A Thanksgiving Challenge that can only leave you

being a whole other person in 8 days than you would have otherwise.

You’ve heard of The 12 Days of Christmas? Welcome to The 8 Days of Thanksgiving.

Simple challenge, yet will amp up your energy as well as contribute to the upliftment of others.

Between NOW and next Thursday — Thanksgiving here in the US (but play wherever you are) — take time each day to distinguish at least one blessing in your life, and post on some social media venue at least one thing you’re thankful for! Invite others to join in with you if you like, but post anyway, regardless of likes, loves, cares or comments! (Use hashtag #8daysofthanksgiving)

We’ll be playing this in our Back Forty Freedom Fliers Group (see above), and you’re more than invited to join us.

Yet please don’t take this simple game for granted. You’ll be amazed at not only what you’ll discover in and for yourself but the tide of good energy that will happen because of you. Use your blessings to incite others to count theirs. . .and let’s create a frikkin movement!

The 8 Days of Thanksgiving are upon you. Make a grateful noise!

Think differently, play better. (And, again, if you want to play with US, join us here.)

The post November 16, 2021 – JOLT – Introducing The 8 Days of Thanksgiving. . . To Build Your Gratitude Muscles! appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

The age-old deliberation around in or out. . .

Where might I be in a holding pattern inside the wrinkles of my navel trying to figure it all out on my own?

Where might I be running like a hamster on a wheel in the world of effect without giving due diligence to my inner cause?

What’s my next step in striking a balance?

The post October 27, 2021 – JOLT – Balancing Your In and Out? appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

We often devote a lot of time to the goals. . .

Because your very growth, expansion and vitality depends on it!

Have you ever actually deliberately and voluntarily chosen disruption in your life?

The standard answer is “no” because the standard understanding is that we are always consciously and subconsciously seeking safety and comfort.

But rarely are any great strides in our personal development and engagement of life achieved through safety and comfort. Maybe never.

If, however, you are well aware that the biggest challenges you’ve ever faced in your life helped you become a greater YOU, then you’re already clear on the value of disruption. It’s just whether you actively choose to put yourself in the gym of disruption-generated growth and development on a regular basis.

HINT: you can actually choose to voluntarily put yourself inside of such a crucible or chrysalis of personal/career/business/dreams expansion, depending on the YOU that you’re interested in developing.

Here’s an opportunity, for the few, the proud, the brave:

For those interested in designing a Big Game for 2022, I’ve schedule a couple Back Forty Accountability Alliance Mastermind Groups in which we can all be empowered by fresh ideas and held accountable by one another for taking the actions necessary to launch More of You in 2022!

If you’re not a not yet a member yet of the Back Forty Midlife Fliers Group on Facebook, this would be a great time to join as we are offering these groups to our members only.

You don’t have to be 40, 50, or 85 to be a member. You just need to be interested in playing a bigger, more playful, passionate and purposeful second half game of life beyond what you’ve played thus far. And that means career, business, dreams, relationships. . .you name it!

Join the group now here and see details of an event happening Friday afternoon to answer questions for playing boldly together before the end of the year to design your Big Game for 2022!

I’ll discuss this idea of disruption more today at noon PST in a short, 3-minute LIVE Facebook video in our Back Forty Midlife Fliers group (again, join us here).

If you want your 2022 to be something playfully disruptive to have your heart pumping and your goals jumping, check out a free educational video and download your copy of “The Top 7 Benefits of Mastermind Success” here.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post October 20, 2021 – JOLT – Disrupt and Be Saved: An Opportunity To Proactively Design 2022 For More of You appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

We often devote a lot of time to the goals. . .

and dreams that we want to bring about in our lives but don’t take enough time to manage the environments in which those goals reside.

Capture this scene: someone aspires to reach a goal, say, become a dancer in a top dance conservatory. However, they don’t have any exposure to that world, they work a day job in a steel mill and only dance in a dive bar at night.

This is often the case with big dreams: all hat (high-minded and wistful visions of grandeur), no cattle (the actual substance and means for fulfillment).

However, let’s say that this particular someone catches the eye of a person a league up from them, say the boss of the steel mill, who has both means and a wider view of life to offer a supportive opinion that this dream is possible. . .and you now have an upgrade taking place in the Relationships Environment.

Add to that some offered mentorship by an individual who has travelled those worlds of high-level dance — a former ballet performer — and you now have an upgrade happening in the Networking Environment.

With all of these Environmental Upgrades (and others), it actually then becomes possible to have a once wistful vision become a reality.

OK, who recognized the plot line for “Flashdance”?

We love the stories of individuals who have risen above non-supportive environments to achieve previously unimaginable goals, and Hollywood makes a mint off them.

Are you making a mint off of your own rise-up story?

You too have some (now) seemingly unachievable goal or dream that is simply hanging out in a wistful vision. Is it time to add some cattle to your hat?

