Research – Walk Into the Future

Walking into the Future with no backup plan

Make Things Happen

“There’s no reason to have a plan B because it distracts from plan A”.

(Will Smith)

I routinely listen to the Fox Sports 1 (FS1) daily show, The Herd with Colin Cowherd to get caught up on sports commentary and for a few laughs. Dude can be hilarious with some of his takes on sporting events, teams, and individual players. Some people do not like him because he has a dry sense of humor, but he does a good job researching topics before introducing them on his show.

He recently started discussing the concept of successful people not having a plan B which routinely led them to success. He leverages examples of athletes, business people, and sports personalities who took a risk on themselves without having an escape clause (plan B). He asks in his high pitch voice: you think Bill Gates had a plan B? What about Steve Jobs? You think I (Colin Cowherd) had a plan B before I picked up and moved from New York to Los Angeles? No, no and no!

His point being is creating a plan B allows for less than max efforts towards plan A. Never thought of this process in a similar way but believe my Walk into the Future mirrors his words in several ways.

One of my overarching goals on this walk was to never compromise my principles when it comes to work. There were times I could have gone to a plan B and took another role that did not fit where I wanted to be, but I created the Walk into the Future mindset for a reason. Some people could not understand why I would not rush back into the traditional world of work but had to stick to the plan–find things so I could make a difference in life daily.

I kept my focus on areas where I knew I could thrive, make a difference, and enjoy the process daily. Discovered additional talents I had because of the focus on plan A only. Research, writing blog articles, mentoring, and conducting speaking engagements served as my professional development incubator over the past two years.

While some people thought I was hanging out I was working on my craft to find additional ways to make a difference. No limitations were present because I was free to create what Walk into the Future meant to me. I look back at my first blog articles and can see the progression I have made over the past two years. My research and writing process have improved and continue to get better daily

I put unlimited time, effort and thoughts into this plan and refused to get distracted. I understand everyone cannot just walk away from their professional lives but being an Air Force retiree provides me with income to continue to do things like being a running tourist.

Please note I am not comparing myself to Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Colin Cowherd—they all have a lot more money than me, but the no plan B mindset is similar.

Saw an opportunity in Fort Pierce, Florida and decided to go all in—no plan B. The excitement and potential for the new role was vetted without an emotional approach and launched me forward. Never looked back or sideways once committed to this new chapter. My plan A continues to work for me!

Moving forward and Walking into the Future! 😊

What is your plan A? How do you ensure your focus remains on plan A?

“There is no plan B for passion”.

(Chris Gardner)

Great article from Jeff Haden: https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/why-remarkably-successful-people-dont-make-backup-plans.html

Poetic Fridays

(Image by Christine Sponchia from Pixabay)

Motivated?

What motivates you?

I would guess things quite different from what motivates me

The drive I seek comes from things I have seen

Some good, some bad

Some fair, some foul

The secret here is to use them all

Never let the opinion of others sway your desire

To reach the pinnacle you aspire

Continue to work to meet and exceed your goals

Remind the doubters that you are in control

Dreams will become reality soon enough

Got to keep working because life can be rough

Find your motivation, live your dreams

A motivated life is a wonderful sight to be seen

Knowledge

The series of daily challenges presented

Provides a template to view

How to conquer the challenges?

It is all up to you

Life provides many opportunities to grow

The direction you chose, only you will know

Continue to strive through the growing process

Knowing that you hold the key to it all

The knowledge you gain

Helps to move your journey forward

And makes the challenges easier to maintain

Note: All original verses by the author.

Walking with the new normal

person in spiderman costume — Photo by Life of Wu on Pexels.com

“Time is an illusion that passes way too fast”.

(Ana Claudia Antunes)

Lexico.com defines a new normal as a previously unfamiliar or atypical situation that has become standard, usual or expected.

Urban Dictionary identifies a new normal as the current state of being after some drastic change has transpired.

