A Fish That Thinks It Is Stupid

-by Matt Leedham

I love when pithy quotes smack you upside the head. Shakespeare wrote in Hamlet (Act 2, Scene 2) “brevity is the soul of wit,” which is in itself is both brief and witty. Bravo, Mr. Shakespeare.

Albert Einstein also said some interesting things in his day, but I saw a quote yesterday that really grabbed my attention.

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

How many times have you judged yourself for (pick one):

• Not being successful enough?
• Not being the ideal weight?
• Not driving the right car?
• Not being better at sales?
• Not being a good public speaker?
• Not being an extrovert?
• Not being ____________ (insert something you lack)?

What is the truth? I mean really…what is the TRUTH?

Need help? Ok, ok. The TRUTH is that you are a fish! You are a fish and you’re trying to climb a tree. Not only are you a fish that is trying to climb a tree, but you’re beating yourself up over your inability to climb that tree!

Sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it? It’s silly judge yourself for not being a great climber when the reality is that you are an awesome little swimmer.

The point is, quit living in a constant state of “lack.” You don’t lack anything. You have gifts and talents that are unique to you. If you’re good at swimming, quit trying to climb things and just go swim. If you’re good at developing relationships, quit trying to balance budgets and just go talk to others. If you’re good at teaching others, quit trying to sell yourself and just go teach.

Find the fish within you and discover your true self. Offer that gift to the world and enjoy the experience. After all, if you’re a good swimmer, it’s usually quite fun to swim!

Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #34

By Jaime Willis

Sometimes, our heroic acts look just like normal life.  The video below is of a volunteer firefighter who didn't quite get the heroic moment he was looking for.

Courtesy of ted.com

I Am A Creative Genius

-by Matt Leedham

No, I didn’t figure out the meaning of life (although I might be close). No, I didn’t discover a cure for cancer. No, I didn’t invent the next Facebook, or build a new Taj Mahal, or stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

I just am who I am. And who I am is a creative genius.

Don’t believe me? Frankly, that is of little importance. What matters is that I believe it and choose to live that way.

This past weekend, I spent 30 hours with some incredible people. We found ourselves on a train to Whoville. That’s our way of describing the process of getting to know who you really are. The ‘what’ and the ‘how’ in life pales in comparison to the ‘who.’ And when the ‘who’ becomes clear to you, the ‘how’ and the ‘what’ seem to take care of themselves.

My process for discovering this was simple, but not easy. It was emotional, yet completely logical. It was straight-forward and indirect at the same time. The truth of the matter is, I didn’t know what it was, but knew it all along.

This post may be confusing to you, but it makes perfect sense to me. My commitment to you going forward is to reveal the truth and be who I am. I think you’ll receive a lot more value out of that anyway. Thanks for bearing with me!

Why charging for your services builds better client relationships

By Jaime Willis

Matt and I just returned from our final three-day coaching workshop. In just a few short weeks, we'll complete this journey and be certified coaches!

Each of these weekends is an amazing learning and growth experience for everyone there and this weekend was no exception.

In one of our many conversations, we began talking about someone's inner critic about charging clients for their coaching services. This gremlin shows up a lot, especially for women, and it isn't just about charging (or selling), it's about giving and saying no.

Giving your talents and skills away is a beautiful thing. When you offer to help someone else out -- you fix their computer, babysit their kids, drive carpool, cook a lovely meal, you feel great about yourself and you've really helped someone else out. Great, right?

In Guy Kawasaki's book Enchantment, he says that if you truly want to build a relationship with someone else, you have to give them the opportunity to pay you back. Think about this for a moment as the reciever. If someone keeps helping you out -- they've driven carpool for you once, then twice, then three times in the recent past and you haven't had a chance to "pay them back." How do you feel? Guilty? Reluctant to call them again? Sure, that's so understandable! You want to 'even up' the relationship before asking them for another favor, and if you aren't in a position to even up the relationship, it's really hard to stay in touch.

