Category Archives: High Performance

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Willpower 101

90% of How you do something is also Why you do something! This statement represents the blend of Willpower and Habits. This begs the question; “what do I aspire to accomplish or who do I aspire to become. Your response to this question is boiled down into the opening statement, 90% of how we do something is also why we do something.

In order to reach our fullest potential and to break bad habits we need to engage our A-I – Artificial Intelligence. Therefore we need to establish some algorithms that assist in the enforcement of sculpting the newest version of ourselves. This is accomplished by setting some “IF” – “THEN” algorithms. For example; “IF it is 5:00pm all electronic devices are shut off – THEN we can have true family time. IF it 5:00am I will engage devotions and meditations -THEN I will turn on electronic devices. IF I have been involved in 90 minutes of DEEP work –  THEN I will get up and disconnect from electronic devices while stretching and walking. 

On a separate piece of paper write your algorithms that will create your disciplines of the person that you desire to become. STOP aimlessly wandering and establish meaningful purpose. Reach your fullest potential by getting rid of the bad habits and establish new habits that lead you to the best version of yourself.

Over the past 8 weeks we have attempted to draw attention to the impact of electronic devices in our lives. There is so much that we are learning on a daily basis regarding the impact of our digital world. The outcomes are still unknown. What is known is our responsibility in this new digital world. We have the power to limit our exposure to digital technology. The way we communicate and interact with one another is radically different than just 10 years ago. On the current trajectory there will be problems socially and relationally.

To sculpt or being hacked is the question – only you can answer this for yourself! What algorithms will you activate to change the habits of your life?


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Unpickle Your Pickle

We have been examining the impact of digital technology on our habits and work flow. While we do not know completely the impact of digital technology on our lives, it is safe to say that we have all changed because of technology. Just look around you the next time you visit your favorite eatery. We have baked into our consciousness the need to stay connected, therefore we must keep our electronic devices at our side at all times. After all who wants to experience FOMO (Fear of missing out).

FOMO is so pervasive that our relationships, routines, social interactions, and our careers have “pickled habits” that are now ingrained into our brain. Science states that once a cucumber is pickled you cannot return to a cucumber. One of the first steps in conquering the impact of digital technology in our lives is to recognize that we are all pickled in some aspect of technologies effect in our daily routine.

The million dollar question is to answer what habits are we pickled? To discover these habits below is a “Pickle Audit” (courtesy of Brian Johnson). Follow this simple exercise to see what habits are now pickled. Remember you cannot unpickle a pickle. You can change your behavior once you see it’s negative impact in your routine.

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Switching Default Settings

We have been discussing Digital Addictions and how we need to control their function in our lives rather than being controlled by them. This blog article will focus upon switching our default settings from heavy digital usage to developing opportunities for solitude.

To begin our thought we need to understand that Solitude is not loneliness, negativity, or isolationism. It has been said that we cannot see things in perspective until we cease to hug them in our bosom. So that we do not miss the obvious, times of solitude means the complete absence of digital distractions for a designated time period. 

I am including a half-day Spiritual Retreat outline for you to follow. I am a strong proponent for regular Spiritual Retreats during the calendar year. I started this practice in my life over 20+ years ago. Time will not permit me to discuss the benefits I have received from these regular times of solitude.

One of the benefits of solitude is that Autobiographical coherence is achieved. This means that we connect with our recent past in order to reconcile unfinished business or problematic relationships for a preferred future. Stay grounded and connected to your present relationships and environment. Other benefits of solitude would be:

Clariety 

Creativity

Emotional Balance

Moral Courage

While this year is still quite young, resolve to set aside specific times for Spiritual Retreats or even establishing micro-moments weekly in which you would be able to un plug from digital distractions to have some quiet moments of thoughtful reflection.

Suggested Reading:

Bored and Brilliant – Manusch Zomorodi

Lead Yourself First – Raymond Kethledge & Michael Erwin

Unsubscribe – Jacelyn Glei

Deep Work – Cal Newport

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Deep Workflow

Multi-tasking is not a skill set that you want or need in your capabilities of leadership. You are not hard-wired to multi-task efficiently and safely. A person that texts while driving is said to be 6x more dangerous than a drunk driver. WOW!! That is a scary thought!

Let’s conduct a small experienement. You will need a Stop-Watch for this exercise. Here are the instructions to follow:

  • Count 1-10 and then record your time TIME:
  • Recite the Alphabet A – J and record your time TIME:
  • Now recite these two list alternating and record your time (1A, 2B, etc) TIME:

Did you notice a difference in your time. You simply are not wired to multitask efficiently and safely. The issue at hand in leadership is to get into a “Deep Workflow” that allows your best content/ideas to come out. Distractions destroy deep thought and workflow. It is also reported by neuroscience research that when you are in a deep workflow and are interrupted, it will take you 15-20 minutes to recover and get back into that deep workflow before the interruption. WOW again!

Here is a journaling suggestion to help you recognize when the interruptions occur and the circumstances that aid in working at a deeper level. Here are a couple of suggestions to assist your discovery.

First of all begin to journal your thoughts on when you tend to multitask. Is there a cause, time of day or day of the week that triggers multitasking behavior? Is there a limiting belief within yourself that you are convinced that multitasking is necessary for survival? What have you been taught that you need to unlearn in order to get into a deep workflow?

