Use Your Edge

A Short Story About Awareness

2008-11-17T09:00:00.004Z

When I was pregnant with my second child, I had many ambivalent feelings. You see, my first child was just that, my first. It was just the two of us and my attention was solely focused on him. I could not imagine anything or anyone interrupting my time with him. I loved my first child so much that I felt guilty that I was expecting another not understanding how I could ever divide my love between the two. People would say "I bet you are so excited that your son will have a new sibling soon." I politely nodded and secretly thought, that my first son was the center of my life it is incomprehensible that a second child could be anything but that, second. I remember worrying and thinking how can I possibly divide my love? The big day came and it was just that, big. I so clearly remember the nurse handing me my new born son. I wept with new found awareness. When love grows it multiplies, love never divides. I went on to have four more children and my love as a parent has multiplied each time.

This inspiring story was written and shared by Kelly Rippon of Authentic Change.

Visit Kelly's website and watch her Genuis Movie

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

Awareness

2008-11-10T09:00:00.002Z

Here is an excellent video to get you all thinking about the area of awareness.

A few quotes about awareness.

“What is necessary to change a person is to change his awareness of himself.”
Abraham Maslow

“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.”
Nathaniel Branden

“Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness.”
Jim Rohn

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

The State of The Union - The Union of The States

2008-11-03T09:00:00.000Z

The United States of Resource

We spoke recently about the fact that one of the main presuppositions of NLP is that within us, we all have the resources that we need to be successful in anything that we want to do. Owen Fitzpatrick, in his book 'Conversations - Freedom is Everything & Love is All the Rest', suggests that there are eight different resource states, and that if we can master getting into those states we can be more effective, more quickly and more often. Three of the states are referred to as input states and the other five as output states. The input states allow us to successfully take in information and learn from the world, whereas the output states help us to effectively act and behave in the the world.

Input States

Awareness - Pay attention to what is happening in the world and get an insight to what is happening in your head.

Openness - Be open to new ideas, new experiences, new learning.

Curiosity - Always ask questions and wonder about things.

Output States

Flexibility - The more flexible you are, the more choices you have. It is this that gives you more ability to deal with the situations that you are in.

Perseverance -Never give up, see failure as a way forward.

Pragmatism - What is the most useful thing that you can do right now?

Responsibility - Be accountable for what is happening in situations and use and improve on your ability to respond.

Creativity - Use your imagination to be more effective in what you do.

Over the coming weeks we will look at these different resource states and discuss what we can do to maximise our ability to really get ourselves into a state!

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best
Séamus

Owen Fitzpatrick is one of the co-founders of The Irish Institute of NLP. They offer a variety of courses and training in NLP.

NLP Taster Sessions - Highly Effective Teaching & Learning

2008-10-06T09:00:00.006+01:00

Neuro-Linguistic Programming For Teachers

Friday October 24th & Friday October 31st 11.00 -14.00
British Language Centre, 377 Bravo Murillo, 2D

A Magnificent Opportunity to

Make a Difference in the Language Learning Classroom

NLP is the practice of understanding how people organise their thinking, feeling, language and behaviour to produce the results they do.

It offers the unique opportunity for teachers, trainers and educators to learn new ways of inspiring and engaging learners. With an increased awareness and a wealth of effective strategies, teachers can become more skilful in creating positive environments and designing, planning and developing successful learning.

During this interactive taster session you will gain an understanding of the basic principles of NLP. You will also have an opportunity to try out some of the methodologies and techniques as well as discover practical ideas on how you can support your students to accelerate learning and maximise potential.

You will also have an opportunity to enjoy a fun and rewarding morning.

Places on these Introductory Taster Sessions are very limited and we suggest that you confirm your place now by contacting us at seamus@useyouredge.com

These taster sessions will be given by Séamus Ó Muircheartaigh, who has worked extensively on CELTA and DELTA training courses for the last ten years at the British Language Centre, Madrid. Séamus is a member of the International Coach Federation and works as an NLP coach, specialising in working with teachers and educators. He is a Licensed Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and is qualified to administer and interpret the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and the Strong Interest Inventory®.

