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Letter From The Editor

Dear Friends,

Over the course of living our lives we unwittingly set the stage for who others believe we are, what they think we believe, and what others think we are committed to, and when we step out of that neat tidy space called, for example: “Who Clay is…” we set ourselves up for all sorts of criticism. So let me ask you, if someone believes one way about who you are – the way you are supposed to act, etc. – and you step out of that box and ruffle feathers, who has the problem… you – the person stepping out of the mold – or the person who cast the mold?

Well, I’ve never been one to believe in holding back because of what someone might think. As a matter of fact, my commitment everywhere is to step out and get people to think and if I can say something or put questions out into the world that accomplish that, then I’ve done my job! I’ve even gotten my job done on several occasions at the cost of what others might think of me personally, but my commitment is such that what others think of me isn’t what’s important. What is important is that others get what they need to get to make their lives better and hopefully they go on to make a difference for another too!

Admittedly, pigeonholing can be difficult to avoid; yes, I do it too! Yet, there are a lot of dangers and consequences to pigeon-holing people. Think about the child that is labeled unruly, lazy, or simply “not very bright.” Those pigeonholes can follow them their entire lives; to the point that the child begins to believe what others think about him and in the end, we risk creating a self-fulfilling prophecy and not only does the child lose out but we do, too!

If we believe that people are always going to be a certain way, say certain things, or believe a particular way, and we treat them accordingly, we risk clipping their wings so much that they’ll never reach their fullest potential; we risk creating a stop to the difference they are capable of making simply because we choose to listen to them from a place of “knowing” who they are, rather than listening from a place of inquiry and learning.

If we don’t create the room and listening for new thoughts and ways of being, we and the world as whole miss out on learning something new. And my friends, even this 65 year old is not done learning, growing, or teaching! What about you?

Warm Regards,

Clay S. Nelson

The Power of Action

" Even if you're on the right track,
you'll get run over if you just sit there."

Will Rogers

Do you ever sit around and analyze (and over-analyze) why you haven’t produced the results you are committed to producing? Do you surround yourself with spreadsheets, charts, lists, analyses, and other research tools? Do you keep waiting for things to change so conditions are optimum before you take the first step? Well, guess what? This is it. You have no other time. Your life is not a dress rehearsal. If you want something, now is the time to go for it. Do something, and do something now. You can spend your whole life looking for the answer to the question “why” and it won’t change anything about the present, and won’t create anything for the future.

Stop letting your fear of the unknown or of failure stop you from taking action. When did “playing safe” become your life commitment? And, if lack of a valuable commitment that lights you up is at the root of your stagnation, change your commitments. Get really, really committed to what you really, really want…not what you think you are supposed to want for your life and your business, but to what you really want.

You can talk all day, have meetings, make written reports, make lists out of your lists and review them until the cows come home. But people who accomplish great things TAKE ACTION! So don’t just sit there… do something, sell something, create something, change something, volunteer for something! Do something bold!

Turn off your pacifying, hypnotizing distracters—the television, your MP3 player, your video games, your computer, and the half-eaten bag of potato chips... and get moving.

Let’s get real here. Procrastination has been defined as “the deliberate act of excessive postponing.” Notice that word….deliberate. That means it’s a choice! Don’t fall into the trap of thinking all your excuses/reasons for not getting things done…those things you tell yourself…are the truth. The truth is in your actions. You always have the power to choose your actions, no matter the circumstances. Choose to get unstuck!

Yoda had it right… “Do, or do not. There is no ‘try’”.

Remember to Have Fun

Do you remember the lazy days of summers past? Well, there isn’t much chance of them showing up this year! The current economic struggles most businesses and households have created an environment where we are running harder than ever to keep what we have or to simply keep our heads above water! Yet, if we aren’t having any fun or taking care of ourselves, how can we expect to get great results?

As leaders, your loved ones and business teams look to YOU to set the standard! If they see you running yourself to death, not eating right, not exercising, not taking care of YOU, and not having FUN, what do you think they will do? Eventually everyone on your team will be completely stressed and burned out, including yourself!

You’ve got to remember to have fun! Otherwise, there is no point to all this hurry-scurry, anyway. Money can’t hug you. Your job can’t hug you!

Fun, remember fun? There are lots of different ideas about what fun is. What’s yours?

• Laughing so hard your face hurts
• Taking a drive down a scenic road
• Holding a newborn baby
• Singing along with your favorite song
• Teeter-tottering with your child at the park
• Playing on your church’s basketball team
• Watching the gorillas at the zoo
• Savoring a special meal with all your favorite foods
• Using your binoculars at night to look at the stars
• Seeing old family movies from when you were a kid
• Going to a sporting event with your favorite team
• Building a sand castle

There are also many benefits from having more fun in your life. Engaging in fun activities promotes self-esteem, teamwork, physical and creative skills, friendships, and leadership skills. Health professionals tell us that having fun helps eliminate negative stress and physically active fun events can help prevent heart disease.

And what about having fun while you work? Remember, there are no fun police, and life is what you make it. So why not make it fun? I dare you!

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