WE CAN ACHIEVE ALL THAT WE BELIEVE IF WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ACHIEVE

We often receive an unexpected boost from motivational quotes.  Many originate within the world of sports BUT life is more than playing games – it is about dreaming what might be our reality if only that which is could become what we hope, wish and dream it to be.  It is about reaching beyond our wildest expectations to grasp a slice of reality from a pie not yet baked.  It is about setting goals beyond what is achievable so that we force ourselves outside of the box in which we are comfortable and move towards things yet to be considered by standing upon the cardboard to search for those things that have not yet been imagined.  We all stumble and fall while travelling through life – the difference between success and failure being whether we stay down or we get back up – and what we learn from the experience.

People react to challenges differently.  Some seek comfort from every storm – preferring to remain within the safe harbors of life, never venturing outside the protected coastal waters as they accept the remnants and wreckage that wash up to shore.  They allow others to seek new adventures – to conquer unknown territories and discover treasures far beyond their ability to imagine.  They are gulls finding sustenance in things discovered and discarded by others.  To them, a gentle breeze may appear to be a raging storm – the tranquility of their calm disrupted by even the smallest pebble tossed into the sea.  If one were to equate such an existence to the hyena it would be apparent that scavengers ARE able to exist.  Rarely, however, does an individual reach greatness when they rely upon “pack mentality” to survive NOR does one receive the “first fruits” when they gratefully accept what comes to them rather than seeking to discover how much more might be available if only they were to stretch beyond their accepted paradigm.

Others seek adventure – preferring to march into the storms of life head on and face forward.  They hear the howling in the wind and seek to identify its source – wish to find where it came from before watching it go away.  They recognize that the wind cannot be contained nor captured but often dream of riding upon it – of soaring above the earth that holds them as they seek new horizons not yet discovered.  They prefer to identify opportunities as they move boldly forward in life rather than seeking comfort in what they (or someone else) already accomplished.  Where some could not fathom being a hawk hurtling down towards an unknowing prey, these individualists could not tolerate being a scavenger relying upon the efforts of another for sustenance.  Their need for autonomy – for independence – is far too great to accept the path forged by others.  They capture the wind within billowing sails – riding it as far as it may take them without allowing their concern for a safe return to detract from the journey.  They accept potential peril as the inevitable return on their unrestrained investments towards the accomplishment of their dreams.

As we move through life we must leave our yesterdays behind as we pass through our today in anticipation of all that tomorrow might bring.  Unless we fill our emotional pantries with thoughts and visions of grandeur – with hopes and promises of a yet to be defined future reality rather than doing as we have always done while expecting different things to happen to us – we MAY find momentary happiness but will never find the peace to accept that “what is” is all that “could be.”  Whenever you begin to feel that “where you are” is better (rather than just safer or more secure) than “where you could be,” consider the following: 

·         As you begin (or refresh) your journey through life, take time for the little things to become big.  Do not move so fast that you fail to enjoy the journey as you seek a destination BUT do not become so enamored with the journey that you never rest or recharge along the way.  Find time to help others along the way – to share your strengths and experiences so they might be built up rather than run over.  When the going gets tough others may be the only lifeline available to keep us going.

·         Live life to its fullest – focusing as much on the joy in the journey as you do the gold at the end of the rainbow.  More than anything, find peace and joy in all that you say and do – seeking comfort from your discoveries rather than being satisfied to discover comfort within the status quo.  Seek moments of rest as you seek to fulfill your dreams rather than sanctuaries and safe havens that might keep you from reaching beyond the shelter of today to experience the potential of tomorrow.

