The Success Coach Network

Synergize-Get More Done With Less Effort, The Value of a Good Partner

2011-08-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like unless you get it done it is not going to happen. I lived a good part of my life under the moniker- “If it is going to be, it is up to me.” There is a lot of truth in that statement, particularly if you are talking about taking responsibility for yourself. But sometimes the best intentioned ways of thinking, over time, become what holds us back from future growth. In his book the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Stephen Covey talks about three levels of existence, dependence, independence, and interdependence. When you are moving from dependence to independence doing it by yourself is what is important. Once you reach independence the next step of growth, interdependence, can look a lot like dependence to the outside observer but it is a completely different world.

Even if you are a great individual performer, you can do more by creating interdependent partnerships. I have such a partnership with Don Harkey from Galt Consulting. (check out his latest thoughts at http://www.galtconsulting.com/blog.html ) Even when I am not working things are getting done. And when we do work on a project together the end result is consistently better than if either one of us did it alone.

A good relationship is not two people who desperately need each other. It is instead, two whole, healthy people who are secure enough in themselves that they don’t “need” anything from the other. They check their ego at the door and freely bring their gifts and talents to the table for a common cause. Sometimes we use Don’s idea and sometimes we use mine, but in either case the additional input the other brings almost always creates something bigger and better. Covey calls this Synergy.

Great partnerships are characterized by high levels of trust. Instead of looking out for self interest they are constantly looking out for each other’s best interest. When Don wins, I win and vise-a-versa. When someone has your back you can give your full attention to the issues at hand rather than pouring lots of time and energy into protecting your own turf. Think about all the time, energy, and resources that are wasted in win/loose relationships like politics.

Do you want to get more with less effort? Then it may be time to move from the rugged individualism of independence to the win/win partnerships of interdependence.

Profiles in Passion: Making your passion a reality

2011-03-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

It takes a four-part process to make major changes in one’s professional life: having a passion, creating a vision, developing goals and taking deliberate action steps towards those objectives. For one local business owner, following that process launched him into an entirely unfamiliar industry.

Randy Austin, owner of the Dancing Mule Coffee Company, had an auto body repair shop since before graduating college in 1989. After 22 years in the industry, he was frustrated and needed to make a change. “I was searching for something I was passionate about, a business I could open, create,” recalls Randy. “I’d developed a passion for coffee and coffee preparation over the years, so I started playing with coffee, going to trade shows and learning more about the business.”

Thus, his vision was born: to create an inviting coffee shop where the coffee is good, the people are friendly and where he could make a difference in the community. “Lots of people underestimate the need for a passion for the product itself. If your goal is to make money and not to be passionate about the product you’re providing, I don’t think you’ll be very successful.”

Passion and vision alone cannot make a business, though. One of Randy’s first goals was to develop a deep understanding of the product. “There’s a lot more that goes into a coffee business than what meets the eye,” he explained. “Lots of people take too lightly the need for product knowledge.”

But before he could start a new business, Randy had to first sell his auto repair shop. “The whole process [of selling a business] is intriguing: putting it up for sale, marketing to potential clients…The earlier you start with the end in mind, the better.” He officially sold the auto repair shop and opened the Dancing Mule in 2009.

He said that there were some things he hadn’t even considered about the business before working with his consultants. Considerations span from creating an atmosphere that fosters a community and social interaction to purchasing the right equipment, down to the smallest mixing utensil. Another great consideration was the name. The title “Dancing Mule” comes from a legend of the origin of coffee with an Ozarkian spin (read the entire story here)

So, Randy made the change from auto repair business owner to passionate coffee connoisseur. “We think coffee shops should be fun, not have an arrogance, indifference or stuffiness,” explained Randy. “It’s great to be focused on product quality, but we encourage interaction with customers.” Randy’s philosophy still stands true as he works to grow his business each and every day . His passion, vision, goals and actions have changed his life.

What will you do to make your passion a reality?

Do you remember Smitty’s Supermarkets? The story lives on.

2011-03-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

Why not work at something you love?

I just finished reading a book about Smitty’s Supermarkets founder Clyde “Smitty” Smith. What jumped out at me most was Clyde’s passion for the grocery business. Even as a teenager Smitty was fascinated by merchandise and cash trading hands on the sales floor. He talked his way into his first grocery job in a small town in Iowa by offering the proprietor, Keith Rushing, into a trial period so that he could prove his worth. He went on to more than prove his worth. Rushing took Smith under his wing and became a life-long friend and mentor eventually helping Smith find and start his own store.

Smith got that first job in 1936. He tried several other career options only to return to the grocery business in 1946 when he opened his own store. From that one small store he slowly but surely built an empire of market leading stores in Iowa, Arizona, and Missouri eventually opening the country’s first combined grocery and retail space Superstore in 1962. At the height of their existence Smitty’s was the largest private employer in the state of Arizona.

Over time we get good at what we do or practice repeatedly. If you are working in your area of passion vocationally and you leverage your strength, you will invariably do amazing things. These kind of people not only tend to be happier themselves, they tend to make major contributions that positively impact others as well. I was a benefactor of Smitty’s passion for the grocery business.

Before I was a coach, I owned a janitorial supply distribution company. Smitty’s set very high standards for cleanliness and sanitation making then an ideal client for us. Over the years the Missouri stores became one of our best clients. Partially because of the help I got along the way from Smitty, I was eventually able to sell Springfield Janitor Supply and now am able to live out my passion vocationally every day in my coaching practice.

So here is the bottom line. Why not work at something you love? You will be happier. You will not want for motivation, and you will end up having a bigger impact on the world around you. Sounds like a win-win scenario to me.

For more info on the Smitty’s story read the article in the March 28^th, 2011 edition of the Springfield Business Journal reviewing the book Pioneering the Superstore a Retail Revolution-The Story of Clyde”Smitty” Smith.

February Profiles in Passion: A Natural Fit

2011-02-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

Her life purpose is to inspire others to reach towards their purpose in life. As someone who initially chose a career that didn’t mesh with her life desires and goals, Kim Hartmayer can relate to the frustrations of people living their life without fulfillment. Her enthusiasm and unique perception are what drove her to living her passion, but unfortunately at the time of her first career choice, there wasn’t a job description for what she had to offer.

