by Doug Gray | Jan 2, 2012 | Business, change, Coaching, exercise, faith, Personal Development, Resources, Sales, strengths, Success
The holidays are a perfect time for baking and cooking… but an epiphany?
The word “Epiphany” can be both a holiday and a feeling.
Perhaps you know that the Epiphany holiday is celebrated near January 6, as a traditional time for feasts, fruitcakes, Twelfth Night, and the manifestation of Jesus to the Maggi. In Colorado, people celebrate by catapulting fruitcakes. In France, people eat the “King Cake” until a child finds the porcelain bean and is declared “King for the Day.” A baptism connected to sudden surprise. I love how we mash traditions and beliefs into one holiday.
The feeling of Epiphany is a sudden realization, that “Eureka!” moment, when we discover something important (such as gravity), or something spiritual (such as God.) In fact, psychologists study the feeling of epiphany when studying innovation. Philosophers study supernatural insight. Mystics study the conditions that support epiphanies.
Hmmm.
Why not celebrate both the holiday and the feeling?
What if we could, somehow, select the ingredients, create a recipe, then bake a fertile climate for epiphanies? For instance, if we mashed together “preparation” and “inspiration”? Or “market” and “opportunity”? Or “buyer” and “seller”? Or chocolate on top of peanut butter cookies?
As a coach I help people design their future. Kind of like helping them create the recipe, so that they can frost the cake. The coaching process has 3 steps: 1) increasing awareness (of your strengths, a situation…), 2) taking action (with intentional constructive steps toward your personal and professional goals), and 3) driving accountability (determining what works, then doing more of that…”
I wonder if we can create Epiphanies, in a similar way?
Religious leaders and mystics talk about “Thin Places.” These may be cathedrals (like Winchester) or ancient sites (like Stonehenge) that enable us to feel connected to the supernatural or spiritual. If you have ever looked through stained glass, or sung in Handel’s Messiah, then you know about Thin Places.
For me, natural wild places are perfect conditions for Epiphanies. Last week, for instance, I was running along a rocky ridge line in New Hampshire. Imagine spruce and fir trees. Ancient granite. Snow and ice. A good friend nearby. Spectacular views of lakes and mountains. Then imagine the sun setting into crimson lines of endless colors. In that Thin Place I felt more spiritual than physical.
My epiphany was that, despite advancing age, I always feel stronger after a run. Connected to something ancient. Thankful for being alive.
So, here is a short Recipe for Creating Epiphanies:
1. Be physically active every day
2. Serve others
3. Do meaningful work
4. Consider possibilities
5. Maximize living in the Now
6. Design the Future
And let me know how it goes…
Do you think it is possible to celebrate both the holiday and the feeling of epiphany?
by Doug Gray | Dec 11, 2011 | book review, Business, change, Coaching, digital, Employment, energy industry, exercise, faith, family, Financial Professionals, Front, global, healthcare, Leadership, Managers, Meetings, money, Personal Development, physicians, published articles, Resources, safety, Sales, strengths, Success, talent, talent assessment, video
Welcome,
It may be obvious, however, I want to encourage you to:
1. Scroll over the boxes/categories on the sidebar for key words that interest you.
2. Enter any word in the search button. Then follow that post to more posts.
3. Write a comment. Your thoughts are more important than mine.
4. Forward any posts to your friends/colleagues.
5. Join the RSS feed so that you receive regular blog updates as they are posted.
The purpose of this blog is to share what works.
So, what works for you?
by Doug Gray | Nov 10, 2011 | book review, change, Coaching, faith, Leadership, Managers, Meetings, money, Personal Development, Resources, strengths, Success
One of my coaching clients recently shared some CDs based on this question. He provoked me. And I loved it.
Take this quiz:
1. I watch the evening news (despite its focus on violence and deprivation)
2. I listen to negative feedback from customers more than positive feedback
3. I regularly focus on the positive qualities of my life, and state them as choices
4. I agree that over 70% of people are motivated by fear
Now pause. And notice what you are feeling or thinking…
Who/What do you listen to?
If you listen to negative messages you will see the negatives.
If you are reading this blog, then you probably want to see positive results.
Here are three favorite resources: Martin Seligman’s research into Learned Optimism assures us that those who learn to be optimistic can have tremendous health and professional benefits. And Marcus Buckingham’s research at the Gallup foundation in Significant Strengths found that individual and team success is a result of intentional focus on your strengths.
In 2008 I attended a 3-day coach certification program lead by iPEC in Chicago. The gist of the content was to introduce the relationship between anabolic energy (positive, constructive, healing and growth-oriented) and catabolic energy (draining, destructive, potentially toxic.)
We have choices: to live anabolically or catabolically.
And we all know that who we listen to effects how we think/act. Examples abound, from talk radio to war-based propaganda to marketing.
A better question may be: Who/What do you CHOOSE to listen to?
Some people wake up and intentionally:
- spend 30+ minutes in yoga, or regular exercise
- spend 10+ minutes in prayer, or reading uplifting material such as “Success” magazine
- spend 20+ minutes writing expressions of gratitude in a journal, or love letters to family, or paint a gift
Throughout the day some people intentionally:
- begin every conversation by asking, “Is this a good time for us to talk?”
- end every conversation with a specific, genuine compliment
- maintain a list of the 5+ daily calls to friends or positive people that they make
- create a better future by focusing on HOW to make someone feel better, be more productive, own a success, etc
So, who/what are you CHOOSING to listen to?
by Doug Gray | Sep 26, 2011 | Business, change, Coaching, faith, family, Leadership, Managers, Meetings, Resources, strengths, Success
Imagine if we started each day or each meeting with something like the following…
Father God, and the Great Spirits, I pray that just for today I choose to uplift others by reinforcing their strengths and maximizing my strengths. And just for today I pray that we choose faith over fear in every decision. Amen
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