MBTI® & Strong Interest Inventory® Special Offer

2008-10-01T09:00:00.002+01:00

No idea what to do next?
Need help identifying career options you might not have thought of?
Want practical suggestions as to what careers might be right for you?

Assessments for Personal & Career Development

From now until the end of September we are offering special discounts for students and educators on our two assessments for personal and career development.

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator® & The Strong Interest Inventory®

Take internationally renowned assessments from the comfort of your own home, receive a personalised downloadable report and have an in depth follow up discussion with an experienced educational coach.

The MBTI® assessment is the best known and most trusted personality tool available today. It is designed to help you understand your unique personality and the way you relate to others around you. It has a long history with more studies done and more extensive revisions than almost any other personality assessment tool. It is utilized worldwide by organizations ranging from educational institutions to Fortune 500 companies.

Taking the inventory and receiving feedback will help you identify your unique gifts. The information enhances understanding of yourself, your motivations, your natural strengths and potential areas for growth. It will also help you to appreciate people who are different from you.

Read more about The Myers Briggs Type Indicator®

The Strong Interest Inventory® is the most widely researched, validated and used career planning instrument available. It is a powerful method for matching the interests of an individual with opportunities for jobs, education and leisure activities. If you are unsure about your next move or would like help narrowing down the many options out there, then this unique tool is for you.

Read more about The Strong Interest Inventory®

Special offer extended until October 31st

If you would like more about how you take advantage of these very special discounts, contact me at seamus@useyouredge.com

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best
Séamus

The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas

2008-09-29T09:00:00.000+01:00

An excellent film worth going to see at the moment is 'The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. bases on the book of the same name and set during World War II, it is a story seen through the innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year-old son of the commandant at a concentration camp, whose forbidden friendship with a Jewish boy on the other side of the camp fence has startling and unexpected consequences.

Here is the trailer.

I would also like to recommend a truly exceptional book, 'Man's Search For Meaning' by Victor Frankl. The book written in 1946, chronicles Frankl's experiences as a concentration camp inmate and describes his psychotherapeutic method of finding a reason to live.

Here are some quotes.

"We who lived in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way."

"Nietzsche's words, 'He who has a why to live or of a for can bear with almost any how."

"When we are no longer able to change a situation—just think of an incurable disease such as inoperable cancer—we are challenged to change ourselves"

"Fundamentally, therefore, any man can, even under such circumstances, decide what shall become of him - mentally and spiritually. He may retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp."

"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual."

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

Make it a great week, it's your choice

My best

Séamus

Yoda Does Some Teaching

2008-09-08T09:00:00.002+01:00

Yoda does some teaching!

Yoda: Use the Force. Yes, ...

Yoda: Now... the stone. Feel it.

Yoda: Concentrate!

Luke: Oh, no. We'll never get it out now.

Yoda: So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?

Luke: Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different.

Yoda: No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.

Luke: (focusing, quietly) All right, I'll give it a try.

Yoda: No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

Luke: (panting heavily) I can't. It's too big.

Yoda: Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hm? Mmmm.

Yoda: And well you should not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. Its energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we... (Yoda pinches Luke's shoulder) .. not this crude matter.You must feel the Force around you. Here, between you... me... the tree... the rock... everywhere! Yes, even between this land and that ship!

Luke: You want the impossible.

Luke: I don't... I don't believe it.

Yoda: That is why you fail.

Make it a great week, it´s your choice.

My best

Séamus

How To 'Make It' As A Teacher or What Do Teachers Make?

2008-09-01T09:00:00.003+01:00

Now that everyone is going back to school after the holidays here is a clip that pretty much speaks for itself really!

Have a great week, it's your choice

My best

Séamus

Special September MBTI® & Strong Interest Inventory® Offer

2008-08-25T09:00:00.001+01:00

No idea what to do next?
Need help identifying career options you might not have thought of?
Want practical suggestions as to what careers might be right for you?

Assessments for Personal & Career Development

From now until the end of September we are offering special discounts for students and educators on our two assessments for personal and career development.

