Move Your Desk: Recent Episodes
Rebecca Clark
This podcast is for anyone that knows they haven’t yet found and offered up their best work, but are compelled to seek it out and do it.
Rebecca Clark shares stories and practical approaches to life and leveling up at work. She enjoys sharing frameworks that have helped her progress in her work. And, nudges that encourage you to act on the inner inklings to create and offer up your best self. Periodically, she interviews amazing individuals that are already in the pursuit of self-improvement.
Are you ready to move your desk?
https://pod.co/move-your-desk
https://www.moveyourdesk.com
Recently, I decided to do a 12-step program by myself. Many out there follow the general approach that Alcoholics Anonymous uses for addiction recovery.
As part of the process, you write notes to those you want to forgive, ask forgiveness from, or just plain right a wrong that you feel about the relationship. It's not about making the relationship right, but rather more of a way of YOU deciding that you want to free your heart and mind toward personally developing regardless of how the other person feels about your changes.
I've re-engaged in writing notes more frequently due to this process.
It's hard, rewarding, and uncomfortable. But worth it. I've found other reasons to write notes and tell people about certain impressions that come to mind. If only because I've benefitted from others doing the same for me.
nudge #spiritualnudge #12steps #addictionarecovery #notewriting #letterwriting #gratitude #allboatsrisetogether #moveyourdesk #podcast #impressions #followingthenudge #followingtheimpressions #compliments #forgiveness
The bus stop is now an essential part of my day.
It's the one moment, twice daily, where I feel a sense of community. Or, since it is the beginning of a new year, a newly forming community because it's a mixture of old friends and a lot of new additions to the mix.
The diversity is a complex mixture of people from Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Maybe Antarctica and Australia will come along soon! There are also a few languages in the mix. And people from four years old to their mid-70s. Add to this the types of work, interests, religion, and physical appearance of everyone and there is quite an interesting group!
Still, this week I looked around and saw a person or two that looked a bit separated from the crowd, and lonely. Though I'm the person (self-designated) to communicate and help everyone connect as best I can, I will still make my rounds to meet everyone. It just took one interaction for it all to change. A couple didn't know English, and another was just new to the neighborhood. The one interaction helped them slowly progress out of their shell and interact with others or... at least sit a little closer to the crowd.
It brought up a thought in my mind about the loneliness in diversity. Sometimes there is just so much diversity that it can be overwhelming, especially if you feel like you aren't able to fully express your personality or feel safe yet. In those moments, you really want sameness or familiarity to get your courage and confidence up.
This episode is just a nudge to embrace both diversity and sameness. Recognize what you need and where you might want to challenge yourself. If you have a problem with being around a diverse set of people, take a step toward one of them to learn more. If you embrace diverse people and opportunities at the expense of interacting with those that ground you... maybe take some time to interact with the familiar.
Also important is being aware of when you are the person that can help bring everyone together. In my neighborhood it was interesting to see that was made possible, partially because people with different languages were willing to interact, make mistakes, and allow onlookers to find joy from the imperfectly perfect communications.
moveyourdesk #diversity #loneliness #communications #connections
Sometimes when you start following a nudge, you start to self-sabotage. But, sometimes new obstacles appear. Either way, it can halt progress.
In the past week or two I've been re-inspired to take action on an idea I had four years ago. At the same time my inspiration hit, my eyes were sealed shut. As in, waking up in the morning with them super puffed up and I was barely able to open them. Not cool, especially since I had pink eye and conjunctivist in June and July. I'm sure I experienced this as a little kid, but never as an adult.
Though I'm clear on some of the reasons this happened, I wasn't clear why it got out of control. And, right when I was so inspired to create more content, revise, edit, and take a step forward in my work efforts.
Isn't this how it goes? Huge inspiration followed by new obstacles?
I'm choosing to look at this as an opportunity to get creative within the constraints. And, a little visit to the clinic helped quickly get it under control for now.
It's always forced me to look at new ways to make draft documents, which involves me taking a walk and speaking into a microphone. And, enlisting the help of others that are more talented in the areas where I definitely need some fine-tuning.
nudge #moveyourdesk #obstacles #eyes #eyehealth #constraints #startwithachart
Zoey McBee aspires to be president one day. She's recently finished high school and took a chance to share some of her aspirations, challenges, insights, and wisdom with me. She loves all things politics and women's issues, where they intertwine and where they don't.
Zoey shares some of the pushback she's experienced because of her age. After all, why would someone "so young" have any thoughts about the women's issues and politics going on in the world? She's encountered many opinions from her friends, classmates, judges, parents, and others. However, she embraces the differences, questions them and herself, and continues to proceed forward with her aspirations and goals.
I enjoyed speaking with Zoey. The conversation reminded me that most of us seek to figure out how we can serve in a way that resonates within, and on behalf of those we serve. And, that we must open our mouths and speak if we feel compelled to share regardless of what others think of us.
You don't have to be a certain age to do it. "Ageism" comes in many forms - to and from the young, old, and everything in between. I think our own minds are the worst perpetrators, holding us back from taking steps that we can take at any moment we decide the pain of growth is worth it.
I hope you tune in to listen to Zoey. Prepare to see her name in 20 years when you go to vote. She's planning on learning a few things between now and then so she can be your candidate!
moveyourdesk #podcast #politics #women #womenissues
Podcast available through all major podcast services
https://pod.co/move-your-desk
Paying tribute to those that serve in any capacity in the military is something that we have a chance to do every day - at the store, online, in our neighborhoods, work environments, etc.
Do we take time to do it? No judgement toward you here. I'm only going to judge myself.
I could do more. Most of my gratitude is in my head. I'm not sure when, but somewhere along the journey I decided that veterans didn't want to share their war stories or deep thoughts with me, even if I was interested.
However, this is one way to respect their service and to receive the messages their shared experiences offer.
Fast forward. I've talked to a few veterans on this podcast. One of my virtual friends, Brenda Christensen, recently mentioned that I should interview someone she knew, a person who had served in the Army Reserve for thirty years.
Colonel Kenny. Kenny Dupar.
Kenny is a subject matter expert (SME) and a retired Lieutenant Colonel. He spent eight of those 30 years in active duty. A year after 9/11, he was mobilized under Operation Enduring Freedom.
He's written a book about his experiences called Scoundrels in Iraq, the primary book we discussed in our interview. His second book is a romance novel (a surprise venture for him) called Pin-Up Dolls and Class Cars. There is also a third book in his head waiting for him to download it on to paper.
Kenny shares his experience with war. It's hard, humbling, and humorous. As always, there was so much more to discuss than we were able to delve into here. He's anxious to share and doesn't hold back. I listened to the book too fast and missed some of the key themes he was hoping to present. But, I got my own lessons out of it. And, I'm anxious to listen to it again to picked up on what I missed in my haste.
Since I cannot write a better introduction than he did to his book and our conversation, here's a quote from him:
"Most Soldiers aren’t the Infantry Boys runnin’ and gunnin’, performing harrowing missions. People have seen a one-sided, violent representation of the war in Iraq. Some Americans leave for war straight from their neighborhoods and families. Many of these citizen patriots have wicked skills and low impulse control.
Men shooting their guns in dramatic fashion is a tiny fraction of wartime activity. The sizeable contributions of female Soldiers in Iraq have been largely excluded in media. Engineers, military intelligence, police, psych ops, aviation, transporters, commo, finance, postal, medical, staff pukes, the ash and the trash, itty bitty units that plan, man guard posts and make water safe to drink haven’t been given their due.
Scoundrels in Iraq relates the gritty adventures. I inadvertently explained the result of the war, how and why ISIS appeared; still finding the ridiculous and funny in order to continue the march: providing a glimpse of the anguish of being separated from family, the worry of getting hurt and the fear of coming home when your loved ones have moved on without you."
Tune in to learn more from Kenny. Buy his book. I've started reading his second book too.
Thank you for your service Colonel Kenny!
Website: https://kennydupar.com/
YouTube: https://youtu.be/u1MXnWi7In0
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realkennydupar/
Books: https://kennydupar.com/books
veterans #armyreserve #military #militaryservice #usmilitary #operationenduringfreedom
Are you in the top 1-2% of what you do? Or, are you the extreme opposite?
Most of us are in between. Great at some things, good at others, and some not so great in the mix.
I've been thinking about those moments where I think that I'm in the "kind of" category. It usually involves me comparing myself to a friend, family member, or someone online. I'll have the same look, skill, or experience as they do. But, they are amazing at it and I'm "kind of" good at it. They are really tall, and I'm "kind of" tall. Some are in really great shape and I'm "kind of" in good shape.
Is there a problem with being "kind of?"
The answer may be "It Depends."
Sometimes you can't do much about something. You were born a certain height. You have certain features. You have certain natural strengths.
Other times being "kind of" comes from a place of not giving your best effort to something. This could be something to take a look at because hidden in that effort may be capabilities and talents you never knew you had. And, that those you serve may need.
Take a look at where you are "kind of" and question yourself.
In my process of doing this, I have found areas that I can step up my efforts while also seeing that my strength of exploring and experimenting makes me "kind of" good in a wide range of skills. I get to bring that to my strategic thinking and resourcefulness that I offer my clients and my own product development efforts. I'm counting that as a personal skill.
No one has the combination of "kind of" experiences and skills that you have in you. And, that's kind of great.
moveyourdesk #podcast #strengthsfinder #kindof #questionassumptions
Being angry isn't a problem. Or, is it?
After all, it's a normal human emotion. Some of us manage it well and some of us don't manage it at all, and the rest of us are a combination of both depending upon the day and situation.
At this point in my life experience, I typically have a handle on my internal and external anger responses. But, I still have plenty of moments that I regret.
However, the younger me had a few issues with this emotion. My parents and siblings would definitely agree.
In this episode, I share a few stories from my past in an attempt to show that we can make progress in managing our emotions, we can pay attention to learn why we feel angry, and that it's ok to continue to allow the emotion of anger in us.
It's worth noticing our own emotion toward figuring out how to use it to serve us...instead of the other way around.
anger #angermanagement #expectationvsreality #expectationmanagement #moveyourdesk #podcast
emotions #selfcoaching
It's a sly statement, but I'm finding that it is part of every single day.
The moment someone says you should try something and you say, "Nah, not for me" or "Nope, I don't do that..."
It's fine, if you've tried it before and determined that you don't like it, it's not the best use of your time, or not part of the highest value you can offer.
But, what if your response is just because you've decided it's not for you without giving it a concerted effort to really find out.
A few months ago I caught myself giving this response to some things that I've said consistently over the years. Here's a few of mine to prime your brain:
Nope, I don't do:
- saunas
- marathons
- spas
- singing solos
- modeling
- go to Walmart
These are just a few that I happened to talk about in this episode.
Seem kind of no big deal on the surface, but when I started to question my assumptions I found some hidden emotions and thoughts that were hard to tell myself.
Most of these were "nope" and "nah" moments because I was proud, jealous, fearful of failure, or self-righteous.
Yuck.
Take a look at your assumptions. Take a look at things you reject quickly. Ask yourself why. Go try them and see what's up with it.
It may be hard, but I've found that the reward is greater than the hard. And, I have a feeling that hidden in these things we want to avoid may be the doorway to discovering some of the best attributes, skills, experiences, relationships, and contributions that we can make.
Give yourself a chance the next time you find yourself saying, "Nope, I Don't do that" and see what happens.
Have you heard of The Ugly Duckling story, published by Hans Christian Andersen in 1843?
It's about a duckling that looked different than the others, and was rejected by everyone in his close proximity - his mother, his siblings, and the people in the surrounding farm areas that tried to take him into their lives.
But, spring came and so did second chances.
He went out into the world ready to risk everything to find a way... to not be alone. In the process, the duckling finds out he has grown into a fully grown...swan. And, the other swans had no problem welcoming this bird into their flock. The recognized him as one of them in every way.
Notice, the swan was always a swan.
It's just the everyone around him didn't realize that's what he was, and expected him to be something else. So, he didn't measure up to the expectations of the crowd. In this case, a bunch of ducks.
Ducks and swans aren't the only living beings that deal with these misconceptions of value.
Most of us experience it at one time or another in school, work, our neighborhoods, or in finding our true self. In the process, we can lose a sense of personal worth and value. We can wonder if we are on the right track as we question what we offer the world, how we offer it, and if there is really a person, a group, or a company that will recognize what we offer as valuable.
If you haven't found your people just yet, keep learning and building your knowledge base.
If you have, remember the experiences you had when your value wasn't recognized.
It can be a journey to figure it out. Embrace all parts of it because you take all of the experiences to whatever you offer next.
And, remember...
Everyone is an ugly duckling in a pond somewhere. Go find your swans.
It's amazing to track the interests of a young brain. What starts as a love for Mickey Mouse and Lightening McQueen, morphs into learning types of cars, and sizes of America's biggest cities.
Right now there is one dream that occupies the mind of a little boy I know. It's the dream to see his favorite building - the Empire State Building.
It's one of those lifelong dreams. The kind that started five weeks ago, but feels like it will never be fulfilled.
Except, it was fulfilled...just this week.
He got to see it, go up in it, and eat pizza outside of it.
Where did this dream come from?
It came from "researching" cities online and in the process of comparing their sizes, noticing the buildings that filled their skylines. More questions came to mind during the searches - What's the biggest building in the world? How many skyscrapers are in each city? How do they all compare to each other? What's the difference between a skyscraper and a tower?
And, one question that Google has yet to answer - Do buildings have feelings?
Take a listen as this little guy wakes up and shares his insights and questions one morning, while I turn on an audio app and start recording. There's a lot more than he offers here. Notice the data, the math, the thoughts about architecture and engineering, the comparisons, and the history. Plus, a few thoughts about building emotions.
Our brains are amazing. We are born with this capacity. School doesn't do the capabilities we have justice.
Listening to this episode (and other recordings I'm capturing from a tiny person brain) reminds me that no matter what we have going on in our lives, it is worth taking time to pursue something we love with intensity. It brings us joy and more knowledge. It also brings insights and joy to those that get to watch us learn and grow. And, some of the bystanders will be compelled to step up and help you reach your next step or dream in the process. Sometimes in faster time that you can imagine.
"Do Beautiful"
This is a phrase that I've been hearing a lot at work. It sounded good at first, and then it started to annoy me. Especially when it seemed to replace doing the hard work of creating solid content, sharing good data, and thoughtfully analyzing and providing solutions.
However, I've been having a change of heart. A change of heart that is coming about as I've discovered my personal pain related to this topic. And, through the discomfort I'm learning to make some changes to improve myself and show up better for those that I am here to serve.
This episode is for those that put taking care of their personal appearance and health a little lower on the personal priority list. And, think that is ok.
Attractiveness matters. Self care matters. Maybe the divas are on to something with making this part of life a priority.
