  Not being in the least bit skilled at firearms, Galois anticipated that he was not likely to be successful and therefore spent the night before his duel writing down every thought and algebraic equation he had in his head.  He wrote for hours, even recording thoughts that just occurred to him in the writing process.

Unfortunately, Galois' predictions about his duelling skills proved accurate and he was killed.  His notes however, live on.  Galois recorded over 60 pages of mathematical ideas which were published after his death.  These pages revolutionized not only higher algebra, but impacted most other areas of mathematics as well.  His ideas proved to be amongst the most important ideas in the history of mathematics.

Galois had not recorded any of these thoughts previously.  It was only the impending deadline (in his case... possible death!) that led him to push himself.  What's your deadline?  The belief that we have time, that we'll get to it, can be our biggest downfall.  We fail to take action today because there is always tomorrow.  Consider though, that if we don't begin digging for our diamonds today, then we can't reap the benefit and reward tomorrow.  That 'better' tomorrow will remain outside of our grasp.

What are the diamonds that are waiting for you in your backyard?  The Big Ideas that are waiting to be discovered?  Don't wait for tomorrow to come to begin digging, create a sense of urgency and get out there now, lest you lose out to someone who begins today.

Make - TODAY - your new mantra.  Create the urgency to get started now.

A year from now you will wish you had started today      Karen Lamb

Stepping into our Passion

I'm writing this post as I am attending the Millionaire Speaker Camp in Chicago. This time around I am here not as a student per se (though when can you truly avoid being a student in any situation?) but as a speaker and coach to those formally going through the process.  I have the opportunity and luxury to watch these individuals struggle to uncover their message, to give voice to their why, to push beyond their existing barriers, to carve out something 'new' for themselves.  These people inspire me.  They should inspire you.

The attendees in this program are looking for a way to give voice to the knowledge, expertise and passion inside of them.  They have something to share and are struggling to create a process for doing so.  Many have never spoken in front of groups before.  Many are introverts who are not comfortable in doing so. Most are not looking to create a speaking career to create celebrity or fame but simply because they know this is the venue they require to reach the most people with their message.

In short... these are people with a mission and the passion to make it happen.  And they are willing to push through the barriers and fears that would hold them back and prevent them from doing so.  They have small wins, they have setbacks but they keep bouncing back and plugging themselves back in.  I have been given the gift of being able to share in a small part of their journey.  They are making me laugh, making me cry and making me applaud until my hands hurt.

I want the same for each of you.  I want you to be kicking your fears to the curb, standing up and saying 'I will not settle for less any longer.  I will not BE less any more'.

But... you have to be willing to take action.  You have to be willing to take a step, however small, that moves you into your voice and your passion.  We all have a passion and purpose.  We all have a reason that we are here, for ourselves and those around us, that requires us to play big.  Certainly bigger than we likely are right now.  Even one small step begins to create a desire for more.  It gives you a taste of what could be that creates a hunger for more.  What are you hungry for right now?

I am blessed to be spending time with a group of individuals that are hungry.  They are out to change the world and it is inspiring to watch them reach out and grab onto what they need to make it happen.  Fears are shaken and sloughed off, barriers are broken and left shattered in the wake of their growth and their change.
I wish the same for you.  You need to wish the same for you.  You need to not only wish for the same but to step up, step out and start.  This is your time to make things happen for you and there is never a better time than NOW!

Do the Hustle

No opportunity you face likely comes without competition for it.  Others are out there waiting for and vying
for that same opportunity.  Often we sit back with a case of the 'not-enoughs' and fail to even put our hat into the ring, beaten before we start.  Let's face it.  When we compare ourselves to others we are going to fall short in numerous ways.  Others may have more talent than us.  They may be taller, thinner, smarter, richer, faster, or prettier but... and this is a BIG but... you can out hustle them.

