Posts Tagged with Strategy

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Be-Do-Have: A Simple Process To Design The Life You Want

No one likes rules and being told what to do. So when society imposes how things should be in life, we resist. One expected life path is to get a good education, get a good job, buy a house, have a family and live happily ever after.

You don’t have to subscribe to this. Instead, you can make your own choices, take responsibility for your life and design it as you wish.

You can make your own choices, take responsibility for your life and design it as you wish.

If you were to design your life and future, how would you do it? What would your ideal life look like? What things would you include? What would you exclude?

This is an overwhelming decision and you can get stuck here. When you have all the choices in the world, it is harder to make one.  For example, there is little to debate about when you have one shirt in your closet but when you have fifteen to choose from, the process is more complicated. When presented with too many choices, instead of making one and following through with the relevant actions, you make no choice and remain stagnant. This is frustrating.

How can you overcome this?

One approach I’ve learned is Be-Do-Have.

You may think that you need to first “have” certain things (money, love, experience, time, etc.) in order to “do” something meaningful (pursue your dreams, start a business, travel the world, foster a relationship etc.) which will then allow you to “be” what you want to be in life (happy, fulfilled, successful, in love, etc.).  However, the Be-Do-Have approach tells us this works the other way around.

First you have to “be” what you want (loving, kind, open, successful etc.), then you “do” things from that place of being and then you’ll see that what you are doing will bring you the things you’ve always wanted to “have.”
This way of approaching the process allows you to work with the creative power of the universe. It is powerful and life-changing when you get it and practice it. This process simplifies the journey to make our dreams and goals a reality.  Your current circumstance is a product of your past thinking. You can take responsibility of this and change your future and life by changing your thinking.

And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. — Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

Why does this work?

Think of someone you know who wants more money, time, flexibility, love, etc. to be happy.  On the other hand, someone who is happy right now has all the money, time, flexibility and love to last a lifetime. You can discover that you have everything you need to “be happy” by “being happy” right now.  Deciding what you choose to be in advance creates that in your experiences. Start by acting like you are what you want to be and you will become that. However your actions need to be aligned so what you “do” is important.

Remember that you have the power to experience any state of being at any time, not just when things to work out perfectly or after you achieve certain things. Attaching your fulfillment or other desired state of being to a specific goal, dream or achievement can set you up for disappointment, failure and pain.

Who you are and how you’re “being” creates the context for how you feel, think and act, which are key components of how you create your reality. The process to living the life you want doesn’t have to be that of suffering and struggle. Instead, you can focus your efforts to get abundant results.  Remember that happiness is a choice. It isn’t a chase.

Happiness is a state of mind. And like all states of mind, it reproduces itself in physical form. — Neale Donald Walsch

Here are some reminders of how to take the process of creating the life you want into your own hands:
  • Think of what you want to “have” in life. What are your key goals or dreams? What do you want to achieve?
  • How would you “be” if you had those things? Happy? Joyful? Fulfilled? Free?
  • Start to embody that state of being that you imagine will come from obtaining these goals, dreams and achievements. Start “being” happy as if you’ve already accomplished your goals.
  • From this state of being, think and talk about the actions you need to take.  Take these actions.

“Begin with the end in mind. Start with the end outcome and work backwards to make your dream possible.” — Wayne W. Dyer

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Do you spend a lot of time thinking about your current circumstance? Do you think back on the decisions you made and how they led to where you are today?  Do you have a hard time thinking about next steps to make changes and end up taking no action? I’d love for you to try the Be-Do-Have approach and hear how it works for you!

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Align Your Team’s Thinking Style To Improve Performance

The ability to work together and collaborate effectively has a big impact on how much teams accomplish.  This has traditionally been assessed by the output of the team which is the combined contributions of the individual team members via their assigned tasks. Inherently, the evaluation of team performance has been based on what individual team members do.

In What Kind of Thinker Are You?, Mark Bonchek and Elisa Steele argue that it is “how teams think together that most determines their performance.” They propose that similar to how team members today “have assigned doing roles, there should also be thinking roles.”

Their three-step method entails first identifying the “focus on your thinking in a particular context or setting” such as ideas, process, action or relationships. As an example, if you and your friends are planning a trip, do you generate ideas of places to visit, plan the itinerary, take action to book the flight or call up friends in Paris to let them know you’re coming? The next step is to observe if your orientation in that setting leans toward the big picture or the details. Lastly, combine these two dimensions to see your thinking style.

This exercise is good to help us identify our gaps.  Chances are, we don’t have all of the thinking styles above covered on our own.  Make note of where you stop short.  Is it a recurring theme in your work? This presents an opportunity for us to identify team members who compliment us.