For me, it's uncomfortable to talk about these topics. But, I'm stepping into the discomfort and hopeful that some of you will too.
The journey will take time. It will take money. It will take effort. The same level of effort that some of us put into our degrees, certifications, and other learning.
Some of us are lucky to have family and friends that help us on the journey - providing tips, insights, and sometimes gift certificates, to help us get a head start on taking care of this vessel that helps us offer up our best work.
Can you teach an old dog new tricks?
It's not really an interesting question. It's been asked quite a bit. And, of course it is possible.
More interesting for some of us is noticing the dilemma of working through old tricks with new dogs.
In the workplace, this can show up as a constant stream of bright and shiny ideas that are, of course, new. That's not a problem, unless no one is listening to the prior lessons. And, applying the tweaks to make the next iteration better.
It's hard being in 2022. A lot of ideas are available. And, a lot of people have already tried them.
It's not that we shouldn't keep trying. Trying is abundant. Listening, however, is not. And, re-thinking? Not so much as we think.
History tends to repeat itself. Lots of new dogs are playing the same tricks that have gone on since...well, whenever time started. But, even look at the "historical documents" (thank you Galaxy Quest) like the Bible and compare with our day - murder, intrigue, lust, stealing, miracles, power mongers, jealousy, and...all the things. People haven't changed that much.
But, there is new technology. True, and most people alive now have quite a bit of experience with technology even if they are upwards of 80 years old. Now, that's a shift.
There are new combinations of ideas that have never been tried before, but there are also combinations that fade away because they are no longer useful.
All of the changes, all of the patterns, all of the repeating that is part of life.
Remember to embrace it all - the old tricks and the few new, the old dogs and the new. Your job is to listen, think, and combine them in ways that serve you and those you serve.
It's hard to know when to speak up, especially when it involves sharing something you feel compelled to share to someone that has perceived, or very real, power above and beyond your own.
I've certainly had my fair share of mistakes in this area. Now, I'm learning the balance of speaking up and remaining silent. It's art, science, and a lot of self-monitoring.
Still, this past few weeks I witnessed people that were willing to speak truth to power. Some were confident as they took the chance. Others came to the experience with great anxiety, fear of consequences, and a trembling voice.
All made a difference in their own unique way. And, most importantly they took a risk to say what needed to be said at the right moment, to the right people, and in the right way.
Some of these risks will pay off. Some will be learning moments to prepare for future opportunities.
Keep following the nudges that come to your mind. You may be the one person that needs to deliver the message.
Trying to avoid pain is normal.
You and I do it all the time with things like food, drugs, drinking, gambling, and the list goes on.
Sometimes we even do it with learning, information hording, and working. Working is one of my drugs of choice. All wrapped up in this addiction is the possibility of positive outcomes (sometimes).
All of it used as an effort to not think or feel the pain that might be festering inside.
If you learn more about pain, and how it can serve you, it becomes important to allow it and go all in to feel it... instead of trying to avoid or suppress it.
It feels worse to go about resolving life issues in this way, but it actually shortens the process and allows you to move forward faster.
I'm trying it right now. It's not the good part yet, but I know it will be worth it.
Are you pretending things are ok?
Are you uncomfortable when the conversation turns sideways on the conference call?
You rush to smooth over the disturbance and quickly make sure it's not a detriment to moving the work forward. And, to save others from feeling all the feelings about it? Or, at least try to do so?
It's actually slowing down the work more than you may realize, and inhibiting others from saying what may need to be said.
Toxic Positivity is rampant in parts of our cultures - towns, families, churches, and...of course work.
You can argue that there is a lot of bullying as well. But, we aren't talking about that today.
I share my concerns about it in this episode, and how I'm dealing with it in parts of my life and work.
It takes some time to realize that it is happening, and then what to do about it if you are a person that would rather go into the deeper conversations.
With the deeper conversations you have to take risks. Some of those risks will set you back. Some of them will propel you forward. Keep taking them.
We all wear masks, though some are thicker and worn more often than others. And, some of us may have a closet full of masks that are pulled out to deal with a variety of audiences.
Maybe it's time to start removing one of them toward building deeper trust and empathy that leads toward higher fulfillment and better outcomes.
The Move Your Desk Show is available through all major podcast services and https://pod.co/move-your-desk
Are you venting to co-workers or bosses? Can they handle the vent?
What's the difference between being negative and venting, and does it matter?
I always used to tell people that it's ok to vent and be negative, as long as after it you use that pain to figure out a way to get to work and move forward. Often, it can be the relief needed to move into the next level of creativity and performance.
Recently, I've been reminded of another component to remember as you vent.
It has to do with knowing who to vent to based upon a relationship of trust.
I have made a few mistakes lately.
I've vented with the wrong audiences. Audiences that I haven't built trust with, though I didn't realize that until after the fact. In very small moments, I can see an immediate response to information that I think is worth pushing back on, disagreeing about, or questioning further. The response isn't something that I've expected, and certainly doesn't open the door to further communication and collaboration.
No, I'm not running rampant with this behavior. Or, am I?
It's worth taking pause if you start sensing new reactions from others. You may be lucky and start to notice the minute you start engaging in venting or negative conversations. Or, it might take a while if you are trying to figure out other challenges.
Either way, it's worth paying attention to if you want to maintain, or increase, your sphere of influence and personal performance.
These are tough pills to swallow if you feel like you had this skill, and you see evidence that you've lost it.
But, there's always a chance for a new start. And, it's important to find a way to have a good vent with people who can handle it. If you can't find that kind of person at work, find one beyond it.
More thoughts on this in Episode 177 - Being Negative and Venting.
Available through all major podcast services.
Have you ever driven through the night to Wyoming and sat at the entrance of Devil's Tower to welcome in the dawn?
I did. That was three years ago. The trip where I got to see the Badlands again and notice that they looked completely different than I had remembered. But, Crazy Horse and Mount Rushmore looked about the same.
Road trips are an important part of my life. Though we flew a lot when I was a young girl, my parents always made sure that there was time each year for a road trip.
Some years we went just a few hours a way for a few days, but most of the time we'd pack up and head out of town for a few weeks - traveling from east to west, from mid-west to east (often through Canada), and from west to east. And, everywhere in between.
This past year I went on a big road trip across the country, and several shorter trips within that trip. It spanned over a year.
Kolob Canyon, City of Rocks, Warm Springs Nevada, Yellowstone, White Sands, Lake Powell, Sun Valley, Brian's Head, Nebo Loop, The Grand Tetons, Squaw Peak, Liberty Jail in Missouri, Bedford Indiana (Limestone quarries), and the massive forest that is the east coast. Just a few adventures along the journey.
I chose to learn quite a few lessons from this experience. This episode captures some of them. Of course, I remembered more after I finished my ramble.
Part of me feels like I need to edit this further because it's over an hour. But, lately I've been asked to continue saying more in less time. So, I finally just allowed myself to bring this to you in it's long form.
Listen or not, I hope you take time for a road trip sometime in the next few months. If you live in the city, go through the country. If you live in the country, I hope you try out the city. We need to experience both right now. There's too much confusion and judgement going on from sources that don't have boots on the ground, yet have a lot to say about what they think is going on.
I'm back home, but wishing that I was out on the next adventure. The road trip changed me, and that's exactly why I will go again.
“I MAY NOT HAVE GONE WHERE I INTENDED TO GO, BUT I THINK I HAVE ENDED UP WHERE I INTENDED TO BE.” – DOUGLAS ADAMS
podcast #moveyourdesk #kolobcanyon #cityofrocks #therockies #yellowstone #lakepowell #Brianshead #sunvalley #twinfalls #mtharrison #wasatchfront #neboloop #warmsprings #whitesands
Have you been there? In that place where your very identity is unclear to others and more importantly, not clear to you?
It's a weird place. A messy place. A place of self-doubt, questioning reality, and wondering what went wrong.
Ah, well. It happens sometimes.
Life throws you some curve balls and instead of using your wisdom and capabilities to move forward, you stand in stunned silence wondering what is happening and how you could be caught off guard in this way.
I let some thoughts flow today. Didn't plan for it or anything. No small bullet points on a piece of paper to reference. Just rumination, reflection, and realizing some things.
It's part of a painful process of figuring out the next level of personal growth. Part of it I chose for reasons. Part of it is placed upon me by external factors out of my control.
Either way, I've promised myself that I will continue to share as I go through the journey vs. waiting for successful outcomes.
It's worth it for me to go through this phase of experience, but the question is for how long?
Tune in to go on the journey with me.
Available through the Move Your Desk podcast - on all major podcast services.
podcast #identitycrisis #personalvalue #perception #moveyourdesk #workperformance #performanceimprovement
Sometimes fortune cookies do contain the right message for a particular moment in time.
Periodically, I post fortune cookie messages on social media. Typically a day or two after a Panda Express excursion.
One of my brother's noticed my post and told me about his experience with a fortune cookie message that propelled him forward. And, it is now part of the decision making he and his wife make whenever they are holding back from taking a leap into the unknown.
Tune in to listen to Craig Clark share his adventures during the pandemic. Their family packed up all their belongings, hit the road, and met with unintended detours that lead to new plans, He noticed increased awareness of the possibilities that come when you keep moving and allow yourself to take a big step into the unknown.
Sometimes playing with everyday toys unveils lessons for work.
Building blocks continue to remind me of lessons in building strong foundations, connections, and the balance between principles and experimental innovations.
I've collected a few thoughts over the past few years as I've built a few structures side by side my son. In this episode I finally share a few that you may find useful as you navigate the world of leadership, teams, and innovation.
Plus, I throw in a conversation my son and I had while making a building recently.
If you haven't done it in a while, pull out the building blocks, lay down on the floor, and experiment with creating something today. Pay attention to the decisions you make along the way. And, perhaps an insight for your own work will crop up.
Bossing can be a tough business since it's dealing with all the humans.
Sometimes bosses are so good at delegating you wonder if they are pulling their weight.
However, there's another group of bosses that truly suffer as they fully engage in their responsibility to make sure the team performs the work... unwittingly taking on responsibilities that need to be taken on by the team for workload balancing and/or allowing for the personal development of other employees.
I've been this kind of boss at points on my journey and I've stepped into new awareness of where some of the propensity to over-reach and overwork comes from and part of this awareness came from reading one of the Ken Blanchard "One Minute Manager" series books.
In "The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey," Ken Blanchard (and William Oncken Jr. and Ken Burrows) use the concept of monkeys jumping on your back to illustrate how some bosses reduce the performance of their division or team because they absorb the work in small work interactions.
It is a compelling behavior to pay attention to toward improving your personal and team results.
I hope you take a listen. It's time to manage the monkeys.
It's real.
You finally get focused on the project plan, the important email response, or the presentation that is due next week.
Suddenly, a new meeting pops up for "just a quick chat" 30 minutes from now. Or, if you are at the office someone shows up at the door around 4:38 p.m. and wants to talk about whatever for a few minutes. Yet, when the clock strikes 5 p.m., they suddenly wrap up the conversation quickly. No more space filling for the day, the clock says they are done.
Task interference doesn't matter for some work. In other respects, the interference may be ok for the work, but drag on the mental state of the person dealing with the constant re-direction of mind and action.
Of course, in all of this the performance suffers - individual, team, organizational, and personal business.
Take notice if you aren't already. A 15 minute conversation may seem harmless, but it can often derail you from the work day for more than an hour. Deal with that a few times in one work day, and you aren't getting too far with the work.
The first step is to notice and then you get to decide what to do about it so you can offer up your best work.
What kind of office space do you need to do your best work?
Or, do you even need an office?
Many of you have a specific space carved out in your home now that you may have been forced out of the office and into virtual work.
Others of us are on the move, sometimes hour by hour because we aren't permanently situated or because we are dealing with Internet issues, interruptions, construction, varying noise levels, and even poor lighting.
Though I have dreams of having a perfect working space, it hasn't happened yet. And, it can be exhausting just getting set up to do the work let alone offering up my best work after all that effort.
Still, there are pros and cons to having to work through all of these challenges and barriers. Hidden capabilities and skills are formed that improve empathy, serve as a forcing function for creativity, and may even help you figure out what is absolutely necessary for your best performance and what is extra.
I'm figuring out my minimum viable office right now and I encourage you to do the same. Your factors may be different than mine. And, that's ok and it's important. It will help you make choices that help you get better at the work where you are or what you will accept in new work going forward.
Mindset is important to upgrading your work performance. So is time planning, and habits, and... all the things.
But, what if there is a tool that will help you improve your decision-making and execution of all those great ideas you plan to do.
It involves straining your brain just enough to start re-wiring it one step at a time using the insights from the world of neuroplasticity.
John Kennedy came up with an elegant solution to help military personnel, athletes, business creators, neurodivergent students, and those struggling with brain trauma, depression, or just plain want to improve personal and work performance.
It involves training the brain, combat style. He first created this approach for a low performing military platoon. They didn't stay low performing for long.
John Kennedy shares this story, and more insights about the brain, habits, and robust stimulation in this episode. And, stay tuned for future brain training sessions where John takes us through live combat brain training. You are welcome to join again if you have joined our sessions in the past.
The industrial revolution brought great advancements in standards, processes, and production. You could work on an assembly line hour by hour and achieve great efficiency and productivity targets, as long as your machine cooperated.
Assembly line work was different than the craftsmanship required to create a unique piece of furniture. But, both created value in their own special way.
Today our world continues as a mixture of assembly lines and craftsmanship because products from both forms of creation meet our needs.
I've worked in situations where I was a mass producer of widgets (or boxes filled with breaded zucchini) and others where I got to share my insights and hone my crafts.
Most people I know, whether in white collar or blue collar identified work, must bring their knowledge, experiences, and insights to their work. Not just their bodies ability to perform mechanical movements.
It's ok to be a mass producer or a craftsman, but recognize the difference in yourself, those you lead, and those you work alongside. There is a difference in how the work gets done, especially for the person having to think through it.
Your ability, insights, thinking approaches, and experiences are valuable. They are also one of a kind. No one can replace what you offer.
So, it's worth paying attention to whether or not you are viewed as an interchangeable human on the job. Maybe that's the job. And, maybe you are fine with that right now.
But, maybe you are not. And, you get to inform, educate, or leave the people that pay you for what you do.
Either way, it's worth remembering that others are just like you. Not interchangeable. Not the same. Not a body to fill a space, or treat like an interchangeable part.
Seth Godin has been sharing the message for years that the days of industrial revolution approaches are diminishing. It's time for us to start (or keep) sharing what we are uniquely positioned to offer the world while allowing others to do the same.
For many years, I discounted several mental health tools.
Hypnosis was one of them.
One of my first experiences was watching volunteers get hypnotized on a stage at The Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. You know, that big pink hotel?
Fast forward a few years, and I found hypnotherapy was a way to gain personal awareness and to re-frame the stories of the mind.
