Monday Morning Mojo

How do you define courage? Is it overcoming adversity? Maybe it is overcoming fear?

Webster's defines courage as a "mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty," and in this episode, we dissect and develop our own understanding of what it means to be courageous. Courage can appear in a multitude of states: physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual. On one end of the spectrum, courage can be a mechanism for survival; yet on the other end, it can be about doing the right thing even when the right thing is not the easiest. Courage must be fostered, developed and honored, and this week we encourage you to find the areas in your life where you can demonstrate courage and bring out courage in others.

Please send comments or questions to [email protected]

Think about your work environment. What energy do you and your co-workers bring to the office every day? Is it lively? Dull? What motivates you and your team to engage whole-heartedly in a project?

In this episode, we discuss how to bring a jolt of fresh energy to your company culture in honor of the start of a new season. The weather is turning cool and crisp, football stadiums are filling up on the weekends, the school-year has just begun, and now is the best possible time to re-instill passion into your organization. Finding strategies to recharge the energy in your company culture is vital to success. It will not only lay the groundwork for future business growth, but will also bring some fun into everyone's daily routine.

Please send comments or questions to [email protected]

The Cannon Curve Podcast: http://www.cannonfinancial.com/the-cannon-curve

What if we told you that goal based planning is failing for many firms and also many advisors. On more than one occasion, we have noticed that when a firm or advisor is asked to identify specific metrics for their various goals, they often struggle.

In this morning's episode we dive into why that may be, and as it turns out, the solution is quite simple. There are two key elements that can cause goal-based planning to fail, and they both revolve around not having a tangible vision to base your goals on. Goal-setting is on its own a monotonous process that tends to focus on the "what" and the "how." However, the simple yet crucial question you must ask begins with "why." Today we are going to talk about the "why"

Please send comments or questions to [email protected]

It's not About the Nail: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EDhdAHrOg

Have you ever found yourself overwhelmed when confronted with the idea of a life change – big or small? It is fairly human to fear the unknown, to fear failure, to fear disappointment, to fear stepping away from a comfort zone; and for many of us, the idea of change generally carries at least one, if not most, of these fears with it.

In this episode, we outline four steps to pragmatically asses whatever change you may be contemplating. By following these four steps, we hope that you can view change in a way that will either make the transition less overwhelming or allow you to confidently remain on your current path. We encourage you to retake control when change makes you feel like you are riding shotgun instead of sitting behind the wheel; we encourage you to not let fear of change inhibit you from taking action; and, most importantly, we encourage you to change the way you perceive change.

Resources:

Please send comments or questions to: [email protected]

The Cannon Curve Podcast: http://www.cannonfinancial.com/the-cannon-curve

The Shawshank Redemption (IMDB): http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/

Is society losing its grip on good, deep, solid conversations? Yes, we are more connected on a macro level through technology and social media, but have we lost some of our face-to-face communication skills because of our digitally evolving world?

In this episode, we talk conversations. We discuss the importance of seeking to understand rather than seeking to be heard when conversing with one another, and Phil shares three questions he typically asks during a conversation with a new acquaintance. He finds that ironically, to become a better conversationalist, you must speak less and listen more – actively learning from what your conversational partner has to share.

After 10 days off the grid, away from phones, email, wifi, television, etc., Phil returns with key insights he gained while conversing with a gentleman who had also used those ten days to abstain from technology. This particular gentleman has managed to maintain an impressive number of accomplishments, which brought up two questions: Why do you do the things you do? And, how do you find the time? In this episode we discuss the importance of taking advantage of the time we are given. Time passes whether you are doing great things or not, so why not do great things? We all have dreams; now is the time to move those dreams into action.

What does "just doing the job" mean to you? When you ask those who have served, fought and received the Congressional Medal of Honor, "just doing the job" means demonstrating unparalleled valor and courage against enemy forces. Talking to these men and discovering the humble way in which they speak of their experiences and accomplishments is inspiring. On the battlefield, men learn brotherhood and the importance of putting the fate of the whole above the fate of one's self. And off the battlefield, these men realize the importance of putting their relationships with family, friends, and fellow soldiers above the pettiness of everyday life. In this episode, we encourage to learn from their stories and measured approaches to life. Put the needs of your clients and your clients' families above your own and always hold fast to humility. We do more than influence our clients' journeys, we serve as chief navigators, and with that responsibility comes great accountability.

Resources: Congressional Medal of Honor Society: http://www.cmohs.org/ Jack H. Jacobs, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient: http://www.pbs.org/weta/americanvalor/stories/jacobs.html General Jimmy Dolittle, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Doolittle

"See I believe life is an influenced journey. Based on certain Circumstances, we are all put into situations that at times empower us and at other times restrain us. The key is appreciating the lessons in all circumstances." - Words from Chief Justice John G. Roberts' commencement address (2017)

Failure is not permanent, but neither is success. How will you choose to embrace success and failure? How will you choose to relate to them? How will you choose to learn from them? And finally, how will you ultimately choose to manage them?

In this episode, we reflect on the importance of staying humble and kind when you are filled with pride and success, and to own your failures in a way that will shape your life for a positive future. Failure is not permanent, but neither is success, and to accept this, is to become a force for good.

Resources:

Chief Justice John G. Roberts' commencement address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzu9S5FL-Ug

Tim McGraw's, "Humble and Kind": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awzNHuGqoMc

Sarah Platten's, "Fight Song": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo1VInw-SKc

Charles R. Swindoll: http://www.insight.org/

The hypothesis: Monday Morning Mojo listeners are likely leaders in various forms or fashions.

Now, you may be asking yourself, "Why would they think this?" Well, we came to this conclusion based on our research which shows most of you to be active learners – listening to three or more podcasts a week and reading voraciously. We realize that leaders come in many forms, and when you invest in yourself by seeking knowledge, perspective, and understanding, you grow in your capacity to influence those around you.

Thus, this past Wednesday we proudly launched the inaugural episode of our latest podcast series, the Cannon Curve. This podcast is dedicated to unearthing the stories of impactful leaders through a series of interview-style episodes. In the handful of interviews conducted to date, we are already noticing a pattern of great leaders possessing the unique ability to instill confidence in their peers and to even go a step further by motivating their peers to achieve more than they once believed possible.

In this episode, we encourage you to follow this pattern and strive to make others the best they can be. It is all of our responsibilities to set a positive example and give back to others through encouragement and inspiration.

Resources:

The Cannon Curve: http://www.cannonfinancial.com/the-cannon-curve-podcast/

Kessel Stelling: https://www.synovus.com/about-us/our-leadership/kessel-stelling

Dr. Stacy Campbell: http://coles.kennesaw.edu/faculty/campbell-stacy.php

What great thoughts are locked in your brain? Have you ever thought to write them down? For Spanx founder and entrepreneur extraordinaire, Sara Blakely, writing down her thoughts and ideas about a seamless, body-slimming undergarment helped to solidify her business plan for her now multi-billion dollar company.

In this episode of Monday Morning Mojo, we discuss the importance of taking time each day to reflect on your day's journey, the people with whom you interacted, as well as any inspiration you found throughout your day. We encourage you to keep a journal close at hand to collect these thoughts. Who knows you might have the next great idea.

Sources/Resources

Spanx – Sara Blakely: http://www.spanx.com/about-us

Plato - http://www.arkintime.com/know-thyself/plato/

Journaling:

- What is Journaling - http://www.becomingwhoyouare.net/what-is-journaling/

- Benefits of Journaling - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thai-nguyen/benefits-of-journaling-_b_6648884.html

- Health Benefits of Journaling - https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling/