GOOOOAAAALLLL!!

Goal setting – what a powerful process! The process itself lets you decide where you want to go in your life. Goal setting requires clarity and motivation. 

When most people talk about clarity, they describe it as if they were writing their goals down on paper. But when you just write your goals down, you are missing an important factor – motivation! Having clarity in your goals and in your life gives you direction. Think about how that will change your life!

When setting goals with clarity, you not only have to know what you want to do but why you want to do it. Knowing why is often the most important part of the equation! And goals don’t need to be achieved in one big step.  Goal progression is often how we get there. 

So, I’d like you to ask yourself two things: What does this goal mean to me and how is it going to change my life? As you think of a goal in your mind, ask yourself these two questions. Clarity in your goals and in your life gives you direction. It allows you to move forward 100% towards your goals and towards leading the life you want to live. And clarity will motivate you – does that make sense to you?

But, how do you motivate yourself? When no one else can hear you, what do you say to yourself? What messages do you give yourself that no one else can hear? Are they positive, or are they negative? Only you will know. If they are negative, STOP! Make them positive.

Your unconscious mind listens intently to your internal dialogue. Is that leading you towards your goals? Is what you say to yourself something you would share with another person? Would you be motivating them if you told them the same things you’ve told yourself? You should be motivating yourself the way you would motivate another person.

Right now, define your goals. Gain your clarity. Choose a direction and lead that life you want to live. Direct yourself towards your goals. 

Your life is happening right now. Why not make it amazing. I dare ya!

Thanks and until next time, go ahead and Dare to be Amazing!

But I Don't Wanna Grow Up

Do you remember when you were a kid and you thought you could do anything? I do. When I was a kid I wanted to be a pilot, an astronaut and a paramedic. And I was certain I was capable of being any or all of them. Why wouldn’t I be?

Kids dream big because they can, because they have never been introduced to Doctor Failure. Young people truly believe they can be and achieve anything in the world.

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could be like that his or her entire life? Now that would be amazing.

Somehow adults too often lose their ability to dream (big or small) – it’s too risky! Failure sucks and who wants to be labeled a loser? Shooting for the stars is for daredevils and they can have it.

But see, here’s the thing. There are two ways to view this topic. It’s a battle of being critical versus being curious. You can either find every reason why you shouldn’t try something new or take a risk. Or you can be curious about what it would take and how it would feel to accomplish something way cool. It’s a choice … and the amazing thing is that it is your choice. Yep, your choice.

Goals and desires come in all shapes and sizes. As a society we tend to only celebrate the great and ginormous achievements. That’s not OK with me. Every achievement, if it is meaningful to you, must be celebrated. You gotta celebrate! Revel in how it feels and let everyone know!

Like Francesca Battistelli sings in her hit, “It’s your life … whatcha gonna do? The world is watching you. Everyday, the choices you make say what you are and who your heart beats for. 
This is your opportunity to let your life be one that lights the way … to live the way that you believe.”

Want proof? Think of the person that you know that is the happiest person you have ever met. Guess what? They continue to dream every day and look for opportunities to celebrate, even the smallest of things. See what I mean?

You don’t have to be a special athlete or anything to be amazing. Write a book or a letter to the editor! Call an old friend! Ask someone out on a date! Open that bottle of wine you have been saving “for a special occasion.” Go to Disney World. Learn to ballroom dance. Sign up for an IMPROV course. Take a pottery class. Rent a canoe for a day at Moraine State Park and paddle til ya puke! OK, maybe not until you puke, but you know what I mean. PEOPLE, JUST GET SOME MOTION STARTED!

So what opportunities will you go after? And just as important, why?

When you cultivate an attitude of curiosity, doors open and adventures begin; questions lead to new possibilities. It’s really very cool …

So, here is your homework. Today – yes, today – take 5 minutes and write down one goal. One goal that is intentional, purposeful and meaningful. A goal that once you achieve it, not only will it be amazing but it will also make you feel amazing! Do it – write it down and then commit to it. Hang in on your fridge or your bathroom mirror as a reminder. And … share it with anyone who will listen.

