Checkng the List

I recently found this list I posted back in 2011. If we review, I think we find that all of these are still valid and some are even more important twelve years later.

Read more, skim less. Turn your phone off once in a while. Don't wait for approval. 

Forget the past. Spend more time with people you love. Dream big; do bigger. Be gracious. Make quick decisions. Stop comparing your effort to others. Enjoy the ride.

Stop doing anything that weakens you. Trust yourself. Take a digital day off.

Keep an open mind. Plan ahead then be flexible. Ask for help. Help someone without their knowledge it was you who helped them.

Go for it. Eradicate unnecessary meetings. Eat the cookie. Listen more. Sing often.

Say thank-you. Trust your gut. Make time for think time. Don't wait.

Find the lesson. Keep learning. Thank a friend. Take the nap.

Don’t settle. Collaborate. Consume more funny. Good enough is not good enough.

Be yourself.

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Eat Play Love

Move more. Envy less. Sing more. Cling less. Accomplish more. Show less. Complain less. Live more. Compare less. Contribute more. Annoy less. Enjoy more. Worry less.

Fulfill more. Take less. Focus more. Talk less. Start more. Eat less. Laugh more. Work less. Give more. Regret less. See more. Ignore less. Progress more. Criticize less. Invent more. Renounce less. Embrace more. Spend less. Share more. Measure less.

Collaborate more. Upset less. Dream more. Irritate less. Write more. Doubt less. Read more. Whine less. Accomplish more. Drink less.

Listen more. Waste less. Smile more. Own less. Learn more. Say less. Help more. Use less. Connect more. Stop less. Play more. Hope less. Communicate more. Skim less.

Thank more. Fret less. View more. Reflect less. Originate more. Copy less.

Do more. Love more. Share more.
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Making Other Plans

One of my all-time favorite artists is John Lennon. His musical legacy is legendary; his views on politics and peace are well-documented. And he was aptly quoted once saying; "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." And it's so true. 

We are on the second lap of the calendar on this global pandemic. The end might be in sight but we actually have absolutely no idea when that will arrive. I have had my first of two vaccine shots and my second isn't until August. You may still be waiting for your first. Multiply that by seven billion humans and this thing is going to take a while. Please keep wearing your mask!

What is normal?

During the last year or so, I've noticed several trends. There are friends and colleagues who are out of work waiting for the company to call them back. Others are getting adjusted to a life of working from home and having to stay home around the clock. And others are making plans for what happens in their lives. I walked away from a situation that wasn't serving me, and near the end, some may have thought I wasn't serving it. And that is life. 

But the point for me was that I had to make other plans for my life. Whatever bucket you find yourself in right this minute, it isn't easy. My folks always encouraged me to try things as I grew up. If I had told them I wanted to be a clown in the circus, they would have told me to be the best clown that ever existed. But it's not up to others to break down those barriers to our plans. It's up to us. Others can help, but we have to write the book or build the wall or paint the canvas ourselves. 

We are not born with fear

Fear is something we learn over a lifetime of shortfalls and mistakes. We think it protects and guides us but all it does is stop us. I have an Olympic gold medal in fear. It's easier to blame circumstances or age or finances or a myriad other reasons as to why we don't follow our gut to reach our dream. 

If you have a seed of an idea, share it with someone you trust and ask for feedback. If the idea is taking shape, reach out and ask for help. If you have never truly asked for help - I can promise you two things. It will be scary at first and you will get better at it. 

 Life happens whether we make plans or not. 

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Sure We Can

We can learn. We can teach. We can hear. We can stop. We can know.
We can act. We can drive. We can grow. We can cry. We can do.

We can switch. We can help. We can call. We can bend. We can try.
We can play. We can like. We can think. We can stretch. We can live.

We can gift. We can swerve. We can go. We can dream. We can touch.

We can move. We can thank. We can shape. We can win. We can fall.
We can lend. We can run. We can draw. We can reach. We can love.

The key may not be whether we can but whether we will.
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Will we?

We can learn. We can teach. We can hear. We can stop. We can know.
We can act. We can drive. We can grow. We can cry. We can do.

We can switch. We can help. We can call. We can bend. We can try.
We can play. We can like. We can think. We can stretch. We can live.

We can gift. We can swerve. We can go. We can dream. We can touch.

