Clearing Away Crisis Clutter Frees You to Accomplish Your Goals

Time management tips give you lots of power - so how do you feel when others' urgent demands steal that power away? Accomplishing your goals becomes awfully challenging when others' crises crowd to the front of your line.

Maybe family members count on you to be the strong one. Perhaps colleagues confront you with surprise deadlines or frequent crises with ever-higher stakes. If you aren't prepared to handle others' urgency, their agendas will consistently undermine your best plans.

It's frustrating! And fortunately, it's workable. You can turn this dynamic around.

How do you protect your priorities without appearing uncaring and possibly jeopardizing your career or straining significant relationships?

You Have the Power to Clear Crisis Clutter! These 7 Simple Strategies are designed help you both stay on track and clarify your relationships.

1 Remember: Others' Urgency Is Not Your Emergency. Urgency is often a hallmark of strong personalities. But their crises needn't become yours! You control your time. So first, try using that time to do nothing.

• Simply pause. Breathe. Carefully weigh your response. This is a powerful assertion of boundaries in itself.
• By remaining thoughtful and not matching or reacting to frantic energy, you claim full responsibility over your choices and your time.

2. Conduct an Independent Assessment. Use the space you've taken to explore two fundamental questions:

• What is your level of responsibility for the problem? Trust your own fair evaluation here. Guilt is an insidious boundary buster. Don't let it kidnap your time!
• What is your stake in the outcome? Again, remain as neutral as possible as you weigh this for yourself. What is the consequence of staying true to your own plans versus following an urgent agenda?

Now you can decide how much time, if any, to devote to problem-solving. If you do wish to be supportive, consider the terms. Are there opportunities here for meaningful reciprocity?

3. Listen Actively and Compassionately, Without Adopting a Crisis Mentality. Restate the predicament from your perspective. When you re-frame the situation, you:

• Defuse the drama. Summarizing things calmly and realistically deflates urgent energy.
• Confirm that you truly understand the issue. Feeling heard helps people relax and listen to your ideas.
• Find your feet, so you can create a solid base for your own decision. Whether or not the person you are speaking with clings to a crisis mentality is beside the point. (This is a significant boundary issue. You are responsible for your feelings alone!)

4. Create a Broader Perspective. Urgency may engender tunnel vision in others. You needn't join them in that tunnel! You can genuinely empathize from a spacious vantage point. In fact, the more separate you remain, the more understanding you can be. (And you are less likely to feel defensive or resentful when you trust your boundaries and know that your time can't be commandeered.)

5. Offer Alternatives That Work for You. You stand a better chance of succeeding when you articulate everyone's baseline needs and build from there. Be sure to make your parameters clear so that your own projects remain on track.

6. Allow Others Their Responses. This is the hardest part for many! Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is... absolutely nothing. When you set a limit:

• The ball is in the other person's court, and so is the responsibility for her or his own feelings.
• Others may express hurt, anger, indignation or retreat into stony silence. On your end, do your best to cultivate calm openness. Try breathing into your belly if you find yourself becoming anxious as you take this step.

With practice, you'll find it easier to accept others' dissatisfaction without defensiveness. Your openness demonstrates:

• You respect their right to their feelings and
• The powerful, self-referenced fact that your time priorities don't require their approval.

7. Focus on Your Areas of Positive Control. Clarifying your end of relationships takes time. And it rewards you richly. Share what you feel comfortable doing, and specify how much time you are willing to spend doing it. This clarity encourages open communication - and that can lead to genuine progress.

Have the Courage to Reframe Important Relationships. Relationships are often constructed out of unspoken contracts. As you change your end the dance, your "dance partner" may initiate changes in response.

• Others may be called upon to help, as you become less available for last-minute crises. This expands roles and relationships and can be very enriching.
• You may be asked to coordinate schedules and priorities more closely with colleagues. Flexibility and collegiality can grow as a result.
• The road may seem rockier as changes evolve and all parties regain their footing. Ultimately, you benefit. You enjoy more productive, crisis-free time; and, quite often, your relationships grow and deepen.

So experiment, taking small steps as you clear crisis clutter! As you do so, you'll find more satisfaction with how you use your time.

And to move toward your Heart-Based Time Success, sign up for our free gift, The Finding Time Success Kit, which includes "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!" Using a workbook format this powerful and practical time template helps you progress beyond disappointment and frustration. Discover that 24 hours really are enough!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Clearing-Away-Crisis-Clutter-Frees-You-to-Accomplish-Your-Goals&id=10149411

Getting Motivated: Towards or Away From Your Goals

Some people are motivated away from the things that they don't like and some people are motivated towards the things they want. For example, some people will work on increasing their income because they don't like where they live or they don't like being in debt. That would be called an Away From strategy; moving away from something that is uncomfortable. A Towards person increases their income because they are thinking of the home that they prefer or they are thinking about wanting to increase their savings or their retirement fund. Most people have some combination of both such as 60/40 in either direction. Statistically, this is the most common combination with most people leaning in one direction or the other rather than equally balanced. There is a social bias that a Towards strategy is preferable but that is not necessarily true. If someone has an Away From strategy and it is working then it is a good strategy.

If you are primarily motivated away from things that you don't like then it is important that you use that strategy successfully to stay motivated. If your house is messy, there is a point where it gets to be too much and it gets tidied. At what point does the tidying begin? Does it begin at a comfortable level or is your house a disaster before you reach your threshold to clean it? Someone with an Away From strategy for cleaning their house has to notice the house becoming uncomfortable to get motivated to clean it. If you put on blinders and ignore the mess then your Away From strategy isn't working. You will have to take the blinders off and notice how uncomfortable your house is to change the threshold and have a house that is comfortable.

A Towards person is thinking about how nice the house looks when it is clean and is motivated to get it to look the way they like it. If the Towards person forgets what their house looks like with everything put away then there is no motivation that way either. For a Towards person it is important to remember what is good about a tidy house so that they stay motivated to keep it the way that they like it.

In both cases the amount of work and effort is the same but one is motivated away from messiness and the other is motivated towards tidiness.

If you think about it for a moment you can probably figure out which motivation strategy you are using. Think about something that you regularly get done. Are you motivated away from discomfort or towards a goal? You probably have a different strategy in different contexts. Most people have variations depending on whether they are motivated in their career, at home, in their relationship, etc. If you're not sure which strategy you are using in these different contexts you can begin to observe yourself being motivated to find out which strategy you primarily use.

