What area of your life would you like to create abundance? — Your health? Relationships? Career? Family time? Finances?
Last summer a friend of mine shared a powerful tiny green book with me called The Abundance Book. In the book author John Randolph Price shares the principles of abundance and how to incorporate them into your life. Being a coach and life-long learner I was curious. So, I put the principles into practice for 40 days. What happened for me over the next few weeks was nothing short of amazing. I had a greater sense of abundance in all areas of my life … my health, relationships, time with my family and my work. My business has never been the same since completing that journey. In 2010 my company, Vida Aventura, had a record sales year.
I could hardly wait to share the book and the principles with my coaching clients and friends. We put the practices into place as a team and their lives and businesses prospered in amazing ways. One client landed a six figure job, another lost over 10 pounds and another re-branded her business and became more focused.
In short the abundance journey is a 40 consecutive day process that involves focusing, praying or meditating on an abundance principle daily for 15 minutes and journaling.
To give back I would like to share the experience with those of you who are interested. You are invited to join my coaching clients and me during the next 40 days on the abundance journey.
There is no cost.
You’ll simply have to commit to 4 simple steps:
1. Send me your name and email address. Click –> here (please include “abundance process” in the subject line)
2. Purchase The Abundance Book by John Randolph Price
3. Read through to part II in the book
4. The process: 20 minutes a day for 40 consecutive days (15 minutes of focus and 5 minutes of journaling)
What happens next?
1. I’ll email you details for the process including call times
2. We’ll begin the journey on November 21st – the last 40 days of 2011
3. You will have access to coaching calls where you can share your experiences with a dynamic team of individuals
What’s in it for you?
1. Everything to gain!
2. Weekly coaching calls
3. Daily accountability
4. A team of rock stars to share the journey
Imagine what it will be like to wrap up the year with renewed momentum. Give yourself a present for the holidays that no one else can give and be a part of this exciting process.
Join us by clicking here. Be sure to include your name and email address for additional information including call times.
Collaboration: To work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor.
It is safe to say that most jobs involve collaborating with peers. I have a friend that works in a national sports organization managing their partnerships. Her job consists of collaborating with all departments in the organization to fulfill the contractual obligations of the partnerships. Without the ability to collaborate with team members, she would fail and the company would lose all of its partners. Needless to say, she practices such skills on a regular basis and is reliant on her peers to do the same.
One of the common themes to my coaching and team building events is helping my clients fine-tune their collaboration skills and give them the tools they need to be intentional and purposeful when doing so. It is easy to see the power of team work when the group comes together in a team building activity; the same holds true in the workplace.
That begs the question: when it comes to collaboration, where do you begin?
1. SHIFT – shift your team’s mindset. A way to cultivate a mindset directed toward collaboration and continuous improvement is to simply ask, “How can I make this better?” When a company truly collaborates and provides the best product or service by improving the processes that produce them, they create efficiencies in producing the desired end result and organizations are more effective.
2. OWN IT – own your stake in the project and overall goal. Don’t rely on others to change the process; start the process and always seek opportunities to improve it. It is a team effort and by encouraging people to collaborate, efficiencies are created for the group and all involved can work smarter, harder, and have better results. Take ownership and know that your contribution has an effect on the bottom line.
“Being in a band is always a compromise. Provided that the balance is good, what you lose in compromise, you gain by collaboration” – Mike Rutherford
We’re all familiar with the power of positive thinking to get things accomplished and goals achieved. The basic premise behind positive thinking is that if you can think of something, you can do it. Everything that ever was or ever will be is a thought first. There are many different ways to use positive thinking to improve your life. One of the most effective is to use affirmations.
One of my favorite authors, Cheryl Richardson says, “Affirmations + Action = Miracles.” This doesn’t mean that we all have to say “I’m man enough, I’m good enough, and doggonit people like me.” To truly use affirmations powerfully, they must be thoughtful, targeted and lead to your positive vision of success – “I am” statements are especially powerful.
