Walk Into the Future

Tag: Growth

  • Mentors provide valuable lessons for us to share

    man and woman discussing and sharing ideas
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    “Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can”.

     (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

    We all need someone to mentor and guide us on our journey.  I have had some great people step into my life and provide guidance needed for successful outcomes.  I reach out and thank them as much as possible because their lessons walk with me every day.

    I purposefully relay those same messages to my tree branches when needed.  So, the tree started with my mentors, and my goal is to keep it growing with new branches who will grow additional branches.

    Had an interesting conversation with one of my closest branches.  She mentioned she met with former students at their request and realized these students were branches from her tree.  I hope to continue to hear about additional tree branches sprouting in other areas.  How many branches have you added to the tree?

    Greatest lesson learned

    The greatest lesson I learned from my mentor is patience with others.  The pace of the world continues to accelerate but patient leaders provide direct reports the space to learn, make mistakes and grow.  Leaders who display patience in the work environment provide a space for reflection and active coaching when needed.  The exact lesson my mentor gifted me I call:  3 check-ins.  Sounds like a weird game for the work environment but I’ve seen it work and leverage it to this day.

    So, how does 3 check-ins work?  Great question!

    Example:

    You assign a work project to one of your direct reports with a specific due date.  Instructions are provided but you allow the direct report freedom to get the project completed prior to the due date.  The assigned project will have 3 check-in points built in where the leader comes back to the direct report to:

    • Make sure the assignment was understood (reflection)
    • Answer outstanding questions (learn)
    • Offer support/guidance if needed (coaching)
    • Adjust goals (as needed)

    The 3 check-ins are spaced out to allow for adjustments to the project if needed but keeps the direct report focused on positive outcomes.  Creating organized check points for the project shows the leader is a willing partner and seeks growth for team members.  This also eliminates the direct report from feeling like they are alone on the project.  We want them to take initiative but not feel they have no support.

    The 3 check-ins approach is not designed as a fancy way to micromanage a team.  It provides a support system to enhance professional growth and ensure successful outcomes for the entire team.  Also, the approach allows the leader to serve their team and maximize individual talents.

    How do you provide support when assigning projects to your team?  How can the 3 check-in approach enhance your operation?  (Please respond in the comments section below—thanks!)

    “The best teachers are those who tell you where to look—but don’t tell you what to see”.

     (Alexander K. Trenfor) 

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    “Play chess not checkers in the work environment.”

    (Calvin Williams)

    Thanks for walking with me!

  • Leverage individual communication styles to enhance team operations

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    “In teamwork, silence isn’t golden, it’s deadly”.

    (Mark Sanborn)

    There are no two teams that are exactly alike.  Not the most prophetic thing I’ve ever written in this blog space but worth stating.

    Teams have different dynamics and function based on these things and the people who make up the team.  The most successful teams can leverage the talents of each team member into the overall organizational dynamic to ensure successful outcomes.

    We’ve discussed team communication strategies in previous posts with an angle to strengthen your team.  Individual communication styles and preferences should be reviewed and discussed when you add someone new to your team.  I’m sure everyone strives to hire the best candidate to fill an opening on their team.  How much thought do you put into understanding how to integrate the new team member’s communication style in with others?

    I’m a firm believer that leaders should know direct reports’ communication style and preferred way they want to receive information.  This knowledge allows leaders to seek ways to ensure they communicate in a way to maximize operational needs.  This knowledge has helped me when assigning tasks to team members.

    Example #1:  When faced with a project that has an extremely quick turnaround time, I normally assign this project to my ENFJ (MBTI) staff member.  This type project excites the staff member and I know they will get things done quickly with enough time for review before the deadline.

    Example #2:  When faced with a project due four months from today, I normally assign this project to my ISTJ (MBTI) staff member.  This type project allows the staff member time to plan, strategize and ask all the questions they need to for a successful outcome.

    The examples listed above are two actual scenarios I’ve tackled in the past.  Both had successful outcomes because I knew and understood how to engage staff to maximize their talents.  This in turn produced successful outcomes for the organization.

    Knowledge of individual communication styles also provides a blueprint to help build training plans to help staff members grow.  Introverted staff are not exempt from ever getting a task with a quick turnaround.  The leader needs to provide a more detailed set of instructions and understand they may have to follow-up with the staff member.  This process begins to stretch the staff member and helps their professional growth.  This also provides the leader with another staff member who can handle future quick turnaround projects and not wear out the extroverts.  Also, extroverted staff are not exempt from being assigned long term projects—training applies to all staff members.

