Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome... Going Beyond Life's Challenges

 

Good Morning,

Don't we all feel like were climbing a huge mountain sometimes.   I know I sure do when things don't seem to be going my way or unannounced challenges enter my life.  The big question for both you and me how should we respond during these times?

As some of you may have read on this site, I spent some time in the military with a good bunch of guys.  They were leathernecks, devil dogs, some may even call them jarheads, but they were resilient men who proudly held the title of United States Marines.  My experience with that organization formed much of my thinking about success and failure.  The Marine Corps had a motto that we lived by that was a commentary on how Marines are expected to deal with failure and challenges, "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome".

One of my many stories that illustrate this concept was when we hiked into the mountains of Northern California.  In a matter of three days we covered more than 15 miles, and ascended from 2,000 to more than 8,000 feet with a ton of gear on our backs.  It was a grueling hike that took its toll on many.  A friend of friend of mine became one of the many who emulated our motto on that trip.
It started a few weeks prior to this exercise when he had purchased some new boots.  Much like each of us who were with the infantry he tried to find a pair of boots that were comfortable and would hold up to the rigors of the field.  During those weeks prior to the trip he ran in the boots, bathed them in mud while on field ops, and generally did everything he could to ensure these boots would protect and sustain his feet.

Sadly, this wasn't the case on our winter wonderland hike.  His boots became cold, and lacked pliability.  His boots began to start creating little hot spots all over his feet that turned into horrible blisters.  When we were half-way through the hike he came and got me to check his feet because he was in a ton of pain.  We quickly pulled his boots off, and all I saw were blood soaked socks.  The entire bottoms of his feet were covered with open blisters.  I quickly dressed his wounds, and was going to put him in the hummer when he stood up and starting walking away.  This trip was a rite of passage for him, a chance to prove to himself he could overcome obstacles and deal with painful challenges.  It was his opportunity to live the Corp's motto and be successful.

I'm surely not condoning abusing our bodies, but making the point that in life you and I sometimes face seemingly unbearable challenges.  Like my friend, we too can "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" when we believe in our cause and in ourselves.  Thank you for letting me share, and ramble a bit.

So, how are you going to "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" in your life today?  Whatever it may be, you can do it by believing in yourself, and figuring out how to beat that challenge.
 
Here are a couple quotes for your day:

“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

“Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

 

“if you set your goals ridiculously high and its a failure, you will fail above everyone else success”
― James Cameron

Have a great Day!

Minimize the Clutter in Your Life - 5 ways to achieve success through organization...

Does your life ever feel like its spinning out of control because you have numerous demands from your work, your family, and the other unplanned events that impact your life daily?  It often feels similar to having a cluttered garage, and feeling overwhelmed by the piled up projects staring you in the face.  To be productive in life we all to make time to enjoy the things that bring us happiness, and the only way this can occur is by creating a system that ensure organization in our lives.  

Here are 5 easy ways to achieve success by organizing your life:

• A place for everything:  How many mornings can you remember needing to rush out of the house to get to work when you realized you can't find your keys?  You retrace your steps in a mad panic, so you won't be late to work that morning.  Thankfully in the midst of your anxiety, a helpful hand comes around the corner dangling your car keys.  Part of the reason this occurs is because that there needs to be a place for everything in your life.  When you dedicate a specific location to put things in place in your life, the chaos of the missing keys quickly subsides.

• A time for everything - Why were you chasing those keys in the first place?  Most likely because you have a challenging schedule where you have to make time to work, eat, sleep, spend time with those you love, stay healthy, and maybe have a minute to mentally digest it all.  Sadly there are only 24 hours in the day, and these necessities in life make it difficult to keep a grip on things in your life.  I recently read Steve Harvey's newest book where he gives the details on his daily schedule.  The guy wakes up a 3am and proceeds to work-out, meditate, do conference calls, conduct business meetings, host 1 radio and 2 TV shows, and finally gets home at 8 pm to act as a father and husband to his family.  He said he's only successful because each event on his life has a scheduled time.  If we want to be successful in our lives we also need to organize our time by creating a events that fit into the moments of our day.

