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!