5/21/09

Are You Playing Life Full Out?

As many of you know, I love to run; mostly for the freedom to “Be” without any of the extra pressures of life clouding my thoughts and feelings. It is a real moment to be true with myself and the world around.

Since running on asphalt is easier on your knees than the sidewalk, I always run on the side of the street into oncoming traffic instead of going with the flow. In life, it’s always better to keep your head up and see what is coming at you. It’s the safest way to run.

Every once in a while a car will come speeding around a corner well over the speed limit and sometimes slowly veer toward me. In an effort to stay alive I have found that by waving to the drivers they are inclined to notice me more and slow down. Some wave and some don’t and that is why I would like to ask you the question, “Are you playing life full out?”

I did an experiment while running the other day. During the first part of my run I waved to about 50 people. Approximately 45 of the 50 people waved back or acknowledged my friendly gesture in some positive manner. For the next 50 cars that passed I did not wave or gesture in any way. Guess what? Approximately 47 of the 50 people did not wave or gesture to me when they drove by even though I worked to make eye contact with each of them.

You and I have a choice on how we choose to live our lives mentally, emotionally, financially and physically. I chose to reach out to 50 people and “Play Life Full Out.” I waved, smiled, and made an effort to connect with each one. For the 45 people that gestured back in some way, I left an impression in their mind and life. I do not know exactly what the impression was but it provided an opportunity for them. I reached out with a friendly gesture, they accepted it, and responded in kind. Did you know that it is a natural human instinct to accept or take what other people offer you?

The 50 people who drove by without reaching out to some crazy runner on the side of the road were also “Playing Life Full Out.” The difference is that they were playing full out by not giving, receiving or returning a connection with another person. I don’t know why and I don’t really care what their reasons were. All of them could have had very legitimate reasons for not responding. However, they also left an impression on me by not waving back. In effect, their lack of reaching out made an impression that is being passed on from me to you and they don’t realize the impact from their lack of reaching out either.

If you are struggling with an issue in your life right now and are having a difficult time perhaps you are so lost in your own mind or thoughts that you are driving right past someone who could be offering you something that could make a difference in your day. Perhaps you are passing people in your day that could use a friendly gesture but you are so caught up in your world you pass up the opportunity to make a difference for them. By helping others we end up helping ourselves in the end. Maybe you are a little down because you have been waving to a few people who have not waved back. Keep waving to other people if they don’t immediately return your friendly gesture. Keep your head up, eventually someone will smile and wave back and when you open yourself up to receive their greeting it can be very rewarding.

When you put good vibrations and intentions into the world, remember the age old saying, “What goes around comes around.” Maybe someone just needs a friend to help out and start the process. What you put out and share with in this world defines who you are in this world. People will tend to accept what you give them whether it is a positive, neutral or negative response. I had a very different emotional state between after waving to the people who waved back and then working to create a connection with the 50 people and seeing if they would wave first. One motivated and empowered me and the second absolutely tested my ability to stay positive and outgoing.

I challenge you to start waving to the people you pass everyday in life. The next time you see a runner on the road you just may give them the boost they need to keep their head up and finish strong! Malcolm Forbes stated, “It is always worthwhile to let others know of their worth.” You don’t need to know the person in order to let them know they have worth. When you need it, I hope you find someone waving to you too! I look forward to seeing you on the road!

IF you are interested in learning more about identifying the deeper emotions that drive the people in your life attend the May 27th Teleconference, “Panning for Emotional Gold.” It will show you a proven method for identifying and understanding people’s emotional states. You will learn to influence others better, sell and motivate your business peers, find deeper ways to connect with your family and spouse, and see your life in a whole new way.

Early registration has been extended until May 25th for the course rate of $39. “Panning for Emotional Gold” will contain the theoretical model along with practical exercises during the call for an interactive experience.

In order to accommodate this new, more engaging Teleconference format, the call may be extended for an additional session to be held the following week on Wednesday, June 3rd.

You can also pre-order the CD for $14.99 before Wednesday, May 20th.

MAY Special: By the way, if you know anyone who needs support hiring the right person for the job. Have them check out the Sure Hire Behavioral Assessment at www.surehirenow.com
They can enjoy $100 off the regular price of $399. That is a savings of 25%.
For every referral you will receive a $25 Gift Card to any store of your choice as our way of saying “Thank You.”

Be sure to check out my website: www.evolutionforsuccess.com soon for an exciting new 2-CD release on Powerful Positive Parenting, due out May 18, 2009. Order your copy today for only $24.99 + S&H. You will receive the 2-CD set plus Handouts in MS Word format.

Please pass this on to anyone who needs an encouraging “Thought” this week. They can sign up for the “Thought of the Week” by sending me an email at james@evolutionforsuccess.com and place “subscribe” in the subject line. I never share my email list with anyone. Your privacy is of utmost importance to me.

If you wish to unsubscribe, please reply with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line.

5/8/09

Panning for Emotional Gold

I had an interesting parenting revelation a while back that has really stuck with me in a deep and profound way. One day I found myself telling my daughter, “Come here and give me a hug and kiss.” It is a common phrase that every parent has probably used at one time or another. What struck me in that moment was the fact that I was asking my daughter to give me love and affection instead of me giving it to her. That small distinction really hit hard because it goes against my identity as a parent. I believe the love should “go downhill” and not be expected the other way around.

