How’s Your Bracket? Taking Time to Plan Your Life

Filling out bracket e1300139814681How’s Your Bracket?

A lot of people will be evaluating their NCAA bracket results, if they haven’t done so already.

Sadly, it occurred to me that some people spend more time plotting and planning their basketball brackets than they do their day, their week, or even their life. I have friends and acquaintances that actually conduct research and some that fill out multiple brackets in hopes of creating a winner. Yet, some of these very same people just allow their day to happen. When bedtime rolls around, or the week ends, they are the first to wonder where their day or week went and why they accomplished so little.

A simple fact we all must learn early in life, is that planning is a always key factor in determining success and failure whether it be in sports or in life. We must invest in a plan to fully enjoy the benefits of a rewarding life.

I don’t believe in planning every minute of my life, but I do know the value of living each day with a plan and list of goals. We’re blessed with just twenty-four hours each day, it’s our responsibility to ourselves and our families to maximize each and every hour.

I’d like to share some thoughts and tools with you on how we can get the most out of each day, and ultimately our life:

1) Download Michael Hyatt’s free eBook Creating Your Personal Life Plan. Michael share’s his secrets to accomplishing so much. He is an extremely busy person, yet he finds time for others, his dreams, exercise, and so much more. He credits a lot of his success to his Life Plan. I recommend downloading his eBook.  It’s free, and I believe you will be very thankful you did. http://michaelhyatt.com/life-plan

2) Start a journal. If you follow my writings with any regularity you know the importance I place in keeping a journal. A life worth living is truly worth recording. I use my journal to record workouts, plan vacations, document success and failures, list the things I want to own, the books I want to write, and the pictures I want to draw. It’s my brain on paper. The keeper of my great ideas.

3) Use an index card to plan your day. Again, this is one of my favorite secrets. I use index cards to make my to-do list each and every day. I list the things that really matter and I focus on them until they are accomplished. It is that simple, and it works. People to call, my workout, time to write, and anything that needs to be done goes on the list. You must include the actions to your dreams. Want to write a novel? Put that on your list most days and it will get done.

4) Incorporate the use of a shared calendar. My wife and I use Apple’s MobileMe iCal syncing calendar to plan for our family. It’s great having everything on one calendar. You can do the same with Google Calendars and others. We can access our calendar from any computer, anywhere, including mobile devices, and that clunky computer in the hotel lobby. We know where we need to be and how we can help each other out.

5) Schedule your dreams. You will never find or make time. You either schedule it or you do not. You must learn to schedule and reserve time for what you really want in life. It’s great when spontaneous moments occur. I’m all for it, however, I can’t rely on them, so I plan too. I make sure my wife and I have dates on the calendar. Others appear, but we always have some scheduled.

6) Use technology; don’t let technology use you. If you have voicemail or answering machine then let it take your messages while you are spending time with your family. If you have a mobile phone, eliminate some of those emails while in the checkout line. These are great examples of using technology wisely. Sitting in front of computer mindlessly for hours at a time is an example of technology using you. Be a creator of content not just a consumer. I highly recommend online services like DropBox, Instapaper, Evernote, HootSuite, and others to help you manage your time better.

7) Use a timer. Yep, I’m serious. Use the timer on your phone or watch to set mini goals to get things done. Ten minutes can accomplish a lot. then move on.

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

 

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

Vision: Leadership Series Part Five of Seven

Part Five of Seven on Leadership: The Seven Commitments to Answering the Call to Lead

Vision is the GPS navigation system for leaders.

Vision is the entire purpose of Leadership. It’s the dog in a corn dog, the noodles in spaghetti, and the music at a dance. Without vision, a leader is nothing more than someone moving around making noise. The vision is the purpose of an organization. It’s the mission, or the direction in which the organization wants to move toward. Know this, an organization’s vision must be clear to everyone involved, and that is the job of a leader. A leader has this incredible ability to get everyone to enthusiastically work toward this common vision. In times of setback, defeat, and even failure, a true leader rallies everyone toward the vision once again.

