Roeboater Thoughts

  Monday we are ready to take on the week with full steam ahead. My encouragement for us today is to not let that fade in the middle of the week & let the pursuit of our goals go into coast mode. For us to stay engaged with our activities, big & small we will gain & benefit from a competitive advantage.  Intentionality in our thoughts, words & actions mean we select them, it doesn't just happen to happen. Being deliberate means we are consciously choosing our words & actions. When we approach our daily activities with intentional & deliberate actions we will yield results at a higher level when we create opportunities, relationships through conversations and actions that others will miss. These are the unseen 'shots' that will make a difference. 

Go forward.  Keep pushing, even through things that suck. It may not even be adversity, just something you don't enjoy. Sometimes we need to do that exact thing in order to reach the destination that we want, that we really want.  Our excuses can destroy us if we let them, don't. Excuses may help us feel better temporarily, but it doesn't get us to our destination. Go forward in the face of ________ (fill in the blank for you). It may be a person, circumstance, something to learn, whatever or whoever it may be; I encourage you to keep going. Temporary discomfort for where you want to be....is that a trade you are willing to make?   

  During any holiday season things tend to get a little extra busy. Gap times in our calendars disappear and are filled up with obligations *some that we love & some that we don't so much ;) It is important for us to remember to be present where we are and WHO we are with. Settle our minds on the here & now, not the next. It will create more meaningful connections in any season of life or setting. This can be true outside our homes, as well as inside our homes. Be Present...we will not regret it.  For me, at times that I have a lot going on, before I enter an event, meeting or conversation I will remind myself that I need to be present for them as well as for me. That little reminder has made a strong, positive impact for me. 

  The small things we do can be the things that make the biggest impact on who we become, what we accomplish & achieve. When we take on the mentality of 'better every day' we focus on doing each thing a little better & sometimes that means beginning to do something or stopping something that is detracting us from becoming who we want to be & achieving what we want to achieve. It's important for us to self reflect/audit what we can do to better get to where we want to go. That may mean pruning, which can hurt in the short term, but leads to more growth long team. That may mean stepping out into unfamiliar waters, being vulnerable, failing forward on our way to where and who we want to be. My encouragement for all of us today is to think about the rudder of a boat. It's a very small portion of what a boat is, but makes a very large impact. The biggest changes we can make are sometimes the smallest ones that get us going into the direction who and where we want...

As the weather turns a bit, I'm sure at least a few of us have checked to make sure that we have an umbrella in our car just in case we need it. Umbrellas are a neat thing; when used properly they provide a barrier over us to keep the outside element of rain from soaking into us...some of you may see where this is going.  Today is a small reminder to not allow other people to rain on your parade. Make sure you have your 'umbrella' of mental toughness with you in case you come across a storm front of negativity. When others see obstacles, look for the opportunity. When others see darkness, look for the light at the end of the tunnel. A cool thing, is that we can be that light as well or the umbrella for others.  Many right now are  struggling with seeing the glass as half empty, instead of half full. When we have the opportunity to encourage, I say we do it. When we have the  opportunity to uplift, I say we do it. We not only bright up another persons day, but as we e...

  Is that same place as you were last year. When I say that I'm not just talking professionally at all. Success 360 is our goal, Growth 360 should be our goal. It's not worth growing wonderfully in one area of our life, but sinking in all the other areas. There is never a perfect balance, but there can always be a better blend.  That blend is personal, professional, physical, mental, spiritual, emotional & relational. It's important to see better in each of those. A neat biproduct of growth in one of those areas is that it's closely connected to another as well. Remember as well, a journey worthwhile is not a solo one. Do it WITH someone or a group; now the ripple effect of growth has multiplied....that is powerful stuff. 