In energy levels, when you give something away, you operate out of Level 4 energy. Level four is a great, clean, constructive energy to be in. But what happens if you give and give and give? Slowly, you stop operating out of a Level 4 and you sink to a Level 2 or a Level 1, don't you? At first, you are happy to give, then you may feel angry (level 2) or taken advantage of (level 1).

image courtesy of lapiana.org

That's why Level 5 energy, the win-win energy, is higher than level 4. When you give from a Level 5 energy, it's a win for both parties. So both people feel great about the situation and both people enjoy the relationship. Giving at a level 5 doesn't mean that you can't ever volunteer again or someone should always pay you -- there are lots of ways to win-win. I remember going to volunteer at a nursing home in high school -- the residents there really enjoyed it when we came and sang for them. But it was really neat for us to sit down with the residents afterwords and hear some of the amazing stories about their lives. Win-win!

If you want to build a strong relationship with your friends, family, or clients, do it from a Win-win. When you charge for your services, you are allowing your client the gift of returning your favor. Stronger relationships are built when everyone wins.

Improving...

By Jaime Willis

I am a messy person.

Very messy.

Noteworthy messy.

Most of the fights, groundings, and disappointing notes I got from my parents growing up had something to do with cleaning my room.

Thirty-five years later, not much has changed.  Left to my own devices, my apartment, my office, my car, and any other space I occupy gets disorderly, cluttered, and then ridiculously overwhelmed with stuff in short order.

This year, I decided that I was sick of being a messy person and wanted to become a neater person.

I spent twelve weeks with a coach of my own devoted to the topic of cleaning and organizing my apartment.  Yes, you read that right.  TWELVE weeks.  THREE months.  Devoted to cleaning.

And, at the end of three months, my coach and I came to a very clear conclusion.  Neat and clean is something I am just not capable of being.  My values don't align with prioritizing housework over ANYTHING else.  My working style doesn't align with doing routine tasks (as an aside -- take a Kolbe if you get a chance -- this assessment is so enlightening!)

I was striving to BE someone I am not.

Instead, I decided that, although I'd like to live neater, I cannot be the one to make that happen.  And then I hired a housekeeper.

You guys.  Seriously.  This was one of the single best decisions I've ever made for myself.

My housekeeper Olga and her crew came in and cleaned my house to within an inch of its life.  It has literally NEVER been cleaner in my house than it is right now.  And I didn't have to do ANY of it.
It is glorious.  And totally worth giving up television for (I am using my cable money to pay for a cleaner).

I spent a lot of time being angry, guilty, and ashamed with myself for not being a "neat" person.  I thought if I could just 'get better' at it, I'd be a better person.  Guess what? We can't all be good at everything.  My mother is an AMAZING homemaker. Her house is always tidy, she cooks wonderful meals, and is so hospitable with guests that hotels should take notes.  I didn't get that gene from her.   Instead of worrying about what I am not, I have finally accepted what I am, which allowed me to solve the "problem" in a completely different way.

And I am so happy!

Mastermind Groups

-by Matt Leedham

Napoleon Hill, author of the timeless 1937 classic Think and Grow Rich, proposes this concept:

“No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind [the master mind].”

Mastermind groups bring together 4-10 people that share some specific interest, opportunity or challenge. Through structured dialog, they share ideas, brainstorm, create solutions, and experience share with each other for both the collective good of the group, and more specifically the individual benefit of shared brainpower on an isolated challenge.

Velocity will soon be offering Mastermind Groups. The concept has been around for a long time, but some of you may still not be completely clear on what it is or how it can benefit you.

A Mastermind Group will form a trusted network of advisors that want to see you succeed. Confidentiality is a critical component, as is every participant’s full commitment. The environment of trust and respect is so high, that digging deep on business or personal challenges and opportunities will quickly result in some of the following benefits:

• Increased knowledge and/or new skill sets
• Instant and honest feedback on challenges you may be facing
• Group brainstorming and experience sharing around opportunities available to you
• A trusted network that believes in your success
• Accountability partners and challenge buddies that push you to the next level
• A facilitated, productive discussion that yields results

A Mastermind Group is not a lead-generating networking group. Naturally, connections and resources are shared, but that is not the primary intent of the group. A Mastermind Group is not a group coaching session or a training class. The facilitator will guide the discussion for the purpose of productivity, but the participants create the agenda and are the primary source of ideas and information.