In this episode, I share some of my experiences with hypnotherapy. I've tried it through a downloadable app, through YouTube, and through virtual sessions with a hypnotherapist.
It's different than I thought. I'm glad I've tried it and turn to it at times where I'd like to explore some of my beliefs.
It can help you offer up your best work, reach back to heal a thought that you've carried with you for a long time, or just want to experiment. I encourage you to give it a try.
You don't have to go on a stage. You don't need to sit and close your eyes in the office of someone you don't know. It's available to you right now wherever you are.
May is Mental Health Awareness month.
But, I did not realize this when I had a conversation with Rebecca Jacklin LMSW this past week.
It's something that is an important part of offering up our best work, but often underestimated.
Mental health awareness is on the rise, and I am grateful to take pause to talk about it in a few episodes of this podcast.
Rebecca Jacklin shares her journey to becoming a therapist and insights from her life and work. In our college days, we both had a chance to work at the same drug and alcohol treatment center at a county jail. I had totally forgotten, but she was the Rebecca that replaced me when I went off to Washington, DC. Small world and I'm glad that we've gotten to re-connect.
Rebecca Jacklin shares the spiritual nudges, the work experiences, what to consider when finding a therapist, and how she feels about all the humans.
I truly enjoyed hearing from her and can't wait to have another conversation with her to learn more.
One of the most difficult work relationships can be the relationship with your boss.
Not always, but sometimes. Or, maybe frequently. Or, you just plain "always" have a bad boss.
So, right there I just made a few judgements without a lot of actual facts to prove that this is true.
This is how the mind works. Thinking something, believing it, and... behaving from the emotion that thinking produces.
For this episode, I pulled out a recording from one of my mini-courses to share how you show up with your boss differently if you are managing your thoughts and when you are not.
This isn't shallow positive thinking, or is it?
Take a listen. Notice the difference in outcomes from two specific thoughts that often occupy the same brain. Your brain. My brain. All the high performing brains out there.
Have you ever thought of onboarding as sacred?
I hadn't, until I received this sentence in a personal onboarding message:
"The onboarding time is sacred to us and I want to make sure that you are acclimated before we start running."
It got me to thinking.
Onboarding can be a time of personal disruption. And, in times of disruption there is often a slew of questions and emotions that come up - Did I make the right choice? What if they thought I was great in the hiring process, but now they don't seem as enthusiastic? Why did I take this step? What if it is a step back? Can I do this?
All the mind churn, hope, anxiety, and possibility coming from the same brain. Your brain. My brain. All the brains.
Anyway, offering a sacred space for a brain going through this set of emotions is priceless. Yet, onboarding is often anything but sacred.
I've had my share of onboarding experiences over the years. I've helped create onboarding experiences over the years. I've seen the good, the poor, and the possibilities.
It's worth taking a look at to help anyone coming into your organization... offer up their best work.
My name is Rebecca. I am an addict.
My drugs of choice are Twizzlers, cookies, and... information. My specific information addiction has to do with learning - all things work, performance improvement, neuroscience, psychology, faith, and habits. There's probably more. Other forms of information - news, politics, virus, and some social movements - draw no addictive tendencies in my brain.
What's your information addiction?
I recorded this episode two times. I have a lot to say and figured out how to talk about it while... talking about it. There's definitely more where this came from so stay tuned.
Information addiction has impacted my life in drastic ways - some good, some not so pleasant. And, I have a feeling it has had an impact on yours as well.
Information is abundant. That's a good thing. But, here on planet Earth that also means the opposite is available. The negatives are rampant.
For some, accessing the information is still a struggle. For the rest of us, it can be a part-time job learning how to self-manage our interactions with information. It's in our face daily, regardless of our desires. And, once it arrives on our mental doorstep we do something with it - accept it, question it, discard it, avoid it, or ruminate about it.
In this episode I share examples from my life and nudge you to increase awareness around your information consuming habits.
Are you an addict?
How do you know?
What do you want to do about it?
Some addicts strive to completely give up something (e.g. drinking, drugs, sugar, cigarettes). Some keep the awareness of the addiction and find useful habits to manage it in a way that continues to serve them.
You get to decide.
Do you have regrets?
A few years ago, I felt like I didn't have that many regrets.
But, as time goes on I have gained new awareness that I do have regrets. And, I've learned from some and not from others.
So, what to do about the nagging regrets that still hold fast to the heart and mind?
I've always thought I could learn from the past toward improving the future, but reading Daniel Pink's recent book release gave me pause to think about how to reflect on my regrets in specific ways depending upon the type of regret. And, yes, there are different kinds of regrets.
Though I go over a few insights about the "if only" regrets nd the "at least" regrets, the four core regrets, and ways to move forward, I'd still encourage you to read the book for further insights.
For me it helped to pause, write down my own regrets, and engage in the exercise of re-framing a few of them.
Some regrets are more important to address than others. But, knowing how to compassionately take a look at your regrets and leveraging the lessons to move forward can be part of offering up your best work.
Sometimes projects don't go as planned. Unless you create the same product or service over and over, it often doesn't go as planned because there are just so many factors constantly at work.
But, even if you do create a repetitive solution, surprises enter the path that aren't the kind of surprise that delights a client or customer.
Juan Carlos, an experienced professional that is seeking professional development in project management, asked me a question about how I dealt with project recovery plans during my career.
For some reason, I had one specific project come to mind because I learned so much in the process of dealing with the difficulties of the project AND quite a few gaps beyond the project that needed to be addressed.
This was more of a reflection exercise than getting into specific details, but I can see how acknowledging the problems, committing to work on them, and then rolling up my sleeves and getting to work ultimately helped the project, the program, the contract, and my future self prepare to handle larger work challenges going forward.
I also recognized how important it was to point fingers only long enough to identify who or where a problem might be and get very quickly to "let's work this together." I've often found in that exercise, that some of those fingers get quickly bent back to point at me.
You've heard of vision statements and have probably created a few dozen for yourself, your team, and your organization.
It's often a lengthy process trying to figure out something that doesn't exist, but that you want to make happen.
I'm exploring this topic a bit more in life and work right now. Why do some visions become a reality? What is stopping others of us from transferring the vision into real life? What is the missing step?
There are a few steps to think about as you create the vision of what you want next. It requires stepping outside of the comfort of planning around existing resources at your disposal. Allowing yourself to let go of whatever personal thinking constraints keep you nailed down to existing realities.
It may require you to learn what "dreaming" means again.
I'm experimenting with all the approaches of vision creation and share some initial thoughts in this episode.
From the first baby steps to the most satisfying achievement, failure crops up as a necessary obstacle to work through in personal development.
But, all failure is not created equal.
How can you know the difference?
Some failure leads toward the desired outcome. Some does not.
I've had a tremendous number of failures in my life. I share a few in this episode as I discuss typical types of failure.
Some failures are failures to try.
Some failures are failing forward toward the goal.
Deciding to be aware of which is which in the process is an important step between endless rumination or the formation of wisdom.
You decide. And, then take the next step.
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This past month or more, I've been surrounded by conversations related to dying and death.
My grandfather past away just shy of reaching his 101st birthday. Other friends, and extended family members, have passed on as well.
For me, this sends me into further reflection about their life, about mine, and what next.
In the process of remembering, I was reminded of the final nudges that I've felt before loved ones pass away. The promptings from a Higher Power, a friend, a book, a movie, or an observation. Sometimes I act on these end of life nudges, and sometimes I don't. Regret and self-judgement sets in during these moments. What if I had contacted them?
In this episode I share a few final nudges that I've had in relation to all of my grandparents. And, encourage you to follow the nudges that come to your heart and mind.
It can matter for those you contact. But, it also matters for you.
"One good conversation can shift the direction of change forever."
- Linda Lam -
In December 2021, I got a nudge. Not from a person, but from an inner inkling.
I followed it and asked who would like to be interviewed on the podcast. It's not the first time that I've interviewed family, friends, and new acquaintances. But, more often I speak by myself into the microphone.
From my request, over twenty people reached out and scheduled appointments. Others said that they would be ready sometime soon.
On January 24th I sat down and recorded this episode to share some of the trends and lessons learned I extracted from the experience of conducting over 15 interviews in a little over a month.
I hope you take time to listen to this episode and then go listen to one or two of the conversations. I've listened to some of them several times as I edited, extracted nuggets of wisdom, and delivered them in both podcast and YouTube formats.
I'm so grateful to introduce these humans to you. They are amazing!
Check out the excerpts on a special YouTube playlist
When you uplevel yourself, it's easy to see the weaknesses. And, focus on improving upon them.
But, often the most progress can be found by focusing on strengthening your strengths AND working on limiting beliefs about yourself.
Ceri Payne coaches women in business that have ADHD. ADHD is a strength and a weakness to offering up your best work.
Ceri shared wisdom about capitalizing on your strengths, pacing yourself on the journey, figuring out what you really want to accomplish or become, and uncovering the limiting beliefs about yourself that prevent you from offering up your best work.
Though Ceri focuses on coaching women with ADHD, the wisdom she shares is applicable to all of us on the journey of personal development.
Want to connect to Ceri Payne? She can be found at:
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Website: https://organizedlife.coach/
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Instagram: @ceripaynecoaching
So often our mental baggage gets in the way of making progress in our day-to-day life and work aspirations.
But, Dave Goodall reminds us that we can choose to remove the baggage by working on our mindset and energy to reach that ultimate goal of creating something new in the world.
Dave is an engineer, a leader, a Dad, a husband, a coach, and a student of neuroscience. He's also grateful for his gift of dyslexia, and a gifted autistic daughter, that led him on a journey to figure out how to tap into the possibilities of re-wiring and training the brain.
You will love hearing Dave talk about his transition into new work, letting go of all the baggage, re-wiring the brain, and re-framing the history of our lives to serve us in our journey of personal development.
Please connect with Dave Goodall on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidgoodall1/ or through his website at https://tapmental.io/.
One of the surprises of changing careers is the amount of time it takes to make the transition. Part of your brain understands that you are learning new things and the other part wonders why all of the expertise and experience doesn't make the transition faster.
Dr. George Goodwin has gone through this transition - from Army doctor to entrepreneur. He still volunteers as a doctor for the Red Cross, but is also working with Jim Neighbors to set up The University of Consulting - products and services that help individuals and government contractors through the process of effectively communicating and winning business with the federal government.
Dr. Goodwin shares insights from his own journey expanding into new areas of expertise, focusing on value creation, building relationships, and honoring that the mistakes are part of the journey.
You can connect with Dr. George Goodwin on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-goodwin/
If you are interesting in learning how to work with the government, you can visit the newly launched University of Consulting at https://uofconsulting.com/
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There are always new problems to solve. It will require looking at the problem, and the solutions, in ways that we may not be accustomed to... yet.
It was a pleasure to talk with Calvin Barnum about his recent experience reframing problems he faces individually, as an educator, and as someone that is seeking to make positive change in his sphere of influence.
Calvin and I grew up together in Michigan. So, it was an honor and a pleasure to see all the good he is doing in the world. And, to be inspired by his wisdom!
Calvin shared insights and stories about his imposter syndrome, bridging the communication gap between populations like educators and business owners, and working through personal fears and anxieties to offer up your best work.
Connect with Calvin Barnum on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/calvin-barnum-ii-b96a4920/
A few times in this past year I've heard more than one person say, "So and so has some issues with their executive function."
They aren't talking about the CEO at their job. But, they are talking about taking charge of the mind. Managing it, planning with it, and practicing habits to help process information in productive ways for better decision-making.
Fawzya Khosti helps people with improving the executive function of their brain. In other words, being the CEO of their brain. Whether you have ADD, Autism, or just want to improve your ability to perform better in work, school, or the rest of your life, Fawzya can help.
She shares wonderful insights in this episode that may inspire you to spend some extra time this coming year training yourself. Or, reach out to her for help.
She's at https://executivefunctioncoachaz.com/ and works with a wide range of clients to help them uplevel their brain's executive function.
Do you act on the promptings to take a new idea to your boss, change jobs, or start a new initiative or business idea?
Our guest today is a serial entrepreneur. She gets a lot of inspiration, and she follows that inspiration more than the average human being.
Heidi Totten is a humanitarian and...
She's an eclectic mix of technology expertise, family sciences degree, recruiting, small business expert, mindset coach, and certified in sound healing, meditation, and John C. Maxwell coaching.
Listen in today as she shares how important it is to act on the nudges, getting out of Kenya when COVID hit and a reminder that the world is changing and if you want to do something, now would be a good time.
Oh, and if you want to go to Kenya for a personal development experience... it's time to connect with Heidi.
Heidi Totten - https://www.heiditotten.com/
Move Your Desk Podcast - YouTube and https://pod.co/move-your-desk
Products & Services - https://learn.moveyourdesk.com
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Career Transitions can be tough. You have no idea what to expect, and it can be a time of questioning past experience, skills, and capabilities.
Veterans who transition from military to new industries and corporations may find additional challenges in this transition period. What may seem day-to-day expectations in a corporate environment (e.g. wearing a suit or responding to authority figures differently) can represent dramatic mindset shifts for those coming from the military way of life.
Jim Palmer is a Navy Veteran who successfully transitioned into civilian life and made his way into the executive suite in industry. He's combined his experience with career transitions with his coaching skills and tools to help others going through these transitions.
Join us as he shares his journey, trends in what he sees with others making these transitions, and encourages you to keep up your personal development efforts.
Part of the power of having conversations is the perspectives and insights that come out over the course of the interaction.
Such is the case with my conversation with David Bachrach a few weeks ago.
David is married to an extraordinary planner. He, on the other hand, feels like he is less of a planner and more of someone who has intentions and a few smart habits. We got to talk about a few of these habits and "see what happens" approach he uses to successfully navigate through his day-to-day life and work.
He brings up insights and points that I am exploring more since I am a big fan of using a set of habits to plan your time on a weekly basis toward meeting your goals or aspirations.
David also got into some of the habits he's seen in his work with government and corporations that is confusing and a detriment to many who work as contractors to these entities. I was reminded of my experiences on both sides of these equations and the frustrations, opportunities, and growth they present to those that are constantly seeking to offer up their best work. And, sometimes don't get to experience the reward of doing so.
Tune in to hear great examples of willingness to learn, focusing on a small habit, and using your guiding principles on your resume to uplevel your work.
This past week I met a new friend.
Sally Cross knows more about me than I know about her because she started listening to the podcast a few months ago.
But, through this interview I feel like I've caught up with an old friend and took away so many insights and wisdom that I know that we'll be talking again. Plus, we both have a connection to Michigan!
Sally Cross is an expert in all things human resources, training, development, coaching, and even geology! Even so, she's still on the journey to uplevel into a new role starting soon. She shared some of her angst about this next step which I think is important because it is a reminder that even experts still experience pain and anxiety when they uplevel again.
