Mark S. Brown – Page 34

5 Reasons Why People Don’t Take Vacations

Americans only take half their vacation. Really? If the statistic is true, then I think half of Americans must take all their vacation, and the other half take none. I know plenty of people that take all their vacation, and a few that never take vacation.

Why do we not take vacation?

1. Vacation is still work. We cannot seem to get away. We are connected by phone and email, and our company expects us to stay connected and work. So why go if you are just going to work.

2. You don’t want to be disconnected. Even though it is hard to be disconnected in this modern world, leaving your desk and maybe some of your gadgets behind makes you feel unconnected. It is amazing how we have become a society that connects more online than off.

3. You like your routine. There are some personality types that just prefer a daily routine. Vacations become so stressful that they are not worth it. I am glad I don’t fall into this category.

4. You feel like you would be penalized by your employer. When you look around your company, do people that don’t take vacations get treated better? I not sure how prevalent penalties rally are, but I am sure there is an increase in companies that expect you to do some work while on vacation.

5. You would rather work than take a vacation. You may be one of those Americans that just feel like work is who you are. You prefer to work hard and find your own success. You are probably uncomfortable on vacation. You can’t relax because it makes you feel unproductive.

I am glad I am included in the group of Americans that enjoy vacation. As soon as I finish one, I am planning the next. Did you take a vacation this year?

The One Reason Why You Must Know Your Strengths

I hope you have had the opportunity to discover your strengths through some testing instrument like Strengths Finder 2.0. Highly successful people normally have a good understanding of themselves. They are more aware, and they focus in the area of their strengths.

Knowing your strengths will open allow you to target your energy in the areas that will most likely be successful. If you want to be exceptional, focus on what you are good at. Seems simple.

When I took the Strengths Finder test, I discovered my top five strengths were learner, strategic, analytical, intellection, and responsibility.

If I had read the list of 34 strengths before I took the test, I would have been able to divide the list in two halves. One half being strengths, and the other half weaknesses (or weaker strengths). I would not have been able to specifically define my top five strengths.

So what does knowing provide me? Based on my strengths, I know the following. I like to learn. I like to evaluate situations or circumstances and find the best solution. I like logic, data, patterns and connections. I like to think, and I own my commitments.

These strengths support my focus and interest in personal growth, and daily reflection. Even though I think personal growth and reflection would be beneficial to everyone, not everyone embraces this idea for themselves.

My strengths determine how I see the world, and how I enjoy life. They define my view of how the world should be. I sometimes make the mistake of assuming that people are like me.

You have your own lens through which you view the world. Your view is just as strong as mine, only it is different. You have to be you, and I have to be myself.

Because I know my strengths, and I reflect daily on my success, I have learned that I do better when I use my strengths. The farther out of my strength zone I go, the more frustrated I get with my results. My strength zone is not the same as my comfort zone. I am best when I continue to learn, when I find problems that need solved, and when I can use data and research to support my activities. I also do best when I have time to think about my work, not just do it.

Recently I have been trying to reduce the scope of my activities to really focus on my strengths. It has increased my success, my energy, and improved my attitude. I am more excited now about the future. If you know your strengths, find a way to leverage them. If you don’t know them, grab a copy of Strengths Finder 2.0.

Reaching a Milestone: Another Opportunity for Reflection

Four years ago, I started writing articles and mailing a newsletter. This article is the 200th article I have written and posted. It is a milestone. A step in a journey, but not the goal. I did not set a target of writing 200 articles. I began this process only to convey ideas that I thought would help others. But along the way, I learned that it helped me also.

Those of you that read my articles regularly know my purpose and passion is to help people expand their awareness, grow belief in themselves, and discover new opportunities for success. It is what I do as a coach and trainer at New Roads Leadership. When I help my clients, I want them to examine themselves, and really learn about their values, their passions, and their habits.

Most people would tell you that they know what they value. They could describe their values with words like honesty, loyalty, and openness. But to truly know your values, they must be challenged. How do you react to adverse situations? The clearer you can visualize your potential actions, the more effective you can be at living your values.

For me, writing these articles provides a forum for my own analysis. I am able to take an idea, and explore it. I can recall situations that were affected by my values, and reflect on lessons learned. I think and challenge myself. I can seek alternatives that would have served me better, and actions that would create better results. I search for excellence, improvement, and success.

I plan to keep writing. My hope is that my words can continue to challenge your thoughts. I am looking forward to my next 200 articles.

Does Frustration Get In Your Way?

I get angry with myself when I become frustrated. I don’t think I am an angry person, but yet I get frustrated at times at the silliest things. For me it can be as simple as slow moving traffic, coffee that has gone cold, or my favorite shirt being in the laundry when I want to wear it.

What is the point of frustration? My frustration is not felt by those around me, unless I act out my frustration. Then they see the results of my actions. They only know me through my actions.

So what do I need to do? Eliminate frustration.

Impossible? Maybe. But I can learn to get past it quicker. I can learn to pause and reflect on the moment and not let the feeling of frustration control me.

Usually it is just a matter of looking at the bigger picture. Or stepping back and looking at the situation from a different perspective. We can train ourselves to be better at taking this simple pause and reflect moment. When we do, we will realize that most of the things that frustrate us are meaningless.

We get frustrated when things happen differently than what we expect or plan. If we become less focused on our expectation, and more focused on making the best of every situation, we will have a new world of opportunity before us.

Frustration is just a form of selfishness. We want things our way.

Does frustration get in your way? What do you do to overcome frustration in your life?