  Comparison is the thief of joy, don't let it in. When you do, you begin to look at the lack & not at the have. This can be a huge distraction to you along with undue discouragement.  Most comparison isn't fair from the jump.  When comparing most people compare their chapter 3 to others chapter 12; don't do it. Focus on you, what you are doing, who you are becoming, where you are going & why you are doing it.  Do not worry about keeping up or catching the Jones', you don't know what is actually behind that door in the first place. That is out of your control anyway. Focus in and invest in you, your growth, your team, your pursuits. That is what is worthwhile. 

  When going on a journey there are two things that you need to make sure are dialed in. Skills & Supplies; both are needed to be successful. One is worked on in order to create, improve & grow (Skills) while the other is acquired (supplies).  Life is one heck of a journey right? And in this journey we have many micro journeys that come together to create the large one. What skills are each of us working on now to start to have, to grow better or even become a master at? If we wait on growing the skills needs the gap between where we are and where we want to be will grow instead of close. My encouragement to all of us is to take small steps of investment into ourselves to grow into where & who we want to be.  On the supply side it's also important to research and find those 'things' that will help you along the journey. Widgets if you will that provide leverage to accelerate & create eases along the way.  Seek, grow & use both.   

  You were not born to simply exist & blend in, but to stand out & achieve great things while you are here.  Don't mimic, the masses.  Stand out being a little right of center. To stand out you/we don't have to be completely off the reservation, we need to think , believe & act with passion towards our purpose. When we pursue with purpose the hard days are worth it. When we pursue without purpose they are harder because we are just doing to do & not doing it for a reason/purpose. Staying on-track towards your goals is really hard to do solo, that is why I believe we were not created to do it as a solo journey but together. It may be with another, a team, a company or even bigger.  Don't go it alone...go it together. Hard...yes. Worth it...always.  Who are you with on your journey?  Are your goals defined? Do you visit them often? Keep them with you & you won't forget your goals or your WHY.   

  Our neighbor Hard isn't going to be moving away anytime soon & if we run away from that neighbor that ironic thing is they will already be waiting or will move in shortly after getting settled in another neighborhood. We don't escape hard; we line up head to head with hard & overcome. Tame hard & make it our ally. Hard can come in many forms. It can be loud, obvious & in our faces. Loud can also be a whisper, blending in & in the background.  Do not let Hard be the reason you don't go for it. You can overcome it. All things are figure-out-able. We have heard it many times, we can have excuses or we can have results, but we can't have both.   Tell yourself & believe that you can do it. You can do it with who you are or who you are growing to be. You CAN. 

  Take a moment and write it down. One thing. Big or small. Work or personal. What is it?  Why is it important to you? What will it do or make you feel to do it?  What is holding you back? Why? I encourage YOU to now, after you have answered these few questions above to go from intention of achieving IT, to ACTION toward achieving it. 

  Every room that we are in, every conversation we are having there is an opportunity to learn. No mater who we are talking with they have something for us that we can learn. It may be small or large in impact, but we can walk away a little bit brighter & more prepared than we were before our time together. Above is talking about in-person interactions, but I do not want to discount attending a webinar, reading a book, watching or class or any other forms where knowledge can be transferred. The most important part is that each day we actively pursue learning. 

  Take One Step...Forward Feeling stuck? Take one step forward.  Feeling super motivated? Take one step forward. Progress, not perfection.  Once you get moving forward, even if slightly the chains of doubt & fear will loosen. Once they are loose you can then go forward at the pace, towards your goals at any speed you choose.  The hardest step is step number one. After that one keep going. Celebrate forward in the direction you have chosen. It will not always be easy, but it will always be worth it. Why? Because you are worth it.  Take that one step on the journey your are beginning, returning to or are in the middle of.  

  Have we been trying to achieve something new for some time now and haven't accomplished our goal or gotten closer to the finish line? If that is the case, lets do a check in on ourselves to make sure we are not practicing insanity and don't even know it.  Many times we set out to achieve new goals, feats or achievements, but we attempt to do so as we currently are. Large goals require dedication and change of some sort as well. That is an ingredient that we tend to be adverse to; CHANGE.  Change can be interchanged with growth though if that makes us feel better about it. Growth/Change is a required ingredient on the recipe for success. If you feel like you've been hitting a road block or two on the journey towards a goal or goals you have, I encourage you to step back and see if there is an area, characteristic or skill that is needing to be developed in order for you to get over the hump and achieve it.  If it's in your head & your heart it's there for a rea...

