Feeling like something is missing from your lifeω Or like you’re on the wrong track – a track out of line with your values and goalsω Your zest for life may be gone, and you’re wondering, “What’s the missing pieceω And where can I find it to regain a complete lifeω Life might seem like a puzzle at times. But puzzles have pieces. We’ve identified eight pieces to a complete life — a life that will not only make you more fulfilled personally but, also, more fulfilled in your career and at your workplace.
Fitting together the pieces of the personal leadership puzzle requires work, but the effects are very powerful. Being aware of the eight pieces and drawing upon them will allow you to build and sustain the life you want.
Piece #1: Get curious. Live in the wonder of life
One of the reasons companies and individuals fail is because they stop being curious. It is best to pay more conscious attention to the vision you have for your life or your company, the strategies being used to reach the goals and the dynamics occurring than to be focused on the bottom-line or what is not occurring.
When we become curious and take things less personally, we are able to help each other be our best selves.
Piece #2: Get clear. Slow down and see beyond the fog
When living a fast-paced life, at work and at home, it is easy to become anxious and to have foggy thinking. In order to see beyond the fog, slow down and ask: “How might we achieve our vision and goals in a way that is for the good of allω”
The art of effective decision-making requires that we are clear before we forge ahead. When making decisions, it is important to practice this three-step process: Are we readyω What’s our aimω OK, now fire.
Personal leadership means we ensure that everyone is ready and understands the aim before we fire ahead. By doing this, we avoid playing victim on the back end when the results are not what we had hoped for, only because we led the process of decision-making that fires before taking aim.
When you slow down to get clear on the front end, you will save time on the back end.
Piece #3: Get calm. Find the peace in the storm
Daily, you will face unexpected twists in the road. It is your choice whether to stay in the place of peace or to be stressed out. The difference is simply a matter of whether or not you can stay open to positive thinking, trust that possibilities will come to you and allow them to come to you in perfect timing — instead of what we deem as our timeline.
Getting calm as we face trials and tribulations comes from re-focusing our thinking from, “This is so difficult.” to “How might I deal effectively with this situationω” Notice how the second thought creates a different feeling. The first statement is associated with fear and anger while the second question is imbued with a calm feeling associated with possibility thinking.
Piece #4: Get confident. Fly free from worry
In order to build inner confidence, we first have to be comfortable with exposing fear and self-doubt so that it can be transformed. If we are not conscious about our fear and self-doubt we will mask it with dominant behavior or give into it with weak-pleasing behavior.
Being aware of our fear and self-doubt allows us to become the observer to our emotional reaction before we choose a reactive behavior. For example, when we feel angry and want to yell at someone, we can instead notice this feeling and choose to be curious as to what the anger is about for us until we are clear and calm enough to express our needs with confidence. Paying attention to our emotional self will allow us to make confident decisions in our life.
Piece #5: Get caring. Open your heart to love
It is easy to build walls of pretense and defensiveness because we feel that we lack value in the eyes of others, instead of seeing the opportunity to open our own heart to love in the opportunities before us.
If you tend to take things personally, instead of focusing on, “How did they make me feel valued and importantω” re-focus your question on, ”How might I make them feel valued and importantω’
We are offered many difficult situations throughout the day, at work and at home. Our perspective is what dictates our choice: are we focused on our selves or othersω
Piece #6: Get committed. Overcome obstacles
The reason that many people do not reach their dreams and goals is because they lose patience and give up too soon. You can avoid this common dilemma by tightly holding onto your intentions, but loosely holding onto the form and timing in which things unfold.
Become flexible with your approach, but stay committed to your heart’s desires. This way of being will help you persevere over obstacles instead of believing that you are not able to make your dreams come true, just because you are facing difficulties.
Piece #7: Get communicating. Call the bird out of the bush
Mean what you say and say what you mean. This is good advice for any great relationship, at work and at home. When we notice issues and “call the bird out of the bush,” we keep the walls of resentment from building.
In order to communicate more effectively, stop focusing on questions like: “Will they be mad at me if I tell them how I feelω” or “Will I hurt them if I am honestω”
Instead, get communicating, start focusing on the question: “How might we deal with (this issue)ω”
Piece #8: Get creative. Discover the field of possibilities
In order to create a fulfilled and effective life, we need to think beyond our limitations, expectations and conditioning. This requires a creative mind that can stay open to others, without losing yourself.
In order to get creative, one must see a wide field of possibilities and stay open to the question: “How might we …ω” versus being concerned about who is right and who is wrong.
