This is the third in the series entitled, The Six Powers of Leadership - a Quest for Meaning, Balance and Prosperity. You can always catch up on all previous articles here: http://conceptcoach.blogspot.com/. My last edition introduced The First Power - The Power of Self- discovery. Today, I'm presenting The Second Power - The Power of Gravitational Goals.
I once set a goal, which I achieved. I then set another goal, and achieved it as well. My momentum led to a third goal - you're beginning to notice a pattern here? It's how 99% of us "grow." From the vantage point of each achievement we look around for the next logical place to go. And we set another goal.
There's a problem here that you'll recognize immediately. This is what frogs do. They hop once and look around the pond for another spot. They hop again and select their next destination. They hop and hop and hop. And then they die. Surely this isn't a life you'd want to live, is it? And yet...
You might tell me that you already have big goals - say retirement - when you'll finally have that boat, time to read, time to travel and time to "live life."
And then you die.
I don't mean to be morbid about this; I simply want to point out that more often than not, our goals are not much more than a series of stepping stones that lead only to the next stone.
Surely there is more to all of this. There is. It's called purpose. When the final curtain is drawn on my life, I won't be thinking about my car or my golf game. I'll be thinking about my impact - how did I affect the world? Did I leave my mark? Did my life make a difference? Frogs probably don't think about this very much. Do you?
This is the difference between typical "goals" and what I call "gravitational goals." Once you've achieved The Power of Self-knowledge, you know who you are. The next step is to determine your destination, who you really want to become. That person is probably bigger than retirement. That person is someone who made a difference. The difference doesn't need to be epic, but it does need to matter. It needs to matter to you.
Your gravitational goal must be so compelling that every atom of your being is drawn toward it. Hopping from one stone to the next is no longer random; it's a direct route. You no longer struggle to achieve goals, because you nearly collide with them along your journey to purpose.
And there's more.
The journey to who you want to become is the easier journey. Not only does your destination now have real meaning, but also, your self takes on a kind of gravity. As your self-knowledge refines you, you take on a greater density and become attractive - attractive in the sense that your newfound purpose draws helpful ideas, people and circumstances to you just as strongly as you are drawn to your destination. These are the parts of your future self you will accumulate along the way, attracting more and more of the attributes that best suit you.
This leaves me with a question for you; do you really want to live as a frog and die as a frog, or do you want to have lived a life filled with purpose and meaning?
Go beyond goals. Discover your gravitational goals.
Next time: The Third Power - The Power of Capacity
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The First Power -- The Power of Self-knowledge
This is the second in the series entitled, The Six Powers of Leadership - a Quest for Meaning, Balance and Prosperity. My last edition provided an introduction to this groundbreaking series. Today, I'm presenting The First Power - The Power of Self-Discovery.
More than 2500 years ago, in the seat of western civilization, Greek philosophers and oracles championed the expression, "Know thyself." Self- knowledge is of the highest importance if one is to lead, because how we lead is rooted in who we are. First and foremost, know thyself. Few do.
Most people don't really know themselves. They spend their lives trying to "be somebody" at the expense of being who they already are. It's hard to discern why this is true. Perhaps they lack self- esteem. Perhaps they feel threatened by today's culture. Whatever the reason, an inability to "know ourselves," as well as the fear of not being accepted, weakens our ability to lead. Leadership from a base of false self is not leadership. It's acting.
To lead by emulating others is not only contrary to reason, it is also debilitating. It causes stress, guilt, frustration, loneliness, and even deep depression. The practice of being other than who we are eventually makes us prisoners of our own egotism.
The first step in overcoming this dis-ease is to discover the true self. This discovery develops self-esteem. Self-esteem overcomes fear. Fearlessness generates confidence. Confidence empowers leaders.
History's most dynamic and effective leaders are people who have found themselves. Imagine a world in which leaders try to emulate the styles of other leaders. There would be no growth, no innovation - just a world of frustrated copy-cats. History teaches us that the most notable and most effective leaders were unique in all the world. They were unique because they were... themselves.
To lead, you must discover your true self.
The process of self-discovery is much more than gaining an awareness of one's strengths and weaknesses. My experience has led me to identify three unique areas of this discovery process - Intellect, Inclination, and Intuition.
Intellect includes one's thinking, experiences, skill sets, education, and reason. It incorporates the self we think we are-the face we show to the outside world. Some parts of Intellect are easily measured and reported as I.Q. and S.A.T. scores, proficiency tests and other forms of objective measurement of our ability to think, reason and learn. Others include learned skills such as music, painting, debate, or a host of other acquired competencies.
