Will we?

We can learn. We can teach. We can hear. We can stop. We can know.
We can act. We can drive. We can grow. We can cry. We can do.

We can switch. We can help. We can call. We can bend. We can try.
We can play. We can like. We can think. We can stretch. We can live.

We can gift. We can swerve. We can go. We can dream. We can touch.

We can move. We can thank. We can shape. We can win. We can fall.
We can lend. We can run. We can draw. We can reach. We can love.

The key isn't whether we can but whether we will.
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Someday

I have literally lost count how many times I've heard a phrase that begins with the words; "Some day I'm going to..." Do we mean it or are we stalling? If you want to write some day, start writing today. If you want a new job, start looking today. If you want to leave that relationship, leave it today.

Easier said that done? That's one excuse. But if you look back at your life, how often when you've taken that action have you've said you should have done it earlier? Are we afraid to make the changes, moves, shifts, in our lives or are we more happy to complain about not making them?

Change is hard; doing nothing is harder

In the last two years, I have sold a house, moved twice, shifted my consulting business to a full-time roll at an agency, reconnected with some great friends, and I often think it was easier than I feared it would be while I stayed stuck for far too many years. You know what you want. It may take time, more money, some additional training,

I don't write that from some perfect perch above fear, I have lost count the things I've "meant to" or "wanted to" do; we all have that list. The key question is whether we're going to take those items off the list or actually do them. Because we could keep nestled in the safety of "some day I'm going to..." or take the shot.

It's irrelevant without one critical ingredient – action

Try this. Put your entire focus on that one single thing. Now make only one decision; whether you are prepared to do what it takes to accomplish it, or accept you don't really have the desire.

The late Jim Rohn had a great phrase I remind myself often - especially in those moments when I'm lying to myself about some day I'm going to - and that is; if you want something bad enough, you'll find a way; if not, you'll find an excuse.

Let's find a way.
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Asking and Listening

We admire those who seem crystal clear on their calling, their goals, and their passions. Most of us perhaps just think we are clear. But it can be tough when mortgages and car payments and our myriad responsibilities can crush our day. Corporations often compensate people for being agreeable and not making a fuss.

To get clear, I think we need to stop thinking the answer is one crisp well-crafted sentence. We can get clear by deciding what we don't want to do, who we may want to avoid, who could be a good fit, and how we want to spend the rest of our lives.

Here's an idea; let's reach out to two people tomorrow who will help us and tell us the truth and have that open conversation. Share that big idea you have, get some feedback, and ask them for one idea that may push it forward. Saying no is easy, finding out how is where the work resides.

Let’s be open for real answers.
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Big Ideas

We all have big ideas yet often we don’t know what to do with them or we fold our hand the moment we get negative feedback. Most of this is self-inflicted conditioning.

It's common to get stuck on that fearful part rather than to keep working no matter how much resistance we face. We may not be able to visualize the final solution so we give up. We may be making it more complicated than necessary.

What If It Doesn't Work?

It can be scary to share our ideas and often we make the early decision to keep them to ourselves. Shoulda coulda woulda replaces why not and what do we have to lose.

The late Princeton philosopher and author Walter Kaufmann coined the phrase decidophobia to describe those who would rather leave the deciding to some authority. Kaufmann opined once the decidophobe has relinquished they will accept anything argued by that authority. I call it "boss is always right" syndrome.

Let Someone Else Decide?

She's a thought leader, he's a thinker, they're the idea team. All crutches we create to stop us from contributing to the process. We all have ideas that are valuable and if you are in a leadership role, open the doors a little wider and let those ideas in because there's brilliance waiting to be seen.

Two hundred years ago there was no Internet. A century ago we didn't have interactive technology built into the steering wheels of cars. And unless you share it, we will never enjoy what you have been thinking about which could change the world.

Let’s think big and stop over thinking.
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Shhhh!

Ernesto Sirolli is a charming and engaging man and the founder of the Sirolli Institute, an international nonprofit organization that teaches community leaders how to establish and maintain enterprise facilitation projects in their community.

He shares with one important instruction.


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What?

What do we do?
What's holding us back?
What do we want to do?

What will we give up?
What are we willing to do?

What do we fear?
What won't we do?
What will we sacrifice?
What if we went for it?

What if we couldn't fail?
What if we started right now?

What if we stop wondering what if?
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Have You Ever?

Have you ever had a complete out loud conversation with someone and they've not in the room? Have you ever sang every word to a song you love but profess your hatred to it in front of friends? Have you ever stared at your phone pretending to be reading something important to avoid making eye contact with other humans?

We love, we lose, we overcome, and we try and figure out this unexplained occurrence called life and Ze Frank wants to know the answer to a simple question.


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Who Are You?

Dr. Theodor Seuss Geisel was a clever yet shy raconteur who created timeless work. One of my all-time favorite sayings of his was; "Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

It's not suggesting we disrespect those around us and for us to become unbearably arrogant. It points to the simple genius that says we need not worry so much about what others think about us. There will always be naysayers and complainers. You rarely need travel far to find someone with an opinion or criticism.

Don't Matter. Don't Mind.

Simon Sinek says leaders find others who believe in what they believe. Tom Peters says leadership is not about creating followers, it's about creating more leaders.

Seldom does someone who fails to stand for something, find others who are interested in what they have to say or offer. I'll skip the temptation to comment about the US election. So be bold, be yourself, and take charge. Respect those around you - especially yourself.

Be who you are and say what you mean, or someone else may be quite happy to make that decision for you.
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Hearing Your Gut

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a great book entitled Blink and it begins with a story about an art gallery that is presented with what appears to be authentic pieces. The curator suspects the pieces are fakes but then a layer of hope takes over and changes his mind. But to be safe, he hires appraisal experts to ensure he’s right. They confirm authenticity and the gallery purchases the pieces which were fakes.

The curator – like all of us – didn't listen to his gut. He wanted the pieces to be real despite his spidey senses. And his overwhelming desire for them to be real transported to the appraisers. It sounds impossible and happens all day long. Have you ever felt that? Of course you have and it’s almost as if we have to deliberate for a while because the right answer couldn't possibly come to us that effortlessly.

Heart v Gut

We have the chance everyday to make a quick decision or belabor for a potentially better outcome. But if we wait for the perfect time to do anything, it will never arrive. The guarantee we seek is a fabrication we have created for the sole purpose of not making the call. That is true of business, relationships, and life.

Change holds a certain allure until you realize what it entails. There are many moving parts but often we think we can stand still while the rest move in our favor and that's simply not reality. We have to affect the change, we can't expect others do to it then blame them when they put the pieces in the wrong order.

Are you acting on your gut or are you waiting?
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