Other perks and benefits from a Mastermind Group are guest speakers, books, articles, message boards, and other resources to help you continue to grow.

Mastermind Groups have been around for centuries. This is not a new concept, but it is clearly an effective one. If your interest is piqued by this model of self improvement and group growth, email us! We are particularly interested in those that are in the education space, small business entrepreneurs, and health and wellness providers (e.g. physical therapists, chiropractors, masseuses, etc.).

Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #33

By Jaime Willis

Today's inspiration is a funny one and a nerdy one, but inspiring nonetheless.

HT: redditor ss300oogle

Have a great Wednesday y'all!

The Process

-by Matt Leedham

Examining your life and/or career can be an emotional journey, often clouded by insecurities, fear, passion, and ego. What can be challenging to remember is that growth often comes from a process. It’s not good enough to just explore your thoughts, emotions, actions, goals, values, vision, etc. You need to walk through the process of advancement…of forward movement…to make lasting, sustainable change.

So, what is the process?

Well, it’s different for everyone. You may be asking yourself, “if the process is different for everyone, how can it be a process?” Great question!

Everyone is unique and requires a different formula for growth. The ingredients often remain the same, but the recipe is slightly different. As a coach, working with someone on personal or professional growth, we would start with these ingredients:

Be Aware: We will dig deep on your values, your vision, and your purpose. You will take an Energy Leadership Index assessment and explore who you are and where you want to go.

Be Balanced: We will examine how your roles in life are impacted by each other. We will then learn how to apply what we’ve uncovered from your values and vision to achieve more balance in your life.

Go Conquer: With a solid foundation in awareness and balance, we will build targeted action plans to conquer your vision and reach your full potential.

Then there are those that already have a huge goal or project they want to accomplish. Similarly, there is a process for advancement. Again, every process is different, but here are the ingredients:

Sparking: This is the passion you bring to your life, your goals, or a project. Creating and using fire is what separates us from all other sentient beings, and passion, or "spark," is what separates achievers from non-achievers. In a group context, spark is also creating buy-in, so everyone is passionate about the goal/project.

Revving: Once you have a flame going, you have to keep fanning the flame to increase your energy around the spark. Revving your engines is part of the Energy Leadership Index. You need to maximize your perspective and attitude to opportunities and challenges.

Orbiting: Orbiting is building the track for your goal. If you are not in orbit, you will have difficulty reaching your goal. Orbits (aka, values) keep you focused. Also, orbits have a strong gravitational pull, conserving your power. The more you are out of orbit, the more power you will burn to get to your goal, and the harder success will be.

Forecasting: See the future. Plan with the end in sight. Your forecast (aka, vision) should be as specific as possible, involve all your senses, and be reviewed daily.

Atomic Planning: Atomic Planning has two components. First, you will identify the big, audacious goal. Atomic energy is the most powerful energy in our universe, so GO BIG! Second, you will plan the smallest possible steps. Atomic planning means that you have a huge goal with lots of tiny steps. The more steps, the easier it is to rack up wins. The more wins you rack up, the more likely you are to continue.

Viral Solving: Viruses adapt, adapt, adapt. When you take on a challenge like a virus, you know that there are millions of ways of overcoming the obstacle. Use your resources and networks, uncover assumptions and limited beliefs, and stay creative. A virus wins because a virus is always evolving to beat the odds.

Fireworking: When you've achieved your goal, you have to celebrate. Transition rituals are empowering (think bachelorette party, sweet 16, wedding) and provide closure (funerals, retirement parties, going away parties). When you take time to celebrate, you also rev your engines, providing the SPARK for the next big goal.

Following the process and using these steps as you encounter challenges and new opportunities will guide you down the right path for you. Each path is different, as is each process, but in the end, these ingredients yield success!

