Everybody's "Picture" is Different.

It's called Perception.

We all see different things...looking at the same thing.

There have been studies that prove this concept, by having people
describing what they saw...and the explanations and definitions, all differed.

Being aware of this, and knowing that others will, most always, have a
different point of view or perception than yours, is a great tool to be
used in understanding and tolerance.

We may think we have the correct view or perception, but that doesn't
make others wrong.

Yours in "Difference is OK" - Coach

Thanksgiving?

It sure is a day to Give Thanks for all that we have, and Everyone in
our lives.

Tradition usually dictates that we spend time with family, which can be
wonderful, but in some cases, can be a bit challenging. We pick our
friends, but not our family, and that can be the "rub".

If we anticipate a challenge with a family member, we can "Spin it and
win it" for the future.

We had Uncle Jack...at the dinner table, he would periodically give a
good lean to the side, and release any gas that was building up, and
continue eating like nothing happened. And then there was
Aunt Mary Pat...she usually got over served and passed out by mid
afternoon.

At first, everyone was appalled and upset, but after a while we just
took it in stride and actually enjoyed the shows...making side bets, on
how many times Uncle Jack would do it, and what time Aunt Mary Pat
would hit the floor.

So have a Happy Thanksgiving, and if you have to, "Spin it and Win it"
with any relative that you didn't pick.

None of us are around forever, but fond memories are.

Yours in "Just be Thankful" - Coach

A recent study that went out...

Asked people:

"What was the biggest waste time throughout their life"?

Waiting wasn't the answer.

Working wasn't the answer.

Time spent in a bad relationships wasn't the answer.

The answer was...Worrying.

Yes, the # 1 answer that people felt was a waste of their time was
"Worrying".

Good luck in not wasting Your time.

Yours in "Trust" - Coach

Focus on Frustrations?

You bet!

We face challenges everyday, and some we like to tackle, if they are
presenting a challenge to us that we don't mind tackling.

But some challenges, we don't like to tackle...and can be frustrating -
that's the boil.

All we have to do in those instances, is "Spin it and Win it" -
figuring out how to turn those challenges into something we don't mind
doing, or imagine the great feelings we will get after we do it.

No matter what the frustration is, let's face it' some things just need
to be done...and we might as well have fun doing them.

Your is "Spin and Win Frustrations" - Coach

Value is judged...

By the Person.

I have witnessed a ton of choices made by the ones I have the pleasure
to work with on goal setting.

They pick something or an area in their life that is valuable to them
to acquire, achieve or get done and the range of choices is really all
over the chart.

Choices have been creating better relationships, fixing a car, saving
money, releasing weight, getting back in school...and the list gets
even "farther out"...but one common link is that most choices have
nothing to do with the others, yet are extremely valuable to the person.

What is most Valuable to you?

Yours in "Give it some Thought" - Coach

Some of us run away from...

Success and some of us Run away from Failure.

In either case, we are running away from something which puts us in the
position of reacting, and not in control.

Why not Run towards something...then we are responding and it allows us
to be the one in control.

Yours in Perspective - Coach

The story of the 2 shoe sales people.

There were 2 shoe sales people that were sent off to a village in a
country where they have never been before, to see if they could do some
new business.

A shipment of a wide variety of shoes was to be delivered within days
of their arrival for display and eventual sales, and to see which would
be the biggest seller...and to then deliver more of what they wanted.

When they both got there, the 1st shoe sales person called the
company and urged them to stop the shipment, because no one in the
village wore shoes.

The 2nd shoe sales person called the company and said "Send all we
have, it is the greatest opportunity I have ever seen - because no one
wears shoes".

Opportunity or Excuse - depends on our perception.

Yours in "Opportunity" - Coach

In any game...

Whether it be the game of life, work or play...on paper, there can be
favorites, and also a projected "Winner".

But we don't play on paper.

This is pretty cool, because when we play our game, we often times
receive doubt, opposition or resistance from others - which sometimes
gets in our heads.

But last time I checked - once the game starts, all the bets are off -
maybe that's why there no such thing as a "sure bet".

And this is because when the game begins, it's the focus, desire and
determination of the players that produces the outcome...and not what
they have done in past.

Yours in "We don't play on Paper" - Coach

Trademark of great Leaders?

They make Decisions.

Much thought is put in the process before decisions are made, and they sift through
their choices to see what best fits, and is in alignment with the
desired results.

Once well thought out...there is little second guessing, and a commitment
follows.

This allows them to move forward - not standing still or going
backwards.

Yours in "Trademark of Great Leaders" - Coach

Are you an Originator...

Or an Imitator?

It's OK - either way...

Imitating is a great form of practice, as you hone your talent and
skills towards your passion. Let's face it, we have to practice the
basics before we can make things our own - and following someone or
something else as a guide, is a great way to go.

But there always comes a time when the Imitator has had enough practice
and can evolve into an Originator...personalizing what they do, with
their own "flair".

So keep up the practice and when you're ready - make it your own.

After all, you're not a copy, you're an original - so you need to
eventually roll that way.

Yours in "Being an Originator" - Coach

Impossible?

Some don't listen.

In 1954, doctors and scientist said no one can run a mile under 4
minutes. Our bone structure was wrong, wind resistance was too great,
our hearts could not take the strain and our lungs were inadequate.

Roger Bannister wasn't listening. He trained his 25 year old body and
mind with thousands of laps of training.

