Your best just got better

I'm thankful...full of thanks, that is

The balancing act...work and life.

Walking the fine lines of "anticipation" and "expectation," I find it more important than ever to slow down from time to time (or, as Elliott Masie reminded me recently: press pause) and reflect on what I've got:

Health
Family
Friends
Hope
My athletic abilities
My home
...and...so...much...more.

Have you ever found it easy to get caught up in what "isn't?" For a moment, right now, I'm completely fascinated by what is. Quick, off to watch some TED Talks!

*thanks for the picture, piston9 - at flickr

Just a little bit more...one side or the other

Recently, a colleague of mine asked if we could meet over coffee up in Carpinteria, CA and discuss the elusive concept of "Work-Life Balance."
Driving the 30 or so minutes up there last week, I found myself wondering about how many hours I have spent working on "balance" in my professional, personal and athletic lives. I have focused on making "to-do" lists, attending personal development seminars, meeting with coaches and mentors, reading many books and watching videos of other expert speakers and authors.
Over coffee, we talked about a few things...one of the topics we discussed is the importance of defining exactly "what" W/L B means to each person. My thesis is that seeking balance is elusive and will prove to be difficult (if not impossible) for most people.

Instead of focusing on what we don't already have (in this case "balance") I recommend people focus on what they want to experience more.
Occassionally, people have shared with me the desire to be able to have more time to do "nothing." Now, as much as I understand the "concept," I gotta say:

I don't think you want time to do nothing. I mean, if you had time to do NOthing, you'd do SOMEthing, right? I mean, with an extra 30 minutes of time to do NOthing tomorrow, would you read a book, play with the kids, watch something you recorded on TIVO, write a card or a letter, or...

As soon as you finish reading this, consider taking out a pen and a piece of paper and just writing for a while. At the top of the page, write down, "If I had an extra 30 minutes, I'd like to..."
Then, over the next week or so, see if you can add a few of those into your day-to-day experience. Who knows, you just might end a day or two next feeling a little more "balanced!"

What have you celebrated lately?

Choose in...

...because focus is fleeting. So, identify and grab hold of a reference point or some trigger to get "back" when you fall "out."

When (not if!) you find yourself distracted, bored or overwhelmed, picture or feel something that is the opposite. Practice for a week or two at a time with the same thing (a mental picture of a dream vacation, for example, or the feeling of a recent accomplishment).

Celebrating completion is a great way to realize how much you do, and gain energy and motivation to take on something new.

If there was balance, then what?

For years now, I've coached with what I will call "seriously" successful leaders on a few continents. One thing I've heard people talk about is this seemingly elusive thing called "work-life balance." Just when I started to consider the "impossibility" of such an equilibrium, I saw this picture. Now, I'm rethinking it all!

Tags: work-lifebalance

Looking through the "lens of improvement"

I have heard Les Brown speak a few times over the past several years; and, this year I have had the opportunity to use his advice.

• One of the things he said when I saw him speak in Las Vegas (after I presented from the same stage the day before!) was, “If you get knocked down, fall down on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up!”

The crowd went wild!

If you're a parent, and live anywhere near Santa Barbara...

...please consider attending this powerful, one-hour presentation, "Thriving is easier than surviving." Scheduled for Wednesday, 20 FEBRUARY, you can call ahead and reserve a spot...just visit his site for the info.

I've known Joe for several years now, and know that this event will be well-presented, and well worth your time. From a perspective that is sound in research AND in practice, Joe is the go-to guy...

I took this photo last year when his family came in to meet us during one of our meetings in Santa Barbara!

If you haven't downloaded a copy of his newest eBook (for FREE!), visit his site today.

How do you deal with stress during the day?

Weekend, week day, early morning, late afternoon...sometimes it just doesn't matter WHAT day or time it is: Stressors get the best of us.

The past 9 days have been challenging for me - personally, and professionally. The one constant throughout the entire time: my levels of stress have gone up, and have gone down.

I wanted to write about a few of the things I do when the going gets tough (because, as we all know, even if we're stressed out, we still need to get things done!)