There are no mistakes.

By Jaime Willis

There are no mistakes.

Gut check -- how does that sentence resonate with you?  For me, this coaching concept was a really tough one and something I am still learning from every day.

When Matt and I went to our first coach training module -- three grueling and invigorating 10 hour days --  I flatly rejected this concept as it was taught in class.  I remember very clearly Matt and I having an emotional discussion on the car ride home one day from class about how some choices we make are mistakes, plain and simple.   We agreed that the best path from a "bad experience" was to learn from it, grow, and move on emotionally, but we weren't able to convince the other how to label the original experience.

When we label something as a "mistake" or as "bad," we begin to judge ourselves or others, and this is when the real problem comes in.  When we judge, we lose the ability to love unconditionally.  I strongly believe our core purpose on Earth is, above all, to embody Love.

Over the past six weeks, I have really been working on this concept.  I've been thinking a lot about things I have struggled with in my past and realized that all of my experiences, "good" or "bad," have put in the position I am today.  A "bad" experience is just training and preparing me -- building the skill set I'll need to deal with something in my future.

Really embracing this concept allows me to experience the "bad" stuff differently.  Over the last six weeks, I have been trying to buy my first house.  I've crunched the numbers a thousand times, I've enlisted the help of an agent, I've visited countless listings online and made multiple trips to visit homes.  I've drawn floor plans, called zoning boards, started relationships with contractors, home inspectors, and mortgage brokers.

I've made three offers, none of which were accepted.

Buying a home is probably one of the most emotional business transactions I've ever been involved in.  Your home is an expression of who you are, so finding the right property with the right features in the right neighborhood at the right price is tough.  Finding it over and over again is tougher.

But, throughout this process, I have really come to accept that there are no mistakes.  I know that I will get the property that I am meant to get.  I know that the properties I didn't get, even though I have full floor plans for them, were preparing me for something better.  With each property I lose, I gain a bit more knowledge of what I want and how to get it in this housing market.  By the time I actually buy a home, I'll be an expert on the "right" property for me.

Losing these properties is hard, but I think there is, ultimately, a reason for my experience.  I'm learning and growing.

There are no mistakes.

Detached Intention

-by Matt Leedham

The more I work with clients, the more they are becoming comfortable setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and action plans. They continue to achieve and hold themselves accountable. However, I am beginning to see a common challenge around goal setting and achievement. Things become a little dicey when you attach yourself to the goal's outcome. This can be particularly devastating for entrepreneurs, or anyone that is in sales, or anyone that needs to influence others.

When we attach ourselves to the end result, we essentially depend on others to define our worth. When we hand over the reigns to someone else, we give up the choice of what to think and feel.

Let's say that you are a salesperson. Your job is to sell 10 widgets a month. Each month, you do all that is necessary to sell 10 widgets - e.g., you have all the proper training, you do all the necessary research on your target clients, you network with others to build a pipeline of business, etc. To your knowledge, you've done everything you can think of to be successful.

The result: You only sell 6 widgets this month.

What are you likely to feel like? Did you fail? More importantly, are you a failure? Is it your fault? Are you not good enough?

People that say the don't like sales, or aren't any good at it, usually have an emotional attachment to the outcome. It is very easy, especially for those that are new to sales, to feel like they did something wrong and are not worthy of the sale. But what's the truth?

Those that are good at sales may have refined their technique over the years, but to stick it out in a "no thank you" environment, you need to shift your perspective. You need to engage in the process, not the outcome.

For any baseball fans out there, you'll completely understand this. Without a doubt, baseball is a game of massive failure. In fact, failure happens much more than success. Think about batting averages. A very good hitter in the Major Leagues will have a batting average of around .300. That means that this incredible hitter (who is likely paid millions of dollars a year), is failing 7 out of 10 times when they step up to home plate. If these great hitters emotionally tied themselves to every outcome, you'd see Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Adrian Gonzalez crying in the dugout each night.

I've come to learn that setting goals is a great way to manage yourself for things that are 100% within your control. For everything else, I prefer to use the word intention.

