Get Motivated Highlights

On Monday the SOS Leadership team attended the Get Motivated seminar in Austin. Speakers included Mary Lou Retton, Bill Cosby, Howard Putnam, General Colin Powell, Rudy Guiliani, Krish Dhanam, Lou Holtz, and General Stanley McChrystal. Having these folks under one roof in my hometown was pretty awesome. In this blog post, I'll share with you a selection of the most thought-provoking quotes from the seminar. Since I'm a thinker, I'll also share with you the questions that each quote generated for my personal year-end reflection. Here we go:

• "Information without implementation is useless." What information have I gained this year that I haven't put into practice?
• "If you're happy, tell your face." Does my face reflect the happiness I feel? Do I look approachable?
• "Growth is uncomfortable." Do I recognize the growth opportunities that are in front of me? Am I willing to go outside of my comfort zone to become a better version of myself?
• "Before you speed up, you need to slow down." When can I find time to slow down to reflect on my goals and how I am going to grow in the year to come?
• "Hope without gratitude is hopelessness." Am I combining my gratitude with genuine hope for my future?
• "Give more than you have. Leave more than you take." How am I giving back to my community? Am I actively focused on leaving a legacy?
• "Work is a privilege." Even when my schedule is crazy, do I recognize what a privilege it is to work doing something I love?
  
• "A true leader knows that there is no unimportant person in an organization." Do I value each and every person I encounter? What can I do to make someone feel important today?
• "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." How open am I to learning? Will I be able to see the teacher when the time comes?
• "Leaders don't fear change. They embrace it." Am I ready to embrace the changes that will come in 2012?

The new year will be here in 31 days. Let's get motivated together!

From Good to Grate(ful) - Blog 3 of 3

Welcome to a 3-Part Series called "An Attitude of Gratitude." Last year the SOS Leadershippartners began a tradition of blogging about gratitude and what matters most during the week of Thanksgiving. To read last year's post by Amber Fogarty, click here. To read last year's post by Bill Moyer, click here. To read last year's post by Billy Moyer, click here. Today SOS Leadership co-founder Bill Moyer blogs about taking the journey from good to grate(ful).

Several years ago Jim Collins wrote a must-read for professionals called Good to Great. Collins and his research team identified a set of elite companies that made the leap to great results and sustained those results for at least fifteen years. My favorite quote from this important business book reads, “When [what you are deeply passionate about, what you can be best in the world at and what drives your economic engine] come together, not only does your work move toward greatness, but so does your life. For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life.”

As I reflect on this year and my life as a whole, I am reminded that the goal of our life’s journey is to go from good to great. In my book, Seeds of Success, we call this the journey from success to significance. So how do we get from good to great? Our focus should be on being grateful.When we’re focused on leading a life of significance, gratitude naturally flows from us.

Too often we focus on what we don’t have, rather than being thankful for what we do have. This year has been difficult for many. Perhaps it’s been rough for you. As we encounter valleys in our lives, it isn’t always easy to remember all that we have to be grateful for.

As I’ve worked with many people this year who have struggled through some difficult times, I’m especially grateful for the lessons I’ve learned from them. It amazes me how thankful they are, in the midst of enormous obstacles, for the opportunity to reprioritize what’s most important. They reminded me that life isn’t all about the material things that we think we just can’t do without. Life is about recognizing the greatness of the little things that we really can’t live without.

Here are a few of the things I’m most grateful for this year:

• In a year when most businesses have struggled, ours has experienced tremendous growth.
• My work as a coach is also my ministry.
• Our family business has helped to change the lives of many families.
• I’ve read more books to my grandchildren than I’ve read for myself.
• I’ve been blessed to welcome a new daughter-in-law into our home and to be at my wife’s side as we said goodbye to her father as God welcomed him home.

I have learned that good is not good enough; we should strive to be great. As we continue on our journey from good to great, we must seek to expand the journey from great to grateful.

Thanksgiving Focus on What Matters Most - Blog 2 of 3

Welcome to a 3-Part Series called "An Attitude of Gratitude." Last year the SOS Leadership partners began a tradition of blogging about gratitude and what matters most during the week of Thanksgiving. To read last year's post by Amber Fogarty, click here. To read last year's post by Bill Moyer, click here. To read last year's post by Billy Moyer, click here. Today Billy Moyer blogs about focusing on what matters most.

