Tag Archive for: motivation

Cheerleaders

As an 11-year-old, I recall trying out for the school football team.
I was a little anxious that day about playing at my best and afraid that I wouldn’t make the team, like my brother had some years before.
As I unpacked my kit bag, I found a little note from my brother inside my boots, with a few simple words.
It said, “𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒅𝒐 π’Šπ’•, π’šπ’π’–’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 π’ˆπ’“π’†π’‚π’•!”
That’s all I needed, I played well and was selected for the team!
Roll the clock forward several years, to 2013.
Starting out in business on your own is risky, challenging and can be a little frightening.
How grateful I am for my wife, who provided the love, encouragement and instilled within me the self-belief that I could make a success of setting out on my own journey.
Then onwards to 2021.
Serving as Mission Leaders in Belgium and the Netherlands has been a huge stretch!
There have been many ups and downs on our journey and likewise no doubt in your own journey through life.
Are π˜πŽπ” a cheering section?
Yet, I know there are those pulling for us to succeed, including parents, partners, children, brothers, sisters, relatives, friends, work colleagues and now missionaries past, present and even future.
My message is, hopefully, clear, every person in this life has a cheering section.
It is composed of those all around us who sometimes silently and oftentimes vocally, cheer us on to succeed.
Who is on the sidelines in your cheering section?

Motivation

β€œDo you have time for a game President?”

This question has become a regular one whilst I’m in the office once a week.

This week was no exception.

I do enjoy a game of table tennis.

I think my very best days are well behind me now though.

As a teenager growing up in Scotland, many an evening was spent at the local community centre with school friends, fine tuning my table tennis skills.Β  Mum and dad were pretty good too.

I was always very competitive.Β  Although, I could never beat dad.

It wasn’t until I was 16 that I had a breakthrough and won a match against him.Β  Growing older, I’m not actually sure if I beat him, or he actually let me win, in order to encourage me further!

These days the goal is a simple one….. β€œTo beat President!”

They have an extremely strong motive!

There are several good players amongst the missionary force at the moment.

Two of them are regularly in the office when I am in too, namely Leif Andersen and Atticus Snow.

Week in, week out – they ask me the question.

And week in, week out – I am still managing to hold my own and win – just!

Both are definitely improving.

Practice is an important way to improve skills.

It is repetition of skills during practice that enables you to learn from mistakes and become a much more confident player.

My practice time is extremely limited and won’t be changing anytime soon.

Their motivation is high, and their practice time is much higher than mine!

For the moment, I’m enjoying the victories whilst they last!

My conclusion – my days are numbered!

What is your motivation to succeed?

Slow Down

This is my watch.
…For a while yesterday, time seemed to pass by a little slower.
…It felt a little unusual.
…By late morning, I discovered that the battery was running low.
…What I thought was 11.00, was nearly 11.45!
…We tried to find a new battery, without success.
…At first the slow passage of time was annoying.
…Now, looking at the second hand, time is going slower.
…I am enjoying the l-o-n-g-e-r passing of s-l-o-w-e-r time.
…What a joy.
…I just needed to slow down and enjoy every moment.
…My mobile will keep me on time today.
…Do you need to slow down too?

Self-Belief

Q. When does a draw feel like a victory?
A. When you are massive underdogs and filled with self-belief!
This was a different Scotland side that took to the pitch at Wembley, than the one at Hampden Park a few days earlier.
The stakes were high.
From the roar of the tartan army filling the streets of London, to the passionate rendition of The Flower of Scotland, from the outset, it was clear that each member of the team were ready to leave everything they had on the pitch.
Massive underdogs, they approached the game with gritty determination and self belief.
Self-belief is that positive feeling you have deep inside that you are capable of anything. Last night there was oodles of that on show from every member of the Scotland team. They were by far the better team on the pitch, running themselves into the ground and so nearly won!
It is empowering, it fills you with confidence and as each of the team believed in themselves – anything was possible and the magic started to happen.
So it is with confidence and self-belief.
What can happen when you believe in yourself?

The Speed of Change

Events happen that create change.

Being change agile has been critical for all of us this last year, life has changed significantly.

World War II

Cast your mind back a few generations.Β  At the outbreak of WWII,Β  the massive change of war impacted every household across the nation.Β  There were repercussions for everyone.

One consequence was that the UK government embarked upon a scrap drive with households all over the nation donating their iron railings and gates to the war effort. It was quite an initiative, creating a feeling ofΒ  altruistic sacrifice amongst the people of the country.Β  Indeed it was a feel good factor, boosting morale, we were all in this together!

The recycled iron collected was used to create steel for all kinds of uses during the war, ships, tanks, planes, tools etc.