On May 6th, 1954, he reached the finish line and the stop watch told a
different story - 3 minutes 59.4 seconds.

46 days later, his record was broken by another runner - by the end of
1957, 16 runners ran the mile in under 4 minutes, and 4700 times since.

In the few short years when the record was repeatedly broken, the
runners didn't suddenly "get better" - they simply began to believe.

Yours in "Believe" - Coach

THE MAN WHO SOLD HOT DOGS

There was a man who lived by the side of the road and sold hot dogs.
He was hard of hearing, so he had no radio.
He had trouble with his eyes, so he read no newspaper.
But he sold good hot dogs.
He put signs up on the highway telling how good they were.
He stood on the side of the road and cried "Buy a hot dog, mister?"
And people bought.
He increased his meat and bun orders.
He bought a bigger stove to take care of his trade.
He finally got his son home from college to help him out.
But then something happened.
His son said, "Father, haven't you been listening to the radio?"
"Haven't you been reading the newspaper?"
There's a big depression."
"The European situation is terrible."
The domestic situation is worse."
Whereupon the father thought, "Well, my son has been to college: he
reads the papers and listens to the radio, he ought to know."
So his father cut down on his meat and bun orders, took down his
advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand out on the highway
to sell his hot dogs.
And his hot dog sales fell almost overnight.
"You're right, son." the father said to the boy.
"We are certainly in the middle of a great depression."

Coach

Veterans Day!

We usually don't blog on National Holidays, yet this Holiday is well deserved.

A Sincere Thank You to all the Veterans and current military personnel
that have protected and are protecting this Great Nation, where we are
all one - no matter where we have come from.

And an apology is also due...apologizing for the greedy few that have
"mucked" up the Nation, which you all have worked so hard to protect.

We now have your back, we are buckling up and will pull together as a
Nation of Unity, to bring back the liberties and quality of life that
you have allowed us to enjoy for so many years.

It is your Leadership and your Example that will be our guide...to bring back what you have created and fought for.

I wouldn't bet against us.

Yours in "Thank You" - Coach

Things don't happen to us...

They happen for us.

When things happen to us, we become the victim, and when things happen
for us, we are in charge and it is up to us, what we do with it, or what we do about it.

It's all about perception.

Whatever comes our way, comes our way, and it is up to us to view it
positively or negatively and our actions will follow our perception.

So whatever we face - we need to perceive it as an opportunity...an
opportunity to make us stronger, smarter, or more empowered and better able to deal
with the same things when it come around again.

Otherwise, things can break us down and take it's toll...when all we had
to do is change our perception.

Yours in "Things Happen For Us" - Coach

Finally...

It's the end of what has been a long week...of a long journey.

And we've all have taken our lumps along the way, as well as some
expended emotions.

With the election over, we are embarking on a new journey and our new focus is that of Unity.

So maybe we can spend our weekend in reflection and rest, allowing us
to come back next week Unified, not only as a country, but in our
working and personal lives as well.

We can't do much alone, but we can all do our part to move powerfully
into our future...with all of us Unified...and all of us helping to
make this world a better place.

Yours in "Thank You All" - Coach

Tough times never last...

But tough people do.

Looking back on our tough times from the past, we can see that the
tough times made us stronger and in most cases, the really tough
situations, have allowed us to change course and ultimately, were
really blessings in disguise.

If everything were easy, there would be no resistance and with out
resistance, we would get lazy, as our effort would not be needed, and
our "game" would become weak.

Therefore we must stay strong, and view any situation which comes our
way, as an opportunity for us to open up new doors of the future, and
let the past be the past.

So in our future, it's not the tough times we focus upon, it's the
opportunities that will come to be, that needs to be within our vision.

Yours in "Tough times never last" - Coach

One step forward, and...

Two steps back?

Maybe "Spin it" into "Two steps forward and One step back"?

Why not - That's life.

In understanding, that as we move ahead, we have roadblocks and detours
that are part of the deal is very important.

And an occasional "step backwards" IS part of the deal, so we must not
be concerned with the temporary lack of progress.

Sometimes, frustration and worry that we have to start over, can
consume our thoughts, and stop progress altogether - but we know better
and just sometimes, we need to reminded.

Yours in "Progress" - Coach

Just enough...

Or maybe just a little extra?

Many of us go day to day with doing just enough to get by.

And at the same time wanting just a little extra out of life, and
themselves.

Well, we sure can get a little extra out of our life and ourselves
simply by just doing more than just enough.

Getting up a 1/2 hour early can easily jump start that exercise
routine, more focus on what we do can save some time for other things,
even cleaning up some unfinished business can open up all sorts of
opportunities.

So if we want just a little extra - we just do a little extra...and it
comes our way.

Yours in "A Little Extra" - Coach

Is your glass 1/2 full...

Or 1/2 empty?

It's really the same thing, but it's the way we look at it, that makes
the difference.

The same goes with our lives. We can see the positive or see the
negative and view our lives as 1/2 full or 1/2 empty even though it is
the same thing.

And in looking at things positively, we tend to continue our focus on
the positive, which makes more positive things come into view, and
unfortunately, the opposite is true when we focus on the negative.

I have known people that have admitted to me that they always see the
glass as 1/2 empty...and admittedly, their lives are 1/2 empty as well.

Yours in Choice - Coach