Turning inspirations into aspirations

Raze the barriers that keep you in orbits of old habits.

 Oh, aren’t habits difficult to break? It is so easy to become complacent or comfortable with the way things are versus changing to the way things could be! Time goes on and we so do we, doing the same thing in the same way and wondering why we can’t get from here to there!

Well, to get from here to there, requires us to identify those barriers inhibiting us. How real and seemingly insurmountable are they? Why are they barriers? Is something a barrier because we are too old, too tired, too poor; or, more importantly, are we too scared to make the change?

Change is scary. We don’t know what or who will come out on the other side of change. Ivan, a main character in Someday Islefelt that very same way. When he became the driver of his own behaviors and razed a few barriers to his success he was ablet to move from “here” to “there”!

You, too, can be that driver of your own success, identify and raze the barriers that are holding you back and soar ahead. Take the time to do this next step:

List three barriers that need to be knocked down to move you ahead on your journey. For the next 30 days work to raze  each barrier and let me know of your success in clearing the way for you to move from ‘here’ to ‘there’. I look forward to hearing from you at ron@rongrusy.com

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I have often used the term DREAM BIG in previous posts. Let’s take a closer look at what that means. In my book, Someday Isle, I take the “D” to mean Dare to be the driver of your own dreams and not the passenger in some else’s plan.

It is so easy to get caught up in the speed of thought and action in today’s world. At times it appears that the easier path is to go with the flow. This may be true when one speaks of being flexible and adaptable to the times but when it comes to the long term of being engaged in a tasks, a profession, a passion that brings lasting happiness, going with the flow can mean following the path led by someone else, their plan, not yours.

Have you felt this way?

If so, what has been your response? Do you have a strategy to regain that driver’s seat in your plan?

That is where DREAM BIG comes into play. Having big dreams is fine, it is mentally stimulating, can be relaxing and fun, but to DREAM BIG means to put an action plan in place that takes you, the driver of your dreams, to new heights. It means taking a good life and making it a better life.

Take a few moments to write down some notes as to what you need to change in order to put yourself back in the driver’s seat of your life’s passion, your profession, your goals. Perhaps it means carving out time for yourself to meditate, make attainable goals to change a behavior. Only you can determine what it is that needs to change as you DREAM BIG, but change is the first step. To change means to stop doing some thing and to start doing some thing else.

So,what are you willing to stop doing and what are you willing to start doing to DREAM BIG?

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All of us go through life with great intentions, ideas, skills to accomplish goals. One might say we have the  toolset to get the job done, but what we lack is the right mindset with which to apply that toolset. If you would have known my father, you would soon realize the difference between my use of having the toolset to combine with the right mindset to achieve your goal or goals.

For over 38 years he drove the two-lane highways of Illinois, calling on small family run lumberyards and hardware stores seeing to it that each had the inventory of saws, hammers, drills, screwdrivers, locksets and assorted power tools that he sold. Likewise, his tool bench at home was a virtual warehouse of similar tools, each with a specific intended purpose. However, this cache of tools was just that – a workbench of individual items waiting to be used to accomplish a particular job.

The true value of each of those tools was realized only when he had in mind what goal, what task, he wanted to accomplish. At that point, his creative genius in using a tool or combination of tools came into play and he was then able to repair something or create something. In other words, the toolset without he right mindset was of little use. With the right mindset  that:

• hammer became a ‘persuader’
• saw became a ’separator’
• screwdriver became a ‘connector’
• old belt, yes you read that correctly, became a ‘clamp’ or ‘binder’ or ’supporter’

I would say that each of us has toolsets available to use right now:  Inspirations, imagination, ideas, knowledge or skills and  competence.

What we need to apply in order to accomplish our goals is the right mindset: the perspiration, execution, behavior change, the action statements and the confidence  needed to combine the toolset with the right mindset in order to be successful in whatever it is our plan to achieve.

So what are you going to do with your toolsets? Allowing them to ’sit’ on your workbench, hoping that in some fashion, at sometime, someday, your dreams, goals will come to life?

I hope not!

Pull those tools down off of their safe, secure holding spots and apply them with the right mindset  to repair your dreams  or create new ones that will take you from your good life towards a better life. Be intentional not accidentalin realizing your dreams.

Yes, instead of having big dreams, DREAM BIG! That is your next step to take now.

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Well, it is nearly March and how many of us have already let go of any New Years resolutions we made? [raising my hand here].

Execution is tough isn’t it? Why? Because it calls for a change in behavior, something that not many people find it easy to do.  In order for us to change behavior we need to stop doing something in favor of starting to do something new.  A shift in priorities, from moving  priorities that are no longer important to start doing those things are now considered important.

As we plan to stop doing something in favor of starting to do something new, there is another concept playing on our mind – having confidence that we can make the change. But, is it really a matter of having confidence to do something?  Most of us would start off by saying that with more confidence we would try different things, like learning to ski, losing weight, asking for a raise, looking for a new job, changing careers.

My question for you is, what are you confident about in your life and how did you get to the point of being confident?