Inclination pertains to applying our natural drives and abilities to the task at hand. When we make use of these drives and abilities by which we are naturally compelled, work becomes play and time flies. We are consumed with the joy of being and doing because we are in our element, using our inherent gifts and talents to work with people and the world around us.
Intuition is perhaps the most powerful and least understood of the three. It is our primal response system, the "inner voice" that each of us knows but cannot easily define. It's the expression, "I've got a bad feeling about this," immortalized by the character, Han Solo, of Star Wars fame. In a nano-second intuition reads every synapse, every sense, every feeling, every memory. Our learning, our values, our innate and deepest convictions are all accessed simultaneously without our cognition or will. Intuition's power is dizzying, yet often scorned by our culture as a fantasy - a figment of the imagination. Intuition needs no proofs. It is its own proof.
This tripod of diverse elements forms the strong base of person-hood. Each leg defines one of these three foundational elements in our journey to self-discovery. Each deserves the same level of analysis due the other; it is only then that one can begin to "be" - or as Carl Jung put it - to come "out of the mist."
Self-discovery is not an end; it is a process - a dynamic and evolving process. The Power of Self- discovery grows stronger with every step we take along its path; our productivity and effectiveness grow in direct proportion.
You are uniquely designed to be someone, but that someone is not someone else. That someone is you. Most of us allow our true selves to be buried by the expectations of others - society, the falsehoods of the media and our own lack of self-confidence. Discover who you are. Being you is something that no one else on the planet can do. Why not begin to do it now?
More than 2500 years ago, in the seat of western civilization, Greek philosophers and oracles championed the expression, "Know thyself." Self- knowledge is of the highest importance if one is to lead, because how we lead is rooted in who we are. First and foremost, know thyself. Few do.
Most people don't really know themselves. They spend their lives trying to "be somebody" at the expense of being who they already are. It's hard to discern why this is true. Perhaps they lack self- esteem. Perhaps they feel threatened by today's culture. Whatever the reason, an inability to "know ourselves," as well as the fear of not being accepted, weakens our ability to lead. Leadership from a base of false self is not leadership. It's acting.
To lead by emulating others is not only contrary to reason, it is also debilitating. It causes stress, guilt, frustration, loneliness, and even deep depression. The practice of being other than who we are eventually makes us prisoners of our own egotism.
The first step in overcoming this dis-ease is to discover the true self. This discovery develops self-esteem. Self-esteem overcomes fear. Fearlessness generates confidence. Confidence empowers leaders.
History's most dynamic and effective leaders are people who have found themselves. Imagine a world in which leaders try to emulate the styles of other leaders. There would be no growth, no innovation - just a world of frustrated copy-cats. History teaches us that the most notable and most effective leaders were unique in all the world. They were unique because they were... themselves.
To lead, you must discover your true self.
The process of self-discovery is much more than gaining an awareness of one's strengths and weaknesses. My experience has led me to identify three unique areas of this discovery process - Intellect, Inclination, and Intuition.
Intellect includes one's thinking, experiences, skill sets, education, and reason. It incorporates the self we think we are-the face we show to the outside world. Some parts of Intellect are easily measured and reported as I.Q. and S.A.T. scores, proficiency tests and other forms of objective measurement of our ability to think, reason and learn. Others include learned skills such as music, painting, debate, or a host of other acquired competencies.
Inclination pertains to applying our natural drives and abilities to the task at hand. When we make use of these drives and abilities by which we are naturally compelled, work becomes play and time flies. We are consumed with the joy of being and doing because we are in our element, using our inherent gifts and talents to work with people and the world around us.
Intuition is perhaps the most powerful and least understood of the three. It is our primal response system, the "inner voice" that each of us knows but cannot easily define. It's the expression, "I've got a bad feeling about this," immortalized by the character, Han Solo, of Star Wars fame. In a nano-second intuition reads every synapse, every sense, every feeling, every memory. Our learning, our values, our innate and deepest convictions are all accessed simultaneously without our cognition or will. Intuition's power is dizzying, yet often scorned by our culture as a fantasy - a figment of the imagination. Intuition needs no proofs. It is its own proof.
This tripod of diverse elements forms the strong base of person-hood. Each leg defines one of these three foundational elements in our journey to self-discovery. Each deserves the same level of analysis due the other; it is only then that one can begin to "be" - or as Carl Jung put it - to come "out of the mist."
