In keeping with the theme of yesterday’s post on resolutions here is an e-mail I received today from a motivation guru (Mike Breschia of www.thinkrightnow.com). Check out what he has to say concerning goal achievement.

Resolutions

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Today’s Empowering Quote
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“When nothing seems to help, I look at a stonecutter
hammering away at his rock, perhaps 100 times without as
much as a crack showing in it. Yet, at the 101st blow it
will split in two, and I know it was not that last blow
that did it, but all that had gone before.”
-Jacob A. Riis

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Today’s Empowering Question
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“Can’t I keep going for just one more day, one more hour,
one more minute?”

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Today’s Fast Session
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Resolutions…

That’s what new years are for, aren’t they? New beginnings.

“This is the year that I’m going to get in shape, quit the
bad habit, start my new business, get better grades…”

And by January 14th, what usually has occurred?

Complete withdrawal of the New Year’s Day resolution.
Back to the old ways.

Let’s see what does resolution, or resolve really mean?

Webster’s defines it as this:

Resolve – To form a purpose; to make a decision;
especially, to determine after reflection; as, to resolve
on a better course of life.

Hmmm.

I notice that it doesn’t say, “To try something out for a
while.”

No. To resolve is to form a purpose. To achieve
something as part of a bigger plan.
So it would seem to me that to achieve anything
worthwhile, even crucial, you would need to keep in mind
the ‘Big Picture.’

You must continually ask yourself why you’re doing this
thing. You need to know why you’re giving up all that
luscious chocolate, or the television, or the gambling.

It must go back to the word “Purpose.” Isn’t that true?

No purpose means no resolve. A BIG purpose makes it
easier to stay the course.

I mean if there are no big, emotion-stirring benefits at
the end AND along the way, why would you put forth any
effort?

You wouldn’t…

And that’s why so many New Year’s Day resolutions are
quickly forgotten.

Let’s make a switch. What do you say?

In fact, not just now, but when we want anything big,
whether it be some material thing, health goals,
relationship goals, let’s focus on some new stuff.

Namely, what’s truly in it for you?

If you have no reasons, ones that you can really get
behind and defend when that little voice tells you that
it’s OK to slip, you’ll give in every time.

You must keep your eye on the benefits. They need to be
good.

What are the emotional benefits? Write them down. How
will you feel when you reach your goal? If it’s a long-
term goal, how will you feel as you’re progressing?
Imagine it often.

This could be crucial in keeping your resolve.

How will your relationships be affected if you reach your
goal? Imagine it.

Would anyone else like to see you succeed? How would it
benefit them? Would you like that?
Any career benefits? Would it mean more money? How much?
Prestige? New office? How does this feel?

Any physical benefits? Less pain? Smaller dress size?
How would it make you feel?

Write down ALL the benefits, even if it takes you days or
weeks to think of them all. Carry this list with you and
read it often.

Think back now: Have you made any big resolutions to stop
some long-term bad habit or to start a new long-term good
habit?

Have you ever stuck with them?

So don’t just read this and forget about it. This is a
formula for life success that you’re being given. And more
than an idea that can only affect a small inconsequential
part of your life, this is HUGE!

This kind of habit, skill and “resolve” generating
activity can affect every single part of your life…
forever.

And it will help develop your character.

The dictionary calls character “A description of a
person’s attributes, traits, or abilities.”

What are yours right now?

Well, I’ll tell you, if you can stick to even one
important resolution or goal, right to the end, because of
constantly keeping your focus on the benefits, then your
personal attributes, traits and abilities will all grow in
direct proportion to your commitment to keep those benefits
firmly in front of you in vivid, living color.

You CAN do it. I know you can.

Happy New Year!

Let’s make this year your best year ever!

Mike’s Website

Here we are…January 2009…question…will you be any different this year from last year? The resolutions you make for the new year, how will you sustain your effort through the pain and discomfort of change?

