Don't Let The Clock Run Your Life

Good advice from my wife. The morning scenario is pretty classic for us. I enjoy getting up early, getting ready for the day, and then relaxing a little before having to head out the door. She prefers to do her relaxing on the front end in the bed. Neither way is wrong, we just do it differently. One Sunday morning while getting ready for church, we begin a discussion that is never effective. It consists of each of us attempting to convince the other why our way of waking up is the best.

Like I said, neither of us are ever convinced that the other is right on this particular issue. But the point she tends to make in these discussions is a good one: Don't let the clock run your life. Please make sure not to miss-quote me on this one. There are many benefits to being on time and many scenarios where being late will hurt more than it will help. Being on time shows your preparedness and professionalism as well. The contention here is that when people allow clocks and time to run their lives, they are not taking the time necessary to really enjoy life to its fullest.

How do I know that? Simple. People who run their days by the clock very rarely schedule down-time. The reason for this is because they believe that their time is far too valuable to be spent "goofing off" or "being lazy." While I do not condone laziness at all, time always needs to be taken to simply relax and enjoy life.

Being the type-A personality that I am, it is very easy for me to schedule every minute of my day with productivity. While my boss is thrilled with this aspect of my personality, it is not always beneficial. Why is that? How can I literally spend every waking minute doing something productive or beneficial and it not be a good thing? I asked the same thing. I realized that there were people who got less accomplished in a given day but were much more satisfied with the day they had.

I came to realize that the difference was in allowance for down-time. While my schedule was completely screwed up if something didn't go as planned, their's was just fine because of the time allotted for relaxation. My solution was to run my day by not really running it at all. Outside of work, my day is very rarely scheduled ahead of time. Whims and random road trips are acceptable now because there is no schedule that they are messing up. My only rule now is to focus on what really matters. If it is a question between blogging or randomly taking my wife to dinner...she wins every time. My relationship with her matters more to me than just about anything else in this world and that always comes first.

Make time for those little things that really matter by de-cluttering your schedule. Trust me. When you make time for the things that make a difference, everything else can wait. In a hundred years, people are probably not going to be counting the number of blog posts I have written, the amount of time spent playing the guitar, or the intensity of my workouts. They will only look back and have memories. Those are the things in which to really invest some time.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Preparing for Change

Before you get any ideas...we're not having a baby yet. But the past couple of weeks have been spent becoming mentally prepared for change. My wife and I have made a couple of major employment decisions, we will be moving to a new state, and starting a new life.

Do I feel like change is a bad thing? Absolutely not. But human beings were designed to be creatures of habit in order to make our lives easier. Your brain going on auto pilot is one of the greatest gifts God gave you. So when circumstances arise that shake things up, you become stressed because your body is not looking for something like that to happen.

But change molds you. It enables you to grow as a person and as a professional. Thought it be uncomfortable, change produces results. If your workout routine always stays the same, you never improve. I believe it was Einstein who first verbalized the idea that insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting to get a different result.

Is it challenging? Sure. But you have to challenge yourself in the change process in order to produce any results. Mentally, it is a strenuous process to know that change is coming. But being able to look past the actual change to the results and opportunities to come is what makes a real professional. Look at the top of the next mountain when you're getting ready to climb. If you look at all of the steps you have to take, it is easy to get discouraged.

My wife and I are very excited about the coming weeks. The transitional toughness is what helps us grow stronger as a team and as individuals. The changes to come will be embraced. Why? Frankly, we have no choice. I start a new job soon. But seriously, the scariness is nothing compared to the hope for the future. We covet your prayers and are excited to see where the road leads.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Fostering Creativity

In case you haven't noticed yet, I love to write. Having this blog gives me the opportunity and ability to express myself, hone my writing skills, and challenges me to be creative in both style and content. Additionally, potential employers often look for creativity as a quality in new hires. Why? People who are creative tend to be able to look at a situation and devise a solution that is "outside the box". Creativity lends itself to multiple platforms and is useful in just about any situation (If you're an accountant, don't read this post. You guys will go to jail for getting too creative.)