If your motivation strategy isn't working there are things you can do to turn it on more strongly. If you are primarily Away From, build your Away From strategy. Build your discomfort level by really noticing how bad the thing you don't like is. If you hate your job, career, home or finances, and you want to change it - really notice how much you hate it and build that until you start moving away from it. If you have goals and things that you really want, notice how much you want them and develop that strongly. Think about what it will be like when you have what you want. Make it strong and really compelling.

Towards people are focused on a goal. They are thinking about what they want to achieve. They are motivated by what they want to get, have, achieve, or attain. They are energized by their goals and tend to be good at managing their priorities.

Away From people notice what they are avoiding, getting rid of and not allowing to happen. Their motivation is often triggered by an increase in difficulty or discomfort such as a new problem or an existing problem getting bigger that becomes a threat. Away From people respond to deadlines, penalties and negative consequences. They are good at troubleshooting, problem-solving, identifying obstacles and picking up on the things that could go wrong. They are motivated by fixing problems, correcting mistakes and a lack of mistakes. This is their style of writing and studying. They look for errors and correct them, constantly upgrading their accuracy by making corrections. They are often distracted by goals and are more motivated by a response to something negative. They are sometimes disliked by Towards people by being seen as negative, cynical, jaded, managing crises, and drawn to problems. To accurately determine an Away From strategy get beyond the surface reason for doing something. Most of us have been trained that it is better to think positively so our first response is often going to be in a positive direction. Dig deeper for the real reason that you want what you want and look for an avoidance pattern or a moving away strategy. Identify what you want and then find the reason why you want it. Do you want it because of what it will give you or do you want it because of what you will avoid? Away From people set goals, but they do it to avoid failure. Their reason for setting goals is Away From and that is what triggers them to take action on their goals. Away From people sometimes get easily distracted by any little thing that goes wrong. For an Away From person's strategy to work they need to have a balance of some Towards thinking to stay focused on what they need to fix and what they want to accomplish.

Towards people need to be aware of any problems that might arise and stay Towards while they work on solving the problem. They need to have back up plans and contingencies for the things that can go wrong. Without a well thought out plan the Towards person can lose motivation when things go wrong if they haven't thought about how to solve their problems.

Both Away From and Towards people need a successful combination of clear goals, contingency plans and a focus on priorities.

The Away From or Towards strategy is often what gets the person started on a project but something bigger is usually needed for completing a goal bigger than cleaning the house. For big life goals it is important to be primarily goal focused rather than problem focused. An Away From person can still be primarily motivated away from discomfort, but staying focused on problems only will not succeed in maintaining motivation. Whether the person is moving away from a problem to avoid or moving towards a problem they are solving, as soon as the problem begins to get either resolved or successfully avoided, the discomfort of the problem is reduced just enough so that the motivation stops. The problem is no longer an irritant even though it is still there. Being problem focused does not maintain motivation.

What maintains strong motivation is a focus on goals. If you are headed for the Emerald City and that is what you are focused on, if there is a mountain blocking your path you are either going to go under it, around it, over it, through it or go the whole way around the planet in the other direction, because you are focused on getting to the Emerald City. A problem-focused person is going to be stuck at the mountain and decide that it is not possible to get any further on their path. They will even forget about their goal because the problem becomes bigger than the goal. Don't ever let your problems get bigger than your goals. Don't be ruled by your limitations.

It's all a matter of perception. If goals were always easy to achieve they wouldn't mean as much to us. A challenging goal that has been reached is a valuable achievement, worthy of effort and even sacrifice. Keep your eyes on the prize!

In archery you never aim for the bulls-eye. Gravity will always put the arrow in the ground before it gets there. Raise your aim a little higher, zero in and take your best shot. You can learn to hit the bulls-eye every time.

Set a goal, define it very accurately, and generate a lot of excitement about the goal. Focus on what you want with a body of knowledge that supports that. This is what you want to build on. For a big important goal, think about that goal 3 or 4 times a day and get excited about it. It's a matter of focus. Attach a high level of energy to it. Learning to increase your own energy is a very useful thing to be able to do, particularly for achieving big goals. Attach an immense amount of energy to something that you want to accomplish, like riding on a roller coaster, galloping on a horse or skiing down a slope. Attach that intensity to achieving your goal and think about that several times a day.

For a long-term goal, pick your goal and put intermediate step goals in between. Put your energy in that, keeping your eyes on the end goal. All along the way there will be obstacles, problems and things to resolve, go around, or avoid to get to the other side of the problem. As soon as you reach an obstacle reorient to the target.

When a rocket is sent into outer space it is off course most of the time as it heads towards its destination. It will go off course to the right until a mechanism indicates that it is off course and if self-corrects back to the course. Then it goes off course to the left for a while until it self-corrects and starts heading to the right. The rocket is off course most of the way towards its target but it is programmed to reach its destination. As long as the rocket stays on course it will reach where it is going.

Students tend to focus on a goal of getting through school rather than to focus on what their goal is for going to school which is whatever their chosen career is. This tendency can cause a lot of people to get stuck along the way and lose sight of their original goal for going to school. The ultimate goal must be maintained in order to stay motivated to achieve all that is required for this big undertaking.

Define where you want to be. Where do you want to be five years from now - career-wise, health-wise, relationship-wise... ? If you stray from that path you'll lose your focus. Motivation comes when you keep accessing the goal(s) that you really want. Attach fun to it. Make the achieving of this goal exciting - extra exciting - and really, really fun! Make it sparkle. Attach the same level of excitement to overcoming the obstacles and problems to be solved along the way to the goal. Keep looking back at the steps you have achieved to maintain your enthusiasm and belief in your ability to continue doing that as you continue toward your goal.

Here's a little exercise that you can follow now from NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming):

Think of a time in your life when you were really motivated. It might be that you are motivated to be in front of your TV at a certain time every week for your favorite show. It might be a time of learning something fun that you really enjoyed. It could be an experience from a younger age or something you got done easily yesterday. Think of an example where you were easily motivated; the motivation was switched on automatically. It doesn't have to be a big success. It can be any example, even a small one like making a cup of tea that you really want. Maybe it was learning a language or hang gliding. Find an example, any example, from any time in your life where you were highly motivated. Good.

Now close your eyes and go back into that memory as if it is right now; fully associate into that memory as if it is happening right now, and notice everything that you can notice from that experience - what you see, what you feel (physical sensations), what you hear, and everything that you are aware of when you go to that memory fully associated. Close your eyes and go there right now.

