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September 25, 2019 – JOLT – One look back to see more miles forward?

person standing on arrow

“The farther back you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.” – Winston Churchill

We have a notion that our success…

comes primarily from the actions we take today to progress, to move forward, to claim new ground, to stake new territories.

And, of course, progress does depend on taking action.

However, a reflective look back can actually be one of the smartest actions we can take to move forward.

To a great degree, many don’t see any urgency in reflection. It’s sometimes viewed as the lower priority choice when compared to all the new, fun things we can get involved with. We can be like kids forced to take medicine when a bit of “Stop – Breathe – Reflect” direction comes our way.

I recall a quote from a character played by Raul Julia in the 1976 movie “Gumball Rally” (Google it) where he tells his racing companion, “And now, my friend, the first rule of Italian driving: what’s behind me is not important” and then detaches the rear-view mirror and throws it out of the car.

Yet, there’s also the famous George Santayana quote, “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Here’s the deal: what if we take out the gloom and doom and just accept that we all have a personal history. Then, simply ask ourselves…

“Does my personal history fire me up on all pistons for what’s possible for me?” or…

“Does my personal history carry some seeming weight or limitation on my greatest Self emerging?”

Depending on your answer, there may be value in taking some time to reflect yourself forward.

In executive coaching, I can’t tell you how often successful people (by all worldly standards) really have a five-year-old running the show. That five-year-old had certain life experiences that couldn’t be processed by such a young brain. Therefore, subconscious decisions about “how life is” got formed. And the five-year-old now runs the department, the business, the firm, the show.

Sure, reflection for reflection’s sake can be indulgent. But reflection for the sake of uncovering unseen anchors of limitation…now THAT could be the best investment of time ever.

Your mission today, should you choose to accept it: “Stop – Breathe – Reflect” on whether there could be value for you in discovering any weight you’re carrying around that you don’t think you have.

When it comes to your career, life, relationships and dreams reaching their highest expression, the lighter your load, the better.

Want a structure to accomplish some propelling reflection? If you’re near LA, join us for our 1-Day Back Forty IGNITE Program on October 12 in Long Beach. In a beautiful hotel location, overlooking the harbor and Queen Mary, our players will leave past limitations behind and begin a radical, unlimited second half of life. See details for the program here or schedule a private session here.

Got propelling reflection?

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” – Soren Kierkegaard

The post September 25, 2019 – JOLT – One look back to see more miles forward? appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

September 18, 2019 – JOLT – What’s better than being right? A re-write!

present future past

“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” – Rick Warren

No matter how technologically we advance…

and no matter how educated, experienced, wealthy or busy we become, we will always carry one thing forward with us: our past.

If we’ve pursued a path of conscious, personal development, we may be a bit more aware of it — and its attempts to shape our present and our future — but, even so, our past hangs out in our subconscious if not our everyday consciousness.

If anything in our past has been held as negative or something we’ve wanted to “get away” from then, chances are, our lives have become a reaction to that past.

So, we may have sought to find closure, completion, or taken the route of forgiveness.

All those routes are good and honorable, and definitely more actively freeing than holding onto the past.

But, what if we had nothing to close, nothing to complete, and nothing to forgive?

What if we caused it ALL just to get ourselves on the path of becoming who we came here to be and doing what we came here to do?

Tough pill to consider swallowing, but think of the ramifications…
— you chose the events and circumstances…to establish who you came here to be
— you chose the players…to help you become who you came here to be
— you chose the environments…to shape you into who you came here to be

You did all that to become who you came here to be so that you can now do what you came here to do.

It’s nothing new to be the victim, for sure. That’s an easy card to play. And we can all present evidence that we’re “right” and get all the justification we need from well-meaning friends.

But it’s definitely the road less traveled to consider ourselves a victim to nobody or nothing that’s ever occurred…and to actually be thankful for ALL of it.

Now, that’s not Pollyanna “It’s all good!” I’m talking about, and definitely not a thankful-while-gritting-my-teeth type of gratitude.

But, just what if it were possible that the most yucky thing that ever happened to you was actually the BEST thing that ever happened to you? If you caused it all in your past (and realize you have that power), how might you now cause it all in your future? How would that change your story?

Today’s exercise is to take one most-yucky event, situation or circumstance from your past and, just for the hell of it, come up with 20 reasons why it’s the best thing that could have ever happened to you?

Want some past re-writing support? If you’re near LA, join us for our 1-Day Back Forty IGNITE Program on October 12 in Long Beach. In a beautiful hotel location, overlooking the harbor and Queen Mary, lots of people will leave past limitations behind and begin a radical, unlimited second half of life. See details for the program here or schedule a private session here.

Got past rewrite?

“You must learn some of my philosophy. Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.” – Jane Austen

The post September 18, 2019 – JOLT – What’s better than being right? A re-write! appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

September 11, 2019 – JOLT – Is your “best” your true best? What if so?

best neon sign

“Doing your best is more important than being the best.” – Zig Ziglar

The phrase “Do your best”…

is often an encouragement, but can also be a disabling and unreachable standard.

To be clear, that’s not to say that we should accept anything less than our very best from ourselves. I personally believe “do your best” is a great motto to live by.

It’s when we refuse to accept, however, that we actually DID our best, and then view a situation, project, or goal in retrospect saying “if I could have only done better, known more, strategized smarter, played sharper, etc., etc.” In doing so, we actually disable the best that we did do!

The concept of Law of Attraction says that you get more of whatever it is you focus on.

So, when we’re pursuing any situation, project or goal and actually do the best we can with what we know and the resources we have, then guess what? We did our best in that moment…and deserve whatever good comes our way from it.

There will always be more “better” to get to. But, by at least playing, getting out on the field, and having giving it all we could in this moment now, we gave ourselves the opportunity to learn…so as to play even better when on the field next time.

If we walk away from any session of game playing and harbor thoughts of “if only I had…,” we actually begin to close the doors on whatever openings we may have created. When we get down on ourselves, the Law of Attraction brings us more things to be down about…and may push away the results we actually wanted.

This is a nuanced idea, but what if we experiment with whether an acknowledging and appreciating hand of self-encouragement can replace — and access even more power — than the old, familiar, iron fist of telling ourselves that we’re still “not enough.”

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to begin to empower yourself with acceptance of having done your best at whatever you’re do…and watch whether you are inspired to play even better the next time.

On that note, if I can support your exploring a career change (Career Review Strategy Session), growing your business (PlayGame Big Game Coaching Session), or designing a radical second half of career and/or life (Back Forty Big Game Coaching Session), book a session to play at your best here.

Last Call on Long Beach Mastermind: If you’re near Long Beach, CA, I’ll be starting up a small mastermind group shortly. Reach out to me quickly if interested…like TODAY!

Got true best?

“Why worry? If you’ve done the very best you can, worrying won’t make it any better.” – Walt Disney

The post September 11, 2019 – JOLT – Is your “best” your true best? What if so? appeared first on CareerGuy.com.