Keeping the Momentum through Choice: Pt. IV - Evaluation

When you evaluate your progress, what perspective do you take? Do you count up all the things you accomplished, or all the things you did not? Your approach to looking at the past can strongly affect your future.

I find that if I look at all I haven't done, I am LESS motivated to keep going. I start to feel behind and overwhelmed. But I am predisposed to stare at the negative. When I look at what I have actually accomplished, and feel the weight of those in my brain, I gain strength to continue doing what I have set out to accomplish overall.

Society often forces us to look at all we haven't done, which de-values what we have done. Our successes and failures are continually measured against a platinum-standard only a few, by the very nature of the standard, can achieve.

The loser of the Super Bowl isn't considered an elite team, despite the fact they accomplished so much to get there. The 501st company in the Fortune 500 isn't recognized for greatness. Even in this day and age of giving trophies to all the soccer teams in every youth league - we as adults look at the 10th place trophy with cynicism, even as our child runs up to us with joy on their face despite suffering their 5th consecutive shut-out.

While I don't believe we should settle for mediocrity or failure, I do believe we need to recognize the value we do create. I didn't accomplish all my goals last week, but I accomplished many of them. Should we whip ourselves with mental sticks over the things we did not do, or take pride in what we did do?

This brings up another question. Do we want the coach who tells us we're worthless, and sends us back on the field, or the coach who says we can take over the game and come out victorious, because we're talented and strong?

Are you driven by failure or success? Is one of them the right way - the true and certain path? We're all different. Even religion recognizes this, telling its followers that they are of God and can reach there reward, but simultaneously telling them they are sinners and face the fires of hell.


There isn't an 'either/or' answer. Its a 'both' answer. Be willing to see the glass as half-empty AND half-full. Don't err on the side of one or the other. Overconfidence can create results as disastrous as NO confidence. If you tend to look at the negative, actively choose to acknowledge the positive. And vice-versa.

Go out into your next week on the strength of your victories thirsty to refill from your failures. Use both to motivate yourself - your needs may change from day to day, or from goal to goal. Don't fall into the trap of extremism - be ready see your success from every angle. Half-full or half-empty, keep in mind YOU are the one holding the glass.

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The first week of The Champion of Choice Challenge 2.0 is in the books, and its been a great beginning. A big welcome to Phyrne who just joined the NING group - she is one of the big success stories from the first Challenge. You'll have to go there to read it for yourself.

Keeping the Momentum through Choice: Pt. III - Faith!

A quick shout out to Laura, Kristi, and Bari for joining us over at the Champion of Choice Challenge Community Site! Posting your goals, your personal challenge, is the next step! It doesn't have to be huge, and it can even be just one thing! Losing weight, writing a book, starting a blog, trying something new – whatever you want to achieve, come in, write it down, and we'll encourage you towards your success! We may even have some ideas on how you can reach those goals faster than you thought!

I've been talking about how you (and I) can keep momentum up on a daily basis. Wednesday we looked at the power of Change, yesterday the power of Ritual. Today's strategy is Faith.

This does not refer to faith in a “higher power”, though that certainly has its place. Instead, I mean faith in the process. In YOUR process. Once you've identified what you want to do, why you want to do it, and how you are choosing to achieve it, having faith in the process is essential.

Few things happen overnight, and success is rarely an overnight event. Invariably, overnight successes have strong and long roots in obscurity, patience, and even repeated failure. Thomas Edison and Abraham Lincoln are famous example of people whose biggest accomplishments occurred only after years of repeated failures. While both had sparks of success along the way, their 'big moments' far outshined all they accomplished, and failed to accomplish, before that point.

Each had a faith that they would achieve something of value – for themselves, and for the world. Each found a way to keep moving forward after losing an election or seeing yet another experiment fizzle into darkness.

The faith doesn't even have to be in yourself – it may just be in what you're going to do. You know you're going to invent, write, sing, paint, or otherwise create something that brings value to others – through the value of the creation, and the by-product of the success achieved from it. Don't give up too soon, don't stop at the idea right before the idea that works.

