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May 27, 2020 – JOLT – Your Power is in Your Questions: Ask, Ask, Ask.

“Life is an unanswered question, but let’s still believe in the dignity and importance of the question.”
-Tennessee Williams

The questions are big right now…

and it’s important to keep asking them.

Sure, we can bemoan and kvetch our hardships — and, for sure, there are many — or we can pointedly begin the slow and steady clean-up efforts.

No, the storm is far from over, but we need not wait until the last tree falls to begin our personal and group rebuilding.

A great rule of thumb in the world of personal development is to only complain to someone who can do something about it. And, way better than complain — which carries negativity — coming up with powerful and forward-moving questions creates more solution-focused unity and hope.

As we continue to form a group conscience about when, where and how our collective lives come together again economically, we all have our particular interest in the equation.

What are your questions, and who do you need to ask your questions of?

As a matter of fact, if you could sit down with me, career and business coach, for a cup of coffee right now, what two things would you most want to ask or get guidance on?

In addition, if you could sit down for coffee with my human resources executive wife, what two things would you most want to ask her?

This is an opportunity to begin your rebuild.

I’m really serious. Go ahead and push the reply button now and tell me your questions.

We’re planning something to help you in your personal (and the collective) rebuild and really appreciate your input.

I won’t always be able to answer individually, but plan to answer in a future email…so stay tuned.

Need help in planning for your post-pandemic career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here. Crazy as it sounds, what if there’s actually forward movement possible for you out of all this? You likely won’t discern that on your own. I’m here to help you see what you don’t.

Got pointed and powerful questions?

“I never learn anything talking. I only learn things when I ask questions.”
-Lou Holtz

The post May 27, 2020 – JOLT – Your Power is in Your Questions: Ask, Ask, Ask. appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

May 20, 2020 – JOLT – You Are A Dancing Machine!

“I don’t know why it is, but I do like dancing in the extreme situations. I like that noise. I like that intensity. For some reason, it’s what I respond to in terms of my tastes and of my instincts.”
-Nicolas Cage

If there was ever a time to try some new moves…

this is it.

Growing up in the south, most of the men hung to the side of the room during the freestyle rock dancing…but they’d get up and going when a country two-step came on.

The message was that freestyle wasn’t “cool” but stiff and stoic was a safe space and mostly free of judgment.

Well, as you now go about dealing with what is next for you personally in your career, business, and post-pandemic (though not really yet) life, you might want to let yourself loosen up, shake new parts, and take different steps than you have in the past.

It’s truly time to let go of the idea that things will one day be “normal” again. And, just what if this whole chaos was just your supernatural way of getting you out of whatever rut you were in before and moving you on to some greater version of yourself?

You may not have thought you were in a rut…at least not on the conscious level. But what if something greater than your conscious level knew you were?

What would you do now?

Who would you be now?

What would you begin exploring now?

Hey, nice work giving yourself a kick in the seat of the pants! Looking back from August 31, 2020, tell me why you set this whole thing up and what you accomplished in that covert plan this summer.

If not me…at least tell yourself.

Got new dance moves?

“Dance first. Think later. It’s the natural order.”
-Samuel Beckett

The post May 20, 2020 – JOLT – You Are A Dancing Machine! appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

Inventiveness… The Mother of Progress

“Inventiveness depends upon two habits of mind, which we can adopt and develop: attention and curiosity. Attention means paying attention…
Curiosity means just that. Endlessly curious. Endlessly asking questions. Endlessly wanting to know how, and why?”
-Richard N. Bolles

The quote above was from…

a friend and career guide to many, the late Richard Nelson Bolles, author of the long-running and best-selling career book of all time, What Color is Your Parachute?

I admired Richard and spent as much time with him as I could. He was first and foremost a minister (how he began his career) and brought that ministerial warmth to his work. Many were inspired by him, and some still aspire to channel him. Mea culpa!

I have the feeling that Richard would offer that this is a unique time for great “inventiveness” and, given the unemployement numbers and economic recovery prognoses we are hearing, this period of inventiveness will have no quick end.

And that’s good, yes? Who could ever have too much inventiveness?

What do I mean by inventiveness? Going beyond what you’ve known to do or done with your time, energy, attention, and curiosity.

Look, many of us hate change to some degree, and most would simply like things to “go back to normal.” Sadly, I hate to break it to you, but that just isn’t going to happen.

Any “new normal” will be replaced within weeks by another “new normal”…and they will continue for the foreseeable future.

