not so random musings

So, I have a question...

2009-11-25T15:31:00.003-07:00

Its been just over a year since I starting this ramble. As I look back, it has, indeed been "not so random." The downside, I suppose, is that if I am not feeling particularly helpful, it becomes very difficult to write - as is evidenced by the flurry of posts at the beginning, and the waning for the last 7 months or so.

I got an interesting email from Dad today. In it, the author investigates the power of asking good questions. I was reminded of a class that I used to teach on Continuous Process Improvement. I would post a declaration on the slide, and say "I want you to respond to this statement, without agreeing or disagreeing" The statement was "Everything that I will get out of this course is up to me". The suggestions and statements would fly for quite a while - until someone finally asked a question - rather than making a statement.

A question is the only way to respond to such a statement without in implicit agreement or disagreement. It is the only way to keep an open mind. A question implies open-ness. A question is forward looking. A GOOD question leads us down a path - not toward an ANSWER (I think that far too many people have answers) but on a journey. In our lives, in our culture, we value having the right answer. The problem, of course, is that once you know the answer, it becomes the ONLY answer. Your mind shuts down to any of the other myriad of possibilities.

How differently would we respond to the world around us if we learned to value the question?

I couldn't say it any better...

2009-09-17T14:26:00.003-06:00

This is just a link to Chris Guillebeau's most recent newsletter with an article called "7 life lessons my 1-year-old taught me while backpacking abroad" It is too good not to pass along.

Live life. Never stop learning. Re-learn to see it through the innocent eyes of a child.

'nuff said.

Here's the link:

http://chrisguillebeau.com/3x5/life-lessons-my-1-year-old-taught-me-while-backpacking-abroad/

What are you afraid of?

2009-08-31T14:16:00.006-06:00

What are you afraid of?
This is not the typical "get over it and just do it" mantra that we hear so often. This is not the "what are you afraid of" that taunts us as youngsters. This is the real honest question. What is the real fear that is keeping you from doing what you really want to be doing? I have been giving a lot of attention to this particular topic of late...its a fine line between giving something too much energy, thereby just stewing on it, and giving it enough attention to DO something about it.

Fear does not just stop. Some would say it needs to be conquered, others say embraced - but which ever way you think about it, the possibility of responding to it rather than reacting to it exists. I am in the middle of it right now. I find myself to be rather influenced by my fears - to the point of in-action - and I guess that is part of my whole point here. In order to fully respond to the fears that are holding me, I feel that I need to understand the fear better. I do not, at this point, appear to be a person that can simply go out and do it in spite of my fears. I truly wish that I could, but I have not really been able to, up to this point at least.

So I strive for understanding, in the hope that through my understanding, the path will make itself more clear.

Chop Wood, Carry Water.

2009-08-12T15:00:00.004-06:00

Meditation, prayer, quite time; call it whatever you want to. We all need time to focus. A friend recently reminded me of the zen proverb "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." Basically how do we find the peace and beauty in the rituals and routines of our daily lives? Chop wood. Carry water.

For me, it is a 3 to 4 mile walk pretty much every morning. Rain? Snow? Wind? Cold? No problem. The views of the Boulder Flatirons help (as does the 20oz cup of coffee) but the practice of being outside for 45 minutes a day just enjoying and appreciating the beauty of the day was a practice I started before we moved to Boulder - and believe me, there aren't any Flatirons in Wadena, MN. Chop Wood. Carry Water.

The reminder of the proverb is more special, more poignant for me, because my mentor, the late Bill Sauer, used the same proberb fairly often. I had allowed myself to forget the proverb, if not the practice. We need to learn how to find peace in our day. The stresses of our daily lives in the early 21st century invade everything. Traffic, stock market, kids, parents, jobs, neighbors - you name it, it just keeps piling on. Take the time to appreciate the peace and beauty in your every day experiences. De-compress, if just for 3 minutes at a time. Chop Wood. Carry Water.

A recommendation:

2009-08-05T14:08:00.005-06:00

I'm starting to figure this out (yeah, right). The challenge de jour is the attempt to determine what it is you actually want from life, as opposed to what you are supposed to want. It is a lot trickier than it sounds...
A social networking friend named Chris Landry recently turned me on to a guy named Chris Guillebeau and his e-book called A Brief Guide to World Domination. This 29 page ditty is not for everyone - but if you are not quite satisfied with where you are or what you are doing, then I heartily recommend it. Actually, even if you are completely happy with what you are accomplishing in your life I recommend the read. As you all know I am a big fan of expanded horizons and if you let him, Chris will definately expand your horizons.

The Big Black Hole

2009-08-03T10:36:00.006-06:00

Wow. August. I have fallen into the black hole of blogging. As is very apparent from reading though the last posts, I have fallen into the trap of blogging when I feel inspired to blog, and letting myself off the hook otherwise. I suppose this isn't really that bad - part of the reason for the blogging in the first place is to clarify my thoughts and fill my cup, so if I don't need it, then what the heck.

Here's the thing though. Some people out there are inspiring me to do more...to do better. Chris Brogan, Seth Godin and others make you sit down and think. I'm at a point where I am trying to make sense of my professional life - as in "what the heck do I want to do when I grow up?" This is sort of strange ground for me in the blogosphere, because I have really tried to post stuff that might be helpful to other people who are in this boat with me. I really don't want to fall into the narcissistic rut of talking about my life out of the context of useful or helpful ideas and suggestions. I haven't been feeling very useful of late.

So with ALL of that preamble, here is the useful bit; it's ok. I have the tendency to be very hard on myself when I don't do all of the things that I feel I should. It's ok. Cut yourself some slack. We all go through periods in our lives when we are feeling less than insprired; less than committed. I believe it is in the nature of being human. Work hard. Be committed. And on the days when it just isn't there, don't dwell on it. It goes along with the non-judging theme that I have talked a lot about. I am where I am - so how do we go ahead from here?

So in the spirit of going ahead from here, I am going to resolve to come up with one helpful thing per week (or more) it might just be a link - or a sentence. It might be a two-page manifesto. My commitment to myself is that I will publish. Period.

I hope that you will find it useful, or helpful.

The curse of experience

2009-07-19T12:04:00.002-06:00

I had a boss once. This person was not a bad person - probably not even a bad boss - the problem was that he was blinded by his previous successes. There was only one way to do things; the way that had worked for him before. This is the problem with experience. It blinds us to the other options and opportunities. Once we "know" how something should be done, it becomes too easy to stop looking for other options. Stop listening to alternative points of view. This is the curse of experience. The more you learn, the more you need to really work at seeing other points of view. Remember; just because it worked best in that situation, does not mean it the right tool for this one. 'nuff said.

Cronicle the vision

2009-06-10T12:03:00.004-06:00

I have made an interesting discovery... I can type every bit as well with my eyes closed as open. Ok, so what? Well here's the interesting part (for me anyway) I can be in the middle of a visioning exercise - really focusing on what I want and how to get there, and doing so with my eyes closed almost into alpha state, and my fingers just type. I don't have to worry about keeping the feeling after I open my eyes in order to get in on paper. I can stay in the moment and let my fingers just work..It is completely legible, and completely in the moment. What a powerful tool. Try it. even if you make spelling errors, can you get enough of the feeling to capture it? I have noticed also that when I read back what was written in this manner, it is much easier to get back to that place and to stay focused on the vision.

I'm going to use this a lot, just because it helps me maintain my focus. Give it a try - if you can't type without thinking practice until you can. This is opening all kinds of possiblities for me...

The after-life...

