Yesterday I wrote about how at this time of the year we reflect on the last twelve months and think about what we can change for the year ahead.

Here are my Top 3 Ways to Embrace Change

1. Steer clear of the resistors. Although you may have some doubts and fears about the proposed changes, the last thing you need is to be seen as part of the group of naysayers that gossip and spread rumours about how bad the immanent changes are going to be. This group is normally the first to be shown the door.
2. Learn to embrace change. Instead of worrying about what you are going to lose and how you are going to be disadvantaged, be the first to put up your hand to help implement the change. Get involved with new committees and work teams and become a driver of change and new opportunities will open up for you.
3. Get excited about your growth potential. Change is a good time to take stock of where you are in your career and the value you offer to the organisation. Think about what you can learn, what you can achieve and devise a plan that enables you to move forward with an enthusiastic and positive attitude.

If you find yourself resisting change, take time to think about how you can use the transformation to your advantage. Is there anything that you can learn from it to enable you to expand and grow? Are there opportunities to acquire new skills and thrive in a new environment? It’s best to jump on board and be an early adopter and embrace change.

The great news is I can show you how to implement these 3 tips so you can make drastic and lasting change that enables you to focus on your goals with a new resolve.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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It’s about this time of the year that we suddenly realise that Christmas is almost here. Then from nowhere your inner voice produces statements like; where has the year gone, what have I achieved in the last twelve months or I’m still stuck in the same job. If this sounds like you then I want to give you an insight into why change is so hard and why we resist it.

Most people think of change as a negative experience we endure as best we can. But change is not always bad and it doesn’t always lead to bad outcomes. In fact change is the essence of improvement, innovation, growth, expansion and evolution. So why do people resist it?

Part of our resistance to change is internal. We simply assume that the change we face will result in bad outcomes and a future we won’t like. Many of us believe that things should remain the same and we do everything in our power to maintain the status quo. Some of us have difficultly adapting and we resist the extra effort required to figure out how to thrive in the changed circumstances. We can also feel victimised by the change and believe we are powerless to influence it. So where does this struggle to accept change come from?

Our mindset is made up of core beliefs and the values we hold about ourselves, others and life in general. These constructs create our fundamental assumptions about reality. This forms our worldview. They have been built up over time through experiences (both good and bad) and their associated stored emotions.

This explains why you can have two people perceive the same event in completely different ways. When your mindset deems a situation as “threatening” you will most likely experience, stress, fear, anxiety, sadness, doubt and so on. This is your mindset’s way of sounding the alarm bells based on your past experiences and emotions to similar situations. When your mindset believes an event to be valuable or supportive you will experience “expanded” emotions of confidence, excitement, happiness and pleasure. They are simply bodily sensations that are based on how you are interpreting reality at the time.

If you find yourself resisting change, take time to think about how you can use the transformation to your advantage. Is there anything that you can learn from it to enable you to expand and grow? Are there opportunities to acquire new skills and thrive in a new environment? It’s best to jump on board and be an early adopter and embrace change.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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I love this quote by Niccolo Machiavelli from the early 16th century.

“Let not princes complain of the faults committed by the people subjected to their authority, for they result entirely from their own negligence or bad example.”

Niccolo Machiavelli (circa 1517)

Essentially what Machiavelli was saying back in the 16th century is what behavioral science is now confirming. That is; if you are a leader, don’t complain about how your staff are behaving because it’s the direct result of the example you are setting.

The latest research into mirror neurons shows how we use our body to communicate intentions and feelings. Our gestures, facial expressions and body postures are social signals and ways of communicating with one another. So, the way you react and behave in the work place for example will affect your colleagues and the business as a whole.

There’s a subset of mirror neurons whose only job is to detect other people’s smiles and laughter, prompting smiles and laughter in return. A boss who is self-controlled and humourless will rarely ignite those neurons in his team members. But a boss who laughs and sets an easy-going tone puts those neurons to work, triggering spontaneous laughter and knitting his team together in the process. A bonded group is one that performs well.

When we consciously or unconsciously detect someone else’s emotions through their actions, our mirror neurons create an instant sense of shared experience. A leaders’ emotional display can prompt followers to mirror the feelings and actions they observe.
More importantly people in positions of power have the ability to activate neural circuitry in followers’ brains and that can be very powerful.

Everybody knows that when people feel better, they perform better. So, if leaders hope to get the best out of their people, they should continue to show strength and set high standards but in ways that foster a positive mood in their teams. One thing is for sure the old carrot and stick approach alone no longer works. The traditional incentive systems are simply not enough to get the best performance from teams.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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Marc Marquez is a 26-year-old Spaniard. He currently holds eight Motorcycle World Championships, six of those in the premier class of MotoGP.

Last week I was at Phillip Island for the Australian round of the championship. No surprise Marquez snatched the lead in a high speed daring move on the last lap to win the race.

So what does this have to do with leadership and business I hear you say!!Well, a lot. Honda (Marquez’s team) is one of the biggest manufacturers of motorcycles in the world. They also hold the record for the most Grand Prix victories.

