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

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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

Happy Yet? - New Online Coaching Program

If you’re active and get regular exercise, eat healthy food, are extremely satisfied with your personal relationships, are optimistic and enthusiastic about what’s next ...

have done a lot of the things you’ve wanted to do in life, feel like you manage yourself well and are in control of your future, are well organized ...

feel you have the amount of money you should; and are paid what you think you’re worth, good for you!

Your with the top 2% of people who are happy and feel successful. Hopefully you’re sharing your gifts of achievement with others.

However, you might be feeling like your floundering in the pool with the other 98% of people. Maybe you want to improve some of the stuff from above or maybe there’s something else you’ve wanted to accomplish.

All you know for sure is that something’s not quite right. You’ve been feeling disillusioned and discouraged, confused and frustrated, maybe overwhelmed because you’ve been deferring your important goals.

• What would it feel like to know you’re actively working on fulfilling your dreams?


• Imagine being able to wake up in the morning and feel sure of yourself, your decisions and your direction.


• What would it feel like to no longer defer your dreams?


• How long have you been promising yourself you will work on your personal goals, yet continue to have trouble getting started?


• How different would your life be if you suddenly had a great goal you were committed to working on each day?


• What kind of new experiences would come into your life if you could use the power of vision, passion and action to achieve the things you want and need?

The right accountability partner can help you do that and more.

Some people spend thousands of dollars on personal development programs that are heavy on storytelling but light on tangible actions you can do right away.

Don’t get me wrong, I gladly accept thousands of dollars from people in return for helping them to live the life they want, but that’s not what this is about. This is about introducing you to my method of Life Coaching Services through extremely affordable online coaching.

Many people consider working with a coach but are unsure of commitment requirements or the investment of time and money. Here’s a low risk solution. A new online program egotistically called “Your Introduction to Online Coaching with Karl Bimshas Consulting.” (Register Here)

I’m the founder of Karl Bimshas Consulting, a results driven personal and professional consulting firm for talented Leaders and Artists who want to achieve more. I’ve authored several personal development books and programs including:

• "Pushing Back the Ocean: Tide Turning Leadership Lessons"


• "How to Stay When You Want to Quit: Re-scripting your life from whiner to winner"


• "Write Advice; Inspirations, tips and thoughts for Leaders and Artists”


• “The Disposable Journal; Write it out and let it go”


• “The Write Goal” and "The Reflections on Leadership Memo"

With an M.S. in Executive Leadership from the University of San Diego and a B.A. in Mass Communication from Emerson College in Boston, I’ve previously held several operational and sales leadership positions in public and private corporations.

I’m driven to lead and inspire leaders and artists to maximize their unique strengths and continuously improve themselves, their organization and society, by bringing the powers of vision, passion and action to each endeavor.

Does this sound familiar to you?

“I had been feeling rather lost with regards too my life and what I wanted the future to look like. I didn't have a plan nor did I know were to start. Karl listened to my thoughts, aspirations and helped me direct t hat into real action.”

- Donnie Staples (Read more testimonials here)



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

Online Coaching is for people who want to improve their focus, make the best use of their time and grow their personal and professional development.

With online coaching you can expect a regular response from me, enabling you to clarify where you are now, where you want to get to, and practical actions you need to take to get you there. I’ll prompt you with additional questions, tools and customized suggestions which will give you insight and further impetus to succeed in your goals. You simply complete each session as guided by me as your “coach”.

Why is online coaching valuable?

• You have time to think before you answer questions, getting far better insight than when giving your gut response in a face to face exchange.


• The act of writing (or typing) your answers and committed actions helps you to clarify what you are really doing and thinking. You’re far more likely to achieve your goals when you write them down.


• You can complete your online coaching at a time that suits you. So if you get 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.


• Online coaching is considerably more affordable than appointment driven telephone or face-to-face coaching.


• Your coaching notes are all kept on one secure website so you can return to previous sessions for reflection and review.

Here’s your chance to save 50%

I wasn’t joking about the savings available through this introductory program. Invest only $250 and still work directly with Karl Bimshas Consulting as your online accountability partner for six sessions set at your own pace.

• Gather and understand your initial goals.


• Dig deeper into your multidimensional life.


