Wednesday Night Poetry

It's a Wednesday night, so why not use that as an excuse to share some poetry. This one is titled, "Where are the Poets?" from my Wooing of the Mind Collection.


Where are the Poets?

Where are the poets, the dancers
the dreamers who make things come true?
Where are the leaders, and believers
and the folks who know what to do?

Why are there quarrels
and debate
over things of nonsense
rooted in nothing but hate?

Why are there cracks in solemn foundations,
born forth from greed?
They sprout and spread persistently
like rats, or lice or weeds.

What are the lyrics
that makes a nation pause?
What notes must be strung together
for each of us to admit our flaws?

Where are the engineers, the doctors,
the carpenters with wood?
There are bridges to be built,
and underprivileged to be understood.

Call out the peacemakers
armed with diplomacy and grit.
Silence those who wage foolish war
with contracted guards, and arguments unfit.

Paint the future, sketch a dream,
sing out in fervent praise!
For the end is nowhere close to us,
so do not countdown the days.

We enjoy the setting sun,
and provide lights to darkened skies
so dare not fear for us,
tomorrow with certainty, we will again arise.

A Space to Write

All I really need to write

I've been complaining about my writing space. I know this is a stupid thing to do. It's actually a form of procrastination which has nothing to do with writing. I know, people have different styles and preferences, and I understand the rituals some writers have to go through before they can actually get words from their head onto the page. It's still a delay tactic that I've been employing. Which is silly because it doesn't get anything written.

I recently moved and I find it easy to complain because I've condensed my workspace considerably so that others can have a greater living space. For family bliss it was the right thing to do. But I remain jealous because in my last place I had a real office. An entire room, with sliding glass doors that lead to an unkempt yard with beautiful views. A far cry from my present condition. But I'm romanticizing, because when I stop to think, with that office space I was probably the least productive I've ever been.

This makes me think of my prior writing environments. When I first moved to San Diego I had a sun room in Bankers Hill with a nice view of landing airplanes and the blossoming skyline. During the day it was too hot to work in there. At night, believe it or not, it often got too cold. When it rained, the windows leaked. We began to use it as a storage place as our family began to grow. But it's the room I first used an Apple computer and the first time I went online using one of the ubiquitous AOL CD-Rom's we got in the mail.

Before that, as a newlywed in Boston, my office was tucked behind a large dresser in our bedroom. A large laminate board resting on top of two file cabinets served as my desk. The old Smith Corona PWP3200 Word Processor sounded like machine gun fire that reverberated through the tiny apartment. But I penned several screenplays in that space and taped each rejection slip to the wall.

Before that was college, hunting and pecking on standard issue desks or sometimes on the floor in the hall of the dorm.

In high school, most of my school projects were by hand. I had wanted a Commodore 64 but instead had a very fancy Brother Word Processor that has a 16 character LCD screen and printed in dot matrix on thermal paper. This was for my important work, like my very first screenplay (and yes, the original has faded away).

I've had a lot of writing spaces I've never been happy with. That's because when I spent time trying to improve them, I wasn't writing. Even though it's still easy for me to bemoan the space I'm writing these very words in, the truth is, it doesn't matter. I have a laptop. I can write anywhere. And if I don't have power, or want to be out in the bright sun or in a darkened corner, I have pens and notebooks. (and now's the time to stock up on even more).

In the late spring I spent several nights at my Dad's kitchen table with just my laptop and it was perhaps the most productive, word count-wise, writing period I've ever experienced.

Sure, it's nice to have a space to spread out, like Mark Twain's billiard table. Add it's great to have a wall devoted to a whiteboard and another one or two devoted to books. These show nice to friends and validate that yes, I'm a writer. But there is something better. Actual writing. Finished manuscripts, published posts, bound books, Amazon rankings ... all more satisfying symbols to point toward.

As long as a writer has passion for the subject, they can write. Everything else is preference. Meeting those preference may be important but probably won't improve your writing. The thing that improves your writing best, it writing more often.

So crappy space be damned. Write right now! I just did.

Random Passage from "Three Blinks and a Sigh"

I've been slowly reviewing an early draft of my new fiction book. I'll use this space to periodically post a random passage from "Three Blinks and a Sigh". Some will be good, some I may just think are good and some might be dreadful examples of late night writing.

I'll post, you decide.

"He attempted to lift off his wet tee-shirt. His six-pack had long since receded into more of a smooth liter bottle. His stomach rolled slightly over his belt and clung like the edge of a homemade cake burdened with too much frosting. He shook his head, disappointed with the discovery. He unfastened his belt and waited for his pants to fall, but they did not. They remained clung to his hips and legs. He rolled his eyes and attempted to take off his shoes by stepping on the heel. A bad move if he wanted to preserve any sartorial decorum, but also foolhardy since he was wearing laced Bostonians. He lost his balance and fell hard to the floor."

