January 02, 2012 | 12 : 34 PM
photo credit: Adam Weiss
Last year I started a fun exercise for myself that was picked up with my members at my Mortgage Professionals Academy that I learned from Chris Brogan at Human Business Works. By the way I also recommend reading his blog here.
The way it works is to empower more focus in my life and business. Yes, the key is to pick three words that will help me focus on both areas of my life. As an Entrepreneur there is no question or debate that could be made that as my personal life flows so to does my business life and vice versa. After all I only have one life.
Last Year the three words I picked were Value, Prototype, and Focus.
With respect to value it was really about bringing blow away value in the things that I do. I am happy with my results in this area as I reflect on my year.
Prototype was I think the most important of my three words. By the second quarter of 2011 I realized that my future success in my business was to move my company into more of a software/technology company and making considerable investment in owning the technology that would power my ideas I had for my mortgage professional members. I am happy that the major investments of having a dashboard that will run all my ideas for my members was completed, now I have to iterate, iterate, iterate.
Focus, alas has always been a challenge for me, (LOL, in fact as I wrote that sentence I glanced over at my e-mail and noticed a new message came in, guess what I did…) Anyway, I would say that I have always had challenges with “the shiny object theory” I have decided to not resist it anymore. it is what it is. A good friend of mine Phil Holcomb taught me that “What I resist persists”, so instead I will ensure that I put as many good practices in place to keep me focussed. My team also has to know how best to manage me. I think as a leader the more I allow my team to get closer to me the more they will want to help me. I encourage all my readers who are leading teams, lose the mask and let your people know you more at your core, share your challenges and be more authentic in 2012, I am certain it will serve you well.
Okay, enough of last year, let’s move on to the year ahead. My three words for 2012 are; Run, People, Work.
Run:
Through some deep reflection this year I realized that I have had a nasty habit of avoiding unpleasant things, particularly if it will cause a conflict. I have known for ever that intellectually this just does not make sense and certainly is not a productive way to live my life. I know in 2011 I needed to make some tough decisions and instead I pretended I didn’t need to. In 2012, I am practicing the opposite view and I will “RUN toward the grenades”. I heard someone say this line and I loved it. When grenades are going off in our lives I think many of us take the position of running before they blow. Brave people run toward the grenade and put the pin in before it blows. In 2012, I am committing to running toward grenades every week.
People:
I learned at 21st Century leadership that “As a leader I include my people in my life, I remember who they are”. In the final half of 2011 I realized that the last long while in my life I was singularly focussed on my business life and was taking a very selfish position with the people in my life. I think I took the position of “if it suits me then I will really invest in our relationship”. Thanks to my little sister for pushing me to go to that place inside me to figure this out. in 2012 I am investing in my PEOPLE. I think for me this means I am giving not taking and investing means exactly that, put in the investment with the belief that it will come back in spades to me even if it is not clear how at the time I make the investment. The secret is that my performance at work has gone up since I took more time to re-build relationships and deepen my most important ones. I have lots of work to do in this area, hence why I have chosen this to be an area of focus for the whole year.
Work:
One of the best books I read in 2011 was “Do the Work” by Steven Pressfield. This was a follow-up to his excellent book “The War of Art” which I also read last year. This month I re-read “Do the Work” and noticed that the uncomfortable feelings of fear, self-doubt, and anxiety were actually normal and can be managed as long as I PUSH through. There is only one way to keep pushing and that is to keep working. Don’t let my mind and inner resistances push me off course. 2012 is a year of execution for me and my community of Mortgage Professionals and we are all counting on me shipping my ideas and that is absolutely what I will do. If you are feeling stalled then do one thing today, order “Do the Work” and read it, I think it may make the difference of whether you achieve the dreams you have for your business this year or not.
Now it’s your turn. If you want to find your own three words then please let us know and I will send you the exercise to help you find your Three Words for 2012. Then once you have them will you please consider coming back here and leaving them in the comments below? “Why would I do that”, you might be saying. Let me give you two reasons, first once I make my Three Words public I think they become more solidified, and secondly, I like to know if I have impacted someone and so therefore I would really appreciate you for doing that.