• Learn how to handle concerns as you make the time to work on your goals.


• Create SMART GOALS to keep you focused.


• Assess your strengths and weaknesses.


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

At half the price of regular face to face consulting

you should get started on your New Year’s goals before everyone else.

There are 20 slots available before December 31, 2010, so if you’re ready to take action, do so soon.

A-ha Guarantee

Act today and here’s my guarantee. Upon the completion of the six online sessions you will have greater clarity on your initial goal, a better understanding of your multidimensional life and a specific goal to work on. If none of these cause you to have an a-ha realization, I’ll refund your money.

Here’s how you get started.

• You can “Register Now” on this page.


• Once you click the link above you’ll be sent to a registration page where you create your Username, Password, Email, First and Last Name.


• Click the Sign Up button. This will open the PayPal webpage where you key in your information so you can easily buy, “Your Introduction to Online Coaching.”


• Once you complete the purchase you’ll see the Welcome Page to the online coaching program and you can then begin your online coaching.

Haven’t you deferred your dreams long enough?

Why wait until another New Year to start on your goals?

Think of it this way. If you invest in this six session program and use the tools to discover your real wants and needs, anticipate change and assess your strengths, you’ll have more clarity around your goals so you can plan for the future with confidence. Or, if you choose to do nothing but keep the status quo, you could still be in the same place you are today three, six, even twelve months from now. Why delay working on your great goal?

Take action now -- because the chances are too great that with the holiday hustle and bustle you’ll forget about all the immense potential this introductory offer can bring you. Greater success is waiting for you. Go get it!

Register Here

A Calendar, a Clock and Your Head

In college I spent a fair amount of time directing shows in the television studio. I loved nearly every aspect of it and took particular pride in ending my programs exactly on time which was an important skill.

In my professional life I manage business meetings tightly. Critics have accused me of being a slave to the agenda and sacrificing spontaneous communication and dialogue in favor of efficiency. On the other hand, participants frequently praise me for staying on topic and thank me for valuing them by starting and stopping on time.

Having lived in California for over 18 years, I'm far from a stickler on this stuff. I don't even wear a wristwatch any more. I’ve been repeatedly schooled that, “time is simply a man-made construct” and “mañana” doesn't mean tomorrow, it means, not today.

I've seen these behaviors devour less tolerant people from the Northeast who resent the suggestions to “just chill.” It drives the anal-retentive nuts when others are “fashionably late” or casual about missing deadlines.

Although it can still irritate me, when you are surrounded by a culture that doesn't like the rigidity of deadlines and feels too much pressure from the ticking clock, you have no choice but to adjust.

I won't argue the value of a zen-like peace that can occur when you have a life with no time constraints. However, I will argue in favor of leadership and living a productive life because eventually you are going to die. So no matter what your philosophy, that’s a looming time constraint. To me, it’s better to embrace the beauty of time.

There are three things you should begin to use in at least a cursory fashion; a calendar, a clock and your head.

A calendar gives you a better perspective on what's coming up. You know that Christmas is on December 25th, that taxes are due on April 15th and you know the date of important appointments. It might be a day in advance, or a month, a year, ten years, it doesn't matter. The point is you know what's coming.

(Full disclosure, I’m addressing a belated birthday card to my brother. For the 42 years that I've known him his birth date has never changed. Yes, I called him and did the Facebook and Skype thing, but why couldn't I get a simple card out to him in time for his birthday? Because I'm a dork. Just like everyone else who misses a fixed date on the calendar. You can try to celebrate your failure to plan by labeling it procrastination or some other sexy sounding affliction, but all it does is broadcast the fact that you are a dork.)

A clock serves the same function as the calendar but with greater immediacy. It’s a realtime planning tool. Just like you know things are coming at a particular date, you know some things are coming at a specific time. Airplane departures, Hotel check-outs, last call at the bar or what time Macy’s opens on Black Friday are a few examples. You can also use your clock to make note of the duration of things for future planning. Perpetually late? That’s a clue that you need to spend more time on your planning.