Self-discovery is not an end; it is a process - a dynamic and evolving process. The Power of Self- discovery grows stronger with every step we take along its path; our productivity and effectiveness grow in direct proportion.
You are uniquely designed to be someone, but that someone is not someone else. That someone is you. Most of us allow our true selves to be buried by the expectations of others - society, the falsehoods of the media and our own lack of self-confidence. Discover who you are. Being you is something that no one else on the planet can do. Why not begin to do it now?
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Six Powers of Leadership
In some way or another, you are already living within the dominion of The Six Powers of Leadership. It's a simple fact of your existence. If you associate with other people whether as a teacher, an executive, a life coach or a welder, you are under the influence of The Six Powers. You may be a volunteer, a student, a government worker or a philanthropist. It matters not who you are or what you do; if you associate with others, you are affected by - and affect others with - these six powers.
To observe the few who have mastered them is both awesome and inspiring. You know the amazing feeling you get whenever you are near them: they seem to glow with energy and confidence. They have a compelling sense of purpose in their lives. They have a peace and tranquility about them that resonates with others who come near to them. And they have real prosperity. For some, that prosperity is found in tremendous wealth and the assets they accumulate. For others, it is found in health, happiness and indescribable abundance. We are dumbfounded, and we ask ourselves, "How is it done?"
Observing those who have a full command of these six powers is spellbinding. It is akin to watching a mind-boggling magic trick. The audience is entranced, mystified. The events on the stage are simultaneously beautiful and confounding. Again, the overpowering question becomes, "How is it done?"
The untrained observer has no idea how it's done. But once that same observer has seen behind the curtain - seen the mechanics of the illusion - the secret vanishes into thin air, and everything becomes clear. The "magic" is deceptively simple. There really is no magic. There is no mystery. All that is left is a stunning realization of the trick's simplicity. In fact, it's really no trick at all.
Such is the "magic" of those whom we revere for the seeming clarity they have about their purpose and reason for being. They have an almost inhuman ability to be human. There is an uncanny ease with which they attract everything: warm relationships, time, wealth, peacefulness, comforts, and practically anything toward which they direct their gaze. This is no trick. It is no ruse. It is merely a chimera behind which is the truth about their "magic." We come to realize that their appeal, their lure, their efficacy, is really only the result of a skill set. It's the art: the art of knowing and employing The Six Powers. So where do we start in our quest?
We start with the basics. Before we peek behind the curtain, we need to know what we are looking for. We look for the trick, nay the art, to achieving a truly meaningful existence, one full of peace and balance, and of abundance.
As you read ahead, I'd like you to be thinking about some of your friends and colleagues who might appreciate this kind of thinking. At the end of the newsletter, I'll ask you to forward this email to them so that you can continue the discussion within your own circle of relationships.
This and the following newsletter series is an introduction to The Six Powers of Leadership: The Quest for Meaning, Balance and Prosperity. We will take it one topic at a time. Today, it's enough to introduce you to these six powers.
The Six Powers of Leadership
1) The Power of Self-Discovery: More than 2500 years ago, in the seat of western civilization, Greek philosophers and oracles championed the expression, "Know thyself." How we lead is rooted in who we are. First and foremost, know thyself.
2) The Power of Gravitation: Masterful leaders aren't just good at achieving goals, they know their purpose. The person that you are has gravity and is an attractive force. The concept of the person you want to become must have its own compelling gravity. The gravity of your magnificent future-self must be so compelling that its pull becomes inescapable.
3) The Power of Capacity: People and organizations alike have unlimited capacity for growth. When we stagnate, we're actually falling behind. The Power of Capacity shows us our unlimited potential, and how to release it.
4) The Power of Individuation: Individuation believes in people; it empowers them. It combines respect with accountability. Effective leaders imbue others with the courage to embrace their uniquenesses and then integrate them powerfully into the organization.
5) The Power of Spirituality: Spirituality drives the engine of all of history. It is personal, and yet it is societal. In order to be fully human - to be fully aware - we must uncover our own spirituality, and learn how to relate it to others.
6) The Power of Concentration of Force: Most leaders, most of the time, are trying to accomplish too many things. Concentration of Force is the simple secret to achieving more, faster and more effectively, without additional effort.