For example, if you are a smoker who would like to kick the habit, the wrong way to use affirmations is to state: “I’m not going to smoke anymore.” Psychologically, this will make you crave smoking as you’re making it seem out of reach or denying yourself something. A better affirmation would be: “Now I am smoke-free.” Or, “I breathe clean, refreshing air and I have much more positive energy.” Stating your affirmation positively versus negatively is significant. Another example could be if you want to create prosperity in your life . You may say, “I am debt free.” Debt has a negative connotation. Better wording would be – “I am financially free.” Or “Money is flowing to me from both expected and unexpected sources.” By crafting your affirmations in a positive light, you can more easily achieve your goals.
Using affirmations is another way to get out of your comfort zone and into positive growth. Here is a simple exercise to try. Write down ten positive affirmations. Read them out loud at least 3 times per day/night for a week. Observe how you feel, the way you approach things and the changes doing affirmations provides.
After a week check back in and share your experience in the comment section below. I would love to hear your feedback!
Do you think about the words that you speak? Our words have power and magic in them. No, not Harry Potter kind of magic, but everyday magic.
Did you know that the literal meaning of the word ‘encourage’ is to facilitate the process to find your inner strength and courage. The root word of ‘encourage’ is ‘courage.’ The end result of encouragement is to facilitate courage.
To discourage is the opposite of encourage. Which means that the end result of discouragement is timidity; not courage … Interesting, huh?
A wise person once told me that “encouragement if free, it doesn’t take much to encourage people.” That really is true. Yet, encouraging ourselves and others is often an activity we forget to do. Encouragement is as simple as believing in one another. Profound, yet easy.
When we are facing difficulties or challenges, one of the biggest things we need is for someone to tell us that we can do it; we can succeed. When you do this for others, you will find yourself feeling more courage or become encouraged yourself. It really does ‘pay it forward’ exponentially. This simple act of kindness is free, so why not use it?
2011 will end in less than 120 days. Around every 30 to 60 days I encourage my coaching clients to take out their goal sheets, check in and reflect on/ask how they are doing.
Like many, I have discovered how powerful it is to actually write down my goals. If you are not familiar with the Harvard study that exemplified how crucial it is to have written goals AND an action plan to achieve them, check out the facts here.
When I founded Vida Aventura one of my goals was to work throughout the world. This year I had the opportunity to expand into Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates to do leadership development work. It has been a business and life enriching experience that transpired, in part, because I set it as a goal.
In addition to writing out my goals I also spend time visualizing the outcomes of what I would like to achieve. In the attached video, I have outlined steps on visualization. If you apply the steps I am confident that you will find them helpful in achieving your goals.
Please share: How have you used the power of visualization to achieve your goals?
I’m having so much fun with this! Getting more done leaves more free time left to surf! – Bev Sanders, Las Olas – Surf Safaris for Women
I recently read an article about productivity and time batching by guest blogger Joshua Leatherman in Michael Hyatt’s e-newsletter. Time batching, if you haven’t heard of it, is a productivity process that allows you to maximize your focus and concentration by reducing distractions. What attracted me to the process is that it claimed to help increase productivity, creativity, and mental sharpness.
Once I read about the Pomodoro Technique, implemented it, and experienced the benefits, I couldn’t wait to share it with my coaching clients and friends. If you feel you could benefit from greater productivity, mental sharpness and creativity, read on!
Most of us allow distractions, both external and self-imposed, to govern our priorities and our actions. (I am talking to myself here too!). Did you know that it takes, on average, 15 minutes to recover and regain focus after being distracted? Are you aware that multi-tasking is a myth? There are numerous studies to support the claim that multi-tasking actually decreases our productivity and creativity. And did you know that our tendency is to focus on menial tasks as a way to procrastinate and avoid the most important things that need to get done? Gasp! Yes, it is true.