What I am speaking about is the reason each of us wake up in the morning and head into the day with gusto.  The word that comes to mind is MOTIVATE.  Originally the word motivate derived from the latin word for movement, movere.  The obvious emphasis is that some specific action must take place in order to change a specific situation, habit, relationship, etc. Energy and enthusiasm are an important factor, without which we lose the means by which we initiate change. Equally important is staying power, in other words the steady persistent unyeilding determination to continue on a specific chosen path. Winston Churchill was famous for coining the phrase “never, never, never give up”, permit me to add a slight twist:

ALWAYS, EVER, FORWARD…PRESS ON

Within the last century there has been an increased focus on understanding the reasons behind why people do what they do especially in the I/O (industrial/organizational) psychology world.  Employers today realize that “git er done” is more complicated than focusing on aptitude, ability and skill.  All of these factors may be present however ignoring an employee’s needs, motives, incentives and attitudes can lead to
absenteeism, low productivity, and short tenure.

Whether your resolution revolves around getting in shape, staying organized, healing a relationship or enjoying your job there are a number of resources on the Winged Spur that may help. Here are several topics that relate to the idea of focusing on a goal and initiating lasting change:

Examples from the world of sports
Adventure
Motivation

Use this site as a resource for designing a program that works best for you.

Cheers to a great year of growth,

The Winged Spur

I just finished reading Arnold Schwarzenegger’s book “The Education of a Bodybuilder” in which he describes his ascension from Austrian teenager to international athlete, movie star and politician. Hidden within the pages of his book are some great tips concerning goal attainment. Here are some nuggets:

Mental Preparation

“The mind is incredible. Once you’ve gained mastery over it, channeling its powers positively for your purposes, you can do anything…The secret is to make your mind work for you–not against you. This means constantly setting up challenges you can meet–either today, next week, or next month. “I can’t…” should be permanently stricken from the vocabulary of your thoughts. You must see yourself always growing and improving”

Motivation

“You should know why you are going to start training. This is one of the most important steps in initiating a successful bodybuilding program. You should not go to the gym because someone says. “Hey, you’re a slob. You ought to do some weight training and get in shape.” That isn’t a good reason, because you would be trying to satisfy someone else’s wishes, not your own. You should have a very good reason why you want to get into weight resistance training. The best thing to do is to sit down and say to yourself, “What do I want to get out of it? What is my goal?”

A Clear Image

“…decide what you want to look like…this…step, forming an image in the mind, creates what I call want power. You have an image of what you want to look like, which in turn creates the willpower to go into the gym and work out. Now you have a goal. Without it you’d be like a ship without a destination. You must know why you are training in order to give it your best and be productive”

In chapter five Arnold speaks of five factors that convinced him he was a winner:

1. Right Body Chemistry–”My bone structure was perfect, long legs, long arms, long torso. Plus, everything was in proportion. It fell together and flowed.”

2. All Experiences Are An Asset–He mentions his strict upbringing instilled the necessary discipline. Conversely, the fact that he missed certain things as a child that gave him a drive for achievement. In this way Arnold indicates that he used things that would be considered as negatives and channelled the energy in a positive way.

3. No Distractions–Arnold states: “I started training in an area where there were no distractions; there was nothing else going on, and that gave me enough time to concentrate and find out what bodybuilding was all about”

4. Positive Attitude

5. Honesty About Limitations– “I was honest with myself about what my body looked like and where I’d have to improve. As soon as I became aware of a weak point I went all out to eliminate it…I had weak points–glaring weak points–and I got to work on them. Many bodybuilders refuse to do this; they keep working on their strong points, which is more gratifying. I didn’t want the best arms or legs or chest, I wanted to be the best-built man in the world.”

