One of the strategies she shared definitely applies to what we do everyday.

We all have big goals, in both our personal and professional lives. Sometimes, our goals can be so daunting they almost paralyze us. Alison suggested chunking the big goals into manageable increments. She shared this story of her experience as the team neared the mountain’s summit:

On the way up to High Camp, we were at 26,000 feet. This is called the “death zone.” At 26,000 feet, your body is slowly dying. You are taking 5 to 10 breaths for every step. After we made it to High Camp, we headed to the summit at 10:30 pm. We needed to be at 29,300 feet to reach the summit. I got overwhelmed as I did the math of how long it would take to get there by taking a step, 5 to 10 breaths, another step, and so on. I took the strategy of breaking it down into smaller increments. I picked out a rock a few hundred feet in front of me and focused on making it to the rock. Then I would find another goal.

Instead of worrying about going another 3000 feet, she set her sights on the rock a few hundred feet away. Then, perhaps another rock a couple hundred feet ahead. By setting smaller goals aimed at the larger goal, the task seemed more manageable and the goal achievable.

What big goal do you have? If you are sometimes overwhelmed by the magnitude of it, try Alison’s strategy. Set smaller goals, always moving in the right direction. Reach them, create new ones, steadily moving toward the big goal. Soon, like Alison, you’ll reach the summit of your Mount Everest, too.

If you are interested in the rest of Alison’s strategies, click here to read her story.

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

The scenery is incredible.  Living in the relatively flat Ohio landscape, the Rockies are a sight to behold.  Today, we are driving across the state and I’ve been told that the scenery will be even more spectacular.  I can’t wait.

I’m meeting really good people, too.  Hard-working, salt-of-the-earth kind of folks.  They care about each other, they want to do well, they want to make a difference, they are excited about the opportunities of our growing company.

Today, I am thankful for the reminder that most people simply want to add value.

Yesterday, I met with someone who had recently been promoted to a frontline team leadership position.  I asked her what was the most challenging part of her new position and what was the most rewarding.  Her answers?  The most challenging for her is the mastering the multi-tasking it takes to be successful.  The most rewarding?  (This is as close a quote as I can recall…)

I feel like I’m really making a difference.  I’m helping other people be successful.  I feel like I’m adding value.

How important for all of us to remember. 

.

The clip below is just under two minutes, but provokes a meaningful activity to assess your ability to make other people powerful -  known in our leadership model as the “enable others to act” practice. On The Leadership Challenge website, this practice includes this description, “Leaders…build spirited teams.”

I love that description…spirited teams.  Dictionary.com defines spirited as “having or showing mettle, courage, vigor, liveliness, etc.”  Imagine the possibilities if we all built spirited teams!

How can you judge the spirit of your team?  One way is to look in their eyes. 

As you move from desk to desk and speak to your team members today, or perhaps the next time they gather around a table for a team meeting, look into their eyes.

What do you see?

As Zander suggested, if their eyes are not shining, ask yourself, “Who am I being that my team members eyes are not shining?”

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

I’m not sure what drew me to this book when I first saw it.  Perhaps the Swindoll name, but not one of the preacher brothers?  The emphasis on the words “a happy life”?  The relaxed font and background color?

Whatever it was that drew me in, Luci Swindoll’s easy writing style, real life stories, sense of humor, and simple advice for life kept me there!  Inspired by the wisdoms of her mother, Swindoll’s short, two to three page chapters all have five word titles, starting with a verb - prompting action!  From Chapter One, “Start With What you Know,” to the last, “Live An Attitude of Gratitude,” the book is filled with common sense delivered with uncommon ease.

A sense of the book content can be found simply by reviewing a few of the chapter headings: Keep Your Word Every Time, Stay Proactive About Your Health, Write Down The Important Things, Build Yourself A Small Library (one of my faves!), Rise to The Occasion Often, Fight Resentment Before It Festers, Listen With Your Whole Heart. 

I finished the easy read last week while on a flight to Tampa.  The person sitting next to me asked if she could look at the book.  She ended up reading about a third of it.  As we were preparing to deboard at our destination, she reluctantly handed the book back to me, saying that she was going to buy a copy for herself so she could finish it.  That’s two recommendations to read this book – mine and hers!

If you would like a copy for yourself or to give as a gift (perfect for graduations!), order through Amazon, Barnes and Noble or ChristianBook.com.

Note: A copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers through the BookSneeze blogger review program.  Neither the author, publisher, nor anyone else influenced or reviewed the content of this post; the opinion expressed is entirely my own.

In my on-again, off-again almost lifelong efforts to lose a little bit of weight and get in better shape, I started diet #167 on Saturday.  (I really haven’t counted; it just feels that way!)  I figured the luck of the Irish couldn’t hurt, right?