I’ve worked with teams that were formed in this way where each person’s role is aligned with how they think. In one example, a product management team had an idea for a new service that would improve customer experience and generate additional revenue for the company. The initial two-person team outlined the new service as explorers and experts. They then added a project manager who was more planning and process-oriented and identified all the necessary milestones to make the new service a reality. Next, an extended team was put in place to drive and take action in functional areas such as operations, marketing, sales, training etc. Lastly the core product management team and project manager combined efforts to build relationships with supporters and strategic partners.  Ultimately, the service was launched successfully with the combined effort of individuals whose contributions aligned with their thinking style.

When we’re all operating in our zone, we get more done, are more effective and perform better. It makes sense to focus on our strengths and get help in areas where we’re not as strong.  When this is someone else’s strong point, it ends up being a win-win for the team. Richard Branson said it best:

Surround yourself with people who complement your weaknesses and share your passions — success will follow.

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Where do you fall on the chart above? Can you think of teams you were a part of that had an imbalance? What was the impact on team performance and morale? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Cliff Notes From the Book on Life – Part 1

I still haven’t gotten my hands on the Book on Life so I don’t know how clearly it lays out all the things we need to know and
remember.  I suspect it doesn’t explicitly state that life isn’t always easy. Maybe that is written somewhere in fine print, hanging off the bottom of a random page, if it is in the book at all.

During honest, open and authentic conversations, you learn about the different things people are going through in life.  Each day we manage multiple aspects of our lives, and when we’re laser focused on the problem du jour, we easily neglect other areas.  I had some good conversations with friends recently and came away with some important takeaways across various aspects of life that are worth remembering.

One friend was traveling for work and contemplating career next steps and taking some time to catch up on the non-career aspects of life.  In a conference call with two friends, one had been thinking about his higher purpose in life because he doesn’t want to settle or live a life where he’s just going through the motions. The other friend questioned his authenticity as he assessed how his interests align to his higher education pursuits.  In another conversation, a friend shared her decision to move to a different city after being honest with herself about always wanting to and realizing this may be the best time.

The takeaways from these conversations were relevant and timely. They’re great reminders that we’re in the driver seat of our lives and own our choices and how we live our lives:

Be a complex, multi-faceted person. Being well-rounded and knowledgeable about different topics adds to your perspective, helps you generate new ideas and enhances how your critical-thinking skills.  You’re more interesting when you can contribute to any conversation and keep up no matter where it goes.

Think and wonder. Why else do we have a brain and the ability to think and process information? Questioning is healthy and you don’t need approval for the possibilities you envision.  Not everyone will stretch their imagination like you, so when people don’t get it, maybe it is just you!  And that’s OK! 🙂

Aspire for more in life.  You don’t need to settle. It is OK to be ambitious, strive and desire to have an impact. It is OK to be passionate about something in life and seek a higher purpose.  This requires a holistic approach to bring it all together for a fulfilling life.

Learn to balance.  Although you may have big aspirations, you have to figure out how to balance everything.  There’s only so much time in the day. You’ll have to balance accomplishing things, being present, being grateful, dreaming big, being practical etc.

Build your toolbox. What tools have you gathered along the way and continue to carry with you on your life journey? Think of all the advice, lessons you learned the hard way, “how to” information, skills, education, talent, and resources you have.  There’s always a need to step up your toolbox game so keep adding to it!

Don’t be another ______.  Whether that’s an employee number, a generic person filling a role, remaining unknown or unacknowledged, you don’t want to live a life where you feel replaceable.  It is OK to be dynamic and unique.  Set yourself apart by providing value and making a difference, not for recognition, but because you want to help others and have an impact.

Own your core.  Focus on and play to your strengths.  Don’t waste time battling with your weaknesses. There is someone who is amazing in that area so let them own it. Focus on what you’re great at and continue to improve in that area.

Be a better version of yourself. The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday. So don’t worry about competing with others or seeking their approval.

Leverage the power of like-minded people. The energy, strength and inspiration from talking to and interacting with like-minded people is amazing. Use that to your advantage to tackle big goals. You don’t do everything yourself.

Make time and space for what’s important. Make time for your interests, family, friends or whatever else is important to you.  When you keep what’s important to you in your life, you’ll keep your momentum going.  This provides a safe space and rejuvenation to propel you forward.

Cross things off your bucket list. This first assumes you have a bucket list. But it isn’t enough to just have one. You need to actively cross things off over time. The good thing is you don’t always need a deadline but make sure you have a plan to get to it.

Be true to yourself. From time to time, ask yourself if you’re being true to yourself or if you’re being disingenuous.  You need to check. It is easy to go through the motions and not intentionally align actions with your overall goals. Do a check up periodically.