    There are multiple ways to engage staff to understand their individual communication style.  MBTI and CliftonStrengths are two tools used in my work environments.  These tools allowed me to get a better understanding of everyone on my team and integrate this knowledge to help teammates understand each other as well.

    What’s the most successful way for me to understand how to communicate with my team?  I sit down with them and ask everyone how they like to receive information.  Simple, huh?  Then I make sure to communicate with everyone in a manner they identify (as much as possible).  Things pop up but I try to remain consistent with the communication process.  Direct reports seem to appreciate this fact and respond in a positive manner.

    A final note, leaders need to ensure their team knows how they like to communicate as well.  The team shouldn’t have to guess how to approach a leader.  This creates undo stress and is not productive.

    How do you account for individual communication styles in the work environment?  Can this knowledge impact your current organization?  (Please respond in the comments section below—thanks!)

    “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something”.

    (Plato)

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  • 2019 Boston (GA) mini marathon (Recap)

    Boston mini

    “How do you know someone ran a marathon?  Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.”

    (Jimmy Fallon)

    My Walk into the Future continues to provide me with adventures and challenges to chase.  The latest challenge came during the Boston (GA) mini marathon (13.1 miles) on 10/26/19.  This race was on my 2019 schedule because I ran it last year and had really good results.  Set my first of many personal records (PR) at the race last year.

    Fast forward to this year’s race and there’s not a PR to discuss.  My race time and finish position regressed this year.  Was a bit disappointed with my results because I know I can run faster and have done so multiple times this year on tougher courses.

    So, why did I regress during this race?  Great question and I spent a day reflecting on why this race didn’t go as I planned.  Turns out I simply took running fast times for granted.  Not saying I didn’t train and put in the miles to run another good half marathon time.

    • September miles: 44 (includes Philly Rock N Roll Half marathon)
    • October miles: 29 (includes Boston mini marathon)

    I did assume my Boston mini marathon race results from 2018 would automatically translate to the 2019 race.  The course was the same, but the weather was significantly different this year–mid-50s in 2018 and mid-70s with high humidity this year.  Also, needed a better hydration plan since the temperatures and humidity were higher than normal for an October morning.

    My race mistakes are all easily correctable and I was back in the gym the next morning correcting them.  My physical race prep will still resemble what I’ve been doing but working on the mental aspects, so I never enter a race with assumptions again.  I improved my half marathon times this year by entering every race with a chip on my shoulder—got ahead of myself for this race but the corrections are being made.

    Lesson learned—never take a race or finish time for granted.

    Boston mini marathon weekend

    Boston (GA) is a nice little town 40 miles northeast of Tallahassee (FL).  The people are friendly and have a blast for the entire race weekend. The half marathon is just one of the events they host for the weekend. It’s the kickoff event but most of the weekend action happens once the runners get out of the way.

    Vendors setup before the sun comes out to get ready for visitors.  The Boston butt BBQ competition is fierce with BBQ outfits from multiple states vying to win the first-place prize money.  Most of these folks provide samples of their competition level BBQ after the race.  There are other vendors with additional items for purchase (cakes, pies, fish, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.).  Almost has a carnival feel to the day once the race is over.

    The parade starts right after the race awards are presented.  I normally hit the road right before the parade kicks off since most intersections are blocked to accommodate the parade route.  Great little town and event if you’re ever in the area.

    https://bostonga.com/boston-mini-marathon/

     

    Next race

    Will venture down to Orlando for the Orlando Utility Commission (OUC) half marathon on 12/7/19.  I ran my first ever half marathon at the OUC event back in 2013.  Hard to believe but I’ve been chasing people at half marathons for 6 years now.  Never thought I would run another half marathon after the first one but now I’m traveling the country making memories with my friends.  Pretty cool transformation for me as I continue to Walk into the Future.

    Looking forward to my training as I prepare for the OUC race.  Also excited to catch up with family and friends while in the Orlando area.  Already got my post-race lunch location picked and can’t wait to eat shrimp and grits! 😊 Plan to visit my favorite reggae spot, Bob Marley’s at City Walk too.  Will be another fun adventure for me!

     OUC Half

    “Running won’t solve all your problems.  But then again, neither will housework.”