The Myers Briggs Type Indicator® & The Strong Interest Inventory®

Read more about The Myers Briggs Type Indicator®

Read more about The Strong Interest Inventory®

Special discounts until September 30th

If you would like more about how you take advantage of these very special discounts, contact me at seamus@useyouredge.com

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best
Séamus

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® - MBTI®

2008-08-18T09:00:00.028+01:00

The MBTI is a personality inventory or questionnaire that sorts people into 16 types depending on how they fall on four different scales. The four scales are:

Extraversion/Introversion - How am I around people?
Sensing/Intuition – How Do I prefer to gather information?
Thinking/Feeling – How do I make decisions?
Judging/Perceiving – What sort of lifestyle is best for me?

The theory behind the MBTI® is that people have a tendency to feel more comfortable at either end of the spectrum across those four preferences. The various combinations of these preferences result in 16 personality types.

Types are typically denoted by four letters--for example, INTJ (Introversion, Intuition with Thinking and Judging)--to represent one’s tendencies on the four scales. Your assessment report will help you better understand how you approach the world, how you prefer to make decisions and what kind of environment you feel most comfortable in.The MBTI® instrument is designed to help you understand your unique personality and the way you relate to others around you. It is backed by thousands of research studies and has been found to be both reliable and valid in assessing personality. Last year alone two million people used their MBTI® results to gain understanding about themselves and the people around them.The MBTI® is also used in a wide variety of contexts such as

Self-understanding and development
Career development and exploration
Organisation development
Reducing workplace conflict
Improving individual and team performance
Team building
Management and leadership training
Talent development and retention
Problem solving
Relationship counselling
Education and curriculum development
Academic counselling
Diversity and multicultural training

How does it work?

The MBTI® is taken online and takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. You receive an e-mail with a link to the assessment and full instructions, including user name and password.
Once you’ve completed your online session and your results have been interpreted, a personalised report will be prepared.
We will then schedule a 1-hour feedback session where we will discuss your results and provide you with an in-depth interpretation, as well as practical suggestions and advice that will help you get the most out of it and use it to address your individual needs.

Are there different reports?

There are a variety of different reports tailored to meet your specific needs.

MBTI® Interpretive report - Choose this if you want to understand more about MBTI type, without needing a particular work perspective.
MBTI® Interpretive report for organisations - For people who want to understand and enhance their performance at work.
MBTI® Career report - If your goal is help in identifying alternative careers then choose the career report.

Who should take the MBTI®?

People interested in personal development who want to understand themselves more.
Employees who want to be more effective when working with others.
Those contemplating career change who want to get ideas for future career options.

For more information and to book your Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® contact us at seamus@useyouredge.com

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

August Rush - A Film For The Non-Conscious Mind

2008-08-11T09:00:00.005+01:00

We have had a couple of songs for the non-conscious mind over recent months but here is a really good film for the non-conscious mind that I came across recently, August Rush.

The film, directed by Kristin Sheridan, tells the story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and a sheltered young cellist (Keri Russell) who have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square. They are soon torn apart however, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York and cared for by a mysterious stranger (Robin Williams), August (Freddie Highmore) uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth.

The film has a very simple yet extremely powerful message. Whatever it is, play your music, your way. No matter what your music is, no matter what your purpose is, go out and do it. The right people will find you when they are ready to hear.

Have a look at the trailer here.

'The music is all around us, all you have to do is listen.'

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

The Strong Interest Inventory®

2008-08-04T09:00:00.001+01:00

No idea of what to do next?

Need help identifying career options you might not have thought of?

Want practical suggestions as to what careers might be right for you?

The Strong Interest Inventory® is a powerful method for matching the interests of an individual with opportunities for jobs, education and leisure activities. It is based on the premise that individuals are most satisfied and productive when they work in jobs or at tasks that they find interesting and when they work with people whose interests are similar to their own.

