Contentment or Driving Change?

I, like most people, want a better future. if you have a sense of optimism, you believe that the future will be better than the present. Unfortunately that means to have a better future, you have to change.

Keeping the status quo will not give you the future you desire.

But who likes change? We enjoy being content. Contentment feels good.

It is a daily battle. Charging forward with change and progress, or taking time to enjoy the life we have created for ourselves.

E.B White said it best. “If the world were merely seductive, that would be easy. If it were merely challenging, that would be no problem. But I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”

I think it would be a great idea to do both. I could start by asking myself these two questions every day.

1. What can I do to improve my world today?

2. What can I do to enjoy my world today?

The answers are different for each of us. That is why I used the reference to “my world”. How would you answer those key questions for today?

For those that really want to have a better future, we have to fight through those moments of doubt, the fear of change, and the challenges. We can stuck on the enjoyment, and on our routines.

 

Does Your Team Lack Urgency?

Recently I had the opportunity to work on a small team, and I found myself lacking engagement. The leader was complaining that we needed to get to work. We were accused of having no sense of urgency. It was true.

Upon reflection, I realized my lack of urgency was due to the fact that I felt no responsibility towards achieving our goals. I was just working, following instructions, but didn’t feel like my effort mattered.

If your team needs a boost of urgency, here are a few things to consider:

1. Empowerment. Have you enabled the team to achieve the results in a manner that lets them fully utilize their talents? Are you willing to stop managing the effort, and focus on leadership? They are different. Recognize where you are, and adjust your style to match the situation.

2. Vision. Does your team know, understand, and share your vision of the result? How do you know? How often are you trying to paint the picture for them? What part do they play in the final result? Why is it important?

3. Recognition. People need recognition for their effort. The level of recognition varies by individual. Some people need public recognition. Others just need a quiet word of thanks. How well do you know the needs for the people on your team? Are you effectively keeping them engaged through your recognition efforts?

Several years ago, I led a team that thrived. We achieved our goals nearly every week. One of the highlights was a shared breakfast on Friday mornings. If we hit our targets for the week, we had breakfast delivered. It was a simple way to say thank you, and to motivate the team. The weekly attainment of goals along with our shared breakfast became a habit we all enjoyed.

It was simple. It worked. You don’t need to over complicate recognition. I find that authentic, heartfelt, appreciation works best.

Preparing for Tomorrow May Be the Most Important Thing You Do Today

When you are out of shape, exercising is not fun. It hurts. It is hard. Out of shape people try to avoid it. However, when you are in shape, exercise is completely different. A fit person loves to exercise. They get a lift from the workout.

What is the difference? Preparation. Their body is prepared for the workout. It is ready, trained, and it performs well.

Isn’t that the way with everything in life? If we are prepared, we do well. We have opportunity. We are not afraid to jump in.

There is a great correlation between preparation and success. Do you agree? Then today, on your agenda, schedule time to prepare yourself for what you want to achieve tomorrow. And also time for what you want to achieve next week, next month, and next year.

Really? We are already busy. We already can’t get everything done. So what do we do?

It is your choice. You control your calendar. You can either continue to achieve your best day by day, or you invest some of your time preparing for a better tomorrow.

Are You Preparing for an Opportunity?

Last week I wrote about how we need to always be looking for opportunities. This week, I reflected on the second part of that process. We need to always be preparing for the opportunities that we want. This will increase our level of success in taking advantage of the opportunity.

If you are like me, this is very hard to do. I find working towards a goal when when the benefit is not clearly identified very difficult. There is so much resistance facing us every day.

Here are some things I consider for staying motivated and focused:

  1. Know What You Want. I try to prepare for the future which I want to achieve. I stay motivated by continually renewing and reviewing my vision. Keeping the goal in sharp focus can help me stay on track.
  2. Find Resources. Resources can come in the form of people, mentors, organizations, associations, classes, workshops, magazines, and books. I find staying motivated is easier if I don’t rely on just one type of resource.
  3. Find a Way to Practice. I love to read. I learn so much from books. But if I don’t use new found knowledge, then over time it will fade. If I want to really learn something, I have to find a way to practice.
  4. Expand Out of Your Comfort Zone. For me like most people, this is challenging. We like to do what we know. Unfortunately, most breakthroughs occur when you get out of those routines.
  5. Do the Work. Following through requires a commitment of time, money, and effort. If I can find some time every day to work on preparation, it helps me build momentum over a long period of time. It creates a habit of growth.

I have learned that the more I prepare, the easier it becomes to see opportunities. It is almost like one creates the other. I hope you are finding time every day to prepare for your future.