The Statue of Liberty holds a special place in my heart as I am sure it does for many Americans. My grandmother and grandfather immigrated here from Ireland.  I grew up listening to my grandmother share stories about being aboard ship and seeing the Statue of Liberty for the first time. My grandmother immigrated here because of the American Dream. Being the youngest of a potato farming family during times of great hardship, she was in some way a part of that “wretched refuse” and the journey here definitely made her tempest-tossed.  She was by all means looking for opportunities.

These wise words penned by Emma Lazarus are indeed inscribed on the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal. While we all know that Lady Liberty was a gift from France, many do not know how the large pedestal on which the Statue rests was constructed.

Residents of Manhattan were asked to donate ten cents to help fund the construction of the pedestal. The pedestal would provide a base for the statue to rest and elevate it so it could be seen from great distances. The work would take months to complete and was very expensive.  Nearly all residents were eager to donate to this worthwhile cause, but there were of course a few who saw this endeavor as a waste of time and money.

One such man, complained about the fundraising for the pedestal.  Like an Ebenezer Scrooge, he refused to donate and found fault with everyone who gave money to the project or helped to organize fundraisers.

It is important to note that no one had seen the Statue of Liberty yet.  It was in a warehouse in pieces stored in crates. They had read about it and seen pictures, but it had not yet been assembled in the United States. Everyone was anxious to donate and see this amazing work of art, and beacon of freedom, assembled.  It was quite difficult, however, for this stingy character to visualize the majesty of this ten story statue, and so he never donated to the fund for the pedestal, not one dime.

Some time after the construction of the pedestal and the assembling of the statue, the man’s grandson begged him to go and see the statue.  He tried to refuse, but couldn’t. Upon arriving at Ellis Island, the man was in complete awe of Lady Liberty.  He was literally speechless. The statue’s size and grandeur, as well as the sense of freedom it conveyed overwhelmed him. Eventually the man and his grandson ascended to the top of the observatory inside Lady Liberty’s crown.  With a tear of shame running down his cheek, the man took a silver dollar from his pocket and jammed it into a small opening  he discovered.  He could not stand knowing that he was not part of something so wonderful.  He was unable to visualize what could have been.

Do not be like this man in Arthur Miller’s wonderful story, Grandpa and the Statue.  Answer the call to lead and make a difference in the lives of others. See the potential of yourself as a leader.  Our life is brief, but the contributions we make and the roles of leadership we choose are timeless.

If you do not have a vision yet, adopt one you admire until you can construct your own. Sometimes we use the vision of others as leaders, especially in sports teams.

The vision must:

1) Be incredibly short! In one sentence be able to state the vision.

2) Bring everyone together to achieve it, not separate individuals.

3) Challenge people to do their best work and become their best!

4) Be shared regularly.

5) Inspire enthusiasm and excitement. You are part of something bigger.

6) Encourage participation beyond normal expectations.

7) Everyone must understand how they can contribute to the vision.  If they don’t know, that’s your fault as a leader.

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

 

Wisdom: Leadership Series Part Three of Seven

Part Three of Seven on Leadership: The Seven Commitments to Answering the Call to Lead

You hear the word ‘wisdom’ and I’ll bet many of you picture an old guy with a long white beard. Right? Quit it. A great definition of wisdom is simple: the ability to see the future consequences of the decisions you are making right now.

How do you obtain wisdom? Well, that question has been bouncing around for thousands of years.  For a start, try surrounding yourself with great people, great books, quality experiences, travel, and most importantly spend time each day in reflection. Wisdom is a journey, not a destination. Are you on it?

While this is a very simple definition, the process combines all of your talents, experiences, and resources to put it into action.  Intelligence would be just one small part of wisdom. Intelligence serves you right now.  Wisdom serves others long after you are gone.