The results of your test, i.e. your interests and personal style, are compared to thousands of individuals who report being happy and successful in their jobs. The occupations undertaken by people whose scores are identical (or very similar) to yours are therefore suggested as career options for you to consider. Since you share their interests and style it is highly likely that you would therefore also feel happy and fulfilled in their jobs and occupations.

How does it work?

The Strong Interest Inventory® is taken online and takes about 25-40 minutes to complete. You receive an e-mail with a link to the assessment and full instructions, including user name and password.

Once you’ve completed the online session and your results will be interpreted have been a personalised report which measures your individual interest in a wide range of occupations, occupational activities and also identifies your learning, interpersonal and management styles will be prepared. Your report identifies your optimum career choices based on your interests and includes additional related occupations with concise job descriptions. Click here to see what a Strong® report looks like.

Usually within 2-12 hours your report will be sent to you as an Adobe PDF file, at weekends it may take a little longer. We will then organise a 1-hour feedback session where we will provide you with an in-depth interpretation of your results, as well as practical suggestions and advice that will help you get the most out of it and use it to address your individual issue(s).

Are there different reports?

There are a variety of different reports tailored to meet your specific needs. Each report is designed to meet the needs of adults considering a career change, seeking more satisfying work within an organization or planning their retirement. It introduces young people to the process of career choice and what to study at university, or which occupation best meets their interests.

Profile Report: This report is for you if you want to find out more about the types of jobs that match with your interests. It comprises 9 pages, but you get much more detail with the Interpretive report.
Interpretive Report: As well as the profile report, you also get the expanded interpretive report. It goes into much more detail, 19 pages in total.
High School Edition: This is the profile report with additional information specifically for young people as they make their initial educational choices.
College Edition: This is the profile report with additional information to help you make university choices.

You can also take the Strong alongside the MBTI® and get a combined report in addition to the 2 individual reports.

Who should take the Strong Interest Inventory®?

People unsure about their future career goals
People in the early stages of career planning
People who would like some pointers as to what would be useful and interesting leisure activities

If you would like more about how you can take The Strong Interest Inventory®, contact me at seamus@useyouredge.com

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

The Really Good Fun Cartoon Book of NLP

2008-07-28T09:00:00.000+01:00

Hi folks,

I wanted to take this opportunity to mention a book that I received recently. It's called 'The Really Good Fun Book of NLP' and yes indeed, it really does live up to it's name.

It's an excellent book with a clear explanation of the essentials of NLP without the jargon and presented with the help of a series of insightful, amusing and memorable cartoons.

The book is a great starting point for those curious about NLP and anyone interested in applying the principles in their everyday lives.

The Coaching Clinic®

2008-07-14T09:00:00.000+01:00

Use Your Edge offers The Coaching Clinic® to individuals, businesses and schools and organisations.

The Coaching Clinic® is a two-day leadership programme designed to train managers, executives, leaders and supervisors to use coaching techniques in their work relationships, and thus gain the advantage of bringing a coach approach to managing people. It generates rapid development of individuals and teams, and increases leadership potential. It has been brought into organisations worldwide by Corporate Coach U trained and licensed facilitators, and has earned the reputation as a comprehensive training in core coaching skills.

What does The Coaching Clinic® do?

The Coaching Clinic® effectively trains individuals in the skills necessary for coaching within an organization. It is a fully developed model, which managers and leaders can implement immediately in their organization to promote innovation and accelerate results. effectively develop and retain valuable organizational members. improve organizational communication and team effectiveness. deepen commitment to personal and organizational goals.

What's in it for me?

Through The Coaching Clinic®, individuals, businesses and organizations can

discover coaching as a powerful model of management and leadership.
experience and practice “state-of-the-art” coaching tools.
understand and learn the structure and process of integrating a coach-approach to management.
find out how to apply learning within the workplace immediately.
position the organization for rapid growth.

The Coaching Clinic® equips managers and leaders to ‘show up’ as coaches in their working relationships. Workplace coaching expands beyond performance review to become part of every workplace interaction, whether formal or informal.

If you would like more detailed ionformation on The Coaching Clinic® contact us at seamus@useyouredge.com

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

Personal Coaching Styles Inventory®

2008-06-16T09:00:00.000+01:00

Use Your Edge and learn to communicate with style.