A MotoGP race team has the same structures, demands and responsibilities that any large organisation has. They manage multi million dollar budgets and they employee specialist technicians, strategists and managers. They are at the forefront of research and development and constantly monitor their competitors. For ten and months of the year a logistics team manage the movement of bikes and technical equipment to arrive within a minute accurate schedule in 20 different cities around the world.

And still you say so what!! Well on Sunday night after Marquez’s dramatic win I was sitting in an Italian restaurant on Phillip Island with colleagues when the champion arrived with his team of 30 plus.Surprised to see an eight-time world champion in the local pizza restaurant I decided to observe the dynamics amongst the excited and enthusiastic group as they celebrated their win.

Unlike most organisations they made sure everybody was included. Every member of the team was acknowledged. There were no egos and no hierarchy. No one was excluded. It was an outstanding example of a cohesive and successful team sharing the spoils and accolades of the win.

Inclusion and acknowledgement is something all organisations can embrace.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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Oprah Gail Winfrey was born in 1954 to unmarried parents that separated soon after her birth. She was left in the care of her maternal grandmother who lived on a Mississippi farm. For the next fifteen years she was shuffled between the care of her father in Tennessee and her mother who lived in a poor and dangerous neighborhood in Milwaukee.

As a child Oprah learnt to playact in front of farm animals. By the time she was two years old she gave her first address to her church congregation and at two and a half she could read. However her poor urban lifestyle had a negative effect on Winfrey as a young teenager. Her problems were compounded by repeated sexual abuse, starting at the age of nine, by men that others in her family trusted.

Winfrey says that it was her father that saved her life. He was very strict but provided her with guidance, structure, rules and books. He required his daughter to complete weekly book reports and she went without dinner until she learned five new words each day.

As they say the rest is history. Oprah went on to have a successful television show for 25 years, runs her own production company and her book club is the most popular in the world. She is now the wealthiest women in America and the highest paid entertainer in the world.

So what is her secret? I would guess that she has learnt how to make life happen for her, not to her.

Something we can all learn from.

Tap the link in my bio if you would like to book a free 15min call so you can learn how to start making life work for you.

Click the link below if you would like to book a free 15min call so you can learn how to start making life work for you. https://leadersinmind.com.au/action-time-call/

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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Have you ever wondered if you should trust your gut instinct? Well the research is in and the good news is you can absolutely trust those gut feelings.

Since the mid–nineteenth century scientists have been trying to make a connection between the gut and the brain and there has been considerable debate ever since. Now advances in twenty–first century medical research have revealed a complex communication system between the millions of neurons embedded in the gut wall and the limbic brain that is integral to our decision making and emotions.

The limbic brain also stores our habits and behavioural patterns. So the gut-brain system helps govern not only the healthy functioning of our digestive system but also the complex brain functions including motivation and access to our deeper wisdom.

Dr Tara Swart writes in her book The Source “the physical health of our gut impacts on the well being of the digestive system which in turn has an impact on our mental state including our intuition’.

The gut is also responsible for producing a staggering 90 per cent of the serotonin that works primarily in our brain. Serotonin is the happy hormone and acts in a variety of ways. It helps regulate mood and social behaviour, appetite, digestion, sleep, memory, sexual desire and function.

Constant stress is the enemy of the gut and digestive system. Stress levels are constantly being communicated by the brain to the gut. The gut responds by slowing down digestion and decreasing blood supply to the area. This results in a range of symptoms including change in appetite, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, a compromised immune system and a lowered stress threshold.

So a healthy gut is key to a healthy mental state. To improve your gut-brain connection make sure you reduce and manage your stress, exercise regularly, have a healthy diet that include probiotic foods and stay hydrated. You should see an improvement in your mood, memory, motivation and intuition.

One thing is now clear, the gut-brain link is far from a mystical sixth sense; it’s now backed by scientific research.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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I’ve been spending time examining the neuroscience behind why it is that we get stuck and find it so hard to move forward.

It made me think about when I was 21 and learning to fly. I had completed about 15 hours of training and was still coming to grips with all the procedures and techniques. In my mind there was no way I was ready to fly solo. During a regular lesson at this time I was practicing take off and landings with the instructor firmly strapped in by my side. After successfully completing three of these take offs and landings the instructor asked me to bring the aircraft to a full stop and apply the brakes. In one motion he released his seatbelt, opened the door, left the aircraft and while closing the door said in a calm voice “Ok you’re on your own, off you go, do one circuit, I’ll see you soon”

Stunned and in disbelief, something within me took over as I pushed the throttle forward and accelerated down the runway. Once in the air I recognized for the first time that my life was truly in my own hands. The conscious mind may have thought I was not ready but there was no panic from that inner self that clearly laid out each step required to fly and land the plane without incident. Safely back on the ground the feeling of accomplishment was exhilarating; every nerve ending in my body was electrified, my heart was surging blood through me like I had never felt before.