I believe wisdom is journey, not a destination.  A great leader is always pursuing wisdom, and the sad truth is that its attainment is never recognizable, but that is also the essence of wisdom’s brilliance.  If you are constantly on the journey toward wisdom and filling yourself on its fruits along the way, never knowing how close you are to the prize,  you will never stop developing this essential leadership skill.  You will be constantly seeking it, and therefore constantly obtaining incredible growth.

Seek Wisdom. Some people confuse wisdom with age.  This unfortunately is too common and incorrect. There are many who over time acquire a great deal of wisdom, but just because someone is young does not mean they are not capable of obtaining wisdom. Just because someone has lived for many years does not necessarily mean they are wise.

So where do we begin in our quest for wisdom? Well, it certainly starts with education, but that is far too limiting. Wisdom is the sum of the intelligence you gain educating yourself, the experiences of traveling, the life experiences and insight from friends, as well as the discipline and awareness gained from private reflection.

Have you ever noticed that successful leaders seem to do many things well? It is by no accident that this occurs.  Successful leaders are committed to excellence and possess a desire to be at the top of their game and make an impact in the world.  They hold themselves to a higher standard than anyone else does.  They seek self improvement.  This drive to make a difference in their lives and in others is the foundation of the wisdom I mention.

The measure of wisdom can be determined by four factors: 1) The books you read  2) The people with whom you surround yourself 3) The time you spend in contemplation  4) Your combined experiences.

1) Read great books.  Read books that will change your life.

2) Surround yourself with people who you admire, hold you to a higher standard, challenge you to become a better person, that are  steadfast in the morality and ideals.

3) Spend time each day in reflection.  This can be accomplished through journaling, contemplation, silence, or prayer.  (Not napping.) This can be a time for formulating the questions that guide us, or a quiet time to work on a virtue.

4) Continuously add new experiences to your life.  Travel. Meet new people. Take on new challenges.

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

Communication: Leadership Series Part Two of Seven

Part Two of Seven on Leadership:The Seven Commitments to Answering the Call to Lead

You are always communicating. Always!

Leadership is most often described as having the ability to influence others. It’s no surprise that most of our influence stems from how we communicate. Most problems come from poor communication, and most success from great communication.  Seize the power of praise and encouragement. Learn to say, “No.” Master how you communicate with yourself and others.

A leader is someone who says, “Follow me,” not just with their words, but with every action they take and every decision they make. Leaders are constantly communicating.

How do leaders communicate? With every step and word. They communicate with their body language, what they wear, and the activities they involve themselves with and what time they show up at the job.  Leaders communicate from the first handshake to the last pat on the back, and every email, thank-you card, and phone call in between.  Leaders are constantly communicating, even when they think they aren’t.

Fair or not, we make opinions about people the moment we see them, and the same is true of leaders.  A leader must be authentic and true to himself, but simultaneously cautious of the messages he is sending, both literally in a world of constant contact and communications, and symbolically through appearances. Communication is important.

How important is communication? Consider this, when something goes wrong and a complaint is filed within an organization or team, nine times out of ten the problem is one of communication. Furthermore, when a company or organization receives praise, the praise is better than 50% based on how well someone with that group communicated with someone outside.

Master communication and you will become a great leader.

Unfortunately, the majority of communication in our lives is complaints. A leader cannot be part of that.  I have always lived by the saying, “those who gossip with you, gossip about you.”  I make no room in my life for gossip. It’s not a part of me or my plan. Gossip is too small for me and so is complaining.  I leapfrog it and go directly to work on repairing the problem. Instead of saying, “You know what’s wrong…” work on “you know what would make it even better? Let me share my idea.”

Communication is either 95% of your problem or 95% of your success.

The one thing you must know about communication as a leader!