Sally shared so many insights about the importance of coaching and mentoring, not eliminating yourself from new possibilities, bringing your best self to work, and remembering to seek to uplevel on two fronts - within and within your current organization.
Thank you for reaching out Sally! It is a pleasure to know you and to draw from your wisdom.
Tune in to listen to my new friend today on the Move Your Desk Podcast.
Available through all major podcast services and https://pod.co/move-your-desk
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Some employees love their work, their job, their salary, and all that goes along with it.
Others feel a divine discontent in their work. They know they are meant for more, but the lure of the salary, benefits, and perceived security feels safe. And, the divine discontent gets buried amongst the accomplishment, busy schedules, and accolades.
PJ Jackson talks to us about having the courage to allow the divine discontent propel you forward into offering up your best work.
She even has a program to help you find and follow your soul purpose.
Connect with PJ Jackson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pj-jackson-1077613/
It takes a lot of courage to open up about a private struggle related to mental health.
But, the stories and insights of the journey can help others that are finding their way toward personal solutions to improve their life.
Today Jody Oliverson opens up to us about his journey - the struggles, inspiration his wife had to change direction, and a sequence of nudges that lead him on the path he is on today.
If you are going through a private challenge, tune in and find some inspiration and hope as you figure out next steps.
As you make the decision to step into your best work, you may also be signing up for something that you didn't expect - more pain.
There will be new trials, challenges, and setbacks.
There may also be new fears, frustration, and doubt.
All are a normal part of the journey.
In fact, it sounds a lot like the hero's journey that endears us to so many characters in our favorite books and movies.
Robert Kennedy III is a storyteller in his personal life and he also teaches executives, organizations, and small businesses how to communicate and share their stories.
In this episode he generously shares his personal stories and insights on his journey into entrepreneurship these past few years.
Tune in to learn more.
Connect to Robert at https://robertkennedy3.com/ and @RobertKennedy3 on other social channels.
Sometimes we go through the process of upleveling to a new position, and then we realize that maybe there are some other work factors that we care more about. So, we take another leap.
I interviewed Brett last year when he was stepping into a leadership role. He got a seat at the table, learned and contributed to more strategic discussions, and discovered some new insights about his own desires and work preferences.
Tune in to hear where Brett is on his journey now. Some might think he took a step back. Brett feels he's moved forward with more understanding and commitment to his work.
It's tough when you are given the responsibility to enforce certain standards and laws and then you get mixed signals from management. Or, blatant guidance to go in another direction.
Add in the layer of public scrutiny, media coverage, and reduced funding and it can discourage even the most courageous and committed among us.
Harry Peless opened up about some of the challenges in his line of work - border patrol. It was surprising to hear some similarities in challenges, expectations, and culture even though we had worked in separate organizations within the government. And, he's dealt with real physical dangers.
This is only part of the interview because of some recording challenges on my end, and a few thoughts that I got to hear pre and post interview.
This interview was a reminder to me to seek out insights from people doing the job instead of relying on other sources.
The stories of those on the frontlines of tackling some of the most difficult challenges of protecting and defending a country and culture stand as a reminder that everyone is trying to do the best they can to care for their families, do an honest day's work, and find hobbies to keep life interesting through the tough moments.
If you are trying to uplevel at work and don't have anyone actively helping you in the process, you aren't alone. Many organizations don't have the resources to provide this to every employee seeking to get promoted or express their experience and talents in a new position within the company.
Others feel left behind as they notice the leadership coaching, mentoring, and growth opportunities offered to a select few.
Amber Sauer, M.Ed., SHRM-CP, is an experienced learning and development executive turned advisor and consultant. She joined the Move Your Desk podcast today to share her insights into coaching, mentoring, and moving into the next level of leadership.
She's noticed that it is especially difficult for women to ask for this support as they uplevel into a higher management or leadership role. And, she's on a mission to do something about it! She helps organizations set up the learning and development function within their organization and provides leadership coaching as well.
Tune in to listen as she shares her insights and wisdom related to seeking out mentors to help you on your journey to uplevel your work.
It's a powerful concept that requires you to take your learning and development into your own hands, regardless of what your organization is or is not offering you.
Connect with Amber Sauer directly on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ambersauer/
It's a special time on your personal journey when you start sharing the stories and insights that you've been yearning to share. And, you figure out how to find the time and courage to do it.
Stephanie Blamires joined me on this episode to talk about how she's taking the next step to share her stories and life lessons in a way that bring together her love of all things beautiful, her unique creative gifts, and her love of words together in a way that she loves. And, that resonates with those that join her on this journey.
Stephanie figured out a way to uplevel her work in a way that frees up the mental energy and time to pursue her dream of becoming an author in her free moments.
Anyone know a publisher? Stephanie is seeking one now.
Tune in to here so many insights and ideas about mindset, re-framing life experience, books, and embracing the creativity within.
Stephanie's space to share her creativity, love of words (and stories), and inspiration can be found at https://www.pinkowlpress.com/
Denita Bremer never intended to become a coach. In fact, she enjoyed being a full-time mother and wife.
But, she has always been interested in figuring out who she really is through personal development, psychology, personality tests, and life experiences.
Now she's stepping into what she believes her purpose is right now. She is a life coach with a special focus on helping women in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints discover their true identify and fully embrace it.
She loves that she gets t help people just like her. And, they are attracted to her when she steps into fully embracing her own identify.
On her website, she shares:
"When you know and love who you are, and you follow your intuition, you come alive.
You fulfill your purpose in this world.
Your life has true meaning.
I help you stop feeling like you aren’t good enough so you can do just that."
This podcast episode title was inspired by a story she shares about a lighthouse.
Tune in to find out more about Denita's journey and insights to help you on yours.
Connect with Denita (Website) - https://denitabremer.com/
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Check out more Move Your Desk products and services at https://learn.moveyourdesk.com
David McBee is now a regular on the Move Your Desk podcast. He's on a personal development journey that now includes something he never intended on being - an author.
David wanted to make changes in how he showed up as a husband, father, leader, and co-worker. He started reading books. And, he started learning some lessons that he shares in his book Everyday Lessons Every Day: A Journey from Grumpy to Grateful.
But, he didn't stop there.
He noticed that his favorite past time held some amazing life lessons for him. He loves to go offroading and now his family has joined in the fun, and they've got two Jeeps - his is royal blue. And, his wife has one of the new hot pink options available.
From these adventures, DJ, a royal blue offroad vehicle, was born. DJ goes to Moab, Utah and overcomes his fears through the support of friends as he drives through the rough terrain and steep mountain drop offs.
David has two DJ books now and has already received inspiration for a 3rd!
My favorite thought from the interview inspired the title of this episode. David has spent time and money on his creative efforts that haven't yet turned out in the way he expected. But, he says:
"I don't regret any of it. When you are inspired to do something and you don't do it, you are going to have more of a debt inside of you than the debt would have cost you to complete the journey."
Keep going David. You are going in the right direction (even if it's off-road). And, I've got a feeling there is a lot more to come on this adventure of yours.
https://davidmcbee.com/
You may be the spontaneous type. Always available to go try out something new and looking forward to the interruption.
This isn’t me. I’m a planner. I love to plan and feel like I’m moving forward toward my aspirations.
Yet, even with the greatest of plans things don’t go the way I thought they would.
In fact, most of life involves interruptions to plans.
Does this mean you shouldn’t plan? No. It’s still important. Planning requires using the focused, decision-making part of the brain.
But, just as important as planning may be the ability to know when to step away from the plan.
Be open to the opportunities that disrupt the plan. And, notice what you can experience and learn in these moments.
If you are spontaneous, you may benefit from more planning practice.
If you aren't, this can be a time for allowing more spontaneity. Allowing changes of plans can often result in further insights and experiences that… help you find and offer up your best work.
In the first Jumanji movie, the boy named Peter hears a mysterious drumbeat that he feels compelled to follow. It happens to be coming from the dirt being carved away to construct a new building. But, Peter forgets everything around him and follows the sound past construction workers and obstacles in his path.
He finds a game, Jumanji, in the dirt and... the adventure begins.
You may have a Jumanji beat that no one else understands. But, no matter how you try to push it aside... it stays in you. Waiting, perhaps, for you to honor the call.
Maybe it's time to follow it.
Website: https://learn.moveyourdesk.com
Podcast: All major podcast services and https://pod.co/move-your-desk
moveyourdesk #podcast #personaldevelopment #inspiration #nudges
Sometimes we don't get very much validation for our work. Or, the validation we do get can make us default to the idea that we aren't ready, good enough, or on the right track.
As a human being, I run into this kind of thinking in my own head all the time.
This week I have had multiple reminders of how important it is to bring you to the work you do. I was reminded while my coach, MJ Walsh, had a session with me. I was reminded when I gave a little pep talk email to students. And, I was reminded when I sat down to tickle the ebony and ivory keys this week on the piano.
As Dr. Suess so wisely stated, “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”
Tune in today for some nudges to keep bringing you to your work.
I've had a song in my head all month. It's from The Sound of Music.
The funny thing is that it is called "My Favorite Things" and most of the favorite things mentioned don't resonate with me. But, I like the idea of it.
The song also mentioned the hard stuff that happens - when the dog bites, when the bee stings, and when I'm feeling bad kind of hard things.
For me, it's provided some reflection on my favorite things. It's shown me that some things that are hard, I actually do love because they have brought me goodness.
Wrapped into this conversation are thoughts about abundant thinking, wanting what you have, and being grateful.
It's relevant to talk about these topics all year round, but especially important at a time of year where many of us decide to be purposeful in our gratitude.
Tune in to hear me talk about some of my favorite things. Not because mine are interesting, but perhaps by hearing them you will identify your own.
After listening to this, I am surprised at how many of my favorite things I didn't mention. And, that's ok. It shows that our own reflections can trigger more insights and gratitude if we take time to speak them or write them out.
When the United States Navy defeated the British Navy in the Battle of Lake Erie, the Master Commandant Oliver Perry penned this now famous line to Major General William Henry Harrison, "We have met the enemy and they are ours."
This was in 1812, but on a daily basis there are moments where you come to a new awareness that you may be an unwitting accomplice to a problem.
My experiences may not be as strategic or life-threatening as those experienced in the great lakes during the War of 1812. But, the insights from the day-to-day interactions can influence how and and why to move forward in a new direction in your work and how you show up in the world.
Tune in to find out how I discovered that I was part of the root cause of a problem at home and work. And, decided to change because of it.
When you start a project, you take time to write down all of the assumptions. All of those things that you agree to assume will be taken care of, won't be taken care of, or will go in a certain way.
But, what about life?
How do your assumptions impact your way of viewing the world? How you interact with others? Your work?
I've been noticing how many assumptions we really make in life. And, was surprised to read a book recently where the author casually mentioned that "assumptions are the lowest form of knowledge." What? Yikes. That is a thought to ponder... and consider.
So, what have you been assuming? And, are those assumptions coming from your own experiences, culture, political leanings, religion, neighborhood, and default understanding of the world.
It could be a time to question these assumptions. Or, at least research to find some evidence for them.
Tune in to hear some of mine.
"You can get so confused that you'll start in to race down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space, headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow...
Everyone is just waiting.
Are you in the waiting place?
If you've noticed, now is the time to work through it.
Trying new things is an important way to build your skillset and knowledge.
It can get messy and bring up insecurities and confusion as the new insights mix with the old knowledge and you are caught figuring out how to keep, discard, and build upon it all.
Still, you can get to a point where your confidence is greater than 7our capabilities. And, then error on thinking expertise means that you somehow have a corner on the market of being incapable of making big mistakes or can avoid the process of experimentation and practice.
It's a mental balancing act for sure. But, don't let that stop you from trying new things, building confidence, making mistakes, and deciding what to ultimately keep pursuing within the constraints of the time available.
I've been dealing with a self-created problem this week. I'm creating anxiety around what could be thought of conflicting goals - a desire to learn and a desire to de-junk. The end result is keeping me from producing my best work.
Most of my friends and family members are continuous learners like me, always seeking personal growth and additional information and knowledge.
But, sometimes this desire goes into overdosing on learning which can prevent the application and implementation of it all into something useful.
In my opinion, this is all related to addictive behaviors that are less socially acceptable - excessive drinking, drugging, pornography viewing, spending, and eating. Underneath it all, some of the same things are going on with our emotions. Somehow thinking that just a little more will be fine or help us feel better.
So, this episode is for all those that are involved in the socially acceptable addictive behavior of overdosing on learning.
I've taken some action this week to free my mind up a bit even if it involves a little bit of heretical practices like burning notebooks, donating books, and trusting that I know enough to offer up my best work without another quote or story. At least, just for this moment.
It's tough to be wrong about something. And, often embarrassing to reflect on all of the choices, comments, and insights you shared from that place of not knowing you were wrong.
That's the interesting thing about being wrong. There often isn't a feeling or admission of being wrong until we step into new awareness that, well, you might be wrong about something.
But, we can make a choice. Today, perhaps, to question the things that we have strong opinions and feelings about. Are we wrong? Or, could we explore how the other person could be right? Is there any harm in questioning our own fact finding and assumption making?
It's at least something to entertain once in a while in a world that is filled with news bombardment, finger pointing, name calling, and judgement.
We may find that we are more open to new information and ways of thinking in some moments while digging in our heels the next.
It's a tricky business taking that moment to ask yourself - Am I willing to be wrong on this idea, person, place, or thing?
And, of course, what you will choose to do about it once you recognize an opportunity to change.
In project management, part of setting up a project requires determining the scope - what you are seeking to accomplish and what you are not. It's like setting boundaries for yourself based upon the objectives, the time you have to allocate to the effort, and the money you are willing to spend.
As I've thought about scope this week, I'm reminded that scope is not so black and white and clear cut. There's always some wiggle room. And, it's good to have a little wiggle room to exploit opportunities as they arise and to give ourselves a chance to surprise and delight those that will be a recipients of the project or work outcome.
So, this is a reflection on some thoughts that have come up this week. Thoughts about checklists, the nuances of carrying out work by yourself and how it changes when other people enter the mix.
Of course, some people have the issues of always piling on ideas and expectations that are well beyond the basic requirements to any form or work or project. Others us would do well of thinking about the possibilities of adding additional value within the baseline expectation of a project.
Either way, I hope it is a reminder to do what you say you will do, but leave a little space to give something extra.
Are you curious enough to find out how to do better work?
This past week I've had interactions at the library, at the gym, and in an online course that caused me to stop and reflect on my motivations, my talents, and my willingness to keep working through the obstacles.
We've all been given a different set of circumstances, obstacles, and challenges.
You may think you are at a disadvantage, but there is always an example of someone that is pushing through it all.
Why not you?
Do you remember where you were and what you were doing?
The picture associated with this podcast episode shows exactly where I was standing on September 11, 2001 at 9:37 a.m. This picture was taken approximately between 9:45 a.m. - 9:59 a.m. because at first there was no smoke.