-From Three Blinks and a Sigh, by Karl Bimshas 

Shameless Plug

Here's a link with information on the latest journal series I've created: Perspectives; A 30 Day Journal to View Your World Differently

The Writer's Demise?

Based on a few thought provoking articles I've read recently there are two schools of thought on the publishing industry. One being that it's rapidly going in the direction of the recording industry, which one could interpret as more "freedom" for the artist. The other camp points to the fact that the majority of services that are making self publishing easily accessible to today's writer are run by huge corporations who, let's be honest, do not generally have the writer's interests as their central focus (unless by interest you mean money.) Either way lends itself to the premise that the fall of the publishing industry will be quickly followed by the elimination of the writer as a profession.

How could that be? In the democratized world of the Internet were everyone now has the ability to write and publish their own content, it makes the practice a little less special. Not only does it take the mystery out of the process, it also shrinks the cachet. Wearing a black turtleneck and sauntering into a party as a writer isn't so impressive to people anymore. In fact the caterer and valet probably have better blogs than you and probably write more often.

So does that make writing as a profession go away? No, but could it be less valuable since everyone has the capacity to do it? Maybe in the short term. There's actually a movement to halt some writing and publishing because there's too much out there and much of it isn't very good. The real rubbish is that belief. Telling a writer to stop writing akin to telling someone to stop breathing. Sure, they can try for a little while, but they turn purple and irritated very quickly. While it's true there's a good amount of junk out there, there always has been. I would guess the percentage is the same, though the numbers are larger. Let's go with the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of the writing you're reading is probably mediocre or worse, and twenty percent is probably pretty good. (that may even hold true for this post).

What's going through transformation is the fall of the gatekeepers. In traditional publishing there are filters, from selected agents, to a cadre of specialty editors who move writers from good to great. Without those gatekeepers you see things unfiltered, rife with errors. You also come across genius and ingenuity that just a few years ago would have been squelched. It's like panning for gold. You could use some help deciding which stream to step into, but you have to get your own hands wet to find some treasure.

So how does the writer now stand out? I suspect the same way as they always have. Be a better writer. Work on the craft as well as your passion, everyday. Also remember, just because your writing is good there's no guarantee it will be read. The word is full of people, but many of them are still illiterate. That's why today's writer has to be professional. Not only in the discipline of writing, but also in the skills of marketing, negotiating, finance and public interactions. The writer shouldn't allow themselves to be mockable. Being a professional to everyone, particularly readers, will ensure the writer's profession remains an important role in our society.

I Stink at Log Lines

I should probably rephrase that before it becomes a self-fufilling prophesy.

I have not yet excelled at log lines. You know, those TV guide descriptions of a show that tells you what it's all about. "It's about ____ who wants to ____ and _____ but _____ and ____."

Log lines are the writer's soundbite. Like the corporate elevator speech, they should be compelling enough to capture your attention but long enough to cover the subject. Similar to a woman's skirt...but I digress.

Log lines are the one pithy sentence that represent months, perhaps years of work and I continue to struggle with them. I recall when I was pursuing my screenwriting I had a reservoir of them for my spec scripts. I had to be prepared to pitch them to my agent at the time. His side of the conversation went something like, "Pass....Pass....Um, yeah Pass...Send me that one."

It's important to be able to synthesize your work into something succinct. Twitter helps with this discipline. If you can't fit it in on your mobile phone's screen, who's gonna be interested? Remember, the average American now has the attention span just a touch longer than a goldfish. ... You still with me?

Wow, you're above average. Thanks for hanging in there.

This business of crafting a log line has always given me pause in my fiction pursuits. With non-fiction the topic is pretty well laid out, usually in the title. That should be true for fiction too, but often there's real or imagined nuance that as a writer I feel compelled to protect. Also, for better or worse, my fiction tends to be slice of life character driven.

So what? You still gotta be able to answer the question, "What's it about?" with something intelligent and intriguing. I don't claim either with what I have so far for the small novel I'm currently working on. It's called "Three Blinks and a Sigh" and I penned the first draft as part of the 2009 NaNoWriMo. Now I've dusted it off, rolled up my sleeves and am editing it into something comprehensible.

What's it about? I still struggle with that question. Right now, it's about a divorced poet who unwittingly redefines himself under the influence of his ex-wife, his socialite friend and his alluringly addictive online muse.

Whatcha think?