So there you have it. We've begun to peer behind the curtain to uncover the simple beauty of the magic. It won't be magic for long as we begin to unmask The Six Powers of Leadership: The Quest for Meaning, Balance and Prosperity.
I look forward to your comments and your thoughts. Further, I do hope you'll forward this link along to some of your friends or colleagues who might enjoy readinig this and participating in the conversation with us.
To observe the few who have mastered them is both awesome and inspiring. You know the amazing feeling you get whenever you are near them: they seem to glow with energy and confidence. They have a compelling sense of purpose in their lives. They have a peace and tranquility about them that resonates with others who come near to them. And they have real prosperity. For some, that prosperity is found in tremendous wealth and the assets they accumulate. For others, it is found in health, happiness and indescribable abundance. We are dumbfounded, and we ask ourselves, "How is it done?"
Observing those who have a full command of these six powers is spellbinding. It is akin to watching a mind-boggling magic trick. The audience is entranced, mystified. The events on the stage are simultaneously beautiful and confounding. Again, the overpowering question becomes, "How is it done?"
The untrained observer has no idea how it's done. But once that same observer has seen behind the curtain - seen the mechanics of the illusion - the secret vanishes into thin air, and everything becomes clear. The "magic" is deceptively simple. There really is no magic. There is no mystery. All that is left is a stunning realization of the trick's simplicity. In fact, it's really no trick at all.
Such is the "magic" of those whom we revere for the seeming clarity they have about their purpose and reason for being. They have an almost inhuman ability to be human. There is an uncanny ease with which they attract everything: warm relationships, time, wealth, peacefulness, comforts, and practically anything toward which they direct their gaze. This is no trick. It is no ruse. It is merely a chimera behind which is the truth about their "magic." We come to realize that their appeal, their lure, their efficacy, is really only the result of a skill set. It's the art: the art of knowing and employing The Six Powers. So where do we start in our quest?
We start with the basics. Before we peek behind the curtain, we need to know what we are looking for. We look for the trick, nay the art, to achieving a truly meaningful existence, one full of peace and balance, and of abundance.
As you read ahead, I'd like you to be thinking about some of your friends and colleagues who might appreciate this kind of thinking. At the end of the newsletter, I'll ask you to forward this email to them so that you can continue the discussion within your own circle of relationships.
This and the following newsletter series is an introduction to The Six Powers of Leadership: The Quest for Meaning, Balance and Prosperity. We will take it one topic at a time. Today, it's enough to introduce you to these six powers.
The Six Powers of Leadership
1) The Power of Self-Discovery: More than 2500 years ago, in the seat of western civilization, Greek philosophers and oracles championed the expression, "Know thyself." How we lead is rooted in who we are. First and foremost, know thyself.
2) The Power of Gravitation: Masterful leaders aren't just good at achieving goals, they know their purpose. The person that you are has gravity and is an attractive force. The concept of the person you want to become must have its own compelling gravity. The gravity of your magnificent future-self must be so compelling that its pull becomes inescapable.
3) The Power of Capacity: People and organizations alike have unlimited capacity for growth. When we stagnate, we're actually falling behind. The Power of Capacity shows us our unlimited potential, and how to release it.
4) The Power of Individuation: Individuation believes in people; it empowers them. It combines respect with accountability. Effective leaders imbue others with the courage to embrace their uniquenesses and then integrate them powerfully into the organization.
5) The Power of Spirituality: Spirituality drives the engine of all of history. It is personal, and yet it is societal. In order to be fully human - to be fully aware - we must uncover our own spirituality, and learn how to relate it to others.
6) The Power of Concentration of Force: Most leaders, most of the time, are trying to accomplish too many things. Concentration of Force is the simple secret to achieving more, faster and more effectively, without additional effort.
So there you have it. We've begun to peer behind the curtain to uncover the simple beauty of the magic. It won't be magic for long as we begin to unmask The Six Powers of Leadership: The Quest for Meaning, Balance and Prosperity.
I look forward to your comments and your thoughts. Further, I do hope you'll forward this link along to some of your friends or colleagues who might enjoy readinig this and participating in the conversation with us.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
2009: What You Can Change; What You Can't
Once again, another year has gone by. So how are you feeling about 2009? A lot of people are very concerned. Don't be one of them.