2009-06-01T11:32:00.004-06:00

It is easy. Too easy. It is easy to get sucked into the after-life. Now, I'm probably not talking about what you THINK I'm talking about. This particular after-life has nothing to do with Christ, or religion, or spirits or heaven. This after-life is insidious. It creeps up on us when we least expect it - and I am really feeling the effects of it right now. It steals today from us. The after-life that I'm talking about is all about the "after." After I find a new job, After my ship comes in, After I start my new business; after, after, after. It is the after-life - instead of the now-life. It is the opposite of living in the present. It implies that something else is responsible for me being happy and fulfilled. It says that, only after certain conditions are met, only THEN will I be all that I am capable of being. Many of us want something more or different than what we currently have...for me, it is a new job and more freedom from financial concerns - so it is easy for me to fall into this after-life - daydreaming about how great it will be after. The problem is, that it robs me of today.

Think about what you want your life to look like. Plan for how to get there from here. Don't be satisfied with where you are, but for heaven's sake LIVE TODAY. I guarantee that there is something great about today - something that only today can bring. If you are too focused on the after - you will miss the now...and now is when life happens.

Grit your teeth...and pull.

2009-05-05T14:06:00.010-06:00

So here you are. Blithely heading down the road of your life and/or your career. One day, you stop and look around. The road doesn't look like it used to. You suddenly realize: you are on the wrong road. Actually actively heading towards a place that you don't want to go. The obvious solution is; Stop. Turn around. Find a new road.

The truth is that it isn't usually that simple. There are forces that conspire to keep us moving down the same, wrong, road. Expectations. Experiences. Mortgages. Fear of a different road. Not even know where the other road is.

Then, once you identify the road that you want to be on, it does not necessary get easier - in fact sometimes it is a lot tougher. Several years ago, I did a 4-day solo canoe trip down the headwaters of the Mississippi. I had good maps and a good plan. The problem arose because the REAL river, doesn't look like the maps. The map shows a nice, clear blue line. The reality of the situation was much, much different. The "river" spreads out into a marsh that is about a mile wide - it was like that for about 2 of the 4 days. So, the routine was that I would paddle my way into an large open pool. Then paddle VERY slowly around the edge of the pool looking for a trickle of current - the direction that I needed to move in. Once I determined the direction that I needed to go, the real work began. Back up, paddle like hell toward the ripple and "ground" the canoe between two floating masses of grass. Then walk to the front of the canoe, grab onto the swamp grass...and pull. Walk back to the middle of the canoe, and pull. Walk to the back of the canoe, and pull. Walk back to the front of the canoe, and pull. You get the idea. Typically I would have to do that for about 45 minutes to an hour, before hitting a section of open river for 15 or 20 minutes - then it would start all over.

The direction was not the tough part. The direction was the easy part. Getting from where I was to where I wanted to be was tough. It would have been much easier to find a nice open pool and paddle around in circles. No blisters. No splinters. No razor grass cuts on my hands. And, most importantly...no progress. Too often we paddle around in circles, because it is easier than real forward motion.

Real forward motion take work. It takes gritting your teeth, and pulling.

Right now, I am working on my direction. I'm a little nervous, because I know I'm not on the right road, and I know then when I find the road - the real work will start. Part of why I'm here is because this will help give me the insights to figure out what to do - and then the strength to actually do it.

Good luck on your rivers.

Strategic plan...part 2

2009-04-12T11:47:00.006-06:00

Ok, so last Saturday I talked a little about the strategic plan, and the components of one of the ways to go about setting one up. We've covered Strengths and Weaknesses, so now let's move on to Opportunities!

In the business world, Opportunities are new products or new markets that can be maximized by using your strengths. For the sake of this conversation, Opportunities are the things that you have identified as viable, based on your strengths and weaknesses. What areas can best play up your strengths and play down your weaknesses? This is not the place for your self imposed constraints. Open it up. Sky's the limit. If a strength is getting people to open up to you and talk about their lives, one opportunity might be "life coach" another one might be "talk show host". Now there are those people who will tell you that "talk show host" is not a very realistic opportunity. That does not matter for this part of the exercise. We'll winnow it down later. Right now just honestly look at your strengths and weaknesses and make a list of where they might lead. The ones that you feel the most passionate about will make themselves apparent as you build thelist. After you have a good sized list, go ahead and line out the ones that don't resonate with you , and circle the ones that do. Keep doing that until you get the list down to 5.

When the list is down to 5, start on the threats. What are the external forces that will work to prevent you from doing any of the things that are on the list. Make a list for each of the 5 opportunities. This will tell you two things: 1. the most "viable" idea of the 5, as well as the obstacles that you will have to overcome to get there. Each of the threats will result in one or more action items.

If you feel like the exercise was good, and a direction has been set, start doing the action items that come out of the threats. If not - well, maybe it will serve to provide a look into opportunities that you hadn't thougth about before.

Strategic Plan for Life...

2009-04-11T13:25:00.006-06:00

In the world of business, the strategic plan is a time-honored tool for getting from where you ARE to where you want to BE. Now, there are any number of ways that you can go about doing this. One of the tools that is often used in this particular endeavor is called a SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. The exercise consists of doing a candid and thorough documented analysis of 4 categories. What are we really good at? What are we NOT good at? How can we leverage our strengths in the marketplace and finally what obstacles stand between us and where we want to be. Sounds simple, and at the highest level, it is. The challenge is getting into fine enough detail that the plan is actually workable and functional. This is where, I believe, most companies fall down.

So why am I talking about this? What does an operational strategic plan have to do with you and me? Well, here's my thought...

What if you sat down and did your own, personal SWOT analysis? Could be for career advancement, could be for home finances, could be for getting your marriage back on track - could be for all of thee above. Give it a shot. Sit down for 30 minutes (time yourself) and start with STRENGTHS. What do you do really well? Where do you shine? After you have spent 30 minutes working on your list, have someone who knows you, who you like and respect do the same thing for you - have them focus on YOU. Many times we don't recognize our own strengths, but someone else can spot them with laser focus. A spouse, significant other or very close friend can fill this role well. Don't be embarrassed about asking - or about the results. This is not random gratuitous praise (although that's not bad either) it is working on focusing your attention on what you are really good at. As you identify what you are really good at, it will start to give some clarity on where you might want to end up. Oftentimes the things that we are really good at are things that we really enjoy. Strengths are FUN!

Now comes a less fun, less comfortable part; WEAKNESSES. Interestingly when I talk about weaknesses, I am not necessarily talking about things you need to improve...it may end up being things that you want to avoid. Do the same exercise with weaknesses that you did with Strengths - although you may want to separate the them by a couple of days - that way you can live with your strengths list and build on it. So with weaknesses, what do you NOT like to do, what are you not particularly good at? For example; I'm a great starter. I have good ideas and I start with great intentions. That's one of my strengths. One of my weaknesses is follow-through. I have a lot of started projects...fewer finished ones. So I know that is something that I need to pay attention to. It is something of a roadblock that I need to either deal with or delegate.

Working on your weaknesses is a lot less fun that working on your strengths is. The important thing is that you go through the exercise without getting angry or defensive. You may or may not want to have someone else go through your weaknesses. If you have a tendency of taking things very personally, don't jeopardize a relationship by asking your new girlfriend to list all of your weaknesses -it might not end well.

I will go through opportunities, threats and then tie it all together in the next post....so stay tuned.

Spring!

2009-03-17T13:59:00.004-06:00

Well, spring has sprung here in beautiful Boulder. Temps in the 60's and 70's with daffodils and crocus blooming around town. I have to admit - I'm ready. That's not to say we won't get any more snow...in fact we NEED more snow. It has been an incredibly dry winter, and with the wildfires that we have already had this year, we really need the moisture.