In December 2008, a book written by my dad and I was published. The book is called Seeds of Success: A Journey from Success to Significance. I have been thinking about the book lately because it was just re-published in Indonesian. My dad and I are now internationally published authors, which is certainly something to be thankful for.

I have also been thinking about the book because of what has been going on in my life recently. The theme of Seeds of Success is really about focusing on what matters most in your life. What matters most is a focus, not a question.

In Seeds of Success, my dad shares numerous stories about how in his life he has failed to focus on what matters most. He was more concerned about success than he was about significance. After years of struggles with this, he figured it out and his children, especially me are better because of that.

I am truly thankful that my dad figured it out because I now am married. On November 5^th of this year I said “I do” to the woman of my dreams. In the coming years I am sure she and I will have our struggles, but the one thing I know for certain is that I will always remember what and who matters most. I will never let work come before her. She is what matters most and everything else comes after.

So as Thanksgiving approaches, I would like to say how thankful I am for the person who matters most to me, my wife (still getting used to that) Ashley. When I said, “I do,” I chose significance over success. I will focus on what matters most.

An Attitude of Gratitude - Blog 1 of 3

Welcome to a 3-Part Series called "An Attitude of Gratitude." Last year the SOS Leadership partners began a tradition of blogging about gratitude and what matters most during the week of Thanksgiving. To read last year's post by Amber Fogarty, click here. To read last year's post by Bill Moyer, click here. To read last year's post by Billy Moyer, click here. And without further ado, let us begin this year's Thanksgiving blog series!

"I am grateful for sight and sound and breath. If ever in my life there is a pouring out of blessings beyond that, then I will be grateful for the miracle of abundance."

- The Traveler's Gift: Seven Decisions that Determine Personal Success by Andy Andrews

At this moment, many people have far more than they need. You may be one of them. If you have a roof over your head, food on your table, a car to get you where you need and want to go, and some money in the bank, you are most likely able to meet all of your basic needs. You live in abundance.

I fall into this category. Yet, in the midst of abundance, I sometimes find myself wanting more. I dream of being debt-free, of making certain home improvements, of owning particular things. My husband and I talk about things we'd like to get for our kids that we didn't have when we were growing up.

I feel torn about this on a daily basis. We live in abundance. Sure, we don't have as much as other people we know, but we have more than enough.

This Thanksgiving I am challenging myself to reflect on the miracle of abundance in my life. I want to remember each and every person who doesn't have enough. I want to reach out to them, not just in thought, but in deed.

The poor are often faceless to us. We don't necessarily see them. We don't hear their stories. We don't know their pain. We often focus so much on our own stuff, whatever it is, that we forget about those who struggle on a daily basis. This Thanksgiving join me in reflecting on abundance. Join me in making a commitment to do something, anything, for those in your community who are experiencing the pain and shame of poverty.

There are many ways you can make a difference. You can give of your time by volunteering; you can make a financial gift to an organization that is near and dear to your heart. You can organize a food drive, a clothing drive, or a toiletry drive for a local homeless shelter or food pantry. If you have kids, you can make any of the above a fun family project. Or you can host a drive with a group of friends, a church ministry you're involved with, or a sports team. We all can do something. EVERY act of kindness counts.

"No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another...A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves."

- Amelia Earhart

Mother Teresa once said, “It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving.” Let us love deeply and join our voices together in giving thanks for what matters most, not just during this week of Thanksgiving, but always.

Being a leader takes courage

One point I often make when speaking to groups about leadership is that stepping up and being a leader takes courage. That statement has become even truer with what has been going on the past couple weeks at The Pennsylvania State University.

I want to take this opportunity to say that I am very sad and appalled about the crimes Jerry Sandusky is being accused of committing. I pray for the victims and hope they can someday find peace.

Sadly, the majority of the media and public outcry from this story has been about what legendary coach, Joe Paterno did not do. I must say that I am ashamed by how people have reacted towards him, but I am not at all surprised. That is the world we live in. We constantly search for reasons to tear people down. Joe Paterno was and is a great man. He is a leader. But yes, according to reports it seems he could have done more. He made a mistake. But haven't we all?

