Jason Womack

The Next 180 Seconds

When was the last time you asked, "Where did the time go?"

Each day, 1,440 minutes go by; only later can we ask ourselves if we used them well, managed them poorly, or should have done something different. Asking where the time went won't make you more productive tomorrow. If you want to get more done, change the question you ask.

You can't change what you did, but you can choose what to do next.

Would you like to consider a thought experiment? Here goes: After you finish reading this self-coaching article, your focus will go somewhere. As your coach, I wonder two things: (1) how do you decide what to do next, and (2) how long do you stay focused on it? If you'd like to test the power of these two questions, go ahead and reflect on your day so far today. Go back to when you first woke up, and think about each thing you started...and how long you spent doing it.

In my work with clients over the past two decades, I have found that time and time again, people miss the importance of staying focused during their "next." How many "nexts" do you have in a day? That is, how many things do you start, and how long do you spend before you start the next one? One of the critical productivity hacks that I teach people is to stay longer in the next thing. Many times, focusing for just a bit more time has a significant impact.

"How much longer do I have to stay in my next?"

That is an excellent - and wise - question. My first response will be, "it depends." But, I will follow it with some of the best advice I give those I serve: Stay in it for another 3 minutes. That's it. After you think you're doing something and are about to go on, set a timer for 3 minutes and review, rethink, reflect on it. If you do this two or three times a day, you just might find you fix something, make something better, or decide to do something differently.

Here are specific things you can do to test this tactic:

After you type an email, set a timer for three minutes. Reread, edit, rewrite or add something to that email to make it even easier for the recipient to know what you need them to do, what you need them to know.

After you end a meeting, spend three minutes (close your eyes?) and review what you said, what you thought, what you feel. Then, capture a follow-on action into your to-do list system before going on to the next thing.

Right before you walk into your house tonight (or, leave your home office and walk into the living room if you're working from home!), spend three minutes focusing on what you want to have happen when you see those people you live with and love with.

Change your focus today, and be more productive tomorrow.

3 People to Share Dreams With Today

When you think about the future, what comes to mind? Do you start with work and go to life? Do you start with family and then go to career?

Can you imagine your work/life a year from now?

Can you "image-in" experiences you hope are on the way and (perhaps) even plausible surprises that could show up? This is NOT "wishful" thinking. It's your chance to direct your thoughts and energy toward what will change your future.

There's a secret to getting (more of) what you want from your life and your work.

It's not a secret because it's hard to learn or because no one wants you to know it. It is a secret because you just haven't heard it put this way before. If you want your life to be different, there's just one thing you need to do:

Organize Your Contacts

In just a moment, I'll coach you to arrange the group of 10-25 people you talk with the most into three distinct categories.

(If you just can't wait, and want to see the video, just click here.)

No one person is enough for you to build a future that's bigger and better than the present. Look around, there are people you spend time with today that you didn't know 5 years ago. Your life looks what it looks like today BECAUSE OF the people you spend more (or less) time with.

Your network (in person, online AND in print) is there to inform, influence and support you as you engage in the actions required to make progress on your goals big and small. The people you spend time with, the communities you're a part of on the Internet and the books you read and magazines you subscribe to will all come together for you if...

...IF you know where you're heading!

To get you started, open your notebook and do some visionary writing. Here are my favorite THREE prompts that I use in my coaching with executives, leaders and managers worldwide...

60 months from today...

Open to a blank page of your notebook, set a timer for 15 minutes (here), and respond to this prompt by writing 500-700 words:

"Over the next 5 years, in my roles as _______, ________, and _______ I want to be known for ..."

I challenge you to go year-by-year as you do this:

• 2019
• 2020
• 2021
• 2022
• 2023

Think about your work, your life, your community, your family and - of course - your age.

Write, and Write, and WRITE some more!

52 weeks from today...

For this next exercise, I suggest you use 12-24 note cards (the 3X5 ones you used in college!). One note card for every 2-4 weeks over the next year. (Oh, this one might take a. little longer. Set a timer for 30 minutes, and make sure you have your CALENDAR handy!)