Quotes taken from Chapter 5, page 66, 67 and Part Two, Chapter 1, pages 148-151

Link:

http://www.schwarzenegger.com/

Two issues are addressed in dealing with employee motivation:

(1) Prevent job dissatisfaction

(2) Encourage Growth

Theory Designer:

Frederick Herzberg

Theory Summary:  There are two factors that affect an employee’s motivation when it comes to completing tasks.  These factors impact whether or not an employee will be energized to perform at a high level or have the opposite affect of lethargy or apathy towards work.

Hygiene Needs:  Address factors that enable individuals to avoid unpleasantness in the work environment.  Examples of hygiene needs are:

• Solid administrative staff that incorporates consistent, fair policies
• Equitable wages
• Job security
• Pleasant and functional work environment (Well lit, tools to complete the job are readily available, etc)

Motivator Needs:  This area involves an individuals desire for personal growth

Exampes of Motivators are:

• Status (often exhibited through promotions or positions within an organization)
• Recognition
• Challenging work
• Personal Achievement
• Growth/a feeling a participating in something that is personally enriching or being involved in a cause that is greater than oneself

Key word:  Escalating zero point-This involves the idea that an employee continually needs a progressive increase in rewards for good performance.  For example if in year one an employee receives one week paid vacation as a reward for good performance and the next year she receives 2 days vacation, while the new increase is indeed more than the previous years total vacation days it is perceived as a “diminished” reward because it is less than the previous years reward.  Thus the “zero” point is continually increasing.  This necessitates the need to design a compensation package that takes into account the employees perception of the reward.

Interesting Fact:  Frederick Herzberg entered City College in New York to pursue his bachelor’s degree at the age of sixteen. He left part way through his studies to enlist in the army. As a patrol sergeant, he was a firsthand witness of the Dachau concentration camp. He believed that this experience, as well as the talks he had with other Germans living in the area was what triggered his interest in motivation. Herzberg went on to pursue a Phd at the University of Pittsburgh.

Publications:  Work and the Nature of Man (1966), The Managerial Choice: To be efficient and to be human (1976), Job Attitudes: Review of research and opinion (1957)

Affiliation: 

Case Western Reserve University (where he established the Department of Industrial Mental Health)

University of Utah College of Business

Related Links: 

Leadership-basics.com
Accel Team
Herzberg on wikipedia

Theory Designer:  Albert Bandura 

Behavioural Approach: Albert Bandura believed that much of our learning, and consequently many aspects of behavior and personality, takes place through observing the behavior of others and using observational behavior for modeling. According to Bandura, learning involves not only connections between stimuli and responses but also cognitive representation and rearrangement. A child, for example, who sees that cheating leads to punishment and honesty to rewards (cognitive representation) decides to model honest behavior (rearrangement).

Theory Summary:  Self efficacy involves ones belief in his or her ability to accomplish a specific task or goal.  The underlying belief in ones abilities has a direct affect on how a person approaches goals, tasks, assignments or personal challenges.  According to Bandura people with high self-efficacy view challenges as something to be attacked rather than avoided.  Individuals with low self-efficacy may be anxious or fearful, focusing on failure versus success and possibly avoiding challenges or obstacles.   

Interesting Fact:  Albert Bandura is probably most famously noted for his “bobo doll” experiment that he conducted in 1961 (shown in the video) in which he studied the effects of behaviourism on children after they observed an adult aggressively hitting and yelling at an inflatable doll. 

Affiliation:
Appointed to Stanford University
Awarded the Distinguished Scientist Award from the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1972, and elected president of the APA in 1974.

Related Links:

Analysis of Bandura’s Bobo Doll Experiments
www.cliffsnotes.com
www.allpsych.com

In this fast-paced, frenetic world there are many paths we choose that distract us from our intended goal. Often we react to situations and let them control us rather than operate from a place of centeredness.

One activity that promotes singlemindedness and increased focus is slacklining. Slacklining involves suspending webbing (which is strong nylon “rope” that is primarily used for rock climbing”) between two objects or anchors.

The posted video is an incredible example of boldness and intense focus. Dean Potter, famous rock climber, is slacklining the Lost Arrow Spire in Yosemite Valley. While this feat would be incredible for anyone notice that he is doing it without a harness.

