Message of the Day - The Challenge Within While Achieving Goals

Good Morning,

 

One of my recent reads was a book by Chuck Norris. Yes, Walker Texas Ranger. This book called "The Secret Power Within: Zen Solutions to Real Problems" (http://www.powells.com/biblio/9780553069082?&PID=719) was a pleasure to read. Chuck Norris tied in events from his personal and professional life with lessons he learned along the way and provided this all from the view of a Zen enthusiast.

 

A section which really appealed to me was when Chuck Norris talked about how achieving goals was not so much a person climbing a mountain, but rather a person climbing both an internal and external mountain at the same time. What this is saying is that as we work to achieve a goal or accomplish some task there is often an internal emotional and mental challenges taking place within us at the same time.

 

Think of it this way, as we hike a trail, we have a physical task in progress. The harder or longer the task, the more grueling it is on our body. While we are working to achieve this goal, we have an internal struggle often going on as well. We have emotions and thoughts which flow through us. When the task gets hard, those thoughts may change from the positive, 'I think I can' to a less positive 'I'm not sure if I can do this'.

 

It is the working through these thoughts and emotions which make for the internal challenge while we push ourselves to achieve the outward goal.

 

Depending on the challenge before us, and how much emotional charge or history we have with it, the internal challenge may pose a far greater hurdle to overcome than the external one.

 

If you remember the movie 'Top Gun' when Maverick (Tom Cruise) was flying, after he lost his friend and co-pilot, Goose. He had the target in his sights and then gave up anyway. The internal challenge with all the weight it carried was a far greater challenge then achieving the goal of the training mission.

 

Here's an interesting thing with these two-in-one challenges. When we achieve our goals, we actually grow both internally and externally. We build up our mental and emotional capability as well as our skill sets and knowledge. That is, our capability to weather the emotional ups and downs of our upcoming challenges grows along with the skills to achieve those goals does.

 

I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to learning more from the multi-faceted Chuck Norris.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
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http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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Message of the Day - Since I last wore contacts

Good Morning,

 

Last week I started wearing contact lenses again. For the folks I had met over the last six and a half years, it caught them off guard, causing a volley of 'where are your glasses' questions. In 2003 when I moved to Louisville, I wore contacts. Having lived on the east coast of the US for all my life up to that point, my eyes were not ready for the Ohio Valley air, and within a few months my eyes got red and bloodshot after a few hours with my contacts in. Folks working with me at Heartland Payment Systems may have noticed my first ID Badge, the one with the red eyes (and it was not due to a cheap camera).

 

Anyway, after six and a half years of wearing glasses, I decided that my eyes have had enough time to adjust to this environment and I pulled out my old contacts (literally). I know there must be some rules against wearing 7 year old contact lenses, but I decided to do it anyway. I wore them for 2 hours the first day and increased the amount of time I wore them by two hours every day until I went to the eye doctor and got fitted with my first monthly pair with the right prescription. Yay! I can see. Of course, now I need reading glasses to read with the contacts in.....you gotta love the irony.

 

In all this mayhem, I had a thought about what has happened in my life between the time I stopped wearing contact lenses and started again. Below is a list of what has happened in my life over this period in no particular order.

 

1. Married a magnificent woman.

2. Became a step-dad and God-Father.

3. Completed my Bachelors Degree in Business.

4. Completed my Masters Degree (MBA).

5. Accepted Christ and was baptized (twice, sprinkled once, and immersed the second time).

6. Wrote and published a book (see below for more details).

7. Started an online blog and email messages (what you are reading now. This one has about 500 fellow messages at this time).

8. Became the president of a non-profit organization and serve(d) as a board member on several non-profits, charitable organizations.

9. Became a life/success coach and speaker.

10. Presented nearly a dozen speeches

11. Read the Bible cover to cover (two times so far, and less than 100 pages away for the third time [3 pages a day]).

12. Appointed as a Kentucky Colonel, Public Notary, etc.

13. Read over 400 books.

14. Met some amazing people who I am proud to call friends, while strengthening friends with those I have loved for years.

 

In six and a half years, these are some pretty cool accomplishments.

 

When you look back at your life over the last six years, do you see a list of accomplishments? Are there things that you have done which make you proud, which have helped you grow into a better person? We may miss our accomplishments in our hurried day to day blur of activities. When you think about them, write them down or type them.

 

I am happy that I took the time to stop and reflect. We should all do this from time to time. It makes moving forward more enjoyable knowing that no matter how hard things are today, we can make a difference in in our lives and the lives of others through our efforts.

 

Here's looking forward to the next six and a half years!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
Follow Me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/sberenberg

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Message of the Day - What You Don't See

Good Morning,

On Monday evening I delivered my 10th speech at Toastmasters and successfully qualified for the Competent Communicator award. In that speech, I was to speak to inspire the audience. My message was 'We Could Do Better' and I started off with the Walls of Constantinople stood for 1000 years. I brought it to a personal level of what we could do to do better and ended it with a story from 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' about the six year old boy who was dying from Leukemia and dreamed of being a fireman.