So, rather than have your attention, hopes, dreams and energy focused on a “getting back to” state, how about cultivating a “moving on to” state instead?

Just a few random ways one might be inventive in these times:

–Start dressing up on a weekend night, prepare or order out a fine meal, and sit down in front of BroadwayHD.com and spend the evening “at the theatre”
–Sign up for an online course in an area you’ve always wanted to learn more about (but have been too busy in your regular gig), get trained, and maybe even get certified
–Research the thought leaders in the fields that fascinate you, do a bit of sleuth, behind-the-scenes digging, and find ways to reach out to them with a question or research (BTW, I have a great online program that teaches you how to do this!)

Either way, but in some ways, it’s time to turn your efforts toward moving into this brave new world bravely…and the sooner you start, the sooner you begin reaping the benefits of being a forward (vs reverse) thinker.

Also, today my HR-executive wife and I continue to make ourselves available for a weekly, 30-minute zoom meeting to help address your questions or concerns as career professionals or business leaders moving forward through these interesting times.

Join us today at 12noon PST HERE

In a recent drive-time interview with the CBS affiliate here in LA, KNX NewsRadio, I offered a sobering thought on the next generation of behavioral interview questions that will arise out of this pandemic: “What did you do during the pandemic, [Careerist]?”

Click here to Listen

Join us Today at Noon PST

Need help in planning for your post-pandemic career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here. Crazy as it sounds, what if there’s actually forward movement possible for you out of all this? You likely won’t discern that on your own. I’m here to help you see what you don’t.

Got inventiveness?

“Inventiveness can set you off any trauma, suffering or a deep agony, so keep tailing her hand.”
-Yash Thakur

The post Inventiveness… The Mother of Progress appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

No-Cost Quality Control… in Creative Times

“Endurance is patience concentrated.”
-Thomas Carlyle

Patience is a great quality to cultivate…

and, yet, as most qualities, only gets developed when it’s most not present.

You don’t bring anything into being that already exists…and you can’t bring something into existence without creating it from nothing.

These very interesting times are giving us a great opportunity for the creativity of patience and endurance, as well as many other qualities. And, this “gymnasium” can give us muscles and abilities that can last far beyond the immediate. That’s the ultimate “quality control.”

If you persist, even beyond where you have thus far, in thinking beyond any victimhood to this pandemic to, instead, exercising a (perhaps rarely used) muscle of creating [patience, endurance, opportunity-mindedness, compassion, self-care, connectedness, you name it], what could you walk away with in a few months time?

You’re in control of the qualities you cultivate in these times. What will you create in your quality control?

I’m including last week’s interview below, as many folks said it was helpful…in case you missed it.

Also, today my HR-executive wife and I continue to make ourselves available for a weekly, 30-minute zoom meeting to help address your questions or concerns as career professionals or business leaders moving forward through these interesting times.

There you go: “contribution”…a quality we’re choosing to create more of in this pandemic gym.

Join us today at 12noon PST HERE

In a recent drive-time interview with the CBS affiliate here in LA, KNX NewsRadio, I offered a sobering thought on the next generation of behavioral interview questions that will arise out of this pandemic: “What did you do during the pandemic, [Careerist]?”

Click here to Listen 

Join us Today at Noon PST

Need help in planning for your post-pandemic career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here. Crazy as it sounds, what if there’s actually forward movement possible for you out of all this? You likely won’t discern that on your own. I’m here to help you see what you don’t.

Got quality control?

“Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.”
-Buddha

The post No-Cost Quality Control… in Creative Times appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

What Happens When Styx Meets Behavioral Interview Questions?

“Time isn’t the main thing. It’s the only thing.”
-Miles Davis

A comedy from the 60’s was entitled…

“What Did You Do During the War, Daddy?” in which James Coburn and a cast of characters occupy an Italian village in WWII. It’s all about fun and revelry.

A good comedy is a healthy prescription for times like these, when we’re living through a unique war of it’s own kind…with it’s own inevitable, long-term repercussions.

In a recent drive-time interview with the CBS affiliate here in LA, KNX NewsRadio, I offered a sobering thought on the next generation of behavioral interview questions that will arise out of this pandemic: “What did you do during the pandemic, [Careerist]?”

Styx sang about “too much time on my hands” (HINT). To conserve your time, I’ll keep the copy short today so that you can enjoy the tips I offered…for both job seekers and business leaders.

