One Small Step for Humankind

-by Matt Leedham

We’ve all heard about Thomas Edison and his 10,000 failed attempts at making the light bulb sustainable and affordable for all people to use.

We’ve all heard about the work ethic of a Tiger Woods or a Michael Jordan or a Michael Phelps.

There are countless other stories out there that demonstrate persistence, perseverance, and good old hard work.

But we don’t always recognize the small things. We don’t always see the tiny actions that so many of us take on a daily, and sometimes hourly basis, to make progress.

I’ve come to realize that movement is essential to progress. Every great achiever has something in common. They tried.

That’s it.

They tried. And then tried again. And again. And again. They tried over and over again until they started to get better and people started to recognize their “talent.” Over time, people start talking about the work ethic, the effort, the focus.

But it all starts with that first moment. That first attempt to do something.

Think about it. How can you improve upon something you’ve never done before? You can’t. You can only mull it over in your head for so long.

Take that first step, friends. Get out there and give it a try.

What’s the first step, you ask? You could click on the video below…

Tell us how you will take action today and try something new, or something you’ve always wanted to try. Leave a comment below.

2012: Massive and Immediate Action

-by Matt Leedham

My New Year’s resolution is to not write about New Year’s Resolutions.

No, this year is about massive and immediate action. In fact, you will begin to see the effects of that action shortly.

For starters, we’re launching a new website. Everything is in production and is coming along nicely. You will likely see us go live in the first week of January.

We’re also launching an exciting new program, designed by 4 professional coaches, focused on a method that will drive sustainable change for those that are inspired to grow in 2012.

Next, we have partnered with two other premier coaches to enhance our ability to offer you incredible content online, in our workshops, and in one-to-one coaching.

And finally, you will see the contributions of these two amazing coaches in our blog posts going forward. Keep an eye on a couple of new voices started next week!

For you, in 2012, I wish the following massive and immediate action:

• Love more
• Fear less
• Invest in yourself
• Express gratitude
• Develop deeper connections
• Be creative
• Know your unique talents
• Love your unique gifts
• Step into possibilities

Happy New Year from all of us at Velocity!

The Inspiration Crisis

-by Matt Leedham

Almost exactly 1 year ago, I wrote a short post called Inspiration is Perishable. I’m afraid this post is going to be even shorter.

My friends, if you get a bolt of inspiration, take bold and immediate action. I dare you. This is the Inspiration Crisis. You can do something, or do nothing.

I challenge you to do something powerful, different, and impactful when the moment strikes.

Four months ago, my post Pay it Backward was read by more people than 20 of my normal posts combined. People shared it and spread the word. It was incredible. I couldn’t understand why at first. I was just inspired, acted, and had an incredible experience helping someone else. I guess people resonate with that.

Well, it’s happened again. I’m inspired. And I’m taking bold and immediate action.

But inspiration is perishable, so I have to go.

If you want more information about what I’m planning or want to get involved in making a difference for some kids in need, email me.

Onward!

Choice of Thought

-by Matt Leedham

It has been said by some that an average adult in the U.S. makes over 10,000 decisions a day. I’ve even heard estimates as high as 35,000 decisions. Research has actually shown that adults will make just over 226 decisions a day about food alone.¹ The exact number of total decisions is not clear, but it's safe to say that we make a lot of decisions everyday (although if you are aware of research that makes it more clear, please leave a comment).

I’m fascinated by this topic because it astounds me. There is so much going on behind the scenes that it’s hard to keep up with. One way to “own your own experience” is to be clear on your personal core values and trust that the decisions you make, including the subconscious ones, will be at the very least driven by your values. I wrote about this here (amazingly, almost a year ago).

More than how my food decisions are driven by more core values, I am now consumed with choice of thought. This has become my primary focus lately as I have learned two things this past year:

1. Since I cannot control the external world around me, including any person within it, my thoughts are, indeed, the only thing I can control.
2. There is a “secret” formula to changing behavior, achieving success, and being fulfilled.

“Secrets?” you may ask. Don’t you just LOVE secrets?!