Because, guess what? YOU ARE AMAZING!

Your life is happening right here, right now. Make it amazing – I dare ya!

If You’re Not Sweating, You’re Not Getting

“Hi sweetie, did you have a good workout”

“Umm, ya know, I’m not really sure …”

“Whadya mean you’re not sure?”

“Well, I worked out for over an hour but I hardly broke a sweat.”

“Guess what, pal? You just wasted an hour … sucks to be you!”

Leadership and business and life are a lot like a fitness workout. The best results are achieved when you really test your limits and from pushing yourself (or your team) to take one more step towards AMAZING.

The treadmill is an incredible metaphor for how you conduct yourself. Belt speed and belt incline control how hard your workout will be on the treadmill. Moderate speed and no incline will whittle away the time, but is unlikely to make you stronger or faster. Crank up the incline and it gets harder. Add some belt speed and a walk turns into a jog or a run.

Oooh, I can smell the sweat already. The sweet aroma of progress and pushing your limits. The nectar of success!!

For me, it’s an incredible high to bask in the glow of having done a workout where I pushed the limits of strength and endurance. I may not have thought that while I was gutting through it, but afterwards – damn that feels good! A wet t-shirt after the workout is a signal of progress.

See, here’s the thing. If you’re not sweating – and I mean dripping, smelly, can’t stand yourself anymore wet – you’re not getting. Not getting ahead…not getting results…and not getting that oh so important motivation to achieve your goals. You’ve got to sweat to move your performance, your strength and your results to the next higher level.

It is hard. It hurts to push. You might be sore for days. But the cool thing is that every time you feel a twinge of pain you know it is the result of pushing hard to become stronger and better. No pain … no gain certainly has a meaning here.

Select the settings on the treadmill that make you comfortable and you are unlikely to sweat. And consequently becoming stronger, faster and more capable is likely out of reach.

Without giving it all you’ve got and sweatin’ it out – well, you’re just doin’ time, man. You are just doin’ time …

You’ve got to sweat to get!

Success in achieving your desired objectives will not come from being comfortable every day. Your limits of performance have to be tested.

So, it is your decision. How bad do you want to get ahead? What would you make possible for yourself or your team if you decided to sweat just a little…or just a lot more?

You are in control of the speed and incline buttons on your own personal treadmills. Reach out and push the buttons my friend. See what’s possible!

What is one thing you can do today…TODAY…to up the speed, increase the incline and seek out the limits of performance for you and/or your team?

What would make you sweat more so you can get more?

Try it – I have every confidence that you will like the results. And, I know you will feel better all day because of it. Commit to pushing yourself a little more each day and you will sweat yourself to success!

I’m going for a run – see you all later. I’m not coming back until I’ve got a mean sweat goin’!

Your life is happening right here, right now. Make it amazing!

  

If you would like to talk about how to create a more impactful business, leadership or life workout for you or your team, gimme a call or drop me an email. Let’s find ways to test the limits of performance together.

  

Thanks, and until next time, go ahead and Dare to be Amazing! What have you got to lose?

Honest, I Really Have To Go!

I can remember many times as a kid when I would be hanging out with my friends and it was time for a contest of some sort. It might have been a foot race or a hill climb or to see who could hit the most whiffle balls in thirty seconds. It may have even been something crazy like seeing who could hold their tongue on a set of 9-volt battery terminals the longest. Or maybe it was a bike race – my favorite!! We’d get all lined up like we were competing for an Olympic medal or something.

And it was always some guy’s job to get things started by saying: “On your marks … Get set … GO! And go we did, usually without hesitation and often with complete and utter reckless abandon.

But one thing was always for sure – we GO’ed!

Do you remember those days? You know, those days when you were daring and unafraid. That time in your life when daring to be amazing was the rule of the day rather than the exception?

And failure? No way! Who even thought about it? It was the attempt and the spoils of victory that was at the center of your focus. If you didn’t win, you made up another challenge and moved on. You with me?!