Click here to Listen 

Need help in planning for your post-pandemic career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here. Crazy as it sounds, what if there’s actually forward movement possible for you out of all this? You likely won’t discern that on your own. I’m here to help you see what you don’t.

Got too much time on my hands?

“All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien

The post What Happens When Styx Meets Behavioral Interview Questions? appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

High Watching This Whole Thing Play Out

“You never know when today could be your breakthrough day & life changes forever!! Expect miracles!”
-Unknown

It requires little effort…

to consider that today will be simply an extension of yesterday.

In challenging times for sure, when everyone is hypnotized by the same group reality, staying out of the agreed-upon muck requires extraordinary, inner initiative.

Yes, there are a whole lot of very sad stories being played out right now, and each one deserves its rightful compassion and condolences.

Yet, if someone isn’t minding to keep the ship afloat mentally, emotionally, and/or spiritually, we all go down together.

There’s got to be those holding the high-watch for some light in this.

Though we each have a version of our style being cramped by the world health situation, we need the strength of those who will lean toward the light and possibility of it all…and will keep focused on the prospects of a breakthrough.

Not just in a vaccine. Not just in folks getting back to work. But a breakthrough in humanity.

Just as we’ve been told to wear a face mask to protect others, as if we have the virus and don’t want to spread it, what if we each assume that we are either going to be spreading the “high-watch” of hope, possibility and togetherness…or the “low-watch” of chaos, fear and divisiveness.

That’s a good community-spread question to answer.

Some of us need to be watching for miracles…if only to balance out those who are stuck in the madness.

Will you assume the high-watch for a breakthrough today, in your own piece of the bigger picture?

If I can support the high-watch around your career, business or personal life, schedule a session here. If this whole situation has been done for you and not to you, what might be the blessings out of it? Let’s investigate together.

Got high watchfulness?

“Our vibration in any given moment gives rise to our experience, and affects those close to us and ultimately the entire world.”
-Sherry Woodcock

The post High Watching This Whole Thing Play Out appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

Must Read Tips for COPING! (Not What You Think)

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt

The current global situation…

has afforded all of us way more “alone” time than we’ve most likely every experienced.

Even if we are blessed to be in a pod of close family, for the most part, we’ve never had to stay so distanced from one another.

Obviously, that’s been a challenge given the way life used to be only a few short weeks ago…and many of us are coping differently.

Whether it’s way more Netflix, social media, trips to the fridge, or even staying overwhelmingly “lockdown busy” than before, we’re all self-medicating in our own ways to stay sane.

Being guilty of the latter tactic, I recently realized that it would be a truly missed opportunity to have this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime global freeze of activity come and go without me getting the full personal transformation available from it.

In some zoom weekly group chats (posted below), we’ve been pondering the question “What if this has all happened for us versus to us? What’s the blessing to be experienced?”

In these zoom discussions, we’ve noted the greater technological faculties that we’ve all gained (e.g., becoming zoom experts overnight), the increased amount of quality time with family, and perhaps the opportunity for personal growth and expansion that we now have time for (which we usually don’t).

If you haven’t reaped the “blessings” out of this situation yet, I encourage you to make time to look deeper to find yours. Like the story of Jacob in the book of Genesis, don’t let this “angel” get away without giving you a blessing.

Consider COPING as your Covid Ordered Personal Instigation of New Growth…whatever that growth may look like for you.

Is it taking the time to educate yourself on the path toward your dreams? You’ve got plenty of time and the world of the internet at your fingertips!

Is it finding ways to connect with the people you’ve always wanted to know and be known by?There are methods for connecting through research projects (see “Never Apply for a Job Again”) which can have you catch folks’ attention…and at a time when they have more time than usual to respond!

Is it taking more opportunities to simply be still and listen to your inner wisdom? You can carve out more time now for meditation and contemplation than ever!

God Bless Netflix, social media, the fridge and being busy, and yet have your COPING time be invested wisely for these next few weeks…so that you arise from this entombment with the blessings it was here to give you, personally.

NOTE: We’ve been offering twice weekly conversations for our communities to help twist our minds toward these alternative ways of thinking. If you are in career transition or waylaid professionally by the current pandemic, or a business owner or organizational executive dealing with new issues due to COVID-19, or simply want to converse pro-actively, join us for powerful questions and (our best possible) answers.

Details:
Join Darrell W Gurney and Alexandra Levin for two half-hour, full participation zoom meeting each week as we all learn how to play work and life differently in these very interesting times.