• A note for everything - I don't know about you, but sometimes the thing resting on my shoulders (my head) fails me.  Therefore, creating a list of my tasks helps me track my progress.  I write down everything.  Even those amazing inventions that are yet to be unleashed on the world.  Writing down the things that impact our schedules creates the organization we need to see how well were managing our time, and creates opportunities for improved success. 

• A deadline for everything - That was due yesterday?  That can be a typical response for the unorganized person who hasn't written down what they need to do or when it needs to be done.  Without time lines for the tasks in our lives, we become like a rudderless boat adrift in the chaos of a busy schedule.  Start creating more organization by adding time lines to that to do list, and continue to re prioritize the demands as they're met or rescheduled.  Knowing your time lines will reduce your stress, let people know you're dependable, and create success by achieving the goals and tasks in your life.

• A purpose for everything - Creating the opportunity for success in our lives requires that we move forward with a sense of purpose in our lives.  We must develop a mindset that is supported by a drive to make a difference in our own lives and others.  Our actions and motives must be tied to the reason for developing a pattern of organization in our lives.  Therefore, when your life feels like it's spinning out of control we have to take control by intervening with the actions to create organization.   By having a place for everything, scheduling the time we need to accomplish our tasks, writing down the things we need to accomplish, understanding that we need to meet deadlines, and focusing on the purpose for developing organization we can achieve the success we desire in life.

“Organization isn't about perfection; it's about efficiency, reducing stress and clutter, saving time and money and improving your overall quality of life.”
― Christina Scalise, Organize Your Life and More 

Embracing Servant Leadership - The 3 C's to create an impact with those you lead...

How often have you come across challenges with the bosses and managers in your life as an employee?  Have you been exposed to someone you've considered a leader?  What was the difference that elevated their role from that of an administrative supervisor to a person who created an impact as a leader?  The act of serving others should be foremost in the minds of people who want to truly lead others.  This concept has been present throughout human history that is evidenced by the following:

Servant leadership can be found in many religious texts, though the philosophy itself transcends any particular religious tradition. In the Christian tradition, this passage from the Gospel of Mark is often quoted in discussions of servant leadership:

"42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45

Chanakya wrote, in the 4th century BCE, in his book Arthashastra:

"the king [leader] shall consider as good, not what pleases himself but what pleases his subjects [followers]" "the king [leader] is a paid servant and enjoys the resources of the state together with the people."

Servant leadership is an ancient philosophy. There are passages that relate to servant leadership in the Tao Te Ching, attributed to Lao-Tzu, who is believed to have lived in China sometime between 570 BCE and 490 BCE:

The highest type of ruler is one of whose existence the people are barely aware. Next comes one whom they love and praise. Next comes one whom they fear. Next comes one whom they despise and defy.  When you are lacking in faith, Others will be unfaithful to you.  The Sage is self-effacing and scanty of words. When his task is accomplished and things have been completed, All the people say, ‘We ourselves have achieved it!’

Servant leadership is both a leadership philosophy and set of leadership practices. Traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid.” By comparison, the servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Servant_leadership)

Even though this concept has been present throughout human history, it began to develop more attention in the 1970's when the term was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf  in an essay he wrote about leadership:

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.”

“The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?“

Sadly very few of us have had the privilege of experiencing this type of leadership in our professional careers.  Most often people are exposed to negative styles of leadership rather than having a positive experience.  Here are both some positive and negative styles that are most prevalent today :

Laissez-Faire

A laissez-faire leader lacks direct supervision of employees and fails to provide regular feedback to those under his supervision. Highly experienced and trained employees requiring little supervision fall under the laissez-faire leadership style. However, not all employees possess those characteristics. This leadership style hinders the production of employees needing supervision. The laissez-faire style produces no leadership or supervision efforts from managers, which can lead to poor production, lack of control and increasing costs.

