Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 27th

Be a witness, not a judge. Focus on yourself, not on others. Listen to your heart, not to the crowd. - Nishan Panwar

Sometimes you've just got to listen to yourself and be okay with nobody else understanding. - Unknown quotes

Sometimes we don’t need advice.  We just need somebody to listen. – iliketoquote.com

Think big and don’t listen to people who tell you it can’t be done.  Life’s too short to think small.  – Time Ferriss

We are almost two months into 2018 and I hope you are as strong, passionate and determined about accomplishing your dreams as Monty Roberts was about accomplishing his dream.  If you have never heard of Monty Roberts, let me tell you about him. 

Monty was born in Salinas, California to Marvin Roberts, who was a horse trainer and authored the book Horse and Horseman Training in 1957.  Monty won his first rodeo trophy at age four.  While attending college at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, he won 2 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association National Championships.  Today, Monty Roberts owns a 154-acre ranch in Solvang, California that is home to thoroughbred racehorses and where he teaches his Join-Up method for training horses.  His horse training methods were the inspiration for the Robert Redford movie “The Horse Whisper”. 

However, none of this would have occurred if he listened to his high school teacher.  Monty was given the assignment to write what he wanted to do when he grew up.  He dreamed big and said he wanted to own a ranch and raise thoroughbred racehorses.  The teacher gave him an “F” and told him that his dream was unrealistic for someone who was currently living in the back of a pickup truck.  The teacher told Monty he would never make his dream into reality and gave him the opportunity to rewrite his paper to receive a higher grade.  Monty Roberts said:

You keep your F; I’m keeping my dream.

Challenge: Have you ever had anyone tell you that your dreams were impossible and that it was never going to happen?  What did you do about it?

Resources

https://www.48days.com/you-keep-your-f-im-keeping-my-dream/

http://www.terri.com/dont-let-anyone-talk-you-out-of-your-dreams/

https://www.montyroberts.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Roberts

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 20th

Too many people are worried about having results NOW...the Mona Lisa was not created in a day. Perfection takes time. – Unknown

Patience is power. Patience is not an absence of action; rather it is "timing"; it waits on the right time to act, for the right principles and in the right way. ― Fulton J. Sheen

In 2008, I was given a book called Lincoln’s Sword at a convention where I served as the caucus secretary.  Lincoln is one of my favorite president’s, so I would have thought I would have read the book immediately; however, I did not.  Since receiving the book, I have moved 3 times and never gave it away.  It just sat in a plastic container in a closet. 

One of my goals in 2018 is to read the 11 books that are sitting in a pile in my apartment.  Lincoln’s Sword was one of them!  FINALLY, I read the book and it was the most interesting book.  I learned so much about the various speeches President Lincoln gave, his humor and his perspective on writing his views versus speaking his views.    

Most of what makes a book 'good' is that we are reading it at the right moment for us. ― Alain de Botton

After completing the book, I realized that if I had read this book when I received it I would not have learned nearly as much as I did by reading it in January 2018.  When I received the book, I enjoyed public speaking, but did not have the strong passion I do now for it.  Additionally, I had not started my blog and did not need to understand the differences between writing my perspective and stating (speaking) my perspective.

Furthermore, I had an epiphany through processing this whole situation that has been hard for me to grasp.  This experience taught me that sometimes we need patience to wait for the perfect timing for events to happen. 

Timing in life is everything. – Leonard Maltin

Everything you need will come to you at the perfect time. powerofpositivity.com

Challenge: What aspects of your life do you need to have patience in?  What actions/activities can you do while you are waiting for other things to happen?

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 13th

Before you eat the elephant, make sure you know what parts you want to eat. ― Todd Stocker, Refined: Turning Pain Into Purpose

Each day I will accomplish one thing on my to do list. ― Lailah Gifty Akita

I really, really want to produce. That's the top of my to-do list. - Lauren Conrad

We have to start putting ourselves on the to-do list. – Giuliana Rancic

People who want to appear clever rely on memory.  People who want to get things done make lists. – Peter McWilliams

What motivates you?  I am a click/ding addict!  In the last year, I discovered that I love to mark things off my to-do list.  At one time, I had an app on my phone that would “ding” every time I marked something off my to-do list.  I finally had to get rid of it because I liked the “ding” a little too much! 

On October 10, 2017, I introduced my crazy idea of “40 Before 40”, which is where I wanted to do 40 new things before I turn 40.  As Friday February 1, 2018, I completed my first 40 and the following day I started my next 40.   For me, I had to have the motivation to push forward to keep discovering new things. 

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, motivation is “the state or condition of being motivated or having a strong reason to act or accomplish something”. 

My motivation has been hearing a ding, checking/clicking off an activity on my task list or accomplishing a goal of doing 40 new things.  Honestly, I probably would not have taken the time to see the great history in D.C. and the surroundings areas if I had not had a purpose/goal/motivation.    

Challenge: What motivates you?  Find what motivates you and incorporate it into your life to help you accomplish your goals.   

Terri's Tuesday Tip of the Week - February 6th

Accountability breeds response-ability. - Stephen Covey

You’ll never accomplish the results you want until you are wiling to do what you don’t necessarily want to do. – Trish Blackwell

Accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results. – Beachbody Challenge

According to Wikipedia, an accountability partner “is a person who coaches another person in terms of helping the other person keep a commitment”.  This person will be there to encourage you through this long journey of accomplishing your goals; however, it will still be your responsibility to accomplish your goals and be able to explain “why” if you do not.

Here are some things I have thought about:

1.       Find an individual that will hold you accountable and not allow you to make excuses.  This person should also be able to encourage you when you are discouraged or struggling to accomplish your goals.        

2.       Arrange an initial meeting to discuss goals for the year.  Go in prepared to review your goals with your accountability partner and explain why you established each one.  Explaining your goals to your accountability partner will help them understand why you chose them and why they are important.  For you, explaining them will provide more ownership of why you selected the goals and how they will impact your life.   

3.       Create a reminder to communicate each week.  For me, I created a Task Reminder for each Wednesday to communicate with my accountability partner.  It does not mean that is the day we will email each other, but it starts me thinking about what I might want to ask about or if I have read an article that I might want to forward.  For you, it might work better to set up regular face-to-face meetings or phone calls because the personal interaction will hold you more accountable.  Decide what will be best for both of you.

4.       Honesty…During weekly communications, be honest.  The person you select should be an individual you trust and know that whatever you say will not be repeated.  By being honest, the other person will know what struggles you are having and can either provide recommendations based on their own experiences or encourage you weekly as you find ways to overcome your struggles. 

5.       Reciprocal action…your accountability partner will be there to encourage you in accomplishing your goals, but you will also need to be there to help encourage and motive them to accomplish their goals. 

6.       Remember that your accountability partner may not have the same qualities as you.  Flexibility will be important.

Challenge: Set up a meeting with your accountability partner.

Resources

http://www.covenanteyes.com/2013/03/08/accountability-partner-script/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accountability_partner

https://www.goal-setting-guide.com/the-role-of-an-accountability-partner-in-goal-achievement/