Tuesdays and Fridays at 12noon PST:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vJwqcO-orzIsC5FLgwFmIS1fRzllUstGqQ

These zoom conferences are offered simply as a service to make our particular skills, knowledge, understandings and aptitudes available to career professionals and business owners who may have questions we can answer or issues or challenges we might help resolve.

We’re not experts on everything, but we may know a thing or two about a thing or two that could help you.

(PSST: If you want to also join our other Back Forty community for a more finding-the-blessings-in-this meeting beforehand, register here:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJQqdOioqj4rRRUjsIXTRWcqEzsnZ3a8Qw 

Darrell W. Gurney, PCC, RScP
• Professionally Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• 30-year career and business coach, seminar leader, author, speaker, and licensed spiritual counselor
• Founder of CareerGuy.com, TheBackForty.com and DreamJobLife.com
• Author of “Headhunters Revealed! Career Secrets for Choosing and Using Professional Recruiters”, winner of the Clarion Award for Best Book; the Amazon Bestseller “Never Apply for a Job Again: Break the Rules, Cut the Line, Beat the Rest;” and the upcoming game-changer “The Back Forty: The Ride of Your Life. 7 Essential Embraces for Life’s Radical Second Half”
• Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC), Certified Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC), Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC), Licensed Spiritual Counselor (RScP)
More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/careerguy

Alexandra I. Levin, PCC, MBA, SPHR
• Professionally Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• 30-year professional Human Resources executive (SPHR Certified), organizational and leadership facilitator, training and development expert, and executive/business coach
• MBA and founder of ConsciousOrg
• Author of The Back Forty IMBUE Journal
• Co-Founder of The Back Forty INFUSE Program
More about her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrailevin

Need some personal support in COPING in career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here for support in turning this whole thing into a personal angel visit into your life.

Got COPING mechanisms?

“Out of destruction…comes new growth.”
-Nova Reed

The post Must Read Tips for COPING! (Not What You Think) appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

24-Hour Reinvention Center: Your Membership Questionnaire

“Longevity in this business is about being able to reinvent yourself or invent the future.”
-Satya Nadella

The quote above is from one of the world’s…

foremost corporate CEOs (Microsoft)…but it applies to everyone in any business right now. That means you…and the business of life.

At some point, there is a need to move on from kvetching about how painful current changes are and how things are not “the way it used to be” and to start looking forward. Let’s both understand and simply get over it: things will never be “the same.”

With many folks in both our CareerGuy and Back Forty communities, we are having conversations for looking forward, led by questions such as “Where’s the opportunity in all this?” or “If this is not happening to me but happening for me, how am I to learn/grow/expand/develop out of all this?”

Those are questions and conversations that can help right now.

And, not to be either Machiavellian or Pollyanna about the times we’re in but, throughout history, humanity steps up to the plate and meets the challenges of the environment with innovation, strategy, and new ways of thinking.

We re-invent ourselves, and we invent the future.

So, perhaps you can’t actually physically visit your gym today, but…

— and this question is not for the faint of courage nor contrary thinking muscle —

if, just IF, you brought the gym of a shelter-in-place, pandemic situation forth for yourself, why might you have done that?

What innovations, strategies or new ways of thinking could be born now…which would never have been birthed in steady-as-she-goes times?

If there ever was a time to ask and answer for yourself such powerful questions, this is it. And, the good thing is, with being fairly home alone these days, nobody will see you conversing with yourself anyway.

NOTE: We’ve been offering twice weekly conversations for our communities to help twist our minds toward these alternative ways of thinking. If you are in career transition or waylaid professionally by the current pandemic, or a business owner or organizational executive dealing with new issues due to COVID-19, or simply want to converse pro-actively, join us for powerful questions and (our best possible) answers.

Details:
Join Darrell W Gurney and Alexandra Levin for two half-hour, full participation zoom meeting each week as we all learn how to play work and life differently in these very interesting times.

Tuesdays and Fridays at 12noon PST:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vJwqcO-orzIsC5FLgwFmIS1fRzllUstGqQ

These zoom conferences are offered simply as a service to make our particular skills, knowledge, understandings and aptitudes available to career professionals and business owners who may have questions we can answer or issues or challenges we might help resolve.

We’re not experts on everything, but we may know a thing or two about a thing or two that could help you.