So, like any great coach, I changed my language to include phrases like, “I have a hug for you that I have waiting all day to give you,” or “I really wanted to give you this kiss to take with you. It is a very special hug and I would love for you to have it.” Instantly, my daughter was more open and receptive to receiving and giving affections.

That led to some different insights in my coaching. I have a client who is working on relationship issues tell me, “What does she do for me?” and I immediately replied, “A better question to ask would be, who is she for you in your relationship?” Many times we forget emotionally who people are for us in a relationship and what they provide us emotionally.

Isabelle, my daughter, in her helpfulness a few weeks ago was getting me a glass of water for dinner and I told her that I didn’t want any. I personally don’t drink water at dinner and her reaction was immediate rejection and sadness. Without thinking, I reached down and took the glass out of her hands, gave her a huge hug and told her that I didn’t want the glass of water but I did want and accept all of the love and helpfulness she was giving to me by getting me the glass of water. Her love and helpfulness was the biggest gift of all. She threw her little arms around my neck and said, “Daddy, I love you too!”

How often do we shut people down emotionally without even realizing it? Every action a person takes meets an emotional need for them. Sometimes it is so hard to understand and see what the other persons emotional needs are in the moment.

When we identify and understand the emotions behind the actions people take and then acknowledge them, we create connections at a deeper, more fulfilling level. It is never about the glass of water or what someone will “do” for you in a relationship but it is about who they are being for you in the relationship. Isabelle was reaching out and Being loving and helpful to me.

As Zig Ziglar says, “You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.” The beauty of that statement is not found in the material things you help others get but by helping them have their deeper emotional needs met. I interpret it as, “You can have all the emotional fulfillment you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want emotionally in their life.” The key is not in having other people come to you but in you going to them and giving first!


IF you are interested in learning more about identifying the deeper emotions that drive the people in your life attend the May 27th Teleconference, “Panning for Emotional Gold.” It will show you a proven method for identifying and understanding people’s emotional states. You will learn to influence others better, sell and motivate your business peers, find deeper ways to connect with your family and spouse, and see your life in a whole new way.

Early registration before May 20th is $39 for the course. “Panning for Emotional Gold” will contain the theoretical model along with practical exercises during the call for an interactive experience.

In order to accommodate this new, more engaging Teleconference format, the call may be extended for an additional session to be held the following week on Wednesday, June 3rd.

You can also pre-order the CD for $14.99 before Wednesday, May 20th.

MAY Special: By the way, if you know anyone who needs support hiring the right person for the job. Have them check out the Sure Hire Behavioral Assessment at www.surehirenow.com
They can enjoy $100 off the regular price of $399. That is a savings of 25%.
For every referral you will receive a $25 Gift Card to any store of your choice as our way of saying “Thank You.”

Be sure to check out my website: www.evolutionforsuccess.com soon for an exciting new 2-CD release on Powerful Positive Parenting, due out May 18, 2009. Order your copy today for only $24.99 + S&H. You will receive the 2-CD set plus Handouts in MS Word format.

Please pass this on to anyone who needs an encouraging “Thought” this week. They can sign up for the “Thought of the Week” by sending me an email at james@evolutionforsuccess.com and place “subscribe” in the subject line. I never share my email list with anyone. Your privacy is of utmost importance to me.

If you wish to unsubscribe, please reply with “Unsubscribe” in the subject line.

5/5/09

How to Change the World…

Do you remember some of the great experiments you did in science class when you were in middle school? I remember watching the after school show, “Zoom” and they always had some wonderful home experiments.

I especially loved the science experiment about static electricity where you rubbed the balloon on your head and it would stick on the wall. There was also the trick of running a black comb through your hair, turning on a small stream of water out of the faucet and then putting it next to the water. I was fascinated that the static energy in the comb would actually bend the stream of water towards the comb.

In the book, Power VS Force by David Hawkins, Ph. D., emotional states were tested using kinesiology on a relative index of 1-1,000. There was a direct correlation between the emotional state of a person and the power/force they simultaneously exhibited through their muscle strength.

Some of the correlations between the emotional states and an individual’s relative strength were: Shame (20), Guilt (30), Fear (100), Anger (150), Courage (200), Neutral (250), Acceptance (350), Love (500), Joy (540), Peace (600), and Enlightenment (700-1,000).

Imagine that you kept running the comb of life through your hair in a state of Shame, Guilt or Fear and created very little energy. How much of that water stream would you be able to impact or attract towards yourself? What thoughts, people, and events would you be able to influence in those lower emotional states? My thought is not too many!

However, if you ran that comb through your hair everyday and charged it to the maximum with those higher states of Love, Joy, and Peace, how large of an impact would you have on that stream of water? What thoughts, people, and events would you be able to “bend towards you” in those higher emotional states? How would you be able to bend the normal stream of everyday life in a different way that would help to change your life, the life of others and the world?

When we take actions to engage life with high energy and run that comb through our hair in the morning so that it has the maximum charge throughout the day, we attract more positive people, events, and thoughts to us. By simply changing your emotional state to a higher level more consistently, you can’t help but attract better people, experiences, and thoughts into your life.

There are many ways to charge your life. For men, it is through physical activity and recreation. Women can charge their life by being relieved of the responsibility to be everything and do everything for everyone.

I would encourage you to continue to keep taking actions to run that comb of Love, Joy and Peace through your hair everyday! You will attract more positive people, events, and thoughts into your life. You can change your life, the lives of others, and the world!