“I knew I would be a speaker and an agent of change for others from the time I was a small child. I’d always seen myself that way,” Kim recalls. “I was miserable in my sales job; I knew there was something more for me.” Raised in a family who encouraged personal empowerment, Kim was told from the beginning to do what you want to do and how you want to do it. “There was no enabling in my growing up.”

When Kim started her career as a sales representative in the pharmaceutical industry, her family and friends told her that she had a natural charisma about her that made her perfect for sales. “It takes just one person seeing you as exceptional to push you on the road towards the perfect career,” she explained. Unfortunately, the appeal her friends and family saw in her was not for the sales force, but for something more on a personal level.

Kim was first introduced to the world of professional coaching when her husband was assigned an executive coach. “He would come home with enlightened perspectives, things I’d been telling him for years,” remembers Kim. “When he started to see me in the same light, I knew it was time to move forward and pursue my calling. I took off after that.”

The trick for an ultimate life change for Kim was to have a plan and chart a course to stay clear about her goals when life got in the way. “When the kids got sick (and) flights were canceled, it was my course, methodical and organized, with all kinds of ups and downs along the way that makes this such a wild and wonderful ride.” Kim hired her own personal coach and reached out to everyone in her network for connections in the coaching industry then Kim took a leap of faith.

“I knew my first step was education and certification,” she said. “I’m a firm believer that when you’re dealing with people’s lives, you need to be adequately trained.” After completing a year of training and certification, Kim went on her way to Spain to launch a 10 month leadership training program where she is to be the only U.S. coaching representative.

Though training is an important part of her journey, without her support team, Kim would be unable to follow through. “My mother is my biggest fan, and I have a supportive husband; having a good network around me is important,” says Kim. “What I’ve learned, though, is that when the chips are down, I’m still the one driving the boat.”

Kim explains that even with her hugely supportive team, she needs the help of a coach because “sometimes [coaches] are the only people who get it. It’s nothing about the support team. They have their own stuff to deal with,” she explained. “They don’t have the time or energy to be totally devoted to me like my coach.”

“With coaching, sometimes the only person that ever sees a client is their coach,” she clarified. Everyone needs at least one person to see them for how magnificent they truly are. If someone sees you based on what you love, are inspired by, and what your dreams are and he or she holds onto that for you, it is a powerful thing.”

Coaching is not just touching the individual. It is changing the world. “As people globally begin living a passion driven life, I see a greater peace and harmony around the world and in our lives. A passion-driven life is a peaceful life. It’s the antidote to some of the struggles we’re seeing. I’ve seen radical transformation in people due to coaching.”

Kim practices coactive coaching where she helps her clients clarify their biggest dream, passion and heartfelt existence. She then grasps that concept and holds on to it, holding them accountable. “It’s just a dream if we don’t take action,” said Kim. “The fear of failing always gets in the way, but the cold hard truth is that no one is paying that close attention as you think they are. If you fall, fail, embarrass yourself, it’s not that big of a deal.” She tells her clients that they have a true chance to be happy by following their heart’s desire. She then holds them accountable for answering the challenges along the way.

Kim explains that coaching is an individual and personal connection. If you’re seeking a coach, she encourages setting up sample sessions first, visiting with a few coaches and waiting to commit to one coach until you’ve found the right one. A great coach will help you reach your passion. “A real sign of living your passion is that there’s a natural fit without struggle. It’s not that you won’t have to work for what you want, but rather tap your internal capabilities.”

For more information about Kim and her services, visit http://kimhartmayer.com/

Conflict and Communication Rarely Coexist

2011-02-17T08:07:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite sayings is that conflict and communication rarely coexist. Humans generally want the same thing. Conflict arises between people because one person believes that what they want, and another person wants, is somehow mutually exclusive. If you get more pie, I get less. But what if you could both make the pie bigger? Then you could both have more. If you have an on-going relationship with someone, what you want and they want is probably, instead, mutually inclusive.

In my own practice, I find that most organizations' #1 problem is communication. People don’t disagree with each other. They simply fail to talk through issues and eventually start to emotionally withdraw. Left unaddressed, people retreat to their own silo’s and it becomes us against them. Now the tragedy of this whole deal is that they really wanted the same thing all along, they just failed to practice healthy communication.

Think about what a difference it would make in your relationships if you started from the premise that you and the other person really did want the best for each other. Thinking that way would encourage you to indeed create a shared pool of meaning. You could then work together to create a better future together or go your own way. Either way you both win.

Be Reasonable: 3 tips to Ensure You are Being Reasonable

2011-02-07T09:59:00.000-08:00

Are people generally fair and reasonable?

If you go with your gut on this one, you will more than likely say yes. I would whole heartily agree with you. People naturally have a sense of fairness. If we agree on this point then why do so many of us respond to our employees as though they will not be reasonable? I want to acknowledge right up front that there are indeed exceptions to this rule, but if one out of ten people are not reasonable why do we treat all ten as though they were not? It kind of sounds like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. In my experience one of the surest ways to get in a fight is to start throwing punches. Think about it a minute. If you approach people in a way that says I don't trust you, that you don’t think they will be fair and reasonable with you, they naturally respond in like kind-they won't trust you either. And who could blame them. You started it! Now on the other hand, if your starting position was that they were bright, intelligent, fair, and reasonable people, how do you think most of them would respond? Absolutely, in like kind. And maybe even the unreasonable people would respond favorably. Again in my experience, most people who are difficult to get along with are that way because they are hurting inside themselves. If anything's going to reach them, it will probably be a little unmerited respect. To reframe this another way, people who don't respect themselves have real difficulty respecting others. At the end of the day isn't that what most of us really want is to be respected by both ourselves and others.

Okay back to reasonableness. At this point you would like to totally buy-in to the discussion about reasonableness but you're still not sure you can trust people at that level. Let me give you some practical tips on how to make the reasonable nature of people work for you instead of against you.

Tip #1. Ask the person you're dealing with what they think would be reasonable?

Many of the business owners and leaders I work with think this is a high risk question. It's not. People consistently ask more of themselves and are willing to do more than you would ever dare to ask of them yourself if they are the one’s doing the asking. It's back to that self-respect thing. If it is a controversial pushing and shoving match, each party is going to try to take all they can get. In that approach you both end up with a whole lot less than you could have had if you openly worked together.

Tip #2. Bring others into the conversation.

