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The Sounding Board…a place for idea enhancement, issue clarification and feedback. At Greatness Unlimited, we understand that there is real value to having someone serve as an impartial sounding board for ideas, thoughts and/or issues.
New Year's Resolution
???: My New Year’s Resolution this year is the same as it was last year. I’m thinking of doing something drastic to make it happen, but don’t know whether or not it will help make the habit stick.
Response: I know you are not alone in this phenomenon. There are many people who have the best intentions in making a needed change and then realize that intention alone is not sufficient. What’s getting in the way of you making the desired change in habit? Search this list of top 10 reasons people fail to change a habit. What mistakes are you currently making?
1. Trying to change more than one independent habit at a time.
2. Not seeking, creating or using a support structure.
3. Changing for or rebelling against someone else.
4. Aren’t replacing the habit with something that feeds you
5. Haven’t addressed the need that the habit is feeding
6. Haven’t anchored the new habit fits to something you always do.
7. Don’t really want to change (status quo is comfortable).
8. Don’t believe it is possible or that we can do it.
9. Haven’t gotten clear on how new habit fits with existing habits and desires.
10. Don’t know how to change it.
MyGoals.com provides an automated way for defining an approach to achieving specific goals. It helps create an action plan and an accountability structure. To learn more about MyGoals.com, please click here.
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Be Happy
???: I have a simple, though elusive, goal—waking up happy and going to bed happy, every single day. Is that too much to ask?
Response: It sounds like you are striving for something you don’t believe is possible. Belief in a goal is really important if you want the journey toward it to be meaningful. While many people believe that life is a struggle or difficult, others understand that in the midst of life’s urgencies there is always the possibility of experiencing happiness. I would encourage you to start here--notice and dwell on the good stuff. Some people have found keeping a daily Gratitude Journal; tracking what goes well (had hot water for shower, clothing to put on, …); and/or identifying and cultivating habits that nourish them to be useful.
After you’ve begun believing that waking up happy and going to bed happy every single day is possible, then its time to figure out whether your talents, strengths and, passions are in line with your daily actions.
If you are interested in learning more, please contact us.
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What's Next
???: I have reached the point in my life where I’ve met all the goals I set for myself professionally, financially and personally. I used to be really jazzed by my work and now I feel a bit bored and at loose ends. For the first time in my life I don’t know what I should do next. I have a love of jazz music and am wondering if sponsoring a documentary or series of concerts would be a good next step.
Response: First of all, congratulations on meeting your initial goals! There are many successful goal-oriented people who meet their initial goals and then hit a wall of despair. Since it sounds like you may fall into this goal-oriented category, I would recommend defining a goal that you think is impossible to be achieved in your lifetime. What groundwork can you lay for future generations to develop further? In addition to being long-range, in order for the new goal to be meaningful and useful it must be aligned with your values and passions and be a need in the world at large.
If you are interested in finding out more about creating a legacy or discovering your life’s purpose, please contact us.
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Is Happy Enough?
???: I am happy in my job, but am not extremely inspired or engaged by it. Any advice?
Response: Happy is good...congrats. The first question I would ask is if you are extremely inspired or engaged in other aspects of your life? The second question is this: have you ever had the experience of extreme inspiration and/or engagement? As I've sought to create systems and people that thrive I've had to make some adjustments on my definition of what a fully engaged person looks like that includes natural talent, passion and behavioral hardwiring. It is a mistake to look for the same signs of engagement from different behavioral types: extreme inspiration/engagement won't happen for some behavioral types. For some behavioral types, whether or not you look forward to getting up and going to work each day is a better indicator of engagement than extreme inspiration.
If you are feeling like something is missing pay attention to that. It could be as simple as adjusting your definition of success to better reflect who you are or as complex as understanding your relationship to the world at large and the spiritual aspects of life.
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