Just as we may fall into the trap of believing that we aren't 'enough' in some area... tall-enough, thin-enough, smart-enough, rich-enough, fast-enough, pretty-enough... those people we are comparing ourselves against fall into a trap of their own.  They make the mistake of believing that they ARE enough, and so they stop.  They stop doing more.  The true advantage you have then is to recognise this point and... do more.  Out-hustle 'em.  Give than one percent more.

Make just that one phone call more.
Knock on one door more than anyone else.
Research that little bit extra.
Answer that unasked question.
Deliver what others are afraid to ask for.

When people fail to get what they want out of life, when they fail to achieve what they want, it is generally because they quit working for it.  They failed to do everything it takes.  They didn't hustle.

Opportunities are not lined up at the curb waiting for you to walk out your front door and pick one.  When they come along you need to be prepared to take decisive action.  This means that you don't get ready for an opportunity, you stay ready for one.  Do the work you need to now so that you are ready to take advantage of any opportunity that comes along.  It is said that 'fortune favors the bold'.  Typically the bold are simply those that are out there working long after everyone else has gone home.  They are hustling.

We may not have had all the benefits in life as someone else.  We may not have the brain power or muscle power or even the god-given talent they have, but we always have control of our effort.  We always are able to determine what we will put into the opportunity before us.  Don't quit one step before the finish line, go one step beyond it.  Leave no question about what you are willing to do, able to do, capable of doing.  One percent more than the other guy is all that is needed to have out-worked them.

Get out there and hustle.

Your Daily Plan for Success

I'm sure that you have a plan for your day; a to-do list, a schedule of appointments.  You may use a different system than I do (phone, computer, notebook) but you likely have a list of what needs to get done today and may already have things listed for tomorrow and subsequent days.

Have you ever wondered about what your daily agenda, your daily schedule of events, has to say about you?  John C. Maxwell, author of over 60 books on Leadership, says that...

The secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda

He believes that simply looking at how you structure and organize a 'typical' day, how you build your daily agenda, will provide him with firm insight into how successful you will ultimately become in life.

Let's face it.  Most of us merely jot down those items that we feel 'must' get done that day - those urgent and necessary activities.  However, this is just planning to 'keep up'.  In so doing, we are seriously underestimating the value and power of 'today'.  We leave for 'tomorrow' any thought or plan of our own growth and development.  

Instead, you need to have your own Personal Growth Plan. You need to have a vision for yourself of your development.  This is not something to leave to your boss, they will have their own agenda.  This is your agenda for you.  This is you crafting your life, the direction it will take, the role you'll play, the person you will become.  When you have created a strong enough vision for yourself, you need to build action steps into your plan.

Each day your agenda needs to include at least one thing you do to grow and develop.  One thing.  This is not something to be put off, this is not something to be deferred to the weekend.  Each day you need to take one step, however small, toward your growth.  Think of this as making a daily deposit into your bank account.  This is you investing in you.  Each day that you fail to make that contribution means that you will have that much less to work with at the end of the year and the longer you will have to 'save' until you can reap the rewards.

Consider how often we short-change ourselves.  Our daily agendas get packed full of action steps we feel we 'must' take in order to move other people's agendas forward.  Look at your list.  How much of your day is currently taken up with doing for others?  How many scheduled items on your list are you doing for your benefit?

Add one thing.  One thing each day, every day, that aids you in your Growth Plan.

No compromises.  No excuses.  If you want success in your life it begins...  today.  What's your one thing?

No Such Thing as Failure

If there is one lesson we learned and remember well from our grade school education it is the lesson of

Passing and Failing.  There was always some predetermined and pre-set target we had to meet or exceed in order to have passed.  Of all our lessons, this one was taught and retaught, learned and re-learned until it became a permanent fixture in our lives and our definition of 'success'.

Despite the fact that I am unable to strike the word 'failure' from the dictionary, I urge each one of us to strike it from our own personal lexicon.  It is often the fear of 'failure' that prevents us from taking risks, from even trying to obtain what we want out of life. It is the fear of 'not' achieving that holds us back from achievement itself.   Imagine though if there were no failure, no negative measure to avoid?  What would hold us back then?  What might we go on to achieve in our lives?