If you aren't significantly better off than you were a year ago at this time... the markets aside... you can expect pretty much of the same thing in 2009. But this is only true if the things that you can control are still not under control. Is there hope? Yep! Better yet, there is fact. Here are two facts about which you need to know:
The first fact is that some things are simply out of your control; these are the things about which you can do nothing at all. The markets. The housing crunch. The sudden decline in the value of your 401k. You can't control your customer's perceived needs or their interest in your products or services. You can't control the competition or market demand.
These things are like the weather. They are out of your control. You can only respond to them. It's sunny. It's raining. It's cold. You may not like what you get, but it's a clearly waste of time and energy if you try to change it. Don't. Forget about these things. Respond, yes, but don't raise your blood pressure trying to change them. You can't.
The second fact is this: some things are within your control. Personal contacts and relationships. Marketing. Fixed and variable costs. Your reputation. Your level of service. Your intent and your actions. It's in this realm - and in this realm only - that you can have a significant effect on the months ahead.
So focus on one thing: the things you can change.
How do you make a huge leap forward in 2009? You identify what you can do and what you can't. Then, work with a singular intent to make significant change in a limited list of actions. You can do it. It's easy.
Follow my simple model: On one sheet of paper, take three minutes to write down everything in your life that is giving you stress. It doesn't matter whether it's business, health, your faith or family. Write down anything that keeps you up at night. Write down anything that makes you angry. Write down categories like the stock market, or real estate that you own. Write down issues with the kids, a date that went bad, even the ugly old tile in your bathroom. Write it all down and get it on paper. Don't worry about running out of time. You'll get the most important things on paper early on in the process.
Now look at your list. Study it hard, then grab a big fat black Sharpie or blood-red pen and scratch a line through anything on that list over which you have little or no control. Smile when you do it. These are the things you won't spend time worrying about any more.
Finally, grab a clean sheet of paper and copy down anything that is left from the original sheet. These are the things over which you have some real control. Prioritize them: Mark with an "A" the very few things that give you the greatest concern. Mark a "B" for the next, larger group, and "C" for the rest.
That's it. Simply write, remove, then rate. Once you've done this easy exercise, you are ready to take on 2009. Throw away the first sheet; that was last year's thinking. Now use all of that old, wasted energy and apply it to the things you can control - the things on your new list. Need some help? Give me a call and I'll be pleased to spend some time with you on the phone. If you're reading this over the holiday, get out your calendar right now and mark off some time to do this exercise. Then check in with me when you're done.
Your great new year is less about resolutions than it is about focus. Control what you can. Choose a few items and target your intention on them alone. You'll find less stress and more productivity with each passing day. Oh, and you've got 365 of them.
If you aren't significantly better off than you were a year ago at this time... the markets aside... you can expect pretty much of the same thing in 2009. But this is only true if the things that you can control are still not under control. Is there hope? Yep! Better yet, there is fact. Here are two facts about which you need to know:
The first fact is that some things are simply out of your control; these are the things about which you can do nothing at all. The markets. The housing crunch. The sudden decline in the value of your 401k. You can't control your customer's perceived needs or their interest in your products or services. You can't control the competition or market demand.
These things are like the weather. They are out of your control. You can only respond to them. It's sunny. It's raining. It's cold. You may not like what you get, but it's a clearly waste of time and energy if you try to change it. Don't. Forget about these things. Respond, yes, but don't raise your blood pressure trying to change them. You can't.
The second fact is this: some things are within your control. Personal contacts and relationships. Marketing. Fixed and variable costs. Your reputation. Your level of service. Your intent and your actions. It's in this realm - and in this realm only - that you can have a significant effect on the months ahead.
So focus on one thing: the things you can change.
How do you make a huge leap forward in 2009? You identify what you can do and what you can't. Then, work with a singular intent to make significant change in a limited list of actions. You can do it. It's easy.
Follow my simple model: On one sheet of paper, take three minutes to write down everything in your life that is giving you stress. It doesn't matter whether it's business, health, your faith or family. Write down anything that keeps you up at night. Write down anything that makes you angry. Write down categories like the stock market, or real estate that you own. Write down issues with the kids, a date that went bad, even the ugly old tile in your bathroom. Write it all down and get it on paper. Don't worry about running out of time. You'll get the most important things on paper early on in the process.
Now look at your list. Study it hard, then grab a big fat black Sharpie or blood-red pen and scratch a line through anything on that list over which you have little or no control. Smile when you do it. These are the things you won't spend time worrying about any more.
Finally, grab a clean sheet of paper and copy down anything that is left from the original sheet. These are the things over which you have some real control. Prioritize them: Mark with an "A" the very few things that give you the greatest concern. Mark a "B" for the next, larger group, and "C" for the rest.
