Winning Strategies

A Life Intervention

Seated next to me on a recent flight was  a man, let's call him Joe (to protect his identity).  He was a consultant, flying off to 'rescue a client ' in distress.

He was anxious and hurried, frustrated that his life had, well, become a big ball of all work and no play.  His work life had overtaken his life, leaving him little time left to enjoy the life before him.

Joe's current state could describe you or I or any of us on any given day.  We begin to work on a project, work on advancing at the office and before we know it, work has consumed our days, our evenings, and all the spaces inbetween.

We have allowed work to consume us.  It has taken over, taken us hostage, and we are none the wiser.  We let it hold us as gunpoint, and we longingly wonder how to make it different.

There is a Way Out
The good news is that there is a way out and YOU are in complete control.  If you have found yourself in the same boat as Joe, then take note.  Working yourself to death and missing out on life's pleasures (time with your spouse, family, kids, or friends) is no way to go about living.  YOU are in control.  YOU manage your calendar.   YOU accept the assignments.  YOU set the timelines (or are not moving the timelines to a more realistic achievement date).

What Are You Afraid Of?
I hear often that you are afraid of losing your jobs.  Many of you are creating unhealthy situations that will proliferate into worse situations that, if not resolved, will create your demise at work.  Examples include ignoring your spouse until he/she leave you (that would create a problem for you); ignoring your health until you are hospitalized, and the list goes on and on.

It comes down to the fact that living a balanced life is not only BETTER for YOU, but it is BETTER for your employer!  I recently took a vacation for 2 weeks.  Many at my office (if they were truthful) would tell you that I was becoming a complete pain in the ###.  I needed a few days off, and my work relationships, work outputs, and work results will be better off because I did.  Not only that, but my marriage will benefit, and since I left the kids as home- they are probably happier as well.  Smile.  Fear is a motivator that only keeps you from doing what you should do.

GO Ahead and Try It
Go ahead and try it.  Schedule some workout time into your calendar.  Schedule a much needed vacation.  If you hate your job and are working yourself to death, schedule time to interview for another position.  Schedule a dinner date with your spouse or friends.  Take some time to equalize the amazing amount of work that you do.

I dare you.

A Company of Dreams

I received my Mary Kay newsletter in the mail and noticed that they were talking about Seminar, the annual gathering of Mary Kay sales women from around the globe.  Mary Kay created a 'company of dreams'.  In a time when there were very few jobs that women could succeed at and make money, she created a company that incented women to perform.  Her accomplishments are astounding.

Key Facts
Mary Kay Ash started Mk in 1963 with only 9 woman and $4500.
Did you know that the Mary Kay Inc's global wholesale sales accounts for 2.5 Billion dollars today with more than 39,000 women across the worldthat  have become independent sales directors?  (http://www.marykay.com/company/companyquickfacts/default.aspx)

Mary Kay products are packaged in recyclable containers.

Only 2% of all cosmetic companies manufacture their own products. Mary Kay is one of the 2%.
                                                     
Mary Kay is one of the 20 companies profiled in the 1996 book, Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time. Mary Kay Ash is the only woman included. She received the greatest woman in this century- her male counterpart is Henry Ford.
                                                              
The Mary Kay marketing plan is taught at several business universities, including Harvard Business School in their MBA program.
                                       
The Mary Kay career car program is one of the largest corporate fleets in the USA and over 120,000 women have earned the use of a car in Mary Kay.                                         

More than 215 women in the United States have become  a Mary Kay millionaire based on their gross commissions.
                                                  

A Woman with a Vision
It is amazing to me that a women with a mission and vision created an empire that continues to impact thousands of lives today.  Let her inspire you to pursue your passions, find your vision, and impact the lives of those around you.  Be Inspired to live your best life.

A Weekend Getaway in Vegas at the Venetian

 I've been working hard. One thing I think that everyone should do from time to time is to step away from the grind and look at life from a different perspective. Spend time looking at life through different colored glasses.
 
I've planned just a step away myself. I am going to Vegas for the upcoming HIMSS convention for work. I will have a busy week next week of meetings, demonstrations, executive debriefs, walking the trade room floor, and exasperating myself , I'm sure, trying to get it all done in a short window of time.
 
SOOO, ahead of this - I have planned a weekend getaway with my family in Vegas. I'm excited to get a chance to check into the famous Ventian hotel and spend a few needed hours with my family.
 