When I do this, I line up the 24 cards in order of the next year. Then, I "challenge" myself to write down AT LEAST 3 bullet points (ideas, projects, goals, ideas, etc) on EVERY card.

Here's the prompt you can use:

What do I ALREADY know is on the way that I'd like to spend ENOUGH time thinking about, working toward or managing with grace and ease?

Over the next 48 hours...

No matter what day you're reading this (or watching the video at the bottom of this post), you're going to be doing something, somewhere, spending time with SOMEone within a couple of days.

Here's your challenge (in just 3 steps):

• Open your calendar and review your time hour-by-hour over the next two days.
• Make a list of EVERYONE you know you're going to talk or meet with.
• Next to their name, write down ONE thing you could discuss.

As you're getting ready to take on your next project or step toward a promotion or begin making a work / life change, think about how you can think in those terms. Once you've done the thinking about TIME, now it's time to think about PEOPLE.

 

THREE kinds of people to share dreams with today

1. The Realist

As you'll see in the video below, my friends who are realists are there to find the holes in my theories and to test my resolve. I go to them when I need a project edited, or if I want to know what OTHER realists (who I haven't worked with or met yet) might think about my crazy idea.

The question they ask, “And...do you think you can really do that?”

2. The Visionary

I smile as I write this, "My visionaries are the people who can easily "add a zero" to my thinking. If I tell them I'd like to write a 1,500 word article, they ask me if it could be a 15,000 word booklet. If I share a goal to speak at a conference with 50 people, they challenge me to apply to speak at one with 500. If I plan to enroll another 100 members into the GET MOMENTUM Leadership Academy...you get it.

The question they ask, “And...Have you thought about...?”

3. The Accountability Buddy

Have you ever told someone you'd meet them at the gym? Have you ever asked someone to edit a paper or slide deck you are building? Have you invited someone to enroll in a course or program (like GET MOMENTUM!) with you? If so, you intuitively understand the value of having someone to hold you accountable.

The question they ask, “And... what are you going to do next about that?”

Think about it: The next 60 months are going to go by in a flash. Not convinced? Write down the year 2013 and ask yourself, "How fast have the past 5 years gone?" In order to get to where you're going, find the three kinds of people to share your dreams with and you'll go further. Ready?

 

 

 

 

A VIDEO

More than 100 College Seniors heard about the three kinds of people to share their goals with. If you know of someone who could benefit from thinking this way, please do share this with them!

As you watch that video, leave a comment with YOUR ah-ha or I'm gonna. I'll check those comments from time to time and add any coaching I can!

Everyone is gonna eat.

Here's my big 'ol opinion:

Sometime between 11am and 2pm everybody you work with is going to leave the desk for a meal. Whether they go to a fridge and get the lunch they brought or they leave the office for 30-60 minutes...

For the next 6 months or so, make it your goal is to lunch with someone once every two weeks. You see, what you're doing 60 months from now - where you work, how much money you have in your savings account, what vacations you take, restaurants you eat in, movies you see, books you ready...just about EVERYthing will in some part be influenced by who you talk with more (or less!).

GET STARTED

Open your calendar and review the past 2 months. Identify the lunches you met a coworker, a mentor or a friend. For each lunch (aka: person), answer the following questions:

1. What did we talk about?
2. What did I complain about?
3. What ideas did we discuss?
4. What did I learn? (About them, about myself...etc)

Notice ALL those questions start with WHAT. You can easily make notes of these answers in your journal, just make sure that over the NEXT few months you continue to review ALL your journal entries looking for patterns, plusses and minuses.

Want to change what you have?

Change what you talk about!

NEXT STEPS

Once you’ve done that work, Re-view your calendar for the NEXT 2 months.

Identify 4 days (a day every two weeks) you could meet someone for a mid-day meal.

