All That Matters

Posted on by Scott

american-football-2940149_640In case you haven’t heard, the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots to win the Super Bowl last night. The final score was 41-33 in a game full of surprises and new football records. While many were rooting for the Eagles, the seemed stacked against them.

This was only the third Super Bowl appearance for the Eagles; they’d lost the first two. By contrast, the Patriots were playing in their 10th championship game, having won five of the previous nine.

Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was a backup player. He’d replaced Philadelphia’s injured starter just before the playoffs started. He had no Super Bowl experience. In fact, just a few years ago he almost quit the game. New England quarterback Tom Brady, on the other hand, walked in with loads of experience. Each of those five Patriot titles were won with him at the QB spot. He’s often referred to as the “GOAT” – the greatest of all time.

Las Vegas odd-makers didn’t expect the Eagles to win; the Patriots were favored by 4.5 points. Although many people said they were ready to see the Patriot dynasty come to a close, but most predicted a New England victory.

Yes, it seems like everything and everyone had lines up against the Eagles – everyone except for the Eagles that is.

To them, the odds didn’t matter. History didn’t matter. Public opinion didn’t matter. All that mattered was their shared desire to succeed. They scored quickly and they scored often. They came up with an answer for everything the competition threw at them. They kept their eyes on the prize and moved steadily toward it.

There are million reasons why you should fall short of your goal this year. There are obstacles in your path, shortages of resources, and gaps in experience. There are setbacks around every corner. And yet, none of that matters.

All that matters is the desire to be successful. Do you have it?

In Search of the A-Team

Posted on by Scott

team-spirit-2447163_640Last Tuesday marked the 35th anniversary of the premier of The A-Team. This NBC sitcom featured the exploits of of an ex-military group that operated as soldiers of fortune. Each week, they would assist an individual or group in rectifying an injustice or solving a seemingly impossible problem. Episodes always featured a crazy plan, unforeseen obstacles, and plenty of explosions.

The team was comprised of four members, each possessing unique abilities. Leading the group was John “Hannibal” Smith (George Peppard). He was the brains of the outfit and excelled at devising strategies that made the most of team member’s skill set. Initial plans were always straightforward, but he often had to think outside the box in order to come up with a solution to outwit the competition.

Dirk Benedict played Templeton”Faceman”Peck. He was a master appropriator. Stranded in the desert and need an ice cream truck? Face was your man. His job was to figure out what resources the team needed to succeed and get them. He was also the chief salesman of the bunch, hence the nickname.

“Howling Mad” Murdock, portrayed by Dwight Schultz, was the team’s pilot and resident crazy. He could drive or fly any vehicle and always pushed to get the team where they needed to be at any given time. His desire to move fast also meant he offered up some of the show’s most hair-brained ideas. Time after time though, those ideas proved to be just what was needed to save the day.

Rounding out the group was Bosco “B.A.” Baracus. Mr. T. played the gruff but lovable mechanic and strongman. B.A. was the skeptic, never quite sure what was going on. However, he always trusted that his teammates were moving in the right direction, he jumped in and applied his muscle to the task at hand.

Members of the team often found themselves at odds with each other. B.A. doesn’t like flying, so he usually had to be sedated or tricked in order to get him on the plane. Murdock’s off-the-wall antics tended to annoy the others, if not cause them to fear for their safety. Hannibal’s plans didn’t always make sense at first, and the other members of the team would groan about particular assignments they were given.

In the end, they always succeeded – because they performed as a team. Each member respected the others. They contributed their individual talents to the team objective, and appreciated the talents of the others. They respected Hannibal as their leader and trusted him to guide them appropriately. In return, Hannibal made sure that each one was given work that engaged them and focused on their strengths.

As much as I loved watching The A-Team back in the 1980’s, I love being part of an A-Team today even more. There’s nothing like working with a group of people you respect, admire, and know you can depend on. Together, we come up with some crazy plans.We tackle unforeseen obstacles. To date, there haven’t been any explosions, but nonetheless, we succeed together.