My fear was to deliver that last part without tearing up and choking. Each time I read the story and share it, I would tear up and feel my throat tensing.
As it came time for Toastmasters, I found I was running late, dinner had to be served quick and I had to be out the door and across town quickly and my stomach started feeling a bit off.

I made it to the meeting place with 3 minutes to spare. Just enough time to get my speech title to the Toastmaster of the evening and my manual to the Toastmaster who would evaluate me, but I did not let the timekeeper know how long my speech was. At that time I started feeling nauseous. I was sweating and felt feverish. Dinner felt like it was trying to foment a revolution. And before I knew it, it was my time to speak.

I got up and started with my strong opening and proceeded to weave into a toned-down center before moving to the gut wrenching tale at the end of the speech. The timekeeper started switching on the green, yellow and red lights too soon, further challenging my focus. In the end, the speech came across well. A few areas to improve, like making sure I nail the ending, but overall it was strong and inspiring.

As the meeting wound down, folks were a bit surprised as I took out a bottle of Pepto-Bismol tablets and pop a few pills. They had no idea that I was struggling against nausea during the speech. And it was not until my drive home did I realize that not only did I not tear up with 'Chicken Soup' story, I also did not choke.

When sharing this with my buddy Howard, he suggested that this was a message of the day.

When we see others going through their day, no matter what they are doing, we are not always privy to everything going on behind the scenes. We cannot truly appreciate the challenges people are facing, the fears they are trying to overcome, the illnesses and pain they are trying to hide. We only see what comes out on the surface.

What we see on their outside may have nothing to do with what is going on in their hearts and minds. It only makes sense to be kind and gentle to these folks when our instincts may scream to call them out for apparent foolishness or worse.

I am certain those folks will appreciate our kindness.

Enjoy!

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
Follow Me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/sberenberg

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Message of the Day - Honest and Straight Forward

Good Morning,

Sunday evening, Karen and I enjoyed dinner at one of our regular stops; Cracker Barrel. While there we notice a few new servers. You may have noticed some stars on the aprons the staff at the restaurant. This is part of their PAR (Personal Achievement Responsibility) program. The newer staff will have a 'Rising Star' on their aprons. This program teaches their employees all different facets of the business from understanding the menus, serving the foods to understanding the profit and loss statements to help them know how the entire operations is run.

Anyway, our server was Nick, one of these new servers. He was sharp and focused. When he asked us for our drink order, I jokingly said 'Scotch and Soda'. He smiled and said it would take a little longer to procure as he would have to go across the street to get the Scotch and Soda. After taking our drink orders he came back in less than a minute with both of our drinks and took our dinner order.

Karen and I started talking and expected a ten to twenty minute wait for the food. We were pleasantly shocked to have our meals delivered in under five minutes, both piping hot. I only had enough time to lose at the pegs/pyramid game a few times before the food arrived.

As we were eating, Nick came by and asked how everything was. We told him how surprised we were with the speed of the food.

Nick proceeded to explain clearly and succinctly what happened. Since Karen ordered the special, there were many being prepared and one person cancelled their order so they had an extra meal ready. My order was a feature of the week, and it was made every two hours. Due to our timing, we lucked out.

We were very impressed with the straightforward and clear explanation. Unfortunately I am sadly used to a battery of "I don't knows" or "I'll look into it for you's", or worse the epic length dissertations.

I think we can all learn something from Nick. He was clearly in tune with the way the Cracker Barrel kitchen works. He understood its operation and was able to articulate it clearly and quickly.

An honest and straightforward response is the best response. Something that I know I (and possibly some of you) need to improve on, and luckily, we have the model Nick provided to guide me. And yes, he got a good tip.

Enjoy!

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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Message of the Day - Optimism in Perspective

Good Morning,

 

I was having trouble sleeping so I started to read (there's a surprise...). My current read is 'Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way" by Robin Gerber (http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Eleanor-Roosevelt-Way-Strategies/dp/0735203245). In the section on Embracing risk, there is an Eleanor Roosevelt quote which hits the subject of Optimism on the head:

 

"It is true that I am fundamentally an optimist, that I am congenitally hopeful. I do not believe that good always conquors evil, because I have lived a long time in the world and seen that it is not true. I do not seek the pot of gold at the foot of the rainbow or think that 'everything will have a happy ending' because I would like it to. It is not wishful thinking that makes me a hopeful woman. Over and over, I have seen, under the most improbable circumstances, that man can remake himself, that he can even remake his world if he cares enough to try."

 

That quote gives me shivers of excitement. The last part alone is earth shaking:  Those who try can remake their world.