Polishing Your Work

As a writer there are times I feel exceptionally satisfied with my work. However, this feeling is elusive when I'm editing my own prose. After I print a draft copy of my work and read it, my inner critic can't wait to begin to polish and refine. The writer in me mourns the inevitable loss of the muse driven words haphazardly captured the night before.

I've assembled some of the common areas I look to improve in my fiction writing. Yes, this can have the appearance of destroying the "artiste" in me, but it doesn't. It makes my writing stronger. I don't use these as steadfast rules. They are guidelines and prompts to fix areas I think suck when viewed in the daylight hours. I should probably use them in all my writing, but I don't. Sometimes being "correct" leaves your reader feeling like something is wrong. I ignore these rules in my dialogue, unless I have a character who is a grammatical prig. (So far I've never written one).

Nothing destroys my word count faster than doing a remove/replace with some of these words. I'd also argue that nothing improves my writing faster. Polishing makes your writing sparkle.

Be brave and be ruthless when cutting your words. A writer can always create new ones.

And So It Begins...Again

I'm returning to my old stomping ground and hi-jacking this blog to focus exclusively on my writing. Of course you can expect me to promote my non-fiction leadership books along the way, but the primary focus of this blog will be my creative fiction, poetry and prose. I'll share the things I'm working on as well as things I feel brave enough to dust off and breath some new life into.

I hope you'll find enjoyment in what I post, which will be mostly unvarnished and filled with late-night typographical and grammatical errors. I'm not going to let that bother me, and if it bothers you, this isn't going to be the place for you. I'm going to embrace the concept that good writing takes place in the margins.

It won't always be pretty, and it may not always inspire, but it should be interesting and fun. Join me.

90 Days of Assertions

Three months ago I began the daily ritual of recording my assertions in a notebook. By logging your assertions for a 90 day period you’ll gain insight into what you know and what you don’t know.

Since I’ve been going through several changes in my life that have caused me to second guess many of my assumptions, this seemed like a good time to test myself.

Those who have worked with me know that I’m not shy about admitting what I don’t know. Those who have lived with me know I’m not shy about sharing what I think I know and as endearing as I may like to think that trait is, I reluctantly acknowledge it flirts with arrogance.

The point of this exercise, besides reinforcing the discipline of writing everyday, is to evaluate which assertions were correct and which were wrong.

The scope of my assertions were fairly broad. Family and business issues shared space with political and sports predictions. My recent analysis showed I was no better or worse in one area than another. With 90 days of data I learned that 56% of my assertions were correct, 25% were incorrect and 19% are pending resolution.

This filled me with a sense of pride and confidence. To know my instinctual assertions on a variety of subjects are correct well over 50% of the time (and closer to 69% if I ignore the pending assertions) is very appealing...to me...and probably only me. You see, most others still don’t really care because being a person who is often right doesn’t hold a candle to the one who is most often kind. The lesson is to endeavor to frequently be both, right and kind.

Try this exercise yourself. Record your assertions everyday for 90 days. You’ll learn what you feel confident asserting your opinion about and how often you’re right. You’ll learn who influences your assertions and what kind of influence you have on various outcomes. You will learn something about yourself, and that’s what should happen when you reflect on leadership.

My Leadership Point of View

By sharing my leadership point of view, you'll have a better understanding of who I am as a leader and artist and what I stand for. You'll get insight on where I'm coming from and how I think.

There are four philosophies you should know about me right up front.

1. I love the study of leadership.
2. I have high expectations and high hopes for people.
3. I'm more interested in strengths than I am in weaknesses.
4. Poor leadership decisions don't just tick me off; they motivate me to find better ones and to foster the leader within others.


Background
When I was a child I was ambidextrous. Because I had equal comfort I often switched between my left and right hands mid-sentence or in the middle of drawing a circle. This befuddled my teachers so they told me I had to choose a hand because they felt it was interfering with my school work. I picked my left and that seems congruent with my lifelong habit of choosing the more difficult path.

A few years later my parents got a divorce, although I don't think it had anything to do with my hand choice. My school work suffered anyway and my teachers felt it better for me to be placed in a "slower" class. I don't know if you remember those Resource Centers, beautifully named but socially ostracized places. I was put in a room with other "slow" kids. When we were released to join the rest of the students in easier subjects like art and gym you couldn't help but feel like a second class citizen. That went on for about six years and my mild dyslexia didn't help me to feel any better about myself.

I wanted to enter high school without the "help" of the resource center. I recall the first grade I received. It was for social studies and I got a "C" on my assignment. The teacher asked to meet with me after class and he explained that he graded me a "C" originally but later received a note from the Resource Center people; I guess I was on some sort of watch list. He said he could up it to a "B" based on their scale if I wanted him to. I didn't give it a second of thought before I told him I'd take the "C" because how else was I going to improve if I wasn't held to the same standard as everyone else? He seemed impressed with that and I was never bothered from the Resource Center people again.