Be open to the unexpected.  It is great to have a plan. But sometimes, things go awry!  Life always has jokes. Give yourself a break and be flexible!  Switch things up, pivot as you need to and keep it moving!

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What are some of your favorite life takeaways?  Are any of the ones above on your list? What works for you?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Goal Pillars: Choose the Foundation of the Life You Want

We love the outside reinforcement that comes with a new year and the opportunity it presents to start fresh.  We are gifted a clean slate with 52 untouched weeks, 12 blank months and 365 (or 366) days to start over.  We get another chance at realizing the goals that weren’t prioritized before. In the spirit of being hopeful and positive, we shake off what was and look forward to what will be when we do things better this time around.

Common goals include getting fit, eating healthy, losing weight, saving money, or spending more time with family and friends. Each year, these goals have a 12/31 target date, but they usually go unachieved by the time 12/31 rolls around.  Why is that? Why is it that these “important” goals don’t motivate us enough to achieve them? Why do we have these goals in the first place? Maybe the why isn’t very clear and doesn’t give these goals a higher purpose and greater meaning.

I created a framework using goal pillars to address this.  Each pillar is something you prioritize in order to have a fulfilled life and together they provide balance. Goal pillars facilitate the creation of the best version of yourself and support the overall lifestyle you want.  You can use this framework to simplify the goal-oriented changes needed in your life so your vision of your future becomes a reality.

Goal pillars facilitate the creation of the best version of yourself and support the overall lifestyle you want.

Here is what this looks like:

Here are some pillars you can include in your framework with goals for each:

PHYSICAL

Maintaining soundness of the body, freedom from disease or abnormality and optimal well-being where the body functions as designed.

  • Run 15 miles weekly
  • Drink more water and fewer sugary drinks
  • Get a good night’s rest

MENTAL

Cultivating a healthy psychological, emotional and social well-being which affects how you think, feel and act as you cope with life.

  • Practice meditation to reduce stress
  • Develop a network of positive friends
  • Keep a daily journal to document your feelings

EMOTIONAL

Being happy, self-aware, self-confident and resilient to cope with life’s challenges and recover from setbacks.

  • Build more authentic relationships
  • Develop hobbies to reduce boredom and increase pride in your work product
  • Take a class to learn deep breathing techniques

SPIRITUAL

Religious faith, values, principles, beliefs, and morals.

  • Attend church regularly and pray daily
  • Practice forgiveness
  • Set aside quiet time each day with limited distractions

SOCIAL

How you get along with people, how people react to you and how you interact with society.

  • Visit friends and family more often
  • Talk to strangers and understand their story
  • Start a random act of kindness project

INTELLECTUAL

Ability to think critically, questions one’s surroundings, pay attention to current events, develop creative ways to adapt to unexpected challenges and grow from experiences.

  • Take a course on a new subject
  • Subscribe to a journal or magazine
  • Read at least 10 books

PROFESSIONAL

Improving a career or occupation in which you were trained by learning to earn or maintain professional credentials such a academic degrees, conferences and or other opportunities in order to advance.

  • Attend one industry conference
  • Enroll in training course
  • Secure speaking engagements at local organizations

FINANCIAL

How you manage your money and assets and plan for the future along with the related decisions and activities

  • Develop a personal budget
  • Build and maintain an emergency fund
  • Develop an investment strategy for retirement

PERSONAL

The sum of personal choices that contribute to one’s personal identity

  • Pursue interest in interior design by taking on projects to help friends and family
  • Deepen relationship with extended family members
  • Take more trips and create a travel blog to document the journey

FAMILY

Routine interactions and activities that a family have together including spending time and doing things together

  • Develop family traditions for key holidays
  • Set aside one night per week as family night with board games or movies
  • Create a stronger relationship with my partner

INTERESTS

Activities enjoyed outside of work that are an extension of one’s personality or desired lifestyle

  • Join a volleyball league
  • Buy and rent out an investment property
  • Take an online course on data and analytics

COMMUNITY

Provide resources such as time, items, skills, money, assistance etc. to those in need

  • Volunteer at a local senior home and do art projects with the elderly
  • Donate household items to Salvation Army or Goodwill
  • Tutor students in an after school program

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Identify a customer need and develop a solution that is profitable and scalable

  • Define, invest in, build and run a business
  • Build a team and create systems and processes to run the business remotely
  • Advise startups and mentor founders

The great thing about goal pillars it that the framework is flexible and fluid! As new pillars become a priority in your life, you can add them and remove those you’ve achieved or that are less important.  Instead of moving through life aimlessly, this gives you a tool to design and live a rich, intentional life with purpose!

Here is one more example before it is your turn!

Which pillars would you include in your goal pillars?  I’d love to hear how you use this approach in your own life. Feel free to share in the comments below!  And pass along to anyone who could benefit from this approach!

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