The word intuition comes from the Latin intueri, meaning to consider, “to look on.” Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary sums up intuition as “the immediate knowing or learning of something without the conscious use of reasoning; instantaneous apperception.”  This intuitive “look on” implies something deeper than simple perception. It is the ability of “apperception“ ; “to take hold of” knowledge in one glance.

Simply, intuition is direct knowledge.

I am not saying that facts are not important. Facts are, often times, essential in moving forward in making critical decisions.  However, intuition helps set the vision, expand the strategy and lead to extraordinary success.

I recently watch the movie, Captain America, the First Avenger, on DVD.  Dr. Abraham Erskine, a scientist who comes to America during the World War II era to help overcome the Germans. He needs to find the ideal candidate for a very special scientific experiment. In this experiment, he will create a super hero that will help win the war.  He finds in Steve Rodgers, a 90 pound weakling.

All the facts showed, that Steve was the smallest, lacked endurance, and stamina. Intuition showed, Rodgers possessed traits of honor, heart, willingness to take a beating and never, ever quit.  The obvious facts showed stronger, brawnier men. The knowing showed heart, integrity and courage.

Dr. Erskine just KNEW that Rodgers had what it would take to become the perfect candidate.  If you can’t watch the movie, watch this trahttp://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458339/iler. Facts don’t show what intuition leads you to know . http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0458339/

In my experience, often times the facts would have closed many a business. The intuition kept it and keeps it going. It’s great to have facts, as I mentioned earlier, facts are always important. However, intuition, your knowing, will help you to overcome tremendous obstacles, find amazing new opportunities and will lead you to fabulous results. Learn to trust your intuition!

This powerful thought is attributed to Socrates, “Let him that would move the world, first move himself.” 

How do we move ourselves with time is racing by and we feel short on options?

Stop the clock and focus on what is important to you. Pull back from all the demands of business and life. Step back from all those naysayers that have caused you to doubt your vision and your passion.

Dig into the depths of your talents and strengths. Honor your commitment to your dreams. Consider what moved you in the past and what is stalling you in the present. Challenge your very core with your level of energy to see your goals to completion.

You can never move the world, if YOU are not moved to dream extraordinary dreams and are not willing to take courageous action. Dream big and be Courageous. Then and only then will you unlock unlimited potential.

Businesses today have an opportunity to use strategy to their advantage. Whether we take an advantage of using our strategy to move our businesses towards growth and success. Or, use that strategy to hold us back – now those becomes interesting options.

Let’s investigate some accelerators and anchors…

Accelerators:

• Change the business perspective – Just because last year had marginal results doesn’t mean the strategy for the next year is “fixing” all the old problems.  Get out of the office, the building. Got on a retreat, go to a play ground, or go kayaking.  Make it fun. Make it positive. Dream big!
• Create a mastermind group – Reach into your vast network, or expand it, and find 4 to 7 successful, positive and energized individuals that would like to share ideas, help solve problems and serve as sounding boards for crazy and sometimes desperate ideas.  Masterminding can be done face to face or via telephone of Skype. Whatever the venue chosen be faithful, be committed and be collaborative.
• Share your strategy. Communicate your strategy with each and every partner, investor, employee or interested party. Write it speak it. Sing it if you can. The more your strategy is shared the more likely you will succeed.
• Strategy is a foundation not a prison. Last, but not least, be focused and yet flexible. The strategy may be a good one and yet something may come along that can galvanize you and your business to another level. Be open to suggestions and ideas.

Anchors:

• Myopia – trying to solve the problem with the same mind that created it, to paraphrase Albert Einstein.
• Isolationism – failing to reach out for help, feedback and/or objective assistance
• Insulate – detaching and hiding in a cocoon. Holding the strategy so close that no one has any idea what you and your business are trying to achieve.
• Rigid – the strategy cannot and will not be deviated from. Clients are leaving. It’s their problem – the strategy is just fine. Employees offering new ideas. Shut the door and shut out success.

Interesting dilemma, wouldn’t you agree. Comments on how to make strategy an accelerator, not an anchor, would be greatly appreciated.

I found this poem on a book mark. The author is unknown. The message is timeless.

Just Believe

If you’ll remember always – there is no goal you can’t achieve.