Some find that motivating thoughts or inspirational phrases keep them moving forward rather than looking back.  In order to experience gain within our lives, we must realize change – and must keep our eyes on the prize as we move relentlessly towards it if we expect to grow.  Thankfully, all thoughts ARE NOT sports metaphors - some of the thoughts I find most helpful including:

·         Dreams take time, patience, sustained effort, and a willingness to fail if they are ever to become anything more than dreams – Brian Linkoski

·         The greater danger for most is NOT that our aim is too high and we miss, but that it is too low and we reach it - Michelangelo

·         We know what we are, but know not what we may be - Shakespeare

·         When the winds of change blow, some people build walls while others build windmills - Chinese proverb

·         If all you seek to become can be defined by what you have accomplished, accept comfort in who you are but allow those who know you mourn the death of what you may have become – Dave Smith

There is no limit to what we can accomplish when we seek results and conclusions rather than recognition and credit.  We can find ongoing satisfaction when we claim success during the journey – acknowledging each step taken as we run the race rather than waiting until our quest has ended to find satisfaction in the efforts we exhibited.  We accomplish many things not yet imagined and bring to fruition countless things not previously realized when we allow our dreams to materialize – to become a new reality as we travel the road to ever-changing destinations – when we see each station as a stop along the way rather than an end in and of itself.  We gain much from life when each step is celebrated as an accomplishment rather than looking only to the goal at the end of our journey as a win/lose, make it or break it destination.

We cannot allow our eyes to drift from the prize if we seek to move from “good” to “great” in our lives.  Though it may not “take a village” to raise our self-awareness, it DOES take commitment, determination and intentional action to move beyond the storms that often darken our lives to the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Accept nothing but your best as you seek new destinations – learning from your failings as you turn adversity into opportunity while reaching new heights with each passing day.  Capture the wind to move forward after each accomplishment rather than finding comfort and accepting as final the rest stops along the way and each never ending beginning will lead towards the better life you wish for (and deserve). 

FINDING SHADES OF REALITY IN A BLACK AND WHITE WORLD

My sister recently asked me to look at the world through a black and white filter (literally) by challenging me to a Facebook Photo Contest.  Normally a “shades of grey” person that can find more fulfillment in relative comparisons than absolute positioning, looking through such a filter was outside of my typical paradigm – but it gave me a great opportunity to realize that such an approach to life reflects our daily reality quite well.  Some of the pictures I chose – along with the life lessons they represented – are included herein.  The first came to me easily – a gateway to the world through a restrictive tunnel.  Taken along Lake Michigan in winter, the wonders of the world seemed to open up to me when seeing a tunnel as an open window to the world (yet it could easily become a sanctuary to those seeking refuge rather than opportunity).

Once through my portal to the possible, a winter storm greeted me with its harsh reality AND its majestic beauty.  While striking as a colored photo, the lake seems frozen in time (figuratively as well as literally) when viewed through a black and white lens.  We often judge people, situations and opportunities by the “color they wear” rather than the depth of their essence.  Perhaps we should all take the time to filter our
initial impressions so we can identify and apply the value hidden within that sense of clarity.

Other pictures (more obvious) were of animals within the San Diego Zoo.  A panda within a tree provided a black and white perspective often lost within the green and brown foliage of its reality.  A resting tiger, majestic within its normal orange and black, became a powerful image of stark contrasts when stripped of its color.  If only we could do the same within our world today – to see others for what they offer rather than losing ourselves their differences.  (I avoided using the zebra that stood perfectly still for me – the reality of his world being black and white enough without being viewed through an altered filter.)  Ask me for my Facebook link to see these specimens.

We all must establish goals for our life (see a past Deliberation for expansion) if we seek to accomplish anything more than we are currently doing.  We came upon a neglected path in Kentucky during a visit to my “challenging” sister and her family.  The leaves along the path were changing colors and the grass fading to brown – the contrast providing a beautiful distraction to a winding path that could lead to most anywhere IF one chose to take it.  We followed a similar path during a trip to Oregon and found a hidden treasure – a waterfall near a wooden bridge.  We all must choose which road we will travel during this life.  Though many will follow highways that make their trip easier and their choices more defined, I would prefer to seek opportunities that may be lost to many by taking the road less traveled – by seeking the beauty hidden behind the colors we see.