I swear I’ve lost and gained the same 20 pounds a dozen times.  I did WeightWatchers several years ago and lost 48, got to my desired weight and kept it off for about five years.  Then, life happened and I returned to my “eating for comfort” ways.  I never put it all back on, but more than I’m comfortable with.

Today, I am thankful for the wonderful weather we have enjoyed this unseasonably warm March. 

“Hey, El, What does that have to do with dieting?” you might be asking. 

Well, the warm weather has made it a joy to be outside getting some exercise.  OK, not really a joy to exercise, but as good as it can get.  My husband and I have been going to a local middle school each night after work.  We run/walk the track and run the bleacher steps.  It’s been “baby steps,” compared to where I hope to be, but last night we did one mile walking, half mile running, and ten steps times six trips up and back down. Progress.

The hubby is pretty excited because he’s a workout fanatic.  He’s enjoying the role of cheerleader.  And, I have to admit, I do run just a bit further on the track next to him then I do by myself.  I’m happy because I’m seeing results.  The muscles are sore, I still hate to sweat, but I’m down four pounds already!

There are numerous personal motivations this time around and I’m planning to stick to it!  Hopefully, in a couple months, I will be reporting that I’ve met my weight goal and maybe even accomplished my dream of being a runner.  And you?  How’s your health and fitness?  Feel free to join the fun.  You’ll be thankful, too.

TIP - if you are looking for a cool and free iPhone app to help you track calories, food and water intake, nutrient balance (more fiber, less fat!), and track your exercise, download MyNetDiary.  It is fantastic!  Enter some basic info about yourself and your goal and it will create a plan for you.  There are great charts and graphs to track your results.  You even get a thumbs up and thumbs down report everyday so you can see what you are doing right and where you can make changes. 

For example, consider these:

Let People Know You Care  (Chapter 4)

Keep Your Word Every Time  (Chapter 6)

Decide What Is Not Necessary  (Chapter 16)

Remember to Notice Things Today (Chapter 24)

Rise To The Occasion Often  (Chapter 28)

Thank Others For Their Efforts (Chapter 29)

Discover What Makes Other People Tick  (Chapter 37)

Listen With Your Whole Heart  (Chapter 41)

And one of my personal favorites…Build Yourself A Small Library!  (Chapter 21)

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

It’s a fairly quick read, but chock full of highlight-worthy tips.  (Follow this link for a free downloadable sample.)  Among the ideas that made me go, “hmmm” is this one, found on page 76:

We naturally tend to think reactively – we respond to questions, problems, and opportunities – but we don’t take the time to think proactively… [So] schedule time to think.

I know what you’re thinking. 

“El, have you seen my calendar?  I’ve got meetings!  I’ve got projects!  I’d like to take lunch once in a while!  And, you want me to schedule time to think? ”

Yes, I do.

Sanborn goes on to explain:

Think about what you’ve accomplished, what you’ve learned from recent successes and setbacks, how you are feeling, the relationships that need your attention, and what your vision is for the future (both personal and professional).

Imagine the possibilities if we actually took the time to reflect.  What have you learned?  What did you learn about your team?  What could you do differently next time?  And, yes, even give yourself a quick pat on the back for something you took on and did well.

Try it.  Schedule 30 minutes a week.  Maybe start for a month.  The commitment, though, is that you will not use that time to catch up on emails or plan your next meeting.  You will simply use that time to think.  Maybe walk across the street to the park or go sit at Panera.  If you have an office, turn off your phones and your computer to help focus.

I have no doubt that it will seem weird at first, but once you really free your mind of all the to-do’s, you might realize that spending some time just thinking can reap great rewards.

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

It has been a very trying few weeks.  I’ve been working extraordinarily long days, six and seven days a week, feeling a lot of pressure on a couple of projects I’m on, and consistently finding myself behind the eight ball at the end of the day.  I’m not sleeping well.  OK, I’m exhausted.  And, if that’s not enough, I’m putting a little bit of weight on, because that’s what I do when I’m stressed. 

I struggled to focus on gratitude.

My husband, perhaps trying to give me an “out” from my writers’ cramp (gratitude cramp?), told me to stop trying.  “You don’t have to write something every single Thursday!  Maybe there just isn’t something to be thankful for today.”

Wha-a-a-a-at?

Today, I am thankful that every day there is something to be thankful for.

I started to compile a list of the usual – family, health, home, food, comforts.  But really, every day, it comes down to just one thing:

Simply being alive.  

I like to collect sayings on different topics.  You never know when a little extra inspiration might be needed!  Below are a few of the items I’ve pinned to my “Positivity” board.  Enjoy!  (Then, go set up your own Pinterest account and start pinning!)

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I send to my leadership team. They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and, hopefully, motivational. I hope you also find some meaning in them.

Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past—have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time.

Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing— don’t do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution.

Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.

And, I would add…mix well and share generously.  Happy new year!