- My 3 Words for 2012 (durkniblick.wordpress.com)
- Three Words for 2012: Focus, Heath, Celebrate (kommein.com)
- My 3 Words – 2012 (courtneyengle.com)
- 3 Words for 2012 (cc-chapman.com)
- My 3 Words (nineyearbible.wordpress.com)
- My 3 Words for 2012 (offonatangent.blogspot.com)
- My Three Words for 2012 (suzemuse.com)
- Three Words for 2012 (musingindigo.wordpress.com)
- Three Words for 2012 (christopherspenn.com)
- My 3 Words for 2012 (thecontentcocktail.com)
- Three words for 2012 [William Buist] (ecademy.com)
August 07, 2011 | 1 : 53 PM
Our arts, our occupations, our marriages, our religion, we have not chosen, but society has chosen for us. We are parlour soldiers. We shun the rugged battle of fate, where strength is born. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
My Writing Assignment today comes from Matt Chevreau. Follow him on twitter here
Next to Resistance, rational thought is the artist or entrepreneurs worst enemy. Bad things happen when we employ rational thought, because rational thought comes from the ego. Instead, we want to work from the Self, that is, from instinct and intuition, from the unconscious.
A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. Its only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.” - Steven Pressfield, Do the Work
The idea of “being realistic” holds all of us back. From starting a business or quitting a job to dating someone who may not be our type or moving to a new place – getting “real” often means putting your dreams on hold.
Today, let’s take a step away from rational thought and dare to be bold. What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to accomplish but have been afraid to pursue?
I am certainly prepared to accept that being “rational” holds us back. I think it is one of the many things we do when we are playing small. The irony is why would I want to play small? Be fearful, doubtful, be a blamer, be critical of others and their ideas, and overall just slug through my life and business with the thought that I have no control over what is happening to me. I think we rationalize these behaviours with some form of “I am being Rational”, or “I am being safe”, “I am comfortable, why would I need to change anything?
This is easy for me I think. When I am playing BIG, and moving toward a worthy vision and living my life on purpose, I think I have actually less risk in my life. I understand that we are naturally wired to be “comfortable” I wrote a post about this a while back. I have learned that in order to be fulfilled, happy, and SECURE I need to be uncomfortable. Embrace fear and excitement and yet move ahead anyway, shifting small.
In my experience as a coach I see people everyday getting in their own way. Settling for “I’ll keep doing things the way I have been because I am comfortable” I always wonder what will they do when things outside their control change the game, and I think this ALWAYS happens (recessions, rule changes, new entrants, better competitors, pricing model changes, buyers preferences shift, of course this list is endless). In business this is simple, I am always looking ahead and Playing BIG in creating new ideas and strategies “just in Case” the game changes on me. I am harder to hit I think when I am moving.
To complete this challenge I don’t really have to do much I think. I already PLAY BIG all the time and as such I am daring to be bold all the time. What I do have in front of me right now is no shortage of BIG ideas that I am bringing to market in the coming 90 days or so, and the most critical part is ensuring I execute brilliantly. I am scared shitless about this. Hmmmm, I must be on the right track then.
July 24, 2011 | 2 : 26 PM
Image via Wikipedia
New Workout and Nutrition Plan Starts Today
For several weeks I have been thinking about, getting ready, to prepare, to start considering, that I might start to workout again. Today’s the Day!
Tony Robbins has said that there are only two ways we as people get motivated. To move toward something pleasurable, I think this is less motivating then the other reason, to move away from pain. I finally have enough pain to move. Recently I have looked at some pictures of myself and let’s just say i have been relatively disgusted at how I look. As well I am concerned with my overall poor health. Today’s the Day!
In the first 30 days I am using Tim Feriss’ Four Hour Body slow carb diet and for my workouts I plan to go back to my favourite workout regime of Crossfit. I hope within 30 days to land on a worthy challenge for me to train for. I just know my personality is such that if I have a challenge to work toward my journey is more sustainable.
I plan to chart my progress and plans on my blog. Hopefully for those of you who know me well and my regular readers you will know I am not doing this to massage my ego. Actually far from it. I have a few family members and a few friends following along with me and I want to make it easy for them to follow along. The biggest reason is to ensure I stay on track. Another quirk in my personality I have learned is accountability is very effective for me. If I put it out there that I am doing this then there is almost no chance I will stray off track. I simply do not want people close to me to ever have the thought that I don’t go through with what I say I will do. Finally, and most importantly I have the hope that many of my current readers or new readers who happen along will be inspired to follow along. This would be super fulfilling for me. After all I think my purpose in life is to create unexpected differences in the lives of people. If a fat out of shape 43 year old can do it so can you will be the encouraging battle cry.