Consider a world in which we simply tried, tried and tried again until we succeeded, a world in which our lack of immediate success did not inhibit us from continuing to try to attain a certain goal.  This is the perspective I want us to adopt, the belief that there is no such thing as failure, only results.  Our actions lead us to results.  Period.  If they are not the desired results then we need to engage in different actions, and continue doing so, until we obtain the desired results.

There would be no negative connotation from the attempts that missed the mark, they would simply be learning experiences that helped us to narrow down our future choices.  We wouldn't hesitate to continue to strive for our desired results because there would be no stigma attached to missing.

No inventor gets it right the first time.  They use a constant feedback loop to help them narrow the choices they make and actions they take until the desired result is achieved.  Rather than being stymied by failure, they view the misses as opportunities to refine their approaches and narrow the gap between where they are and where they want to be.

How might you adopt this same approach to achieving your desired results?  Instead of beating yourself up over undesirable results, you embrace those results for the learning you received and the insights into the new actions you could take to get you closer if not exactly what you want.

Next time you find yourself criticizing yourself for having 'failed' to achieve something, adopt a new mantra...  tell yourself...

I didn't fail, I simply achieved a different result.  

Then... Consider what you can do differently to drive a more favourable result.  

This positive and proactive approach leaves you with control over the choices you make and the actions you take, without undermining your sense of confidence or personal empowerment.  Trying and Doing become the new mantras of Success.

Preventative Action

Why does it always take something negative to happen before we take the action we knew we should have taken days, months or even years before?  Case in point.  My life, and perhaps more specifically my two businesses, is on my computer.  For my training business this means over a decade and a half of programs, files, slides and research.  I have had hard drives fail in the past, without adequate back up, and so I have an external hard drive to back things up. 

Now, I must admit that I haven't been backing things up as often as I should... I've gotten complacent.  I've tended to use the external drive primarily as a means of transporting and transferring data from my PC to my laptop for when I need to work remotely.  This past weekend though, I was hit by a trojan virus that appeared to have wiped my PC clean of both programs and files.  Not to worry though... I have my backup files on the external hard drive.  As luck, in particularly mine when it comes to technology, would have it though, I had decided to finally back up my files and my external hard drive was attached at the time of the virus invasion.  You guessed it... those files got wiped out too!

That's it... years of work... gone.  It took seconds.  Much of it I couldn't re-create without significant time and effort and it would certainly have a major impact on the product launches scheduled for January.  With some luck (positive this time!) and the help of a computer genius (previously known as a computer geek but upgraded forever to genius status!) my files were recovered.  However, the lesson was learned.  Not only was a second external hard drive purchased to ensure that a backup would always exist that was not directly attached to the PC, but a second computer as well. 

My original computer was 'older' (okay, maybe hitting the four year mark but in the world of computers it could almost be classified as ancient!!).  My lesson:  the information on my computer is too valuable for me to risk its loss.  I am now doing what I knew I should have all along, but it took the threat of its loss to make me take action.  To take THE action: the action I should have taken from the beginning but kept putting off.

Your lesson?  Certainly, make sure you are backing up your computer regularly but... there is a bigger life lesson here.  What action are you not taking today, that you are putting off, that you know you 'should'...  that you must be taking to ensure that you maintain control over your information, your relationships, your career, your life?

The following list is not exhaustive, but it's a good place to start:

• Have you got an updated resume?
• Do those people that matter in your life know how you feel?  When was the last time you said "I love you" to those that you do?
• Have you been to the doctor for a check up lately?  The dentist?  The optometrist?
• What about that weight you've been meaning to lose?
• How's your car running?  Need a check up to ensure you don't get stranded somewhere? Need a roadside assistance membership?

