Life Lesson

The world (our world, our narrative) could be a very different place when we exchange a few things. Here are some worth considering.

Swapping out TV time with writing.

Being forgiving instead of angry.

Asking questions and listening more than presenting.

More taking action instead of panicking about how you’re going to get it all done.

Sending a thoughtful note rather than waiting for one.

Pausing instead of plowing through.

Asking for help more often rather than not acting at all.

Switching tasks to one you know you’ll enjoy now.

Stay Positive & It’s All A Choice

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When you make a mistake, you know how frustrated you are with yourself, right?

Others aren’t far off from feeling the same when they make a mistake, too.

Sometimes, they may even feel worse, may have already planned how to never make the mistake again and, in some cases, have already worked to make things right.

You have the option to chastise and reduce your trust and to micromanage going forward.

But you also have the option of asking, “That won’t happen again, right?”

And then moving on, when they say, “No. I promise.”

Stay Positive & Trust Is Magical Currency

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Damn is frustration a good thing.

I’ve met some of the greatest mentors who became the awesome humans they are because they were frustrated with the mentorship (lack thereof) they received.

The most powerful blog posts and books were written by those who were frustrated with the mediocrity they previously held in their hands.

You can tell a good all-addresses email was written by someone who was frustrated because you’ll find a spelling error, but also legitimate actions people can take right after reading.

Frustration doesn’t need to be a downward spiral. It can be fuel for us to be more generous, connect more deeply and make things better – not for ourselves, but for those around us.

Stay Positive & A Little Pissed Off

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Most people and brands (the more local you get, the easier) are interested in collaborating.

Too often those who are perfect for a collaboration are also interested.

So we’re left with two interested groups but never a connection between them.

We have to be courageous enough to ask and continue asking to collaborate.

Otherwise we spend a lot of time waiting for a request that never comes; and we miss out on the opportunity to create something special for the world.

Stay Positive & Default To Action

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Contrary to popular belief, sliced bread is still the greatest thing.

The genius took something whole and cut it into achievable pieces.

It became easier to use, easier to share, easier to manage.

Similar results can be seen when we slice up a big project, big goal, big ask or big wish.

Stay Positive & Make It Achievable

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We use expression’s like “the ball is in their court” or “the next move is hers” or “What do you think I’m paying him for?” to assert that the responsibility for action is on another – not on us.

The reality is that it’s never not on us.

We can always be taking action. We can help others play the ball, make the move and get the job done. We can be generous.

I call it the ABH mindset.

Always be helping.

Stay Positive & Need A Hand?

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Every interaction can be a valuable one if you end it by letting the other person know something you appreciate about them/about what they’ve done.

If you’re responding to more email chains than you are starting, then that’s the difference between being reactive and proactive. Is the one you are now the one you actually want to be?

In any exchange for services, it’s our responsibility to help the other person or group as much as possible. Thinking “we’re paying them to do it” is setting yourself up for future frustration.

Recall, stress comes from the gap between what we want and the reality in front of us, but we can overcome it when we focus on the moment.

Stay Positive & Go Get’em

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