Many people falsely believe they can avoid a problem by not talking about it. Know this, leaders that do not communicate, create more problems than leaders that communicate poorly. You want to communicate even if the message isn’t popular, even if you know the message will not be well received.  It is your duty to communicate that message to your team and it will create more forward moving momentum than no message at all.  Why is this so? In the absence of communication, people will create their own story of why things are happening.  If your lack of communication is creating gaps, please know that people are going to fill those gaps in with whatever information they choose, and quite often it is inaccurate gossip that will be more damaging to morale and the overall vision of the team. In short, absence of communication is still communication, and it is the worst type of communication a leader can issue.

Remember, you are always communicating.

Attitude: Leadership Series Part One of Seven

Part One of Seven on Leadership:The Seven Commitments to Answering the Call to Lead

A good attitude is the most important element in leadership. Period.

Even if you acquired and mastered all of the other qualities needed to be a successful leader, yet failed to develop a good attitude, you will fail as a leader. Furthermore, if you possessed only adequate measures of the other leadership traits, yet nurtured a fantastic attitude, you will excel as a leader.  Yes, your attitude is indeed that important!  To put it quite simply, your attitude will make you, or break you.

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” ~ Winston Churchill

How can this be?  Well, a good attitude is the Flintstone vitamin of leadership; it automatically boosts all of the other leadership elements. A great attitude can compensate and even overcome a deficiency in another area.  If you are a poor communicator, for example,  that will hinder your ability to lead, but if your attitude is great, it will automatically boost your ability to communicate, and get you through some rough patches until you are able to strengthen your communication skills.

My mom always set out a Flintstone Vitamin for me in the morning. (I always wanted Dino. He seemed to have a lot of energy.)  I remember mom explaining to me the importance of taking the vitamin and how it would help me in Math class, and football practice, in art class, and even playing with my friends. I can’t help but to think of our attitudes acting in exactly the same way.  Whatever I am doing, a great attitude will make me even better at it.  Make sure you take your great attitude with you everywhere you go.

Imagine you had to work beside one of two people who were equally skilled, who would you choose to work with? Whom would you want to date of two equally attractive choices?  Perform dental work on you? And the list goes on.  The winner?  That’s easy. People with great attitudes!

Just like the Flintstone Vitamin, we can choose to take it or not.  It is our choice.  When poor circumstances or misfortune come our way we can choose to get negative and hot-headed, or place our thoughts on a new direction.

For years a banner hung in my classroom that read: Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching? It was one of my favorite posters because it packed so much into one small saying. I learned right away as a teacher and coach that my students and athletes would mirror my attitude.  If I arrived with an enthusiastic spirit willing to learn, so would my students. If I was short tempered and impatient, well, they would mirror that as well.  It’s no surprise then in the work place or in sports that people mirror the attitudes of their leaders, whether they are the CEO or the team captain, the classroom teacher, or the parent.  Attitudes are mirrored.

If you made a list of qualities that you did not admire and absolutely  didn’t want any part, they’d each be nothing more than characteristics of a poor attitude.  Seriously, laziness, lying, selfishness, rudeness, bragging, and more are all the result of having a bad attitude.  I tell you again, change your attitude and you will change your destiny.

The quality that we most admire in others has much to do with their attitude as well.

“Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, tha what other people think or say or do.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, or a home.  The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.”  Charles Swindoll

A Confession

One of my friends asked me why I was always so positive. The answer is simple and a very large part my secret to what success I have achieved.  I see the world in a very unique way.  I view every person I meet, every person I contact, and anyone I come in contact with as if they are the brightest, kindest, most helpful person I have ever met.  Furthermore, I truly believe it.  I believe that the people I meet absolutely want to help me succeed and assist me.  You know what?  It almost always works out as I picture it too.

Have you heard about the Pygmalion Effect?  It comes from George Bernard Shaw’s story Pygmalion, better known probably as the movie My Fair Lady.  The Pygmalion Effect has been incorporated into school settings with teachers and students.  When teachers believe they have received the best students, or when students believe they have received the finest teachers, they respond accordingly and excel. (Even when it’s not true.)