Not every team is an A-Team, but it can be. All it takes is a commitment from each member to do their part – to become A-players with regard to their own performance. I’ve seen sports teams make incredible turnarounds without any changes in personnel or outside influence. The same has happened to work teams I’ve been a part of.

Anytime the A-Team successfully completed a mission, Hannibal would light up a cigar and say “I love it when a plan comes together.” There’s simply no feeling like seeing your team succeed. I hope that’s part of your plan for this year.

Focus On Your Story

Posted on by Scott

sci-fiAs a sci-fi fan, I particularly enjoy watching classic films and television from the 50’s and 60’s. Movies such as The Day the Earth Stood Still and Forbidden Planet or shows like Lost in Space and the original Star Trek often hold more appeal than today’s offerings. A lot of people find these gems laughable. My son in particular has a hard time watching anything created before the age of color. He says the special effects are too cheesy.

But the lack of CGI and fancy sets is what endears me to the classics. Without a huge technical budget, the creators of old had to rely on a solid story to propel the action. So many of today’s productions seem to have started as a series of planned explosions with a poor story slapped on as an afterthought.

One of television’s early master storytellers was Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone. Many episodes of this groundbreaking series showcased little or no special effects. Set pieces were minimal, with the focus being placed squarely on the actors and the story being told. Serling could tell a better story using a single actor in one room than most movies today achieve with multi-million dollar budgets.

My point is this. How many times do we let the lack of “necessary” resources hold us back? How many times do we blame a lack of production, or progress, or growth on something we don’t have?

We don’t have the budget for that.
We don’t have good products.
We don’t have the right technology.

Top performers never allow themselves to be limited by things outside their control. They see the obstacle and then find a way through it, around it, over it, or under it. They don’t sit back and blame a lack of performance on something (or someone) else. That’s because top performers understand that the story is the point.

The story we are here to tell is what differentiates us from the competition. It’s what we have to offer that no one else does. Perhaps it’s our ability to find solutions that others can’t. Perhaps it’s our willingness to go the extra mile in service to our customers. Perhaps it’s the depth of relationships we build.

Our ability to perform should never be held back by a lack of _________.

One of my all-time favorite sci-fi series is called X Minus One. It was a radio drama that aired from 1955 to 1958. No sets, no visuals at all; this series had to rely solely upon the voices of the actors and basic sound effects to tell a story. Yet despite the limitations of radio, X Minus One is considered one of the best science fiction series in any medium.

What’s your team’s story? Are you focused on that, or on the things that hold you back? Is your team’s mission to share your story – to create such a compelling world that others want to be a part of it – or are you just going through the motions until __________ improves?

Rod Serling once said “Imagination… its limits are only those of the mind itself.” In other words, the only thing holding you back… is you.

What Are You Waiting For?

Posted on by Scott

waiting-71011_640I recently came across some survey data from Timex, the watch company, about wait times. According to their research, Americans spend an average of 15 minutes waiting for a table at a restaurant. We spend 32 minutes getting ready for work, and another 21 waiting for our significant other to get ready to go out. We spend another 32 minutes waiting every time we visit the doctor’s office.

Odds are you spent around 13 hours last year on hold, waiting for customer service.

The average commuter spends 38 hours a year in traffic. Add another 12 hours if you live in a major city. Traveling by bus? Expect to spend an average of 20 minutes waiting for it to show up. If you’re taking a plane, you can plan on it taking an average of 28 minutes just to get through security.

All told, we spend about 5 years of our lives waiting. We gripe and moan about it, but there’s usually nothing we can do. Like it or not, you’ll still spend about 6 months of your life waiting for traffic lights to turn green.