We can move. We can thank. We can shape. We can win. We can fall.
We can lend. We can run. We can draw. We can reach. We can love.

The key isn't whether we can but whether we will.
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How to Kill Your Dreams

It's what most of us seek. It's the reason we travel the journey.
But what is it really? How do we know when we achieve it?

Success is defined by what you want in your life, not what others may think. Bel Pesce outlines five ways for us to not follow our dreams and give up trying to find success.


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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Changes

It may win an election. It looks good on a coffee mug. It gives us hope for better results. But what does change really mean to you and me? Some say we don’t mind change but we don’t want to be changed. It’s perhaps easier to point to large events in our lives as change but we are constantly changing.

Change is inevitable, the only constant is change, we’ve heard it our whole lives. But how often do we let external forces create the change rather than knowing we have more control than we allow?

Despite the effort of our conscious minds – thinking, hoping, fretting, and trying – our subconscious only measures our actions and pulls us back into our (often not so comfortable) comfort zone.

Some other thoughts on the topic.

It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory.
W. Edwards Deming

You can do anything you choose to do.
Maya Angelou

When we are no longer able to change a situation,
we are challenged to change ourselves.
Victor Frankl

When in doubt, choose change.
Lily Leung

You must welcome change as the rule but not as your ruler.
Denis Waitley

You must do the thing you think you cannot do.
Eleanor Roosevelt

We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.
Harrison Ford

How can you know what you're capable of if you don't embrace the unknown?
Esmeralda Santiago

When you are through changing, you are through.
Bruce Barton

The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.
Japanese Proverb

You have to speak your dream out loud.
Kelly Corrigan

Our only security is our ability to change.
John Lilly

The only way to make sense of change is to plunge into it,
move with it, and join the dance.
Alan Watts

No heart has suffered when it goes in search of its dream.
Paulo Coelho

Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change.
Jim Rohn

If you are taking a risk, what you are really saying is,
I believe in tomorrow and I will be a part of it.
Linda Ellerbee

If you live the questions, life will move you into the answers.
Deepak Chopra

People underestimate their capacity for change.
There is never a right time to do a difficult thing.
John Porter

To exist is to change, to change is to mature,
To mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
Henri Bergson

When you're trying to motivate yourself, appreciate the fact you're even thinking about making a change. And as you move forward, allow yourself to be good enough.
Alice Domar

I still don't know what I was waiting for and my time was running wild.
David Bowie

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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

david bowie | istock

We Can...

We can learn. We can teach. We can hear. We can stop. We can know.
We can act. We can drive. We can grow. We can cry. We can do.

We can switch. We can help. We can call. We can bend. We can try.
We can play. We can like. We can think. We can stretch. We can live.

We can gift. We can swerve. We can go. We can dream. We can touch.

We can move. We can thank. We can shape. We can win. We can fall.
We can lend. We can run. We can draw. We can reach. We can love.

The key may not be whether we can but whether we will.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

playdoughtoplato

Name. Living. Difference.

mo • ti • va • tion 
The process of giving someone a reason for doing something.
Webster

There is an entire industry focused on it, thousands of websites catering to it, millions of conversions discussing it, conventions modelled toward it, but what is motivation? What gives us a reason for doing something that will move us to our desired goals?

“If you plan on being anything less than you are capable of being, you will probably be unhappy all the days of your life.” 
Abraham Maslow

There are many motivating factors to life. Maslow called it the Hierarchy of Needs which include; food, water, shelter, intimacy, and safety. He also wrote about self-actualization which is more intangible. We use words like potential and passion when describing how we can be our best.

“The only way to do great work is to love what you do.”
Steve Jobs

Here’s something you may want to try. Find a moment today to write down three words; name, living, and difference. Think of them as steps in your life.

Make a Name 

Write down all the things you want to do, to become more recognized in your field. It’s not about fame – few make that a priority – it’s about appreciation. I haven’t met anyone who claims they want to be known as the worst at what they do, so write it all down – even if it feels uncomfortable.

“An object that is at rest will stay at rest unless an external force acts upon it.”
Isaac Newton

If you want to be the best investment advisor in your firm, write it down. If your goal is to serve the best burgers in town, write it down. If you wish to create a charity, write it down. If it's something that has been nagging you to try for years, write it down!