I’ll discuss this, and the 9 Environments in which our goals reside, more today at noon PST in the regular Wednesday Facebook Live video in our Back Forty Midlife Fliers group (join us here).

Though today’s Live will address ALL kinds of goals and dreams, if you just happen to be an executive that has been wistfully envisioning your career growth but not fulfilling on it for whatever reason, my HR executive wife and I have put together a gamified program to support adding cattle to your hat this fall, to set you up for a winter or spring breakout Flashdance!

This program is specifically designed for senior professionals and promises a whole new outlook on who you are, what you bring to the table, and the environments you build around yourself and your career.

If you want your future to be something playfully outside of the steel mill, check out a free 25min educational video here.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post September 29, 2021 – JOLT – You and Your Dreams Have Earned an Environmental Upgrade appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

Though we’re trained to “get serious” in life. . .

both empirical as well as academic research has proven that play nets greater results.

It goes contrary to our training, for sure, but the fact that creativity and initiative both increase when one is in a “game” environment versus a pressure/work/succeed vs. failure environment has the concept of “playing” for results growing in awareness. . .in both personal and business settings.

An early cultural study on play was a 1938 book, Homo Ludens, by Johan Huizinga. It states that two of the essential characteristics of play are an occurrence outside of ordinary life and a lack of seriousness.

Yet, so many of us in our own personal lives — much less in our business initiatives — have a hard time divorcing our actions from the when-it-absolutely-has-to-be-there-overnight results we want to achieve.

Huizinga introduced the idea, later expanded by Katie Salen Tekinbaş and Eric Zimmerman, authors of Rules of Play, of a “Magic Circle” that separates play from serious activities and that is entered when one is beginning to play.

In both my own experience as well as those I’ve supported with PlayGame Coaching, there is a lessening of the old industrial mindset of win/lose, succeed/fail and avoiding mistakes at all costs that frees one up to actually get creative and enjoy the process of developing new skills and mastery to expand oneself into new areas of growth.

Generally, society would have you believe that “if you ain’t no good at it yet, and you ain’t done it yet, you’ll never be and you won’t”. . .and that’s especially true for folks embarking on their second half (best half) of life, career, relationships, and purpose fulfillment.

So, the question is this: what areas of your life can you remove from the seriousness and pressure to get it “right” and turn it into a game?

I’ll discuss this more today at noon PST in the regular Wednesday Facebook Live video in our Back Forty Midlife Fliers group (join us here).

If you happen to be an executive that has been taking no action around your career growth because of fear, pressure or uncertainty, my HR executive wife and I have put together a gamified program to support contrary action for you this fall, to set you up for a winter or spring breakout transition.

This program is specifically designed for senior professionals and promises a whole new outlook on who you are, what you bring to the table, and where you go from here in your career.

If you want your future to be something playfully outside of your old box, check out a free 25min educational video here.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post September 22, 2021 – JOLT – Gamify Your Life… And Watch the Results Roll In appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

The edge of one’s own personal sweet spot. . .

between patience and drive is the mastery of paradox.

A monk once sat atop a great mountain and spoke to travelers who came for his wisdom. To one, who kvetched of her drive to accomplish and succeed and make great things happen, the monk advised her to learn patience and contentment. To the next visitor, who spoke of his feeling lost, without a rudder, and listlessness, the monk advised him to practice active engagement, heavy involvement and productivity.

Which one is right? It depends on which visitor you are and your path of growth!

Sometimes, for the driver, focused growth around patience and allowance of the natural unfoldment of things would be an evolved contrary action to explore. For the seeming lollygagger, taking action and boosting engagement even without certainty of direction is a step in the contrary (growth) direction.

Both quotes — the one at the top and bottom of this message — are true. Which one would be growth for YOU?

If you happen to be an executive that has been taking no action around your career growth because of economic or world uncertainty, my HR executive wife and I have put together a program to support contrary action for you this fall, to set you up for a winter or spring breakout transition.

This program is specifically designed for senior professionals and promises a whole new outlook on who you are, what you bring to the table, and where you go from here in your career.

If you want your future to be something outside of your old box, check out a free 25min educational video here.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post September 8, 2021 – JOLT – An Action/Patience Paradox For You appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

The damn rub with growth and development. . .

is that it usually comes through crisis.

Because we like our comfy comfort zones, and have bought into the belief that life is about getting secure and comfy enough that we don’t have to stretch ourselves anymore, we usually need a brick against the head to actually invite more expansion into our lives — physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually — because the default direction is shrinkage.

It’s been said that our life is either growing or shrinking, nowhere in between.

What if life was more than getting to a cushy place, such as “retirement,” and rather about greater and greater expression of our Self and what we’re capable of?