The answer is that you gained confidencethrough aquiring more competence. With that said, then, our efforts to change behaviors, or to pursue our dreams,  by waiting for confidence to come to us means we have been waiting for the wrong reason. You have had dreams to pursue but you have held back due to the presumed lack of confidence to move ahead when all along it has really been a lack of competence that you needed to develop.

You have been waiting to gain confidence to change when in fact you should be developing the competence to change.

So where does the acquisition of competence come from? Being a life long learner. Being willing to dream big, to shift priorities. A strategy to help you Dream Big is outlined in the last section of Someday Isle, which you can find by clicking on the button on this website.

I am going to offer four steps to help you acquire the competence  to gain the confidence to make the changes you seek.

• narrow your focus to 1 to 3 goals, don’t let the eyes get bigger than the stomach. One to three goals should be quite manageble and experience some success.
• identify what you can influence, what is measureable that leads to acheivement of your goal. Losing weight is your goal. The number of pounds you lose is measurable and is the indicator that you are nearing and achieving your goal.
• keep score since most people play differently when they keep score
• create an accontabilty source to keep your foucus. It is most helpful to have an accoutability buddy to urge you on, give you feedback. keep you focused on the goal.

So, let’s tie in execution of new behaviors with the acquisition of competence that will lead you to greater confidence to change in the direction you seek. Competence breeds confidence!

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I would refer you to James Kouzes and Barry Posner’s book, The Leaderhsip Challenge, and their discussion of the five  practices of exemplary leadership. I drew some points made above from notes I took from a webinar on Dr. Stephen Covey’s 4 Disciplines of Execution.

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How often do you hear “She always gives more than 100%”; “We need everyone to give all they can and more”? Often we hear such exclamations at a time when you feel she is or everyone is already giving as much as they can.  How can we do one iota more?

Well, when you wonder how anyone can give 100% or more consider this mathematical exercise. Perhaps it will shed some light onto your understanding.

If: A=1%, B=2%, C=3% . . . .X=24%, Y=25% and Z=26%.

Then:

Knowledge = 96%

Hardwork = 98%

Attitude = 100%

Perseverance = 131%

Persistance = 129%

And don’t think that a bunch of ‘hotair’ will get you by. Hotair equals a miserly 71%.

So knowledge of what needs to be done and hardwork alone don’t put you over the top as requested. Attitude gets you to 100% and a good dose of Persistance and Perseverance take you way over the top!

The same holds true for goals and dreams. One might have the correct tools to achieve goals but without the right mindset – attitude and perseverance, for example - those goals become what they started out as, dreams.

When you stop to plan your goals, to pursue your dreams, remember that the right mindset of attitude and some perseverance allows you to give more than a 100% and takes you over the top towards successful realization!

DREAM BIG – AND TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT CAN MEAN TO YOU CLICK ON THE BUTTON TO THE RIGHT TO GET YOUR COPY OF SOMEDAY ISLE!  YOU WILL LEARN THE STRATEGY THAT TAKES YOU WHERE  YOU DREAM TO BE!

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If you have read Dr. Stephen Covey’s classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you should recall his quadrant diagram that displays where we spend our time and where we should spend the important time of planning.

I came upon some interesting information form a friend of mine, Kordell Norton, in a newsletter from him. He writes, “. . . don’t START doing things but first STOP doing things.”

Interesting in that the reason we plan is to avoid or eliminate doing those things that keep us from accomplishing other things.

We are all faced with being pulled ’seven ways from Sunday’ day in and day out. Having a set of priorities for the day, the week, the quarter, the year, helps us to decide where our precious time should be spent — doing what is important and not urgent.

Now, if we weren’t doing things that interferred with doing what’s important then we wouldn’t have to plan, would we? We are already doing what we should be doing. But we get involved in doing this and that and at the end of the day, we ask, “What did I get done today? NOTHING!”  That leads to being frustrated, out of control of our own destiny, being a passenger in someone else or something else’s plan.

So, the next two steps and only two steps you need to take are: 1.Stop doing what your are doing! What do you need to stop doing in order to move to the next level? The second next step is use a strategy of DREAM BIG as found in Someday Isle which is available by clicking on the button in the right column and see what might be holding you back from moving forward in 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Do you find yourself escaping to islands of comfort where both your feet and your head are in the clouds? Or, do you wish to keep your head in the clouds and your feet on the ground taking you in the direction of greater self-fulfillment?

Someday Isle is now available for your reading pleasure!

Unlike “War and Peace” this is a quick read, an enjoyable and a challenging one. Read along as Ivan and Abel each pursue life in their own way but in the end, find some common ground as to how to achieve their dreams in life. Specifically, a strategy for YOU to follow is the result. 

After reading Someday Isle you will have a tool, a strategy that guides you from the ’shoulda’, ‘woulda’ and ‘coulda’s of life into greater self-fulfillment. What’s holding you back? What is keeping those dreams in the clouds and not in front of you as goals to achieve?

You can purchase your own copy of this motivational story right on this site buy clicking on  the BUY NOW button to the right.

