Posts made in October, 2013
Thoughtful Thursday // 10-31-2013
Thoughtful Thursday // 10-31-2013 “Promise me you will not spend so much time treading water and trying to keep your head above the waves that you forget, truly forget, how much you have always loved to swim.” –Tyler Knott Gregson Finding your passion is exciting. Being propelled into action by what you love is an amazing thing. But then, somewhere along the way, real life + new opportunities + hustle on your dream + the unexpected hit us. It may not be as dramatic as being overwhelmed or asking ourselves, “How did I get here?”, but sometimes we simply drift ever so slightly from our loves. Maybe you’re not there yet and you’re thinking to yourself, “Libby, this one doesn’t really apply to me this week, could you try again?” Well, guess what? Somewhere in all the details of making phone calls, setting up logos, raising funds, connecting people, dreaming, getting up early, travelling, gathering resources, serving, creating — these times will come. The trick is being ready for them. Remind yourself why you do what you do. Take breaks to just spend time doing what you love to do. Make a list of things you love about what you are doing. Your “why” is what got you going in the first place; you need to protect it fiercely. Don’t let routine replace passion. Stay true to yourself and what you love. And if you do that now, whether you feel bogged down or not, the journey will be even better! Question: What are three things you love about what you do / want to do? Write a list and keep it handy. Read it while you’re doing some of your daily-grind tasks this week. Note: Today’s #ThoughtfulThursday was hand drawn by me. You can see more hand-drawn posters by going to libbydoodle.com and clicking “LibbyDoodles.” “But what IS Thoughtful Thursday?!” you may be asking. Check out the original...
Read MoreTurn Your Average Goals into SMART Goals
Turn Your Average Goals into SMART Goals by Ryan Eller Goals, we all have them…but few of us know how to set proper goals. The problem is that we don’t make SMART Goals. I was facilitating a workshop recently about goals, and participant after participant shared their goal with the group. They went something like this: My goal is to be happy. My goal is to be rich. My goal is to go to college. Some would think these goals are great goals, but as I sat listening to others share, I could only think about how poor these goals were. Most people’s goals are ridiculously ambiguous. How do you measure happiness? When do you want to graduate from college? And with what degree? Where do you want to go to college? If you set a SMART Goal, you will answer these questions by removing the ambiguity and making it specific. Specific One way to make your goal a SMART Goal is to make it more specific. I typically lead workshop participants in the Triple S activity. The Triple S activity takes your goal and makes it much more specific. Go ahead and try it out…write your goal down. I will use the “Go to College” goal as my example. Original Goal: Go to College 1st S: Make it more specific. Example: Go to the University of Georgia. 2nd S: Make it even more specific. Example: Go to the University of Georgia and major in Accounting. 3rd. S: Make it even more specific. Example: Go to the University of Georgia and major in Accounting and minor in Financial Planning. The Triple S Activity will help narrow your scope and improve your goal. Isn’t the third example a much better goal than the original goal? Make your goal much more specific and you will be on the first step towards making your goal a SMART Goal. Measurable Have you ever had the goal to lose weight? It is one of the most common goals on the planet, but is rarely achieved. If your goal is to lose weight and you lose 0.0001 pounds, did you achieve your goal? Of course you did! Your goal was to lose weight and you did! Congrats! Go ahead and eat that burger…you deserve it. The truth is you need to make your goals measurable to make them SMART Goals. If you change your weight loss goal to “I want to lose 10 pounds,” you immediately have a better goal. And when finished, you want to able to say, “I have finished this goal.” In our previous example, if you change our college goal to “I want to graduate from the University of Georgia and major in Accounting and minor in Financial Planning,” it makes it measurable. You will either graduate or you won’t graduate, either way it is measurable. Attainable When you make your goal attainable, you are really determining if you can actually achieve this goal. Let’s be honest, some people are either super secure in their ability or just plain crazy. When we determine if our goal is attainable, we must also be realistic. I would love to be the starting QB for the OU Sooners. I have always loved the team, and I think I could be the guy to help Bob Stoops win the next elusive BCS title. However, if I was making a SMART Goal, I would check to see if it was attainable. Can I throw a football more than 15 yards? No. Can I run faster than a 7.5 40-yard-dash? No. Can I read defenses without getting smashed by a 250 lb. linebacker? No. I could try with all my might and try to make my goal a SMART Goal, but I would never be the starting QB for the Sooners. Regardless of your SMART Goal, it is utterly important to remember that it is 100% up to you if your goal is attainable. I cannot tell you that you can’t achieve your goal. Neither can your parents, or your teachers, your friends, or even your enemies....