Since then I've be attracted to the leaders and artists who focus on people's strengths. I learned to intertwine the values of strength and creativity from my parents. I don't dwell on life's hurdles. Instead, I focus on the talents and gifts we have to clear those hurdles.

I have a thirst for making a difference. Using insightfulness and creativity, I'm happiest when I can lead and inspire others to maximize their strengths and continuously improve themselves, their organization or our society, by bringing the powers of vision, passion and action. I believe this helps positively energize our nation and contributes to greater peace, prosperity, fun, understanding, responsibility and liberty in the world. I do this by regularly focusing on the four pillars of my mission.

1. Make a Positive Difference in the lives of others.


2. Strive to Lead and Inspire through my words and deeds.


3. Maximize the Strengths of others by using my own.


4. Continually Improve and Contribute to a "more perfect union".

I enjoy being an inspiration to people who in turn inspire themselves. I like to help others find their strengths and see what they have to offer our joint endeavor.

I want to help you find your vision or purpose. If you've already found it, that's great.  I want to help you clear the obstacles off your path so you can reach your goals.

I do this partly for selfish reasons. I like how it infuses me with energy. It forces me to take my focus off myself, and put it on others, the way a servant leader should. It also gives me the opportunity to combat the damaging effects of poor leaders, influencers, and others who abuse their enormous power either through intent or ignorance.

What does helping bring out the best in people and having a clear goal look like? Think of President John Kennedy and his crazy idea of landing on the moon. He said;

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills; Because that challenge is one that we're willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and one we intend to win."

Humankind had been staring up toward the sky for thousands of years wondering about the moon. One day not that long ago, one of us said, let's do it, let's go there within ten years -- and we did it! A fascinating feat that illustrates that just about anything is possible with vision, passion, action and a deadline.

I like to measure things, less to see shortfalls but instead to see what we're capable of doing and to build our credibility. I love to see the charts and graphs of goals and measurements of success; to see the results of common things in uncommon ways. I'm an observer, deliberative and analytical. I used to read American Demographics magazine for pleasure, so that should gives you some clues.

I am in a constant state of learning and application when it comes to leadership. Sometimes this can come across as tinkering, although I prefer the word refinement. Either way, it's with the best of intentions. I focus on strengths instead of weaknesses. Yes, sometimes weaknesses need to be addressed, but to overcome them I discover what can be done, versus what can't. I lead toward the future not from the past.  I measure and monitor with success metrics; managing by fact, not by whimsy.

Here are a few things you can expect from me in our interactions:

• Two questions asked equally often, "Why?" or "Why not?"


• A quest for continuous improvement, to make good things great things.


• Measures for success, setting you up to win.


• The testing of assumptions, tasks, and decisions against the Vision or Objective.


• A greater interest in strengths, not irrelevant weaknesses.


• An abundance mentality that will push you to explore possibilities.


• An irritation with poor leadership decisions, be they my own or others.

And here's what I expect from you if you want to build a beneficial relationship:

• Be open to new or alternative approaches.


• Ask me, "So what?" or "Who cares?" to keep me focused.


• Give seemingly "crazy ideas" a chance to breathe.


• Support vetted processes that we prove work.


• Give and receive education easily.


• Call BS, BS.


• Have a sense of humor about yourself, the world and me.

I believe everyone has the capacity to become a leader, and it's the responsibility of each of us to identify that special talent we possess and to pursue it relentlessly.

While you make your mark and decide what you want to be positively remembered for during your time here, know, feel and act like you make a difference, because you do.  That's why I'm committed to helping talented leaders and artists find the a-ha within.


So, how can I help you today?

The Gift of Perseverance

My brother, Jack made a remarkable observation on the gift of perseverance the other day. I'm pleased he's allowed me to share it with you.

With all the problems we see around us, disasters, financial, emotional, political, religious to list a very few. I was captivated the other day by the beauty and horror of nature.

I'd noticed many Killdeer all around the building that my company has reconstructed and is beginning to move into. I've always liked these little birds. They are ground birds similar to ocean shore Terns that run back and forth with the waves. One in particular has been nesting in pebbles right next to a patio near the entrance I usually use. She used to scream as I walked by but then got used to me going by I guess and just sat motionless, keeping an eye on me.

Last Friday when the sky opened up and there was an incredible downpour, I went to the window to watch for a minute. I noticed a Killdeer running across the driveway and jumping up the curb on the other side. "Running for cover" I thought. Then I saw this itty bitty tiny figure following her! About the size of a humming bird I would say. It raced across the driveway that was becoming a raging river and just couldn't make the jump up the new curb. The Mom ran back and forth encouraging it - but it could not make it.

