Avoid the Flames

If you treat every situation as a life-and-death matter, you'll die a lot of times. ~ Dean Smith ~

As a leader you can't be a firefighter and treat everything like a fire that must be put out immediately.  If you do this, then you'll never solve problems.  When you are in firefighter mode, all you want is to do is douse the flames.  When you run around and behave as if everything is an emergency then your team will do the same.  Imagine the stress and wasted energy.  Instead become the investigator that finds the root cause.  Be strategic so that you solve problems to the point of no return.  Prioritize!  Choose what needs a quick fix that you can return to later.  Take your time on the really important stuff.  Otherwise...pardon the pun...you will burn out.

1. Close your eyes
2. Breathe
3. Empty your mind
4. As thoughts come in, acknowledge and whisk them away
5. Focus on your breathing
6. Think about the affirmation:

"I am calm and thoughtful in my planning and actions."

Take Care of Your Brain

 “The energy of the mind is the essence of life." ~ Aristotle, The Philosophy of Aristotle ~

Consider physical exhaustion.  What does it do to you?  Do you become slower?  Is it harder to breathe?  Do you become clumsy?  Did you have accidents?  Consider, now, mental exhaustion.   What does it do to you?  Do you become mentally slower?  Is it hard to concentrate?  Do you become forgetful?  Do you make mistakes?   Physical and mental energy are often connected but sometimes they are not.  When you are physically exhausted and it effects your mental state, quite simply, get some sleep and you can think again.  But, what if you are not physically tired but mentally tired?  Sleep is not the answer.   Instead, take a mental break. What do you do to energize your brain?  Exercise, play with a pet, get something eat, play a game or better yet meditate?  Because, what will you achieve with a tired mind?  Effective leaders will take mental breaks to energize their thinking and create insight.

1. Close your eyes
2. Breathe
3. Empty your mind
4. As thoughts come in, acknowledge and whisk them away
5. Focus on your breathing
6. Think about the affirmation:

I will find the time to take mental breaks to energize my mind.

Leaders Don't Procrastinate

If you want to make an easy job seem mighty hard, just keep putting off doing it.  ~ Olin Miller

Don’t you find it hard, some days, to just get motivated?  The more you think about what you need to do, the more mountainous it seems?  It is easy to put off those things that you don't feel like doing - however, they will start to fester and grow teeth.  Next thing you know, they're biting you in the rear!  You put it off thinking it will be easy and then every time you think about it...you groan.   Suddenly, your energy is drained.  You may think you are prioritizing but guess what?  You are not.  Prioritizing is putting important things first, procrastinating is putting off important things.  Leaders don't procrastinate. They get the important things done before they become problems.

1. Close your eyes
2. Breathe
3. Empty your mind
4. As thoughts come in, acknowledge and whisk them away
5. Focus on your breathing
6. Think about the affirmation:

I will get important things done first.

Make Fear Give You The Edge

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. ~Maori Proverb ~

For many of you there are very real and valid reasons to worry.  Fear keeps you alert and warns of danger.  It is a necessary part of your emotions.  Worry and fear will never go away for anyone.  The difference maker is how you deal with fear and worry.  You can let it eat at you and occupy important areas of the brain - where you need to think.  Use the alertness that fear provides to get focused.  Some leaders feed on danger and risk because it can be very exciting.    As a leader, know that risk means that you have the opportunity to grow and flourish.  With risk comes fear but with fear, can come bravery.  Trust that you will prevail and overcome.  Instead of fear ruling you - use it's energy to create success.

1. Close your eyes
2. Breathe
3. Empty your mind
4. As thoughts come in, acknowledge and whisk them away
5. Focus on your breathing
6. Think about the affirmation:

"I will use fear to my advantage - with it, I will be more alert and focused."

It's Simple - Have a Good Day

You're not going to make me have a bad day. If there's oxygen on earth and I'm breathing, it's going to be a good day. ~Cotton Fitzsimmons

What kind of drama and crisis' have been thrown at you today.  How did you react?  Did you let it stop you?  Did you let it use up your energy and make you unable to think clearly?   If you grumble and complain about the small stuff you'll have a real good chance that people will jump on board with you.  What good comes of that?  Misery loves company?  Leaders do not bring other people down nor do they let others bring them down.  It's never productive.  As a leader, goal yourself to convert others negative energy into positive productive energy daily.  You decide what kind of day you are going to have every day.  Choose wisely.

1. Close your eyes
2. Breathe
3. Empty your mind
4. As thoughts come in, acknowledge and whisk them away
5. Focus on your breathing
6. Think about the affirmation:

"I’m choose to have a great day."

Focus On What You Can Control

We cannot direct the wind but we can adjust the sails. ~Author Unknown~

Great leaders only do what they are capable of doing.  There are many things in the world that you cannot control.  Stop trying.  You waste your talents and your energy.  Focus only on what you can control in your life.  First, begin with yourself.  Review each goal and decide what you can do in instead, instead of waisting precious energy on what you can't do.  Then take that step to do it.

1. Close your eyes
2. Breathe
3. Empty your mind
4. As thoughts come in, acknowledge and whisk them away
5. Focus on your breathing
6. Think about the affirmation:

"I will focus my efforts on the things I can control."