The lesson? We often don’t think we are ready and that voice in our head will play limiting beliefs on an endless loop if we allow it. We just need to take the first step, push the throttle forward and know we can do it.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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In the late 90’s I went to America for a weeklong workshop. Along with the lectures were a series of activities designed to stretch your physical and mental capabilities.

The challenge of all challenges was “Jumping the Pole.” The “pole” was a 100ft (30m) telegraph pole that sat loosely in the ground, allowing it to move from side to side.

The test – should you accept it – was to climb the moving pole, then, while being part contortionist, part daredevil, manoeuvre yourself slowly to the standing position at the top of the wobbly stick. Once the nerves had calmed you were encouraged to launch yourself into the air and plummet to within metres of the ground before being pulled to an abrupt halt by the safety line.

For several nights prior to the day of the challenge I would go and stare at the pole and wonder how I would ever muster the courage to tackle it. Night after night I would continue to stare, gradually convincing myself that it was achievable. I imagined standing on top of the pole, confident and fearless. Then all I had to do was to stay focused and be brave.

The day came. I found the courage and managed the nerves. Inch-by-inch I made my way to the top, and with shaking legs, gradually stood on that wobbly stick. After taking in the view, I dug deep for every ounce of trust I had, closed my eyes and fell to the ground landing safely.

The Lesson? For a long time I would tell people about my heroic experience in every detail. I missed the point; my ego had got in the way. It was only years later that the real lesson was revealed. If I had just applied what I learnt that day and focused on the feeling of courage, confidence and fearlessness then most future obstacles would fade away.

Thank goodness they now have.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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If you love inspirational stories then watch the BBC documentary “David Bowie, Finding Fame.”

I watched in amazement as the challenges, obstacles and failures were revealed on his journey to becoming a superstar.

As a child Bowie experienced a harsh home life. His mother and father were desperately unhappy, and as a result his mother never laughed, was cold and rarely displayed any affection. His father, on the other hand, adored David but their closeness made his mother jealous.

In 1962 at the age of fifteen David kept firm to his dream of doing something important with his life, so he started his first band “The Konrads” This was the start of an eleven year quest for stardom.

However the path was not going to be easy. By the time he was eighteen he was playing in his fourth band. The critics were scathing. After a BBC audition for a music program the panel of judges reported that the band and Bowie’s performance was B grade, noting they sang wrong notes and were out of tune, lacked polish were devoid of personality and possessed no entertainment value.

Bowie was sensitive. The criticism hurt but he always took responsibility for any situation he had put himself in. He had a wide range of interests, was a deep thinker, a talented storyteller who loved reading. He was always thinking about how to be different. But he had a short attention span, he got bored easily and moved from one thing to another. In the mid sixties he developed an interest in Buddhism and even contemplated becoming a monk.

In those early years Bowie played in bars and clubs, wrote and recorded his music and released eight singles that all failed to make an impression. While scrubbing kitchens to make ends meet David continued, trying to develop his own performing style by observing other actors and singers. At one stage he took mime classes and spent time performing on London’s West End.

Eventually in 1969 he had a breakthrough with his hit Space Oddity that went to number 5 on the UK charts. He was now on his way. He had a taste of success and started to think act and feel like a star.

There was still one last hurdle. The music industry was littered with one hit wonders, so without another chart topping song he would be another statistic. It took another 4 years before he hit the big time in 1973 with the Ziggy Stardust tour. The rest is history.

So what did it take? 11 years, 9 bands, 8 failed singles, several failed albums, persistence and a dream to do something important.

Worth Thinking about next time you have a challenge.

There are 3 ways that I can help you.

1. Download my free eBook
2. Book a free 15min phone call
3. If you want to get started and get some clarity straight away then message me “roadblock release” and I’ll book you into get started

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Ever had that brilliant idea that just comes to you from nowhere? It could be an adventure, a business idea or a surprise for your partner. It all seems so clear and achievable, you start stepping through the process to make it all happen. Then before you know it the doubts and what ifs start to slowly pop into your head and that brilliant idea comes to grinding halt.

“It’s all too hard”, “what if it doesn’t work?, “I don’t have the money”, “I’ll never have the money”, and “I’m not good enough or qualified to take this on.” At this point you don’t realize what you’ve triggered. Each one of those thoughts has now released a chemical cocktail of hormones and neuropeptides that will produce the feelings that correspond to the thoughts you were just thinking.

Before you know it a host of negative emotions wash over you leaving you with a sense of frustration, anger and fear. You’ve just done a little sabotage job on yourself!!!

So why do we play this Tug of War with ourselves? On the one hand we have this desire to grow and set goals to become more. But on the other hand we have this storehouse of limiting beliefs that creep up and take us off our purpose.

The first step in winning this Tug of War is to become conscious of these limiting beliefs and replace them with more positive and uplifting thoughts and statements. Research shows by simply saying “yes I can do this” or “I am more than capable of achieving this”, and being conscious of your thoughts you can create new neural pathways and corresponding behaviors in less than a week.

If you think you may have some limiting beliefs and are interested in reaching your true potential go to https://leadersinmind.com.au/action-time-call/ to book your free 15 minute consult.

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