![4 Ways to Surpass That Auto-Pilot Lifestyle & Wow Yourself]()
People
A few weeks ago, I introduced the PULSE© coaching model that I use to help clients get their lives back in balance. The following is a recap: the first letter in the acronym – “P” for paradigm and “U” for unearth. Last week was “L” for Linger.
We have learned over the past few weeks how to shift our Paradigm, Unearth our talents and strengths, and how to Linger in the present.
Now it’s time to Surpass and take our lives to the next level. Are you ready to move above and beyond the life that you’ve been living? Are you sick and tired of simply existing each day and living your life on auto-pilot?
Surpass toxic thoughts that have held you back. Surpass self-limiting behaviors you exhibit day after day that have kept you stuck and feeling powerless and stressed out.
Surpass: to become better, greater, or stronger than : exceed <surpassed her rivals> <surpassed all expectations>
: to go beyond : overstep
: to transcend the reach, capacity, or powers of <a beauty that surpasses description>
When you make the choice to implement new behaviors and new ways of thinking into your life you do better because you know better. According to author Angel Chernoff, in order to move forward we must give up the following:
1. First and foremost, give up the excuses you keep reciting to yourself.
Because all the excuses and explanations in the world won’t do you any good. They won’t add any value to your life or improve the quality of it by even the slightest margin. To fulfill your calling and get where you wish to go in life requires more than just thinking and talking. These feats require focused and sustained action. You just have to choose to actually do it.
Sooner or later you will come to realize that it’s not what you lose along the way that counts; it’s what you do with what you still have. When you let go of the past, forgive what needs forgiving, and move forward, you in no way change the past, you change the future.
2. Once you’re over the excuses, give up the idea that you don’t have what it takes.
You do have exactly what it takes. Will it be easy? Absolutely not! Nobody is going to blindside you and hit you as hard as life will. But it’s not about how hard life can hit you; it’s about how hard you can be hit and continue to move forward. That’s what true strength is. And that’s what winning the game of life is all about. So keep going.
In the end, all the small things make a big difference. Every step is crucial. Life isn’t about a single moment of great triumph and attainment. It’s about the trials and errors that slowly get you there – the blood, the sweat, the tears, and the small, inconsequential things you do on a day-to-day basis. It all matters in the end – every step, every regret, every decision, and every affliction.
3. Give up focusing on what’s wrong, and start noticing what’s right.
What you see often depends entirely on what you are looking for. Do your best and surrender the rest. The happiest and most successful people do not live with a certain set of circumstances, but rather with a certain set of attitudes. Choosing to be positive and grateful for what you have now is going to determine how you’re going to live the rest of your life. So look for something positive about today. Even if you have to look a little harder than usual, it still exists.
So don’t wait until everything is just right; it will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what! Get started now! With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger. And no matter what happens, just do your best and appreciate what you’re learning. You won’t enjoy your life if you don’t enjoy your challenges.
4. Give up the tendency to get too caught up in other people’s judgments and opinions.
Honestly, the biggest prison you will likely ever live in is your fear of what other people think. You cannot let other people tell you who you are or what you want. You have to decide that for yourself. When you’re making big decisions, remember, what you think of yourself and your life is more important than what people think of you. Don’t let others make you feel guilty for living YOUR life. As long as you’re not hurting anyone else, live it YOUR way.
The bottom line is that when you spend too much time concentrating on everyone else’s perception of you, or who everyone else wants you to be, you eventually forget who you truly are. So don’t fear the judgments of others; you know in your heart who you are and what’s true to you.
A Process & a Journey
Surpassing old thoughts and behaviors is a process and a journey. It takes patience. We often want everything to happen overnight. We want results NOW. The exciting part of this coaching model is that you can implement these tools into your life right now. But it still takes practice. It takes perseverance. No one is perfect. No one will ever be perfect. Perfection is not the goal here. Being your BEST self is the goal. Plugging back into your life is the goal.
Once you fully immerse yourself in this process you will begin to surpass – become better, greater, or stronger than you’ve ever been before.
Are you ready for the next step? Message me directly or use the contact form on my page and let’s chat about this exciting coaching journey together! https://execexcellence.wpengine.com/team/jenny-jacobs/
For over a decade Jenny Jacobs has studied the principles of healthy living, life balance, stress management, positive psychology, and self-development. Jenny is a dynamic speaker, coach, and blogger and is passionate about helping people integrate their personal and professional selves.
Driven by the premise that excellence is the result of aligning people, purpose and performance, Center for Executive Excellence facilitates training in leading self, leading teams and leading organizations.
![4 Ways to Surpass That Auto-Pilot Lifestyle & Wow Yourself]()
Uncategorized
For the past few weeks, everything around us has been changing. Temperatures are falling and the sun is setting earlier. Leaves are changing color to vibrant reds and deep yellows. There’s no denying that fall is here and winter is just around the corner. As humans, we are hard wired to accept the inevitability of seasonal changes. If we can manage the extreme weather changes of four seasons a year, why are we so resistant to organizational changes?