As I work with clients, this formula is always a discussion topic in the beginning, and is often the focal point of our work.

The point is that while our thoughts drive our emotions, it is our emotions that drive our actions. The key for all of us is to understand and examine our core thought at any given time so that it becomes a choice rather than an “external fact.” By being aware, or conscious, of the core thought inherently makes you able to choose whether to accept that thought or choose another one that is more beneficial to you.

This formula is applicable is so many scenarios. Are you dealing with a challenge that you can’t seem to figure out? Are you dealing with someone at work that is pushing your buttons? Do you want to start a business (or write a book, or find a life partner, or change careers, or lose weight, or…)?

When reflecting on your challenge, ask yourself the following 3 questions:

1. What is the thought that keeps replaying in my mind, over and over again?
2. When I have this thought, what feelings am I experiencing?
3. When I feel this way, what actions to I typically take?

Let’s use the example of changing careers. It’s not uncommon for someone to be unhappy in their job and want to find a new path. Often times I will hear something like, “I am so unsatisfied and want to make a change. But I have bills to pay at home and can’t risk any missed income or a lower salary. Plus I’ve been in this job for so long that I don’t think I have enough experience to do this other thing I want to do.”

What is the core thought that they are replaying in their mind?

Core Thought(s): “I don’t have what it takes to make this change happen. I’m not good enough to figure this out, so I’m not going to try.”

Now, if you had this core thought, how would you be feeling? Here’s how I would feel:

Core Emotion(s): Helpless, frustrated, dejected.

Now, if you were feeling this way right now, what are some typical ways you might behave? Here’s what I would do:

Core Action(s): Take no action, accept my current state of dissatisfaction, complain about my situation.

Now, here’s the power of this formula. Let’s do a “thought pattern interrupt.” If you could, what thought would you like to have when thinking about this challenge? Here’s how I would like to think:

Core Thought(s): I deliver value to my employer and clients. I am competent and hardworking. I deserve to find a career that is both satisfying and rewarding to me, and valuable to my employer.

Now, if you had this core thought, how would you be feeling? Here’s how I would feel:

Core Emotion(s): Empowered, hopeful, confident.

Now, if you were feeling this way right now, what are some typical ways you might behave? Here’s what I would do:

Core Action(s): Analyze my situation, prepare my personal situation for change, reach out to others for help and connections, do some research, and confidently display my value to others.

You see, by catching the process in the beginning at the core thought, you can completely interrupt the negative cycle and choose new ways to think, feel, and act.

This is the basis for change, for growth, and for fulfillment. Examine your thoughts…you may be surprise at what you find.

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¹ Wansink, Brian and Jeffrey Sobal (2007), “Mindless Eating: The 200 Daily Food Decisions We Overlook,” Environment and Behavior 39:1, 106-123.

Knowledge Without Action

-by Matt Leedham

“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
-Will Rogers

By no means have I got it all figured out. But I will acknowledge that I am good at learning something new and then, at least for a little while, trying it out in my life to see how it will work.

From time management skills, to communication methods, to exercise and diet ideas, to management techniques, to personal efficiency strategies, I’m always trying something new. I love to learn, but I love even more to experiment with what I have learned.

Not so strangely, this has not resulted in me becoming the perfect human. Far from it! But, what it has done is put a nice variety of tools in my little toolbox that I can use when I need them. For 10 years, I’ve been picking up little bits of wisdom from workshops, books, the internet, and all those bright people that have crossed my path. More importantly though, I’ve attempted to implement many of those ideas into my life as I learn.

I re-read the quote above this morning and couldn’t help but think of our latest class of achievers that attended our workshop this Saturday. After speaking with most of them, they’ve got a lot of thinking and reflecting to do. And that’s great! You should reflect on important matters like your who you are and where you want to go.

But it can’t stop there!

Try what you have learned. Share what you have learned. Try to teach someone else what you have learned. Put into action all that you have learned and you will make you, and everyone around you, better for it.