That's it. Simply write, remove, then rate. Once you've done this easy exercise, you are ready to take on 2009. Throw away the first sheet; that was last year's thinking. Now use all of that old, wasted energy and apply it to the things you can control - the things on your new list. Need some help? Give me a call and I'll be pleased to spend some time with you on the phone. If you're reading this over the holiday, get out your calendar right now and mark off some time to do this exercise. Then check in with me when you're done.
Your great new year is less about resolutions than it is about focus. Control what you can. Choose a few items and target your intention on them alone. You'll find less stress and more productivity with each passing day. Oh, and you've got 365 of them.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Go Away!
The best way for you to make true progress is to stop trying to make progress. I know, it seems paradoxical, but my guess is that you intuitively know it to be true. The best way to make progress is to stop trying.
Think about it; great leaps forward happen most frequently when we aren't even trying. In the shower. While driving. When walking on the beach. Upon waking in the morning. We gain clarity about our future when we get away mentally. Why does this happen? It's all about the noise.
The noise of our everyday activities drowns out - and overwhelms - our creative processes. It's like listening to soothing music while standing next to a jet engine; the maddening roar of the mechanism overcomes the joy of the music. We are distracted. Frustrated. Agitated.
The only way to hear the music is to go away.
This is true about your business. The best way to gain clarity is to go away.
Your business is the jet engine. Clarity about your future is the music. If you want true clarity, you must get away from your business. If you want to make progress, regress; step back and regain your perspective.
I spend time with our participants one full day each quarter and we all get away from the noise. It's the paradox: to make progress, stop. This has to be done because otherwise, nothing changes.
You can do this too. Follow our model:
Get away. No cell phone. No interruptions
Learn. Read. Listen
Get input from others. Meet. Talk. Then listen intently
Plan. Use your learning to gain clarity
Set goals. Make them clear and measurable
Be accountable. Describe your goals and set deadlines
Return. Revisit your goals regularly. Quarterly. Accountably
My experience with business owners and entrepreneurs is that this process is essential. Successful business people get away from the noise. They seek insights from others. Afterward, they plan effectively and become accountable.
So here's my invitation to you: Go away! Go away from your business. Escape isolation. Get away from the noise and enjoy the music - the music that only you can compose.
Saturday, March 31, 2007
The Concept Coach: Four Principles of Goal Achievement
Following are the four foundational elements of The Concept Coach TAG Team programs. In my experience, executives and entrepreneurs who really want to make progress, apply these four principles consistently and deliberately.
Principle # 1: Continuing Education
You cannot grow without continuing education. It is my contention that all business development has its roots in life-long learning. And the best way to do this is to have someone bring learning to you.
You don't have time to dredge around, blindly running into chunks of unconnected material. Decide to attend a series of seminars that target your particular interests. Seek out an ongoing program with an appropriate curriculum and attend it regularly.
It will cost you time and money, but when you make a commitment to continuing learning, you
don't need to worry about this investment. You'll get it back in spades.
Principle #2: Planning
Make planning both a priority and a regular and ongoing event. When weeks begin to look the same, it's time to get away and do some thinking.
Get out of the office. Shut off your cell phone. Ask yourself the really big questions: "Why am I really doing this?" "Is this helping me to become the person I want to become?" "What's working and what's not?" "What else do I need?"
Get away and do planning at least once every quarter. Forget about what you have and think about what you need. List the challenges you face and brainstorm some solutions. You'll only make progress in this regard if you "disappear" for a day and look at your challenges from the outside.
Do planning. Your mind craves this kind of stimulation and it won't disappoint you with ideas.
Principle #3: Peer Experience and Counsel
Isolation is a killer. You need some buddies and you need them now. We've found the best solution to be peer-to-peer groups. They are small groups of like- minded people who want to grow and help others to grow as well. These groups have a well-spring of knowledge that's nearly impossible to find in any other setting.
Imagine having your own personal board of directors and band of consultants who've dealt with your circumstances and have already found solutions. Think of how you'd benefit from the advice of years of others' experiences.
Meet monthly or quarterly - whatever suits your needs. What's most important is that you make a commitment to meeting with others. It's like food for the entrepreneurial soul.
Principle #4: Accountability
Activity is not progress. You have to keep yourself on track with activities that are directed toward a few, thoughtfully selected goals. For most of the people, most of the time, this is a very difficult challenge.