I'm one of the lucky ones.
I was supposed to be walking on the sidewalk right at the Pentagon crash site at that moment, but I was delayed about 15 minutes when I turned on the tv to see what all the commotion was about in New York.
My life was spared. Others lives were not.
Some years I don't spend more than a minute thinking about that day.
This year is not one of them. Against my desire, it suddenly hit me that I wanted to delve into some of the memories and emotions of that day and the year that followed (e.g. remember the anthrax attacks and then the snipper all part of the Washington DC experience in 2001 - 2002).
This episode was recorded spur of the moment this week after I read an old journal entry and blogpost that I decided to share. And, I tuned in to watch a funeral of a family friend that worked very hard a a dispatcher these past few years which somehow brought to the forefront gratitude and emotions surrounding those that are constantly seeking to protect, serve, and help all the rest of us on a daily basis.
As I share in this episode, in the 30 minutes before the Pentagon was hit I had an overwhelming feeling that I would remember that day for the rest of my life.
Twenty years later, that feeling continues to prove true.
911 #september112001 #remembering911 #terrorists #freedom #firstresponders #pentagon #pentagonattack #moveyourdesk #podcast #gratitude #publicservice #military #twintowers #shanksvillepa #postraumaticstress #ptsd
Do you manage projects?
Yes.
Regardless of whether you think you do or you don't, you most likely use some of the project management principles and skills to accomplish things at work or in your personal life.
There are well known frameworks related to managing projects. I'm not going to cover it all here. But, I do believe that anyone that wants to accomplish personal goals, work performance outcomes, or anything else in life... can benefit from learning more about project management.
Just a few thoughts about it today, and certainly more to come as I embark on a new adventure teaching an introduction to project management course this week.
Design impacts every area of our lives - from the way we experience coming into the world, to our cars and homes, leisure activities, education, and how we do our work.
It was a pleasure to sit down to have a conversation with a colleague that has had a significant impact on how I view design.
Anthony Rotolo comes to this conversation with vast experience and expertise in graphic design, book publishing, podcasting, instructional design, video production (including documentaries), and online course development.
He's always been willing to share insights, books, and ideas with me whether it was the basement cube farm, an actual watercooler, or through virtual collaborations.
Anthony is a true nudger - pushing us to think differently, stretch our capabilities, and offer up our best design ideas as we work and live.
I hope you take time to listen to his thoughts in this episode. We'll have him on again to share more about his personal podcasting and publishing projects.
Note - this episode is also re-purposed as an episode on The Learning Circle podcast, produced by Anthony on behalf of the Defense Acquisition University.
moveyourdesk #design #designthinking #workperformance
Shouldn't everyone (all the people) use common sense?
Shouldn't they be...
- picking up the dirty socks
- treating their employees better
- starting the dishwasher
- refrain from cheating
- be better team players
- love you in the way you want to be loved
- wear their mask
- giving you a raise for all your hard work
?
You think it's a no brainer. But, they aren't doing what YOU think they should be doing. And, that brings up all the feelings...at least for you.
This episode is an edited version of a live Facebook session I had a view months ago on the topic of all of these "shoulds" that we have for all the people in our lives.
The shoulds are massive rulebooks.
And, there is a slight problem.
These rulebooks are VIRTUAL!
Existing only in our minds. But, everyone around us should be following them...according to us.
Without realizing it, we are involved in daily thought processes that keep us very busy monitoring the hallways of the world and acting as thought police (a nod to George Orwell) to those closest to us.
It can bring on all kinds of emotions, especially when we expect others to make us feel better...which they can't ever do. And, it can be a way that we subtly attempt to manipulate and control others.
It's worth noticing these patterns in ourselves, if only to take charge of our own emotional well-being.
This is a topic I want to keep exploring with you.
moveyourdesk #thoughtpolice #virtualrulebooks #manuals #handbooks #controlling #manipulating
At age 16 Sacagawea helped the Lewis & Clark Expedition at a pivotal point on their journey. And, she carried her baby most of the way.
Ann Frank got a journal around 14 years old and wrote in it for two years. It just happened to be the two years that her family was in hiding from the Nazis.
Mother Theresa and Martin Luther King Jr. knew as young children that they had a purpose to pursue in life and that purpose involved helping people.
Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein (and his first wife) were full of ideas, theories, and experimenting.
Abraham Lincoln was a voracious reader, despite his lack of schooling, and was able to increase his influence from small town debate stages in Illinois to the Office of the President at a crucial time in the history of the United States.
Harriet Tubman never read, but her ability to strategize, lead, and live a life filled with faith in possibilities gave others courage and strength to fight in another way for the same freedoms Lincoln was seeking.
These are only a few of the people I've been reading about this week from a series of children's books sharing about the lives of influential people.
Most of these people weren't educated by the "you should go to school and get a college degree" standard. Most never retired. They gave their entire lives to a purpose. Some died young (Anne Frank, Sacagawea) and others lived into their 80s.
Each purpose helped people, but in unique and different ways.
They offered up their best work in the way that only they could.
Are you finding and offering up yours?
Journals, trinkets, notes, wedding announcements, graduation programs, and photos. All the memorabilia that you and I keep in boxes, on the wall, or crammed in bookshelves and drawers.
I've chosen to go through it all and finally decide what to do with it - keep, take a picture and save digitally, pass on to someone else, or just spend a moment honoring it and what I've learned and ditching it.
This process is important to me - to physically free myself from carting it around. And, pull the lessons of the past that are holding me back in the here and now.
I gained a new awareness as I continued the process this week. Thanks to a coaching session with my friend and coach MJ Walsh.
And, it came through taking a look at what I was making a small pile of storage bins mean in my life.
I hope you tune in and think about the trade-offs you are making in your life as well.
Are you memorable?
I've had a few experiences lately where people I remember well, don't remember me.
And, I've learned that it is ok.
But, I've also learned that there is much to be learned if you take a trip down memory lane. It's not an easy journey, though the outcomes of the pursuit may be worth your while.
Tune into this episode to hear a little about mental and physical de-junking, Swedish death cleaning, writing your life story, and working through the pain that springs up in this process.
Remembering the influence and experiences can be valuable. How you choose to use those memories can also springboard you into offering up your full capabilities in your work.
moveyourdesk #personaldevelopment #startwithachart #frameworks #emotions #pain
Do you remember the first self-help book or video you picked up? Or, for some of us, cassette tape?
I remember learning from Zig Ziglar, Anthony Robbins, Viktor Frankle, and many more.
Self-help resources, coaches, and methods can be inspiring, helpful, and healing.
It can also be a weapon you use against yourself - thinking you are broken, behind, not enough, or operating below your potential.
It's true that many of us want to offer up our best to the world. But, it makes a difference from what place we make these advancements in our lives.
Is it from an "I need to improve" or "I should do this or I'm not successful" kind of mindset?
Or, are there other options that generate emotions that serve us better.
What if we are just plain interested in finding out our capacity to do great things. Not comparing to others, but rather seeking and finding the possibilities within that help us show up in a different way in the world.
It's an idea that I feel is interesting to explore. As I state in this episode, I'm still learning how to make this shift. And, the language that supports expressing the concept.
But, I feel different as I work on this in myself. And, that different is propelling me forward in new and interesting ways.
moveyourdesk #podcast #selfhelp #helpyourself #personaldevelopment #capability
You are strong and capable in so many areas. And, not so much in other ways.
It's ok.
Some weaknesses you'll want to keep, because you aren't interested in working on them. And, others are great at filling in those gaps for you.
Some weaknesses you'll want to work on in some ways - changing something about yourself or changing something about your situation.
Not sure what your weaknesses are?
Try new jobs or neighborhoods, explore different places, spend time with family. The weaknesses will make themselves known.
And, you get to decide what to do with what you discover.
Someone leaves a comment on a blogpost you spent a significant amount of thinking time on.
How does that make you feel?
On the other hand, you hear nothing from the presentation you forwarded to your boss. You thought it was filled with some innovative approaches to move your division forward. But, you hear...crickets.
How does that make you feel?
You get to choose how you feel. And, so does everyone else.
But, there are some trends in human behavior. One of them seems to be that getting some kind of acknowledgement does generate some kind of emotion that seems to serve us.
I talked about this in my weekly Facebook live recently. The importance of acknowledging the humans in our lives - for the gifts received, for the good they are doing, for the work they contribute.
Somehow in the process of acknowledging, we change too.
Tune in to hear some stories, insights, and thoughts to ponder on the topic of acknowledgement.
Feel free to share with me your stories, push back, and insights too!
Note: This is an edited version of that live Facebook session.
No one showed up to your last presentation, your new product release, or to participate in your free coaching session.
Our mind can start to churn when we put a lot of time, energy, and care into creating something and putting it out into the world.
Did they know about it and decide against it? Do they think you don't offer up great work? Or, were they just not aware?
Regardless of the reason, you owe it to yourself to keep showing up for the one... even when that is just you!
When we choose to continue bringing our best work into the world, we have a chance to improve it and at some point it may help someone else.
Go ahead and treat that one participant like they are your highest paying client. Bring all of your energy, stories, and insights to that interaction. Trust that it is part of your journey to offering up your best work.
You are the sum of all the decisions you've made in life to this point.
Some decisions are easy. You make them in an instant because it's necessary.
Other decisions take longer because there are more factors to consider that can have long term impact.
Or, you are merely dealing the decision because it's too hard to deal with, you are afraid of the outcomes, or you may feel amateur at making certain decisions.
Regardless, I'd like to start talking about this topic more as I see myself falling into dealing decision-making behaviors in some areas of life while also being willing to take the next step in other situations.
Recently flies reminded me of what happens when we finally make a decision.
Tune into this episode to hear the story!
Are you hustling for the quick buck today at the expense of offering up your best work?
Yes? No? Kind of?
As you transition into the career or business of your dreams, there will be trade offs to consider. It may require pulling in some money today to meet your basic needs while making sure to prioritize daily habits that will ultimately lead you to what you really want.
This is just a reminder to be aware and deliberate as you make these trade offs. If you get into the habit of grabbing the quick reward today, you may never get around to offering up the work you actually desire.
Pay attention, make decisions, and trust that sticking to your priorities and vision will ultimately payoff.
Your desk matters.
The environment where you put your desk matters.
You can work anywhere and get really creative with how you make a space work for you.
But, pay attention to where you consistently make trade-offs to make do with your desk, your notebook, your room, and whatever else is in the environment where you work.
It matters.
You are great at figuring out how to do good work wherever you are and with whatever the tools are at your disposal.
You'll do your best work if you figure out what environment and tools are best for you and bring out your highest contribution.
Periodically, I like to talk about the nudgers.
In past episodes, I've mentioned nudging, pivotal nudgers, sequences of nudges, and accepting nudges.
It was time this week to again point out some nudgers that impact my work and don't even know it.
It's worth pausing periodically to ask ourselves questions - who introduced me to this book? to this tech tool? to the process I use in my negotiations?
Often, with a moment of thought, we can pull the mental string back and recognize that there was a person that suggested an idea and...we decided to follow it.
This is a moment for me to be grateful for a few of them that I recognized in my life this week.
Do you have personal boundaries?
Yes. As humans, we have personal boundaries.
It's just that sometimes we aren't even aware that we have a boundary until that moment of breach.
And, most of us know when that happens. We get angry, we think the other person has wronged us, and we react in a variety of ways. Some inwardly angry and others just plain lash out.
If you want to show up in the best possible way in your work and world, it pays to become aware of your boundaries. Create some rules for yourself so that when the boundary breach comes, you are prepared to respond...in the best possible way.
This framework gives you a simple approach to figuring out your boundaries. Not to control or manipulate others, but to decide ahead of time what you will do if something happens.
Next time you experience a boundary breach, use the experience to increase personal awareness and make a plan.
Learn how in this episode.
personalboundaries #boundarybreach #boundariesframework #personalmanagement #mindset #mindframework
https://pod.co/move-your-desk
If you are upleveling your work in some way, chances are your brain will go to work to keep you safe from the danger, the fears, and the...opportunity for growth.
It gets busy serving up the excuses, the likely and unlikely scenarios that will take place on the journey, and even question why you desire what you desire.
This weeks episode is from a Facebook live session that I conducted a few weeks ago. I explore the self-sabotage that takes place in this process of upleveling through the eyes of a client that got a job offer that she thought she really wanted.
Do you see yourself in this example?
All of us go through these beliefs and emotions when we try something new. And, none of us really gets to know what the right answer for anyone else.
You don't have to change anything right now. Just notice and take note whether or not you are making decisions from a place of fear, a place of excitement, or a place of getting a spiritual nudge. It takes some practice to know the difference.
Join our weekly live sessions on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/movey...
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How often have you been told that failure is part of the growth process? That mistakes are worth it?
It is worth it. It's part of the inspiration and innovation process that gets big ideas out there and turned into something of value.
Still, we often hesitate to take the steps needed to uplevel ourselves and our work because we typically go through a series of failures to get where we want to go. And, it can feel painful to go through this process.
I like to call this failing forward process... experimenting. If everything is an experiment, you must go through the process to figure out what works, what doesn't, and how to keep moving forward with information that comes out of each trial run.
Sometimes what you do works the first time. Most of the time, however, you will go through a series of trials and errors before figuring it all out.
It pays to get addicted to the process of changing, challenging yourself, and seeking new solutions.
It pays to become an experiment junkie.
The reminder nudges to constantly pay attention to your own mind can come from unexpected places, like preschool songs.
This song is simple:
Who's a good watcher, watcher, watcher.
Who's a good watcher, show me now.
Are you a good watcher of your own thinking? Are you a good watcher of other's thinking?
Sometimes we are a doer. Sometimes we notice, increase awareness, and ask questions.
Keep doing the things, but make sure that as you do them that you are also a watcher.
Did you spend a lot of time trying not to feel?
You may not even recognize yourself doing it.
If you are indulging in something at the expense of something that would better serve you and those you serve, you may be trying not to feel. It often shows up in the form of addiction - food, drink, work, shopping, games, and even over-achieving.
Why not allow yourself to feel all the emotions? Not taking them out on others, but sitting with the emotion and letting it work through you.
You can even give yourself a timeframe to feel all the anger, sadness, betrayal, and hurt. Give it a try. It may not be as bad as you anticipated or last as long as you thought.
Have you been wronged today?
It can happen a lot in your work.
The client that doesn't pay. The hiring manager promises a higher salary, but it doesn't materialize. The commissions that go unpaid.
And, this is just the money wrongs.
The list goes on when you take a look at what goes on in the workplace around promotions, opportunities, personal favors, and who is overworked and who gets to coast along.
How you deal with the wrong matters in your work.
Responses to these moments tend to become habits, and habits are a large part of who you are and what you become.