For example, going back to the widgets, selling the widgets is not entirely up to you. You don't have complete control over the process. You cannot control the financial resources of your clients, or whether or not the timing is right for each client. What you can control is your actions directed at selling widgets.

In this example then, selling 10 widgets is your intention. The goal then, based on your experience, is to call 50 prospective clients and do 25 demos each month. Now, you've tied your value to the things you can control, and have detached yourself from the outcome.

This doesn't mean that you don't care about the outcome. Of course you do! You're just not emotionally connected to it in a way that may make you feel unworthy to succeed. So, knowing this, if you call 50 prospective clients, and do 25 demos, and only sell 6 widgets, what is a likely response?

Perhaps you would say, "Hmmm...I've done everything I thought I needed to do to sell 10 widgets, but it didn't work out this month. I wonder what the opportunity is here to try something different next month? Perhaps the economic climate has shifted and I need to tweak my strategy."

This is the perspective of successful sales people. This is a smarter way to work. Don't beat yourself up and just work harder. Instead, work differently. You have what you need to be successful, you just need to find the opportunity.

Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #32

By Jaime Willis

Energy Leadership Index - The Assessment

-by Matt Leedham

We have written about different energy levels and Energy Leadership a lot in the last few months. But a lot of you still have questions about what Energy Leadership is and what the Energy Leadership Index is and how it can benefit you.

What is Energy Leadership?
Whether we accept it or not, we are all leaders. Some of us are leaders of billion dollar companies. Some of us are leaders of small, entrepreneurial businesses. Some of us are leaders in a department or team at work. Some of us are leaders in the community, or at home, or in your faith. And even if you don’t consider yourself a leader in any of those categories, you are most certainly a leader in the most important category of all: yourself.

You are definitely the leader of you…and you have a lot of important decisions to make. In fact, that is an important distinction to make. For the purposes of this discussion on leadership (or really any discussion on leadership), leadership = decision making. How you make decisions and choices essentially defines you as a leader.

Energy Leadership refers to your ability to lead with your energy. That is, harnessing your energy at different stages to make decisions that benefit you and those around you.

What are the 7 Levels of Energy?
The Energy Leadership Index is based on 7 Levels of Energy. Bruce Schneider, founder of the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching designed this model to describe how different energy can show up in our lives. Essentially, the 7 Levels focus on the Core Thought/Emotion/Action model. Let’s review the 7 Levels here. Below them is also the Energetic Self-Perception Chart.

To break the levels down into easy to understand language, let’s think of them in terms of winning and losing.

Level 1: I lose. Level 1 is victim energy -- think of Eeyore's "woe is me" attitude.

Level 2: You lose. This level is all about blame and anger. If something is wrong in my life, it's your fault.

Level 3: I win. This is the first level with more anabolic (constructive) than catabolic (destructive) energy. You take responsibility for your actions and you make stuff happen.

Level 4: You win. This is the quintessential "mom" level -- you want the best for others, so you will do whatever it takes to help them achieve.

Level 5: We both win. This level is all about opportunity -- no matter what the situation, you can find the opportunity in it and work to find the win-win for everyone.

Level 6: We always win. This level is all about the experience. It doesn't matter if it is "good" or "bad," the experience is worth the ride.

Level 7: Winning and losing are illusions. This is the highest level of consciousness, when you are connected directly to your higher power and are experiencing absolute joy.

What is the Energy Leadership Index?
The Energy Leadership Index (ELI) is an assessment that highlights how you perceive people, situations, and the world around you. The assessment measures 3 things:

1. Your current leadership potential (your ability to inspire yourself and others into action)
2. Your current level of engagement (how emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically engaged you are with what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with)
3. You current level of consciousness (your awareness of who you truly are vs. who you think you are or who/what you act like)

This assessment differs from other assessments in that it is an attitudinal assessment. Other assessments out there (e.g. Myers Briggs Type Indicator, D.I.S.C., etc.) are personality-based assessments. They are very useful at helping you identify your strengths and weaknesses so that you can best operate within those definitions to be effective. The ELI assessment is unique in that it is a snapshot of where you are today, how you view the world, and where you are spending most of your energy each day. The reason that this is so important is because you can change, or shift, your energy at any given time. Rather than being labeled or defined, this tool allows you to make informed choices about how to improve the way you perceive the world.