Read MoreHow Long Should Writing Cook?
How Long Should Writing Cook? by Mike Loomis How do you know when a writing project is “finished”? We’re not just talking about a 50,000-word book. Tweets, emails, and blogs impact our brand, our relationships, and bank account. Have you ever hit the “Send” button, and within three nanoseconds looked for the “Un-Send” button? I’ve even had authors tell me they wanted to un-publish a book! Let Your Words Bake It’s a rare treat when first drafts are “ready to eat.” This is exactly why I’ve learned, sometimes the hard way, to put my writing back in the oven. Better flavor, fewer regrets, and more influence can result. Of course, it’s different for each form of communication, each audience, and each writer. Suggested times… Tweets: Allow to simmer for 2 hours Facebook posts: Most tender after 4 hours Blog posts: Slow cook for 2 days (or freeze for months) Important “first contact” emails: Let them smoke for 3 days Sensitive email replies: To avoid burning, stir often for at least 4 hours, or 1 day if possible Book Proposals: Carefully measure all ingredients and cook for 3 months Book chapters: Bring to a boil, then “can” for 2 weeks These recipes are not excuses for procrastination. But fast-food publishing has created more noise, and lower quality writing. I’ll admit, this is TOUGH to do! Hungry? My hope is to write fewer words, with more taste. I’ve opened the lid on my manuscript edits after two weeks and wondered, “Who wrote this terrible mess?!” Yeah, I’d rather post or send while I’m still intoxicated by my creativity, but I can’t tell you how often this perspective has made the difference between “forgettable” and “fruitful” communications. What are your “cook times” for words? What outlets give you the most trouble? About the author: Mike Loomis helps people launch their dream projects and books. He’s strategic partner to bestselling authors, non-profits, publishers as well as startups, and aspiring messengers. He and his wife live in the mountains of Colorado with their pet moose. www.MikeLoomis.CO Creative Commons Attribution:...
Read MoreThoughtful Thursday // 10-24-2013
Thoughtful Thursday // 10-24-2013 “When the winds of change blow, some people build walls, others build windmills.” –Chinese Proverb Just like the wind, change is not something we can always control. However–just like the wind–change is something we can harness. WE can control how we respond to change and what we do with it. Sometimes we can even change the course of change. Notice that word, “build.” Making the most of change isn’t going to be automatic or instant. Building takes time and effort. It takes determination and persistence. We have two choices of what to build: walls or windmills. Walls are easier to build. They’re simple, flat, and take less effort. They protect us by cutting us off, isolating us. But you know what? They still require building. They still require effort. Now stop for a moment and think about windmills. They’re more complicated. They offer no sort of protection. However, windmills don’t merely stand there and look pretty – they get work done. And rarely do they ever impact only one person. When change comes your way and you use it to build, opportunities will arise. You’ll see fruit. And you’ll impact not only yourself, but those around you. It’s scarier and harder, but far braver, to risk the complicated unknown and build a windmill. When change comes blowing in, you will build…. the question is, *what* will you build? Question: What’s some change you’re experiencing in your life right now? How can you harness that change and build with it to increase your Awesome? Note: Today’s #ThoughtfulThursday was hand drawn by me. You can see more hand-drawn posters by going to libbydoodle.com and clicking “LibbyDoodles.” “But what IS Thoughtful Thursday?!” you may be asking. Check out the original...
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