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Weekend Challenge #06 (02/29/2020): START SOMETHING NEW

HERE IS YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE: START SOMETHING NEW

you weekend challenge has arrived

Listen to this weekend’s Weekend Challenge

Welcome To The Weekend. It is time for another challenge.

This weekend marks the end of the last full month of the Winter Season. Yep, Spring arrives on Thursday, March 19th and ends on Saturday, June 20th. That means that as the new season arrives so does the spring weather, the environment, and we arrive coming out of the winter ready for a new season of growth. Soon, we shed out winter attire (for those that had a real winter) and on goes the spring fashion. Yet, this is also the time to shed something else.

Shed those thoughts and ideas of doing something new and do something new for yourself.

As a leader, you have resolved yourself to be a lifelong learner. As a lifelong learner, you should always be up for the next adventure, the next new & exciting thing to do. Even if that thing means reading a book, going for a walk, or just crafting something new.

This weekend’s challenge is truly all about you getting yourself ready to GET OUT AND DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

There is no fancy list to make, there is no itinerary to set, there is only you getting up and execute.

I know you have had grandiose plans in your mind that if just had an opportunity to get started. If you just had the motivation to add one more thing to your list of things you are already doing. Well, guess what here it is. Reach into your well of “I wish”, “I could”, “I should” and pick one new thing to do and get started.

I cannot stress how important it is to continuously be doing something and continuously adding something new to the mix. It works to keep you motivated, to keep you inspired, to keep you going and ultimately, it makes you want more. To add more to the pile that is your life.

I will used myself as an example. I have a FULL-TIME job (Monday through Friday 8-5), training for my first 10K run in over 30 years (done lots of 5Ks) and currently I video blog Monday through Friday, microblog Monday through Friday, a weekly live sports talk show with my brother, audio podcast once a week and a once a month podcast for my Veterans website. Speaking of websites, did you know I currently am the webmaster for five websites? I currently am writing three books (Leadership, Historical Fiction, and Murder Mystery).

Now, I am adding this Weekend Challenge to my already growing list of things I do because of two reasons; I want to share my message with you and I want you to succeed in what you do. I want that success to come from your hard work, your dedication, and your commitment to YOURSELF!

Also I do this to show you, that no matter what the situation YOU can ALWAYS do just a little bit more. I am sharing this Weekend Challenge because I am very tired of hearing the excuses as to why people refuse to become better individuals, better human beings. Again, I offer myself as the If this middle-aged, married, father of two, home owner, full time employee, Veteran, and author can do it, there is really no excuse for YOU NOT TO ADD JUST ONE THING TO DO. Something just for you. I know you can do it because I know you have it in you.

How do I know you have it in you? Because you have taken the time to read this and have made it this far. As I mentioned, I have just grown so very tiresome of ALL the nonsense, excuses, and BS that comes from the people that I know can take back control of their lives and turn themselves around and do something better. Do just one new thing better.
It is up to you. It is solely up to you to decide to stay right where you are, spinning your wheels or step up, step out, and make life better for you.

I CHALLENGE YOU TO STOP WITH THE EXCUSES AND GET TO WORK!

P.S. I forgot to mention, I am already on the lookout for the next thing to add to my ever growing list.

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Weekend Challenge 03 (02/08.20): HOW AM I DOING?

you weekend challenge has arrived

Remember, we are supposed to be learning from out past. The choice we made can never be undone but those choices also serve to shape our future. For every action we take there is an outcome we may or may not like.

However, when we make what we perceive to be rational and sound choices then no matter the outcome we feel we made the right choice. Whether the outcome was what we expected or not. It is when we make hasty and rash decisions that are not worth the risk that…well we get what we deserve: a hasty, rash and unsound outcome. To avoid the outcomes that are not in our favor or not exactly what we expected we have to focus on being intentional with our decision making and be prepared to deliver on a decision that may sometimes not give us what we expect or want.

One way to be intentional in our future decision making is to review our past decisions. Please read carefully: TO REVIEW OUR PAST DECISIONS and NOT TO DWELL ON THOSE DECISIONS AND THEIR OUTCOMES.

Sadly, as I write this I know there are individuals that are going to only read the last seven words of the previous sentence and all that I am writing will go to waste (on them).

Good thing, you are not one of those that dwells on past decisions only to repeat making the decisions that CONTINUE to deliver the outcomes and expectations that are NOT what you expected or anticipated. As leaders, the only common thread to decision making is ensuring that whatever the decision it is something you will learn from and become better as a leader but also as a human being.

REVIEW YOUR DECISIONS
The weekend, is the perfect time to pour yourself a cup of coffee or a cuppa tea or a snifter of warm brandy or whatever you choose to drink, and reflect on the past seven (7) days.