If you are uninterested in this journey then please stick around as I will of course be writing about life, change management, innovation etc. as I always do. Just skip past these posts that are of no interest to you. Cool? Great!
If you can not get a hold of the cookbook on-line for the Four Hour Body let me know in the comments and I will send it to you.
Here is Week One then
July 23, 2011 | 1 : 29 PM
Image via Wikipedia
Life wastes itself while we are preparing to live. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
If you had one week left to live, would you still be doing what you’re doing now? In what areas of your life are you preparing to live? Take them off your To Do list and add them to a To Stop list. Resolve to only do what makes you come alive. Bonus: How can your goals improve the present and not keep you in a perpetual “always something better” spiral?
Of course we all have likely came across this question, or a form of it in our lives. ”If you have one week to live, would you still be doing what you are doing?” Followed by another question I am certain we all get “What would you work at for absolutely free, find that and you will find a way to make a lot of money.”
When I reflect on these questions I am reminded of something I recently read from Derek Sivers new book “Anything You Want” where he told the story of Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller who were at a Billionaires extravagant estate. Kurt Said “Wow! Look at this place! This guy has everything!” Joseph said, “Yes, but I have something he will never have…Enough.”
When I read this the other day and when I reflected on todays prompt I thought of my life and the introspection I do and then write through this blog. The problems I think I created for myself as I have written before about here, and here, and here were most definitely as a direct result of not appreciating that I have “enough”. Otherwise put as am “I living in the NOW?” When I reflect to heavily on my past, I often go to a bad place of relentless self-criticism and guilt for mistakes I have made. I of course know this is unproductive and certainly not serving me, yet I still do it. When I focus too much on my future then I sometimes get anxiety and/or worry if I will pull off my vision and the plans that I have for my life. Again, this obviously does not serve me well either.
Why do I continue to do it then? Why do I continue to not focus the bulk, if not all, of my attention on the NOW? I think it has to be that I have not come to terms with the thought that I have “enough” right now, in this moment. For this I love the bonus thought in Jonathan’s challenge. How do we avoid the perpetual spiral of always something better? Or as I often put it how do we stop the spiral of a relentless pursuit of more. I think the answer is as clear for me now then it has ever been in my life. I need to be content with the thought that in this moment I have enough.
I think to accomplish this I need to practice a lot of perspective thinking. This is not an excuse to say “I am better then this guy” this is only about saying that in this moment I have enough. Enough love, enough connection, enough money, enough happiness. Ironically I think that when I truly believe I have enough then more of what I want in my life will manifest itself due to my peacefulness and happiness.
Finally, how am I practicing the thought of “I have enough?” I am ensuring that I am very aware of the present moment I am in. When I fade to the future or the past, I gently acknowledge those thoughts and bring my awareness back to right in the moment where I am. I am incredibly pleased with the result of this ongoing practice. The other thought that I continue to keep in my consciousness is again from Derek Sivers “Just pay close attention to what excites you and what drains you. Pay close attention to when you are being the real you and when you’re trying to impress an invisible jury.”
I now don’t think I need a huge vision for my future. I just need to stay focused on helping people TODAY.
What about you, how do you think we avoid the spiral of pursuing “always something better?”
- #Trust30 Day Five: Come Alive (pinkjuniormints.wordpress.com)
- #Trust30: Come Alive (gpangie12.wordpress.com)
- A moment of alive-ness #trust30 (miriamgomberg.wordpress.com)
- Anything You Want (twistimage.com)
- Come Alive (sanjaysabarwal.com)
- #Trust30 Day Twenty-Seven: Alivest (pinkjuniormints.wordpress.com)
June 12, 2011 | 3 : 58 PM
If we live truly, we shall see truly. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Not everyone wants to travel the world, but most people can identify at least one place in the world they’d like to visit before they die. Where is that place for you, and what will you do to make sure you get there?
Travel seems personal to me. I think some people see travel as a tourist. Some people see travel as a means to relax. Some people see travel as a means to get more stressed. I see travel as a means to fulfill on my life’s vision.
Not that long ago, I was struggling. I was getting results I was not happy with in my business and consequently my life. These results seemed completely incongruent with what I wanted, or at least what I thought I wanted.