“The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.”
-Herbert Spencer

Pay It Forward

-by Matt Leedham

“Think of an idea to change the world – and put it into ACTION!”
- Kevin Spacey in Pay It Forward

“This is your assignment. Extra credit. It goes on all…year…long.”

I know it’s only Tuesday, friends, but I feel the need for inspiration. Sometimes it can seem a little unrealistic to try to change the world. Let’s face it. It’s hard, it’s time consuming, and it’s daunting. But how about...possible?

All of us have the ability to affect the immediate world around us. All of us have the power to change someone’s day by merely interacting with them in a positive way. All of us can change OUR world, and if we do, together we will create a ripple affect around the planet.

I recently came across this video of a simple man from Madurai, India who decided to change his world. He was a chef at a 5-star hotel. But something changed his life and he left all of his success behind to make an impact in his community.

I will leave you with this quote and hope that some of you are inspired to take action.

Monday: ACTION REQUESTED

-by Jaime Willis

Good Morning! It is a gorgeous day here in Washington D.C. today and I had a great weekend! As I was thinking about what to post today, I recalled all of the times I have said in the past that "I am going to start [that] on Monday."

Whatever the [that] is, Monday is the day we typically pick to start a new project, get rid of a bad habit, or try to build a new habit, isn't it? You may have spent the weekend over-indulging knowing that Monday was a new week.

Guess what, kids? It's Monday. It's time for ACTION!

Think of that goal that has been eluding you. Think of one thing you can do RIGHT NOW to push yourself even one step further to that goal. Now, go and DO IT. Right now. Seriously!

What smalls steps can you take right now that may be part of a big change?

• Throw away the pack of cigarettes in your pocket or purse. Right now.
• Get rid of the candy bar in your desk drawer. Right now.
• Sign up for a language class you've been meaning to take. Right now.
• Email the friend you wish you hadn't lost touch with. Right now.
• Put on your gym shoes and walk around the block. Right now.
• Register for a triathlon as you've always wished you were fit enough to complete. Right now.

Whatever your goal, there is something you can do RIGHT NOW.

It's Monday. Get it Done.

Small Steps for Big Changes - 10 Common Mistakes

-by Matt Leedham

Nearing the end of February, it is quite common to see the waning efforts of once excited and motivated people that had set big goals in January. What I have come to learn, both through personal experience and further research and study, is that we are not mentally strong enough to rely solely on willpower to make lasting behavioral change.

My suspicions were confirmed this morning as I stumbled across Stanford’s Persuasive Technology Lab. Through the science of Captology (Computers as Persuasive Technology), these guys study the influence that technology has on our lives. It’s quite fascinating stuff if you want to dig around to understand things like the Psychology of Facebook.

But what I found really interesting is this concise slideshow that shows us the 10 most common mistakes people make when trying to address behavioral change in the form of goal setting.

Quick Summary
Will power is hard to sustain. Rather, set yourself up with simple processes to rack up small wins. Recognize that the people, and things, and places you surround yourself with will affect your behavior. Focus on action, not avoidance, and make the changed behavior as easy as possible to do. Unfortunately, information isn’t enough to elicit action – we need triggers to set us in motion. Create SMART goals and actions. Being vague will result in your inaction.

And my personal favorite…

Don't assume that behavior change is difficult. If you can identify the right process, and put yourself in the right environment, you can make lasting, positive change in your life.

Trust Your Gut

-by Matt Leedham

“There is no such thing as a normal human being.” – Benjamin Carson, M.D. (ground-breaking pediatric neurosurgeon)

By nature, we are extraordinary. We have in us the ability to do amazing things. Stop thinking so much and trust your gut. Then act.

Research indicates you’d be more right than wrong if you just went with your first instinct. In fact, it is believed that humans have learned how to make quick decisions with limited data as a necessity for survival. Maturing as a species over centuries and generations we have become quite good at this.

There is a word for this phenomenon: heuristics. These are methods used to find a solution that is good enough when a more detailed search for information is not practical. Examples include “rule of thumb”, educated guesses, and common sense. (paraphrased from Wikipedia).

