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Summertime Switcheroo

It's summertime here, which provides us with the opportunity to shift gears and try to relax a little. (If you consider traffic jams en route to the beach relaxing, that is.) Let's face it - we work hard all year, and sometimes we need to take the opportunity to rejuvenate and try new things. The sunny, warm weather gives us a clear indication that some slowing down is in order.

So in that spirit, I thought we'd take a break from the trials and tribulations of goals and goal achievement. (Ahhhh.) I realize that this whole goal business is hard work, and I know it takes a lot of discipline and effort to achieve those great goals. You can't push it to the limit all the time.

Nope, today I suggest that you grab your favorite poolside libation and let your subconscious mind take over for a bit. I'd like to propose a different kind of exercise for this week. I call it "Success 101" and it's incredibly simple. It goes like this - pull out a blank sheet of paper or your trusty computer and write down one hundred and one things you'd like to accomplish in your life. Yep, you read that right. No worrying about how you'll do it or when or even why. Just develop a stream of consciousness around some really cool and personal objectives.

Want to learn to play the piano? Great, write it down! Want to attend a performance at the Sydney Opera House? I love it! (Write it down.) Want to hit a walk-off home run in the World Series? Good luck with that. (You can still write it down.)

If you were peeking over my shoulder, you'd see me holding a blueberry mojito. (Straight up.) You'd also see my "Success 101" list which boasts the following entries (among others):

• Be a guest at a Japanese tea ceremony in Tokyo
• Take a nap in a hammock
• Join the Washington Speakers Bureau
• Climb the Grand Tetons in Wyoming

Going through this process was eye-opening for me in a number of ways. First, I realized that I want to do some pretty random things in my life. I've come to accept the fact that I'm a bit of an eclectic guy, but seeing it all out in the open like that was fairly entertaining. Second, I was surprised that I had a hard time completing the list! Thinking in a semi-structured way required a lot more creativity and discipline than I anticipated.

Prioritizing the things that really matter most to me was not as easy process, but it was an important learning and self-discovery exercise all the same. Now I have a single reference with some things I think are really cool. Any one of these can (and will) become a proper goal with timing, planning, and the like, but for now I'm very pleased to have a master list of cool possibilities.

Here are a few of my suggestions pertaining to your own "Success 101" list:

• Make it. If you always read these exercises but rarely (or never) do them, why not start with this simple one? And if you can only come up with 10 on your first sitting, that's okay too. (It can be our secret.)
• Share it. Don't keep all of those great and exciting possibilities to yourself! Share your list with those closest to you. You'll increase your personal motivation in the process. If you're lucky, they'll start asking you about one or more key items.
• Review it. After you've crafted your list, don't stuff it away. Reread it every once in awhile. Why not whip it out every Monday morning before the week gets hectic? You may discover that the real you is in that list and not in your email inbox.
• Revise it. As you change, change your list. If something you once wrote seems silly or out of place, replace it. We're not static and our ideal accomplishments don't need to be either.
• Do it. Grab one of the many items that catches your fancy and make some plans to make it real. How great would you feel about your life if you complete a few of these? Most of these? All of these? Would your life be one lived with intention and passion? I'm guessing it would be.

I hope you'll take some time this summer to relax and blow off some steam. Recharge your batteries and resolve to come back with renewed energy and motivation. In the meantime, take a few moments to let your mind wander and think about what you might like to achieve in your life when given the chance.

After all, that chance is yours with every new day.

Coaching Quickie: Summertime Switcheroo

Check back next week for results!

Last Week's Results

Coaching Quickie: Oops.
Not you, but let's say you had a "friend" who made a mistake, how would he/she respond?

(00%) He/she would act like it never happened.
(06%) He/she would withdraw from life and friends for awhile.
(31%) He/she would obsess over it and have a hard time overcoming it.
(63%) I'd accept that I made a mistake, and I'd focus on learning from it and move on.