Make a Living  

This goes beyond paying the bills. That's a paycheck. Few avoid getting stuck by money (or current lack of it) on their way to a living but we’re dreaming for a bit so go for it. Don’t let your current situation slow you down.

When this draws to an end, I doubt either of us will be tallying up the possessions we had in our life. We will be focused on the experiences and perhaps the chances we didn't take.

Make a Difference 

Write down all the things you do and want to do that will make a difference in others’ lives. These don’t have to be grand gestures – in fact, the small ones are often the most powerful. You don’t have to raise millions for disease research or build the new wing on the hospital.

“If you can't get a miracle, become one.”
Nick Vujicic

How do you want to make a difference in someone’s life? How do you want to give back and help others? The challenge remains for us to take the actions in order to make a name, make a living, and make a difference. I don't know many who focus on the name part, but there's no reason we can't make a living while making a difference.

Let’s take our three steps right now.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

earthpm

What's Your Ask?

The core of leadership begins with you, with me, with each and every one of us in our own lives. If we’re fortunate enough to live in a place where freedom is cherished then we have the chance to make it better, to not follow our dreams but create them.

It's not easy to make changes. It's much simpler to sit and put up with what you may think there's no choice over but you begin to believe the story in your head.

Extended Community

We are more connected than ever. We are growing virtual teams and connections that can help us. It may not happen immediately or all at once, but one small step right now can get things moving.

So if you are not satisfied, feel stuck, don’t know where to ask for help, who to talk to, where to find what you want, one thing is clear, doing nothing is simply not an option. Conceding that your situation rules your life and not the other way around should not and can not be your only option.

Let’s get up, grab life, reach out for help, and have some fun!

Kneale Mann

westdevon

Olympians and Business Leaders

Each day on Twitter, I like to share a comment, quote, silly post, or thoughtful mention that may make you think, laugh, or learn. The first part of last month was the last week of the 2012 Olympics so you may notice we had some extra fun with that event.

Here’s the list from August 2012

• Won gold in the 4x100 snack and sip
• Slept through the lounge relay
• Landed silver for all-around opinions
• Tested positive for chocolate
• Achieved bronze in the 400m splashing IM
• World record holder in couch coaching
• Pulled a hamstring reaching for refreshments
• Received extra marks for posturing
• Landed bronze in individual couch sitting
• Disqualified for excessive TV remote use
• Won gold in snack assembly
• Congratulations to all who gave it their all
• Today is the first day of the rest of your week
• If you have to remind people what your title is, you've already lost the room
• Be persistent
• Relationships aren't a click of a mouse, they require care and involvement
• Focusing on what you did will distract you from what you can do
• Leadership is 10% skill and 90% life
• Always stay curious
• Life happens or we make it happen. The choice is up to us
• Do you dream or do?
• What you ask someone today how they are, mean it and wait for their response
• You don't have to have all the answers
• Self-doubt is not a good business partner
• Never underestimate the power of asking for help
• Never underestimate the power of helping others
• Leadership and trust take time
• Eradicate the naysayers
• Be the visionary for your own life
• Eat the frog
• Dream big. Do big. What's the downside?

Let’s go have some fun!

Kneale Mann

flickr

One Giant Leap

The world is reflecting on the life of a quiet man who spent more than four decades reliving an event that will forever be on the list of human accomplishments.

Neil Armstrong lived 82 eventful years that could have gone unnoticed by most of us. But in July 1969 he was forever etched in history.

Armstrong was the first to admit it wasn’t his triumph but rather the accomplishment made by thousands of dedicated people who worked tirelessly for many years to make it happen. Leadership, ideas, and hard work continue to teach us to dream and push to create more small steps and giant leaps.


Kneale Mann

nasa

Push Beyond Your Limits

There have been moments in your life when you felt you didn’t have the answer. Conversely, there have been times when you allowed yourself to dream, if only for a moment, about what you wanted in your life, your career, your family or your lifestyle. And perhaps you paused. Then went back to what you thought was reality.

Caroline Casey was a global management consultant and changed it all to create her not-for-profit organization Kanchi. She discusses leadership, disabilities, elephants and how we must push beyond our limits and accomplish more.


Kneale Mann

caroline casey | TED

Foolish and Hungry

Noun: A person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person. Verb: Trick or deceive (someone); dupe. Adjective: Foolish or silly. Synonyms: tomfool - ninny. Verb: cheat - deceive - dupe - bamboozle - hoodwink - kid. Adjective: foolish - daft - goofy - fatuous

Whether a quip or an overheard phrase, some wisdom or a quote, a thought or an age old saying, every day on Twitter I share a quick thought.