I noticed a gap in the curb and hoped the little guy would find it but it ran the other way. I saw no gaps that way, only the street a few hundred feet away. It ran up and then back down. The Mom running back and forth with it! Then it found the gap and quickly went through. That's when I noticed that there was a small ditch on the other side! (Small to us but huge to the little bird!) It rushed in but was soon out of site. The Mom went "downstream" following it and then stopped, huddled near the bank. I could not tell if the baby had made it or drown! I watched a bit and then recalled the other mother I usually passed on the other side of the building. I went over there and looked but saw nothing. Nothing but pouring rain and pebbles and stones near the patio.

"Oh, poor thing" I was thinking. Then I saw her! Bravely huddled down among the stones still sitting on her eggs! What a gallant little animal! I hope her eggs hatch before the landscaping makes it to that part of the property!

On my way back to my office the rain stopped and as I passed the window I noticed the little bird again running across the driveway behind it's Mom! Dodging the landscaping vehicles that were coming to life after the rain as well. It looked to be the same one, so I tell myself it was. Killdeer usually start with 4-6 eggs so this was the Mom's last one. The other bird still sitting on the eggs luckily had four.

It was a reminder that nature is very tough on other inhabitants of this earth as well people. Yet they don't give up in frustration.

I'm sure, like my brother, you've witnesses similar acts of perseverance with other animals. The world is tough, it's as messy as it is beautiful, it's as brutal as it is merciful. Instincts keep most creatures focused on their goals. Fear is what keeps most people from their goals.



When you're in pursuit of a worthy goal, the world may throw a lot of obstacles in front of you. It's okay, expect them. You can even use some of them to help you. But never, ever give up.

How to Confirm Your Purpose

How to Confirm Your Purpose

Ever have one of those days when you're stuck and wondering what you're doing with your life? Those days are clues that you are not fulfilling your purpose. Maybe you think you don't have a purpose. That's a glum outlook, but even if it's true you still have a job to do.

I'm reminded of one of the anti-success posters that depict the ruins of a shipwreck piercing through the waters surface with the caption, "Your purpose may be to only serve as a warning to others." You're probably not that person because if you were, you wouldn't have read this many words in one sitting.

So, let's start with the assumption that you have a burning in your stomach. This exercise will help you better identify that yearning or confirm the one you're pursuing is worthy of your attention.

Tools
Think about how you most often win others over to your way of thinking. How do you successfully get your way most often? It might be through humor, or telling a story. Maybe you communicate with pictures or through writing. Perhaps it's via deceit and debauchery or brute force. In this exercise I'm not going to judge your answers. I do have an opinion on pursuing a worthy purpose versus something less savory, but people have different standards of "worthy". This is a matter of influence. How is your influence most felt in your world?

Treasures
Where do you find your rewards? For many, this means money and that's fine. If profit is the applause you get for doing good work, where do you get your standing ovations? Rewards needn't be money. Yours might be measured in smiles or hugs or some other way that makes you feel happiest.  For many people, that's a check. It feels good when people pay you. For others it's intangible.  Identify what it is for you.

Teachers
What group of people do you most enjoy learning from? In school you probably had a favorite teacher. Think back as to why? If you're no longer in school, you're still learning things from people. It could be your parents or your children, your colleagues or members of your spiritual circle. You might learn something from a favored author, or the neighborhood grocer. These life instructors are all around you. Take stock of who they are and see what they have in common.

Talisman
This is the amulet you wear around your neck, figuratively, but maybe not. Think about what symbolizes you most. It's a tangible object you can look at, and preferably hold that epitomizes you. Some people can answer this very quickly. Truth is, the first few things that entered your mind were probably accurate. Some people feel compelled to combine a bunch of images into a collage, like a family crest. Some can get too complex or confounded by this, but you're the one who has to look at it with meaning. It's your symbol.

Look at your tool, treasure, teacher and talisman of choice and you'll have a good indication of your purpose. I'll run through mine as an example.

I influence people most via my writing, that's my tool. I do a decent job with public speaking, but those words first come from my writing. If I need to have a difficult conversation with someone I often script it out first to practice.

With consulting there's a wide continuum from analysis and advice to instruction, collaboration and implementation. My treasure, both figuratively and literally has always come from a variation of my consulting. My rewards come from helping people find the a-ha within and accomplish great things.

My teachers come from nearly everywhere, young and old, left and right, foreign and domestic. What they all have in common is that they are leaders or artists. That's who I learn from most readily, easily and frequently, Leaders and artists. Because those are my teachers, they are who I serve.