    (Unknown)

    How do you bounce back from a set back?  What lessons have you learned when things don’t turn out as planned?  Thanks!

  • Superhero work is tough but worth every minute!

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    “There is a superhero in all of us, we just need the courage to put on the cape”.

    (Superman)

    Who knew saving the world would be so tough?  Note:  I’m enjoying every minute of it!

    My current Walk into the Future allows me maximum flexibility on projects I decide to tackle.  Leveraging my why daily provides a foundation to ensure I’m getting things done the right way.

    Got a request to help a local high school student find renewed focus and create a schedule to enhance academic success.  I never ventured towards this demographic since my work with college students and experienced professionals fits my areas of interest.  I didn’t accept the request initially because I didn’t see how I could help.  My excuses were:

    • Not familiar with high school curriculum
    • Two parent home provides enough guidance
      • Why would a high school student listen to me and not parents?
    • My personal bias towards education
    • Not invested in this process

    Well, once I got out of my own way and viewed this as another opportunity to help someone succeed regardless of grade level, the obvious choice was to put on my cape and shiny boots and get down to what true superheroes do—save the world! 😊

    Decided to leverage the MBTI with my new tree branch and parents to determine a communication pattern in the household.  The MBTIs were extremely close, and this gave me additional information to begin our meeting.  Discussed the implications of the MBTI results and how we could leverage this information to create an action plan for success.

    Next, we discussed ways to bring a more organized approach to studying and getting assignments completed.  I thought this would have been an area that would create a level of resistance but was pleasantly surprised with the overall buy-in.  I didn’t create the organizational approach but suggested some things I thought would work; consistent study times, area, length and scheduled breaks.  I let the family discuss and recorded highlights so we could follow-up; wanted to ensure the family took responsibility for the learning outcomes with me serving as their resident superhero (guide).

    We were able to create a study schedule with predetermined breaks and a stated commitment from everyone to abide by this schedule.  Adjustments can be made as needed, but we need a consistent team effort to make this work for everyone.  Again, they agreed to the parameters and we moved forward as a unified group.

    The commitment was further verified when they ask me when they should follow-up with me for a progress report.  I wasn’t going to push this aspect but believe this shows a new level of progress and willingness to put the work in for success. We agreed to have follow-up sessions in two-week increments based on assignment due dates.  The follow-up sessions allow us to adjust as needed or provide an opportunity to praise progress.

    “Life doesn’t give us purpose.  We give life purpose”.

    (The Flash)

    Happy to report this process allowed me to stay true to my why:  to impact people in a positive way to leave them better than when I found them.

    Doesn’t really matter if it’s a high school student, experienced professional or a random person on the street.  Superheroes save the world regardless of how hard it may seem.

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    “You don’t need to be strong like a superhero, you just need to be better than yesterday”.

    (Spiderman)

    Okay, enough superhero talk—need to take this cape off and my boots are hurting me feet!  Tomorrow’s another day! 😊

    Who can you be a superhero to today?  What would stop you from helping?

     “Wakanda Forever.”

    (Black Panther) 

  • People are more important than the job description (My soapbox)

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    “Leaders who don’t listen will eventually be surrounded by people who have nothing to say”.

    (Andy Stanley)

    So, need to vent for a minute.

    Continue to see and hear across multiple industries where the boss makes job description modifications (additions/deletions/unit changes) without discussing with the person doing the actual job.  The boss is then surprised when staff decide to find a work environment that views them as more than the job description.

    Please note, I’m not saying changes can’t be made to a specific job description.  Organizational missions change and updating duties, responsibilities and unit structure provides growth needed to move forward.  Leaders need to ensure the people tasked with getting things accomplished remain a part of the overall process.  Imagine the favorite part of your current position is removed and nothing was said to you prior to implementation.  How would you feel?

    I know leaders who make decisions based on how the job description is written and refuse to consider the impact on the person in the position.  Never agreed with this logic and still don’t.  People are more important than the job description!

    The authentic leadership variable balanced processing would help in these situations.  My research identified balanced processing as the variable that best explains job satisfaction for direct reports.  They want to be involved and should be.

    Leaders are encouraged to seek and find the big picture before making decisions.  Simply identifying potential job description changes would allow staff to provide input before the final product is created.  Balanced processing is leveraged to build trust, encourage professional growth for direct reports and provides a foundational and reliable decision-making process.  It also signals all opinions are valued and expected.  The concept eliminates personal bias from the decision-making process, everyone in the organization has input prior to the final decision.  Again, people are more important than the job description!

