To quote Bruce Wayne from Batman: “Everything is impossible until someone does it.” That’s not just advice for superheroes—that’s how it is in the workplace.
There are many impossible things that need to be done, yet they’re impossible until someone does them. So, why couldn’t it be you who does it, who breaks through to the possible?
(more…)Speak into what can be done, and don’t tell us what can’t be done. I refer to those words as the “n’t” words: “don’t, won’t, can’t.” Those are the words that basically hold us back.
Imagine for a second that someone says either “I can have those papers to you on Thursday” or “I can’t have those papers to you until Thursday.” You know which one sounds better, and you know which person you want to be around. And yet, it’s very unconscious for us to go into the “n’t” words. As soon as we do, the fur goes up on the back of people’s necks. They see you as not willing to be a team player.
Not only that, it’s a way that you can inspire yourself to greater results. Whenever you step into what you can do and use that language, you become more powerful in what you can make happen.
So, eradicate the “n’t” words, and start telling your team what you can do.
John Lavelle said: “Ecstasy is a full deep involvement in life.”
What does that mean? Basically, what he’s saying is be “at cause.” Be the person who sees what needs to get done and then step in and make it happen.
Look at the person who supervises you. I bet they could use some help making things happen. Look at your customers. I bet they have other needs that aren’t being met. Look around everywhere around you. I bet you have coworkers who could really benefit by what you have to offer.
Be at cause so that you can experience the full deep involvement in life. You’re the one who steps in and makes great things happen.
Ask yourself this question: What action could you take today to demonstrate excellence or real value? It’s a question worth thinking about every day.
I know many people set intentions of how they’re going to go about doing things.
(more…)When I graduated from college to start my first job, one of the things that I had to learn was how to be accurate. In college, they let you get by with things. You don’t have to check your work. If you are close enough, that’s good enough.
I discovered very quickly in that first job that people count on everything we do being 100% accurate. That was a brutal new reality for which I wasn’t the least bit prepared.
(more…)