Venetian Hotel Vegas: http://www.venetian.com

 
We will be spending a few days in one of their suites. Stay tuned, I'll blog the experience so that my friends from around the globe can 'see it through our eyes'.
 
I suggest you consider a little break away from life yourself. Thinking about how stressed you are? Take a minute to google around the net and see if you can find a vacation package that works for your budget. You don't have to go far to feel a world away from your day to day routines, your work, and the monotony that life can become. Go ahead, I dare ya!

1-2-3 Schedule AWAY! It is TIME...

The end of the year is here.  It is time to look at 2012 and schedule your personal time, vacation time, days off for the kids' birthdays, anniversarys and other important events.  If you do not schedule the events ahead of time, chances are that you will not have schedule availability to 'be there' when the event time comes up.

Vacations are easier to take if you have BOOKED the time off on your calendar.  Take a moment NOW to book some days off.  Enter the days into your schedule and think about what you could do with some of the time off.  DREAM a little.  Let your mind wander to places that you'd love to visit and possible ideas for adventures for 2012.

If you'd like to attend a sporting event for the high school, a college game, or a pro event- - - book a slot off on your calendar.  Even if the date doesn't end up being exactly right, it will remind you to book the event when the date comes along.

Those who fail to plan, plan to fail- you've heard the saying.  If you do not PLAN your days off, you will FAIL at getting the events scheduled.  So, PLAN a few events BEFORE the year even rolls around.  PLAN the events BEFORE 2012 even STARTS. 

Happiness is a State of Mind

Happiness is a state of mind.  It is a state that we decide to enter.  You can decide to accept your circumstances, rejoice in your blessings, and aim to quickly forget the pieces of your life that fall below your expectations.  Happiness is a choice.  You can choose to be content. 

I believe this with all of my being.  I once memorized a poem that goes like this:

Happiness

Everybody, everywhere seeks happiness tis true
But finding it and keeping it seems difficult to do
Difficult because we think that happinesss is found
Only in the places where wealth and fame abound

And so we go on searching in the palaces of pleasure
Looking for wealth and monetary treasure
Unaware that happiness is just a state of mind
Within the reach of everyone that takes time to be kind

Go create yourself a happy day!

A 2 Hour Vacation

I got up at the crack of dawn today to hike to Fisherman's Warf in Monterey, California. The sound of the waves crashing into the shore never ceases to relieve my tired spirit and renew my body and mind.

Monterey, California comes across as a sleepy , laid back area with wonderful beaches and views.

At the early break of dawn, before the sun rose, I could hear sea otters and sea lyons noisily finding their morning food and talking to one another. Someone told me the hotels on the water have installed sound proof glass so people can sleep through all the sea otter commotion.

As I walked down the beach, the light of day began to peek over the horizon. Light shed over the incredible views and- as in life- as I traveled, the views grew even more beautiful.

My feet sank into the sand and sand oozed through my toes. Waves ran towards me, almost covering me in water up to me knees. I ran away from the waves, laughing like a little child- perfectly content to play alone on the beach in the early morning hours.

I feel blessed. I travel on for miles, entering Cannery Row. I spot a Starbucks and am excited at the thought of a warm, hot liquid to warm me. It is 50ish in temperature.

We can refresh ourselves in the shortest amount of time. Watch the serene video and close your eyes, listen to the waves and the noises of the ocean.  http://youtu.be/xCLoTAv8U38

Take a 2 hour vacation this weekend. Do something that you truly enjoy!

 

Touching Your Creativity Mindset

I love to write.  It takes a certain 'mood'.  I have to find my creative 'space'.  One must be in a specific mental mindset  that allows creativity. 

I think the same is true of work.  We must have a moment to create...a moment to allow our creativity to rise to the surface...to see things from a different perspective and to find out-of-the box solutions to problems and operational issues that we've seen time and time again.  We need to suddenly see them anew.

We are losing the ability to be creative, to think outside the box, and truly make things different.  We rush to and fro busy with busy-work, keeping our creative minds at bay and not fulfilling our life's mission and passion.  Where is your creativity space?  What setting makes your creative juices flow?  When was the last time you tapped into that creativity of yours?

Make it a point to find your creative genious and think through and solve a problem that has been weighing you or your company down for WAY too LONG. 