    I continue to promote the authentic leadership model because it can help create positive workplace outcomes and improve organizational performance.  It may also stop workplace turnover and get me off this overworked soapbox!

    Okay, I’m dropping the microphone and stepping down from my soapbox. 😊

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    How does your work environment ensure people are not overlooked?  Does your leadership put job descriptions ahead of the people doing the job?  (Please respond in the comments section below—thanks!)

    “It is trust that transforms a group of people into a team”.

    (Stephen Covey)

  • Strong tree branches keep me moving forward

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    “If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together”.

    (African Proverb)

    My collective tree branches continue to amaze me daily!

    I enjoy watching the great things they are doing in their respective areas of higher education, mentoring, volunteering, speaking, podcasting, recruiting, leadership development and fitness to name a ‘few’ areas these outstanding folks are making a difference.

    The one area that stands out to me today as I write this is the teamwork they constantly display.  My Walk into the Future has led me away from a physical office space—as noted, I primarily work out of coffee shops with Lucky Goat being first choice.  My previous work life allowed me to be surrounded by direct reports and colleagues every day.  There was always someone available to me whenever I had a question, concern or marketing idea I needed to hash out.

    “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself”.

    (Henry Ford)

    My current walk provides me unlimited freedoms to decide what I work on and when.  The one limiting factor is I don’t have ‘my’ team right down the hallway to bounce things off.

    A great aspect of having so many tree branches is they are only a text message, email or phone call away when I need help.  Today was a perfect example of how great my tree branches are.  Needed some help generating a Presentation Value Proposition for a conference proposal I was working on.

    I had no trouble describing my proposed presentation, highlighting learning outcomes and generating an overall summary.  Couldn’t generate the Value Proposition for the presentation for some odd reason—just couldn’t make it pop or even sound interesting.

    Reached out to two of my most creative tree branches and described my dilemma.  Provided them with what I needed to do and my attempt to generate the Value Proposition.  They both jumped into teammate mode and sent me back appealing options for the Value Proposition that made the presentation sound exciting.  The point being is even without us being in the same cities, my team still has my back and we make each other better daily.

    The ability to stress the importance of teamwork is something I’m proud to bring to every organization I’ve worked with.  It’s great to see my tree branches continue to embrace team concepts and help others grow.  Well done tree branches—keep up the great things you do daily!  Very proud of your efforts!

    Thanks to my tree branches who return my texts, emails, phone calls and LinkedIn shout outs!  You’re fueling this journey one step at a time—Irie!

    What are the most important team concepts you display daily?  How can you enhance the team experience in your work environment?  Thanks!

    Respect Melissa and V’Rhaniku!

    ER 2016

    (2016 team bowling outing)

    “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else”.

    (Booker T. Washington)

  • Leverage a growth mindset to maximize your success

     

     

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    “You have to apply yourself each day to becoming a little better. By becoming a little better every day, over a period of time, you will become a lot better”.

    (John Wooden)

    Growth mindset has been defined as people believe their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point (Carol Dweck).

    Fixed mindset

    A fixed mindset puts undue parameters in place.  An individual who believes they are only good at certain things will most likely only be good at those things.  You can talk yourself into or out of anything.  A fixed mindset can hinder progress because of the avoidance of anything that may challenge you.  This process causes individuals to give up when tasks get hard or unfamiliar.

    A fixed mindset limits individual growth because of sticking to what you know only—attempts to try or learn new things are avoided at all costs.  A sad aspect of this mindset is when people believe potential is predetermined.

    “Whether you think you can or think you can’t—you’re right”.

    (Henry Ford)

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    Growth mindset

    Contrasting the fixed mindset with growth mindset highlights the importance of positive thinking and actions.  People with a growth mindset view failure as an opportunity, not something to shy away from.  Functioning as a lifelong learner is another aspect of the growth mindset—the foundational principle is to never stop learning new things and tasks.

    Positive effort and attitude are thought to be determining factors toward individual abilities.  This concept helps eliminate being defeated even before starting a task.  The success of others leads to inspiration for someone with a growth mindset.

    The great things my tree branches accomplish daily inspire me to continue to grow and make a difference.

    A hidden aspect of the growth mindset is the freedom it provides to practitioners.