So think about where you see yourself in one year. Think about the goals you are setting for yourself. Are you trusting your gut? Are you asking too many questions and getting bogged down in the weeds? Have you always wanted to do something special but talk yourself out of it? Are you denying yourself the use of your innate heuristic abilities?

Trust your gut and take action. Do one thing you believe in today. The world will thank you for it.

New Year's Resolutions

- by Matt Leedham

It’s that time of year again. As New Year’s Day approaches, many of us are faced with the challenge of choosing (and hopefully sticking to) a New Year’s resolution.

But why do we do this? Why engage in this annual ritual?

The reason for setting resolutions on the first of the year has certainly evolved over the centuries, but a couple of things seem to be clear. The obvious is that the New Year represents a new start, a clean slate, and a chance to press the reset button. Our current interpretation of resolutions likely got its legs from religious traditions. Christians prefer to sacrifice a vice during Lent (e.g. chocolate, alcohol, TV, etc.) and from Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur Jews reflect on wrongdoings and seek to improve themselves. Many other religions and cultures share similar traditions during their New Year and high holidays.

This is all very interesting, but how effective are New Year’s resolutions? I’m fascinated by this topic every year when the gym seems to be packed in early January, but empty again in late February.

Professor Richard Wiseman is behind Quirkology, a collection of many interesting studies into daily living. Three years ago, his team tracked over 3,000 people that set New Year’s resolutions, including the most common ones of losing weight, working out, drinking less, volunteering more, etc.

Alarmingly, while 52% of respondents were confident of success, one year later only 12% actually achieved their goal. Yikes!

What he found in his study (and what we have found coaching people on goal achievement) is that you are much more likely to be successful if you set specific, measurable goals that have a deadline. In fact, Professor Wiseman found that 22% of men were more likely to achieve their resolution if they engage in proper goal setting techniques. He also found that telling others about your resolution and seeking support from friends and family was another important factor toward achievement. Specifically, women were 10% more likely to be successful when reaching out to others.

We want you to succeed this year! Here are three things you can do to dramatically improve your ability to succeed this January and beyond:

1. Set specific, measurable goals, with deadlines and checkpoints.
2. Use your network and resources to achieve your goal.
3. Sign up for our Goal Setting Workshop this Saturday (December 11th) where we'll teach you all of this in greater detail!

Just Do It

- by Matt Leedham

There comes a time when all of the writing, thinking, planning, etc. just needs to be put aside. Sometimes, it all comes down to one thing: action.

Four winters ago, before my wife and I were married, we walked home one January evening after dinner in Dupont Circle (Washington, DC). It must have been 15-20 degrees that night. And it was windy. As we approached my building, my wife noticed a man at the top of some stairs leading to a service entrance of the hotel across the street from my apartment. He was curled up in a ball, with no coat or blanket, visibly shivering. My fiancé (at the time) demanded that we do something. She was right. He might not have made it through the night. We called the city’s hypothermia hotline, grabbed a thick wool blanket from the apartment and ran back outside to let him know that help was on the way.

Ever since that night, my wife and I have casually talked about doing a coat drive among our networks of friends and colleagues. Every year around the holidays it kept coming up, but we never took action. There was always so much going on at work, or with family, or with travel. The usual excuses.

• Eight weeks ago in reflecting on my personal core values and what I wanted to accomplish in the coming year, I wrote down the goal of having a coat drive.
• Six weeks ago, I reviewed my goals and told my wife about it.
• Four weeks ago, I expanded on that goal, jotting down some ideas about next steps.
• Two weeks ago, I started telling some people about my plans.
• Last week I realized I hadn’t done anything about it and the depths of winter were approaching rapidly.
• This past weekend, disappointed that I still had not moved the ball forward, I committed to taking action on Monday.
• Yesterday, I made 3 phone calls: 1) to my friend who used to work in the wine industry, 2) to another friend who is a phenomenal amateur chef, and 3) to a non-profit dedicated to helping feed and clothe the homeless in the District.
• Today, my wife and I will be sending out an Evite to 50 friends and colleagues inviting them to our house on December 18^th for our First Annual Holiday Wine Tasting for the Homeless. Price of admission = $20 + all the lightly used winter clothing they can find in their homes.

