Do you think you can

Years ago no one could run a 4-minute mile. Folklore says the ancient Greeks tried some harrowing approaches, like lions chasing men, to make them run faster. It was believed man could not beat a 4-minute mile. Then in the 1950s, Roger Bannister, a young man growing up in England, ran everywhere instead of walking because he loved to run so much. In college he trained to run faster. At one point he spent ½ hour daily trying to beat his own time. He believed he could run faster and worked at it. Get that? He believed he could and worked at it. He broke the record in 1954. Prior to that, doctors said it was humanly impossible. Soon after, another Brit ran faster than a 4-minute mile. Within a year, hundreds around the world did it. Once they realized it was possible, they were inspired and committed to do it themselves.

What are you capable of that you're not doing?
What do you believe that you're keeping under wraps?
Your mindset, assumptions, belief in possibilities, visioning yourself doing it and working diligently at it are the keys to making it happen.

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." ― Henry Ford

 

The ultimate entrepreneur, Mother Teresa

When I do my Believe in You seminar, my example for “Express your true goals” is Mother Teresa. She exemplifies:  

• express what you truly want to accomplish
• listen to your inner guide
• be open to possibilities not in your original plan

All Mother Teresa wanted to do was become a nun and teach. She achieved that. But when she rode the school bus to chaperone students picked up at their homes, her world changed. On those early morning rides, she saw poor families waking up on the streets of Calcutta. What really grabbed her heart were the trucks scooping up those who had died during the night. She felt compelled to do something. She asked her Mother Superior, but the answer was no. Their convent and school were set up to teach, with limited funding. They could not care for the poor, too. Mother Teresa understood but was frustrated.

She pondered, prayed and visualized what she could do. Then went to Mother Superior again. She was told that if she wanted to work with the poor she’d have to leave their nunnery because that was not their mission. She continued teaching, with the people of the streets on her mind. One day traveling by train, the little voice within her (we all have one) said clearly and directly that she had to care for them.

She resigned, not a simple thing to do. Left the comfort of her nunnery. With one white sari and one coin in her pocket, she walked out to the streets she had traveled by school bus. Her reputation spread as she tended to those dying in the streets where they lived. She begged at homes and businesses for money and supplies. She truly cared, could be trusted, had no hidden agenda. Soon, a few former students gave up what they had and worked alongside her. Thus began the Missionaries of Charity.

Mother Teresa became an international phenomenon caring for the poorest of the poor so they could die with dignity. She was the little nun that could. A humble powerhouse, with a vision brought to life.

The ultimate entrepreneur: she saw a need, visualized possibilities, believed she could make a difference, took action despite the odds.

We all have thoughts, ideas, visions we want to act on. You don’t have to give up all you have and live on the streets (unless that’s in your heart to do), but what could happen if you took action on what is in your heart to accomplish at work and at home?

Visualize it.
Express your true goals.
Listen to your inner guide.
If the thought is in you, you can do it.

Hold a plank

I held a plank position for 1 minute today. That doesn't sound like much, but it's hard! My goal for April is to increase it to 2 minutes daily. It will strengthen my shoulders, wrists, core, legs and mental state. And that's what I'm after. To make sure I do it, I've put it on my calendar and have an accountability partner, my friend Sooz. She's committed to do it daily, too. We'll email each other each day after it's done. These built in reminders will help me stick to it. I know I'll be stronger on April 30!      

No, that's not me...yet. It's from http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/diet-fitness/exercise/core-abdominal-and-lower-back-exercises10.htm

 

Bogged down blogging

My coach said in response to my objection to blogging weekly that when you add love to being bogged down, you get blogging. She’s right. In fact, when you add love to anything it gets better. I’ve done it numerous times in different situations, and it works every time. For instance, when I’m doing a program and my energy wanes, usually in mid-afternoon, I look at the participants and think, I love these people. Every one of them. They begin to look different. My shift in thinking energizes me and fans the flame I want them to feel about the content. Whether we're talking about believing in you, being a better leader of yourself and others, or streamlining your use of email – no matter the content, audience or location - looking at them with love increases my energy and shifts the way I talk with them. And now look what it's done.....it's helped me write this entry. Thanks, coach!

 

 

 

 

Biking again

Jack and I rode our bikes about 5 miles Sunday afternoon. First time in about 20 years! Felt great. Loved it. I’m so grateful we could ride without hesitation or fear. It felt natural to be riding again. I blocked out thoughts of when I did a power slide onto gravel, wearing shorts, when I was a kid. Instead, I focused on how good it felt, the breeze, warmth, beautiful scenery. When I struggled going up a hill in Winter Park (yes, there are hills in flat Florida), I started counting my pedaling. When it got harder and I didn’t like how I was feeling, I started praying the Hail Mary in time with my pedaling and shifted my thinking to ‘I can do this.’ It worked! Just like when I get in a jam or frustrated, I talk to God or say a prayer and shift my thoughts to a more positive perspective. It makes such a difference. I’m so grateful for that.

I took a 2 mile spin around the neighborhood this morning – I think I’m hooked.   

Performing is short-lived

One of my mentees has been very candid about the way she feels about speaking to large groups. It gives her the hee bee gee bees. We talked about how doing it more will make it easier. Now she's pushing herself to speak to groups, even seeking opportunities. After a recent presentation, she realized that when she thinks about the audience and what will help them understand her message instead of thinking about herself and what she looks like, sounds like, she has a much more positive experience. Her audience is more responsive.

A lot has to do with how we view our situation. Are we performing or are we having an experience? Peter Bregman, my favorite Harvard Business Review blogger, writes:

"If you view life as a performance, your failures will be so painful and terrifying that you will stop experimenting. But if you view life as an experience, your failures are just part of that experience.
What makes a performance different than an experience? It's all in your head.

Are you trying to look good? Do you want to impress others or win something? Are you looking for acceptance, approval, accolades, wild thunderous applause? Is it painful when you don't get those things? You're probably performing.

If you're experiencing, on the other hand, you're exploring what something feels like. Trying to see what would happen if...

When you're experiencing, you can appreciate negative outcomes as well as positive ones. Sure, acceptance and approval and accolades feel good, but those things don't determine success. Success is based on whether you fully immerse yourself in the experience, no matter how it turns out, and whether you learn from it. That's a result you can always achieve regardless of the outcome.

When you're performing, your success is disturbingly short-lived. As soon as you've achieved one milestone or received a particular standing ovation, it's no longer relevant. Your unending question is: what's next?

When you're experiencing though, it's not about the end result, it's about the moment. You're not pursuing a feeling after, you're having a feeling during. You can't be manipulated by a fickle, outside measure because you're motivated by a stable internal one.

Read the article:
http://blogs.hbr.org/bregman/2013/01/stop-focusing-on-your-performa.html

My New Favorite Thing

I love my new clothes drier! Now when I have sweaters that have to "lay flat to dry," they have an airy, stable, stainless steel collapsible drying rack to rest on in the backyard. Yesterday I used it to air out pillows in the sunshine. From www.organizeit.com