Take time this week to let your creative juices flow.  Get in a mindset of

If Today Were Your Last

Jeff died when I was still quite young.  He was my highschool sweetheart and the father of my baby girl.  I thought he'd be around to see many of her birthdays and celebrate her wedding.  As we plan her wedding now, I often find a giant lump in my throat, remembering that young girl that had so many hopes and dreams, many of which faded for many years.  We had dreamed of retirement, travel, and we had made plans that were never kept.  On the day that his motorcycle veered off the road and hit a wall, all of the plans changed.

If you were to ask me what I would think if today was my last day on earth, I would say that every day since I have tried to live each day as a special gift.  Each day is a gift that we have been blessed with.  We are not promised to live to a certain age, and we don't know the length of our days.

We live life like there are unlimited tomorrows.  I read a book recently that said that if you are in your forties, you have probably only 1500 Saturdays left to live.  In the book, they filled a jar with 1500 marbles.  Each Saturday, remove a marble from the jar, you've just spent one of your precious Saturdays.  Did you spend it well?

I am amazed to watch people talking about 'tomorrow'.  Think of all the times we tell our families that we will get to them 'next week', or we will travel to see our relatives 'next year'.   I remember all the tomorrows, next weeks, and next years that we had planned. 

I know that if today were my last, I wouldn't be worried about that guy or gal that is giving me a hard time at the office, I wouldn't care about that unimportant squabble that I had with my friend, I wouldn't be losing sleep over the dishes not being done, I'd be spending quality time with the people in my life that I hold most dear, my husband and my kids.

So, on this day, I wish for you a knowing perspective.  I hope to grant you permission to let the dishes go, forget about that television show, making room in your life to tuck your children into bed tight and kiss your spouse goodnight.  You do have today, and it is a gift to savor with all the breath in your lungs, and appreciate the special gift that you've been given.  Life. 

A Plan for Your Career

I had the opportunity to attend a Women's breakfast this morning. The speaker talked about creating a plan for your career path. She suggested that your path doesn't happen just 'by chance'.

I whole heartedly agree. My career scaled faster and provided me more satisfaction and enjoyment when I did two things:

1) Figured out what my core strengths were and translated that into what I wanted to do and

2) Created a plan for my career.

First things first: what do you enjoy doing? What do you aspire to be/do? You can ask yourself this question at any age. What are your strengths? There are books and tools to figure it out if you don't already know (you should know!): http://www.strengthsfinder.com

Next: What do you want to be or do in your career? We get so caught up in titles and company names that we lose track of the real important things in life. I designed a plan that listed the 'types' of positions that gave me the hours, pay and flexibility that I desired. I did this however, 1/2 way into my plan. I had initially decided that I wanted to be CEO. I had the knowledge, political savy, and leadership skills. I had the experience and was on the CEO track. I added several CEOs to my networking groups. It is always good to get to know people in your 'target' positions.

I realized something very quickly. I did not want to be CEO of a health system. The hour demands and lifestyle required to maintain it wasn't appealing to me. I revised my plan to point towards positions that allowed me to work AND enjoy my family and my life in the way that I wanted to live my life. Remember- there are no right or wrong answers here. It is more preference and your inner desires.

Design the plan you'd like to follow. Life may take you in a different direction, but you will be moving forward with a full understanding of where you'd like to be.

And me? I love my current job. I wouldn't leave it for the world. I get to meet with health care executives and work to understand their dilemmas, providing solutions when I can. I get to speak to Womens groups and write books and this blog. What fun!

Unless of course you have an SVP of Cool --position open (yes- you read that right- SVP of Cool). I'd love the chance to lead innovation, social networking, and out-of-the-box idea creation for a big company trying to break away from the pack. I think in another 4-6 years positions like this will abound.

What do you dream of? Write it down and run after it.

 

 

Do you Hate Your Job? Marcus Buckingham can help....read on...

Ever find that you are stuck in a job that you hate and you don't understand why?  Oprah teamed up with Marcus Buckingham to provide you a free video series that goes through Marcus' Strengths teachings.  I have been talking about Finding Your Strengths in every speech I do.  I think this is an amazing way to re-discover a life that you enjoy living.

Watch the preview YouTube video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGpQxTYbPqU

Next Steps

Then commit to LOG ON and watch the Videos.  It WILL change the way you think and it WILL change your satisfaction with your job. 

Workshop:  http://www.oprah.com/money/Marcus-Buckinghams-Career-Intervention

Use the  workbook to aid you in your journey:  http://www.oprah.com/money/Your-Personal-Career-Workbook

 

Good Luck!