But there’s a lot of waiting that we can avoid. We just choose not to. There are plenty of times when we’re perfectly happy to spend our time waiting:

Waiting for circumstances to improve.
Waiting for the budget to appear.
Waiting on the market to turn around.
Waiting until I feel better, or feel like it.
Waiting for someone else to tackle the hard part.
Waiting for the perfect customer to walk through the door.

And while we wait, the world moves on. Opportunities pass us by. Competition advances. Customers decide to go elsewhere. Employees check out. Someone else decides to stop waiting and snaps up the sale, the innovation, the victory that should have been ours.

What are you waiting for?

I’ve often heard track and field athletes say that the race is usually won at the start. Those who hear the gun go off and get out of the blocks quickly and cleanly create so much momentum that they can’t be caught. The surest way to lose … is to wait too long before getting started.

January is half-gone. Did you hear the gun? Are you ready to get started yet?

Haven’t you waited long enough?

Beating the Odds

Posted on by Scott

mount-everest-413_640At the age of 13, Sean Swarner was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgins Lymphoma, the most advanced form of the disease. He’d twisted his ankle during a baseball game, and now was given just two months to live. Miraculously, he battled back and, 10 months later, went into remission.

But at the age of 16, Swarner was dealt another blow. Tests revealed the presence of Askin Sarcoma, a totally unrelated, but just as deadly form of cancer. This time, the prognosis was just two weeks. Again, Swarner fought back. He survived, but the radiation treatments cost him the function of his right lung.

Having defied the odds, and amazing his physicians, Swarner began contemplating the meaning of his experience. Surely, he though, he was here for some greater purpose. He decided that his story could serve as inspiration for others battling cancer, and he set his sights on capping things off in a big way – he decided to climb Mount Everest.

On May 16th, 2002, Sean Swarner became the first cancer survivor to summit the world’s highest peak. He carried with him a flag bearing the names of fellow survivors as a symbol of hope.

But he didn’t stop there.

Swarner set a new goal. One by one, he climbed each of the 7 Summits, the highest mountains on each continent. Having accomplished that, he traveled to the South Pole in 2015 and, on April 11th of 2017 arrived at the North Pole. He is the first cancer survivor to achieve the Explorer’s Grand Slam.

Researching Swarner’s story leaves me feeling embarrassed. Here’s a man who didn’t let his circumstances hold him back. He set a goal and achieved it. Then he set another one, and another. He fought to achieve his goals despite his past struggles, despite being short a lung, and despite the incredible hardships each challenge represented. Yet, I am all too ready to let some minor difficulty keep me from finishing what I start out to do.

Yet Sean Swarner’s story, and others like it, also inspire me. If people can overcome this degree of difficulty to accomplish great things, then I can as well. Who am I to squander the opportunities that I have been given? Who am I to let minor inconveniences hold me back? On the contrary, I feel a responsibility to reach my full potential. It’s my duty to perform at the highest level possible.

Here, at the beginning of the year, is when millions of people develop resolutions for themselves and professional goals for their teams. Yet, within weeks the vast majority will have allowed something to get in their way. They’ll abandon their resolutions and decide the goals just aren’t worth fighting for. Odds are, you will too.

What a waste.

I have big plans for 2018. I just turned 50, and I want the next year of my life to be the best one yet. But the year has already started. Time is already slipping by. I have to act now in order for my dreams to become reality. I have to take steps today if my goals are to be met. I can’t afford to let anything stand in my way.

Neither can you. What goals do you have for this year? What mountains do you want to climb? Let’s accomplish our goals together. Let’s take the first steps today.

The Dreamers of Day

Posted on by Scott

achieve-1822503_640All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dreams with open eyes, to make it possible. –T.E. Lawrence

I love a good quote, and this is very possibly my favorite. T.E. Lawrence (you may know him as Lawrence of Arabia) led an interesting life. He was an archeologist, a member of the British Army, the Royal Air Force, and the Foreign Office. He was a military liaison during the Arab Revolt, a POW, and an author. He experienced and accomplished things most people can only dream of.

