The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination – Chinese fortune cookie
When you need to make a decision, how much time do you spend on gathering information v. brainstorming solutions?
Can you devote more time to imagining possibilities?
For an upcoming decision you need to make, can you think of 5 alternatives? How about 10 or 15? What is the “crazy” idea?
If I really want to improve my situation, I can work on the one thing over which I have control – myself. – Stephen Covey
I am guilty of the blame game, myself – if only he had followed up on that, if only their budget wasn’t so restrictive, if only she wasn’t favoring her preferred vendors.
Instead I need to stay focused on what I can do: How can I follow up? How can I rework my proposal to fit the budget? How can I get on the preferred list?
In what areas of life and career are you giving up control? Where do you assume “this is just the way things are”? What is your role in keeping (and therefore upending) business-as-usual?
Now there are very few rules to improv, but one of the things I was taught early on is that you are not the most important person in the scene — everybody else is. You cannot win in improv. And life is an improvisation – Stephen Colbert
I love Stephen Colbert and I love improv, so I love this quote.
The best improvisational theatre is when everyone on stage is trying to make everyone else look good, do good work, and have a good time. If we just did that in our day-to-day, we would all have an amazing place to work and live!
How can you make others look good – at work, at home, at the next social event? How can you support your friend’s goal or your colleague’s work? How can you listen more and find opportunities to help?
I think the key is for women not to set any limits — Martina Navratilova
I would say that not setting limits is the key for everyone. Can I do one more push-up? Can I fill my boss’ role? Can I do what I love, live the life I want to lead, and get paid fabulously well for it? Why not?
I was freelancing when my two children were very young, and one of my clients was an organization where I could see myself in-house. I didn’t want to work the traditional 9-5, and I still wanted the flexibility to pursue creative projects (I was acting at the time), and I still expected to make six-figures. So that’s what happened. It’s not typical, but it can be done.
Where are you setting limits or making assumptions? There are no limits.
I never worry about action, but only inaction – Winston Churchill
Inaction is a choice to do nothing. You do take an action by doing nothing – you watch possibilities pass by.
Maybe it feels less risky to do nothing. Well, you have minimized the risk from taking action. But you have increased any risks that come from the inaction. It can be risky to do nothing – inertia sets in, problems become larger, opportunities become more distant.
It’s easier to course correct than to get started. That’s why I love Churchill’s quote. With action, you’re in motion and you can tweak, adjust, refine as needed. With inaction, you have to amass the momentous energy to lift off and start from nothing.
What action can you take today?
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away. — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
I am preparing our weekend house for sale, and this requires a lot of decluttering. I’m sure you’ve experienced a big clean-out, where you finally notice how much stuff you’ve accumulated. It’s very cathartic to get rid of the non-essential, to proactively decide that you want to make space for something, to realize your circumstances have changed and you no longer need or want something. The feeling might not be one of perfection, but it is one of freedom.
What can you get rid of – in your home, in your wardrobe, in your daily routine, in your diet, in your work?
The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me — Ayn Rand
Do you wait for permission or do you just start and persist till you feel like doing otherwise?
In what area of life do you feel confident and creative? Maybe it’s in your volunteer role, where you have no problems coming up with ideas or raising your hand for the next project.
In what area of life do you want more confidence? Maybe it’s your job, where you haven’t asked for that raise you feel you deserve.
How can you bring more of the strengths you already have in one area of your life to another? Pretend that your boss is the head of development. Script your raise request with the energy you propose new fundraising ideas. Draw parallels between your volunteer work and your paid work until you can see how similar they are and you feel more comfortable applying your confidence across the board.
Remind yourself that you are unstoppable.
Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear – George Addair
If you are longing for something, whether it’s a different career, a new relationship, improved fitness, more money…there is fear standing in your way, otherwise you would have achieved it.
Maybe you’re working towards it, which is great, but you need to make a push or try a different strategy. Extending yourself might trigger fear. Trying something new might trigger fear. Or you might fear admitting that your efforts aren’t working.
Where are you stuck in achieving a goal?
How might fear be holding you back?
Take a quiet moment and visualize yourself making a push or trying something new. Don’t even try to change your behavior yet – just visualize. Picture yourself in your new behavior or strategy till it seems more familiar and less scary. Then give it a try.
Great things are only possible with outrageous requests – Thea Alexander
A VP in a big bureaucratic corporate job lands the top job at a start-up. Oh, and he chose among 3 offers in 2 months.
A financial services executive plotting spinning her wheels for 2 years finally identifies and makes her career change (to K-12 education) in a few months.
A small business owner uproots her year-old firm to move thousands of miles away and manages to grow her business and land a magazine feature in her first year away.
Outrageous, yet, true. These are all real-life examples of clients I’ve worked with who made outrageous requests of themselves and their dreams and reaped the benefits.
What outrageous request will you make?
Make voyages. Attempt them. There’s nothing else – Tennessee Williams
In 2012, I produced my first short film and I saw it on the big screen earlier this year. Who knew?
What voyage will you begin (or continue)?
If you’re afraid it’s too big, too hard, or too risky, how can you make it more manageable?
If you don’t know your next step, who is that one person you admire for getting things done? Can you coopt him or her to help you get started?