Sometimes you will fight a battle to right the wrong. Sometimes you won't.
Your job is to weigh the trade offs and make a decision on how to respond. And, your responses may vary.
There will always be these moments in life and work. Pay attention to your responses.
Sometimes our life and work don't go as planned.
We think of the possibilities. We desire to make more money. We want a promotion. We work to move forward.
But, sometimes we get delayed. Life happens. Routines get interrupted. And, we see someone else move forward with our big idea.
The delays aren't just from external circumstances. Delays can happen in our mind because we are fearful, embarrassed, worried, or unsure of ourselves.
Beating yourself up for being "behind schedule" on life and career isn't the best way to propel yourself forward.
Use these time periods that feel like delays to learn about yourself and keep taking the next step.
Then, when your time comes... you won't delay.
The value you create in the work you do today both starts today, and is the result of efforts you made in years past to start learning something new.
All of the skills, the experiences, the pain, the frustration, the failures, and mistakes are part of who you are and what you offer.
None of it needs to be wasted. It's all for your good and for those you serve.
So, keep offering up your best work and ...keep planting the seeds that will become a tree in your future.
In this episode I reflect on some thoughts surrounding this quote from Brene Brown - "When we spend a lifetime trying to distance ourselves from the parts of our lives that don’t fit with who we think we’re supposed to be, we stand outside of our story and hustle for our worthiness..."
Are you hustling for your self-worth? It's pretty common amongst high achieving workers and learners like you.
It's time, perhaps, to notice. Hustling for self-worth is tiring. Hustling to offer up your best work could be different.
Are you willing to increase your capacity to receive?
And, what does it mean anyway?
I started viewing it from the perspective of receiving money for value creation. And, it quickly multiplied into a concept that I was noticing in other areas - capacity to receive feedback, capacity to receive opportunities more aligned with personal desires in work, capacity to accept compliments, and capacity to take on more challenges and growth in life.
See, the expansion of the conversation is a capacity increase all by itself.
I do want to talk about this topic more. I have a feeling it plays into other topics like abundant thinking, gratitude, boundaries, expanding capabilities, and a whole lot more.
Hopeful that you will reach out and share what you think about it.
Some of my initial thoughts are in this episode through all major podcast services and https://pod.co/move-your-desk
Have you heard the "push the rock" story?
Apparently, there are multiple stories with this title. One came to mind recently and it propelled me forward in my work. The other, a Greek myth that I just stumbled across, is just as compelling to me.
Both stories hold lessons about the importance of just taking the next step.
Of course, I can't help myself and I talk about a few other stories that have helped me keep pressing forward on the journey to find and offer up my best work.
This past week my grandfather reached "centenarian" status.
He's not the first to achieve this milestone, and won't be the last.
On his birthday, a funeral was held across town for his sister-in-law who lived 102 years and 10 months.
These individuals have seen a lot of history, and made their own along the way.
For this 100th episode of the Move Your Desk show, I share a few tidbits from his personal life, work, travel adventures, family, and service. The home he built continues to be a gathering place for our family to enter at our own risk - to experience the stories of the past, the lessons learned, the regrets, the hopes, the dreams, the sorrows, and the expectations of life.
I laugh and cry a little in this episode. It really doesn't do my thoughts, feelings or my grandfather justice. But, it's what came out of me at this time.
I'm glad that I got to see him, in person, on his 100th birthday. Though his body has declined in the last 5-6 years, his mind is still sharp. And, he still lit up when he saw us despite immobility and isolation due to age and virus restrictions. His sense of adventure (and love of flying) is thwarted right now, but he's contributing to the world in ways he doesn't realize at this time.
Happy Birthday Grandpa Clark! I love you.
A nod to all the flights (those that were successful and those that were a bit of a crash)
"If you can walk away from a landing, it's a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it's an outstanding landing." - Chuck Yeager
Let's take some time to honor your past experience for a minute.
Your past can be a great place to get clues to what you do well, what you don't, and what kind of work you might want to pursue in the future.
I like to draw a chart and start filling it in toward discovering trends and gaps.
Here's a simple framework you can use to take a look at your past experience:
1 - Draw 4-5 columns on a piece of paper.
2 - Label the columns - Experience, Strengths, Weaknesses, Likes, Dislikes, Other.
3 - Start from when you were young and consider jobs, interests, school or work projects, volunteer experiences. Write them all down in the first column boxes. Try writing down at least 20.
4 - Identify the strengths and weaknesses of that experience. Write down comments in row next to the experience.
5 - Identify what you liked and disliked. You may find you dislike some things you are good at and like some things you aren't yet skilled in. That's ok. You get to decide what you want to do with that information.
6 - Write down any other information in the "Other" column.
Look at how much you've experienced!
What have you learned about yourself? Did you unearth something that you forgot that you'd love to pursue?
This is just part of the journey to offering up your best work. Looking to the past to honor what you find out. Using that information as you step forward into the future work that you are meant to offer up.
Being helpful sounds like a great attribute, especially at work.
But, it's surprising how often we decide not to be helpful or not accept others help. Or, judge help from one as less significant than what someone else offers.
I'm practicing being more helpful in my work. Accepting opportunities that are different than I imagined myself doing. Doing things that could be thought of as "above my pay grade," or more often "below my pay grade."
It's worth paying attention to why you help, when you help, and how you help.
Are you helpful?
Our work preferences matter.
Some of us spend so much time accommodating the working needs of others that we neglect to notice or extend that same accommodation to ourselves.
Others, spend so much time accommodating themselves (sometimes at the expense of others) that they don't realize others aren't offering up their best work.
I have a framework that helps you go through a personal reflection exercise to figure out your quirks, your preferences, and your personal needs when it comes to performing at your peak.
I offer a few questions and stories in this episode, but you can download the Personal Performance Factors Framework in the show notes of this episode at https://www.moveyourdesk.com
It's getting ugly out there.
All the judgements. All the dis-empowerment. All of the de-valuing and dis-regarding.
And, I'm just talking about your work.
One of the biggest thoughts coming up in my discussions with leaders, employees, and business owners - "They don't think my work, my contribution, my pursuit ... is legitimate."
What is legitimate? Who thinks they get to decide what legitimate is?
Have you looked up the definition of legitimate lately?
It may surprise you.
If you want to offer up your best work, you may have to be equal parts legitimate and illegitimate.
Take a look at yourself. All of us have played our roles on both sides of this equation - dishing out the comments and the eye rolls to what work someone is doing (or not doing) and the the role of recipient of the behaviors and comments.
It's time to stop it. It's time to be wrong about how you jump to conclusions about legitimacy, validity, and credibility.
It's time to stop the disdain from something different than what you understand.
Opportunities await for the illegitimate.
https://pod.co/move-your-desk/episode-96-the-disdain-of-the-illegitimate
moveyourdesk #disdain #legitimatework #legitimateideas #credibility #validity
It's easy to see our own point of view.
Think about any day-to-day situation in life and work and it will be pretty easy for you to share what you think about.
But, sometimes easy means that we are default thinking - leaning on our long held beliefs or judgements.
It's worth taking a minute to walk in someone else's shoes. You may be surprised at how the situation can look completely different. Or, at least allows us to pause and perhaps have new empathy.
In thinking about this topic recently, I came across a poem that inspired the phrase "walking in the moccasins." I read it in this episode, a beautiful reminder that it's worth getting out of our own shoes and experiencing another's journey through their eyes (or shoes).
When I came home from college, my little brothers were a little older and had lots of questions for me.
They would shout out, or say, "Hey Becca" and would go on to ask a question, share information, or try to capture my attention.
I love hearing "Hey Becca" and I've decided to use it as a way for you to send me your insights and questions.
Go take a peek at the Move Your Desk website an click the button to submit a brief audio message.
I'll respond to every message through a post, a YouTube video or a podcast episode. You may even want to come on and share or ask more. You have answers I don't have and I want to share those with anyone offering up their best work too.
I look forward to connecting with you.
How do you like your boss?
Are they undeserving of their position? incompetent? self-serving?
Do they see the value you add to the organization or team?
Like it or not, they get the "boss" title. And, you report to them.
Studies apparently show that most people don't leave an organization, the work, or the team. They leave the boss.
But, what if working with a difficult boss is the best thing for your personal growth and career?
What if this is a chance to help your boss be a better boss?
You can't directly change him or her.
You can, however, change yourself - your mind, your actions, and your outcomes.
In this episode I talk about how you can help your boss and do other things you might not want to do, especially if you are ready to leave them.
The Move Your Desk podcast is available through all major podcasting services.
Swearing is all around us. Most of us express our anger, discontent, funny interactions, and other life and work moments infused with a few colorful words that can further provoke ... or illicit laughter.
Except, that some of us don't swear. It's just not our thing.
I'm not here to tell you whether it is right or wrong, but I did want to share a few small experiences that taught me that the underlying judgements about it can often prevent us from truly listening and learning from those that have a different communication approach than our own.
It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking others need to change.
Your boss, your spouse, or your co-worker, the slow guy driving in the fast lane.
After all, if only they would change to behave in ways that we think are common sense and appropriate, we wouldn't be so irritated, critical, or tired out from ... pointing out their weaknesses.
I re-read a book this week that re-inspired me to always take a look at myself when I start pointing the finger at others. Why? Because it's a signal to me that there is something going on in my heart that could be off.
Tune in to hear me share a few thoughts from The Anatomy of Peace, a book that will inspire you to work on rooting out the self-betraying ways of the heart and show up in a way that demonstrates you are at peace with yourself and can offer that to others.
Is it your time to take the next step in your work - leaving college and stepping into the work world, upleveling in your career, becoming an entrepreneur?
I'm here to help you on your journey. I don't have all the answers, but I can help you discover them.
Take the first step to connect at https://learn.moveyourdesk.com/
This episode was recorded BEFORE Christmas and is coming out AFTER Christmas.
Just because...
Still, isn't it always good to take a moment to reflect on good gift giving?
Tiny Person had a tooth incident in December and it reminded me of why I have so many phobias and concerns related to teeth. But, it also reminded me of a time when all I wanted for Christmas "was my two front teeth" and ...I got them.
Upleveling your work can be hard on the mind.
All the questions from others. All of THEIR judgements.
Oh wait, and all of YOUR OWN judgements about yourself and them. You know, you judging them for judging you and then judging yourself for judging them and on and on.
All of this creates mind churn. And, mind churn means you really aren’t making progress on the work you want to be doing. You are really just thinking about it. Or, not really thinking about it at all because of the churn.
Judgement is going to be in another discussion. But, it came up because I was thinking about what insights and thoughts we accept from others. We can choose to reject or accept them. Or, churn about whether or not to accept or reject them.
We get to choose.
I’ve learned from my personal upleveling this week.
I’ve learned to keep exploring my own confusion and insecurities.
I’ve learned to use past experiences and mistakes to inform my future decisions.
I’ve learned that some of the things I desire for myself have already happened in the past …and can happen again.
Tune in to find out how another woman getting hired for a CEO position that I wanted …provides me with the lessons I need to continue to show up striving to offer up my best work. And, helping others find & offer up theirs.
What is happiness?
Gretchen Rubin sought to find out in a year long project that she named The Happiness Project.
I finally read the book, after years of seeing it in my news feed. For some reason, the word "happiness" doesn't resonate with me. Perhaps it's been overused in trite ways. Or, perhaps I just thought it sounded to fluffy to describe the deepness and richness of live and work.
But, I gave it a read and found the stories and insights valuable. You should give it a read.
I share a few insights in this episode, as well as what I mean by the term "secret happiness."
For this, and more episodes about offering up your best work, go to https://pod.co/move-your-desk and subscribe through your favorite podcast service.
It's always a pleasure to collaborate with fellow coaches.
This episode I talk with Jim Palmer, a business executive and coach. He's committed to coaching veteran's transitioning into the corporate world and entrepreneurship (veteranpreneurship). He brings his coaching expertise, military training, and corporate experience to his clients.
Check the podcast show notes if you'd like a free coaching session with Jim.
The intangible can be more powerful than the physical. Not always, but think of the mountain range completely disappearing when a fog rolls into view.
So often we have big, heavy, things in our life and work that seem impossible to handle.
More often than not, there are little moments and habits that can change everything.
No need to move a physical mountain when you have access to some intangible options that can make a difference.
Check out all episodes at https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/09/06/the-move-your-desk-podcast/ or through your favorite podcast subscription service.
Are you noticing what random acts of kindness are going on around you?
It may even be someone offering "common courtesy" is doing something that is no longer common. But, it may still be appreciated.
As a line from a favorite childhood song points out, "kindness beings with me." At a time of year where gratitude is highlighted, it could be an optimal time to notice when others are extending kindness.
It's worth telling someone you noticed. They just might keep it up and creating a ripple. And, so can you.
Check out all episodes at https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/09/06/the-move-your-desk-podcast/ or through your favorite podcast subscription service.
Being a consumer is easy, at least from the brain's perspective.
Though food, alcohol, pornography, and shopping often take center stage when we talk about "consuming," we are right in the middle of an era of information overload.
The brain can't get enough of it, especially if we get stuck in consuming and aren't balancing it out with the creative endeavors that are an important part of our growth, development, and contribution.
At the end of the day, it's a choice.
Consuming and creating are both essential, but take a look at which is getting more of your time and energy. And, do you like your outcomes?
Check out all episodes at https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/09/06/the-move-your-desk-podcast/ or through your favorite podcast subscription service.
Sometimes you hear the same concept from two different people. One story resonates and one doesn't.
Noticing this matters.
f you aren't connecting with the professional and personal development resources that present information in ways resonate, it can be the difference between moving forward and staying stagnant.
If you listen to this podcast and want to move forward in your work, then I may have a group coaching program and individual coaching option just for you.
Does that resonate? It may, it may not.
I'm not for everyone, and that's ok.
The beauty of being in the times and challenges of 2020 is that you have options to learn and get support from exactly the right people, teams, and resources that resonate with you.
This episode encourages you to find them.
It's worth it.
Check out all episodes at https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/09/06/the-move-your-desk-podcast/ or through your favorite podcast subscription service.
You buy a new car and suddenly you notice that everyone else seems to have your car too. Yet, the year before you may not even have known that your particular car existed.
Once you decided that you wanted to believe something, your brain went to work for you gathering evidence - showing you that it was possible, serving up examples of where it already existed, and giving you further proof that whatever you wanted was possible, ok, correct, or whatever applies for that given belief.
But, this works in both directions. The ability of our brain to serve up evidence also means it can find it for things that may not be helping us move forward in productive ways.
Don't try to over analyze this for now. Just take time to notice how amazing your brain is at gathering evidence to support a belief you want, and then you can decide whether or not you are ok with the results.
Listen to this episode and more from the Move Your Desk podcast at https://pod.co/move-your-desk. Available through all major subscription services.