Like Lawrence, I too am a dreamer. I am optimistic about the future and my place in it. And like Lawrence, I want to be a day-time dreamer. I don’t to end my days here on earth with a lot of unfulfilled dreams. I don’t want to waste my potential simply dreaming about making a difference; I want to be a man of action.

This is the time of year when lots of people make resolutions…to lose weight, exercise more, or spend quality time with the family. Other resolutions involve our career. We might resolve to be a better leader, a better employee, or a better coworker. We might dream of getting organized, being more proactive, and more productive.

But history has shown that the vast majority of resolutions fail. Within a month or two, the promises made at the start of the New Year will fade from memory. They were but dreams, with no real intent behind them.

To be the kind of dreamer Lawrence talks about, you can’t just think about your goals. You can’t just come up with a half-hearted plan. You have to be more intentional than that. You have to act. You have to step into your dream with open eyes.

Dream. Plan. Act.

The dangerous men Lawrence alludes to aren’t reckless. They aren’t out to cause harm. The reason they are dangerous is that they actually do what they say they are going to do. Most people never muster the actions needed to back up their words. They don’t act on their dreams, so when someone actually does – it’s scary. We feel threatened, intimidated, maybe even embarrassed by our own lack of dangerous-ness.

My challenge for you this New Year is to join me in becoming dangerous. Let’s act on our dreams with eyes wide open and make them possible.

The Week Before Christmas

Posted on by Scott

Christmas‘Tis the week before Christmas
And as you can imagine,
People all over
Have the exact same reaction.

They’re frantic and stressed
For various reasons.
Too much is happening
For them to enjoy the season.

There’s lots to get done,
There’s no time to waste.
The year’s almost over,
So we must all make haste.

Presents must be bought,
wrapped, and delivered.
The list is so long
It’s like swimming upriver.

Travel plans and menus
Must all be finalized,
If the perfect Christmas
Is to actually be realized.

And then there’s the work stress
Which ramps up a few notches.
So few days on the calendar now,
So little time on our watches.

Year-end is nigh.
Goals have yet to be met.
We simply can’t afford
to relax just yet.

Projects are due
And reports must be written,
Before visions of sugarplums
Come to fruition.

But I urge you to try
As best as you can,
To not let this Christmas
Be something “less than.”

“Less than it should be,”
or “less than it could.”
Don’t allow stress to
Rob all that is good.

Make sure that you take time
To look back on your year.
Think of the good things
And those you hold dear.

Remember the triumphs,
New levels obtained;
The goals you have crushed
And the friendships you’ve gained.

Take time to refresh,
Recharge, and reflect.
Let the warmth of the season
Your spirit infect.

Because once Christmas is over
and the new year has come,
There’s no need to abandon
The cheer and the fun.

May the spirit of Christmas
Remain inside you.
Let the end of this year’s journey,
Be the start of something new.

What Do You Believe?

Posted on by Scott

cartoonI’ve never really thought of myself as an artist. The ability to draw has always felt like an innate talent – some people have it; most don’t. From the get-go, I put myself firmly in the “doesn’t have it” category. I used to watch in awe as friends would sketch out beautiful landscape scenes or quirky cartoon characters, seemingly without even thinking about it. Occasionally, I would make my own feeble attempts at a drawing and then quickly hide it from sight; secure in my belief that drawing was just not my thing.

Then last week, I came across this TEDx presentation by artist Graham Shaw: “Why people believe they can’t draw – and how to prove they can.” He starts by asking how many people in the audience feel they can draw. Not surprisingly, very few hands go up. Shaw goes on to say that the ability to draw actually has very little to do with talent, but a great deal to do with belief. Just like I used to think, he says most people simply adopt the belief that they can’t draw, can’t sing, or produce any other enviable talent. It’s that belief that keeps us from actually accomplishing the things we want.

