“It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
To all our highly valued clients and acquaintances:
I was reminded by one of my coaches that, in today’s knowledge worker world, we get paid to think, create, innovate, and execute, no matter where our journeys may take us.
In today’s seemingly inexplicable world in which at times, the pain of senseless cruelty can boggle our minds, I continue to discover that people really appreciate being able to dialogue with someone that they trust, that has their best interests at heart, and may offer any seasoned, well-articulated, informed perspective that could serve them well.
The focus of this month’s issue is to discern how each person could go beyond their current contributions to deliver even more value for others in the highest possible ways.
If you want a direct route to enhancing your value for others, consider these two things:
- Where and how can you anticipate the needs of others and act accordingly?
- Where can you clear obstacles to accelerate getting that value to them ASAP?
If we invest more attention there, we will likely have greater insight into ways to better serve the people that we most want to reach, be it family, friends, or work – a win for all.
A question to consider, which may also include a bit of enlightened self-interest:
Who might I be able to add value to today, to brighten their current life and prospects?
Another colleague described this to me as Value Calling – communicating with people with the intent to explore whether mutually beneficial value can now really be created.
All that matters is that you’re helpful and that you need people to be happy, in real time.
In the spirit of adding value, to paraphrase best-selling author Marie Kondo, “Does the stuff you do make you happy and does it spark joy? If it does, keep it. If not, get rid of it.”
The first challenge, starting with our own selves, is to stay vibrant and radiant.
From there, is it possible to add value all the time – sometimes called “bringing the plus” – to enable people to respond to healthy, positive influences, to improve their condition?
Can we be helping more people to achieve better lives than they ever thought possible?
We might explore/discuss, “What has surprised you the most during the last 2½ years?”
What assumptions did you have that turned out to be untrue and why’s that? Now what?
“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”
~ R. Buckminster Fuller – architect, author, inventor, and futurist.
The intent of my recently published book is to provide processes to serve you in your efforts to move yourself forward, onward, and upward on such topics. I encourage to invest a bit of time to see for yourself how this may serve you in both your inner and your outer journeys as you traverse the mountain climbs of your life. You can consider:
At the end of the day, what constitutes Creating Great Value for Yourself?
- Would it have the feeling that you can get past anything?
- Would living your dreams power you to live life to the fullest?
- Would it amaze you to be part of the privilege that life can be?
- Would it make you feel better than you may think you deserve?
Maybe invest a few minutes to jot down your responses to such questions as:
- What am I exceptional at? What is my value for the public?
- What is my story? What is my “sweet spot” that I love to do?
- What real problems am I solving for the greater community?
- What needs do people have that they will pay me to address?
- Where can I make the biggest positive difference in the world?
“Decide what you stand for. And then stand for it all the time.”
― Clayton Christensen, author – How Will You Measure Your Life?
What might be your Vital Metrics? Are your long-term plans still fundamentally solid? How about the next 90 days? How will you ensure that the best routines, practices, and habits are in place for all the opportunities and commitments that are calling to you?
You may want to answer these questions, as You Create Even More New Value
- What is needed now? Courage? Patience? Persistence?
- What is called for now? Care? Connection? Compassion?
- What is important that was not before? What is not important?
- Knowing what you now know, what do you need to accomplish?
As Mother Teresa (admired by many for her charitable work) was often known to say:
Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.
Give A Smile
Poet: Unknown
A smile is cheer to you and me
The cost is nothing – it’s given free
It comforts the weary – gladdens the sad
Consoles those in trouble – good or bad
To rich and poor – beggar or thief
It’s free to all of any belief.
A natural gesture of young and old
Cheers on the faint – disarms the bold
Unlike most blessings for which we pray
It’s one thing we keep when we give it away.
Along your way, take great care of your work, life, and laugh balance.
What could be included in your value-adding plans to ensure that you are consistently energized, inspired, motivated, focused, engaged, and joyous as you are adding value?
- What can you do to make it as fun and as fascinating as possible?
- What might bring you a few laughs? How can you humor yourself?
On laughter – laughter is one of the best emotional and physical therapies for anyone under stress. Laughing releases endorphins into our brains!! Endorphins can serve to reduce harmful chemicals in the body that are released by stress.
Pat Willhoit, otherwise known as Dr. Isaac the Clown, points out that laughter is one of the greatest mental tonics known to man and is the second most powerful human emotion an individual can express. (The first, incidentally is love) Isaac the Clown says:
“You can’t laugh and be mad, you can’t laugh and worry, because stress, worry and laughter are not compatible. Laughter is low-calorie, caffeine-free, no sodium, no preservatives, or additives; it’s 100% natural and one size fits all. Laughter truly is God’s gift. You can get high on laughter but never ‘o.d.’ Laughter is contagious; once it starts, little can be done to stop it. Laughter never felt bad, committed a crime, started a war, or broke up a relationship. Laughter is shared by the giver and the receiver. Laughter costs nothing and is not taxable.”
On a final, probably more serious note, I invite you to revisit this familiar quote:
“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations.” – George Bernard Shaw
Do whatever you must to light fires under yourself and stay fully alive!
Shall we explore how best to expand our future efforts together?
Again, I look forward to further communications in the weeks ahead, as we all work to strengthen and expand our effectiveness for greater freedom and fulfillment through both increased self-awareness and creative collaborations. We can all be fully engaged in worthy directions for satisfying solutions, as part of a forever journey that life can be.
Wishing for You that The Rest of Your 2022 be The Best of Your 2022.
With sincere and deep appreciation,
Coach Don