If you’ll try your hardest and above all else believe.

Believe that you are a person who has something to give

Believe that you can make this world a better place to live.

If you’ll believe you’re needed and that others like you too,

Then you’re  sure to find nothing in the world YOU cannot do!

It’s amazing to me how  resistance affects success.  Time and talent are spend on detracting and diverting our energy towards situations, issues and problems that might show up. These de-railers are so consuming that how purpose for life, work, our passions, dreams and goals might be supported is totally lost.

Consider two senarios…

One employee believes in the organization’s vision and values. Is clear on how they can support the purpose and the objectives. Offers suggestions, volunteers, is willing to put in extra time and is supportive of the team.  Their  energy will always, and I do mean always, overcome any resistance that shows up on their path because they are focused on how to achieve the goals rather than the obstacles that are thrown in their path.

Another employee has given the organization’s vision and values lip service.  Is clear on how they must ensure that their own needs are met first.  Continuously holds to the exact hours for work and ensures that their personal time is not infringed up.  Their energy will be focused on helping them get what they want.  Forget what the organization wants and needs.

Does either situation sound familiar?

If so, as leaders and managers of talent, resources and businesses here are some tips to ensure how purpose and energy will overcome resistance.

1. Share the purpose. In any and all media, clearly communicate the purpose of the organization. When people know their why, their how will show up.
2. Clarify expectations.  Utilize competency based job descriptions and performance reviews.  How people are expected to meet the requirements of the position and how those requirements are to be met must be shared on hire and reviewed at least quarterly.
3. Hold people accountable.  Notice and reward people for doing their job and more.  Conversely, be rock solid on the consequences when expectations are not met.

People will actively exert little energy towards success if the target is not clear and the challenges are too numerous to mention. However, when all the members of the team know how their performance and efforts are “meaningful” to the success of the organization, resistance will be overcome.

Here’s some of Mr. Huntsman’s business and life philosophies that are practical and powerful:

“Circumstances may change but your values shouldn’t.” 

“There are many temptations but reminders help.”

“Treat competitors, colleagues, employees and customers with respect.”

If the common practices become about posturing and positioning, then  business are using smoke and mirrors and their guiding principles. Diversions away from the quality, service, abilities, and integrity become the rule of thumb.

Let’s get back to authentic business success.  Build business success on character, honesty, integrity and respect.  As a result, customer, employee and stakeholder confidence and satisfaction will escalate dramatically. Because - “Winners NEVER Cheat!”

Here is some sage advice…

 Buddha:  “All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.” 

William Shakespeare: “The choices we make dictate the life that we lead.”

William Jennings Bryant:  “Destiny is not a matter of chance. It is a matter of choice: it is not to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.”

James Allen:  “Man is made or unmade by himself. By the right choice he ascends. As a being of power, intelligence, and love, and the lord of his own thoughts, he holds the key to every situation.”

Eleanor Roosevelt: “One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words; it is expressed in the choices one makes…and the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.”

Albert Einstein:  “Out of Clutter, find Simplicity.  From discord, find Harmony. In the midst of difficulty, lies opportunity.”

Carlos Castaneda:  “We choose only once. We choose either to be warriors or to be ordinary… A second choice does not exist. Not on this earth.”

Denis Waitley:  “There are two primary choices in life;
to accept conditions as they exist,
or accept the responsibility for changing them.”

Dalai Lama:  “We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us so that we become increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us, and make us kinder. We always have the choice.”

Zig Ziglar:  “Every choice you make has an end  result.”   

Professor Dumbledore, from ‘Harry Potter’:  “It is our choices that show what we truly are far more than our abilities.”

From the song “I Hope You Dance”: “I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean, whenever one door closes I hope one more opens, promise me that you’ll give faith a fighting chance,
and when you get the choice to sit it out or dance…

I hope you dance…”

 

By Laura Novakowski,
President, Positive Power Strategies, Inc.

Today, leadership in not for the faint hearted. Instead, leadership belongs to those explorers that are willing and able to take on new adventures, demand new challenges and command change. The new leader is the continuously exploring the greatest horizon; they journey to the center of self. (read more)

Man is constantly in search of new solar systems, new inventions, new…, new…new…. Seeking, always seeking, the external, the unknown. In this search, little satisfaction or happiness is discovered. In this pursuit, the self often is lost.

