Your best just got better

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.

Life/Work Balance in action

When I stop and consider how fortunate I am, the reminders come flooding into my mind. Just this morning, I awoke in Ojai and walked outside to find a star-filled sky. Looking to the west, I saw two shooting stars in the space of 5 minutes! Immediately, I noticed how warm it was...the Santa Ana winds last night brought us a temperature of 68 degrees...at 4:45am!
I began writing at 5am, and spent the next 95 minutes pouring ideas onto lined paper. Soon, the alarm rang (again)...it was time to go back outside.

Picture taken 02/17/2007  ~ 7:30am

The plan was to meet in Ventura. Our triathlon club puts weekend rides together, and today was one of my favorites. Ojai to Ventura to Santa Paula to Ojai. Along the way, before I met everyone at the starting point in Ventura, I stopped off at the beach and asked a couple to take my picture.

A colleague of mine - a financial analyst in NY and an Ironman triathlete - e-mailed recently to let me know it's very, very cold in NY these days. "Well," I say, "come out to CA for a little winter training!"

Another view on the "pie" of life

Link: More About Work-Life Balance.

It was at that moment that I realized that work and life were being viewed as slices of a pie that could somehow be sliced, with every piece equally tasty and available for consumption when desired.

Steve Roesler has an amazing (and detailed) blog where he discusses many of the topics I find interesting: work, life, expression, and more. Take a visit...let him know what you think!