Costa Rico or Costco?

I do wake up at 4am wondering if my life is fulfilled. It may not be the same time on the clock for you, but I'm going to guess I'm not alone. I worked with a guy early in my career who was instrumental in my professional development. He was awesome, in fact. And he passed away last year. He was about 15 years older than me and now I'm thinking about what will I do in the next decade and a half that will matter. 

I get lost. I get scared. Sometimes I don't know what to do next. Occasionally I forget that I do have gifts to give the world and just to keep going. I can say the same for you. There are times when I wonder if it will all work out. Of course, worrying with no action won't get me anywhere, so I give myself a mental kick in the backside and keep going. 

What Have We Learned? 

I spoke with a colleague this week I hadn't spoken with in probably a decade. She and her partner are thinking seriously about dumping their careers, selling their house, getting rid of most of their stuff, and moving to Costa Rica to help others. That's so cool and brave. 

I don't suggest we have to go to those lengths to find happiness, but doing the same crap we've been doing for the last couple of decades may not be working either. So yeah, there are early mornings when I wonder what I could be doing to better my life and the lives of others. And that's okay because I will be more worried when I stop thinking about those things. 

You?

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Why?

If you have kids, you have experienced the why game. A four year old won't just accept "because" or "it just is" or "just do it, I'm your mother" and let it go. But we slowly let that inquisitive process slip away as we get older.

Then we may stop asking why. 

Change is not easy but status quo can appear safe. Our inner four year old needs to show up more often so we can discover why do we do what we do.

Tony Robbins shares his thoughts.


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What's Holding Us Back?

I've done a rather unscientific study with colleagues, friends, and clients, and it’s clear many are taking a good look at their lives from all aspects – work, family, finances, love, spirituality, health, exercise, dreams – and making a plan to improve what is needed and move away from what is not helping them.

We need to take full responsibility for our behavior in all aspects of our lives and with whom we share. And the old adage you can’t bring your life to work is hopefully taking its last few gasps of life. Bring all of you to all you do or don’t bother.

Eyes Forward

Maybe it would be wise for us to take a few steps back and give thought to the people on our team and in our company; the people in our life who are enriching it and those who may be holding us back.

I have a friend who says she hasn't dreamed or created in a while. I would challenge that she may not have given herself the belief to act. Perhaps that’s what we all need right now? Perhaps we need to stop the busy and start paying closer attention to the humans around us and most importantly ourselves.

The results may blow us away.
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Resolutions and Reflection

The calendar year is drawing to a close so it’s only natural we think back on what went well, not so well, and the lessons we learned, while preparing for that magical turn of the year for new ideas, triumphs, relationships, opportunities, challenges, and more.

For me and many I know, it has been both a challenging and enlightening year. Perhaps only my perception, but it seems many are sifting through their lives for what makes sense, what needs attention, and most importantly, what can be improved to reach personal goals. Happiness and fulfillment seem to be a common theme more than material wealth or professional advancement.

What is your next want?

We get distracted by the ominous and often unclear goal of finding our passion and achieving our dreams. If you’re a regular visitor here, you know I think relationships are the key to all we do and where our most profound lessons and experiences reside.

There are people who have touched your life who would love to hear from you. You've been thinking about giving them a call while excuses and busy have kept you from doing so as time continues to pass. So this year while you are reflecting and looking forward, find a moment and give them a call. Some may be happy to hear from you and wish you well while others may surprise you.

What happens next may be just what you need right now.
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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

istock

It’s Time to Sit Still

The mere concept of doing absolutely nothing is foreign to many (most) of us. Meditation has been around since we began walking the earth but despite ourselves, we continue to cram more into our lives than is possible and necessary.

A worse affliction than hurried lifestyles, busy work spaces, and smartphones glued to our hands, is our minds. To that end, this is definitely a book I’ll be picking up.

The Art of Stillness by Pico Iyer reveals; “How stillness can act as a creative catalyst, and advocates for a way of living that counters the frenetic design of our modern lives.”

Perhaps it's time we got a lot less busy.


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Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

Pico Iyer | TED

Why We Do What We Do

We have all tried and failed. We have all found sufficient excuses not to get it done. We have all blamed seemingly endless reasons why it didn’t go our way.

Tony Robbins has been helping people for more than three decades. If you need that kick in the butt, watch this. If you’re one of the over 3 million who have seen it since 2005, watch it again.

Then what will you do?


Kneale Mann

visual credit: TED