Giving a new definition to “peer pressure” were pictures taken in Maine and Virginia Beach.  OK, so you might have to be a bit convoluted to link “pier” pressure with “peer” pressure but seeing a sturdy platform project into the ocean always provides testament to what can be done if we persevere – of what power and might we can harness when we seek to transform “what is” into “what could be.”  I see a pier and think of the storms it has weathered – of the view it has of each sunrise – and how it greets each new day (on the East coast) or welcomes the night into our lives “out West.”  Too often we see only the surface of each situation we face – only the “practical purpose” of things rather than the possibilities not yet defined or determined. Painting with our granddaughter recently opened this door to reality – as she worked to combine colors and fill her sheet with paint I had her close the book on her drawing then open it to see the reflection of her work on the other side.  She was amazed at the transfer and sought to create “mirror images” for the next half hour.  More of us should look beyond what we see in life to uncover the opportunities hidden IF ONLY we could close the book on what is and open it to see what could be.  A pier can be a dock or a window to a

new world – its reality limited by our minds rather than its functionality.

As I continued to look through my traditional pictures of a colorful world, I found waterfalls, rivers, seascapes, sand sculptures, bridges and birds (my wife tells me I have some kind of addiction to birds – perhaps it is the freedom their world presents or the limitless opportunities their flight provides them).  I found myself seeking the subtle differences that a black and white world produces – the shades of grey that exist between “what is” and “what could be.”  I discovered that my vacation pictures could provide a different perspective when the “color of reality” was filtered from them – a perspective we do not often use when living our lives.
Perhaps we could all gain from looking at the obstacles we face, the people we work with and the challenges we wish to overcome through a different filter.  We could take a different path to reach an unconsidered destination.  Life is what we make it to be.

Thanks for the challenge, Sis.  We all share a common earth but look at life through vastly different filters – allowing us to look at the same object or person and see a variety of values, beauty and worth.  I invite anyone who reads my Deliberations to attach a black and white picture with your comments – or better yet, post one black and white picture a day on your Facebook page for five days (then invite a friend to do the same).  Perhaps we can make a difference in the world if we all change our perspective and filter our results!

IF "ACTING HAPPY CAN MAKE IT SO," WHAT ABOUT...

A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that walking in an upbeat way could improve one’s mood – and that swaying from side to side while walking would cause one to be more depressed and sad.  Resisting temptations such as chocolate, fats, and “indulgent” foods elevated one’s self-perception while succumbing to those temptations created an attitude of failure.  Talking to a total stranger while travelling rather than isolating yourself within your own thoughts and sitting with good posture rather than in a slumped-over fashion also caused individuals to be more positive in their reaction to life.  It seems that many of the “right things” we do have a positive affect on our health and demeanor while the “wrong” or “questionable” things we do lead us to more unhealthy destinations.  While these conclusions are the result of observations made during controlled, scientific research, think about some of the corollaries we could take from a “living the dream” rather than an “enduring the nightmare” attitude.

I knew a very capable individual who tended to think more about what might go wrong than what could go right.  He focused on the possible – making sure that he would be able to respond to any contingency imaginable – often missing the opportunity to “strike while the iron was hot” due to his deliberate nature and his over-thinking each situation.  I knew another individual that considered a situation, thought about several of the more obvious ramifications of his actions, then decided to act rather than continuing to “posture” himself to avoid all risk or minimize the chances of failure.  He often acted (intentionally) knowing what would likely happen, what could possibly happen and what had a small (but realistic) chance of happening – but his actions often put him ahead of his competition and in front of “the crowd,”  able to hold his head high in discovery rather than hanging it low in compliance.

Many people begin each year with resolutions to change – an expressed thought of altered behavior and significantly different results.  Most resolutions tend to be short-term in nature – like going to the gym (for 1 – 2 months), exercising at home (for a week), driving safely (until you are late for a meeting) or spending more time with friends and family (unless there is a major project at work).  Resolutions tend to be immediately achievable transitions rather than long-term transformations.  If “walking with confidence” and “eliminating a back and forth sway” help people become happier, think what the accomplishment of an expressed goal (even if for only a short time) might do to their demeanor!

Rather than “resolving to change” this year, why not commit to transform?  Do not accept only what is attainable – rather reach beyond the probable to experience the possible.  Set your targets boldly where people have previously feared to wander – not as a means to ensure defeat but rather as a way to break through to destinations not yet discovered.  When you accept the things that others have already accomplished as your benchmarks, critics (and cynics) will always point out what did not work in the past while predicting your demise.  When you seek new frontiers – look forward with anticipation rather than backwards in fear or dread – others are less apt (or able) to criticize because they have no basis (or experience) to support their predictions of failure. 