Something as simple as let's get Bob's, or the rest of the team’s, opinion usually ups the ante on your willingness to be flexible and helps minimize personal factors that may play into the conversation. It's one thing if a single individual in your organization feels like you're not being reasonable, it's a much bigger deal if everyone feels like you're being unreasonable. This is one of those things that is much better out in the open that it is hidden in the back room. As a leader you need to know if your people think you are fair and reasonable. You might be asking yourself can I really trust the crowd about what is fair and reasonable. We do it every day in our legal system. Twelve people literally decide issues of life and death in the form of a jury. In my experience, if your people, by and large, think you are unreasonable and you probably are.

Tip #3. Don’t be quick to act.

Quality relationships take time and effort. If someone feels like you're genuinely being unreasonable with them or vise-a-versa, I would encourage you to give the situation some time and space. It's easy to make a rash decision in the heat of the moment. When it comes to relationships things are rarely ever black and white. Take the pressure off all the parties and sleep on it for a night or two. I can't tell you how many times that space and room has allowed me and others to work things out for each other's benefit. And don’t be surprised if you are implementing these tips and you are truly being reasonable, your employee or subordinate returns to you and says that they do indeed think you are being fair and reasonable.

I have to wonder if the most important issue around reasonableness for an organizational leader is whether or not we are willing to be reasonable with our people. The world we see is simply a reflection or mirror of the world that exists inside of us. What does it say about us if we don't think our employees are reasonable? At the end of the day, the only leader who needs to be afraid of shared reasonableness is the leader who is not themselves willing to be reasonable.

Other Speaking & Training Options

2011-01-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

Right on Target—Making Your Dreams a Reality

How effective goal setting can get you where you want to go!

In this session you will learn:

Why it is important to set goals
The 2 reason people don't set goals
Why it is important to keep first things first
To understand why hard work alone is not the answer
How meaningful goals naturally motivate us
That the mind automatically searches for answers when a question is asked
Why it is important to track our progress
About the Dynamic Productivity Model
How to set SMART goals
Live a balanced life

Networking—Your Connection to Success

In this session you will learn:

Why working together produces better results with less effort
The four keys to being referable
How to provide real value
To establish and build trust with clients
The importance of a relational support system
What customers really want and will pay you well to provide
How to build high trust relationships
About the Relational Progression Model
How to make more money with less effort
Why traditional cold calling does not work

Perpetual Motivation

How To Be Successful Without Ever Having To Work Another Day In Your Life!

In this session you will learn how to:

Create an empowering work environment
Break out of old, limiting ways of thinking
How to truly be successful
Release the untapped potential in yourself and others
Use your own natural talents, abilities, and interests to differentiate your self from your competitors
Become more confident
Delegate more effectively
Understand how to set more effective goals
Block out distractions
Live the life of your dreams

The Art of Customer Service

Giving People What They Really Want

In this session you will learn how to:

· Turn your customers into your biggest fans

· Effectively handle customer complaints

· Support your staff

· Create memorable customer experiences

· Build life time customers

· Give the customer more than their monies worth

· Create a place where people want to work

· Quickly defuse emotionally charged situations

· Create customer loyalty

Conversations That Make a Difference

Creating a better life through better communication

In this session you will learn how to:

· Stop avoiding difficult conversations

· Learn how to build better relationships through effective communication

· Create a better world for yourself and others

· Break out of old, limiting ways of thinking

· Establish and build trust

· Hear and be heard

· Build and maintain safety for yourself and others

· Value others and respect yourself

· Unleash the creative power of language

The Coaching Paradigm—Coaching Basics

Learn how to dramatically improve human performance and maximize results through effective coaching principles and techniques.

Learning Objectives:

· Understand the fundamentals of coaching.

· Learn how to ask powerful questions.

· Create effective accountability.

· Unleash and empower people in your organization.

Creating Personal Intelligence Series Overview

2011-01-18T08:41:00.000-08:00

Cre·at·ing To cause to exist; bring into being.

Per·son·al Concerning a particular person and his or her private business, interests, or activities.

In·tel·li·gence a. The capacity to acquire and apply knowledge. b. The faculty of thought and reason. c. Superior powers of mind.

The CPI Core Curriculum

Strategic Intelligence The first session lays a foundation by helping you clarify what is really important to you. To truly be successful you must work from the inside out. This session will he clarify your mission and help you get on the road to becoming a success in every area of your life.

In this session you will learn:

· Why values are important

· To clarify what is most important to you

· The difference between internal and external motivation

· How to tap into unstoppable motivation and energy

· Why diversity is so important

· How to make a significant contribution to your organization

· The foundations of a happy, whole, and healthy life

· The art of staying focused and on track

· How to maximize your own potential

· How to be personally more effective

· To use Emotional Intelligence to connect with other people

Unique Intelligence Building on the foundation laid in the first session, this session helps you discover how you are uniquely gifted and wired. We focus on strategies to help you spend the bulk your time functioning in the zone or your own unique sweet spot.

In this session you will learn to:

· Be highly effective

· Stay energized

· Harness your natural talents and abilities

· How to make a significant contribution to your organization

· Create world class teamwork

· Differentiate yourself and your organization

· Provide maximum value

Systematic Intelligence Successful people focus on managing energy, not time. Recent studies show that 95% of what we do is subconsciously encoded in a complex system of rituals or habits. Learn how to reprogram your auto-pilot system to achieve maximum results.

In this session you will learn to:

· Create energy

· Be healthier

· Expand your mind

· Grow your Emotional Intelligence

· Make a greater contribution

· Establish positive rituals that reinforce a healthy life

· Free up your mind so that you can be creative

· Eliminate destructive behavior

· Move from time management to energy management

Organizational Intelligence

No matter what you have determined as your professional goals, all high achievers share one commonality—they are organized in a way which keeps them on task and focused. This workshop focuses on getting your external world organized in a systematic way so that you can stay focused on what is most important to you and ultimately get where you want to go.

In this session you will learn to:

· Use tools and techniques to organize your life

· Free up the "RAM" in your mental processor so that you can work faster

· Make the best use of your own Emotional Intelligence

· Get more done in less time

· Prioritize tasks and manage time

· Work more efficiently

· Clean up messes in your life

People Intelligence It has been said that no man is an island. Being able to effectively deal with other people is one of the true cornerstones of success. Learn how you can empower others, achieve more, and find real happiness.