None of that is really my point. In fact, I just like to talk about how beautiful it is in order to drive my friends and family back in Minnesota absolutely nuts. No, my real point is that spring is a time of renewal. Revival. Rebirth. It is a time to trim away the dead remains of winter and start fresh. Days are longer and the sun is brighter; casting light into the darker corners of our lives. Most people who decide to make changes in their lives and habits do it in January...we call them New Year's Resolutions. Me? I do 'em in spring. January is dark and cold and not all together inspiring. Spring on the other hand...

Get outside. Go for a bike ride. Plant pansies. There is nothing like the great outdoors to center yourself and focus on what is important - whatever that is to you. Peek into the dusty corners and clean them out. I mean that literally as well as figuratively. Spring cleaning is a great exercise: both for your home and your soul.

For those of you still locked in the frozen throes of winter...sorry about that. For the rest of us, its time. Get out and love it.

Upside down and sideways...

2009-03-07T11:26:00.006-07:00

I am out of sorts. Not bad really - just sort of off-balance. Everything feels a bit muted. Things that should make me REALLY happy make me sort of happy - and things that should REALLY tick me off, sort of tick me off. I'm really not at all sure why. In fact, I don't even have any good theories right now. So that leads me to this: how important is it for us to understand "why?" I enjoy self-indulgent navel-gazing as much as the next person, but in situations like this, maybe it makes a lot more sense to just notice how I am feeling and accept it. One of the single biggest things that I think that we can do for ourselves is to learn to be comfortable in our own skins. Take the good moods with the bad. Learn to take a look at how we are feeling without judgment and simply say "this is how I'm feeling...isn't that interesting" Try to suspend all of the ego assumptions that we attach to "how we are feeling today." Each and every part of you is just that PART OF YOU. It isn't good. It isn't bad. It does not have to be dissected into its smallest - and often least logical - state. It just IS.

I'm certainly not using this as an excuse not to change or grow - indeed quite the opposite. I think that acceptance leads to peace of knowing - and I think that it is in this state of peace where the most exciting and transformational changes can happen.

Momentum

2009-02-24T10:38:00.004-07:00

An object set in motion...I know, I talked a little about this in "stuckness" but momentum is a thoughtful topic for me right now. I just got Seth Godin's blogpost this morning and today marks his 3,000th consecutive post. He stated in his post that blogging is "a difficult habit to develop, but an even harder one to break." Why? Momentum. Isn't that kind of what a habit is? It is keeping the ball rolling in the same direction.

Here's to getting the direction set, and the motion building...

Opportunity

2009-02-18T11:01:00.006-07:00

So, how do you know when a given opportunity is the "right" one? I have made some decisions throughout the course of my life that, at the time, presented themselves as great opportunities, but in retrospect...not so much. I can attribute some of the problems that have arisen to "bad luck" but I'm really not that into buck-passing, so I have to acknowledge that, for whatever reason, I failed to make the most of these seeming opportunities. Or did I? As one looks back over the course of the decisions that have been made and the directions that have been taken, it is easy to see where a change of course would have been prudent. Hind sight is, as they say, 20/20.

So here's the question for the day: How do you take the decisions from the past and use them to make better decisions in the future? As opportunities arise, how does one go about effective evaluation in order to make the best decisions possible, and then maximize the opportunity through appropriate action?

Seems to me that the only way to learn from life is to actively examine what went well, and what didn't. In "Made to Stick" authors Dan and Chip Heath cite an example of a study that was done where-in two groups of college students were asked to consider a "problem" that they could see the end of - a relationship or stress of school - something like that.

Group "A" was asked to envision what their life would be without the problem. Focus on how it would feel to no longer have the problem. Group B was asked to actively consider what got them to where they were. Focus on the past and the thoughts and actions that got them to where they were. After 6 weeks, which group was further along in solving the problem? Group B. Considered contemplation of past efforts was vastly more effective than thinking only about the desired outcome.

Interesting.

Now please do not misunderstand that I am saying there is no room for visioning, focus or even the power of attraction - because I think that all of these elements absolutely come into play, all that I am saying is that when you have determined where you want to go, it is more effective to actively consider the circumstances that got you to where you are, rather than JUST focusing on where you want to be.

I guess that all I'm saying is the best way to make the best decisions is to actively and intentionally examine past decisions. What processes did you use? What worked, what didn't and then LEARN from what you did.

I'm not saying its a silver bullet, but I think it gives us the best shot we've got. Heck, we may even manage to learn something along the way.

Stuck-ness

2009-02-08T12:03:00.009-07:00

If you are a regular visitor, you may have noticed that I have been, as of late, blocked. Totally and completely at a loss for anything of any value. Not one iota of information that is actually worthy of putting on paper...or screen. Stuck.

So, as I have been contemplating the stuckness of my blog, it led down a path of stuckness in general. How does it happen? All of the sudden you wake up one morning and realize that you are stuck. Somehow along the way, you stopped changing. Stopped growing. Stopped challenging yourself.

I'm stuck right now, and I've been thinking a lot about how to get un-stuck. Contemplating my stuckness. Really working on figuring out what, exactly to DO about being stuck. Then it dawned on me: Getting unstuck isn't about contemplating stuckness - it is about DOING, not THINKING about doing.

If you feel stuck, don't consider the whys and wherefores of being stuck - do something about it. Do anything about it. Remember that on object set in motion tends to stay in motion and an object at rest, tends to stay at rest, so simple action of doing something will make it easier to do the next something, and doing nothing makes it easier to do nothing.

Thinking isn't doing. Doing is. That's the trick to stuckness...do something.

Are you sweating yet?

2009-01-26T10:03:00.002-07:00

Thomas A. Edison made the famous quote that genius is "1% inspiration and 99% perspiration."

So my question is "are you sweating yet?"

Inauguration Day

2009-01-20T08:14:00.009-07:00

February 20, 2009.
I have been alive for 10 Presidential Inaugurations - 11 after today. I can honestly say that none of them has made a large or lasting impression on me...until today. Just to be clear here - I'm not talking about Presidencies - just inaugurations. I have to say that I have never really looked forward to an inaugural address before, so this is sort of an odd feeling. I am looking forward to listening to President Obama on this amazing, historic day.

My grandmother is 97. Today will be her (if I counted correctly) 29th inauguration day. William Taft was in office on the day that she was born. The last major war that we had fought was the Civil - ok, ok, we'll count the Spanish American War in 1898 - but still.

What are we going to see in the next 97 years? Will today prove to be the day that we look back on as a turning point? Will a message of hope actually inspire the actions in Washington and throughout the country that will do justice to the hope that led them? Right now we are mired in almost all-consuming economic turmoil, and certainly the economy will be the first order of the day for the new administration, but we cannot loose sight of the long-range opportunities that we have. We cannot let our desire for economic salvation turn us from the long-term changes that can create a better country and world. Energy independence. Curbing environmental destruction. Our health-care system. Education. And yes, Jobs. Good, stable, well paying Jobs.

Seems to me that today is as good a day as any (maybe even better than some) to stand UP and stand FOR. There are so many things to rail against in this day and age. It is up to each and every one of us to stop railing AGAINST and start railing FOR. What is near and dear to your heart? Stand up. What do you want to see accomplished before the end of your days? Stand up. What charities need your help? Stand up. What charaties don't even EXIST yet? Stand up. Clean water? Stand up. Clean air? Stand up.

The hard part about standing up, is that when everyone else is sitting down, you stick out. But keep this in mind: if YOU are standing, how much easier will it be for the next person, and the next, and the next.

Today is a day of hope. Today is a day of new beginnings. Today is a day of change.

Stand Up.

Plan, Do, Check, Act

2009-01-14T10:00:00.003-07:00

Plan, Do, Check, Act (PDCA) this is a carry-over from my days in Continuous Improvement / Kaizen. At that point in my life, it was targeted at manufacturing processes, but the concept has a lot of application across all aspects of life.