Sincerely believing that you will succeed – when supported with appropriate training and resources – will contribute greatly to success.  Anticipating failure almost always becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  Setting the bar high keeps your head up and your attitude will follow.  Failing to set a goal will allow your head to drop as you drift aimlessly without a plan or a target. 

Act happy if you seek joy in life.  Establishing your destination before you determine your route will help you accomplish things nobody has yet done.  Predicting success (rather than assuming failure) will help you to succeed.  The experts tell us to “walk happy to avoid depression?”  I would say that is a great start…but only a start…to becoming a more successful “you.”

DO YOU HAVE A PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT?

Every organization must have a mission – a vision – a reason for “being.”  Unless an organization exists to fulfill a specific (and necessary) purpose – to produce a product or provide a service – it will not survive. Unless consumers or a market segment needs a product or service (it has, creates or enhances value), the best or largest “supply” in the world will not be “in demand” enough to justify its ongoing presence.  Though a business can (and does) impact society by providing jobs, work is a necessary part of the process of producing results NOT the result of an organization’s efforts to create meaningful activity.  Work without purpose may keep an organization busy (for a time) but will not produce the income needed to sustain its activities.  An organization will not be able to attract and retain employees unless it can clearly and definitively communicate what kind of work is expected to be done, how “success” will be measured and how results will be rewarded.  Without a mission, an organization cannot focus its resources towards the accomplishment of an identified purpose, choose the direction it should go or qualify the decisions it must make as it establishes itself as being a vital and contributing part of the business community.

In order to be effective, an organization’s mission statement must clearly (and concisely) define why a business exists, what it does, and (sometimes) who it serves in a way that can be easily remembered and communicated by all involved in its accomplishment.  Nike has established the phrase, "To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world" as its mission statement – implying what it does by who it serves.  "Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time" is the stated purpose of Starbucks Company, never mentioning coffee but referring to the inspirational experience it hopes to provide.  Coca Cola’s mission, “To refresh the world - in mind, body and spirit; To inspire moments of optimism - through our brands and actions; To create value and make a difference everywhere we engage” states what the company does without ever saying what it produces.  Kohl’s mission, “To be the leading family-focused, value-oriented, specialty department store offering quality exclusive and national brand merchandise to the customer in an environment that is convenient, friendly and exciting” says what it is without limiting itself to any one particular product or brand.  The Employers’ Association’s mission is “To provide practical Human Resource solutions to West Michigan business promoting operational excellence and sustainability,” defining what we provide, to whom it is provided and what our service is intended to accomplish.  While no two mission statements are the same, each successful enterprise must be able to state why it exists by communicating what product, service or value is being provided in a way that people understand – and can hopefully easily remember when a need materializes.

Individuals often accept that business needs a mission – a purpose and reason to exist – but fail to transfer that essential reality to their own lives.  In order to establish value in ourselves, everyone needs to establish a PERSONAL mission statement to guide individual actions, efforts and activities.  A personal mission statement is a bit different from a company mission statement, but the fundamental principles are the same – it provides clarity and a sense of purpose.  It defines who you are and how you will live. When we drift without purpose towards an unidentified objective, we will take a long time to accomplish nothing.  While we cannot miss a target unless it has been clearly identified and posted – cannot fail unless we establish goals and objectives – life without purpose becomes meaningless.  A sailboat needs a sail (to capture the wind) and a rudder (to set a course) if it is to move forward.  It needs a keel to stabilize its journey and an anchor to hold it in place during times of rest.  Though there are many parts and pieces that work together to make a sailboat move ahead, unless a destination has been identified and deliberate action is taken to move towards it, the best wind, the most favorable seas and the mildest conditions will be wasted unless a “reason to sail” has been established.  Unless we (personally) know what we wish to accomplish through the actions we take and the decisions we make, we will never learn what we need to know (do or understand) in order to add value (to ourselves, our friends or our society) as we seek to make a difference in this life.  We must dedicate our actions, our efforts and our thoughts towards the accomplishment of SOMETHING if we hope to accomplish ANYTHING.