'Personal Coaching Styles Inventory®'

As we communicate in a faster paced and more crowded world, we can no longer rely on our ability to connect with just a few people and not others. The mastery of skills to communicate in a much more sophisticated and knowledgeable way is critical to bringing about the results we desire in our world, both personally and professionally. Whether you are working in a large company, an entrepreneurial business, or you are self-employed, such understanding of others will serve you and the people you interact with very well.

In the roles you play every day, whether it be at work or at home, as a company executive, shop floor worker, client, family member or friend, the understanding of yourself and the basic personal style of another can forward the conversations more clearly and precisely for both of you. Furthermore, in teams and groups, when each member understands the styles of other participants, the group mission and purpose can be forwarded as a result.

The 'Personal Coaching Styles Inventory®' is a tool for such understanding of communication. It identifies four principal communication style traits and helps you discover why and how these natural tendencies influence behaviour and interaction. As you study the four styles and understand the variations of each, you will learn to interact, and consult with others in a way that is more effective for you and them. You will learn to better tailor your communication to suit the differing individual needs of those around you, thereby creating an atmosphere of cooperation and achievement.

The 'Personal Coaching Styles Inventory®' was developed by Corporate Coach U and is available to individuals and teams. We also provide comprehensive tailored feedback and follow-up support.

For more information on how you can get some 'style' contact us by email at yoursuccess@useyouredge.com

My best

Séamus

Walking The Talk

2008-05-17T09:00:00.004+01:00

In a previous post we talked about what is involved in Modelling and how the process of observing and mapping the successful behaviours of other people in order to apply them to ourselves and others can support us in getting great results.

Here is a short yet powerful story which shows the importance of walking the talk.

A woman took her son to see Mahatma Gandi, who asked what she wanted. "I'd like you to get him to stop eating, " she replied.
"Bring the boy back in two weeks' time," replied Gandi.
Two weeks later the woman returned with her son. Gandi turned to the boy and said, "Stop eating sugar."
The woman looked surprised and asked, "Why did I have to wait two weeks for you to say that?"
Two weeks ago I was eating sugar, " Gandi replied.

from: NLP At Work - Sue Knight

You Are A Genius

2008-05-15T09:00:00.002+01:00

The Genius Movie

Survey on Support & Development Structures in Teaching

2008-04-21T09:00:00.008+01:00

Hi everyone,

I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know about a surevy I am undertaking around support and development structures in teaching.

The survey is short and can be taken online at www.teachersupportsurvey.useyouredge.com I would appreciate any comments and feedback that you would be kind enough to leave.

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best
Séamus

NLP Coaching for Teachers - Seminar

2008-04-14T09:00:00.005+01:00

Use Your Edge will be offering a seminar on Coaching & NLP in Teaching on Saturday May 24th in Madrid. The seminar will take place at Unicentro - Centro de Negocios, Paseo La Habana 9-11, 28036 Madrid.

The seminar will be of interest to Directors of Studies, members of school management and teachers alike. It will deal with a variety of areas and focus on how coaching and NLP can support you on issues such as time & energy management, balancing personal and professional life, developing effective communication, providing developmental support for teachers, giving compelling feedback, developing talent, problem solving, achieving goals and increasing results. A couple of days before the seminar we will send out a mini questionnaire which will give people an opportunity to tailor part of the seminar to their particular needs and interests.

This seminar will run from 10.30 to 13.30 and registration will be between 10.00 and 10.30. There are a limited number of places on this seminar and those planning to attend are asked to confirm their attendance in advance. To sign up for this seminar you can ring us at 914 250 665 or contact us at seamus@useyouredge.com

A couple of days before the seminar we will send you out a welcome pack which will include a series of short questionnaires to support you in getting the most out of the workshop. You will also have the opportunity let us know what specific issues are of concern to you and thereby, tailor an important part of the seminar to your needs and interests.

