Filed under: Aliveness, Empowerment, Executive leadership development, Executive leadership training, Self Improvement | Tags: Alive at Work, attitude, Empowerment, Joe Contrera, Shawna Schuh
We’ve all heard the cliche … “So what side of the bed did you wake up on?”
Of course it is a figure of speech and it is a reminder that we choose our attitudes.
The question reminds us that one of the most important decisions we make everyday is choosing what we make things mean.
Yes, we have a choice … we always have choices, regardless of the situation, persons involved, timing, circumstance, etc.
Yes, there are those folks who believe that other people are the cause of their pain … we call them victims.
Yes, there are those people who make it their sole purpose in life to tell everyone they meet about all of the people who are causing them pain … we call them martyrs.
Charles Swindoll once said that he was convinced that “life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it.”
Funny, I seem to keep bumping into people who believe the exact opposite … they believe that life is 90% what happens to them and 10% of how they react to it.
They seem to think that by complaining and whining that people are drawn to them and sympathize with them. The exact opposite is true … they actually repel people.
The only people they don’t repel are other victims. And isn’t that a fun bunch to be around!
The beautiful thing about all of this is that I get an extraordinary gift from these folks …
The gift is that it reminds me that I am empowered to choose differently!
I can choose happiness, joy, love, grace, forgiveness, gratitude, and a mentality of abundance.
Oh sure there are times when I slip off of the path and find myself looking at what is wrong … and when I do … I find it.
And that reminds me that I can also look for what is right … and when I do … I find that too!
Here’s a great idea from my colleague and fellow Masterminder Shawna Schuh (www.shawnaschuh.com):
- Before you go to bed the night before set your intention for the next morning.
- Tell yourself that you are going to wake up energized, refreshed, alive, and joyful!
- Repeat the intention 3-4 times … and then just watch what unfolds in the morning!
And there you have it … it’s really all up to you!
So … on what side of the bed did you get in last night?
Filed under: Aliveness, Empowerment, Executive leadership development, Goals, Self Improvement | Tags: Alive at Work, Commitment, Executive leadership development, Joe Contrera, Success
A while back I was presenting to a group of entrepreneurs. The topic was about turning your business around in a tough economy.
I shared my experience that at one point in my career I went from having the most successful year in my business to having one of the worst years in my business … overnight. I also shared how I got my business back on track.
At one point I asked the group to COMMIT to a system which I call the 3-4-5 System ™ with an accountability partner.
The system is simply doing the 3 things that have the most positive impact on your business bottom line, 4 hours a day, 5 days a week.
There was a gentlemen sitting in the front row who had no problem identifying the 3 things to help his business. Where he got stuck was when I asked him to commit to taking those actions and being held accountable with a partner. It was at that point he basically said “no … I won’t do it”
My first thought was this guy needs to be committed alright!
Webster define commitment as, “the act of committing or pledging, a pledge, an obligation, a promise, etc” … and then adds, “THAT RESTRICTS ONE’S FREEDOM OF ACTION.”
So that got me thinking …
- How many times have I failed to commit to doing something even though I knew it was the right thing to do (business building, working out, etc)?
- How many times have I chosen to NOT do what I needed TO DO to get the results I want in my business or in my personal life?
- How many times have I chosen NOT to commit to doing something … BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID THAT IT WOULD RESTRICT MY FREEDOM?
Bingo! Failure to commit is about freedom. It’s about the fear of losing our freedom to do what we want to do when we want to do it. It’s about feeling like were being imprisoned and we have no choice.
And The Truth Shall Set You Free:
- When we do commit to doing the things we need to do it actually gives us more choices and more freedom … not less!
- Being more focused on the things that give you more revenue gives you the opportunity to do more things … not less!
- Working out regularly actually gives you the freedom to eat things more things … not less!
So what about you … are you willing to commit?
Is there an area of your life where you need to go all out … and go all in?
Well … what are you waiting for?