How is this Assessment Applicable to Me?
The ELI assessment is useful in a variety of scenarios, ranging from business to education to personal to non-profit to faith-based organizations.

Business: The ELI is useful to business leaders that want to shift their own awareness to have greater impact in the organization. The ELI is also useful with employees, particularly if you are trying to define or change the company/department culture.

Education: The ELI can assist education leaders and administrators that are looking to gain insight into how they can best use their energy in a challenging environment. The ELI can also be used with teachers that wan to bring higher levels of energy into the classroom, thereby having a significant impact on children.

Personal: The ELI can help you first understand with more clarity how you see the world around you and how you can use your energy to achieve more and be fulfilled.

Non-Profit: The ELI is extremely useful in shifting decision making for non-profit leaders that have limited resources.

Faith-Based: The ELI and the 7 Levels of Energy are very aligned with many of the teachings of traditional religions and can be used in conjunction with other spiritual constructs.

What are the next steps?
If you have questions about the Energy Leadership Index assessment, or think it might be useful for you or your organization, please contact Matt or Jaime for more information. We would love to discuss your needs and how this assessment might be the critical piece you need to make the shift you or your organization needs.

All You Need is Love

By Jaime Willis

Happy Monday, achievers!! I want to give a Happy Birthday shout out to my fabulous business partner, Matt Leedham.  Matt and I have known each other for eleven years and worked together in three different jobs.  Matt is one stand-up guy -- he is professional, he is thoughtful, he is gregarious, and he is always willing to take on a challenge.  I couldn't have picked a better business partner to start a company with. (I only stress the business part, as many people have come to the false conclusion that we are also life partners.  That position is reserved for his awesome wife, Yu Jin, who he loves without measure.) He's had my back innumerable times, personally and professionally, and I trust him implicitly.  Thanks, ML, for being the awesome you that you are. Happy Birthday!

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Speaking of Birthdays and Shout-outs, I wanted to talk a little bit about gratitude today.  One blogger I read recently did a 30-day "trial" of  love and gratitude, in which she told someone in her life every single day for 30 days how much they meant to her.  She encouraged her readers to do the same, and the results were amazing.

Readers commented:

"Without an exception, I ended up going so deep with each person, and it gave them a chance to tell me how much they love me too."

"It’s interesting because I think most people expect complaints, and when they get love instead, it just sort of blows them away. I loved the experience."

"I had the best reaction from my father. I’ve never really told him how much I love him, and more importantly, WHY I love him. He was so touched by what I said that he had tears streaming down his face. Then I started tearing up myself. It was crazy, but so cathartic. I haven’t had that amazing a connection with my father in decades."

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Yesterday, so many of us reflected on the ten years that have passed since the September 11 attacks.  I was in Washington, D.C. when the planes hit the World Trade Center and Pentagon.  I remember waking up to the radio and the normal shock-jock DJ was talking about a plane crashing.  In my morning stupor, I thought the radio host was doing some sort of "War of the Worlds" style spoof.  It wasn't until I turned on my television that I saw that his reporting was real and our cities were actually being attacked.

I remember my mom frantically trying to get a hold of me on my cell phone, which took hours as America lit up the telephone lines checking on loved ones.  She wouldn't let me get off the phone until she heard me filling my bathtub with water, convinced that I needed to be prepared to bunker down in my apartment for days or weeks.  I kept the water in my tub for two days before feeling ok to drain my tub.  I, like everyone else, spent the entire day at home watching the news and trying to make sense of what had happened.

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When tragedy, big or small, strikes us, our reactions vacillate from anger, horror, sadness, relief, and even gratitude.  We often find a moment, like many of us did yesterday, to be grateful for those still in our lives and fondly remember those who were lost so abruptly ten years ago.