Unfortunately, there are many people who go through life thinking that the creative gene somehow missed them. They prefer rules, structure, and see creativity as something only for those artsy types. But I would contend that everyone needs to develop creativity because of how much it spills over into the rest of life. Writing is just one platform. Others could include playing a musical instrument, drawing, painting, planning, etc. Developing your creativity allows you to enjoy life apart from your day-to-day duties. Fostering your creative environment gives you a place to disconnect, unwind, and just to be yourself. Practicing creativity reduces stress while stretching and exercising your mind at the same time. That being said, there are a few things that I have found that provide me with optimum creativity-building time.

The first aspect of providing optimum creativity is to have an actual routine. Stereotypical "creative" type often have the reputation of not caring about order and structure. They go with the flow and tend to keep to themselves. Well, that's not how I want to be. The routine actually fosters my creativity because I have found the best time for me. Every other day, I wake up at 5:30. I read my Bible and then I write for 45 minutes to an hour before getting ready for work. This schedule lets me be productive during what I consider to be my best hours of the day. Of course, you will have to do some experimentation to figure out what time works for you. This actually leads into the second aspect of my creative environment: timing.

Let me be very blunt with you when I say I love my down-time. Finding ways to relax after a good, hard work day is one of my favorite things in the world. This could be anything to grabbing the guitar and playing/singing with my wife, taking a long walk, or exercise. The reason that I do the majority of my writing early in the morning is twofold. First, as I've already mentioned, my brain is usually at it's peak. Secondly, I am much less likely to skip writing for this blog if I do not have to give up any of my relaxation time to do so.

The final way that I have found to foster my creativity is to take action on whims. What do I mean by that? Your brain is a powerful tool. If you connect a thought to an action, your brain remembers it and performs unbelievably well as a result. The other side of that coin is this: If you have a thought or an idea and you do not connect it to an action, it takes about 10 seconds for your brain to decide that it isn't worth your time.

The action doesn't have to be big. It can be as simple as sending yourself a message or jotting down a quick note. My personal favorite is the Blogger app. If I have a thought for a post or an idea, I create a new post from my phone and type of my initial thoughts. I can always go back later and delete the ones that are just plain dumb. But that allows me to get up in the mornings with outlines already planned out. All I have to do is the writing part which I enjoy anyway.

Working on your creativity is not something that comes easily to most people. Let me assure you that it is well worth it in the end. Your boss, church, and family will thank you for being a more creative person. Earning that promotion because you came up with the solution outside the box, resolving conflict among a group of people that provides a fresh perspective, and coming up with activities that your family can do together are all ways that creativity manifests itself and enhances our lives. Still not convinced? That's fine. Just start a blog and let me know how long it takes to convince yourself that fostering creativity is well worth your time.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Sustaining your A-Game

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then is not an act, but a habit." - Aristotle

We live in a world that is driven by competition. Human nature has grown to find that, through competition, businesses and people perform significantly better. Competing gives people a goal to achieve and something to lose. Though it isn't a perfect system, the idea of constantly performing at an optimum level is both desirable and admirable.

The sad part is that we drop to a level below our capability far too quickly. Humans were made, first and foremost, for survival. That being said, your body will use what energy/fat/muscle is necessary and nothing more. Your body also adapts and learns as it is faced with different circumstances. Therefore, the more comfortable you get with something, the less your body has to use or work for it. Why is all of this so sad? I'm glad you asked.

While being able to adapt and become more comfortable with our surroundings is a wonderful thing, the competitive world around us wants us to continue to exceed our own limitations. Get too comfortable where you are and someone working to be better is going to pass you. People naturally desire comfort. But the only way to continually get better is to challenge yourself. Hence, our world of competition.

What does all of this have to do with habit and excellence? Constantly performing at an exceptional level can become just as much of a habit as anything else. Habits make us comfortable. They are the norm for our bodies and can easily be accomplished without much thought. While we do need to be challenged in order to perform, looking for challenges and actually facing them becomes a habit as well. That is not to say that the challenges are ever easy. But looking for them, mustering up the motivation to pursue what you want, and taking the challenges head-on can be just as much a part of everyday life as eating or sleeping.