Next, build a list of 5-10 people you COULD invite to lunch. (Not everyone will be able to meet on this time-table).

THEN, for each person on that list (maybe on separate pages in your notebook, or even a set of Note Cards!) start collecting:

• Some questions you’d like to ask them.
• Advice you’re willing to hear from them.
• An idea you’d like to ask for help thinking through some more.
• A story you’d like them to tell you.

The good news...everyone's gonna eat! Just make sure that you're not ALWAYS eating alone!

Hey, for a deeper-dive into building meaningful relationships, here's a great blog post on "The Network and My Future."

Enjoy!

Why You Need These 2 Lists

"But I thought you meant..."

Have you heard someone say that lately? Or, have you said it to someone you work or live with? Talking about your goals - out loud, and with the right people - is a sure way to save time, relieve stress and be more productive. You might even save some money as well!

Look around your office, review your calendar and double-check your to-do list sometime today. Make TWO lists in your notebook:

• one list of projects you're managing, and
• one list of ideas you're still thinking about (but haven't committed to doing or decided not to do...yet).

WHAT TO WRITE ON EACH LIST

The list of projects includes events you're participating in, client or vendor agreements you're managing and matters you're involved in. For many people, this list will be 25-100 items long. There's no "right number" of projects you have going on; the most important thing, though, is that you know what they are.

The list of "things to think about" includes the back-burner projects or "might-get-to-ideas" that you are not working on in the next 12 months. Again, there isn't a right number here; but, many of the clients I coach have made lists of more than 200 items! The number isn't important, but I will tell you what is CRITICAL if you're going to succeed at work and at home:

CHECKING IN WITH YOUR TEAM

You've got to be on the exact same page with your colleagues at work about what you are and are NOT working on. And it may be even more important do this at home. For example, what house project are you NOT going to take on? What vacation are you NOT going to plan? What youth program are you NOT going to send the kids to? Once you know what you're NOT going to do -for now, not forever - you get to double down with your resources (time, energy, focus and money) on what you said yes to.

You also create clarity.

When you are - or someone you work with is - confused about which priority is a higher priority, and which "less-important" task can wait until later, the entire workflow system is compromised. Whether you are a leader in a large organization or manager in a small one, you must have these kinds of goal-setting conversations regularly.

DON’T DROP THE BALL

Most likely you've experienced the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of having to work overtime, or (what could be worse!) you had to ask for an extension at the last minute. You pay a significant price when you over commit or under deliver. Whether you mean to or not, when something doesn't get done, trust is damaged. Then you spend extra time, money and effort to rebuild the relationship.

At work, this can jeopardize relationships with team members or clients. At home, you may have to retrace your steps, rebuild a relationship and reestablish trust with those you live with and love.

TRY THIS

Right now, ask yourself this question (and, considering brainstorming your answers in your notebook):

"Where is there ambiguity and unclear direction?"

If you ask yourself this question and really listen to the answer, SOMEthing valuable will show up.

MANAGING PROJECTS

Years ago, I hired a small company to build a new website for our new company. We were a few weeks into a 6-month project, and I had this sense that something was off. That weekend, I talked with my partner, and on Monday morning I sent an email with the subject line:

"Let's talk about both kinds of goals"

The 30-minute conversation that week went smoothly. We made a list of the projects to manage, and ANOTHER list of possible things to discuss at later phases of the project (6 and 12 months after publishing the site).

Looking back, I figure that meeting saved me dozens of hours, and probably a few thousand dollars of "scope-creep" and "project changes" over the next few months. By framing the meeting in a way that would help us all see what needed to be done, we experienced less pressure and more productivity than before. Oh, and the best part of it? We wound up finishing in just five months!

That wasn't the first time I'd had this kind of conversation. And, I often meet with my clients, my vendors and even my wife to talk about the types of goals we manage. In fact, I'd been practicing talking about types of goals for almost two decades.

BUILD YOUR LIST

If you'd like to explore the differences - both in life and at work - journal your responses to questions like: "What am I working on? What am I working toward? What am I working for?" These questions help identify which goals you’re managing and ideas you’re considering.