  Your MIND is POWERFUL. Each of us will face setbacks, both large & small. How we respond, learn & grow forward from them is what will define those moments. We have a CHOICE each time something doesn't go our way to lean in grow or lean out & blame.  Control our controllable parts & let go of the others. Reset our attitudes to elevated & make sure our effort level is top-tier; those are the two things we do control. Bouncing back from failure is the measurement for those that are pursuing excellence. Do not allow doubt or negativity set up camp in your hear or your heart.  Stay dedicated to your goals, no matter what adversity comes up. The hardest journeys lead to the sweetest & most celebrated victories. This is the difference between interested in what you are pursing & committed to what you are pursing.   

How many days do we feel at 100%? Definitely not 100% of the time. How many times are the circumstances around us perfect conditions? Rarely.  I say this to remind each of us if we are counting on perfect conditions externally & internally to win, then we will win rarely. You/we do not need prefect conditions to win. We don't need to be at 100% to win. We are better than that. We overcome obstacles internally & externally in the pursuit of victory. Others may need those circumstances to win, but not you, not us. We have the skills, training, team, mindset & more to win, at a high level regardless of circumstances.  Mix in creativity & determination (GRIT) & I know that each of us will taste the goals we have before us. Don't let whispers of doubt in.  Get it:)  today...tomorrow...going forward & be an encourager of the same to those around you. That is where incredible impact is made. 

  Are we brightening up each person we come into contact with? The real power is does the brightness stay even after we leave; that is the lasting impact & connection we are striving for. We do not grow dimmer when another light is lit, we grow in impact.  Think about a time when you met with someone and after leaving you feel a little lighter, brighter & encouraged. That is something each of us can do wherever we are at and with whoever we are with. It can be a brief conversation at the coffee shop or something deeper in a meeting. Either way, we always have the opportunity to enhance and enrich those we are with.  This week focus on that in each interaction you have. I promise that you will be more fulfilled and taste success at a higher level.

Each day should have a debrief. It does not have to be long to be impactful. It's important to reflect and to do the reflection with a clear mind. Days can get busy, be chaotic, but still very productive and great days. It's important to let it boil down, before the reflection time so we can look/review our day through a clear lens.  While in our brief reflection of the day here are a few sample questions you could ask yourself. Having good answers to these few questions nearly make it certain that you had a good day.  What was one kind thing you did for someone today? What was the best part of your day? What was the worst part of your day? What is something you learned today?  What was one kind thing someone did for you today? Create a great day today for you & those around you. You never know the impact you may make in someone's life by one conversation you have today.

  Today we will have many choices, many of which we don't even really think about, they are on auto-pilot for us. Most of us have a morning routine that we have done pretty similarly for a period of time. Our mornings tend to set the tone for the rest of our day; protect them. Look at your morning routine to see what ingredients are a part of it.  Are there some that should be increase or decreased? Are there some that should be removed or new ingredient added?  Below are a few evergreen ingredients that I believe are necessary in the recipe for a successful morning to set the tone for our day ahead.   H2O intake, before coffee :) Some stretching to get the blood flowing Listen or read a short bit of encouragement Make your bed Write down one thing you are grateful for

Standing at the base of a journey looking up my feel daunting. That may be true, it m ay be daunting, but worth it. We choose the journey ahead, forward & up because we want to improve, grow, succeed & provide. We grow into that accomplishment & when we get to the top we enjoy the view and celebrate. Please remember the journey that we take in order to get there. Those are the victors, wins, setbacks and stories that create it all while creating who & what we are.  We are capable.  We are equipped.  We are worth it.    