In this session you will learn to:

· Look beyond mechanical models to explain human behavior

· Understand that all decisions are emotionally based

· Build higher quality relationships

· Establish trust

· Create a relational support network

· Value others and respect yourself

· Understand core fears and the role they play in undermining your success

· Appreciate the value of community

· Take personal responsibility and utilize the "Proactive Model"

· See how fear keeps us from hearing what others are saying

· The difference between satisfiers and dissatisfiers

· Be happier and healthier

Communication Intelligence It is estimated that 90% of the differences between people are really communication issues. This session focuses on how to effectively express yourself and understand others.

In this session you will learn:

· Communication is a two way process

· The actual words we use are not as important as non-verbal clues

· How you can adopt a no-loser policy

· The role self-worth plays in our ability to hear

· To take personal responsibility.

· How to create a safe environment.

· About keeping your batteries charged.

· How to listen with the heart.

· About the "Us" concept

· To understand the importance of perspective

· How to actively listen

· To use relational communication to improve your quality of life

· How to ask meaningful questions that enhance communication

Marketing Intelligence Even if you have a better the mouse trap, the world won't beat a path to your door step if they don’t' know about it. Effective marketing is about matching your goods and services with needs of your customers. Learn how to effectively market yourself, your products, your services, and your company.

In this session you will learn to:

· Create a Unique Selling Proposition

· Define market value

· Be referable

· Get paid what you are worth

· Differentiate you and your products

· Pinpoint your customers unmet needs and wants

· Effectively communicate your value

· Understand why people will or will not buy your goods & services

· Make your products and service solutions to your customer's problems

· Utilize the three things that gets people attention to write advertising copy

· See why for most businesses mass media advertising is a waste of money

· Define your target market

· Be creative and innovative

· Understand why people buy

Creative Intelligence Creativity and innovation are the keys to exponential gains in the new global economy. Creativity is an innate trait of all humans. Learn how you can maximize your creativity and at the same time experience personal and professional renewal.

In this session you will learn to:

· Understand the Dynamic Innovation Model

· Harness your own natural creativity

· Develop new ways of looking at old problems

· Effectively use brainstorming

· Use the "reframing" technique to see situations in a new way

· Become an "Innovation Champion"

· Develop social networks

· Get great ideas from other industries

· Stay ahead of the technology curve

· Use your whole mind

· Understand why traditional jobs like accounting and engineering are disappearing

· How to not get outsourced

The Success Coach Network Keynote Speaking & Training

2011-01-18T08:22:00.000-08:00

Creativity and innovation are the keys to exponential gains in the new global economy. Creativity is an innate trait of all humans. Learn how you can maximize your creativity and at the same time experience personal and professional renewal.

In this session you will learn to:

· Understand the Dynamic Innovation Model

· Harness your own natural creativity

· Develop new ways of looking at old problems

· Effectively use brainstorming

· Use the "reframing" technique to see situations in a new way

· Become an "Innovation Champion"

· Develop social networks

· Get great ideas from other industries

· Stay ahead of the technology curve

· Use your whole mind

· Understand why traditional jobs like accounting and engineering are disappearing

· How to not get outsourced

Perpetual Motivation

How To Be Successful Without Ever Having To Work Another Day In Your Life!

In this session you will learn how to:

Create an empowering work environment
Break out of old, limiting ways of thinking
How to truly be successful
Release the untapped potential in yourself and others
Use your own natural talents, abilities, and interests to differentiate your self from your competitors
Become more confident
Delegate more effectively
Understand how to set more effective goals
Block out distractions
Live the life of your dreams

The Coaching Paradigm

A New Model for Human Productivity

Learn how to dramatically improve human performance and maximize results through effective coaching principles and techniques.

Learning Objectives:

· Understand the fundamentals of coaching

· Get complete buy-in from your staff

· Learn how to ask powerful questions

· Create effective accountability

· Stimulate creativity and innovation

· Unleash and empower people in your organization

Organizational Intelligence

Life Management for the 21^st Century

Are you feeling pulled in a 100 different directions? How do you get it all done without going crazy in the process? Constant overload is the new normal. In this session you will learn how to take control of your work and life and live life on your own terms.

In this session you will learn to:

· Work smarter not just harder

· Maximize your potential

· Get paid for what you do best

· Reclaim your life

· Experience breakthrough thinking & innovations

· Create energy

· Be healthier

This is Not Your Father’s Workforce

Bridging the Generational Gap between Baby Boomers and a the Evolving Workforce

In this session you will learn to:

· Understand the events that shaped each generations thinking

· Understand the value that each generation brings to the table

· Create a powerful, motivated, intergenerational work force

· Have a line of high quality employees wanting to be on your team

· Establish an on-going competitive advantage

· Lower turn-over

· Give people what they ultimately want

· Increase bottom line profits

Natural Leadership-Living Life on Purpose

Few would argue with the notion that leadership is a crucial component in organizational success. Yet we spend so little time developing this valuable resource. In this session you will learn how to tap into the natural leadership abilities that are already resident in your people and is eagerly waiting to be tapped. Doing so will be a gift to both your organization and your people.

In this session you will learn to:

· How to tap into a unlimited supply of leadership talent

· Understand why people follow a leader

· Explore a new paradigm for success & leadership

· Help you pinpoint how you lead best

· Discuss how you can bring your “A” game everyday

· Change your organization and the world

People-Centric Management

How To Motivate Your Staff and Tap Into Their Full Potential

Believe it or not, right now, you already have most of the pieces you need to take your company to the next level and beyond. If you are like most executives, you are sitting on untapped talents, skills, and leadership abilities waiting to come to life. Imagine an organization full of people using their strengths to develop new opportunities, drive continuous improvement, and produce great results. Tapping into your peoples natural talents skills and abilities is the best way to motivate your people and create an ongoing competitive advantage for your organization.

In this session you will learn to:

· Creates employee ownership and engagement

· Unleashes the skills, leadership and passion bottled up in your people

· Sparks and increase in productivity and profitability

· Establishes a process for continuous improvement

· Helps your organization dynamically adapt to change

You Are a One-of-a-kind Unique Gift

2010-12-24T08:50:00.001-08:00

In all the effort to find and give a unique gift to the people we love during the holiday season, we often over look the most unique and valuable gift we have to share with others-ourself. There is no one else in the world who can do what you do in the way you uniquely do it. You have unique DNA and experiences that will never be duplicated. Only you can be you!