My talisman, the symbol that epitomizes me was a toss up between the scales (both of justice and of the zodiac sign Libra) which have always attracted me, and another image I couldn't shake, a pen. In truth I am never far from one. It is my sword; my ornamentation; my functionality. It couldn't be anything else but a pen.

When you combine writing, consulting, leaders and artists and a pen you get a pretty good picture of my purpose. When I do things that combine those elements, I'm acting on purpose. When I drift away from that foundation I'm not.

Now it's your turn. Share your tool, treasure, teacher and talisman items with me and tell me what your purpose is. If you need help, send me a note.

No Passion No Purpose

Here's part of an old letter which illustrates a still common concern of many people.

Dear ____,

In the last two to three years, I have devoured many of your books and audio programs. They have educated and inspired me. I'm 31-years-old, a college graduate, married nine years and we're expecting our first born in August. I'm a frontline manager with ____ Corporation.

On good days I feel unstoppable, achieving many goals throughout the day and week. There are other times however, when work-wise I feel very unfulfilled even though I earn accolades, receive awards and recognition. I suppose it falls to the basic "know what you want" mantra. The problem may rest in having too many hopes that are too large.

I enjoy writing and have had a couple of agents but not sold any work. I enjoy the idea of politics and the ability to oversee and improve the lives of a great number of people, but I am not involved in any community activities. I constantly strive to be in a leadership position but, I'm unfulfilled in the journey. Do you have any advice and how to adjust my goals to fulfill them?

Sound familiar? It may if you find even in the moments of greatness in what you do, you still have a nagging sense of unfulfillment.

Certain skills, knowledge and a commitment to do a good job can carry you so far. The author of this letter had vision and limited action, but no passion and therefore was not working on purpose. I know this definitively because this is a draft of a letter I was going to send to one of my mentors eleven years ago. I never did. No passion, remember? It's fun when your future self can give advice to your past self. I wish they had met a little sooner.

The level of dissatisfaction I felt just over a decade ago did kick me into action. In the time since then I earned my masters degree in executive leadership where I developed tools that helped equip me to do battle with the poor leaders I encountered. I gained the confidence to pursue new business skills. The experience led me to write, "How to Stay When You Want to Quit" a small but powerful book that has reclaimed people's careers and improved business relationships. Now I'm running my own business and hopefully in some way helping people improve their lives.

Do I have too many lofty goals? Probably, but that doesn't bother me as much as it used to. I know the difference between goals and wishes and I don't spend as much time wishing things to happen. I find it that making things happen is much more fulfilling and so should you.

If you're not feeling like you're achieving the things you wanted to three, five or ten years ago, start examining why and decide if you still want those goals. If so, are you ready to get serious about achieving them? If not, it's time to eject them and make room for some new ones. Yes, it's okay to do that. It's better to change your mind and be successful than it is to stay on a course that's taking you down the wrong direction.


Start acting on purpose, not by habit.

Who Do You Love?

Several years ago I asked the people I work with that question. Specifically, “Which clients do you love the most?” More interesting than the answers was the speed in which everyone was able to respond. There was no hesitation as grown men and women – some road weary and hardened by the world, were able to freely and easily proclaim their love of particular clients.




I didn’t ask why they loved the clients they chose – but none could resist signing the virtues of those who had earned their affection. The reasons were as varied as, “They always pay on time” to “They get us and it’s always a pleasure to be with them.”




When they spoke, they pitched forward on their toes, appeared lighter on their feet and a sparkle danced in their eyes. As they continued to speak of these exalted clients they almost seemed giddy, certainly confident, and overwhelmingly pleased.




Now, to me, that looked a lot like love. Unfortunately my follow up question didn’t elicit as much frivolity.




“How much time do you spend with those you love?”




The swift wind that had filled their sails moments earlier had just been zapped, their magnificent sailboats stalled at sea as the air visibly deflated from their chests.




Excuses were mumbled over tightened lips – but it didn’t really matter what the reasons were, the result was the same. Neglect. Everyone one of them knew that love suffering from neglect could easily go away. It may be sudden or gradually – but it is inevitable.




Whether it be clients, employees, colleagues, family or friends – are you spending enough time with those you love? If not, start – because fundamentally there is nothing that you could possibly be spending time on that is more important or worthwhile than the people you love?




There are two ways to remedy this. First, shift your priorities to spend less time on the “burdens” and more time with those you love. Second, simply love more. Whether it be clients, employees, colleagues, family or friends – lead with a loving heart.

