The Liminal One Project

This week's episode is an introduction to the book, Designing Your Life (DYL) by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. Though I don't go into great detail, I discuss how this book influenced my life, how it was my missing manuscript for how I lived my life and how I followed through on my plan in less than a year. Engineering and Design feed to the right side of humanism and psychology, this book provides a great method for living the life you truly want...so much so, I decide to get certified as a DYL Coach. 

From Freak to Friend was going to be the title to this week's episode 65, based on a new connection that I made this week. Either or, this person got me thinking about the power of new connections, that could lead to changes in our lives. From my event last weekend in Chicago, to the friend who left his job after 17 years; paying attention to opportunity, new connections, future relationships can lead to some important points in our lives. It's not the money, cars, houses, but the connections with people in our lives that will make our journey. Build (and change) your story by meeting and connection with new people. 

In Episode 64, we continue the conversation from last week on using your data to met your goals. This week's focus is a more in-depth look at the SWOT (Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats) quadrant, typically used in Bus. Strategic Planning. Taking a look at the Helpful/Harmful and the Internal/External will help you make decisions surrounding the changes you seek in your life. Completion of the SWOT activity can be completed in a little as 30 minutes, and it can be used over and over again.

In Episode 63, Optimize Your Personal Data for Success, we discuss Big Data and how the giants use it to create your experience. Why then, are we not collecting and using our own data to life our best life. Spend time using the I Know, You Know and the SWOT Analysis to collect data and use it to optimize your goals and your life. It more effective than just hoping you get it right. 

We love positive criticism, but not so much the negative. Why? There are many reason that humans don't like the negative. However, the negative, if constructive, is just as beneficial as the positive. For true change, and going off after your goals, you need to find honest, trustworthy people, who are willing to give you positive, and especially negative constructive criticism. It will provide impactful benefits for your change and your life. Let go of your ego and let your guard down; accept criticism with open arms. 

In today's world, there are thousands of noises that we hear; chatter of the everyday and people that we interact with. How often though are you listening, opposed to just hearing. The benefits of effective listening are vast, including picking up on positive signs that relate to unanswered questions. By merely paying attention, we will start to realize that many answers are right in front of us. This also goes for listening to ourselves when physically and mentally we are feeling great or like we should retreat. Pay attention to yourself and spend more time on listening. 

Are you acting or reacting? Last week, I took a training on active shooter. Unfortunately, we have to be concerned with these events. A key concept in that training is to Act, not React. This is the same in professional sports...Acting scores points. The best run up the scoreboards. As we think about acting or reacting, we tend to react. We react to deadlines, time...and usually it causes stress, fatigue and missed opportunity. Instead, I suggest that we should focus on those tasks firsts, those we don't want to really do. Act on them, and you will be much happier. You will also accomplish your goals. 

Don't fake it until you make it; you'll get called out. If you want to be a motivational speaker or write a book, first live your story. People don't listen to people who pulled a presentation from a newspaper. Focus on your journey, create the changes you need to get there and let the story tell itself. This week, we discuss why staying authentic even when you focus on change, will provide greater success. Actually, being authentic is usually what takes people to living their best life and the ability to tell to others. 

The Liminal One Project, where we focus our conversation on leading and managing change. I don't remember when that tagline started but I do remember why I created it. As we think about our lives, what we want, and the changes we want to see; we need to lead those changes. However, things do come at us from outside of our control and require us to manage them. Tune-in this week surrounding why it's great to lead change, and only manage change, when absolutely necessary. 

In this episode, we discuss why and when it is okay to quit. This goes for jobs, starting a business, changes you want to see. Sometimes you heart and gut are just not in it. You need to walk away and gain back some time, happiness and the opportunity for your next change.  At the heart of this you need to fall, be resilient and fail forward. This concept of It's Okay to Quit is not for the quick decision, times are tough today, but for the person who knows this doesn't feel right, and I'm no longer motivated. This acceptance, I quit,  will create a stronger, newly energized, you.