Write down everything that you notice: pictures, sounds, physical sensations, and everything that you notice from that memory. What are you aware of when you think about that memory of being motivated? What do you notice most strongly? What is the one signal that is strongest? Is it certain words you are saying inside your head like, "Yes!" or "This is great" or is it a picture that you see? Do you see yourself in the picture or are you looking at the picture from your own eyes? What does your body feel - exact physical sensations such as temperature, movement, muscle sensations, smiling, etc.? Find one signal that is the strongest.

Okay, now think of a goal that you have now that you want to be motivated to have. Bring the signal from your motivation memory to the goal you have now. So, for example, if you have, "Yes!" as your biggest signal from your past motivation memory, think of your current goal and hear yourself say, "Yes!" If the signal from the past memory was warmth or tingling in your body, think about your current goal and feel warmth or tingling in your body. This is a simple example of NLP using a signal from a past experience to elicit a similar response in the present.

Another way to set up motivation for a successful future is to look into the future and see yourself achieving what you are working on having. If you are a student, for example, don't focus on graduating or passing - focus on what you will have after you achieve those steps on your path. School and exams are a doorway or stepping stones that lead to where you want to go. Graduation is not the destination; it is part of the journey. Focus your attention on where you ultimately want to go. It could be debt or job limitations that are triggering you to move forward but you have goals of where you want to go. Focus on that. Create a clear picture for what that looks like and put it right in front of you, ahead of you, and not too far away. You want it to be achievable in the near future so have your picture somewhat close in front of you. It's not important to actually "see" a picture, but just to imagine in your mind's eye or even just to pretend that an image is there. Good. Now look on your path for obstacles. Is there anything there that you can clear out now? Maybe you can just put it to the side of your path and walk past it. If it's an exam, for example, see yourself walking through that to the other side where you have your goals. See that there might be some problems or challenges on the path to your goal and see yourself climbing over or around those or resolving them in a routine manner. Facing challenges is normal in achieving a big goal and increases the value of achieving it. Go out now into that future and imagine having your goal, experience what that is like (what it looks like, sounds like and feels like) and then come back to the present with that experience, knowing what it is like to have the goal.

These are some simple exercises from NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) and TPM (Thought Pattern Management). In my work with clients each session is individualized to the needs of each person. A Motivation Strategy or Success Strategy is strongly identified and made to run automatically. Any blocks or barriers to success are identified and resolved.

We can elicit a successful strategy for achieving any goal. Keep your eyes on the prize!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Getting-Motivated:-Towards-or-Away-From-Your-Goals&id=9823875

How You Can Break Barriers to Growth and Become Opportunity-Ready (By Dr. Bruce A. Johnson)

We are continually reminded about the "new normal" and the struggle to return business to the way it was, as if it ever can be again. The news can become discouraging while working from home, especially if it seems there is no end in sight for current the pandemic and other societal problems. Not only is the news a source of frustration, the certainty of employment has evaporated for many industries and careers. It seems as if a person who has a job has the only future available now, and to dream of anything more is to hope for too much.

Yet it is possible to think about the future, even in the seemingly worst of circumstances, whether or not you work at home, have no certainty of a job in the months to come, and you are or are not employed now. The challenge is overcoming the natural barriers your mind creates when you feel the weight of circumstances around you, from national and international crises, to your own personal and professional matters. When there are so many issues and problems vying for your attention, it weighs heavily on your mind, creating a sense of push and pull. You seem to be pushed from one headline to the next, and your attention continually pulled from one worrisome idea to another.

When you create mental barriers, it interrupts your own development and this is what prevents you from being ready for new opportunities. As an educator and career coach I have used the phrase opportunity-ready to not only refer to the future career opportunities which may come your way, but the opportunities that are available now within your existing career. For example, I am always concerned with my well-being and state of mind as an educator, knowing that I want to be opportunity-ready for my employer, ready to accept the challenges and opportunities which are a natural part of the position. You can also develop this same state of mind when you breakdown any barriers to growth that are present now.

Natural and Intentional Growth

You grow naturally without thought, at a subconscious level. This occurs through time on the job and the experience you gain, along with the skills acquired. You cannot help but grow on some level, whether or not you are aware of it. Even if you are performing the same job, day after day, and it seems as if you have grown stagnant within that position, you are still growing to some extent. Consider the knowledge you've gained, even if by trial and error, interactions with customers, problem-solving, and working on projects. You have evolved, whether or not you can see it at this time.

There is also intentional growth, or the type of growth you are aware of and intentionally pursue. It may be formal education, or the type of education obtained within a classroom environment. This type of growth may also occur by reading, attending a webinar, attempting a new project, or consciously becoming involved in any other similar endeavor. When you intend to seek out new knowledge, or acquire new skills, the purpose may be to benefit your current job or future career. The accumulation of your knowledge helps to create a competitive advantage, along with a feeling of being proactive in your career.

Discovering Your Barriers to Growth

As an educator and career coach, what I have learned through my work with students and client is the barriers to growth can be summarized into two primary categories, beliefs and acceptance. Even those who have been seemingly well-focused and able to develop goals can still become wrapped up in current events and need to work on overcoming sticking points.

Barriers Centered around Beliefs: One of the common barriers is centered on the belief that a person's life and/or career won't, can't, or will not change. This is a product of time, effort, and mental habits. If you have been trying to better your life, create new plans, initiate change, or make an attempt to find a new career path, and nothing seems to happen in the manner you would like it to, then it may become easy to develop a negative belief.

The default setting it seems is this: See, Believe, Try. It translates into: I see results of my effort, then if all goes well, I believe in myself and try again. The reverse also holds true: If I do not see the results of my effort, I will not believe in myself, and I may not try again.

Barriers Centered around Acceptance: Most individuals I work with who have this type of barrier are prone to accept reality as it is now, and they are unable to see any hope for future change. The development of reality-based barriers is even more challenging now during a pandemic when the certainty of resolution is unknown.

Anyone who struggles with fear of the future, and becomes mentally paralyzed from taking action because they see no hope, have those feelings amplified to a much greater degree now. There seems to be no escape from reminders of the bleakness the world faces either, as the worst of the crisis is ever present within news, and advertisements remind us we are isolated at home. It can be easy to eventually succumb to the feeling life will not get better.