This brings us to your head. Each of us are blessed with a thinking mechanism. Maybe some people need to take it out of hibernation and exercise it a little bit. With it, you have the ability to deduce and decide. Things come up out of the blue ruining well laid plans. Don't become a victim of life’s whims. Incorporate them into your plans. Think a little, don't simply react. Instead, process information for a second longer and respond to situations, based on your values and purpose (discussed here) rather than something fickle like your current mood.

I know if you consider yourself a free-spirit this all sounds like a horrible constrictive burden. It's not, so, get over it. At least becoming aware of what's on the calendar, what time it is and your capacity to solve a problem can change your life. Want to change it dramatically? Invest more time into you're planning and what you'll do in the event your plans fall through.

Need help acting on any of these concepts? Karl Bimshas Consulting’s Life Coaching Services (link) can help you find the a-ha within.

Part 3 - Stop Whining Start Winning

In part three of the Reflections on Leadership Memo three part series “ways to combat mediocrity” you’ll learn how to stop whining and start winning again.


In Part One of this series we started with the importance of knowing your values and you  gained access to a powerful workbook, "Your Values Finder".

In Part Two you learned how to move "From Mission to Mantra".

In Part Three, let’s talk about whiners. Have you noticed that whiners tend not to be wealthier, healthier or more popular than non-whiners? Their complaining makes them less good looking and their poor attitude doesn’t provide them with much security, nor inner peace. Whiners never seem to have enough free time to pursue their passions, and let’s face it, they aren’t all that fun to be around.

Isn’t annoying to hear a whiner complain about their day, their boss, their job or even their life and not do anything about it except maybe complain some more? What’s more annoying than that? When you wake up one morning and realize that lately the biggest whiner in your life might be you.

How did THAT happen?

You used to be a winner, but something changed.  You started accepting mediocrity. It didn’t happen all at once and it won’t get fixed overnight, but you can dramatically improve your outlook in 21 days or less when you read the workbook, “Stop Whining Start Winning in 21 Days or Less” Available HERE.

Leaders and artists sometimes get themselves into a funk. They can gradually loose focus and passion for their projects and grow frustrated, demotivated and disillusioned.  We’ve all been there. I’ve lived through it. It sucks. The FREE workbook is designed to help you rescript part of your life.

The 50 page workbook also contains five popular and effective action oriented worksheets. If you make the time to go through the materials offered in this three part series I’m confident you’ll become proactive in managing your life, get into a happier frame of mind, understand why the victim mentality is so addictive, take responsibility for your emotions and behaviors, uncover what motivates you and how to positively deal with change. You’ll learn what simple question can help make a positive difference in the world and you’ll ask for help when you need it.

If you’re ready to ask for help you now know at least one person to reach out to.

Part 2 - From Mission to Mantra

In part two of this three part series the Reflections on Leadership Memo continues to help you find ways to combat mediocrity.

What Are You Doing?
In the last Reflections on Leadership you learned where you find your values. I hope you've downloaded the FREE workbook, (link) titled, "Your Values Finder" and have begun prioritizing your core values. Now it's time to figure out what you're doing, or at least begin to discover what you should be doing.

Many organizations invest significant time and energy in creating their mission statements. As well meaning as they are, most screw it up for a variety of reasons like internal and external pressure to say the "right" thing, the earnest determination to get it perfect but instead convolute it, and for many it's just another going through the motions exercise. Can you imagine a team of military covert ops guys taking that approach to their mission? A laissez-faire approach to accomplishing a mission doesn't inspire much confidence. Don't you want to be confident about your purpose?

In part two of this series designed to minimize mediocrity you'll learn how to draft a mission statement for your family, organization or personal use. Then you'll reduce it to a repeatable, credible mantra that will inspire confidence.

Get your FREE starters guide, "From Mission to Mantra" and learn to focus your vision, passion and action on purpose.

Not for? That's okay, you can still help reduce mediocrity by getting this starters guide it into the hands of others.

Learn more about Karl Bimshas Consulting by visiting www.karlbimshas.com and begin to discover the a-ha within.

Part 1 - Your Values Finder

The acceptance of mediocrity has become epidemic. This three part series will help you find ways to combat it's debilitating impact on your life.

Your Values Finder
We'll start the series with your values. When you don't know what your values are your decision-making is haphazard. Instead of leading you closer to your great goals, random decisions take you off track. If you want to know what you currently value the most simply check where you spend your time and money.