(PSST: If you want to also join our other Back Forty community for a more finding-the-blessings-in-this meeting beforehand, register here:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJQqdOioqj4rRRUjsIXTRWcqEzsnZ3a8Qw 

Darrell W. Gurney, PCC, RScP
• Professionally Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• 30-year career and business coach, seminar leader, author, speaker, and licensed spiritual counselor
• Founder of CareerGuy.com, TheBackForty.com and DreamJobLife.com
• Author of “Headhunters Revealed! Career Secrets for Choosing and Using Professional Recruiters”, winner of the Clarion Award for Best Book; the Amazon Bestseller “Never Apply for a Job Again: Break the Rules, Cut the Line, Beat the Rest;” and the upcoming game-changer “The Back Forty: The Ride of Your Life. 7 Essential Embraces for Life’s Radical Second Half”
• Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC), Certified Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC), Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC), Licensed Spiritual Counselor (RScP)
More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/careerguy

Alexandra I. Levin, PCC, MBA, SPHR
• Professionally Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• 30-year professional Human Resources executive (SPHR Certified), organizational and leadership facilitator, training and development expert, and executive/business coach
• MBA and founder of ConsciousOrg
• Author of The Back Forty IMBUE Journal
• Co-Founder of The Back Forty INFUSE Program
More about her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrailevin

Need some personal support in facing the adversity in career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here for support in turning this into the best gym visit of your life.

Got 24-hour reinvention center?

“I am still making order out of chaos by reinvention.”
-John Le Carre

The post 24-Hour Reinvention Center: Your Membership Questionnaire appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

COVID-19 Customized Adversity Training Special

“Face adversity head on in your training and you will conquer it smoothly in your fight.”
-Conor McGregor

The industry of adversity training…

has developed greatly over the last 80 or more years.

Of course, the earliest adversity training was probably when cavemen trained their sons to bring home the eats without being eaten…followed soon thereafter by various militaries instructing new recruits on how to endure the un-endurable.

But once the muscles of adversity weren’t absolutely required, there grew a market for learning to face adversity by choice. And, people paid for it.

For example, Outward Bound began in 1941, and now has over 33 schools with 250,000 paying participants each year.

And, though every personal development program doesn’t involve a ropes course (though many do), it’s estimated that the self-improvement industry will bring in $13.2B in 2022.

So, needless to say, a lot of people pay BIG BUCKS to get themselves trained in the face of external or internal adversity.

And, guess what?? You just won the Price is Right Showcase!!!

Yes, you and a friend or loved one (or more) will enjoy a 60-90 days (or more) custom-designed and highly-sought-after, maker-of-champions adversity training…delivered straight to your door!! Regular retail value: PRICELESS!

OK, maybe I’m doing a bit extra there…and yet, as I mentioned in last week’s JOLT Note, you will either have what’s going on be to you or for you.

I invite you to find all the innovative ways possible — just as if you had paid darn good money to be put out into the wilderness to survive a few weeks with nothing in hand — to figure things out and make life work anyway.

Sure, we can all throw up our hands and lament. Or we can put our minds to work and ascent.

What new opportunities will you devise that will be your equivalent of finding grubs under rotting wood today? What innovative ideas will you come up with to catch the “rain” in your own life?

Please enjoy this adversity training…and come out stronger. It’s already bought and paid for. You’d might as well grow.

NOTE: I’ve been thinking about how I can best support those in our CareerGuy community who are in career transition or waylaid professionally by the current pandemic, as well as business owners with organizations who are dealing with new issues due to COVID-19.

Here’s what I decided: twice every week, on Tuesday and Friday at 12noon, I will offer an absolutely complimentary (i.e., no promos) 30-minute Zoom conference just for you.

And, as an added bonus, I will have my wife, Alexandra Levin, an experienced HR Executive, join me when she can (she’s still managing HR for a 400 person company) to offer you the best answers and support possible. Of course, we don’t have all the answers – nobody does, especially given how unprecedented the current situation is – but we are committed to giving you the best we have.

So, you’ll have 30 years of career, business coaching and human resources expertise all in one zoom meeting, ready to support you in any way we can.

Join us!

Details:
Join Darrell W Gurney and Alexandra Levin for two half-hour, full participation zoom meeting each week as we all learn how to play work and life differently in these very interesting times.

Tuesdays and Fridays at 12noon PST:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/vJwqcO-orzIsC5FLgwFmIS1fRzllUstGqQ

These zoom conferences are offered simply as a service to make our particular skills, knowledge, understandings and aptitudes available to career professionals and business owners who may have questions we can answer or issues or challenges we might help resolve.

We’re not experts on everything, but we may know a thing or two about a thing or two that could help you.

