In our daily roles, particularly as leaders, every interaction presents a significant opportunity to shape the community and individuals around us. I have a foundational belief, a presupposition even, that is powerful and yet simple: "We will leave a legacy with every person whom we encounter at every encounter."

In this edition of Braving Life, I want to reiterate a few points from one of my most recent keynote conversations while exploring strategies to enhance your connections, build trust and intentional impressions, and effectively motivate those we lead and love.

Everyone deserves a great leader. Everyone deserves a great person, and I hope you have had an opportunity to experience their efficacy in your life. I have been blessed to have several mentors and caring individuals who have molded and guided my work and life. Their effective leadership was multifaceted. When aggregated and distilled, I discovered a robust blend of distinct and complementary traits. 

Before...

Okay, so I was listening to GMA this morning and reflected on a piece of advice given on the show. On my way to the office, I was reminded of the complexities embedded within mindfulness, wellness, self-care, self-love, and creative self-nurturing (as I like to call it). The advice, while insightful, sparked in me thoughts on how it could be further enhanced to truly empower us in our daily lives. As this is Mental Health Awareness Month, I wanted to offer something for your mind to nibble on.

As the GMA dialogue ensued, it touched on the topic of boundaries, emphasizing that "no" is a complete sentence. Although I resonate with the simplicity and firmness of the sentiment, I must quibble just a tad, for I also believe it's imperative to acknowledge the intricacies that prevent some from embracing a "Just Say No" approach to boundary setting.

It is crucial to remember that some people struggle with saying 'no' due to a hidden habit or private pattern of constantly saying...

In our relentless pursuit of perfection, we often find ourselves chasing shadows, don't we?  Just me?

This elusive ideal of everything falling precisely into place, where life hums in perfect harmony can be quite a tantalizing mirage. But, as I've delved deeper into this quest, I've begun to question my own and our collective understanding of what it means to be perfect.

In today's fast-paced world, a prevailing notion equates perfection with excellence and unblemished positivity.

It is as if to be perfect is to be devoid of any flaw and a state of pure goodness. However, a closer look at the word's etymology – tracing back to the Latin 'perfectus' and 'per fasare' – reveals a different story.  Perfection, in its essence, isn't about being flawlessly positive; it's about completion and reaching a state of wholeness.

Isn't this a game-changer? It shifts the paradigm from seeking an unattainable state of perpetual positivity to embracing the beauty of...

 In the realm of personal growth and professional development, the paths of coaching, mentoring, and counseling intertwine, yet each holds its distinct essence. At Think For Good, we embrace these differences, understanding that the growth journey is as unique as the individuals we guide.

Coaching: Catalyzing Your Success

Our coaching philosophy is rooted in empowerment and transformation. We believe in:

• Outcome-Centric Progress: Our coaching is a journey towards specific, tangible goals aligning with your aspirations and potential.
• Collaborative Exploration: We engage in a partnership where your voice leads the way, and our questions illuminate the path.
• Empowering Performance: Our role is to unlock your inherent capabilities, fostering a journey of self-discovery and achievement.

In our coaching sessions, we don't just advise and support; we offer a mirror for self-reflection and a catalyst for change.

Mentoring: Wisdom Shared, Wisdom Gained

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 Continuing our discussion...

Whether it's the detrimental patterns, conflict in subconscious values, or waiting on the magical knighting and catalyst, there are still some valuable lessons that may be learned. 

Know that unfinished tasks can be insightful teachers. They often reveal underlying fears, misconceptions, and areas where our competencies may be underdeveloped. By examining these "unfinished endeavors" (an excellent name for a future book), we can clarify our true priorities and the obstacles that hinder our progress.

1. Start by jotting down the pursuits left incomplete. This undone inventory provides a clear starting point for introspection.
2. For each task, explore why it was left undone. Was it due to a lack of resources or time? Was it a lack of clarity, competence, confidence, courage? (See 5C Leadership) 
3. Look for patterns. Are there certain types of tasks and pursuits that consistently remain unfinished? Are there common...

I regularly discuss the inertia toward realizing our intentions and how our habits, mindset, distractions, and even unrealized values pull us away from what we say we desire to do and have.

What is it that keeps us from commencing, continuing, or completing the task at hand and reaching the desires of our hearts? 

As we enter 2024, we must reverse this trend – whether it's completing a race, submitting an assignment, producing a podcast, writing that book, or embarking on a new journey. This year, we finish what you start.

You might wonder why there is tension and a struggle with following through on your intentions. Not finishing what we start is a common issue for many. It can quickly become overwhelming as tasks accumulate; days lean into weeks and blend into years. 

Here are some common reasons for the inertia that I've encountered and helped others navigate through as well:

1. You are stuck in your patterns: Everything has a pattern:...

As we stand on the cusp of 2024, the adage "Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations" echoes in my mind. This sentiment captures the essence of my observations on mindsets and their profound impact on our perceptions, motivations, and interactions. The intricate interplay of perspective, perception, values, beliefs, emotional states, and environmental conditioning forms the unique lenses through which we view life and leadership interactions.

In my exploration of mindsets, I've discovered that our approach to life and leadership is deeply rooted in our underlying presuppositions. These foundational beliefs shape how we interpret challenges and perceive our abilities. A growth mindset, which I advocate for, sees challenges as opportunities for development, aligning with the presupposition that every experience is an opportunity for growth. Conversely, a fixed mindset often views challenges as evidence of inadequacy, contradicting the belief that we are all capable of...

 What if we're inadvertently or subconsciously tripping over our own feet? Perhaps this phenomenon we call impostor syndrome is more about us throwing sticks into our own bicycle spokes. It prompts a question: How much smoother could our journey be if we weren't caught in this self-created loop?

Impostor syndrome isn't just a stumbling block; it's a symptom of a deeper issue – not being fully present in our life and leadership roles. It's akin to an Ouroboros, a snake eating its own tail, perpetuating a cycle of doubt and disconnection. When we're not fully engaged in the moment, impostor syndrome finds fertile ground to grow, blurring our vision like glasses with the wrong prescription.

In this state, we're caught in the illusion that we should have all the answers, ready for every challenge life throws at us, even before it's pitched. But let's pause and reflect: Has anyone ever truly known what tomorrow holds? We're only ever up-to-date until yesterday's news becomes a...

Some years ago, I began noticing how mindsets created particular perceptions and motivations. It was perspective, perception, values, beliefs, states of emotion, and environmental conditioning all colliding to create the filters to see the world and how we interacted with it.  Mindset determined how people showed up to life, to leadership, and to the office. I also noticed how our the fixed mindset can create particular challenges in the face of failure.  Instead of perceiving challenges as a way to grow (a growth mindset), some saw it as proof of one’s inabilities (a fixed mindset).

 As mentioned previously, I am diving deeper into the mindset coaching work-exposing what we can do as leaders to cultivate more of a growth mindset in our spaces.  (Yes, our inner space as well.) 

Below are 20 quick thoughts and guidelines to support a healthy growth mindset this year. (I sprinkled a few thoughts to counter perfectionism tendencies too.)

I am glad...