Something Worth Doing Before Dec. 31st

With my marathons now behind me, it is time to turn my attention to more important matters… MUCH more important matters.

If I were a betting man, I’d wager good money on the fact that you love your Country and are concerned about the direction it has been heading.

And I’d guess that over the years, you have received no small portion of e-mails from well intentioned people seeking ardently, but less effectively, to do something about it by letting their voice be heard by forwarding along partisan propaganda filled with partial truths, half truths, or even outright lies that their senders failed to properly vet before forwarding them along to you.

The Blog Post I Hoped I Wouldn't Have to Write

Last Saturday, in St. George, Utah, I ran my 13^th marathon in yet another attempt to achieve my frustratingly elusive goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon. 

I failed—again. 

Now it is time to write the blog post I hoped I wouldn’t have to write.  Here goes…

Strange as it might sound, my lucky number is actually 13.  So many things leading up to the race had portended a positive result.  I felt it was my time.  After all the work and waiting and adjustment and gained experience, I felt I had earned it.  I had convinced myself that the 13^th time would be the charm in my nearly 4-year long quest to qualify for the marathon. 

It WASN’T. 

If at First You Don't Succeed...

In January 2011, I set a goal to qualify for the Boston Marathon.  Since then, I have failed 12 times to achieve my goal.  It has been said: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try, again."  I hate that saying.

I don't hate it because I disparage the virtues of persistence or determination -- such characteristics are vital in achieving any meaningful goal in life -- and I obviously have demonstrated a willingness to vigorously pursue these traits.  I dislike it because it omits some KEY ingredients in any formula of true success.

Here's the way the saying should go: "If at first you don't succeed, do your homework to figure out why, make a better plan moving forward, and then try again."

What Happens When I Fail?

When personal leadership pundits, like myself, write on the subject of goal setting, we typically focus on the importance of setting goals, as well as the satisfaction and benefits that result from accomplishing them. But there are other lessons to be learned from the process. These “other” lessons are sometimes counterintuitive to the virtues of traditional goal setting. Today’s post is about some of these less-heralded lessons.

Who is the Most Important Person in an Organization?

Have you ever wondered who the Most Important Person is in an organization?  I answered this question in a recent article I wrote that was published on Linked2Leadership, an award-winning blog edited and published by Tom Schulte of Atlanta, Georgia.

For this week's post, I invite you to visit Linked2Leadership to read this article.  And don't stop at mine; there are many other, excellent articles written by credible authors worth perusing while you are there.

To access the Linked2Leadership blog site, click HERE.

To access Dr. Jensen's article on the most important person in an organization, click HERE.

Finding Freedom in INTRApersonal Competition

In last week's post, I discussed the importance of focusing primarily on intrapersonal competition (competing against yourself) rather than interpersonal competition (competing against others) in goal setting.  This is an important aspect of setting SMARTIES Goals.  Today, I share my story that influenced me to change my own viewpoint of competition.

The Satisfaction of Goal Achievement

Last weekend, I traveled to Jackson, Mississippi to run the Mississippi Blues Marathon as part of my SMARTIES Goal.  It was the first of four marathons I plan to run this year in my quest to qualify for the elite Boston Marathon.

I am pleased to report that I met my goal of running under 3 hours and 30 minutes.  I also broke my March 1st goal of running under 3 hours and 20 minutes.  My time for the race was 3:18.00.

Combatting "Insanity": My 2014 New Year's Resolution

In last week's post, I taught the principles of SMARTIES Goals.  As promised, this week, I will share with you my 2014 New Year’s Resolution, which is to qualify for the elite Boston Marathon, and describe it as a SMARTIES Goal.

I must confess to cheating a bit in that I actually started working on this goal three years ago.  Fortunately, this kind of cheating is encouraged!  You don’t have to wait for the New Year to set goals—especially SMARTIES Goals.  Furthermore, goals that are challenging and important sometimes take several tries before you accomplish them.

Resolutions that Stick: The SMARTIES Principle

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As the New Year dawns, it is tradition to set goals to better yourself.  The perennial question, however, is: How do I make New Years’ Resolutions that actually last past January 2nd?

