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Greetings!
Over
the last few years, many people and businesses have been challenged
by the tough economy and other difficulties. Some of us have responded
in a spirit of hope and demonstrated our resiliency in the face of
adversity. In this issue we explore how to respond to
adversity in a positive way and build a reservoir of
resiliency. Focusing our attention on doing the next right
thing and knowing how to develop "resilient" habits will
see us through both good and bad times.
We
welcome your feedback or suggestions. If you would like
to provide feedback or suggest topics for future issues, please click
on the email link for Bill or Dave.
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We welcome your comments and feedback on our
newsletter and would love to hear from you on how we can be of
service.
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Just
Do the Next Right Thing
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 Recently
I had the opportunity to speak to a Job Connections group at my
church, many of whom have been looking for work for quite some
time. As I was considering the topics I would cover with this
group of 25 job seekers, it occurred to me that the theme of the talk
should be Hope. Hope is such an easy word to say and such
an elusive word to live. So, how does one live a life of hope
in the face of so many challenges in our world today?
Recognize that I
am not talking about sitting around and hoping for my boat to come
in, or my lottery number to be drawn, or even that all my dreams are answered.
A book entitled "Perfectly Yourself" by Matthew
Kelly addresses 9 lessons for enduring happiness. Lesson 2 is
called "Just Do the Next Right Thing". I find
that when I focus on discerning and doing the next right thing I am
filled with hope, even when facing the most vexing problems in my
life. Why is this and how does one figure out what is the next
right thing to do?
The theme in
many of Kelly's books is to help people become the best version of themselves. One thing this entails is
working to understand what is your mission or purpose in
life. My business partner, Bill Spreitzer's
article entitled "Working for What
You Are Passionate About" reviews some of the basic elements
of the process of discovering your passion/purpose.
Having a clear understanding of your purpose is a major step in
understanding the next right thing to do. My purpose is to help
people achieve their potential. I try to do something every day
that moves me in the direction consistent with this purpose.
Kelly also talks
about seeking our purpose and discerning the next right thing to do
by spending quiet time alone listening to our inner voice. Many
people need help in developing this inner voice and hearing it clearly.Coaching often provides significant help
in this regard (see September 2010 newsletter article: "Your Board of
Advisors").
Finally, doing
the next right thing isn't just about what's best for me.
Kelly's 8th lesson for enduring happiness is "Focus
on What You Are Here to Give". Our mission needs to
engage us to serve as and where we are needed by others.
Frederick Buechner, a minister and author,
observed that mission "is the place where your deep gladness
meets the world's deep need". Finding what others
need that engages our talents and passion is
the surest way to define our mission and determine the next right
thing to do.
Challenge
yourself to become the best version of yourself by just doing the
next right thing. Do something today that engages your
passion and gets you moving in the right direction, however small a
step it may be. This quote from the epilogue in Kelly's
book is one I especially enjoyed: "Happiness is feeling at home
with ourselves, with who we are and where we
are and what we are doing."
If you need
someone to talk to about what is the next right thing for you to do,
give us a call. We'd be happy to talk to you.
Copyright protected, all rights reserved worldwide.
©2010
Dave Vogelpohl - Excellerate Solutions, Inc.
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Resiliency:
How Well Do You Bounce?
 Over
the past 3 years, most of us have been stretched, pushed, pulled out
of shape, knocked down, and stressed out by such things as:
- Loss
or potential loss of employment
- Uncertain
financial future
- Reduction
of net-worth (devaluation of investments)
- Doing
2 or more jobs to make ends meet
- Illness
and death in our families and with friends (even our self)
- Loss
or potential loss of our home
- Broken
relationships
- More
demands and change at work
- Etc.,
etc., etc.....
These and other
challenges, obstacles, disappointments, failures along with
successes, joy and happiness is what makes up our lives. As the
saying goes, "No one said life was going to be easy or
fair."
The question
before all of us then is, how well am I at adapting and responding
to the stresses in my life? Do I bounce back quickly from setbacks
or do I languish in response to them and become a victim to life's
circumstances? Well if you are like me (and probably like most
of us) you will probably answer by saying "a little bit of both
depending on the situation." What I'm really asking is, how resilient are you in life?
Let's start by
defining what resilience is:
- Springing
back into shape
- The
ability to recover quickly from significant changes in one's
life
- The
capacity to thrive in spite of life's difficulties
So our
challenge is: How can each of us become more resilient in order
to find joy in living/working and be productive in spite of what life
throws at us?
After delivering
a workshop on resiliency in the workplace and reading a few books on
the topic, I offer you the following 10 suggestions in building your
personal "resilience factor":
- Focus
on those things that you can control and influence and let the
others take care of themselves (have faith).
- Be
responsible for your own attitude, thoughts, emotions, and
behavior and let go of blaming and/or trying to change others.
- Keep
yourself strong and healthy through some form of regular
exercise, eating light and often throughout the day, and getting
adequate sleep.
- Keep
life events in perspective through knowing that most things are
temporary and that "this too shall pass".
- Adopt
an attitude of gratitude by starting each day taking stock of
all your blessings.
- At
work and at home, be a part of the solution and not a part of
the problem. Embrace change as an opportunity to learn and
grow stronger - preparing you for the next challenge that is
lurking around the corner.
- Set
written goals that are harmonious with your values and life
purpose. Share them with those you trust for support and
accountability. Get into action and move forward!
- Get
involved in helping others who are less fortunate by
volunteering your time and giving of your talents and treasure
(if appropriate). Taking the focus off of your own
problems for awhile can build perspective and peace of mind to
move powerfully ahead in life.
- Surround
yourself with positive people. We are not only what we eat
but the company we keep. Misery loves company but so does
excellence!
- Laugh
and have fun, even if for a moment. Strive for balance
between work and play - you deserve it!
In closing,
resilience is really an attitude, a state of mind that can be shaped
and developed with time and attention. Build your
"resilience factor" each day by putting into practice one
or more of the 10 suggestions offered above. Having a coach or advisor
in your corner isn't a bad idea either.
Copyright protected, all rights reserved worldwide.
©2010
Bill Spreitzer - Excellerate Solutions, Inc.
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Check out our New Video
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Quick Links
More About Us
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- Your
Board of Advisors
- Three
Circles to Success
- Happiness
Is ...
- Coaching
for Professionals In Career Transition
June/July 2010 Newsletter
- How
To Improve Your Team
- A
Productive Ego
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Motivational Quotes
"Success seems to be
connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make
mistakes, but they don't quit. "
By: Conrad Hilton
"What
lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to
what lies within us."
By: Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You
cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb it
himself."
By: Andrew Carnegie
"All
of us get knocked down, but it's resiliency that really matters. All
of us do well when things are going well, but the thing that
distinguishes athletes is the ability to do well in times of great
stress, urgency and pressure."
By: Roger
Staubach
"Great
things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things
brought together."
By: Vincent van Gogh
"Twenty
years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover."
By: Mark
Twain
"Life
is like riding a bicycle, in order to keep your balance, you must
keep moving."
By:
Albert Einstein
"You
are fortunate if you have learned the difference between temporary
defeat and failure, more fortunate still if you have learned the
truth that the very seed of success is dormant in every defeat that
you experience."
By:
Napoleon Hill
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