1-4-3 Great Goal

In 1894 a flashing lantern was installed on the lighthouse at Minot's Ledge, about 20 miles southeast of Boston Harbor. The pulsating pattern, “1-4-3” soon developed into romantic folklore. It symbolized a coded message sent from the lighthouse keeper to his wife and family back on shore, “I-LOVE-YOU”.

There seems no better time than Valentine’s Day to announce a sweetheart deal for leaders and artists who want to discover their next great goal.

Too many people live life without a plan or even the knowledge of where to start. That’s why I’m excited about the Great Goal Discovery online coaching program.

The biggest value of online coaching is that you can complete your sessions at a time that suits you. If you’re busy with family or work commitments, you can complete your coaching sessions when it’s convenient for you from the comfort of your own home or office.

The Great Goal Discovery online coaching program is considerably more affordable than appointment driven telephone or face-to-face coaching. Invest only $143 and work at your own pace directly with me as your accountability partner.

• Gather and understand your current goals.


• Dig deeper into your multidimensional life with a Life Harmony Audit.


• Create Great Goals to keep you focused.


• Take inventory of your resources.


• Review your pace of accomplishment and decide your next step.

Click here to learn more.

Haven’t you deferred your dreams long enough?

Take action now. Great success is waiting for you. Go get it!

Your Inspiration Likes Attention

Do you remember when you last felt inspired? Did you do anything with that feeling? Inspiration often feels elusive, particularly to those who pursue creative fields. We name it our muse, and often go off in search of it like it were a mythical creature.

Inspiration, like most of us, enjoys attention and doesn’t appreciate being ignored. Have you noticed that those who find inspiration easily also find it often? That’s because they honor their inspiration. When it shows up they pay attention and take action. That’s not to say that ever piece of inspiration leads us down the path we’d naturally choose, but many times it does. The problem is, we ignore it far too often.

Inspiration doesn’t usually come on your schedule. It arrives at inconvenient times, like in the shower, or in the middle of the night, or when waiting in line and you don’t have a pen. Your heart races, your eyes widen and you are struck in that flash by what seems like the best idea you’ve ever had. It might be. But just as quickly as it comes to you, it disappears. Inspirations are ethereal things. Our job is to make them concrete. To take action. Any action.

I like the word inspiration and have thought of it as “in spirit”. It literally means “breathed upon” which has a divine quality to it. It’s when you hear your inner voice, or the universe or even God whispering a hint to you. When you give it that kind of weight it seems wrong to waste the experience.

People can find conduits for inspiration. A good book, a fascinating lecture or seminar; maybe for you it’s through surfing or taking a hike in nature. For others it’s stimulating conversation with friends, or in some cases, adversaries. Inspiration is all around us, constantly. Regardless of your belief system, every moment of the day we are “breathed upon” by forces greater than us.

Make time today and everyday to catch some of that inspiration and then act upon it’s message. Sometimes you will stumble, but no worse than if you ignore it outright. So take immediate action, even if it’s simply making note of the aha within. Don’t wait for inspiration to move you but always be moved by inspiration.

Your Goal Planner Worksheet

[caption id="attachment_802" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Save and print this worksheet"][/caption]

By now all the pressure to identify your 2011 goals has passed. You either have them, or you don’t. If you don’t, it’s not too late. You can set goals anytime you want. If you’ve already established your goals for the year, good on you. Let’s turbo charge what you have so far.

Attached is a goal planner worksheet that will help you organize your thoughts and serve as a blueprint for achieving your goals.

On the top of the worksheet there’s space to include your purpose or personal mission statement and your top values. Along the left side column are eight main dimensions of your life; Financial, Career, Health, Relationships, Recreation, Contribution, Personal and Education.

Many people spend their energy trying to balance their life. Don’t. Strive for harmony instead. Place one or two complementary goals for each dimension of your life. You’ll find your chances of achieving more increases dramatically.

For the remaining columns there are two paths you can take. Basic, which is the minimum you should do, or Advanced, which required a little more thought but also increases your clarity and speed in achieving your goals.

1. Decide on the specific things that you want to do, have or be during the year.
Basic: Create a SMART Goal for each dimension of your life.
Advanced: Phrase the SMART Goal as a question beginning with “Why.

2. Determine the purpose of each goal.
Basic: Describe why you want to achieve each goal.
Advanced: Describe why you want to achieve each goal and how you imagine you’d feel once you did.

3. Do the actions that need to be done?
Basic: Create a basic task list of things to be done to help achieve the goal.
Advanced: Include the financial and personal resources you need to achieve each goal.

4. Deadline when the goal will be done?
Basic: Simply stack rank your 1, 3, 5 or 10 year goals
Advanced: Have a specific date in which you plan to achieve each goal by.

If all this seems like too much work too bad. It’s very rare for a goal to show up on your doorstep neatly wrapped with a bow.