So often we just "do" - or at the very best, "plan, do, " but it is in the last two pieces that the power lies.

Quick terms definition:
Plan: Pretty straight forward. Plan is the plan. Who, what, why, where, when (or by-when) and how. All of these components together create a complete plan. When you are in "plan" take the extra time to create a complete plan.

Do: Also pretty clear. Work the plan. Do what you outlined that you would do.

Check: This is the reflection time once you have worked the plan. Did the plan work? If not, why not? What can be tweaked to make the results even better? Go through the plan, step by step and make sure that you did actually work the plan. Which parts worked and which parts didn't? Dissect the both the plan and the results.

Act: Implement the changes that you came up with in "Check." Keep in mind that Check and Act are basically a loop constantly tweaking and making the plan better (hence the Continuous in continuous improvement).

So now, let's take a quick look at this. It is pretty easy to figure out how one would use PDCA in manufacturing: you want to decrease the defects produced in a widget, so you make a complete plan, work the plan, check the progess and act on the information - but how do you make the jump from making parts on an assembly line to loosing weight, or getting your dream job?

The process is completely transferable. Let's take a look:
The goal is reduce the stress in your life:
Plan: First of all, how are you going to know that your stress is lower? Determine what you see as "lower stress" and write it down. Now, who, what, why, where, when and how: Who is pretty straight forward, YOU want to reduce YOUR stress right? So it is primarily an internal process. What: This is where you would insert your definition of "lower stress" - what is the measurable result (when I say "measurable" it might just be "sleep better" or "be less cranky"). Why? This is important because it is what puts the gas in your engine. It is your motivation behind "less stress". When: in this example, when is both when you will start, and when you will measure your progress along the continuum. Finally we get to "how". How is the specific things that you will do to reduce your stress. I will meditate for 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the evening. I will take 5 deep cleansing breathes when I feel myself getting angry or stressed. I will read one book that I WANT to read.

Be careful to find the balance between a complete plan, and planning paralysis. A good plan well implemented is a lot more powerful than a GREAT plan never implemented.

Do: work your plan. It is that simple. Just DO what you outlined in your plan.

NOW comes the good stuff.
Check: your checkpoints should be in your plan. So you know that after 3 weeks, you are going to check in with yourself and your progess. Are you doing what you said you would? Why or why not? What obstacles can you remove? How do you make it easier to do that which you want to do?

Act: Implement the changes. Set a new checkpoint.

Check. Act. Check. Act. Check. Act.

Before you know it you have created a new normal.

Give it a try. Start small. Let yourself get a feel for this and build some success at it.
Most importantly believe that you can.

I'll check back in later.

To Lead...

2009-01-11T16:53:00.005-07:00

What does it really mean to lead? How exactly does one go about doing it? Can it be learned or is it inborn?

One sure way to lead is this: Stand up. State where you are going. Start walking. Talk to people along the way about where you are going and why, and pretty soon, when you look back, there will probably be some people there.

I truly believe that great leaders are not born to it. I absolutely think that it can be learned. It doesn't matter if you are an introvert or an extrovert, it doesn't matter if you are shy or outspoken or educated or not. It is simply about believing in something passionately and moving toward that common end.

Walk boldly.

Tension

2009-01-10T10:20:00.006-07:00

First of all, Happy 2009. After taking the last couple weeks "off" from working on this blog, I am really ready to get back into it on a fairly regular basis. I am excited about all that 2009 will have to offer in the midst of the difficulties that we will surely face.

As I have been pondering a new year and the last couple of entries I have starting thinking about vision, shifting the bell curve- and tension. Tension is what creates action. When I originally wrote "playing the bell" back on December 4th, I was really thinking of how a person can drive change withing a community - large or small - but it dawned on me recently that the standard bell curve applies to our PERSONAL actions every bit as much as it applies to a community of people. We have our personal upper and lower ranges of deviant behavior - and by deviant I simply mean that it deviates from our "normal" - and a range of behavior that we consider to be comfortable or normal. We can shift our own normal just like we can shift the normal at a group level.

Both shifts have to do with tension. I don't mean the kind of tension that exists between 2 co-workers that don't really like each other, I am talking about the state that is created when where is ARE is different that where you WANT to be. It is why vision and goals work. You create an internal force that recognizes the difference between the states of being. Having an understanding of where you want to be, and not being there is uncomfortable. It creates a restlessness...a tension. Movement toward the desired outcomes ease that tension, because it narrows the gap.

We don't like tension. We don't like to be uncomfortable. We don't like change. The beauty of the standard curve is that we only have to endure the discomfort for a short time - then the new behaviors become the new normal, and we have to look for the next stretch.

Obviously I still have some more to work on with this, but I'd rather post something rough and keep working on it than wait until its perfected. It is uncomfortable for me to put something not "done" out into the public sphere, but that is precisely why I am doing it.

Vision

2008-12-30T14:46:00.005-07:00

I have never been good at setting goals. They just seem to "out there" for me. I know that they are important, largely because goals create the roadmap for action, but I have never been able to get my head around doing them.

As I have been pondering my current circumstances, along with the fact that the New Year is upon us I came to a blindingly obvious realization. I don't really like goals...but I DO like telling stories. I am an avocational actor - or at least I was - I understand the idea of creating an environment in which a character can thrive. Many, many moons ago Bill Sauer (yup, there he is again) led the Sr. leadership team at Homecrest in a visioning exercise. The idea was to create a picture of what we wanted the company to be. Now, I will fully admit that in this particular instance it didn't work out quite like any of us had envisioned, but I really think that the practice is still incredibly valid - and for me it is a lot less formal and intimidating that the ever present "goal setting."

It is a pretty interesting and simple process: Find a quiet spot to sit without distractions. If music helps you to relax, that's fine - but it should be very background and very non-intrusive. Adagio is actually proven to be the most relaxing. Set a pen and paper next to you - don't touch it, you don't need it yet.

Ok, now, sit down and close your eyes. Now simply picture what you would like your life or your job to look like. Maybe it is something as simple as picturing what your life would look like if you were happier at work or if you lost 10 or 20 pounds. Play make-believe. Imagine all of the details of what is the same and what is different. How do you act differently? What do you DO differently in your mind's eye?

Now, open your eyes and pick up the pen and paper. All that you do at this point is to describe, in writing, what was in your mind. Just tell the story of what your world looked like. The process of writing it down locks it into your brain. Be sure to capture as much detail as you can. The details are important. Write about what you saw and how you felt in the new imagined place. Nothing is too small or unimportant to make note of - in fact the smaller the better.

Once you have finished, give a good stretch and stand up. Now, with the picture of what is possible firmly in your mind...act as if it were true. You have your "goal" it is the picture in your head. You also have the means to achieve it. Just behave as though you already have it!
How would you act differently if you were 20 pounds lighter? Act that way. How would your home life be different if you loved your job? Consiously BE that way when you are home.

Did your picture include laying on the couch in front of the TV with no energy and cranky? I'm guessing not. So DON'T DO THAT. It really is just about re-imaging yourself.

Keep the picture of where you want to be firmly in your mind, and then just take little steps to get there. That is why I want you to imagine the small details...they are easier to change. Once the change begins, it is easier to continue. Go back to that place in your mind frequently. Remind yourself of what it felt like and looked like. Re-read the description if it helps.

Give it a try - it seems to work better for me than the austere "goal setting."

Have a happy and safe New Year and I'll be back in '09!

Painting the Cow

2008-12-27T13:12:00.007-07:00

The title is a reference to Seth Godin's book Purple Cow. The nutshell of the book is that to succeed, you need to be remarkable. Nobody really even notices cows...but if there were a PURPLE cow - now THAT people would notice.