Here is a link to a workbook titled, "Your Values Finder" which is designed to help you confirm or select your important values.

You may be thinking you don't need this for yourself. That's okay, you can still help by getting this workbook into the hands of others. Perhaps a young family, college students or someone who may appear to be floundering a bit. Please share with me how the workbook has helped you and who you think it could benefit.

Knowing your core values is the first step in beating back mediocrity. The next is defining your purpose and making it addictive, which will be the topic of the next Reflections on Leadership post.

Learn more about Karl Bimshas Consulting by visiting www.karlbimshas.com and begin to discover the a-ha within.

Spare the Reader, Not the Writer

Call me crazy, but I believe a good story gets better when retold by others.

How often have you read a fictional book and thought, “Well that was stupid,” when in your judgment the author took a wrong turn. Here’s your chance to stop and fix problems before you plop down hard earned money for a piece of pulp.

Last year I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) You begin writing November 1 and the goal is to write a 50,000-word novel by midnight, November 30. I achieved that goal with a story I titled "Three Blinks and a Sigh". As is so often the case with people, I did nothing else with the output of that effort. For someone who makes his living helping others achieve their goals, this is tragic.

To remedy that I’m going public with my early draft fiction writing, one chapter at a time and with your help it will be a strong, satisfying story that you and hundreds of thousands of others would gladly buy for themselves and three or four of their closest friends.

Here’s your chance to spare the reader, not the writer. VISIT the new “READER FEEDBACK” page on my website karlbimshas.com and CLICK the orange JOIN button. ADD your email and click SUBMIT, this will bring you to a registration page for a variety of interests. At the bottom you’ll see  a check box for my novella, Three Blinks and a Sigh - Feedback, CHECK THAT (and any others you’re interested in) and you’ll receive notice when a new chapter is posted.

Under all the chapters is a Feedback Survey form you can easily fill out right on the site. Use it for each chapter you read, or save it for your thoughts on the entire book! It’s up to you.

Writing is serious business, but this is meant to be fun for you and me. If you’re a writer, you know sharing early drafts can be gut wrenching. If you’re a reader, you always find something you’d like to improve. There’s no guarantee I’ll use all your suggestions, but you can bet I want to hear all of them.

If you’re a writer or a reader, or even both, I hope you’ll join in on the fun. The first chapter will be posted soon so JOIN NOW!

Make It A Perfect Day

10-10-10

This seems as good a day as any to discuss your perfect day. What does your perfect day look like?

Perfection can be hard to achieve, particularly if the judges are harsh critics. If you consider yourself a high achiever there’s probably nobody harsher than you. Luckily you’re the one who gets to determine if your day is going to be a great one and you are the one who does the assessing at the end of the day.

For me, the days that are memorable and satisfying are the days that I’ve productively worked on things that were important to me or my loved ones; that I showed gratitude throughout the day and I came up with potentially viable ideas to solve a problem or improve something in my world.

Accomplishing items on a to-do list are personal. For the Type A personality resting on a hammock for one full hour could be just as difficult as it is for the weekend slacker to spend only one hour there. To-do’s shouldn’t be mammoth projects. They should be small satisfying tasks that move you closer to your goal. Reading or writing one chapter of a book is a good example.

Showing gratitude gets you out of yourself. Other people and concrete items make many things possible for you. Have you ever appreciated the elegant simplicity and crucial role of a stop sign? I can moan about how much I’m paying in taxes, but instead I choose to be grateful for the array of humane and unique services I’m helping fund. When was the last time you sincerely thanked a person for making your day run smoother, either because of their contagious laugh and beaming smile, or their attention to detail on an important project, or even getting your drink just right. Do it, you’ll improve the day of at least two people.

Regardless of what people say, we are all conditioned to solve problems. Now, there may be times that it’s inappropriate to be rushing toward a solution. Sometimes people just want to be heard, not rescued. Regardless, our brains are incredible problem solving machines. Calling things “challenges” just because it sounds better is silly. If you want to be truthful, you’re probably witnessing dysfunction, but no one wants to hear that, so just call things what they are, problems. Problems shouldn’t have a negative connotation, but they do. Begin to change that conception. They are a puzzle that needs to be solved and we’ve each been blessed with they key deep within the recesses of our brain. It just takes time to access it, some longer than others. When you spend time brainstorming all the potential solutions to a problem that would improve the current condition you get closer to that key. Eventually and unexpectedly you will one day trip over it.