Although remembrances and memorials are great, don't wait for tragedy to tell your friends and family you care about them.  Find time each day and week to express your love.  Like Erin's readers above, you'll benefit as much as the recipient from having a stronger, truer bond to those you care about most.

With all my love --

Jaime

Rain, Rain, and More Rain

-by Matt Leedham

If you live on the East Coast of the U.S., you are likely drenched from head to toe. It has been raining for what seems like a week now. And this has not just been like an Irish mist that produces rainbows (and sometimes leprechauns), but more like Amazonian rainfall that washes small villages away.

Upon reflecting on the rain, I thought about all of the idioms, expressions, and metaphors about rain, and really love two of them:

When it rains, it pours

When it rains, you get wet

They’re so similar, yet have completely different meanings. The possible meanings actually multiply depending on your perspective.

Think of the Levels of Energy we’ve been discussing. How would someone operating at Level 1 view the expression “when it rains, it pours”? He or she might say something like, “there are so many challenges and things keep getting worse and worse.”

How about someone at Level 5? The response might be, “wow, the challenges are multiplying….what’s the best opportunity for me here?” Very different!

How would someone at Level 1 respond to “when it rains, you get wet”? The response might be, “darn it, every time it rains, I get wet!”

At Level 5? How about, “every time it rains, I get wet!” But there’s more… “How can I have fun with this?”

There’s another expression, not related to rain, that I think is beautiful.

It’s always darkest just before dawn.

That’s a very Level 5 way to look at things.

Many years ago, I found a humorous poster that poked fun at the expression above. Jokingly, this is a Level 1 way to look at darkness. Hope you get a kick out of it!

It's always darkest just before it goes pitch black.

Weekly Wednesday Inspiration #31

-By Jaime Willis

I urge you to please notice when you are happy and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, 'If this isn't nice, I don't know what is.' -Kurt Vonnegut

Image by Balen55

The Tyranny of "Or"

-by Matt Leedham

Last week I heard an expression for the first time:

“Reject the tyranny of ‘or’ and embrace the genius of ‘and.’”

I can’t get this out of my mind lately and as I’ve shared it with a few people, they seem to gravitate and latch onto it too. Why? My guess is that many of us find ourselves limiting our solutions, possibilities, and outcomes with this A or B type thinking, and it feels restrictive.

The concept is similar to something I’ve been saying for the last six months when clients or friends, or anyone really, present a challenge, and then finish with “So, I can either do this, or this…”

My response? “So, you’ve presented me with Option A and Option B. That’s a tough choice.” And they nod in agreement.

And then from me, the punch line: “You know, there are 24 other letters in the alphabet.”

Why just limit yourself to two choices? How about Option C, D, E, F, G, H, etc.? Let’s get creative here. If you’re going to make a choice between options, let’s really get all of the options on the table.

The genius of “and” comes in when you get deeper into the alphabet and Option L is simply a combination of Option D and H. With a combination lock, the choices in the combination of numbers to choose from goes up exponentially every time you add one more possible number. For example, a 2-digit lock with numbers 0-9 has 100 possible combinations. A 3-digit lock has 1,000 possible combinations. And 4-digit lock has 10,000 possible combinations. You can apply the same logic to your options and come with an abundance of choices.

This can come out in a variety of ways:

1. “To lose weight, I have to stop going out with my friends or exercise for 2 hours a day.”
2. “To run a business, I can either be nice or make a profit.”
3. “To buy a new home, I have to save 20% or risk all my assets.”
4. “To change careers, I have to save 6 months of expenses or find a higher paying job.”
5. “To train for a marathon/triathlon/race, I have to give up sleep or give up my social life.”

Clearly, these aren’t the only options. There are other ways to procure a home without having to put 20% down or risk everything else you own. There are ways to incorporate nutrition and exercise in your diet without sacrificing your personal/social relationships.