Writing a personal mission statement offers the opportunity to establish what is important, often allowing us to make a decision to stick to it before we waste energy and resources without knowing where we might want to go.  As we establish a personal mission statement, we should seek to ask the right questions rather than trying to provide the correct answers – to expand our horizons to regions we have not yet explored rather than limiting them to our “known and comfortable” universe.  An individual mission may be as simple as “I will make a difference in all I say or do,” or “I will live everyday with Integrity and vow to make a positive difference in the lives of others utilizing my knowledge for the good of all people.” It may a “short term” objective like, “I will complete my education so that I can pursue a new career.”  It may be as complex (and convoluted) as, “I will pursue knowledge that can, through intentional actions and experiences, be transformed to wisdom.  I will apply wisdom to advance myself (and others around me) while seeking and establishing new opportunities that add value to my life and my community.  I will never give up (though I may occasionally give in) while realizing all that I might hope or imagine myself to be.”   Make your dreams become reality by “memorializing” them in writing – by telling another about them so they can hold you accountable for their fulfillment.  However you wish to establish a personal mission statement, consider Steven Covey’s reference in First Things First – that it must connect your own unique purpose with the profound satisfaction that comes from fulfilling it.  Life fulfilled is life worth living!

SHARE YOUR LIFE - REALIZE YOUR DREAMS

We share much with others in this life. We share the things we do, the air we breathe and the places we visit. We share our accomplishments whether they bring us success or result in failure. We share relationships and possessions. We share our thoughts when we converse. We share our families, our friends and our acquaintances with others. Sharing our workload and the results of our efforts has become the norm in business. Working as teams to share tasks that magnify our individual contributions by blending them with the unique gifts others are given to accomplish collectively much more than could have been completed on our own has become the mantra of workplace efficiency. With such an emphasis on sharing, however, what is truly “our own” in this life shared with others through common ground, shared existence and team-based accomplishments? Perhaps we need to look no farther than our dreams to realize what is – and what always will be – uniquely and individually ours.

Dreams are thoughts not yet realized – aspirations not yet brought to fruition. Dreams are the basis of our goals and the foundation of our good intentions. We can live life without dreams but cannot embrace its full potential – become all that we can hope to be or realize all that we might wish to accomplish – without first visualizing what we want to become or what we desire to do within the lifetime. Those that perform to the standards and expectations of others often become great contributors as they add value to society. Those that identify their own aspirations and work towards those accomplishments while they benefit the greater good will not only add value to society but also open new horizons and identify new paths that can serve as stepping stones to a new and unrestrained future. To dream, however, we must be willing to move from the safety of our “present” towards the unknown opportunities of a “future” that have yet to be fully realized.

Dreams are not the “substance” of life – they are the icing on life’s cake. They are not the “why” that people ask when confronted with an unknown or unanticipated situation – they are the “why not” that people willing to roll with the punches as they move forward continuously embrace. We can expect to accomplish more than others think possible only when we risk more than others think is safe or dream more than others think is practical. When we care more than others think is wise we may begin to realize that our dreams are more important than walking lockstep within the expectations of others.

While we share much in life with others, we rarely share more than the things we are able to easily do or accomplish. We are hesitant to share our fears – or to open ourselves to the possibility of failure. If we were to share our dreams with others – to both seek their assistance in accomplishing them AND to hold us responsible for bringing them to fruition – what more could we hope to realize? When we settle for that which comes to us easily, we become “adequately mediocre.” Seek excellence – and personal satisfaction – by dreaming of all you could wish to be while striving to achieve all you could wish to accomplish. Rather than living the life that others might establish for you, live your dreams – risking more than others might think wise – so that you can accomplish more than others might think possible.