Breaking Barriers to Growth

We often keep hitting the same wall, until we realize we have become stuck. To overcome any mental barrier, you must be willing to admit to yourself that something is not working well for you now. It is not a matter of right or wrong, ego, pride, or admission of failure. It is being able to continue to evolve, both personally and professionally. You can simply state: "Somehow I feel stuck and I want to make improvements". That's how the process of uncovering obstacles begins, as you cannot change the external or the circumstance around your life, but you can change the internal factors that are holding you back.

Self-Evaluation and Self-Discovery

To be able to uncover your barriers, you need to begin by doing what may feel the most uncomfortable, and that is to admit you need to self-examine your mindset. This will begin a process of self-evaluation, which in turn can lead you through self-discovery. The only reason obstacles exist are due to the patterns of thoughts established in the mind.

Consider this example: The mind initiates a series of steps that creates habitual thinking, which leads to chronic patterns of how you act while interacting with others in the workplace and how you perform your job. There is a logical component to these steps, as required for completing your required tasks; however, there are aspects involved that require capacity, and this is where your beliefs come in. Self-evaluation, utilizing reflection as a tool to evaluate yourself, will help to uncover those beliefs. It's not a matter of being weak when you need to determine why you are mentally stuck, it's showing yourself you want to grow.

Implement this Strategy: To help you get started, I recommend you create an event log or better stated, an event chart. The events to keep track of during each day are the tasks, requirements, duties, projects, and anything else you were consciously asked to perform in your job. This is the first column of the event chart.

The second column will be the self-reflection reactions. I recommend you record your self-reflection reactions at the end of the day, when you have time to think back on how you responded to the tasks, requirements, duties, projects, and anything noted within your event log or chart. Take time to note your initial reaction, along with the final actions you've taken.

The third and final column in your event log or chart needs to be labeled self-focus. You can complete this column at the end of the day, or perhaps you could complete this at the end of the week, after you have given yourself even more time to reflect. This column will present yourself with an opportunity to answer the following questions for each notation within the event log or chart: Was this the best response? Did this response lead to the best possible outcome? Was there a better possible response and outcome? If so, what was it?

From this event log you can then develop a plan of action. My recommendation is that you create a set of statements to acknowledge your new found wisdom. The following prompts can help you get started:

I have learned...

I now know this about myself...

I need to improve upon...

I discovered I am capable of...

I plan to choose this type of reaction in the future...

This may all seem too far-fetched for the average person to complete. Yet we live in a time when the external "noise" is so loud, which includes the technology used, we must find a way to pay attention to what is going on within our minds. This is where the pathway to success can be found, learning to evaluate ourselves from the inside out.

Becoming Opportunity-Ready

Once you've decided to take a proactive approach to evaluating your mindset, you will find yourself better positioned for future opportunities. This doesn't imply you are going to begin a job search, rather it means you are prepared to perform your best now and in doing so, you've become opportunity-ready. The success of many employers now depends upon the performance of its employees. Your willingness to perform your best not only makes you shine, you are contributing to the success and longevity of your employer, and you may also be readying yourself for future opportunities. But no matter the reason why you have broken down the barriers to your growth, it should always be done first and foremost for your own benefit and mindset well-being. To begin each day with a sense of hope and willingness to be fully engaged in whatever task comes your way, regardless of circumstances, can be one of the most rewarding feelings you will ever experience.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-You-Can-Break-Barriers-to-Growth-and-Become-Opportunity-Ready&id=10313590

Improving Problem Solving Skills With Riddles

Everyone loves riddles. But what makes a good brain teaser or puzzle? A riddle uses language to puzzle the reader by providing an enigma or conundrum. Good riddles come in various categories like funny, kids, difficult, easy, logic, math, tricky, what am I riddles, and many others.

Funny riddles will definitely make you think and possibly make you laugh as well. These kind of riddles provide a good form of entertainment during family gatherings and outings.

Kids riddles are generally easy and are well-suited to be solved by children. Riddles in the form of puzzles and brain teasers can aid in the development of problem solving skills, especially in young children.

Difficult riddles require a lot of brain power, reasoning and comprehension. These hard riddles can drive you a little crazy at times, but they sure will force you to think out of the box.

Easy riddles require less thought and time to complete and it's a fun way to kill time. Young children will generally like easy riddles. These riddles are a good way to keep kids occupied and have fun at the same time.

Math puzzles are based on math concepts and will provide good entertainment to "left-brained" people who are said to be more logical analytical and objective.

Logic riddles are puzzles derived from the mathematics field of deduction. You will not need to think out of the box for such riddles and they can be solved by using pure logic. Have you heard of Einstein's 5 houses brain teaser? Rumor has it that Einstein made up this impossibly difficult riddle when he was just a kid. You will need to have a lot of patience to think it through.

Tricky riddles can be both crafty and deceptive. They often use a play on words and you can be fooled if you are not careful enough.

What am I riddles require you to identify what is being described by the riddle. These riddles normally trick you with a play on words.

Solving riddles is a wonderful exercise for nearly any age group. For children, it helps to develop their problem solving skills, and improves their ability to do deductive reasoning. For the elderly, it makes them think about things very deeply, and help to keep their minds sharp. For the rest of us, riddles are a great way to kill time, have fun, keep our minds sharp and train ourselves to think out of the box.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Improving-Problem-Solving-Skills-With-Riddles&id=9613929

Act Normal

All through my life I've been trying very hard to avoid doing what was expected of me. It started in high school. A beet root and mayonnaise sandwich for lunch? Weird, yuck, gross! That's not normal! No my fellow classmates, not your ordinary sandwich perhaps, but it sure is delicious! I was against nuclear weapons in The Netherlands and went off to demonstrate. That was not the norm in my community. Their idea of rational behaviour was the threat to fight in the Old Testament way: an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. And I was living in the Bible Belt where you would suspect a more New Testament approach, about Jesus and turning the other cheek!

Currently a number of things are seen as ordinary. Imprisoning foreign children with their parents because they don't carry the right papers. Trade ecosystems for monocultures. Buying way too cheap clothes, ignorance is bliss. Extracting gas even when that causes buildings to collapse. Keeping coal fired power stations open knowing they're old fashioned and polluting. And when you see something you don't wish to see or acknowledge, just look away. Had Malala Yousefzai acted normal, she would have died.

In my opinion acting normal is nothing more than doing what others want you to do. Regardless of those others ever thinking about anything or whether they are just letting fear and pettiness rule their decisions; the innovator, the explorer, the artist. These are not the ones who act normal because it is in their blood to be different, to walk the unfamiliar path. A popular Dutch saying is: "Just act normal, that's already crazy enough". Closely followed by: "Don't stand out from the crowd". Both phrases don't really encourage innovation, problem-solving or the development of a new perception. The cry for the normality is more likely a pursuit of mediocrity.

