The thing about thoughts

Are you afraid of being wrong?

Is it ever your fault, or can you find other reasons?

Can you take on a viewpoint different than your own, even if only for a little while?

Can you see the other side's point of view? Have you ever tried to understand it?

Do you ever second guess your decisions?

Are decisions difficult to make for you? Easier to let someone else make them?

Have you ever thought that making no decision is really a decision?

Are you waiting for things to get better before you do?

How easy is it for you to quit?

What does "playing it safe" mean to you?

What are the stories you tell yourself to help you make it through the day?

You see, the thing about thoughts is that they impact us far greater than we realize. The real value in this exercise is not to analyze the answers you provided to the questions, but rather to analyze the feelings and emotions that were stirred by reading the questions.

If your feelings contradicted your answers, well, that is the realm where thoughts truly are things. And that is where the real change must occur.

houston@figment-consulting.com

Having followers does not make you a leader.

Use of fear, threats, and loss are easy and quick ways to motivate employees. It also shines a spotlight on the lack of leadership skills for the one in charge. Fake leaders do not have the ability nor the desire to put in the work of leading, Instead, they turn to the quick and easy, justify it to themselves, and continue to build the facade around them.

Real leaders inspire, encourage, and allow for others to shine. Real leaders search for solutions, not accolades. Real leaders are as concerned about the means as they are the results knowing the latter very seldom justifies the former.

A real leader is a leader irregardless of whether or not they have followers. And, having followers does not make one a leader -- it simply puts one in charge.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The problem with success . . .

. . . comes when it stifles us from further innovation and growth.

Keep moving forward was the mantra for Walt Disney, and should be for each of us. Attaining our goals should build within us the confidence to reach higher, set bigger goals, and move forward toward them.

Success can be as much of a hindrance as fear and failure if it keeps us from moving forward. Enjoy success but don't rest in it. Instead, allow success to build within you the desire you need to soar ever higher.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The problem with mediocrity . . .

. . . is that it is easy to accomplish. It takes minimal effort, no imagination, and only an average amount of energy.

However, maintaining mediocrity is more difficult than maintaining excellence.

We tend to think excellence requires much of us, yet in reality, it only takes a little more -- a little more effort, a little imagination, and a little amount of energy.

houston@figment-consulting.com

The Power of AND

And is such a small word yet packed with powerful potential. Yet, we tend to turn to Or much more often.

"I can either do this or that." "I can be this or that."

With Or we limit ourselves. With And we open up the possibilities. And expands the mind, Or compresses. And increases, Or decreases.

Be a teacher and a learner.

Be a leader and a follower.

Be inspired and inspire.

Fail and succeed.

Do this and that, be this and that.

Think And before Or then see what happens within you.

houston@figment-consulting.com