You get the idea.  Often we put off the 'maintenance' aspects of our lives with the belief that we 'don't have time', that 'we'll get to it later'.  The truth is though, we will be forced at some point in time to have to 'make' time'.  When systems break down, when we lose our jobs, we become sick or our car breaks down, we no longer have the option of putting things off.  Typically, these moments will occur when we least expect them, when we have even less time to focus on or devote ourselves to them but... we will no longer have the choice of timing. 

Learn to manage the timing of these critical moments by taking the preventative action you know you need to, you know you should... NOW.  It just might make those moments, if not a thing of the past, much easier to get through.

Now...  I think I better go call my doctor for a check up.  Hmmm...  maybe my mechanic too...

Run Your Own Race

Last weekend had the half marathon for our area starting from the park across the road from my home. Seeing those runners brought back to mind my experiences in running marathons and, in particular, the life lessons I learned along the way.

The goal of most first-time racers is typically just to finish! They may have a rough goal of the time they would like to complete the race within but, if being honest, most really just want to cross that finish line. They have likely invested in their training schedule; worked on their pacing and stride; learned about what will fuel them throughout the race. Often the most overlooked element though is an understanding of how quickly and easily they can get caught up in the hype and the moment of the race and end up running someone else's race.

That starting gun goes off, the crowd surges forward and they get caught up in the energy and excitement of everyone else around them. Before you know it, they are starting off too fast, running at a pace that quickly leaves them exhausted and, ultimately, without enough energy left to finish. One of the biggest causes of not finishing is getting caught up in running a race other than your own.

I was lucky enough, before my first marathon, to have someone emphasize to me the need to know and understand your race intimately. To know the feel, rhythm and beat of your stride so that you don’t get pulled off of it by others around you. This takes requires you to build that element into your training plan, to gain the clarity you need about yourself to be able to focus and stick to it on race day.

I don’t run marathons anymore but I do still apply the lessons of the race every day. In our work and personal lives, we can become easily distracted by the noise of those around us. There is never any shortage of people that are willing and eager to tell us what we ‘must’ do, what we ‘should’ do. I’m not saying don’t listen, but it is necessary to weigh these suggestions against your own plan. If it fits and it helps… keep it. If it pulls you off course… ditch it. Unless there is a definite strategic reason for doing otherwise, stay the course and run your own race.

Don’t allow yourself to get caught up in the feeling of ‘momentum’. Momentum alone can be deceptive. You are busy, you are accomplishing things, but it they aren’t activities that move you forward in the direction you’ve set for yourself then, when it’s all over, you just might find that you’ve crossed the finish line of a race you never intended to run and ended up somewhere you never really wanted to go.

• Decide consciously what race you want and choose to run.

• Do what you need to prepare and train yourself for that race.

• Take action to move you forward. If you’re running a race of your choosing, any action that moves you forward, even small steps, gets you closer to that finish line.

Remember this also. Your race is run by you. There is no first, second or third place… there is just finishing. There is you and that finish line.

Clarity of purpose, Focus of Intent… now… GO!

Just Do It!

Yep... I'm 'borrowing' a slogan made famous by Nike but...  with good intent and purpose.  Nike's 'Just Do It!' slogan is over 20 years old and still going strong.  Its longevity and appeal is largely due to the strength of those three words in conjuring up (for Nike) images of lacing on your runners, jumping on a bike, picking up your racket.  In short, those three words, when placed together, become a call to Action.  And for Nike, action is their business.

For each of us though, those magical three little words also have power.  Used together they speak of Attitude and Action.  It's a determination to go out and make things happen.  When coaching, I often run into clients that are 'stuck' in a cycle of inaction.  They don't have clarity over knowing exactly what they want to be, do or have in their lives and they therefore feel directionless.  'Without a direction or goal, how can I move forward?' one client questioned me.