So, what exactly is a Pomodoro and what is the Pomodoro Technique? Pomodoro means tomato in Italian. The technique was invented Francesco Cirillo, an Italian innovator in process-improvement techniques. He had a kitchen timer in the shape of a tomato and named the technique after the timer. Cirillo has used the Pomodoro Technique to help many teams and thousands of people around the world make the most of their time. You can read more about him, the process and find free resources here.
The technique has 5 simple steps:
1. Choose a task to be accomplished
2. Set the Pomodoro to 25 minutes (the Pomodoro is the timer. I use the timer on my cell phone)
3. Work on the task until the Pomodoro rings, then put a check on your sheet of paper
4. Take a short break (5 minutes is OK- or, give yourself a reward)
5. Every 4 Pomodoros take a longer break
Simple, right? Simple but not easy. You have to be motivated enough to actually DO it.
I have used the technique for a group of easy tasks in a single 25 minute “set,” and I’ve used it for multiple “sets” and have found it to be beneficial. Being focused and diligent about eliminating distractions has helped me to get more done in a lot less time.
Here is what another coaching client had to say about it:
The Pomodoro Technique is a great way to reduce the noise and distractions that get me ‘off track.’ I’ve been using this technique for three weeks and it really works. I set the timer on my cell phone for twenty-five minutes and do not allow anything to take me off task – no phone calls and no emails. My productivity has doubled. By the end of the day I can sincerely feel like I have accomplished what I need to for the day. – Tom Barrett, Green Water Infrastructure
So, if you would like to increase your creativity and productivity, give it a go! And, stop back by and leave a comment about how it is working for you.
Everybody needs someone who believes in their greatness and challenges them to be more.
Watching the growth and transformation in another person is as juicy as juicy gets. That is why I believe coaching is one of the most rewarding careers on the planet. Coaches coach (in large part) because we love helping people grow, soar, win, prosper, take themselves on, challenge limiting beliefs and become the greatest they can be in both their careers and their lives. If you are a coach, a mentor or a leader, do you disagree?
Imagine, or maybe you already know what it’s like to have someone in your corner and on your team who is committed to you succeeding – whatever you decide success is for you. Also imagine that that someone sees you as great regardless of what you think of yourself, what you believe anyone else thinks of you or any of the “mistakes” of your past. (By the way, the mistakes of your past do not equal your future!) And, finally, imagine that that someone will challenge you to become more than what you will allow yourself to believe you are. It’s a powerful concept, yes?
I feel both honored and blessed to be able to serve others in this way.
I hope that for you it’s not a concept but rather a reality. If you don’t have a partner in your life – a coach, a friend, family member, your significant other, a mentor, or a boss who believes in your greatness, find someone. They are out there waiting to meet you. You may have to stretch yourself to fathom that there is someone who believes in you. But there is someone. Ask them if they will mentor you and hold you accountable to living your “greatness.” Chances are they will be honored to do so.
In the prior post I dove into how culture, vision and inspiration are key leadership attributes. In this final post I will highlight passion and being a life-long learner and team player.
Passion – Passion has been defined as intensity, drive, overmastering feeling or conviction and emotions distinct from reason. I have a business mentor who says if you light a man on fire and send him running down the street, others will follow. Passion is contagious. It is the fuel that leads leaders.
My teammate, Michael Sapper says that his passion in adventure racing comes from the experience of racing. Of knowing he can do it. And, it resonates so deeply in him that he thrives on getting others involved in the sport.
Life-long learner – Great leaders have mentors and are life-long learners. They are aware of the tendency to fall into a comfort zone and get complacent. They know that the knowledge, skills, gifts and talents that got them to where they are will not get them to where they want to go. They are constantly learning, stretching and growing.
Adventure racers look for the same – for opportunities to explore what is beyond their last challenge. Like leaders they ask, “how much farther can I go?”