To be able to reveal novelties, you have to alter your expectations, think out of the box. Combine intelligence and creativity and look at the old and familiar subjects from a curious and open minded perspective.

Let us strive for excellence, dream of a fantastic world free from war and destruction. Let's brainstorm at various locations and really come up with a plan. It's an historical fact that war is accepted as normal We are facing some really big problems right now and we will all be doomed if we don't get to work on them. Climate change and the age old battle between Christians and Muslims. We must gather all our talents and courage and put our effort into adjusting that. And then we will remember what it really meant to act normal.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Act-Normal&id=9681021

Critical Thinking for Problem Solving

You can be much surer of a gratifying result when you utilize critical thinking methods to fix issues in your individual or business life. Critical thinking assists you to discard biases, beliefs and predispositions and declarations that are tossed at us through media outlets and make sense of exactly what is presented.

Here are some ways that you can utilize critical thinking strategies to fix problems in your life:

Recognize the Problem-- Before you start to fix a circumstance or problem, you should initially identify it. This indicates you'll thoroughly assess every part of it and how it is different from how your goals and objectives. Critical thinking is the procedure of thinking prior to you jump to a conclusion about a scenario.

Analyze-- After you determine the issue you can examine it by discovering as much about it as possible. Look beyond exactly what's provided as facts in the scenario and look for other viewpoints on the matter. Be unbiased as you examine the issue so that you can discuss it or consider it in a sensible method.

Brainstorm Solutions-- Think about all ramifications of the issue and the possibilities of the result. Exactly what will be the effect of specific services and exactly what research study can you carry out that will provide precise responses? Are there other, comparable, issues that you've fixed sufficiently?

Think about Solutions-- Carefully think about the ramifications of each solution-- the downsides and benefits. Think about the procedure you would go through to fix the problem if you utilize one option over another. Exactly what will be the long-lasting and instant effect of your choice?

Select a Solution-- Before absolutely selecting the option to a scenario or issue, you should initially figure out how fit it is to your goals, what does it cost? what level of risk you'll need to take and how useful your choice will be.

As you go through the procedure of utilizing critical thinking to resolve an issue, usage methods such as documenting exactly what you're thinking or bounce it off another individual. Take some time to be sure you're making the best choice. "Sleep on it" readies guidance when you're making every effort to issue resolve.

Be creative in the critical thinking procedure. Do not dismiss it without collecting proof and weighing the option versus others if you run throughout a brand-new concept or believed you have not in the past thought about.

Critical thinking will assist in designing a strategy based upon understanding and long-terms analyzing instead of on a fast choice that might be destructive to your long or short term objectives.

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Lucid Dreaming Approaches for Beginners

Any time a person is dreaming and she or he understands their dreaming it's called a lucid dream. When a strange dream makes a person stop and question reality is when it typically occurs. Lucid dreaming has an interesting aspect to it, and it's the ability to regulate the dream and make some other reality in the dream state, which is the reason why lots of people learn the fundamental lucid dreaming steps.

A lot of cultures from ancient times took lucid dreaming very seriously. For instance, people living in ancient Egypt thought that dreams opened up the eyes of a person to truths, solutions, and advice that were hidden. In fact, lots of temples were devoted to dream incubation by ancient Egyptians. A lot of time in learning the numerous lucid dreaming steps, different states of consciousness, and out of body experiences was dedicated by ancient Egyptian so-called masters of secret things. They firmly believed that individuals can get an altered state of consciousness from the lotus flower.

It is new age, it has to do with dark arts, and it advocates escapism are some of the many misconceptions concerning lucid dreaming. Contrary to what people believe, there are a lot of significant benefits to lucid dreaming. It can have a favorable affect on an individual's walking life by improving problem-solving abilities, bettering creativity, helping men and women deal with their fears, and bettering confidence level, and also allowing individuals to explore other realities and plenty of other positive aspects.

Lucid Dreaming Tips

The techniques involve basic memory exercises and also complicated meditation. Training the subconscious mind to follow brand-new rules is the main objective of the different lucid dreaming steps. The very first step when it comes to learning is to cultivate a solid commitment to mastering the skill. The standard learning process takes a little while, research, and mental preparation, although the subconscious incubation technique can have fast results.

It's essential to keep a dream journal if someone is a rookie to lucid dreaming. The awareness of the dream state of a person is enhanced by the journal and makes it much easier to get up while dreaming. A person will encounter roughly 5 dream cycles nightly, which is the average. A person will experience a period of rapid eye movement sleep or REM in abbreviation as each sleep cycle concludes. The REM sleep is a whole lot longer as it gets nearer to the morning, giving a person the ability to remember dreams quickly after they wake up in the morning,, which is the best time to write inside the dream journal.

When it comes to keeping a dream journal the steps involved include things like choosing a journal and keeping it near the bed, which is essential as lots of dreams disappear quickly upon arising, which means it's a necessity to write them down immediately upon arising. Writing a step by step description of the dream in present tense and noting the dream's date is the next step. Next, analyzing and identifying the themes of the dream is what the person should do. After that, one needs to determine any significant real-world problems taking place at the present, and then finally, give the dream a name.

Not only should the person keep a dream journal, but also novices must do at least 10 reality checks every day. Reality checks bring about more vivid and lucid dreams by building better self-awareness during the morning hours. Reality checks give one the ability to identify the difference between a dream and a waking reality. Utilizing reality checks in the waking reality gives people the power to do them during their dreams, giving their conscious mind the ability to know when they are dreaming.

As an example, a fairly easy reality check could be counting the fingers on each hand and will them to be more or less than 10. During the waking reality, ten is the total amount of fingers on each hand, regardless if a person wills it or not. However, when it comes to a dream willing the amount of digits to change is possible the majority of the time, which is a very clear sign that the individual is having a dream. Performing about 20 minutes of meaningful meditation everyday is the final method of inducing lucid dreams for novices.

As the benefits of lucid dreaming become more popular among people, a lot of experts have developed different tips for lucid dreaming that should yield great results. One of the most popular methods is the Mnemonic Induction of Lucid Dreams, which involves lucid affirmations, dream recall, visualization of the dream, and reality checks.

Mastering the method of waking up during a dream isn't that simple, which is just like many other things worth doing. Time, patience, focus, and practice are the things it requires, which anybody can learn.

