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Terry Schaefer

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Clarity is Power

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Bliss

Have you ever started a conversation with someone from your past to find that the conversation never stopped.  Today was my day of having that experience.  I was wishing a former coach and friend on his happy birthday.  As we chatted, I saw how our lives were proceeding along similar paths.

I shared with him my past decade and he shared his. I found out his move to Central America had provided personal growth opportunities that were both similar and different than my own.  We discussed Michael Singer’s book, “The Surrender Experiment,” which discusses what it takes to surrender to what is showing up in one’s life, and stop trying to ‘force an outcome.  Our conversation took me back to when I was reading Joseph Campbell’s work on “following your bliss” which is about paying attention to the present, and embrace what is being learned.  In sharing these insights together, I saw how much our lives had paralleled each other, while staying grounded in the ‘here and now’.

Revisiting Singer’s book and Campbell’s work with an old friend has re-energized me to reflect and listen more for what is important in the moment.  Letting life unfold without attachment gives the perfect gift at the perfect time.

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Priorities Made Simple

Labor Day just passed and we’re headed into the last four months of the calendar year.  And this is a time to look at how well this year is going for you, personally and professionally.

Are you disciplined to review and revise your intended outcomes for 2017?  We all have great intentions as the new year comes and goes.  Though how often are you modifying and making course corrections for the desired outcomes you want this year?  It is as important as any other forecast we make for oneself, and it needs regular attention so you get the results you are looking to achieve.

Making your priorities personal provides clarity on what you want and keeps you aligned with the things that are important and relevant.  Remember the phrase “what you believe, you can achieve”? Writing down what you want to achieve sets in motion the steps to get what you want.  As I have just reviewed my own planning chart, I see the quarterly priorities and monthly focus have been accomplished, setting up the yearly goals to become my reality.  Easy, quick, alive and responsive are some of what this planning chart brings to achieving what’s important.

Because this chart is so simple and easy to use, yet so effective, I wanted share it with you. Download the chart and get started on setting your own priorities.

Download Priorities Made Simple

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Simplifying Complexity

Have you ever looked at a situation and said “That’s too complex for me?”  Complexity seems easy to identify, and hard to address.  While some situations need complexity, sometimes in the long run, keeping it simple has huge advantages.

This was a recent conversation that my wife and I had after addressing a major medical issue. The health scare started us talking about what’s important in our lives.  We knew we had a lot on our plate.  And as we addressed this health scare, we both agreed that we have created this complexity by not clearing out the ‘stuff’ that was making the situation more complicated than perhaps it needed to be.  Hence, we were the culprits of our own complexity. Once we acknowledged this, we were able to really look at the situation and make changes that have moved us toward simplifying our lives.

Are we over this?  Not by a long shot.  We’re just starting, though it is apparent that by asking one question, “does this simplify our lives?”, we’re finding some answers to very complex issues.

Whether the situation is personal or professional, if it feels overwhelming or complicated, maybe taking a step back, breaking it down and taking a more simplistic approach might not only reduce stress, but also increase focus on what is truly  important.

What areas of your life could use some simplification?

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Terry Schaefer offers a complimentary 30 minute call where you can explore how to grow your business past your own expectations.

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Really Knowing

We all hear this response in answer to our questions, “I don’t know!”  This answer shouts “red flag” for me as either one of two things.  Either the question was not focused enough to get a proper answer, or the receiver of the question is not willing to explore the question.

Have we lost the art and science of asking questions?  Or better yet, do we not honor and acknowledge that ‘not knowing’ in today’s world is a sign of not being educated, bright, aware, open, exploratory, (and the list can go on)?  Have we lost the capacity to wonder (and explore) possibilities that keep us focused on topics that need further exploration?

Nothing has been developed or explained without the sense of exploration and questioning.  Kids do it all the time and if we’ve lost that capability, who do we need to become to get it back?  And if we’ve been cut off by societal norms for being inquisitive, who do we need to become to bring it back so we can experiment without the stigma of failure?

How can we increase our leadership style if we believe (and it has been reinforced) that failure is a demon that keeps us from being the smartest person in the room.  And we can’t develop ourselves when having all the answers is really limiting us from disrupting the status quo, and pushing beyond our own limitations.

To those people who have helped me see this — thank you!  I really appreciate that you have taught me something because of your comfortableness of being “correct.”

I’m looking forward to my next “ah-ha” moment, are you?

COMPLIMENTARY EXPLORATION

Terry Schaefer offers a complimentary 30 minute call where you can explore how to grow your business past your own expectations.

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America’s Cup Race — Having Rhythm with No Distractions

The last weekend of June, I was glued to the 35th America’s Cup Race between Emirates Team New Zealand and Oracle Team USA.  Held in the great bay off Bermuda, I was mesmerized by the technological advances in sailboat racing.  Graphite catamarans move through the water at three times the wind speed.  Remarkable!

Being a student of team alignment, it was obvious that team New Zealand has been sharpening it’s pencil over the past 14+ years to win the oldest trophy in international sports.  They stayed cool, focused and took some simple steps to be ready for any mishap and recover quickly — without flaws.  

An example was the start of Sunday’s seventh race, where before the start, Team NZ cut behind the port stern of Team USA, steering them to starboard, forcing Team USA to round up into the wind, making their boat stall without a quick way to recover.  Team NZ beared off to port (left) heading for the starting line with speed to give them at least a 100 meter lead at the starting line. Race was over from there.  Team NZ used simple dinghy strategy to win the race before the start.

The lesson here is about having a strong (and possibly simple) strategy, knowing how to stay focused on that strategy and tactically work that strategy so you dominate the part of your industry that you know best.  Team NZ learned their lesson in San Francisco Bay four years ago when Team USA, down 8 races came back to win it 9-8.  Being aligned, focused, and ready to respond gave Team NZ an advantage to win when their boat was technically slower than Team USA.  Team NZ was ready to win.  They were mentally, physically and spiritually attached to winning after many years of preparation.

Applause to the New Zealanders who stayed their course to win “The Mug” from the United States.  They worked hard and smart to do so and it showed during the races.

Does your organization have a strong strategy?  

Is everyone aligned around that strategy?  

Are you watching the trends in your industry?  

Simple questions to keep you ahead of your market

 

COMPLIMENTARY EXPLORATION

Terry Schaefer offers a complimentary 30 minute call where you can explore how to grow your business past your own expectations.

Schedule Your Call!