My friend, Chere Bork, just completed her first triathlon at age 55.
My friend, Mark LeBlanc, walked 500 miles across Northern Spain in 33 days.

Are they living intentionally?  You bet.

Chere and Mark are each doing what is necessary to make sure life doesn’t pass them by.  They are getting off the sidelines and getting into the game.

Here are brief introductions to these living with purpose people…

Chere Bork has a heart as big as the ocean. She absolutely loves people.  And she is always looking for or creating ways to make you feel special.  Chere is a nutritionist, wellness coach, and media spokesperson.  Her clients love her, and she knows (and has fun with!) nutrition and healthy eating habits better than anyone I know.  When she’s not coaching, writing a cookbook, or doing something active outside, she’s spending time with her family and volunteering.  (Chere and I co-facilitate the Apprentice program in the National Speakers Association-MN Chapter’s Institute for Professional Speaker Development.)

Chere decided to run a triathlon when she turned 55.  So she did.  She set her goal, followed her goal, and achieved her goal.  But it was more than that for Chere.  Read her story in her own words.  You will be inspired.

  There are two things I appreciate most about Mark LeBlanc.  First, he has learned through ups and downs and successes and failures what it takes to live an authentic, purpose-focused life while building an extremely successful business.  Second, we both come from small towns in northwestern Minnesota.  Mark grew up in Fertile, and I grew up in Climax.  Ya’ just gotta’ love the small town guys.

Mark has been changing the lives of thousands through his speaking, teaching, and coaching.  Do you want to build a business or grow your business?  Then you need to talk to Mark.  He’s the best.  His million+ steps across Northern Spain significantly transformed how he things about work and life.  Read his story in his own words.   

Mark’s book, Never be the Same, is on my List of Top 10 Favorite Books.  You’ll learn about life, business, and how to just keep moving forward when times are tough.  You will never be the same after reading it.  It really is a great book. 

Give yourself a gift today.  Read Chere and Mark’s stories.  Be ready to be challenged.  It’s never too late to start living.

Live with purpose.   Get off the bench.  Get in the game. 

“No matter what your current situation is, good or not-so-good, hang in there.  Miracles do happen, memories can be healed, and dreams do come true.  Make a commitment to yourself first, not to the finish line…You can always take another step.  You can take another one, too.  Deliberately, in the direction of your dream.  It may be a baby step, but you can take one.  Today.  Tomorrow, and the next day.”  >From Never be the Same by Mark LeBlanc.

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Does this describe your current situation?…

Your cubicle/office job gives a paycheck, but no fulfillment.
Your “work at home” business gives you flexibility, but no joy.
Your unemployment gives you more time off, but no income.

You want “a life.”  A life that includes meaningful work. Time to focus on the things that matter most to you.  You want to make a difference.

It’s possible.  It takes work.

A statement that encourages me, guilts me, ticks me off, and inspires me…
My life is where it is right now because of the daily choices I’ve made.
Ooftah.

So how do we move from where we are to where we want to be?

It starts with taking one step, making one choice, that gets us closer to “A Life.”

An earlier posting by Paul DeBettignies was just the shot in the arm that I needed this weekend.  What Price would you pay for your Dream Job offers a great suggestion for moving in the right direction…

Write your own job description. Figure out what you really, really want. And then identify what the price tag is. Evaluate.

Here are 4 steps to get you re-focused and re-energized:

1. Read Paul’s posting – noodle on it.

2. Write your job description. Create your vision board.  Get clear on what you really, really want.

3. Make a list of what it will take to get you there. Then you aren’t surprised when the hard work comes along.

4. Do one thing that gets you closer to “A Life.”

Here are some general ideas for getting started:
~~ Create healthier boundaries
~~ Ask for help
~~ Identify (and execute!) your daily 3 high-value activities ala Mark LeBlanc
~~ Plan your work and work your plan
~~ Eliminate the stuff that just takes up time and space
~~ Get a coach
~~ Etc.

You and I are creating our lives by the choices we make.  It’s up to us to create “a life.”   Let’s make it a dream life.

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What if…

… 2010 could be your best year ever?

… today you could change the way you look and feel about your life?

You can make it happen. 

The key?  Create a plan.  Start today. 

Here’s how:

1. Begin to create your Success Strategy for 2010

• What do you want to accomplish?
• Who do you want to become?

During these last few weeks of the year, find some blocks of time when you can evaluate what you’ve accomplished in 2009, and identify what changes you want to make in 2010.  Keep it simple right now.  Just make notes about what you want to do differently next year.  And jot down ideas for making those changes.