If you’re engaged in the effort to set a new direction, orchestrate innovation, or mold a culture, here are six universal truths that can guide you along the way.
1. People don’t resist change. They resist being changed. As management guru Peter Senge suggests, resistance is greatest when change is inflicted on people. If you can give people a chance to offer their input, change is more likely to be met with enthusiasm and commitment.
2. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Big goals can seem overwhelming and cause us to freeze. This simple truth, attributed to Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, is a reminder to get moving. Take the first step, however small it may seem, and the journey is underway.
3. If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. Many change efforts fall short because of confusion over the end goal. In the Lewis Carroll classic, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice asks the Cheshire cat which road she should take. The cat’s response reminds us to focus on the destination first, then choose the best path.
4. Change is a process, not a decision. It happens all too often. Senior executives make pronouncements about change, and then launch programs that lose steam. Lasting change requires an ongoing commitment to the process reinforced by constant communication, tools, and rewards.
5. Do not declare victory prematurely. In his book, The Heart of Change Field Guide, author Dan Cohen suggests that short-term wins do not necessarily equal long-term success. Cohen writes, “keep urgency up and a feeling of false pride down.”
6. Be the change you wish to see in the world. These famous words attributed to Gandhi reminds us all — executives with associates, political leaders with followers, or parents with children — that one of our most important tasks is to exemplify the best of what the change is all about.
Any form of change requires an adjustment period, and some are easier than others. While seasonal changes are predictable and tend to go over smoothly, organizational changes cause more chaos. Leaders trying to implement changes in the workplace can take heart in these truisms, settle in and enjoy the journey.
Question: Chances are, you’re going through a change effort now. Which of these truths can you apply today to help achieve success?
Need help to create a culture of leadership that can navigate change and adapt to the challenges of the 21st century workplace? Read about our results-driven Leadership Development program and contact our team if you’re interested in next steps!
![4 Ways to Surpass That Auto-Pilot Lifestyle & Wow Yourself]()
Purpose
Do you know why you’re here?
The question of purpose — the need to connect the why to the what and how — is the essence what it means to exist. It’s the question of insatiably curious 4-year olds. It’s the question young adults seek to answer when traditional education falls short. It’s the question on the minds of the Millennial workforce, today’s consumers, and discerning shareholders when considering whether to work for, buy from, or invest in your company. 21st century America is heading toward a tipping point. The answer to the question of why organizations exist can no longer be simply to make a profit.
Consider these trends behind this tipping point:
- 86% of Millennials in a 2011 study by Forbes reported that they believe businesses can have a positive social impact on the world, and they are optimistic about playing a role in that change.
- 83% of U.S. consumers want more of the products and services they use to benefit causes.
- 20% of shareholder-sponsored proposals of U.S. public companies focus on environmental and social concerns.
The case for defining and living your organizational purpose has never been more compelling. It’s the glue that will hold you fast in a world of constant technological, social, and economic change. It’s about being clear about your inner compass – about what should not change – so you can be liberated to challenge assumptions, test new theories, and remain relevant.
Traditional business based on the factory model is dying. The factory model dictates that products or services are cranked out with measurable output for as little cost as possible. Factories can be duplicated, even outsourced. Factories are filled with bureaucracy and clock watchers. Successful organizations of the 21st century will thrive with engaged people driven by the knowledge that their collective effort has intrinsic meaning.
And therein lies our leadership challenge. To connect our organizations with a purpose that rises above the bottom line. To weave that purpose into the organizational DNA so that it becomes part of everything from the strategic plan to employee incentives and rewards.
People want to be part of something bigger than themselves. Creating meaningful impact beyond financial performance isn’t a nice-to-have—it’s a business imperative.
You’ve heard TED, but have you heard SUE?! I’ll be one of the inaugural SUE Talks Presenters on October 21st on this topic: Work On Purpose: How to Connect Who You Are With What You Do. Hope you’ll join me for the launch of SUE Talks! www.suetalks.com
Question: Do you know your company’s why?
![4 Ways to Surpass That Auto-Pilot Lifestyle & Wow Yourself]()
People
A few weeks ago, I introduced the PULSE© coaching model that I use to help clients get their lives back in balance. The following is a recap: the first letter in the acronym – “P” for paradigm and “U” for unearth.
This week is “L” for Linger. Doesn’t the word linger sound pleasant?
We linger as we leisurely stroll through a flower garden stopping to smell a beautiful rose. We linger as we kiss the soft head of a newborn baby. We linger to stop and pick up a beautiful seashell on the beach. Ahhhh…..
That’s totally real life, right? Everyday life allows us nothing but the ability to linger all day every day in all the things we enjoy and derive pleasure from.
No?
Perhaps you might more relate with words such as STRESS, BUSYNESS, ANXIETY, FRUSTRATION, OVERWHELMED?