Secondly, journal your thoughts and circumstances of what is occurring when you do get into a deep workflow. Did you place electronic devices out of reach? Did you turn off notification reminders? Is there a place that allows you to work more deeply? 

Multitasking allures us into thinking this is the ultimate way to peak performance. In reality it represses us and keeps us in the shallows. Our creativity is suppressed and the best version of ourselves never manifests itself to the world. It is time to remove the digital distractions, get into that special place that allows deep work to flow, and change daily habits that are hindering our best creativity.

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Conquering Addictions – Optimizing Yourself

In recent blog articles we have focused upon conquering our digital addictions. In this blog I want to shift the focus to optimizing our life. We must start from a position of clarity about ourselves. You must be able to define yourself in order to know what must be changed or how something will be shaped, Consider three key areas of our life: Energy, Work/Service, and Love/Family.

In the show notes or on a separate page write out your assessment and response of these three categories against three arenas; Who are you at your best; #1 thing you need to stop doing; #1 thing you need to start doing. Set aside some time for reflective evaluation – breaking free from digital addictions requires this process.

Breaking Free From Digital Addiction
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Learn These 5 Soft Skills

Our digital world causes us to learn hard skills just to keep abreast in the speed of life. As a result we are becoming weak on crucial soft skills. Here are 5 Soft Skills to prepare you for 2020.

LISTENING – Our techno-world causes us to become shallow in our relational skills. Give your full attention to people when they are talking to you. Act like you genuinely  care for the person. Learn the art of “Active Listening.”

SELF COMPASSION – It is important to admit that you don’t always have an answer. Be open for feedback. This will strengthen the “learner attitude” in you. Be comfortable with the unknown.

EMPATHY – This is perhaps the greatest soft skill needed today. STOP for one-minute and put yourself in the other person’s shoes and attempt to feel what they feel. This will radically change how you lead – guaranteed!

VULNERABILITY – As a leader, if you are not willing to open up, do not expect others to open up to you. Don’t hide your concerns. Don’t manipulate people to get them to answer the questions the way you want them to respond. Show your team that even you do not have all of the answers.

HONESTY – It’s embarrassing to even list this soft skill. It is blatantly apparent that our world is starving for honesty. Honesty builds trust so that others will be honest in return.

Make 2020 your greatest year!

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5 Leadership Skills For 2020

Here are 5 Leaderships skills that you either need to learn or improve to stay relevant as a 2020 Leader.

Collaborative Mindset – The business world needs leaders with a collaborative mindset, one who works comfortably in a network environment and across cultural lines. HJow will you lead differently or improve this skill?

Team Development – The younger generations consider work to be an integral part of their lives. They desire an open feedback loop from their direct reports. They seek career guidance, relevant training,  learning opportunities, and to have a work environment that promotes a strong sense of community.

Tech Savvy – Your technical and digital knowledge must keep up with the younger generations. You need a definite plan on how technology will be used in your business model now and into the future.

Globally Focused and Culturally Attuned – Know your market and the cultural rules of that market.Pay attention to the triple bottom line: People, Planet, and Profits.

Future Facing – Know market trends from a human-being’s point of view. Create a culture of invention, creative thinking, and multiple horizon thinking.

The year 2020 is upon use – prepare now!

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Turn Off The TV

At the most basic level of life, our ability to engage fully depends upon our ability to fully disengage. I actually believe that we are naive’ when it comes to the influence of digital technology impacting our daily lives. I am a firm believer in practicing “digital sunrise and sunset” daily. In other words I do not allow digital technology in my life until I have completed my morning routine of devotions and creative writing. I put away the digital technology in the evening to allow time for unwinding and relaxing. TRY IT you will be amazed at the positive improvement.

Authors Loehr and Schwartz state in their book, The Power of Full Engagement, “Television, for example, is one of the primary means by which most people relax and recover. For the most part, however, watching television is the mental and emotional equivalent of eating junk food. It may provide a temporary form of recovery, but it is rarely nutritious and it is easy to consume too much. Researchers such as Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi have found that prolonged television watching is actually correlated with increased anxiety and low-level depression.”

Go for a walk, hang out with friends, read a book, write in your journal, meditate, get in the sauna – just unplug the TV!

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The Power of Full Engagement

 “Every one of our thoughts, emotions and behaviors has an energy consequence, for better or for worse. The ultimate measure of our lives is not how much time we spend on the planet, but rather how much energy we invest in the time that we have. The premise of this book—and of the training we do each year with thousands of clients—is simple enough: Performance, health and happiness are grounded in the skillful management of energy.” 

~ Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz from The Power of Full Engagement  

Authors Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz has put together a tool box based upon research and their consulting with the highest athletic performers. At the heart of their work is this big idea; “Energy not time,  is the fundamental currency of high performance.” WOW!

Here is what I believe to be core insights to Loehr and Schwartz’s writing.

THE 4 PRINCIPLES OF FULL ENGAGEMENT 

“Principle 1: Full engagement requires drawing on four separate but related sources of energy: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. 

Principle 2: Because energy diminishes both with overuse and with underuse, we must balance energy expenditure with intermittent energy renewal. 

Principle 3: To build capacity we must push beyond our normal limits, training in the same systematic way that elite athletes do. 

Principle 4: Positive energy rituals—highly specific routines for managing energy—are the key to full engagement and sustained high performance.” 

No matter your life calling and deep work, we all can apply these insights to obtain a higher performance in our work. What is one thing that you can do right now?