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Help! I Can't Sleep! (By Michelle Geysbeek )

Have you ever had one of those nights? You know the kind; the constant tossing and turning, the tight muscles, the inability shut your mind off? It seems like that stupid alarm clock is staring you in the face. If only you could just relax and let it all go instead of worrying if you'll have enough coffee to make it through tomorrow.

Sleep is a strange thing. We need it, we crave it, we fight it, we do our best to control it instead of it controlling us. Unfortunately, our bodies don't function as they should when we are sleep deprived. The crux of it is, ongoing research has now established that not getting enough sleep is detrimental to our health. When we sleep our bodies repair vital organs and body systems, such as our adrenal glands, and cement our long-term memory while helping us to make sense of the days events.

For example, lack of sleep can severely weaken your immune system, accelerate tumor growth, cause a pre-diabetic state which can make you feel hungry even when you've already eaten. Even one night of poor sleep can impair your memory, decrease your problem solving ability and impair performance on physical and mental tasks, not to mention how these issues can manifest themselves in your body.

The average person needs six to eight hours of sleep each night. For most people sleeping under six hours will actually accelerate aging and increase your risk of diabetes. But everyone is different, some need more and some need less, if you feel as if you're dragging during the day, you need a full eight hours of sleep.

So the question becomes, when we are stressed and can't get a good night's sleep what are we to do? While nutrition, exercise, meditation and how we think about our life are major factors in our health and stress levels, whether we get enough sleep may be the most deciding factor in our health and well-being. Here are some suggestions to help you get out of the stress rut and get some much-needed sleep.

Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.

Sleep in complete darkness or as close as possible When light hits the eyes, it disrupts the circadian rhythm of the pineal gland and production of melatonin and seratonin. Also, there should be as little light in the bathroom as possible so you aren't jolted by bright light (think Gizmo and Gremlins) if you have to get up in the middle of the night.

No TV right before bed Even better, get the TV out of the bedroom or even out of the house, completely. It is too stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Also disruptive of pineal gland function for the same reason as above.

Read something spiritual or religious This will help to relax. Don't read anything stimulating, such as a mystery or suspense novel, as this may have the opposite effect. In addition, if you are really enjoying a suspenseful book, you might wind up unintentionally reading for hours, instead of going to sleep.

Pay off debt Make a plan to pay off what is burdening you. It's hard to sleep when we are worried about how we are going to make those payments. Devising and implementing a plan of attack will empower you, making you more relaxed that everything will be alright now that there is a plan to work from.

Avoid toxic and negative people or situations If you are constantly bombarded with stressful people or situations, find a way to remove yourself. Either discuss your situation with them and let them know how you feel so you can work on improving the situation or you may have to eliminate them from your circle, even for a short time.

Use breathing techniques Like EFT, breathing exercises help refocus our minds and allow our parasympathetic nervous system to come forward. This will help relax you and regain control of your thoughts.

Bring ALL thoughts under YOUR control Negative thinking leads to more stress. Most of the negative thoughts are about what you can't control anyway, so why not take control of those thoughts? Write a list of all the negative thoughts that go through your mind. Now, take some time and restate those thoughts in a positive way. Something like, "Why did I just try to do that? I did it wrong, I should have known I wouldn't get it right." Now try saying, "Oopsies, I just messed up. But I'm trying something new, I will get better at it."

Write in a journal Keep a journal or spiral notebook next to your bed. When you find yourself having thoughts racing through your mind, write them down. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be as simple as get milk tomorrow at the store, or as extreme as admitting you feel stressed and hopeless. Just the act of writing things down removes them from constantly coursing through your mind.

There are many ways to deal with stress and bring your body, mind and spirit back into balance. Because stress is a major factor in the majority of health problems plaguing people today, taking steps to learn how to manage the traps that drag us into the spiral of sleepless nights will empower us to take the steps needed to climb out. Not only that, being able to manage stress will help your mental well-being. Being a positive thinker has an effect on our health because our bodies actually respond to our emotions on a cellular level.

There are many pills out there promising to reduce your stress and/or help you sleep. The problem is, some of them can be harmful or addictive. Learn how to use any of the techniques above in a way that works for you and you won't have to resort to dangerous drugs to bring on that lovely slumber.

So, bottom line, give yourself the tools you need to combat stress so you can get some much-needed rest.

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Are You Tapping Into Your Creative Side?

One of the best ways to ensure that a plan you designed will work is to allow your creativity to flow.

One of the best ways to ensure that your mind is open to new ideas is to allow your creativity to flow.

And, one of the best ways to ensure that your creating a strategy that is innovative and fresh is to allow your creativity to flow.

Creativity.

Being creative enables you to use the power of your imagination to conjure up new thoughts and ideas and see the world a bit differently.

It makes problem solving easy-peasy.

And, all of this goes back to me speaking about the necessity of using your whole brain when you work.

Let's try it out.

For the next 3-minutes, I want you to use your imagination.

Know that your brain will be thanking me for this later as it will be like a reflexology massage to its core.

Are you ready?!?

Great!

Take out a pen or pencil, and a piece of paper, preferably in a journal or something you refer to regularly.

Now, I want you to outline your ideal day from morning to night.

Write down everything you want to happen in your day.

Choose activities that you enjoy doing and schedule them as if money was not a factor.

Here are a few examples --

• Projects you're excited to work on

• Spending time with people you love

• Donating your time and talents to a cause you're passionate about

• Hiking, biking, or just being outside

• Lounging on your deck and basking in the sun

• Reading a book

• Journaling

• Meditating

• Heading out to a yoga or Pilates class

• Playing a round of golf

• Enjoying a massage at the spa

Done?

Great!

So, what does it look like?

• Maybe you're calling the shots in your ideal day and have a team of awesome people who work with you.

• Maybe you're having lunch with your best friend at that cool café you've had on your to-do list to try out for ages.

• Maybe you're finishing up the final touches on your new manuscript that you know will be on the NY Times bestseller list.

• Maybe you spend time at the food pantry packing bags to be delivered to families in need.

• Maybe you scheduled in time to spend with yourself just thinking about how fabulous your life is.

Whatever your ideal day looks like, you probably get excited just looking at the schedule.

I know I am!

Just doing that exercise stretched your mind to consider the possibilities.

It stepped out of the linear and you colored outside the lines!

So, now for the million dollar question...

If you know what you really want to be doing every day, why aren't you doing it?

Wait a minute.

Is this a trick question?!?

Breathe.

I know that when you read my question, reasons were popping up in your mind like popcorn kernels put in the microwave.