To answer the challenge, you must find people to whom you can be accountable. Talk about your goals. Expose yourself a little bit and tell about your objectives. Explain the routes you plan to take to reach your goals.
Find a trusted friend and hold yourself accountable. Identify a few tasks that you plan to accomplish and give a finite deadline. Most people don't want accountability because of a fear of failure. You can use that fear as a catalyst to drive you to your goals faster than you've ever imagined.
Making the choice to become accountable may just turn out to be the single most powerful decision you make about your future.
Best Regards,
Jeffrey Tobin
The Concept Coach
www.theconceptcoach.com
Principle # 1: Continuing Education
You cannot grow without continuing education. It is my contention that all business development has its roots in life-long learning. And the best way to do this is to have someone bring learning to you.
You don't have time to dredge around, blindly running into chunks of unconnected material. Decide to attend a series of seminars that target your particular interests. Seek out an ongoing program with an appropriate curriculum and attend it regularly.
It will cost you time and money, but when you make a commitment to continuing learning, you
don't need to worry about this investment. You'll get it back in spades.
Principle #2: Planning
Make planning both a priority and a regular and ongoing event. When weeks begin to look the same, it's time to get away and do some thinking.
Get out of the office. Shut off your cell phone. Ask yourself the really big questions: "Why am I really doing this?" "Is this helping me to become the person I want to become?" "What's working and what's not?" "What else do I need?"
Get away and do planning at least once every quarter. Forget about what you have and think about what you need. List the challenges you face and brainstorm some solutions. You'll only make progress in this regard if you "disappear" for a day and look at your challenges from the outside.
Do planning. Your mind craves this kind of stimulation and it won't disappoint you with ideas.
Principle #3: Peer Experience and Counsel
Isolation is a killer. You need some buddies and you need them now. We've found the best solution to be peer-to-peer groups. They are small groups of like- minded people who want to grow and help others to grow as well. These groups have a well-spring of knowledge that's nearly impossible to find in any other setting.
Imagine having your own personal board of directors and band of consultants who've dealt with your circumstances and have already found solutions. Think of how you'd benefit from the advice of years of others' experiences.
Meet monthly or quarterly - whatever suits your needs. What's most important is that you make a commitment to meeting with others. It's like food for the entrepreneurial soul.
Principle #4: Accountability
Activity is not progress. You have to keep yourself on track with activities that are directed toward a few, thoughtfully selected goals. For most of the people, most of the time, this is a very difficult challenge.
To answer the challenge, you must find people to whom you can be accountable. Talk about your goals. Expose yourself a little bit and tell about your objectives. Explain the routes you plan to take to reach your goals.
Find a trusted friend and hold yourself accountable. Identify a few tasks that you plan to accomplish and give a finite deadline. Most people don't want accountability because of a fear of failure. You can use that fear as a catalyst to drive you to your goals faster than you've ever imagined.
Making the choice to become accountable may just turn out to be the single most powerful decision you make about your future.
Best Regards,
Jeffrey Tobin
The Concept Coach
www.theconceptcoach.com
The Concept Coach: Get Your Ginomai
I’ll just bet you’ve never tried to “get your Ginomai.” In fact, unless you’re one of our Concept Coach clients, you’ve probably never even heard of the term. Read on and you’ll discover not only what it is, but why it may be the most powerful concept to cross your desk in a long time. This month, I’m inviting you to “get your Ginomai.” You can start by reading about The Ginomai Principle (TM).
The Ginomai Principle (TM)
“Ginomai” is an ancient Greek word meaning “to begin to be.” It relates to origins, birth or rebirth, and growth. I developed The Ginomai Principle to help people define their biggest future. The person you are today is the ‘you are here’ point on the map of your life. Your destination is the person you will become. You need both points to plot a route.
Here’s The Ginomai Principle:
“I am not now the person I will become. I must identify my destiny before I can set a course to meet it.” [Jeffrey Tobin]
Now that may sound pretty simple. It’s not. Identifying the person you want to become takes some real thought, insight and guidance. I teach an entire Concept Coach session that deals with this one critical thinking process, but let me give you the basics so you can begin to think differently about where you’re going - and why.
You Are Not What You Do
The first thing to recognize is that you are not what you do. If you were to eliminate your business or organization-related activities from your life, who would you be? How would you define yourself? What would you do with your time? I’m not talking about retirement here. I’m talking about your potential. Who can you become?