Memorable events are part of our daily life. We can remember what a school teacher said in the second grade, a shocking news flash, a slight smile or acknowledgement in a vulnerable moment, or a roll of the eyes from someone we admire.
We assign meanings to these events that, over time, define how we view our life experience and how we interact with the environment around us and the people that cross our path.
How often do you question the meaning you assign to these events? And, the beliefs you have from the meaning you've assigned?
Perhaps it's time to ask yourself a few questions and decide which of these meanings or beliefs you want to keep and which may benefit from you viewing them in a new way. A way that helps you progress on your journey to offer up your best life work.
Many of you stepping into leadership roles are doing so from the perspective of performing the work at some point in your work life. So, you are learning to let go of building that capability in yourself and learning how to mentor your team into upleveling their skillsets and experience.
However, there are some leaders that are leading people through work that they have never performed themselves. I call this "the blind leading the sighted" because it presents different challenges for both the uninformed leader and those that follow these leaders.
Tune into this episode for a few tips for the leader with blindspots, as well as those that want to improve how they follow these leaders.
All episodes (and subscription services) available at https://pod.co/move-your-desk
It's Halloween season! A time of year where we purposefully try to create fear in our costumes, front yards, or special holiday parties.
But, fear is with us daily as a routine emotion we get to feel when we are in real danger or just hesitant about upleveling in our work.
Fear is a negative emotion, and most of us try to avoid negative emotion. But, it can be useful to pay attention to when we are feeling fear and figure out if we are ok being afraid or if we want to push through it to get the results we want.
The good news is that you get to decide how to deal with fear in your life and work.
In the meantime, have a happy and safe Halloween in a year where masks are now a welcome part of any costume.
Listen and subscribe to this, and all of your favorite episodes, at https://pod.co/move-your-desk.
Overworked? Worn out? Feel like you are slogging away against yourself to get through your life work?
If you've ever been there, or still are, you know how difficult it is to offer up your best work.
What you may not know, is that your gut could have something to do with it.
Tune in to listen to Renaye Clark Wimmer's journey and insights to get back on track with your health.
Visit https://pod.co/move-your-desk for all episodes and links to your favorite podcast subscription service.
Once in a while I must talk about desks on this podcast, as one of the listeners (Scott Mathews) reminded me early on in the show.
This week brought some reminders as I heard my child use the desk as an excuse for not meeting friends.
A desk can be an anchor from which to perform our work, but isn't intended to keep us anchored down and prevent us from exploring options that help us expand our capabilities.
Desks can be moved, and we can move from them if that is what is needed.
Check out this episode and others at https://pod.co/move-your-desk
You never know who is listening to your stories.
I found out that one listener is nine year old Elden. And, he told me he wanted to be on my podcast and share one of his recent experiences at school. In fact, he believes his painful experience made him smarter.
I think he's right. He gained some insights and reminded me of a few as well.
Tune in to hear his story. And, be prepared. He already has plans to share more of his thoughts in future episodes.
Check out all the episodes at https://pod.co/move-your-desk and select "Subscribe" at the top of the page to listen through your favorite podcast service.
moveyourdesk #podcast
How are you showing up in the world right now? Are you overcome by anxiety, anger, judgement, and criticism? How does this play out in your daily life, your work, and interpersonal relationships?
Regardless of your yesterday, today you still get to choose if you will show up as a wrecker or a builder.
Each of us takes on different work roles as we move along our career, entrepreneur, or life path.
In that process, we will replace someone else and someone else will replace us.
These transitions can mean nothing to us or everything, depending upon how we handle them.
It can be a vulnerable time of self-doubt, confusion, and mind churning thoughts. That is, until we notice that it gives us an opportunity to become aware of how we can improve and grow while also honoring what we offered up in our work. Oh, and doing the same for those who replace us.
It's been a year since I got started podcasting. In some ways I feel like I haven't accomplished anything. In moments, I realize that I have grown a lot.
It's valuable to take pause and recognize this milestone on my journey. As I reflect, I hope you will recognize your own progress and use that as momentum to keep stepping forward in your personal life work.
Until recently, I didn't know that Bruce Lee was at the height of his career in Hong Kong while I was a little girl living a few hours away in Bangkok, Thailand.
My father let me know that he remembers going to a few movies in Thailand and saw the Bruce Lee martial arts movie trailers coming across the screen.
I wouldn't have put these facts together if I hadn't taken a few late nights recently to watch the Ip Man series and The Legend of Bruce Lee. I'm glad I did.
As an amateur martial arts fan, it was fascinating and inspiring to see Bruce and Linda Lee, Ip Man, and others so committed to offering up their best work. I'm amazed that Shannon Lee, Bruce Lee's daughter, continues to forward his legacy.
In this episode, I've shared a few lessons that I learned along the journey about Bruce and those that were tied to his life purpose.
Listen to this and subscribe through your favorite podcast service at https://zurl.co/Y6EM .
moveyourdesk #nudge #brucelee #jesseglover #daninosanto #lindaleecadwell #shannonlee #Takykimura #jeetkunedo #thelegendofbrucelee #ipman #yipman #bestwork #lifepurpose #fierce #committed #tiedtoyouryes #followers #learners #focused #belikewater #thewayoftheinterceptingfist #martialarts #karate #taekwondo #chacha #boxing #art #passion #purpose
There will always be constraints. And, the world is going through a few worldwide constraints right now that impact us all.
In this episode, I pull in lessons from the theory of constraints (Eliyahu M. Goldratt) to share with you how I have turned multiple constraints into opportunities for growth and learning.
It's not easy, but it can be done if we ask ourselves new questions and are willing to explore possibilities in life and work.
Check out this and other episodes at https://www.moveyourdesk.com
You are a hard worker. You set goals. You make and keep commitments to yourself on a regular basis.
But, for some reason there are some goals and actions that don't get done.
Finding and working with an accountability partner may be a great way to get started on meeting that next personal goal.
I've found great value in having accountability partners over the past few years. I've also had a few lessons learned. In fact, I even wrote a short book about it which I use as the basis for a few stories and tips in this episode.
Though coaching is an excellent way to move forward in personal development, a first step for you may be an accountability partnership. Tune in to find out why.
Some of you are in touch with your emotions.
Some of us (me included) aren't. In fact, we think we aren't that emotional. And, we are wrong.
Emotions drive all the actions in our lives, and they are behind all the reasons we refrain from action as well.
It's been a rough terrain week of emotions for me and I share some of the reasons in this episode toward pointing out a few insights about those pesky feelings that determine what results we get in our lives.
Join me on this episode as I share some of what I'm learning and be prepared for more episodes about the emotions as I figure out how to explain it to some of you hard working high achievers that think you can avoid feeling the feelings to offer up your best work.
When I coach, I use mind frameworks to organize what is going on in your brain so that all the great information you consume and learn can be turned into something useful toward upleveling your work.
This episode is extracted from some work I did with a client a few weeks ago. I walk through his initial thoughts and then a thought that would serve him better in making is desires come true. In this case, he wanted to be accepted as capable and ready for the next level of leadership.
Tune in to see if he made it to his goal or if he has more work to do.
More episodes available at https://www.moveyourdesk.com/podcast
Having a problem with an employee? Hired someone to do some work and they aren't quite creating what you expected?
It's easy to point fingers in these moments. But, pause and take a step back. Perhaps you haven't done your job describing exactly what is expected.
Though identifying and clarifying requirements is a full-time job for some, anyone that wants to offer up their best work benefits from building this skill. It takes practice, but can save time and money in the long run.
It's always great to hear from listeners. Sometimes it's what they've learned, other moments thoughts that help me improve, and still others that create a perpetual cycle of sharing and collaboration over time.
Tune in to hear Tiny Person share some thoughts, my father provide feedback, and nuggets from friends that set examples for who I want to become and that choose to continually learn and grow.
Push Back on the Desk episodes are specifically devoted to focusing on you and your feedback. I hope you enjoy it! I appreciate hearing from you.
College is different this year for most, for both undergraduate and graduate students.
Part of the experience includes additional decision-making and learning more about personal interests.
It's reminding me of what I experienced at moments in my life related to selecting colleges. I had made a plan to move forward based upon my experiences, my comfort level, and information available to me at those moments.
But, my plans were interrupted by what I call spiritual nudges (an idea introduced din Episode 52).
These are important, whether they come from the heavens or from a person. They can provide further clarity for your current plan or may even take you in a new direction.
Entertain these nudges, pursue them, and be open to them. They often arrive just as you least expect them, but are exactly necessary for your next step.
Let's talk time.
You are in charge of it. You have the same amount as I do. Yet, we get different results in our lives based upon what we think about time and ultimately what we do with it.
I've been a planner for a significant amount of my personal and work life. I keep my PMP certification up to date (so I don't have to re-take that test!), and I feel pretty good about my approach to managing it.
Still, every month there is a new challenge. And, every month or two I get introduced to new thoughts about how to handle this precious commodity that slips away quickly.
This episode provides a framework for managing it. Or rather, managing our brain so that we can take charge of our time.
It's always fun to get insights from people I coach. Especially if it's someone that you've known your entire life.
This interview is with one of my brothers. He's been making great strides in moving his desk these past few years and it's been fun to see him keep growing.
Listen as he shares his desk moving experiences, insights from rugby, quotes from our Dad, and his approach to sales strategies, self-improvement, and passion/purpose.
And, though I edited this a lot, please excuse any sirens in the background. Ha. We had about four rounds of emergency vehicles going by my home as we recorded. No dull moments here.
Wet cement is flexible and can be shaped in ways that meet a purpose.
Sometimes external forces decide to put things in the wet cement - vulgar words, a hole, a disruption to make it uneven.
But, at some point the cement hardens. At that point it is harder to make changes.
Our lives are filled with wet cement opportunities, especially in our online world.
What are we doing with our wet cement?
You can do whatever you want. But, just remember. Wet cement hardens. And, it's harder to change it at that point in time without a lot of extra time and effort.
What are you holding on to?
Our lives are full of stuff. Just look at your neighbor's garage (or your own) and you'll be reminded that this is true.
It's hard to part with this stuff at times - a relationship that isn't working, old ways of doing our job, lots of books and paper that we cart around from house to house and office to office.
Why don't we get rid of it?
This episode takes a look at how we can thoughtfully look at anything we want to in our life and decide if holding on to something is still serving our needs for growth and improvement or if it is "time to say good-bye."
Sometimes letting go creates the capacity to receive something better.
It's all up to you to decide. And, ok if it takes some time to figure it out.
In March 2020, I graduated from The Life Coach School as a certified life coach.
I planned to officially announce that fact through a podcast.
But, it didn't feel right. I was still uncomfortable with this new title. So, I took some time to explore what a coach meant to me and if I truly wanted to become one.
That was around episode 40 of my podcast. This is episode 60. It took that amount of time to work through some challenges with my beliefs surrounding my work.
But, I did the mind work. I started getting coached each week. I started coaching individuals and groups. I started to see my thinking shift.
Now I'm ready to say it with full confidence that this is the work I'm meant to do.
My name is Rebecca Clark. I am a life coach that helps you follow that deep desire you have to step into your best work.
If you are ready, let's talk.
Are you willing to take the next step, even if you can't see solid ground beneath you?
This is part of the journey at times - taking a step into the unknown toward seeking that horizon that you know is part of who you want to become.
Go ahead, take a step. The rest will be made known to you, but not until you take the steps.
Choices are a part of everyday life. So, is defaulting to what is comfortable or easy.
Are you aware of all of the options that are put before you on a daily basis? Those options have often been strategically crafted in a way to lead you down a certain decision-making path.
That's ok. Or, is it?
Do you trust the curator that narrows down the choices into something you can digest and ultimately take action from?
And, are you a trusted source to provide choices to those you influence and lead?
It's something to at least be aware of and then ...decide what to do with this information.
Are you prejudice?
Most of us think we are not.
Maybe it would help to turn off the news, talk to someone different than yourself and discover what's going on in your head and in theirs.
I made some mistakes recently. And, learned a few things about myself. Things I didn't even realize about what's going on inside of me.
This episode is slightly different. I chose to share a personal journal entry I wrote after an emotional week of learning about my defaults and prejudices.
As humans, we love to compare ourselves to others. Sometimes this serves us. Sometimes this doesn't.
It can help us gauge our progress on our desires or goals.
Or, it can prevent us from even getting in the game.
It's worth paying attention to where our tendencies to compare lead us. And, do something about it.
Though this show is all about preparing to move forward with your work, there are moments where hesitating is necessary.
Sometimes you leap, sometimes you hesitate. But, how do you know when? Practice, mistakes, and acknowledging that sometimes you are just lucky/unlucky. But, even in uncontrollable moments you can gain insights that help inform the next set of decision making opportunities.
Fear will always exist. It's part of life. Yet, some have figured out how to move forward courageously despite their fears. And, sometimes completely overcome some fears through the exercising of the courage on a regular basis.
This episode uses the basis of a children's book, called DJ's Off-Road Adventures as the basis of sharing about three people that helped me learn more about courage in the summer of 1994.
Thank you to Katharine, Bill, and Tall Mark for setting an example of living courageously and viewing life as one big adventure. I have come far from those experiences, but am discovering new areas of fear that must be approached with the courage to adventure.
You've got high intelligence, a lot of knowledge, and many years of experience. But, do you have ambition?
Cheryl Johnson recently published a book about ambition and we discuss the concept in this interview.
After listening, and reading, the examples Cheryl shares, I realize that I have an opportunity to learn how to become ambitious at a deeper level toward offering up my best work.
This skill is more necessary than ever in a world of constant change and surprises.
Tune in to get started.
Once in a while, we get thoughts that seem to come out of nowhere. Pure inspiration, blatant answers to questions that we didn't realize we were asking, or guidance to go in another direction from that we are pursuing.
Nudges from beyond our own mind. I call these nudges spiritual nudges and I believe we all get them, regardless of our religious and spiritual beliefs.
Once in a while I'll share a few spiritual nudges on the Move Your Desk show. Today I introduce the idea and one story from my own life that influenced the future of my life's work.
It's always a pleasure to talk to people that have gone through the process of transitioning to the next level of growth in their work. It requires different thinking, different coaches and mentors, and new ways of viewing the world.
Mike and Ann Watkins have worked together to continue to build a business that started with one mechanic that drove around fixing cars and marketed using small strips of paper with his telephone number on it. Now, a few shops into the process, the Watkins continue to aim higher and offer up their best work.
Join into this episode where both of them show different viewpoints and insights that show how there are so many ways to pursue your best work.
On the journey to change, there are a series of experiences that take place that ultimately transform a person into the person they are seeking to become.
In this episode I share where I am on my journey. And, I'm sharing this in the context of the steps that are part of every hero's journey.
It's easy to default and still live a successful and fairly comfortable life.
Yet, what if some of the angst you feel inside is there for a purpose? To give you hints that it is time to think differently about your next steps.