At the core of most self-improvement efforts is the idea that there is intrinsically something wrong with you. You need to somehow change who you are. I think this notion is fundamentally wrong. You don’t need to change who you are. Actually your best plan of action is to totally be yourself. The problem for most of us is that we don’t have any idea who we really are. Instead of self-improvement, I encourage people to become more self-aware of who they uniquely are and then exercise extreme self-care for that person.

Self-awareness

+ Self-care

= Self-assurance, Confidence, and Significant Contribution

Who you are is like a seed. Plant that seed in a great environment and diligently care for that seed and it will produce an abundance of fruit. Plant that same seed in the wrong environment and it will struggle. Take two seeds, a kernel of corn and a cactus seed. They require entirely different environments to prosper. Plant the cactus seed in dark, fertile, moist loam and it will rot. Plant the kernel of corn in the desert sand. It will sprout at the first rain and then die from lack of moisture and nutrients. Reverse the environments and both seeds prosper.

If you want to prosper don’t try to change the seed. Change the environment that nurtures the seed. Over the long haul most of us can control our environment. Self-care is about creating the best environment for you to be you and maximizing your potential. A whole healthy you is amazing! This holiday season give the people you love and care about the best gift of all-you.

Looking Back/Looking Forward-Helps You Live More Powerfully and Intentionally In the Present

2010-12-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

The end of the year is a great time to spend a little time reflecting. What has gone well? What has not gone so well? Did you achieve your goals and make significant progress?

What would you like to accomplish in next year? Thinking about it and setting some goals can help you stay focused and get more of what you want done get done. The goal itself is not what is important. It is instead, the goal setting process. Once you commit to a goal you create a point of reference and your mind immediately goes to work searching for the steps that will get you from where you are to where you want to go.

People will often tell me they are not sure what goals to set. Honestly, it doesn’t matter as long as you establish a point of reference and monitor the feedback, you will eventually get where you want to go, but you will only benefit from this process if you set a goal. The Dynamic Productivity Model below illustrates the on-going goal setting process.

If you would like some goal setting worksheets, please email me and I would be glad to send them to you, RMayes@TheSuccessCoachNetwork.com.

Profiles in Passion: Developing Future Leaders

2010-12-15T08:07:00.000-08:00

You need a certain quality to be a leader, whether its in your industry, community or even in your own household. Important leadership qualities incude understanding diversity, creating strong relationships in the community and reflecting your core values, but have you ever taken the time to consider where you gained that knowledge? Was it through trial and error? Did you learn from your parents? Did you have a teacher who influenced you?

At Missouri State University, students have the opportunity to gain real-world leadership experience through several campus-wide programs. “I take students who are good already and want to get great; who want to get better at leadership in general,” said Marissa Weaver, Associate Director of Student Engagement, who coordinates the leadership programs at MSU.

After getting her masters in education with a focus on student development, Marissa moved to Springfield from St. Louis to take a position as the Assistant Director of Student Activities for Greek Life. Through that position she began working with leadership student training, facilitating and speaking at national conferences and institutes. “I enjoyed working with the students and watching them grow. I especially enjoyed the leadership aspect, but not the disciplining,” said Marissa of her first position at MSU.

Universities were trending towards having leadership training opportunities, but MSU didn’t offer such a program. Marissa had planned on living in Springfield for just a few years and then moving on, but other universities that offered leadership programs didn’t interest her. Besides, she had learned to love what Springfield had to offer. “There were lots of great things going on here five years ago. I had to step back and look at the opportunity I had in Springfield,” she remembers. “I had fallen in love with Springfield, and all of the sudden I realized I didn’t want to leave.”

As with everything else in her life, Marissa embraced her strength of creating a solution to problems and developed a position for leadership training at the university. “I looked at what we should be doing and created a position from that need,” she noted. “I tend to fill needs as they come, and MSU had that need. They didn’t offer a program like this.”

MSU now has four leadership programs for students which include the nine year old Commerce Bank Emerging Leadership Program. Three of its newer programs were developed through Marissa’s guidance: the Hutchens SGA Leadership Scholarship, Network mentoring program, and Distinction in Public Affairs. Each program offers unique student benefit opportunities.

The Network program couples students with young professionals for a fresh perspective on entering the workforce as a new graduate; Leadership Scholarship is a two year program that helps educate the community; Emerging Leaders is a shorter, five week program for freshmen and sophomores and is offered twice annually; and Distinction in Public Affairs clarifies the mission of public affairs and creates awareness and understanding through real-world participation.

Marissa has a natural desire for advancement and is currently working towards her doctorate in educational leadership. “I’ve always been one of those people who has too many ideas of what I want to do, so just ask myself, ‘what’s next?’ I don’t strive for one particular position. That’s too limiting,” she explains. “As I educate myself, more opportunities will come my way. I trust the process and know I’ll be prepared when the opportunity shows itself.”

Marissa makes herself a role model, practicing the leadership opportunities she shares with her students. She is involved with the community through a variety of volunteer efforts including Big Brothers Big Sisters, fundraising for St. Jude’s, involvement in The Network, and serves on the board of Leadership Springfield.

She strives to enable others to reach their goals by connecting aspiring leaders and professionals with resources, people and opportunities. Educating future leaders on the three pillars of public affairs (cultural competence, community engagement and ethical leadership) is a part of her personal goal. “Ethical leadership is pivotal in society, no matter what job or profession you are in, even if you’re a stay-at-home mom or dad,” explains Marissa. “All leadership education is valuable and transferable to any industry or profession.”

Profiles in Passion: Act Locally, Think Globally

2010-11-16T16:14:00.000-08:00

Most everyone’s bucket list includes some aspect of world travel. For Brad Bodenhausen, Executive Vice President, Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, a Rotary International trip to Sweden was the catalyst for career opportunities he had never before considered. Brad is responsible for spearheading the international program at the Chamber in addition to his regular VP duties.

After just three years working at the Chamber, Brad was approached by his boss, President Jim Anderson, about a Rotary group study exchange program to Sweden. “It was a life-changing experience,” says Brad. “I spent five weeks in Sweden with a group of four others from neighboring Rotary clubs serving as ambassadors for our state.”

“The experience offered connections to people that I have kept in touch with over the years and sparked my interest in the international field. I’ve followed that path ever since with my masters degree program, with Rotary and professionally with the Chamber,” explains Brad.

Since the time of his first overseas trip with the exchange, the Chamber began considering ways to help its community with global connectivity. It wanted to offer new opportunities and resources for businesses already doing business worldwide and to expand the resources for those interested in a global market. In 2004, the Chamber launched its international program and three years later, organized the International Business Council, a panel of 60 of internationally-minded businesspersons.