But what if your cow is just a plain brown-and-white cow? Then what? Well, I'm trying to figure out how to get a bucket of purple paint and Paint My Cow.

Right now, I'm working with a pretty successful cow. This cow is regularly making money - has some left over at the end of the year...even THIS year. I'm not sure the cow is of the cash variety, but it certainly has the potential. Thing is, this cow is really just your run-of-the-mill brown-and-white cow.

So how do we go about painting this cow? How do we transform the business from ordinary to remarkable?

You need to open your eyes. Look at what the competition is, and isn't, doing. Talk to your target customers. Find out what they want, and then figure out how to give it to them in a remarkable way. For me right now that means getting into the mind of the interior designer and finding out what really motivates them. Brands? Profit opportunity? Simplicity? Selection? The answer is that it is probably a mix of all of these things.

So I have two things to do:

First, solicit input from a cross section of interior designers. Email inquiries work. Buying them lunch works better. Once I get some momentum, then I try to get 6 or 7 of them in a room together to try and build some energy around what works for them.

The second thing that I have to do is to work on ways to give them what they are asking for in a way that they will think of ME before they think of someone else. But I can't do the second part until I do the first. I might develop a GREAT white-glove delivery service, but if what they care about is profit opportunity, then the white-glove service actually works AGAINST the goal (after all, they know that ultimately they are paying for the added service).

In my mind, the most important thing (to get back to the cow analogy) is to research what color your customer likes, and then paint your cow. Then, once you have painted your cow, don't paint it again. If the color of the cow keeps changing, your customer won't know what they are buying.

Take the time. Do the research. Pick out the color and paint that cow. With a little work, you can be remarkable.

I wonder...

2008-12-22T15:25:00.003-07:00

It is an introspective day today. It is a day for wonder and contemplation. "what would happen if..." and "how can I...". How does one go about separating ones self from the pack? Purple Cow is a book about the importance of being remarkable - of spreading the word - if you are really good (and a bit lucky) maybe even attaining "idea virus" status. But how do you know? What is a differentiator in one person's mind, is going to be "same old same old" in another's.

So the solution is to focus your attention to the people who respond. Don't try to be everything to everyone right? But when you are starting, how do you know which people are the right people, and how do you get permission to talk to them?

No solutions today - just a lot more questions...

What's stopping you?

2008-12-16T16:39:00.007-07:00

Or for that matter, what is stopping me? I think that for a lot of people, it is the same answer, so even though this isn't a "diary blog" I'm going to spend a bit of time examining what is stopping ME, and maybe you'll see something that you recognize. After all, we are all in this together.

Money: An easy place to start is money. "I just can't afford the expense of launching my idea and still eat and pay my mortgage." The experts will tell us that money is just one barrier to entry, and they are correct; but it can be a very real barrier to entry. Is there a way to continue to move forward without breaking the bank? This one, to me, gets back to "the next right thing to do." Can I work on a prototype? One of my ideas is fairly non-technical; so I could probably put the prototype together pretty easily. My problem is I find myself getting sucked into "then what." "So I build the prototype? So what? I still can't afford to launch it." Try to resist the urge to head too far down this path. Focus on the next right thing to do; also known as "we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." I think that you'll be amazed how far you can get before dollars become the obstacle.

FEAR!: Next for me (and this is probably the biggest one) is just plain fear. Fear of the financial ramifications of jumping; fear of the response that I will (or won't) get; fear of all of the stuff that can - and will - go awry. Isn't it interesting though that the thing that I gives me the greatest degree of anxiety is simply how my ideas and my actions will be viewed by other people. What if "they" think its stupid? This is the silliest darn thing that I've ever seen. That does not make it less real mind you - but how does a dis-interested third party's reaction have ANY bearing on me or my success? It doesn't. It is all about my own insecurities. That's all. Nothing more.

Technical Savvy: I have a lot of ideas...A LOT of them, and some of them might even be marketable. Problem is that I have no idea how to implement most of them -or even if they would work. I am not an engineer, I'm a sales guy. I look at my wife's and I see technical software that could help her differentiate. I don't know how to do it. I don't even know if its possible. That means that I have to find the people that DO know how to do it and if its possible - that leads back to fear. So I need to take a step back and once again focus on THE NEXT thing. Only that. Don't let the anxiety of what someone MIGHT say or do slow me down. Stop playing the scenarios in my head and talk to some people. Worst case is that they won't be interested. Big deal. Talk to someone else. Eventually you will find someone who is willing to help.

Time: Time is tough because it is such an easy trap to fall into. This blog is a great example. I haven't posted for almost a week. Have a been busy at work? Sure I have. But there have also been plenty of times in the last week that I have made an ALTERNATIVE CHOICE. That is what the "time" issue is about. It is about making choices. Sleeping in instead of working out. Watching TV instead of working on your blog. Time is real because it is finite. There really are only 24 hours in a day, and we really do need to sleep - as well as all of the other things that fill up our days. Just acknowledge that how you USE your time is a choice. Get up 1/2 hour earlier, or go to bed 1/2 later - just one half hour. Devote that time to working on "your thing." See what happens.

Ok, I'm getting a bit long-winded now, so I'm going to post, but stay tuned...

Dealing with "no"

2008-12-15T10:19:00.010-07:00

Over the short life of this blog, I have been singing the praises of daring to do something amazing. Pursuing your great idea, or just daring to try something a little different. I realized that the implication of the last couple days may be seen as "just try - after that its easy." Not so much the case. Regardless of your dream, a lot of people will say "no."

Change is hard. The status quo will exert tremendous pressure to maintain itself. Some people will be very polite in their "no". Some will be condescending, as if to say "you just don't understand..." others will be just plain mean.

So how do you deal with the negativity and doubt that is thrown at you and your great idea? It is really easy to get sucked in, and to start believing that maybe that idea isn't so great after all. When that happens, it is a really good time to take a little reality check. Take some time. Take a step back and look at the feedback and your reaction to it. Are there some real issues that were brought up? If so, start working your way through them. Keep in mind that not all "negative" feedback is actually negative. I guarantee that there will be some rocks hidden just below the surface of even the best idea.

Keep in mind that "no" isn't about YOU. It may be about the idea, it may be about the audience's in-ability to wrap their heads around your idea - but it is NOT about you. You will have to work at keeping distance between "you" and the "no." Attaching the negative response to yourself creates a spiral that is really hard to get out of - all of the sudden it becomes about ME being wrong, or ME not being smart enough, or them not liking ME - and that is not it at all. Just keep firmly in mind that the issue may be either the idea or the audience, but it is never, ever about you personally.

Easier said than done, I know - BELIEVE me I know - but forge ahead. It will be worth the effort.

Defy Gravity!

2008-12-12T13:46:00.012-07:00

There is a song in the musical Wicked (sung brilliantly by Tony award-winner Idina Menzel) called Defying Gravity. Elphaba (the future Wicked Witch of the West) finds herself unable to live with the constraints of convention in OZ. Elphaba sings:
"Something has changed within me. Something is not the same. I'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game. Too late for second-guessing. Too late to go back to sleep! It's time to trust my instincts. Close my eyes, and leap! It's time to try defying gravity. I think I'll try defying gravity, and you can't pull me down"

Of course Glynda the Good (the incomparable Kristin Chenoweth) replies with:
"Can't I make you understand. You're having delusions of grandeur!"

I'm not going to turn this entry into a Wicked-fest, but I think that the lyrics of this song really strike a chord (literally as well as figuratively).

The power of convention can be overwhelming. Well meaning friends and family try to talk us back to earth. Don't reach to far. Don't stretch too much...you might fall.

Don't let them. Dare to dream - and dream big. Change starts with an idea. An idea that, by its very nature, defies convention. Change is, after all, different. It is not easy. It takes guts and conviction, you have to be willing to attempt that which has not been done.