Subsequently mile after mile of iron railings vanished from our streets.Β  Even after all these years, our neighbourhood still has lots of evidence to suggest that great sacrifice was made for the war effort.

Whilst out walking yesterday, we noticed that one of the larger houses in our area had new iron railings installed.Β  They looked great!Β  As we continued our walk, we observed just how many other homes in our community had never replaced the railings.Β  Despite the fact that 80+ years have passed by!

Somehow yesterday, the fact that one home had new iron railings, accentuated the issue, namely there were so many homes that hadn’t done anything in all those years.

So – why is that?

  • Our initial thought was perhaps people didn’t have the money to replace the railings?Β  Would that be the case even after 80+ years?
  • Perhaps people just aren’t interested in beautifying their homes and replacing the iron railings, its unimportant?
  • Could it be that people are just lazy and can’t be bothered?
  • Perhaps they like the little iron stubs protruding out of their walls?Β  – No that’s just daft we thought!
  • It could be that despite 80+ years passing, it is something that generations of homeowners have never gotten around too?
  • Maybe folks like the constant reminder that the iron stubs are an important part of the social history of the area?
  • Or after all of those ideas, could it be something completely different – that as yet we haven’t thought of?

What do we learn about the speed of change?

The speed of change at the start of WWII was incredibly fast.Β  The demand for steel accelerated quickly to meet the needs of the war effort.Β  There was a huge need, driving the change.

Post war it seems, the issue of replacement railings has only ever been addressed by a few.

There is nothing now driving the need for change.

It is simply a matter of personal motivation and a few of the factors outlined above.Β  The speed factor, the big event driving the change – has disappeared!Β  Aside from an occasional comment or passing remark, no one is driving the change.Β  Perhaps that it the biggest lesson of all.

What drives change in your own life and in your own community?

What pulls you?

In my coaching conversations, regularly I find that individuals feel 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 into something rather than feeling 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 by it.

One of the greatest lessons in life is to find something that 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒔 you! If we are open and willing to learn, life has a way of teaching us by π’‘π’–π’π’π’Šπ’π’ˆ us towards something.

When you keeping π’‘π’–π’”π’‰π’Šπ’π’ˆ yourself to do something, oftentimes it feels like something you have to do and then it can become tiresome. You can only 𝒑𝒖𝒔𝒉 yourself for so long before you give up. But when you’re 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 by something, attracted by it even, it feels like something you get to do and you tend to become even more passionate about it.

I am 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒅 by coaching, personal development and learning – I love it! Frequently, I’ll share my insights and discoveries about what I learn with others, to hopefully inspire and help them achieve more.

In life we learn what is most important by finding something that 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒔 us towards it – this is where we should focus our energies.

Oftentimes the most profound insights are really the simplest.

𝑷𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒗 𝑷𝒖𝒍𝒍

Consider what 𝒑𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒔 you. Therein your purpose awaits!

Optimism

Life constantly sends us challenges to test our positivity, and to be able to look towards the future with optimism, in spite of such difficulties isn’t always easy.
Recently I was reminded of the story of the two buckets that went down the well; as the one came up it said, “This is surely a cold and dreary world. No matter how many times I come up full, I always go down empty.” Then the other bucket laughed and said, “With me it is different. No matter how many times I go down empty, I always come up full.”
Much of life is dependent upon your attitude and how you respond to situations. Our attitude makes all the difference.
“Remember, a good attitude produces good results, a fair attitude fair results, a poor attitude poor results. We each shape our own life, and the shape of it is determined largely by our attitude.”
M. Russell Ballard
In the ups and downs of life – what attitude will you choose today?

A little push

“All it took was a little push” said the taxi driver.Β  Let me turn the clock back to one week ago.

My taxi didn’t arrive at the hotel.Β  Reception ordered me another one – it didn’t show either.Β  So, I walked to the taxi rank a few minutes away and took a taxi to my business client where I was delivering a workshop that day.Β  I always pay by card, but it turned out that he didn’t have a card reader, and I didn’t have any cash.Β  On the way, we stopped at a cash machine.Β  Then we talked.

Our conversation went like this…”So why don’t you have a card reader” I asked. “Well, I have been meaning to do that for a while now” he replied.Β  Probing further “How long is a while?”..”Oh, a few years I think.” WeΒ  then discussed the benefits of card readers, for his cash flow, for his customers, new business opportunities and his resistance to change.Β  I committed him to get the reader.

Back with the same client this week, I followed up with my taxi driver.Β  He is now the owner of a new card reader.Β  He is also benefiting in lots of ways and loves the new opportunities at hand.Β  For starters he’s had 6 fares from me to help him on his way! “Thank you again for the little push” he said.

Who can you help with a little push to get them on their way?