If you’re not in that cushy place of sitting back yet, then you don’t need an instigator to keep you moving toward more growth. . .yet more inspiration never hurts.

If you do have the option of sitting on the sidelines now, here’s you might want to play with the rest of us:

Since crisis is most often necessary for big change to occur, if you happen to be interested in some changes in your life and don’t have a current crisis to be handled, what crisis can you foment?

To “foment” means “to instigate or foster (discord, rebellion, etc.); promote the growth or development of.” When it comes to a crisis, to foment means to make one up.

Why make up a crisis?? To foster growth, because in the end you either actively choose an ever-widening expansive world in which to engage or, by default, you accept the incredible shrinking world that just naturally occurs.

I’ll discuss this more today at noon PST in the regular Wednesday Facebook Live video in our Back Forty Midlife Fliers group (join us here).

If you’re interested in fomenting a crisis around your career, check out a FREE 15-minute educational video my HR executive wife and I put together to support you to be ready for fall career hiring.

Yes, you’d be amazed how, beyond a good resume, your being in a position to meet the thought-leaders, hiring professionals and executives in an authentic research mode can initiate way more traction than the typical front-door application approach. And, best thing is, you’re making those connections in a more personal and relationship-building way, which is way more fun and way less pressured.

Check it out here – https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad – and let me know if you have any questions.

BTW, it’s a BRAND SPANKING NEW program with some polish, nips and tucks to be implemented. . .which is why we’re offering a HUGE discount for our initial beta testers. The tuition will increase in September, so NOW is the time to engage. . .and get a leg up on other fall job seekers.

This is the structure that will have you becoming stronger and better out of whatever career challenges you’ve been through: https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post August 25, 2021 – JOLT – Expansive Fomenting For You? appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

When you think of “residential”. . .

you think of a home, right?

Makes sense, as Dictionary.com defines “residence” as: “the place, especially the house, in which a person lives or resides; dwelling; home.”

But if you consider your way of being as a “place in which you live,” then it’s conceivable that we each possess a “residential way of being.”

I mean, just look around and you’ll. . .

• see that same seemingly grumpy old man every day on your morning walk (agitated)
• notice that person at the office who always seems to put a positive tone on everything (bubbly)
• recognize that your mom always interprets you’re not being in touch for a bit as there being something wrong (worried)
• stop to realize all the times that friend showed up in a pinch (reliable)

So, when we look, we can observe certain primary residential ways of being in those around us. And, guess what that means: we have residential ways of being ourselves!

Now, if we can step outside of ourselves enough (challenging) to notice, we may see some that we like and some that we honestly (if we’re being really, really, real) don’t like.

Far easier than our tainted self-analysis, is to ask others we know and trust to tell us what our residential ways of being may be. (Honest input must be requested profusely!)

And, what I propose is that, should we find such everyday, blind-spot, behind-the-scenes, invisible and unawares ways of being that we may want to drop, it’s totally possible by focusing/studying/reading about/talking about/mimicking the opposite!

So, agitated antonyms into calm; worried into trusting; critical into acknowledging; tight into generous; etc.

Sure, it takes some concerted effort and attention to shift a perhaps dyed-in-the-wool residential way of being but — like my parents who just left her home and hometown of 60 years to move to another home in another state — a “residential upgrade” always portends for a new life ahead.

Given your way of being is the filter through which life comes to you and comes out of you, can you think of a better piece of real estate to develop in this hot market?

I’ll discuss this more today at noon PST in the regular Wednesday Facebook Live video in our Back Forty Midlife Fliers group (join us here).

If you’re interested in upgrading who you’re being about your career, check out a FREE 15-minute educational video my HR executive wife and I put together to support you to be ready for fall career hiring.

Yes, you’d be amazed how, beyond a good resume, your being in a position to meet the thought-leaders, hiring professionals and executives in an authentic research mode can initiate way more traction than the typical front-door application approach. And, best thing is, you’re making those connections in a more personal and relationship-building way, which is way more fun and way less pressured.

Check it out here – https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad – and let me know if you have any questions.

BTW, it’s a BRAND SPANKING NEW program with some polish, nips and tucks to be implemented. . .which is why we’re offering a HUGE discount for our initial beta testers. The tuition will increase in September, so NOW is the time to engage. . .and get a leg up on other fall job seekers.

This is the structure that will have you becoming stronger and better out of whatever career challenges you’ve been through: https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post August 11, 2021 – JOLT – Hot Market: Residential Ways of Being Upgrades appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

What’s the difference between growing. . .

and remaining fixed? Staying in inquiry versus finding an “answer.”

For sure, with traditional education pounding us for exemplary grades to then make it in a highly competitive workplace, there’s a huge pull toward finding and stating the “answers”: from facts-spewed-back tests all the way to shareholder-focused boardroom solutions.

Answers are what consultants and experts get paid for.