Here’s the list from April 2012

• We are fools whether we dance or not so we may as well dance.
• Visiting the past is like rest stops on a road trip - don't stay too long
• We are the sum of our experiences. How's your equation?
• He had a dream. Do you? (MLK reference)
• Procrastination ends today
• If we think we can't, our wish will be granted
• Don't wait, give them a call
• Success and failure are not accidents
• Keep blessings and perspective nearby
• Do something that scares you every day. Eleanor Roosevelt
• Naysayers are inevitable. Don't let them distract you.
• Good news or bad, be there for your team
• You need to be the one who will create the change you need
• Someday is today
• You are capable of so much more
• It's up to us to create and curate our success
• What will get your focus today?
• Don't boss, lead
• Leadership means getting along with people. Mahatma Gandhi
• Your opinion is just as valid as anyone else's opinion
• Think big. Dream big. Do big.
• Earth Day. Every day.
• Laugh often
• Focus on your goals not what others say are your goals
• Turn your inner critic in to an inner coach. Jack Canfield
• Don't let greed get in the way of focus.
• Growth happens when we learn something, not when we show what we already know.
• It really isn't about the numbers
• Do you have an actual documented list of what you want to accomplish in your life?
• Leadership does not depend on being right. Ivan Illich

As Steve Jobs said; we need to stay hungry and foolish. 

Kneale Mann

44 Years Later - His Dream is Alive

Many may say it’s not possible. The naysayers will chime in to remind you that no one has tried that before while the status quo will fight to keep things just the way they are now. Every now and then someone is brave to stand for millions and remind us that each of us counts and can affect positive change.

April 4, 1968

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was just 39 years old when his life was ended in Memphis. His inspiration continues more than four decades after his tragic passing. Dr. King's words remind us that we can do it, we can put forth change, and we can have a dream.

• A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.

• A right delayed is a right denied.

• At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.

• Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. We must straighten our backs and work for our freedom.

• Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.

• I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

• Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

• Means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.

• You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.

• Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.

• Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

• Life's most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?

Kneale Mann

image: mlk memorial

Ideas are Cheap

Think Pink

Mary Ash was born on May 12, 1918. When she was six years old, she had to look after her ill grandfather while her mother was the working to provide for the family. Throughout her life, Mary’s mother had a huge impact her, and she attributed her spirit to her mother who encouraged her with the words, "You can do it." When Ash passed away in 2001, her company, Mary Kay Cosmetics, had over 800,000 representatives in 37 countries with total annual sales over $2 billion.

Dude Gets One

On February 23, 1965, Michael was the new son to a stockbroker and an orthodontist. He was an inquisitive kid who was always tinkering with something. At only eight years old, he applied to take his high school equivalency exam. By the time he was fifteen, he was making money with his investments in stocks and precious metals. In 2010, Dell Inc. made $61.49 billion in gross revenue and $2.63 billion in net revenue. And Michael Dell’s personal wealth is estimated at $14.6 billion.

Square and Fresh

Dave never knew his mother. She died five weeks after his birth and he was adopted a week later. At just twelve, he got his first part-time job at The Regas Restaurant in Knoxville, Tennessee. When he was fifteen, he got a job at Hobby House Restaurant in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His father informed him that the family was going to move and he decided to drop out of school and stay. He spent the rest of his life working as an advocate for adoption and education. At the time of Dave Thomas' death in 2002, Wendy’s sold millions of Old Fashioned Hamburgers a year in over 6,000 restaurants.

Secret of Success

We love the stories of hard work and success. And it’s easy to look at these examples and think these people always had clear vision and knew they would find success at such a high level. The truth is, it takes a lot of help from many others in each case to realize the dream. There were mistakes and victories. It’s easy to look at the numbers.

Seth Godin says that most people fall short because it’s easier to fail small. It may be our fear of failure. It could be our fear of success. Perhaps it’s our fear of the unknown. But it doesn't matter when the idea resides in theory where nothing can harm it.

Got any ideas? Ready to share them? Yeah, me too!