Your life is full of opportunity. Some of it falls into your lap. Most of it must be found through diligent searching. Many opportunities in life are unknown to us. What I mean by that is that you never know if that person you're talking to will be the next president of the United States. The ability to sell yourself comes with every handshake, conversation, and meeting you have. That's why it is always important to have your A-game as an everyday habit.

How do you make a habit of it? Press the "Page Up" key a couple of times and reread what Aristotle said. "...repeatedly do." That's it. If you force yourself to constantly play up a level, you will find yourself being able to do so without thinking about it so much. What comes next? Find the level above the next.

"Climb to the top of a mountain and you will be able to see the top of the next one." - Zig Ziglar 

Stay classy,

Andrew

Evaluating Your Day

How did you spend your day today? No, seriously. What did you do? Were you productive with your time? Did you encourage someone? Did you perform at an optimum level? Understand that these are not universal questions. But they are some things to think about. The reason being because we go through so many days during our lives that we get to the end and we think, "Wow, today just really flew by. What all did I do again?"

On its face, that does not always seem like such a bad thing. I, for one, have had plenty of days that I just wanted to end and to forget forever. But if you're working to live a better life and to use the days God has given you to the fullest, it is important to be responsible with how you spend those days.

Evaluating your day does not have to be some huge ordeal. It can be broken up into sections or focus areas to make it more manageable. For example, at the end of my work day during my walk to the car and my commute home, I like to look back on the day. I want to know how I spent my time, if I spent it responsibly, and if I achieved everything that I needed to get done for the day. This helps to keep me accountable to myself and, quite honestly, is pretty fun after a good day's work.

My wife and I do the same thing in the evenings. A constant topic of conversation for us is how our days have gone, what we need to do over the next few days, and how much fun we have been having. It is not a formal "evaluation" but the implications are the same. We know what we did, what we liked/didn't like, and what we need to do differently tomorrow.

My challenge to you is to take some time at the end of your day and see how you did. Focus specifically on the areas of goal advancement, time management, and personal engagement. These three are important because each one says so much about you as a unique individual.

Think about what you did to accomplish your goals. Did you work towards earning that promotion? Did you accomplish your daily tasks?

In accordance with your goals, think about how you managed your time. Was the majority of your day spent on mindless tasks like watching TV or browsing the internet? Were you doing something productive for yourself? Did you manage your employer's time wisely?

I also believe that it's incredibly important to personally engage others every day. Encourage someone. Tell a co-worker that they're doing a good job. Investing in others means investing in yourself as well. Not to mention, it is much easier to be motivated when the task is others-focused vs. self-focused. You can talk yourself out of personal benefits. But it is much harder to do that when you're working for someone else.

Keep in mind that these are not hard and fast rules. These questions are just what has worked for me in the past. Evaluating your day keeps you accountable and allows time to re-live the good times and fix those you would prefer to forget. Enjoy life as a whole and the days will follow in-line.

Stay classy,

Andrew

In Hot Pursuit

The Declaration of Independence guarantees all Americans certain rights to which they are entitled. Three, specifically, are referred to as "inalienable" which means they cannot be legally or justly transferred to another party. They are inherent within the American and, not just an entitlement, but a blessing. These rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But, as Benjamin Franklin once quipped, "The Declaration of Independence only promises the pursuit of happiness. You must catch up with it yourself."

The pursuit of goals and of the things in life you really want is something that I tend to preach a lot. Why? People were made to strive after something and to work hard. This is evidenced by the fact that (with sleeping as an exception) working is the only thing that people can do for eight hours each day.

While there are numerous qualities that are invaluable in life and in the pursuit of goals, three jump out to me as the foundation for goal-achievement.

1. Consistency  

If you want to ride, don't wait until tomorrow to get back on. You are guaranteed to fail at some point in your pursuit. There will be times when that goal seems completely unattainable. There will be times when the results to be achieved simply do not look like they will be worth the effort. Keep in mind that the majority of goal-setting benefits come in the act of consistently chasing the goal. Yes, the benefits at the end are great. But you gain so much more through the struggle and the chase.