    Growth mindset is based on not limiting yourself (thoughts or actions) so you approach each day as a gift.  You seek new challenges because you have the tools to accomplish them.  You’re willing to try new things because you never want to stop learning and improving your knowledge and abilities.  Setbacks are your opportunity to learn, reset and then try another approach to the challenge you face.

    Lessons are everywhere when you embrace the growth mindset.

    “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

    (Napoleon Hill)

    Growth mindset key factors:

    • You can learn anything needed for success
    • Displaying the right attitude makes learning possible
    • Challenges are viewed with excitement
    • Failure is not the end
    • Positive words, thoughts and actions daily

    “It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you don’t stop”.

    (Confucius)

    How can a growth mindset impact your daily interactions?  What things do you need to change to adopt a growth mindset?  Thanks!

    Reference

    TED Speaker, Carol Dweck. (n.d.) Retrieved July 22, 2019, from https://www.ted.com/speakers/carol_dweck. 

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  • It’s all GOOD – Networking in Orlando

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    “You have to motivate yourself with challenges.  That’s how you know you’re still alive”.

    (Jerry Seinfeld)

    I’m always looking for ways to expand my knowledge base to help me with my Walk into the Future.

    Networking and partnering with individuals and organizations has been fruitful in 2019.  The Greater Orlando Organizational Development (GOOD) network was recommended to me by a tree branch as an organization with consultants/practitioners with similar interests as me.

    The GOOD network has been great so far especially with networking platforms they currently promote.  They have monthly professional development workshops to bring members together to share and learn from others.  This process enabled me to get involved with organizations to see what they do, learn from veterans in the career field and share my knowledge and experiences with them.  Felt good (no pun intended) to share my authentic leadership platform research with practitioners who were looking for ways to engage leaders in their respective organizations with evidence-based research.

    Made several professional contacts with aspirations to leverage into additional research and application of authentic leadership in business environments.  My initial research was done within a university setting but believe we can easily translate the four variables (self-awareness, relational transparency, internalized moral perspective and balanced processing) into multiple work environments to enhance leadership development and job satisfaction for direct reports.

    Currently working on a proposal to present at the First Annual Organizational Development (OD) Conference, Ignite Your Future:  Innovation in Action in February 2020.  Plan to bring my authentic leadership research to the conference to enhance audience understanding on the leadership platform and how it can be used to provide leaders with tools to enhance their work environment.  Excited for the opportunity to stand in front of movers and shakers of some of the largest organizations in Orlando and show them the value of authentic leadership.

    Excited and scared at the same time but my walk continues to move forward!

    This process may provide me with additional tree branches as I continue my quest to enlarge my tree.  Wish me luck!

    What have you done lately to move from your comfort zone?  How do you challenge yourself to try new things professionally?  I welcome your thoughts—thanks!

    “The key to life is accepting challenges”.

    (Betty Davis)

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  • Running to Philly

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    “I don’t run to add days to my life, I run to add life to my days”.

    (Ronald Rook)

    Decided early to make my Walk into the Future about setting goals and then putting in the work to meet those goals.  Very proud of my efforts so far in 2019 as I continue to cross things off my list daily.  One of my ongoing 2019 goals is to run a half marathon under 2 hours.  I’ve improved my best time twice this year for a total of 5 minutes faster than I ran in 2018.  My best time of 2:08:21 (2 hours, 8 minutes, 21 seconds) was run at the 2019 Nashville Rock n Roll Half Marathon back in April.  Very proud of this time and training used to get ready for Nashville.  Again, my 2019 goal is to run under two hours, so still have work to do.

    Miles, miles and more miles

    Determined the best way to run faster was to increase my training program with additional miles.  I had to put some thought into how this would happen considering I would be running during the summer in Florida.  The heat and humidity can be unbearable just walking around so running would be an additional challenge.  Set my running schedule to avoid the hottest times during the day—early morning runs allowed me to get out and back before the full heat and humidity of the day kicked in.  Weekend runs started a bit earlier since I leveraged this time for my long runs.  Learned quickly getting out and back before 9:30 am was ideal—anything past 9:30 am and the heat beats you up.