“There are many more companies in Springfield doing international business than those currently involved in the program,” explains Brad. “We’re always looking for more businesses to participate. We put together programs highlighting things going on in the world, and keep our Chamber members abreast of current international trends and business opportunities.”

Brad feels strongly about international connections and sharing those connections with organizations that otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to make them on their own. “My most fulfilling contribution is to understand people in other cultures for who they are, and to take the opportunity to share the true Midwest as it is, dispelling preconceived notions others may have.”

Though it’s grown to something much more, Brad still attributes his international career opportunities to his first overseas trip. The Rotary Group Study Exchange is always in search of young professionals whose employers would support their international professional development. The program offers professionals an opportunity to learn about their vocation as it is practiced in other parts of the world.

“Jim encouraged me and gave me the opportunity 14 years ago to gain an international perspective,” expressed Brad. “What’s neat is years later, I’ve been able to do the same for another co-worker (Emily Denniston)within our organization. These days we’re so interconnected. The opportunity to learn from other cultures and countries is huge.”

What Are You Willing to Die For ? – A Salute to Our Soldiers

2010-11-15T07:37:00.000-08:00

The life of a soldier is an interesting one. They voluntarily give up their own life for a cause or purpose that is much larger than themselves. After signing on, new recruits are sent to basic training. They are pushed beyond any reasonable bounds and systematically broken down so that they can be rebuilt into effective soldiers. To be an effective soldier one must be willing to put others, their unit, and ultimately their country in front of self-interest.

Why do we have such respect for soldiers? Because they're willing to die for a worthy cause. As humans we give our highest respect to those who have died for something of lasting value. Physical life is not the ultimate; a life of meaning and purpose is. If you are searching for happiness you will not find it apart from a worthy cause -your own calling something that you are willing to die on a hill for. I tell people all the time in my coaching practice that there's nothing wrong with dying on a hill you just want to make sure it's your hill not somebody else's.

In one of the top selling books of 2006, Success Built to Last-Creating a Life that Matters, resoundingly confirms this notion. The book researches the lives of people that we as humans consider to be the most successful. People like Nelson Mandela and Mother Theresa. Their extensive research concludes what we already intuitively know. People who live their lives built around a compelling cause or purpose are the healthiest, happiest, and most respected people on the face of the earth.

The story of dying for a worthy cause is not a new one. Irrespective of your personal beliefs and feelings about Him, no one has had a greater impact on civilization than a small town carpenter named Jesus. The Scripture tells us that he willingly laid down his life so that others might live. He was totally plugged into his God-given purpose and calling. I am personally thankful that he was willing to die on a hill for me and the rest of humanity.

I would ask you, have you identified your own cause worth dying for?

Are You Spamming Yourself?

2010-11-08T08:37:00.000-08:00

I recently found a message from myself in my spam folder? It had never occurred to me that I could spam myself. I then stopped and asked myself how else might I be spamming myself? What kind of preprogrammed garbage have I allowed to be stored on my mental hard drive?

Some words are so apropos. When I was growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, spam was this slimy meat like stuff in can. I can eat almost anything but spam is not one of them. Today spam is that flood of unwanted, slimy stuff that someone else wants to dump on us. What kind of mental spam do you have running around in your head that doesn’t need to be there?

Spam, in and of itself, is not necessarily bad. What make it bad is that it is not something you want. Someone else is arbitrarily imposing their agenda on you. If you haven’t clearly defined your own agenda you will by default have little choice but to accept someone else’s agenda for you. The best defense against head spam is to get clear about who you are at your core and then align your conduct or behavior with that identity.

Profiles in Passion: October 2010, Judge Jason Brown

2010-10-12T13:00:00.000-07:00

The small things we do impact the lives and future of generations to come. Jason Brown recognized this from a young age. Growing up with a father who treated everyone, regardless of background and social standing, with the same fairness led Jason to aspire for the same. Jason Brown has been an associate circuit judge for the 31st Judicial Circuit since 2006.

Though it wasn’t apparent at first he wanted to pursue a life in law, Judge Brown always knew he had a passion for listening. “I often found myself in a position where people found it easy to talk to me, to open up and ask for my take on their issues,” he says. “I had a sense I would be involved in assessing peoples’ interactions. Deciding what is right and fair could have landed me as a counselor, judge, or another walk of life where I would offer feedback.”

Another walk of life wasn’t in the cards for Judge Brown. He attended law school after college. He knew a legal background would give him opportunities he otherwise wouldn’t have. When he began doing trial training, his interest and passion was seeded.

He practiced for 16 years as an attorney where he witnessed on various occasions victims being treated unfairly or without respect. With the encouragement of peers, Judge Brown took the risk of losing his practice and ran for election. This is a risk many lawyers who would otherwise make great judges opt not to take. The risks outweighed the benefits and he was elected to the bench in 2006.

His impact in the Greene County community is substantial. “I can’t say I’m changing the world, but hopefully I’m contributing to society by giving people faith that civil and criminal cases are handled fairly, that people can come in and have a fair hearing where their rights will be enforced and crimes punished.”

Daily headaches come and go, but Judge Brown enjoys the opportunities being a judge present. The best part of living his passion as a judge is feeling a daily sense of accomplishment. Even though there are always people who will question decisions, Judge Brown hopes people understand and respect his decisions whether they agree or not. He firmly believes in deciding on facts and law, not for artificial reasons like status or relationships.

Judge Brown encourages others to share their professional goals so that they, too, can feel a sense of accomplishment within their lives. “If it’s something you consider a goal and think about often, let others know. When there is an opening, people will think of you first as a possible solution to their need.”

Judge Brown he hopes his lasting legacy is that of a fair judge: someone who listened, treated people with respect they deserved, and gave everyone fair shake and equal opportunity.

We find these truths self-evident

2010-10-12T12:14:00.000-07:00

This line from the Declaration of Independence is one of the most powerful ever penned.

Truth, real truth, can stand on its own. It needs no defense.

People have an innate ability to ferret out truth. Like cream on fresh milk, truth has a way of naturally coming to the top. If you give people enough space and room they will consistently spot truth and do the right thing.

I frequently talk to business owners who don't think their employees will make the right decision if they don't make it for them. Let me frame this in another light, in the United States legal system we literally make life-and-death decisions based on the ability of 12 random people to ferret out truth and make a quality decision. While it's not perfect, the system is highly accurate and effective.

