Opportunity Monitor

Opportunity Monitor [BLOGGER PREVIEW]

2006-03-22T23:24:00.000-08:00

Expect an Opportunity

2005-08-09T06:12:00.000-07:00

This past month has fortuned me to have a wide range of experiences, quite different from those had before. My emotional pendulum has swung far to the right and left so many times that I am sure that I know the cure for dizziness - find your center and hold on for dear iife, maybe even wear a life preserver!

The right pendulum swings taught me patience, appreciation, joy, and my most constant message to find the opportunity to celebrate in all things. Throughout the month, that's why I could not concentrate on my postings, I have assisted two of my close friends-one I have known since we were 12 years old, as they go through cancer treatments. The opportunities I have acted upon may be useful for you.

When troubles arise from the right swings of life, the opportunity steps are:
1. Have perspective. Do not drain your energy by internalizing what is happening around you. Keep a clear, objective perspective on what are your extractable lessons. Are you to learn to care about yourself and others more? Are you to express your appreciation to others for both the large and small things they do? Your perspective, especially in difficult times, will determine your coping quotient. Always keep your numbers high so that you are not overwhelmed when obstacles occur.
2. Expect an Opportunity. John Quincy Adams said, "Courage and perserverence have a magical talisman before which difficulties disapper and obstacles vanish into air." This quote opens my book Climb Every Obstacle:Elimiate Your Limits! simply because it undescores what it takes to expect an opportunity. Have courage and stay the course, regardless of the external distractions, if you intend to reach your own summit of success.
3. Know when to go. Yes, know when it is time to go. Regardless of your personality type or character traits, whether you are empathetic or clinical, there needs to be an ending. Otherwise perceived or real obstacles will never resolve, primarily because you are holding on too long, and you have lost a precious opportunity. As difficult as this may be, close out your obstacles.

On the other hand, if you experience left swings in life, such as a promotion, bestseller status, marriage or proposals, or even a birthday don't let your euphoria rob you of opprotunities. Even in delight, you can augment the joy and pump up your endorphins.

You need to care about finding your opportunity throughout every phase of your life, even in times of joy. Actually they are easier to access then because you are prone to anticipate more good happening when you are euphoric.

Put your opportunity step forward by:
1. Practicing empathy. Look around and seek out someone whose day may not be as grand as yours and make a point to care about them too. Instaed of bragging about how great things are for you today, state that you have had a fantastic day, but add what can I do for you?
2. Listening. Listen with your heart. Meaning, really tune in and hear often the unspoken requests. This does not necessiarly mean that you fix other people's trials, they have their lessons to learn from them too, it may mean that through listening the other person feels that someone cares and that could mean all the difference.
3. Acting. Act beyond the moment. Take actions that propel other successes. For example, network to hear about other opportunities. Make connections that may surface as a prime contact for something else, planned or unplanned, later.

You can always find or get back to your center. Know that there will be left and right hand swings, but there are always opportunities in every experience.

Clock into life, swing boldly far and wide, and scope out opportunities left and right.

2005-07-01T05:17:00.000-07:00

Anita Jefferson

Declare Your Independence

2005-06-30T19:42:00.000-07:00

What are you needlessly dependent upon? Is is your car, your significant loved ones, or something else that you privately know about? Whatever is your dependency, it may be time to declare your independence.

America celebrates its independence from British domination on July 4th. Every year the date is commemorated with firworks, parties, and parades. In Atlanta, the Peachtree Road Race is a signiture event and has been for 37 years. I will be in the throng of thousands running the Peachtree for the second year in memory of my deceased brother, Frank Jefferson, who ran it for 17 years. Celebrate with me by taking your own independence survey. I want to hear from you about your 4th of July declarations.

Take the opportunity to celebrate your detachment. How will you celebrate your independence? One way to start is the probe and ask yourself the question, what am I dependent upon? Make a list that goes beyond the life necessities of clean air and food. Stretch your inner mind and go into deeper awareness of what you could and should delete in your life.

Next, read your list twice and listen to your inner guidance. You may find that with a rational, reasonable plan you are ready to take advantage of other opportunities, explore untapped talents, or even visit or vacation another part of the country or world. Trust me, it's there...just write, read and listen.

