Month: July 2015
The Success Iceberg
The “Success Iceberg”
Are you building your “Success Iceberg?”
Do you recognize the efforts of others as you view their success?
Are you planning and implementing your next step to greatness?
Or, do you need a little nudge to get you going? If so, read on my friends!
For those that are desiring to become something more, reach a certain status, and/or want to advance yourself to be successful, consider the importance of planning, implementing your plan, and sticking to it as you engage in your personal journey. This process of personal development is yet another form of Transformational Resiliency. It’s about empowering yourself to initiate personal change, seek personal growth, expand on your personal development, and accept that you can be in control of your destiny.
The commitment that you make to yourself must be the ignition of your success. You must first make a decision regarding something…
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Every Connection Counts-Build #Resilience-Promote #Grit Development
Every Connection Counts-Build #Resilience-Promote #Grit Development
My dear friends,
In case you hadn’t thought about it recently, this post is directed at helping you to be reminded that each connection counts, every moment is precious, each interaction is unique, and thank goodness it is our human ability to connect with others, to be able to realize the importance of every minute we have, and deeply understand that when we interact with others that those moments are a true gift of humanity whose dividends can change the world.
Further, when we accept and use these precious gifts as we proceed through life we are better able to propel ourselves into the world to create an impact of positivity that can send ripples of kindness across the world. Yes, we absolutey should “Toss Kindness Around Like it’s Confetti!” Consider how our world would be a different place if we brought the same excitement and enthusiasm we demonstrate for our sports heros when we happen to see our co-workers in the morning.
Think for a moment about a single day and the connections you make, or choose not to make, or make and don’t recognize their importance. Consider how you approached these interactions, and reflect: Could I have been better? Was I intentional in my actions? Was I purposeful in my approach? Was I present for the entire interaction? Did I seek to engage and support those that I interacted with? Did I leave the interaction believing that I did what I could to assist the person I was with, and was I satisfied that I made the interaction a growth opportunity for myself and those interacting with me? Or, like most of us, because we are frequently thinking about a thousand different things we move from interaction to interaction without being present, intentional, engaging, supportive, thoughtful, empathetic or focused on the actual interaction.
The challenge is of course to appreciate each and every interaction, and to employ our best strategies and skills during our interaction times with someone else. Tomorrow, I challenge you to thoughtfully approach several of your interactions, or even just one. Maybe this interaction will be with your partner, a co-worker, your boss, a brand new person, just choose, and think and act differently. Consider that the moments that this other person is choosing to share with you are unique experience for them. What is their perspective? What is their motivation for sharing these moments with you? What do they want to remember from this interaction? I challenge you to make this time all about them, and you might be surprised at how much better you might feel about yourself, and your own humanity.
Here’s another few questions for you: Do you appreciate those in your proximity? Do you recognize and acklowedge each person as a unique being with their own perpspective, goals, motivations, and challenges? Have you taken the perspective that you actually might not know what each person in your immediate surroundings is dealing with at any given moment? Think about it, if you watch television, then you have heard the news that there must be literally millions of individuals who are wondering if they are depressed, filled with anxiety, and debilitized due to stress. Quite frankly, it’s a bit overwhelming to consider the number of individuals in your proximity that need extra support, care and love, and yet, you have the capabilities to potentially provide support, care and love to this other is well within your reach! It sure is great to be human!
Yes my friends, tonight, I am espousing the gift of being human. If you are reading this, you are human and you need to interact positively with everyone for their benefit and yours. It is especially important if you are in a position of authority, or if you are serving in a role of a teacher. Consider the importance of your role with children, and recognize that the moments that you are interacting with children you actually have the ability to create opportunities for #Resiliency to develop and flourish, and even more opportunity to develop #Grit. When you are present, when you engage, when you support, when you are purposeful, when you are intentional, when you are empathetic, when you are encouraging, when you help children to believe that they can survive, overcome, face adversity, and learn and grow, you are Super-Human!
Our ability to connect with others is a gift. This ability to empower others is so powerful, and each of us can infact create a positive impact on the world. Why on earth would we not?
Be powerful, be human, be amazing, be a positive life force that supports others. Help students to grow in peace, and help others to find peace in their growth!
Peace, Rob Martinez, Ed.D., @ResiliencyGuy
The Success Iceberg
The “Success Iceberg”
Are you building your “Success Iceberg?”
Do you recognize the efforts of others as you view their success?
Are you planning and implementing your next step to greatness?
Or, do you need a little nudge to get you going? If so, read on my friends!
For those that are desiring to become something more, reach a certain status, and/or want to advance yourself to be successful, consider the importance of planning, implementing your plan, and sticking to it as you engage in your personal journey. This process of personal development is yet another form of Transformational Resiliency. It’s about empowering yourself to initiate personal change, seek personal growth, expand on your personal development, and accept that you can be in control of your destiny.