2. Make a list of all the good things you did this year. 

List your accomplishments.  The people you’ve helped.  The goals you’ve met.  Baby steps count!  Yes, you’ve probably disappointed yourself on a few occasions.  But you’ve learned from those disappointments.  They’ve helped you grow.

Taking the time to focus on what’s been good about 2009 will motivate and encourage you to dream big and confidently in 2010.

Wouldn’t it feel great to wake up on January 1 knowing that you have created your plan for making 2010 your best year ever?  Don’t wait until then to start thinking about it.

Elizabeth Hagen, coach, author, and speaker who helps make people’s lives easier, has a similar perspective.  I appreciate her mindset of looking at the first of every month as a new year.  December 1 is approaching!

You’ve got 45 days to set yourself up for a successful 2010.  Use your time wisely.

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(This is Part Four of the Big Success series.)

We make choices every day.  Some choices don’t make much difference on our future.  Do I use Crest toothpaste or Colgate?  Use blue ink or black ink?  Other choices have greater influence.  Do I get out of bed when the alarm goes off or stay in bed?  Do I keep my commitment to exercising after work or skip it?

The choices you make every day determine how you feel about yourself, your work, and your life.

Watching the Ramsey Lewis Trio perform was a Bravo moment.  And one of the things that it made it so enjoyable was watching the sheer joy the musicians themselves were experiencing. I don’t think anyone in the audience had a better time than the Trio itself that night.  You could see it in their eyes, hear it in their laughter, and feel it in your soul.  They showed up, fully present and engaged.

Is your life a little boring right now?  Why?  What can you do to change that?

How are you showing up in the world every day?  Kicking the cat or embracing the sunrise?  Are you putting in your time to get a paycheck, only to go home and sit in the easy chair in front of the TV for hours?  Or are you taking responsibility for your own attitude and spirit—growing, learning, and being grateful for the good things in your life?

When you look back on your week or the month, what emotion wells up inside you?

Boring or Bravo.  It’s Your Choice.

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(This is Part Three of the Big Success series.)

You’ve dreamed about it.  You’re the understudy watching from the wings, waiting for your chance to take the stage and show them what you’ve got.  You know you can play the part.  Then it happens.  The lead starlet does what everyone was telling her to do.  She breaks a leg.  And now it’s your chance.  Same play, different cast.  You’ve been invited for an interview [or a promotion, or to participate on a really big project].  You’ve been given the opportunity.  This is your chance to shine.  You’re prepared.  You’re confident.  You are the star of this event.  Take center stage and perform exceptionally.  (From Find a Job: The Little Book for BIG SUCCESS)

You can’t show up at Orchestra Hall, the Super Bowl, or  Oliver Stone’s casting call without preparation. 

The same is true on our jobs. Whether we like it or not, our performance is observed and evaluated every day by colleagues, supervisors, clients, and customers. We may not always get feedback, but people are noticing.

What are you doing to develop your skills or build your reputation?  It’s not enough to wait for your supervisor to find the budget dollars to send you to a workshop.  Take ownership for your own career. 

Read.  Study.  Watch.  Practice.  Stay informed.  Participate.

What’s new in your field?  What soft skills do you want to improve?   Will your technical skills keep you up to speed in the market?

My suggestion?  Each week identify one career or life-enhancing activity in each of three areas:

• Personal development.  Exercise, eat healthier, nourish your soul and spirit, or stop an annoying habit or behavior.
• Professional development.  Read a book, study a topic in your industry, listen to a lecture, or research a topic and write a white paper on it.
• Network.  We can learn so much from each other.  Who are you connecting with?  (And this is in addition to the postings you do on your FaceBook friends’ Walls.)  Talk to people. How can you support them and their dreams?

When the Ramsey Lewis Trio takes center stage, they are prepared. Mr. Lewis didn’t do a crash course in playing the piano the night before the sold-out concert. He’s put years into learning and loving his area of expertise.

What’s standing between you and your next level of achievement? Break through it. Committing to three activities each week, focusing on personal development, professional development, and networking is a great place to start.

Marshall Goldsmith has written a great book, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There.” It’s a must-read for leaders at all levels.

Don’t settle for “what could be.” Perform exceptionally.

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(This is Part Two of the Big Success series.)