    Logged 50+ miles in June using this training method.  June also provided me with the blueprint on times to run, times to avoid and how to hydrate properly to pull this process off successfully.  Increased my training miles in July to 70+ by running two weekday runs of 5 – 6 miles each and then having a long run of 8 – 10 miles on the weekends.  Also, started carrying a hydration belt with Gatorade and water so I could replenish fluids while out for my run.  Hydration belts are not the coolest looking accessory, but it is very functional when you need something to drink miles away from water.

    I extended my training program and physical capabilities in August with a 100+ mile month.  My two weekday runs were extended up to 8 miles each and my weekend runs extended up to 11 – 12 miles.  My longest August training run was 12.65 miles.  Long runs were done to get the miles in, didn’t try to hit race pace since I wanted to build up my running base without trying to hit a specific time.  Ironically, my long run times were still better than some half marathons I ran a few years ago.  Looks like I’m getting faster just by adding long runs to my training program.

    Note:  I still made it to the gym for my normal workouts and extra cardio.  Running was the priority for run days, but I didn’t eliminate weight training, yoga or stretching sessions.

    Run Day view

    September is my taper month as I refresh my legs for the Philadelphia Rock N Roll Half Marathon on 9/15/19.  I logged 20 running miles in September to complete my training program prior to heading off to Philly.  This allowed me to mentally and physically get ready to run my best in Philly.

    The best part of being this close to a race is I get to carb load—all the pasta and bread I want! 😊  This will help my energy levels during the race and keep me moving fast.

    https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/carbohydrate-loading/art-20048518

    Cross Training View2

    (Leg day on the Pit Shark)

    Lessons learned

    Mixed in hills, intervals and long runs into my training program prior to Philly.  Felt I needed to incorporate more hills and intervals after my Nashville race.  Believe these added programs will give me the endurance, speed and mental toughness needed to get under two hours in Philly.  We will see!  If not, the next race is 10/26/19 in Boston, Georgia.

    You can follow my Philly progress using the Rock N Roll app:

    https://rtrt.me/app/rnra

    Off to Philly and looking forward to my cheese steaks after the race and sightseeing in a new city!

    How are you doing with your 2019 goals?  What adjustments are needed to ensure you meet your written goals?  Thanks!

     “A goal is just an awesome way to force growth on yourself”.

    (Deena Kastor)

  • Committed to the blog – Blogging about blogging

    Blog notepad

    “You are not obligated to win.  You are obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day”.

    (Marian Wright Edelman)

    My laptop has been the tool I’ve used over the past year to research, write, edit and publish articles for the Walk into the Future blog.  It’s a rare day to find me anywhere without my laptop close by to record a new idea or thought to turn into an article for the blog.

    Well, I experienced a slight glitch to my productivity in late June when my laptop decided not to boot up.  Tried multiple diagnostic programs to see if I could fix the issue on my own but finally had to give in and put my laptop in the shop.  Figured I would lose a couple days of writing production so focused more time in the gym and on my Philly Rock n Roll half marathon training program while the laptop was out for service.

    Quickly discovered the time dedicated to creating content for the blog was an actual part of my lifestyle and I felt weird not working on the next article.  The commitment to write and produce weekly content for myself, followers and other readers was still present even without my laptop.  Felt like I was cheating myself by taking days off from research and writing—this fact makes me laugh considering I normally have 8 weeks of articles already written prior to publishing on the blog.  This gives me time to go back and edit/add content as needed before you read it.

    I was talking with a friend about my laptop dilemma and my inability to record my thoughts as usual.  My friend offered I could always write my ideas by hand if needed after laughing at me and my made-up problem!  I’ve documented how bad my handwriting is, so it never crossed my mind I could still be a productive writer by simply writing down my thoughts/ideas and then transcribe them later—what a concept, huh?  LOL.  We joked I should call the article ‘Blogging about blogging’ since I had to be convinced blogging doesn’t stop because I’m not on a laptop.  Sounds almost like an old Seinfeld episode—blogging about blogging.

    The image above is my notepad while sitting at Lucky Goat generating content for future blog articles.  Generated two ideas with my handwritten content and later transferred into Microsoft Word once I got my laptop back.  This process was not as difficult as I made it out to be—I’m still learning, adjusting and growing with the blog.

    My commitment to this blog is real and hopefully the articles you read here provide a place to laugh, learn and enjoy the process of my journey!

    What are you committed to daily?  How do you ensure it has priority on your schedule?

     

    “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.  Accordingly, a genius is often merely a talented person who has done all of his or her homework”.

    (Thomas Edison)

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