The closest Metro stations to Unicentro - Centro de Negocios Paseo La Habana 9-11, are Metro Santiago Bernabeu and Nuevos Ministerios. EMT Madrid Bus Routes 14, 27, 40, 147, 150 also pass close by.

Tiger Woods - Born To Reign

2008-03-03T09:00:00.003Z

Some time ago in a post we spoke about 'The Tiger Woods Effect'.

Here is an extract from a biography of Tiger I came across recently which shows the power of positive affirmations.

Tiger was a kid but not in the traditional sense. When he was only six, he listened to tape recordings with subliminal messages to help him develop a stronger sense of self-control and discipline. Earl (Tiger’s father) had seen them in a store and bought them for his son, carefully explaining why he should listen to them. The boy understood. He played them on a cassette player in his room, hearing only the flow of water down a creek, or soft music, but the messages began to imbue themselves in his sub-conscious.

I will my own destiny.

I believe in me.

I smile at obstacles.

I am firm in my resolve.

I fulfil my resolutions powerfully.

My strength is great.

I stick to it, easily, naturally.

My will moves mountains.

I focus and give it my all.

My decisions are strong.

I do it with all my heart.

These messages were inscribed on paper as well, and he tacked them to the walls of his room as reinforcement. He listened to the tapes so often he wore them out. He began to apply them instantly. He was still only six when he went to the Optimist Junior World ‘ten and under’ division at Presidio Hills in San Diego, his first international tournament. At the first tee, his father reassured him that whether he won or lost was not the point – either way he should have fun. Tiger then ripped his shot down the middle.

Later Earl asked Tiger what he was thinking about as he stood over the ball on the first tee. “Where I wanted the ball to go, Daddy,” he said, shocking his unsuspecting father, who wasn’t sure the subliminal messages would take hold so quickly. The negative thoughts that invade the minds of young, uncertain athletes were not there. Tiger was nervous – even today he acknowledges an uneasy stomach at the first tee – but he suppressed his nervousness by visualising the shot, an instrumental part of professional golfer’s routine.

(John Strege – from Tiger: A Biography of Tiger Woods)

And here is Tiger doing what he does best at the age of two!!

The World's Greatest - Float Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee!

2008-02-04T09:00:00.008Z

It's been a while since we had a post with a 'song for the non-conscious mind'. This time around we have a pretty good song by R. Kelly from the film 'Ali', starring Will Smith. It has been said that we can understand the non-conscious mind to be like a 7-9 year old kid working for our benefit. You may like the song more or less the first time you hear it but the message for the mind is, without doubt, absolutely fantastic. We all have a favourite song or favourite songs and oftentimes, those songs work as anchors and bring back memories or states. What states do you bring to mind with the music and song you actively listen to or have in the background of your daily life?

Songs for the non-conscious mind

Check out the lyrics to 'The World's Greatest' here

and the video here.

A few words from the big man

Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.

Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even.
Muhammad Ali

Sizzle! Sizzle!

2008-01-21T09:00:00.005Z

Everyone likes excitement. When people bubble with personal energy, others enjoy being around them. Business firms like to hire a staff that brings zest to the establishment. Some national restaurant chains, for example, train their staff to form an impromptu ensemble and sing "Happy Birthday: or "Happy Anniversary" to their customers on special occasions. It produces more than noise. People keep coming back.

One restaurant, knowing how people respond to excitement, devised a special plan. When a customer ordered a steak dinner, the chef placed the meal on a hot steel plate. Then, just before the waiter left the kitchen, he would drop an ice cube on the platter.

The waiter was instructed, "Walk slowly to the table. We want everyone to hear the sound of that hot platter." It wasn't the steak that was sizzling, but the ice. The plan worked like instant advertising. If customers were in the process of ordering, they'd hear that sound and choose a steak. The sizzle produced the sale.