If you give employees the opportunity to ferret out truth, do you really think they won’t make the right decision? Of course they will, and if they don't, and it is their decision, they will more than likely do everything they can to make it work. Isn’t that what you really want from your people -- for them to be all in emotionally and mentally?

A highly committed and fully engaged workforce with a good idea will outperform an apathetic team with a great idea virtually every time.

So let’s revisit the idea that your people might make a bad decision.
If they are fully vested in the process of making the decision and they have to live with the results, they will be the first ones to tell you they made a mistake. Without being told, they will regroup and move in the right direction.

Why?

Because people tend to take responsibility for what they own.
We tend to not take responsibility for things we don’t own. If your people are not taking responsibility, I can almost guarantee you they don’t own what is going on in your business.

Let me give you a quick example.
I live on the east side of Springfield. While I may be intrigued by crime stories in Kansas City or St Louis, they are of little concern to me. When I start hearing about crime in Springfield, then I become concerned. When the crime happens in my neighborhood, I am alarmed. When the crime happens at my house, I am outraged. In this process I have moved from passive spectator to fully engaged participant. Everything changes when it involves what I personally own.

If you want your employees to be more responsible, let them completely own both the decision making process and the results. And remember, it is hard to argue with the truth.

Profiles in Passion: September, 2010 -- Don Harkey

2010-09-14T08:40:00.001-07:00

“Watching people being successful is powerful,” says Don Harkey.

In his experience, though, Don has seen professionals from entry level to industry experts fail miserably. Their lack of success is a direct result of them not living their passion. “It has everything to do with being empowered with what you’re doing,” says Don. Over time, he has recognized the patterns behind people’s satisfaction levels and seen the difference in people and organizations when people like what they do.

Don owns Galt Consulting and is living his passion as a strategic planning and process improvement business consultant. “I don’t know how to articulate the incredible feeling of freedom in living my passion. I’m not waiting for the 5 o’clock whistle to blow so I can go home where I can be myself,” he explains. “I’m always doing what I like to do.”

He began his career as an engineer and has a background in chemical engineering. There, he saw teams not aligned in their goals, not working together. At that point, he knew that his true calling was something deeper than engineering alone.

For Don, like most entrepreneurs, breaking away is a scary thing to do. An engineer at heart, Don calculated the risks and moved forward, decrease his engineering work as he increased the amount of consulting he did. He now has six years experience consulting, the last three of which he has worked full-time. “At some point, you have to jump in and take the cold water – take the shock.”

The biggest challenge for Don was doing all aspects of the job on his own, from marketing and client development to accounting and financials. At his first attempt at his logo, he spent 50 hours creating it. “I’m not an artist,” says Don, who learned his lesson. “Pay someone else who knows how to do the things you aren’t good at. I could have used that time developing clients and making new contacts.”

As a consultant, Don works directly with organizations, often saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars a year through helping them find direction and focus. He unveils answers to problems within the company and workforce and has generated a great many testimonials to his productivity in passion.

For instance, Don worked with an organization to find areas of improvement. Through his calculations, he found they were losing 50k a year from production waste. The operator developed a plan to eliminate the waste once Don showed him how much it cost. He cut the waste in half in two weeks and eliminated it altogether within three months saving the company $50,000 per year.

The company not only saved a bundle of money, but the operator confided in Don that he was so unhappy with his job prior to this experience he was planning on leaving. Since then, he has independently developed improvement projects throughout the organization and been promoted from his entry level position to supervisor.

Don has helped numerous businesses such as this, but his passion goes beyond financial restraints. One of Don’s goals is to be financially free enough to assist new businesses. Often, start-ups are the ones trying to find their footing but are passionate about their goals. One of Don’s favorite quotes embraces this entrepreneurial spirit: “Destiny exists when a person knows what they can be and no one else suspects it,” Bob Dillan.

Through the entire process, truly feels he is living his passion. “I’ve always thought of hobbies as what you do outside work, but that doesn’t change much for me. When I have free time in the evenings, I am doing the same thing I’d be doing during the day. It doesn’t change. Not a workaholic, but I enjoy what I do enough to enjoy it always.”

Are you Wealthy?

2010-09-13T11:14:00.000-07:00

I recently heard Dr Gay Hendricks give a new definition of wealthy that caught my attention. He said, “A person is wealthy when they have all that they want and want all that they have.” What an interesting definition of wealth. So how does a healthy person have all that they want? Isn’t drive and ambition a natural part of being truly healthy? I would definitely say yes. In fact if there was no drive, ambition or need for achievement, I would say something is missing.
In my mind what it really comes down to is the person comfortable with themselves and are they pro-actively engaged in their own personal journey. That state of being is critical if we are going to be truly wealthy. It is not dependent on what you have. It is based on who you are and how congruent your own conduct and behavior is with that person.
I've also heard it expressed like this: Be; Do; Have. Start with being who you are and then out of that being, do what you need to do, and ultimately you will have everything you need to have. Then, what you have will be more than enough.
Unfortunately many of us have been working off a formula something like this: Do > Have > Be. If I do enough, I will eventually have enough, and then I will be somebody. Many of our traditional thoughts about wealth revolve around the idea of accumulating things. If I can accumulate enough stuff, cars, houses, money, trophies, degrees, friends, etc, then I will be somebody-I will finally be happy with myself.
The truth of the matter is that none of those things can really make you happy with yourself. In fact, the more reliant you become on external sources to make you happy, the less happy you normally become. All that stuff you're accumulating eventually becomes a millstone around your neck. In the words of Dr. Hendricks, “you end up not wanting what you have.”
Are you beginning to see the insanity of living a life based on Do; Have; Be?
Let me frame this for you one more way. Our traditional view of success goes something like this:

Me + Something = Happiness/Success

Our new model for success and happiness looks like this:

Me + nothing = Happiness/Success

If you're looking for something to come along outside of yourself to make you happy, you are headed for ongoing disappointment and despair. We don't control anything outside of ourselves. But we do have control over ourselves. True happiness comes from within. Start seeing yourself as successful and happy in the present and you will be well on your way to ongoing success and happiness. Success is a journey not a destination.

What Are You Asking For?