The COVID-19 pandemic fits regardless which of the two definitions you associate with the term new normal. Forgive me for using Urban Dictionary for such a serious problem but the definition used is spot on to what most of us are experiencing right now. I won’t get into politics, medicine or debate treatments but will use this platform to discuss things I view as the new normal for me with this crisis.

Home gym

I have always maintained a small home gym regardless of where I live. The concept of working out and staying active at home has always been a part of my workout routine. The home gym is an easy place to get a workout in when I don’t feel like driving to the gym or the weather is bad. My most elaborate piece of equipment was the heavy bag I had to practice throwing punches. It was a great way to burn calories and release workday stress at the same time.

Got rid of the heavy bag prior to moving to Tallahassee but have maintained kettle bells, dumbbells, resistance bands, BOSU and 75cm exercise balls. Happy to say I’m getting a lot of use out of these tools since I decided to stop going to the gym. The gym staff did a tremendous job wiping things down at the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in the states but decided to stop going prior to gyms being closed by government order. Couldn’t justify being there knowing EVERY piece of equipment is touched by so many people. This was not a revelation, but the point is magnified by how the COVID-19 gets transmitted.

My home gym gives me the capability to maintain my fitness levels and get creative with my workouts. Still finding additional exercises to utilize on the BOSU ball and with my resistance bands. Hope to add a few more pieces to my home gym to help stay fit during this time period.

Yoga

Dusted off a few of my yoga DVDs so I can continue to stretch to maintain good posture. Try to get in weekly yoga sessions but increased to three times weekly. Yoga emphasizes proper breathing techniques, and this helps maintain a calm mind and body while practicing physical distancing. I realize everyone is using the term social distancing but to me social distancing is what I do when I PURGE a contact in my phone. Trying to rotate my yoga DVD instructors to ensure I stay balanced during this time.

Runs

My normal routine got me out for runs three times each week with a long run on the weekends. I’ve increased my running program to get me out for runs five times weekly—some of these are shorter just to get me out and active. Can’t do gym cardio for the time being, need to ensure I’m burning calories so I can continue to eat like I want. 😊

My neighborhood has a pedestrian bridge I utilize to run up stairs and then sprint down the ramp. This is a new version of cardio I can get done to keep my outdoor exercise program fresh. Increased this routine to incorporate 27 sets (steps and sprints) to burn calories without a gym.

Conner Bridge

Added more walks to my routine as well. This keeps me moving without as much wear and tear on my joints the running program adds. My walking goal is to just enjoy being outside and take in nature.

The Rock n Roll marathon series 2020 Nashville half marathon has been postponed until further notice. Hoping they will reschedule the Nashville races for the fall if it’s safe enough for people to be that close again. If not, the registration will roll over to 2021 and will get up there then. I still plan to run the half marathon distance on 4/25/2020 but won’t have a crowd to cheer me on. No worries, running is the perfect sport to practice physical distancing. 😊

No coffee shops

So far, my biggest adjustment has been working/writing from home instead of my favorite spot at Lucky Goat. Didn’t realize how many distractions I had at home until I was forced to stay in more. The remote control and ability to search for TV programs was almost my downfall.

Finally had to discipline myself to set-up just like I was at Lucky Goat (laptop, headphones only) for the time period I wanted to research, write and network. Things went a lot better once I got my disciplined approach again. Miss Lucky Goat but this is a small sacrifice right now.

Extra cleaning

Believe we all are doing more cleaning, wiping and disinfecting with this new normal. Seems to be the best way combined with physical distancing to control the spread of the virus. I’m super conscience of everything I touch or may touch now and ensure to keep my hands to myself. Not as quick to touch doorknobs or handles when/if I’m out and about now. Better to be safe in these times.

Keynotes and Consulting

My new normal in this category is nonexistent. Organizations are protecting their staff members by implementing work from home protocols. I’m still networking with organizations and decision makers but don’t see the keynote/consulting opportunities coming back for a few months. No worries, more time for research, writing and running.