The commitment that you make to yourself must be the ignition of your success. You must first make a decision regarding something that you are passionate about, think through the steps you must go through, and firmly decide that you will follow your steps no matter what obstacles come your way!
Next, you will need to work harder than you have ever worked in your life. Why? Because your success must be that important to you, and you must recognize that no one is going to come and do it for you. Own your choices, own your actions, own your successful steps towards your goals!
Third, maintain your personal commitment, and carry through with your daily behaviors, even when the tiny voice in your head might wish to delve into self-doubt, or veer your away from your overall goal. Focus on your success, strive tor personal bests, and acknowledge the growth in yourself.
Be aware that set-backs are a natural part of growth. How many times does a baby fall on their way towards toddling around? You can handle these minor halts in growth, and as you have done in the past, you can ovecome them to improve, to gain confidence, to build new skills, and to conquer any hurdles that come before you!
Finally, remain ever vigilant, and relentless in pursuit of your success! This persistence in your thoughts, actions, and new skills and behaviors will propel you towards acquiring the level of success you desire.
Some might think to themselves, “Can I really do this?” or, “Am I truly worth this type of self-commitment?” Let me be clear in providing you a response to these self-doubts! “You are that important!”,
I undestand that making a real personal commitment is dificult, that the real work is difficult, and I also want you to understand that the true rewards received as a result of this personal commitment and completion of the real work will taste sweeter to you than ever before!
Now, identify your success, plan your steps to attainment of your goals, and get your behind to work!
Peace! Rob
Rob Martinez is becoming well-know as “ResiliencyGuy” and “Dr. Resiliency” and can be followed on twitter @ResiliencyGuy and @DrRobM_FSUSD
Refresh, renew, rekindle, reflect, and recharge those batteries
I think that each person has an unlimited ability to bring positivity to the world, and yet, if each of us gives, and gives, and gives without taking time to recharge our batteries we do run the risk of running on emply, and sputtering out like an old VW Bug. Thus, it is important for each of us to refresh, renew, rekindle, reflect and recharge those batteries.
Refresh
Each of our journies is important, and yet, if we stay on the same course for too long we run the risk of running ourselves into a rut. We must remember to pull to the side of the road, take a pit stop, small the flowers as they say, and heck, even eat a candy bar. It’s the simple pats of our lives that can become so important to refreshing our spirit, our palate, and our perspective of the world. Maybe your choice will involve a smooth bottle of red wine, an oyster or two, or even some freshly cooked french bread, just remember to take that moment, breathe, breathe again, and smile before you get back on your journey.
Renew
Have you done something new lately? Tried painting, sung a new song, karaoke perhaps, or even taken a new route though the grocery store. It might seem so simple, yet having a new experience, or even changing up an old experience can lead you to see things in a differrent way. Our eyes, senses, brains are all looking for new ways to see things so give them the experiences they desire. By keeping things fresh we offer ourselves new growth opportunities.
Rekindle
Have you taken a step back, and considered why you do the work you do? Is it just for a paycheck? Is it just a job? Or, have you found your passioin? Or, do you remember why the work you do is your passion? Or, do you need to find a new passion in the work you do? Simply put, your passion should guide your work, and if it doesn’t, take some time to rekindle your passion, or find a new passion in your work, or find new work that you can be passionate about. My dad once said to me, “If you do what you are passionate about you will never work another day in your life.”
Reflect
Upon review It might seem just a bit selfish to consider refreshing, renewing, and rekindling your life, and yet, the practice of reflection is so essential to mindlfulness and growth, and is of paramount importance to self-actualization. For those that don’t take time to reflect they run the risk of self-presumption, and potentially false confirmation that what they have done or are doing is always right. While those that take the time to reflect on their actions, their choices, their thought patterns, and their lives, place themselves in a better place to change things for the better. Remember, reflection doesn’t mean that you have to review everything, and change it all! It simply means that you give yourself time to consider things and determine how you can improve parts of you personal puzzle for self-improvement.
Recharge
Believe me, I am not perfect, and often I am one of those folks that doesn’t give themselves the opportunity to refresh, renew, rekindle or reflect, and I can absolutely feel my batteries getting drained as I drive myself into a rut. I have realized that I find it difficult to sustain a super high energy level with no rest, and I need to be reminded to slow down, take a pit stop, smell the flowers, eat a candy bar, and enjoy it wirh a smooth bottle of red wine.
Remember, it’s okay to give, and give, and give, just understand that its also okay to give yourself some time as well. You will be glad you did.
Dr. Rob Matinez is the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for the Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District, and is a Board of Director for the Association of California School Administratorscan. He can also be followed on twitter as @ResiliencyGuy and as @DrRobM_FSUSD
Lead With Resilience 