So here’s my template for a perfect day.

1. List ten things you need to accomplish during the day.


2. Brainstorm ten ideas to solve a pressing problem or make something better in your life.


3. Show gratitude ten time throughout the day. (Preferably to people, but being immensely grateful to things like your car brakes working properly after a near miss is perfectly acceptable.)

At the end of the day see how you did. Did you get three tens? Congratulations!

Bring Your Artist to Work

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. -Pablo Picasso


The problem many people have with their work-life is that it’s serving more as a marker of time between weekends, holidays, vacations and milestones like a new car, home or college tuition than as a place of productivity and enrichment. As a result some are not bringing their best selves to the endeavor.

Careers and industries have been built around the focus of solving this problem. Sadly, many of the solutions are often short-lived if adopted at all. So here’s an alternative you may want to consider. Bring your artist to work.

Many businesses are built on facts and figures, empirical data and market research. Important decisions are based on favorable ratios and return on investments. These are crucial and it’s shocking how many organizations large and small do not employe them. However, they are only part of the equation. They represent the head. What your organization needs is more heart and that’s what you need to use everyday.

When you bring your artist to work, you are bringing the best of your talents and abilities. You are focused on your strengths and using them to accomplish the task at hand. There’s not a right or wrong approach there is only an inspired approach. If you want to get joy from your work you need to bring joy to your work.

Successful enterprises do not shy away from people with stimulating thoughts that provoke emotions in others. Passion for what you do can lead to mastery. That’s not to say that what you’re currently doing is great and that with ten more years you’ll be a master. You could be screwing up royally and no one is telling you. As a result in ten years you’ll think you’re a master but you’re likely to become obstinate, or worse obsolete. So don’t fool yourself with complacency.

You already know what you’re good at and finding a place that gives you the ability to do it is probably what drew you to your job in the first place. Maybe things have changed and now there’s new things you’re expected to do that you’re not very good at. Pay attention to your current state. Energy drains and energy uplifts are immediate clues to your satisfaction.

If bringing out your artist sounds like too much work for you; you’re probably right. Keep on slogging away at what you’re doing. Count your blessings that you’re still employed in this economy and that no one has noticed you yet. Save your money and sock a lot away for your retirement because you’re gonna need it - probably sooner than you think.

On the other hand, if you’re nodding your head in agreement because you’re already doing something you love right now or this sounds remotely interesting to you because you remember how you once did, congratulations, you have many achievements ahead of you.

When you bring your artist to work you challenge the current thinking. You don’t go searching for problems, but you do offer solutions, lots of them. Artists are creative. Creativity scares too many people. It needn’t. Creativity is what moves people, institutions and nations forward. Forward movement is never a bad thing though it’s not always painless.

Our best thinking, innovation and ideas are in front of us, not behind us. Sure, we can refer to the past to act as prologue, but today we have additional knowledge and hindsight we didn’t have yesterday. This is as true on the world stage as it is in your daily life. You have prior knowledge, you have opinions, you know what works and what doesn’t. You have intellectual curiosity. You like to tinker, question, invent and innovate. Bringing that to your work is bringing the artist to work. If you can’t do that because your work environment won’t allow it, challenge the work environment to change. If it can’t, prepare to leave it for a better environment. It’s okay, with it’s ridged thinking that organization is not likely to last much longer. Sooner or later you’ll need something new anyway.

Every inspirational writer since the dawn of man has said we are living in the best of times and they’ve all been right. We keep getting better. At this juncture we have tremendous challenges. The world is the smallest it’s ever been and it’s causing people to become more factious than we’ve ever been. There are epic struggles between change and preservation. The extremes of both sides lack the imagination and tools to explore the possibilities of each. It’s the artist who sees multiple perspectives and brings people together. Successful leaders know this. So if your working with widgets, or children, spreadsheets or coffee beans, miracle drugs or motor vehicles, now is not the time to do it the same way.

How will you bring your artist to work?