Moving forward

These are things I think of when talking about a new normal. Hopefully, this period will pass soon, and we can get back to the old normal and not have to avoid each other. Until then, stay safe and continue to practice physical distancing!

What are your new norms? How has the transition impacted you?

“Transitions in life can offer opportunities for discovery”.

(Robbie Shell)

Master the art of public speaking

auditorium benches chairs class — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

“According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that sound right? This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy”.

(Jerry Seinfeld)

Public speaking is difficult, public speaking is scary, public speaking is not my strong skill.

I hear these and similar things daily when talking with people about public speaking. I’m sure I had similar thoughts when I started my journey standing in front of people to speak. The good thing about the fear of public speaking is all your fears can be overcome. Trust me, if I can get over the fear of standing in front of people and talking, everyone can.

My first exposure to public speaking came as part of my instructor role when I was in the Air Force. My actual job knowledge (data analyst) was needed to train the next generation of Air Force data analyst. I was forced to come out of my natural introvert shell and learn how to engage a room full of students who depended on me to help them grow professionally. No pressure, huh?

“Best way to conquer stage fright is to know what you’re talking about”.

(Michael H. Mescon)

I learned the more I practice the less nervous I am when I stand in front of groups. Decided to always err on the side of overpreparation as oppose to being underprepared for speaking engagements. I constantly review notes, transitions and potential questions I may receive during every speaking engagement.

I view anticipating questions, lulls and technical difficulties as war games. I find it easier to overcome these things by acknowledging they can pop up at any point. This additional groundwork helps me get comfortable before and during my speaking engagement. I still get nervous but know I can handle the task because of my preparation.

Researching the organization and people you’re speaking to helps you learn more about the audience so a tailored approach can be taken. This helps when incorporating examples and stories into a speech. Knowledge of the organization and audience helps generate talking points that fit so you can connect with them. I also target specific audience members based on my research. A quick LinkedIn search can provide an inside nugget I can use to connect with an audience member and seems to put others at ease because I took the time to learn more about them. This simple rapport building technique can be leveraged to help alleviate anxiety as well.

The ability to read the room is another critical component for public speakers. There will be times when you will need to adjust to match the emotions, reactions and body language of your audience. I go into every speaking engagement with a plan of action but because of practice, anticipation and knowledge of the group, I’m able to adjust on the fly (if needed).

I don’t put a lot of written content on slides to avoid limiting myself without a way to pivot if needed. I started incorporating key words and pictures into my presentations to focus attention back to me—the presenter. This always provides me with a pivot channel since I’m not tied to slide verbiage. The key words and/or pictures are used to guide me through the presentation. Practice provides the foundation to make this process work when standing in front of an audience.

Nonverbal communication can make or break your presentation. I make a point not to carry anything in my hands (pen/paper/etc.) except the audiovisual clicker. I try to put the clicker down until I need it to transition to the next slide. Carrying objects can distract your audience and I’ve seen these things distract the presenter as well.

Eye contact with audience members helps convey confidence and credibility as a subject matter expert. Speaking rate, pitch and effective use of pauses can help keep the audience members engaged and wanting to hear more from the speaker. I learned the benefits of audience engagement during my speaking roles in the Air Force and continue to add more tools to my speaking toolkit daily. Don’t be afraid to move around when speaking—this really conveys confidence but should be done with purpose. Too much moving looks like you’re trying to get away from them. 😊

These are a few things I’ve used to help eliminate speaking anxiety. Please note, I still get nervous, but I use my nerves to help fuel my public speaking. The one thing I ensure happens when speaking is to have fun. Might as well enjoy myself while I’m standing in front of a group—having fun seems to counteract anxiety and I’m able to press forward. Try it the next time you must speak in public!

- FYI: Don’t forget the impact Walk up Music can have on public speaking:

https://walkintothefuture.blog/2018/11/22/walk-up-music

What techniques do you use to overcome speaking anxiety? How do you prepare for big speaking roles in your work environment?

Thanks for walking with me!

“Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel”.

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

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