Be rational, but not too cautious otherwise what you have uncovered will shrink away. Make deliberate plans to celebrate by setting off the fireworks of energy and excitement for yout newly discovered independence.

Oppoetunity steps: Let the fireworks explode. Add to your desitiny; declare your independence.

Let me know what you deleted or shedded in your life by emailing me at Anita@climbeveryobstacle.com

Happy Celebration. Don't forget to cheer me on to the end of the Peachtree Road Race. I am cheering for you.

Listen With Your Heart

2005-06-27T15:14:00.000-07:00

Experience has taught me to take advantage of opportunities. My scan of life possibilities include both pleasant and unplesant lessons. This past week was bordered on Monday with the news of the impending death of my former husband who did ascend on Tuesday, and closed with his funeral on Saturday. As I recall my emotions at the time, I now realize that even death offered me an opportunity. I listened with my heart.

I had the opportunity to assist with the planning of his Baha'i funeral and served as his earthly voice to ensure that his wishes were respected. I had the opportunity to grieve, quite unexpectedly since I thought I had a grip of my emotions in relation to our past relationship. I learned that love and passion do not die, it may transform itself into other safe forms of expression, but that shared history from one to the other is an indelible imprint on your heart.

Listening with your heart opens up to a vast, limitless space of joy. I had the opportunity to experience that joy because I felt through my heart.

Today, I want you to feel through your heart. Whatever the situation you are confronted with, especially if it is negative, listen and feel through your heart. Experience a calm peace instead of negativity and radically transform how you react, what you feel and say, and how you attune to others so that you are healed. Bashish further wounding yourself and others by growing your heart aptitude. Find your music, seek your joy, rebirth your obstacle through love.

You can listen with your heart; real life depends on it.

Who Would Care

2005-06-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Oftentimes in life, we move at such a fast pace that we forget the small, important things. For instance, sometimes I rush out of the house, into traffic, in what I think is a progressive direction yet I failed to call and say hello to a dear friend who is troubled. Or, I may have forgotten to say thanks to the Universal Concourse for this life, no matter how hectic it is, and for the faculty of thought.

I found that I was rushing so much, paying attention to too little, and forgetting what I valued in my life. I was able to change my behavior once I asked myself, who would care? I found that first, I did. I cared deeply about my friends, family, and profession. Then, I challenged myself to act like I do.

Act like you care? How? By listening more, responding with solutions less. By sending notes of congratulations, birthday greetings, or even caring enough to say I want to brighten your day. There are so many forms of greetings that do not cost a cent when you search online. Places like Hallmark, Blue Mountain, or Alta Vista let you send a variety of cards for free.

Take the opportunity to be liberal with kindness. It's the little things that count. Who else can care better than you. Who would care, I do.

Opportunity Step: Demonstrate care about yourself and someone else today.

The Leadership Factor: The Power of L

2005-06-01T16:35:00.000-07:00

Leaders rise to the top and are recognized for the skills they possess. One of the understated reasons for leadership or managerial recognition is ofen due to the power of L:likeability. Executive advancement is often determined by how likeable is the candidate.

Given equal qualifications between two top candidates, gaining a promotion may be determined by how likeable, or credible, one is over the other. So if you are being considered for a promotion or ready to take advantage of other life opportunities, consider your power of L:likeability.

It has been found that likability is critical to fulfillment and success. Your ability to make a favorable impression on others is beneficial. A likeable person is easy to be around, more easily trusted, and thought of as a positive influence.

Everyone has a likeability factor. Your range can be from a low to high. The higher you place on the scale, the larger the sphere and scope of your influence. A likeable personality is perceived as a winning leadership quality. Regardless of where you currently rank on the L-scale, you can improve your popularity quotient and its benefits. A few tips to improve your likeability raking are:

1) Be open and friendly. Smile and engage other people with an outgoing personality. Being surly, argumentive, dour or negative lowers your likeability factor. Everybody loves a happy person, and abhors a menace.

2) Be concerned. Care about what is happening to others around you. Keep your nose out of the sky and of of the grindstone. Instead connect with others by showing concern consistently.