Filed under: Aliveness, Executive leadership development, Executive leadership training, Leadership Skills Training, Management Leadership Training, Sales Force Training | Tags: Alive at Work, Authenticity, Executive leadership development, Executive leadership training, Joe Contrera, Management leadership training
Last night I was traveling home from facilitating an all day Leadership Workshop.
As I reflected back over the trip I thought: What a privilege!
I get to be a part of a process of helping group members push past their comfort zones to do the hard work of becoming an authentic team.
Yes, I said the hard work of becoming an authentic team.
The word “team” has become an overused, greatly misunderstood word in Corporate America, in sports, and even within partnerships and marriages.
Nowadays, it seems like anytime we put 2 or more people in a room together to accomplish a task we call it a team … it’s not!
Being an Authentic Team Requires:
- Courage to speak your truth to each other regardless of how uncomfortable it might be.
- Holding each other Accountable.
- A deep seated Commitment to the process (goal, objective, etc).
- Acknowledging the Strengths of each member (the sum is greater than its individual parts) and allowing each person to show up and contribute.
- The willingness to put aside individual egos and agenda’s to Focus on the overall team agenda.
As I flew home that evening I realized that even though I am an individual entrepreneur, I have a team in place to support me. They hold me accountable to do all that I can to become an even better Speaker, Coach, and Consultant.
So that got me thinking …
- Do you have a team of people whom you trust to speak the truth to you in your business/personal life? Even when it’s hard?
- Do they hold you accountable?
- Do they acknowledge your strengths and call you to play bigger than where you might be comfortable playing?
- Are you committed to the process of becoming the best Salesperson, Parent, Partner, Leader, or Pastor that you can be?
- Do you let your pride, ego, or judgment get in the way of taking in feedback or allowing yourself to be held accountable?
Someone once said it takes a village. Really?
My thoughts … if the people in the village aren’t an authentic team … it REALLY doesn’t matter!
So who’s REAL- ly on your team?
Filed under: Aliveness, Empowerment, Goals, Self Improvement | Tags: Alive at Work, attitude, Joe Contrera
“Be as you wish to seem” ~ Socrates
“Eh Eh, Oh Yeah, All I can say is eh” ~ Lady Gaga
Philosophy is an interesting word …
Even more interesting is thinking of some of the greatest philosophers who have ever lived …
Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, Rumi, Lao-Tzu …
A philosopher is a lover of knowledge, they love to study, learn, and grow.
Their goal: become an expert in a branch of science, in knowledge, or a particular way of thinking.
A philosopher holds a particular system of beliefs, a “philosophy” if you will, and they live their lives accordingly. They never stop growing and they seek to know more.
Philosophers are seen as teachers and their students are eager to follow their way.
So let’s jump ahead about 2500 years to today. Let’s look at some of the modern day philosophers whose followers wait with anticipation of seeing or hearing what they have to say …
We have … Lady Gaga, Snookie, the Amazing Kardashian’s, Angelina Jolie, Jon Stewart, Charlie Sheen, Conan O’Brian, and Howard Stern, just to name a few.
Hard to believe that millions of people spend hours sitting in front of “the tube” filling their brains with the philosophies of these great minds.
Yes, you can laugh it off and say … it’s just entertainment, it’s not hurting anybody.
The truth is that by watching and listening to these modern day philosophers you are buying into their philosophy.
For some people being obsessed with THEIR philosopher’s way of life has become a big part of THEIR WAY OF LIFE.
So that got me thinking …
What philosophy do I hold about how I live my life? What is it that I value? Who do I follow? How do I spend my precious time?
It prompted me to sit down and write 3 short statements of how I choose to live my life … a life philosophy of sorts. It is not complete and I’m sure it will change as I continue to learn and grow and yet here is what I wrote…
- To live my life to its fullest.
- To not waste my time, energy, or resources on things, people, or activities, that hold me back from becoming the greatest man that I am capable of being.
- To leave this place … empty and in some small way … better than the way it was before I got here.
So what about you … if I asked you to write out the philosophy(s) that guide your life … what would you write?
And remember … Eh Eh … Oh Yeah … Eh … now that’s deep!
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