Uncluttering The Mind: Removing Internal Constraints So You Can Soar

Uncluttering The Mind: Removing Internal Constraints So You Can Soar Presentation to the OLA Super Conference January 31, 2004

Cleaning out so we can soar! • We are all on this journey together • Like athletes, need to get rid of the weight that hinders • Need to eliminate those things that fill our life but offer nothing to nourish us • Need to determine what to keep and what to eliminate!

Unlock the Mind “ We live our lives in chains and never even know we have the key”… From Song by The Eagles Hint: Knowing is not doing!

Step 1: Focus on what is important! • To maximize your energy, you need to minimize your load. • Like the limits on baggage, let go of the unimportant to keep the good – don’t let the mosquitoes get you down!

What goes out! • Being sentimental about people who aren’t sentimental about us • Fear & regret • Clutter left lying on the floor in the life of someone who will not make decisions, develop priorities, or bring closure

Step 2: Use a new mindset Every journey needs to start from somewhere… Remember set-backs are really setups for you to reassess where you are and where you are going! "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." -- Albert Einstein

On starting: "The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes of mind!" William James

Step 3: Discover your Inner Light. • Find the bless in the mess. • Polish up what is good • Toss out the grime and the clutter, so the shine can be seen

Clean out the Guilt! • Bad Choices – repair what you can • Repent • Rectify the situation • Take Responsibility • Let the Guilt Go!!! • Leave the past • conserve your energy for things you can control, things you can change

Listen to Your Coach: How are you mentoring? How are you improving? How are you tracking performance?

Step 4: Use 3-D Thinking to Get the Right Companions • Direction • Diversity • Destination That was then, this is now.

Step 5: Taking Care on the Journey • Are you in control? • Say “No”, so you can say “Yes”. • Are you taking care of yourself? • Maintenance matters!!

Step 6: Enjoy the Scenery Delight Yourself! • Art, music, singing out loud • Pleasure yourself with food, nature, joy • Use the good dishes!!

Resource Requirement “There are three things which are real: God, human folly, and laughter. The first two are beyond our comprehension. So we must do what we can with the third.” - John F. Kennedy

Step 7: Staying on track! • What energizes, enlivens and enables your performance? • What drains, depletes and destroys? • Take steps each day or week to implement your plan. • How do you measure you progress?

Step 8: Be a Lifelong Learner • Risk taking • Humble self-reflection and prayer • Seek opinions • Careful Listening • Openness to new ideas The learning curve never flattens!

Be Bird Brained:Lessons from the Geese • By flying in a V formation, the whole flock can fly 71% further than if each bird on its own. If people share a common direction, they can get there quicker & easier. • Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed!

When the lead goose gets tired, she rotates back to the wing & another goose flies up to the point – it pays to take turns doing the hard jobs.

When a goose weakens or is wounded and falls out of formation, two geese will fall out and follow him down to protect him. They stay with him until he is able to fly or until he dies. Then, they set out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with the group. • If we had the sense of a goose, we would stand by each other like that!

Contact: Audrey Lawrence 613 234-5407 alawrence@canada.com Questions

Uncluttering The Mind: Removing Internal Constraints So You Can Soar