Goals are messy business. They involve thinking and effort and negotiation and involvement. If you want to work on wishes, save your coins and spend a day or two at your local wishing well. If you want to work on your goals and by definition, your life get started. If you want help let me know.

Goals 101

It’s been said that the number one reason people don’t achieve their goals is because they have too many. I think it’s more likely that people confuse a list of wishes with goals. Goals should give you vision and direction so you can create an actionable plan toward achieving them.

I seriously doubt people have too many goals, rather they have too many competing priorities clamoring for the A1 slot.

Here’s an exercise that will help you identify the one motivating goal that is burning inside of you.  Think of it as your Great Goal. Everyone should have a Great Goal, the one that take precedence over all others. After you achieve it you can find another one, but not before because if you work on multiple Great Goals you risk diluting your efforts and weakening your chance at success. Follow these five steps to help focus your thinking.

1. Answer these questions:

• If I won one million dollars tomorrow, what would I do?


• If I could change one thing about my body, what would it be?


• Who do I wish to be and why?


• What skill do I wish I had learned as a child?


• Where do I see my career in five years?

2. Pick One
Choose the one answer from above that provokes the greatest reaction in you.  That’s your goal; reflect on it and determine what part of it you believe you can accomplish in less than a year.

3. Pick a Time Frame
Determine, how long will it realistically take to accomplish this goal; one week, one month, six months, one year?

4. Determine the cost
What will it cost you to achieve this goal in either time, talent (effort) or treasure (money)?

5. Fill in the blanks
I resolve to (answer from step 2) in (answer from step 3) by (answer from step 4).


Now, refine your statement in a way they speaks more clearly to you.  Write it on a note card, fold it up and bring it with you everywhere you go. Read it as often as you can; certainly at least twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Congratulations, you’re on your way, and already have done more work on your personal development than ninety percent of the people you interact with each day.  I’d love to hear about your success.  Send me an email once you’ve achieved your goal and tell me how long it took.  You can also contact me if you want an accountability partner to help you stay on track and achieve your goal.

Three Paths. One Clear Way.

People who want to be, do or have something generally follow one of three paths.

There are those who make no plans and do not set goals. It's not that they don't have a list of wants in their life but they tend to be dependent on outside resources out of their control; like winning the lottery. 85% of the people you meet fall into this category. They have no specific goals that they're focused on achieving. They work day by day, maybe weekend to weekend with little thought of cause and effect or the role their own action, or inaction plays in their life.

The next group of people are different. They have goals. The level of specificity may vary from person to person but ask them what their goal is and they can tell you. It might sound more like a wish to some, but these people know what they want. They're capable of achieving their goal but they get bouts of insecurity and feelings of doubt. 10% of the people you meet are in this group.

The final group also have goals. You'll notice they are far more specific when they describe them. Even if they sound far-fetched, there's something about their confidence and self-assuredness that convinces you it's not an idle dream of theirs. It's a worthwhile great goal and there's probably no stopping them. They have a secret weapon. Not only do they physically write down their goals, (something 95% of the people you know don't do) they also make plans toward accomplishing their goals. A plan needn't be more elaborate than a series of tasks and a deadline to meet each of those tasks. People with great goals achieve the important things they set out to achieve because they do the work it takes.

Before you decide which path you want to take next equip yourself with a clear goal and a plan.

In this special Reflections on Leadership, Your Thanksgiving Survival Guide and "Happy Yet?" A new online coaching program

The Gratitude Issue

The week of Thanksgiving should be filled with gratitude. Sometimes, after long flights (or long fights) once we are with family and friends, we take the things we hold most dear for granted. Think of this as a quick survival guide. Below are links to five blog posts that will provide you with an a-ha.

Give Thanks Freely: Includes a link to "132 Ways to say, Well Done." CLICK HERE

Find What's Right Day: Use your R.A.S to have a better day. CLICK HERE

Toasts, Blessings and Proverbs to Help Celebrate: Free eBook CLICK HERE

40 Things I'm Grateful For: A template you can use to lift your spirits CLICK HERE

Make It A Perfect Day: How to get three 10s CLICK HERE



Happy Yet? - Online Coaching
In addition to the five articles above I'm pleased to share a new program for people who want to engage in life coaching but have been unsure of the time commitments or expense.

"Your Introduction to Online Coaching with Karl Bimshas Consulting"

The perfect way to get a head start on your New Year goals. CLICK HERE



Gifts
And remember the online store, Write Advice. It's got the perfect garb for leaders and artists. CLICK HERE

I appreciate your continual support and I'm thankful that you continue to find value in the words I share.

Keep smiling,

-Karl