But the most interesting thing about Shaw’s presentation is that he walks the audience through a process that actually proves they can draw. I won’t spoil it for you here. You need to watch the video for yourself. Grab a pen and a piece of paper and be prepared to follow along. That’s what I did.

As the video concluded, and I looked down at my own piece of paper, covered with reasonably good cartoons (like the one I’ve shared here), I couldn’t help but think of the other ways my own lack of confidence has held me back. Could it be that what really keeps us from achieving our goals isn’t a lack of talent, but a lack of belief? Maybe you’ve expressed (or at least thought) one or more of these limiting beliefs:

“I’m not a leader.”
“I can’t sell.”
“I wish I was a better writer.”
“If only I was good at ___.”

What if, as Graham Shaw suggests, we challenged those beliefs? What we decided that, in spite of a lack of resources, experience, or outside influences, we were going to give it a shot – and we just gave it our best effort? Then we tried again, and again, and again…until our beliefs actually caught up to our ability? What could we accomplish?

Obviously, fifteen minutes of drawing doesn’t make me an accomplished artist. You won’t see my work showcased in a gallery any time soon. However, by following Shaw’s lead, I’ve been encouraged to make additional attempts. None are perfect, but each is better than the last.

I can’t draw well, but now I believe I can draw; and each attempt gives me the confidence I need to try again and continue the process of getting better at it. Ultimately, I think that is the belief we need to hold on to – that we can, and should, always be working to improve.

In or Out?

Posted on by Scott

yes-2167843_640I was recently asked to participate in a focus group at church; selected to provide input on a potential new ministry. Due to my background, my experience, education, and contributions to date; my involvement was seen as valuable. Yesterday, I entered a room and, with a handful of other men, gave my opinion on a variety of topics. For about an hour, we engaged in conversation about what this endeavor might look like. We shared dreams, fears, and asked questions of our own.

At the end of the conversation, the leader of the group asked one final question: “Are you in, or out?”

Have you ever thought about the number of decisions you make every single day? Most of them are fairly easy and have minimal impact. What we eat for breakfast, what we wear to work, what route we travel, or which radio station we listen to on the way – all of these decisions get made, typically without much thought. And there’s little danger in choosing one option over another.

But there’s another decision you have to make every day, and I hope you are much more intentional about it. Are you in, or are you out?

You see, most people get up every day and go to work. It’s once they get there that the decision has to be made. Those who decide they are “in” approach their work intentionally. They seek to their best, regardless of the circumstances and view their occupation as something important. They engage in work that matters – to their customers, their coworkers, and their teams.

Other people show up for work and engage in work that leaves them unfulfilled. They grumble about the new policy that’s been introduced, or the lack of good products, or the goals that are set too high. Even though they show up every day, their mission isn’t to make things better, it’s to make others just as miserable as they are. These people say they’re “in,” but their actions tell you they are decidedly “out.”

There’s a third group that seem to be on the fence. They need a paycheck, or they need insurance, and so they accept the best offer presented to them in the moment. They go through the motions day to day, but don’t really feel any attachment to the work they do. Their performance bounces up and down because they produce good work when they feel like it (or when they’re actually held accountable), and coast when they don’t. These people may not feel like they’ve made a choice, but they have. They are “out.” They just haven’t said it out load.

December is always a month of reflection for me. It’s the threshold of a new year, and my birthday occurs on the 22nd. I always wind up thinking about where I’ve been, where I am currently, and where I want to be. And I make decisions, decisions that communicate how I will spend my precious time and energy going forward.

In the past couple of weeks, I’ve decided to opt-out of some optional aspects of my life. I’ve pulled away from commitments that I can’t get passionate about in order to devote myself fully to those that excite me. I’m also looking at the various aspects of my job and identifying those where I need to do a better job of being “in.”

I don’t want just a job. I don’t to just go through the motions. I want to be inspired, involved in control innovative, integral, and incredible at what I do. It all starts with deciding that I’m in!

Are you in or out?