There are two basic reasons New Years Resolutions flop.  The first arises from setting too many goals.  The second occurs from a failure to set SMART Goals.  SMART, in this context, is an acronym.  It stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.  The SMART model is an excellent method for goal setting, but there is more, and that is why I encourage self-action leaders to include four additional guidelines to their goal setting.  These additional recommendations turn SMART goals into SMARTIES Goals, as follows:

Specific

Measurable

Attainable and Accountable

Relevant

Time-bound

In competition primarily with yourself

Engaging

Sane

Nelson Mandela 1918-2013: Lessons in Inner Change

This week's post is written in honor and memory of Nelson Mandela, one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century.  Mandela died last Thursday.

You know someone is a big deal when their likeness is cast in bronze in a prominent place in a major World City 6,000 miles away from his home country.  Thus it is with Nelson Mandela, whose statue resides near Westminster Abbey in London.  To give you an idea of the impact of this man on the World stage, consider this fact: The only other non-British statue I saw in the vicinity was of Abraham Lincoln.

A key component of Self-Action Leadership is Emotional Intelligence.  This includes the capacity to allow your heart to be changed, rejecting feelings of bitterness, anger, and revenge to embrace emotions of peace, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness.  This means developing the kind of inner strength where your central identity is no longer a victim of external realities beyond your control, but is rooted in your freedom to control your thoughts, speech, and actions.

Getting "Lucky": Auburn and Ohio State

Last Saturday in College Football, the #3 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the #4 ranked Auburn Tigers got lucky.  At least that is what some fans and pundits will tell you. 

The Buckeyes narrowly escaped defeat when Michigan’s two-point conversion pass was intercepted in the final seconds of the game.  Even more telling, the fall of Alabama increased the possibility that an Urban Meyer team would luck their way into another BCS National Championship game for the second time in a decade (their 2006 invite came as a result of UCLA's upset of then undefeated USC).

And the Tigers, well, let’s just say that it isn’t common for the Crimson Tide (the two-time defending National Champions) to miss four field goals and allow a 107 yard touchdown run with one second remaining on the clock.  And then there was the instant replay that put one crucial second back on the clock.  Uncanny!

Reflecting on Two REALLY BIG Anniversaries ~ Kennedy & Lincoln

America celebrated two HUGE anniversaries in U.S. History this week.  The first occurred on Tuesday, November 19^th with the 150^th Anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s delivery of the Gettysburg Address.  The second occurs on Friday, November 22nd, with the 50^th Anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 

There are a few, select dates in American History that virtually anyone alive at the time remembers.  Think April 14, 1865 and December 7, 1941, or November 22, 1963 and September 11, 2001. 

From Orphan to Executive: Self-Action Leadership in Real Life

Today I share the real life Self-Action Leadership story of Dr. Nathaniel J. Williams. 
Little Nat Williams started out life as an orphan in the Bronx with all the strikes against him.  The 11th of 12 children, Nat never knew his father, and attended his mother's funeral at age five.  He still remembers the five taxis all lined up to haul him and his nine brothers and sisters under the age of 18 to different foster homes throughout New York City.  

It was in a foster home a few years later that Nat had an experience that would forever change his life.  The value of the experience was discovered not in what happened, but in how Nat chose to interpret the experience and allow it to influence his behavior.  Here is what happened...

Self-Action Leadership in Real Life: Success from Chicago's South Side

What does Self-Action Leadership look like in real life?

Meet Felicia Cockrell. Her success story highlights the impact of Self-Action Leadership application in communities where structural inequalities and other difficulties play a prominent role.

Felicia was born in Chicago's infamous "South Side," where drugs, gangs, and murder have been, and continue to be, dangerously prevalent. It is a challenging place to grow up.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Speakers and Presenters

 

My son, Tucker, with Stephen Covey's
best-selling personal leadership handbook

The ability to express yourself clearly and confidently in front of a group of people is one of the single greatest skills you can develop.  Eloquent elocution and confident communication immediately establishes good rapport and credibility with others.  In this post, I share 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PUBLIC SPEAKERS that have helped me to garner tremendously positive feedback:

“Jordan was the best instructor I have had – honest – realistic – stayed on topic – not pretentious.  His presentation style was relaxed yet informative and professional.”  

"Jordan kept the seminar running smoothly while fielding all questions and open dialogue.  Jordan's recall of "Quotes" is phenomenal and very applicable to the topics he presents."  

“One of the Best Seminars I’ve ever attended.  The time went like lightning.”

HABIT 1:  Don't announce your weaknesses.