I have spoke at length about this that in this period of my life I fell out of love with my business. In searching for a new shiny object to excite and fulfill me, I went on a relentless pursuit of MORE. More stuff, more businesses, more employees, more money, more for the sake of more. I thought this was what I needed to be happy and fulfilled.
When I learned that this pursuit of more was not only unfulfilling but considerably reckless, I needed another strategy. This is when I tried something counter-intuitive, and this is also where travel came in.
I decided that instead of creating a vision for my business that I may get excited for in the moment, I would first create an exciting vision for my life that I could get super excited about, and then craft the vision for my business that will give me the business that serves my ability to have the life that I want.
For me, this means that in five years my wife and I want to be location independent. I want to travel the world creating exciting experiences and leaving my mark through some type of contribution in every area we decide to live. I now have a vision for my life that I am really excited about. I now have a new roadmap for my business that is making working in my business exciting and fulfilling again as I create the business that supports my ability to out of my home city for 9 months a year.
As for important places I must go? I honestly do not have a set list. I certainly want to visit every continent, that is given, but in terms of where we actually will be for any period of time, we are going to let the universe tell us. Either by finding a home exchange to go on or by playing spin the globe inspired by my friend Lach:
Here’s how to play Spin the Globe. Materials: 1 globe of the earth, one blindfold, one friend, one sense of adventure. Method: 1. don the blindfold, 2. have your friend spin the globe, 3. pin the tail on the donkey. 4. reveal your destination. If it’s somewhere you’ve been before, you have to spin again. If not, you have 24 hours in which to purchase a plane ticket departing within the next 3 days. Bon Voyage.
For me travel is the gateway to a life fully lived. What does travel mean to you?
June 09, 2011 | 10 : 06 AM
Please NOTE: This is a Guest Post by Phil Holcomb , Who I think is a gifted thinker, eloquent and powerful writer, and an overall special person. I am thankful for this gift to share with my readers.
Letting People Off the Hook
#5 – As A Leader I Am Compassionate With Myself And Others. I Remember We Are All Wounded.
At the same time, we think the similarities of participants are obvious. They are intelligent, accomplished above the norm for their stages of life, hard working, well educated, caring, friendly, positive and committed, to name a few.
| Another similarity, this one less constructive, is that most people we meet, including those in our courses, carry some form of unresolved animosity, resentment and/or resistance to someone important to them. It is usually a parent, sibling, spouse (including “ex’s”), long-time friend, past or present co-worker or boss or some other person or group who wronged them, let them down or otherwise did not meet their expectations.This is no surprise. It is an all too common part of the human condition. Someone carrying a grudge for some real or imagined wrong, often long past the time when the “facts” are forgotten or obscured and only the feelings remain. He or she has yet to let the other “off the hook.”
Most people, when they think about this phenomenon, intellectually understand the futility of holding on to the past in this way. They know that this victim position is one of the ways they deny themselves the fruits of an otherwise well-lead life. Emotionally, however, they remain invested in their point of view about the other and/or about the past situation or circumstance. That hook looks very pretty when I’m “right”.
The options seem finite. I might decide that I am so right and have been so aggrieved that I am willing to go to my grave thinking and feeling the same way. I might decide to cut someone out of my life in an attempt to release my negative energy, but this idea defies the strength of most bonds. After all, if I were not bound to this person in some way, I simply would not have any energy on him or her in the first place. Besides, the maxim is that I never truly leave someone behind; I take part of him or her with me and leave part of myself behind.
Forgiveness is an option. I do not equate forgiveness with letting someone off of the hook. To me, to forgive someone means I am still holding on to the event or circumstance, my opinion about the other, and the notions of right/wrong and fault/blame. I forgive you for being the way I think you are and/or for doing what I think you did. I think forgiveness is a worthy outcome – just not as worthy as letting someone off the hook.
For me, letting someone off of the hook means telling myself what I believe to be the truth about myself and the other and finding a place of acceptance for both. In this case, the “truth” means that I have embraced the idea that we humans are imperfect and yet perfect in our imperfections. It means I have stopped wishing the past were different. I have come to understand, on an emotional level, that while I may not materially alter the past, I may change the way I think and feel about it, or someone from it.
In my experience most people who have carried a grudge for any length of time, and are honest with themselves about it, have at one time or another considered these various options. Many, all too many I think, have not found sufficient motivation to consciously select an option so, by default, continue to hold on to the resentments and ill will.