Most of us do not aspire to put our lives at risk in this manner although the same principles that are at play here can be practiced and incorporated in your daily routine (and possibly in your back yard). Here’s a great article on WikiHow that explains everything needed to set up your own slackline system. It is pretty easy to set up and a great way to work on balance, coordination, blocking out distractions and focusing in on the body’s movements.

Often in university settings the emphasis on learning leans in the direction of discussing issues, reading books, memorizing key concepts, test preparation and designing class presentations (think speech complete with PowerPoint slide show).  These learning venues fall short in the area of direct application, in other words performing actionable steps to fully discover and master the studied concepts. 

The posted video is one from a series on surf training that is a vivid example of real situation analysis through the use of video footage of the individual client surfing, task breakdowns, goal setting, and focused exercises that progressively increase in difficulty. In order for a person to completely engage in the learning process it is important to use all the senses: specifically hear, see, say, do. In the video the speaker describes neuromuscular motor patterns and fast twitch muscle fibers…the specific areas that are being developed for improved balance and reaction time in fast waves.

While Dean Sports Consulting works specifically with competitive surfers, the principles they are incorporating can be easily applied to other areas where an individual seeks to improve performance. Several important principles to take note of are:

• real world application
• observation (by a coach or objective partner)
• developing focused exercises or tasks that mimic “real life”
• movement and/or thought process breakdown
• proper technique development (through practice)
• goal setting
• progress analysis

Consider your day to day goals…what are you wanting to improve?  Presenting in front of people? Playing an instrument? Budgeting?  Start your week with some planning.  Chart out weekly, monthly and quarterly goals and note your progress as you attack each task. Find a partner and develop a game plan that specifically addresses the tasks that you need to master to accomplish your larger goal.  At the end of the week take an hour to assess how you did and adjust for the new week.

Good luck until next time.

The Winged Spur

Author, Journalist, Investigative Reporter

Hot, Flat and Crowded, From Beirut to Jerusalem, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Longitudes and Attitudes: Exploring The World After September 11, The World Is Flat

Core Theme of Hot, Flat and Crowded: 

(excerpt from book)

The core argument is very simple: America has a problem and the world has a problem. America’s problem is that it has lost its way in recent years partly because of 9/11 and partly because of the bad habits that we have let build up over the last three decades, bad habits that have weakened our society’s ability and willingness to take on big challenges. The world also has a problem: It is getting hot, flat, and crowded. That is, global warming, the stunning rise of middle classes all over the world, and rapid population growth have converged in a way that could make our planet dangerously unstable. In particular, the convergence of hot, flat, and crowded is tightening energy supplies, intensifying the extinction of plants and animals, deepening energy poverty, strengthening petrodictatorship, and accelerating climate change. How we address these interwoven global trends will determine a lot about the quality of life on earth in the twenty-first century.

I am convinced that the best way for America to solve its big problem the best way for America to get its “groove” back is for us to take the lead in solving the world’s big problem. In a world that is getting hot, flat, and crowded, the task of creating the tools, systems, energy sources, and ethics that will allow the planet to grow in cleaner, more sustainable ways is going to be the biggest challenge of our lifetime. But this challenge is actually an opportunity for America. If we take it on, it will revive America at home, reconnect America abroad, and retool America for tomorrow. America is always at its most powerful and most influential when it is combining innovation and inspiration, wealth-building and dignity-building, the quest for big profits and the tackling of big problems. When we do just one, we are less than the sum of our parts.

Interesting Fact:  Thomas Friedman has been “pied” twice by members of the “Greenwash Guerillas” for allegedly promoting environmental measures that appear transformative and sustainable but are viewed by some as masking real corporate waste issues and promoting ideas that possibly further damage the environment (specifically his views on coal and nuclear energy).  Check out a video of Friedman’s pie experience at Brown University which occurred April of 2008. 