Yes, most self-improvement books and guides are going to counsel you to uncover your passion, define your life goal and then go for it.  However, sometimes we struggle with trying to feel 'passionate' about anything.  The biggest feelings we have are depression over NOT having a goal and fear that we might never discover something we are passionate about.  These feelings can become overwhelming, leading to a cycle of inaction.  The belief that we are all meant to do 'one' thing with our lives can be a huge barrier to forward momentum if you can't seem to uncover what the heck it is!

Some people are lucky enough to just seem to know what they were meant to do with their lives.  Often they are clear about this from an early age.  For most of us though (me included!) much of our lives have been a journey of self-discovery.  Each new awareness has uncovered a greater understanding of our skills, abilities and interests, in turn opening new doors to us.  I could never have envisioned running my own business when I was 20... I didn't have the confidence or skills to do it back then.  My lack of belief in my abilities would never have allowed me to 'dream' that big.  However, other actions and wins opened me to the possibility, such that I now successfully own and operate two full-time businesses and am actually considering a third! 

Additionally, each of my existing businesses is in a completely different field.  I find that I never seem to have just one interest... I always have multiples, and am constantly uncovering new ones!  Could I have been more successful, by other people's standards, had I stayed with 'one'?  Perhaps.  Would I have been having as much fun?  No way!  My path is perhaps different from some, but the route will be similar to the one many need to take.

If you know you want 'different' in your life but you are unable to articulate the end goal then don't despair.  It will reveal itself to you, but in its own time.  Instead of sitting back and getting depressed waiting for 'it' to happen though, you need to take steps toward finding and uncovering it.  You know that doing nothing is not likely to create or drive the change you want.  In essence then, any action is better than no action.  This is where Nike comes in.  Just Do It!  Do something!  Even if it is the wrong thing, it has gotten you off of the couch, shifted you out of feeling stuck and into feeling like you have control.  That small step - in any direction - at least drove some kind of change.

When Edison was trying to discover the lightbulb, he had over 2,000 failed experiments before determining that Tungsten was the element needed.  When asked to comment about his failures, Edison said that he hadn't experienced any failures, he had simply crossed off 2,000 options on his way to determining the correct one.  The learning is in the doing.  Trying something, even if it is not the 'right' thing, can give you information you lack now that will help lead you toward your 'right' thing.  Often we need the life-lessons we get through experimentation, through trial-and-error, that better prepare us for ultimate success.

The Work:

• So...  get out your pad of paper. 
• Write down, very clearly, what your particular dilemma or roadblock is.  
• What are your options?
• Which one of the the options are you feeling a stronger leaning toward?  We're not concerned about whether we'd label it 'passion' or not.  Rather, which option has a slightly greater appeal to you right now, in this moment.  Define why.
• You probably have a host of reasons as to 'why' you can't or aren't already following this path.  I don't want a list of them.  They are irrelevant.  Instead, I want you to create a list of actions that you 'can' do to move this option forward.  However small, it goes on your list.  These actions may not be the biggest or best way to make this goal happen, but they are actions and they will help you to test the waters.  If your inaction has been driven by an inability to commit fully to a particular direction, then simply create some smaller action steps.  What steps could you take that enable you to move forward along this path without having to commit all of your resources to its achievement?  Do one.  Do another.
• Assess the results of these action steps.  How are you feeling?  Are you feeling a little more excited and invested in this option?  Then keep the momentum going and do more!  Are you finding that you are discovering that this was perhaps not the right path for you to take?  Then go back and assess your other options.  Are there others you would now add? (often taking some steps in one direction help us to learn more and to uncover options we wouldn't have known about otherwise)  Once you've expanded your options (if need be) determine which option you are now feeling stronger about and begin the process again. 

I liken this process to 'dating'.  You wouldn't marry someone you have never dated, why feel you have to commit to an idea you have never explored or checked out?  In essence then, the idea is for you to 'date' an idea for a while, check it out, to decide if it is right for you.  The key is to remember that nothing in your life will be different if you don't do something different.  In the end, action of some kind will get you out of your rut.  In the immortal words of Nike...  Just Do It!