100%

I was watching the 2014 Grammys with my daughter Sunday night. Watching Kendrick Lamar & Imagine Dragons http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6vJJzAjieU and watching the crowd react to the performance just got me thinking. There was passion and enthusiasm galore by the entertainers.
They were not checking their e-mails, they were not thinking what they were going to do after the show. They were 100% focused on their task, the on-stage performance.


Here is my take-away. Give 100% to everything you do. When you are meeting somebody, don't check your e-mail, don't answer your phone - give that person 100% attention.
When you are working on a project at your desk, don't answer the phone, don't check your e-mail - give the project 100% of your time.


When you are going to watch you kids play soccer, put away the phone, clear your mind and enjoy the game. More importantly after the game, give them 100% of your attention.


In this world of so-called multi-tasking it sometimes feels like nothing is getting done to its fullest potential while lots of things get done at not quite the optimum level of performance.


It's like many other things you want to do different, you have to think about it, force yourself to do it every time until it becomes a habit. After it becomes a habit you won't even have to think about it because it'll just be part of your personal make-up.


So make a conscientious effort to give 100% attention to whatever it is you are doing at the time. I think you'll find that you'll make a better employee, perform better in all you do, be a better parent and spouse and become a better person overall.

I don't know

When is the last time you heard somebody say "I don't know"?
Why won't people say "I don't know"?
It seems that nowadays everybody is an expert on everything. Rather than getting a mediocre explanation or solution on a topic that somebody does not know anything, or very little about, wouldn't you rather get an honest "I don't know". How refreshing would that be? I don't know, but let me look into it or let me do some research.
In this new world of Google search everybody truly believes that by reading a one or two paragraph excerpt in Wikipedia you will become an expert or can talk about something with authority.


Don't get me wrong, I have and do use Google search for all kind of things to get answers and learn but...


Is the job environment so competitive that we are afraid to admit we don't know something?


I don't know.

Make the play...

Doing the Leafs game last night Harry Neal made a comment on "making plays. It went something like this:


There are some people who make the plays, some people who watch the plays and some who miss the plays...


It just got me thinking that you have a choice, if you put your mind to it.


Which one do you want to be?


I'm a Leo, so I want to make the play. It works great on a sports analogy. I used to play soccer and the passion I had for that game was second to none, at that time. Nobody would beat me on the side as I was so determined to not let anybody. I would get the ball, because I wanted that ball more than anybody else.


So what is different in everyday life or your working life?


I think the key is twofold, find the passion and make it a habit.


If you were passionate about sports or music or whatever it was, how can you transfer that passion to everyday situations? I would offer that one accomplishes that through small steps. If you want to start jogging, don't just say you want to go jogging. Rather read up on it, research it, talk to some friends, get excited about it. Build up the passion. Find our what steps need to be taken to be successful.


Then you build it into a habit. But even building the habit should happen in small steps. Don't try to run 20km on the first day! Build it up so that you can succeed, so you don't lose the passion! You set the alarm 40 minutes early every day and you go. After awhile it isn't all that hard and after a little longer, you'll feel strange not doing it. Then you know that you have built your habit!


Make it happen, be the person that makes the play...

Strive

Good Monday morning.


It will probably take me a little while to get the hang of weekly or is it daily updates?


Here is something I posted on LinkedIn when Mandela passed away.


It seems appropriate to post to start the new year 2014!

Strive.

Strive to forgive.

Strive to be ethical.

Strive to be honest.

Strive to be selfless.

Strive to be humble.

Strive to be resilient.

Strive to do what is right.

Strive to lead by example.

Strive to act with humility.

Strive to live with a purpose.

Strive to believe in something.

Strive to treat others as equals.

Strive to leave behind a legacy.

Strive to meet fear with courage.

Strive to continue to educate yourself.

Strive to stand behind what you believe in.

Strive to let your actions speak for yourself.

 

Strive to be…