Confidence, The School Bus and Taking the First Step

We went through the drill.

Retracing our footsteps from both Wednesday's Open House and our quiet Thursday night visit to the empty middle school, we talked through bus drop off, locker location, homeroom and the 3 classroom periods. The lunch routine will vary from elementary school but she had the basics down: hop in a food line, make healthy choices and remember your lunch code. Find your lunch buddy, grab a seat and sit down to eat.

Homeroom #801, Language Arts #818, Math #814, Art #675.

Two elementary schools converging onto 1 middle school and 350+ 5th graders walking alongside those from 6th through 8th. One common area with 4 classroom wings, separate but together, curious but not really all that interested in anything but finding friends from last year and <maybe> getting to homeroom on time. 

What should I do if the teacher is not by the bus? Not by the lockers? Nowhere in site? Head for the homeroom kid, that's where she'll wind up. But, but, but . . . no worries, you'll be wonderful. A little nervousness is natural but there's nothing to fear.

I know you are ready for this. You are much better equipped for this than I was. Your goals are to make a new friend. My goal when I was your age was to not make eye contact with any one. Yes, really. What? Are you laughing at me? Does it make you feel better? Good. That's what I am going for.

Now, put on your confidence clothes, grab your back pack and let's hit the road. The first step you take onto the school bus this morning will be the biggest step you'll take today. You've got this one kid. It's all down hill from here.

Achieve Business Goals with Seeing Red Cars

The littlest things can make the biggest difference: a kiss here, a Godiva chocolate truffle there, or a little extra Penzeys vanilla sugar on french toast anywhere.

It's a seemingly little thing that forms the foundation of Laura Goodrich's book, Seeing Red Cars. Seeing Red Cars is based on the Seeing Red Cars training film and provides a road map to achieving your business goals by getting more of what you want - not less of what you don't want.

Did you get that?

Getting more of what you want - not less of what you don't want is a subtle distinction and shift in mind set that makes a world of difference in achieving your goals.

Let's talk about red cars. I had one once. My little red Acura was a sporty little number and , while I had it, it seemed like everyone had red cars too. Go figure! Doesn't it always seem to happen that way?

It does, and that's the very reason Laura used this metaphor for her book.

"Seeing Red Cars is a metaphor for focusing on what you want. It acts as a visual trigger to remind you of the positive outcomes you are striving for and, when you stray off the track, to jog your memory back into the the present and refocus on what you want personally and professionally."

I can't read a book for understanding without marking it up and turning back corner pages <hence my struggle with my Kindle and Nook> and I marked a number of points in this book. When it comes to achieving business goals, here are 3 points that caught my attention: 

1. Change happens with "intention and consciously repetitive step-by-step action,"
2. Focusing on individual "I wants" during a crisis can lead to proactive decision making, and
3. Everything in the section, "Insights from Brain Research."

This is more than a good read. Laura puts you to work as she guides you through the development of well-rounded personal and professional "I Want" statements and show you how to "turn actions into outcomes." I picked one professional want and worked through the exercises. I saw where I was on track in some areas and where I was selling myself short in others.

Bottom line: if you are looking for a subtle shift in perspective that could make a world of difference for you and your goals, test drive Seeing Red Cars today.