The strength of your convictions and the courage to try. One more line from the song..."everyone deserves a chance to fly."

YOU deserve a chance to fly. You deserve to be happy and fulfilled and living the life that you've dreamed of.

Go for it.

Close your eyes...and leap.

Mark and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

2008-12-08T13:31:00.019-07:00

Do you remember "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day?" by Judith Viorst? Well today I can relate. Among other things, I was late for a meeting this morning because of snow/traffic, and I think its entirely possible that I broke my toe at noon when I dropped a big glass bottle of milk on it...right on the edge of the bottle too. Those are just two of the highlights (or would they be low-lights). Nothing horrible or earth-shattering (toe shattering maybe - but still) just enought to make me crabby.

The topic for today is not my bad day. You can read a million (literally) blogs and posts about why somebody's day sucked. My challenge today is how to get out of it.

We all have crappy days. Sometimes for good reasons, sometimes for no reason at all - but here is the big question - how do you get past it? How do you set about turning your day around, not by chance or fate, but by intention?

Sometimes you can just forget about it and move on - other days just seem plagued (today would fit that description). I have mentioned my mentor - the late Bill Sauer - in this blog before, and days like today remind me of him. Bill's advice to me would be to just observe how I am feeling and what it happening, not to label it as "good" or "bad" but just as "is". He used to say "rocks are hard, water is wet" it is not something to dwell upon - it just is.

Perhaps a "bad" day can be viewed through the same lens. What if we were able to view a bad day as a day - neither good nor bad, but rather part of the experience that makes us who we are. I think that it is entirely possible to not "allow" yourself a bad day - to push through it and ignore the fact that you are off or cranky, but I also think that if you simply dismiss how you are feeling that you miss an opportunity.

I'm not suggesting that you wallow in self pity, or partake in wanton crabbiness, biting the heads off of friends, family or co-workers - not at all. Rather, what I am advocating here is an observational self-awareness. The process of watching my moods and thoughts as though I am a disinterested third party. Imagine yourself floating above yourself and just watching, without judgment. Merely being in a state of awareness of thought, feelings and moods. Step back for a moment and say to yourself "boy, that seems to have struck a nerve. Interesting." Notice it, and then let it go. You can gain some great insights on your "triggers" and, at the same time, diffuse the emotion of the event.

Interestingly, I am having a better day already - even if my toe still hurts.

Happiness

2008-12-07T11:04:00.004-07:00

According to the cast of the original "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown", happiness is many things including: pizza with sausage, telling the time, having a sister and walking hand in hand - just to name a few. Happiness is a lot of things to a lot of people, and now researchers at Harvard have proven one more thing...it's contagious.

Now I'm really not sure how groundbreaking an idea this is - personal experience tells us that when we are around happy people, we are happier. Now Naomi Krasge of Bloomberg News has reported on a Harvard study that proves it. Happy Despite it All? brings up some interesting points.

According to the research, happiness can actually ripple through social networks, up to three degrees of separation - that means you know somebody who knows somebody, who knows somebody.

Other items of note:
"A person is 25% more likely to be happy after a shift toward happiness in a friend who lives within 1 mile" and "Happy next-door neighbors made it 34% more probable that a person would feel good"

The study assessed 4700 people over 20 years.

Kinda cool stuff.

There are 2 morals to the story for me:
1. Focus on being happy. It is not only a benefit to YOU but to your friends, neighbors and loved-ones -and THEIR family, friends and loved ones.
2. Find happy people. Hang out with them. A lot. It will help your attitude and disposition and lead you toward happiness - which leads us back to point #1.

Check out the article, have a great weekend, and in the words of Bobby McFerrin "don't worry, be happy"

Playing the Bell

2008-12-04T15:42:00.002-07:00

The Bell Curve. We all know it. For many of us, the last time we heard about the bell curve was when we got that "c" on the test and had to explain it to our parents..."well, he graded it on a curve so it wasn't really that bad." But the simple fact is that the curve reigns. The "standard distribution of the population" simply states that most people are in the middle. Its true of IQ, its true of technological savvy, it is true of political leanings. In every case, you have the outliers - those people who make up the small percentage at either end, and then a majority of people in what we call "normal."
Here is the interesting thing about the standard bell curve: You can move it. Seriously. You can shift the entire world of "normal." Malcom Gladwell called it "The Tipping Point." Here is how I see it working, and how it can be influenced.

Basically, any new idea or product - I mean REALLY new idea - starts at the far right side of the curve. In high-tech, they are typically called "early adapters" but they are the innovators. The first ones to pick up an idea and run with it. If you are out on the edges - people look at you a bit differently. They may even call you (god forbid) weird. But here's the thing...if you hang on tight and work to build the base of "believers" in your idea or product, well something happens. Weird becomes less weird. Think back about 10 years ago. Think about how you looked at someone with body art or piercing...pretty out-there wasn't it? Now? Not so much. So what happened? Quite simply, the bell curve moved. The outliers ceased to become outliers. They became the norm - or at least MORE normal. The entire curve shifted toward body art. Now I'm not saying that everyone is running out to get pierced, but the attitude toward the practice has shifted. Even if you don't LIKE it, it isn't deviant (in the good sense of the word) anymore.

So what does that mean for you? Essentially it means that you can change the world. Start small. Build a band of followers (that which Seth Godin calls a Tribe - you really need to read that book) if you can hang on tightly enough and build enough excitement, eventually the entire curve will spring to the right. "Normal" will shift. It takes an idea and the courage to talk about it, but that is where it starts. Toyota shifted the curve with the Prius. Al Gore shifted the curve with "An Inconvenient Truth" Granted they had some horse-power behind them, but it doesn't have to happen that way.

YOU can create a movement. You can make a difference. If it is global climate, clean air, body art, jazz, whatever you are nuts about - it can happen. It DOES happen. Every day.

Believe it. Believe in youself.

What have you got to loose?

In Defense of Weird

2008-12-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

First of all let me say absolutely and unequivocally that I am weird. I always have been - just ask my wife, or my dad, or my sister - they'll all say the same thing. So I fully admit my bias toward weird. But here's the thing, most of the people who accomplish anything truly remarkable are, in fact, a little weird. Maybe we call it "eccentric" or "outlandish" but it all boils down to the same thing. Richard Branson? Weird. Bill Gates? Weird. Seth Godin? VERY weird. These are people that dared to challenge convention. I would guess that none of them really care too much about what other people say about them - and by a lot of standards, that is just plain weird.

Don't play by the accepted rules. Don't do things just because it has always been done. Challenge it. Fly in the face of it. Dance in the streets if you feel like it. Sing out loud in a crowded shopping mall - If you let other people define you, it is self-limiting and self destructive. Allow yourself to express yourself. Whether it be in writing, drawing, painting or, god forbid, launching a new product, starting a new company or just looking at your job in a different way and finding ways to bring the fun back. People who are having fun are a lot more productive - and THEY ARE HAVING FUN.

Weird is creative. Weird is off the beaten path. Ultimately the people who think you are a little bit weird are probably so afraid of defying convention that they don't even know how to react. Let me let you in on a little secret. The conventional rules don't apply anymore. "Good enough" isn't. The ways that society has defined us ARE NOT going to get us to where we need to go. Not econimically, not environmentally. We are going to have to start looking through a different lense - and that, my friend, will be seen as weird.

I can't define "it" for you. I don't know what your boundaries are. Or what your dreams are. I can tell you this: Whatever "it" is...go for it. You owe it to yourself.

For heaven's sake, don't let a little thing like being weird slow you down.

Seriously? A sports gene?