I don’t apply this Pygmalion Effect for sheer personal gain.  I believe people should be measured on their best day, not their worst, and I know from personal experience that most people rise to the expectations they are held, so why not hold everyone to a high expectation.  Also, it fits with the Golden Rule; I would want people to expect the same from me on our first meeting.

~Kelly

Kelly is an inspirational speaker, author, and artist.

www.kellycroy.com

Click to email Kelly questions about presenting at your event!

1-800-831-4825

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

 

Why ‘On My Honor…’ Still Matters: The Importance of Keeping High Standards


This week’s news of Brigham Young University’s suspension of basketball phenom, Brandon Davies has surprised and shocked the nation. Many were upset by the decision to suspend the leader of the nation’s number 3 basketball team just days before March Madness begins, but not me. I am proud of BYU’s enforcement of such high standards. I applaud their action.  It is an example that will serve us all well.

Bad behavior among athletes at both collegiate and professional levels has become accepted.  Hollywood bad boys and girls like Charlie Sheen and Lindsey Lohan dominate television, press, and the internet.  No one wants to be anyone’s role model any more. People don’t want consequences, they just want left alone. It’s a private matter. I’m not hurting anyone but myself. I’m special. I’m the exception to the rule. Move along.

I beg to differ. We have an obligation to our families, friends, colleagues, and communities to maintain high standards. We owe it to those who came before us, and to those who will follow after us. We should always give our best, live by a creed, and draw lines in the sand that we will not cross. Ever. But if we do, we need to accept the consequences and atone. It’s not easy when mainstream television reality shows sell the concept to win at any cost.

We begin with high standards but allow them to dissipate over time. With each success and failure we lose sight of the standards we hold ourselves and others to. In Scouting we recited our Oath and Motto aloud.  It was a commitment we made in front of each other verbally each week. It was stitched into our uniforms, embossed on the covers of our books, and displayed in posters on the walls of our meeting rooms. It was a regular part of our routine and life. I can still recite the Oath, Points, and Motto. More importantly, I still follow them.  I know they make a difference.

Davies’s actions, however, were not criminal and would not be seen by the majority of the country even as wrong. (He had premarital sex with his girlfriend.) Brigham Young enforced its honor code this week that forbids it. They chose not to turn a blind eye to a breach in their policy, which in this case may very well cost them placement in the NCAA Tournament.   I cannot even think of another college that would enforce this rule.  Still, it is their rule. Their incredibly high standard.

What happens when you set and keep incredibly high standards? You achieve incredible accomplishments.

Do you have an honor code? Does your family have standards? Do you know your company’s policies on misconduct? What rules have slipped into that gray area of indifference?

Renew, refresh, restore, and reinitiate your personal high standards. Surround yourself with people who hold you to a higher standard. The Marines and others known for their incredibly high standards incorporate them into their emblems and logos. They follow them, enforce them, and reward them. Do you?

I hope BYU and the hard working athletes on the team that kept to the rules do well. I hope Davies returns and becomes one of the great, memorable players of the game. I hope BYU’s high standards become the example of class for universities across the nation to follow. And I hope everyone looks at this news story as a personal opportunity to set or renew high standards for themselves.

We need to become better men and women, not lower our standards. Applaud and recognize those who maintain high standards. Call out those who do not, and ask them to renew their commitment or exit.

What an amazing example of leadership!

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. His presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and wherever people come together to be entertained and improve their lives. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

Please visit Kelly’s website to book him  for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

info@kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

It’s Not Time for That… Yet.

A good friend of mine is a successful writer and speaker. His books quite simply change lives. An aspiration for any writer. An aspiration for any speaker. An aspiration for any person.

Every now and then I contact my friend with an idea that I truly believe he must act on immediately. He casually responds nearly every time with, “Great idea, but it’s not time for that yet.”

Brilliance.