A project is something you've committed to; it's something you'll submit, finalize, sign-off or move on from something. Projects have deadlines. It might be a report you'll present at the end of the month, or it could be a new line of business you'll launch next year. Either way, at some point you'll be done with it, and get to check it off your list!

Your second list is a full of ideas that you’re managing, which is equally important to the project list. Your innovations come from giving yourself the freedom to think without committing to every through that passes through your mind! Separating these ideas from actual projects keeps you focused and clear.

START TODAY

Go! Open your journal and identify the two kinds of goals you can set starting today. And, remember to ask for help along the way!

The Debate: Journey and Destination (like Peanut Butter and Jelly - or Chocolate!)

Recently, I got a nice email from a student at Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, in Montgomery, AL asking about the balance between the “journey” and the “destination.”

In my book Your Best Just Got Better, I quote Lewis Carroll in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland when she was talking with the Cheshire Cat...

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where—” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

“—so long as I get somewhere,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”

 

How often do you talk about the Journey and the Destination? I always require myself to step back and ask myself (process/debrief):

“Which is Which?”

Is me speaking at Air University the journey? Or a destination?

Is the http://www.BetterManCourse.com a Journey? Or a Destination?

Is me meeting a new friend… you get it.

You’ve got to be more specific … I get it, and then I’ll push you on it.

If “being a millionaire” is something someone wants as a destination, we can help them by asking:

• Do you want to make a million dollars? (Over the course of a lifetime?)
• Do you want to have a million dollars to your name? (In of savings/real estate/investing accounts?)
• Do you want to earn a million dollars a year? (That’s $86,000 a month, for 12 months…)

I’m not here to judge; I am here to help you define your #KnownFor.

What is the AMBITION?

Or, in my case, “What’s the #KnownFor?” And, once you identify THAT, you’re ready to add new people to your circle of influence.

1. Soon after I added someone who made a million dollars a year (actually, he made a little more than that) to my social network, I went from earning $60,000 a year to more than $150,000. Within 24 months!
2. The moment I added someone who’d written more than 40 books to my network, I published a book. (Within 11 months!)
3. The moment I added someone who had a better relationship with his wife to my network, I became a better - and happier - husband.

I think you get it… it’s not a matter of WHAT the goal is, just be specific.

Know your #KnownFor.

Then, add someone to your network who has already gotten there. Not just to copy them; you may ultimately do things differently than he or she does.

The important thing is to be around someone who is there…in their version of the journey… AND the destination!

Do you want things to be any different?

Do you have an executive coach?

19 years ago, I hired someone to help me. 12 years ago, I took everything I’d learned, and started to serve leaders as a “voice of reason” and someone who “looks at things differently!"

I talked with one of my clients 1:1 today, and after the call I sent an email…

I took out some of the details, and left the rest for you!

 

Hi ______,

Remember, there are three kinds of work:

1. Catching up - uh oh
2. Keeping up - stamina
3. Getting Ahead - oh, the glory!

That last one can push on you two ways:

• Handle what is in my control
• Recognize what is out of our control

Here’s a little of my thinking...

You want to organize your Email Inbox. And to-do list. And meeting schedule. And calendar.

You crave a sense of control; you want to believe that what you WANT to do and what you HAVE to do can get done.

A long to-do list isn’t the problem.

Nor is email. Or too many meetings. Or a calendar out of control.

The problem is this:

The way you used to work doesn’t work anymore. 

Brute force, sheer will, working after hours or on the weekend won’t help.

You’re going to have to change the way you work; how you THINK about how you work must change.

I was there too. I understand.

I got the call one evening - it was after 6pm, dark outside, and I was still at work - and Jodi asked, “Are you coming home for dinner?” 

I hemmed and hawed; I made up an excuse about having SO MUCH to do and I suggested she go ahead and eat dinner without me.