The leader who explores themselves, their motives, their actions, their thoughts and their feelings gains intuition into how to find those opportunities that have repeatedly shown up and have been often overlooked. Russell Conwell’s wonderful Acres of Diamonds (Source: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/rconwellacresofdiamonds.htm) is based on the story of a man named Ali Hafed who desperately wanted to find diamonds. He destroyed his family and his life because his journey didn’t allow him to explore what he already possessed. There are diamonds everywhere in our own back yard and yet we continue to travel to the ends of the earth to find wealth, health and happiness.

Turning our journey inward becomes an essential aspect to our personal and professional success. When we dedicate our time and attention to understanding our thoughts, feels, and actions, we gain valuable insight into our abilities to assume leadership roles, handle challenges, find our passions and follow our dreams.

Thoreau has a quote that reads, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.” When we fail to journey to the center of self, we fail to discover those “songs” that are trapped within the center of our particular universe. When we actively explore our inner world, we gain courage, excitement, leadership and extraordinary results.

It is time to take the lead in your journey to the center of self.

Happy Exploring.

by Laura Canter
Psychologist, Canter Associates

It’s a whole new year and a new chance to explore some new horizons. What goals, dreams, and ambitions do you want to achieve this year? Have you explored all of our options? (read more)

What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?

So many people never truly follow their passion. What truly inspires you? If you could steer for any course in life – what would it be?

We tend to get so caught in a rut and in the mundane of our lives that we forget to navigate towards the things that inspire us the most. We go through life based on the course that has already been planned out for us (go to high school; get into college; after graduation, get a job). But, when was the last time you really sat down and asked yourself: What inspires me? What am I passionate about?

Now is the time to reconsider your life’s direction. Fear of the unknown is the only thing that holds you back from living authentically. Nothing bad ever came from using your imagination in positive ways. Allowing yourself to dream of your potential and to follow your mission in life can be exciting. So, this year, why not allow yourself to dream of something that you’ve always wanted to do.

Better yet, why don’t you actually do it? What have you always wanted to do, but kept putting it off? Have you wanted to learn something new? Go on an adventure? Change careers? Join the Peace Corps? Volunteer? What is stopping you from trying? What is holding you back from exploring new horizons?

If you are too afraid to actually move forward – for the moment – just allow yourself to imagine “what if” You don’t have to move into action just yet. The first step is to explore – just have fun dreaming. Allow yourself to be open to the possibilities of “what if “ and explore new horizons!

“Life is what’s happening while we are busy making other plans.” – John Lennon

This book review is geared for women because the people interviewed are all women. However the lessons and knowledge set in this book are for everyone. 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women, by Gail McMeekin encourages us all to acknowledge and explore our creativity. (read more)

I am going to focus on one story in particular and that is the story of the author. A licensed psychotherapist, human resource consultant and coach for twenty five years, Gail helped thousands of women achieve their personal and professional goals. In the midst of her successful career she was diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, a debilitating autoimmune disease. Exhausted all the time, Gail tried to continue on her same life path pursuing her dreams and goals she had set for herself. In the meantime, she explored different holistic modalities but eventually realized rest was her best medicine. She began to cut back on all extra social and professional activities, negative relationships and psychotherapy practice. Her focus became self-restoration.

Gail began exploring her creative self and enrolled in a creativity class. This led Gail to engage her creative force and redesign her life based on her current health situation. Always wanting to write, she developed a portable workshop titled Positive choices: From Stress to Serenity which allowed her to stop traveling and preserve her energy. Accepting her limitations and tapping into her creativity freed her to express more creative impulses with painting , decorating, and she is still writing.

If we can’t paint or draw, we automatically assume we are not creative. If you’ve ever explored in the kitchen with food, grew a garden, set a beautiful table, or if you have kids – then you had to be creative. We impose limitations on ourselves based on fear of mistakes and failure. If you have a long desire to try you hand at a creative venture, explore your ideas and take a risk. When Gail let go of her fear of being criticized or fumbling, her cycle of rebirth was set in motion.