2010-08-21T12:47:00.000-07:00

I was recently talking with a successful restaurateur about some of the difficulties he was having at his business. Like many small business owners he was putting in so many hours working in this business that he had little time to think about working on his business. In particular he needed some managerial talent to help share the load. When I asked him what he was doing to find that help, he said that he had put a sign out in front of his business saying “dishwasher wanted.” He said he had hundreds of applicants but that none of them were suited for management. I asked him if there were some good dishwashers out of that lot and he said yes but what he really needed was a manager. Finally the light came on. If he wanted a manager, then a manager is what he needed to be asking for.

Getting clear about what you really want is a critical first step in ultimately getting what you want. That is why coaching is so powerful. It helps people get crystal clear about what they need to do. Once you are clear about what you need to do the appropriate actions will naturally follow. I wouldn't walk out into the middle of a busy highway during rush hour because I'm clear about what would happen. When you get that clear about what you really want, it is much easier to inform the world around you about what you need. Then both you and others can go to work solving your mutually connected problems. I am confident in today's job market that there are lots of people looking for work that would make great managers. More than likely those same folks are not looking for a job as a dishwasher. Get clear about what you want and then specifically tell others what you want and you'll probably get it.

Give it Away

2010-07-26T10:19:00.000-07:00

My friend, Richard Vance, who owns the local McAlister restaurants, e-mailed me today to let me know that he is giving away free tea at his restaurants on July 29. That's right, free tea. Why in the world would he be willing to give away an item that people gladly pay him for every day? There's probably more than one reason but the most obvious one to me is that it is just good business. If you've ever had one of those extra-large glasses of McAlister's sweet tea you know it is good stuff. If you haven’t, Richard is confident enough in his product that if you try it just once, you will come be back to buy more.
People are great at spotting real value. If your product offers real value, there are only three reasons people won’t buy it: 1) they don’t know about it, 2) they don’t need it, or 3) they don’t trust you. Giving it away addresses all three. If you give them a sample, they definitely know about your product and how it might help them. Some people who think they don’t need your product will decide after trying it that they were wrong. One of the best ways to build trust and show that you are trust worthy is to be the first to ante up. Reciprocity is a powerful human dynamic. The next time you go into a building, hold the door for the person behind you. There is a pretty good chance they will intern hold the door for the person behind them.
None of this stuff works if people think you are simply trying to manipulate them. In fact, give aways work best when there are no strings attached. It shows you have supreme confidence in the intrinsic value of your product and respect the customer enough to let them make a decision based on their own personal value system. That kind of behavior not only builds trust; it also grows revenue.
Now back to sweat tea. Come by any local area McAlisters on Thursday, July 29th and enjoy some of that famous sweet tea absolutely free.
For more info on how to build trust, get a free review of the book Trust Agents at LeadershipBookoftheMonth.com.

Motivation in the Workplace

2010-07-09T12:06:00.000-07:00

I have been reading a great book by Chip Conley called Peak. Chip is one of the key players in a group of San Francisco based boutique hotels operating under the name Joie de Vivre Hospitality. The company’s name comes from a French term meaning a delight in being alive. Conley has tapped into the intrinsic human need to self- actualize as outlined by Abraham Maslow in his famous hierarchy of needs. Each hotel in the group has a unique personality that allows patrons to experience something beyond the basics of sleep and comfort. That extra something is consistently delivered by employees that are motivated on three distinct levels.

Do you want to have highly motivated employees? Then make sure you cover all three of these bases. The most basic of these is wages and benefits. If people are not making what they perceive to be a reasonable wage compared to others working in similarly situated positions, they will become unmotivated. The same is true for general working conditions. Wages, benefits, and working conditions can prove to be dissatisfiers if they don't reach certain minimums but they rarely produce high levels of worker satisfaction when they are above that threshold. As a manager in your organization, you need to make sure that you are paying competitive wages. Paying above competitive wages can actually be detrimental to your organization. People who need to go hang on way past their time because they don't want to give up the great wages and benefits.

The next level of motivation comes from a sense of belonging and teamwork. When people's basic needs are met they look to the next level in the hierarchy to receive satisfaction. Being part of a winning team is motivating. We all want to belong and if you belong in the workplace your chances of being productive and staying motivated grow exponentially. A popular phrase from Marcus Buckingham is “employees don't leave companies, they leave managers.” What are you doing to help employees have a sense of belonging? Are they part of the team? Have you institutionalized the recognition process? One of my clients created a “fun team” that was commissioned with the responsibility of regularly coming up with fun and enjoyable out-of-the-box activities on the company's dime. When this company had to recently lay off a couple employees due to the extreme economic downturn in their industry, the parting employees asked if they could come back and work for free to wrap up some of the loose ends. That is a sense of belonging!

The next level of motivation, and it's really only possible if the first two are in place, revolves around purpose and meaning. As humans we are wired for purpose and meaning. If your organization or company has a clear and compelling mission or purpose, the highest levels of motivation are possible. We are all looking for something that transcends the ordinary drudgery of everyday life. People want to be part of something that's bigger than themselves. Does your company offer that? At its core every company or organization exists for a reason or a purpose. As a leader one of your primary responsibilities is to tap into that cause or purpose and articulate it both internally inside the organization and externally to the world around you. When the self-actualization and the organization’s mission become natural compliments to each other, people grow and so does the company. Think back about those times when you felt most alive and I think you will find that it was because you were connected with something that was bigger than yourself. While this third level of motivation is the most compelling, it is not realistically possible without providing the first two.

What Makes You Smile from Ear to Ear?

2010-06-24T11:06:00.000-07:00

Is that kid beautiful or what?

The smile on my face is as wide and full as his. I'm talking about a picture of my six-month-old grandson. Every time I look at that kid I am filled with awe and wonder. Why is this kid so special? Because he is connected at the deepest level to who I am. He is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. He is part of my legacy-all that I am, all that I believe in, and all that's really important to me. His name is Greysen Gabriel Mayes.

It is natural for us to feel this way about our offspring. But this kind of deep and abiding connection is not limited to our heirs alone. We can have a similar sense of pride and commitment around our values, causes, or our life work if it is deeply connected to who we are at our core. In the movie City Slickers, Curley, played by a well weathered Jack Palance, talks about finding that one thing. What is that one thing for you-that all-consuming cause or purpose that makes you smile from ear to ear? Finding that thing and investing your heart soul and mind in it is your most important job on this earth. You will not only serve yourself well you will serve the rest of humanity by being true to that one thing.

What is your one thing?