  In life we all will face adversity. How will we respond. Will we choose to fight forward or retreat in fear. Adversity is hard, hard things grow us when we choose to become an overcomer and not a statistic. It will be hard, there will be people around that encourage you to retreat to safe, because safe is easiest. You may also have people cheering for you to push through; listen there.  When you choose to push through, grow into the adversity, moving forward no matter at what speed, but forward you become better inside where your fire grows and as you come through the other side you are now stronger than you though you could be. You are more equipped than before. You are more ready than you ever realized. What caused hardship and maybe even pain in now an advantage for you. An advantage, because you overcame. You chose a mindset that you can and then you took action. You are stronger than you realize. You are capable of so much. Belief, Mindset, Action & Grit are all ing...

  Remember a time when someone helped you? No strings attached, just helped. It may have been a stranger, family member, friend or acquaintance. Whoever it may have been, and whatever it may have been for you remember. A outstretched helping hand is something that is not easily forgotten and can create a ripple effect that creates more good that we will ever know.  Today, really this week I want to encourage us to be open to helping (that extra-mile mentality). I don't know how it will look for you or I, but I know this. When we help others, it does something inside. It brings to the top intention of service , kindness & compassion . I believe that we would all agree that those three traits above are ones we would love to be described as having. 

  Unlike the mall where you can choose the elevator, escalator or stairs there is only one real choice for success...the stairs. One step at a time is a good thing. Keep pace, moving forward towards your goals. Some steps we may be on longer than others and that is ok. We can plateau there for a time to prepare us for the next set of steps ahead.  Focus forward. Act forward.  Do not become distracted by the pace of others going on the stairs. You don't know the story; but you do know yours and that is the one that counts. Comparison is the thief of all joy, so don't let it in.  Earn each step along the way, celebrate victories, help others with their steps & before you know it you'll be closer to you goals growing along the way into the person you needed to become in order to accomplish what you had your sights on. 

Will you face challenges or adversity in your life? YES. What happens next is up to us. We have 2 choices...we can become Bitter from what is happening or we can choose to become Better .  Can it feel unfair...choose better .  Can it seem that the light at the end of the tunnel is too far away...choose better .  Can it feel like you don't have the strength or are equip to win...choose better .  Is this hard...100% yes.  Is it worth it...100% yes. Proud moments in our life never begin or end with bitterness.  Hard is a guarantee; you can do hard. You can grow into what/who is needed to achieve whatever is in front of you. Not easy, but always worth it.  Make your choices today in small and large ways to choose better . You'll thank yourself for it. Bitter is not a companion you want with you.

  In life:  Adversity will happen. Change will happen. Obstacles will rise up. They can be internal or external.  They can be large or small. They can throw you off of your purpose, or not. That is up to us. We can always move forward, towards our goals despite adversity. When your goals & priorities are clearly defined it makes it easier; not easy, but easier. If you are struggling when adversity hits, visit your vision and if you don't have one write it down. There is something powerful when things go from in the air to written down.  Approach your Vision proactively, knowing that adversity will come daily thorough small or large challenges. It's what we do next that matters. YOU CAN...maintain your core purpose and integrity in the face of changing circumstances. We may get bent, stretched, pressed and pulled; it will be uncomfortable, but being resilient means we return back to to our center of who we are. 

The axe is the tool of the lumberjack. They know the importance of it. Not just of itself, but also the condition it is in. Therefore, they invest their time to keep it at high performance level. When the blade is sharp it takes less force to cut through and do the task at hand. On the other side, if time is not taken to sharpen the blade, the same task will talk longer and be more of a struggle. For us, we need to remember to pause, step away and sharpen our axe. It's our job to sharpen the axe; if it's dull, that is on us. Regular work of of an axe wears it down, therefore the practice of sharpening isn't a once in a while thing but a regular occurrence. When we need to be sharpened, that means we were DOING, we were attacking our tasks before us. Today what trees are you going to chop down? Get to work on those knowing that it'll take something out of you; worthwhile things do. Also, promise yourself that following that this evening you'll sharpen your axe as wel...