Today, think creatively. Ask yourself, "How can I add some excitement to what I plan to deliver?"

by: Neil Eskelin, Source Unknown

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

2008 - Your Best Year Yet

2008-01-10T09:00:00.002Z

Make 2008 Your Best Year Yet

Welcome back to Your Best Year Yet. How have you got on with the first set of discovery questions? You will probably have found that they have asked you to think a little differently and that is a good thing. Making change is like flexing and building up your muscles. An element of discomfort is inevitable. It is essential however, if you want to move outside your comfort zone and get get better results in your life. This also involves effective preparation. New Year's resolutions are oftentimes so short-lived, simply because they weren't given enough thought. The real solutions you are planning for need a healthy environment in which to grow and flourish. It's never too late, it's always early enough to begin.

Here is a review of the first set of questions that we looked at in our previous post, All Year Real Solutions.

What did I accomplish in 2007?
What were my biggest disappointments?
What did I learn?
How do I limit myself, and how can I stop?
What are my personal values?

So now, let's move on.

What roles do I play in my life?

This is an important step as it allows you to consider the many aspects of your life and ensures that you include each area in your 2008 plan. You might even have a new role or two that you would like to begin to play. At this point you might also want to refer back to an activity we looked at recently called ‘The Wheel of Life’. This supports you in making sure that you have balance in your life and from there allows you to open up what you plan to have as main focus over the next twelve months. Think of at least one thing that you want to accomplish in each of your roles. You will find it useful to think of yourself as the manager of your own business and that your different roles are different members of staff reporting to you. The other advantage of clarifying your roles is that you can more effectively orientate yourself around your core values. You will want to imagine yourself acting in each of your roles in a way which will demonstrate what is most important to you and in alignment with how you would like to be seen. This will give you the critical momentum you need to make to make telling and decisive changes in your results.

Which role is my major focus for next year?

Before you make some final decisions on this, go back to question five and think again about your personal values. As we said in the last section, it is important to keep these in mind. You will have already seen from your ‘Wheel of Life’ activity where your life might be out of balance and this will help you to decide which role you want to make your major breakthrough in. If you are not sure which one you should focus most on, trust your intuition. You probably do know what role you want to focus on and if you don’t, ask yourself the question ‘If I did know, what role would I choose?’ and see how that works.

What are my goals for each role?

People who clearly articulate their goals achieve more in their life. We spoke in an earlier post about how you can make sure that your goals are more achievable by making sure that they meet the S.M.A.R.T. criteria. Here we are referring to making your goals ..

S – Specific & Simple
M – Measurable & Meaningful to your values
A – Attainable, As If Now & In All Areas of your life
R – Realistic
T – Timed, Tangible & Toward

Plenty of preparation work will be useful here and you can begin by asking yourself the question 'What would I need to achieve in each role for it to be my best year yet?' Once you have finished, review your list of goals and make sure that they are in alignment with any of your values. If you find anything that you feel less committed to, scratch it off your list.

What are my top ten goals for next year?

Before you select your top ten goals again you will find it useful to review your answers so far and remind yourself of what is really important to you. Choose the goals that are most exciting for you. Select the ten that, once you have already begun to achieve them, will make the most difference to you. Prioritise your list, starting with the goals for your major focus and work your way down. Visualise your dreams and dream big.

How will I stay constant and be sure of my success?

So how are you going to make sure that your best year yet doesn't get lost amoung the sometimes crazy world of day to day life. Well surprisingly enough, you have certainly come a long way already. You now have a clear plan and mission statement for yourself. You have exploited time, energy and a lot of motivation to get this far. first of all, stop and congratulate yourself. Then, each month set yourself new Monthly Goals to help keep you on track. Now that you are already in the rhythm, you will find it so much easier to set Weekly Goals to progress to those monthly goals. Consider working with a coach. Remember that coaching will support you in getting the results you want faster and more effectively. You will also want to consider that when assessing your success, focus on your roles and your personal values rather than the individual tasks that you achieve. This will help you to get a panoramic view of how your life is changing.

If you are interested in finding out more about making this Your Best Year Yet, check out the book by Jinny Ditzler. You can order the book from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Here is a short quote to finish.

