In the recent November 2017 copy of National Geographic Magazine, there was an article on the world’s happiest places, by Dan Buettner, the author of The Blue Zones, Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest. According to Buettner, the three happiest places on earth are Denmark, Costa Rica, and Singapore. The things they have in common are that their “people feel secure, have a sense of purpose, and enjoy lives that minimize stress and maximize joy”.
You’ve likely heard people talk about the phenomenon of “Imposter Syndrome” – the propensity to feel like you’re going to be ‘found out’ by everybody due to this or that weakness you have, despite your many accomplishments.
In the face of this defeating self-talk, a greater focus on strengths can provide a validation of your skill set. It feels better because you’re using the natural talents you already have inside you and bringing them out, front and center.
I have discovered something that feels very counterintuitive to a Type A person like me. The more I relax and am at ease; the better I become. This is a major paradigm shift for me. I am an ACHIEVER, (#13 of my Clifton Strengths) so getting things done/checking things off my list has always been highly valued by me and many of the people I have worked with. In fact, at one of my first jobs out of college, being an achiever was so important that it reinforced the very act of being busy. The busier you were, the more people noticed, and the more you were rewarded. The challenge is whether you are busy on the things that actually matter or not.
Some leaders have shared horror stories where they were advised to act like the majority in their company and conform to fit in. As you might imagine, this didn’t work for them AT ALL. Leaders that are being inauthentic or have to stretch far to reach the “code” of behavior, often report feeling exhausted at the end of the day. Here are some ways to maintain authenticity yet connect with others.
How many times have we all heard this common response or even given the response ourselves? It’s overused, overdone, and unfortunately completely accurate for many. We are constantly bombarded with noise, distractions, competing priorities, too many demands, and for many of us; the desire to do it all perfectly.
According to Simon Sinek, author of Start with Why, people like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, and the Wright Brothers had little in common, but they all started with WHY. They realized that people won't truly buy into a product, service, movement, or idea until they understand the WHY behind it.
It’s the holidays and many of us are operating in overdrive. As if our busy lives weren’t hectic enough, add the stress of holiday/end of year celebrations, decorating our homes, band concerts, mailing out holiday cards, shopping for presents, and you have a recipe for being very, very stressed out. What can you do to bring a sense of calm to your day?
In my journey to increase my own mindfulness, I’ve been exploring different methods. Walking meditation is one that has intrigued me, as it combines mindfulness with movement. Recently on a trip to Ireland, I found myself walking a track called The Cliff Walk, around the edges of a town called Howth.
Recently, I spent a fruitful week in London, UK, with the talented team at Gallup, Inc. In the company of high performing leadership coaches and consultants from around the world, I participated in Gallup's Advanced CliftonStrengths Coach Training where we deepened our mastery on Strengths Based Development. As I reflect on the week, here are 3 ideas to help you improve:
Jia Jiang had this problem with rejection. He found himself struggling because this fear got in his way. Rather than let it continue to hold him back, he decided to conduct a 100 day experiment where he would deliberately go out and seek rejection. He came up with a list of seemingly ridiculous things to ask people that they would say no to. What he hoped for was tougher skin and a strategy to deal with rejection.