Keep going. The end is worth it. Keep making those daily resolutions and press on. Don't wait until tomorrow to try and reset if you mess up today. Your next minute of living is a new opportunity.

2. Self-Control 

As long as excellence is being pursued, this will be a requirement. While this tends to go hand-in-hand with consistency, it needs to be separate because it focuses on your internal discipline. Consistency is attained through constantly getting back up on the horse. Self-control deals with staying on the horse. Lots of the same concepts can be applied. But the vantage point is different.

Reward yourself. Find your incentives and enjoy them. Surround yourself with people that hold you to a higher standard. Make sure they are like-minded and going in the same direction you are. That way, you are not spending your life lonely on your high horse because the people you're around are up their's too.

3. Motivation

I can't stress enough how important your motivation is. Consistency and self-control deal with decisions that are made. Your motivation is why you make those decisions in the first place. Most of the time, it isn't just for the sake of working for something. Motivations are different for everyone. Some are motivated by positive re-enforcement. Think motivational posters and encouraging words. Others are motivated by negativity. These people keep "before" pictures of themselves because they never want to look like that again. Still others use a combination of the two.

Whatever your motivation, find it and use it frequently. It will keep you going when nothing else will. All of that to say, work and strive hard after your goals. You have, within you, the right to pursue them. Develop these qualities and focus them on something specific and you will lead a better life as a result.

Stay classy,

Andrew

Little Victories

"I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's." - Henry Moore

The little, every day wins are incredibly important in a professional journey. They are what keep us going and continually moving forward. Without little victories to celebrate, we would only look at the huge task or goal. While focusing on the big picture is not a bad thing at all, a lengthy process for attaining that picture can quickly become discouraging. That's why it is so important to be on the lookout for those little victories and to celebrate them when they come along. Today, let's think about the little victories in life in the three following areas: measurability, motivation, and meaning.

1. Measurability

As I've mentioned previously, it's important that your goals be measurable so that you know how you're doing. Maybe that goal of being a manager in your company one day starts with making a good to-do list and increasing your productivity. That goal of a beach body starts with a single workout and a healthy eating plan. Those are just a couple of examples of the little, measurable things that we do on the way to the prize.

Little victories are not what get us up in the morning, but they are what keeps us getting up in the morning. The thought of getting that promotion is what gets us up to work. However, the fact that we did so well at the job yesterday is what keeps us going back to try harder. That brings us into our second area of motivation.

2. Motivation

If you're ever going to reach your goals, you need to figure out what really motivates you. When getting up early is not really first on your mind while laying in your warm sheets, what is it that is going to make you get up anyway? That being said, figure out the little rewards you enjoy for your little victories that make them worth it. For example, a good relaxing walk with my wife over my lunch break is my reward for working hard in the morning. The rewards and victories don't have to be big. They just need to motivate you to keep trying.

3. Meaning 

Let's make all of this a bit more practical. Think of your goal like a mountain. It will be a treacherous, long, hard climb to the top. But at it's peak, the view will be spectacular. Getting there will increase your confidence in your ability, teach you new skills, and show you the top of the next mountain in the distance. But as I stated earlier, looking at a mountain the entire climb can get pretty overwhelming. The good news is that every mountain is made up of molehills. They aren't very big or very difficult to climb; but they come together to make that glorious mountain. My challenge to you is this: Celebrate the molehills you step over to get up the mountain you're climbing.

Craig Ballantyne put it very well when he said this:

"Success comes in spurts." - Craig Ballantyne

Be happy and reward yourself for the spurts of success. It will make the goal seem much more attainable, continually motivate you, and give you a way to measure your progress. After several weeks of counting molehills, you find out that you're half-way up the mountain. So keep climbing. Just don't spend all of your time and energy focused on the distance. Keep your thoughts here and now on the day's resolutions. You'll get much higher more quickly as a result.

Stay classy,

Andrew