1) Give myself plenty of time. When a client asks me for a proposal, or I promise to get information to someone, I usually add 24-72 hours to the time-frame I offer. So, when someone asks for a proposal "next week," I usually promise to have it in their e-mail inbox by Thursday. (In my mind, I know I want to send it over Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning). This gives me the time I "might" need in case something else shows up.

2) Ask for assistance. A few jobs ago, I found myself working over time (and over budget) because I thought I had to go at it all alone. I have since learned that in almost every endeavor I engage in, there is SOMEone nearby who has walked that path, experienced those lessons, or succeeded over time in those efforts. These are the people I invite to lunch (or coffee) and learn what I can.

Riding through Colorado this summer (Ride the Rockies and Bicycle Tour of Colorado)

On Saturday, June 16th 2007, I fly to Denver in preparation for my FIRST big bike tour of the summer: the Ride the Rockies. 

The Denver Post has sponsored the ride every year since 1986 and this year will be their 21st.   

Daily rides can be as short as 35 miles or as long as 100 miles, but generally average 60-65 miles.  It is such a popular ride that they have a lottery for participants and limit the number to 2,000.  Last year they had 4,000 applicants. I was lucky enough to secure a spot!

This year the ride is 455 miles long, starting and ending in Frisco, Colorado.  The ride goes over some major mountain passes and takes a week!  We camp in the host towns, usually at the local school so we have access to showers.  There we rest up, eat a great meal, meet new friends, and get ready for the next day's ride.

Then, on June 23rd, I get ready for my SECOND big bike tour of the summer: the Bicycle Tour of Colorado. My brother will meet me on that Sunday, and we start riding around CO again! (We did this tour, the BTC, last summer together.)
 

Day 1 - 57 Miles-We will ride from Steamboat Springs, up and over Rabbit Ears Pass (9,426’ summit, Grade 6.8%) and finish in the town of Walden.

Day 2 - 75 Miles- Out of Walden and a climb up Willow Creek Pass (9,621’ summit, Grade 6.3%) through Granby, past Snow Mountain Ranch, and into Winter Park.

Day 3 - 75 Miles- Climb out of Winter Park to the Continental Divide at Berthoud Pass (11,315’ summit, Grade 6%). Cruise down through Empire and then climb back over the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass (11,992’ summit, Grade 6%). Coast down to Lake Dillon and follow the bike path up to Copper Mountain.

Day 4- ???? Miles- Ride the chairlift up Copper Mountain. Rent a mountain bike. Explore Summit County. Wash your bike. Take some photos. Meet new friends. Enjoy the mountains!

Day 5 - 56 Miles- Climb out of bed and climb up Vail Pass (10,666’ summit, Grade 7%). Down through the towns of Vail and Minturn. Then climb Battle Mountain and Tennessee Pass (10,424’ summit, Grade 6%) to finish in the historic mining town of Leadville. If you get to Leadville and feel the need for more miles, cruise around Turquoise Lake for 15 bonus miles. Camp with spectacular views of Mount Massive and Mount Elbert, Colorado's two highest peaks.

Day 6 - 70 Miles- Out of Leadville climb Fremont Pass (11,318’ summit, Grade 5.7%). Coast into Summit County, then follow the Blue River for a few miles and end up in Kremmling.

Day 7 - 70 Miles- Out of Kremmling we take the scenic route over Gore Pass (9,527’ summit, Grade 6.3%) and back to Steamboat Springs.

As you can see, the next two weeks are gonna be amazing...here's just one picture from Last Year's BTC...I can't wait to see what we come up with this year!

Where are you "right now?"

Of all the resources the universe provides, TIME seems to be the more valuable. So, to continue maximizing the investment you have made in your self, your work, your family - simply stated: your "Balanced Scorecard" - here is one way to objectively study your time.

This may be a great week to run an experiment called: "The Wheel of Focus." It is an important aspect of achieving - and then surpassing - a balanced life/work style.

Are you willing...

...to do things differently? If being the "best" required a change in habits, what would it look like?

Link: Ode - The boss who breaks all the rules.

His favourite questions start with “why.” Why should employees feel compelled to read their emails on Sunday evening, but can’t go to the movies on Monday afternoon? Why should they take work home, but can’t bring their kids to the office? Why should they have to sit for hours in traffic getting to the head office? Brazilian businessman Ricardo Semler loves to question everything.