Whether you’re looking for a new job or looking to get ahead, here’s some advice…

Remember the yo-yo?  It’s the round toy with a string attached and the toy is spun up and down the string from your hand.  You probably played with one when you were a kid.    Try it again—notice how quickly the skill comes back.  Forgot you could do that, didn’t you!  Take time to consider all your skills and accomplishments as you prepare or update your resume.  Things that come naturally to you shouldn’t be dismissed.  Make sure you include yo-yo’s you used in previous jobs.   Do a wide-sweep inventory of what you enjoy doing—your skills, talents, and interests.  Capture them in your primary marketing tool, your resume.  Make yourself stand out. 

This is a paragraph from my new book, Find a Job: The Little Book for BIG SUCCESS.  It’s focused on preparing your resume.  But the same diligence should be applied if you’re fortunate to be employed.

Getting clarity on what you’re good at is one of the first steps in making your mark in the world of work.  It’s not enough to be mediocre in today’s economy.  You’ve got to perform. Stand out.

When the Ramsey Lewis Trio shows up to perform at a concert, there’s a pianist, bass player, and drummer.  They don’t switch instruments.  They know their skills.  In fact, they probably knew at an early age what they were good at, and they started developing their knack for smoking the ivories, stroking the strings, and pounding the daylights out of the drums.

What are you good at?  Don’t assume you know.  It’s an intelligent question—take a few minutes to answer it.  Go beyond your current or most recent job.  You’ve got something the workplace needs. 

My suggestion?  Make a list of 25 skills and talents.  Then identify the top 5 or 6 you want to use on a regular basis.  Working with numbers, writing a paper, analyzing data, baking tarts, organizing an office…you get the picture.   Is your current job giving you the opportunity to use them?  If so, great!  If not, talk to your supervisor about other ways of doing your work, or even other opportunities.  If that doesn’t work, start thinking about and planning for your next career move.

You have talents, skills, and abilities that are uniquely yours. And you have ways of using them that no one else can replicate.

Stand up and be noticed.

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Ramsey Lewis Trio

Three guys. Ramsey, Larry, and Leon. Each chose to show up at work one August evening, ready to give their best to the job. And the result? Absolutely amazing music.

Ramsey is better known as Ramsey Lewis, composer, pianist, and jazz legend. Larry Gray, bass player, and Leon Joyce, Jr., drummer, perform with him as the Ramsey Lewis Trio.  (If the name isn’t familiar to you, perhaps you’ve heard Lewis’ songs, “Hang on Sloopy” or “Wade in the Water.”)

So what does this talented group have to do with life, work, or finding a job?  Plenty.

Steve and I had second row seats at their concert in Minneapolis. Three things were clear during their performance:

1)      Each of these musicians knew what he was good at. 

2)      Each was prepared to perform. 

3)      Each of them was having a really, really good time. 

Those are some pretty good principles to live by.  Whether you are preparing for an interview, aiming for a promotion, or you just want more out of life, we can learn from Ramsey, Larry, and Leon.  You might be saying to yourself, “Yea, if I could play the piano like that and make money at it, I’d be happy too!”  Maybe so. 

But who says that musicians, professional athletes, or actors have the market on loving their work and having a good life?  This musical Trio makes our world a better place.  And YOU make this world a better place—in your own, unique way—when you choose to show up and engage with your gifts and talents. 

I believe it is possible to live with intention, enjoy your work, and have a rich, fulfilled life.  Not always easy, but certainly possible.

The audience cheered, whistled, and applauded its appreciation for this Trio who showed up, ready to do a good job, and had a blast. (Wouldn’t it be nice to get the same response when we show up at work?)  But you know, these guys would have put the same amount of energy and joy into their work if no one else was in the concert hall.  That’s what made the experience so cool.

In this Big Success blog, we’re discussing life and work, success and significance. And in these next few blogs, we’ll take a closer look at what Ramsey, Larry, and Leon can teach us.

I’m curious…music has a way of touching our hearts and souls like nothing else can.  What performer(s) stand out in your mind as really “showing up” and performing with passion that was palpable? 

Click on the comment link below…

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Looking around a coffee shop recently, I saw people of all ages. Some were picking up cappuccinos on a break from work. Others had heads buried over textbooks. I overheard conversations about bosses and co-workers who “just don’t get it.” And I’m sure the guy with the Sunday want ads was praying that this would be the day he’d find the perfect job.

It reminded me that each of us wants pretty much the same things. We want a rich, fulfilled life that focuses on the things that matter most to us. We want to know that our work is valued and meaningful. We want to be respected by our boss and co-workers. We want to enjoy a life that is not consumed by work. We want to make a difference.

In this little blog for big success we will talk about these issues. Success.  Significance.  Living and working with purpose. Ideas for creating more productive and inspired work environments.

Welcome to the conversation.

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