When you read this as an objective 3^rd party, this may all seem very clear to you. The challenge is when you are stuck in “the forest” of your life, and can’t see past the trees. In those moments, you sometimes forget that there are more options then “go left” or “go right.”

Tip: Talk to people about your goals, share your ideas and challenges, and get external feedback. Many times, someone else’s perspective is enough to defeat the tyranny of “or” and get you to the genius of “and.”

The Hand You Were Dealt

By Jaime Willis

Imagine that your life is one big card game. In the game, you can Shuffle, Deal, Play, or Toss in.

Shuffle
This stage can be exhausting, exciting, and sometimes both. The previous stage of your life is over, and a new one has not yet begun. You may be exhausted and worn out by the previous stage and use this time to reflect and restore your energy. You may be excited about all the new opportunities that await you and look forward to jumping back in the game.

Deal
This stage is really a time of action. You have chosen which new experience you want to get involved in and you are taking all the right steps to make it happen. In this stage, you feel confident and optimistic about the outcome of your game and ready to take on the challenges that arise.

Play
This stage is where the real work comes in. In order to meet your goal, you need to stay the course, through the good and bad times. Your goal may become unclear as new information presents itself or new obstacles arise. You may feel like you've bitten off more than you can chew, or feel overwhelmed by the work. On the other hand, you may feel energized by your work and excited to be a part of the game.

Toss In
This is the ending of this stage of your life. You may have gotten all you wanted out of this stage and feel satisfied and ready to move on. You may have chosen to do something different and as a result need to end this stage of the game. Your ending may be a positive or negative one, but you will feel a sense of loss and mourning either way.

Think about where you are in certain aspects of your life -- what stage of the game are you in? Are you looking for a new position that better fits your career goals (shuffle)? Are you making plans and taking the steps to buy a new home (deal)? Are you enjoying the camaraderie of training for a marathon with your teammates (play)? Are you moving to new city (toss in)?

Need help getting through the transition? Check out my previous post on Changes.

In the Trenches

-by Matt Leedham

Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending a quarterly training on sales and marketing for small business entrepreneurs. It was part of the Accelerator Program of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization. There were about 25 business owners there, all striving to make it to the next level. The next level may include revenue, reach (local, regional, national, or global), profitability, balance, etc.

What was abundantly clear is that everyone there wanted to grow their business without completely sacrificing their personal lives. Each owner had unique challenges, but the common bond of wanting growth and being a maverick in the business world, created quick bonds and open sharing of ideas and experiences.

There’s something incredibly attractive about a group like this. They’re in the trenches, taking risks, and making things happen. It’s a unique combination of business acumen and reckless abandon. I love it!

Here are a few takeaways from my experience:

1. Inspect what you expect.
2. “Where some see clouds, others see an opportunity to sell umbrellas.” (Sounds like Level 5 Energy)
3. What’s your competitive advantage? What can you do that no one else does?
4. “Reject the tyranny of ‘or’ and embrace the genius of ‘and.’”
5. Are you busy, or productive?
6. “From day one, we had a healthy disregard for the impossible.” – Larry Page of Google
7. “The aim of marketing is to know and understand your customer so well that the product or service fits him and sells itself.” – Peter Drucker
8. Map your sales process from beginning to end – where is the opportunity?
9. Constantly assess your product or service through evaluations, surveys, and feedback. Make adjustments and recalculate if necessary.
10. Always be open to learning from anyone or anything around you.

An entrepreneur needs to keep growing and learning or they may be destined for an early exit. Even the most successful entrepreneurs out there are hungry to learn more. We heard from a guest speaker, Devin Schain of Campus Direct. Devin has had three successful ventures, one of which generated hundreds of millions in revenue. He has sold multiple companies, and invests in many others.

Devin made it abundantly clear that the phrase “it was a good learning experience” is a euphemism for “things didn’t quite go so well.” He used that phrase multiple times as he described the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. And even after all the success he’s had along the way, he’s a self-admitted life-long learner. You have to be hungry to shift and adapt with the times, and always be open to learning something new.

Continue to grow. Continue to adapt. Always be learning.