3) Be honest. Tell the truth in a compassionate way. Brutal honesty, although courageous, is oftentimes rebuffed. Honesty, coupled with compassion, makes you more likeable.

You can supersize your L-factor. Think about others, show that you sincerely care, be real about your vulnerabilities, and be friendly. Courtesy goes a long way and so does leadership likability.

The L:likeablity factor is key to your leadership and life success.

What is Your Giss?

2005-05-23T21:34:00.000-07:00

What is Your Giss?

We all have giss? The true discovery is in finding out what it is. Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, giss is your essence; it is what makes you unique, outstanding, and distinct from the rest.

A mother knows her child’s giss instinctively. A father intuitively knows his offspring too. Parents, like the mammals in the wild, instantly recognize the essence, or giss, of those they love and know. That is good, what a stronger question is, do you know your giss?

Have you ever stopped and pondered the question, who am I? At some point in all of our lives, we pause and ask ourselves the question that is the same as what is my giss. If you have not reached that stage in your life where you’ve undergone a time of introspection, I urge you to stop what you are doing right now and take a few minutes to begin your self-discovery. Even those of us who have asked ourselves the question before will benefit from this exercise. You will find, like I have, that over time your responses have shifted.

Take a few minutes and write in vivid, descriptive words what you think your inner essence is. Don’t shortchange yourself by using bland, ordinary words that are overused. Instead really take the time to describe who you are and what you know about yourself.

If this is the first time you have thought about your inner essence, it may take you a bit longer to complete this part of the exercise, but challenge yourself for your own growth, to fluidly write at least ten words. Stay with it, don’t stop. Understanding yourself is worth taking the time. Keep thinking about yourself, for once, only from your own perspective and not from external suppositions and let the words flow.

If you have done a similar self-growth exercise to this before, do it again today with me. It will be exciting to compare what you have written before once you re-visit your old list. But, today I want you to go deeper within and write in detail what is your giss.

What is interesting about self-discovery is that we utilize our inner essence all of the time. Who we are, what we have experienced, and what we do is nothing but our giss condensed. Every decision you make is fundamentally a by-product of your giss. Think about how often you “size up” a person or situation with dead-on accuracy. There is no way you could do this with a blank slate. Malcolm Gladstone, in his book, Blink, affirms that we are old hands at this. He calls this seemingly innate ability “thin-slicing”-the ability to make snap decisions or have exact impressions about others derived from somewhere in our history.

History is alterable. You have the chance everyday to revise your history. Because of each new fresh experience that you have, your history is mutable. Your giss, or essence, can and does change. The question is, how good are you at gassing yourself? Are you an old hand at sizing up yourself? Can you truly say, I know myself like the back of my hand. How intimate are you with you? If you giss-guess is off, all you need is more conscious practice.

As part of your practice, I suggest these actions:

Repeat this exercise every day for one week for 10-20 minutes. As yourself, what is my giss? Build up to longer durations until you make this a daily practice.
Write your responses in clear, vivid detail
Add pictures and symbols to portray your inner essence
Broaden your experiences by doing something new or thinking differently every day.
Test your giss by monitoring your decisions, impressions about others, and your accuracy
Reward yourself for accuracy and examine each misread.

We all need to blink more. Blinking, or being aware of our inner essence, can be used to complement and extend the rapid-fire reactions so necessary today in the fast paced, hectic, frenetic lifestyles we live. The need for an internal pavlovian-like giss to immediately access is vital to a calmer state of mind. Your focus is sharper because you know what is important to you. Thus, in spite of what is going on around you, you can gauge your response from an internal governor-your giss. Goldman has found that it doesn’t take extensive evaluations or analysis to improve. “It’s ability that improves with time”, he says. The broader your experiences, the better your giss.

Business leadership requires more giss so that each blink is accurate. A home life full of harmony is based on our ability to blink well with each other. Actually, the ability to rapidly “read” what is really going on and make snap decisions based on your inner truths is essential to business, social, spiritual, and family growth.

You can sharpen your intuition. You can make accurate, snap decisions. You can giss your way to bliss.