Have faith in the process. Write that next blogpost – if its not genius, at least it brings you closer to genius. Paint that next painting – if its not brilliant, it brings you closer to brilliance. Launch that next product – if its not a success, know that your next one will be. Have faith in your ends, and your means will work themselves out to get you there.

Keeping the Momentum through Choice: Pt. II - Rituals!

There will be days that don't go the way you hope. Distractions. Boredom. Needed detours. How do you keep your momentum through the inevitable twists and turns of life? Ritual.

A ritual gives you a touchstone – a series of actions you've committed to performing regardless of all else – regardless of time, mood, energy. A ritual is what you know you must do.

The rituals I am putting into place are many, but three in the evening have saved my day today. Getting my family together for the talk/read/pray 30 minute session is an excellent touchstone to keep balance in my domestic life.

But after that, things went a bit haywire. The TV was on in the background, and instead of opting for a Change, I ended up doing some pretty basic social media exercises and watching America's Got Talent. At midnight, I was faced with a major choice: go to bed OR follow through with my ritual. I knew that if I gave up on the ritual of reading 15 pages in Atlas Shrugged, I'd be falling behind very early in the game. If I didn't do my push-ups, I'd have gone 2 days without exercise. And if I didn't do those things, I would hesitate to even write a post! Not that the rest of my day had gone incredibly sour, but it was not as productive as Monday or Tuesday.

So I followed through. Did my 12/10/7/7 set of pushups, then maxed out at 23 – I believe my highest ever. Read the book. Now I sit here typing. While I didn't have a perfect day, the rituals have helped me keep promises to myself. Now I need some morning rituals!

What can you commit to that will keep you feeling good about your productivity or lifestyle that is easy to do each day, but still moves you forward to a goal? Build ritual into your daily life, and you will build victories into your daily life. Victories beget victories – as well as energy and confidence.

What ritual will you start today?

Keeping the Momentum through Choice: Pt. I - Change!

Were you able to keep momentum yesterday?

Thanks to my lovely wife, I was able to keep moving forward with my projects – specifically a project for her which you can see at ThrivingwithNF.com – there are 2 dead links, but we will soon fix those.

Along with having my wife pushing me to get it done, I changed my environment, moving my laptop from the bedroom office to the kitchen counter. While I expected to be overly distracted by the kids, I ended up LESS distracted, even though they were in closer proximity. Instead of wondering what was going on down the hall, I was in the middle of it, and able to guard my focus more effectively.

Have you done anything to shake things up a bit? Switch your routine? If you have been ineffective in your current environment, you mind becomes programmed to work ineffectively in that environment, as well as grow bored with its surroundings. If a location change won't work, try new pictures on the wall. Rearrange your desk. Buy a new clock. Splurge and get that new office chair. Just change SOMETHING.

My report on yesterday is available on the ChampionofChoiceChallenge.ning.com site. Welcome to Bari, Haishuo, and Terry for joining in the last day! The site is improving everyday – thanks to all of you!

What will you choose to change today?

Day One Momentum - Keep it Rolling!

How'd the first day go?

First of all, a hearty welcome to Chris Elliott and Derick Dickens for joining the The Champion of Choice Challenge Ning site! These are two quality speakers and coaches, and a great addition to the cause.

The site allows you to create your own Challenge through a personal blog, as well as offering upload capability for photos, music, teleseminars, videos. This is a tremendous opportunity to network and mastermind with like-minded individuals.

My first day went very well. After months of putting the video to dvd project off, I finished it up, and delivered it. Finally off my plate! Cleaned up the emails and made my dental appointments for Sept. Spent quality time with the family, since I had to go deliver the dvd's anyway, we all went out for the afternoon. In addition, I started (re-started) our 30 minute calm down time – talking, reading, praying – before heading off to rooms for the night.

Working on Thriving with NF with my wife, I created 4 new logos for her CafePress shop. You can see the other promised updates in my notes, if you want to keep up with my own Challenges.

I love first days – they are great for building momentum. KEEPING momentum is key to getting somewhere. Looking good for one day isn't enough. It may work to get one big sale, give one good speech, create one good date, or finish one great project – but its only a start. What we do on day 2 and beyond is what builds our success.

Enjoy your good days – but don't rest on those laurels. Make the next day even better, and keep making the choices you've promised yourself you'd make.