Joe Paterno’s mistake, his lack of action proves why stepping up and being a leader takes so much courage. Look how easy it was for people to turn on him. Yet, so many who crucify him know nothing about what he has done not just for college football, but for our country.

Joe Paterno helped shape the lives of thousands of young men as the coach at Penn State. He served as a father figure, a second father, a disciplinarian, a motivator, a friend, and a leader to so many. And yet, this is how we as a society repay him? We judge him without knowing all the facts? We condemn him for lack of action when we have no idea how we would have acted in the same situation?

Many years ago when I was just 15 years old, after JoePa (as his fans call him) won his 324^th game as a head coach passing Bear Bryant on the all-time list, I wrote an article for the Waco Tribune-Herald about the Legend of JoePa. In my opinion, it was one of the best articles I have ever written. At the time, I wanted to be a sports writer. I wrote the article because I had the utmost respect for JoePa. He was one of my hero’s and I wanted to celebrate in public his greatness. After the article was published I sent it to JoePa and a few days later I received a handwritten note from him thanking me for writing the article and encouraging me to keep writing. He made my year with that little action. I will always remember that, no matter how the public remembers him.

Being a leader takes courage and Joe Paterno has answered the call to leadership over his 62 years of coaching and his nearly 85 years of life. His legend will forever remain with me. I just hope that we as a society can focus on who allegedly committed the crime. That man’s name is Jerry Sandusky, not Joe Paterno. Sandusky is the one who it seems has failed as a leader. 

Joe Paterno has succeeded time and time again. Let’s try to remember that. Let’s remember and pray for the victims. And let’s try to remember what Jesus, the Most Valuable Leader of all taught us: “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”    

Countdown to a New Year - 47 Days to Go

Before you know it, you'll be ringing in 2012. In fact, the new year is just 47 days away. That means you have 47 days to plan, 47 days to determine what you will do to make 2012 your best year ever.

I don't know about you, but I'm fired up about the possibilities. A new year is a new opportunity to get things right in your life. It's a new chance to focus on what matters most. It's a time to reflect on new beginnings, on goals you will achieve, on commitments you will honor, and on relationships you will build.

So what are you doing RIGHT NOW to plan for 2012? Have you spent time reflecting on 2011? Have you thought about you've achieved this year? Have you started setting your 2012 goals yet?

Often times we let the holiday hustle and bustle take precedence over setting goals and planning for the year to come. Don't wait until New Year's Eve and settle for spur of the moment resolutions. Invest time in yourself now to plan to make 2012 your best year ever!

Get Back on Track - Protecting Goals

Sonya Apodeca recently completed the SOS Leadership Protecting Goals Showcase, a 5-week goal-setting program that teaches the process of goal setting and achievement. Here's what she had to say about the experience:

"The Protecting Goals program reinforced bits of goal setting knowledge I already had, helped fill in gaps that I did not realize existed, and offered an organized step-by-step process. The sequence of questions and thoughts that we kept top-of-mind over five weeks brought goal setting into better focus for me. The tools provided make creating, evaluating, planning, and tracking goals more manageable and effective which motivates me to continue using them. Participation in this program was exactly what I needed to get back on the goal setting and achievement track. I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to be energized (or re-energized) to achieve lifetime dreams."

- Sonya Apodeca, November 2011 Protecting Goals: The Science of Personal Achievement Graduate

Where is our program called Protecting Goals? We NEED to protect our goals from three key obstacles:

1) Ourselves - How often have you been the number one reason why you haven't achieved a goal that was important to you? We often sabotage ourselves. We dissuade ourselves from moving forward, from working toward the goals we've set for ourselves.

2) Other people - We all have people in our lives who try to prevent us from achieving our goals. Sometimes it's because they love us and want to protect us. Other times it's because our progress makes them more aware of their own lack of progress. Whatever the reason, we must protect our goals from them so that we don't allow them to stop us from going for it!

3) Our other goals - Until we have a clear understanding of how we prioritize what matters most in our lives, our goals can compete with each other for our attention. It's vital to figure out how we prioritize our goals so that we don't neglect the goals (and people) that are important to us.

To learn more about the Protecting Goals: The Science of Personal Achievement program, click here.