But something interesting happened on the way to adulthood. As life brought you more experiences and you matured, for some reason it started to become a bit harder to GO. Oh, it’s not because you didn’t and don’t want to. It is that something told us that being an absolute free spirit wasn’t prudent anymore.

Fear. Consequences. What if’s. Bad past experiences. All reasons why you might not GO.

Even with these limiting concerns, wouldn’t it still be amazing to achieve your goal?

It’s can be pretty easy to be on your mark. You do it every day with new thoughts. And still easy to get set. But GO – well, I gotta think about it. Maybe I will and maybe I won’t. Just gimme a minute. Umm, on second thought, I’ll get back to ya.

See, here’s the thing. Success at changing or improving your life, your job, your career, your financial position or your wellness is not the result of having good intentions. It takes action. Yep – action. Sorry to break it to you, but wishing yourself better isn’t going to make it happen. You’ve got to GO to make it real.

And as a leader, wouldn’t you rather have team members who have been courageous enough to try – to GO – and failed a few times than folks who stand on the sidelines. I would – doers trump talkers all day, every day. Don’t punish folks for failing – reward them for trying.

So, it is your decision. How bad do you want that goal? What would you make possible for yourself or your team if you decide to GO? I encourage you to:

Say GO instead of I Don’t Know

Be BOLD instead of Ice Cold

Be a TRIER as opposed to a Stand Byer

ON YOUR MARK … GET SET … GO!

Give amazing a chance. GO GO GO! I dare ya!

Your life is happening right here, right now. Make it amazing!

   

Thanks, and until next time, go ahead and Dare to be Amazing! What have you got to lose?

CHANGE TAKES COURAGE, BUT WHY SHOULD THEY CARE?

C-H-A-N-G-E – six little letters that can perpetrate so much anxiety. Reactions to a changing environment are always unpredictable. Being prepared to address the resistance to change is a key success factor necessary to achieve your goals as a change leader.

According to the Institute for Corporate Productivity, managing and coping with change is the number one critical issue faced by organizations today. In fact, in a survey of 631 executives, three of the top ten issues anticipated in 2013 relate to change! Surprise anyone? Not me.

Organizations and cultures must transform to win. It’s just that simple!! More of the same just isn’t going to allow a company to survive in the future. To thrive, we must embrace change.

See, here’s the thing. People don’t change because of policies or mandates or threats. People change because of people! Your role as a leader is to be the motivation that enables your team members to push beyond their uncertainties and make change possible. Mehmet Oz says that people don’t change their behaviors based purely on what they know. They change based on what they feel. I believe he is right.

To help your team adapt to the new future expectations, ensure they know why they should care. Four ways to accomplish this include:

Communicate/Connect – Early, often, consistently and in language they will understand. Eliminate the use of buzzwords or jargon. Emphasize WHY. Provide a goal to work towards rather than a problem to run away from.

Assess Their Needs – Listen to them with empathy and determine the source of their resistance. Remember, listening is not just waiting your turn to speak. Ensure everyone sticks to the facts. Ask what it will take for them to be successful.

Recruit Them To Help – Invite folks, rather than telling them, to be on your team. Ask, “tell me more” as often as possible. Achieve quick wins (by design) and celebrate ridiculously!

Exhibit the Desired Behaviors – Be a role model for expected mindsets and behaviors. Create a meaningful sense of urgency. And actively manage less than desired behaviors in team members.

Influence people to know why they should C-A-R-E and when they believe what you believe, they will go the extra mile.

In change, as long as the:

-       pressure to change,

-       truth about the current reality,

-       well-defined plans to achieve the desired change, and

-       the vision for and the benefits of the future state

collectively outweigh the level of resistance, transformation will occur. But, let any of those four elements fall absent from your culture, and your change process is destined for failure.

So, in the end, it’s just this simple. Your role as a leader is to make change possible. Make…change…possible. Not from a position of power, but because you inspired your team to have the courage to care as much as you do. And when you make change possible, you and those around you will be simply amazing!