Kneale Mann

image credit: istock

Imagine | 30 Years Later

At approximately 10:50pm on December 8, 1980, Mark David Chapman killed John Lennon in the entrance of the Dakota apartment in New York City.

Thirty years to the day, Lennon’s message is louder than ever and he is missed as much as the day he died.

John Winston Ono Lennon was a human being with flaws like everyone else. He was angry at times, extremely creative at times, he fought hard for freedom and peace and wrote a good song or a few hundred.

Lennon didn't act like a rock star beyond reproach. He was outspoken and refused to be politically correct. He stood up for his beliefs and that resonated with millions.

Lennon’s music is played at every moment of every day somewhere in the world and some predict that may never change.

In his own words…

If everyone demanded peace, instead of another television set, there’d be peace.

The more real you get, the more unreal everything else is.

All we are saying is give peace a chance.

I don’t believe in killing, whatever the reason.

A dream you dream alone is only a dream. A dream you dream together is reality.

You’re all beautiful and you’re all geniuses.

knealemann | email


image credit: Lennon archives

Remembering: Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr.
January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968

Busy Is Not Our Friend

There is nothing so annoying as to have two people talking when you're busy interrupting.
Mark Twain

I was speaking with a colleague this week and we got to talking about the four-letter word that is used as a crutch, an excuse and the stance of a victim – busy.

Unless you are Barrack Obama, it’s safe to say that you’re only as busy as you need to be. If you work for a company and your name isn’t on the building, your work time is not yours to dictate. In that case, you are not busy you are being told how to spend your time.


If ants are such busy workers,
how come they find time to go to all the picnics?
Marie Dressler

It's moments after you read this post. You are outraged at how I could possibly make light of your very busy life and suddenly your phone rings. It’s me informing you that I have an extra all-expense paid trip to the British Grand Prix this weekend. The plane leaves in an hour. How busy are you now?

They usually have two tellers in my local bank,
except when it's very busy, when they have one.
Rita Rudner

This is not to suggest important tasks and deadlines don't exist. This is not to diminish hard toil and other commitments. This is to point out that we tend to use the word busy like it’s some rented storage unit in the industrial basin of our lives.

Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
John Lennon

We never seem to have a shortage of busy. When we need it, it’s always there. Busy comes in all shapes and increments. It’s such a universally accepted word – or perhaps mind space – that we are able to pull it out of nowhere when needed.

Busy this weekend is a great way to avoid unwanted activities. Busy when that creepy guy in the office wants to have some one-on-one time.

Busy is a badge of honor. If you get a call or an email from someone asking if you can see them that afternoon, busy is the first word that comes to mind. You can’t possibly be available on such short notice, what will they think?

We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us
that we don't take time to enjoy where we are.
Calvin & Hobbes

Busy is not our friend; it is our crutch. Busy is the cure-all for when we are genuinely busy as well as when we want to keep up with the rest of the kids in the group.

Beware the barrenness of a busy life.
Socrates

We as a society give no credence to thought, dreaming or sitting quietly. There is no way your boss will allow you to just sit in your office and think. You are obviously lazy or you don’t know what to do.

About five years ago, a friend said that he would get much more out of his employees (not co-workers or colleagues that just happen to directly report to him) if they realized that customers were profit and they were overhead. He wondered why turnover was so high.

Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing.
Lao Tzu

I know you’re busy – everyone is. But are you really busy, all the time, every time you say you are? Really? Did I mention I may have an extra pit pass to this weekend’s British Grand Prix? ;-)

@knealemann
knealemann at gmail dot com

Helping clients better utilize all media.
How to make it, use it and profit from it.

Photo credits: chucklefoot.co.uk | guardian.co.uk

Thirty-One Days. Thirty-One Ideas.

Last month I listed thirty ideas for thirty days. A friend sent me an email yesterday asking if I had practised what I preached.

I'm workin' on it.

So here's another reminder for me and you. Since there are thirty-one days December, I thought we'd add one ...and try it again!

In random order…

Enjoy the ride • Don't procrastinate • Say thanks • Decide • Trust yourself • Share often • Learn from everyone • Be bold • Imagine • Make magic • Fight hard • Expect more • Don’t settle • Love what you do • Hum along • Smile • Crush the box • Dream • Mean it • Wonder • Teach someone • Be brave • Laugh often • Inspire • Live now • Worry less • Think action • Create • Don’t wait • Fear less • Sleep in

km

December 2008