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."

"Busy" Doesn't Always Cut It

Don't mistake activity with achievement. ~ John Wooden ~

Treading water is certainly a form of swimming but it'll never win you a gold medal in a relay race.  You work hard.  It's true.  But just because you are busy at work, it doesn't mean you are accomplishing anything.  First, are you working on the things that matter?  Second, are you easily distracted when working on important tasks? Finally, is it more important to check off a to-do list or more important to have solved an critical problem? 

Ask yourself at the end of each day.  "What have I accomplished?"  Don't think in terms of tasks completed but rather what propelled you forward in the achievement of goals.  As a leader, never get fooled by your "busy" workers.  Ask them the same question.  "What did you accomplish today?"  Then: "How did that help us move toward our desired results?"

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 busy on the tasks that will help me succeed."

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.