What you do for a living should be nothing more than a vehicle that helps you to “become your potential.” The Ginomai Principle process forces us to separate what we do from who we are. There are a few steps in this process, and you can begin thinking about them right now.
Recognize Who You Are
The Ginomai Principle can help you to recognize the attributes and resources that you have currently at your disposal. This is the ‘you are here’ element.
Create a list of the elements that make up the person you are today: positive attributes, accomplishments, education, assets, health, gifts and talents, etc. These are all resources you have at your disposal today.
Make this list and review it carefully. Let it sink in. You can’t go anywhere until you know where you are.
But this is not enough; it doesn't take you anywhere. You don’t want to wake up one day late in life and discover you’ve missed your greatest opportunity: you! Let's define that person right now.
Identify Who You Want to Become
Now it’s time to set your destination. Where are you going? What accomplishments and assets do you want to leave with others as your legacy? How do you want to be remembered? For most people, it’s not a legacy of what kind of businessperson they were, but what kind of person they had become. Who is that person you want to become?
Now, make a list like the one above, but this time list all of the attributes, talents, and positive assets you want to acquire. You are making a future list of what you choose to add to the person you already are.
Design Your Own Ginomai Statement
Now you will want to refine your list and express it as a statement of who you want to become. Add the essential positive elements from your Who You Are list to the Who You Will Become list, then develop a concise affirmation of the new person you’ve identified. This is the future you.
Keep your Ginomai Statement in front of you where you can review it daily until it becomes an integral part of your thinking and your being.
Now that you have plotted the route between who you are and who you want to become, you can move ahead in confidence to your new and much bigger future.
Best Regards,
Jeffrey Tobin
The Concept Coach
www.theconceptcoach.com
The Ginomai Principle (TM)
“Ginomai” is an ancient Greek word meaning “to begin to be.” It relates to origins, birth or rebirth, and growth. I developed The Ginomai Principle to help people define their biggest future. The person you are today is the ‘you are here’ point on the map of your life. Your destination is the person you will become. You need both points to plot a route.
Here’s The Ginomai Principle:
“I am not now the person I will become. I must identify my destiny before I can set a course to meet it.” [Jeffrey Tobin]
Now that may sound pretty simple. It’s not. Identifying the person you want to become takes some real thought, insight and guidance. I teach an entire Concept Coach session that deals with this one critical thinking process, but let me give you the basics so you can begin to think differently about where you’re going - and why.
You Are Not What You Do
The first thing to recognize is that you are not what you do. If you were to eliminate your business or organization-related activities from your life, who would you be? How would you define yourself? What would you do with your time? I’m not talking about retirement here. I’m talking about your potential. Who can you become?
What you do for a living should be nothing more than a vehicle that helps you to “become your potential.” The Ginomai Principle process forces us to separate what we do from who we are. There are a few steps in this process, and you can begin thinking about them right now.
Recognize Who You Are
The Ginomai Principle can help you to recognize the attributes and resources that you have currently at your disposal. This is the ‘you are here’ element.
Create a list of the elements that make up the person you are today: positive attributes, accomplishments, education, assets, health, gifts and talents, etc. These are all resources you have at your disposal today.
Make this list and review it carefully. Let it sink in. You can’t go anywhere until you know where you are.
But this is not enough; it doesn't take you anywhere. You don’t want to wake up one day late in life and discover you’ve missed your greatest opportunity: you! Let's define that person right now.
Identify Who You Want to Become
Now it’s time to set your destination. Where are you going? What accomplishments and assets do you want to leave with others as your legacy? How do you want to be remembered? For most people, it’s not a legacy of what kind of businessperson they were, but what kind of person they had become. Who is that person you want to become?
Now, make a list like the one above, but this time list all of the attributes, talents, and positive assets you want to acquire. You are making a future list of what you choose to add to the person you already are.
Design Your Own Ginomai Statement
Now you will want to refine your list and express it as a statement of who you want to become. Add the essential positive elements from your Who You Are list to the Who You Will Become list, then develop a concise affirmation of the new person you’ve identified. This is the future you.
Keep your Ginomai Statement in front of you where you can review it daily until it becomes an integral part of your thinking and your being.
Now that you have plotted the route between who you are and who you want to become, you can move ahead in confidence to your new and much bigger future.
Best Regards,
Jeffrey Tobin
The Concept Coach
www.theconceptcoach.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