2008-11-30T11:03:00.000-07:00

I friend of mine sent me this article from the New York Times called "Born to Run? Little Ones Get Tested for Sports Gene" (the "skip the ad" button is on the upper right corner). The subject of the article is a new test that was developed here in Boulder (who says we're weird?) that can indicate whether a child is genetically predisposed to athletics - even the sort of sports at which the child would be most likely to excel.

I am strongly tempted to stop writing right now and let you form your own opinions about the relevance of such testing, and I am not going to write anything about the testing itself, or the people who opt to have their children tested.

I do, however, feel like there is something to be gleaned from the attititudes that such testing exemplify. "Johnny is not going to be good at this, so why try?" The question is this: what have YOU learned from trying new and different things. Things at which you DIDN'T excel.

I am not particularly athletic. I enjoy some quazi-athletic endeavors like recreational downhill skiing, and golf - but I certainly don't excel at either. You know something? That's OK. I don't have to be the best at something in order to enjoy it. Certainly I want to do some things at which I excel. For me, it is music and theater - but I have gotten a lot from trying things at which I don't excel.

I guess to me it smacks of the out-dated and sexist assumptions that "boys are better at math" it is just so limiting. I know that I will never be Lance Armstrong on the bike (I'm guessing HE has the gene) but that does not mean that I should not enjoy the pursuit - and the challenge of improving.

The world at large strives to limit us. Why opt to do it to ourselves?

I Can't...

2008-11-28T18:35:00.001-07:00

Attitude is contagious. You've been there right? You are having a pretty good day. You are up and enthusiastic - and then someone comes into your space and sucks all of the life, energy and joy out of you. We've all had it happen to us, and we have probably all done it someone else. We have been both thief and victim.

Pay attention to the energy that you are putting out.

I am amazed at how fast the attitude of "I can't" can pervade an organization. A lot of people are accustomed to justifying why they can't do something - indeed why it cannot be done at all. Be careful. You'll be surprised at how fast you will be pulled in if you aren't careful.

Watch your own language and attitudes. Pause before leaping to the default "I can't". Give yourself just 5 or 6 seconds to process how you COULD do what is being asked rather than immediately leaping to why you can't.

This isn't just about work life. I find that the level of transference of attitude is pretty high. You may be "good" at compartmentalizing; at leaving work at work, but if you are, I think that you are the exception, not the rule. That 5 or 6 second pause can be a real benefit - regardless of the circumstances.

Give it a shot - just 5 seconds to focus on "I can".

Conversations for Possibility

2008-11-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Conversation. Dialog. Exchange of ideas.

I believe that this is where everything starts. Every movement. Every innovation. Every step forward - no matter how small. An idea, not shared, does not inspire action. Things start to HAPPEN when more people become aware of the idea. They get involved, they may even get jazzed up about it - THAT'S when the ball starts to roll.

An issue for me historically is opening myself up enough to share. I don't want to look like a fool. Don't want to hear "that's dumb." I have had some pretty good ideas that I have been afraid to share, only to see them on the market some time later. I have a feeling that it has happened to you too. Try to get over it. The risks of not doing it are too great. The risk of not trying, of not working toward something that you would truly love or have fun with. Dare to talk about it.

That's not to say that you might not have to work a bit to find your audience. There have been times when I have finally garnered the courage to mention an idea to a friend who I thought would be enthusiastic - only to hear "why do you thing YOU can do it? Don't you think other people have tried to do that?" It is discouraging; even a little painful. That does not mean that I shouldn't try again. Those friends just couldn't quite bridge the gap between where we are and the vision of the possible. That's ok. It just means that I need to expand the conversation. The list of things that we have accomplished that were "impossible" is staggering. I'm not saying not to take constructive critism - I'm just saying take it with a grain of salt.

The five most exciting words that anyone can approach me with are "Hey, I have an idea." That is where possiblity starts. "Wouldn't it be cool if..." are pretty good too. They indicate someone is excited about a new possibility. It is the people who embrace the possiblities in life that make the world go 'round.

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Wishing you and yours a truly Happy Thanksgiving.

In these times of economic uncertainty, it is more important than ever to stop and acknowledge what we DO have. Whether you be thanking a Creator, or your spouse, or your parents, we all owe parts of who we are to others.

So much of this day now gets lost in the shuffle of Black Friday, but I think that it is more important than ever for each and every one of us to stop and show appreciation for where we are and what we have. For one day, forget that it isn't perfect and acknowledge what we have.

It is important to stop for a moment. Pause. Say "thank you" and REALLY mean it.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Cradle to Cradle

2008-11-24T21:09:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Shaw carpet mills have developed a carpeting that is totally recyclable? Here's the kicker...do you know what they make out of the old carpeting? New Carpeting. How cool is THAT. This is a true cradle-to-cradle cycle. It is actually making waste obsolete. What if, as we look to the future of innovation, we see cradle to cradle. Companies that take full responsibility for not only the creation of their products, but of the product at the end of its useful life. One of the arguments that I have heard (yes, even here in Boulder) against hybrid vehicle technology is "what do we do with the batteries when they cease to function." Reduce, reuse, recycle on the consumer level is great - but as current and future entrepreneurs, we need to consider the impact of that which we create.

Take a lesson from Shaw.

The next right thing

2008-11-23T19:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I wrote a bit about why we stay in jobs that don't fill us up. One critical element is the identification of what it is that you would enjoy doing. That is the tough part for a lot of people - it has been for me. But now let's jump ahead a second and make the assumption that you have figured out the "what". Now all you have to do is figure out the "how".

The how is different for different people, indeed in some cases it may be as simple as re-defining a job search. For many people though, the how is the truly daunting part.

A very good friend and mentor of mine - the late Bill Sauer - used to talk about change. Personal change, organizational change - it doesn't matter. Step one is to identify the direction of the change. Have some picture in your mind of where you want to go. The excercise in yesterday's blog can help you out with that part, or there are about a million books written every year about finding your bliss - use whatever tools work best for you. Step two: Identify the next right thing to do. That's it. you don't have to have the entire trip plotted out - just figure out what to do NEXT. Take stock of where you are. Have a picture of where you want to be, and then take a step to fill in the gap.

When I used to ask Bill about the 3rd 4th or 12th step to get from where I was to where I wanted to be, he would often say "I don't know. My headlights don't shine that far ahead. Just focus on the next right thing, and the path will clear." The path may only clear one step at a time, but it will clear.

Acknowledge where you are - without judgement. Without blame. Without identifying it as "good" or "bad" but just as "is". "This is where I am right now. What is my next step."

My wife, my uncle, my dad and I climbed Mount Princeton last summer. Mount Princeton is one of Colorado's 14ers (a peak over 14,000 feet in elevation). The interesting thing about Princeton, is that most of the climb is rock-hopping. There is no clear trail, only small piles of rock called cairns to mark the trail. You know where you are...standing on this rock at this point on the Mountain. You can see the top...you KNOW where you want to get to eventually. The ONLY way to get there is to worry about your NEXT step. Is that rock safe? Will it shift under my wieght? Is there an easier route? You examine where you are, take stock - without seeing it as bad - and then take a step. Then you do the whole thing again.

What are you waiting for? Time to take a step.

Why do we stay?

2008-11-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

I was reading Seth Godin's blog today "Just Doing My Job" and it got me to thinking. Why DO people stay at jobs or companies that they do not enjoy? I mean think about it. On average, we are awake about 5,824 hours a year (because we all know that 8 hours a night is the optimal amount of sleep, right?). Of that, we spend (again on average) of 2,000 hours at work - assuming 40 hours per week and 2 weeks vacation. So that means that over 1/3 of our waking hours are spent actually AT work. If you include commuting to work and thinking about work, it goes up by probably another 400 or 500 hours.