Credentials:

Three time Pulitzer Prize winner, has served as a visiting professor at Harvard University

Thomas Friedman Website
NY Times Columnist Bio

What is the secret?  You know, that thing we all pay attention to in those who seem to excel beyond the average and consistently achieve breakthrough results (and show grace while doing it).  Picture in you mind your favorite musician or athlete.  Consider those heroes who excel in their particular field, whether it be science or art or carpentry.  It seems these people are a blessing and a curse…on the one hand we love to watch them perform and desire to emulate them, on the other hand their achievements are so hard to duplicate!

Recently I read about a phenomenon that I believe may be one key to these elevated performances.  Before I tell the story let me discuss the concept.  It is the process of simulating difficulty in order to practice at a higher level than one would in a competitive or real-life situation.  Think about football players who practice wind sprints with harnessed parachutes or military personnel repeatedly carrying a log up a hill in boot camp.  The parachutes create a situation where the runner is straining against the wind, which is greater resistance than the athlete will encounter in a game.  Boot camp is known as the gauntlet that weeds out the weak and breaks down the strong.  Yet these are examples of simulating difficulty to enable individuals to effectively handle real world combat. 

Now to the story…I was reading the September issue of Sports Illustrated and came across an article on Marvin “Towny” Townsend, a high school and college baseball coach from Virginia.  The article centers around a handful of talented baseball players that lived within twenty miles of each other and grew up playing against one another in a youth league that Townsend founded.  The author (Lee Jenkins) discusses how it is unusual for so many pro baseball players to come out of an area that is not known for baseball.  He sought to find out what was the correlation with all the players and why they excelled through the ranks of little league, high school, college ball and finally to the bigs. 

The thing I want to focus on was one coaching nugget that Townsend shared with his players.  When he was a kid he practiced by swinging at bottle caps with a broomstick.  This excercise forced him to focus on his hand-eye coordination.  Later on during his coaching career he sought to challenge his players by spinning coffee lids at them during practice.  The line of thinking was that if the players could get used to hitting a coffee lid then a baseball should be no problem.  Eventually Townsend invented his own practice disks (the Towny Townsend Hitting Disc) and currently players all over the nation are using these batting aids in their practice sessions.

In your day to day activities what is one area that you want to excel? I don’t mean just beating the next guy but truly dominating. Do you desire transformative achievements? Think about your goal and consider the obstacles that consistently trip you up. What areas can you focus on to simulate difficulty and work on your game so that when you enter combat you leapfrog the status quo? Consider the Towny discs and invent your own transformative practice plan!

Interested in other tips on excelling? Check out this post on progressive training and engrams.

Theory Designer: Douglas McGregor

Theory Summary:
Theory X and Theory Y involve the assumptions managers have about their employees and co-workers

Theory X: People tend to be passive even resistant to organizational needs. The assumption is that without active intervention by management people are passive (i.e. need an external control)

Theory Y: People desire to do their best, exhibit self-control and self direction. Management’s role is to help bring these qualities out in people

Key words:
Extrinsic Motivation (external)
Intrinsic Motivation (internally driven)

Interesting Quote:
I believed, for example, that a leader -could operate successfully as a kind of adviser to his organization. I though I could avoid being a “boss.” Consequently, I suspect, I hoped to duck the unpleasant necessity of making difficult decisions, of taking the responsibility of one course of action, among many uncertain alternatives, of making mistakes and taking the consequences. I thought that maybe I could operate so that everyone would like me — that “good human relations” would eliminate all discord and disagreement.

I couldn’t have been more wrong. … I finally began to realize that a leader cannot avoid the exercise of authority any more than he can avoid responsibility for what happens to his organization.”(“On Leadership”, Antioch Notes (May 1954, pp. 2-3)).

Publications: The Human Side of Enterprise 1960

Affiliation: President of Antioch College, founded MIT’s industrial relations section

Related Links:
Management Guru
NetMBA