“ ‘The horror of that moment’ the King went on, ‘I shall never forget.’ ‘You will, though,’ the Queen said, ‘if you don’t make a memorandum of it.’ “ – Lewis Carroll
What, then, is sufficient motivation to let someone off of the hook? What is important enough to see another through compassionate eyes; to acknowledge, as Dr. King said, that here is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us.
The answer is embodied in many famous quotes. Actor, author and politician Malachy McCourt expressed it this way, “Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
I, the one who refuses to let another off of the hook, always pays the biggest price. Often, the other is barely, if at all, aware of my resentment and resistance. If aware, often he or she does not much care.
I on the other hand, am devoid of the power to acknowledge and accept the human frailty in others, including myself. I am condemned to not muster compassion for myself when I most need it. I am condemned to allow my smallness to overshadow my greatness. I am condemned to live some part of my life in the past rather than to live it intensely in the present. I am condemned to come face to face, at some point, with my lack of self-acceptance and a self-imposed limitation on the amount of love I express in my life.
“Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by day, in all the thousand small, uncaring ways.” – Stephen Saint Vincent Benet
|
If you believe someone really deserves to continue to dangle on your hook of resentment and non-acceptance you may be right, but I doubt it. I also doubt that you deserve to dangle on that same hook.
Let go of the past and let yourself and someone off of the hook. While others may never be aware of this gift you have given them, I promise you will be. Start today. |
“The world is a great mirror. It reflects back to you what you are. If you are loving, if you are friendly, if you are helpful, the world will prove loving and friendly and helpful to you. The world is what you are.” – Thomas Drier
Awesome, Simply Awesome Phil. Thanks
What does everyone think, will you let someone off the hook today? I am. Why not state it publicly to solidify it by commenting below
|
June 06, 2011 | 9 : 38 AM
That which each can do best, none but his Maker can teach him. Where is the master who could have taught Shakespeare? Where is the master who could have instructed Franklin, or Washington, or Bacon, or Newton? . . . Shakespeare will never be made by the study of Shakespeare. Do that which is assigned you, and you cannot hope too much or dare too much. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Identify one of your biggest challenges at the moment (ie I don’t feel passionate about my work) and turn it into a question (ie How can I do work I’m passionate about?) Write it on a post-it and put it up on your bathroom mirror or the back of your front door. After 48-hours, journal what answers came up for you and be sure to evaluate them.
Solving challenges is key to change management. I am thankful for the lesson this prompt gave to be disciplined. I think the act of thinking through them consciously and unconsciously for two days is a great technique then commit to an action. I think when we dwell longer on BIG challenges we end up in the law of diminishing returns. Action after two days of thought, even if not the best, is better then continually dwelling and having no action.
When I read this prompt from the challenge I knew right away what it was, as I had been thinking about it.
How do I get my members to commit to doing the work. Learning the things I am teaching, and most important acting on them.
The answers that came to me were varied, and I think added to the worthiness of this prompt. “Doing the work” I think is the hardest part of change management.
There is no question that the teaching I give is cutting edge ideas and thinking, which in turn I am compelling my members to get uncomfortable. that is hard, I need to be more patient and vary my techniques, I am committing to that. I need to provide as best I can more access to me. The answer is I am going to amp up my video production.
Starting this week I am going to start a new video series that will have short snippets (less then 5 minutes) easier to consume that will I think do two things
- Give more access to me, allowing my members to know and therefore connect with me better
- Each video will have the message and prompt to commit to action
As Many of my readers are the very members I want to help dig deeper, what are your suggestions? Is there something I can do more to compel my members to “Do The Work”?
June 02, 2011 | 11 : 17 AM
The #Trust30 project is an online initiative and 30-day writing challenge that encourages you to look within and trust yourself. Use this as an opportunity to reflect on your now, and to create direction for your future. 30 prompts from inspiring thought-leaders will guide you on your writing journey.
Todays Provocative Prompt Comes From Buster Benson follow him on twitter here
It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?
I think my strongest belief is we must continually change. I was the kid who changed his room around every 6 months or so because I loved the change. This went on to my adult life, I am always changing my office surroundings and also where my physical office actually is.
