No more "Winging it"

I was at a Biathlon practice on the week-end and we were preparing to do our shooting practice. I first had my athletes prepare for the practice and then get into the firing position. We closed our eyes and envisioned the perfect shot… the perfect practice. We then went on to physically do what we had envisioned and likely cut our prep time in half and I know our practice rocked! It got me thinking of our professional practice. Why do so many entrepreneurs just “wing it”… Just “let it happen”? What would happen to our success rate if we took time to creative visualize our business, our big meeting, our day? I read a great book once (yes I read lots of books) called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey. I would like to share with you his 2nd habit…

“Habit 2 is based on imagination--the ability to envision in your mind what you cannot at present see with your eyes. It is based on the principle that all things are created twice. There is a mental (first) creation, and a physical (second) creation. The physical creation follows the mental, just as a building follows a blueprint. If you don't make a conscious effort to visualize who you are and what you want in life, then you empower other people and circumstances to shape you and your life by default. It's about connecting again with your own uniqueness and then defining the personal, moral, and ethical guidelines within which you can most happily express and fulfill yourself. Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day, task, or project with a clear vision of your desired direction and destination, and then continue by flexing your proactive muscles to make things happen.”

Experience, observe, write, and inspire...

The secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending, then having the two as close together as possible.
George Burns

This is my forth Blog and I thought I would comment a little on this new experience for me. What I have observed is that two things happen when you put down your thoughts and ideas on paper so that others may read and experience them. The first observation is it makes me (the writer) feel kind of good. I feel I am paying attention to the little things that happen to me. By putting these details down in writing I am giving myself the opportunity to reflect on what I read, see, hear, and feel throughout the day. The Blog also inspires the people who take the time to read it. It gives them something to think about; maybe even an idea that will change their life forever. This is the most rewarding part of the process. It brings to mind one of my passions, writing and giving sermons, two things I should do more of (note to self). Wouldn't it be great if each of us as humans took some time each day to write and reflect, to remember the amazing little miracles that brushed past us that day. These miracles happen for a reason. Experience, observe, write, and inspire... Jen has been doing this for years, I am so glad she persuaded me to give it a try!

To Boldly Go...

To boldly go where no man has gone before...
William Shatner (Star Trek)

I was listening to William Shatner today on an CBC interview. I don't know why but I keep coming back to him. Growing up he was my hero. Kirk... a brave captain who would dare to run into any challenge, meet and deal with any problem that would arise, using his incredibly creative mind that I could only try to emulate. He was caring, strong, sensitive, and unstoppable! Now that I'm much older and getting to know him as a person (OK I don't know him, but I have read his bio's) he seems to show the same traits with his outlook on life as he did in Star Trek. In his interview he talks about the opportunities in his life, how the older he gets his opportunities seem to multiply. Life is short and we really have to make the most of the time we are given. We need to go places that we have never gone before, take some risks (action risks and emotional risks), we need to look for the opportunities that life offers us and be a willing participant... not just a spectator. I believe that William Shatner was right... as we get better at seizing the opportunities that life provides they do multiply and so do the rewards that go along with them. So... make it your five year mission to seek out strange new worlds and boldly go where no man has gone before.

Get excited about your own dream...

Get excited and enthusiastic about your own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire- you can smell it, taste it, and see it a mile away.
(Dennis Waitley)

I wonder if we sometimes hide from our own dreams. Do we convince ourselves that they can’t be ours - their too big, I’m not smart enough, strong enough, or only other people can do that.... Dreams make you come alive, they radiate from within you and make others get inspired just by being near you. I was in a house yesterday that was full of dreams, things they had done, places they were going... I was so excited just to be there that I came home and pulled out a piece of paper I wrote with Jen over 15 years ago, our “dream list.” Guess what... we’ve done some pretty amazing things from that list and more importantly, we’re not done yet!
Be a little selfish with your dreams, write them down, don’t get in your own way, step off the beaten track (in every part of your life), trust the people around you, and tell the world about your dreams... as crazy as it sounds, you might just move someone else towards fulfilling their dreams!

"Now" what?

"There is no better time than now. The time to live is now. The time to dream is now. The time to imagine and forget the past is now. The time to shine is now. The time to bleed, sweat, and determine yourself for the things you want most is now."
(Anonymous)

Things happen in the "now." They don't happen in the past and they don't happen in the future... they happen "now." Sometimes "now" is a good thing, a 1st date, a spontaneous vacation, a passing mark on an exam you were worried about. However... sometimes your "now" is not so good.. bad news, a fight with a friend, an accident. What I believe is that whatever our "now" is, it quickly becomes our past and it is our challenge to use that "now" to enhance our future. Our "now" happens for a reason and we need to rise to its purpose and show the world that we are in control of our lives and no matter what life dishes out; that we are capable of finding good in the things that happen in our lives. Stand tall, dig deep, and know that your future is the sum of your "nows." More importantly... its how you handle what you are given that determines who you are. Your "now" is a gift, it just might still be in the package.