You may have thought...

• "My partner would never let me... "

• "That's crazy. I don't have time to do that... "

• "My full-time job takes every ounce of energy I have and I'm completely empty at the end of the day... "

• "I can't change direction now. I have healthcare and a pension to think about... "

And, the list goes on and on...

Let me tell you a little secret.

None of those reasons are real.

They are simply stories we tell ourselves to keep us safe.

If you can come up with a possibility, you can come up with a way to make it happen.

Negative mind chatter is one of the only things that keeps you from living your ideal lifestyle.

You are always just one degree away from stepping into something new that would make all the difference.

Albert Einstein said, "Creativity is intelligence having fun!"

So, pay attention to where your work is rote and boring and take the creativity challenge.

ACTION ITEM: The Upside Challenge of the week is to look at the areas in your life and work where you need to infuse a bit more creativity. I promise you'll thank me for it later.

Do something creative every day.

Talent works, genius creates.

The world needs you and your genius.

Remember, people follow the person first, then their great plan.

Be someone worth following.

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Your Brain Can Generate Creative Ideas by Relaxing and Daydreaming

Fantasizing during the day or daydreaming permits you to launch your internal ideas as well as initiation of implementing these thoughts. Do you find that you daydream often or even catch your mind wandering sometimes? Research study has actually revealed that fantasizing could in fact aid enhance your imagination.

Throughout the day you most likely have a hundreds of various important thoughts competing around your human brain. Not surprising that you cannot create remedies and also suggestions quickly. As soon as you are much more relaxed your mind opens as well as begins working with those internal ideas. These are the ones that you are enthusiastic about or your best desires. Also, when you awaken in the early morning you have all these fantastic thoughts for your brand-new task. You soon aspire to begin working with them as well as move on with your job.

This is the procedure that offers those Aha minutes, as well as those "why really did not I consider that" minutes. Pretty easy remedies that when provided sound simple, yet were tough to come up with at.

The exact same concept operates in reverse also. When you are undergoing a harsh spot, this disrupts your ideas, disrupts your rest as well as could provide you bad desires.

Study has actually revealed that daydreaming places your human brain to work with a much further degree. Your mind starts to utilize the location of the brain for complex problem solving, usually described as the "executive network". Additionally it draws on various other locations of the mind as well as with each other they develop an effective network that will help idea generation.

If you have not done any sort of day fantasizing recently, possibly you should start a project on the job or objective to deal with. This will certainly begin to release your imaginative juices and also obtain those suggestions moving.

You might likewise aim to not have way too many various projects in process simultaneously. By doing this you could focus on one job at once as well as do an actually excellent job on it.

When you begin a brand-new task or established on your own a soaring objective, this begins a procedure in your mind. One that develops all sort of concepts. You could have experienced this kind of sensation prior to.

Have you ever before began something brand-new then all of a sudden you create all these terrific suggestions. Or you locate that you begin daydreaming regarding the task as well as need to stand up as well as jot down your ideas? This is precisely the procedure that fantasizing could carry your imagination.. Try this more and you may be pleasantly surprised with the creativity you have. Keep in mind, in order for day dreaming or fantasizing to be really efficient though, you should currently be engaged in a project on the job or at home.

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How To Defuse A Bad Situation

This article is called "how to defuse a bad situation", so I will get straight into that: Ask yourself what is good about the situation and then pursue it. Then, if it still "feels bad", persist until you find the good. For, the good comes from not quitting when it comes to understanding what is good about a bad situation, not quitting when the situation gets "too bad to cope with". For example all problems and solutions consist of three phases.

1. Problem caused
2. Solution searched for
3. Solution found

There are not any exceptions to this fact except when you stop looking for the solutions to problems. My reality is, if there is a problem, there is an ultimate solution that realistically solves the problem, it just has to be found through creative persistence, which means doing what needs to be done until the problem is solved.

Problems can always be solved beyond the consciousness level that created them though. Think about that reality. When consciousness is raised, so is the solution level and the level of problems until you get to the top. There are not any teaching, learning or pedagogical infinities, and even if there were (or seemed to be), mastery levels would always be possible to those who productively persist. The solution can always be found by all who creatively find it. Hence the idea of possibility thinking comes into play, right here.

As long as the idea of good exists, there are always positive possibilities. As long as the idea of good exists, bad is always a secondary thought that has a solution to it.

Right now, I am thinking of Dr. Champion Kurt Teutsch and his wife Joel Marie Teutsch who said what I am saying in their reports about raising consciousness and getting genuinely creative to solve problems and even create beneficial solutions through consciousness raising. For, as I echo Albert Einstein: Nothing can be solved by staying at the consciousness level that created the problem. Rise above yourself and you will get everywhere. Wallow inside yourself and go nowhere and you will get nowhere.

Some of the best solutions have come from many of the worst problems. Many of the worst problems came from normality, average thinking, lethargy and stagnation. I am not an advocate of consistent problems. But, I am an advocate of genuine and real growth and consistent better living through productive growth.

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Boost Your Creativity With a Walk in the Woods

Clearing your mind of as much conscious thought as possible for short periods can dramatically improve your cognitive processes and problem-solving abilities. When you let go of the things that seem top of mind along with all of the external stimuli that floods your brain with noise, then your sub-conscious mind is free to get to work solving problems and clarifying your perspectives. Freeing your mind of the clutter also relaxes your body and helps to reduce stress.

Walking and exposing your mind to nature are effective techniques for easing stress and stimulating positive brain activity. If you have access to a forest, or a place where you can walk for an hour or more surrounded by trees and nature, then you can combine the idea of meditation with exercise and nature get the biggest boost to your mental performance. If you have difficulty meditating at home, then this process can help you. Of course, you'll also gain the health benefits of stress relief and exercise in general.

Before you start, write down the one problem or topic on which you'd like to find answers or greater clarity. Write this in big bold letters on a large piece of paper, and stare at it for a few minutes. Then, leave that piece of paper on your table, take your notebook and pen or pencil with you and start your hour-long walk. Keep the pace to a reasonable stroll, not a power-hike. If you exercise too heavily with this process, your mind will begin to think about other things, like the pain in your feet and lungs and the distance yet to cover. You want your mind to be free to relax and that will be easier if your body is relaxed and doing what it is designed to do, and that is walk.