(PSST: If you want to also join our other Back Forty community for a more finding-the-blessings-in-this meeting afterwards, register here:
https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJQqdOioqj4rRRUjsIXTRWcqEzsnZ3a8Qw 

Darrell W. Gurney, PCC, RScP
• Professionally Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• 30-year career and business coach, seminar leader, author, speaker, and licensed spiritual counselor
• Founder of CareerGuy.com, TheBackForty.com and DreamJobLife.com
• Author of “Headhunters Revealed! Career Secrets for Choosing and Using Professional Recruiters”, winner of the Clarion Award for Best Book; the Amazon Bestseller “Never Apply for a Job Again: Break the Rules, Cut the Line, Beat the Rest;” and the upcoming game-changer “The Back Forty: The Ride of Your Life. 7 Essential Embraces for Life’s Radical Second Half”
• Certified Personnel Consultant (CPC), Certified Job & Career Transition Coach (JCTC), Certified Career Management Coach (CCMC), Licensed Spiritual Counselor (RScP)
More about him at https://www.linkedin.com/in/careerguy

Alexandra I. Levin, PCC, MBA, SPHR
• Professionally Certified Coach (PCC) by the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
• 30-year professional Human Resources executive (SPHR Certified), organizational and leadership facilitator, training and development expert, and executive/business coach
• MBA and founder of ConsciousOrg
• Author of The Back Forty IMBUE Journal
• Co-Founder of The Back Forty INFUSE Program
More about her at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandrailevin

Need some personal support in facing the adversity in career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here for support in turning this into the biggest training of your life.

Got adversity training?

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now, and live the rest of your life as a champion.’”
-Muhammad Ali

The post COVID-19 Customized Adversity Training Special appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

Twisting the Mind to Find the Blessing In This

“This is an age in which the mood decides the fortunes of people rather than the fortunes decide the mood.”
-Sir Winston Churchill

There’s where we’ve been…

and where we’re going. The past can inform us, and yet full information plus attitude is what will take us where we want to be.

One of the luminaries I follow reminded me this morning that nothing happens to us. It happens for us.

That may be a tough, spiritual take on something such as a pandemic. Yet, if your mind, mood and attitude are at the source of your experience in life, then tell me what better good will entertaining the idea that you’re a victim do for you??

Sure, there’s not a one of us — no matter how high-minded we want to be — who doesn’t, at times, buy into the fears, the uncertainties, and the illusions of empty toilet-paper hangers.

Yet, the key in that last sentence is how high-minded we want to be.

Even if we fall off the horse at times (and get maybe double what we really need at the grocery store), the real opportunity in all of this is coming back to the awareness that we have a choice: and it’s what’s going on in our mind.

Times like these remind me of the power of Victor Frankl’s inspiring book “Man’s Search for Meaning” in which he shares how the strong survivors of concentration camps were able to endure the most horrific of life circumstances through the power of their minds and imagination. Maybe time to get another copy if you’ve lost yours?

Games. Those inside of the camps played mind games, like “Let’s see if I’ll be served one of the peas at the bottom of the soup vat!” and other (perhaps seeming silly to us now) little twists of thinking that got them through each day before going on to live full, post-war lives.

This is war, for sure. And, like every other war mankind has experienced, this too shall pass.

As you navigate a new normalcy, the question is this: Who will you be after the war is over? A bigger, more expanded, bolder, greater loving, more generous and thankful human being? Or, not that.

Your mission — should you choose to accept it — is to find ways to twist your thinking so that, at the end of each day, you can answer this question with at least one authentic answer: “How is what’s going on for me? What’s the real opportunity here?”

And, for the heck of it, without having it “all worked out, i’s dotted and t’s crossed” (which is what a PlayGame™ approach to life is all about), I’ll begin hosting a LIVE zoom video conference a few times a week to support us all to find the blessings in all of this.

But, I won’t be a talking head! If you come, come with the willingness to play this game of life being for us…even in the most challenging of times. And bring your stories and evidence to prove your points!

Note: I don’t have it all worked out yet, so stay tuned for updates…while you practice finding the blessings in all that is going on around you.

That’s your key to sanity, centeredness, and the kind of human being you’ll be when looking back on this…when telling your great grandkids how this time transformed not only you, but the world.

Need some support in gamifying a twist-of-mind new normal around career, business or personal life? Schedule a session here for support in using current situations as an opportunity to uplevel or totally re-game your game.

Got twist-of-mind choice?

“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
-Marcus Aurelius

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