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Stay tuned for a special announcement at the end of this post!!

Recently, I was enjoying time with my granddaughter as we engaged in a few games of the junior version of Monopoly. She is such a pleasure to spend time with but that isn’t the object of this post. As we played (by the way she trounced me three games to one!) the concept of Abundance Mentality came to mind. Dr. Stephen Covey speaks about this concept when he addresses his 4th Habit – Think Win-Win.

Now the junior version of Monopoly is much shorter than the marathon Monopoly games I played as a youth. As we traveled around and around the board, buying properties, paying rents and collecting rents as we went to enhance our wealth, it came to mind how easy it is for us to enjoy the thrill of success – receiving rent money – and the anguish of loss – paying out to the other person. We vascillated between Abundance and Scarcity as each of us passed GO! My monopoly dollars came and went as did hers, until finally one of us was out of money! 

The scenario of this game is aligned with a Win-Lose mentality but what came to mind is how we react to the ebb and flow of abundance and loss. How we react when dreams are achieved and hopes dashed.  How some people have big dreams – owning the board – while others DREAM BIG and plot a course of success as opportunites come to us.

We all have big dreams – owning Park Place or Boardwalk – which may come about but only with the right throw of the dice and being in the right place at the right time – a task that is not easy to arrange when we let someone, or something else – the dice, control our goals.

While most people have big dreams, others DREAM BIG and identify opportunities for personal fulfillment and success. Planning, exploiting opportunities along the way, setting little goals to acheive bigger ones and measuring out successes step by step will put us on a track of success. We may not have the Boardwalks, Park Places, railroads and utilities but we can enjoy still enjoy an abundance of personal wealth.

How do you approach a state of Abundance or the state of Scarcity? What goes into your planning to realize greater self-fullment, productivity, goals and dreams?

By following a strategy outlined in the soon to be released, Someday Isle, you will propel yourself forward and experience an Abundance mentality that overrides any Scarcities that come along. Someday Isle will be available on or before December 12th. I know you will find this motivational parable about the choices we can make to achieve greater self-fullment to be an enjoyable read.

Send me your email address and I’ll notify you as soon as copies are available. Mention you heard about Someday Isle on this website and receive free shipping for any and all copies you request. The investment is only $9.95 per copy. I can be reached at ron@rongrusy.com.

DREAM BIG AND REVEL IN YOUR JOURNEY!

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My comment this week concerns leadership, which in practice can and does face adversity in pursuing a course which may be unpopular to some. I am reminded of this as I follow the course of the historic attempts to revamp our national healthcare system. From my perspective, our national leader, President Obama, is taking a true leader role in presenting broad principles from which he is expecting the congress to debate, study, revise and fulfill their role to follow the leader by coming up with responsible legislation. The President, as leader, has taken on the responsibility of providing the vision for his team to examine and follow. I am sure he is providing covert persuasion of some sort, after all this is politics in action; however, in looking at how one faces adversity and comes out with a result that is impactful and in line with the original vision, true leadership is being practiced.

Is it not the role of leadership to provide the vision and not the details for the populace or an underling group of people to follow? Is it not the essence of leadership and team work to see that a vision is pursued through debate, study, revisions, all of which keep the vision in perspective to fulfill?

Is not this debate, etc. meant to come up with a product/result that is far better for the populace or organization than what might have originally been envisioned?

Reflecting back on an earlier post involving the carrot, egg and coffee bean, in the case of healthcare reform, is the end result going to be an aromatic cup of coffee? I know this is treading on your political viewpoint as to whether coffee, a hard- boiled egg or a limp carrot will result; but, give it some thought in terms of leadership in general? Is not a vision provided by the leader and refined by the team being accomplished?

What are your thoughts?

ron@rongrusy.com

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In my previous posts, I wrote about how one faces adversity, how one reacts to change and moves on in the pursuit of goals and dreams. Change is not always an easy process to experience but one thing for sure, change is inevitable. Be ready for it!

I am in the process of publishing my first book!  YEA!!! The book title is “Someday Isle” and you’ll hear more about it later. It is a story about the choices people can make in the pursuit of their dreams, not big dreams but dreaming BIG.  To dream big requires  making some changes in ones behavior, thoughts and the way they look at personal fulfillment and happiness.

I am going to share with you the strategy that came out of that book to guide you through the pursuit of your dreams. This strategy is built around key action words from DREAM BIG.  Here is that strategy for your contemplation:

D – dare to be the driver of your own dreams and not the passenger is some else’s plan.

R – raze the barriers that are holding you back from realizing your dreams.

E – exploit opportunities that surround you to further your pursuit of fulfillment.

A – hang out with achievers, seek mentors who you see as achiever’s of their own fulfillment.

M - measure your progress towards your dreams, one step at at time; have a scale to measure your progress.

B – believe in yourself and your dreams.

I – imagine how you will feel when your reach your goals and realize your dreams.

G – create an attitude of gratitude towards those who followed your journey towards greater self-fulfillment.

Here’s to your dreaming big!

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