Use this weekend to review the following and be HONEST with yourself:

  • What decisions were made?
  • What decisions did you not make?
  • Which decisions could have been better with more info?
  • Which decisions were made in haste?
  • Which decisions were made as a form of revenge (for example, I’ll show them)?
  • Which decisions changed your life for the better?
  • Which decisions changed your life for the worse?
  • How were your relationships made better by your decisions?
  • How were your relationships strained by your decisions?
  • Did the decisions you made have a negative impact on others?
  • Did the decisions you made have a lasting and positive impact on others?
  • NOW REALLY BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF: Did the decisions you made have a negative impact on YOU?

These questions are to be used solely to IMPROVE your future. The answers are yours and yours alone, you do not have to share them with anyone but you do have to think about them but not for too long. Thinking too long is where the dwelling begins and that is NOT a good thing.

In the answers, see what needs improvement, what needs to be removed, what needs to be modified and most importantly what needs to remain. However, this will only work if you are willing to be HONEST and TRUTHFUL with yourself. It can be difficult because there are far too many individuals that truly believe they do not need to improve but everyone around them does.

Thus, I challenge you to get rid of the bad, the nastiness, the bitterness, the sadness, the distrust, the anger, the destructive, scarcity mindset and yes WE all have them to some degree or another. In case you FAILED to read that right, I wrote WE which INCLUDES ME.

I Challenge You to be better, do better, because as an adult and leader, you already KNOW better.

I Challenge You to let the good, happiness, growth and the abundance mindset in, take root and grow inside you.

I Challenge You to find the way to let the best in you coming shining through. To be the best version of you that you can be.

This Decision Review Challenge is one that you must repeat every week. Repeat it so that you are constantly improving. This challenge is actually quite simple on the complexity scale of 1 to 10. I give this a 5. Five in that, it may be a bitter pill to swallow, at first, but once you find yourself asking and honestly answering these questions it will get better. I promise it will get better and you will become better. You become better because you are aware of your actions and behaviors.

You are better because YOU WANT TO BECOME BETTER.

Well there it is, YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE, now get to work!

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Humans are Irrational and emotional. Focus On The Rational by David Guerra (06/100)

When we are young one thing is certain: WE HAVE HUGE EGOS! Our egos are so huge that it is a miracle that we survived. As Stinger (James Tolkan) told Maverick (Tom Cruise) in the motion picture, TOP GUN (1986), “Son, your ego is writing checks your body can’t cash!” Lucky for Maverick, he never cashed in or out (depends on how you look at it.)

It was a matter of time before our ego caught up with us or we out grew the false bravado and façades to be come the rational and in-control individuals we have become.

There is one thing to remember: we never grow up. There is always something or someone that will trigger your ego and there we go with irrational, emotional behavior. Sad but true. For some, it may be quicker and for others it may take a little more prodding but it will happen.

That’s OK, we are only human after all. We are not perfect. Sure, many want to believe they are perfect. Yet, perfection is subjective and thus; no one is perfect. I am not perfect; you are not perfect. Did I mention I am not perfect?

By recognizing we are not perfect and there will be times when we become irrational & emotional, we can then to work on improving ourselves. We can begin work on the rational. By being aware and cognizant that by being rational focusing on that, we can accomplish more, we can be more.

By learning the valuable lessons that come with falling into the trap of being/becoming irrational then we can focus on the rational. The focus we have, built on the mistakes and actions of the past, will only work if we can admit to ourselves that we messed up, that we fell victim to our ego, that we cannot blame anyone else for our own failures and shortcomings.

It is not easy for some people to confront themselves over the fact that the ego can be manipulated, easily triggered. Once we can overcome that hurdle then can we make some serious change to our life process. That is if you want to make a conscious effort to improve and leave the lack of focus, the irrational and emotion in the past, then be ready to work.

While, you will never be completely emotionless. Remember, in Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Spock could not complete the Kolinahr, the Vulcan ritual to purge all emotions. He was half-human after all. So, what did he do? The only logical thing. This was to admit that he was also human and proceeded to live his life with his emotions. The learned that emotions were part of who he is and what he will be.

However, because he worked at controlling his emotions, the character of Spock, went on to be better and do better. The same can work for you and you do not have to be half-Vulcan. As a matter of fact, you can be 100% human and work on being clear and level headed.

You can do this by committing to being better, doing better, and working on focusing on the rational. It will serve you well when it comes dealing with people and situations that will tax you. Avoid them while you start the process of focusing on the rational. Of course, you cannot avoid people all the time. However, you can avoid those individuals that would be considered bumps in the road to your success.

Do what it takes with what you have but do not give up hope, deny patience, and most of all stick to your commitment to being successful.