In many situations we have no control over our circumstances. We have no control over traffic. We have no control over how strangers, our coworkers, or families act. The one thing we have control over is how we act in the face of stressors. When we constantly react to everything and everyone around us we cause ourselves more stress and frustration.
As you may have noticed, I love to list the dictionary definition of words. I love to delve into the origin of words especially in this case when I have very specifically chosen the words for this coaching model.
Linger (verb): to remain or stay on in a place longer than is usual or expected, as if from reluctance to leave.
It is often easy to linger in the wrong things. We tend to linger in doubt, fear, or bitterness. As I wrote in by post on paradigm shift, we need to shift our thinking and linger in the present. When you begin to truly focus on living in the present beautiful things begin to happen.
Personal development blogger Steve Pavlina states,
“I was initially concerned that focusing too much on the present moment would make me shortsighted. But my experience has been just the opposite. I’m still able to make plans for the future and work on long-term goals. In the past I would set goals because I believed that achieving those goals would increase my happiness. But now the flow goes in reverse. Today I set goals to increase my expression of the happiness I’m already enjoying.”
This perfectly explains the power of dwelling on and lingering in the present. As I coach clients through the PULSE© coaching model I focus on the concept that when you linger in the present it calms your mind, lowers stress, and allows you to move forward. Living in the present is not about NOT making plans for the future. It is making right choices in the present that lead you into the future in a more empowering way. Lingering in the present is not an easy task. It takes practice. Even as you are reading this article is your mind wandering off into the future about all the things you have to do? Maybe it’s going beyond next week into next month about all the things you need to get done… On and on…
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between perception and reality. In that moment when you are thinking about everything other than what you are doing in the present you are essentially allowing your brain to tell you that you need to do those “future” things NOW. That is a perception. Not a reality. I’m not talking about sitting cross-legged on the floor and spending hours meditating. It is simply a reigning-in of your thoughts to this moment. Take a breath. Relax your shoulders. Do the next right thing.
When you make the choice to start living in the present it is developing a new way of thinking where you stop regretting or obsessing about the past and you stop fretting about the future. You make the decision to focus on NOW. This is a simple concept yet it is very difficult to do. And it’s not something that happens just one magical time in your life and then you’re done! It is a moment-by-moment practice and a journey.
You literally have to tell your brain to STOP. Focus on the present. Focus on the sound of your breath. Focus on what is happening now and embrace it. Linger in THIS moment.
Are you ready for the next step? Message me directly or use the contact form on my page and let’s chat about this exciting coaching journey together! https://execexcellence.wpengine.com/team/jenny-jacobs/
For over a decade Jenny Jacobs has studied the principles of healthy living, life balance, stress management, positive psychology, and self-development. Jenny is a dynamic speaker, coach, and blogger and is passionate about helping people integrate their personal and professional selves.
Driven by the premise that excellence is the result of aligning people, purpose and performance, Center for Executive Excellence facilitates training in leading self, leading teams and leading organizations.
![4 Ways to Surpass That Auto-Pilot Lifestyle & Wow Yourself]()
Leadership, People
Over the last few weeks, news about Volkswagen’s deceptive emissions practices has sent shock waves around the world. Since the scandal broke last month, CEO Martin Winterkorn resigned, its stock price has plummeted, and the company is facing a tsunami of legal trouble. Das a culture problem?
It will take years to sort out the blame and economics of the case. Long before the dust settles though, we can be certain about three important lessons from this developing case study:
1. Culture rolls downhill. Volkswagen’s mistakes stem from toxicity in the culture, and culture always starts at the top. CEO’s cannot be expected to know everything, but they are ultimately responsible for the behaviors and practices of everyone on their watch. As leaders, we send loud and clear signals to the culture by what we measure, what we reward, and what we ignore.
2. Short-term focus skews judgment. VW’s focus was clearly on short-term profits. A maniacal, short-term focus is not a sustainable model. Sustainability requires resilience. Deceiving regulators and consumers may have served the company’s immediate needs, but it compromised the world’s trust in the company’s products. Trust that will take years to re-build.
3. A 1-degree error can put you miles off course. Leadership advisor and avid pilot Dieter F. Uchtdorf warns, “Suppose you were to take off from an airport at the equator, intending to circumnavigate the globe, but your course was off by just one degree. By the time you returned to the same longitude, how far off course would you be? The answer might surprise you. An error of only one degree would put you almost 500 miles off course.” Massive ethics violations can start with a one degree slip in judgment.
Just three months ago, Volkswagen made front page news by surpassing Toyota as the world’s largest auto maker. Today, the headlines warn of massive financial retrenchment and raids by prosecutors. Like Volkswagen, leaders in similar organizations were highly competent individuals who achieved unprecedented success. But a drive for growth at all costs is a certain path to a case study in leadership failure.
Question: What signals do you send to your culture by what you measure, what you reward, and what you ignore?
