When you too need to make a list…

I’ve always considered myself too young to need a checklist. It was the kind of thing my parents had when they were planning their holidays, so that they wouldn’t forget goggles, a hat, boots or ski poles.

Arriving in Chicago, I take the one essential accessory for the US out of my suitcase: an adapter. And I’m delighted. It was a gift from my colleagues at Next Action. They know all about different plug sockets in the UK, Europe and the United States.

How many times have I had to buy a new one? This small accessory was always the last thing on my mind when I was packing. But now that’s a thing of the past! I have a travel checklist.
I finally learnt my lesson.

I go through my list one last time before I leave, and I always arrive at the airport, with my passport and ticket in hand, but also local currency and the correct adapter!

All good in Chicago then? YES! Except the snowstorm! Add to list: check the local weather…

What about you? What can you write down on a list to clear your mind and avoid nasty surprises?

3 questions

At the start of all my seminars, I introduce myself to establish my credibility through my experience and training.

Last week, I began a seminar by inviting the participants to ask me three questions to get to know me.

I was able to cover the same subjects in my answers as I do in my usual monologue, but there were two significant differences: the attendees really wanted to hear my answers, and we engaged in a dialogue right from the word go.

If I say “have you got any questions?”, people rarely ask any.
If I say “what are your questions?”, I am effectively stimulating their creativity
When I say to them “ask me three questions!”, there is an instant dialogue between us.

What about you? How would you encourage the creativity of the people you speak to?

Daniel

We met Daniel at Club Med. He was a party animal, and ex-stuntman who could do amazing things on water skis.
When we helped our son move to Canada, Daniel welcomed us to his lakeside chalet, hosted a barbecue, and took us water-skiing (no stunts involved!). He was a kind person and a great host.

At the time, we knew nothing of his personal demons, and the substances that he was taking just to keep him on his feet. They were a source of comfort to him but also a trap.

Years later, he spilt the beans on Facebook. By then, he was happily celebrating the fact that he was finally free of it all.

This personal victory changed him so much that he went on to inspire many others. He created his own brand called Soberstar. He tells people about stars, from Robert Downey Jr. to Sir Elton John and all the others he has met, who have been through the same experience as him. He has also developed his own product line to celebrate these sober stars.

Daniel really made me think about how we fall into the trap of “just one little drink” … followed by another, then another. Something to comfort us after a hard day or a reward after a successful day or some other reason, just because I’m worth it. I never used to drink a lot but I did drink regularly.

I decided to follow his example, at my own pace. Every day, I say to myself: not today, perhaps tomorrow. I’ll have a drink or three tomorrow. But not today. No.

Now, day after day, I realise that I reward and congratulate myself differently. And every day I like myself a little bit more.

What about you? How can you love yourself a little bit more, one day at a time?

Moving abroad

My employer has offered me a job abroad!
At my age, that doesn’t happen very often, and I’m really tempted because it’s my favourite country: Italy!

The last time I moved abroad was thirty years ago when I made the huge leap from my little village in Germany to Florida. That was the right age for those kinds of adventures, or so people said.

Actually, I’m the right age again now. The children have grown up and left home. So why turn down such an opportunity, all expenses paid?

So why am I hesitating? Well, because the employer is me.
I’m questioning things that wouldn’t even occur to me if I had a salaried job in a big company. I’d jump straight on the plane.

I’d completely brush aside any doubts like “am I leaving my family in the lurch?” or “what will people say?”

If your company offers you an opportunity for a major life change, it’s easy to dump the responsibility on them. But am I ready to take on the responsibility myself?

What about you? What are you currently pondering over that would benefit from being removed from its context to make you responsible for it?

What if you knew?

“I don’t know!” – “Okay. I see – and what would you do if you did know?”

That’s how Tony Robbins encourages his followers to surpass themselves.

It is a question that I regularly ask my own clients. And that’s when the magic happens: “Well, if I knew how to approach it, this is what I would do…” And they go on to provide a solution that is pretty much complete!

I suggest you give it a try. Every time one of your business partners, colleagues, children or your partner says “I don’t know”, ask them to take it a step further. That way, you’ll avoid doing the thinking for them and you’ll stimulate them into action.

This advice also applies to you. As soon as you can hear yourself thinking “I don’t know”, trigger your creativity by asking yourself “what if I did know?”

I look forward to hearing from you!