USING S.M.A.R.T. BEHAVIOR TO INSURE SUCCESS

I have often heard that nothing unexpected will ever happen in your life until you plan on doing something (obviously, you may be just as surprised by something happening if you do not expect or intend for anything to happen). You will never be lost If you do not care where you are going (nor will you ever arrive at an anticipated destination). You will never learn to stand for your own principles if you expect to rise to the top on the backs of others (though you may learn to react and respond to the unpredictability of others). You will never be disappointed when you fail if you have not established any expectations. In order to initiate change – another name for “resolution” during this time of new beginnings – we must keep an eye upon our destination as we intentionally seek direction along the way in order to achieve positive forward growth. A simple guide to use as we set these objectives could be the acronym S.M.A.R.T. Being smart about our choices, alternatives and options is probably the best way to insure that our resolutions come true during the coming year. Expanding this simple acronym, remember to:

Be SPECIFIC about what you want to accomplish. When we say specifically what we need to do, how we want to change, what we seek to accomplish, and what we expect because of our actions, we have a far better chance to succeed. If we enter a process having poorly conceived expectations and an inadequate definition of what constitutes success we will never know when we are done so we will be unable to bring closure. Being specific means knowing WHAT you want to do, WHY it is important, HOW you will address it, and WHO else should be involved to bring your specific goal to fruition. Resolving to “be a better person” is a great statement but what does it mean – and who would you have determine the success (or failure) of the change?

Utilize MEASURABLE STANDARDS to monitor progress and identify completion. While you might be able to accomplish much in spite of yourself, you must be able to measure progress in order to manage the process. Accomplishing an objective without relying upon landmarks along the way is like sleeping through an open-ocean crossing – you might make it to the coast but may not end up in the proper port unless you have measured your progress (and made decisions based on that progress) along the way. If you want to lose weight your goal will be more attainable if you say that you “want to lose 10 pounds in the next thirty days” than if you choose to “lose a lot of weight” without establishing when it will be accomplished or how much you wish to lose.

Set ATTAINABLE goals. Individuals setting New Year’s Resolutions often fail within this area. Too often people set their sights on the destination rather than focusing upon each individual step along the way. When we focus only upon the destination we may lose sight of trail we must take, potentially losing track of the twists and turns that might otherwise simply slow our progress. Should we wander from the path by focusing solely upon our objective (rather than thinking about the road we must travel) we may become lost in a swamp, never returning to the right course. Set goals that are just beyond your reach. One can fill a basket with apples from the ground beneath a tree (though many will be bruised and damaged). Reaching just above the lowest branches – just higher than is comfortable – will assure a much better harvest. Wanting only apples from the top of the tree might produce great fruit but the risk of falling might counteract the gains in quality.

Be REALISTIC with what you want to accomplish. Typically we must avoid the use of absolutes when establish goals. Saying things like “I will never break the speed limit” may be an admirable objective but probably not a realistic goal. Saying that “I will never eat sweets” may be commendable but cutting down a bit at a time – using measurable steps and definable markers along the way – is a much better way to accomplish your overall objective. (A friend once said that she was going to “give up purchasing chocolate for Lent,” an objective that DID NOT keep her from eating chocolate that someone else purchased.) The best way to run a race is one-step at a time – trying to cross the finish line before you have run the course is not terribly realistic.

Establish TIMELY parameters for the accomplishment of your goals AND for each step along the way. Once you have established specific goals or stated actionable resolutions that are measurable, attainable and realistic you must set a timeframe for their accomplishment. If you try to look too far down the road while travelling you will invariably lose your way amongst the clutter of everyday life. If you embark on your trip without a map, a compass, a set of instructions (or a Garmin), you may never make it to the end on time unless you define when you will be at each juncture of your journey. Keeping track of time keeps us on track most of the time. Do not be swept up in the “we will get there when we get there” mentality – intentionally seek results in order to finish the race in a strong manner. As a final timely note, do not make quiet resolutions. Shouting them from the rooftops (or at least sharing them with at least one other person) can lead to accountability and insure they are accomplished.

Be S.M.A.R.T.when establishing goals and making resolutions, S.M.A.R.T. when moving towards their accomplishment, S.M.A.R.T. when monitoring progress and S.M.A.R.T. by bringing closure to one goal before immersing yourself in the next. Utilizing S.M.A.R.T. process control truly ensures success – step forward by demonstrating your “S.M.A.R.T.(s)” today – both in your professional AND your personal life!