It was Saturday night... and I wasn’t near done with all the work I’d had to do.

And so began my journey of becoming more productive. 

• A class? I took it. 
• A book? I read it. 
• A notebook? I bought it. 

I interviewed HUNDREDS of people asking the same question:

How do you manage your SELF so you have time to do everything?

And, it took me a few years to discover the secret…there are just a FUNDAMENTALS to managing myself, my time and my productivity. 

Not just one; but not 100 either. (Good news!)

The plan I provide is simple to follow, and easy to implement. 

Your success depends on deciding to put yourself first and keep your word. 

Let’s start with your morning… the first 60 minutes of each day. Here are the three things you’ll have to do:

1. Wake up when you say you will, and review your THREE kinds of work for the day.

If you set your alarm for 6am, get up at 6. Not 6:30. Not 6:15. No Snooze. If you’re going to snooze, then set the alarm for 6:08, ok? Next, sit down at your desk or at a table with a glass of lemon water or coffee (doesn’t matter to me) and review your list. Look at your calendar. Yes, even check your email. Look for these three kinds of work. (Don’t DO any of them, just review it all.)

a. Catching up: What is the work that’s overdue that you need to DO or DELEGATE?
b. Keeping up: What meetings are scheduled? What discussions do you need to continue? What planning needs to be reviewed?
c. Getting ahead: Look at your calendar 30-90 days out and ask, “What will we wish we’d started thinking about sooner?” Whatever the answer, add a next step to your to-do list. Delegate some research. Send an email. Make a phone call and leave a message. Do something(s) today that move you ahead.

2. Commit. Tell someone on your team - via text, email or face to face - what your 3 PRIORITIES are for the day. 

If you’re going to WIN, you need to let them know what you’re thinking about that THIRD kind of work: Getting Ahead. Clearly identify what you’re going to work on that is IN YOUR CONTROL and discuss or bookmark what’s OUT of your control. Too often, people get “hung-up” and don’t plan far enough into the future because they wave their arm and say, “It’s all unknown.” As a leader AND manager, your job is to identify and handle the 10%-20% that is IN your control and control it.

3. Set up to win. Organize your nutrition, transition and completion plans for the next 10 or so hours.

The energy and focus you have RIGHT NOW is based on the past 2-5 hours of movement…rest…nutrition. The more you set up yourself for those three, the better you’ll be at getting the important work done.

But, that’s a topic for another session...

This is where I call you on your s _ _ _ !

Look, I’m not going to say you’re doing not enough; but, I will say you can do BETTER.The problem you have to face is this:

Do you even KNOW what #better means? No? Ok, here’s a video I made for you that’s over at LinkedIn.

 

 If you’re going to BE better, you’ve got to DO better. And this is where you learn what that means.

On time-change day, I recorded a “from-the-heart” video for you to watch. Or, to share with the man in your life who needs someone who’s willing to stand toe to toe and call them on their you-know-what.

 

After you watch that video, click the like button. Every like and SHARE increases the chances that the right men will see this video.

No time? It's because you don't know time!

How early in the day do you KNOW that you have no time?

It's a typical Wednesday and you started the morning doing the "right things." You woke up rested, in your own bed. If your partner was there, and awake, you welcomed them to the day (and, if they were still asleep, you quietly made your exit!).

Years ago, I contributed to an article about this state of "The Productive Experience." (Link here.)

You know your routines, and what you need to do at the office...

• to rest,
• to move your body a little, and
• eat SOMEthing that will give you the energy you need

Before you continue, pause for a moment.

In fact, give yourself 60 seconds of moments.

Re-seat yourself in your chair. Check your weight is balanced throughout your seat, your back is comfortable and you're breathing deeply. Next, breathe in...as long, and as deeply as you can. Right when you get to maximum fill...hold your breath.

Count to 7. And ever so slowly, let your breath out.

Next, close your eyes, and do that two more times.

(That was just .06% of your day. You have time for this!)

 

If you don't have enough time in the day...