People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. The people who get on in this world are the people who look for the circumstances they want and if they can't find them, make them.
George Bernard Shaw

Make it a great week and continue making it a great year, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

Dream Big

2008-01-07T00:16:00.002Z

A Song for the Non-Conscious Mind

This song was sent to me as a gift some time back by a good friend and colleague of mine. It works well with what we were looking at in the post on Michael Flatley last month as well as with your plans for making your new year's resolutions All Year Real Solutions. We will have more on how you can successfully make 2008 your best year yet in our next post.

and when you dream, dream big

as big as the ocean blue

cause when you dream it might come true

so when you dream, dream big

Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband

Dream big and dare to fail.
Norman D. Vaughan

More soon!

Make it a great week, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus

New Year's Resolutions or All Year Real Solutions?

2008-01-03T09:00:00.001Z

Make 2008 Your Best Year Yet

Yes, the new year is here. 2008, a leap year, designated the United Nations International Year of Planet Earth and "European Year of Intercultural Dialogue" by the European Parliament. 2008 promises a host of interesting events including, the Expo in Zaragoza, Spain, Presidential elections in the US, Russia and China, general elections in Spain and New Zealand, the UEFA Euro 2008 football championship in Austria & Switzerland, the summer Olympics in Beijing, China and much much more.

It is especially at this time of the year when people think about how they plan their life to be different and make their New Year's Resolutions. Funny that, they way we call them 'New Year's Resolutions', because that's often how long they last, a couple of weeks and if you are lucky, until the end of January. Well, what do you expect? I mean they are only New Year's Resolutions after all. So, what we need then are All Year Resolutions? Well, not quite. When you think about it, a resolution is only a re-solution, a repeated solution to an familiar problem or issue. How often do you find yourself with the same resolutions every new year? Therefore, what you will want to find are real solutions, those strategies and techniques that can support you in reaching your goals and making 2008 your best year yet.

To help with that we are going to look at a series of questions that you can ask yourself to enable you to clarify and achieve what you want to most focus on for 2008. These initial questions will allow you to build a solid foundation for you to move forward.

What did I accomplish in 2007?

Before you look ahead and decide how you want to make the most of this new year, you will find it useful to look back and remember the good news from last year. Remember where you were this time last year, give yourself some appreciation and focus on your successes. You can also take the question forward and as you go through 2008 use it on and get into the habit creating a track record of the things that go well for you.

What were my biggest disappointments?

This is an important step. Here you make the opportunity to tell yourself the truth about what didn't work for you and let it go. Once you bring it to the surface and get it all down, the failures and negativity lose their value. This allows you to travel forward without any excess baggage. It more effective to a good friend to your successes than to be seduced by your failures.

What did I learn?

Here you have the opportunity to focus on the learnings you made over the last year. When things didn't go so well for you, what did you take from those situations. Write the lessons down for yourself as simple rules, reminders or instructions. Maybe you learnt some new skills and abilities. If so, make a list of them. Also, when you think of the things that went well for you, ask yourself questions such as

How exactly did I do that?
What was the secret of my success in that situation?

Based on all that you have observed, what tips and advice would you pass on to your family and friends?

How do I limit myself, and how can I stop?

This can be quite a challenging area to focus on, but you will find it useful and it will prove to be a key area in your road map to success this year. Think about the areas that you are not getting results in and begin to figure out how you are limiting yourself. What roadblocks are you putting in your own way? What do you hear yourself saying to explain away your failures? What is it that you can't see that maybe others can see from the outside? How can you recycle your can'ts into cans? Remember that your thoughts and feelings help to shape your results and just imagine how really different 2008 will be once you change your negative paradigms into positive statements of possibility.

What are my personal values?

An important element of success is being congruent in how we think and act. Reflecting on this question and becoming more conscious of what is most important to you, will allow you to empower yourself to make real changes in your life. Once your goals and plans reflect your personal values, these values will act as strong and vibrant motivators as you work to get improvements in your behaviour and performance. So again, make yourself a short list and remind yourself of what really matters most to you.

In the second part of this task and in the next post we will look in more detail at where you want to be this time next year and what you will already have achieved by the end of what you plan to be your best year yet.

Make it a great week and begin to make it a great year, it's your choice.

My best

Séamus