March 2014 Newsletter - Don't Be a Procrastinator
Letter from the Editor
We’ve all known people who appear to have it all; people who have a smile on their face and an upbeat attitude no matter what is going on in the world around them. They love what they do, they have a great family, life is good, and they always have a kind word to say. How do they do it? Well, among other things they are what I call Unstoppable!
- They know what they want.
- They are 100% committed to getting it.
- They know that there is more power in a hug than a fist.
- They love life.
- They refuse to be stopped by any circumstance.
- They know the value of asking for help.
- They have teams that support them everywhere.
- They are clear about what is most important to them.
Being unstoppable, refusing to be stuck in the muck-and-mire of life, is like playing a mental game of chess. We are either in the game… recognize when we aren’t and are willing to do something about it… or we’re not! And, if “not” is where you find yourself, okay. But, I ask you to reconsider. You see, life is all about having fun, stepping out, being visible, and playing full out no matter what the world has to say about it! So give it a chance… I dare you!Remember: You are the only person who has a say in how your life turns out!So, what do you say?Warm Regards,
Clay S. Nelson
Being an Unstoppable Leader
Have you ever had a ‘bad day’ when you allowed yourself to be less than powerful? Let’s face it. We’ve all had days like that, days when a circumstance has us by the toes screaming to be let go. So, who would you have to be to get past the sudden and unexpected circumstances that stop you?Get present to and acknowledge that you are stopped. You can’t get unstopped until you can admit that you are stopped and stymied by the circumstance at hand.Get clear. Call a trusted member of your team and ask for permission to clear your mind. Just speaking what is there for you in terms of your upset, fear, and general feelings will allow you to channel your power toward a resolution or, in some circumstances, simply allow you to put the circumstance aside and move on acknowledging that there really is nothing you can do.Ask for help. Why do we expect ourselves to know everything? Most often the circumstances that get to us the most are those that leave us feeling helpless and vulnerable. So, rather than making yourself wrong for not having the answer to everything that comes along, which drains your power even more, ask for help!Get in action. Admittedly, there isn’t always something we can do to fix a circumstance. No matter what the situation, however, we do retain responsibility for how we react to our circumstances. It is up to us to choose to use our power to be outrageous and unstoppable or sullen and stopped!Remember: As leaders, we are responsible for using our power wisely. We can create amazing possibilities with our power, and we can destroy months of effort by not being present to how we are using our power when a ‘bad day’ rolls around. Keeping this in mind, the next time you have a ‘bad day,’ how will you choose to use your power? Choose wisely!
Don't Be a Procrastinator
Are you a procrastinator, always putting things off until the very last second? Most of us are, at least to some extent. It is part of our nature.Human beings have the very unique talent of being able to procrastinate. We put things off, things we know we should be doing, to first handle those things that are squeaking the loudest; making it really easy to avoid those quiet and sometimes dreaded tasks that await our attention elsewhere! We procrastinate from a place of: “I don’t know if I can do that”; “I don’t want to do that”; “I don’t like doing that”; or “I’ll get to it.” And, because it is a part of who we are as human beings, we have to put systems in place that manage our unique ability to put things off.The system you use doesn’t have to be complicated either. Simply:
- Make a list with priorities and dates by-when for the tasks that need to be completed.
- When there is an item on your list that doesn’t ever seem to get done (it has been rescheduled 2-3 times), evaluate why that is.
- Are you the right person to be doing this task? Is there someone that the task should be delegated too?
- If you find that there is nobody else that can do the task but you, and it still isn’t getting done, what accountabilities do you need to put in place so that it does get done?
- Ask for help. Ask a co-worker, a friend, your spouse, to hold you accountable. Tell them what needs to be done and by-when (heck, even give them your whole list), and ask them to hold you accountable for doing it. Ask them to check in with you half-way between the time of the request and the due date, making sure the job is halfway done, that you are moving forward, and that you still agree to be your word to get the job done by the established by-when… And the job will get done!
We all need accountability, and putting a system of accountabilities into place is very easily done! So, give up your procrastinating ways and consider how much more mental freedom you will have when you stop putting off until tomorrow what you can do today!