Sometimes it is ok to default to what everyone is doing. Especially, if you consciously make that decision.
Sometimes you have to go ... zigging on the zag.
Your addictions can be great teachers, if you allow yourself to learn from them.
Behind every addiction there is a set of thoughts and emotions that drive you to indulge in the excessive eating, drinking, pornography, working, or learning. Or, whatever.
There is good news, and it is less about willpower and more about figuring out what is going on in your mind when you find yourself in the middle of these behaviors.
Right now I'm learning all about this as I journey through finding out why cookies have such control over me. And, the reasons are getting clearer and the decision to manage and modify those reasons are as well.
If you need help with any of these, please reach out to me. Or, at least take a look at the links in the show notes at http://www.moveyourdesk.com to connect with coaches or resources that may be helpful.
It's April 2020 at the time of this recording. Learning has changed almost over night for quite a few people. For some of us, it is business as usual because we've been involved in the online learning world for a while. It's important to remember this - you can learn how to navigate in this world of technology. And, you must learn it to remain relevant in the world of work. Regardless of your role - help desk, learning technologist, manager, leader, teacher, or parent - this is now a required skill to succeed going forward.
Though I used the phrase "learning emergencies" in the past to describe situations where we blew learning moments out of proportion, it is now relevant to our times.
And, no excuses about your age. Find out what my grandfather learned at 93 years old in this episode.
It's an incredible time to be alive! We've gotten through tough times before. It's just that this time it's impacting the entire world in much of the same ways all at once.
Still, whenever there is an increase of the negative there is always an outpouring of opportunity.
What will you do with the changes to life that you face right now? What if this is a chance to re-think everything you are doing?
Tune in for some reminders from the past. We got through experiences like this in the past. We can get through new experiences now.
It's a time to survive and ...thrive!
It's your job to lead in every aspect of your life. But, sometimes you forget.
Once in a while life teaches us lessons through unexpected experiences. Master Kim taught me some things about leadership just from being straight forward with me about how I was acting around my son. I took it to heart. I used it as an opportunity to remind myself that I needed to show up as a leader in every aspect of life. Just because I've left a full-time leadership job, doesn't mean that I can't show up as a leader somewhere else.
In an ever changing world of online learning approaches and options, it is important to remember the simple principles of design that exemplify good instruction. And, you don't have to make it difficult.
Scott Mathews shares insights and examples from his experiences as a curriculum developer, a health care educator, and an aviation enthusiast to give listeners (especially anyone in the teaching capacity) ideas about how to move into the online space without overthinking it.
Leaders don't have to know it all. But, sometimes that is what is passed along as an expectation by society, by corporate culture, and by other leaders.
Lisa Chapman Gregory shares with us how we can lead and manage with both confidence in our optimal performance zone while also bringing vulnerability to our work.
Confident vulnerability is an attribute we can all embrace in whatever role we are in or seek. What a comfort to know that we don't have to know it all. And, we can admit it.
Through a sequence of nudges, I was introduced to my first scheduled podcast interview! I know you will enjoy getting to know David McBee through this interview and when you read his book. He is on a quest to become a better man, husband, father, and person each day.
You can find him at http://www.davidmcbee.com and his book on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3daGD1Q
Life can feel like it acts upon us at times, but we are in a position to take charge and start creating the future we want. It doesn't mean that we'll like everything we create. Sometimes we'll even produce pain, fear, and danger for ourselves. But, like Harold and the Purple Crayon, we can be resourceful and get back on track and keep moving toward our destination. It's time to keep our "wits about" us and pick up a crayon!
You've gotten this far somehow. Think back, how did each job come your way? How did you connect to that volunteer or entrepreneurial opportunity? Is there a pattern? Probably not.
It's surprising how opportunities come our way. If you are in the position of looking for a job, now is a good time to be open and to show up engaged in every part of life. Don't judge or over analyze what will work and won't work. Just take the steps. And, who knows, you may stumble upon possibilities that you never entertained before that will be right for you.
Your current thinking about your capabilities may not help you achieve your goals. But, maybe there are some interim thoughts you can have that will make a difference in making progress toward the results you seek.
It's amazing to watch a change of thought in action. Listen in to hear how quickly thought changes can translate into actual performance shifts.
Online learning has been around a while. But, almost overnight, government and schools closed their physical doors and made the decision to offer up classes virtually to reduce human contact in an attempt to thwart the spread of disease. Just moving to online sounds so simple. But, there are differences between the physical classroom learning experience and the experience that can be offered online. Desi Dixon, an experienced educator, doctoral student, learning technologist and parents shares insights about teaching in both the classroom and online as well as a few tips for parents that may be having a few students hanging around the home a bit more during the day for the ongoing future.
You've got experience and skills. You are a new boss or been tasked to lead a new division. You've got all the answers and now is your chance to change everything that is wrong and make it work. You are here to save the day!
Wait, what's wrong with this thinking?
Well, somehow it all existed and worked in some way before you got there...at least to some extent. So, have you found out what already works? What doesn't work? Taken some time to question your own assumptions?
Let's take a few minutes to learn some insights provided to us by a cat that has been around a very long time. A cat that has a hat and ...often causes a ruckus before he realizes there is another way.
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Do you remember the story about the emperor who had no clothes? He trusted some tailors that he'd never met more than those who had kept him in royally outfitted for years. Even when he couldn't see the amazing results the tailors touted, he was so proud that he boldly went forward assuming that those closest to him were advising him properly. But, they had their own misconceptions, fears, and a bit of mistrust. We each take our own turn as naked emperor, tailors, and advisers. So, what can we do about it?
What is bossy? Is it leadership or is it something else? Some think it should be banned or that is is used way too often with women and not enough when describing men. What do you think? Stick with me as I explore some thoughts and feelings I've had about this word the past few years. And, certainly push back on the desk if you have another perspective.
Sometimes we get to lead or manage and other times we get to roll up our sleeves and experience every part of the creation process. And, that includes all of the mistakes and testing along the way.
As I transition from leading to delving into more of the details of creating, I've had my own comedy of errors. These are all part of the process and are exposing atrophied skills and simultaneously providing the opportunity for growth. It's all kind of fun and the end products are still yet to be refined. Join me as I continue on this journey of becoming.
There's a skill that is easy to overlook because it quietly allows us the opportunity to express ourselves and feel comfortable without being aware of the reason why. It's a skill worth working on for ourselves and recognizing in others. Find out what my friend Laurel taught me about holding space.
It's Valentine's Day and it seemed like a good time to share a story about ways of thinking from a children's book. Sometimes a change of thought can completely change our lives quickly. Which direction will that change of thought lead us - toward opportunities or further limitations on ourselves? Mr. Hatch has a lot to teach us on the topic.
Our decisions aren't just about us. We are all connected and it's surprising how often our decision to say we are going to do something can make those in our human orbit feel like they can too. They make our action mean something, and they decide to stand up and take action as well. Is there anyone tied to your decision to say "Yes, I'm stepping forward?"
Every 10th episode I like to take a moment to address the incoming feedback and share a few insights that have come from that feedback. It always instigates me to make a change in some aspect of life, work, or business. And, feedback and reviews are such a big deal that some companies around the world are making poor business decisions just to claim some extra five star reviews. Tune in to learn more about that.
If you work in a coal mine, you expect to be exposed to a physically toxic environment. If you work in an office, you do not. Yet, sick buildings are so persistent that you may be exposed to harmful air and surroundings that impact your health. With poor health it is an uphill battle to offer up the best your mind has to offer and perform your best work. Don't put up with it. Take care of yourself. And, if you can, help take care of others.
Habits are an important component of reaching our goals. How strategic are you with your habits? Many of us default to more tactical approaches to creating habits, but perhaps taking more time to focus on the strategic perspective of habits can help set us up for truly effective behavior change that will help us perform our best work. Habit Frameworks are a way to start.
Sometimes it isn't clear why you got fired or laid off. It may be you, but more often it is a combination of factors at work. In this episode, I've shared thoughts about work behaviors that may impact how your organization perceives the value you provide. In some cases, these ideas could actually get you fired. In other cases, applying the concepts may improve your work.
There are many ways to provide the highest value to customers. Though it's important to meet the industry expectations in product leadership, operational excellence, and customer intimacy, one value needs to be identified as the most important value for the organization. Let's talk about the value of customer intimacy.
Gift giving is a long time tradition in most of our lives. Now can be a good time to reflect on those gifts that have meant most to us and determine what kind of gift giver we want to be going forward - with family and friends, at work, and in life in general. Tune in to hear about some of my favorite gifts over the years. They weren't what I expected.
Show Notes and Transcript available at https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/12/29/episode-25-gift-giving/
Each result in your life can be tracked back to your thoughts. Not your circumstances. So, do you like your results? This episode explores a framework that helps you take a look at your own mind and how to work on thoughts to get the results you want.
Show notes available at https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/12/22/episode-24-mind-frameworks/
It's a mystery as to whether this pivotal nudger ever existed. But, this special cowboy exemplifies what it means to work on being our best selves so that we are available and aware at any time to help solve problems and make a difference. He's on a quest to have the time of his life during the holidays and finds himself on a different journey. He is Stubby Pringle, born with spurs on.
In a fast paced world, it's hard to take a few moments to reflect. But, reflection may be exactly what is needed to improve your work and avoid repeating the same behaviors and habits that have gotten you the results you don't want. Tune in to listen to reflection techniques that can help you become your most powerful teacher in the quest to offer up your best work.
Most organizations have large and complex change management strategies to navigate the necessary innovations and challenges in today's world. But, none of that matters much if individuals don't work on their own thinking. Let's start talking about looking at our own brain each time we have an opportunity to make a decision. I'll share just one example in this episode and plan to delve into this topic more as we journey through finding our best work together.
Every tenth episode seems like a great place to respond to the feedback, questions, and thoughts that get shared along the journey. You are a great support and this is one way to acknowledge your inputs.
With all the talk about moving your desk, I figured it was time to share one way I've moved my desk recently. Sometimes moving your desk is simply making a few mental shifts. In other seasons, it requires overhauling your life. The point is to keep working at it.
Want to start a podcast? The Internet has all the answers. Or, does it? Often we turn to a friend or co-worker to help us get started on something new. A few people have asked me how I create my podcast. After a few requests, I realized I might as well share a podcast about my podcast. It's just one way to do it. Hopefully there is a tip or an inspiration that will help you get started!
Negotiation is part of our daily lives and definitely necessary each time you move your desk - upleveling your work where you are or seeking opportunities elsewhere. Tune in to see what you may need to keep in mind and how a simple orange can teach us value lessons for future negotiations.
See show notes at - https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/11/10/episode-17-negotiation-frameworks/ and sign up for the Move Your Desk Monday emails!
If you look back on key moments in your life, it wasn't just that moment that mattered. Take some time to reverse engineer some of the steps that led you there. You just might find a sequence of nudges. And, you can be sure that more nudge sequences are in your future.
It's Halloween and a perfect time to share the work of pivotal nudger Anthony Rotolo. He's the creator of three different podcasts and one of them is focused on bringing icons of tv terror to the forefront of memory ...for those that love the genre. Check out his podcasts and learn why he is a pivotal nudger.
Sometimes we can learn a lot from sitting and observing the world. But, don't observe too long. Our minds have a great way of creating a lot of thoughts when we observe. Some of those thoughts may be incorrect while others prevent us from engaging with those around us in ways that mutually benefit. Step out of your costume and take off the mask once in a while and see what happens.
Are you taking care of yourself? Respecting your own boundaries and space, especially the time you need to re-charge or re-focus? A fun little moment with Tiny Person reminded me to stand up for myself to protect my space.
Shown notes and script available at https://moveyourdesk.com/?p=413
Drawing from a diverse range of experiences and ideas, Heidi Totten started both the 100 Humanitarians and the Eclectic Entrepreneurs. These ventures create community and provide a framework of relationships and learning that help people around the world learn how to offer up their best work.
Show notes and script available at https://moveyourdesk.com/2019/10/21/episode12/
You are busy and so is your boss. It helps to put a simple framework around your weekly activities to increase your awareness of your own progress. And, to help your boss. It's time to manage upwards, if you aren't already, and use your framework as a tool to move the work forward. Step up and get started on your framework. Set up a weekly meeting with your boss. A meeting that you lead. It's simple, but how often are you doing it?
This podcast is a shout out to all those that were in that first group of people to share thoughts, forward the podcast link, and give me resources to use as I move forward with this podcast. The first and second followers are important. They give any person that is embarking on new work the courage to keep going. Thank you.
Think about those around you that straight up share with you their thoughts, or connect you to like minded people, or tell you about resources and opportunities you may never have known without their nudge.
These people are important to your growth and progress and they should receive your special care. Certainly thank you notes, but also sharing who they are and what they do with others. These people are pivotal nudgers and we need to make sure that they keep doing what they do to inspire us to become our best.
Are you comfortable with blank pieces of paper? It is often required to get going on a new idea, leading a project, or to create something new. It may be time to get used to these blank sheets of opportunity and helping those around you get inspired to do so as well.
The desire for perfection is real, but most of the time it is best to get our rough ideas and work out there so that those that will benefit have access to it. AND, they can provide us the feedback and support that can propel us into further improvements and growth.
In an information filled world, it's helpful to have personal management strategies to make sense of it all. Frameworks are one way to curate and use this information in meaningful ways to improve your work and life.
Sometimes our best learning experiences come from those moments that we choose to pay attention to someone or something that we aren't naturally interested in. And, once in a while we find a new skill or interest along the way.
Check out show notes and script at http://www.moveyourdesk.com
So often in life we get chances that we don't take. And, some of us worry that we missed our big chance. This episode points out that we don't just get one chance, but we may need to take action to ensure that we are ready the next time a chance comes along.
Check out show notes and script at http://www.moveyourdesk.com
This episode shares a resource that anyone trying to improve their work or take on something new can quickly access to get their mind into brainstorm mode. It's a podcast that comes out almost daily and is packed with different examples from entrepreneurs, employees with side hustles, and people that engaged in one-time sprints to earn cash for a special need.
Check out show notes and script at http://www.moveyourdesk.com
How often do you take the time to write a note to thank others or express gratitude? A note may keep an exceptional employee from leaving an organization. The act of writing a note may change your life. Listen to this podcast to find out examples of both and more.
Check out show notes and script at http://www.moveyourdesk.com
This podcast provides inspirational nudges and practical approaches to help you find and do your best work. This may require personal change, thinking about your work differently, and using mental/physical frameworks to move you to the next level of effectiveness. Your best work is yet to come and is waiting for you to get ready right where you are or somewhere new. And, sometimes the desk that needs to be moved is only the desk in your mind. The question is - are you reading to move your desk? Join the conversation and let's move it together.
Check out show notes and script at http://www.moveyourdesk.com