Autocratic

The autocratic leadership style allows managers to make decisions alone without the input of others. Managers possess total authority and impose their will on employees. No one challenges the decisions of autocratic leaders. Countries such as Cuba and North Korea operate under the autocratic leadership style. This leadership style benefits employees who require close supervision. Creative employees who thrive in group functions detest this leadership style.

Participative

Often called the democratic leadership style, participative leadership values the input of team members and peers, but the responsibility of making the final decision rests with the participative leader. Participative leadership boosts employee morale because employees make contributions to the decision-making process. It causes them to feel as if their opinions matter. When a company needs to make changes within the organization, the participative leadership style helps employees accept changes easily because they play a role in the process. This style meets challenges when companies need to make a decision in a short period.

Transactional

Managers using the transactional leadership style receive certain tasks to perform and provide rewards or punishments to team members based on performance results. Managers and team members set predetermined goals together, and employees agree to follow the direction and leadership of the manager to accomplish those goals. The manager possesses power to review results and train or correct employees when team members fail to meet goals. Employees receive rewards, such as bonuses, when they accomplish goals.

Transformational

The transformational leadership style depends on high levels of communication from management to meet goals. Leaders motivate employees and enhance productivity and efficiency through communication and high visibility. This style of leadership requires the involvement of management to meet goals. Leaders focus on the big picture within an organization and delegate smaller tasks to the team to accomplish goals.(http://smallbusiness.chron.com/5-different-types-leadership-styles-17584.html)

With all these styles to choose from why should managers or supervisors look to becoming a servant leader to have a greater impact with those they lead?  A servant leader looks at those in their ranks with a different perspective that is encapsulated by using the 3 C's of Servant Leadership:

Compassion - As a servant leader people must see those they lead as another human being with the same needs and challenges they face in life.  They have to look at the big picture, and remember that life is greater than what exists within the walls of the office or confines of the cubicle.  When a leader gets to know those in their ranks they're able to uncover diamonds that may have been in the ruff.  They don't need to know every detail of that person's life, but can show true sincerity by caring about the future personal and professional growth of those they lead.  Then the servant leader is able to be both a counselor and mentor focused on trying to help those they lead achieve their potential. This result only occurs by leaders who are willing to sacrifice their needs to be present with their staff.  

Collaboration - When leaders take the time with staff the relationship changes from us and them to colleagues dedicated to achieving the same goal.  Servant leadership is grounded in understanding that those you lead possess the knowledge and skills that can create success for you and your organization.  What motivates a servant leader is the desire to achieve the best outcome for all involved without any need for receiving the recognition. 

Conviction - A servant leader is able to step out of the spotlight, and allow their staff to take control of a project with complete confidence that they will achieve success.  These actions occur because they come from a leader who possesses intrinsic beliefs and convictions about serving others.  Servant leaders believe that they are in their position to enhance the lives of others.  When leaders are driven by the desire to create an impact through serving others then great things can happen.  Cultures can be changed within companies by embracing the contributions of their staff, policies can be created that ensure justice is delivered to those working for the organization, and compassionate direction can be offered that inspires people to contribute by giving their best each day. 

Aspiring to be a servant leader means going against the traditional leadership styles embraced by organizations, and pushing the envelope to ensure that positive change occurs by creating a culture of service.  It can be a challenging road to take, but what a difference it can make.  What would your company look like if it was filled with servant leaders?  How would it feel to be motivated by meeting the needs of others each day?  If you're leader then I encourage to look at how can strive to be a servant leader.  Start by focusing on those you lead, and serve by meeting their needs.

“Serving others prepares you to lead others.”