 

Ponder that for a moment.

 

Being an optimist is not just simply looking at the world in a glass half full way. That is simply ignorance.

 

An Optimist looks at the world knowing the realities of life and is willing to take a calculated risk to make a difference because they are willing to try. Those who try, then can remake their world.

 

Further, an Optimist looks at the world seeing what could be, if we would just try, knowing that somethings may not be possible now, but given the time and opportunity, may be possible in the future.

 

Dr. Robert Schuler teaches us to remove the word 'Impossible' from our vocabulary. That in and of itself may be dangerous act, but couple that with Eleanor Roosevelt's quote above, and we can see that the world is our oyster should we take a realistic mindset, get our facts together, roll up our sleeves and get to work.

 

This one quote redefined my understanding of being an Optimist and I quite like it.

 

I hope you do too.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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Message of the Day - Building Momentum Toward Your Dreams

Good Morning,

 

A few days ago I was speaking to a friend about the Flywheel concept in Jim Collin's 'Good to Great'. I shared how it takes a lot of effort to get this massive wheel to start moving, and no matter how hard we push, we can only incrementally increase the speed of this wheel. In the beginning, if we stop turning the wheel, it is likely to simply stop. It is only after a lot of time, months or years, that the wheel starts moving at any real speed. At that point it takes less effort to keep the wheel going.

 

I was telling my friend that the longer we put in effort at a specific activity, be it writing messages to people like me, or building up a consulting business or doing anything, that legend of the overnight success is more than likely just that, a legend.

 

Successful people, organizations and companies have all had to start pushing their huge flywheel and keep at it. They had to push when they did not want to, they had to push when it seem easier to just quit. They had to push when others wanted to go play or go to a movie.

 

Consistently pushing at the flywheel day after day, week after week, etc. is what builds a person, an organization or a company and opens the doorways for that sudden opportunity which makes it appear like an overnight success.

 

It is not all hard work, but it is focus and determination which helps keep us focused on pushing our own flywheels. What helps us take a step closer every day to achieving whatever goals we have set for ourselves.

 

While our flywheels may only be moving slowly, they are moving faster than they were yesterday or last week. We just have to remember, that if we wish to achieve our goals, we have to keep pushing. Keep producing.

 

As Seth Godin says, we have to make something happen, and ship it out the door to our customers. Whatever it is we make happen, it should be something that is part of our goals. For me, it means working on refining my mission statement, or updating part of my website, or finishing that book I have been trudging through.

 

I have to do something every day to help me achieve my dreams, and so do you. It may be taking a mental health day and doing nothing to help let the batteries recharge. Just don't too many of those days happen back to back, or our flywheel will start slowing down and even stop.

 

What I ship are these messages, and those I send out on Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, and my other blogs. They are not the final products I wish to produce, but they are all steps in that direction.

 

Have faith and you will get there to.

 

Enjoy

 

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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Message of the Day - Harnessing Imagination

Good Morning,

 

My Current read is "Leadership, The Eleanor Roosevelt Way: Timeless Strategies from the First Lady of Courage" by Robin Gerber (http://www.amazon.com/Leadership-Eleanor-Roosevelt-Way-Strategies/dp/1591840201). Early on in the book in the chapter about Eleanor Roosevelt's childhood the concept of imagination came up.

 

Robin Gerber shared how the future First Lady was able to use imagination to help her through her difficult childhood. A childhood that included the loss of her father at a young age, a mother who never quite liked her, who also died young, leaving Eleanor and her brother orphans who then moved in with her Grandmother. Her family life improved, but it was never easy. Eleanor grew and developed through each of these experiences. 

 

She continued to use that skill of imagination as a tool in her early adult life, as a wife, mother and spouse to a politician. She used it to create an image to rally people to work toward.

 

This same skill that helped keep Eleanor Roosevelt sane as a child became a tool drive drive her passion to making the lives of others better.

 

We too can harness our imagination to paint an image in our minds of where we want to go in life. Using imagination is like taking a goal you have written on paper and painting it as a mural across an entire wall. It creates an image so real, so substantial that we can see, smell and touch our dreams by imagining ourselves achieving the goals.

 

Everyone has an imagination, although, not everyone uses theirs. Some are afraid of it, some feel it is foolish and others get so caught up in it that reality seems like Never Never Land. 

 

Imagination is like a muscle, the more we use it, the strong it gets. We have to be careful not to overuse it and 'pull' or tear a muscle. No matter how much or little we have used our imagination in the past, we can start using today, to help visualize our goals, and give us that extra push to achieve.

 

Like Eleanor Roosevelt, we can use our imaginations to help us through the rough times and achieve our destinies.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net

http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
Follow Me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/sberenberg

http://learnandgrowdaily.com  Click here to order: "Learn And Grow Daily!"

502-533-9336