...start by tracking the three things you do WITH time.

There is a time-log process to complete over the next three days to change the way you work. And, it could change the way you live.

It's time to track your time in a way you haven't done it before.

Old time management methods had you stop multiple times during the day and write down in great detail all you did that day. For this exercise, for you to begin the process of controlling your time, you're only going to track THREE things:

1. Time you're catching up
2. The time you're keeping up
3. The times of the day you're getting ahead

Let's get you started "write" now. Print the time log PDF (here) or make your own. I suggest you divide the day into 48 sections (blocks of 30 minutes each).

As soon as you have that piece of paper (and I do recommend paper, for reasons I can explain if you want to talk!) choose THREE symbols that you can use to annote each half-hour block.

I use a +, a - and an = sign.

And this is how it works... Start a countdown timer (you can use your Smartphone, or click here) for 30 minutes.

Then, work. Do. Email. Meet. Think. Read. Talk. Strategize. Whatever it is you call your work, do it for the next 29.75 minutes.

THEN, when the alarm rings, you'll open your Time Log (you can print the PDF here) and mark one of three symbols.

No explanation, no justification, no opinion; just a subjective annotation.

• Are you ahead? (Plus symbol, +.)
  
• Are you up to date? (Equal sign, =.)
  
• Are you behind and have to catch up? (Minus symbol, -.)

Once you have a few days of this (minimum of 3 days, max of 7) you have some really, really good information.

Over the years, I've heard something like THIS over and over again:

"Jason, I tracked my time for just a few days, and I'm already noticing a pattern: There are certain times of days, certain days per week where I'm CONSTANTLY in 'behind-only' mode. It's during those times of those days that I'm most stress, run around the most frantically, and take the least care of myself. I don't eat right, I don't drink enough water, I don't get up from my desk or move my body...bottom line, I'm compromising everything."

Of course, I'm paraphrasing AND combining.

But here's the deal, I've heard that once people KNOW their time, they can do something about it.

Your Challenge:
(Should you accept it!)

1. Track your time for 3 days.
2. Identify any patterns you can.
3. See if you can shift the kind of work you expect yourself to do to different times of the day, or different days of the week so that you can focus on your priorities.

EXTRA CREDIT:
Comment below with (1) what you THINK you'll find if you do this tracking and - of course in week or so - (2) what you ACTUALLY realized after you tracked your time this way!

 

 

PS: Here's that that time log/tracker looks like. Again, you can print this one, or make your own. I do suggest you use a PRINTED version!

 

Change this ONE thing, three ways, to improve your life

Change Your Perspective...

...change your life!

 

“How are you?” a colleague asks. 

“So busy,” you reply. 

Another typical day in the office. 

Also, it’s the #1 reason we co-founded the GET MOMENTUM Leadership Academy in 2012 and wrote our book by the same title in 2016. Your routines can be valuable when they streamline your workflow. 

Now, if you’re feeling stuck, change your perspective. It's what we do...

Keep reading below to learn THREE ways you can change your perspective. 

But first, a video:

Change the way you see (and do) things

Below, you'll learn 3 ways to change your perspective, get MORE of the more important things done, and be a better _________ [fill in the blank!].

#1. Go. There.

Work where you won’t be interrupted for 30 minutes. 

Reserve a conference room and go there to think deeply about a big, long-term project. You’ll get more quality work done in a shorter amount of time if you protect yourself from interruptions by other people, your own workspace and your technology. 

How do you find this time? Here's a video to get you thinking...

 

#2. Meet. Them.

Meet with someone and talk about what’s real. 

A mentor, a coach, a therapist, a sponsor…you need someone you can talk to in confidence.  Hearing another point of view on your problems can give you a fresh perspective, relieve some stress, and it may even produce new solutions.  

So much stress is caused by you thinking about (and REthinking about!) something that should be different. Once you know you want things to change, you've GOT to have the conversation - a NEW conversation - with yourself and someone on your team who can help you get there.