Jim George

Overcoming Rejection - 5 Ways to Open the Door to Your Success

“Sorry, you're not a fit", "you're just not my type", or "we have a better qualified candidate" are all common statements that many people hear when they're being rejected. It can be a heart-wrenching experience to be on the receiving end of these conversations by either a prospective employer, potential client, or a love interest, but how we react in these situations can either create the opportunities or the obstacles to our success. Therefore, it's essential that we create a strategy to effectively manage our response to rejection by following these 5 ways to successfully transition through the challenges and begin “Opening the Door to Our Success".

1.  Expect – If we want to effectively deal with rejection in life we need to understand that it will be a reoccurring theme in every aspect of our lives. Therefore, we can't live our lives fearful of taking the possible risks that may create opportunities, but instead move confidently forward with making life decisions. Understanding that life is not made up of just absolutes, but is full of shades of grey that are the drivers for how events unfold. When we don't allow ourselves to assume that something is supposed to happen we make it easier to prepare for a less than positive outcome. By expecting to experience rejection as part of life, and proactively preparing our minds for the experience we can more easily embrace the ramifications that occur from the situation.


2. Embrace - After we accept rejection we can fully embrace the feelings that it might create. By changing our perspective of the situation we allow ourselves to take a retrospective view of what occurred, and look to improve any attitudes and behaviors that may have contributed to the rejection. Reminding ourselves that even the most talented successful people in life get rejected should make it easier to handle the rejection experience. After moving through the emotions, and re-framing our thinking then we need to “dust off” and keep moving forward in life. We can only to take advantage of the opportunities that may arise when we have the emotional intelligence to prepare for chances at success.


3. Evolve - Just like many other situations in life, rejection provides the prospect for producing personal change and growth. If we use the occasion to be introspective and analyze our performance, personality, or any other aspect that may have contributed to the rejection we produce the likelihood that we’ll deal with rejection in life as a winner. Therefore, the situations are learning tools and not a means to choose to be victims, but reconfirm to ourselves that we possess the abilities and talents to be successful. When we completely evolve we become energized and excited to accept the new opportunities that exist in life.


4. Energized - It takes energy to make things happen, and to create the persona of a confident successful individual. When we exhibit a self-assured image people feel more comfortable providing new opportunities for success. During this phase of the rejection cycle we should be developing new plans and willingness to go back to "knocking on doors” that will lead to our success. Only when we have transitioned to a point where we’re energized by our new confidence can we realize or dreams.


5. Earn - The whole process of rejection is a process of human development that culminates in the ability to go out and earn new chances to succeed. As you transform your thinking by expecting the reality of rejection, embracing the feeling created, evolve with a new positive perspective, and develop an energized confidence that will propel you to gain the advantage that leads to earning the right once again to "Open the door to the Success" that is waiting for you in life.

Are You Ready to Stop Smoking - What Method to Choose?

What Method to Choose?

Cold Turkey:If you're a pack-a-day smoker, this means going from 20 to 0 cigarettes in the matter of a day. With the "cold turkey" method, you completely stop your smoking all at once, relying on your will power to fight your nicotine addiction.

Gradual Reduction:A slow gradual reduction in the number of cigarettes you smoke over time is a method that many people try. Methods include smoking only half the cigarette, waiting an hour longer each day before lighting up your first cigarette or smoking only during odd or even hours. Although you are weaning yourself from addiction, you are still prolonging your exposure to the cancer-causing chemicals in tobacco.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy: NRT
These products replace some of the nicotine that you used to get from smoking. Nicotine replacement is used to wean you off nicotine by replacing the very high concentrations of nicotine you get from smoking with much lower doses delivered more slowly. It is a means of delivering nicotine without the harmful tar, gases and other elements of smoking. NRT reduces the cravings for cigarettes and the withdrawal symptoms associated with quitting. NRT is the most thoroughly researched method and tests have shown that, used correctly, it will double your chance of success - which is good news for those who have found withdrawal very hard on previous attempts. If you smoke your first cigarette within 30 minutes of waking, then you are more likely to benefit from NRT. 