Granted, the system prides answers because they pay off, especially short term. But, outside of the system, do they always pay off for you personally?

• When that role you wanted so bad was the “answer” but then it got stale with no progress?

• When that profession you locked into was the “answer” but then lost it’s sheen?

• When that person you were sure would complete you was your “answer” to relationship, but it fizzled?

Look, we can’t help but look for answers. We’re wired that way. Yet, when finding one, perhaps it’s good to remember that answers are, at best, for the moment. . .and to engage in ongoing “inquiry” beyond any such answer for more long-term results.

Counter to finding an answer, inquiry is about being open to possibilities, flexible to consider a wide variety of directions, and willing to step outside the safety zone that an “answer” provides.

• When the role is the answer for the moment but only a starting point for exploration of greater knowledge and abilities to be gained. . .inquiry is present.

• When the profession is an answer for the moment but only a launch pad for further examination and expression of your evolving Self. . .inquiry is present.

• When that person you were sure would complete you is the answer for the moment but only as the beginning of a dive into two becoming one through exposure, vulnerability and mutual healing. . .inquiry is present.

So, perhaps we want to tease ourselves in all areas of life to get our answers. Then, quickly follow up to strengthen ourselves ongoingly with inquiry.

I’ll discuss this more today at noon PST in the regular Wednesday Facebook Live video in our Back Forty Midlife Fliers group (join us here).

If you’re interested in inquiring into your career for possibilities beyond what you see now, check out a new program my HR executive wife and I put together to get folks ramped up for the BEST career transition time upon us: summer!

Yes, you’d be amazed how, beyond a good resume, your being in a position to meet the thought-leaders, hiring professionals and executives sitting beside you at the beach or an outdoor cafe can actually initiate way more traction than the typical front-door application approach. And, best thing is, you’re making those connections when most people think summer is the time to lay back on making career moves. . .putting you ahead!

Check it out here – https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad – and let me know if you have any questions.

BTW, it’s a BRAND SPANKING NEW program with some polish, nips and tucks to be implemented. . .which is why we’re offering a HUGE discount for our initial beta testers.

This is the structure that will have you becoming stronger and better out of whatever career challenges you’ve been through: https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post July 28, 2021 – JOLT – Inquiring (Beyond Answer) Minds Want To Know… appeared first on CareerGuy.com.

A contrarian concept that can apply to all of life. . .

is one of “staging” vs “aging.”

It’s a twist of thinking that I offer in the introduction to my upcoming book, The Back Forty: 7 Essential Embraces to Launch Life’s Radical Second Half, and it counters what generally-accepted societal wisdom says about getting older: that in all ways, we become less of ourselves (body, mind, opportunities, creativity, ingenuity, sexiness, etc.).

Society says all of those areas have LESS potential once we’re over 50, 60, etc., and that’s the model of aging we grew up with. However, what if that’s only BS (a belief system) that we’ve inherited and the “truth” could be anything we make it?

What if we adopt a model of staging rather than aging. And, in this metaphorical model, just as in the theatre a scene must be prepared before a big production is to happen, our first half of life/career/relationships/health/purpose was only the set preparation for the big “play” yet to come?

If you start to hang out in that mindset, what might be next for you business-wise and career-wise? What next-level of relationship might open up for exploration? Where might your health be elevated even beyond where it’s been in all those early years when you didn’t think about it so much? And what might be a bigger game of purpose that you could only play NOW because of everything you’ve been through?

The main tenet of The Back Forty philosophy says that your first half of life was just R & D, research and development, for your second half/best half ahead.

What would a life of staging gracefully versus aging gracefullly in every area look like? What scene are you setting for your greater desire to unfold?

I’ll discuss this more today at noon PST in the regular Wednesday Facebook Live video in our Back Forty Midlife Fliers group (join us here).

If you’re interested in “staging” your career forward in ways you’ve only imagined, check out a new program my HR executive wife and I put together to get folks ramped up for the BEST career transition time upon us: summer!

Yes, you’d be amazed how, beyond a good resume, your being in a position to meet the thought-leaders, hiring professionals and executives sitting beside you at the beach or an outdoor cafe can actually initiate way more traction than the typical front-door application approach. And, best thing is, you’re making those connections when most people think summer is the time to lay back on making career moves. . .putting you ahead!

Check it out here – https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad – and let me know if you have any questions.

BTW, it’s a BRAND SPANKING NEW program with some polish, nips and tucks to be implemented. . .which is why we’re offering a HUGE discount for our initial beta testers.

This is the structure that will have you becoming stronger and better out of whatever career challenges you’ve been through: https://www.careersecrets.com/dream-job-landing-pad.

Think differently, play better.

Radically,

Darrell
CareerGuy and Back Forty Freedom Flier

The post July 14, 2021 – JOLT – Staging Your Big Play On The Way appeared first on CareerGuy.com.