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.  

Marathons & Mental Illness

I recently heard a talk in Church about a runner's experience training for, and then running, a marathon.

The runner's name is Justin Kroff of Spring, Texas. He began by describing the difficult training regimen to prepare for his big day, including 20 mile runs beginning at 3:30 a.m. He also described the loneliness and isolation of those solitary runs. Indeed, training for a marathon was often a LONELY experience.

Self-Action Research & Existential Growth

In my last post, I explained that Self-Action Leadership differs from just plain self-leadership in that Self-Action Leadership must contribute to the long-term well being of self and others.

In making this contrast, I described how evil people like Adolf Hitler could be described as effective self-leaders in the short run.  These people could never be described as effective Self-Action Leaders because their actions are destructive in the long run.

According to my dissertation, Self-Action Leadership is:

The strategic, lifelong practice of Self-Action Research aimed at maximizing one’s Self-Leadership Efficacy for the purpose of contributing to the long-term well being of self and others (JJensen Dissertation, Vol. 1).  

Self-Action Research is action research conducted by and applied to the self.  What then, is action research?  It is a method of identifying and solving problems.  It has four steps, or stages: 1) Planning & Preparation, 2) Taking Action, 3) Observation, and 4) Analysis.

Self-Action Research, then, is action research applied by and to the self to gain self-awareness, aid self-improvement, and solve personal problems.

The goal of Self-Action Leadership is to continually practice the four-step process of Self-Action Research for the purpose of achieving higher levels of Existential Growth.  According to the Self-Action Leadership Theory, there are eight levels of Existential Growth.  (Click HERE to see my book that introduces the Self-Action Leadership Theory).

Click HERE to download a copy of the Self-Action Leadership Theory as recently introduced in the Journal of Leadership & Management.     

1). Education Stage

2). Beginner’s Stage

3). Practitioner’s Stage

4). Refining Stage

5). Polishing Stage

6). Actualization Stage

7). Leadership Stage

8). Self-Transcendence

The goal of Self-Action Leadership is to practice the four steps of Self-Action Research in an effort to eventually reach the highest level of Existential Growth.

To assist self-action leaders in this process of rising steadily in their Existential Growth, I have developed the SAL Model.  This Model is based on a construction metaphor.  It utilizes the four steps used in Action Research and, by extension, Self-Action Research.  This process mirrors the same basic steps used in project management.  

Project Management Cycle ~ Building a Skyscraper (click to enlarge)

Self-Action Leadership Model ~ Building a Successful Life (click to enlarge)

In his poem entitled, The Builders, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote that, "All are architects of fate."  The Self-Action Leadership Theory and Model is designed to provide a template for the construction of your life in the same way that principles of architecture and engineering are used to construct a building.  As you learn the principles of the Theory and Model, you equip yourself with an increased capacity to successfully navigate the challenges of your life and take advantage of the opportunities that will help you to realize your potential.

"Build to-day, then, strong and sure,

With a firm and ample base ;

And ascending and secure

Shall to-morrow find its place." 

(Longfellow, The Day is Done, reprinted from The Poetical Works of Longfellow.

Henry Frowde, Oxford University Press (1912, p. 186).

Over the weekend, my wife, son, and I traveled to San Antonio, Texas. I was one of the authors invited to speak at a conference sponsored by OCD Texas, an affiliate of the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation (IOCDF).  In my next post, I will share some of the lessons and highlights from this unique, educational experience.  

So What is Self-Action Leadership?

What, exactly, is Self-Action Leadership, and how does it differ from just plain self-leadership?

According to scholars Christopher P. Neck, Ph.D., and Jeffery D. Houghton, Ph.D., self-leadership is defined as:

“A process through which individuals control their own behavior, influencing and leading themselves through the use of specific sets of behavioral and cognitive strategies.” (Journal of Managerial Psychology, Vol. 21, No. 4, 2006, p. 270-295). 

Self-Action Leadership, on the other hand, is:

"The strategic, lifelong practice of Self-Action Research aimed at maximizing one’s Self-Leadership Efficacy for the purpose of contributing to the long-term well being of self and others" (JJensen Dissertation, Vol. 1).  

OCD's Brother: Depression

In my last post, I talked about having Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  Today, I address a common sibling, or close cousin, of OCD: depression. 

For me, depression commonly accompanies my OCD symptoms, and in some cases, even overshadows them.    

OCD: Not Just a Quirky Personality Trait

I have Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, more commonly known as just OCD.

OCD is not just a quirky personality trait or a penchant for perfectionism.  It is a diagnosable mental disorder.

OCD afflicts 2% of the population with its insidious symptoms, which include abhorrent obtrusive thoughts and their accompanying compulsions.  For example, someone with OCD might suffer from an obtrusive thought that if they