And, finally the last leadership characteristic is being a Team Player – One of the biggest dynamics in adventure racing is TEAM dynamics – every race offers opportunities to discover and explore the complexity of working with others. Team dynamics is critical to the success of the racers and the race. It only takes one teammate with a poor attitude to bring the entire team down and in some cases cause a non-finish in a race. Teammates that are flexible, have a great attitude, and look out for their team are the best to work and race with.
The top companies to work for in America are, not surprisingly, big investors in their most valuable resource…their people. Leaders know how to lead and inspire teams, they are also team players who have an attitude of WE versus ME.
And while not everyone can relate to leadership in a racing arena, we all know how it feels to work with others, especially in an organization. It takes a tribe that sticks together to make great things happen. It takes great leadership abilities to make that tribe thrive.
What are the attributes of being a leader that you’ve experienced being on a team or working in a team environment?
In my previous post I discussed how relevant team sports are in reference to leadership. I mentioned that great team players have integrity and edify their teammates. These attributes are present in great leaders. In this post I will dive into culture, vision and inspiration.
Culture – Life is meant to be enjoyed. It is meant to be fun. Great leaders appreciate this. And, adventure racers thrive on it. If you are not creating an atmosphere your employees ENJOY being, chances are, they are not thriving and neither is your organization…at least not for the long-term.
Employees leave jobs not because of the job, but usually the leader behind the job. Give a lot, laugh a lot. Create a space and culture that is fun and your team will WANT to work with you versus feel like that HAVE to.
Vision – Having a strong and compelling WHY – a reason – a dream – is what compels us to do the things that we know we should do. It takes vision to get MOVING. When my team races we always race with a few clear objectives that we all agree on: to stay safe, race hard, and finish. That almost always lands us in the top of the field.
Having a clear vision and purpose is what separates great leaders from good leaders. They have a clear vision and work to achieve it and others rally to be a part of achieving that vision.
Inspiration – Motivation is about making you do something. Inspiration is about being led are called to act. As a leader you can have a vision all day long, but unless you can inspire others to enroll in your vision, it’s dead. Yes, I said it. Dead.
Training for a 24-36 race has taught me about being inspired. When it’s 5 degrees outside at 5 in the morning and you know that you have to get training miles in for your next event, you find out very quickly just how enrolled and invested in the race, your goals and your team.
Motivation will only get you so far. Great leaders lead and inspire their teams to act.
In part 3 of the series, I’ll dive into passion, being a life-long learner and teamwork.
It has been said that words alone don’t teach but experiences do.
While racing in a 24 hour adventure race in Southern Indiana last year, I had A LOT of time to contemplate how team sports (specifically, adventure racing) can teach you a lot about the attributes of being a good leader.
If you’ve ever had the experience of participating on a team or training with a group for an event, you know that sports provide a training ground to practice and cultivate leadership abilities. They provide the opportunity to play with integrity; edify your teammates; create a culture that people want to be a part of; inspire others to a common vision; motivate others to perform beyond their limiting beliefs; fuel passion; be a life-long learner and team player.
In this first post of three I will talk about integrity and edification.
Integrity – Integrity is the cornerstone of leadership. In multi-sport team racing you are as strong /fast as your slowest/weakest teammate during any given element of the race. It’s imperative that the team is held together by mutual trust and the well-being of each person is of high consideration.
Good leaders recognize the importance of personal and professional integrity and they walk their talk.
Edification – Great leaders and great adventure racers always uplift, inspire and build up their teammates. Imagine being sleep deprived and pushing your body beyond what you imagine is physically possible. As if that is not challenging enough, imagine having a team member that is making negative comments about your performance.
It doesn’t serve a team to focus solely on what’s not going well and it doesn’t work in leadership either.To reach ultimate success in your organization, lifting people up and recognizing them is one of the surest ways to help them to shine brighter and do amazing things for themselves and the company.
Although these are not the only things required for great leaders (I will cover more in the next message), this is a great start when it comes to what I’ve experienced working in a team and working with teams.