I’m blessed with Attention Deficit Disorder, better known to all as ADD. Blessed? Yes, because it is one of the muses that feeds me such creative, out-of-this-world ideas. I love it. One of the drawbacks, however, is of course the fact that I get so many ideas that I want to jump from project to project and then I don’t finish things. I never, ever, refer to my ADD as anything but a blessing.  I mean that. It’s as much a part of me as my blue eyes. In fact, I try not to refer to my ADD at all. (I love it so much I feel it’s like bragging about how much you can bench press. After all, I consider ADD one of my super powers.)

When all of these creative ideas start flooding my brain and pushing out the project that I really need to buckle-down on and finish, I just need to remind myself that it’s not time for that, yet. And I do. My brain starts  screaming, “Let’s do this!” I just say to myself, “It’s not time for that brain.” I take out my journal and I write down the amazing idea that just popped in there. I date it. Sometimes I even do a very quick sketch or two of what it’s suppose to look like or do. I give the idea a bold heading  so when I flip through my journal I see it.  Then I skip a line or two and write why I need to return to the project I interrupted and what it will mean to me and my family when I am finished.

It’s very important that you complete that last step. Once that new idea pops into your brain it steals some of the excitement and energy from the project you are working on. You have to invigorate that passion and energy into your project again. You will need to recapture that purpose and energy. Then immediately jump back into that project and make some real progress. Remind yourself of why you want to finish, what it will mean, and the date you want it completed. Being successful is not just knowing what to do, but knowing when to do it.

Here are the steps to take when your project gets interrupted by a new, wonderful idea:

  1. Remind yourself, “It’s not time for that, yet.”
  2. Take out your journal and write down your new idea quickly with a big, bold heading, and a quick sketch if needed.
  3. Reinvigorate your current project with a brief journal entry highlighting your passion, interest, and what it means to complete.
  4. Dive right back into the project you were working knowing the epiphany you just had is safely locked away and won’t be lost.
  5. Use visualization and self talk to restart the project and regain your energy and commitment.

Finish that project. Everyone loves and respects those who do what they say, and follow-through on their dreams and ideas.

Dream big, but finish!

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. His presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and wherever people come together to be entertained and improve their lives. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

Please visit Kelly’s website to book him  for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

info@kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

Create a Monthly Billing Statement for Your Goals!

My recent natural gas bill arrived. While bills are my least favorite piece of correspondence each month, I have to admit the helpfulness of the statement. It included a nice graph of my usage over the last year.  It let me know how much I have paid and what I owe. Interestingly enough, it even predicted my usage for the following month. Each statement serves as a reminder and holds us to a certain level of accountability of what we owe. It lets us know where we are.

Wouldn’t it be great if we received a similar billing statement each month for our goals?

Seriously! Most people never know where they are with the goals they wish to accomplish. It would be awesome to receive a statement each month telling us how much time we’ve put into our dream, what we owe, where we are at, and what we need to finally finish it.

Well, we can. My billing statement each month is in my journal. I choose the 28th of each month as the due date for my dream statements because I was born on the 28th of July and that’s easiest day for me to remember.  It’s like a private monthly celebration of my life and what I plan to do with it.

You can do the same.

You see, if we don’t review our life goals regularly we get behind, just like we would with a real bill. Unlike the natural gas company, we won’t receive any late notices, but what we owe starts piling up. (Most of the time to a level that makes it appear impossible to accomplish. That’s why people quit.)  Can you imagine how hard it would be if you tried to pay two months at a time, or your entire bill all at once? Ouch! The same is true of our goals and dreams.

Just like our billing statements from our utilities we need to make monthly contributions and track our progress.

So, bust out that journal daily or weekly if you can, but especially on the date of your birth each month. Create a reminder or alert on your phone or calendar if needed.

Write down the big three questions that will drive you toward success:

  1. What do I need to continue doing?
  2. What do I need to start doing?
  3. What do I need to stop doing?

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker. His presentations have entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and wherever people come together to be entertained and improve their lives. Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

Please visit Kelly’s website to book him  for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

info@kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825