The sad thing is that a LOT of us, don't really enjoy what we do or who we are doing it for. We are just going through the motions. Why? Safety. Security. Fear. Comfort. I suppose all of those things combined exert enough force on us to keep us securely mired.

The old saying "if it were supposed to be fun, it wouldn't be called work" is really pretty bogus. In fact I know of a stonger word that starts with the same letter. There are a lot of people out there who work tirelessly doing meaningful work that they LOVE. So what is different about them? They aren't more driven. They aren't smarter. They aren't even luckier. The only difference is that they had the courage to identify what it is that they love to do, and then figure out a way to do it.

A lot of the people that I know who don't like their jobs all that much, don't really have a good idea of what they DO want to do. They are stuck because they really don't have a better idea - or else they just can't see how to get there from here. I'll talk about that tomorrow - but for today, let's focus on identification.

If you aren't happy doing what you are doing, take a few minutes. Grab a piece of paper and a pen - (do yourself a favor and do this by hand - it does make a difference). Write out a list down the left edge of the things that you don't like about what you are doing. Make it complete. If your boss is a jerk, write it down. If you are bored, write it down. Whatever it is put it on the list. That's step one. Step Two is to create a corrected list. If you don't like your boss, list the traits you don't like, and then right across from it on the right side of the page, make a list of the traits that you WOULD like in a boss. If you are bored, what might be more fun. If there is a specific industry you'd love to work in, write it down. If not, just list the traits of the perfect job.

Get a good picture in your mind about what you would like to do, and then just start talking to people about it. You'll be amazed at how many people really want to help. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen overnight, because it might take a while, but keep refining the list and keep talking to people. Surf. Apply for jobs. Go for it. If you can't find it, give some thought to how you might be able to create it.

Your possibilities are limitless.

Let's have a drink

2008-11-21T17:06:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but I would love to work somewhere that is committed to helping people enjoy and protect the wild places on the planet. So I’ve got an idea. Let’s build the team that will solve one minor little problem. 30 or so years ago, you could drink the water straight from the streams in America’s wild places. You can’t do that today – you’ll get bugs living in your guts that you don’t want living in your guts. So what say we fix it?

How do we do it? No idea. But isn’t that part of what would make it fun?

Branch out

2008-11-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

Challenge: Do one thing every week that you would not normally do. That's it. Just branch out with one thing - you'll be amazed at how your view of what is and isn't possible will change. Get just a little bit uncomfortable on purpose and see how it goes.

If that seems a bit much, try this. If you are a liberal, watch Fox News. If you are a conservative, listen to NPR. Now here's the challenge: Don't just get irritated at the stupidity of the other side. Listen to them. Try to understand their point of view. Read something that you KNOW you disagree with and really read it. Get into the author's perspective. Really try to find ONE thing that you have in common. One thing that you can legitimately agree with. If you can't find it, well you tried; and that is a heck of a lot more than what normally happens.

We are normally so quick to dismiss anything that we don't agree with - especially if it is something about which we are emotional - that it can be very broadening to find commonality with opposing points of view. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying "jump ship" and convert, all I'm saying is that there is value in opposition. You may think of something that you hadn't before and THAT is cool.

Change

2008-11-19T20:04:00.000-07:00

Change. Interesting topic. Interesting enough to get a black man elected to the Presidency of the United States. Regardless of how - or if - you voted it is to be marveled at.

Now here is the kicker...how do we go incite the changes that President Obama will invite? He and his administration will likely shake up Washington a bit - our imperative is to shake up the country - perhaps the world. We cannot sit idly by and watch "them" do the work. The changes that must be made in our collective psyche need to be broad and sweeping. It is time that we work as a nation to move beyond the place where we have been mired. Preachy? A little maybe - and I am really going to try to not be preachy in this - but I think that we are in a position that we have never been in before and we are poised to make real and significant changes - and I'm not talking about a new tax break or a slight tweak to the partisanship that has ripped through Washington and the country.

We need to take a look at the world around us and examine what we are doing, and what we can do differently.

So here's the real deal. What are YOU passionate about? Who do you know that shares your ideals and your dreams. One person. Then two. Then four. It builds - and it builds fast. So in the words of Nike: Just do it. I am - this blog is the beginning of it. I have no idea where this is going to end up, but I know that I need to move. The best way that I know to make a difference is by convincing people that they can make a difference.

So there it is. DO SOMETHING. I have to quit now, or this is going to become 30 pages long...and maybe someday, but not yet.

See you tomorrow.

Start of some not so random musings...

2008-11-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

So how do we go about eliciting the changes within our society and our world to move toward clean, dependable and independent power, and reverse the trend of increasing apathy and isolationism – not in terms of our politics – but in terms of our lives? How do we accomplish true success globally?

We cannot wait for the politicians – the political system makes real change almost impossible at the rate that change is currently necessary. We cannot wait for society as a whole – society is made up of individuals, many of whom feel powerless against the status quo. We must learn and lead by example. It is our responsibility – each and every one of us - to DO it, not wait for it. In the doing we will illicit the change in society. Individuals change society – not the other way around. If left to its own devices, “society” will strive only to maintain the current state of being. It is more comfortable. It is easier. It is less scary.

Collaboration is the key to success – how do you create a template for success that best utilizes all of the resources that the world has to offer. Just building a successful company is not enough. Thomas Freidman has many examples of companies, both in the US and abroad that have successfully integrated culturally and professionally. We have to do more than that. We have to do it in such a way, with such a vehicle so as to inspire. To show what is necessary to keep America at the top of the game…not because we deserve it, but because we earned it.

The complexity is enormous and the challenge is beyond the level of anything I’ve ever even contemplated, but it could be argued that it is our imperative, our patriotic duty to determine the direction. I know that I am neither smart enough nor experienced enough to do it on my own. So where does one begin? It must be a convergence of forces – of minds and skills that far outstrip any individual. But again, where does one start – is it with the idea or is it with the team? I would put forth that you begin with a group of people and a goal…not a product or a service, but with an idea of what you wish to attain and use the minds and wills of the right team to build it. It begins with the dream of proving that it is possible, not only to succeed, but foremost to inspire. It looks too big. It looks like it would never be possible for one person – or even a small group of people – to reverse the trend – to get America thinking, learning and working again. We need to help people understand the necessity of creative thought. The necessity of turning off the TV and the X-Box and expanding ourselves beyond ourselves. It is science, it is math, but it is also the arts, and humanities because without art and humanities, we loose our ability to relate to one another, and that is every bit as critical – if not more so.

It (whatever “it” is) must be a combination of education and commerce. We have to explain the dots before we can start to connect them. The biggest single challenge that I believe we face is the sense of entitlement that we have as a society. We don’t want to have to work for success, because we have come to simply expect it. That expectation will be the death of us because someone forgot to tell the rest of the world that we just “get” to stay on top. Military might and fear-mongering are antithetical to the goal of global success. I have to learn how to adapt quickly. I say “I” only because it is the only thing over which I have any real control. I have no say in what “we” do or what “they” do, but I can, with my actions, influence the “we” and the “they” and so it is my moral responsibility to do so.

Thomas Friedman talks about energy as being one of the prime possibilities for inspiring the nation to take a step forward. I agree that if we could generate excitement in and among society to reach a technological goal it would have huge long range ramifications. JFK had one, rather large, advantage when he announced that we were going to the moon…he was the President of the United States. So how does one person (because that is where it starts) build enough momentum and make enough noise to be heard by a nation when he or she does not have the resources of the Presidency at their disposal? Perhaps they don’t have to. Perhaps it is enough to start working toward a goal with the outcomes in mind – and with that sweep more people into the flow. Perhaps it starts with one, then it becomes two, then 10 then 100 then you gain enough momentum to pull more people along. Build excitement, build success, and then you will start getting people’s attention.