Turn your cell phone off and leave your iPod music player at home. This process requires that you focus all of your attention on your natural surroundings. As you walk, scan the forest, trees, grass, shrubbery and water for anything that looks or sounds mildly interesting and write it down on your notepad. You are looking for items that would otherwise seem mundane, like interesting tree bark, extra tall grass, a yellow wild flower or an unusual shape in a tree that reminds you of something. Make sure you keep walking and don't simply stop and scan one area. Keep your eyes and ears tuned to everything around you, and make a brief note about what you observe.

Walking stimulates the neurons in the front of your brain and increases synaptic activity. It also balances stress hormones and helps you to manage and cope with stress. Focusing your eyes and ears on items in nature further stimulates the brain and pushes other thoughts into the background. This procedure simulates the practice of meditation by freeing your mind of conscious thoughts, with the added benefits of stimulating neurons and relieving stress.

Scanning the forest and taking notes serve only to focus the mind on things that provide positive stimulation and not on things that add stress to your life. You may choose to keep or toss your notes after each walk. Practice this walk-in-the-woods technique several times each month and soon you'll find you have greater clarity, improved problem-solving and reduced stress.

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5 Safe Ways To Blow Off Steam

Anger has caused a lot of trouble for a lot of people all because they have reacted to it in a negative manner but there are things that we can do to blow off our steam that will not be harmful to us or others. In a split second our anger can set off a totally new way of life for us if we would react to it in a negative way; so listed below are five safe ways to blow off steam that will not cause any harm to other or to ourselves.

Exercise: Exercise is a very good way to blow off steam; it will stimulate your senses by giving your body a good workout. While you are concentrating on the workout, you will be less likely concentrating on the problem which in tern will cause you to settle down.

Play your favorite activity: The best type of activity is something that would require thinking or problem solving, this way your brain will become preoccupied on the activity and not on the person that you are angry with and this will give you a chance to calm down.

Listen to nature sounds: These sounds can be calming to you if you are angry about something. Rushing water makes a calming sound as well as birds chirping but the point is to find something that is relaxing to your senses; what might be calming to one person may not be calming to another.

Go for a walk in a quiet place: Down time is very important and the best place to get it is in a quiet place. You might be surprise to learn that the problem was not that big of a deal or you might find a solution to the problem while walking along on a quiet path.

Have a sense of humor: The bible say that a merry heart does good like a medicine so find something humorous that happen while you were angry, I am sure that at least one thing happened because the Lord does not want you angry so He will put something in your way to diverse the anger, you just have to look for it and when you find it, let the laughter flow because it can and will reduce the anger.

You might be able to think of other things that will help you blow off steam and that is a good thing; just do not forget to do it when you become angry. It is easy to get into trouble but it is not as easy getting out of it so do not be lead by your emotions.

If you become angry and feel the need to blow off steam, make sure it is done in a positive way. If you will do it this way; you will not have regrets later. Things will happen beyond your control but you are in control of your emotions so regardless of the situation; think before you react, it will save you from a lot of pain and suffering later on.

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The Art of Problem Solving in Ten Easy Steps

It takes only a minute of watching the news or listening to our Presidential Candidates vie for our votes, to become astutely aware that problems exist all around us. We are faced with them on large and small scales, at home, work, in our communities and in our world. Basically the bad news is... we cannot escape problems. Not such an uplifting message huh? But, here is what we can do; we can learn to solve them, both big and small, by approaching them with the right attitude.

This ten-step process is guaranteed to produce results. Remember to have fun and brainstorm each stage to construct a dynamic list of best possible outcomes!

Break it Down

Often times when we pause long enough, we can see that problems, like most things, can be broken down into smaller parts than the whole. All problems are structured around two common characteristics: desirable outcomes and obstacles or barriers.

Change the Lens

The "p" word alone makes a negative impression on those who encounter it, yet, what do we know about looking at something through the lens of negativity? A growing body of research suggests by changing our language about the problem we can actually change our thoughts and behaviors.

For instance, refer to the "problem" as a "challenge" or even an "opportunity," using language like this often encourages us to approach the notorious "p" word from an angle of creativity.

Define the Problem Clearly

This is oftentimes an overlooked step in the problem solving process. In order to fully understand the challenge, we need to take the time to understand everyone's perception or experience of the problem. Every team member or person who comes in contact with the problem may experience it differently. Therefore, before we can begin to comprehend the situation we need to realize how far reaching it is and the impact it has on everyone.

Use Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking skills are very important to problem solving, yet, research has pointed to a decline in critical thinking skills over the past decade. With information so readily available on our digital devices, we can fall victim to allowing our phones, computers and I-Pads to do our thinking for us rather than engage that part of our brain.

Symptoms of the problem are just that... don't allow yourself to be caught up in the "weeds" of symptoms associated with the problem either, instead, look for the root cause or causes.

Define the Ideal

So, what is the "ideal" solution to the problem? What must the solution accomplish or take care of to be considered a great solution? If you have engaged this process methodically, this should be a relatively easy step as you will have determined the parameters of the problem and the problem will have been defined through the examination of critical thinking with all angles thoroughly explored. Therefore, by the time you arrive at this step, you will be able to recognize the "ideal" solution or solutions.

Determine the Obstacles

This is yet another step in the problem solving process I often times see overlooked. Obstacles have to be considered.

By allowing time to take each identified solution and "brainstorm" through all the worst case scenarios, we are literally fire testing our solution and making sure it can hold up under pressure. This process is critical and will save a huge amount of time and effort in the end.

Make a Choice

The question to ask yourself here is, given your understanding and definition of the problem, what provides the best possible solution at the "current time" under the "present circumstances?" The reason the preceding words are bolded here is to call attention to the fact that solutions may change over time and be rendered ineffective based on a new set of circumstances. For this reason, it is always good form as a leader to continually monitor and evaluate processes to assure optimal levels of performance.

Set Deadlines

All of the preceding steps are rendered useless and ineffective if time is not taken to formulate a plan and set "by when" times for completion of processes.

Once a solution has been selected, implementation rests on identifying what needs to done, by when and by whom. Setting a series of short-term deadlines and developing a schedule for reporting helps the project stay focused and on track.

Measure Outcomes

An ongoing assessment process is crucial. Steer away from becoming attached to a solution as it may need to be tweaked or completely overhauled based on the results it is producing.

Action Everyone

The short answer here is... MOVE. Get going and create some momentum. Momentum generates the energy to produce your desired outcome. The two key words here are, be "consistent" and "persistent." And, if at any given time you run into an unidentified obstacle, pause long enough to reevaluate your solution to make sure you are on the right track.

Destiny by Design or Default... the choice is yours!


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