I think changing is the most avoided thing for our society. Sometimes of course we are forced to change, I for one try and predict whats coming, and then change before I have to. This is better, and I think more logical. My experience tells me most people wait until change is forced on them. This is usually never good.
For me when I am avoiding change I am succumbing to resistance and I am not operating out of my power source. I am driven to innovate. Innovation by definition leads to change. Therefore it makes sense that when I am not innovating, when I am playing small, I am not connecting to my WHY.
I now know that when I am feeling down, or manifesting nasty stories in my head about what will inevitably happen to me, that I need to make a change. For me that is to innovate something.
What is it for you?
June 02, 2011 | 10 : 54 AM
Todays Provocative Prompt Comes From Liz Danzico. Follow her on twitter here
Your genuine action will explain itself, and will explain your other genuine actions. Your conformity explains nothing. The force of character is cumulative. – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
If ‘the voyage of the best ship is a zigzag line of a hundred tacks,’ then it is more genuine to be present today than to recount yesterdays. How would you describe today using only one sentence? Tell today’s sentence to one other person. Repeat each day.
Today, is a gift I don’t want to waste it.
June 02, 2011 | 10 : 46 AM
Image via Wikipedia
We are afraid of truth, afraid of fortune, afraid of death, and afraid of each other. Our age yields no great and perfect persons. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
You just discovered you have fifteen minutes to live.
1. Set a timer for fifteen minutes.
2. Write the story that has to be written.
At the end of my life I take a cue from the teaching of one of my latest favourite people Brendan Burchard who says that we should ask these three questions when facing or at the end of our lives.
- Did I LIVE?
- Did I LOVE?
- Did I MATTER?
Did I live?
I think as I navigated through the first half of my life I was naturally living like a warrior, on a relentless pursuit of MORE. I certainly am glad that in my second half, I am now on a relentless pursuit of a worthy vision for my life. When I do this I am able to then build a business that will support my lifes dream, instead of suppressing my lifes dream to serve a business.
I want to live my un-lived life. All those things I have suppressed during my first half I want to do now. I also want to level up my life. Starting now and for the next five years I want to do some challenging things that will take me outside my “comfort zone”. In five years my wonderful wife and I will embark on a journey. This journey will be to lead a location independent life. We will live and work around the world, leaving our mark everywhere we go. I think this will make me happy that at the end of my life I will say I did LIVE.
Did I LOVE
This area needs work. I love those real close to me I think. My closest inner circle, my wife and two wonderful boys. I know that I need to expand this circle, with further concentric circles, adding my extended family, my community, my work colleagues, and finally all the citizens of the earth. I don’t know why with some in my life loving has been a struggle. I need to be better. I will be better.
Did I MATTER
One one thing can I leave that will be mine? One thing that will continually move people I coach, or lead in the most meaningful way? I think it is my 4 part framework for making a change.
- Decide to make a change
- Do the Work
- Stick to it
- Celebrate
Decide to Make a Change
This part is seemingly the easiest part. I simply ask myself “am I happy with my current results?” and/or “Do I think I could get even better results?” If the answer to these questions is yes, then I have but one choice, I must make a change. I Decide to make a change. A great book to support thinking on this is by Seth Godin called the DIP
Do the Work
This seems easy to think, but I have found in my experience it is the most elusive. I think when people embark on a new skill or mindset they naturally face resistance. The absolute must read for people making a change is Steven Pressfields books The War of Art and Do the Work. Resistance can be beat, recognizing that it is self perpetuating, and self created is the all important first step.
Stick to It.
My most favourite thought on this point is that most people do not know how absolutely close they were to getting the things they say they want when they quit. A clue for me is that when things are the absolute toughest, when I have so many doubts, fears, or terrible stories I am creating in my head, then I know I must be close. Steven Pressfield covers this well in War of Art when he discusses that it is at the point when we are almost there that resistance throws everything it has at me, I need to lean on my support network and keep pushing. The rewards are right around the corner.
Celebrate
I think this brings us full circle. Sadly I see many people build businesses that they must serve, instead of businesses that serve them. I think I did that a lot in my first half. At the end of my life I want to be living my life fully, with lots of love, leaving a legacy that will endure and confirmed that I mattered. For that to happen my business must serve my life and my dreams.
What do you think? Are You LIVING, LOVING, and do you MATTER? Let us know in the comments below.
Spread the love on Facebook and Twitter. Lets get these conversations going.