 

#3. Be. Mindful.

Think. Do. Then think again. 

It’s all routine: how, where, and when we think. So, change it up. Write the name of a project on a note card, get a pen, and go for a 10-minute walk outside. When you get 5 minutes away, stop and write down what you’ve thought of about the project. Then, walk back to your desk. Changing your location changes your perspective. Stimulating your brain with fresh supply of oxygen can give you the creative boost to notice what was right there all along.

 

Of course you’re busy...

Change see old things in new ways, get ideas to work smarter, and achieve more of the goals you’ve set.

Extra Credit

Download this Conversation Guide infographic.

You just may get an idea you can use to have a better conversation and change your perspective today!

 

 

 

We cofounded the GET MOMENTUM Leadership Academy to serve leaders who serve others. You receive training AND coaching in 12 Leadership Skills you’ll be called on to improve year after year. We coaching you In Person, In Print, and Online. 

Interested? 

Take a look at the 12-month Curriculum here...

This simple practice will help your teams get more done

Getting Things Done…it can be challenging while working with your team.

Whether you’re a manager, a leader or an individual contributor, you’ve got to be EFFECTIVE and PRODUCTIVE to build a high performing team.

One way to do that:

Learn Emotional Intelligence.

This month (Monday, August 7th and Monday, August 14th), Get Momentum member Stephen Collins (living in Canberra, Australia) is leading 1-hour long Emotional Intelligence Mastermind sessions through an online, global meeting room.

It’s free to register (here) and you can download the reading materials (free) HERE.

Emotional Intelligence is the POWER that helps you be a more effective leader.

When you learn the skills of team building and collaboration, everything is better.

How well do you work together? 

And, what could happen if you deliberately focused on building a higher performing team? Of course, your workplace would be a better place to work; projects would get done faster, and often better. But what about home? Wouldn't it be nice if you were on the same page more often with your spouse...your kinds? And, what about in your community? Are you a volunteer in an organization that could use these skills of Emotional Intelligence.

Are you still wondering if you need to attend this Mastermind session?

Here’s my challenge to you: Open your Momentum Journal, and write a page or two to answer this question:

Would you like to empower others, increase your productivity and trust those you work with do their best every day?

By the way, according to research the benefits of YOU learning Emotional Intelligence include:

• You will communicate better,
• You can reduce anxiety and stress,
• You will know how to defuse conflicts,
• You can improve relationships,
• You’ll have more empathy with others, and
• You can more effectively overcome life's challenges.

If this sounds like something you’d like to participate in, just click below to add the event to your calendar:

August 7th, 4pm PT and August 14th, 4pm PT

Notice the opening

There are three visual distances I talk about in our coaching practice. One isn't better than the next, all three are required. If you're going to move from where you are to where you want to be...know all three.

Clear

Blur zone

Over the horizon

Out for a bike ride around Lake Casitas, in Ojai, California this morning, I came around a corner to see this opening in the sky. Light raining down over a horizon I couldn't see; light calling us forward to a "next thing."

Clear: At this level, what you're working on, what you're responsible for, what you're accountable to is all known. Your to-do list is current, your inbox is under control, your backlog of projects is exactly what you've agreed to complete. (Promises made to yourself AND others.

If you feel stress - at this level, in this present moment - it's because something from your past or future is pulling on you; perhaps even weighing on you. The stress you feel CAN be minimized by spending an extra "Focus Session" on gaining clarity.

Blur zone: Here, your intuition is in full gear. You've experienced it... for some reason you look off to the right, when you could have looked left. There, you notice something, or someone. You have a thought you'd never had before. Or, you stop thinking about something not serving you.

Open up, let yourself be uncomfortable in the blur. Because you don't know everything that's going to happen, you've got to be ready for anything that COULD happen.


Over the horizon: And, that magical place that Rumi described... Not right. Not wrong. Beyond all that is a place I'm willing to go.

Will you meet me there?

Out there, there is more for us to see. To find. To do. And, to BE.