Do you have a junk drawer in your house? Only one? If you have more than one, lets talk lol Our offices or homes may have clutter in them & usually around Spring time is when a decluttering happens & most things get organized, donated or trashed right? We do this physically, but what about mentally or in our daily routines?  Do we go through and 'declutter' them as well?  Have a lot of 'things' to do or be can bring clutter to our lives which causes us to operate slower, with less drive & enthusiasm. We feel overwhelmed. That can come from only practicing addition in our lives, but not subtraction as well. An action for today can be a couple of things to choose from.  Is there a area of your home or workspace that is cluttered that makes it not a place of calm, but anxiety? If so, tidy it up today. Look at your day. Are there too many 'things' in it that are not helping you get towards your goals? I'm not talking about things that aren't your...

  Just because something use to be a road block in the past does not mean it has to be now. YOU CAN DO IT! Give up on thinking that hard is impossible. Give up on believing that the idea or thing in your heart is not for you. Give up on allowing outside opinions the power to hold you down.  When you give up these things it allows you to PICK UP what you need to achieve the goals you have in your head and your heart. Potential is a great things, but it becomes truly beautiful when you embark on the journey towards achievement of it. On the journey you will have obstacles, don't give up. On this journey you will encounter people who will hinder you as well as people that enable you; mind that difference. On your journey you will also be inspiring others by your words and actions for them to Give up as well, so they can PICK UP & Go as you are.

  Asking questions to seek answers is a key aspect of growth in any arena of life. When we assume, we close off our chance of discovering something real that is relatable. Another part of this to really have it be effective is to listen to understand what they are saying. Many times we can catch ourselves listening to respond or relate, let their words sink in. What are you working on? How can I help? What has you excited right now? What is something new you are learning or doing? These are just a few examples of open ended questions that help us discover, connect & relate better to those that we meet & even to those we have know for a long time. It's never to late to ask good questions to connect.  Who will you connect with today?

  Until the buzzer sounds we give it our all; we give it our best. We may win, we may lose(learn), but we never give up. Giving up is defeating yourself.  Weather we are way our in front or behind things can change. Our effort should not though. We should always be striving to give it our BEST. Yes, on certain days our best is different and that is ok. Reaching and achieving our potential for that day is a WIN.  When we go until the buzzer, past the finish line there is a sense of pride/accomplishment knowing that you gave it your best.  Think of a time when you didn't hit your goal, but after you think about it and know it your heart that you may have been able to if you had fully applied yourself...that isn't a good feeling; now flush that one.  Now think of a time when you gave it your all on your own or with teammates and you accomplished your goal or even accomplished a greater goal...that is the feeling that should stay with you; that should...

  We all want to win; that is a given. Wanting to win though isn't enough and I think we all know that as well.  The ground work that is usually unseen is what moves us from participants into victors of the goals we have set out to accomplish. The preparations necessary to win, consistently, over a long period of time take discipline along with a sense of duty to your teammates and family to give it your very best.  When it seems easy, you prepare and show up.  When it seems harder, you prepare and show up. When it seems insurmountable, you prepare and show up.  Actions: What do you do occasionally that you know you should be doing consistently? How can you change that? Who can you connect with that will help you stay accountable to taking your growth action(s)? What is a specific goal that you can make to accomplish in the next 30 days?

It's simple right...taking a breath. We do it thousands of times a day. Let's think about it though; how amazing that it doesn't stop when we sleep, it continues on. So much can come from a breath. We can choose to take a walk, run, cycle or yoga. We can yell, encourage, warn or sing with a breath.  We get to choose what we do with each breath we take. I want to encourage each of us after reading this to close our eyes and take 7 deep, full & intentional breaths. At the end of each breath think of one thing you are grateful for, then lean back into your day.  Each breath is a gift, lets have gratitude & use each one to pursue & do something we can be proud of.