To check you are using NRT properly, always follow the manufacturers' instructions. Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you are not sure. NRT is much safer than smoking but if you have a medical condition, any health worries or are pregnant, it is important that you talk to your pharmacist /doctor first.

There are several forms of nicotine replacement available - patches, gum, lozenge, nasal spray, inhalator and lolipops. All of these products are available on NHS prescription. In addition, it is possible to purchase them from pharmacists and some are available from supermarkets and other retail outlets. Many of these products offer programs of support to help smokers through the quitting process.

The patch gives you a continual supply of nicotine at a low dose while you are wearing it - so you can't respond quickly to a craving or a stressful moment. The gum and the spray deliver a higher dose quickly so you can respond to a craving with a "quick fix", as with cigarettes. If you smoke steadily through the day, the patch may suit you better. If you smoke mainly in response to cravings or stress, the gum or spray might be more flexible for you. One study has compared the effectiveness of gum, patch, spray and inhalator and found that they are similarly effective.

Patches, Gum, Nasal Spray ,Inhaler

Zyban:
Zyban is an anti-smoking pill that seems to reduce nicotine withdrawal symptoms and the urge to smoke, and it contains no nicotine. The action of the drug is still not fully understood, but it seems to have an effect on the chemicals in the brain associated with nicotine addiction (which include beta-endorphins, acetylcholine, dopamine and norepinephrine).

Chantix:
Chantix is a selective nicotinic receptor modulator used as part of a program to help you quit smoking.

Low-Level Laser Therapy:Low-level laser therapy utilizes principles similar to the ancient healing art of acupuncture - a technique of inserting and gently stimulating hair-thin needles into specific points of the body to trigger a natural healing response. Low-level lasers simulate a very similar response by emitting a fine-point "cold laser" into your skin which stimulates your body's endorphin production system. Endorphins are natural chemicals in your body that signal your internal system to decrease stress and increase energy. Consistent absorption of nicotine into your body through cigarette smoking soon allows nicotine to take over and control your body's endorphin reproduction system. By naturally restoring your body's endorphin levels through low-level laser therapy, laser intervention can then remove the hold that nicotine has on your system.

Hypnosis:Hypnosis may be very beneficial to assist in quitting smoking. The good news is that we learned that hypnosis can be highly effective for smoking cessation; research shows that when done correctly the success rate is slightly above 66%. Compare that to the success rates of trying to quit on your own: 5%, using behavior therapy 25%, or using Nicotine Replacement Products, 25% and hypnosis looks like the best option out there. In fact, there is no other method supported by research that even comes close.

Acupuncture:Acupuncture is a healing technique derived from ancient Chinese medicine. As with hypnosis, acupuncture works for those with a strong desire to quit.

This information is provided via http://www.quitsmokingsupport.com/methods.htm

Behavior Change Coaching:

One other method that's not represented here is behavior change counseling and coaching - helping people understand the risks of their smoking, their history (when, why, how much?), and practical strategies to working through the quitting process to deal with triggers (temptation to smoke) and withdrawal symptoms if they arise.  This approach is found to be anywhere from 25 to 50%.

MINDWAYS QUIT Solutions™ is an integrated approach that uses a behavior change approach to uncover the reasons behind why you smoke, and how it has been affecting your life negatively.  We then use hypnosis to change that old negative messaging in your brain, and replace it with a new mindset that allows you to experience immediate lasting freedom from your tobacco dependence.

I hope this information has proven to be valuable in making your decision on how to stop smoking.  The most important message here is you need to stop for your own wellbeing, and for those you love.  Also, it would make the most sense to choose a method that yields the best numbers in delivering success. 

Please call, email, or leave a message for us here to let us start helping you today.  Take care, and we hope you choose to make one of the most important decisions in your life today!

Dave Greene RN