When I boil all of this down and distill it into the truth, I find that making this dream a reality required me to make 3 phone calls and send one invitation. That’s about it. All together, maybe 30 minutes of my time.

Sometimes, you need to “just do it.” We all have resources and networks at our fingertips. We all have the ability to make things happen. Just do it. If you don’t think you have the resources to pull something like this off (or some other big idea you have), I challenge you. By virtue of reading this, you have the same resources I do. Just ask.

What about money, you say? Well the $20/person will cover the cost of the wine. The food is our holiday gift to our friends, family, and colleagues. And the winter clothing is free to collect and donate. Don't let money be an excuse. It's just a brain-teaser with many possible solutions.

The world can ill afford to wait for you to act. You have what you need. It is time to apply your education, knowledge, experience, and resources to improve humankind.

I wrote this one day in my journal a few months ago. The other day, it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Just do it.

So, what goal or dream do you have that's just been lying around collecting dust? Leave us a note or a story in the comment section below.

Strategies & Actions

- by Jaime Willis

This past Saturday, we held our first live Introductory Goal Setting Workshop! It was a lot of fun for Matt and I, and the participants had a blast too. If you missed it, no worries--we already have two additional workshops scheduled for December 11 and January 8, so sign-up today!

At Saturday's workshop, one of the questions participants asked was that we speak in a bit more detail about the difference between Strategies and Actions.

The backstory -- you should already have identified a SMART goal that you want to work on based on your Core Values and your Personal Vision. For the purposes of our discussion, let's assume your SMART goal is:

"To Make Two International Trips in the year 2011."

Strategies are like the big buckets you need to focus on to accomplish your SMART goal. What are some strategies for the goal above?

1) Choose trip locations & dates

2) Create trip budgets & savings plans

3) Research more about trip locations

4) Plan key outcomes for trips

5) Deal w/ Trip Logistics

If I want to make two international trips next year, I need to cover each of the areas mentioned above--I have to know where I am going, how I am paying for it, what it's like where I am going, what I want to do when I get there, and figure out the logistics of the trips (visas, shots, guides, packing, time off of work, traveling companions, plane tickets, accommodations, etc.).

Actions are all the steps you will need to take to complete a specific strategy. Since I already know where I am going (South Africa in February, Portugal in September), let's focus on the budget. In order to budget for the trips (Strategy #2), I need to take the following actions.

1) Confirm trip dates and price out airfare on those dates.

2) Research & price out accommodations for those dates.

3) Research cost of ground transportation for both trips (will I need to rent a car? If not, how much should I anticipate spending in taxis and other public transport?)

4) Know how far the US Dollar goes in each location. (This will help me estimate costs for food, experiences, and shopping).

5) Total up estimated expenses. Add 10-20% to each trip total, depending on how good

you are at sticking to your budgets on vacation.

6) Create a funding timeline -- usually, airfare needs to be bought month(s) in advance, so that is a large upfront cost. Accommodations are usually just reserved, but sometimes a deposit must be put down. Then, you need to have money saved to take on the trip.

7) Figure out how much you need to save each month to meet your budget, and where the money is coming from (in my case, I get a lot of my travel funding by doing paid consulting work on the side, so knowing how many consulting gigs I need to book and by when is critical).

Each of your action items should have a deadline attached to it, so you know what you need to doing on a monthly, weekly, and even daily basis.

Matt and I recommend that you don't create action items further out than 90 days. As long as your strategies and actions are written out and prioritized, you only need to focus on the things that need to get done now to achieve your goal. In three months, you can re-evaluate your plan and adjust accordingly.

Strategies & Actions are the building blocks to your goal achievement, so get out there & start achieving!

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META: We decided to migrate our Velocity Blog over here to Blogger so folks can interact with us better. Please feel free to comment on our posts, email us and ask questions, or forward blog posts on to your friends. We'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading. - Jaime